Pro Wrestling discussion topic--WWE, AEW, ROH, Impact, New Japan, indies

Was really hoping he was going to Mark Henry it or his moment gets interrupted and challenged by Owens or Styles or whomever. Though I rather he retire young as opposed to die in his 40's or 50's.

 
It certainly sucked, but I didn't know that he has a long history of concussions. It also looks right the rumor of a bad test result in the past few weeks turned out to be true. I know Triple H was given a lot of crap for not letting Daniel Bryan wrestle because of concussions, but in this case I think he was proven right. It appears that 80's Vince would have let Daniel Bryan wrestle until he died while 2016 Triple H left money on the table to protect a wrestler from himself. 

Hopefully my assumptions are correct. I would love to see this as a step in the right direction even though as a fan I would have loved to see "one more match" or another run.

Also by the way Daniel Bryan was talking it doesn't seem like Brie has much time left as a wrestler either. Brie has a title match at Fastlane, so that could potentially be her last match if they're looking to start having the babies... 

 
NFL, NHL, WWE, and more all have problems regarding head concussions. I wonder how many people are now angry at Daniel Bryan for "politicizing" this serious issue. He did the right thing in retiring now.

 
Before that speech, I would have seen it as somehow political. After, it's about a man that wants to still have a life. Something spooked him.

 
I'm not sure how I can see it as political.

Well, let me specify. I'm not sure who would openly claim it is political. The NFL has its issues with concussions and CTE, but the evidence is not overt disinterest (quite the contrary), the evidence is that they sweep things under the rug and ignore clinical evidence. The NHL claims to care about concussions, but refuses to outlaw fighting.

In short, it's not politically expedient for anyone to critique Bryan for the talk, or even the topic. Who would (and how)? (I am sincerely curious, I think I might straight up be missing something in what y'all are saying.)

 
Really cool that Bryan was able to come out and say his peace and retire somewhat on his own terms. As much as I love the guy he's been gone for quite sometime now and the absence hasn't been very noticeable. He's paved the way for smaller wrestlers and established indie talents to come to the WWE. I can't imagine we'd have the roster we have currently without guys like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, the way Bryan was able to captivate fans was truly amazing and I look forward to where the company is going as a result. With Bryan gone and Cena and Orton at the ends of their careers the new crop of talent is going to start making a lot of noise.

 
More importantly, I think it's tremendous that people like he and Mysterio are already recognized for opening those doors, when so many average sized guys (let's not even call them "small," because they're not unless comparing them to the 6'2", 250+ standard) have tried to succeed and were met with tremendous resistance they could not overcome.

 
I'm not sure how I can see it as political.

Well, let me specify. I'm not sure who would openly claim it is political. The NFL has its issues with concussions and CTE, but the evidence is not overt disinterest (quite the contrary), the evidence is that they sweep things under the rug and ignore clinical evidence. The NHL claims to care about concussions, but refuses to outlaw fighting.

In short, it's not politically expedient for anyone to critique Bryan for the talk, or even the topic. Who would (and how)? (I am sincerely curious, I think I might straight up be missing something in what y'all are saying.)
To further add to that, CTE isn't something you can detect until you're dead. So when it comes to career decisions vs. concussions it has to be a proactive decision by the athlete and sport. Remember Chris Benoit had serious brain damage and they found CTE in his brain. The guy did countless flying head butts in his matches. The stories from those close to Benoit about how he ignored his head injuries are unsettling.

I felt a little emotional when he talked about his moment with his dad but I'm happy for Daniel. As a fan I'm sad to see him go but as a person I'm happy to see him quit while he's ahead of himself. It's better to retire a year early than a year late.
 
Giving a speech you want to give, having the crowd going nuts for you, followed by your attractive wife joining you in the ring to hug you is a pretty ideal retirement scenario for a wrestler that has to go out without a "final match" sendoff.

 
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I Just want to take a break from all the Daniel Bryan talk just to say Alicia Fox going solo and possibly turning insane maybe the best thing ever. I Fell into the weird youtube wormhole of Alicia Fox AKA Crazy Foxy and her weird WWE App storyline affair with Tom Phillips and I was thoroughly entertained. So if I get that, sold on more Alicia Fox.

