Dolfan in NYC Posted February 24 Posted February 24 I'm your only friend! I'm not your only friend. But I'm a little glowing friend. But really I'm not actually your friend... But I am? We're on our way to Toronto and the SkyDome for Elimination Chamber! Lots will be decided on the Road to Wrestlemania! Not the least of which... who will face Cody Rhodes and who will face Rhea Ripley?? Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch, who watches over you? Make a little birdhouse in your soul... Speaking of Cody Rhodes though... The Rock, seen on Friday playing the role of Ursula the Sea Witch, told Cody that he wanted Cody to be his champion. And then, much more to the point, he wanted Cody's soul. Eagle eyed viewers (and those who simply have eyes) will note, the similarities to something that happened 27 years ago. Not to put too fine a point on it... Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul! But first, we need to get through THIS week. And especially Friday when we have TWO big matches. Shinsuke Nakamura will put his US Championship on the line against Louisiana Knight! Also, Chelsea Green will be facing ...someone? Guess you'll just have to tune in and see! (This song is actually about giving/getting advice. I'll bet Cody wants some advice!) Enjoy the week! 1
Niners Fan in CT Posted February 25 Posted February 25 (edited) Really great tag match there between Bianca & Naomi vs. Liv & Raquel. I was shocked that there was still zero development on the Jade angle. I guess it's coming at Elimination Chamber but man, it's been over three months now. People who say "Hunter is great at longterm booking!" Are we sure? Maybe for some things but this isn't long term booking, it's stalling and sending someone away who you promised you'd train up because the competition "failed her" supposedly. Edited February 25 by Niners Fan in CT 2
odessasteps Posted February 25 Posted February 25 Do we know there’s no real injury she has that has delayed things? Or did they just want to time it out so it peaks just in time for a Mania match?
Cliff Hanger Posted February 25 Posted February 25 The back half was much better, but at 8:15 i asked dogwelder "how is it only half over?" and we started brainstorming the most absurd candidates for who REALLY took Jade out (Cameron, Rikishi, Halle Berry, Cody because she made the Nightmare Factory look bad, Cora) but I guess with TJD winning the belts the "it was Naomi" theories are likely false. Michael Cole referencing Les Nessman. Good stuff. I would rather have had any two thirds of that three-way than the three-way Either Waller or Theory needs to just cheat to drop a bomb on the relationship already. Ivy/Lyra could be good. Man, Pat was ready to go hard on Cole tonight. I think I finally figured out why I dislike him so much on color despite being fairly knowledgeable and quick-thinking. It's WEIRD to have a guy who slobbers all over every babyface in a two-man team. You can have someone like that in a three-man booth, but with a duo if the commentator is gonna be neutral you need a heel for color.
odessasteps Posted February 25 Posted February 25 6 minutes ago, Cliff Hanger said: The back half was much better, but at 8:15 i asked dogwelder "how is it only half over?" and we started brainstorming the most absurd candidates for who REALLY took Jade out (Cameron, Rikishi, Halle Berry, Cody because she made the Nightmare Factory look bad, Cora) but I guess with TJD winning the belts the "it was Naomi" theories are likely false. Michael Cole referencing Les Nessman. Good stuff. I would rather have had any two thirds of that three-way than the three-way Either Waller or Theory needs to just cheat to drop a bomb on the relationship already. Ivy/Lyra could be good. Man, Pat was ready to go hard on Cole tonight. I think I finally figured out why I dislike him so much on color despite being fairly knowledgeable and quick-thinking. It's WEIRD to have a guy who slobbers all over every babyface in a two-man team. You can have someone like that in a three-man booth, but with a duo if the commentator is gonna be neutral you need a heel for color. Brandi did it. 2
username Posted February 25 Posted February 25 With them seeming to heat up Owens & Sami for Elimination Chamber and what feels like an eventual Mania match... I'm growing a bit concerned about Orton. The attack seemed timed well to lead to a return and marque Mania match with either Owens or Cody but looking back the last few months before said angle he was working a lot of tag matches, his advertised match with Owens right before just became a big brawl, maybe he'll pop up at the Chamber and be good to go but I worry it's his back again and it just can't take that much abuse any more.
