Matt D

I wish they would have done something to differentiate the titles. I'm not sure what that would be, maybe putting TV title rules on the IC title (perfect for Miz) or making the Raw tag titles six man ones (perfect for New Day) or the Smackdown women's title a tag title or something.

I look forward to the fifteen person York Foundation.

Just playing devil's advocate, what's the relative benefit to seeing MMA live?

Still are. We forget that sometimes because of the awesome bubble we've got going.

At the Rumble two years ago, we were right by the hard camera. Someone nearby had printed them all out and handed them out (Cesaro Section and other things). It's fan driven and it's amazing how far those things can spread.

The CMLL/ROH/NJPW working arrangement announced last week seems like something that could have potentially been mentioned. I guess this week you wonder how they report on this stuff without focusing heavily on the wellness policy stuff or maybe on Orton being opened up so severely, which did make Deadspin and other places, I imagine.

I really want to see what happens in a match next time Cena has to lose clean. I hope it involves sumo monster trucks.

Shane sure recovered quickly from that.

I decided it needed to be even more qualified. Probably should have gone the other way. Those kids in the front row are the best part of this match so far. They were going from giddy about the violence to ironically amused by it all to "oh shit!" and covering up.

What I'm seeing from the board tonight is the thought that (outside of Reigns, apparently) WWE Main Event Style peaked in 2014 and has been slowly declining sense as the snake eats its own tail and excess rules the day?

Well, that Got Juice sign as Lesnar passed was special.

So in other words, a political hit? It's more of a ratings famine.

I have this fun theory no one wants to listen to that Finn is the sacrificial lamb to explain the ratings due to the brand split, new TV coming back, and football starting, thus protecting Rollins.

Wrestling got worse and Cena adapted with the times?

That'd be an awesome belt for Drago in Lucha Underground. It's his personal Smoking Skull Belt.

Just saw this. Had to make the gif. Just pretend one of them is Kalisto time traveled back to 1990 so that this becomes relevant to this thread.

This just dropped. The first fall is awesome. That's about as far as I am now. Super Astro vs Fuerza is so great a match up. EDIT: Awesome primera and segunda but the tercera is bogged down a bit with submissions being broken up. Great finishing stretch though. Definitely check it out. Better use of my time than New Day tag and Ambrose vs Ziggler definitely.

Just be thankful there's no Shane match like last time?

In general, I don't think you're spending enough time watching Classics. That stuff might not be available forever.

Tito main evented against Bock in AWA too.

We didn't realize how big Tito was in Houston. Boesch gave him the Gold Cup in 81.

I'm still hung up on Tito or Jake.

I think the problem with these lists is that it's a squishy mix of trying to quantify qualitative things. You basically have to more carefully define what a star is before starting.

Bruce, I sure don't ask for much but the date of that Moolah match you posted is the same as a Summit show. Just tell us that when you found the reel with that match, you found the Race vs Wahoo and Bockwinkel vs Lothario main events too? Because man, those sound great.

That was the closest to "in real time" as I've watched an entire show since I was actually at the Rumble a couple of years ago. I just finished, with gaps for putting the kid down. Thoughts: Jose vs Aries: I know we're stereotyped as the punch people but Jose's punch is so beautiful. I liked Aries a lot here as the slimy veteran. It was interesting how many times that they went back towards the full nelson in the finishing stretch. There were some interesting layout things all night. Also, so, so man rotation forearms or punches or clotheslines or whatever. I think Jose could be a force on the main roster if they give him a chance to keep improving and then don't cut his legs off when he gets up. Great reaction for Itami. He seemed like a star (But then just about everyone did). Oh, I loved Aries tope too. Roode vs Almas: This was the perfect night for Roode's entrance. He seemed like the biggest thing in the world because it's so fresh and the viral videos and the fans were just totally ready for it. I thought Almas did a good job winning over the crowd, actually, but he's so much better as a heel that they should just turn him. If nothing else, I have no idea why they're not giving up on the entrance gear. Come on. Roode needs to just do the Test Pumphandle Power Slam. Roode vs Nakamura would be a completely fine Takeover main event on Roode's way to the main roster. I still think Vince and HHH have to love the guy. Moon vs Kay: Billie's Psylocke as Part of the Hellfire Club gimmick is strange, but whatever. She looked good. Moon looked pretty good. The crowd was willing to get behind her. The entrance was good. I wish they would actually be a little clearer on what she's supposed to be. Cleopatra Meets the Brood? That finisher is gold. Tag match: God this was great. They had me on the near falls to the extent that I'm probably giving an emotional response. The one off the double suplex is one of my favorites (I love it as a 3D break up roll up). Then the Shatter Machine counter completely had me. I think my favorite part of all of this might have been Becky and Sasha's response to the chop block. Thanks to the colorful hair, you caught them off the corner of the screen and they were so into it at that moment. The finishing stretch was the best one the WWE's done all year, absolutely. But I'd have to rewatch to say if it was the best match. Asuka vs Bayley: I thought the post match was wonderful. It was just visceral and she could have soaked up those cheers all night. As for the match itself, I really liked the first half. I think it was the smoothest and most polished Bayley had ever looked with the roll ups and some of her high risk offense. Graves trying to cover the power bomb attempt with the ankle being hurt was good, but she wasn't selling it. That would have been fine if not for the flub cover, so who knows. Either it was intentional and built into the match, at which point the lack of selling hurt it or wasn't intentional and was a decent recovery but was pasted over by Graves in a way that didn't help things. Moreover, Bayley seemed sort of blown up for a big chunk of it. Was that just me? I still thought the emotional core of the match was there and effective though. Asuka was really into her entrance with the wavy arms going like something out of Akira or some other cultural reference point I'm not hip enough to hit. Joe vs Nakamura: Amazing entrance. I almost wish Joe had responded by coming out to no music. The tension for the first touch was like something I'm not sure I've ever seen in WWE. Joe is the guy who should be main eventing Summerslam tomorrow, not Orton, not Finn, not Rollins, not Brock. This completely avoided the Nakamura Second Act Slump because Joe was in the driver's seat. Better than any of the Finn vs Joe matches and MAYBE Nakamura's best WWE match so far. The Sami match had more fireworks but it wasn't much more but fireworks. This had more gravitas, maybe. It could just be the recency though. Literally the only thing that will make me happy tomorrow night is if Ambrose beats Ziggler, and while he's celebrating, Joe comes out of the crowd and destroys him to set up the next Smackdown title program.