#I WANT BAYLEY 2 WIN AND SASHA WINNING THE RUMBLE

[oplishin]

hey, I’m really enjoying your charlotte flair/becky lynch fics! I don’t know a lot about them though and I haven’t seen any primers or descriptions of their whole deal or things like that that I’ve seen for other feuds/pairings. I’m not asking you to make one, that would be a huge amount of work, but I’m curious about your favorite charlynch moments!

hi anon! :D lucky for you i love rambling.

charlynch guide

kind of a timeline w/ a lot of rambling discussion of moments i like. i'm sure i left out a bunch of things because this is a NINE YEAR long feud + some more nxt stuff on top of that. if anyone has corrections/ further input please say so.

NXT (2013-2015)

this era is COMPLICATED: the 4HW's alliances changed constantly, and i don't have a great handle on it. there a couple of moments i think are relevant for both of them, though.

charlotte debuted as a perky pink volleyball player, which is farrr from what The Queen gimmick is today. (fun fact, she debuted in a match against Bayley!) there are 2 bits that i feel like crystallized her character. 1) being the first person to turn on bayley 2) beating natalya in a harts v flairs match to crown the first NXT women's champion. that's about when she started using a remix of thus spake zarathustra, ric flair's theme. these moments are important to Me because they show that charlotte's a cutthroat nepo baby, but she's also a very emotional/sensitive person. she cries and thanks nattie after the match, and it's very sweet.

her most important feud from NXT is against Sasha. it continued onto the main roster. these two specifically were presented as the very top of the division, only matched by each other. charlotte's nepo baby status is very relevant to all of this.

becky debuted w/ the irish jig gimmick, which SHE does not want to remember, so we'll move past it! she kind of floundered until she stumbled into a steampunk rocker gimmick. an important match is one she had against sasha even though she panicked about screwing something up, the audience got majorly behind her. she's just always had this natural connection to the audience that's hard to define and analyze. babyface magic idk

Main Roster Call Up (2015)

Sasha, Becky, and Charlotte got called up in mid 2015 (bayley got left behind in NXT because otherwise, the women's division there would just not exist). Becky and Charlotte aligned with Paige to form the creatively named team PCB. I honestly don't find most PCB stuff very interesting. The moment where they debut is great. Paige gets really, uncomfortably mean before she eventually turns on charlotte and becky. it's a moment i think probably shouldn't have happened but i'm happy to include in my charlynch canon lol. i've fudged the timeline on this a bit, don't mind me

actually, there are a million cute charlynch backstage promos from 2015 (this is a bad example). becky is bright-eyed and punny, and charlotte begrudgingly loves it. the fact that they were real life best friends seeps through all of it. their best friendship is also so, so real. they rode together everywhere, shared hotel rooms, took a million cute selfies that are all over the internet. there's a very cute wwe ride with me episode with them.

Post Paige (2015)

charlotte gets the diva's championship and soundly defeats paige in their feud. as always happens in wrestling, her ego starts getting the best of her. the charlynch backstage promos get uncomfortable. ric flair starts showing up everywhere, and he drives a wedge between the two of them. like he would in real life a few years later! i hate ric flair. eventually, becky wins a match against charlotte, and instead of supporting her friend, she turns on becky. theyyyy. honestly did not have much a feud after this. they had a smackdown match + a royal rumble one and That's It

becky and sasha had a number one contenders match, which charlotte interrupted so she could have a facedown with Just Sasha. there are photos of becky crying next to the ring because honestly, such a dick move from the writers.

she eventually got written into the WM 32 match, and it became a triple threat.

for some reason, charlotte won that triple threat! and that's when the charlotte-hatred from the fandom really starts. the perception from the audience is that she gets stuff just because she's ric flair's daughter. i... agree, like she's a 14 time women's world champion and no one's even CLOSE to that record for a reason. however, i will go to the grave saying that charlotte is a very good wrestler.

in becky's book, she describes a moment where she and charlotte promised to never let the business get in the way of their real friendship which 🥹 i'm going to fumking cry. they did NOT succeed lmfao

Post WM 32 (2016-2018)

they both go off to do their own thing, mainly. charlotte feuds with sasha, becky becomes the inaugural smackdown champion and gets given a garbage reign. becky is consistently shunted off to the side by the writers, and the audience picks up on it. she becomes a fan favorite underdog, while the criticism against charlotte grows. especially when she's the person who ends asuka's undefeated streak at wm 34

Their proper feud!!!!! (2018)

at some point, they become friends again. i don't think it's. really explained lmao. becky has a match at summerslam against carmella for the world title. to becky's chagrin, charlotte enters that match, and she wins it. after the match, becky turns heel on her, only, she doesn't really because the POP she gets???? insane. generational moment from a generational babyface.

the writers cannot get the audience to boo her despite their best efforts, so they're forced to write them both as tweeners. they build off of the real life frustration with charlotte's neverending push. Becky tells Charlotte she's gotten everything handed to her, etc etc. they have some really good matches together, my favorite of which is the last woman standing match at Evolution 2018. their promos in this time period are all FIRE, and you should check them out. becky is an incredible mic worker.

The Man

in the build to survivor series, nia jax famously shoot-punches becky in the face and breaks her nose. Becky gets covered in her own blood and just fuckin grins into the audience, and that's a crystallizing moment for her. the audience loves her, and she's an awesome fuckin badass. the man is a much more serious character than her previous character, and i will always mourn her puns. The Man forever changed Becky's career and made her the most successful/famous female wrestler Ever.

A big part of the Man's character was being deeply snarky on twitter. this unfortunately included a lot of body-shaming Charlotte in now-deleted tweets. both of these women have very fraught relationships with their bodies. of course, wrestling's primarily male audience ate that shit up, as they always do. their friendship fell apart in real life, and becky cites that as one of Many reasons. real life rebecca quinn is a complicated person, and she's very candid about that in her memoir.

Oh god, the build to Wrestlemania 35

the writers originally wanted to build to charlotte v ronda at wrestlemania, but becky's momentum was sooo undeniable at this point. a lot of convoluted bullshit happened. it started as becky v ronda, then she started feuding with the authority, then she randomly became friends with charlotte again (a story decision neither of them liked), then she got kayfabe injured, then charlotte replaced her in the match, then she ??? idk fanagled her way back into the match. it's a triple threat now. no one is happy that charlotte is here. if i've fudged the timeline here it doesn't matter because honestly the WRITERS did too

for some reason wm 35 is 7 hours long, but at the end becky wins in the motherfucking main event of wrestlemania. fuck yeah. ronda did botch the ending, but what can you do.

2019-2021

they feud a little bit because becky pinned ronda to get charlotte's title, then they move on from that. Becky's run continues until she gets pregnant in june 2020 and vacates the raw title. charlotte does a lot of very cool NXT matches. Becky returns and takes the title of Bianca in about 7 seconds flat, which no one (including becky) is happy about lol!! she comes back as a heel, now with the gimmick "big time becks." big time becks is my absolute favorite character from her. it's during this time that you can really tell she and seth have the same stylist. at some point, ric flair tries to sue becky. it's complicated and stupid.

there's a deeply bad and uncomfortable storyline from 2021, where ric starts flirting with lacey evans. charlotte has an uncomfortably real argument with him backstage, and it's honestly. God, even though the storyline is Conceptually Rotten and they should not have done it, it's an interesting kayfabe way for charlotte to reckon with Ric flair's real life crimes. Charlotte's acting in that segment is Way Too Good. i have a lot of feelings about her relationship with ric, but. whatever!!!

oh, there's also this cute moment from 2020. they're cute.

we're back (oh god, we are NOT back)

in november 2021, both of them hold a world title, but for the opposite brand. therefore, WWE has them do a dumb, convoluted title switch. during this, charlotte drops her title on the ground in an unscripted moment. it's deeply awkward, and both becky and sonya (the gm organizing this moment) become visibly frustrated with her. like, the implication is that she wanted becky to get on the ground and pick it up in a humiliating moment. they had a backstage altercation, and now they real life hate each other. charlynch is fucking DEAD

wwe did a very good video package about this. it includes my favorite ever becky promo, where she tells charlotte she's going to beat the living piss out of her. i can't find the actual promo because youtube search is useless, but! yeah.

but at least this results in my favorite match they've ever had!!! survivor series 2021 is a deeply emotional match. after winning, becky gives this really sad backstage interview, where she cries and talks about their friendship falling apart. it's a promo that makes ME cry tbh.

2021-2023

nothing charlynch related really happens lmfao. they do not fuck with each other anymore. at least, nothing happens in kayfabe. becky turns face again, returning to The Man character. (her feud with bianca is so fucking good!!!!) Charlotte also ends up as a face by the end of 2023, which is where things happen again.

Survivor Series 2023

charlotte asks becky to join her team for survivor series. they do the can I trust you rigamarole, and i'm so invested in it. they have a moment where they pinky promise, like they did way back in those old PCB 2015 promos. charlotte's bright-eyed delight at being forgiven vs becky's sober mistrust. god.

and they win at survivor series, and they hug, and it's sooo fucking awesome seeing this 9 Real year old friendship rekindle through forgiveness and communication. i'm emotional about it.

at the post SS media scrum, they talk about their relationship, and describe it as "we're dating again" because they hate me specifically. they're so fucking cute i cannot handle them

wow, what happens next???

charlotte explodes her knee and gets put on the shelf for 9 months, and she's still out now. :(. she actually has the exact injury seth got in 2015 lol. also, becky is currently out on hiatus, so who knows when they'll interact next. at least we ended on a good note

[rickygoldman34]

Thats right its The Golden Blog with a brand new look,brand new graphics and brand new way of doing things. I also have a co-writer who will be joining me from now on. This will now simply be good and bad points.

So starting with the women's Royal Rumble match.

👍Good points:

The lasers give it that big time feel and the info on screen graphics are a nice touch.

Its great to see Naomi back.

Bayley got a huge ovation.

Great to see Jordynne Grace in WWE they also acknowledged the fact she beat Naomi in TNA.

Im guessing Tegan Nox eliminating Natalya leads to a match between the 2 so if this means a push for Tegan then im all for it.

A good pop for Zelina Vega.

I liked how they made Nia Jax look like a threat.

Alba Fyre got a good reaction.

R-Truth as funny as always thinking he was in this.

Jade Cargill has made her debut and got a huge pop.

Tiffany Stratton certainly impressed here.

Good to see Liv Morgan back.

Bayley winning. She more than deserves it.

👎Bad points:

Candice Lerae hardly got any reaction,neither did Indi Hartwell same goes for Ivy Nile and Kitanna Chance.

Bianca Bel Air almost slipping on the top rope as she jumped over it.

Kari Sane,Tegan Nox,Kayden Carter,Chelsea Green,Piper Niven,Xia Li,Maxxine Dupri,Shotzi,Shayna Baszler,Valhalla,Michin,Zoey Stark,Roxanne Perez also with zero reaction.

No Sasha Banks.

Undisputed WWE universal championship fatal four way match.

👍Good points:

Roman Reigns entrance looked awesome.

I love they addressed fans complaining online that Roman only defends the title every few months.

This certainly went the distance.

All 4 men looked good here.

A great sequence of events that lead to the finish.

👎Bad points:

This shouldn't have gone on 2nd.

The Slim Jim commercial during the entrances.

Solo Sikoas interference wasn't needed i feel.

Us Championship match.

👍Good points:

Logan Paul targeting Kevin Owens broken hand.

Logan Paul just seems to get better and better.

A great finish,a most certainly stacks heat onto Logan.

👎Bad points:

Logans freind Jeff really didn't need to get involved here.

Mens Royal Rumble match.

👍Good points:

Having Jey and Jimmy Uso start this was very smart.

Grayson Waller came out to no reaction but quickly got heat on the mic.

Great to see Andrade back.

Carmelo Hayes got a good pop.

Many boos for Dominick Mysterio,what a heel.

Good pop for Bobby Lashley,also Kofi Kingston.

Good to see Bron Breakker in the match and damn was he impressive.

A great surprise Pat McAfee entering the rumble.

A big pop for R-Truth,he wanted a hot tag to enter the match,so funny.

Huge pop for Cm Punk.

Good ovations for Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn.

👎Bad points:

Little reaction for Shinsuke Nakamura,Santos Escobar,Karrion Kross,Austin Theory,Finn Balor,Bronson Reed,Gunther,Ivar,Omos,Jd McDonough,The Miz,Damien Preist and Ricochet.

They popped for Ludwig Kaiser but booed him when they saw who it was.

Cody Rhodes had to do his full entrance like a goof ball.

No Rock.

Cody Rhodes winning,Cm Punk losing.

Royal Rumble 2024 notes

1. Nia Jax had the most eliminations in the Womens Royal Rumble match with 8 (Ivy Nile, Kitana Chance, Piper Nevin, Xia Lee, Shotzi, Shayna, Valhalla and Michin)

2. Bayley won the Womens Rumble but had the 2nd most eliminations with 7 (Candice LeRae, Indy Hartwell, Tegan Nox, Maxine Dupree, Bianca Bel Air, Tiffany Straton and Liv Morgan)

3. Bayley is the 2nd woman to win the Women’s Rumble at number 3 after Bianca Bel Air

4. Valhalla ties with Chelsea Green for shortest time in the Womens Rumble with 5 seconds.

5. Cody Rhodes and Bron Breakker tied the mens Rumble with the most eliminations of 4. Cody (Austin Theory, Shinsuke Nakamura, Gunther, CM Punk). Bron Breaker (Ivar, Omos, Finn Balor and Jimmy Uso)

6. Gunther came 2nd with the most eliminations in the men’s Rumble with 3 (Jey Uso, Kofi Kingston and The Miz)

7. Bron Breakker replaced Brock Lesnar following his name being mentioned in the Vince McMahon sex traffic scandal.

8. Cody Rhodes is the only man to win the men’s Rumble at 15.

9. Bayley lasted the longest in the Womens Rumble with 1:03:03, Namoi came 2nd with 1:02:18

10. Jey Uso lasted the longest in the men’s Rumble with 50:55, Cody Rhodes who won the Rumble came 2nd with 43:21

!!MY SOCIALS!!

👇👇👇👇

[droptoeholdyourhorses]

A Look Back at Charlotte Flair's 14 World Title Reigns.

While watching Fastlane with a couple of friends, there was some concern in the group that Charlotte Flair would win the WWE Women's Championship. That's not a knock on Charlotte's talent, she's a tremendous wrestler. It was more a case of wanting to see IYO SKY retain as opposed to yet another Charlotte Flair title win. The group conversation then turned to the question have any of Charlotte's reigns been good? Well, let's take a look.

Reign #1 - WWE Divas Champion - September 20, 2015 to April 3, 2016

Defeats Nikki Bella at Night of Champions 2015 to win the title (WON rating ***1/4)

Retains vs. Nikki Bella at Hell in a Cell 2015 (WON rating ***1/4)

Retains vs. Paige at Survivor Series 2015

Double count out vs. Paige on Raw

Retains vs. Paige at TLC 2015

Retains vs. Becky Lynch on SmackDown

Retains vs. Becky Lynch at Royal Rumble 2016 (WON rating ***1/4)

Retains vs. Brie Bella at Fastlane 2016

Retains vs. Natalya at Roadblock 2016 (WON rating ***1/2)

Divas Championship retired at WrestleMania 32

Thoughts - It seems odd in hindsight that Charlotte has a reign with the Divas Championship but she was the final woman to hold the butterfly belt before its retirement. Charlotte was a good choice to end Nikki Bella's record 301-day reign. Main thing I remember from the Paige feud was Paige's comments about Charlotte's brother Reid. The Becky feud was good but the matches suffered from Ric Flair's interference. The Rumble match featured a moment where Ric forced a kiss onto Becky, which has since been edited off the network. Can't say I remember anything about the match with Brie. Charlotte usually has pretty good matches with Natalya.

