The Ultimate WWE Thread

[Gray Fox]

If it says WWE on it, Vince is having the final say.

[Ian]

I must say that Raw has definitely improved since pretty much when Heyman officially got his hands on it. Smackdown's about the same as it was but it was already better than Raw most weeks. I'd say currently they're pretty even.

[Browning]

I like that the 24/7 title has probably been suspended more than it’s been active at this point. Fuck sake.

[Ian]

It was also funny on Raw when they hadn't mentioned the Wild Card rule in ages that I recall and then chose to do so on an episode when about 7 'Smackdown' people were on it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Shelton Benjamin to have his name changed to Shelty B apparently.

Shelty B and Shorty G fuck me.

[Ian]

Anything to prolong this hilarious 'Gable is short' angle they're running with.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Also lol at using barely 6 foot 'Primate' from NXT UK as Rowan's lookalike.

[Ian]

Yeah I've not seen that bit yet but it sounds pretty lol.

Could live with Bryan becoming a goofy heel. Heard his match with Murphy was good though, and surprising Murphy won (clean?)

[Disco]

Primate was on Raw? Amazing.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Primate was on Raw? Amazing.

Smackdown as he was revealed as the Roman attacker.

I haven't watched the show yet though.


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

[Disco]

That isn't Primate.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You're looking at Rowan.

The other one is Primate.

I know it isn't but I read something this morning that said it was Primate which I believed until I saw that video.

[Ian]

http://whatculture.com/wwe/scalpers-struggling-to-sell-4-700-tickets-to-aews-tv-debut

Nice to see scalpers get the shaft but a bit of a bugger if their first taping is half empty.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Becky and Seth are engaged, can't wait to have their relationship shoved further down our throats.

[Gray Fox]

They were together? I wonder why they've not mentioned it.

[Ian]

You'll be telling me that the WWE Network is only £9.99 next.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Dea Nambrose has got MRSA in his elbow which has developed a bursa sac.

He's out of All Out.

[Disco]

And replaced by PAC, that might be better. :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh shit, I hadn't seen that.

I've not seen him wrestle but I've seen bits (and I love the picture of him making a kid cry) and I am very excited.

[Queenslander]

I reckon it is fair to say the Will Ospreay is the best wrestler of 2019.

I can see him being a champ champ by the end of the year if they give him another Neverweight title match.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

*Baron Corbin.

[Queenslander]

My fellow bald Baron Corbin

[Gray Fox]

I'm sorry but there was clearly a tournament to decide the best in the world.

[Ian]

That is sooo 2018. King of the Ring is where it's at.

[Queenslander]

https://youtu.be/h1beDwv8yaU

[Shindig]

Awww, I forgot about the jet pack and the little hops he does to compensate. :D Vince, you eejit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ziggler and Roode? What?

This was the time to really send 'The Viking Raiders' to the moon.

[Ian]

Not even 'Stache Roode.

Fuck's sake.

[SincereTheRebel]

No idea why it appeared in my suggested videos on Youtube but Bubba Ray Dudley power bombing May Young threw a table while the was wearing a neck brace has just made my day. It was fucking brilliant.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvkK7kwRi7Q

[Browning]

No idea why it appeared in my suggested videos on Youtube but Bubba Ray Dudley power bombing May Young threw a table while the was wearing a neck brace has just made my day. It was fucking brilliant.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvkK7kwRi7Q

Can't watch that without remembering this now...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRjgl0h0_co

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just seen the Rey 'retirement'.

Dominic more wooden than a forest ffs.

[Ian]

I did like that the Csonka review is calling him WALTER Mysterio.

[Pleb]

When's The Fiend fighting Taker?

[Browning]

Hopefully never.

[Ian]

The venue for HIAC has somewhat prematurely tweeted that the Fiend will be facing either Rollins or Boatman for the Universal at Hell in a Cell. That seems a bit soon. Not because I think striking while the iron's hot is a bad thing, more because I'd be surprised if they have him win the belt this early and he really shouldn't be losing any time soon.

[Pleb]

Isn't Rollins and Boatman a solid tag team?

[Gray Fox]

In as much as Vince threw them together on the fly because he likes both of them, yes.

If they have Rollins beat The Fiend the small piece of the internet that didn't hate him before, definitely will after.

[Pleb]

Everyone was (is) SEETHING over Boatman's Universal title attempt which was shut down by Vince so I can only imagine what Vince is going to do with Taker 2.0.

[Gray Fox]

He went to Vince with the idea of him winning a top rope battle royale to select a #1 contender. Said he should win by going outside the ring and lifting the thing up to tip everyone out of it.
That needed to happen.

[Disco]

The venue for HIAC has somewhat prematurely tweeted that the Fiend will be facing either Rollins or Boatman for the Universal at Hell in a Cell. That seems a bit soon. Not because I think striking while the iron's hot is a bad thing, more because I'd be surprised if they have him win the belt this early and he really shouldn't be losing any time soon.

How far away is it? They quite often advertise events with placeholder cards/main events which don't end up happening. This is WWE though so literally anything is possible.

[Ian]

It's the October one, between CoC and Survivor Series.

I mean WWE normally wait until the natural hype about something has died and people are just annoyed before they pull the trigger on anything so it'd be very them to go right the other way and do this one far too fast.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He went to Vince with the idea of him winning a top rope battle royale to select a #1 contender. Said he should win by going outside the ring and lifting the thing up to tip everyone out of it.
That needed to happen.

Yeah that would have been class.

[Ian]

Presumably impossible to set up in such a way that the live crowd can't see him obviously just putting his hands on it while some pistons do the actual work though.

Even setting aside the affect that would have on trying to book the poor bastard after that.

[Disco]

Yeah that would have been class.

It would have been silly and makes every subsequent match he's in complete nonsense.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

And that's different how?

[Ian]

Just a worse version of it currently looking silly when he loses clean to some random dude.

The ending of his match with AJ on Raw is the sort thing anybody who's not also a monster or a super-worker should be resorting to to beat him. And even then it shouldn't be Baroque splatting him with a single F5.

[Disco]

And that's different how?

I don't watch it but I assume not very.

The only way to do it sensibly would be to have him flip the ring and get DQ'd for it, otherwise why wouldn't he do that in every match?

[Browning]

Because most matches require a pin, not getting someone out of the ring.

[Ian]

This theoretical Superman wrassler would have as good as won as soon as he laid hands on you.

It wouldn't work as well for heel Bork but if he was a face again properly at some point like he was when he faced Rollins I think that'd be a good match structure for him against some flippy dickhead shithouse heel. Have the whole match built around the idea that if Brock gets hold of the little cretin that's as good as the match over so the whole thing is him getting by with cheap shots, hit and runs, etc.

Speaking of big bastards, there's nothing else on this weekend's UK Takeover card I'm interested in other than maybe Banks vs. Dar but I am all over Bate vs. WALTER.

[Disco]

Because most matches require a pin, not getting someone out of the ring.

Whether I read that bit or not, it's still a dumb idea.

[Browning]

I don't think it's a great idea, but I do think you could work around it. Battle Royals tend to be no DQ anyway so you could easily have him win like that and then have an authority figure tell him if he does it again he'll be fired/fined/suspended whatever. It doesn't make it a good idea, but I don't think it would ruin him.

