This is all very disappointing news but the item that strikes me the most is Thunder Rosa.

I can't imagine how toxic the environment must be that Thunder Rosa feels she has to hide in a bathroom to avoid the wrath of her coworkers. It's tragic. I had hoped that kind of thing died a long time ago, but clearly not.

Aug 25, 2022 17:04:43 GMT Emperor said:

This is all very disappointing news but the item that strikes me the most is Thunder Rosa.

I can't imagine how toxic the environment must be that Thunder Rosa feels she has to hide in a bathroom to avoid the wrath of her coworkers. It's tragic. I had hoped that kind of thing died a long time ago, but clearly not.

I’m glad someone said it. Everyone here knows I’m biased towards Thunder Rosa and probably would think I was just defending her. It’s pretty fucking gross that she’s being bullied for an accident that happened in the ring.

Didn’t Thunder Rosa sandbag an opponent and then wear a shirt with ‘SANDBAG’ adorned on it to mock the situation? Let’s not make black and white victims out of this.

Aug 25, 2022 18:06:12 GMT Todd said:

Didn’t Thunder Rosa sandbag an opponent and then wear a shirt with ‘SANDBAG’ adorned on it to mock the situation? Let’s not make black and white victims out of this.

Britt started that actually. She was doing some meta gimmick where she started talking in slang and cut a promo on Rosa based on internet chatter about the sandbagging incident. Rosa wore the shirt after that, then when all this backstage drama started they dropped the new gimmick.

But my point is that Rosa sandbagged Marina Shafir. That’s about as toxic and unprofessional as you can get, deliberately hurting another person’s performance. I find it hard to buy into such a person being a victim of locker room drama. I’m not defending Britt either.

She also practically threw Ivelisse under the bus too few years back, they had beef going back to Lucha Underground but that was the final one to end Velez.

I would have more sympathy for Rosa but she has egged on the WWE so much and as Todd mentioned, embraced the sandbagging incident even if in jest.

That being said, this isn't the 1st rodeo for Britt Baker. Big Swole I think hinted some shade at her when this news came out. Bea Priestley/Davenport also had issues with Baker with the two working stiff in the early days of AEW.

Basically, all the women in AEW are totally out of control except for Riho.

Aug 25, 2022 18:11:40 GMT Todd said:

But my point is that Rosa sandbagged Marina Shafir. That’s about as toxic and unprofessional as you can get, deliberately hurting another person’s performance. I find it hard to buy into such a person being a victim of locker room drama. I’m not defending Britt either.

The sandbagging was bullshit though. Most of it was botching because the match was bad and the one move that looked like Rosa sandbagging was a miscalculation. And whatever happened in that match got squashed when Rosa and Shafir posted pictures together the next day.

Baker started talking about it without even being involved in the match and was liking tweets from fans and dirtsheets that were discussing it like she’s 15 years old. Then it became storyline with her weird meta gimmick, Rosa tried to play along, but somehow she’s the bad guy.

Aug 25, 2022 17:04:43 GMT Emperor said:

This is all very disappointing news but the item that strikes me the most is Thunder Rosa.

I can't imagine how toxic the environment must be that Thunder Rosa feels she has to hide in a bathroom to avoid the wrath of her coworkers. It's tragic. I had hoped that kind of thing died a long time ago, but clearly not.

I know right?  This is fucking carney ass Puerto Rican shit right here.  I get she is kind of younger and naivish, but if there is that little trust in the lockerroom there are serious fucking problems.  We are like one step away from shoots in the ring at this point.

Aug 25, 2022 18:17:55 GMT Blindy said:

She also practically threw Ivelisse under the bus too few years back, they had beef going back to Lucha Underground but that was the final one to end Velez.

I would have more sympathy for Rosa but she has egged on the WWE so much and as Todd mentioned, embraced the sandbagging incident even if in jest.

That being said, this isn't the 1st rodeo for Britt Baker. Big Swole I think hinted some shade at her when this news came out. Bea Priestley/Davenport also had issues with Baker with the two working stiff in the early days of AEW.

Yeah we keep coming back here with Britt.  

Britt I assume does not care though as she is too big to work the indies really anymore and knows she can do whatever she wants as if AEW fires her WWE will hire her.  

