Pro Wrestling Discussion Thread **Spoilers Possible**

[BYU 14]

One of the more memorable JTTS's passed away this week as well, the 'Sodbuster' Kenny Jay. Always a staple on AWA TV and I remember popping when he got his upset win over Jacque Goulet. R.I.P to both he and Poffo

[cartman]

get well soon, King

Jerry Lawler suffers stroke at Florida home

[JonInMiddleGA]

Much as I hate Switchblade's departure, at least they got something out of the post-match from it.

The promo that someone cut afterwards (avoiding spoiler just in case anyone cares) was really pretty damned good. I like what they can get out of that if they don't fuck it up.

[dubb93]

Last night in WWE really feels like a missed opportunity. As much as they say no one is willing to grab the brass ring anymore it just seems like anytime anyone gets within reach they add 20 feet to the pole. Last night has to be on the shortlist of hottest crowds in wrestling history and they sent them home disappointed.

[Flasch186]

It almost makes me wonder if Vince is back to being the say in creative.

What a miss. I haven’t watched a ppv of wwe’s in years and I did. I don’t know how they get me to tune in again.

Incredible mistake and I can’t believe someone couldn’t talk sense into whomever was the final decision maker.

I mean, so much so, that they ought to leak an apology in short order or else I’d say they cut their viewership and momentum by 33%.

[Mota]

Now does Cody Rhodes get the same positive fan support on Monday? That's the big question.

Meanwhile, I've actually been watching a decent amount of Stardom recently. It's actually pretty good! Lots of good wrestlers that I'd never heard of before. It's hard because there isn't English commentary, so it is definitely tougher to get into the storylines. The interviews are subtitled though, so you do get a general idea of things. But my NJPW viewing became more rewarding after Kevin Kelly started to do the English commentary.

[dubb93]

Dirt sheets are reporting Vince is back in WWE creative. Not that we needed confirmation if you have been watching the last couple of shows.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by dubb93

Last night in WWE really feels like a missed opportunity. As much as they say no one is willing to grab the brass ring anymore it just seems like anytime anyone gets within reach they add 20 feet to the pole. Last night has to be on the shortlist of hottest crowds in wrestling history and they sent them home disappointed.

I feel like this was the perfect time to split the belts. Make the Sami match for the Universal title. Sami wins in his hometown, place goes nuts, million ways to go from there.

Then you have Roman and Cody for the WWE Championship. The title that eluded his father. Sami doesn't hang over that match.

The Roman reign has been great but they've had 2 opportunities now to end it which would have created an enormous pop and momentum for someone. The other being the match in Europe against Drew.

[RainMaker]

Well MJF can still cut a promo.

[dubb93]

Anyone bought one of these AEW PPVs that can tell me how long you have access to them? There isn’t any way we could watch it in one night, but my oldest child wants me to buy it and I’m considering it. We always watch wrestling an hour and a half at a time besides Smackdown which we watch all of.

[Toddzilla]

AEW has an opportunity to make the 4-way Tag match at Revolution palatable by adding FTW to the mix, instead opting for...(checks notes)...Danhausen and Orange Cassidy.

Then they close the go-home Dynamite with a showdown between MJF and Danielson and MJF says....nothing.

WTF is going on

[dubb93]

I had the crazy Bing AI write out a segment for the Royal Rumble that I was calling for back in January. It isn't perfect but you get the gist.

[The scene is backstage at the Royal Rumble. Sami Zayn is walking with his luggage and sees a piece of paper on the floor. He picks it up and looks at it.]

Zayn: What? No way! This can't be right!

[He runs to Adam Pierce's office and knocks on the door.]

Pierce: Come in.

Zayn: [enters] Adam, you have to help me. I found this on the floor and it's a nightmare.

Pierce: What is it?

Zayn: It's an entry number for the Royal Rumble. Look!

[He shows Pierce the paper. It has the number 1 on it.]

Pierce: Oh, wow. That's unlucky.

Zayn: Unlucky? It's a disaster! You know I'm part of the bloodline, right? You know Roman Reigns is my leader and I'm the honorary uce, right? You know he's the Universal Champion and he expects me to support him in everything he does, right?

