AEW Full Gear 2021 (Sat 13th Nov)

[RedRooster]

4 minutes ago, Louch said:

Wrestling journalists are more reporters than those who ask proper pertinent questions. I doubt anyone is doing any investigating, it’s about clickbait that’s put in front of them. These “journalists” are chasing ad revenue, not any desire to better the wrestling world. Anyway, this is a tangent off the show and this chats happening in the speaking out thread where it’s better placed. 

Firstly, no investigation is needed, the allegations are out there, so you ask the question. Ad revenue isn’t particularly relevant here, if you don’t ask the question, you’ve failed. 

Gonna respectfully disagree, they chose to debut Jay Lethal on this show, so if the conversation in any context ends up getting swallowed up by people focusing on that, that’s on AEW. Although suggesting that the sex abuse chat should be kept in its own little place is weirdly appropriate, given how the industry seems to operate.

All in all, as I mentioned, I did enjoy the show - but I think it’s doing a lot of people a disservice to ignore the allegations. It also makes me less sure that they handled the Darby stuff correctly, and I hadn’t even been aware of the allegations made against Callis until today. It’s very disappointing. 

[Guest]

You can’t respectfully disagree then have a dig that i’m trying to downplay it and hide it in the thread where it’s not gonna get lost in talk of why 3 people juiced last night. There’s no respect in that but let’s leave it there  

Edited November 14, 2021 by Louch

[RedRooster]

6 minutes ago, Louch said:

You can’t respectfully disagree then have a dig that in trying to downplay it and hide it in the thread where it’s not gonna get lost in talk of why 3 people juiced last night. There’s no respect in that but let’s leave it there  

It’s not a dig and I’m not suggesting that with your intention - you seem like a good guy, and I’m fairly sure that it was unintentional. But I disagree with the idea that the allegations against Lethal shouldn’t be spoken about here.

You’ll notice that I didn’t mention Lethal in my first post - that’s because I’d completely forgotten that his name came up during Speaking Out, and even then I wasn’t aware of the specific allegations - it was through reading a post from Keith that I realised. And they’re undeniably grave. 

That’s all I have to say on the matter, but I think this signing and its implications should be a major talking point. I don’t particularly want it to be as I enjoy AEW, but I don’t think it should be ignored in this thread.

[Cousin Jim Bob]

That MJF/Darby match is a great shot at the "MJF can't wrestle, he is just a gimmick"  crowd. I loved it and had it easily top 3 on a card full of super workers.

 

TBH outside of Punk/Kingston which stole the show. I thought it was the best match.

 

 

[Sphinx]

It's partly the standard that AEW have set but the show was a bit flat for me.

MJF vs. Darby Allin was a great opener and probably my favourite of the night. JR's commentary was a bit ropey but it picked up a bit more through the show.

FTR vs. Lucha Brothers didn't work for me. The commentators said about how you could tell which of FTR was under the mask by the hair yet the referee couldn't figure it out. The match felt like it went on ages and, as has been said, the styles didn't mesh for me.

Kingston vs. Punk was decent too. I'm loving Kingston and look forward to seeing where things go with him.

Danielson vs. Miro was a let down for me. Obviously it wasn't bad considering the wrestlers in it, but it didn't feel like it built that much to the end. The finish itself seemed botched and it doesn't feel like a particularly memorable match. As has been said, I'm sure they could pull off a better match and I hope to see it down the line.

The Inner Circle vs. American Top Team thing was naff as expected. I don't understand why they've got the MMA guys doing traditional wrestling moves like vertical suplexes when they could be focussing on the things that they won titles with in MMA. I don't follow MMA, but if you were an MMA fighter you'd play to your strengths. And when they do throw their naff strikes, and I assume at least one of them is a good striker in MMA, they're going toe-to-toe with the wrestlers rather than trumping them on that.

I was a bit burnt out by the main event. Admittedly, I've not followed the story from the start and watched the YouTube compilations posted in here to get up to speed, but it was never in doubt to me that Page was winning so the drama was taken out of it for me a bit. The match itself was alright but it's the moment at the end that people are after and they gave it to the fans.

