Wrestling In The Time Of COVID-19: the new thread

[sevendaughters]

oh dear Kawato

[Ja'moke]

Blue Meanie cosplay?

[Ja'moke]

The Sasha Banks vs Io Shirai match beat the Dynamite main event 900K to 645K in viewership. As a long-suffering Sasha fan, it feels pretty good to see her killing it this year, getting these big matches and spots, and having the numbers to back it up. It might have taken both Becky and Charlotte taking a leave of absence, but I'll take what I can get!

[Old Thrashbarg]

"You ever had pyro before, Excalibur, you dumb idiot?" First thing Jericho said when he sat down for commentary, he's so fucking good in that role.

I don't know why I enjoy everyone being a dick to Excalibur, but it is funny. I hope none of it has a serious undertone.

I do love the AEW commentary in general. Excalibur is really good in his role, even if he sometimes falls back to catchphrases a bit too much. Schiavone is great, and JR feels like he's back to his best, after a shakey start last year. Taz is great on Dark too, and Jericho is obviously brilliant whenever he gets involved.

[Ja'moke]

Tazz and Excalibur are the best part of Dark for sure. They have a great chemistry and a nice playful banter between the pair.

[BeardFaceMan]

I don't know why I enjoy everyone being a dick to Excalibur, but it is funny. I hope none of it has a serious undertone.

I do love the AEW commentary in general. Excalibur is really good in his role, even if he sometimes falls back to catchphrases a bit too much. Schiavone is great, and JR feels like he's back to his best, after a shakey start last year. Taz is great on Dark too, and Jericho is obviously brilliant whenever he gets involved.

Yeah I have to say I thought it was a huge mistake bringing JR in at the start, a bit too old-school for my liking and clearly past his best. But he has got a lot better in his role, I would still have preferred them go with someone else, but he really does sound like his old self again. I'd never heard Excalibur or Skeevone before AEW but I'm enjoying them both (other than Excalibur coming across as a less charismatic Joey Styles at times, concentrating too much on calling move names and catchphrases). But it's refreshing not to actively dislike anyone on commentary.

[Gurke and Hare]

Tazz and Excalibur are the best part of Dark for sure. They have a great chemistry and a nice playful banter between the pair.

Dark is great at the moment. I'm really enjoying the Avalon/Cutler and Allie/Brandi tag teams.

Yeah I have to say I thought it was a huge mistake bringing JR in at the start, a bit too old-school for my liking and clearly past his best. But he has got a lot better in his role, I would still have preferred them go with someone else, but he really does sound like his old self again.

I loved his "What have we become?" when Hager knocked the ref out. The chemistry in the announce team is brilliant.

[Ja'moke]

JR still makes some weird comments. What was that whole "that's a lip-lock... the Asian kind" about?

At least he knows everyone's name now though.

[Deanjam]

New US title is fuck ugly.

[amateur]

When was the last time they made a good belt? 24/7 and new Intercontinental belts both gash for my money.

AEW Tag champs, now that's a proper belt.

[Huxleys Babkins]

The Undisputed belt might be the last half-decent one they've done. It's getting on for 20 years old now.

That said, I quite liked the original Cena US spinner belt, but I could have done without it being used as the inspiration for every belt that's followed.

The sex offendersNXT UK belt would be decent if it weren't stuck in that "diamond" template.

[Utter Shit]

As much for nostalgia as for beauty, my favourite belt of all time was Warrior's intercontinental belt around Wrestlemania VI

[Ja'moke]

I think the new US belt would look decent if the word CHAMPION wasn't so damn big.



Heath Slater's promo on Raw last was good, and happy that we got Kairi v Sasha before Kairi leaves.

[Deanjam]

Okaaay ...

[amateur]

As much for nostalgia as for beauty, my favourite belt of all time was Warrior's intercontinental belt around Wrestlemania VI

Fair play that's a cracking strap. I thought the white IC belt they had before this one was strong too.

[Ja'moke]

I'm a fan of the NXT UK Tag titles...

[Ja'moke]

That 8 man tag was insane. I fucking love the Lucha Bros.

