uklaw

I watched it and all I could think was ‘Boy, Vince really wants Roman Reigns to main event Wrestlemania.

I remember a few weeks ago there were reports that Vince was initially lobbying for Reigns vs The Fiend to close out the show over Lesnar vs McIntyre before going with the latter.

I imagine this will come up in reports all over again unless 1) it’s generally accepted that Reigns/Goldberg is the ‘proper’ attraction of the 2 matches, and 2) the rest of the show will be relied on for the ‘workrate’ and they go and smash each other for 5-7 minutes.

Unless it’s a deal similar to Jon Moxley (and Chris Jericho, to a degree) who has dispensation to appear on New Japan shows when it’s called for? 

*Though I note he’s not in the New Japan Cup, which he would have otherwise been a lock for given the 2019 he had and how much they put over his use of the iron claw.

Also, Mikey Rukus is not a bad music producer but I’m not sure he’ll come up with something that matches the intensity of the glove-like ‘Everybody Dies’ 😩

Just now, mim731 said:

Closing angle was great, maybe a bit drawn out, but high drama sometimes needs to be eeked out a bit. 

Anyone know what Santana was referring to in his promo about how everyone knows it was the worst year of his life? (or something to that effect). I was slightly confused. 

His dad (who he appeared to idolise) passed away last month or late 2019.

22 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

Poor Yuka "Sakazowie", I'm almost sure J.R fucked up her name on purpose this time.

Don’t forget calling Scorpio Sky ‘Too Cold Scorpio’ 🤦🏿‍♂️

36 minutes ago, jazzygeofferz said:

Shame about Stu Bennett, unless they're going to a three or he's taking over from Galli. 

There’s a ‘roster in/around the ring’ photo from one of the Powerr tapings and all 3 are there. Wouldn’t be surprised if our new friend does backstage stuff.

2 hours ago, Supremo said:

I think I got through the entire show in about fifteen minutes. A new record.

I’m completely convinced they know how toxic all this Corbin/Roman/Ziggler shit is, which is why they decided to end the show with something else and got it out of the way as soon as possible.

Considering the time of year, it’s insane how cold Smackdown feels. Worse still, I can’t see anything on the horizon that’s going to change that.

In an ideal world, it would be Vince being distracted enough by the XFL that he’s not all ever-present, allowing the Smackdown crew to try different things.

2 hours ago, IANdrewDiceClay said:

Tony Khan's been getting more hands on with the booking post Christmas, by all accounts. I knew nobody was daft enough to let the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega's vanity shite go on much longer. You can see a difference in the shows the last few weeks compared to that vomit they coughed up at the end of last year.

Someone had to get a hold of the product.

Extended deal or not, there’s too much at stake to let undisciplined people (Bucks and Kenny mainly) have a laugh with a National/Worldwide company.

I, too, noticed a largely improved product from 1st January. The women’s division needs looking at wholesale and the tag division needs focus, but all is not yet lost, it would seem.

I guess we’ll find out what the score is because Dave Meltzer is quite adamant that Hunter Johnson is still Lead Booker and that Marty Scurll is part of the creative team, rather than leading it.

Well, this is a folder from the cabinet marked ‘Say that again?!’
 

Though Delirious and Bully Ray remaining on the Creative Team doesn’t fill me with much hope things will significantly improve.

How must FOX be feeling? After all the news items and rumours about the type of show they wanted, the wrestlers they were pitching for (before the draft) and ratings numbers that were being rumoured to be projected, they’ve ended up with what tuft have got. 

43 minutes ago, The King of Old School said:

Did they reset the win/loss records?

You didn’t come out any clearer to the fact. It didn’t help that when JR made that point at the very start of the first match Excalibur (and Taz, by extension) essentially contradicted him in the next sentence, unless I was really dense? 

Or maybe it’s not this week? 
 

Edit: As rick said, maybe it’s from next week?

Edit 2: Speaking of Excalibur, I felt the presence of Taz further highlighted the ‘quality’ of his commentary. I haven’t read reviews or looked at message boards, but I can guess people may be calling for Taz to be switched it and join JR (if they insist on keeping him in the booth) and Tony Schiavone. 

It’s an interesting bit of clarity, this. On a number of levels.

When Bruce Pritchard was Head of Creative in TNA (particularly the period from Bound For Glory 2011-Bound For Glory 2012), he, Dave Lagana and Matt Conway put together a tidy little product that made sense, was engaging, and elevated those that needed to be. Particularly Bobby Roode, James Storm and Austin Aries. I think Slammiversary 2012 still stands up well. 

It was the most consistent sense the booking had made since before Vince Russo came on board in 2006.

Nonsense was there, but didn’t overwhelm shows. Of course, history could just be messing with my head.
 

It now appears that part of it was down to the fact that the product was being produced for general consumption, whereas this Smackdown, more than ever, and more than RAW and certainly NXT, is being tailored to an audience of Vince McMahon only. Aided and abetted by Ed Koskey (who I would guess is a McMahon writer)

As an aside, Dave Lagana (along with some input from Matt Conway, and) guided by Billy Corgan, is booking one of the stand out shows and products of the current era. 
 

I guess all the components need to be in place. IMO, of course 😂
 

Just finished with Episode one of Season 2 of NWA Powerrr.

