[WWE TV - 4/24 - 4/30/2023]

They're separating the World Titles. I wouldn't at all be surprised if they do a disputed finish and split the tag titles up some how Friday. I mean the one year they just traded belts, logic isn't really a concern here. I'm going to predict a double pin. Jey pins KO while Sami pins Jimmy, Usos stay on Smackdown as SD tag champs, KO & Sami stay on Raw as Raw tag champs.

[AEW Dynamite - 4/26/2023]

11 hours ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

The mother effin' black ropes are back!!!

About damn time.

[2023 NFL OFFSEASON]

He's a sixth round draft pick in 2021 still on his initial rookie deal. If he walked away today he doesn't have any semblance of financial security. He's not making much, roughly $900k a year. Yes far more than any of us. But playing in the NFL long enough to get one more contract can guarantee generational wealth for his family. So I totally get it. If doctors say he's safe, if he mentally feels safe, then it's not much of a debate to me. How do you walk away from the thing you've sacrificed your whole life for and the one profession where you will certainly make the highest amount of money possible for yourself and your family?

Life is too short to quit the thing you love the most on this planet on the 1 in 1,000,000 chance this same thing can happen again. I don't think any of us get the right to second guess what he wants to do with his life. If he wanted to walk away I'd support that just as hard. I don't know what's better for his life than he does. And I feel like that's a bit conceited if people declare their opinions on his life are more astute than his own.

[AEW/ROH Finances, Ratings, etc.]

Just to say my peace on this, I threw the shot out there because he has a very clear bias. He rails against AEW in every thread and revels in the lower rated shows. I don't think Rampage getting a good rating this week is actually indicative of anything, nor what they deserve to be getting. I was just highlighting his hypocrisy.

The truth is too many people jump to conclusions based on one week's rating. To me ratings are ebbs and flows and the only real trends you can take form them are ones extrapolated over weeks / months at a time. Everyone hyper focuses on every single quarter hour, but without proper context. What else was happening on TV at that time? What time of year is it? Has this performer's quarter hours been a trend for multiple episodes or is this a one off? It's very hard to conclude any REAL truth through the data in just single weeks or single quarter hours.

The only data point I'm truly willing to stake my name too is it's very clear Dynamite starts off higher because of a good lead in. And dips later in the night. No that doesn't confirm wrestler A is not a draw in the main event. It just concludes that people don't stick around for the whole episode anymore.

[April 2023 Wrestling Discussion]

Ah yes, reading is fundamental. I missed that he was referring to Evolve and just assumed he was talking about DGUSA because that's what Effy mentioned in the clip. Still good background for the discussion, but a little off the mark since Dragon Gate was still involved at the point I was mentioning.

[April 2023 Wrestling Discussion]

57 minutes ago, AxB said:

Effy called Gabe out three years ago, for his habit of underpaying (or not paying) wrestlers. 

Lots of people worked Evolve shows and got paid in T-Shirt. Singular, not plural.

That and his shows that were budgeted so that Gabe made more money from wrestlers (paying to attend the pre-show seminar) than fans (buying tickets), and that the seminars were scams anyway. The vet he brought in showed them the International Spot, made them all drill it, and then selected one attendee to work on the show for no pay. And the selection was a work because the guy they picked was always already booked.

Can partially confirm (and debunk this). I did one DGUSA seminar. I got picked to work the show. I was not previously booked before the seminar. I had never met Gabe or anyone involved. But Gabe had zero input in who got put on the show. It was 100% Pac's call. Three of us from the seminar got booked. No clue if the other two were previously booked. But I wasn't.

Can confirm there was zero pay. I don't have any axe to grind about it tho. I was able to use that DGUSA booking to get some good paying gigs off the back of it. And Gabe was very complimentary to me and kept up through email a few times afterward. But I never went back because pay wasn't available. (Or maybe he just didn't want to use me and budget stuff was a deflection)?

So think this is a case of the truth lying somewhere in the middle.

[AEW/ROH Finances, Ratings, etc.]

Funny the Dolph man didn't post this rating. Wonder why. Doesn't conform to his preconceived narrative? Awkward.

