The Ultimate WWE Thread

[Ian]

Finished watching / slimming Raw.... is Braun face again now??

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I haven't watched it yet but didn't they turn him face last week? That was my interpretation of it at least.

[Pleb]

Braun v Brock again then?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Word is that Bryan and Cena are refusing to do Crown Jewel so they're now thinking about moving it elsewhere.

[Weaver]

And apparently tickets aren’t even on sale yet... it’s only next weekend isn’t it?

[Ian]

Meant to be. Story on Whatculture said some kind of announcement might be getting made today.

[Shindig]

I hope they fill the front rows with their finest fake Arab gimmicks.

[wullie]

Johnny Saint interrupting Zack Gibson and Noam Dar and ordering them to go to his office for detention makes him already better than nearly every general manager in wrestling history.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

And apparently tickets aren’t even on sale yet... it’s only next weekend isn’t it?

They delayed ticket sales until the day of the event.

[Shindig]

Hogan's confirmed to appear, so it's happening.

[Ian]

I do like "WWE no-sells international incident" as WhatCulture subheader for them still going to Riyadh.

EDIT: Just finished NXT.

So it was Gargano who mullered Black. I thought that was going to be a red herring.

[Pleb]

So apparently the Ambrose heel turn got bumped up due to Regins giving up the belt?

[Ian]

That seemed fairly obvious to me but I hadn't seen any confirmation. It didn't seem like coincidence to me that it happened the same day as Reigns' announcement.

Watching NXT UK and loved the bit Wullie mentioned. Gibson gets proper heat but then I suppose he is a Scouser.

[Ian]

Tell you what, booking NXT UK is a bit of a lark isn't it? Do what you like for 45 minutes then just put Bate or Dunne in the main event and you're pretty much guaranteed to send people home happy. The two of them are so good.

[Ian]

Sky Sports News just talked about Reigns' leukemia, made a point of saying "We spoke to wrestler Charlotte Flair ahead of WWE's first all-female PPV", etc..... and then cut to Stephanie McMahon first.

[Disco]

Well she did invent women so it's only fair.

[Waffdon]

An all women PPV? Will that even break 10k sales?

[Ian]

I dunno what they've sold but there are still tickets going even outside the scalpers supposedly, and that's at relatively knock-down prices. But then it's had a predictably half-hearted build and they've done everything they can to not have a particularly enticing card. MYC final, Flair / Lynch and Sane / Baszler should be good but the rest of it looks a bit throwaway.

[wullie]

I'm sure there was originally meant to be a UK womens title match too, but in the two weeks that show's been on they've not mentioned the title itself yet so the whole thing has been built up so well. Is it only a two hour show or something? They've piled everyone into a battle royal which they normally do when a card is too packed.

[Ian]

Weren't there loads of rumours about womens tag titles being a thing in time for this as well?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Weren't there loads of rumours about womens tag titles being a thing in time for this as well?

Yes.

The UK title is a thing though and I've had it spoiled who owns the title. Still listed as Champion vs TBA on the Wiki page.

I still haven't watched any of the MYC too which is a shame.

[Ian]

At this stage just read reviews of each episode and pick out the best matches. There is some avoidable stuff in there even if it's been more consistent than last year.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well the UK title match has been pulled.

Would have been nice if they had done that before the Wiki spoiled who the first champion is.

[wullie]

I thought that was quite a good show, apart from all the sisterhood bits when most of their storylines are about being jealous bitches. The cheap and cheerful darker setup worked better than the big lights and extravaganza bollocks they usually do, even if it was to hide empty seats.

[SvN]

I watched it live and was struggling to stay awake during the main event due to tireness, but overall I enjoyed it. I thought Becky v Charlotte was probably the best women's match I've ever seen.

A lot of botches, though. Alicia Fox screwing up the finish to the first match was Papa Shango bad.

[wullie]

Sasha Banks properly whiffed a flip over the top too, Brie Bella was beaming with pride at it.

[SvN]

Yes, that was a belter. Time seemed to stand still as she shuffled forward to get onto their shoulders.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just started watching.

Alicia Fox :D

The ref stalled for about 5 seconds.

Kelly Kelly :wub:

So glad that Zelina didn't win with the surprise thing because she doesn't deserve it (although I do think she's damn good) although Nia is such a shit winner. It really should have been Ember because she's the future, she's genuinely brilliant and it would have been the right time to get her feuding with Ronda.

