El-P

TNA paying hommage to Hogan with the sentence "His contributions to this company will never be forgotten" is the most involuntary comical stuff I've heard in the long time. 😂 And so yeah, TNA coming off that "record breaking" Slammiversary with a live Impact show should draw well and be something special right ? Guess what, darkened building that looks half-empty, tons of empty seats visible as soon as there is enough light around. Tepid crowds reaction for everyone except basically Trick Williams, Leon Slater (good for him, should be in AEW), the Hardies and the main event of Joe Hendry (who is as clumsy as ever and honestly looks like he's already way past his overness peak) and Mike Santana. Mara Sadè debuted to complete apathy. And if you don't know who she is either, it's the former Jakara Jackson, so yet another NXT reject getting signed by TNA so she may be able to get back on NXT TV eventually while being paid by another company (well, at least she seemed pretty decent or at the very least with potential, as opposed to Indi Hartwell). All in all, a complete dull-ass, nothing happening show. Carlos Silva is a regular Dixie Carter if he wants to go live 52 weeks a year producing that kinda stuff that makes MLW on Youtube look lively and thinks this can draw 500K viewers on TV. Not sure my morbid curiosity for 2025 TNA will sustain for vey long.

This is one hell of an obit : https://www.thenation.com/article/society/hulk-hogan-racist-liar-scab-obit/

What did he do ? Pro-wrestling existed and was big way before Hulk Hogan. So what did he do ? He was the piece of the puzzled that turned Vince McMahon's company into the big bad wolf of pro-wrestling, with a vision of what it's supposed to be that sucks. Thanks for fucking nothing. Did I discover pro-wrestling because WWF was on French TV ? Yes. Do I *owe* them the fact I'm a lifelong fan ? Fuck no. The thing is, I would have stumbled onto NJPW on Eurosport just a few years later, like I actually did. And considering how I was into Japanese shit at the time, because in France we had anime long before the US and especially since the late 80's, it's a given I would have been hooked by this version anyway. I also *never* was a fan of Hogan. Meaning, when I was 14 years old and was a WWF fan watching Superstars, would barely see him anyway (we're talking 1990, that's when I began watching). And when I finally did, although I loved to finally see the "big star", because at that age that's what you do, I'm sorry to say I thought he kinda sucked. I hated the whole jingoist shit already. I remember watching him beating Taker (which I was a HUGE fan of back then) in three minutes and hating it. Then I had to watch him have a shitty match with Sid at my first Mania after watching fucking Bret vs Roddy and Flair v Savage. Then I had to watch him come back in 93 and ya know what he did at Mania 9. That's my memories of the great Hulk Hogan as a teenager. So, he did jackshit, mostly, in term of personal enjoyment, during my formative years as a fan. I thought he was corny and kinda embarrassing, and his match sucked. That was my teenage take on Hulk Hogan. Wait until the day Vince croaks. Watch for the reactions *then*.

Jetspeed vs FTR fucked. Every week I realize that there's a new match-up with Speedball I want to see in AEW. Ditto Claudio vs Mark. Gotta love how they take advantage of the cool setting. Hopefully this tag tournament ends the Hurt Business's reign. Babyface turn already ? Not the worst idea either. MJF don't need them, really. Don't threaten me with a cash in. I can't. Keep that WWE gimmick out of AEW. Athena vs Toni Storm needs to be a real match. The Forbidden Door build is tricky since it's the G1 so any NJPW involvement is gonna be late, unless it's guys like Despe and Takahashi (and they should be involved).

On the wrestling side, the most hilarious cliché about Hogan was "He works technical in Japan", when he actually was doing one armbar spot in every match, always the same. The fact is he just worked against much better talents and could not just rely on a over-patterned shitty style for "USA USA!" chanting crowds. Hogan was the picture perfect star for the Reagan years : steroid enhanced body, greed is good mentality, praise US imperialism, puritanism and hypocrisy. You can find every bit of this in the "kayfabe" Hulk Hogan character and his wrestling style. A selfish shithead who just took advantage of his status disguised as a hero. Which is why the nWo days where my favorites (and the only time I actually enjoyed him as a performer, really), because that's actually who he was and what he stood for. In storyline, Bobby Heenan was right. He was an asshole, but he was upfront about it. Hogan was a fraud. A fraud in kayfabe, a fraud in life.

