I see you noticed most of my thoughts from the Rumble already so I'll try to keep it to newer stuff.

I watched all 4 WWE shows in the last 3 days Raw, Smackdown (Now called Smackdown Live for some reason), 502 and NXT

I'd say one thing that really sticks out like a sore thumb to me is the whole division of Raw/Smackdown as if one is WWE and one is WCW or something. HOw they handle the titles is complete overkill as well. And if you are going to go overboard on the titles, and PPVs (24 a year I believe just for Raw/Smackdown?)why not have a grand champion between the two?

With Roman Reigns to my liking, It's purely off the title match and the Royal Rumble Match (and I guess now I can say Raw) I liked what I saw in those 24 hours. I'm sure his character is done to death or something, but with fresh eyes, I dig it.

Other ones I'm digging *Probably going to get a name or 7 wrong*: AJ Styles, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Brawn Stroman, The Wyatts, Jack Gallagher, Seamus I know there's more but with learning essentially 4 companies worth of wrestlers in a few days time, I'm sure that's bound to happen.

Wrestlers that I'm not digging: The guy who was essentially pussy whipped into going into the Royal Rumble Match and thrown out a couple entries later. The Miz (My girlfriend told me the back story on him on The Real World, completely lost interest) There was a tag team on Raw that spent 5 minutes quoting Wizard of Oz puns that got old extremely fast. Corey Graves just reeks of fake enthusiasm to me as well.

Above all the person that annoys me the most is the main announcer for Smackdown (Whoever that guy is with the glasses) That fake announcer's voice makes me want to punch him square in the throat. As someone who uses his voice for a living, having THAT FAKE of a voice just stabs me in the ear with every syllable.

Of Everything, I probably dug NXT the most because it felt a lot freer and fresh.

My girlfriend basically just loves every big guy with long dark hair. Haha
I found Nikki Bella and Alexa Bliss to be very much my....style!

the only problem is...



...there's room for more...

...I should have ordered MOAR!!!!!

FUCK YEAH



FUCK YEAH!!!!!!





And thank you for not enjoying that commentator from Smackdown.  I fucking hate that guy too.

I watched all 4 WWE shows in the last 3 days Raw, Smackdown (Now called Smackdown Live for some reason), 502 and NXT
- If you get any free time I'd highly suggest checking out the Cruiserweight Classic that took place over the summer. It gives you a better idea of how awesome the guys on - - 205 Live are... but then again, may bum you out because they were really able to go out and go crazy on it, unlike 205.

I'd say one thing that really sticks out like a sore thumb to me is the whole division of Raw/Smackdown as if one is WWE and one is WCW or something. HOw they handle the titles is complete overkill as well. And if you are going to go overboard on the titles, and PPVs (24 a year I believe just for Raw/Smackdown?)why not have a grand champion between the two?
- There were a lot of jokes when the brand split happened, and people said "There should be a UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP that is only defended at the main 4 shows where the rosters are on it together"... it'll probably happen at some point lol.

With Roman Reigns to my liking, It's purely off the title match and the Royal Rumble Match (and I guess now I can say Raw) I liked what I saw in those 24 hours. I'm sure his character is done to death or something, but with fresh eyes, I dig it.
- The Thing about Ro-Ro is that, as a character, he is constantly pushed down everyones throats as "The face of WWE". He has improved greatly over the last year or so, but it's similar to when the Rock debuted and they were forcing him as a face, but the crowd didn't want that, and then they turned him heel and that's when he clicked. Its almost exactly like that with RoRo. He could be a GREAT heel, but they keep trying to put him over as the good guy. I forgot what PPV it was, but he absolutely destroyed Triple H after a match (I think it was TLC from 2015) and had a very short "violent" nature to his character, that made him so much more tolerable outside of his usual good guy persona, and people started to dig him... then they dropped it and put him back to his family friendly character.

Other ones I'm digging *Probably going to get a name or 7 wrong*: AJ Styles, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Brawn Stroman, The Wyatts, Jack Gallagher, Seamus I know there's more but with learning essentially 4 companies worth of wrestlers in a few days time, I'm sure that's bound to happen.
- Good choice! All entertaining and standouts! AJ Styles is easily the best wrestler in the world. He can make anyone look like a million dollars in the ring.

