El-P

Coming from the guy who had to write *every* *single* *week* how much he hated the Good Brothers (and later Matt Hardy, for a while at least) and how you wish they would go away when they were on TV with no other argument than "they're geeks", it's kinda rich, honestly. I mean, no offense, but it seems you're the one taking it personally now, really, for whatever reason... I'm not ranting nor do I care one bit about the opinions of others in term of my own enjoyment, I'm just discussing pro-wrestling on PWO. I know, the audacity. As I said, I don't think Adam Cole is that much of a polarizing figure, not as much as Omega was for instance (while at the same time never receiving the same kind of praise Omega got, which I guess is also why he is not as much of a polarizing figure), and I gave my reason why, recontextualizing the whole thing. Are you serious ? He was the main star on NXT for literally YEARS. Including when it was on *national TV* in the midst of a pro-wrestling war. He got a huge, main event star pop when he showed up on PPV for arguably the second biggest pro-wrestling company in the world. What, you think he would not have gotten that pop in WWE either (for instance, debuting at the Royal Rumble) because NXT doesn't matter on the mainstream US wrestling scene ? Come one now... It's not like we're talking about a guy who was having "hidden gems" on obscure indies and then appeared magically on TV. It's the same mentality that had WWE people think people would not know about AJ Styles because he was a TNA guy, and no one knew about TNA, of course...

So, Vince is gonna induct Taker. Not that it will make me watch a second of this stuff anyway, but that certainly says a lot.

Yep. Plus, to me it speaks volume of the confidence they have in both guys to end the show and apparently the PPV when CM Punk vs MJF and Mox vs Danielson are on the same card. I'm still getting to know Adam Cole, really, as my viewing of him has been very scattered to say the least before AEW, but although I get why he would irritate some people and how his unimpressive frame and athletic abilities would turn other (or the same) people off, but I've seen enough already to get the feeling he's a master at this game. Quite impressed thus far, especially by the way he carries himself and the little things he does. In a way I kinda see a bit of Raven's work in him.

I dunno if you've seen a lot of TK, but he's always like that when he's excited to talk about pro-wrestling. He was actually much cooler when he was cutting actual heel promos on IMPACT TV with Schiavone. This simply looked like Coach Tony K. being excited to announce he had purchased ROH.

So, no WWE for Russia anymore...

Makes it even greater. MJF and Punk are having an all-time classic feud.

At least she's consistent. Wearing mask and getting vaccinated was not just about protecting you, but also the other people around you. And protecting the other people around you is a notion that never entered her mind, as showed by her work. Of course she would say stupid shit like this now. I know it's kinda petty and a bit Schadenfreude, but I would lie if I didn't say I'm glad she's predictably awful on all accounts. Also, that Max Caster punchline on Kane on Dynamite cracked me up real bad.