I hate, hate, hate when women tear each other down and make a toxic environment for one another. I hate when anyone does it, but especially women in a mostly male dominated industry. It just lends credibility to the worst things that are said about us.

God I fucking love Eddie. Before issuing his apology he was just responding to people to people that yeah he did it when asked about Sammy.

Here is his statement:

“You know the truth. I wouldn’t lie. I was wrong for being unprofessional. That is the blind fact. He did what he did and the public can judge that but I know for a fact I was wrong.”

Current reports are Kingston just pie faced him and Sammy went to Tony crying basically.  

Also being reported that no one wants to work with Sammy as he was a dick when working with Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page then again with Sonjay Dutt / Jay Lethal.  Like Sammy is said to have a huge list of what is off limits in promos while he then makes his promos extremely personally, in this case calling Kingston a fat piece of shit, which is why Kingston got pissed.  Basically sounds like Sammy is the male Britt <.<

Sammy Guevara's statement on his fight with Eddie Kingston:

"As a professional you communicate the things you don't want to be said (like other people I've worked with like Matt Hardy, Jericho and others) and I've communicated what I didn't want to be said in this angle, while Eddie didn't. He didn't do the same and didn't tell me, the coaches, Tony Khan or anyone else in AEW what he didn't want to be told.

So, after the match between Tay and me with Sky Blue and Dante, I did a promo about Eddie insulting Eddie and the fans as a heel. I know everyone loves to hate me and Tay, so I'm the perfect person to play the character of an asshole that Eddie will have to beat at All Out. I've seen what people are saying online about Eddie and what he looks like and for the record, anyone who shames Eddie for his looks can go to hell, it's the same people who vilify me for being too small. So the Sammy Guevara character I play could be silenced by Eddie at All Out.

But Eddie didn't do things professionally and didn't communicate anything to me. If he did, I never would have said it because the last thing I want to do is hurt someone seriously. So after the promo, I get to the back and Eddie freaks out screaming "YOU CAN'T CALL ME FAT" and repeating it over and over, making a big scene while I try to go down the stairs in gorilla. People stand between us, Eddie tries to pie face me and he touches my face, it was weird. Everyone gets in the way. It was a shame as this promo was on a recorded show and could have easily been edited in post-production (which they did). I know this isn't the first time Eddie has been aggressive and out of control backstage. I know he had to go through an anger management program after this. All this was not in the least necessary, but it is what it is, to live and learn, I believe, and then we will move on."

(Via Fightful Select)

Reports also emerged about the talent meeting. Had three points. First was the WWE contacting talent, which Tony reminded people is a breach of contract if they talk with them. Second was Buck laying out the new structure of trainers and what not and who to contact for day to day shit. Bucks also said they are always around if people needed them.

Finally Schiavone, Jericho and Omega all rallied the troops. Or tried too. Omega gave a tough love style of speech that rubbed "some" people the wrong way. I am guessing this was the WWE crew who did not see Omega as the sort of guy who earned the right to give that sort of speech. And really if you were say FTR, what really separates you from Omega?

I'm guessing Omega compared the locker room to a cat that pisses all over the floor.

The issue is probably that Omega can’t cut a promo and it came out wrong.

The Come to Jesus meeting was a good idea, this has been a crazy week for AEW not just in terms of news feed but just the number of stories coming out about different situations. Hopefully Tony can now start to take more of an authoritative role and snuff these issues out earlier. AEW going sideways would be the worst thing to happen to wrestling for 15 years.

Jungle Boy can handle promos where he's getting bullied by Christian because his dad is actually dead, but the toughest man on the entire planet went into a meltdown because the rape man said "lol ur fat".

Nevermind people not wanting to work with Sammy, why would anyone want to work with Kingston? You never know when he'll strike again!

Aug 25, 2022 22:05:41 GMT @aaron said:

Jungle Boy can handle promos where he's getting bullied by Christian because his dad is actually dead, but the toughest man on the entire planet went into a meltdown because the rape man said "lol ur fat".

Nevermind people not wanting to work with Sammy, why would anyone want to work with Kingston? You never know when he'll strike again!

You'd hate to get Kingston mad, because he'll unleash those hellacious chops...



