strobogo

hell yeah

I think it is officially time to crown Double J as the finest carny in the history of this great sport

Punk vs Kojima is hella random as Kojima has mostly been working AJPW/NOAH in tags for the past year. I don't think he's had a big singles match in NJ since 2021. I liked the idea of MJF actually no showing the match with Tanahashi and Punk stepping in. The time for KENTA vs Punk was ages ago, neither guy is what they were, and I don't think they'd actually mesh very well anyway. Meanwhile, Tana/Punk could do a bunch of Cena spots to pop everyone. There's so much talent without anything announced just from the AEW side that it's actually fucking wild when you list out the roster they have. I hope there's another wacky Sting/Darby team up this year. Maybe even get Jericho involved so more people can cover up that mess.

These are grown men in their 30s and 40s. Shit is pathetic. How are they going to handle working on the same PPV? At this point I'd make them do a shoot loser leaves town fight.

There's a physical resemblance but that's about it. Ricky Starks doesn't speak or work anything like Rock did.

HBk absolutely engaged in that Cole vs Lee type shit, particularly in his second run.

I didn't think it was particularly different than Dynamite. Fewer backstage interviews I guess and a bit slower paced. Nothing that I would say points out a brand split kind of difference. Good show, though.

Bro what lmao

What legal sense would it make for there to be some kind of ramification of a guy showing the AEW Championship on AEW TV when they've done multiple people with the same belt multiple times

I'm a hater. But it was just funny that this guy talking about soft wrestlers is the same guy who completely imploded because a guy said something he didn't like in a promo and led to him threatening to no show a PPV, shooting on TV, a press conference bitch fest about his co-workers, and then throwing the first punch in a fight with co-workers. If he's going to do his Bret shit, midas swell get a 1997 Bret run in where he's a face in Chicago and heel everywhere else.

Punk's promo felt weird to me because he was heeling it up for a crowd that he was a face to, but also he's the one that got in his feels repeatedly and made a big scene and then was the one to start the fight, so him talking about the wrestlers being soft was....curious. There are few guys, certainly at the level he's been at, that have been consistently emotionally aggrieved over stupid shit for his entire career, and then making public and professional scenes over them. It would make sense to me to make an angle out of that and run Punk as a heel, but I guess that's probably too similar to what MJF is doing.

They really should run Joey Samoey vs Ishii at FD

I like Adam Cole when he isn't going full HBK, and he seems like such a nice and likeable guy that I think he's actually going to have a hard time going heel again. He was never a big strong boi but it is pretty hard not to notice he looks like he has a solid diet and walks around the block for all of his exercise.

How could Punk possibly have MORE to get off his chest about Hangman lmao

The why is because right before that, the video was of Sanada offering an open contract for a title match and JB was the first to answer it.

Lmao at fans cheering Sammy and the baby stuff and then immediately booing when he said he was going for the title again. Double lmao at Jericho's bedazzled heels. Some real bullshit that Jericho has to get involved with Darby and Sting. There is absolutely zero chance that Jericho can make Sting look good, and Jericho being Jericho, you know he's going to work the bulk of that match and have as many "showdowns" with Sting as possible. I do hope there's another wacky 6/8 man tag with Sting at Forbidden Door this year. I very long ago grew tired of Yano in all forms, but a Sting/Yano interaction could be interesting. Further lmao at how casually OC announced him tagging with fucking Shibata next week. Feels like Joe should be in Garcia's place in all this, though, leading to a 4 way of mid card champions at Forbidden Door. MJF's body acne is top tier. Dude is on the real grimy 80s shit. Hate to body shame, but Adam Cole has never looked less threatening in his entire career, a guy who had a year long feud with Johnny Gargano. Pretty low expectations for MJF vs Tana. Looking forward to Jungle Boy turning on Hook after losing to Sanada so he can get a shot at the FTW Championship. A Christian-like turn could work really well for him as he needs some kind of progression, and Hook needs to finally have a real feud. Wardlow has zero juice and I'm much more interested in Christian working with Arn's kid than anything to do with Wardlow. Still a lot of talent from both companies with nothing set for FD, will be interesting to see what and who gets booked. Does Punk make it to the show? And if so, in a singles or in a 6 man with FTR?

I rest my case.

LA Knight is a name you'd find in the 400s of the PWI 500 in 1998

All Together was a lot of fun. Lot of the young guns really showing out. Main event was the real stand out. Absolute dickhead Okada is possibly the best version of him. Just such a dismissive fuck. The story with him and Kiyomiya is a treat. Seems unlikely to me that Kiyomiya will win his block and get a rematch with Okada, but a Kiyomiya/Kenoh vs Tanahashi/Okada match on the finals show would be great even if a Kiyomiya/Kenoh team doesn't really work. Has there been any psycho to do the CC/G1/N1 in the same year?

Tbh if someone makes a thread on Wreddit about it, I wouldn't at all be surprised for MJF to make positive comments about Vince's sexual harassment shit for the HEAT.

Starks/White-O 2 was a mess. I don't know what the fuck Starks was doing looking for shit under the ring or with the steps for so long. Bummer. Not a fan of a lot of MJF's style and PIPEBOMBS bullshit, but Cole vs MJF has more juice in one promo with one week to the match than the entire build of the pillars match.

"Uso" isn't their name. It means brother (or sister), which is why they call everyone "uce". But wondering why Solo doesn't have the same name as his brothers when his brothers don't have the same name as their dad and I don't think ANYONE in the Anoa'i family uses the same stage surname. They're acknowledged stage names even on screen.

At least a lot of fresh faces for what feels like the first time in ages. Hopefully Eddie is in a block with Okada. Kiyomiya....did y'all see that apron bump he took? NOAH the Re-Reborn Born Again 5.0 keeping the tradition of disgusting apron/floor bumps alive in the year of our lord 2023.

TK, book Vikingo vs Darby, you coward!

Lucha dudes dress up in goofy shit all the time. It never hurt Rey wearing some real stupid looking gear for special events over the years.