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Saturday Reflections: JESUS CHRIST! THAT MATCH WAS FUCKING PSYCHOTIC! I was noticing that THREE of Hayter's best title matches were against Riho, Hikaru Shida and Emi Sakura. I wonder if the are just going to bring in Arisa Nakajima and Ryo Mizunami who can work Hayter's style or are they going to just start beat the living hell out of US Indie/ NXT graduates. I mean, I'm for either. Actually, I seems like the organic insane stiffness started when Toni Storm arrived, she brought it out of Hayter, Athena decided to just start beating the fuck out of people and now Ruby Soho is moving towards a hardcore wrestling-based stiffness. Willow Nightingale is way more into a monstrous Power Offense than I EVER saw her use in the indies. And I'm thinking that this is all the work of Madison Rayne? It's so cool. Jamie Hayter is the best thing to happen to US Pro Wrestling in forever.

It must have felt so good for Jamie Hayter to help showcase the incredible skills of Emi Sakura in such a definitive way. In turn, Emi helps make a further convincing case that Hayter should keep holding onto the title for a long time. A brutal but beautiful match to watch, in that sense. Plus, Mei Suruga! Everybody wins!

Lawful Jr and I are on our way to the Rumble!

Jayzeus!

TK: "That Deathvalleydriver board is a wonderful place.... except for that Gregg guy." I caught the last few seconds of Yuta vs Hangman, and that was a very Punkshot level Death Rider. Felt just a little bad for Taylor since Danhausen was way more over than he was. This was fun, with the best part being Sonjay's sell of the Orange Punch, but I hope they spend a few weeks with it at least as there are a bunch more matches I want to see out of the pairing. I thought Satnam did a good job selling the rope drapings. He's making progress. A fake golden globe as a weapon is such 1990 Memphis bullshit. I struggle to see what a good payoff for Hobbs would be. You'd think maybe the guy to beat Darby but he just had a TNT title feud where he ate the fall. You don't want him beating Cassidy, though on some level, for him to be the guy to wrestle all of the international wrestlers would be interesting at least. Different. Maybe a Page feud? But then who wins? Maybe a Mox feud? That'd be good even if he didn't win. He'd just have to hold his own. Main event was excellent. Crowd stayed in it even through the long bits of heat. A lot of that was on Hayter showing fire but then getting cut down. During the break, Excalibur got confused and called Mei "Mei Saint-Michel" for some reason even though they're clearly (clearly) different people. Emi gets so into things that part of me wasn't sure she'd have the ability to modulate the act for this setting, but past a few "I am your highness"es when she was going for the moonsault, she had the slider 2/3rds the way to full seriousness (which as good as the Shida match from last year was, wasn't something she did then). I'd almost be sad to see her used in a setting other than Elevation since she's such a beloved part of that show. It's like taking Eigen or Okuma out of the Baba comedy six mans. Emi Elevation tags are weekly bits of comfort and joy, but she both deserves more spotlight and can absolutely deliver and contribute. Bring on Swerve vs Dustin! I could be wrong, because Swerve's offense is pretty goofy, but I just have a feeling Dustin would be the best babyface possible and Swerve the most vile heel and it'd be a great match.

Jamie Hayter vs. KAIRI for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2023 please and thank you.

RAMPAGE! I love that Wheeler is wrestling this like Pure Rules match! Hangman Page is the first to punch someone in the face. Hangman hits his offense and it's all good! They did the great camera trick of Wheeler Yuta flying into the shot and it looks all awesome and and shit! Tiger Driver by Hangman! Yuta has a hot comeback! NICE Toprope DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! By Hangman! FOR TWO! Hangman does the famous BattlARTS finish but with German Suplexes instead of Dragon Suplex! This match is great! Yuta revereses into his own German Suplexes and THEN YUTA HITS A GERMAN ON THE APRON and then HITS A FUCKING RELEASED GERMAN ON THE FLOOR! This match is fucking GREAT. Yuta counters the Buckshot Lariat! Hangman hits a ROARING ELBOW! HANGMAN HITS A BUCKSHOT LARIAT! Hangman pulls him up to hit him with a Death Rider! HELL YEAH! THAT WAS QUALITY WRESTLING! MOX/ Hangman 3 is going to rock! It's Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh! It's Chuck Taylor, Trent Barretta and Danhausen! The fuckery begins early as Jeff Jarrett just HARVESTS heel heat! Jarrett hits TOTAL Memphis punches. Danhausen is fun beating on Jarrett. Satnum holds up his end by forcing Trent into the sympathetic babyface role. In picture in picture, Jarrett hits a totally sweet Murdoch Elbow off the apron. I love that Satnam is getting more ringtime. Chuck Taylor is OVER in Kentucky! Satnam and Danhausen and THEN all KINDS of insanity breaks loose. Danhausen grabs a guitar! Satnam gets his neck rung across the top rope THREE times! Sonjay Dutt gets knocked out by Orange Cassidy! The goofiest POSSIBLE finish is what they shoot for- as Jeff Jarrett hits Danhausen with his own UKULELI! Well, that was a hoot! And Taylor isn't big enough to get the hometown win, but he did get a bunch of his stuff in. That was great! I can completely get into Dustin Rhodes versus Shane Strickland. Ruby Soho is starting her own stable, I'm guessing- as AEW Women goes total STARDOM. EMI is flanked by STEAMPUNK MEI SURUGA and BAILLI AKKI. OH MAN! This match is SO FUCKING AWESOME. Jamie is selling EVERYTHING like total fucking DEATH. EMI is fucking awesome, laying it in but she is in with Jamie Hayter so it would actually be hilarious if someone tried to work light with her. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST! HAYTER IS THE STIFFEST WRESTLER ON EARTH! EMI is blood red about the chest and she is fucking AWESOME on her last comeback. This is the GUNTHER SHEAMUS of the new year. This is a TOTAL Akira Hokuto match. HOLY SHIT! THAT WAS FUCKING AWESOME. HOLY FUCK DOES AEW RULE THE MOTHERFUCKING WORLD!

Your winner this week is Mark Brisco vs Jay Lethal. He just buried his brother and we all watched reactions to what a great father and human he was. I'm not going to expose anyone to looking like a dillhole for not picking something that isn't actually in the realm of wrestling analysis and is pure emotion. So yeah, Briscoe/ Lethal is your winner this week. AND NOW! WHO TO VOTE FOR! I was all set to vote for the grimy and EXCELLENT Mistico vs Stuka Jr match. It just edges out the slicker Rocky Romero vs Volador Jr match. AAA had a few and a lot of IWRG just missed the cut. IWA-PR has a good PR style non-street fight between Zazazel and Manu. There wasn't any NWA or MLW this week. There wasn't any CWFH and IMPACT! was kind of crappy this week. There wasn't anything good from Japan, just some All Japan Pro undercard stuff. WWE was very varied. AEW had the best week in ring. THE MATCH I'M FUCKING VOTING FOR IS MOTHERFUCKING JAMIE HAYTER vs EMI SAKURA. THAT WAS FUCKIN BALLS TO THE WALL! CUT LIST: Reina Del Rey vs Sahara Spars- WOW; IP Dick Angelo 3G/ Legendario/ Puma de Oro vs Noisy Boy/ Spider Fly/ Tonalli- IWRG; Black Fury/ Lolita vs Diosa Quetzal/ Hades- IWRG; Serpentico vs Tony Deppen- AEW Dark; Gigi Gianni vs Jennifer Flores- WOW; Astral/ Hombre Bala Jr/ Volcano vs El Coyote/ Kraneo/ Okumura- CMLL; Genesis/ Exodus vs Razor/ Fury- WOW; Los Infernales (Euforia/ Hechicero/ Mephisto) vs OneAtos (Esfinge/ Fugaz/ Star Black)- CMLL

Well, I noticed that Meltzer gave 4 stars and I was like, "Did he not cry at that match?" That's when I realized trying to analyze a match like that is a fools errand.

Oh she talked me into going to the hospital back when my exploded. She is so much than what I deserve.

Observations from the Alamodome: 1) there is a ton of people in the building already 1.5+ hours before it even starts 2) not one AEW shirt (except for Lawful Jr.’s Danhausen shirt; I’m wearing Macho)

He gave the same rating to Danielson/Cage which the two are absolutely nothing alike in terms of quality, so I think we don't need to take ol' Dave's ratings into consideration in this year of our lord 2023. That being said, vote goes 100% to Hayter/Emi.

