El-P

"That pissant company" Triple H. 2019. "What goes around comes around" Julie Hart. 1997 I'm not gonna lie, I've been living my best life as a pro-wrestling fan in the last few months with all the crazy shit going on (which is why I'm trying to stay away from spoilers, as I'm not always in-synch). Jay White showing up in IMPACT ? Major mark out moment for me. Probably not "lived" pro-wrestling like this since, I dunno, 1997/98. This of course, was the cherry on the cake. Or the ice-cream. The scene of course was awesome in itself. The ambivalent relationship with reality is a part of what fascinates me the most with pro-wrestling (and the hardest to explain to non-wrestling fan), and this was one of those "well, it *is* real" moment in the framework of an illusionary world. The emotion of everybody (Punk and the crowd) was so real. And of course I'm psyched about all the great moments to come. But even if the entire stint of Punk ended up disappointing after that point, it would be irrelevant because what almost matters as much is the symbolic charge of the moment. For years, people have chanted "CM Punk" at shows including way past the point they actually thought he could come back, as it meant they were refusing the stuff they were forced-fed. Funny how corporate drone Roman Reigns was shitting on Punk the other day, guess who was never and never will be as over as John Cena nor the Rock : well, the guy who had people *leaving the arena* during a Mania main event. And let's not talk about that pop tonight, that he never had and will never get either. But anyway. The CM Punk chant meant more than just "We want CM Punk", it also meant "We don't want this !". There's a reason for that : the utter contempt the company that tried to monopolize the business shows toward the people they are making money off of. I'm not even talking about their emplo independent contractors, which they fire during their biggest gross profit (pun intended, Saudi here we come again, hoping for no lawsuit settlement this time), but the pro-wrestling fans, which they don't call pro-wrestling fans because it's embarrassing. Hell, they don't even use the word itself. Which is why Punk's promo was so perfect when he referred to his departure from ROH to his comeback today, it was more than a cute diss. WWE is self-hating what they are about. So they show contempt for their emplo independent contractors, which they systematically humiliate in their hometown for instance (which is such a bright idea when you're into the business of making stars, which is probably why they haven't made one since about 2005), and they of course despise their own audience which they have trolled and fought for *years* now, actively driving most of them away at this point. Because pro-wrestling fans are *idiots*, I mean, that's what Ronda Rousey said, that's even the fault of the fans when WWE fires people, ya know. Let's call them WWE Universe instead, because you have to stamp a brand name unto them to hide the fact they are, gasp, pro-wrestling fans. WWE is not into pro-wrestling, hell, they even killed the word. They are like Disney. They actually are like Starbucks, they want to kill every other coffee shop in the neighborhood to stamp their brand everywhere, but they really aren't selling coffee (and I mean, I pity anyone who goes to Starbuck to drink actual coffee). And that's really the crux of CM Punk's promo and also the way AEW approached his debut. Instead of treating their fans like idiots, they banked on their fans intelligence, like they mostly usually do (yeah, they have made mistakes before like with the overhype of Christian Cage, but nobody and no promotion is gonna be perfect). The audience knew he was coming. They knew their audience knew. So they just did the smallest teases, banking on the intelligence of their audience. And when time came they did not fuck around and they just threw him out there to start the show and speak his mind, and the guy did the most striking promo, 10 years after he did one of the most memorable promos of the last 20 years. People chanted CM Punk for more than 7 years, and AEW delivered what the fans *wanted*. And this has been the case for most of the promotion's tenure thus far (again, there have been mistakes and misstep but guess what, of course there is and will be), which is why AEW is the best promotion I've watched in my 30 years of being a fan. Because it's so *satisfactory* as a pro-wrestling fan to watch a promotion that understands both the greatness of pro-wrestling but also the silly aspects of it, yet doesn't think they are above their audience and actually want to *reward* them for being pro-wrestling fans. Really, if you pay attention to everything they do including at the meta level, nobody understands pro-wrestling better *as a whole* than the Young Bucks & Kenny Omega, which is why they are some of the very best at it, ever. They understand the greatness of it, but they also know how silly and stupid it can be (and has been). Yes, they *are* geeks. Because they are pro-wrestling fans at heart. Pro-wrestling fans are never gonna be the cool crowd. Never. And why would they want to be, because what's cool is bound to become uncool eventually. It's never gonna be culturally relevant as something "serious" like movies or TV shows. We are geeks, much more than video game players or comics fans. And that's ok, because pro-wrestling can be the greatest thing in the world, as shown tonight. As shown by CM Punk's legit emotional reaction and happiness too, which was shared by the audience, an audience of simple pro-wrestling fans. And wait until Bryan fucking Danielson shows up... @MoS, sorry to hear that, I wish you and your family the best.