Overall - Not the smoothest of initial title reigns but I would say there's more good than bad.

Reign #2 - WWE Women's Champion - April 3, 2016 to July 25, 2016

Defeats Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks at WrestleMania 32 (WON rating ****)

Loses to Natalya via DQ on Raw

Retains vs. Natalya at Payback 2016

Retains vs. Natalya in a Submission match at Extreme Rules 2016

Retains vs. Paige on Raw

Loses to Sasha Banks on Raw (WON rating ***3/4)

Thoughts - While the WrestleMania triple threat was solid, I personally would have preferred to see Becky or Sasha leave as the new champion. Can see why they gave it to Charlotte though. The line in the previous entry about Charlotte and Natalya usually having good matches? This feud was a case of forgettable to bad matches, with the Payback one in particular being damaged by a stupid Montreal Screwjob rehash. The title loss to Sasha on Raw feels like it should have happened at SummerSlam 2016.

Overall - A meh title reign, leaning more towards bad in my opinion.

Reign #3 - Raw Women's Champion - August 21, 2016 to October 3, 2016

Defeats Sasha Banks at SummerSlam 2016 (WON rating **3/4)

Retains vs. Sasha Banks and Bayley at Clash of Champions 2016 (WON rating ***1/4)

Loses to Sasha Banks on Raw (WON rating ****)

Thoughts - This marked the first of three instances in 2016 where Charlotte lost the title to Sasha on Raw, only to immediately win it back at the next PPV. In this case, there was initially some concern that Banks had suffered a back injury and that was the cause of switching the title back to Charlotte so soon. I have no memory of Bayley managing to get a title shot during this period and while the Raw match vs. Sasha appears to have been good, the lack of stipulation means that one doesn't stand out in my mind at all.

Overall - Bad but could (and would) be worse.

Reign #4 - Raw Women's Champion - October 30, 2016 to November 28, 2016

Defeats Sasha Banks in Hell in a Cell at Hell in a Cell 2016 (WON rating **3/4)

Double count out vs. Sasha Banks on Raw

Loses to Sasha Banks in a Falls Count Anywhere match on Raw (WON rating ****)

Thoughts - No reason Sasha shouldn't have retained the title at Hell in a Cell, especially with the PPV being in Boston. The match is historic as it marked the first time two women main evented a WWE PPV and I'd say it was better than the rating it got. The Falls Count Anywhere match is really good and might be my favourite match between Charlotte and Sasha.

Overall - Fun matches but an unnecessary reign.

Reign #5 - Raw Women's Champion - December 18, 2016 to February 13, 2017

Defeats Sasha Banks in a 30 Minute Iron Woman match at Roadblock: End of the Line (WON rating ***)

Retains vs. Bayley at Royal Rumble 2017 (WON rating ***1/4)

Loses to Bayley on Raw (WON rating ****1/4)

Thoughts - The Charlotte/Sasha rivalry had already dragged out enough at this point without the need for a 30 Minute Iron Woman match. It failed to reach the same heights as Sasha's Iron Woman match with Bayley. It also didn't help Banks that after being 2-1 up after 28 minutes, and spending 118 seconds in the Figure Four, that she couldn't hold on for the last two seconds and caused the match to go into overtime. Charlotte did have good matches against Bayley here, with the Raw one given more time to shine. However, the timing seemed off as it felt like Bayley's crowning moment should have come at WrestleMania. Charlotte had been undefeated on PPV since her call up from NXT. Rather than wait for the biggest stage possible, Bayley wins the title on Raw, ends Charlotte's streak at Fastlane and both end up in a fatal four way at Mania instead.

Overall - A frustrating reign with questionable booking.

Reign #6 - SmackDown Women's Champion - November 14, 2017 to April 10, 2018

Defeats Natalya on SmackDown

Non-title win vs. Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss at Survivor Series 2017

Loses to Natalya via DQ on SmackDown

Retains vs. Natalya in a Lumberjack match at Clash of Champions 2017

Retains vs. Ruby Riott at Fastlane 2018

Retains vs. Asuka at WrestleMania 34 (WON rating ****)

Loses to Carmella cashing in Money in the Bank on SmackDown

Thoughts - Charlotte's move to SmackDown and face turn helped freshen her act in 2017. Natalya's reign as SmackDown Women's Champion was unexpected to begin with and felt it would be only a matter of time before she dropped the title to Charlotte. The title win also has the feel good moment of Ric Flair being able to congratulate Charlotte in person, with Ric having been in hospital a couple of months before hand with kidney failure. The rest of the feud with Natalya served its purpose but it never felt like the title would switch back. Similarly, the match with Ruby Riott had slowly been building since November but after Asuka won the Royal Rumble, Ruby's chances of a reign dramatically went down. Charlotte vs. Asuka from Mania was a fantastic match. While many would argue Asuka should have won, it felt like WWE booked themselves into a corner with Carmella having Money in the Bank still. Given Carmella was the first woman to hold the briefcase, it might have fallen a little flat had she failed her cash in. Then again, it wasn't like Carmella's subsequent reign was received much better. In an ideal world, Carmella would have cashed in after the Lumberjack match and Charlotte would have regained the title at the Rumble. Yes, a scenario where I actually would have approved of an extra Charlotte title reign. Oh dear.

Overall - Not the most memorable run but controversially, I'm gonna say this one was fine.

Reign #7 - SmackDown Women's Champion - August 19, 2018 to September 16, 2018

Defeats Carmella (champion) and Becky Lynch in a triple threat at SummerSlam 2018 (WON rating ***1/2)

Retains vs. Carmella on SmackDown

Loses to Becky Lynch at Hell in a Cell 2018 (WON rating ***3/4)

Thoughts - Becky Lynch was originally scheduled to face Carmella one on one at SummerSlam 2018 until Charlotte got added into the match. WWE thought that with Charlotte being a face as well, fans wouldn't have a problem with her winning the title and they certainly wouldn't boo Charlotte instead of Becky when Lynch attacked Flair post match out of frustration. WWE were wrong on both counts and while the Charlotte SummerSlam win did help get the wheels rolling for Becky's run as The Man, it still feels unnecessary.

Overall - Feels like it would have been better for Becky to win the title at SummerSlam and for Charlotte to chase, jealous of her friend's increasing popularity and the threat of Becky replacing Charlotte as WWE's top female.

Reign #8 - SmackDown Women's Champion - March 26, 2019 to April 7, 2019

Defeats Asuka on SmackDown

Loses to Becky Lynch in Winner Takes All match at WrestleMania 35 (also featured Raw Women's Champion Ronda Rousey) (WON rating ***)

Thoughts - It feels like WWE had a couple of viable options with the SmackDown Women's Championship heading into WrestleMania 35. Asuka could have defended against Charlotte at the PPV itself, wanting to avenge her loss at last year's Mania, while the main event could have just been Ronda vs. Becky one-on-one. Alternatively, the Rousey vs. Lynch vs. Flair triple threat could have just been for the Raw Women's Championship and Asuka could have had her own triple threat against Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. Instead, WWE opted for Charlotte to hold the SmackDown title for 12 days to make the historic first ever women's WrestleMania main event even more historic.

Overall - Yeah, no. Didn't need this.

Reign #9 - SmackDown Women's Champion - May 19, 2019

Defeats Becky Lynch at Money in the Bank 2019 (WON rating **3/4)

Loses to Bayley cashing in Money in the Bank at Money in the Bank 2019

Thoughts - For full context, Becky had already successfully defended the Raw Women's Championship against Lacey Evans at MITB 2019 before immediately going into the SmackDown title match against Charlotte. In turn, Bayley immediately cashed in on Charlotte after Bayley herself had only won the briefcase earlier that night.

Overall - Literally just stat padding.

Reign #10 - SmackDown Women's Champion - October 6, 2019 to October 11, 2019

Defeats Bayley at Hell in a Cell 2019 (WON rating **1/4)

Loses to Bayley on SmackDown

Thoughts - Bayley has the record for longest reigning SmackDown Women's Champion with her second run lasting 380 days. If not for this five day interruption by Charlotte, that record would actually be 525 days.

Overall - Some may argue this at least helped set up Bayley's heel turn but she had already turned on Becky Lynch a month prior to the title loss. Feels like more stat padding just so WWE could have a title change on their 2019 draft episode.

Reign #11 - Raw Women's Champion - July 18. 2021 to July 19, 2021

Defeats Rhea Ripley at Money in the Bank 2021 (WON rating ****1/4)

Loses to Rhea Ripley via DQ on Raw

Loses to Nikki A.S.H. cashing in Money in the Bank on the same Raw

Thoughts - Rhea Ripley, having finished her time in NXT, was a breathe of fresh air in the Raw Women's Championship picture come 2021. Charlotte Flair was not. It didn't help that Charlotte had already gotten title shots vs. Rhea at Backlash and Hell in a Cell prior to their Money in the Bank match. In storyline, Ripley won a triple threat at Backlash pinning Asuka, and Charlotte won the HIAC match via DQ. Charlotte and Rhea have great chemistry together but this was a disappointing result, not helped by Flair literally dropping the title to Nikki A.S.H. the very next night.

Overall - Charlotte's sixth Women's Championship reign lasted a respectable 147 days. Reigns #7 to #11 lasted a combined 46 days or an average of 9.2 days per reign.

Reign #12 - Raw Women's Champion - August 21, 2021 to October 22, 2021

Defeats Nikki A.S.H. (champion) and Rhea Ripley in a triple threat at SummerSlam 2021 (WON rating ***3/4)

Defeats Nia Jax on Raw

Defeats Alexa Bliss at Extreme Rules 2021 (WON rating **1/2)

Defeats Doudrop on Raw

Loses to Bianca Belair via DQ on Raw

Swaps titles with SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch after Becky is drafted to Raw and Charlotte is drafted to SmackDown

Thoughts - I really do not remember this reign at all. I remember wondering what was the point of Nikki cashing in at Money in the Bank if Charlotte was just going to regain the title a month later. I remember the feud with Alexa Bliss featuring unnecessary Lilly-related nonsense.

Overall - Eh, it seems a harmless enough reign, all be it forgettable.

Reign #13 - SmackDown Women's Champion - October 22, 2021 to May 8, 2022

Swapped titles with SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch after Becky was drafted to Raw and Charlotte was drafted to SmackDown

Non-title loss vs. Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch at Survivor Series 2021 (WON rating ****1/4)

Defeats Toni Storm on SmackDown

Defeats Naomi on SmackDown (WON rating ****)

Defeats Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 38 (WON rating **)

Loses to Ronda Rousey in an I Quit match at WrestleMania Backlash 2022 (WON rating ****1/4)

Thoughts - Becky vs. Charlotte at Survivor Series 2021 was great, even if the title swap segment between the two was a little awkward. Charlotte vs. Toni was good but could have done with a better build than the two pieing each other in the face. Charlotte vs. Naomi was awesome and wouldn't have been out of place at that year's WrestleMania. The actual Mania match vs. Rousey could have gone better but Charlotte and Ronda certainly made up for that at Backlash.

Overall - Dare I say, Charlotte's best reign overall. Some great matches and actual time with the title. No complaints here.

Reign #14 - SmackDown Women's Champion - December 30, 2022 to April 1, 2023

Defeats Ronda Rousey on SmackDown

Defeats Sonya Deville on SmackDown

Defeats Sonya Deville on SmackDown

Loses to Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 39 (WON rating ****3/4)

Thoughts - It doesn't help Charlotte Flair's case when the first thing she does following a seven-month absence is immediately win the SmackDown Women's Championship in her first match back. I have no memory of the two matches with Sonya Deville, slightly concerning given they only took place earlier this year. At least this reign went out on a high note.

Overall - Fine, I guess? I have even less memory of this reign than her last Raw Women's Championship one.

Conclusion - Three good title reigns, seven bad/unnecessary title reigns, and four that sort of just fall in the middle. Obviously this is all just a matter of opinion. I think Charlotte is still in the conversation for one of the best female wrestlers alive today. I would just say that if only 21% of all her title reigns left me thinking "yeah, Charlotte should be champ", maybe she's had enough gold in her career. It is not a challenge to WWE to give her nine more excellent runs so the good outweighs the meh and the ugh. Although I wouldn't put it past them to try.

[wweassets]

SO. I was doing some investigative journalism. And WWE has 35 active main roster women. (This is about to be a Royal rumble post 😅). Subtract Naomi and Sasha🥺 (who are both still listed as Smackdown stars which is….intriguing. At least for Sasha). Take out two more Charlotte and Bianca. (I can’t see the main women’s champions being in the Rumble). Which leaves 31. Take out B-fab, Scarlet, and Maxxine (since I can’t see them being in the match) which leaves 28. I wouldn’t be shocked if the likes of like Zelina, and Valhalla (hate that name for her. Makes no sense. But whatever) also aren’t in the match. So that’s 26. Doudrop and Carmella have been MIA. So they can both make surprise returns or not be in the match. Let’s for arguments sake just remove them since it’s an unknown. So that’s 24 main roster stars. (Im not listing them. Y’all can do that yourself). Who are the 6 women you think could be the surprise entrants? Last year was very legends heavy (which I loved) but that makes me think it will be an NXT year. (Which I wouldn’t mind). Personally I think it will be: 1. Roxanne. 2. Cora. 3. Alba. 4. Wendy 5. Mickie James (as a full WWE return) 6. Paige OR Kairi. (With Mickie last year. I think they might allow another company be represented. But I think they would want it to be someone who was with WWE initially before). But then they can always be shady and leave women like Tamina and Dana and Alliya off the match because they always screw them over it seems. As well as Iyo and Dakota because they’re champs and might have a title match? And therefore might not be included? (but I don’t think they’d not be in the match). So there is flexibility for more names like Carmella and Doudrop return? Or Naomi. Or some legends. But the real question is now: who will win? Wish Charlotte as champ now. She’s out of the running. Which means it’s probably going to be Rhea or Ronda or Bayley. But I’d lowkey love for Asuka to win. And get her win back at mania against Charlotte in a Cage match.

ooooo good thinking!

i think the 6 will be roxanne, cora, wendy, summer again cuz she was at raw and hmm…. hopeful for kairi tho

but tbh i could see scarlett or zelina or valhalla in

i don’t see paige tbh she’s been bitter about wwe. mickie would be amazing but idk.

[happyendingsong]

oh no lacey’s starring in this corndog commercial, she’s absolutely winning the belt

[dalekofchaos]

It’s been nearly 2 years since the McMahons addressed the WWE Universe and told them they would give the fans what they want. So far this year...

