Good luck trying to climb Everest with that.

GUNS UP

gotta say, those sherpas are really gonna earn their money this trip

Mar 14, 2024 1:27:02 GMT Michinokudriver said:

y'know, I don't even remember how Bullet Gold and the Acclaimed even started teaming up in the first place

Bullet Club Gold interrupted a couple promos backstage then The Acclaimed were like “if you guys wanna hang around us so much why don’t we join forces?” and BCG agreed.

That was it. They just needed an excuse for them to feud so they can do a title unification match.

hang on

i thought lionheart was just a thing when jericho was wrestling against the luchadores, like kenny omega using his njpw theme when fighting njpw talent

is he lionheart full time? did he lose the rights to judas somehow?

Mar 14, 2024 1:27:02 GMT Michinokudriver said:

y'know, I don't even remember how Bullet Gold and the Acclaimed even started teaming up in the first place

Victims of the Undisputed Kingdom

Wow, crowd booing Jericho

Mar 14, 2024 1:50:23 GMT Michinokudriver said:

Wow, crowd booing Jericho

Curious to hear how they'll treat him on home soil.

Feels pretty weird to not care about the main event at all, everyone's just killing time til Mercedes comes out

that said, it would be hilarious if she didn't show, the match has a clean ending and AEW just decided to roll with a  shenanigans free Riho/Willow main event for no particular reason

Eddie defending the Continental title on its own next week in Toronto against Okada.

I think he's gonna disappear for a while after next week and work ROH/NJPW.

Damn, Toronto likely getting two title changes next week. Holy fuck.

Looks like we're gonna see Mercedes and Willow team up before they face each other.

...oh. I guess AEW did just decide to shuffle their World title match to the curtain jerker and have the women main event

which I'm not complaining about, but it's an interesting choice

That was a fun episode. We're on a roll here, boys. And next week doesn't look like it's gonna let up. Toronto is going to be rad as fuck.

is Mercedes' theme a tweaked version of Lee Moriarty's TAIGASTYLE?

also why did mone come out to make the save? didn't willow just come out with kris statlander, who i guess went to the back and then left for the evening?

There is no reason that should have been the main event. Atleast last week had one big star in it this one didn't even have that.

I’m genuinely confused.

They’ve put all this effort into building up “Bo$$ton,” playing on Sasha being “the Boss.”

And then she immediately changes her moniker to “CEO.”

This reeks of wCw “rebranding” to me in a really bad way.

I’m not a huge Sasha fan, but I acknowledge she has a strong fan base. But that promo was terrible (never her strong suit), and the nickname is goofy as hell.

I’m glad y’all are hyped. I’m not even trying to pick fights in this instance. But I think this has already landed with a thud.

WWE may own the Boss persona.

Believe she did the CEO shit in Japan too.

That's what saves it for me, she built Mercedes Mone up in Japan so she isn't just some ex-WWE talent waltzing into the show. She's been a free agent, she's worked internationally and now she's chosen AEW as her next stop in her career. It's big shoes to fill, but she has the talent to get it done.

I echo people's disappointment at Mone. I didn't even watch her whole promo, I was bored after two minutes. It was a CM Punk "happy to be here" promo except without any of Punk's captivating speaking ability. I don't even understand how she is over, she hasn't done anything for a very long time. To answer my own question, I suppose she's beyond that: she's earned the right to be a big deal without having to do anything special. But will she live up to the hype? Apparently she's talking again next week. I hope she's more interesting. The first promo is a free pass, if she wants to keep the fans' interest she gotta do better.

Mar 14, 2024 4:14:55 GMT RT said:

I really hope he gets to keep being his dickhead self. Kazu is a giant geek but plays a heel so fucking well. He hasn't got to show this off in NJPW since like the mid 2010's.

Okada got a taste of being a heel in 2023 with the whole Kiyomiya angle and all the NJPW young guys stepping up to him. If you'll indulge my baseless speculation, I imagine Okada had a lot of fun being a dickhead (and a full on heel when he stepped in the NOAH ring) but was compelled to be the golden boy babyface in NJPW and got bored of it. That led him to AEW so he could tap into his dark side some more. He's clearly enjoying himself.

I'm impressed with Okada's is booking. He's being handled with care. The Bucks took the majority of the bumping and selling in that tag match. Okada did eat some offense and sold well, but for the most part he looked strong. I also love how he pounced on the low blow to win the match. NJPW Okada would never do that. Good stuff.

