strobogo

I have to wonder if there is a single good match or promo during the entirety of the original Hollywood Hogan run. Off the top of my head, the only one I can think of was against Macho at HH 1996. He's consistently if not the worst, at least bottom two-three segments of every show every week. Just straight up comically bad, which could be enjoyable for lulz if he wasn't positioned the way he was and given those weekly rambling promos about nothing. In fact, I might go so far as to say that quality wise (in terms of promos and matches), the 1996-1998 Hollywood Hogan run might be the worst major heel run of all time. Really felt like Hogan and HBK were seeing who could outdo the other with the longest promos without saying shit.

I'm nervous for Sting/Brody interactions

The complete absence of MJF chants is interesting. Fans moved on immediately.

I don't think he looked particularly big and imposing in NXT against Gargano/Cole/KOR/Balor guys. Jeff Hardy looked bigger than him and no one is ever going to say Jeff Hardy is some imposing big guy.

My issue is he's real fucking dull in the ring and in promos, and so is Bray Wyatt, and all the spooky shit WWE has done is fucking terrible. So you know if Bray is brought back, that's for sure going to be a program and it is going to be top tier Wrestlecrap.

The Kross vs Wyatt prolonged feud of spooky bullshit is going to be an all timer for worst feuds in history

He didn't come off as an antihero to me specifically. I know fans were cheering, but to me, he came off like a bit of a shithead who obviously was going to get a giant contract when reup came and tanked it for himself out of jealousy. I would compare it to a rookie NBA/NFL contract for a guy who ends up becoming a superstar and parlays that into a massive contract for his second deal. I don't think real sports renegotiate contracts mid season, either.

I don't think MJF comes off as an antihero at all in that whole situation. MJF's "pipebomb" was ultimately bitching about money against a face promotor/company, unlike Punk's which was about a lot more than money and was against a promotor/company that was heel.

Mox flipping Punk off and walking off is 100% in line with Moxley's character and recent promos getting more and more pissed at the "interim" title.

These Brody/Darby matches have been more violent and visceral than any shitty deathmatch I've seen

Dying that Jericho working like Lionheart Chris Jericho is working exactly the same as 50 year old Jericho but while doing really shitty looking lucha submissions

I don't think it is a coincidence that the build to Starrcade 1997 goes completely off the rails 4-5 weeks before the event, right as Eric Bischoff decides to book himself in a match. Things are going real strong right up to that point, then everything gets real sloppy and messy in all angles. Not even talking about the execution of the event itself, but just the last 4-5 weeks before the show are so haphazard. It's wild to me there is literally no mention of Thunder debuting until the Nitro the same week. Also I find something humorous about Benoit's theme having a cowbell in it.

It ramped up to make Shield attacks look more chaotic, not to make sure no one saw Roman botching lmao

Is Craig Leathers still around somewhere

Attitude Era Boss Man with the work rate of 88-93ish Boss Man would be the GOAT heel in American pro wrestling

That's a weird tact to take because it erases WWE's own history of Shea Stadium shows and 20+ years of running MSG by the time VKM took over the company.

Billy and Chuck is the best run of Billy's career imo. Although I can't really pick out a single match of theirs as memorable. I also can't for the Smoking Gunns nor the NAO besides the dumpster match. The fakeout with Billy and Chuck was a real misstep, as the audience was actually supportive of them by the time of the marriage deal, and that completely died on the vine after that. But I'm also a big Chuck Palumbo mark and think he got the rawest of deals in the WCW buy out and think he would have been a top guy for years in WCW otherwise.

Any show at 10PM on Fridays is going to be a B show. They'd probably get more viewers 6:05 Saturday night.

Kross isn't the worst, he's just entirely unremarkable in every way once the bell rings. His entire aesthetic and whatnot also sucks, and his super push in NXT essentially killed the black and gold version of the brand.

I can't imagine being low on Takeshita. That dude has been fucking awesome every instance I've seen him in AEW.

Yeah but he sucks once the bell rings. Even in WWE, you can't be just an entrance in 2022.

The return of Killer Kross was the worst case scenario of a HHH takeover, and it has happened in the first month.

Christian is a great pro wrestler. Being a great pro wrestler doesn't mean 5 star matches every time out. Christian's main value to AEW is as a coach. His in ring stuff is a bonus. Cant expect anyone to have a great match with Matt Hardy in 2022 under any circumstances, though.

Yet

I must say, since this post the gimmick has been tweaked to all the nonchalant comedy stuff being mind games and psychology, and as a result, OC feels like a much more complete wrestler and character.