Asuka is almost never used, her challengers are almost never earned and when she should have been presented as the killer that she was in NXT as champion, she is sometimes presented as an afterthought and she had to play hot potato with her title with Sasha & Bayley, she wasn’t even allowed to look strong

Everything about Retribution, not even Mustafa Ali can save it

Whenever a great match kills it, tears the house down and feels like a main event, it’s not the main event and we are given a snooze fest as main event instead

EVERYTHING about Seth Rollins and the Mysterio family feud...please god make it stop make it end

Charlotte killed Rhea Ripley’s momentum and wouldn’t even take the loss to put Io Shirai over, she literally did no one ANY favors as NXT Woman’s Champion

WWE has every intention of bringing Goldberg, Brock and Rousey every now and then at the cost of the talent you actually have and no regard for the fans

Randy Orton ends Drew McIntyre’s reign as champion

Otis wins the MITB only to lose it

The Miz takes the MITB from Otis....literally no one cares about The Miz

The IIconics were stupidly broken up to put Peyton in a tag team with Lacey Evans

Kairi Sane was used as Nia Jax’s crash test dummy instead of actually pushing her. We could’ve had Kairi go for Bayley’s title at WM 36 and win it and we’d have the Kubuki Warriors and Io as champions, but no we can’t have nice things

Nia Jax is rewarded for being a dangerous and unsafe wrestler

Mandy Rose going to Raw was presented as this big deal like it’s her break out moment as a singles star, then she’s put in a tag team with Dana Brooke and loses her “Golden Goddess” look to just look generic

Shayna Baszler is not even in contention for Asuka’s title and is in a thrown at the last minute team with Nia Jax and they are Tag Team Champions....for reasons

Despite having The Riott Squad, The IIconics, Marina Shafir & Jessamyn Duke, they instead went with Shayna & Nia as Women’s Tag Team Champions

Despite Naomi being white fucking hot since her return to the Rumble, she is squandered, despite the fan reaction, she is not given a chance, put in a stupid feud with Lacey Evans and even when drafted to Raw, WE STILL haven’t seen her

NXT superstars were not even considered for the Draft, WWE pretty much treats NXT as their red headed step-child

Despite the mystery woman angle, Carmella is absent. Emmalina all over again, I fully expect her new gimmick to be dropped

The Intercontinental and United States Champions are presented as afterthoughts

Changed Keith Lee, Nikki Cross and Peyton Royce’s themes pointlessly

Not only was Keith Lee’s theme was changed, but so was his look and booking

Nikki Cross went from the crazy sister to generic female wrestler. I hope a new Wyatt stable can bring back her old SAnitY styled gimmick, but I ain’t holding my breath

The 24/7 title is still around. It’s lost it’s appeal and given the success of AEW’s TNT champion, I would’ve replaced the 24/7 title with the first ever WWE Television Champion

They STILL won’t unify the Tag Team Champions

They STILL keep splitting up tag teams and putting them in make shift tag teams

They brought back Lars Sullivan despite fan disgust over his racism, misogyny, homophobia and recently harassing a woman on instagram, the guy literally has no value and he’s not even that big or intimidating

They kept Matt Riddle and brought back Velveteen Dream, Jordan Devlin and Austin Theory despite the allegations and evidence in the #speakingout movement, plus Matt Riddle and WWE are being countersued for two millions. Riddle is also pretty unprofessional and this countersuit is gonna be a huge headache for WWE and it’s gonna bite them on the ass.

Continues the Saudi Blood Money deal despite fan protest with SA’s human rights violations and publicly MURDERING an American journalist, oh and VINCE LEFT HIS SUPERSTARS BEHIND WHILE THEY WERE HELD HOSTAGE

Was deemed essential, yet fired over 300 employees and used the pandemic as an excuse. They lied about over 37 million in quarterly profits, so they can fire over 300 people, during a worldwide pandemic  but kept Lars Sullivan, Velveteen Dream and Jaxson Ryker

Took control over the superstars assets for services like Twitch and cameo. Still insist that their wrestlers are Independent Contractors but treat them like employees and won’t let them make a living on the side. They will make a percentage but  it will count against their downside guarantees. This is fucking criminal

Please tell me how you are gonna “give what the fans want” please tell me this is how any of us want

As far as I can tell, the only thing they gave me what I want this year is Bayley and Sasha killed it and made 2020 their bitch, Everything about Roman, The Hurt Business, The Fiend & Alexa Bliss and they FINALLY gave Chad Gable back his fucking name. 

[mjfass]

Wrestling AU Anon here!

1. I'm loving reading about everyone's AU characters!!! They are all so fun!!!! I want to compliment them all!!!!

2. While my AEW oc is way more fleshed out, if I tell you about it, it might...reveal my identity *puts on dramatic sunglasses* so I'll tell you about my WWE one instead. Her name would also give me away, so I'll refer to her by her moniker: The Huntress. She has a Little Red Riding Hood motif - as a face, she's super cutesy and skips down to the ring in her cloak, tossing goodies out of basket to the fans. As a heel, there's usually something to help her win a match in the basket (she definitely sprinkles some tacks in the ring at least once). Regardless of her alignment, she's the Huntress because of the way she analyzes targets her opponents. She loves facing new opponents and doesn't care if she loses at first because she learns and adapts from each match. Each time she takes down a target for the first time, she takes some kind of trophy from them to mark her progress.

She came up from NXT after the horsewomen had already been on the main roster for a while, and she idolized Bayley, loving her happy-go-lucky style. Of course, Bayley ended up turning heel. When the Huntress comes up to Smackdown, Bayley despises her, because she reminds Bayley of what she used to be like: an optimistic youngster that brimmed with sunshine. But the Huntress recognizes this and uses it in promos on Bayley, claiming she throws the more experienced superstar off because she reminds her of when she was happier, when she was less jaded, and when she didn't play dirty. Eventually, the Huntress goads Bayley into granting her a title match; here's a snippet of one of her promos leading up to it: "Do you ever hear it when you're falling asleep? Your old theme song? There ain't no stoppin' us now, we celebrate on the floor. Top down, we're ready to go ~ To all the people across every nation, turn it up and give us some more. I've been listening to it a lot lately. Did you know I make a playlist for each target? It helps me focus on exactly what I'm training for, who I'm training to take down. Yours is all cutesy bubblegum inspiration pop. It's not quite dramatic enough to capture our story - the cycle of youthful optimists and jaded elders, the clash of passionate idealism and tired realism - but it's the type of music that would piss you off. Because it reminds you of just how similar we are, or of just how similar we used to be. This isn't a new story, Bayley, but just like when you were the plucky youngster, it's going to have the same ending. The jaded veteran with her shoulders pinned to the mat as the ref counts one, two, three, and the woman she doubted standing over her with her hand raised in the air." She ends up winning the title from Bayley, eventually losing it to Sasha, where the timeline picks up with Sasha v. Bianca at Wrestlemania. When Bayley returns in the Rumble (because this is my fantasy and I can make it happen even if it won't irl *cries*), Bayley screws with the Huntress' head in a fun way and the story continues. The Huntress also has a slowburn love story with Cesaro but that's neither here nor there.

This is one of the best stories I have ver read. This is freaking unbelievable.

You have thought about every single detail, from the physical appearance to making playlist for every opponent to the iconic rivalry that wrestlers always have with someone specific, to the love story with Cesaro. I just love your passion for this character and how well built she is! This reminds me that I’m not alone with everything that I have built with my Lexie Engel character!

[combatfaerie]

Women’s Royal Rumble thoughts

I don't tend to make wrestling predictions, because I'm not good at them, so instead a thread of 5 possible winners for the women's Royal Rumble and why I think they would work. 1. ASUKA I don't think we necessarily need a 2x winner yet, but Asuka would be a good candidate for it. Also, revenge against Charlotte. Asuka could win again, challenge Charlotte again, and this time emerge victorious--and add some much-needed depth to the SD women's division. 2. BAYLEY It would be another accolade for her, and a great way to bring her back in a big way. Fans have wanted a Bayley/Becky feud for years and this could put it on the WrestleMania stage. 3. NAOMI She's always had great moments at the Rumble; now it's time for the win. It would be cathartic after this 153 day hate-fest from Sonya and it would get Naomi back in the title picture, where she belongs. 4. RHEA Now that she's out of the tag team scene, Rhea needs a reboot. A win at the Rumble could do that. Also, like Asuka, revenge against Charlotte. Charlotte used her win to challenge Rhea. How poetic for Rhea to win now, challenge Charlotte, and prove she's a worthy champion. 5. SASHA If anyone deserves a big WrestleMania moment, it's her. The title picture on RAW's side is pretty strong, so a Rumble win for Sasha would add some interest to the SD women's division and hopefully get her that elusive WrestleMania win. Is Bianca worthy? Absolutely! But she's also super hot right now and already in the title picture. I don't think RAW needs the RR spotlight as much as SD does. Liv? I still think she needs work, at least on the mic and in promos. Alexa's an obvious choice given the timing of her promos, but if she wins, I'd like to see her go on the SD side of things. Someone surprising, like Mickie James or Io Shirai, would be welcome, but WWE seems to be playing things safe right now.

[cousinmarcustalkswrestling]

Best WWE Matches of 2020 - My Top 5

5

Men’s Rumble Match - Royal Rumble

The tale of two distinctly cool matches. The first half was Brock Lesnar’s complete domination eliminating 13 straight wrestlers. A few of these hurt to see eliminated so soon like Cesaro, Kofi, & Big E, but none of it was a stretch in believability because its Brock. Keith Lee’s brief involvement was awesome because of Brock’s reaction and the way he was eliminated. The match shifts into a whole another gear when Ricochet lowblows Brock and Drew McIntyre Claymore kicks Brock and eliminates Brock. Brock sold the Claymore like a deathblow and it instantly made Drew the star that they wanted him to be. With Brock gone, the rumble became more traditional and star-studded with AJ, Roman, Orton, Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, & Seth Rollins. The most memorable moment was definitely the return of Edge who retired 9 years earlier because of neck injuries. We saw a Rated RKO reunion, an AJ vs Edge dream match interaction, and a great Seth, Buddy, & AOP vs The World brawl. In the end, Drew McIntyre eliminated Roman Reigns to punch his ticket to Wrestlemania. Its been kind of rare when the Rumble match is one of the best matches of the year, but its been one of those years.

4

Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre - Survivor Series

Vince and company did a super effective job of terrifying me into thinking they’d put their top star in the company against their most overrated star in an uninspired matchup. Instead, Drew beat Orton to reclaim the WWE title and we got a guaranteed money match that lived up to the hype. These two behemoths are physical as hell from the start, while working simple headlocks and shoulderblocks. Roman’s heat is nasty and scrappy and at the same time, he never stops jawing and reminding Drew that he’s the head of the table and the face of the company. Seeing Roman’s facial expressions repurposed for this megalomaniacal character has been awesome to watch. Drew makes a high impact comeback and this turns into a fast-paced hossfest that they should’ve been having in 2019. Drew counters a spear to a Kimura in a great Brock Lesnar reference and Roman tries to kill Drew with multiple Samoan Drops on the announce table and a spear through the barricade. Drew is too resilient and it takes some logical interference from Jey Uso and a low blow to take Drew down. Great intense physical work where both titans come out looking great, regardless of the result. Drew’s best match of the year and one of Roman’s as well.

3

Roman Reigns vs Jey Uso - Hell in a Cell I Quit Match - Universal Title - Hell in a Cell

This feud has been incredible and they had a brilliant match at Clash of Champions. Roman has upped the stakes in this one so if Jey loses, he has to acknowledge Roman as the Tribal Chief or he’s kicked out of the family. From the start, Roman’s talking and characterization is the driving force of this match. He immediately tells Jey to quit or he’ll be wishing he did. Jey gets a lot more offense in this match through no other means than just being really tough. When the ref asks Roman if he wants to quit, he responds with “The Head of the Table Never Quits.” Jey turns it into a strap match, beats the hell out of Roman, and chokes him out with it, but Roman kills him with a Superman punch out of nowhere.

 Jey’s refusal to quit makes Roman have to gradually get more violent. He chokes him out with the Guillotine, then Drive By Kicks the steel steps into Jey’s head. There is a great reference to the original Hell in a Cell match where the ref has seen enough and wants to call it, so Roman just tosses him into the cell. That brings out a bunch of refs and officials to stop Roman, who is so offended by them that he closes the cell door so nobody can leave. The sight of all the refs scurrying away from Roman is just amazing and further puts over how much of a dangerous presence he’s become. Jimmy comes out and urges Roman to stop and he legitimately brings Roman to tears with his pleas, but then Roman locks Jimmy in the Guillotine and Jey quits to save his brother from the pain. This was a brutally awesome match with great characterization, storytelling, and acting from Roman, Jey, & Jimmy.

2

Sasha Banks vs Bayley - Hell in a Cell Match - Smackdown Women’s Title - Hell in a Cell

It’s finally here and it was worth the wait. Bayley finally turned on Sasha after they lost a tag team title rematch, claiming that Sasha was riding her coattails and that Sasha would eventually turn on her. It was booked a little weirdly because they kept interacting after this and even had a match on Smackdown. Sasha forced Bayley to sign the contract for this match and its own. From the start, there’s strong storytelling with Bayley bringing out the chair she attacked Sasha with and Sasha knocking it out of the cell before the cell completely dropped. Their goals are quickly established as Bayley is deadset on using weapons and Sasha disposes of them or uses them against her. Their use of weapons is creative in the brutality as well as referencing their shared history. A chair was used to signal Bayley’s true heel turn when Sasha gave it to her to beat down Becky and Bayley tried to cripple Sasha with a chair. They introduce a ladder in a slight reference to Money in the Bank when Bayley reignited her career by winning the match and cashing in on Charlotte.

 Bayley regains the same chair she used to assault Sasha and takes over the match with it. Sasha avoids a chair drop on the ladder and hits a sick Bayley to Belly on the ladder. Bayley rebounds with a hard knee and her own Bayley to Belly, but it only gets two. Bayley starts wailing on Sasha with a chair, but out of nowhere, Sasha locks her in the chair assisted Bank Statement and in a beautiful reference to Takeover Brooklyn, she stomps on the chair wrapped around Bayley’s neck and Bayley has to tap out. For as much time as they were given, I think they needed a little more time to let some of the bigger spots breathe, but other than that, this was an awesome brawl with brutality, creativity, and some great callbacks to their shared history. Definitely worth the wait and a top 5 Hell in a Cell match. Plus, Sasha winning a big match is grounds worth several stars in itself.

1

Roman Reigns vs Jey Uso - Universal Title - Clash of Champions

Bruce Prichard has told a story of Vince McMahon having a conversation with an exec from a major network and Vince told him “We make movies, pal.” Everytime I think of that quote, the match I think of is the first Hell in a Cell match. It just epitomizes what I feel like “cinematic” is in the wrestling world. I’m not saying Roman vs Jey is on that level, but it comes super close. The build was absolute brilliant with Jey Uso embracing his first attempt at a singles title after being a career tag wrestler and the new Roman Reigns being unrelenting in his belief that him being Universal Champion and the Tribal Chief of his family is the only way the family will survive.

You hear the annoying old curmudgeons say “Its not about the movez, its about the story.” With this match, thats a perfect statement because there’s nothing crazy here from a wrestling standpoint outside of a pretty lag lariat by Roman. Its all about the storytelling. Roman’s characterizations are masterful here. He looks absolutely disgusted when Jey ducks a clothesline and dabs. As the match goes along, he gets more and more furious at Jey’s refusal to acknowledge him as Tribal Chief and foregoes pinning him to beat Jey until he submits to him. He tells the referee he’ll beat his ass if he stops it because this is family business. It may sound like a man unhinged, but its actually the opposite. He’s solely focused on Jey’s acknowledgment.

Jimmy wants to throw in the towel for Jey, but Jey doesn’t let him. When Jey tells Jimmy “forget this fool” I legit started tearing up. Jey would rather let Roman decimate him than give in to his narcissism. Jimmy loves his brother too much and throws the towel in for him. Jey took a beating, but never acknowledged Roman. Not the best workrate of Roman’s career, but hands down his best match ever and the Main roster match of the year. No other match had the emotional, transformative impact this had. By the end of it, Jey looked like a Rey Mysterio/Ricky Steamboat level babyface and Roman has clearly become the baddest mothafucka on the planet.

[danwhobrowses]

WWE Wrestlemania 37 Day 2 - Review

And we are back! Wrestlemania hit hard with Day 1, good shit and big moments fitting of the show

So let's see if Day 2 can match up to it, lots of big matches on the card, we'll see how it goes.

See the Night 1 Review Here

Spoilers for Night 2 and References to Night 1 included, you have been Warned

Pre-Show Like the last Night, no matches on the Pre-Show, just drivel and promos. So the same criticisms really, Lawler saying 'Wrestlerainia' doesn't make it any better than when Cole said it, his attempts at jokes were awful even when they were his material. When they recapped Night 1 though they should've shown footage of Ford celebrating with Bianca rather than just say it - a Picture says a Thousand Words. Standard Promo Package lies apply too, 'Rhea Ripley has brutalized everyone she's come through' ...except Io Shirai and Raquel Gonzalez, similar went down for the second half of HOF because Great Khali is only there to pander to India - also what did the Mayor of Knox County ever do for WWE? Sonya also popped up again, strangely to talk about the Nigerian Drum Fight - which Booker T talked about the most, if I wanted to watch a bunch of old dudes talk over Sonya Deville I'd be drinking bleach. She also stuck for Sami vs KO, and barely talked in that too.

Also the promo they had about Kofimania was rough to watch, considering how it ended and how Kofi fared on Night 1, all this to promote a cheesy Cricket commercial about him not touching the ground...

The 24/7 title even got a continuation of ads, but it was more a 'to be concluded on Youtube' - honestly the belt has run its course, Truth has ran out of jokes and it's been reduced to an Old Spice ad crossover.

Main Card Starting once more with 'America the Beautiful', replacing the boob window with a bright yellow hat. It was fine, as a Brit 'America the Beautiful' does nothing for me.

They then did the same intro package as night 1 just with some different clips, skippable. And the shoddy camera switching is still there.

Hogan and Titus came out again this time in pirate outfits, there was noticeable boos in Hogan's bits with cheesy pirate puns. In the end the host concept was wasted on them. Reminder that names in Bold are those I predicted to win.

Randy Orton def. The Fiend [w/Alexa Bliss] (Pinfall via RKO) Orton opened night 2 in white tights and a fairy long-winded entrance, the melted Fiend then walked through a corridor of fire LEDs as CGI burned away into his original Fiend look...but Alexa's Firefly Funhouse music hit. Cutesy Bliss approached a giant Jack in a Box commentary act like just 'appeared'. The Fiend arose from the box in a combat vest, posed then dove right at Orton. Red lights cover the match throughout, Uranage and a neck snap started the match as the Fiend continued to do his spooky thing, it looks like he was gonna set up the punt but Randy rolls out of the ring. Randy hits the back body slam on the Announcer's Desk but it's no sold into the Mandible Claw, rope break and apron DDT from Orton only staggers the Fiend but rebounding his neck off the ropes grounds him momentarily. Orton tries to methodically beat down the Fiend but the monster hits back hard, a missed Senton and a senton follows some head kicks and another apron DDT, he sets up for an RKO but the Fiend gets the Mandible Claw (which commentary no sold even though he has won titles with that move), he sets up Sister Abigail but the ring posts pyro like Kane and before Fiend is Bliss with new makeup, dripping in black goo she extends her hand to the Fiend from the jack in the box, RKO and...3!? Post match Fiend and Alexa stare down, the electricity shorts out and both members disappear.

That's it? That's what we got? The Fiend was burned alive and survived but 1 RKO does it? The Fiend no sold so much in his career and one RKO felled him. The fuck man, this was as bad as the last time these two went at mania, you'd think like the brilliant Firefly Funhouse Match last year we'd get some course correction. But nope, Fiend's story is just being taken over by Alexa and this daft-ass black goo stuff, I don't get the motivation either. Fiend helped Alexa straddle Orton for a 3 count at Fastlane, talked all big for months about how the Fiend was going to obliterate Orton and it lasted about 8 minutes, the entrances lasted longer! Last year the Fiend was great with a cinematic match, but WWE have somehow managed to systematically destroy one of their most inventive characters time and time again, not a good start.

Backstage once again Bayley gets buried by the Hosts and this time Eric Bischoff as she tried to push Ding Dong Hello and got jealous of them talking up Bianca vs Sasha from last night.

WWE Women's Tag Championship - Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax (c) def. Natalya & Tamina (Ref Stoppage Submission by Baszler on Natalya via Kirufuda Clutch) Not a promising sign to follow the opener with this match, the challengers entered quickly with Natalya having a slightly altered attire. Jax and Baszler came in with red, black and gold. Natalya and Baszler start the match with some mat wrestling, Natalya almost gets the Sharpshooter so Shayna tags Nia in, Nia shoves Natalya and demands that Tamina - her old tag partner - be tagged in. Both trade headbutts, Tamina almost lifts Nia but fails, she tags in Natalya for the double back body drop and drops the blind tagged Shayna onto her partner. Natalya tries a Sharpshooter but is schoolboy'd for 2, Natalya retaliates with a German Suplex, whipping Shayna into a Clothesline, then launch pad into a superkick. As Shayna strikes back an advantage she stiffs Natalya in the mouth with a knee (legitimately, there was a picture of a welt before) Nia brawls with Tamina outside, hitting a powerslam outside of the ring. Another knee strike floors Natalya for 2 as Shayna works on the leg, kneebar and then an ankle stomp, Nia follows up with a Legdrop over the injured leg, another kneebar and then combos of swing/knee strike and irish whip/powerslam. Nia runs into the turnbuckle as Natalya floors Nia with multiple lariat attempts, Nia though hits back with a Chokeslam/Powerbomb thing they called a Spinebuster but the pin is broken by Tamina. Tamina gets the hot tag against Shayna, Baszler tries to weaken the leg, then the Kirufuda clutch but Tamina powers into a Samoan Drop. She goes up for a Superfly Splash but Shayna kicks her, Nia looks to do an Avalanche Samoan Drop but Natalya pulls Tamina away, she lariats Baszler but Nia hits the crossbody on both opponents for 2, favouring the knee after. Talking trash to Tamina she gets hit with a slam, Nia's repositioning couldn't be missed by the wide shot as Tamina goes for the Superfly Splash, but nobody home. Natalya's tagged and she goes for Baszler in the corner, Baszler counters and blind tags as Nia lifts Natalya up, but she wriggles out, floors Baszler again and sets the Sharpshooter on the now not legal Nia. Baszler cinches in the Kirufuda clutch and the match is over.

The fact that this was more eventful than the opener speaks volumes. It was a match, I don't think there's many people who feel like Nia and Shayna deserve this spot. Shayna was great in NXT but she's not doing herself any favours stiffing her opponents, Nia's rubbing off in a bad way. I had the challengers to win because I'm bored of them still being champions - only briefly giving it to Asuka and Charlotte so Charlotte can add that to her list - they should've either dropped to NXT or let the Riott Squad win, there was nothing in this match to invest in.

Rey Mysterio is used to promote 2K22. A surprise since we thought WWE and 2K's partnership was done, I am a huge fan of Rey so it was nice to see, much nicer if he was actually on Wrestlemania and getting a push...

Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn [w/Logan Paul] (Pinfall via Stunner) JBL is the guest commentator for this...for some reason. Sami struts to the ring in dark green trying to pull off a Che Guevara look, a mini tantrum at the ramp before heading to the ring and grabbing the mic to introduce Logan Paul, who walks to the ring as Sami dances super embarrassingly in the ring. Owens then charges into the ring with vigor to get the crowd amped up. The bell rings, Sami tries the Helluva Kick and gets hit with a Pop-Up Powerbomb. KO punishes Sami in the start, dropping Sami gut-first on the ropes, corner clothesline and Cannonball as the camera awkwardly keeps cutting to Logan Paul. Sami gets a suplex on the apron to get back some momentum as he demands for Owens to be counted out, Owens rolls in at 8 but Sami continues to club at KO's head. Cole calls a Michinoku Driver a Blue Thunder Bomb but this time gets called out on it, pinfall is 2 and Sami gets into the ref's face. Attempted Superplex leads to a fistfight in the corner, Owens headbutts him off and Frog Splashes for 2, tries the Pop-Up powerbomb, Sami leapfrogs, Sami tries the Michinoku Driver but Owens reverses it into a meaty Pumphandle Neckbreaker for 2. He goes for the Package Piledriver but Sami hits the corner exploder, tries for the Helluva Kick but misses, KO tries the Stunner but it's reversed into a Blue Thunder Bomb for 2 as well. Two Exploders and a Brainbuster for 2 frustrates Sami further, brawling in the corner, he tries for a Superplex but gets hit with an Avalanche twisting Fisherman's Suplex. KO hits Sami with some corner clotheslines but as he runs to bounce off the other corner he runs into a Helluva Kick, Sami catching his collapsed friend as he sets it up again, 2 Superkicks from Owens and a Stunner finishes Sami off as Logan Paul applauds. Post-Match Logan checks on Sami and congratulates Owens, which Sami takes umbrage with. Logan shoves Sami as he storms off, Logan holds KO's arm in the air to boos, cheers start to rumble as Paul is hit with a stunner to a pop.

KO and Sami rarely disappoints, I don't think they really got to get out of second gear but it was still a good match. The Logan Paul stuff though was stupid and unnecessary, sure we got him to eat a Stunner but the ends don't justify the means. Also why was JBL there?

Backstage Riddle scooters across to Great Khali, stoner comedy doesn't land as Khali no sells it, RVD shows up to wish Riddle luck. Segment was meh.

US Championship - Sheamus def. Riddle (c) (Pinfall via Brogue Kick TITLE CHANGE!) Sheamus arrives blinding white but no special gear, Riddle scooters down in an Evil Knievel jacket, hologram doves with pirate hats and eyepatches adding to the cheese. Sheamus uses his power to start, but Riddle comes back with some chops, Sheamus hits back in each of his attempts; knee to the gut, then driving Riddle's sleeper in the corner, then a reversal swinging slam. Irish Curse gets 2, Riddle tries a Tarantula Armbreaker but Sheamus hits his Beats of Bodhran, he goes up high but Riddle reverses with a Spanish Fly Belly to Belly on the top turnbuckle. Riddle rallies with strikes, hits a Pele Kick and a Senton, to slight Goldberg Riddle hits the Jackhammer on the second time of trying but only gets 2. He tries the Bro Derek but Sheamus rolls back, Riddle kicks Sheamus away but in his slingshot lands into a Brogue Kick, 1, 2, No. Alabama Slam, 1, 2, No. He tries a White Noise on the Apron but gets pushed into the Ring Post and then German's on the Apron. An Apron PK and Moonsault keeps Sheamus down enough for Riddle to hit the Twisting Moonsault, he locks in the Reverse armbar but it's reversed into a deadlift powerbomb, Riddle then latches the sleeper for the rope break. Sheamus tries again for a Top Rope White Noise, Riddle tries to Sunset Bomb but fails, Riddle tries the Spanish Fly Belly to belly again but Sheamus grabs him. A stumble means that the two hop off the Turnbuckle for a normal White Noise, Sheamus goes up with a Knee Drop but it only hits 2. Sheamus calls for the Brogue, gets rolled up but catches the Knee strike, Riddle dodges the lariat, goes for a Springboard Moonsault but lands into the Brogue, 1, 2, 3. Post match Riddle is bleeding from the mouth, he angrily stares at the gleeful Sheamus who leaves with the title.

A good title match and much deserved from Sheamus, who has delivered in many matches on the later stages of of the Wrestlemania year, shame he was on the wrong brand to complete the set, he only needs the IC title to win everything. Riddle doesn't do it for me in this gimmick (which as I gather is mostly himself stoned) but credit where it's due, he put a good performance and that was a strong finish.

An odd package followed where Triple H handed Bad Bunny a golden briefcase with a skull microphone, which he opened atop his truck. The briefcase says Tour 2022 to promote his future tour.

Nigerian Drum Fight for the IC Title - Apollo Crews def. Big E (c) (Pinfall via Dabba Kato Chokeslam TITLE CHANGE!) The promo really hurt my ears to hear Apollo's accent devolve into this foreign heel gimmick. Wale though performs to enter Big E, more questionable camera cuts to E and the Fireworks. E's jacket represented Feeding Tampa Bay as a nice nod to the food bank, Apollo came out in Nigerian colors with his scarf and Spear. Commentary's line saying 'this isn't about percussion' falls kinda flat when there's drums around the ring.

Both men roll out to grab Kendo sticks, trading blows which E gets the power advantage over. E grabs the giant cymbal but Apollo knees it away, hits E with some more Kendo Shots back into the ring. You can hear the WAFT of Apollo's missed shot as E knocks him away and then does the out-of-ring spear. E sets up the lower steps near the apron but gets hit with a DVD on the apron, pinfall gets 2. Crews grabs the top half of the steps, lays E on the one he sets up and throws the other steps at it, but E rolls away just in time. On the apron Apollo hits a big boot, but on the second attempt falls into an Uranage onto the flat steps (which Cole called an Uranage Suplex for some reason...), after some trash talking E gets a table set up in the ring near a corner. Apollo kicks back and flurries E with a Kendo Stick, he rolls E onto the table to go for the frog splash, but E rolls away sending Apollo crashing through the table. E hits the Big Ending, but Dabba Kato/Babatunde in a military jacket breaks the pin, a sorta Samoan Spike and a Chokeslam leads to him dragging Apollo onto E for the win. Apollo gets a lot of unnecessary pyro and shakes his new comrade's hand.

Bit short that, the gimmick didn't really come into play. I mean, I'm glad Apollo gets a chance to hold another title and E can look towards the top of the card but I don't think this was really the way to do it. It didn't need to be a 'Nigerian Drum Fight', could've just been a No DQ, Dabba Kato gets his third repackaging since Greatest Royal Rumble probably as Apollo's 'General' which is kinda no different to what AJ and Omos are doing just with more foreign heel-isms. But yeah, bit disappointing on the means of it but the outcome was right, just...kinda stop faking a thick accent it's getting you nowhere acting like you're on the set of Black Panther.

Again we look back at Night 1, this time with minor clips of Ford congratulating his wife, but should've been a segment on its own rather than a flash-through recap. Stone Cold Mania 38 Texas promo and the HOF promo they did on this Pre-Show happens again which is unnecessary but the hologram of a ghost ship was cool, the HOFers come out and Kane gets the entrance, he does his pyro and that's it - that's how you do it, Hogan.

Raw Women's Championship - Rhea Ripley def. Asuka (c) (Pinfall via Riptide TITLE CHANGE!) THIS IS MY BRUTALITY! performed live as Rhea wastes no time coming out, leather biker outfit this time, no Vegeta costume. Silly camera cuts to Rhea and the Singer AGAIN though, stop it WWE it's distracting. Asuka dances down the ring in a bit of a Jason mask, but the camera keeps cutting to Rhea which is off-putting. Also commentary on 'she has never seen Rhea Ripley up close and personal', they were in a tag match together a week and a half ago and in Survivor Series 2019 she faced her in Team NXT as part of Team RAW, seriously WWE...

Asuka starts hot with her athleticism, dropkicks, rebounds and rollups met with more shoddy camera cuts, Rhea leaves the ring to take a moment as Asuka taunts her, she baits Asuka out of the ring as she rolls in but her leg is caught, pop-up knee strike returns Rhea to the ring but she misses the hip attack, gifting Rhea the slamming facebuster for 2. Rhea wears the champion down and taunts her with leg scissors and hits a couple of clotheslines, Asuka reverses the third into an ankle lock but Rhea rolls into a Release German Suplex. Rhea grinds away at Asuka's back and sets up for a super German but Asuka elbows her away and lands the Missile Dropkick, Release German, Hip Attack, a strike combo, another Hip Attack but it only gets 2. Asuka goes up top but is dropkicked to the outside, Asuka tries a PK on the apron but is caught into an Electric Chair position and dropped chin-first onto the apron. Trying to roll Asuka back into the ring, the champion returns to hit a DDT from the apron to the outside, after breaking the count Asuka only gets 2, stomps at Rhea but her running knee gets caught, Rhea stomps at Asuka and sets up the Texas Cloverleaf, Asuka rolls out and into the Armbar but Rhea swings Asuka into the bottom turnbuckle. Deadlift suplex back into the ring for 2, Asuka reverses a waistlock into two armbar variations and then an Asuka Lock, Rhea rolls back for 2 and the hold to break but gets gutted with kicks to the chest, Rhea demands more so Asuka runs to the ropes, Rhea catches her, Riptide, 3!

