Octopus

It’s the Classic WWE move of killing what’s hot to see if it has the potential to stay hot. It’ll obviously be fine and likely the next/continued story will be interesting but I really don’t feel like it pays off to be invested in following along. This can be good if not botched going forward. Cody could gain sympathy, maybe beat Solo and even Seth again. They could go with Jey, but the way the Sami aspect of the storyline played out I don’t really think that’ll have the effect without that inner turmoil. WWE for the most part is a good product now and will obviously stay so even with this. We’ll get good main storyline segments and even with less thought put into the B and C storylines, it’ll likely produce good matches. Maybe I’m being worked well but I’m currently in This is Horseshit mode. I’ll easily be won back over with how things continue. For tonight, fuck this. I’m a Minnesota Vikings fan, I know how this goes. I’m not buying into this company again until I finally do and then they let me down. Wide Left.

MJF says stuff to get heat. Dom IS HEAT

Dawkins shoulder tackling Braun on the outside got a huge pop from me.

Speaking of chopping, I’m excited for the IC match.

It does now. There will be misses and poor builds like anywhere else, but it’s a legit fun product again. I’m excited for the big shows. Plus, with Peacock I can just watch Wrestlemania without dropping 50 bucks or whatever.

Wait until you see the Bounty’s Quilted Quicker Picker Upper First Blood Match between Cody and Roman.

I really enjoyed the parallel moments in Flair vs Ripley. Both performers having near ref bump leading to a signature move near fall and also a signature submission leading to a rope break, showing how even of competitors they were. With Rhea being quicker to the ropes being a big difference. Charlotte sold really well. I also loved the ending with Flair looking on with earned admiration and respect for Rhea’s victory. My MOTN. I very much loved Rey be Dom. Everything about it was a treat and complimented the story they had building up to this match. The Main tag made me happy. The body catching while falling forward spot has been a staple visual in this feud and having it happen the few times it did throughout this match looked great. Even KO lifting Zayn in similar fashion (maybe not intentional but could have been) in the end standoff was beautiful. Very much a modern WWE main event. The multi team extravaganza was fun. Very much a multiple people rushing to the top to get or miss the attack. Very fun and a lot of neat characters.

Our good friend @JLowe asked me to post this here instead of where I did (in an AEW thread). Continuing off of @Matt D’s philosophy on match structure: Didn’t want to overly ramble, but here’s brief thoughts on Wrestling Psychology to contribute to both the discussion had and potential conversations going forward. Narrative - The story being told. Usually told in a traditional story arc, does what’s being done in the ring make sense based on the world or environment the story is being told? This can also be done in more experimental ways as well, but the heart of storytelling is having something the audience can follow along with or be moved by, consciously or subconsciously. Spots - Often “High Spots” or “Moments” these are the exciting pieces of a match. The highlight reel. Flipping or weapons or comedic relief, etc. If combined with story, be it a moment as a callback or a built to spot or even momentum changing move. Spots are a wonderful tool in Wrestling Psychology. OR, everything is built around spots. Utter chaos of throwing a toaster at a guy’s head or a sequence of high flying acrobatics. That’s fine too, in some environments. Crowd Reading - I wish I could think of a better title for this but that’s usually how I hear it being referred to. Literally reacting to the crowd. The crowd wants a chop, you give ‘em a chop. I remember hearing Adam Cole on a podcast talk about how he learned to build a match like a rollercoaster. Pacing of the action and the slowed down anticipation of being down and being patient enough to wait and then give them more action. I’m paraphrasing but I think it was on Unrestricted. A good use of crowd reading would be Jerry Lynn talking about a match he was having at a small town show with a X-Division guy (don’t remember who) and the crowd gave no reaction to their usually exciting sequences of spots. Someone yelled out something about Lynn’s hair being long and Jerry reacted by flipping his hair and giving a look and the crowd laughed. Low hanging fruit but it got the audience on their side and it became a comedy match. Story likely went out the window, but in that moment, it was the right use of Wrestling Psychology. Combing an ability to get more out of a crowd along with the Story you are telling and even to milk a Spot, hot diggity dog! Wrestling Psychology is all of these things. Ideally, (or at least how I like it) a wrestler or match can combine these elements.

