Support NeoGAF

[Hollywood]

The Rock was recently internview on the Filmforce.com website about several of his upcoming film projects including Get Cool and Spy Hunter. When the topic of a WWE return comes up, he commented,

"No. They've been wanted for a long time to get into the movie business and, I'm not too sure, I think like low budget movies, a lot of them straight to video. I think they wanted to and were looking for different distributors. No, my contract is actually up with them, it was up last year, so I'm done…"

Also Lesnar is suing the WWE over contract issues. Apparently the rumors of a RR return were extremely false. I doubt suing the company and then badmouthing it as a 'fake' sport during a bust campaign to play in the NFL is going to get you back.

 

[Brannon]

I hope he keeps making decent movies. Just no "Mr. Nanny" or "Suburban Mom" crap. Muscled warriors of death being cleverly hoodwinked into caring for kids IS NOT FUNNY ANYMORE.

 

[DarienA]

I hope he keeps making decent movies. Just no "Mr. Nanny" or "Suburban Mom" crap. Muscled warriors of death being cleverly hoodwinked into caring for kids IS NOT FUNNY ANYMORE.

So true....

 

[Tazznum1]

The Rock and Brock Lesnar done with WWE

So am I.

 

[NLB2]

Lesnar is so gonna go into MMA. Just watch, it'll happen.

 

[belgurdo]

I'm just going to wait for the next superstars to pop up.

Either that, or return to tending my secret shrine and goal of wishing ECW back into existence

 

[Triumph]

So am I.

"Come back, Tazz. I'll job to Simon Dean just for you!"

 

[dskillzhtown]

As far as Brock and the Rock, WWE needs them alot more than they need the WWE. Both have money and their health. WWE has slumping revenues and ratings. Brock's lawsuit has to do with a non-compete clause that goes worldwide and stops him from going to any other promotion, including MMA.

I wouldn't be surprised if WWE leaked that story about Brock returning at the show in Minneapolis.

 

[Tazznum1]

Poor Hurricane, every time I see him in a match he loses. Hell if I became a wrestler for a night, they'd make him lose to me. Sucks. And I like the welfare Rosie sidekick outfit.


CAN'T THEY DO ANYTHING RIGHT????

 

[Ristamar]

And there's why I haven't even been remotely interested in wrestling for the last two years.

No Rock, No Sale.

 

[bishoptl]

This is excellent news. Perhaps now WWE will show a greater, more concerted effort in creating new stars like DAVE, instead of dipping into the well of nostalgia every freakin' Wrestlemania. The Rock was incandescent, a once-in-a-generation wrestler who connected to the mainstream unlike anyone since Hogan. Lesnar?....not quite as awesome, but he had his moments. Still, they contributed and can now move on to better things (well, at least Duane is). Time for some new blood. Get to it.

DAVE

 

[dskillzhtown]

This is excellent news. Perhaps now WWE will show a greater, more concerted effort in creating new stars like DAVE, instead of dipping into the well of nostalgia every freakin' Wrestlemania. The Rock was incandescent, a once-in-a-generation wrestler who connected to the mainstream unlike anyone since Hogan. Lesnar?....not quite as awesome, but he had his moments. Still, they contributed and can now move on to better things (well, at least Duane is). Time for some new blood. Get to it.

DAVE

The only thing is they need to create new stars to go along with Dave. If he is involved with strictly the same people, you know the angles will end the same way...with HHH winning in the end. Not sure that Vince is ready to put HHH on the backburner for anyone at this point.

 

[Triumph]

This is excellent news. Perhaps now WWE will show a greater, more concerted effort in creating new stars like DAVE, instead of dipping into the well of nostalgia every freakin' Wrestlemania. The Rock was incandescent, a once-in-a-generation wrestler who connected to the mainstream unlike anyone since Hogan. Lesnar?....not quite as awesome, but he had his moments. Still, they contributed and can now move on to better things (well, at least Duane is). Time for some new blood. Get to it.

DAVE

"That's funny. Everyone knows that the roster exists to fuel my ego and job out to me. Enjoy your two month reign, DAVE. Then the belt comes back to Trips and you go back to the midcard. I AM A WRESTLING GOD."

 

[bishoptl]

SHUT UP RAOUL

The only thing is they need to create new stars to go along with Dave. If he is involved with strictly the same people, you know the angles will end the same way...with HHH winning in the end. Not sure that Vince is ready to put HHH on the backburner for anyone at this point.

Fuck, if that's the case then I'd rather see Batista jump to Smackdown, punk out JBL, then run a slowburn angle towards unifying the titles next year.

