Professional Wrestling

Keith Haught recently posted a video from Black Diamond Wrestling. Even though I haven't been to see a match in ages, I'm such a mark for Haught. Comedic style in a lot of his matches, but those where he wrestles seriously, he makes for an impressive competitor. Not a huge amount of variation in moves, and nothing terribly acrobatic, but he has charisma in spades, and impressive endurance, especially given his size. Speaking of which, as a shorter, stouter, wrestler, he's both heavier and smaller than a lot of his opponents, but still holds his own. And one heck of a nice guy off the mat...

Okay, am I the only one on the internet who thought both Jinder matches last night were good and different? I know that I'm a biased mark in his favor, but it seems that people are just perpetually salty that a true heel exists. Woods is one of my favorite main roster people, and I've got nothing against Roode, but I found Jinder to be the best wrestler on the main show yesterday, and that's not Damned by Faint Praise.

What more do people want? All pandering tweeners, all the time?

edited 17th Jan '18 7:58:48 AM by wanderlustwarrior

Welp...

Anyway, lets all enjoy the Raw 25th Anniversary.

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.

What he do?

Anyway, Raw 25 was damn good. It's strange that there was nothing from the Rock, but they mentioned, alluded to, or outright showed CM Punk, Chyna, Hulk Hogan, and even a match that Chris Benoit was in, though they didn't show the person.

edited 23rd Jan '18 12:19:23 AM by wanderlustwarrior

Hogan and Chyna I caught. Didn't see anything about Punk or Benoit though.

Also, Enzo is finally done. They released him.

I'm shocked it took this long really. The guy was clearly disruptive. I'm baffled they wasted time giving him the cruiserweight belt even.

Punk was visibly on screen for several still images from Raw's highlights, including the Pipe Bomb. No verbal mention of him though, and no mention of AJ Lee at all

Benoit, the match in which Angle did a moonsault off of the steel cage, I think that was against him. They didn't show the target.

—- On a separate, less dire, but fully sincere note: I met Jinder Mahal today. As videos can confirm, the dude is genuinely nice. Personally, I'd appreciate it if you guys considered cheering him or seeing him in a positive light. It's a similar thing to what I'd noticed with Elias during Raw 25 - some people like being heels, but when you don't, it sucks, and the constant negative reception, while intended professionally, can be really bad for the mental health. Plus, if heels get support beyond X-Pac Heat, that gives them opportunity to do better, or change. I'm gonna cheer him (and possibly some others I normally wouldn't) in person tonight, and I hope you all do in the future.
And on that same note, I'm going to be sure to cheer for the cruiserweights. Just because I don't care for how their division is presented, doesn't mean they aren't working their asses off.
Of course, I'm in the nosebleeds, so who knows if anyone will hear, but it's still something.

All right! Time for Takeover!

Takeover was great - I think WWE will have genuine trouble topping that all year. That main event, especially, is a MOTY candidate.

Yeah. The main roster seems to never quite be able to equal their NXT stuff.

We'll see how the rumble fairs though.

Admittedly, there are a few factors behind that. When they were in NXT, we expected less of them, because they were in a trainer league of sort. Also, I get the impression that wrestlers in NXT are more free to make decisions about their character whereas in the main roster, more (all...) of their speeches are written for them and they get name and costume changes based on what the administration believes the kids think is cool.

So one of the Uso's (the one not married to Naomi) got arrested for a DUI.

I think we know who the new tag champs are going to be.

Geez, what is with Superstars getting in trouble with the law in the middle of big pushes?

Double post:

• I guess the Tye Dillenger at number 10 joke is dead.

• Baron Corben is a punk ass.

• Heath Slater got one moment of glory.

• John Cena walked right into NXT territory...

• HOLY SHIT! IT'S THE HURRICANE!!!!

• HOLY SHIT! IT'S REYMYSTERIO!!!!

• Dolph Ziggler is back at number 30. Looks like he's aiming high again.

Thrilled that Nakamura won - he really needs that star-making match in WWE and Wrestlemania vs Styles (hopefully) is the most likely to make that happen.

Heath Slater's elimination of Sheamus was probably the most legitimately funny moment in the match.

My only real down is I don't understand what they were doing with Ziggler there. I think his return would have actually come off better if it was 20 or so. It was very flat after an initial pop.

edited 28th Jan '18 6:27:35 PM by deludedmusings

Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Rey Mysterio is back. I'm estatic. And he looks great too. He's lost weight since he was last in the WWE.

Women's rumble has started.

Lita is back. Didn't see that coming. I thought she genuinely couldn't come back due to her neck.

Edit: And now we've had Torrie Wilson and Molly Holly.

Edit: Vicki Guerrero out of nowhere. Didn't expect that. Nor did Carmella expect the cheap shot from her.

Holy shit! Asuka wins the women's rumble.

We've got two japanese superstars going for the titles at Wrestlemania.

And now...Rhonda Rousey out of nowhere. Unexpected.

edited 28th Jan '18 8:11:59 PM by HandsomeRob

Rey might be doing this as a one-time-only thing. I personally find it kind of funny because this will be the second time I know of that IWC has booked a former WWE star in their Night of Superstars only to have them show up in the Royal Rumble as a surprise entry (Tatanka was two years ago).

Lita's neck wasn't the issue. Lita being burnt out and unhappy were the reasons she didn't return. She said as much when Konnan tried to bring her into AAA.

Anyway, that was a rather odd way to kick off a comeback, but I suppose that Black Diamond match was better than the last one I embedded. This time it's Sendai Girls, rather than an Osaka Pro parody, featuring two rookies.

Right. So I've had a chance to watch a WWE documentary of last years Wrestlemania, and I don't know if it was mentioned last year when it happened (and if it was, I'll admit I wasn't paying attention) but the return of the Hardys wasn't just a surprise to the audience. None of the wrestlers knew they were coming. It was kept secret literally until the last moment (even the New Day didn't know they were coming; they were only told there was going to be a fourth team entered and to introduce them, and they were as blown off their feet as anyone else).

So that entire Tag Match for the titles last year was essentially a massive shoot...at tricking Wrestlemania.

And with the returns of Rey and the Hurricane this year, WWE is proving they know how to keep a secret for returns. Makes me wonder what they have planned for this year's Wrestlemania.

The New Day probably figured it out quick. At the time, the Hardy's contract status and real life storyline made a Mania return very likely, and they were already in town due to Ring of Honor the previous night. The New Day are pretty sharp, and besides, who else exists on the Raw tag roster who might want a Ladders match? It was subtly, but thoroughly, foreshadowed.

I don't know man. I was watching that WWE Network documentary, and they were utterly blown away.

Even as they were going to the back once the Hardy's came out, the looks on their faces made it clear they did not know.

Also, the Hardy's showed up early in hoods, when Wrestlemania started, and when they were coming to the ring, the entire area up the ramp-way was cleared out so that no one saw them.

I'm 99% sure NO-ONE knew they were coming.

Yeah it's a network documentary, but there may be some element of Kayfabe. If I could figure it out, my main guess as to why they didn't would just have to be that they were so busy.

Then again, I can't picture them doing that since, if no one knew the Hardy's were there, then the guys in the ring wouldn't even be ready for them. It could have been a shoot with no planned ending, but I just can't see that happening.

There's the possibility that the other Wrestlers were only told just before they went out. It'd be cutting it close, but that way, they could ensure nobody learned anything before hand.

I guess only WWE and the Hardyz know for sure.

That moment when you're trying to apply for a new subscription and discover something dire through the hosting service.

What, no one else has had a moment like that? Make sure now! Well I've ruined someoe trying to piggy back on my account but I've still got many hours with customer service ahead of me and if I'm not lucky that will just be the start.

Ahem, now that Johnny Mundo has finally dropped his last belt I can drop AAA...except Fabi, still one of the best in the world(dare I say better than Dalys and not sure about Sugehit, Kaho or Zeuxis), is Reina de Reinas. Decisions, decisions. I've stopped watching great wrestlers/luchadors just because I was sick of the company they were working for before but weighing Triple A against all the enterprises that have pissed me off over the years, they're really not that bad. Annoying, but they rarely make me angry, or embarrassed. Granted, I don't speak Spanish well, so they might be better/worse if I did...

...given the circumstances, my viewing schedule probably won't be changing much in the meantime anyway. But I was considering on cutting out Triple A for awhile.

edited 30th Jan '18 10:08:33 PM by IndirectActiveTransport

When I get the chance, I need to make a page for Tama Tonga (and also a few of the other non-white, long-term members of Bullet Club). Not just because of the ongoing story, but because both he and his moves are so fun and have so much personality.

If I ever buy any Bullet Club merchandise it'll definitely involve face paint.