Leaderboard

I had a great time despite being worn out by the end of Rampage. My throat hurts and my voice is shot. There wasn't anything that wasn't solid. As you'd expect, Punk, Danielson, Adam Cole, and Ruby Soho were all insanely over. The brawl between Suzuki-gun and Moxley/Kingston was awesome. It was cool seeing people's jaws drop for an unadvertised Minoru Suzuki. I've gotten to sing along to Kaze Ni Nare, so I can die a happy man.

YES YES YES YES YES YES

I think Eli Cottonwood is a good name for a southern redneck heel.

Fucking awesome show. I swear, every Dynamite that looks ok on paper winds up being great. Plus, I love when wrestling is just motherfuckers fighting and this had a ton of motherfuckers just out and out fighting each other.

If this is a low key diss on “Africa,” I will fight you and it will most definitely take a lot to drag me away from you.

They should do heel poetry too. These Gentlemen two Have a poem for you And we hope that you all will listen. Do you know what it's worth? how much oil and work? To keep muscles like these all aglisten? Of course you do not overweight, full of snot with your underachieving family How could you know when you live in a pit like Toledo [hold for booos] and you drive a 2000 camry.

He's fine at hunting them. He's just not sure what to do with one when he catches them.

I loved how the commentators all STFU'd for Malakai's entrance this week.

If Bron Breakker as name is death, Dolph Ziggler is... Wait for it ... MEGADEATH!

Pillman had a line in there like (paraphrasing) "Don't be fooled by my nice clothes and how I clean up well, I'm still feral" I'm totally out of the loop if an obscene mullet and tiger print clothes are an example of "spruced up". Maybe in Cincinnati?

Other random things... I love that Fuego's new car is some 2014 Ford Fusion from the looks of it and he's so fucking proud of that thing. I don't know why, but that killed me in that moment and it puts a smile on my face typing that out. My problem with the Panama Sunrise is that Cole always looks like he's going in slow motion when hitting it. It just looks weird. That's in addition to the setup being a guy needs to be close to a corner and Cole needs to be on the second rope. The Final Shot and Ushigoroshi are way, way better finishers/moves. Plus, everyone does a Destroyer. To my knowledge, I don't think any of the men are busting out the Ushigoroshi with any sort of regularity. I'm pretty sure I saw it in a recent women's match, maybe Kris vs Britt? The Gunn Club video was actually pretty decent. Hobbs' clothes were fire. Dude looked like someone who got pulled out of a Final Fight or Streets of Rage game.

It's still wild to me that they licensed a song by Amenra for Malakai Black's theme.

Mei Suruga singing Minoru Suzuki's theme song as he comes to the ring.

Now that's one hell of a shot.

Which one of you was that?

That was fucking great. Cody and Black was fucking awesome. Leyla Hirsch is a tiny Ricky Steamboat. Moxley/Suzuki was fucking epic. Danielson and Omega was so big time.

The movie or the device? Unfortunately I was into high school already when Hook: the Movie came out and of course, being a twat I was like "NOOO. That's a BABY MOVIE. I'm A MAN!!!!!! I want boobs and and/or Jackie Chan ONLY!!!!" Which was dumb. But also means I have no nostalgic connection with it, and I don't think I ever did see it. Now, the device. Useful as fuck. For, like, almost grabbing things, but only if they're below you? Can't be beat.

Darn NJ Fish and Game regulations. Mandatory catch and release for an Elite that’s Cole’s size.

Haven't had time to read the whole thread and sorry if I'm repeating anyone, but do next week's shows look pretty decent?

New Pod this week with some guy named DEAN~! Talking about Ishikawa/Tenryu vs. Choshu/Hashimoto from WAR!! https://redcircle.com/shows/be34c05b-8483-4797-af55-5ec4bd254611/episodes/3e17bce6-c74e-45d4-a001-649b4c7b3020

I know this is not a productive line of discussion so I'll surround it in something that is maybe: Again, I really like the element of the house style where moves are earned or have consequence. I saw the last 5 minutes of Cole vs Kazarian on youtube and I liked how the first Panama Destroyer got countered and how Kazarian got burned by going for the legdrop a second time, which, in general, set up the actual Destroyer as well as could be. That just makes everything feel more earned and more important and resonate more. I think that when Cole has a singles match with Christian, it'll probably be really good because Christian is the king at creatively working those sorts of elements into his matches with his moves and his opponent's moves. That said, and here's the part that's not helpful, the actual moves themselves matter and something like the Panama Destroyer, so much more than even something like a 619 where Rey has to strategically move someone into position, doesn't work at this high a level, not even symbolically. It's just too much, just breaks physics too much, just involves too much of a level of cooperation, just defies logic too much. I think what gets me with it is that it involves two contrived moments. A normal destroyer or code red isn't entirely the end of the world. I think it should go wrong more where a larger guy ends up squishing the guy doing it to get over the risk and reward and difficulty of it, but I'm generally ok with it. Likewise, the set up where a guy is keeled over can be believable in some ways. It worked for years for a Mr. Wrestling II kneelift. But when you combine the two, bridged by the theoretical recoil of landing on the guy's neck and then it bouncing back up to assist with the flip, the execution just has to be absolutely perfect to make it seem believable. Too often, you land, and there's just a long stutter and then he does the destroyer so the leaping off the ropes isn't about the recoil so much as just setting it up and it's asinine. It just is. I get that if you watch modern wrestling you have to deal with stuff like that and I get that it's over which, in the end, is most of what matters, but I kind of really hate it. Sorry. There, that's out of my system for now.

Big Bully Busick's real son is an MMA fighter. I interviewed him after he won a fight and mentioned that his daddy threw me out of the ring.

