Dolfan in NYC Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 I'm on an airplane! The KOTR and QOTR tournament continue! Notably, Kofi Kingston defeated Rey Mysterio over the weekend, so he will move on. His prize is death by GUNTHER tonight. Please enjoy! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 13 minutes ago, Dolfan in NYC said: I'm on an airplane! The KOTR and QOTR tournament continue! Notably, Kofi Kingston defeated Rey Mysterio over the weekend, so he will move on. His prize is death by GUNTHER tonight. Please enjoy! Safe travels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirFozzie Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 I would love to see Rey take a GUNTHER chop. He'd fly out of the arena.. who knows, maybe even hit escape velocity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted May 13 Author Share Posted May 13 57 minutes ago, SirFozzie said: I would love to see Rey take a GUNTHER chop. He'd fly out of the arena.. who knows, maybe even hit escape velocity On the other hand, GUNTHER may chop Kofi so hard his indented rib cage will shoot out of the back of his chest like it's Mortal Kombat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 1 hour ago, SirFozzie said: I would love to see Rey take a GUNTHER chop. He'd fly out of the arena.. who knows, maybe even hit escape velocity Their only match from Smackdown a 2 years ago was great. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 (edited) Opening segment with Drew and Priest was pretty solid. Curious to see how that match goes down if it happens with both as heels currently. Io/Shayna was great. Loved the sneak attack opening by Shayna and both taking advantage of hurt limbs to retake control. Io playing defacto face was neat to see and worked better than her playing heel would have. This is easily the best match these two have had with each other and the best match Shayna has had since she left NXT 4 years ago. Kofi/Gunther was fantastic, maybe even better than their last match. I loved Kofi getting far more offense this time around as he was pissed and out for vengeance. These two work so damn well together, and it was nice to see the crowd think Kofi had a decent chance here with Gunther's air of invincibility slightly down after the IC title loss. Tozawa/Reed & Otis/Sami were mostly non-matches as they were more about furthering Gable's heel turn and heat. Both did an excellent job in that regard. When Otis turns on Gable the reaction is going to be massive. Lyra/Zoey was pretty solid. I liked that Zoey worked more heel here as it did get some of the crowd behind Lyra. In general though neither of these two are super over with the audience yet. Becky/Dakota was mostly solid though there was definitely an off moment that threw them and the crowd off just as things were heating up in the earlier half of the match. They surprisingly went for a screwy finish with Damage CTRL just straight up causing a DQ. It did serve as a nice hero moment for Lyra and good heel moment for Liv to get some vengeance after Becky's earlier sucker punch. NCR vs. Creeds vs. Finn/JD vs. AOP was a fun car crash style of match with everyone getting their moments to shine. Not sure why, but I didn;t expect the Carlito interference. Made for a decent surprise and another decent addition to story of Carlito trying to join up with Judgement Day. The follow up backstage meeting Priest was nice. Jey/Ilja was good though not quite the war Ilja tends drags opponents into. A part of me is disappointed Ilja lost here, but I also want the next encounter with Gunther to be something bigger at the same time. Was generally pleased with most of this show. The segments were decent and didn't overstay their welcome. And most of the matches got decent some time with the only weak ones being squashes meant to put over Gable's heel turn more than anything else. Only minor complaint I have is that they probably should have saved Gunther/Kofi for the main considering how great it was. Honestly, I kind of felt sorry for the rest of the show having to follow it and Shayna/Io. Those matches were wonderful. Still Jey/Ilja was good and pretty over with the crowd. It was nice to see Ilja showcased off as top star getting a main event with Jey. Good show. Edited May 14 by Eivion 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 I watched Ilja/Yeet Man live out of morbid curiosity to see if Ilja could be the one to finally drag something decent out of Yeet Man, and I honestly was not surprised that the answer was a resounding no. How little juice must one have to not be able to at least show some fire against Ilja? No good wrestling can escape the Jey Uso Vortex. In fairness, it’s also clear that the general WWE audience has no idea what to make of Ilja’s act or how they’re supposed to feel toward him, as he was just introduced as “that guy who was NXT champ, and that’s supposed to mean something to you.” Which is easier to hide vs. Ricochet because they just go out and get pops for working hard and fast. Much harder against Jey, who absolutely is not going to work hard or fast and brings nothing to the table but the yeet stuff. And Ilja ended up getting stranded in a sea of polite indifference, even when you could tell he was trying to go subtle heel to squeeze something out of the crowd. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted May 14 Author Share Posted May 14 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
username Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 (edited) On 5/14/2024 at 12:53 AM, Eivion said: Opening segment with Drew and Priest was pretty solid. Curious to see how that match goes down if it happens with both as heels currently. Well given that the PPV after the next one is Clash at the Castle back in Scotland once again... well not both of them will be heels that night. What was amazing about Jey/ilja is both how much better Ilja is and how little it mattered as he was sent out there to die as a fresh babyface against one of the most beloved guys on the roster. Edited May 16 by username 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 As always, in scatterbrain order: --so now that we know all 6 qualifying matches for the North American Championship ladder match, Hail v Henley seems like the only one remotely in doubt--both the favorites won tonight, and Paxley over Michin, Parker over Reece and Jordan over Sinclair seem like the only possible choices. --Wes/Oba/Ivar segment was pretty good. I kind of want Wes to lose next week, if only because I'd like to see a longer build to him and Oba. --god I'm already sick of Ridge and Thea and Chase U. --Evans v Mensah was a solid showcase for Evans. The arc on that dive toward the ramp, Jesus. I kind of want Lash's WCW jacket. --OTM vs Booker's Least Favorite Black Guys In WWE was just sort of there. I do notice that they haven't gotten around to removing Scrypts from the entrance graphic. --Vice v Bright was a decent "welcome to Tuesdays" match for Bright, though I like her LVL Up partner Kendal Gray more. --Heritage Cup match was pretty good. I was surprised by the ending. --probably not a great sign that I see Gallus regularly in 2k24, but I never once wondered where they'd been or how long it'd been since they'd been on TV. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 Sol/Izzi was solid and a decent showcase for Dame. Loved the Sol Snatcher finish. Kind of shocked Ruca hadn't done it that way before as it feels so obvious as a decent setup. Disappointed Izzi was knocked out here instead of getting in the match. She deserves the spot a lot more than Jaida who I'm not sure why they are so high on. OTM vs. Enofe/Blade was solid thought Reese and Parker's feud spilling out overshadowed the match a pinch. Lash/Ivy was decent. Mensah/Evans was a pretty nice showcase for both guys. Oro in particular looked impressive here the way he kept in control or took it back every time Evans tried to build up momentum. The NA Title segment was alright. I do find it amusing how Briggs is the only one the crowd sees as heel despite technically doing nothing wrong. Good Brothers vs. Ridge/Riley was fine. Lola/Carlee was an alright debut and showcase for Carlee. The post match attack by Nattie and Karmen to set up next week's tag could have been a bit better, particularly after the earlier brawl. Tony/Charlie was good with the two meshing quite well. It was nice seeing Tony's amateur side come out more here. Tony actually winning was surprising. Not sure I like it since I was hoping Dempsey would get a decently long run with the belt. At the same time Tony really does deserve a singles title run of some sort. No blow away matches or segments though most everything was decent at worst. Sol/Izzi, Mensah/Evans, and Tony/Charlie were the standouts here and worth catching. Decent show. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitzkrieg Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 Probably a good time to reintroduce Gallus as things are feeling a bit depleted post-draft. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 44 minutes ago, blitzkrieg said: Probably a good time to reintroduce Gallus as things are feeling a bit depleted post-draft. That's a good point, and something my falling-asleep-with-my-face-on-the-phone ass didn't really register. I really haven't missed them because the show had been overstuffed, but it really has felt like there was a male heel deficit now that you mention it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 Since they haven't figured out what to do with him on Taw yet, I'd like to see Dijak as the next #1 contender for the Speed championship after Rico takes on the winner of Ivar v today's winner. Hell, I wouldn't mind seeing him win it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Moose Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 23 hours ago, Cliff Hanger said: As always, in scatterbrain order: --so now that we know all 6 qualifying matches for the North American Championship ladder match, Hail v Henley seems like the only one remotely in doubt--both the favorites won tonight, and Paxley over Michin, Parker over Reece and Jordan over Sinclair seem like the only possible choices. I foresee Mia over Tatum, the ladder match needs at least one veteran presence in it and as much as I dig her Level Up work, Wren is probably not it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 27 minutes ago, Iron Moose said: I foresee Mia over Tatum, the ladder match needs at least one veteran presence in it and as much as I dig her Level Up work, Wren is probably not it. I thought Mia was a lock until they revealed Tatum as her opponent. I just don't see them putting in Yim even for a veteran presence when Tatum is one of the more over women in NXT. I suspect they trust the current crop enough with this to leave them on their own here. Besides Fallon is a guarantee, and she has been wrestling 5+ years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 1 hour ago, Iron Moose said: I foresee Mia over Tatum, the ladder match needs at least one veteran presence in it and as much as I dig her Level Up work, Wren is probably not it. As into Tatum as the crowd is these days, I really don't see her getting left out unless she's going to be chasing Roxanne. We don't really know how her shtick will play on the road, but the Orlando weirdos (I feel like they need a name a la ECW Mutants of days gone by. I don't know what it is) have clearly decided she's their new top babyface. (My money is still on the winner of Henley v Hail being the inaugural champ regardless) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 If Tommy Rich, Little Guido, and Wildman Sal Bellomo don't appear to congratulate Tony on winning the Italian heritage cup, then what are we doin'? 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 12 minutes ago, Johnny Sorrow said: If Tommy Rich, Little Guido, and Wildman Sal Bellomo don't appear to congratulate Tony on winning the Italian heritage cup, then what are we doin'? If Tony ever gets another big match like he did at Stand and Deliver they really need to bring in any and all surviving FBI members as a part of his entrance and/or celebration. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 Time more so differently now that this would have been like bringing in the Sicilians to give the FBI the run 30 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Moose Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 7 hours ago, Cliff Hanger said: As into Tatum as the crowd is these days, I really don't see her getting left out unless she's going to be chasing Roxanne. We don't really know how her shtick will play on the road, but the Orlando weirdos (I feel like they need a name a la ECW Mutants of days gone by. I don't know what it is) have clearly decided she's their new top babyface. (My money is still on the winner of Henley v Hail being the inaugural champ regardless) We also don't have any sense of who, if anyone, Roxy is facing at the PPV, and the bit with Tatum lurking in Ava's office might be setting something up for that. On 5/15/2024 at 12:09 AM, Eivion said: Loved the Sol Snatcher finish. Kind of shocked Ruca hadn't done it that way before as it feels so obvious as a decent setup. Disappointed Izzi was knocked out here instead of getting in the match. She deserves the spot a lot more than Jaida who I'm not sure why they are so high on. I'm of two minds on this particular Snatcher variation. It was very well set up in the match, because Izzi was previously in the exact same position (having chased a buckle-facing Sol into the corner, with Sol's legs on Dame's shoulders) but before, she just chucked Sol over the ringpost -- but Sol's landing from this setup is much more restricted in terms of camera angles and the 'language' of the bump she takes initially looks more like she's getting powerslammed. Jaida - a more confident talker, and has the threat of Goons. Izzi's arc of figuring herself out without Kiana does less in a ladder match. On Henley/Hail, I think Fallon gets through - Jazmyn's going after Thea on behalf of Jacy, and that probably works better outside of the ladder as well. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just drew Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 Palumbo, Stamboli, all those guys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 (edited) 15 hours ago, Iron Moose said: Jaida - a more confident talker, and has the threat of Goons. Izzi's arc of figuring herself out without Kiana does less in a ladder match. I get it to a degree. I just think in ring wise Jaida and Reese are probably the furthest behind of the newer crop. Edited May 17 by Eivion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitzkrieg Posted May 17 Share Posted May 17 Whether it's just storyline or storyline covering reality, Ivar is out from the Gallus attack. So Apollo Crews is taking his place against Bate for Speed and no announcement for the triple threat match for NXT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted May 17 Share Posted May 17 Well, that could be Erik is close to coming back, or with Valhalla out for a while now, they're just doing the "whole team is out when one is out" deal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts