Wrestling

[methodtoll]

Once apon a time on the huddle, we had a thread dedicated to anything and everything about pro wrestling but died. With WWE and the rising AEW (not to mention the partnership with Impact Wrestling), I figured it was time to bring it back. 

And before I get some negative Nancy's in here: Yes I am aware wrestling is fake, yes I am aware I am a grown man that still watches it, yes I am aware that is mainly a male soap opera, and yes I know it isn't as good of a product as it was in the 80s/90s/early 2000s. So please, if you actually want to talk the current state of wrestling, please do... Don't be hateful.

[methodtoll]

The biggest rumor right now is that CM Punk will be returning to wrestling tonight on AEW Rampage... we will see but fans will riot big time in  Chicago if it does not happen

[Khyber53]

Pro Wrestling is America's Kabuki theater and I've loved it since my childhood. I remember Roddy Piper's first appearance on NWA wrestling, I remember Gene Anderson getting  horribly injured and retiring from the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. It's so great to see the kids and grandkids of those guys wrestling today and putting on even better shows. 

Sadly, WWE has had bad work from their creative teams for the last two years that the shows are barely watchable. AEW, however, seems to be really getting it right. AEWs wrestlers just really try harder to put on a good show and their creatives aren't booking the same matches over and over again. The women wrestlers, however, are much much much better on WWE than AEW -- they're much more skillful, quicker in and out of their breaks and actually have some decent storylines. 

[CanePantherHornet]

Can't stand to watch WWE anymore. I tune in to the big ppvs like Wrestlemania, Summerslam, and Royal Rumble and end up disappointed every time. AEW seems like its doing pretty good, I want to give it a try eventually.

[Khyber53]

2 hours ago, CanePantherHornet said:

Can't stand to watch WWE anymore. I tune in to the big ppvs like Wrestlemania, Summerslam, and Royal Rumble and end up disappointed every time. AEW seems like its doing pretty good, I want to give it a try eventually.

It's pretty darned good. Give it a Wednesday night once or twice. 

[Brooklyn 3.0]

Punk's debut was great. I'm going to AEW and also GCW in September. Should be fun times.

[rodeo]

2 hours ago, Brooklyn 3.0 said:

Punk's debut was great. I'm going to AEW and also GCW in September. Should be fun times.

i went to one of AEW's last shows before the pandemic, it's a really great experience

[methodtoll]

I really thought they were going to tease Punk most of the night and then debut him towards the end of the show but glad they kept it simple and to the point. I think him and Darby Allen will have a good match at All Out but more excited about Punk competing against guys like MJF and Kenny Omega soon.

I am still curious as to when Bryan Danielson (formerly Daniel Bryan) will make his anticipated debut and I am curious to see if Windham Rotunda (formerly Bray Wyatt) will join AEW. 

When I think wrestling has hit a stale point, it is starting to ramp back up again.

[Brooklyn 3.0]

I just want a three way dance with Omega, Punk, and Bryan.

[rodeo]

6 hours ago, methodtoll said:

I really thought they were going to tease Punk most of the night and then debut him towards the end of the show but glad they kept it simple and to the point. I think him and Darby Allen will have a good match at All Out but more excited about Punk competing against guys like MJF and Kenny Omega soon.

I am still curious as to when Bryan Danielson (formerly Daniel Bryan) will make his anticipated debut and I am curious to see if Windham Rotunda (formerly Bray Wyatt) will join AEW. 

When I think wrestling has hit a stale point, it is starting to ramp back up again.

meltzer said on the most recent observer radio that windham is most likely joining, yeah.

i'm hoping for danielson at the arthur ashe stadium show next month

[PanthersATL]

On 8/19/2021 at 11:29 PM, methodtoll said:

I am aware wrestling is fake

I wouldn't say "fake". I'd say "predetermined". 

What happens in the ring may be contrived, but there's a lot of effort/pain/work involved in making it look as real as it can be.

[jayboogieman]

On 8/20/2021 at 11:33 AM, Khyber53 said:

The women wrestlers, however, are much much much better on WWE than AEW

Best women's promotions' Youtube channels:

Marvelous *Owned by Chigusa Nagayo who aslo owned GAEA. Chigusa is arguably one of the most impactful wrestlers, male or female, of all time. She influenced a generation of girls and women in Japan back in the 80s and 90s.

Sendai Girls *Owned by Meiko Satomura who is currently working NXT UK.

Wave *Owned by a corporation, but ran by former women wrestlers.

Pure-J *Owned by Command Bolshoi, a highly respected former female wrestler in Japan.

Diana *Owned by Kyoko Inoue, another highly respected former female wrestler.

OZ-Academy *Owned by Mayumi Ozaki, another highly respected female wrestler. She hasn't retired yet.

SEAdLINNNG *Owned by Nanae Takahashi, yet another highly respected female wrestler. Also still active.

Ice Ribbon *Owned by a man or corporation, but booked by a woman.

Stardom *Owned by Bushiroad, which also owns NJPW. Ran and booked by the former owner.

GAEA *This promotion is defunct. The Youtube channel was created as part of the promotion's 25th anniversary celebration.

One men's promotion channel:

New Japan *Men's only promotion that has produced some of the best actual wrestling anywhere in the world over the last decade.

[Squirrel]

On 8/20/2021 at 10:33 AM, Khyber53 said:

Pro Wrestling is America's Kabuki theater and I've loved it since my childhood. I remember Roddy Piper's first appearance on NWA wrestling, I remember Gene Anderson getting  horribly injured and retiring from the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. It's so great to see the kids and grandkids of those guys wrestling today and putting on even better shows. 

Sadly, WWE has had bad work from their creative teams for the last two years that the shows are barely watchable. AEW, however, seems to be really getting it right. AEWs wrestlers just really try harder to put on a good show and their creatives aren't booking the same matches over and over again. The women wrestlers, however, are much much much better on WWE than AEW -- they're much more skillful, quicker in and out of their breaks and actually have some decent storylines. 

They screwed up the woman's wrestling at summerslam though.  That was just trash. 

[Khyber53]

23 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

They screwed up the woman's wrestling at summerslam though.  That was just trash. 

That really was trash, both belt bouts sucked. As was most of that card. Wow, the creatives are really sh!tting the bed over there at WWE. 

Amazing how hard they are working to put over Roman Reigns as a Godfather-esque heel and Bobby Lashley as someone the fans even care to see. But hey, we've got at least another month or two of watching the same danged matches over and over and over again.