AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[jaygoose]

The MJF, Jeff promo made me think.

I always wondered where Owen would have ended up.. A WWE champion . Quite possibly..

But it's also not too bigger stretch to think he'd be in AEW.. As a veteran near the top of the card. 

[LaGoosh]

28 minutes ago, jaygoose said:

always wondered where Owen would have ended up.. A WWE champion . Quite possibly..

Highly unlikely. By 99 he felt a bit old fashioned and I can't see anywhere he would have fit in by 2000. I imagine he would have stayed on the roster as a Jakked/Metal level guy or ended up in the RTC or something. Then when his contract came up he would have probably retired like he always said he wanted to.

[Joe Blog]

30 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Highly unlikely. By 99 he felt a bit old fashioned and I can't see anywhere he would have fit in by 2000.

Agreed, he was trying to get out of the business in 96. Everything people have said about him points to him retiring and never coming back. The what if’s of Owen are endless though.

[Chili]

He'd have wrestled till that contract ended and he would have buggered off. A damn shame selfishly as a fan we never got to see him in 2000 WWF because he'd have had a brilliant year workrate wise with the guys they got it. As great as Steven Richards was in his role leading the RTC, You can absolutely picture Owen Hart doing that and absolutely storming it.

Edited January 18, 2025 by Chili

[jaygoose]

So retirement was most likely..

so many possibilities tho.. because in my mind even  if he had retired..

No one in wrestling seems to truly retire. I'd Invision the odd legend appearance like his brother does today..

Or a suprise Rumble entry..

Or indeed a promo in this MJF angle..Such a shame that we'll never know 

 

[LaGoosh]

On 1/17/2025 at 10:49 AM, Supremo said:

The problem seems crystal clear. Being a good promo does not always mean you’re a good writer. Being a good wrestler does not always mean you’re a good booker. Grow some fucking balls and tell these morons, “no”!

I think wrestlers are no doubt good at coming up with ideas or changes to stories but I think any wrestler given a blank sheet of paper and given free reign is going to give you absolute shite. They just can't help indulging their egos, embracing their inner e-fedder and trying to put on "cinema" or whatever. Even CM Punk with Collision, his sole creative vision for the show was "what if everyone feuds with me all at once because I'm so great and cool". MJF tries to relive the Attitude era, Mox is doing early 2000s straight to DVD gritty thrillers, Jericho thinks he's the biggest star on the planet. It never works!

[garynysmon]

2 hours ago, LaGoosh said:

Highly unlikely. By 99 he felt a bit old fashioned and I can't see anywhere he would have fit in by 2000. I imagine he would have stayed on the roster as a Jakked/Metal level guy or ended up in the RTC or something. Then when his contract came up he would have probably retired like he always said he wanted to.

Agreed.

Wrestling fans love their revisionist thinking, but Owen Hart was clearly being left behind by the switch in programming. He was a (very talented) new generation star that was starting to feel out of place after an initially fun ‘Black Hart’ run post-Montreal.

Vince Russo and the WWF writers at the time weren’t sure what they could do with an Owen Hart who wasn’t willing to go along with the usually out there storylines of the time.

After that comedy Blue Blazer run there was no way Owen Hart was getting anywhere near the main event picture.

While we’re on the subject, Razor Ramon’s  push is also massively overstated in modern times.

Other than main eventing the Royal Rumble 93 and his initial push, he was nowhere near world title level. Yet many would have you think he was Diesel’s equal when he made the jump.

[jaygoose]

45 minutes ago, garynysmon said:

Agreed.

Wrestling fans love their revisionist thinking, but Owen Hart was clearly being left behind by the switch in programming. He was a (very talented) new generation star that was starting to feel out of place after an initially fun ‘Black Hart’ run post-Montreal.

Vince Russo and the WWF writers at the time weren’t sure what they could do with an Owen Hart who wasn’t willing to go along with the usually out there storylines of the time.

After that comedy Blue Blazer run there was no way Owen Hart was getting anywhere near the main event picture.

While we’re on the subject, Razor Ramon’s  push is also massively overstated in modern times.

Other than main eventing the Royal Rumble 93 and his initial push, he was nowhere near world title level. Yet many would have you think he was Diesel’s equal when he made the jump.

I agree with this analysis regards the Attitude Era.. but the Ruthless Aggression then PG one..

I really think both Scott and Owen could have had veteran runs somewhere down that line..

Fantasy booking I know. 

[The King Of Swing]

Mostly enjoyable episode but bloody hell that MJF/Jarrett segment was rough and in typical AEW fashion went on far too long. 

Entrance music sound quality was also pretty rough, throughout the show.

[jaygoose]

To be more on topic.. enjoyed this week's.

Dynamite has variety. Some of its for me and some of it very much isn't.

The MJF Jarrett thing was harsh.. but kinda expected too. 

Good heel segment with Ricochet. But his use of scissors etc.. like the Death Riders and their suffocation bag aren't to my taste.

Surely there are better ways of getting over the "these guys are dangerous" parts.

 

[The King Of Swing]

One thing I really like about the current Toni Storm storyline, is how she's basically adopted the small package, as a finisher. 

Nice touch to the whole "rookie" thing.

I actually wouldn't be opposed to her actually sticking with her current gimmick beyond Grand Slam Australia. Have her win the title in an "upset" fashion.

Imo there's no rush to go back to being Timeless Toni Storm. 

[LaGoosh]

Texas Death was brutal and great. Hangman looking like an absolute beast, Daniels taking an absolutely horrific beating and going out in a pool of blood - exhibit number 7 million as to why Hangman should be Champ. Fun Toni Storm segment too, love this story and excited for whatever madness will ensue when she meets Mariah next week. It's Toni Time!

