The Ultimate WWE Thread

[Dan]

Now for 15mins of Sasha v Bayley

Sorry, I meant seconds. Fuck off Naomi, nobody cares about your lights or your arse, as you can tell from Sasha/Bayley generating some crowd noise then Naomi winning to crickets.

[Pleb]

Are you feeling the GLOW?

Bayley and Sasha isn't.

[Gray Fox]

They so so nearly got that right.

[Ian]

The fucking state of that trophy.

[Dan]

Good job shitting on the SmackDown world title by explicitly stating that the RAW title is the most prestigious title in the industry.

[Dan]

Have they really been having Roman do fake shoots on Brock? Pretty LOL for a guy who's been jammed into four consecutive WrestleMania main events to call someone else "Vince's boy" too.

Also, have we all seen Paul Heyman's tweet from earlier?

[Gray Fox]

I don't even think that could save Reigns, if he's getting at what I think.

[Dan]

God the panel stuff is so horrendously shit. It's 50% awkward 'banter' & 50% plugging the Network.

Guess I'll have to go looking for a stream now.

[Ian]

I've seen that rumoured / predicted.

It's a pity they're so determined for Reigns to be seen as a face because he's be an excellent bully heel. Still, first things first: Fuck off, Bork.

And on that note I'm going to go to bed and watch this tomorrow so I can wind through all the dross between matches.

[Gray Fox]

They've booked Brock into this inevitable hole. Just a shame Seth Rollins can't save us this time.

[Dan]

I don't even think that could save Reigns, if he's getting at what I think.

Considering the exact same thing has been done before it would be really lame if it happens the way that suggests, but then Heyman is smarter than to just telegraph it so obviously so fingers crossed they've actually come up with something half decent for a finish.

[Pleb]

Where's Mahow?

He's missing a belter of an anthem.

[Gray Fox]

Considering the exact same thing has been done before it would be really lame if it happens the way that suggests, but then Heyman is smarter than to just telegraph it so obviously so fingers crossed they've actually come up with something half decent for a finish.

I just pray they let Heyman book it, if it happens. His way is usually better.

[Gray Fox]

She said future of music. Where's Elias?

[Dan]

I appear to have dodged the anthem & now we get Rollins/Miz/Shango for the opener, it's the perfect way to start.

[Browning]

Miz coming out 2nd and Rollins having blue eyes. Fucking weird.

[Dan]

No makeup for Balor? Have they given up on that already?

[Gray Fox]

Where's demon Balor and who is this grinning idiot?

[Dan]

Two minutes into the first match of WrestleMania & we've had a superkick & a dive. It's basically the indies.

JOHN CENA.

[Queenslander]

Pwg?

[Browning]

This has been a total sack of shit so far, and it was one of the matches I was looking forward to. They better pick it up.

[Gray Fox]

Is there any way we can get John Cenas thoughts on the match?

[Disco]

At the risk of going all Cornette are we just no-selling the superplex now?

[Lewis]

I can't be arsed to watch this, but is Cena vs Undercarder not even billed? Is he just going to show up and do a two minute piece of shit?

[Pleb]

Rollins :cool:

[Dan]

Pwg?

I wrote PWG at first, but PWG would have had three dives, eight superkicks, four comedy spots & a slow-mo in that time. I love PWG.


Is there any way we can get John Cenas thoughts on the match?

I'm sure he'll pop up again shortly.


At the risk of going all Cornette are we just no-selling the superplex now?

Like we said, it's basically the indies- you no-sell everything. Decent match in the end, although I did kinda want Miz to win because he deserves the record for all the time he's spent dragging the title out of the gutter.

[Disco]

It's been quite subtle but from certain angles you can actually see John Cena sitting right there in the crowd.

[Dan]

Please don't waste Asuka's streak on Charlotte :uhoh:

[Disco]

I'd let her kick peoples tits off forever, she's the best.

[Dan]

The idea of Asuka having never faced anyone like Charlotte is up there with Roman calling Brock "Vince's Boy" on the LOL scale. I assume they're just ignoring the fact she's competed in MMA & has fought men for years in Japan.

[Disco]

The idea of Asuka having never faced anyone like Charlotte is up there with Roman calling Brock "Vince's Boy" on the LOL scale. I assume they're just ignoring the fact she's competed in MMA & has fought men for years in Japan.

What are you suggesting?

I hate these huge runways, with the exception of when some huge bastard needs a golf cart there and back.

[Dan]

I'd let her kick peoples tits off forever, she's the best.

If you can find a way to watch her match against Kimber Lee from SHIMMER 62(ish), do it. I was there that weekend & it was one of the best womens matches I can remember seeing (Nicole Matthews, Madison Eagles & Hikaru Shida were fantastic that weekend too).

[Dan]

What are you suggesting?

I hate these huge runways, with the exception of when some huge bastard needs a golf cart there and back.

You've seen Charlotte's nude leaks.

[Browning]

This is going to be amazing. Then Carmella will ruin everything. :drool:

[Browning]

I'm seriously concerned that it's been 2 minutes since we saw Cena. Hope he's still ok.

[Disco]

Is John there?

[Browning]

I've just realised how dumb Carmella would have to be to cash in tonight, unless she was at ringside already. It's going to take her 3 hours to get down that ramp.

[Browning]

Holy shit :drool:

[Disco]

Boo.

