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

[tubby]

I find it funny that when a wrestler leaves AEW for WWE for creative frustrations that makes them evil but when a wrestler leaves WWE for AEW for the same reason The AEW fans don't talk about that instead they say good on them for leaving that evil organisation.

The reason why AEW hasn't been the success it could of been is that the owner and fan base are obsessed with WWE when they should ignore WWE and try to make AEW the best possible company it can be.

I do think there's some truth in this, especially about ignoring WWE.  AEW was at its best when it wasn't trying to copy the sports entertainment aspects of WWE, but as soon as MJF got the belt and some creative control, he went on his awful WWE-style reign with all that rubbish from him and Cole, which just wasn't what people wanted from AEW.  WWE are brilliant at their version of wrestling, AEW shouldn't try and copy it at all because it's just not where their strengths lie.

[Wild Romany Boy]

I do think there's some truth in this, especially about ignoring WWE.  AEW was at its best when it wasn't trying to copy the sports entertainment aspects of WWE, but as soon as MJF got the belt and some creative control, he went on his awful WWE-style reign with all that rubbish from him and Cole, which just wasn't what people wanted from AEW.  WWE are brilliant at their version of wrestling, AEW shouldn't try and copy it at all because it's just not where their strengths lie.

An off point, but AEW have had very few good world title reigns.

I thought Jericho did a stellar job as the inaugural one (he went well down after though) and Moxley took it and ran with it. Omega's was a disappointment, Page's was lackluster after a great handover and then the belt got tied in to a fair bit of drama from Punk onwards for an extended period of time; Moxley steps in gamely over the period, but it doesn't really settle.

MJF's was a disappointment, but I feel that his booking got tied down rather than his effort. Joe, who wouldn't have been my first choice, has done a pretty good job in his chase and limited time with the belt of bigging it up again.

Swerve could well take it to another level entirely, and he has a few challengers waiting in the wings.

 

[tubby]

I do think they've had some really bad luck with injuries, and the Punk stuff really messed everything up.

Right decision for Joe to retain, Swerve needs to win the title one vs one when it happens.  They need to put it on Ospreay before the end of the year though.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

I've seen a few folks complaining about this move online, what's the problem with House of Torture (I don't really watch any New Japan these days)?

House of Torture is EVIL's bullet club faction. It is involved with all your standard bullshit tropes of major interference and stupid bullshit finishes. Basically any match with them is boring holding water shite until someone runs out to attack with a weapon, or a ref bump, or otherwise cheat.

They also engage outside the ring in sports entertainment bollocks like title stealing and a weird angle of deleting someone from the website.

The wrestlers in it are also largely middling at best - EVIL isn't a top guy, SHO is not great and has a worse look now, Yujiro Takahashi is BAD, Ren Narita has got awful with the gimmicky bullshit, Dick Togo moves like C3PO, and Kanrmaru is an old and largely ok but irrelevant guy.

They are ok maybe as a midcard act but they are going over to title challenges, and recently going over the young guys you would want to push with Okada leaving (big one being Shota Umino who really should be the next Ace of the company.

It is also 3 years old now, and just as bad back then as it is now

[tubby]

Ta, sounds pretty bad.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

I find it funny that when a wrestler leaves AEW for WWE for creative frustrations that makes them evil but when a wrestler leaves WWE for AEW for the same reason The AEW fans don't talk about that instead they say good on them for leaving that evil organisation

Thing is though, wrestlers have left for that and it's been mostly seen as sound. No one on either side has a bad word to say about Cody Rhodes or Jade Cargill or Shawn Spears or Lexis King (other than him being not very good mind, but no one begrudged him leaving).

When it comes to people like Andrade though, who went about it badly, or clearly didn't see themselves as on the level of that company, you have to say bit of a dick. Anyone willing to attack someone to get themselves out of a legal contract is a bit of a prick.