I am very interested in learning more about this Tenta comp TBH Maybe TK is binging in prep for the mythical Hoss Daddy Tournament

bugs me to no end that a top rope head dropping move is a near fall but the play of the day/overdrive/what have you is a near fall I like the continuity of Britt still being a catty bitch to Ruby even though she's a face Was that Mei WOWZA! What a dress!

I’m still watching the show but came here to mention the Avalanche Deathvalleydriver.com not being a match ender, it should become Hangman’s super finisher because it looked amazing. Glad the whole discussion has been about this. Great minds. It was a beautiful move, had that lovely “crunch” at the end.

I was LITERALLY thinking, while watching Emi vs Hayter, that there was no way I could vote for anything other than the tribute match this week regardless of how good the Rampage main event turned out to be. At the risk of putting too fine a point on it: I appreciate your understanding that everyone feels the same way, and 100% support your choice to make this a vote for second place.

MAAAN! Jamie Hayter is so fucking AWESOME.

Get well soon @DEAN

Is it too early to say Jamie Hayter is the best AEW Women's World Champion ever? The match with Toni Storm to begin her reign, Hikaru Shida and Emi Sakura were all great. Looking forward to Hayter's rematch with all three. Hikaru Shida had a great year long reign and I really liked Dr. Britt Baker's run more than some also.

Look at a similar sized guy like Mark Andrews. Or any other Cruiserweight they signed from 2016. How many of them got to contribute to the WWE product in a meaningful way? Money is money. But sometimes there's things more important than money. Creative freedom and artist expression are big selling points to being a pro wrestler. There's got to be a whole bunch of wrestlers who would rather work where they can do their thing their way than the WWE way. Plus he's boys with Darby. His dad trained Darby. Look how well AEW has used Darby. If you're Nick Wayne & looking at the track records, I'm signing with AEW 100 times out of 100. As for why signing now, AEW is locked in now. Yeah there's no money coming in now. But he doesn't have t worry about the landscape changing or the business having a massive shift that wold make it harder to get signed or 10 other guys just like him coming along and taking up all those opportunities. If you're in high school and you gt offered your dream job for when you turn 18 why WOULDN'T you jump on it and lock it in ASAP?

Did not watch last night but just got a reminder that Lacey Eans absolutely owns and she should get a really big push with this new character.

Jade was introduced through the Cody-verse so it's only natural she exists in her own realm.

Jamie's totally AEW's MVP these days. That match with Shida was just bonkers and now with Emi. Hope we get Jamie/Riho again someday and so happy there's a great list of challengers for her too. I hope we get a long reign out of her if she's gonna keep putting on matches like these.

Sonny Onoo found the only Polaroid camera still existing in Japan. I wonder if he just has a trunk full of those in his closet.

Unexpected great Rampage this week! Hangman-Yuta was on point. I'm with the avalanche DVD should be a finish not a mid-match nearfall. Strangely, I feel more distaste for mid-match nearfall piledrivers (including that ridiculous 1 count Hangman sell with Mox). The absolute worst one I can remember was that Guevara-MJF match with the Avalanach Piledriver 2 count. Orndorff and the territorial banning of that still tremendous move greatly influenced my idea of wrestling psychology. Ricky Starks could benefit from a promo coach. Wait! He's clearly got terrific speaking ability, but so often he has nothing to say. Surely, a guide could help direct his terrific flow. I will say I prefer 'because that's the absolute truth' than 'because I'm absolute'. Message here is he can beat Christ Jericho. Alright. Eddie Kingston's excuse (not that his perfectly fine promo needed it) is a thus far mediocre storyline. Bad cutaway at the end of that promo - c'mon Mansury clean up this poor cutting please! Jarrett/Lethal/Dutt/Satnam are the chef's kiss. So relieved Jay's tears and love on Wednesday didn't lead to a face turn. The Satnam-Danhausen showdown was a wonderful moment. The Best Friends crew traditionally rule Friday nights, but this Sonjay led team sure gives them a run for their money. I dig Puh-Puh-Puh-Powerhouse, but these useless squashes need to stop. At least give us a unique jobber situation. Gimme Willie Hobbs destroying a huge dude like that Ben Bishop guy. Or how bout a decisive win over any of the many solid undercard Dark guys? Enough of 'Powerhouse Hobbs In Action' against guys like 'Troy MUDD'. I like seeing Red and Kiera hanging out, but so badly want them to be the heels. Velvet is clearly a better heel, further, the crowd likes Jade, so I hope they just go with it. Outsiders vs Homegrown as a theme is fine, but as a talking point feels a bit silly. I didn't watch WWE during her run, but Toni doesn't feel like a former Titan Sports contracted performer. Hayter-Sakura was one of the better main events this show has featured. Just wnoderful! AEDubya rolling along with terrific television.

Jayzeus! EMI's HIGH ANGLE GERMAN SUPLEX!

I feel uncomfortable with star ratings for tribute matches so I never do unlike Dave Meltzer did for this and Bret Hart's tribute bout to Owen Hart. Not necessary. Best tribute match I've ever seen was Hangman Adam Page/John Silver/Alex Reynolds vs. MJF/Santana/Ortiz. AEW Dynamite, 30th December 2020. That's the best wrestling tribute show ever.

They are in total comic heel act mode with Jarrett’s crew. They even won by cheating against Danhausen of all people. So happy with this direction. They are a complete parody of a wrestling heel faction. Edit: Dante Martin is getting a lot better at talking. He’s been putting on the work behind the scenes.

I see Emi forgot the sunscreen! Big mistake!

And Baliyan Akki! I was hoping they'd recreate the chicken fight spot they did with Little Mean Kathleen and Teddy Goodz, but with Rebel and Britt Baker

If such a thing existed no way somebody is sharing that and keeping that for themself. If I ever find out one of my Greek relatives is watching AEW due to DAZN I'll be delighted. I MIGHT be going this year so who knows by then.

1) I think I'm gonna start calling her Emi SAKURABA. Good Lord. 2) "Those are heavy hands, ladies and gentlemen, take it from me..." - Good Ole Uh. How does JR have first-hand knowledge of how hard Emi Sakuraba hits? Oh geez. I thought about it for a minute and it took me to a dark place. Maybe don't think about it.

One of us! One of us!

Lariato!

Great match from Jamie Hayter and Emi Sakura.

There was some excellent camera work during the opener, particularly when Yuta came flying into the frame on that dive. In my opinion an avalanche Death Valley driver might be better used as a match-ender than a mid-match highspot, but I am old. Maybe that's also why I'd prefer not to lump Eddie Kingston in with HOB? Although possibly I'd still hate that if I was young. I enjoyed the classic ukulele based prowrestling psychology BECAUSE I am old. So it's not all downside. I also had a very nice pee during that match. And I was done in time to enjoy a bit of Satnam's shtick and Jericho's commentary. And that dumb, shitty finish! His name is Mudd! I enjoy a good squash. Swerve vs Dustin! Oh, baby! YES! THE QUEEN GETS THE MAIN EVENT! As is only right. Isn't it nice to have extremely high expectations for a match and then to have those expectations met? (It really is).

This was such a great episode for AEW hipsters. YUTA! Chuck Taylor! Jeff Jarrett! Emi Sakura! The deep cuts brought it tonight. This episode started with a Hangman bombfest but still seemed to build up in tension match-to-match. Actually one of my fave Rampages ever.

Good question. I think traditionally, I've always thought it as a move not usually done off the turnbuckles done off the turnbuckles. A Superplex already has its own special name. There isn't a Deadlier Valley Driver or anything.

I take no responsibility for what happens if you don't read this on your fainting couch. But it seems that John Angelos has NOT opened the books of the Orioles, nor has he made himself available for questions, nor has he shown his face to anyone since last week's.... unpleasantness. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/orioles-mlb/questions-john-angelos-needs-to-be-asked-B3H4LO6X2JF3ZBMLY6J33H5AXE/

I'm not coming down on Dave. His system of clinically analyzing match quality doesn't gauge outside-of-wrestling components so he was giving a cold appraisal of the work. It being a TV match isn't going to take it to five stars. It's just that the significance of the match had little to do with ringwork- which WAS awesome- it was the fact that a man's brother died and another man's friend died and they wanted to pay tribute. I'm sure Meltzer was affected but he has a system and had to put the match through the system, which I wouldn't have done.

Finally unlocked two way fast travel in God of War I might not ever see the main story again

Stuka is so fucking expressive and intense. He makes it look like such a fight. I dig it more than Volador/Romero eventhough Volador is such a fucking HOSS in this. It just goes on too long.