I mean, they don't celebrate on X ex Twitter apparently. But Nazi app users don't mind racism.

Getting experience and seasoning in Corgan's NWA ? Sure, he would have learned so much more than going to AEW. 🙃 The guy is just not that great.

Two threads, even for the Huckster, seems a bit much. Can't wait for the revisionist history and the crocodile tears though. Ya know it's gonna come. The irony is that he was last seen in WWE being booed out of the building, on January 6 no less. Whatcha gonna do about that, brutha ?

One of the biggest and most important figure ever (arguably the biggest and most important in US wrestling). Perfect flagship for the Regan era version of pro-wrestling. Average worker overpraised for basic shit. Terrible human being.

Self-gaslighting ? Believing your own bullshit ? They also believe the Danielson treatment was actually a grand genius plan. No you dumbfucks, he got over despite the booking, not thanks to it. But now they think that's how it works to get babyface over. (BTW, how is Sami Zayn doing ? From being the most over guy on the roster to lose matches to Karrion Kross). WWE works like a cult. Fed-pilled fans believe "Mania moments" are real things, which is why they lose their mind when someone like Danielson says winning at Mania 30 did not mean that much to him. When you see how already Fed-pilled someone like Stephanie Vaquer is (that tweet after Evolution was cringe as fuck), I'd say AEW dodged a bullet by not having a chance of getting her. (or she'd had to be used the same way TAFKA Mariah May was) But anywoo, as far as Triple H goes, he was IC champ by late 96. He always was a Vince favorite because he was a body guy and he was smart enough to hang out with the right crew. He's a political animal, has been since day one. (he absolutely was a super hard worker in 95-97, which is the period where I actually was quite a big fan of his) Also, the Attitude Era generation still absolutely believe they are the hottest shit ever. Why you think Goldy got the "no time, show over" treatment ? Because he's still that WCW guy who "beat them" for a short while.

Desperado vs Jun Kasai for the IWGP junior title in a crime scene looking like deathmatch says a whole lot about how things have evolved since 25 years ago when Onita was treated like garbage because of his style. Despe really has been the bridge to the "normalization" (under quotation because it was still a special show, it's not like you'd see that at WK), but Jun Kasai is without a doubt the best deathmatch wrestler ever. I did not realized he was 50 years old either. Match was awesome, easy MOTYC level if you don't mind the bloodletting. And that was one hell of a bloodletting.

My best best is that they had an even biggest urge to do it *because* Trick is the TNA champion.

No post in this thread for more than one year. Ironically the last one being about last years's Triplamania being garbage. Things never change, and the board is sooo dead. Anywoo. CMLL is just so much fun and ridiculously hot.Just watched that Bandido vs Mistico match from last month. Great stuff in a packed house, total dream match. Mistico is 42 and banged up, but he turns it on like he's Terry Funk. Bandido is just on fire right now. The CMLL story is pretty incredible, from being all but dead after Covid to being (not even) arguably the second hottest promotion in the world.

Also, TNA champ (yuck) Trick Williams getting bitched out by old-ass Trump Taker after *that* Slammiversary is fucking hilarious. TNA reddit : "but it's great for TNA, Taker is the biggest star ever, we drew 7K, D'Amore couldn't" 🙃

