MLB

I don't believe it was about putting over Reigns but how the agents were dealing with Punk. Roman has grown up a lot and Heyman is there to iron it out. The match ups are better for Punk in WWE. vs. Reigns vs. Rollins vs. Cody vs. Owens vs. Zayn vs. GUNTHER vs. Lashley vs. Balor vs. Styles All new programs, Punk has run through everything in AEW.

I marked out for Mr. Hughes taking multiple Germans from Benoit, the man was 6'6 and 330 pounds.

Fair enough, but I question that for a couple of reasons. One, Punk has stated he has "the wrestling bug" again. It's not about money for Punk at this point. Punk has his own motivations and sticking it to TK and the Elite seems like a classic Punk "fuck you, it's personal" move. Two, with Wyatt's passing and Edge leaving, the forbidden door would seem wider than ever for Punk to come back. Cody is the blueprint for that type of push. Road Dogg has talked about the possibility. Don't forget that Endeavor steps in next month. Triple H is going to be demoted, and honestly I don't think it'd be an issue between them now anyway. Three, Edge fits exactly the role of what Punk is supposed to be for AEW. Punk has too many enemies inside AEW.

This feels like it will end with Punk going to WWE. AEW has Edge coming in and it's basically a swap.

Bumping this thread as pre-sets have been updated.

In an effort to attract more players, I wanted to show some of the possible rosters that could made from free agents that are still available, which includes the Untouchable List. I know we've got some lurkers on this thread and maybe this will encourage another sign up. Also a reminder that whoever signs up will get the 1st pick in the 1997 draft that includes Goldberg.

With Terry Funk's imminent return to the ring and subsequent departure from commentary, W*ING USA signs Vic Venom (Vince Russo) to it's future broadcast team. Venom will joining on air in October after Bloodstar.

To repeat a lot of what @Control21 said, this felt like an authentic 1996 WWF TV show with fresh dream matches we didn't get. I like that Ahmed is recovering from injury and it foreshadows the IC title's first defense. Some massive names are in the IC title hunt and that highlights the value. First round upsets are smart booking to keep fans guessing where a tournament will go. Sid vs. Farooq is a match I didn't know I wanted until now. Warrior vs. HBK is another match we never got to see. Those two super egos in one ring for the championship, I am curious to find out what happens.

Great seeing Jerry with the recent deaths we've had in wrestling.

For sure, Miz absolutely killed it.

Worked or not, I do approve of Jack Perry's overall direction. Perry's got some "Loose Cannon" energy, albeit not as manic or animated as Pillman. I think the glass might be a work to sell that, although I don't doubt he's psycho enough to do it. But I get the sense Jack is willing to fully commit to being a heel, shooting on marks, and working the boys if necessary. FTW fits his character and the entrance music was a home run. Jack wearing the sunglasses makes me think about the Hitman being more comfortable wearing them for promos, it has improved a lot.

Mourning Terry today I found myself reflecting on his amazing friendship with Dennis Stamp. "Because I'm not booked, Terry.." What a wonderful gesture by Funk to let Stamp referee the show, and Stamp even managed to get mega over! If you haven't seen Beyond the Mat for some reason, it is a great portrait of Terry Funk and an incredible documentary. Another documentary that Vice did on Onita (I think it's a Dark Side?) that discusses Terry. Onita talked about Terry being his mentor and that's how Onita got into Memphis.

W*ING USA releases Gypsy Joe and signs Rhino.

All good, @Perfectly Straightedge! The Road Warriors are a nice throw in because it will give a new player an established tag team. With Booker T, and presumably Scott Steiner off the list next month, there has to be some integrity to the Untouchables going forward. But like I said, I want to see Nash go to the NWA because with Savage and Piper it's a major league promotion now if WWF and WCW are not "all in".

I don't intend to throw a wrench in the trade, however, Jake Roberts isn't really fair compensation for Nash. Jake was three years away from, "You wanna play 21? I've got 22." Nash was WWF Champion in '95 and won the WCW title in '98. The Untouchable List has lost some shine already by trading in Duggan and Roberts who were totally washed up. Maybe next month, I'll trade in Moolah for Bigelow. Yet, I don't actually object to the NWA acquiring Nash due to WWF/WCW's inactivity to this juncture. I respect that @Perfectly Straightedge is trying to build up the NWA since WCW and WWF are basically hoarding the big names and not producing.

