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The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 18th, '20, 12:57
by XIV
You’ve all heard of DDT Wrestling right? That god awful company that has had like invisible men and blow up dolls in matches and helped spawn the likes of Joey Ryan etc… But have you heard of DDT’s Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship?

According to Wikipedia...

The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the DDT Pro-Wrestling promotion. A comedic championship, it was created as a parody of WWE's Hardcore Championship and follows the same 24/7 rules, meaning it is constantly being defended anywhere against anyone, even outside of matches, during unrelated matches, or outside a ring, as anyone (or anything) can become champion by pinning the champion or making him submit as long as a referee is there to confirm the win. As such it is also available to "unconventional" champions, with past champions including referees, children, animals, and inanimate objects. It has occasionally been won by other means, such as an auction for the belt, rock–paper–scissors, and even a title change that occurred in a dream.

The title is typically defended during a 10-minute battle royal, with the current holder not being allowed to leave the match until the end of the time limit; as per 24/7 rules, the championship can change hands during, and not only as the result, of the match. Unlike its name suggests, and unlike similarly titled championships, it is not specific to Iron Man matches. The record for most reigns is held by Shinobu, who won it 216 times, including by trading the title back-and-forth with 215-times champion Yuko Miyamoto a total of 303 times on the same night

The 1,000th Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion was crowned on April 29, 2014, when the title belt itself became the champion by pinning Sanshiro Takagi.

Is this therefore actually the World BULLSHIT Mudshow Championship? Who would actually pay to watch this shit?

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 18th, '20, 13:32
by cero2k
"Who would actually pay to watch this shit?"

people who like this type of comedy wrestling. And judging by their success a whole lot of people.

If it aint for you, that's ok, keep walking and let those that like it enjoy it.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 18th, '20, 14:13
by XIV
cero2k wrote: Apr 18th, '20, 13:32 "Who would actually pay to watch this shit?"

people who like this type of comedy wrestling. And judging by their success a whole lot of people.

If it aint for you, that's ok, keep walking and let those that like it enjoy it.
I shake my head. I shake my head very much.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 19th, '20, 11:11
by Big Red Machine
DDT is an acquired taste. I enjoy some of their stuff (though I was a lot more into stuff like having a Royal Rumble on train where the gimmick was the a new competitor would get on at each station, or having a match at a campground). Personally, I thought the stuff was funny when it was actually creative like a ladder becoming champion by falling on someone and pinning them, but there is a point where it gets redundant.

DDT I have no problem with, because the premise of the promotion is this sort of wackiness. It's like HUSTLE or CHIKARA, where it's a universe that requires buy-in.

My issue with comedy wrestling is when it encroaches on the presentation of a promotion that wants me to take it seriously (and thus the "reality" of a pro wrestling that is supposed to be a real sport, and not cooperation).

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 07:42
by XIV
Big Red Machine wrote: Apr 19th, '20, 11:11 DDT is an acquired taste. I enjoy some of their stuff (though I was a lot more into stuff like having a Royal Rumble on train where the gimmick was the a new competitor would get on at each station, or having a match at a campground). Personally, I thought the stuff was funny when it was actually creative like a ladder becoming champion by falling on someone and pinning them, but there is a point where it gets redundant.

DDT I have no problem with, because the premise of the promotion is this sort of wackiness. It's like HUSTLE or CHIKARA, where it's a universe that requires buy-in.

My issue with comedy wrestling is when it encroaches on the presentation of a promotion that wants me to take it seriously (and thus the "reality" of a pro wrestling that is supposed to be a real sport, and not cooperation).
I can never buy in to an inanimate object being a champion!

I get your point that it requires a "buy-in" to the universe like CHIKARA etc. but it's difficult to then take any competitors seriously once they move from DDT to any other promotion where a level of seriousness is expected.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 08:30
by cero2k
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 07:42

I can never buy in to an inanimate object being a champion!

