#seriously AJ deserves all the awards

[londiall]

Dear SEAL Team season 6 episodes 8, 9 and 10 writers,

Sincerely, me.

PS: AJ Buckley's acting was the only thing that has kept me from going off off. Superb.

[makeitastrength]

Slowly and then all at once

Chapter 3 sneak peek

Tim is – to throw his own words back at him – a lying liar who lies.

He can deny it all he wants, but Lucy knows that deep down, the Light of the City award means something to him. He’s not a person who craves recognition or wants to be the center of attention. Which is fine. But she wishes he could see that, in this case, he absolutely deserves to be. From what Jackson has told her, Tim went above and beyond to help AJ and his mom last week.

Truthfully, Lucy isn’t the least bit surprised to learn this. She remembers Nolan telling her about Harper’s warriors and guardians theory, and though Lucy would have initially pegged Tim as a warrior, now that she knows him she has a suspicion he might just be the biggest guardian of them all. He cares. He cares a lot, even if he doesn’t usually let it show. He takes this job very seriously and believes in what they do, and she watches him strive every day to be the best cop he can be and to help the community in any way he can. She knows how much this job means to him.

And she knows he deserves this award, even if he doesn’t believe he’s earned it.

Which is why she’s absolutely not going to let him go down over this crash. Accidents happen; even to cops. Tim tells Grey he lost focus, but what he doesn’t say is that it was partially her fault. She distracted him by drawing his attention to that skateboarder, pulled his eyes away from the road for a split second too long, and by the time they realized the car in front of them had stopped, there simply wasn’t enough time to react. It was almost as though…

Wait.

Lucy closes her eyes and tries to visualize the accident. She remembers recognizing how quickly they were approaching the car, remembers the moment she realized the car wasn’t moving, but what she doesn’t remember is seeing any brake lights.

But no. Surely the car didn’t have all three brake lights burned out at the same time. What are the odds?

By the time Lucy has followed their shop to the garage, she’s almost convinced herself she’s just misremembering. And for a moment, she considers not saying anything. The likelihood that Sergeant Walter will take her seriously is fairly low, and she doesn’t want to inadvertently say or do something to make things worse for Tim.

On the other hand, if there’s even a small chance she could save his job and his award and his odds of promotion, she should take it. He’s fought for her over and over. He’s had her back time and again. And he’s taught her to be observant, to use her cop eyes and trust her instincts. Right now, her instincts are telling her to trust herself and her recollection of the accident.

So she speaks up, and it turns out to be the best thing she could have done.

When Tim thanks her later Lucy brushes it off, tossing his own words – for what, doing my job? – back at him with a teasing smile. But she can hear the sincerity in his voice and she can see it in his eyes, and she knows he isn’t a person who says things he doesn’t mean. He really is grateful.

She knows the feeling. She’s grateful every day to have him looking out for her, too.

[lgcmedia]

this man!!! i’m at a serious loss for words. he can sing, dance, rap, model ... and he won an award this year for his mc hosting! what does he not do?! now i must go figure out what he doesn’t do, but seriously, he’ll probably even prove me wrong and come out doing something that i claim he hasn’t done.

i must shamelessly admit that i tuned in to each year-end show looking for him and honestly, i got disappointed when i found out he wasn’t attending all of them! i mean, it’s probably a good thing because otherwise he’d be super tired, especially since v&a had to perform in quite a few of the shows. i am very thankful he got a chance to participate in multiple ones though because it always made my day a little brighter seeing him on my tv screen! i hope that i get a chance to see him live soon! thank you aj for brightening up my life!

[ + / - ] op you sound kind of crazy ... you might want to go outside and touch some grass. live your life. this guy doesn’t even know you exist. besides, there are plenty of others who have done just as well as him. stop making it sound like he’s the first one to have accomplished anything. [ + / - ] i was so happy to see aj being recognized for his work as an mc! he works so hard in everything that he does and he truly deserves all the awards for his dedication to his work! [ + / - ] feel like this article went a bit overboard??? yeah, aj is a great leader and artist but this was a bit much!!!

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[littlesugarwords]

Hi Tay! Can I get your take on what the Ericson kids’ superlatives would be? Like most athletic, most likely to become famous, etc. Thank you!

omg this is so cute awe awe

Clementine: Most likely to rule the world. Clem giggled, finding it lighthearted and fun as her friends rattled off why she’d received it. She didn’t need an explanation. She loved the title.

AJ: Most likely to accidentally commit a crime. It started as a joke, but rapidly turned into his actual title. While AJ didn’t fully get it at first, he slowly found himself cracking up over it in the coming days.

Marlon: Most hot-headed. Marlon thought it was offensive - believing Violet deserved the award - but none of the kids cared. He won by a landslide.

