AEW TV - 8/28 - 9/3/2024 - Strickland of Confusion

[JLowe]

2 hours ago, Curt McGirt said:

I played Rampage while not paying attention at all; should I go back and watch the main?

Main event is worth watching, GYV-Outrunners was kind of fun but could’ve been better. Mina’s match was a competitive squash, I don’t want to get a “settle down” but Mina’s gear was…compelling.

[username]

This may have been noted previously, but I watch how well the Hologram deal is going and it is really striking how flawed the usual AEW method of introducing a new talent is. Generally unless you are already known (i.e. coming over from WWE) you are brought in as an unsigned wrestler, and the unsigned wrestlers always lose. If they like you they bring you back a few times for a few more losses, then they sign you, then you generally still lose for a while. You get to have good matches or showings but it basically starts everyone off as having to overcome that perception as a guy (or gal) who just loses which TBF some do but it's a harder way to go about things.

Now we have Hologram who avoided all that and is just brought in and showcased from the start in wins and situations designed to highlight him and it's just a much better way to go about things, it's also the way just about every other wrestling promotion has gone about things for decades. I don't want AEW to stop bringing in unsigned folks to spice things up, but it's probably time for them to reexamine how their current pipeline system works.

[Matt D]

When I say that, I mean this:

 

[Leonidas]

The Moriarty / Hologram sequence in Collision's tag match was insane tekkers, then Mortos jumps in with some sort of crucifix bomb, beautiful pro wrestling. Main was fun too even if it means Shida is going to lose again, I hope it fuels her for a long-awaited heel turn.

[AxB]

The clips from Mercedes Mone vs Momo Watanabe I saw on twitter made it look like a really good match. The far sparser clips that aired on Dynamite, they let me know who won but not much else.

The main event of Rampage, and basically ALL of Collision are very much worth watching, yes.

[Mike Campbell]

I was hoping for a Queen Aminata win in the four way. A Mercedes/Rosa PPV match would need more than a week's notice, and Aminata getting some kind of surprise win over Shida would be the perfect fuel to the upcoming heel turn. Still a fun match (and really a fun week as a whole for the company). That last bump by Rosa was some scary shit.

[HarryArchieGus]

On 8/30/2024 at 9:11 AM, EVA said:

Yeah, the world in which Ricky Starks wasn’t given chances does not exist. At some point, you just have to acknowledge that the booking was there for them and guys like Ricky and Wardlow just didn’t make the most of it, and that’s why they’re sitting out their contracts at home while Swerve jumped WAY ahead of them and just headlined Wembley.

Ricky is just super inconsistent. In the past, I’ve compared him to a sports team that plays to the level of its competition. Can absolutely look like the next main eventer sometimes, but then at other times comes across like just another guy, totally replaceable. And true main event level guys just don’t do that. The Rock was still The Rock, even when he was working a program with Billy Gunn. Ricky worked Juice Robinson (pre-Juice getting over with the AEW crowd) and immediately felt like a 3rd-tier guy. Like, it actively hurt Jay White’s intro to AEW that Ricky was suddenly coming across like a nobody.

Pretty well nailed it there.

All that said, I do think his chances of success in WWE are pretty strong. He's a capable orator that would surely benefit from a writer and more rigid system.  In AEW, he tends to speak in cliches, and where his flow is great his improv is satisfactory at best. His simple safe 'methodical' in ring style will be completely at home on any given Monday or Friday night. Er 8pm on a Friday night. Before 10. 

Edited September 1, 2024 by HarryArchieGus

[HarryArchieGus]

14 hours ago, JLowe said:

Main event is worth watching, GYV-Outrunners was kind of fun but could’ve been better. Mina’s match was a competitive squash, I don’t want to get a “settle down” but Mina’s gear was…compelling.

I really liked Reynolds/Silver 2 v the Outrunners. I kinda thought that was the best Outrunners match yet. Turbo Floyd in particular looked like a bit of a star. The Grizzlies aren't destined for the Main Event, but they're providing nicely towards revitalizing this Tag Division. I'm curious about the Runners new 3rd Erica Leigh. I liked her first(?) loss, but forgetting to whom. The Mina squash was nothing, but Mina is clearly a very special talent. The Takeshita v Komander v Beast v Lio Main was wonderful. Can we all band together and will a 4 man round robin tournament featuring these premier talents? Really nice to see brief profile videos for each prior to the Main. I liked The Kings v The Parties v The Lethal Jarretts opener as well. Tho, I don't get the logic behind 3 way tag rules. I like the idea of Jeff and Jay getting a Tag Title run, but let's see how the Jarrett babyface fandom holds up. I'm not quite sure it will for Col. Sanders. Make no mistake, I'm hoping it does. He feels like 'Memphis Style' hot tagging in with those big Mid-South Coliseum Main Event punches. Another very good low stakes fun Rampage!

