WWE Royal Rumble

[Jace, Extat]

Chris just kicked the fuck outta that dude! Is he ok!?!

[briantw]

1 minute ago, Pony Queen Jace said:

Chris just kicked the fuck outta that dude! Is he ok!?!

That match was so much more violent than I expected.  Just wait until later.  There are some pretty sick chair shots.

[Jace, Extat]

1 minute ago, briantw said:

That match was so much more violent than I expected.  Just wait until later.  There are some pretty sick chair shots.

Sadly I have to postpone my viewing of the rest of the match as my 'hysterical screaming' is upsetting to the broke ass friend who's bumming on my couch.

[briantw]

If you want to check out a great WWE match (sort of), check out the match between Aleister Black and Velveteen Dream from Takeover: War Games a couple of months ago.  That match was so good.  One of my favorite matches of 2017.  Awesome feud and a perfect match to wrap it up.

Match/feud was so good they had a Texas crowd going ape shit cheering for a gay black character.  Wouldn't even have thought that possible.

[lessthanluke]

1 hour ago, briantw said:

If you want to check out a great WWE match (sort of), check out the match between Aleister Black and Velveteen Dream from Takeover: War Games a couple of months ago.  That match was so good.  One of my favorite matches of 2017.  Awesome feud and a perfect match to wrap it up.

Match/feud was so good they had a Texas crowd going ape shit cheering for a gay black character.  Wouldn't even have thought that possible.

It was even better just because the build up/whole fued was built perfectly. Probably my favourite feud of 2017.

 

Speaking of Black I thought the Number 1 Contenders Fatal Four Way match was excellent. 

[briantw]

3 minutes ago, lessthanluke said:

It was even better just because the build up/whole fued was built perfectly. Probably my favourite feud of 2017.

 

Speaking of Black I thought the Number 1 Contenders Fatal Four Way match was excellent. 

One of the rare feuds where the loser came out of it basically every bit as good as the winner.  Just a masterfully executed feud from start to finish.  And the final match was just fantastic. 

[The BlackBear]

I do wonder if Velveteen is genuinely injured, as he's disappeared on NXT. The match with Aleister Black was great. I thought the WAR GAMES! match was fantastic for it's lunacy.

I think WWE's main roster best bout this year was Uso's/New Day hell in a cell.

I think going forward I'm just going to skip through WWE main stuff until people I'm interested in show up. If the rumours about Vince trying to get the XFL off the ground again are true, hopefully he takes more of a backseat here, and we can get a bit better creative.

 

Wrestle Kingdom, that was literally the first NJPW I've seen outside of the Omega/Okada Trilogy, so didn't know too much of the history going in. I did really like the whole thing.

I'd suggest trying to catch most of it, definitely the Cody match (that fucking Cross Rhodes) and the Bucks/Roppingi, KES/Evil Sanada had a great beat down brawl, the Four Way was frenetic and fast (everything you'd want it to be.) Jericho had his best match in years, Okada and Naito was the best match to finish on.

I think you can skip the 6 man Gauntlet, Jay White didn't impress as he should have done, and I didn't feel the Sazuki match all that much. All these guys did good stuff at New Years Dash too, so it's a shame.

[briantw]

5 hours ago, The BlackBear said:

I do wonder if Velveteen is genuinely injured, as he's disappeared on NXT. The match with Aleister Black was great. I thought the WAR GAMES! match was fantastic for it's lunacy.

I believe he's supposed to be at the next NXT tapings (which might be this week), so I think it was just a minor injury he suffered in the match against Black.  Not sure what it was, though.

I'm with you on WWE.  I've stopped watching Raw and Smackdown pretty much entirely.  I just read Csonka's recaps on 411 and watch the PPVs.  NXT is an infinitely better product.  Lucha Underground is coming back for a fourth season as well, so I'm really looking forward to that.

Also, word is that Ricochet has signed with WWE.  I really hope they put him on NXT first, because he deserves to get a couple of great matches in before the main roster ruins him.

[DMC]

11 hours ago, briantw said:

I just read Csonka's recaps on 411 and watch the PPVs.

Heh, 411 was my first internet forum home back in the late 90s.  Still read Csonka's recaps when bored too.

[briantw]

Catching up on NXT after a night at the bars and hot damn, this match between Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate (their third UK Championship match) is just so fucking good.  It's probably the worst in the trilogy, but still better than 99% of Raw/Smackdown matches this year and probably 90% of WWE main roster PPV matches.  The only thing that might have held this match back compared to the first two was the crowd.  This was a TV taping crowd and they just weren't as into this match as the UK crowd in their first match and the Takeover crowd (Takeover crowds are always phenomenal) for their second.

But damn...the fact that these guys are both this good at under 25 years old (Bate is 20!) is insane.  They've got to be two of the best wrestlers in the world right now.

[briantw]

WWE released Enzo Amore today amidst rape allegations.  Can't say I'm sorry to see that joker gone.

[The BlackBear]

Strange that they suspended then fired within 24hrs with seemingly no material change in the case. In terms of storylines it's yet another knock that 205 live will have to endure, those guys deserve so much better.

Raw 25 was a mess, some rushed nostalgia with some crappy modern stuff interspersed. Imagine of you'd paid $500 to see that nonsense at the Manhattan centre. Roman dropped the Intercontinental belt to the Miz, it was going to find it's way back to him eventually, but hadn't expected it this soon.