Storm/Shirai was great and really should have had more time, which could have come from the trios tag which was pointless.

Sane/Bazyler was also good but I really didn't like the finish which I felt would happen as I spotted the two before the match.

1056735626228363265

Nice of the ref to hep Becky out with the chair assist. Mike 'The Heel' Chioda.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Whoever decided that Ronda should have those mental eye swooshes should be sacked. If it was Ronda herself then she's a mong and should be told so.

Last Woman Standing match was great too, easily the best women's match I've seen from the main roster.

[wullie]

Charlotte's inability to ever hit a moonsault properly must be a career tribute to Ric never landing a top rope move.

Shayna Baszler's ace, she's like a permanent version of when Ronda Rousey does the scowly angry face.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

She's a great, and natural, heel.

They use her perfectly.

I hated the finish (I rarely like non clean finishes though) but I guess it makes sense. Duke and Shafir (also cunts but could make for good heels) must be ready to appear on NXT TV. By putting the title back on Bazler (Kairi :() they can set them up as a dominant female stable, sort of like the Riott Squad but without the faux rampage with ketchup and mustard on doors.

[Ian]

I'm in with the Becky / Charlotte praise, though I don't think I've seen any of the famous Horsewomen matches from NXT so I can't compare to those.

Some iffy stuff in there but on the whole I thought after a slow start it turned out to be a decent show and even the main event was better than I thought it'd be.

I like both Sane and Baszler so I was happy enough either way with that one.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The main event was one of the worst for me.

I don't like that they've claimed she's THE BADDEST MOTHER FUCKING WOMAN ON THE PLANET and at stages she looked genuinely terrified of Nikki fucking Bella.

The NXT matches (MYC is being lumped in there) and the Last Woman Standing made the PPV pretty damn good. The competition isn't strong but it's probably the best PPV they've put on this year.

[Ian]

They seem unsure with Rousey whether she's going to be Brock or a normal wrestler who actually sells and that. It wasn't a good match but I thought they again largely hid Rousey's (and in this case Bella's) deficiencies quite well. However they should have shaved five minutes off that and given it to the NXT title match.

Also it's just occurred to me I didn't despise the commentary even though Phoenix is a bit yawn. I don't remember Cole being quite as irritating as he usually is for main roster stuff so Vince must not care enough to spend the time shrieking catchphrases down his headset.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well he was probably busy texting.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/9s96xy/michael_cole_caught_spoilers/

[Disco]

Just sitting down to watch Evolution, I still find it slightly strange to hear the commentary team talking about it being a landmark event and how it's breaking down barriers.... barriers that you yourselves constructed then maintained for 20 years? Well done.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

And the fact that it's only happening to make them look less shitty for the all male Saudi wankathon ofc.

[Ian]

I still like that after the first one HHH was all "oooh maybe one day we'll have women compete in one of our Saudi shows" a d the Saudi sports lot immediately shot it down as not ever, ever happening.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That Rousey/Lynch confrontation was so fucking awkward. Champ.

Nia heel again?

She's the female Big Show right now ffs. Heel turned to face with a match against Alexa, back to heel for Ronda, back to face for Bliss rematch and now heel again. Oh and now the Tamina feud so heel or face? Who knows? Fuck me.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just finished RAW, bad doesn't really cover it...

[Pleb]

Alicia Fox :D

The ref stalled for about 5 seconds.

Ref: Vince I fucked up.

Vince: Do it properly next time god damn it.

Accurate. Shit opening match.

[phonics]

I hear you kids like memes

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DqyqxWNWwAIMnH4.jpg

[Queenslander]

I dont think they are a fair comparison. North Korea wasnt using WCW and NJPW as pawns like the Saudis are using WWE.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

And I highly doubt that North Korea were handing over a mountain of gold.

[phonics]

You guys understand the bottom panel of said meme is supposed to describe the good thing right?

[Queenslander]

Derp. I thougt it was some sarcastic comparison. Pointing out hypocrisy?

[phonics]

how am i teaching someone who went to a cumtown live show memes

[Queenslander]

how am i teaching someone who went to a cumtown live show memes

:D i have nothing.

[Shindig]

Coundown in Korea has some great stories associated with it. This one just has a suspicious murder. Mohammed Ali going, "No wonder we hate these motherfuckers!" right in their faces, Scott Norton's phone being tapped, etc.