Or Miro having the old TNA RVD special of refusing to lose to anyone who wasn't also ex-wwe

Part of it as well is honestly if WWE let you go back then, you had a bit of a free pass because it was Vince and the whole toxic environment. If you then come out wanting to throw your weight around and get by on recognition the industry usually found out fast. I remember Emma/Tenille left and was asking like $5000 a single booking to do the bare minimum. There's been a few people who got let go and then in the future it is like "Oh no you were also a problem"

EC3 had that experience. I suspect Matt Riddle will get a bad rep pretty soon too

[Stockholm Syndrome]

The reason why AEW hasn't been the success it could of been is that the owner and fan base are obsessed with WWE when they should ignore WWE and try to make AEW the best possible company it can be.

Whenever there is a 2nd wrestling company that is a competitor to WWE no matter who it is they always seem to be obsessed with WWE and mention them all the time on their shows, for once I just wish there was a wrestling company that paid no attention to what WWE does and doesn't bloat their roster with every ex WWE man or women they can sign.

I do very much agree with this like. You don't get too much direct mention of WWE but some acts are either ex WWE or reference them. You also should not to WWE style, people who watch AEW don't want that.

It feels like in 2023 Tony and MJF read the whole comments from people on Twitter like "Oh there aren't any stories" "Oh too much wrestling is dull" etc, and tried to rectify that to the detriment of the show, just for the same people to make the same arguments because it is from people who didn't and wouldn't watch the show anyway - Twitter isn't real life my friends

December TV to present has been so much better because it is back to what made AEW good - it ain't all fixed but much improved.

They shouldn't be getting ex midcard WWE guys and I feel they should cut loose the likes of Black, Buddy, Hardy's, Miro, they are not adding anything.

Some guys like Mox and Danielson and Claudio or Reneé or FTR are so different to how they were in WWE, or are so good/recognizable at their jobs, you would want to keep them. Same goes for Mercedes who is probably the biggest female signing you can make, and has shown in Japan she is willing to go out and work.

You have people like Christian and Copeland too who are so ingrained in wrestling they almost subercede WWE in a sense, they go beyond the single company to be synonymous with wrestling in general (and bit like Sting). If they aren't wasting time like the Hardy's I think they are ok too.

But other than those which are legit stars for their division, they should focus on their own homegrown or non-wwe talent, and make their shows about AEW. Thankfully recently it appears they are doing exactly that.

I hope to God MJF either leaves for WWE or comes in knowing he has to fight for his place and not get back to that bullshit he brought in 2023 - he was awesome in the Danielson feud and match bring that shit instead

[Stockholm Syndrome]

An off point, but AEW have had very few good world title reigns.

I thought Jericho did a stellar job as the inaugural one (he went well down after though) and Moxley took it and ran with it. Omega's was a disappointment, Page's was lackluster after a great handover and then the belt got tied in to a fair bit of drama from Punk onwards for an extended period of time; Moxley steps in gamely over the period, but it doesn't really settle.

MJF's was a disappointment, but I feel that his booking got tied down rather than his effort. Joe, who wouldn't have been my first choice, has done a pretty good job in his chase and limited time with the belt of bigging it up again.

Swerve could well take it to another level entirely, and he has a few challengers waiting in the wings.

I agree largely except with Omega being a disappointment. I think his reign, feud with Mox, belt collector gimmick, feud with Christian, Danielson, and Hangman, was great stuff. I think his run was peak AEW honestly.

After that Hangman had a good run that fizzled out, and then a big mess after Punk with injuries, brawls, interim titles, etc. MJF was a bad reign with maybe the best match of any champ (Danielson ironman).

Joe is doing great, I hope Swerve and Ospreay and shortly probably Okada can too.

[Wild Romany Boy]

I agree largely except with Omega being a disappointment. I think his reign, feud with Mox, belt collector gimmick, feud with Christian, Danielson, and Hangman, was great stuff. I think his run was peak AEW honestly.

After that Hangman had a good run that fizzled out, and then a big mess after Punk with injuries, brawls, interim titles, etc. MJF was a bad reign with maybe the best match of any champ (Danielson ironman).

