AEW Thread: A Real Alternative To WWE?

[Alsacs]

So just read if they have to start the National Dodgers on TNT, AEW will run their whole show on TruTV. If that happens, I wouldn't look at the ratings too much this week

No offense to you and Braves fans but they should just move the end of the Cards-Braves to TruTv if it gets into 8pm.
That is game isn’t competitive and I doubt Braves fans will even want to watch.

 

[MSOrange]

No offense to you and Braves fans but they should just move the end of the Cards-Braves to TruTv if it gets into 8pm.
That is game isn’t competitive and I doubt Braves fans will even want to watch.

I turned it off in anger at 5-0 and then turned it back on again a few minutes later and saw 10 -0. Turned if off again. I'm a loyal fan but I'm not stupid. They aren't coming back. I'd have no problem if they put this game on public access tv at this point.

 

[Symphony Steve]

So just read if they have to start the National Dodgers on TNT, AEW will run their whole show on TruTV. If that happens, I wouldn't look at the ratings too much this week

They will on TNT at 8, but, assuming the first game doesn't end by 8:37, AEW can be seen on TruTV until the game ends. So, yes, it will run on both stations starting at 8, but the only part that MAY not be on TNT is that part between 8:37 and whenever the first game ends.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Wow, that opening tag match between the Young Bucks and Private Party was unbleepingbelievable. That's what was missing last week--with tag teams like AEW has, not showcasing the division was a mistake. And Private Party winning gave them a serious rub.

Mistake rectified.

 

[Alsacs]

Good job Jericho. That was awesome.
He buried WWE creative and got the crowd to pop.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Jericho is dominating this segment. Dude is still an all timer.

The shots at wwe are historically good.

Wow.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Best promo I’ve heard in years. Probably since cm punk had some shoots.
My god he’s so good.

 

[OrangeDW]

Best promo I’ve heard in years. Probably since cm punk had some shoots.
My god he’s so good.

WWE had so many chances to push him as the guy in the last 10 years. They dropped the ball every time. Remember when he had the feud of the century with HBK then took the title from Batista...only to drop it to Cena like a month later.

Punk beat him every single time in 2012, even though he was at the top of his game.

The List era Jericho should’ve been pushed as the top face in the company. Instead they put the title on freakin Goldberg, who can’t wrestle or talk but was a cool flash in the pan 20 years ago.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Caught a portion of a really good match between Roderick Strong and Isaiah 'Swerve' Scott on NXT. Scott has loads of potential.

 

[Symphony Steve]

Man, Tully Blanchard really looks old. I didn't recognize him.

 

[OrangeDW]

Man, Tully Blanchard really looks old. I didn't recognize him.

I wish Tessa would make her way to WWE or AEW soon.

 

[OrangeDW]

Best promo I’ve heard in years. Probably since cm punk had some shoots.
My god he’s so good.

It was awesome. Entertaining and really served the purpose of getting his crew over and establishing a direction.

Loved the shout out to Eddie on his birthday too.

I had 15 minutes to kill before the baseball game started and flicked over right as Jericho’s music hit. So glad I caught that.

 

[Symphony Steve]

It was awesome. Entertaining and really served the purpose of getting his crew over and establishing a direction.

Loved the shout out to Eddie on his birthday too.

I had 15 minutes to kill before the baseball game started and flicked over right as Jericho’s music hit. So glad I caught that.

They're really trying to establish the roster. Next week's show looks especially promising, with two tag team matches featuring great teams, a solid women's championship match, and Jericho vs. Allin, with almost certain interference from the 'Inner Circle'. Should be fun.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Wow, that opening tag match between the Young Bucks and Private Party was unbleepingbelievable. That's what was missing last week--with tag teams like AEW has, not showcasing the division was a mistake. And Private Party winning gave them a serious rub.

Mistake rectified.

I saw just too. Really good match, didn’t think they should’ve had Private Party win though, needed to build them more, but I dont know much history on either. They just seemed like they should lose and build momentum.

 

[Symphony Steve]

I saw just too. Really good match, didn’t think they should’ve had Private Party win though, needed to build them more, but I dont know much history on either. They just seemed like they should lose and build momentum.

Keep in mind that the wrestlers who really run the company have every interest in giving the rub to others on the roster. They're trying to build new attractions. And it's not like The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega can't get their heat back.

