C.S.

Alberto released: WWE releases Alberto Del Rio STAMFORD, Conn. — WWE and Jose Rodriguez (Alberto Del Rio) have mutually agreed upon the terms of his release as of today, September 9, 2016. http://www.wwe.com/article/wwe-releases-alberto-del-rio No "best of luck in his future endeavors" message, which people are already reading into. Twitter: Alberto Del Rio ✔ @VivaDelRio My business relationship with @WWE has come to an end in good terms...thanks for the opportunities they gave me. Termine mi relación con WWE 9:17 AM - 9 Sep 2016 https://twitter.com/VivaDelRio/status/774235251019096065 Alberto Del Rio ✔ @VivaDelRio Decidí dejar @wwe terminamos nuestra relación en buenos términos Nos deseamos lo mejor mutuamente 10:04 AM - 9 Sep 2016 https://twitter.com/VivaDelRio/status/774235251019096065 Google Translate: I decided to leave @wwe ended our relationship on good terms We wish him well each other

This is a Kayfabe News article, but it's a very funny commentary on, er, the commentary. CWC competitor performs Yes Lock, Bryan exclaims he’s never seen anything like it http://www.kayfabenews.com/cwc-competitor-performs-yes-lock-bryan-exclaims-hes-never-seen-anything-like/

My thoughts: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Noam Dar: I haven't made it a secret that I consider ZSJ and Noam Dar the two worst people still in the tournament. But I can give credit where it's due: This was head and shoulders the best match either of them have had to date in the CWC. With that said, I still didn't love it. Most of the moves looked weak, and it rarely resembled an actual contest to me. The finish was cool though! But the sit-down hug at the end felt like they went to that well one too many times - it lacked the emotional impact of other similar moments in the tournament. BTW, if you're wondering who ZSJ reminds you of: a very thin Ethan Hawke with a meth addiction. Edit - One more thing to add: What the fuck was up with Noam Dar scratching his ears before the match?! Then poor ZSJ had to shake those same hands that were just in Dar's ears. TJ Perkins vs. Rich Swann: A really fun match and easily the best either of them have looked in the tournament. I wasn't particularly impressed with their other matches, but they worked very well against each other. I had no preference regarding the winner, and I still don't. They call Perkins a "wrestling genius" and the "Wrestling Yoda" but I haven't really seen any evidence of that yet. It makes me wonder if there's more than meets the eye with this kid though. He has been around for 18 years, after all. The one thing I will give credit to both of them on though is how likeable and easy they are to root for. They're great babyfaces. And I say that even though they haven't been my favorites in the tournament. My prediction for the finals: I'm still betting on Kota Ibushi vs. Gran Metalik, with Metalik getting the "upset" as they try (and fail) to recreate yet another Rey Mysterio. I say that only because Ibushi is the obvious winner, and are they really going to telegraph it this much? Maybe. We'll see.

Well, yeah, I watched the Bryan dark match too, but it makes zero sense for them to pull collections or other archival content from the Network. I haven't watched LBOA yet, so I'm avoiding the thread for it until I do. Actually, I turned it on for a second just to see it for myself, long enough to view the disclaimer about the lack of commentary. I think it should have a forced Byron Saxton-Jerry Lawler commentary track.

Well, that fucking sucks. The 2001 dark match was awesome for what it was.

Fair enough. I'm not a TNA fan, obviously. I've tried over the years, but they ended up disappointing me every single time. Agreed. A Rude-Storm team is a fun concept, but it would be a major step backward for Roode. I could see it happening on Raw or Smackdown though, where Roode's ceiling will probably be much lower (sad but true).

For the uninitiated, what exactly has Meltzer said about steroids?

I guess that's a good a reason as any for Ellering's random reappearance in 2016. Then again, this is the same company that brought Zeb Coulter back out of mothballs.

Who is Timbo, and is this a serious post or a joke? I can't tell with people here sometimes.

Dennis Stamp finally makes his long-awaited WWE Network debut!

