WWE Bad Blood 2024 - Oct 5th

[Hannibal Scorch]

1 hour ago, Mr Kennedy said:

Wonder if he even knew it was coming, or just forgot to put his hands up. It added a lot to the match but fucking hell I wish he didn’t just take a tool box to the head. Nasty. 

I think he just didn’t get his hands up in time. I also imagine he would have taken it to his forehead rather then top of his head, so unfortunate timing.

[Supremo]

It’s only just occurred to me. The Rock’s back to make that Saudi bag against Roman, isn’t he?

How mad will it be if the Ultimate Dream Match happens on a weird, semi non-canon, Blood Money show, with almost no crowd reaction.

Anyway, nice little reminder of how far we’ve come. Honest to Christ. If you weren’t there in the DARK DAYS you’ll never truly appreciate how fucking great it is now.

 

[RedTwoster]

2 minutes ago, Supremo said:

It’s only just occurred to me. The Rock’s back to make that Saudi bag against Roman, isn’t he?

That hadn’t crossed my mind, but I really hope not. If they do take this approach, I expect them to do some serious backpedaling when fans get pissed off and  Rock starts to panic that it’s affecting the way the audience perceives him. 

‘They said, we love you Rock, but we don’t love the idea of this match happening anywhere other than Wrestlemania.’ etc. 

[d-d-d-dAz]

I think they might get rid of Roman/Solo at Saudi. It's so clearly the least interesting match of all their millions of options, they can squeeze it on Saudi whilst Cody is fucking about with Gunther to be the first ever UNNECESSARY DISTRACTION CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!

I watched Punk/McIntyre back. It's superb, but what really struck me is how Punk finally seems to be working with his physical disadvantages, as opposed to trying to fight against them. He uses the fact he looks knackered and exhausted as part of the story he's telling... "I might be old, but I know every trick in the book, there's nothing I won't do and I'll always get back up".

I suspect I'll prefer this version of Punk, and I wonder if he'll pick up less injuries now he's not trying desperately to keep up. In AEW where he was ostensibly telling a story about being old but keeping on, he was still trying to throw in flips and buckshot lariats and whatnot.

It also reminded me of an old Roman Reigns interview, before Punk returned, where he said he doubted he could ever work with Punk as fans wouldn't buy that someone 'without a fast twitch muscle fibre in their entire body' could compete with him. Good grief. What a bad take. I hope he's changed his mind about what wrestling is, as I had no problem believing the grizzled old nasty cunt Punk could beat McIntyre, who looks well fast and twitchy.

Edited October 7, 2024 by d-d-d-dAz

[Supremo]

Watching both lad’s performances at the pay per view, if they ever had a match, I reckon it’d be Roman saying, “slow it down, brother.”

For as wild as it was watching Roman as a fully fledged babyface, he’s not for switching his overall style too much is he? Bloodline Rules, indeed. Slow as fuck for the first twenty minutes, all melodramatic glances and exaggerated mannerisms…then a smoking hot final five where he actually puts it into fifth gear.

No wonder he looked so great out there. That Kenny Omega Hasbro Action Figure physique. Bet his body’s never felt better. Works about six matches a year. Spends three quarters of every match walking around in slow motion. Pro-wrestling industry? Completed it, mate.

[RedTwoster]

27 minutes ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

 

I think they might get rid of Roman/Solo at Saudi.

 

You might be right - maybe it’s a ‘Rock as guest referee’ kind of thing, suggesting they fight out their problems to get it out of their system then move on, only to turn on Roman during the match.

[Statto]

40 minutes ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

 whilst Cody is fucking about with Gunther to be the first ever UNNECESSARY DISTRACTION CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!

I just really hope they announce Cody as the UNDISPUTED WWE Champion as he enters to face the other champion WWE recognises, in order to decide who the superior champion is. 

[The Dart]

1 hour ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

I think they might get rid of Roman/Solo at Saudi. It's so clearly the least interesting match of all their millions of options, they can squeeze it on Saudi whilst Cody is fucking about with Gunther to be the first ever UNNECESSARY DISTRACTION CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!

