offical wwe thread

Renmauzo

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How about Jim Ross and Josh Barnett on commentary?

They couldn't be any worse if they tried. Three years into this and JR still can't pronounce anyone's names, nor does he know what any of their moves are called or what is happening in their respective storylines.

Fucking horrible. Josh Mathews is better at this point and that's sad.

Yeah, I was really hoping for Kelly and Callus; Ross calling Hiromu Tanahashi at the start of the match, I think he called Bushi someone completely different...and most of the finishers were called "finishing maneuver".

I know Ross is a legend, and I understand that the reason he's there is equal parts reverence and exposure for the brand to North American audience that might only otherwise be familiar with WWE, but his lack of research and general blasé attitude during these shows makes it feel like sabotage.
 

famicommander

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The problem is that JR and Barnett work for AXS TV, not NJPW. NJPW wants Kelly and Callis but AXS makes the call as far as what airs on their network.

But fucking anybody would be better than JR and Barnett. Hell, Barnett himself wasn't this awful when he was paired with Mauro Ranallo.

Tony Schiavone, Joey Styles, and Mike Tenay are all just sitting at home or doing random indie shows.

Matt Striker just does a few weeks of Lucha Underground tapings every year and then bounces around the indies.

Truth Martini isn't doing anything.

The ROH team of Riccaboni and Cabana weren't doing anything that night.
 

JoeAwesome

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MLW doesn't sign anyone to contracts. They're just an indie with a TV show, like CWFH. Any other promotion could sign anybody on their roster or production side tomorrow.

Really? I thought I had read Jimmy Havoc couldn't appear on other promotions' video shows because he was tied to MLW.
 

famicommander

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Really? I thought I had read Jimmy Havoc couldn't appear on other promotions' video shows because he was tied to MLW.

Havoc is going to be at the ROH UK tapings next month and they're going to air over here, so I don't think that's the case.

Not to mention at least ten people on their roster page have been on Lucha Underground, Impact, NJPW, or ROH programming since MLW got the TV deal.

EDIT:
Found this
http://thechairshot.com/2018/05/mlw-news-multiple-talents-signed-to-contracts/

Says Strickland is signed but he's in Lucha Underground. Maybe because he wears a mask he can get away with it.

As for Havoc, maybe it's because he's only appearing at the ROH UK shows? Dunno.

But it doesn't say anything about Schiavone being signed. Nor any of the other guys that are appearing on other shows; ie Jeff Cobb, ACH, Pentagon, Fenix, Rich Swann, Jack Swagger, Sami Callihan, Sammy Guevara, etc.

Jeff Cobb and Joey Janela are actually on a reality show on Amazon where the winner gets an ROH World TV title shot, so they're 100% not signed.

EDIT again:
actually, Strickland is on the reality show too without a mask.

So it seems these "contracts" are not at all enforceable, or they were extremely short term.
 
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famicommander

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Takeshi Morishima, who retired in 2013 due to health, has been declared healthy and is returning to the ring. He apparently had blood issues that could have lead to diabetes, but now he's okay. He's still only 39.

His resume:
1X Ring of Honor World Champion
3X GHC Heavyweight Champion (NOAH's world title, back when NOAH was selling out Tokyo Dome)
5X GHC Tag Team Champion
1X AAA World Tag Team Champion

Here's one of his all time classics:

I can't wait to see if he still has it. Glad his health is in order.
 

famicommander

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ROH+NJPW have announced a co-promoted supercard for next April at Madison Square Garden.

Already confirmed for the show are Okada, Naito, Tanahashi, and all the big ROH stars like the Briscoes, Lethal, Castle, Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Scurll, Page, Daniels, etc.

EDIT:
This is apparently going to be both the ROH Supercard of Honor show and NJPW G1 USA show for next year. Titles from both companies will be defended.
 
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Hot Chocolate

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ROH+NJPW have announced a co-promoted supercard for next April at Madison Square Garden.

Already confirmed for the show are Okada, Naito, Tanahashi, and all the big ROH stars like the Briscoes, Lethal, Castle, Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Scurll, Page, Daniels, etc.

EDIT:
This is apparently going to be both the ROH Supercard of Honor show and NJPW G1 USA show for next year. Titles from both companies will be defended.


