The Ultimate WWE Thread

[Browning]

I’ve heard people speculating Miz to cash in at SS and someone to walk out with both titles... which would make absolutely no sense as the contract is for one title shot not 2. It’s primary function now seems to be to see which fans can create the dumbest theory for it, such as all the people claiming Carmella was going to cash in on RAW despite Shane specifically saying it was SD only... all the “Otis will cash in for the tag titles” and everything else. Yea, just be done with it. I still think they haven’t topped Edge.

[SvN]

I still think they haven’t topped Edge.

https://britishisms.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/extras_laugh_wt_r_1.jpg?w=500

Seth's cash in was easily the best.

[Browning]

Seth’s cash in looks better because they booked a shite main even between 2 guys no one wanted. I don’t think it was as good as people make it out to be.

[SvN]

You just think Edge's was better because you were younger and less miserable.

[Browning]

That probably plays into it, plus Edge was my favourite wrestler and I hated Cena. So I’m definitely not unbiased, but I’m also not going to act like them booking a really, really shit main event to wrestlemania and calling an audible is the best thing ever. It was good, but Edge taking the belt off that cunt and making a gimmick out of it that lasted the rest of his (proper) career won’t be topped for me.

[Ian]

Edge's is a great one too and while I still think Rollins I don't really disagree with any of your points. I was also not an active viewer during the Edge one so while I've seen it and the shows leading up to it I didn't have any special investment in him or the defeat of Cena 'cause it was all past tense.

Also as much as nobody wanted it before hand and the feud was shit and the first 50% of Bork / Lesnar at 31 seemed like we were just getting the Cena squash again the latter half of it is vastly underrated even before the cash in.

It's nice to watch the Ziggler one every so often too if only because the pop he gets is ludicrous and about 20 times louder than anything he's got since I got back into it.

Going back to the Boatman one I think they could have done him a lot of good at that time when he was still relatively hot with the crowd if they'd had him declare months in advance that he was cashing in at a Big Four PPV in the main event and he didn't give a fuck who the champion is and then have him continue to smash shit up and just sort of looming over the title picture. And then whatever you fucking do don't have him lose his shot to a no-contest in the Cell.

I'm also trying to think if there's any other way you COULD have MITB be interesting again and I'm really struggling to think of much so yeah, I think I'd stick with just binning it for now, though it'll never happen. I'd much rather they rehabilitated KOTR, used it for people who've never won a WWE / Universal title, gave them a title shot at a given PPV and obviously don't give them the fucking "King" gimmick.

[Browning]

The one that me and a mate have always said would be an ok twist on it (not great though) is to have someone win it and then get Kayfabe hurt and just fuck them off TV for most of the year and hope people forget about them. It probably would have worked once, but the internet would have people constantly going on about it every 5 minutes, so probably wouldn't work now.

RVD's cash in gave us a great match in fairness (if not for the in ring quality, then for the atmosphere). It used to have some good uses, but now it's really just a Heel prop to get the belt onto a heel without damaging the face too much. That's why with Miz, it could work, he's exactly the kind of heel that could use it effectively and piss people off in the process, but having him lose it to fucking Drew would be ridiculous. When he gets the belt back, it shouldn't be via a cash in.

[Ian]

Yeah if they managed to keep it under wraps that idea could work but as you say the internet would prevent that from ever happening.

Maybe they'd need to add some other wrinkle or stipulation to what it gives you but I can't think of what that would be without it being shit.

[Baz]

I’ve been on a mega mission to catch up with AEW and jeez louise the tag team(!) match between Omega/Page and the Young Bucks at Revolution is a fucking 8 star Dave Meltzer jizzer. :drool:

[Queenslander]

90's coke feind Shaun Michaels :drool:


https://youtu.be/AkiFqu4hf5s

[Pleb]

Seth's cash in was only incredible because MANIA!!

Dolph Ziggler however made me turn into a 10 year old.

[Ian]

Watched most of Halloween Havoc last night and while it's annoying to say it McAfee is a genuinely very good heel promo, or has been in this storyline with Cole anyway. I really liked Ripley / Gonzalez as well, you don't often get the equivalent of a hoss fight with the women but it was good and they both made it look like they were taking serious hits.

[Browning]

Seth's cash in was only incredible because MANIA!!

Dolph Ziggler however made me turn into a 10 year old.

Yep. Once you remove MANIA it’s a poor man’s version of when Edge got his Mrs to add him to HHH vs Kozlov.

[phonics]

Coming back to wrestling and finding out there are people who like Edge has been very weird.

To me he was a shitty Gangrel stand-in and then had sex with Lita for a bit. Just permanent cringe.

[Ian]

I don't understand it being at Wrestlemania being used as a mark against it. Wrestling is entirely smoke and mirrors and big name shows are part of that. It's also not the only reason Seth's was good.

Looking at this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_in_the_Bank_ladder_match#Cash-in_matches

Are the good cash-ins actually a proper minority?

Edge for being the original, RVD for the reasons you've already covered, Ziggler for the pop, Rollins... is that it? I'm disinclined to count Orton's because while it works as part of the broader Daniel Bryan story, y'know, meh. There's a lot of stuff in there that's either shite, not really cared about or just a re-run of the original but without anything to elevate it.

