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It takes some next-level masochism to watch a 3 hour internet show of jobber matches from a promotion that you already know you don’t even like to begin with.?

One of the worst offenses of modern WWE is making every wrestler think they have to have some stupid-ass hard cam pose.

When Tajiri does this to Casas: Casas does this to Tajiri:

Shit yeah, the true workhorses of AEW, our boys Blade and Bunkhouse Butch win a Dynamite main event! Moving up the rankings, daddy! Babyface Archer with the save! Continuity! This whole thing was just fantastic as hell. Elsewhere, man they packed a ton into this show. So much to digest. Not sure how I feel about the Taz/Cody angle. Like that was a very well executed segment of a type of angle that I don’t want AEW to run ever. What is TK gonna wrestle Taz now? Stop it. No shooty stuff, no execs on camera, no mentions of execs on camera. Just no. Hobbs with the Worlds Strongest Slam finish was note perfect. So good.

Make it humble!

My uncle's back for the first time since he got out of jail and been allowed out of state in a decade (fraud in case you wondered) so mom's making the standard Turkey Pecan/Lemon/Pumpkin Pies Dressing + Gravy Cranberry whatever Green bean whatever Dad's rolls (100% greatness) If I can convince them, garlic mashed potatoes. Need to write that down. I hate going by the book Xmas is always ham and I despise the thought... then get drunk and eat it anyway and it's always great. I will insist on eating Chinese on Friday because fuck having leftovers immediately. EDIT: I've been trying to convince them to fry another turkey again for years. They ALWAYS say no. "Too dangerous"... sure. We have way too much of a back yard with no trees for that. EDIT II: Reading that back, you know what I don't sound like? Thankful. And I am. Without my family this year I'd be in the street. I'm happy to have whatever they make if it makes my mom and uncle happy considering both their parents are gone and they need to be together and feel something familiar. And food brings us together. This is a holiday only really necessary for bringing us together, so whether you come together or can't, treasure the people you still have.

Heenan Family x Royal Tenenbaums. Saw it on Reddit from Lo_Ingobernable.

I maintain that Rude getting hurt at the end of '92 just before he was going to become WCW Heavyweight Champ robbed us of some all-time great television. I've said it before, but Rude in 1992 is probably my favorite wrestler year ever. The ring work and character work were insanely good. He spent half the summer trolling Ricky Steamboat for accidentally hitting Madusa when throwing a punch, and it was legitimately one of the greatest heel troll jobs ever. What a piece of shit that character was. Rude in 1992 is up there with Midnights in 1988, Bret in 1997, Austin in 1998, and Rock in 2003 for me. Or I guess Jim Breaks in 1978, though I have less of a bead on the breadth of his work from that year.