I get your point that it requires a "buy-in" to the universe like CHIKARA etc. but it's difficult to then take any competitors seriously once they move from DDT to any other promotion where a level of seriousness is expected.
i'm sad you'll never be able to enjoy Minoru Suzuki, Aleister Black, Asuka, Finn Balor, Candice LeRae, or Sami Zayn because all wrestling has to be a serious affair

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 08:55
by Big Red Machine
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 07:42
Big Red Machine wrote: Apr 19th, '20, 11:11 DDT is an acquired taste. I enjoy some of their stuff (though I was a lot more into stuff like having a Royal Rumble on train where the gimmick was the a new competitor would get on at each station, or having a match at a campground). Personally, I thought the stuff was funny when it was actually creative like a ladder becoming champion by falling on someone and pinning them, but there is a point where it gets redundant.

DDT I have no problem with, because the premise of the promotion is this sort of wackiness. It's like HUSTLE or CHIKARA, where it's a universe that requires buy-in.

My issue with comedy wrestling is when it encroaches on the presentation of a promotion that wants me to take it seriously (and thus the "reality" of a pro wrestling that is supposed to be a real sport, and not cooperation).
I can never buy in to an inanimate object being a champion!

I get your point that it requires a "buy-in" to the universe like CHIKARA etc. but it's difficult to then take any competitors seriously once they move from DDT to any other promotion where a level of seriousness is expected.
I think it's always necessary to separate the universe of one promotion from another in your head (unless they explicitly share a universe, like the WWN family of promotions does). Otherwise you run into all sorts of kayfabe issues, like people who are stablemates in one place simultaneously feuding in another.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 08:56
by Big Red Machine
cero2k wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 08:30
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 07:42

I can never buy in to an inanimate object being a champion!

I get your point that it requires a "buy-in" to the universe like CHIKARA etc. but it's difficult to then take any competitors seriously once they move from DDT to any other promotion where a level of seriousness is expected.
i'm sad you'll never be able to enjoy Minoru Suzuki, Aleister Black, Asuka, Finn Balor, Candice LeRae, or Sami Zayn because all wrestling has to be a serious affair
Also, Ibushi and Ishimori. *****. April 2009. Everyone go watch it. Best match in DDT history by far.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 12:46
by XIV
cero2k wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 08:30
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 07:42

I can never buy in to an inanimate object being a champion!

I get your point that it requires a "buy-in" to the universe like CHIKARA etc. but it's difficult to then take any competitors seriously once they move from DDT to any other promotion where a level of seriousness is expected.
i'm sad you'll never be able to enjoy Minoru Suzuki, Aleister Black, Asuka, Finn Balor, Candice LeRae, or Sami Zayn because all wrestling has to be a serious affair
Not true. As usual, my point is entirely missed.

To my knowledge and understanding, none of that group you mention have done anything that have exposed wrestling as pure bullshit by wrestling the invisible man, blow up dolls or children and none of those have lost a championship to an inanimate object. It's that style of exposing the business that I cannot stand.

Gimmick changes, character changes etc such as the above have undergone are not things that bother me.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 12:56
by XIV
Credited champions of this title include: Chopsticks, a camera crane, a can of beer, the belt itself and some wrestlers underwear. Notable title changes include an entire audience "tapping out" by clapping, being traded for toilet paper, being drunk and in a dream.

I don't get it. I don't want to get it. It's literally not even a tiny bit fun.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 13:03
by Big Red Machine
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 12:46
cero2k wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 08:30
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 07:42

I can never buy in to an inanimate object being a champion!

I get your point that it requires a "buy-in" to the universe like CHIKARA etc. but it's difficult to then take any competitors seriously once they move from DDT to any other promotion where a level of seriousness is expected.
i'm sad you'll never be able to enjoy Minoru Suzuki, Aleister Black, Asuka, Finn Balor, Candice LeRae, or Sami Zayn because all wrestling has to be a serious affair
Not true. As usual, my point is entirely missed.

To my knowledge and understanding, none of that group you mention have done anything that have exposed wrestling as pure bullshit by wrestling the invisible man, blow up dolls or children and none of those have lost a championship to an inanimate object. It's that style of exposing the business that I cannot stand.

Gimmick changes, character changes etc such as the above have undergone are not things that bother me.
Candice won the belt by pinning Joey in a dream. That should count as bullsh*t.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 13:05
by Big Red Machine
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 12:56 Credited champions of this title include: Chopsticks, a camera crane, a can of beer, the belt itself and some wrestlers underwear. Notable title changes include an entire audience "tapping out" by clapping, being traded for toilet paper, being drunk and in a dream.

