Topic: Wrestling Thread (AEW, NJPW, WWE, etc) (*)

[please, I have my reasons for it but...]

Seems like the Saudi Public Investment Fund is the frontrunner to buying WWE.

[Samie]

WrestleMania in the desert. 

Almiron v Grealish inside Hell in a Cell.   

[B0151?]

So the investigation into his behaviour and paying off women with company funds has gone away?

Already quietly got completed with no word on the findings a couple months ago , no doubt as a precursor to this https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/11/02/wwe-ends-investigation-into-alleged-misconduct-by-vince-mcmahon.html

[NightDancer]

That's not a sign the women's division has too few belts, it's a sign the men's division has too many.

It could be both.

My thinking is that the women's division needs tag titles. It would be a way to get straps onto people good enough to carry a belt but who are just outside the mix for the individual  titles.

If the women's division is truly to grow and get the attention it deserves then there has to be more reasons to have big bouts and big bouts that do not include Hayter, Baker, Cargill and Storm. Build some of the other names up and use the tag divisions to do so.

Build some women's tag teams up until they start getting seen as units rather than individuals thrown together and so that a singles bout with a tag team member is seen as a bit of a rarity like when you get one of FTR in a singles bout against a non tag team member.

[Sheer Magnetism]

Well, the problem with that is the AEW women's division doesn't have the depth of the WWE's yet. Would anyone really care either way at this point when most of the women's matches are mediocre to bad anyway?

But I would say a big issue with AEW is that it's too overstuffed in general. Four programmes and they're looking for a Ring of Honor TV deal too? There's a lot of chaff that could easily be cut out.

[tubby]

Rampage was really good this week and BotB was a fun show too.  Really enjoying AEW of late.

[NightDancer]

Well, the problem with that is the AEW women's division doesn't have the depth of the WWE's yet. Would anyone really care either way at this point when most of the women's matches are mediocre to bad anyway?

But I would say a big issue with AEW is that it's too overstuffed in general. Four programmes and they're looking for a Ring of Honor TV deal too? There's a lot of chaff that could easily be cut out.

The women's division needs more air time to develop though. You want to look good and polished on tv then you need more aired ring time to get used to camera angles, live crowds of size and what not.

Are some of the women in the division a bit clunky in the ring? Yes they are, but then again a hell of a lot of them do not have years and years of experience yet and are learning ( and improving in the case of most ) as they get ring time. There is only so much they can learn training behind the scenes.

The women's division could be bulked up very quickly if needs be. Teams like the Renegades could get more time, The Bunny and Penelope Ford could get more tag time. Anna Jay (despite me not rating her in the ring) and Tay Conti are practically a tag team through their runs and would be easy to sell as such. Nyla Rose and Marina Scharif are easy to buy into as a tag team.  Add in names like Diamante, Emi Sakura, Willow, Riho and Sky Blue to be teams to eat losses.

And that is without touching on the Killer and the Pillar ,  Shida, Storm, Rosa and the why is she there Saraya.

And if the likes of Sasha Banks and a few others arrive in 2023 then everyone cannot be going for one of the two belts.

Plus I left out  Jade in there as she needs to be left in the singles division, but could easily see her as part of a dominant tag team at some point.

Would also say that the depth of the WWE women's division is overated more than a bit. They rely on the same old names over and over and really build to nothing fresh there. The AEW division beats it in terms of personalities and women who are trying to do a lot with very little screen time.

[Riquende]

Add in names like Diamante

That's former womens tag tournament champion Diamanté if you please!

Wow this seems like such a long time ago....

[tubby]

I have zero recollection of that.

[Riquende]

It was Summer 2020 (you know, the early pandemic "throw whoever is available in there" time). I mostly remember people being worried the whole thing was a vehicle to get Brandi over as her and Allie ran all the way to the final, only to lose to Diamanté/Ivelisse, who would then wear their medals for a few months before Ivelisse fell out with Thunder Rosa and left.

Allie had already become the Bunny at that point, and then reverted back to team with Brandi in a "can we trust her" sort of dynamic. They also did the whole thing of her 'dating' QT Marshall before dumping him which led to the Bunkhouse match with QT & Dustin vs Butcher & Blade. Allie/Brandi never had a match themselves after the heel turn.

[Riquende]

I really enjoyed Rampage & Battle of the Belts this week (Jade's weird thing with Velvet aside). I know that overbooking can get a bit silly but I loved all the stuff at the end of the No Holds Barred tag match. I'm not sure Aubrey needed to make the save to prevent Sonjay Dutt making a 3 count, but it was great nontheless.

[NightDancer]

That's former womens tag tournament champion Diamanté if you please!

Wow this seems like such a long time ago....

Weird seeing The Bunny as she used to be. Totally forgot about her being Allie

[tubby]

Fair play to Jericho and his crew rocking up to PWG, he doesn't need to do that at all.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Wait wait, so the Bray Wyatt vs LA Knight is actually called a "Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match"

Like I think it was just a Pitch Black Match which sounds ridiculous, and it was a whole event sponsored by Mountain Dew, but no Mountain Dew is actually in the name of the match

The promo's are really playing into it too. And I mean fair play to LA Knight he knows how to do that product placement, but this serious spooky villain you just introduced, this scary monster, his first match back is a Mountain Dew match.

[gazzalfc]

Fair play to Jericho and his crew rocking up to PWG, he doesn't need to do that at all.

