Anyone remembers Brawl For All?

[Fatt Hughes]

I'm still astounded that Bradshaw, being brutally KTFO'd, was still able to have a respectable career, and even carried the strap.

 

[deezy]

People act like people shat all over this concept, they did the first round, mainly because we didn't know the rules.....But as soon as Bart Gunn was knocking people out. That brawl for all theme would get a pop. People were even popping for takedowns.

 

[sleepwalk]

They didn't learn their lesson but B4A was a great example of how not to shoot someone into a work. Big fan of Doc but I never saw him until this angle (which wasn't an angle) and it basically assured that I wouldn't see him again on that level of stage. He was something special, alright.

IIRC, a big inspiration for B4A wasn't only MMA but also the growing popularity of Art Dore's Toughman Boxing which had just found a home on the newly created FX network and was some of the only original programming on at the time.

Fun fact: Phil Baroni, Bob Sapp and Hardbody Harrison Norris all fought in Toughman.

 

[FrankieNYC]

Kevin Owens & AJ Styles getting pushed as world champs/main eventers. A roster that includes/included El Generico, KENTA, Prince Devitt, Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Gallows and Anderson, Samoa Joe, Nakamura, etc.

I figured HHH has more to do with it, but it does seem like they've been catering to the smarks and hardcores these past few years.

That is not catering to them at all.
They have three brands so needed more talent.

Kevin Owens & AJ Styles are great at what they do & they are very different than when they loved by hardcore/smarks as they are now in WWE.

El Generico, Claudio. Gallows, Anderson, Kenta have been pretty much under-used & Joe & Shinsuke were in NXT wasting a year plus

If Vince was "catering" to smarks, then AJ & Owens would have the belts going into Mania & facing Zayn & Cesaro
Instead they are facing Jericho & Shane in the middle of the card while Goldberg, Brock, HHH & Rollins get the featured bouts & Orton/Wyatt the #3 spot

 

[lakersfan45]

Kevin Owens & AJ Styles getting pushed as world champs/main eventers. A roster that includes/included El Generico, KENTA, Prince Devitt, Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Gallows and Anderson, Samoa Joe, Nakamura, etc.

I figured HHH has more to do with it, but it does seem like they've been catering to the smarks and hardcores these past few years.

I think it's a good a mix mix

On his latest podcast with HBK as a guest, Russo said that Vince is booking to appeal to the hardcores & smart marks.

The man is an idiot!

hes been crying about that for years now he's dumb. hes dumb

 

[lakersfan45]

I was live in arena when dr death was so knocked out. I p do

 

[RememberYammaPit]

Did you guys hear Bart Gunn's excuse for losing to Butterbean? He was made to train as a boxer rather than doing "what got him there." So he wanted to just wildly throw hands rather than try to be a boxer. Wrestlers never own up to not being as good as they think they are.

 

[The Clinch]

I'm still astounded that Bradshaw, being brutally KTFO'd, was still able to have a respectable career, and even carried the strap.

Outside of the APA Agency shit with Ron Simmons, never cared for JBL.

He's one of the factors I quit watching wrestling for a while; between Lesnar leaving, HHH seemingly being everywhere, the rise of JBL, and I'm sure other little things.

Seeing folks like Bradshaw getting pummeled is oddly rewarding when they have stories about taking liberties with co-workers.

 

[Bluesbreaker]

Two points on Brawl for All:
1) It is still greatbto watch Bradshaw go down in flames.
2) Godfather actually looked really good, despite losing. He knew how to sprawl properly and throw some good punches.

 

[GearSolidMetal]

I'm still astounded that Bradshaw, being brutally KTFO'd, was still able to have a respectable career, and even carried the strap.

Yeah, but he was B/C-list talent until he got his push 8 years later.

 

[DannyNL]

I loved the whole thing for the train wreck it was.

Made everyone look bad and proved they couldn't fight worth a fuck. Guys were getting knocked unconscious by Bart Gunn, who had legit power in both hands. And then they feed the guy who whipped everyone to Butterbean, a freak-show boxer who no boxing fan respected, and got him knocked unconscious.

It's one of the worst ideas they ever had but I'm so glad they did it because it's hilarious.

 

[Theprospect26]

Dr Death looked like a bitch lol.

Butterbean's KO of Bart Gunn is still the most brutal i've ever seen

 

[Garnett Silk]

Dr Death wasn't going to draw money anyways

Austin would have feuded with him for what, a month? Stupid reason to hold a grudge.

But that was JR's BOY!!!!!

 

[Garnett Silk]

IIRC Brawl for All started off with the participants being able to shoot for takedowns and use some sort of grappling.....somehow someway with Gunn KOing everyone the rules changes into a toughman contest

 

[Phisher]

Dr Death wasn't going to draw money anyways

Austin would have feuded with him for what, a month? Stupid reason to hold a grudge.

That's what I don't get about Cornette's take on what happened. Cornette talks like Williams was going to have an extended main event run. In reality, his body was shot to shit, and he was years past his prime. Plus, he never got over in the US like he did in Japan.

 

[Theprospect26]

That's what I don't get about Cornette's take on what happened. Cornette talks like Williams was going to have an extended main event run. In reality, his body was shot to shit, and he was years past his prime. Plus, he never got over in the US like he did in Japan.

I absolutely agree. Dr. Death was NEVER that over in the states, and was never higher than a low midcarder. I don't see anything further than a 1 month feud that would have ended up with him getting pinned cleanly.

I mean, was anyone clamoring for Williams to challenge for the World Title? I could have bought him challenging for Hardcore, European, or IC titles for a bit.....but he was not a main eventer.

 

[Phisher]

I absolutely agree. Dr. Death was NEVER that over in the states, and was never higher than a low midcarder. I don't see anything further than a 1 month feud that would have ended up with him getting pinned cleanly.

I mean, was anyone clamoring for Williams to challenge for the World Title? I could have bought him challenging for Hardcore, European, or IC titles for a bit.....but he was not a main eventer.

I don't even think that he could have held the hardcore title. I just don't remember him having any fan support at the time, nor do I remember him having any memorable storylines/angles before he got injured. He was just kind of there.

I usually accept Cornette's takes on what went on behind the scenes back in the day, but in this case, I think that his personal feelings for Williams are clouding the reality of what was going on back then.

Looking back on it, BFA was the most memorable thing that Williams was involved in during his WCW and WWF runs despite the fact that it ultimately killed his career.