I don't get it. I don't want to get it. It's literally not even a tiny bit fun.
I agree that all of those are dumb, but I think there is something funny about a ladder falling on the unconscious champion and therefore pinning him.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 14:54
by cero2k
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 12:46
Not true. As usual, my point is entirely missed.

To my knowledge and understanding, none of that group you mention have done anything that have exposed wrestling as pure bullshit by wrestling the invisible man, blow up dolls or children and none of those have lost a championship to an inanimate object. It's that style of exposing the business that I cannot stand.

Gimmick changes, character changes etc such as the above have undergone are not things that bother me.
yeah, because Demon Balor is totally credible.
I totally get your point, you don't like it because it's not your cup of tea, but that's it. You're trying to discredit DDT Pro for being a particular brand of pro wrestling, a brand that is quite popular and that i'm not afraid to say is far more popular than the "serious" stuff. Your rant kinda feels like when Cornette goes out of his way to watch a match just for the sake of shitting on it to stay relevant

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 21st, '20, 23:19
by XIV
cero2k wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 14:54
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 12:46
Not true. As usual, my point is entirely missed.

To my knowledge and understanding, none of that group you mention have done anything that have exposed wrestling as pure bullshit by wrestling the invisible man, blow up dolls or children and none of those have lost a championship to an inanimate object. It's that style of exposing the business that I cannot stand.

Gimmick changes, character changes etc such as the above have undergone are not things that bother me.
yeah, because Demon Balor is totally credible.
I totally get your point, you don't like it because it's not your cup of tea, but that's it. You're trying to discredit DDT Pro for being a particular brand of pro wrestling, a brand that is quite popular and that i'm not afraid to say is far more popular than the "serious" stuff. Your rant kinda feels like when Cornette goes out of his way to watch a match just for the sake of shitting on it to stay relevant
I don’t want to dislike any wrestling. I’m a wrestling fan. I want to enjoy all wrestling.

I don’t watch most Japanese wrestling anymore, because I don’t particularly enjoy it. I will be the first to admit I prefer a more western presentation of wrestling.

I just want stuff to make sense and I grew up watching wrestling full of goofy stuff, it was the bloody start of the attitude era. But, they at least took the “competition” of a wrestling match seriously (most times).

And I’ve not watched much DDT, for the exact reason that it’s not for me and I don’t want to shit on anything. Which is why I did not know this title existed until a few days ago. But it just read as stupid. I’ve watched a few videos to see if I am missing something. And I clearly am.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 22nd, '20, 14:07
by cero2k
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 23:19 I don’t watch most Japanese wrestling anymore, because I don’t particularly enjoy it. I will be the first to admit I prefer a more western presentation of wrestling.

I just want stuff to make sense and I grew up watching wrestling full of goofy stuff
that there is the key, focus on what you like and ignore the rest of the world. It's what I tell Red all the time and words I live by. I don't care about WWE or BJW or ROH's presentations and thus I don't care about their booking or shows, emphasis on booking and shows, and thus I don't give my time to their programming. It is fantastic that there is so much wrestling and types of it, that there are things I don't like and I still don't have enough time to watch it all.

Focus on the stuff that makes sense to you and don't worry whether people are wrestling brooms 1000 miles away, just like I pay no attention to who the 24/7 champion is.

I apologize for coming all up in arms to this topic, I got triggered that you were shitting on something just for being different

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 22nd, '20, 14:35
by KILLdozer
cero2k wrote: Apr 22nd, '20, 14:07
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 23:19 I don’t watch most Japanese wrestling anymore, because I don’t particularly enjoy it. I will be the first to admit I prefer a more western presentation of wrestling.

I just want stuff to make sense and I grew up watching wrestling full of goofy stuff
that there is the key, focus on what you like and ignore the rest of the world. It's what I tell Red all the time and words I live by. I don't care about WWE or BJW or ROH's presentations and thus I don't care about their booking or shows, emphasis on booking and shows, and thus I don't give my time to their programming. It is fantastic that there is so much wrestling and types of it, that there are things I don't like and I still don't have enough time to watch it all.