Yeah. They weren't using him because he made clear he was jumping as soon as his contract ended. The choice was to actually stay in the promotion that had (over)pushed him times and times again despite his tendencies to kinda *cough* fumble (see what I did ?) on promos and big matches regularly. He's the one who refused to do business after they gave him the tag titles with a flash win on fucking FTR of all people. He did not want to have that feud with Big Bill, he did not want to be a heel. He was obviously a pain in the ass and then made clear he was jumping. The idea that he did not have a choice is nonsensical. He made his own bed. Maybe people have overstated the whole "Cody guy" thing and what it means. Cody is not the booker. Maybe there's something about all those people who were the biggest Ricky Starks fan ever when he was "held hostage by evil billionnaire Tony Khan" and who love to chant "Tony fumbled" (as oppose to ya know, supporting the actual worker doing his thing) don't care that much for him in the end and are getting tired of this toy now that Blake Monroe showed up... Just a thought... I must say, the fact that on All In week-end he was having yet another match against Ethan Page (a purefire Rampage match in AEW lore) in front of a barely sold out Center Stage, in an event no one talked about because of WWE's pettiness and their willingness to throw their own people under the bus, is quite ironic. Also this : Ricky Starks was always overrated by people. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed him, back from his NWA days. But he never had those great performances AEW is built on (apart from the Danielson matches, but this is basically saying Private Party had those great performances with Young Bucks). He was not *that* great of a promo guy either, he had the tendency to ramble about a whole not of nothing. He also never sustained his push in term of being over. In WWE he's a shorter guy who looks kinda like Dwayne who killed his own bargaining power by making sure he only had one option.

Nah. Mox and the Deathriders are awesome. (although I do agree after Darby takes care of him, he needs to take off for a bit, but Claudio, Yuta & Marina needs to stick around. When is Pac coming back ?) Meanwhile, after showing up to wrestle at a tent show in Prater, Vienna, Mercedes Moné is going to Koswlow, Poland to wrestle in a hotel for the local promotion. That girl LOVES doing that shit. Gotta love it.

Gabe Kidd getting injured on the very first day is terrible luck. Also hurts the G1 quite a bit, as he most certainly was gonna be a major part of it.

