The Ultimate WWE Thread

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://411mania.com/wrestling/vince-mcmahon-allegedly-agreed-to-pay-over-12-million-in-hush-money-to-four-women/

According to the report, one of the women was a former wrestler, who was paid $7.5 million. She claimed that McMahon coerced her into giving him oral sex, then demoted her and opted not to renew her contract in 2005 when she refused to do anything else. The wrestler and her lawyer met with McMahon in 2018 and negotiated the settlement.

In another incident, a WWE contractor sent the company unsolicited nude photos that McMahon allegedly sent her. This woman claimed that McMahon sexually harassed her on the job, according to her 2008 nondisclosure agreement. McMahon agreed to pay her $1 million.

Another NDA and payment happened in 2006, when a manager who worked for McMahon for 10 years was paid a million after turning him down when he made sexual advances.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I think the first one is likely to be Dawn Marie or Christy Hemme.

The only other women in 2005 who were cut were Jackie Gayda and Molly Holly.

Edit: Hemme seems the most likely as she's only been seen once in WWE since which as the 2017 HOF for Beth Phoenix. With Dawn Marie she was pregnant when she was released and took the company to court for wrongful dismissal and surely it would have come up then.

[Shindig]

Not if the kid was a McMahon.

[Ben]

Danny Doring kind of alluded to Hemme being a bit of a rascal in an interview so she might be the most likely out of the potential candidates.

[phonics]

I've been playing with an AI art thing today

Street Art Ultimate Warrior
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/995023246598623324/unknown.png

Hulk Hogan eating a hot dog in the style of Monet
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/995020394023104613/unknown.png

Tony Khan and Britt Baker in the style of American Gothic
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/995022357548765234/unknown.png

Andre the Giant standing on a stool scared of a mouse
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/995030300470030433/unknown.png

[7om]

I've been playing with an AI art thing today

Tony Khan and Britt Baker in the style of American Gothic
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/995022357548765234/unknown.png

Bottom left looks like Mert.

[Browning]

Hemme herself said she was let go for refusing to do something that had nothing to do with wrestling. There were rumours for years that she refused to shag HHH but this makes a lot more sense.

Still, if it is her, she's done well. $7.5m for a blowjob? WCW only cost half of that.

[Lewis]

There will be non-rasslin' fans out there right now assuming that this is the very worst stuff Vince McMahon has ever done.

[Ian]

We've said this before but a proper warts and all expose on Vince if Shane or Steph or one of his trusted goons decided to let rip would be incredible and probably incredibly grim.

[Shindig]

"I told Mulah where to get the girls." That'll have to come out at some point.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1545548699048128512

[Baz]

1545948993779384322

[Browning]

RAW is no longer PG as of Monday. Vince :drool:

[Shindig]

He's gonna puke.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Get a bra and panties match booked pronto.

[Ian]

Great, so it'll be the exact same but with more flesh and gratuitous blood in every match of a 6 month, 38 match feud.

[Ben]

Same old shit except the odd “Damn!” thrown in.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Roderick Strong apparently requested his release which was rejected.

No surprise he asked to leave considering all his UE mates and his wife are in AEW.

[Baz]

Is he as bad as her?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

In my opinion Roddy was the unsung hero of UE in WWE NXT.

I felt he was so much better than Adam Cole and around the same sort of level as Kyle O'Reilly (who was also undervalued until his last few months).

Edit: Marina Shafir was always shit, no idea how she got a job after her NXT stint. Which I assume she only got because of 2 reasons, firstly being Roddy's wife and secondly because I feel like they were planning a MMA Four Horsewomen v WWE Four Horsewomen rivalry at one point. However, Shafir (and Duke) weren't good enough.

[Ian]

Strong is a million times better than Shafir but given Baz thinks Danielson is shit he'll probably think Strong is as well.

[Baz]

Strong is a million times better than Shafir but given Baz thinks Danielson is shit he'll probably think Strong is as well.This again. :nono:

Just cos someone used to be good, doesn’t mean they always are. Look at Pogba.

[Ian]

"This again." :D I think this is literally the first time I've brought it up without you having mentioned him.

Danielson is as good as he has been since he started in WWE. And those who can't be doing with the WWE template would probably say better though I don't have a particular stance on that front.

[wullie]

I thought Danielson was best in AEW during those few weeks when he was just battering people and insulting the local team, they seemed pulled the rug out from under him quickly when Regal became available and he became one of the lads again.

[Ian]

Grizzled Young Veterans' James Drake and Zack Gibson are now called Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler. :D

You can't move in the UK for people called Jagger and Rip.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They've got a real talent.

You think they've come up with the worst name possible and then they manage to outdo themselves.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

"He'll [Captain Insano] be back," Wight said. "The guy who wrote The Waterboy has approved. Tony Khan and I have secured the rights to Captain Insano. There's already an outfit made, the whole nine yards. We're doing a lot of prep work, and this will be my last hoorah so to speak."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex7xsCFI_c8

:drool:

[Shindig]

I'd rather see a buddy cop movie with Excaliber and Tax. They never get out the car in the whole movie.

