AEW TV - 3/13 - 3/19/2024 - Takin' Care of Business

[Raziel]

1 minute ago, AxB said:

The security guard that got kicked off the stage was Bryce Donovan, Chick Donovan's grandson. 

I'm going to be very upset if he doesn't, also, soar on the wings of the eagle.

[Octopus]

In 7 years that security guard will be AEW Champion 

[hammerva]

That security guard better come out to "I didn't mean to turn you on" by Robert Palmer on the indies or I would give that man a DNA test

I am just glad that Mone isn't using that Kriss Kross entrance music.  It was funny as hell but not something fitting a "BOSS" character

 

Edited March 14 by hammerva

[Godfrey]

Checked out some highlights and it was a hot show! Mone and Okada will breathe new life into those divisions and Ospreay is earning every penny so far even though he’s already fallen into the FTR trap of giving fired up promos about how well he’s going to perform which seems counterintuitive to me

[ExcellenceofAirPollution]

15 minutes ago, Godfrey said:

Checked out some highlights and it was a hot show! Mone and Okada will breathe new life into those divisions and Ospreay is earning every penny so far even though he’s already fallen into the FTR trap of giving fired up promos about how well he’s going to perform which seems counterintuitive to me

He's finding his groove on the promos.  I like when he talks about how fucking dangerous he is personally.  Pro-Wres needs more emphaishs on DANJA

Seriously though, his nickname is the Ariel Assassin and he hits really fucking hard.  He beat Big Soup Boy or whatever people call him round here.  HE BEATS PEOPLE UP 4 A LIVIN INNIT

[The Natural]

43 minutes ago, Octopus said:

In 7 years that security guard will be AEW Champion 

I understand that reference!

[Greggulator]

1) Joe just randomly kicking an already downed security guard like the piece of trash he no doubt is might be my favorite single moment in AEW. I was dying. What a great character note.

2) Mercedes is such a star. I’ve been a fan of hers since she was initially corrupted by Summer Rae’s evil mirror in NXT and spent the next year of her life tormenting Bayley and scheming her way through the WWE. What an arc for her career — Women’s wrestling in America looks completely different if she didn’t break out. She’s so far above everyone else in AEW Women’s division in terms of presence. I am so eager for her heel turn on Willow because Willow definitely has the personality to be AEW’s Bayley. She just hasn’t had the foil to get there yet, and the CEO conning her way into Willow’s friendship before stabbing her in the back on a future Collision is going to rule.

3) The Bruv rules. 

4) The corporate synergies of the New Elite rule. Man, what a great character change for The Bucks and Okada comes off like such a dickhead.

[Technico Support]

10 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

so what's the best possible feud that'll involve a heel mimicking Mercedes' dancing?

Mercedes vs Elaine Bennes

[Technico Support]

3 hours ago, ExcellenceofAirPollution said:

..and what does CEO stand for in this context anyway? 

It’s because they can’t call her The Boss.  And it took me until this morning to make that connection

[Matt D]

2/3rds through.

• Loved Mercedes' entrance. There was a moment where the music stopped and the chants continued and then the music hit again with it and that was amazing. Promo was fine. You know what we have to compare it to after all. It felt a little bit too planned and not planned enough all at once. Like she could have gone either way with it and she didn't. I get that she was lost in the emotion and you could feel it. She's naturally confident but she couldn't have fully expected the reaction. 
• There were some very good moments in Joe vs Wardlow but it needed a little more at the end, I think. I would have liked Wardlow to get away the first time and then Joe not jump onto his back until a third attempt maybe.
• I completely tuned out on the six-man when Red Jackson and PENTA squared off. I did want PENTA's bullshit there and for the Jackson to react to it, not immediate cutters and superkicks. So many superkicks. I liked Okada ducking Kingston at least. I know what I'd do next week (Have the Bucks break the no interference rule and have the match thrown out and then protect themselves from consequence with their titles to get heat).
• I'll have a lengthy write-up about selling and consequence for White vs Darby on Monday, I think.

[RazorbladeKiss87]

Not a fan of Mercedes but I'm happy for those of you who are. I think she's crap as a face because everything about her seems like she thinks she's above it all. Promo sucked. She's tied in with my favorites in the women's division though so I'll be seeing her segments.

