AEW WrestleDream 2024

[Guest]

57 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

I wish I knew! It has definitely been a thing though. Look at the All Out thread for some recent examples. 

Off the back of this comment I went back to that thread, out of bored curiosity, but the point that was most interesting was people talking about it being a bleak, dark show. Which it was, but so was this. Has AEW done two heavy heat shows in a row before?  As already noted, every single champion is a heel, and the top babyfaces are either out (Omega, Danielson, Eddie Kingston, Adam Copeland) or busy with other things ( swerve, osprey, Adam Cole). There's Jay White, but I wouldn't be surprised if his thing with Hangman isn't done yet. Noone feels like they're in a position to stand up to the NCC or the Elite. 

They're obviously, and already discussed, going to put some new guys into some programmes, but the lack of a proper top babyface has been a bit of a problem for a while and has only escalated in the past few months. I'm not sure if Derby is that guy, and I'm really sure he's not that guy yet.  And that's without even talking about the trios or tag belts. 

When WWE was at its worst, it was super heavy on heat all the time. I'm sure the wait was worth it to set up Cody, and they srumvled on something with Sami, but a lot of Roman's Reign was a slog, and aew can't get the Rock in.  

They're resetting, which isn't a bad thing now and then, but I hope we get some more light sooner than later. 

 

Edit: on that note, I was sure Willow would be the one to take the belt off of Mariah, as I thought she was perfect for it. They'll need to build someone new now as long as they aren't planning to just put the belt on Toni again. 

Edited October 14, 2024 by Duke

[JLM]

2 hours ago, LaGoosh said:

 

I don't think that is the case here at all. Do you have any examples of this hypersensitivity?  I've seen it mentioned a few times by a few posters but usually only when people have questioned or engaged their criticisms rather than just agreeing. 

 

 

Exactly! I don't think only watching occasionally/skim-watching/admitting you haven't watched the show/admitting you've NEVER watched a show should preclude you from posting on the topic. OK maybe the last one a little bit. But yeah, nobody's ever claimed you need to watch every episode of AEW programming and leave long wall of text reviews about them like some kind of sick FREAK to have an opinion on what you've watched.  You should be prepared for disagreement and engagement any time you make a post on a discussion forum though. Sometimes (SOMETIMES!) people who follow the product more closely will have a better-informed or more nuanced take as well, and it's unfair to hand wave that away as them being ultras/diehards etc. To be clear, not a more "correct" opinion because that's not how opinions work, but one that takes a broader view based on trends/week to week stuff/news they keep up with that you don't etc. 

People just dipping in to watch one show and not liking the show/having issues with the show I will very rarely have any arguments with them. People like/dislike things based on their own standards/preferences. The syringe in the mouth spot at All Out for example. I thought it was effective and worked for the match/story. I get why others didn't like it, if it was too grim for you I'm never going to argue with that. When people make big leaps in logic and extrapolations about the entire product/direction/what the promotion should be doing  based on skim watching one episode out of the blue though, they are still perfectly entitled to those opinions and I wouldn't ever suggest they're "wrong". However, I think disagreement should be given the same benefit of the doubt re: intentions as the criticism itself. 

I see hypersensitivity to disagreement more often than I see hypersensitivity to criticism.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2024 by JLM

[LaGoosh]

36 minutes ago, Duke said:

Has AEW done two heavy heat shows in a row before? 

Nope. I don't think any company in the past 20 years has to this degree. Hopefully this is the new long term direction for AEW. It was refreshing to see the main event get genuine emotion from the fans rather than "this is awesome".

[Devon Malcolm]

On 10/13/2024 at 9:49 PM, CDM said:

Really? I was thinking Mercedes looses the tbs in a triple threat match but doesn't get pinned then wins the world title ?

Don't threaten me with a bad time.

[CDM]

1 hour ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Don't threaten me with a bad time.

I don't mind her now. I thought she was terrible as a face but she seems better as a heel. Not sure what other aew fans think of her though. 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, CDM said:

I don't mind her now. I thought she was terrible as a face but she seems better as a heel. Not sure what other aew fans think of her though. 

Dollar for dollar worst signing in company history. Except Ric Flair. 

[LaGoosh]

Rewatched the Swerve segment. Great stuff. One thing that stood out is how good Shelton Benjamin came across. Looked absolutely hench, very much a deathly serious, experienced and dangerous man. I don't think they even need Bobby Lashley for this to work. I hope Shelton doesn't end up working his WWE style and goes for something more grapple focused and violent. I'm excited about this.

Edited October 15, 2024 by LaGoosh

[RedTwoster]

11 hours ago, Duke said:

Edit: on that note, I was sure Willow would be the one to take the belt off of Mariah, as I thought she was perfect for it. They'll need to build someone new now as long as they aren't planning to just put the belt on Toni again.

I think the rematch is inevitable, when Toni returns it would feel a bit strange if she didn’t confront Mariah. I suppose they could do that after May loses the title, but I think the belt being on the line makes the May/Storm rematch feel even bigger, and turns it into a potential PPV show-closer.

I do think they need to start telling the story of Willow’s journey to becoming World Champion though, they throw her a bone every so often but they’ve never really treated her in a way that has me certain that they recognise her full potential. If she ever jumped to WWE, I think she’d end up being a bigger star than Jade Cargill ever will - I really hope AEW recognise what they have in her.

[tiger_rick]

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

I think this is more what I was aiming at, but I was sat in a doctors waiting room and thought I heard the snap of the rubber gloves.

I hope there was sufficient wetness.

[d-d-d-dAz]

6 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

I hope there was sufficient wetness.

I wasn't thrilled when the Monster Munch Mayo came out, I have to be honest.

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

On 10/14/2024 at 11:47 AM, BomberPat said:

 

Speaking of The Elite, that's the other wrinkle in all this - the story being set up is clearly about a war for the heart and soul of AEW. Jon Moxley was always the guy to rally the troops when things went wrong, to step up when somebody got hurt or CM Punk fucked up the plans, and to right the ship. That informs his current gimmick, where he sees himself as the heart of AEW, and sees what he's doing as a necessary evil to fix what he considers AEW's mistakes. Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin make perfect sense as the people to step up and challenge him on that as the other guys who, in very different ways, are dyed in the wool "restore the feeling" AEW diehards. But it's weird doing a "heel wants to save AEW from itself" story with the AEW babyfaces rallying against him to fight for a different vision of what AEW represents, while the main on-screen avatars of the company itself are The Elite, who are all heels.

Isn't it obvious? Faces try all they can to stop Mox and Co but fail and it's like 'there's noone left to stop them now from taking control....' then Omega's music hits and then the entire locker room comes out to stand beside him and then it's a helluva fued/battle set up. 

[BomberPat]

I think throwing Omega into this would be a mess. Omega's natural comeback programme is with The Elite, and to bypass that would be foolish; they'd need to at least get that story out of the way first, rather than having Kenny ignore the people who fired him and assaulted him while he was on death's door to go after someone else.

Besides, the person that needs to eventually step up should be Hangman Page anyway. Coming in from the cold, AEW turning to him because he's their last and only hope. Jeff Jarrett or even Swerve Strickland having to beg for his help. That's where the money is.

[Jesse]

1 hour ago, BomberPat said:

Besides, the person that needs to eventually step up should be Hangman Page anyway. Coming in from the cold, AEW turning to him because he's their last and only hope. Jeff Jarrett or even Swerve Strickland having to beg for his help. That's where the money is.

I hadn't even thought of this and now anything else will be a disappointment. Hangman's big redemption as AEW's last hope. I'd keep it separate from Swerve and maybe even lead back into that with the roles reversed again, Swerve not able to let it go. I've also been fantasy booking Eddie Kingston's return in my head as Mox's first post-loss feud. Don't need him to come back into a title chase, but coming back after Moxley loses to set his head straight would do things to my heart.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, BomberPat said:

.

Besides, the person that needs to eventually step up should be Hangman Page anyway. Coming in from the cold, AEW turning to him because he's their last and only hope. Jeff Jarrett or even Swerve Strickland having to beg for his help. That's where the money is.

Like everyone sensible, I love this idea, but surely it's going to be Darby thar dethrones Mox.

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

5 hours ago, BomberPat said:

I think throwing Omega into this would be a mess. Omega's natural comeback programme is with The Elite, and to bypass that would be foolish; they'd need to at least get that story out of the way first, rather than having Kenny ignore the people who fired him and assaulted him while he was on death's door to go after someone else.

Besides, the person that needs to eventually step up should be Hangman Page anyway. Coming in from the cold, AEW turning to him because he's their last and only hope. Jeff Jarrett or even Swerve Strickland having to beg for his help. That's where the money is.

But they could dress it up as 'some things are bigger than The Elite'. 

 

Hangman is a great/better shout though