The All Elite Wrestling Discussion Thread

[Rampaaage]

I'm curious whether AEW do the brave thing and have Jungle Boy win the title. I know it's too early for him to be top dog but it's also not beyond me that wrestling is often about moments and it would be fitting to cap off the tenure at Daily's Place with something. A bit like how WCW marked a special anniversary edition of Nitro with Luger dethroning Hogan.

 

The more I read about how banged up Omega currently is, the more likely the title change coming ASAP seems. The one thing that does seem to be an issue right now is they have way more faces in the title picture than heels. If they go to a face champion they're going to need build up some challengers quickly.

[a0161613]

It would be cool but they'd be stupid to do that as a short term move. I'd rather see them(Jurassic Express) dethrone the Bucks.

 

Page needs to be the one to beat Omega. He's closer to the level needed and can round off their story.

[Jaysin]

It would be cool but they'd be stupid to do that as a short term move. I'd rather see them dethrone the Bucks.

 

Page needs to be the one to beat Omega. He's closer to the level needed and can round off their story.

 

Who are you referring to beating the Bucks?

 

Also since the Impact thread is dead, there was some shit story telling on Against All Odds last night. They said Good Brothers were booked on the show so that they wouldn't be in Jacksonville to help Omega against Moose later in the night. They were booked against Sami Callihan who appeared in Jacksonville later in the night. That's some bush league crap right there.

[BlueStar]

Still love the shows, still hate the management (Bucks & Omega) holding the titles. Chances of Omega putting over Jungle Boy (as opposed to Jericho doing so): 0%.

[hailthebulldog]

Still love the shows, still hate the management (Bucks & Omega) holding the titles. Chances of Omega putting over Jungle Boy (as opposed to Jericho doing so): 0%.

 

So their biggest stars shouldn't be their champions? They aren't using their EVP power on screen, so I have zero issues with it. Right now Kenny is the best option as World champion, to me.

[Derek B]

It's sometimes fun watching the IWC reaction to AEW because I think AEW are doing a lot of things right to please a difficult to please audience. For example... everyone assumed that the EVPs were going to be the big stars from the get go as the heroic babyfaces who founded the company and stuck it to the WWE... so they subverted that by having the top guys immediately lose to a bunch of people. The Bucks lost some big matches early to the likes of Private Party, Cody drew with Darby Allin and lost his big title match for the World title so he can never challenge, Omega immediately lost to Jericho and some others.... as babyfaces they kept themselves away from the top spots and got cheered (mostly) by the IWC...

 

Now the shoe is on the other foot. They've put themselves near the top of the card and are having a bunch of fun matches with people while they hold the championships and get accused of everything the IWC says they'd do at first... they are heels on screen and the IWC is against them, while rooting for the likes of Jungle Boy to win.

 

I mean... that's working the IWC really well, because it's not like any of the EVPs are having bad matches and don't deserve to be up there. AEW exists because they were popular (mostly as heels too) and now they're doing great stuff. If the IWC is reacting to them in a way they are trying to get them to while still talking about them and the people they are putting over, they're doing a good job.

 

On a sidenote, the EVPs are in the prime of their careers and this is when they should be on top... by comparison, the WWE main event scene is mostly older and most of the main roster are a similar age from the top of the card to the bottom... while AEW has a far better layered roster with prime workers on top, veterans moving down while working with younger talent, and youngsters on the rise who. Which is how a roster should be built. This makes me happy. It's something any well built roster in any time period has been good at, and something that makes the WWE main roster so awful at times because they haven't done it.

 

Sometimes I feel like I give AEW too much praise. They obviously have their flaws too, but I prefer to focus on the positives.

[Jaysin]

I'd argue that Omega hasn't been in his prime since leaving New Japan. Seems like he's just been coasting on his New Japan reputation for the last couple years. He's had some good matches obviously, but nothing near the caliber of what he was doing in New Japan.

 

I do feel like I may praise AEW too much though sometimes. I don't have a problem with the EVP's being in main event roles, they just don't entertain me right now and haven't for awhile. They're cheesy and dorky and that started a long time before their heel turns.

