aew 2021: don callis’s sunglass game is on point

britt vs. rosa was something else. still thinking about it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLgz8YsO9LI

i'm reposting it here. i don't think i've ever rewatched a wrestling match this many times before

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-oZyO3nP3w

this week's bte is crucial

Aw man, I'm glad to see John Silver get a shot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvzWdCiWJ4U

I am sad to hear that he dislocated his shoulder during this match! Here's to hoping that it's not too serious. It would be too sad if both he and Anna Jay were benched with shoulder injuries.

he’s out for 4-6 weeks. no surgery needed phew

That is a relief. In times like that, it's good that they have Being the Elite, so people can still stay engaged with someone, even when not actively able to compete.

Also, I am curious about this upcoming "Rhodes to the Top" reality show. I wonder how many opportunities there will be to see people outside of kayfabe, since wrestling is just so ingrained in their lives. Maybe we see some appearances from wrestlers in other promotions? I've never really gotten that much into any of the reality tv shows, but I'm interested in the potential for more behind the scenes content with this one.

There is 100% no chance a WWE person is on it. Other promotions will be fine, that is basically their whole thing right now

I'm secretly hoping we see maybe a few people from ROH, maybe one or two people from the L.A. side of NJPW maybe. There have been a few who have done a few AEW matches (I'm looking at you, Danny Limelight).

I can imagine maybe Adam Cole shows up somewhere in the background, as he has been known to do in a lot of social media postings. Maybe also Chelsea Green. But you're right in that there will likely be no WWE folks with significant screentime.

Would also love to see them at the Nightmare Factory; Marty the Moth has been spending some time there lately, and I've missed that dude a ton since Lucha Underground ended.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2hjXKRuHVY

elevation was SO good this week, and also 2.5 hours long

feel like i say this all the time but this week's episode is really excellent. a lot of storylines getting advanced... and colliding (re: matt hardy)

I’ve got some free time over the next week and I’ve been hoping to catch up, I hear there was a great Brett baker match I need to check out and... lol it’s mania week? Fucking hell I really wouldn’t have noticed if my free time was in 2 weeks.

Mania week has sure snuck up on a lot of us. I think AEW is running a non-televised show sometime this weekend?

Hell of a finish on last night's show, though. I feel like I should have seen it coming as soon as I saw the matchup, but it took me until within the match to realize what would happen hah.

I hear there was a great Brett baker match I need to check out

britt vs. thunder rosa remains must-see-tv, i might rewatch that match again now

My bad on spelling her name wrong. Spent my free time listening to the daft punk live album 2 times in a row and then riding my bike, so still behind ;_;

It's all good, dude.

Over the last year, Britt really has become one of the best heels in the promotion. Great match, great character work in the match. That Role Model shirt is great.

HOLY FUCK THUNDER ROSA BRITT BAKER IS THE BEST MATCH IVE SEEN IN YEARS

yeah!!!!

At first I was unsure. Rebel especially looked like she didn’t really know what she was doing. But by the time they crashed passed a fist bumping Billy Gunn and starting the thumb tacks out, I was so hooked. I bet Stone Cold was proud of that crimson mask too

That AEW house show looked hella fun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AWeeFiHm0o

about 40-45 minutes into this week's elevation is kensuke takeshita's aew debut, fighting against danny limelight. it's... really worth watching

konosuke takeshita*

wow i really tried not to fuck his name up lol

also this is a really good episode of elevation so feel free to watch the whole thing

that takeshita/limelight match indeed starts about exactly 40 minutes into that youtube video. i just rewatched it.... so awesome

Man, say what you want about AEW, but I am always grateful that they are willing to do crossovers and to bring talent from Japan. Takeshita is a pretty good get from DDT.

What other matches/promos from the past couple weeks do I need to see? Mania/Walter really threw off my catching up schedule

.... so many of the matches are good that's it's almost hard for me to remember. bunch of great rey fenix and pac matches in recent history

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW0_AN46SRs

sammy's vlog this week is really hilarious and at one point -1 briefly takes over it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHONhy5F84U

bte also has an essential kenny promo in the last six minutes

opener and finisher on this week's dynamite were.... just outrageous

great week of wrestling lol

paging Samoa Joe

rt

Honestly, someone said Bo Dallas to AEW to be The Friend, and man, I am into it.

As much as Joe would be cool in AEW, I want him in the G1 so bad.

