El-P

It has definitely hurt Cody's relationship with the AEW audience. It's not the only factor (the infamous Ogogo program with the tone death promo was also a factor), but it has hurt him.

Actually it was not, because Darby was all about "I'm just going to out-wrestle you" because MJF said he would beat him with a headlock. So them testing their pro-wrestling technique and doing a classic lucha mirror exchange at the beginning of the match was exactly in tone with what they were going for.

I dunno. For the longest time I was annoyed at what I used to call the Eddielenko aka the infamous Guerrero/Malenko sequence from ECW that they basically lifted from Tiger Mask vs Dynamite anyway, which evolved into RVD vs Jerry Lynn sequence which spawned hundreds imitations/tribute on the indies in the 00's and beyond, but now I see it more like part of the wrestling folk culture, where you're just using some traditional chords and build from there or sing an old folk song in the middle of a set adding your own little twist or style to it, or do a variation on a theme stuff.

Are there really ? I mean, to me if you've reached the point where the only intrigue comes down to try to sell "What are they gonna do now, improvise ?", you're totally creatively bankrupt. To me this is nothing like Bret vs Shawn where the animosity was real but there was no "shoot" aspect to the angle before the actual shoot screwjob or Punk vs Cena which was just a super compelling angle but never a "wink wink this is real" moment. I only mentioned it in jest because indeed that's the only thing even approaching "compelling" about this show, which tells the whole story of how bad the booking is. Plus, there's a good chance they'll have a decent match and do jackshit special about it too.

No hype. Will Charlotte and Becky shoot on each other ? Will this celebrate Montreal 24 years later ? In the end, this is about surviving, like when you get signed to a WWE contract.

On work alone, he should go in. One of the best worker ever. Maybe the best seller ever. Incredible body of work. She was an integral part of the 90's golden age, which of course included the interpromotional shows era. One of the best workers of the 90's. Not at the Hokuto level in term of importance, probably not at the Toyota level either although that's debatable, just not too far either.

There's no way those WWE contracts should be legal anyway. It's completely ridiculous they can freeze you forever but they can also cut you any day they want. Union !

Totally agree, I always defended Cody on the fact he has done nothing but make people during his entire stint. However the Ogogo feud was the first time Cody fell on his face and really was the start of the Codyverse thingy. Hence, Codyed. BTW, what have been the benefits of Rhodes to the Top ? I've heard no hype at all, ratings have not gone up (actually came down but that's the West Coast thing), no apparent mainstream or gain in female viewers either... So, apart from fucking up the image of Cody to the AEW crowd which make things kinda fun in a bizarre way, apparently this was exactly what everybody here said it would be : a bad idea.

I wonder if this period is gonna have some long term effect in the perception of the company by the workers inside the business. From the godawful creative and use of talent to the absolute disdain of just doing mass firing during their most profitable time ever. The question remains the same : who the fuck would want to work for this company now if you can make a living elsewhere ? At some point, the brand is gonna take a hit in term of what it represent to the people inside the industry. Are young workers really dreaming of having a "Mania Moment" in 2021 ? How long is this still gonna be a thing ? And of course, to the general public, pro-wrestling will equal WWE for a long time to come, because they are Coca-Cola, but still, at some point, the luster is gonna go away unless they keep a complete stronghold on the business, which they have failed to do these past three years. Macintosh is still kinda cult-like with his employees and custumers, but a few years removed from the death of its guru visionary businessman, the luster is clearly not the same, as there is no real innovations anymore (whatever they were at the time of Jobs, and hey, I've been using Mac for 10 years now, but strongly want out of the cycle) and it's a lot less cool than it was 15 years ago. Brand don't last forever. Brand die. The WWE is both at its apex financially, and probably at his nadir in term of creative and perception from within the business (of course way too much talent to hit rock bottom in-ring though). How long can this bizarre situation work ? As long as the brand is strong, and it's helluva strong still. But at some point, something's gotta give, right ? When Vince dies, what happens ? Someone actually competent gets in charge and it's a complete rebirth, or we get Disney Star Wars and it's more shitload of money for awful products ? Or the whole thing just crumbles slowly from within without what was the vision Vince had for WWE and his guru-ish tendencies ?

Yeah I know. As a European latin (yeah, French are mostly latin people), it just seems completely ridiculous. So what is actually happening with Taichi & TAKA anyway, what's the dynamic there ?

Kicked out of NJPW for "infidelity" ? Holy shit... Private life people, it should still be a thing. But anyway, not following the thing at all, sounds bizarre to say the least. BTW Taichi is married to the former Ofune, who was one of TAKA's first K-Dojo trainees. NJPW working with other companies in Japan again is long overdue. That could be really really super fun. G1 2022....

I noticed it too. Ogogo definitely got Codyed.

Damn ! Ok fair enough. But really that was not the main point, that's just a guess on my part and you know what, maybe that one is because of following WWE politics for far too long. My main point is that basically it's fine. Nothing coked up about it. If Windham Rotundo would show up and beat Hangman Page, then yeah, the white powder argument would apply.

Actually, it's neither rambling neither "WWE brain" (from me of all people, that's pretty fucking hilarious considering my watching track record in the last 20 years), but hey, whatever. Apparently whenever QT or Matt Hardy get on TV you are triggered as all hell as you endlessly have to point out each and every week how much you hate them and want them out of the show forever, but, really, neither are bad and QT vs CM Punk is exactly what I said it is, just a guy for CM Punk to beat on a rating's death show in Chicago. And yeah, the hot program will probably get an angle too that week, I guess. It might not be the greatest booking trick of all time, but it's nothing bad either. Not enough to warrant the "OMG Tony Khan is doing so much coke he's booking QT on TV" kinda reaction really... QT is not making anyone look bad. That's not what I said. QT is a very good worker and always gets heat. In Chicago against CM Punk, he sure gonna get even more of it. Sorry, but instead of talking about me "arguing against imaginary points", which I have not done (I just explained what the probable thinking behind this is), try to understand what I'm going for here. I know you can't stand QT (why, who the fuck knows and it's irrelevant), but the point is not to book Punk against someone who will make them look bad, which would be dumb, it's not giving away a big marquee match (for instance Wardlow) on a night that will not do well anyway. And a nice little JTTS match against someone who is designed for that role won't hurt anyone. Sure, you could have booked another JTTS, but QT is fine for the reasons I already explained three times already (good worker, gets heat).

I know "Lul Tony Khan is doing coke" is the new gimmick posting thing around here, but really what's so bad about it ? It gives CM Punk someone to beat in Chicago (as opposed to Colt who's going to get beat in Chicago), there will probably be some angle advancement with MJF. People complain about "too much epic matches on TV" then you serve a JTTS match and they'll complain too. Plus, in a night were they are gonna get killed in ratings anyway, there's no point to give Punk a big time opponent as it would reflect poorly. So there it is. It's Punk winning a (good, a always with QT who's a really good worker and also gets heat everytime) match in Chicago during a cool-down period (next TV special night is on December 15) on a garanteed ratings death night. Makes all the sense in the world actually. Billy Gunn looks like the freaking Warlord and moves about as fast, but him throwing Darby around was about as compelling a Billy Gunn match you'll see past 2005 or so (and I'm feeling generous). Jade & Velvet are both obviously still green, especially Jade, but they had a cool match, one of the better Jade ones yet. Love them both, Velvet is always quite the sparkplugg and you gotta love her bumping and fire. Gotta say this : I have loved every Bobby Fish match thus far. This guy is a keeper. Salty old guy with a grin kicking the fuck out of people is all you need.

Indeed. Keep in mind, she was one of those "My dream is to go to WWE" people.

24 years and a few months ago, Billy was on Monday Night Raw against Steve Austin. Say what you will, in 2021 he's against Darby Allin on TV. Not a bad career arc when you think about it. Also, he's 58 years old. Look at him and think about THAT.

I love Austin Aries as a performer, but after his complete lunatic posting during the pandemic, I'm surprised he's getting any booking at all. Of course it's not like he's Joey Ryan either but still. Of course, NWA is still employing Tyrus (who is godawful, I have no idea why he's getting work anywhere). Mick Foley making an appearance follows him showing up in GCW. He has to eventually show up in AEW. ROH titles being defended on an NWA card speaks less of "Forbidden Door" than "Our company doesn't exist anymore".

Omega out of the show, going for multiple surgeries. It's amazing how great he has been for months while working on a completely screwed up body.

There is already too much pro-wrestling on TV though. The ratings are going down for everyone. It seems we're closer to a pro-wrestling crash than a pro-wrestling boom. Which makes it even worse for everybody involved. Sure, it may fuel a new cool indie scene though, but for the workers, it's not nearly as good of a context as it was when AEW was just getting the new TV contract. Yeah, Top Dolla, whoever he is, is an idiot. I don't believe in karma, but hey, I'm gonna make fun of this imbecile anyway.

That would freshen the NJ cards so much. This is what 2022 needs ! Old-ass Masato Tanaka (who is still a great worker, that guy is amazing and his career basically has gone under the radar because he's mostly been a Z1 and NOAH guy) just busting people up, Kiyomiya going against the NJPW elite and Nakajima & Ibushi trading kicks and sending the universe into oblivion. That would hype the fuck out of me.

As a sumo fan, that's awesome. @gordi, look up !

