Wrestling: The Baron Corbin Era

[hummingofevil]

Well I thought that was one of the most boring things I have ever seen. How can you have an underdog that is being screwed by the authority that is booked to win a gauntlet by the authority.

Oh here we go. More Vince.

Ha ha. And now they have Bryan beat him for the SWERVE. Urgh.

[hummingofevil]

So they just couldn't resist overbooking the Kofi mania run. Load of shit.

Absolute load of shit. Waste of two hours of my life that. If Bryan has lost there that would have been three pins in a few weeks making HIM the underdog. Seriously why do we bother?

[hummingofevil]

TBF I have just checked Twitter and it seems to be universally full of HEAT for Vince and the 'racist WWE' who has denied Kofi his place at Wrestlemania. We all know Vince's long term memory lasts about 3 weeks but maybe he's just a visionary; maybe he is the blueprint for all wrestling fans as it appears from reading Twitter that most people can't remember back.... oh.... maybe 90 mins when Becky was interviewed about her Mania match despite being repeatedly "denied the opportunity".

---

To offset all of this brain rot I have managed to learn another 100 kanji and am making good progress to point where I am determined to have a chat with Tanahashi in Japanese in the Summer. :)

But for now... お休みなさい

[Ja'moke]

Kevin Owens there, oozing more natural charisma and ease on the mic (in his second language) there than either of his guests.

Vince innit.

I usually love Owens but I felt he was very awkward in that segment. Stumbling and not funny.

And yeah, they've overbooked the Kofi story just like the women's match now. No doubt we'll get New Day Occupy Smackdown next week.

[Ja'moke]

Great New Day promo: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J3SwCs42l1M&utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

[Timothy]

How did they manage not only to drop the ball on both their hottest storylines in years (Rousey VS Becky VS Charlotte and Kofi VS Bryan) but also waste a potential great US title angle, the Kurt Angle retirement match and Braun Strowman?


This Mania is going to be the most mediocre Mania in years. Baffling.

[Delete Delete Delete]

They havn't dropped the ball at all on Kofi or the Womens match. Its story telling and they have tv to fill, just because it dosn't fit what we fantasy book in our heads dosn't mean its bad.

[Timothy]

I disagree. I think it is bad storytelling. They overcomplicate things.

Fans will be less interested in nearly all Mania matches the moment Mania starts.

[Ja'moke]

That New Day promo brought me back around (also, I was in a bad mood yesterday, so probably judged Smackdown more harshly than usual). I guess I just would have liked the WWE title match to have been set in stone by now, with WM this close. But we're probably getting it next week after some mass walk-out/protest on Smackdown, which could be fun I suppose, even if it is just mimicking the Bryan/Authority storyline.

Also, the crowds are still reacting, to the Kofi feud and the women's feud, so I guess that's what counts, even if I don't personally like some of the way they've booked things.

PS - Miz's promo last night was ace. Never thought he'd work as a face so well.

EDIT: Another great Big E twitter promo: https://twitter.com/WWEBigE/status/1108388035027263488

[up_the_hampipe]

Yeah, good promos from New Day and Miz there. Great stuff on Smackdown last night. The Mr. McMahon character is very different for this storyline, isn't he? He hasn't explained why he hates Kofi, or even shown any particular animosity towards him. He's calmly trying to ruin his career for fun, it seems. That character usually wears his emotions openly. Perhaps in the coming weeks as the pressure builds on him to put Kofi in the match, he'll start to fly off the handle. WE NEED MORE YELLING, DAMMIT!

[hummingofevil]

THIS is a promo.

https://twitter.com/wrestlingsheet/status/1108394083939082240?s=21

[Delete Delete Delete]

THIS is a promo.

https://twitter.com/wrestlingsheet/status/1108394083939082240?s=21

No Alarms And No Suprises.

[up_the_hampipe]

Psst! There's rumours going around that Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch are dating. Pass it on but shhhh!

[Deanjam]

Oh no! Those crazy Shield fangirls are gonna hate Becky now. Still, nice to see an open relationship in wrestling between two men.

