Wrestling 2021: The Big Thread Machine

[BRen]

I'm currently watching the Doctor Who Season 8 box set, and some of the explosions in the episodes are far superior to what we got in that match.

[Ja'moke]

I'm currently watching the Doctor Who Season 8 box set, and some of the explosions in the episodes are far superior to what we got in that match.

I mean I would hope so.

[BeardFaceMan]

The next door neighbours kids playing with sparklers last bonfire night was far superior to the explosions we got at the end of that match. AEW don't have a great track record when it comes to production, lots of little technical glitches and things going wrong, cutting to backstage segments and having an echo so you can't hear what's being said, even on that PPV they were still botching the camerawork and missing spots. That kind of stuff was forgiven when they first started, dismissed as teething trouble and getting used to being on tv, there's no reason it should still be happening now.

[Mobius]

I've taken shits more explosive!!!

Anyway this amazing promo from Shane McMahon on today's Raw has lifted my mood https://streamable.com/srwtf1

[BeardFaceMan]

Fucking hell, they aired that? Also, that's the first time I've seen Shane for a few years, holy shit does he look and sound like Vince now.

[Moribunderast]

Anyway this amazing promo from Shane McMahon on today's Raw has lifted my mood https://streamable.com/srwtf1

Saw that earlier. Hilarious. Either he completely forgot his lines, had a brain-snap or that went how it was intended... none of which are good. But hey, at least Braun vs. Shane at Wrestlemania will be... a thing that happens.

It's been funny seeing how much that dud explosion has overshadowed what I thought was an enjoyable PPV. Fair in a sense as it was an all-time wrestlecrap moment that ruined what could have been an incredible babyface turn for Kingston but, still, seeing lots of "AEW is TNA now" and "AEW's a joke" sentiment when, realistically, outside of that production snafu, we got a good main event, great Street Fight/Cinematic match, great Tag Title match, fun Tag Rumble and decent Women's Title match. I can understand the disappointment over Christian and the dudsplosion but it seems wrestling fans have reacted in typically hyperbolic fashion about it all.

[Mobius]

Yeah the WWE stans are loving it. Fair play. Twitter and Reddit had a field day dunking on AEW.

Most of the people taking such glee in it wouldn't have watched the show and would use the ending to shit all over it regardless. You can't really have a discussion on Twitter or Reddit, it's just constant WWE Vs AEW and everyone trying to dunk on the other. That's just how it goes I suppose, I'm sure I'd be enjoying this more if it had happened to WWE.

The ending didn't ruin it for me, as you say great PPV overall. Genuinely feel bad for all the lads involved in the PPV that it's overshadowed all else, I would imagine Mox and Omega are fucking fuming at someone backstage.

AEW will hopefully just own it and make fun of themselves on Thursday and life will go on.

[BeardFaceMan]

It didn't ruin the PPV for me, or even the match, it just ruined that moment.

Lots of people saying that WWE would be getting a lot more shit for this if they did it, the difference is when something shit happens in AEW it's an generally an accident, in WWE stupid shit happens on purpose.

Was Shane high during that promo or something? That was very odd. Speaking very slowly, rambling, looking completely lost, even that bit at the beginning when he thinks his mic isn't working when it is and gets a new one, even though there's no crowd and you can quite clearly hear them both speaking when they dont have a mic. That's the kind of stupid shit that happens on a weekly basis in WWE, and AEW are nowhere near deserving of that kind of criticism. Although they're not beyond criticism, they have to be careful because there are certain WWE-shitshow elements that creep into AEW now and again. They're getting better though, but the one thing I'd say is that they need someone new in charge of production, that and the handling of the womens division have been my only real AEW complaints so far.

[amateur]

Lots of people saying that WWE would be getting a lot more shit for this if they did it, the difference is when something shit happens in AEW it's an generally an accident, in WWE stupid shit happens on purpose.

There's a certain naivety/inexperience peppered through AEW's history that you could add this one into. Like the time they tried to force a dog on stage with fireworks going off left and right, for starters.

Maybe no more fireworks for a bit.