Constantly booking him to lose to people like Rollins is what will ruin him.

[Ian]

Not only should Strowman barely lose, he shouldn't even wrestle that often. And when he does lose the winner out to look like they've had to put in the performance of a lifetime.

[Browning]

At the moment he’s just another Ryback. Unstoppable until there’s a title on the line.

I really don’t like the idea of The Fiend going for a belt so fast either.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

This theoretical Superman wrassler would have as good as won as soon as he laid hands on you.

It wouldn't work as well for heel Bork but if he was a face again properly at some point like he was when he faced Rollins I think that'd be a good match structure for him against some flippy dickhead shithouse heel. Have the whole match built around the idea that if Brock gets hold of the little cretin that's as good as the match over so the whole thing is him getting by with cheap shots, hit and runs, etc.

Speaking of big bastards, there's nothing else on this weekend's UK Takeover card I'm interested in other than maybe Banks vs. Dar but I am all over Bate vs. WALTER.

I failed in my mission to catch up completely before it (still in March) but I like the look of it a lot.

The only match I'm a bit meh about is Toni Storm/Kay Lee Ray purely because I've seen so little of Ray.

Also, Cesaro is going to making an appearance:

1166399584563806208

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

At the moment he’s just another Ryback. Unstoppable until there’s a title on the line.

I really don’t like the idea of The Fiend going for a belt so fast either.

I think they're just capitalising on 'THE FIEND OMG' and his popularity.

Ticket sales have been really shit the last few months so I think they want a sell out.

I don't think the match will actually happen though.

[Browning]

It's just a lose/lose situation really. If he wins, his character loses all it's mysteriousness and he just becomes the guy everyone throws themselves at to try and get the belt, rather than someone they're scared to face. If he loses, he's ruined already. He shouldn't be near the title until he's a lot more built up.

[Gray Fox]

He should be running through someone else easily as he did with Balor, then next onto someone big/a legend over a more prolonged programme. Undertaker if you must.

I wouldn't be giving him much of anything beyond that until the Rumble at least.

[Ian]

Agree with all of the above. I know it wasn't a complete retool but I liked how rough he looked against Balor and we need a load more of that. And then have somebody (I'll say like Reigns but obviously they wouldn't actually use him) step up to try and put an end to it, somebody that because we know how WWE work we assume will muller Bray but then the Fiend batters them.

By the time he turns his attention on the title he should have been made to look unstoppable.

[phonics]

I could fix Roman forever, in one program. Use the comeback from cancer to cut a promo on the very concept of death. Get Undertaker to run-in and say he's there to Grim Reaper him. Have them fight (even Roman will look good compared to old man Untertaker). End of match lights go out, lights go on and Undertakers gone. Lights out, lights on and the Urn's in the middle of the ring. Roman grabs the urn and smoke comes out that he chokes on. Lights out, lights on and the rings empty.

Next night, have Taker out of gimmick on RAW say he failed death and lost his powers. There's a new chosen one now. Roman 'Death Reigns' is your next Undertaker for the modern era. Just add that zombie sit-up suddenly thing, an old school and a chokeslam to his move set and you're done. His outfit barely has to change just pop that stupid hat on him and put a few bells in his entrance music.

No more old man Taker and Romans lack of charisma no longer matters.

[Smjffy]

Regen Taker.

[bruhnaldo]

Booing Roman Reigns for like 5 straight minutes at the Raw after Wrestlemania 33 was one of the most fun moments I've ever had at any event.

[Gray Fox]

It's also the best promo he's ever done.

The time to have him as a heel was right there.

[bruhnaldo]

Yea they royally fucked that entire bit up.

[Ian]

WWE are good at that. Likely Rollins turning up to Pedigree Reigns, the roof going off the place because everybody gets cheered upon a return from injury and WWE sticking with him being heel.

Or even with some of the call-ups, with them going "people like Roode's entrance music, that makes him a babyface."

[Ian]

WALTER vs. Bate is an absolutely superb match. Builds up properly, I noticed I was about 25 minutes in and nobody had kicked out of a finisher, a number of big spots got teased and built up first before they happen and even though we know Bate is strong enough to lift Walter they're earning those spots too rather than just having him chuck him about.

Bate is far too good for NXT UK.

[phonics]

I fell asleep watching AEW. Got up to the two Japanese ladies. Riho and someone.

Highlights were the tag match with the Party Parade, the Joey Ganella Triple Threat and Omega v Neville was pretty good.

[Queenslander]

WALTER vs. Bate is an absolutely superb match. Builds up properly, I noticed I was about 25 minutes in and nobody had kicked out of a finisher, a number of big spots got teased and built up first before they happen and even though we know Bate is strong enough to lift Walter they're earning those spots too rather than just having him chuck him about.

Bate is far too good for NXT UK.

My favourite wrestling photo atm.
https://i2.wp.com/prowrestlingpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/BateWalter.jpg?resize=768%2C341&ssl=1

[Ian]

Love that.

[Disco]

I fell asleep watching AEW. Got up to the two Japanese ladies. Riho and someone.

Highlights were the tag match with the Party Parade, the Joey Ganella Triple Threat and Omega v Neville was pretty good.

I hope you're going to watch the rest as it gets better from then on.

Rhodes / Spears was about the most PRO WRESTLING thing you could have imagined, great fun from start to finish.

The ladder match is completely insane but I reckon you won't like the main event so much.


Royal Quest was immense, best wrestling thing I've ever seen live. So glad I got to see Tanahashi live and despite Kenta getting knocked silly halfway through, his match with Ishii was great.

None of it was a patch on the main event though, Okada is so much better than everyone else it's barely believable and Suzuki is the perfect heel.

[Ian]

Guys, you're never going to believe this but last night on Raw tag team partners and Universal title rivals Rollings and Boatman apparently had some sort of misunderstanding!

(Also what they did with KOTR sounds like a lot of horseshit.)

[Browning]

Heel Bayley is a fucking stupid idea. I mean, I get it that she went stale, but that was their booking issues, not issues with her. Her character just doesn't suit being a heel.

[Baz]

I hope you're going to watch the rest as it gets better from then on.

Rhodes / Spears was about the most PRO WRESTLING thing you could have imagined, great fun from start to finish.

The ladder match is completely insane but I reckon you won't like the main event so much.Sweet.

I'm halfway through the Cody/Spears match and will hopefully finish the event off tonight.

Am I weird for really liking the Dark Order tag team? I just think they work great together and their match against Best Friends was great. Evil Uno really surpasses any expectations you have of him and the other guy, who is apparently called Stu Grayson, just seems awesome. The weirdness/"spooky perverts" just adds to it to. :baz: I assume they'll never fight singles matches, judging off the roster (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/roster).

[Disco]

Dark Order do look fun, I really hope they go down the multiple stables / groups route.

I started NXT Cardiff last night, Cesaro / Dragunov is an absolute belter. Cesaro looked amazing and Dragunov is like Kyle O'Reilly turned up to fifteen, handled right (lol) he could be the real deal.

[Disco]

Heel Bayley is a fucking stupid idea. I mean, I get it that she went stale, but that was their booking issues, not issues with her. Her character just doesn't suit being a heel.

