Matt D

Yeah, right now they're advertising Reigns vs Sheamus, Styles, a Highlight Reel, and potentially Brock vs Harper (though that's a little unclear, so don't get excited.)

So Sheamus has a mild tendinitis injury (which Lana did not cause) and someone else might be down too.

In all seriousness, I'd be especially curious for you to look at how Cena was booked around Wrestlemania 22. I wasn't watching then but I have to wonder.

Cena's last year hurts him but he'll still be on my list. Bryan will be on my list. Cesaro will be on my list. Sheamus will be on my list. Dustin is helped by his last run. Punk will be on my list. Christian had some good stuff when he actually got to work. That is close to it, I think. Joe might sneak on and this last year doesn't hurt. Low Ki just had that great match with Rey last year but i don't know. Brock isn't making my list, certainly not on the strength of the last few years.

Cena. Show your work.

This is a tough one. I'm going to go with Harley Race vs Tony Atlas or Dusty Rhodes vs the Grappler though. They're not the most recent books but from the results we have available, they're the best guesses I have. Tommy Rich vs Kamala would have been another but A) we already got that and B ) 27 minutes? (That makes me doubt the Dusty/Grappler match too, btw).

I'd say that this generally accomplishes what it sets out to do, even if it's lacking in a good deal of modern context/nuance and really doesn't offer much in the way of "well, here's what was really going on instead," which is the more interesting question by far. . My big question to Parv coming out of this would be when exactly was the last time Vince got behind anyone to the degree he's talking, especially someone presented on weekly TV.

Let me put it this way: If that was the only Brody match I'd ever seen, I would believe the hype. I've never seen anyone make him look better. It's probably the best Brody singles match I've ever seen and I'd call it legit good. The way that Bock sold his offense and kept the movement constant was excellent and I really liked the variation of the king of the mountain where Bock kept using the ropes, not just as a boundary, a base to strike from, but as an actual weapon. Very curious to see what other people think.

I watched episodes 15-18 today. I'll be caught up by the time season 2 ends.

The idea that when Jericho first got to the WWE they told him to learn from Kane and how upset every person who liked wrestling and had an internet connection (myself included) got at the notion of such a thing. He came quite a far way in Vince's eyes. I still think a lot of that was him leaving. Leaving on your own terms is Vince's one biggest weakness.

All probably true, but Kane still had a better 99 than Jericho.

As best as I can tell, the channel is down.

The 82 match from Southwest sure isn't great. Bock was on record saying that he hated working with Brody since Brody wouldn't take any direction on things that would have made him (being Brody) look better. 79 might be early enough that he wasn't as set in his ways though, so we'll see.

I could see them thinking that it'd make Becky look bad. Like she had to run to the authority figures when she lost a match.

I think the difference is that no one expects them to ever pull the trigger on him. He's like Arn in that regard. He's a career midcarder.

Cesaro is freakishly strong, strong enough to do things like this: Which transfers both to hitting moves and helping guys by taking their moves. He's credible, fairly Teflon, impactful, tall enough but not freakishly huge, had really good matches with guys of all sizes, can work singles and in a multiman, face or heel, can work over a bodypart or get worked over and sell, can work an eight minute spring with a lot of exciting offense or something longer with a lot of heat.

The answer is Cesaro, right?

I'm just curious: Would people have been more okay with the kiss if she punched him and floored him instead of slapping him?

I listened to the pod today while doing some work from home. It's a lot of fun, well worth listening to.

I think they're afraid of getting killed by Reigns' family.

That was one of Darsow's best singles matches. He was really bringing the Memphis with the stalling and hair grabs. It was simple but worked exactly as it should have been. Build up. Pay off. I feel like Lothario moved up another notch or two on my GWE list.

I'd be curious if there are any matches (outside of the Gino and Guerreros ones) that he had in Houston that he thinks you might uncover at some point that he's looking forward to seeing again (or looking forward for people to see for the first time in decades). Any Paul Boesch stories from him would be great as well.

That clunky tracking camera shot around the ring of Charlotte was pretty weird.

Even a squash against Slater.

I will say that a buddy of mine who is way more casual than us just send me a text of "I didn't realize he's smaller than Jericho." completely without any context to this thread or anything.