The Ultimate WWE Thread

[Queenslander]

Cody is the Sports Entertainment part of AEW I guess?

[Disco]

I'm not a huge fan of the Shaq stuff, I have no real desire to see him in a ring but I understand the value of him mentioning AEW on NBA programming (particularly as that is one sport with similar demographics to AEW). It is also just one bit of the show and I trust them not to do something horrendous, their use of older stars has been pretty decent so far.

[Ian]

Speaking of actual rubbish, I was listening to one of the WrestleTalk podcasts yesterday and I'm increasingly convinced that this could be one of the worst sets of results WWE have had on a show in quite some time.

Reigns beating Owens is fine and makes sense (even if I'd love to see Owens get a proper run with a title after the last shitfest with the Universal title) but for everything else I can totally see Oldberg taking the WWE title (maybe via Miz botching another cash-in?), Asuka being the fall guy to "protect" Charlotte in losing the tag titles with Charlotte then winning the womens Rumble and given some of the people being pushed positively on Smackdown right now my assumption is that means there's a very real chance of Lesnar turning up to beat somebody at Mania and take a world title off TV for 6+ months.

On the one hand WWE do normally try to have at least one feel-good result in there but by the same token they often expect people to react as if Charlotte is a face so Christ knows what they have in store.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1354799118103805954

What?

Although Prince Andrew is a bit risqué.

[Ian]

"You're the nonce in this joke, Drew, FYI."

That's a deeply weird thing.

[Ian]

I quite like what I've seen of The Rascalz / MSK in these first two Dusty Classic matches.

EDIT: I also just saw that Goldberg agreed with Undertaker about current wrestlers being 'soft' and thinks they need a "thicker skin." Some going from a man who got his seethe on at Matt Riddle when he was an NXT midcarder.

[Disco]

Goldberg could have done with thicker skin when he nearly sliced his own arm off being a div on Nitro.

[Shindig]

Isn't that just a common response to a window they thought was gimmicked but isn't? Try and try again.

https://eay8xzxp7gq.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Kurt-Angle-Shane-McMahon-King-of-the-Ring-2001.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1

[Ian]

Goldberg could have done with thicker skin when he nearly sliced his own arm off being a div on Nitro.

Or the fact that he now regularly comes out bleeding after encounters with doors these days.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I quite like what I've seen of The Rascalz / MSK in these first two Dusty Classic matches.

EDIT: I also just saw that Goldberg agreed with Undertaker about current wrestlers being 'soft' and thinks they need a "thicker skin." Some going from a man who got his seethe on at Matt Riddle when he was an NXT midcarder.

I did lol at that from the Undertaker, especially as I pictured him donning his wig and putting on his eyeliner whilst saying that.

[Ian]

I also liked Goldberg saying he's 54 and none of the roster could do what he does.

What's that mate, turn up 5 times a year and not take any bumps?

I reckon Chad Gable could handle that.

[wullie]

There was something about Vince McMahon's brother dying recently, it mentioned his mum is still alive which I can't get my head round.

[Disco]

Isn't that just a common response to a window they thought was gimmicked but isn't? Try and try again.

https://eay8xzxp7gq.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Kurt-Angle-Shane-McMahon-King-of-the-Ring-2001.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1

There was no 'gimmicked' window, he forgot the bar he was supposed to use and thought, never mind I'll just do it with my bare hands.

[Ian]

There was something about Vince McMahon's brother dying recently, it mentioned his mum is still alive which I can't get my head round.

According to Google she's alive and well at the sprightly age of 101.

[Lewis]

There was something about Vince McMahon's brother dying recently, it mentioned his mum is still alive which I can't get my head round.

That picture doing the rounds of his brother and his sons is the bigger mystery. How were they never booked? He was obviously the real genetic jackhammer.

[Disco]

Just imagine how insane Vince will be at 101 after 50 years of roids and CTE.

Catching up on everything tonight, two 'Road to' shows then this weeks' Dynamite and Dark ahead of New Beginning tomorrow. :drool:

[Ian]

There was something about Vince McMahon's brother dying recently, it mentioned his mum is still alive which I can't get my head round.

I mentioned this to somebody there and Googled her to confirm I had the age right and also spotted that she's been divorced for 75 years.

[Browning]

So the Smackdown main event was:

Bryan Vs Styles- Bryan wins by DQ after a run in from Sami leading to...

Bryan, Big E and Cesaro Vs Styles, Sami and Nakamura which is won by the faces (DQ again) after Miz/Morrison attack leading to...

Bryan, Big E, Cesaro and Otis Vs Styles, Sami, Nakamura, Miz and Morrison....

Which was won by Sheamus who wasn't even in it.

Fuck right off.

[Queenslander]

Just imagine how insane Vince will be at 101 after 50 years of roids and CTE.

