AEW - SEPTEMBER 2024

[RazorbladeKiss87]

20 hours ago, SovietShooter said:

It's interesting... when it became clear AEW was a viable product, one of the first things people did was look at who was perceived as being underutilized in WWE, and wanting to see those guys get a shot in AEW.  And for every success like Swerve or Danielson, you have a Miro and Andrade. It just goes to show that sometimes the promotion/booker/company isn't the problem. 

Some guys just had bad luck with injuries... Cole headlined the first Wembley show, so it is hard to call his run a failure, but it is hard to call it a success either.  Keith Lee's run was short, but it was really solid; If this was the territory days and he came in for a run like that and moved on, I think it would be classified as a success... but by today's standards it is not. 

And guys like Wardlow and Starks... they're kinda victims of AEW's success. Yeah, Wardlow cannot stay healthy, but he also never really showed much progression.  He has been eclipsed in his role by guys like Big Bill and Hobbs.  It probably is time for those guys to move on, and see if they can get a fresh start.

Early on, I thought Wardlow was going to have a proto Bron Breaker type of run but overtime it became apparent that he'd hit his ceiling early. I'd like to be proven wrong but I think he'd have to leave for TNA or something. 

I wish the Butcher was doing something other than "Intimidating guy to beat." I know the Blade is out for surgery. If HoB didn't exist I'd team Butcher and Brody King together as The Crowdkillers and just have them wreck shop in the tag division. 

[stuntmanc]

I think the MJF drama permanently nuked Wardlow.  Now the rest of his run is on him and badluck/injuries, but i don't think he ever got that momentum back.  He murdered MJF on PPV then three days later MJF is "shooting" on Dynamite and evertone forgot what happened.

[For Great Justice]

Honestly? The haircut didn’t help. I’ve never seen a person whose aura was 80% man bun. Injuries sure, MJF sure, but dude looks like the biggest jobber in the world nowadays.

On Danhausen, I’m sort of hoping that the alleged FS1 show is their version of WCW Prime and Danhausen finds his niche there introducing the Moo Match of the Week

[stuntmanc]

I couldn't agree more about the haircut as well and i spaced on it.  I was actually talking with a buddy about how AJ having his long hair pretty much made him main event looking as opposed to that weird short haircut he used to have, so the hair does make a difference.

 

[Zakk_Sabbath]

6 hours ago, RazorbladeKiss87 said:

If HoB didn't exist I'd team Butcher and Brody King together as The Crowdkillers and just have them wreck shop in the tag division. 

LOVE this, even the name. Good shit pal.

ETA: I've very often had similar thoughts about a JD Drake/Dutch Righteous team, btw

Edited September 19, 2024 by Zakk_Sabbath

[Nice Guy Eddie]

A musical collaboration between The Butcher and Brody King wouldn't be bad, either. 

[twiztor]

11 hours ago, For Great Justice said:

On Danhausen, I’m sort of hoping that the alleged FS1 show is their version of WCW Prime and Danhausen finds his niche there introducing the Moo Match of the Week

this idea is 100% genius. plays into wrestling history as well as the Svengoolie vibe. (plus any mention of WCW Prime is an automatic like from me!)

[twiztor]

On 9/17/2024 at 10:05 AM, Technico Support said:

Hate to tell you, but she's dealing with concussion issues.

well that's a bummer. but to pivot, i'm glad to see Yuka Sakazaki back on TV (and in a prominent role!) however short this stint may be.

[MKERyan]

Miro has reportedly asked for his release.

Head case or not, still a huge missed opportunity with him IMO. The Best Man thing was the shits, but once they found that Redeemer gimmick, he was OVER. That whole presentation was great initially and that music fucking slapped.

 

[Zakk_Sabbath]

6 minutes ago, MKERyan said:

Miro has reportedly asked for his release.

Head case or not, still a huge missed opportunity with him IMO. The Best Man thing was the shits, but once they found that Redeemer gimmick, he was OVER. That whole presentation was great initially and that music fucking slapped.

 

Bummer but makes sense and has probably been long coming. His match with Hobbs at last year's All out was friggin awesome, I was hoping they'd run that back at some point. Agree that the Best Man stuff was horrid, but the real sin there IMO is that they didn't do enough with the "Charles" Taylor as his Butler stip - they could've gotten weeks and weeks of vignettes outta that. At least Arcade Anarchy ruled (and gave us that kick ass Stat hiding in the Claw Machine return). I also really liked the handful of matches he had with Sammy. Wonder if he's WWE-bound, or pivoting to stuff outside of wrestling - he could probably have a decent character acting career as Henchman #4 for the rest of his life if he wanted.

[COLETTI]

I always enjoyed Miro as a wrestler, but when talks about him being difficult come up, I can't help but think of something Raylan Givens once said...

[Zakk_Sabbath]

16 minutes ago, COLETTI said:

I always enjoyed Miro as a wrestler, but when talks about him being difficult come up, I can't help but think of something Raylan Givens once said...

Not to pile on, but I kinda get the same impression. He got a fantastic TNT title run, they hired his then-wife for a bit... Even as an outsider, it definitely doesn't strike me as a situation where they didn't at least attempt to make the guy happy where he is.

On the AEW side of things, it's easy to criticize Miro's usage, sure - but you never know. Years from now it might come out that he was "Doesn't work for me, brother"-ing every idea for him that wasn't "First I beat the entire roster, then I retire as Champion after 5 years holding all 72 belts."

