Wrestling 2021: The Big Thread Machine

[BeardFaceMan]

Yeah, I took it more as RVD looking down on the stuff he's heard happening, rather than saying he was involved in it

RVD does seem like a but of a knob these days though, unfortunately. His Instagram is mainly pictures of him posing near naked with his young plastic titted girlfriend and her equally bimbo looking friends, or showing off smoking THE DRUGS like a 14 year old

Wrestling eh? What a biz

Not to mention his general anti-union, 'the system worked out ok for me therefore it will work for everyone else, it doesnt need changing, it only doesn't work if you don't work hard enough', I'm OK Jack bullshit. And his Vince arselicking was suprising to see too, I guess he needs that Legends deal.

[Custard]

Oh dear, didn't know about all that. Yep, he can fuck off too

He just seems like he's stuck in a neverending midlife crisis. I had to unfollow him as I was finding it so sleazy and cringeworthy

I did like when he told Taz to pick a hand, mind. And his Shawn Michaels impression

[BeardFaceMan]

That's what makes it all the more depressing, he was a big favourite of mine back in the day and he seemed like a solid guy too so to hear him talk like that (think it was around the time Zelina was talking about unions) was very shit indeed. This behavior does all seem to have intensified since his divorce a few years ago so mid-life crisis does sound about right.

[BeardFaceMan]

It looks like Dreamers career might be over before Flairs is, he's gone from Impact already.

[peanutbutter]

Watched it there; Flair's 72 and very much past the point where he works at all in a TV role, the fact he's not tied to any company right now means he'll probably weather it okay unless he does something really stupid. Won't be appearing on AEW or WWE in any significant capacity in the future  but I don't see how that's any big loss for anyone involved (including Flair himself).

Maybe Tommy Dreamer's a total moron, much more stupid than I already thought he was, but he surely knew what he was committing to by taking the position he did on this? Either he's trying to become some anti-cancel culture dude or he convinced himself there's a long term net gain to being the guy who appears on these things to dish out shit opinions. Could absolutely see him thinking it's a way of showing loyalty and will be rewarded.




RVD seems about where I expected him to be at this stage in his life (his IG is pretty great in it's midlife crisis grimnesss). He'll be pretty blunt and often say things that show he's aware of how such and such a thing is shitty, but he also really doesn't give a shit and he's been able to coast his whole career on natural talent so he never had to grow as a person at all along the way. He's a good figure for these kind of things but if you had any notion of him being somehow better than a lot of the scum in wrestling he'll set you right pretty quickly.

[up_the_hampipe]

I really admired Heidi's contributions to this documentary, because it's clear she wanted to tell her story in a way that could make as many people understand as possible. She seemed to be doing it solely to help. She's not out for retribution, even if that's totally fair, it's about educating potential abusers and validating victims.

[BeardFaceMan]

Maybe Tommy Dreamer's a total moron, much more stupid than I already thought he was, but he surely knew what he was committing to by taking the position he did on this? Either he's trying to become some anti-cancel culture dude or he convinced himself there's a long term net gain to being the guy who appears on these things to dish out shit opinions. Could absolutely see him thinking it's a way of showing loyalty and will be rewarded.

As people have pointed out, this was a guy who seriously considered doing a murder/suicide with Paul Heyman live at Wresltemania, you can never underestimate how stupid the truly stupid can be.

[Spiteface]

Tommy Dreamer peaked with "I broke my neck, I broke my back, I MET MY WIFE!" in a promo reacting to Vince winning the ECW title.

[up_the_hampipe]

As people have pointed out, this was a guy who seriously considered doing a murder/suicide with Paul Heyman live at Wresltemania, you can never underestimate how stupid the truly stupid can be.

You either die a villain or live long enough to see yourself become a villain.

[peanutbutter]

As people have pointed out, this was a guy who seriously considered doing a murder/suicide with Paul Heyman live at Wresltemania, you can never underestimate how stupid the truly stupid can be.

oh fuck, I totally forgot about how in the Rise and Fall of ECW you really do get the impression that Heyman conned him for a solid 6 years in ECW. Getting booked a little bit more prominently in exchange for being paid fuck all (it came across like he just wasn't paid for years) and doing a fuckton of work outside the ring. Seemed like a massive loser and he was talking about it with pride

Relatively speaking, a murder/suicide almost seems sensible in comparison to being such a massive mark for so long

I really admired Heidi's contributions to this documentary, because it's clear she wanted to tell her story in a way that could make as many people understand as possible. She seemed to be doing it solely to help. She's not out for retribution, even if that's totally fair, it's about educating potential abusers and validating victims.