And they haven't tried anything remotely different for the women, discounting Asuka because I'm talking specifically about cash-ins.

[Ian]

I like Edge fine but after the initial pop at the Rumble I've not cared much about his return. The two matches have been bollocks. If they insist on continuing with this they need to use him with people who can actually do a bit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They want him against Randy again for Mania.

It's why they gave him the title.

[Ian]

My hope is that Edge costs him the title before then because fucking hell, Edge and Orton for a world title in 2020.

Five more months of Orton sleepwalking his way through title matches. :sick:

[Browning]

I agree that Edge's return has been bollocks. I didn't even bother with THE GREATEST MATCH EVER after how shite the Last Man Standing match was. You had days to edit that... you could have cut at least 80% of the parts where they were just on the floor grunting.

And I agree, Mania shouldn't be used against the cash in, but it definitely has elevated it. If you did that at Great Balls of Fire no one would be talking about it now.

The only other cash in that could be considered good for the moment itself is Kane because he was the first to cash it the same night he won it. When they did the same thing with Ambrose just to have all 3 hold the belt on the same night it was bollocks.

Bryan's lead to some great heel work from him before he was properly over, but the moment itself was forgettable.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

My hope is that Edge costs him the title before then because fucking hell, Edge and Orton for a world title in 2020.

Five more months of Orton sleepwalking his way through title matches. :sick:

I've also read that they want Orton to keep feuding with Drew for now but they decided to add The Fiend into it because they want him to take pins to protect Drew.

Imagine if they've already made "THE FIEND" a jobber :drool:

[Disco]

He is a heel, that is what they're for.

[Browning]

He is a heel, that is what they're for.

Apparently not..

https://cultaholic.com/posts/report-the-fiend-bray-wyatt-and-alexa-bliss-considered-babyfaces-on-wwe-raw

[Ian]

Any chance of The Fiend being any good was ruined in that Hell in a Cell match. Bray's still a talented guy, creatively certainly, but I'm long past the point of being able to invest in a Fiend match and if he's just a makeweight in this everlasting gobstopper of a feud between Keith and McIntyre then fucking hell.

The very notion of the Fiend being a face while being presented the same way is madness as well. I quite liked Blampied's recent Fiend booking video.


The only other cash in that could be considered good for the moment itself is Kane because he was the first to cash it the same night he won it. When they did the same thing with Ambrose just to have all 3 hold the belt on the same night it was bollocks.

That's a fair point, we'll allow that one then.

[Disco]

Apparently not..

https://cultaholic.com/posts/report-the-fiend-bray-wyatt-and-alexa-bliss-considered-babyfaces-on-wwe-raw

If I have to qualify every post to take account of their idiot booking we'll be here all day.

[Ian]

It's lockdown, we've got time.

[Ian]

Finished Halloween Havoc. That is my favourite LaRae match by a very long way.

[Ian]

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.

Just watched this and yeah, it was superb. They must have been fucking sore after it.

[Queenslander]

Another belter from this channel.


https://youtu.be/hsMRCDuMS8U

[Ian]

I had totally forgotten that Strong had turned on Dunne to join EU. So his being on McAfee's gang makes total sense.

Pretty good episode of NXT, pretty much all the matches were good. It's always fun to see somebody like Moon come back from doing nothing on the main roster and, even after injury, immediately looking better than she was ever allowed to on Raw / SD.

[SvN]

Another belter from this channel.


https://youtu.be/hsMRCDuMS8U

Watched that entire thing over the last couple of days, brilliant video.

[Queenslander]

Watched that entire thing over the last couple of days, brilliant video.

The channel is brilliant I highly recommend.

[Queenslander]

Anyone watch Full Gear?

The news reads like it was the best USA show this year.

[Disco]

I will be watching it today, watched Power Struggle yesterday.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The Hogan beer tap on Quizzlemania today :D

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/w0sAAOSwA-9fYNLX/s-l1600.jpg

The face makes it.

[Ian]

Yeah that was particularly hideous. I enjoyed the Jamble rounds.

[Ian]

Alright, I didn't see Ruff taking the North American championship coming...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Zelina tweeted this:

1327382306491928576

And 10 minutes later this came out...

1327384821211992066

[Disco]

Nice, she's really good. Isn't she Tommy Ends other half, hopefully he feels the same way.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

She is and hopefully not.

[Queenslander]

Heel Will Ospraey is kinda lame.

[Queenslander]

Tommy End to NJPW please!

[Disco]

Heel Will Ospraey is kinda lame.

Yeah he's not quite there yet, partially because I can't get past the knowledge that underneath it all he's still a cheesy Essex twat. Good dickhead suit though.

[Queenslander]

Yeah he's not quite there yet, partially because I can't get past the knowledge that underneath it all he's still a cheesy Essex twat. Good dickhead suit though.

It feels like he needs to say less.

[Queenslander]

:drool:



https://youtu.be/iU0Kty1LjCQ

[Disco]

Talk N Shop-amania 2: Rise of the Cock Torturer.

As bad and ridiculous as the first one, awful crap from start to finish. I loved it.

[Ian]

So that was just a stat-padding reign for Orton, then. Great.

Not that I'm unhappy to see McIntyre have the belt back. And McIntyre / Reigns could be fun if they just smack the shit out of each other like they didn't in their Mania match.

