aew has always been a tryhard ecw lite … all that’s missing is Tommy Sabu and new jack and a ring of tacks …
Eh. AEW is more of a pre-Vince Russo WCW.
Which is exactly what I’d been wanting to see in the wrestling world since 1999 or so.
I’m interpreting this as a national wrestling show that actually wants to be mostly about wrestling. I’m mostly with you, but putting on my Cornette-hat, I would like to see a little less breaking the fourth wall. That has always been and continues to be my problem with the Bucks. It’s Lucha-style but also making fun of the fact that it’s Lucha.
Yes, he hated it.
In other news, grass is green, the sky is blue, and fire is hot.
Jon Moxley has checked into rehab.
AEW Dark Taz/Excalibur moment of the day
Jon Silver and Alex Reynolds with Negative One vs Sean Carr and Marcus Kross
Ex: Taz, you know how sometimes in different sports, the President of the United States will get a front row seat, maybe courtside, or right there on the first base row, watching all the action? You think the competitors ever feel a little added pressure, knowing the president’s watching you?
Taz: Uh… no.
Silence
Ex: OK.
Taz: I know, I know, I know where you’re going.
Ex: I mean, do they feel any added pressure because Negative One is watching them?
Taz: That I do think, the Dark Order gets nervous when Negative One is watching them. And I’ve had a lot of experience in this topic. I’ve had a lot of presidents, in the United States, watch my matches ringside, but it was kept on the D-Low. I know this.
Ex: I see, it was at a house show.
Taz: Exactly. A bunch of house shows in DC.
I hope Jon comes out on the other side of this. He was always my favorite member of The Shield.
Apparently the recent infusion of Saudi blood money wasn’t enough to stave off more “budget cuts”, because WWE has just done another huge round of roster cuts. Keith Lee, Karrion Kross, Nia Jax, Eva Marie, Ember Moon, Franky Monet, and the remainder of Lucha House Party are all out among others.
They also fired Davey Boy Smith Jr., which is odd because they just rehired him a couple months ago and he hasn’t even debuted yet.
Anyone who was big in NXT from 2015-2020 is probably dreading an unexpected phone call at this point.
wow, Vince is totally cleaning house of all of trips hires eh? well if anything aew might be able to get some talent for its women’s roster …
The New York Post (a very shitty tabloid) reported that ~5 of the releases were Covid vaccination-related, specifically naming Nia Jax. I’m wondering if Eva Marie was also taken off TV for that, haven been injured by Shayna Bayzler. Those are the only ones I know that had an injury angle before being cut, whereas Lee and Kross were in the process of being re-packaged.
So true. Supposedly NXT 2.0 is working on bi-annual evaluations of talent, and many more will be moved out. No more long-term developmental. If I were over 30 and in NXT or if I am a NXT veteran, I’d have my resume ready.
In very slight defense of WWE, the roster is bloated. So is AEW. I may vehemently disagree on whom to keep and whom to cut, but there is a lot of fat to be trimmed, and there would be even if someone still competent was helming the WWE ship.
AEW Dark Taz/Excalibur moment of the day
Too Fast Too Fuego vs Nick Comoroto & Aaron Solo
Ex & Taz speculate on the identity of Fuego 2, strongly hinting he’s Cody Rhodes. 2’s left shoulder strap hides what could be “DREAM” with only the D and M visible.
Taz: That D and the M, I looked into it. His real first name, Fuego 2, is Dom, like in Dominick. So that’s, that’s why he has the D and M, but he had them removed, I believe.
Ex: Oh, so laser tattoo removal.
Taz: We have them backstage. We have them. They’re always here.
Closeup of Fuego 2’s neck shows a dark blue area covered with flesh makeup.
Taz: I think I found a tip. I’m going to go with my detective role here, Excalibur.
Ex: OK.
Taz: Who wears masks all the time around here? Besides you.
Ex: Uh…
Taz: Dark Order. Look what color socks under those black patent leather boots Fuego 2 has on! Purple! I think that’s Cody Vance. Is that 10? He’s bigger than 10.
Ex: Preston Vance.
Taz: That’s what I meant.
…
Ex: So you think Preston Vance changed masks, rubbed the 10 off his chest, and is now competing under a different alias?
Taz: Well, I told you we have tattoo removal here. It’s all over the place, backstage.
Fuego 1 executes a Cross-Rhodes on Solo, but Comoroto shoves Fuego 2 on top of the two, breaking up the pin attempt.
Taz: Interesting that Fuego 1 used a Cross-Rhodes, he’s obviously a big fan of Covy Rhodes, Cody Rhodes.
Ex: Step-up Hurricanrana…
Taz: Not to be confused with Covy Rhodes. It’s his cousin, from Amarillo.
although i found out he was just an indy guy this was interesting
Full Gear is tonight, I’m pretty damn hyped.
My thoughts on the card.
AEW World Championship – Kenny Omega (c) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page - hoping for a OWA kickout and a Hangman win, with the Dark Order saving him from shenanigans but not interfering.
AEW Women’s Championship – Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (c) vs. Tay Conti - Britt retains, I think.