It is imperative that the inflatable tube things get angry faces added to them.

[Ian]

I enjoyed Cesaro / Dragunov. Though the "he swung him 40 times!" thing is, as ever, stupid because apparently wrestling fans not being able to count is an international thing.

Still got the main event to come. :drool:

[Shindig]

It only gets better if the fans count in the seven languages Cesaro can speak.

[Disco]

Expect a lot of Jericho in your Botchamania this week.

1168945923466153984

[Ian]

The end to that O'Shea / Jeff match. Jesus Christ.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just watched NXT from last week.

Dijakovic/Lee :drool:

https://uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/keith-lee-spanish-fly.gif

Big men doing little men shit :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Apparently the AEW World Title has been legit stolen.

[Queenslander]

It has to be a work surely?

Next challenger rocks up at the first TV taping probably a debut.

Edit: Is Marty off contract soon?

[Ian]

I totally failed to watch last week's NXT. I wonder Has Lee won a match that wasn't a squash against a jobber yet?

[Mike]

Proper love Jericho at the moment. If only for the memes. He’s just fantastic.

[bruhnaldo]

how do you not love Jericho? Guy could get a can of Axe bodyspray over.

[Gray Fox]

A little bit of the bubbly.

[Disco]

1169383017028214784

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1169280269234229248

Winner/

[Disco]

Sure about that.

1169641921507184640

[Ian]

I hope that's Bork's new entrance theme.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just watched NXT UK: Cardiff.

Huge step up from Blackpool with some seriously great matches.

For me only Kay Lee Ray/Toni Storm failed to deliver. The crowd wasn't in to it, I don't really care for Kay Lee Ray and the finish felt really flat and unexpected.

Bate/Walter is a MOTY candidate, it was stunning. The Tyler driver that Bate hit was just beautiful too.

[Ian]

Probably best WWE match since Bate / Dunne in Blackpool. I was trying to think of the last match I'd have close to it and the best I could do was Lynch/ Flair at Evolution.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I don't think I saw Bate/Dunne. I'll have to watch it.

It's right up there with Ciampa/Gargano the unsanctioned match.

To think that Bate is only 22 (and Dunne 25) is crazy.

[Ian]

NXT Chicago 2017 is the one you're after. A relatively breezy 15 minutes compared to Bate / Walter but you absolutely won't regret it. A proper classic

[Ian]

Sounds like Raw was actually pretty decent last night.

Surprised that Jezza won that match though, I assumed all this nonsense was to stack the odds against O'Shea ahead of a win. I wonder if this will now mean they're going for Gable as it's had the feel of setting up for a babyface win to me... but that would mean treating Gable seriously (in matches if not in backstage bits) for a full month which seems unlikely.

King Jezza it is then. Sigh.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.ringsidenews.com/2019/09/04/vince-mcmahon-reportedly-being-talked-out-of-pushing-baron-corbin/

The ladies and Vince love him.

[Ian]

Yeah, Raw's ratings bombed when he was a central figure in it through last year but let's push him again. Fans definitely want more Jezza this time.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah, Raw's ratings bombed when he was a central figure in it through last year but let's push him again. Fans definitely want more Jezza this time.

Without Jezza the fans would have been non-existent.

It's not his fault everyone else around him is hated.

[Ian]

I've said this before but his whole WWE career path has been fucking bizarre.


Yeah, saw that.

If true then ol' Jezza's career path in WWE has been a bit mental.

- NXT career that never really took off
- Called up to main roster. Probably as one of them "this'll make him or break him" type call-ups like Elias.
- Largely midcard nothingness with no real threat of a proper push outside some decent performances in matches with a few people in or more
- MITB winner!
- Jobbed out and made to look a mug when he tries to cash in and back to midcard obscurity he goes
- "The Constable"
- Blamed for basically all of Raw's ills and jobs, like, all the time
- Suddenly involved in a stuff with big names
- Retires one of the greatest ever with a clean win
- Being nudged towards the main event again

Add to that:
- Universal Title shits, and co-feud with Evans against Rollins and Lynch.
- Lost the above feud handily amid terrible reviews* and plummeting ratings, but immediately gets very strong KOTR push.

* I will say that you look at this tournament and have to ask if there's any reason he and Rollins couldn't have just been given a normal match rather than the gimmicky, pedestrian crap. Even against the Miz, a match I would not have selected as a potential winner, was really solid.

[Ian]

WWE are apparently doing a 'Worlds Collide' show Rumble weekend rather than a proper Takeover. :nono:

That said I'm guessing there are going to be more Takeovers anyway as part of the new TV deal. Or a TV special equivalent, dunno what the deal entails.

[Disco]

I'd think they'll be PPVs like the main roster ones.

[Ian]

Probably. I was trying to work out where the incentive for them is if they're just doing them on the Network but I suppose if it has a weekly two hour TV show then that's more coverage for them to promote more Takeovers on the Network.

Thus diluting the quality and probably starting to ruin everything that makes NXT good in the first place. Great.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The second hour of the first two episodes will be shown live on the Network btw.

USA will not move the final two episodes of Suits.

[Disco]

Probably. I was trying to work out where the incentive for them is if they're just doing them on the Network but I suppose if it has a weekly two hour TV show then that's more coverage for them to promote more Takeovers on the Network.

Thus diluting the quality and probably starting to ruin everything that makes NXT good in the first place. Great.

This is the way Raw & Smackdown work now is it not? Do people even buy individual PPVs these days? Like you I'm expecting the quality to plummet, certainly if they start 'losing' to AEW and Vince decides to get involved. Left to its own devices it should still be ok, they have plenty of wrestlers to fill the extra half an hour or so of telly they need to make.

[Ian]

Yeah if it's still being run by the same people I actually think that second hour could or at least should be good. They're clearly high on Dijakovic, Priest and Dain just now, you've got the likes of Lee and Kushida not doing much yet and hopefully more Pete Dunne to come so they've definitely got the roster to fill out an extra once you add in the tag teams, some of the cannon fodder and in-development guys and the wimmins.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

This is the way Raw & Smackdown work now is it not? Do people even buy individual PPVs these days? Like you I'm expecting the quality to plummet, certainly if they start 'losing' to AEW and Vince decides to get involved. Left to its own devices it should still be ok, they have plenty of wrestlers to fill the extra half an hour or so of telly they need to make.

It's mainly hicks in the backwater with crap internet who actually buy PPVs.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah if it's still being run by the same people I actually think that second hour could or at least should be good. They're clearly high on Dijakovic, Priest and Dain just now, you've got the likes of Lee and Kushida not doing much yet and hopefully more Pete Dunne to come so they've definitely got the roster to fill out an extra once you add in the tag teams, some of the cannon fodder and in-development guys and the wimmins.

Dunne said shortly after Takeover (the US one) that he was moving to the US for good with Bate to follow shortly and the post-match of Bate/WALTER seriously hinted at that.

I'd imagine that Trent Severn will stay in the UK but come over for the occasional tag match.

[Ian]

I'd imagine that Trent Severn will stay in the UK but come over for the occasional tag match.

Bit risky for a young man like Bate to come over without his dad so hopefully he'll be alright.