[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.

:cool:

Haven't watched NXT this week (or last) but great news tbh. Also like the sound of Team Shotzi v Candice.

[phonics]

Jr on absolute fire this week including when he asked if the aew women’s fan club do bake sales.

[Ian]

Are you :cool:ing yourself for spotting the heavily signposted thing? :P

Also WarGames is bollocks.


Jr on absolute fire this week including when he asked if the aew women’s fan club do bake sales.

GOOD OL' JR.

He's absolute shite these days. The bits I watch of AEW he offers nothing.

[Disco]

Don Callis rocking up on the ppv really showed up the rest of that announce table.

[Ian]

Blimey, the Undertaker has done an episode of Hot Ones.

Can't wait until his FINAL FAREWELL on Sunday leads to another feud in which we're expected to buy into the mystique of Spooky Mark.

[Disco]

Fuck me has he not gone yet? His farewell has been longer than some careers.

[Ian]

The Final Farewell is on Sunday, he's definitely, absolutely, positively 100% done this time!

[Baz]

Then he can rock up in AEW to be Darby Allin's token old bloke in the corner, that they are absolutely feasting on.

[Ian]

To be honest if it meant I never had to watch him wrestle again I'd be all over him doing that, as lol as it is that AEW will hire absolutely any old fucker just to hang about.

Won't happen though. It'd make Vince cross and Mean Mark won't risk that.

[Disco]

He could carry a menu around like Arn Anderson.

[Baz]

Laminated, no less. It's only a matter of time before that's slicing between Jon Moxley's fingers.

[Queenslander]

AEW is on free to air next year on 7. :drool:

[Shindig]

I might be late to the party on this but OSW's ruined for me now. They love to explain a joke and then repeat the joke with footage. Repeating spots. Damn it, D'lo, etc.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/476466012024340483/779123880719024128/EnOCoOZXUAI4T9J.png

All 30 gone now, at $1000.

I imagine they'll release some extra-special limited Cameo's for 2k soon.

[Ian]

Gosh, he's so supernatural and mysterious!

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Nice of WWE to go back to the old "HE WAS NEVAR ELIMINATED!!!!" finish in a battle royal.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The women's survivor series match is the worst finish to one of these elimination matches.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Kane in his full ring gear with everyone else in suits is brilliant.

[Browning]

So they closed the PPV with taker coming out and cutting the same promo he’s done at least 4 times? Incredible.

[Ian]

Yeah, having that main event and then finishing with that Undertaker bullshit. :face: I really hope that's actually him done this time, what with all that and him now appearing on every show and podcast going.


The women's survivor series match is the worst finish to one of these elimination matches.

Yeah I thought they were gonna have Bianca get in and then either Lana go down valiantly or sneak a roll-up or something. I thought it was a decent match otherwise and actually not a bad show overall. The men's survivor series match had decent action though I'm not sure why they booked it how they did, I thought Zayn did what he could to make the most of the short time him and Bobbles were given when he'd clearly been told it was going to be a dominant loss (I loved Lashley just running through a clothesline and everything else was good. Profits / New Day was great (though fucking lol at reuniting the New Day briefly for a fucking Gears of War advert), Sasha / Asuka was good (I'd have probably had Asuka nick it purely so you could have a future match after a proper feud where you still have the thread of Banks never pinning / submitting Asuka 1v1) and the main event was really, really good. It's nice how much Reigns gave McIntyre given they knew who was going over and yeah the ending was a screwy finish but a) it was obviously never going to be a squeaky clean win for anybody here and b) it did at least make some sense.

Not a classic or anything but on the whole I enjoyed that.

EDIT: Oh, and Keith Lee's new theme isn't as good as the old one but it's decent.

[Baz]

Was Kane’s hair real?

[Ian]

I don't think his hair has ever been real has it? Other than the fluffy, baldingness when he first unmasked.

[Disco]

It was real back in the day, it was certainly real when he was Diesel so it would have been an odd move to shave his head then give him a wig that looked exactly the same. I reckon anything post unmasking has been a wig (short, normal person hair aside).

[Ian]

Yeah I know as 'Diesel' and Isaac Yankem it was his. I dunno that I ever really thought about it pre-mask.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It was real but he cut just before the unmasking to have the weird hair for the reveal.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://i.redd.it/dqg3mw8kpr051.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6BRSSQYWbejCvCEFlfBL--M9oWl6kvSnmYA&usqp=CAU

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1330958729597087745

My word.

[Ian]

Were we due one this Wednesday? Didn't we have one last week or was that the Wednesday before?

I assume I'm suffering lockdown time distortion rather than us getting this a week early.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We were due one.

[Queenslander]

This could have been at least an hour.


https://youtu.be/AQck1vcv8os

[Ian]

That Riddle/Sheamus match on Raw was surprisingly very good. It was a decent show in terms of the matches, actually. Though Boatman getting himself "suspended" because he apparently doesn't know the phrase "last but not least" is colossally dumb.

[Browning]

First there was triple threat matches. Then there was No Holds Barred triple threat matches. Now there’s Sudden Death triple threat matches! I can’t wait for next month when we will have a three man triple threat match.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Falls count anywhere inside the ring singles match :drool:

[Baz]

This could have been at least an hour.


https://youtu.be/AQck1vcv8osDoes it include him fighting Mr Blobby on Live And Kicking?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Caught up with NXT.