Welcome to my in depth analysis of the AEW roster! Because I feel like it, I'm going by alphabetical order based off the AEW roster page as of the last time I looked. This basically allows us to hit everyone on the roster in an order that won't front stack all the main eventers first because there's fun to have in the under card. The goal is to hit everything about the wrestlers so look and gimmick will be tied in. Everyone is welcome to participate but I would ask that we don't jump to people I haven't gotten to unless I quit in a day in which case, have at it. Abadon The upside of going alphabetical in that 'The Living Dead Girl' comes up first and boy do we have a lot to cover with her. Like The Wyatt Family or Tyler Breeze (shut up) high concept gimmicks, Abadon has one of those gimmicks that should stir creative ideas instantly. Honestly, if you can't look at Abadon and have 3 good booking ideas, you should not be writing for wrestling. She's the type of character that should always be up to something if only for the spectacle. And quite frankly, she's a lot of spectacle right now and needs to work on her substance. Lets talk about her look and the two parts that need separate examination. First is her face paint and it's a 11 out of 10. It's the best. I'm not kidding. There's no but. Secondly there is everything else and that could use a little something, something. Abadon's outfit is interesting because it seems very wrestler to me when she's also a zombie/rage virus/whatever she is. If it's me, I put her in street clothes to indicate that she's not your average performer. You could also use her outfit to help with the lore of whatever she is. Like put her in medical scrubs and suddenly she's a doctor without borders who stumbled upon a rare disease in the amazon or whatever. And the lore is interesting because we cannot get it from Abadon because she really shouldn't be having sit down interviews with JR. I really think she needs a manager/handler to both direct her (giving her some sense of purpose when she, by all rights, shouldn't) and explain what the deal is. I personally enjoy the virus explanation because she could then infect other people and create a horde which is probably more Lucha Underground than AEW but I've decided not to care. I'm sure a Kevin Sullivan could spout a bunch of shit of her being the last fruit of the Tree of Woe or whatever nonsense you need to put the character together. I would alter her entrance so she's not waiting around for a music cue so either her manager has her confined by extras or in a trunk or cage. I personally enjoy the virus explanation because she could then infect other people and create a horde which is probably more Lucha Underground than AEW but I've decided not to care. Working skills are less important to a character like Abadon but she does some of the little things right. She should never lock up. She shouldn't out think anyone. I personally think the Widow's Peak finisher is good in that its a great move and I can't think of something better at this point for a lunatic. I don't think she should be using the short rana she's used as early finish as it seems too fancy for a psychopathic creature. She should be working on her punches all the time because her throwing forearms to stick to the rules of wrestling is nonsensical. All in all Abadon may not be ready for a big push but she is someone who should be featured in the undercard a lot. She needs booking protection in that she really shouldn't be beaten flat but can eat pinning combinations and disqualifications. She's a spectacle wrestler and AEW doesn't really have those (especially in the maligned women's division). She's not ready to be the Undertaker but she has a chance that a lot of wrestlers don't.

JAPW coming to IWTV starting tomorrow. Fuck yeah! https://twitter.com/indiewrestling/status/1331660385255034886?s=20

They don't want none.

What if it's... ,,, ,,, ,,, Ibushi???? I am Gordi's Shadow

Somewhere in the multiverse that main event match/angle happened in 1987 and when the Winter is Coming Tour hits Baton Rouge on Friday night, Death Triangle and Archer take on Kingston, Butcher, Blade and Friend of Eddie Kingston The One Man Gang inside Blood and Guts. Tickets available at the box office or your nearest Kaybee Toys

Also even though the FTW shit fell flat, a Starks Sandwich served on Beefy Bread was pretty hot too.

I'm now imagining that Manny Fernandez had no prior involvement with either Valiant or Valiant's opponent, and that stipulation was just added so he could act as, I don't know, decoration or something.

First things first: Archer got his old music back! That match was awesome, and I absolutely loved the pairing of Fenix/Pac. I assume they're building to a trios which will also kick ass. I really liked it when Butcher just knocked Fenix out of the air on that dropkick I'm not un-excited for Mox/Omega, but im finding the whole "old Kenny" and "Kenny they think you are" thing a little meh. Just not grabbing me. But, I guess on the flip side, they must think theyve got another really great match in them if they're giving it that kind of hype, so I'm fully prepared to happily eat my words. I'm still kinda weird on the Hobbs/FTW pairing. I am with those who said last week there was more mileage left on him as a babyface. I didn't love the whole "shoot" aspect with Taz promo but I sure marked out for the Tazmission so call it even I guess

EVERYBODY DIIIIIIIES~! the theme is BACK! I was wondering who could make the save then the Archer apperance got me totally pumped for that awesome chaotic closing segment. I am here for Archer vs Kingston for sure. Enjoyed the Cody/Taz segment. Thought Top Flight vs Hybrid 2 was real fun and cool to finally see TH2 do something/get a win on Dynamite, same for Butcher & Blade. I dig Jericho/Hager as a team and I'm still a fan of SCU, so I'm looking forward to Jericho vs Kazarian next week. Kazarian's always one of my favs so I hope to see him have another shining performance there. Liked the little build up video for Shida/Anna Jay, good solid little match that the crowd there seemed hot for. Shida matches are always one of my highlights. Looking forward to Winter is Coming.