Okada is awesome as a doucher. Hate to say it but I can see him beating Eddie next week and having a big match with PAC at Dynasty.

The Swerve run in was awesome. I especially loved Nana still dancing as all the chaos was going on. 

Darby continues to be insane. 

Also, in re: to the punk talk, John Joseph from the Cro-Mags is so off the deep end.

[Curt McGirt]

7 hours ago, Casey said:

it’s weird that you’re annoyed by crowd participation when the first part of your post makes it seem like you enjoy it

It's not like there is only one kind of crowd participation; I clearly have no problem with them making fun of Ospreay haha (granted, it was good natured ribbing)

3 hours ago, ExcellenceofAirPollution said:

- I fucking hate the pre-programmed "CHANT ALONG FANS" built into the theme, thank you username!  I'm already sick of Ospreay trying to lead fans into it, and now CEO????  Is this what hiring former WWE production adds?  Treating the audience like sheep? 

Also, for that matter we have the EVPs and now the CEO?  One thing I can't stand is gimmick redundancy in the same promotion......and what does CEO stand for in this context anyway?  I was hoping Mercedes would explain that.  Maybe next week....

See, THIS is the crowd participation I don't like. Also, faces having "money" gimmicks. Being rich, being the boss, and liking money and power are heel trademarks, ever since Gorgeous George threw out the first gold bobby pin. Only idiots celebrate those people as heroes in real life so we shouldn't in fake life either. 

Can't really say it's hard not to treat sheep like sheep though: wrestling fans will chant for anything. We should be happy this isn't the Attitude Era where Mone's possible/eventual heel turn would end up having them chant "You're-A-Ho" instead.

[Curt McGirt]

8 minutes ago, RazorbladeKiss87 said:

Also, in re: to the punk talk, John Joseph from the Cro-Mags is so off the deep end.

Is there something new now? The last thing I heard was some sort of backstage stabbing involving Harley? 

Anyway, this is the Cro-Mags demo and it's the best punk demo ever and it should have been their first album and you should listen to it so listen to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHotscwRKao

[RazorbladeKiss87]

I forgot, speaking of money, I really liked the "coin flip into Okada's theme" entrance.

[ExcellenceofAirPollution]

35 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

It’s because they can’t call her The Boss.  And it took me until this morning to make that connection

tbh man we're all living in Achewood what difference does it make

Edited March 14 by ExcellenceofAirPollution
for some reason the ghost of Ray Smuckles just told me to send you to Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow. Done Typing. Raymond P. Smuckles

[RazorbladeKiss87]

Just now, Curt McGirt said:

Is there something new now? The last thing I heard was some sort of backstage stabbing involving Harley? 

Anyway, this is the Cro-Mags demo and it's the best punk demo ever and it should have been their first album and you should listen to it so listen to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHotscwRKao

Oh he's just gone full on down the anti-vax conspiracy holes and all the things that circle that particular drain. On the punk/hardcore board I post on there's a looooong thread of all his stupidity. He's just a special kind of stupid mixed with a grifter who isn't any good at the grift.

[Lawful Metal]

CEO so damn catchy my 2 year old was chanting it and she wasn't even watching the show

[Lawful Metal]

Also it’s fucking surreal to have OKADA on my TV every week 

[Just Dave]

As far as sing along themes go, I hate the "Boom!" in Adam Cole's but love the "C-E-O!" in Mercedes'. I think they're both the product of hype and an irrational fondness for early nXt, but one of them irritates me much more than the other. The difference is I think tafka Sasha could get over without all that stuff and Adam Cole would be opening regional indy cards if it weren't for the multiple theme songs designed specifically to get him over.

[NikoBaltimore]

So now that I'm not on my phone but on a computer I might as well say a few things.  I'll quickly say I didn't care for Joe/Wardlow and the Jericho tag.  The Wardlow stuff is way too late and while I don't hate the guy there's just nothing that will make me care about what he says or does.  I hope to be proven wrong one day.  And the best part of the tag was how incredible GoA looked.  They need to get some big wins.

That aside the show fucking ruled.  Sorry Curt but I love the CEO theme and so did Bo$$ton.  Everything about Mercedes screams big-time star and if you're going to build the women's division of the future around somebody then why not her.