Any chance they're hedging in case this Roman steroids rumour proves out? He's definitely out for Mania if it's true, which means they might go with Braun (who is the right choice anyway.)

[briantw]

13 minutes ago, The BlackBear said:

Strange that they suspended then fired within 24hrs with seemingly no material change in the case. In terms of storylines it's yet another knock that 205 live will have to endure, those guys deserve so much better.

Raw 25 was a mess, some rushed nostalgia with some crappy modern stuff interspersed. Imagine of you'd paid $500 to see that nonsense at the Manhattan centre. Roman dropped the Intercontinental belt to the Miz, it was going to find it's way back to him eventually, but hadn't expected it this soon.

Any chance they're hedging in case this Roman steroids rumour proves out? He's definitely out for Mania if it's true, which means they might go with Braun (who is the right choice anyway.)

I read that Enzo has known about the case for months and never notified WWE.  They found out about it this week along with everyone else, and then discovered that Enzo failed to tell them about it.  That's what ended up getting him released.  He also has a long history of being a problem in the locker room, and I believe some pics popped up recently of him on Instagram with a big pile of cocaine.

As far as Roman goes, hard to see it going anywhere.  I don't trust the WWE Wellness Policy in any way as it is.  Different guys seem to be held to different standards, and guys like Lesnar don't get tested at all.  He won't get suspended unless he fails a drug test (and who knows how often a guy like Reigns is even tested since he's Vince's golden boy) or breaks the law.  

I also think putting the IC Title on him in the first place was stupid since he was just keeping it warm until Miz came back.  Roman didn't need that rub.  They should have given it to someone else who did need it, like Balor.  

[Jace, Extat]

Isn't Smackdown on Tuesdays now? Should Jace try to watch?

[briantw]

9 minutes ago, Pony Queen Jace said:

Isn't Smackdown on Tuesdays now? Should Jace try to watch?

I would never recommend subjecting yourself to any non-NXT WWE weekly programming.

[Jace, Extat]

2 minutes ago, briantw said:

I would never recommend subjecting yourself to any non-NXT WWE weekly programming.

But Chris Jericho!

[The BlackBear]

17 minutes ago, briantw said:

1) I read that Enzo has known about the case for months and never notified WWE.  They found out about it this week along with everyone else, and then discovered that Enzo failed to tell them about it.  That's what ended up getting him released.  He also has a long history of being a problem in the locker room, and I believe some pics popped up recently of him on Instagram with a big pile of cocaine.

2) As far as Roman goes, hard to see it going anywhere.  I don't trust the WWE Wellness Policy in any way as it is.  Different guys seem to be held to different standards, and guys like Lesnar don't get tested at all.  He won't get suspended unless he fails a drug test (and who knows how often a guy like Reigns is even tested since he's Vince's golden boy) or breaks the law.  

3) I also think putting the IC Title on him in the first place was stupid since he was just keeping it warm until Miz came back.  Roman didn't need that rub.  They should have given it to someone else who did need it, like Balor.  

1) Looking into it that does seem to be the case. His general douchebagness didn't really bother me, as long as it didn't affect anyone else.

2) The wellness policy is a joke, but there's every chance of some form of paper trail emerging indicting Reigns.

3) I definitely was under the impression The Shield were planned to walk out of Mania holding all the belts, then Roman would resign the Inter belt at the next Raw. Obviously that had to change somewhat with Ambrose' injury. At least Finn's back with Gallows and Anderson right? Small mercies.

 

We're a week away from the Rumble and the build has been shaky to say the least. Braun and Lesnar have already blown one hotly anticipated match, Kane ran out intrigue very very quickly, he's just there to take the pin.

Why oh why is Jordan with Seth Rollins? I like him and his whiny kid gimmick, but it doesn't make sense Seth would tag with him.

Gable and Benjamin's characters haven't been established enough for anyone to care.

The Cruiserweight match can't happen as planned now, so god knows what they'll do. Cedrick I guess has to get it somehow, but without the blowoff to this Enzo feud no one will care.

Smackdown recently has been a fucking joke. Whatever they're doing with Shane and Daniel Bryan is unclear. Zayn and KO against AJ is a going to be a waste of all involved, and I can;t see anyway anyone involved looks good coming out of it. Just let KO and AJ have a straight match with no shenanigans where they can just wrestle. The Riott squad have been buried already.

I have high hopes for the Women's rumble, seems a little bit too much of a lock that Asuka's got it though.

[briantw]

1 minute ago, Pony Queen Jace said:

But Chris Jericho!

Works for NJPW now.

Although he did have a fun cameo on Raw last night.  First Raw I've watched in months.  Last Raw I'll watch for months.

[Jace, Extat]

3 minutes ago, briantw said:

Works for NJPW now.

Although he did have a fun cameo on Raw last night.  First Raw I've watched in months.  Last Raw I'll watch for months.

GGGGAAAAARRRRRHHHHHHGGGGGGGGG

[The BlackBear]

5 minutes ago, briantw said:

Works for NJPW now.

Although he did have a fun cameo on Raw last night.  First Raw I've watched in months.  Last Raw I'll watch for months.

And he wore his Alpha shirt. Jericho don't give a fuck.

 

Apparently he made as much for his Wrestle Kingdom match as he did from his last entire WWE run. He seems genuinely thrilled to be able to cut loose again, looking forward to him and Naito immensely. He had Kenny talking about the Dome on his podcast which is worth a listen.