All Elite Wrestling

[wildturkey]

That was a really hot show tonight. Crowd helped a lot (being on the West coast in new markets helps) but the matches and segments were really good. Kicking off the new year right after some bumps in 2022.

 

[futballiscool]

I suppose he (Wardlow) helps Darby beat Joe in Seattle for a huge pop but there were other ways to get there imo

I was a bit off on that one.

Wonder what's going on with him. My theories are...

A) He's leaving the company
B) They're resetting him for a massive heel turn
C) He's being "burried" due to backstage politics

 

[futballiscool]

That was a really hot show tonight. Crowd helped a lot (being on the West coast in new markets helps) but the matches and segments were really good. Kicking off the new year right after some bumps in 2022.

It seemed like a much tighter, well formatted show than normal

 

[The Q]

I was a bit off on that one.

Wonder what's going on with him. My theories are...

A) He's leaving the company
B) They're resetting him for a massive heel turn
C) He's being "burried" due to backstage politics

I got nothing on wardlow.

I’ve been a big fan since his cage match with Cody

 

[futballiscool]

I got nothing on wardlow.

I’ve been a big fan since his cage match with Cody

The guy's a star. The booking is odd to say the least

 

[UVA_Guy81]

The guy's a star. The booking is odd to say the least

Ever since he demolished MJF, its like Tony didn’t know what to do with him. But that can be said with a lot of other talent as well.

 

[wildturkey]

I was a bit off on that one.

Wonder what's going on with him. My theories are...

A) He's leaving the company
B) They're resetting him for a massive heel turn
C) He's being "burried" due to backstage politics

It's really just as simple as it was time to move the TNT title. Secondary titles aren't meant to be on people for months and months. Main titles can be, but you really logjam the rest of your card if have someone carry a secondary title for more than few months (one of the reasons they really need Jade to move on). I cannot emphasis this enough. Wardlow is not a top star YET. He was a nobody that they built up through great booking and turned into a viable attraction. He's over. They accomplished their goal and did a very good job with it. But not every person that's over is just shot up to the very top of the card. That's not how it works. From the time he started until the loss to Joe, its been about a 2 year run. That's a long time to keep something going. They'll do a little pause and they'll move him into something else.

 

[wildturkey]

Should have put the AA title on Kip

 

[futballiscool]

It's really just as simple as it was time to move the TNT title. Secondary titles aren't meant to be on people for months and months. Main titles can be, but you really logjam the rest of your card if have someone carry a secondary title for more than few months (one of the reasons they really need Jade to move on). I cannot emphasis this enough. Wardlow is not a top star YET. He was a nobody that they built up through great booking and turned into a viable attraction. He's over. They accomplished their goal and did a very good job with it. But not every person that's over is just shot up to the very top of the card. That's not how it works. From the time he started until the loss to Joe, its been about a 2 year run. That's a long time to keep something going. They'll do a little pause and they'll move him into something else.

They already had a seamless way to have him move on from the TNT title by having a third party take the loss at the PPV. As a matter of fact that seemed to be the whole point of the booking. Now many weeks later he list via choke out and had his hair cutoff by the heel. Nobody is saying he needs to main event PPVs this year but they clearly aren't protecting him. Maybe he's switching brands and going to ROH? Something is up with his booking

 

[wildturkey]

They already had a seamless way to have him move on from the TNT title by having a third party take the loss at the PPV. As a matter of fact that seemed to be the whole point of the booking. Now many weeks later he list via choke out and had his hair cutoff by the heel. Nobody is saying he needs to main event PPVs this year but they clearly aren't protecting him. Maybe he's switching brands and going to ROH? Something is up with his booking

Who cares if he takes a pin? It's not that big of deal. Taking a pin doesn't hurt people. You don't have to protect people all the time. That's a silly notion fans get caught up in. What actually damages people is multiple losses over and over, typically in big spots. A good example is Dolph Ziggler, who would get pushed to a point and then take the loss and keep eating them. Then whenever they tried to push him again, no one ever took it seriously because it became predictable. His rep got damaged. Wardlow took one loss. He's fine.

 

[wildturkey]

Lol. They really left the tease from Britt Baker saying "I'm the Boss *literal wink*" in a pretaped segment last week knowing full well Mercedes Mone wasn't coming this week. What a dumb thing to do. Crowd boo'd Toni Storm the entire match because they thought Mercedes was showing up

 

[wildturkey]

Gotdayum! Ruby Soho looked like she walked out of a horror movie at the end of that street fight

 

[The Q]

Lol. They really left the tease from Britt Baker saying "I'm the Boss *literal wink*" in a pretaped segment last week knowing full well Mercedes Mone wasn't coming this week. What a dumb thing to do. Crowd boo'd Toni Storm the entire match because they thought Mercedes was showing up

So the entitled brat does something dumb and the fans blame Toni…..


This is why IWC gets a bad rap

 

[The Q]

Gotdayum! Ruby Soho looked like she walked out of a horror movie at the end of that street fight

Why did she steal bray’s move?

 

[wildturkey]

Saw where Frankie Kazarian announced on Impact's PPV tonight where he signed full time. PWInsider said he asked for his AEW release a couple months back and they granted it. Good move for both. Kaz is 45 and there isn't really a spot for him in AEW anymore unless they ever feel like throwing the SCU tag team back together. You're certainly not putting any of the singles titles on him over some of the other people they have on the roster. With Impact, Kaz can wrestle more and get to do more stuff, finish out his career the way he wants

 

[wildturkey]

Some great stuff tonight with Bandido/Danielson and Kushida/Darby. Kushida looking like Kushida again after a rather tame stint in WWE

 

[wildturkey]

WBD has changed its policy on the Briscoes (bout fucking time). Tony Khan announced for Dynamite that Mark Briscoe will face Jay Lethal in a tribute match to Jay Briscoe.

 

[wildturkey]

Very nice tribute package and match for Jay Briscoe tonight. Liked the decision to have Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman call the match too since the Briscoes basically are ROH. Mark was remarkably poised. Can't say I'd be the same in his shoes. He honored is brother well tonight.

Saw an idea floating around that Mark should pair up with FTR and win the Trios Titles. That would be really fitting.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Very nice tribute package and match for Jay Briscoe tonight. Liked the decision to have Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman call the match too since the Briscoes basically are ROH. Mark was remarkably poised. Can't say I'd be the same in his shoes. He honored is brother well tonight.

Saw an idea floating around that Mark should pair up with FTR and win the Trios Titles. That would be really fitting.

That’d be a good idea but Dax already said they’re taking a hiatus until their contracts are up. So they’d have to renew I suppose for that to happen.

 

[wildturkey]

After what seemed like a never ending string of injuries in WWE to where you thought he was washed up, its great seeing Samoa Joe return to form in AEW