uklaw

Someone with better knowledge might be able to help here.

If we proceed on the basis that the creative structure is has been reported, why can’t the same writers get a tune out of RAW but can, by and large, out of Smackdown.

Michelle Thorne vibes about her, is the only way I can describe her. Maybe wide of the mark in complete fact, but that’s what I get. Her scenes are an absolute joy to watch and she goes all in.

1 hour ago, Arch Stanton said:

That was 'Smart' Mark Sterling, an indie worker who comes from the same school/promotion as MJF, who works with Matt Cardona and Brian Myers on their wrestling figure podcast. I thought he did tremendous on Dynamite, I hope they keep him around as prominent part of MJF's entourage.

On a related note, and this may have been covered previously, any idea who portrays Smiley Nina? A very humorous running-gag.

1 hour ago, Supremo said:

Have Santana and Ortiz always been a bit comedy based, even in Impact? I can never decide how I feel about them. They’re really funny, Ortiz especially, but I always think back to how cool and badass they looked on their AEW debut and wonder whether they’d be better just playing straight hard-case heels. 

Not really. They were more serious, especially with some of the segments and feuds they had. Ortiz has always been slightly goofy, but it’s been ramped to 11 in AEW.

5 hours ago, LaGoosh said:

A lot of people on Twitter freaking out about this. Unnecessarily, I think. With the pandemic, original content is becoming more and more scarce so brand new live programming guaranteed every week is going to be more valuable than ever. Add to that that Dynamite has totally overachieved ratings wise and hasn't even been on air for 1 year yet and have already been renewed for 2 more years they should be safe for the time being. And in comparison to original scripted programming wrestling TV is massively cheaper and better value for money. 

Also, TV executives change fairly regularly. As long as Tony Khan and the top brass have a good relationship with whoever replaces them they should be fine.

Thank goodness I was/am measured in my own delivery 🤣

This may be one to watch (down the line) but following a restructuring, at WarnerMedia, Kevin Reilly, one of the biggest supporters of AEW, and ostensibly the person who got them the TNT deal, has been shown the door.

It’s an interesting one. On first reading, I agree, it seems like a woolly ‘we’d quite like you to’ but with the industry force that will likely accompany this, and the ease any company or wrestler who objects will likely be shunned will probably lead to a lot of ‘buy-in’, willingly or otherwise.

From what I read initially, they want to continue to run the groups separately and bring them all together at the Tokyo Dome at some point for a supershow.

One takeaway from these most recent shows is how differently the limited live crowd engage with the product.

Gasps, cheers and most boos are now replaced with clapping, of various intensity. I suspect it was been advised/instruction in line with the use of masks.

Joey Ryan and Dave Crist as well.

4 hours ago, IANdrewDiceClay said:

MLW's got some strange goings on at the minute. Weirdest thing is, its a pretty open secret its ran by a bunch of carnies with major connections to the Team Vision Dojo (the home of the worst people in Florida.)

https://www.postwrestling.com/2020/07/04/exclusive-details-on-saieve-al-sabahs-exit-from-mlw-emails-exchanged-mlw-comments/

I did think in amongst all of this that aside from getting rid of their much publicised ring announcer that they’d largely gone under the radar. 

Saieve Al Sabah’s swift exit from the company and the reasons he gives shines an unwanted light on their (current/past) connections. Whether it’s exactly how he has stated or not, in this day and age, rightly or wrongly, mud sticks. 

Some comments on sites extend as far as “who’s this jobber?” rather than focusing the substance of what he’s saying. 

Unless I’m misremembering, I think I heard an interview with Dave Lagana ages ago where I said that Matt Conway sort of operates at a distance and assists where he can, so I’m not sure he would take the position. That’s not to say he won’t, of course. Despite only ending up in creative in TNA as Dixie Carter’s eyes and ears, he appears to have proven himself as quite good creatively or as a good formatter.

Plus, I think Dave Lagana’s role involved editing Powerr (including the video packages) as well as booking the shows and storylines (with a lot of input from Nick Aldis).

According to PWTorch, EVOLVE Wrestling has been placed on hiatus, with COVID-19 given as the official reason.

Apparently, Gabe Sapolsky posted the news on a private Facebook group. Let’s see how long ‘hiatus’ remains the status, or if it becomes ‘ceased. 

Sapolsky is already working with NXT, so I imagine he’ll be there full time going forward.

JUST IN: The RAW and Smackdown creative teams have been merged. The official line is ‘streamlining the creative process’.

Long and short of it is Bruce Pritchard now runs the creative team and Paul Heyman is now a performer only.

I suspect a number of the writers will be shown the door.

I will admit, I’ve been a little out of the loop, but I understand that SmackDown has actually been the better of the 2 main shows during this time. A couple of people I’ve spoken to say that RAW has been sleepwalking into oblivion, notwithstanding the hand we’ve all been dealt over the last few months.

He says he’s done with AEW after the last pay per view (especially the Stadium Stampede match). We’ll see how long that lasts, unless he handpicks matches like he used to do with NXT.

He nicely-but-not-so-nicely disagreed with Jericho’s assessment of him and those who agree with his view of things.  Brian Last out-and-out went in on Jericho. To the point Jim sounded like the reasonable one.

