[3/19] SmackDown: Kofi's Gauntlet For The Gold

[TrueEpic08]

It's pretty interesting how this story is sort of mirroring Daniel Bryan's struggles with the Authority.

Because it's honestly the only babyface story they know how to book.

I broke my NWG vow to watch the last half of the gauntlet match, despite knowing from the beginning that it was a dumb "Vince is a senile racist" storyline that would be handled poorly. Of course it ended in some nonsense that only had the objective of building heat. Ever since the Daniel Bryan issue in 2013-14, that's all they really do with faces anymore: all rising action, all tension, no real payoff or climax. I seriously can't think of a narrative medium that has ever worked like this, which is astonishing (maybe modern mainstream comics with their neverending events, but even those gesture at things like proper dramatic structure and climaxes).

Point being that, as Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm have been banging on about for years, there's way, way too much heat in WWE, and not nearly enough babyface payoffs the fans can invest in and look forward to. That by itself leads to people not really caring about the storylines, or ceasing to care completely when they realize that a story is just another vehicle for WWE's heat building fetish (notice how people didn't even really boo when Bryan beat Kofi. They just kind of sat and watched, completely deflated).

That's not even getting into adding racial overtones to everything, which I don't see flying with any segment of the fanbase at all (the more conservative because they hate being faced with these issues in anyway, the more progressive because it trivializes them and makes them into a plaything of idiotic WWE booking). I'm gonna go right back to not watching this garbage and doing better things with my life, because I can't see this going well regardless of whether Kofi wins the belt or not. They had a chance to book this properly, and they botched it. The view never changes.

 

[R=G]

Because it's honestly the only babyface story they know how to book.

I broke my NWG vow to watch the last half of the gauntlet match, despite knowing from the beginning that it was a dumb "Vince is a senile racist" storyline that would be handled poorly. Of course it ended in some nonsense that only had the objective of building heat. Ever since the Daniel Bryan issue in 2013-14, that's all they really do with faces anymore: all rising action, all tension, no real payoff or climax. I seriously can't think of a narrative medium that has ever worked like this, which is astonishing (maybe modern mainstream comics with their neverending events, but even those gesture at things like proper dramatic structure and climaxes).

Point being that, as Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm have been banging on about for years, there's way, way too much heat in WWE, and not nearly enough babyface payoffs the fans can invest in and look forward to. That by itself leads to people not really caring about the storylines, or ceasing to care completely when they realize that a story is just another vehicle for WWE's heat building fetish (notice how people didn't even really boo when Bryan beat Kofi. They just kind of sat and watched, completely deflated).

That's not even getting into adding racial overtones to everything, which I don't see flying with any segment of the fanbase at all (the more conservative because they hate being faced with these issues in anyway, the more progressive because it trivializes them and makes them into a plaything of idiotic WWE booking). I'm gonna go right back to not watching this garbage and doing better things with my life, because I can't see this going well regardless of whether Kofi wins the belt or not. They had a chance to book this properly, and they botched it. The view never changes.

Good choice..Kofi isnt worth it and neither is McMahon

 

[ML29]

But yeah getting back to how theyre writing/booking this, is it really fair to blame creative when Kofi was just meant to fill in for Mustafa ali all along?

Yes, because everything from Elimination Chamber til now has all for Kofi. That Mustafa excuse is real tired and played out.

 

[CBoz]

Yes, because everything from Elimination Chamber til now has all for Kofi. That Mustafa excuse is real tired and played out.

I believe Mustafa was only supposed to get the shot at Fastlane, hence why they put him in there with a 3-way. They just ran with the Kofi thing after tho.

 

[MenacingMonk]

But yeah getting back to how theyre writing/booking this, is it really fair to blame creative when Kofi was just meant to fill in for Mustafa ali all along?

I really don’t like it when people bring up “accidental” situations to sway things. Sometimes that’s how gold is struck.

 

[CBoz]

I really don’t like it when people bring up “accidental” situations to sway things. Sometimes that’s how gold is struck.

Well it's true. Mustafa Ali doesn't get hurt by Randy Orton and we aren't talking about Kofi right now. It's cool that it's happening but it doesn't change the fact.

Same with Becky Lynch. Nia doesn't break her face, she would have had her match vs. Ronda at SvS and Charlotte would have won the Rumble and went on to face Ronda 1 v 1 at WM.

That's why Charlotte is in that match, she was always scheduled to be there, it's that the fans basically forced them to put Becky in there, similar to the Kofi situation.

 

[MenacingMonk]

Well it's true. Mustafa Ali doesn't get hurt by Randy Orton and we aren't talking about Kofi right now. It's cool that it's happening but it doesn't change the fact.

Same with Becky Lynch. Nia doesn't break her face, she would have had her match vs. Ronda at SvS and Charlotte would have won the Rumble and went on to face Ronda 1 v 1 at WM.

That's why Charlotte is in that match, she was always scheduled to be there, it's that the fans basically forced them to put Becky in there, similar to the Kofi situation.

I know it’s true, but people don’t need to keep bringing it up. Just let it be.

 

[R=G]

Charlotte vs Ronda was destined to get booed out because the fans wanted Asuka in Becky's spot at Survivor Series...that was always meant to fail.

 

[DANJ!]

I really don’t like it when people bring up “accidental” situations to sway things. Sometimes that’s how gold is struck.

Right... there's like ENDLESS situations that "wouldn't have happened if..." Doesn't mean shyt in the long run, the fact that it happened is what matters.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley was supposed to become King Of The Ring in '96.

 

[Zebruh]

Because it's honestly the only babyface story they know how to book.

I broke my NWG vow to watch the last half of the gauntlet match, despite knowing from the beginning that it was a dumb "Vince is a senile racist" storyline that would be handled poorly. Of course it ended in some nonsense that only had the objective of building heat. Ever since the Daniel Bryan issue in 2013-14, that's all they really do with faces anymore: all rising action, all tension, no real payoff or climax. I seriously can't think of a narrative medium that has ever worked like this, which is astonishing (maybe modern mainstream comics with their neverending events, but even those gesture at things like proper dramatic structure and climaxes).

Point being that, as Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm have been banging on about for years, there's way, way too much heat in WWE, and not nearly enough babyface payoffs the fans can invest in and look forward to. That by itself leads to people not really caring about the storylines, or ceasing to care completely when they realize that a story is just another vehicle for WWE's heat building fetish (notice how people didn't even really boo when Bryan beat Kofi. They just kind of sat and watched, completely deflated).

That's not even getting into adding racial overtones to everything, which I don't see flying with any segment of the fanbase at all (the more conservative because they hate being faced with these issues in anyway, the more progressive because it trivializes them and makes them into a plaything of idiotic WWE booking). I'm gonna go right back to not watching this garbage and doing better things with my life, because I can't see this going well regardless of whether Kofi wins the belt or not. They had a chance to book this properly, and they botched it. The view never changes.

It's kinda sad how the E sucks at booking babyfaces. Took a life-threatening ailment 5 months to get Roman Reigns to the position they've wanted him the past 3-4 years.

Sometimes babyfaces fall in their lap but since its not in their plans they kill it. They love when people generate heat away from their plans(Nia Jax punching Becky), but get over on your own and that's a problem. smh

 

[The Rainmaker]

No Bryan match