The Wrestling Thread: AEW Dynasty

[KK]

AEW Dynamite - ITV4/Hub

w/e 24th April 2022: 69,000
w/e 17th April 2022: 92,000
w/e 10th April 2022: 159,000
w/e 3rd April 2022: 111,000
w/e 27th March 2022: 111,000
w/e 20th March 2022: 162,403*
w/e 13th March 2022: 148,000
w/e 6th March 2022: 153,000
w/e 27th February 2022: 141,000
w/e 20th February 2022: 114,000
w/e 13th February 2022: 154,109*
w/e 6th February 2022: 139,000
w/e 30th January 2022: 84,000
w/e 23rd January 2022: 120,000
w/e 16th January 2022: 127,000
w/e 9th January 2022: 129,000

*includes mobile, tablet and PC viewership.

Something has caused the viewership of Dynamite to crater in the last 2 weeks on ITV. From the high of the 8h April episode to the 22nd, 56% of people didn't want to come back. I was thinking Easter holiday maybe, but rather than rebound viewership went down again the following week.

Would the lack of Cody Rhodes be having that much of an impact? Though the last time he featured was on the January 28th episode, which was ironically the second lowest ep this year.

[kazanova_Frankenstein]

Probably unrelated, but for me the ITV hub ads as so intrusive now I have given up trying to watch the show. They are literally every 10 minutes and run for several minutes each time. And worse still, if you stop watching at any point you get another set of ads when resuming, which can lead to back to back adverts. I just don't have the patience for it.

I don't remember it being this bad until the last week or two.

On the other hand, Dark Side of the Ring on More 4 has barely any adverts, and for some reason the episode I watched the other night has none at all!

[captain red dog]

For me, AEW just seems to be treading water with too many of their home grown talent. MJF for example feels like he has really cooled off. They keep repeating the same story with him over and over, where he gets into a feud, his opponent has to beat all his mates first, MJF wins the first match and the babyface gets revenge later.

He is their top heel and needs to be in the title picture sooner or later.

They also do a pretty poor job having a babyface champion. Not to mention that the TNT belts feel meaningless.

Also, bringing in belts from other promotions has really diluted things. Like why should I care about any of these belts or who holds them. The AEW titles should be seen on their TV as the most prestigious in the world.

[Johnny Ryall]

2K22 really reset things if anyone is looking for a good wrestling game. Probably the one I’ve enjoyed most since 13. They have finally binned the awful submission and pin mini games.

[Cumberdanes]

Tammy Sytch has been arrested for DUI manslaughter after a car crash that killed a 75 year old man.

I remember when she was inducted into the hall of fame, it looked she’d got her life back on track looking fit and healthy after years of personal issues but it seems since then her life has been a bit of a mess.

[KK]

If you watched the WWF in 96/97 she was definitely the one all the fans wanted (as her theme music said).

WWE has a PPV tonight and they think so much of it, that the WWE Title, both Men’s Tag Team Championships, Intercontinental, US, and Women’s RAW and Tag Team titles aren’t even being defended on it.

Instead, on the announced 6 match card, they’ve just booked 4 WrestleMania rematches, a six man tag that should be main eventing RAW, and Happy Corbin vs Madcap Moss which should be on Heat…if it was still around.

If you order the WWE Network today however you do also get Hell in a Cell on June 5 included for your £9.99. Money in the Bank and SummerSlam are also close enough together. Nothing scheduled at all for August.

[GrinWithoutaKat]

Found my old WWE Championship 98-02 replica belt in my parents house, and made the mistake of checking the current state of replica belts. I'm now genuinely tempted to buy a WCW/World Heavyweight title one so I can walk around the house like Jericho when he was undisputed champion.

[Cumberdanes]

Ric Flair is trending on Twitter right now. He recently confirmed he’s coming back for one last match July 31st for Jim Crockett Promotions… when did that become a thing again? No words on who his opponent will be. Hopefully it’ll be a good worker that will look after him and not make this look like a complete train wreck.