🙄

I like Eddie as a performer. He does come across as authentic, he can talk and he sort of looks like a tough guy. He can’t really work, and that’s where the Foley comparison falls off for him, but overall I find him much more entertaining than most guys nowadays. He obviously made a mistake here though.

Dutch has weighed in,

“I don’t like that in the dressing room. ‘Oh, I’m gonna quit, I’m gonna quit.’ You had no problem in taking the job. I think it’s very unprofessional if Punk had said stuff like that. And if he gets his way? That sets a very, very bad example to all the other guys on AEW. And Tony Khan, if he has any balls at all, he’ll stand up to him and tell him if he wants to leave he can leave," Mantell said.

Dutch also implied, when Punk does leave (probably citing an unsafe workplace and calling someone dumb AF) he'll bury the company. Because, it's Punk - and that is what Punk does.

Aug 25, 2022 22:02:25 GMT Todd said:

The issue is probably that Omega can’t cut a promo and it came out wrong.

The Come to Jesus meeting was a good idea, this has been a crazy week for AEW not just in terms of news feed but just the number of stories coming out about different situations. Hopefully Tony can now start to take more of an authoritative role and snuff these issues out earlier. AEW going sideways would be the worst thing to happen to wrestling for 15 years.

Sound more like the opposite and Tony wants to go more hands off and let the agents deal with this.  

Aug 25, 2022 22:01:29 GMT NATH45 said:

I'm guessing Omega compared the locker room to a cat that pisses all over the floor.

The issue also being dude was out for 9 months and away from being reached and is now telling the locker room to man the fuck up. Dude was out with AEW Games and probably watching Evo 2022 in the meanwhile. :lol:. 

Aug 25, 2022 22:12:38 GMT Todd said:

I like Eddie as a performer. He does come across as authentic, he can talk and he sort of looks like a tough guy. He can’t really work, and that’s where the Foley comparison falls off for him, but overall I find him much more entertaining than most guys nowadays. He obviously made a mistake here though.

Eddie can work when the match call for it.  12 Large, the Strap match against Sweeney (and the hilarious backyard one) and his match vs Del Rey are all great showcases.  

AEW he is doing the NY brawler gimmick so it would be weird for him to sell an injury most of a match, break out his weird ass submissions or goes into his old territory style.  And people really do not want that, they want to see him fight.  He does his other styles and people shit all over it usually.  

Aug 25, 2022 16:59:41 GMT c said:

Aug 25, 2022 16:53:37 GMT Blindy said:

Jericho has political issues that not everyone is going to side with him on.

It should be William Regal even if he's still relatively new to the landscape but Tony Khan might not be putting everything on him and his health may not be up to par to re-do what he once did in NXT.

My take is Regal does not want the role.  He just wants to quietly offer mentoring to some.  After WWE he considered himself happily retired, so this is basically him partially retired now doing what he enjoys and trying to avoid taking on stress.

Samoa Joe could too if he wants to. Joe tried to do this in TNA before Hogan and Bischoff came along. Yeah he got slapped by Kevin Nash pretty good but still he tried. 

I think Daniel Bryan is too low key to really do this. But Samoa Joe could probably give a fuck if he wanted to. 

Aug 25, 2022 16:52:12 GMT c said:

There are "leaders" backstage already but that does not matter when there are also factions.

Problem with all these people too is they are contracted for years more. So they cannot walk and Tony is not likely to release them. So either a whole bunch of people sit benched costing Tony a fortune in cash, or they all work and the lockerroom gets more toxic.

Eddie is in a fun spot. Tony def cannot afford to fire him now, as WWE wants him to teach promos in NXT, which would directly improve the quality of the competition. And HHH is likely open to letting Kingston work the weekends on indy shows if he is just doing promo work so even if Kingston is not wrestling on WWE TV, he could still wrestle. He just clocked 20 years, so he needs to look for post wrestling soon and WWE can offer him a nice post wrestling job.

He had a chance at the gig and turned it down for AEW to wrestle full time. Which is totally fine and respectable except I would not want him anywhere near my promotion after this:



Unprovoked except when a couple of his friends got fired. Would not welcome him back in WWE after doing this. Would be a slap in the fans of the WWE fans. Saying AEW talent have more heart than WWE talent is garbage, he can stay in AEW. 