[Disco]

Who's the guy on the left?

[Queenslander]

Who's the guy on the left?

Inoki you piece of shit!

You call yourself a weeb?

[Disco]

I know who Antonio Inoki is, I meant the guy in the red coat. :D

[John]

how am i teaching someone who went to a cumtown live show memes

He's right. That one is very obviously referencing the hypocrisy of no-one being arsed about a show in North Korea then everyone going bananas over one in Saudi Arabia.

[Disco]

Is it? Seems odd to be decrying the lack of outrage about a show put on 20 years ago by a company that longer exists.

[John]

Is it? Seems odd to be decrying the lack of outrage about a show put on 20 years ago by a company that longer exists.

Not decrying it, just pointing it out. It would be odder if it was just saying 'fuck this Saudi show, give me a twenty year old show in North Korea' when the only connection between the two is that they're held in countries with brutal regimes.

[phonics]

I think Johns taking the Drake meme about WCW in North Korea a little too seriously.

[Disco]

I don't disagree but surely the lack of outrage is because it was fucking ages ago rather than that everyone was ok with it.

[Shindig]

It was ages ago before the boom, to be fair. And it was a record attendance for a wrestling event.

[Ian]

Styles and Bryan was ace. A shame Joe has to lose his umpteenth title match on Friday though.

[wullie]

To dampen the controversy further, guess who's hosting in the Saudi Silverdome brother

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

A match made in heaven tbh.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've seen that Renee Young will be allowed to commentate though.

I imagine though that she'll have to be wrapped in blankets and ask her male counterparts each time she'd like to speak.

[Queenslander]

I know who Antonio Inoki is, I meant the guy in the red coat. :D

:D

[Ian]

I've seen that Renee Young will be allowed to commentate though.

I imagine though that she'll have to be wrapped in blankets and ask her male counterparts each time she'd like to speak.

And presumably doesn't get to disagree with them.

[Gray Fox]

My guess is they wont show the commentary table at any point, but she'll be commentating from backstage. Or they'll just set Ambrose on anyone who insults her.

[Shindig]

Maybe all her commentary comes cleverly disguised as tweets from the WWE Universe(tm)?

[wullie]

They could sneak her in as the long-awaited Conquistador Tres, going by the last one nobody in the first 10 rows pays any attention anyway.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

She will be used as a footstool for her male counterparts.

[Browning]

Who cares what they do with commentary. Hogan is back :drool:

[Disco]

The only thing more prehistoric than Saudi social policy.

[Shindig]

The right gay guy for the job, brother.

[Ian]

Say this for the Undertaker, he's less of a waste of time than Hogan.

[SvN]

I reckon Shawn Michaels had a hair transplant, which is why he's covering his forehead with that weird bandana thing.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Looked into it, mate?

[SvN]

Of course I have. It's not for me, though.

[phonics]

Do it SvN, it's the one thing Mahow can don you for. Cut him off at the knees.

[SvN]

I wonder if we can crowd fund it. It's about 15k.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Kick off show is on (with Rusev/Nakamura at some point) with the actual event starting in 40 minutes or so.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The staging looks a bit better with more fans near the walkway but still way too many empty seats (early still though) and looks so lacklustre.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1058380649021661184

She must be covered.

[Disco]

They're all covered from the neck down, the Saudis are truly comitted to equality.

[SvN]

They'll get criticised regardless, but the speculation beforehand was that she wouldn't even be out with the others and would be backstage or something.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They'll get criticised regardless, but the speculation beforehand was that she wouldn't even be out with the others and would be backstage or something.

Yeah, I was surprised she spoke as much as she did during the Rusev/Nakamura match. I thought they'd tell her to ease off a bit (not sure why as the crowd can't hear her but still) however that wasn't the case.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh and going back to NXT, I never will be a fan of Matt Riddle's persona but the finish in his debut was beautiful.

Such a clean transition to an armbar that looks like a proper armbar.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Strange of Randy to chimp out when Rey saved his job by beating him.

[Pleb]

Giving him notes to do a match introduction :face:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Pyro budget is 1 billion.

[Pleb]

When's Hulk Hogan busting out then Mahow?

Miz :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He already came out at the start.

Did well in not mentioning that they were in Saudi Arabia and managed to not say something racist so job done.

[Pleb]

Shit forgot it's Survivor Series soon :drool:

No doubt it will be shite.

