The Ultimate WWE Thread

[Yaysus]

It was more the fact that he looked comfortably moving around for the first time in about 5 years. He's limped around the ring in every match since his Hell in a Cell with Brock in 2015.

Ever since that suicide dive against HBK he hasn't been the same tbh
He should've retired after he had to be carried out by a stretcher after the match with Trips

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

WALTER v Balor is a pretty damn exciting prospect.

I thought they'd go with Cole as his next match and probably make him the champion once more.

Although I assume that will be the main event at the Irish Takeover.

[Ian]

I see that Fiend vs. Cena was set up by unpredictable supernatural monster The Fiend doing the most crazy, bloodthirsty thing imaginable. Pointing at the sign.

[Pleb]

It's the only way to get up any Mania matches.

Just point at a sign.

[phonics]

AEWs production levels are truly, truly amateurish considering what you pay for. 20 dollars for the PPV and you get an interlaced stream. For those of less nerdy persuasion that means the type of video where you get those horizontal lines when movement happens. (Example below)

https://static.comprimato.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/interlaced-picture-comprimato.png

Then layered on top of that they're pushing a truly awful bitrate, so bad that I CAN LITERALLY SEE THE SQUARES MAKING UP THE VIDEO (once again see below)

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9e4jhI2B-Sk/maxresdefault.jpg

So just from a technical level it's piss poor and then you factor in the sound levels being so inconsistent you can literally hear them pushing the volume up and down in real time and the multiple missed moves when they're doing crowd shots instead of in-ring.

Say what you like about WWE but they get the basics right. I have other issues with the actual wrestling side but I'll keep my complaints to what I know best and 20 dollars for that was a complete rip-off.

[phonics]

Oh and I can't find an archived version yet but the band for Cody's entrance was HORRENDOUS. They were so bad I assumed they were some student band but no, Wrestlers just love really shitty bands.

Listen to this. :D :D :D


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5KmHxrCJoU

[Yaysus]

the tattoo is horrendous

[Queenslander]

Surely he will regit it. Truely awful!

[Ian]

Meltzer is apparently saying the tag title match at Revolution is the best tag match ever.

Who'd have thought that a man who's watched as much wrasslin' as Dave wouldn't have seen any of Heidenreich's LOD matches???

[Disco]

It was pretty bloody good, he will have loved all the little callbacks to previous matches. Just spots for the new viewer but also rewarding for people who've been watching for years.

I loved the PAC/OC match too, the crowd went fucking nuts for it. Turns out the guy did know what he was doing and the big payoff came on a ppv just like it should. I suspect that will have escaped Cornettes notice while he's busy ripping his dick off in anger.

[bruhnaldo]

I really enjoyed Revolution.

[phonics]

Did you enjoy the band?

[Ian]

"Okay, O'Shea's just been battered in a squash but we did pretend we really believed he was worthy of t a title shot for at least three seconds. How do we keep him strong."

"Hm. Clean loss to Riddick Moss?"

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

ffs.

[Browning]

That and ridiculing Black for “not reading the contract” when the company themselves were advertising the wrong match are clear indications of what we already know- they don’t give a fuck.

[Ian]

That and ridiculing Black for “not reading the contract” when the company themselves were advertising the wrong match are clear indications of what we already know- they don’t give a fuck.

Wait, what? What did they do? I must've been skimming the review too fast.

[Disco]

I know he's probably making good money but my god is Rich O'Shea bad at making career decisions.

[Ian]

The Erick Rowan reveal was also as shit as it was always going to be. They really capitalised on him actually doing some good work with Bryan and Reigns.

[bruhnaldo]

Did you enjoy the band?

Nah I thought they were awful but it's cool Cody gave them that spot at least IMHO.

I thought Jericho's entrance was one of the best I've ever seen, though.

[Browning]

Wait, what? What did they do? I must've been skimming the review too fast.

Basically they advertised Black vs Styles but when it came time for it they had Styles reveal the contract said he had to beat Gallows and Anderson first to earn the match. The commentators proceeded to mock him for not reading the contract blissfully ignoring the fact that clearly whoever advertises the matches didn’t read it either.

[Ian]

Fuck's sake. :D

[Disco]

Worse than any of the music (both live entrances were crap) was that fucking tattoo. Surely that isn't permanent.

[Ian]

The tattoo is 100% dreadful. Even by the low bar of neck tattoos, which is impressive.

[bruhnaldo]

Worse than any of the music (both live entrances were crap)

Do you hate all entrances? What's an example of one you enjoyed if you can?

[bruhnaldo]

I pray that stupid tattoo is fake and just was meant to match their outfits

[Ian]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NOzIVWefgo

[Disco]

Do you hate all entrances? What's an example of one you enjoyed if you can?

Special/live performances are normally shit or weird. Motorhead forgot their own song when doing one for HHH; they had one for Aleister Black last year at a Takeover and it was just other people awkwardly getting in the way of his entrance while doing a worse version of his theme; Jerichos was ok but the Inner Circle choir was worse than just playing his song or, if you want to do something different, turn the crowd up and let them sing it (it works for Minoru Suzuki). Codys music is crap anyway (as is anything that has a quiet bit before the loud bit of the song) but the live version was a thousand times worse.

Good ones? Okadas entrance from the first night of Wrestle Kingdom was pretty great and I can't think of any others.

Normal ones that are good: Riddle, Goto, Batista, Naito (if in full bullshit suit mode) and probably loads of others that I can't immediately remember.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I liked the War Raiders live entrance:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2mpKQiyJj0

And I know most will hate it but I also liked the Adam Cole rap entrance.

