Does Anyone Watch Wrestling? (WWE, AEW, TNA, NWA, etc)

[NinjaEvo]

Here's one for you all, since I've only just remembered it started yesterday and I'm about to watch Day 1...

Anybody else pumped for this years G1 Climax?

 

[Darla Starch]

Here's one for you all, since I've only just remembered it started yesterday and I'm about to watch Day 1...

Anybody else pumped for this years G1 Climax?

Less pumped since Naka (my prior pick for this year's winner) is WWE-contracted, but still intrigued. Have Naito or Shibata penciled in as my winners.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Smackdown is three hours tonight and not two and it is live in UK from 1am (although its still showing as a two hour show on Sky Sports), there will be a WWE Championship rematch on the show after the confusion at the end of Raw, I really enjoyed that match last night...

 

[NinjaEvo]

Smackdown is three hours tonight and not two and it is live in UK from 1am (although its still showing as a two hour show on Sky Sports), there will be a WWE Championship rematch on the show after the confusion at the end of Raw, I really enjoyed that match last night...

It was a great match, but the fact they're doing a rematch makes me question the booking. Surely you could've just had Seth pin Dean last night clean, the Dean pins Seth tonight clean, making both guys look equally dangerous heading into Battleground, where then you have the wildcard of a returning Roman Reigns to further throw chaos into the mix. This is the problem with WWE, last night and the BS after the show went off the air was more about getting Stephanie over than the championship or the PPV main event.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

I kinda felt that the show was all about both commissioners and their GM's and the wrestlers (all of them who took part last night) were an afterthought, aside from the main event...

 

[NW48]

Spoiler: Draft

Fin Balor has been drafted to Raw.

Cena drafted to Smackdown with Pick 7

 

[Sanji Himura]

Balor Club is coming for sure. I think that Gallows and Anderson is going to RAW.

EDIT: Should I have put that prediction in Spoiler tags?

 

[NinjaEvo]

Reports are that Sin Cara and Simon Gotch got into a fight backstage before Smackdown Live. Worst timing for Sin Cara given how the Lucha Dragons are already confirmed as being no more.

 

[Sanji Himura]

Smackdown is over, here is the draft choices (with 30 picks to go on the WWE Network) that each brand has:

Spoiler: RAW Draft Results

Seth Rollins
Charlotte
Finn Bálor
Roman Reigns
Brock Lesnar
The New Day
Sami Zayn
Sasha Banks
Chris Jericho
Rusev & Lana
Kevin Owens
Enzo & Cass
Gallows & Anderson
Big Show
Nia Jax
Neville
Cesaro
Sheamus

Spoiler: Smackdown Draft Results

Dean Ambrose
A.J. Styles
John Cena
Randy Orton
Bray Wyatt
Becky Lynch
The Miz & Maryse
Baron Corbin
American Alpha
Dolph Ziggler
Natalya
Alberto Del Rio

 

[Darla Starch]

Poor Heath Slater.

Also, anybody want to make a good lucha thing?

 

[NW48]

The announce teams have gone through a major change;

The new announce teams for WWE’s New Era will feature Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Byron Saxton Monday nights on Raw, while Mauro Ranallo, JBL and David Otunga handle the commentary for SmackDown Live every Tuesday night.

 

[Com Fox]

Smackdown sounds like it'll be a blast to watch more so than Raw.

Also if Dean Ambrose retains the WWE Championship at Battleground would that mean that it'll become Smackdown exclusive while Raw gets a World Heavyweight Championship?

 

[NW48]

Smackdown sounds like it'll be a blast to watch more so than Raw.

Also if Dean Ambrose retains the WWE Championship at Battleground would that mean that it'll become Smackdown exclusive while Raw gets a World Heavyweight Championship?

