Is the empire crumbling before our eyes?

[Timbo Slice]

I meant it more as metaphorical, especially with their personalities and egos. They do good business in the aspects you described, but their self-awareness makes it seems like they seek out situations to be magnanimous, even in defeat. In their eyes, they’re taking the high road, but they come off as holier-than-thou instead. The fact that they weren’t a part of that pull apart at the end of the show and did a pre-tape backstage makes me think they feel they need to show they’re above all this, but all the reporting on it says they’re just not engaging a party who wishes to engage and figure out a way forward. 
 

I want to be worked in this situation, but I don’t think I am given they’re not exactly frothing at the mouth to punch back against Punk. 

[MoS]

Understood, thanks for the explanation! 

[The Man in Blak]

I still think it's telling that the biggest (only?) breakout tag team in AEW -- The Acclaimed -- ended up getting over on their own without any sort of interaction with the Bucks. 

The Lucha Bros match is definitely the peak of the Bucks' heel run with the titles, but I would argue that Fenix and Penta were already over before they started that program. That said, the House of Black match is definitely a feather in their cap, it's just a pity that it was for the Trios division, which seems to be going nowhere (and is actively taking away from the standard tags).

[MoS]

5 minutes ago, The Man in Blak said:

I still think it's telling that the biggest (only?) breakout tag team in AEW -- The Acclaimed -- ended up getting over on their own without any sort of interaction with the Bucks. 

The Lucha Bros match is definitely the peak of the Bucks' heel run with the titles, but I would argue that Fenix and Penta were already over before they started that program. That said, the House of Black match is definitely a feather in their cap, it's just a pity that it was for the Trios division, which seems to be going nowhere (and is actively taking away from the standard tags).

I get what you are saying, but can we argue that Fenix and Pent got over in the first place due to the crazy match they had with the Bucks on AEW's first PPV?

(it feels weird and dirty to be the Bucks defender in an argument lol) 

[The Man in Blak]

I actually think the turning point for the Lucha Bros was getting Alex into the act doing the "Penta Says" gimmick, but I don't remember if that was before, during or after the Bucks feud, so sure. If nothing else, I would say that the cage match with the Bucks was arguably the best match that both teams have had in AEW, so it certainly didn't hurt.

[C.S.]

In the American Nightmare documentary, Cody mentioned leaving AEW because of a "personal issue." The Young Bucks are included in the doc. Kenny Omega isn't. 

Omega also reportedly has to be separated from CM Punk whenever they're in the same building, but we've heard no such news about Punk and the Bucks. In addition to that, Punk mentioned the Bucks in his return promo but not Omega.

Is Omega the socially maladjusted egocentric weirdo he comes across as, or am I reading too much into nothing?

Seems like there's smoke here though. 

[MLB]

All those names are egocentric weirdos to a degree (Punk, Omega, Bucks, Cody). It is conspicuous that Omega's footage is absent from the doc (I plan to watch this at some point today).

I remember when Cody was shooting in AEW that he made it seem like money was the sole issue with TK. Cody also called out Punk in that promo (before Punk was there), he said something to the effect that Punk lit the match but Cody carried the torch.  

 

 

[Jmare007]

2 hours ago, C.S. said:

In the American Nightmare documentary, Cody mentioned leaving AEW because of a "personal issue." The Young Bucks are included in the doc. Kenny Omega isn't. 

Omega also reportedly has to be separated from CM Punk whenever they're in the same building, but we've heard no such news about Punk and the Bucks. In addition to that, Punk mentioned the Bucks in his return promo but not Omega.

Is Omega the socially maladjusted egocentric weirdo he comes across as, or am I reading too much into nothing?

Seems like there's smoke here though. 

Omega also reportedly was the only member of the Elite who was fine with Punk coming back or even doing business with him. Given how vastly different both reports are, I wouldn't believe either one.

[C.S.]

AEW just got LuFisted!

 

[KawadaSmile]

This is after she had a lengthy interview with Fightful regarding her time with AEW a while ago.

My main takeaway from her interview, which talks about many problems with Ruby Soho, about the overall high-school feeling the locker room has, about casual xenophobia directed towards French-Canadians and about many other things, is that Jacques Rougeau must be the biggest asshole alive.

[sek69]

I mean clearly there could be more done with the women in AEW, but to say Tony wants to go back to the Diva's era when Britt's most memorable matches have been bloodbaths seems wrong.

If they start having Bra and Panties matches on Dynamite I'll step up and say I was wrong, but that seems like such an odd thing to say when there's tons of legit grievances to be had. 

[C.S.]

I assume what LuFisto is referring to when she compares AEW to the WWE Divas era is the lack of time, importance, and emphasis placed on the women's division, and she's not entirely wrong.