Catching up on everything tonight, two 'Road to' shows then this weeks' Dynamite and Dark ahead of New Beginning tomorrow. :drool:

Huge result

[phonics]

So it sure seems like a new NWA-esque territory situation is all but confirmed but Global rather than National. First Impact and AEW crossovers but now Moxley just turned up on NJPW calling out Kenta. It's a shame NXT UK is really the only UK operation not in shambles after the MeToo thing.

Imagine doing like 3 WrestleKingdom events per year, 1 per continent with a merged card.

[Ian]

I mean Moxley's been the NJPW US title for ages hasn't he meaning he was always gonna turn up there sooner or later?

It will be interesting to see how far that stuff goes though.

[Disco]

He's been champion for about a year (and was in the G1 in 2019), and if you take WWE away this is how wrestling has always worked. Wrestling for just one company is the exception rather than the rule.

[Queenslander]

I much prefer Moxley's style in NJPW.

[Disco]

I think you mean Death Rider.

[Baz]

I much prefer Moxley's style in NJPW.He’s absolutely terrible in AEW. Sure his character and promos are outstanding, but his wrestling is not.

[Baz]

Keith Lee’s Missus has got covid. Royal Rumble over!

[Shindig]

Y'know what'd be neat? If one of them decided to do an e-Fed night or something. All this bollocks about playing in empty arenas and talent not wanting to participate in Covid hot zones, they could've just brought out WWE 2K and hashed a card out of that.

[Lewis]

1355923805466750979

Only the SECOND man to win it from number one. :cool:

[Mike]

Hid under the ring then Cena put me out.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Set a record for eliminations until Randy Orton eliminated me.

[Disco]

I have no work tomorrow, what time does this start?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Midnight.

There will be a pre-show an hour before where they talk for 50 minutes and then put on a semi-decent match which could have good had they given it more than 10 minutes.

[Disco]

You weren't joking, thirty minutes of this wrestling show and not a scrap of wrestling to be seen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You weren't joking, thirty minutes of this wrestling show and not a scrap of wrestling to be seen.

Before they decided to put the Cruiserweight belt under the NXT banner they'd always have a match on the pre-show. It would be 10 minutes tops every single time.

Would usually be fairly decent too (usually one of the better matches on the entire card) but they couldn't give a single shit.

It's just there to push the product.

[Disco]

Be careful what you wish for, the first match and it's what must be their two best wrestlers jobbing to Nia Jax. Presumably that frees both to enter the womens Rumble, because if not...yeesh.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Charlotte is now winning the RR, 100%

Also, Nia is a master of the leg drop.

[Disco]

She should stick to it.

I just realised Glodbog is actually wrestling :D This is going to be amazing.

[Dark Soldier]

I've bought this on PPV, I don't know why. Last event I watched was RR last year.

Goldberg still going then holy shit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've bought this on PPV, I don't know why. Last event I watched was RR last year.

Goldberg still going then holy shit.

Should have just bought a month of the Network for 9.99 then cancelled.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Also, Goldberg isn't really going.

He has 2 fights a year which last about a minute each because he can't do any more than that.

[Disco]

I'm using a shitty stream because fuck them.

[Dark Soldier]

Goldberg already knackered, love it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a beautiful jackhammer..

[Dark Soldier]

Absolute classic that.

[phonics]

Awful. What’s the point in Goldberg’s existence?

[Disco]

With no context that felt very odd, and either Groblug has gotten better at selling or he was blown to bits by the time they rung the bell.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

3 minutes of wrestling = running a marathon.

[Dark Soldier]

This commentary team looks like they're about to break out into a gay dad/son incest porn shoot

[Disco]

So far the best fun has been listening to everyone try to say 'sommelier'.

[Dark Soldier]

So far the best fun has been listening to everyone try to say 'sommelier'.

I thought they were going for Somalian for a while

[Disco]

Reginald the Somali.

[Dark Soldier]

Bet that Carmella is absolute filth

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Master of fine wines and piracy.

[Dark Soldier]

Those eyelashes cushioned that landing.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The faceplant :harold:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What is this?

[Dark Soldier]

What is this?

Incredible is what it is

[Disco]

Julio Coolio here, what the hell?

[Dark Soldier]

The fuck is that tank shit

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Shotzi :wub:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The fuck is that tank shit

It's her gimmick.

[Disco]

The tank! That might be the best thing in the history of wrestling.

[Dark Soldier]

This Billie Kay lass is entertaining

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://media1.tenor.com/images/9c0a407873d77ad5fa07e226481c35a7/tenor.gif?itemid=17754325

1347007878742372357

The tank is legit.

[phonics]

I hate that Australian chicks voice so much.

[Disco]

I hate that Australian chicks voice so much.

Evil Sue Pollard.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They really should let Toni Storm go far in the rumble.

She's amazing.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Rhea's elimination of Santana looked great.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

lol at Kevin Dunn missing the Bayley elimination.

[Dark Soldier]

I have no idea what is going in in half of this but its fucking fun

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That was probably the worst elimination ever, congrats Carmella.

