become the new CJ Parker
Well, since the three former members of the Shield will be facing each other (plus Cowboy Bob’s kid for some reason) at Payback, please enjoy now the last time that Reigns, Rollins, and Ambrose fought each other, in a triple-threat in what was then called FCW back in 2012, with the winner becoming #1 contender to the Florida Heavyweight Championship.
Leakee/Reigns won and went on to have a Florida Heavyweight Championship match against Leo Kruger/Adam Rose. Which he lost.
So apparently both Sami Zayn AND Hideo Itami are injured?
Suuuuucks
Rhyno v. Corbin* makes no sense to me. I mean, it makes sense if they’re two established guys who can work a solid match, because then it’s two big powerhouses who work compatible styles. But Corbin’s been doing nothing but 30 second squashes for months–he’s at the point where he needs to step up and start showing some development by working longer matches. Ideally, you’d want to pair him up with a ring general who can help guide him through the match–that’s what they did in both the Columbus and the WM weekend shows, and in each case, the result was a pretty good match. From what I understand, Rhyno does not qualify as anything like a “ring general”, so there’s a decent chance this could be a complete clustermuck. We’ll see.
- I get to shorten people’s names, WWE. You don’t.
Heh. Glad I’m not the only one who caught that Bushwhackers vibe off those guys. As to the Totally Heterosexual Friends, they’ve been heels from the start.
Someone over on Uproxx suggested that Pentagon Jr has mystical powers such that all of the shoulders he’s kayfabe injuring over on Lucha Underground are transferring to shoot injuries in WWE.
Speaking of Lucha Underground, SCSA discussed it a little on his podcast today. IMO, he’s a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to his concern over running LU on a seasonal model; it’s how pretty much all of television works, including “real” sports, so I’m pretty sure wrestling fans can figure it out.
My question, though, is about another comment he made, which is that they weren’t actually doing a lucha libre show. I’ve never watched lucha libre (though god, do I want to watch some AAA!), so I don’t really understand this. Anybody who’s more familiar w/ lucha libre got any ideas on this one?
To borrow a Michael Cole line, Hernandez may be the most polarizing figure in Lucha Underground. If you wanna see some hate, go check out Brandon Stroud’s Over/Under on uproxx.com once it’s posted tomorrow, or if you’re in a rush, go find last week’s. Read the column, then read the comments. On the other side, I read somewhere else that he does have his fans. Me? Well, he’s definitely not the greatest thing to ever happen to professional wrestling; he seems to have a pretty limited moveset. But I don’t mind him all that much. He’s definitely a weak point on a show that’s as packed with talent as Lucha Underground.
I wouldn’t be too sure that will hold out past season 1. This strikes me as a show that will be very aware of its own history, and there are some feuds that are just begging to be rekindled. Cuerno/Mundo II; Cuerno/Drago II, Mil Muertes/Fenix II, Aerostar/Drago II… I’ll mark like the markiest of marky marks when any of those show up.
Can’t rule it out, but I have a hard time picturing Texano as a tecnico.
YMMV–I thought this was a classic, just like Striker and Vampiro called it. An excellent back and forth match that pushed both men to their absolute limit and a little bit past. As to whether El Patron is a natural face or a natural heel, I submit for your consideration the crowd’s reaction to him. Submission wrestling tends to be a heel signature, but plenty of submission specialists have been faces.
I think you misread the segment–he blocked everything she threw at him in a classic kung fu movie scene, then told her that she would never have to face Matanza defenseless–if she stayed. She turned, a look of resignation on her face, and unzipped her bag to start unpacking again. (Also, what a nice fellow to let his kidnappee have luggage.)
Also, I’m going to guess that you turned it off when the credits rolled, because you didn’t mention the big development–MIL MUERTES HAS RISEN! I got chills from that scene–legit goosebumps. I’m hoping they’ll explain why whatzername (derp) turned on Mil to set up the Grave Consequences fight–was this all her plan, so that Mil could rise stronger than ever? …and if so, how the fuck can Mil goddamn Muertes get STRONGER?
This is the only wrestling forum I read, because everything else is CENASUXLOL or humor impaired. I’m not demanding Hernandez’s head or anything. I just don’t think LU knows what they’re doing with him right now.
ditto for me, but LU seems to have a pretty high turnover rate, probably bc many of their personnel also work for AAA. I don’t get that “developmental” feel from them. They don’t use the same approach as American wrestling shows where they manufacture gimmicks and see how the audience reacts. LU works their talent into storylines based on their existing identities and don’t linger when the story’s over.
I only know him through LU, so I don’t know what his tecnico/rudo resume is. It just doesn’t seem like Davari is supposed to be likable.
I’m so used to Alberto as a heel, it’s hard to take him at “face” value. 
BALLS! At least I have it recorded.
Well, that was a pretty decent Smackdown.
King BNB loses again, but more Adrian Neville is always a good thing.
yesyesyesyesyesyes The Wyatts are reuniting yesyesyesyesyes at least Harper and Rowan are, maybe, possibly, leaning in that direction…
New-hoo Day-hee is rocking their positive heel vibe, oblivious to the derision. I didn’t think they had the chops to make it work, but they do. Not sure how long they can maintain the heat, but this is probably the best time they’ll ever be over.
Of all the lady wrestlers, very few have that “look” that makes them appear totally dangerous and not to be messed with. Tamina Snuka has that look. So does Awesome Kong from TNA. Paige does sometimes, when she’s in the zone. AJ Lee had that look when she was being the psycho stalker ex, and just before she got overexposed.
The contract signing segment kicked ass. Somehow, when the SHIELD members are together, they light the world on fire, even when they’re fighting. The Wyatts are the same way. They have a natural chemistry with each other extending from their NXT days.
I loved the way Seth kept exposing their secrets and turning his opponents against each other. I loved the way Dean just said screw it, I’m going to fuck shit up. The camera crew lined up a perfect shot: when Dean and Seth were fighting outside the ring, Roman jumps from behind Dean and delivers the Superman punch outta nowhere. Reigns may have his faults, but they disappear under the aegis of the SHIELD. If Orton were to miss his flight for Payback, I wouldn’t care. Just let the SHIELDsters crush the show on their own.
NXT is racking up on the walking wounded. KO’s hurt, Sami Zayn’s hurt, Alex Rageley is hurt, Corey Graves had to retire, and now Hideo Atami is going to be out for 6-8 months. I Guess Finn and Tyler won’t be called up to the main roster any time soon. Are these guys not being careful enough or what? I remember when my local NHL team, the Carolina Hurricanes used to condition themselves to resist injury better. While they’re not exactly Stanley Cup contenders, they usually do better in mid-season because the stars of the other teams are inactive due to injury.
I was thinking of names of wrestling finishers, like “Black Hole Slam,” “Tombstone Piledriver,” etc, and though of one a lady wrestler could use. She knocks the opponent down to a prone position, then climbs the corner turnbuckle and and leaps off, landing in a seating position on the opponent’s face. It’s called the “Carpet Bomb.”
If you’ve got an hour to kill, here’s Chris Jericho and Dean Ambrose talking about ghosts, UFOs and Bigfoot. Jericho plugs shit for the first 17 minutes, so skip that. For guys who make it their business to pass their shit off as real, they seem to believe in the paranormal enough to at least have fun with it.
“It’s like two stoned dudes talking about whatever pops into their stoned heads”
- Ms. Cups on that show
Exciting only to me but…
I got my move date for when I’m Orlando bound. The weekend of June 19th.
Pretty sure I won’t have a job by then cuz God hates me or whatever…but it’s the first of the three step process:
Step 1: Reunite with Ms. Cups in Orlando and have a normal relationship
Step 2: Get a job (preferably full-time) somewhere so I can try and. you know, live a normal life
Step 3: Go to NXT
So a Goofy or Dumbo costume is in your future? 
Ha. Eff that.
I’m not saying that my performance background wouldn’t let me do it, but there is no way I’m living in a suit for an Orlando summer.
Now if The Mouse wants to hire me as a writer for the various things I can write for then let’s talk. But ix-nay on the arachter-chay
“bah gawd king! Finn balor is being attacked by goofy!”
“a-hyuk ya shouldn’a fucked with mah daisy a-hyuk”
Well, the bad news is Daniel Bryan has given up the IC title. I can’t say I didn’t see it coming, but I’m still pretty bummed about it.
The good news is - live Elimination Chamber match to pick the new champion! It’s actually pretty surprising they’re bringing the chamber back so soon - they changed this year’s February PPV to “Fast Lane” because the Chamber was too big and difficult to transport and set up, but I guess the venue in Corpus Christi is capable of accommodating it.
Let’s just hope they don’t put the title on Barrett again. Who would be worthy of elevating the strap in Bryan’s place? Ambrose? Bray Wyatt? Kallisto? Neville? Let the wild speculation commence.
In other news, AAA is going to be running a trios tournament PPV on the 24th that’s available for online viewing for $19 US, and will be featuring a number of TNA/ROH/LU/Japanese wrestlers that we’ve come to know and love. They haven’t announced the brackets yet, but the teams competing are;
- The Dream Team: Alberto El Patron, Rey Mysterio Jr., & Myzteziz (i.e. Sin Cara I)
- Team Mexico #1: El Hijo del Fantasmo, El Texano Jr, & Psycho Clown
- Team Mexican Legends: Blue Demon Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr., & Solar I
- Team TNA: Matt Hardy, Mr. Anderson, & Johnny Mundo
- Team ROH: Moose, ACH, and Cage
- Team NOAH: Taiji Ishimori, Yoshihiro Takayama, & Atsushi Kotoge
- Team All-Japan: Kenzo Suzuki, Tiger Mask III, & Masamune
- Team Rest of the World: Drew McIntyre, Anjelico, & El Mesias (i.e. Mil Muertes)
I’m not sure if they’re going to be having an English-language commentary track, but I might just check it out one way or the other.
That does sound interesting. Wonder why they don’t swap McIntyre and Mundo? That would make a LU team, even though Muertes is operating under another alias. Wonder if this means Cage is going to work for RoH? They’ve been producing some good monster-sized talent like Rowe, Hansen, Moose and Elgin.
Teaming Sandow and Axel is a good move. Both these guys have talent that needs to be developed.
Sad to see Danial Bryan stepping down, happy that he’s got the sense not to cripple himself.
I’ve never been a big Randy Orton fan but I’m disgusted that he has to put over a no talent like Rollins.
Anyone who you want to see take a whole lot of non-title losses. Until they prove they have figured out another way to book it, I wouldn’t trust them to not destroy Adrian Neville with it. Kallisto is permanently ball-n-chained to Sin Cara. They’ll probably give it to Dean; they like having him lose a lot.
Striker and Vampiro will be calling it. I plan to check it out, assuming I can find decent enough internet.