Matt D

I've enjoyed Punk's quiet matches more than Danielson's loud ones. That's probably a me thing though. I look forward to Danielson wrestling all the guys Punk did.

Dark 10/19/21 Hayter vs Nieves: This wasn't quite there. I liked how Hayter was moving Nieves around the ring wherever she wanted her. That was effective but nothing looked super impactful. I wonder if she can do a hanging vertical? The clothesline was too abrupt. She should have found some way to telegraph it more and get the crowd primed for it maybe? Gunn Club vs Sheik/Alexander/Chamberlain: Is Colton's finisher the same as Dustin's new finisher? I'm not going to look for it but it seems iffy. It looked good here at least. Best bit of this was probably Austin pulling the legs from the outside early. It's very clear what Austin is but I don't really get what heel Colton is supposed to be, especially with Billy standing right there sort of being a better version of whatever it might be. Billy's punch on Sheik was great but I wanted to see that guy do more. Diamante/Nyla/Sakura vs Statlander/Rosa/Velvet: Things to like here but they were more specific moments than the overall match. I get a sense that people trained more recently are taught to look at dropdowns as a way to trip an opponent as opposed to just something you do as part of a routine. I see that in watching Velvet at least. There was almost a sense of hierarchy here as she lost the offense quickly against Emi but who knows since the match was so much noise by that point. My favorite thing about Statlander is how she works the boop in and she worked it in by trying it to Nyla and getting crushed with a suplex. Nyla sure isn't protected anymore, that's for sure. She tagged herself in and got clowned pretty quickly. Diamante fed well for everyone. That's her lot. I did like her little taste of tandem stuff with Nyla. Rosa understands what she has with the crowd and is able to milk it at times, so good on her. If these sentences are all random, disconnected thoughts, that's ok; so was the match. Also, unlike the match on Elevation, they didn't use this to hype the TBS tournament nearly as well. Jade promo: The "Very Funny" thing probably didn't work, but it was a good effort. The promo itself worked fine. I like managers. Jade obviously needs one. There's even benefit in her having her own since it makes her stand out more. The company just has a lot. Jade is not the person to put the TBS belt on this year. Archer vs Fernandez: Jake just seemed glad to be there. I would have liked to see his reaction to Archer dragging the guy out. Yeah, Archer is really fun to watch in squashes. He has that Sid/Steiners/Road Warriors vibe. This pretty quickly became the Taz/Kingston show, which was pretty distracting, let me tell you. Kingston's mini promo about how he could hurt Archer was good. Fernandez got to show some fire and he ate that forearm well off the top. This was a blur, but that's ok. I do like how Dark is constantly pushing towards the main shows. Solo vs Kazarian: I got kind of restless midway through this one and got looking up Solo and realized he was in a team with Starks right before Taz told us that. IT was funny because when he was out on the floor, I kind of had Starks vibes out of him, so I can see that. I think there's honestly room for just about everyone on the roster, but I can't tell you what Solo's doing there. He's competent, and you want guys like Kazarian and Sydal to put over talent on the bigger shows, but I don't think Kazarian is any stronger for beating Solo than he would have been beating some talented indy guy. So this was fine, sound, but there wasn't a lot of reason to care. 2.0/Garcia/Serpentico vs Dark Order: The entrance was pretty funny, especially because they set up the moment on the ramp and then paid it off in the ring with the streamers. How can you not enjoy watching Serpentico? The bit where he kept trying to give Parker a thumbs up was so good. The long beatdown on Angels didn't work. I don't know if the crowd was just exhausted and this was late in the taping cycle or he didn't get a hope spot or the Dark Order (including Colt) just weren't working the apron or what. The only one that was really getting reactions was Garcia with his off the charts intensity. 10 is one of the best hot tags in the company with his size and spots. Does Grayson always do that flip over senton to the guy leaning on the apron? That seems like a challenging spot to work into multiple matches but it worked here. The finishing stretch started awkward and then used that awkwardness for humor so good on them. Still, overall this could have worked better.

The biggest issue right now is that there's a competition on a big stage that cares about wrestlers, wrestling, and wrestling fans. It makes it blatantly obvious what sort of shitty content bread line we've all been forced into for the last twenty years.

