The Ultimate WWE Thread

[Disco]

That would be great if it happens. Miro Day :cool:

[Browning]

It already happened. He’s the best man.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just finished up NXT. Unfortunately I had the Cole/Balor result ruined for me although I still felt that the match could have been a lot better (I also hated the commentators creaming themselves that no one had kicked out of a Coup de Grace which isn't true).

Bronson Reed/Theory was decent in parts and I did like Ripley/Martinez.

[Ian]

Ruined for you? There was absolutely no way Cole was winning that anyway, behave yourself.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.wwe.com/shows/nxtuk/article/nxt-uk-heritage-cup-champion-to-be-crowned-in-eight-man-tournament

I like the sound of that.

[Ian]

Not sure about the rounds but I barely watch NXT UK anyway so it doesn't make much difference.

[Browning]

Over/Under 0.5 matches before they have a tie after 6 rounds and no one has a clue what to do.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Not sure about the rounds but I barely watch NXT UK anyway so it doesn't make much difference.

I watched it at the start but they were pumping out so many episodes that I missed a couple of weeks and had about 30 to catch up on.

Will try to get back into it when they come back next week though.

[Ian]

Sasha Banks in The Mandalorian, eh.

I hope when she first appears Maggle is heard squawking IT'S BOSS TIME.

[Browning]

I just love the idea of that RAW main event:

“If you can beat the champion then you can face the champion for the title but only if the guy who is actually going to face him isn’t physically able to.”

What a load of bollocks.

[wullie]

I don't think anything can ever top Shane McMahon wanting the company because he has info to blackmail his dad who still manages to force him into a match against the Undertaker to earn it, lose, get his power anyway and never mention the dirt again anyone

[Gray Fox]

It will stay in THE LOCKBOX.

[Ian]

Undertaker being Vince's lapdog for a month for further unexplained reasons was mental about that as well.

In other news I'm working my way through last week's NXT and O'Shango / Cole has sprung a very pleasant surprise by not being really annoying.

[phonics]

My favourite shit-era storyline has to be the 'Anonymous Raw GM'


Mr. McMahon first unveiled the Anonymous Raw General Manager on the June 21, 2010 episode of RAW, after firing the previous general manager, Bret Hart. While Michael Cole often acted as the spokesperson, the Anonymous Raw General Manager once used a computerized voice when it was interviewed by Edge on The Cutting Edge. The interview ended with Edge destroying the General Manager's laptop. The Anonymous General Manager controlled Raw until July 2011, when it was phased out in favor of COO Triple H and Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis without its identity ever being revealed.

THEY HAD A SECRET LAPTOP BOOKING THE SHOW FOR A YEAR AND JUST DROPPED IT.

Fine. I could take that, and I could take going back and 'revealing' it to have been Hornswoggle on the RAW 1000 episode you also made a giant hand that Mae Young birthed a living human being.

And then...



At Survivor Series, The Authority, who had previously held power in WWE, were deposed. The following night, Raw closed with the Anonymous General Manager's familiar e-mail noise, followed by Michael Cole's reading of an e-mail in which the Anonymous General Manager promised to bring "order" back to WWE. The identity of this general manager remains unknown, an article on WWE.com questioned its gender and the possibility of it being Hornswoggle again. Heading into 2015, the laptop disappeared again with The Authority taking over again.

Fucking hell.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Barrett is officially Mauro's replacement. He's signed a one year deal with an option to extend.

I'd have preferred it had Mauro stayed (as well as Nigel McGuinness) but I do like Barrett.

[Ian]

WWE love a dropped storyline. The worst thing about that era is without a shadow of a doubt Heel Cole though. Lawler's on-air heart attack was the best thing that happened to Maggle.

Surely McGuinness will be back once things are back to normal-ish?

Also I finished last week's NXT and the cage match was really good. Exactly what I hoped for out of those two.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

WWE love a dropped storyline. The worst thing about that era is without a shadow of a doubt Heel Cole though. Lawler's on-air heart attack was the best thing that happened to Maggle.

Surely McGuinness will be back once things are back to normal-ish?

Also I finished last week's NXT and the cage match was really good. Exactly what I hoped for out of those two.

I hope so. Might even come back for NXT UK I suppose.

[wullie]

The anonymous Raw laptop was operated remotely by Hade Vansen from his secret GTV offices.

[Ian]

And briefly found by the Smackdown Hacker.

[Disco]

I was going to bring up GTV, or indeed who killed Vince (although he did get better very quickly).

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What if it was actually sentient and the laptop was acting of it's own accord?

It was merely using Michael Cole as a puppet (which he has never recovered from and only finds pleasure in saying "IT'S BOSS TIME" etc).

[Ian]

Oh my!

[Shindig]

I like the idea of Michael Cole being a vessel for Skynet.

[Gray Fox]

As long as it's revealed at the Judgement Day PPV.

[Shindig]

By Arnold. As promotion for Terminator 8(?) which is being produced by WWE Studios. Starring HHH so he can make an entire movie out of the Wrestlemania entrance.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1306776881698607104

It's a shame that's happening on Main Event but that's a lovely finish.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1308202593710211072

:face:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1308202593710211072

:face:

For those wondering. From left to right: Mercedes Martinez, Mia Yim, Shane Thorne?, Dominik Dijakovic and Dio Maddin.

[Queenslander]

Dork Order.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Gimp Order.