Hopefully by that time ROH gets their streaming act together, they are fucking up in that area worse than their midcard title scene
 

Syn

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Hopefully by that time ROH gets their streaming act together, they are fucking up in that area worse than their midcard title scene

Considering how often they stream, they should have by now.
 

famicommander

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Streams all work fine for me lately. Decent bitrate, no stuttering. I've had maybe 3 random crashes since Supercard of Honor, all of which were fixed with a refresh.

Anyway, HUGE debut for ROH coming up at some TV tapings.
Spoiler:
Jeff Cobb, AKA Matanza Cueto. Full-time ROH starting 7/21 at the Atlanta TV tapings. He will presumably still work NJPW. Not sure if ROH will let him work Lucha Underground still, but since he wears a mask there they may. Lucha Underground has stopped enforcing TV exclusivity in a bid to keep talent from leaving, so they won't care that he's in ROH.


EDIT:
also ROH has announced partnerships with four well regarded wrestling schools including Team 3D Academy and the Monster Factory. Talent will move to the ROH Dojo after they graduate.
 
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norton9478

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Jeff Cob does a pretty good monster. Especially since he isn't a big monster.
 
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famicommander

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There's a reason I posted that in spoiler tags. It won't air on television for several weeks, and hasn't even been filmed yet.
 

famicommander

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Bryan Danielson has signed a new WWE contract. No word on the length but the biggest reason was said to be that he wants to continue working in the same promotion as his wife and sister in law.

EDIT:
sounds like a 2 year deal. So he's staying but not necessarily for the long haul.
 
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Arcademan

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And as no big shock, WWE reinstated Hulk Hogan into its Hall of Fame and has his page and bio back on the WWE website.
 

JoeAwesome

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There's a reason I posted that in spoiler tags. It won't air on television for several weeks, and hasn't even been filmed yet.

Is it a big spoiler when you just posted Cobb is in a show to vy for the ROH TV title?

Besides, all the usuals in this thread probably read some sheets.
 

Syn

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Is it a big spoiler when you just posted Cobb is in a show to vy for the ROH TV title?

Besides, all the usuals in this thread probably read some sheets.

And that's coming from the guy who...well, you know ;)

The execution is all that's important.

I've never watched a njpw stream. Only after on YouTube.
 
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Arcademan

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WWE Extreme Rules Results: 7-15-18

Results courtesy of PWTorch.com (direct link to Keller's real-time report).

Cole introduced the show. They showed Ronda Rousey and her husband Travis Browne in the front row showing off their tickets.

(1) MATT HARDY & BRAY WYATT vs. THE B TEAM (Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas) – WWE Raw Tag Team Champions

Hardy & Bray came out first. Coach said nobody has more to gain tonight with a win than B Team. Bo took a break early to regroup after a beating by Matt. Axel consoled and motivated him. Hardy and Axel battled back and forth for several minutes. The crowd was into chanting “Delete!” Bo tagged in and took over on Matt. Graves claimed Miz was magnanimous and helped the careers of Axel and Bo. The other announcers laughed in his face. Hardy landed a Side Effect on Axel. Both were slow to get up. The crowd clapped and encouraged Hardy to hot-tag Bray, which he did. Bray set up Sister Abigail, but Curtis interfered. After some four-way chaos, Bo shoved Matt into Bray, then gave Matt a neckbreaker off the top rope to score the upset win. They cut to crowd reactions of shocked fans. B Team celebrated like crazy at ringside. “Did – that – just – happen?” asked Coach.

WINNERS: B Team in 8:00 to capture the Raw Tag Team Titles. (*3/4)

What you’d expect here. Decent action. Surprise finish, but one that says the B Team is seen by Vince McMahon as more than a one-off novelty but rather something he wants to invest in a bit longer. With the lack of tag teams on Raw, and with Authors of Pain barely on TV for months, this isn’t that big of a shock as it doesn’t really bump anyone else out of the tag title picture who fans are itching to see in the mix.

