May 24, 2022 13:32:48 GMT X-zero said:

A lot of the show built around you watch all wrestling to a fault a lot of the times. Hey is that the Butcher and the Blade. Who?

Absolutely - I remember in one of the early AEW shows, there was an exchange on commentary like this:

JR - "So who is this guy, Excalibur?"

Excalibur - "He's Luther!"

JR - "Yeah, but...who is he?!"

Excalibur - "He's...Luther!"

They could have taken literally a minute out of the show to play a quick promo video giving some info about who the hell this creepy bald guy is (just cut a few seconds off Jericho's soliloquy), but they just assumed everyone knew who he was.

No one knew. Even indy wrestling expert Excalibur didn't know (or care) enough to give some background.

(Then of course, he got put in an absolutely rotten stable everyone hated)

Welcome back @aaron ! Great to have a new perspective, especially when it's so eloquently written. I don't think all of your problems are problems, but that comes down to subjective taste in wrestling!

May 24, 2022 18:09:45 GMT @aaron said:

There have always been too many stables. How is The Pinnacle different to The Inner Circle? What's the difference between Best Friends and Dark Order? It feels like everyone has to be in some kind of gang, even if the members have nothing at all in common (the HFO was one of the weirdest collections of people ever)

I understand the rationale completely: gives a reason for multi-man matches to happen instead of them being thrown together, also gives younger wrestlers a chance to work with veterans and sit under the learning tree. But I agree that some of these stables aren't very well thought our or compelling. At first The Pinnacle was a decent idea: MJF's answer to the Inner Circle when he feuded with Jericho. It was thrown together at the time, and future booking has confirmed that. Although MJF and Spears have always been best buddies, FTR felt like they were just going along for the ride and now is there even a Pinnacle?

May 24, 2022 18:09:45 GMT @aaron said:

On top of that, way too many people have got a manager/coach/mentor/assistant/agent/whatever. It feels like an episode of Pokemon with trainers sending wrestlers out to battle each other.

This I certainly don't mind. I disliked WWE's decision to get rid of all but one or two managers. I like AEW's decision to have a lot of managers. Most of them are pretty good, they add some variety and colour to the show. Mark Sterling is great. Regal is not as great as he used to be but still a very welcome presence. I'm actually struggling to think of other managers. Are there really that many?

The only one I can think of, the the only manager I dislike is the dude who manages Lucha Brothers. I don't even know his name. He just appeared out of nowhere, being annoying, and spent two months dressed like a vampire for some reason.

May 24, 2022 18:09:45 GMT @aaron said:

The whole "Forbidden Door" thing (the concept, not the PPV) just does nothing for me. I don't watch Japanese wrestling. I don't know anything about AAA. I watch a bit of Impact once every few months, then immediately realise why it's been a few months.

I honestly haven't got the time (or desire) to keep up with a load more different wrestling companies. No disrespect to anyone who watches them all - it's cool. I know it probably makes me not a "real wrestling fan", but I don't care.

So when a match on an AEW show is for the AAA tag titles, I couldn't care less. I'm not interested in the ROH women's champion when the actual AEW women's champ is virtually invisible. I'm sure it's a dream match for a lot of people when some random NJPW wrestler shows up, but I haven't got a clue who they are (and AEW just expects I should automatically know and be excited).

Sometimes it feels like I'm reading a huge comic book crossover event like Civil War on Infinite Earths or something. AEW has a massive roster, so stop giving TV time to people who don't even work there!

I'm not sure if you dislike the concept of a "pro wrestling crossover universe", or whether you're against it because you feel you have to watch all these other companies to understand. You really don't.

Nobody's saying it's a requirement for you to keep up with Impact, ROH, AAA, and NJPW to enjoy the Forbidden Door content. I'm a massive NJPW fan, but I've never watched Impact and was still excited for some of the crossover content, such as when Christian Cage went to Impact to fight Kenny for the Impact belt. I'm enjoying some of the ROH content too.

