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

[Stockholm Syndrome]

I think the big Aussie is due back anytime now, so might get a little program of United Empire vs Hobbs, Takeshita and Sammy.  Unless Sammy is in the doghouse again after what happened on Rampage.

Yeah Mark Davis is due back soon.

I love that dude - back when Covid first hit he did a podcast with a bunch of UK based wrestlers (Fletcher, Chris Brookes, and Kid Lykos) where half the time he was out of his mind on Magic Mushrooms, talked about stupid ways he injured himself (like package pile driving himself before his then biggest show ever), how wrestlers love the first match as they get to finish early, and how everyone is fucking terrified of taking dives from Fletcher because he is fucking massive and puts his whole fucking body into it when he does outside dives.

[tubby]

I like both the Aussies but feel a bit bad for Davis because he surely knows that Fletcher is the breakout star - way younger, better moveset, more inherent charisma, less injuries, etc.  I hope they stick together for the time being, they're a really good tag combo, but it's only a matter of time with Fletcher.

[Garrus]

Rock coming out in a tacky $500 top and cutting a heel promo. Didn't expect that in 2024. That was fun.

[Malaysian Kopite]

Have there been any replacements for watchwrestling.ai?

[The G in Gerrard]

Cody Rhodes is BORING.

[Wild Romany Boy]

The Rock can't play himself in movies interestingly anymore, he's gotten that complacent.

But you give him a microphone and a wrestling ring and some heel schtick, it's magic still. He could be a WWE president Jack Tunney sorr of character going forward, but I'm enjoying this now. Bloodline is exciting to me for the first time since Jey left.

[amir87]

The Rock “shut your mouth fatty before I slap the herpes off your lips!”

Samie “no, no, no, still not a heel”

[I've been a good boy]

That was like a mix between 2003 Hollywood Rock and 1999 People's Champion Rock. Can't wait for Mania, the turn is coming.

[stevieG786]

I marked for th trailer trash park line. He hasn’t said that since 1999

He definitely needs to change his theme song though, the crowed last night sucked. They didn’t want to boo him

[Riquende]

Over on the other side, happy to see Queen Aminata finally get a TV win. They mentioned mid match that she's had the most in-ring minutes in 2024 (womens roster) and have been hyping a sit down interview with Paquette, but otherwise have pretty much had her on a 'loser's tour' of AEW with defeats to Deeb, Shida, Toni, Statlander & Willow.

Rampage not only had her match but separate segments with both the Saraya/Ruby thing and also Toni Storm talking about Purazzo. Lots of moving parts in the division at the moment and we're a month out from the whole thing getting upended by Mone's arrival.

Just a reminder there's no Collision this weekend because of some other sport that apparently people like.

[TipTopKop]

Rock coming out in a tacky $500 top and cutting a heel promo. Didn't expect that in 2024. That was fun.

It was more than that. It was hillarious...   I saw clips and thought yep, THAT's the sort of thing that had people tuning in week after week

[Barefoot Doctor]

Saw some clips on Twitter showing Rock pointing at Roman while ostensibly talking about Cody and saying ‘he’ll make sure he leaves Wrestlemania a loser’.

Looked pretty intentional, so maybe it’s a short lived heel turn and he’ll reveal he’s been in cahoots with Cody. My preference would be that he just goes full villain and doesn’t help Roman so that he can take over the Bloodline. Think the latter would be more interesting.

[Samie]

The Rock “shut your mouth fatty before I slap the herpes off your lips!”

Samie “no, no, no, still not a heel”

Not a heel in my book Amir. More tweener like. 

[amir87]

Not a heel in my book Amir. More tweener like. 

A bit like you on here then. One post you say something adorable then next call someone a motherfucker.

[The G in Gerrard]

A bit like you on here then. One post you say something adorable then next call someone a motherfucker.

It was more than that. It was hillarious...   I saw clips and thought yep, THAT's the sort of thing that had people tuning in week after week

Agreed. As someone who doesn't watch wrestling weekly. This was well worth watching. Showed up rest of the roster (in the main).