The thing is, I don't think Adam Cole is really *that* polarizing of a figure. The niche of the niche of the niche has its own bizarre idiosyncrasies (which sometimes had led to honestly comical stands like "Mark Henry is a better pro-wrestler than Shawn Micheals" for instance), but Cole was over as fuck in ROH, then over as fuck in NXT (despite overlong main event style which was a staple of the promotion, not Cole in particular), and is over as fuck in AEW to the point it seemed obvious when he jumped that WWE had fucked up not recognizing a potential main event star. It's like Omega, to a lesser degree, some people for some reason just won't give him his due. Being burned out on his NXT stint probably has played a part, but not acknowledging him as both a great worker and a legit main event player seems kinda odd to me at this point. I don't think he'll win the title now, seems too soon for Page to pass it around, but he absolutely could and it would not shock me at all either. He just has it, whether it's your favorite style or not. Adam vs Adam looks awesome on paper, really, as they display natural chemistry together in the ring already. Shawn Spears is the best part of Wardlow's act. There, I just said it. I am so not interested in the whole "Big guy sticking his tongue out doing three powerbombs in a row" character. And as much as CM Punk vs MJF has been awesome, I think the Wardlow/MJF stuff has been awkward and the opposite of subtle, as there is really no reason given why MJF acts so poorly toward him (and not toward Spears or FTR). With the never-ending afflux of great talent to the company, I don't see Wardlow as a sustainable long-time push, unless he grows way past his current style and presentation, not to mention in-ring work (which is ok but nothing special, when guys like Archer, Rusev, who has to come back, or Keith Lee are around, hell even green-ass Will Hobbs is much more interesting to me). Is it me or Britt Baker is losing a little bit of steam ? Time for Thunder Rosa to win the belt and have to hotter women's match on the show, honestly. Fuck, just bring Mickie James over as an outsider already. Fact, I almost posted a joke about TK buying ROH and then Shane showing up saying he actually bought the company, so I did get a kick out of TK getting the ref out. Well, I did call it a few weeks back too that it was gonna be about getting ROH as a farming system and going into streaming. Kinda not that surprising either, but still quite an interesting move. Because you know it is all about getting content to sell to a streaming service. I though about TK getting burned up with so many hats too, but I feel that if they still do some ROH shows, TK is gonna delegate. I wonder if guys like Danielson or Punk would be interested in working around that project eventually. Of course that Regal fellow is out there, as is Samoa Joe. Cody leaving just before TK acquires ROH certainly is a nice bit of irony, too.

Under 25. Sexy looking. Being good at pro-wrestling not mandatory. I've heard that one before. And in 99% of cases in the last 10 years, it never actually happened because WWE wastes everything they touch. Maybe now that it's NXT 2.0 it's gonna work out well though (Why don't we have a kappa emote on this board ?).

Come on guys, gotta teach the mizarks and the rizats some respect for locker room etiquette, da bizness and deez nuts.

The biggest announcement in the history of our sport.

NJPW is so *there* now. Unless there's a really big match pimped after the fact (really enjoyed SANADA vs Tanahashi, another feather in the cap of Tana), I'm so over NJ at this point, as the shows are basically a bunch of tag matches that never produce anything special even when great workers are involved. The main take from the Anniversary shows to me, is that aging does suck. And that GLEAT has some cool guys. Main event was pretty fun, legit great during the Okada vs Suzuki parts of it. Fujinami was in great shape for his age and did nothing really notable or fun (shocking I know), while Fujiwara at 72 in tights is not a visual I needed but he was as fun as one could expect from a 72 years old Fujiwara. The mount of goodwill from the other workers was way past the Hansen-sells-for-Baba-in-93 though, let's be real. And now this ridiculous Japan Cup with a hundred guys ? Hard pass. NJPW badly needs some outsiders (hello AEW) and some more interesting booking, because there's no way I'm going through 3 hours shows with about one worthy match, there's already way too much good stuff out there.

Aries is gonna cancel himself out of controlling his narrative...

Holy shit ! That being said, it almost reads like an elaborate troll. (I mean, I would hope, bad taste as it would be)

That whole "Cody having a Reality TV show is a good thing for AEW" argument, that held no water to begin with anyway, has truly aged like milk. He can have it as part as the trillions hours of "content" WWE will produce with A&E. (content over quality has never been so true when the selling point is the number of hours that are gonna be produced)

That MJF promo was one for the ages, but the one thing that struck me even before he began to talk was when he walked down the ramp. I had no idea what he was gonna say obviously, but I thought to myself "Damn, he really looks like a little boy there, that's different...". With the hindsight of the actual promo, it's amazing how great his body language was to convey that sense of vulnerability that you did not see coming, as a despicable heel no less (it's not like he was a usually bad ass babyface that would show another aspect of his character). He's just on another level. That PPV is stacked as fuck in term of me really caring about pretty much everything on the show (although the Cargill segment this week was a not pretty, with her forgetting to kick out and then talking at the wrong times during Conti's run in, but the match could be pretty cool, all considering they are both still green).