I'll re-post my theory: I will always contend that Triple H quickly saw how out of place, how indy, how rasslin' Storm was in NXT, said thanks but no thanks, and made it look like Storm's decision so "The Cowboy" could save face and go back to TNA. Indy rasslin' yokel Storm would look so completely out of place next to Roode's current "snobbish" persona. There's no way Beer Money can happen under the current circumstances. The only possible way to reunite the two would be as a comedy "odd couple" team that ignores their past history, and I don't see that happening. Roode is already way above that. I mean, if my theory is correct, Storm could still end up in NXT again if Roode or someone else puts in a good word, but he's such a fish out of water that it would barely work in NXT and definitely wouldn't work on the main roster.

Didn't TNA pay James Storm an absurd amount of money? Though I will always contend that Triple H quickly saw how out of place, how indy, how rasslin' Storm was in NXT, said thanks but no thanks, and made it look like Storm's decision so "The Cowboy" could save face and go back to TNA.

Guess NJPW is out then. Looking more and more likely that Del Rio is TNA bound. I mean, where else is there?

If Alberto burned his bridges with AAA/LU, would NJPW's working relationship with CMLL really matter at this point?

Has Alberto ever been in NJPW? That could be an option for him. I only remember him going to LU/AAA last time he left WWE, but I could be wrong. Either way, he royally fucked both of those feds over.

I kinda think they're going to have Miz beat Honky Tonk Man's record as the longest reigning IC Champ ever.

Where are you seeing that? Says $4.99 for me. https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/accepted-2

Paid $15 for the hardcover - and don't get me wrong, it was worth every cent - but I kinda wish I had waited for this.

My guess is an Usos/Slater-Rhyno final, and The Usos win and turn heel.

I'm not a Reigns hater - I thought his match with Big Show a year or two, for example, was a ton of fun - but I don't remember the Orton match being anything special. I really hope that "dude" sentence was not a direct quote. If it is, I weep for the dumbing down of America and the state of education today.

Great episode this week! Akira Tozawa vs. Gran Metalik: I'll be honest: I don't love either of these guys, but I don't hate them either. They're both very solid, and so was this match. I'll give Metalik props for changing his costume between matches. I think he's the only person in the CWC who has done that. (Well, Tozawa changed the color of his mouth guard.) It's a small detail, but it really makes these matches seem important. The most famous example of this is, of course, Randy Savage at WrestleMania 4. Anyway, a really fun match that could have gone either way. I felt myself kinda, sorta rooting for Tozawa, but I have zero issues with Metalik winning. THE Brian Kendrick vs. Kota Ibushi: Fucking awesome! In the previous two matches, Ibushi has been the best wrestler in the ring. Not this time! Kendrick was the star tonight, and it wasn't even close IMO. How abso-friggin'-lutely amazing is that? When the CWC began, I don't think anyone expected Kendrick of all people to be such a breakout performer. Like Bryan, I was actively rooting for him tonight - again all odds, not a hope in hell - but I still wanted it to happen. Ibushi won, of course, but Kendrick had his "Cedric Alexander moment." Daniel Bryan coming down and embracing him after the match was beautiful and emotional, and the Full Sail fans were actually respectful enough to shut down the "YES! YES! YES!" chants after a few seconds and put the focus back on Kendrick where it belongs. Next week: Zach Sabre Jr. vs. Noam Dar (in a match between the two worst people still in the tournament) and TJ Perkins vs. Rich Swann (neither have impressed me yet, either). I really hope one or more of these guys changes my mind next week, or this could end up being the weakest CWC episode yet. Early prediction: An Ibushi-Metalik finale. They've both beaten the two biggest stars in the tournament - Tajiri and Brian Kendrick, respectively - so it makes sense to me.

I thought the Heath Slater segment was overlong and unfunny, but I will agree that Rhyno ruled in it. He should've been a comedic silent type all along.

If so, I have three letters for him. N-X-T He never should've been called up. He's not ready, not over at all (and wasn't over even in NXT), and needs more time to develop his character and mic skills.

So, they've already wasted that awesome Miz speech and moment by saddling him in an inconsequential feud with the irrelevant Dolph Ziggler.

It's surprising because Fit, a WWE employee, is openly criticizing Sabre, one of the "stars" of the CWC and a potential future employee (assuming he hasn't already gotten signed). I'm not sure where Torch's info about Regal comes from though, as all they said was that Regal mostly agrees with Fit.