Wrestlers that I'm not digging: The guy who was essentially pussy whipped into going into the Royal Rumble Match and thrown out a couple entries later. The Miz (My girlfriend told me the back story on him on The Real World, completely lost interest) There was a tag team on Raw that spent 5 minutes quoting Wizard of Oz puns that got old extremely fast. Corey Graves just reeks of fake enthusiasm to me as well.
- I'm not sure who the Raw team was.... was it the black guys New Day or the bald guys Gallows and Anderson? All understandable dislikes

Above all the person that annoys me the most is the main announcer for Smackdown (Whoever that guy is with the glasses) That fake announcer's voice makes me want to punch him square in the throat. As someone who uses his voice for a living, having THAT FAKE of a voice just stabs me in the ear with every syllable.
- I like Mauro . When he came on he was a breath of fresh air... but definitely took some time to get used to because it sounds like he wants to yell and go crazy, but can't because he is too embarrassed so he is bummed and has to put on a fake yell lol.

Of Everything, I probably dug NXT the most because it felt a lot freer and fresh.

- NXT is really good, especially their PPV shows. Even the worst ones always deliver.They are in a rebuilding time right now since a lot of their big names got called up to the main roster, but seem to be on the right path right now. Back in late 2014/2015 they were doing their best work. That's when guys like Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, and others made their debuts and made NXT THE show to watch.

My girlfriend basically just loves every big guy with long dark hair. Haha
I found Nikki Bella and Alexa Bliss to be very much my....style!
- Yes... Alexa Bliss'... style is very good .

I recently found out Mauro is bi-polar.

I think that could lead to some interesting TV.

I just read that AJ Lee has that as well. Begining to think that the character she played on TV came way more natural to her than I thought.

I'd say one thing that really sticks out like a sore thumb to me is the whole division of Raw/Smackdown as if one is WWE and one is WCW or something. HOw they handle the titles is complete overkill as well. And if you are going to go overboard on the titles, and PPVs (24 a year I believe just for Raw/Smackdown?)why not have a grand champion between the two?

Yeah, the do overkill it with the PPVs right now. But except for the big four events (Rumble, Mania, Summerslam and Survivor Series) the brands have separate PPVs, so every champ on Raw/SD isn't on every PPV. The big reason for this split is too big of a roster. They needed to split it up in order for everyone to get a little bit more spotlight. There isn't one champ to rule them all because of house shows. They want a world/universal champ to headline those shows. Also, having the main champ go between brands runs the risk of that person getting hurt since they're doing more.

Finally, the brand split can allow them to do different things with the shows. Raws main purpose is entertainment first with wrestling and storylines not being as important. SD is operated the opposite way where the stories, characters and letting the whole roster shine a little bit more is the priority.

With Roman Reigns to my liking, It's purely off the title match and the Royal Rumble Match (and I guess now I can say Raw) I liked what I saw in those 24 hours. I'm sure his character is done to death or something, but with fresh eyes, I dig it.

John laid out the Roman situation very well in his post. I can see why you would like him if you never saw all the horrid failed attempts over the last couple years for him to be the top face of the company. Fans just don't want to cheer the guy. They've handled his push in the worst ways possible. He's a natural, smug asshole heel but for some reason Vince just doesn't see it. I've been watching for over 30 years and I can't see what's so special about the guy. Solid midcard talent at best and a great guy to come in and clean house/get the victory in tag matches. Beyond that, there's just not anything about him that screams face of the company.

Other ones I'm digging *Probably going to get a name or 7 wrong*: AJ Styles, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Brawn Stroman, The Wyatts, Jack Gallagher, Seamus I know there's more but with learning essentially 4 companies worth of wrestlers in a few days time, I'm sure that's bound to happen.

All those guys are good. Well, except AJ Styles who is phenomenal. I'm sure in your short time back you're able to tell already why fans would prefer guys like Styles, Rollins, Ambrose and Bray Wyatt to be faces of the company over Reigns. That's because those guys actually have talent and a natural connection with the crowd. Especially Ambrose. He reminds me of an Foley/Austin kind of performer. The fans love him because he busts his ass more than anyone else on the roster and is a relatable everyman.

Wrestlers that I'm not digging: The guy who was essentially pussy whipped into going into the Royal Rumble Match and thrown out a couple entries later. The Miz (My girlfriend told me the back story on him on The Real World, completely lost interest) There was a tag team on Raw that spent 5 minutes quoting Wizard of Oz puns that got old extremely fast. Corey Graves just reeks of fake enthusiasm to me as well.

Above all the person that annoys me the most is the main announcer for Smackdown (Whoever that guy is with the glasses) That fake announcer's voice makes me want to punch him square in the throat. As someone who uses his voice for a living, having THAT FAKE of a voice just stabs me in the ear with every syllable.

