d-d-d-dAz

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3VzDUaO4Yw/?igsh=cHZ0dXluOGJoeDNr

Cody and Seth going on the Grayson Waller Effect in Australia.

Either Rock and Roman are sneakily booking flights as we speak, or they're going to further the tension between Cody and Seth ahead of the big betrayal at Wrestlemania...

...sorry @Supremo 😔

4 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said:

 

I'm already back to the point where I can't wait for him to be back, and am utterly convinced his return will be entirely free of incident or injury.

What a man 🤩

12 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Go on. One more person suggest that Roman is retaining at Wrestlemania, due to a Seth heel turn or otherwise. I fucking dare you.

 

I wonder if 'conflicting emotions' has ever been listed as Cause-Of-Death on an official death certificate?

I guess we'll find out if Mox returns to reform The Shield against Cody and his mates.

Yeah, I think they could try and be clever (again).

https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1516397/mark-henry-lays-wwe-can-prolong-cody-rhodes-roman-reigns-program-september/

Ol' salmon jacket is beating the drum. 

There is something really wrong with wrestling people.

Absolutely in pieces at Cody's promo.

I'm not sure he even checks that the fancy words make sense in the context of what he's saying anymore.

What an absolutely wonderful lunatic.

Seth saying he'll be Cody's 'shield'... the fix is in lads. Roman Reigns, #AndStill.

Nuts that Solo murdered John Cena and no one cares. Poor Cena. 

1 minute ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Of course, he's going to turn on Rhodes and cost him the title at Wrestlemania but even so.

Big time.

That was my major takeaway... Cody may actually not finish the story, and their so-called 'pivot' may just be long-grassing what they wanted to do all along.

Don't want Cody/Seth for the World Title at Mania? Don't want Rock/Roman for the WWE Title at Mania? Fine... see you in August, dickheads.

I think there is a very real chance that they've convinced themselves that Cody winning Seth's title is a good enough conclusion to the 'finish the story' nonsense.

9 minutes ago, OzExile said:

I don't get the tag match at all.  But if we're swerving, can we let Rollins go on his merry way to do the WHC thing and bring in the Usos to make it a 3 on 2? 

I'm sure there is a way of them sports entertaining us into wanting to see the match, or a turn on the night to make it interesting, but unless Rock / Roman is going after Seth's belt he might as well just go back to what he was doing.    

Unless the Chamber is purely an exhibition match and they do a second take of Rock taking the title match at Mania away from the no.1 contender...Imagine! 

I suspect the tag match, should it happen, will be built on a foundation of 'we're here all year round carrying the company and then in you Swan and try and steal Mania from us'.

As 'shit yourself' change of plans go, it's fine I guess.

I wouldn't rule out Rock/Roman v Uso's at Summerslam.

Probably a tag match on night 1, going off the trailer that aired during the Super Bowl.

You're very kind @Egg Shen but you have also forced me down memory lane.

If anyone wants to see a man completely out of his depth and like a deer in the headlights, I offer you me hosting the Ennis Brown vs Maxwell fight week press conference as Dev was in Vegas; 

12 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

I speak as a fan Daz, you speak as someone who actually knows these guys and has a take a million times better than mine. Its easy to forget that you know Frank Warren, you worked for him, it must colour how you see fights and fighters incredibly. 

I don't know that my take is better, as its incredibly bias for lots of reasons.

I'd have swore blind Dubois was going to put Joe Joyce down, for example.

Whilst I'm indulging myself, my favourite picture from my boxing years; https://www.instagram.com/p/COnnay_h8Tn/?igsh=MTR5aHAxdndrZnRwYQ==

That's me in the Champion hoodie 🤣

I'm not for a second excusing what Nash said, but I don't think there's necessarily a deeper reason for his views. I don't think it has to be that he's protecting his mate or is worried about himself. I just think there's a sub-section of a certain generation of men who have never been able to develop their views on consent.