That is good news though. Bate is superb.

[Ian]

Another Smackdown centred around THE BEST IN THE WORLD.

Great stuff.

I dunno if I even want to watch Gable beat him know it's all about fucking Shane so I may just not watch this week's at all.

[Queenslander]

Owens to NXT or AEW as his old nasty heal self would be nice.

Baron Corbin v Chad Gable in the final lol.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

To NXT so he can join Undisputed Era.

[phonics]

Established names moving to NXT would be the death knell for the WWE imo. I know the TV deal changes things but if the talent is seen not to view going to Raw/Smackdown to be the biggest and best thing around why should the audience give a shit?

[Disco]

If they have an audience that still gives a shit at this point then I don't think that will matter.

Also, good luck with Owens going anywhere, he's not long into a five year 'contract'

[Queenslander]

I think with Owens it makes sense because his UE mates are also his old ROH. Sending Orton, Lesnar, Reigns, Seth, etc would be bonkers.

ROH poaches off the top of head.

Seth Rollins
Daniel Bryan
Kevin Owens
Sami Zayn
Undisputed Era
AJ Styles
Samoa Joe
Cesaro
Tommaso Ciampa

[Queenslander]

Brandi Rhodes sucks as the head female for AEW.

[phonics]

If they have an audience that still gives a shit at this point then I don't think that will matter.

Also, good luck with Owens going anywhere, he's not long into a five year 'contract'

They have an audience because they’re literally the only one on tv. Now they’re competing with a rival and themselves?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I think with Owens it makes sense because his UE mates are also his old ROH. Sending Orton, Lesnar, Reigns, Seth, etc would be bonkers.

ROH poaches off the top of head.

Seth Rollins
Daniel Bryan
Kevin Owens
Sami Zayn
Undisputed Era
AJ Styles
Samoa Joe
Cesaro
Tommaso Ciampa

He also seems to be at every Takeover sporting a UE shirt.

[Queenslander]

He also seems to be at every Takeover sporting a UE shirt.



UE v The Elite on Wednesday is the new Monday Night Wars

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Commentary changes.

Dio Maddin (formerly Brennan Williams a NXT wrestler who has yet to appear on TV) has joined 205 Live as Nigel McGuiness is now only in NXT.

Vic Joseph is going to RAW with Michael Cole headed to Smackdown.

[Disco]

Commentary changes.

Dio Maddin (formerly Brennan Williams a NXT wrestler who has yet to appear on TV) has joined 205 Live as Nigel McGuiness is now only in NXT.

Vic Joseph is going to RAW with Michael Cole headed to Smackdown.

He might struggle with that, it's been cancelled.

[Ian]

So WWE normally announce the old twats returning to get a cheap ratings boost..... and this week both shows dipped. Uh-oh.

[Ian]

Reading the results from last night and quite aside from most of the matches sounding a bit yawn the way they doled out time to various matches looks stupid.

Nobody needs a 21-minute Orton match in their life and it sounds like Rowan / Reigns (nice that Rowan won and that Harper is back but such a big win feels wasted if they're just having them going back to being AN Other tag team again) could probably have had five minutes shaved off it as well given the ending. Do that, half the Orton match and give five extra minutes to the US title, Bayley / Charlotte, and New Day / Revival to let those guys have a banger.

All sounds like it went pretty much to the script anyway. Definitely feels too soon for the Fiend to be challenging for the title so hopefully they don't fuck that up too much.

[Browning]

I'm sure people are jacking off to it because it's Sasha Banks and people can't accept she's shite on the main roster.... but Sasha Vs Becky was one of the worst matches I've seen in a long time, or at least the shittest finish I can recall in ages. If you want to go that route, have them brawl to a double count out, or potentially have Becky use the chair first to get DQed if you want to give Sasha a reason for a rematch. It's not difficult. What you shouldn't do is have her hit the ref, immediately have Cole call it an accident (so she might not be DQed?), have the ref stay down for 3 quarters of an hour, have them brawl throughout the arena whilst constantly telling us "THE BELL HAS NOT RUNG! THE REFEREE IS STILL DOWN! THIS MATCH IS STILL GOING!!!" only for the moment they get in the ring to have Cole go "oh by the way lads.... Becky's been DQed.... that's all folks!" Fucking bollocks.

The rest of the show was pretty forgettable too. They need Lesnar... everything feels smalltime without him.

[Ian]

They absolutely don't need Lesnar, they need to not be shit.

We'll get another interminable Lesnar reign at some point so let's just enjoy somebody else getting a shit run with the belt before his next shit one.

[Ian]

WWE's continuity editor must have been on his break when they decided to have Kane come out and save Rollins last night. Sounds a fitting finish to a fairly rubbish episode, though apparently King Jezza's (ugh) match against Gable was really good.

[Queenslander]

Latest BTE feels like the begining of an Omega heel turn.

[Disco]

Return of The Cleaner, I'm all for it.

[Pleb]

I just realised from what I heard of Vic Joseph from various commentaries he is simply a Micheal Cole v2.

Embrace it lads.

[Ian]

I just saw the clip of the Pedigree from CoC and I must say Boatman did a better job of taking it than some of Rollins' smaller opponents have.

[Ian]

They need Lesnar... everything feels smalltime without him.

Ask and you shall receive.

Say bye to the WWE title until Mania, lads.

I see from the Smackdown results (and following last week) that KO is definitely not cosplaying as Stone Cold any more, what with begging for his job and now serving Shane with legal papers. If this is building up to KO ousting Shane (for a bit) then fine, but.... lads, you've gone too far the other way.

Also this Bryan face turn, assuming that's what's happening, has been handled oddly. It won't matter as the fans just want to cheer him but still.

[Shindig]

The crowd was dead silent for Rusev's return.

[Queenslander]

I reckon WWE are gonna have a rough time selling tickets if the Don Callis booked Impact buys ROH and MLW continues to pump out quality on top of AEW running weekly shows.

[Ian]

They didn't even sell out the Garden, did they?


The crowd was dead silent for Rusev's return.

I heard that but couldn't work out if they're just bored of knowing nothing will be done with him, it being an entirely unexplained absence or a collective eyeroll at him being part of the Kanellis shit.

[Shindig]

Yeah, it's dumb. As is "Hey, he's back ... with a moustache!" It's a shave, not a gimmick change.

[Ian]

I mean it really wouldn't surprise me if he was taken off TV as simple punishment for managing to get himself more over than they planned. They really don't like that.

[Queenslander]

They didn't even sell out the Garden, did they?



I heard that but couldn't work out if they're just bored of knowing nothing will be done with him, it being an entirely unexplained absence or a collective eyeroll at him being part of the Kanellis shit.

I wonder if Smackdowns tv deal now looks mental to the people.who negotiated it at USA.

[Shindig]

We're in a timeline where the words 'beta cuck' made their way into a WWE broadcast.

[Ian]

Smackdown is Fox, no? Unless I've misunderstood something. It looks a mental deal regardless.

I assume that's why Bork is now on Smackdown though if that's to appease Fox I dunno if his current schedule is going to satisfy them.

"No no it's great, we'll put our most prestigious title on him and then he'll disappear for three months! It's the sort of booking that's made us the ratings powerhouse we are today. :charm:"

[Queenslander]

Yep whoops.

