Note to AEW faces.

[Nr1Humanoid]

Going out to the ring alone, knowing there will 3 enemies out there against you, does not make you look heroic, only stupid.

[Zone Was Wrong]

Honestly, I would amend that statement to all wrestling faces. Seems like faces in wrestling can never have people at ringside.

[Hypnosis]

Baker's title match booking is like the female version of Mahal and the Singh Brothers.

[asuka007]

Everyone looks stupid during Britt Baker matches.

The faces look stupid for never having backup to neutralize Jamie and Rebel.

The refs look inept for always falling for it.

AEW management (in storyline) looked ineffectual for constantly letting Britt get away with this.

Etc.

AEW makes a big deal about “needing friends.” Yet conveniently the babyfaces’s friends are never there when they face Britt.

[Ben Wyatt]

Mar 7, 2022 11:03:35 GMT -5 Nr1Humanoid said:

Going out to the ring alone, knowing there will 3 enemies out there against you, does not make you look heroic, only stupid.

In the case of Baker opponents, it's especially bad when you have women on the roster just sitting around doing a pile of nothing that could at least get some screen time seconding someone 

[Zone Was Wrong]

Mar 7, 2022 11:22:15 GMT -5 asuka007 said:

Everyone looks stupid during Britt Baker matches.

The faces look stupid for never having backup to neutralize Jamie and Rebel.

The refs look inept for always falling for it.

AEW management (in storyline) looked ineffectual for constantly letting Britt get away with this.

Etc.

AEW makes a big deal about “needing friends.” Yet conveniently the babyfaces’s friends are never there when they face Britt.

Right, Tay finally had Anna out for a match and it was just against Jade who doesn't even have a ton of interference in her matches, and yet was absent whenever Tay was facing Britt.

[EP 54 is banned from Collision]

I'd argue the constant interference is worse that WWEs constant DQs, because there is nothing you can do if the heel pops you with a foreign object in front of the ref.

There's plenty you can do to counter constant interference: bring your own posse, petition the "powers that be" to ban them from ringside, find and "indispose" them before the match...

The faces do nothing, and look dumb as rocks.

[petef3]

Yeah, there are never any consequences for any heelish acts. Maybe we're past "fines" being a thing in wrestling, but no suspensions, nothing.

Instead of the rigamarole of doing a Rosa-Hirsch #1 contenders match (no matter how good the match itself may be, the conclusion is foregone), why not have someone declare, "Nope, Baker was decisively beaten twice last night. Therefore Rosa is still the #1 contender." That would at least show that Baker's cheating only paid off temporarily.

(Or, like...just have Rosa win the damned match. Or is that crazy talk?)

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Did we really need a third thread where Baker/Rosa is discussed ad-nauseum? Like legit question. I'm not even trying to be mean, there are literally just copy/pastes from the SAME THREADS in this one now. And it's the third thread where it's just turned into it. This is unnecessary at this point.

[Deleted]

Having had a night to process, I definitely think this was the worst match in AEW's entire history. Sure, there have been "worse" matches involving the Mels or the world, but none anywhere near as prominent or on such a major show.

This thread highlights yet another issue I have. Part of the build of this feud was Mercedes Martinez developing a begrudging respect for Rosa, and a disdain for Britt, Rebel, and especially Hayter, yet she couldn't be arsed to some help ensure that Britt's clique doesn't win with shenanigans again? It doesn't even make narrative sense. Rosa isn't even a CM Punk loner type who doesn't actively have allies.

EDIT: And to the greater point of the thread, I like AEW's New Japan-style emphasis on factions and alliances. It's just, when you have that actively established as an integral part of success in the company, it's all the more glaring when a face who actively has allies tries to "go it alone," and then loses because of it.

[petef3]

Mar 7, 2022 11:42:10 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

Did we really need a third thread where Baker/Rosa is discussed ad-nauseum? Like legit question. I'm not even trying to be mean, there are literally just copy/pastes from the SAME THREADS in this one now. And it's the third thread where it's just turned into it. This is unnecessary at this point.

Read and respond to a different thread if you don't like this one. Or PM a mod. 

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Mar 7, 2022 11:42:12 GMT -5 @mattyphatty said:

Having had a night to process, I definitely think this was the worst match in AEW's entire history. 

Nope, that's still Statlander vs Riho where Nightmare Collective interfered and caused a No Contest imo

That was rough, and it was also a title match. This at least to me, has a plan in sight for it with some merit... that was a huge trip and fall.

[asuka007]

Someone else pointed out Anna not being out there to help during the Tay vs. Britt match. But Anna WAS out during the Tay vs. Jade match.

None of Riho’s friends helping her vs. Britt either.

Same with Ruby Soho when she faced Britt.

Etc.

It really sticks out like a sore thumb. It does happen to a degree with other wrestlers yes, but it is especially egregious in here matches.

[Instant Classic]

The refs not sending them to the back is a big problem too.

[EP 54 is banned from Collision]

Mar 7, 2022 11:42:10 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

Did we really need a third thread where Baker/Rosa is discussed ad-nauseum? Like legit question. I'm not even trying to be mean, there are literally just copy/pastes from the SAME THREADS in this one now. And it's the third thread where it's just turned into it. This is unnecessary at this point.

It's not just Britt, though. We've had this with the Inner Circle, the Elite, HFO, the Pinnacle... Basically heel groups are allowed to have wrestlers interfere and nothing is done about it by the faces, or the refs or AEW.