Fair play though to Dijakovic for shaving his head, growing a 'tache and attempting to go full Bane.

[Queenslander]

He is a very good wrestler hopefully this works for him at least.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He is a very good wrestler hopefully this works for him at least.

I think he's brilliant. His matches with Keith Lee (especially the first when they just kept doing ridiculous spots including a fucking Spanish Fly) were incredible.

He's come a long way in his NXT run. I remember him getting squashed a couple of times as "Chris Dijak" although they did let him get some attacks in.

[Queenslander]

That fued should go all the way to a big Wrestlemania pay off.

I agree I dont know how Keith Lee and him pulled all those big moves off absolutely mental.

[Ian]

Shane Thorne?, Dominik Dijakovic and Dio Maddin.

Er, I think you'll find that's Slapjack, T-Bar and Mace. No word on what shit Yim and Martinez are being lumbered with.

I have no opinion either way on Madden and Thorne but the other three all deserve way better than this shit. It's already dead in the water.

I watched last weeks Raw and NXT last night. Dominick might be pretty green but he doesn't do a lot wrong, though they probably need to stop this endless Rollins feud now and the stuff on Raw for that last night sounds like garbage.

Also really enjoyed most of NXT. The tag match went at a cracking pace and I thought Shirai vs. Blackheart was ace.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Er, I think you'll find that's Slapjack, T-Bar and Mace. No word on what shit Yim and Martinez are being lumbered with.

I have no opinion either way on Madden and Thorne but the other three all deserve way better than this shit. It's already dead in the water.

I watched last weeks Raw and NXT last night. Dominick might be pretty green but he doesn't do a lot wrong, though they probably need to stop this endless Rollins feud now and the stuff on Raw for that last night sounds like garbage.

Also really enjoyed most of NXT. The tag match went at a cracking pace and I thought Shirai vs. Blackheart was ace.

When I read your post earlier today I thought it was a joke.

I now see that those are official names :face:

[Ian]

Bless your optimism.

[Disco]

Slapjack, T Bar, & Mace. :D

Incredible.

[Ian]

1308168220269072384

Erm.

[wullie]

Oh for fuck's sake

[wullie]

1308747451415830529

[Disco]

The ultimate test, can he no-sell death?

[Ian]

Just Heidenreich left. :(

[Ian]

1308936071472873472

I share this here purely because I think that's an excellent fourth name for a Retribution member.

COPPEGORGE.

[Ian]

NXT had some good stuff on it, the main event the highlight. While O'Reilly's gradual face turn is a bit weird and prompted I'm well up for him getting some singles action. I've heard he was ace in PWG and ROH, etc.

[wullie]

https://i.imgur.com/NJcYjh7.png

[Ian]

1309063021772320768

Dreadshot. :cool: Genuinely better than any actual Retribution names.

[Shindig]

Storm Hands.

[Ian]

Storm Hands will be Boatman's name if he joins.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You may now call me Stormswipe.

[Ian]

"Retaliation" and "Reckoning" for Yim and Martinez.

Surely you have to assume at this point that this is being intentionally set up to fail?

[Shindig]

It's like Aces & Eights but a whole lot worse. How do you even manage that?

[phonics]

"Retaliation" and "Reckoning" for Yim and Martinez.

Surely you have to assume at this point that this is being intentionally set up to fail?

It's a group of antifa thugs going to war with Vince McMahon. Of course they're set-up to fail.

[wullie]

I thought at first they were meant to be Project Mayhem for Shane McMahon's fight club, but that would lead to Shane smacking himself about in Wrestlemania 38's night 4 main event.

[Shindig]

With Dunn's camera work, that might actually be watchable.

[Smjffy]

I got introduced to AEW properly by one of the chaps I work with and I can't remember the tag match now but fuck me, it was phenomenal.

Also Orange Cassidy. :cool:

[Ian]

As per there was a lot of "why have they done that?" on Clash of Champions THE GOLD RUSH but there was some good stuff. Zayn's excellent heel work in a slightly weirdly laid out ladder match and this Roman Reigns is basically the one they should have been doing for years and I really enjoyed the main event.

The biggest weirdness came in having Orton's recent victims come back to haunt him in the ambulance match. Not because that's a bad story to tell but because a) it just made him look like more of a badass than McIntyre and b) he wasn't doing anything especially heinous at those points in the match. Surely you have him doing or threatening to do something properly grim to McIntyre and THEN have the interference? What ever, at least we're not getting Restholdmania in every title match (yet.)

But yeah, the Reigns stuff marks the first time in ages a PPV has ended and I've actually been interested to see what comes on the following shows.

[Baz]

I got introduced to AEW properly by one of the chaps I work with and I can't remember the tag match now but fuck me, it was phenomenal.

Also Orange Cassidy. :cool:It’s brilliant.

[Waffdon]

Is Reigns a heel now?

[Ian]

Yes.

[Gray Fox]

He also wasn’t wearing his bullet proof SHIELD vest, Which is the big news.

[phonics]

Remember when everyone said he looked lame in it but Vince liked it so they had to make up a lie about him being medically obligated to wear it?

What a company.

[Shindig]

Hopefully they resort to foreigner headbutts and the tribal chief gimmick results in some kind of headdress.

[Disco]

Samoan heads are canonically harder than everyone elses.

[Shindig]

I've also never seen a Samoan Drop be used by a non-Samoan.