[AEW - April 2023]

I don't think Brandon Cuttler of all people would be stepping out of line to throw shots and keep a fight going.

Starting to smell like a work. The Punk IG rant on Moxley. The flood of Punk rumors on a return. Cuttler & Jericho openly "shit talking". Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part. But the long con is definitely a tool in the AEW tool bag. Remember FTR re-signed in November and they kept the worked shooty stuff going until that title switch. Who knows. But I hope Punk comes back and I hope everyone gets along, works together, and makes a lot of money.

[AEW Dynamite - 4/12/2023]

20 minutes ago, Casey said:

Not once has it been presented or suggested that Hobbs is some kind of World-Ender, larger than life monster. That’s just your personal wish for his booking shining through. That kind of thing is more comparable to Wardlow, IMO.

And in what world did Hobbs go 50/50 with Silas Young? That match lasted 40 seconds. What in the absolute fuck?

I think you're jumping in mid convo and missed some stuff. Silas got steamrolled. And I'm all in favor of that. There's been some people suggesting they were disappointment by that and wanted him to get more offense in. No one is saying he did go 50/50 with Hobbs. I'm saying that would have been a total mistake and the 40 second squash was the perfect call.
 

34 minutes ago, HarryArchieGus said:

I'm not sure Will looked like a chump when he didn't steamroll Fenix and/or Penta, but okay. To each their own, I don't find it all that weird wanting to see Hobbs tell a small wee little story with a wily vet like Young. 50/50? Not seeing anybody suggesting that. And then you name drop Cutler? And Fuego? Actually, monster Miro found a way to work Fuego. Perhaps the Powerhouse in question could too?

I'm totally fine with Penta & Fenix getting offense in against Hobbs. Lucha Bros are former tag champs, trios champs, have main evented shows and are legitimate near the top tier roster members. My point of order is everyone advocating for someone who does not work for AEW, who AEW has no plans for, and who has no future in AEW being treated in the manor he was. It was done exactly right. AEW rarely does squashes and this was the time for one.

I'm not at all saying Hobbs should be above letting people get offense in. What I'm saying is this specific instance people wanting Silas Young to be treated as an equal to Penta or Fenix or Hobbs or Wardlow is just nuts to me. Miro had a multi episode TV story with Fuego built around him murdering Fuego and then Fuego getting lucky when Miro's neck was failing him. That's a FAR CRY from Miro being booked cold against Fuego & going 50/50 with him with no TV time prior, no story prior, and not even being a part of AEW at the time.

This is getting so weird. I don't think 'Hobbs should be squashing jobbers' is a controversial take. You may disagree that Silas is a jobber. And that's fine. I'm saying his ROH run from half a decade ago doesn't really merit him not being a jobber in AEW. But opinions are opinions and if that is yours I will let it go.

[April 2023 Wrestling Discussion]

15 hours ago, The Natural said:

I love Molly Holly. Always have since her WCW debut as Mona. 

She is the literal best & too nice for this business. I was on a show with her in Portland in 2006. After my match she pulled me & my opponent aside to apologize to us that WCW didn't exist anymore. She said we would 100% have gotten contracts to be in the cruiserweight division and she's sorry for us that it isn't around anymore. As if she had anything to apologize for. Just a total sweetheart of a person.

[AEW Dynamite - 4/12/2023]

4 hours ago, HarryArchieGus said:

I think the consensus, amongst many of us, is he could've provided a nice hearty challenge that would've made Willy look stronger for in victory. As was it was a forgettable waste of time.

Hobbs having a tough time beating a literal nobody with no TV equity and a bad look doesn't make Willy look stronger in victory. It makes him look like a chump. If he's as big of a monster & as dangerous as they say he is on commentary he should steamroll anyone not named Samoa Joe, Wardlow, or Brody King. We all have different ideas of what we want out of wrestling but this is just weird to me to see so many people suggesting this. Squashes are a legitimate booking tool. If Hobbs goes 50/50 or has trouble with everyone he wrestles, how does that make him special or standout?