History absolutely backs that up, and I do suspect Vince would tamper with the act, in some shape or form, especially as:

Scarlett has a certain something that could be marketed as a solo act, is not unattractive and is charismatic. 

Also, Kross on his own can work. Plus, he is a pretty darn good promo and effective wrestler. 

One thing that Kross has over Black and Balor is size. 

I guess we could find out sooner than later because didn’t initial reports suggest they would quickly be moved to one of the other brands? 

2 hours ago, UK Kat Von D said:

When I saw that Cody was stopping the towel thrown it it made me think of how he didn’t want the towel thrown in when he lost his chance at the title. His motivation for allowing his brother to take extra punishment made total sense. Well see how Dustin feels about it hopefully 

Which makes absolute sense from Cody’s perspective, and very honourable. 

Maybe I’m looking too much into it, or I’m not used to more than one possible angle or motivation being presented or interpreted. 

I, too, hope (and rather expect) some of this is explored. I do think we’ve not seen the last of the abuse Cody received from the ‘heel side’. Even if it’s just to give us an extra dimension leading to Double Or Nothing.

Small details from the Archer vs Dustin match I haven’t heard mentioned (much) that may be worth remembering:

Firstly, a couple of good touches was the fact that Archer didn’t back off when Cody and QT Marshall entered the ring-even if they didn’t rush him. He wasn’t to immediately know that when they slid in. Puts him over as unafraid.

Secondly, when Dustin started to come round and saw Archer was still there, he put his arm up and backed off, on the mat, almost as if to say ‘no more, keep him away from me’

Lastly, the bit with Cody preventing QT from throwing in the towel, then hesitating himself, giving Dustin the chance to take it, before Archer pulled him back inside. Couple that with those of a heel persuasion (particularly Jericho on commentary, and Spears and Britt Baker in the crowd) berating him for ‘not saving his brother from harm’ and (adding that to Brandi taking the bullet for Cody in the opening match) they’ve given themselves some avenues to explore:

- A possible selfish, ruthless streak in Cody, putting others in harm’s way in his mission to win gold.

-Possible motivation for a Dustin heel turn or revisiting their issue last year. 

Of course, it would all be contingent on how it’s interpreted by any of the players in this picture.

I can’t recall where I read or heard it (possibly Cody) but it’s been said that Tony Khan has planned to push Scorpio Sky since before they even started running shows. Hence him getting the spotlight in replacing Christopher Daniels in the SCU tag matches, being the first tag champions, inflicting Chris Jericho’s first pinfall loss in AEW, getting the World Title shot and largely being protected. Remind me, was it Kazarian who ate the pin when they lost the tag titles?

Also, according to PWInsider, Tony Khan sat down and wrote the last 4 weeks episodes on his own ‘in a matter of minutes’ when the situation (with travel, crew, etc) became evident. Cody helped out. According to the report, Khan is a massive fan of Memphis Wrestling and Continental Wrestling.

4 hours ago, Supremo said:

I wonder if they’re scared to lean too much into the fact that Montez and Bianca are a couple after being burned so badly doing it with Becky and Seth. Maybe they’re worried it’ll result in the same anti-chemistry where they come across as a bad pair of dorky knobheads.

Not that they have anything to worry about though. Look at these fucking superstars together. Pure sex.

 

They are an incredibly good looking couple, their chemistry is unreal and I don’t think even the most incompetent of writers could do too much to mess it up on screen, but I agree, they may not lean into it too much.

I always hold a soft spot for the ending of Stone Cold vs Corporate Dude Love at Over The Edge 1998. Vince made himself the ref, Paterson the ring announcer, Gerry Brisco the time keeper. The added stipulation that if Stone Cold laid a finger on him (having brained him with a chair shot the previous month) he’d lose the match and the title. And you knew Vince wasn’t going to play fair.

Add that to Vince’s proclamation that the match would end by his ‘hands only’ and you had the perfect set up for ’Cold Stone’ to lose.

But Vince made a mistake, and that mistake was the token gesture of allowing a man to enter as an enforcer, assuming no-one would dare to. Enter The Undertaker, and thus sets off a chain of events leading to absolute chaos, a loud Milwaukee crowd (which says a lot given how bad that particular town is now for live engagement) and a bonkers finish.

I tend to forget how prominent Taker’s Texas drawl is when he’s not in full ‘dead man’ character. 

Saw the 1st part on Chris Benoit. Very chilling. Not just the narrative leading up to the incident, but there are details relating to Eddie Guerrero’s death I did not know about. Chavo really puts you there 😳

The reasons are understandable, but what a totally surreal state of affairs.

With the Hall Of Fame and Takeover postponed/cancelled, TV’s will need to be re-written and these big matches dotted over a few ‘regular’ shows.

I assume the Hall Of Fame can be placed later in the year.

But Wrestlemania. If you’d said only 6 weeks ago this would be the case, I’d have struggled to believe it.

Brian Pillman Jr and Davey Boy Smith Jr more than resemble their fathers, but yes, you could easily mistake Colby Corino for the mouthy, very slim Steve circa 1999.