 

[Keyser Soze]

We Will Always Have Dave!!!

ALWAYS!!!!!!

 

[Dram]

did anyone hear the rumor that Triple H had to bend over the table for McManhon in order to get a job with the company?

 

[Keyser Soze]

I'd rather see Batista jump to Smackdown, punk out JBL, then run a slowburn angle towards unifying the titles next year.

I am all for long running, slowburn angle but even i could not stand waiting a year for Dave to lay into HHH.

It needs to happen at WM this year or i will roll into a ball and start shouting random words at people that pass me by....

 

[Lyte Edge]

The thing about that Rock interview, however, is that it says his CONTRACT is up. He may be done with them for now, but he said he was still close to Vince and views him like a father figure, so I wouldn't rule him out completely.

Lesnar, BTW, is screwed right now. He has a no-compete clause in contract until *2010*, which is why he's got the lawsuit going in an attempt to go elsewhere.

 

[Keyser Soze]

did anyone hear the rumor that Triple H had to bend over the table for McManhon in order to get a job with the company?

Steph's sledgehammer fetish???

 

[Baconäger]

This is excellent news. Perhaps now WWE will show a greater, more concerted effort in creating new stars like DAVE, instead of dipping into the well of nostalgia every freakin' Wrestlemania. The Rock was incandescent, a once-in-a-generation wrestler who connected to the mainstream unlike anyone since Hogan. Lesnar?....not quite as awesome, but he had his moments. Still, they contributed and can now move on to better things (well, at least Duane is). Time for some new blood. Get to it.

DAVE

I think they need to put more effort into big generic guys with tattoos. Seriously, we don't have enough of them...

 

[Brian Fellows]

Good!

Well........I wouldnt have minded seeing Brock back at one point. I will be happy not to have to put up with the Rocks annoying 20 minute promos where he says pretty much the same thing he said back in 98 and his unbearably bad matches.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I think they need to put more effort into big generic guys with tattoos. Seriously, we don't have enough of them...

You make some sense! You see only 1 in 10 of these new "big guys" turn out to be any good, when one of them turn out to be good (example DAVE!!!!) WWE thinks "oh this works" and ships in another 10 of them then probably one of them may work and so the cycle continues.

 

[Baconäger]

You make some sense! You see only 1 in 10 of these new "big guys" turn out to be any good, when one of them turn out to be good (example DAVE!!!!) WWE thinks "oh this works" and ships in another 10 of them then probably one of them may work and so the cycle continues.

He doesn't "work" either. Batista is terrible.

 

[Keyser Soze]

He doesn't "work" either. Batista is terrible.

Oh No

 

[Baconäger]

It's true. The guy has zero charisma....but has big muscles and is larger than life! Push him to the top!!!

 

[Lyte Edge]

He doesn't "work" either. Batista is terrible.

FEAR BISHOP AND THE BAN HAMMER RUN WHILE YOU CAN

You want to talk about "big men" that need to go? Get rid of Tomko, Snitsky, and Heidenretch for starters. Dave can stay. He's cool.

 

[bishoptl]

Jeez Bacon, you must be high.

DAVE is a perfect example of a big guy who was green as a Granny Smith coming in - but who worked on his craft and has obviously been paying attention. I've been watching him since the Leviathan days in OVW, then as Deacon Batista. Sure, he was big, but he couldn't carry his own weight in the ring. He's improved so much since then - while developing a backstory thanks to the Evolution storyline - that it's no wonder that the crowd has gotten behind him. You may choose not to see it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's there. Did you see his match with Benoit a month ago on the Raw opener? It wasn't Chris carrying him out there either - DAVE held up his end admirably.

Lyte nailed it - there's a dozen big dudes who have been on the roster who sucked in the ring, displayed no personality to speak of, couldn't connect with the audience, and depended on Shannon Moore, Hurricane, and "SMACKDOWN NUMBA WUN ANNOUNSAH" to bump for them like crazy to try and get them over. Heidenreich. Snitsky. Tomko. Cade. A-Train. Test. Go hate on them, since they meet your criteria perfectly.

DAVE has got it.

 

[Baconäger]

Lyte nailed it - there's a dozen big dudes who have been on the roster who sucked in the ring, displayed no personality to speak of, couldn't connect with the audience, and depended on Shannon Moore, Hurricane, and "SMACKDOWN NUMBA WUN ANNOUNSAH" to bump for them like crazy to try and get them over. Heidenreich. Snitsky. Tomko. Cade. A-Train. Test. Go hate on them, since they meet your criteria perfectly.

DAVE has got it.