Louis: Most likely to become famous. Everyone knew it, especially Louis, and he flaunted the title with pride.

Violet: Least likely to ever get married. Violet knew they voted her that just to get a rise out of her, but she had to admit, it was pretty funny.

Mitch: Most likely to get arrested. He would cherish the title, seeing it as a point of pride rather than a potential future problem.

Willy: Most loyal. Willy was the one who had his priorities constantly set on the people around him, and none of the kids forgot. Willy was honoured (once Ruby explained what it meant to him).

Aasim: Most likely to become President. Aasim blinked, then laughed. “With my anxiety? Seriously?” Gleefully, everyone laughed. At least he accepted who he was.

Ruby: Most likely to win a Nobel Prize. Ruby would’ve laughed, blushing and going red, beaming from ear-to-ear. She thought her friends were the sweetest.

Tenn: Most artistic. It was the title he could’ve only dreamed of getting, and one that he now held. He knew it was all for fun, but it meant a lot to him regardless.

Omar: Most likely to be hired by Gordon Ramsay. Half the kids didn’t know who that was, but luckily, Omar did. “I’m honoured.” He said simply. Half the kids didn’t understand why.

Brody: Best friend. Brody at first thought it was a joke, but felt her eyes cloud over and her chest warm at the thought. “Wow.” She hushed. “Thank you.” It kept her smiling for weeks on end.

[onlyangcll]

Talk about your tumblr friends??

i’ve gotten like 2 asks ab this already but i just saw them today!! so sorry ab that oop ! this is going to be a long post so umm if u read all of this ur a real one

@starkstower : my absolutely wonderful and gorgeous girlfriend!! i love this girl endlessly and i wouldn’t have met any of my best friends without her. she really is a constant source of happiness for me and i can’t imagine my life without her. we’ve been through so much together but she’s constantly by my side and i thank her so much for that.

@faeloki : cat is honestly one of the loveliest people ever!! she is absolutely hilarious and never fails to make me happy. the most amazing part of our friendship is how our manic episodes always end up aligning (a little freaky freaky)!! i hope to many more endless nights of minecraft and discord chats.

@clintbartxon : raina is like my mother even though she’s younger than me?? she rlly keeping me in check always!! one of the sweetest and funniest girls i ever met and also BABEY. thank you for staying up with me on facetime all the time and witnessing me running around disneyland at like 12 AM!! but one thing i have to say is #sandclubforever.

@stvrkreactor : hannie is honestly the funniest person i have ever met?? like seriously i catch myself laughing until i’m crying at her texts literally every single day. she brings so much brightness to my life even when i’m in dark places. u get the comedian of the group chat award hands down!! also i am so happy u found cambie u guys are so cute together uwu and u deserve it the most.

@starklovebot : bella!! i will forever love her for telling me taylor has a tumblr hehe. i always heard taylor talking ab u and ngl i was a little scared but i’m so glad i became friends with you. you’re absolutely beautiful and so thoughtful. i know you’re gonna get that kith that u want soon!!

@lovelyh0lland : in the beginning i didn’t know rubi too well, but now i know that she wants to ** ******. i always enjoy her cute ass mom selfies and pics of her crying. she is so pretty and absolutely amazing!!

@spideyjlaw : i’m not gonna lie i was pretty intimidated by alexa when she first joined the chat bc she out here being famous!! i’m so glad she was invited to join the chat bc wow first of all ur our dsp and she is so fricking amazing and cool. i’m so glad i got to know her better

@tessathompsonsbitch : catling is another friend who i talked to before the group chat!! it is so funny because when i met her she was this shy little girl who was scared of being added to the group chat and now shes out here dressing up as some italian dude and singing queen. she is our babey and we will always be here to protect her because she is amazing.

@avengvers : aj is absolutely hilarious and amazing!! she is one of the actually normal people in the chat and i applaud her for putting up with our shit. i love talking to her everyday and sharing a love of harry styles

@peters-bparkers : cambie is one of our newer members but i am so glad she was added. you and hannie are absolutely adorable together!! i rlly hope we continue to get closer because she is very amazing and i love talking to her

@queenstinkyrat : nicole is one of my best friends uwu. she is legit always there whenever i need to talk and it concerns me bc she never sleeps. we both on some clown shit all the time!! i love her very much even though she is stinky rat.

[shoobs-com]

Easter Bank Holiday 2018: Top events to attend

 It’s one of our favourite times of year for going out, read on to see which nights we recommend you hitting up...

Ahh, Easter Bank Holiday weekend. The time of year for chocolate and socialising: two of our favourite things! And there are always plenty of ways to socialise over this long weekend, including club nights, karaoke and day parties. 