Okay, so I was looking into signing Dan Spivey as part of the 1996 project that is happening in armchair booking. Looking into Spivey, I discovered that Dan retired in 1995 and only wrestled one more match in 2015 as part of a Funk Conservatory show. When researching Spivey, I have to ask about this: Per Wiki - "Spivey retired in 1995 due to injuries. After retiring, Spivey briefly attempted to forge a career as a fashion model." Fashion model? Spivey? Are we talking about the catwalk in Milan or what exactly is that referring to? Sears ads? Very amused and wondering about what the story is.

W*ING USA releases BADBOY Hido to open a roster spot for a trade to be announced shortly.

Yup, from the jump..."Jack wanted to use real glass".

Surprised to see Punk doing a Hulk tribute spot given that Phil's always been a huge Hogan basher.

Terry Funk returning to the ring for W*ING USA sooner than expected? There is breaking news of Terry Funk taking an indefinite leave of absence from W*ING USA's commentary team effective immediately, which has led to rampant speculation Funk is setting the stage for a comeback to the ring sooner than originally expected. Reports have emerged of Terry working out at the Double Cross Ranch with his brother Dory Jr. and students. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer will be filling in for Funk in the booth at upcoming W*ING USA shows. It is unclear what motivated the accelerated return of Funk in W*ING USA as the original agreement was for Funk to remain on commentary until next year at the earliest. It is also unknown, but widely speculated upon, that the decision was made as a reflection of Hayabusa's ability to draw at top of the card for an American audience in Onita's eyes. We will continue to keep fans updated on Terry Funk's status going into W*ING USA's second taped event next month, Bloodstar.

For me that is how a babyface rationalizes their actions. Did we need an explanation with Callis? It wasn't a heel turn. Ospreay wants to take out a popular legend in Jericho on a grand stage, I think that's enough. The objective is to get heat on Will, not provide a reason for his chicanery. Ospreay is an arrogant heel who claims he is better than established AEW stars like Punk, Omega, etc. He is aligned with the biggest heel in AEW, Don Phallus. Okay, they're booing him, let's see Jericho kick his ass at the show. Oh wait, now Ospreay is talking about risking his life to give an orphan and a single mother the best life possible. Jeez, maybe Ospreay is a good guy? It diminishes the heat on Ospreay as a viewer. You brought up Hansen as an example, but the reason Hansen talked about his fat wife and kids was to portray them as a burden to get heat. It made Hansen seem like a patriarchal bully, so to me that detail works for the gimmick.

In comparison, MJF has wrestled 12 matches in 2023.

Cassidy has the most matches in the company for 2023 at 43 total. Skye Blue is second with 35 and Darby's got 33.

Roland Barthes is a french theorist who wrote a famous piece about professional wrestling in his book Mythologies and referees were one of the subjects. I think this essay (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328744410_Barthes_on_Wrestling) sheds light on the French attitude towards referees: "What the French public looks for in wrestlers, he (Barthes) asserts, is a “highly moral image: that of the perfect ‘bastard.’” Wrestling, then, because of the clarity of its signs and its many social, political and cultural meanings, is a spectacle of considerable interest to the semiologist. Professional wrestling is a pseudo sport and really is a choreographed exhibition with two wrestler-actors that pretends to be a sport. There is what I would describe as a politics to wrestling. Usually there is a dirty wrestler, a villain, a clean wrestler, a hero, and a bumbling referee, whose stupidity helps the villain and hurts the hero. We can look upon the referee in wrestling matches as the signifier of the state or the government, which messes up all the time and cannot be relied upon. One thing we learn from watching wrestling matches is that the state unwittingly helps the villains in wrestling, and by implication, in society. Our political education from wrestling is not accurate but reflects the attitudes many people have about government."

I'm glad you said something because Cole as this wrestling savant seems to have happened gradually over the 25 or whatever years he's been announcing. He got smart somehow, maybe Cole lurks here or took a learning course, but something changed and now he drops Hayabusa references in matches. I was questioning myself because now he's taking about going to Funk matches growing up, like wtf? I thought the knock on Cole at first was that he was a news anchor who didn't know shit about anything.