Breezy show with the best match being the first match. Page is so consistent and Silver delivered in a relatively big opportunity. I don't hate angling Archer as a babyface.

DREAM GIRL ELLIE, HIT IN THE BELLY! ???

I confess I used to contemplate how much time new wrestlers signed to WWE had to spend in front of a mirror - either at the PC or at home - trying pose after pose only to have to say "Damn it, that one's taken!" over...and over...and over...

This is Houdini, The Saddest Cat In The World: She's been at the center for almost two months now and is still super-shy and mostly just huddles in a corner. She likes the morning caretaker guy, but not really anyone else. Until last night when she did this: When I came in she immediately came out of hiding and rubbed against me and wanted pets. And then wanted to stick her nose in my nostril Like, over and over again. She was really getting up there. Lil weirdo.

I saw some poll that asked whether anyone would be playing this game if Cyberpunk released on time, and about 90% of people said no. This game had the best launch in the history of the series...and I'm one of those people who is only playing it as a place holder. I got my hands on an Xbox Series X and wanted to play a game that took advantage of the new hardware. I wanted to get my hands on a PS5 so I can play Spider-Man, but haven't been able to find one. I don't play Call of Duty, and even if I did, I wouldn't buy anything starring Ronald Reagan*. So, I've been playing Assassin's Creed and for the most part I've enjoyed it. *My high school Government teacher who was a foul mouthed, old man with Parkinsons. One day he came in and asked the class "What the fuck did George Washington do this time?" Then looked up from his desk and said, "Fuck Ronald Reagan." This was when they changed the name of Washington National Airport to Reagan National Airport. Until the current occupier of the White House, Ronald Reagan was the most inexplicably beloved person of my lifetime.

Since the Undertaker hating cucumbers (and hey, I don't want them in my Gin and Tonic, either, but otherwise I'm really dumbfounded by this) is becoming common knowledge, I bet plenty of his former WrestleMania opponents are kicking themselves for not scouting this weakness out before their opportunity the break the streak!

Make Austin ref, like Brock/Goldberg at WM XX. They could debate on Broken Skull Sessions too. "Now Drake...you've got some pretty strange opinions. Is that a shoot?" Then he'll ask them both about the Stossel incident.

Kenny's character is that he is a nerd. He's a soft-spoken, curly-haired, video-game-loving, anime-obsessed Japanophile. He just happens to be a nerd with a perfect physique, high-level athleticism, and next-level pro wrestling skills. I love that character. It's a great idea for the nerd-culture-ascendant world that we now live in. I am always baffled when people point out individual examples of Kenny acting like a nerd as if it's a bad thing. That is his deal. That is what he does. I am, admittedly, a total mark for AEW. I have been waiting for something like this for a good long while. I love love love that they are constantly trying to stretch out the boundaries of what can work w/r/t pro wrestling characters and stories. They don't always succeed but I very much would like them to keep trying. They are, first and foremost, the company where people can have fun at work, with their friends. They are also the company that gets their hardcore fans and does their best to make them happy. The last thing I want them to be is a company where things are done by the book. A proficient wrestling nerd is a relatively novel kind of character. Obviously, the reason it suits Kenny Omega is that he is, in real life, a nerd who is very well-built, athletic, and good at pro wrestling.

Did Taz seriously name his son Hook? And he's ginger too, which technically makes him Red Hook.

I think Page more than anyone else on the roster has been hurt by the inability to have live crowds. Once AEW can draw in a decent sized crowd again, I'll bet they start Hangman's redemption story. But realistically I doubt they pay it off until next year's All Out or Full Gear.

