The AEW Thread

[Bert Raccoon]

I think they've did a great job leaning into real life events and turning someone who started off as this into one of the biggest heels in the company.

Will the whole Tony angle work? Only time will tell I suppose 

[forameus]

That was a bit of a return to form for me, decent episode.  Really enjoyed the concept of the gauntlet match.  Rare you find something relatively new (I know it's a mish-mash of a lot of other matches, but felt fresh at least) in wrestling, and I think it really worked as a sort of mini-rumble.  Interesting to have Ospreay win it, as I assumed they'd hide him from the finish so he wouldn't "lose".  I assume he leathers f**k out of Strong at Double or Nothing, as it wouldn't really make sense for him to lose at this stage.  Still plenty of time to set it up of course, but I wonder if the World Title at All In isn't the plan, and he'll go on to have a long reign with the international and have a big match that way.

Interesting way to end the show too, although that's probably going to be one that is decided by hindsight.  Given their history, they've got a habit of struggling with a lot of their long-term stories, it's certainly a risk.  And for all of Vince's faults, he could act the role he was playing to absolute perfection.   Can Khan do that?  Can his prodigious coke intake drive him to be the sympathetic face?  I assume Omega is back next week to properly fire off the starting gun in all of this, so maybe we're building to some kind of Anarchy in the Arena or Blood and Guts match over this (we're due another of the latter in the May-July period) then, hopefully, Omega is healthy enough to have a huge singles match at All In, maybe even with Okada.  That'd be braw.

Was amusing that the typical babyface charge only happened once the heels had all safely left the ring area, through the same door said faces all entered by.  Get Shad Khan involved in it all in all his lounge-suited glory.

Edited 12 hours ago by forameus

[Bert Raccoon]

2 hours ago, forameus said:

That was a bit of a return to form for me, decent episode.  Really enjoyed the concept of the gauntlet match.  Rare you find something relatively new (I know it's a mish-mash of a lot of other matches, but felt fresh at least) in wrestling, and I think it really worked as a sort of mini-rumble.  Interesting to have Ospreay win it, as I assumed they'd hide him from the finish so he wouldn't "lose".  I assume he leathers f**k out of Strong at Double or Nothing, as it wouldn't really make sense for him to lose at this stage.  Still plenty of time to set it up of course, but I wonder if the World Title at All In isn't the plan, and he'll go on to have a long reign with the international and have a big match that way.

I read a column that said that keeping Osprey away from Swerve at the moment is the best idea and can't really argue with that. Give them separate stories for the moment before the build to All Out. Really can't see anything beyond an Osprey World Title win there 

[honestly united]

2 hours ago, Bert Raccoon said:

I read a column that said that keeping Osprey away from Swerve at the moment is the best idea and can't really argue with that. Give them separate stories for the moment before the build to All Out. Really can't see anything beyond an Osprey World Title win there 

If Ospreay gets the International Title from Strong, then they could go down the route of just having him putting on 5 star matches against however they can get from Japan or Mexico for a few months, a potential title merger with Okada's Continental Classic, could be the All in match. Or I am assuming there will be another round vs Callis family at some point as that breaks down so it might not happen this year.

I wonder if they are thinking longer term, waiting for MJF to come back, have his fued with Cole, either MJF or Ospreay get the title, then we get MJF v Ospreay for the title and to decide who is best in the world?

I also wonder how long they keep the title on Swerve. Its been a long chase so I am hoping they can keep him fresh as the champ

Edited 7 hours ago by honestly united

[DukDukGoose]

 

I think they've did a great job leaning into real life events and turning someone who started off as this into one of the biggest heels in the company.

Will the whole Tony angle work? Only time will tell I suppose 

It was terrible.

@djchapsticksabsolutely nailed it.

[djchapsticks]

38 minutes ago, DukDukGoose said:

It was terrible.

@djchapsticksabsolutely nailed it.

Thing is, there's so many hindsight 'ifs' that would have made it make sense.

If they hadn't fired the biggest draw in the company over a skirmish, this could have made sense. But now we need to suspend disbelief that the Bucks and Perry are impossible to fire but Punk wasn't.

If TK hadn't announced on national TV that he was in fear for his life over getting shouted at, he could have presented his retort in a way that he'd come out swinging at them... a mad wee coked up b*****d who'll put a team in front of him to get them back and this could have made sense. Instead he made himself a bit of a joke figure.

If Jack Perry had gone away and came back an all conquering, must-not-miss level talent who was basically indispensable, this could have made sense. They already bagged their biggest name talent and WWE hoovered him up ASAP. They can't play the 'I can't sack you as you'll go there' card as would they f**k! They are probably close to Ryback levels of persona non grata in terms of WWE.

Instead you now have someone who was essentially blackballed for 8 months over a whole lot of nothing, now doing something a lot worse than he was blackballed for and folk are expected to just brush over that the guy he dropped has a recent history of legitimately disciplining him a lot harder for a lot less.

Unless they come up with something watertight in storyline terms as to why Perry and the Bucks stay on board and in power then this one's already off to a slow start for me. It already is anyway as TK as an on-screen character gives me the fear anyway.

Edited 5 hours ago by djchapsticks

[DukDukGoose]

2 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Thing is, there's so many hindsight 'ifs' that would have made it make sense.

If they hadn't fired the biggest draw in the company over a skirmish, this could have made sense. But now we need to suspend disbelief that the Bucks and Perry are impossible to fire but Punk wasn't.

If TK hadn't announced on national TV that he was in fear for his life over getting shouted at, this could have made sense. Instead he made himself a bit of a joke figure.

If Jack Perry had gone away and came back an all conquering, must-not-miss level talent who was basically indispensable, this could have made sense. They already bagged their biggest name talent and WWE hoovered him up ASAP. They can't play the 'I can't sack you as you'll go there' card as would they f**k! They are probably close to Ryback levels of persona non grata in terms of WWE.

Instead you now have someone who was essentially blackballed for 8 months over a whole lot of nothing, now doing something a lot worse than he was blackballed for and folk are expected to just brush over that the guy he dropped has a recent history of legitimately disciplining him a lot harder for a lot less.

Unless they come up with something watertight in storyline terms as to why Perry and the Bucks stay on board and in power then this one's already off to a slow start for me. It already is anyway as TK as an on-screen character gives me the fear anyway.

I've seen people compare it to Austin and McMahon.

[Mark Connolly]

2 hours ago, DukDukGoose said:

I've seen people compare it to Austin and McMahon.

As in "this is absolutely dreadful in comparison to Austin and McMahon"?

[Bert Raccoon]

I think we all know the Online Wrestling Community is a strange place full of awful takes which are best ignored 

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

Tony selling it like a pro during the NFL draft. Proper wrestling is back.

 

 

[DukDukGoose]

12 minutes ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

Tony selling it like a pro during the NFL draft. Proper wrestling is back.

 

 

[TheGoon]

I thought it was a great angle tbh, mad better by his da’s reaction face. 

Would it make sense if they didn’t kayfabe fire them? Probably not, but it was a good laugh. 

[DukDukGoose]

28 minutes ago, TheGoon said:

I thought it was a great angle tbh, mad better by his da’s reaction face. 

Would it make sense if they didn’t kayfabe fire them? Probably not, but it was a good laugh. 

Really?

The acting was awful and the selling worse.

[Lukovic]

If you're looking for good acting in pro wrestling then you might be in the wrong place.

Personally thought it was quite funny and I'm interested to see where they go with it especially as they've advertised Omega for next week.