 
So apparently Titus O'Neil is suspended 90 days for grabbing Vince at the end of Daniel Bryan's retirement celebration...

I really hope this is a really dumb work, otherwise sheesh...
 
So apparently Titus O'Neil is suspended 90 days for grabbing Vince at the end of Daniel Bryan's retirement celebration...

I really hope this is a really dumb work, otherwise sheesh...
I can't imagine missing Mania just because he tried to play around with VKM. Poor guy's gotta be kicking himself right now, it really seemed like they were building him up for something this past while.

 
Wrestling is rarely subtle, and that moment was not only subtle, it was on the network and circumstantially caught on camera.

I'm not going to question the what of it, but maybe job the guy out for a month or two? Sending him to sit at home seems not only overzealous, but a shortsighted maneuver when they really need to build guys for long term top card (and he fits the bill by any measure you use to gauge whether a dude should be top card or not).

"Sending a message" may make sense, but overkill is indeed possible.

 
Those who understand how NJPW works, what's the important show? I'm used to there only being one show a month to pay attention to. Is it the first ones, the second ones?

(pasting list because it won't let me post a picture...)

2/9 
(Tuesday) THE NEW BEGINNING in OSAKA 
signing ceremony 3 p.m. LIVE
  2/11 
(Thursday) THE NEW BEGINNING in OSAKA 
Osaka, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (EDION Arena Osaka) 17:00 LIVE
  2/14 
(Sun) THE NEW BEGINNING in NIIGATA 
Niigata Aore Nagaoka 16:00 Exclusive LIVE
  2/19 
(gold) HONOR RISING: JAPAN 2016 
Tokyo Korakuen Hall Half past six p.m.LIVE
  2/20 
(Sat) HONOR RISING: JAPAN 2016 
Tokyo Korakuen Hall 18:30 Exclusive LIVE
  2/25 
(Thursday) LION'S GATE PROJECT1 
Tokyo Shinjuku FACE 19:00 Exclusive LIVE

 
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Fox Sports has the incident up on their site.
http://www.foxsports.com/wwe/story/wwe-suspends-titus-oneil-for-grabbing-vince-mcmahon-021016?cmpid=feed:whistle2:sports-Yardbarker

I don't really know what Titus was thinking there. He's 70 years old and Steph inadvertently got pushed too. The only possible reason I can think of for a 90 day suspension (assuming that's true) is if Stephanie is expecting or something. It seems more likely to me that Vince was still pissed from the night before and he was just sent home for the night since he wasn't on the card anyway.

I guess we'll see. Hopefully he isn't suspended for 90 days...
 
Fox Sports has the incident up on their site.
http://www.foxsports.com/wwe/story/wwe-suspends-titus-oneil-for-grabbing-vince-mcmahon-021016?cmpid=feed:whistle2:sports-Yardbarker

I don't really know what Titus was thinking there. He's 70 years old and Steph inadvertently got pushed too. The only possible reason I can think of for a 90 day suspension (assuming that's true) is if Stephanie is expecting or something. It seems more likely to me that Vince was still pissed from the night before and he was just sent home for the night since he wasn't on the card anyway.

I guess we'll see. Hopefully he isn't suspended for 90 days...
I didn't originally notice it but that video does make it clear that Vince shoved him back. But still, I seem to remember Vince having a smile on his face after he turned back around.
 
Yeah, I'm pretty sure Vince was smiling as he turned to head backstage. Maybe he smiled because he knew Titus just destroyed his career.

Hearing about the suspension, it immediately reminded me of Paul London getting shit from Vince for laughing as Vince walked through the hall to his limo before it exploded.

 
Yea, the suspension seems to be more for ruining the moment and goofing off at a time when you should be acting serious than it was for touching McMahon. A guys career comes to an end and you want to act a fool. A valid suspension in my mind. Very disrespectful towards Daniel Bryan and his career.