Focus on the stuff that makes sense to you and don't worry whether people are wrestling brooms 1000 miles away, just like I pay no attention to who the 24/7 champion is.

I apologize for coming all up in arms to this topic, I got triggered that you were shitting on something just for being different
And how I literally don't care at all about these vanilla midgets/ fat boys in ROH and everywhere else around the world. If they sipw up in something else I see one day, then we'll see. Until then just don't care.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 22nd, '20, 15:18
by XIV
cero2k wrote: Apr 22nd, '20, 14:07
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 23:19 I don’t watch most Japanese wrestling anymore, because I don’t particularly enjoy it. I will be the first to admit I prefer a more western presentation of wrestling.

I just want stuff to make sense and I grew up watching wrestling full of goofy stuff
that there is the key, focus on what you like and ignore the rest of the world. It's what I tell Red all the time and words I live by. I don't care about WWE or BJW or ROH's presentations and thus I don't care about their booking or shows, emphasis on booking and shows, and thus I don't give my time to their programming. It is fantastic that there is so much wrestling and types of it, that there are things I don't like and I still don't have enough time to watch it all.

Focus on the stuff that makes sense to you and don't worry whether people are wrestling brooms 1000 miles away, just like I pay no attention to who the 24/7 champion is.

I apologize for coming all up in arms to this topic, I got triggered that you were shitting on something just for being different
I accept being triggered myself, but I have to learn to accept and ignore the things I don’t get particularly if it doesn’t interfere with my regular viewing (WWE, NWA, AEW etc).

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 22nd, '20, 18:49
by Big Red Machine
cero2k wrote: Apr 22nd, '20, 14:07
XIV wrote: Apr 21st, '20, 23:19 I don’t watch most Japanese wrestling anymore, because I don’t particularly enjoy it. I will be the first to admit I prefer a more western presentation of wrestling.

I just want stuff to make sense and I grew up watching wrestling full of goofy stuff
that there is the key, focus on what you like and ignore the rest of the world. It's what I tell Red all the time and words I live by. I don't care about WWE or BJW or ROH's presentations and thus I don't care about their booking or shows, emphasis on booking and shows, and thus I don't give my time to their programming. It is fantastic that there is so much wrestling and types of it, that there are things I don't like and I still don't have enough time to watch it all.
I'd rather watch something I'm probably not going to enjoy than take the chance on missing out on something I'll really like.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 22nd, '20, 21:53
by cero2k
Big Red Machine wrote: Apr 22nd, '20, 18:49

I'd rather watch something I'm probably not going to enjoy than take the chance on missing out on something I'll really like.
you'd only be missing out on the 'surprise' of watching happen 'live' and spoiler free. Aside from NJPW, that 'live' thing has become rather meaningless to me. I used to think the same thing around the time of The Nexus, but then wrestling, WWE especially, just got super predictable. There hasn't been a Punk promo event since, well, the Punk promo. Debuts are even calendarized now a days and returns advertised for ratings.

Re: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: A Rant

Posted: Apr 22nd, '20, 22:46
by Big Red Machine
cero2k wrote: Apr 22nd, '20, 21:53
Big Red Machine wrote: Apr 22nd, '20, 18:49

I'd rather watch something I'm probably not going to enjoy than take the chance on missing out on something I'll really like.
you'd only be missing out on the 'surprise' of watching happen 'live' and spoiler free. Aside from NJPW, that 'live' thing has become rather meaningless to me. I used to think the same thing around the time of The Nexus, but then wrestling, WWE especially, just got super predictable. There hasn't been a Punk promo event since, well, the Punk promo. Debuts are even calendarized now a days and returns advertised for ratings.
It's not "live" for me so much as spoiler-free. I want to know as little as possible going in so I can experience the full excitement and so I can form my own opinions upon first seeing things rather than having them colored by someone else's review.

I'm not looking for that next BIG moment like the Nexus debut or Punk's pipe bomb. I'm just interested in a well-told ongoing story.

Some returns (and debuts) should be promoted for ratings. Others can be saved for surprises. It all depends on the story they want to tell.