WingedEagle

Have to agree with the sentiment on Owens. His matches been pretty awful working with Reigns of late, both this week and in the recent cage match, as well as with Rollins. Some of the worst big matches the company has produced of late. Can't quite put my finger on why, but its almost as if he's deliberately working to be a bore, only without using any fun & interesting shortcuts for heat or building to any kind of decent finishing stretch. Combine that with not taking a killer beating in any matches and the whole character is rather stale. Very curious what direction they're going with the title. Didn't think they'd move it back to Reigns this soon, but I can't imagine waiting for Mania to do Owens/Jericho if its for the title. Speaking of Reigns, it really is amazing. This isn't Luger where the character was just dead. It seems he'd be a blazing hot heel if they would let it happen, not to mention facilitate the babyface coronation down the road once that runs its course.

Where do folks see things heading for the next Takeover over Rumble weekend? We're getting the Joe vs. Nak rematch in Japan next month where I presume Nakamura regains the title. Do they go back to this pairing for January or does Joe get a promotion and they try to get Roode up to that level? Gargano/Ciampa vs. AOP certainly looks like the next direction for the tag titles with the Revival apparently getting called up and AOP winning the Dusty tourney. Perhaps a bigger push for Sanity heading into that show resulting in a PPV match? Itami/Aries revisited? Or will either/both not be back in time? Presumably Ember Moon is next in line for a shot at Asuka, but that division has become a real weak spot with Bayley & Jax getting promoted. Some interesting characters and developmental talent underneath for the women, but absolutely none of them feel like credible TV challengers, much less for a Takeover.

In other news related to the recent Takeover show, I started my MOTY rewatch a little early. Usually wait until December to go back and do so but decided to take advantage of the long weekend. I like to go chronologically for that purpose and thus far have watched the 3 big matches from Wrestle Kingdom as well as Brock/Reigns/Ambrose from Fastlane. Very much looking forward to Gargano/Ciampa vs. Revival finishing this little project sometime before the new year, as I could easily see that placing as high as #2. Still don't see any way anything approaches Tanahashi/Okada from WK. It didn't lose a thing on rewatch while a few points and spots even stood out more strongly than I remembered. Looking over the list of what I'm planning on rewatching this has been an absolutely incredible year for high end matches. Just absurd compared to recent years, and that's in spite of how much a chore the main television program has become.

Shuji Ishikawa vs. Ryoto Hama from 3/31/2016 should be on the list as well. And add Ishikawa vs. Konosuke Takeshita from 5/8/2016. That might even be under 5 minutes.

Yeah. I love Dave, as for over 20 years he's been responsible for me checking out more wrestling domestically & internationally that I otherwise wouldn't have. I also don't doubt his intentions when watching matches, but we've been on different wavelengths a lot whether it be this pairing, Charlotte/Sasha HIAC, or the barrage of snowflakes that are thrown at just about every single NJPW main event and G1 match. And I'm probably a bigger New Japan fanboy than most. Yet the Observer arriving every Monday is still a tremendous highlight. Hopefully its far, far, far off, but we're in trouble if & when he decides to call it a day.

There's no more to rate there than any physical angle that wraps up a promo, or a sneak attack.

Meltzer: So doing this again?

Did Brock quit? Make enough money the last few years?

Seriously. What just happened?

Oh my.

Goldberg looks incredible. Kudos for maintaining the full entrance.

Weakest crowd reaction for Lesnar yet? Then again you'd think any crowd would be dead after the 3+ hours we just saw, but the ACC has been amusing themselves all night so who knows.

Confused by that booking as well. Wasn't this finish supposed to set up something for Undertaker?

Shane.

ebtrances started over an hour ago. Yes I recall those started around 9:00 eastern, so figured we must be near an hour on the match itself.

It gave me a nice smile, and the crowd gave a nice pop for it. Not quite as much as it should have, but it was still nice. Definitely nice. But I basically had to tell myself it was nice rather than pop for it at all

Anyone clocking this match? How long has it been going?

They dug themselves such a big hole that not even the Shield reunion spot could get them out of it for a moment.

This Shane thing is wild. He's definitely headlining Mania.

Shane's Ricky Morton tribute act will save us.

Which makes what Styles has done with him every time out all the more remarkable.

When was the last WWE PPV that was this bad? What about the last one not named Battleground? Its been a long, long time. But hey, at least the live audience is enjoying themselves. Nothing else, but themselves.

Bray & Shane don't have to wear Smackdown shirts? Ambrose comes out after Ambrose? Please let AJ & Roman save this match.

You know what? Maybe this will end at 10:30. That wouldn't be bad. Yeah, I'm not buying it either.

Purple ropes officially mean you can safely change the channel. And probably should.