So which events would we pick to go to this month? We’ve selected a handful below to help you narrow it down. But don’t forget there are a whole load more to choose from on Shoobs now. So if you feel like going out twice (or even three times!) over the 4-day weekend then don’t forget to check the website for even more options! 

Holla Back - The Throwback Party @ Bar 512

This Bank Holiday Saturday (31st March) things are getting exciting, as a brand new throwback night launches in Dalston, East London. Holla Back will be bringing you all the best tunes of the 90′s and noughties - and maybe even classic tunes like Peter Andre’s “Mysterious Girl” too. Maybe! 

But whatever your throwback flavour of choice, with DJs like Shorty Bless, DJ Semo and S Dot on the decks, you know your evening is in good hands. 

Early bird tickets are just £7 right now. Get yours HERE. 

The Heatwave presents Hot Wuk: London @ Oval Space

Something to get seriously excited about this Easter is The Heat Wave Hot Wuk 2018 Tour, which is going to kick off your Bank Holiday in the right way with the maddest riddims and a jam packed bashment show with the wickedest dancers on Thursday 29th March. 

Dancehall lovers are not going to want to miss this - and there are a number of special guest MCs due to be announced for the night too! 

Get your tickets HERE now. 

Grown & Sexy - 6th Birthday @ Revolution America Square

I’m sure you know by now, but Grown & Sexy is more than a rave! For those who enjoy making an effort with their fashion, love to party to great music, sip quality alcohol and experience unforgettable vibes. 

Diverse Nights continue to deliver with spectacular, memorable nights. Help them celebrate their 6th Birthday for Grown & Sexy!

Get your tickets HERE

ONO London Bank Holiday Soirée @ Arbor City - Lane Bar

Get ready to get dressed up in your finest and most stylish ‘fits, as ONO London brings you the City Soirée this Friday 30th March in Aldgate East. A sophisticated night for the “grown and sexy” with good vibes, spectacular settings and sensual R&B, afrobeats and more on the decks. 

Invasion Crew, 4Play Sounds, Ruff n Tuff and other top DJs will be spinning for the night and VIP packages are available if you want to really splash out.

Get your tickets HERE now. 21+ only - and don’t forget to wear smart shoes, no trainers!

Reminisce @ Yates, Reading

A great option for those of you who miss the good ol’ days of banging reggae tunes that were straight from the island! Reminisce comes to Reading on Bank Holiday Sunday (1st April) to bring you a night full of reggae, revivals and Lovers Rock with a live performance from the legendary Brown Sugar singer, Kofi. Oh and Ossie Gad from the Natural Ites will be performing too, as well as more special guests!

A one-off show for true fans and early bird tickets are still available! Get your tickets HERE now. 

*Starz* Launch Party - Bank Holiday Special @ Guys Bar

You know it’s going to be a big night if it’s a grand opening, so STARZ is certainly worth checking out on Saturday 31st March if you’re looking for an ultra classy affair with a whole host of London’s finest DJs on the decks. Kicking off the celebrations and making sure this night gets the launch it deserves, Mr Play, DJ Slick, Darkozy, DJ Neptizzle and plenty more will be bringing the vibes; from Funky House, to Soca and Slow Jams.

Get your tickets for this super suave night HERE now. 

Love Spot @ Club Reina

If you’re looking to stay in Central London for the Bank Holiday weekend then Love Spot could be the night to hit on Friday 30th March. Taking place at the very popular Club Reina in Farringdon, Love Spot boasts two rooms of music and some of the hottest DJs in the business on rotation all evening, including DJ Larizzle, The Trackmasters, Jobo Sound and Contagious Ent. 

The dress code is smart and sexy and with the newly refurbished settings too, you can make sure that you have the best backdrop for those snaps and selfies. 

Tickets are online and available HERE now. 

Trevor Nelson’s Soul Nation ft MYA @ KOKO London

The Trevor Nelson x Soul Nation parties became a massive hit over the last year and they are only planning to get bigger and better plans in 2018. The first event of this year will see Trevor takeover the renowned venue that is KOKO in London and invite the beautiful Grammy Award winning R&B Star, Miss Mýa along for a special live performance too!

It’s a perfect way to spend your Bank Holiday Saturday (31st March), especially if you’re a fan of live music and classic hits.

Tickets are available online HERE now. 

DJ Nate’s Caribbean Rocks Concert @ O2 Forum Kentish Town

If you’ve been preeing the popular events on Shoobs for a little while now then you’ll know that DJ Nate’s Caribbean Rocks Concert is a hugely anticipated affair - and it happens to fall on the Bank Holiday weekend.

The top London DJ will be bringing the best of the islands to O2 Forum Kentish Town on Friday 30th March for a show like no other. With the likes of Spice, Razor B, Ding Dong and plenty more set to storm the stage - you’d be crazy to miss it!