[Gray Fox]

Has the Hulkster done some meaningless gesture towards a black superstar(Lashley?) to prove he's not a racist, Brother.

[Pleb]

What the fuck has happened to Bobby Lashley? :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm not sure that the Saudi's will be a fan of the commentators calling Rollins the Kingslayer.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rollins Ziggler again because we haven't had that in about 2 weeks...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rollins to win it all and Miz to RAW would be the best result here.

Fairly lacklustre event thus far.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The only way I saw Rollins losing a match was due to an Ambrose interference, what a strange tournament.

[SvN]

They put the belt back on Brock. The absolute madmen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That was a fucking shambles.

[SvN]

The entire show has been a shambles. The pensioners will save the day.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It's already been changed to a singles.

Baroque will win to give him the chance of being 2 sport champ.

I so wish I was wrong.

[Gray Fox]

Relax guys. You know Vince loves a Wrestlemania moment. Braun will have his time.

[SvN]

Listen to the pop for the women on the screen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Shane's theme fits well here.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a fucking mess.

[SvN]

Shane is gonna step in.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Shane best in the world?

[SvN]

lmao, this is hilarious

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Creative has taken some strong drugs tonight.

If Shane loses though he has to fire himself, right?

[SvN]

Fucking hell. Shane actually won :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What the actual shit is happening? What a mess this whole PPV has been.

[SvN]

I'm actually laughing out loud. Shane's post-match reaction is hilarious.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

His celebrations are about the only good thing on this PPV.

[SvN]

Holy shit, Shawn is actually showing his bald head.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I will never get used to that.

Also, nice of Triple H to say run it through your hair to him.

[SvN]

I'll never stop marking out for The Undertaker. Hard to believe that he was in the first ever wrestling event I watched (Rumble 92).

[Mike]

I’m such a Michaels mark. Have been since his The Rocker days

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Taker and Michaels made their debuts (WCCW for Taker and NWA for Michaels) in 1984, fucking hell.

[Lewis]

Who is that old bald bloke wearing Shawn Michaels' gear?

[SvN]

Triple H is genuinely fucked. He can't move his arm. I'm in serious awe of the fact that he's carrying on with this.

[Mike]

Course DX win!! Woo

[Browning]

Lesnar :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

thatdistinctbream

So good.

[Queenslander]

Beretta and Kazuchika Okada vs Bad Luck Fale and ‘Switchblade’ Jay White

Hiroshi Tanahashi and David Finlay vs Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi
SUPER Jr. TAG LEAGUE 2018 Triple Threat Final – SHO & YOH vs Shingo Takagi and BUSHI vs El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru

NEVER Openweight Championship Match – Taichi (c) vs Hirooki Goto

Revolution Pro British Championship Match – Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs Minoru Suzuki

Tetsuya Naito vs Zack Sabre Jr

IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match – Chris Jericho (c) vs “King of Darkness” EVIL

Cracker.

[wullie]

Crown Jewel sounds amazing, I can't work out if Shane McMahon Best In The World is a fuck you to Saudi Arabia or everyone else.

[Ian]

Well I shouldn't have bothered with that. I genuinely don't think the show had a redeeming feature other than to lol at it.

[Browning]

It truly was dreadful from start to finish. I skimmed most of the matches but it felt like no tournament match went past about 3 minutes. Lesnar winning is obviously amazing but otherwise it was all shit, including HHH getting his shovel out again.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well I shouldn't have bothered with that. I genuinely don't think the show had a redeeming feature other than to lol at it.

The amount of pyro was the only good thing obviously.

Also, Triple H tore a pectoral muscle and needs surgery.

[wullie]

I saw that Kane's mask fell off, Undertaker and HHH managed to whip both and neither of the other into the guardrail somehow, and Shawn Michaels is now Joey Mercury's dad.

[Browning]

Glad I wasn’t the only one confused by the guardrail spot. Brie Bella levels of shite.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It was stunning.

I genuinely had no idea who was meant to be the one whipped into the guardrail.

[Disco]

Glad I didn't bother, the first half of Evolution was bad enough with all the very gentle eliminations of middle aged women.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah but the second half was seriously good.

Crown Jewel didn't have any redeeming qualities.

Rey/Miz, AJ/Joe and Rollins/Ziggler were alright but we've seen them all before (years ago in Miz/Rey but still) and these were the worst matches between the pairs, primarily because they were so damn short. AJ/Joe suffered as well because it kills Joe off completely as a reputable title challenger.