[Ian]

I think this picture of Orton is all we need to know about Raw this week:
https://411mania.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Randy-Orton-RAW-645x370.png

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just watched the ladder match and I loved it. There were some great spots and Sami Zayn's heel work was incredibly smart.

[Ian]

I was pretty down on the ladder match initially because it felt like they'd skipped the opening act and gone straight to "everybody's lying around beaten up" without having the frenetic start but it really grew on me, due to no small extent to Sami Zayn.

[wullie]

I've seen all kinds of injuries and Sid's leg hanging off that time, but I really can't be doing with them stretching Jeff Hardy's ear. Makes my knees go, seeing that.

[Ian]

I said that to somebody yesterday. I dunno why because honestly it's probably not even that sort for him but it makes my stomach turn just a little.

[Disco]

I purposely never watched the Sid clip so Joey Mercury is still the bar for me.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The main event was brilliant. One of the best things they've done in a while on the main roster, superb storytelling on show.

Tribal chief Roman is great and he looks so much better without the vest.

[phonics]

Not for any particular reason but a friend reminded me of this and I laughed all over again.

https://i.imgur.com/k8C2rdz.png

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1311460223459172353

oof.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

NXT has moved to the PC and they've made it look really cool.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Swerve v Escobar :drool:

That was a tremendous match. Swerve doing that dropkick/DDT move in the corner was great as was his rana.

[phonics]

Finn Balor wrestling himself?

https://i.imgur.com/NmwNrjL.png

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That main event was ridiculous and might be one of my personal favourites.

One of the best Takeovers in a while.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1313292317827227649

Giving the people what they want :drool:

[Ian]

I think 'How enjoyed Takeover a bit more than I did but it was a solid show.

Did enjoy the main event even if it feels like Takeover main events now get the +10 minutes EPIC MATCH allotment that HHH matches get.

With Moon back on NXT and Storm getting called up from UK their womens division is looking pretty solid right now.

[Ian]

Ali the leader of Retribution then. Does he get a shit name too or does this mean the others can shed theirs or something?

I've also no idea how this works (other than "It doesn't") because the two factions feuding are both heels. I wonder if Hurt Business get moved to Smackdown.

Also looking at some stuff about Takeover earlier I think the reason I may have been a little more down on it is the match finishes.

Cruisers - Is "botch" too harsh a word? Maybe, but to be fair I'm not sure it was actually a good finish even if Swerve didn't fall short.
Womens title - Over-booked nonsense
Main event - When I say "hot finish" I don't mean I wanted finisher spam and endless kickouts but I felt it sort of picked a pace about a third of the way through and stuck with it. And then it had that really weird Holland/Cole thing at the end that I have no idea why they timed it the way they did.

Sadly the best ending of the night was in the match with the nonce in it.

[Ian]

1313257585483681792

I thought I'd seen somebody who obviously wasn't commentating sitting at the table. They're so weird.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah, you could tell that it wasn't them.

I have no idea why bother though? Whenever they went to Vic between matches they had him on his own too, I imagine they told the extras (the woman looks like 2016 Sasha Banks) to duck below the table.

[Ian]

On the one hand I'm really annoyed that Quizzlemania has been put back a week.

On the other hand:
1313535311062990848

:drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Should be a cracker.

[phonics]

Watchdogs 3 has a better stunner animation than the official video games.

1313517425481134081

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I wouldn't call it a pure stunner.

It's more of a stunner/twist of fate hybrid.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bryan Alvarez has said that Finn decided to end the match a few minutes earlier than what was planned as they both had legit injuries.

It was feared that KOR suffered a concussion but he's fine (although they're saying he broke some teeth), however Balor might have a broken jaw.

[Ian]

It's very like the Stunner Austin did on D-Von when he was SAVING WWF from the Invasion on Raw.

[Shindig]

The bloke sold it right, whatever it was.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1313951890867191816

Fuck.

[Queenslander]

The Bullet Club BLM t-shirt is brilliant.


https://i.ibb.co/y647ctX/Screenshot-20201008-103947-Instagram.jpg (https://ibb.co/y647ctX)

[Ian]

The Matt Riddle accuser is suing him, WWE and some other fella I've not heard of for $10m a pop.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I haven't watched NXT yet but Ridge is fucked.

Left ankle dislocation and fracture; right knee patellar dislocation and ruptured patellar tendon.

He's had surgery on both legs.

[Ian]

Yeah I saw that. I thought it was an odd push but that's rotten luck.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/08/adebayo-akinfenwa-wwe-brock-lesnar-drew-mcintyre-13393654/

Beast v Beast :drool:

[phonics]

RIP New Day.

Big E to win the rumble and beat Roman please.

[Ian]

It's such a shame that Big E will be jobbing the midcard by January. I genuinely think he could/should be main event level so I hope I'm wrong. I always think those draft decisions when the drafter splits up a faction and they didn't have to are odd.

"Yes I'll have one talented guy instead of three, please."

EDIT: It's also a shame that such a longstanding, genuinely good stable gets split due to circumstance.

Still, just starting Smackdown and they're piping in positive crowd reactions for Steph. :D

[Browning]

Yea, it’s bollocks. Big E is so great that RAW didn’t even want him for free....

That said they picked fucking Naomi over all 3 so who knows...

[Ian]

Yeah I did lol at Naomi and Dana going so early.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Otis drafted but his tag partner Tucker wasn't (at least not at the same time).

