Wrestling: Probs mostly about AEW TNT debut and Smackdown on Fox

[sevendaughters]

not offended by the Cornette boob but they're silly for getting him involved. he's the worst of the announce team. didn't think it was racist, just crass and stupid.

WWE's big strategy of hiring someone to critique them is weird.

[Huxleys Babkins]

WWE's big strategy of hiring someone to critique them is weird.

They'll do anything to keep him off of AEW.

[up_the_hampipe]

It was a dated joke from a man stuck in the past. No surprise really, but stupid of them to keep it in the edit.

WWE's big strategy of hiring someone to critique them is weird.

This wasn't any strategy on their part. This is all FOX's doing, as they want to present WWE like a sport. It's all "professional analysis", but it definitely feels a bit weird for scripted entertainment. It's like Talking Dead shitting on the writing of an episode.

[Deanjam]

Punk isn't really gonna criticise them badly though. He's not gonna lay into the Saudi deal, or lack of health insurance, or using charity as corporate PR. All I've heard him say is not too different from the Corey Graves podcast.

[sevendaughters]

I don't really buy that he's independent of WWE in this, if it was an independent show they'd probably get actual wrestling journalists in like Meltzer, Bill Apter, Wade Keller, or John Pollock et. al. All workers die workers.

[up_the_hampipe]

I don't really buy that he's independent of WWE in this, if it was an independent show they'd probably get actual wrestling journalists in like Meltzer, Bill Apter, Wade Keller, or John Pollock et. al. All workers die workers.

You'll get Ryan Satin and you'll like it!

It's not entirely independent of WWE, they obviously consult with them and work with them to book guests and whatnot. But the show itself was devised and is run by FOX. The most involvement WWE had with the Punk thing, according to Meltzer, was just giving their approval when FOX wanted to hire him.

[sevendaughters]

well I guess we'll see. WWE is obviously quite poor and has been for a while. If we see full critique of that, and of its political issues, and he isn't pulled or toned down, then I'll believe it. All aspects of wrestling and wrestling-adjacency are works until proved otherwise.

[An Actual Propeller]

I'll get interested in WWE Backstage once they cover stuff like the Saudi controversy, Jordan's Myles's t-shirt, people like Sin Cara wanting to leave, etc like a proper news show.  Until they do - and they won't - they can kiss my piss.

[Old Thrashbarg]

Why would Fox hire someone to come in and shit on a show they've spent quite of lot of money on? They wouldn't. They've hired someone to come in and give the illusion of being willing to shit on the show, without saying anything that will cause viewers to not watch the show. And maybe say some things that will themselves become news and attract attention.

[sevendaughters]

Why would Fox hire someone to come in and shit on a show they've spent quite of lot of money on? They wouldn't. They've hired someone to come in and give the illusion of being willing to shit on the show, without saying anything that will cause viewers to not watch the show. And maybe say some things that will themselves become news and attract attention.

Meltzer would argue that they do that for other sports (the Backstage show is on a sports network), and that teaching the controversy actually increases speculation and viewers and is also journalistically proper.

[BeardFaceMan]

Meltzer would argue that they do that for other sports (the Backstage show is on a sports network), and that teaching the controversy actually increases speculation and viewers and is also journalistically proper.

Which would be fine if the show was filled with people who didn't work for WWE. Not much journalistically proper about people afraid to give a real opinion in case there are repercussions from their employer. I mean, it's not as if Vince is known to be petty or vindictive, is it? Punk will talk just enough shit to keep people happy so they can't say he's a company stooge but he won't go as far as to actually criticize them because that would be bad business for both FOX and WWE.

[An Actual Propeller]

Meltzer would argue that they do that for other sports (the Backstage show is on a sports network), and that teaching the controversy actually increases speculation and viewers and is also journalistically proper.

UFC Tonight also was a show on the same channel as WWE Backstage, and has featured people talking about unionisation and fighters leaving for Bellator, and nobody ever thought that was weird or anything, because it was an actual magazine news show.  If it's WWE, it's taboo to talk about this stuff on a news programme, because it's WWE and they expect to be treated differently and favourably.  Fox bought Smackdown as a sports entity, Backstage is on a sports channel, cover it as a sport.  I know it won't be, mind.

Literally nothing of consequence is going to happen if Renee Young gives two minutes to somebody asking for their release.  If WWE Backstage talks about the Jordan Myles stuff, they'll have a prepared statement from corporate or something but at least they'll have addressed it and nobody (well, there'd be a few, but not as many) criticises the show for having no balls, WWE makes just as much money, the world keeps turning.

[Ja'moke]

Jim Cornette has resigned from the NWA. So he lasted what... two sets of tapings?

[An Actual Propeller]

Jim Cornette has resigned from the NWA. So he lasted what... two sets of tapings?

I have a bigoted auntie who generally hates everybody and whenever she moves house - which is quite frequently - she always complains about how shit the neighbours are, and they're so shit they cause her to move out.  She's never figured out that she's always the cunt in any given situation.  I'm not sure why I bring this up here but I'm sure it'll come to me.

[Huxleys Babkins]

It's because your auntie hosts a podcast with Brian Last.

[Deanjam]

I can't help but like listening to Cornette as he's genuinely a great storyteller. Brian Last is the absolute pits of despair though.

[Ja'moke]

Undisputed Era v Revival booked for NXT tonight. Plus Cole v Dijakovich in a ladder match for the War Games advantage. Should be great matches.