[Ian]

They really could have done a bit more with the roster they have on Smackdown so you don't have to take guys like Joe and Nakamura and just feed them to AJ for half a year until you've ruined them.

Joe will fare better than Nakamura I think but he's still had the same treatment.

[Queenslander]

Just a couple of loose cunts battling for the Rev Pro title.

Check out @njpwworld’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/njpwworld/status/1058670657943220225?s=09

[Queenslander]

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13
January 4, 2019
Tokyo Dome
Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan

- IWGP Heavyweight Championship:
Kenny Omega (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
- IWGP Intercontinental Championship:
Chris Jericho (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito
- Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship:
Kushida (c) vs. Taiji Ishimori
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship:
Suzuki-gun (c) (El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemura) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japón (Bushi & Shingo Takagi) vs. Roppongi 3K (Sho & Yoh)

***Card Subject to Change***

#njpw #njWK13 #WK13

2 years in a row for Jericho. :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I just put a bit of RAW on and it really doesn't look good for Alexa Bliss.

She's been sidelined for a while now with a concussion and seemingly they still haven't given her clearance. Really hope that her wrestling career isn't over.

[Ian]

Another turn for Nia Jax to cement her role as female Big Show. And to teamup with fucking Tamina. Lol.

I thought the tag titles thing was done quite well.

[Disco]

Didn't they just have a big face off in the battle royal thing at Evolution? They really are giving her the Big Show treatment, hopefully this means a comically large chair and hand cast are about to make their reappearance.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That Rousey/Lynch confrontation was so fucking awkward. Champ.

Nia heel again?

She's the female Big Show right now ffs. Heel turned to face with a match against Alexa, back to heel for Ronda, back to face for Bliss rematch and now heel again. Oh and now the Tamina feud so heel or face? Who knows? Fuck me.

You're late to the party, Ian.

[Ian]

I either didn't see that or instantly purged it from my memory.

Disco is onto something though. What other quality Big Show moments could they rip off? Does she have any dead relatives who's coffins could be stolen?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqANCj_Vg0U

I'm sure she and Tamina could break the ring too.

[Shindig]

It kinda saddens me Big Show got bigger the longer his career went on. He looked so damn proper in WCW.

[Ian]

Oh, also, after the build up through the match McIntyre making Angle tap clean was the last result I expected.

[phonics]

I'm watching Rumble '98. King is on 'The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust' is finally wearing mens clothing. He appears to be wearing a green and purple singlet with a gold thong over the top.

[Disco]

Sounds pretty manly to me.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Was he not wearing the ball gag and nipple chain things?

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/121/994/ca4.gif

[Baz]

Petition to get Session Moth in the CZW Tournament Of Death. (https://www.change.org/p/czw-book-session-moth-for-tournament-of-death-18) :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh my lord, they actually gave the AOP the belts.

Finally they realise that they're the fucking business.

They've got a proper push (that they deserved since joining from NXT) since Drake Maverick was installed as their manager.

[wullie]

Still hope for the Revival, who should be putting on top flight matches at every show. Somehow clone Chad Gable so he's his own tag partner too or at least have Bobby Roode turn on him and get that over with.

[Ian]

Smackdown was pretty good this week. I even quite enjoyed the Bryan / Mix segments, they were quite funny in a very WWE sort of way.

Shane, though. :moop:

[Boom-Boom-18]

Are there any decent attitude era documentaries out there?

[John]

Are there any decent attitude era documentaries out there?

Mick Foley made a good one years ago, but the name of it eludes me. Beyond the Ropes or something maybe.

[Browning]

Beyond the mat.

[Shindig]

Hitman: Wrestling With Shadows.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Where have all the drugs gone?

[Queenslander]

I have a sneaky feeling that ZSJ will be defending the Rev Pro British Title at WK13. :drool:

[wullie]

The Raw/Smackdown brand rivalry that they only do for two weeks in November is the worst. Hated enemies are pals when they wear the same coloured t-shirt and they're asked to prove who the dominant brand is despite there being no incentive. The Mixed Match Challenge however is a dual-brand competition where the winners get the #30 spot in their Royal Rumble matches which makes it a million times more important than the entire Survivor Series event.