[Baz]

1545948993779384322

For some reason a Turkish child who is seemingly famous on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@notaidanbaz) has this URL on his TikTok and Linktree pages (not removed from Linktree, actually) so the Discord server has been flooded with children, claiming to be big fans of me. :moop: I presume he used to have the URL but his Nitro expired and I got it. Having to put a lot of effort into trying to screen the children from the wrestling fans (I posted the link on Reddit and 2 other forums) but it’s annoying. I’ve contacted all relevant parties as best as I can but on it goes.

On a side note: Plex is bloody great (when set up correctly) isn’t it? All episodes of Dynamite and Rampage accessible, ordered nicely and looking lovely. Great bit of software. I’ve set up qBittorrent to auto download new episodes and PPVs and I’m set for life, really. Loving it.

People requesting ROH and WWE though, which I’m not sure about tbh. Maybe ROH PPVs but if they do weekly shows it’ll be too much wrestling for me to watch. Even now I sometimes skip Rampage. Dynamite is usually always incredible though. :drool:

Also grabbed a load of old WWE PPVs where someone has edited the ones on WWE Network and put the proper music an uncensored bits in. :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah Plex is brilliant, I've had it for a couple of years now.

I need to invest in something like a Pi server for when I'm out and don't want to keep my PC on though.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FX-1KNjUUAAfnhw?format=jpg

This after Flair suggested he'd be facing a RAW wrestler a couple of hours ago.

[Shindig]

All that effort from Andrade for a $10 gift voucher and maybe Ric buys him a drink afterwards. Heck, who am I kidding?

[7om]

Jim Crockett Promotions :drool:

[Baz]

Got some wrestling TV shows to work through.

There’s a new series called WWE Rivals. First was HBK vs Bret Hart, then Undertaker vs Kane. Funny that the latter had absolutely zero mention of Kane not being able to talk, or any footage of him using his voice box thing, like it just didn’t happen.

There’s also a new series of the A&E Biography programme on WWE Legends. I’d previously watched the Stone Cold and Roddy Piper ones but then gave up when the next was Macho Man. Picked it back up now (skipped Macho Man) and the Booker T episode was great. As someone who stopped watching wrestling [every week] in about 2004, I was unaware of the whole King Booker stuff but damn his wife is hot. #phwoar I also didn’t realise how big he was in WCW, and that he wasn’t always just a jokey wrestler with memorable gimmicks.

Will probably watch the Shawn Michaels and Mankind ones from series 1 (skip Ultimate Warrior and Bret Hart) but don’t think I’ll bother with any of season 2 so far (Undertaker, Goldberg and Bella Twins). Looking forward to the Kurt Angle one though, and DX.

I should probably pick up wherever I was upto with the Monday Night War, and then watch Ruthless Aggression. Maybe I’ll become a John Cena fan, who knows.

[Mike]

To become a Big Match John fan, just watch his US title run :cool2:

[wullie]

Fucking hell, Vince McMahon is retiring maybe

[Lewis]

The greatest heel in wrestling history. FACT.

[wullie]

Ric Flair's in-ring career outlasting him isn't something I was expecting.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1550572700959121408

It's over.

[wullie]

There's got to be a lot more of the rapey stuff to come out in the next few weeks

[Gray Fox]

The walls have crumbled around him then.

[Browning]

Lesnar has walked out....

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1550583647232634880

Brock not happy?

[wullie]

Shane vs HHH to now main event Summerslam, CEO contract on a pole

[7om]

Vince vs FBI - Twice in a Lifetime.

I’ll remember him for the good times, but the last decade has been atrocious and he should’ve gone a long time ago, at least in the creative capacity.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1550590396694024192

Well business has picked up.

[Baz]

Brock vs Wardlow please :alan:

[Gray Fox]

If the above is true, Brock will never take Small Time Tonys money.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Kevin Dunn might be done, we wont have to put up with a million camera cuts :drool:

[Ian]

Brock gone? :drool:

[Ian]

Dunn too? :drool: :drool: :drool:

[Shindig]

Forget Trips. Heyman in.

[Ben]

If Dunn’s gone, I might try it again.

[7om]

He won’t actually retire. They’ll still be emailing him the scripts for him to sign off on every week.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Baroque wouldn't be storming out if he was still going to be in charge from the shadows.

He's done.

[Pleb]

Oof.

[Ian]

I wonder if Cocaine Tony has tried to make Vince #AllElite yet.

[Disco]

1550578379543437314

[Shindig]

Pin all the rapes on Dunn, strut out a free man.

[Browning]

They've contacted Goldberg for Summerslam.

[Ian]

Of course they have.

[7om]

Watch as absolutely nothing changes, despite Vince and possibly Dunn going.

[Shindig]

RAW General Manager Billy Spearsberg. :cool:

[Ian]

Watch as absolutely nothing changes, despite Vince and possibly Dunn going.

I can envision either this OR a weird mix of the product generally getting a lot better but the shareholders also being mad into even more of Nick Khan's "cross promotion" shit so the peaks are higher but the troughs are, erm troughier.

[Browning]

Bruce Prichard in charge of creative for now.... so if anything it'll get worse.

