[Gorefest]

Sucks that I cannot see Raw until Thursday now. My wife is away for work for the next two days, so I will need to wait until she gets back. Trying to avoid spoilers will be hellish.

[Malankazooie]

They addressed the Strowman and kid having the belts. I won't say anything else though.

I was surprised with USA network letting the "Shut the fuck up!" go uncensored at the beginning when the crowd was yelling it at Stephanie McMahon (must have said it about six times). USA channel is supported by advertising and as such have a "Standards and Practices" dept. that is supposed to prevent that.

[Aptorian]

Oh yes, can't have obscene language on our extremely violent TV programming. Think of the kids!

Anyway, I've been watching the Highlights from RAW and Smackdown after Wrestlemaia. For once I actually wish I had access to the full show on the Network.

I'll put it in a spoiler for Gore's benefit.

Spoiler

Raw wasn't that interesting but it had a few good moments. Rousey putting Stephanie McMahon in an armlock AGAIN was just funny. It reminds me of the old days with Steve Austin and Vince McMahon. Stephanie is honestly such a great heel character. She emulates her fathers character extremely well.

Is "No Way Hose" a known character? Where did he come from? NXT?

I was actually a little upset by Bobby Lashley coming in and squashing Elias. I love Elias. He's paying his dues as the heel punching bag but I believe that he has the look, charisma and skill to be at the top of the card.

I've really grown to hate Kevin Owens and Sami Sayan. I don't think they're great wrestlers and I think they look like shit. If I was handling their characters I would revert Owens to the more believable "Fight Owens Fight" brawler who could actually handle himself and I would just throw Sami Sayan in the trash. That or make him into El Generico again so we don't have to look at his homeless appearance.

I've only seen a little of Authors of Pain in NXT but I think they look great. What's up with them turning their back on their manager? Is there some storyline behind that or is it just Vince McMahons hatred of managers?

Smackdown was more interesting. Lots of surprises. After the retirement speech the day before the announcement of Paige as new General Manager was completely unexpected. She even looked a bit better than she did during those horrific TV-spots for the Paige movie. Woman looks like she'd been on a 3 month junk food and coke bender.

Didn't really care about those British chicks attacking Charlotte. Feels like a repeat of what Absolution and who ever has been doing for months. But Carmella finally cashing in her briefcase and actually getting the Women's Title? Fucking amazing. Again, Carmella is a great heel character. She's just so funny.

Wonderful to see Daniel Bryan back in the ring and against AJ Styles of all people. I think that was a better match than the so called dream match between Nakamura and Styles at Wrestlemania. It feels like he's the only wrestler who actually wrestles. Lots of technical wrestling, switching between holds and grapples.

Even better Nakamura's interference was perfect. Both his interview and his attack in the ring was so much better than anything I've seen him do yet. He's a perfect dastardly foreign heel.

This post has been edited by Alternative Goose: 11 April 2018 - 07:03 AM

[Aptorian]

15 minutes until "The Greatest Royal Rumble" starts.

No real investment in any of the matches going on today.

I hope Shinske Nakamura wins the WWE title.

I would be very surprised if Roman Reigns doesn't win the Universal Title.

I hope the Take vs Rusev fight isn't just a straight up squash but I suspect it will be embarrassing for everyone involved.

HHH vs Cena might be the most interesting fight. I don't think I have seen a great Cena fight in years but I think they might do a great one with HHH and Cena facing off.

[Aptorian]

Ha, Cena and HHH are really hamming it up. You can see them really playing up to the crowd. I think this whole event is specifically designed to give the Saudi's a special evening.

I wonder how the night will progress. The crowd has a lot of energy but I suspect they will run out of juice half way through when they're not used to something as epic as a marathon wrestlemania-copy.

EDIT: HHH just applied what probably looked like the weakest sleeper hold I have ever seen. Brutus the Barber Beefcake would had been ashamed.

This match is pretty low energy. None of the two are moving particularly fast. HHH I understand, Cena not so much. I guess he's just gotten old.

