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

[CaptainCrunch]

By the way, it looks like the Andrede Crews match was moved to the pre show, and it sounded like a solid match with Owen's jumping into the action.

[CaptainCrunch]

Asuka retains against Nia Jax Double Countout


This was a really weird match. First and foremost I'm not a fan of things like countouts at PPV's.


There were some nice psychology moments. At one point Jax trash talks Ashuka by asking where Sane was and then eats a vicious spinning fist and about 3 minutes of offense.


The problem with Jax and her reputation is you really start watching what she does. Technique wise she was pretty bad in this match, her headbutts and punches just looked weak. She was slammed into the turnbuckle twice by Asuka but you could clearly see the no contact. She also muffed two big moves, once when Asuka tried to lock up her arm from standing on the end of the ring, but the worst one was outside of the ring, when Asuka locked Jax up in an arm bar, Jax was suppossed to lift her up into I think a powerbomb, but she didn't have the strength to lift up Asuka. Nia Jax for all of her size is pretty physically weak and it shows where she struggles on her lifts.



This match was as good as Asuka made it, and he did some good work. But I hope this feud goes away.


1 out of 5.


Miz and Morrison lose to Strowman.


I'm sorry but Miz and Morrison are great comediatic heels. They're brilliant at being jerks and their new music video was pretty hilarious. This was a good fun match, and they teased some dissension in the team because the stipulation was changed so that Miz and Morrison couldn't be co champs. So after putting Strowman down and Miz went for the pin, Morrison broke it up and pretty much cost the team. The big tease in the backstage interviews of Otis talking about cashing in his MIB contract never happened.


Changing the stipulation really sucked the drama out of the match. But this was a pretty decent match.


3 out of 5

[CaptainCrunch]

McIntyre retains over Lashley

This was a really good physical match. Lashley might be a carisma vacuum, but he can work. Choosing MVP as his manager really works. Lana coming down and costing her Bobby the match continues the break up of Lashley and Lana. We did have the near homicide of the week as Lashley accidentally dropped Drew on his head outside the ring. You could put Lashley with a guy like Heyman or MVP and make him a killing machine like Lesnar



4 out of 5 Stars.

[CaptainCrunch]

Street Profits vs Viking Raiders


Ugh, and now Tozawa is the head of a Ninja motorcycle gang.


-20/5

[CaptainCrunch]

Randy Orton defeats Edge and sets a modern day field goal record.


I've said it often, that Orton always had the capability to be one of the best heels in the business, he just too often takes the business for granted.


This match was really really good, it was physical and nasty and had a ton of false finishes. For two older guys they can absolutely go and this match was long, but at times they were both pretty blown up.


I only have two complaints.


First that they piped in crowd noise, it made it seem so phony and forced, its like the live studio audience signs to cheer or boo.


The other one is a long time complaint of mine and its gotten worse over time, but that the complete devaluation of the finishing move. Orton and Edge kicked out of repeated finishing moves, its a bad trend. Once in a while its ok, but a finishing move should be absolutely devestating.


When Paul Heyman was on Stone Cold's show a long time ago he touched on the fact that a finishing move needs to be sacred, that if someone has a sleeper hold as a finishing move it needs to be sold as the end all. Stampede Wrestling used the sleeper as a finishing move and not only did it put you out, but your opponent had to wake you up after the match or serious brain damage would occur, it was brilliant.


But outside of those two complaints, it was a brilliant pretty high paced match, and they generously borrowed moves from other wrestlers. Its weird because the story line ending could be used as a contraversy as the punt is a banned moved in the WWE now.


But if you want to see a great ending, having Randy hovering over Edge after the match is over whispering for him to go home and tell Beth and the kid that Uncle Randy says hello.


It was creepy and brilliant.


4.5 out of 5 stars.


Overall this wasn't a bad PPV, it was kind of a botch fest throughout all the matches, and the stupid movie match was stupid. But the Lashley, Drew fight and the Edge Orton match elevated this PPV.


3 out of 5.

[Inferno]

It sounds like Edge might have tore his tricep. If he needs surgery he could be out around 9 months.

[CaptainCrunch]

Jesus, that shows how tough these guys are. 9 months is a long ways away for a older guy on a limited schedule.


Maybe its a sign to Edge.

[Superflyer]

It seems that a developmental talent tested positive that was at the tapings last week. To make it better, nobody knew until it hit twitter yesterday.

[CaptainCrunch]

That's trouble.

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Street Profits vs Viking Raiders


Ugh, and now Tozawa is the head of a Ninja motorcycle gang.


-20/5

I loved this, it was hilarious

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

The other one is a long time complaint of mine and its gotten worse over time, but that the complete devaluation of the finishing move. Orton and Edge kicked out of repeated finishing moves, its a bad trend. Once in a while its ok, but a finishing move should be absolutely devestating.


