Jan 29, 2024 16:47:31 GMT RT said:

Britt vs Mone at Revolution would be dope.

Who's Britt? *

*lame joke because she hasn't been on TV for like a year

It's being reported that Black and Buddy are both going back to WWE once their contracts expire.

Buddy and Black already denied it. Besides, Black is contracted until 2027.

That's a shame.

I dunno whenever they deny a rumor...

To hear Black's old music again and to see the coffin rise, followed by Buddy and [insert tattooed wrestler here] emerging from the shadows in WWE would be cool.

House of Black is one of my favourite parts of AEW.

House will not work with WWE creative. Nor do I think Black will allow them to touch it. The gimmick is personal to him.

If I had faith WWE would use the House properly, absolutely would suggest peeling them all off. But I do not see it as the gimmick would be so easy to turn into a cartoonish version of itself.

Of the House people, the two I see WWE making hard plays for are the Queens of the Black Throne. Skye and Julia I can see them pushing hard to get. Rest of the House they had and released. Or in King's case just passed on. Maybe in 2027 Black will be ready to wrap up the dojo and sign, but I do not see them making plays for Brody and Buddy on their own. I know everyone thinks HHH was trying to poach Black and Miro too, but we seen who HHH really wanted as Regal left right after.

The thing with Black and Buddy was, Hunter hired them, pushed them. Heyman wanted to work with both. Then Vince... he released them. It's a different regime, and has been for 18 months and there's every chance these guys are heavily on WWE's wish-list.

With WWE, or better, when anyone is transitioning to WWE, there's always going to be some modification to the character to make it more accessible to the wider audience. House of Black in WWE, doesn't necessarily need to work the goth gimmick - once a third member was found, they could easily be booked like the early Shield, attack dogs, and still keep the dark aesthetic.

I could see a 41 year old Malakai Black returning to WWE to finish out his career. But for now he’s made his choice and seems happy.

Buddy on the other hand strikes me as someone that would want out sooner than later. He just gives off that Andrade vibe. Like he will do the work since he is here but when he can leave he’s gone.

Not sure if WWE wants Buddy though. WWE running lean these days.

Wardlow getting his knee checked out today. Believed he tore his meniscus kneeing Komander in the corner.

New is leaking now Mone will be All Elite in March. Also appears Tony is offering Okada more cash than WWE is willing to put on the table. WWE is selling Okada on worldwide exposure and WM.

AEW does land Okada, it will continue a trend of them getting WWE's interests.  

Curious if AEW ends up with Drew or not.  He is really going to show where things are at for both feds more than anyone I think.  He is not being misused right now, has no ties to either fed and seems to be happy now with what he is doing finally.  But he did not ink a contract extension.

They've been predicting Drew was " all elite " since this time last year.

Well, reports are his contract runs out right after Mania and he is not signing the new contracts that were offered.

That's the exact thing they reported last year.

I don't think there's a chance WWE would setup Drew/Punk for 6+ months from now if he weren't signed.

Am I crazy, or did Drew come back last year and say outright his contract was signed?

No he did not sign, so they added his injury time, which is how we get to where we are now.

And yeah, they set this up not knowing if they will have him or not. Drew should stay given his new character shift is the best work of his career, but until the ink is signed people assume he is leaving because can kind of sign anytime he wants for the new contract.  

I have a hard time assuming he’s gone after the angle they set up.

He said last year " he doesn't plan on being anywhere else " or something to that point. I can't see it, and even if he does leave for AEW, it would be a massive step down scale wise. He'd leave being a Top 10 guy in WWE to becoming a bit player in AEW - He'd likely get a big debut push only to spend the rest of his time there avoiding being killed by botch'adores.

Again, the same sort of narrative has been spun for a year now.

he's leaving after WM39..
he's all elite, he wants Wembley...
he's leaving because of creative..
he's leaving because Punk is back..
he's leaving after WM40..

Feb 2, 2024 5:54:54 GMT KJ said:

I have a hard time assuming he’s gone after the angle they set up.

The Punk angle I do not think really will determine things either way.  What will upset me is in the past few weeks, he stepped on the mic to a new level he has not been at yet, and is fired up in the ring, doing some of the best work he has done in years.  He is showing he can be a top guy in WWE and there is a ton of shit they can do with him giving him basically PAC's bastard gimmick.  To do that then walk out would just be weird.

