AEW - April 2023

[Ultimo Necro]

1 hour ago, The Natural said:

Korea .

Couldn't resist that reference.

Tension and fames our korea korea?

mid 90s alt rock reference there! 

I only came in to post that I just watched Dynamite and that Swerve is my favourite wrestler.  Dude is amazing and it’s criminal that WWE release him and that he’s lost in TK’s 185 person pack of cards.

 

[Octopus]

46 minutes ago, Octopus said:

 

Maybe not post worthy, but did a quick phone edit to fix how blown out the pic was. Gotta see Taker’s mouth. 

[Ziggy]

6 hours ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

The killer was always in the room.

Blame WBD.

If Bischoff and others can blame corporate and get away with it for WCW dying and not some of the absolute mind boggling decisions made internally on the wrestling operation side, then WBD is more than a suitable scapegoat.

Facts, just like USA NETWORK wanted RAW to go 3 hours. Even with Vinces apparent booking flaws 3 hours is overkill for any weekly wrestling program but hey, they are making Astronomical profit off the TV at the expense of trying to keep our attention. NXT was unique to me because it was 1 hour. Even at its best I don't think going 2 hours would be a good thing for them.

Bischoff is right in Blaming Time Warner, Even though he was burned out and they went through some bad booking regimes following the corporate changes, it was ultimately the network that killed WCW.

One 2 hour show and one 1 hour show is all AEW needs on that channel. The only reason to add another program is if they were to put ROH on TBS or TNT. 

I hope they are consistent in trying to make the Saturday show seem important longer than their efforts with Rampage. It shouldn't be that difficult leading into the Wimbley Stadium show. After All Out ,it will be interesting to see how important that show is weeks after the Fall PPV

[odessasteps]

Really WCW was doomed from the start, due to the TBS executives never wanting rasslin on their channel. From Jack Petrik to Bob Dhue to Jamie Kellner to the guy who was frat brothers with a WWF executive.

Edited April 16, 2023 by odessasteps

[Elsalvajeloco]

14 hours ago, Ziggy said:

Bischoff is right in Blaming Time Warner, Even though he was burned out and they went through some bad booking regimes following the corporate changes, it was ultimately the network that killed WCW.

 

13 hours ago, odessasteps said:

Really WCW was doomed from the start, due to the TBS executives never wanting rasslin on their channel. From Jack Petrik to Bob Dhue to Jamie Kellner to the guy who was frat brothers with a WWF executive.

I think WCW is a case where both things can be true. As much as the corporate suits were the fly in the ointment, success is the great eraser. When they should have been pivoting in 1998 when WWF was starting to gain serious momentum, they didn't. Hell, they did everything but that. If WCW could have kept the train rolling, the only thing those execs could have been is the fly in the ointment. They were not going to get rid of a highly successful venture as much as they wanted to. Within 18 months, they went from slightly unfocused to a godawful, atrocious product in every way. More importantly, it was a money losing godawful product. Was it salvageable? Shit, people have been arguing that for 20+ years now. All I know is now they had a reason (a valid one) to get rid of it and they did. We can blame all the execs, but at some point, everyone has to be accountable.

[BobbyWhioux]

4 hours ago, Octopus said:

Bill Watts never had a chance against the politicking of The Counterkliq

[Johnny Sorrow]

16 minutes ago, BobbyWhioux said:

Bill Watts never had a chance against the politicking of The Counterkliq

Bill Watts was jerking off in the corner while that picture was taken. 

[Gorman]

On 4/14/2023 at 7:07 PM, Dolphman 3000 said:

That brings about a good question - who does Punk demand as his commentary team for Saturday Night Collision? 

(raises hand)

Well, I did announce his first ROH match, ROH title shot, and ROH title win.

So, if it ain't broke ...

Edited April 16, 2023 by Gorman

[Octopus]

Still thinking about it, but MJF vs Danielson might be one of my all time favorite matches. So much about it fits what I love about wrestling.

[The Natural]

What a return it was.

[Matt D]

Current rumor has it that Elite won't work with Punk so they're going to lead with Jericho vs Punk. Jericho getting in Tony's ear and convincing him that he has to go over Cole in order to be built for Punk is going to be the carniest thing imaginable.

[just drew]

5 minutes ago, Matt D said:

Current rumor has it that Elite won't work with Punk so they're going to lead with Jericho vs Punk. Jericho getting in Tony's ear and convincing him that he has to go over Cole in order to be built for Punk is going to be the carniest thing imaginable.