That finish came out of nowhere, which was not a good thing. We were having quite an enjoyable match which ended around the 15 minute mark, it wasn't short but the narrative wasn't quite there yet. I'm happy for Rhea, who I predicted to win but like Sasha/Bianca it came with the heavy heart. Like Sasha, Asuka has often been slighted especially at Wrestlemania, she deserves her moment too, especially Asuka who carried the Women for most of the Empty Arena era.

WWE recapped the opener which was a bad idea, Hogan and Titus thanked all the viewers at home and the fans but were interrupted by Bayley who demanded and got her pyro, then out came the Bella Twins. Bayley got a good zing by calling them Elmo but then Nikki slapped the mic away from her when she says 'John Cena isn't here tonight', Bellas said 'Ding Dong, Goodbye' and beat down Bayley. This was shite really, Bayley had been buried across 2 nights and her 'comeuppance' is the Bella Twins, not the woman beginning with B I was hoping for, and the John Cena comment was heavily forced, fans know they broke up ages ago Nikki has a kid with her husband who is not John Cena, fans aren't stupid WWE.

WWE then promoted 'Wrestlemania Backlash' for May 16th, a whole month away. They say it'll be a whole new season for WWE so I'm wondering if it's just a storyline reset...y'know how Wrestlemania is supposed to be, slapping Wrestlemania on other show names doesn't make it Wrestlemania-tier guys.

Universal Championship - Roman Reigns (c) [w/Paul Heyman & Jey Uso] def. Daniel Bryan and Edge (Pinfall on Edge and Bryan via Con-Chair-To) To the Main Event, one of the few storylines in Mania's card that was consistently good in build. Bryan comes out first, camera angles flashing during the YES! chants. Huge pops and smoke rage for Metalingus and Edge enters in white and Red (bookending with Orton), fireworks camera shots though. For once, Roman Reigns enters the Main Event without a chorus of deafening boos, but he takes his time to come out, in his red wreath flanked by Jey Uso and Heyman, cameras cutting to each opponent's faces a bit too much, especially to Bryan. Bad call not to bring in Justin Roberts to announce Edge either. Roman makes sure to hoist the belt while facing both his opponents before the bell.

Reigns starts by suckering Bryan and then going after Edge. He throws Bryan out of the ring where Jey superkicks him and sends him into the steps thanks to Triple Threat rules. Edge eats a superkick from Uso too when he's thrown out as Roman cleans up the announcer's table, as Edge is grabbed by Uso, Reigns is hit by Bryan's suicide dive but eats an Uso superkick, this gives Edge time to throw Uso into the steps, pinballing Reigns against the barricade and apron until bouncing off of the ring post. Edge then sets his sights on Uso, hitting a DDT on the steps to take him out of the equation, medical team swarm Uso as Heyman halfheartedly looks concerned. Edge chases Heyman away and enters the ring with Bryan - a moment which would've been sold better if the camera didn't cut to a close up of Roman alive and well on the outside. Bryan gets the Yes Kicks in the corner but his Super Rana is reversed into a sunset flip, Edge-o-matic but it's only 2. Roman comes back on the apron both men attempting to suplex the other, Bryan slides under Roman and cuts Roman's legs from under him - jawbreaking Edge on the ropes - he hits the Missile Dropkick on Edge, kips up and hits the uppercut, after dodging the lariat he tries to suicide dive Roman but he's caught by the champion and hit with a belly to belly suplex. Edge brings Roman to the ring but gets hit with a clothesline, Roman sets up the Superman Punch but Edge turns it into an Edgecution. He sets up the Spear but Roman knocks him down, Roman sets the Spear but it is reversed in a Sunset Flip, both men collide with spears to take each other out. During a wide shot Bryan goes up top, he lands a diving headbutt on Edge, then on Roman, he pins Roman but only gets 2. Yes Kicks to both men, Roman dodges one and pushes him towards Edge, but Bryan ducks the Lariat and hits the Buisaku Knee, Roman tries the Superman Punch but is kicked in the gut, Buzzsaw Kick! 1, 2, No! Bryan stomps on Roman's head and sets up the Yes Lock, but Edge breaks the hold, so Bryan puts Edge in the Yes Lock and Roman breaks the hold, clubbing at Bryan and powerbombing him onto Edge. After dumping Bryan, Roman pauses before setting up half the steps near the Announcer's Table, he's incited by the 'Roman Sucks' chant and powerbombs Bryan through the Announcer's table, but is then blindsided with a Spear! Edge goes to bring in a chair but Roman keeps his foot on it, he pulls the chair away and tries the Guillotine but Edge locks in the Crossface, as Roman powers out Edge grabs a part of the chair leg that fell off and uses that in his Crossface - a humorous face from Reigns as I pause the vid as well XD - he's about to tap but Bryan grabs the hand, and locks in the Yes Lock! Annoyed that his win is stolen, Edge demands he break the hold, but Bryan refuses, leading to a headbutt fight and Bryan pounding at Edge. Bryan then stomps at Edge's head and looks for the Buisaku Knee, but gets hit by a Spear! Roman tries a Spear but Edge hits one of his own! 1, 2, Bryan pulls the ref out of the ring. Furious, Edge introduces more chairs, hitting Bryan and Edge one after the other. He sets up Con-Chair-To to both men, hits it on Bryan but Jey Uso returns to attack, eats a Spear and a load of Chair Shots, Reigns hits the spear on Edge, hits the Con-Chair-To, drags Edge over Bryan and pins both for the win.

The show closes with pyro and Fireworks as Roman talks trash on his opponents and holds the title aloft, ending Wrestlemania 37.

It was a very good back and forth match, Roman of course relying heavily on Jey's interferences and the animosity between Edge and Bryan to come out on top. Keeping the Spear and the Con-Chair-To for last was the right move and the latter was definitely impactful enough to ensure that Bryan could sleep for a few minutes, especially with his and Edge's history of neck injuries. I bet on Roman because of his past record, how after finally turning heel he gets the right heat and because in Triple Threats involving a Heel Champion and 2 Faces, you either bet on the third man or the heel champion, since the story was that Roman could lose without being pinned I chose the latter, the heel often finds the escape. All three men had great chemistry together and I hope for more, SD's world title scene having an absolute slew of competitors waiting to challenge the head of the table.

Conclusion Overall another good night of wrestling...just not better. There were some super baffling and poor moments in the first half of the show and 3 title changes in a row (as well as 2 live performances in a row) was probably not the best card layout Night 2 could've done. Overall it was still a good show though and as a whole Wrestlemania 37 was a success, if not without its glaring flaws. But it goes to show that a 2-Day Wrestlemania continues to flourish as a new season of WWE kicks off.

[heelbossnhug]

I see a fair few people on socials wanting Sasha to win tonight...like, really?! That's how you want this feud to end? Nah, I ain't for it.

Says Sasha does win, what then? Bayley gets drafted to RAW? Or they go again at HiaC?! Just seems like a lackluster way to end this.

I have two major issues with this:

1) Sasha is still pretty damn heelish, her promo on Smacking Talk showing this. I don't want her proper babyface, don't get me wrong, but I feel right now Sasha is just a heel that got turned on by a bigger heel. That's it. There's room to build her into someone we should ,in kayfabe, want to cheer.

2) It totally negates a big part of Sasha's story; that Sasha can't retain. The women's division right now ain't great so ideally it would be Bayley knowing Sasha can't defend asking for a rematch because she KNOWS Sasha will fuck it up. Sasha overcoming that curse is also something I wanna see.

Here's what I wanna see:

Sasha is drafted to RAW BEFORE the match tonight, thus Sasha now knows going into this match that this is her only chance to take that belt from Bayley. Match happens and, Bayley being Bayley, purposefully DQs herself. Sasha is pissed, Bayley is laughing her arse off.

Skip to Survivor Series, you can have them run in to each other when each brand attacks. Hell, the bloody feuds each women's champion gets at the end of the year are always a bit meh, could just make them the leaders of their team and this Sasha and Bayley (still champ) can at least meet in the ring.

Y'all know the rest. Sasha wins the Rumble, goes on to challenge Bayley.

Bonus points if you actually build Sasha up with some good single wins and if you show Bayley actually winning with her damn finisher!

Anyhoo, I'm probably wrong and WWE are gonna swerve us.

[ryan3291993]

WrestleMania 37 (Review)

What was wrong with Wrestlemania 37? Uh let's go in order. Slammiversery '16 vibes. Drew McIntyre being put to sleep by Bobby Lashley is much of an upset that I can't say not a lot of people wanted. Good on them for finally making Lashley look strong, but after year's of ruined booking coupled with him being boring, it was overall unfortunate for WrestleMania to open on a sour note; not to mention at the expense of McIntyre. Hope they repeat that again night two.. Natalya & Tamina won the Tag-Team gauntlet which deserved to be pre-show filler more than some matches in past WrestleMania pre-shows. Cesaro defeated Rollins was fine, but perhaps should have gotten more than 11:35 minutes. AJ Styles & Omos going over New Day wasn't bad, but underwhelming. To have New Day & AJ Styles not in their own elements of showcasing a tag-team and singles bout clinic and instead lumping them together to carry Omos wasn't WrestleMania worthy. Strowman vs Shane McMahon in a cage was not bad at all. Felt like it could have opened up WrestleMania in prior years. As well as Bad Bunny & Damian Priest did against Miz & Morrison, I'm upset that they couldn't have opted to use Miz & Morrison in a better role; like perhaps against New Day? Lastly for night one, Bianca Belair got her moment, but unfortunately at the expense of Sash Banks who's now 0-7 at WrestleMania. Maybe it's because I didn't follow Bianca in NXT, but for her to come up, last 29 others in a rumble and then main event WrestleMania night one against Sasha Banks seems like a lot for someone who I haven't heard of outside of dating Montez Ford.

Night two, and everything wrong with it: One.. Having The Fiend in his first match back lose to Orton in 5 minutes is a joke. Ruining The Fiend and Alexa Bliss' union in order to achieve the aforementioned issue is the second offense. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler defeating Natalya & Tamina was alright. I don't look at it as WrestleMania worthy, and not to mention it was the second longest match of night two.. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn's bout was decent. Again, if WrestleMania worthy, I'd say it deserved to be in the same boat as Strowman vs McMahon in the sense that it was built fine, executed fine.. but it's WrestleMania.. and "fine" shouldn't be the goal trying to be shot for. Sheamus defeated Riddle for the US Title was well done, and the ending spot was nice. Apollo Crews defeated Big E I found to be a joke, not to mention the stipulation being heavily needed. Maybe it's just me, but years of lack luster booking with Apollo & relegating Big E to the tag division have ruined me viewing this match as WrestleMania worthy. Not to mention both men's status would be more indicative of a lower-card title like a European, rather than a higher mid-card title such as the Intercontinental championship. Sorry not sorry. Rhey Ripley getting her win was nice. I believe the match could have went longer than 13:30, but also think that having her beat Asuka wasn't good for business. Why not having her win the Rumble is beyond me. Lastly, the only arguably great match of either night.. Roman Reigns vs Edge vs Daniel Bryan. I feel like this was done well, but still by the end of it, something felt off. Weather it be constant interference by Jey Uso, or the fact that they had Roman pin both of them; the finishes and booking of this show did one thing well, and it was having the seemingly wrong competitors win. Maybe moving forward it won't be as bad because they have plans in store.. but what am I kidding? This is the WWE in 2k21. IMO the only people who should have went over that did were: Cesaro, Styles & Amos, Strowman, Kevin Owens, Sheamus (although could have went either way), & Rhea (although at the expense of Asuka). This 'Mania was a disappointment. I don't know what I'd rate it, but a 2.5/3 out of 10 sounds about right if I had to guestimate.

I'll leave you with this short list of notable names left off of the WrestleMania card: Elias, Jaxson Ryker, Jeff Hardy, Keith Lee, Mustafa Ali, Ricochet, Samoa Joe, Aleistar Black, Bayley, King Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, Rey Mysterio, Robert Roode, & Shinsuke Nakamura.. all MIA.. but yeah.. Bad Bunny, Omos, Tamina, & Apollo get 5 matches between the 4 of them. I’ve never seen a modern WrestleMania feel more like 2nd rate B-show May-June PPV (excluding MItB).. Could have had: Night 1: 1. Mustafa Ali vs Ricochet (Either give it a build a few weeks before; perhaps be Ricochet the reason why Ali broke away from Retribution; if not, have Adam Pierce acknowledge how good of talent they are, and say “The universe deserves one hell of a match for their first night back as a live audience, so I want to give them something special”, IE: This match.) 2. Raw Tag-Team Championships: Kofi Kingston (champion) & Xavier Woods (champion) defeat Elias & Jaxon Ryker, Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado, Slapjack & T-Bar, & Humberto Carillo & Angel Garza [Tag-Team Turmoil Match] 3. Keith Lee defeats AJ Styles 4. Shane McMahon defeats Braun Strowman via escape when Braun puts Shane through the cage and Shane hits the floor. (The beating can continue throughout the area like Strowman’s beating to Reigns did at Great Balls of Fire; essentially being a backstage / falls count anywhere segment.) 5. Universal Championship No. 1 Contender’s Match: Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens defeat Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura, Sami Zayn, & King Corbin [6-Man Scramble Match] ; Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens get a double pin on Sami Zayn, advancing in a Triple Threat Match & furthering Sami Zayn’s conspiracy theories. 6. WWE Championship Match: The Miz (champion) vs Daniel Bryan (who should have either won the Royal Rumble and faced Miz who cashed in at Rumble, or won the championship from Roman Reigns at Fastlane, and been cashed in on by The Miz, therefore setting up this match.) 7.  Raw Woman’s Championship Match: Rhea Ripley defeats Asuka (champion) & Bianca Belair (by pinning Bianca Belair) Night 2: 1. United States Championship Challenge: Riddle (champion) defeats A returning Samoa Joe or Jeff Hardy / Alternatively; Aleistar Black & or Adam Cole could make a surprise appearance and go over. 2. SmackDown Tag-Team Championship: Dolph Ziggler (champion) & Bobby Roode (champion) defeat Rey & Dominik Mysterio / Street Profits 3. Drew McIntyre defeats Sheamus [Falls Count Anywhere, Last Man Standing, and or Cinematic Bar-Room Brawl Match] 4. Bobby Lashley & M.V.P defeat Shelton Benjamin & Cedrick Alexander [Tag-Team Match] 5. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt defeats Randy Orton 6. SmackDown Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks (champion) defeats Bayley 7. Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (champion) defeats Seth Rollins vs Kevin Owens  Yet we didn’t get this. We got what we got. And I for one am underwhelmed, dissapointed, and feel like there was no effort. I don’t even think the show was worth the cost of production. #SorryNotSorry

[anxiety-trademark]

The week in review:

Raw 12/14 NXT 12/16 NXT UK 12/17 Smackdown 12/18 TLC 12/20 + Main Event 12/17

Raw:

“This Sunday at tlc, it’s gonna be you and me against Nia and Shayna,” Lana says to Asuka, as a quiet ‘woo’ can be heard in the distance.

Lana facing her fears and fighting Nia Jax makes her the bravest person Asuka knows. Rolling. Fucking Asuka. ASUKA. wwe, stop.

Why isn’t Asuka accompanying Lana to the ring?

I like Lana’s gear.

Joe just compared Lana to a mosquito, goodbye.

Oh snap look how fast Lana did that headscissors takedown. We’re witnessing her progression, ladies and gents.

You know, I knew Lana would win this match, I knew exactly how she would win this match, but jfc what a treat watching it myself. 

Nia’s face lmfao.

Shayna wrecking Asuka so she can’t save Lana from her inevitable fate. Still curious on whether or not this beatdown injured her, if she was injured going into the match, or if it was all really just a storyline.

Yikes this is sad.

Man that leg drop onto Lana’s ankle actually looked kinda wicked, ngl.