Pierce: Yeah, I know all that.

Zayn: Then you have to do something! You have to let me out of this match. I don't want to be in the Rumble. I don't want to fight for a shot at Roman's title.

Pierce: Sorry, Sami. But that's not how it works. The numbers are randomly drawn and they're final. You can't surrender your number or withdraw from the match.

Zayn: But how do you even know this is my number? Maybe someone dropped it and I just picked it up by mistake.

Pierce: Well, that's possible. But we have a record of who got which number. And according to our records... [checks his laptop] ...this number belongs to you.

Zayn: No! No! No! This is a conspiracy! This is a setup! Someone is trying to ruin me!

Pierce: Calm down, Sami. Nobody is out to get you.

Zayn: Oh yeah? Then how do you explain this? How do you explain that I have to enter the Rumble first and face 29 other superstars who want to eliminate me? How do you explain that I have to betray Roman's trust and go against his wishes? How do you explain that?

Pierce: Well...that's just how the Rumble works.

Zayn: No! That's not fair! That's not right! That's not loyal!

[Zayn throws the paper on Pierce's desk and storms out of his office.]

Zayn: [shouting] This is ridiculous! This is outrageous! This is unacceptable!

[Pierce sighs and shakes his head.]

Pierce: Good luck out there, Sami.

The AI threw in the fact that The Rock is its favorite wrestler and its favorite Rock moment was in 2011 when he returned to host Wrestlemania and started his fued with John Cena for free.

[RainMaker]

AEW has had some good cards in the past but I have zero interest in Revolution and have lost most of my interest in the promotion as a whole.

Did catch the ladder match last night and it was just weird. Lot of big dangerous spots for a TV match.

[dubb93]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

AEW has had some good cards in the past but I have zero interest in Revolution and have lost most of my interest in the promotion as a whole.

Did catch the ladder match last night and it was just weird. Lot of big dangerous spots for a TV match.

Were the camera angles weird or have I just not noticed the refs constantly holding all the ladders and things like that before. I was really taken out of the match by the refs holding the ladders every time someone climbed. Was my first AEW ladder match but I can’t say I’ve ever noticed that before in WWE.

I mean the finish had what, 4 refs holding that ladder so Hobbs could climb it and it was all in the shot that made TV.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by dubb93

Were the camera angles weird or have I just not noticed the refs constantly holding all the ladders and things like that before. I was really taken out of the match by the refs holding the ladders every time someone climbed. Was my first AEW ladder match but I can’t say I’ve ever noticed that before in WWE.

I mean the finish had what, 4 refs holding that ladder so Hobbs could climb it and it was all in the shot that made TV.

Refs typically hold the ladder often, especially when it's wobbly. Usually however the producer is smart enough not to get them on camera.

The ladder Hobbs was using had been used for a bump or two, so it was all fucked up - it couldn't even stand on it's own.

AEW stepping on it's own dick yet again.

[RainMaker]

Yeah, WWE has refs hold the ladder too but they make sure that the refs aren't in the camera shot.

[RainMaker]

Well I didn't like the card for Revolution but it was a hell of a show if you like wrestling. Their PPVs have the best wrestling in the states.

Iron Man match was terrific and MJF held his own and then some.

[dubb93]

I bought the show last night and watched it with my wrestling obsessed son. Was a great show. I did laugh when Samoa Joe was “choked out” and then immediately rolled out of the ring ON CAMERA. They really need to fire whoever is in charge of camera cuts.

[miami_fan]

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/08/wwe-...h-results.html

I gotta say, this would have the Montreal Screwjob story much more interesting.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/08/wwe-...h-results.html

I gotta say, this would have the Montreal Screwjob story much more interesting.

That seems like a HORRIBLE idea. Though someone suing a referee for negligence for missing a run-in and causing them to lose their bet will be hilarious.

[molson]

You can hell who is going to pro wrestling matches based on late odds swings on the offshore betting sites. The insiders definitely already bet. The max bets for those kinds of bets is small, maybe $50 or $100 usually.