Ripley v Shirai and Dunne v KOR were fantastic.

[Ian]

They were indeed.

I came here to say "Fuck that" to the bump Jeff took on Raw last night.

A couple of minutes into this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwH0FJhHbEs

Why's he even trying that? On TV against sodding Elias? There's clearly not enough room.

[Shindig]

Because, 'Fuck it. It's the finish.'

[phonics]

Sting is in AEW.

[Queenslander]

Sting is in AEW.

Who is he managing?

[Ian]

The good thing about AEW signing all these pensioners is it means that's one less for WWE to sign (and give their world titles.)

[Mike]

Pat Patterson has died.

[SvN]

It's a shame it was without a crowd.

[Ian]

I dunno, a crowd chanting "This is awesome!" or "You deserve it!" as an old man passes away could be considered to be in bad taste.

[Queenslander]

AEW sharing talent with Impact is very interesting.

[wullie]

Can Sting still wrestle or did Seth Rollins kill his neck properly? If they're going full WCW they need to get Goldberg to smash Omega in 90 seconds on Dark.

[Queenslander]

I reckon he will do tags to get the likes of Darby over.

[Browning]

I've never got Sting, but fuck me, they're going to go full on TNA aren't they?

He has to be cleared to wrestle, otherwise it's a complete waste of time.

[Ian]

There were a load of rumours earlier in the year that he'd been cleared to wrestle I think so I wouldn't be surprised if that was true and it was just the 'return to WWE' stuff that wasn't or didn't ever really gain traction.

[Queenslander]

He is in a mid card storyline atm so it isnt TNA levels of lol just yet.

[Ian]

I've just watched the video of it and JR really sounds like he's going through the motions of being "excited."

[Browning]

I watched it too having watched hardly anything from AEW ever, and while I don't disagree about JR, he still feels like the voice of wrestling to me. All wrestling without him feels like it's missing something. His half-hearted excitement is still a billion times better than some cunt shouting "OH MY!"

[Ian]

Well sure but "being better than Michael Cole" isn't a very high bar to clear.

Late 90s / early 2000s JR is still the best and I don't think anybody's ever really come close in any wrestling I've watched so I think I tend to go the other way a little now and hearing him so lethargic and disinterested just makes me a bit sad.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I think peak Mauro pips him for me because of how enthusiastic and passionate he was. He also made it feel more like an actual "sport".

[Ian]

Present Ranallo is better than present JR though some of his catchphrases are getting a bit Andy Gray / tek a boo son.

[Baz]

Sting is in AEW.

Spoiler that shit.

[Ian]

The wrestling thread has always been "avoid the thread if you don't want to know any results" for as long as I've been posting here.

[Baz]

Oh.

I avoided it tbh, but got it spoiled by Darby Allin's social media, doh!

[Ian]

It's always weird places I get spoilers from when I'm trying to avoid them. I'll avoid the wrestling websites and silence the relevant people I follow on Twitter and then the fucking BBC will have a sidebar article about it or something.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

My Google feed gets me most of the time.

[Ian]

Has everybody else seen this (https://youtu.be/hHuLxV5Eiu0?t=1360) before? :D

On the off-chance the timestamp doesn't work it's 22.40 you're after.

[Gray Fox]

I was in the crowd for that!

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That spot from Io :cool:/:D

The bin is the MVP.

Sweet Jesus that eclipse.

I think the Men's Wargames match was the best they've done. Loved it from start to finish, from Dunne and KOR putting on an early clinic, Dunne and Oney picking apart KOR and then when everyone was in. The setup was a bit shit (they always are for the big dives) by McAfee with a beautiful swanton off the top and not being caught (plus his perfect moonsault earlier through a table) was wild.

Dunne hitting a Bitter End on a chair was mad.

[Ian]

As a counterpoint I enjoyed the womens Wargames match more for them working around the babyface advantage thing, the stuff with keeping Shirai from entering, building Gonzalez to be a bit of a monster and the dumb but very funny trashcan dive spot. Not amazing but alright as wargames matches go and the mens one was just everything I don't care for. Yeah the action was fine early but it's 25 minutes of stakes-free wrestling and then once everybody IS in there's nothing fight-y about it, they're just moving through the script and for fuck's sake when will they realise that one guy jumping off a cage onto a convenient crowd of seven people (who all then die from the impact) has never not been bullshit? if Rikishi can jump off a cage with just poor Val Venis waiting for him then you fucking can too.

On the whole though I enjoyed the show more than I expected as I didn't have high hopes for any of it. Ciampa / Thatcher was rough and ugly in the right way. I thought Grimes / Lumis had the wrong winner but I enjoyed how they used the chair and the strap for the finish but I thought there was going to be more to come from Grimes insisting on his own strap. Fun though and Grimes is great. Also enjoyed the story of the triple threat match with Gargano focussing on Ruff as a weak point and Priest really just wanting him to stay out of the way. However I'm bored of Gargano in NXT so another title reign for him doesn't fill me with joy and the shenanigans involving guys dressing up as a reference from a quarter of a century ago is very main roster-y in the worst way. Fun match though, even still.

