Wrestling 2021/2022: All Thread Everything

[Ja'moke]

I've ordered the GCW show. It should be a special show on just atmosphere alone if nothing else. But it'll also have some great wrestling I'm sure. It's also made me interested in Jeff Jarret for the first time since... well, ever.

It's probably a good show for GCW novices to check out, especially those averse to the death match stuff, as it's in New York, so they're not legally allowed to do all the usual hardcore stuff.

[Magnum Valentino]

Why have you censored that name in your post?

[Ja'moke]

Why have you censored that name in your post?

What name?

[Old Thrashbarg]

Presumably referring to "Ospr**y" in the post before yours.

[Ja'moke]

Presumably referring to "Ospr**y" in the post before yours.

Oops, yeah, that makes sense.

[Gurke and Hare]

Because he's a cunt. Even if he didn't do the rapey mate stuff, he gives me the creeps. I think he got out of Speaking Out with less attention than merited. And maybe this clouds my judgement, but I don't even think he's as good a wrestler as he's made out to be - everything people say about Kenny Omega matches being formulaic spotfests applies to him in spades.

Anyway, I'll probably still watch the show. Sigh.

[Mobius]

WWE name dropping Mox twice on Smackdown. I really can't see it, just think it's Seth/that annoying commentator teasing forbidden door

[Ja'moke]

Nick Jackson singles matches always deliver. Glad Trent got the win though.

[Ja'moke]

Great Rampage. That was both Anna and Jade's best match, actually pleasantly surprised how good it was with them both being really new talent.

And of course HOOK doing HOOK things.

[Moribunderast]

WWE name dropping Mox twice on Smackdown. I really can't see it, just think it's Seth/that annoying commentator teasing forbidden door

Not a chance. Mox ain't ever returning there, in my opinion. I think on Wrestling Observer Radio earlier this week when Meltzer was laughing at online speculation Cody would be in the Royal Rumble, it turned to theories Mox might be and he just said "Yeah, I know how Jon feels about that."

Anyway, great Rampage this week. It's such an easy-to-watch show. All matches delivered in what they needed to and the visual of Hook walking over QT's corpse popped me as much as it did Taz.

[Magnum Valentino]

Because he's a cunt. Even if he didn't do the rapey mate stuff, he gives me the creeps. I think he got out of Speaking Out with less attention than merited. And maybe this clouds my judgement, but I don't even think he's as good a wrestler as he's made out to be - everything people say about Kenny Omega matches being formulaic spotfests applies to him in spades.

Anyway, I'll probably still watch the show. Sigh.

Haha he is a cunt surely, no disagreement. But why is his name censored? Is this an internet thing now, am I getting old?

[kitsofan34]

Great to see the bi-weekly HOOK appearance, once again. Wouldn't be surprised if Jericho starts mingling with HOOK soon, the way he latches onto hot talent.

[Deanjam]

Haha he is a cunt surely, no disagreement. But why is his name censored? Is this an internet thing now, am I getting old?

It's worth censoring some people's names on Twitter as they (or their insane fans) vanity search and leap onto any criticism, and it's just not worth it. I do it with Zach Snyder discussion.

[Gurke and Hare]

It's worth censoring some people's names on Twitter as they (or their insane fans) vanity search and leap onto any criticism, and it's just not worth it. I do it with Zach Snyder discussion.

Yeah, partly that (even though it's unlikely anyone's going to be searching for him here) and partyl just not wanting to type his name in an act of ineffectual pettiness.

Anyway, yes, Rampage was great! Going back to Mox vs Danielson is exactly the right thing to do, all the matches were good and HOOK is just endlessly great. QT is a great opponent for what will presumably be his first longer match and I love that "the cold-hearted handsome devil" is more or less his official tag line now.

Britt announced as talking on Wednesday presumably means her Revolution feud is kicking off, and since it's not going to be Rosa yet I think it will be Deeb, they're obviously building her for something.

[Ja'moke]

They repeated that "cold-hearted handsome devil" line a little too much for my liking. Very WWE-like  branding.

[amateur]

WWE name dropping Mox twice on Smackdown. I really can't see it, just think it's Seth/that annoying commentator teasing forbidden door

This is surely just an attempt to increase views of the Rumble by appealing to the only audience WWE can hope to gain viewers from e.g. lapsed fans?

[BeardFaceMan]

Britt announced as talking on Wednesday presumably means her Revolution feud is kicking off, and since it's not going to be Rosa yet I think it will be Deeb, they're obviously building her for something.

Deeb has been talking about how they've just signed some new women so I think it'll be someone debuting Wednesday and interrupting Baker to start something off.

They repeated that "cold-hearted handsome devil" line a little too much for my liking. Very WWE-like  branding.