[SirFozzie]

I'm pretty sure that wrestling workrate folks were grinding their molars to powder in that Orange Cassidy-Jeff Jarrett match (Cassidy is polarizing, Jarret old and polarizing), but it was definitely a 4* match if you just count enjoyment of a wrestling match, with all Jarrett's fuckery countered (including Cassidy channeling Eddie Guerrero with the fake guitar stuff.)

[PilotMan]

That any company would even consider taking, let alone, actually run odds and take bets on such a thing blows me away.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/08/wwe-...h-results.html

I gotta say, this would have the Montreal Screwjob story much more interesting.

Ah, yes, that old boring tale.

[Mota]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

That any company would even consider taking, let alone, actually run odds and take bets on such a thing blows me away.

Yes, we already have a track record of insiders that know the results betting on matches at the last minute, causing these massive swings in the odds. It would be a great time to be the booker, you could make infinite money.

[Mota]

Well, I got my ticket for Forbidden Door 2. Hopefully they put together a good card. Obviously last year was an issue because half the AEW roster got injured right before that card.

Now I have to do my best to catch up on the programs, I'm really digging into NJPW right now but am currently at Feb 2020. I could just skip to current stuff, but this is peak NJPW and there's no point in skipping it. I loved the 2019 G1 and Super Jr tournaments, and the Wrestle Kingdom from Jan 2020 was just amazing. AEW I'm watching Nov 2022, I stalled there because it was getting a bit stale to me.

[Mota]

Dola, Monster Factory on Apple TV is definitely worth watching! We've watched the first 2 episodes so far and it is interesting to follow the lives of all these people training to make it big.

[RainMaker]

It's not a style I typically like but that Vikingo guy is pretty crazy.

[JonInMiddleGA]

CNBC (and everybody else now) reporting that UFC-parent Endeavor & the WWE are near an agreement that would created a new entity, 51% controlled by Endeavor & 49% by WWE.

Vince & Dana would remain in place as the heads of their respective lanes, both answering to the Endeavor chairman (whose name escapes me atm)

[Mota]

So I guess the investigation into the hush money and payoffs just goes away? McMahon wins in the end.

[RainMaker]

Genuinely don't understand that finish. I don't think you could setup a better storyline to dethrone Roman.

Like where do you even go from there? Is there a babyface left on the roster to put up against him?

[RainMaker]

Also Shane coming back and blowing out his knee in 30 seconds was genuinely funny.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Also Shane coming back and blowing out his knee in 30 seconds was genuinely funny.

Torn quad, per Trips in the post-match press scrum.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Genuinely don't understand that finish. I don't think you could setup a better storyline to dethrone Roman.

Like where do you even go from there? Is there a babyface left on the roster to put up against him?

Not really.

Best I can figure next would seem to be Lashley? Or Edge? Or Brock?

Or Jay White?

edit to add: among the more popular speculations tonight is that a face turn Jey Uso is actually gonna eventually be the guy.

[RainMaker]

He already beat Edge and Brock. Lashley feels like a big step down and is not nearly as over as other guys he has beat. Orton maybe?

Just feels like a weird decision when you have no credible person waiting.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

He already beat Edge and Brock. Lashley feels like a big step down and is not nearly as over as other guys he has beat. Orton maybe?

Just feels like a weird decision when you have no credible person waiting.

[RainMaker]

Finn Balor just posted a photo of the gash he got on his head to Twitter. Props to him for finishing the match. That's one of the gnarliest wounds I've seen.

[SirFozzie]

"Hey, it's the Main Event of Wrestlemania. The Grandest Stage of them all. We need something top tier.. whaddaya got?"

"I dunno, all I can think of is the same old bullshit, Bloodline interference and a bullshit ending"

"A rerun of the last two+ years? That's so money."

Fuck off, WWE.

edit in place of dola:

I mean, if you're going to have Reigns retain, do it in a way that excites the crowd. Have Rhodes have it nearly won, and then make that one mistake that leads to Reigns taking over, and then something like three Spears to finish Rhodes. a finish worthy of WrestleFUCKINGMania. Instead it's "Hey, it's "Bloodline saves Roman in a bullshit ending", part XXV!