The Miz may have come from a reality show but the guy worked very hard to get where he is now. In a wrestling world where the lines of good and bad have become blurred over the last 20 years, he's the most natural heel in the company. The man gets genuine heat from the crowd because he's such an asshole. He wasn't just handed a spot because he was on a reality show, he's gotten to where he is because he's damn good at what he does.

I'm not so sure you're not getting Corey Graves confused with Byron Saxton. Byron is the lame one on the Raw commentary team who is as fake as they come. Graves used to be a wrestler before multiple concussions forced him to retire. He was the color guy on NXT for a long time and was called up to Raw last summer during the brand split. I can assure you that the guy has great enthusiasm for what he does and loves pro wrestling. The only time Graves may come off as fake, the same can be said for all the other announcers, is when Vince is barking in their ears to promote/say something on TV that they don't have any desire to say.

I like Mauro on SD. He came along at the right time since fans were so sick of Michael Cole commentating on every show since he's such an awful, unenthusiastic, company shill of an announcer. Mauro became a new voice fans wanted to hear. He calls the moves and the matches, opposite of Cole who talks about everything else but that. I've never heard Mauro's real voice, so I can't say for sure that he's using a fake announcers voice or not. Hard to believe it would be completely fake since he has to keep that up for both SD and 205 every week. At least Mauro is into it and brings a lot of life to the matches.

Of Everything, I probably dug NXT the most because it felt a lot freer and fresh.

NXT was the shit two or three years ago. Unfortunately, the death of Dusty Rhodes (he was the main guy running things backstage for them), all the main roster call ups and losing their head writer to Smackdown has left them in a state of limbo over the last year and a half. They're also relying way too much on established independent talent and not focusing on the younger up and comers they've got signed. Bobby Roode is great but he's also a 20 year vet who's pushing 40. He shouldn't be the champ in the developmental brand. He should be up on Raw or SD being the main event heel that many fans know he should be. Give the belt to a younger person so they can learn what it means to be a champion. Roode already knows that too well.

NXT still delivers at the Takeover events. But nothing but squash matches happen on the weekly show for the most part and it gets boring quick now. The in ring work is there but the character/storyline progression has been non existent for a long time.

My girlfriend basically just loves every big guy with long dark hair. Haha
I found Nikki Bella and Alexa Bliss to be very much my....style!

I've developed a disturbing obsession with Alexa Bliss's ass. Becky Lynch is awesome as well, so maybe you'll take a liking to her.

Like anything you take the good with the bad. Since the brand split I think the WWE has been more on the good side of things. The talent depth they have is the best it's ever been. So, hopefully you'll stick around for awhile this time and keep watching. I know that they won't have an old lady giving birth to hand again and drive you away once more.

All you need to know That Drummer Guy is that Sheamus can taste colours and once successfully impregnated a toaster while it was plugged in.

If he's not your favourite now then you can move onto lamewads like AJ Styles, that fat guy that broke Seth Rollins and "whatshisface"...Kenny Omega, or something.

That's all I needed to know.

Kevin Kelly has left ROH now. They have no broadcast team anymore since Nigel and Corino are gone too.

Ok, now that sucks. WTF is happening over there? By the time I see them in May all that's going to be left is the Briscoes, Bull Dempsey, Rhett Titus and those two referees that look the same.

Although I wouldn't mind if they brought back that guy who was around in 2008. I think his name was Dave.

The Briscoes should just do commentary now. When they have a match just have some other random guys from the roster do it.

Besides PPVs, everything is pre-recorded in ROH... Briscoes can even call their own matches

I never thought this would lead to Ring of Honor being BETTER!

I watched the "Top 50 Moments in TNA" DVD today.... it was..................................... interesting.

My main complaints are that 85% of the interviews were kayfabe (in character), and the rest was a mix of actual out of character and just standard opinions. It was brutal and really took me out of it.

Also doesn't help that the first roughly 40 minutes were dedicated to Hulk Hogan, then the next 4 or 5 segments were around a minute each, then another long Hulk Hogan segment. A lot of the "top moments" were just quick snippets of what actually happened, and mainly just the finishes to the matches, so its hard to really understand why said moment ranked where it did... like Kurt Angle vs Mr. Anderson in a steel cage ranking at number 2 or 3.... they showed VERY BRIEF highlights of the match, and the finish.

Those complaints out of the way, it was ok. There were some good moments, and it's always awesome to see the Jay Lethal/Ric Flair "Woo Off". I would have preferred more "context" and less "This happened, next moment", but oh well, TNA, and for getting it in a $20 grab bag with a PHENOMENAL Samoa Joe DVD, well worth it.

pre-Hogan TNA was so much better than post-Hogan TNA.