When Paul Heyman was on Stone Cold's show a long time ago he touched on the fact that a finishing move needs to be sacred, that if someone has a sleeper hold as a finishing move it needs to be sold as the end all. Stampede Wrestling used the sleeper as a finishing move and not only did it put you out, but your opponent had to wake you up after the match or serious brain damage would occur, it was brilliant.

Agreed whole heartedly. It’s really gotten out of hand how often wrestlers would kick out of finishers and it’s to a point now where it’s not just one but two or three finishers isn’t enough anymore.

However, I find it ironic coming from Heyman. Brock comes to mind almost immediately when you think of anyone who’s guilty of this. Most, if not all, of his recent matches has always involved multiple F5s and taking multiple finishers of his opponents.

The worst one in my recent memory was Jeff Hardy’s match vs the Miz. On a normal match on Smackdown, Hardy pulls off the twist of fate and lands his Swanton on Miz. You’d think with that combination, in Kayfabe, would be devastating enough to put him down for the 3 count, but instead, Miz almost immediately after receiving the Swanton, rolls Jeff into a crucifix and “sneaks” a 3 count win. If I was Jeff, I would be absolutely livid how that booking was forced on him.

[CaptainCrunch]

I remember in the past that finishing moves were absolutely devestating, no matter how ridiculous, and the commentators sold them like the guy had been hit by an atomic bomb.


The Claw was ridiculous, The step over toe hold. I remember when Magnum TA's belly to belly duplex was the most devastating move in wrestling.


Nobody should ever be able to kick out of the DDT, but its been so devalued that its a common move, the neck breaker went from a finisher to a common move.


The other big secrets of the finishing move. They weren't always used, in fact the big selling point in the old days would be that a wrestlers opponent would have scouted the finishing move and used a counter to finish the match.



That a finishing move was so devastating that the victim was in actual danger of dying (Sleeper hold) that he had to be woken up. Or the wrestler was taken out on a stretcher or being held up as he stumbled to the back.


To me one of the best looking submission finishers wasn't the figure four and the Sharp shooter, but Ted Dibaise when he slapped on the Million Dollar Dram.


One of the best high impact finisher is the DDT, it was simple and could come from nowhere.


Now we get finishers that are part of a wrestlers 5 moves of doom, something that Bret invented. I loved the finisher that was just blammo holy crap out of nowhere.

[Jiri Hrdina]

The finishing moves that I was afraid of when I was a kid, were those that were made to seem scary. King Kong Bundy's avalanche move was just him running into the guy in the corner - but I was terrified of it.

And the idea of Kamala (yeah that character didn't age well) coming off the top rope absolutely petrified me.

Anything can be scary if it is treated that way.

And of course there was the element of which ones you could do yourself. I liked the full nelson in that regard, as well as the figure four. And I'm sure we all used to slap a sleeper on each other in gym class, until a kid passed out and vomited all over himself.

Good times!

[CaptainCrunch]

I remember dropping the surprise Randy Savage Elbow the top of a outdoor gym on my best friend when I was in like grade 6. Of course we both ended up near death and nobody was chanting "This was awesome" when I did it.


Bundy had an awesome finisher and the 5 count demand.



Andre's finisher would be basically he'd step on your throat until you lose conciousness.

[Finger Cookin]

Love a belly to belly duplex.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by rubecube

His stuff with PAC was really good and any time he's had the main event spot on Dynamite, it's been really good, but I agree.

I do think part of this is a holding pattern until they get live audiences back, because I think the smart move would be to have The Elite turn heel and kick Hangman out, but it's not going to have the desired effect if they don't have a crowd.

They are def setting cody up to go heel, the fireworks celebrations after wins he gets, his character now is like 1 or 2 tweaks from being heel anyway.

Once crowds come back and he uses his 'power' to get a title shot it will be complete

Also you're spot on with no young faces, just even looking at roster it's not really there,

[Blaster86]

Awesome an authority story line. Just what AEW needed!

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

Awesome an authority story line. Just what AEW needed!

Wasn't it maybe a month ago Cody claimed AEW would never do an authority story line because it was insulting to fans? I can't comment on the show since I haven't seen anything since the last PPV yet.

[Ozy_Flame]

Abadon and Ricky Starks are two downright solid pickups by AEW. Abadon has the scariest look I've ever seen in pro wrestling.

[Superflyer]

Seems that KO has decided to stay home after the positive covid at the tapings. It will be interesting to see if anyone does this. I'm guessing that Roman and Sami will not be back for quite a while now. Also with so many expecting babies that may cause more to take time off.