 

Also the Bucks getting labeled as the best tag team in history is mind boggling to me. Even as faces they ignore simple rules in tag matches. It makes the refs look stupid and people give Jim Ross crap online for him calling the Bucks out on it. I love tag team wrestling and double team moves, but AEW has a supposed ten second count for the illegal man being in the ring and the Bucks have always done like five million double team moves and the refs don't do a damn thing. Either get rid of the ten second rule altogether, or force everyone to follow it.

[milamber]

<p>Top 10 Merch Sellers May 2021:</p><p> </p><p>

1. Ortiz - AEW Unrivaled 4</p><p>

2. Santana - AEW Unrivaled 4</p><p>

3. Kris Statlander, Orange Cassidy & Best Friends - Extra Terrestrial T-Shirt</p><p>

4. Matt Hardy - AEW Unrivaled 4</p><p>

5. Cody - AEW Unrivaled 4</p><p>

6. Hikaru Shida - Shining Samurai T-Shirt</p><p>

7. Brodie Lee - Micro Brawler</p><p>

8. Britt Baker - And new T-Shirt</p><p>

9. Britt Baker - Main event role model T-Shirt</p><p>

10. Britt Baker - DMD T-Shirt</p>

[scmurph01]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Jaysin" data-cite="Jaysin" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Also the Bucks getting labeled as the best tag team in history is mind boggling to me.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I'd argue they're the 3rd best team in AEW behind FTR and Santana & Ortiz.</p>

[Jaysin]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="scmurph01" data-cite="scmurph01" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I'd argue they're the 3rd best team in AEW behind FTR and Santana & Ortiz.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Santan & Ortiz are my top team for sure, but Lucha Bros are my number two with FTR at number 3. I'd also put Reynolds & Silver, Evil Uno & Grayson, and TH2 above them personally the Bucks. Like I said, I think the Bucks are insanely overrated and the whole ignoring rules thing even as a face is beyond frustrating.</p>

[scmurph01]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Jaysin" data-cite="Jaysin" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Santan & Ortiz are my top team for sure, but Lucha Bros are my number two with FTR at number 3. I'd also put Reynolds & Silver, Evil Uno & Grayson, and TH2 above them personally the Bucks. Like I said, I think the Bucks are insanely overrated and the whole ignoring rules thing even as a face is beyond frustrating.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I forgot about the Lucha Bros. Can't argue with your list though.</p>

[Jaysin]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="scmurph01" data-cite="scmurph01" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I forgot about the Lucha Bros. Can't argue with your list though.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> It's not hard to miss the Lucha Bros. It seems like one of them has been injured lately after the other one heals lol</p>

[crownsy]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Jaysin" data-cite="Jaysin" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>It's not hard to miss the Lucha Bros. It seems like one of them has been injured lately after the other one heals lol</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> ya, that's always the problem with the style they work, seems like one of them is always nicked up </p><p> </p><p> Love them though</p>

[Derek B]

Fenix and Penta are weird ones to me....

 

The first I saw of either of them was with Lucha Underground where they had strong characters and were doing some amazing stuff in the ring informed by that, and had some great stories. Loved them there. But anywhere else..... I don't care much about them. They have been given next to zero character development in a long time. Fenix's character is "the greatest flippy guy around" which is about accurate and Penta is the guy who does the hand gesture in people's faces and does some Canadian destroyers and strong chops.

 

It's not just an AEW thing, they were the exact same in Impact when I was still watching that. Even setting the injuries aside for a moment, I feel like they've been two of the people who have come off badly in AEW because if you asked me to define them as people I don't really have anything I could tell you about them after 2 years of being a part of AEW.

 

I'm mostly thinking back to Lucha Underground again now... they were awesome for the first couple of seasons, so many character driven stories told that framed the amazing in-ring action. It was really something.

[CQI13]

Fenix and Penta are weird ones to me....

 

The first I saw of either of them was with Lucha Underground where they had strong characters and were doing some amazing stuff in the ring informed by that, and had some great stories. Loved them there. But anywhere else..... I don't care much about them. They have been given next to zero character development in a long time. Fenix's character is "the greatest flippy guy around" which is about accurate and Penta is the guy who does the hand gesture in people's faces and does some Canadian destroyers and strong chops.

