Mr Butternut Squash

Oh yeah, Nikki's great. I think she's got the promo chops and likability to be a big star in a good wrestling promotion. 

Let's be real though, she's already hit her ceiling in WWE. The fact they always script her with shit like, "I'm not the prettiest. . ." pretty much gives it away.

Of all the things for the internet to get up in arms over, Nikki Cross playing a superhero is an odd one. It's just Nikki being Nikki isn't it? There's far worse, detrimental stuff on this shitshow every week.

Looking at the state of this show, it's never been more obvious that in WWE, you're either Roman or you're nobody. It's why I've lost interest in the Tribal Chief thing. Roman's fantastic, and it's some of the best stuff they've ever written, but ultimately, what's the point? They're never gonna make a new babyface, and nothing else matters. Even Drew and Lashley are being distracted and rolled-up like every other meaningless dork.

The only endgame is Roman. Again, he's great. But it's seven years of it. Him blasting through go-nowhere midcarders and endlessly dominating every babyface until they're ready to pull the trigger on his babyface turn, just makes for joyless, unsatisfying viewing. We'll get to next Wrestlemania season with Smackdown's viewership doing 1.5's and everyone begging The Rock to come back. And the cycle starts all over again.

I'm forever amazed at their ability to take sure-fire stars and slowly reduce them into a tragic mess. The most successful segment of NXT's entire Wednesday night run was where cool, badass Shayna Baszler was finally dethroned by Hulk Hogan in waiting, Rhea Ripley. Now look at them. Running away from dolls and being disposable Charlotte fodder. So frustrating.

Oddly, I've never watched MMA but seen a fair bit of Japanese "shoot style", and using that as a comparison point I thought the Cage fight was piss weak. Despite doing the real thing, Hager just doesn't have the physical intensity to pull it off and Wardlow's striking was shockingly poor, even by worked pro-wrestling standards. I wouldn't discourage this sort of thing though, it's cool to try out different styles and the overall presentation was really solid. It just lacked any real oomph until MJF ran out. Who would have thought though, Dean Malenko and Ted Dibiase taking flat backs in the same week.  

I really like the Varsity Blondes. The gimmick is bang on and they really pop off the screen. Happy, likable underdog team that will one day make for a fantastic obnoxious heel group, I'm sure. The Miro angle was good simple stuff.

They should probably do more with Penelope Ford. I thought the pairing with Kip Sabian running outside interference had potential to it.

Darby Allin is really fucking special.

I love Vickie, but yeah. Time to pull back a bit. Early days but they're whiffing Britt's title run so far. Too much mid card silliness.

Speaking of which, Kenny Omega just isn't it is he. It's good that Miro's stepped up because Kenny's dragging the world title further and further down the card.

The FTR/Santana Ortiz package was bloody awesome. Such a great dynamic. The Andrade interview was well done too. Just solid, star-making stuff. The surprise HAS to be Thea Trinidad, surely?

 

Oof. Yeah, swing and a miss on their new theme. Very disappointing, generic rap-rock shite. Their previous was one of AEW's best themes and hit the spot for them, had a proper edge and groove to it.

The first time I saw Eddie Kingston was on some random Chikara show against Mike Quackenbush. What immediately struck me - other than those beautiful eyes - was how authentic he was. He just instantly came off like a real dodgy street scummer. But even better was the way he turned that on it's head, and by the end of the match was receiving genuine sympathy from the crowd, selling the leg like Ricky Steamboat, all while keeping the same sense of authenticity. It was awesome.

Before that I knew him as the promo guy that "Dean Ambrose rips off". So it's cool to see them be the best buddy team in wrestling. I'm so excited to see what he does at the New York show.

What is Thunder Rosa's contract situation anyway? It's crazy how little she's been featured since the Britt match.

That tennis stadium looks lush. Can't wait until they get the fuck out of Daily's Place to be honest.

 

Cameron Grimes is the only worthwhile babyface in the entire promotion.

Shayna Baszler ran away from a doll on Monday, yet the Seth Rollins and Bayley segment sounds like the worst shit they've ever done (this week). I thought Smackdown was the 'good' show?

Is Nyla a babyface now then? I honestly can't remember. Putting newly crowned heel champion Baker against a monster heel in her first feud seems too stupid for me to believe, especially with the amount of ready babyface challengers there are lined up.

Otherwise okay episode this week aside from The Factory/Nightmare Family stuff. It's impossible to care about, not even a Dustin promo to set up the main event. 

I love Vickie so didn't mind her introducing Andrade at all. It's an odd one though, it'll get him heat but maybe not the heat they want. There was a worrying amount of WWE feel about this episode. Holy shit though, Andrade!! They're so shit at introductions!

I'm loving how many over babyfaces AEW have, it's still a bit of a novelty. I'm digging The Inner Circle as the edgy super babyface team and I think even Hager has been putting some decent work in. As long as MJF gets a proper win in the end I'm pretty cool with the IC/Pinnacle stuff.

Miro's got good! I wasn't sure if it'd ever happen but I'm glad to see it. Scary motherfucker.

I always forget Colt Cabana is on the roster. Dark Order has felt pretty rudderless since Brodie's passing, Colt taking more of a lead on their promos would work for me.