[Shindig]

If you ask me, Survivor Series is when they should do the talent swaps. Do some turns in the ring against whatever brand they're on and make it look more organic than a draft.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That's a great idea in regards to the MMC.

Turned it from a joke into something actually worth it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

In the brawl at the end of RAW, Nia legit elbowed Becky (reason for the blood) and has put her out of Survivor Series due to a broken nose and concussion.

1062453922315546626

She properly gave her one.

[Shindig]

Deserves a push, that.

[bruhnaldo]

people going ape shit for Becky Lynch these days thatll only help

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1062180867924205568

He then took another neck landing.

[Ian]

How uncharacteristic of Bork.

Although they all seem to think anything's fair game when it's a Singh.

[Queenslander]

Surely the juice isnt worth the squeeze for the Singh blokes?

[wullie]

He does that to the Singh boys on Monday, they book him against Daniel Bryan on Tuesday. Next week they'll have him in the mixed match challenge against Paige

[Queenslander]

At the end of it they will be absorbing nutrients through a straw.

[Disco]

He does that to the Singh boys on Monday, they book him against Daniel Bryan on Tuesday. Next week they'll have him in the mixed match challenge against Paige

I was sure this was going to be a Craig David reference.

[Baz]

Repeat on Sunday.

[Ian]

I guessed something was afoot with that title match with the Heyman promo and whatnot. Gives Bork a new opponent to make no effort for ahead of his 10 minute win, I guess.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm worried for Bryan's neck.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Catching up on NXT UK (2 on the same day the other week and 2 a day apart last week, they want the product out there) and whilst Gibson/Dar was a cracker, Dunne/Burch was brilliant.

I've said it before but I honestly don't think that Dunne can compete in a bad match, every one I've seen on NXT(UK) have been absolutely gold. Still only 25 too, if the WWE don't have a problem having someone so short as the champion (well Vince does) then he's going to be a star.

[Ian]

I've yet to see Bate or Dunne have a shitter but unless Vince steps down or dies of roids they are never getting treated seriously on the main roster.

[Queenslander]

When big V's heart exlpodes British Strong Style will take over.

[wullie]

Danny Burch has been great ever since he came back and got involved with Oney Lorcan, it's nice to see considering he was a complete jobber before.

[Disco]

He's great, their match against Handgesture Utd a while back was immense. His pants are still quite unsettling though.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've yet to see Bate or Dunne have a shitter but unless Vince steps down or dies of roids they are never getting treated seriously on the main roster.

I noticed that Dunne weighs 205, so he'll go there when Vince calls him up :(

[wullie]

Speaking of Croozawehts

https://twitter.com/BASTARDPAC/status/1061296268549349376

Fucking hell

[five time]

Someone post that Vince gif.

Not travelling with WWE obviously helps but maintaining that body fat percentage alongside wrestling training is insane. Is he competing currently?

[phonics]

Roiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiids

[five time]

I mean it's WWE so probably, but there are others you'd point the finger at first. He's not the biggest guy and he's always been in very good shape.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Someone post that Vince gif.

Not travelling with WWE obviously helps but maintaining that body fat percentage alongside wrestling training is insane. Is he competing currently?

Went back to Dragon Gate last month.

He was probably just training non stop whilst being away, but it looks like he has fuck all fat.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Decided to watch last years WarGames as I've heard it was one of the best Takeover's and I had never seen a WarGames match.

Four way ladies match was the worst on the card but even that was great, the Dream/Black match was a story telling masterpiece and I can see why it won rivalry of the year as well as nominated for match of the year.

The actual main event was absolutely top quality, it was such good fun when all of them were in the rings/cage and Killian Dain was a joy to behold.

https://i.redd.it/4fy82p6aqbzz.gif

https://i.imgur.com/QFlr7qD.gif

There was also the fallaway slam/samoan drop, dropkick/senton and the swallowing of the key ofc, pure brilliance.

[Ian]

Black vs Dream was brilliant.

[Pleb]

The Wargames match was pure chaotic purely because the Wargames concept suddenly turned into a glorified elimination tornado tag team match

Most purists would argue that the WCW one was done properly.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fuck knobhead purists.

This had Killian Dain do a michinoku driver onto someone and do a fucking Van Terminator.

[Queenslander]

Speaking of Croozawehts

https://twitter.com/BASTARDPAC/status/1061296268549349376

Fucking hell

Massive weight cut for a photo shoot. Im sure his organs love being that dehydrated.

