WWE Network
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<p><img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BfLMaXyCMAA8yyv.jpg" alt="BfLMaXyCMAA8yyv.jpg"></p>
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<p>The product and direction is a mess right now. The crowds are out of control. Batista has been a backfire. (And poor Albert del Rio - given a thankless task and the weight of the world on his shoulders to quickly sell Batista as a babyface in a couple months for a Wrestlemania main event.) Triple H is now a Daniel Bryan guy...?!? If so, then he really is trying to bury Bryan. I'm guessing Roman Reigns will be their next big thing, but that will probably have to wait until after 'Mania. I thought CM Punk walking might be a work, but the only mention of his name on Raw was the crowd chanting, so I'm guessing their failing to mention him (or Lesnar, also conspicuously absent on Monday) means his AWOL is real.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stockcar86" data-cid="412706" data-time="1391155477">
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<p>How cool would it have been if Ray came out, starting wrestling, then pulled off his mask to reveal it was Bryan!</p>
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<p>That would have been hilarious. I felt bad for Rey -- it wasn't his fault he came out at No. 30.</p>
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<p>Speaking of... yesterday I watched Rey vs. Eddie from 1997 Halloween Havoc for the first time since it happened. (It was on a short-list of the best wrestling matches of all-time.) If you've never seen, it's fantastic.</p>
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<p>The Latino Heat rocked . One of my all time favourites</p>
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<p>Wow, Cody Rhodes moonsalt from the top of the cage in last weeks Raw. And Road Dogg did not even get under him properly, so a big bump. Hope he is OK - loving the team up with him and big brother.</p>
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<p>They finally had Bryan beating Orton in the same nights wrestling too. Fear The Beard!</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stockcar86" data-cid="414141" data-time="1391992287">
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<p>Wow, Cody Rhodes moonsalt from the top of the cage in last weeks Raw. And Road Dogg did not even get under him properly, so a big bump. Hope he is OK - loving the team up with him and big brother.</p>
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<p>I didn't actually see that live until the replay when Cole did a re-set, I was out of the room, but watching the replay I was gobsmacked. I'll have to go watch it again. His tag partnership has completely revitalized his career. And forget Batista, Goldust is the comeback wrestler of the year. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Godder" data-cid="414484" data-time="1392267893">
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<p>Lita announced for the HoF.</p>
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<p>Let's just hope the crowd isn't chanting "Slut - slut -- slut..." through her whole speech.</p>
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<p>I think she is probably the best "Diva" ever. I never paid attention to women's wrestling for anything other than the T&A eye-candy -- and really, you didn't need to see females wrestling, which is why they had Sable N' Sunny, etc. But Lita was the first who looked to me hot and actually impressed me with her skill, courage and ability to take bumps like a man.</p>
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<p>Having said that, the most memorable thing she ever did was this:</p>
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<p>The female division was much more wrestling-oriented pre-Attitude era than it is now, or even from the late 90s onward. The Alundra Blayze era was centred around wrestling, as was the Wendy Richter era. I agree that Lita is the best Diva (maybe Trish Stratus is equal) ever, but that's a fairly low bar since pre-Attitude, they weren't Divas, The Jumping Bomb Angels were particularly awesome for their time (1987), with high-flying moves and speed that legitimately awed the commentators.</p>
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<p><img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BgcQ9IACAAAAdr1.jpg" alt="BgcQ9IACAAAAdr1.jpg"></p>
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<p>The Hammer.</p>
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<p>I'm genuinely astonished people still watch this.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="414859" data-time="1392543278">
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<p>I'm genuinely astonished people still watch this.</p>
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<p>Why?</p>
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<p>It's a very well run piece of entertainment.</p> -
<p>I guess I just don't find it entertaining. I appreciate the skill and athleticism some of what they do requires, but that's true for men's synchronised diving and I don't watch that either.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="415021" data-time="1392610727"><p>I guess I just don't find it entertaining. I appreciate the skill and athleticism some of what they do requires, but that's true for men's synchronised diving and I don't watch that either.</p></blockquote>
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Makes perfect sense as to you why you don't watch it. But was more interested in why you were genuinely astonished that other people still watch it.<br><br>
A bit like coronation street....Huge amount of followers but I don't find it entertaining so I don't watch it. But I'm hardly astonished why other people watch it. I understand it entertains them, so they watch it. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="415021" data-time="1392610727">
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<p>I appreciate the skill and athleticism some of what they do requires...</p>
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<p>The skill and athleticism is less than half the reason why most people watch. (You could make the argument that arguably the most famous wrestler of all time -- that would be the Hulkster -- had neither skill nor athleticism. What he had was a character and a story -- and that gives you drama.)</p>
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<p>Watch this clip of Bert Sugar (0:50) explaining how Cassius Clay wins an Olympic gold medal and stands on a street corner hoping somebody can recognize him, and then, especially (good stuff starts at 1:06) trainer Angelo Dundee talking about how young Muhammad Ali gets a clue real-fast:</p>
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<p>"We always schemed up gimmicks -- his whole career."</p> -
<p>Cena fought Antonio Cesaro in an awesome match on Raw tonight (whole show was pretty good). I was surprised how much bigger Cesaro was than Cena, he looked several inches taller. </p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Godder" data-cid="415882" data-time="1392986406">
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<p>RIP Nelson Frazier aka Mabel/Viscera/Big Daddy V, aged 43.</p>
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<p>I was surprised at his age. He must have been elevated at a young age, 'cos I thought he was about a decade older.</p>