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh and lol at no one taking SD women's champion Bayley on night 1.

[Gray Fox]

Who is picking for either side?

Is Stephanie 'Creator of Women and Womens Wrestling' McMahon on any side?

[Browning]

Oh and lol at no one taking SD women's champion Bayley on night 1.

She wasn’t eligible.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

She wasn’t eligible.

Haven't watched SD yet (probably wont) but I had forgotten that there are always convoluted rules.

[Ian]

Yeah there was a pool of people for each evening.

[Ian]

Going well once again for Lars Sullivan.

This time an online yoga teacher saying he's been asking for pictures of her arse despite her already having asked him to leave her alone.

[Disco]

The new/2020 G1 format has its downsides (although it's telling how the best wrestlers have played into them) but the shorter/tighter shows are much easier to digest.

[Queenslander]

Some of bumps and strong style on display is right on the line.

[Disco]

It's been great (I even care about Taichi), Ibushi/Suzuki from the other day was immense, the very best kind of meat circus.

[Queenslander]

Suzuki is one of the greatest of all time at this point. I cant place Ospreay atm.

Memories.


https://youtu.be/hoSZlFMFwnc

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mercedes Martinez has been given a kiss of life.

She's been removed from Retribution and will be going back to NXT.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

So Andrade goes undrafted yet Dabba-Kato, Riddick Moss, Lana, Arturo Ruas and Titus get drafted. What?

[wullie]

Does Titus still wrestle? I don't remember the last time I saw him on TV, I thought he'd quietly retired.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He's wrestled on RAW twice since the last draft. He also does the occasional Main Event (who even watches that) and does RAW underground.

[Browning]

Retribution being drafted is the worst pick of a completely shit draft.

[Ian]

This whole "pools of draftees per show" is nonsense.

Andrade going undrafted. :harold:

Also loving them moving whole feuds between brands. Really freshening things up!

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Adam wanted The Good Brothers to win so badly.

[Ian]

I think we all did in the hope that it'd mean they'd be back on.

They really do always come across as top blokes.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah but it ruined it for me slightly.

Giving them 2 points (sure it was the same match but it was a different entrance), featuring their nips in the nip round and then the very last question just to give them the win.

[Ian]

He's done similar judgement call-y points before on similarly tenuous grounds and why on Earth wouldn't you give yourself the chance to see a wrestler not recognise their own nipples in that round? Sure they probably did want them to win but if so Luke and Oli are more senior than him and would have been the ones who told him to do it.

Who cares who wins? It's just for the lols.

EDIT Just read the NXT results. I really don't have much interest in further Candace LeRae title matches.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/476466012024340483/766755836823339038/EkeVrxUXUAAKSc4.png

He's contracted to do 2 matches a year (for 2 more years), could be setting him up for Rumble...

[Ian]

Fucking murder him, Roman.

[phonics]

Braun looks like his mum and dad are getting a divorce.

[Queenslander]

Be intereting to see who they cart out for nostalgia matches in 10 years?

Miz?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ziggler.

[Browning]

It’ll obviously be The Undertaker.

[Ian]

WWE using "Greatest Royal Rumble champion" as part of Boatman's ring announcement. :D I was surprised he was allowed to kick out of a Spear in a match so unrelated to anything else but I do like Reigns winning with a submission. Is that a first?

I am well up for Rollins vs. Bryan. Well, in three years when he's finally stopped feuding Mysterios.

Final thought, or to reiterate one I think I posted previously, Lars Sullivan (his multiple faux pas aside) is in a weird spot on the main roster. The Freak Accident looks like shit when it's not being done on NXT midgets, he's not that tall compared to your average main roster person and as far as I can tell he doesn't have notable strength to do anything that spectacular so other than in the hope he gives Vince a semi I'm not really sure what he's for.

[Shindig]

I hear Lars is in the market for giving men hard-ons.

[Ian]

*Mitch

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1317261375702487040

He's a freak.

[Disco]

G1 A-Block final was certainly eventful. I think that's the first person I've seen leave on excursion and then return since I started watching. Shockingly, Ishii and Suzuki played starring roles again. English comms up almost instantly too, the turn around is far better than even the start of the tournament.

[Queenslander]

WK battle of the broken necks is going to be brilliant/scary. Im really looking forward to to see Jay White v EVIL and also see who joins Ospreays new group. :drool:

So many quality Young Lions atm the future is again looking bright for NJPW.

[Browning]

Dark Side of the Ring renewed for 14 more episodes.

[Shindig]

I struggle to think of 14 more wrestling stories.

[phonics]

Sid Justice stabbing Arn Anderson with a chair leg.

Ken Patera and Masa Saito beating up 25 cops over Ken Patera getting mad a closed McDonalds wouldn't sell him a cheeseburger.

The plane ride from hell.

Those are my top 3 that haven't got the right treatment.

Jimmy Snuka murdering his girlfriend and Vince covering it up a close fourth.

[Shindig]

Snuka was in last season, I think.

[Browning]

Snuka was in last season, I think.

He was.

The 3 episodes people claim to have been interviewed for so far are Grizzly Smith (I had no idea but apparently he's Jake's Dad?), Brian Pillman and the WCW show they did in Korea. Supposedly the Korea one was the main thing they wanted to do this season so I wouldn't be surprised if that's another 2 parter.

[Disco]

It's wrestling, there's more things than they could possibly hope to have enough episodes to cover.