Greggulator Posted February 25 Posted February 25 The Sami sit down promo was so friggin’ good. Really great job in explaining why this time’s different and (most importantly) making it sound so dangerous that I have to go out of my way to watch. God damn that main event was something special. I like how different it was from a lot of the usual tag formula — the champs jumping the heels at the start, Dom not being at ringside but sneaking down at the right moment, insane double teams and impeccably timed kick-outs. That end was also a chef’s kiss in heel chespshot victories. Everyone played their role so well. Liv since her heel turn has turned into such a great little shit stirrer always looking for shortcuts. But man Naomi has just put things together the past year or so. Naomi has been around so long that she was in the Funkadactyls and was out there for AJ Lee’s Pipe Bomb. She didn’t come through NXT or any kind of development system worth anything. She’s always been a freak athlete but I always thought she needed her hand held for someone to get her from move to move — stuff that you actually learn by being treated like an actual wrestler and not to be the eye candy for a future Fox News grifter. But Naomi pretty clearly has always wanted to be good at wrestling and has worked really hard to the point where she was the babyface in the ring during the final section of one of the best tag matches in a really long time. Damn that match ruled. 6
blitzkrieg Posted February 25 Posted February 25 Thought the opening segment was a good use of Punk and Paul. It really is great how many possibilities there are for the men's Elimination Chamber. It was great to see how over Penta was and Ludwig stealing the victory over Dunne was a great way to keep issues going. Del Toro and Wilde are so smooth in the ring, it's a shame that they're never given more to do. Loved the Gunther promo and match with Tozawa. The crowd was so into every time that Tozawa got any offense and Gunther choking out a dangling Tozawa was a great visual. Kai and Lyra have good in-ring chemistry and they did a really good job of making it look like a struggle. Liked Lyra teasing the suplex off the apron only for Dakota to counter it. Michael Cole finally called the Kaiopractor by name! Nightwing just doesn't look like an "It's over if I hit it move" but oh well. Match ultimately feels a little like it was just a detour to make the match to Lyra/Ivy a little longer but hopefully they can build Dakota up some before another shot. Look like we're building to another multi-man feud for the IC Title with Finn and AJ in the mix. Main event was a banger and the crowd was totally along for the ride. Show felt a little slow but I liked the light being shined on other talent now that the EC qualifiers are over. Wasn't crazy about the commercial break during both the triple threat and IC Title matches. Looking forward to Rhea/Iyo next week. 3
Eivion Posted February 25 Posted February 25 Skipped around most of the Logan/Punk segment though what I caught was solid. Kaiser vs. Penta vs. Dunne was good. Was nice to see Kaiser get the win via cheap methods though the actual moment could have been a bit smoother in execution. New Day vs. Wilde/Toro was good. Very happy to see LWO get in a good showcase here before the end came. The post match beatdown was another decent heel moment for New Day though I think it would have been a bigger boone for Lee to chase them off of Wilde and Del Toro. The man has plenty of charisma and is a bit wasted with how he is used. Gunther's promo leading into a Tozawa match was fun to see. Was especially happy to see Tozawa get a little shine before the inevitable. Hopefully we get Gunther/Otis again in the coming weeks. Lyra/Dakota was pretty nice. Dug them pulling a bit from their previous match, and it was nice seeing the crowd get more into it as it went on. Was good to see Ivy make her presence felt in the post match. Hopefully they build her as a proper threat to Lyra. Dom/Bron was fun while it lasted, but overall, it was more of angle than a true match. Hopefully, we get a proper match between the two down the line because the potential for something good is there regardless of the face/heel dynamic they pick. The Seth/Cody segment was solid and decent build for another potential Cody match for Mania. Bianca/Naomi vs. Liv/Raquel was great. The opening was nice and different from norm, building off of the rising heat the feud has had. Dom's interference was well placed. And the hot crowd made all the big action feel that much more dramatic. Its great to finally see the tag titles and a women's tag feud have this type of moment and love from the crowd. Good wrestling with the main event stealing for the show for sure. The story bits were generally decent a built some nice intrigue for the Road to Wrestlemania and the Elimination Chamber. Good show. 49 minutes ago, Greggulator said: But man Naomi has just put things together the past year or so. Naomi has been around so long that she was in the Funkadactyls and was out there for AJ Lee’s Pipe Bomb. She didn’t come through NXT or any kind of development system worth anything. She’s always been a freak athlete but I always thought she needed her hand held for someone to get her from move to move — stuff that you actually learn by being treated like an actual wrestler and not to be the eye candy for a future Fox News grifter. But Naomi pretty clearly has always wanted to be good at wrestling and has worked really hard to the point where she was the babyface in the ring during the final section of one of the best tag matches in a really long time. Damn that match ruled. Naomi has been better than people think for a while. She was just never given much of a chance before she left WWE. He final year in her first run saw her putting on a great match with Charlotte and make a pretty good team with Mercedes. Its been good seeing HHH and co. give her a lot more chances to actually shine. 4
