WWE 2K14 Roster Revealed
http://www.wwe.com/inside/2k/wwe-2k14/wwe-2k14-full-roster-revealed-26149996
Stone Cold Steve Austin Update
When asked if he would ever wrestle again, Austin said that if he couldnt come back at 100%, then he wouldnt want to come back at all. He then added that his chances to return are "pretty damn slim."
http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/9/23/4760134/the-mma-hour-with-georges-st-pierre-anderson-silva-chael-sonnen-stone
http://www.wwe.com/inside/2k/wwe-2k14/wwe-2k14-full-roster-revealed-26149996
Stone Cold Steve Austin Update
When asked if he would ever wrestle again, Austin said that if he couldnt come back at 100%, then he wouldnt want to come back at all. He then added that his chances to return are "pretty damn slim."
http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/9/23/4760134/the-mma-hour-with-georges-st-pierre-anderson-silva-chael-sonnen-stone
This is why the IWC cracks me up sometimes:
ReplyDelete"OMG WWE needs to stop using part-timers to pop the WM buyrate! Stop bringing back HHH/Rock/Brock/Taker/etc. and push their young talent!.....Austin needs to wrestle again, he should face Punk!"
His podcast is hilarious. He does a spot on Dusty impression.
ReplyDeleteThere's one point: a massive buyrate spike, especially if he's booked against either Punk or Cena. And that's a pretty big point from teh Corporate perspective of WWE.
ReplyDeleteThat roster needs more Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude, and Jake Roberts.
ReplyDeleteMichael Cole was Austin's defining rival?
ReplyDeleteNo rub?
ReplyDeleteIf he lies down for Punk, it'd be no different than Hogan lying down for Rock, or Rock lying down for Cena.
A star is a star, and as long as he's not actually being pushed in a way that detracts from other wrestlers, then there's no problem. Squashing Axel for the IC title? Detrimental to Axel and unnecessary for the product. Headlining the biggest show of the year and bestowing his return upon Punk? Gives Punk the rub and draws a huge buy for business.
This could just be wishful thinking, but it seems a little odd that he's now saying he likely can't come back, after spending the last two years claiming that he could come back for a few years if he needed to.
ReplyDeleteCould he be... swerving us?
Honestly, just listening to his podcast, I think he'd have loved to come back. Has possibly tried talking himself into coming back, but deep down knows the tread's off the tires, so keeps a sliver of hope but most likely knows it's over
ReplyDeleteAustin-Punk would have been fantastic around 2010-early 2011 when Punk was just maturing into a main event role. Punk ended up getting himself way over anyway. The real money is Austin-Cena.
ReplyDeleteThere is absolutely no way that an Austin return would be anything other than underwhelming.
ReplyDeleteIf The Rock's return proved anything it's that some things are best left in the past.
But Punk isn't signed past next summer. So it would be like Lesnar giving the rub to Goldberg at Wrestlemania XX.
ReplyDeleteThreadjack: Everyone should listen to the Steve Austin podcast with JR today. Austin lamenting how it was a mistake to turn heel, JR talking about why he constantly got beat up in Oklahoma, Danny Hodge's bear in a battle royal...
ReplyDelete"risking his health is a GIGANTIC gesture"
ReplyDeleteThat makes a ton of sense. Risk your health to put someone over on a wrestling broadcast.
Regardless, Punk's not going to be any bigger from beating Austin.
ReplyDeleteHe's already in the top echelon of guys, and beating Austin changes nothing.
I checked smacktalks dissecting t shirts in the crowd and one of them was a rude shirt, so he'd seem a likely DLC guess.
ReplyDeleteI'd totally be onboard, but only if he wasn't as overproduced (by Vince) as all the other commentators they have. I cringe at the prospect of Austin having to use the phrase "WWE Universe" or shill for the app, or use terminology like "building momentum," "create separation," and "get back in the title hunt."
ReplyDeletereal money is cena/taker
ReplyDeleteWhat other reason would there be to have Austin wrestle another match, if not to give a rub?
ReplyDeleteto make money?
ReplyDeleteYeah that true, you'd probably pop a one and done buyrate, because even if he wrestles more than once the shine will be off.
ReplyDeleteAnd as long as he's there anyhow, wouldn't you try and leverage that for the future?
You would try...but it wouldn't be your primary objective.
ReplyDeleteDisagree - Cena already got the "dream match" scenario (twice), let someone else have a turn.
ReplyDelete... this is a more depressing way of looking at it.
ReplyDeleteAustin and HBK are two of my favorite guys of all time but I think their time has passed. Both are doing well and dont really seem to miss it. Id mark out if they did return for a match but thatd just be the fanboy in me. I think a return by either might pop ratings for a short time but WM is gonna sell itself, and I think Cena/Taker is bigger then anything else they can do.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt in my mind well see a few HBK tv spots with him getting involved in the Bryan/HHH thing, im not so sure well ever see Austin in WWE tv again though.
