AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[Supremo]

Streets were saying Dustin, “cooked,” in his promo against MJF. Couldn’t even tell you what he said. The moment they mentioned Owen Hart again it was like an out of body experience for how quickly I stopped listening and caring.

Fuck off bringing up real dead people. It doesn’t get anyone heat. It doesn’t make me root for anyone, “defending their honour.” It just confirms to me that you’re all a bunch of absolute fucking weirdoes and I’m a fucking loser for watching this shit. I can physically feel my soul slowly dripping out of my arse.

Considering AEW were supposed to be the classy company, who handled Owen’s memory maturely, and supposedly even checked with Martha whether she was comfortable with Sting coming down from the ceiling, how is anyone squaring this shit with her and the kids. “Get MJF to do some cheeky edge lord stuff about Owen, but it’s okay because Dustin and Jeff will hit him with some worked punches, yeah?”

It’s a shame that was my main memory of the show because it was mostly a really decent episode. Christian Cage sneaking about and hiding whilst his sons get beaten up being a particular highlight.

Edited February 6, 2025 by Supremo

[Hannibal Scorch]

I feel embarrassed to give my opinion. Because I thought it was a really good episode, especially following last weeks. Mark David didn’t work for me, not they didn’t put on a very good match, just didn’t real understand why he would side with Callis. Harley doing some great work, fun opener with the Deathriders brawling around. And then we had this

https://bsky.app/profile/geebeefly.bsky.social/post/3lhihlm2rzs2d

@Moo it’s not embedded

This! 

Giver her the Oscar. Performance of her career by Toni Storm. Really good main event as well which hopefully leads to more from them in the future. Plus, THE ASS BOYS VS HURT SYNDICATE?!? Yes please!

[LaGoosh]

15 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Streets were saying Dustin, “cooked,” in his promo against MJF. Couldn’t even tell you what he said. The moment they mentioned Owen Hart again it was like an out of body experience for how quickly I stopped listening and caring.

Likewise. Yes Dustin has passion and fire but when I don't actually care about what he's saying or who he's saying it to it doesn't really matter how passionate he is. And when all this is in service to set up a MJF/Dustin match which you know Dustin is going to lose and MJF will swiftly move on from...who gives a fuck? The difference in vibe going quickly from Max Caster and Hangman feeling fresh, funny and great to MJF and Rhodes dragging the show down felt very significant. 

Christian Cage has the best comedic timing in the game and always has.

Edited February 6, 2025 by LaGoosh

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

57 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

Basing your act around saying things ‘that you shouldn’t’ gets tired quickly,

And you wanted David back!

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

.

Edited February 6, 2025 by Lion_of_the_Midlands
Double post wanker. Me, not you Twooster. 

[Chili]

That Toni Storm bit I saw was fantastic. Impersonating the evolved version of Mariah and Mariah May's simmering incredulity at what Storm was doing was brilliant. 

[Olly1984]

1 hour ago, RedTwoster said:

Oh well…

Yeah, I agree. Basing your act around saying things ‘that you shouldn’t’ gets tired quickly, and the depth his character once had has disappeared. I’m not sure if he’s coasting, or genuinely does believe this is good, but either way, a change is needed.

Thought it would be him tbf, was thinking last night when his name popped into my head. Kyle has been doing really well without him so let's see how it goes. Which knowing how AEW have been doing booking wise the last few months I won't hold my breath!! 

[LaGoosh]

Has anybody ever had pyro for their catchphrase or was Kenny the first? They should make that a permanent thing, it was sick as hell.

[BomberPat]

Dustin's promo was great, and there are few things I'm more of a sucker for in wrestling than an old veteran getting fired up to fight a mouthy young heel. The problem is, you've got Dustin out there saying that he's "the last of his kind" because he's a second generation wrestler in his 50s who has been doing this for forty years and fought through drug and alcohol addiction...all in service of a programme with Jeff Jarrett, who all of that is also true of. And then you've got 50-something Adam Copeland angling for a title shot, 50-something Christian Cage with a guaranteed title shot, 50-something Chris Jericho knocking about, and two near enough 50 year olds as the tag team champions.

 

[tiger_rick]

Outstanding episode. Started brilliantly with the brawl through the arena, good opening match, Gunns return and Hurts promos were superb, loved Toni, great hard-htting tag match that I didn't like the result of but the match was fun, Harley and Renee were tremendous, Max Caster was ace, MJF running into Hangman was exciting again, main event was good and the result was a shocker.

I didn't see Ricochet winning but I like the commitment to him. Committing to stuff is a big problem for the promotion and they have here and you can feel it. It would be nice to be clear what they're heating him up for given they have a heel World Champion though.  

I bloody loved that crowd in Atlanta. They were awesome. Not just loud for the stuff in front of them but the backstage bits getting genuine laughs enhanced Harley and Caster and Renee. Wish every show was in front of these people.

Yeah, MJF's schtick sucks balls. It's not anywhere near enough to take away from a show where pretty much everything else was really enjoyable.

Man, that Grand Slam card looks like the best episode of Collision ever....

[BomberPat]

The crowd were great, and really lifted a lot of stuff that I otherwise might not have liked.

The Gunns return was great, but my only criticism of it is that they shouldn't have done it on the same show as Jay White saying that he had to ally with Copeland and FTR because he was otherwise on his own. Where were the Gunns when their mate was getting into a scrap with the Death Riders early on in the show, or talking about how none of his faction were around at the moment?

As ever, AEW could be so good by just doing the work to connect the dots a little more.

Edited February 6, 2025 by BomberPat

[Carbomb]

22 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

Dustin's promo was great, and there are few things I'm more of a sucker for in wrestling than an old veteran getting fired up to fight a mouthy young heel. The problem is, you've got Dustin out there saying that he's "the last of his kind" because he's a second generation wrestler in his 50s who has been doing this for forty years and fought through drug and alcohol addiction...all in service of a programme with Jeff Jarrett, who all of that is also true of. And then you've got 50-something Adam Copeland angling for a title shot, 50-something Christian Cage with a guaranteed title shot, 50-something Chris Jericho knocking about, and two near enough 50 year olds as the tag team champions.

 

Genuinely blows my mind that Edge and Christian are only slightly younger than Dustin Rhodes and Jeff Jarrett. The early and late 90s feel like an age apart.

[The King of Old School]

When was the last time the trio's titles were defended out of interest?

[tiger_rick]

Another thing on that crowd in Atlanta, they made the Death Riders feel like an over act, which hasn't happened enough. I said a few weeks ago that I thought with a change of emphasis, this could have a chance and I wonder if that was evidence here. Claudio taking a bullet for Mox after saving him on Saturday is a great dynamic. Mox just being the Champion who wants to pick and choose his battles and let his lads take the licks for him is a more interesting dynamic too. I dunno if it was just this crowd, but it felt like it had legs here.

Also, there's no way that any other company produces a TV show this good, with one naff segment, and gets such negativity. There are legendary episodes of Raw with DOA matches on them for christ sake and the bad never outshines all the great. I guess that's the nature of everyone reacting instantly to stuff, and people coming in glass half empty all the time, but it's disappointing. I'm happy to criticise bad stuff. Not sure I'd bother watching if I couldn't enjoy something this good.

[tiger_rick]

3 minutes ago, The King of Old School said:

When was the last time the trio's titles were defended out of interest?

1986.