All Elite Wrestling

[MoS]

16 minutes ago, El-P said:

You show proper respect to the Total Package now.

LMAO I of course meant that useless idiot Dr. Luther. As a big fan of the Total Package, I would never insult him this way

[C.S.]

6 hours ago, Coffey said:

I'm gonna talk about the roster a bit. I've been getting into AEW more lately & have pretty much abandoned WWE entirely at this point.

Great post! I agree with most of what you said. I'll find myself in the odd position of defending Jake Hager though. I'm not a fan and I hope he wasn't paid stupid money to sign. With that said, he has exceeded every possible expectation and earned his spot. For all of the WWE/TNA also-rans we can bitch about, Hager doesn't deserve to be included among them.

4 hours ago, Blehschmidt said:

I would cut: Alan Angels, Anthony Bowens, The Gunn Club, Colt Cabana, Joey Janela, Luther, Marko Stunt, Matt Sydal, Max Caster, Michael Nakazawa, Serpentico, Shawn Dean, Shawn Spears

I wouldn't cut Marko. The guy is absolutely a special attraction. The minute Big Show vs. Marko Stunt is announced for Dynamite, I'm first in line. 

Colt and Janela don't appeal to me at all, but they have inexplicable fan followings, so I don't know. I'd keep Colt and have him help AEW launch podcasts and things like that.

Matt Sydal never should've been signed. They have 20 kids who do the same thing and do it much better than he can after years of wear and tear.

I defended Shawn Spears at first, but he hasn't been nearly as over in AEW as he was in NXT and his first few appearances in WWE as The Perfect Ten. There's probably a reason he was in developmental for so many years.

5 hours ago, El-P said:

Christian I could make a mean-spirited joke about him so I won't. Let's say I kinda got a kick of his promo being "well I'm a really good worker, even the other guys are saying I'm like a super worker" in reference to some stuff that had been said on this board about Christian... I also love the fact they use some rework of his TNA theme, because it was much better than anything he used in WWE and TNA/IMPACT themes are much better than in-house AEW themes. I would LOVE to have Don Callis tell him shit like "You think you can just show up here and challenge Kenny for the AEW title ? Do I look like Dixie Carter to you ?" Hopefully he has really good matches, because that's what he does, ya see ?

Christian should not only topple Kenny for the AEW World Title after Callis turns on him and embraces a "real Canadian," he should also take over Kenny's "belt collector" gimmick and then conquer the NWA, ROH, and NJPW. 

I may be trolling. Slight possibility. Magic 8-Ball says "Uncertain."

But the delusion is strong with you if you think Christian's promo had anything to do with anything that's said on this board. I know you all think "Coach Tony K" secretly lurks here - spoiler alert: he doesn't - but now we're collectively thinking Christian does too? Well, if he does, we know who his favorite poster is.

[El-P]

22 minutes ago, C.S. said:

But the delusion is strong with you if you think Christian's promo had anything to do with anything that's said on this board. 

I never said that. I said his promo made me think of a joke that I could make relating to the Christian discussion the other day but since it's kinda mean-spirited I won't make it. And no, it's not about what you said for once.

 

[C.S.]

1 hour ago, El-P said:

And no, it's not about what you said for once.

Admit it: You love my posts and so-called "contrarian" opinions.  

[FMKK]

Coach Tony K definitely lurks in some spots online. Cody too allegedly. But I doubt they're hanging out on PWO. 

[sek69]

Honestly it wouldn't surprise me he's aware of PWO's existence at the very least. Folks who frequented DVDVR in those days had a habit of seeking out any and all wrestling related message boards they could find. 

I should know, I was one of them lol. 

[MoS]

There's a definite overlap between who used to post at DVDVR 15 years ago and who posted and post on this board. Plus, this board is easily the closest spiritual successor modern online wrestling discussion spaces have to the old DVDVR. So he is probably at least aware of Loss and Will and their board 

[Blehschmidt]

I don't understand the dislike for Best Friends. Both guys are perfectly serviceable in the ring, even if they aren't setting the world on fire. Chuck Taylor isn't doing the invisible hand grenades or any of that kind of stuff. When they had fans, the whole "Big Hug after clearing the ring" spot seemed to get a pop every week. I'm not calling for a lengthy title run or anything, but as a midcard tag team to pick up wins on Dark, and then put over the dastardly heels on Dynamite, I certainly think you could do a whole lot worse. 

[El-P]

Agreed. You need guys like them, a solid team that are over to work the mid-card feuds efficiently and put over the bigger stars. And like I said, Trent (Beretta) absolutely can go places as a single guy.

[Stiva]

I’ve barely liked any Trent singles match but I also understand that I’m not the audience for that and the greater AEW audience is so he’ll probably get a decent run, yeah. Plus that street fight with Santana and Ortiz means they’ll always have goodwill with me. Matt Sydal as an undercard TV babyface works for me but his green as gooseshit brother getting airtime is baffling. Janela and Kiss are actually a really fun team if you watch their Dark matches so I wish they’d get featured more. Ryan Nemeth seems to be around so they can get Ziggler if/when his contract is up. Sabian should be written out of the promotion after Miro kills him but maybe they see him as an attraction for teen girls? And I think I’m the only one who pops at some of Castor’s lines so they can stay.

