AEW - April 2023

[EVA]

9 hours ago, elizium said:

Pepsi Phil bought Danhausen a copy of Amazing Stories 15. Return confirmed

It’s going to break my heart in 5 years when Phil sues him to to get it back.

[odessasteps]

According to the picture, it was graded 1.8, so not as crazy expensive as it likely seems up front. 
 

edit: that’s around $15,000. Still a nice gesture by Phil. 

Edited April 6, 2023 by odessasteps

[Matt D]

This will probably get annoying quickly, but I'm getting in past the post before it gets annoying.

Here's what I'd book today knowing all that I know:

Spoiler

• Omega vs Ospreay vs Okada
• MJF (c) vs Sting (w/Darby, setting up the All In gimmick match the following week)
• FTR (c) vs Young Bucks
• Adam Page vs Chris Jericho vs CM Punk
• Hayter (c) vs Britt (babyface vs babyface)
• Saraya vs Mercedes Mone (based around the injury history)
• Bryan Danielson (Pure Champion) vs Zack Sabre, Jr.
• Mox/Claudio/Yuta vs Tanahashi/Shibata/Shota Umino (Stop the Moxley)
• House of Black (c) vs Best Friends/OC vs United Empire vs Dark Order
• Powerhouse Hobbs (c) vs PAC
• Acclaimed as hosts

With Starks/Hook/Jungle Boy/Lee/Sammy/Swerve/Wardlow/Acclaimed all having big matches at All Out the next week.

 

[Technico Support]

9 hours ago, JLowe said:

So, on Friday’s short notice Battle of the Belts VI we get Jade Cargill vs. Billie Starkz in a unique situation where the high school senior will be calling and carrying the match because she has more than 5 times as many matches as the second-tier champion.

TIME TO SHOCK THE WORLD, COACH TONY K!

Holy shit, that's amazing.  You know, any time anyone accuses AEW of not being old school, you just need to point out the absolute carnyness of Jade's whole reign.  "Green, below average worker with a million dollar body and a catchphrase being carried by better workers every step of the way" is as pro wrestling as pro wrestling gets.

1 hour ago, For Great Justice said:

What would the 2023 love letter to the SS 92 main event be?

 

Wrestling has changed...I can't name anyone on the card with obvious, uh, "personal demons" to play the Davey role of showing up "fooked" and getting dragged through a great match.

[Elsalvajeloco]

25 minutes ago, Matt D said:

This will probably get annoying quickly, but I'm getting in past the post before it gets annoying.

Here's what I'd book today knowing all that I know:

  Hide contents

• Omega vs Ospreay vs Okada
• MJF (c) vs Sting (w/Darby, setting up the All In gimmick match the following week)
• FTR (c) vs Young Bucks
• Adam Page vs Chris Jericho vs CM Punk
• Hayter (c) vs Britt (babyface vs babyface)
• Saraya vs Mercedes Mone (based around the injury history)
• Bryan Danielson (Pure Champion) vs Zack Sabre, Jr.
• Mox/Claudio/Yuta vs Tanahashi/Shibata/Shota Umino (Stop the Moxley)
• House of Black (c) vs Best Friends/OC vs United Empire vs Dark Order
• Powerhouse Hobbs (c) vs PAC
• Acclaimed as hosts

With Starks/Hook/Jungle Boy/Lee/Sammy/Swerve/Wardlow/Acclaimed all having big matches at All Out the next week.

 

That's not bad at all, but I slightly prefer to keep the number of triple threat/fatal four ways to one of each just cause that can be a bit too much. So you either remove someone from the main event or someone from the fourth from the top match.

Also, I can see the Acclaimed being too over just to be hosts at a stadium show.

[Matt D]

Just now, Elsalvajeloco said:

That's not bad at all, but I slightly prefer to keep the number of triple threat/fatal four ways to one of each just cause that can be a bit too much. So you either remove someone from the main event or someone from the fourth from the top match.

Also, I can see the Acclaimed being too over just to be hosts at a stadium show.

You can do Hangman vs Jericho and Punk vs Starks as singles, but you just want to fit a lot of people on there. I fought the urge to try to squeeze a ton of the women in, as great as they are, for that same reason. You could shift Shibata out and Okada into the tag with the BCC but there's more novelty to O vs O vs O. The multi man trios match is just because they haven't done a thing like that before and yeah, to get some guys on the card. I'd have the Acclaimed do a thing with Kip Sabian and then have a big match at All Out, but it's tough without running too many multimans!

[Elsalvajeloco]

Unfortunately, someone's going to be on TV duty on Rampage instead of the PPV. The good thing about that though is they will get to experience a totally molten crowd. Also, you can slide 1 or 2 matches on Zero Hour. Maybe 3 or 4 if you just can you keep them short.

[Infinit]

Maybe give Ogogo a squash match on Zero Hour?

[AxB]

To anyone assuming that running Wembley will fail, consider that, with the exception of the FA themselves, nobody has run Wembley more times in the last few years, than the Khan family.

A few of the NFL Wembley games have drawn lots of American tourists, which might also happen here.

[Just Adam Bay Bay]

I think the one thing it guarantees is WWE won’t release anyone worthwhile until after June 1st (since that would keep them off All In 2). 

So the only outsiders that could be coming in (other than New Japan people) are Drew and Mercedes depending on when Drew is free. Oh and Goldberg. Which has he ever been on a big UK show even during his WWE run? That might make him worth their time if he hasn’t been.

[Elsalvajeloco]

I wonder if the WWE is kinda regretting doing the O2 for Money in the Bank. I know they're doing the Smackdown the night before at the O2 as well instead what they do before the Saudi shows and doing a double taping the week before to take care of go home Smackdown before the PLE.

I believe the Raw roster is also doing a few shows at the end of the month in the UK and one in Paris. If they do well there, they would probably be kicking themselves in the pants when they return back on 6/30 for that Smackdown.

 

[Log]

I’m seeing that Willie Mack is All Elite. Is that official yet?

[Just Adam Bay Bay]

1 minute ago, Log said:

I’m seeing that Willie Mack is All Elite. Is that official yet?

He’s been working there and ROH so it seems likely at the very least. Which he’s definitely a good pick up.

[HarryArchieGus]

Re: Willie Mack
Mack Daddy's been earning his pay per. I too hope he inks a deal. Great hand. If he rocked his Impact entrance attire (but with a less snug fit) he'd have a better shot of moving up the card. I miss Rich Swann's theme which would also accompany their duo. 

Re: Drew McIntyre
Fightful was previously reporting that Drew McIntyre has 9 months left on his deal. 

Re: All IN Fantasy Booking
60s Sting is my favorite Sting, but I think we oughtta keep his bookings to tags. Nobody wants to see him exposed or hurt. Goldie's gotta be in their plans for this. Maybe a bout with homegrown hoss Wardy? Wardy-Goldy? Love the Sabre-Danielson call. Tho, I wouldn't mind it being a rematch from F-Door-2. Can we stay away from the three and four ways in case the boss is gleaning over the threads? I'd say a Wembley show gives good reason to keep Punk under contract. Maybe he could do some business with one of his many poor me targets? Kenny-Ospreay seems like a good fit for the show, but again, hope it's a rematch or in this case Match 3. Also, a match 3 scenario for the Aussies-FTR? Lots of wacky ideas (get out of here with you being thrown about, so how bout this - an afternoon and evening show? 5-6 hours nicely parted by some rest and food? 

Edited April 6, 2023 by HarryArchieGus

[Go2Sleep]

Speculating on AEW's biggest card ever is fun, so why not?

Omega/Ospreay 2 with Will getting the win back seems like an obvious main for Wembley. I thought they might run that at Forbidden Door, but it's definitely needed more for this show. Any chance they could get Vikingo to work Ospreay at Forbidden Door?

I think Mercedes/Hayter is more of a Forbidden Door match, with Hayter/Saraya at All In, and Mercedes vs. Toni or Britt.

Is Drew Galloway that big of a draw in the UK? Clash at the Castle did well but I don't know how much of that was him vs. WWE in general. If AEW can snag him, you could run him vs. MJF or Mox here I think.

Danielson/ZSJ seemed like a lock for Forbidden Door, and I don't think you wanna shortchange that card too much just because you have an even bigger show on the horizon. You could probably run that match twice pretty easily, but ZSJ could work a lot of people at All In too. Pac or Shibata would be good candidates.