Didn't bother with the rest of the show as it looked complete rubbish.

Edited January 19, 2025 by LaGoosh

[Hannibal Scorch]

1 minute ago, LaGoosh said:

Texas Death was brutal and great. Hangman looking like an absolute beast, Daniels taking an absolutely horrific beating and going out in a pool of blood - exhibit number 7 million as to why Hangman should be Champ. Fun Toni Storm segment too, love this story and excited for whatever madness will ensue when she meets Mariah next week. It's Toni Time!

Didn't bother with the rest of the show as it looked complete rubbish.

You skipped Harley Cameron and Julia Hart, Ishii and Okada having a decent match, the break up of The Acclaimed. It was actually a pretty decent episode (haven’t watched the main yet, although they at least explained its existence). 

[Supremo]

Christopher Daniels having what appears to be his retirement match, on Collision? Against Hangman Adam Page? Enough to make CM Punk turn in his grave! They’re both bloody barred!

Fair play to Daniels though. Hell of a way to go out. That was a fantastic bit of business, especially by the end. Hangman murdering the fuck out of him, standing over him like a psycho, then re-doing that terrifying spot where he runs back down the ramp for MORE MURDER. This did a phenomenal job of re-heating Hanger. Feels white hot again. Close to where he was after Swerve in the cage. Like the last few months of meandering with Jay White never happened. Thank you for your sacrifice, Christopher Daniels. Let’s hope your death isn’t as wasted as Bryan Danielson.

Mad how long it feels like I’ve been watching Christopher Daniels. Seems only yesterday I was setting a VHS to record UWA Wrestling Rampage on L!VE TV. Bonus points if I caught a bit of topless darts. With Christopher Daniels now retired, I guess it leaves The Outrunners as the longest tenured AEW wrestlers.

Speaking of the Youngest Men Alive, I’d love to know the discrepancy in how much Moxley and Jericho are getting paid, contrasted The Outrunners and Big Bill, since it was those guys carrying their 12-man tag. Frankly amazing the same company can deliver that opener, and then that main event. Like the full spectrum of AEW. Mox sucks. Jericho sucks. Send them back to WWE. Rebuild this company around Omega, Ospreay, Hangman and Swerve.

Swerve in particular needs to be studied by every rookie in this business. (Except maybe Toni Storm, who seems unusually skilled beyond her short career). But seriously, no man maximises his TV minutes as much as Swerve. Always steals the show. Always the coolest man on the screen. Even here, in a tiny pre-tape, he’s always knocking about with celebrities and looking Top Bollocks. Remember when he lost clean to Lashley, never got the win back, and it didn’t hurt him at all? Lad’s bulletproof. Have they ever done Omega vs. Swerve? I’d be bang up for that.

I continue to love Toni Storm, Lost in Jacksonville. I’m more convinced than ever it’s going to revealed as a big ruse once Mariah May signs the contract, which is almost a shame. I’d have ran with this for far longer. There’s a really fun dramatic irony in everyone being in on the joke.

Nice angle splitting up The Acclaimed. Max Caster really works as this little dickhead and the sky feels the limit for a pure babyface run for Anthony Bowens. For a split second, I thought they were going to rip off the New Day and have them reunite and attack Billy Gunn, so thank fuck that didn’t happen.

Is this the first time Brian Cage and Lance Archer were called, “The Murder Machines”? Great name for the new Road Warriors. Match with Top Flight went on about three times longer than necessary, but I still love them. There’s a gem of a TV match to be had with Ospreay and Omega against these hoss bastards.

Classic bit of one-step-forward, two-steps-back booking in the Trios division. Adam Cole actually acknowledging the Trios titles! Cool Hand Ange returning! Big challenge for a Trios match on next week’s Dynamite! All good stuff. And then the whole thing gets complete undermined when Shane Taylor manages to beat up the entire Undisputed Era single-handedly. What a weird bit of booking. Like when Stone Cold or Scott Steiner would beat the shit out of Tag Team Champions. Finally acknowledge the division, then immediately bury it in the same segment. Impressive. But yeah; between Shane Taylor and Jacob Fatu, it’s been a Fatty Renaissance this week in mainstream pro-wrestling!

Solid, if unspectacular Collision. Go out of your way to see that opener though. Hangman Adam Page is the fucking best. AEW saved this industry in a million different ways, but putting this great, beautiful, insanely talented man on regular television might be their greatest contribution.

Edited January 19, 2025 by Supremo

[HarmonicGenerator]

I had to watch Texas Death with the sound off, but even as visuals only it told an amazing story. Hangman looked like a killer, but at the same time kept this aura of a man who has been completely broken. It’s amazing how it all comes back to that one night where Swerve broke into his house. Every horrible thing he did to Daniels tonight can be traced back to that. I don’t know how Hangman can ever put himself back together, but I want him to, so much.

Tony almost managing to get the question out to Toni about not remembering Mariah but not quite… really intrigued to what will happen at the contract signing. Luther hiding under the tablecloth? Somebody says “shoe” and she starts remembering.. “shoe… the shoe… THE SHOOOOEEE!” and goes nuts? Nothing much? 

Looks like they’re getting back on board with a Julia Hart push (as far as anyone in the women’s division can be in AEW). She improved loads from regular matches and TV time before her injury so this can only be a good thing. Shame they can’t give similar spotlight to Jamie Hayter or Willow Nightingale as well.

The only thing I remember about the main event was a fun bit with a kid in the front row that must have happened during commercial.