WrestleDream - 10/1/2023

[Craig H]

I’m not going to fucking lie. I got tears in my eyes for Edge being in AEW. He’s older and all, but fuck dude, this is someone who nearly instantly became my favorite wrestler with his first vignettes quoting NIN lyrics. I remember when he first debuted being in IRC chat with a bunch of dudes in an efed I was in and we were all like, that guy is going to be the world champion. So Edge is someone tied to my wrestling fandom when it was nearly at a fever pitch in my mid teens.

So to see him now feels different and familiar. I want him to have the music. I want him to have the entrance. But I’m happy he’s in a company with a fresh coat of paint. We’ve never seen him in a different environment like this and if Christian has been given the runway to be one of the best heels in recent memory, then I’m fucking stoked to see what happens with Copeland.

Rest of the show was one of the best, if not the best, AEW PPVs ever. That’s saying something coming off maybe their hottest string of PPVs since their inception.

[Craig H]

BTW, the “fuck” count was off the charts last night. Seemed like everyone was getting hurt and yelling out FUCK! Cash had an almost instant bruise after taking a double team move and every move after that he was like AH FUCK! 

Meltzer’s speculation for Fenix was that they were trying to keep him as fresh as possible for Wednesday.

Speaking of, as much as we worry about Darby, we probably should worry about Fenix even more. He’s super special, but also reckless as fuck.

And I keep waiting for it, but it never happens…I’m surprised fans never bring back the PLEASE DON’T DIE chants from Paul London's ladder matches. 

[Craig H]

Finally, FWIW, Copeland’s debut video is already at 2 million views and is #1 on trending on YouTube.

[Nice Guy Eddie]

1 hour ago, Brandon Bones said:

I didn’t know.  Though I was referencing some other posts that I had read as bit more clowning in tone.  So I was adding to that.  If I read the room wrong I could see why it could be taken in poor taste.  
 

With all respect I apologize.  I will abstain from my next hit of weed.  

I wouldn't abstain from that next hit of weed. Get high as fuck and enjoy it. 

[Wyld Samurai]

Man, I'm just bummed he's not going by Sexton Hardcastle.

[Matt D]

I loved Christian's reaction to Edge coming out. It wasn't elation, even after he handed him the chair. It was very much "Ugh, this guy again? Here to share my glory now that I'm main eventing PPVs. Fine, take the chair. Let's do this. If we have to. Just hit Sting and get it over with. This guy. <Sigh>."

[Belgian_Waffle]

Yeah I've rewatched it a bunch of times today while I decay at my home office desk and every time I keep thinking the real highlight of the whole thing is Christian's facial expressions and the complicated lifetime of emotions they allude to. 

Last night really hit home for me that MJF, Darby and Christian and to a certain extent Kingston are in a class beyond the rest of the roster, even Danielson and Mox. There's too many guys focusing on what they should "do" in a great match rather than how they should behave in a great match. Character work is the real currency. 

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Belgian_Waffle

[tbarrie]

16 hours ago, HumanChessgame said:

Edge will be wrestling Luchasaurus in his debut.

Huh. Jobbing Copeland in his debut match seems like an odd decision.

[zendragon]

GCW Josh Barnett's Bloodsport 6 2021.04.08 Josh Barnett vs. Jon Moxley_哔哩哔哩_bilibili

@MattD

 

 

[Dolfan in NYC]

50 minutes ago, tbarrie said:

Huh. Jobbing Copeland in his debut match seems like an odd decision.

Kid has to pay his dues. 

[Craig H]

So…is Edge’s dad still alive?

[Nice Guy Eddie]

2 hours ago, Wyld Samurai said:

Man, I'm just bummed he's not going by Sexton Hardcastle.

How about Damon Striker? IIRC, that's what he went by on his WCW Pro appearance. 

[BrianS81177]

7 hours ago, The Natural said:

Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr might be my new MOTY. The opening feeling out, ZSJ baiting Bryan into using his right arm with the steel rod in, the submission exchanges going on offence to defence. The fluidity of. My favourite spot was Danielson countering the armbar to a Regal Plex which I've never seen before. Nigel McGuinness' reaction to it was great. Two of the best technical wrestlers of all time making it look effortless. *****.

Paul, you're a good dude and I like you so please know I mean nothing rude by this: I'm pretty sure EVERY new Bryan Danielson match is your new MOTY.

Again, I don't mean anything negative. Just some good natured ribbing.

5 hours ago, WebConn89 said:

She’s pretty tall

And hey, Nick does need a father.

2 hours ago, Wyld Samurai said:

Man, I'm just bummed he's not going by Sexton Hardcastle.

As am I.

[S.K.o.S.]

46 minutes ago, Craig H said:

So…is Edge’s dad still alive?

The "Early life" section of Edge's Wikipedia article says: "He has said to have never met his father, or even seen a picture of him".

If you never knew your father, you'll never know whether he's dead.

[For Great Justice]

3 hours ago, Belgian_Waffle said:

Last night really hit home for me that MJF, Darby and Christian and to a certain extent Kingston are in a class beyond the rest of the roster, even Danielson and Mox. There's too many guys focusing on what they should "do" in a great match rather than how they should behave in a great match. Character work is the real currency. 

 

That really is the list, and if we include non-wrestlers I’d throw Don Callis in there. And over in ROH Athena does an excellent job of working like her character.

What Christian’s done this year will be part of a graduate-level course in the performance center 20 years from now.