[Disco]

Normal music with extra fruity gubbins during the entrance is normally fine (you're bang on with Cole though, that was awful).

Also: Eric Rowan and his pet, unless I'm being trolled fuck me that's hilariously bad :D

[Ian]

Nakamura had a decent one with the live violinist. They were a bit in the way as above but the theatrics of the thing worked.


Also: Eric Rowan and his pet, unless I'm being trolled fuck me that's hilariously bad :D

https://411mania.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Erick-Rowan-Spider-Raw-645x370.jpg

Lest we forget, that "spider" drew blood one week.

[Browning]

What's the win/loss record of people with live music during an entrance? About 0-50?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I also wasn't into NXT back then but some Youtubing led me to this belter for Roode:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVaJH8pWnWk

[Queenslander]

I also wasn't into NXT back then but some Youtubing led me to this belter for Roode:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVaJH8pWnWk

Greatest day of Bobby Roodes life.

[Queenslander]

Nakamura's NJPW was great.

[Ian]

I also wasn't into NXT back then but some Youtubing led me to this belter for Roode:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVaJH8pWnWk

And then in CLASSIC WWE style they went "Smug? Overbearing? Self-aggrandising! MAKE THAT MAN A MAIN ROSTER BABYFACE!"

[Shindig]

I can't even remember him face turning in TNA. I guess he might've done with Beer Money?

[Queenslander]

It appears that Matt Hardy has signed with AEW.

https://youtu.be/fj3nstTudDo

[Ian]

I'm not saying Hardy has nothing to offer and obviously the quality of wrestling seems to be getting reviewed as the best outside Japan just now but them signing so many older / high profile people who aren't that cheap doesn't reek of good practice. Is it Tony Khan making these decisions?

[Browning]

Matt could be huge if they get him back to what he was in TNA.

Not sure what they’re hoping to gain from Jake though.

[Queenslander]

They will be used to get the young wrestlers over.

I think Jake will be Lance Archers manager and Hardy would probably be the leader of the awful Dark Order.

Cody would have to be the guy bringing in Jake as he has already used DDP and ia currently letting Arn Anderson walk him to the ring.

[Ian]

Meltzer reporting that Vince is already wavering on Baszler. At what point do people start going on strike if they're threatened with a move to Raw / SD?

I know Ciampa's said he would.

[Queenslander]

I cannot wait for all the books and documentaries to appear when Vince dies.

[Browning]

Imagine if she loses on Sunday :drool:

[Ian]

I cannot wait for all the books and documentaries to appear when Vince dies.

I reckon the McMahons will sue the shit out of anybody who says anything too bad that they can't actually prove, which not many of them will be able to.

And to be honest a lot of the former talent (at least the notable people who've been high profile enough to have had enough personal dealings with Vince to dish proper dirt) want to keep the appearance money rolling in in future so they won't say shit either. After the Ambrose stuff on Austin's old Network show you notice how the people they've had on Broken Skull Sessions are all people who there's zero chance of rocking the boat. Big Show hinted at a few people being massive dickheads especially in his younger days when he first went over from WCW but nothing that specific.

[Queenslander]

Yeah fair enough.

[Ian]

I do agree there. There's an incredible non-McMahon-endorsed biography / biopic to be had out of the mad bastard's life.

[Queenslander]

There has to be he is one if the most fascinating blokes of my lifetime.

[Queenslander]

https://
youtu.be/gaMaUGhNlLc

Top 3 live entrances for me.

[phonics]

The line-up for this season of Dark Side of Wrestling :drool:

https://uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-03-at-10.10.46-AM.jpg

Jericho will be the narrator.

[Queenslander]

Top of the order is bloody dark. I remember watching brawl for all as a kid.

[Ian]

Is that "Dark Side of the Ring", phonics ? I'm not being pernickety, I'd never heard of that series and that's what came up on Google. I'm interested so I wanna make sure I'm watching the right thing.

[phonics]

I’d never heard of Abrams. Sounds like an absolute dude. Started his own promotion that included a jobber called Lil Davey Meltzer and then here is how he left the earth.

Before his death, while high on cocaine, Abrams was found naked and covered in a "vaseline" type substance,[4] destroying furniture with a baseball bat[4] in his New York office.[5] He was in the company of prostitutes at the time.[5] Not long afterwards, he died while in police custody,[4] of a heart attack.[5] He had cocaine stuck all over his body when he died.

Edit: yes Ian

First series is very good too. Guy interning at Vice and found a bunch of archival footage in their library and made a doc series out of it.

Ignore the Montreal Screwjob one though. A arrows of people working themselves into a shoot.

[Ian]

Ta. :thbup: Where's the best place to watch them?

Wrestling With Wregret did one on UWF / Abrams.

[phonics]

It’s VICE so whatever their streaming platform is in the UK. You know wrestling, it’ll be pirated within 3 hours.

[Shindig]

The Brawl's not even dark. It's just dumb. New Jack's oddly fascinating. He's a twat but he definitely plays up to it. He'd not get booked otherwise.

[Disco]

WWE/F put on a legit fighting contest using their own mostly untrained talent then made no provision for people getting knocked the fuck out live on television. I reckon some that were knocked out were probably allowed to work again that day, maybe on the same show. I think the mad (yet completely worked) stuff they did on tv in that era makes the Brawl for All seem less mental than it really was, they were extremely lucky no-one was seriously injured.

[Browning]

No idea what VICE is but it’s on NOW TV and they have series 1. May give it a go.

[phonics]

It’s Dark because it’s part of the business they don’t want talked about. That’s what the name is based off.

[Browning]

Watching episode 1 of Dark side of the Ring now. How that cunt is still walking around today is beyond me. Tony Atlas should have just taken him out.

Edit- "He advertises himself for Kid's birthday parties...." fuck right off.

I've heard the story many times before but it angers me every time. Tony Atlas is a real hero though.

[Browning]

Is that Elimination Chamber card final? Because it's fucking shite.

No Brock, no Goldberg, no Cena, no Wyatt, no Drew, no Reigns...... Rollins is in a fucking tag title rematch..... Shayna is facing 4 jobbers and a woman who has already lost to Becky 57 times since Christmas (and she still might lose because Vince is gonna Vince...), the Tag Team Chamber is only somewhat interesting because 2 (out of 12) blokes are fighting over a girl and the only potentially good match on the card is probably going to be shite because Styles is probably injured.

Incredible.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I like the look of Styles v Black and Carillo v Andrade.

lol at Boatman's match too. Either they bury him once again or make three really good wrestlers look like idiots, it's lose-lose.

[Browning]

Styles is hurt so it'll be shit with either Undertaker or the OC ruining it.

Andrade Vs Carillo has already been done hundreds of times on RAW.

That's got to be the worst PPV card in a long time.

[Baz]

Whew, that tag match on Revolution. :nod:

The Darby Allin/“Spanish” God match was top banana too.

[Queenslander]

They are doing such a good job at getting Page over.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Styles is hurt so it'll be shit with either Undertaker or the OC ruining it.

Andrade Vs Carillo has already been done hundreds of times on RAW.

That's got to be the worst PPV card in a long time.

I don't watch RAW though.

I thought Styles was fine now? How long did he wrestle at Blood Money? Did he look bad?

[Browning]

I haven't watched any WWE in months (aside from the 2 rumble matches) but from the reviews I've seen he did fuck all at Blood Money and less on RAW this week. I'm not expecting anything substantial from him until Mania.

On top of the names I mentioned earlier, where the fuck are all the women that actually matter? Becky, Charlotte, Bayley, Rhea..... all missing. Has half the roster secretly got Coronavirus?

[phonics]

Browning do you ever think your opinion on the stuff you don’t watch might be influenced by the people who don’t like it but are paid to create content that people click on nonetheless?

[Queenslander]

It isnt good though I dabble here and there and WWE isnt good. Not NXT obviously.

NJPW, MLW, AEW put on much better PPV/destination shows.

[phonics]

I can only speak for AEW but it’s genuinely not. Literally every match is late 90s WCW. I think it took until the 5th match to have something not decided by a run in. One of them had two separate run ins against the same guy and he won. Everyone’s so desperate for it to be legitimate that they give it 900 mulligans.

AEW is fans working themselves into a shoot.

[Queenslander]

Im a casual AEW fan (obviously NJPW 4 life) but they really do put on better matches at the top of the card and that is all that matters really. Not saying WWE doesnt have the talent as they have enough for 4 shows and some.

Agree to disagree.

[phonics]

WWE have 3 times as many pay per views. If you chose Rumble, Summerslam, Mania and one other. Not including NXT.

[Mike]

I do like how AEW wants to be like a legit sport with rankings and win/loss records while also having a alien wrestling for them. :D

[Queenslander]

WWE have 3 times as many pay per views. If you chose Rumble, Summerslam, Mania and one other. Not including NXT.

Still pretty rubbish for a long time.

Edit: But now im veiwing it through a NJPW mental fan point of view.

I also dont enjoy shitting on anything that another person enjoys. It is why stopped posting about WWE. My bad sorry.

[Queenslander]

I do like how AEW wants to be like a legit sport with rankings and win/loss records while also having a alien wrestling for them. :D

It kind of works if you watch BTE because she is a bit of dork about it.

[Mike]

I’m a fan, same with them having a dinosaur. It’s the beautify of wrestling.

[Queenslander]

Jungle Boy could be anything.

Edit: And Darby Allin, that blokes coffin drop finisher is great fun.

[phonics]

That’s the thing. Some of its very good but it gets so many passes that the thing that’s been around for a million years doesn’t.

Jericho isn’t getting away with turning up overweight and then winning and holding the title for 9 months in wwe.

[Queenslander]

He was pretty over before he left wasnt he?

Edit: I 100% agree it is still a work in progress. Dark order is awful, Shaun Spears is meh, Private Party are kinda pointless and the womens division is very shallow.

[Baz]

Dark Order are the best tag team.

[Queenslander]

I meant the booking/story so far.

[Browning]

I was watching some WWE (granted not all of their 25 weekly shows) up until Hell in a Cell which was the final straw for me. Now I watch reviews/read results in case anything interests me, but with the exception of the Edge /Orton stuff it sounds like everything they’re doing is properly shit. I know enough about the current wrestlers to know that that PPV card is criminally bad.

Of course actually watching the product would be a better way to form opinions, but it’s just not watchable at the moment. We have the same 2 world champions as 2003.... one of which could only do 2 moves in 2003 and can hardly do 1 now. That’s way worse than fat Jericho winning.

[Ian]

And Edge / Orton, for all that it's a good angle, is going to end in an absolutely garbage match.

[Disco]

You don't need to watch WWE to know it's shite, it's made by the same people that made when I did watch and just going by the unavoidable news (and the calibre of wrestlers they're totally wasting) is enough. The litmus test is how much you are rewarded by paying attention, in WWE that's plot holes and a metric fuck-ton of stuff that doesn't make sense.