But yeah, Wargames can do one.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1336017520042635265

No SRS though...

[Ian]

Motherfuckers.

[phonics]

After seeing what Lewis posted in the football thread with AFTV. How do they deal with people paying superchats to say heinous shit, do they get to keep the money if they delete it?

I would love to watch these if someone did an edit removing all superchats.

[Ian]

They just don't say them.

Also you can achieve that very effect of no superchats with a mouse cursor or skip button or whatever if you watch it after the fact.

[Baz]

How can I watch “Impact Wrestling” over here? I just wanna see Kenny Omega’s bit(s) without it being spoiled beforehand so can’t really google.

[Queenslander]

How can I watch “Impact Wrestling” over here? I just wanna see Kenny Omega’s bit(s) without it being spoiled beforehand so can’t really google.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CIj6XerKEwS/?igshid=108oisb74txfa

[Disco]

Watch wrestling online. That'll bring up a site.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eo-rrC2XEAEVk0c?format=jpg&name=900x900

Thinking Keith Lee's in ring work isn't good enough...

[Shindig]

Imagine the gall to go over to AJ Styles and say, "Yeah, have you got anything else?"

[SvN]

You've had a mare there, Shinners.

[Shindig]

I have. Curse me for finishing that sentence early.

[Queenslander]

Well this is different.

Bullet Club is back in America outside of NJPW I gues.



https://youtu.be/x4f4yE15IA8


https://i.ibb.co/FVMFLn7/Ep-U8-P5h-WMAIQiq-L.jpg (https://ibb.co/KwkJpmy)




https://youtu.be/im5U3cQHOFE

[Disco]

I don't want Tony Khan to become an on screen character but I do like those ads, they're quite funny. The cross promotion is also smart, it helps both shows.

[Baz]

Seems like a fresh company with a ton of momentum doing a favour to shitty Impact, which isn’t even on television.

[SvN]

The AEW nerds on Reddit are going mental about the fact that the ratings beat Raw this week in the key demographic. Not sure how much of a big deal that is, but looking solely at the Raw viewing numbers, it's absolutely crazy how far they've fallen in the last few years. They need to do something, especially if AEW keeps building momentum.

[Disco]

There's lots of mitigating factors (like NFL games etc) but it's still ahead of any schedule anyone thought possible/likely. As far as I understand it Raw is still more lucrative because of their deal with whatever network they're on but the two shows do seem to be going in different directions viewership-wise.

My only Raw exposure these days is Alvarez ranting on YT but the booking strategies would appear to be night and day. AEW is not the sports based promotion that they talked about at the beginning but they've followed the crowds in that respect which is understandable, and the booking makes sense which makes a huge difference.

[Ian]

Yeah Raw being written hours before broadcast based on Vince's latest tantrum just isn't conducive to good TV.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Louis "Nugget" Dangoor saying that Waitrose Rapid is his favourite fast food in the intro of Quizzlemania...

[Ian]

He'd also never had a KFC even once before and does his work from his parents' house so y'know.

[Queenslander]

There's lots of mitigating factors (like NFL games etc) but it's still ahead of any schedule anyone thought possible/likely. As far as I understand it Raw is still more lucrative because of their deal with whatever network they're on but the two shows do seem to be going in different directions viewership-wise.

My only Raw exposure these days is Alvarez ranting on YT but the booking strategies would appear to be night and day. AEW is not the sports based promotion that they talked about at the beginning but they've followed the crowds in that respect which is understandable, and the booking makes sense which makes a huge difference.


https://youtu.be/kHuQMSs8JBI

[Queenslander]

:drool:

https://i.ibb.co/zhxvsXT/Screenshot-20201217-091347-Instagram.jpg (https://ibb.co/MDS0ncx)

[Ian]

Louis "Nugget" Dangoor saying that Waitrose Rapid is his favourite fast food in the intro of Quizzlemania...

Datson going out straightaway in the final round. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Datson going out straightaway in the final round. :D

And he was so confident too.

[Ian]

Yeah that's what made it, he thought he was being such a smartarse. And then being clearly, obviously fuming after.

[Baz]

Anyone else into collecting wrestling figures? Preordered wave 3 of the AEW ones yesterday (Young Bucks, Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy and Riho) and covered the cost by selling the AEW ring with an eXcLuSiVe Cody figure on eBay. Sending it to America is a pain in the arse, but worth it. :nod:

Still need Brandi Rhodes from wave 1 though, goddamn.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I think I stopped when I was about 10.

[Baz]

10? Loser. I probably stopped when I was 9.

These are an investment though.

Considering I already sold a ring I paid £29.99 for, for £155+shipping, I’m sitting on a future goldmine.

[Ian]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdK2bQME0Ik

[Disco]

'Dumpster fire personified'

Says MICHAEL COLE with no hint of irony.

[Ian]

I look forward to 2021 being put in an 8 month feud with Jezza.

[Disco]

2021 is such a talented hot prospect they'll have it lose every week then forget about it after 3 months.

[Ian]

Chasing R-Truth for the 24/7 title by April.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Heel Roman is so damn good.

That TLC match was glorious.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Christ that Inferno match was shit.

The only good thing to possibly come out of it would be The Fiend being done.