[Gray Fox]

Meanwhile, Big Cass has also been using his time very well...

https://i.gyazo.com/2c6f58eef80d28b64d075ec971aa2d9d.jpg

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Those nipples are going to haunt me tonight.

[Queenslander]

The Oil Baron.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Wargames has just started lads.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

This has started incredibly well.

Black/Gargano is one of the best matches I've ever seen. The storytelling was pretty much perfect.

That might be two 5* matches in a row. If the main event delivers then this is the best Takeover.

Well it's definitely the best Takeover I've watched, genuinely brilliant stuff.

[Baz]

Why is David Arquette wrestling? Saw a video of him get a nasty gash in his neck. :drool:

[igor_balis]

well he is a former world champion

[Ian]

For the second year on the bounce I appear to be the minority for not really getting the fuss about the WarGames match. Lots of talented guys so.of course there are cool moments but it just feels like an overly convoluted meandering thing. I didn't dislike it but it didn't do much for me either.

Everything else was great though. Gargano / Black was a bit weaker than the other two for me but those other two were very, very good matches so no shame there. Dream is so good.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

This was probably my favourite spot of the whole night:

1063951121348210688

Black hitting a knee on a diving Gargano and the double flip moonsault from Ricochet not far behind.

[phonics]

The doing moves from the side of the mat thing is so dull.

[Ian]

O'Shea's moonsault would have been better if he hadn't fucked missed them all.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah.

When he did it I thought he was just going for a normal moonsault though, that he added an extra rotation was swish.

[Disco]

Warm Achine best tag team, even though War Games itself is too overly contrived to work. Tomato vs Dream best match of the night.

[Ian]

After Cord called them the Fridge Raiders when talking about WarGames I now can't think of them as anything else.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I preferred Black/Gargano but it's damn close between that and Dream/Tomato.

[Disco]

After Cord called them the Fridge Raiders when talking about WarGames I now can't think of them as anything else.

Consider that stolen.

[wullie]

Disappointed in the womens match. It was still good as it's impossible for those two to put on a bad match, but they absolutely raced through the falls and there was too much outside stuff.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Heard some rumours that Lars Sullivan is getting called up tonight with a vignette to be shown in the pre-show.

6'3 and 330 pounds so despite being a little undersized for Vince, he should still actually get used on the main roster.

[wullie]

Yep, they've just showed a 'coming soon' video for him.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I actually think he'll do better on the main roster than he did on NXT.

[Disco]

He's a funny big baby shaped man who they only ever shot from around about his knee level, it could go either way.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sounds almost perfect for Vince.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Having Drake Maverick piss his pants, wow.

[wullie]

They couldn't have Enzo Amore being the most embarrassing part of that match.

[Disco]

Survivor Series would be so much better if there was actually any point to it all.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Other than the fact that IT'S THE ONLY TIME WHERE RAW AND SMACKDOWN MEET?

Discounting things like Saudiwankfests, the Rumble and probably some more that I'm forgetting.

[Ian]

For a pointless show with no motivation for 95% of the roster I actually quite enjoyed that. The womens match was crap and Bar / AOP was a bit rubbish but I sort of liked it on the whole. Bryan sort of did the match I thought they ought to have had heel Rollins do against Bork but there were a couple of points when I was starting to think they might be at least letting Bryan get a no-finish out of it.

Other than because 'fuck you, Smackdown' I'm not sure what the point of having Raw sweep them is meant to be.

[Disco]

It's like giving the winner of the Rumble a handshake and hearty pat on the back.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They put far too much into the whole 'A and B show' schtick but no one actually gives a shit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Also, I don't know why they kept trying to pretend that the pre-show match (tag elimination) didn't actually happen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

For a pointless show with no motivation for 95% of the roster I actually quite enjoyed that. The womens match was crap and Bar / AOP was a bit rubbish but I sort of liked it on the whole. Bryan sort of did the match I thought they ought to have had heel Rollins do against Bork but there were a couple of points when I was starting to think they might be at least letting Bryan get a no-finish out of it.

Other than because 'fuck you, Smackdown' I'm not sure what the point of having Raw sweep them is meant to be.

Apparently it's to build the heel turn for Shane which we all really want to see.

It was also nice of them to show how pointless they view Samoa Joe right now. I honestly don't know why they're fucking burying him, he's got no relevance at the top right now and is turning into a joke despite being brilliant.