Jay White vs Darby Allin was another excellent match. I've been dumping on underdog babyfaces in another thread but this was a great example of how to do it right. The match didn't overstay its welcome, Darby had great offense throughout, the match just flowed really well. It helps that White is a master of his craft, a shame we are not reminded of this so often. The post-match angle was nicely done. Now let's get this sorry story over with so Jay can move on to winning the World Championship.

Ospreay's promo was as insufferable as Mone's. Do you have to yell all the time?

Riho vs Willow was surprisingly good. I was expecting to dislike it. Riho suplexing Willow multiple times was too much but I liked everything else.

An unusual night of pro-wrestling in that the matches rocked and the promos sucked. Score one for modern wrestling.

For what it is worth, Mone's wrestling in Japan was a real step up from her WWE work.

I am loving heel Okada in AEW. Nice change of pace from super ace Okada. Looks like he is having a lot of fun with it too.

Willow is amazing. Just a solid worker who is super lovable. Not be shocked if WWE has her as a top female talent they want. She is everything they tried to make Piper into during the Doudrop run.

Mar 14, 2024 21:03:36 GMT c said:

For what it is worth, Mone's wrestling in Japan was a real step up from her WWE work.

I am loving heel Okada in AEW. Nice change of pace from super ace Okada. Looks like he is having a lot of fun with it too.

Willow is amazing. Just a solid worker who is super lovable. Not be shocked if WWE has her as a top female talent they want. She is everything they tried to make Piper into during the Doudrop run.

The botched finish on that new finisher she tried in Stardom on KAIRI stands out. 

NXT has Lash Legend who is considered a taller woman who wrestles her size. And Nikkita Lyons to fill the "Thicker woman" role. Willow has been involved in a few unlucky instances of the other talent getting hurt too IIRC. Mone and she also did a nasty bump to someone else. 

I've never admitted to understanding AEW logic. But surely I'm not the only one seeing a trend of high profile signee's being put into mid-card roles. Sasha Banks is a multi time WWE Champion, yet instead of debuting opposite Toni Storm and setting up a " dream match " = a PPV level main event, she's likely wrestling Julia Hart for a Television Championship. Okada, NJPW's Ace. Greatest IWGP Champion of the last decade.. the Holy Grail of signees. And he's going to wrestle Eddie King Kingston for the AEW equivalent of the NXT NA Championship. Edge, an all time great. If he was in WWE today, he'd be on the road to Wrestlemania... again, he's working Christian again, for the TV Championship, again. 

I just sense so much lost opportunity to push the product forward at times, and create a buzz, and build some real momentum lost at the expense of what.. popping the boys in the back? 

To be the barer of bad news, the ratings suggest it was anything other than big business. And bringing that up isn't me just being a prick. Popping the audience with these debuts doesn't work anymore. They're just not utilizing this phenomenal roster they've got with any real vision. Okada's mystique is gone after 3 weeks. From a deflated entrance, an association with two of the worst human beings on the roster, and wrestling every week in highly contested matches with mid-card guys. He's not a marquee special attraction anymore after just 3 weeks. This is a guy who should be treated like Roman Reigns. Wrestling few and far between, and when he does - it should matter. 

Mar 15, 2024 0:28:43 GMT NATH45 said:

I've never admitted to understanding AEW logic. But surely I'm not the only one seeing a trend of high profile signee's being put into mid-card roles. Sasha Banks is a multi time WWE Champion, yet instead of debuting opposite Toni Storm and setting up a " dream match " = a PPV level main event, she's likely wrestling Julia Hart for a Television Championship. Okada, NJPW's Ace. Greatest IWGP Champion of the last decade.. the Holy Grail of signees. And he's going to wrestle Eddie King Kingston for the AEW equivalent of the NXT NA Championship. Edge, an all time great. If he was in WWE today, he'd be on the road to Wrestlemania... again, he's working Christian again, for the TV Championship, again. 

I just sense so much lost opportunity to push the product forward at times, and create a buzz, and build some real momentum lost at the expense of what.. popping the boys in the back? 

To be the barer of bad news, the ratings suggest it was anything other than big business. And bringing that up isn't me just being a prick. Popping the audience with these debuts doesn't work anymore. They're just not utilizing this phenomenal roster they've got with any real vision. Okada's mystique is gone after 3 weeks. From a deflated entrance, an association with two of the worst human beings on the roster, and wrestling every week in highly contested matches with mid-card guys. He's not a marquee special attraction anymore after just 3 weeks. This is a guy who should be treated like Roman Reigns. Wrestling few and far between, and when he does - it should matter. 