 
Those who understand how NJPW works, what's the important show? I'm used to there only being one show a month to pay attention to. Is it the first ones, the second ones?

(pasting list because it won't let me post a picture...)

2/9
(Tuesday) THE NEW BEGINNING in OSAKA
signing ceremony 3 p.m. LIVE
2/11
(Thursday) THE NEW BEGINNING in OSAKA
Osaka, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (EDION Arena Osaka) 17:00 LIVE
2/14
(Sun) THE NEW BEGINNING in NIIGATA
Niigata Aore Nagaoka 16:00 Exclusive LIVE
2/19
(gold) HONOR RISING: JAPAN 2016
Tokyo Korakuen Hall Half past six p.m.LIVE
2/20
(Sat) HONOR RISING: JAPAN 2016
Tokyo Korakuen Hall 18:30 Exclusive LIVE
2/25
(Thursday) LION'S GATE PROJECT1
Tokyo Shinjuku FACE 19:00 Exclusive LIVE
The New Beginning shows are never big shows for NJPW, but both will be worth watching. I think the Lion's Gate project is the new NXT like promotion NJPW is starting up, so that should be pretty interesting. NJPW almost always puts on a good show so it'll be worth checking it al out.

 
I Just want to take a break from all the Daniel Bryan talk just to say Alicia Fox going solo and possibly turning insane maybe the best thing ever. I Fell into the weird youtube wormhole of Alicia Fox AKA Crazy Foxy and her weird WWE App storyline affair with Tom Phillips and I was thoroughly entertained. So if I get that, sold on more Alicia Fox.
Alicia worked the crazy gimmick to a much greater extent circa early 2014 but inexplicably dropped it. I like Alicia "Crazy Like A" Fox and hope she keeps ramping it up.
 
Alicia worked the crazy gimmick to a much greater extent circa early 2014 but inexplicably dropped it. I like Alicia "Crazy Like A" Fox and hope she keeps ramping it up.
The mere idea that she jumped from ferris wheel car to car to get to Tom Phillips is one of the most amusing things ever. And same on hoping she ramps it up, I don't mind some more diverse characters in the women's division.

 
Apparently PWInsider's pay-site shows up for Bing searches.

Tonight's card:

Welcome to the PWInsiderXtra.com live coverage of the New Japan Pro Wrestling “New Beginning: Osaka” event from the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan.

This mornings card features...

IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Kazuchika Okada (Champion) vs. Hirooki Goto

NEVER Openweight Title Match: Katsuyori Shibata (Champion) vs. Tomohiro Ishii

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match: The Young Bucks (Champions) vs. ReDragon vs. Matt Sydal & Ricochet

NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Title Match: Toru Yano & The Briscoe Brothers (Champions) vs. Bullet Club

Six Man Tag Team Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tamoaki Homna & Togi Makabe vs. Bullet Club

Six Man Tag Team Match: Kushida, Michael Elgin & Juice Robinson vs. Los Ingobernables

Tag Team Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi

Six Man Tag Team Match: Chaos vs. Jushin “Thunder” Liger, Tiger Mask IV & Ryusuke Taguchi

Singles Match: David Finlay vs. Jay White
 
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Shibata and Ishii should have fewer matches to (a) make each one special and (b) prolong their careers. They are so brutal with each other, and have such excellent chemistry. It's very possible to have too much of a good thing.

 
If I were to make a drinking game of everytime they mention Carmella and Bayley are best friends or allude to it on this week's NXT, I'd be dead before they even got to the main event.

 
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LU strong again, great last man standing that didn't use weapons unless they really counted. The final spot made us both cringe as we were watching.
 
They cut Titus' suspension to 60 days. Still missing WM, not that he was going to play a major role on the show anyway.

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I've started watching Lucha Underground, starting at the beginning, The show seems pretty good so far (4 episodes in) although Vampiro and Striker are really grating, "brother."

 
If I were to make a drinking game of everytime they mention Carmella and Bayley are best friends or allude to it on this week's NXT, I'd be dead before they even got to the main event.
Watch KC Timeline of WWF 1998 with Vince Russo. Drink every time he says the word "literally". You will literally be dead in literally 15 minutes.

