El-P

Very nice, very over. Crowd is on fire for this.

Mark Sterling sporting the old Jim Cornette style wrestler garb.

The Acclaimed + Ass Boys are over. Yeah, that's really kinda New Age Outlaws random. Gotta watch that opening match live. Kingston cutting an Onita-like promo.

He's under contract until sometime in 2024. What the fuck is he thinking ? Jarrett did not even had a contract when he pulled that one off. Can you picture TK releasing MJF after this, and him showing up like a hero on RAW *weeks after the Sasha/Naomi debacle* ? The message that would send ? Holy shit.

They play the video on the Buy-In. There you go. Since I never really cared about the match to begin with (I was sold one by the angle one week, then disinterested the following week, rince, repeat), so really I for one could care less in term of what I'm interested to. I'm just having fun with the drama. Makes sense. Powerbomb symphony, bye bye. Now, he could pull off an Austin Aries, which would be hilarious for all the wrong reasons.

As Brucie says, "gotta get that match in the ring". In the end, MJF is making things happen. But I don't think it's good things for anyone involved. Jarrett, Warrior... not the greatest move they made in term of follow-ups careers. Of course, different contexts, different company, different boss. Still. If I'm them, I also do that match as the opening, as there's a chance this might distract the crowd as long as they don't know what's happening for sure. Can you picture an "MJF" (or "Fuck you Maxwell") chant going on forever or something ? This would hurt everybody involved. I'm not sure he's doing himself any favors honestly.

The preview is back on AEW's Youtube channel.

Thanks ! It's been dealt with.

Shit's on. This. I'm thoroughly entertained at a time I badly needed it.

The preview has been removed from AEW's Youtube channel.

WWE : Sasha & Naomi have disappointed the entire WWE Universe by failing to show up for tonight's main event. They are unprofessional and are now suspended without pay. Also WWE : We welcome MJF as the new addition of the WWE Universe, he's a superstar and a great professional. The preview has been posted on AEW's Youtube, so the match *has to* happen. How it will be worked is another matter and may tell the story of what's to come.

Wow. Waking up to this, that's shit's crazy. YES. Also, he absolutely is outsmarting himself here. There was not much sympathy for Sasha & Naomi from the workers inside the company, for better or worse, but I would gather he would get none whatsoever pulling this kind of shit in his context, which is quite different in term of creative. If that's a work, I don't really see this upside. Brian Pillman's stuff was seen as cool at the time, but it never actually went anyone except confuse people, and the guy ended up outsmarting himself. TK should not go along with this kind of angle pushed that far, it never pays off in any useful capacity. The odd thing, and I swear I was thinking about it when I was watching Dynamite and this has nothing to do with what's happening right now (as I said, I love watching the guy perform and thinks he's the best heel promo in the last 30 years) : if he left the company, I would not bat an eye. Because as much as it's been working, the angle from this week (can't call this a match) is not what I waited 17 years for. This is straight WWE stuff. Done well, extremely well even, but still. This is not what I want from my alternative. I'm all for the buffet, but this kind of stuff being the main angle, including topping the CM Punk vs Adam Page feud (which no one can claim has been the N°1 focus on TV at all), just not that appealing to me. Anyway, this is gonna end up being very interesting in the long haul. If MJF is pulling some power play, I don't see how the trust factor works past that point. Considering how south things went with Sasha & Naomi, there's also the question of hurting his own value with them by doing this. If he does leave, you know what we get on BTE, right ?

And Laura Dennis was Gail Kim's next victim. That's Allie. Fun to see them pop up before they got their name around.

One of the many reasons Matt Jackson is a genius :

Fuuuck. This guy still has any time left ? I've been really enjoying the Jarrett podcast, mostly the TNA stuff which is fascinating. Now that Jarrett is back working with WWE, maybe this won't be as good, I dunno. I'm guessing Regal will be a great guest, but when I think of it, apart from old tells from England and the WCW years, I really have no interest in post 00's WWE stuff. I wasn't a NXT close watcher either. Foley, well, he's been around forever doing interviews. Probably a fine guest to, but do I want to hear stuff about the Attitude Era again and again ? Not too sure. The ECW, Japan, indies and WCW stuff on the other hand. Hopefully some good soul will want to listen to those and report what they think of it, I don't think I'm diving in either of them from the get-go.

This is pretty awesome. Damn, Jade putting in the work with Danielson could pay off in something spectacular. Loved Danielson's laugh after "I don't trust myself with that". (oh, did not see the entire video. Oh yeah, this is great stuff.)

Indeed. As the old French saying goes "C'est à la fin du bal qu'on paie les musiciens." Meaning more or less : it's not over 'til it's over. I would not have said this a few weeks ago, but since Gunn has "adopted" the Acclaim as his new sons, they have been quite fun indeed. This is the most fun Billy Gunn has been probably since 1998. Max Caster is still the worst worker of the five though. If anyone would need the "Nah, he's a manager" spot, that's him.

I mean, people who say awful vile shit should be held accountable for sure. There are consequences to everything you do or say. And a bullshit apology won't fly. Maybe this will get swept under the rug and the guy will go back crawling into his business after having been exposed as a lying, vile piece of shit. That happens, and not just in pro-wrestling offices. But yeah, he *should* be toasted for sure. At least some people know what he's made off now, despite having some sort of position of power. I'm speaking about that Kikuchi fellow of course, if that was not clear enough... Well, they are doing the most I remember seeing from a major company after such events, for sure. Interesting to see where it will leads them with Ibushi. If he ever come back, you can expect some very emotional moment for sure. Hopefully it ends well for him.