[Dan]

That was a fantastic match with completely the wrong ending. Typical WWE though, they have their favourites that they are just going to sacrifice everyone & everything to until someone actually likes them, so of course Ric Flair's daughter is the one to beat Asuka.

Oh, and don't forget to tell everyone how fantastic she is & how much you respect her after she beats you :D

JOHN CENA.

[Dan]

WHY IS JOHN CENA RUNNING UP THE RAMP EVERYONE?! WHAT A MYSTERY!

Probably just fancies another beer & left his wallet in the back.

[Browning]

Thought the ref was running out for Carmella. If she cashes in on Bliss/Jax when it has been categorically stated to be SD exclusive it'll be so shit.

Guess Cena didn't approve the cash in.

But I think Charlotte had to win. What's the alternative? Asuka can't lose for a whole year and spends the entire time crushing Becky Lynch and Mandy Rose until Ronda knocks her out? Fuck that.

[Dan]

Yeah, there's nowhere they can go with Asuka other than Rousey, but it's more the grim inevitability of knowing it was all going to be handed on a plate to Charlotte as soon as they started building her undefeated streak up as a thing.

Enzo Amore's got taller since he ditched Big Cass for Rusev. Bit mean to make Mahal's guy come out & do his shitty Ricardo Rodriguez impersonation after Aiden English has just delivered a poem he wrote specifically for the occasion.

[Dan]

Now John's gone to the back we need something else to cut to, so time to roll out the announce teams from every country on the planet.

[Dan]

Can we just take a second to marvel at how Trish has actually got hotter over the last decade? (https://www.instagram.com/p/BhSVhVGFbrz/)

[Dan]

I've not seen anything of Breezango before but one Snickers ad confirms my suspicions that they're amazing :D

[Browning]

I was just saying that commercial was better than the US Title match.

Please put AJ Vs Nakamura on after this, then I can go to bed.

[Browning]

Surely this confirms no Biker Taker, thank fuck.

[Dan]

Fandango has been one of the most entertaining guys on the roster since NXT Redemption, and Tyler Breeze has always had potential to take his character that way since it's basically just Zoolander, so just get the feud with New Day started now. I really want Fandango v EC3 as well, just for Redemption nostalgia. If they can chuck in Curt Hawkins & re-sign Kaitlyn & Maxine that would be the dream.

Is Angle getting You Suck chants? :D

[Dan]

This could be good, or it could be a complete mess. I'm leaning towards the latter, but hopefully Angle & HHH can still put out 10mins of alright stuff to at least make the match watchable.

[Browning]

Is Angle getting You Suck chants? :D

Have you ever watched Angle before?

[Browning]

This is comfortably the match of the night so far.

[Limoutsonik]

Holy shit this was good

[Dan]

I was trying to work out whether they were to him or with him :D

That was actually a pretty good match.

[Dan]

WWE bringing back Hornswoggle for one night only, and even letting him bring his family.

Have Harper & Rowan have their first names purged since they left the Wyatt family?

[Browning]

They gave them up when they joined Wacky Races.

[Dan]

:D

HHH & Stephanie must have taken more than their allocated time because that was about eight minutes with finishers from the start.

EDIT: No, wait. They just needed to make time for fifteen minutes of adverts for their own content.

[Dan]

JOHN CENA.

I think this might be the point at which I half watch, half go to bed.

[Browning]

Never thought I'd mark out for Elias, but I just wanted anyone but Taker to come out.

[Dan]

Undertaker is obviously going to come out & batter Elias, but it would be a fantastic troll job if this is what we got after hyping Cena/Taker :D

[Dan]

The fun part of all this is that they probably could've done the whole Elias segment in the time it's going to take for Taker to get down the ramp & still had time to plug the network a couple of times.

[Browning]

What the fuck was that?

[Dan]

The match was the shortest part of that whole thing :D

Undertaker just dominated Cena, so I guess that means he's got at least another five years in him...

[Browning]

Cena is the best jobber of all time.

[John]

That's the first time I've seen the old school Undertaker entrance in about ten years and it's as good as ever.

Fuck knows what they were up to making him a biker, the original Undertaker is on par with Stone Cold as the best character they've ever had.

[Browning]

I've never got why people like Nia. She's fucking shite. Just a shame they've booked themselves into a corner.

[Browning]

Styles Vs Nakamura- not as good as Ronda. Crowd are dead.

[Queenslander]

:lol:

[Disco]

Just watching the last match, the crowd do not seem pleased. Both wrestlers getting booed and there's just been a CM Punk chant. There's also something going on in the crowd that could well be a beachball.

Not a bad show when you can skip past all the bullshit (ie 50% of it). Whoever thought it would be a good idea for Asuka to lose so soon needs shooting, the worst thing about the WWE is the lack of patience, they set up a good story but can't resist blowing the whole thing in five minutes. 'Nicholas' was shit and can fuck off, if they weren't going to have a proper partner Boatman should have run to the back and come out again. Failing that at least pick a decent kid. Nakamura Styles was saved from being a terrible result by the turn at the end but only just.

It's just finished, what the fuck. :lol: It won't work Vince, you can't just change someone's character entirely and expect them to get the same reception, how many WM main events will it take for them to realise that.

[Disco]

Oh, and the Undertaker match was completely fucking pointless, why bother?

[phonics]

I thought the Charlotte Asuka ending was good and all you Asuka stans need to chill the f out.

[Disco]

Good match, idiotic short term thinking result. The finish was fine but should have been the finish of a second or third match.