Honestly I think it's really exciting that all the biggest wrestling promotions except WWE are coming together. Joint shows help both companies by exposing fans of one company to the best wrestlers of the other company, growing pro-wrestling as a whole. As far as NJPW is concerned, the appearances so far have been pretty weak, and essentially boil down to NJPW sending their job guys (admittedly, job guys who have a cult following in the West) to lose to AEW midcarders. I'd like to see the best of NJPW and the best of AEW collide. Hopefully that will happen at the Forbidden Door show. We've already had a sneak preview at the recent NJPW USA shows, which you probably didn't see, but they were fantastic.

Of course this means a lot to me because I've been watching NJPW since 2015, but when confronted with wrestlers you don't know, isn't it better to be optimistic, a "show me what you got?" kinda attitude, instead of automatically dismissing them because you don't know them? Even if you don't give a flying fuck about NJPW or any other company, which is absolutely fine, maybe you can support your favourite AEW guys as they battle these unknown scumbags. And hey, maybe you might like watching these unknown scumbags.

But even if you don't enjoy any of it, so what? AEW programming is still at least 75% pure AEW. You can skip the stuff that you don't like, like when I skip most of what the Undisputed Elite do.

Speaking of underused wrestlers:

reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/uwuo08/is_sonny_kiss_joining_the_baddie_section_photo/

Sonny Kiss might be joining The Baddies. I hope this is legit.

Blindy

The 'forbidden door' concept at the very least strengthens the industry, particularly at that level.

If you use the " AEW has too many stables " as an analogy - it puts weight behind the lesser established or lesser, maybe supported or exposed brands. Purely by association.

And that's a good thing.

The only problem with it, it is purely a gimmick unless really utilised, ie; a crossover.

May 24, 2022 18:44:35 GMT Emperor said:

Welcome back @aaron ! Great to have a new perspective, especially when it's so eloquently written. I don't think all of your problems are problems, but that comes down to subjective taste in wrestling!

May 24, 2022 18:09:45 GMT @aaron said:

There have always been too many stables. How is The Pinnacle different to The Inner Circle? What's the difference between Best Friends and Dark Order? It feels like everyone has to be in some kind of gang, even if the members have nothing at all in common (the HFO was one of the weirdest collections of people ever)

I understand the rationale completely: gives a reason for multi-man matches to happen instead of them being thrown together, also gives younger wrestlers a chance to work with veterans and sit under the learning tree. But I agree that some of these stables aren't very well thought our or compelling. At first The Pinnacle was a decent idea: MJF's answer to the Inner Circle when he feuded with Jericho. It was thrown together at the time, and future booking has confirmed that. Although MJF and Spears have always been best buddies, FTR felt like they were just going along for the ride and now is there even a Pinnacle?

That was one of the few stables I thought made sense coming together without prior knowledge of any other show. MJF and Spears use to make random bets in a sky box. Wardlow was with MJF. Tully managed both Spears and FTR. Inner Circle and Kingston's family (Butcher, Blade, himself, Penta, and Fenix)and HFO/AHFO/AFO made no sense.

May 24, 2022 18:53:35 GMT RT said:

Speaking of underused wrestlers:

reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/uwuo08/is_sonny_kiss_joining_the_baddie_section_photo/

Sonny Kiss might be joining The Baddies. I hope this is legit.

Blindy

Well a slightly better chance of not being released

May 24, 2022 18:53:35 GMT RT said:

Speaking of underused wrestlers:

reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/uwuo08/is_sonny_kiss_joining_the_baddie_section_photo/

Sonny Kiss might be joining The Baddies. I hope this is legit.

Blindy

Man this is a fucking killer faction. I just can't see Sonny as a heel, she's got mega underdog babyface written all over it. But this shows Kiss is valued in AEW, as she should be. Too much raw athletism for her own good, has appeal to the LGBTQ+ community and is entertaining as shit. 