Adam Page Adam Page is a guy with big draw potential who I believe is being harmed by his booking which we will get to as this report rambles onward towards the sun. and the sweet release of death. Of all the AEW guys with no WWE experience or exposure, I would pick Page as the one with the most mainstream appeal and the best chance to cross over into big draw territory. I think he's a potential needle mover but they've got to get behind him and stop with some of the moves that would threaten his steam. "The Hangman" is an all time great nickname and as he's developed and matured, I think he's managed to finally fit the moniker after years of trying to fit into an independent mold. By saving the moonsaults to the outside and the standing shooting star presses, he can concentrate on what he's good at and that's <Big E> slapping big manly meat </Big E>. Page has great strikes in particular his boots and clotheslines which always seem to hit in a satisfying flesh to flesh manner. The fallaway slam and pop up powerbomb are also good additions to the tool set and while I would save the reverse piledriver thing that I don't remember the name of as a big PPV finish, I think it fits his tone properly. The buckshot lariat is a fine finish and that it has a long wind up and pay off is not a bad thing in a face finisher. Countering it can become too ingrained in the psychology if they have everyone figure it out all the time but they've done a reasonably good job not overplaying the counters. The Cowboy gimmick is a classic and Page has done a fairly good job of modernizing it so he's not quite so cartoony. Look wise, I think I preferred the plain black trunks to the new long tights with the frills. I think they're a might too fancy for the character and thy could bring it back to center by putting him back in the simpler gear. So we have a guy with a lot of tools to work with and many intangibles that could lead to big dollars. We seemed to be on the verge of something major when Page and Omega faced the Young Bucks at Revolution but to be honest, it feels as though not pulling the trigger on someone turning caused the angle to sputter. Page basically won the tag titles in the closing stretch on his own and the Bucks and Omega were treating him as a lesser partner in the group so the parts were there to make a major move to put Page on the road to super stardom. But instead they didn't do anything and still all four guys were in the ring at the end of the Bucks-FTR title change. The angle's lack of progress has killed its momentum coupled with one other crucial element... The drinking problem. I'm still baffled by them taking their potential breakout star and making him a sad drunk. No one ever got over by being pathetic but we're going to give it a go. The belief seems to be we're taking a guy at a 7 of being over, intentionally dropping him to a 5 so he can rebound to a 10. This idea ignores that sometimes people don't recover from their heat diminishing when they go to reheat. The crowd may move on if they think Page is too much of a sad sack loser who cries in his beer. The momentum of the Page push has faltered a lot from the writing perspective and I don't know that continuing to push him down is going to make him rise in the end. It's on one hand very ambitious but it also feels like AEW hasn't had the stones to have either Kenny or The Bucks definitively turn on Page and get some heat.

So to the shock of no one, I ended up playing Like a Dragon next. It fucking rules, and the dub is largely very good. BUT I really wish they had just left the songs in Japanese if they were going to dub them without working the words to rhyme. "Bakamitai" sounds fine, but the faster hard rock songs are EXCRUCIATING, as they try to fit words into a meter they weren't written for. Remember the 90s when anime companies would go for less exact translations in favor of making it something a human could sing to the melody? Do that or just leave the songs subbed.

New Masa shirts

I think it’s smart that they’re testing out the Britt segment on Dark rather than taking it straight to Dynamite. LOTS of kinks to be worked out. You could tell they made a lot of changes this week based off what didn’t work last week.

