just drew

Fun fact; someone DM'ing me and telling me I was starting to sound like that guy was one of the catalysts of my self-reflection.

It's not hard to imagine that Britt has gotten on some people's nerves. It's also not hard to believe that the degree to which that's happened is being exaggerated. I never understood the Baker hype. I liked the dentist office thing, but as I've said many times; I love weird shit. Idk how much of the heat with Thunder Rosa was played up for the TV show, but either I got worked or that behavior really soured me on her. That "no one cares" during Serena's promo seemed very telling, too. Idk why WWE would want four quarters (Baker) when they already have the dollar (Chelsea Green). The AEW women's division has passed her by, and might have even lapped her.

I have never seen this term before and I LOVE it...

I really liked this show. The energy was good, it moved fast and all the matches were at least good. Other than the Acclaimed breakup that dragged. Everything else, I thought, really hit. Powerhouse Hobbs coming out at the end reminded me of this thing Dirty White Boy did in SMW in like 1993. I remember it because it was the first time I'd ever seen a babyface come out of the locker room midmatch to help a fellow outnumbered babyface. These are the things my brain retains. Not the metric shit-ton of things I need to get through tomorrow, but wrestling angles from 30 years ago. Yeah. I'm still suspicious of FTR and their eventual intentions. This crowd sure didn't seem tired of the Death Riders (yes, I know it's Mox's hometown. Let me enjoy this shit. Damn). Of all the things AEW has fucked up in the last year, they have hit on something with Big Bill. He jumps off the screen. I feel bad for STP having to job to those try-hard dorks. Lee Moriarty is capable of more. Shane Taylor looked like when the pee-wee football players try to tackle their parents at the last practice of the year. Excited to see Cool Hand Ang next week. Also, leading with the Texas Death Match was a choice. Like when Henry Fonda shoots that kid like 5 minutes into Once Upon a Time in the West...

680k viewers on tv. Not counting Max. They’re not out of the fight yet.

If they promise to keep Kenny far the fuck away from his dork-ass buddies, I'd be okay with Kenny Omega winning the title. Swerve, Hanger, and Joe would be good choices. Actually, go with Joe. He and Mox could damn near kill each other and Joe goes over. Then Christian comes out and cashes in and Joe whips his ass too. There's your reset.

1000% this. There is a LOT of just absolute ass on those early PPV undercards. Anyone who thinks AEW would be better off with Marko Stunt and Joey Janela than they are with Swerve and Bob Lash should probably have their heads examined. WWE had a monstrous roster in the late 2010's. Lots of guys ended up there. If you limited your signees to people who hadn't been featured on WWE tv you'd be shit out of luck.

I owe some of y'all an apology for how out of line I was in the discord last night. I've been teaching special needs kids for the last three years, and yesterday was the first time I had to physically restrain a student. I had to contain him for two hours while he screamed and swore. I think I was a little bit traumatized and chose to have a couple drinks to take the edge off. I've been working very hard irl to learn better coping techniques, which I hope has been reflected in my behavior here, and I let myself down. I might take a day or two away from here, but y'all are (by and large) good folks who have showed me a lot of patience. I appreciate y'all.

Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!! Death Riders 4 Life, bitchez!

Sounds like Meltzer is reporting that no one in AEW is all that sad to see Malakai go. Again, I’m enamored with what he could’ve been, but his body is betraying him and his wife works elsewhere. I hope this means good things for BudMat and the King.

I LOVE that idea for Brody. AS far as the 12 man, I'd use it to kickstart the DR back up. FTR and Big Bill join DR and help beat down the rest of the guys. Maybe Bryan Keith just leaves.

I think the perception of TK not being a leader off men is pretty overblown, but this is an instance where he as boss should've said "Darby, I appreciate that you want to challenge yourself by climbing Everest, but right now your place of employment really needs you." You should've asked him to put it off a year. Give him a pay raise in response if you need to.

In my post I said it "isn't happening." I know it isn't happening.

Fair enough. Again, sometimes I fixate on what a guy/girl could've been, and that guy could've been the babyface that takes down DR. You could slide MJF into Anarchy in the Arena on Team AEW ("I hate all of you, but I love this place, so I'll help out. But as soon as we end the DR I'm back on my bullshit."). Then you could have Ospreay/Mox or Mox/Omega. I know which one I'd vote for.