[Ian]

I've looked at the results because I'm really not sure I bring myself to care about TLC as a PPV in general and because the only feud I really give a shit about on the show is the Reigns / KO one and there was only ever going to be one winner there. Lol at the use they've got out of the men's MITB this year.

Charlotte back so she'll presumably taking the title off Asuka basically whenever she decides she wants it and WWE can go back to pretending Asuka isn't one of the best people on their roster and the TLC matches sound largely like any other of the 300 ladder matches WWE have done. Yawn.

[SvN]

I haven't watched it, nor a second of WWE programming in months, but this is a great visual.

https://i.redd.it/82mftr44jg661.jpg

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've looked at the results because I'm really not sure I bring myself to care about TLC as a PPV in general and because the only feud I really give a shit about on the show is the Reigns / KO one and there was only ever going to be one winner there. Lol at the use they've got out of the men's MITB this year.

Charlotte back so she'll presumably taking the title off Asuka basically whenever she decides she wants it and WWE can go back to pretending Asuka isn't one of the best people on their roster and the TLC matches sound largely like any other of the 300 ladder matches WWE have done. Yawn.

A lot of people are saying it's their best PPV of the year. It's up there but I think that's because the bar wasn't that high.

Drew/AJ was great but I think it lost a lot of momentum when Miz attempted a Rollins.

Sasha/Carmella was ok and probably Carmella's best showing in some time but she's really shit and shouldn't have been anywhere near a title.

RAW tag match was fun but not amazing. Women's tag was predictable and pretty guff.

Reigns/Owens was brilliant. The story telling was spot on yet again, it was really hard hitting and Roman makes another person he beats look great. Finish was also really neat.

Inferno match was a complete dud for me. I try to like Bray but I just can't and The Fiend is just so crap.

[Disco]

Where is Adam Cole in all this, have they still got him bowling about in NXT?

[Ian]

A lot of people are saying it's their best PPV of the year.

People also like WarGames so I dunno what to tell you.

I will probably end up giving the two world title matches a go but it's very, very difficult to care about stipulation matches when they're just because it's that time of year.

And when we get them so often.

[Browning]

Luke Harper/Brodie Lee has died.....

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1343010439949520897

:|

[Queenslander]

Truly awful. :(

[Mike]

Sucks :(

[Ian]

Fuck, that's shit.

[Shindig]

Maybe ... maybe don't put your kids' twitter handles in that, love. :uhoh:

[Queenslander]

Banger


https://youtu.be/--jMS4kXzhQ

I forgot how shit the NWO was overall.

https://youtu.be/hAzjndUP3_w

[Queenslander]

:(

https://i.ibb.co/R7vXjQq/FB-IMG-1609383467273.jpg (https://ibb.co/M92zBPm)


https://i.ibb.co/1msphYt/FB-IMG-1609385270420.jpg (https://ibb.co/FDsfNkL)

[Ian]

I like how McIntyre spent many minutes last year waxing lyrical about the WWE LEGENDS and then the basis for his Rumble match with McIntyre is him asking McIntyre 'Y U NO RESPECT LEGENDS GUD? >: ( "

[Queenslander]

Disco

Wrestle Kingdom 15 was incredible. Have you seen Jay Whites promo?

[Disco]

Still working my way through the first night so not seen it yet, I know most of the results though.

[Ian]

Forget about Wrestle Kingdom, it's all about the hPhone, brother!

[Disco]

Well I definitely know what that means.

I saw today that, following an investigation, ROH has parted ways with Marty Scurll. Yikes, I wonder if anyone else will touch him.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Well I definitely know what that means.

I saw today that, following an investigation, ROH has parted ways with Marty Scurll. Yikes, I wonder if anyone else will touch him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opItm4MmB9A

What you gonna do when the hPhone runs wild on you, brother!

[igor_balis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opItm4MmB9A

What you gonna do when the hPhone runs wild on you, brother!

What YOU gonna do when the Freak Phone runs wild on YOU?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq97QAYDDoI

He looks a bit like Hogan, actually.

[Disco]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opItm4MmB9A

What you gonna do when the hPhone runs wild on you, brother!

I bet it makes a great home movie.

[Browning]

As bad as that clip is, the worst thing about all WWE currently is the fake crowd noise. It makes everything so much shitter.

[Ian]

The general crowd noise doesn't bother me much either way but whoever's decision it is to pipe in "This is awesome", etc. wants shooting.

[Browning]

It's really off putting for me because it seems so random. The above video and the Miz getting his case back are the only 2 clips i've seen lately and both annoyed me like crazy how the crowd would randomly get louder and quieter with no reason. Do they really think the crowd would have been popping at those random parts of that commercial?

[Ian]

Oh it's certainly not good but I also find it distracting when they're wrestling to silence so I'm not keen either way.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It's usually way too loud as well, especially when someone is cutting a promo.

[Disco]

Jeff Cobb vs Shingo.

Proper meat circus, Cobb is a crazy strong beefman who made it look comically easy to lob Shingo around. The huge release suplex right over his own head was madness.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Didn't realise there was a Quizzlemania this week :(

30 odd minutes behind.

[Ian]

Didn't realise there was a Quizzlemania this week :(

30 odd minutes behind.

It's been pretty subdued by the usual standards. I assume because of what's going on in Murica which.... yeah it's super shit I guess more so for Sean but it's not making me sad.

