Elimination Chamber 2023 - The End of the (Blood)Line

[The King Of Swing]

How the hell did this thread become about Adam Cole's physique? 

Bring back down votes. 

[Supremo]

Adam Cole and his super noodle arms could only dream.

The maddest thing is anyone criticising Montez’s physique now, when he’s so obviously gotten on the gear in the last six to twelve months. The lad is jacked as fuck nowadays. An absolute unit.

Also, there isn’t another person on the planet whose physique matters less than Montez Ford. He’s a walking embodiment of charisma and athleticism. A genuine rarity to be that fucking cool in the cartoon world of WWE, too.

I mean, look at this man. Pure sex.

[Jonny Vegas]

I was against the idea of Zayn winning right up until the match but during it I got more and more into the idea of him winning.

For me wrestling is all about moments and always has been and in my opinion last night was a chance for a moment that would have been remembered for a long, long time and capped off one of the most entertaining storylines in WWE for a long time.

If Zayn had have won I feel like it would have given a tonne of content to carry us the 6 weeks or so until Mania.

Cody initially being the blue eyed babyface shaking hands and welcoming their upcoming match then intertwining with 6 men matches and others against members of the Bloodline  until eventually becoming bitter at Zayn "stealing" his moment, his spotlight  his redemption story and turning heel on him would have in my opinion felt so organic and intertwined both stories really well.

Now I just feel like Cody beating Reigns is a near certainty and I've already lost a lot of interest in it.

Also where does Zayn go from here without cooling off one of if not the hottest talent in the company.

With Cody the big fear they must surely have also is whether the chase is the main appeal with him and the crowds interest in him dieing on its arse post mania...if not before.

Someone else mentioned Cody wasn't your usual establishment favourite being rammed down people's throats but he absolutely is.

Part of my main appeal for him in ROH/AEW was that in company's filled with indy darlings he absolutely screamed WWE and it was something very different.

I like Cody but I feel like a tonne of his appeal is we got a little taste of him between re-debut and injury then he came back how winning the rumble.

He's someone I've always felt I and other's wanted to see less and less of the more we saw of him. 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Jonny Vegas

[FUM]

4 hours ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

I’d be interested to know how you’d have booked him to lose in a way that keeps him away from the Wrestlemania main event, that you think would have stopped people from being disappointed?

Because, I might be wrong, but atm it just seems like the people who are most disappointed today are the ones who most wanted Sami to win.

Personally, I’d have either had Jey whack Roman in the back with the chair, get up and beat the shit out of a crying Jey - as he turns round with Jey in the corner, Helluva kick - or I’d have had KO interrupt as Roman handed Jey the chair and give Sami an unsuccessful pin after a Stunner. That gives me the near fall moment of Sami winning that I needed, at no stage in the match did I feel Sami was close. That’s what I needed and I needed it for the heartbreak to happen.

Genuinely all I needed was to at any point feel Sami was going to do it - I didn’t.

Although in general I’d just have had Sami beat Roman at Mania and never have done the match at EC but that’s just me who thinks Cody’s story could be told later while the current new star was made. Now he’s second fiddle and looks like Kevin Owens jamoke of a mate again.

[Accident Prone]

For the most part I loved Zayn/Roman. The atmosphere, energy & seeing Zayn getting his long overdue big push after following his career in real time for almost 20 years was so satisfying. Unfortunately the match also reiterated the usual WWE flaws and tropes that caused me to completely disconnect from them. Whilst high on emotion and with a hometown crowd rallying behind a lovable underdog, the match still ended up being more about the Bloodline am-dram family hour rather than one man's attempt to finally topple the king. I know people love it, but for me it's actively off-putting.

[TildeGuy~!]

This isn’t Sami’s story anymore it’s Jey Uso’s.

[FUM]

I’ve just seen the press conference and I don’t know how much of it is work/shoot but it’s evident Sami felt this should have been his moment or have played better. Him saying he feels strangely detached seems very akin to the type of feeling Bryan explained having after he left.

Edited February 20, 2023 by FUM

[Devon Malcolm]

9 hours ago, Pinc said:

As disappointed as I am that they shit it in Montreal, “actually neither Sami nor Cody should beat Roman” is psychopathy.

12 hours ago, Pinc said:

That finish was a horrendous bottlejob and anyone defending it is a bootlicker.

 

 

[DavidB6937]

7 hours ago, FUM said:

I’ve just seen the press conference and I don’t know how much of it is work/shoot but it’s evident Sami felt this should have been his moment or have played better. Him saying he feels strangely detached seems very akin to the type of feeling Bryan explained having after he left.

I wouldn't say evident. The guy didn't even know how he felt himself so I don't think we can speak on his behalf.

Wrestling is a strange thing though. I can only imagine the feeling of going out there in front of a crowd like that who are 100% behind you and knowing you're going to lose. Sure, you're getting a massive moment and a wonderful homecoming but you KNOW you're losing.

Obviously if it was real then you'd go in thinking you had at least a chance of realising the dream but it must be such a crazy rollercoaster of emotions to be in that situation. I don't know how I'd feel about it either really.

[2Xtreme_lives]

Do we see them doing a mania xx and have a triple threat 

[quote the raven]

They just couldnt do it could they.

DB all over again which hopefully means we get a triple threat at maina and he goes over right?

Deep down i already know its KO and zayn vs usos and cody goes over.

[DavidB6937]

If they were having Zayn win then I feel like it should've been in Montreal. That was his WrestleMania. That was the most special moment.

They need to move on now.

[air_raid]

 It’s been a good story but Zayn actually winning would have just been good for “the moment” and then you’re just counting days until he loses it. When Cody wins it’s changing the shape of the company for hopefully years to come. The needs of the many etc.

[FUM]

31 minutes ago, air_raid said:

 It’s been a good story but Zayn actually winning would have just been good for “the moment” and then you’re just counting days until he loses it. When Cody wins it’s changing the shape of the company for hopefully years to come. The needs of the many etc.

I get the point you’re trying to make but I also agree with a poster above that the more you see of Cody the less you want to see so I’m not convinced it doesn’t just become another guy fans lose faith in once he is plastered everywhere. I like him and think they should give him a crack certainly but I don’t have this confidence he is the saviour that everyone else seems to think.

Also think it’s spot on that this was Sami’s moment - you can’t now go triple threat and have either Sami lose twice or Cody not complete his story.

[Cheapheat]

I think this was a lightening in a bottle scenario. As a promoter you couldn't dream of having a story go as well as this one has. I think the huge moments in wrestling are rare and organic. I think if Sami would have won, you would have had a moment for the ages, one that would have had an all-time audience response, a babyface conquering the monster. I think it would have put tremendous faith in the new booking direction. I think it could have been the kind of event that would have launched careers from kids in attendance who had witnessed a rare and beautiful moment. Instead you got that show, which was fine, but I think that if Sami wasn't going to win, then a multi man match should have happened. It seems like they dropped the bollock to me.