[The G in Gerrard]

WWE coming to O2 arena 19th April. Worth going? Thinking of taking a family member.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

WWE coming to O2 arena 19th April. Worth going? Thinking of taking a family member.

If you're into it, for all its faults, they do know how to put on a good show.

[The G in Gerrard]

If you're into it, for all its faults, they do know how to put on a good show.

Cheers. Seat prices range from £55/56 that is far from the stage and £76 for nearer ones. Will have a look.

[amir87]

WWE coming to O2 arena 19th April. Worth going? Thinking of taking a family member.

Go for it my brother.

[The G in Gerrard]

Go for it my brother.

[Wild Romany Boy]

Think if you have the dosh, it's best to go. I can't believe the number of things I have missed out on when I did have money to go, and now, when going is an extravagance, I am able to go less than I might like.

I say go, go go.

[LiamG]

Saw some clips on Twitter showing Rock pointing at Roman while ostensibly talking about Cody and saying ‘he’ll make sure he leaves Wrestlemania a loser’.

Looked pretty intentional, so maybe it’s a short lived heel turn and he’ll reveal he’s been in cahoots with Cody. My preference would be that he just goes full villain and doesn’t help Roman so that he can take over the Bloodline. Think the latter would be more interesting.

i seen that, and when he was calling the crowd self entitled cry baby bitches, he was looking directly at the Bloodline, also at the end he stuck an L in the air with his fingers rather than just one finger like all the bloodline were

[I've been a good boy]

Yep said it since the beginning that it's looking like the plan. Someone also pointed at that the handshake between Rock and Cody was actually an agreement to screw over Roman, so I just hope the writers don't screw it up because it has the makings of a Hollywood movie.

[Barefoot Doctor]

Cody taking a pin for only the second time since he returned to WWE. Both involved Solo Sikoa screwing him.

[amir87]

All set up for Drew to win Elimination Chamber and probably the title Wrestlemania.

[Barefoot Doctor]

All set up for Drew to win Elimination Chamber and probably the title Wrestlemania.

Yep. And they’re obviously doing Jey vs Jimmy at Mania based on last night.

I’d guess Sami ends up being Gunther’s Mania opponent.

[gazzalfc]

I'm guessing Drew signed a new contract before getting into it

Rollins must be due soon as well? I'm guessing he'll take some time off after dropping to Drew to recover.

[Vegeta]

WWE have been great of late, the road to WrestleMania is gonna be epic

[Wild Romany Boy]

A bad Wrestlemania is still Wrestlemania. It is much like a rib meal.

This one has a lot of promise.

[I've been a good boy]

Some of the recent Wrestemanias have been truly shite. Can honestly say I can't even recall Mania 34, 35 and 37. Nothing memorable happened in any of them.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Someone just threw up a stat for Orange Cassidy but over his two International Title reigns (a combined 459 days) he has defended the title 42 times - on average a title defence every 11 days.

Not only that but near enough every defence has been excellent and really raised the profile of the title

Orange Cassidy may be the most underrated worker in the world right now, even though it is accepted he is great - for consistency, talent, and pure hard work, he is legit one of the best in the world right now

[tubby]

Yeah can't really argue with that, he's turned that belt into the workhorse title.

[Wild Romany Boy]

Someone just threw up a stat for Orange Cassidy but over his two International Title reigns (a combined 459 days) he has defended the title 42 times - on average a title defence every 11 days.

Not only that but near enough every defence has been excellent and really raised the profile of the title

Orange Cassidy may be the most underrated worker in the world right now, even though it is accepted he is great - for consistency, talent, and pure hard work, he is legit one of the best in the world right now

He's probably not your main event man in the medium term, but he's a guy you stick in to that mid card and can go. Those are actually quite rare these days because his consistency is insane.

A guy like Gunther, he's probably an example of someone who has made a mid card title his ticket to the main event (I think he might legit be the best package in wrestling atm) but Cassidy is offering a little more of what AEW need, and that's a consistent presence in the mid card.

I don't want to see him trading canadian destroyers again, but, by and large, his matches have been a fair cut above. I do think that people recognise that though, AEW hardcore fans especially.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

He's probably not your main event man in the medium term, but he's a guy you stick in to that mid card and can go. Those are actually quite rare these days because his consistency is insane.