[Gray Fox]

Well that was a bit of an off Mania. Not in that is was all bad, it just felt it was lacking in something. Also strange a few of the big matches went the opposite way to what most thought.
The triple threat and AJ v Nakamura didn't quite match the hype unfortunately. The crowd were heavily shitting on the main event with everyone expecting a Roman win. There were CM Punk chants, waves going on, and then chants of "this is awful" and "booooorrrriiiiiinnng" when Reigns was kicking out of 5 F-5s.

I think they got the Asuka decision right. The streak had to end at some point and this was the perfect place to do it before it got out of hand. No better opponent to give it to either.
The Authority tag match was match of the night, though I take issue with how many times Steph can counter or block Rousey.

I'm assuming this Nicholas kid is either a make a wish child or is the son of someone big in the business.

It could have done with a big returnee or legend showing up at some point. All in all decent/good but not great.

[Browning]

I've heard, but not confirmed, that he's the son of John Cone.... which I guess makes sense?

I wonder if he realises half the people watching him have probably commented about him being a Make a Wish kid though.

Only just watched the main event. Brock winning is :drool: but Reigns kicking out of 5 F5s was ridiculous.

[Disco]

Due to the kickoff being strangely tricky to find I'm just watching it now.

Did Aidan English have a haircut between this and the main show?

[phonics]

Who're the good/fun podcasts to listen to for a recap?

[Lewis]

I've only read the results, but I can't remember anyone being booked as strongly as Charlotte has/is since Stone Cold. lol also at Baroque Les-nar winning.

[igor_balis]

Who're the good/fun podcasts to listen to for a recap?

Meltzer and Alvarez and B&V, though they're usually behind a paywall. I can PM you them if you like x

[igor_balis]

The streak had to end at some point and this was the perfect place to do it before it got out of hand

Disagree with that logic, monster streaks are good and the easiest way to get people over.

[phonics]

Ask for podcasts and he gives you an SEO of 'B&V'

[phonics]

Disagree with that logic, monster streaks are good and the easiest way to get people over.

Asuka is already over.

[igor_balis]

Asuka is already over.

Agreed but I disagree with the idea that a streak can get "out of hand", it's like the logic Nash used to justify ending Goldberg's streak. Just let it keep going on and on and on. Sure, if you think Charlotte will benefit massively from beating her then go for it, but I don't think a long streak is inherently a bad thing. I just like the angle of having the monster babyface build the streak for ages, get into a feud with a young up and comer who has momentum building, have the monster babyface turn heel and have the up and comer beat them. It's such a brilliant way to tip the other wrestler from young talent with a bit of momentum into huge face, whereas I'm unconvinced it does so much for someone already established like Charlotte is. But how's my territory doing etc, I don't really know shit.

[phonics]

Watching the fight yesterday knowing absolutely zero about either of them coming in. It looked like the champion had to fight to her absolute limit physically and emotionally to get the better of her extremely skilled opponent and was rewarded by retaining the title.

Reading the comments from this thread, the only storyline anyone wants to fantasy book is everyone you like to win. That's shitty writing.

[Disco]

Streaks are there to be ended but at least make it worth something, now she'll be onto another feud with someone who also has nothing else to do rather than setting something up that would take you to Summerslam at the very least and put some actual story behind the matches. All without harming Charlotte at all, in fact she ends up looking stronger.

I think I've put myself through the entire Trajectory over the course of the weekend.

[phonics]

Are they likely to have as good a second match as that? Probably not in which case you'd just have people moaning that they had to give the belt back to the white blonde hot girl.

[Disco]

Well you book a different match if it's the first of several.

[phonics]

I guess I just don't understand fans ability to get pissed off about things. That was genuinely the first Divas match I've ever watched and cared about and then people are complaining because the fan favourite didn't win?

[Disco]

'Frustrated at the wasted potential' could be the Raw tagline, so it's hardly a huge surprise. On this very show the most popular wrestler in the company lost to Jinder Mahal and a fat dad who can't punch held his own against two of the best workers on the card for half a match.

[Pleb]

That Taker-Cena match and buildup was brilliant and hilarious I thought.

[phonics]

'Frustrated at the wasted potential' could be the Raw tagline, so it's hardly a huge surprise. On this very show the most popular wrestler in the company lost to Jinder Mahal and a fat dad who can't punch held his own against two of the best workers on the card for half a match.

That one confused me. But I don't understand Matt Hardy so what do I know.

The Cena stuff would have been great if not for the cutaway before, during and after every match with the same line spiel of 'He's a man of his word, he said he'd turn up' etc.

[Browning]

As I said last night, Charlotte winning was the right result. The alternative is "the streak" survives 12 months of lacklustre matches with zero doubt as to the outcome until Ronda beats her. Don't forget this was "the longest streak EVER", even longer than Goldberg's. It had done it's job.

[John]

Ronda Rousey was much better than I thought she'd be, and that match was terrific in general, but the little interlude where she attacked Triple H while he was trying to shoo away a wasp was a bit off.

The main event was comfortably the worst ten minutes of televised content I've ever watched.

[Pleb]

https://www.facebook.com/WWEUK/videos/2058473490848582/

:D

[Browning]

The main event was indeed shite (though I probably enjoyed it more than the borefest served up by Styles) but I did mark out a little when Lesnar won. Just please, please don't have him drop the title to Reigns tonight. The collective seethe of the internet has been great.

