El-P

The Harris Bros would be a step up from this.

Well, I don't do watch-along anymore, but you convinced me to try that one out. The Starrcade 96 podcast had a quite interesting bit to me. I was very surprised to hear about it, and it was quite cool to hear about the fact WCW got to replace WWF in France in late 1996. I got a kick out of hearing Bischoff correcting Conrad on how to prononce "Canal Plus", which was the TV channel where I discover pro-wrestling back in 1990. I liked how Bischoff said it was a major coup for them because the aura of Canal Plus (which was very real back then) helped them get validation to win more market in Europe. Of course, when the switch occured, I was livid as a long time WWF fan. To me WCW was some sort of unknown erzatz whose mere existence only came to my knowledge during a trip in Ireland with my parents in 1992, when I saw some Lex Luger & Ric Flair (whom I knew because they were WWF at the time) figurines in a store (and a bad reportage about pro-wrestling on French TV show the same year, in which I could see for the very first time videos of Vader, Cactus Jack and Ron Simmons preparing for Halloween Havoc). I was such a blind WWF mark then (yeah, hard to believe now) two of my stupidest reaction watching Nitro were : "who is that lame old guy named Arn Anderson ?" and "that Rey Mysterio Jr. guy ain'y shit, it's easy to fly like that when you're so small". Yeah... Of course, it only was a matter of a few weeks for me to become a closet WCW fan, as their product was so much more exciting than WWF at the time, plus it was really my first exposure to mexican guys (I had seen NJ stuff before on Eurosport). Anyway, the fact Conrad brought this up was really cool and interesting I thought. And to me, it was the beginning of broadening my taste in US wrestling (the next year or so I would have access to ECW on a german channel).

And while the crew was having fun in Japan, Rush vs Euforia had a terrific match at Arena Mexico on 01/25. The heat in the third fall was something else. Quite the bomb throwing spectacle. For anyone who doesn't "get" Rush, well, this would be a pretty good eye opener. (on the undercard, Mil Mascaras working as "Gilbert" and looking like a uglier jacked up Bret Hart with red hair isn't exactly the same thing as, well, Mil Mascaras)

Shane McMahon is co-holder of one set of tag-team championship. Take this fact the way you want.

Well, the idea of good work is not giving the other guy a concussion either. If both guys are good workers, a DDT is both painless and safe. That was the art of pro-wrestling. I remember Bruce Prichard mentionning how taking the DDT from Jake Roberts was the easiest bump he ever took. Let's say you're a worker. What would you rather take ? A piledriver from prime Jerry Lawler or a chop from Walter ? The other day on Fantastica Mania, 50 year old Liger did his brainbuster on 48 years old Mima Shimoda (she was alongside Okamura). It looked great. I'm pretty sure she barely felt it.

Holy shit. Let me spell it for you again. N.O.B.O.D.Y. G.I.V.E.S. A .F.U.C.K. Nobody's jealous. Nobody's mad. People just find your ways unbearable because of the way you make yourself seemingly so important everytime you say something. At this point, "I'm friend with X" and "Wrestlers and fans have never been so close, if you don't get it you don't get pro-wrestling in 2019" is akin to "Me and my odd tastes". How do you like Volk Han ? for fuck's sake… get over yourself... (the micro echo-chamber thingy favorized by social media really makes people dense as all fuck. Future isn't bright people.)

The last iMPACT of January had two strong matches in Johnny Impact vs Killer Kross (who I'm slowly enjoying more and more as an in-ring worker) and Rich Swann vs Vikingo. Also, the angle developing between Swann & Callihan is good stuff, bringing a multidimensional aspect to both guys. Ater watching Swann working more heelish in MLW, I wouldn't mind see the same style for him here. The Rascalz gimmick is flying way, way over my head (I guess it's a millennial thing...) but their finisher is the coolest I've seen in a long time. Also, it was so good to see Melissa Santos ! Last but not least, Scarlett Bx's training video was pretty funny. Her literally deep throating a banana in the most casual way ever was gold.

Wow. So either you absolutely refuse to understand the point on purpose just to aggravate people on this board, or you're just dense as all fuck. What the fuck does that even means ? Wow (again). Have a cookie.

Enough. Please stop this shitty-worker shaming now.

No shit. If Nia isn't from Da Rock Family, she gets dropped to the bottom of the card until she disappears from the WWE Universe.

No shit.

That was Sid worthy line right there ! The cats look adorable though. LA Park vs Sami Callihan falls count anywhere was yet another case of Callihan delivering the goods. His reaction to Park's first chop was priceless, as was Salina grinning like a bruja. Later on, his rendition of the LA Park strut was pretty great too. Really old-school (as in, very 90's) brawl going down to the lobby for a while, tons of hitting each other with stuff, but with selling and purpose and few big spots. The finish was awesome and one of the coolest I've seen in a while. Yeah, Park still rules it when he wants to and Callihan is just the best garbage brawler in the business today, and a dirty-ass heel to boot. Loved it, one of the best Fusion match.

Finally got to hear the Souled Out 97 episode. Yeah, Conrad sounded salty as fuck on here. Not a whole lot to say more about this episode that hasn't been said. The defense of the Miss nWo contest and the garbage truck opening was kinda too much though, although Eric admitted than basically nothing worked, which is always pretty refreshing. Still, I'm with him on the fact they tried something different and on that part alone, it was not a complete miss. I remember watching it on a german channel back then and being quite intrigued by the whole thing. And it looked so different from anything the WWF was presenting at the time. Wishing you to get much better soon, Thread Killer.

Thanks. Funny, it doesn't look or sound *that* brutal. Which I guess is both good and bad...

That being said, I'm curious to see how it translated on TV. Yeah. Chop-porn, that's my new name for this kind of stuff !

*looking at the picture again* Yeah, it's disgusting and dumb as fuck. If you can't establish a one move killer without having to resort to *this*, well... Time to dig up the old "What is the worse business : porn or pro-wrestling ?" thread. (although pro-wrestling has probably evolved much more in the right direction lately, contrary to porn which is only getting worse and worse)

Hey, there you go, suffer for my sadistic pleasure. That's a way to look at things, and I am totally guilty of it at times. Doesn't mean I don't find it dumb as fuck and really low-brow.

Except you can get the same exact effect by throwing a stiff chop that looks great without busting the other guy's chest. That's not "minimal effort here", that's hitting the other guy as hard as you can. I remember people shitting on Sid back in 2000 because he didn't want to take Benoit's chops, but you know, there's always the argument : its' supposed to look like it hurts. Same as the ridiculous real headbutts or Foley asking Vader to bust his nose for real. It's even more stupid when you're actually a really good worker. Oh anyway, I would probably have popped for the chop if I just saw it... (didn't mean I would not think it's stupid though, I do react to stupid stuff)

Well, if that's true, it's ridiculous. I admit I was in awe of Walter vs PCO, but that was also the very first Walter match I've ever seen, and the resurgence of PCO came from such nowheres that it was amazing to see as a spectacle. But that being said, this is as stupid as the worst excess of garbage wrestling. The Kobashi vs Sasaki chop war was great because it was unique. Working stiff chop sequences for big match purpose in the right context telling the right story : good. This is just bullshit and completely idiotic. I can only picture some old timers shaking their head at this, and they would be right in that case. Give me a 50 year old Jeff Jarrett punch or a great current acrobatic flippy sequence over this, which requires no talent nor ability, just someone stupid enough to take it and wear it with "pride". (it's a very spontaneous reaction to that disgusting pic BTW)

It's not the issue. The issue is you trying to put yourself over constantly as being super connected and having tons of friends in the business. No one gives a fuck. If you want to report news because you have good sources, that's cool. But you come off pretty obnoxious with your constant "Hey, I'm such a good friend with so and so" stuff. Kinda like Conrad Thompson comes off like a giant douchebag with his constant bragging of owning this robe and that belt and shit. That's pretty much what annoys people around here, I think...

It's trendy but not hip anymore. Five, ten years ago, it was stuff for people working in graphic design office, hipster tatoo parlors and vegan food store. Now every douchebag on the street (or soccer player, which is essentialy the definition of a douchebag) is sporting the same beard and haircut (you know the one). Rene is gonna love announcing her husband jobbing to that waste of space that is Nia. And maybe get punched in the face and concussed in the process. Am I the only one shocked by the fact Jeff Jarrett has actually been signed (sources : Meltz) full time for a backstage job ? I guess really *anyone* can come back. It's been 20 years since Jarrett left on very bad terms.

KENTA is banged up as all hell, probably peaked ten years ago after a grueling decade in NOAH. It's not like he's Kota Ibushi in 2019 (both are the same age more or less I believe). He's got to work as a veteran in a friendly environment. As far as his status go, well, let's see if by virtue of having worked in WWE alone, he's a "bigger star" now than he was before in Japan (the answer is, probably not).

Latest BTE with a really funny line about Joey Ryan signing anything without reading, like that "lifelong contract with Lucha Underground". Also, Cody is falling in love with MJF, or so it seems...

KENTA had a struck of bad luck with all the injuries. But it's not like they would have done anything with him anyway, he could never have been KENTA when he came. Today, things may have been different. Let's see what they do with Kushida... Maybe he's homesick too and wants to go back to the country. I guess a veteran spot in All Japan or Noah is always a possibility.

I saw what you did there.