Joe is doing great, I hope Swerve and Ospreay and shortly probably Okada can too.

I believe ratings held steady with Omega in a way that others didn't, so it may be my own personal preferences aren't reflected by the AEW audience, but I thought it was a stinker. Started in a middling way, the matches with Mox I felt were mid (and their initial streetfight when Mox entered AEW was awesome) topped by the technical issue with the fireworks that somehow Kingston styled out, the Christian feud was a waste, there was that collaboration with Impact that went nowhere and a Hangman feud that ended awesomely but had issues being stop start because of the birth of Hangman's child (that was a booking error).

Danielson was the highlight. He came and instantly showed why he was the best they had. I'd watch them for ages.

To top it off, Omega had more mic time and he makes peak pre Tribal Chief Roman Reigns look like peak Ric Flair.

I think that the peak of AEW, for a sustained period, was when Mox had the belt and they were still an alternative. I think they lost their way under Omega, but he was so beaten down with injuries that I admire how tough the man must be to even get in the ring.

I think it's more cohesive now and the best is yet to come. And hope Omega makes a strong recovery because he very much has a part to play in that.

[tubby]

To top it off, Omega had more mic time and he makes peak pre Tribal Chief Roman Reigns look like peak Ric Flair.

Disagree.  The belt collector Kenny was great, he's an effective promo as a heel, even with that anime villain style of his.  However, he is an AWFUL face promo.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Disagree.  The belt collector Kenny was great, he's an effective promo as a heel, even with that anime villain style of his.  However, he is an AWFUL face promo.

He is a better face promo when he isn't in promo, which is the problem. His promo is so over the top it only really works with a heel. Him just talking normally and saying his story is decent as a face, but can never actually work in wrestling

[Vegeta]

They shouldn't be getting ex midcard WWE guys and I feel they should cut loose the likes of Black, Buddy, Hardy's, Miro, they are not adding anything.

It was signings like this that turned me away from watching AEW there is nothing wrong with signing ex WWE wrestlers but they have to be someone who's potentinal was wasted in WWE like a Swerve Strickland  or Toni Storm and not guys or girls who add nothing of value like Ruby Riot, Buddy Murphy, Rusev or Paige.

I got no problem with them having Sting, Christian, Edge or Joe on the show those guys are all time great  and will crush it any company they are in, if anything Christian has enhanced his legacy with his run in AEW and as a huge Christan fan this is probably my favourite run of his career along with his TNA run in the mid 00's

[Wild Romany Boy]

Disagree.  The belt collector Kenny was great, he's an effective promo as a heel, even with that anime villain style of his.  However, he is an AWFUL face promo.

Fair enough. But I have a friend who thinks he is the best of all time and it has soured me because I'd rate his look above his ring skills and promo.

But wrestling is great and should be cherished. I still have a blind spot for The Headbangerz!

[damomad]

It was signings like this that turned me away from watching AEW there is nothing wrong with signing ex WWE wrestlers but they have to be someone who's potentinal was wasted in WWE like a Swerve Strickland  or Toni Storm and not guys or girls who add nothing of value like Ruby Riot, Buddy Murphy, Rusev or Paige.

I got no problem with them having Sting, Christian, Edge or Joe on the show those guys are all time great  and will crush it any company they are in, if anything Christian has enhanced his legacy with his run in AEW and as a huge Christan fan this is probably my favourite run of his career along with his TNA run in the mid 00's

You would never see something like Ospreay/Takeshita in WWE, same with Darby Allin's style, which although isn't my cup of tea you don't see it anywhere else on TV. Or proper Lucha Libre. This is where AEW excels, bringing the best of ALL wrestling worldwide into one show. WWE has a more consistent (boring) style and is being held up by strong main event personalities and storylines.

AEW should stick to what it excels in and continue to offer an alternative to WWE. Taking WWE's midcarders and turning them into AEW midcarders is a complete waste of time, no one is tuning in to see what Buddy Murphy is up to these days. The ratings will be the same whether those guys are there or not.