[Browning]

Allegedly Brock went "off script" and when Vince had a go he chucked the title at him :drool:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2769447-report-brock-lesnar-vince-mcmahon-had-heated-altercation-after-wrestlemania

[Shindig]

WWE have just announced Brock's defending his title at the 2019 Royal Rumble against Roman.

[Lewis]

The event will also feature the first-ever 50-man Greatest Royal Rumble Match, John Cena vs. Triple H and six other championship matches.

Sounds good. It's in Saudi Arabia, so what will the birds rassle in?

[Browning]

I wish that was true. Hold the belt hostage for another 9 months and watch people cry.

[Browning]

Sounds good. It's in Saudi Arabia, so what will the birds rassle in?

There's no women allowed on the show whatsoever. The revolution dies that night.

[Lewis]

lol you're right. I love it when these things happen.

[Ian]

Just finished after watching it in stages through the day. Ugh. More Brock. One day the Universal title will actually mean something, perhaps. That match was a load of old horseshit anyway. Just a load of finishers getting kicked out of. At least his match against Goldberg last year was sort of fun and, more importantly, over quickly.

The surprise of the night was the mixed tag, obviously. In that it was a surprise that it wasn't claw-my-eyes-out unwatchable. The Rousey / HHH bit in particular but generally it just served the purpose of making Rousey look like a hero. I'll regret this when she is Brock-with-a-fanny for the rest of her career. Oh, and Angle probably needs to never wrestle again because he's so utterly slow.

Other thoughts:
- Vince reeeeeaaaaally hates tag wrestling.

- I'm with Disco in that I'd have kept Asuka's streak going for longer than this. Not because I'm some huge Asuka mark, I think Charlotte is probably the best wrestler in either womens division on the whole. But Asuka has basically fallen at her first significant main roster hurdle. It was a good match though and nobody was better placed to end the streak at this stage than Charlotte.

- Sigh. I hoped I was wrong about Jinder winning.

- The fucking state of all this Undertaker bullshit. I was deeply amused when Elias came out, even though I knew it was just killing time until I had to endure Mean Mark. This is just setting up a rematch for the two at Mania 35, isn't it? :moop:

- Daniel Bryan looked really good even though they've basically had him get mullered then run through his greatest hits. Do Zayn and Owens just get signed for Raw now?

- AJ and Nakamura was disappointing and I'd have had Nakamura win but that ending makes sense if they wanted to go heel and have more matches between the two. Either that or, given this and SD Womens title result, Vince just wanted to have two Japanese win the Rumbles so he could dick them over at Mania.

- Fuck off, Nicholas.

Overall I actually kinda enjoyed the show. I think this is the one I've come out of feeling best about since 31, which was my first one back into watching it.

[Ian]

Oh, and fuck making Rusev eat the pinfall there. Jinder pinning Rusev had to be creative giving the "Universe" the Vs.

[SvN]

I went mental for Taker :cool:

As has been said elsewhere, the show went to shit when Bryan was immediately "injured". They didn't need to do that. The Nakamura v Styles match was probably the most I've ever been disappointed at a match. They never left first gear.

[Browning]

I guess "RAW after Mania" was only a thing for like 2-3 years, because that was shit.

[Ian]

Consistent with "go-home" shows also no longer being a thing. If I get one decent match and only wind through 90 minutes of Raw now that's usually a bit of a result.

[igor_balis]

i enjoyed raw. rousey is brilliant isn't she!? great samoa joe promo too. i'm convinced they're actually turning roman soon (about 2 years too late but whatever).

i don't care for balor or rollins though. rollins appears to have little character other than 15 year old 4chan edgelord.

[Ian]

Rollins was a good shitbag heel but with the wrong moveset. He has the same problem that most WWE guys, especially babyfaces, have. He has no motivation. Other than winning whatever match or title is currently in front of him there's no central hook to their "character. "

Balor is an even better example. Why has he not spent the last year bitching about never getting a match for the belt he never lost? When they fancied him as a Lesnar opponent they let him, not the rest of the time.

[Ian]

Also Lesnar is holding the belt until at least however long he needs to top Punk's reign.

[Shindig]

Paige's retirment speech must've came after a year of solid drinking. Dead before 40.

[Queenslander]

Money on Bobby Lashley being the one to get the rub from Lesner?

[Queenslander]

Also it appears Marty Scurl might have got the tap from NXT the way Being The Elite episode 100 played out.

[Pleb]

Paige's retirment speech must've came after a year of solid drinking. Dead before 40.
She's Smackdown GM now.

[Browning]

Also Lesnar is holding the belt until at least however long he needs to top Punk's reign.

People keep saying this but I think it’s bollocks. Not only does Punk not hold any record, Lesnar is holding the wrong title. I don’t doubt if he gets there they will bang on about it being the “longest world title reign in the modern era” or whatever but it won’t actually change anything regarding Punk’s run with the vastly superior title.

[Lewis]

She's Smackdown GM now.

I wanted those Jeff Jarrett rumours to be true. Team Angle vs Team Jarrett boiling right over at Survivor Series. :drool:

[Queenslander]

I wanted those Jeff Jarrett rumours to be true. Team Angle vs Team Jarrett boiling right over at Survivor Series. :drool:

Bring back road dog as his side kick.

[Browning]

She will be sacked in the morning for giving away Styles vs Bryan on free TV.

