Official WWE/ECW/WCW/TNA talk, or whatever v2

[trackercowe]

Cody is selling out many shows, and is a mega draw in international markets. The ratings have dipped post-Mania without Rock/Roman, but that happens every year. Attendance is through the roof, and WWE is in a great place... They've sold out over 60 events in 2024 alone.

Meanwhile Mox isn't a draw. Doesn't do anything for television ratings, attendance, merch... really anything. He never amounted to the hype given to him coming out of the Shield. I think all of us thought he'd turn out to be the biggest of the three, but turns out Vince was right all along. Roman is the biggest draw in years, and outdraws everyone in the industry by a countrymile. Just listen to the massive pops he receives at every show. Ratings are always up when he's on Smackdown, and the Bloodline program has driven WWE programming for nearly five years... He's also elevated many superstars to better positions (Jey Uso and Sami Zayn). Seth would be #2 behind Roman, but he's still been at the top of the card for over a decade, and also helps in elevating stars. Seth isn't quite at the level of a Roman, Cena, Orton, yet is still much higher than Moxley.

It's kind of sad really as I don't think Moxley ever really improved in AEW. If anything he's regressed. It's as if ever since Brock wouldn't put him over back at 32 he hasn't been the same. I wouldn't even put him in the top five draws within AEW itself (MJF, Swerve, Ospreay, Danielson, Omega). For someone coming in with a big profile from WWE he's been a major disappointment (alongside Jericho). There's a reason why AEW fans themselves don't respond to him, and were upset he was chosen to retire Danielson. If anything it should have been Darby finally turning heel. Something no one would have expected. Darby is a unique talent, he should be given that opportunity not being thrown into random matches with Brody King.

[trackercowe]

Hilarious botched finish on Dynamite tonight. I don't know who screwed up whether it was Adam Page, or Kip Sabian hitting the ring too early. That's one good reason to watch AEW, for the botches and amateur production.

Also Adam Cole should just retire. Become a manager or commentator. He does not look like a professional wrestler, it's laughable seeing him make threats against MJF. At least Take is getting a run with a title, too bad everyone on the roster has one.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Hilarious botched finish on Dynamite tonight. I don't know who screwed up whether it was Adam Page, or Kip Sabian hitting the ring too early. That's one good reason to watch AEW, for the botches and amateur production.

Also Adam Cole should just retire. Become a manager or commentator. He does not look like a professional wrestler, it's laughable seeing him make threats against MJF. At least Take is getting a run with a title, too bad everyone on the roster has one.

NXT Adam Cole was the height of his career. He has never been better. Vince didn't have the vision and no idea what to do with Cole.



The Cole in NXT just looks like a guy who would rather play video games on line then work as a wrestler.


Its too bad, I've always liked the idea of a stable of undersized vicious viper like workers.

[Blaster86]

Obviously it's not the difference maker internet marks think it is for tv executives but Dynamite followed up its Tuesday night slaughter with another dismal viewership. Close to 300k down year over year.

Low ticket sales, empty building, dropping ratings. People quitting because they were hired to be part of creative and just never ended up getting to do that.

Vince isn't dead, but some how his booking soul has possessed Tony Khan.

[CaptainCrunch]

From a historical standpoint, I was looking at the monday night wars ratings.

And at its height WWE and WCW were throwing out 6.6 ratings at each other. The last week of Nitro was a 2.6 and people were marvelling at how bad it was. Now Smackdown is throwing out 1.7's to 1.2's and its a slaughter. and AEW has gone from 1 to .6.

Its insane what the Monday Night wars did for the Wrestling business, will we ever see two companies hammer out 4's or 5's or 6's? I doubt it.

I remember reading death of WCW, and they talked about the week that Raw finally passed Nitro on April 13th after a year on top Nitro lost to Raw 4.6 to 4.2 and I remember that they talked about it in the book that Easy E had seen things starting to go bad, but the shock of finally losing to Raw made Bischoff hit the roof.

For AEW I really thought when they were hitting near a million people that it would represent their core audience, and it would be hard to lose those fans and then they could start trying new things to gain the WWE fringe fans.

Instead it feels like AEW's fan base had a I tried it, but its not keeping my attention vibe.

Whether its that they're too reliant on the older fans and not really creating new main event stars. Whether the booking is just too erratic and they're not building good feuds. They're bleeding fans that were with them from day one.

In a couple of Wrestling books I've read the owners talked about wrestling being cyclic, and owners blamed their woes on the uncontrollable cycles, when the truth was that they didn't do anything to keep the product fresh.

AEW has some good wrestling and wrestlers, they really do, but honestly even if someone says "I watch AEW for the wrestling" story lines, good booking and long term feuds keep the fans coming back, and bring in new fans.

AEW it feels like has fallen into the WCW pattern. Hot Shot booking, dropped storylines, giving things away too quickly. A older main event pictures that's really erratic.