[Queenslander]

The Empire is a bit meh.

[Disco]

New Japan (I assume due to the language/cultural divide) can't name things for shit. Empire is at least short enough to stick on a t-shirt and makes sort of sense, which is pretty stellar for them.

[Queenslander]

CHAOS, Suzuki Gun, Bullet Club, Los Ingobernables de Japon and The Empire. Im sure they will get the name over it just doesnt fit IMO.

It will be interesting to see who he gets in as the Juniors and tag teams.

[Ian]

Oh good, Pat McAfee is back. (Happy for Lorcan and Burch though.)

[igor_balis]

Listening to lapsed fan on 1998 wargames. Hearing some amazing stories of how bischoff basically lost his mind. He tried to do a storyline where they'd leak a rumour to the actual press that him and some Midcard guy had actually died in a plane crash...then the two of them would come back at halloween havoc. As ghosts. I want to believe it's true so much.

[Ian]

Is Lapsed Fan good? I listen to Wrestletalk and Going in Raw for my current reviews and stuff and watch Wrestling with Wregret as well but obviously working at home means there aren't really enough podcasts.

I tried Attitude Era podcast and found them really annoying after an episode or two.

[igor_balis]

Is Lapsed Fan good? I listen to Wrestletalk and Going in Raw for my current reviews and stuff and watch Wrestling with Wregret as well but obviously working at home means there aren't really enough podcasts.

I tried Attitude Era podcast and found them really annoying after an episode or two.

I think it's superb but it is a bit of an acquired taste. Pick your favourite wrestlemania and listen to the corresponding l.f. episode.

[Ian]

17 it is.

[Disco]

OSW is good too, all their stuff is up on YT.

[Ian]

I've yet to try OSW but I'm listening to spotify through the TV anyway so I could put them on the Youtube just as easily.

[wullie]

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

You what

[Ian]

I read about that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wom0eCbH4HM

This is the only musical I want in my wrestling.

[igor_balis]

17 it is.

https://youtu.be/_xxFCZeSfRU

[Shindig]

Listening to lapsed fan on 1998 wargames. Hearing some amazing stories of how bischoff basically lost his mind. He tried to do a storyline where they'd leak a rumour to the actual press that him and some Midcard guy had actually died in a plane crash...then the two of them would come back at halloween havoc. As ghosts. I want to believe it's true so much.

That's some prime Dungeon of Doom shit.

[Gray Fox]

I can also vouch for OSW. Been listening to them for a good 3/4 years now.

[Ian]

I listened to an OSW one yesterday and it was pretty decent but does have a bit of what began to grate on me about AE Podcast which is somebody making a middling joke and them all acting like it's the single funniest thing they've ever heard, about 5 times an hour.

[igor_balis]

I listened to an OSW one yesterday and it was pretty decent but does have a bit of what began to grate on me about AE Podcast which is somebody making a middling joke and them all acting like it's the single funniest thing they've ever heard, about 5 times an hour.

The thing is, the appeal of stuff like osw and lapsed fan is feeling like you're in on the joke i think. When you're not on the outside looking in, stuff like that is a warm blanket. I totally believe the sadacts who email lapsed fan saying it saved their life.

[Ian]

Yeah, you get some of that with mail / "superchats" to Wrestletalk as well and on any of these they have a relatively small core fanbase who they clearly get to know well and I can see that that's the appeal. I mean maybe I'm the outlier and when I'm with a group of mates (or did, in the Before Times) we're the weird ones for not constantly having each other in side-splitting peals of laughter.

Or maybe I'm just a miserable cunt.

I'll give Lapsed Fan a go as well when I'm out of new episodes of other podcasts and OSW was fine, it didn't actively irritate me as much as AE Podcast did.

"YEAH BUT YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THE YEAR BEFORE THEY'D [describes stupid wrestling angle WWF or WCW had done"
"WHAT"
"YEAH!"
"FUCKING HELL!"
"FUCK"
"I KNOW!"
"FUCK!"
"MENTAL!"

Go away, nobody is this fucking incredulous at everything they hear.

[Ian]

I'd like to know why it took until it last night's Smackdown for Gable to go "See this Shorty G shit? How about no?"

Also it sounds from the closing segment like what we're going to be getting is the Usos being Reigns' unwilling lackeys and I'm here for it.

[Shindig]

The one thing they can't do is turn Reigns face so quickly. I reckon that's the option they go with. Jey, Jimmy and Roman hug and then The Rock joins in. And then Rikishi turns up and they all dance.

One thing I took from the Cell is how huge it looks. They have ... made it bigger over the years, right?

[Ian]

I think Reigns forcing the Usos to be his goons when they don't want to be is the better heel move, gives the Usos stuff to work with long-term for their eventual split from him and adds to the whole "what are you doing to our family" stuff with Reigns feuds the Rock at Mania.

I don't think the cell is any bigger but I could be wrong? Is it just the colour makes it look that way?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

When you get older you start thinking things are bigger than they are.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1320458437029961731

Why?

[Shindig]

Because Truth needs a payday.

[phonics]

1320458437029961731

Why?

Because his job is to put people over.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

By beating him for a title that is supposed to be defended any time any place yet they keep suspending the rules to put on very short matches?

[Shindig]

Y'see, Vince McMahon thought it was a good idea to put on 14 hours of wrestling on TV a week. Sometimes there aren't enough ads to fill a show and so a squash match has to be booked.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I love Tribal Chief Roman.