Get your tickets and find out more reasons why Caribbean Rocks is the place to be this Bank Holiday HERE. 

JAYS Linkup - Roll & Rave @ Saw Swee Hock Student Centre

Now, this looks like a blast for students wanting to do something different over the Easter Bank Holiday: a 90′s themed roller skating night! Yep, channel your skating skills and have the most fun cruising around the rink to the coolest throwback tunes, bashment and funky house at Saw Swee Hock Student Centre on Saturday 31st March. 

Better still, the Anthony Joshua fight will be shown live at the venue too so you don’t have to miss out on the AJ action while you skate the night away. 

More info and tickets available HERE. 

Bruk Out Old Skool vs New Skool Easter @ IndigO2

Almost 2,000 people have been attending each and every Bruk Out event since 2014, so you already know this is a MUST! What makes it such a guaranteed good time? A huge arena filled with the best DJs in the city spinning old skool and new skool tracks for one of the largest Caribbean parties in the UK!

Just some of the guys you’ll enjoy on the decks for this Easter special include: DJ Nate, Mix Masters, English Fire, Invasion Crew, Deep Clarity, Coolie and Kapital.

Check out the full line-up and purchase your tickets HERE now - they’ll fly fast!

So in between munching those easter eggs, you have a tonne of options to go out and shake a leg this Bank Holiday! Which event will you be attending? Let us know by tweeting us or tagging us in your Instagram photos: @shoobsonline. 

[placetobenation]

  Our Australian Place to Be Nation Members, Stacey O’Laughlin, Dave Hall and Michael McDonald, all attended the WWE Super Show Down in Melbourne this past weekend. Here is their live review of the event, as only a group of Australians would see things.

Match of the Night

Dave: In my opinion the match of the night was Buddy Murphy vs Cedric Alexander. I must admit that I don’t watch 205 Live, and have seen very little of the cruiserweight division, but this match absolutely rocked live. Both guys worked hard, had no slow spots, and pulled out some great athletic moves, that kept the crowd involved the whole time and reminded me of some of the great cruiserweight matches from back in WCW. Buddy Murphy looked like a genuine contender for any title this night, and the crowd treated him like a legend. His reception and the pop for the win were the loudest of the night.

Stacey: Cedric Alexander vs. Buddy Murphy – Cruiserweight Title. The crowd support for Buddy was incredible, way beyond my expectations, and the match was HOT from start to finish. Buddy and Cedric came with their flippy cruiser goodness and built it into something special, I fell for a bunch of near-falls, and the finish was spectacular and heart-warming.

Michael: Murphy vs. Alexander. Styles vs. Joe was a very close second and probably only doesn’t get the spot for mine simply due to other factors. Those being this is the biggest spotlight Australian wrestling has had since the 70s and that version of WCW. You had two incredible athletes giving a high octane contest in front of a RABID crowd (seriously, TV doesn’t do the crowd justice here) who were not just invested in the home country guy winning but the entire match itself. It’s also arguable that this is the biggest platform the cruiserweight division has had since they stopped having them on RAW, which basically ensures no one looks bad here. It was crisp wrestling that just stood out over the other matches around it. And that Mickinoku Driver off the spot was beautiful.

Worst Match of the Night

Dave: Sadly, I have to give this to Daniel Bryan vs The Miz. I was expecting this to possibly be the match of the night, and sadly I was “treated” to a three minute match that never felt like it got started before it finished. The crowd was totally caught off guard with the finish, which was why there was no initial reaction to Bryan’s victory. The short time and shock result really left the crowd underwhelmed. I hate giving Daniel Bryan this “award”, but there was little option. While there has been no reason given for why the match was kept short (no news of injuries etc), but immediately after the match the ring crew spent about five minutes working on the ring, which made me wonder if something had happened to the ring and an audible had to be called either before or during the match.

Stacey: Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz. Harsh because nothing was particularly bad on the show, but more than anything it was just… odd. I wasn’t even paying attention when the finish happened.

Michael: Iiconics v Naomi/Asuka. Unfortunately, the other Australian act on the card has to take the worst match of the night. It just felt like Peyton and Billie were visibly overawed by the occasion and Asuka and Naomi had to slow down to keep it together, plus the entire match just appeared to be clunky and awkward, it was just. flat.

Moment of the Night

Dave: No doubt about it from a live perspective: Buddy Murphy winning the Cruiserweight Title was the best moment of the night. It was a great match, and his win got an amazing reaction from the crowd. Buddy seemed genuinely overwhelmed with the response he got, which just added to the moment.

