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

[MUSC4EVER]

A lot of negativity about that main event last night and the fact that Roman won, I did feel a bit let down when I heard the result and I think they need to do something on Raw to justify what happened. It was still a great match though.

IC title triple threat was fantastic and easily my match of the night, the HIAC match was great too but the rest of the show was just okay, I felt that Night One was better overall than Night Two, the Undisputed tag title match from the first night was my match of the weekend, Shane did tore his quad and Finn Balor got a huge cut on his head after Edge threw that ladder at him.

Very interesting news about WWE sale and an interesting few months ahead.

 

[FoxMulder]

A lot of negativity about that main event last night and the fact that Roman won, I did feel a bit let down when I heard the result and I think they need to do something on Raw to justify what happened. It was still a great match though.

IC title triple threat was fantastic and easily my match of the night, the HIAC match was great too but the rest of the show was just okay, I felt that Night One was better overall than Night Two, the Undisputed tag title match from the first night was my match of the weekend, Shane did tore his quad and Finn Balor got a huge cut on his head after Edge threw that ladder at him.

Very interesting news about WWE sale and an interesting few months ahead.

Night two was weaker than Shane’s quad.

It was disappointing to see Roman win. The same ref bumps and interference every match is old now. Maybe they didn’t want to make that change with a merger happening.

 

[Gotbeefboy564]

Wrong triple h it was 160,000 for both nights not one night. It was 80,000 for both nights.

 

[EngieDiesel]

The thing is, Roman winning wasn't even the letdown. It was that there was no need to end it in that manner. Cody would have looked like a credible threat just from taking everything Roman hit him with and still withstanding it, and while I guess he looks even stronger since it took four other guys, multiple run-ins and manager interference to finally shut him down, now it just feels like we're doing the nWo for the 40th time and Roman looks like another chump that needs to hide behind a stable to keep his championships. We've been down this road so many times that nobody cares anymore.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

So Raw last night was a let down, no NXT call ups and the only return being Matt Riddle, it was a very welcome return for Riddle after his recent rehab stint and personal problems but he was the only return.

Since last night it has been reported by several sources that Vince was back in charge of the show, if that is true then it showed! Several segments were changed at the last minute and things got cut, there was a talent meeting backstage before the show and apparently the morale changed to quite negative.

Triple H started the show and thanked everyone from the talent to the staff, crew and fans, he also said that with the news of the sale that WWE was going nowhere, kind of felt like a goodbye speech now we know that Vince was in charge last night, during the show we were supposed to have a tag match between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar facing Reigns and Solo but that didn't happen as Lesnar completely battered Rhodes before the match, and I mean battered! And after he gave the double bird which was pretty apt...

It was a weekend that started promisingly with that fantastic Mania first night and sadly ended quite sour.

 

[FoxMulder]

Let down is an understatement, raw felt completely different and Vince is obviously back. That’s really going to destroy their goodwill and momentum built under HHH. Back to the lowest ratings in history again.

Endeavor probably doesn’t even care that the day their WWE/UFC merger is announced that “worst raw ever” trends with Vince back.

 

[Darla Starch]

Spoiler: Not a great look for Vickie Guerrero to say the least. Spoilered for language and sexual assault discussion

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Huge news from AEW, All In will take place at Wembley Stadium in London this summer.

Triple H will appear on Smackdown tomorrow night, Santos Escobar & Rey Mysterio v Dominik & Priest plus Sami Zayn v Jey Uso have been made for the show.

 

[Darla Starch]

Was edited out on the main show but whoever put together the Dom/Rey video package on the WM39 Day 1 preshow, yikes.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

WWE have since apologized for that, still wasn't great though!

Drew McIntyre has been pulled from Smackdown tonight and from an appearance with Cricket Wireless earlier today, no-one knows why.

Finn Balor has revealed that he suffered a grade 2 tear to his calf muscle a few weeks ago, he didn't want to risk missing out on the HIAC match he had with Edge at Mania, so he wrestled with the injury then suffered a big cut to his head that needed 14 staples, Warrior!