Dave Meltzer agrees with you, though. He thinks the Young Bucks are one of the key draws, and should've won.

 

[Alsacs]

Keep in mind that the wrestlers who really run the company have every interest in giving the rub to others on the roster. They're trying to build new attractions. And it's not like The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega can't get their heat back.

Dave Meltzer agrees with you, though. He thinks the Young Bucks are one of the key draws, and should've won.

AEW wants to get another team over.
The Young Bucks are over now. The belts don’t legitimize them anymore.
Plus it allows them to chance the titles.
It was good booking IMO.
A wrestler who doesn’t need a belt and is over is when you know they are a draw.
I can’t wait for the eventual Marty-Shawn feud from the YBs in the USA.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Keep in mind that the wrestlers who really run the company have every interest in giving the rub to others on the roster. They're trying to build new attractions. And it's not like The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega can't get their heat back.

Dave Meltzer agrees with you, though. He thinks the Young Bucks are one of the key draws, and should've won.

For a guy like me, which I will assume is who they want...ie: don’t know these guys and here I am watching episode 2...I could figure out that the Young Bucks were the alpha dogs in this and Private Party was building and gaining momentum, I would’ve drawn that out for a few weeks/months with a good feud, then have them win.

But I don’t know the whole roster either.

 

[Symphony Steve]

For a guy like me, which I will assume is who they want...ie: don’t know these guys and here I am watching episode 2...I could figure out that the Young Bucks were the alpha dogs in this and Private Party was building and gaining momentum, I would’ve drawn that out for a few weeks/months with a good feud, then have them win.

But I don’t know the whole roster either.

Meltzer thinks that The Young Bucks and others saw how people like Hogan and Triple H made sure that nobody ever got over in WWE. He thinks, though, that they have gone too far the other way, and agrees with you.

So, IMO, you're in good company.

 

[Knicks411]

I definitely enjoyed the AEW show over NXT this week. I loved the opening tag match and the whole Jericho promo was killer.

 

[Alsacs]

Both of these UFC/Boxer matches are in Saudi Arabia what a shocker.
Blood money in the bank will be paying for these attractions.

 

[OrangeDW]

Hot take: if AEW truly makes it both critically and commercially, Jericho will have an incredibly strong case for the G.O.A.T.

He and Bret Hart are already my personal Co-GOATs, but I understand why Hogan, Flair, Austin, and Rock are generally considered above them: largely a bigger impact on the masses.

But if a whole new wrestling promotion actually really succeeds in the era of a powerhouse WWE monopoly, and Jericho is the initial guy carrying the ball and getting the company over...GOAT!

 

[Knicks411]

Hot take: if AEW truly makes it both critically and commercially, Jericho will have an incredibly strong case for the G.O.A.T.

He and Bret Hart are already my personal Co-GOATs, but I understand why Hogan, Flair, Austin, and Rock are generally considered above them: largely a bigger impact on the masses.

But if a whole new wrestling promotion actually really succeeds in the era of a powerhouse WWE monopoly, and Jericho is the initial guy carrying the ball and getting the company over...GOAT!

I love Jericho, when i first started watching in 97/98 I loved is heel character, but i can just never see him like I do those other guys. They're a level above, to me. But i totally get the point, if AEW really does go toe to toe with them, its probably not ridiculous

 

[OrangeDW]

I love Jericho, when i first started watching in 97/98 I loved is heel character, but i can just never see him like I do those other guys. They're a level above, to me. But i totally get the point, if AEW really does go toe to toe with them, its probably not ridiculous

Right. At this point, I 100% understand that.

I personally like Jericho better and think he’s more talented as a “total package” than all 4 of them(Maybe not Flair...tough one), but at the same time he’s nowhere near their level in terms of overall impact. He was never the #1 guy in the company, the way those 4 all were at extremely important times in their respective company’s histories.

And that’s where that last sentence comes into play. IF AEW does something historic that was 100% unthinkable as recently as, what, a year ago? Not even? And Jericho is the guy for them? Throw that on top of his already outstanding career (he’s probably got more longevity as a great performer than all those guys by this point), he’ll have to be in the running.