I mean, it's not like this was the biggest show of the year, 160,000 people over two days./ Who cares that you give them the same type of ending that you would on a general RAW.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Last night's rumor is this morning's news.

The ESPN dot com summary below

A new publicly traded company will house UFC and World Wrestling Entertainment brands, with Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. taking a 51% controlling interest in the new company. Existing WWE shareholders will hold a 49% stake.

The companies put the enterprise value of UFC at $12.1 billion and WWE's value at $9.3 billion.

The new business, which does not yet have a name, will be led by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel. Vince McMahon, executive chairman at WWE, will serve in the same role at the new company. Dana White will continue as president of UFC, and Nick Khan will be president at WWE.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Torn quad, per Trips in the post-match press scrum.

If you are a McMahon or marry one, it seems like a right of passage at this point. Don't mean to laugh at a serious injury but out of all the things that man has put his body through, it's wild that he gets injured on a leap frog.

It was a bad sign when he sounded totally gassed as he got to the ring.

[RainMaker]

Well it's safe to say Vince is back.

[Toddzilla]

Well it's safe to say WWE is dead

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Finn Balor just posted a photo of the gash he got on his head to Twitter. Props to him for finishing the match. That's one of the gnarliest wounds I've seen.

They had to staple the wound shut DURING THE MATCH

[JonInMiddleGA]

Jay White is All Elite.

Sigh.

Okay, NOW I'm pissed about Vince's return to creative.

[molson]

On of the more hilarious pro wrestling rumors I can remember reading, is that, (reported by two sources including Meltzer), the current AEW plan is to bring Punk back, but then have a new TV show and soft brand split, with the roster separated by who is willing to be in a locker room with Punk and vice versa. The creation of a separate Punk-verse, if you will.

[Toddzilla]

APW

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by molson

On of the more hilarious pro wrestling rumors I can remember reading, is that, (reported by two sources including Meltzer), the current AEW plan is to bring Punk back, but then have a new TV show and soft brand split, with the roster separated by who is willing to be in a locker room with Punk and vice versa. The creation of a separate Punk-verse, if you will.

As I've said for quite a while, that company could be interesting if they had any competent leadership whatsoever. Alas ...

At least this way maybe the obnoxious half of FTR will finally STFU and stop trying to be Punk's unpaid mouthpiece. They're at just-go-away heat with me simply because I'm sick to death of the steady stream of social media horseshit, nothing they've done / will ever do in the ring is worth enduring the constant blathering.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Paul Heyman is a cheat code.

(the Rhea / Solo bit, he took it from potential cringe to downright entertaining ... and made doing so look effortless)

[Mota]

I just finished watching WrestleMania (one of my only WWE shows of the year).

Zayn/Owens vs. Osos was very good. Loved the crowd pop.
Shane McMahon and any less athletic person (including most MLB players) should make sure to do extensive stretching before any jumping activities (I'm also talking about Edwin Diaz)
Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns didn't feel like a WrestleMania main event to me. Yes, the crowd was over, but it was the same interference finish they always do. It was fun to watch at the time, but it's not going to be one of those matches we're talking about in 2-3 years, let alone 10-20.

Overall it was okay, but with Vince in charge again, wasn't enough to get me back on board again as a regular viewer.

[dubb93]

Originally Posted by Mota

Zayn/Owens vs. Osos was very good. Loved the crowd pop.

I hate to sound like Jim Cornette, but damn there we a ton of super kicks in that match. Don't those guys know any other moves?

Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns didn't feel like a WrestleMania main event to me. Yes, the crowd was over, but it was the same interference finish they always do. It was fun to watch at the time, but it's not going to be one of those matches we're talking about in 2-3 years, let alone 10-20.

If Cody would have went over the roof would have blown off that place and it would have felt much more like a Wrestlemania main event. Roman going over just sucked the life out of the arena.

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I see a ton of talk about splitting the world titles up again. Am I the only one that prefers only having one world title? I would rather it be on Cody right now, but I sure as hell don't want Cody to get his title without going through Roman.