Stefanie Sparkleface Posted September 29 Posted September 29 2 hours ago, Dolfan in NYC said: My use of the term "carny" is to depict someone that's always selling/character up. Do I think Cena/Orton/Taker would go to AEW? Probably not. That said, to quote another carny motherfucker, "everyone has a price." It's also an interesting thought experiment to imagine what Cena and Orton would have done if there had been another American promotion at WCW level at any point during their tenure (TNA and Ring of Honor were never close). It's easy to be a lifer when going from #1 to #2 isn't so much a step down as it is falling three stories down a staircase. If the conditions of 1998 still existed in 2008, though, Cena or Orton easily could have been tempted if a major media conglomerate that owned the opposing promotion could open up a checkbook and go "you want five million per year? Okay." But that didn't happen, and thus Cena and Orton are lifers. Taker, meanwhile, held a grudge against Ole Anderson saying he'd never make a dime in the business and applied it to WCW for the rest of WCW's existence. 4
Eivion Posted September 29 Posted September 29 4 hours ago, Dolfan in NYC said: Oh, and the Swerve thing... Back when NXT 2.0 began and Vince turfed Hunter out, there were the collection of new stars Vince wanted to build around. Swerve being one of them, and renamed Isaiah "Swerve" Scott and made into a big smiling babyface. He supposedly faced some serious blowback when he let it be known that he hated the new character. That supposedly included all but open racism by a certain Freebird who's still with the company. And basically forced him to keep the character, but allowed him to tweak around the edges... He quit during the Thunderdome era and I may be misremembering this, but the final straw was getting saddled with Hit Row when he got brought up to SmackDown. I can't remember exactly the circumstance, but I remember he quit basically right after Vince released a bunch of people because of budget cuts. He supposedly had such a horrible time in the WWE he considered quitting altogether. But he kept going and AEW saw what he had and made him a cornerstone of their company. So, I don't expect him back any time soon. Swerve was released with the rest of Hit Row after Top Dolla mouthed off to management about B-Fab's release. 1
Peck Posted September 29 Posted September 29 1 hour ago, Eivion said: Swerve was released with the rest of Hit Row after Top Dolla mouthed off to management about B-Fab's release. So Top Dolla is responsible for Swerve's ascent to superstardom. Huh.
elizium Posted September 30 Posted September 30 Was Swerve the wrestler who got the super racist merch with the big smiling lips?
JLowe Posted September 30 Posted September 30 Just now, elizium said: Was Swerve the wrestler who got the super racist merch with the big smiling lips? Believe that was Keith Lee 1
elizium Posted September 30 Posted September 30 (edited) 3 minutes ago, JLowe said: Believe that was Keith Lee Just duckduckgo'd it, it was ACH Edited September 30 by elizium 1
username Posted September 30 Posted September 30 9 hours ago, Dolfan in NYC said: Oh, and the Swerve thing... Back when NXT 2.0 began and Vince turfed Hunter out, there were the collection of new stars Vince wanted to build around. Swerve being one of them, and renamed Isaiah "Swerve" Scott and made into a big smiling babyface. He supposedly faced some serious blowback when he let it be known that he hated the new character. That supposedly included all but open racism by a certain Freebird who's still with the company. And basically forced him to keep the character, but allowed him to tweak around the edges... He quit during the Thunderdome era and I may be misremembering this, but the final straw was getting saddled with Hit Row when he got brought up to SmackDown. I can't remember exactly the circumstance, but I remember he quit basically right after Vince released a bunch of people because of budget cuts. He supposedly had such a horrible time in the WWE he considered quitting altogether. But he kept going and AEW saw what he had and made him a cornerstone of their company. So, I don't expect him back any time soon. Swerve was released and didn't quit, he was with Hit Row in NXT, NXT 2.0 started I believe a week or so before Swerve and Hit Row were drafted to the main roster, heck Swerve wrestled in NXT for over two years before NXT 2.0 was a thing. I'm asking you for a source on the Vince/Hayes stuff as I did a quick googling and couldn't find it, and clearly your memory when it comes to this stuff is rather faulty. FWIW I don't see him going back to WWE either but yeah, that was a ton of mistakes all atop each other.