AEW feels like it could do with some kind of huge, over-arching tag tournament though. Khan seems to have a booking philosophy that every person on the roster should have a team-mate or an allegiance (other than maybe Archer) and I agree with that a lot but some kind of over-arching big tag tournament would go a long way to helping people get some focus back on them. Basically, Sonny Kiss is someone I always watch the Dark matches of and I want to see more of him.

[El-P]

7 minutes ago, Stiva said:

Ryan Nemeth seems to be around so they can get Ziggler if/when his contract is up

I did not get that. I just googled him. Ok, now I know why this guy looked kinda familiar. I have no idea why he's on my TV though. Him and Max Caster are huge WTF, they reek of guys who belong in WWE in 2011.

AEW should try to do a G1 of sorts. That would be a first in US wrestling. TNA kinda tried in 2011 under Vince Russo, resulting in the Bound for Glory Series, the ultimate dumbest tournament you could imagine, with guys getting points in tag matches, multi-men matches, meeting the same opponents several times, no brackets or blocks or whatever of course. Like, the most Russo thing ever.

[NotJayTabb]

18 hours ago, Blehschmidt said:

Going by this List

I would cut: Alan Angels, Anthony Bowens, The Gunn Club, Colt Cabana, Joey Janela, Luther, Marko Stunt, Matt Sydal, Max Caster, Michael Nakazawa, Serpentico, Shawn Dean, Shawn Spears

On the women's roster, I think Big Swole, Mel, Abadon, and Leva Bates can safely be cut.

 

I agree with most of these, but I think Shawn Dean is worth keeping around. Young, good look, solid wrestler, has a low enough profile that they can mould him into whatever role they want. Plus I imagine he's working for $20 and last season's Fulham shirt, he's not stretching the finances too much.

That's a rogue's gallery of awful female wrestlers. I forgot Mel even existed, and Abadon is truly terrible.

[El-P]

Leva Bates is apparently doing a lot of backstage work though, so her being a JTTS is no issue at all. 

Is Mel still around, really ?

[Migs]

Not sure why there'd be any need to get rid of Cabana, who's been a mentor to a lot of the guys in the promotion, has good matches when needed on Dynamite, but mostly is in the background. 

Janela's an interesting case where he almost might be better off going back to the indies, unless he's involved in the backstage stuff and enjoys that. Feels like he's going nowhere but still has a huge fanbase and could headline indy shows at a time when they are starving for main eventers.

[Ryan Faulconer]

They need a regular “jobber class” like those mentioned in earlier posts in the thread.  AEW doesn’t just throw out matches between rivals every week.  Feuding parties don’t need to wrestle every week they are onscreen.  That is a much more enjoyable style of booking. AEW should be doing more promos for every feud not involving Moxley or Kingston anyway.

Has the tide turned on Abadon already?  It felt like there has always been buzz around her announced matches until today.

It helps more than it hurts to have most of those names mentioned by others.  Spears and Sydal can be used in almost any role wrestlers might play outside of main events.  
 

The Young Bucks are maybe the wrestlers I dislike watching the most lately.  They wrestle like LOD a lot of the time.  Matt Jackson is one of the least believable power wrestlers in wrestling.  It still pops the crowd when he does Hawk’s diving clothesline on two opponents at once.  So far, They don’t lose fans with their preposterous finishers.  
 

I definitely prefer them in multi-man tags.  With six, eight or ten wrestlers out there the Bucks have less time to take over for long stretches with their power moves.  Maybe they can do some weight training so they at least look in shape.  Two skinny little dudes with no physique should be a little more giving.  The New Japan Bucks are probably my favourite version of the team.  

[Blehschmidt]

4 minutes ago, Ryan Faulconer said:

Has the tide turned on Abadon already?  It felt like there has always been buzz around her announced matches until today.

She's okay in the ring, but it feels like the mystique of the character is already dead after losing so decisively to Shida.

[El-P]

30 minutes ago, Migs said:

Janela's an interesting case where he almost might be better off going back to the indies, unless he's involved in the backstage stuff and enjoys that. Feels like he's going nowhere but still has a huge fanbase and could headline indy shows at a time when they are starving for main eventers.

He can work indies. He's doing his Spring Break Mania week show. But yeah, Janela was so fun doing insane shit in the indies I was looking forward to him in AEW, he had that terrific lights out match with Omega during the first months and really hasn't done much of anything after that. But his team with Sonny Kiss is really cool, they should get featured on Dynamite instead of wastes of space like the Acclaim or the Gunn Club.

5 minutes ago, Ryan Faulconer said:

Has the tide turned on Abadon already?  It felt like there has always been buzz around her announced matches until today.