There's definitely going to be two titles with the way they've been building it. Plus, the feeling I was getting is that Stephanie still thinks Rollins is the champion, so I'm betting on a storyline where Steph, out of spite, creates a second World title for Rollins, as she believes he's the true World Champion.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Nothing much to shout about on the Draft center on the Network after Smackdown, Mojo Rawley, Carmella and Alexa Bliss are the three other picks from NXT. other wrestlers featured on there was the likes of the Vaudevillians, The Golden Truth, Zack Ryder, Naomi, The Ascension, Sin Cara, The Dudleyz, Apollo Crews etc....

Thought it was a good show last night with another great match for the Championship, I think in terms of the rosters Raw look like it has a bit more to it on paper but the next few weeks will certainly be interesting!

Also away from the Draft, Brock Lesnar has failed a second drugs test....

 

[NW48]

Brock Lesnar has failed a second drugs test....

For a substance I can't remember the name of, but it's primary use is for people who are coming off a cycle of steroids.

This won't raise questions with the WWE as apparently, the fine print excludes Lesnar from the Wellness Policy as he is a part time performer, and not a full time performer.

However, it doesn't help the WWE's stereotypical image of being filled to the brim with roid abusers.

 

[NinjaEvo]

WWE Logic: Enzo & Cass (neither of whom are particularly good workers) get drafted early, while the 23-time World Tag Team Champions The Dudleys get drafted late on the network...

For a substance I can't remember the name of, but it's primary use is for people who are coming off a cycle of steroids.

This won't raise questions with the WWE as apparently, the fine print excludes Lesnar from the Wellness Policy as he is a part time performer, and not a full time performer.

However, it doesn't help the WWE's stereotypical image of being filled to the brim with roid abusers.

It depends on what suspensions he gets but more importantly who from. If it's a USADA suspension then he's fine, only UFC have to acknowledge it, but the fight with Hunt was in Nevada so there will be a Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing. A ban from these guys is acknowledged by all sports in the state of Nevada and then by most Athletic Commisions in the USA, meaning that a Nevada State ban will most likely by upheld by he New York State Commission, which means no Summerslam match with Orton. There are potentially dire consequences, but that's how it should be. Either way, even if the match goes ahead, Orton has to go over now.

EDIT: Also, even though he's not the best guy on the roster, Heath Slater deserves so much better. Made him look like a chump last night, should just go on to the indy circuit.

Speaking of which, Cody Rhodes will be at ROH Final Battle in December! Good to see him doing well and as a huge ROH mark I can't wait to see him on an ROH show.

 

[NW48]

It depends on what suspensions he gets but more importantly who from. If it's a USADA suspension then he's fine, only UFC have to acknowledge it, but the fight with Hunt was in Nevada so there will be a Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing. A ban from these guys is acknowledged by all sports in the state of Nevada and then by most Athletic Commisions in the USA, meaning that a Nevada State ban will most likely by upheld by he New York State Commission, which means no Summerslam match with Orton. There are potentially dire consequences, but that's how it should be. Either way, even if the match goes ahead, Orton has to go over now.

Very true. There's little doubt though that Lesnar will get off without some sort of suspension by the UFC, USADA and/or the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Two failed tests, both for the same substance, there's little doubt that Lesnar isn't guilty. And if by some miracle, Lesnar is somehow not guilty, then USADA will be in some deep, deep 🤬

 

[NinjaEvo]

Very true. There's little doubt though that Lesnar will get off without some sort of suspension by the UFC, USADA and/or the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Two failed tests, both for the same substance, there's little doubt that Lesnar isn't guilty. And if by some miracle, Lesnar is somehow not guilty, then USADA will be in some deep, deep 🤬

Absolutely, Brock's screwed

Time to pick my shovel back up, has anybody seen the new announce teams? Ohhhhhhh god nooooooo...

RAW with Maggle, Byron 'Nothing of Interest' Saxton and The Concussion Kid himself, Corey Graves. I didn't mind Graves as a worker, but as a commentator/announcer/host of anything on the network I want to punch him square in the face, repeatedly. Saxton may as well be a mannequin and Cole is over produced. Left to his own devices he's not bad, but he has Vince forever in his ear.

