Matt D

I don't know Eddie and would not speak for him so I'll bury this here on DVDVR where it's safe: It has to be super special at this point of Eddie's career to not just get the things he deserved and that he's worked for but to be able to give back in this manner. No one else in the world had the honor of doing this this honor for Mark, only him. Because he had worked to get to the position where he was able to do so.

At the end of the day, I don't think I'm going to necessarily sway you. There are French matches I can show you where they're gritty as hell but the holds are so, so long and even though they're worked hard, I don't think you'll go for it (for instance), but with some of this more mainstream stuff, it's a bit of trying to show you that "Yes, wrestling was that, but it's also this too." But that's probably not going to change the fact you don't care for "the that." No worries on the delay. Life comes first. I'll regroup in ten days or so and find you the next one.

Andretti and Cartwheel feel like the same create a wrestler with palette's switched. I mean just visually. Obviously Cartwheel does more Cartwheels and Andretti does more 1997 Junior Heavyweight offense. I was watching this in the background while doing work but feel like I need to go back at some point for Johnson vs Comoroto. I swear Comoroto, with the changed look, should be the Elite's heater right now, not working some weird proselytizing angle.

It’s the most organic PPV so far, something really built by the TV. More sound, less madcap exciting.

Fin and start of 2/25/89

I’m sure the bad faith grifters loved the Punk interview as a rallying cry but the interview wasn’t that bad. It’s a massive lack of perspective not to realize for the actual fanbase it was the cuts that were the problem this week.

That 2014-2020 (or so) period had a lot of TV shows I very much enjoyed. A lot on AMC/FX/SYFY, but not just. I have no idea why I'm making this list mind you. Just bear with me. Fargo 12 Monkeys The Magicians Legion Hell on Wheels Halt and Catch Fire Leftovers Orphan Black Killjoys People should watch 12 Monkeys. I bet it holds up.

There are things on our mind in general: Henry's injured and has been getting a lot of good will and support over the last few weeks, including a well-selling shirt. Slim J is on the DEAN card so he's on some of our minds. Parker Boudreaux just debuted with AAA and answered YESTERDAY that he was still in AEW (now deleted) The Boys' were just written out of a story in a way that didn't seem like a write-out but that is all over a match with month+ build for the ROH PPV this Friday, which is now going to feel pretty weird. There's never good timing but the timing for those in specific feels bad. Khan has a media call on Thursday so...

My Punk joke that I've been sitting on... "Now that he's back in WWE, it's not like it was a choke anyway. It was just a rest hold."

This speaks for itself honestly, and invites no positivity towards the company. Just going to embed the last tweet in the thread. Before this he notes that he is thankful for the opportunity, for those who championed him (Daivari, Behrens, Coleman):

Re: the cuts: We don't know what we don't know. People are real quick to jump and make lasting statements so they can get out there first or just to get things off their chest. That said, of what we do know, I sure don't like it.

Now 2/23/89

I actually think they should do Toni vs Mariah vs Deonna vs Thunder Rosa at the PPV and I almost never think a 4-way is the right call.

fin

I wish Cash was more interested in doing some singles matches. It was a fun tag since it felt fresh relative to a lot of recent FTR matches. I laughed at them doing Silver/Reynolds’s finishing sequence in slow motion.

Interesting choice given what I gave you. I liked a good chunk of this. Katch's confidence and familiarity with the crowd stood out. I was surprised she'd only worked the venue a couple of times with the way she was using the crowd as props for instance. Matthews is super emotive. She's very good at being in the moment. There were only a couple of times where it felt like they were setting up spots instead of just organically going from bits of violence to more bits of violence. The build to the chain coming out for the modified tapatia was a nice touch as was the transition around the chain-wrapped leg. Katch selling her neck during her big comeback was nice. I was ready for them to go home shortly thereafter honestly, but I bought into the chairs being a logical point of escalation. Then I was really ready to go home after the superplex and they went into equal strike exchanges instead of a finishing stretch. I was a little bemused by Katch recovering so quickly after the wrench shot. For one, it wasn't a great visual weapon. The chairs were bigger and broader. The chain was set up more. A wrench is smaller and sort of harder to understand in pro wrestling physics. It was made into a big deal but then not sold like one and then it was what put Matthews away. You wouldn't have known she was being pile driven onto the wrench if the announcers didn't call it out for instance. They had set up a bunch of chairs right there. I might have wanted that to work into the finish instead? But overall, a lot of positive stuff here. I should watch more Matthews.

