Mozenrath
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 4, 2024 1:19:36 GMT -5
If Naomi's coming back to a big paycheck, good for her. Just if they celebrate, hide the champagne from Jimmy.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 4, 2024 1:01:10 GMT -5
I liked him as-is, but this is probably needed given how, yeah, he was definitely getting dismissed. A change was likely the only path forward.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 3, 2024 15:11:55 GMT -5
I'll also add that I was there in person for several of his title matches and there was always a certain feeling during them - that this was the main event. The true best of the best performing. It didn't just feel like another match. And that's not always the case when a world title is on the line. Yeah I hated the start and circumstances led the end to fizzle out but the middle felt like a wrestler, their booking and crowd reactions all peaking together in a way that's really rare. He had us going crazy for a kangaroo kick. That's nearing Rock levels of getting nonsense over. Honestly, even the end, I don't mind, depending on how he comes back. A reign this long ending in his body failing him tracks, but obviously, the comeback needs to be fierce for it to ultimately work out for him, he can't just come back in 5 months or whatever it'll be and just be "hey how's it going".
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 2, 2024 19:14:40 GMT -5
In lighter news, NJPW copystriked themselves on YouTube. Never change, Japanese companies. Wait, do change, actually, join us in the 21st century and become less obsessively controlling.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 2, 2024 0:59:41 GMT -5
Probably a bit more like passing ships due to drugs/injuries/finding God/Hollywood but did Rock and HBK go one on one? Wasn't sure if Rocky Mavia or early NoD Rock might have had a match somewhere along the line. I'm sure there were tag/multi man matches but can't think of a singles match let alone any type of program between the two. I don't think they did in the Maivia days, and by the time of the Rock days, he was (for various rumored reasons) really not keen to wrestle Shawn. Supposedly, they did make peace at one of the Hall of Fame shows, but it was after Shawn's retirement.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 23:52:09 GMT -5
If AEW signs Mone AND Purazzo, they have no more excuses not to have more then one women's match on some shows some of the time along with promos Along with likely getting more talent back in short order like Baker, Deeb, Hayter, and Shida, and that's not even including what they already have been presenting on shows (And also might eventually be getting Yuka Sakazaki full time) this division can support all of this, and for the better. Is Purazzo rumored to be heading to AEW? I guess, other than money, she has to decide which friend (DMD or Chelsea) she wants to hang out with more. For sure, though one of those friends is in a much stronger position in their respective company. Also, that company didn't fire her and her husband in an unceremonious fashion that pissed her off, even if obviously, there has been a changing of the guard since then.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 23:39:35 GMT -5
You know, if Mercedes signs, wonder if they'll try to slap together DLC for her. If they truly make it rain on her, they'll probably want to get that done ASAP to help move units and recoup some of that. Of course, do it too fast, and she'll look absolutely abysmal.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 23:01:09 GMT -5
Wrestling changed forever And whatever you'd argue, I'd say for the better of almost every wrestling company Probably, though I know maybe MLW could cry foul to some extent due to losing a lot of their top guys to AEW. Then again, they'd have lost most of them to WWE or Impact, otherwise. I know one could also argue ROH, but I think the pandemic was going to do severe damage to them regardless, and they were already having troubles.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 21:24:50 GMT -5
Does anyone have a link to the initial thread about AEW? I'd really love to re-read first impressions.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 21:24:01 GMT -5
It's not my first choice. I often forget what color they are, but I'd prefer something like blue or red or the like. I guess white is a touch less bland than black ones, but it's not something I notice as much as ring aprons, etc.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 20:44:15 GMT -5
If she really is going to make 5 million a year, A. good for her, and B. prepare for her to get a LOT of airtime to justify it.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 19:20:25 GMT -5