 

It's not just an AEW thing, they were the exact same in Impact when I was still watching that. Even setting the injuries aside for a moment, I feel like they've been two of the people who have come off badly in AEW because if you asked me to define them as people I don't really have anything I could tell you about them after 2 years of being a part of AEW.

 

I'm mostly thinking back to Lucha Underground again now... they were awesome for the first couple of seasons, so many character driven stories told that framed the amazing in-ring action. It was really something.

 

LU really did have some great content, largely driven by the format. I remember for example Mil Muertes had this whole story of surviving the earthquake or something. If Impact, WWE or AEW (or anyone else, really) told me that I would just roll my eyes. In LU the suspension of disbelief was almost built in.

 

Pentagon, Fenix, and a bunch of others really benefitted from that.

[Jaysin]

 

That came across my feed and I laughed pretty good. Seems like every wrestling page or group on social media there's always Omega fans that never shut up about him. Truthfully, that might even be apart of why my opinion of him has declined besides his decline in match quality since leaving New Japan.

[TheGhost]

I am in the same boat as you Jaysin.

 

I like Omega in New Japan, but I am just not into his AEW run.

 

I don't know if it's because in NJPW Gedo knew how to play to Kenny's strengths and hide his weaknesses or what. But I find myself turning the channel when Kenny is on.

 

Same thing with the Young Bucks, I cringe when they say they are the best tag team in history. When in all honesty they aren't even the best team in the company they are in.

 

I have found Young Bucks matches to just be a chore to watch, I get it you are spot guys, but I don't need to see 30 spots a match, slow the **** down and give me something to chew on, follow actual tag rules.

 

Their tag match at Double or Nothing against Moxley and Kingston was obnoxiously long. And that happens a lot with not only the Bucks but AEW PPVs in general. Not every match needs 15 to 20 minutes. It shouldn't take 4 hours, sometimes longer to have 9 matches take place.

 

O and one more thing, they gotta stop putting these damn battle royals on the regular PPV show. If it's not a headline match like the Rumble leave that for the pre-show.

 

I really want to see AEW succeed, but it seems they are only interested in entertaining a very small group of the wrestling fan base.

 

Anyways rant over. Been a while since I have had a chance to bitch about wrestling.

 

Thank You!

[Peppermint Rage]

 

That came across my feed and I laughed pretty good. Seems like every wrestling page or group on social media there's always Omega fans that never shut up about him. Truthfully, that might even be apart of why my opinion of him has declined besides his decline in match quality since leaving New Japan.

 

The opposite is also true, there are guys like you everywhere that never shut up about how annoying they find him, I like Kenny, there are wrestlers I like more than Kenny, but I feel there's no denying he's very good, he may not work for you, but clearly he works for a lot of people or he wouldn't have those fans and he wouldn't keep getting strong reactions on every show he's on.

[Jaysin]

The opposite is also true, there are guys like you everywhere that never shut up about how annoying they find him, I like Kenny, there are wrestlers I like more than Kenny, but I feel there's no denying he's very good, he may not work for you, but clearly he works for a lot of people or he wouldn't have those fans and he wouldn't keep getting strong reactions on every show he's on.

 

Other than posting that meme, I only talk about Omega if he's already being talked about or I'm reviewing a show. I only complain about him so much because I know he's capable of better and it's like he's in that rut Cena was in for years where his matches are just blah. At least Cena could sell a match on the mic though. Omega is garbage on the mic.

[Jaysin]

Omega did an interview with Sports Illustrated and was asked about the "Wednesday Night War" and I really like his answer. Great mentality to have.

 

I never felt one way or another towards the war, if you want to call it that. I wouldn’t call it that. I knew we would tell different stories in our company and show different types of matches in our company. I can only control what I have hand in, which would be my stuff and a variety of other things that may or may not be on the show. I’m sure The Bucks feel the same way. For NXT to have moved to Tuesday, sure, great. I never felt like it was a battle for Wednesday. I feel like it’s a battle across the board. There is so much wrestling, every day during the week. I think back to when I was a fan and I thought I was a megafan, and even at the height of my fandom, I couldn’t watch the amount of wrestling that is available to us today. I couldn’t do it five, six, seven days a week. The real war is how do you get the eyeballs for your day of the week. We’re not battling for Wednesday, we’re battling for the week. There are so many great wrestlers doing it, and there’s no one roster that has all the great athletes. How do you be different enough or get those eyes on your product by doing something different than everyone else that week? That’s the name of the game for me. I love a lot of those NXT guys and a lot of them are my friends. I love to see them doing well and love when I hear they have a great match.