(2) FINN BALOR vs. BARON CORBIN

Corbin, as usual, insisted that the ring announcers introduce him a second time with a referee to being “Stephanie McMahon’s personally appointed constable of Raw.” Corbin yelled early that Balor is “too small” as he bashed him early in the match. Cole talked about Corbin being home grown and learning his skills at the WWE Performance Center, a contrast to Balor’s background. Corbin knocked Balor out of mid-air with a forearm as Balor springboarded toward him. Balor made a comeback, but ate a boot. He fired back, though, with a step-up enzuigiri. Then he climbed to the top rope and set up a double-stomp, but Corbin stsoodand yanked him off the top rope by his throat and choke slammed him onto his knee for a near fall. Corbin yelled at the ref angrily in frustration. Coach said this is the best Corbin has looked in his career. Cole said Ronda has been Instagramming throughout the match. Balor came back with a running dropkick and tried again for the Coup De Grace. Corbin avoided it and went for End of Days, but Balor countered with a small package for the win. Corbin threw another fit, yelling at the ref.

WINNER: Balor in 9:00. (**)

Solid action. Good for second spot on a card.
 

Arcademan

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WWE Extreme Rules Results: 7-15-18

(3) CARMELLA (w/James Ellsworth) vs. ASUKA – WWE Raw Women’s Title match

Ellsworth was locked inside the shark cage and raised above the ring before the match. There was a “cage cam” showing Ellsworth’s view straight down. Asuka went at Carmella with rapid-fire kicks at the start. Carmella called for Ellsworth early and he dropped a chain. Asuka ran over and grabbed it and told the ref about it. She then kicked Carmella and scored an early two count. Carmella tried to use spray at Asuka’s face, but Asuka blocked it and threw more kicks at Carmella and then a hip attack for a near fall. Asuka went for an Asuka Lock and finally applied it. Carmella got her feet in the ropes. Asuka suplexed Carmella at ringside a minute later. Ellsworth broke free from the cage, but his boot got caught and he dangled upside down from the cage. Phillips called him a schmuck. Asuka kicked him and punched him like a heavy bag. Security came in and ordered the cage lowered. As they tried to untie Ellsworth’s boot, Asuka knocked the security guys out of the ring and kicked Ellsworth more. Carmella stood up behind Asuka and took way way too long to shove Asuka face-first into the lowered cage. She scored the three count.

WINNER: Carmella in 5:00.

There’s a slice of the fanbase who will get a kick out of that, a slice who will hate it, and an even larger segment who won’t think about it much ever again. It didn’t eat up much time and was largely harmless in my view, with a funny moment of Ellsworth being caught upside down from the cage once he broke out of it.

-Ring entrances took place for Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura match. Nakamura gave Hardy a low-blow from behind the bell. The ref didn’t see it. Phillips noted the bell hasn’t rung yet. Nakamura stood there, looking as innocent as could be. Hardy said he could go and told the ref to ring the bell. The bell rang.

(4) JEFF HARDY vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA – U.S. Title match

Nakamura gave Hardy a running knee before the bell stopped vibrating and scored the pin.

WINNER: Nakamura in about five seconds to capture the U.S. Title.

If you paid to see a good match with Hardy and Nakamura going at it, that’s disappointing. The heat goes on the company and not the heel in these situations. On the bright side, for fans who don’t enjoy overly long WWE events, they are moving rather swiftly through the first four matches here with match lengths at nine minutes, eight minutes, five minutes, and under one minute.

-After the match, Randy Orton made his return with a full ring entrance. Phillips noted they haven’t seen him in two months. Saxton wondered what Orton wants. Well, the obvious assumption is he was there to defend Hardy against his recent rival Nakamura. He entered the ring and stared down Nakamura who had retreated to ringside. After a staredown that lasted nearly a minute, Orton turned as Hardy struggled to stand. He had a certain look on his face that hinted strongly at what was to come. He walked over to Hardy with a somehwahat sinister demeanor and spreads Hardy’s legs and stomped on his crotch. Hardy coughed and gasped. Nakamura mouthed, “What are you doing?”

If you’ve ever been interested in being a top babyface act on Smackdown, apply now, because Smackdown is down to A.J. Styles, Daniel Bryan, and Hardy, assuming his testicles are crushed. So either Rusev, Miz, or Samoa Joe have to officially turn babyface, or else Sin Cara is in for a heck of a surprise push as a top three babyface on Smackdown. The other options are a trade, a call-up, a big signing, or someone else in the tag division breaks off as a singles babyface such as Big E or Cesaro or Luke Gallows.
 

Arcademan

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WWE Extreme Rules Results: 7-15-18

(5) BRAUN STROWMAN vs. KEVIN OWENS – Cage Match

Owens tried to flee by climbing the cage wall right away. Braun yanked him down. He tried a second time, but Braun yanked him down again. Braun yelled, “You say Fight Owens Fight? Don’t be a coward. Fight me!” Braun charged at Owens, but Owens moved and Braun hit the cage. Owens superkicked him quickly and then landed a cannonball in the corner. Owens quickly ran up to the top rope and splashed him for a near fall. A pin in a cage? Owens then crawled toward the door to escape, but Braun leaped at Owens and yanked him back in by his boot. Owens stood and begged for mercy. He tried a cheap shot. Braun blocked it and bashed Owens in the chest with a forearm. Then he threw Owens into the wall of the cage three times in a row. Fans kept chanting “One more time!” It shifted to “Get these hands!” Graves said Owens’ only strategy is to poke Braun in his eyes. Owens surprised Braun with a stunner out of nowhere. Owens crawled to the opening, but Braun yanked the door onto his face to stop him. Owens side-stepped a charging Braun who went face-first into the cage post. Owens handcuffed Braun to the cage. Cole lauded Owens taking advantage of the lack of rules. Owens punched away at Braun and yelled, “That’s what you get! What are you going to do now, huh?” Braun then one-handed choke slammed him hard. Strowman tried to break free. Owens shouted “Suck it!” and crotch chopped toward him. Then he climbed toward the opposite cage wall. Braun broke free with a yell and a yank. Braun met Owens on top with a beet-red face full of rage. He stood on the top of the cage and choke slammed Owens off the top of the cage as Cole yelled, “Oh my God, don’t do it, Braun!” Owens fell hard onto an announce table at ringside. Fans chanted “Holy sh–!” afterward. Braun, meanwhile, stood with his arms raised high on the top of the cage in quite a visual, trusting his balance. Owens was breathing as referees checked on him flat on his back. EMTs arrived with a gurney. Owens was wheeled out. They replayed the fall from several angles.

WINNER: Owens in 8:00. (**1/4)

There was a time where a bump like that would have been the talk of the wrestling world for weeks. There did appear on one replay angle to be some inflated padding or airbag of some sort under the tabletop that helped absorb the initial impact. It’s great if WWE is figuring out how to make that dangerous spot safer for the wrestlers who taking the bump, if that’s the case.

(6) THE BLUDGEON BROTHERS vs. DANIEL BRYAN – WWE Smackdown Tag Team Title match

Kane was too hurt to come out with Bryan. Bryan decided to fight anyway, without a partner being re-assigned. (This seems like a set-up to see if fans will chant “Hogan! Hogan! Hogan!” which would also explain why they announced Hogan’s return to the WWE Hall of Fame earlier.) The crowd very enthusiastically chanted for Bryan at the start. Bryan put up an early fight, but was soon overwhelmed by both Bludgeons. Phillips asked at what point Bryan thinks of his career and his family. Graves said he should have thought of that before he came out with Kane, and now his family life and future are probably lost. “Stevie Wonder saw this coming,” said Graves. Bryan eventually made a comeback and dove through the ropes at Erick Rowan, but Rowan caught him. Luke Harper dove through the ropes to try to hit Bryan, but Bryan moved, so Rowan took the impact. Then Kane limped out to the ring with his left foot in a protective boot. Bryan crawled over and tagged in Kane a minute later. The crowd cheered, but didn’t explode. He punched away at Harper and then choke slammed Rowan. Harper kicked Kane’s bad leg, so Kane tagged Bryan back in. Bryan hit a top rope dropkick, kipped up, and then showed fire. The crowd was with him and loudly chanted “Yes!” He Yes kicked Harper over and over as the crowd chanted along. Rowan tagged himself in, but Bryan didn’t see it. Bryan charged with a running knee, m but Rowan entered and cut him off, then spin kicked him. He tagged in Harper who clotheslines Bryan off of Rowan’s shoulders and scored the pin. That deflated the crowd.

WINNERS: The Bludgeon Brothers in 9:00 to retain the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Titles.