Well it's only beaten by that Luchador who eliminated himself in the 90s.

[Disco]

I hate The Miz so much.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I hate The Miz so much.

I seem to go through stages with him. Right now massively hate.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I really liked that Rumble match, it was amazing but I felt it was good. There was some good eliminations, some good work (although some sloppiness, especially in the middle) with a great winner.

I think Sasha v Bianca will be a great match.

[Disco]

Is it still a golf cart if you're not at a golf course?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Genius by Roman.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Having to stop the count as Heyman couldn't unlock the cuffs :D

Other than that I thought the match started a little slow but as soon as they went backstage it picked up a hell of a lot.

[phonics]

What an upset.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Carlito :cool:

[Disco]

Fair play to Mr Bunny he comes of the top rope better than The Miz.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They've letting Priest get a lot of action and letting him eliminate Kane early is HUGE.

I wonder if he's getting called up soon.

[Disco]

Why does Otis not have all the belts and then they make more belts just to give to Otis.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

All the peeps around the world are on their feet.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Turning Rey into an advert for beer :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Keith Lee not even getting to appear, fuck off.

Unless it's because of Mia's covid test.

[Disco]

The only thing worse than real 'this is awesome' chants is piping them back into your empty arena.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They made Riddle look like an idiot.

[phonics]

Edge sucks. awful rumble.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Thank fuck they didn't let Randy win.

[Gray Fox]

Edge :cool:

[Queenslander]

Edge sucks. awful rumble.

One of the most overrated to ever set foot inside a wrestling ring.

[wullie]

When Edge was getting battered by everyone early on and the timer started I was sure Christian was coming out. Instead Jeff Hardy and Christian just turns up later anyway. I don't get what Retribution are about if their main guy just goes and has a normal rumble match and they don't even come out to give it loads.

[Lewis]

What happened to Edge being one bump away from being a cripple? Is he a full-timer now or is this just toilet write-off booking?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

When Edge was getting battered by everyone early on and the timer started I was sure Christian was coming out. Instead Jeff Hardy and Christian just turns up later anyway. I don't get what Retribution are about if their main guy just goes and has a normal rumble match and they don't even come out to give it loads.
They're just so shit.

What happened to Edge being one bump away from being a cripple? Is he a full-timer now or is this just toilet write-off booking?
Came back at last year's Rumble then he had a couple of matches with Randy (one shit, one THE GREATEST EVER) and tore a bicep in the second so has been out since June. So no idea if he's a full timer now.

I like Edge a lot but I think it's a pretty crap decision.

[Gray Fox]

I reckon it's the chance to go on on his terms this time.

[wullie]

With Charlotte ducking the usual Rumble win and picking the NXT title last time, the scene had better be set for Edge choosing whoever the tag champs are and getting Christian back for another match. Either that or Randy Orton's winning the title before then

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

With Charlotte ducking the usual Rumble win and picking the NXT title last time, the scene had better be set for Edge choosing whoever the tag champs are and getting Christian back for another match. Either that or Randy Orton's winning the title before then

I think they'll end up doing a fatal 4-way.

Drew/Edge/Randall/"FIEND!!!"

[Disco]

I'm not sure if 'Dangerous Tekkers' is the best or worst ever name for a tag team.

[Shindig]

With Charlotte ducking the usual Rumble win and picking the NXT title last time, the scene had better be set for Edge choosing whoever the tag champs are and getting Christian back for another match. Either that or Randy Orton's winning the title before then

Christian would carry him, too. "Fine, Adam. I'll tag you in, do your shit spear and everyone will chant you've still got it."

[Ian]

The womens Rumble was really good, and having dreaded the thought of Charlotte winning I was delighted that Belair won and that it came down to her and Ripley. I thought the early thread of Billie Kay was a lot of fun and then it dipped a bit but built up to a good ending again.

Everything else was pretty crap. Carmella shouldn't be going for womens titles, Oldberg match is Oldberg match, Reigns / Owens was a load of tedious old wank and everything bad about Last Man Standing matches even before they laughably botched that finish and made KO look like a total chump in the process. I did have a good laugh at the golf cart though.

Men's rumble was also super dull and it was pretty clear we were getting an Edge / Orton final two and I could not be less interested in that, their feud or them two having a WWE title match at Mania. Still, I suppose there's at least a chance it can't be worse than the first two in their trilogy so far.

[Queenslander]

I'm not sure if 'Dangerous Tekkers' is the best or worst ever name for a tag team.

ZSJ makes it work I reckon.

[Ian]

Well it seems like it won't be Edge / Orton so that's one small thing to take away from all this.

Uncle Dave reckons it'll be Edge / Reigns. If Reigns loses to fucking Edge. :face:

[Shindig]

I feel like you can only do the "OMG, FORMER PARTNERS!" thing in a rumble at the the start or the end, not both. You especially can't do it when they've already been exclusively in matches since Edge's return.