Seems obvious now. Also, this has been posted in the AEW thread but what the hell, it belongs here and it is totally hilarious too :

It's fucking hilarious ! Uncle Eric circa fall of 95 would be proud too.

Eddie is the greatest pro-wrestling fan you can think of, he's just so full of love for pro-wrestling it's so amazing to hear. So yeah, like I said, what self-respecting pro-wrestling woul want to deprive this guy from a chance to have his dream matches (and who wouldn't want to watch these anyway, it would be awesome) ?

I don't know what you guys expected. It's a still a show about pro-wrestling, you're not gonna get 20 minutes about what a guy wrote on his blog after he retired. He still came off enough of a dickhead with godawful opinions to me.

COVID. In twenty years ? That's a pathetic track record. And meanwhile, they have wasted an incredible number of guys because "they need to work the proper way". The WWE as a credible training environment and personal creative development is a laughable idea . They can't even make they own guys. As far as Okada, well, he was having MOTYC a few months after he came back from TNA (by that I mean he wasn't hurt at all). Plus, IMPACT today has *nothing* to do with what TNA was in term of how they treat talent. FinJuice, Kojima & Fantasmo were all super well booked, much better than they would have in WWE. But yeah, this is basically fantasy booking anyway, this can (and hopefully will) end up being a total non-story.

Also, hearing Eddie Kingtson talking about his dream matches being Ishii, Tanahashi and teaming with Mox at the Tokyo Dome against whoever, who really want to see an exclusive relationship between WWE and NJPW after hearing this ? I mean, you're not a pro-wrestling fan if you don't want those Eddie Kingston dream matches !

Eddie Kingston's interview with Meltz yesterday : "I watch one or two Bret Hart match every week. I want to pick up the little things he does. I won't tell what because I don't want everybody else to know !"

Tay Conti spent years in the PC sucking at pro-wrestling and learning nothing. 9 months in AEW/Nightmare Factory, she's legit really good already and looks like a surefire futur star. A NJPW Young Lion learning anything in WWE is a laughable idea.

It was only a matter of time. Can't wait until they tell Tanahashi that he needs to learn how to work the proper way.

Literally speaking Funny thing, Ibushi could probably have a great match working against Alexa Bliss and her powers. He's the guy who has a great match against a stuffed animal.

AEW is willing to work with just about anyone. WWE is just trying to squash any kind of alternative. NJPW has nothing to gain from this, no one in WWE means more than Omega or Mox would in NJPW. On the other hand, I'm thinking, does this mean the ill-advised NXT Japan plan is dead once and for all ? They tried to buy NOAH last year, didn't they ?

Yeah, this needs to absolutely not happen....

From that POV, I understand because although I can't stand WWE and the style, there are still shitload of super talented workers there, so *them* showing up in NJPW and being able to let loose over there, yeah, that'd be fun if they aren't already dead inside. But there's enough guys from AEW I'd like to see work NJPW so... Plus of course : No. NO !!!!! Well, I doubt that would happen, but again, I don't any NJPW guy doing good in Titanland. Yeah, they would sure get Suzuki or Ishii's style, for sure... Maybe Okada can have a Mania Moment against Shane McMahon...