I'll save that for when it's us in a few years' time.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oli's non-Caucasian breakdown :D

[Ian]

Yeah his go at that round was probably the highlight of the show.

[Ian]

So Ziggler and Roode are called the Dirty Dawgs now?

[Browning]

Just watched the best of Quizzlemania thing they put out a while back. Rarely bother with the post show so hadn't heard the pigeon story. Incredible :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8wucNHZwEw&t=2647s

There's the link, it's amazing.

[Disco]

1347003600396976130

Snoop is getting some grief for this but fair play, it's no worse than the Miz.

[Ian]

Just watched the best of Quizzlemania thing they put out a while back. Rarely bother with the post show so hadn't heard the pigeon story. Incredible :D

Yeah that was my first time too. :D

[wullie]

It's not the best but with that splash Snoop is like Eddy Guerrero compared to Tamina who's been a professional wrestler for over a decade.

[Ian]

Tamina very nearly lands on her feet for her splash.

[Ian]

NXT was really good this week. I even liked Ripley / Gonzalez even though normally last (wo)man standing matches do nothing for me. Loved Riley responding to Kai's interference by beating the shit out of her and stuffing her into a locker. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

A lot of rumours about Jay White coming to WWE to perform on NXT.

[Disco]

They're making a big thing of it on actual NJPW shows, which makes me suspicious. Aside from that why would you bother with NXT when AEW would almost certainly take someone like him if he was to become available? You get better exposure, similar money (without bullshit restrictions on where else you can work), and the booking isn't a mess. Unless the lure of losing to Baron Corbin on Smackdown then being forgotten about is just too strong to pass up.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Drew has the rona and this:

1348711274323050499

Makes it sound like more wrestlers have it too.

[Ian]

Man it'd be embarrassing if they'd recently flown in a load of elderly people to be up close with their stars on the show, wouldn't it?

[wullie]

McIntyre started licking every door handle as soon as he saw Goldberg's name come up.

[Ian]

I mean if he manages to have killed either Oldberg or Hogan that's him confirmed as a babyface until he retires.

[Shindig]

Goldberg would see that right off.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://411mania.com/wrestling/possible-spoiler-for-tonights-raw-8/

According to Wrestling Inc, the word backstage at Raw is that The Game will be wrestling on tonight’s show. This would make for the WWE executive’s first match since June of 2019, when he worked a special live event in Tokyo, Japan.

:drool:

Vince taking a dip in the "legends" pool once again.

[Queenslander]

If he comes out to DX music. :drool:

[Shindig]

You wouldn't get Lemmy's estate on the phone for a one-off.

[Ian]

Raw's main event. :D

Genuinely lol'd.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1349876307178500096

WALTER just trying to decapitate a lad...

[Queenslander]

Good camera work.

NJPW are great at putting over what looks like career ending neck bumps with similar angles.

[Disco]

Helped by people taking career ending neck bumps with some regularity.

[Queenslander]

Naito and Ibushi arent human.

[Ian]

Yeah from what I've seen of NJPW there isn't a lot of cleverness required to hide the neck bumps.

I actually wish they wouldn't because if and when one of them inevitably paralyses themselves it's going to be impossible to sympathise.

[Queenslander]

Maybe neck bumps is a bad example but the camera work does a great job at selling dangerous looking moves.

[Disco]

The neck death thing is a bit of a meme at this point, there was that one spot with Naito / Ibushi last year (year before?) that people thought was intentional but people in all promotions get dropped on their heads. Strong Style/Fighting Spirit tends to look more impactful because that's the point (Shibata is fine, just taking some time off) and dare i say it the better the wrestlers the better it looks.

NJ camera work is so much better that I struggle to watch WWE matches these days, the constant cuts and camera jumps are almost nauseating.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The neck death thing is a bit of a meme at this point, there was that one spot with Naito / Ibushi last year (year before?) that people thought was intentional but people in all promotions get dropped on their heads. Strong Style/Fighting Spirit tends to look more impactful because that's the point (Shibata is fine, just taking some time off) and dare i say it the better the wrestlers the better it looks.

NJ camera work is so much better that I struggle to watch WWE matches these days, the constant cuts and camera jumps are almost nauseating.
The cinematic match between Adam Cole and Velveteen (there was no need for a cinematic ffs) has to be the worst I can remember. There seemed to a cut/jump every second.

[Ian]

Kevin Dunn needs hoofed into a meat grinder.

The amount of times they actively miss stuff because of his insistence on jumping is unreal.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He should have been punted for missing Edge's first spear back in the Rumble.

[Smjffy]

I unintentionally tuned in to watch Raw to see the legends were back, Randy Orton portraying the Legend Killer again (kind of) but I fell asleep. What's the crack with Mark Henry? Is his leg legit fucked?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Probably just had surgery on his ankle/foot and would rather use a scooter than crutches.

[Smjffy]

Fair enough. Just seeing him reminded took me back a little and his stints. To go from a nobody in the NoD, to a relative joke in Sexual Chocolate then a bonafide main-eventer with the Hall of Pain stuff, probably one of my favourites at that point. I liked the character.

Looking back at the thread, did HHH actually return, Mahow?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He wasn't a nobody in NoD, although it was clearly a faction to push Farooq and then later The Rock. He was hyped quite a bit just before the Nation stuff too because of his Strongman career.