[Browning]

That’s episode 2 down. How the fuck are the Bella Twins in the HOF before Elizabeth?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Daniel Bryan v Drew Gulak has been added to Elimination Chamber.

Please give them time because that could be great.

[randomlegend]

The Brawl's not even dark. It's just dumb. New Jack's oddly fascinating. He's a twat but he definitely plays up to it. He'd not get booked otherwise.

New Jack is oddly fascinating, but also a properly dangerous maniac. The worst video of his I've seen is where he destroys some kid with a horrible stiff chair shot and he's absolutely hosing blood from his head unconscious and New Jack is still trying to pick him up and chuck him around.

[Browning]

Gino Hernandez episode was a weird story. I'm still not convinced what happened but the fact his family seemingly gained peace after 30 years thanks to this show makes the whole thing worthwhile.

[Shindig]

New Jack is oddly fascinating, but also a properly dangerous maniac. The worst video of his I've seen is where he destroys some kid with a horrible stiff chair shot and he's absolutely hosing blood from his head unconscious and New Jack is still trying to pick him up and chuck him around.

Right, I'll just rattle these off:

Mass Transit (the kid he cut) - The lad sneaked himself a booking by lying about his age and training. He then spent his time backstage talking tough and pissing people off. In the match he asked New Jack to cut him. He cut deep and the kid went out on a stretcher, flipping off the marks as he went.

Vic Grimes - They worked a match that involved a big jumping off spot. Vic botched it, landed all his weight on New Jack's head causing brain damage and then spent months bragging about how he put New Jack out of action. They then get booked into a scaffolding match together, Vic is booked to go off the scaffolding, freezes and then New Jack says, "Don't worry. I gotcha." Vic misses everything but gets away with a broken ankle.

Gypsy Joe - 70 year-old knacker that no-sold New Jack's offense and called him the n word. New Jack battered him.

Not trying to absolve him completely of blame but he doesn't half get booked into some situations. You really, really have to know how to work with him.

[randomlegend]

Right, I'll just rattle these off:

Mass Transit (the kid he cut) - The lad sneaked himself a booking by lying about his age and training. He then spent his time backstage talking tough and pissing people off. In the match he asked New Jack to cut him. He cut deep and the kid went out on a stretcher, flipping off the marks as he went.

Vic Grimes - They worked a match that involved a big jumping off spot. Vic botched it, landed all his weight on New Jack's head causing brain damage and then spent months bragging about how he put New Jack out of action. They then get booked into a scaffolding match together, Vic is booked to go off the scaffolding, freezes and then New Jack says, "Don't worry. I gotcha." Vic misses everything but gets away with a broken ankle.

Gypsy Joe - 70 year-old knacker that no-sold New Jack's offense and called him the n word. New Jack battered him.

Not trying to absolve him completely of blame but he doesn't half get booked into some situations. You really, really have to know how to work with him.

Yeah I know all that. He's still a maniac.

That's not how New Jack tells the Vic Grimes story. He said Vic froze on the FIRST one, and that's why he ended up botching it and fucking up New Jack. The second one New Jack says he was trying to get revenge and basically aimed to throw him to his death.

[7om]

I haven’t seen any WWE in ages and just turned on this pre show while the Strowman vignette was playing. What the hell is that IC title? The white one was probably the only good belt left and they replaced it with that.

[Ian]

To be fair the current IC title immediately became the second best main roster belt which just makes replacing the classic IC title even stupider..

But yknow, Vince does so hate wrestling.

[phonics]

I find myself weirdly obsessed with commentators outfits. AEW outdoes themselves with the guy in a luchador mask forced to wear a suit and adding insult to injury, shooting them full body so you can see his suit trousers are so tight his dick is basically showing.

King hasn't bothered with the outfit tonight so he's decided to just go with a cheap sweater with crowns on it.

edit: Crowd are following Kings lead and an arena of several thousand people seems to have the passion of a saudi front row.

[Ian]

Well that all sounds like it was a load of meh.

Are Undertaker and Black going to end up teaming at Mania? It feels like that's how they're building it.

[Browning]

Against my better judgement I checked out the Women's Chamber just to see if Vince was gonna Vince it. It was laughably bad. Probably the worst chamber I can remember, and not helped by the commentators constantly acting like everything Shayna did was "OMFG ONE OF THE WORST THINGS I'VE SEEN IN A CHAMBER" when it was actually all very tame. I almost wish anyone else would have won just so it could at least be funny.

[Ian]

I don't think I'll watch any of it other than perhaps Bryan / Gulak.

[Browning]

Bryan and Vinny's reviews of the Tag Chamber make it sound like a masterpiece.....

Bryan's summary of the first 5 minutes was "Kofi with a rare slip on the ropes" while Vinny (I assume that's who it is from the video title.... no idea) gives us "Miz and Morrison are trying to call spots from inside the pod, literally nothing is happening when clock expires". :D

[Ian]

Tag chambers are just far too busy at the best of times.

[Browning]

Yea, but if you can't make the first 5 minutes interesting when there's only 4 men in there, like a regular tag match, you're in real trouble.

The fact that neither of the teams anyone cared about won is criminal too.

[phonics]

Otis looked so out of his depth. At one point he just stood outside the ring like it was a tag match. Then got in the ring, then back out, then back in. Like you were just spamming C-Up on No Mercy.

[phonics]

Another good bit of commentary was when the chamber was coming down and they introduced it as 'For ONLY the 25th time...'