So if I'm not mistaken we don't get the Samoans vs Soul Patrol match from March (though there's a "bonus" Garea vs Sharpe match) and we don't get Snuka vs Valentine or Maeda vs Goulet from May. We do get the Bobo Brazil match from the May show.

I thought that Emi should have thrown Lulu to Ruby last week instead of taking the loss herself. It's bound to happen sooner than later though. Dark is deceptively good at using squash matches to heat people who haven't been highlighted for a while when they have a bigger focused match on Dynamite or Rampage upcoming. There's more thought put into it than just random matches. Even the six-women tags yesterday and today seem to be to highlight the roster for the TBS tournament. Though sometimes you get random matches. I'm excited to see 2.0 and Garcia interact with Serpentico tonight in an 8 man vs the Dark Order.

Elevation 10/18/21 Dustin vs Gustavo: Got to heat up Dustin before he wrestles Danielson. There wasn't a ton to see here unfortunately. They had a nice little rope running bit at the start where Dustin shifted around him and kept him moving. Gustavo looked fine in taking Dustin's stuff. Henry name dropping Duke Droese was a thing that happened. Dustin randomly creating a new finisher and naming it after Bob Backlund the day we get our first new Bob Backlund match in forever is another. This was good but it's always a shame when you get a Dustin match where he doesn't get to work from underneath. Wardlow vs Austin: Million billion stars for Wardlow refusing to give the crowd even a second power bomb after they went nuts for the idea they were going to get one. That's the kind of thing you can do with a molten crowd. Great instincts. They still popped for his finish. The clothesline bump should have maybe looked a little better? I don't know? But yeah, great instincts by Wardlow. Santana/Ortiz vs Jaka/Maluta: Hey! I kind of liked this actually. It was a real match with tag rules and everything. Jaka and Maluta came in looking like they knew what they were doing and had some of the spots scouted and Santana/Ortiz actually had to work at it, which made them look better in toughing it out for victory. They were still dominant. They were never really at risk. It still felt like a match. No issues with this one. Mizunami/Velvet/King vs Sakura/Nyla/Diamante: Tons to like here. This was my first look at Ryo and she just had really great reactions to everything and solid shots. You could sense the crowd was kind of for Diamante though so maybe that wasn't the best early match up. King and Velvet worked very well together. I wouldn't mind seeing more of that. I liked Velvet eating everyone's offense for the FIP and how both of her bits of hope were based on her opponents knocking her partners off the apron. That Spanish Fly looked like she almost broke herself in half though. Lulu's reactions after Emi hits the cross body in the corner are always worth looking out for, as was Nyla all but pulling her in to celebrate after the match was over. Ryo looked like a world beater vs Nyla to the point where they had to save her from a pinfall after a suplex. Very best moment of the match was Emi mugging to the camera as she was holding Velvet's leg on the outside on the finish. That was amazing. This could have used another minute or two but obviously that extra Buy-In hour wasn't part of the original plan.

Is there a sense of what wasn't out there before from the May card?

So I’m sorry about this, but I want Cody to be the guy to lose it on Punk. I’ve sat on that for a few days but it works on a bunch of levels.

Yeah, but from a kayfabe perspective. It’s not the US title as the champ isn’t the #1 contender. He doesn’t rank at all.

I mean, look, what even is the TNT title?

Punk is there to have a good time and test the waters. He wanted to main event Wrestlemania so badly that he almost died. Right now he’s having fun. Eventually something has to give but not for a few more months. Zero problems with it. It completely fits who he is and where he is.

Having fun wrestling 23 year olds to feel young again. His last mid-life crisis had him get beat up in MMA. This is healthier.

This is presumably what AAA wanted? But I mean AAA does weird stuff like this that won't move the needle for their core crowd all the time, right?

At least crowd's up for it? Granted, the match got to have actual heat, so it makes sense they're up for the comeback.

I like Fun Punk. I just want to see someone bloody him up a bit. If you really look in your heart, you’ll realize you do too.