[Ian]

Does Bruce Pritchard have an idea of his own? Could just be three hours of when Bart tries to imagine his own Itchy and Scratchy movie.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Steph leading a "Thank you Vince" chant :lol:

[Lewis]

Vince vs FBI - Twice in a Lifetime.

1550491298150350848

The original 4D chess grandmaster.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bork hasn't left.

1550661384530235394

[Ben]

Is that his gimmick now? Big fan.

[Baz]

Looking forward to having Brian Cage back on my telly tonight. :flex:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Is that his gimmick now? Big fan.

Cowboy Brock? It is and it's great.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1550898509565550595

Sheik is easily the best Twitter account.

[Baz]

Were Dax Harwood (Scott Dawson?) and Cash Wheeler (Dash Wilder) good in WWE?

I bloody love FTR.

[Ben]

Yes, they had some great matches in NXT. But they’re as close as you’ll get these days to an old school tag team (eg. Tully and Arn, Midnight Express) so they never really had a fair shot on the entertainment-not-wrestling main roster. Best American tag team for years.

[Ian]

Were Dax Harwood (Scott Dawson?) and Cash Wheeler (Dash Wilder) good in WWE?

I bloody love FTR.

They were excellent. Dunno how much appetite you have for going back to find their best stuff but their 2/3 falls vs. American Alpha is well worth the 20ish minutes of your time.

Authors of Pain vs. DIY vs. Revival, Revival vs DIY (a couple of times) were great too but my memory is that the American Alpha one was the best.

[Shindig]

1550898509565550595

Sheik is easily the best Twitter account.

Seeing behind the curtain of that operation kind of ruined it. If you've seen The Sheik, you'll know what I mean.

[Ian]

Does he basically have nothing to do with the tweets?

[phonics]

It’s just a couple of college kids. Always has been. Like when buff bagwell went woke the other month.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I wanted the curtain to be left up ffs.

[igor_balis]

How could you possibly think it was the actual iron sheikh posting you daft bastard :D :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

How could you possibly think it was the actual iron sheikh posting you daft bastard :D :D

I knew it wasn't him but I didn't think it was a couple of college kids.

[Baz]

They were excellent. Dunno how much appetite you have for going back to find their best stuff but their 2/3 falls vs. American Alpha is well worth the 20ish minutes of your time.

Authors of Pain vs. DIY vs. Revival

Long shot but do you know when these were? Will download the full event (and avoid spoilers).

[Ian]

Revival vs DIY 2/3 falls NXTTakeover Toronto 2016

Revival vs American Alpha: NXT Takeover The End

The Revival vs DIY NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II

The Revival vs American Alpha NXT Takeover: Dallas (I think this show also has the excellent Zayn vs. Nakamura match.)

The Revival vs AOP vs DIY NXT Takeover: Orlando.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I really should go back and watch the NXT stuff I missed.

My first Takeover was Philadelphia (banger to start with) and I've only gone back and watched WarGames 1.

Get all the weekly shows watched as well from the start.

[7om]

Peak NXT, for me, was end of 2014 to early 2015. I went to an NXT house show at Wrestlemania 31 in March 2015 and it was incredible. Amazing atmosphere, loaded roster and consistent, quality storylines.

[Ian]

Mahow, NXT TV was lately a bit pants. I mean not Raw bad but it was mostly build, usually one good match a show and then lots of build for guys who weren't there yet.

Definitely do all the Takeovers though, if not every match. The atmosphere Tom mentions is mega. Proper red hot crowds who really knew the roster make such a difference.

[wullie]

Triple H in charge of all creative in addition to whatever other stuff they gave him on Friday. Really testing that pacemaker out

[7om]

Fucking hell, that’s big. Unless Vince is still in the background in an unofficial role, we could be on the cusp of meaningful change.

[Shindig]

His kids aren't old enough to help out, are they?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1551593037909970945

Imagine the stock price when Vince's limo gets blown up again.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Also, Trips has probably already phone Johnny Gargano a few times since getting the big job.

[Ian]

In-person Quizzlemania on PFK tonight, 'How.

[Browning]

This first round is complete carnage.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

In-person Quizzlemania on PFK tonight, 'How.

Well that's a nice Saturday surprise.

[Ian]

This first round is complete carnage.

It really was.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The One Minute Warning round is incredible.

[Waffdon]

Thought Bailey was Vicky Guerrero at first lol

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What an opener and some stunning surprises too.

[Waffdon]

Who’s Rollins’ opponent? Assuming it’s not a work?

You call tell HHH is in charge now

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Who’s Rollins’ opponent? Assuming it’s not a work?

You call tell HHH is in charge now

Riddle unless he gets added to the main event.

Edit: Or maybe a returning legend like John Cena?

[phonics]

It’s nuts how good Logan Paul is at wrestling.

[Waffdon]

He did wrestle throughout High School at a good level so it makes sense. He needs to be a heel though. No idea why they think him being a face is a good idea

[phonics]

Has 'Theory' ever had a good match?

[Waffdon]

Apparently he’s 0-8 since winning the MITB. He’s definitely cashing in and winning both titles after that quick job

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

lol at Rey.

[Waffdon]

I love how Pat wrestles as some sort of luchodar when he weighs about 240lbs. Some boi

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Incredible how he managed to sort himself out after two near fuck ups.

