Chili

Toni Storm is magnificent, what a sign off. 

Got to add how fantastic Hangman Adam Page cemented his heel turn by hitting a ref! Not just hit, absolutely mauled him and threw him out the ring. Tremendous final turn of form, heel unhinged 'BUT I'M FUCKING RIGHT!' Hangman Adam Page is going to be amazing. Him and Swerve can feud for as long as they want. What a mad run to find your career rival and just have blinders.

Amazing show but fucking hell Christian Cage hitting a career best peak at 50 years old is still marvellous to me. I bet he's bloody dancing on air in this run. Never has someone loved being such an absolute arsehole. He's world class as this.

EIGHT HOUR AEW STING TIMELINE!!!

Yes, please!

I can't believe they're landing Hangman and Swerve slowly turning and so almost naturally. The Texas Death Match was all about this absolute sociopath getting his comeuppance from a fiery babyface wanting to completely end him because Swerve was an absolute shit bag rat, but Page fell at the hurdle, because Swerve had a point to prove and he's a sick fuck. Now two months or so later the sociopath has through the tide of the mood of the crowd and his pure confident swagger won the crowd over, made him a tweener leaning to a face because even though he's a prick who doesn't care about you or anyone, we know being the first African American champion means THE WORLD to him. It's the little chink of light in his cold armour and it makes him somewhat kinda worth rooting for.

Then Hangman, who isn't a bad person has gone completely out of his tree because this guy, THIS FUCKING GUY who has been a relentless prick and broke in his gaff, not only beats him, but gets rewarded for it and gets in Page's mind, appreciated by fans who seem to not give a fuck about Page's issue with him. Hanger still has his supporters but they're dwindling because while he's absolutely right, he's become such a whinging twat about it that he doesn't care how it looks now. I love that it's only with Swerve that he's like this too. He doesn't act the prick to anyone else, but he's being a surly arsehole. I'm sure eventually because people can't enjoy it that they'll be some 'ughh why do people think this is as good as Austin/Bret' but it's glorious seeing it in real time. They haven't hit you on the head with it, you've just been getting good healthy story beats. Illogical or not (you want illogical, Swerve Strickland took a camera in Hangman Page's house) but who cares because it's great.

I FUCKING LOVE SEEING IT.

2 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

I saw someone comment on this, about how Hollywood films tend to shy away from really showing drug abuse in biopics, so you just end up with this vague sense that someone just got addicted to "partying" in the vaguest of senses.

Was it Tod Gordon who told the story of bringing in Kerry as a surprise under a mask, having to explain it to him a dozen times, and then him walking out for his match, in the mask, but with a robe with "KERRY" written across the back?

It was, you can even watch the match online. It's from January 1993 and it's a bit of a sad sight. I always felt really bad for Kerry on account that so many of his co-workers tended to really like him regardless of being in a near constant pill fog.

39 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

I saw a theory from ProWrestling.net's Jason Powell on what might happen on Sunday, which seems worryingly plausible - Ric Flair costs Sting and Darby the tag match, leading to Sting challenging Flair to an impromptu match, which Sting quickly wins; squashing Flair - allowing him to end his career against the guy. I hadn't even considered that this might happen, but I could absolutely see them do that. 

I might be in the minority here, but I think Bryan Danielson might be the most boring man on the AEW roster right now. I guess he's on his retirement tour, wrestling the people he wants to wrestle, but he feels so purposeless in the wider context of the company. I thought he'd be a brilliant signing for AEW, but he has so little value. It's a shame, because I was a huge fan of his. His matches are still superb, but he's not the big star he could be. 

Also, I'd completely forgotten about the Continental Crown. 

I'd have quite liked to have seen Nick Wayne win the International Title. Yeah, we have the PPV match to consider, but it would have gone some way towards making these matches feel unpredictable going forward. Plus, Wayne is more interesting than Roderick Strong. The Dynamic between Christian and his protégée, with them both being belt holders, would have been a lot of fun. 

The Hangman Page ruse...the segment was good, but it didn't really make sense. What was he going to do if Swerve didn't turn up, or hung around on the ramp like Joe? 

Any positives? I thought that was a fun go home episode. Trios Match was good, good bit of further scran on the TBS title, Hangman's 'swerve' had some logic potholes but I think we've seen worse and it's actually a silly logic hole I've seen I'm WWE, TNA and several indy promotions. Please don't ever bring up that Flair idea again. You're know what wrestlers are like 😂🫣

That entrance from Sting at the end will get some shit opinions, but I saw no problem in doing it given that you know, they obviously got professionals in and there was absolutely no fucking about.

Some welcome relief here for wrestling fans. AEW don't have to produce nearly two dozen vignettes explaining a load of back stories now.

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/darby-allin-sting-aew-wrestling

Darby Allin has written a Players Tribune article about Sting. I'm aware it's Darby Allin so I'm just posting the link for anyone who wants a mooch.

The moment he stands up for himself against DiBiase at Royal Rumble 1991 will always be absolutely fantastic, and for a very limited worker his facial expressions in that segment are bob on. I always really liked the Summerslam '91 match too. Unfortunately he has the handicap of being a supplementary character to a bigger act so he was always going to struggle once that angle ended.

Also kinda enjoyed him and the gofer/warm body hanger on for the nWo and his little AEW cameos brought a smile out of me. 

RIP Soul Train Jones / Virgil / Vincent / Shane / Curly Bill.

Don't try and sunset flip YAKAZUMA mate.

If you feel it's immoral to watch wrestling because of some of the types involved, and don't eat certain bread because of a CEO or because a musician is difficult then you have to be hard-line about everything surely. No exceptions. Some drugs are illegal, so you'd have to be against anyone or any art influenced by that surely too. Absolutely any company that's ethically difficult in the past would be a no go? That's practically nearly everything. For what? I don't think anyone would be impressed and it just affects the one person. You'd be denying yourself of everything bar Daniel O'Donnell records. 