[tomvek]

Ric Flair is trending on Twitter right now. He recently confirmed he’s coming back for one last match July 31st for Jim Crockett Promotions… when did that become a thing again? No words on who his opponent will be. Hopefully it’ll be a good worker that will look after him and not make this look like a complete train wreck.

Noticed that too and thought the worst. Had a look around and saw he'd posted this vid:

twitter.com/RicFlairNatrBoy/status/1524374475298545664

I really wish he wasn't doing this considering his age and recent health problems, but the draw of another moment in the ring is a hard thing for these guys to give up. I just hope they keep it really safe and don't try anything stupid.

Found my old WWE Championship 98-02 replica belt in my parents house, and made the mistake of checking the current state of replica belts. I'm now genuinely tempted to buy a WCW/World Heavyweight title one so I can walk around the house like Jericho when he was undisputed champion.

Do it dude, you know it makes sense! GrinWithoutaKat, the true undisputed champion of grcade

[Jam-Master Jay]

Can't think of any wrestlers I would trust to safely carry Ric Flair in a match at his age and health status.

[ITSMILNER]

Word is it’s a 6 man tag with Flair teaming with FTR vs Rock n Roll Express and a mystery partner.

[tomvek]

Naomi, Banks Walk Out of Raw Taping

The main event for tonight's Monday Night Raw broadcast changed at the last minute to Becky Lynch vs. Asuka after two talents walked out late in the day as Raw went on the air in Norfolk, Virginia.

The word making the rounds backstage at the taping is that Sasha Banks took issue with some of the planned creative for the original main event, a Raw Six Pack Challenge to determine Bianca Belair's next challenger at Hell in A Cell. Banks had a meeting with Vince McMahon and the belief among those we've heard from is that when McMahon didn't choose to change direction on the plans, Banks wouldn't back down on her issues and made the decision to leave the taping.

Naomi, her WWE Women's Tag Team Championship partner, left with Banks, even though she was also booked in the main event match.

WWE quickly shot several new segments with Adam Pearce and Becky Lynch to instead set up Asuka vs. Lynch as the new main event.

This is a developing story, so there may be additional updates.

https://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=158986

Word is it’s a 6 man tag with Flair teaming with FTR vs Rock n Roll Express and a mystery partner.

I suppose that's slightly better than a 1v1 match. Still much prefer he stayed retired.

[kazanova_Frankenstein]

Ric Flair is trending on Twitter right now. He recently confirmed he’s coming back for one last match July 31st for Jim Crockett Promotions… when did that become a thing again? No words on who his opponent will be. Hopefully it’ll be a good worker that will look after him and not make this look like a complete train wreck.

Goldberg should do.

[KK]

Naomi, Banks Walk Out of Raw Taping

The main event for tonight's Monday Night Raw broadcast changed at the last minute to Becky Lynch vs. Asuka after two talents walked out late in the day as Raw went on the air in Norfolk, Virginia.

The word making the rounds backstage at the taping is that Sasha Banks took issue with some of the planned creative for the original main event, a Raw Six Pack Challenge to determine Bianca Belair's next challenger at Hell in A Cell. Banks had a meeting with Vince McMahon and the belief among those we've heard from is that when McMahon didn't choose to change direction on the plans, Banks wouldn't back down on her issues and made the decision to leave the taping.

Naomi, her WWE Women's Tag Team Championship partner, left with Banks, even though she was also booked in the main event match.

WWE quickly shot several new segments with Adam Pearce and Becky Lynch to instead set up Asuka vs. Lynch as the new main event.

This is a developing story, so there may be additional updates.

https://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=158986

Otherwise known as pulling a Steve Austin.

[GrinWithoutaKat]

They've released the hotel packages for the Cardiff Event, and the cheapest package is 2500 per person, and you have to buy 2 tickets at a time. It's rows 1-4, and you get a fan reception at the hotel plus a 'WWE Welcome Gift', then tickets to the Superfan Event Experience on the friday.

I live near enough that I don't need a hotel, but now I'm wondering what the heck the break down is on that.