I thought AEW was ready to let Sonny's contract expire, seems someone smartened up. Must have been Dustin Rhodes, he sees money in Kiss. 

May 25, 2022 1:41:39 GMT Blindy said:

May 24, 2022 18:53:35 GMT RT said:

Speaking of underused wrestlers:

reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/uwuo08/is_sonny_kiss_joining_the_baddie_section_photo/

Sonny Kiss might be joining The Baddies. I hope this is legit.

Blindy

Man this is a fucking killer faction. I just can't see Sonny as a heel, she's got mega underdog babyface written all over it. But this shows Kiss is valued in AEW, as she should be. Too much raw athletism for her own good, has appeal to the LGBTQ+ community and is entertaining as shit. 

I thought AEW was ready to let Sonny's contract expire, seems someone smartened up. Must have been Dustin Rhodes, he sees money in Kiss. 

If it’s a legit thing and not just a photoshoot I’ll be happy. Kiss could definitely play a cocky tweener that leans heel like the others do. And if it means we get Sonny Kiss vs Jade Cargill one day then we all win.

I don't mind Jake Hager and Shawn Spears being brought in, especially since that was the early days of AEW and they were recognizable names. Plus, at least with Shawn Spears, I was actually kind of interested in how his run in AEW would go, admittedly it hasn't been the greatest outside of a few feuds/matches here and there.

I absolutely mind Jake Hager being brought in and still being there since he's a right-wing fuckhead but I'm hoping that he'll be part of the cycle of "Well, your contract's up, hit the bricks and die from the impact."

I REALLY hope the baddie section is one of those things that says on the peripherals as cheerleaders, then one day rush the ring and just savagely destroys someone.

And yeah it is turning into a killer faction in the waiting.

Also every faction like that is better with Rose. I can so see her cheering on others, since she does it already on social media, and should they need to fuck someone up, you want Rose there. Besides, if they are not using the big girl in the ring on the main show, mine as well get her in anywhere else they can. She is a fucking beast these days.

The whole "Forbidden Door" thing (the concept, not the PPV) just does nothing for me. I don't watch Japanese wrestling. I don't know anything about AAA. I watch a bit of Impact once every few months, then immediately realise why it's been a few months.

I honestly haven't got the time (or desire) to keep up with a load more different wrestling companies. No disrespect to anyone who watches them all - it's cool. I know it probably makes me not a "real wrestling fan", but I don't care.

So when a match on an AEW show is for the AAA tag titles, I couldn't care less. I'm not interested in the ROH women's champion when the actual AEW women's champ is virtually invisible. I'm sure it's a dream match for a lot of people when some random NJPW wrestler shows up, but I haven't got a clue who they are (and AEW just expects I should automatically know and be excited).

Sometimes it feels like I'm reading a huge comic book crossover event like Civil War on Infinite Earths or something. AEW has a massive roster, so stop giving TV time to people who don't even work there!

It goes back to your earlier point about the roster being too bloated. Unless you're a fan of the chosen few you're largely just watching guys spin their wheels with no upwards mobility. Then right as a spot opens up, it's immediately filled either with an ex-NXT talent or some exhibition match that has no meaning.

In a weird way, you maybe better off not knowing who these NJPW guys are because they're largely just veterans in the twilight of their careers. They're largely just lower card guys who haven't really meant anything in NJPW in years. As far as ROH, most of the talent is in Impact anyways. The only thing TK brought over was the championship belts so for the time being AEW has 10 titles.

It comes down to presentation. There's a way to present a NJPW vs. AEW match and make it interesting to everybody but AEW is so regimented that it's always extremely obvious who is going over and even how long the match is going to play out. You could also have a strange disconnect to the match because there's been occassions where they've tried to really play up the NJPW tropes and if that's not your cup of tea then they're not going to put forward an effort that is going to convince somebody otherwise.