Ropes seem a little loose and/or slick tonight as Rey also had a slip at the end of his match.

[Waffdon]

So Rollins isn’t even getting a match? Well that was a waste of time staying up

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Liv's ring gear, phwoar.

[Queenslander]

A tractor. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Cowboy Brock :cool:

[phonics]

Such a great image

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/270326079648956433/1003137905927143494/unknown.png

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What a main event. Absolutely brilliant fun, easily the best Roman/Brock match.

Also, Michael Cole was brilliant tonight.

Great PPV.

[Ian]

Has 'Theory' ever had a good match?

Yeah he's decent but he's also young, and what he needs is lots of proper matches not getting the MITB jobber treatment.

Am I reading it right then that after being buried against Lashley he then came to cash in and instantly got lolled to bits by Lesnar? Great stuff, great way to build him as a potential threat you mugs.

The whole show sounds like a total waste of time so I doubt I'll bother watching any of it. If I get the itch for some wrestling I'll go watch that FTR / Briscoes match from the other night.

[Ben]

That FTR vs. Briscoes match isn’t as good as the first I don’t think (only watched it once) but the psychology is brilliant.

[Browning]

Yeah he's decent but he's also young, and what he needs is lots of proper matches not getting the MITB jobber treatment.

Am I reading it right then that after being buried against Lashley he then came to cash in and instantly got lolled to bits by Lesnar? Great stuff, great way to build him as a potential threat you mugs.

The whole show sounds like a total waste of time so I doubt I'll bother watching any of it. If I get the itch for some wrestling I'll go watch that FTR / Briscoes match from the other night.

Agreed. I’ve not seen it but the praise I’ve seen it receive from some reeks of just wanting to believe Trips made a difference. In reality aside from Bayley and co I’m betting that’s the show Vince would have booked.

[phonics]

It was really good.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yeah he's decent but he's also young, and what he needs is lots of proper matches not getting the MITB jobber treatment.

Am I reading it right then that after being buried against Lashley he then came to cash in and instantly got lolled to bits by Lesnar? Great stuff, great way to build him as a potential threat you mugs.

The whole show sounds like a total waste of time so I doubt I'll bother watching any of it. If I get the itch for some wrestling I'll go watch that FTR / Briscoes match from the other night.

The only bad things were Ronda/Liv and Lashley/Theory. Everything else was really good.

I'd definitely watch the main event.

Edit: Mysterios/Bloodline was also crap and can be skipped.

[Ian]

I just don't really see what the point of any of it was. Feuds which have gone on too long, a load of entirely predictable results.

And it's literally Impossible for me to care a joy about anything Reigns and Lesnar do at this point. Even by WWE standards it's been done to death.

[Ben]

It was Flair's final match last night. I'm not surprised that he bladed but he also faked a heart attack. :D

[Waffdon]

Was half expecting to wake up to him being dead. Is that his third final ever match?

[Ian]

I was actually interested enough by reviews of this week's Raw to watch a bit and was pleasantly surprised. Actual focus on midcard / midcarders, there seeming to be a bit more joined-up thinking for their story progression and it just genuinely seeming like a proper cohesive show. It wasn't amazing and still has some of the same old flaws but there was good stuff.

Rollins / Ford was good. Rollins winning versus a guy who, per the narrative, is finding his feet as a singles guy but Ford still getting a good showing and not sure me dogshit ending is simple but effective stuff. The women's stuff with Bayley is a bit "just chuck them.all in there" but I like Bayley, Kai and Iyo (sigh) so hopefully some good comes of that.

And I liked all the US title stuff. In the absence of a World champion who bothers to do anything of note you should focus on your midcard title and having two (good) triple threats give us AJ vs Ciampa to then set up Ciampa vs. Bobbo next week is, again, nothing groundbreaking but the sort of basic, solid shit WWE simply didn't care enough to do previously.

As a counter, no idea what the fucking point of any of this Edge / Judgement Day stuff has been.

[Ben]

I did give it a try as well because Triple H actually booked coherently in NXT so I was hoping for more of the same. But fuck me, I just cannot deal with all those LED screens. I might have epilepsy now.

[Ian]

Oh I mean I'm still nowhere close to wanting to actually watch the full show even without ads. Kevin Dunn alone renders that very difficult. I just picked some bits out.

[Shindig]

Is the camera all steady now?

[Ben]

The Bucks have turned babyface so they don’t have to put FTR over anytime soon. Sneaky cunts.

[Ian]

Is the camera all steady now?

No no the problem is that Dunn isn't gone so every strike / bump is still met with another camera change.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

When Dunn goes and Triple H kills Vince's shit pushes & rivalries :drool:

[Shindig]

Bugger.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Also:

1554276745527836674

It Trips gives us back "Pete Dunne" AND has him face Tyler Bate for the UK title at Clash at the Castle I will explode.

[Ben]

He’s not called “Butch” now is he? :facepalm:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He’s not called “Butch” now is he? :facepalm:

He is and they've made him a little annoying terrier type of prick who is a lackey of Sheamus.

[Ian]

A key member of the Kliqy Blinders.