*distant woo intensifies*

Wow we got real tears from Lana. Points.

Becky and Charlotte have been gone, Alexa hasn’t been on tv, the Raw women’s championship has become a meaningless prop... what a dead period for this roster.

Hi why is this match happening?

I will never not be impressed by Dana’s entrance.

Is Mandy actually hurt? Why did they take her off tv for so long? Is Shayna the resident kayfabe shelver? “Hey this girl is actually injured, have her written off by Shayna” ?? Cuz I know they’re not splitting Dana and Mandy up, and Dana has been on tv every week since Mandy left. Must be genuine.

These 2 are running roughshod over the entire division at this point.

OH SHIT MANDY’S BACK WITH A KENDO STICK

Lmfao the babyfaces are fucking done with Nia and Shayna. Honestly that’s great, I love it when babyfaces band together to stand up to dominant duos. This has been going on long enough. They took out Mandy, took out Lana, were about to take out Dana. Totally fair.

Highlight: Lana getting a clean win over Nia & being taken out so my queen can return

---

NXT:

It’s a funny thing with Toni and Rhea. Toni says she’s the reason Rhea came to nxt, but she’s also the reason I became such a huge fan of Rhea’s. Heard they were having some big TakeOver match and everyone was always praising Toni. So I checked into Blackpool solely to see what the Toni Storm fuss was about, and I left that ppv solely impressed by Rhea Ripley. Then I took particular notice of Rhea in the Royal Rumble a few weeks later, and I’ve been watching NXT UK for her ever since (til she moved). To see her growth has been tremendous, and she’s so young. Such a bright future.

The music to this is great.

Toni says she isn’t scared of Rhea, as if Rhea’s mere theme music didn’t scare the absolute shit out of Toni the week prior lol.

Toni’s not even a terrible promo, but the timing of her blinks could not be worse. Yes, it matters.

I can’t stop laughing at how fucking intensely Shotzi started this interview.

She does pissed off interviews well. I can feel her annoyance.

Really don’t want to see a Candice/Shotzi feud tbh but okay, I’ll try.

aaand there’s the howl. Awful.

Lmfao Rhea called Toni a piece of trash. This is gonna be interesting to see with the alignments reversed.

I don’t remember who won this match, but I’m betting it was Toni. Which is fair tbh. Rhea is probably on the “put some peeps over before moving up to the main roster” path that everyone in the women’s division walks on. They always eat at least one monumental, or a couple meaningful, loss(es).

Oh man that is fucked up. To not only be forced to continue punching/kicking a human (fun fact: the person on the offense takes quite the damage doing so) but to have the defenseless victim bleed out and beg for you to stop. That’s rough.

This was shot really well. That music holy shit, I’m creeped out. It’s like a horror movie.

I see the point. Numbs him to pain and breaks his will, while numbing her to mercy. Ruthless stuff.

Oh are we finally done with Indi’s neck brace? Cool.

I can’t believe wwe invested in this upgraded tank. I still don’t think it’d work on the MR, but points to the boss for shelling out the cash.

Wtf was that stumble and “fall” by Indi lmao.

If Candice was a real bully, she’d distract Shotzi by fucking with her tank at ringside.

Indi does need a mentor, she’s a hell of a lot greener than my mutuals have made it sound. oof.

Shotzi looks like she has no idea how to work with Indi, and Indi looks gassed, confused, and slow as hell.

All Indi knows it going from spot to spot while Shotzi waits around for her to get there.

Lol Indi failed at getting a dirty win. I don’t really care if this is a part of her The Way storyline, what a mess.

The only redeeming part of this piss poor segment was Theory shaking the troll’s head at Shotzi.

I’ll give wwe an extra $9.99 if they let this match have a clean ending.

“[Rhea] was at one point the biggest superstar in the world,” that isn’t even close to being true because Becky Lynch exists, but I’ll let it slide and pretend you said “in nxt”.

Their paths will be so similar to Becky and Charlotte in the future.

Wow what a sequence. That would’ve received an applause on the MR. Traded headlocks for restholds, threw around their strength, then went into a battle of pinfall reversals. Instead of following that with some stalemate, they didn’t take a breath and proceeded to dance with each other and showcase some chemistry before rolling back into a battle of pinfall reversals. The sequence started with a kick by Toni to Rhea’s midsection, and it ends with a kick by Rhea to Toni’s midsection. Peep that match production, good stuff.

My, my, those slaps to Toni’s back. Whew.

Yeah actually it’s really fucking cool that these 2 get to main event nxt together, come to think of it.

They sell well for each other.

Rhea has the best dropkicks, lesbireal.

Holy shit Toni’s headbutts make my own head hurt. God I wish she wouldn’t. Most people put their hands between the heads so no contact can be made, but Toni’s just like “lol fuck it”

This is a great match. This duo works a lot better with these specific alignments. Watching face Toni try to chop down Rhea is not as good as heel Toni being impossibly hard for Rhea to put away.

Women’s matches and never having a clean ending. Name a more iconic duo. Winter of overbooked women’s matches continues.

Like I had guessed Toni was gonna win anyway, but fucking come on.

*Bonus* online exclusive: Toni says playing by the rules got her diddly and squat, but like... she was a champion lol. “It ain’t even Toni time right now, it’s party time.” Alright.

Highlight: Rhea vs Toni minus the ending

---

NXT UK:

I don’t know why we’re getting Isla Dawn vs KLR but anytime I get to see KLR fight, I’m here for it.

Hell even Isla’s song never kicks it out of first gear. Song has so much potential but it never goes to the next level.

Ahhhh my Scottish queen is here.

No, don’t compare Sasha’s basement meteora to the double knees Isla did. That was pitiful.

Anyway, KLR vs any of the 4hw would be fantastic, take my money. Sasha, Bayley, Charlotte, or the woman KLR wanted to face at TO Dublin, Dublin native Becky Lynch.

That back body drop is horrendous as a finisher. It’s like when Becky won her debut match the exploder suplex. Awful lmao. Imagine if KLR lost to a back body drop ffs.

You don’t get to be this frustrated for not being able to beat the champion when you’ve only been fighting for like 3 mins.

Isla’s pisspoor speed going in the corner, and her pisspoor roll off of KLR’s tornado ddt. Shame.

Such a clean transition from a failed pinfall attempt into a submission by KLR, whew.

This whole match was just a flex by KLR lmao.

There was a time where we had Becky Lynch, Bayley, Rhea Ripley and KLR as our champions. Wow, take me back plz.

The background music of this stupid recording is so unnecessarily dramatic, wow.

All for the delivery of a chair. Of a fucking chair. Piper... shut up and handle your shit.

For someone so much larger than the little man, Piper is insanely unintimidating.

Highlight: I got to see KLR wrestle

---

Smackdown:

Bayley does run her mouth a lot. She’s kind of the EST at saying dumb shit that gets her into trouble lmao.

Bianca is so friggin good at interviews and in backstage segments. She hasn’t received much of a chance to do promos in the ring, let alone obviously to a live crowd, but I hope she shines there, too.

Has Liv reverted back to being a dumb blonde, or is it drugs? Stop letting her speak.

Love Riott Squad’s everchanging gear. Wonder who makes it for them.

Billie Kay claims that she’s a ‘seasoned’ ring announcer, and somehow that would not surprise me.

Tamina “get the fuck out of my face until I get a nap and a vat of coffee” Snuka, everyone.

Lmfaooo Tamina fucking chucked Liv across the damn ring. What a good job by Liv.

Ruby is exceptional at running the ropes. She gets a good spring off of it.

Tamina’s hair is always so beautiful, she gets points there.

Dropkick into a faceplant. Billie Kay gets pinned rofl. She’s so bad at wrestling and yet here I am ridiculously entertained.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Carmella’s current persona, but man I wish she’d come out in a cut off tank top, camo pants, high tops and a printed hat.

I mean people are at home cuz covid, but go off.

Aye putting over Sasha. Good heel Mella.

Sasha has held the title for like a whopping 2 months and we’re already marking calendars. Sad.

In kf, Sasha is kind of mentally weak, so I’ll give Mella that. I’m not sure what it’s gonna take to shake that perception, either.

“Who is Sasha Banks if she’s not the Boss? Who is Sasha Banks if she’s not the best? It’s sad because that’s a question that not even Sasha Banks knows the answer too.” So I get that wwe are trying to help Sasha develop and fight off her past demons, but man these women are ripping her a new one. Sasha’s only 29 so she can grow and develop however she wants, but jeeze. Salt, meet the dagger Bayley stuck in Sasha’s back.

I like Mella cuz she knows how to hype her opponent’s accolades and strengths while cutting an immaculate heel promo where she hits them RIGHT where it hurts. She’s a pro. Heels should take notes.

This music is like the Jazz Vibes playlist I always listen to.

She just called Sasha cheap and frantic lmaoooo

Oh damn Sasha be out here looking like MONEY. That girl has style, even if it doesn’t always hit with me, she got style.

oof the crack of that slap to Reggie.

OOF the crack of the bottle shattering over Sasha’s poor back. rip.

Match at TLC should’ve been a champagne match. That entails whatever your mind comes up with; pouring alcohol on your opponent, dumping their head in a bucket of ice, breaking bottles over spines. It don’t matter.

“You don’t see me going around here bragging about how damn good I am,” lmao WHAT. Bayley is equal parts delusional and obnoxiously annoying.

One size heel does not fit all, but I think her version suits her beautifully.

If I were her I’d pick your brain too, but I’d also want a match, cuz people leave matches with you looking as good as humanly possible. Equal parts selfless as well.

She didn’t lie, this was absolutely her putting Bianca on the map on the main roster.

wwe: wants to strap a rocket to Bianca and make her a star. Also fucking wwe: “lol no we’re not gonna show you her full entrance, cry more scrub.” 

Bayley still looks weird without a title.

Bayley mocks Bianca’s entrance and then gets swept onto the apron lmao. Idiot.

Bianca is a lot of flash and showboating, which is great from an entertainment standpoint, but she needs to do a little... less.

Fantastic snap of the hand against the led board. Bayley wrecking Bianca’s arm gonna hinder the flips.

“I’m the ER. I’m BET-TER. haha.” lmao Bayley is such a fucking dork. Got sent into the ring steps for her bravado. Love that there’s always immediate repercussions for Bayley’s arrogance.

Bayley turned midway going down onto Bianca’s knee for that backbreaker, there. Hope she doesn’t have a massive bruise. Looked like it’d leave a massive bruise.

3 things I’ll apparently never get to see again: Bianca’s hair whip, Bianca’s full entrance, and Bianca’s 450 splash. I’m tired.

These stupid fucking squats while Bianca is dangling off the top rope rofl I swear Bayley is something else. Girl knows how to entertain. “Bayley got a bit cute and Bianca made her pay,” story of Bayley’s life.

Beautiful spinebuster by Bianca. At least SOMEONE in the women’s division will use it.

Bit of a miscommunication there it seems. Bayley goes for a B2B, Bianca tries to block it, Bayley drops down to dodge and go for a cradle. She rolls Bianca all the way back, stands up and hesitates before running at Bianca with an elbow - even though Bianca is not in position to receive it - which Bianca counters by rolling Bayley up, but it was super obvious Bianca was just scouting the next spot. Bianca goes to pick her up for a powerbomb but Bayley has to kick out twice to prevent herself from being pinned while Bianca tries to lift her. That entire sequence was super messy.

Then Bianca nearly drops her lifting her all the way up lol. Yikes. Gotta be pretty fluent to pull that off. Not to plug my fav (but I’m totally gonna plug my fav); it’s a move Charlotte does in almost every match against Asuka or Becky, and you gotta be not only built to pull it off, but you need to have impeccable timing to make the transition look smooth. Extra points if you lift them off the mat RIGHT before a 3 (which Charlotte usually does)

Anyway, good match with a messy last 2 sequences. Bayley did what Bayley does best.

Highlight: Bayley vs Bianca

---

TLC:

They really took Eva Marie and Sasha Banks’ characters and meshed them together while keeping Carmella’s obsession for animal print lol.

Really don’t like that gear. That’s a miss, Mikaze.

Beautiful arm drag. Sasha taking the idea of wrestling like a Lucha more seriously? Cuz she should, ain’t nobody else in the MR doing it.

Commentators say the trash talk is continuing, I say Sasha is quietly leading this match with a grimace. Peeped that “hit me”.

Carmella goes to suicide dive through the ropes just for Reggie to catch her, cept she got caught up and started turning in midair. Would’ve hit her neck and shoulder HARD had he not been there. Great catch indeed.

Sasha “rip my back” Banks.

Not to be douchey, but if you have to adjust your gear in the middle of a match and it’s not just to fill time or be used as character work, then you need to redesign your gear.

Sasha’s a great babyface once that bell rings man. I wish she could carry that energy everywhere.

Holy fuck that facebuster. SPIKED her head, oh my god. I have never seen anyone make a facebuster look so impactful. Points if intentional.

Oh the timing of Sasha blocking that superkick from legit connecting. God she’s good.

You know how I know this is a good match? I’m watching some of these near pinfalls and submissions knowing damn well Sasha’s gonna win, yet my anxiety is still spiking thinking Carmella might walk out with the title. I KNOW she doesn’t though lmao. Good sequences, believable offense, great near pinfalls. They work well together (I’m not surprised, Mella and Sasha both work well with almost anyone)

What a fantastic transition into the bank statement. Points.

That match should’ve ended by dq the second Reggie pulled Mella out. 

Sasha could’ve sold that double superkick pinfall attempt a little bit more.

Carmella having a breakdown. What does that mean? That means she’s about to lose this match lmao. There it is, not even 10 seconds later hahaha.

Sasha sells pain so damn well. Good for her. Good defense of her title. Points to Sasha, she’s phenomenal every time she has an actual match. Post-match and she’s already annoyed me though lol. Ugh. Maybe she’ll get it soon enough.

Nice “replay” wwe. Billion dollar company btw.

Billie, drawing a horizontal line is not how you write ‘clairvoyant’. 

“proficient in Japanese” aw Asuka was so excited for a split second lmao.

Oh no, she made a mask to match Asuka’s with a paper plate. Oh no no no. Travesty. 

Ugh I’m so excited. I’ve already seen this and yet I’m excited. Here we are, the whole damn reason I started catching up on everything I basically refused to watch since June 22.

SHE LOOKS LIKE MONEY, WHEW. The queen IS back. She’s so fucking beautiful man.

Love how annoyed Nia looks. This is your comeuppance tbh. Could’ve just faced a measly Lana, but no, you had to play too much.

Really Charlotte shouldn’t be in the tag division, and really she shouldn’t give half of a fuck about Asuka, but we’ll get to that more in the future since this is already nearly 2 months old.

Nia’s doing a great job selling Charlotte’s return, and she’s not even active in the match rn. She does good work.

Bad camera angle on Asuka hitting the ring post.

Asuka getting wrecked lol.

I really despise that the Raw women’s championship was tied up in all of these storylines that have nothing to do with the Raw women’s championship. The Lana crap, the Charlotte crap, the tag teaming in general crap.

In hindsight, I now find it curious that Ric Flair was in the back for this match. Very curious. I swear, if the past 2 real time months weren’t a part of some master plan the Flairs came up with together, I will be SHOCKED.

Charlotte’s fucking crazy for doing those moonsaults to the outside though, for real. I know she was a gymnast and an exceptional cheerleader, but MAN you could not pay me to do fucking blind back flips that high up. Crazy.

She should’ve given us a spear in this match. I wanna go rewatch her work just to see some spears.

Good match. They needed to not focus on destroying Asuka for as long as they did, pacing was off for a little bit there.

Love how Charlotte sticks her tongue out when she bridges up into the figure 8. She’s such an asshole lmao.

If I could’ve changed one thing about that finish, I would’ve had Charlotte bounce off the ropes before hitting Natural Selection. Other than that, it was great.

Charlotte looks good with a title, idk *shrug*

The way Charlotte looked over at Asuka though. I really don’t trust her in hindsight lol.

Like how this Firefly Funhouse is setting the spotlight on Alexa before Bray takes his leave of absence, only wish she hadn’t missed 2-3 wks of tv.

What a fun way of running a video package.

Inferno matches are insane and I’m not sure why anyone would participate in such.

Think it’s smart they’re both leaving their jackets on tbh.

Alright that was cool. The way Fiend called up the flames was fucking cool. It looks amazing aesthetically. They could’ve never done the set quite like this if there had been fans.

WE HAVE STRAPS?! IS FIRE NOT ENOUGH?!? Man. Randy is a fucking trooper.

Guys. Guys excuse me, that strap is on fire, can... can we not, please??

Man is swinging a god damn pick axe at Randy Orton, I--

I hope that wasn’t actually flammable liquid cuz otherwise Randy is now soaked in it, and that’s insanely dangerous. Oh that’s great editing. So it was flammable, but Randy was out of the chair before the fire rushed at him. Also covered the chair in blood. That was cool.

Orton just pull the damn string out of the jacket real quick lol.

Caught Orton’s attempt at an rko with a mandable claw. Points.

Can someone... put him out? Editing trick? Were the flames real? Am I real??

Shouldn’t the bell ring? Match is over, right??

The dummy was kind of obvious ngl. Not to sound like an asshole, but they should’ve made it a bit thicker and more solid lol. Doesn’t really take me out of it though, cuz even though I’m sure it was a stunt double that got lit on fire by the ramp, someone was on fucking fire, and that’s intimidating in itself.

Also the dummy is melting. I’d say they should’ve used pig meat, but I’m sure vegans and animal rights activists would’ve had a field day writing to Snickers about that.

Was a good match, for what it was. I was entertained.

---

*BONUS*

Main Event:

“Nasty Nikki” lol okay.

“The only reason people even know you exist is because you were Alexa Bliss’ best friend,” ouch. Truth is pain.

Ahahahah Lacey has hand sanitizer again. 

Love that submission Lacey jumped into through the ropes, plus an eye rake. Fantastic.

That’s curious. Lacey and Peyton are arguing over the hand sanitizer as Lacey wants to squirt it on Nikki, while Peyton is claiming it’ll get her DQd. Now I’m on Peyton’s side in the sense that it should absolutely be illegal, but Lacey’s done it in a match against Nikki before, sooo ???

I like how Nikki fell trying to get back into the ring before the 10 count. Adds credibility.

Haha Nikki gets the pinfall over Lacey because Peyton was being a nuisance on the outside. Lacey big mad. That’s great.

---

*Smackdown easily shined the brightest in what was a great week of wrestling. Utilized 8 women in 3 different storylines, couldn’t possibly complain about that.

[darkarfs]

My 10 Favorite WWE Matches of All Time (updated)

10: The 2001 Royal Rumble No matter how daft and stupid the product gets, I will never not stoke my head in around January. The Royal Rumble is my favorite match, but this one is my favorite favorite instance of that match. The pacing, the beautiful endurance of Kane, the hardcore interval (which Kane just decides to destroy), the Big Show returning after 4 months just to get shit-canned a minute into his run. There is so much to love about this mess. The preview of Rock and Austin that year for their Wrestlemania showdown. The fact that 4 or 5 of them (Rock, Austin, Kane, Undertaker, even Rikishi) could have been main event contenders. The best midcard in WWE history. Scotty 2 Hotty having the worst night of his life. Drew Carey just showing up. Bradshaw just cliffing everyone, because he's gotta get his shit in. Good Rumbles are like a 3 course meal, and this one is like all your courses at once, and then dessert is a treat you could die on. 9. Tyler Bate vs. WALTER - Takeover Cardiff Crowds make a lot of matches for me (thanks, 2020) but this crowd is especially electric, and for 24-year-old Tyler Bate, who is taking on a TANK, and that tank's name is WALTER, a TANK. But I will never not be a sucker for a David vs. Goliath story, and it was never better told than the boy made of thighs vs. the destroyer made of shattering palms. It is SO CARNY, so many feats of strength, so many OOOOOFS AND UUUUUURGHS that make this so great. Tyler was a hero on this night, but everyone knew he wasn't ready to win. Every feat is a magnificent reach. And it all means something to everyone. Make them what they know SHOULD happen and still surprise them with it. His "refusing to quit!" only to get shut down by a fucking chop. HE STANDS but is immediately ruined. It makes me. This shit fucking makes me. 8. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley, 30-Minute Iron Woman Match - Takeover Respect Most of this is just a remix of their epic and warranted classic in Brooklyn. but then Sasha takes the headband off of Izzy. And then they both stepped it up and were *amazing*. We somehow lost Bayley's "RAAAAAH'S and that's sad for me. But then they RAMP IT UP. NOBODY LIKES YOU. FUCK YOU. WE'RE HAPPIER NOW. (WE'RE NOT.) But seriously, Sasha taking Izzy's headband and then THROWING IT AT HER started something special, something grand. THE OUTRAGE. The bastion of heel heat. And then the match got better. They hugged at the end of their encounter in Brooklyn, but then they started poisoning one another. And it all started with this amazing match. (Also, Bayley's amazing red and gold robot tights.) 7. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels, Wrestlemania 21 Listen. HBK's 'Mania outings with the Undertaker are solid "match of the decade" contenders, piss-easy. They are peerless, they are in a league of their own. But saying they're your favorite? Unless you are an actual wrestler, that's like saying "UH, MY FAVE BAND IS THE BEATLES." Ya boring, ya basic, and we can all do better. And seeing how I'm in my late 30s, I understand wrestling a little different than I did when I made this list in...2016??? Christ. I bet AJ Styles vs. John Cena was on it that year. Two of the best performers, both in their prime, and looking back on it, I just prefer the mix of character dynamics at play. Angle is easily one of the best in the world, but he has such an inferiority complex, because he's an Olympic gold medalist who is told *nightly* that he sucks, and he CAN'T best Michaels. He keeps coming back, and he's so charming, so effortlessly good at this whole "wrestling" thing, and it's slowly making Angle, who SHOULD be all of those things, absolutely *spare.* And that informs so many spots and story moments in the match itself, specifically when Angle LOSES it and starts shouting at him, only to have a superkick partied under his face. Angle is one of the best ever because his wrestling acumen served his character, never once defined it. 6. Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon, Wrestlemania 17 I haven't gone back to watch the whole of Vince vs. Shane THAT many times. What I have done is watch the finish about 65 times. There is something so addictive and magical about that one pop, when Linda stands up from her chair, and the ENTIRE crowd stands with her. And I'll 100% agree that Vince's comeuppance - one slap, one hoof to the balls, a Mandible Claw and a Coast-To-Coast dropkick - is not NEAR the actual comeuppance he should have gotten for some of the deplorable shit his character got up to from around the Rumble to this match (two of which they've done their very best to scrub from history, they're THAT bad.) But it's the purest example I can think of, of that pantomime aspect of wrestling. Vince McMahon is a deranged bastard. He likes dumb, cruel, crude things, but his commitment to being the world's 2nd-worst lizard man makes some of the stuff that happens to him more richly rewarding than almost any retribution in any medium, ever. The final 4 minutes of that match, the crowd is a fireworks display. They rise, they explode, they rise and explode, over and over. And again, shoutout to my boy 2020 for making me miss a crowd THAT big having THAT good a time. 5. Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano - 2 out of 3 falls - TakeOver New York Now look, I'm not saying that NXT is essentially perfect for me, in terms for what I look for in wrestling. What I will say is that when it cooks, it combines the very best of indie stamina, choreography and stunt work with something WWE sometimes gets VERY right, and that is unabashed, unironic emotion. And it's not even that the intimacy of NXT being a smaller promotion has a denser, more specifically passionate fanbase. It's just the fact that NXT understands that so often, nuance and drama in wrestling doesn't come from promos, or swerves, or endless escalations of said drama, but from getting the FUCK out of the way and letting two of the best in the world *wrestle.* NXT is so good for providing context for the acts of jealousy, pride and entitlement, and then laying out a match that touches on all of these emotions throughout. This main event, built in two weeks, after a terribly-timed Ciampa injury, is actually VERRRY clever booking...disguised to look really simple. Cole starts the match as the crowd favorite, because he's the cool tweener everyone likes (with a catchphrase) to Gargano's unironic Disney prince. Over the course of Cole going all out, making subtle references to Johnny's feud with Ciampa, Gargano fighting from underneath, total fuck-off bastardry from the Undisputed Era (making poor Mauro Ranallo yell "YOU SNAKES!!") Maybe Cole WAS the better choice, but by the end of it, you didn't care. On that night, Johnny refused to lose, and the constant, exciting, *involving* wrestling dragged you to that emotional place. Damn right, you deserve it. 4. CM Punk vs. John Cena, Money In the Bank 2011 It might be a simple choice, but also, sometimes, it's really really gratifying to see a crowd who wants something get what they fucking want for once. A hot crowd makes a good match great, and a great match THIS. A crowd united, either for one guy, and against another, and in this case, BOTH. It makes every. Move. Matter. Trying to find a new angle on this match is like trying to find a new way to say fire is warm. And this crowd created a CAUSE. The no-sold pinfall, the attempted rehash of the Screwjob. Point out the botches if you must. The angle, the promo...it got my friends back into wrestling, a reason to care until the Shield. It's not the best, but it deserves to be. There is no wrestling crowd I wish I was more a part of. And I was at King of the Ring 1998. 3. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar, 60-Minute Iron Man match, Smackdown of September 18, 2003 It MAYBE was a bit of a "hipster" choice to name this my number 1 in 2016. But you know what? Bloody holds up. Two performers who feel "destined to do this forever," like a Triple H/Shawn Michaels, or a Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn. Possessed of freakish physical charisma, could go for days if pressed. Brock Lesnar, literally at the time ONE OF THE BEST ATHLETES in the WORLD being a lazy fucker and taking DQ points, laying the foundation of what Brock Lesnar would come to be known as. And Angle, in that rare position of everyone knowing he's the best thing going. Brilliant Lazy Asshole Brock and Certified Wrestling Machine Angle are two of my unironic favorite characters in all of wrestling, and it's a buffet of THAT. Like a Royal Rumble, only it's just two dudes, being the best they've ever been. 2. DIY vs. the Revival - 2 out of 3 falls - TakeOver Toronto "Tag team wrestling?" says main roster WWE. "What is this...tag team wrestling?" Well, this is it, at its absolute best. It's up there with Rey Mysterio and Edge vs. Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle from No Mercy 2002 for just brilliant, rock-solid tag team psychology. There are more story opportunities when there are more rules to break, how can WWE *not get behind that?* In terms of chemistry, both between opponents and between teams, in terms of callbacks like Johnny muscling through the exact same inverted figure four that lost them the belts in Brooklyn. It is a perfect match. Not an ounce of fat on it. And that closing sequence, of each member of DIY locking the Revival in their signature holds, and the men now known as FTR clinging to one another. It's probably the best tag match in the history of the WWE, and considering the caliber of tag matches on TakeOvers, is FUCKING saying something. 1. Daniel Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar, Survivor Series 2018 This match is everything I always hoped for. For the longest time, after the 2015 Royal Rumble debacle, when Reigns won, when simply everything we knew about storytelling said "no, of course it should be Bryan," I wondered what that 'Mania match would look like. If it were anything like this, I would have died a happy man. But then again, what makes this match so GOOD is that Bryan had just come back from an early retirement caused by head and neck surgery, and here he is, being dropped on his head and neck by Brock Fucking Lesnar, aka what would happen if the concept of "not giving a shit" gained corporeal form and starting shilling for Jimmy John's. The match gets really ugly, really fast, and Bryan takes us to uncomfortable places with his selling. It wasn't just the retirement angle, it was also the fact that Brock had turned out some REALLY lazy shit by that point in his career, so we had all mentally prepared for another finish-spamming early night. And then. AND THEN... Bryan hoofs him in the walnuts, hits the running knee, gives us the absolute closest 2-count of the decade, and then the fight is fucking on. Bryan went, over the course of 2 minutes, from never having a chance against Brock Lesnar to it being an *absolute certainty* that he was going to BEAT BROCK LESNAR. Anytime you visibly leave your seat every few seconds during a match, you know it's a special one. Again, it took me away, had me absolutely *screaming* at my monitor, elated, invested, and I don't know what more your favorite match can ask of you. But what happens when your favorite match isn't a match at all? No. 0: The Firefly Funhouse - Wrestlemania 36 I'm not kidding, it actually might be my favorite thing. It could be just my brain latching onto the Cult of the New, but I don't think so. It's not a match, I get it. It exists in a weird null-void outside of time and space, but mostly I am floored that they would broadcast something so virulently anti-WWE. Like, we talk of CM Punk and how WWE let him get away with all his little jokes and cut his little Pipebomb promo. But then WWE signed off on Bray Wyatt tearing the soul out of their business. Burying the biggest star of this generation, skewering and laying bare all of terrible WWE's terrible priorities, and also celebrating insider knowledge, wrestling history, and I just...love it. Right now, it's my favorite thing WWE have ever put out, because it did something they've never done before, told a story I didn't think they were capable of telling. And sure, it was Bray who told it, but I still can't believe it aired. But I am endlessly thankful that it did.

[thesurpriserollup]

Re-Drafting the 2020 WWE Draft

Note: I will only be putting the superstars who should’ve switched brands or stayed in their respective brands and why. If you don’t see your favorite superstar here it means I agree with the booking decision that was done to switch them to another brand or the decision to let them stay on the brand they were already on. I will be throwing in NXT into the mix just for fun. But it’s Raw & Smackdown superstars going to NXT via free agency.

Billie Kay

Drafted to: RAW/NXT

Okay, I’m already cheating a little bit but hear me out. Imagine Billie in “The Robert Stone Brand” that would just be the perfect match. That team with Billie and Stone, and as long as they recruit more credible talent, would be a fun angle. And if not NXT, I wanted her to stay on Raw. For two reasons. First, I just want “The IIconics” to reunite. Like it was beyond weird to see them split up for no good reason. The second one is, If we don’t get a reunion I want a heated Gentlewoman’s Match between them. Her and Peyton don’t have to have an issue. They could meet in a # 1 contender’s match or a tournament final. I just want them to face off if they’re not gonna reunite soon.

Andrade

Drafted to: NXT (Via Free Agency)

This has been speculated on social media since the draft happened. He’ll probably comeback to NXT and do a Moose-like angle reminiscent of what Impact is doing. Have him comeback with the NXT Title and claim he’s world champion out of the blue. Let me add a little something, I hope he comes back with the original NXT title design with the big “X”. that would be so cool. This booking could thrust him into the main event scene right off the bat while Finn Balor recovers for 6 weeks, at the time of writing, and Kyle O’Reilly as well.

Sasha Banks

Drafted to: RAW

I just want her and Bayley to be apart until the Rumble or ‘Mania. I’m not a big fan of this storyline, I honestly think it should’ve happened years ago so it doesn’t personally appeal to me as much. But, if we’re gonna do it right. Let Sasha win the Women’s Rumble and challenger for the Smackdown Women’s Championship and win it. It’s easy to book. But WWE decided to put her on the Blue brand. Hopefully this storyline doesn’t run out of steam at least until ‘Mania time.

Heavy Machinery

Drafted to: RAW/Smackdown

I’m gonna keep this short and sweet, that’s why I bundled Otis & Tucker together. No offense to both men, but they’re only good as a Tag Team. Otis’s win at MITB was different but realistically he’s not gonna beat whoever’s champion whether it’s McIntyre, Reigns, Orton, Etc. They should’ve stayed together on whatever brand. And Otis should cash in on a Tag Team and let them win the tag titles TOGETHER. Apart both men are gonna flounder in the lower singles card.