Same goes for storylines, WWE seems to have smartened up a bit and there are less Bray Wyatt (RIP) or Undertake/Kane type nonsense in the show, and it's more based on reality to an extent. The attendances to shows would suggest that people are willing to pay money to see characters and more realistic storylines play out. And then they are willing to put up with the wrestling.

I think if AEW could continue to offer the alternative in style but really build up personalities (like Swerve) and more reality based storylines (not Russo era WWE crap) they'd be onto a winner.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

You would never see something like Ospreay/Takeshita in WWE, same with Darby Allin's style, which although isn't my cup of tea you don't see it anywhere else on TV. Or proper Lucha Libre. This is where AEW excels, bringing the best of ALL wrestling worldwide into one show. WWE has a more consistent (boring) style and is being held up by strong main event personalities and storylines.

AEW should stick to what it excels in and continue to offer an alternative to WWE. Taking WWE's midcarders and turning them into AEW midcarders is a complete waste of time, no one is tuning in to see what Buddy Murphy is up to these days. The ratings will be the same whether those guys are there or not.

Same goes for storylines, WWE seems to have smartened up a bit and there are less Bray Wyatt (RIP) or Undertake/Kane type nonsense in the show, and it's more based on reality to an extent. The attendances to shows would suggest that people are willing to pay money to see characters and more realistic storylines play out. And then they are willing to put up with the wrestling.

I think if AEW could continue to offer the alternative in style but really build up personalities (like Swerve) and more reality based storylines (not Russo era WWE crap) they'd be onto a winner.

The idea of "Sports based presentation" is all around this - you have stories based on "I want to prove I am better" "I want to take this opportunity as I am inexperienced, who knows if this comes again" , "I don't like this dude" and "I want titles"

They are still very much compelling stories, just not based on soap opera drama and more on competition and wanting success.

There is still of course room for the bullshit too, but AEW would be better if their core is based on competition and stories about the actual wrestling. Not stuff like a teenage style friendship triangle like MJF and Cole

[Samie]

Paul Heyman going into the WWE Hall Of Fame. It's been a fuckin' while, should've happened earlier.

[XabiArt]

I assume he's never been considered because he is still very active. But as its in Philly, he's gotta go in this year.


Have they announced who the main entrant is yet? Got to be a big one for WM40, maybe Triple H now he's retired?

[Barefoot Doctor]

I assume he's never been considered because he is still very active. But as its in Philly, he's gotta go in this year.


Have they announced who the main entrant is yet? Got to be a big one for WM40, maybe Triple H now he's retired?

I assumed they'd do Bray Wyatt.. or maybe too soon.

Is The Rock in the HoF yet? They might do him if not, build a bit of an angle into things ahead of Mania itself.

I don't think Batista is in yet, he'd be another good one.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

I felt that was a really great Dynamite with a few minor hiccups

Swerve being a true blue Babyface I think is perfect, AEW needs proper  top Babyfaces, and Swerve is really good at that. Him not dropping Joe is a great direction, Joe continues to be awesome. I wasn't a huge fan of Swerve being pushed out of his original date for a title match, but he should win it at Dynasty so that's cool, and I have no issues with Joe having more defenses.

I liked Hook/Cage as a garbage hardcore match, worked well and I think HOOK fighting through the pain of tacks to get the submission is a great finish. Really don't like Jericho sinking his claws in though.

Okada and the Bucks was something I was initially unsure on, but after thinking on it just a little bit it is actually perfect. They aren't portraying him as the Bucks friend, this is their superstar big money signing, he's THE GUY to these dickhead EVP's. I think cocky rich heel Okada is great, and especially good rather than him being a standard Babyface doing the known NJPW hits, he can be AEW's own man in this role.

