Matt D

Despite my misgivings with modern WWE tropes and trappings, I’m probably going to watch all the matches with Sheamus/Drew/Gunther comp style in the next year or so.

Do I want to understand what these words mean?

It's a whole promotion based around people who can do the Malenko/Guerrero stuff. It's nice to see MJF as something else and annoying when he does it as well to prove to the fans that he can wrestle, or whatever.

I wasn’t a fan of those matches. Anyone can do that stuff in 2023. He’s much more interesting when he’s doing an abdominal stretch and holding onto the ropes.

Here's where I am on the PPV. I'm generally pretty positive about this stuff, but not this time. Ultimately, there are a few things I'm looking forward to seeing on the card, like more Jarrett/OC interaction, but no actual matches. That said, I'm very positive on both the ROH taping and the upcoming ROH PPV. Like I said before, given the talent and Tony's penchant to book good matches, if you don't like AEW, just wait a few weeks. But I'm not liking this PPV at all on paper.

Maybe our cruel trip through purgatory ends this week?

Only reason I’m upset about the tag result is that I wanted Orange Cassidy vs Jeff Jarrett at the PPV more than almost any other match they’ve been building.

If Vince is back, I really don't see it unless AEW lowballs them.

Booking a territory in 1983 is different than booking a national promotion in 2023. You can send a crowd home upset if you're going to make them happy a month or two down the line. Heat's on the promotion, not the heel. There were ways to give the crowd something more even if Sami was losing. But again, I think a lot of it is that they even booked themselves into the corner in the first place.

I was on the fence but I'll check it out this week. Thanks.

Blame the company for booking themselves into this situation.

The AEW ref corps >>>> HBK’s dramatic acting. George Steele, Baron Von Rashcke, Missing Link >>>> HBK’s dramatic acting. This is not a high bar!

@elliott You should check out the Austin Idol episode. They spend five minutes talking about the plane crash, five talking about the new NWA/his school, and maybe five (if that) talking about being Austin Idol and Lawler, but the rest of it is entirely about his Mike McCord days.

Mauro is far better than McAfee. And I thought Mauro was the worst.

Agree that it was a pretty good Rumble. Banger Bros controlling the middle worked well.

I'm pretty desensitized to corporate stuff, but the article with the exec talking about how they were trying to please the same sort of people who like pro wrestling with the slapfight show and just really, you know, give them what they want deep down, happening at the same time as this, is pretty annoying.

I tapped midway through the first match. I like the idea of Jarrett’s goofs interacting with Cassidy’s goofs but not tonight maybe. Will try again tomorrow.

We should invite him for GWE2026

He should have made fun of Prinze's promoter aspirations.

65% of Cole’s issues would be solved if he’s babyface. Hopefully they ride with the love and sympathy.

I like that you think I watched Page vs Cole. Best Takeshita match in AEW in 2022 is the first Mox one where Mox worked him like he was Hansen and stopped him from doing a bunch of dumb stuff. Second best is probably the JD Drake match from Dark. Second worst Takeshita match was the Kingston one. Just brought the absolute worst out of each other. Takeshita has tons of raw talent but very similar instincts to Page. I hate the Santana comparison but if you want to make a Barry Windham one on his athleticism and size, that I'll accept, just not his instincts.

I get why people like him but Takeshita vs Page was my least favorite match of 2022.

Have you seen the 3/27/94 match?

Dax talking through the Dog Collar Match makes me want to hear him talk through about three dozen more matches.

Ok, let's do this. I'll bold the talents I consider developmental. Here are the wrestlers in matches for the last month or so of Elevation. If it's just them listed, assume they're up against enhancement talent. 12/26: Rose/Shafir Julia Hart Bunny Takeshita vs Kazarian Soho/Willow Athena vs Hogan Dralistico vs Blake Christian 12/19: Shafir Emi/Bunny Hardy/Page/Kassidy/Takeshita/Top Flight vs Kiss/Slim J/VSK/Avalon/Bononi/Nemeth (I don't consider Kassidy or Top Flight guys getting their reps in at this point. Bononi, I do.) Kingston/Ortiz Athena Claudio/Yuta vs Drake/Henry (I don't consider Yuta that way) 12/12: Emi Menard/Parker Willow Taylor/Barreta vs Zack Clayton/Some Other Guy Ari Davari/Nese/Woods vs Cutler/Luther/Serpentico 12/5 Comoroto vs Shinno Rose/Shafir Hogan Top Flight Emi Lee Moriarty (do not consider him) Cage/Kaun/Toa Liona Sapian vs Reynolds Takeshita vs Solo 11/28: Bunny Cutler Rose/Shafir Takeshita vs Davari Moriarty Lethal/Satnam Best Friends/Rocky Romero Athena Hardy/Private Party vs Chaos Project/Some Guy Kingston/Ortiz vs Solo/Comoroto I could go on but you get the idea. It's a way to warm the crowd up, to give them some of the other stars in matches where they don't have to worry about win/loss records. To give some local wrestlers work and potential tryouts. To build winning streaks for TV. To hype some upcoming programs and heat up people for a match the following week on TV if need be, to keep wrestlers wrestling and warmed up so they don't get hurt due to inaction. And yes, to give maybe 15-20% of the show to talent who need reps. It's Superstars/Wrestling Challenge, not Developmental. It's really WCW Worldwide. I don't think Dark is wildly dissimilar.