Smackdown to cannabilise NXT which in turn ruins that show.

[Queenslander]

We're in a timeline where the words 'beta cuck' made their way into a WWE broadcast.

Who said that?

[Shindig]

It happened during the Kinellis shit. It ... err... might've been Corey. It was written on a page by actual writers.

[Ian]

The whole angle has been completely bizarre and it's basically them punishing him for neither of them saying she was pregnant because even they're not stupid enough to mess an actual pregnant woman around.


Yep whoops.

Smackdown to cannabilise NXT which in turn ruins that show.

They shouldn't need to do that (they've more than enough people if they'd just fucking book properly.) And given NXT now has its own TV deal there's only so much they can get away with now they have more time to fill.

Baszler needs moved up in the draft and it wouldn't surprise me if Undisputed Era are as well (God help them) but otherwise the NXT roster probably needs left alone for a bit until they build up some of the roster they don't currently use that much. Gargano is probably about done in NXT as well.

There are probably people who'd also benefit from being back in NXT like Breeze seems to have done so far but I think I read a thing saying NXT won't be part of the draft. It's still not just a third brand, not least because that'd probably be a bit embarrassing for Vince. I do like the TV spot they're pushing for it though that as good as says "Yeah NXT is the good WWE product."

[Ian]

First episode of nu-NXT sounds like it was a bit of a banger. Baszler vs. La Rae feels like a mismatch at this so hopefully they build the latter up a bit, Dream vs. Strong sounds awesome (and hopefully leaves Dream free to move up to NXT World Title level after a bit of a break from title feuds) and while ending on a massive brawl (featuring Imperium!) seems a weird way to end the first show it also sounds fun.

[Queenslander]

They are a great addition to NXT! Walter is such a great wrestler.

[Ian]

I take it you watched his recent match with Bate? Can't remember if you pitched into the chat about that.

[Queenslander]

I take it you watched his recent match with Bate? Can't remember if you pitched into the chat about that.

Yeah i ended up watching. They had match in Progress last year and I posted the photo from that match.

Im one of those wankers that knew about him putting on quality matches in England and PWG before he joined NXT.

He would be perfect in a Main Event at Wrwstlemania lol or ideally signing for AEW down the road.

Bate is a freak. He has so much potential and could be selling out massive arenas.

[Ian]

I didn't even realise that that photo wasn't from the Takeover match.

[Queenslander]

I didn't even realise that that photo wasn't from the Takeover match.

Yeah they had been fueding in England before NXT and you could have gone.

England is in the Golden Age.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Anyone got any links or anything to watch the first hour?

Edit: http://watchwrestling.in/watch-wwe-nxt-9-18-19/ Seems to work.

[Queenslander]

Luke Harper to AEW please.

[Ian]

Well he'd celebrated his big comeback by bitching about WWE so he's probably off telly until his contract runs out now.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://lastwordonprowrestling.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2019/09/EEyfqm-UUAAeHS--e1568918409546.jpeg

:cool:

The whole episode is on the Network now btw.

[Queenslander]

Jushin Thunder Liger trying to knife Suzuki was a great spot.

[wullie]

I've had to cancel the network now, while it was clumsy and counter-intuitive to navigate before using the PS4 app at least it worked. Since the update it buffers a ridiculous amount when it's not crashing out and navigating through a video has somehow got a million times worse.

[Ian]

In the last week or so before I cancelled I struggled to get it to play anything where the audio was correctly synced.

[Ian]

Apparently last night Asuka's match gave her the great honour of now having more televised matches this year than Shane McMahon.

[Ian]

Bloody hell, they've only let Keith Lee win a match anybody actually gives a shit about.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://whatculture.com/wwe/aew-announce-divisive-uk-tv-streaming-deal?page=1

AEW couldn't get a live deal in the UK.

Options are the full episode on Sunday mornings, a highlights show on Monday or paying £4.99 a month to watch on Fite.tv.

[Ian]

Bit surprised that nobody picked it up.

Also in the news today is Austin saying he'd now feel ready for one more match.

He's going to turn up in fucking Saudi, isn't he?

[Disco]

Wouldn't live be pointlessly late at night?

[Ian]

Any more so than Raw / SD are?

[Disco]

No idea, but the eight viewers who would have watched live are no great loss. If the repeat is popular they may move it closer to the actual broadcast but the timing is pretty good for building an audience. Meanwhile everyone else will continue to download it off the internet like they do now.

[Ian]

I wonder do Sky see much perceived benefit from actually having it live. I mean surely most of their 'viewers' are recording and watching the next day like I sort-of do?

Unrelated but recording Raw / SD chat reminded me, I liked what they did with the "Then, Now, Forever" bit at the start of Raw. Can't find a video off a cursory Googling but it got a bit Fiend-ified.

[Ian]

John Morrison has signed with WWE. I haven't seen anything since he left but when I was doing my Network marathon he barely seemed to have a bad match the first time round.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.si.com/wrestling/2019/09/26/wwe-raw-smackdown-new-commentary-teams?utm_source=facebook.com&xid=socialflow_facebook_si&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sportsillustrated

Raw's commentary team will be Vic Joseph, Dio Maddin and for some reason they're bring Lawler back. Smackdown will be Corey Graves and Michael Cole with Renee backstage or something.

[Ian]

Big Fat Keith Lee vs. Dijakovic. :drool: Though a man of Lee's size kicking out of a second rope Canadian Destroyer in the middle of a show opener is a bit lol.

Interesting that USA and Fox all sound like they're pushing for less interruptions / ad breaks too. And Fox have supposedly said they want less authority figure involvement in matches and less crap finishes in general.

[Ian]

This Lashley / Lana angle sounds like a lot of shit.

On top of the steaming heap of excrement they already have with the Kanellis stuff.

[Gray Fox]

So what has Rusev done to piss Vince off now?

[Ian]

Please stop getting Ric Flair on TV. He might actually die in the Saudi heat.

He can barely speak.

Get Lawler the fuck outta there too.

[Shindig]

I know what'll cheer you up, lads.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNgQJ0J0WUo

[Ian]

Sounds like NXT last night was an absolute belter. :cool:

O'Shango's got a pretty sweet deal getting moved back to NXT too.

[Queenslander]

He needs a faction surely?

[Ian]

Dunno who they'd pull together with him in NXT. I do think WWE underdoes stables these days and does them badly when they do but the NXT crew have hadled UE pretty well.

[Queenslander]

Anyone in NXT UK a good match for him?

[Ian]

As long as it's not his fucking mini-me Jordan Devlin. Do not get the hype with him at all.

Also it looks like we might be getting Orton / Rock at Mania. That would be extremely dull.

[Queenslander]

Orton v Rock makes zero sense.

[Ian]

Angle's been caught selling roids on the dark web.

Eric Angle, that is.

[Gray Fox]

Kofi deserved better.

[Queenslander]

Brandi Rhodes is easily the worst part of the Wednesday night wars.

[Ian]

Kofi deserved better.

Yeah, losing in 10 seconds to one move.

Pretty much the whole show sounds awful.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah, losing in 10 seconds to one move.

Pretty much the whole show sounds awful.