Further to this it works so well with him going after Eddie - a beloved and established star, a working class hero, against a man who is in story a big money signing, a guy who makes money rain. Someone had the suggestion that he has to do a pre-recorded where he gets asked why he joined AEW and he just starts counting wads of money as a response.

Having these heel Young Bucks as his mouthpiece also really works while he is learning English, he has a promo outlet. Also of course it leads him directly on a collision course with Omega, who got so thoroughly dismissed by the Bucks (after trying to fight through his guts exploding).

This Twitter promo is a really good example of the dynamic I want this to develop as https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1765619103849476172?s=19

Kris/Riho was awesome, a really really great women's match. I feel that they are going to need more of this and establish more people with Mercedes coming, people should be lining up to fight her.

Darby and White I thought was a great segment which really set a good tone for both of them, and heats up that match next week

On of course Ospreay/Fletcher was fucking awesome. Ospreay is someone they have to cherish, get him wrestling every week he can against anyone he is fucking amazing. Still want to see how the relationship with Callis crumbles because Ospreay has to be your other top Babyface with Swerve, has to be.

A side note, but one thing I greatly appreciate now with AEW is building early. We have a number of big matches set for the next 2 weeks (Darby/White, Joe/Wardlow, Copeland/Christian in Toronto), and further to that, for the next PPV we already have a great idea that it will have Swerve/Joe, Okada/Kingston, Ospreay/Danielson. Already that's an insane card, and we have about a month an a half to build it even further.

So yeah a really good show for future direction, and an amazing few matches to finish

[Bread]

Paul Heyman going into the WWE Hall Of Fame. It's been a fuckin' while, should've happened earlier.

I do wonder who'll induct him. The obvious candidate is Punk but with it being in Philly, maybe they'll prefer someone with a stronger connection to ECW.

[Riquende]

I thought it was an excellent 'refresh' show let down by a few production issues - Justin's mic feed started late a couple of times and Fite cut the stream before the end of the main event and apparently Danielson appearing.

Lots of good story moments, loved Christian carjacking that jobber to escape Edge.

Similar thoughts on Jericho, sliding into something else with a young popular talent. Tends to drag things out and down.

[amir87]

I do wonder who'll induct him. The obvious candidate is Punk but with it being in Philly, maybe they'll prefer someone with a stronger connection to ECW.

The Tribal Chief will acknowledge him.

[Musketeer Gripweed]

I do wonder who'll induct him. The obvious candidate is Punk but with it being in Philly, maybe they'll prefer someone with a stronger connection to ECW.

Reckon it will be the Dudleys.

[Vegeta]

I thought Dynamite was very good last night I loved the way they debuted Okada and I think he's gonna be an incredible heel.

Revolution and last night's dynamite felt like the pre 2022/20223 days of AEW.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

I thought it was an excellent 'refresh' show let down by a few production issues - Justin's mic feed started late a couple of times and Fite cut the stream before the end of the main event and apparently Danielson appearing.

Lots of good story moments, loved Christian carjacking that jobber to escape Edge.

Similar thoughts on Jericho, sliding into something else with a young popular talent. Tends to drag things out and down.

Chris Jericho is a vampire of time and youth sadly

[paulrazor]

What was the appeal with Andre? Before my time but from what I saw on Youtube, he was slow in the ring and didn't speak English so couldn't cut a promo. Was it just the period of time he was wrestling in, that no-one had ever seen anyone as massive as him?

His size and his aura, he was more agile in late 70s and early 80s, by the late 80s and early 90s he could hardly move. Wrestlemania 6 he is a tag team champion but he never tags in to the match at any point.

The aura around him though was unreal, Wrestlemania 3 vs Hogan was a god awful shit match, but jesus 93000 or whatever was there are going wild the whole time, you have to lose yourself in the moment and look past the quality sometimes.