[Ben]

I shouldn’t be surprised, there’s been a grand total of about 9 months (Smackdown Six :drool:) in the 40 year Vince era where they let someone get over just by being a good worker.

[Shindig]

Big Fella and his sidekick, Little Boyo.

[Ian]

(Smackdown Six :drool:)

:drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://wrestlingnews.co/wwe-news/former-wwe-star-may-be-returning-to-the-company

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Triple H getting ready to make a huge mistake.

[Ian]

That was inevitable I'd say. Could be worse though. He's not anything special but he's fine and wouldn't even be among the top 20 worst people Vince has got a bone on for.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He's just so dull.

[Ian]

And sure enough he's back.

I don't have much interest in seeing him in the world title scene but that (with the entrance back (not that we got all of it), with Scarlett, with him not being beaten in 3 by a middle aged alcoholhic) is how you debut somebody and make it seem like they might be a big deal.

That plus Ricochet being allowed to win a match(!) and Baszler winning a 22-minute gauntlet to become #1 contender, HHH is certainly making a bit of a mark on the short term booking even if he can't just overhaul some of the other stuff overnight.

[phonics]

Cesaro v Konosuke Takeshita - 12 stars

[Baz]

Cesaro v Konosuke Takeshita - 12 stars

Hard to justify this when it contained a frog splash worse than snoop doggs.

[Ian]

So presumably still 10x better than Tamina's.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

T-Bar is apparently going to be "REPACKAGED".

Bring him back as Dominik Dijakovic, Trips :drool:

[Ian]

He's really good, just bring him back as anything but fucking T-Bar, which.....might be the worst WWE ever?

No, as I was typing that I remembered Slapjack. Fucking hell.

Baz dunno if you've commented much on Big Fat Keith Lee yet in AEW but he has NXT matches on YouTube against Dijakovic which are an enormous amount of fun if you need an idea what he can do.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Their matches together were so fucking fun.

I didn't really get Dijakovic until they fought each other.

[phonics]

He's really good, just bring him back as anything but fucking T-Bar, which.....might be the worst WWE ever?

No, as I was typing that I remembered Slapjack. Fucking hell.

@Baz (https://www.thethirdhalf.co.uk/member.php?u=2) dunno if you've commented much on Big Fat Keith Lee yet in AEW but he has NXT matches on YouTube against Dijakovic which are an enormous amount of fun if you need an idea what he can do.

He's been dogshit in AEW and diminished to the secondary show within a week.

[phonics]

So presumably still 10x better than Tamina's.

He missed slightly in a 25 minute banger.

[Ian]

He's been dogshit in AEW and diminished to the secondary show within a week.

Then Cocaine Tony doesn't know what he's doing* because Lee is fucking mega.

He's tagging with Swerve who is also great so lol if both are getting fucked.

* Or is just bloating his roster like a mong. Regardless, push Lee, he's brilliant.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bring him back Trips.

[Disco]

Keith Lee has literally been buried as one of the tag team champions.

[phonics]

Keith Lee has literally been buried as one of the tag team champions.

There are so many belts it doesn't matter. There are two shows. Dynamite and Rampage. Rampage is on at the worlds shittiest TV time and is pure filler. They are on that.

[Ben]

There are so many belts it doesn't matter.

This is so true. Apparently they're introducing trios belts as well?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Laurinitas has been shown the door.

Also, word is that Trips wants to bring back Dexter Lumis and Gargano :cool:

[phonics]

Ah well the HHH being good era was short lived.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1556844967405953024

Lumis :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1557157457016889346

She needs to stick to the sexy pins.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ian

1559223400291135488

QM back tomorrow a lot earlier.

[Ian]

I'll definitely be watching that later on then.

[Ben]

New Japan doing two dates at Crystal Palace in October.

[Baz]

New Japan doing two dates at Crystal Palace in October.

Only a matter of time before AEW at Craven Cottage? Take my money, Tony!

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1559648585330876419

[Baz]

I've been watching Monday Night War and the episode ordering/content makes so little sense. I feel like we've been over the 'RAW finally took over when Austin faced McMahon' headline at least 4 times and I'm only one episode 10 (Goldberg).

The ECW episode was probably the best, although crowbarring the Austin episode between that at the WCW Cruiserweight episode was nonsense.

Regal vs Goldberg looked a classic. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

1559724143859351554

I'd guess NXT UK is on life support now.

I haven't watched any NXT 2.0 since the second episode but I'll have to get back into it.

[Gray Fox]

I like how he showed up as UK champ despite the fact that him actually winning the title hasn't been broadcast yet.

[Ben]

NXT UK will die. It's a shame that they had to ruin Progress and a couple of others en route to ultimately not giving a shit about it.

[Ben]

I like how he showed up as UK champ despite the fact that him actually winning the title hasn't been broadcast yet.

That's some WCW shit.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

NXT UK will die. It's a shame that they had to ruin Progress and a couple of others en route to ultimately not giving a shit about it.

It's pretty much done already.

A lot of UK talent has moved over (Blair Davenport, Gallus and Bate) and were on the last NXT 2.0. I've also heard rumours of others moving over soon.

Plus BT cancelled the latest couple of tapings and there are rumours that they have cancelled all for the foreseeable future with no alternative venue.

