d-d-d-dAz

They should use it to turn her unemployed.

I fucking LOVE the idea of a Game of Thrones style run for Paul, where he is the terrified aide of a King he can't abide but equally can't escape. Fucking hell. Incredible idea.

Iran don't really have the military or political capability to bring the world kicking and screaming into World War 3, for those scared by such things. I'm a very skittish reader of international relations, but even I struggle to get there with Iran. It could easily descend into a regional cluster fuck, but neither Russia or China are desperate to jump in and Russia are actually using the crisis to try and look like the international grown ups. In the game of 'are we fucked?' Top Trump's, the winning card is still very much 'Russia in Eastern Europe'.

Typically I'd be wary of any match booked because the promoter has already decided is going to be match of the year. They're usually matches that flatter to deceive, or as its colloquially called; 'The AJ Styles Paradox' That said, it's Bryan Danielson and I'm not sure he's capable of disappointing me.

The Iranian's just wanted to show strength, and then twist it to sell their people a massive victory. In reality they couldn't have given Israel more notice, allowing them to get their defences together and avoid massive casualties. Iran really don't want this to escalate, so providing Israel aren't ham fisted in their response this is likely just an irresponsible flash point, rather than a precursor towards a major war. So, we just have to rely on Israeli calm headedness and instinct for proportional responses. That's good, then.

@garynysmon I don't watch TNA, but based on your video above I went down a rabbit hole and now I think I believe in Joe Hendry. Who is this man? Is he any good?

Riddle. Birds and flip flops. Horrendous. I'd rather have no entrances than watch that again.

The most interesting thing about Solo is how he can seemingly turn aura on or off. Sometimes he can be either completely anonymous or wallpaper or window dressing. Other times he can completely chew scenery and dominate attention. If its an ability he has, he's got a bright future. If it's accidental, he's going to have to work really hard to maintain his level throughout his career. When he switches it on though, there's really something there.

Jacob Fatu is nicknamed the Samoan Werewolf, I think. If he does come in on the side of Solo and Tama, they'd be mad not to be the Samoan Wolfpac.

Cody has a tendency to drop in references that whistle past people's head. Again, I preface this by saying that I loved his return and am delighted he finished his story, but he is a bizarre alien of a man, who's nowhere near as clever as he thinks he is. I think the root of so much of his act is the alien impulse to imitate the humans he admires, and copy the sort of thing he thinks big stars do; wear the suit (but get it slightly wrong by being OTT), get tattoos (but get it slightly wrong by being OTT) and talk with intelligence (but get it slightly wrong by being OTT). I think the insider references fit in the same bracket, as it's a well worn trope in wrestling, but he goes a bit too deep, a bit too niche and no one really gets it. I still haven't unclenched from his oblique Bullet Club reference the other week that no one got. Something to do with cufflinks. Still... WOAAAA-OOAAAAHHHH!!

Yeah, I'm not hugely arsed by Tama Tonga or Jacob Fatu or whatever other last minute ingredients they chuck in the stew to bulk it out. I'd have been perfectly happy if the word 'Bloodline' had been retired until Roman and Rock were ready to come back. Alas. Maybe Manu can make a comeback? AJ Styles vs Cody should be a fun nothing title match. As much as I love him, Cody's promos can be unlistenably annoying if you're not in the mood. A 'wartime overture' was it? You absolute sausage. Never change.

I think there is something in the idea that Vince and his approach to business and search for a monopoly, combined with the emergence of Hulk Hogan (with his incredible connection with audiences) being a unique, once in a generation mix that allowed wrestling to grow into what we know now. I think without that, wrestling either develops into something completely different to what we see now or has to wait much longer to catch on. I don't think there's a chance it doesn't exist though.

This forum is full of people batting eyelids. We do nothing but. That, and talking about chippy tea's.

Not sure I've seen a single person loving Triple H in here. I don't think everything is so reductive as to come down to 'which side are you on?' Ospreay's joke was dated and shit, and should never have made the air. Triple H probably shouldn't be talking about people who don't work for him in the media, as its fuck all to do with him why someone chooses not to work for that company. If wrestling has taught us anything, it should be that it's absolutely possible for everyone involved to be wrong at the same time.

🎶 Look in my eyes, what do you see? ...A prick cursed with mediocrity 🎶

That's the great thing about them, visually they can look quite cool... but they're still ice, ice cold. Karrion Kross is the problem. He has the opposite of aura. You know how some people are so charismatic they demand your attention and draw the eye, even in a still image? He's the opposite of whatever that is. His presence is completely overpowered by Ellering, Scarlett and the big lads. You know that cliche about good wrestlers dragging a decent match out of a broom? If Karrion Kross wrestled a broom, the broom would get the credit. Useless lump. As I've said before, he looks like a bad drawing of CM Punk done by someone who doesn't like CM Punk. Absolutely useless.

After seeing it, give him another seven. No real reason, I just don't want to lose the one positive that came from this shite.

On balance, I think the Ospreay promo might be dumber. "You know that lad that everyone in the sport just spent a weekend sucking off? ...yeah, yeah that one. The guy who's at the top of a company that's going through a near universally recognised purple patch in terms of their creative? ...that's him. Yep, the company that routinely smash financial and viewership records. Well that guy, the one that even our top lads like Adam Cole share misty eyed messages of love about, well get this... twenty years ago he shagged Stephanie McMahon. I know, what a loser..." At least the Punk stuff is modern and tedious. Ospreay's joke would have died a death ten years ago.

I tell you what, this thread isn't doing anything to dispel the idea AEW isn't very fun at the minute. Good grief.

I should move on, but I have one last thought... Does it look any different to how anyone imagined it? Honestly, down to Punk's response on his Instagram Stories, suggesting he did it to get out of the company, it's all so boringly predictable too. And, it hasn't made me care about Bucks/FTR. All that said, Dynasty has the potential to be an absolute banger of a show from an in-ring perspective. Okada/Pac and Ospreay/Danielson on the same show is almost too exciting. One of those shows i'll book the Monday off (or at least the morning) to make sure I can watch spoiler free.

Genuinely laughed out loud at this. Well, that's made it all worth it.

Honestly, thought you had me with a cogent point but couldn't help yourself with the follow up right hook. I just think it's all such a shame, and so tedious. And the worst part is, the absolute worst part, is for all everyone's bickering I think the people who think everyone involved are goofballs is the majority of wrestlers. They're all fucking mates. They probably look at fans having these endless back and forths and think 'fucking idiots'. The closest anyone's got to putting into words how I imagine most wrestlers actually think was my man Cope last week. Its all wrestling. Watch what you like, ignore what you don't. Swerve's getting a push. That's what I'm going to focus on. The rest is toxic waste off an old man's back.

I think I'm just going to watch Adam Copeland matches in future and just enjoy the wrestling, like he dreamt it.

I, for one, am stunned that this has changed nobody's opinion and was a complete waste of time. Still, Will Ospreay recycled a joke he heard 20 years ago so alls well. I bet Edge is delighted he did that promo. I thought everything else on the show was good, but all anyone will care about is the Punk footage and Ospreay promo and I thought they were both beyond shit. In a week where WWE reminded everyone how wrestling can be fun, AEW reminded me how fucking petty and pathetic it can be. Yes, I know WWE are just as bad, but at least they didn't put it all over their actual product. Which, ironically, was the same opinion I held before Dynamite and it hasn't changed at all. Funny that.