WingedEagle

Finished Takeover and NJPW in Sapporo night 2 just in time to tune in here. Stoked!

From where I'm sitting Charlotte has been completely mediocre since turning face. I thought she was one of the absolute highlights of 2016, both on the mic and in the ring, but haven't found a single thing she's done special since last year's Mania.

I freaking love these lists. Never, ever tire of looking over them. I feel the same way. Almost every time I look at someone's list I find a new match or two (or twenty) to love. And I find it really interesting to see what different people's tastes are, and how they match up with and differ from mine. I definitely recommend making a list. I found the process very interesting and I feel like I understand my own taste in wrestling better now, if that makes sense. It'll be interesting to revisit this down the line and see what's changed. Totally makes sense. How did you go about it? I've tried tracking how I rate most matches over the last few years, so on the one hand I could gather up those I've rated 5 and 4.75 and work from there. That obviously leaves out certain personal favorites that I wouldn't try to argue are on the periphery of the discussion of the best matches ever, but I love them nonetheless for whatever reason. But that gets into best vs. favorite.

Wow, that Kotoka news is terrible. As noted above he really shined last year and provided a unique energy up and down the card, always bringing great fire to his outings. Hopefully he stays healthy and busy in the years ahead.

I freaking love these lists. Never, ever tire of looking over them. I'll need to try and compile mine at some point, but a) when I sit down to put that time into wrestling (which is certainly often enough) I end up watching something rather than looking through lists to collect all of the top matches and I have no idea at all how I'd rank everything I've rated most highly. But those are good problems to have.

Plus, that really should happen when it would benefit all parties -- the participants and the company -- if such a match were hot enough to merit the slot and command the public eye in the buildup. Perhaps peak Rousey with (or without, I'm not sure) the right opponent could've made that happen, but I don't think her star is that that level today. To this point no one on the women's side has been pushed as a headliner of the promotion, but rather of the division. That may very well happen, but we're still early in this approach and the development of talent to flesh out that side of the roster on two brands. No need to jump the gun.

Unless you've been hanging in the office or booked her tickets out of town, what's the point of going so hard with something like this? Have some fun. Its wrestling.

No question about it. Predictable is often the best way to go, but that doesn't make it a lock.

Agreed. They've done a pretty good job the past few years of not telegraphing an obvious winner, Batista and Roman being the outliers. I don't think anyone thought Orton was winning last year (I don't remember who was "supposed" to win last year at all) and that was certainly a thing that happened. Sheamus is another modern winner that felt kind of random. It's not like the old days where the winner was 99% guaranteed to be Austin or injury-comeback HHH. Exactly. Even during that era they went wild one year and had Vince win. It certainly can end up predictable, but that's never a lock.

The good (and bad) of the Rumble(s) is that past years have shown that just about anything is possible. Logic says you can rule out quite a bit of contrived scenarios, but there's a way to get almost anyone in if they're determined to do so, and plenty of ways to get to an unlikely winner.

We all spend some of our disposable income on silly things. Vince can afford to waste bigger sums than the rest of us.

And the guy in a Mets jersey who's at seemingly every NXT taping, Takeover, TV and PPV. He watched Raw this week on the Manhattan Center's big screen.

I heard that as well. A friend who sparingly recommends matches went out of his way to say I should watch that one.

What am I missing on Elias? I see a solid gimmick that stands out because of how differently its presented in promos, but have yet to see him deliver a standout performance in the ring.

http://www.wwe.com/article/enzo-amore-released?sf180033371=1 That didn't take long.

No Taker/Cena? They have to deliver something big tonight, no?

I'm sure there's a car waiting to bring Taker to Brooklyn, but I thought he looked unusually old and came off like a complete nostalgia act before a pretty dead Manhattan Center crowd. Shouldn't have presented him without the literal smoke & mirrors of his entrance and total package.

That opening was exactly what I was afraid of. And it was outstanding. And this. Classic.

I am very pumped for the show. A little concerned it may be one very long Old Timers Day / history package, but it should still be a blast and feature at least the one big angle that's been expected for a bit now.

Ha that's pretty great.

Has NXT produced any male talent that was trained and developed in house? Enzo Amore is probably the best example. Indeed an example, but not one I'd point to as any kind of success. Interesting question. I don't recall hearing much about either before their time in the system. Perhaps they're the success story.

Has NXT produced any male talent that was trained and developed in house?

Had to tune out Austin's recent podcast with him for this reason. Just insufferable.

The Rumble should be fascinating. There's no reason Roman has to win and logic says they don't want to see him booed out of the building after winning en route to finally overcoming Brock. Right? On the other hand, they're well aware of how crowds respond to him outside of Shield situations, and why rely on logic at this point? Nakamura would be my pick on the Smackdown side, almost because of problems with other candidates or where they're already tied up. But he's been dead cold since the Jinder feud and there's been no effort to heat him up in advance of the Rumble. Either way it should make for a fun night on the couch. Hopefully a good crowd here in case things turn sour. Elsewhere, I'm glad they moved the US Title Tourney final to TV this week, as the PPV already looks overloaded. Presumably 1 or 2 matches (crossing my fingers for Enzo/Cedric) are on the preshow, but I hope both tag title matches are given ample time.

Imagine how I feel knowing I'm paying to see Brock live at MSG in March...one on one against Kane.