Posted in the wrong thread but.. By the way, I'm ultimately in agreement that the Danielson match worked because it was Suzuki and because it was character driven. If he came out and had a match just like this with another opponent tomorrow (even a similar one), I'd be nonplussed, but within the confines of the States at least, Suzuki is singular and unique and exceptional, and this is exactly the match he'd have with him. Thankfully, in this case it was about the wrestler driving the style and not the style driving the wrestler. As something singular and unique, it WAS exceptional. But now I'm ready for him to have a completely different match with Fish.

Wrong thread. But i will say it's been interesting to see Garcia on the indies vs AEW in what part of his main eventer act he keeps and what part he tampers down to stooge and play the hierarchy up more.

Van Zandt vs Soho (or Baker or.. Jade?) is going to be the biggest thing coming out of all of this, right?

I liked the bit where Jericho got his feet up out of the corner and surprised him with a PRO WRESTLING THING, but those dos Santos worked punches maybe need some more work?

Well, I thought the Soho vs Bunny match was pretty good?

Ok, I'm enjoying Punk a lot, but there's a bit of a fat elvis lounge act vibe with how much he's enjoying himself and playing off the crowd. But mostly I'm hoping someone makes him really pay for it eventually in the bloodiest way possible.

Most interesting thing of that match was what happened when Danielson wasn't phasing someone by his skill and presence. Suzuki just grinning it off took Danielson to a place he basically hasn't been in 2021. And while the strike exchanges were not for me either, it primarily informed me how interested I'll be when he has Orange Cassidy taking him back there sometime in the next year.

I love the heart punch in the Stasisk vs Rose Portland matches because of how terrified Buddy is of it. But it’s admittedly a lot harder to protect a move in a world when very little about wrestling is protected.

Dark 10/12/21 Dean vs Lockhart: Well, this was a thing I guess. I don't know what to make out of Lockhart. He really went over for Dean's armdrags and ate the dropkick big. The cutoff to stop the tope was well timed and his corner Russian Leg Sweep looked good. Then it got a little weird with the marching elbow drop and the nothing chop and Dean doing some stuff that probably needs to be workshopped more. Let's move on. King vs D'Amboise: I think King is new to me. Basically everything looked good here. King's delayed vertical suplex is a nice, impressive spot. They both showed good instincts in crowd interaction. I liked D'amboise's selling of exertion at times. Just hard shots all around by King. That finisher is incredibly contrived. She'd be better off with just that running kick to the skull. Wardlow vs Bengston: Mr. Mayhem? Really? I feel like Wardlow should never come out alone. He always needs someone with him. Bengston has a unique look at least. And he got to make Wardlow work for it. I like how this was laid out. All the skill and desperation in the world wasn't going to save Bengston. It wasn't a matter of if but when. I sort of wonder what the spot was supposed to be before Bengston goofed it, but it really doesn't matter, because the recovery was Wardlow getting his powerbomb. F10 work better as a finish than his knee to the face (though now I kind of want to see him do it and somehow drop the guy on his knee). This had a good balance for a two minute squash; shame on the botch. Uno vs Greene: Unfortunately, Excalibur used the "Team Taz is over in..." joke for Lockhart and Wisconsin in the first match so he couldn't use it for Dangertown USA. This was good. The best part of it was Taz marking out for Greene going for a bunch of cross-bodies, but it was still good. (Second best part was the chops). I just don't think this was the right match up. Greene is a guy who is going to surprise people and get a crowd behind him but the crowd wanted to be behind Uno. Greene's goofy overhook/underhook crucifix bomb ended up looking better than Uno's finish, but I can't really suggest either as things anyone should do. Uno did a good job basing for him anyway. This being quasi-face vs quasi-face sort of cut off the narrative possibilities mainly.