Big E

Drafted to: RAW

“The New Day” shouldn’t have split up it’s as easy that. And I know they wanna push Big E to the top but read my “Wave of the Future - Fantasy booking WWE” post here on Tumblr and you’ll know it could’ve been possible still without breaking them up.

Ricochet

Drafted to: NXT (Via Free Agency)

It’s time “The One and Only” comes back home. Imagine bouts with the likes of Damian Priest for the North American Title or better yet a showdown with Santos Escobar for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship. I hate how they book him on the main roster. Just let him come back to where he belongs.

Matt Riddle

Drafted to: Smackdown

I just want his real life animosity with Seth Rollins to become a storyline. As we’ve seen with the Edge/Hardy feud. Real tension makes a good storyline. No other reason than that. I want a hard-hitting but professional contest between these two. They’re professionals after all, I’m sure like with Matt and Edge. They could’ve acted civil enough with each other to put on high-quality matches. And a little side note, Goldberg seems to be on Smackdown so the door is wide open for them still fight each other at a big showcase.

Rey Mysterio

Drafted to: NXT (Via Free Agency)

I just want to see Mysterio Vs. Escobar at a Takeover in a 2 out of 3 falls match for the Title. Is that too much to ask? Santos is running out of opponents, well, credible opponents. Why not inject the Cruiserweight division with probably the Greatest Cruiserweight of all-time in Rey.

Dominik Mysterio

Drafted to: Smackdown

As you might have noticed I split up the Mysterio Father-Son duo. know, I know. He was drafted to Smackdown. But with his Father. I want him to go there alone, on his own. Let him do his own thing, since Smackdown is known as the brand for work horses. Let him have spectacular matches with the likes of Sami Zayn, Shorty G, Daniel Bryan, Etc. This kid needs to pave his own way.

Keith Lee

Drafted to: Smackdown

For the full story, read my Fantasy booking piece. But TL;DR. He could have amazing matches with Sami Zayn and capture the IC title. Defend it until he’s ready to conquer Reigns at the Showcase of the Immortals. I don’t know how they’re screwing him up on Raw but it’s so easy to book “The Limitless One”.

King Corbin - 

Drafted to: RAW

Corbin has done everything he can on Smackdown. Let him be a nuisance on Monday Night Raw. A change of scenery. Fresh matches and just a brand new stomping ground could remedy his already stale character.

Mickie James

Drafted to: NXT

As much as I want her to have a legacy run with either of the Blue or Red brand’s title. It’s not gonna happen. So let’s just put her in NXT. Like Rey, she could elevate young talent like Shotzi Blackhart or Dakota Kai for example. Have amazing matches for the rest of her career maybe even win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles with an up and comer from the yellow brand. Just let Mickie do her thing and end her career in a good way.

Bo Dallas 

Drafted to: NXT (Via Free Agency)

I wanted to “Bo-lieve” that he was the insurgent. I really did. I loved him as NXT Champion. Well, as we know now “The Insurgent” is Ember Moon. But we can still have come back to NXT. Be a mentor to the younger guys. Maybe even be a top contender for the North American Title. Or if Andrade doesn’t want to come back as a sham delusional champion. Why not let Bo Dallas do that, with the original big “X” NXT title design of course, that would be amazing. Just let us #Bolieve again.

Carmella 

Drafted to: RAW

Like Corbin, Carmella needs a change of scenery. She’s doing nothing at the moment. She’s about repackaged as like an “Emmalina” type of character. I think it’s going to work better on Raw since the Red brand is known for having outlandish characters anyway. Maybe a “Fabulous Truth” reunion is in the works too.

Humberto Carrillo

Drafted to: NXT (Via Free Agency)

Humberto had a decent start on the main roster when he first got there but I think he needs to go to NXT. He’s floating around Raw doing random matches. He was part of the Mysterio-Rollins angle but he was nothing more than a footnote. I feel he could be a major player in the Cruiserweight division in NXT. I like the kid he’s so talented. They just have to let him do what he does best and that’s wrestle actually meaningful matches.

Charlotte Flair

Drafted to : NXT (Via Free Agency)

It’s far-fetched in real life or storyline for either main roster brands to not draft Charlotte. But she’s on the shelf right now and it’s quite cool to think that she’d want to sign with NXT because she has unfinished business there. Her NXT Women’s title run was too short for my taste, although in hindsight it resulted in Io Shirai winning the title so that’s good. But I would’ve loved to see her had an extended run in NXT with the crop of talent they have there. She would put on great bouts with Storm, Kai, Lerae and of course Rhea Ripley as well as a one on one rematch with Io Shirai would most likely be in the cards. And hey, Andrade most likely will sign with NXT anyway and they’re a couple and WWE is more open to keeping couples together so that might be a huge factor as well.

Braun Strowman

Drafted to: Smackdown

Reigns needs a credible enough threat after this Jey Uso feud is over. At least until the Royal Rumble. Strowman is the main man to do that. He’s a former Universal champion who didn’t get his due diligence in terms of having the opportunity to earn a rematch to reclaim his title. It’s enough of a reason for him to stay on the blue brand. And besides I don’t want to see him face off against “The Fiend” again over on Raw. It ran it’s course far too long ago.

[dalekofchaos]

My hopes for WWE & AEW in 2021 and things I hope changes  for WWE and AEW in 2021

Hopes

WWE

Roman Reigns stays dominant and reigns supreme as the Tribal Chief

Keith Lee wins the Royal Rumble,  joins The Hurt Business and brings the WWE Champion to the Hurt Business

Naomi returns and joins The Hurt Business and dethrones Asuka to take home the gold

The Hurt Business DOMINATES Raw

Bianca Belair wins the Royal Rumble and dethrones Sasha Banks at Wrestlemania

The Riott Squad win the Women’s Tag Team Champions

Unify the men’s Tag Team Championships 

Unveil a new Title and give us WWE’s very first Television Championship. It should be styled similar to the NWA and WCW’s TV belts, but on the sideplates it should include USA and Fox on the plates. Shelton Benjamin or Ricochet should be the TV Championship 

Big E reigns supreme as Intercontinental Champion and finally gets to face Roman for the Universal Championship at Wrestlemania 38

Rhea Ripley gets called up and goes to Smackdown

Mercedes Martinez dethrones Io Shirai and becomes NXT Women’s Champion

Karrion Kross reclaims the NXT Championship

Anyone but Johnny Sameface as NXT North American Champion

Queen Of The Ring. The amount of female talent available on Raw, SmackDown, NXT and NXT UK is quite something. It's clear that this is the richest women's division in WWE history. They really should do something with all those workers. The 'Mae Young Classic' tourneys have been fine, but people would trip over themselves to see a fully-fledged 'Queen Of The Ring' epic staged across multiple nights. If booked correctly, this tournament could help establish a new contender for top titles. If she isn't Champion by then(though she should be) the perfect person to become Queen Of The Ring would be Bianca Belair! Bianca Belair would have unparalleled credibility for her 'StrongEST, FastEST, ToughEST' mantra if she whipped a bevy of skilled workers to become the first 'Queen'. WWE could also get creative by linking the event in with Charlotte Flair's nickname and spinning off into a feud between her and the winner afterwards.

Form Full-Time Female Tag-Teams and keep them around. The Women’s Tag Team DIvision is a mess. Keep creating makeshift Tag Teams and breaking up established tag teams and your tag team division is dead. The current champs and their predecessors haven't even been "proper" full-time duos - Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler were shoved together awkwardly in the summer, and they've since been replaced by the unlikely Asuka and Charlotte Flair combo. This cannot be allowed to continue. It's damning that WWE don't have more fully-formed pairings ready to go. The Riott Squad are perhaps the only actual twosome who are presented as a tight-knit collective weekly. Other than that, who is there? Considering the belts have been around for a few years now, that's unacceptable. The IIconics split, so did Sasha Banks and Bayley, and the scene is littered by 'odd couple' tandems like Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke, Lacey Evans and Peyton Royce, and Billie Kay teaming with the likes of Natalya or Tamina when it suits.

Ensure NXT is treated like a proper third brand rather than a quasi-development league for Raw and SmackDown. NXT has been on USA Network for over a year now, but it's still very much behind both Raw and SmackDown as a priority. Need proof? Look at the way Keith Lee was handled when he was "called up" after SummerSlam 2020. The former NXT Champ had to start all over again, and he's had several teething problems on Monday nights. It'd be nice to see WWE move away from positioning NXT as a 'feeder' for the other two shows. Changing someone's gimmick when they leave makes the brand look less-than, and there's simply no need for that anymore; NXT should be an equal to Raw and SmackDown, not a development league. Sadly, it still comes across as that. Lee's stop/start plight and the (mis)fortunes of others like Aleister Black and Ricochet should be a lesson to WWE. Some workers are better off rocking the black and yellow, not the red or blue.

AEW

Darby Allin becomes AEW World Heavyweight Champion

Adam Page costs Kenny the title and Page gets revenge and DESTROYS Kenny

MJF destroys the inner circle from within and when Jericho realizes what just happened, that’s when MJF and Wardlow destroys Jericho

Which is when we get a Sammy Guevara babyface turn and we get MJF vs Sammy

Arn Anderson turns on Cody

AEW’s Four Horsemen is formed. MJF, Shawn Spears and FTR with Tully and Arn managing as the JJ DIllon mouthpieces

Darby Allin and MJF feud for the title

The Women’s Division is improved. The girls get more time to shine on Dynamite. Your champion actually appears(shocking, I know) and build feuds and stories for your women’s division. There’s still some time to do what’s right for your women’s division, but the only thing that remains to be seen, does the powers that be of AEW even care?

Get a new title design for the Women’s Championship. It looks like a toy for a child. It’s plastic, not gold.  It should be as big and beautifully designed as the men’s titles. It should be as big as the NWA’s title or even the WWE’s title. The title is symbolic as to how AEW treats it’s own women’s division and that needs to change with a fresh new design.

Sign Thunder Rosa. It may not fix everything with the women’s division, but it gives you your needed star power. Tony Khan should be begging on his hands and knees to sign Thunder Rosa in 2021 after her time with the NWA is up, his women’s division is getting their asses kicked by what his EVP refers to as a “developmental brand”

If you can’t sign Thunder Rosa. My solution is Push Anna Jay and  Britt Baker as the top face and heel of the women’s division and either of them dethrone Shida.

Changes

WWE

Leave whatever that monstrosity of a creative team they have for RAW is. Let the Wrestlers dictate what they want their characters to be. Ditch the scripted promos. Let promos feel organic and real. Let the wrestlers be characters who feel real and genuine. Get rid of a “Creative” that isn't creative and let the wrestlers be creative and let them be free of terrible creative.

Get rid of the Gimmick PPV. WWE has ruined gimmick matches by turning them into themed PPVs. none of these matches are organic or special anymore. The matches themselves are great but are booked to fit a theme of a pay-per-view, when they should be used organically at the height of feuds. no one cares about the name of PPVs, so i don’t understand why WWE does this. the only one that actually works is MITB, because it makes sense as storylines reset after Mania.

Scrap the Brand Warfare/Brand Supremacy. WWE should scrap the tired brand warfare format at Survivor Series and move away from Raw vs. SmackDown completely. Booking around a calendar has become company law in WWE over the past decade or so. Perhaps McMahon always formatted things this way really, but it's more glaring now that gimmick bouts like Elimination Chamber, Hell In A Cell and Money In The Bank have their own pay-per-views. Survivor Series, with it's played out Raw vs. SmackDown vibes, also needs a rethink. "Brand warfare" is boring now, and it has been for several years. Although 2020's event was fun, it's nonetheless true that the month-long build to Survivors feels like a repetitive slog fans are forced to sit through every November. Hopefully, 2021 will change that. It is possible to book traditional elimination bouts without some sort of false show loyalty - WWE did this almost every single year until the first brand split in 2002. Their over-reliance on Raw vs. SmackDown is plain lazy. Survivor Series should be revolved around great rivalries between stables/factions. It’s really not that hard. Or at the very least if there IS a Smackdown vs Raw themed Survivor Series, at least add a damn reward. Give the brand a head start in the Rumble,, give the winners of the match number one contenders for their brand’s respective titles or ANYTHING better than just “brand supremacy lol”

Get rid of the 24/7 title. It has run it’s course. R-Truth is funny, but even he can’t make it work anymore.

Stop. Breaking. Up. Tag Teams. Stop killing your Tag Team Division. For the love of god just stop!

Cut Akira Tozawa’s ninja bullshit. It’s not funny, it’s annoying

Kill Retribution. It’s complete garbage. It has been consistently terrible ever since Retribution began. Mustafa Ali cannot save Retribution, he’s trying but no one can save it. 

Stop the 50/50 booking

Stop rewarding Nia Jax, the living botch machine for injuring her fellow wrestlers

Stop pushing Lars Sullivan. Absolutely no one wants him. 

They should cut raw to 2 hours because 3 hours is unbearable

Stop the overreliance of part time wrestlers. I don’t want to see Goldberg being pushed at the expense of today’s talent and I don’t want to see Goldberg period. I don’t want to see Brock Lesnar return at the expense of today’s talent. I don’t want to see Legends return. Push your current fucking wrestlers and make stars. You idiots!

Do not rush Becky Lynch back to the ring, she just had a baby. I read the reports that Vince wants Becky back by Wrestlemania. That is a terrible decision

Stop killing pushes because Vince changed his mind

Enough with “creative has nothing for you” if your “creative” has nothing for a certain wrestler, then they are not creative. Either let the wrestlers appear on the show or release them if you don’t want them anymore, it’s simple as that.

Do. Not. Put. The. Title. On. Goldberg. Goldberg should not have beaten Bray Wyatt's 'Fiend' for the Universal Title at Super ShowDown in February - that was a huge mistake, one that set Bray back and felt totally unnecessary. In 2021, WWE should outright avoid any temptation to repeat the trick and give ol' Billy another go-around with one of the top titles. If anything, Goldberg's only purpose should be to play victim for a quick Roman Reigns squash. Get through that elusive match then turn Bill into a company ambassador. He doesn't need to pretend it's still 1998 all these years on.

AEW

Leave the overabundance of spots just for the sake of spots and enough with the false finishes. Jim Ross was right, like it or not, the spots for the sake of spots and the false finishes need to end. This is my major problem with AEW and why I can’t stand The Elite in general. Everyone just needs to  get their shit in. Everything looks fake. No one can look strong or credible and we have to see garbage Indy wrestlers and the spot monkeys make everything look fake and phony. The champions never look credible and everyone is on the level of job guys. This needs to change

Stop leaving your Women’s Champion off the show. It is downright insulting how dirty they are doing Hikaru Shida. She deserves as much time to shine as the other champions deserve.

Stop putting the NWA Women’s Champion as more of a priority than your own Women’s Champion

Enough with Brandi. Why is the women’s division given absolutely 0 screentime and barely anytime to develop their stories, but Brandi is ALWAYS THERE! Everything has to be about her. When a feud between Cody and Shaq was close to happening, of course it had to be about her. She’s turned heel/face as much time as the Big Show. I’ve grown tired of Brandi Rhodes. Stop shoving that attention whore down our throats. WE GET IT! You wanna be Stephanie so bad!

Enough with Cody’s big dramatic midlife crisis entrances. We get it, you wanna be Triple H SO BAD!

Stop the petty bullshit shots at WWE. It was fun at first, but it’s getting annoying. This is Eric Bischoff giving away the results and “That’ll put butts in the seats” level of petty bullshit. AEW had the fucking nerve to tweet a fan’s post saying they did a better tribute for Brodie Lee than WWE. HE JUST DIED! AND YOU ARE MAKING IT ABOUT YOUR FUCKING RIVALRY? GROW THE FUCK UP!