Wrasslin'

[Z]

The only bit I'm surprised by is that they had an wedding date announced. I was assuming he'd string her along for years tbh.

[Ja'moke]

Rusev v Taker is now back on: https://twitter.com/WWE/status/986014342666686469

What a strange event this is.

[Ja'moke]

Smackdown could literally not draft anyone tomorrow and already have won the shakeup.

[Deanjam]

Smackdown could literally not draft anyone tomorrow and already have won the shakeup.

God, you're not wrong. Jinder. Ziggler. Corbin. Roode.

Got to believe Seth's going to Smackdown tonight with the US belt now on Raw.

[Deanjam]

Just realised that Jinder, Drew & Heath are all on Raw now. 3MB reunion confirmed!

[Deanjam]

God, you're not wrong. Jinder. Ziggler. Corbin. Roode.

Got to believe Seth's going to Smackdown tonight with the US belt now on Raw.

Actually, they may just have Jeff take the belt to SD.

[up_the_hampipe]

I love Daniel Bryan requesting Miz on SD. Gonna be fun!

[mikeyg27]

What is with WWE's sudden obsession with Grand Slam champions? Hardy's the fifth one in the last year, and the third in just over a month.

Mojo Rawley, Zack Ryder and Chad Gable are also heading to Raw apparently. So I guess at least we're getting a Gable singles run out of this. Somehow Breezango are the only tag team switching, despite that clearly being Raw's greatest area of need.

[Penfold]

What is with WWE's sudden obsession with Grand Slam champions? Hardy's the fifth one in the last year, and the third in just over a month.

Mojo Rawley, Zack Ryder and Chad Gable are also heading to Raw apparently. So I guess at least we're getting a Gable singles run out of this. Somehow Breezango are the only tag team switching, despite that clearly being Raw's greatest area of need.

I read that The Ascension have moved as well, I only know they were on Smackdown because they appeared in an Fashion Files episode or two.

[Ja'moke]

Actually, they may just have Jeff take the belt to SD.

Yeah, I think Jeff will move to SD tonight. Absolution. Maybe The Revival... or Gallows and Anderson if Balor's moving. Possibly Sasha and/or Bayley too. Then some low card jobber types like Goldust, R-Truth probably.

But regardless, SD wins simply by keeping AJ, Nakamura, Bryan, Rusev, Charlotte, Becky, Iconic Duo, Usos, New Day, Bludgeons, and gaining the Miz. And cutting all the deadweight like Jinder, Roode, Ziggler, Natalya.

[Ludicrous Display]

Was hoping Orton would be off to Raw as well but they moved most of the dross. Little bit disappointed we won't get to see Owens and Zayn with the Miz, Zayn reading that letter to Angle was fucking brilliant. Expecting Jeff Hardy, Balor, The Revival, Bayley and a few others on Smackdown although what I'd like to see is Rollins joining and building to a match against AJ.

[Ja'moke]

Also, with Raw getting Drew last night, hopefully SD will get Andrade tonight.

[mikeyg27]

Zayn reading that letter to Angle was fucking brilliant.

The reading glasses were the highlight of the episode.

Last time Owens and Zayn were on Jericho's podcast Zayn told a great story about when he turned heel Vince told him to just keep doing the same stuff as he was when he was a face, and Zayn realising that this was because Vince thinks he's annoying.

[Ja'moke]

Smackdown roster is fucking stacked now. AJ, Nakamura, Bryan, The Miz, Rusev, Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, Andrade "Cien" Almas (with Zelina), Asuka, Charlotte, Becky, Carmella, SanIty, The Bar, Gallows & Anderson, New Day, Usos, Bludgeon Brothers. Oh and Big Cass, well, you can't win em all.

[rjd2]

Road Dogg still booking it though!

[Deanjam]

Smackdown roster is fucking stacked now. AJ, Nakamura, Bryan, The Miz, Rusev, Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, Andrade "Cien" Almas (with Zelina), Asuka, Charlotte, Becky, Carmella, SanIty, The Bar, Gallows & Anderson, New Day, Usos, Bludgeon Brothers. Oh and Big Cass, well, you can't win em all.

Road Dogg still booking it though!

All that talent and Cass will be WWE champion for 2 years. He's tall! You can't teach it!

