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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 7, 2023 18:48:35 GMT -5
NJPW is still one of my main focuses, and I also got into Stardom this year, though I have tons of catching up to do on that (their schedule was nuts this year). I also have a subscription to Wrestle Universe for NOAH, DDT, and TJPW, but I definitely don't get to watch as much of it as I'd like, as there are only so many hours in a week; still, for about $7-$8 a month it's nice to have for when the major shows roll around.
Stateside, I try to watch ROH during the week (I know, same umbrella, but still); I have Impact and MLW on DVR, but there's only so many hours in a week, you know? I at least try to keep an eye on them. Indie-wise I keep an eye out for GCW or DPW running anything around my neck of the woods, but again I only see a show now and then.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 7, 2023 18:42:08 GMT -5
Huh, I'll be damned, that's pretty cut and dry, isn't it?
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 7, 2023 18:39:31 GMT -5
Another report said that CW were scouting many wrestling promotions to fill the spots so I guess it could be argued WWE made the best argument and Corgan’s mistake was being the one to leak that they were apparently the top choice when they very much weren’t. Some people are asking Mike Johnson (of PWInsider) on his Facebook page about the NWA's deal in light of the WWE announcement, and he had an interesting response... basically saying that he never reported the NWA deal as being a real thing, other people did. It's hilarious if there never was a CW/NWA deal to begin with, and newz sitez just ran with it anyway and nobody ever reported the true story. Did the CW ever actually announce anything about a deal with NWA? Or was it all just wrestling sites?
There wouldn't have been an announcement from CW, I think, and it's possible that newz sites ran with the idea off hearsay, but man, if NWA actually misled people in some way, that's a much bigger story.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 7, 2023 16:24:19 GMT -5
So the news report said CW and WWE have been negotiating for "weeks". That mean the cocaine spot didn't really play a role here? Unless CW was thinking of having both shows, or were choosing between the two of them depending on how much money they were seeking?
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 7, 2023 16:07:37 GMT -5
Honestly, I don't think this performance is directly attributable to Punk, FTR or even like anyone else in AEW. Saturday Night is just a weird f***ing night to try a wrestling show. They are faced with a lot of competition at many points throughout the year. There's probably a discussion to be had about moving it to another night one day, but who knows. Yeah, in the event that WWE's TV schedule changes given their shows moving channels/platforms, AEW and WB would be very smart to look into getting Collision on just about any other night that opens up. Friday night is difficult enough to hold an audience for with Rampage, having Saturdays, too (and in prime time for Saturday) is just clearly not a great night. Sucks, because post-Punk Collision's been a good show, but show quality only influences so much, by the look of things, especially when your competition is only getting tougher as college football season gets into rivalry modes.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 7, 2023 16:04:09 GMT -5
If the negotiations have been going on for weeks, then I guess the NWA coke angle didn't exactly drive this. Were they looking to get NXT and NWA and now are backing out on the latter?
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 7, 2023 7:26:02 GMT -5
Never forget the first Billy Corgan episode of Impact where Beatdown Clan vs. The Rising just out of f***ing nowhere became intensely racial and afterwards was never ever like that again. Billy Corgan's idea of LETS GET THE PEOPLE TALKING is otherworldly. Stuff like this, Bully Ray’s ideas to get ROH more press in 2019, and too many TNA/Impact moments to count; a lot of smaller promotions really end up hurting themselves when they try to do something crazy or whatever to “get people talking”. I get the perception that you need to grow and that pushing the envelope is the way to do it, but it so rarely works and just takes the focus away from putting on a solid, consistent quality show.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 7, 2023 7:08:47 GMT -5
On the surface it does seem like a belt that should change hands more often; if Roman’s going to barely be around and hold his belts for fifty years, then you should probably book your other belt in a way that counterbalances that. I get wanting to establish it well with its first champion, but still.
Nevertheless, WWE’s hot right now in large part thanks to super long title reigns, and as long as fans keep rewarding them for it, they’re going to keep doing it.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 7, 2023 6:03:31 GMT -5
By the sound of it, her current contract is up in March.