Let's put in into words. A few years ago, WWE signed everybody under the sun with the aim of smothering any competition, including killing off the UK indies and trying to prevent AEW from surviving. Which mean : preventing pro-wrestlers to be able to make a decent living outside of their "Universe". During the pandemic, while even smaller companies like IMPACT or ROH kept all of their contracts, WWE, while making record profits, released people. Now, as AEW has grown into legit competition and whose existence really isn't in danger for the years to come, but also has already way to many talent under contract and can't allow themselves to sign everyone under the sun, WWE is releasing more and more and more people (and that's including tons of office people who aren't been talked about as much), knowing full well they can't all be picked up, especially now that ROH has more or less turned into a non-contractual indie at best. While, still, doing records-making profits. When you add the brainwashing of their emplo independent contractors with the idea that there's no life outside of WWE, the whole things reeks of the most disgusting cynicism and pathetic ubercapitalism greed you can find. These people are complete trash. WWE management is complete trash. I have no earthly idea why anyone would want to work for them at this point. The creative completely sucks anyway. Let's be real, with the profits they are making, the workers are all underpaid apart from a few top stars. Just unionize. Actors are unionized. NFL players are unionized. It's not the 80's anymore. Pro-wrestling is supposed to be a legit business ? Treat it as such an unionize already, pro-wrestlers of all countries !!! (I know, I'm giving an epic Internationale fell here ) Can you imagine John Morrisson and Taya ? Fired, the both of them, one after the other, after they moved from California. Please AEW, PLEASE, just sign both of them and push them like stars, they could be so much fun used as they were in LU or IMPACT. I guess it's Black Friday soon. Get pro-wrestlers for nuthin'.

Ok, now I think we've reached the point where NXT really gets some revisionist history. Fact : for a while, NXT was the hot and cool brand of WWE. The show was the hot topic, the Takeovers were talked about as the best stuff the company was presenting, stealing the shows on Mania & SummerSlam week-ends, with some of the best matches in the history of the company. One of the most anticipated stuff in WWE was "Look who's in the crowd at Takeover !" and "When X or Y from NXT is gonna show up on the main roster ?" and when it did happen, it was always a big deal and those people were mostly received as stars (until they weren't, but that's an upcoming point). NXT absolutely was successful in creating buzz about workers and a coolness aura about its product and the people in it. Now, with times, it became obvious that the incompetence of Vince and his booking basically wasted 90% of the potential that was presented to him coming up from NXT. Some people tried to put the blame on NXT as they were not making "the right kind of workers", which is a completely ass-backward argument that shows that people have been watching WWE for far too long. When something is considered cool and has showed it can get over, you try and capitalize on its strenghts, not make it lesser or something else because that's not what you're used to. Case in point : Adam Cole, who looked like a big star in NXT including in the time when the coolness factor had dwindled down (because of several factors : the tiredness of watching everybody gets wasted on the main roster and being hurt by AEW mostly), was not even considered to be able to be one on the main roster. NXT has showed what he could be and absolutely had built him to that level. And what happens : Cole shows up to AEW and he looks like a star. Ditto Ales... Malakai Black, FTR and I would guess pretty soon a few others. So actually, NXT *was* successful in getting people over and presenting them like stars. The treatment they got in the main roster is what killed the buzz. If all the guys and girls who looked like star in NXT were pushed as such in WWE since 2014, the company would look very very different today. Now, this NXT2.0 may or may not develop talent. The thing is, it's also, and mostly, a weekly TV show, which for the longest time NXT wasn't, as a Network exclusive. As a TV show, it's more designed to actually get ratings, which is why the focus is on hot young women and tall guys, because that's what Vince believes works. And only after a few weeks, it's pretty obvious it doesn't work. Like, at all. As far as developing talent, who the hell knows, since it's not a given any of these people will ever become good working *that* show, working short matches and giving these awful scripted style promos. Sure Bron is pretty much a natural, more power to him in the main roster. But as far as a TV show that tries to attract a younger audience, which is what the program is designed to be about, it's just not working : lowest rating ever, median age 62.

Orange & Ishii vs Blade & Butcher was as WTF in its components as it was great. And of course Okada is not coming to work a mid-card feud if he ever shows up. He's all about Omega/Danielson. The HFO is a fine midcard heel act with a fine working manager, they always deliver the goods at the level they are supposed to. And they got the Bunny aka the Roman Reigns rating killer. But it was a great episode overall anyway, as AEW has been on a ridiculous roll with their TV shows lately. So much seeds for greatness in Punk vs MJF and Danielson vs Dark Order leading to Hangman. And of course the tease of the eventual split of Cole and the rest of the Elite (or Omega alone ?). Lio Rush could be AEW's ReyRey. I like the outfit, it makes him stand out even more. And although he's a natural heel, his work is so exciting and unique that he managed to turn himself babyface to the crowds in a matter of weeks. This guy is a keeper. Anthony Bowens has looked really strong in the past few weeks too. AEW doesn't do a bunch of rematches and that's a good thing. Intertwining feuds makes the whole thing more fresh and less predictable. At some point I guess we'll see Eddie and Punk again, and MJF is eventually gonna challenge Hangman after the Punk stuff but the Darby story isn't over either, and Danielson vs Omega II will eventually happen too. They have so much talent, it's better to mix it up. (I wonder, does Ashley Flair speaks Spanish ? Because Andrade's English really doesn't strike me as super elaborate... I mean, I used to be in a relationship with someone where we spoke English together because we didn't speak each others languages, but... dunno, just wondering)