Edited September 1, 2024 by HarryArchieGus

[Technico Support]

2 hours ago, HarryArchieGus said:

Reynolds/Silver 2

Looool

Now I’ll never unsee this. GYV look like somebody took their Dark Order CAWs and fucked with the size sliders too much.

Also, “when you see us coming you better grit your teeth” is up there with TNA Hard Justice on the “just a little too unintentionally homoerotic” scale.

Edited September 1, 2024 by Technico Support

[Zimbra]

10 hours ago, AxB said:

The clips from Mercedes Mone vs Momo Watanabe I saw on twitter made it look like a really good match. The far sparser clips that aired on Dynamite, they let me know who won but not much else.

If they used any more New Japan would file a copyright claim on Dynamite.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

21 hours ago, Matt D said:

Mortos based really well for Komander but you knew that.

 

18 hours ago, JLowe said:

Main event is worth watching, GYV-Outrunners was kind of fun but could’ve been better. Mina’s match was a competitive squash, I don’t want to get a “settle down” but Mina’s gear was…compelling.

 

21 hours ago, Curt McGirt said:

I played Rampage while not paying attention at all; should I go back and watch the main?

We're catching up on DVR right now, and just finished Rampage - that was an awesome main event. Some real Nitro hour 1 shit. I can't wait to see Mortos** in with Hologram on Collision

Edited September 1, 2024 by Zakk_Sabbath
wrong name

[Zakk_Sabbath]

Give me one of these Lance Archer segments every week, man!! The little touch with the locker door cracked us up. Hell, they could shoot like 50 of em in one day, and save on flying him in for most of the year lol. Nice change of pace from a run of the mill squash, and probably equally effective.

Also: OC & KOR touching Hologram to see if he was real had us dying too

ETA: So Layla is a pilot, but ALSO a stewardess, but ALSO air traffic control?? I am not complaining about her presence at all, but this whole revision of the Top Flight gimmick feels very New Generation WWF meets old porno.

Edited September 1, 2024 by Zakk_Sabbath

[odessasteps]

1 hour ago, Zimbra said:

If they used any more New Japan would file a copyright claim on Dynamite.

Or "Don Stephens." 

[StevieNippz]

I only get to catch up on the cable shows through YouTube but they put up a good chunk of that 4-way Rampage main event. It was nice to see Takeshita back and look dominant but The Beast Mortos is so freaking awesome, I need to see more of him. I don't know how he pulls off half the shit he does with that giant mask in the way.

All the clips of Hologram have made him out to be a star too. I've always been anti-brand split but maybe it's time to make Collision its own thing. Make the TNT title the main belt and go off from there. They seem to be pulling decent ratings with the random cards they've been throwing together, maybe with a little more roster consistency they can build on that. 

[username]

I don't want to harp on the Ricky Starks stuff any longer (I'd really rather just watch him, you know, wrestle again at some point) but to get back to the point I was making when I first brought him up... does anyone want to argue that he's done as poorly with his big chances as Perry has? I don't recall any of his opportunities going as poorly as Perry in the whole 4 pillars for the AEW title PPV match or being received as poorly as his current ppv title shot deal has so far. That was my larger point and as I said then, if you don't like Ricky sub in Garcia or your personal faves, let's all be Team Beast Mortos if it'll get us all on the same page

FWIW despite being critical of Perry I still think it was BS his career got put on ice for several months because of someone else's issues and I'm glad for him that he's finally past it (my consistent stance: freezing out athletes in their athletic prime is shitty and should only be done as last resort) just let's keep him away from the top of the card.

[HarryArchieGus]