[Gray Fox]

They'll just have Lesnar give Roman the belt in this cage match they're on about.

I bet he's only signed a short extension for while he sorts his UFC drug testing issue out.

[Ian]

People keep saying this but I think it’s bollocks. Not only does Punk not hold any record, Lesnar is holding the wrong title. I don’t doubt if he gets there they will bang on about it being the “longest world title reign in the modern era” or whatever but it won’t actually change anything regarding Punk’s run with the vastly superior title.

I never said it was sound logic, just the sort of thing WWE do because it's a reign that still gets talked about and they don't like Punk. I hope I'm wrong because the sooner the belt is off Lesnar the sooner we have a chance of actually getting an enjoyable Universal title match. Or one more often than once a quarter.

Unrelated but how low should I be setting my expectations for Lashley? I read things saying he's much improved but I've no idea if he was just less shit than some of his TNA counterpart.

[Shindig]

She's Smackdown GM now.

That sounds like a terrible reality.

[Mike]

Best bit of Smackdown?

https://youtu.be/aoaF6I7q_pk

That wink.

[Queenslander]

Cann the WWE just let the wrestlers have more say in their matches?

[Gray Fox]

Rusev is getting literally buried at the Greatest Royal Rumble ppv.

[Disco]

They'll just have Lesnar give Roman the belt in this cage match they're on about.

I bet he's only signed a short extension for while he sorts his UFC drug testing issue out.

I love all the rumours surrounding this, one being that the result of the match was changed part way through in order to allow Roman to win the title in front of a more receptive crowd.

[Lewis]

lol at the referee during that ladies cash-in. You're over-selling it mate.

[Browning]

When Lesnar wins the cage match as well. :drool:

I love that Reigns gets the biggest ass kicking since Cena Vs Taker (I was going to say Cena Vs Lesnar....) but gets another shot where as all the champions that lost had to earn their rematches

[Disco]

His promo on Raw was turgid, completely tone deaf to the crowd reaction and everything else going on. He must be getting tired of being shat on continuously for no fault of his own.

[Browning]

Paige's first words being "Give it to me, Smackdown Live" was brave... half of them probably have.

Xavier Woods for the WWE Title.

[Mike]

Braun Strowman should go against Brock and they should give up on Roman.

[Shindig]

Or team them up. Stroman Rauns.

[Gray Fox]

Paige's first words being "Give it to me, Smackdown Live" was brave... half of them probably have.

Xavier Woods for the WWE Title.

:happycry:

[Pleb]

How many men...I mean wrestlers are in this HUGE Royal Rumble match then?

I've lost count.

[Disco]

'Superstars'

50 aren't there?

[Pleb]

I read somewhere 15 more were added.

[SvN]

It's a 50 man rumble, it just means that 15 wrestlers have been announced so far to be in it.

[wullie]

Caught up with Wrestlemania, really liked it. The worst things on the show were still alright and the Rousey match was a million times better than I feared it'd be, plus Angle didn't die. Shame to see Braun Strowman walk straight past No Way Jose when picking his tag partner, but it was made up for on Raw when he debuted with all the promise of a young Adam Rose.

[Ian]

I haven't watched all of Smackdown yet but I loved when the fans started chanting for Rusev as Bryan's opponent and Paige / Shane were a bit "Errrrr."

Also: Orton vs. Jinder. Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[Disco]

Caught up with Wrestlemania, really liked it. The worst things on the show were still alright and the Rousey match was a million times better than I feared it'd be, plus Angle didn't die. Shame to see Braun Strowman walk straight past No Way Jose when picking his tag partner, but it was made up for on Raw when he debuted with all the promise of a young Adam Rose.

I have a lot of time for No Way Jose and I'm sure he'll do fine just like all the other dancing based party gimmicks. I mean look how well Brodus Clay is doing (he's still on the show right?).

[Shindig]

FandangJo.

[Browning]

Rusev out, Jericho in for that casket match.

[Ian]

Whaaat?

This show is a right laugh.

[Shindig]

Does that mean he's asked for his release again?

[Disco]

Removed all the WWE stuff from his Twitter which can't be a good sign.

[Pleb]

Mysterio might be back full time according to dirtsheets :drool:

He's rumoured to appear for the HUGE Rumble match as well.

[Disco]

I'm not sure it will be full time as he's also committed to some NJPW matches with Liger, Ospreay, and possibly Scurl if he's still around.

[Ian]

As gutted as I'd be Rusev needs to leave, beast the indies for a few years and then come back.

....

Probably just to job the midcard again. :moop:

[Queenslander]

Hopefully Cody signs him for All In.

[Shindig]

Guys, Scott Steiner's back at TNA. Nobody popped for this respectable wordsmith and business owner. In the same show people lost their shit for Tommy Dreamer.

[Queenslander]

Tommy Dreamer still is credible because his promotion House Of Hardcore puts on good shows. Dreamer has also put himself up for the NWA title. Steiner is a fucking liability obviously.

[Shindig]

In the ring, aye. On the mic, he's joyful. He'd be an outstanding authority figure.

[Ian]

You can't him saying things like that about the Big Bad Booty Daddy. Remember that time he beat up Nowinski on his debut and it turned out to be one of his WWE high points? What a man.

[Lewis]

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

Legend.

[Disco]

Guys, Scott Steiner's back at TNA. Nobody popped for this respectable wordsmith and business owner. In the same show people lost their shit for Tommy Dreamer.