First time he's done the Indys since the 90's. I'm sure he got paid Jericho money for it but nice surprise for the audience.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

First time he's done the Indys since the 90's. I'm sure he got paid Jericho money for it but nice surprise for the audience.

Maybe, but iirc isn't PWG owned in part by the Bucks and Excalibur? I know he turned up but not exactly what he did, but it may have been just a show for his mates.

[tubby]

Maybe, but iirc isn't PWG owned in part by the Bucks and Excalibur? I know he turned up but not exactly what he did, but it may have been just a show for his mates.

Think they had a massive tag match to end the show.

[gazzalfc]

Think they had a massive tag match to end the show.

Yeah. 10 man tag. Match went 20 mins so I doubt he did much work but there is no way he did that without a payday

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Ready for another Yummy HHH return, because Bo Dallas is backstage at Raw tonight

[Barefoot Doctor]

Ready for another Yummy HHH return, because Bo Dallas is backstage at Raw tonight

He's been back for weeks, it seems - just under a mask.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

He's been back for weeks, it seems - just under a mask.

Yeah seems so. I genuinely thought Uncle Howdy was Cameron Grimes in the mask

[tubby]

It'll be Vince under the mask now.

[John_P]

It'll be Vince under the mask now.

[Riquende]

As fantastic a moment as that was to watch, as I recall only the week before they'd had the 'crucifixion' on the Undertaker sign and the higher power had gone right up to Austin and drawn his hood up a bit, with Austin's reaction showing he could see who it was.

So "It's me Austin" is a bit weird given he'd already showed Austin himself...

[tubby]

It's weird, it gave us an iconic moment with that reveal, but I remember loads of people at the time being disappointed it was Vince again.

[Tonyh8su]

It's weird, it gave us an iconic moment with that reveal, but I remember loads of people at the time being disappointed it was Vince again.

It's become iconic but it was massively, massively disappointing at the time. There were rumours of all sorts of people coming in as The Higher Power.

[I've been a good boy]

It's become iconic but it was massively, massively disappointing at the time. There were rumours of all sorts of people coming in as The Higher Power.

I only started properly watching wrestling a few months after this, who was it rumoured to be?

[Tonyh8su]

I only started properly watching wrestling a few months after this, who was it rumoured to be?

Bearing in mind it was 1999, Christopher Daniels was one of the names mentioned and Don Callis. But it was hotly anticipated it would be a jump from WCW or ECW. I actually think Daniels and Callis have both spoken about this, I'm sure it's out there.

Long time since I watched wrestling or commented in this thread but the 13 year old in me is still disappointed about this angle haha.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

https://twitter.com/MattBelloni/status/1612954574448627714?t=SRcyNaMkx1V2qLc4X56rDw&s=19

BIG WWE NEWS. Stephanie McMahon is OUT. Gave her resignation today, days after dad Vince returned.

Like everything with Vince never happened. Next HHH will be gone and Johnny Ace coming back

[Stockholm Syndrome]

https://twitter.com/SeanRossSapp/status/1612998018013224963?s=20&t=jlHzB9DWXYpvLA3h5Hmn6g

Hey guys, one of hot rumors is that Saudi buyers are interested in WWE.

I've gained no actual information thus far to indicate this is actually happening, outside of a few vague hinting messages from people outside WWE

WWE contacts claimed to not know what the hints were about.

WELP!!!

[please, I have my reasons for it but...]

https://twitter.com/smuehlhausenjr/status/1613014122517655552?s=46&t=VuHcSuf11UVQl9vsWE1N8w

Sources: #WWE has been sold to
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.  The company will go back to being private. Unknown if Vince McMahon will return to head of creative but it is expected by some people.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Damn, I just renewed my annual WWE Network subscription

[tubby]

At least now MJF will stop talking about WWE in his promos.

[damomad]

At least now MJF will stop talking about WWE in his promos.

I don’t think wrestlers would be any different from footballers, playing for the highest bidder, and in this case owners who have boundless piles of cash.

Penny for Sami Zayn’s thoughts.

[Barefoot Doctor]

Put Dan Burn in the Rumble.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

I don’t think wrestlers would be any different from footballers, playing for the highest bidder, and in this case owners who have boundless piles of cash.

Penny for Sami Zayn’s thoughts.

I am not sure Saudi Arabia would pay such big money and promote heavily such an overtly Jewish wrestler as MJF,  much like I feel Sami Zayn would be heavily de-emphisised.

[tubby]

It's hard to feel all that sorry for Sami, he was happy to sign a new contract for a company who got a big chunk of their money from the Saudis and told WWE he was banned from wrestling over there.

If I'm Tony Khan, I'm granting releases right now to every wrestler who has asked for one.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

It's hard to feel all that sorry for Sami, he was happy to sign a new contract for a company who got a big chunk of their money from the Saudis and told WWE he was banned from wrestling over there.

If I'm Tony Khan, I'm granting releases right now to every wrestler who has asked for one.

Maybe just Andrade, since the House of Black do seem to have reconciled with Tony.

What I would say is if I was William Regal, I would do a George Costanza and turn up to work at AEW and pretend like you never quit.

[courty61]

It's become iconic but it was massively, massively disappointing at the time. There were rumours of all sorts of people coming in as The Higher Power.

Bruce Prichard talked about it on his podcast too, think it wasn't thought through properly until it was too late

[The G in Gerrard]

Sold for how much?