Shartnado Posted February 25 Posted February 25 16 hours ago, Curt McGirt said: That's the book alright, that's the book! 1 1
Hail Sabin Posted February 25 Posted February 25 (edited) 3 hours ago, odessasteps said: Do we know there’s no real injury she has that has delayed things? Or did they just want to time it out so it peaks just in time for a Mania match? One Rumor was she got a role in a TV show or movie and that was the way to write her off but yeah HHH doesn't has holes in his booking so does HBK. Belair after the 3 Count had an Evil Look on her face for a split second then was back to normal. It will be interesting to see her inactions her Naomi in the Chamber. Edited February 25 by Hail Sabin
odessasteps Posted February 25 Posted February 25 I saw someone tweet where Bianca talked about only wanting to be a heel if the situation was right and how much she like being a face and having kids look up to her, etc. 1
Jamal Posted February 25 Posted February 25 That main event was fantastic. All four women came with it. When you talk about Naomi, her trajectory is crazy. She's one of the last of the Divas Era (with Nattie) and the actual last true Diva, a woman hired, without a lick of wrestling experience, and without the privilege of the PC. We literally watched her learn on the go in an era where the crowd was conditioned to not give a damn about the women. It's crazy that she's still around and kicking. But she has really come into her own over the last few years and I think the TNA run definitely played a part.
Cliff Hanger Posted February 26 Posted February 26 Man, Roadblock is gonna be crazy, unless these folks get lazy. Don't worry, I promise not to rhyme my entire post on 3/11, even if I thought I could. I am so glad that Wren and Lola are alive. The Roxy/Jordynne tease makes me worry that the former is not that long for the Chamber. The Cincy crowd seemed a lot less tired of her heel shtick than the PC loyal weirdos. Corey and Booker both piling on Vic for his joke at Myles's expense made me happy. Screw you, Vic. Every match tonight was worth the time. This was Karmen's best match maybe ever, Hardyz/NQCC was a good showcase for 2025 Hardyz for someone like me who hadn't seen them team since Brother Zay AND for NQCC, and the main was a lot of fun. Ariana worked much differently than before her hiatus and, while "Miss NXT" breaking out the headbutt and corner kick felt out of character from what we'd seen before, "beauty queen with a vicious streak" could work for her. I hope everyone who had to bump onto the murder ramp is okay. 1
odessasteps Posted February 26 Posted February 26 11 hours ago, Jamal said: That main event was fantastic. All four women came with it. When you talk about Naomi, her trajectory is crazy. She's one of the last of the Divas Era (with Nattie) and the actual last true Diva, a woman hired, without a lick of wrestling experience, and without the privilege of the PC. We literally watched her learn on the go in an era where the crowd was conditioned to not give a damn about the women. It's crazy that she's still around and kicking. But she has really come into her own over the last few years and I think the TNA run definitely played a part. Was being a Funkadactyl the first thing she did in the company? 1
ChesterCopperpot Posted February 26 Posted February 26 She was on Season 3 of NXT and came second before the Funkadactyls were a thing. 1
Eivion Posted February 26 Posted February 26 Stephanie/Karmen was pretty solid and a good effort for Karmen's first title shot. Giulia coming down to challenge Vaquer right after was unexpected. Figured they might save that for S&D. Curious to see how that plays out and if its the main. Moose/Lexis was surprisingly good with how well they meshed. First time seeing Moose wrestle and he is impressive. Its easy to see why he has been TNA champ at least once or twice. Hopefully the match with Oba is a good hoss fight. Hardys vs. Tavion/Myles was pretty darn solid. Haven't seen either of the Hardys wrestle for years so I wasn't sure how well this would turn out, but its good to see they can still go to some degree. Heights and Borne looked good with Matt and Jeff making sure they had some decent moments to look clever and showcase. Looking forward Hardys/Fraxiom. Jordynne's segment with Roxanne was neay. Loved the sucker punch rolling off the Tyson quote. Roxanne should be a good first feud for GRace and a nice way for Grace to get her win back as Roxanne is clearly on her way out to the main roster in the next few months. Arianna/Lola made for fun quick match. Was good to see Arianna's more aggressive side showing after the earlier segment that built the match up. Does seem like she may have been a bit too fired up though as I think that heabdutt was legit given Lola's small forming bump on the forehead by the end and Arianna regularly checking her own forehead. Ricky/Evans vs. Wes/Page was a good tv main and nice showcase for for Ricky by the end. Solid-good wrestling all around and solid bits building up next week and Roadblock the week after. Lexis/Moose was probably MOTN for me thought everything was worth a catch. Good show overall with Roadblock having some strong PLE vibes given the matches announced so far. 1
worldcupfever Posted February 26 Posted February 26 On 2/24/2025 at 10:55 PM, Greggulator said: The Sami sit down promo was so friggin’ good. Really great job in explaining why this time’s different and (most importantly) making it sound so dangerous that I have to go out of my way to watch. I was surprised to hear that he chatted with KO's mom after that attack. You'd think that would have made things awkward.