A guy like Gunther, he's probably an example of someone who has made a mid card title his ticket to the main event (I think he might legit be the best package in wrestling atm) but Cassidy is offering a little more of what AEW need, and that's a consistent presence in the mid card.

I don't want to see him trading canadian destroyers again, but, by and large, his matches have been a fair cut above. I do think that people recognise that though, AEW hardcore fans especially.

Agreed. I wouldn't mind him having a short top title run, I think he is good for the big Babyface title win followed by the crushing heel defeat a month or 2 later.

But he is absolutely your workhorse. Your guy who you can depend on to pull something out when you got a gap

He is your modern day Arn Anderson or Ricky Steamboat in terms of being your steady but brilliant workhorse

[Wild Romany Boy]

Agreed. I wouldn't mind him having a short top title run, I think he is good for the big Babyface title win followed by the crushing heel defeat a month or 2 later.

But he is absolutely your workhorse. Your guy who you can depend on to pull something out when you got a gap

He is your modern day Arn Anderson or Ricky Steamboat in terms of being your steady but brilliant workhorse

to be honest, I think there is a bit of difference between Arn Anderson and Ricky Steamboat. Arn was a great tag guy, great singles enforcer, but he's probably not gonna grasp the title.

Steamboat is a level above that. You can see him with the world title (he did win it) but he's, as you described there, a short term champion when used best. I think Cassidy's level is above Anderson, I don't think he's reaching Steamboat, but he might. And that's exciting.

I think only one performer in AEW and maybe even WWE is on Steamboat's level across their career, and that's Bryan Danielson. There are a few knocking around there but I genuinely think Steamboat is in elite conversations in-ring.

[Riquende]

Don't forget Cassidy was in that triple threat match with Pac for the main title when Omega was champion, and not only was it excellent all round but as the Face he was the obligatory whisker away from winning before shenanigans ensued.

And in the near-3 years since he's only proved himself further. I wouldn't be pining for long or multiple OC reigns, but if you're going to pinball the title around a little bit more than usual then he's in the conversation to have his name on the list.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Sounds like AEW are getting staging which is a better fit for smaller arenas.

A good thing I say, if you can't fill out massive stadiums get small intimate ones. The return show to Daily Place was great AND a great crowd cause it was full and hot.

The guy who did touring left and the new guys dates are starting from March, hopefully a sign of recognizing mistakes from 2023. Booking wise they very much have, so hopefully they are in promoting and touring too.

If you aren't going to focus on touring you may as well stick to Daily's place all shows other than PPV's and special shows (like Grand Slam)

[OsirisMVZ]

Some of the recent Wrestemanias have been truly shite. Can honestly say I can't even recall Mania 34, 35 and 37. Nothing memorable happened in any of them.

I still haven't found the time to watch it but supposedly Night 1 of 2023 Mania is GOATed

[Barefoot Doctor]

Some of the recent Wrestemanias have been truly shite. Can honestly say I can't even recall Mania 34, 35 and 37. Nothing memorable happened in any of them.

Triple H and Steph versus Kurt and Ronda at Mania 34 is a genuinely brilliant bit of sports entertainment. Also had Daniel Bryan’s first match back from retirement and two very good title matches in Charlotte/Asuka and Rollins’/Miz/Balor.

35 is pretty rubbish in retrospect but did have Kofi getting the big title win over Bryan which is a great moment. And the first ever women’s main event with Becky - the hottest act in the company - going over. But that one suffered from a weak ending with Becky winning via a controversial roll up.

[OsirisMVZ]

35 is pretty rubbish in retrospect but did have Kofi getting the big title win over Bryan which is a great moment. And the first ever women’s main event with Becky - the hottest act in the company - going over. But that one suffered from a weak ending with Becky winning via a controversial roll up.

This is the one I went to and I had a great time. I think the finish in the main event was rushed because within 5 mins of Becky leaving the entrance ramp celebrating, the heavens opened and the whole city got drenched. Luckily we'd already made it into a taxi!