AEW TV 11/29 - 12/1 Danielson vs Kingston II and MJF is injured

[El-P]

When he's a 30 years old heel in the late 70's, saying shit like this doesn't matter. When he's a 75 years old creep who's been accused of sexual assault in a post #MeToo world, it does. The excuse of "But it's always been his character" doesn't fly for one split second. I would be baffled if Coach TK let this guy have a live mic again. He brings nothing to the product anyway (apart from being embarrassing).

In much more positive news, Serena Deeb seems close to making a comeback, after a year of serious health issues (seizures).

Meanwhile, is Thunder Rosa ever coming back ? 

Also, All In apparently sold 33.000 tickets after day 1. Well, I guess that bet is won again.

[strobogo]

I'm not saying it's always been in character, you said there's no context for Ric Flair as a performer saying that when the context is he's Ric Flair and that's the kind of things Ric Flair says.

[sek69]

Claudio and Brody King out here beating the piss out of each other 

[Jmare007]

Claudio vs Brody was fucking awesome. Match of the tourney so far.

[The Thread Killer]

13 minutes ago, Jmare007 said:

Claudio vs Brody was fucking awesome. Match of the tourney so far.

It was not without it’s charm, but I preferred Briscoe/Rush.

[...TG]

Danielson-Kingston was a slow burn but really got me by the end. Poor Bryan's chest is going to be hamburger meat by the end of the month if this match is any indication. And Nigel openly rooting against Bryan was a hoot.

[MoS]

Jesus CHRIST Bryan. What a fucking match

[Jmare007]

Holy fuck, Dragon vs Kingston II might take it over Claudio vs Brody. Eddie was incredible in that one, my god.

[MoS]

AEW is amazing, just on account of matches we saw today alone. And given the ticket sales for All In 2, it is not going anywhere, much as that might disappoint some people with parasocial relationships to WWE (all you need to do is browse Elon Musk's Twitter to understand what I am talking about)

[MoS]

18 hours ago, strobogo said:

I'm not saying it's always been in character, you said there's no context for Ric Flair as a performer saying that when the context is he's Ric Flair and that's the kind of things Ric Flair says.

I get the context, I understand what you are saying. I still think it is a gross thing to say for a 75-year old halfway between human life and cadaver. But it is no surprise that Flair said it, given that, as you pointed out, he has been saying shit like this since 1976. Which is why I think it is on AEW and Tony Khan to not realise and understand this, and to still give him a live mic for a promo, knowing, if nothing, his history of promos. TK knew what he was getting into, and he chose to do so anyway. 

[The Thread Killer]

1 hour ago, MoS said:

TK knew what he was getting into, and he chose to do so anyway. 

Precisely. I don’t know if Tony Khan even really is upset with Flair, but if he is I have zero fucking sympathy. All that would prove is that Khan actually thought he could control Flair (ha!) or he’s a total idiot and didn’t think Flair would do what he’s literally been doing his entire career. And while we’re at it, Flair’s boo-hooing on Social Media is equally unsympathetic.

 

[sek69]

1 hour ago, MoS said:

AEW is amazing, just on account of matches we saw today alone. And given the ticket sales for All In 2, it is not going anywhere, much as that might disappoint some people with parasocial relationships to WWE (all you need to do is browse Elon Musk's Twitter to understand what I am talking about)

People still aren't accustomed to the ebbs and flows of two national companies after, what has it been now, 4 years and change that AEW has been around.  So many folks acting like AEW is going to curl up and die because WWE got hot again. Their shows are still good, tickets seem to be selling decently (admittedly not as good as they were), and the sun still comes up in the morning.  They are still almost certainly getting a big bump on their next TV deal, and the company just reported big profits for the year. 

 

[sek69]

Also it's interesting to see the AAA mega title and their cruiserweight title on Rampage and Collision this week, considering AEW is now best bros with CMLL. One would think either AEW is under the impression CMLL doesn't watch US TV, or they were just schmoozing them to get Mistico for a few dates. Either one is just as likely to be correct. 

[Big Pete]

47 minutes ago, sek69 said:

and the company just reported big profits for the year. 

AFAIK they reported an increase in revenue, but I didn't see anything about profitability. Not that it matters because as long as Tony continues to pour money and WB is happy to have it on their network, it'll stick around as the #2.