[Disco]

Otis looked so out of his depth. At one point he just stood outside the ring like it was a tag match. Then got in the ring, then back out, then back in. Like you were just spamming C-Up on No Mercy.

You have that the wrong way around, he was waiting for someone who missed their cue, got bored and carried on with the match.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Only watched Bryan/Gulak so far but it was great.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm done and I was pleasantly surprised.

Bryan/Gulak and Andrade/Carrillo were great.

The tag chamber was sloppy and pretty crap. I also didn't like the HUGE SPOT with Dorado falling from the top of the cage as it was ruined by the geeks all huddling underneath and constantly looking up for the SURPRISE ATTACK.

Black/Styles was too long and pointless.

Murphy/Rollins v Street Profits was good.

IC Handicap was bullshit although Zayn was great value.

Women's chamber was crap until Shayna came in and they booked her to look like a killer. I was kind of hoping she broke into Liv's pod to eliminate her early though.

[Queenslander]

They would never do it but WWE could do with a Pure Title.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROH_Pure_Championship

Bryan
Gulak
Samoe Joe
Randy Orton
AJ Styles
Chad Gable
Cesaro
Nakamura
Garagano
Kushida

That would be a fun division to watch.

[Browning]

WWE can’t remember the current rules, so that would just be a mess.

[Queenslander]

Yeah I know it isnt realistic I just dream.

[Ian]

I see Riddick Moss' reign of terror over flippy black people continues with a squash of Cedric Alexander.

[Browning]

Calling Undertaker “Mark” on TV and talking about Michelle is so fucking clueless. Yes, everyone knows this stuff, but he’s the one guy who actually put any effort into maintaining his aura, to the point he wouldn’t even turn up to stuff like the Flair tribute and then they go and do that on a throwaway promo in a shit feud. Just fuck off.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Finally got round to watching NXT from last week.

Great stuff, especially with the main event.

Although I am a little disappointed that Shotzi probably wont be in the ladder match (I'm still hoping for like a losers match to get in or something) as she'd be great.

[Disco]

NJ Cup officially cancelled.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rob Gronkowski has officially signed, ugh.

Him and Mojo to form a proper shit tag team.

[Queenslander]

Vince has sent the Revival home at half pay. That's the way Vince really let that next generation what the score is.

[Ian]

Meltzer reporting that HHH being shifted to more NXT-specific duties is being talked of backstage as a "quiet demotion."

Given a lot of people are optimistic of things at least improving if/when HHH takes over I'm just gonna assume that's the backstage equivalent of wrestlers getting punished for getting over without permission.

[Queenslander]

I wonder if that his way of dealing with the XFL taking a forced break?

[Ian]

Well apparently he joked about it as SD colour commentator last night. I think I'm going to watch SD for the first time in ages just out of curiosity.

Also in the absence of any sport on and recent EC sounding shiiiiiit I watched Survivors Series 2002. Great show pretty much from top to bottom.

[Browning]

Tampa officials have given Vince a week to pull the plug on mania (or for the situation to improve drastically) or they're pulling the plug for him. RIP. By the time it happens, he'll have changed his mind on Drew.

[Ian]

Hold Mania behind closed does at the PC, that way nobody can boo Reigns' coronation.

[Shindig]

It's a great opportunity to pre-record it and make it TNA good.

[Ian]

I love that HHH used colour commentary as an excuse to just mock Michael Cole constantly.

[Ian]

So I've now watched SD (HHH was funny, I thought the Reigns and Cena / Wyatt sections were good too but obviously the atmosphere was weird), the the Bryan / Gulak match and Black / Styles matches from Mania.

The latter was probably at least five minutes too long and was too slow given it never got the hot closing stretch a normal singles between the two would probably have finished with. Gulak and Bryan were brilliant and while I shouldn't get my hopes up that whole story is interesting to me.

[Browning]

Agreed on Bryan and Gulak, I've not seen any of it apart from their Chamber match but the storyline did sound somewhat original.

Styles Vs Black I thought was shite but someone I know has described it to me it as "a masterpiece of storytelling". What was the story? 3 idiots forgot the match was no DQ and slowly worked over a leg for 30 minutes before remembering and then the one who used to be a good wrestler lost to a wonky chokeslam from Spooky Mark McCool? Fuck off.

[Ian]

It's not a masterpiece at all. I like it more than you and a bunch of others but by no means was it a great match and it was at most about half what those two could do.

[Ian]

Oh and the landing Bryan took on that German suplex.... :sick:

[Disco]

Martin Kirby has retired :(

[Browning]

That sucks, why?

[Disco]

He didn't say, just a short message on his Twitter.

[Disco]

If anyone is interested there's a free show tonight on the Wrestle Talk YT channel at 7pm. Main event is Will Ospreay beating up his missus.

[Browning]

Ospreay Vs Priestley was great and there were a few other matches before it that were also quality.

[Gray Fox]

Vince has DOUBLED DOWN and refused to cancel 'Mania. He's moving it to the performance centre. I'm not sure of the point.

[Pleb]

Why is RAW replaying the Rumble match? :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

No Takeover or HOF apparently.

[Ian]

Vince has DOUBLED DOWN and refused to cancel 'Mania. He's moving it to the performance centre. I'm not sure of the point.

Mania in front of no crowd would be so weird I'm totally up for it.

Basically none of the spectacle either so I wonder what they'd do, if anything, to try and make it seem like a bigger deal.

[Shindig]

"Okay, guys. Get your Owen voices ready. It's showtime."