[EVA]

In fact, we already know that he pulled the “doesn’t work for me card” several times.

Definitely loads of missed opportunity with Miro, but that’s like 75% on him.

[Dolfan in NYC]

I cannot remember the last time I saw Taz break this bad:

 

[Craig H]

8 hours ago, EVA said:

In fact, we already know that he pulled the “doesn’t work for me card” several times.

Definitely loads of missed opportunity with Miro, but that’s like 75% on him.

If you look at the chain of events, Miro could have been AEW world champ. Instead it went to Joe. And we were all better for it.

[username]

The baffling thing about Miro is that by all accounts he was a good soldier in WWE, that man got fed some of the worst stories and booking, always showed up and by god found a way to make them work as best as he could. AEW booking has its issues but it's generally not as bad as what he had to go through before, I truly wonder if there is something else going on with him that we just don't know about.

[SovietShooter]

8 hours ago, username said:

The baffling thing about Miro is that by all accounts he was a good soldier in WWE, that man got fed some of the worst stories and booking, always showed up and by god found a way to make them work as best as he could

Maybe that is exactly why he was an issue in AEW (allegedly).  He took shit while in WWE because he had no other options. But when he left, he decided he wasn't going to do anything he didn't want to do anymore, and just vetoed his way out of a push.

[HarryArchieGus]

I'd love to see them clean house and release Miro, Malakai Black, Starks, and anybody else who wants out. Miro being paid a 7 figure contract to sit at home while so many have worked hard week in and week out for a small portion of that money can't be great for morale.  

[Technico Support]

3 hours ago, SovietShooter said:

Maybe that is exactly why he was an issue in AEW (allegedly).  He took shit while in WWE because he had no other options. But when he left, he decided he wasn't going to do anything he didn't want to do anymore, and just vetoed his way out of a push.

I’ve been thinking about that from time to time when considering Punk’s multiple flameouts in AEW as opposed to his apparent good behavior in WWE.  I think some guys like Punk and Miro just need the “structure” of overbearing, controlling bosses.  I could probably put on my Sydney M. Basil hat and throw out some theories.

Edited September 21, 2024 by Technico Support

[odessasteps]

You also probably have to wonder if he will have a different attitude now being away from CJ. 

[EVA]

I’m always fascinated to see what happens with guys/girls who were primarily developed in the WWE system when they eventually end up outside that system. WWE explicitly, and intentionally, teaches the performance of wrestling, not the business of wrestling, and so many of them have no idea how to navigate the business outside of that world. Leads to a lot of them sinking like a stone or flaming out.

You can’t help but think that Miro came to AEW with the idea that he would be AEW’s Lesnar (and by all rights, he could’ve been) and proceeded to conduct himself how he viewed Lesnar conducting himself in WWE. Except Lesnar has always had Heyman in his corner, using his acumen for the business to know when to Bigfoot them and when to give a little. Miro just decided to never give and ended up politicking himself out of a job.

Now, instead of potentially returning to WWE as a ready-made main event guy, like Cody did, he’s gonna be right back at the level he was when he left. He created no additional value for himself in 4 years.

[The Natural]

22 hours ago, COLETTI said:

I always enjoyed Miro as a wrestler, but when talks about him being difficult come up, I can't help but think of something Raylan Givens once said...

 

22 hours ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

Not to pile on, but I kinda get the same impression. He got a fantastic TNT title run, they hired his then-wife for a bit... Even as an outsider, it definitely doesn't strike me as a situation where they didn't at least attempt to make the guy happy where he is.

On the AEW side of things, it's easy to criticize Miro's usage, sure - but you never know. Years from now it might come out that he was "Doesn't work for me, brother"-ing every idea for him that wasn't "First I beat the entire roster, then I retire as Champion after 5 years holding all 72 belts."

 

22 hours ago, EVA said:

In fact, we already know that he pulled the “doesn’t work for me card” several times.

Definitely loads of missed opportunity with Miro, but that’s like 75% on him.

 

14 hours ago, Craig H said:

If you look at the chain of events, Miro could have been AEW world champ. Instead it went to Joe. And we were all better for it.

Co-sign on all this.

[odessasteps]

That makes me wonder if part of NXT/developmental should be about teaching people about the out of the ring stuff in the business, like how some sports teams do in the minor leagues. I know one of the things JC did in OVW was to try and teach young guys about money management (ie pay your taxes) and record keeping. 

[EVA]

14 minutes ago, EVA said:

I’m always fascinated to see what happens with guys/girls who were primarily developed in the WWE system when they eventually end up outside that system. WWE explicitly, and intentionally, teaches the performance of wrestling, not the business of wrestling, and so many of them have no idea how to navigate the business outside of that world. Leads to a lot of them sinking like a stone or flaming out.

 

On a related note, how lucky was Mason Madden that he got married to (and then released with) Mansoor, a guy who came up in the mid-10’s indie boom and knew exactly how to leverage the indies to launch the next phase of their careers.

[odessasteps]

6 minutes ago, EVA said:

On a related note, how lucky was Mason Madden that he got married to (and then released with) Mansoor, a guy who came up in the mid-10’s indie boom and knew exactly how to leverage the indies to launch the next phase of their careers.

I had to look up whether you meant professionally or personally. That led me to learn that his sister played basketball at penn state and signed with WWE briefly.