And I, for one, cannot wait…

[John from Cincinnati]

Since I think playing into people's perceptions of wrestlers has a lot of utility... should Jericho go over so it looks like he can talk Tony into anything? Will he go over for that very reason? Would he make the case that he should go over to establish that Punk is a team player? I don't know. Punk over is probably the right choice and what my rooting interest is, but there are other ways to go. 

They've stumbled onto the least interesting 2023 Punk feud, but if this is the price we need to pay to get him back then so be it. And I reiterate: Bring on the Sammy GTS sell. 

[Matt D]

Yeah, the incidental matches should be a lot of fun. I want to see Garcia vs Punk II. I want FTR vs 2.0. Wardlow vs Hager?

[Dolphman 3000]

Punk and Young Bucks both crying about "BUT CAN I TRUST HIM WITH MY BODY?" so long that no one cares about their feud anymore and they can't draw money from it is the fate they all deserve, honestly

[Zakk_Sabbath]

3 minutes ago, Matt D said:

Yeah, the incidental matches should be a lot of fun. I want to see Garcia vs Punk II. I want FTR vs 2.0. Wardlow vs Hager?

Idk what side of the Babyface/heel aisle the crowd would land Punk on at this point, but personally, id like another Hobbs match. They had a really good one on Rampage at Grand Slam I with a bunch of shit lifted from Bret/Diesel, I could go for another round - same for another Wardlow match, really 

[John from Cincinnati]

9 minutes ago, Matt D said:

Wardlow vs Hager?

Fake MMA fight or in a wrestling ring?

More importantly: The Punk-Sammy match needs to start with shit-talk transitioning into a pie-face, but who pie-faces who? Both options are spectacular. 

[Log]

My discussions of wrestling as a kid: "Ultimate Warrior's totally going to beat Hulk. He's so ripped! Hulk's old now. No way he wins!"

My discussions of wrestling now:

18 minutes ago, John from Cincinnati said:

Since I think playing into people's perceptions of wrestlers has a lot of utility... should Jericho go over so it looks like he can talk Tony into anything? Will he go over for that very reason? Would he make the case that he should go over to establish that Punk is a team player? I don't know. Punk over is probably the right choice and what my rooting interest is, but there are other ways to go.

 

[John from Cincinnati]

2 minutes ago, Log said:

My discussions of wrestling as a kid: "Ultimate Warrior's totally going to beat Hulk. He's so ripped! Hulk's old now. No way he wins!"

My discussions of wrestling now:

 

Do you want me to talk about their bodies? Are you trying to get me cancelled??!!

[Log]

1 minute ago, John from Cincinnati said:

Do you want me to talk about their bodies? Are you trying to get me cancelled??!!

For the record, one of the things I find fascinating about pro wrestling in general is the kind of thing you were talking about originally. If I knew nothing of all those backstage machinations, I probably would've stopped watching years ago.

It's just funny how we discuss it now vs. how most of us probably did back then.

[John from Cincinnati]

18 minutes ago, Log said:

For the record, one of the things I find fascinating about pro wrestling in general is the kind of thing you were talking about originally. If I knew nothing of all those backstage machinations, I probably would've stopped watching years ago.

I'm glad to see this expressed. It's popular for people to express fatigue about all the behind the scenes drama, but those people are wrong. The drama of these people's lives makes for the potential of a richer text. Put that shit straight into my veins. 

Edited April 17, 2023 by John from Cincinnati

[Matt D]

9 minutes ago, John from Cincinnati said:

I'm glad to see this expressed. It's popular for people to express fatigue about all the behind the scenes drama, but those people are wrong. The drama of these people's lives makes for the potential of a richer text. Put that shit straight into my veins. 

I mean, I remember arguing with my sister when I was in high school in 1998 about how interesting all of the backstage machinations of the Monday Night Wars were and that's why I was so into wrestling. This has been the point for at least the entirety of the internet and this board.

[JLowe]

"smart" wrestling fans have been using it as an excuse for decades to explain why they watch badly acted soap operas featuring dudes in bikini bottoms.

[Matt D]

12 minutes ago, JLowe said:

"smart" wrestling fans have been using it as an excuse for decades to explain why they watch badly acted soap operas featuring dudes in bikini bottoms.

Yeah, if anything I'd say that it made more sense for me at age 16 than it does at age 41. Now I'm partially back to watching for Lance Archer to kill jobbers on elevation like watching Sid in early 1992?

Edited April 17, 2023 by Matt D

[Dolphman 3000]

Ospreay says he's banged up and thinking about retirement