[Ian]

The whole thing really did ruin the mens Rumble for me. If he'd just biffed Orton out early and been done with it I could probably have made my peace with it but it rendered everything else moot because I was just waiting for him to come back in at the end which meant Edge was very likely surviving to the final two. And winning, because Reigns isn't losing before Mania and it only "makes sense" (using the term very loosely) for it to be Orton if one of them was taking the WWE title off Drew before The Big Sign PPV.

[wullie]

Is Carlito back properly now? He's been really eating his Powersauce in the time he's been away.

[Ian]

Working him back in the way they did MVP seems like the sort of route they might go down because otherwise you might have to push younger or newer people and who wants that?

He surely hasn't got himself that jacked up just for a Rumble one-off.

[phonics]

He won a tag match on RAW with... Jeff Hardy?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They teamed up once before in a losing effort to Haas and Masters.

[wullie]

Dealing with unfinished business is Carlito's way.

[Shindig]

McMahon hasn't seen that movie. You can totally book it.

[Ian]

I don't see a WWE writing going for a pop culture reference as recent as that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lars Sullivan has been punted.

[Ian]

Seemingly their initial plans for his push included matches against Cena and Lesnar.

Lol at that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Apparently they were going to give him another push around December but he no showed.

[Disco]

And is shit.

Gimmick destroyed as soon as they changed his entrance from the NXT one.

[Pleb]

Lars Sullivan has been punted.
Who?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1356746998691602433

Edge v Balor?

I hope not.

[Ian]

It's going to be Reigns, they're just pretending.


And is shit.

Yeah and when he's not on NXT surrounded by indy midgets he doesn't look half as intimidating.


Gimmick destroyed as soon as they changed his entrance from the NXT one.

Well, that and the Mitch Bennett thing.

[Shindig]

And he has the kind of voice that says, "Yep. I'm not threatening to anyone. Not even in prison."

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It's going to be Reigns, they're just pretending.



Yeah and when he's not on NXT surrounded by indy midgets he doesn't look half as intimidating.



Well, that and the Mitch Bennett thing.

I don't think he even looked that intimidating (or good) in NXT.

I'm more surprised that Vince didn't have a hard on for EC3 who also wasn't that great in NXT but at least he looks the part.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I am terrible at the Name that Jam round but it is incredible.

[Ian]

No he never looked good but he was a brick shithouse relative to most of the midgets.

That round was fun.

Aiden English's whisky channel does NOT have many views.

[Queenslander]

Kenta on AEW!

The door has opened. :drool:

[7om]

Kenta on AEW!

The door has opened. :drool:

Imagine Omega cutting a promo on AEW and this hits: https://youtu.be/tD316l1Bl_E

Throw in Impact and NWA as well and we are in serious supershow territory.

[Ian]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt43ZH2tkwc

I'm happy they're trying to do stuff with Xia Li but NXT doesn't need this shit.

[Disco]

Imagine Omega cutting a promo on AEW and this hits: https://youtu.be/tD316l1Bl_E

Throw in Impact and NWA as well and we are in serious supershow territory.

I'd prefer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DLvlpMQHzQ for the unfinished business but annoyingly I don't think there'll be much more until travel gets closer to normal. Funny how people are suddenly excited about guys working programs in other promotions, WWE has really altered people perceptions of how wrestling has always worked.

[7om]

I'd prefer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DLvlpMQHzQ for the unfinished business but annoyingly I don't think there'll be much more until travel gets closer to normal. Funny how people are suddenly excited about guys working programs in other promotions, WWE has really altered people perceptions of how wrestling has always worked.

Let’s say Ibushi vs Omega is the endgame. To get max value it would have to be champion vs champion, wouldn’t it? In which case will both companies effectively freeze title changes until the big match can happen? It’s going to need some patience and careful booking, I think.

[Queenslander]

Imagine Omega cutting a promo on AEW and this hits: https://youtu.be/tD316l1Bl_E

Throw in Impact and NWA as well and we are in serious supershow territory.

Id pop like it was the late 90's.

[Queenslander]

Jay White is money.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CK45aULHHnO/?igshid=cdnaoh5igr0

[Queenslander]

https://i.ibb.co/7NCy29v/20210205-151831.jpg (https://ibb.co/6JwsgdY)

I reckon their will be fuckery between Kenny and Kenta at the end...

[Disco]

Let’s say Ibushi vs Omega is the endgame. To get max value it would have to be champion vs champion, wouldn’t it? In which case will both companies effectively freeze title changes until the big match can happen? It’s going to need some patience and careful booking, I think.

I think the story carries it rather than the titles involved, plus the two companies would have to work very closely to tie up both their titles in a single program and there's no indication of that happening quite yet.