I never got it. To me the buzz came from people who had never seen Su-Yung, as her gimmick is to Su what Abyss was to Mankind (not that Su is a great worker at all but she does the creepy zombi shit like no one else ever). And they she went and had a bad match with Shida, and that takes Crusher Maedomari's level of suck to do that (yeah, that's a dated reference, I'm 45).

[Migs]

30 minutes ago, El-P said:

He can work indies. He's doing his Spring Break Mania week show. But yeah, Janela was so fun doing insane shit in the indies I was looking forward to him in AEW, he had that terrific lights out match with Omega during the first months and really hasn't done much of anything after that. But his team with Sonny Kiss is really cool, they should get featured on Dynamite instead of wastes of space like the Acclaim or the Gunn Club.

I'm aware he can work them, but it obviously places limits on him, and from a narrative perspective "Joey's back on the indies!" could potentially be a big deal for him.

[Ryan Faulconer]

5 hours ago, El-P said:

I never got it. To me the buzz came from people who had never seen Su-Yung, as her gimmick is to Su what Abyss was to Mankind (not that Su is a great worker at all but she does the creepy zombi shit like no one else ever). And they she went and had a bad match with Shida, and that takes Crusher Maedomari's level of suck to do that (yeah, that's a dated reference, I'm 45).

There is a real zeal for those gothic or monster-type gimmicks.  The popularity of The Undertaker has always baffled me.  He is the reason I stopped watching wrestling or at least WWF for a significant chunk of high school.  Taker picked up a lot of fans with the gimmick the way it was originally presented.  He got much better when Foley pushed him but UT was already HOF-level popular.  It seems like almost any gimmick that requires kayfabe to make it work is always capturing every type of fan’s curiosity.  Having said that I thought Anadon had a lot of potential.  This first set of her matches can’t hurt her much.  So far she is just a slightly unorthodox work-in-progress.  I would put her behind the workers of the division but ahead of the young and green Dark women.

I turn 45 this year.  I see your Crusher Maedomori reference and add...I have mentioned Ayako Hamada in threads here and DVDVR in AEW threads.  After learning she was out of prison I went to look for recent images of her in Mexico.  Did anyone predict that she would eventually look exactly like her older sister, Xochtil or “Sochi” for those who used to watch ARSION tapes?

They should definitely consider some sort of Dark tourney or beat the champ/5 week challenge.

 

[El-P]

14 minutes ago, Ryan Faulconer said:

Did anyone predict that she would eventually look exactly like her older sister, Xochtil or “Sochi” for those who used to watch ARSION tapes?

 Nope. Genes are a scary thing. That being said, talent has nothing to do with genetics, because Ayako sure was still kicking ass in AAA when she showed up in 19. Unlike good old Sochi. (this really is throwback Wednesday, here I am talking Sochi Hamada &  The Bloody on the same day !)

[Coffey]

I forgot about Allysin Kay. AEW getting her would be nice, too. 

[Alucard]

13 hours ago, Stiva said:

AEW feels like it could do with some kind of huge, over-arching tag tournament though. Khan seems to have a booking philosophy that every person on the roster should have a team-mate or an allegiance (other than maybe Archer) and I agree with that a lot but some kind of over-arching big tag tournament would go a long way to helping people get some focus back on them. Basically, Sonny Kiss is someone I always watch the Dark matches of and I want to see more of him.

Agreed. In honor of Jim Crockett Jr's recent passing, Crockett Cup!

[Coffey]

I was reading about Tay Conti getting ready to go into MMA & have her first fight. Despite seeing the likes of Ronda Rousey & other women be involved in combat sports & find success, my first thought was it would be a mistake for AEW to let Tay Conti do that. Firstly, those other women like Ronda or Shayna, they did MMA first & then came to wrestling, not the other way around. Tay looks like she might be on the brink of becoming something in wrestling but it feels like it could potentially be a risk that isn't work taking doing MMA, from the AEW perspective, not her perspective. If she gets hurt, it could mess up her wrestling direction. If she loses, it could mess up her wrestling direction. If she wins, she'll want to keep going & then will have to continue to train & potentially miss more time in wrestling to pursue MMA. If she wants to do it, more power to her, but I wouldn't be surprised if a promoter would be less likely to use or push someone that could potentially be leaving, hurt, or for the lack of a better phrase, a part-time wrestler.

Of course, she might also turn out to be really good in MMA & find more success there than in wrestling. I'm sure the likes of the AEW roster will be very supportive publicly but I'm curious to see if she starts getting less TV time or used less or if the speculation starts running wild. You know how rumor in pro-wrestling can be. MMA certainly didn't do C.M. Punk any favors.

[sek69]

I would suspect Tay would do better in MMA than Punk did. Hell, most of us probably could to better than he did, but yes your point stands. If she just wants to be a weekend warrior and do some low level MMA on the side that would probably not be too much of an issue. If she decides she wants to make a serious go at it, it would get in the way of her pro wrestling. 

[El-P]

Agreed. I don't see how this can work well for AEW, although honestly Jake Hagger is not affected by doing MMA. Of course it's not the same case, one has not the same potential as the other in term of becoming a star in AEW, to say the least...