Hologram/OROC v Beast/Lee/TV was pretty strong. Hologram rocking along on the road (not unlike Lee Marshall). I struggle with Johnny TV and his weak offense, and his character shit. Everybody else was cooking here. The Recap and Main Event profile videos are a nice addition to these broadcasts. I ffwdd the AssJuice v Athletes til the closing moments, which were good. I skimmed The Pilots v Bears/Turb. I love this absurd Top Flight opening, and am totally down with the outfits. Andretti and the Martins pants are arguably an improvement. Good finish to this. Sadly, I'm ffwdding the Bears these days. Can we get Leila Grey some matches please? FTR v the Kingdom quietly featured a Swerve-Keith Lee type build. Summer 2022, Taven/Bennett debuted in Toronto interrupting the post match of a FTR/Spears win. For me at least, this match was 2 years in the making. It was also, at 10 minutes, as strong as I'd hoped. I further hoped the Grizzlies would cost FTR the win, but I won't argue with a strong win for FTR. Especially a Powerplex finish. The Drake/Gibson promo was fine. Maybe Gibson oughtta handle the mic for these two. I look forward to Grizzlies v FTRs. Another lame Lance Archer skit. A serious lack of creativity for Big Lance. Who's responsible? Queen/Deeb promo was a good building segment. Big Aminata fan. Kyle Fletcher v Ishii was excellent. Easily my favorite Ishii match of the summer run. Terrific showcase for Kyle. He looked like a star. The Pac/OR/OC promo featured some good bastarding. Buddy Matthews v Komander was sensational! The Sioux Falls crowd really provided and made the show that much better. The MxM promo that followed was fierce and delightfully silly. I'm very ready for HOBvMXM. Oktoberfest Shida v Aminata v Rosa v Dweeb was pretty strong minus the AWFUL Sunset lock spot. I'd love to see Deeb remove that from her arsenal immediately. That may have been the worst minute of AEWTV I've ever seen. A couple awkward spots in the match and Rosa nearly killed herself on the Flapjack, but down the finish, this took flight. Shida's been hit/miss during her AEW career, but this Oktoberfest Shida run has been consistently great. Very much into Shida v Mercedes on PPV. Alotta fun was had here. This show nicely set up Wednesday and even made time to sprinkle in some talk about Friday and the 4 way. Good weekend. AeDub!

[AxB]

3 hours ago, HarryArchieGus said:

 The Drake/Gibson promo was fine. Maybe Gibson oughtta handle the mic for these two.

That was the way they always used to do it, they were a Penn and Teller style double act with Gibson being voluble and Drake being silent. Once in NXT UK they were in a  way with Joseph Connors as their partner, and they were cutting an in-ring promo where Gibson spoke for a couple of minutes, then handed to mic to Drake as they went to an ad break... and when they came back he's handed it to Connors, so we never even heard his voice.

Pre Covid, pre-NXT UK cooling everyone off, Zack Gibson had a ridiculous amount of crowd heat in the UK. Like Vickie Guerrero Excuse Me level. Even though he'd just be saying "I'm Zack Gibson and I'm Liverpool's number one, soon to be recognised at the UK's number one, sooon to be recognised as Europe's number one"... the ooooos in soon just got longer and longer and the fans got louder and louder.

[For Great Justice]

Have we talked about how Hologram is the new Blitzkreig? Like, it’s uncanny. Dude shows up almost out of nowhere, does crazy shit and hangs with some of the best wrestlers in the world.

Pay this man so he doesn’t go back to selling insurance, Coach!

Its been said but Rampage is booked specifically for DVDVR and it’s awesome.

Edited September 2, 2024 by For Great Justice

[HarryArchieGus]

10 hours ago, username said:

I don't want to harp on the Ricky Starks stuff any longer (I'd really rather just watch him, you know, wrestle again at some point) but to get back to the point I was making when I first brought him up... does anyone want to argue that he's done as poorly with his big chances as Perry has? I don't recall any of his opportunities going as poorly as Perry in the whole 4 pillars for the AEW title PPV match or being received as poorly as his current ppv title shot deal has so far. That was my larger point and as I said then, if you don't like Ricky sub in Garcia or your personal faves, let's all be Team Beast Mortos if it'll get us all on the same page

FWIW despite being critical of Perry I still think it was BS his career got put on ice for several months because of someone else's issues and I'm glad for him that he's finally past it (my consistent stance: freezing out athletes in their athletic prime is shitty and should only be done as last resort) just let's keep him away from the top of the card.

Yeah, I'd say the Tag Title run with Big Bill was a worse result than any Perry push results. To handily defeat FTR with no rematch was ridiculous. The finish switch due to 'injury' against Top Flight felt very suspect - there's a potential injury argument there, sure, but it seems like there's a pretty good reason why that was his last TV appearance. And I think trust is part of the issue. I loathe 4 way matches, but the 4 Pillars match and build featured some nice mat action. Yes, overshadowed by the weak talk segments - to which Jack was mearly 1/4 or 1/3 of the issue. There's a Sammy-Jack bout from a Dynamite in particular that was totally underrated by a weak count out finish - Bryce's unprecedented choice to come back to a 10 count after it was initally broke up (surely, for TV time). Also, there's an MJF/Sammy v Darby/Jack tag that was very good. Again, I hate first fall 4 ways, but the PPV match had some moments. Isolating the in ring of that feud/build minus the middling mic work reveals a lot more than some remember. I see no reason to feel bad for Jack having time away, it clearly benefitted him a great deal. As already pointed out, whether you're a fan of Starks or not, he certainly has gotten his fair share of pushes., and with inconsistent (at best) results. To expect more pushes for a guy who's been clearly headed to WWE since nearly the time security footage revealed him as Cody's bag carrier/young boy would be a mistake. Positively speaking, I think Starks is suited for the more rigid sports entertainment on the other channel, and see a bright future for him. 