 
They cut Titus' suspension to 60 days. Still missing WM, not that he was going to play a major role on the show anyway.

------

I've started watching Lucha Underground, starting at the beginning, The show seems pretty good so far (4 episodes in) although Vampiro and Striker are really grating, "brother."
And yet he's still facing a stiffer penalty than a 1st time wellness policy violation. Also, making him miss that Wrestlemania paycheck bonus is an extra special middle finger to him.
 
Shibata and Ishii should have fewer matches to (a) make each one special and (b) prolong their careers. They are so brutal with each other, and have such excellent chemistry. It's very possible to have too much of a good thing.
The same goes for Makabe and Ishii. They had a few different matches in the first half of 2015 and they really were the proverbial slobberknockers.

 
I watched it this afternoon, skipped the first 3 matches because meh. Shibata/Ishii delivered once again.  The "suplex me" sequence was great, I was wondering at first why he was asking for a hug. 3way tag was great, I love Ricochet+Sydal as a team. 

Not sure why they changed the trios belts, not even one successful defense? I get that Bullet Club cheated, but still. Tama Tonga is a beast, Bad Luck Fale seems like a dope. They play their characters well.

 
Match for Vacant IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kenny Omega
IWGP Tag Team Championship Match: Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma) (c) vs. Bullet Club (Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson)
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match: KUSHIDA (c) vs. Bushi
CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Yoshi-Hashi) vs. Hirooki Goto, Juice Robinson & Katsuyori Shibata
NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship Match: Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, Yujiro Takahashi) (c) vs. The Briscoes & Toru Yano
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Evil, Tetsuya Naiton) vs. Jay White & Michael Elgin
David Finlay, Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Yuji Nagata vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Matt Sydal, Ricochet & Satoshi Kojima
CHAOS (Gedo, Kazushi Sakuraba) vs. reDRagon (Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly)
Bullet Club (Cody Hall, The Young Bucks) vs. Captain New Japan, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask

Main event should be good, plus it's always nice to see a Cena lose.

Does Juice Robinson continue being a big-league patsy? Being opposite Okada makes it seem likely, but Shibata means maybe not. Each team has a fall-guy.

 
Tanahashi and Omega tore the house down. Absolutely incredible match - about 1/2-3/4 of the way through, I thought "these guys are on par to have a Razor/Shawn match that will be remembered for years to come." They didn't quite get there, but my god, they came close. Tremendous work by both guys. Tanahashi is Cena? I guess. But, like Cena, he put on a hell of a show.

 
I rewatched a personal dream match Friday night on the NJPW show on AXS, Ibushi/Styles from Invasion Attack in April. It was definitely worth the rewatch, especially with Mauro Ranallo on commentary.  If anyone is interested in it, it will be reaired this Friday (2/19) at 8pm EST.

For those with NJPW World, I watched Tanahashi/Styles from the 8/14 show of the G1 Climax 25 tournament last night.  No hyperbole, that match could have main evented any card for any company.  It's gets my highest recommendation to check it out.

 
Will check that out, thanks for the recommendation.

Seems like Gun and Gallows finished up this weekend, if Tama Tonga's IG account was any indication...

What options are there for watching Lucha Underground if I don't have cable?

 
Will check that out, thanks for the recommendation.

Seems like Gun and Gallows finished up this weekend, if Tama Tonga's IG account was any indication...

What options are there for watching Lucha Underground if I don't have cable?
Daily Motion typically has them online for awhile. Last I checked they have all the current season 2 episodes, it sucks that it's not a legal way to watch it, but what can you do. Lucha Underground isn't exactly easy to watch unless you wanna get El Rey Network on your cable/satellite package or with Sling TV.

 
It looks like it will probably hit Amazon Instant Video and iTunes for purchase. Del Ray lists it as coming soon for on demand and that's who they typically use.
 
Well, then I can toss some scratch at them for season one.

Most wrestling you can jump into at any point. I don't get that feeling with LU - i.e., I should watch from S1E1. What do y'all think?

 
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