El-P

Seems like the plan was : "well we have no actual plan, but keep the doll because it still sells."

So wait, we are arguing about THIS ? Seriously ? Doudrop just totally squashed herself, she has like 5 HP left after this ! It's funny, people talk about "Aww, it's video game, it's not realistic !" and yet, when you really think about it for more than two seconds, there are a lot of mechanisms in video game that make way more sense than in pro-wrestling. Doudrop sold the hit quite well too.

I've watched sumo for more than 20 years now, and I have very seldom seen rikishis bang their stomach on each others . That's such a pro-wrestling fan take it's not even funny ! Banging stomachs would be like the worst atari ever. They bang their shoulders and hell, sometimes their heads, Ishii style. When ? Where ? All I hear is "Ohhh, this guy should work *big*", Morrissey is pushed as a monster in IMPACT just because he's tall and cut, immobile fuckers like Omos are sold as impervious to pain freaks of nature, and we're in 2022.

Speaking of Queens and whatnot, it always irks me whenever someone make reference to "wrestling royalty". Yeah, IRL that's actually called "nepotism" on a small scale, and "social reproduction" as a systemic issue. Royalty my ass. I see the Rock's daughter has signed with WWE. Unless she is completely worthless at pro-wrestling, I can't wait for the unbearable automatic push and praise she'll get. Not her fault obviously, she hasn't chosen to be the Rock's daughter, but be ready to hear some really bullshit narrative about "deserving it" and "working hard". How old are Trip & Stephy's daughters ? Mania 40 needs a main event.

Well, he wasn't supposed to. First time he fucked it up and Hangman did such a great job covering up by jumping on him that it almost looked like a planned spot. The issue is that they redid the spot, because it was a key spot in the build, and Punk would not hit it again. If that would have been the finish, yeah, I agree it would have hurt the match. As it is, it's like a matter of "Oh, I'm gonna retract a quarter star" geeky shit. Punk making fun of it in the post-show promo with FTR and the again at the media scrub, telling Meltz he would not be giving him five stars with this one, I find actually quite refreshing. Yeah, reality sets in sometimes, and unless a match totally falls apart, it's not a big deal when the overall match is terrific, which to me it was, and the audience was not affected past about 10 seconds of it (which is factual, the crowd was hot as hell for the entire thing).

Fun fact : pro-wrestling fans still believe that being big/tall/fat makes you more resistant to pain and stronger than smaller people. And then they talk about "realism".

It's kinda crazy it took 25 years before anyone remembered the Gangstas match gimmick in ECW was a genius idea and should be done again. When they played the entire song I was like "It's gonna start again, right ?".

That's like my beautiful dark twisted fantasy or something, as both an old RINGS & FMW fan. Give me a mix between Khosaka & Onita. Preferably in a cage in a middle of a pool.

There's also what Danielson himself wants. He went to AEW basically to be creatively free, and that includes be able to do the G1 (fingers crossed) and bleed.

Totally went over my head. The guy deserves his own thread ! Passed away at 58, which is way too young. He was in the first batch of puro tapes I bought, of course, because IWA and Best of Onita. It's too bad he had stayed most of his career in sleazy Japanese indies, as he was a product of the AJPW dojo and trained the great Mr. Gannosuke, among others. A classic old-school disgusting bladecore forehead. He was part of some of Onita's most famous matches early on, and had a great feud with Tenryu in WAR. Can't forget the cult classic match against Dan Severn at the IWA King of Deathmatch. But of course, his crowing moment, one of the most WTF moment in pro-wrestling history, the infamous Bathhouse Deathmatch, teaming with Gannosuke vs the Head Hunters (yes, it is on Youtube). Better worker than he was given credit for (although this was already talked about 25 years ago, so at some point are you actually *not* overrated when the entire talking point about you is that you are better than what people think ?), a bunch of fun matches, a figure of old-school Japanese sleaze for sure.

Best dry humor lines I've heard in a while. I mean, that's El Classico indeed. I forgot this guys even appeared on AEW. This is a case of the old buddhist tale of the countryman asking the buddhist monk if buying a horse is a good thing or not, and the monk answers "I don't know if this a good/bad thing" everytime something new happens and the countryman asks about it... or something. Jake Atlas signs in AEW. Good thing ? I don't know. He injures his knee. Bad thing ? I don't know. In the end, it seems like AEW dodged a bullet by not investing time in him "thanks" to the knee injury. Life and all...

I thought Adam Scherr was controlling his narrative... What a letdown. The biggest comeback of the year that everyone waited for won't happen. I'm talking about TAFKA Nia Jaxx of course.

Baker & Cole with Martha Hart was cute as hell. It made for a cool moment to have the couple alongside Martha. Cole is 32, he's super over. He's got a rep as a great worker. He ain't going anywhere down the card. Britt is still the biggest superstar of the woman division, she's good, she's over, she's not moving down the card either. There are people more suited to get younger people over, these two aren't. They are the present. Would make sense. Honestly, both Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland are guys that are as much suited for single's runs. I could see Lee challenging for the world title before the end of the year. Strickland is more TNT level/grudge feud (he'll never do a match like he did in LU, and with good reasons, but he's at his best when he's pushed to the next level working with some emotion involved, like against Sami Callihan in MLW).