I don't buy Darby as a top guy. Never have. The only other options are either like, Ricky Starks, which isn't happening, or someone not currently on the roster. Or Samoa Joe. But he's old, too.

That's an interesting perspective. I hadn't considered that. I know that that approach absolutely did not work for WCW, nor did the fans buy it when the McMahons said "you are the authority" and did everything the exact same. If TK called me next week (and Uncle Tony, if you still lurk here, you absolutely should), I'd tell him that the purpose of the Death Riders needs to shift to getting some babyfaces ready. Use Mox & co to buy time to build some guys up and get your chess pieces in the right spots. If I may; The DR grows. FTR & Big Bill join. Maybe Brian Keith too, as the "Bounty Hunter." They finally become the existential threat they're supposed to be. Ospreay and Omega take their uneasy alliance to that level, and Kenny is able to get through to Hangman. Finally, I'd love for there to be a backstage camera shot where Kenny, Will and Hanger are waiting outside a dressing room door. It opens and Swerve Strickland is there. He starts to lunge for Hangman but O&O break them up. Kenny is able to calm them down and is like "we need to talk." Fade to black. There's your endgame. Kenny, Will, Hanger, Swerve and Hobbs against FTR, Yutes, CC, and Pac in Anarchy in the Arena. Also, Mox drops the title that night in the main event to Darby or Jay White or whichever babyface is able to differentiate themselves.

Also, whoever the answer is, it isn’t Will Hobbs. The crowd went absolutely mild when he came out. I was there. IDK, I think sometimes I get caught up in what an angle or performer could be and not what they are. I find the Death Riders much more palatable than the elite, in any iteration. There’s still a million ways to heat this up again. After Mox gets chicanerous on Hobbs, on Collison during the 8 man, FTR turn on Cope. Maybe Big Bill jumps in w DR, too. There’s some history w him and Mox. Make the heel threat a threat again. The worst thing you can do is say “yeah, this product sucks.” Someone Drew the comparison to when Dominos was like “sorry our pizza was two packs of ass. We fixed it. We promise.” Fix it, but don’t say it’s broken. And pivoting into left field sure isn’t the answer.

I probably should’ve looked back further than two weeks. i will die on the hill of “the general viewing Public isn’t nearly as sick of this as the posters here.”

According to who? There's been an increase in viewership and World's End did a nice buy-rate. The sentiment here doesn't seem to reflect public interest...

That's always mystified me, unless Perez just really wanted to go to WWE...

As a guy who cheerleads AEW and is probably delusionally optimistic about their product, part of me gets a little sad when someone leaves AEW to go to WWE. I'm honestly not sure why. I think I want everyone to be as happy with AEW as I am that it exists. I especially don't understand w Malakai, because he isn't going to get increased creative fulfillment in a company that already has other spooky entities they have no idea how to book. He must really, REALLY want to work at the same place his wife does. Not that I blame him. Anyway, now that AEW is stabilized with their new deal, ex-WWE talent leaving feels less like "rats off a sinking ship" and more like a standard sports free agent signing. I think all that "he wouldn't job" stuff is a little overblown, as his character probably shouldn't lose much. I had a point when I started this point, but I lost it. Damn. Anyway, good luck to Malakai. I hope he finds fulfillment where he is.

Damn. Well, it's no surprise... math has never been my friend...

Yeah, but this hasn't gone on nearly as long as the "Better Than You BayBay" garbage. Also, I re-iterate; ratings are inching back up. Would they go up faster if the belt were on Hobbs or Omega? I have no idea. Maybe it's worth finding out. But this Death Riders stuff is by no means killing the company.

Being there live, the crowd didn’t feel tiny bc that’s not a very big building. I’m excited to try out the Gateway Center in the A next month…

Except then what Mox is doing has no meaning. He has to be the champion or what he's preaching is pointless. I like Will Hobbs, and he screams "future champion" to me, but this ain't the right time. Also, regarding the "elevating young talent" angle of the BCC, apparently Jericho got wind of the plan to bring Daniel Garcia into the BCC and had him put with the JAS instead.