WingedEagle

Pretty big show tonight. Arguably the deepest, best built show in a few years other than a main event that some (I) find lacking by virtue of not wanting to see a senior citizen get murdered. Who's watching?

I loved the match and as concerned as I was about the stipulation, I thought they handled it and the fallout pretty well, all things considered. I'm sure there are some gripes with the stipulation essentially being an angle, but that should've been expected for booking purposes. When a match delivers as this one did, you will not hear me complain about the booking. I'm honestly not sure how they top this in April as the only stone they left unturned was blood and related gimmicks. But I'm looking forward to seeing them try. Easy MOTYC behind Omega/Kidd and Sabre/Goto.

I just can't get into Mox/Cope at all and when the title and main event are that much of a drag it brings down the entire show. Cope looks, sounds, acts and moves OLD. He can still deliver in the ring with the right bells & whistles and setting, but he comes across not only as too old to serve as a credible threat to the company's ace and world title, but as so out of his league that I don't even want to see him get destroyed.

Absolutely shocked when I saw this. We'll soon find out if their hand was forced and someone gave sudden notice about getting out when it was expected they'd re-sign, or if they're determined to book some shenanigans just a promote a late stipulation.

Legit popped me.

I hope you're right. I don't see it at this point as Frazer comes off as much smaller, but perhaps if he says his prayers and eats his vitamins he could get into tippy top shape.

Amen. That's how it works here as well. For now!

Nathan Frazer is clearly capable of excelling at the WWE style or probably just about any other he were asked to work elsewhere. You want him to get a chance to steal the show on the main roster but because of his size, style, age, etc. its just not going to happen there even if he's nearly assured of doing so every time out in NXT. So we root for him to tread water and crush it in the minor? I guess that'll have to do.

Novel idea, but apparently inappropriate and wholly dismissive as is typical of Americans (if I recall you're not American ). I guess I'll have to fall back on watching wrestling regardless of my legal and cultural citizenship.

Got it. Watch it all so that you can appreciate it all. And if you don't appreciate it all, dumb American. Or something along those lines. I'm all for knocking most Americans these days -- we deserve it! (I know, I know, PWO) but failure to appreciate a particular style of wrestling or following a rigid, gatekeeping approach to evaluating said style seems awfully rich. Nonetheless, duly noted.

Can you remind me where I or anyone here recently said British or any wrestling was inherently "wrong?" Unless my memory is fading I asked (in another thread, no less) for some help approaching French Catch other than consuming the entire available library. Unclear how that sort of inquiry would be taken as an attack or praise of the content itself but you're certainly free to make that interpretation.

Those not the only two approaches to British wrestling, other European territories, or any wrestling. Nor are those the only two approaches to any consumable culture, for that matter. But I am sorry if you're unable to recognize any other ways to tackle such material.

Thanks, will definitely keep an eye out.

Big fan of Llano Pellacani thus far. Edourd Carpentier usually hits for me. Most of what I've seen of him as Eddy Wiecz has been very good. Gilbert Cesca vs. Billy Catanzaro from 5/2/1957 was really great. My biggest issue that a lot of matches feel unnecessarily long with the work slowing down to ridiculous levels with an eye towards going long rather than accentuating what the workers are actually capable of and in fact to the detriment of their capabilities. Some folks seem to appreciate a lot of the micro details and stylistic contrasts that are found in those matches but too often those longer outings aren't exactly delivering a solid ROI. More Pellacani. More Cheri Bibi. More work with purpose rather than running the ball to kill the clock.

That's not what I've found from starting in the 1950s. At least not if it isn't the only thing I plan on watching in the months ahead. Hopefully can find a basis for some picking & choosing.

Nothing's perfect. But I think there's value in having a starting point or approach other than "do everything." Its always easy to add to and expand from a limited starting point, or go back and fillin gaps from there.

We live in an amazing place (I know you're not here but you've got your own issues and can hopefully raise/break a glass or bottle in "honor" of our shitshow). Too soon to ask for another pandemic? But at least Mania is coming up!

Has anyone compiled a list of the 10? 25? 50? French Catch matches to watch? Apologies if its already found elsewhere in this thread.

Very curious to see how today's result and outing juice his stock next year. I'm not sure what I think of his career relative to others, but he's someone who shouldn't be dismissed as a real candidate.

I'm not sure Kamitani's ceiling as a heel is quite that high, but I am completely sold on her in this role. She's hitting every beat from character to presentation to work in the ring and I look forward to seeing where things go before she inevitably turns back babyface for hopefully another big run.

Someone, I hope, gives us a reason to evaluate him in 5-10 years. But even penciling him at this point seems premature.

Meltzer's update today noted that Alexa Bliss's deal was closed on Saturday by her agent, Dean Muhtadi. Is Mojo Rawley in the Wyatt Family? Does he sit in a rocking chair when exchanging numbers with Nick Khan? What is even happening here?

The finish to the first fall sounded like a covid show before they surrounded the ring with screens. I know that half the building is waiting on line for food or bathrooms, but still.

This. All of this. Its mind boggling to think about how much time and energy are invested in COPE!~!, Jeff Jarrett, Christian, Jericho (at this stage) and other similar imports. Combine with that start and stop focus on acts like Hook (who's yet to prove he deserves any greater role, while also very much a chicken & egg situation of how the lack of consistent work has contributed to his stagnation). I'll even add Danielson & Sting to that crew given how their writeoffs were utilized. Near perfect moments and build, but how did they help the company the day after? Capping Okada as a comedy heel? What are we even doing here? There are undoubtedly complications, wrinkles and backstage conflicts that make this harder than we make it look on paper, but its not *that* hard. Build and push relatively fresh acts. Let them crush it in the ring. Use the old folks to build and supplement the card. Get a babyface or 2 (Hi, Will Ospreay) over as the face of the company.

Was my drink at dinner that strong or was Ripley/Jax really freaking terrific? A great, power sprint that felt like the blueprint for a BJW women's division. Did they watch Sekimoto/Cobb yesterday?