sek69

I don't know offhand who gets added next year, but there's really no names on the Mexico list I can see getting 60% other than him unless someone in the Wrestleverse decides to make the Dinamitas their pet project (which hey, I'd be down with if someone does).

Yeah and also now that the Brazos are in, he basically said he felt that Mistico is probably a shoo-in next year just because he's the highest profile name not in.

Okada has been one of the greatest pro wresters ever to grace the earth. It would be really weird for him to get less than 90% and I was wondering if he might get Kobashi level votes. I would say the biggest knock on New Japan was the lack of people built up around him and just expecting Okada to do all the heavy lifting himself.

I mean I'm sure it was all done mafia-like where Vince didn't say the exact words, but IIRC they were given the impression that blood would be okay to get the match over but also they don't want sponsors to see someone doing a blade job and left the rest up to them.

Also don't forget WWE thinks blading is barbaric but wanted the Orton/Lesnar match to have blood so they just told Brock to hardway him (which ended up in a concussion).

Yeah I think it was cubsfan who pointed out every time WWE complains about someone else's violence they always seem to do something worse than what they were complaining about within 3 weeks.

That's probably more about real sports being seen as DVR proof programming and maybe TNT hoping that the NHL got better numbers than they are getting.

WWE going back to the same old playbook, giving quotes on how the competition is promoting women self mutilating (referring to the blood in the TayJay vs Bunny/Penelope match), which is probably not the right wording to use when you're about to be hyping up the next Saudi show.

I think the most important thing is AEW is clearly building for the future even if it means sacrificing a few things in the present while WWE continues to rely on names from 20 years ago. Putting someone like Daniel Garcia in the main event of Rampage might not pay off today, but moves like that will lead AEW to have a ton of younger guys who the fans see as someone who matters. I'll admit I personally saw the Acclaimed as kind of a geek team at first but they've been positioned in such a way where they can be a tag team title contender now and I won't bat an eye. I do too and I also think they will, but (despite what the weirdos on Twitter think) TV networks write the big checks based on the demo numbers rather than the overall one. They've already done a much better job cultivating a younger audience than WWE and that will go a long way in securing a nice increase on the next TV contract. Meanwhile, Vince's big plan to get younger viewers seems to just be having Mandy in a bikini as often as possible. Which hey, I'm not complaining (Respectfully), but all it's done is lower the median NXT age from 64 to 61.

That was a really fun watch. Rampage becoming the AEW version of WorldWide has been my favorite development as of late.

....and dammit AEW still owes us that Silver vs Pac LITTLE MEATY MEN SLAPPING MEAT match

I love that ITS TIME! FOR THE MAIN EVENT! has become a signature thing for Rampage. Never fails to get me hype.

I kinda hope Layla joins Team Taz at some point, seems like a natural pairing of two tiny people who enjoy suplexing things.

Oh my God, that video ruled. Max saying he's gonna blow out Sting's knees like he did in the Clash got a big pop.

I mean that would also imply no one who ever promoted under the NWA banner is HOF eligible because they would routinely send folks in to crush any outlaw promotions.

By all accounts Vince made (what he felt at least) honest efforts to keep guys like Danielson and Cole, and you know based on what we know about his personality nothing makes Vince want you more than telling him you chose to work somewhere else.

Also I'm surprised at the pushback on Don Owen. He always struck me more as a "why hasn't he been voted in yet" guy. Anyone who was able to promote for decades and be one of the last territories to give up the ghost seems like that would be enough for HOF status. Portland was never the sexiest territory, but they were pioneers with getting wrestling on TV regularly and was able to have pretty consistent business until the Vincedozer eventually came for everyone.

Plus they don't seem to see a problem with having a show called Elimination Chamber in SAUDI ARABIA. It did lead to an all timer from Dave who mentioned Auschwitz must have been under COVID protocol.

See also UK fans having a collective fit every time Big Daddy gets passed over (which isn't helped by Dave constantly trolling them over it).

Pretty much, yeah. Having a pro wrestler go into UFC and win the title (and then come back to wrestling again) will win you a ton of votes. Funny enough I think Suzuki gets the same treatment. I won't argue he belongs in every HOF possible, but a lot of his appeal seems to come from being a MMA pioneer/legend who crossed over to pro wrestling.

My personal conspiracy is that WWE was only cracking down on keeping people on medical restriction because they started doing that when the NFL was catching heat over concussions. Now that really isn't anywhere near the hot button issue it used to be, suddenly people who previously had necks and brains too damaged to wrestle suddenly find themselves able to be cleared. There's idiots everywhere of course, but I always thought the rap on Vince is that he has lost touch with what the audience wants and/or he's completely walled himself off with yes men who's jobs are hinging on no one ever breaking through to help him get back in touch. Also I don't think Vince is hinging on every bit of news dropping about AEW, but if you don't think he would go on the warpath if Dynamite ever started consistently beating Raw in the demo.....well.....there's only about 50 years of evidence available.

Yeah as trash as NFTs are, at worst that puts the score to like ten million to one against HBK. Also I'd wager Bret probably has no idea what NFTs actually are and someone sold him on this as a neat way to monetize his art.

Kurt Angle was always going to get in no matter what just on the fact that other wrestlers are going to vote for someone with his credentials. Dave pretty much said as much when saying older wrestlers especially liked Kurt because having a gold medalist in made wrestling seem more legit.

They exploded NXT, sent HHH into exile, and cut anyone associated with the old style because they got thoroughly beaten by AEW. "They're not actually worried about AEW" is just something diehard WWE fans cling to despite the decades of evidence of Vince having a freakout every time another wrestling company gets anywhere near his in terms of popularity. I do think they aren't as concerned about people leaving as they were, as evidenced by the continual cuts, but they very much are concerned about another company catching up with them (and occasionally beating them) in the demos that pay the bills.

There's enough of a backlog of candidates that it could probably survive a few years (maybe not 5 but a couple at least) with no new candidates added on.