con't

No dedicated thread? That's ok. Initial thoughts: Danielson didn't seem to get as big a reaction as Claudio or Moxley. I loved hearing the spanish descriptions of each guy as they came out. They made it like Moxley was "Comandante Pierroth", leader of La Comando Caribeño but, you know Comandante of the BCC. Very funny that Sydal was the captain. Would have Yuta been the captain? Loved the violencia sin limites bcc shirts. Hilarious that Sydal's entrance has Peace and Love in it. I would have aligned him more to the BCC theme maybe? Yes chants right from the get go and Danielson playing them up (more on that later). Panther trying to endorse him. Then they got huge heat from me (and I guess the crowd) by avoiding the initial pairings and going right to chaos and into the beatdown. What the hell? The whole point of this was see Danielson and Panther work the mat! I love heat in my lucha, love it, but this was one time I wanted an exception. The bastards. The first beatdown (because there were two!) was pretty surreal. Moxley wasn't nearly as good as directing traffic as you'd hope. He was no Satantico or Ultimo Guerrero and these were no GdI but it was their first time and I forgive them. Lots of fun individual spots like the giant swing on stupid Volador and it was nice to see Matt Sydal as their spin kicking attack dog. Double comebacks were weird. Lucha is about the ebb and the flow, the transfer of the mandate of heaven, control of destiny. It's about a big beatdown leading to that golden, shining moment of comeback. Panther had that with his clothesline and then, after Mistico's big spot, they went right back to heat on UG. UG doing the raise the roof while he was getting beaten on felt like coming home to me, and then Claudio absolutely killed him for it. He got his big comeback immediately thereafter though. From there they went on to pairings, but these were tercera caida pairings, not initial primera feelings out so it wasn't the same. Rapid fire, a few spots and out, on to the next guy. Still, lots of good stuff in here and the stuff I wanted: I wanted Moxley vs UG, both the slapfight and Moxley eating the top rope (don't powerbomb kidman) Power Bomb that's ritual in all big UG matches. Mistico, charismatic bastard that he is, subverted the yes chants and Danielson did the no ones for the first time in years, I think. I wanted Claudio basing for Mistico and it was beautiful, down to the way the camera has to follow and can barely catch the rana to the floor. It makes you feel like you're going along for the ride. Sydal matched up fine with anyone he was in with. Panther was absolutely fearless because he had the most powerful force in the world on his side, Claudio basing for him. Panther vs Danielson needed another rotation or too but I loved Panther just charging through the knee. Just bonkers stuff you'd never see in the states. And the Fujiwara moment was awesome, though I might have picked something else since it was the prelude to La Mistica on Sydal that ended it. Overall, very special. I can't help but wish it had an extra five minutes at the top before things broke down. That said, it's easy to forgive with a singles match ahead of us.

And on to 3/28:

This thread covers very succinctly and with strong and easy to understand charts how AEW is actually doing quite well as it pertains to its TV and why anyone who thinks otherwise is woefully misinformed.

Fin for this one:

Castle vs Comoroto was very good for what it was but needed five more minutes. We needed more time to just deal with the fact Comoroto shaved his beard off

Con't

I always assume I should seem more Matthews (and especially Matthews teamed with Portia Perez) as I'm not sure I've basically seen any, so works for me.

@CaseyI think most of it is on dailymotion but you lose the first 1/3 of the match or so. The way I watch stuff like this on Youtube sometimes is to upload it on a burner account as a draft but don't actually publish, either private or unlisted. Then you can access from your account usually. But that's more for my phone as is. It doesn't last on Youtube published. for long usually.