I just think back to ROH and how they'd book talent like KENTA and Morishima. Both guys were booked extremely strong and when they put talent over it was already after they had been established as credible threats in ROH. Meanwhile in AEW it's all just thrown together and if you like AEW/NJPW cool, if not here's 40 other segments they're trying to cram in a two hour show.

I think they started off well by having KENTA be the one to bust down the forbidden door. He's recognizable enough that he was a fun surprise. Even if you didn't follow NOAH or ROH, many knew him as Hideo Itami. Very well done.

But then they just started bringing in NJPW guys at random times to fight Jon Moxley and lose. That was such a waste. I was happy that we got a couple dream matches out of it, but they had to remind us that the FORBIDDEN DOOR existed every time one of them showed up.

I'm excited for the upcoming PPV but I hope it's just the first step in a long relationship. I know most of the NJPW guys that fight at Forbidden Door will be a one-and-done or make very, very sporadic appearances, but the guys that are remaining stateside as well as Young Lions looking for excursion work should be used more than they are.

Push her to the fucking moon. A lot of the talent in AEW are looking to collect checks off name recognition yet you have someone here who wants to change the game. Kiss is genuine as hell. Make it make sense.

Put Sonny on The Baddies. That would be fun.

Aubrey getting dragged to the mud by a fellow co-worker.

She's gonna be the 2x women's champ. Calling it now.

May 27, 2022 22:50:18 GMT Blindy said:

Aubrey getting dragged to the mud by a fellow co-worker.

Controlling the narrative.

May 28, 2022 0:33:38 GMT NATH45 said:

May 27, 2022 22:50:18 GMT Blindy said:

Aubrey getting dragged to the mud by a fellow co-worker.

Controlling the narrative.

I thought this was on the most recent show, not so sure now. :lol: Either way, it isn't just an Aubrey thing but still I think she will continue doing what got her to the dance in the first place. 

Tony Khan once again unprovoked just talking about WWE, learn how to hold the ropes when someone comes in you dweeb. Badmouth NXT but proceeds to take about half of the roster when available because.

Bit lame.

Tony, how's the ratings?

May 28, 2022 21:01:10 GMT NATH45 said:

Tony, how's the ratings?

The ratings thread is dead. Let it be.

May 28, 2022 21:08:22 GMT Ed said:

May 28, 2022 21:01:10 GMT NATH45 said:

Tony, how's the ratings?

The ratings thread is dead. Let it be.

So is his ratings. The boy talks a big game for someone only doing 400k for Rampage.

I hate AEW's insistence on sticking to long-term booking in EVERY reign besides the recent booking of the TNT title. Team Taz should have won the tag titles. This could have added to the Team Taz/Lee & Strickland beef. While also progressing the bad luck for Jurassic Express.

Anarchy in the Arena, 5 stars from Uncle Dave...

God this guy is thristy.

Jun 1, 2022 18:28:45 GMT Ed said:

I hate AEW's insistence on sticking to long-term booking in EVERY reign besides the recent booking of the TNT title. Team Taz should have won the tag titles. This could have added to the Team Taz/Lee & Strickland beef. While also progressing the bad luck for Jurassic Express.

The tag titles are usually in every tag feud even when Jurassic Express isn't. For the last two ppvs they just get thrown into other people feuds. Either they need to be involved in their own feud or drop the titles to a team that will feud with some teams.

Jun 3, 2022 22:51:27 GMT NATH45 said:

Anarchy in the Arena, 5 stars from Uncle Dave...

God this guy is thristy.

Was a damn good brawl.  One of the best hardcore matches I seen in a while with a lot of creative shit in it.

I know c RT KITN are on the good guys side. You're either with us, or against us.

The deepest work...

Jun 4, 2022 23:02:43 GMT Blindy said:

I know c RT KITN are on the good guys side. You're either with us, or against us.

I don’t known what is going on here.