Batista came is as like a nobody that teamed up with two huge people (Flair and Crips)...

He was thrown into the spotlight from the very beginning, which is why people know him. It was pretty easy to tell that Vince has had him in mind as a main contender from the beginning, regardless of if he was good or not.

 

[Brian Fellows]

FEAR BISHOP AND THE BAN HAMMER RUN WHILE YOU CAN

You want to talk about "big men" that need to go? Get rid of Tomko, Snitsky, and Heidenretch for starters. Dave can stay. He's cool.

Throw in Kane and The Undertaker and I'd be as happy as a little girl!

My only problem with Dave is that he needs a few more power moves. He should bust out a running power slam and a sidewalk slam. Nothing fancy anything with the word slam or buster in it will work for me.

 

[commish]

When's hogan coming back?

 

[dskillzhtown]

Batista came is as like a nobody that teamed up with two huge people (Flair and Crips)...

He was thrown into the spotlight from the very beginning, which is why people know him. It was pretty easy to tell that Vince has had him in mind as a main contender from the beginning, regardless of if he was good or not.

Wasn't he Deacon Dave with D-Von for a bit? Then he broke his foot running with his wife, right?

 

[Baconäger]

Wasn't he Deacon Dave with D-Von for a bit? Then he broke his foot running with his wife, right?

Yeah he was an enforcer badass or something like he was with Evolution. Kind of weird seeing a big guy in the "enforcer" role. That's another thing that needs to be done more.

 

[Hollywood]

Fuck, if that's the case then I'd rather see Batista jump to Smackdown, punk out JBL, then run a slowburn angle towards unifying the titles next year.

What? Punk out JBL? I think not.

If you root against JBL, you support terrorism. JBL WWE Champ = 0 terrorist attacks on the US. I don't know about you, but I don't wanna die young. Think long and hard about that before you go and start bringing that propaganda onto the internet. I'm tempted to call Homeland Security on this one.

 

[jobber]

Deacon Batista...and he tore a ligament in his arm running

 

[Lyte Edge]

Wasn't he Deacon Dave with D-Von for a bit? Then he broke his foot running with his wife, right?

He had an injury that kept him out AFTER coming to RAW and joining Evolution. He returned to end the stupid "$10,000 bounty for Goldberg" by Triple H storyline as the "new" fourth member of Evolution.

IIRC Dave said in an interview that being made "Deacon Bautista" was the lowpoint in his career. :lol

 

[Minotauro]

Poor Hurricane, every time I see him in a match he loses.

You really shoulda watched a few weeks back when he jobbed to...wait for it...MAVEN. I mean, honestly...complete and utter burial. And to think, he had a mini-feud with The Rock some months back.

On the subject of Brock, I really hope this development doesn't completely sour his relationship with the WWE. As far as I can tell, the no-compete contract he signed is pretty rock solid. So, unless he somehow finds a loophole, the only place he'll be able to wrestle is the WWE. Also, NLB2, there is a provision mentioning MMA in it. Granted, it refers to "Ultimate Fighting" which is a debatable term but still.

As far as Batista goes, anyone saying he has no charisma is insane. Sure, he may have been a little blah when he was first brought in and even up to the beginning of Evolution but I think you can blame that more on the generic bodyguard tough guy role that forced him into. Lately, though, he's really come into his own. Partnering him with Flair has done a lot for his charisma and promos. He's got such a subtle, understated confidence that makes him an absolute badass. How about the smirking grin a couple weeks back after he purposely got himself removed from ringside? Or, how about him playing straight-man when Trips and Flair were trying to brag about assaulting Stacy Kiebler? Seriously, if you think he has no character, you're nuts.

 

[Baconäger]

He has character, it's just too bad it's really boring and generic.

 

[Alex Anderson]

A couple of thoughts...

I despise Hurricane Helms. His ringwork is f'n BORING and he talks like some backwoods hick. Get off my screen and take your equally worthless fat ass friend with you. I had a blade to my wrist this past Monday when La Resistance came out to defend the tag titles. If their opponents had been Hurricane and Rosey, I was ready to end it.

Lesnar?....not quite as awesome, but he had his moments. Still, they contributed and can now move on to better things (well, at least Duane is). Time for some new blood. Get to it.

I don't care for his attitude, but Lesnar is plain awesome - from a wrestling and athletic standpoint. For his size, some of the things he can do are just amazing. Wanting new stars fine and dandy (DAVE rocks), but Brock is only 27 years old and only spent about 1.5-2 years in the WWE. He's far from being stale and would be a great addition to the Raw roster if he did come back. Brock v. Benoit? Brock v. Triple H? Brock v. Batista? Heck yes.

