Gordi the former AEW fan Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 (edited) Matt Hardy vs. Christian Cage Reportedly, this is gonna be the opener. That's a pretty good TV opener, in my opinion. Personally I'd like to see Christian go over clean and move on to working with some of the younger guys on the roster... but I won't be surprised if they keep this program going on a little bit longer. Reasonable chance of Jungle Boy making a save at some point during or after this one (or even before it starts, really...) We hear from Hangman Page I like when pro wrestlers are relatable. I think that's a smart way to book for a post-modern audience. I've really been enjoying the whole Elite-Page-Dark Order story. I'm feeling no hurry for them to get to the end. I am enjoying the ride. Penelope Ford vs. Yuka Sakazaki I realize that I may be alone in feeling this way, but I am actually more excited for the return of The Magical Girl than I am for the return of The Death Rider. Sammy Guevara vs Wheeler Yuta There are few thing I love more than seeing wrestlers make the jump from the YouTube programs to the big time. This, honestly, has the potential to steal the show. FTW Championship: Brian Cage (c) vs. Ricky Starks About half the time when I expect that AEW is just giving us an angle advancement match they end up putting someone over clean. That being said, I strongly suspect we'll get some kind of shocking storyline swerve here. Coffin Match: Darby Allin vs. Ethan Page Will this be the main event, or will it be the title match? All Ego still hasn't won me over. Nothing against the guy, he's solid in all aspects, but I'd be just as excited (or more so) if Darby was fighting JD Drake or Bear Bronson. I'm excited for this anyway, because it's Darby, and I am open to being totally won over by Ethan Page if he rises to the occasion here. IWGP United States Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Karl Anderson (w/Doc Gallows & Don Callis) I know I said that I personally am more excited to see Sakazaki fight... but it's not like I'm not stoked for this. I'm hoping for some NJPW type violence. I'm also open to being won over by Karl Anderson. Pretty good chance that King and/or Kaz run in to make a save at some point in this one, I'd imagine. Pretty damned nice-looking TV pro wrestling line-up there. It feels like it's about to be a very good time to be a wrestling fan. Edited July 14, 2021 by Gordberg 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoBaltimore Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 (edited) I think a refresher on psychotic Ethan Page is good when there's an upcoming match against Darby. I know it has talking points and some Evolve bullshit but found this to be a nice thing to watch leading up to tonight. EDIT: I found there's another from Kenny Johnson that's 36 minutes but while that's neat to see Page and Darby interviewed it's also not that necessary since it was a couple years ago. Then I see in related videos one of Ethan's vlogs where Spoiler Surprise! Him and Darby are good friends. So I'm kind of amused at seeing another example example of good friends beating the fuck out of each other. Edited July 14, 2021 by NikoBaltimore 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 Those EVOLVE matches were murders. Hopefully they stay safe tonight. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoBaltimore Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 Yeah, I probably should have mentioned I don't expect more than a fraction of what they did to happen tonight. But even in a match for a major-league company while I hope they're safe they'll find a way to bring the brutality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodear Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 Matt Hardy vs. Christian Cage I'm totally disinterested in Matt Hardy at this point. Having him have yet another faction made up of the midcard tag team roster is just an excuse for yet another faction that AEW doesn't need unless getting 10 people on screen a match is their goal. I think its fine to have Matt being a Tatanka style grumpy old person on the roster, but his value is not in being the leader of a group. Christian is almost always good, but I'm not expecting a lot. Penelope Ford vs. Yuka Sakazaki Not sure what the value is here. Neither of these ladies are anywhere near the top of the pecking order or have any significant angle going on (unless Miro is going to come out again which is unlikely with no males involved). Yuka's match with King on youtube was pretty lackluster. This just seems like such an odd matchmaking choice. Sammy Guevara vs Wheeler Yuta Speaking of which. This is one of the first times anyone is going to see Yuta and he's going up against a smaller babyface? Why would you do that? Again, what an odd match to make for Dynamite. I'm not expecting Yuta to move the needle at all. FTW Championship: Brian Cage (c) vs. Ricky Starks Hopefully they put the belt on Starks and kick Cage out of Team Taz to do the babyface run they are clearly doing. I'm