Curt McGirt Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Starks is gonna be a hit anywhere. If TK lets him go he deserves corporal punishment. Push that man to the moon. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Dave Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 12 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said: Starks is gonna be a hit anywhere. If TK lets him go he deserves corporal punishment. Push that man to the moon. I agree. Clearly. To address some other points made, if Starks & MJF aren’t AEW lifers, something went horribly wrong. Those are both top, top guys who have the potential to break out into other media. I just hope adam Cole & Roderick Strong getting multiple segments a night doesn’t prevent that from happening. Ive also wondered if TK might partially handle the women’s division the way he has because of how injury prone the women he sees as his top stars are. Britt and Saraya are self explanatory. Statlander is on two reconstructed knees. Ruby has had both shoulders operated on. Jamie Hayter had a pretty gnarly injury iirc. Tay Melo is otherwise occupied for the foreseeable future. AEW doesn’t have a roster 30 deep with women who can be plugged in to fill an injury. You play the hand you’re dealt as best you can. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Basically the women’s division is to Tony Khan as tag team wrestling is to Vince? (The “Vince thinks that half of a tag team getting hurt sinks both guys” thing was a perception wasn’t it?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 I think numerous people have already made some salient points. However, I do want to add that for someone like Jade, AEW was probably the best place for getting her feet wet in terms of pro wrestling. At the time, it was local (during the pandemic) meaning she wasn't that far away from her family more importantly her child. She likely didn't want to do the WWE PC thing especially given the 50/50 at best success/failure ratio at the time. There were a ton of amazing success stories, but also a bunch of people that washed out. Plus, I don't think her plan is to stay in pro wrestling forever. She did her time in AEW and did about as well as she can do being as greener than fresh, crisp hundred dollar bills. Time to move on to the next territory and bigger and better things. That's always been pro wrestling. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 10 hours ago, Casey said: SRS says Jade is WWE bound. 1. Cody out 2. JR marginalized 3. Punk fired 4. Jade out I have no idea how I personally got the ear of the wrestling gods but I'm not complaining. 2 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 34 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said: I think numerous people have already made some salient points. However, I do want to add that for someone like Jade, AEW was probably the best place for getting her feet wet in terms of pro wrestling. At the time, it was local (during the pandemic) meaning she wasn't that far away from her family more importantly her child. She likely didn't want to do the WWE PC thing especially given the 50/50 at best success/failure ratio at the time. There were a ton of amazing success stories, but also a bunch of people that washed out. Plus, I don't think her plan is to stay in pro wrestling forever. She did her time in AEW and did about as well as she can do being as greener than fresh, crisp hundred dollar bills. Time to move on to the next territory and bigger and better things. That's always been pro wrestling. I may be misremembering, but wasn't she at the PC for a while and hated it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shartnado Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 18 hours ago, Dog said: I don't remember Page/Cage I or II. I haven't seen the first match, but the second one was a PPV opener at Double or Nothing '21, one of the main reasons I got that (really good) PPV a year and a half later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Imagine how confusing an Adam Cole vs Adam Page vs Brian Cage match could be… confusing in names, not in appearances Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimbra Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 2 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said: Imagine how confusing an Adam Cole vs Adam Page vs Brian Cage match could be… confusing in names, not in appearances Adam Cole vs Adam Page vs Ethan Page vs Brian Cage vs Christian Cage vs Blake Christian in a "Maybe the WWE had a point about names" match 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinit Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Wasn't it Mark Henry who got Jade into the business originally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evidence Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Zimbra said: Adam Cole vs Adam Page vs Ethan Page vs Brian Cage vs Christian Cage vs Blake Christian in a "Maybe the WWE had a point about names" match This is a match that should be in a steel cage. Edited September 14, 2023 by evidence 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 6 minutes ago, Zimbra said: Adam Cole vs Adam Page vs Ethan Page vs Brian Cage vs Christian Cage vs Blake Christian in a "Maybe the WWE had a point about names" match With guest referee Shane Gregory Helms 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 I don't think Jade leaving would matter. Starks and MJF leaving would be massive though. They need to do way more with Starks. I get doing things with Adam Cole, but trying to turn Roderick Strong into a main eventer while bringing Taven and Bennett with him is fucking dumb. They're an entertaining mid card act, but nothing more. They could also be just as good on ROH without taking up so much time on AEW. Starks should be positioned closer to the top of the card. I get that Tony loves ROH, but holy shit, there's a reason why ROH was usually behind TNA. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shartnado Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 27 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said: Imagine how confusing an Adam Cole vs Adam Page vs Brian Cage match could be… confusing in names, not in appearances Yeah, I think reading a match review or hearing the play-by-play without seeing the actual match would be more confusing, in this particular case. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Should I watch more late 87 JCP than the Filler episode I watched (9/12/87 WCW) in order to witness the NWA/UWF dynamic in light of the AEW/ROH dynamic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 (edited) 27 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said: Should I watch more late 87 JCP than the Filler episode I watched (9/12/87 WCW) in order to witness the NWA/UWF dynamic in light of the AEW/ROH dynamic? That sounds like a really fun rewatch because I lived through that and can't, for the life of me, remember that much TV crossover between the time Crockett bought the UWF in April to UWF closing down in November/December. I recall Terry Taylor feuding with Nikita in a TV champ vs TV champ program, but that's about it. There's no comparison between that and AEW/ROH. I feel like TK doesn't exactly know what to do with ROH so he's putting ROH's titles on people who are highly visible on AEW TV (Claudio, Cole, MJF, Joe) maybe as a way to advertise ROH on his TV instead of keeping it separate. Like maybe he thinks if non-subscribers see ROH enough on AEW TV, they might pay to check it out. The closest analogy would be if Crockett had put the UWF belt on Luger or Windham in April instead of demoting Ray Traylor. Edited September 14, 2023 by Technico Support 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 48 minutes ago, Shartnado said: Yeah, I think reading a match review or hearing the play-by-play without seeing the actual match would be more confusing, in this particular case. Special guest referee: Adam Bomb, heir to the Bomb family fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLowe Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Guys like Strong are being built as temporary main eventers for angles, no reason that can't also put over younger guys at some point. Starks is feuding with Punk, Mox, Danielson, he's not exactly wallowing as a curtain-jerker. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanChessgame Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 As good as MJF is as AEW's franchise player and how mediocre the WWE is on average, I kinda want to see how he'd fare there. If he were to sign a three year contract next year he could theoretically be back in AEW when he's a little over 30 and have a lot more experience under his belt. It's been a thing in WWE for a while now where top of the card people get really stale and it's not like the territory system where someone could leave for a year or to when they wore out their welcome, go somewhere else for a year or two, then come back fresh with new people to work with. Drew McIntyre leaving for a while and coming back is a good example of how that could benefit someone. Even though Starks' personality would lend itself well to "sports entertainment" I see him getting lost in the shuffle there pretty easily. Like others have said, he needs a consistent upper card push in AEW sooner rather than later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyWhioux Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Zimbra said: Adam Cole vs Adam Page vs Ethan Page vs Brian Cage vs Christian Cage vs Blake Christian in a "Maybe the WWE had a point about names" match still waiting for a promotion to attempt to claim all the Cages, Pages, and/or Storms are related. Most prolific wrestling family ever. Toni Storm throws a shoe that hits Chris Jericho, says that was for "Uncle Lance" and my heart melts on the spot. Edited September 14, 2023 by BobbyWhioux 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobo joe Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Ultimate AEW dream match. Bring back the Triple Cage from WCW. In the ring you have Adam Page, Ethan Page, Diamond Dallas Page, and Rickey Shane Page. Saraya is special guest ref. After these four men battle it out they ascend to the second cage where... They find Christian Cage and Brian Cage, already duking it out. The winner of Page v Page v Page v Page from the first cage takes on the winner of