This post has been edited by Alternative Goose: 27 April 2018 - 04:24 PM

[Aptorian]

Good lord, Jinder Mahal and Jeff Hardy just botched a spot and Mahal did the worst fake delayed bump I've seen in ages. It was worse than Cena at Wrestlemania. I imagine McMahon will chew Mahal's head off backstage.

In other news I am starting to see a trend in the results of these matches. I think all the faces are going to win their matches because that's the feel good story they want to tell.

This post has been edited by Alternative Goose: 27 April 2018 - 05:19 PM

[Aptorian]

Was just looking at one of The New Day's promo's an I noticed something weird.

Kofi Kingston is suffering from that same weird chest degeneration syndrome that Scott Steiner suffers from. The inside of his chest is completely atrophied. Like there's a soft ball sized hole right down to the sternum.

I'd love to get a proper medical explanation for what causes this.

[Aptorian]

Anyway, this Undertaker vs Rusev match is just sad.

Like I get that the Undertaker is still a draw and all of us fans have a place in our hearts for the guy but he's so old. Kayfabe may be dead but I prefer when they at least try to make believe.

[Aptorian]

Shows over. I sort of agree with the chatter I've been hearing. This felt like an over inflated house show. Not a lot of story line progression. Not a lot of quality performances. Nakamura vs Styles was good. The Rumble was so so, I liked the last 20 minutes. Most of the wrestling was uninspired.

Taker is starting to look like the new Andre the Giant.

Roman Reigns will never win the belt at this rate.

One thing I thought was fascinating was seeing Strowman standing in the ring with the Saudi Prince and Vince. He looks great. I think he's ready to become the new face of the company instead of Reigns. He'll do amazing on camera, on TV-shows, etc. because of his size and demeanour.

I don't want them to turn him completely baby face, like a Hulk Hogan. Do the Steve Austin. Have him come in and dominate every week and throw the whole roster at him in waves and make him look badass.

[worry]

Mean Gene Okerlund passed away, age 76.

[Aptorian]

He was the voice of a generation. His interviews in the WWF were hilarious. Mean Gene was a great straight man to the ridiculous characters on TV.

[worry]

Yah, to me he was second only to Bobby the Brain Heenan in all of on-air personalities, and they were so good when on air together.

[Gorefest]

RIP Mean Gene

[Malankazooie]

From the Andre the Giant documentary (very good, reccomend it). One of the most awesome things I've seen is Mean Gene interview Andre the Giant and his egregiously large hands.

[Malankazooie]

[Gorefest]

A new and exciting wrestling company was launched today. All Elite Wrestling (AEW), grown out of The Elite (Bullit Club subgroup) and fronted by Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks. They managed to pull in Jericho and PAC (Neville from WWE) as well. I assume they will also get Kenny Omega and Marty Scurll when their current contracts finish. Interesting times for wrestling. If they manage to get a good tv deal, this might be the first serious competition in the US for WWE since the days of WCW.


Really awesome is that they will be paying their female talent on the same scale as their male talent, they have huge financial backing, and they promise health insurance for their wrestlers as well. This could be a revolution in the business.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 08 January 2019 - 11:31 PM

[Aptorian]

Everything will come down to booking and writing for me. I want consistent story telling and championships that have meaning. Not just high spots and finishers that don't matter.

[Gorefest]

Well, one of the AEW spearpoints is that wins and losses will count as never before and actually mean something. Plus the wrestlers themselves will have much more say over their own personalities and character developments. It is a wrestlers-led initiative, with Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks as the exec vice presidents.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 09 January 2019 - 10:24 AM

[Malankazooie]

Ok. It being about a month out, it's time to start talking about WrestleMania.

I don't watch or follow professional wrestling anymore, but find the whole WrestleMania event still fascinating. So what do you connoisseurs of sweaty, oily, muscular men and hot, sexy, chicks fake beating on each other in skimpy tights think? What are some of the stories that are being shaped and crafted and timed to explode at Wrestlemania we should be paying attention to? What surprises do you think are in store? What events (Monday Night Raw, Smackdown, etc.) should we be paying attention to as WrestleMania approaches? Drop your wrestling knowledge on us plebes.

[worry]

King Kong Bundy RIP: https://www.huffpost...4b0129e36be602f