It didn't need to be in a HIAC but it was brilliant.

And Sasha/Bayley was incredible.

Climbing the cell, finding a lightsaber and then climbing halfway down to do the table spot. Lame.

[Disco]

Just seen Walter vs Dragunov advertised for NXT UK this week, I might actually have to watch that.

[Ian]

I love Tribal Chief Roman.

It didn't need to be in a HIAC but it was brilliant.

And Sasha/Bayley was incredible.

Climbing the cell, finding a lightsaber and then climbing halfway down to do the table spot. Lame.

I agree with basically all that. Orton is so dull.

The two shows also have an absolutely shocking lack of balance right now. All heel champs, heel MITB holder and other than Drew there's barely a male singles babyface to feud any of them who hasn't been made to look like a twat. I fear that Big Fat Keith Lee is going to be forced to try and drag something watchable out of Randall, and lose, seeing as he has a recent clean win over him.

[Ian]

Raw sounds like it was a hot mess, as per. Qualifiers for Survivor Series, as if anybody even gives one solitary shit.

Aaaand per my previous post all the Champion vs. Champion matches features opponents of the same face/heel alignment. Orton / Reigns (ugh) and Zayn / Bobbo - all heels. Asuka / Banks and New Day / Street Profits - all faces.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

But we do get Lana on the card. Yay.

[Ian]

They must have one of the deepest female talent pools in the world and yet they persist with sodding Lana.

[Disco]

Stardom beats them on talent by a long way, like it's not even close.

[Ian]

Stardom's an all-female promotion, right? That makes sense.

WWE still have around 15 women* all good enough that they could either be showcasing them more (like just letting them do good matches in Raw's third hour, say, rather than filling it with Retribution or Shane McMahon) but there are, at most a handful actually getting used much at any given time and some of them are usually fucking Lana, Dana, Carmella (what happened after the BIG REVEAL following her vignettes? Has Graves not released her from his basement), Lacey, Natalya, etc.

* Just skimming the roster. And this is just the ones I've seen enough of, NXT has plenty more that I'm not considering purely because I've not seen much of them but at least some are probably going to be stepping up and also proving to be good in the future.

[phonics]

To be fair to Lana, she's ridiculously attractive. She could ask for a main event and all it would take is a low cut top to make me say yes.

[Ian]

Have you considered applying for a job with Vince?

EDIT: I say that but it's clearly not as if Vince even likes her beyond her tits given all she's doing at the moment is getting put through tables, probably because of Miro gobbing off about WWE knowing how petty they are.

[Browning]

The story was that Lana constantly cheated on Rusev in kayfabe because Vince always thought she was too hot for him. This makes perfect sense...

[Ian]

Vince just fucking loves a cuckold angle. And probably fancies Lashley more than he fancies Lana.

[phonics]

Have you considered applying for a job with Vince?

Who do you think's been posting here the whole time.

https://i.imgur.com/gytij5P.gif

[Ian]

Son of a bitch.

[phonics]

I've been writing the show to micro target annoying Browning for years.

[Disco]

You've shown yourself up there, WWE don't plan anything that far in advance.

[phonics]

You've shown yourself up there, WWE don't plan anything that far in advance.

'You believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality.' [...] 'That's not the way the world really works anymore,' he continued. 'We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors...and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do'.

Karl Rove or Vince McMahon?

[Disco]

Vince would have said 'Universe' instead of Empire, then 50/50 booked himself into irrelevance.

[igor_balis]

Tried lapsed fan yet, Ian ?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Catching up on NXT.

Ridge Holland :(

It looked awful.

[Ian]

Tried lapsed fan yet, Ian ?

Yeah I gave the first part of the Mania X7 one a go and it was much more my pace. A bit where one of them (I don't know the names) spent a good few minutes lolling at Chyna's expense which was a bit off-colour but other than that I liked it so far.

EDIT: Thought about this and checked the date and to be fair it was before she died.

[Ian]

Uncle Dave saying he's been told Lana is going through tables literally every week because they think this will get her over as a babyface.

Because all their other recent attempts at manufacturing face reactions have been so successful, you see.

[Shindig]

She needs a face Rusev by her side. Pity they didn't cotton on to that.

[Ian]

Having any charisma or wrestling talent would also help.

[wullie]

I'm glad that Shorty G is Chad Gable again, if only there was some kind of follow-up planned now.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Baron Corbin and/or Sheamus will probably start calling him short again.

[Gray Fox]

Of course there's a follow-up planned. If by follow-up you actually meant release.

[Ian]

I don't think WWE like him enough to release him.

[wullie]

The only thing keeping him away from Impact's world championship is Vince McMahon forgetting that he's under contract. Small mercies

[Disco]

Please let him go, he was so good in NXT, I'd love to see him go somewhere decent.

[wullie]

American Alpha were ace, has Jason Jordan officially retired now or is he still hoping to get back?

[Gray Fox]

He's just a producer backstage now. Obliterated his neck, just like his dad.

[Disco]

Yeah he's done, real shame because they were both great.

[Ian]

Gable's got all the tools to be at or near the top of the card. Alright his mic work isn't stellar but if he wasn't having to read out WWE scripts he'd be fine.

[wullie]

There's the chance to use that fantastic dropped storyline and have Gable revealed as Shelton Benjamin's son, Mania 37 day 6 main event all set.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Adam Pearson has been brilliant on Quizzlemania this week.

