KawadaSmile

Automatically, no. They do fill in that mold Vince loves for his performers and we have discussed this in other threads. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, we don't know, but I certainly do appreciate Wardlow's Batista-like appeal. Boogie Woogie Man Jimmy Valiant is delightfully so, yeah. He was a larger than life character who also drew inspiration from Billy Graham. Sports entertainment, to me, is something neutral, and it was coincidentally exemplified on a great promo on this week's NXT episode. WALTGUNT was talking about how LA Knight was an ambarrassment to the sport, and Knight retorted it was sports entertainment. The former had the first part down, yet Knight was both. I don't think it's even possible to have a professional wrestling show that is focused solely on the sport aspect of the business, specially in 2022. AEW has the BCC which is no-bullshit, to-the-point wrestling, NXT has Imperium, etc. Yet on the whole, both companies follow the entertainment side of things more - occult characters, a big fucking lizard is the tag champ, there are those Best Friend fools (OC is great tho)... The problem comes when, riding that line of exaggerated characters and storylines that lean more into your Riverdale-like plotline, you may end up talking about how you blew a load on your championship belt, or, worst case scenario, go full Katie Vick (which I don't think AEW is in danger of doing, and certainly never will). Yesterday's episode was more on the dumber side of things, even if the straight sports approach was aces (as it usually is). In fact, one uses "sports entertainment" to poke fun at absurd tropes and storylines like that delightful Triple H/Kane feud. Jericho's current gimmick pokes fun at awful name changes and all that, and it is a hoot. There's plenty of time to course-correct the Nyla/Thunder Rosa feud. Rosa has already expressed how much she disliked Brock bringing in a Mariachi band to mock Eddie, and have her first title feud be revolving around casual xenophobia would suck ass even harder.

The first hour was excellent, yet still had MJF and Wardlow in it. Both are very much sports entertainers. Bear in mind, I don't even think the episode was *bad*, just the two segments being very much what WWE would do on their bad days. FTR Bald vs Punk being the opener works to get the crowd going, but when the episode later on has Vickie going for the lowest effort xenophobic promos with Rosa barely being able to properly get a celebration, Tay and Sammy being horndogs and talking about jizzing all over the belt and finishes with heels actually calling themselves sports entertainers, it is leaning heavy on that side of the business, which is a choice.

Just saw the Vickie/Thunder Rosa segment. This was a very sports entertaining episode, bubbas.

He did. I mean, he implied it, but it was not subtle at all.

Bottom line is that sanctity of the TNT Belt aside, all of this is making Sammy look like a massive, massive prick. MJF had to try so fucking hard to get to that level and it just comes off so naturally to Sammy.

Oh... oh no...

Lash Legend putting Bianca Belair-level numbers? Let's fucking go

I have no words

Listen I don't wanna hear Tay calling people "pendejo". Like, her first language is PORTUGUESE. She even used it tonight, and she should use it more often. Give me my Brazilian Portuguese representation caralho

He is essentially one of the Paul Bros without name recognition. Dude is way too good at being a douche and you just want to see him get his ass handed. On the other hand, not sure I'd rank him over Carmelo or Bron as an overall package. He did have a good showing on RAW cutting promos and shit, but I think the other two are more well-rounded. There is a reason the three of them plus MY BOY Tony D'Angelo were chosen to represent the new guard. Strong selection right there.

I mean, get me some Wendy/Kai vs Jane/Dolin, then. Come on.

Also, dunno how to feel about KLR/Io vacating her chances at the tag titles just to make the NXT Women's title match a 4-way. It makes sense considering they were going after Mandy all this time and Cora is yet too green to have a singles match of that caliber, but even then couldn't they have done that stipulation in a different way? Kinda deflated the main event...

The issue is just that she moves from side to side. It feels lazy and doesn't convey much of her character, who's supposed to be this crazy, dangerous badass. With Liv, Bianca, Sasha, Rhea and others, even if it looks goofy, it is related to their on-screen character. GUNTHER vs LA Knight gonna be the Austin vs Rock of our times. The CWC loves Big GUNT and LA Knight gets reactions like no one else.

Gigi drinking that BUBBLEH

Bless Wendy Choo for making a gimmick so silly work so damn well.

Kay Lee Ray's entrance pose bothers me for no fucking reason

he absolutely lost some weight, yeah. as long as his chops are sharp, i ain't complaining

god damn GUNTHER WALTER just SHOT duke hudson. the cwc lost their shit

snakeskin boots? shit, legado vs creed bros is gonna be some fucking great stuff

anyone who does a stretch muffler immediatly has my appreciation

It's the douchiest move one can think of and yet it fits Grayson Waller like a glove.

Fuck A-Kid is really good tho

Look at that dude A-Kid. Played soccer for Real Madrid. I hate him already and he's a face. I dunno, but Roode did that Big Poppa Elbow Drop + push-ups and commentary was like "oh we know who this is referencing" so I'm not sure how much this still applies.

Scott and Rick gotta appear, bro. Ain't no way they do Steiner tribute spots with no payoff whatsoever.

Roode doing jumping jacks are you kidding me