I would strongly recommend the ESPN series on him, you really see it from his view, how hard it was to fit on hotels and bathrooms etc, how people stared at him, the former referee Tim White was a very close friend of his, he said Andre used to say to him that he would love to trade places with someone like him, even for one day, would bring a tear to a glass eye

Almost had a RIP Darby Allin

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1764512682424569943?t=97agm1KX72pKjV0pIGlbrg&s=19

you think you have seen it all until you see that, I text it on to a mate, said I wouldnt do that for a million quid.

Paul Heyman going into the WWE Hall Of Fame. It's been a fuckin' while, should've happened earlier.

amen!

[Wild Romany Boy]

I felt that was a really great Dynamite with a few minor hiccups

Swerve being a true blue Babyface I think is perfect, AEW needs proper  top Babyfaces, and Swerve is really good at that. Him not dropping Joe is a great direction, Joe continues to be awesome. I wasn't a huge fan of Swerve being pushed out of his original date for a title match, but he should win it at Dynasty so that's cool, and I have no issues with Joe having more defenses.

I liked Hook/Cage as a garbage hardcore match, worked well and I think HOOK fighting through the pain of tacks to get the submission is a great finish. Really don't like Jericho sinking his claws in though.

Okada and the Bucks was something I was initially unsure on, but after thinking on it just a little bit it is actually perfect. They aren't portraying him as the Bucks friend, this is their superstar big money signing, he's THE GUY to these dickhead EVP's. I think cocky rich heel Okada is great, and especially good rather than him being a standard Babyface doing the known NJPW hits, he can be AEW's own man in this role.

Further to this it works so well with him going after Eddie - a beloved and established star, a working class hero, against a man who is in story a big money signing, a guy who makes money rain. Someone had the suggestion that he has to do a pre-recorded where he gets asked why he joined AEW and he just starts counting wads of money as a response.

Having these heel Young Bucks as his mouthpiece also really works while he is learning English, he has a promo outlet. Also of course it leads him directly on a collision course with Omega, who got so thoroughly dismissed by the Bucks (after trying to fight through his guts exploding).

This Twitter promo is a really good example of the dynamic I want this to develop as https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1765619103849476172?s=19

Kris/Riho was awesome, a really really great women's match. I feel that they are going to need more of this and establish more people with Mercedes coming, people should be lining up to fight her.

Darby and White I thought was a great segment which really set a good tone for both of them, and heats up that match next week

On of course Ospreay/Fletcher was fucking awesome. Ospreay is someone they have to cherish, get him wrestling every week he can against anyone he is fucking amazing. Still want to see how the relationship with Callis crumbles because Ospreay has to be your other top Babyface with Swerve, has to be.

A side note, but one thing I greatly appreciate now with AEW is building early. We have a number of big matches set for the next 2 weeks (Darby/White, Joe/Wardlow, Copeland/Christian in Toronto), and further to that, for the next PPV we already have a great idea that it will have Swerve/Joe, Okada/Kingston, Ospreay/Danielson. Already that's an insane card, and we have about a month an a half to build it even further.

So yeah a really good show for future direction, and an amazing few matches to finish

I thought it was the best one in a while. Still had that garbage match they didn't need to, but Hook is going to that needed next level now.

Okada instantly looks like a star, because he is, and The Bucks are doing career best character work (never been their speciality). Swerve is top notch and Ospreay, much as I would have preferred him in WWE, is box office.

Think the company is making good strides and is in a good place. Jericho needs to be phased out though.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

I thought it was the best one in a while. Still had that garbage match they didn't need to, but Hook is going to that needed next level now.

Okada instantly looks like a star, because he is, and The Bucks are doing career best character work (never been their speciality). Swerve is top notch and Ospreay, much as I would have preferred him in WWE, is box office.

Think the company is making good strides and is in a good place. Jericho needs to be phased out though.

Someone made the comment that with Guevara suspended, and Matt Hardy running out his deal perhaps, I wonder if it is a sign of Jericho's power and influence dropping - that his mates are now getting caught out

[Wild Romany Boy]

Someone made the comment that with Guevara suspended, and Matt Hardy running out his deal perhaps, I wonder if it is a sign of Jericho's power and influence dropping - that his mates are now getting caught out

They should probably keep him backstage. Jericho, like Triple H, is makes far better decisions behind the scenes than he does in front of them.