Damn ! Of course ! I'm getting old and confused !

20 years of monopoly on the grand stage will do that. Plus, everything tends to be overstated anyway because of social medias. But people who have lived through Yokozuna joining the nWo know better... Funny how things works, it goes so fast, to me it seems like Cody is already old news. AEW has moved on without even blinking on TV, they have a really hot PPV lined-up on paper, TK has that big announcement this week, Jeff Hardy is gonna show up, TAFKA Cesaro might show up, Shane Strickland will show up, it's not like Cody leaving reversed the flow in any way shape or form.

I actually really want to see this. So much potential for full cringe. Plus, maybe I'll finally get to watch some Tessa Blanchard matches again...

I actually was thinking about that. Kinda sucks for Leila Hirsch and especially Masha Slamovich, who's been killing it in IMPACT thus far. I mean, wearing those Russian colors. You know people on social medias just are gonna be fucking idiots and toxic about it. (I mean, I stumbled into Lana's anti-war tweet and idiots were acting like "Do better !")

Introducing, the biggest stars on the show : Edge : 48 years old. Steve Austin : 57 years old. Vince McMahon : 76 years old. Not one but TWO "celebrity" matches, including one who had a brain hemorrhage. Main event : two guys who have been in God Mode for ever now and who have killed the entire roster. So whoever wins makes pretty much the entire incoming year worthless since the only goal is a match next year (which may not happen) against The Rock : 50 years old. But hey, they sure gonna get Dashing Cody Rhodes feuding with the Miz, that's some game changing shit incoming. That company can really be happy the unrealistic über-capitalistic context works in their favor... My interest in that Mania is at best one of morbid curiosity.

Kane inducting Taker ? Make the Hall of Fame Great Again.

This, a thousand times. No talent as a pro-wrestler, no talent as a human being either. Great geopolitical analysis though. Almost as deep as the random drunken idiot in the nearby café. Yeah, PWO, I know, but some days...

I wonder if TK's next big announcement has something to do with a streaming service. Or using ROH as a farming system. Or both.

The Josh Alexander situation is just bizarre since they have made a big angle on TV sending him back home and then talked about him on the special as "former IMPACT wrestler", which is something they really don't do usually, and it was systematic here. So I'm guessing they're working the situation inside the long-term storyline which should have him win the title back from Moose. If not, then, yeah, just odd. The special was tons of fun, as it usually is. Two MAJOR swerves happening, with the GoD basically ejected from the Bullet Club by Jay White, reuniting with the Good Brothers. Interesting in the NJ front, as Tama especially has been really good last year during the G1 working as kind of a fiery babyface. Finally brings some fresh dynamic for those two and probably the GB back in NJ whenever they can fly there. The other one is much bigger for IMPACT, in that Eddie Edwards turning is about the most shocking you can have in the company. Eddie has been the heart and soul of IMPACT for years, so it's a mini "Hogan turns heel" moment for them. Main-event multi men against the Honor No More crew was terrific, PCO not surprisingly doing the most crazy shit and even making the most out of an exchange with Rhino. TK really should get Mickie James to work a big angle for them. Really enjoying her post WWE sting a lot. That Chelsea Green heel turn is so incoming, especially now that her husband has finally brought his awesome douchebagery to IMPACT, stealing Jordynne Grace's Digital Media title (and having really good matches with her). And of course, well Deonna ruled against ROH's Miranda Allizee. Surely IMPACT is paying her well, because they don't want her to ever go away. 4 men X-div qualifier match was an excellent opener too. Hopefully though the Morrissey experiment is over, as he did the honor clean for Moose. As much as he looked quite ok in multi-men and garbage matches against Eddie, in a straight single match, it was not pretty. Brian Myers on commentary calling him Giant Gonzalez got a good chuckle out of me. Really intrigued in where they are gonna go now, keeping on with Honor No More and Eddie as main heels.