That's actually kinda cute, bubba But OH MY GOD I did not expect that reaction, considering the crowd was duel chanting for most of the match, before it reached the point they got crazy for Statlander, and for good reasons. Yes, those two last matches are the best Soho matches since she arrived. But Statlander was the standout here, big time, and by the end the crowd was so ready for her to win. Soho getting the pin got a negative pop, with people at ringside going "WTF happened ?". And then as she's cutting a promo on Britt, she gets BOOED OUT OF THE BUILDING, to the point she had to acknowledge it. It only made her promo on Britt even more impossible (it had no point anyway apart from generic "I need to win this tournament!", which Statlander already made fun of before the match). I don't get this booking, especially since we already had this match a few months before and it did not set the world on fire at all. And although Britt is a heel, no way people pop for Soho if she goes over Baker, especially not at this point when she is seemingly losing the crowd. And Baker beating Soho is been there done that. I've said it since the beginning that Soho going to the finals against Baker was a mistake, but damn I did not expect *this*. The good thing is that Statlander seems to have found herself, she has looked much better than she did before. Baker coming out with a Jack Sparrow T-shirt was certainly a choice... Young Bucks cosplaying the Hardies was typical Bucks greatness. Cutler as "Amy Dumas" was a sight to see. Not to mention *that* cameo, that was pretty unexpected (well, he has appeared on the show not long ago, in a very different context). So, we actually are getting a 6 person mixed tag, as it's Sammy & Kazarian (who was a babyface two weeks ago) & Tay vs Page & Scorp & PVZ. Well, at least it should be fun, but good luck to get any heat before Tay & PVZ hook it up. And we also get Darby vs KOR, because... Not complaining about the match, because it should be excellent at worst, but... talk about thrown at the last minute. And no FTR, not even against the United Empire (which I guess is gonna be at Forbidden Door). That's 11 matches. Plus the pre-show one. That's a lot. That's too much. Afraid some may not get the time they deserve because of it.

As I've reached late 2013 TNA, the true comparison with MJF is actually.... EC3. Very striking how their gimmicks are similar, and how EC3 was also very efficient at working angles and be an insufferable rich boy douchebag.

So, if WON is right, Sasha & Naomi's suspension is without pay. Basically, they are suspended without pay, their contract are freezed, their merchandizing has been pulled off. Independent contractors and all. This is getting quite transparent now. Way to terrorize your employees too, as it's obviously a message sent all across the board. Can't Sasha call the actor's guild or something ?

So, the crowd chanted "This is stupid" at the latest Joe Gacy angle, uh ? Heavy vibes of old TNA and Abyss angles in this... Joe Gacy is seemingly the new Bray Wyatt, only there's nothing cool nor interesting about him like there was with the Wyatt Family at first. He jumped straight into "go away heat" Bray Wyatt mode apparently.

If I were to rate the AEW World title reign thus far, it would go like this : Omega > Jericho > Page > Mox So yep, the heel reigns have been better in term of engagement to me. Omega being way ahead of everyone else, because he had everything, the great arc, the great TV matches, the great PPV matches, the great promos with Callis, the awesome presentation. Jericho was the most important to make the title mean something from the get go, and when he finally got beat and passed it away that was also key in making the title, and Jericho delivered his best work in the company, and his best in years at this time. Page has the great matches. Less in term of great feuds but still some really strong promos in the mix, but was a bit overshadowed by the MJF feuds at the same time. Mox was the second link in the chain to make the title mean something, and had the image of the guy who left WWE and told them to fuck off. I don't remember very clearly the best matches tbh, the most striking moment was the loss to Omega with the awesome Callis turn and "See you on IMPACT wrestling !" promo. The thing is, people have been so ingrained with WWE mentality for so long that it's kinda hard to re-invent what the ace of an alternative promotion should be. They have done a great job making each title reigns important and also distinct thus far. You can line up up-coming reigns too (CM Punk, probably MJF at one point, Danielson maybe but that's not a given considering what his goals are, and then eventually I would think Darby will get there. Adam Cole maybe at one point, who knows. Keith Lee is too early to tell, but he has the potential too. Oh, and that Wardlow fellow, although that one can wait... no really, no urge... really), not to mention the fact someone at some point will end up being a two time champ that would actually be something in itself (as opposed to being a 17 times champ like in WWE). Page obviously is gonna that guy too. In three years, we can remember and identify very clearly each reign. Only four of them. That's a good thing, and I hope they keep on this path. The TNT title was pretty great. And then Sammy got the belt. And lost it. And got it back. And lost it... I wouldn't say the title is damaged (way too early, bumps in the road happen), but the idea of it not being a secondary title is really not working anymore. Not since Miro had it. The TBS belt around Jade on the other hand, feels like the TV belt in ECW when Shane Douglas had it : equal to the world title. Question is, whatever happens when she eventually loses it.

Agreed. The thing with Hangman's booking, is that they had a super strong arc leading to Hangman winning the title from Omega, it was a long and deep storyline that had roots in the long term relationships between him, Omega & the Bucks. After it was done, well.... things got kinda blurry in term of where this was going toward. The Adam Cole storyline to me was actually the best, because it had the most legs. Danielson was basically a dream match. CM Punk is basically a dream match. But yeah, with MJF taking so much place lately with his last two feuds, as a character, Page has not came off like the most important guy in the company. Great reign in-ring though, piling on great matches after great matches.