Sucks to hear that Ruby is a bit of an asshole though - if LuFisto is to be believed, anyway. But it would go a long way in explaining why Ruby has never had a sustained major push in either of the big two promotions.

As for Jacques Rougeau, well, that's no surprise. His assholishness radiates from every pore . He would've made the perfect 1980s movie villain.

[sek69]

Jacques got himself a lifetime pass for knocking that bully Dynamite Kid's teeth down his fucking throat. 

While I don't doubt there's petty bullshit going on in the AEW women's locker room (because, duh...wrestling), I also get the sense that LuFisto is bitter a little bitter in the sense she was considered one of the better women in wrestling in the era right before women's wrestling really became something in the US again.  Now that it's back to a level where you have two national promotions featuring it regularly, it seems like  she thinks if a company isn't booking Misawa-Kawada level shit they're being wasted. 

[SirEdger]

3 hours ago, KawadaSmile said:

This is after she had a lengthy interview with Fightful regarding her time with AEW a while ago.

My main takeaway from her interview, which talks about many problems with Ruby Soho, about the overall high-school feeling the locker room has, about casual xenophobia directed towards French-Canadians and about many other things, is that Jacques Rougeau must be the biggest asshole alive.

As a French Canadian myself and the general reputation that Jacques has garnered over the years in the world of pro wrestling, that's an accurate assessment.

[sek69]

I wonder if it came from being a promoter's kid, it seems like that always causes issues  when it happens . 

[Blehschmidt]

Ruby did come across like a complete asshole on the All Access show when dealing with Tay.

I assumed it was all scripted for the unscripted show, but maybe not.

Which makes it even funnier, since Tay would most likely kick the shit out of her in a shoot.

[Mr Wrestling 2000]

LuFistio is the first person i think iver ever heard talk bad about Ruby.

[MoS]

Shitting on Skye Blue for being shy is really weird

[NintendoLogic]

I remember thinking Jacques came across badly in the Dino Bravo DSOTR episode. Wasn't his kid training to become a wrestler? What ever happened to him?

As for Ruby, I suspect her lack of sustained push is more a reflection of the fact that her overness is inversely proportional to her push. She comes across as a big deal due to her look and charisma (and entrance music in AEW). But if she does get pushed, she runs out of steam quickly because the steak doesn't match the sizzle. She's a bit like Sid in that regard. 

[KawadaSmile]

I remember when she had some more high profile matches in WWE against Charlotte (which I am always suspicious of tbh) and she never really reached the same heights in terms of in-ring quality as those around her, specially Liv Morgan. 

Now, another thing which I found interesting is how Thunder Rosa was portrayed as a loner, or as someone who was indeed isolated. Seems to be coherent with what was going on at the time. 

[The Man in Blak]

7 hours ago, Blehschmidt said:

Ruby did come across like a complete asshole on the All Access show when dealing with Tay.

I assumed it was all scripted for the unscripted show, but maybe not.

Which makes it even funnier, since Tay would most likely kick the shit out of her in a shoot.

I had a slightly different read on this. While I think Ruby's overreaction of "either we trust each other or I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands" wasn't well thought out (especially given Tay's background in Judo), I also think Tay actually set a lot of this stuff into motion by apparently not talking with Ruby at all after the injury. Not sure if that last part was kayfabed for the show or not, but that behavior runs counter to the usual wrestling etiquette of following up with someone if you happen to injure them in the ring.

[SirEdger]

7 hours ago, Mr Wrestling 2000 said:

LuFistio is the first person i think iver ever heard talk bad about Ruby.

From what I understand, their issues date from their SHIMMER days. Multiple issues, both personal & professional but I'm not privy to that.

Quote

I remember thinking Jacques came across badly in the Dino Bravo DSOTR episode. Wasn't his kid training to become a wrestler? What ever happened to him?

All of his 3 kids wrestled to a certain extent when Jacques had his promotion in Montreal. Jacques even was able to get his oldest son Cedric a tryout (a mountain of a man, 6'8, 315+ lbs) at the Performance Center but it didn't go well at all. Presumably, the heat Jacques has had with WWE for years played a big factor in that. They're all retired now.

[SirEdger]

6 hours ago, MoS said:

Shitting on Skye Blue for being shy is really weird

I don't think it was shitting on Skye Blue for being shy as much as it was LuFisto being confused wondering if she was indeed too shy to give her input on the match or if she wasn't allowed to do so at all at the time.

[MLB]

Bucks are bragging their new deals with AEW are "NBA level" worth. Jaylen Brown resigned with the Celtics this summer for 5 years/$305 million, so Tony needs to seriously be careful there.  

[C.S.]

Everyone in AEW is now tweeting against LuFisto - including MJF and Renee.