TWIW 8/12-8/18: Stone Cold Skype

[grapeswasmurdered]

Raw Preview : Quick Hits
Rollins once again slays The Beast
The Miz and Dolph Ziggler to face off tonight
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin to weigh in on Seth Rollins’ SummerSlam showdown against Brock Lesnar via Skype
What’s on tap next for The Man?
Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross to defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships against The Kabuki Warriors on Raw
Can The O.C. remain “Too Sweet” after SummerSlam?
Cedric Alexander to battle Drew McIntyre in a highly anticipated rematch
Rey Mysterio to reengage Andrade in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match


BAH GAWD AUSTIN IS BUFFERING

[Baby Shoes]

Been saying for months I want an opportunity to show what I can do. What do I get? A cheap shot and an attack during what could’ve been a GREAT #SummerSlam match. I’m not waiting... I’m challenging @WWERomanReigns to a match tomorrow on #SDLive. GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT!

— “The Disciple” Murphy (@WWE_Murphy) August 12, 2019

[grapeswasmurdered]

Raw if they actually deliver what is listed sounds like it will be decent (although why can't Dolph just GO AWAY?). Buddy/Roman I'm down for. PUSH BUDDY!

[Thrasher]

(although why can't Dolph just GO AWAY?).

If he leaves, he'll be the biggest star in AEW. 

[strummer]

Holy shit they're bringing back King of the Ring next week

[The Amazing Rando]

Holy shit they're bringing back King of the Ring next week

Brock Lesnar First Two Time King. Book It Paul.

[grapeswasmurdered]

Drew/Cedric was so good. That was the Drew we needed to see from the start

[Baby Shoes]

Holy shit they're bringing back King of the Ring next week

My body is ready for Drew McIntyre - The Last King of Scotland

[Brodypedia]

Holy shit they're bringing back King of the Ring next week

Bret beat him to it.

Brock Lesnar First Two Time King. Book It Paul.

[The Amazing Rando]

Holy shit they're bringing back King of the Ring next week

Bret beat him to it.

Brock Lesnar First Two Time King. Book It Paul.

If it wasn't televised or even acknowledged on television, it barely counts. Was the tournament held in Brazil?

[grapeswasmurdered]

holy shit that sasha return was fucking HOT

[grapeswasmurdered]

really strong ending overall. I know most people would rather have braun attack seth to end but I like the idea more of having Seth get paranoid at Braun being on his side and turning on Braun instead. They can also do Braun/Ricochet as a tag team which would be super fun.

[strummer]

There were some real slow parts to this show but .Sasha return and .Braun entering the title picture it looks like saved it. Pretty good show overall I guess

[Firmino of the 909]

Please have Seth heel on Braun and Braun kill him.

[Baby Shoes]

The field for next week’s KOTR sounds fun.  I appreciate them using a lot of guys who never make TV. We will see how that translates on TV.

Raw: Baron Corbin, Cesaro, Cedric Alexander, Drew McIntyre, Ricochet, Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe & The Miz
 
Smackdown: Ali, Andrade, Apollo Crews, Buddy Murphy, Chad Gable, Elias, Kevin Owens & Shelton Benjamin

[Mik]

They will probably just have Ricochet win so they can own his twitter handle.

[Springtime for Epic]

Are they doing this entire 16 man tournament over the course of a single night?

[Amy pats fan]

If they actually do the KOTR on TV over the next month with the finals at the next PPV that could get me interested in the weekly tv again

[Dandy]

I always enjoyed the one night tournaments. Of it is just the finals at the “PPV,” I wouldn’t enjoy it as much nor would I be as impressed by the winner. Winning tournaments for championships are still impressive in a kayfabe outlook but winning three matches in a night (for the final eight) always put it over the top for me. Lots of chances for multi-match selling too.

[Brodypedia]

Holy shit they're bringing back King of the Ring next week

Bret beat him to it.

Brock Lesnar First Two Time King. Book It Paul.

If it wasn't televised or even acknowledged on television, it barely counts. Was the tournament held in Brazil?

Alternative Facts.

[Springtime for Epic]

We are getting closer to WWE sticking to the Northeast and taping out of the Manhattan Center pic.twitter.com/mm24m1Ynjs

— rovert (@SoDuTw) August 13, 2019

No more Raw for Kamala and Saints Fan

[Firmino of the 909]

They should have done this a year ago at least. Those shows are huge money losers because nobody goes.

[strummer]

If Braun gets the title match at the ppv this would be the third straight year he's in the title match at the September ppv.  2017 against Brock and last year against Roman.  Things didn't go so well for him then

[grapeswasmurdered]

roman bumping hard for buddy here

[grapeswasmurdered]

that was a fantastic match and roman gave him so much offense. I don't know of any top guy who would give someone like that so much outside of maybe the Rock and even then I don't know. Buddy BROUGHT it and Roman was super game.