I don't recommend drugs, violence and insanity as a lifestyle but it seems to have worked out well for one Jon Moxley MOX reads like a collection of Hunter S Thompson essays

This could probably go in the uniforms thread but: MLB has told teams they can only wear four different uniforms during the season instead of 5032 combos we currently get: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/mlb-world-up-in-arms-over-ridiculous-new-uniform-rule/ar-AA16PmiX?cvid=6e2948d20e7e44bfa8dbaadcb2f3d96d

Didn't care for Hangman/Yuta much at all, and Yuta's my boy. They just didn't seem to gel. Hangman pretty much no-selling landing on his face on the floor from a release German didn't help at all. The six-man was a good larf. More Singh is what's needed around these parts. The ukelele (and especially Singh thinking about how to break it after he snapped the neck) was a great addition as was Danhausen chopping him in the belly. You gotta give Jay credit for going out there after the match with Mark, keeping his composure, and having another bout in the ring. I didn't know Emi was the Freddie Mercury imitator that sucked it hard from before; here she was just EVIL JOSHI STIFFNESS QUEEN. What a nasty little match. I've got to see the International Feed to hear those chops. Whodathunk the best two matches of the week in AEW would both be women's matches? It really seems the division is turning the corner at long last. Now if we can only get Abadon on my TV again...

I joined in late! Lacey Evans should go ahead and join the NON-HOMEGROWN~! faction of the AEW Women becuase she will fucking beat the crap out of you. I didn't see the whole match so I ASSUME someone hit a Flaming Shooting Star Press! The Viking Raiders beat the hell out of Sheamus and Drew McIntyre and I want an OFFICIAL REMATCH! Ricochet is wrestling for three and half. Top Dollah is good as a decoy so Adonis Thee Stallion can get in a nice dropkick. Adante, his name is Adante! Brawn Strowman is good on the apron. Adante is pretty good. HEY! TOP DOLLAH TOOK A PERFECTLY GOOD BUMP TO THE FLOOR! Ricochet gets in an insane dive to TRIGGER Strowman into CRUSHING Adante! That was a million times better than it had any right to be. Maybe Hit Row is working their way back to our hearts. I'm guessing they used the first half hour to set up a Kevin Owens match? And then there was a triple threat match! Or a Titanic Twelve Way to see who enters the Royal Rumble 12th! Right! I didn't miss GUNTHER versus Greg Valentine or anything, did I? I can't fast forward through all the crap I fast forward through so I'll tell you what nurses have told me today- Sepsis WILL kill you. The most common she saw was from urinary infections. A doctor told me yesterday that if a wound gets septic, you get a point of no return. My wife (the bitch!) FORCED me to go to the emergency room Wednesday. IIII knew that we saw a podiatrist Monday and they said it hadn't gotten to bone yet,from x-rays they took. Wednesday. after they told me that it had gotten to the bone, I was told by another doctor that you really can't use x-rays to tell if it is in the bone, you need a CAT scan. A good woman will definitely save your life there fellas. AH WRESTLING! Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser take on the two dudes that hang with Zelina and Santos Escobar. AEW has five guys named Cage but you can remember which is which. You have like eight guys named Page and you know who is who. Vinci is a secret wrestling machineThe anonymous luchadores start to do something cool, but IMPERIUM cuts them off. Cruz del Toro and Something Wild actually get in some cool stuff! Giovanni Vinci hits a crazy TopRope Doctor Bomb or maybe a Press Slam. Either way it was awesome. They finish them off with the Imperium Bomb! That was the best Crus del Toro and Wild have looked since I've been watching. There is a real glass ceiling in WWE for luchadores and one can hope they will avoid becoming the new Los Lotharios. KEVIN OWENS! SOLO SIKOA! Well, this should be good. Owens is so good. Sikoa is getting really good. GREAT fuckin LOVE MACHINE SPLASH by Owens. Everything else is good, stiff and lowgrade. Sami Zayn shows up and they throw the match out! POSTMATCH, Kevin Owens Superkicks every body! Owens doesn't hit Zayn with a chair! The was fine. This episode was fine.

Some posted too many Hikaru shida pole dancing video tweets in a row.

https://twitter.com/WrestleClips/status/1619007463654834177 15 years ago brought the best surprise entrant in the history of the Royal Rumble match as John Cena returned from a pectoral tear after 3 months. A genuine shock. The MSG crowd even cheered for Cena till resuming normal service in booing him. I miss that entrance way.