As always the continuing perfecting of self tanner application by Don is criminally underrated

He’s 1992 Tito Santana. He’s shined up with a slightly new gimmick and in front of the right crowd could have a big moment or win and be credible, but he’s there to put over new heels.

No reason next week's Dynamite shouldn't be their highest rated episode ever. (Although I thought that about their first show after All Out too, and was wrong)

Yeah, count me in for always thinking the latex looking paint rubbing off looked dope as fuck. It reminded me of how Spider-Man's mask would be in tatters after huge battles. Like when Sting or the Road Warriors had barely anything left on their face, you knew it was a good match. I didn't see a whole lot of Sting in TNA, but I at least think the grease paint started when Sting had his WWE run. As for the Elite, again, just like 2point0 finding money in being wrestling's Bulk and Skull, I fucking love that the Elite are wrestling's version of Ski School movie villains. Inject all of that shit into my veins.

Have we talked about the Gunn Club video? Incredible stuff with heels who think they have a really good point but also are completely lacking context. Gunn Club vs Punk after Hook chokes him out in his debut.

The Tony/Britt/Cole deal kind of left me cold last week, but I can’t think of a funnier thing to hear in the middle of a wrestling match than a man in his mid 60s saying, “You can be friends with a girl!”

I died laughing as soon as he offered to put his car on the line. I just have this picture in my head of Miro destroying the car like it's the bonus level of Street Fighter II.

what an event. Cole/Kazarian super solid opener, was looking forward to being able to enjoy Cole more in a setting like this. Six man tag next week should be fun. Welcome back Cody! Awesome brawl and build up to next week's showdown. Rosario getting involved was a cool extra touch. the Butcher & Blade suddenly being top contenders is interesting. Love the ATT badass squad. Kayla Harrison definitely looked like a natural in there and ready to fight, definite great pro wrestling heel potential and would also be a great new path for Paige after years of her name coming up as possibly getting in to wrestling. Still wish it was Jericho & Hager vs. Arlovski & Dos Santos - that would be awesome. Jade/Leyla was good stuff. Looking forward to the Rise of the Undefeated Gunn Club. Great angle with Punk and Team Taz, smart use of Punk being there on commentary for a reason. Spears/Darby was great. Between this and the Guevara match, Spears seems to have finally turned a corner with some standout performances. Post-match angle was aces, very old school with Tully, loved it. Kind of disappointed that Bryan/Omega is not for the title. Feels like it lessens the drama of such a big match on such a big show and seems like if Bryan wins then they rematch at Full Gear then it's another Christian situation. But still looking forward to it regardless. Fun main event, even better post match. The Suzuki Incident! Glad that was rectified at least with a bonus appearance. Thought they'd have him hit the Piledriver on the table to close the show with some momentum, but dig the chaotic nature. Next week is crazy stacked. Really like that Rampage gets to go 2 hours already for the first time, certainly a big time feel. That stadium with that record crowd is gonna be incredible. So much going on all the time throughout these shows and there's always so much more to look forward to with the upcoming shows.

Losing my God damn mind for next week. Absolutely the biggest card I've ever been in the building for. Hype level a million billion.

TAKE NOTES SANADA

Blues Traveler was right... The Hook brings you back.. and chokes you out...

How great are Hobbs' dungarees by the way?

Rosario Dawson was there. A million billion stars ?

There is no History tm. There is only Brand

Bit late to the party, my random thoughts of the show: Fuck it, put Punk on commentary every week, he’s such a natural at it, make him and Excalibur the forever commentary team and let them grow old together. “Florida Man goes for a ride!” The Super Kliq will eventually be what the Elite was to the Bullet Club whenever Cole decides it’s time to kick Kenny out. Pillman’s baby face act sucks big time, he manages to get one up on MJF and stands there with the chair playing to the crowd like an idiot. Same thing last week, MJF harassing his family and he just comes out and plays to the crowd at the top of the ramp instead of running and beating the shit out of him. Some nice swagger from Jungle Jack, more of this little type of promos should help his confidence on the mic, baby steps. Pretty impressive how Jericho and Lambert shout some much shit talk at full speed without stumbling even once. That little video package for Andrade and his reaction to Chavo and the other guy has made him look pretty bad ass , I hope they continue with this no nonsense kingpin thing. “I didn’t know they let trolls across the bridge” I can’t imagine how Hobbs must feel going from jobbing on Dark every week just a year ago to wrestling Punk on his first TV match in 7 years. Believe in your dreams guys. “The ice water enema, Don Callis” Holy shit they really went all out for this Grand Slam week. “Throw the heater Ricky” lol was that JR? Gracia and 2.0 have sneakily main evente tons of shows in the past couple of months. I’m enjoying perma-bulk bruiser Moxley, this look fits him so well.

You gotta figure Danielson/Omega will pop a pretty good rating, plus all the other stuff. And while I think he's taking some time away from the board, I hope The Natural freaked the hell out when they announced Danielson's first AEW match.

I am reading this as "Extweme Rules," which makes me expect Elmer Fudd to show up as a special wefewee.

If Dante Martin were in Tony Hawk Pro Skater, he would get so much hang time you could bust out multiple 900s.

With Paige Van Zant appearing it’s another Paige to the Page/Cage/Gage collection.

Does Vince pay Taker $2 million to work Raw on Monday?

Oh lord, just realised that Bronn Brekker will just be “Brekker” when he gets that main roster call up. Can’t have Bron when Braun has already been there! Brooks Jensen is such a 80’s radio DJ name. “Welcome to 107.1 The Breeze, I’m Brooks Jensen and this is Toto with Africa”