C.S.

Sucks that Ali and Mansoor got broken up presumably just so Ali can job to the "hometown hero" at SaudiMania Blood Money. I'd give anything for Ali to squash the fuck out of Mansoor on that show and for Sami Zayn to win KOTR. Wishful thinking though. Not like I'll be watching anyway. Edit: Yep - confirmed.

So maybe WWE wasn't the bad guy after all for not wanting Mark Henry in an executive role. Although, assuming they didn't see him that way for completely altruistic reasons is also a stretch.

Reggie Parks is the guy who made probably almost every wrestling belt you ever loved as a kid. Here's a great thread with numerous examples of his amazing work.

You just made my point for me - Lambert got that heat, not the MMA nobodies.

Anyway, even if JDS, Masival and Van Sant were the biggest MMA stars ever, they're being positioned as faces in a crowd in a midcard feud. I've been given no reason to care about them. We're just supposed to know who they are, without any kind of introduction or background, and that doesn't really work for anyone less than a household name - which these three are not.

I assume Cain Valasquez and Tyson Fury are much bigger deals though, and they did diddly for WWE. Rousey was great, of course, but she was bigger than the rest of these names combined.

Yup... Adam Cole probably pulled some strings, Bay Bay!

Isn't this how he got his first title shot, or am I misremembering? If so, it's a nice callback.

An angle where Shida loses a bunch before getting her 50th would actually be fun.

So, what is the point of holding up the plaque before she wins her 50th match?

If we had actually gotten the match, maybe.

Remind me again why I'm supposed to care about a bunch of absolute nobodies? Just because they're from MMA? Zzz!

Sammy Guevera vs. the youngster Bobby Fish

CM Punk is really laying it on thick, and has been for weeks now. This constant sickly sweet love fest has to be planting the seeds for a future heel turn, right?

I agree, but I assume this is just a once-off. Who knows though. Because of the Adam Cole connection, we may very well a "Bobby Fish is All Elite" announcement after the show.

J.R.: "Newcomer" Bobby Fish Lole

Fun schmoz. I hope Christian isn't legitimately injured, though I can't see how.

Buck botched that spike piledriver. And now they're doing an injury angle for something that looked so bad!

I added more to the post above. He's also doubling-down on never getting a World Title shot.

Ah, okay, your post makes more sense then. I thought they were one and the same. Very cool that we have two potentially exciting developments to look forward to. Hopefully Ohno still isn't one of them though. I don't mind if the dude gets a job - I'd be happy for him - but I don't think that's necessarily something worthy of being hyped up.

Cody Rhodes: “This will disappoint so many and maybe it won’t, maybe this will excite, but two things I can guarantee you. And I’m not saying this to wave one hand while you’re not looking at the other. I’m telling this from the most honest standpoint, I am not going to turn heel on this company. And I would retire before I did that. Now I’m the head of the community outreach group. I have a little girl now. I’m not going to be doing heel stuff on TV.” “I am not turning heel and I’m not going back on my word to challenge for the title. That stuff was real. It hurts. It is a large regret that that ever happened, but it did happen and I can live with it. And I got to do that dance with Chris Jericho, and I will not go back on that stipulation, me personally. If Tony [Khan] wanted to change things he could. And again, you can never say never in wrestling, but I do think there’s this idea that evil corporate need would turn the stipulation around and challenge for the world title, that I can say never will happen.” https://popculture.com/sports/news/cody-rhodes-aew-reveals-2-things-will-not-do/

Cody Rhodes: “This will disappoint so many and maybe it won’t, maybe this will excite, but two things I can guarantee you. And I’m not saying this to wave one hand while you’re not looking at the other. I’m telling this from the most honest standpoint, I am not going to turn heel on this company. And I would retire before I did that. Now I’m the head of the community outreach group. I have a little girl now. I’m not going to be doing heel stuff on TV.” “I am not turning heel and I’m not going back on my word to challenge for the title. That stuff was real. It hurts. It is a large regret that that ever happened, but it did happen and I can live with it. And I got to do that dance with Chris Jericho, and I will not go back on that stipulation, me personally. If Tony [Khan] wanted to change things he could. And again, you can never say never in wrestling, but I do think there’s this idea that evil corporate need would turn the stipulation around and challenge for the world title, that I can say never will happen.” https://popculture.com/sports/news/cody-rhodes-aew-reveals-2-things-will-not-do/

And you think Kassius Ohno would be less "disappointing"? Oh..kay. Christian was one of the top five guys in the Attitude Era. Kassius showed his pale flesh in unsightly basketball shorts on WWE's third-tier grunge 'n skull brand.

Breaking news: Big E has confirmed that WWE Legal would not clear Big Meaty Men Slapping Meat merchandise https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/big-e-legal-would-not-clear-big-meaty-men-slapping-meat-merchandise "Sean Ross Sapp has learned exclusively that an internet wrestling fan known as @KawadaSmile beat WWE to the punch by registering the trademark first. Not much is known about this mysterious message board poster, but some believe his name to be Bubba. More on this story as it develops..."

WWE DRAFT: ROUND 6 (FINAL ROUND) Carmella --> Raw Ridge Holland (NXT) --> Smackdown Gable Stevenson (NCAA/Olympics) --> Raw Sami Zayn --> Smackdown