[Ian]

He's been good fun which is interesting because whenever he turns up on the pod I find him really irritating.

Low-key highlight is Oli's face when Blampied was talking about his "10 Wrestlers Who Have Seduced Your Dad" list. :D

[Ian]

I am not against Pete Dunne being part of a group with Burch and Lorcan, I think stylistically that could be a really good fit.

[Queenslander]

Surely Pete Dunne is well overdue for an NXT title run.

[Ian]

Well if this is him back you'd think they should be looking to finally give him an extended singles run. I suppose he'll be hindered slightly by Gargano (yawn) now being the NA champ again but they should be giving him some decent feuds at least. Though it does feel like NXT (much like the main roster) is a bit bereft of singles faces for him to do much with in the immediate future so hopefully something will come of the Undisputed Era feud for him. I'd be well up for Dunne and O'Reilly getting a Takeover match. Presumably we're getting McAfee and his Merry Men vs. UE at WarGames first though.

[Queenslander]

Dunne v O'Reilly would be a 5 star classic you would think.

NXT looks a but stale from the outside looking in?

[Ian]

I've probably waffled about this before but I think the TV deal has caused it, in very simplistic terms.

The NXT lifecycle used to be that you'd come in, get increasing exposure, be all over the show with a hot feud or two for a number of months and then bugger off to Raw or Smackdown, and the guys below the main event would then start to get the bigger pushes. However with the TV deal / NXT being its own "brand" they have to keep stars a bit more, however these are the stars they'd already rammed down our throats previously so we're still getting loads of Undisputed Era, Gargano, Ciampa etc. all over the show. Obviously Kross' injury hasn't helped with that but even though they're mixing up having them feud with some newer guys it still feels like they've got the same few people orbiting around each other, and Balor coming back isn't a bad thing but again it's leaving NXT feeling very different to how it did at its peak.

Being a halfway house between being the feeder system and being it's own thing leaves it in a weird position and it shows. I do also think it's starting to develop a tendency to have a very firm idea of what makes an epic match. i.e. the HHH Method of just giving it 10 more minutes than it possibly needs.

[Queenslander]

Yeah that's fair and I also think not going back to the ROH/PWG/Indie well in recent years must have hurt?

Losing Keith Lee is massive.

[Ian]

Possibly, though I don't think they actually lack for talent at the moment, there's just a lot of congestion further up the card.

Like, if you look at the roster even excluding the people contributing to that "congestion" you've got Theory, Reed, Grimes, Priest, Lumis (not convinced he's going anywhere with this gimmick but I think he's got talent), Scott, Kushida, Dunne, Escobar, Thatcher. I'd forgotten that Zack Gibson had briefly appeared before the Rona but Wikipedia has him listed too. I've also excluded Dream because I just can't get invested in his matches right now for obvious reasons but there's no denying his ability, I guess we'll see how WWE proceed with him but at the moment he's just losing a whole lot.

Tyler Bate should really be on NXT proper. WALTER too though I gather he doesn't have much interest in leaving Europe.

[Queenslander]

I forgot about KUSHIDA and Tyler Bate. I dont think Walter likes the idea of living outside of Europe. I must say the new generation has passed me I dont know those names at all.

Ideally if Raw and Smackdown werent so shite the UE could move up.

Kushida is such a freak but Im not sure he could carry the main NXT belt?

[Ian]

You may know some of those under their non-WWE names. Disco has definitely talked about Grimes / Trevor Lee before I'm sure, Priest was Punishment Martinez on the indies.

Kushida isn't THAT much smaller than some of the other NXT champions they've had so I'm hopeful they'll do something with him. The push he's getting currently is focusing very much on him being a vicious bastard so maybe that's in part to make him look more legit against slightly bigger opposition. He's great anyway and he's not mixing it with the cruiserweights so I think in NXT at least he'll be treated as one of the stars at some point.

[Queenslander]

Punishment Martinez from ROH I remember.

Kushida was the Junior ACE of New Japan the bloke is a dead set legend. Not being able to cut a good english promo doesnt help unless he gets a manager. It is weird NXT doesnt do managers.

[Disco]

The booking went out the window as soon as they went on TV, annoying really as it the setup made it almost perfect. People disappearing up to the main roster meant the top of the card always seemed fresh and they avoided the WWE habit of never giving anyone a break from being on screen. For instance in the normal flow of old NXT Gargano would be well buried on 205 by now and not boring Webly with further title runs.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Watching Havoc:

Shotzi is a perfect host.

Sadly I had the ending for Priest/Gargano spoiled for me. I thought it might have been Indi Hartwell as she had been helping Candice (loved that they had started that early with her helping in the battle royale) but they looked too big. However, Priest's entrance was boss though.

I'm starting to like McAfee more and more :uhoh: Does help that he looked great in his first match ofc.

PETE DUNNE!!! As a heel too, oh my word :drool:

Edit: I was so looking forward to Grimes/Lumis too :( These cinematics started so well with the Boneyard and they've all been crap since.

The PIP adverts are awful.

RIP Candice's back.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Matt Riddle is now just Riddle...

[Shindig]

One change away from the Riddler.

[Ian]

What I don't get about this is that a lot of his biggest stars ever have been people with a first name and surname. It's not like they're a minority who rarely get over. What precisely is the senile old cunt's problem?

[Disco]

Or The Diddler if those accusations bear fruit.