To them, consent is a binary with no nuance, and even if a hyper powerful man like Vince uses his power (whether with explicit threats of firing someone, or implicitly with gifts or promotions) to induce someone into sex, the fact that person may have begrudgingly said yes, or simply felt they had to play along, in the moment means its an open and shut case.

The problem is they'll surround themselves with people who think the same, and never get challenged on it. 

9 hours ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

I can’t buy into them since learning they live the gimmick and Valhalla has shared her racist views on her socials before via the boogaloo boy movement.

Whilst I don't really have an opinion either way, it's Erik and Valhalla who seem like they might have strayed a little off the reservation. They go to viking re-enactments, seem to have strange views and Erik has some very questionable tattoos.

Ivar, outside of wrestling, just looks like he plays computer games and likes big sandwiches. Outside of sharing WWE stuff, his social output is just him and his wife either having nice holidays or rescuing dogs. He seems to be a pretty good egg.

13 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

I think the first of those two is the more interesting fight Dazzler, and I say that knowing full well that Heaney has beaten Bentley.  I think Heaney will struggle than anymore than the level he is at as he seems to lack power in his punches and Sheeraz will need to be deterred by what is coming back to get him put of his gameplan. Also it gives you more of a straight measure on where he is as Bentley went 12 rounds with Janibek. 

I tend to agree, but if I was Hamzah I'd be banging the door down for the Heaney fight.

Nathan is a very good fighter, but British level is probably as high as he can get. He's worked very hard since I first saw him (Midlands Mayhem, November 2019 - I worked it with an absolute shite of a hangover, one of the days that went on to inform my teetotalism), especially on moving his head and feet, and having a bit of looseness through his waist. 

He looks a much more accomplished fighter these days, but I still think he's easily dragged into wars by average fighters and struggles to push people back with his power. His jab doesn't really snap either, it sort of hinges down from his elbow like a semi-flaccid hammer.

I think Hamzah probably beats him quite easily. Stick it in Stoke, or Manchester or something, and have it in front of 3,000 of Nathan's closest friends and Hamzah will look a huge star in victory.

Denzel  - who, full transparency, I consider a mate and have worked with a bunch of times both inside and outside of boxing - is a much better fighter than the Nathan fight showed. I think he just suffered with favourites curse a bit, plus he's an assassin who capitalises on mistakes and Nathan, to his credit, made very few. Denzel can sometimes be guilty of being a bit laid back when he doesn't feel in danger, and is happy waiting for opportunities to present. I doubt he'd approach a Hamzah fight that way, knowing what Hamzah is capable of.

I'd love to see it, but I can't see why Hamzah would take it unless he has to. I suspect he'll be made mandatory for the British at the next opportunity.

9 hours ago, NeverYield said:

Fancy Alimkhanuly to beat Sheeraz.

Sure, but I also fancy Tyson Fury to beat Johnny Fisher.

Hamzah is nowhere near being compared directly to the elite of the elite. He's not even won a British yet. The question now should be whether he goes on to beat Denzel Bentley or Nathan Heaney.

I think he'll struggle to get credit for last night because of how easily he did the job, but even if you take Liam out of the picture (which I don't fully buy, I think Liam was a very good test at this stage of Hamzah's development) Hamzah's fundamentals were superb, his jab looks world class and the prospect of being in there with a rough, nasty old man who'd beaten up tall middleweights before didn't stop him executing his plan.

I think there was enough in that performance to say he could be the real deal, but that doesn't mean you just chuck him in at the deep end right away. 

On Liam, he's obviously on the downswing but I don't think he's much nearer his bottom than his top. He's always been a vicious little bastard, but probably topped out at British or at best European level. I'll never forget being ringside for him dicing up Alantez Fox. Possibly his best performance, considering Fox was rated highly at the time.

That jab. Gee whizz.

The Bradley Skeete fight did Hamzah the world of good. Taught him not to get frightened by the idea of someone just turning it into a bar fight. 

He could be the real deal.