 

[GTvsForza]

Isn't Drew's contract close to ending? Maybe they're still working on a reimbursement.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Triple H announced the WWE Draft on Smackdown, he didn't mention the date but I heard it will be early May and Raw does fall on May 1st or it could be the 5th for Smackdown and the 8th for the next weeks Raw, he said every Superstar will be eligible and its the first Draft in two years.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

A lot of disruption to Raw last night because of travel issues, some talent missed the start of the show and others missed it altogether. Sami Zayn and Matt Riddle only showed at the end whereas there was no Seth Rollins, Bianca Belair or the Street Profits. it led to a lot of last minute changes to the show.

Kevin Owens faced Solo in the main event which Solo won thanks to help from the Usos, he got attacked after but Zayn and Riddle ran in to make the save. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriquez are new women's tag champs after beating Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus, Trish filled in for Lita after she was attacked by someone backstage, Trish took the pin-fall then attacked Becky after the match and turned heel, Cody Rhodes challenged Brock Lesnar to a match at Mania Backlash, Io Sky is number one contender for women's title after winning a triple threat match.

 

[Gotbeefboy564]

Jeff Hardy is back in AEW.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

The Saudi show in Jeddah on May 27th will now be Night Of Champions and not King/Queen Of The Ring, don't know why they decided to change it but they have, we haven't had Night Of Champions for a few years though. Its been reported that the Draft will take place on the May 8th Raw which is the Raw after Backlash, not confirmed though.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

WWE Draft to start in two weeks on Smackdown and will continue on the following Raw, the tag title rematch between Zayn/Owens and the Usos will also take place in two weeks.

Solo Sikoa beat Riddle in the main event last night after some distractions, Nakamura returned to beat Madcap Ross in an easy win, next week there are two title matches, firstly its Gunther defending his IC title against Xavier Woods then we have Raquel Rodriquez & Liv Morgan defending their tag titles against Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green.

Finally Drew McIntyre's twitter has turned Black with all WWE references removed, heel turn incoming?!

 

[GTvsForza]

Hope you're right. His contract is close to expiring, but I'm sure they want to keep him. He's one of the hottest stars they have, probably behind Cody.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Cody Rhodes v Brock Lesnar and a six man tag match between the Zayn, Owens and Riddle against the Bloodline have both been made for WWE Backlash.

Raw was good last night but nothing amazing.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Both Raquel Rodriguez/Liv Morgan and Gunther won their title matches pretty comfortably last night, Solo Sikoa faced Matt Riddle again but it was a No DQ match this time in the main event, there were a few distractions from the Usos but Solo won definitively and he has had a few convincing wins lately so he is definitely getting a push.

A few more matches made for Backlash in a couple or weeks, Rhea Ripley v Zelina Vega for the women's title, triple threat match between Austin Theory, Bobby Lashley and Bronson Reed for the US title and very strangely its Seth Rollins v Omos which has come out of nowhere!

Still no Drew McIntyre as more reports emerged about his contract situation, apparently it only his current deal only has a few weeks left to run and there is a bit of a dispute about money.

 

[GTvsForza]

There was also a botch with the Strowman/Ricochet vs Viking Raiders match. I think he was supposed to throw Ricochet into Ivar (I think it was Ivar), but didn't have the distance to do it.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Yeah I saw that, definite botch.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

So Raw is in Chicago tonight and is about to start, big backstage news is that its been reported that CM Punk was backstage briefly! He met with a few talent and had a conversation with Triple H before he was asked to leave, apparently at Vince's request.

Isn't he still with AEW, doesn't he have a contract with them?!

 

[Darla Starch]

Legally yeah Punk's still under AEW contract but could just be a case of visiting.

 

[Gotbeefboy564]

New belt looks like the old world heavyweight belt but a little better.

 

[EngieDiesel]

New belt looks like the old world heavyweight belt but a little better.

