The Wrestling Thread: WWE WrestleMania XL - 6/7 April 2024

[Johnny Ryall]

Gonna watch it on fite tonight when my gf gets back from her parents.

I've always been a WWE defender usually but they seem to be going through another lame era reminiscent of the early 90s while AEW are getting over massively with fans.

Doesn't feel that long ago that Smackdown Live on Tuesday nights was doing really well but I guess that was like 4 years ago now.

[KK]

I decided to check out the PLEX app tonight and I was just scrolling through all the channels, and aside from it being just like old-school cable (Maury Povich, anyone?) I stumbled upon iMPACT TV, which by the looks of it airs round the clock archive of TNA. Currently find myself watching Lockdown from 2005. The opening bout between Apolo and Sonny Siaki vs Chris Candido and Lance Hoyt (Lance Archer in AEW) and there's literally a cameraman, decked out in hockey gear, filming the thing inside the ring at the same time the match is going on, the wrestlers effectively having to dance around him. It's the wackiest thing. Then about 2 minutes in Candido suffers a leg injury and has to be taken out of the cage. I then suddenly remembered that this was actually his final match, as he tragically died 3 or 4 days later from a blood clot.

Prior to the match starting they also showed Kevin Nash backstage with a staph infection on his leg, ruling him out of the main event.

[KK]

If you want to watch/record AEW Dynamite in HD and don't subscribe to Sky or Fite, full episodes are now available every week on ITV1. Next episode is Wednesday 15th December at
11:45pm, and then Monday 20th December at 11:40pm. Must be performing better than expected for ITV to have given them an additional hour on the main channel. Limited commercial interruptions too.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

If you want to watch/record AEW Dynamite in HD and don't subscribe to Sky or Fite, full episodes are now available every week on ITV1. Next episode is Wednesday 15th December at
11:45pm, and then Monday 20th December at 11:40pm. Must be performing better than expected for ITV to have given them an additional hour on the main channel. Limited commercial interruptions too.

I didn’t even realise it had gone onto itv 1 that is good news.

[KK]

Yeah, they used to air a 1 hour condensed version (usually opening segment/match, a match, and the main event) whereas now they've removed one of their own repeat programmes and given it over to AEW. Will be interesting to see if they go a step further in 2022 and decide to trial it directly after the news, or pick up Rampage.

'Give Eric Bischoff Tony Khan 2 hours on TNT ITV1'

[ITSMILNER]

Jeff Hardy has been released by WWE, word is he is having issues again and refused help/rehab WWE were offering so they have let him go

[KK]

He just walked out of a house show mid-match the other day. While I'm sure AEW would now love to have him, they risk a TNA type situation again if he can't overcome his problems. This has been an ongoing thing for years.

[kerr9000]

He just walked out of a house show mid-match the other day. While I'm sure AEW would now love to have him, they risk a TNA type situation again if he can't overcome his problems. This has been an ongoing thing for years.

Id low ball him on some kind of legends type contract, come wave at the crowd, sign a few autographs don't wrestle , I just don't think its worth trusting him , but it would be good to have the rights to him for video games etc.

[KK]

[Reavus]

Some good news from Jim Ross

twitter.com/JRsBBQ/status/1476233642695598081

[gaminglegend]

Toni Storm has asked for and been granted her release. If there's anyone whose a star or would be a top WWE star, it's her. So strange

[KK]

Great news on JR.

Toni Storm was really popular with the crowd on NXT UK, still pretty popular on NXT, and then was booked horribly and didn’t really connect with the crowd on SmackDown. First WWE announced she was coming to SD, then didn’t use her for weeks, used her in a random backstage “Hi” segment with Dolph Ziggler, continued to do nothing with her, and then finally put her in a feud with Flair where she appeared a little nervous, got pied in the face, and was made to look ridiculous. I mean just how bad can you write a debuting character for Christ sake. Hopefully she turns up in AEW.

Talking of which, ITV has picked up Rampage at long last. Debuts next week on ITV4 (Tuesday at 11:05pm) and ITV (Thursday at 11:40pm). Also on the ITV Hub. For ITV to turn over 3 hours of their main channel to AEW indicates it must be performing much better in a key metric over their usual repeat programming.

[gaminglegend]

Great news on JR.

Toni Storm was really popular with the crowd on NXT UK, still pretty popular on NXT, and then was booked horribly and didn’t really connect with the crowd on SmackDown. First WWE announced she was coming to SD, then didn’t use her for weeks, used her in a random backstage “Hi” segment with Dolph Ziggler, continued to do nothing with her, and then finally put her in a feud with Flair where she appeared a little nervous, got pied in the face, and was made to look ridiculous. I mean just how bad can you write a debuting character for Christ sake. Hopefully she turns up in AEW.

Talking of which, ITV has picked up Rampage at long last. Debuts next week on ITV4 (Tuesday at 11:05pm) and ITV (Thursday at 11:40pm). Also on the ITV Hub. For ITV to turn over 3 hours of their main channel to AEW indicates it must be performing much better in a key metric over their usual repeat programming.

she was all over the UK indie scene and Europe to be fair before she came into WWE, she was a big player before WWE. She'd be great in AEW.

[captain red dog]

It's amazing to see NXT failing so spectacularly ever since Vince had that visit there earlier in the year. The old NXT was actually working, they had some amazing talent coming through, it was when they got to the main roster where the problem were, because the Hollywood writing team and Vince didn't have a clue.

You only have to look at the great talent AEW have got out of it.

I pray Walter gets released and goes to AEW. Nothing would be worse for him than a call up to Raw or SD.

[gaminglegend]

Jeff Hardy has been released by WWE, word is he is having issues again and refused help/rehab WWE were offering so they have let him go

I’ve only just seen this what a shame.

[gaminglegend]

Jeff Hardy has been released by WWE, word is he is having issues again and refused help/rehab WWE were offering so they have let him go

I’ve only just seen this what a shame.

[Dig Dug]

twitter.com/TonyKhan/status/1477071736726245376

He shouldn't be tweeting this but I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it funny.

[KK]

WWE kicking off the new year with a PPV tonight. Have absolutely no idea what the card is beyond Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns again but maybe they'll put on a decent show.

[Mafro]

twitter.com/TonyKhan/status/1477071736726245376

He shouldn't be tweeting this but I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it funny.

The promo at the end

[KK]

I have no doubt that at some point he’s going to become a regular recurring character on TV. And he’s going to get put through a table.