If you want the man to have an aura of being this larger than life monster (which I personally think he should have), he can't go 50/50 with the Silas Youngs or the Brandon Cuttlers or the Fuego Del Sols. There has to be a tier he just rips through.

[AEW Dynamite - 4/12/2023]

4 hours ago, Dolphman 3000 said:

Imagine critical thinking hurting your brain so much that you just take the position of "Tony Khan is always right" and work your way backwards from there

What a waste

Dawg what lol. I have been openly critical of a lot of AEW stuff lately. I don't have the blind tribalism to any one brand. There's stuff WWE does that I like and there's stuff AEW does that I like. But I am not shy at all about criticizing what I don't like. Making a big deal out of Silas fucking Young of all people getting squashed is about the weirdest hill to die on I've seen in awhile. I literally just posted a rant about how fucking dumb I think AEW doing a brand split here. TK is def not always right. And the past 9 months or so he's had more misses than hits for me.

But again Silas fucking Young going down to your mid card champion who is supposed to be a monster world beater is not even in the top 1,000 worst things that has happened in AEW this month. You're the one with a hardcore hate boner. Maybe some clarity & objectiveness would help you realize that a 40s+ performer with multiple bad knees & less than 10 minutes of national TV exposure in his entire career doesn't need to look good nor is it a priority to let him get any shit in against your monster world beater in a squash. Kthanksbye.

[AEW - April 2023]

Ah yes a soft brand split. Truly the alternative to the other guys

Explain to me how & why we need AEW to copy every WWE trope there is. Separate developmental brand. Brand split on the "main roster" that doesn't have clear and distinct lines to make it special when people do cross over. 80s WWE ropes. WWE staging. WWE guard rails. When do the LED posts & aprons debut?

I liked AEW better when they were different than WWE. I don't like that they are trying to be exactly like them. Grow the fuck up and just steer clear of your fellow employees you don't want to interact with. We don't need another company with split brands. For fuck's sake.

[AEW Dynamite - 4/12/2023]

I've seen multiple people complaining about Silas squash. How? Why?

So I saw one person say that should have been an unknown jobber, not an established guy. No. Hobbs gains more from being a minor somebody vs beating a total no one. For instance would a freshly turned heel in the late 80s gain more by beating a jobber in quick fashion or beating Tito Santana, form IC Champion just as quick.

I also saw someone else say it was very WWE like to have him lose in his hometown. Well, no it wasn't. Because Silas doesn't work for AEW. He's not on the roster. Milwaukee is the only town they use him in. So it's the only time there's a spot available for him. And yes WWE's trope of killing guys dead in their hometown sucks, AEW doesn't really do that. They mostly present their roster as world beaters in their home towns. Which is the correct way to book. But nothing effect can be done 100% of the time or it loses it's effect.

Also Silas Young is... not good enough to be on this roster at this point in his career. His options are never get on TV the rest of his career, or accept a job spot like this that gets him on TV again gets him paid and helps give back to the business.

Everything about Hobbs squashing him makes total sense. Well except QTV existing and being out there while it was happening.

[AEW Dynamite - 4/12/2023]

14 hours ago, Dolphman 3000 said:

You can apologize now

Keith as the low-hanging fruit used to get Cole to turn on him and join Mogul Embassy is a fine choice, but holy shit that main event was boring

Did you eat paint chips as a kid lol? The stories are Adam Cole vs Jericho & Swerve vs Keith Lee. Cole is not turning heel on Keith Lee nor joining the Mogul group. I have nothing to apologize for. That was Jericho's best singles match in a long time. Not sure how you can say a 300lb+ guy pulling out a moonsault equates to being immobile. But I have fed the troll too many time as is so I say good day to you sir.

[AEW Dynamite - 4/12/2023]

Yeah I've been pretty down on the last little bit of AEW but tonight was great. Lots of good shit. The Buddy/OC match. The Darby/Swerve match. I thought that was Jericho's best match in forever. Sting's promo was great. Wardlow got the Austin destroy a car spot. Hardy's return was a fun moment. The Elite / BCC stuff is clicking. Seems like momentum is building, Punk could be on his way back, FTR are here to stay.