[phonics]

And half of them turned out to be absolute sex pests.

[Ben]

Speaking of pests, I saw Marty Scurll is doing tours of Mexico these days.

[wullie]

Walter going from never leaving Europe to being on the main shows, he must have known something was going on. There can't be many left who have only been on the UK show by now

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Catching up on the Triple H era RAW & Smackdown's and the triple threats to determine the number 1 contender for the US title and the US title match between Lashley and Ciampa were fantastic.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Walter going from never leaving Europe to being on the main shows, he must have known something was going on. There can't be many left who have only been on the UK show by now

It's mainly the mid-carders I believe.

Looking through the roster the biggest names are probably Jinny (who is now married to WALTER so will be moving soon you'd imagine) and Millie McKenzie.

[Ian]

Bate should be main roster already. He can bring his midlife crisis uncle with him if wants but I'm less fussed.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Bate should be main roster already. He can bring his midlife crisis uncle with him if wants but I'm less fussed.

The uncle turned into a bastard.

1537523074563821568

[7om]

That's some WCW shit.

Put some respect on that company when you say it.

[Gray Fox]

Hell of an intro.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0k3CeP3bLE

[Ben]

Do they want to suck him off a bit more? And wasting his return on a trios tournament is a bit weird. It's like their ninth different championship so how is this one meant to be taken all that seriously? I don't know if it's the Bucks egos or something but they've turned face to buddy back up with Kenny but by doing so they've cost him a good singles storyline and also the grudge match with FTR is off the table.

I feel like Jim Cornette here but AEW is just dross these days.

[Waffdon]

The Punk/Ambrose promo was fucking awful. Punk just relies on digs at WWE

[Gray Fox]

To the guys who watch AEW regularly, if Omega was fully fit, do they consider him their top guy? Or is Moxley/Punk their top guy?

I know they were building up Page for ages but that doesn't seem to have worked all too well in the end.

[wullie]

Page and the Young Bucks really go for all the weird Dawson's Creek stuff that could potentially work if actors and writers were involved instead, it's hard to watch sometimes

[7om]

Eric Bischoff is absolutely right about AEW. They are marketing themselves to the hardcore fans, who make up a fraction of the audience. There’s only so many dream matches and wink-wink-nudge-nudge at the camera before you’ve actually got to book sensibly. I don’t watch the product so I might be off but from the outside the roster seems massively bloated with not enough TV time or focus on everyone to do it justice.

I want it to work, though. God knows WWE needs competition.

[Ben]

Well, Bischoff would know. WCW spent about three years doing shoot promos which just bewildered 99% of the audience.

AEW need a booker. Tony is just a smart fan living out his dream but he only had about five storylines planned in his head which he obviously burned through a couple of years ago now. I actually tried to watch Dynamite last week but it's just full of dumb shit like the babyface you're trying to get over running away from a bunch of heel jobbers; it's just movez and goofing around, which is sad considering the talent. Moxley seemingly blades himself taking a shit these days as well.

[phonics]

The only thing Eric Bischoff knows is how to run a company into the ground.

[wullie]

NXT UK is out, NXT Europe is in

https://twitter.com/WWEPR/status/1560282020944744448?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcam p%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

If they need a proper European champion I know a guy

https://64.media.tumblr.com/a37867f92c86e4ad2ab67a5e72ce3a7b/tumblr_ovgj6bDgaY1rg89a6o1_500.jpg

[Disco]

They have too many people for the tv time available, take one or two segments out of each show (and revert Rampage to being three good matches) and it would be fine.

[Ian]

NXT UK is out, NXT Europe is in

https://twitter.com/WWEPR/status/1560282020944744448?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcam p%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

If they need a proper European champion I know a guy

https://64.media.tumblr.com/a37867f92c86e4ad2ab67a5e72ce3a7b/tumblr_ovgj6bDgaY1rg89a6o1_500.jpg

Still crossing my fingers for D'Lo Vs Regal to decide who gets to be the first FIVE TIME champ.

[7om]

Well, Bischoff would know. WCW spent about three years doing shoot promos which just bewildered 99% of the audience.

Russo started that shit, after Bischoff was sent home in 2000.

[7om]

The only thing Eric Bischoff knows is how to run a company into the ground.

Patently false, but okay.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

NXT UK is out, NXT Europe is in

https://twitter.com/WWEPR/status/1560282020944744448?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcam p%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

If they need a proper European champion I know a guy

https://64.media.tumblr.com/a37867f92c86e4ad2ab67a5e72ce3a7b/tumblr_ovgj6bDgaY1rg89a6o1_500.jpg

Good idea that.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Also, KO v Drew was great.

It's brilliant to see the old KO back, give him all the titles.

[Ben]

Russo started that shit, after Bischoff was sent home in 2000.

Roddy Piper’s entire run was meandering promos full of insider references. Which was what, 1997?

Hogan burned an Observer on live TV the year before that.

[Shindig]

Still crossing my fingers for D'Lo Vs Regal to decide who gets to be the first FIVE TIME champ.

D'lo gets a run with his old WWE theme. Each week a lyric is changed to suit a European language. Victory's sweet, here's le receipt.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

NXT UK releases are happening.


