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SDL is MSG - 9/10/2021


Dolfan in NYC

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Enjoyed the segments and the matches seemed generally solid-good. Never been a fan of the whole Demon gimmick on Finn, but I'm looking forward to more of him vs. Roman.

1 hour ago, Niners Fan in CT said:

That was a really great Smackdown.  WWE always pulls out all stops at MSG.  Shame that they need their backs against the wall to do it but i really hope they have a fire lit under their ass..      Crowd was awesome all night.   

How are their backs against the wall right now? 

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31 minutes ago, MoeCristyV.1.6 said:

Yeah, great move to cut the Zelina Vega match from this show. Not like she is directly linked to the 9/11 tragedy... Stupid idiots. 

 

I'm not going to be all F-U WWE over this, but bad optics man. Bad optics. 

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4 hours ago, Eivion said:

Enjoyed the segments and the matches seemed generally solid-good. Never been a fan of the whole Demon gimmick on Finn, but I'm looking forward to more of him vs. Roman.

How are their backs against the wall right now? 

Backs against the wall is a subjective analysis, but clearly there is a competitive wrestling product being increasingly competitive.

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2 hours ago, RunningFromAmerica said:

Backs against the wall is a subjective analysis, but clearly there is a competitive wrestling product being increasingly competitive.

I don't really think its something terribly subjective as much as it was a bad analysis born out of bias opposed to common sense. They have a bigger competitor, but nothing that pushes their backs against the wall with the money they are making right now. I get wanting WWE to be better, but this type of stuff always comes across as fantasy bs and annoys me as a result. At this point its obvious we won't see real change until Vince is out of power.

Edited by Eivion
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1 minute ago, RunningFromAmerica said:

If you view WWE purely as an exercise in optimising shareholder value, no different to growing tangerines, then your analysis makes sense. But I don't think that's how people in WWE perceive things.

It depends on who you mean by people in WWE. The actions they took over the last few years clearly were exercises in optimising shareholder value in my opinion. 

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But even if there are people in WWE who view things purely in those terms, I think the rot can potentially set in quicker than you think. Noone really thought a few months ago AEW would be beating RAW in the key demo, but here we are. Yes, WWE is still a juggernaut but they know quite well it's Manhattan today, Berlin tomorrow.

And yes that is a Leonard Cohen reference.

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8 minutes ago, RunningFromAmerica said:

If you view WWE purely as an exercise in optimising shareholder value, no different to growing tangerines, then your analysis makes sense. But I don't think that's how people in WWE perceive things.

Its smark fantasy. We want to to believe the people at top see it any other way because if they do then real change has happen sooner than later. The problem is the bleed in fans and dips in quality we have seen over the past decade speak otherwise.

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1 minute ago, ReiseReise said:

It depends on who you mean by people in WWE. The actions they took over the last few years clearly were exercises in optimising shareholder value in my opinion. 

Yeah, that's fair - there probably are some bean counters. But the idea that there aren't plenty of people in WWE pissed off about AEW isn't serious analysis.

So a previous client of mine was a telco started by some Sri Lankans (British Sri Lankan in at least one case). Did they want to make a big pile of cash...yes sure, and in the end they did sell. But...or so goes the story at any rate....what motivated them is seeing a big Telenor sign and wanting there to be a Sri Lankan company of similar stature. And when they sold....it was so they could become big philanthropists like Bill Gates etc. Even when it was about the money, it wasn't really about the money. Don't think there still aren't a lot of people in WWE who think in those terms.

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12 minutes ago, RunningFromAmerica said:

But even if there are people in WWE who view things purely in those terms, I think the rot can potentially set in quicker than you think. Noone really thought a few months ago AEW would be beating RAW in the key demo, but here we are. Yes, WWE is still a juggernaut but they know quite well it's Manhattan today, Berlin tomorrow.

And yes that is a Leonard Cohen reference.

I agree that it's not a good development long-term. At this point, I am old enough not to care as much as I used to. Enough good, old wrestling around. Occasionally, there is good stuff, but feels fewer and farer between. 

I'm happy for people who enjoy AEW, but I really can't get into it. Too many of the bad aspects of modern wrestling, too much Jericho, too much bad booking from my pov. For me it's almost the same as WWE, albeit up until recently with less good talent, but more effort. 

And while I don't get the reference, I sure as hell don't want to be in Berlin. 

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2 hours ago, MoeCristyV.1.6 said:

Did Seth choose Becky's Outfit? What the hell was she wearing? 

Watched a YT video of the Becky-Bianca interaction. Becky looked like she mugged a Times Square Elmo on her walk to MSG and took his costume. 

Not a good look to cut the Zelina segment, especially given her connection to NYC and 9/11. Didn't watch the show, but you could have easily cut five minutes out of one of the longer matches or segments to make room for her in some manner.

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1 hour ago, RunningFromAmerica said:

But even if there are people in WWE who view things purely in those terms, I think the rot can potentially set in quicker than you think. Noone really thought a few months ago AEW would be beating RAW in the key demo, but here we are. Yes, WWE is still a juggernaut but they know quite well it's Manhattan today, Berlin tomorrow.

And yes that is a Leonard Cohen reference.

Yay, for the First We Take Manhattan reference and yes even if the money is rolling in today, I'd be shocked if the rights of current WWE shows will be renewed for anything close to the current price tag!

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I'm trying to stay optimistic that they brought back the Demon and they aren't going to just feed him to Roman but with Brock there you know Roman's not dropping the Universal title before then (or possibly after). I wonder if the Big E. thing is an out so Roman can lose it that way before, then Balor beats Roman in a non title situation. 

Buuuut then I remember it's WWE so we're probably just killing the demon here.

Really liked Seth and Edge, better than their Summerslam match too. With the way commentary has been selling the stomp could end Edge's career again wondering where this goes or how long he's been written off for. During Seth's little promo after the ambulance segment, I kept expecting him to break what he was doing and just start gloating but hopeful this is a new quality to the messiah character, like doing this broke him in a way maybe.

I don't really think WWE has their backs to the wall. Ratings have been declining even before AEW was a concept and it's not AEW is actually stealing their fans (like Nitro did to Raw back when). Also there's that disconnect in WWE that ratings and profits aren't connected with their money coming from Fox and Saudi more than fan engagement (merch/tix/etc). I remember when Dynamite first started airing and a few of my friends were like "Well this is when WWE gets good when Vince knows there's competition" and around the time the creative was putting thew the Rusev/Lashley/Lana jawn ala


If Dynamite and Smackdown were on the same night I'd kiiiiind of the get argument but I feel WWE's gonna do what it's gonna do, bring back people to pop a rating with no concern to anything long term. Yeah having Cena back for a month was fun but as much as I love Roman and the Bloodline it's still the same thing week after week with them.

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