 

[OrangeDW]

Getting even deeper into the GOAT case for Jericho IF AEW truly makes it...his versatility in terms of character work. Not even talking in ring performance, because even in some of his less successful(for him) character eras, Chris usually killed it in the ring. In particular, I remember him putting on phenomenal matches on Raw throughout his 2013 face, surprise Royal Rumble return Jericho era. That character wasn’t anything unique for him, though. He was basically popular because he came back out of nowhere and was face for the first time in awhile and was performing well. I’m sticking to strictly characters here...

Austin got one character that was truly over. To be fair it’s all he ever needed and possibly the GOAT character, but could he reinvent if he had to? Part of that was the character was just so big, but I also think it was the perfect fit for him and he can’t really do anything else. Podcast Steve isn’t all the different from Stone Cold. Podcast Chris - it’s clear that guy can do pretty much any character. Early 90s Stunning Steve was cool, but that’s like ECW Jericho or 2003-04 or 2012-14 WWE Jericho level which was good, but I’m not even mentioning that stuff as great character work for Chris.

Rock had his early NOD and branching out on his own deep voice, weird sideburns heel 97-99 era, his mega through the roof popular 00-02 face era, and Hollywood Rock(which was just insanely great stuff). I’ll give him 3.

Hogan had “Real American”(in the running with Stone Cold as the biggest thing ever) and “NWO” (in the running as the most unexpected and best heel run)

Ric Flair was always the exact same Ric Flair, he was just “face” when the southern WCW fans were feeling nostalgic, Bischoff was being a real life jerk, or he was old as dirt and the fans were appreciative and nostalgic.

I acknowledge that Chris never had one character as career defining as those guys’ best character...but he had more great ones than anybody and it’s really not close. And he really didn’t need to make this many transitions. He could still be cashing WWE nostalgia checks off of Y2J.

Only talking about Jericho’s characters that truly 100% hit their mark to the biggest extent that they could(because even in his “down periods” he did some great work at times):

1) Jericho had the whiny, ridiculous, conspiracy theory, troll before trolling was even officially a thing 98-99 WCW heel.

2) He had the rockstar Y2J face character(that was right on prime Austin and Rock’s ass in terms of popularity despite never getting anywhere close to the same push - and with the fans who wanted to be a little different and rock the boat just a little...he was their favorite).

3) He had snarky, “King of the World” two belts heel Jericho that held the WWF and WCW belts at the same time, and was the ultimate underhanded, coward with zero integrity or pride.

4) Underrated and IMO largely overlooked (and I’d be ok if someone said it wasn’t significant enough
to count), but summer 2005 heel “Fozzy Rock Star” Jericho that turned on Cena and helped legitimize him as the champion on Raw(after WWE called an audible and basically demoted their other new champion Batista to the B Brand), was really entertaining and effective as a main eventer after being completely de-pushed for like 2 years. He just stepped right up into the main spot like it was nothing. The guy got fired and made the security guards carry him out kicking and screaming after begging Bischoff to let him stay - and this was the guys freakin exit from his first run, for several years! Most guys gotta go out strong and getting cheers and Jericho went out as despicable as possible, lmao.

5) He had the “gelatinous tapeworm, hypocrite, parasite, do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth” slow talking, suit wearing Jericho(arguably the greatest heel of all time IMO).

6) He had “best in the world” , “Chris Jericho invented _______” that admittedly was probably a bit of a cross between 2008-10 suit Jericho and the more flamboyant 2001-02 and 2005 Jericho.

7) He had the “drink it in maaaaaaan”, “you just made the list!” 2016-17 Jericho and I’ll count it as one character even though he got it over as both a heel and a face.

8) And he got his current, crazy, face painting, “past his prime”(on purpose!! Being “washed” but insane and more dangerous than ever has actually been part of his character on purpose!) thank me, I want to hurt you “Le Champion”, “Bit of the bubbly” Jericho. And honestly, I might be doing a slight bit of dis-service by combining his New Japan and AEW personas. There’s not a ton of material to go on, but what’s there is phenomenal and can possibly be separated into different characters?

I don’t even know anymore. The guy just constantly evolves and kills it. And on the rare occasions when he hasn’t, he quickly recognizes the mistakes. Like - 2007 comeback face Jericho was lame and he quickly fixed it into probably his peak era.

 

[Knicks411]

Preliminary WWE Draft Pools announced

The preliminary pools for the WWE Draft designating which Superstars are eligible for selection on the upcoming episodes of Friday Night SmackDown and Raw have been announced.

www.wwe.com

WWE totally spoiled their draft. It's gone exactly in this order!