Trinity is one of my favorites. I was hoping she’d be on AEW but she might have more time to shine on ROH. Plus, seeing her in an environment against Athena would be more fun then a short feud to lose to Cargill.

Here was Komander doing a similar move at F1rst Wrestling. Hopefully the link works Octopus’s insta video won’t embed :(

If my friend, Michael B Gordon, wants to stop breathing than he can stop breathing. (although low key I hope Kingston keeps Kawadaing until he has a big title match in New York or something and I cry).

Quake by the Lake 2, baby! Have twice as long of a Liontamer this time.

Give me Omega vs Danielson II as an hour long draw. Post match beat down. Claudio rag dolls the Young Bucks. Leads to Anarchy in the Arena or Blood and Guts (whichever the female stable warfare doesn’t do) and we all profit. After BCC avenge Phil’s dog, Callis leaves the Elite for an evil Takeshita for Omega’s next feud. Then 2 years later we can get Omega vs Danielson III.

Likely not going to overly ramble as @Matt D already did so beautifully. But I’ll briefly contribute to the discussion on Wrestling Psychology. Narrative - The story being told. Usually told in a traditional story arc, does what’s being done in the ring make sense based on the world or environment the story is being told? This can also be done in more experimental ways as well, but the heart of storytelling is having something the audience can follow along with or be moved by, consciously or subconsciously. Spots - Often “High Spots” or “Moments” these are the exciting pieces of a match. The highlight reel. Flipping or weapons or comedic relief, etc. If combined with story, be it a moment as a callback or a built to spot or even momentum changing move. Spots are a wonderful tool in Wrestling Psychology. OR, everything is built around spots. Utter chaos of throwing a toaster at a guy’s head or a sequence of high flying acrobatics. That’s fine too, in some environments. Crowd Reading - I wish I could think of a better title for this but that’s usually how I hear it being referred to. Literally reacting to the crowd. The crowd wants a chop, you give ‘em a chop. I remember hearing Adam Cole on a podcast talk about how he learned to build a match like a rollercoaster. Pacing of the action and the slowed down anticipation of being down and being patient enough to wait and then give them more action. I’m paraphrasing but I think it was on Unrestricted. A good use of crowd reading would be Jerry Lynn talking about a match he was having at a small town show with a X-Division guy (don’t remember who) and the crowd gave no reaction to their usually exciting sequences of spots. Someone yelled out something about Lynn’s hair being long and Jerry reacted by flipping his hair and giving a look and the crowd laughed. Low hanging fruit but it got the audience on their side and it became a comedy match. Story likely went out the window, but in that moment, it was the right use of Wrestling Psychology. Combing an ability to get more out of a crowd along with the Story you are telling and even to milk a Spot, hot diggity dog! Wrestling Psychology is all of these things. Ideally, (or at least how I like it) a wrestler or match can combine these elements.

BCC is back to being my favorite thing in wrestling. Excellent sunglasses, Claudio.

The Real Housewives of Blackpool

I like the possibility of seeing a Omega great Dynamite singles match run like how we a Danielson one recently.

Can I buy Supercard of Honor through the Honor Club or do I need to use like a B/R Live or separate PPV provider?

I want taunting and spinebusters. Penta vs HOBBS will not disappoint.

I wonder if I’ve read more wrestling than actually watched. I know that is likely the case recently.

This will be the greatest most unnecessarily intricate work of all time.

I love how all these factions are interconnected and fighting each other. It feels like an episode of Oz.

I’d be down for a four corner mixed tag mayhem: CM Punk & AJ Lee vs Mox and Rene vs Tay & Sammy vs Eddie Kingston and his wife.

I still love the name. A shout out to group founder and greatest podcaster to have ever lived. Unless a gimmick change (Acolytes becoming APA) or massive members shake up leading to a new feel (Inner Circle as Jericho’s friends to JAS as Sports Entertainers), I look at this as a continuation of BCC despite the loss of the leader (DX after Shawn Michaels) and I’m fine with keeping the name. It’s like the Young Bucks being “Young” when Matt Jackson is 38.