11 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

Sorry to go back to something hours ago but I was working.

My post was in good faith by trying to raise your awareness of how you behave and how your posts are perceived sometimes. There's very much an "I'm right and everyone else is wrong" mentality a lot of the time, and this can lead you into arguments that go round and round and round. I've been in them! And I get it, I completely understand why you are how you are and why you see things in certain ways, which is why I think sometimes you need someone to point things out to you or explain why people react the way they do.

So I hope you can take that on board rather than your natural reaction which is to just fling it back and blame the other person. Not trying to start an argument or anything but we've had other cases where actually sometimes just people need a little guidance, they've listened and actually become better posters because of it. It's obvious that you're a decent bloke and a decent poster and there's stuff there that's a worthy contribution. I just understand why people can get a little frustrated with the approach.

I'd just rather be level headed with you than keep falling into the trap of pointless endless arguments and frustration which is easy to do.

I'm more excited for you guys sexual tension that Ruby Soho and Cool Hand Ang.

24 minutes ago, gmoney said:

I'm struggling to see how your partner living in France has a bearing on that anecdote? Hope your sternum recovers quickly though. 

I'm in France, sorry typed it all arse backwards.

Just now, Devon Malcolm said:

Not another Mondeo, was it?

(get better soon!)

Oh that's a lovely reference. 

Wait for it, my partner lives in France, I was cutting a tree and I've accidentally bruised my sternum pushing the sheers against a hard branch. It's hurts like hell.

Then a Mondeo laughed.

2 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

I hope you feel better soon and at least you have an excuse for lurking. The rest of us should be getting on with all sorts of stuff yet here we are idling our time away. 

Yeah yeah, you got a job, WORKERS RIGHTS etc 

I just think he was playing into that very strange discourse people have about the gall for two promotions to exist and probably says more about their lack of anything else in their lives. I think we're all a bit more sane than that but we're all still a bag of odd morals. Example Rooster mentioned AEW has an army of sex pests yet I'll still dip into the product because I need some form of wrestling in my life, but I've not gave WWE a chance since the sportswashing in Saudi and the fact that Vince McMahon turned out to be worse than anyone else bar maybe the murderer he covered for. Delightfully complex messes the lot of us.

Sorry, I've hurt myself yesterday and literally have nowt better to do than lurk here today 🫣

7 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

Sorry, what has happened? 

 

Ice Cube's thick as fuck son is one of them needs vignettes for everyone and who are these Mexican/Japanese lads eh types. A twitter tribal wrestling fan essentially. He'd have fucking loathed WCW. No I'm not an AEW ultra either, it's a knackering circular discourse.

1 minute ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

The roster has been bloated like Bloaty McBloatface since day one and continues to be. I don't see the outcry that Saint Tone has signed yet more people he doesn't know how to book effectively. Besides Punk AEW signed 26 other wrestlers in 2021, yet its Punk's fault that the roster was becoming bloated. Start up a thread calling Fuego Del Sol a cunt and you might have a point. Do you and the other AEW fans share an equal ambivalence to the 29 wrestlers Tony signed in 2022 or the 19 in 2023? I know I was beside myself with excitement when Stu Grayson became All Elite. 

So you're not an AEW fan? I know Scorch is a big fan, but you don't seem to be and ergo you'll never find a mutual ground here really will ya. Yeah I know, discussion forum and everything like.

Punk was really good at getting HIS fans to believe in him and that he was their mate. Bit of Brewdog Phil. It's a really unique connection he has with his fans, but it also seems to programme them that he really can't do wrong and that if he mouths off or throws the first punch or fucks over his mate then it's justified because they're not to his standards or simply because it's him. On the flip side he genuinely backs trans and women's rights openly not just because his character as a bit of an outsider (millionaire one at that) feels appropriate but because people think he's a bit flimsy that he's just making the statements to look good. Also we wrestling fans definitely digest people and their actions differently sometimes depending on that persons outlook, which Punk always felt a bit more 'real' about.

So basically, I like him but he's a flighty fucker sometimes and has a bit of a complex about his worth, a generational clash he probably never expected to have given one time he was the younger generation that knew better. Doesn't need to say fuck all about Vince either and I'm sure when the time comes he will because he won't be able to help himself, but he's probably read what Cena said and thought 'nah, not that thick.' 

It's Triple H & John Laurentis possibly going down where he'll really let loose one day. Not a chance he doesn't still fucking despise them.

41 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

Reminds me of when I found out Alice Deejay was a group name and not actually the singer. Still disappointed by that.

Fucking hell this isn't the Today I Learned thread!?!?

42 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Still think it's weird they ran with the Triple H=great technician narrative for so long. He's a pretty brilliant brawler but a fairly lousy technician. 95% of his offence is based around irish whips! 

Yeah but he does that alternative version of the Indian Deathlock so he's fucking Karl Gotch innit.

One we all remember and it's still the absolute dog's bollocks. Daylight, all the green foam fingers, the noise of that crowd. UYUURRRRGHHHHH, WHAT A RUSH!

THE DUMMIES DRIVING THE BIKE!!!

Jake & Martel work a match where two people 'can't see' as perfect as can be. Simple spots, some gaga from Martel and Roberts being super smart in how to get a crowd popping by POINTING vaguely at wherever Martel is. That's probably a great example of the 'psychology' Roberts is acclaimed for. I think it's snobbery. Now the James Storm/Chris Harris one though... Fucking hell!

Brody King and Julia Hart reminds me of that bit in the Simpsons where Maggie pals up with the grizzly bear.