But the contract is not getting inked which makes no sense.  The sole thing I can think of is he wants A LOT more money and is waiting for an offer from Tony to send back to HHH with a beat this or I walk attitude.  But to do something like this need to be willing to walk if HHH says no.  Only thing that really makes sense with him not signing why giving them his best work.

Or the rumors are just true he wants to take a massive break from wrestling and only work select dates while he spends time with the family back in Scotland.  It cannot be easy living in the US full time and touring with WWE while the family still lives in Scotland and only really getting to spend time with them while he is hurt.  Which is where the AEW rumors started anyway.  Someone disappears for a month or sixth in AEW, that is business as usual for Tony.  

Feb 2, 2024 5:54:54 GMT KJ said:

I have a hard time assuming he’s gone after the angle they set up.

Especially when you look at how Mox was booked when he was expected to leave during WM season…

Or they could be booking him hard to get him to stay. What is interesting with Drew is there has not really been any indication he wants to work anywhere else. He could just walk away from wrestling for a year like Kairi did then come back when he is ready. Edge wanted to work with Christian, American Dragon to go hard again before he retires, but Drew seems content in WWE and if you follow him on social media, is having a blast right now with this new gimmick of being a bastard to everyone.

But still worth mentioning here as Tony will want Drew we he just fits in so well with the BCC and the style of wrestling in AEW. I imagine Mox and Dragon will want him in bad to work with him again. NJPW and TNA also will want him if possible but cannot likely afford him.

Drew in a great spot right now as it seems he alone holds all the cards here.

///

On the Okada right, sounding like the different in pay between WWE and AEW is considerable. WWE low-balled him. Which sucks as like Drew, I would prefer him in WWE. Ceiling is just higher there, and he would come into AEW basically at their ceiling.

I don’t see Drew leaving. They’re booking him like he is already signed. If he hasn’t signed it is probably because he is holding out for more money, or some other fine point in his contract. But at this point if he left I would be shocked. He’s gonna stay put.

Pretty much all I said yesterday.

Looking like he will do a Kairi.  Go home for a while, take select big match dates, then return to WWE when thing are better at home.

Tony still gonna try for him I assume once he is a free agent.

Foley dropping weight for another match. He wants Mox or Cardona in a deathmatch. If Mox I assume then it is AEW, then at All Out. If Cardona, I would assume TNA. Likely will be his final match.

Drew is going to make the entire roster look their real height if he comes to AEW.

That kind of would be part of the appeal of him for AEW. He would be a monster there.

People raising a good point tonight. Last night sent a message to every worker in AEW that no matter who you are, when you return you will no longer be a WWE guy, and you will have to take the backseat to people who were WWE made and WWE loyal no matter they tell you the plans are.

Will likely chill WWE for many in the AEW roster, as what they did to Cody is what the anti-WWE people said they would do. And sends a message no matter what is promised, cards are subject to change on a whim.

I want to say this locks Okada to AEW if he been following WWE at all. Just a nasty 1 - 2 punch of the sex scandal, then Cody getting shafted, even if it was the right move for business.

Likely had more to do with The Rock v Reigns being the bigger of the two matches and less about Cody's previous place of work. It's going to be insane how much media and cross promotion this match will get.

Feb 3, 2024 2:57:03 GMT c said:

Foley dropping weight for another match. He wants Mox or Cardona in a deathmatch. If Mox I assume then it is AEW, then at All Out. If Cardona, I would assume TNA. Likely will be his final match.

Didn't he chicken out when Mox first signed? Why now? Chef Boyaredee royalties finally drying up...

Feb 3, 2024 12:05:19 GMT c said:

People raising a good point tonight. Last night sent a message to every worker in AEW that no matter who you are, when you return you will no longer be a WWE guy, and you will have to take the backseat to people who were WWE made and WWE loyal no matter they tell you the plans are.

Will likely chill WWE for many in the AEW roster, as what they did to Cody is what the anti-WWE people said they would do. And sends a message no matter what is promised, cards are subject to change on a whim.

I want to say this locks Okada to AEW if he been following WWE at all. Just a nasty 1 - 2 punch of the sex scandal, then Cody getting shafted, even if it was the right move for business.

Is that a good point? Cody stock has went up up tremendously from AEW to WWE. People stock tend to only fall in AEW outside 1 or 2 rare cases after the initial debut due to Tony's bad booking. In the first quarter of the year he could possibly get Osprery whose buzz seem to already have died down since he was announced way to early to pop a rating, Okada who was part of the "greatest" match ever see how well he has booked Omega up to this point, and Mercedes who will be in the division even AEW diehard fans barely care about.