Stacey: BUDDYMANIA~! Buddy winning the title – the first Australian to do so in WWE as I understand it – at home in front of 70,000 people going completely mental for him was just a beautiful moment. And so well deserved after being the MVP of 205 Live this year.

Highlights

Dave: Apart from meeting up with Place to Be Nation members in person, there were a few good highlights in the night. Seeing the entrances for the main event was a major highlight, especially the arrival of the Undertaker. He has an aura that captures the entire arena. Triple H’s entrance was just a notch below, but was also an amazing sight. The post-match beatdown of Triple H and Shawn Michaels was also great to witness live. Another highlight was the moment when Roman Reigns speared Braun Strowman through the ringside barrier. From my vantage point, I could not see Roman set up for the move, and it looked amazing, and the crowd went off, which shows that Roman is not as hated as people want to make him out to be. The AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe match was a solid match, that would have been match of the night if Buddy Murphy and Cedric Alexander didn’t decide to totally steal the show. Elias’ pre-match segment was really good too. He tried to get heat by disparaging one of the local football teams that lost a grand final the previous week. Unfortunately for Elias, in Australia if you are not a supporter of that team, you probably hate them, and the crowd popped huge for the comment, making Elias come across as a massive babyface. Ronda Rousey was also great to watch, it’s just a shame that the rest of the women in her match sucked the life out of the crowd. Ronda’s double armbar finish was great live, and really popped the crowd. I could go on and on, but one last highlight for me was the finish of the New Day match. The finishing move looked amazing in person, and painful, and credit goes to Caesaro for taking the move. 

Stacey: New Day vs. The Bar was a fun opener. Becky Lynch did not lose the SmackDown Women’s Title. John Cena debuting the Sixth Move of Doom Lightning Punch finish. The IIconics got to win and seemed over the moon. AJ vs. Joe was fantastic and almost a co-MOTN for me, another awesome match. People popped for Liv Morgan coming in and beating on Brie. Ronda’s hot tag and double armbar finish RULED and she officially redeemed herself in Melbourne for the Holm fight. Roman’s POUNCE-like spear on Braun through the barricade, amazing. Shawn Michaels somehow took about 37 bumps before his hat came off.

Michael: Buddy Murphy vs. Cedric Alexander.  Styles vs. Joe was a gritty match that was probably the best of this run. Actually seeing Shawn Michaels involved in a WWE event which I had resigned myself as to never happening was a nice personal highlight. Shield vs. Strowman/McIntyre/Ziggler was a fun six-man that had a lot of nice little moments that teased the Ambrose turn again but thankfully didn’t do it.

Lowlights

Dave: There were very few lowlights during the event, but there were a couple. The finish to the Becky Lynch vs Charlotte match was horrible. Becky was over huge, but it is clear WWE want to keep trying to make Becky a “chicken-shit heel”, and so we get a lame DQ that the crowd shit all over. Becky grabbed the belt and barely touched Charlotte with it and the ref called for the bell. The crowd rightfully chanted bullshit and were booing the finish. As mentioned before, the Daniel Bryan vs. Miz match was a big lowlight, as was having to watch Bobby Lashley take most of the tag match. I get that John Cena needed to not take bumps, but Lashley looked terrible during the match. Another lowlight for me was the tepid reaction that The IIconics received in their home country. I think we were all waiting for them to go heel on the mics, and so there was a cautious reaction to them. On top of that they were facing Asuka and Naomi, and everyone likely expected them to lose. Speaking of Asuka, her entrance was cut off and she was made to look second-fiddle to Naomi, and this was just awful to witness live. All in all, it made for a tepid crowd response to this match, which is unfortunate for Peyton and Billie, who looked very emotional when the scored the win. They got a decent reaction the win, which I think surprised most of us.

Stacey: The bullshit finish to Becky vs. Charlotte, the people hated it and they still haven’t learned their lesson about forcing Becky into the heel role. Lashley having to work face in peril for ten minutes. The IIconics tag wasn’t too crash hot and with weird dynamics the heat dissipated too. Bryan and Miz I guess got cut for time and we got short-changed out of another good match on paper. In the main event, Shawn Michaels was interfering freely and Kane would just stand there doing nothing like a dork. I hated the Curtain Call moment before DX got beat up at the end too.

Michael: The two drunks to the right of me who constantly yelled out some of the more vulgar requests of the night during the women’s matches. The Finish to Becky vs. Charlotte was clear as day the moment the belt went into the ring. I get why they did it, just disappointed. Cena/Lashley vs. Owens/Elias… except Lashley. Honestly think that could have been left off the show and it wouldn’t have affected show quality. The lack of a pre show match was a bit of a surprise as it is usually a staple of pre shows.