 

[Infinity Land]

37 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

Firstly, no investigation is needed, the allegations are out there, so you ask the question. Ad revenue isn’t particularly relevant here, if you don’t ask the question, you’ve failed.

I hadn't remembered anything about Jay Lethal from SpeakingOut. Chances are there has been at least investigations since there were two separate incidents when he was called out.

The Taeler Hendrix allegation predates SpeakingOut and going by her own tweets at the time she had contacted attorneys and had an ongoing investigatin. Chances are Sinclair would have done an internal investigation when Kelly Klein came forward during SpeakingOut. Since they sat Marty Scurll and let his contract run out.

 

[Keith Houchen]

Jay Lethal talk absolutely belongs in this thread. He debuted at this event and for many, it’s soured what was otherwise a near note perfect event. It also calls into question the ethics of a company that proclaimed how progressive they are but still have a jobs for the boys stink about them. 

[69MeDon]

12 minutes ago, Sphinx said:

JR's commentary was a bit ropey but it picked up a bit more through the show.

I forgot to mention JR. He was all over the place for the first half of the show. I realise he's going through treatment for cancer so I don't want to be a dick but I really don't think he's up to calling full shows anymore. Tony Schiavone seemed legit annoyed with JR at times.

Edited November 14, 2021 by 69MeDon

[Jazzy G]

He has his moments. He'd be better used doing sit down interviews and maybe trot him out for the main event of shows to lend them a bigger feel. 

[RedRooster]

41 minutes ago, 69MeDon said:

I forgot to mention JR. He was all over the place for the first half of the show. I realise he's going through treatment for cancer so I don't want to be a dick but I really don't think he's up to calling full shows anymore. Tony Schiavone seemed legit annoyed with JR at times.

I don’t think it’s being a dick to say that at all. What you’re saying is definitely valid, but I must admit that I’ve come to enjoy JR. He still has it in him to elevate a moment in the way few else do, and I quite enjoy the chemistry between him, Tony and Excalibur. Granted, it’s occasionally awkward…but for whatever reason it works for me. 

[FLips]

I've warmed up to JR in the last few months. He was shocking for a long time but I think as the company has grown and he's started actually getting into storylines and learning the new talent he's came more into his own. Maybe it's having heard Chris Jericho on commentary to show how bad it really could be.

[69MeDon]

13 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

I don’t think it’s being a dick to say that at all. What you’re saying is definitely valid, but I must admit that I’ve come to enjoy JR. He still has it in him to elevate a moment in the way few else do, and I quite enjoy the chemistry between him, Tony and Excalibur. Granted, it’s occasionally awkward…but for whatever reason it works for me. 

 

8 minutes ago, FelatioLips said:

I've warmed up to JR in the last few months. He was shocking for a long time but I think as the company has grown and he's started actually getting into storylines and learning the new talent he's came more into his own. Maybe it's having heard Chris Jericho on commentary to show how bad it really could be.

He'd actually been pretty good recently, for weeks. It was just like something was off last night - which wouldn't be surpsiing, he's got a lot on his mind. Also, someone said that the cancer treatment can cause forgetfulness and a bit of a "hazy" mind. I get that he wants to work through this but that choice should really be taken out of his hands by the company.

[RIDDUM_N_STYLE]

Well worth avoiding spoilers, was hard to do as I’m used to going on Facebook, Twitter and IG regularly in the day

Perfect ending to the Page/Omega/Bucks story and I’ll admit I teared up, especially when Hangman went in for the hug with DO

Outside of that it was a great show, for me the only weak points were the finish for the Tag title match and the entirety of the Women’s title match, speaking of where was Anna while here bestie was battling a 3-1 disadvantage?

[Nick James]

1 hour ago, Keith Houchen said:

Jay Lethal talk absolutely belongs in this thread. He debuted at this event and for many, it’s soured what was otherwise a near note perfect event. It also calls into question the ethics of a company that proclaimed how progressive they are but still have a jobs for the boys stink about them. 

Absolutely spot on 100%. It makes you wonder how Jimmy Havok would have been handled had he not been a bottom feeder talent rather than upper to top tier. The Darby Allin allegations are quickly forgotten or defended to the hilt depending on who you speak with and the Callis stuff is all dodgy as hell. As I mentioned in the other thread, wrestling will be wrestling. Look how quickly Hogan was welcomed back into the fold, or Matt Riddle, whether it's AEW, WWE or some three letter shit arsed promotion in Clusterfuck, Kentucky, wrestling will never change, until real accountability is held. 

[Supremo]

I wasn’t aware of the Jay Lethal accusations. What a fucking buzzkill after such a great show. And for Jay Lethal, too! Not that you should ever welcome abusers or ignore accusations, but…for Jay Lethal?! He’s worthless without the baggage. With the baggage it’s absolutely mind blowing to bring him in. What a bad look.

Overall it was really good show, where the highs were as high as you can get, but there’s no denying it was too fucking long.

Cody’s match should’ve headlined Rampage on Friday, the Inner Circle match was complete fast-forward material and the Falls Count Anywhere and Women’s Title matches were almost a parody of people going too long. They’d keep hitting what should have been the crescendo, then just carry on doing some more wrestling. Over and over again. Exhausting. I genuinely thought Tay Conti was rocked or going into business for herself the way she seemed to refuse to go home, instead doing moonsaults to the floor long after they’d lost the crowd. Awful.

Jim Ross also had one of his worst nights in months. Absolute shocker. It was genuinely uncomfortable hearing his brain break during Miro vs. Danielson. He must have called Danielson, “Daniel Bryan,” at least a dozen times, which was bad enough, but then every time he did it he’d get angry with himself and would scream, “BRYAN DANIELSON!” in an attempt to make up for it. In the end he just sounded like the broken commentary in Smackdown vs. Raw, randomly screaming names. I bet he was still screaming, “BRYAN DANIELSON!” in his sleep last night. Whilst lying on, “the four pillows.”

The Hangman thing mostly delivered though, which was all that mattered. I didn’t think the match itself was as good as last year’s, but between the unbelievable entrance and the last few nail-biting minutes it was note perfect and it’s the best story ever told in this medium. I can’t explain to you why the Young Bucks’ melodrama hits when so much of the NXT melodrama falls flat, but it just does. That knowing nod was beautiful. Between that and Hangman choosing the hug over the beer I was in bits.

They’ll teach this storyline in decades to come. I honestly believe it’s changed the business. After what’s felt like decades of failed top babyfaces being booed out of buildings, all stemming from the tweener shite of the Attitude Era, AEW have proven a purely good hero can exist in 2021. Hangman saying “I just want to be a good man,” in that pre-match package. The fucking “we’re proud of you,” graphic. Hangman’s tweet from yesterday with thousands upon thousands of, “I believe in you,” replies. What a fucking triumph. Absolutely beautiful. My eyes were drenched.

Eddie fucking Kingston though. Unbelievably, on the show where Hangman finally won the belt, it’s Eddie that’s the headline. For the longest time he’s been the best promo I’ve ever seen, with in-ring work that never quite lives up to it. Something has clicked these past few weeks though and he’s now delivering in his matches as much as he is on the microphone. CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston is my new match of the year. This was fucking incredible. Probably the best thing Punk has ever done. The whole thing felt like a real fight, both guys felt like they truly hated each other, it managed to wake up an exhausted crowd, I couldn’t take my eyes off the most authentic man in the history of the sport, the Cena spot was absolutely magical and hearing the way the crowd are starting to gravitate towards Kingston is the most exciting thing in wrestling right now. They’ve got a Mick Foley in 1998, here. He’s clicked. This is it. I love Hangman, but shit. I’d already be thinking about when the Mad King is gonna be raising that belt. It’s no longer an if. It’s a when.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Supremo