This seems like the appropriate response.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Started on Mania and the Andre Battle Royal was shit.

Goldust dabbing? (fuck off mate) and then Matt Hardy winning and them setting up an alliance with Bray? Ugh, I was hoping they'd be done with it.

Edit: Jumped to NXT as I remembered it was the day before. Giving Shayna the fucking belt :sick:

She's still far too fucking green and the only reason I can see them taking it off of Ember is because they're sending her to the main roster.

Aleister Black :drool:

That Takeover is one of the best 'PPV's' in recent years.

[Pleb]

The Rousey/Angle v Hunter/Steph match is surprisingly rewatchable.

[Baz]

That Takeover is one of the best 'PPV's' in recent years.
I agree, and I don't even like wrestling.

[Browning]

The Rousey/Angle v Hunter/Steph match is surprisingly rewatchable.


It’s the best match on the main roster in a long, long time.

[Ant]

Ironically enough, the AJ/Nakamura dream match was a nightmare.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking Jinder.

The pancake midgets are amazing.

[Pleb]

Nikki and John Cena no longer a couple :harold:

[wullie]

I knew Miz and Maryse would win the war.

[Browning]

Writing was on the wall when he proposed at Wrestlemania. If he was serious about marrying her, he wouldn't have turned it into a wrestling storyline.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He was spending too much time on Michelle McCool's instagram.

[Shindig]

Now Bryan can have both. Or Mickey James has gone full bunny-boiler again.

[Weaver]

Had a quick flick through Raw with it being ‘Superstar Shakeup’ week.

Bobby Roode, Jinder Mahal, Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler, The Riott Squad, Zack Ryder, Mojo Rawley, The Ascension, Breezango, Natalya, Chad Gable, Mike Kanellis and Drew McIntyre (can’t think of anyone else) have joined Raw along with Lashley, No Way Jose, The Authors of Pain and Ember Moon from last week.

The only confirmed move from Raw to Smackdown is the Miz.

Looking numbers wise, Smackdown need at least two new teams (Slater and Rhyno and the Club, maybe?) so they’ll have the Usos, the New Day, The Bludgeons, The Colons and Rusev/English.

Smackdown need a few women, and I think Bayley should shift along with the Absolution, while the US Championship is on Raw now - could Jeff Hardy swap across and take the championship back? I think someone like Balor could do well over there.

[Browning]

Has to be Rollins for me, either that or Miz needs to win the belt back from Rollins and take it to the blue brand. While getting Jeff away from Matt and Bray wouldn't be a bad thing, it would make Kurt Angle look like a total twat "Yea, I traded for the US Title, now I'm going to give a title shot to a man I traded away!"

And before anyone points it out, yes it was an "open challenge", but he could easily have said "No, not you, you've been traded".

I still hate the "Superstar shake up" though. If it's trades, then tell us who was traded for who. If it's random, show it being randomised. This whole "The GMs are working on deals but we're going to give you no details" thing is bollocks.

The Ambrose/Miz segment from last year's shake up was better than any of the reveals last night too.

[wullie]

They should have the whole cruiserweight division move to Smackdown as they tape it on the same day anyway, plus I want Neville back pronto.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Finished up on 'Mania yesterday. I think the Rousey et al match was probably the best when I thought it would be the worst although it wasn't without it's problems.

They really shouldn't have had Rousey attempt the armbar that many times (3 or so IIRC) as she's legitimately one of the best in the world at them. There's no chance someone like Stephanie would have been able to defend them at all. The first time she slapped it in should have been the last.

The main event was laughable (as was everything after the tag match), it seemed that 90% of the moves were finishers.

Oh and fuck Nicholas, if they were going down the kid route they should have let Boatman team with the kid that was inducted into the HOF (kid had style and jokes) not the fucking referee's kid.

[wullie]

Did Kid Rock duck out of the stand 'n' wave so he wouldn't get booed?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fuck Nicholas even more, the way he said 'Get these hands' to Angle on RAW :sick:

[Spikey M]

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

Legend.

We need ItalAussie to check if this works.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm still behind but I'm glad they traded Miz to Smackdown it makes sense. I'd also have him winning at Backlash to take the intercontinental title and then having a feud with Bryan.

[Browning]

I'm not a fan of Miz moving back. To me he's the most (by which I mean, only) entertaining thing on the product and taking him off the 3 hour show will make it unwatchable, even more so than it already is. Plus I would rather have had Bryan on RAW to take the belt off Lesnar because Reigns absolutely shouldn't be doing that (even though he will). Oh well. I'm sure it'll make Smackdown better.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well it would be better if Reigns (and Jinder) would just be fucked off but it won't happen.

[Browning]

Thinking about it, Miz for Sami and KO is probably a fair deal for Smackdown (or at least not far off) and the other 17 names they've sent over are all shite. This can only benefit them, and make them the show worth watching.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What the fuck was with the Carmella cash in? Why was the ref asking 'you sure m8?' constantly?

Carmella is hot but she should never be allowed to open her mouth.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Watching last nights RAW I'm actually really pissed off that Miz has gone to Smackdown.

They could have made a great stable called Miztertainment as that segment with Owens and Zayn was brilliant.

[Ian]

Man, Drew McIntyre must be feeling pretty good just now getting to bask in the popularity of Ziggler.

[Pleb]

More than likely Miz is getting a WWE title shot Mahow.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

More than likely Miz is getting a WWE title shot Mahow.

I don't see it (unless they do a fatal 4-way, so I guess plausible) as Bryan and Nakamura are getting the pushes.

[Ian]

Even if they don't give him it again Miz deserves to have a title feud with somebody.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I think he'll win at Backlash taking the Intercontinental title with him.

[Browning]

Man, Drew McIntyre must be feeling pretty good just now getting to bask in the popularity of Ziggler.

RAW now has the optimum number of 3MB members, so Ziggler is clearly just a smokescreen to hide their true intentions.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh and did they plant some people into the audience on RAW?

There were quite a few cheers for Roman as well as some positive signs.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

'Mania botches:

983155838738141184

Taker kicking the air so powerfully that it knocks Cena down.

983233228386398208

I'm also sure the table move was a botch but I can't find a video.

https://statics.sportskeeda.com/editor/2018/04/d88e9-1523282093-800.jpg

WWE don't even remember their titles/holders.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just gone through the predictions:

Ian - SEVEN right (Angle/Rousey, Jinder, Boatman, Nia, Bludgeon twats, Cedric Alexander and Matt Hardy)
Gray - six right (Cedric, AJ, Angle/Rousey, Boatman, Nia and Taker)
Mahow - five right (Angle/Rousey, Boatman, Nia, Bldgeon and Taker)
Pleb - 3 right (Styles, Bryan/Shane and Boatman)
Disco - 2 right (Angle/Rousey and Nia).

Ian takes the win by being the only one to predict a McBattle Royale winner.

No one picked Baroque or Charlotte.

[Pleb]

Bludgeon twats :D

Me and predictions don't go hand in hand. Look at my Pick-ems :sherlock:

[phonics]

How did none of you get Charlotte v Asuka right? No wonder you hate the product.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We believed in the streak.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well at least we won't be getting the brother Nero bullshit.

Edit: Not sure why they'd trade Joe over. I liked his segments trashing Roman.

Boatman, Rollins and Balor to get universal championship pushes? Well probably not as they'll have Bork part timing forever smashing the shit baby-face Roman.

Edit: If that's the whole Sanity stable :drool:

[Queenslander]

Joe and AJ Styles have put on many many many quality matches against each other in TNA and Ring of Honor.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Seems that they're trying to absolutely kill the RAW tag team division.

Breezango, Revival, Bray/Hardy, Ascension and possibly Miztourage under a new name?

I had The Bar going to SD but with The New Day or The Usos going to RAW.

[wullie]

Nakamura as a creepy stalker punching people in the dick is the best version of him.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He's gone from 'knee to face' to 'fist to balls'.

[wullie]

Brunoooooooooooo

http://www.wwe.com/article/bruno-sammartino-passes-away

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

82 for a former wrestler is incredible considering the life expectancy is about 40 these days.

[Ian]

On current form Smackdown have really done better out of that, haven't they? Even if they appear to be planning Bryan vs. Cass as an actually thing.

[Ian]

Just gone through the predictions:

Ian - SEVEN right (Angle/Rousey, Jinder, Boatman, Nia, Bludgeon twats, Cedric Alexander and Matt Hardy)
Gray - six right (Cedric, AJ, Angle/Rousey, Boatman, Nia and Taker)
Mahow - five right (Angle/Rousey, Boatman, Nia, Bldgeon and Taker)
Pleb - 3 right (Styles, Bryan/Shane and Boatman)
Disco - 2 right (Angle/Rousey and Nia).

Ian takes the win by being the only one to predict a McBattle Royale winner.

No one picked Baroque or Charlotte.

Missed this. :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Apparently Sanity is going to be called up sans Nikki Cross.

Guessing they want to keep her on NXT to give Shayna another challenger (in addition to Kairi Sane) because there's fuck all else.

[Disco]

What a weird set of switches. They set up a match between Roman and Jeff then move one of them to a different show, how the fuck does that make any sense? Then you have Jeff Hardy and Jinder switching shows with Jeff taking the belt off him, then you book a rematch at this Saudi thing. Gee, I wonder who's going to win that one. I also had a good lol at Daniel Bryan apparently feuding with Big Cass, how's that for a dream match nerds.

[Browning]

In fairness Jinder could win if Miz picks up the IC, but yea, for the most part they’ve ruined their next 2 PPVs as well as made Angle out to be a complete fucking moron. They could end up with just the CW and women’s titles on RAW if results went against him.

[Disco]

Yeah, but you're still in a position where one result gives away another which is idiotic.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They have cancelled a fair few matches already.

Edit: They did cancel them (Jinder and Jeff was definitely off) but they've put them back.

This has been one giant clusterfuck.

The only thing that has been completely binned is the Jinder/Orton match on one of the PPVs.

[Browning]

And I'm fairly sure I saw that Orton will face the winner of Jeff Vs Jinder, so even that is likely still on.

The kayfabe "trades" favour Smackdown so much it's not even funny. If we assume Riott Squad for Absolution, Nattie for Asuka (lol) and The Bar & The Club for Breezango & The Ascension (again lol...) we are left with:

Bobby Roode, Dolph Ziggler, Mike Kanellis, Jinder, Corbin, Ryder, Rawley and Gable for Samoa Joe, The Miz, Jeff Hardy, R-Truth and Big Cass

It's basically like every trade was Paige doing the classic Fantasy Football tactic of "I'll package these 2 pieces of shit together for your stud". Oh and R-Truth was also involved.