[Wild Romany Boy]

Heard reports that Okada is on about 4million dollars a year. They must be adding a bit to that because that's an insane figure.

[tubby]

Okada and the Bucks is a great fit, him coming in with the suit with a fan favourite like Kingston in the ring made it pretty clear what was going to happen, but it was still a good segment.

Loved seeing Swerve just solo those two Undisputed jobbers without breaking a sweat, it's not often AEW do stuff like that, and it Daddy Magic basically got squashed later on as well.  Think it's a good direction to go in, not every match needs the upper card talent taking 20 minutes to beat lower card guys, with both looking good.

Ospreay vs Kyle was as expected but it's a weird little dynamic with the Callis Family.  He's an uber heel, but Takeshita was honourable in defeat at the PPV and Fletcher didn't do anything iffy with Will either.  I like it, but at some point they need to start sewing some seeds.  I guess these matches are just to introduce Ospreay to American audiences.  Him vs Danielson is going to be insane.

[OsirisMVZ]

Heard reports that Okada is on about 4million dollars a year. They must be adding a bit to that because that's an insane figure.

He was 2m at some point during his New Japan run which made Naito publicly jealous.
AEW must be hoping this will open them into Japanese TV.

[Riquende]

AEW commentator Kevin Kelly has been mysteriously removed from the roster page this week. There was something odd last year that didn't get widely reported on, he was promoting that Sound of Freedom movie that was so beloved of the MAGA/Qanon lot, and some critical private comments from Ian Riccaboni were unearthed.

Someone apparently mentioned that to Kelly last weekend who went on a bit of a public ramble/rant saying he'd been "Left on the bench" amongst other things (bit weird to say when you're on TV each week, but he did used to be the main play by play guy and is now no. 2 to Schiavone). I know he has his fans but I won't be sad to see him go if that's what's happened, easily the worst regular commentator AEW uses and whenever Riccaboni has covered for him it's been a huge uplift (and he has more rapport with Nigel).

Dunno if it means Riccaboni gets the job, he apparently turned it down originally and recommended Kelly instead.

Bit of a mess but I suppose we'll get a hint this weekend if Kelly is still involved with Collsion.

[tubby]

I'm fine with this, Kelly has been awful on Collision.

[OsirisMVZ]

There's probably 10-12 useless guys they can get rid of at the end of March that can pay for big Kaz's paycheque

[Barefoot Doctor]

US Express going into the Hall of Fame, which is probably their way of doing a nod to Bray while still saving his full induction for another year.

So that's Heyman, Bull Nakano and US Express so far.

[paulrazor]

Be just Mike Rotundo there so, Barry Windham has been ill for quite some time

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Heard reports that Okada is on about 4million dollars a year. They must be adding a bit to that because that's an insane figure.

Hey Tony is restricted by PSR and Wage cap in Prem and NFL, so if he wants to be billy big bollocks billionaire he can do it in wrestling for comparatively peanuts.

It is sometimes easy to forget how stupidly rich he is because he is that awkward nerd who turns up to do announcements (loved Bucks parodying that btw  )

[Garrus]

That new entrance for The Rock is pretty spectacular.

[Wild Romany Boy]

Hey Tony is restricted by PSR and Wage cap in Prem and NFL, so if he wants to be billy big bollocks billionaire he can do it in wrestling for comparatively peanuts.

It is sometimes easy to forget how stupidly rich he is because he is that awkward nerd who turns up to do announcements (loved Bucks parodying that btw  )

On my one hand, I appreciate it that a billionaire is using, presumably, his inheritance to make his passion come to life, although billionairea shouldn't exist.

On the other hand, those of us who saw WCW and the contracts there have seen these errors before. But  as has been said, more than a few will move on when contracts expire.

But clearly, they are going to get more free agents than they lose out on at those levels of pay.