I was watching live and it was quite messy and a lot felt off.

For example we got what felt about 20+ mins of the Rock and Becky tearing down King Corbin at the start, before the inevitable beatdown. Then we got the 4 Horsewomen tag in which Charlotte made Bayley tap far too easily.

Then came an entirely pointless exercise. Rollings v Nakamura could have been decent. Though we got a full Rollings entrance, Nakamuras went to an Ad break as he got to the ring. When we returned Hulk Hogans music is playing and hes now talking to people in the ringside crowd. Felt like we caught that one a minute or two too late.

We then got 30 seconds worth of both trying to hit their finishers immediately, but for The Fiend to attack Rollins.

Straight to Ads again and when we're back. KO is already in the ring having the jobbers entrance. You then got a match that was basically all the spots you'd expect to see with the right outcome at the end.
After another Ad next up was an 8 man tag. Strowman was the only one to receive his own entrance. Everyone else in the match was allowed 1 signature move before Strowman steamrolled the lot. In the middle of all that he managed to accidentally throw someone into Tyson Fury who he'd just had an interaction with at ringside.
Fury tried to hop the barricade and 20odd WWE security goons immediately emerged to stop him.

Reigns v Rowan in a for some reason Lumberjack match next and we got a decent showing from Rowan and Romans same 3 moves. Harper interferes and you get Bryan with the save. If this doesn't end with a 3 man beatdown of Reigns at HIAC then this has all been very strange.

The main event didn't start until there were about 9 minutes left of the show in total. I don't know if this changed the match or if the plan was always what happened. You could have easily shaved 5 mins off the Rocks segment for this and also there were a lot more adverts then I remember there usually being. There seemed to be 1 mid-match in at least 2-3 of them too and you got back to action, not them having a rest hold in the dark time.

Either way, dumping your Champion out like this, in what is likely his only run, having booked him reasonably strongly up to this point, just to make room for another BIG GUY to come out is stupid. Wouldn't shock me if they made him forget about the rematch clause, or had him lose in the exact same way again next week.

[Browning]

Brock :drool:

Giving the people what they want, even if they don’t realise it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I need to see Fury cut a WWE promo.


https://youtu.be/cVsUmcVWC6I

[Ian]

Gray Fox I'll make a point of watching the whole thing this week to see how annoyed it makes me but it just sounds like a shambles from start to finish.

I have a lot of gripes about the treatment of Rey Mysterio without having seen any of it yet.


Brock :drool:

Giving the people what they want, even if they don’t realise it.

If what they want is UFC matches then I'm sure there's an organisation that already provides those. Can't remember what it's called. It'll come to me.

[Browning]

Complaining about Brock is the lifeblood of the modern day WWE fan. Without him, there would be nothing to talk about.

[Ian]

That's the "bad refereeing is good because WHAT ELSE WOULD WE DEBATE" argument, and just as wonky.

[Ian]

Also when people are moaning about him I think a number of them get it wrong and actually think he's rubbish, which is exactly the opposite of the problem.

[Browning]

As I said at the time, the previous PPV felt small time without him. For all his faults (which are down to the way he's used rather than talent) he still is the biggest star they have (and no one else is close) and his matches feel big, even if they end up being shit. Mainly though, I just love him because he makes everyone else seethe, and them seething is more entertaining than the product will ever be again.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Also when people are moaning about him I think a number of them get it wrong and actually think he's rubbish, which is exactly the opposite of the problem.

When he can be bothered he's absolutely brilliant.

[phonics]

Watching the NXT tv show it seems. Feels like theres a few hundred people in there. The stuff in the ring was good but it felt very small time. You can look indie without looking like no-one wants to see you.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

So wide of the mark as per usual.

[Baz]

Itv4 have had to warn of “aggressive moves and very strong language from the beginning” before wrestling. It’s 8:25 AM :D

[Ian]

When he can be bothered he's absolutely brilliant.

Yep. He 100% gets it but sadly gives 0 shits.

Why Browning needs him rather than literally everything else the IWC generally seethes itself into a froth about I don't know but there we are.

[Ian]

Itv4 have had to warn of “aggressive moves and very strong language from the beginning” before wrestling. It’s 8:25 AM :D

I didn't even realise they'd got it in the end. Is that a repeat? And if not is it a cut version of the show because of the time of day?

[Shindig]

Itv4 have had to warn of “aggressive moves and very strong language from the beginning” before wrestling. It’s 8:25 AM :D

For some reason, TV execs love to give wrestling a breakfast timeslot. Do Sky still show the Smackdown reruns at 9am?

[Ian]

So with having thought SD sounded like a lot of shit but it getting quite a load of broadly positive reviews (other than from Fox further up the page) I decided to list what I did and did not like as I watched it to see if I was just being a grouchy twat.

Good
- I like opening with Becky and that it got a good pop instead of some old twat with nothing to say being the first thing you see. And despite my gripes with with Jezza winning KOTR I suppose it's good to have your spoiler heel trying to do his job. And at least given the show it made sense to bring the Rock back.

- I really like the new Smackdown set!

- A two-man booth, even one with Vince bawling down their ears, is just so much better.

- Erin Andrews was actually allowed to show some personality when interviewing the New Day and it made such a difference. I don't know why they don't let people who aren't Renee also do that. And she also didn't have to go "my guests joining me at this time" or whatever.

- Oh look, Shane did one of his three moves. The match was timed and laid out pretty much perfectly though and it was a good pop for KO winnin

Not so much
- Sadly, the Rock just not being as funny as he used to be hasn't been news for a long time (when WAS the last time he was particularly funny in a WWE promo? The STD stuff and laboured "it doesn't matter what you think" set up were dire) and as ever, if you're going to bring him back to dump on somehbody why do it to somebody you are, in theory, pushing?

- Why is Bayley tapping so easy? I know it's only TV but still. (If, because Fox is sportsy, they're going for a more 'realistic' approach to submissions I get that but I suspect that's not happening. And the match that preceded it was.... fine? Ish?

- More of the same from Funhouse / the Fiend. Almost worth it for that picture of the Fox execs at the show looking entirely baffled by it, though.

- Why have Rollins and Nakamura go so short? Given they weren't letting their, ahem, main champion do anything later on why not have this be their tone-setter? Also Fiend lobbing him off the stage loses the impact somewhat when the lights are down and no fucker can see it happening.

- Please don't be setting up some Boatman / Fury nonsense. That whole 8 man tag match was a waste of time also. it is funny how numerous and prepared WWE security staff are though when they know somebody's going to "rush" the ring compared to when some dickhead just does it and the wrestlers have to deal with it.

- Lumberjack matches are shit and this was no different.

- Usual WWE-booking-Lesnar moans here. Kofi's reign had run its course and I understand putting the title on Brock even if absentee champions are entirely boring but I don't see why your babyface whose whole shtick is overcoming the odds had to be made to look quite such a mug. Who does it benefit other than Brock's time/earnings ratio? Kofi's been beating everybody clean so once again it's just making your entire roster look a distance below the champion and then you have to build somebody up to look capable enough.