I'm all for that stupid shithead grifter totally embarrassing himself (in a match I mean, he's already embarrassing on a daily basis otherwise). And if you thought the results were stupid, it's even *stupider* watching the actual stuff. I swear, in my wildest hater shitposting twisted mind's imagination I could not have created such a dumb fucking fuck booking. Leon Slater winning the X-div title after a great match and performance (he's an exceptional worker, as anyone who has watched him in RevPro before knows) and being put over by a "returning" AJ Styles was the sole highlight of this idiotic showing. Well Ali vs Cedric was very good but really now, I couldn't care less about a two weeks built feud based on a Mania pre-show from 8 years ago (and really, Cedric Alexander seems to have zero charisma nor promo ability). Ali is just too good for TNA at this stage of his career. Leon I wish would work *elsewhere* (wink wink nudge nudge). The ladder match was a kinda fun clusterfuck, at least it was not as ridiculously slow and cluttered and awkward as the Full metal Mayhem from BGF. Still, when AJ Francis is the one taking the dumbest bump, you know you're not watching a classic or anything (although AJ Francis and dumbest kinda is classic). Wentz was like "fuck this shit, when am I back on NXT" and Ryan Nemeth highspot was arguing with some celebrity (I guess) at ringside. The finish was creative (unsafe, but creative, so probably a Jeff Hardy idea). If Myron Reed isn't signed (and I don't think he is), AEW needs to throw him money. He's been killing it on indies for way too long. Rest of the show ? Well, you got TNA hard workers (Maclin, Young) and fun performers (Ash and her crew) sent to the pre-show. Poor Jake Something having to do a job to that piece of trash Enzo, who is still doing the same mic work he was doing ten years ago. First thing Something did after that was post a picture of him and Beast Mortos on X (from when he was in IMPACT). Ya know that guy is a goner. He's really, well, something ! Sign him yesterday Coach TK ! You got Tessa Blanchard trying to get a good match out of Indi Hartwell. And failing. Holy shit Hartwell is *not good* (I never want to hear again about how the Performance Center is producing great talent, especially female ones, the best stuff NXT had lately was Jordynne Grace, Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia). But she's gonna get pushed because she's an NXT reject. Tessa, oh well. This ain't working. You can put Victoria Crawford with her, she still gets mostly a mix of apathy and "she's a racist" chant. Her beating the fuck out of Gia Miller was glorious though. Poor Gia. Get out of here too. You got the System, you apparently turned babyface from absolutely nowhere after two years of being the biggest (and dullest) heel faction in the company. But since they were facing Dark State aka a bunch of NXT no names, I guess they *needed* to act like ones. Only win you gonna get TNA fans. That'll teach ya. Oh yeah, Cardona was there too (where isn't he, apart from where he begs to be ?), teaming with his old pal Bryan "resthold" Myers. Kinda the speedrun Temu version of the Cope/Christian angle I guess (since last week the System was still a heel faction). And then yes, Jacy Jane vs Masha. Gaaawd. They made a point of saying Masha was trained and lived in NYC. They even dragged her teacher Johnny Rodz to sit at ringside. And they jobbed her out. I guess at *this* point people thought at least it was the garantee Santana was winning. Oh, sweet summer childs. Match was pretty good though. Jacy Jane and her faction's gimmick seems to be reduced to "We're slutty", but hey, I guess you gotta feed content for Booker T on NXT television, but she had a good showing against Masha. Still, she took most of the match and won. There you go. Carlos Silvia, the new president, was even there to hand the WWE talent their belts. The guy was on the pre-show talking about TNA could become the #2 company. Bwahahahaha. Sit in your cuck chair and shut the fuck up. He seems to be the dumbest TNA president this side of Dixie yet. And then the main event. Joe Hendry has lost quite a bit of luster. Who could have predicted, uh ? Match was ok all things considered, although really Williams is a green-ass overpushed rookie who tries to be Booker T. Yuck. And then, the genius spot of the match had Williams act like he was legit injured, and everybody around selling it like it was actually *legit*. So of course that mostly killed the crowd because they thought something unplanned had happened. That's not called "heat", that's called "killing a match on purpose". And then when the finish happened with Williams stealing the pin, you could hear the crowd dying. You can see the people leaving immediately. The build of Santana following the great Ali feud had been the best thing easily in the last 18 months of TNA. Great promos, great vignettes. They got the biggest crowd (ever ? or not. You could see tons of empty seats too, so maybe the number is fake, which would not be surprising) in forever in fucking NYC ready to see Mike fucking Santana become TNA champ. And they, well, fumbled it, as the NXT-pilled crowd like to chant. They jobbed the child of NYC Mike Santana at the peak of his overness on the same show they jobbed NYC adopted Masha Slamovich earlier. I bet even Vince Russo thinks it's dumb as fuck. TNA be like TNA.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH LOLTNA indeed. Like I said, the CUCK ERA.

Wait until TNA gets a little *too much* hype and WWE puts the kibosh on that collaboration. 😅 At the point they are now, they will probably reach if not beat their biggest attendance ever. Like I said, the booking and product overall is not exactly setting the world on fire to me overall (despite some legit highlights), but this is fascinating to watch (and for the talent in the company, especially those who have been there for a while, it must be awesome). AJ Styles showing up in TNA again will be something though, for sure.

I've been watching pro-wrestling for 35 years (damn). And a whole lot of it, from all eras and territories, although of course watching something after the fact and from another culture absolutely alters your perception of it. Still. This was absolutely the greatest blowoff I've ever seen, on every level. As far as the so-called recency bias, my experience tells me that although it does exists, it doesn't weigh a whole lot compared to the "sacred cow bias", the "old-school bias" and globally the "things used to be better bias". There's something about people (that's including myself) having trouble being in the *now* and recognizing what's so great about it when it actually is.