Flash Morgan Webster
Wild Boar
Mark Andrews
Jack Starz
Dave Mastiff
Ashton Smith

All gone. It's a shame big Dave Mastiff won't be around.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/EvilRashFox-size_restricted.gif

Just look at all that meat.

Edit: Millie McKenzie too which is probably the biggest star they had in the UK.

Sha Samuels now, the cockney cunt.

Nina Samuels.

Sam Gradwell.

Dani Luna.

[Browning]

Bischoff has one good idea (the nWo), milked it dry, continued milking its corpse and then tried to revive it everywhere he went. His attempt in TNA was just sad.

[Shindig]

I don't think a single company has sensible booking. It's the nature of the beast. All short-term and chasing trends.

Which was the TNA nWo again? Was it Aces & Eights, Main Event Mafia, the whole Young Blood vs the other guys? Immortal? Fourtune?

[7om]

Bischoff has one good idea (the nWo), milked it dry, continued milking its corpse and then tried to revive it everywhere he went. His attempt in TNA was just sad.

I don’t know about TNA, I never watched it but the narrative about “one good idea” just isn’t true. It was Bischoff who brought cruiserweight wrestling to the mainstream. He did the Goldberg win streak angle. Created the Crow Sting character and held off on the payoff match for 18 months. DDP as the peoples champion. In my opinion he is the reason the late 90s boom happened at all. He instigated going head-to-head on Monday nights with Vince and moved towards the reality based programming. Vince just responded to WCW.

[SvN]

hogan burned an observer on live tv the year before that.

*Rag sheet, Brother!

[Ben]

Bischoff has one good idea (the nWo), milked it dry, continued milking its corpse and then tried to revive it everywhere he went. His attempt in TNA was just sad.

If we want to fully bash Bischoff, he completely ripped off the angle from Japan the year before.

[Ben]

Watching a bit of last night’s Dynamite as I’m stuck with a hungry baby. CM Punk is just levels above practically everyone other than maybe Jericho when it comes to selling himself and the product. And then speaking of that, Tony has booked the unification match for next week’s TV. I mean, great, but fuck me that’s how to sell a PPV 101: your top two workers in a champion vs. champion match. Is he just not interested in money?

[Disco]

He's interested in getting another tv deal, so yes.

[phonics]

Watching a bit of last night’s Dynamite as I’m stuck with a hungry baby. CM Punk is just levels above practically everyone other than maybe Jericho when it comes to selling himself and the product. And then speaking of that, Tony has booked the unification match for next week’s TV. I mean, great, but fuck me that’s how to sell a PPV 101: your top two workers in a champion vs. champion match. Is he just not interested in money?

Their PPV was like 3 weeks ago and there's not another one for 3 months.

Genuinely don’t get this coverage of wrestling where fans act like they’re running one of the territories. Who gives a fuck that it’s on TV?

[Ben]

All Out is September 4th.

This is like the Attitude Era all over again. Tony chasing TV ratings over PPV buys. Obviously Kenny or the Bucks want the All Out main event…

[Ben]

He's interested in getting another tv deal, so yes.

Punk and Kenny have just returned. You can easily pull in viewers with those two just appearing, or even a mini feud if you want a title match. Hotshotting the main angle in a week is madness unless he’s planning a TV time limit draw or something.

[phonics]

All Out is September 4th.

This is like the Attitude Era all over again. Tony chasing TV ratings over PPV buys. Obviously Kenny or the Bucks want the All Out main event…

Are you his business manager? Why does it matter?

It’s literally an interim title match. You want to build for a month to an interim match?

[Gray Fox]

Isn't Tony Khan a billionaire even without taking his dads fortune into account?

[phonics]

Tbf it seems Punk is once again being a giant bitch behind the scenes and I’m hoping Tony books him to lose and tells him to fuck off.

[7om]

Got no problem with putting big matches on tv. Otherwise you end up like WWE with 4 weeks of filler on between your PPVs.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That Roman and Sami Zayn segment was brilliant.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The pop for Sami was insane.

That 5-way match, amazing.

[Ian]

If HHH wants to he could easily turn Zayn into a credible main event challenger at the end of this angle and I for one am here for it if it happens.

[Ian]

The pop for Sami was insane.

That 5-way match, amazing.

Yeah just watched this and it was a lot of fun.

All the Drew/KO stuff, Lashley / AJ, the proper focus they're giving some of the other womens division people, plenty of solid stuff on Raw and Smackdown this week and it's just through actually booking shit with half a brain. There's nothing revolutionary here, it's just that booking wrestling isn't that hard when you're not subject to the whims of a senile old cunt.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The only thing I'm not liking right now is The Judgement Day shit, I just find it a bit crap. Especially with them so focused on The Mysterios and now Edge.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Gargano :cool:

[Ian]

I was never Gargano's biggest fan in NXT (loved DIY and liked some of his singles stuff but not when it became overthought, over choreographed nonsense but HHH loves him and I'm curious what main roster Gargano looks like.

Sounds like it was solid again and by my count from the 411 review better part of an hour and twenty of actual wrestling.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The DIY stuff was sadly before I got into NXT but his rivalry with Ciampa (although I felt Ciampa carried it by being an amazing heel) was great stuff at times.

