SEScoops Mailbag for May 24th
Got a Question? Submit it with your name to: SEScoops@gmail.com
Q: I know WWE is trying to find themselves a new Hispanic star now that Rey Mysterio is heading closer towards retirement. [They] slapped Del Rio with the label, but he doesn’t really do anything for me. What about Ricardo Rodriguez? He is far more over than Del Rio and I genuinely want to cheer for him, much like Joe Park [in TNA]. You once said yourself the quickest way to get over a babyface is to wear a mask because they are over with the kids. You could stick Ricardo with his old Chimaera gimmick where he wrestled as a masked luchador and turn Del Rio. – rld950@yahoo.com
A: While it’s true that Ricardo appears to be more popular with the audience most weeks than Del Rio, and I do think he is being underutilized, I can’t see him as WWE’s next big Latin star. So who could fill that role? As I said on the Sound Off weeks ago, he’s still rough around the edges, but I think if “Super Mex” Hernandez were to make the jump from TNA to WWE, and spent some time working in NXT, he could be that guy. He’s got the size they like, moves around real good and does all the power moves that get over with the fans.
Q: I was watching an episode of Vintage Collection in which they showed Ric Flair’s WCW title match with Vader at Starrcade ’93. Flair bled in the match, but the blood was edited out for Vintage. They have done this numerous times. They also edited out Flair’s blood in his match with Randy Savage at WrestleMania 8. I know WWE has banned blading and [have to] answer to every sponsor under the sun, but if it was okay to show it on a PG show back then, why wouldn’t it be now since WWE is a PG show? – Anthony
A: Back then, shows didn’t have ratings like they do now. Was the product more PG than not? Yes, but it was never really classified as such. Flair actually got a ton of heat from Vince McMahon for blading because it was banned back then as well. Bret Hart bled on the same show, but claimed it was legit and got away with it. It’s a PG product today and they don’t want to air footage with that stuff on it.
Q: I was going through some YouTube videos and noticed a lot of comments about Nexus reforming. No doubt these comments were likely posted right after Nexus broke up, but I would personally love to see a reunion as there wasn’t really a breakout star (Ryback doesn’t count, he has a new gimmick). Then it hit me… [they could unite] with The Shield in a WWE takeover angle. I know there are many flaws in this idea, but do you think it would provide for good TV? – Zack H.
A: If done correctly, anything could make for good TV, but this idea is not practical. It’s barely been three years since the Nexus angle was done, so it’s way too soon to do a reboot. And frankly, having three members of the Shield works just fine, we don’t need to add another 6-8 members to water the whole thing down. All of the key guys from that original Nexus group (Michael Tarver aside, who got released) have found a role for themselves on the roster, anyway. No need to disrupt that.
Q: Did Undertaker and Nailz ever [have a match] against each other? I was watching something on YouTube where both did a face off, but what was the aftermath of that? – Anonymous
A: Not on television, thank god. But there is footage out there from at least one house show match they did have. That face off was to have led to a feud between the two once Taker’s program with Kamala finished up at Survivor Series, but then Nailz, upset by his payoff for that year’s Summerslam, went and attacked Vince McMahon in his office and got fired.
Q: For as great as they’ve handled The Shield, why does it seem like WWE is clueless with how to put other young talent in best positions to succeed? Introducing Joe Henning by having Triple H slap him in the face, with him just sitting there is a horrible way to bring in a young guy. What’s the point of that? Why should anyone care about this guy now? To make it worse, they can’t even say the guy’s name later in the show. They just call him Paul Heyman’s new guy. Whoever’s idea this was probably shouldn’t be making decisions anymore. – Damien V.
A: It was a curious move to see such a build up to the announcement of Heyman’s new guy, have it be Joe Hennig (who is going to need all the help he can get to overcome the stigma of being a prelim guy) and then treat him that way. That being said, I’m taking a wait and see approach on this one. The fact they even chose a young guy and not a major name for that spot is a positive, and Triple H has supposedly been a big advocate of his, so let’s give it some time. They say it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
Q: Was there legit heat between Curt Hennig and Brock Lesnar? The reason I ask is because I was reading some stuff saying they had a real fight on the plane ride from hell back in 2002. If this is true, did that get Mr. Perfect released? – Ravonn Adamson
A: Not really, both were good friends. There may have been alcohol involved, but Hennig was needling Lesnar about who the better amateur wrestler was, which resulted in a wrestling match in the aisle of the plane. They also apparently smashed into the exit door, which could have been disastrous. The best visual depiction I’ve ever seen of what happened on that flight comes in the form of the following illustration, which I first saw on the WrestleCrap forum years ago.
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