He did. I didn't watch it but they had a Street Fight, Triple H's sledgehammer caught on fire then the lights went out. When they came back on HHH was gone and Alexa Bliss then threw a fireball into Randy's eyes...

[Ian]

It was barely even a street fight, there was no ref it was just a very brief brawl and then sledgehammer stuff happened which was shite but I did genuinely laugh at. I assume that wasn't the desired reaction.

[Ian]

Also I watched NXT over the weekend the debut of MSK / The Rascalz was WWE's usual weirdness in terms of how they spoke about them. But they were talking up MSK's debut as if it was this big shock thing but as per didn't acknowledge any of their non-WWE work. So they're talking about them like they're this big exciting debut and that they totally know who they are but not from where or why, because of course they've changed the names for no reason.

Still, they seemed fun in that debut match. MSK vs. Grizzled Young Veterans final could be fun if they go down that route which seems like they might.

[Queenslander]

Disco

Latest Goto promo he talks about Jay White. Chances of him going back to CHAOS?

[Disco]

I feel like this prepping for a face turn rather than him leaving, it's talked about a lot on comms and they're advertising him for future shows. Probably for the best, there's a few too many chiefs in BC at the moment.

[Queenslander]

Evil and Dick Togo ruined it.

Kenny wearing a Bullet Club shirt to an Impact ring is bonkers.

[Disco]

That has to be some kind of collaboration, NJ lawyers are normally super hot on protecting their IP (rip Showbuckle and his really good fued summary videos) so for them to do that on TV suggests something is going on.

[Queenslander]

Ibushi v Omega :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The price of that Hogan photo on QM this week...

[Ian]

Unsigned too. :D

[Ian]

1352078395425906690

Quite aside from how untidy the actual bump is (I assume she's meant to take more of the bump on her arse?) that's a bit like the Red Arrow insofar as my brain can't quite parse the string of movements that makes that happen.

[Queenslander]

https://youtu.be/v0znNL2zww0

[Ian]

I've not checked any of their stuff out yet.

Is it quite visual or would it work as a listen along while I work?

[Queenslander]

I've not checked any of their stuff out yet.

Is it quite visual or would it work as a listen along while I work?

You could get away with listening.

[Ian]

There's a 2001 Rumble one popped up on my suggested Youtube videos so I might give that a bash.

[Queenslander]

The bloke who does all the videos is easily the best at what he does. IMO

His monday night war series is a cracker.

[Gray Fox]

The Network(only $9.99!) is done. To be shut down in the USA at the very least after Vince sold it off.

[Queenslander]

That doesnt sound good.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That doesnt sound good.

Getting $1B for 5 years sounds great to Vince.

[Queenslander]

He is cashing out and retiring?

[Browning]

Considering he sells TV rights for similar numbers frequently, no chance (in hell).

[Queenslander]

I hope Trump gets another run.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I hope Trump gets another run.

Roman's dropping the belt to him at SummerSlam.

[Queenslander]

I would buy all the merch.

[Disco]

Given that the network constituted a massive reduction in PPV revenue this is not that surprising.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I wonder what they'll do with other countries.

I would hope they keep the Network up but they could always fold it and go back to PPV only.

[Disco]

I wonder what happens to the archive, if you live in the states then I can't see (whoever has bought the online rights) giving much of a shit about it. Which is a shame for anyone wanting to watch older stuff.

[Queenslander]

Tony Kahn buying the library would be killer invasion angle.

[Disco]

He would too, he could also probably recite every fucking episode the little autist.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I wonder what happens to the archive, if you live in the states then I can't see (whoever has bought the online rights) giving much of a shit about it. Which is a shame for anyone wanting to watch older stuff.

Everything on the Network will move over to Peacock.

[Queenslander]

Heel Kahn on Impact is amusing.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1353889513446256643

RIP Dana.

[Shindig]

She had so much time to sort herself out.

[Ian]

1354227208387227651

I wonder if he means scary as in physically dangerous or scary is in "Why the fuck are they having Jinder win?"

[Browning]

I hope it’s everyone gets eliminated and number 30 (Brock) wins without getting in the ring.

[Ian]

I don't think vanilla WWE booking would count as 'scary.'

[Disco]

I did read that they intend to reveal the first two and final entrants on some talk show thing before the Rumble. Have I been misled or do they just not give a shit anymore?

[Ian]

They probably consider Fox ratings more important than PPV viewers these days, especially now they've already rinsed NBC for Network rights.

[Ian]

Why are AEW having Shaquille O'Neal in a match? Does that sort of "get a random celeb in" do much to shift the ratings these days? Especially given it's not exactly comparable to when WWE got Tyson or Arnie, is it?

[Browning]

I would say it’s pretty comparable to when WWE used Shaq.

[Ian]

Oh, is 'setting up Big Show vs. Shaqulle O'Neal' the level AEW have been aiming for all along and I just misunderstood?

[Queenslander]

Shaq is on the same channel with the NBA. They are doing some good old fashioned cross promoting

[Ian]

If he's having to work with a lumbering former basketball player Cody should go the whole hog and wrestle as Stardust for the night.

[Shindig]

Maybe he should have Snoop as a tag partner.