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

[KK]

Impressed by how quickly they've already got stables and factions set up, which I think in the past is when wrestling has been at its very best.

Hopefully ITV are a bit more with it this week in getting the show uploaded on time.

[captain red dog]

Can confirm ITV had it up by 7:30pm and it appeared to be unedited. I felt it was a better show than week 1, but the viewing figures were lower.

There were a few quiet spots for the crowd. I feel they need slightly more in ring promos or interview spots with Shiavone or something. Nothing too drastic, but they need those spots to get some familiarity with some of the wrestlers. Jericho's promo was awesome in putting over his team, and AEW as a whole.

[KK]

I just want Tony Schiavone to interview Chris Jericho and to call him Skiavone again for old times sake.

[captain red dog]

Such a hot crowd response on Dynamite to all the major angles. Jericho's promo was just masterful in how he worked the crowd. Cody is a red hot face at the moment and an excellent guy to get the heat on Jericho. MJF worked the crowd superbly too, it's great how he can back the biggest babyface in the industry but still be seen as such a red hot heel.

Hangman Page needs a bit of rehab, but I still think they could work it in a decent direction that sees him finally top Jericho once all of the Elite have failed.

[Rog]

I honestly don't understand Page. He seems dull to me.

[Prototype]

I honestly don't understand Page. He seems dull to me.

As Bryan Alvarez pointed out, there's literally no story behind why he dresses as a cowboy.

None.

[KK]

I like to think they basically went 'who can we get to look a bit like Barry Windham or Bobby Duncum Jr...he'll do'

[Return_of_the_STAR]

Jesus they are possibly the two worst press conferences I’ve ever seen.

[KK]

The dead crowd makes it.

[tomvek]

Those were awful. Trying to go all UFC/Boxing build just didn't work at all, especially with that silence Still can't believe they're doing the Lesnar Vs Velasquez at Crown Jewel. Should have built that one for Mania at least.

[KK]

With Cain being signed for a multi-year deal, unless it’s another complete disaster (and Crown Jewel does at the moment have a shocking track record of being terrible) I bet they’re going to do another Lesnar match. Cain will win one, Lesnar will win one...and then they’ll do another one after that!

For the American audience these CJ shows are even worse, whether on PPV or the Network because the start times are like slap bang in the middle of the working day. And this one is on Halloween night.

I mean strawberry float, doing a PPV on Halloween and it not being Halloween Havoc.

[KK]

This SmackDown intro really is great, but I’ve noticed Michael Cole is now more sedate in opening the show. It’s like they’ve now issued a new directive that they can’t be too excited on commentary to start the show on FOX or something.

- RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch drafted to...RAW.
- SmackDown superstar Roman Reigns drafted to...SmackDown.
- RAW superstars The O.C drafted to...RAW
- RAW superstar “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt drafted to SmackDown
- Drew McIntyre drafted to RAW
- Randy Orton drafted to RAW
- Sasha Banks drafted to SmackDown
- Ricochet drafted to RAW
- Braun Strowman drafted to SmackDown
- Bobby Lashley drafted to RAW.
- Alexa Bliss drafted to RAW
- Lacey Evans drafted to SmackDown
- Kevin Owens drafted to RAW
- SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Revival drafted to SmackDown
- Natalya drafted to RAW
- The Viking Raiders drafted to RAW
- Lucha House Party drafted to SmackDown
- Nikki Cross drafted to RAW
- Heavy Machinery drafted to SmackDown
- The Street Profits drafted to RAW.

These staged FOX and USA executive ‘War Rooms’ are hilarious! Made them out to be the biggest group of dorks you’ve ever seen.

[CuriousOyster]

Stephs standing reading from a card is absolutely enthralling. Bring back the bingo machine.

The War Rooms, jesus.

I know AEW is new and exciting but bloody hell the crowds are ten times louder than this wake.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

The tv executive war room scenes are awful. They come across like a sketch show scene.

There was literally no impact whatsoever for those first five draft picks with Steph reading them out.

Also did I miss something, are Rollins and Lesnar not eligible for the draft? If they are why on earth would they have not been picked at the start in order to get a champion on your show?

[CuriousOyster]

The tv executive war room scenes are awful. They come across like a sketch show scene.

There was literally no impact whatsoever for those first five draft picks with Steph reading them out.

Also did I miss something, are Rollins and Lesnar not eligible for the draft? If they are why on earth would they have not been picked at the start in order to get a champion on your show?

Both are in the pot for Raws draft on Monday. Overly complicated....until it comes to reading cards out.

[KK]

The upper deck tarped off as well. So in that regards it’s the same old SD.

I can’t believe how cringe they’ve made the executives to be. One of them even got the party poppers out for Reigns. And they appear to have stuck the USA Network in a large messy cupboard...

[Return_of_the_STAR]

The tv executive war room scenes are awful. They come across like a sketch show scene.

There was literally no impact whatsoever for those first five draft picks with Steph reading them out.

Also did I miss something, are Rollins and Lesnar not eligible for the draft? If they are why on earth would they have not been picked at the start in order to get a champion on your show?

Both are in the pot for Raws draft on Monday. Overly complicated....until it comes to reading cards out.

I completely forgot there was a separate pool for raw

[KK]

In this roster of tosspots and general silliness, Lesnar is the only one that still looks legit the moment he shows up.

Never really felt this previously, but WWE suddenly feels very corporate in a way it never has before. Right on down to the well behaved, flat crowd.

You only have to look at the ratings compared to AEW to see how WWE has almost completely lost touch with the under 50.

[KK]

Kofi lost the WWE Championship last week in 8 seconds, why isn’t he thoroughly PISSED OFF?!

[CuriousOyster]

https://comicbook.com/wwe/2019/10/12/ww ... pool-list/

Spoilers if watching and want to see draft order. But yeah, that is bizarre.

Not sure what these FOX sports lads are even talking about, but good for them.