Aug 25, 2022 22:34:24 GMT Blindy said:

Aug 25, 2022 22:01:29 GMT NATH45 said:

I'm guessing Omega compared the locker room to a cat that pisses all over the floor.

The issue also being dude was out for 9 months and away from being reached and is now telling the locker room to man the fuck up. Dude was out with AEW Games and probably watching Evo 2022 in the meanwhile. . 

Yeah this is my take.  Imagine being Claudio listening to Kenny talk about what the roster needs to do to succeed, knowing full well, Kenny never worked Wrestlemania?  Or FTR, nailing some of the most acclaimed matches of the year in RoH and listening to a guy coming back telling you how you have to man up?  Or the new guys getting shit on by Sammy and Britt, being told they need to toughen up while Kenny and crew do jack shit to get the locker room under control.  MJF just fucking walked out, and here is Kenny telling people what they need to do to make AEW great.  Like why don't you fix the shit that has been festering for years first.

What I love about all this is how people are burning bridging all over without realizing it.  That speech from Omega may have cost him a WWE spot as word gets out about his ego.  Sammy likely is losing tri-state booking for the Kingston shit as Kingston and Homicide can blackball him.  Britt gonna see promoters pass on her as many smaller feds love Rosa.  

Aug 25, 2022 22:37:11 GMT Blindy said:

Aug 25, 2022 16:59:41 GMT c said:

My take is Regal does not want the role.  He just wants to quietly offer mentoring to some.  After WWE he considered himself happily retired, so this is basically him partially retired now doing what he enjoys and trying to avoid taking on stress.

Samoa Joe could too if he wants to. Joe tried to do this in TNA before Hogan and Bischoff came along. Yeah he got slapped by Kevin Nash pretty good but still he tried. 

I think Daniel Bryan is too low key to really do this. But Samoa Joe could probably give a fuck if he wanted to. 

Honestly, I fucking forgot Joe was even employed...  Not like he is around at all <.<

There are a ton of people who could step up, it just seems no one wants to.  And frankly, why should they when the Bucks and Omega literally have proper titles, and there is a layer of agents, and now assistants to Tony and shit?   Shit is like getting to be a failed bureaucracy with just layers of management that does nothing.

Fucking HHH and Pritchard must be laughing themselves hoarse hearing about Tony thinks he is the next Heyman with this level of disorganization.

Even Freddie Prinze Jr weighed in, implying Punk doesn't show anyone respect or " the dignity you'd expect in a workplace "

And, he's probably not wrong. You could easily see him smirking his way through life, gatekeeping and nitpicking. I mean, who randomly calls AJ Styles racist or disowns a midget over a phone number?

Aug 25, 2022 22:39:59 GMT Blindy said:

Aug 25, 2022 16:52:12 GMT c said:

There are "leaders" backstage already but that does not matter when there are also factions.

Problem with all these people too is they are contracted for years more. So they cannot walk and Tony is not likely to release them. So either a whole bunch of people sit benched costing Tony a fortune in cash, or they all work and the lockerroom gets more toxic.

Eddie is in a fun spot. Tony def cannot afford to fire him now, as WWE wants him to teach promos in NXT, which would directly improve the quality of the competition. And HHH is likely open to letting Kingston work the weekends on indy shows if he is just doing promo work so even if Kingston is not wrestling on WWE TV, he could still wrestle. He just clocked 20 years, so he needs to look for post wrestling soon and WWE can offer him a nice post wrestling job.

He had a chance at the gig and turned it down for AEW to wrestle full time. Which is totally fine and respectable except I would not want him anywhere near my promotion after this:

Unprovoked except when a couple of his friends got fired. Would not welcome him back in WWE after doing this. Would be a slap in the fans of the WWE fans. Saying AEW talent have more heart than WWE talent is garbage, he can stay in AEW. 

They still will want him I am sure.  He will not be a wrestler, but they need promo people badly and Kingston is one of the best.  

Kingston said far worse about WWE in the past with his promos about how he would never make it big because he will not stick needles into his ass like the big stars all do.  

And yeah he turned this down then, but now he is in AEW, he is finding the same drama here that he seen elsewhere, so why not give the big house a try?  Only place he not been yet.

Are we heading towards LOL AEW territory?