Most Australian

Dave: A couple of really Aussie moments happened during the night. The “You are a Wanker” chant got an early start when Sheamus drew the ire of the crowd for not allowing us to count along with him. This chant is as Australian as you can get (for those who don’t know, a Wanker is an Aussie term for masturbation, and is usually reserved for sportsmen who are annoying a live crowd). There was another attempt to do this to Kevin Owens later in the night, but it never got going. At the end of the Miz vs. Daniel Bryan match, the crowd on my side of the stadium got involved in watching a “match” between two kids on the floor of the arena, which drew massive pops.

Stacey: Many contenders for this. The upgraded seats gimmick being sponsored by meat pies. “You Are A Wanker” chants. Elias trying to get heel heat by dragging Collingwood and most of the crowd cheering in agreement because everyone hates the Pies. The crowd running the gamut of Aussie chants during Buddy’s match, all the way up to singing “Horses”. Jojo becoming an honorary Australian by pronouncing Melbourne correctly. The “height” of drunk bogan comedy, shouting “50!” and “Deliberate!” at things that aren’t footy games. But the winner is probably the floor seats not being traditional folding chairs, but rather white plastic lawn chairs from Bunnings.

I realise that none of our non-Australian friends will not understand literally any of this. 

Michael: Elias mentioning Mick Malthouse and Collingwood’s choke job of the Australian Football League Grand Final was probably the most Australian part of the night, close though was one section of the crowd’s impassioned rendition of “The Horses” by Daryl Braithwaite (an iconic Australian song from the late 80s/early 90s era) during the six woman tag goes right up there.

Did that Really Happen

Dave: Before the event started, WWE ran a promotion to get upgraded to ringside seats. When the camera was on people, they were to wave the wrappers from their meat pies (if they purchased one). The crowd cheered this one guy who had a foam finger in his mouth and waving wrappers with both hands. Then when the camera moved to someone else, the crowd would boo. The camera kept returning to our foam fingered hero, and the cheers got bigger. Then the camera switched to this young 10-12 year old who got boo’d as the crowd wanted to see their hero. The reaction seemed to catch the production crew out, but they did adapt. Only in Australia does a crowd boo a 10 year old kid in favour of an adult biting on a foam finger.

Stacey: This is where I have to talk about THE GREATEST MATCH OF ALL TIME taking place during Bryan vs. Miz out on the floor behind the seats. Two little kids were getting their Ospreay on and went absolutely BONKERS with this epic spotfest, a match so legitimately good that we all started watching them instead and missed the whole Bryan/Miz thing. One kid eventually jobbed to an AA and LEAPED UP and hit a SHOOT SPEAR on the winner because he was shoot hot that he’d lost the greatest match of all time. Wouldn’t you be. Then they hugged it out like they knew they’d just had a workrate classic. Then they had a rematch a minute later. Security did pretty much nothing to break this up by the way. A modern classic. *****3/4

Michael: Miz vs. Bryan ending so quickly. No one saw this match only lasting three minutes, if it was that long. Part of the reason I think lays in the fact you couldn’t actually hear any of the referees counts all night. Most of the people around me only thought it was a two and it just caught everyone off guard. Crowd was happy Bryan won, and there wasn’t a HUGE uproar from where I was sitting but can totally understand if some people walked away feeling slightly jipped there.

Also, I told Dave that Bryan would win.

    Dave’s View                                                      Michael’s View

Stacey’s View

Overall Experience

Dave: I had a great time at this event, and it was totally worth the money spent on travel and accommodation, and the lack of sleep for two days, to be a part of the event. The matches were all good in the ring, save the Bryan vs. Miz match, and the crowd was into everything that happened. My view was great. While a little high up in the arena, I had a front on view of the ring, and could see all the entrances, plus I had a view of the video screen, so I did not miss anything.

Stacey: I had a blast. I feel like the card delivered, with a couple really good matches, a lot of solid matches and really nothing remotely bad. It moved quickly from match to match and never really dragged watching live. We got the special hometown moment with Buddy and the fun clusterfuck of Legends in the main event. And being in a GIGANTIC crowd like that, in such a gigantic stadium was a fantastic experience, and to their credit the crowd was really good and kept the energy up all night (regardless of however the sound translated onto TV). The only downer of the live experience was not being able to see entrances and not having them up on the screen.

Michael: Incredible, personally driving three hours to Melbourne and three back afterwards left the entire event physically exhausting but totally worth it. The show went for four hours but being live it actually didn’t feel that long overall which is a great positive.

How did this event compare to other events you have attended?

Dave: This is my third live event in Australia, and it was certainly the best one I have been to. The event felt bigger than previous house-shows, and seemed to have more meaning than the 2002 Global Warning Card, which was just a glorified house show. We had a title change hands, and a main event that actually meant something. Most of the matches had genuine, on TV storylines, that were either concluded or advanced, so you felt like what we were watching matches that had a purpose. I hope the WWE comes back down under again next year to do another PPV level event… but, next time make it in my own city of Sydney rather than Melbourne.