SmackDown with the almighty Mauro Ranalio, (sigh) JBL and David Otunga Poor Lawler! He was awful for a long time, basically from when he was split from JR all the way up until being moved to SmackDown. Working with Mauro seemed to inject a bit of passion back into him, it was almost like listening to the King of old. Now though,we have Jay Bee Ell... "This is just like (insert American sports reference here)!" "BALL GAME!!!" Ohhhh, I hate you so much... Can't slag off Otunga, sure he wasn't a great wrestler but he was better than Suxton, odds are he's a better announcer too.

Just because it's hilarious and I laugh everytime I see it, this was Byron Saxtons finisher.



Makes the Zig Zag look like the 🤬 Jackhammer, right?

 

[Com Fox]

WWE Logic: Enzo & Cass (neither of whom are particularly good workers) get drafted early, while the 23-time World Tag Team Champions The Dudleys get drafted late on the network...

To be honest, the Dudleys are just glorified jobbers at this point who only have their history to go by which doesn't matter in today's WWE.

While Enzo & Cass are pretty eh, at least they have been made to look good in recent memory.

 

[GTFan24]

 

[Eva]

Eww.

 

[Gotbeefboy564]

Why not just Raw and the smackdown logos with out the faces?

 

[NW48]

Rhyno, Curt Hawkins, MVP and Shelton Benjamin are all apparently returning to the WWE in the coming weeks.

Teddy Long leaked the news of Benjamin and MVP signing on a podcast a few days ago, whilst it's widely expected that Rhyno and Curt Hawkins will rejoin too in the immediate aftermath of the draft.

 

[Com Fox]

I like Smackdowns new logo but what is up with Raws?

 

[Ken]

Rhyno already is in the WWE. He wrestlers for NXT.

 

[NW48]

Rhyno already is in the WWE. He wrestlers for NXT.

Yes, but he'll be on the main roster according to the reports. Can't see him being anything more than enhancement talent though. Same with Benjamin.

 

[Ken]

Can't see him being anything more than enhancement talent though.

That's the rumor that I've heard is exactly that. In fact, he'll be teamed with Curt Hawkins as a tag team enhancement wrestler. Which is stupid, as that is the capacity that they are using the Dudley's in.

I've also heard that they are bringing back the squash match.

 

[NW48]

That's the rumor that I've heard is exactly that. In fact, he'll be teamed with Curt Hawkins as a tag team enhancement wrestler. Which is stupid, as that is the capacity that they are using the Dudley's in.

I've also heard that they are bringing back the squash match.

I'm all for young talent going over, but there is a limit. The Dudley's unfortunately passed that ages ago, which is unfortunate.

Hopefully, any other old guards that return don't be misused as much as The Dudley's have.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

So then this big week for the WWE ends with Battleground tonight, here is the final card

Kick-Off Show

The Usos v Breezdango

------------------------------------------------

Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel with Randy Orton

Charlotte & Dana Brooke v Sasha Banks & ???

United States Championship
Rusev (c) v Zack Ryder

The New Day v The Wyatt Family

Natalya v Becky Lynch

Intercontinental Championship
The Miz (c) v Darren Young

Kevin Owens v Sami Zayn

John Cena & Enzo/Big Cass v The Club

WWE Championship-Triple Threat Match
Dean Ambrose (c) v Seth Rollins v Roman Reigns


Pretty packed card with eight matches, might move one of them to the pre-show I reckon, two guys returning tonight, some speculation as to who Sasha Banks mystery tag partner will be, Bayley is one of course but Nikki Bella was cleared to compete this week....

 

[NW48]

some speculation as to who Sasha Banks mystery tag partner will be, Bayley is one of course but Nikki Bella was cleared to compete this week....

According to Sasha Bank's, her partner is someone who even Dave Meltzer couldn't guess, and doesn't like the Flairs. I'm seeing a lot of names pop up, but I'd be putting money on Alundra Blayze, Lita or maybe even Trish Stratus.