[Ja'moke]

Jericho vs OC was ace too. And next week we have FTR vs Lucha Bros, Elite vs Jurassic Express, and Mox vs Cage! Yes please.

[Moribunderast]

What a fucking great episode of Dynamite that was! Tag opener good, Janela/Archer good, 8-man was INSANE and everyone came out of it looking like megastars. Nyla and Dark Order matches were what they needed to be to move forward their respective storylines. And then that Main Event was just pure wrestling storytelling done right. I desperately wanted OC to win but I think they made the right call. They now have a golden ticket: when crowds return, market that rematch and have OC finally win over Jericho to rapturous applause for an all-time feel-good moment.

Man, that episode of Dynamite, then New Japan Cup finals and Dominion this weekend! Exciting!

[Ja'moke]

I really liked that the Bucks and FTR actually worked well together and shook hands at the end despite their loss. I'm just so accustomed to the wrestling trope of "rivals team up and cost each other the match then fight afterwards."

What do we think about Taz gifting Brian Cage the FTW title?

[BeardFaceMan]

Just when you think youve seen all the moves, they go and pull out an over-the-top-rope Canadian Destroyer. Fucking mentalists.

Have to say, I dont get SCU. Obviously theyre all very talented wrestlers, but I don't get what the gimmick is or what their characters are, I dont even know if theyre heel or face at this point. As a result, anything they're involved with just feels a bit bland.

That FTW belt is an odd one, it hasn't really meant anything for a long time, he may as well have been given the Million Dollar Belt. It's all about what they do with it from here, really. Is it going to be a title Cage actually defends? Are they going to make the title mean something and have other wrestlers envious of it and want it, or is it just an extension of giving Cage Taz's catchphrase and going to end up meaning nothing?

Also, I could watch Orange Cassidy all fucking day.

[Gurke and Hare]

Totally agree on SCU, I've always thought them a bit blah and a weird choice to be the first tag champions.Sky and Kazarian should concentrate on their solo runs, and Daniels can do whatever he wants as long as I don't have to watch too much of it.

Jericho v OC was amazing - I didn't expect OC to win, but the last two count he had they had me believing for a moment. The 8 man tag was great too - totally unoriginal observation but it's still amazing how deep the tag division is. Any of those 4 teams would be legit champions - I think they need a title change soon, and I'd guess it would be Lucha Brothers. I don't know where that leaves Pac and Death Triangle when he gets back there though.

[BeardFaceMan]

My only complaint about the tag division at the moment is that with all these great legit tag teams they have, the champions are two singles guys. Not that Omega and Hangman aren't great, but I just hate to see two singles guys put together that don't even have a proper tag team name being on top, it's not a good look for the 'proper' tag teams that two singles guys can regularly beat established teams. It just has a whiff of "tag teams are second best" about it.

[Ja'moke]

They're starting to build up Scorpio Sky for a singles push. He's had a couple of great matches on Dark recently. And his new theme song is a banger: https://aewrestling.bandcamp.com/releases

[kitsofan34]

I'd prefer if they calmed down a bit on the FTR appearances, seems like they're trying to burn through all the match ups on offer for them in the tag division. They've already fought SCU and the lower level Butcher and Blade, and they sure as shit shouldn't be fighting Lucha Bros this quickly.

Would also like Scott Dawson (or what's he called now? Dax Harwood?) to do some singles matches, though feel they're far too puritanical in their love of tag team wrestling to do so. A match against Rey Fenix would be particularly good.

[Deanjam]

[Gurke and Hare]

Puppy Battle Royale

[Deanjam]

So ... Dominion. Didn't see that coming.

[Deanjam]

So ... Dominion. Didn't see that coming.

Apparently no one else saw it either.

[boki]

Apparently no one else saw it either.

I've yet to get into Japanese wrestling, it feels like quite the undertaking.  I am subscribed to NJPW's English channel on YouTube, but haven't watched any of it in ages.  I think at this point I'm possibly more interested in people talking about the graps than actually watching much of it, but I do just about keep up with AEW.