[BeardFaceMan]

There's a certain naivety/inexperience peppered through AEW's history that you could add this one into. Like the time they tried to force a dog on stage with fireworks going off left and right, for starters.

Maybe no more fireworks for a bit.

Yeah that's definitely true, there was a feeling back when they started that they were kings and could do what they like and could pull it off with style, which led to them not always thinking things though and not having the experience to say "this isn't a good idea", I'd go as far as to say you could add 'arrogance' to 'naïvety' and 'inexperience'. As I say though, I think they have got better at that kind of thing, they've learned a lot since they started.

[Custard]

Apparently Christian is the guest on Renee's Oral Sessions. That should be an interesting one!

Tomorrow, according to she

[Deanjam]

There's a certain naivety/inexperience peppered through AEW's history that you could add this one into. Like the time they tried to force a dog on stage with fireworks going off left and right, for starters.

And then Cody & Brandi went on twitter to boast about firing the fireworks guy, even though they were the ones who brought the dog out. Definitely their most Trip & Stephanie moment.

[boki]

As someone online put it, they brought out Sting with no build on free TV, then brought out Christian with a big mystery debut build on PPV. They should've been the other way round.

Nah, they were the right way around - Sting being announced ahead of time as definitely performing is gonna sell a hell of a lot more PPVs than the possibility that he might be a surprise announcement.

[MrMrs]

Sting is absolutely tragic man, get him in the grave ffs lol

[BeardFaceMan]

Nah, they were the right way around - Sting being announced ahead of time as definitely performing is gonna sell a hell of a lot more PPVs than the possibility that he might be a surprise announcement.

That's true. And I think they got more buzz from Christian being a suprise than if they heavily promoted his return. The fans were certainly talking about it more.

[Ja'moke]

And then Cody & Brandi went on twitter to boast about firing the fireworks guy, even though they were the ones who brought the dog out. Definitely their most Trip & Stephanie moment.

They should have hired that guy back for the exploding barbed wire match.

According to Alvarez, that was the way the final explosion was meant to look, that they'd actually tested it a few weeks ago and thought it was fine. If that's true, just... how?!

[BeardFaceMan]

They should have hired that guy back for the exploding barbed wire match.

According to Alvarez, that was the way the final explosion was meant to look, that they'd actually tested it a few weeks ago and thought it was fine. If that's true, just... how?!

Nah, I don't buy that at all. It was billed as "when the time runs out, the ring will detonate", not "when the time runs out, a few sparklers will go off and then you'll get an explosion that was smaller than the ones you got when they were thrown into the ropes". There's no way that went according to plan. You only have to listen to Mox talking to the crowd afterwards where he described it as shit to know that wasn't how it was supposed to go down.

[Ja'moke]

Nah, I don't buy that at all. It was billed as "when the time runs out, the ring will detonate", not "when the time runs out, a few sparklers will go off and then you'll get an explosion that was smaller than the ones you got when they were thrown into the ropes". There's no way that went according to plan. You only have to listen to Mox talking to the crowd afterwards where he described it as shit to know that wasn't how it was supposed to go down.

Well, at the post-show scrum, Tony Khan also said, "There's not much more you can do without actually blowing the guys up."

[Custard]

I thought they presented Sting very well. Cinematic matches certainly cover up some issues with age, blowing up quickly etc

[Ja'moke]

I thought they presented Sting very well. Cinematic matches certainly cover up some issues with age, blowing up quickly etc

Sting has looked very good so far, even his bits in the ring in the weeks leading to the PPV. And that street fight protected him.

[Old Thrashbarg]

Nah, I don't buy that at all. It was billed as "when the time runs out, the ring will detonate", not "when the time runs out, a few sparklers will go off and then you'll get an explosion that was smaller than the ones you got when they were thrown into the ropes". There's no way that went according to plan. You only have to listen to Mox talking to the crowd afterwards where he described it as shit to know that wasn't how it was supposed to go down.

Yeah, exactly. Every other explosion in the match was more explosive than the finale. And you could tell by the uncertainty from the commentators that they were waiting for more.

[Deanjam]

Well, at the post-show scrum, Tony Khan also said, "There's not much more you can do without actually blowing the guys up."