[strummer]

I think Cena might have but probably not before 2012 or so when he started selling more for non top guys

[Baby Shoes]

Just getting to last night’s RAW now.  I got confused as when the crowd was chanting BEAST SLAYER I genuinely misheard them and thought they were chanting HEATH SLATER

[Brodypedia]

https://uproxx.com/prowrestling/chyna-mother-threatens-legal-action-reelz-autopsy/

REELZ is about to air an episode of "Autopsy" on Chyna. Her mother is heading for the lawyers.

I enjoy the show often when they cover people I know.  Episodes like Steve McQueen's gave me way more background on his last days than I ever knew or bothered to look up.

[Thrasher]

Just getting to last night’s RAW now.  I got confused as when the crowd was chanting BEAST SLAYER I genuinely misheard them and thought they were chanting HEATH SLATER

I was saying Heath Slater.

[grapeswasmurdered]

https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-news/wwe-reveals-full-bracket-king-ring-tournament-290271



Ali Vs Buddy gonna tear it down. Get Corbin out of there in the first round please.

[Baby Shoes]

Looks like a McIntyre-Owens final to me

Predictions - not necessarily what I want

Joe
Drew
Cedric
Corbin

Owens
Murphy
Gable
Andrade

Drew
Cedric

Owens
Andrade

Since Owens talked about how much it means to him and KOTR is better for heels and Drew is foreign, McIntyre is your winner.

[Baby Shoes]

Meltzer reporting USA is now in the mix for 2-hour NXT to go head to head with AEW

NXT has been my favorite show since I started catching it on Hulu in 2013 before all the Indy darlings piled in and it got trendy.  If Vince gets involved, I guess I will just have the memories of what I got to enjoy for the last six years.

[Saints_Fan_H]

We are getting closer to WWE sticking to the Northeast and taping out of the Manhattan Center pic.twitter.com/mm24m1Ynjs

— rovert (@SoDuTw) August 13, 2019

No more Raw for Kamala and Saints Fan

So, not the RAW in Lafayette that got hammered on social media, but an earlier one (2012?) had a dog shit crowd too.

Honestly, it has surprised me for a VERY long time that Lafayette (Cajundome) got attention from a wrestling company of WWE's size. TNA makes sense. If ROH decided to tour through here. Hell pre-NWO WCW and toward the end of their existence, perfect.

Hell, while I'm dogging venues in Louisiana, the Baton Rouge River center has run the occasional Raw and it gives you an appreciation to the production quality of those guys to obscure just how dog shit the place is. If it was anymore cramped in there with the stage, ring, hard camera set up, etc... and then the fans, there'd probably be a fire marshal out there shutting the shit down.

I can't vouch for the Bossier venue's quality, but that region also has the reach of Shreveport, Monroe, Ruston (bit of a 1-2hr drive but doable) not to mention east Texas (less than 3 hrs to Dallas) and southern Arkansas. There's no reason they can't fill a 14k venue (for concerts, so less for WWE) or appear to fill for TV. And for a live event, they should still be able to draw enough of a crowd in that market to make a profit. Hell they could probably run a promotion with one of the casinos in the area.

WWE should probably stick to New Orleans (Smoothie King Center) and Biloxi (Gulf coast Coliseum) for venues south of I-10 in the LA/MS markets and TV tapings.

The River Center, while shitty, does print money for WWE events, with LSU students filling it up, so I can't fault them for running it, I just know that one event there was enough for me. Outside the Bossier venue, there's not much in this state and I don't disagree with them making that business decision.

Now, if they'd ever want to run an autumn outdoor show, we have some GREAT outdoor football and baseball stadiums in this state. Our weather is a lot more stable at that time too, but I don't think WWE just willy nilly runs outdoor shows unless it matters and is a huge PPV. You're not going to see Wrestlemania emanating from Death Valley.

[Kahran Ramsus]

Meltzer reporting USA is now in the mix for 2-hour NXT to go head to head with AEW

NXT has been my favorite show since I started catching it on Hulu in 2013 before all the Indy darlings piled in and it got trendy.  If Vince gets involved, I guess I will just have the memories of what I got to enjoy for the last six years.

At least we still have NXT UK, I guess.

[Avid Warehouse Enthusiast]

Meltzer reporting USA is now in the mix for 2-hour NXT to go head to head with AEW

NXT has been my favorite show since I started catching it on Hulu in 2013 before all the Indy darlings piled in and it got trendy.  If Vince gets involved, I guess I will just have the memories of what I got to enjoy for the last six years.

I remember talking about this with a couple friends not long ago, but I still think AEW will pull strong numbers. It's going to be so different from.what WWE would be willing to air and there's no chance Vince doesn't get his grip on it.

[Firmino of the 909]

I'm not watching NXT on Wednesdays if it's two hours. Not happening.

[Kahran Ramsus]

I'm not watching NXT on Wednesdays if it's two hours. Not happening.

Especially if it isn't the real NXT, but a crappy Vinceified one.

