TLC - it’s really soon

[UK Kat Von D]

8 hours ago, Supremo said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhoZ40puo2A#t=21m22s

Daniel Bryan cuts a hell of a go-home promo on some throwaway WWE.com show.

I hope he makes a Vegan WWE Title belt. RIP Daisy the Cow.

 

Isn’t it too soon to turn him back face though?

[Supremo]

In terms of main roster pay per views this was one of the best shows of the year. For as dull and uninspiring as their writing is, there’s no denying how talented the roster are bell to bell. 

Considering how many fantastic performances she’s had this year you’d think the novelty of Ronda wrestling would’ve worn off by now, but it hasn’t. I’m still blown away by her whenever she’s on the big stage. It’s absolutely ludicrous how good she is. A woman who’s been wrestling less than a year has given Nia Jax the two best matches of her career by a huge, huge margin. Terrible makeup again though. 

I fucking LOVED Stone Cold Becky Lynch smashing up Nia backstage. All it was missing was her putting Nia in a box and labelling it “OVW.” Hopefully that’s the pay off to Nia and Becky’s deal because Becky is far too good to be wasting time with Jax.

LOL at Seth and Dean getting boring chants. Sorry lads, but you completely deserve it given this dogshit feud. That these are the same guys who had that blistering Lumberjack match all those years ago proves how badly they’ve fucked this up.

Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles was really great. It finally feels like Daniel Bryan is back. He feels like a huge deal and you can tell he’s having the time of his life having the creative freedom to do new stuff. Brilliant finish, too. The heel doesn’t always have to win by nutshot behind the ref’s back for me to want to see a rematch. I’m far more excited to see these two have more matches together than I ever was when they were doing screwy finishes in the Samoa Joe and Nakamura feuds.

The Baron Corbin thing was one of the better pay-offs they’ve done in recent years. I genuinely can’t remember the last time they did such a simple happy ending to a storyline. I wouldn’t say it made all those heat segments and the dreadful television these past few months worth it, but still. At least we got to see some fun, cathartic closure. I’ll be super disappointed if they somehow renege on this and Vince gives Baron his job back or something. It’s totally time to take Corbin off television for a while. His character is absolutely toxic. He’s fucking dreadful as a performer, too. 

The rest of it was exploitative shit, but Liv Morgan took the bump of her life in that tables match. Fair play.

Brilliant main event, with a really great cliffhanger finish. I’m genuinely interested in where it goes next. Proper brutal stuff, this was up there with the best women’s matches in main roster history. God bless Asuka, too. That ROAR from the crowd when they realised she was winning was a true testament to how good she is. No-one else who’d spent the last six months losing to Carmella and dancing with Noami would still be this over.

I’m assuming it’s a Triple Threat at Wrestlemania, but personally I’d still prefer Becky and Ronda in a singles match. Either way though, I’m praying they start the women’s Royal Rumble by announcing, “and THE MAN who’s drew number one...”

And then Becky wins from the Number 1 slot, eliminating at least fifteen to twenty entrants herself.

Thumbs up.

 

[Callum1993]

15-20 entrants by herself? Come on now. 

[Supremo]

My mistake.

29.

[SuperBacon]

I never ever thought I would enjoy a Nia Jax Match. That’s how good a performer Rousey is.

[PunkStep]

1 hour ago, SuperBacon said:

I never ever thought I would enjoy a Nia Jax Match. That’s how good a performer Rousey is.

Watch her matches against Asuka, they're really good.

And remember, it takes two to tango. Jax was probably the vet leading the rookie Rousey through the match last night

[BomberPat]

Not to downplay how quickly she's picked things up, but Ronda's clearly a "project" for them, and everything she does is going to be under a microscope. Whoever's agenting her matches (and I'd love to know who is) is probably devoting more time to them than the rest of the show put together, and micro-managing every little detail.

 

The thing that's inordinately bothering me from the little bits I've seen of this show is how glossy and professional the Jim Neidhart gimmicked table looks. No one's looking at it and genuinely believing that it's something the Riott Squad have done off their own back - it should be a little rougher around the edges, the picture stuck on with electrical tape, and generally look more like it's Ruby messing with Nattie off her own back, rather than something the WWE props department have put together. 

[Fatty Facesitter]

Really surprised at how good the show was - had little hope for it going in but happy to be proven wrong. Main event was incredible! 

Not sure where the blame lies with Seth/Dean. Think the style they worked in the match initially did them no favours whatsoever but the build up had been dreadful anyway. I think it's just too transparent for the audience to truly invest in. They know it's only come to fruition because they had to re-book everything following Roman's absence, and they've been forcing the issue with stuff like Dean's ridiculous faux-Bane costume etc and it's just fallen on its arse completely. It's turned a lot of people off. Remarkable really when you consider that Seth was red hot following Wrestlemania and they kept sticking him with Ziggler which just sucked the life out of his momentum, while Ambrose looked incredible when he came back and has now become just another guy, almost a parody of himself. I also think there's a perception issue here when it comes to the IC title. It doesn't suddenly become a main event belt hen the Universal title isn't around, and all it does is remind people that as much as they want to bill this as a main event rivalry, everyone knows they aren't the real main event. They could trade it several times between them and all it does is turn people off. 

