WWF/WWE/ECW/WCW

Despite the dire prognoses from doctors Vader is still wrestling:

http://www.cbssports.com/general/news/still-wrestling-despite-heart-issue-vader-prefers-to-die-having-fun-in-the-ring/

tohostudios wrote:

Who was the heel in that matchup, ADR?  Last time I watched TNA several months ago Lashley was a heel but ADR sucks in the face role so I'm guessing Lashley flipped again.

Not sure, as I don't have Pop TV but I think Lashley is face again... Bruce Prichard is all there now as an on air character and he is a face character and was supporting Lashley. So Lashley is doing the Bigshow thing lately andf flip flopping every few months I guess.

Smackdown announcer Mauro Renallo is doing commentary on tonight's PBC boxing event on CBS.  I thought Vince signed all his announcers to exclusive contracts.  I know JBL is a financial contributor to Fox Business Channel but that's different.  This is the first time I remember hearing a current WWE announcer doing regular sports commentary on a major network.

Roman continues to get pushed, Rusev cuts his hair-has a falling out with Steroid Mahal**-then gets beat by Big Show, Toho's favorite women wrestler keeps her belt, and a distraction from Jericho gets Owens squashed by Goldberg.


**Or maybe he just has good genetics that were laying dormant during his first run.

DallasBlack wrote:

Roman continues to get pushed, Rusev cuts his hair-has a falling out with Steroid Mahal**-then gets beat by Big Show, Toho's favorite women wrestler keeps her belt, and a distraction from Jericho gets Owens squashed by Goldberg.


**Or maybe he just has good genetics that were laying dormant during his first run.

Also, Neville vs Gallagher stole the show and we got to hear Staph berate and belittle Foley on the preshow. Lovely.

akeldama wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

Roman continues to get pushed, Rusev cuts his hair-has a falling out with Steroid Mahal**-then gets beat by Big Show, Toho's favorite women wrestler keeps her belt, and a distraction from Jericho gets Owens squashed by Goldberg.


**Or maybe he just has good genetics that were laying dormant during his first run.

Also, Neville vs Gallagher stole the show and we got to hear Staph berate and belittle Foley on the preshow. Lovely.

True, but I was focusing on the negatives of the main show, though the berating of Foley is annoying. I think the coolest thing in that Neville/Gallagher (for me anyways) was that wicked headbutt. Maybe the best headbutt I've seen in wrestling.

Had some time to gather my thoughts on the PPV:

Roman's win wasn't too bad when you consider that Roman got lucky. Most of the damage Stroman took was self inflicted (charging, then missing Roman and hurting himself) so though he lost clean, it shouldn't completely kill the momentum he has built.

The whole thing with Mahal and Rusev and their respective matches should have been saved for a RAW episode and was just added to make up for how short the Universal Title match was going to be (more on that).

The women's matches I really don't care about as I think Smackdown! has the better division. I'm nowhere near Toho levels, but Bayley is really wearing thin with me, I'm unsure how I feel about Sasha (I think a heel turn would really help), Nia Jax is just a rehash of Kharma though Kharma was actually more impressive, Charlotte is the only high spot in the RAW women's division. I do think it was a good idea to stop the PPV streak thing as it doesn't make sense for her to keep losing the title on TV only to gain it back on the PPV then lose it once again on TV....

I had blocked out the New Day segment as it was pretty damn stupid.

Samoa Joe and Zayn match was surprisingly good. Joe continues to look like a beast and while I don't like Zayn, there is no doubt he is a great seller (though IMO, kind of mediocre performer compared to his peers). Also nice that it wasn't a complete squash.

Neville and Gallagher as previously stated was a great match and was one of the only high spots in the throw away PPV (idea: let's change the name from Fastlane to Throwaway ).

