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

[El Lobo]

Swagger has some potential but if that's the best surprise they can spring on their debut TV show then they're in real trouble.  And WWE throwing money at everyone even glancing at AEW is going to kill them within a couple of years.  Just cannot compete with that kind of cash unless they get Jurgen in charge and start working way smarter.

Think they’ll be alright, it’s not like they’ve got the daft owner of Fulha......oooohhh

[Something Worse]

Think they’ll be alright, it’s not like they’ve got the daft owner of Fulha......oooohhh

TBF he also owns the Jacksonville Jag...oh

[mgs88]

Seems like a WWE move, AEW is better than that.

Also I saw someone on twitter say Swagger joining AEW would change the landscape of pro wrestling, and I don't think he was joking.

Yeah I don't see what he brings to either promotions.

I honestly don't know where to start with that other bit. Wrestling fans are insane.

[tubby]

AEW will be on the ITV Hub at 7pm on Thursdays and then late night Friday and early morning Sunday on ITV4.

Sticking it on the hub that quickly is a good move but I can't see it getting that big an audience unless it really gets a buzz.

[ToneLa]

AEW will be on the ITV Hub at 7pm on Thursdays and then late night Friday and early morning Sunday on ITV4.

Sticking it on the hub that quickly is a good move but I can't see it getting that big an audience unless it really gets a buzz.

Dunno, the Friday slot might get some post-pub viewers and that will lead to word of mouth!

    Dynamite will now be available to view in the ITV Hub starting at 7 PM on Thursday night.
    A re-air will be on ITV4 at 11:20 PM Friday night.
    Another re-air will be on ITV4 at 8:20 AM Sunday morning.
    The one-hour highiight show will remain on Monday nights on the main ITV channel at 11:45 PM.

[gazzalfc]

More importantly it'll be available in the UK before NXT and it'll be post watershed so not watered down or censored

Time will tell with regards to the talent, but competition is the key

[rakey_lfc]

I actually enjoyed raw this week. I really like what they're doing with the Fiend (Bray Wyatt). The only way I think he can credibly lose to Rollins this weekend is if someone interferes to set up a new fued. Thinking maybe Balor as the Demon King would be pretty awesome, or even Braun.

Not seen much AEW if I'm honest, looking forward to it now its on ITV.

[Barefoot Doctor]

I actually enjoyed raw this week. I really like what they're doing with the Fiend (Bray Wyatt). The only way I think he can credibly lose to Rollins this weekend is if someone interferes to set up a new fued. Thinking maybe Balor as the Demon King would be pretty awesome, or even Braun.

Not seen much AEW if I'm honest, looking forward to it now its on ITV.

Undertaker will be back soon - he's being advertised for Crown Jewel. They probably want to do the Fiend vs the Deadman.

[Barefoot Doctor]

So Finn Balor is now on NXT and Ciampa is back. That seems quick, I thought the chat was he might have to retire.

[paulrazor]

Undertaker will be back soon - he's being advertised for Crown Jewel. They probably want to do the Fiend vs the Deadman.

Zimmer frame match?

[OsirisMVZ]

NXT got a 1.2m rating two weeks ago without any competition. Last night they got 0.89 and AEW got 1.4.





Meltz has said for a while that TNT were hoping for 500k-800k over the first 6 months and then the Dynamite show would continue past the original contract. It's time to break out the bubbly. Dynamite can lose half of its current viewership between now and Mania season and still be a success.

Their rating was better than Smackdown's last week (final week on USA Network, right?), they crushed NXT in 18-49 year olds, and NBA season is starting soon where there'll be co-advertisement on TNT. Massive massive W for the Elite boys and Khan.

[OsirisMVZ]

End of the day, 2.3m people tuned in to watch wrestling on a wednesday which was a non-existent slot a month ago. Good job all around. I'm off work tomorrow so will watch both shows then.