It's weird, it's like half of what I was waiting for in the Hangman/Omega match was the Dark Order beating the shit out of the rest of the Elite to prevent them interfering. Instead we got the Bucks deciding not to interfere, because.

[Deleted]

Mar 7, 2022 11:45:39 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

Mar 7, 2022 11:42:12 GMT -5 @mattyphatty said:

Having had a night to process, I definitely think this was the worst match in AEW's entire history. 

Nope, that's still Statlander vs Riho where Nightmare Collective interfered and caused a No Contest imo

That was rough, and it was also a title match. This at least to me, has a plan in sight for it with some merit... that was a huge trip and fall.

Yeah that, along with many other matches involving Mel may have been "worse," but that was during AEW's formative year, and just didn't feel to me like as much of a misstep as this match did.

Context matters. Absent Britt/Rosa this may have been the best PPV in the last 20 years. With it, it was a stellar show that I still gave a 9.5 rating to, but with a pretty significant blemish. And it's not just that Britt won. I'll even say that I don't necessarily hate Britt's title reign to the extent that a lot of people seem to. The match was bad and made little narrative sense.

And that's all without even getting into the "rankings matter" implications of Rosa losing the title match and then being immediately thrust back into an "eliminator" match to become the #1 contender again the following week, but like you said, probably not the thread for that kind of discussion.

I love AEW. It's easily my favorite promotion ever, and the most fun I've ever had as a wrestling fan, but I have to admit this match/storyline has been a pretty severe misstep.

[Deleted]

Yeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

We need to have a new thread about this titled "Smartest Wrestling Faces" because faces seem just way dumber than heels. That's stupidity.

[Deleted]

Mar 7, 2022 12:09:27 GMT -5 @mattyphatty said:

Mar 7, 2022 11:45:39 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

Nope, that's still Statlander vs Riho where Nightmare Collective interfered and caused a No Contest imo

That was rough, and it was also a title match. This at least to me, has a plan in sight for it with some merit... that was a huge trip and fall.

Yeah that, along with many other matches involving Mel may have been "worse," but that was during AEW's formative year, and just didn't feel to me like as much of a misstep as this match did.

Context matters. Absent Britt/Rosa this may have been the best PPV in the last 20 years. With it, it was a stellar show that I still gave a 9.5 rating to, but with a pretty significant blemish. And it's not just that Britt won. I'll even say that I don't necessarily hate Britt's title reign to the extent that a lot of people seem to. The match was bad and made little narrative sense.

And that's all without even getting into the "rankings matter" implications of Rosa losing the title match and then being immediately thrust back into an "eliminator" match to become the #1 contender again the following week, but like you said, probably not the thread for that kind of discussion.

I love AEW. It's easily my favorite promotion ever, and the most fun I've ever had as a wrestling fan, but I have to admit this match/storyline has been a pretty severe misstep.

Yep. AEW single-handedly took me from a passive wrestling observer to an active fan. They're still really, really good.

But fans have the right to call it how they see it, and that finish was not it, chief. The women babyfaces especially have this problem where they just look like idiots against the heels, specifically Britt.

You KNOW that Hayter and Rebel are going to be there, so either call in Mercedes, or beat the hell out of them and lock them in a room if AEW's kayfabe management won't do anything about it.

For that matter, distraction while Britt's tapping out? Sucks to be her, I ain't lettin' go. If it injures her further, that's her own damned fault.

I don't have a problem with heels winning, I don't have a problem with heels cheating to win, but it's lazy writing/booking to have the heel win the same way every time. Happens once to a competitor? Fine. Happens twice? Okay, time to neutralize the threat. If it happens more than that, then every single face that goes up against the heel group without some kind of contingency just looks like an absolute moron, and nobody wants to cheer for a moron.

I realize that a lot of us are being very, very vocal about it and it seems like such a weird sticking point, but when AEW does so much so well, you have to wonder what in the hell happens when lamesauce finishes and booking like this occurs.

[Deleted]

Mar 7, 2022 12:41:55 GMT -5 @kn said:

Yeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

We need to have a new thread about this titled "Smartest Wrestling Faces" because faces seem just way dumber. That's stupidity.

In AEW, I think it's Moxley.

-Beats Jericho by feigning an injury

-Beats Brian Cage by realizing the arm was the weak point

-Beats Brody by choking him out, since there was no pinning him.

-Beats MJF by beating him to the punch on cheating

-Only loses to Kenny Omega the first time because an unknown factor in Don Callis appeared to give Kenny the assist.


Granted, he stopped being so smart in any of the subsequent rematches with Omega, but in terms of smart babyfaces who know the score, Mox has to be up there.

[Deleted]

Mar 7, 2022 12:48:56 GMT -5 @hedm2005 said:

Mar 7, 2022 12:41:55 GMT -5 @kn said:

Yeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

We need to have a new thread about this titled "Smartest Wrestling Faces" because faces seem just way dumber. That's stupidity.

In AEW, I think it's Moxley.

-Beats Jericho by feigning an injury

-Beats Brian Cage by realizing the arm was the weak point

-Beats Brody by choking him out, since there was no pinning him.

-Beats MJF by beating him to the punch on cheating

-Only loses to Kenny Omega the first time because an unknown factor in Don Callis appeared to give Kenny the assist.


Granted, he stopped being so smart in any of the subsequent rematches with Omega, but in terms of smart babyfaces who know the score, Mox has to be up there.

It shows that these characters didn't really become new characters, just went to another company with a new name and new clothes. Ambrose was super smart in WWE so this makes sense.