[Ian]

While I don't have high hopes for the match I did like the approach they took with the Edge / Reigns stuff last night. Rather than typical heel shit trying to get out of the Rumble winner picking them, have Reigns say it'd be disrespectful not to choose him.

[Ian]

1359020823164710912

[Shindig]

It's "My vaaaaaag!!" for the PG era.

[Disco]

1359155598827413512

[Queenslander]

Another cracker.


https://youtu.be/k54yroZTlKI

[Baz]

It's "My vaaaaaag!!" for the PG era.1359158380024262665




WWE have put the 1992 Royal Rumble up on YouTube (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-XPi2RKYPX0).

[Queenslander]

That AEW main event looks like something Ill need to see in full.

[Queenslander]

Elite v Bullet Club :drool:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLI1FECnaIm/?igshid=73eawige9pcu

[Disco]

Dynamite matches showing up on NJ World, the FORBIDDEN DOOR is leaking it seems.

[Queenslander]

Okada to AEW is on.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fun opener to Takeover.

Took a little to get going (that leg lock from Ember on Dakota seemed to take forever) but it was really fun towards the end.

Well shit, that Kushida/Gargano match was brilliant.

And that tag match was a banger too. Wes Lee is Rick O'Shea II. That suicide tope doomsday device was class.

Women's title match was a bit meh, especially considering what came before.

Men's title match was great though and had a brilliant after match promo.

[Disco]

I love how dumb wrestling can be, even in the slightly more seriously presented environs of New Japan there is room for a story about a haunted glove (the Iron Fingers, which definitely don't look like an oven glove covered in tin foil) that possesses everyone who puts it on.

[Ian]

I feel like that was the best Takeover in a while. You know a show is good when you can have an entirely passable Shirai / Storm / Martinez be comfortably the weakest of the bunch.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Austin Theory going missing (heavily implied that Dexter Lumis took him) and this being posting on his Twitter is incredible:

1361485032058204165

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ric Flair is still shooting with a loaded gun, WOOOO.

[Ian]

How very WWE. Young woman gets relevant by (kayfabe) fucking an elderly man.

[Shindig]

"We want you to have a feud with Charlotte but we can't book something that would make more sense."

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

"It would be even better if you two actually did the deed..."

[Ian]

"We want you to have a feud with Charlotte but we can't book something that would make more sense."

I know this isn't a new or original thought but it really is quite glaring how on Raw / Smackdown (more so the former) womens stories are so often just about either friends not being friends any more or something to do with a man/relationships.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Datson with an incredible into to this week's Quizzlemania.

[Queenslander]

Marty Scurll testing the waters on Instagram is a waste of time.

Nonce is a nonce is a nonce.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The fucking Miz :face:

[Disco]

:lol:

[Ian]

I had a bad feeling about that ending as soon as there was still six minutes left of the show when McIntyre had won, but if Bobbo murders Miz next week and we're getting set up with him and McIntyre knocking lumps out of each other again at Mania then I'll take it. I thought the PPV basically got worse as it went along. First chamber match was pretty breezy and I really enjoyed it, triple threat was pretty decent and didn't just rely on the trope of them taking it in turns to lie down, womens match was filler but not long enough to be offensive and the Raw chamber was a snoozefest even before the lulz of Miz winning a world title in 2021.

[Browning]

Not that it bothers me, because I won't see a single second of it, but I'm happy for Miz.

His first title reign was probably the worst booked title reign in history, and it was nothing to do with him. The only notable feud he had was against a peado commentator, and then he goes into WM where the main event is John Cena Vs The Rock (ft. The Miz.... maybe) and ends with the shittiest finish ever seen. Since then he's had spells of being the most entertaining part of whatever show he's on (especially SD immediately following the brand split) and has definitely had periods where he was worth another title run, and just didn't get it for whatever reason. I think he's long overdue another stab at it, and while it'll probably be short lived, good for him.

The worse booking crime of Sunday was the heel Roman Reigns, who the authority figure fucking hates let's not forget, being given an opponent who was already dead on his feet, because of course that's the opponent you'd serve up to a champion you hate. Yet no one talks about that, because Roman is "cool", and no amount of shit booking or botched finishes is going to change that narrative.

[Ian]

I don't hate what they did with Roman but the complete lack of explanation for his leverage over the booking is a massive plat hole that I suspect they'll never address. They haven't leaned into the idea of Reigns intimidating Pearce or set anything up to suggest Heyman or Reigns are going straight to the McMahons or whatever either so it's the lack of logic that bothers me with that. Pearce being Schroedinger's authority figure

I'm happy enough for Miz as a person but if they really ever thought he was going to be a world champion again it should have been following his last big heel run with the IC title when he was genuinely the best heel in the company or around the time of the Shane stuff when he was actually kinda over as a face.... right up until the point he was buried by Shane fucking McMahon. Or y'know, just not do it after he's had a calendar year with only one clean singles win in it. But then they probably need to bin off MITB at this stage as whoever has it is basically doomed to look like an absolute mug until we're supposed to suddenly buy them as legit again.

