Pro Wrestling! (For Everything WWE, Impact, Indies, AEW, & Japan !) 2021

[BigLbo]

My big problem with a nostalgic revisit of Danielson vs Nigel is that we already got like 7 ROH classics with these two versus each other (and they're unlikely to top any of those). It seems too safe/conservative a last match (which is perhaps exactly what Nigel seeks, that familiarity). I'd love to see Nigel work a last match with someone who could offer something new and different against him.....like PAC, Kenny, a NJPW star, Punk, etc....somebody Nigel might have faced in 2005-2009 but back then maybe wasn't ready to meet his level or just missed out on wrestling him (Kenny, PAC, etc fit this).

Seeing Nigel wrestle again will be a huge mark out moment for me though. He's a top favorite of mine. Even his lesser matches were often very entertaining.

zsj would be a good match up for him i think. if not him probably one of the highflyers that can bump big for him. maybe sammy to get him back to being a heel.

[Immortal Weapon]

True...but the element of surprise was there. I think they would have left Punk's deal a surprise return at the show had the ticket sales been better. But they waited too long and all to get people hooked. So with 2-3 weeks to go they wanna get more sold now. (the will he or won't he didn't help online)

A surprise to who? Punk's return has been the worst kept secret in wrestling. They are better off announcing the return and hope to get a rating and attendance spike.

[JBatmanFan05]

zsj would be a good match up for him i think. if not him probably one of the highflyers that can bump big for him. maybe sammy to get him back to being a heel.

Yeah, ZSJ would be much more interesting for me. Nigel and ZSJ worked a similar style, gained a similar reputation for technical work. (Nigel ref'd a ZSJ match in 2013 apparently)

[JBatmanFan05]

A surprise to who? Punk's return has been the worst kept secret in wrestling. They are better off announcing the return and hope to get a rating and attendance spike.

Yes, considering AEW has attendance issues already in some areas, announcing the return was the right move here. Can't leave anyone in doubt that they need to tune in to Collision or buy that ticket.

Punk's return is both a) not a surprise in one sense, but also b) was not certain giving the available wrestling news since Punk has been in so much trouble and is such a difficult stubborn employee.

[choptop]

i'm pretty much with that. a little nostalgia is cool and all but when i'm watching aew i want it to feel like i'm watching aew in 2023 not ecw in the 90's, memphis in the 70's, wwe in the 80's, tna in.........ever.

pretty bummed about the punk stuff, really did not miss him at all. anybody know when his contract is up??


bandido's chespirito/el chapulin colorado ring gear was the highlight of dynamite.

You never liked TNA? Even what it was bad the hulk era It still wasn't the worst thing ever I think it just became popular to hate in my opinion

[JBatmanFan05]

You never liked TNA? Even what it was bad the hulk era It still wasn't the worst thing ever I think it just became popular to hate in my opinion

While I can throw my fair share of casual hate toward TNA (which is deserved IMHO), the Styles/Joe/Daniels/Angle portions of TNA history can't be taken away from them.

[Immortal Weapon]

Cody Rhodes is still in AEW Fight Forever. It's crazy to think Cody will be in two new wrestling games in the same calendar year.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

If Fight Forever was still being delayed I would have laughed if Cody had left....and returned to AEW in 2025 or 2026. Lol

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Don Callis is so good. He legit sells his heel turn on Kenny Omega to a point where...it's Kenny's fault.

"I saw us as a modern day Heenan and Bockwinkel. Instead Kenny wants to waste time with the 3 Stooges."

[MacrossPlus]

You never liked TNA? Even what it was bad the hulk era It still wasn't the worst thing ever I think it just became popular to hate in my opinion

Pretty much, thankfully, the promotion has been on a good streak in recent years

[BigLbo]

You never liked TNA? Even what it was bad the hulk era It still wasn't the worst thing ever I think it just became popular to hate in my opinion

i liked tna for what it was at different points. it's ALWAYS been a place you could see good talents but usually not see those talents used as well as other places. **** i went to a tna show in bakersfield and saw tanahashi lose in a 3way match with sonjay dutt and whatever creed/xavier woods. and this was in fukn 2008!! i also went to another show in visalia, wouldn't have went to the shows if i never liked tna.

i don't think it's popular to hate impact, i think impact is pretty much under the radar at this point.

so i was being a little dramatic but for the most part yeah, when i watch aew if i'm reminded of tna it's not a good thing.

While I can throw my fair share of casual hate toward TNA (which is deserved IMHO), the Styles/Joe/Daniels/Angle portions of TNA history can't be taken away from them.

i think impact's best overall and most consistent period was shortly after lucha underground folded and a lot of talent came over for a stint.

the thing with tna was most of the time, whatever good had they had going on they usually had something equally horrible happening at the same time. hot x-division, shitty man events, good main event shitty overbooked finish.

i tried watching the last impact ppv and grace vs deonna & sabin vs miguel were pretty good but not much to see there really and the show closes with an angle between bully ray and scott deamore. no thanks. oh and burt macklin is world champion.

[JBatmanFan05]

the thing with tna was most of the time, whatever good had they had going on they usually had something equally horrible happening at the same time. hot x-division, shitty main events, good main event shitty overbooked finish.

Pretty true fair criticism. That's how it was in the Asylum Years and early 2005-2011 Impact-era.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

TNA was like any company that had good and bad. The one issue they had early was they were often thrown insane curve balls. Like a guy lying about PPV numbers they drew and nearly collapsed the company without Dixie Carter's parents buying in.

People would point at Jarrett being World Champion then. But it was done for a couple reasons from 2002 to 2006. The NWA was one who had to approve title switches. This would leave TNA in a spot til they established their own championship years later.

Then you had Shamrock up and leave. So with money issues TNA did the territory idea awhile. You knew Jeff Jarrett Ala Nick Bockwinkel would never leave the company. So he became the safe heel to book there awhile. (And let's be honest he was good at being a heel champion)

Talent wise TNA had young roster from 2002. AJ got a run in 2003 and many felt then it wasn't good or he was ready. Raven should have gotten a run then for sure. Abyss wasn't ready.

Once the company for sure had money coming in from Spike TV they were able to do 3 things. 1 sign bigger names and move on from NWA. And Jarrett went to a backstage role more as we saw.

[Immortal Weapon]

Braun Strowman had neck fusion surgery. He will be gone for the rest of the year.

https://twitter.com/WrestlingNewsCo/...bjZa_m82Q&s=19

[MacrossPlus]

i liked tna for what it was at different points. it's ALWAYS been a place you could see good talents but usually not see those talents used as well as other places. **** i went to a tna show in bakersfield and saw tanahashi lose in a 3way match with sonjay dutt and whatever creed/xavier woods. and this was in fukn 2008!! i also went to another show in visalia, wouldn't have went to the shows if i never liked tna.

i don't think it's popular to hate impact, i think impact is pretty much under the radar at this point.

so i was being a little dramatic but for the most part yeah, when i watch aew if i'm reminded of tna it's not a good thing.



i think impact's best overall and most consistent period was shortly after lucha underground folded and a lot of talent came over for a stint.

the thing with tna was most of the time, whatever good had they had going on they usually had something equally horrible happening at the same time. hot x-division, shitty man events, good main event shitty overbooked finish.

i tried watching the last impact ppv and grace vs deonna & sabin vs miguel were pretty good but not much to see there really and the show closes with an angle between bully ray and scott deamore. no thanks. oh and burt macklin is world champion.

That Match between Maclin and PCO was an absolute bloodbath and I'm pretty sure we're gonna get Steve Maclin vs. Nick Aldis at Slammiversary