But that mythical group of lapsed wrestling fans that we all hoped would come back for a non-WWE product seems to be a myth no more.

[damomad]

It was a really fun show. Obviously you can’t really tell how well it’s going until a few months in, when new characters are established and the crowds start to average out.

I still feel they are lacking that one marque superstar though, someone on Brock’s level of notoriety. Maybe they should have thrown the cheque book at Conor McGregor for a few appearances. How deep are Tony Khan’s pockets? Would love to see salary comparisons between AEW and WWE.

[OsirisMVZ]

How deep are Tony Khan’s pockets? Would love to see salary comparisons between AEW and WWE.

Tony Khan's dad is worth 2.5 times what Vince is. Jericho's contract was so big it made WWE suddenly renegotiate tons of deals with their own roster. Karl Anderson just built a freaking mansion in Tampa after signing a new deal and he's a fuckin pre-show jobber in WWE. God knows what they offered Sasha Banks to re-sign as she would've been an enormous shot in the arm and legit star + coup for the AEW womens division.

We know Cody, Omega and Young Bucks are all on 7 figures each but what it is exactly could be anything. Kenny was rumoured to be on equal to Okada in NJPW ($2m base salary)

[Stockholm Syndrome]

NXT has a big problem. Wrestling is there but creatively it is a wasteland. People keep turning up on the show, but they are just seen as great wrestlers who are going to do the great match, which is similar to the great match you saw last week with the other great wrestlers.

I mean next week you have WALTER vs Kushida, which will be an awesome match, but what is at stake to make you want to watch. To top it off what even is their personality beyond the fact they are wrestlers? It's dull.

They put on a mini Takeover show that was heavily advertised, and they got destroyed by a pretty standard AEW show, although it did have the novelty of being first show. But it left enough for a fair few to say "yeah I will stick around".

On top of it, while NXT had Ciampa and Balor, got to remember that AEW still have Moxley's first television match up their sleeve, and he is arguably a bigger star than both Ciampa (who is big in the NXT bubble) and Balor (big star but not at the level as a member of The Shield) combined.

From expecting NXT to beat AEW because of cable, it's now an actual "war" and AEW seem better equipped to being a wrestling show.

[OsirisMVZ]

Incoming Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shane McMahon as co-GMs of NXT which will be doing live TV on tour away from Full Sail a month from now

[OsirisMVZ]

From expecting NXT to beat AEW because of cable, it's now an actual "war" and AEW seem better equipped to being a wrestling show.

The Elite have had their finger on the pulse for a couple of years now in terms of what is cool, what fans want (they're still learning what fans DON'T want but they're still ahead of WWE there), what people will pay for, wait for, etc.

[Something Worse]

Comical Ali rampaging through the thread with myths and nonsense again, you love to see it.

Firstly that AEW number is great and a huge success. It's also the first week and without context could prove meaningless. If 1.4m is the start they're going to be a success. If it's roughly the same going forward, they've got a TNA-esque hardcore fanbase that probably means there won't be a "war" but does mean they'll survive for ten+ years. If that's the peak, they'll probably be fine and can be happy trading wins with NXT until the money runs out.

Bringing things back down to reality:

Raw's first hour had 2.7m viewers on Monday (2.4m third hour), so less people watched AEW/NXT combined than Raw. The "mythical no more WCW audience" is, in fact, still a huge myth and didn't show up for either show.

Tony Khan's dad isn't putting his entire fortune into AEW, nor is his putting anywhere near as much money into it as Vince would if it came down to it. That nonsense is what led to the EVERTON HAVE 1.3BN pic. Also worth noting that the Khans are huge failures when it comes to sports (much like Vince) and expecting the Fulham/Jacksonville owners to suddenly become extremely competent at a new venture is wishful thinking at best.

NXT is fine. That number will be a disappointment obviously but it's still a decent number for USA and they'll be expecting to make up some ground toward that 1.2m number as people lose interest in AEW.

So what does it all mean? Hard to predict anything based on one show (despite the entire internet doing just that), we'd need at least a month or two before anything starts to take shape. Pure guess: AEW drops a little bit next week and the week after and settles around 1.1 million consistently. They'd take that in a heartbeat and I think it's very achievable.

[stevieG786]

WWE congratulate AEW

Via PWInsider:

WWE sent us the following:

“Congratulations to AEW on a successful premiere. The real winners of last night's head-to-head telecasts of NXT on USA Network and AEW on TNT are the fans, who can expect Wednesday nights to be a competitive and wild ride as this is a marathon, not a one-night sprint.”

[stevieG786]

NXT was good. But it was a glorified takeover, and it still lost, that’s gotta hurt

AEW was a great show, really looking forward to this war, AEW is the real deal.

[Sheer Magnetism]

AEW doesn't scare them. WWE have had plenty of organisations come after them and they've buried them all.

[tubby]

Solid start for AEW, that first episode felt like a mid-late 90s Nitro with that chaotic final match.  NXT looks a little stale in comparison and I think that's mainly because they ran in a much smaller arena, but like Claus said I reckon AEW will drop a few viewers over the next month or so and then level out.

Really glad they didn't put those Dark Order guys on the show because their look is awful.

[gazzalfc]

Jon Moxley apparently still getting health insurance through WWE and Renee

Oh and if you want to see what happens when a WWE guy leaves the wellness policy. Here is a picture of Adam rose

https://i.imgur.com/dAJn5hQ.png

And

[WON]: "While it is not confirmed that Edge will wrestle again, the idea of him wrestling again has definitely been talked about very privately."

[El Lobo]

Oh god no please leave him retired

[tubby]

Eugh, no time for Edge when he was actually physically capable, even less desire to see him wrestle now.

[Something Worse]

I always like the idea of guys retiring on their own terms, sucked that Edge had to just walk out and leave the belt and go.

But I especially don't like the idea of someone with a matchstick for a neck having a match again, so I'd rather he didn't.

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

The best thing about AEW, is that it showed how insecure the WWE hardcore fans are.

I have a friend who kept shitting on AEW during the entire broadcast even though he was watching NXT, not a beep from him after the ratings popped up.

[gazzalfc]

But I especially don't like the idea of someone with a matchstick for a neck having a match again, so I'd rather he didn't.

Said the same with Kurt Angle and I'll say the same with Steve Austin (who has also stated on the record that he'd like one more match). I would also say Daniel Bryan should be included here as well.

I would say that WWE have done so much for all those guys in their recovery and that should be respected. Edge went on to do a lot of acting work and gave him a network show a while ago with Christian. Steve has made multiple shows and film appearances. Only Angle and Bryan were stubborn enough to attempt recovery.

If it was for some stupid appearance at Crown Jewel for a stupid amount of money and they have been medically cleared to take small bumps then fair enough. But not a full in ring return

[Something Worse]

The best thing about AEW, is that it showed how insecure the WWE hardcore fans are.

I have a friend who kept shitting on AEW during the entire broadcast even though he was watching NXT, not a beep from him after the ratings popped up.

You need to get out more, I have zero real world wrestling fan friends and my life is all the better for it.

Said the same with Kurt Angle and I'll say the same with Steve Austin (who has also stated on the record that he'd like one more match). I would also say Daniel Bryan should be included here as well.

I would say that WWE have done so much for all those guys in their recovery and that should be respected. Edge went on to do a lot of acting work and gave him a network show a while ago with Christian. Steve has made multiple shows and film appearances. Only Angle and Bryan were stubborn enough to attempt recovery.