[Ian]

Good point, everybody wants more heel McMahons.

[Gray Fox]

Was it just me or was the aftermath of the Charlotte v Rousey match awkward as fuck? It kind of felt like they were trying to draw her an applause but it backfired massively.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bork/Bryan wasn't too bad after the nut shot, it's a shame he only really bothers in 1 match a year.

Murphy/Ali was also really good

[Ian]

Was it just me or was the aftermath of the Charlotte v Rousey match awkward as fuck? It kind of felt like they were trying to draw her an applause but it backfired massively.

Other than "because WWE crowds are dickheads" I didn't understand the reaction during that bit at all.

[Shindig]

Were they turning against it because Becky was out injured? Seems like the kind of thing a WWE crowd would do.

[Ian]

I don't think they'd booed Rousey during the match though, had they? It seemed like they were fairly even and then all of a sudden Charlotte starts that and it's all "Thank you Charlotte" or whichever of their self-congratulatory catchphrases they opted for.

[Shindig]

So they've decided she's a surrogate Becky.

[Disco]

I read that it was about some tweets she posted, no idea what though.

[wullie]

She keeps doing stuff about millennials and avocados towards Becky despite the fact they were born two days apart, proper Vince McMahon in the ear kind of thing.

I hope the last few days are a sign that WWE realise how ace Chad Gable is.

[igor_balis]

Also, I don't know why they kept trying to pretend that the pre-show match (tag elimination) didn't actually happen.

Grumpy Bryan Alvarez made the very good point on his podcast that "Cole literally said the pre-show match didn't count. The pay-per-views last four fucking hours, the pre-show two fucking hours, and now they're telling me the match on the pre-show doesn't count, WHY THE FUCK should I even watch it?!"

I know it's his gimmick to be all angry and shouty but he ain't wrong.

[SvN]

I've read that Raw was meant to win it, but they fucked up the booking and the wrong team won - so they just pretended it didn't happen.

[Disco]

Cole is quite right though, the pre-show doesn't matter.

[igor_balis]

True enough.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Having Drake Maverick piss his pants, wow.

And now a rivalry has been started based on this, fuck me.

RAW was bad as usual, I really don't know what they're doing.

They give so much time to wrestlers that no one gives a shit about, so many awful promos/using sensitive material (talking about Roman having to answer to God, a jab at dismemberment/Khashoggi, LA smell after recent fires), moronic finishes, awful match time management.

At this point they really should take it down to 2 hours, it would help creative make a tighter show and/or we wouldn't have to suffer for an extra hour.

[Ian]

Their roster is enormous. The third hour really isn't the issue. That they're incompetent and running on the whims of a senile nutter is.

[Disco]

Plus at this point it's obvious that the quality of the weekly shows doesn't matter.

[Ian]

Does anybody watch it live (or even as live) anyway? Depending how long any decent matches are I get through Raw and Smackdown in about half their run time, at the maximum.

[Disco]

I don't bother with them at all. I know one person who does and he gets through Raw in under an hour.

[wullie]

I have it recorded but buzz through in no time, you can basically get the highlights from their own Youtube page anyway so it's not worth the slog.

[Queenslander]

Bruiserweight. :lol:

Check out @STRAIGHTFlRE’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/STRAIGHTFlRE/status/1065326481952333824?s=09

[Disco]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x6PJHV995Q

[phonics]

I was going to say how brutal the one at 13 seconds in is but in capturing it as a GIF to really burn the pain into my retinas I realised that he doesn't get near contact thereby ruining it.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/515234432685441034/1542911833324882.gif

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

NXT UK will have their first TakeOver in January at Blackpool.

Card (contains spoilers) is looking pretty damn good.

[Pleb]

The one before the Rumble?

If so :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Two weeks before I believe.

The day before will be TakeOver from the main NXT brand.

[Pleb]

That's even more :drool:

[Baz]

Blackpool though.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It's where the UK championship was first fought for.

Shame it's their 'BIRTHPLACE' as it's a shithole.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://wrestletalk.com/news/lars-sullivans-wwe-career-could-be-in-jeopardy/

Lol.

[wullie]

He's going to debut by smashing the shit out of Lucha House Party or New Day now.

[phonics]

Love to hear a bodybuilding.com mention. The hivemind of the dumbest people online.

[wullie]

I'm just glad mert is finally going to be a heel gimmick