[Ian]

Also I reckon 'worst title reign' in history would be a very competitive field just from the WWE entries.

Has Blampied done that list before?

EDIT:
https://cdn3.whatculture.com/images/2021/02/b0aa0d44d9168c65-600x338.jpg

:D

[Browning]

Oh, it probably isn't the worst title reign ever, but in terms of the way it was booked, I think I'd struggle to find worse (unless you want to count transitional reigns... but I personally wouldn't count those). He kept the belt for a fair amount of time whilst constantly being handed shitty booking. He had no right to have a decent TLC match with fucking Jerry Lawler of all people, but he made it work.

The only other modern one that springs to mind is Rey Mysterio's first run, but at least he had a decent Mania showing before the booking went to shit. Miz being the 3rd most important man in a 2 man WM main event is disgusting.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The problem is that Miz isn't relevant at all right now.

I mean he's half feuding with someone called Bad Bunny who I had no idea existed until the Rumble. Bad Bunny even had a segment with Miz earlier on the show where Bad Bunny slapped Miz in the face and he did nothing.

From that to winning the title...

[Ian]

I think it's probably between Miz and Mysterio with regard to how the two were treated. I'd be tempted to include Punk given his lengthy reign was mostly worked on the midcard while Cena continued to get top billing (and then lost the belt to the same Rock/Cena feud that fucked Miz over.) But you may be right given that I don't think Miz got even one really good moment that was just his.

It also looks from the Raw results and last week's like they're setting up Boatman vs. sodding Shane, which..... well, Shane will win that, won't he?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I don't hate what they did with Roman but the complete lack of explanation for his leverage over the booking is a massive plat hole that I suspect they'll never address. They haven't leaned into the idea of Reigns intimidating Pearce or set anything up to suggest Heyman or Reigns are going straight to the McMahons or whatever either so it's the lack of logic that bothers me with that. Pearce being Schroedinger's authority figure

Heyman said that in his contract Roman has to defend his title AT Elimination Chamber but it doesn't specify that he has to do it within a chamber.

I personally liked that because it's a smart heel bending rules.

[Disco]

The problem with The Miz is that he can't wrestle for shit.

[Browning]

Heyman said that in his contract Roman has to defend his title AT Elimination Chamber but it doesn't specify that he has to do it within a chamber.

I personally liked that because it's a smart heel bending rules.

Except it isn’t, because said heel has no authority. Even if the contract said that Pearce could still tell him to get fucked and put him the chamber. If the contract prevented him being in the chamber at all (which would be ridiculous) at least give him a fresh opponent. What they did was bollocks.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I don't think it was bollocks.

Bryan still looks strong. He went through an entire chamber match looking solid and almost caught a cocky Roman right at the start.

He should get a rematch by saying "I almost made you tap having gone through shit" and they'll have a good fight at Fastlane hopefully.

Taking Roman out of the chamber meant you had a bit of intrigue as instead of a nailed on winner you've got 4 possible avenues (no way Corbin or Zayn was winning) that they could explore.

[Browning]

It's bollocks from the standpoint that it makes zero sense.

If Heyman was the GM, or even if there was no authority figure and Heyman just announces that's the decision, you can maybe get away with it. Instead we're in a situation where there is an authority figure, and it's one that fucking hates Roman Reigns, yet serves him up the easiest title defense ever seen. A title defense so easy that later on in the same show Miz uses MITB to get a similar opportunity. Regardless of the wording in Roman's contract, it's not "smart heel work". At best it's "Idiot GM agreed to a deal that means we can't put one of our top stars in a chamber despite having a PPV built around it".

[Ian]

While I suspect we're disagreeing for different reasons I am broadly with Browning on this and that reason you've cited, Mahow, is still nonsense. It really wouldn't be that hard to hint (even if they didn't want to say it outright for whatever reason) that Pearce is being undercut by one of his superiors who's more concerned with keeping Reigns and co happy than protecting Pearce's authority.

I didn't have any issue with what happened on the show, I don't think you want Bryan putting up too much of a fight after a chamber with no break but the whole conceit that Reigns has somehow got a magic contract that lets him do what he want is just silly.

That said I do disagree with Browning that it was the worst booking / creative thing on the show when, well, *gestures vaguely at whole womens thing.*

[Browning]

I said it was worse, as in worse than Miz. You won't get an argument from me that the Women's division shite was the worst thing on the card. A match between the Women's Tag Champions Vs The Women's Champion and the Rumble winner, ends with a finish that involves none of those elements and centres around the shit manager of a woman who isn't in the match.

[Ian]

The Reginald stuff is all very James Ellsworth.

Still, at least Raw is going to be adding (read: ruining) Ripley. :(

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lbhupQkGd8

Miz v Bad Bunny at Mania.

[Ian]

Makes Bunny look well 'ard that he has to hide behind Priest from The Miz.