He struck me as fairly bland when I first started seeing him in NXT. Even after the Drifter character caught on, there was a lot of discussion on the internet about whether he could get over without the gimmick. I remember people thinking he'd fail on the main roster because they expected Vince to nerf the gimmick and didn't think he could get over organically. I'm still amazed Johnny Gargano and Ray Rowe made it to WWE. Lol, when Gargano started getting booked in Chikara, I thought that was probably as high up the food chain as he'd get and even that was more than i expected. Shows how much I know. I'm kinda impressed that he got over as the babyface ace of NXT because my first exposure to him was PWO, Chiikara, and other tiny indies in the Northeast where he almost always played chickenshit heel flunkie to another chickenshit heel. Never thought he'd make a good babyface. I wish Gargano was taller. When I see him in NXT, I think of Dave Meltzer's line about Austin Aries: If he was six inches taller.... he'd still be four inches too short for the main roster (Dave said that years ago when Aries was in ROH, before WWE started signing indie guys like Danielson and Low-ki). Elias isn't that big either, but he's got a broad chest and big arms, so he looks larger than he is. I was surprised to realize he's only billed at about 220 lbs.

That looks really cool. I remain thankful that I am just slightly too old to have been into Transformers, the house is filled with action figures as it is. Just on my desk I have Crossbones (factory), Whirlwind (factory), Power Man (custom), Death Adder (custom), Scorpion (factory). It's a wonder that I get anything done.

Holy shit, do I need to watch Dark?!

I figured it was Hennig as well. Especially since he’s next to Rude. Little kid Arn Anderson sorta freaks me out, if only because that’s how he likely looked as a child. ?

My brother in law hates cucumbers and I was as baffled by that as well. But considering the watery vibe it has plus the smell (among other things) I can see why he wouldn't care for that. I personally don't have a need for them but don't mind it once in awhile. And cucumber water sounds fine but I'd rather do a lemon and lime one instead. As for the network I finally made my way to '93 and am bent on following both what WWF and WCW do. Between Superstars and Saturday Night along with PPVs/Clashs (and Raw when that starts) there's more than enough to go back and see how they both did '93. I would add ECW but I previously saw Hardcore TV from '93 up to mid '95. I will say that '92 WWF and WCW couldn't be more different. While WWF is practically a cartoon and goes further that way WCW is still more realistic and enjoyable. Which is great considering I didn't see nearly as much from them at this time but still knew of the main stars.

Guys, let's go back to yung Jon Moxley doing coke and going to the library to read books like it's a normal thing to do.

This was so randomly funny. This was the first and only wrestlemania I’ve been too (had a blast). I work for a very wealthy persons estate and the day before was the annual big party where they have these taiko drummers every year as part of the entertainment. https://www.sftaiko.com Part of my many duties was to greet and escort them while they set up. They were all talking to each other about wrestlemania tomorrow and how cool it was and I was like wtf?!? That was also the first year the sensei wasn’t there because he was in Santa Clara getting ready for wrestlemania. Just random and funny and I really enjoyed the show. Really like your recaps.

While I do love the WCW Slam Jam love of the last few pages, I am currently loving another wrestling theme song. In a great tie-in to the "Bix is stalking Drake Younger who is a Proud Boy" news of this page, Between the Sheets' most recent episode is about Big Egg Wrestlung Universe. I've never really watched much joshi but at the end of the episode they play Aja Kong's theme and good Lord, it's so good. I want to find a .cdg version of it and sing it at karaoke if the bars ever open back up. ETA: I have Big Egg Wrestling Universe loaded up right now actually. I'm planning on watching the tournament matches and some of the undercard. I'm checked out of current wrestling for the most part but I think I might start trying to get into joshi. Is there a joshi for beginners thread that exists, on this board or anywhere else, that people are aware of?

The thing about Tessa is, Impact were willing to keep her on if she apologised, and if she continued to send in video promos for the big title match (which she was planned to come back for). And she refused to do those things, so they released her. But the thing is, who runs the office in Impact? Don Callis and Scott D' Amore, right? And who is Kenny Omega's wrestling business guru? Don Callis. If Don says Tessa is unreliable and not worth the hassle, Kenny's going to listen, isn't he?

Verne Gagne was running opposition at the Forum so the NWA sent in the Marines. Love that group photo.

Just me and Mom, and Mom has decided that she wants tamales this year, so I'll call my local Mexican restaurant and pick up a few orders to have at home.

You didn't miss anything.