Edit: The lowest option currently available is a seat on the pitch and access to the fan event for £700. I do not think I'll be going. The fan event won't have wrestlers at either, it's just priority entry to the stadium and trivia contests so I can't imagine a ticket without that will be significantly cheaper.

[Cumberdanes]

Ric Flair is trending on Twitter right now. He recently confirmed he’s coming back for one last match July 31st for Jim Crockett Promotions… when did that become a thing again? No words on who his opponent will be. Hopefully it’ll be a good worker that will look after him and not make this look like a complete train wreck.

Goldberg should do.

To be perfectly honest I wouldn’t be surprised if it was some sort of Texas Deathmatch affair with Nick Gage twatting an old man with light tubes.

[KK]

They've released the hotel packages for the Cardiff Event, and the cheapest package is 2500 per person, and you have to buy 2 tickets at a time. It's rows 1-4, and you get a fan reception at the hotel plus a 'WWE Welcome Gift', then tickets to the Superfan Event Experience on the friday.

I live near enough that I don't need a hotel, but now I'm wondering what the heck the break down is on that.

Edit: The lowest option currently available is a seat on the pitch and access to the fan event for £700. I do not think I'll be going. The fan event won't have wrestlers at either, it's just priority entry to the stadium and trivia contests so I can't imagine a ticket without that will be significantly cheaper.

I honestly can't believe some of these prices. I've been to the Wimbledon Tennis Semi Finals on Centre Court with superb seats and dining that don't even come close. In fact, if I purchased tickets Clash at the Castle would be the most expensive event I'd ever attended.

I remember when PowerSlam magazine went to the US and a good ticket to SmackDown cost them 20 bucks!

I guess for those general sale £150-200 tickets you'd best take binoculars.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

They've released the hotel packages for the Cardiff Event, and the cheapest package is 2500 per person, and you have to buy 2 tickets at a time. It's rows 1-4, and you get a fan reception at the hotel plus a 'WWE Welcome Gift', then tickets to the Superfan Event Experience on the friday.

I live near enough that I don't need a hotel, but now I'm wondering what the heck the break down is on that.

Edit: The lowest option currently available is a seat on the pitch and access to the fan event for £700. I do not think I'll be going. The fan event won't have wrestlers at either, it's just priority entry to the stadium and trivia contests so I can't imagine a ticket without that will be significantly cheaper.

I honestly can't believe some of these prices. I've been to the Wimbledon Tennis Semi Finals on Centre Court with superb seats and dining that don't even come close. In fact, if I purchased tickets Clash at the Castle would be the most expensive event I'd ever attended.

I remember when PowerSlam magazine went to the US and a good ticket to SmackDown cost them 20 bucks!

I guess for those general sale £150-200 tickets you'd best take binoculars.

This is ridiculous. You think it was for a major show like summerslam with a proper axxess event thrown in etc.. I'm not even expecting the show to have any decent surprises or ramifications on storylines. It will likely be insignificant in the wider WWE landscape.

We've waited all these years for a stadium event in the UK and this just seems to suck.

The fact that no prices have been revealed for the tickets going on sale tomorrow is also a kick in the teeth to people trying to judge whether they want to try to get tickets.

My son and nephew want to go so we are going to try to get tickets and make our minds up based on the price which will likely leave us just minutes to decide whether to purchase or not.

[captain red dog]

If prices for gooseberry fool seats are near £100 then I'll probably not bother and wait for the next Raw or Smackdown taping. Stadium shows are great mainly to just say you were there, but the atmosphere I find generally tends to completely suck compared to smaller arenas.

Best atmosphere I've had was back in about 2011 when WWE were at Minehead doing a small house show. But we had Punk and Cena on the card and the atmosphere was incredible.

[kerr9000]

Word is it’s a 6 man tag with Flair teaming with FTR vs Rock n Roll Express and a mystery partner.

Id do a legends classic over the rope battle royal and have flair win so he doesn't have to go over the rope and gets to celebrate in the ring after..