[CQI13]

Good mentality on his part. The back and forth between the two companies is just silly.

 

My only real experience with Omega and The Bucks was at a TripleMania a few years back - it was before Dynamite debuted. It was Omega and The Bucks vs Pentagon, Rey Fenix, and some other guy. I remember being very excited for it. Not sure it delivered. They had some great feats of athleticism. But the 3 connecting on the same moves simultaneously (more than once) took me out of the match. Neat, but too rehearsed. Some people like it. I might not be the intended audience. I'm OK with that.

 

I wonder how Hager vs Wardlow will play out. No way your legit MMA guy loses, but I wonder how they will build the drama for it.

[Jaysin]

I'm super intrigued by Wardlow vs Hager. There are a few ways to take the match and I'm just fascinated to see what they do. I think Wardlow has tremendous upside and I love me some Babyface fire Jake.

[Jaysin]

Hager and Wardlow had a super fun worked MMA fight with some pro wrestling razzle dazzle thrown in.

 

MJF knocking out Malenko and Tony Schiavone's line "God I hate him" was amazing. MJF is one of the best pure heels in all of wrestling.

 

I know they're jobbers, but I love the Wingmen, especially Cezar. Good look, size, and serviceable in the ring. JD Drake and Ryan Nemeth are quite entertaining too. That whole OC/Cezar match had me rolling.

 

I'll admit it, the Omega/Nakazawa/Jungle Boy backstage segment sent me into a fit of laughter. It was so damn dumb but I laughed pretty good.

 

Brock Anderson had a real good DDT, but nothing else really stuck out. He did show a lot of fire, but was pretty awkward in the ring. Hopefully that gets better as he gets more matches under his belt.

 

I wonder what Andrade's surprise is? Is it Thea Trinidad, Tommy End, or Samuray Del Sol??

 

Penelope is a fine worker, but nowhere near experienced enough to carry a rookie like Julia Hart to a passable match. Both ladies worked hard, but it was overly long and not pretty in the slightest. The post match stuff with psycho Miro was a great way to lead to a match with Pillman.

 

I'm all in for the Santana/Ortiz vs FTR feud. Two of the most elite teams in the world. It's gonna rule.

 

I really like Mark Sterling and Jade has insane upside, but the hotel sponsorship thing was dumb.

 

Main event was fun, but the finish was stupid. Once again Rick Knox is to blame. Either it's part of the story and he's been secretly helping the Bucks this whole time and that's why they get away with breaking the tag rules so often, or whoever booked the finish to that match was an idiot. Knox had zero reason to be hovering Anderson stopping Penta from diving. He had no reason to be there other to avoid seeing the other Buck interfere.

[hailthebulldog]

Main event was fun, but the finish was stupid. Once again Rick Knox is to blame. Either it's part of the story and he's been secretly helping the Bucks this whole time and that's why they get away with breaking the tag rules so often, or whoever booked the finish to that match was an idiot. Knox had zero reason to be hovering Anderson stopping Penta from diving. He had no reason to be there other to avoid seeing the other Buck interfere.

 

I just rewatched this bit and actually noticed that when he bent over to check on him Anderson grabbed Knox by the shirt and made him get down on the ground with him. So, while I do think that the Knox thing is going to pay off eventually, in this instance there is at least a reason. Machine Gun actually acts hurt and calls for Knox. When Knox leans over, Anderson grabbed him so Nick could interfere.

[milamber]

My favorite Friday show yet even though it lacked a standout match. It had a good pace to it and all of the matches were enjoyable. The MMA match was better than I was expecting. Brock Anderson had a solid debut. FTR/PnP promo was great. Not enough match time devoted to the women's division, though. They need to get some non-title feuds started.