Stacey: This is an unfair question after I went to WrestleMania six months ago, but it was the best live event I’ve attended in Australia for sure. Having an actual, honest to God WWE PPV in Australia is absolutely incredible and a dream come true for us long suffering faraway fans. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. And again I think the card delivered and we got a lot of good wrestling up and down the show. I’m definitely a happy camper.

Michael: Most events I have attended have been basic live show events so this far and away blows this out of the water. From production to the quality of matches this was by far the best event I have attended. Above all I know there will be some who viewed Super Show Down as a “throwaway” event that had to consequence to them, but make no mistake for the audience that attended this was a big deal. Australian audiences have never had a show that even comes close to having any significance as far as outcomes/ story advancement and Global Warning to be honest was a glorified live event that they filmed for a chopped down DVD release. This was a show that MATTERED to what happens to storylines and a show that was hyped on worldwide TV beforehand. That makes going and enjoying the show a lot easier because it mattered to those in the crowd.  Hope they do another one.

[junker-town]

WWE Backlash 2017: Full rundown and why you should care

Will Jinder be hindered or is Randy Orton going to regret underestimating his latest threat?

The first SmackDown-exclusive pay-per-view after WrestleMania 33 is here, and given the show has had so much time to put together stories, it’s no surprise that there is a whole lot to go over here. So, let’s get right to it: Backlash will air on the WWE Network beginning at 7 p.m. ET with a kickoff show, with the actual event starting at 8 p.m. ET.

Luke Harper vs. Erick Rowan

What am I looking at here? Two big dudes with beards, both of whom used to work for Bray Wyatt in his cult, the Wyatt Family. Harper is low-key one of the best wrestlers in the entire company, and even had a chance to be in the WWE World Championship match at WrestleMania 33. Rowan had a brief run as a face a couple years back after exiting the Wyatts, showing himself to be kind of a gentle giant who is also a genius, but that seems to have been put aside and replaced with creep factor.

Why you should care: Harper is the good guy now, the one who broke away from Bray’s hold, and Rowan seems to have made major strides in his wrestling since the last time he was around — he only recently returned from an injury that sidelined him and helped change the entire structure of the Wyatts. Both deserve the spotlight, especially as each character adds layers and nuance as a solo act: seeing which of the two comes out the winner is intriguing.

Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin

What am I looking at here? Baron Corbin is a former Golden Gloves winner, NFL player, had a successful college football career, won medals for grappling, is a former Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner, and is literally the most metal athlete in the world — no, really, he recently won an award for that, too. Also, he is a wolf enthusiast.

Zayn, meanwhile, loves ska and being a good person, and also manages to annoy many people around him with how he speaks. It’s okay, though, Sami, we all love you. Except for Corbin, who definitely hates you.

Why you should care: Zayn is a beloved WWE babyface who always rises to the challenge and fights valiantly, even if the outcome seems to rarely be in his favor. Corbin is someone who has known success everywhere he’s gone, who thinks everyone he works with is a giant loser who needs to stay out of his way as he rises through WWE’s ranks. Seeing if Zayn can prove Corbin wrong or if Corbin is going to grind him into dust is the attraction for this one.

Naomi, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch vs. The Welcoming Committee (Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina Snuka ft. James Ellsworth)

What am I looking at here? This six-woman tag match isn’t just some thrown-together affair to get everyone in the women’s division on the pay-per-view. No, no, this match has been setup to decide the soul of the division. Charlotte Flair arrived on SmackDown as part of the Superstar Shakeup, and immediately declared herself next-in-line for the show’s Women’s title. Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina Snuka did not take kindly to this, saying Flair is entitled and that she needs to be stopped. So, during Charlotte’s championship match against Naomi, they beat her down.

WWE.com

Becky Lynch did not come out to save Charlotte, even though she’s a face, and it’s because Charlotte is a heel who has betrayed Becky in the past — Charlotte was going to need to earn it this time. When Charlotte valiantly came to Naomi’s aid a week later, Becky responded by saving the two of them from a beatdown at the hands of the Welcoming Committee, and we ended up with this three-on-three alignment.

Why you should care: The chances of this match ending without someone either turning or being introduced to the Welcoming Committee seem slim. Will Charlotte Flair decide she should be in charge of this stable that already has a veteran presence, a young and hungry star, and muscle? Will Becky preemptively attack Charlotte, knowing that Charlotte would do the same to her the instant she sees an opening? Or has Naomi been the one behind all of this the entire time? She’s been awfully quiet relative to Charlotte and Becky...