If Kane was injured coming into the match, this was a logical and suitable escape hatch from doing a full-fledged two-on-two. Bryan was protected in the the put up a big fight before losing with the odds stacked against him. Kane got to be heroic even in losing.
 

Arcademan

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WWE Extreme Rules Results: 7-15-18

(7) ROMAN REIGNS vs. BOBBY LASHLEY

There were boos even before Reigns’s music played. When it did play, the crowd booed loudly. Then suddenly the music and crowd noise and music volume got softer. Cole called him “the most polarizing Superstar in WWE today.” The announcers talked about the news from Angle earlier about the status of the Universal Title and how that affects the ramifications of this match. Lashley came out next to what seemed like a flat response from the crowd. Cole said Reigns makes his case that he’s been in WWE week after week, whereas Lashley left. Graves aptly defended Lashley, saying he left to test himself in MMA. They locked up and fans booed. Lashley threw down Reigns and then went for a single-leg takedown. Graves said Reigns won’t outwrestle Lashley, so he’ll have to go with his Superman Punch or spear. Lashley leapfrogged Reigns. Reigns gave Lashley a Superman Punch. Fans booed. Graves said it’s indisputably Reigns’s yard, but if Lashley wants to make a claim it’s his, the best way is to win here. Lashley kicked out at one after a back elbow bay Reigns. Reigns gave the ref that look that defines him in some fans’ minds as a total douchebag. Fans chanted something loudly as Reigns had Lashley in a chinlock. It caused Cole to go into non-stop mode of describing the action to cover up the chant.

Reigns knocked Lashley to the floor. Cole said Lashley’s “wits are out of sort.” Reigns tossed Lashley around ringside. Then a loud “Rusev Day!” chant broke out. Graves said this has become a one-sided fight. Reigns threw Lashley into the ringside steps. Then he tried to bash Lashley with the top of the steps, but Lashley blocked it and then yanked Reigns down by pulling hard on the ladder. Lashley threw Reigns around the ring, but Reigns made a comeback. He sold an injury to his ribcage on his right side He threw a series of clotheslines at Lashley, then gave a facial expression that just screams “money heel.” Lashley surprised Reigns with a snap powerslam for a near fall. Lashley played to the crowd, then surprised a charging Reigns with a crossbody. Lashley climbed to the top rope. Graves said he can’t believe he’s seeing this. Lashley then leaped at Reigns with an axe handle. He went to suplex Reigns, but Reigns lifted him onto his shoulders. Lashley grabbed onto the top rope. Reigns shoved Lashley over the top rope to the floor. Lashley landed hard on his side. The ref checked on him quickly. The ref began to count Lashley out, but he returned at nine. Reigns guillotine legdropped Lashley as he entered the ring and scored a believable near fall.

Dueling chants of “Let’s Go Roman / Roman Sucks” broke out. Reigns signaled for his spear. Boos. Lashley caught Reigns mid-air and gave him a spinebuster. Then he gave him the delayed vertical suplex and scored a believable near fall. Lashley charged for his spear, but Reigns cut him off with a Superman Punch for a believable near fall. As much as many fans hate Roman, they don’t love Lashley equally in response. No big pops for Lashley kicking out. At ringside Reigns let out a big yell and then charged at Lashley. Lashley took his momentum and overhead suplexed him onto the German announce table. Reigns’s heads barely cleared the table as he flipped over it to the floor. Lashley threw Reigns back into the ring. He pounded on the top turnbuckle and looked to the crowd for cheers. None really came. Reigns then gave him a Superman Punch to knock him off the top rope. Reigns trash-talked Reigns and said, “My yard!” He let out another big yell. Lashley speared Reigns and scored the 1-2-3.

WINNER: Lashley in 15:00. (***)

Good action for the most part, even if Reigns’s reliance on just a few moves does add a repetitive layer to any “excitement” he otherwise generates. The crowd just wasn’t into Lashley all that much which is concerning, so him getting a big win over Reigns may not be the right move. This could be setting up a three-way with Reigns, Lashley, and Lesnar, unless Lesnar is stripped and then Lashley’s win justifies him getting a shot at the uncrowned Reigns for the vacated Universal Title. Or WWE could just retire the Universal Title and have one floating WWE World Title that is defended at each PPV against a mix of Raw and Smackdown top contenders throughout the year.
 
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