[Shindig]

What I don't get about this is that a lot of his biggest stars ever have been people with a first name and surname. It's not like they're a minority who rarely get over. What precisely is the senile old cunt's problem?

It used to be using convential-ish names was a way to tap into the MMA market. That and, once they did actually get MMA stars, you couldn't have Dan Severn (an actual man with fists) vs Doink the Clown (a clown with evil music). I have no idea what branding they get from this. Part of me likes looking back on different gimmick eras but this isn't as fun as the gang warfare of the 90's or the Everyone has a dayjob of the 90's.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rock v Stone :drool:

[Queenslander]

Or The Diddler if those accusations bear fruit.

Speaking of diddler Marty Scurll is testing the waters on instagram.

[Ian]

We're getting a Netflix doc about Vince but sadly he / WWE are involved so it won't be nearly as juicy as it could be.

[Lewis]

I read about that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wom0eCbH4HM

This is the only musical I want in my wrestling.

That man leaning right into 'SINNER'.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I read rumours that there wouldn't be a WARGAMES this year, primarily due to no Takeover on Survivor Series week.

However, they could still do it on their final Takeover of the year (December 6th) and I think it's even more likely seeing as we have a new 4-man faction starting a rivalry with a long established 4-man faction.

UE v McAfee and his British mates could well happen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/aj-styles-cesaro-and-mia-yim-suspending-twitch-streams-time-being

Twitch accounts are being suspended.

https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/paige-wwe-taking-away-twitch-i-had-my-neck-taken-away-twice-you-can-t-take-my-twitch

Paige has taken it really badly too.

[Queenslander]

Good news for AEW and New Japan USA.

[Shindig]

Paige will wind up on OnlyFans.

[Queenslander]

Paige will wind up on OnlyFans.

But we can already access her stuff for free?

[Shindig]

I mean, twitch is free but it doesn't stop the same three blokes tipping her every stream.

[Queenslander]

I mean, twitch is free but it doesn't stop the same three blokes tipping her every stream.

Very true we do live in the age of the simp.

[Queenslander]

Pete Dunne is looking a tad ripped.

[Disco]

Just seen Walter vs Dragunov advertised for NXT UK this week, I might actually have to watch that.

That was as good as anything I've seen all year, Walter is a brilliantly untidy giant bastard and Dragunov the perfect opponent for him.

[Queenslander]

What I would give to see him in next years G1 Climax. :drool:

[Disco]

Walter also has the best/most appropriate entrance in the business.

[Queenslander]

100%

Edit: Actually toss up between him and Minoru Suzuki.

[Ian]

I shall have to watch the Walter match. And I do love his entrance.

It's a shame that a) he doesn't want to go to Murica and b) WWE main roster would screw him up anyway because I'd fucking love to see that entrance in a massive stadia at Mania.

[Ian]

https://i.ibb.co/xC140wR/image.png

:D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They changed his theme ever so slightly (they changed the key and they remixed it after about 90 seconds) and it doesn't have quite the same pop though.

[Queenslander]

I shall have to watch the Walter match. And I do love his entrance.

It's a shame that a) he doesn't want to go to Murica and b) WWE main roster would screw him up anyway because I'd fucking love to see that entrance in a massive stadia at Mania.

Proper monster heel

[Ian]

I have never properly sat and thought out my top x wrasslin matches ever but Walter / Bate would make the top 10. Probably the top 5.

[Queenslander]

I might be bit late to the party here but Wrestling Bios is a brilliant wrestling channel on youtube that does 20 minute docos on 90's wrestling. :drool:

https://www.youtube.com/c/WrestlingBios

[Queenslander]

I have never properly sat and thought out my top x wrasslin matches ever but Walter / Bate would make the top 10. Probably the top 5.


I do love this photo from their Progress Wrestling match.


https://i.ibb.co/4tTzpTZ/6owtwqyws1q11.jpg (https://ibb.co/T286t8B)

[Ian]

Yeah when I first saw that I thought it was from the NXT UK one but yeah, it's an incredible photo.

I wish they'd move Bate to NXT.

[Ian]

I see Miz is carrying on the proud tradition of gaining the MITB briefcase and then losing endlessly.

[Disco]

All the people in that company who could be elevated and they put it on him.

[Ian]

There was a point a couple of years ago where he'd managed to get back to being one of the best heels in the company where you could probably have used him to help boost a babyface champ. But y'know, then he got turned into the worst face in the world, endlessly jobbing to Shane O Mac and becoming a comedy act with Morrison who frequently loses handicap matches so yeah.

It's not like they're even short of fucking heels they could have put it on at the moment, it's basically all they've got.

[Disco]

Great character, appalling wrestler.

[Ian]

This podcast I'm listening to went on to say they reckon it looks like it's being set up for Drew to take the briefcase off Miz and he'll use it.

Have they hot potatoed the briefcase before? I'm not entirely against the idea for something a bit different to the usual cash in trope.

[Browning]

Only when Kennedy got injured with it. It’s been defended before but never lost.

If they move it to someone else after Miz they might as well kill off the concept.

[Ian]

They probably need to anyway, to be honest. Multi-man ladder matches are overdone and they've already long since run out of ways to do cash ins that aren't just "person runs in during/after match when the title holder is dead."

It peaked with the Rollins cash in, they had a chance to do something slightly different with Boatman when they were pretending to care about him and of course that got Lesnar'd out of existence.