Roundtable: WWE Stomping Grounds

Which wrestling shows/products do you watch on a regular basis?

Juan Bautista: I’ll try to watch Defiant and surprisingly enough, Raw. It’s a matter of just staying up to date rather than watching shows for me right now. I try to keep up with NXT, NJPW and others.

David Gibb: I watch MLW every week and NXT most of the time.

Neal Wagner: Lately, I’ve been watching more NJPW in prep for the upcoming G1. I’ve also been watching ROH when they have a live event on (I’m so far behind on the weekly TV) and binge watching old episodes of RAW and SmackDown from 2001. I can’t do it with WWE anymore probably until SummerSlam.

Chad Gelfand: Right now I watch Raw and SmackDown, the NXT TakeOvers and any wrestling show that AEW has going forward.

Sam Gladen: I watch 205 Live, NXT, NXTUK, MLW and Impact regularly. I try to catch ROH when I can. I also watch the major shows for NJPW.

Steven Jackson: I regularly watch Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Arizona and on occasion, Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. WWE-wise just NXT as I’ve no desire to watch all WWE programming. It’s a chore to put it lightly!

John Corrigan: I catch up on MLW every two weeks and catch up with Impact every week through its YouTube clips. I’ve been watching the AEW videos on YouTube, as well. The rest is either old stuff on DVDs I’m trying to sell or indies in the Philly/Jersey/Delaware region.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWwl7rrUviQ

Describe your interest level in the WWE product right now.

Bautista: It’s probably at an all-time low, excluding NXT. There’s so much potential on the roster and it results to nothing. Don’t get me wrong, there are good bits here and there, but it’s all the same matches with 50/50 booking. Plus, at least half the roster has been forgotten right now.

Gibb: I would say zero, but that’s not fair to the talent there. I could potentially have great interest in this roster, but right now, I’m somewhere around a 1.5.

Wagner: I have very little interest in WWE right now with horrible and inconsistent storylines and not putting on matches as previously advertised and even advertising MITB cash-ins, referee announcements, etc., every week and then not come through on them.

Gelfand: I would say it’s a 6, but that’s mostly because I’m a big fan of a lot of the individual talents on the roster and not anything to do with the current storylines in the company.

Gladen: The main roster interest is honestly near zero and has been for a long time. I can see Firefly Fun House and the 24/7 title on YouTube without having to suffer through 40-minute promos before a 10-minute match.

Jackson: My interest level in WWE is probably the lowest it’s ever been. NXT still has my attention, but the rest of WWE has not got my attention at all sadly.

Corrigan: Abysmal. But I’ll watch Stomping Grounds because there’s nothing else on, I have nothing else to do and non-Saudi PPVs are the easiest time to catch up on WWE.

If you could change one thing about the product that would raise your interest level, what would it be?

Bautista: A true brand split with one world champion for each respective division. It would create a sense of urgency on each roster knowing there’s one belt to go for. It’s why it was a big deal when Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon took Seth Rollins first in 2016 because they believed he would bring home the gold to Raw.

Gibb: Cut the head off the snake.

Wagner: I would change the production of the whole show. Let the wrestlers wrestle – obviously to the extent that they aren’t hurting anymore – and let the talkers talk. When every little detail is produced to every single second, you get the “hot steaming pile of garbage” that we get every Monday night.

Gelfand: Coherent and consistent storytelling. I just want to watch a storyline that I can sink my teeth into and doesn’t feel like it was rewritten five minutes before the show started.

Gladen: I would reestablish the brand split and do away with the monthly pay-per-views. The only way you would get me back into SmackDown or RAW is by making it the only place to see these stories develop. When you build a PPV match for three weeks and then never touch on the feud again, I just can’t be bothered to care.

Jackson: Just better booking. WWE can book excellent programming when they are given time to think, but due to the amount of programming on today, is it any wonder it’s so formulaic? People are bound to get burnt out!

Corrigan: Have Vince McMahon step away to focus on the XFL. I don’t even care who fills in for him – it would be “must-watch” out of sheer curiosity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuhj1eqKLig

Are there any matches scheduled for WWE Stomping Grounds that you’re looking forward to?

Bautista: Besides the cruiserweight match, no.

Gibb: I’m not aware of any of the matches scheduled for Stomping Grounds, nor was I aware WWE was promoting a show named “Stomping Grounds.”

Wagner: The recent addition of Ricochet and Samoa Joe looks amazing, but again, when it’s going to be produced to death, then you’re not letting them put together their match. Let the wrestlers wrestle.

Gelfand: I’m actually looking forward to Kofi Kingston vs. Dolph Ziggler in a steel cage match because those two always work well together and hopefully they go all out for this match. I’m also looking forward to Ricochet vs. Samoa Joe for the U.S Title. Joe always works great with smaller, athletic wrestlers, so hopefully they’re given the time to have a great match.

Gladen: I am cautiously optimistic about a few matches. Ricochet and Samoa Joe should be able to steal the show with their contrasting styles in a dream matchup, that to my knowledge, has never happened before. I am always excited to see my 205 boys get a good chunk of time in a PPV to show what they can do and I hope they’re on the main card again. Also The New Day and Owens/Zayn should be a great high intensity / high drama match if they’re given enough time to build it.

Jackson: Sadly, there is nothing at Stomping Grounds that would make me want to watch the show. And that’s a real shame as there’s some awesome talent on that card. I actually can’t believe I’ve said it to be honest.

Corrigan: Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss. The only thing I’ve seen from this past Raw was their promo and I actually got excited. Plus, Nikki Cross will probably do something fun.

How do you feel about Dolph Ziggler being shoehorned into the WWE Championship picture?

Bautista: I don’t really care about Dolph Ziggler anymore. He’s does the same act, which has grown stale. There’s no reason to be invested in him.

Gibb: “Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.” – Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr

Wagner: Dolph Ziggler has earned his spot to be an immediate main event/title contender every time he returns. They need to give him some wins and an actual lengthy run with the title for a change, but not right now. Leave the title on Kofi a little longer, have him drop it to KO or even Sami Zayn and then let Ziggler turn face and win it.

Gelfand: It seemed like it came out of left field and his acting has been especially hokey since he’s comeback. Maybe he’s auditioning to be a Power Rangers villain.

Gladen: I don’t love it purely because he’s the best seller in the company, so what I can see happening is him selling huge for Kofi but going over and holding the title for less than a minute before Brock comes down and rag dolls him around the arena to become champion and hold the title until SmackDown moves to Fox in November. The force with which Dolph will throw himself in the mat to put over Kofi and Brock will make Brock look unstoppable.

Jackson: I didn’t even know Dolph had been shoehorned into the WWE title picture so what does that tell you?! Honestly, I don’t get it. Give a young gun a chance to have an awesome match with Kofi.

Corrigan: Indifferent. He should have left WWE years ago. A change of scenery and a fresh coat of paint would do Dolph wonders.