Timbo Slice

In their entire career, the Bucks have been extremely careful to only really put themselves in positions where they are in the goodwill of everyone around them, but they’ve also done it in ways that don’t really match up with the perception they’re trying to put forward. They also play the “underdog” or the “folks shouldn’t doubt us” role to a tiresome degree. While you can’t take away the success they’ve earned, they aren’t above criticism. I’m not saying it in deference to how Punk handled the situation, but they’re management and they really only act like it when it’s beneficial to themselves. The comment about loyalty to them is telling; they’d rather play that card than avoid discomfort even if that discomfort leads to a better bit of business because it’s not on THEIR terms. Criticize Punk all you want, but his only issue was being a petty curmudgeon, whereas the Bucks are more than happy to create what seems to be an immature, short-sighted environment in the locker room, leaving it open to folks to glob on and let the drama spread. Work or shoot, the only way forward is for all parties to talk like adults, and even if it is PR, the Bucks are surprisingly quiet on their end right now.

That’s an awesome cape and a good look for Keith on entrance. However, this match ain’t it.

Again. The goal is 40-50k. Not 90. You book that knowing O2 ain’t enough. The biggest draw would be Punk/FTR vs. The Elite. Tony is a long-term booker. Him announcing it now puts a lot of time between now and then, along with Punk being ready to come back. There really is no other match you can put on top that will draw that house. MJF is gonna do a big title defense two weeks later, so you just need something to pass the time. Again, if you can do the 6-man and Nigel/Bryan, that draws a huge fucking crowd. Everything else is just gravy at that point.

Like he thinks about that even a little bit.

Also, Mima calling herself “Tia Mima” fucking rules, more evil aunts in pro wrestling, please.

In all fairness, she’s more Mayumi Ozaki than either of those but she should just meet them all at this point.

The world is gonna explode if she gets her Hokuto photo.

Comparing Cody now to Sting in ‘97 is quite a stretch. The amount Sting was over leading up to that match was absolutely staggering. Cody was over, but not nearly as much.

My thought? Nigel gets cleared and they do Bryan/Nigel.

Fucker out here singing Louie Prima, goddamn.

Believe victims. That’s it, that’s the response. Period.

Yeah, but in that time, what blew up? The Bloodline story. More than likely Cody was getting groomed for SummerSlam, where he’d lose, but the Bloodline changed everything.

I think there were a lot of assumptions made about Cody getting the run he did (me included) and nobody took a step back to think about whether they’d actually put him over given his status literally one year earlier.

Over/under on Paul using the word “elite” in his speech to start the show is .5

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10071031-vince-mcmahon-says-hell-be-involved-in-wwe-creative-on-a-higher-level-after-sale Ah, well, nonetheless.

Like father like son. Except Vince is giving him shit for not tearing both

This company trolled their competition on the biggest show of the year, got bought up by the company that has more capital in the fight game than anyone, and submarined the idea of any other AEW talents jumping ship for greener pastures. Plans change, indeed.

Payoff is gonna be Jey, which is gonna be amazing

30 years later, it still seems like the pinnacle of women’s wrestling; a match that so thoroughly delivered on both its promise and premise. Going in cold, it is a marvel. Knowing what led up to it only makes everything more impactful, both in Hokuto’s career and the story itself. In a time where wrestling seems so manufactured and curated to the point of dilution, this is stand-alone even with its influences. Ironically, the matches I hear about that folks point to all took place in 1985, either from an ambiance perspective (Magnim/Tully) or a layout perspective (Devil/Chig, a direct lift of the finish in homage to them having their famous rematch on this very card). Simon (Handwerk) gave a convincing argument for the St. Final match being better (and I’ve seen more talks in recent years putting it either on more equal footing or just below), but the total package here is truly singular. Very few wrestling matches ever let you feel the full range of emotions like this one does, and frankly none of them wrap it up in a package as indelible. I’m a completionist by nature, and so for me, greatness is represented by the sum of its parts continuing to add on until it feels like it has accomplished everything it set out to do. This match cannot possibly have anything else added to it to make it better. I hope another match stirs me up like this one has so many times before, but I’d be lying to myself if I told you it was within the realm of possibilities.

Which is certainly a choice given how hot the Usos/Quebecois angle has been. But it’s Cena, I get it.

Must point at it to buy.

But the Jacksons don’t do politics well, not at all.

What the fuck are they doing feeding Nicole Matthews to Jade like that

Have to imagine Danielson’s involvement will be either the ZSJ match that didn’t happen and/or some type of G-1-related match. Omega defending the US title against Ospreay, losing it, and then setting up a rubber match might be interesting.

Also, make the whole show tonight out of Roxanne and Meiko, damn it