Over on AEW, Nick Jackson v Fenix, Private Party v Santana & Ortiz, Moxley v Darby. Plus Jericho and Omega promos.

Excited both shows.

[Famous Mortimer]

Jim Cornette has resigned from the NWA. So he lasted what... two sets of tapings?

Has anyone ever sat Cornette down and explained that while that sort of shit was never really acceptable, it's super-not-acceptable now? That, if he were able to cut this shit out he'd have more success, not less? I wish he'd been fired rather than resigned, and that the NWA had said "the editorial process was unacceptable, as were Cornette's comments, and we've made changes". That would have been nice.

[Huxleys Babkins]

Cornette has an army of internet yes men who'll kiss his ass and keep the lights on no matter what. He has no need for self-reflection.

[Ja'moke]

Cody is heading to court according to his Twitter: https://twitter.com/codyrhodes/status/1197223197457965059?s=21

No doubt this is to do with the recent trademarks and WWE being salty.

[Moribunderast]

Cody is heading to court according to his Twitter: https://twitter.com/codyrhodes/status/1197223197457965059?s=21

No doubt this is to do with the recent trademarks and WWE being salty.

Already deleted. What'd it say?

[Ja'moke]

Already deleted. What'd it say?

Something like "Looks like I'm going to court... time to go suit shopping" with a GIF that said "Welcome to Petty-ville."

EDIT: This article is probably related to it - http://mmapayout.com/2019/11/aew-revives-bash-at-the-beach-but-wwe-still-owns-similar-trademark/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

[Deanjam]

Ouch.

[Mobius]

That'll be the Culture Changed then.

Bloody good NXT this week. The usual Survivor Series invasion stuff which was quite fun, and a fantastic match between The Undisputed Era and The Revival. They really went all out this week and with it being mentioned on Smackdown and Raw so much, and it being a Go Home show, if they don't beat AEW this week then I don't think they ever will.

Gonna watch AEW now.

Takeover should be good.

Rhea Ripley, Candice LeRae, Tegan Nox, and Mia Yim vs. Shayna Baszler, Io Shirai, Bianca Belair, and Kay Lee Ray in WARGAMES!

The Undisputed Era vs. Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee, Dominik Dijakovic and ???(TBA - Hopefully Velveteen Dream? Hopefully not Triple H) in WARGAMES!

Matt Riddle vs. Finn Balor

Pete Dunne vs. Killian Dain vs. Damian Priest

[Moribunderast]

Cracking episode of Dynamite, as usual. Good promo between Jericho and Scorpio Sky, great high-flying match with Nick Jackson and Fenix and I absolutely loved the Darby Allin/Jon Moxley Main Event. The Dark Order vignette was interesting, as well.

[boki]

I feel like Allin/Moxley isn't something they need to put on free TV even with a thin roster - were there any signs of it being part of a significant feud?

[Ja'moke]

I feel like Allin/Moxley isn't something they need to put on free TV even with a thin roster - were there any signs of it being part of a significant feud?

They're only having four PPVs per year though, apparently, so I'm fine with them having big matches like that on TV.

Darby really does have megastar potential. That entrance and seeing kids and young women in the crowd wearing the face-paint. The Jeff Hardy comparisons are apt... and at least you can't get done for a DUI while riding a skateboard right?

After binging on some Stardom this past week too, I really think AEW would be smart to create a women's faction in the style of Tokyo Cyber Squad. That whole J-Pop look with the face-paint and colourful costumes also seems like it could be HUGE in the U.S. wrestling market.

[Spode]

Feel like Meltzer hasn't covered himself in glory, again, on the issue of race - about NWA this time. Makes it clear he isn't defending Cornette (and to be fair, does repeatedly state he shouldn't have said it, it should have been edited out, it's outdated) but then spends a disproportionate amount of time bringing up 'worse' comments from other people and settling on the fact that the reason this has caused such a reaction is because Cornette has spent a career in pissing people off. It's not the greatest take at all, and he really needs to stop comparing racism when there's a case like this, or he's going to end up giving them star ratings depending on their severity.

[peanutbutter]

Lagana is the editor? And he tweeted that super dodgy stuff up above?

Surely he should be out the door, Cornette using some dated joke he's been using for years is bad but if the fucking editor isn't able to pick up on it and has himself got some far more outright dodgy shit behind him, then he should be gone first.

Feel like Meltzer hasn't covered himself in glory, again, on the issue of race - about NWA this time. Makes it clear he isn't defending Cornette (and to be fair, does repeatedly state he shouldn't have said it, it should have been edited out, it's outdated) but then spends a disproportionate amount of time bringing up 'worse' comments from other people and settling on the fact that the reason this has caused such a reaction is because Cornette has spent a career in pissing people off. It's not the greatest take at all, and he really needs to stop comparing racism when there's a case like this, or he's going to end up giving them star ratings depending on their severity.

Meltzer's like this in general, he should be steered away from it cos he starts debating out the whole thing aloud. You could easily trick him into a one hour monologue on what the worst concentration camp was, he'd just keep rambling on until he's cut off.

[Spode]

Meltzer's like this in general, he should be steered away from it cos he starts debating out the whole thing aloud. You could easily trick him into a one hour monologue on what the worst concentration camp was, he'd just keep rambling on until he's cut off.

Aye, he followed it up with what felt like an hour on why Vince wouldn't deliberately put out a bad product in response to Alvarez, sarcastically, saying that even Vince would say production was bad, as Punk had safely said on Backstage. I like him a lot but god he can miss the obvious.