AEW Tag Team Championship – Lucha Brothers (c) vs. FTR - Lucha Bros retain, and hopefully Alex gets a good shot in on Tully
Bryan Danielson vs. Miro - I’m really liking the “God’s spurned champion” bit, hoping he brutalizes Bryan and gets a shot at Page, where the neck weakness can take center stage to the Deadeye and Buckshot Lariat combo
CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston - Punk wins, but not clean. I want this to keep going for a bit.
The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana & Ortiz) vs. Men of the Year (Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky) and American Top Team (Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski & Dan Lambert) - I kinda love Dan Lambert’s shtick on the mic. I think Van Zant might have a future in wrestling, and he’s a great manager. I’m good with heel shenanigans leading to Jericho eating an undeserved loss to Lambert.
Darby Allin vs. MJF - I want MJF to win via Diamond Ring, but to get taken out by Sting and Darby together while Wardlow does little.
Christian Cage & Jurassic Express vs. Superkliq (Adam Cole & The Young Bucks) - I hate the Bucks and don’t really get Cole. But Luchasaurus eats the pin.
Buy in - Thunder Rosa and Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose and Jamie Hayter - Faces win, I assume
Getting this in just under the wire. I do like The Acclaimed’s bit.
I haven’t been able to watch much AEW lately, so here’s my weak-ass predictions.
Kenny Omega (C) vs. Hangman Adam Page, AEW World Championship Match: I think this is Hangman’s time. He wins the belt here.
CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston: Kingston wins here, ending CM Punk’s undefeated streak in AEW. He deserves it. Kingston is super-intense.
Bryan Danielson vs. Miro, World Title Eliminator Tournament Final: Danielson wins.
Dr. Britt Baker, DMD (C) vs. Tay Conti, AEW Women’s World Championship Match: Baker retains.
The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Santana, Ortiz, and Sammy Guevara) vs. Men of the Year (Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky) and American Top Team (Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski, and Dan Lambert), Minneapolis Street Fight Match: Inner Circle wins.
Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Meido and Ray Fenix) (C) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler), AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: FTR win the belts.
Darby Allin vs. MJF: MJF wins.
Christian Cage and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) vs. Superkliq (Adam Cole, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson), Falls Count Anywhere Match: Superkliq.
Pac and Cody Rhodes vs. Malakai Black and Andrade El Idolo: I think Pac turns on Cody and allows Malakai and Andrade to win. He’s not called The Bastard for nothing.
Nyla Rose and Jamie Hayter vs. Hikaru Shida and Thunder Rosa, Pre-Show Match: No idea. Um, Shida and Rosa.
Looks like I missed the Pac/Cody v Black/Andrade match.
LolCodyWins? I dunno.
Graphics team with a “We’re Proud of You” chyron prematch? Ref bump leading to Aubrey sprinting down the ramp? Overcoming Callis? Hangman hits the OWA and avoids getting one in return? Multiple Buckshots to finish it? Turning down a beer to celebrate with the Dark Order?
Cowboy shit.
I’m kicking myself for forgetting to request the day off so I could watch it live. Apparently the local movie theater has decided to continue doing live telecasts of AEW’s PPVs, so that’s how I’ll probably be seeing them from here on out since it’s cheaper than buying the PPV ($25 admission vs. $60 on my cable bill).
Gotta say I’m liking the new remix of “Pomp and Circumstance” that AEW is going with for Jay Lethal’s theme;
I hope they can get Lanny Poffo to come in so they can do a reprise of Lethal’s appearance as Black Machismo all the way back at All In. Sadly, I think Lethal coming to AEW pretty much proves that ROH is dead; he was the biggest star they had left and the guy who’d stuck with the company the longest even after so many guys like Punk and Danielson and Samoa Joe and Seth Rollins and Adam Cole and ReDragon and Damien Priest defected to WWE, and without a biggish name like him around I don’t see how they’d be able to get any eyes on their “reboot”.
In other news, it has come to my attention that Jay Lethal is only 36 years old. How the hell am I older than Jay Lethal? I honestly thought he was in his 50s at this point.
Full Gear was rock solid from start to finish. They were all on the level of WALTER vs Dragunov, and all participants worked their asses off. None of the matches were a sure thing. It wasn’t “of course DBD won.” It was more like Freddie vs. Jason. Neither guy would go down after taking a killer finish.
Each match told a story and each participant dinged up a level. Luchasaurus was no longer the friendly giant stooge. He became Godzilla on the Super Elite while Jungle Boy looked visibly scared of what his friend turned into. Jungle Boy also had his “come to the dark side” moment when he eventually took Christian’s advice to bash one of the Jackson’s head in with a chair while he was prone. The Super Elite were supreme assholes that deserved their beating.
CM Punk was in a situation where his talent and wrestling ability no longer mattered. Kingston looked like he legitimately wanted to ruin him. Kingston even got as much cheers as Punk. At one point, Punk did Cena’s “You can’t see me” wave at Kingston, another “they went there” moment.
Hangman Adam Page is now AEW champ, and congratufuckinglations to him.