[Moribunderast]

Seriously, though, that Smackdown roster is enough to get me watching the show for a month or so to see if it takes off. Road Dogg will have to book pretty fucking badly to ruin that roster.

[mikeyg27]

If Daniel Bryan is just a rank-and-file member of the roster now, how come he can request other people get traded? The Miz has every right to be pissed [/kayfabe].

Seriously though, Smackdown won the Shake-Up and it's not even close. That is an absurd line-up. Paige must be AMAZING at her job.

EDIT: I totally missed that they also moved The Bar! So Cesaro is on the same show as Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles????

Also, THE MIZ IS ON THE SHOW WITHOUT THE INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE.

[up_the_hampipe]

Big Cass has returned! Welcome back! Welcome back! Welcome back!

[Deanjam]

BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[Timothy]

Nice!!
First the Biggest RR on the Network.

Then Raw in London next month which will be great.
Then a few days later a Smackdown house show with Bryan VS Miz, Hardy VS Samoa Joe and Shinsuke VS Styles.

[up_the_hampipe]

BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Yes, boo to all the Big Cass haters. Casseroles unite!

[Z]

What I'm getting from this shakeup is that raw is now absurdly dependent on Kevin owens to fill time.I would be very concerned about Matt and bray right now, the two of them could be on our agenda an awful lot over the summer 😐

[Ja'moke]

Raw still has plenty of talent, Smackdown just looks better on paper because they got rid of all their deadweight (other than Orton) which made the product so stale the past few months. But Raw still has Reigns, Rollins, Balor, Strowman, (Ambrose when he returns), Owens, Zayn, Elias and now a returning McIntyre (with Ziggler), plus a women's division made up of Sasha, Bayley, Nia, Alexa, Ember, Mickie, and the debuting Riot Squad.

Raw's main concern is its tag division, but that's been a problem for months. It looks like Matt and Bray will be winning the tag titles in Saudi Arabia, so that means Raw will have to start booking The Revival and AOP as legit threats. Obviously the tag division will get a bigger push if Ziggler/McIntyre and Owens/Zayn are involved.

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Bruno Sammartino dead: http://www.wwe.com/article/bruno-sammartino-passes-away?sf187243454=1

[Deanjam]

He was looking in good nick for someone his age last I saw him. Very sad.

[Moribunderast]

My local indy (Melbourne City Wrestling) did two shows with PROGRESS over the weekend. I went along to the first and had a grand old time. I'm not really aware of many PROGRESS guys currently but Jimmy Havoc was very entertaining and Travis Banks put on a good show in the Main Event. Was awesome to see Pete Dunne in person, as well as Trent Seven and Tyler Bate. And I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the impure part of me greatly enjoyed seeing Toni Storm in action.

MCW seems to have hit on a good format of having a handful of talented guys to carry most of the show while bringing in one or two international indy stars for each major show to draw in an audience. Last three big shows have had Okada, Will Ospreay and PROGRESS guys. Next major show has Tenille Dashwood (Emma) which will be fun. Of the local guys, the ones to look out for are Robbie Eagles and Slex. Eagles has had some good high-flying matches and may even be a chance to take part in the NJPW Super Juniors tournament while Slex is the guy MCW have clearly positioned to go up against all the big names they bring in. Each of his matches I've seen have been very good, even if his gimmick ("The Business") does seem like a HHH knockoff.

[Mobius]

I wish I lived in Melbourne. Sounds like you're getting some great shows.

Meanwhile I went to my local indie's final show tonight (AWA Grindhouse, Brisbane), as the rundown venue they they perform at is closing down.

Been going for 3 years. Shame really. There's naff all wrestling around here so that's that.

[mikeyg27]

The Impact PPV Redemption was quite fun and at least worth a skim-through, and if you're a Lucha Underground fan they have a working partnership now so many of the Temple faves cropped up. The main event was great but there wasn't really a bad match on the card (some less enthralling than others, though) and a lot of setting up of interesting things going forward.

I wouldn't call Impact must-see TV just yet but it's worth checking in on every so often and the company at last seems like it's trending in the right direction. Like seemingly every other major promotion, the weakness is the tag division.

[sevendaughters]

saw Travis Banks in a worked-shoot event back in February, he did NOT know how to work that style.