After watching the last few months, I can confirm Delirious is a shitty booker. With a few exceptions, everything is dull, boring, generic and/or cringe. The Joe Hendry title reign was *nothing*. They turned Masha Slamovich into "generic babyface N°234" as opposed to russian-speaking psycho-bitch, making her lose all her edge. And her title run has been pretty much terrible too, with matches against Léi Ying Lee (she dragged her useless ass to a watchable match) and *gasp* Victoria Crawford (I have no word). The Moose X-div title run has been, wait for it, *nothing*. Sure, Leon Slater winning the belt will be great, but they did jackshit with the idea of Moose being a heavyweight holding the belt. Whatever I see coming from NXT usually doesn't impress me very much, or at all. Lately, that Dark State shit is so fucking lame. I have no idea if any of these guys are any good, but it comes off like third-rate Contra. Yeah, from MLW fame. Ponder that for a second. They are on the card now too against the System & Matt Cardona, feel the fucking excitement. The relationship has helped with the numbers, to the detriment of the actual product. The new president gives me huge carny vibes too. This will *not* end well. (that being said, considering how the MLP stuff is going, not sure it would have been *that* much better with D'Amore, except for the fact lot of people that left probably would not have, including backstage people that were instrumental)

So there it is, AJ Styles is (most likely) showing up at Slammiversary. Which is super cool. They also are gonna do 5K probably (they already are lying about how it's their biggest attendance ever though). It's fascinating to witness TNA coming back to that "level" (under quotation because it's tricky, as the TV taping attendance show, you can see a shitload of empty seats), especially with such a mediocre product. The WWE parrnership coupled with banking on viral meme phenomenon Joe Hendry + Hardys finding the best place for them surely paid off in term of numbers. The product itself ? Yuck. Dull, boring, un-compelling booking with a roster thiner and thiner in term of notable talent. It also exposes to me how much the NXT workers are overrated. Trick Wiliams is an entrance. I understand he's basically an overpushed rookie, but his work is not very good at all and I don't see that much great potential either. Jacy Jane ? She's basic (which is also probably a giveaway that Masha is winning, so that they only job an intermediary champ to the TNA person). The former NXT people getting signed like Léi Ying Lee (truly fucking bad) or Indi Hartwell (thus far, hasn't shown me much of anything on any level) are clogging up the cards alongside the return of the IInspiration, who seem to be as godawful as ever and don't bother doing anything above their old WWE gimmick, and, Victoria Crawford, who make the IInspiration look like Nastupoi & Saori Anou and whose only goal is apparently to be Tessa Blanchard's "black friend" so to kill off the "she's a racist" chants. Not to mention the next brand new signing in Enzo Amore, cutting shooty-shooty promo on AEW (talking about Forbidden Door and shit)... Oh, and they are actually running a Matt Cardona/Brian Myers reunion angle, which is as thrilling as it sounds... Again, TNA has morphed back into old TNA ironically. Slammiversary on paper is not half bad with matches like Mustafa Ali vs Cedric Alexander (despite the abysmal angle which made it about a Mania pre-show match from 7 years ago) and Moose vs Leon Slater (the former RevPro 20 years old prodigy, who is really awesome), the 4 way ladder match team tag championship which could go from cool car crash to spectacular disaster if the last Hardy ladder match is an indication. The Santana's rise since the Mustafa Ali feud has been the best thing about the product, and he really comes off like a star now. He'll have to carry both loads on his back though and since it's NYC he should win the TNA championship. He surely made the right move at the right time. The thing is, he's already coopted by WWE (much like Masha), so whenever his contract ends (and it's sooner than later I believe), he's a goner like Hendry and Grace before he. Masha really would fit much better in AEW on pretty much every front, but TNA has been turned into a doorway to NXT, so there. The "interesting" part is when these people are gone, because they pretty much all comes from the IMPACT days (so is Leon Slater BTW, or the Rascalz who have been running in circles for a while now), and since the WWE partnership has been in effect, they have developed no one at all, relying strictly on what they have, older names/rejects from WWE and the NXT partnership.

This is obviously a set-up for Mox vs Darby, which needs to be done as an immediate follow-up. And it will probably be crazy. Swerve vs Okada ? I'm so there. Ditto Toni vs Athena. Awesome. The Young Bucks shit was perfect and funny as hell. HOWEVER DO NOT DO, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, A FUCKING CASH-IN GIMMICK WITH MJF. Don't do it at all, ever again. That Hangman promo at the start was something else. Love that venue. Complete bullshit pseudo-mauresque movie set look. Awesome. More of these funky small venues. Gotta do the swimming pool gimmick once. Club La Vela needs a shout-out.