Giulia is a legitimate top name and someone who absolutely "gets" pro wrestling; she's top title material, wherever she winds up. Like with Kairi she's someone I'd be bummed to see go to WWE, since I want to keep watching her in promotions I follow, but her coming westward has always felt like a matter of time. There's a reason they put the NJPW Strong Women's belt on her, it gives her more matches out this way.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 6, 2023 17:40:50 GMT -5
You don't know what kind of people they have at the UN, I might go up in their estimation.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 6, 2023 17:39:13 GMT -5
I think it's a big reason why Bushiroad worked to get that partnership going with promotions around the Pacific (Taiwan, Australia, etc.); part of it's the tough road back from the pandemic era, some of it's the weaker yen, some of it's just there being multiple bigger promotions in the west now who can offer bigger paydays.
Some of it will likely even out eventually, but it's gonna take a little while, for sure, and there'll be some notable departures in the meantime.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 5, 2023 8:01:24 GMT -5
I’m halfway certain that Cody is beating Roman at WM 40 but you just know WWE will be tempted to have him break Hogan’s record LMAO. Yeah, historically WWE seems to be pretty good about doing a title change when it’s clear it has to happen, like with Bryan’s and Kofi’s big Mania wins; with that in mind, I can’t imagine them booking Reigns to win again on that stage, especially if it’s a rematch with Cody. If they do, I get the vibe that’s when a lot of people’s patience would run out, but again unless they’re super gung ho about him surpassing Hogan I have to think that’ll be the end.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 5, 2023 7:52:15 GMT -5
Was at the show and she was INCREDIBLY over. Have any gifs of her initial skip-out? I haven't seen a skip that popular since AJ Lee. She also flamboyantly skipped back out, but unfortunately I don't think it made the air. I missed the show tonight due to work. And had no idea what happened. So imagine my face when I saw where she pulled the orange from. Who does that? Lol. "I bet you're wondering how I ended up here." Juice confronting Nigel later would be like “So, ya lustin’ after MY WIFE, Nigel?!” “Of course not, Juice, I wouldn’t dream of disrespecting such a sacred union as yours’!” “…So, ya sayin’ my wife ain’t HOT ENOUGH FOR YA, NIGEL?!”
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 5, 2023 6:39:37 GMT -5
Number of people around the 'net were saying last night's card seemed a bit weaker than normal, but damn, most of it delivered and brought some developments with it (e.g. Jake growing his group).
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 5, 2023 6:38:03 GMT -5
They need their equivalent to the circa 2015 NEVER title in NJPW: that became the "let's beat the everloving shit out of one another" belt, just need one of the titles to become the "meaty meat slaps" belt.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 4, 2023 21:03:04 GMT -5
Ok, so clearly there was initially the idea to do Bucks vs. FTR one more time, but I'm guessing Cash getting hurt when he did changed some plans, and now the Bucks are in a different angle.
It's taken awhile, but they've now managed to get things pivoted to Ricky and Bill with the belts, but now with FTR, HoB, BCC, and LFI all in their orbit. Still some work to do, but a good sign that the rankings for the tag belts are finally being replenished.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 4, 2023 20:59:07 GMT -5
Rush is in the group of guys in AEW who are 35 or younger who should be easy as hell to warm up for a run with the big belt at any moment: him, Ricky, Darby, Takeshita, Swerve, Switchblade, etc.
ETA: There are other guys with plenty of talent, but might just a bit more heating up or a little more experience, e.g. guys like Hobbs.
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 4, 2023 20:48:48 GMT -5
I love that Rush's style on offense is best described as just "utterly unhinged".
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 4, 2023 20:44:36 GMT -5
Word is that Dragon Lee signed a main roster WWE contract, and part of the thinking was some telling him there was a risk he'd be lost in the shuffle in AEW. I kind of doubt that to some degree, given being brothers with Rush and Dralistico and also being well established in both lucha and puro styles given his runs in NJPW, but it's also clear that Rush is the main figure in this group and WWE's been on the look out for a long time for the lucha successor to Rey and there's a chance to earn that spot, so I also kind of get it. Willow should be given the nickname Dr. Death. If Willow came out next Halloween show in a Dr Death singlet complete with ear guards, I'd mark
Willow, Statlander, and Skye dress as the Varsity Club with Julia as Kevin Sullivan?
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Post by HMARK Center on Nov 4, 2023 20:40:14 GMT -5
I like how powerbombs are becoming finishes again instead of only near falls. It helps that Willow puts in the work to make hers look like she's legit deadlifting you. I think Steve Williams himself would be proud of her iteration of it.
Yeah, a good Doctor Bomb should feel like the person taking it is having their back yanked out of place in the setup and then everything slammed down in the execution, and Willow does a solid job on that. Kenny doesn't use the Doctor Wily Bomb as a finish, but he at least makes it a big spot in his matches.
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