I was a huge Goldberg fan back in the day and I have no beef with him coming back for one more quick run, even his shock squash of Brock and quick RR elimination, I had no problem with. Let's face it, after WM he will be gone once and for all and Brock will get his momentum back. I also really have no problem with him beating Owens for the title with the assist from Jericho. Let's face it, Owens has been booked poorly as champion and has not won clean as any time I can remember. The majority of those wins were with Jericho's help so after the fallout it was only fitting that Jericho would cause him to lose. However, the way this was done just seemed anti-climatic. The build up to the PPV was good and should have seen a longer match with Owens outmaneuvering him. I understand they want to protect Goldberg but would a match lasting a couple of minutes with a dodging Owens really be so bad? Then all Jericho did was step out to his theme music for a minute or two and never even came near Owens. It just seemed like there should have been more.

Bad PPV with only a few bright spots. If it wasn't for the fact that I was watching other shows on TV then I would feel like I want three hours of my life back.

Good post, DB. I watched RAW Talk after the PPV and a Sasha heel turn is so obvious. Too bad she botched the ending of the match which shoulda seen her hold on to the ropes to get the win. The Rusev and Mahal segment/match, etc. was definitely all wrong. They tried to be unpredictable and not have a Rusev vs Mahal match, (yet), and gave us 2 clunkers. I was surprised to hear "boring" chants during a Ceasaro match.

Thanks and agreed!

Reading various write-ups of the Strowman/Reigns match it doesn't sound to me like Strowman lost much momentum at all. It still sounds like he "wow'd" people with stuff he was trying to do (like coming of the top rope).

I said about 6 months ago that I read an interview with him talking about wanting to improve his move set. It sure seems like he has. He does stuff I haven't seen a big man do since Vader or Bigelow. Good for him.

Now let's see how WWE tries to screw him up.

What????

We have an opening segment like that on RAW and there's not going to be a "spur of the moment" tag match between KO and Joe vs Zayne and Jericho?

Has RAW turned over a new leaf???

Nvm. Back from break and instead of a tag match we have Zayne vs KO. Variation on a theme.

Great CWD match. I really like the CWD. Toho, one day you'll have to watch the Cruiserweight Classic.

I just can't get into them.

Although now that Austin Aries is back I might. I really like him from his TNA days. But apparently he's returning as a "tweener" face since he beat up Neville tonight. I like him better as a heel.

Although I can't stand Aries and never have I think he's great for the CWD. I'd like to see Nakamura there too.

Brrrrrrooock...! Llllllesssnarrrrrr...!

I can't think if a WM main event I've cared less about than Goldberg vs Lesnar.

Great. A championship match between a 50 year old has-been champion who is almost certainly gone after WrestleMania against a guy who wrestles about 3 times a year and will most likely be winning the belt.

Ugh.

akeldama wrote:

Brrrrrrooock...! Llllllesssnarrrrrr...!

Paul Heyman is microphone gold. Always has been.

Good point and although I like Lesnar I have to agree with you.

Man, get Enzo into the CWD and make him a heel already.  

I could really get behind that.  But as it is he's just really annoying because you know in any tag match he's in with Cass he's going to get the hell beat out of him and end up taking the pin.

Put him in with the cruiserweights and then let him run his mouth. I'd actually love to see a CWD match between Enzo and Aries.

Agreed. Who ever said Enzyte was like the little dog on Merrie Melodies was right. I'm getting tired of him. I was really surprised at the crowd reaction to the CWD matches. I'm surprised Tozawa's yell is as over as it is.

LOL. That's exactly what he's like.

"C'mon Spike! Whaddya say Spike?!?!?! Wanna go Spike???"

Except he looks like a Who from Who-ville.

And that Ravishing Ric Rude video reminded me of how much fun wrestling used to be.

Uh oh...gag reflex kicking in..

Who let the 12 year old girl into the ring?

Finally "Staph" made an interesting decision.

Sasha vs little 12 year old girl tonight and if Sasha wins it's a triple threat match for little annoying 12 year old girl's title at WM along with Charlotte.