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

[Com Fox]

I find it funny how far AEW is reaching to get moments ASAP.

The whole undisputed era reunite storyline they got going on makes no sense when last time you saw Kyle and Adam they wanted to kill each other due to Adams jealousy. It's like WWE did with Miz and Morrison. Why does nobody in the Wrestling business care about continuity .

If you ask me, we need to put these guys to a higher standard.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

WWE have had problems with positive Covid tests.

They had their annual Madison Square Garden holiday show last night and Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch and Big E were pulled from the show as they returned positive tests, so it looks likely they will miss Raw tonight too, There is of course a PPV on Saturday but that's a few days away yet, hopefully they will be back and WWE won't have to change some matches around.

Roman Reigns was pulled from a show in Tampa over the weekend as well, I don't know the reasons for this, hopefully its not health related.

The MSG show was headlined by Edge v Kevin Owens in a steel cage, first time ever match between the two, Edge wasn't scheduled to be on the show but was used because of the wrestlers being pulled from the show.

 

[Com Fox]

WWE have now abolished Covid Testing all together

 

[Darla Starch]

WWE have now abolished Covid Testing all together

Can't have positive tests messing up plans if there's no tests

 

[MUSC4EVER]

List of people who missed last night's Raw...off the top of my head.

Big E, Seth Rollins (both gave taped promos from home), Bobby Lashley, Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, Finn Balor, Austin Theory, Bianca Belair, Doudrop, Rhea Ripley, Omos.

There were probably a few more and whilst its not a big list there are some names in there who have current storylines so it was bound to have an effect on the show...and alas the final Raw of 2021 was flat.

Kevin Owens was the only one from the main event four to be there and he was great, gave some great promos but had a random match with Cedric Alexander in full Hurt Business guise and whilst it was great to see MVP and Shelton all back together it felt like it was just there to give KO something to do, the main event segment was great with Miz and Maryse wedding vow renewal even if having Eric Bischoff officiating was very random, Edge ruining their moment and covering them in black goo was great.

Street Profits returned to beat the Mysterios in the final of the Bro-nament meaning they will face RK-Bro at Day 1 on Saturday for the titles, it was a great tag match between the two. Riddle and Orton picked up single wins over Chad Gable and Otis.

Strange stuff was NXT Grayson Waller turning up to have verbals with AJ Styles then after that AJ was meant to have a match with Azeez but when they came back from commercial it was Apollo Crews instead, plus it was Damien Priest v Dolph Ziggler for the US title but went to DQ when Priest went mad again and caused a DQ. Finally Veer is still still....STILLLL coming to Raw! Ninth week of the promos now!

I wonder what Roman Reigns thinks about the scrapping of the COVID testing...

 

[Darla Starch]

Since the year's still not technically done, time for WWE to sneak in one more baffling departure/release in the form of Toni Storm reputedly being let go.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Tomi Storm has been released by WWE, she requested her release today and it was granted.

She only had a title match on Friday but I think WWE have misused her since NXT UK where she was their first ever Women's champion and she was killing it there, it wasn't great on NXT and worse when she was moved to Smackdown, she wasn't on TV for weeks and when she was used she got two pies in the face and made to look like and idiot.

She had a good match with Charlotte but that was it really, only 26 and very talented.

80 in-ring talent let go by WWE in 2021...

 

[GTvsForza]

Not a very good end of the year for WWE. They're really not thinking straight when they want to make a new rising star...

Speaking of, where's Xia been after her debut two weeks ago?

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Doesn't seem like there is a Smackdown on tomorrow, which is understandable being new years eve, on the TV listings here its says a best of 2021 compilation will air.

No news regarding Day 1 and the possible disruption to the show caused by the recent COVID tests.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Right then lovely people happy new year to you all, its PPV Saturday and its WWE Day 1, now WWE Have had some issues on the Raw side of things with a few of the big names testing positive last weekend which does put some of the matches tonight in doubt, however WWE have been tweeting about the matches tonight so that tells me that everything is fine.

With that said here is the card.

Kick-Off Show.

Ricochet & Cesaro v Sheamus & Ridge Holland

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

Raw Tag Team Championship.
RK-Bro (c) v The Street Profits

Drew McIntyre v Madcap Moss

Edge v The Miz

Smackdown Tag Team Championship.
The Usos (c) v The New Day

Raw Women's Championship.
Becky Lynch (c) v Liv Morgan

WWE Championship-Fatal Four Way Match.
Big E (c) v Seth Rollins v Kevin Owens v Bobby Lashley

Universal Championship.
Roman Reigns (c) v Brock Lesnar.

Great looking card, cant wait to watch it, If there are any changes I'll let you know.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Big breaking news!!!

Roman Reigns tested positive for COVID and is out of tonight's show, Brock Lesnar added to the WWE title match making it a five way!!

Lesnar and Lashley in the same match!!!

 

[Gotbeefboy564]

Lesnar wins by default.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Get well soon to Reigns and hope for a speedy recovery for him, he more vunerable because of his cancer battles.

Ridge Holland just suffered a broken nose in the pre show match, he took a standing 450 splash from Ricochet but took his boot right to the face and blood was just gushing out, Sheamus had to finish the match without his partner, and still won...

No other changes to the card.

 

[Gotbeefboy564]

Called it decent ppv.