- Oh wait, no, we're just doing UFC matches now instead? Cool. So it's just the industry itself you're belittling en masse rather than merely your own roster. It's also lol that Rey Mysterio, one of their big historic names and has been built up as finding ways to beat much bigger men over the years, doesn't even TRY to take on Lesnar himself (even if he gets splattered.)

So yeah, maybe I'm just a grumpy twat.

[Queenslander]

The Cain angle is just weird. They wont do it but ideally Walter should eventually get the rub off a Lesner win down the track.

[Baz]

I didn't even realise they'd got it in the end. Is that a repeat? And if not is it a cut version of the show because of the time of day?Its been on the ITV hub for a few days but this is the first time it’s “aired.”

For some reason it was fine to show Jericho using chairs but it wouldn’t even show either of the women getting so much as a stomp in the women’s match. Ridiculous. Either paused, skipped past, or showed the crowd.

[Ian]

It's about time SOMEBODY thought of the children.

I'm now watching NXT and it's dawning on me that maybe I'm just not that fond of Adam Cole's ring work. At the points where the match with Riddle, who I normally like a lot, descending into move-trading, indieriffic no sell marathons I felt much the same as I did when not enjoying his matches against Gargano where I had enjoy Gargano against Ciampa, Andrade, etc.

[Baz]

Now we’re seeing Moxley drop Omega through a glass table - sure that’s fine. Can’t see Rico double foot stomp Nyla Rose though cos that’d be bad.

[Queenslander]

It's about time SOMEBODY thought of the children.

I'm now watching NXT and it's dawning on me that maybe I'm just not that fond of Adam Cole's ring work. At the points where the match with Riddle, who I normally like a lot, descending into move-trading, indieriffic no sell marathons I felt much the same as I did when not enjoying his matches against Gargano where I had enjoy Gargano against Ciampa, Andrade, etc.

Sounds like Adam Cole overdoes the PWG style?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Adam Cole wrestled that match with a legit broken wrist apparently.

[Ian]

Well he definitely won't regret that in years to come.


Sounds like Adam Cole overdoes the PWG style?

Maybe, yeah. I did always find PWG a bit hit and miss for my cantankerous tastes.

[Queenslander]

AEW has to be very careful with it as well IMO.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

So they've added Nattie/Lacey on the pre-show (LOL), Alexa and Nikki v Kabuki, Shorty G v King, Viking Raiders & another (has to be Ceddy) v The OC and Orton v Ali.

All a bit meh.

I didn't watch Clash of Champions but I may watch this tomorrow.

[igor_balis]

I fucking LOVE MJF.

[Gray Fox]

A DQ in a Hell in a Cell match? Fuck off. The crowd flipped at it too.

[Queenslander]

Any heat is good heat right?

[SvN]

The crowd were absolutely livid, and rightly so. It was always going to end with a bullshit finish - it's too early for The Fiend to hold the title, and too early for him to lose a match. As is often the case, they booked themselves into a corner.

The only decent match was the women's HIAC.

[Disco]

I don't know why I try to make sense of this stuff anymore but I'm curious; how do you even get dq'd in a cell match?

[Browning]

Tell me again how Brock is the problem....

[Browning]

I don't know why I try to make sense of this stuff anymore but I'm curious; how do you even get dq'd in a cell match?

It’s the devil’s playground but he takes sledgehammer shots to ladders very seriously.

[Ian]

Is that two years in a row a HIAC has had a non-finish? Was the one where a couple of F5s was TOO BRUTAL for the cell last year or year before?

Either way, good work on them turning their nuclear option feud-ender into just some more bullshit.

Looking at the review it sounds like the opener and the two tag matches are the only ones worth bothering with.

[Disco]

You can't even take the piss out of that it's so bad. I might watch it later for a laugh.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Is that two years in a row a HIAC has had a non-finish? Was the one where a couple of F5s was TOO BRUTAL for the cell last year or year before?

Either way, good work on them turning their nuclear option feud-ender into just some more bullshit.

Looking at the review it sounds like the opener and the two tag matches are the only ones worth bothering with.

Last year. Bork entered and battered Roman and Boatman.

[Browning]

Which at least somewhat makes sense (not that it’s not shit) because if this was all real they couldn’t realistically just extend the show by 3 hours until someone recovered. This is a million times worse.

[Gray Fox]

Which at least somewhat makes sense (not that it’s not shit) because if this was all real they couldn’t realistically just extend the show by 3 hours until someone recovered. This is a million times worse.

Problem is almost the second they lifted the cage, The Fiend got up and was fine.

[Browning]

I’m talking about last year when Lesnar laid out everyone. Even if they didn’t call the match off nothing was gonna stop lesnar keep killing them so at some point you would have to call it. Last night can’t be excused.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah, you could style last year out. This (I haven't seen it myself though) is just a clusterfuck of flaming garbage.

[Baz]

:lol:

I bet Cody Rhodes the American Nightmare enjoyed it.

[Disco]

He should be careful, their own main event had a stupid ending too.

[Ian]

I’m talking about last year when Lesnar laid out everyone. Even if they didn’t call the match off nothing was gonna stop lesnar keep killing them so at some point you would have to call it. Last night can’t be excused.

I've just watched the main event for this one the issues with it are different. Last year's if they're gonna call it off then it's still horseshit but they need to sell it as Baroque having not just interrupted the way the other guys did but actively trying to disrupt the event itself. There's no point selling that as IT'S TOO DANGEROUS, which is exactly what they did last night, because you'd be calling off every gimmick match as soon as one guy was down and the other had a weapon. "Just in case" he's about to try and legit murder somebody. To be honest had they done that then given what they were selling Brock as at the time in terms of character it probably would have worked with that.

But impressively given what a hot steaming mess they booked last year's was last night's is even worse and it's so bad it's hard to even know where to begin. I can't think when the last time was a main eventer's arsenal was no-sold that fucking hard (Fiend must have taken, what, 10 stomps at least?) plus the pedigree and all the weapon shots. The head stuff was a bit questionable given their usual policy too as well. Just.... christ, what a fucking disaster of a match. And Christ knows what they're supposed to do with the Fiend now. Fair fucks to them, they've ruined it in a way I didn't even remotely anticipate.

Other than the main event I only watched stuff with decent reviews. The two tag matches (the proper ones, not the advert for a boxer in Saudi) were both pretty solid but the highlight was Becky and Sasha which I really enjoyed and they made an effort with some of the spots. And didn't have last year's issue of somebody hilariously bouncing off a table without breaking it. From a story point of view I'm not sure having Becky win it was the right one but I enjoyed the match a lot.

EDIT: And fortunately the commentators said "everything's legal inside Hell in a Cell!" which was both an excellent reminder for them to give us every 17 seconds and some quality hype for the ending of the show.

[Ian]

http://cdn3.whatculture.com/images/2019/10/5ca08748d2ab082c-600x338.gif

:D

[Ian]

The crowd shitting all over the main event was ace too. Best-worst reaction since the Rumble where Bryan didn't come out, maybe?

[Browning]

Sasha vs Becky was very good and miles better than the shite they served up last month but I thought the chair/kendo stick thing was comically bad. Like I don’t even think that would hurt much... certainly less so than just being twatted with a chair. Also it’s a bit lol that hitting your standard moves off the top rope is seemingly the most devastating thing a woman can do. Those gripes aside it was good though.