Unsuprisingly, I don't get HOOK, it's all a little too forced for me, and with his hair and his overdone scowling he looks ridiculous, I've never seen a meme get out of hand like this before. Definitely missed the boat on this one.

This is surely just an attempt to increase views of the Rumble by appealing to the only audience WWE can hope to gain viewers from e.g. lapsed fans?

The thing about the name drop is he called him Mox and not Ambrose, I suppose that tells you who they're trying to appeal to there.

[Deanjam]

Unsuprisingly, I don't get HOOK, it's all a little too forced for me, and with his hair and his overdone scowling he looks ridiculous, I've never seen a meme get out of hand like this before. Definitely missed the boat on this one.

Yeah, it's not his fault, but the hype is far ahead of reality, and feels forced.

[BeardFaceMan]

Yeah, it's not his fault, but the hype is far ahead of reality, and feels forced.

Oh for sure, you can't blame the kid for going out there and trying to ride a wave like he's told to, but honestly, I just hope it's not going to hurt him in the long run because it all feels like a big joke.

[Ja'moke]

HOOK stopped being a meme the moment he had his first match and showed he was ace in the ring. He has a cool factor that is rare in wrestling.

I also don't think it's forced. He wrestles every two weeks on Rampage against lower card guys, and this was after a year of just eating crisps in the background of Team Taz scenes. Forced would be pushing him into main even spots on Dynamite already.

The only thing I found forced was Excalibur saying the "cold-hearted handsome devil" thing over and over. But other than that, I think HOOK has been booked perfectly. And it's clearly working. The pop every time they show a graphic for a HOOK match is massive, along with the "We Want HOOK" chants.

His presentation is really good. He doesn't speak or tweet. Just strides to the ring looking like a hypebeast Tom Holland with cool Action Bronson music and kicks arse. The kid's got huge crossover potential and exactly the kind of wrestler that will attract a younger audience.

[Ja'moke]

Lio Rush announced that he's a free agent and his AEW contract ends on February 14th. That lasted long, eh? I guess the lesson is not to publicly call out your boss on Twitter. A shame, though, because I was enjoying his tag team with Dante.

[BeardFaceMan]

HOOK stopped being a meme the moment he had his first match and showed he was ace in the ring.

He's showed no such thing, so far all he's done is show he can squash people, let's wait for him to have an actual match before soiling ourselves. And that 'cool factor' you describe is part of the problem for me, they're trying way too hard to push him as the tough, cool guy and it's all a bit silly. When he juts his chin out and tries to look cool and hard with his floppy hair I just can't help but laugh, he's far too boyish to pull that off.

I don't mean forced as in he's being forced down our throats, I mean forced as in trying too hard. From his entrance, to everyone wanting to be in on the meme and no one wanting to be left out and it just feels like people wanting to be part of a thing rather than that thing itself being special.

[Ja'moke]

Nah, his movement in the ring, his transitions, and his move-set is all so smooth. Even if he is just squashing people, you can see the skill there. And he's shown it against smaller higher flyers and bigger power wrestlers. I'm excited to see him in a longer, more competitive match though, and that's a sign that he's built hype and intrigue.

[madhair60]

I think it's a bit of both - I think he has impressed in his role to an extent, but the tedium of the forced meme is still overriding my enjoyment of his work.

[BeardFaceMan]

Nah, his movement in the ring, his transitions, and his move-set is all so smooth. Even if he is just squashing people, you can see the skill there.

But again, all he's shown is that he can do moves. What about having a back and forth match? What's his selling like? What's his storytelling like? There's a long way to go yet.

I think it's a bit of both - I think he has impressed in his role to an extent, but the tedium of the forced meme is still overriding my enjoyment of his work.

Yeah Hook may not be tweeting but virtually every other wrestler on the roster was tweeting about him, it's all a but much. You can see the potential there but they're not doing anything with it to grab me yet.

[Ja'moke]

Are we doing a Rumble sweepstake this year? Or does nobody care anymore?

[Deanjam]

Are we doing a Rumble sweepstake this year? Or does nobody care anymore?

I'll play. Not matter how shit WWE gets, I always enjoy watching the rumble matches.

[BeardFaceMan]

The Rumble has always been my favourite WWE PPV, ever since I was a kid, I'd take one Rumble match over a full Wrestlemania card any day. Honestly can't remember the last one I watched though, it's been a few years now. Not even the intrigue of potential forbidden doors being opened can lure me in now because I have no faith they'll do anything interesting with it.

[up_the_hampipe]

Yeah, I've always got time for the Rumble.

[amateur]

Are we doing a Rumble sweepstake this year? Or does nobody care anymore?

I'm keen for this.