As you say though over choreographed stuff did harm him (and Adam Cole, baybay).

[wullie]

To think if Adam Cole had hung on and been Keith Lee's manager until Vince got caught, he could now have all the Undisputed Era lads in the big time rather than arguing about who's being mean over Whatsapp or whatever they're doing.

[Ian]

The feud with Ciampa was great stuff and Ciampa was getting top tier heel heat but even then they started flip flopping their alignments and stuff and it went beyond intricate and into tedious and self indulgent, for my tastes.

And there's the thing I think HHH on main roster will keep yo catering to his audience and I don't think a WWE crowd largely want the full extent of that Ciampa / Gargano feud so maybe I'll enjoy him more consistently on the main roster.

[Ian]

To think if Adam Cole had hung on and been Keith Lee's manager until Vince got caught, he could now have all the Undisputed Era lads in the big time rather than arguing about who's being mean over Whatsapp or whatever they're doing.

Is this the Page / Punk stuff ? That all sounds so very highschool.

[Ben]

I'm not a huge Gargano fan (although he's a great plucky underdog babyface because of his selling) but his match with Andrade was brilliant and obviously the 2/3 falls vs. Revival was tremendous. The Ciampa storyline was amazing and some of the best build I've seen in a long time but then they ruined the matches with all the ridiculous kick outs that are now commonplace. I kinda fell off NXT after that so not a clue what he's been up to since. Injured?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

His contract expired in December time I think after a feud with Dexter Lumis.

He decided to take a break as he was having a kid at the time.

[wullie]

The man's basically taken the piss with paternity leave.

[Ian]

I thought a bunch of The Way stuff was funny but again, didn't care for all the matches.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just finished RAW, another solid week from the red brand.

[Ian]

Punk appears to have been somewhat squashed last night. Is that because of all this backstage / Hangman stuff? That can't have been the original plan.

[Ben]

If he's not still injured then Tony is an idiot.

[Baz]

CM Junk

[wullie]

He'll get over it by winning one of the five new belts they introduce in the next two weeks or so.

[Waffdon]

I think they’re turning him heel

[Ben]

You would think, but the PPV next week is in Chicago so good luck with that. Surely they could have held off on the angle for a couple of weeks.

[Ian]

A heel turn does seem to be on the cards but it sounds an odd way to handle all this. Is Cocaine Tony just trying to rein in his locker room and this is punishment booking?

[Browning]

CM Punk almost certainly has massive amounts of creative control, so I doubt it.

[Ben]

It'll be the age old angle of the guy turning into a bitter heel and cheating his way to winning it back. Which isn't a bad thing because these angles work for a reason.

But hotshotting your champion vs. champion angle in one week then going into the marquee PPV next week with no advertised World title match because you've had your hometown hero champion drop the title in 2 minutes is just ludicrous. If Punk is even on the card now, he will have to win, otherwise the crowd will shit all over it, so they can't do the title rematch straight away because it will negate the entire angle they set up last night. And then if they don't go that route, Moxley is left with his dick in his hand with no opponent so any momentum he's gained will be immediately lost.

[wullie]

He could do the thing where he's heel everywhere but Chicago, they love a Bret Hart nod in AEW too

[Disco]

I get the (completely uninformed) feeling that they wanted to do the squash/injury angle as a route to the heel turn but knew it would go down very badly at a PPV. Seems weird to do the re-match immediately, especially if Punk wins.

The trios math afterwards though, woof.

[Ben]

It certainly feels like they’ve dreamt up this trios tournament and title just so Kenny and the Bucks can play together. The whole segment was cringey and sloppy. Even against the Mexicans who are experts in six man matches, it was just bad.

[Disco]

This was Aussie Open / Death Triangle. I could stand to see some more of PAC / Ospreay.

[Ben]

Ah yes, I was thinking of last week. I like everyone in that UE vs. Death Triangle match but it was not great. I get it being a tournament match where one team is one-and-done that they all need to get their stuff in, but it just felt like everyone was constantly stalling to set up for spots. I just can't get into a match like that.

[randomlegend]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71MCUeb9G-A

:D

[Ian]

For fuck's sake. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:cool:

[Ian]

HHH rumoured to be planning changes to belt designs. :drool:

Really hoping this literally just means bringing back the proper ones but that's probably too much to ask for.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Watching Smackdown now.

That WALTER/Sheamus promo was perfect.

That fight is going to be brutal.

[Ian]

I was unsure on that segment. Felt it dragged a bit. But I am 100% looking forward to them smacking the piss out of each other.

The Reigns/ Zayn stuff is also great and they'll have an epic face turn there if they want one.

[Ian]

Uncle Dave has been fed the earth-shattering revelation that some people in WWE think Vince may have been detrimental to the product.

Astonishing conclusion that truly only a knowledgeable insider could have arrived at.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I want whatever they're smoking.

Vince bad for the product? Mental.

[Shindig]

Next they'll be telling me Vince Russo was still writing for them.

[Ian]

Next they'll be telling me Vince Russo was still writing for them.

Oh I saw this one too. :D

[Waffdon]

Seth Rollins :cool: