Professional Wrestling

[ltrandazzo]

Team Raw Tag Teams vs. Team Smackdown Tag Teams - I want Team SD because they wasted so much time on Monday with the Team Raw captain situation that I just don't care. I liked the Uso segment with the other teams so that's why I'm Team SD.

Buddy Murphy vs. Mustafa Ali - I'd like to see Mustafa walk away with this one but this is a toss-up. Either outcome is fine.

AOP vs. The Bar - Who is the face team? I'm going with AOP because I'd like to see the younger guys get the rub here.

Team Raw Women's vs. Team Smackdown Women's - We don't have this field completely filled out but I expect to see Nia get eliminated first in this match. I expect that Team SD will get the win, and hopefully, let's see Asuka deliver the winning pinfall/submission for her team.

Team Raw Men's vs. Team Smackdown Men's - I honestly don't know. I could see Braun and Drew falling apart. I could see Miz and Shane falling apart. Lots of storylines coming into this one so I don't envy the writers on this one.

Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura - This could be the match of the night if they didn't have Seth and Dean building momentum and NOTHING HAPPENING for Shinsuke heading into this match. This could be amazing and honestly, I'd like them to leave Dean out of this until post-match. We all win regardless of the victor, potentially.

Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair - Bear with me here, but this could be the beginning of the 4HW feud. My prediction is that Kairi Saine beats Shayna the night before at War Games and this leads to major interference in the match. My prediction is that hug from Becky meant more than a heat in the moment deal - that was planned, and the payoff will see a 4HW standoff. Or, I could be way off base and the match ends with a handshake between the two. This is another I see going either way, but I mostly see Ronda getting the win here now. Before, I was a toss-up.

Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Bryan - It was interesting to see Paul Heyman stoke the fires between AJ and DB as there could be something there. I don't think a Heyman turn on Brock is in the cards, but stranger things have happened. I don't quite think DB is fodder for Brock as this heel turn is something that will reverberate into the near future. It makes no sense to squash that 5 days later. Something odd is going to happen and I think Daniel Bryan walks away with the win.

What a crazy show. The one thing I'll give WWE here is that there's been a lot of last minute changes considering two major factors - Roman Reigns changed this from something different this year to the traditional Raw vs Smackdown show it's been for the last few years. This wasn't supposed to happen this year, but Roman's leukemia diagnosis changed all of that. The other factor was Becky's injury and WWE moving up a rumored WM35 (potential) main event bout between Charlotte and Ronda to this weekend. I have no idea, and WWE likely doesn't either, what WM35 will look like, but this show could end up planting those seeds. Crazy.

[henryeatscereal]

Well, a week ago i didn't give a shit about Survivor Series, now i'm interested.

Having both Charlotte and Bryan "fill in" for matches was a smart choice, it's refreshing to see how they still can deliver a good card.

Asuka does deserve to face Rhonda but it was to be expected she would get passed over...

[ltrandazzo]

Well, a week ago i didn't give a shit about Survivor Series, now i'm interested.

Having both Charlotte and Bryan "fill in" for matches was a smart choice, it's refreshing to see how they still can deliver a good card.

Asuka does deserve to face Rhonda but it was to be expected she would get passed over...

Regarding Asuka - with no build and the current trend, Asuka would've been bulldozered by Ronda and her main roster stint would be over. They'd ship her back to Japan after that, and I honestly feel that way and it would suck. They can get Asuka back up there with the Women's tag belts (if those ever show up), but getting the match with Ronda would've cemented a Rousey victory right away and that's the last thing Asuka needs.

[Swykk]

https://twitter.com/niajaxwwe/status...347289601?s=21

Fuck Slow Rockscousin. Turns out she also sucks at tact and Twitter.

I rest my case.

[ltrandazzo]

https://twitter.com/niajaxwwe/status...347289601?s=21

Fuck Slow Rockscousin. Turns out she also sucks at tact and Twitter.

I rest my case.

Becky Lynch is gonna be huge coming out of all of this.

[Space Suicide]

Team Raw Women's vs. Team Smackdown Women's - We don't have this field completely filled out but I expect to see Nia get eliminated first in this match. I expect that Team SD will get the win, and hopefully, let's see Asuka deliver the winning pinfall/submission for her team..

I wanna see Shayna Baszler lose to Kairi Saturday and take SmackDown!’s final spot. Also could align Shayna as the blue brand’s MMA woman and cause a good heel dynamic.

https://twitter.com/niajaxwwe/status...347289601?s=21

Fuck Slow Rockscousin. Turns out she also sucks at tact and Twitter.

I rest my case.

She’s been a bitch to Alexa in the past on Twitter after this year’s MITB so not surprised.

[ltrandazzo]

Steve, give Becky your blessing and let her use the stunner. This is all coming together too well to ignore. Becky had her Hart moments combined into one - blood like Brett, injury like Owen, and now a merging of the Tyson moment with the armbar on Ronda. Come on.

[henryeatscereal]

i also was going to point out the similarities between Austin and Becky...

"Stone Cold Becky Lynch" is the gimmick we deserve!

[ltrandazzo]

The Relent-Lass Stun-Her.

[ltrandazzo]

Bam.

[henryeatscereal]

Everyday i love her more...

[tony.parente]

I love the fact that these twitter/instagram posts are half shoots.

[ltrandazzo]

Meltzer is reporting that Rousey vs. Lynch will be the WM35 MAIN EVENT. WhatCulture with the write-up on the latest Observer.

Important to note that yesterday's Twitter posts, including Nia Jax's, is to set up the road to WM with Jax getting some subplot play as well. They all appear to be worked shoots and were coordinated between the 3 and creative.

[Space Suicide]

Meltzer is reporting that Rousey vs. Lynch will be the WM35 MAIN EVENT. WhatCulture with the write-up on the latest Observer.

Important to note that yesterday's Twitter posts, including Nia Jax's, is to set up the road to WM with Jax getting some subplot play as well. They all appear to be worked shoots and were coordinated between the 3 and creative.

I’m happy for the women but I can honestly say for that as a main event it will under perform and I have minimal interest.

[Swykk]

That’s great news for Becky and yes, WWE loves turning real life into angles but my thoughts remain unchanged with Nia.

Will there be consequences this time? Will she have to stop relying on the “Rock’s cousin” card and really put work in and improve?

[ltrandazzo]

I’m happy for the women but I can honestly say for that as a main event it will under perform and I have minimal interest.

Well, we're about five months away but I'll say this - I'm excited about this potential main event more than I have been since WM30 and if this can still organically build the way that it needs to, it could end up being amazing. Daniel Bryan won the WWE title AND turned heel and it's the second story of the week behind this one. That's pretty remarkable.

[ltrandazzo]

That’s great news for Becky and yes, WWE loves turning real life into angles but my thoughts remain unchanged with Nia.

Will there be consequences this time? Will she have to stop relying on the “Rock’s cousin” card and really put work in and improve?

Nia 100% needs to and needs to be humble about all of it. I like Nia Jax the person and I like what she represents for women's wrestling overall and her story is compelling. But she's got to take care of her peers in the ring and she has to prove she can be more like Big Show and Mark Henry before she ends up becoming Bill Goldberg.

[henryeatscereal]

If there's a moment to do the first ever WM Women's main event is now.

God nows this company loves to say "first ever..."

[Volband]

I was (and still is) really afraid of how WWE will handle the first WM women's main event, which is inevitable to happen in the next 3-5 years, but I could definitely live with a Becky vs. Ronda one, especially if they go hard on that one. By that I mean no "SUCH A HUGE STEP FOR WOMEN!!!!!!4444!!!!" speeches from Stephanie every second week, and everyone being all jolly. No, leave it after the event.

There are hotter acts in the men's roster, who would be more qualified to main event on paper, but if Vince didn't give a shit about it for the last few WMs, then it would be hypocritical to start using that argument now. I liked Brock vs. Goldberg, but that's about it.

Then again, knowing this company and Vince, even if we knew for a FACT that these rumors are legit, I still wouldn't get my hopes up until a few weeks before WM. WWE will have to put in some major work, if they want to keep up the fire till then. God, it's so good we are already through with the "yaaaaaaaaaaaay, women's rumble!!!!!" thing, and the 2nd one can be real serious at the best possible time.

As for Nia, I guess I'd accept a form of punishment, where her inability to wrestle would be put into a storyline. It would really blur the lines of keyfabe and shoot though, because she really isn't anything more than a gimmick wrestler.

[tony.parente]

Nia 100% needs to and needs to be humble about all of it. I like Nia Jax the person and I like what she represents for women's wrestling overall and her story is compelling. But she's got to take care of her peers in the ring and she has to prove she can be more like Big Show and Mark Henry before she ends up becoming Bill Goldberg.

Nia needs to go back to the indies. She's a danger to herself and everyone else around her, she makes the bellas look like the crown jewel of safety.

[ltrandazzo]

Nia needs to go back to the indies. She's a danger to herself and everyone else around her, she makes the bellas look like the crown jewel of safety.

Nia vs. Brie in a No Holds Barred match for the WM pre-show?

[tony.parente]

Nia vs. Brie in a No Holds Barred match for the WM pre-show?

Last woman standing? lollllll

[Swykk]

I don’t want her injuring anyone else. Before he was released, many of the boys were refusing to work with Rybread (not so coincidentally, The Big Dumb Guy is defending her). If WWE is too scared of The Rock’s cousin, maybe the women should self police and not work with her.

[loopcloses]

In what way would Ronda vs Becky be an underwhelming main event? It'd be the hottest main event in five years, and by a significant margin.

[Volband]

In what way would Ronda vs Becky be an underwhelming main event? It'd be the hottest main event in five years, and by a significant margin.

Goldberg was pretty fucking hype, man.

That said, Becky vs. Ronda still has plenty of opportunities to build up momentum. It'd be a great match at SS, but pretty meh on WM. The whole angle is already hotter by Ronda triggering everyone (including me) with her dumbass tweets.

[loopcloses]

Goldberg was pretty fucking hype, man.

That said, Becky vs. Ronda still has plenty of opportunities to build up momentum. It'd be a great match at SS, but pretty meh on WM. The whole angle is already hotter by Ronda triggering everyone (including me) with her dumbass tweets.

I might give you that if Goldberg was in the main event that year but the main event was that shitter of a Roman vs Undertaker match.

This would legit be the two hottest acts in the company facing off against each other, and the match being planned and getting called off adds heft to it. That hasn't happened in a very, very long time. The last time the WM main event was actually two really hot acts facing off in an over feud was arguably the first Rock vs Cena match, over six years ago. Before that, Taker vs Michaels. If you add the stipulation that it's a hot feud with two hot acts with one or both of the wrestlers being somewhat fresh, you'd have to go all the way back to Wrestlemania 24 or 21 with Taker/Edge. "Wrestlemania main event" is a pretty low bar to clear these days, and Ronda vs Becky clears it easily. Shit, Daniel Bryan turned heel and won his first title since returning and it's the second biggest wrestling story of the week. How much more is needed?

I'm just genuinely not following. What are the great potential main events that would be better?

[Volband]

Oh shit, totally forgot that it wasn't the main event.

Hmm. Well, I think there are many men, who could deserve a shot at the main event. Braun, Seth, AJ, Finn, Joe, Nakamura. Yeah, some of them either got shafted recently (Nak), or already had a feud playing out (Joe-AJ), but if WWE wanted to push a hot angle, they could do it with them, since they are already fan-favorites, not to mention that people are fucking starving for anything that's Roman.

A good argument for Becky vs. someone however is that she is absolutely on fire right now, and WWE could not have expected it. They may not get such a great opportunity for doing a main event with women, though recent influx of great talent would suggest otherwise. Nonetheless, I am someone who is reall sick and tired by how every mainstream act (movies, video games) are pushing female leads, often undeservingly or sacrificing credibility for it, just to get approval points from certain social movements and media outlets, BUT even I think that a Becky vs. someone at WM main event would be very much deserved.

Also, let's think with the absolutely mental head of Vince: it is completely inevitable that whenever the first women's main event at WM will be announced, all hell will break lose. Everyone will be jerking their very own agenda or anti-agenda, people will be called sexist left and right, etc. All in all, even without Becky and Ronda, a women's only WM main event is already the kind of Pandora's Box Vince lives for.

[ltrandazzo]

Oh shit, totally forgot that it wasn't the main event.

Hmm. Well, I think there are many men, who could deserve a shot at the main event. Braun, Seth, AJ, Finn, Joe, Nakamura. Yeah, some of them either got shafted recently (Nak), or already had a feud playing out (Joe-AJ), but if WWE wanted to push a hot angle, they could do it with them, since they are already fan-favorites, not to mention that people are fucking starving for anything that's Roman.

A good argument for Becky vs. someone however is that she is absolutely on fire right now, and WWE could not have expected it. They may not get such a great opportunity for doing a main event with women, though recent influx of great talent would suggest otherwise. Nonetheless, I am someone who is reall sick and tired by how every mainstream act (movies, video games) are pushing female leads, often undeservingly or sacrificing credibility for it, just to get approval points from certain social movements and media outlets, BUT even I think that a Becky vs. someone at WM main event would be very much deserved.

Also, let's think with the absolutely mental head of Vince: it is completely inevitable that whenever the first women's main event at WM will be announced, all hell will break lose. Everyone will be jerking their very own agenda or anti-agenda, people will be called sexist left and right, etc. All in all, even without Becky and Ronda, a women's only WM main event is already the kind of Pandora's Box Vince lives for.

Ronda Rousey brings in all sorts of maintstream attention from her MMA days. ESPN still follows her along with other sports media. Becky Lynch is the hottest thing in pro wrestling right now and it was harnessed by two factors - her repudiation by WWE that they had all but pushed her aside and the fan resentment it caused, and the fact that fans would not boo her after turning heel on Charlotte and doing all sorts of heel things in the aftermath. That all came to a head this week with the invasion, the potato shot from Nia Jax, and then having to push that match back because of the injury it caused.

Braun isn't there yet. Seth and Dean are getting started and so far it's been a slog, though Dean's vest-burning promo started moving things forward. AJ is an unknown at this moment. Finn needs bigger wins as they've moved him to near mid-card status. Joe is unknown at this moment. Nakamura could be something but it's unknown if he'll be with WWE past Jan/Feb.

Those two women have earned this. There is no other feud right now that has the heat that this feud has harnessed in quite a long time. You could try to build up Seth and Dean to this level as the next closest thing, or Miz and DB with a role reversal or carry DB and AJ through WM, but none of these would come close to Ronda and Becky. This is one of those moments where stars aligned and unpredictable things happened that turned a major setback into a golden opportunity. Just like Daniel Bryan in 2014, Becky vs. Ronda is something WWE is going to ride the coattails of because it has momentum that even they couldn't have planned on.

[ltrandazzo]

lol

[Space Suicide]

Dampening this on people's Becky love parade. Dark shit coming down.

Lots of proof, he's done.