MoS

Swerve and Starks both need to be world champs by the end of 2024. They have been asked to step up this year, and they have done so spectacularly. Just compare how they stepped up their game when asked to be big boys to how badly Sammy fizzled and tanked when asked the same (let us not even mention Brian Pillman Jr.).

The Copeland-Christian segment was really good. I continue to remain conflicted about Copeland being in AEW. Apparently Flair invited women between the ages 18-28 to his hotel room. I would have considered this to be weird and creepy as far back as 1993, and this is 30 years later. This is on AEW and Tony Khan, tbh. Not to excuse him at all, but everyone who knows Flair knows this is who and how he is, this is how he would behave, this is the promo he would cut, he has been saying this since like 1976. You knew what you were getting into. You were just desperate for a ratings bump.

But he has still been active to semi-active for the past 22 years! It's one thing for him to come back with a jacked body, the worst that can happen is what happened with Hunter in 2002, when the obscene added muscle mass made him severely more limited than he used to be, but didn't leave him extremely vulnerable to injury (apart from paper-thin quads that couldn't handle the roided muscles). Rock is a separate case. He got severely injured last he tried to wrestle in the main event (and the expectations of quality that carries) and since then, he has done nothing but make his body look cosmetically better for Hollywood (which he should, it is his primary job) by continuing to add ridiculous muscle mass. Combine that with his age, with his zero proper match-time experience in 11 years almost, and what happened to him last time he was in an actual match, I am 100% sure that while Rock likes stoking fires by talking about how his return was basically set in stone, upon reflection, there just is no way he is committing to a full-length WM main event, with all the quality that is expected in such a position. And I am 100% sure WWE, Vince, Hunter and Roman recognise that.

Winner sticks a needle up the loser's ass?

I think he is just worried his intestines will burst like Diwali fireworks, once again 30 seconds into the match. The man is 51 and has a ridiculous amount of muscle mass on his body. Surely not conducive to having a WM main event-quality match

I think it's actually Hunter who said that at the conference, not Punk. I don't think Punk is the kind of person who would admit to changing too much. In his mind, it is probably akin to Bret returning to WWE. Hunter did address Jade at the conference. He said they still have big plans for her, but basically implied that she sucks in the ring and that it is AEW's fault for not developing her in-ring skills properly.

Yeah, this is his first major win, props to him, it was a genuine great moment

Drew walked out before Punk came back apparently. Seth is just angling for a match, like he has transparently been doing since Punk came back on that Fox show, but who cares what Seth thinks or wants

They had his music and video loaded, and within minutes were selling his merchandise on their website. There is no way more people didn't know than is being reported

They really should go all the way with it. AEW Asia-Pacific title, AEW Commonwealth title, maybe bring those for ROH too

Darby Allin is a crazy man

They booked these arenas a long time back, at a time when the promotion was really hot, and now if they try to cancel and move to smaller venues, I am guessing it will cost them a significant chunk of money (deposits and all)

The tournament being in India does not explain why New Zealand and South Africa are both doing so much better. Although yeah, you are right, underestimating the Aussies, especially during the knockout stages, would be one of the stupidest things one can do. Watching England suffer and shit the bed after all the talk of revolutionizing and changing cricket makes me giggle in joy

@ohtani's jacket it is really amazing beating your annoyingly great asses after 20 fucking years. Fucking top of the world @Dav'oh LMAO you all lost after getting us 3 wickets down for 2 runs (both extras). Virat Kohli owns you all @ButchReedMark what can I even say, man. Sucks to suck, please don't permanently cripple Stokes in all of this

Mistico is selling tickets like crazy!

Lol at Copeland calling someone who is a better promo already than Copeland has ever been "vanilla"

Oh easily. The only question is scheduling. The international and high-level professional cricket calender is *packed*. It might be very well that despite the prestige of the Olympics, in order to make sure the players are fit and ready for the non-Olympic commitments, the national boards for cricket and even the Association of Players (in countries where they exist) might try to downplay the Olympics a bit. India has the depth to send their D squad to the Olympics and genuinely expect them to win. But most countries do not. Will be interesting to see how they balance Olympics aspirations with the reality of the modern international cricket schedule, and how Olympic aspirations for Indian cricketers (and really, players from many other countries too) generally fit into their desires to win more in elite-level professional cricket, as is required from every professional cricket player, ESPECIALLY Indian cricketers just due to the sheer pressure, spotlight, and the neverending, strict, sometimes cruel and sometimes just gross reactions they have to face. India can and will bring the Olympic gold home,, but the question would be: would that be worth it, if the fatigue from the tournament prevent them winning historically established, more financially viable trophies?

You guys are having a really great debate, and I do not want to interrupt it, but I have to - both my heart and my brain have left me with no choice!! INDIA BEAT PAKISTAN IN THE CRICKET WORLD CUP, BITCHES!!!!!! FUCK YEAH!

I thought the angle with MJF was gross but the episode itself was excellent otherwise. Since the debut of Collision I have noticed a concerted effort and some improvement in week-to-week booking, following up on matches and angles, and sticking with the young talent you are trying to push instead of cycling them off so TK can focus on other pet projects instead. There is plenty to be excited about as far as AEW is concerned, so much good stuff, not just matches (and the Elite/PWG/West Coast Indie style of wrestling has never appealed to me anyway), but also gimmicks, angles, pushes, people, etc. Now if TK can just chill the fuck out instead of doing his best 80s-90s Vince/late 90s Bischoff/2000s- present Dana impression, that would be great. And yeah, never, ever, ever, book an antisemitism/racism/homophobia/transphobia/angle for heat and comeuppance, even if it's not a literal war week (actual Middle East war, not the bullshit ratings battle). Ironically, the ex-fans/posters decrying modern wrestling really love such angles. Meltz spent so much time talking about how there is so much precedent in these matters and how what TK did was so mild, it made his "I don't support this at all" claim get overwhelmed by all the qualifiers he introduced, and his bullshit point about how people actually experiencing these horrors in Israel and Gaza don't really get offended or care about this angle. Well yeah, no fucking shit, Sherlock. The Iraqis did not give a single fuck about what WWF was doing in 1990-1991 either. WWF's angle was still gross and disgusting. Also time for the world champion to realise that he fucked up by trying to use this shit for heat, instead of constantly posting about how this is Great, Actually. And time for AEW/Tony Khan to take full responsibility for what appears on their TV, PPVs, and all other product. "TK didn't book it, MJF did" is a total cop-out, and I totally agree with @The Man in Blak regarding the ultimate responsibility falling on the shoulders of the promotion, and the promoter. TK is the boss of AEW, and whatever happens on AEW's shows, good or bad, is on him. It is his job, his responsibility to ensure such gross bullshit is never allowed to air on his show. AEW is still doing plenty of excellent stuff, with wrestling (Danielson v. Swerve, right after Danielson v. Fletcher), King FINALLY getting deserved TV time, Ricky Starks, Christian being literally the best gimmick and worker of the year, Darby continuing to get elevated, again, Ricky FUCKING Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs being made to look like a superstar and a monster, Timeless Toni Storm being the absolute greatest and getting MASSIVELY over, as her interference in the Saraya-Shida match showed, given how hot the fans were for it instead of sitting on their hands and getting bored and doing absolutely nothing, which is how this usual Outcasts angle and their interference have been received and responded to by fans during the entirety of the Outcasts' run so far (silent films during American PiP commercials notwithstanding, but those are literally learning steps, you learn from them, all promotions have thousands of such examples, with some of the greatest of all time like Rock having some notable missteps and boringas fuck segments when they started developing and working with the gimmick that ultimately made them a megastar - seriously, go watch some of Rocky's weekly promos in December 1997-April 1998, some really cringe stuff), Miro continuing to be awesome and really resentful of his hot flexible wife, Swerve Strickland climbing the ranks and becoming a major player, owning the ring with his charisma and presence, even Takeshita (whom I am ambivalent on) getting a push, and, once again, RICKY MOTHERFUCKING STARKS. So much great stuff to look forward to every week, so much great stuff to be generally excited about in terms of how the promotion and its wrestlers are evolving, getting pushed, being showcased and elevated, etc.

LMAO that rap attempt was amazing. Next time, they should just sing/play Rap is Crap instead

Don't get why Righteous are so hated and criticised. I think they are a good team, and with a very distinctive yet effective style of promo (like all the boos and STFU chants will attest to). Perhaps the promo style will take time to grow on people, but they clearly have a lot of potential. They have natural charisma and actual personalities, something a lot of modern wrestlera just doesn't have much of, which is a problem. Their charisma imo will help them go to the top. Really don't get why they are so hated.

That might be Kenny's best promo in AEW ever

I love Kris Statlander, she rules, but after watching their storyline, and in particular her so-called "fired up babyface promo", I think Julia has to win the belt. She has just overshadowed and outshone Kris during their angle throughout. The belt needs to go to her. Plus, she would be the perfect champ for a debuting Mercedes Mone' to beat for the title - a rookie with very little experience, AND someone who always relies on extraneous factors and external shortcuts (even though her long-term story is that ultimately, she is much better than that).

lol Toni Storm is the absolute best, an incredible turnaround for her. Her segments are cannot miss, even tho that RJ City guy is genuinely, literally completely useless and actively annoying. Looking forward to our own Marilyn Monroe winning the title yet again, with all the normies cheering her on

I do think he has signed an extension, but I have no proof. But yeah, if his contract is coming up soon, then that would be the perfect time for him to lose the title either to Cole, or if Cole still cannot wrestle, then to someone else due to Cole's betrayal.