Still hate those fucking ropes tho.

[AEW Dynamite - 4/12/2023]

5 hours ago, Dolphman 3000 said:

I always looked at the Keith Lee pairing as him doing charity work for the immobile big man, and I was looking forward to a strong singles run without all the beggars and hangers-on.

Uh excuse me? Tha fuck? How has no one called this out yet? Keith Lee is far from immobile. Dude's not even top 3 most immobile Swerve has been connected to in AEW this year. Snitch or whatever his name was, Bordeaux, & now Toa Liona. Boo this man.

[2023 UPCOMING MOVIE DISCUSSION]

Yesssss Fool's Paradise is finally coming out. I first heard about this one in late 2019 when it was originally called El Tonto. I never thought it would release. He shot the majority of the movie in 2019 and ran into some trouble with the original plot. He got some advice on tweaking it and did a bunch of reshoots in 2021. I thought it was in production hell and would never release. Might have to go see it in the theater just because I love Charlie Day so much.

[April 2023 Wrestling Discussion]

3 hours ago, Eivion said:

Is he? I see this, but every time I hear people talk about MJF, be it positive or negative, he sounds like a guy trying to sell himself as heel more to smart fans than anything else. WWE isn't always family friendly, but it is still the audience they go after the most with the PG aspects imposed. Can he tone himself down for that?

Hard agree here. MJF thrives on feeling out where the line is and purposely going 3 steps past it. WWE is not going to allow that. I get that he is a WWE style character in a lot of ways. But his current character and promos would NOT fit within WWE guidelines. And without the leeway of getting to color wayyyyyyy outside of the lines, I just don't think his character would be anything that stands out. Just a mean rich kid. His act would go from special to just another guy fairly quick with the WWE handcuffs on.

He's very good on the mic and very good in the ring. So he could still become a major star there. But not as is. They'd be making changes. And dialing things way back. And that doesn't scream recipe for success to me.

[WWE and Endeavor To Merge]

23 hours ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

I'm not privy to recent numbers, so this might be a silly question - but thinking ahead, I wonder what Endeavor's stance on house shows is (IF they're still 'loss leaders' - honestly unsure).

Not quoting you to pick on you or this thought, but it's a good jumping off point for something I see getting question quite a bit.

So I don't think Endeavor has any thoughts one way or another about any of WWE's business. Now they'll make some overhead calls. Some restructuring of the top of the flow chart stuff. But WWE is going to continue to be run by WWE. Endeavor's not going to have any say on house shows. Or who gets used how. They are the parent company. WWE is still WWE. And it's going to be ran by mostly the same people who have been running it for awhile now. Vince, Nick, & Triple H call the shots. Endeavor isn't going to step in and say no more house shows. No one that works for Endeavor has any idea how any of this business works.

Just as UFC continued being ran essentially the same by Dana & crew, WWE is essentially going to be ran entirely the same. It's just a different set of stock market numbers now. Endeavor isn't going to really have a stance on anything. That's why they merged with WWE and didn't outright purchase them. WWE people are still there and still calling alllllllll the shots. WWE is incredibly profitable. The last thing Endeavor wants to do is tinker with shit and fuck up the formula.

[Ring of Honor - 2023]

Briscoes on the tag title side plates is fucking awesome. Posing, and doing a Doomsday to Dax.

[April 2023 Wrestling Discussion]

Someone alert Charlie Day & Danny Devito. The Gruesome Twosome are Charlie & Frank. GTFO with that trademark theft. Always Sunny for life yo.

[April 2023 Wrestling Discussion]

8 hours ago, Kevin Wilson said:

Even though I (like most people) am not happy about Vince seemingly taking back some control of creative, I do think a lot of the reports are way overblown as far as the roster reaction. I have no doubt some aren't happy about it, especially the ones Triple H re-hired. But seeing reports/arguments that Kevin Owens or Asuka or Becky or anyone else is unhappy just doesn't strike me as realistic. Most of the wrestlers signed when Vince was in charge. Owens, Sami, Styles, etc. all re-upped within the last two years when Vince had creative. I'm not judging them, everyone has their own priorities and their own relationship with Vince, but the fact is they had no issue before so why would they now?