Sting retirement match would be a big draw, though it's tough to think of the right opponent. Don't think he's really up to doing MJF, nor do you want MJF shitting all over him. Dustin is there if you want some history or a dual retirement thing, but Dustin isn't much of a draw at this stage of his career. Jericho is a better fit for legend vs. legend, but there's no real history between them. I kinda like Darby giving him the Shawn/Ric treatment en route to winning the belt. Darby will bump enough to make Sting's offense look good too.

[DEAN]

40 minutes ago, Log said:

I’m seeing that Willie Mack is All Elite. Is that official yet?

The United Wrestling Network spilled the beans.

 

[Log]

Just now, DEAN said:

The United Wrestling Network spilled the beans.

 

That's where I saw it.

Unrelated, but one of the ringside camera guys for Derby City Wrestling is extremely handsome, smart and has just the best opinions on pro wrestling. Just an all-around amazing guy. Like I said, unrelated to anything or anyone here.

[Dolphman 3000]

1 hour ago, Go2Sleep said:

Sting retirement match would be a big draw, though it's tough to think of the right opponent. Don't think he's really up to doing MJF, nor do you want MJF shitting all over him. Dustin is there if you want some history or a dual retirement thing, but Dustin isn't much of a draw at this stage of his career. Jericho is a better fit for legend vs. legend, but there's no real history between them. I kinda like Darby giving him the Shawn/Ric treatment en route to winning the belt. Darby will bump enough to make Sting's offense look good too.

Max can play Ric Flair better than anyone, and he is absolutely the guy to structure a 20-minute loveletter match with Sting like HBK did for Ric

[twiztor]

6 hours ago, For Great Justice said:

What would the 2023 love letter to the SS 92 main event be?

obviously we get Teddy Hart vs. Harry Smith. what could be better?

[Casey]

So I’m seeing some rumors that All In 2 won’t be a PPV, but a show that’s streamed live on HBO Max.

Which would make sense if All Out is still on the books as a PPV the next week.

[Dolphman 3000]

7 minutes ago, Casey said:

So I’m seeing some rumors that All In 2 won’t be a PPV, but a show that’s streamed live on HBO Max.

Which would make sense if All Out is still on the books as a PPV the next week.

If MJF doesn't start referring to himself as "HBO Max" in the lead up to this, that's a mistake. Too perfect.

[Dolphman 3000]

If we're doing fantasy booking for All In...

AEW World Title, Career Threatening: MJF (c) vs. Sting

IWGP US Title: Omega (c) vs. Ospreay

Special Attraction: Logan Paul vs. Drew Galloway

AEW Women's Title: Jamie Hayter (c) vs. Mercedes vs. Saraya

NJPW Television Title: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Bryan Danielson

Owen Hart Cup: Adam Cole (c) vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.

Title vs. Title: Okada (c) vs. Vikingo (c)

AEW International Title, 2 out of 3 Falls: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Komander

AEW World Tag Team Titles: The Acclaimed (c) vs. Aussie Open

AEW World Trios Title: FTR/CM Punk (c) vs. Young Bucks/Hangman vs. Moxley/Yuta/Claudio 

#1 Contender's Match: Darby Allin vs. Jungle Boy vs. Sammy Guevara

Special Attraction: Bill Goldberg vs. Wardlow

And then the show ends with #1 Contender Darby Allin staring down his best friend Sting, who just won the World Title.

[Just Adam Bay Bay]

2 hours ago, Casey said:

So I’m seeing some rumors that All In 2 won’t be a PPV, but a show that’s streamed live on HBO Max.

Which would make sense if All Out is still on the books as a PPV the next week.

That’s a huge deal, and one that would cause me to get HBO Max again. Plus it would certainly get more eyes on the product than a traditional PPV does. 

[DreamBroken]

5 hours ago, Go2Sleep said:

Jericho is a better fit for legend vs. legend, but there's no real history between them.

That's a good call and definitely one I could see. Jericho was open about wanting that match late last year, pointing out that it's never happened ever in any form and saying it's a match that "has to happen".  Also said he'd bring back the "Painmaker" for it.

[peachchaos]

9 hours ago, For Great Justice said:

What would the 2023 love letter to the SS 92 main event be?

Not saying this would end the show, but Jamie-Britt would give off strong vibes. Maybe, by chance, Britt somehow gets the belt back beforehand for a similar dynamic.