[Ian]

Hopefully they tie in this terrible trade period with Angle sounding and standing like he's pissed all the time.

[Pleb]

Is the Greatest Royale Rumble canon to the PPV/TV shite or is it a glorified Network Special House Show?

[Browning]

Everything is canon.

[Gray Fox]

If they mention it on TV, it's canon.

[Shindig]

Here's what's canon: Bruno Sammartino is dead.

[Pleb]

The Coach presumably got dropped for next Monday Night RAW because Booker T has nothing to do.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

More likely because there was something to this:

http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2018/0305/637590/jonathan-coachman-accused-of-sexual-harassment-in-lawsuit-filed/

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Coach is saying it's just while he does some golf commentary though and he'll be back after that.

[Disco]

Is shouting at the telly from the sofa while you wait for a lawsuit technically commentating?

[Shindig]

Come on. We all did that as kids.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Indeed, I lost count of the number lawsuits pending.

[Pleb]

Some IWC idiots want RAW/Smackdown etc to go back to two men commentary booths. I'm a bit :sherlock:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I would be against that purely because I'd have to listen to more of Corey Graves.

[Browning]

2 man commentary is so much better than 3 it's unreal. One face play by play guy and a heel colour commentator, nothing else is needed. What is the job description of the 3rd guy? "Shout out random facts so that Corey can tell you to fuck off"? Could live without it, easily.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The third man also has to be a token black guy ofc.

Poor Booker/Coach and Saxton.

[wullie]

Didn't Smackdown have a four-man setup for a few weeks? Cracking stuff.

[Pleb]

Yes. One bloke was only there to introduce the show :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WWE_SmackDown_on-air_personalities#Commentators

They had two four man teams (Ranallo, Cole, JBL and Saxton as well as Ranallo, JBL, Otunga and Phillips).

[Browning]

Phillips is the worst commentator I’ve ever heard but seems to escape the hate of Booker or Otunga. They’re shit too but at least they aren’t the lead guy and don’t need two minutes of awkward silence to work out each sentence.

[Shindig]

Who is the wrestling commentary equivalent of Owen Hargreaves?

[Lewis]

That bloke who does shoots with Kevin Nash.

[Ian]

WWE making fun of Verne Troyer when he's just popped his clogs was a bit of an odd one.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Did they even excuse Baroque from the Bruno tribute?

[phonics]

Has that Saudi thing happened yet?

[wullie]

Friday afternoon or early evening I think, six hour spectacular.

[Ian]

It's 5pm UK I believe.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The greatest derailing of the women's revolution event.

[Disco]

Live from the Torturedome.

[Ian]

"You can't criticise us for this, we took Mae Young's name out! What more do you people want?"

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

KO/Zayn and the Bliss PSA were by far the best bits in RAW.

[igor_balis]

I thought JR and the King were the pinnacle of commentary teams, but going back to older shows I think maybe Bobby Heenan and Gorilla were better. Bobby was infinitely better than Lawler anyway, but JR was better than Monsoon. Did JR and Heenan ever commentate together?

Also, perhaps a controversial opinion, but I really liked Tazz and Michael Cole as a team on early-mid 00s Smackdown. I think the way they commentated a lot more like it was a real sport, with Tazz's (admittedly pretty naff) TALE OF THE TAPE etc suited the product and set it apart from the tedium of Raw's hour long Triple H promos, etc.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Heenan and Gorilla are by far the best.

[Browning]

I probably missed much of King's prime in commentary, but I think I preferred JR and Heyman to JR and King, but that could easily be because King went to shit for so long.

Heenan was indeed amazing, with the 92 Rumble being the single best commentary performance of all time.

[Ian]

King's "prime" commentary is horrendously dated when you look back to it. I agree with Browning, JR / Heyman is probably my favourite. They sold the conflict during the Invasion too, when basically everybody else failed to convince.

[wullie]

Jesse Ventura shouting at Vince McMahon was always fun.

[Shindig]

I'll go with Heenan and Gorilla because they had such chemistry. Knew exactly their roles and executed them perfectly. Heyman and JR is the very opposite spectacle.

[phonics]

King was perfect for the late 90s to the early 2000s but you put him in any timeframe/context outside of that and it looks awful. As does any of the 'MTV Generation' stuff. It couldn't have worked back in the days when it was a shoot and anywhere post 2005 he sounds like a horrendous cunt.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mark Henry has been announced for the Rumble :drool:

[wullie]

Ace, that's 49 wigs getting split.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Heel Nakamura is so good.

[Ian]

The Hall of Pain is almost certainly an actual thing somewhere in Saudi so it makes sense to include him.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The Shit Khali has also been announced (oh joy) as has Rey Mysterio.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh and they're going one step further with the 'fuck the revolution, we need money'.

Renee Young who usually hosts the pre-show is being replaced by Saxton for the night.

I wonder if they'll rope Howard Finkel in for a night too.

[Disco]

I hope Mark Henry gets a milk float to the ring again.

[Gray Fox]

Why can't they just leave these as surprises?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Why can't they just leave these as surprises?

To stop the Saudis from seething.

Jews aren't all that welcome too so Heyman isn't going.

Can also rule out any hope of Goldberg going along.

[Ian]

There are still half the participants to be announced. As long as there are some decent surprises in there they're probably hitting a good balance between element of surprise and selling the thing.