We've already been talking about Mercedes, but Deonna would also be a great signing, so hopefully Dave is right about this Literally nothing else Deonna can do in TNA/Impact aside from go for either the Digital Media title or get a Tessa push to the X Division title or World title... and I don't think the Tessa push was as well received as their management hoped (and not just because of Tessa being... well Tessa), at this point I think Deonna's gonna want to make as much bank as she can, and while I don't want to say WWE isn't an option, she's never really seemed super impressed with how anybody treated her in WWE Their complete indifference to her virtuosa idea and basically saying, "I don't know what that word means, therefore no one does" and her just languishing before being fired really kind of said everything that needed to be said about what she could expect there. I'm sure they'd treat her less indifferently now, but, that doesn't mean the same thing as using her to her fullest.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 18:36:08 GMT -5
To be perfectly honest, Deonna wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. TNA was obviously good to her, and she got to really blossom there, but she did largely do everything she can there. She also said when leaving WWE that part of why she chose Impact was somewhere to grow without necessarily the same level of pressure as going right to AEW, like the way she talked about it definitely painted the picture of "I want to go there someday, but now isn't the time." That was a few years ago, so, maybe now's the time.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 16:33:41 GMT -5
The story I have always hear goes as.follows. Bret was offered a huge contract from WCW, millions a year. Vince offered Bret a 20 year contract that was more or less a million a year. Mid 97 or so Vince has buyers remorse. So he told Bret that he couldnt pay him and Bret should take the WCW contract. Even if the details are not 100% accurate I dont think it has ever been disputed that Bret wanted to stay in WWF and he was more or less forced out. It also tracks with what happened to Scott Hall, where he got the WCW offer and asked Vince, "Can you match them on money or schedule? Will you make me world champion?" and Vince couldn't or wouldn't agree to either, and Scott, who otherwise had more respect for the WWF, confirmed to himself that he essentially had to go to WCW, it was too good to say no to. I don't even recall if Vince tried to sway Nash into staying because the point was made. (Not that making Nash the guy a second time was going to be as enticing, it would have just been money and schedule for him.)
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 12:19:27 GMT -5
It made sense as a heel to an extent, but yeah, as a face, obviously it makes more sense to sell the injuries and betrayal. Of course, they can also have Cole act like he ran MJF off, only for MJF to come back to fight him. Just, of course the bidding war aspect isn't likely going to be part of it anymore. “I re-signed with AEW just so I can get my hands on you, Adam” is a good way to recontextualize this kayfabe contract situation to make it make sense for Max as a face. Exactly, it's basically what I am expecting to happen. This also, in the meantime, establishes that it isn't like he's likely going to be there this Wednesday, that the return will be later.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 12:08:35 GMT -5
10 was big and mysterious. Preston Vance is boring, slightly startled and looks like Harry Kane. I too think he looks better as 10. Something about that mask made him look like a jacked monster. Without, he somehow looks like a normal buff guy He does at least look better now than he did pre-10, where he spent like half his match with Darby Allin with his tighty whities hanging out. But yeah, 10 made him look bigger somehow.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 11:54:16 GMT -5
I hope this is more to sell his injury/betrayal from his best friend than bidding war stuff because the latter is exhausting and I can't think of a single person it appeals to. It made sense as a heel to an extent, but yeah, as a face, obviously it makes more sense to sell the injuries and betrayal. Of course, they can also have Cole act like he ran MJF off, only for MJF to come back to fight him. Just, of course the bidding war aspect isn't likely going to be part of it anymore.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 11:51:38 GMT -5
I love that they let Hangman do it. It really is a testament to how much the rest of them believed in him and that he was basically wrestling's best kept secret in their mind, which tracks with how I remember the Bucks, Kenny, and Cody putting him over huge any chance they got in that time period in shoots.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jan 1, 2024 10:31:00 GMT -5
So, do we get a return of Bindi Irwin flourishes now?
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Post by Mozenrath on Dec 31, 2023 23:38:55 GMT -5
Miro is one of my favorites, maybe ever, and I actually LIKE CJ Perry for the most part, but yeah, I do hope his mention of wanting to find out "at home" means the two will iron it out offscreen and just move forward, sort of like how the Hardyz once basically saying, "we're brothers, we talk offscreen" to explain a reformed team after one of their feuds.
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