For sure, I think she done a really good job at making it not about her or even about those guys specifically.
I wonder if Dreamer was banking on her being hyperbolic rather than like... being extremely generous

[BeardFaceMan]

For sure, I think she done a really good job at making it not about her or even about those guys specifically.
I wonder if Dreamer was banking on her being hyperbolic rather than like... being extremely generous

That's the thing, she was clear to not go over the top and she just described what actually happened because she thought that was enough. And she was right.

[up_the_hampipe]

Props to JR on his transparency in this as well. I really expected him to be dismissive.

[Spiteface]

Yeah, just her telling her story, as it happened, was enough. Once Dustin had to step in, then it's pretty obvious the joke isn't funny anymore, if it ever was to begin with.

[BeardFaceMan]

Hasn't Angle told a story about how he and Vince had a 'fight' on the plane too? Didn't hear that mentioned, they seemed to go very light indeed on what Vince did on that flight and what his responsibilities were, or should have been.

[up_the_hampipe]

Hasn't Angle told a story about how he and Vince had a 'fight' on the plane too? Didn't hear that mentioned, they seemed to go very light indeed on what Vince did on that flight and what his responsibilities were, or should have been.

I thought it was on that flight too, but they don't mention Angle or Undertaker being there, so it might have been confused with another flight. X-Pac has said he's been on much crazier flights, which is... terrifying.

[Stone Cold Steve Austin]

Might be wrong but I think Kurt talked about the Vince stuff in his autobiography that pre-dated the plane ride from hell

[BeardFaceMan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1PcfbTbKkw

It sounds like Vince was being as big a prick as his beloved boys for that flight, bless him.

[elliszeroed]

Tony schiavone has many "funny" stories about Ric Flair walking around in a gown flashing people. Boys being boys.

[Old Thrashbarg]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1PcfbTbKkw

It sounds like Vince was being as big a prick as his beloved boys for that flight, bless him.

Interesting to note from the last few seconds of that that Jericho was on the flight, which I hadn't realised. Wonder what his thoughts were whilst narrating the episode?

[Magnum Valentino]

Regarding Tommy Dreamer's wee standup audition about his haircut, well, if your cack-handed attempt at incisive social commentary comes at the expense of you condoning sexual assault, all you've achieved is probably getting fired over the fucking stupidest, most easily avoidable statement - "I think it's fine to make frightened women touch your cock" - there is.

State of that creepy fucking loser. Away til fuck Tommy Dreamer, your dream was still a dream even when you thought you were living it.

[Gurke and Hare]

Mike Chioda came over like a dick too, giggling his way through the whole thing.

[Ja'moke]

Might be wrong but I think Kurt talked about the Vince stuff in his autobiography that pre-dated the plane ride from hell

Yeah, the Vince / Kurt fight was a different flight. And Jericho wasn't on the "plane ride from hell" either, he wasn't on that UK tour. But, as has been mentioned, I'm sure there were even worse flights over the years.

[up_the_hampipe]

Another sickening story about Flair from someone who probably should have been taken more seriously https://twitter.com/draconiandays/status/1438968436772704263?s=21

[Custard]

Great news on Impact binning Dreamer. What an absolute fud

Bet facing his wife and daughters was perfectly comfortable this morning

[Ja'moke]

Great segment between Britt and Ruby on Rampage. Ruby proving to be another talent WWE squandered.

[Gurke and Hare]

That was great, I lost it at the bit about banging some guy in the back. I love Rampage, a nice silly hour to ease me into Saturday.

[BeardFaceMan]

That was great, I lost it at the bit about banging some guy in the back. I love Rampage, a nice silly hour to ease me into Saturday.

Starks' "Is it a crime to be in love?" got a big laugh out of me. Is Mark Henry off commentary now? As much as I like him, he's really bad at it, he has such a flat, monotone drawl, it's hard for him to generate any emotion with just his voice.

[gmoney]

New Japan Strong, the NJPW Dojo weekly show is being filmed in front of crowds now, after being empty arena shows since its inception. This week's is the first one, and it's a really fun show. They've got a interesting roster filled with dojo prospects and graduates (Alex Coughlin, Karl Fredricks, Ren Narita, Clarke Conners), US indie names (Tom Lawlor, Josh Alexander, Wheeler Yuta, Fred Rosser) and New Japan stars who are based there at the moment (Juice Robinson, Jay White, Will Osprey (sadly)) and guest appearances (Tanahashi, Ishii, Suzuki).

It really does feel like we might be at the beginning of a boom for wrestling at the moment. Between AEW, Impact and NJPW Strong there's at least 4 easily digestible, fun shows to watch every week. And who knows, maybe the competition will encourage WWE to do something about their stagnant shows. I haven't been this excited about wrestling since 1998-2001.

[Custard]

It does seem like the tide is turning. There's a buzz and excitement again, which has been missing for years

[Gurke and Hare]

Table not breaking at Rev Pro tonight. The one they put a ref through broke luckily.