I keep hearing this type of response in defense of it. There's been quite a few more impressive stunts where no one was hurt. It's just a few more fireworks, lots of smoke, a large bang, and a rigged ring collapse. Victorian stage magicians would do a better job.

[Deanjam]

WWE had their own minor pyro mishap last night. Only 3 of the 4 ringposts set off Bray's magic fire at Orton. Much less embarrassing, but it does happen.

[BeardFaceMan]

Well, at the post-show scrum, Tony Khan also said, "There's not much more you can do without actually blowing the guys up."

Still not buying it. There's no way Kingston would have reacted the way he did if that was what was supposed to happen, and Mox wouldn't have got on the mic afterwards.

I thought they presented Sting very well. Cinematic matches certainly cover up some issues with age, blowing up quickly etc

I'm someone who had never seen Sting in WCW, saw him slightly in TNA (around the time of the Jeff Hardy shitshow) and saw him when he got buried in WWE so there was no nostalgia value for me in seeing Sting in AEW but I've been really impressed with how they've used him so far. I'd much rather see him on my tv than Matt fucking Hardy.

edit -

I keep hearing this type of response in defense of it. There's been quite a few more impressive stunts where no one was hurt. It's just a few more fireworks, lots of smoke, a large bang, and a rigged ring collapse. Victorian stage magicians would do a better job.

That's the thing, they said the ring was going to detonate, I thought at the very least there would be a ring collapse. As it was, it was just sparklers and a slightly smaller explosion nowhere near where the wrestlers were lying. That can't have been planned.

WWE had their own minor pyro mishap last night. Only 3 of the 4 ringposts set off Bray's magic fire at Orton. Much less embarrassing, but it does happen.

Being in Florida it wouldnt suprise me if the humidity fucked with the explosive powder, something like that.

[up_the_hampipe]

Well, at the post-show scrum, Tony Khan also said, "There's not much more you can do without actually blowing the guys up."

https://twitter.com/BAHUFMW/status/1368789019300143106

[BeardFaceMan]

https://twitter.com/BAHUFMW/status/1368789019300143106

Now that's a detonating ring.

[Ja'moke]

https://twitter.com/BAHUFMW/status/1368789019300143106

Man, if it ended like that it would have been an all-time classic moment because you'd have the spectacle of the explosion and also the great storytelling of Eddie sacrificing himself for Mox.

Instead, it's an all-time classic moment but for all the wrong reasons.

[amateur]

Nah, I don't buy that at all. It was billed as "when the time runs out, the ring will detonate", not "when the time runs out, a few sparklers will go off and then you'll get an explosion that was smaller than the ones you got when they were thrown into the ropes". There's no way that went according to plan. You only have to listen to Mox talking to the crowd afterwards where he described it as shit to know that wasn't how it was supposed to go down.

Hard agree. I don't buy that nothing on the ring - posts, ropes, wire, mats - was supposed to move. I also don't believe they'd have sold a detonating ring without one of the above.

WWE had their own minor pyro mishap last night. Only 3 of the 4 ringposts set off Bray's magic fire at Orton. Much less embarrassing, but it does happen.

I know we've all become accustomed to this sort of hot nonsense, but I still can't believe I'm reading about a magic fire angle in 2021, and that the issue with it is technical.

[Deanjam]

I know we've all become accustomed to this sort of hot nonsense, but I still can't believe I'm reading about a magic fire angle in 2021, and that the issue with it is technical.

Oh I have no interest in Bray magic-man bollocks, or paedo-fantasy Alexa. The technical failing was the only thing that drew my attention.

[Old Thrashbarg]

Man, if it ended like that it would have been an all-time classic moment because you'd have the spectacle of the explosion and also the great storytelling of Eddie sacrificing himself for Mox.

Instead, it's an all-time classic moment but for all the wrong reasons.

That's what makes it all the more annoying really. The match itself was great and then the Kingston stuff was brilliantly set up. It was all primed for a genuinely amazing moment that could've moved AEW to the next level. Apart from the ring, that wasn't primed at all.