I wasn't sure about heel Okada with the Bucks but holy fuck he absolutely completes them.  If you didn't like Bucks themselves acting high and mighty here comes a legend and suave-ass motherfucker to give them tons of credibility.  Plus he was wonderful throughout the match and it's all to setup him again Kingston.  Jeeeeeeeezus.

I want to be apathetic to what Ospreay does for various reasons yet it's impossible for me to with a promo like that.  Nothing and everything made sense at the same time and I was fired up for the Danielson match once it finished.  Though if he was pissing blood from his head then he might wanna get that checked.

I'm eagerly anticipating Matt's writeup on Jay/Darby but this was by far Jay's best match in AEW.  It might not have been a PPV epic but if you had one match to watch of Jay White this is it.  He transitioned from trying to be a face because of BBCG to just shedding all that and going back to the heelish form he always should be.  Darby was the perfect opponent for this as he bumped around like mad and had a fucked up back on top of that.  The missed coffin on the apron might not be a top 10 "Dude, WTF?" type bump from him but factoring in the back it's pretty close to it.  It all just fucking worked so well and is one I'll be rewatching for sure.

Willow/Riho was good but it was all a means to get to the post-match.  I'm glad Mercedes isn't starting right away with Toni and is instead in the Willow/Julia/Skye sphere.  That'll be a great for her to get back into the groove and get her ready for the big stuff to come.

One thing that I want to make sure is to not take what we are getting for granted.  We're getting big-time stars coming in to mix it up with other big-time stars and we all will rejoice.  This is fucking awesome times, folks.

Edited March 15 by NikoBaltimore

[Just Dave]

It feels like Uncle Tony is back in his bag. Just a ton of fresh, intriguing matchups on the way. Excited for Jay White's next thing. The Acclaimed really should've seen that coming, seeing as how they have tons of history with the Ass Boys. Hopefully now they get to end their freestyles with "Ass Boys!" Those were the best ones. BCG needs a heater, at least until Juice gets back. Here's a sentence I never thought anyone would utter; goddam do I miss Juice Robinson. 

Wardlow and Joe was a fun big man sprint. Something tells me they're gonna run that back at some point. Joe is doing the Lord's work right now. Love that dude. 

That six man was dope. I like that the shitty EVP's have aligned themselves with the new ace so they don't have to do the work themselves. I hadn't seen much Okada before but damn I've enjoyed what I've seen so far. 

I'm a Willow Nightingale fan. Unabashedly. She seems like a truly lovely human. Happy for her to get the increased profile working with Mercedes. 

[The Natural]

7 minutes ago, Just Dave said:

That six man was dope. I like that the shitty EVP's have aligned themselves with the new ace so they don't have to do the work themselves. I hadn't seen much Okada before but damn I've enjoyed what I've seen so far. 

The Natural's top ten Kazuchika Okada matches:

10. Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14. *****.

9. Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi. NJPW Dominion 2012. *****.

8. Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi. NJPW Invasion Attack 2013. *****.

7. Kazuchika Okada vs. Katsuyori Shibata. NJPW Sakura Genesis 2017. *****.

6. Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito. NJPW 40th Anniversary Show 2012. *****.

5. Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi. NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling 2013. *****.

4. Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18. *****.

3. Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega. NJPW Dominion 2018. *****.

2. Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10. *****.

1. Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11. *****.

---

I haven't seen any Kazuchika Okada vs. AJ Styles matches. Need to fix that.

[tbarrie]

I was intrigued by Joe-Wardlow going into the show. I didn't think the time was right for a title change, but I also was sure they didn't have Wardlow win the Scramble just so Joe could unceremoniously beat him a few weeks later then move on.

Except I guess they did. Huh. Weird.

[Curt McGirt]

What is the ETA on Juicey Boy coming back? They really do need him. Hell, WE really do need him... If he comes back, I would be full-on with him breaking the Assers away from Jay so Jay can get in the title mix as a Cool Heel and the Ass Juicers becoming 6-Man title holders. Or together. As long as Jay gets to work singles and Juice gets to be a twat, we're good. 

[Just Dave]

Lol. Ass Juice.