[Deanjam]

Dean Ambrose telling a brilliantly terrible joke.

https://twitter.com/adampacitti/status/1108678847459979264

[Mobius]

Can't wait for NXT Takeover on Mania weekend.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match:
War Raiders vs. Dusty Rhodes Classic Winners (already determined, but yet to air on NXT)

WWE UK Championship Match:
Pete Dunne vs. WALTER

NXT North American Championship Match:
Velveteen Dream vs. Matt Riddle

NXT Women's Championship Fatal Four-Way Match:
Shayna Baszler vs. Io Shirai vs. Bianca Belair vs. Kairi Sane

Two of Three Falls Match For Vacant NXT Championship:
Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole

Lots of people missing from the card too. Undisputed Era, Matt Riddle, Keith Lee, Velveteen Dream. Probably be some NXT guys at Wrestlemania Access as well, and it looks like Kyle O'Reilly, Montez Ford and others will be working the EVOLVE show that weekend.

So many good matches dotted around various shows by the looks of it - someone has compiled it all here

edit - thanks Ja'Moke not sure how I forgot that one - updated my list just so it's correct

[Ja'moke]

Dream v Riddle for the North American title too.

[mikeyg27]

WWE have a gallery on their site of Superstars When They Were Fans and this photo blew my fragile little mind:

[up_the_hampipe]

More like Johnny Gargantuan.

[Deanjam]

What the fuck?!!

[ToneLa]

I suddenly like Bayley WAY more!

[mikeyg27]

What the fuck?!!

Ricochet about to audition for the lead in Hamilton there. Still, I don't think that's even the best 'meeting Triple H' photo in the set:



Also this photo of a teenage Roman with a cardboard cut-out of Trish and a pile of towels in the foreground and you can write the rest of this wanking joke yourself:

[Custard]

Just finished Bret's book. Was as good as I'd heard, and it's really well written. It's a bit out of date now, so by the end he still hates Shawn, Vince, Triple H. Now I think it's only Triple H. "What's he ever....done?"

What's everyone's favourite rasslin' books?

Ring Of Hell was bleak as fuck, though gripping. Death Of WCW is obviously a classic. Really liked Foley's first two books. Lawler's was okay, though his fondness for young girls and the fact that he has a Coca-Cola shrine in his house was a bit off putting. Jericho's first two are pretty fun, though I always avoid the Fozzy chapters in his books.

Was thinking of going for Austin's, but it's ghost written, isn't it?

[ToneLa]

I really like The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels. Reading well researched bios of all these old dudes. And some are crazy. It's a fun read. I've read the Faces and Tagteam ones too but the Heel one seems to have more dudes who lived the gimmick!

Hardcore Holly's book was better than it had any right to be. It is probably my favourite autobiography, save Bret's.

Sex, Lies, and Headlock is probably the best book on Vince McMahon's 1990s (this was published 2004). The steroid trial coverage in particular is exemplary

I was in Chester this week and in the Claire House charity shop they had, right there in the window, Martha Hart's Broken Harts!

[ads82]

Great semi final matches in the New Japan Cup. Okada and Ishii was great as expected but I really enjoyed Sanada and Tanahashi. Sanada has improved so much in the last few years I could definitely see him as a future IWGP champ. Tanahashi is one of the best wrestler's I've ever seen, he's so composed and aware of subtle actions that help bring out the drama in a match. His heel work in against Sanada was masterful.

[Ja'moke]

I read the Brian Pillman book last year, Crazy Like A Fox. Well worth checking out.

[Deanjam]

Sex, Lies, and Headlock is probably the best book on Vince McMahon's 1990s (this was published 2004). The steroid trial coverage in particular is exemplary

Was gonna suggest this one. It's great for details on WWE's business dealings and how Vince is truly a mental bastard.

I read the Brian Pillman book last year, Crazy Like A Fox. Well worth checking out.

Keep meaning to get this. Heard only praise for it.

[hummingofevil]

Ibushi confirmed for London. What a fucking show.

[hummingofevil]

I was in Chester this week and in the Claire House charity shop they had, right there in the window, Martha Hart's Broken Harts!

Did you buy it? Want.

[ToneLa]

Did you buy it? Want.

Nah, just stood there a bit amazed it was next to the likes of Nigella

Go buy it!! Unless there's a rush on....