This match is going to determine the direction of the women’s division for some time yet, and help lead SmackDown into its next championship program and what the brand will do at its next pay-per-view, June’s Money in the Bank. That’s no small thing.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler

What am I looking at here? This is Shinsuke Nakamura:

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Nakamura has recently been NXT Champion, but now he’s here on SmackDown to become one of the new major stars and good guys on the show. His first challenger is Dolph Ziggler, who is tired of hearing about how great Nakamura is, so he keeps on saying that it doesn’t matter what Nakamura has done outside the WWE: he’ll never be as successful as Ziggler has been within it.

Why you should care: Ziggler is such an annoying heel, and, at least lately, I mean that as a compliment. There is nothing that I (and many others) want more on Sunday than for Nakamura to knee him in his big dumb head for all the dumb things he’s said about Nakamura, who is a capital-s Star. This match could end up being the best one of the entire show, as it’s his first real opportunity to let loose against an opponent who will make him look amazing since his NXT debut against Sami Zayn from TakeOver: Dallas over a year ago.

Nakamura will likely win and be immediately thrust into the main event scene somehow — just in time to participate in the Money in the Bank ladder match for a WWE World Championship match contract.

Kevin Owens (c) vs. AJ Styles for the WWE United States Championship

What am I looking at here? Owens claims to be the new face of America, as the Canadian is the current US Champ and speaking French to American crowds infuriates them. More realistically, speaking ill of AJ Styles infuriates them, and doing so coming off of the heels of a feud with the beloved Chris Jericho has made them all even more upset with KO. Styles is the face of SmackDown, and that’s not just something he says: he’s a good guy once again, and the top star on Tuesday’s show, and he’s coming for the belt that SmackDown has been put in charge of reviving.

Why you should care: The Occam’s Razor explanation for why you should care is that these two dudes are dope as hell in the ring. More big picture, though, is that RAW screwed up the United States Championship, and it’s been sent to SmackDown to be rehabilitated. Pitting a recent WWE Universal Champion against a recent WWE World Champion for this secondary title — and making the feud about the title — is an effective way to get that process started.

Hey, we already saw SmackDown successful bring the Intercontinental Championship back to life. Why not the US strap?

The Usos (c) vs. Breezango for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships

What am I looking at here? The Usos went heel awhile ago, and it’s added an extra dimension to their characters while also giving their in-ring performance the killer instinct it was missing. They’ll take on Breezango, the portmanteau of Tyler Breeze and Fandango, aka the Fashion Police. You might think that Breezango is a joke, but instead, WWE seems to just be letting them tell jokes: they won the number one contendership by beating out the rest of the SmackDown tag division, and now they’re here to win the titles, too.

Why you should care: For one, watch this and then look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want Breeze and Fandango to be the tag champions for every wrestling promotion on Earth:

SmackDown’s tag division was unquestionably the weakest part of their show before WrestleMania 33, but between the Usos and the Fashion Police, that seems to be changing. Breeze and Deputy Dango don’t necessarily need to win the titles at Backlash in order to be taken seriously as a competitor, but they do need to look real good so that they aren’t just a one-and-done opponent for the Usos until another team (presumably, New Day) shows up. This is SmackDown’s chance to build some real depth and help launch a team who could entertain us every Tuesday for months and months.

Randy Orton (c) vs. Jinder Mahal for the WWE World Championship

What am I looking at here? Randy Orton won the WWE World Championship from Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 33, and Jinder Mahal won a battle royal to determine the number one contender and Orton’s opponent at Backlash. Mahal had recently been a jobber — a guy who loses all the time — but his past doesn’t matter anymore. He’s got a new attitude, he’s ripped as all heck, and maybe most importantly, now he has friends. Jinder Mahal might not be able to beat anyone by himself, but he’s not by himself, and that might be Orton’s downfall.

Why you should care: SmackDown bills itself as the land of opportunity in WWE, and it’s done a great job of delivering on that promise. Jinder Mahal, who has never had real success in WWE, is suddenly in the main event scene because he got some new muscles and some new friends and put both to work. Just having him in this match is huge, but if Jinder wins the WWE World Championship, then it says a lot about how far SmackDown is willing to take their promotional line in reality.

None of that is a negative, by the way. Jinder is the bad guy here: if you don’t think he deserves the title but he wins anyway with help from the Singh Brothers, well, you dislike him for the right reasons — the story line reasons WWE is giving you. And in a world where Jinder’s former goofy stable mates Heath Slater (SmackDown Tag Team Champion) and Drew McIntyre (indie sensation returned to NXT as a big deal) have already rehabilitated, Jinder doing so at the top of the SmackDown card makes plenty of sense.