Fucking dumb motherfuckers. 

Didn't they just bring Zelina Vega back into the fold? Releasing Black seems like petty cuntery.

 

WWE is complete rubbish. And that includes the laughably overrated Smackdown. AEW has it flaws but at least it resembles a living, breathing wrestling show. WWE is so far gone it barely merits discussion at this point. Utter fucking shite.

I've had 'Tarzan Boy' stuck in my head all day. What an inspired pick up that's turned out to be. The closing moments of the Battle royal and the post-match celebration was easily my highlight of the night. Must have watched it ten times already. What a fucking moment for Jungle Boy, and the noise and jubilation of the crowd brought tears out my fucking eyes. Everything I love about wrestling right there.

Cody . . . Well at least he's using the less shitty version of his theme. I did find it funny that the only time the crowd really turned on him is when he was trading fists with Ogogo. Even they saw through that shit.

 Too long as usual but otherwise great PPV. Wrestling is back!

Can't wait to hear the roar of the crowd again. A proper crowd. Adam Page's music should hit first and the building explodes.

Also really excited for the tag team title match. Young Bucks have been the highlight of Dynamite since they turned. What great, cocky shithead heels they've turned into, and they've found their footing as money TV stars in a way Kenny Omega just hasn't. And what's left to say about King and Mox? They're the best. I'd be genuinely gutted if they lost, and it's been years since I've felt that about a babyface. The character dynamic in this match is perfect.

Really enjoyed the last several dynamites. Really nicely paced fun stuff. 

If it was me I would totally pivot and stick the belt on Orange Cassidy at DON. He'll never be this high on the card again and it's perfect timing with the crowds starting to filter back in. That shot of him holding up the belt just felt right. Just a brief summer run will do, then switch back to Omega in a singles match a the next PPV. It's not like Omega is setting the world on fire.

Fuck Cody Rhodes and fuck QT Marshall though. Imagine not letting Ogogo cut a go-home promo and having QT do it instead. Fuck off.

Haha, oh yeah. Probably.

Very odd stuff. Typical WWE timing if anything comes of it because both promotions couldn't be less shit and irrelevant. 

Does that mean they're going back to house shows too or is that not confirmed?

 

I'm starting to love this guy. Totally rooting for Ogogo to gut punch that unaware, self-important prick into retirement.

I'm baffled by the Inner Circle/Pinnacle stuff. Surely Blood and Guts and Stadium Stampede should have been the other way round? Do you think they'll do Stampede live this time? Putting the hottest feud in a pre-tape match in front of the first full capacity crowd in over a year seems mental.

Seth Rollins is gonna end up being what ruins this Heel Roman thing isn't he. Keep them the fuck apart.

I loved the first two thirds of Blood and Guts. Really captured that visceral energy of the classic wargames matches and hearing proper crowds again made the whole thing so electrifying. It was great to hear the star reactions to Sammy, Santana/Ortiz and MJF. They all got elevated. 

It's funny reading all the backlash to the crash mat spot. It barely registered with me. I was too busy being fucking MAD that they left the cage and climbed it in the first place. Fucks sake lads, it's the first one! Keep it inside. All that drawn out shit at the end didn't fit the tone of the match at all and it was so disappointing to watch it play out. It all went a bit NXT/WWE, all contrived, like. Very deflating and antithetical to the wild, heated brawl it was before. It's my fault for being an old knobhead I guess, expecting Sting's Squadron vs Dangerous Alliance. And Jericho did flat out say this would be it's own thing to be fair to him. But AEW need a strong curator yesterday.

Was Chris already on the piss up? I've never seen Jericho like that before. He was worryingly bad in that match.

I fell in love with Orange Cassidy all over again last week so I'm all over this OC vs Omega match. (Although it's Omega vs Kingston in the ideal world.) The Penta match was cracking last week and it's generally the most vital OC's felt since last February. It must be that bloody Pixies song.

Have to assume Joe wanted to wrestle and they wouldn't clear him. Thought he had lifer written all over him. Shocker. Mickie James surely still has a lot to offer too. I think they'd be great for AEW.

With Billie Kay you'd think WWE is the ideal place for her. They're fucking broken.

Love how they didn't mess about and was straight into it with the new heel Young Bucks. Great way to kick off the show. Finally they're just running with being utter pricks with the fake Dior's, frilly headbands and mid-90s HBK regalia and I love it. Good Brothers really need to go though. I'm actually quite partial to Gallows in-ring but Anderson is shite and their patter is fucking horrendous. "Good promo!" Legit cringeworthy stuff.

She looks TREMENDOUS and could be moulded into something special. Now though? Kris Stantlander looks nowhere near ready to be doing the moves she's doing. I genuinely fear for her opponents when she's wrestling. 

Tazz is a hilarious grumpy bastard and he brought some life out of Christian this week. More promo's with them ripping the shit out of each other please.

I could watch Dax Harwood wrestle all day tbh.

There was a time when I would have killed for a Kyle O' Reilly singles push. But him as a super serious babyface having phoney epics with Adam Cole just isn't it for me. Massive shame.

What happened to him? Doesn't he even watch anymore?