The Natural Posted September 30 Posted September 30 On 9/27/2025 at 5:05 PM, HarryArchieGus said: Love hearing Bryan Danielson talk about that glorious night when the Dragon met the Cleaner... That crowd at Arthur Ashe losing their shit before they even locked up might've been my favorite moment in AEW history. Danielson's evaluation of Omega's talents, or any wrestler for that matter, speaks volumes. Almost loving him more on commentary than in ring. Almost. Just added on AEW's YouTube: Still a top three match in AEW history. For a while it was my #1. The dream match delivered. My most anticipated AEW match ever. 4
Casey Posted September 30 Posted September 30 Blood & Guts is on November 12th in Greensboro, North Carolina at the First Horizon Coliseum. 4
Dolfan in NYC Posted September 30 Author Posted September 30 Huh, I remembered it as him quitting. Alright, I'll take the L there. But when we get Isaiah Swerve Scott vs Austin Theory for the World Title at WrestleMania 2029, try to look surprised. 2
mystman Posted September 30 Posted September 30 16 minutes ago, Dolfan in NYC said: Huh, I remembered it as him quitting. Alright, I'll take the L there. But when we get Isaiah Swerve Scott vs Austin Theory for the World Title at WrestleMania 2029, try to look surprised. Get real.The main event for WrestleMania 2029 is going to Logan Paul vs. Bad Bunny. For the strap. In Saudi Arabia. 1 3
Dolfan in NYC Posted September 30 Author Posted September 30 22 minutes ago, mystman said: Get real.The main event for WrestleMania 2029 is going to Logan Paul vs. Bad Bunny. For the strap. In Saudi Arabia. Night 2 sure. But Night 1 needs mid-card filler between Ronda Rousey's comeback and Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins. 2
Casey Posted September 30 Posted September 30 48 minutes ago, Dolfan in NYC said: Huh, I remembered it as him quitting. Alright, I'll take the L there. But when we get Isaiah Swerve Scott vs Austin Theory for the World Title at WrestleMania 2029, try to look surprised. Swerve signed a five year deal last year that would’ve ended in 2028. But now he’s out on injury time, so maybe push your scenario to 2030. 1
tbarrie Posted September 30 Posted September 30 2 hours ago, Dolfan in NYC said: But when we get Isaiah Swerve Scott vs Austin Theory for the World Title at WrestleMania 2029, try to look surprised. What? How does that even make sense? "Austin Theory" is a school of thought on the best way to get a wrestler over as a no-nonsense babyface. It's not a name for a person. 1 4
Dolfan in NYC Posted September 30 Author Posted September 30 3 hours ago, Casey said: Swerve signed a five year deal last year that would’ve ended in 2028. But now he’s out on injury time, so maybe push your scenario to 2030. 7
Ramo2653 Posted September 30 Posted September 30 Swerve's timeline in WWE was getting signed in 2019, doing babyface Swerve and working in the 205 Live universe and losing a decent amount, entering the Dusty with Jake Atlas and losing in the first round which prompted the heel turn culminated by attacking Leon Ruff and forming Hit Row in 2021 with Dolla, Ashante and B-Fab with the studio vignettes revealing everyone over a few weeks. PC crowd turns them face eventually. Swerve beats Reed for the NA Title in summer of 21 and Hit Row gets called up in Draft of 21 and Melo uses his Breakout contract like a MITB cash-in on Swerve to win the NA title in October of 21 and then they all get cut within a month. So Swerve had a cup of coffee in NXT 2.0 since that was fall of 21. It did seem like on the main roster they were building towards making Dolla the singles guy and Swerve/Ashate as the tag which was the opposite on from their NXT work. Not sure anyone had B-Fab being the one out the group to last the longest either. 1
dorfus malorfus Posted October 1 Posted October 1 If Jericho jumps and Cody and Punk are still there I gotta think that whenever Max's contract is up again it's time for him to jump, ankle tattoo or not. That's his three big career rivals all waiting for him to show up with a fresh coat of paint (although by the time his contract is up who knows what kind of shape Jericho and Punk will be in, if they'll even still be working...also I have no idea how familiar the average WWE fan even is with AEW storylines but they must at least know about the Punk feud, right?)
username Posted October 1 Posted October 1 FWIW since he was mentioned as a future "Mania main eventer" I still do want to see Austin Theory get out of WWE not because I'm a fan of his but it's clear the absurd overpush he received some years back has basically made it impossible for him to ever be taken seriously there again without some time away and... idk he's young enough that I'd be curious if he could sort of build himself back up a la a Drew McIntyre if given the chance. I'm not saying AEW has gotta sign him if he's available, let's not go crazy or anything, he just feels like a complete write-off now and I just wonder if he could restart somewhere if he could end up having something to offer. Anyways why I really came here was to post this bit I saw from Orange Cassidy mentioned on the Observer site: Quote I don’t see myself as a pillar or whatever. That’s like… I think MJF used that term pillar, and I don’t think he really understood what it meant. I don't know if he meant it as such but that's a tremendous low key burn. 1
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