 

[Com Fox]

Understand the circumstances. But they still chose the worst way out of it

 

[GTvsForza]

You think it should've been how it was originally? What I mean by that is have the original winner before Lesnar was added.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Becky v Liv and Usos v New Day were both great, Edge v Miz was a bit disappointing even with Beth getting involved.

WWE title match could've easily gone five more minutes or so but it was an explosive match with a lot going on, Lesnar winning is interesting to say the least but it doesn't make me angry or anything, very intrigued to see what happens now. Big E deserved better. The stuff with Lesnar and Lashley was great.

Quite a good show overall, it was a packed arena and the crowd were great, really loud.

 

[Com Fox]

You think it should've been how it was originally? What I mean by that is have the original winner before Lesnar was added.

Lesnar being Champion has never been a good thing

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Drew McIntyre will be off TV for a while as he deals with some niggling injuries, the attack from Corbin and Moss was a way to write him off TV.

I cant be the only one who thinks this Reigns thing is a work, He can't be happy with WWE's new stance on testing.

 

[GTvsForza]

I don't know what will happen if he abruptly leaves. And WWE Live is coming to my city next month, they need to think before they act.

 

[EngieDiesel]

WWE ... need to think before they act.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Also you cant call them PPV's any more, they are now called premium live events.

I get why as the term pay per view is a bit dated in 2022, but premium live event/s just sounds a bit like your watching a porno...

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Something happened to Sasha Banks at a Smackdown event last night, she was with Charlotte and Charlotte gave her a standard back breaker but Sasha just crumpled and the ref used the X sign which they use when a wrestler is legitimately injured, she was helped into the back and she has tweeted since saying she is good.

WWE might want to consider pausing these live shows for a while as there have been numerous occasions in the past month where a wrestler has either been pulled from the show, tested positive or been injured.

 

[Com Fox]

I just realized there is now 2 WWE Stable prophesies.

There's the 3MB prophesy where they get released comeback and win the WWE Championship (all we need is Heath Slater to comeback)

And now there is The New Day prophesy. Win the WWE Championship and have your Championship reign end abruptly because of a random insert of Brock Lesnar

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Lesnar will open Raw tonight, the fatal four way that we were supposed to get at Day 1 will be tonight's main event with the winner getting WWE title shot, also Priest v Ziggler US title rematch and AJ Styles v Omos we were meant to get last week.

 

[GTvsForza]

Hope Lashley wins that, I really want to see these two titans brawl!

 

[Com Fox]

So Raw has gone back to have the part timer be WWE Champion until the guy we chose will beat him. For the 5th time now?

Yay....

 

[JohnBM01]

Tell you what... as one announcer would say, Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley is going to be a "slobberknocker." If you love smashmouth, power wrestling, Lesnar-Lashley is going to epic. That Fatal Four Way was nuts!

 

[Com Fox]

Tell you what... as one announcer would say, Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley is going to be a "slobberknocker." If you love smashmouth, power wrestling, Lesnar-Lashley is going to epic. That Fatal Four Way was nuts!

I can't bring myself to care.

It's not just I hate from a storytelling standpoint and every wrestler gets cheated out of the title just for a cheap pop match which doesn't need the WWE Title in the first place (Lashley vs. Brock was gonna do it on it's own). It's so repetitive at this point, this won't be any different to any other big Brock Lesnar collision. I've seen it before so many times, why bother getting in the hype culture for now. I don't mind something being formulaic but it's like these matches aren't allowed to have anything interesting built on top of it.

The Edge/Beth & Miz/Maryse double date is more interesting than this for me and that is just a recycled element from Miz and Daniel Bryans 2018 fued. At least this time the faces won the match before the double date which is different...

That's pretty much been WWEs motto for 2021 and starting this year, the horrible stuff has gotten so repetitive and even the good stuff which makes it bad.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

That main event was brilliant, all four guys just went for it! Owens and Rollins teaming up was great and hopefully they continue to do that plus that dive from Owens was something else, best Raw main event in LONG time!

Opening bit with Lesnar and Heyman was great as well especially when Heyman said 'I left Roman for a week then he went and got Covid'!! And I for one am excited about Lesnar being champion again as it feels different this time as a babyface plus we finally get Lesnar v Lashley and that match is going to bang!

We all knew that there was going to be a mixed tag match between Edge/Phoenix and Miz/Maryse so its no surprise that match was made, three title matches last night but all were retained, Carmella/Vega beat Ripley/ASH in a nothing match that lasted a minute, 24/7 title was defended in a mixed tag and there was a really good match for the US title between Priest and Ziggler, they had great chemistry and the stipulation of if Priest gets counted out or DQ'ed he loses the title added more drama to the match, Omos squashed AJ Styles in a few minutes, Alpha Academy picked up a surprise win over RK-Bro so that storyline is going to run.

Triple Threat match next week to determine Becky Lynch number one contender between Liv Morgan, Doudrop and Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss's journey back to Raw starts next week and maybe she could pick Veer up, speaking of Veer there was no 'Veer is coming to Raw' thing last night, which isn't a good sign...

NXT New Years Evil is tonight with three title matches including Ciampa v Breakker NXT title match and there are getting rid of the cruiserweight title by unifying it with the NA title in a match between Carmelo Hayes and Roderick Strong.