Ehh, I dunno about better.

Looks more like they just took a Big Gold replica belt and then hastily stamped a few WWE logos into it. Although I guess it does fall in line more with the design of the IC title now, so maybe they're actually attempting to give each brand its own visual identity with this (even if calling the Universal title "undisputed" still implies that it's the more important of the two).

 

[Com Fox]

Has a storyline idea of an undefeated champion been botched so badly that gives noone any room storyline wise that they had to make a new title?

Might make me interested again, at least in the show that doesn't have Roman Reigns in it as long as the Bloodline storyline is continuing over on the other show

Perhaps the Tag Team Championships will also be affected, and if Triple H is still the one pulling the strings, then maybe he can finally do storylines beyond being bottlenecked because the Bloodline storyline was forced to continue

 

[MUSC4EVER]

I also feel that creating a new belt for someone else feels weird and lazy, unless they have a proper long-term plan in place but if they wanted a new world champion why didn't they just take the belts of Roman and split them?

Show last night was good but a little weird, there were times where the cameras cut to unexpectedly, it happened numerous times, Bad Bunny challenged Damian Priest to a street fight at Backlash, Finn Balor and Cody Rhodes had a great match.

 

[EngieDiesel]

Has a storyline idea of an undefeated champion been botched so badly that gives noone any room storyline wise that they had to make a new title?

Well they can't have Roman just drop one because there's no logical point in only challenging for one championship if you can make him put both up. Same reason they can't just have The Management™ strip him of one and not the other. Having him voluntarily drop one of them would devalue it to the point that they may as well have it in the same trash can as the 24/7. Unifying the existing top belts and making a new one is pretty much the only option they have at the moment if they're going to continue with inflating his championship run length.

Might make me interested again, at least in the show that doesn't have Roman Reigns in it as long as the Bloodline storyline is continuing over on the other show

I reckon we'll have to see how things shake out with the draft this week, it's no coincidence that they decided to introduce this new championship the same week that's happening. I'm guessing we're going to either see the black WWE belt retooled into the Undisputed Universal Better-Than-You Neener Neener Championship and the new WHC goes to Smackdown, or Roman decides to keep the blue belt (so they don't have to spend more money on a minor change), the WHC becomes the RAW top belt again and the midcard champs swap shows.

Of course, this is going entirely on the presumption that they want some coherency with the championships having similar design languages on their respective shows. Lord knows they've proven me wrong about such things before.

Perhaps the Tag Team Championships will also be affected, and if Triple H is still the one pulling the strings, then maybe he can finally do storylines beyond being bottlenecked because the Bloodline storyline was forced to continue

My prediction: Sami gets drafted to one show and Owens gets drafted to the other, and they eventually decide to unify the tag belts so that they have more control over where and when they get to defend them instead of having to pull double duty. It'd also fit in with the whole motif of wiping the slate clean (and maybe we can finally get rid of those ugly belts they swiped from FCW over a decade ago, I never liked them and they always look out of place)

 

[Darla Starch]

Legally yeah Punk's still under AEW contract but could just be a case of visiting.

Self-quote but turns out that Punk backstage at RAW was mostly "on the same flight as some WWE talents going to Chicago and hey since I'm in the area" with some "try to mend fences" thrown in

 

[Com Fox]

Well they can't have Roman just drop one because there's no logical point in only challenging for one championship if you can make him put both up. Same reason they can't just have The Management™ strip him of one and not the other. Having him voluntarily drop one of them would devalue it to the point that they may as well have it in the same trash can as the 24/7. Unifying the existing top belts and making a new one is pretty much the only option they have at the moment if they're going to continue with inflating his championship run length.

Well an idea would be to more after the Storyline is finished, or you know, don't build the Bloodline storyline as Roman Reigns as a guy who doesn't lose. They booked themselves into a ridiculous corner with this storyline.

The Tag Titles would occasionally be on the line separately, I don't see the issue with some challenging for a separate title.