They were still WWE wannabes from around late-2006 but Hogan just destroyed that company.

I'd imagine he was still employed by TNA when that video came out.  If it were to come out now it would be a different DVD.  Rebel verses Shelly Martinez would be near the top.

My vag.

Wrestling for me now is....

ROH and LU each week. Might watch them days after they air but both shows are can't miss.Pretty much the same with TNA.

All WWE stuff I don't bother to see. I catch some here and there but really nothing they have had going on since about 2010 has held my interest for more than 4 months tops.

Then I try to keep up with lots of the deep south indies,mostly MS/LA/AL and East TX based ones. Going to a show on the 11th of this month for commentary/video work.Should be decent since this group draws a great crowd that is a good mixture of kids that still believe and adults that want to still believe. Not gonna be a bunch of dueling chants and shit like that at a SWA show.

I do end up watching lots of just various indie guys. Like any Keith Lee match I can find I will watch. Same with Jeff Cobb,Matt Riddle,Drew Gulak and a few others. For women pretty much the only one I bother following anymore is Jordynne Grace. Too bad she moved a few years back and never works this area anymore.

So I was at Smackdown in Seattle yesterday, and it was insanely fun. Today marks the one year anniversary since Daniel Bryan was forced to retire from in ring competition in WWE, so it was crazy to be in the same building a year a later. Even though it was on live TV, i'll do a quick rundown from being there in person

- Show opened with a dark match between Mojo Rawley and Curt Hawkins. Mojo won. He had a huge pop, and no one seemed to care for Hawkins.

- The arena was deafening when D-Bry came out to open the show, and his diss to the Miz was amazing.

- Before I go further, the pyro was INSANELY LOUD in person. Holy crap. Even plugging my ears was just intense.

- The 4 way match was awesome to see live. It was my first time seeing AJ Styles wrestle in person and I felt so hyped for it. Huge shock when Corbin pinned AJ.

- Miz has a ton of heat.

- The Nattie/Nikki segment was awkward because we couldn't here the questions being asked, and only hear their responses. Tons of "WHAT!?" chants.

- Ziggler is still over, even though he's a heel, and everyone wanted him to destroy Kalisto and Crews.

- The contract signing was fun.... goddamn those women are just... :lovedup: . There were some girls behind me that didn't follow wrestling, and when Naomi came out they were all like "OHHH SNAP! THIS IS LIT AS FUCK FAM!!!" "AHHH I LOVE THIS CHICK!!! YEAH! THATS MUH GURRRL!!!" It was annoying, but funny as hell.

- The 12 man tag match was really fun in person, and I was so hyped when Viktor got the pinfall. Rhyno was SUPER over. So many ECW chants, but I think it was the loudest during the commercial break.

- The main event, for as much shit as it got, came across VERY GOOD in person. I heard a lot of people say it was boring on TV, but it was solid in person and had me excited .

- 205 Live was great, but GODDAMN a ton of people on the side of the hard cam left.

- Daivari and Ali put on a solid opener, but the crowd was DEAD QUIET for most of it. Didn't come of that way on TV, but jesus.

- Kendrick vs Lince was good but not very memorable. Definitely one of the better Kendrick matches though.

- The main event 5 way was SUPER GOOD. Holy crap. The arena finally woke up for this.

- Gallagher is the most over guy on the CW roster by far, and he doesn't disappoint.

- Ton of great spots in the main event, and Mustafa Ali looked like an absolute star.

- Neville's pyro went off and scared the crap out of everyone, some kids walking up the stairs even fell down when they went off :lol:

- The dark main event was an IC title match between the Miz and Ambrose with D-Bry as special ref, and it was insanely fun. These matches are the best since they don't have to be serious and can just put on a fun show.

- At one point Daniel Bryan was teaching Ambrose how to do his "yes kicks" on Miz, and that was hilarious.

- DBry cut a promo and thanked everyone for coming and put us over hardcore

- Side Note: The local wrestling scene was there in FORCE. At our promotion, 321 Battle, when the commentators say "Solid Steel" everyone yells it back (just because), so I yelled "Solid Steel" a couple times during silence and got some people from around the arena to yell it back . There was also some people in on camera that had a "Solid Steel" sign, and A TON of 321 Battle shirts everywhere. Hell yeah.


Obligatory picture of me pointing at the Wrestlemania sign


I'm an Ascension mark


This just looked awesome