Flows nicely from the pay per view. The wrestlers and crowd still seem to be all having fun, and so did I as the viewer.

It looks like some of the rough edges from the tail end of Season 1 are gone and it set the scene for what should be an entertaining and intriguing Season and Pay Per View on Jan 24th (which is thankfully named during the episode, and takes its inspiration from one of the most famous promos of all time 😉).

As a “but surely you of all people must be offended” person, I do not object to Jim Cornette and would have continued watching if the latest hoo ha had fallen away and he had remained. However, I’m more invested and engaged with the NWA and its success (for a number of reasons) so I’m glad a stick to beat it with has been taken away.

Plus Stu Bennett is a very good replacement. 

15 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

What do we think is the motivation for putting NXT over so huge? They can't be that fussed about Wednesday night ratings, surely? Maybe they are and they see that as an opportunity to engage the million or so viewers who watch Raw and Smackers but not NXT. Quite surprised by it.

I think that’s it. 

While I didn’t expect the brand to go over so much, I suspect they feel NXT needs to be recognised as a brand on par (or as close to) with the established RAW and Smackdown, with their built-in fanbases.

Plus, as you said, in their eyes,  it’s likely an opportunity to scoop up some potential viewers who have not given NXT a chance even after the move to TV.

I do think, going forward, the Wednesday nights will be a lot tighter. If not, a momentum shift.

I’m quite looking forward to this (which given how tired I was of the product, to the point I stopped watching for about 4 months, is quite impressive) and I wonder how much of it is to do with the inclusion of NXT and how strongly they’ve been presented?

As much as tonight, I’m also I’m curious to see (and slightly dreading) what the brands are going to be like after tonight assuming they are presented as distinctive (like Triple H has suggested).

Since the (botched) Draft, the rosters have often mixed due to the existing build to Crown Jewel, then immediately moving onto ‘brand supremacy’ show-jumping.

Of course we’ve seen hints of what the shows can be like, hence the dread.

18 minutes ago, The King Of Swing said:

It could be better than Wrestlemania 17 and I still wouldn't watch. I have some principles, not many but some.

For clarity, there’s no comment from me on that principle. 

It was more a note on WWE making the switch they likely couldn’t avoid, but then probably negating it by choosing the show and venue they did.

More than slightly tone deaf.

I think I read that the concept of the Fiend and the Firefly Funhouse came from Bray Wyatt himself more than from creative or Vince?

Call it a hunch, but I still don’t think WWE will get off lightly with this in the eyes of many. Mainly due to choice of show/country. 

I was always sold on Montez Ford (athleticism, photogenic, charisma unmatched by almost no-one else on the current roster and he’s for sharing, as Angelo Dawkins was ‘amateur wrestler 101’ before he came out of his shell and secured his roster spot as part of Street Profits) but that visual of him bonding with the baby, who reacted with a smile will make him (and the tag team, by extension) more relatable to more fans.

Seeing what they have done with Aleister Black the last couple of weeks reminds me of an interview Paul Heyman gave shortly after the deal to bring him to TNA in 2009 or 10 fell apart, where he said he wanted to bring (free agent at the time) Daniel Bryan in and have him run through the roster in 1 minute squashes where he’d get over a deadly submission in the process. 
This would have happened over the course of about a year, all the while building up another (monster) wrestler. Their paths would have eventually crossed with Bryan tapping him out as well... I think that was the plan.

I’d say keep an eye out on how much the announce team are produced to get over Black’s submission as time goes on...

He also wanted to get rid of all of the over 40’s minus Kurt Angle (and maybe 1 other?) and focus on building up the younger roster. See the general composition of the Raw roster, post-draft...

Lastly, I guess we can say that 205 isn’t long for the world. Carrillo, Tozawa, Gulak, LHP have all been removed from the show’s roster.
 

I’d say now we’ll see Heyman and Bischoff’s visions implemented.... but we know better.

I would have reached the same conclusion regarding the venue, but the Pay Per View is December 14th, and I believe there is a 3 day block of tapings from the studio on 14th-16th December.

I’d have to watch the show again... not that I mind, of course 😊

33 minutes ago, iPumaPants said:

For those of us unable to listen, could you perhaps tell us what the tapings are initially building towards?

Pay Per View in December. Lagana said the name will be revealed on tomorrow’s show.

https://www.postwrestling.com/2019/10/13/the-post-interview-nwa-vice-president-david-lagana/

Brief interview with David Lagana on the build up to the Powerrr tapings.

Minor spoilers included but it answers the question regarding what these tapings are initially building towards. (Though I was sure it was already public knowledge)

3 minutes ago, FelatioLips said:

I noticed that big ginger lad was one of the agents. Forget his name in TNA

Crimson

Though affecting the U.S, this might be one to keep an eye on...

The baseball TNT have on is slated to go long, meaning Dynamite could be broadcast on TruTV instead.

Its a late enough call that should the above happen many fans will tune into TNT, not find AEW, not bother to look for it and watch NXT instead.

It certainly makes the ratings battle from next week very interesting.
That is in respect of how many people they can recover after tonight from the likely lower number that were due to return after Week 1.

01:37am edit- Ultimately nothing to see here, it seems. TNT, it was, in the end.

Between this, MLW, and a smattering of Impact and New Japan, I sort of feel like I have my fix of wrestling.

I’m going to absolutely adore the rest of the series.