[Lewis]

The Miz running like John Cena was the best thing he ever did.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Makes Bunny look well 'ard that he has to hide behind Priest from The Miz.

He was probably running from Truth and the other idiots that are after his title.

[Ian]

Just watched Bobbo vs. Boatman from last night. I'm trying to think if anybody WWE don't treat as top tier has ever kicked out of Boatman's power slam. Goldberg, Bork, Reigns, Fiend (not a top tier star but has that sort of kickout ability).... trying to think who else.

Also I wish Lashley didn't use the Spear. Quite aside from the fact that's at least five people in the company using it now Edge is back his is just a bit weird with the roll-through flip thing he does, it doesn't look very impactful. If they hadn't already had him using it as just a regular move I'd have much rather his massive high angle spinebuster thing be his big move when he's not tapping people out.

[Queenslander]

I forgot all about this fued.


https://youtu.be/0KIltGmVBDQ

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1364607196533829639

:lol:

[Ian]

Fucking hell. :D

[SvN]

Weeeelll...

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Apparently he's been signed as a commentator for their new show but how long until he has a match with Shaq?

[phonics]

I think that'll be the first AEW signing that genuinely pisses Vince off.

[wullie]

If he isn't debuting by bursting up through Tony Schiavone's chair they've ruined him.

[Ian]

Monster truck fight on top of a building please.

[7om]

I think that'll be the first AEW signing that genuinely pisses Vince off.

I bet he wasn’t happy with Jericho either.

[Disco]

Andor the Gaint or even better, New Years Baby.

[Lewis]

The Large Attraction. :cool:

[Gray Fox]

Jericho went to see Vince to explain it was just business so I reckon he’s okay with that one.

Moxley got a whole show goodbye because he lead Vince to believe he was retiring, only to rock up on AEW a few weeks later. I reckon that one annoyed him.

[Disco]

The Large Attraction. :cool:

I'm genuinely excited to see if he brings his big chair with him.

[7om]

Castle Attack spoiler

Legitimately delighted for El Desperado. Been a long time fan of his and he has waited far too long for that Jr Heavyweight win. I guess it’s been on the cards since his stunning match with Hiromu at BOSJ but it’s nice to finally see it.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just watched NXT. That was the best Kross match I've seen so far, probably because it felt longer than all the others combined and his opponent actually got to hurt Kross.

Oh and Adam Cole is a bad BayBay.

[Queenslander]

Castle Attack spoiler

Legitimately delighted for El Desperado. Been a long time fan of his and he has waited far too long for that Jr Heavyweight win. I guess it’s been on the cards since his stunning match with Hiromu at BOSJ but it’s nice to finally see it.

The match coming up against Ibushi is a match I didnt know I needed to see.

[Queenslander]

Jay White v Mox and maybe an appearance on Dynamite?


https://youtu.be/aTmilxqn7pk

[Ian]

Just watched NXT. That was the best Kross match I've seen so far, probably because it felt longer than all the others combined and his opponent actually got to hurt Kross.

I'd agree although that was probably mostly down to Legado del Fantasma. Kross (aside from his hammy facial expressions) and Scarlett are a good pair character-wise but I remain unconvinced that Kross is any more than a so-so wrestler with a couple of decent moves.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Absolutely.

I also think that Santos Escobar is a star. He's got a great skillset and he's really good with his promo work. I loved the outside bit when they were all beating him down and he was just constantly berating Kross in Spanish.

No idea what he was saying but it just felt right and added a lot.

[Disco]

The match coming up against Ibushi is a match I didnt know I needed to see.

Weirdly short build for it though, even without Hiromu getting injured it's only a few days.

[Queenslander]

Definitely but I liked how they tied it too Despys first Jr title shot being against Ibushi.

[7om]

So we getting the new IWGP unified belt soon?

[Queenslander]

So we getting the new IWGP unified belt soon?

He has to beat Okada first IMO.

[Disco]

I'm not sure why they want to do it, that IC belt has so much history. If they want less belts then the Never belt is surely the one to go.

[Queenslander]

They could send it to America when crowds are allowed back in California?

I like the idea of Tanahashi elevating the NEVER belt down the card.

[Queenslander]

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship is the new belt according Bryan. They are retiring both...

[7om]

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship is the new belt according Bryan. They are retiring both...

Crikey. I saw Tanahashi's post-match conference from the other night and he gave a long speech on changing the perception of that title. Maybe it's getting elevated in status.

[Queenslander]

Tana is the man to do it. Takagi, Ospreay, Cobb, Suzuki, ZSJ, Goto, Ishii is a pretty solid division.

[Disco]

The Tana thing is partly storyline. Shingo said he didn't deserve the belt (lol) so Tanahashi said he would wear it over his shoulder until he had earned the right to wear it properly.

Speaking of promos, Okada after Castle Attack was great. Perfect simple face promo.