With the ranking system back in AEW, I figured they would have Mercedes work her way up to the title picture, rather than hand her a shot on a silver platter.

Toni already in a program as well with Deonna. And no way Toni should drop the title now.

As for Okada if he wanted to be treated like Reigns he would have signed WWE. He came to AEW to do what he is doing now. AEW is not WWE, not sure why people want it to be booked like WWE.  AEW has an undercard that matters, WWE really does not.

For the Kingston feud should be obvious why he picked him. He wants the NJPW Strong title, which is part of the Continental title. For him, that is the belt that means the most, as it is the belt of the fed he devoted his life so far to. I assume he beats Kingston, and holds that title making anyone who wants it have to beat the ace of NJPW to get it.

Sure this is not big new guy win the title coming in that WWE normally does, but it is the better story.

Mar 15, 2024 0:39:08 GMT CM Punk'd said:

Mar 15, 2024 0:28:43 GMT NATH45 said:

I've never admitted to understanding AEW logic. But surely I'm not the only one seeing a trend of high profile signee's being put into mid-card roles. Sasha Banks is a multi time WWE Champion, yet instead of debuting opposite Toni Storm and setting up a " dream match " = a PPV level main event, she's likely wrestling Julia Hart for a Television Championship. Okada, NJPW's Ace. Greatest IWGP Champion of the last decade.. the Holy Grail of signees. And he's going to wrestle Eddie King Kingston for the AEW equivalent of the NXT NA Championship. Edge, an all time great. If he was in WWE today, he'd be on the road to Wrestlemania... again, he's working Christian again, for the TV Championship, again. 

I just sense so much lost opportunity to push the product forward at times, and create a buzz, and build some real momentum lost at the expense of what.. popping the boys in the back? 

To be the barer of bad news, the ratings suggest it was anything other than big business. And bringing that up isn't me just being a prick. Popping the audience with these debuts doesn't work anymore. They're just not utilizing this phenomenal roster they've got with any real vision. Okada's mystique is gone after 3 weeks. From a deflated entrance, an association with two of the worst human beings on the roster, and wrestling every week in highly contested matches with mid-card guys. He's not a marquee special attraction anymore after just 3 weeks. This is a guy who should be treated like Roman Reigns. Wrestling few and far between, and when he does - it should matter. 

With the ranking system back in AEW, I figured they would have Mercedes work her way up to the title picture, rather than hand her a shot on a silver platter.

Speaking of rankings. Are they still a thing? Since they came back I’ve only seen them updated once. I looked for them on the website last week and they hadn’t been updated on there since 2022 or something.

And where are the rankings? Their website doesn't seem to have any - www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-rankings - it hasn't been updated in over 18 months. And the most recent list that came out had Swerve at the top, but wait a minute...

TK : " wouldn't it be neat if we had a little AEW World Title #1 Contendership All-Star 8-Man Scramble and Wardlow who found a bus ticket to work won the match after months of being MIA "

I'm not looking for a fight, but shit doesn't make sense.

I just assumed he already backtracked on the rankings. Rankings never work as it is near impossible to book for them long term. Also only really work for discrete divisions. Like world title, tag title, trios titles. Have ranks for say a single's belt and it all falls apart fast.

I seriously think when fresh blood came into creative they made it clear how stupid rankings are given all the belts they have and convinced Tony to basically kill them, or keyfabe the shit out of them and selectively use them.

Mar 15, 2024 0:28:43 GMT NATH45 said:

I've never admitted to understanding AEW logic. But surely I'm not the only one seeing a trend of high profile signee's being put into mid-card roles. Sasha Banks is a multi time WWE Champion, yet instead of debuting opposite Toni Storm and setting up a " dream match " = a PPV level main event, she's likely wrestling Julia Hart for a Television Championship. Okada, NJPW's Ace. Greatest IWGP Champion of the last decade.. the Holy Grail of signees. And he's going to wrestle Eddie King Kingston for the AEW equivalent of the NXT NA Championship. Edge, an all time great. If he was in WWE today, he'd be on the road to Wrestlemania... again, he's working Christian again, for the TV Championship, again. 

I just sense so much lost opportunity to push the product forward at times, and create a buzz, and build some real momentum lost at the expense of what.. popping the boys in the back? 