[Disco]

Will it still need to be a thousand hours long?

[Ian]

Knowing WWE they'd find a way to make it even longer.

"In place of fireworks and a fancy stage we're giving you a 2 hour Stephanie McMahon seminar on how she invented womens sport."

[Shindig]

They'll be upping their already absurd ad game. Every time they would have a crowd shot, cut to commercial.

[Browning]

60% of RAW last night being the Rumble from 2 months ago is just amazing.

[Pleb]

1% match, 60% rumble and the rest Stone Cold.

[Ian]

I mean at least they tried on Smackdown.

[Queenslander]

Matt Hardy isnt the leader of the Dark Order

[Queenslander]

Dynamite was very good given the circumstances.

[Queenslander]

What a massive pop this would have been such a shame.



https://youtu.be/5WG7k2QBnCs

[Ian]

I get why they won't / can't just stop operating but wrestling in its usual form minus the crowds is just a waste of time.

Speaking of, WWE's weird empty Wrestlemania is now going to be spread over two nights.

And hosted by Rob Gronkowski.

[Queenslander]

If I were Vince monday night RAW would start at episode 1 and go from there and the Same with Smackdown.

[Shindig]

Watching the Rock v Mankind empty arena match. If we get some Vince commentary out of this, I'll be happy. :D

"Look at this!" x 100.

[Ian]

:D

I rewatched Survivor Series 02 the other night and there was something weirdly reassuring about the fact that Michael Cole's commentary hasn't changed at all.

"Oh my!"
"Face-first goes [wrestler]!"

[Shindig]

"You are kidding me!"

Vince does some top shilling in that match, mind. "It's a soap opera every week. Imagine an old lady from Arizona tuning into this having just watched Gloria Estefan."

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Am I the only one that just doesn't get the whole Broken/Woken Matt Hardy?

I even tried to watch some of the TNA stuff and thought it was absolutely shit.

[Ian]

No it's never done much for me either. The matches against Jeff I lolled at but not in a "I want more of this!" kinda way.

[Shindig]

Time and place. As a long-term gimmick, it doesn't really work. Anything past The Final Deletion loses steam. Although weird obsolete Jeff was fun.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I get why they won't / can't just stop operating but wrestling in its usual form minus the crowds is just a waste of time.

Speaking of, WWE's weird empty Wrestlemania is now going to be spread over two nights.

And hosted by Rob Gronkowski.

There was talk of this or cancelling some matches (should have been that) because they can't have more than 50 people at the arena.

I think the Battle Royals will still have to be canned though or scaled back a lot.

[bruhnaldo]

AEW was DELIGHTFUL*

[Danny]

Havent watched WWE in many years but this popped up on my youtube.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkUsAztC4Xc

[Ian]

Yeah Phonics mentioned those recently, definitely need to give it a bash.

[Mike]

Season one was fantastic at times.

[Ian]

According to Meltzer WWE are currently more negative about Punk wrestling again than Punk himself is, which surprises me given their current "anything for a ratings spike" attitude.

[phonics]

The only thing they hold above ratings is a grudge.

[Ian]

For WWE grudges usually last about as long as they stop making business sense.

[phonics]

Macho Man would say otherwise but I guess Punk hasn't had sex with Steph MacMahon.

[Browning]

He’s still a WWE Hall if Famer and would have been during his lifetime if he didn’t insist on taking his brother in with him.

[phonics]

Doing something with him after he's dead is very much not 'not holding a grudge'

[Queenslander]

WWE Network is now free. Time for me to start at RAW episode 1.

[Shindig]

Is that a charitable 'as you've going nowhere' act? Or do we get ads every minute?

[Disco]

I tried that, it's pretty tough going for the first five years.

[Queenslander]

Bummer! My childhood memories must be surpressing all kinds of events. :uhoh:

[Queenslander]

Is that a charitable 'as you've going nowhere' act? Or do we get ads every minute?

Havent tried yet.

[Shindig]

I tried that, it's pretty tough going for the first five years.

It's so ropey. Where does hiring Rob Bartlett or whoever rank on Vince's Big Book of Bad Decisions?

[Queenslander]

https://youtu.be/-OXcgptpres

[Ian]

Bummer! My childhood memories must be surpressing all kinds of events. :uhoh:

We've had this discussion in here before but while the highs are obviously significantly higher than now and the PPV quality is better your average childhood episode of Raw or SD also contains a lot of shite. And some of it has..... aged poorly, let's say.

Still, I've rewatched a couple of old PPVs recently by scrounging through Daily Motion so I might use the Network for a bit of that if it's freeeee.

According to this (https://www.wwe.com/article/wwe-offers-free-access-wwe-network) they've unlocked a "vast portion" of it.

[Ian]

I know these are weird times but adding the below to Mania the way they have is definitely some "you what" booking.

Aleister Black vs. Bobby Lashley
Raw Tag Team Championships: The Street Profits (c) v. Andrade and Angel Garza

And the Taker / Styles match is a BONEYARD MATCH!!! (???)

[Browning]

That’ll put butts in seats.

[Queenslander]

We've had this discussion in here before but while the highs are obviously significantly higher than now and the PPV quality is better your average childhood episode of Raw or SD also contains a lot of shite. And some of it has..... aged poorly, let's say.

Still, I've rewatched a couple of old PPVs recently by scrounging through Daily Motion so I might use the Network for a bit of that if it's freeeee.

According to this (https://www.wwe.com/article/wwe-offers-free-access-wwe-network) they've unlocked a "vast portion" of it.