Heard Bo is basically gonna retire and run his farm but the Friend would be great.

Would love one last crazy Joe run but I understand if he wants to hang his boots up.

It’s something legit from the Iconics that I wanna see. They crack me up so much.

Man, it really hit me these last few weeks how much more I've bought into Kris Statlander with her slight aesthetic change and the entrance theme change. It's like how Jungle Boy with his Tarzan Boy theme feels like he's gonna be a star. I really have come to appreciate those choices.

OH YESSSSSS

Hey DR's who said I'd never wrestle again, I'm on @aewontnt#AEWDark TOMORROW at 7/6c on https://t.co/rYVQd5SJ1e

I know @MrGMSI_BCage from LU & know this is a match the believers wanted. I've rehabbed, scratched, & clawed so I can wrestle again. AEW LETS PLAY!!! #martycasaus pic.twitter.com/q3ScQJBNKb

— Martin Casaus (@martincasaus) April 27, 2021

EVEN MORE OH YES!

#AEWDynamite Wed, May 12, 2021 @dailysplace in Jacksonville, #YujiNagata returns to @tntdrama for the 1st time in nearly 23 years to challenge @JonMoxley for the @njpwglobal U.S. Championship. Pick up your 5/5 & 5/12 combo tix now! Call 904-633-2000 (during business hours) pic.twitter.com/eT6nL9wybF

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) April 30, 2021

blood and guts is gonna be so sick

they’ve overdone the pinnacle vs. inner circle promos but i’m still hyped so i guess it worked

blood! and! guts!!!!

Boy it was the most that I have ever seen MJF bleed in my life!

Really was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, and how much I enjoyed the little back and forth between Kenny & Orange Cassidy.

people on the internet love to say that kenny omega sucks at promo, and... i profoundly disagree

I've NEVER understood that take, honestly. Kenny is a GREAT promo. He definitely cuts a better promo as a heel than he does as a face, but part of what I really liked about Kenny and what made me interested in him was that he has the ability to be a great character and he is very smart about what gets him the reactions he needs. When he turned heel in Japan, he stopped speaking Japanese. Last night, he took Orange's sunglasses, and mocked his whenever whatever wherever gimmick. As a face, I think a lot of people lost interest, because he wasn't as big of a character as he is when he's a heel.

He is an EXCELLENT "big boss" sort of heel, and I enjoy him the most when he's slightly distanced from his "henchmen" so to speak. I think it plays to the sort of video game-like storytelling and imagery that Kenny has employed and enjoyed in the past. Yes, he's got The Young Bucks, The Good Brothers, Michael Naka-Naka-NAKAZAWA! and even Don Callis to back him up, to manage him and call his shots, but when he speaks for himself, it's always the most memorable.

I also acknowledge that compared to his HUGE run as The Cleaner in NJPW, the AEW run has felt like a comedown, but I really appreciate how he finds a way to make his retreading this path to becoming The Cleaner in AEW feel new and interesting. He's been a better AEW champ than he was IWGP because he's back to being a heel champ, rather than a face chaser. I have very strong feelings about how Kenny's relationship with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and I have always felt bad for him that the chase and eventual win eclipsed the reign, which felt very short but was actually about 7 months.

Hahaha sorry for the semi-long post. I have a lot of thoughts about Kenny, because while I do love him, he is an INSANELY polarizing figure in the IWC.

Just watched B&G. Hell of a match, just wish it was 5-10 mins shorter. The section in the 3rd quarter when the Inner Circle had complete control and could do no wrong... so they stand around a lot instead of trying to win bugged me.

Sammy and MJF are stars in the making. The two rope Spanish Fly made me jump out of my chair.

I know this is more of a NJPW slant, but MAN, I am so excited to see Nagata on Wednesday! Can you imagine how that locker room will feel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6ZEm9OnRi8

this week's bte opens and closes with really quality promos (from matt jackson and christopher daniels, respectively) for wednesday's young bucks vs. scu match, which i am so hyped for

the trick shots segments are also essential aew canon

i'm gonna be so sad if/when scu splits up :(

I was already sad when the trio split (I know it was initially to give Scorpio Sky the push, but then he ended up with Ethan Page in another tag team dynamic, so...), but I will STRUGGLE with Kaz being without Daniels/Daniels calling it a career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNGpqhEtgtc

lol sammy's vlog is also essential viewing this week, all centered around the blood and guts match