Yano has been unbearable in the last two years. So yeah, a team with Miz would fit, indeed. On the other hand, if that would mean in the end AEW getting a relationship with NOAH, why the fuck not. Omega vs Marufuji ? Mox vs Shiozaki ? The Great fucking Muta teaming with Sting ? Well, they are worse things that could happen. I mean, pro-wrestling is more fun when you get interpromotional stuff anyway. But the idea that WWE would know how to book a NJPW guy is the most laughable thing ever. They can't even book their own american talent right. On the other hand, they can totally take Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa away from NJ. Like, please ?

This. I hope this doesn't happen, NJPW guys have *nothing* to gain working that dumpster fire that is WWE. Sure, some WWE guys in NJPW I guess would be cool (I mean, Daniel Bryan and the like, not the Miz), but AEW working with them is so much better on all front.

It was totally surrealistic. The fact Hashimoto was having an affair with Fuyuki's wife I believe at the time he died made the whole thing even more WTF.

No shit his former wife comes off the greatest here. Understanding the business, what worked and what didn't and why. She really was the star of the show. It's ironic because it's a lot more fair and so much harsher in term of the guy's character, but it also does a much better job humanizing him in the end, mostly thanks to the ex-wife (it struck me how she is still moved by how she found out about him cheating on her and the divorce and the last time they speak, but wasn't when she talked about his death, which does makes sense, but it's fascinating to me how human relationships work). Watching this, the "smut piece" comment by Dana makes it obvious she's a whitewashing alt-right Karen. Excellent episode (funny also how in 44mn they said *more* than in 90mn, really). It's kinda bittersweet to me to watch Corny in these, because he always comes off so good that it reminds me how much of a fan of his I was and how awesome he still could be if he had not lost his mind about AEW. I mean, Uncle Eric popping up from time to time on Dynamite is fine, but I would have loved Corny showing up so much. Next week is Grizzly Smith... Good luck to us with that one.

Probably. John Silver is not a surprise. He was only gone a few weeks. He's already been back on BTE. Daniel Bryan in AEW won't ever happen I'm afraid. Also, after the Christian Cage debacle, I'm pretty sure they learned their lesson and won't overhype anything this time.

The thing is, in 2001 (I believe), ARSION got on TV, so you don't have to rely on super clipped com tapes anymore. It's too bad that came when Aja left and Lioness got in, that really hurt the product to me and I gave up in late 2002 if I remember right. I'm sure I missed some good stuff still (I mean, Yoshida). I remember that one ! Yeah, like you said, too much fun to watch the father/daughter teams, quite unique too. Crazy how Fabi sucked really bad two years before, then left while Mary became really good in the meantime. Then Fabi shows up in 2000 and all of a sudden she's as good as her sister. Fabi Apache is most probably a contender for the Top 100, she's seemingly been a terrific worker for 20 years now. Back then Ohmukai (aka Chama as we'd call her as it was her nickname) was often heavily criticized for her tendency to pop-up and no-sell big moves, but she was just what you said, a bomb throwing worker and was quite fun and impressive at it (she had a great body type for that style). I still really enjoyed her then.

Marty Asami in NJPW is much worse at it. He's ruining *every* nearfall if you notice him.

So they're bringing legit sport broadcasters to put over Alexi Bliss doing voodoo ?

Except me I guess, maybe because I don't have a fetish for Finlay, who's overrated as hell around this place. Maybe if he did a flip bump on enzuigiris it would have woken up the crowds during his matches in WCW where he never figured how to get over, the awesome worker that he is... (disclaimer : I actually like Finlay, I do think he's been overrated quite a bit to say the least though)

Come one, guys taking flipping bumps on enzuigiris are awesome, just like Rikishi or Hennig doing a full 360° flip on clotheslines.

Strap match with Sting. The second (I think) Takada match. Maybe Inoki at the Dome in 96.