[Johnny Sorrow]

10 hours ago, strobogo said:

I'm not saying it's always been in character, you said there's no context for Ric Flair as a performer saying that when the context is he's Ric Flair and that's the kind of things Ric Flair says.

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck embarrassing Flair wearing a suit made from my great grandma's couch covers on live TV in 2023?

[The Thread Killer]

30 minutes ago, Johnny Sorrow said:

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck embarrassing Flair wearing a suit made from my great grandma's couch covers on live TV in 2023?

You’re just jealous because his gold chain game is so strong now. I pity the fool who don’t love them suits and chest medallions.

[Robert S]

12 hours ago, strobogo said:

I'm not saying it's always been in character, you said there's no context for Ric Flair as a performer saying that when the context is he's Ric Flair and that's the kind of things Ric Flair says.

As Flair's first wife pointed out in the ESPN docu a couple of years back, at a certain point the person Richard Morgan Fliehr ceased to exist and now there is only Ric Flair.

[Jmare007]

11 hours ago, sek69 said:

People still aren't accustomed to the ebbs and flows of two national companies after, what has it been now, 4 years and change that AEW has been around.  So many folks acting like AEW is going to curl up and die because WWE got hot again. Their shows are still good, tickets seem to be selling decently (admittedly not as good as they were), and the sun still comes up in the morning.  They are still almost certainly getting a big bump on their next TV deal, and the company just reported big profits for the year. 

 

 

10 hours ago, Big Pete said:

AFAIK they reported an increase in revenue, but I didn't see anything about profitability. Not that it matters because as long as Tony continues to pour money and WB is happy to have it on their network, it'll stick around as the #2.

Yeah, the company is still in the red as far as we know. They just continue to get bigger revenue after a 2023 with more PPVs, the monster that was All In, a new TV deal for Collision (plus some international deals) and more shows because of that.

I think it was Brandon Thurston who theorized that the only way for AEW to be profitable in the short term is that the next TV deal is indeed the big bump they are expecting it to be.

Regardless, they are not in trouble and they'll more than likely come out of 2024-2025 looking stronger than ever financially.

[Jmare007]

And fuck Ric Flar man, it's 2023 let's talk about how awesome Eddie was yesterday. Dude screaming "no" to Danielson knowing he was about to lose and go 0-2 in the tournament before getting his head knee'd off was beautiful.

[MoS]

Coach Tony K, you better understand just what a gem you have with Eddie Kingston. And push him accordingly. I have said this before, but he is way too good to be the loveable loser Tony Dreamer of AEW: - his ceiling is several kilometres higher. Along with Starks and Swerve, he is the guy who should be in long-term booking plans for winning the world title in a couple of years 

[NintendoLogic]

Brody/Claudio was good stuff. I didn't even mind the tough guy no-selling at the outset because there was a sense of hierarchy with Claudio clearly getting the worst of it. I also appreciated how they both had their big moves (Brody's cannonball and Claudio's giant swing) countered before landing them as opposed to hitting them and having it countered when they go for it a second time. The latter is all too common in modern wrestling, and it's a major pet peeve of mine. I find the former far more compelling from a storytelling standpoint because it builds anticipation for the move and doesn't make the wrestler look like an idiot for going to the well too often. Fuck a Swerve or a Starks, put all the belts on Brody and let him be AEW's Gunther. Danielson/Kingston didn't really do much for me, but I did find it amusing that Misawa is apparently the only All Japan wrestler that Kevin Kelly knows.

[sek69]

Every week it is more and more obvious that Brody has outgrown the HOB and should be smashing fools and winning belts.  He's got a unique look and the scary monster aura of his namesake, I can easily see him tearing through a crowd terrifying people like Bruiser Brody. 

As far as Swerve, dude just Gets It. Man has so much swag he got the babyface reaction in a feud where he broke into another man's house and implicitly threatened an infant. The in ring stuff was always excellent, but all the pieces have really come together for him and taken him to the next level. 

[Johnny Sorrow]

Nana was the missing ingredient for Swerve. So much current AEW is unwatchable to me but Swerve with Nana is something I always watch. Especially because it swells my heart that after decades, Prince Nana is a star on network TV and he's killing it. I met Nana a couple of times before ROH shows back in 2005ish and he's such a great guy.

[sek69]

Nana seems like a genuinely good dude and he's clearly having the time of his life out there and who doesn't want to root for someone like that. 

[strobogo]

Bryan/Eddie fucking ruled.