[Baby Shoes]

Meltzer reporting USA is now in the mix for 2-hour NXT to go head to head with AEW

NXT has been my favorite show since I started catching it on Hulu in 2013 before all the Indy darlings piled in and it got trendy.  If Vince gets involved, I guess I will just have the memories of what I got to enjoy for the last six years.

I remember talking about this with a couple friends not long ago, but I still think AEW will pull strong numbers. It's going to be so different from.what WWE would be willing to air and there's no chance Vince doesn't get his grip on it.

It's true.  There are a lot of people who stopped watching that were NWA/WCW people.  Cody's interest and connections lie heavily on that style so I think it is possible lapsed fans or people who want something fresh get show up.

I loved WWE above all other wrestling for most of my life, even when they do dumb stuff but they've been so lazy and unwilling to take risks wiht a lack of real competition pushing them.  People are probably tired of me saying it but the way NXT is structured, people are used in a way where they are not overexposed and the show is structured like the shows that got me invested as a kid.  I can't see that happening if Vince gets his hands on it.  And filling more time and going off the network is going to bubble up the overexposure issue.

It is really crazy how all the criticisms that WWE made about WCW during the Monday Night War era is exactly what they have become. 

[geniusMoment]

Even if you're a WWE fan and aren't huge into AEW it actually makes sense to watch AEW or at least give it every shot.  There being actual competition will only help WWE's product.

The worst thing for the industry would be WWE crushing AEW and being all alone again. 

[Baby Shoes]

For those who don't check in with 205 Live, could be worth checking out this coming week.

Garza Jr, who recently debuted in NXT as Angel Garza is going to be on against his cousin, Humberto Carrillo.

They had already announced a 10-man tag of Team Gulak vs Team Lorcan, so it could be a fun show.

[grapeswasmurdered]

Last week on #SDLive, @WWERomanReigns and I went face to face & left it all in the ring. If @WWEDanielBryan has an issue with me, he can meet me in the same place I met Roman! Challenge issued.

— “The Disciple” Murphy (@WWE_Murphy) August 17, 2019

?s=21

fuck yes

[grapeswasmurdered]

Also: Cesaro vs. Samoa Joe and Cedric Alexander vs. Sami Zayn are set for Raw, while Kevin Owens vs. Elias and Apollo Crews vs. Andrade will take place on SmackDown.
-----

I really like that we're getting multiple weeks where we know well in advance matches that will be on the shows.

[Baby Shoes]

Last week on #SDLive, @WWERomanReigns and I went face to face & left it all in the ring. If @WWEDanielBryan has an issue with me, he can meet me in the same place I met Roman! Challenge issued.

— “The Disciple” Murphy (@WWE_Murphy) August 17, 2019

?s=21

fuck yes

Imagine getting beat up by a large man for accusing him of something he had nothing to do with, and then challenging the much smaller friend of the man who beat you up. #SocialMediaToughGuys #ChallengeAccepted #SDLive https://t.co/QD7jntmLQq

— Daniel Bryan (@WWEDanielBryan) August 18, 2019

[Baby Shoes]

For those who don't check in with 205 Live, could be worth checking out this coming week.

Garza Jr, who recently debuted in NXT as Angel Garza is going to be on against his cousin, Humberto Carrillo.

They had already announced a 10-man tag of Team Gulak vs Team Lorcan, so it could be a fun show.

After I shared this, it sounds like they have merged Carrillo-Garza into the 10-man, which makes it less interesting.

Curious what they do with Garza.  He is a star to me.  Carrillo is talented but I mostly see him missing psychology and doing "spot to spot to spot".

[Baby Shoes]

The field for Tuesday's Captain's Challenge on 205 Live is set.  Oney doing his crazy ALL CAPS gimmick on Twitter really sold me on the match.  It also included Bayley doing all caps begging to be on the team and being offered the mascot spot, to which she replied she typically is only a mascot on Tuesdays anyway.  Lorcan also addressed his NXT tag partner Danny Burch, who would make weight, couldn't make the match because his dog needs to go to the vet on Tuesday.

https://t.co/ETy6mGBCnr pic.twitter.com/CVnUhNDe9P

— GEN7LEM4N J4CK (@GentlemanJackG) August 15, 2019

The match will be

Team Gulak (Drew Gulak, Mike Kanellis, Angel Garza, Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese) vs. Team Lorcan (Oney Lorcan, Jack Gallagher, TOZAWA, Humberto Carrillo and Isaiah "Swerve" Scott).  Think and hope this should take up most of the show

[alkeiper]

WWE is already suffering from overexposure. Two hours of nxt on cable television is insanity.

[CookieMueller]

It's supposedly going to be live too. There's going to be so much gimmickry (ie: "wild card rule" bs that introduces long segments featuring "real superstars" like Baron Corbin) and tomfoolery (Shane McMahon as nxt champion) involved in this shit show.

[Sabre]

Yeah. RIP Nxt as we know it. Half the charm of Nxt is that it is an hour long and isn’t an absolute chore to sit through and the fact it was weekly on the network. With it going live it will probably face the same 30day delay as raw and smackdown.