Its not just Tony, but I do believe that he really needs to bring in someone that's a experienced booker and head of creative. they need new ideas.

Wrestling needs AEW to succeed, that competition needs to be there for the fans not for the companies.

[Ozy_Flame]

Oof, the Motor City Machine Guns debuted on Smackdown to . . . . near dead silence?

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Oof, the Motor City Machine Guns debuted on Smackdown to . . . . near dead silence?

Kinda sad, they had literally no reaction. I get that they were in TNA, but so were many of the wrestlers that have appeared in NXT and gotten over with the crowd. I think it's more a symptom of tag team wrestling as a whole. The entire division (on both shows) is basically dead. You could say the same in AEW, with the Bucks running that show. 2-3 years ago these same Bucks, THe New Day, Uso's, Zayn/Owens, even the Street Profits were all popular... now there's isn't a single team of interest.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I didn't realize Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling re-deubted last night.

It's owned/run by former TNA President Scott D'Amore.

Only realized that night 1 of Forged in Excellence was last night when I saw ECPW Referee Emily Parker all over my Instagram feeds.

[White Out 403]

This is really super out of left field, but I gotta say, to this very day, I'm shocked that the WWF couldn't make Scott Steiner work in the late 90s, early 2000s as Big Papa Pump

The dude had incredible physique, a fantastic look with a chain mail and glasses. He just was awesome. It still kind of shocks me to this day that it was not as good as it could have been.

[SuperMatt18]

He was super over right after he debuted and leading into his fued with HHH in 2002/2003.

But he was old and couldn't really work a passable match at that point and got buried by HHH which was common at that time for the ex WCW guys.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

This is really super out of left field, but I gotta say, to this very day, I'm shocked that the WWF couldn't make Scott Steiner work in the late 90s, early 2000s as Big Papa Pump

The dude had incredible physique, a fantastic look with a chain mail and glasses. He just was awesome. It still kind of shocks me to this day that it was not as good as it could have been.

Beyond the fact that he was pretty banged up at that time and he was the poster boy for steroid abuse.



But by that point, Scott was considered to be pretty dangerous back stage as well.


There are lots of stories out there from WWE and WCW that made him a really scary individual.


In Death of WCW they talk about him threatening to beat up Kimberly Page and then trying to rip DDP's eyeballs out of his head during a backstage brawl.


On top of that he threatened to run over a unamed backstage WWF personality with his truck.


When you go back and read a lot of books on wrestling, when it comes to Scott Steiner he was a mixed bag. He was supremely talented and atheltic, and when he found his Big Poppa Pump character his promo's could be amazing, but officials always worried about what he'd say. But he and his brother got off on hurting jobbers as well.



He was just too chaotic of an element.



I don't know if he's all that fondly remembered by the people he worked with.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

I didn't realize Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling re-deubted last night.

It's owned/run by former TNA President Scott D'Amore.

Only realized that night 1 of Forged in Excellence was last night when I saw ECPW Referee Emily Parker all over my Instagram feeds.

I liked what I saw from MLP. Great roster, great production values, and Scott D'Amore is continuing the great work he did at Impact.

Listen to his interview on Talk is Jericho from September. He explains his goals for MLP and what he wants it to be. Fantastic listen.

[trackercowe]

There was a reason why Steiner was not allowed in the WWE (even at the Hall of Fame) for years after he left. If memory serves me correctly Cornette once said they even plastered posted around the building "Do not let Steiner in!" I think the only reason he's been allowed back now is due to his relation to Bron Breakker. Even in WCW he was only in the main event scene near the end when everyone in a power position had left. He's just not a guy many liked to work with... Booker T was scene as the one to carry that brand, although Triple H famously knocked him down a peg as well.

[underGRADFlame]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1848430118009549290?s=46&t=-R86UibW1VM0L76Ia_9BwA

��

https://x.com/samanthathebomb/status...1VM0L76Ia_9BwA

[mile]

That really sucks

Felt like this past Mania was her coming out party and she was just starting to establish herself as a legendary ring announcer

I expect to see her in AEW now

[SuperMatt18]

Honestly think it's one of those decisions that's a mistake for her career but get it from a personal perspective to be closer to Ricochet.

She was becoming a bit of a star within WWE and think it could have given her a bigger platform to non-Wrestling ventures.

Maybe that's what she is leaving for already, but I feel like going to AEW for her personally would be a bit of a step backwards actually.

[Inferno]

It might be nothing but a coincidence but Lilian Garcia is backstage at RAW tonight.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Inferno

It might be nothing but a coincidence but Lilian Garcia is backstage at RAW tonight.

I know it is awful, but I just can't help but think about that one X pac Shoot interview anytime I see Lilian Garcia.

[Inferno]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1848694517886603693

[Muta]

To me, the OG GOAT ring commentator is the Fink, and it's not even close. WWE hasn't had a ring announcer who has made a match sound as uniquely 'big league' and 'main event' since him, IMO.