blitzkrieg Posted February 26 Posted February 26 Karmen and Stephanie probably really sells one of the perks of big fish in the NXT pond as the rawer talent can really benefit with working with more experienced workers. Easily Karmen's best match to this point. I have to assume that there is no way we're getting a decisive victor at Roadblock, right? Moose and Lexis was a good introduction to Moose and Lexis continues to be game. I was starting to think that Roadblock was turning into Forbidden Door with all the mentions of title vs title matches but Ava seemed to walk it back later on saying that it would only be for the NXT Title. Also was it just me or did they go all gas and no brakes during this match and just skip a commercial break? Liked them setting up Roxanne as the next thing for Jordynne. Good way to wind down her time in NXT. Fun match between NQCC and the Hardyz. Tavion and Myles got to get in a little shine while the Hardyz got to hit all their spots. The ramp version of Poetry in Motion was a nice little twist. The reaction for Santino was a cool little moment and Fraxiom/Hardyz should be fun. Cool to see Arianna back in the ring on NXT TV. Nice to get to see some fire from here before Lola picking up the win. Liked the energy and vibe that Eddy brought in his video. Do we get a Last Man Standing match or an Underground match between him and Trick? Good TV main event and a good introduction of Ricky. Will be interesting to see when we get the final blow-off between Ethan and Je'von and where things go with Trick and Je'von. Liked Tyriek and Tyson getting liberally involved in things which kinda builds on what they and Wes have been doing in TNA. Hopefully we get a Wes/Ricky singles match in the upcoming weeks. They did a solid job building up next week, especially Spears/Tony next week. That said Roadblock is definitely a PLE level show on the CW. Will be interesting where things go with Stand and Deliver afterward. 2
HarryArchieGus Posted February 26 Posted February 26 (edited) Re: Raw Gunther v Tozawa and that entire segment was fantastic. Tozawa bumped like a Champion. I love everything Gunther is doing right now. Even in the smallest moments- arriving. I look forward to the Gunther v Otis TV bout. Also, that Sami Zayn promo was exceptional. Zayn and Owens are so captivating. I really enjoyed the Kai-Lyra bout and the Dom-Brekker segment. The Liv/Raquel v Bianca/Naomi Main Event was very good. As was the Penta v Dunne v Kaiser 3 way. New Day v Cruz/Del Toro was a nice flowing bout. Woods/Kofi are an excellent heel team. Give them the belts. Re: NXT Moose v Pillman was pretty solid. I like how NXT is presenting Moose. He still has great potential, and I sense he's nailing this 'look'. The Ricky SAINTS debut was sensational. Tho I've seen very little, I am always impressed with J'evon Evans. Ethan Page is so perfect for WWE, and he looked great in there. Wes Lee was solid. I also caught Guilia challenging Stephanie Vaquer. Stoked for that. Edited February 27 by HarryArchieGus 2
odessasteps Posted February 26 Posted February 26 Are they actually calling Vaquer “the Dark Angel” on TV or is that just an online fan thing? Either way, kinda crappy to Sarah Stock.
Recommended Posts