I called it weeks ago re Drew. After the win against Angle everyone thought he'd be catapulted to stardom, how Vince loves him etc, but yet again they've identified someone they like and Vince can't bring himself to pull the trigger on him. Onwards now to more months of 50/50 booking with him where he becomes just another body. 

But despite those gripes, some absolute belters on this show. Also, how the fuck is R-Truth still going? The bloke is ageless. 

[Factotum]

Bloody hell Daniel Bryan is great. He's utterly revitalized. His character is so refreshing and his style has upped his game as well.

Becky Lynch is a superstar. She gets better all the time.

[Snitsky's back acne]

1 hour ago, Fatty Facesitter said:

I called it weeks ago re Drew. After the win against Angle everyone thought he'd be catapulted to stardom, how Vince loves him etc, but yet again they've identified someone they like and Vince can't bring himself to pull the trigger on him. Onwards now to more months of 50/50 booking with him where he becomes just another body. 

 

I disagree. Drew was protected enough in the finish and it helped make Balor look strong.

Hopefully WWE realises with Cena and Roman gone that they need to build some more male stars. Drew can destroy Ziggler and then beat a reinvigorated Finn in a strong rematch down the line.
I can still see Strowman v McIntyre being a main event feud during the early to middle part of next year. 

AJ/Bryan was great. As was Nia/Rousey. Ronda's matches look like a struggle and a fight and it really makes her stand out. I liked the little kiss to the fist before locking in the armbar too.

Main event was great and I bet all three of them will be feeling that today.
WWE has itself some great matches if they play this correctly - the Ronda/Charlotte re-match, Asuka v Becky, Asuka v Charlotte, Ronda v Becky, Ronda v Asuka.
Its like the SmackDown 4 from 2002 all over again.

Overall a decent show I thought.


 

[HarmonicGenerator]

My highlights:

- Liv Morgan’s table bump 

- Becky lamping Nia backstage

- Two really good matches in Styles vs Bryan and the main event.

Everything else was fine, apart from Rollins vs Ambrose which was heatless, boring and had some of the worst commentary I’ve heard in ages. Also Seth selling the knee for ages yet still hitting that STUPID superplex Falcon Arrow move. STOP IT SETH.

[Fatty Facesitter]

16 minutes ago, Snitsky's back acne said:

I disagree. Drew was protected enough in the finish and it helped make Balor look strong.
 

They shouldn't be protecting him, they should be fucking pushing him. Kurt Angle put him over magnificently a few weeks ago, and in that time he's already lost to Ziggler and now Balor. You've got to strike while the iron is hot otherwise they just get lost in the shuffle, and that's exactly what's happened here with Drew. If you really want to 'protect' someone you're eyeing up for a push, have them win a fucking match. That's a good way to protect them. Actually get them to the point where you can conceivably buy into them as a main event threat and then have him show some chinks in his armour with losses like these - not while he's meant to be on the ascension. 

20 minutes ago, Snitsky's back acne said:

Hopefully WWE realises with Cena and Roman gone that they need to build some more male stars. Drew can destroy Ziggler and then beat a reinvigorated Finn in a strong rematch down the line.

How long do they need to 'build' someone before they actually pull the trigger? Why would anyone be bothered about him destroying Ziggler down the line? He's already attacked and obliterated him once, why do we need to go down that road again? Why book a match between them so soon, and have him lose? And why do we need a feud with Balor featuring endless rematches when he could put him down convincingly with just the one? The time to capitalise on his momentum has been and gone. They've absolutely bottled it with him. 

25 minutes ago, Snitsky's back acne said:

I can still see Strowman v McIntyre being a main event feud during the early to middle part of next year. 
 

I don't dislike McIntyre but if this genuinely on the cards, I'll be tapping out of Raw altogether if that's the most inspiring thing they can come up with to shake things up. 

[tiger_rick]

I moaned about the treatment of McIntyre after his first loss and this just compounded it. It's so fucking frustrating. I like Balor. He has loads of upside so you either don't put him in this position or, if you must, you protect him. They're awash with resilient babyfaces. They have a massive dearth of credible heels. Particularly on Raw and particularly ones with thesort of size that makes them look credible opposite a Strowman, Lesnar or Reigns. They should have thanked the fucking lord that McIntyre dropped back into their lap and did everything possible to keep him strong for big matches.

Stil, they "protected" him, eh? Fucking nonsense.

[Kaz Hayashi]

49 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

My highlights:

- Liv Morgan’s table bump 

- Becky lamping Nia backstage

- Two really good matches in Styles vs Bryan and the main event.

Everything else was fine, apart from Rollins vs Ambrose which was heatless, boring and had some of the worst commentary I’ve heard in ages. Also Seth selling the knee for ages yet still hitting that STUPID superplex Falcon Arrow move. STOP IT SETH.

That’s my issue with Seth in general. He has the ability to make a match look fucking brilliant, but I find him incredibly box ticky, as if he has a check list of things he needs to do in a match. I find him completely soulless. 

[Mr Butternut Squash]

Rousey, Becky and Charlotte are absolutely slaying it. Three stars that walk the walk while everyone else is playing at pro wrestler. They can sell their matches on the mic and then actually deliver the violence, struggle and emotion come match time. As much as I love The Man, Charlotte has upped the game even further. You can see the Flair in her grow by the week and nobody in the divison is taking the beatings she does.

Seth Rollins is fucking clueless.