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

[gaminglegend]

The nostalgia hit hard for that Edge entrance last night.

[Slimgrady]

My god, that was a goosebump inducing reaction, I will be snapping that new CM Punk ringer shirt up once the website is working anyone ordered a tee from AEW’s shop before? They have something called global AEW store, I wonder if it’s UK based or at least close enough that I won’t get stung on import charges or anything.

I just ordered it! I went pwtees because they have the proper ringer shirt, for some reason AEWs global shop just has a plain white tee version of it, kinda looks like a knockoff.
The global shop is Spain based, got one tee off them before, good quality and relatively quick. Can’t remember about charges.

Yeah I noticed that they just had a plain version of it on the global store, I’ll try PWTee’s instead

I see they’re only offering the white tee version now too! Punk must be moving Messi numbers

[Fade]

They said they've ran out of ringer shirts so they're just selling the design on everything now

[captain red dog]

WWE just seem to book from hour to hour. The whole Becky thing has gone from aping Stone Cold Steve Austin to Hogan at WM9. I think she will get away with it with the fans and not get booed, as it wasn't at her insistence and people will just be glad to have her back.

I actually like Brock's new look. I could be wrong but it looks like he needs to work out, his physique looks like Bray Wyatt at the moment. He has time I guess, as I can't see him wrestling until Survivor Series.

Definitely agree with KK on TNT. They probably can't believe their luck in getting AEW so cheap and having a promotion that is growing extremely well and is now a legit alternative option to WWE. They won't have some of the pulling power of WWE due to them owning basically most of the history of wrestling, and just having so much content to rely on.

However, that could be a bubble that bursts soon. None of WWE's content after around 2011 is particularly valuable, and AEW are doing a pretty decent job of signing up the legends and giving them actually decent roles. WWE are basically profitable on their back catalogue in my opinion. The number of legends they can call on is now pretty limited. Only Rock, Austin and Cena seem able to really push the needle.

Edit: Credit for the unique set at Summerslam. Haven't seen a curved aisle like that in years, and it was great how close the fans were as the 'sports entertainers' walked down.

[KK]

2.1 million views for the return of Brock on YouTube, and a surprisingly low 900,000 for Becky Lynch.

[captain red dog]

The annoying thing with the Becky return is if they cut the Alexa gooseberry fool and the wasted time with Carmella, they could have actually done a decent match.

I don't know if it's the acoustics of a big stadium, but it's really weird to not really have an atmosphere for those returns.

[Corazon de Leon]

"Videos page 295"

Thread is on page 294...

[gaminglegend]

The annoying thing with the Becky return is if they cut the Alexa gooseberry fool and the wasted time with Carmella, they could have actually done a decent match.

I don't know if it's the acoustics of a big stadium, but it's really weird to not really have an atmosphere for those returns.

The Becky return was ridiculous. They did it to keep things ‘exciting’ and that anything can happen so to speak, and get talk after the PPV to take away from Punks debut I imagine.

But to just destroy Bianca like that.. I wonder if it may actually turn fans against Becky. It was stupid and now if everyone Bianca faced beforehand just looks stupidly weak when Becky can stroll in and win within a few seconds.

[coldspice]

"Videos page 295"

Thread is on page 294...

Classic pro wrestling hype building

[Return_of_the_STAR]

I like how people are saying WWE have brought back Lesnar in panic to Punk going to AEW. Yet there have been rumours for months that WWE was going for something big at Summerslam.

[KK]

"Videos page 295"

Thread is on page 294...

Thread is 297 pages for me. Alexa Bliss magic.

Just seen than it looks like Adam Cole is now off to AEW as well.

[teh bork]

It is going to take a lot to top WALTER v Dragunov as match of the year for me.

[Prototype]

1.1m viewers. They almost tied Smackdown in the key demo.

Punk is not a needle-shifter though.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

1.1m viewers. They almost tied Smackdown in the key demo.

Punk is not a needle-shifter though.

Well show was up from 700k the week before. The interesting impact will be dynamite on Wednesday.

twitter.com/whatsdev/status/1429900184935403526

[KK]

I think it’s referring to some comments Roman Reigns made a few days ago in regards to CM Punk not moving the needle like The Rock, which has now led into this tweet…

twitter.com/WWERomanReigns/status/1430173377847771148

[gaminglegend]

There was a mental stat I read earlier about how something like 1 in 60 households with access watched Punk in the Chicago area.

[KK]

How they were dealing with it all in the production truck:

[captain red dog]

Dynamite did 1.14m in the US. They've got to be pleased with that. Punk has definitely given them a significant ratings boost, now its all down to if they can capitalise. They need to start teasing Bryan I feel. Punk basically went off script and teased him last night, but they need another longish hype build.

Damn, thinking about it, they could hype Bryan for Sept, and then start hyping Rotunda for October and Halloween! I'd draw the line at that for WWE acquisitions unless they can get Braun on a decent deal.

[KK]

Bit of a by-the-numbers episode of AEW last night I thought. I could understand sticking loads of ex WWE performers on the show as you’d be expecting a number of WWE or lapsed fans to be tuning in and they’d then see familiar faces like a Chris Jericho, Matt Hardy and The Giant in addition to Punk and hopefully stick around to see what else was happening, but quite a bit of the programme just felt flat (especially the ending) and therefore C-level filler.

Whether WWE now does anything with Lesnar and Lynch on what should be a big SmackDown remains to be seen but you’d expect some major storyline progression.

That’s not to say AEW dropped the ball for this episode, they just did nothing with the ball. It is worth pointing out neither did WCW on the Nitro following Bash at the Beach 1996.

What wrestling needs and rarely pulls off these days though is an overarching narrative. Just like any good drama or movie, there’s a show long story that hooks you in and keeps the viewer engaged throughout. WWE has been pretty good with this on SmackDown in the last few months in regards to Roman Reigns and company but it then just fizzles out and goes nowhere which is equally frustrating. RAW, which at 3 hours is most in need of a beginning, middle and end often has naff all.

[Prototype]

What would you have done differently last night KK? Surely the PPV is the payoff?