[Queenslander]

I wasnt aware of that story.

He is still the best in the world for mine.

[Gray Fox]

At least the Miz was true to his promise of not being a transitional champion...

[Ian]

Raw sounds like it was an absolute mess last night but at least Bobbo is the champ.

And I might watch Sheamus / Drew. Sheamus has been on a bit of a roll recently.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Happy for Big Bob.

He's never done well in WWE (and I never saw his TNA run) but from the bits I've seen The Hurt Business & MVP have really elevated him and made him look proper menacing.

He looked great when he came out and took out Drew after Elimination Chamber.

[Browning]

He was ECW champion and dropped it to Vince McMahon. He peaked there.

[Ian]

I really enjoyed his match with McIntyre last year too, aside from the garbage ending. I want that at Mania but more of it and a clean finish. Ideally Lashley winning but I'm not too fussy there.


He was ECW champion and dropped it to Vince McMahon. He peaked there.

:D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I had forgotten about that...

[Ian]

It's weird they don't lean into that stuff the same way they did with Drew's comeback really. The beautiful story of a man who failed because they wanted him to spearhead a brand that was doomed from the beginning and left because he was sick of Michael Hayes' racism.

[Queenslander]

Lashley was a Triple Crown champion of sorts with TNA and from was booked like a dangerous MMA bloke.

Lol

https://youtu.be/l4XZ_Q5-UdM

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Wednesday night wars are done, NXT is moving to Tuesday next month.

[Ian]

Not that it was much of a war in the first place and the whole thing left NXT in an odd position so hopefully they can recapture their form of a few years ago

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I wonder if Vince was actually hesitant to move it because he's worried than NXT running unopposed could draw in bigger numbers than RAW.

It should do if you're judging purely on quality ofc.

[Disco]

It's bound to be the network moving it, the whole point of putting it on Wednesday was to take viewers from AEW and it's not like Vince suddenly doesn't care about that anymore.

[phonics]

That was the best Dynamite that’s ever happened.

[Queenslander]

Who could Paul Big Show be talking about I wonder?

[Ian]

Which ex-WWE over-45s are available?

[Pleb]

John Cena.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Too young.

[7om]

Who could Paul Big Show be talking about I wonder?

What happened?

[Gray Fox]

If it's not Val Venis I'm not interested.

[Ian]

What happened?

Big Show said there'd be a "hall of fame" level new signing also arriving at the PPV.

[phonics]

Kurt Angle is my guess.

[Lewis]

'Hall of Fame-worthy' would seem to rule out people actually in the Hall of Fame.

[Disco]

So it's not Coco B Ware or Hillbilly Jim. Fuck.

[7om]

The Rock.

[Disco]

Shane O'Mac.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Teddy Long, playa.

[7om]

Maybe even Vince himself.

[Shindig]

Induct Shane O'Mac.

[wullie]

Fiver on Donald Trump

[Pleb]

Jbl

[Queenslander]

If it's Nick Aldis Ill be cranky.

[Queenslander]

Another cracker backstage promo from Jay White.


https://youtu.be/uw267450Vsk

[phonics]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/817502279875690506/SSWM.png

My math has me thinking it's RVD or Scott Steiner.

[Shindig]

I would only take Steiner in a managerial role. Seeing his last run with TNA/Impact was .... sad.

[Queenslander]

ZSJ v Gabriel Kidd was bloody stiff.

[Queenslander]

Meh is all Elite.

[phonics]

This was a great PPV up until the ladder match.

A ladder match where you had to grab the brass ring to win.
Your hall of fame signing being a c tier wwe guy who was in the rumble last month.
Awful cinematic match.

[Queenslander]

I guess they forced themselves into a cinematic match so they could put the ring together?

The brass ring match felt like the Yano King of Pro Wrestling gimik that belongs at the start of the show.

IMO they desperately need a G1 style tournment to let some other the blokes get big meaningful wins against each other.

[phonics]

hahahahhahahah that explosion hahahahahahaha

[Ian]

Maybe the explosion was meant to be symbolic of Christian being the HALL OF FAME LEVEL signing.

EDIT:
1368784135918063618

:D

[Shindig]

"I'm sorry. Health and Safety's had a word and they've said ..."

[phonics]

That’s literally what Tony Khan said. If he spent less time wanking dogs...

[Shindig]

I'm going to guess they pride themselves on being live which means you can't splice in some stock footage of an explosion. Or a tiny model of a ring being blown up. Given the choice, which one would you pick?

[Ian]

Get Aardman in to animate it, or the people who did Celebrity Deathmatch.

[phonics]

I'm going to guess they pride themselves on being live which means you can't splice in some stock footage of an explosion. Or a tiny model of a ring being blown up. Given the choice, which one would you pick?

You use smoke/dry ice to cover it. Like every rock concert ever for the last 70 years.

[SvN]

I truly hope that something didn't work as expected, as opposed to that being what was planned.