Dark Elevation 10/11/21: Ford vs Mimi: I was wondering when Mimi reversed that whip on the outside if Ford was really going to take a bump into the stairs for her. She didn't! But she did kick out the youtube special moonsault press off the stairs. Mimi's high cross wasn't great but I did like her little scoot up roll up out of the corner and she threw a couple of good forearms. Not enough to really tell you much more about her. Ford's Mutalock looked great and the overhead camera shot was cool. It was fun to hear Wight and Kingston without adult supervision. Santana/Ortiz vs Omen/Soriono: Why do these guys have a manager? Especially one who just looks like another guy. Endless tandem offense with no rhyme or reason or sense of actually being in a tag team match. The first time you see the little double pumphandle flip thing is cool, but to see it again and again in this same exact situation with no rules or creativity in how they get to that point is just noise. You see one Satana/Ortiz squash, you've seen 'em all. And I've seen like... three. FTR vs Moriarty/LSG: Wardlow needs a jacket of his own. "Dragon twist?" I didn't know we were going to see FTR vs Moriarty so that's exciting. Kingston shooting down Tony mentioning the other sports Lee did was great. Totally speaking my language. Dax figuring quick that he might not be able to outwrestle Moriarty and switching gears successfully only to get stooged anyway was some classic stuff. They get stooged just enough while still controlling when they should. The whole deal with FTR is that they use the classic tricks and structure and formula but give it a modern twist. Wheeler leaping up and getting both legs in there instead of just a knee to the back for the transition is that sort of thing. The hopespot and cut off coming from the ref not buying the trick switch was interesting. It's nice to see it fail once in a while. Whatever else you might say about LSG, that was a good hot tag. Then Moriarty got to really shine with some long-limbed kicks, a nice bevy of "vs the world" spots, and then a good exchange with Dax. Fun stuff. Conti vs Mo: Exactly what it should have been. Mo looked good taking most of Tay's stuff, especially the flowing arm manipulation early, and she had a couple of nice shots thereafter. She was definitely kayfabe hesitant with the corner rana attempt and boy did it cost her; after that she got absolutely crushed. I'm glad she didn't get a last comeback after the German. Exactly right. Janela vs Crowbar: Janela sold Crowbar coming down with about a 4 on the "Not Ricky Steamboat?!" scale, which was still appreciated. Good opening exchange. Janela leaned into Crowbar's stuff. Crowbar leaned Janela's stuff. It had to be believable when Janela walked out to set up the big Meanie spot. I love that the Vader Bomb off the guardrail isn't really any more dangerous or effective than one in the ring, but just because of the nature of it, it seemed nastier. Janela momentarily forgetting that he wasn't supposed to be hardcore anymore because he got lost in the Philly moment really worked for me. The faked knee to set up the Franken-Screamer tribute to Daffney from the person who initially took it from her was extremely appreciated. Maybe this went on just a little too long after that. And then they got deep into no man's land when the Northern Lights onto the Chair should have ended it and instead ... well, who knows. That felt like a Janela idea where he just took it one move too far. If they were going for a botchy chaotic ECW feel, I guess they got it at the end there. Sakura vs Soho: I like to think that the fans popped both for Ruby coming out and because they weren't expecting to get Ruby vs Emi. I popped when I saw it on twitter earlier. Unfortunately, this was one where neither should lose. Both of them got to hit a lot of their big offense though and it all looked really good. Lulu was amazing here with the ineffectual hammers (and Ruby's reaction) and the great facial expression after the corner body press. I don't know about the thing where Ruby does crazy hand motions before starting an offensive flurry. It'd be better if there was something the fans knew they were supposed to do there and she was conducting them? They definitely want to chant for her. Tony miscalled the Casita this time. Finish was sort of okay since you need finishes out of nowhere sometimes between stars in order to get over that a match can end at any point. I think this would have been better if Emi got out there and refused to take the match and threw Lulu to the wolves, but at least Ruby looked like a star and Emi will still be dangerous tomorrow. Hardy Family vs Johnson/Anderson/Best Friends: Statlander not booping Johnson and Anderson was disappointing. Half of the appeal of this one is watching these guys interact. Private Party hyping up Blade, for instance, is what you want out of this. Anderson getting his reps in front of a crowd against a guy like Butcher is always a good thing. That's what I'll say about that match-up. Yuta looked pretty good surviving against everyone. He feels a little like the babyface counterpart to a Garcia, but that might be because I have a vague sense of what he does on weekends, but only a vague one. He's a little big for it maybe, but if Danielson isn't going to do it, he'd be a good guy to steal the Mantopolous bit where he offers someone his hand behind his back and schools him. I feel like he could modernize it like when Private Party was trying to get him and he kept countering. Just do it quickly. Anyway, I wish this had another minute or two of heat on Yuta. You want an 8 man to be sort of crazy, and maybe it went on a little too long, but that played into the finish as Johnson couldn't put them away in time.