[Ian]

I was thinking that, like when one of them biffed the other into a wedged kendo stick where there was a big ass cell support mast thing right there that has considerably less give. That move would make more sense if it was a midget being squashed into the corner by a big fatso giant.

[Queenslander]

I find it quite suprising the amount of people who are excited for NWA's first TV taping.

[Ian]

Aw man, WWE broadcasts are gonna get tasty now they're pitching stuff as USA vs. Fox as they did on Raw endlessly last night.

The thought of rival NETWORK EXECUTIVES scouting WWE matches to see who they want to draft gets me pretty hard, it must be said.

[Disco]

Tried to watch the main event of HIAC but I stopped as soon as I realised they weren't turning those shitty red lights off.

[Ian]

Yeah, if they didn't mentioned THE FIEND having caused that then what they're telling us is that WWE management actively wanted Seth to lose. Well, maybe it was the NETWORK EXECUTIVES.

[Lewis]

The way Tyson Fury lets himself be carried across the ring is genuinely hilarious to me.

[Disco]

Yeah, if they didn't mentioned THE FIEND having caused that then what they're telling us is that WWE management actively wanted Seth to lose. Well, maybe it was the NETWORK EXECUTIVES.

The other odd thing I noticed was they kept talking about him like he was some inexplicably tough spooky being that Rollings was apparently terrified of. Then they'd call him Bray Wyatt, which begs the question why is Rollings so scared of someone he knows is eminently beatable just with a mask on?

Then I realised I had just put more thought into it than WWE have and turned it off.

[Disco]

You get some odd 'no context' pictures on Okadas twitter but this one is something else.


1181520381657501696

[Shindig]

The way Tyson Fury lets himself be carried across the ring is genuinely hilarious to me.

He had some proper Shane O'Mac punches going on. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I loved his 'knockout' of Cesaro after it went off air.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://wrestletalk.com/news/cain-velasquez-wwe-future-already-in-jeopardy-due-to-surgery/

Cain 'Sicknote' Velasquez is injured.

I am shocked.

[Gray Fox]

I thought the plan was always Wrestlemania? Doesn't make sense to have such a big draw on a smaller show.

[igor_balis]

are any of you lot watching AEW?

i'm generally very excited by it and have really enjoyed a lot of it, but wednesday definitely wasn't perfect.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I thought the plan was always Wrestlemania? Doesn't make sense to have such a big draw on a smaller show.

Saudi Money is THE SHOW.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

are any of you lot watching AEW?

i'm generally very excited by it and have really enjoyed a lot of it, but wednesday definitely wasn't perfect.

I watched the first two PPVs and just found that I didn't really care. Thought it would change when the weekly shows rolled around but nah.

[Disco]

I watched the NWA Power Hour and I don't really know what to make of it.

On the one hand it looks like it was filmed during an episode of The Generation Game from 1986 and the regular sneery digs at other types of wrestling were pretty tragic. But, they did somehow manage to make me care about (actual grandfather) Tim Storm and his final shot at the title, so maybe it is good, I'm really not sure.

[Shindig]

Needs Billy Corgan as an authority figure.

[igor_balis]

I watched the first two PPVs and just found that I didn't really care. Thought it would change when the weekly shows rolled around but nah.

Ah, that's a pity. It's totally rejuvenated my interest in wrestling. Me and a couple of mates used to watch the PPVs together, then it was just the big 4, and after the most recent rumble we just stopped entirely, and my mate who used to watch Raw live started just fast-forwarding through it on Tuesday and finally just stopped recording it. We all watched the first AEW PPV and were basically like, oh wait we don't hate wrestling we just hate WWE, and we've been following it pretty religiously since then.

Definitely an element of WANTING it to be good, and wanting the same soap opera investment i had with WWE without actually watching WWE, but I dunno, I rate it.

Did you watch the first weekly TV show? Not a fan of MJF?

[Queenslander]

They are off to a good start and womens wrestling is easily better the WWE.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ah, that's a pity. It's totally rejuvenated my interest in wrestling. Me and a couple of mates used to watch the PPVs together, then it was just the big 4, and after the most recent rumble we just stopped entirely, and my mate who used to watch Raw live started just fast-forwarding through it on Tuesday and finally just stopped recording it. We all watched the first AEW PPV and were basically like, oh wait we don't hate wrestling we just hate WWE, and we've been following it pretty religiously since then.

Definitely an element of WANTING it to be good, and wanting the same soap opera investment i had with WWE without actually watching WWE, but I dunno, I rate it.

Did you watch the first weekly TV show? Not a fan of MJF?

I did not. I actually really like MJF but haven't seen too much.

The problem seems to be the same as when I tried NJPW, I just don't know enough about the product. I thought it would be easier to get into AEW as it's new but it just didn't click.

I think if it wasn't for NXT then I'd be craving some decent wrestling and I'd be more inclined to dive right into AEW.

[igor_balis]

I did not. I actually really like MJF but haven't seen too much.

The problem seems to be the same as when I tried NJPW, I just don't know enough about the product. I thought it would be easier to get into AEW as it's new but it just didn't click.

I think if it wasn't for NXT then I'd be craving some decent wrestling and I'd be more inclined to dive right into AEW.

In fairness I have always felt exactly the same about anything that isn't WWE, and part of me even felt it about AEW, but to me the problem seems pretty obvious - watching big 3-4 hour WRESTLING SUPERCARDS, even if the wrestling is great, is just not fun when you haven't got the weekly TV to get you invested and shit. There's a reason why WWE's formula for years was to spend a month of TV building up storylines so you'd pay for the PPV.

I definitely think it's worth watching the first TV show, cus it's starting to be more about building storylines and giving you a reason to care, rather than a series of 20+ minute matches which is exhausting enough even when you care about the people involved.

[Disco]

Jack Evans faceplanting his ring entrance :D

[Ian]

I might give this week's AEW a bash over the weekend. From what I've tried of non-main-roster-WWE stuff NXT is kinda my sweetspot of being good and making the most of having indie guys but without being an indieriffic shitshow.

And whether it's because of the lack of personal investment* or the style or what the NJPW matches I watched I just didn't love as much as all the people who were getting themselves into a froth. Omega / Jericho in particular I didn't especially enjoy. I've still not watched any of the Omega / Okada ones yet that Uncle Dave gave 128/5.

* It can't just be this because when I first watched Takeover I knew fuck all about most of the people on the card and I've thoroughly enjoyed some non-WWE (some PWG and one-off matches from other companies I've sought out) so I dunno. I don't watch Raw and SD in full any more so I suppose that gives me time to try and give AEW a go.

[Ian]

Also I thought NXT's new picture-in-picture was a good compromise but it's really fucking distracting when you've got stuff still going on in a match while most of the screen is Applebee's advertising whatever the fuck with You Sexy Thing playing over the top of it.

[Ian]

on the above note, NXT was good again this week. WALTER vs. KUSHIDA in the Caps Lock Challenge was particularly good.

[SvN]

I tried NJPW and couldn't get into it at all. I also thought it was due to not knowing anyone, but I loved the NXT UK tournement. I hardly watch any wrestling thesedays so I'm unlikely to get into AEW unless something drastic changes.