[Craig H]

I was done with Ricky Starks when he got Billy Gunn'd by Adam Copeland and his comeback was basically Shooter McGavin saying "...NO..." when asked if he eats pieces of shit for breakfast. The sad thing is that I don't even think Edge was out to bury Ricky. Ricky seems like the type of guy that Edge would like and then Ricky just had no good comeback.

At that moment I thought, yeah, he probably belongs in NXT or WWE where someone can script his segments.

[JLowe]

Collision was pretty fun with two incredible matches (the singles matches, which is partially a commentary on having too damn many multi-person tag matches these days).

Fletcher-Ishii was an out-of-the-blue banger. Of course it was stiff, but Ishii pulled out some stuff that I don’t recall seeing from him before, and he bumped like a king for Fletcher’s high-impact stuff.

I’ve been pretty meh on Buddy in the past but he and Komander tore it up, and Buddy was a fantastic base and catcher. Glad they gave them some time because honestly Komander needed a match like that to remind us of what he can do after being stuck in the multi-man matches of late.

Another highlight was a buildup to the main event, with the short profiles for each of the women, and the Deeb-Aminata (settle down Jlowetico) promo.

The main itself was too short IMO, after the entrances it was only 13-15 minutes and A LOT was in PiP. For all Britt’s shittalk, Rosa was out there with her working boots on, and did a lot to put Aminata over, glad she wasn’t crippled on the botch with Deeb. Deeb’s submissions are great, but her lariats are crap. Shida was Shida. Aminata looked good, even as the obvious pin-eater.

Mortos makes Hologram look amazing. Lots of standing around to set up some of Hologram’s big spots. I like Hologram, he’s fun to watch, but he requires A LOT of work from others.

FTR-Kingdom was perfectly fine, a couple years too late. Undisputed Kingdom is the coldest wrestling faction I’ve ever seen.

I’m into an Outrunners-Iron Savages feud. Overall, a decent comedy match. I really hate the Top Flight look now, and they really don’t need Andretti and Rush.

Juice Robinson: please go back to the pants.

[HarryArchieGus]

1 hour ago, Craig H said:

I was done with Ricky Starks when he got Billy Gunn'd by Adam Copeland and his comeback was basically Shooter McGavin saying "...NO..." when asked if he eats pieces of shit for breakfast. The sad thing is that I don't even think Edge was out to bury Ricky. Ricky seems like the type of guy that Edge would like and then Ricky just had no good comeback.

At that moment I thought, yeah, he probably belongs in NXT or WWE where someone can script his segments.

His make/break in WWE will depend largely on how well he can read those WWE (not NXT) scripts. I suspect chances are good.

I remember that Copeland/Starks spar. Cope was in no way burying Ricky, but as you mentioned he had no comeback. Starks also made a lame comment towards Copeland about him having poor fashion sense (Cope's fashion sense is pretty bad), and that he would expect somebody from (alluding to) WWE to have better taste. He may have presented what he was wearing in there as well. Starks has proven to have little to no 'Flair' for namedropping items of expensive clothing and assorted accessories.   

[Matt D]

Agh, Rosa took that Deebtox so, so wrong.

 

[John E. Dynamite]

18 minutes ago, Matt D said:

Agh, Rosa took that Deebtox so, so wrong.

 

Shades of when the Styles Clash was breaking people's necks. This is a perfect example of the "wrestlers instinctively tuck their necks" problem that has led to less front bumps and flapjacks/back body drops.

[SovietShooter]

8 hours ago, HarryArchieGus said:

To expect more pushes for a guy who's been clearly headed to WWE since nearly the time security footage revealed him as Cody's bag carrier/young boy would be a mistake.

 

Like, let's say that TK was thinking of putting Ricky over MJF or Samoa Joe for the strap... If he thinks about the response that might get, and the first thing that pops in his head is THIS, would you put your top championship on that guy?

To be blunt, wrestlers are dumb. In general.  As a group, they can never see the forest thru the trees, and so they make poor choices and bad decisions based on what is right in their face, and not the consequences of their actions.

Yeah, wrestlers visit their friends in other companies all the time. And, yes it shouldn't be any kind of issue at all in this day and age.  But if you're going to do something like that, you have to be ~professional~ about it.

Ricky was not.