Damn. I remember rewatching a lot of shit from the Attitude Era for some reason I thought there was some good stuff before then.

[Ian]

To be fair there's still plenty of good stuff and there even if you take out the fact that they had a higher ceiling because their top superstars were better there are things they did much better too.

Rabid crowds help massively of course.

[SvN]

I hope they really go all out with mental matches in ridiculous locations this year. Watching matches in a ring in an empty arena feels very odd. This is a real chance at being creative.

[Ian]

I dunno, I'm kinda into the idea of it being a total freakshow.

[Gray Fox]

The one year they could have gotten away with having a match at House Hardy as well.

[Browning]

Don't worry, we're getting House of Horrors 2.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I know these are weird times but adding the below to Mania the way they have is definitely some "you what" booking.

Aleister Black vs. Bobby Lashley
Raw Tag Team Championships: The Street Profits (c) v. Andrade and Angel Garza

And the Taker / Styles match is a BONEYARD MATCH!!! (???)

Strange but the Tag match could be great, Black v Lashley not so much.

[Ian]

The tag match could be great but why, other than "because wwe lol", would they spend weeks / months building up this fourway US title thing with all the Mexicans just to do that?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Nice that they've also partnered up Cedric and Rick so Vince can kill both of them with one stone.

[Disco]

Damn. I remember rewatching a lot of shit from the Attitude Era for some reason I thought there was some good stuff before then.

Attitude Era is slightly different, 93 still has some good bits (anything with a Hart involved) but you can skip the majority of each episode.

[Ian]

Mysterio is self isolating, so that explains the US title one I guess.

[Disco]

Havent watched WWE in many years but this popped up on my youtube.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkUsAztC4Xc

Fuck me the bit with Chavo explaining how he found Eddie is brutal.

[Browning]

Yep, that's the bit that got me as well. Still remember that day so clearly. Horrible.

[Queenslander]

Wrestle Kingdom 14 night 1 is now available for free.

https://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00532_6_1

Will Ospreay v Hiromu Tanahashi starts at 2 hours 19 minutes. Followed by Naito v Jay White then Okada v Ibushi.

[Disco]

And the main event, Okada / Ibushi is superb. January also feels like a thousand years ago.

[Queenslander]

It sure does. :(
Yeah Okada v Ibushi is easily match of the year contender.

[Queenslander]

Evolve have started to release some good older matches.
https://www.youtube.com/user/dgusadottv

[Ian]

I see that real sports feel AEW had Matt Hardy teleporting on Dynamite last night.

They want to be staying away from that shit.

[phonics]

Chris Jericho cut a promo on a drone.

[Disco]

Excuse me but I think you mean Vanguard 1.

[Gray Fox]

He also offered Vanguard 1 a place in the Inner Circle.

[Shindig]

And a title shot.

[Mike]

It was also amazing.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sounds it...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Roman has pulled out of Mania as he's, rightly, worried about contracting Coronavirus due to his immune system having been lowered due to Leukaemia.

[Ian]

Sounds like the boneyard match is just going to be a buried alive match without the ring. So they're taking the worst bits of the terrible buried alive gimmick and adding it to the worst things about Broken Matt or the Wyatt / Orton feuds. Great. Bring on this hideous car crash.


Roman has pulled out of Mania as he's, rightly, worried about contracting Coronavirus due to his immune system having been lowered due to Leukaemia.

That seems entirely reasonable. I wonder who gets lumbered with getting something out of Goldberg in an empty arena now.

Bobby Lashley and his slightly random match with Black might be off the cards too because the former is in quarantine.

Surely, short of letting somebody cough in your mouth, wrestling is up there with the worst things you could do during this?

[Ian]

Oh, apparently Meltzer was saying they're considering subbing in Boatman. He'll probably lose, Boatman does get to win important matches.

[wullie]

I want Goldberg vs Kane, really earn those Meltzer stars

[Gray Fox]

Those knee bumps aren't going to do themselves.

[Disco]

How is not Goldberg / Riddle, surely that's a no brainer?

[Ian]

I mean if Goldberg walks out to give it some "I mean more like LOLkemia, amirite?" and then we get a "Broooooo....." I'll be equal parts pleased and annoyed at Riddle having to eat a squash by Goldberg.

Riddle's been getting a lot of heat for that shit supposedly so he'll probably get a match against Gillberg before he gets one against Goldberg.

[Browning]

Supposedly they’ve filmed a segment to set up Oldberg/Boatman. In before it’s just Strowman saying “No... IM NEXT”.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1243572356255186950

...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Word is that Andrade is out too.

[phonics]

Double post because it's good enough for both threads.

https://i.imgur.com/1RCLUem.png

[Ian]

using a quarter of Smackdown on HHH vs. Reigns was an..... interesting move.

[Vercetti]

I've been watching some stuff from my childhood recently, what with being locked in and all. All good, of course. I'm not bothered about anything after the early/mid-2000's, really.

I just watched Goldberg vs Undertaker from last year(?), though, and by christ, what was that about? I know they're both ancient, and it was presumably at the request of, and well financed by, the hosts, but fucking hell. :D

[Gray Fox]

Apparently Oldberg was concussed early on. He had already cut his head open headbutting his door in the back for his entrance and then got smashed into the ring post and properly busted it open. Then he nearly got a full tombstone on his head. Didn't seem to know where he was and could barely stand after that.

Spooky Mark looked very pissed at the end of the match too.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He was concussed by headbutting the door apparently. The ring post smash didn't help ofc.