 

[Minotauro]

He has character, it's just too bad it's really boring and generic.

You just have no appreciation for nuance.

 

[bishoptl]

Batista came is as like a nobody that teamed up with two huge people (Flair and Crips)...

He was thrown into the spotlight from the very beginning, which is why people know him. It was pretty easy to tell that Vince has had him in mind as a main contender from the beginning, regardless of if he was good or not.

Your history is incorrect. As noted by others, DAVE was brought in as Deacon Bautista, then repackaged as the enforcer in Evolution, joining Ric Flair, HHH, and Randy Orton. A group put together in order to help elevate a couple of newbs by pairing up with Flair/Hunter - and who came out smelling like a rose?

Orton was supposed to headline Wrestlemania against HHH. Orton was supposed to be the future, while DAVE played the heavy role. But it was DAVE who took the ball and ran with it, who was able to connect with the audience (except for you), and it's DAVE who is now slotted in for a title shot on either show at this upcoming WM. The other generic, vanilla giants I mentioned? None of them could have done what DAVE did, given the opportunity. Hell, Orton couldn't do it and it was his to lose.

What? Punk out JBL? I think not.

If you root against JBL, you support terrorism. JBL WWE Champ = 0 terrorist attacks on the US. I don't know about you, but I don't wanna die young. Think long and hard about that before you go and start bringing that propaganda onto the internet. I'm tempted to call Homeland Security on this one.

I live in Canada. So...

SUCK IT

 

[Guzim]

DAVE~!

 

[LakeEarth]

I knew Dave was over when he was in some sort of Battle Royal a few months back, and he got into Kane's face. They didn't fight, but seeing that and hearing the crowd pop like mad was insane considering they had no feud together ever.

 

[NLB2]

Also, NLB2, there is a provision mentioning MMA in it. Granted, it refers to "Ultimate Fighting" which is a debatable term but still.

Good. He'll goto PRIDE, then .

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

I hope he keeps making decent movies. Just no "Mr. Nanny" or "Suburban Mom" crap. Muscled warriors of death being cleverly hoodwinked into caring for kids IS NOT FUNNY ANYMORE.

IT'S NOT A TUMOR!

 

[Vinzer Deling]

Lesnar vs Fedor.

 

[Minotauro]

Lesnar vs Fedor.

Fedor by RNC round 1.

Now, Lesnar against anyone not named Emelianenko, Nogueira, or Filipovic could be a different story altogether.

 

[Baconäger]

Your history is incorrect. As noted by others, DAVE was brought in as Deacon Bautista, then repackaged as the enforcer in Evolution, joining Ric Flair, HHH, and Randy Orton. A group put together in order to help elevate a couple of newbs by pairing up with Flair/Hunter - and who came out smelling like a rose?

Yeah, but it really only helps my point. The guy went from Deacon to being a major player with Evolution with no real transition.

Orton also sucks.

 

[bishoptl]

With no transition? You're not reading what I've posted.

He caught a break with his inclusion in Evolution, but Randy was always the one being groomed to feud with HHH while Batista always played the silent brooding enforcer guy in the background. If you'd been watching his progress over the past year or so when he first started with Evolution and where he is now, the improvement has been remarkable. So much so that he's been able to break out of the dead-end enforcer role and get over with the audience. None of the other vanilla giants could do that. Hell, it took 4 months of Paul Heyman screaming about "The Next Big Thing" to get Brock Lesnar any sort of heat at all. DAVE did it on the strength of his charisma and improving wrestling ability, with nearly no mic time whatsoever.

You've made up your mind not to like him, and that's your prerogative. I just want to make sure you get your chronological facts correct.

 

[LakeEarth]

Hell, it took 4 months of Paul Heyman screaming about "The Next Big Thing" to get Brock Lesnar any sort of heat at all.

I always thought he was loved right away. In the days where wrestling was dying, he was the one thing people that still watched it kept watching it for. Of course I loved him the second I saw him F5 Rikishi without any hesitation. Haven't seen something that amazing since Mark Henry powerslammed Vader like he was nothing.

 

[Baconäger]

Hell, it took 4 months of Paul Heyman screaming about "The Next Big Thing" to get Brock Lesnar any sort of heat at all. DAVE did it on the strength of his charisma and improving wrestling ability, with nearly no mic time whatsoever.

JR has been telling me how awesome Big Bad Batista is forever (bah gawd). The guy has always had hype around him because he's a big monster or whatever.

And the reason he gets/got no mic time is because he sucks on the mic.