2 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

Firstly, I hate how the brand split has gone out of the window for Seth’s challenger. What is the belt if not the Raw title? I’m more interested in Gunther’s challenger than Seth’s at this point. It’s hard to create value to the second new World title belt created in the space of five(ish) years. 

To be fair, the WWE title is potentially going to a Raw star, so I think there's an easy justification for opening up the World Title scene to Smackdown in this Mania season. But, presumably Drew wins at the Chamber.

15 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

Wait. I'm in Ipswich. Does that make me on call by default? I'm not sure I like where this is going. It's a big responsibility if Cody doesn't finish his story so Daz finishes his.

You'll be alright Dave, I don't actually mind Roman too much and I'll be in the sunlit uplands of Camden that day.

Triple H is on Smackdown tonight addressing the fallout from the press conference.

Hope he strips Rollins of the world title and gifts it to Logan Paul.

3 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

Best let us know what Travel Lodge it is mate, just in case one of us has to come and talk you down off the roof.

Send one of you lot and i'll fasten my Cody duvet cover round my neck like a cape and take my chances with the fall.

4 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

Come on. Daz has just settled into bed under his lovely Cody duvet at the Travelodge. Let him enjoy the moment for now.

GoodRashers is only a few hours removed from bemoaning the fact that I'd gone slightly doolally, yet here he is wishing it on himself.

One of the things I forgot to mention, The Rock - for as much as I'm not a fan of his usual stick - is such a pro. He knew his assignment was to slowly move the room towards a solid pro-Cody stance, and they way he seamlessly settled into the WHAT chant groove in his promo to allow the crowd to get on his case naturally was expertly done.

Those awful WHAT chants mostly derail promos, or someone is good enough to shut them down. I've never seen anyone so good that they can embrace them, make them part of the game he's playing and it not seem awkward or obvious - and be completely confident that the promo isn't going to go down in flames.

Right.

In the spirit of full transparency, I'm currently a little off centre as I'm spending Mon-Fri each week at a Travelodge* on my own as my wife is yet to be convinced by my big career move from the Oval to Portman Road. Couple that with little sleep and I fear you didn't get the sober analysis you've come to expect from me last night.

So, having had a day to cool off and watch with fresh eyes, I have thoughts;

Ultimately, they've ended up back where I wanted them to with Cody/Roman, so I'm happy and looking forward to Mania again.

Also, if last night can be considered as Day 1 of the Wrestlemania build, then I think were in for a treat as - like people have said - wrestling can be at its best when it's at its most chaotic.. providing there's a clear, consistent sense of character, which there definitely wasn't prior to last night, and which they now seem to be moving towards.

That said, I struggle with people who believe it was a work, as we certainly haven't ended up in a better place for anyone. Cody is potentially not quite as popular as he was, as there's definitely going to be people who'd prefer The Rock to be in the main event, and that wasn't a binary choice they needed to be presented with; The Rock is now filling a bit of a square peg role, as though he'll undoubtedly be more interesting as a heel, it's probably not the best use of such a big star; Roman seems diminished next to The Rock, like a little brother or the support act for The Beatles; Seth Rollins is somehow more pitiful.

I just don't see a world where this was a work, as they've ended up exactly where everyone always thought they were going - only with potentially some more pissed off fans than were necessary. They've basically gone from London to Coventry, via Azerbaijan. A completely needless, defeatist detour.

The only argument for it being a work is that they did only care about pushing Vince out of the press, and the bruised reputations of their biggest stars were a price they were willing to pay.

Still, they've got me back in my Cody bed spread. So that's good.

*Yes. I know. How very Partridge of me.

13 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

 

What on earth are you on about?

I don't know mate. I didn't sleep. Leave off.

Just seen someone suggest that they should have Austin in Cody's corner and Rock in Roman's, in the ultimate 'YES 1999 WAS BETTER BUT THESE ARE THE CLOSEST WEVE GOT NOW' type match.

I'm in.

Lads, Cody's finishing the story.