[Ian]

Maybe, and I don't want to get too crazy with this, he should stop headbutting doors given he managed to bust himself open a couple of years ago just coming out to deliver a fucking promo.

I mean what he should actually do is never wrestle again but let's take it one step at a time.

[Shindig]

It's a little different but I go back to him punching a limo window out in WCW. That was supposed to be gimmicked but he punched his way through solid glass.

[Gray Fox]

The good news is Plumpy did a Mania video. The bad news is he filmed it before all the wrestlers started pulling out of the show.

[Lewis]

If they waste the return of Biker Mark on this shithouse 'Mania.

[Shindig]

Imagine if he retires in front of an empty arena. :D

[Ian]

Spooky Mark being in one of these 4th wall breaking feuds is lol.

"Haven't you spent the last decade pretending to be a teleporting zombie, mate?"

[Browning]

Yep, it's monumentally stupid.

I hope this virus situation doesn't lead to people forgetting this Mania was going to be shite long before it was a thing. They have some excuses for some shit now, but Taker/AJ as an example was shit long before this.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Austin Theory has been called up to replace Andrade to team up with Angel Garza against The Street Profits.

I'm not sure why Austin Theory but he's done alright in the small handful of matches he's had on NXT. Apparently it's probably going to be a permanent call up as Heyman likes him.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Although more of this and it wont be a permanent thing:

1244801625694318595

[Shindig]

Botches sound so much better in an empty setting. :D

[Ian]

Yep, it's monumentally stupid.

I hope this virus situation doesn't lead to people forgetting this Mania was going to be shite long before it was a thing. They have some excuses for some shit now, but Taker/AJ as an example was shit long before this.

I'm actually really looking forward to it in a BRING ON THE FREAKSHOW sort of a way.

[Ian]

I'm sure "Release the hounds!" will have the wrasslin' meme folks happy but the Jericho / Matt Hardy stuff sounds dorky as fuck.

[SvN]

I watched it and actually found it quite funny. It's probably the most AEW I've watched other than Cody's promo a while back.

[Ian]

I've watched that 2-3 minutes and Jericho is a funny guy but... I dunno, just not for me I don't think.

I do need to actually seek out some AEW matches though.

[Queenslander]

Omega v Trent from this week was good. Trent's superplex was scary to watch.

[Queenslander]

https://youtu.be/nRj-zBfOnls


https://youtu.be/iUN9W_oBDt4

[bruhnaldo]

Ya that match was awesome.

[Queenslander]

It was very much like a NJPW match.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Sam Roberts on commentary for this weeks NXT was fucking awful.

[phonics]

I watched the Kofimania the other day. Only just found out that isn't Michael Cole. Whichever one of them it is sounds like his twin.

[phonics]

Was listening to the Macho Man Randy Savage rap song about Mr. Perfect as you do and google pulled this up so I'm sharing it.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1b/88/52/1b885229a75ae35deb6d1066881a2ae8.jpg

[phonics]

I'm now just listening to this unironically. What a tune.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbF5FAKVup4

[Lewis]

This (https://franticplanet.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/the-mad-lies-of-hulk-hogan/) came up on some Twitter account I follow yesterday. What the fuck is that song about? How have I only learned about that today?

[Ian]

Yeah I've seen that before.

And to answer your questions in order:

1) Christ knows.
2) I actually thought I'd seen that article in here first.

[phonics]

Guys, I've gone down the 'Wrestlers releasing their own albums' hole so you don't have to.

How about a Japan only release of a Terry Funk album from 1984?

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

[Shindig]

Michael Jackson should've sued.

[Mike]

So, first night of ‘Mania tonight, which is off by itself! Anyone staying up? I’ll just watch on the network tomorrow. No idea of any matches having not seen any WWE since the rumble.

[SvN]

I'm excited for some reason. I'm staying up for it.

[Disco]

So, first night of ‘Mania tonight, which is off by itself! Anyone staying up? I’ll just watch on the network tomorrow. No idea of any matches having not seen any WWE since the rumble.

Don't worry, they don't seem to have told anyone which matches are on which days, which is pretty lol in itself.

[phonics]

I'm prepared to be massively disappointed which is also how my ex described having sex with me.

[Mike]

Then you rocked her world?

BRING ON THE WRESTLING

Phonics bringing the hype!

[Disco]

The only thing still going for Wrestlemania was it's a spectacle and now it's not even that. Hard pass for me.

[phonics]

The only thing still going for Wrestlemania was it's a spectacle and now it's not even that. Hard pass for me.

This is exactly why I'm watching. It's intriguing to see what's at the bottom of the barrel.

[phonics]

They've announced that the kick off for the show is

"Backstory: Liv betrayed her on IG by unfollowing. Then Natalya cut a promo on IG stating how she thought Liv was her friend"

Off to a banger.

[randomlegend]

Following the tenuous link of mental WWE related content, I stumbled back across this gem the other day:


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

:D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUkAuoNx4zo

What the fuck?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Cesaro/Gulak could have been an absolute classic had they give it time.

I'm not sure why they gave it about 5 minute seeing as it's over two nights.

[Browning]

They could have had 45 minutes of the best wrestling the world has ever seen and that finish still would have ruined it.

[Smjffy]

So WrestleMania is being staggered over two days? Someone throw up a link! I thought it would have been cancelled tbh.

https://cytu.be/r/Cenation

[phonics]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/696134050720645161/Capture.PNG
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/464147082253434911/696134697172074577/unknown.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/464147082253434911/696134746706542672/unknown.png