To be the barer of bad news, the ratings suggest it was anything other than big business. And bringing that up isn't me just being a prick. Popping the audience with these debuts doesn't work anymore. They're just not utilizing this phenomenal roster they've got with any real vision. Okada's mystique is gone after 3 weeks. From a deflated entrance, an association with two of the worst human beings on the roster, and wrestling every week in highly contested matches with mid-card guys. He's not a marquee special attraction anymore after just 3 weeks. This is a guy who should be treated like Roman Reigns. Wrestling few and far between, and when he does - it should matter. 

When you can't book just pay big stars a lot of money with them aware he will lower your star value try to get his early roster over.

Mar 15, 2024 0:28:43 GMT NATH45 said:

I've never admitted to understanding AEW logic. But surely I'm not the only one seeing a trend of high profile signee's being put into mid-card roles. Sasha Banks is a multi time WWE Champion, yet instead of debuting opposite Toni Storm and setting up a " dream match " = a PPV level main event, she's likely wrestling Julia Hart for a Television Championship. Okada, NJPW's Ace. Greatest IWGP Champion of the last decade.. the Holy Grail of signees. And he's going to wrestle Eddie King Kingston for the AEW equivalent of the NXT NA Championship. Edge, an all time great. If he was in WWE today, he'd be on the road to Wrestlemania... again, he's working Christian again, for the TV Championship, again. 

I just sense so much lost opportunity to push the product forward at times, and create a buzz, and build some real momentum lost at the expense of what.. popping the boys in the back? 

You can't take every big name that enters the company and throw them straight into a program for the top championship. First, that gets stale quickly. Second, it discredits the active roster members who have been grinding for years. Third, it causes booking problems.

Let's say Okada enters the company, gets in Samoa Joe's face and challenges him for the world championship. Then you're undermining the stories you have with Swerve, Hangman and the Undisputed Kingdom, and whoever else was working towards Joe. How do you book the match? Either you have your new top star lose his first big match after which they likely end up in the midcard anyway, or you have your established champion go down to an outside talent. I'm not saying it's always a bad booking strategy but it needs to treated with care. It's not the right place for Okada to be right now.

Another example. Two months ago Deonna Purrazzo arrived and was immediately booked into a world championship program with Toni Storm, a feud that is still going. That's what you want, right? Would you want your new star Mercedes Mone to just enter the company, challenge Toni storm, and end the Deonna feud abruptly? I understand Mone is a bigger deal than Purrazzo but that's still not a good way to do things. Julia Hart is established. She's a champion who is currently not doing very much. A perfect slot for Mone to come in.

Edge would be on the Road to Wrestlemania, sure, but would he be fighting Roman Reigns or Seth Rollins in the main event? Nope. At best he'd be challenging Gunther or Logan Paul for a midcard championship. Let's not act like Christian is some jobber with a jobber championship either. He's been presented as a big deal. I agree they dragged out Edge vs Christian way too long but that's a different conversation. It's a hot feud that received a lot of spotlight and it's more substantial than whatever he'd be doing at Wrestlemania XL.

Mar 15, 2024 0:28:43 GMT NATH45 said:

They're just not utilizing this phenomenal roster they've got with any real vision. Okada's mystique is gone after 3 weeks. From a deflated entrance, an association with two of the worst human beings on the roster, and wrestling every week in highly contested matches with mid-card guys. He's not a marquee special attraction anymore after just 3 weeks. This is a guy who should be treated like Roman Reigns. Wrestling few and far between, and when he does - it should matter. 

Great spin job. If you read my posting history you'll know that I am no Young Bucks fan, but those worst human beings on the roster are pretty relevant right now. They were in Sting's final ever program. Now they've brought in the hottest free agent in the world. Okada is bringing a fresh character and personality to the table and he has hardly been tested much in these "highly contested" matches. He still feels like a special attraction to me. He's hanging out with the EVPs in fine suits, and he's immediately being targeted by established AEW upper midcarders Eddie Kingston and PAC.

You could certainly book Okada like Roman Reigns, that wouldn't be a bad direction, but it's not the only way to book Okada. Plus Okada might actually want to wrestle more than once every three months.

Does anyone feel like a star in AEW? I feel like if they signed Roman Reigns then Joe Anoai would be out there first night in a t shirt and jeans in a six man tag featuring Brandon Cutler. I just feel like Khan hasn’t got a clue about presentation and making stars, and he really needs help.