If it was for some stupid appearance at Crown Jewel for a stupid amount of money and they have been medically cleared to take small bumps then fair enough. But not a full in ring return

Agreed, I still find Bryan matches hard to watch and Angle has definitely traded quality of life for shitty bumps in front of 900 Florida inbreds

[Something Worse]

I keep saying how ratings have changed to the point where the numbers in a vacuum aren't super relevant - AEW's first show was the most-watched non-WWE show since an episode of TNA Impact in 2014. And it's a great number, not even remotely suggesting otherwise, but if you'd said "about as successful as post-peak TNA" I'm pretty sure most people would be mad. That's how severely ratings have changed in the last 5 years.

[I've been a good boy]

Cain Valasquez and Tyson Fury on a WWE show, what's going on? Next we'll be seeing Vince McMahon vs Dana White vs Eddie Hearn in a triple threat.

[Something Worse]

4 million viewers for Smackdown. It'll drop a bit next week week but it's unquestionably the A show right now for WWE.

[stevieG786]

They advertised The Rock, it was always going to do huge numbers.

The Smackdown set is beautiful, much better then the RAW set.

I enjoyed the opening segment with Rock, Becky and Corbin.

Austin and Taker not showing up after being advertised was some BS
Flair Hogan, Angle and Goldberg were also advertised, they got shown in their seats in attendance lol

I don’t like Kofi, hated his reign, but losing to Lesnar in 10 seconds is bullshit, I actually felt bad for Kofi

Not really interested in Cain vs Lesnar.

Overall though Smackdown was a good show.

[Something Worse]

They didn't drop much after Rock left, to be fair.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Jeff Hardy arrested for DWI again

[Tonyh8su]

They advertised The Rock, it was always going to do huge numbers.

The Smackdown set is beautiful, much better then the RAW set.

I enjoyed the opening segment with Rock, Becky and Corbin.

Austin and Taker not showing up after being advertised was some BS
Flair Hogan, Angle and Goldberg were also advertised, they got shown in their seats in attendance lol

I don’t like Kofi, hated his reign, but losing to Lesnar in 10 seconds is bullshit, I actually felt bad for Kofi

Not really interested in Cain vs Lesnar.

Overall though Smackdown was a good show.

It was the first WWE TV show I've watched in full in about 3 years. Just find them so hard to sit through and Michael Cole's voice grates me, I can't listen to him.

However, I have to say, I was entertained the whole way through. Found The Rock/Becky/Corbin segment to be one of the worse things though. Thought it was forced and the "STD" thing was lame as hell. Becky was overshadowed a bit BUT always great to see the Rock, he's one of the most charismatic men to have ever lived, fact.

KO and Shane was mental, why on earth Shane feels he needs to take mental bumps like that is beyond me but I respect the hell out of him for it.

I must be one of the rare people who enjoyed the Brock/Kofi thing. Kofi's moment of winning the belt was a really nice one but he looked like a fan wearing the belt, it was even too big for his waist. And the idea that he got "caught" by diving right at Brock could well be developed and would actually protect him in a loss, even if his next programme was moving on to someone "mocking" him for getting beat so fast. Obviously it's WWE and that won't happen but still.

I also loved the Cain thing, wasn't expecting it, it was a surprise and it's what WWE's been missing all these years. I actually found myself thinking as Brock made his entrance, "man if this was a bit title main event back in the day we'd all know some big surprise is coming at the end but it'll just be Brock pinning Kofi clean and the show will fade out with Brock holding the belt", so glad to have been wrong.

[OsirisMVZ]

Jeff Hardy arrested for DWI again

Name a better duo

[tubby]

Cain Valasquez has a terrible look, really bad.  Wouldn't be out of place in the oddities.

But... he can actually sort of wrestle already?  Saw his debut tag match and he's pretty agile and moves well for his size.  Runs the ropes like a pussy but that'll come with time.  Is he just going to be a one-off or is this what he's moving into permanently now?

[OsirisMVZ]

Too old for top tier MMA now so worked fights will be his thing.

In AAA he had a mask and was during Hurricanranas, can't see him being that type of performer in WWE when they badly need someone to take over Brock's "shooter" spot soon.

[Something Worse]

Is Brock retiring?