I agree that it's over blown a bit, but it is certainly a real thing I believe. No matter how much Vince liked certain performers or they flourished under him, I can assure you NO ONE is happy the constant re-writes are back. No one is happy the stories that change on a whim are back.  Triple H & crew not having this gigantic leap in difference from Vince Raws is kind of a mis-nomer. On screen may have been pretty similar. But the way the talent & writing crew especially were treated under Vince sucks. No matter how much he pushed you.

As a worker you lay out a match then find out 10 minutes before the show goes live you're no longer working the same person and you gotta scrap it all because now you're working someone else and you only have 20 minutes to call the new match? That is infuriating. You think the writers who were allowed to go home at 5PM & have a life beyond WWE in the Triple H led way are going to be happy they are now back to being on call at all times and expected to answer 2am calls to answer Vinces's questions are happy?

Behind the scenes is probably even worse off than is being reported. They just know there's no real course of action Vince is now The Number Two Exec in a 21 billion dollar company. He's worth $3 billion dollars. He as bulletproof bulletproof gets.But even if he likes you is SUCKS a million times worse to work under him.

[April 2023 Wrestling Discussion]

How many people that have been brought back are fucking kicking themselves today? Bronson Reed had a solid thing going with a New Japan push. Vince is back and he's certainly going to fade into a Main Event guy. Karion Cross better have had the foresight to write a no gladiator helmet clause into his deal. Regal is certainly not going to be Vince's Head of Talent Development. Vince says he's just going to be the overview guy and not get into the weeds. The overview guy doesn't get on the headsets. The overview guy doesn't order re-writes.

Triple H's WWE was a mirage. And anyone who jumped at the chance to go back had better have not burned any bridges to do so.

And since the Raw thread was closed I'm gonna throw some thoughts in here about that. There were a lot of poster getting mad at people watching the show that don't normally watch having opinions. The Raw after Wrestlemania has traditionally been (up until the past 4 or 5 years) been the most exciting episode of the year. That is the perfect jumping back on point to see if you enjoy the vibe. Getting mad that people who have tuned out have thoughts when they tune in is silly.

They had 2.3 million viewers. And what trended on Twitter? Worst Raw ever. They decided a few years back they don't want fly in smart mark crowds dictating who is allowed to get over, so they stopped the call ups and surprise returns. It's now a normal episode of Raw. And a whole bunch of people that aren't aware of that feel let down. I'm not even someone who was mad at Roman winning at WM. But that episode was the best follow up they could give us? A full on bait & switch of a match most people were probably intrigued to see. And a whole lot of absolutely nothing of note happening. Sorry but there's literally no reason to praise that episode or snap at people who didn't enjoy it.

WWE TV is mostly a content churn. And the post WM Raw used to be an exception to that. Not anymore. The sooner we all accept that's not the case anymore, the sooner we'll be better off.

[WrestleZAYNia XXXIX - 4/1 & 4/2/2023]

14 hours ago, SirFozzie said:

Instead it's "Hey, it's "Bloodline saves Roman in a bullshit ending", part XXV!

Sorry for back to back posts here but this one is extra funny to me lol.

"I want wrestling to be more like the 80s!"

*Does modern day Horsemen with lots of fuck finishes to save Flair.*

"No not like THAT!"

Don't mean for that to suggest that you said that specifically, just seems like a lot of the same sentiment I'm seeing here. The Bloodline is just The Horsemen. That's literally all this is. They even call Solo The Enforcer. They have the generational tag team. They just replaced the boozing and parting with family pride & heritage. I think we all have to dial back our personal opinions and realize that's all they are, opinions. Not facts. There's been 39 Wrestlemanias. By my count there's been 26ish babyface wins to end the show with the happy ending. Just because the ratio is 70% that doesn't mean it HAS TO end that way every single time. And frankly if it does, the event loses it's impact (narrative speaking, financially they are set probably forever regardless).