Matt D

I don't think that was the point, it was just an opportunistic counter. Brie had the Yes Lock on but Ric was looking to put Charlotte's leg on the rope, so Brie grabbed the leg to transition to the crab to keep her away from the ropes, and Ric. I literally came in on the crab so that makes sense. Thanks.

Won't the 42 days of build to Hunter vs Reigns be fun?

I actually don't mind this layout too much. They had a number of marks that they had to hit before the chapter break before Lesnar is taken out of the match and Ambrose and Reigns have to put their friendship on the line, etc. They just had to get in all of that stuff first because it had to fit into the match somewhere.

And the suplexes of diminishing returns have begun already.

Also, it'd be hilarious if Trips convinced Vince that what makes the most sense is for Ambrose to win tonight, Hunter to beat him at Mania and Reigns to win the title at Summerslam.

I have no idea why they didn't do HHH vs Ambrose and Reigns vs Brock at this PPV.

Just got home from Maltese Falcon. Playing catch up. Did they build up the half crab at all to make it seem like a potential danger spot for Charlotte? Has anyone tapped out to a half crab since Lance Storm was in WCW in 00?

I had a talk with Loss yesterday that covered Jericho in a way that was so different from anything mentioned here that it's not even worth it to recap it at this stage, because it'd feel like a completely different language and frankly, no one wants to hear the two of us go at it again this close to the end of the process. It's enough to make me just shake my head though. We're just a few weeks from this all being over.

I think things like the Cornette Wendy's footage or the RVD match online rant sort of show that he was always kind of a tool. He was just sort of our tool at some point?

I thought I remembered a match where he took that first rudo role because no one else who normally would was with him where I thought he did a good job with it, but the best I could find was the 2004-10-8 - Arts Exhibition "Arena Mexico" University of Essex match vs Hijo del Santo which was a weird one given the audience so he was playing it more broadly than usual. Not even a trios.

How many other World Title matches does Jake have?

I would want a "If Taker loses, he has to join the New Day" stip but they'd never do that.

I'm with our friend from the frigid north. Have them show hubris and Taker interrupt them at Fastlane. That one match would make the Mania card so much better.

I like heel Ricky Morton

I also feel like his mainstream CMLL Work hasn't popped up from between 00-05 as much as other people for some reason. That might just be my perception though.

The multiman rudo performances of Panther I liked the most were ones where he didn't have Fuerza (or someone of that ilk) with him and he had to play that more dickish role, if that makes sense.

Tully vs Wahoo is up. 7 and a half minutes of awesome. The way they use the strap is so damn novel, both Tully's offense throughout the match and the way they set up the last transition/finish. Stop what you're doing and check it out. Tully's reactions were just so amazing. Hell, everything Tully did in this match was amazing and Wahoo wrestled it pretty much perfectly too.

I feel like Goldberg in front of the Mania crowd would be like Sid at the ECW arena. This Wrestlemania is such a mess.

He should get a point for driving (drawing) an entire tape trading subculture.

This is new ground, but I would lean towards them aping previous WWE products more than some sort of ideal, at least until we know more. I think it's almost more likely they have some NXT style obstacle cousre challenges than we get straight up tournament matches ever week.

Presumably there'll be some tags and what not too, no?

I had to do something a few weeks ago if only to take some stress off of me.

I think I caught the All Star one (three rounds, cable). I'll go find the 78 one next. For what it's worth, I thought the All Star one was an interesting diffusion of the style, sort of a big picture version that lacked some of the build and nuance, but that could have worked as a style in and of itself. Almost like the WWE ten minute TV match version.

I finally got to see the Breaks vs Saint match that Arthur Psycho posted. It felt very much like a cliff notes version of their longer matches but kept all the structural bits that the matches rested upon so it still worked.

That was before Captain Mike evolved into IRS.