[nickp]

I can't believe it Edge is in aew I thought I never see this but it happen 

[Gorman]

TIL the Seattle fans have had heat with the Blue Jays since they began in 1977 alongside the Mariners.

[Nice Guy Eddie]

Sign of the night goes to "Christian is a better father than my dad."

Yeah, that sign hits close to home. 

[Belgian_Waffle]

1 hour ago, For Great Justice said:

That really is the list, and if we include non-wrestlers I’d throw Don Callis in there. And over in ROH Athena does an excellent job of working like her character.

What Christian’s done this year will be part of a graduate-level course in the performance center 20 years from now.

Athena is definitely up there and Julia Hart seems to have figured it out too, can't wait to see where she goes from here. 

EDIT: also I meant to mention this last night but it was like 1am. Kingston's performance in doing the strike battle with Shibata reminded me a lot of the one and only truly perfect match built around multiple strike battles, the first Sasaki vs Kawada Dome match from 2000, the one where Tosh gets his big win (which incidentally is one of only four men's singles matches I reserve space for on my "star ratings are silly but for my own obsessive reference here is my list of the only men's singles matches I would give 5* to" list). It's subtle (kind of) but there's a timing to the wincing and bending inward for the sell but not waiting too long before striking back that was straight out of Kawada's work in that match. Shibata was fantastic too but further to the point I was making above about character work, Kingston's is the type.of mind that isn't just thinking "that chop battle was awesome, how can I work it into my match", he's thinking "I've seen and performed a million chop battles, I love Kawada, Kawada does this a particular way that for some reason is better than the way antibody else does it, how do I absorb that without just reproducing it". To provide a perfectly contrasting example, Kingston's working of the tired chop exchange sequence into something alive and special is the complete opposite of the meatheaded "I saw this once , apparently it's legendary, now WE GUN' DO IT TOO, BRO" Tiger Driver '91 spot in the Omega/Ospreay fartfest. 

Edited October 3, 2023 by Belgian_Waffle

[Jrag]

Darby is a great wrestler who I sometimes feel guilty watching. If he’s not going to tone it down for himself then maybe do it for someone else. Guy is a top tier pro wrestler who makes every bump look insane. He doesn’t actually need stuff like the stair bump.

Only watched the things I was interested in which were all great. Christian is on one hell of a run, Danielson/ZSJ was extremely my shit and PUT THE BELT ON SWERVE!

[Octopus]

30 minutes ago, Belgian_Waffle said:

(which incidentally is one of only four men's singles matches I reserve space for on my "star ratings are silly but for my own obsessive reference here is my list of the only men's singles matches I would give 5* to" list). 

(What are the other 3?)

[Belgian_Waffle]

15 minutes ago, Octopus said:

(What are the other 3?)

Speaking to nothing except my own very particular and idealized aesthetic values: 

Kawada vs Gary Albright Oct 25, 1995

Misawa vs Kobashi TC Jan 20, 1997

Yuki Ishikawa vs Kazunari Murakami Nov 26, 2000

I should have a Suwama match on there too somewhere because he is so ridiculously great and consistent and a dear personal fav, but he has a ton of great matches and not really a "perfect" match (though his Oct 24, 2000 TC defense against Masakatsu Funaki of all people is extremely damn close).

[WebConn89]

1 hour ago, Gorman said:

TIL the Seattle fans have had heat with the Blue Jays since they began in 1977 alongside the Mariners.

A Toronto sucks chant was the first one but that turned into Blue Jays suck which was alot of fun to chant cuz of the rivalry.

to let those who may not know how real the rivalry really is. 6 years ago at a Defy show Angelina Love came out for a to a pop it was a positive reaction then she was announced from Toronto and we started booing. She may have been working but she seemed to be like what the fuck.

[Infinit]

The Jays also clinched a wildcard spot over the Mariners this weekend.

[NoFistsJustFlips]

22 hours ago, Raziel said:

Tony's turning into a bigger starfucker than Dixie.  It's been talked about, but what's the fucking upside with getting Edge?  A 44 year old with a bad neck that can work 5 times a year?  Finish a program 10 years past it's sell by?

It's been 24 hours and the video has 20 million views across all platforms. He's already getting more eyes on AEW than anyone not named CM Punk ever has. He's a 20 year main eventer who has never left the WWE eco-system. I didn't like a lot of his latest WWE run ether. But there are so many fresh & interesting matches for him in AEW. Christian is just as old and he's consistently the most entertaining personality in the company. Sting is like 62 and he too is also one of the most entertaining parts of the shows he's on.

All these "tHiS iS jUsT lIkE TnA" takes are wild. Again this is a 1B signing. He's one tier under the Cena/Lesnar/Reigns level. He's in that Orton/Triple H/Mick Foley level. 20 years of main events. How many WrestleMania main events? How many world title runs? He adds a ton of value. Especially to the segment that find AEW to be second rate because they grew up only knowing WWE. At least SOME of them will check out AEW once or twice because of him. And the hope would be that you convert a percentage of them to full time watchers.

I totally get if you don't enjoy him and don't want him to be on the shows because you don't like them. But to contort that opinion into a fact / shit talking in the name of that "fact" is what I find so frustrating about your post. Tony took a business risk. Not because he's a star fucker or a mark. But because he's trying to find ways to grow the audience. If that doesn't line up with your personal tastes that doesn't make it a bad business move. It just makes a move you don't like. Those are not the same things.