Questions were asked. TK said he would not make any comment about it. Per Meltz, it was a shoot that is currently turning into a work, which is why TK "won't comment about it".

Apparently people here did not like the show very much. PWO be like, I guess. (disclaimer : I did not read the entire thread, ok ?!) To me the one thing that struck me is that one big upside to have that many talent, is by the end of the night, even if MJF had never showed up, no one would have cared. That crowd was hot as shit until the end once they picked it up at the end of Rosa vs Deeb. The key is having people over up and down the card, and exciting matches up and down the card. Of course, this is irrelevant because MJF ended up getting his ass-whipping anyway, but still. That show had so much great stuff anyway to make up for it, capped off by Punk winning the title. And of course, that damn brawl... The Bucks worked their magic with a carry job from hell with what's left of the Hardies. Anna Jay, I dunno what happened with her, but she looked hurt. Match wasn't much, but the 1-2 punch of Hataway & Athena more than made up for it. Great signees. House of Black vs Death Triangle was AWESOME. Period. These six guys rule. The finish I saw miles ahead, but having PAC use a low-blow just before was quite brillant in term of making sure Julia Hart would get cheered, because although HoB are cool heels, making sure PAC would do something nasty before he got fucked was a nice attention to detail. Joe vs Cole was really good. Once he won, it was obvious Britt was winning too. Ruby peaked with the Rancid intro. Good match though, with the Mania X finish, that was nice. Martha Hart was awesome. Cole did not even bother keeping his "character" face, he just looked like the nicest, happiest, most wholesome guy out there. The Mixed tag was quite fun and really they ended up getting the crowd back despite no heat whatsoever at first, apart from Tay & Sammy getting hated. PVZ is *not ready at all* to be showcased. Not her fault whatsoever, but having so much green women featured doesn't make the division shine. KOR beating the fuck out of people will never get old with me. Darby doing the job was unexpected, so that's quite intriguing in term of booking. KOR just signed a 5 years deal, he's not *not gonna be pushed*, especially with how good he is. I'm guessing we're gonna have a Darby & Sting vs reDragons big match in the future. This did not need to be on the PPV, but I'm not complaining. I spent 18 euros (yeah Fite and all) and I gladly watched that match. Rosa vs Deeb was excellent. Best AEW woman match probably. Just terrific. Rosa's outfit was wonderful too, have to say. The Arena Anarchy brawl was AWESOME. The FUCKING GANGTAS GIMMICK !!!! And this is leading toward Danielson vs Kingston (who looked straight out of a horror movie at the end when he showed up with the gasoline). 3 way managed to follow the brawl, which in itself speaks volume of both these 6 guys and how over the product was to this audience. Very surprised they did not pass the title, but I'm guessing having them lose in a regular match will mean more. So much great stuff in this one. All guys shined, really. CM Punk vs Hangman Page was excellent. Truly excellent. Of course, a Bret Hart finish, because why not. Enjoyed the hell out of it. The idea that Page gained nothing from his reign is *ridiculous*. Yeah, he only beat Omega and Danielson, and Adam Cole twice. Punk winning will now open some new perspective for the top of the card. Apparently he made fun of his own botches during the post-match promo (with FTR). Awesome moment. I have no idea how anyone could be tedious about this one. Obviously CM Punk had to win the title soon. Some interesting (some would say puzzling, but I would not) booking decisions that I did not see coming. Three legit excellent/great matches, nothing bad in term of matches really apart from Jade vs Jay which was saved by the post match and debuts (oh, I forgot Rush, which is... interesting. No idea if he'll get over though, he was the king rudo of Arena Mexico, but he's not a great worker per say, no idea how it will translate. I expected Bandido, but oh well). Had a blast. Despite the somewhat unfocused week-to-week booking, PPV delivers in spades, as usual.

Gotta say too, MJF took some shitty bumps on some of those powerbombs. Straight onto his elbows instead of the back. Oh anyways.

That being said, more power to him and good luck, because that must not have been a fun day or so. Ok, let the PPV start now. Off to sleep.

Please don't. I still have zero interest in Wardlow, especially after the way this turned. Sure, he's over today. Don't think that will be sustained, but maybe I'm wrong. What a debacle honestly for MJF. He was gonna be a major star in the promotion.

MJF wearing the infamous baby blue jobber color is something else too.

Das chant.

So. Match or squash ?

The plane. I'll still miss the fucker when he'll be feuding with the Miz...

That was great fun bullshit for opening the show. Very early AEW too. Send MJF (to WWE) and then let the good part of the show happen.

Very nice, very over. Crowd is on fire for this.

Mark Sterling sporting the old Jim Cornette style wrestler garb.