To us "common folk", no, but wrestlers are nuts, and do weird things for weird reasons.
ReplyDeleteI think you meant over booker.
ReplyDeleteThe bloom being off the rose is EXACTLY why his return HAS to be one-and-done.
ReplyDeleteCena-Taker is the money match. The undercard could be Primo and Epico exploding, the return of Michael Tarver, and 4 divas matches.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you did want to go all in on the Cena heel turn, ending the streak is how you'd do it.
That roster is just dying for "Taker Streak's" DLC pack with Snuka, Roberts, Boss Man, Sid and Gonzales. I think the rest of Taker's victims are already in-game.
ReplyDeleteYea, that would be the spot. Not to rehash the Cena heel turn thing but I cant think any other scenario that Cena "turning heel" wouldnt get cheers from the crowd.
ReplyDeleteI dont get why the WWE would ever end the streak. Even after he "retires" they could keep the streak in their back pocket in case a huge breakout star comes along in a few years. The streak will ALWAYS be a draw.
I honestly don't even think it's a health issue, I think he's just worried about going out there and stinking up the place in a really shitty match.
ReplyDeletedo we really want to remember that hell in the cell? would they have the bossman being hung afterwards?
ReplyDeleteI like the idea otherwise, I just want them to brush over that year as fast as possible. Giant Gonzales in a game, complete with fur suit, I would absolutely make him a world champ and boost all his attributes to the max.
Fair enough, that's a good point.
ReplyDeleteThe link isnt up at the site
ReplyDeleteSame. Very natural feud.
ReplyDeleteWrestlers have a thing about properly shaking hands, imagine how'd they feel about someone risking their health to wrestle a match.
ReplyDeleteYou know, wrestlers need to come up with a better phrase then "giving a rub". Especially when it's a sport centered around two guys in their underwear fake fighting.
ReplyDeleteInteresting idea.
ReplyDeleteAgain with the Austin talk?
ReplyDeleteI have no desire to see Austin at less than 100% either, so I hope he doesn't give in to much more than an appearance. Stunning Vince for old times sake would work, but I think his last match being the Rock one fits perfectly
But doesn't that demand Cena vs. Austin as a payoff?
ReplyDeleteThe only reason to consider ending the Streak is if you KNOW it's Taker's last Wrestlemania match and you're going to give someone the ultimate rub. The value of the Streak is in maintaining it for next year's match. If there is no next year's match, then it only really has value to Taker.
ReplyDeleteAustin eventually made that character interesting, but the heel turn was indeed a bad idea at the worst time. There was plenty of mileage in programs with the Angles and Benoits (both showed up during Austin's injury hiatus) to bridge a few months to the Invasion. The WCW invasion needed Austin as the defiant babyface, even if the angle was still Vince & Austin reluctantly allying to battle the common enemy invaders
ReplyDeleteExactly this. Austin couldn't possibly be the same guy in the ring that he was in 2001, so why bother? Sure, Punk vs. Austin would be a dream match....if it was '01 Austin vs. modern Punk.
ReplyDeleteThis year, yes. I think he meant Austin-Cena down the road. WM 31? I don't want to see it myself, but if Austin was dead set on getting in shape and doing one more bazillion dollar payday, I have no doubt it would sell
ReplyDeleteWhich is totally respectable (and probably realistic)
ReplyDeleteYea, but even if Taker "retires" some unseen hot act could can be established 2-3 years the road. I just think its retarded to ever end it.
ReplyDeleteGive him Rey Mysterio's moveset
ReplyDeleteYes yes and yes
ReplyDeleteA massive buyrate. Same reason they did Rock vs. Cena twice. Cena doesn't need anyone's rub, but they banked two huge PPV buyrates and that was enough
ReplyDeleteExactly. And he's one of the few megastars that hasn't blown all his fortune.
ReplyDeletePrecisely. same reason they did Rock vs. Cena. Not to give Cena "the rub". Just to pop two monster buyrates. And more power to them for it
ReplyDeleteSure, they could always try something down the road. I think they would be really hesitant to give anyone that Streak win anyway, given how hot new acts have burned them in the past. Guys like Brock, Lashley, and Batista (eventually), etc. have walked away without WWE getting the long, long-term return on them, so I doubt Taker's Streak would ever be sacrificed in the name of some young rising star. I thought it might have made sense back at Wrestlemania 23 against Batista, but it worked out for the best that they didn't do it.
ReplyDeleteStoryline-wise, maybe, but they don't have to actually do it. Fans would get over it eventually.
ReplyDelete