really not big on Cage and would be happy to see him go a different direction. His matches on Youtube this week were just more examples that he doesn't have the confidence to work like anything but a 210 pound nobody. Starks being the figurehead of Team Taz would be such a better fit. Coffin Match: Darby Allin vs. Ethan Page Should be good. I'm enjoying the Men of the Year. Allin and Page have to live up to the hype which should be possible. While I would commonly advocate that Darby slow himself down and not take a world beating bump every week, this is an instance where if he had not been doing it week after week it could have some actual impact. IWGP United States Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Karl Anderson (w/Doc Gallows & Don Callis) The Callis Faction is the worst. I really wish they would stop having these US Title matches on AEW television. I don't think they help when Jon ignores the belt every other week when he's not defending it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 (edited) 46 minutes ago, Goodear said: I'm totally disinterested in Matt Hardy *uninterested I'm uninterested in Hardy and Cage both. Hardy because he's beyond shot and Cage because he's just a technically sound wrestler with not much else going on. When did he become Lance Storm? I like Darby but Ethan Page is just a CAW to me. There's nothing believable about him. I remember when he guested on a podcast a while back and went on and on about what a big fan of the Rock he was. Shit, he used to have a finisher called "The Spinning Duane." That stuck in my head and now I just see him as some dull wannabe. Ford/Sakazaki should be good! Ford has shown flashes of being a decent wrestler and better than she used to be. I like Moxley but couldn't give a shit about Anderson. He's been so overshadowed by the whole Good Brothers schtick that I don't even know what he is as a wrestler. Cage/Starks, as mentioned, will it be a good match or just angle advancement? Sammy/Yuta should be great. GREAT. Not a whole lot I'm excited about but AEW has a good track record of making seemingly nothing show into pretty swell ones. Edited July 14, 2021 by Technico Support Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVA Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 Going to enjoy coming back to this thread after Christian/Hardy turns out to be really good. Hardy can still turn it on and have good matches around his limitations when the opportunities arise (see vs. Hangman and Darby earlier this year). Christian is Christian. Crowd will be super hot, if the pop for their face-off at DoN is anything to go by. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodear Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 I didn't say Hardy wasn't any good, I said I was uninterested in his current direction. I actually don't agree with @Technico Supportwith this being a nothing show in terms of 3 angles that should be getting major narrative traction (Christian-Hardy, Team Taz Explodes and the Coffin match). The undercard feels really random though and I'm not jazzed about more Moxley versus The Elite. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 Oh sure. I just mean it's rather "meh" to me personally as I'm only invested in maybe half the people on the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 I mean, there's honestly a good chance Darby dies or gets crippled on TV tonight. I'm legit concerned to watch. BTW, in news that won't surprise anyone and will make @Technico Supportlaugh, JR is a big fan of Ethan Page. This is my shocked face. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbarrie Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 28 minutes ago, Technico Support said: *uninterested To be fair, he probably doesn't have a financial stake in Hardy either. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 16 minutes ago, Craig H said: I mean, there's honestly a good chance Darby dies or gets crippled on TV tonight. I'm legit concerned to watch. BTW, in news that won't surprise anyone and will make @Technico Supportlaugh, JR is a big fan of Ethan Page. This is my shocked face. LOOOOL yes but, as JR has said, Page's "frame should easily support another 40 pounds of muscle." When he says shit like that, it reminds me of: "with your frame, your genetic make-up? If you pushed your body, I mean really trained, you’d be a beast." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodear Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 Matt signed up to take 30% of my wrestling earnings as a AEW enhancement talent so really he's got the interest in me rather than the other way around. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWolf&Subs Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 I’m also not crazy about Matt’s new gimmick, but he’s proven to be a very good southern heel manager when put in the situation. Probably the best guy to do distractions for his clients currently in AEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eoae Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 (edited) I prefer Big Money Matt as an obnoxious heel manager than a wrestler at this point. If he were managing someone besides Private Party, I'd probably be more interested. Edited July 14, 2021 by Eoae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxB Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 Allegedly it's 90days since WWE released people in April. So the former Iconics could be showing up or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryArchieGus Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 (edited) Ethan Page is a fantastic promo, an excellent classic heel and a fine in ring performer. He's been knocking it out of the park all the way along. And more than proven himself worthy of this Darby feud. Stoked for this one tonight. The run of Karl Anderson promos leading into this Moxley match have been terrific. Curious how this Wheeler Yuta-Sammy match plays out. Yuta's thus far been very bland and soft, but clearly there's something there. Maybe tonight's his night to shine (in defeat). Curious how Starks-B. Cage plays out. It'll be interesting to see what Hardy and Christian come up with. I love Big Money Matt, leader of the HFO, but moreso the manager than the wrestler. Tho, as pointed out he worked well with Hangman and Darb. I expect the old rivals will cook up something special tonight. We'll see. Looking forward to this and much of this show. Good card. And soooo thankful for a week off from Inner Circle/MJF townhalls. Edited July 14, 2021 by HarryArchieGus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizium Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 Has Yuta been wrestling as a heel on Dark? I love the absolute asshole he's become since getting the IWTV belt. While he's not winning, I do hope that at one point in the match he gets Sammy into the elevated dick sucking submission he uses 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenalysis Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 23 minutes ago, AxB said: Allegedly it's 90days since WWE released people in April. So the former Iconics could be showing up or something. Didn't one just sign with ROH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianS81177 Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 5 minutes ago, elizium said: Has Yuta been wrestling as a heel on Dark? I love the absolute asshole he's become since getting the IWTV belt. While he's not winning, I do hope that at one point in the match he gets Sammy into the elevated dick sucking submission he uses Not really. He teamed with Chuck Taylor and OC in a trios match against the HFO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinit Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 36 minutes ago, AxB said: Allegedly it's 90days since WWE released people in April. So the former Iconics could be showing up or something. I think that they need to get there green cards sorted first. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryArchieGus Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 (edited) 28 minutes ago, BrianS81177 said: Not really. He teamed with Chuck Taylor and OC in a trios match against the HFO @elizium He also had singles bouts with Karl Anderson and Angelico. The Bucks appearance alongside Anderson for that match, seemed to me, to indicate Yuta might be a project. And apparently he picked up a win against Dolph Ziggler on a Dark ep. Edited July 14, 2021 by HarryArchieGus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrKothoga Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 4 hours ago, Goodear said: Penelope Ford vs. Yuka Sakazaki Not sure what the value is here. Neither of these ladies are anywhere near the top of the pecking order or have any significant angle going on (unless Miro is going to come out again which is unlikely with no males involved). Yuka's match with King on youtube was pretty lackluster. This just seems like such an odd matchmaking choice. Spoiler I think the value here is to start the push of Yuka for a program with Britt. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyld Samurai Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 I like singles Anderson. His promos are really good and he's proven many times he can go. There's no reason to hate on that matchup. Ethan Page is rapidly becoming my favorite male wrestler. He's old school heel and I freaking dig that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxB Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 40 minutes ago, elizium said: Has Yuta been wrestling as a heel on Dark? I love the absolute asshole he's become since getting the IWTV belt. While he's not winning, I do hope that at one point in the match he gets Sammy into the elevated dick sucking submission he uses I can't decide whether to call it the Cocksucker Cloverleaf, or the Texas Cocksucker. Because the first makes more sense, but the latter sounds better. He actually has a name for it though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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