Are we not convinced it'll be Gunther vs. Goldberg at CJ, with Sami winning the title tonight?

[d-d-d-dAz]

I suspect Goldberg was just there because Atlanta, and we won't see him again any time soon. They phased him out so quickly from that segment and gave him the old man goodbye, I don't think they're going to revisit that, no.

Also, why on earth would you put Cody through facing Sami, the biggest Saudi show babyface, in Saudi?

[The King of Old School]

39 minutes ago, The Dart said:

Are we not convinced it'll be Gunther vs. Goldberg at CJ, with Sami winning the title tonight?

Sami winning the title tonight would be an interesting direction to go in, with Bloodline Wolfpac somehow costing both him and Jey there titles before Survivor Series setting them up to be in wargames,

Very, very unlikely though.

[tiger_rick]

23 hours ago, DavidB6937 said:

50 something HIAC matches? I've sat through THAT many? And I doubt I can name half of them. And Ryback did one?

Completely agree with this sentiment. In the report on PW.net, they said Punk was 2-2 in Cell matches (before) and that just blew my tiny mind that he's even had 4. I doubt I've seen half of them at this point. Certainly can't remember anywhere near that many. You're right, it's the reason the gimmick didn't mean anywhere near as much. Between Russo sticking them on TV will-nilly and then them doing 2 a year enforced by a PPV gimmick, it's no wonder.

[SaitoRyo]

Got to echo all the love that Punk/McIntyre is getting. What a fucking glorious war that was. Felt like they helped restore a lot of the Cell's aura after years of WWE booking three of them on a show, just because. Now it's up to WWE to maintain that going forward. Booked once a year, or even more sparingly, to be used a proper blowoff to a blood feud, the Cell could become one of the company's greatest gimmick matches once again. 

Also, I have no idea how Drew didn't absolutely fuck his back on that stairs bump. Just brutal. 

[The Dart]

52 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

Completely agree with this sentiment. In the report on PW.net, they said Punk was 2-2 in Cell matches (before) and that just blew my tiny mind that he's even had 4. I doubt I've seen half of them at this point. Certainly can't remember anywhere near that many. You're right, it's the reason the gimmick didn't mean anywhere near as much. Between Russo sticking them on TV will-nilly and then them doing 2 a year enforced by a PPV gimmick, it's no wonder.

In fairness 53 HIAC matches in 27 years is less than 2 a year average and apart from 2001 there's been at least 1 every year and the most there's been in one year was 5 (2021 when they were probably desperate to make things in the Thunderdome unique).   I don't think 53 is an outrageous amount for 27 years.

As a yearly average there's been almost as many Elimination Chamber matches and Money in the Bank matches.

Edited October 7, 2024 by The Dart

[d-d-d-dAz]

8 minutes ago, The Dart said:

As a yearly average there's been almost as many Elimination Chamber matches and Money in the Bank matches.

I'm not sure this is a defence. I'd be all for less of all three, to be honest.

My issue broadly is, and it goes for all of those three, scheduled gimmick matches. They're always more impactful when you're not expecting them and an angry babyface screams (at either the start or end of Raw "ill see you inside/in a/on a Hell in the Cell/a Steel Cage/Iron Man Match/Bouncy Castle".

Knowing that a gimmick is coming up renders the build irrelevant as they're ending up in a Cell/Chamber/Bouncy Castle whether they love or hate each other.

[DavidB6937]

19 minutes ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

Knowing that a gimmick is coming up renders the build irrelevant as they're ending up in a Cell/Chamber/Bouncy Castle whether they love or hate each other.

Yep this was always the main issue. Booking incredibly unsubtly towards a gimmick match just because it had to be yearly as part of the event. At least Drew/Punk had a far more natural build up to it.

At least with something like MITB there's a reason for it and it doesn't have to be a blood feud or anything. Still absolutely overdone but if any gimmick match is about throwing people together randomly it can be that one.