Cage v Cage from the second cage to ascend to the third cage where, already waiting for them is a fresh... NICK FUCKING GAGE! The third cage is filled with light tubes, obviously. Winner gets a three-tiered trophy and the tile of King of All -Ages 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 28 minutes ago, Technico Support said: That sounds like a really fun rewatch because I lived through that and can't, for the life of me, remember that much TV crossover between the time Crockett bought the UWF in April to UWF closing down in November/December. I recall Terry Taylor feuding with Nikita in a TV champ vs TV champ program, but that's about it. For those who don't wander into the WWE Network thread.. I watched the 9/12/1987 episode of World Championship Wrestling last night which had 3 enhancement matches (Sean Royal, Tully, Stan Lane), an uninspiring Nikita/Bobby Eaton match, a Barry Windham/Arn Anderson match from Pro, replays of Terry Taylor and Sting from UWF TV and it would seem light even if I didn't hear the "Not much NWA news on the upcoming episode of Between the Sheets because they're in St. Martin" hype for that BTS episode. The episode made me think that they didn't realize how much TV time they had to fill and how little they had on hand to fill that time. Not sure how much TV i'd have to watch to either confirm or refute that late 1987 JCP wasn't ready to take on the UWF and that things were a bit of a creative mess. This was a promotion that had a time limit draw where the face retained followed by the heel beating him down and getting a virtual fall, so I think things might have been a little assbackwards back then. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryArchieGus Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 (edited) Curious to see how this Jade story plays out. I'm especially interested to understand (factual not hot take) why they gave her time off before she had re-upped her contract, and why they didn't have her do favours for more than just Statlander? Willow and Athena both come to mind of wrestlers who could've used a big win over an exiting Jade. So too whomever the Champion is after Grand Slam. Or maybe offering a big win to the (currently) lowly Dr. Baker to begin a much needed rebuild (IF she still has something to offer in-ring on a top level?). I suspect there's much for TK/AEW to learn from this situation going forward - concerning pushing green talent with a desire to be famous more so than being a great wrestler. Also, how to properly push a monster, how to calculate time left on an exiting talent's contract, and how to get your money's worth on said exiting talent. I like that they don't bury ppl on the way out, but when there's a locker room full of wrestlers deserving big wins, and who have sacrificed a lot for the exiting performer, it feels like a mistake not to get some quality jobs out of the deal. Also, I get a strong feeling Ricky Starks will indeed be WWE bound when his contract is up. I sense he too values fame a lot higher than being a great wrestler or whatever AEW has to offer. All speculation, of course, but I suspect the hesitancy to push him may have had something to do with contract/loyalty uncertainty. Maybe it's just a reaction to Rhodes to the Top (remember that one) and the WWE arena security tapes, but it seems like his allegiance with Cody may outweigh any relationship he has with Khan/AEW. I do think he could potentially do well in WWE, but Ricky has a ways to go in becoming a well rounded potential draw. This Danielson feud has been strong, but his work prior has been more hit and miss than many of the memory's seem to serve. Instincts also tell me MJF's contract is longer than publicly discussed, and that he'll be around for a long time to come. I like to think 'bidding war of 2024' was better calculated from a booking standpoint than just some contracted wrestler going into business for himself on Television. Of course, we'll see. Edited September 14, 2023 by HarryArchieGus 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go2Sleep Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 I don't think MJF would be getting the push he is now without being committed to AEW. I have a feeling that the "bidding war of 2024" stuff is all a work and he signed a new deal probably as far back as winning the "not-MITB" chip, and at the very least before they committed to a face turn and headlining All In. Even Cody never got a rocket strapped to him like MJF has now. I could see Ricky being frustrated with his start and stop booking, and most recently getting dicked over by Punk. I'd be giving him the International belt at Wrestledream so there's always a reason to give him TV mains and PPV angles. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(BP) Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 23 minutes ago, HarryArchieGus said: why they didn't have her do favours for more than just Statlander? Willow and Athena both come to mind of wrestlers who could've used a big win over an exiting Jade. It’s unfortunate Red Velvet has been plagued with injuries because her beating Jade is a Finish the Story if I’ve ever seen one. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts