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 TV/Movies › Re: Purpl3's WWE (and Pro-wrestling in general) Discussion And Banter House by pu7pl3(op): 8:42pm On Mar 08, 2023 |
WWE NXT ROADBLOCK REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS Outwork Everyone Roxanne Perez needed a victory against Meiko Satomura more than anything. It meant more than just avenging her loss from six months ago; a win solidified her as a true champion in her own eyes. But therein lies an issue with her reign. While a champion obsessed with a challenger works, the champion feeling like the plucky underdog in that situation rarely does. I sound like a broken record but as much as I like Perez in the ring, her character feels stagnant which makes her reign feel less than. And I hate that feeling because she and Meiko wrestled their asses off at Roadblock. This match hit hard, used that physicality as a building block, and, more importantly, as a storytelling device. Perez trained with Satomura and thought she knew all her tricks but things feel different with speed than in sparring. I like that idea. I like the champ going to another level physically or enduring more after realizing it’s different watching a shark from behind the glass than swimming with one. Make no mistake, Perez survived this match. Yes she won, but at great cost and she barely got that W. The Final Boss dished out kick after kick after more kicks to Perez’s head. But she didn’t stay down until after the bell rang and the ref raised her hand. That’s where things got weird for me. NXT played the concussion angle for Perez as she collapsed in the middle of the ring and the stretcher came out with tons of officials in tow. The Heartbreak Kid even showed up and checked on his NXT Women’s champion while helping her get to the ambulance. Booker T put down the headphones and got in the ring as well. Maybe it’s because I don’t know the plan but this just feels off. Within context of taking those repeated headshots, I get it. But I’m lost on the bigger picture. Maybe it goes back to Perez’s scattered direction right now. What defines her character? What defines her reign? If it’s her outworking her opponents and surviving, that’s not enough. Especially headed to the territory’s biggest show of the year. And who is she? She’s a prodigy, yes. She’s talented as hell in the ring, of course. But what makes Roxanne Perez? Even the concussion spot hits harder for me if I connect emotionally to the person. I hope this goes somewhere cool and does a lot for Roxanne. But as of now? I’m down on it and don’t think it serves her well at all. However, as always, I hope I’m wrong. Extracurriculars History of (Choosing) Violence NXT didn’t need psychology or storytelling in this jailhouse match between Tony D’Angelo and Dijak. The match already rocked the Performance Center in ways beyond any word I choose. And yet they did. Running with the “family” theme so hard that Vin Diesel might blush, Dijak put Stacks between himself, the cell door, and Tony D. If Tony D wanted the match, then it meant slamming the door on his brother. Tony hesitated and Dijak took advantage. Dijak threw Stacks over the barricade and pounded away on the Don. Just before Dijak closed the cell door on Tony, Stacks leapt in from nowhere and sacrificed his body. The door didn’t close and the match continued. Little did we know, Stacks did more than just keep his boss in the game. Stacks passed Tony a crowbar and Tony used said crowbar against Dijak. Repeatedly. Eventually Dijak relented because there’s only but so many times one withstands crowbar blows to the head. D’Angelo closed the door and won a hellacious match that got me more emotionally invested than I ever predicted. M-E-A-T-Y M-E-N Indus Sher dominated early, which makes sense narratively. When going against a team of which the NXT champ is a part, you gotta look great off break. It also showed the lack of fear from Sanga, Veer, and Jinder Mahal. NXT showed Mahal can hang with Bron, even in a weak match overall but that’s the narrative. While I don’t quite buy that narrative, nor do I buy that the Creeds needed another man because of Jinder. But hey, here we are. Once the match really focused on the Creeds vs. Sanga & Veer, it got fun. Bron is always fun in these situations but also not normally a tag team artist. Carmelo Hayes on commentary didn’t really add much for me either even though I get it. He came for Bron and just watched. The best moment for me came when for a Doomsday Device on Veer! The Creeds pulled out all the stops and did something new for an opponent who put them on their heels several times. Great storytelling even in its subtlety. About That... So Bron came back to the ring later in the show and finally got to the inevitable. He called out Melo and they finally made their Stand & Deliver match official. I liked the fact both men acknowledged they kept tabs on each other for 18 months. Bron saying he felt disappointment every time he didn’t hear Melo’s music during one of his title defenses said a lot without saying too much. Melo got the most interesting moments though. He turned the cockiness down a few notches and showed another side. He even left Trick Williams and stepped to Bron dolo. We got a Melo who respects his opponent and I didn’t hate it. Well I did at first, I won’t front. But Melo flashing a bit of that trademark attitude, even after extending his hand for a handshake made me smile. “Melo is secondary to no one” and just like that, they sold me on something. It’s a different story for both men and I hope we get more shades of their characters for the next few weeks mixed in with the mutual adoration society. J. Wrestling I love that Shawn Michaels poked holes in Grayson Waller’s theory of the case. Grayson just got two championship matches while most people hustle for one. He isn’t “held back” by any standard let alone the fictional one in his head. Grayson took a shot and missed. It happens. I get he’s the heel here so delusions of the grandeur variety come with the territory. But Grayson’s story just felt hollow. Even in the segment, he claimed ground as NXT’s biggest star who deserves a championship while also eclipsing the brand. He’s held back in NXT but NXT holds him back. That’s a lot of “is it ‘Black Girl Lost’ or ‘Shawty owe you for ice?’ logic. And it hurts my soul referencing that as an avid Nas fan but hey, a dope line is a dope line. Once the angle switched to Waller running down NXT, and of course challenging Shawn to a match at Stand & Deliver, the intensity turned up several notches. Shawn had some great lines about the amount of times WWE asked him to comeback for a Mania match. Or the wrestlers who begged him for a Mania match. But he’s not doing that for Grayson because someone else bleeds NXT more profusely and wants Waller just as much if not more: Johnny Gargano. Johnny vs. Grayson at Stand & Deliver makes sense and feels like the right spot for both men. The segment itself took a minute for me but once they found the emotion, I got on board. Good Friends... I thought they picked the wrong tone for Gigi Dolin vs. Jacy Jayne. Initially. I wanted a fight, which we got at the beginning, but then it evolved into a wrestling match. I think there’s way too much bad blood between these two for a wrestling match. And they wrestled a clean, solid match. But the form didn’t fit the emotion. And then it ended rather abruptly too but then I saw why. Gigi got the W and Jacy reacted like a heel. A post match beatdown, complete with Jacy going for the patented chair spot where it looked like she might severely injure her former partner’s neck. The fact the ref’s intervened and forced Jacy to the back means we’re getting another match and hopefully it's befitting the animosity between these two. Chase Who? Duke Hudson vs. Andre Chase looks like a thing. Finally. After weeks, we finally got an outburst from Hudson after Chase lost his match against Joe Gacy. Hudson not only griped about the loss but the fashion in which it came. Thea Hail finally overcame whatever Schism did thanks to some mediation lessons from Tyler Bate. During the match, she got in Ava’s face and finally stood tall in her bully’s face. Great for her but bad for Chase as he took his eyes off Gacy and congratulated his student. Like I said, this thing between Hudson and Chase feels overdue. Although, without an actual match announcement, this is just me wishing. Right? Dragon Style For anyone hoping Dragon Lee might debut against Grayson Waller on Shawn’s behalf, sorry. Lee debuted at Roadblock but as part of the audience. That’s definitely a choice. Poor Boys Pretty Deadly isn’t smart. They walked into a Gallus buzzsaw this week when they talked trash against the champs. No match set yet but it’s surely coming. Roadblock was a mixed bag for me. We got a lot happening with only some of it truly standing out or sticking. The opening match remains the standout due to nailing the whole package. The main event match impressed but everything after the bell rang made me scratch my head. The road to Stand & Deliver intrigues me. What say you? |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 6:52pm On Mar 08, 2023 |
 1 Like
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| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 6:52pm On Mar 08, 2023 |
Dem done start oh 2 Likes
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| TV/Movies › Re: What Movie Are You Watching Now? by pu7pl3(m): 5:43pm On Mar 08, 2023 |
Mecka:I'm the wrong person bro I don't like horror. |
| TV/Movies › Re: What Movie Are You Watching Now? by pu7pl3(m): 5:49pm On Mar 07, 2023 |
SOZINN:Wow They had me in the 1st half I'm not gonna lie 2 Likes |
| TV/Movies › Re: What Movie Are You Watching Now? by pu7pl3(m): 12:49pm On Mar 07, 2023 |
Baddestguyp:Not True |
| TV/Movies › Re: Purpl3's WWE (and Pro-wrestling in general) Discussion And Banter House by pu7pl3(op): 12:49pm On Mar 07, 2023 |
WWE RAW REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS The Choice is Yours I’m hurt. Straight up and down, I need consoling. One part of this Bloodline story that works so well is how it manipulates the audience’s emotions. And yes, manipulation is a good thing. Starting with the show’s opening minutes, WWE threaded this beef throughout the show. If you read beyond these words, you’ll see how that played out in the first match and the pressure on Jimmy Uso’s shoulders. After that opening bout, Paul Heyman pulled Jimmy aside and made it clearer than white crystal that if Jimmy doesn’t bring Jey back into the fold by week’s end, that’s on him. I especially liked Paul pointing at Jimmy’s chest with a finger gun. Paul didn’t make it into a big deal but the subtlety made his words that much more menacing. Jimmy knows Roman’s wrath all too well, so he knew the deal even without Paul’s words. With KO still standing, it fell on Jimmy to not only eliminate Sami but fix things with Jey. No pressure. Jimmy started the match with Sami extra aggressive. Both men, who bonded and created a beautiful friendship, found themselves at odds now with nothing but bitter feelings for each other. But Jimmy’s desperation showed in the early goings. He not only explained his actions verbally but pounded away at Sami whenever he got the chance while giving Solo several openings for interference. Jimmy almost took a count out victory! That’s how much beating Sami,or at least getting Sami into prime beatdown position, meant this week for one Jimmy Uso. Fittingly for the story but unfortunately for Jimmy, the ref dismissed Solo as the street champ tried asserting himself one time too many. And that’s when everything changed. That’s when the reasoning behind this match main eventing Raw revealed itself literally with a spotlight. Jey Uso appeared in the stands and hit the ring with the swiftness of someone rushing to a sneaker drop. Jimmy and Sami laid down and out in the ring while Jey yelled encouraging words. But for whom? Well, we got that answer after Sami eked out a victory and left Jimmy stunned in the middle of the ring. Jey stepped in the ring and looked at his brother. He pulled his brother’s shirt, he looked conflicted, he looked hurt. Jey then literally turned his back on Jimmy and walked out of the ring where Sami stood in awe just like everyone in Boston and me from my couch. Jey and Sami locked eyes like two characters in a romantic comedy. Would they hug? Would they fight? Would they make a dinner date that one of them misses due to a misunderstanding? After teasing and maximizing the tension in the arena, Jey told Sami he trusted him and they inched towards each other. And then they hugged! It was the best. It’s the one thing I wanted from this whole story and Boston felt the same way. But when the show didn’t flash the credit on screen and the two looked at a heartbroken Jimmy in the ring, my heart sank. I got my hopes up that Sami and Jey might walk into the sunset together, one’s held high and a beautiful friendship solidified. But I felt the gut punch coming. And when it did, it looked and sounded a lot like a Superkick to Sami’s chin. You broke my heart, Jey. You broke my heart. Jey told Sami “this is family sh*t” and no way he picks Sami over his brother. Everything after that just rushed by because that hurt. Solo showed up again once Jey threw Sami into the ring and a three on one beatdown commenced. Then, surprisingly but smartly, Cody Rhodes made the save. Cody showing up makes perfect sense given his brief interactions with Sami, KO’s feelings, and the fact that tying Cody into this story only accentuates his own. He had Roman’s attention before. Now he has his curiosity. Only for Roman, curiosity feels a lot like ire. This whole thing hurt and props to everyone involved for breaking my heart into a million pieces even though I knew better. It’s like that University girlfriend who I kept forgiving even though I knew better. The problems of being a naive optimist. Extracurriculars Teaser Raw used most of its first half hour advancing Bloodline vs. Kevin Owens. Which, of course, meant getting inches closer to the moment Sami Zayn and KO hug it out. So how did they accomplish all of that? KO faced Solo Sikoa in a one-on-one which evolved into two-on-one when Jimmy Uso hit the scene. Solo owned KO for the most part because Solo’s dominance is its own mini story inside of the larger story. KO held his own, another reason Jimmy emerged, but keeping Solo looking like the biggest bad ass this side of badassery meant KO leaving Boston with an L felt like the best bet. Except we can’t do that either going into Mania, especially when this feud isn’t really about wins and losses as much as it’s about eradication. Jimmy hit the ring because Roman Reigns gave him and Solo orders to solve all of their problems. Tonight. Solo’s face rarely shows any sense of...well, anything really except anger. But Jimmy beautifully portrays fear and anxiousness when it comes to losing or not doing what the Tribal Chief commands. That’s why when KO found his third wind doing the third act and almost got the W, Jimmy interfered and gave KO the DQ win. But, like I said, this is about eradication. Jimmy and Solo execute a beautiful post match beatdown, then dragged KO’s lifeless body to the commentary table for a Solo attack. The calvary showed up looking a lot like Sami, and he chased away the Bloodline with a chair. Anyone looking for a handshake moment between Sami and KO walked away sorely disappointed. Sami extended his hand, once again, but KO isn’t feeling it yet. Later on Raw, Sami tried appealing to KO’s logic, yet again. Regardless of the odds, regardless of how smart teaming with Sami sounds, KO wants no affiliation with his former best friend. Even Sami saying they don’t need to travel together or even hang out casually, KO didn’t budge. And I loved all of it because it feels real. It’s storytelling one does when using real life context and turning up the volume. You know, when pro wrestling works at its best. Light work? I initially thought about Bianca Belair taking Carmella lightly since she seemed more focused on showboating than showing up and showing out. I even thought about going with Chelsea Green’s appearance because she and Mella together entertained me and elicited several hearty chuckles. But then Green interfered, Bianca still got the W even while dealing with that extra pair of hands, and then Asuka made the save after Green and Mella showed they’re sore losers. And then it hit me that this build for Asuka and Bianca just isn’t working for me. It feels like WWE relying on the championship and the names involved as the selling point rather than finding an actual narrative. Almost like a repeat of AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania a few years ago. I predict the next step is Bianca & Asuka tagging against Mella & Green, the two have some sort of misunderstanding or keep showing how much they respect each other and then it continues into Mania. Both women, and that championship, deserve better. Strange Days I generally like whatever Mustafa Ali does. I think he’s one of the most creative cats in wrestling and said creativity often goes nowhere due to things out of his control. But this passive aggressive positive character misses me entirely. He got Dolph a match with Omos, who, of course, disposed Ziggler in no time. Omos looking hot going into Mania against Brock makes sense but whew it’s just tough watching Omos. Even tougher watching him beat Ziggler with Mustafa sitting ringside with fans and a sign in his hand. This whole segment felt like a black hole for me. Fuego I have a hard time explaining what John Cena did this week in Boston. Cena came out and Austin Theory quickly followed. Yes, we have a match between the two at Mania for the United States championship but whew...at what cost to Austin? Speaking for myself, Cena said everything I feel about Austin Theory. But I’ll let him do the talking because you gotta see this for yourself. No matter how much time he spends in Hollywood, or how big that bald spot gets, Cena still has it. The Edge of Reason Edge is tired of games. He interfered in Finn Balor’s match against Johnny Gargano and cost Finn a win in a match he demanded. Edge wants Balor in the middle of the ring next week because now they’re affecting their careers so let’s cut the games and get with the program. I like Edge cutting through the normal wrestling rigamarole and cutting to the chase. In fact, that’s one thing I really like about Edge since his comeback. He mostly operates outside the tropes and on the occasions where he finds himself inside of one, he elevates it and moves away. Really curious how this plays out next week since we all know the ultimate destination. Crush on You Piper Niven beat up Candice LeRae backstage, then went to the ring and decimated her old friend Nikki Cross. Yup, that’s all you need to know. Poor (Un)Righteous Teacher Maxim’s Models really want Otis but know Chad Gable stands in the way. Corbin continues his bum ways and somehow thought Maxxine, Mace, and Mansoor had eyes on him instead of Otis. Maxxine, offended of course, made a deal with Baron: eliminate Chad and maybe he gets a spot in the crew. Yeah, well, he didn’t. Baron works best as a bum and it’s fun watching everyone tear him down. Especially MMM since all three members teed off on the guy’s lack of hair, style, charisma, you name it. I still want to know how this all ends for Alpha Academy. My fear is they drag this thing out too long or it goes nowhere. Visionary vs. Social Media Miz TV rocked this week as we finally got Seth Rollins and Logan Paul in the same ring at the same time. I’ll let them speak for themselves because, much like Cena and Theory’s segment, it demands your attention. Bottomline? Paul vs. Rollins at Mania is official. Damaged Speaking of official, Damage CTRL vs. Becky Lynch, Lita, & Trish Stratus...might happen at WrestleMania. The tag champs and Trish issued the challenge, Bayley accepted on her team’s behalf, but we got no official announcement. Always a weird thing WWE does where wrestlers make a match or issue challenges but they take forever to make it official. On the other hand, some times matches get made in the ring and become official instantly. Just asking for some consistency. The Bloodline stuff, Cena, and the main event specifically rocked my world this week. Raw featured a bunch of solid matches that never truly got to “great” or even “very good” status because this week really focused on story. As someone into wrestling for the stories, that pleased me. Even though some of the stories don’t work for me or seem absent, props for putting a lot of things in motion as April 1 & 2 gets closer. How do you feel, people? Did Raw work for you as we head to Hollywood or did it leave you wanting? And are your feelings as hurt as mine? |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 11:22pm On Mar 05, 2023 |
andrewbaba44:I'm fed up with this level of Bastard mediocrity |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 11:20pm On Mar 05, 2023 |
Bastard coach with a Bastard son that can't advice his Bastard father to make sensible changes and use modern tactics. Instead the Bastard will just be sitting there watching his Bastard father commit blunder after fvcking blunder every single match day. |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 11:18pm On Mar 05, 2023 |
Bastard bunch of average Spanish players that think Real Madrid is their inheritance. Bastard bench warmers collecting free salary every week while doing fvck all. Bastard Rudiger for not winning 1 single corner header, meanwhile the Bastard commentators can't shut up about how strong you are in the air |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 11:14pm On Mar 05, 2023 |
Bastard Vinicius upsetting the flow of the game, whining like a Bastard baby when you clearly know it's what the opponent wants you to do. Playing into their hands like a Bastard hormonal imbalanced adolescent with shits for brains. |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 11:12pm On Mar 05, 2023 |
Bastard coach putting Alvaro by that time and leaving Bastard Benzema on the pitch for that long cos he did magic against ATM so now it's your go to tactic. Bastard Brainless fool of a coach 1 Like |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 11:04pm On Mar 05, 2023 |
I dey busy dey laugh Man U when my own club na bastard Benzema na bastard, just dey play like say him wear skirt Ancelotti na Bastard, dey chew gum with that bastard eyebrows wey resemble dead entangled millipede. Vinicius na Bastard Toni Kroos na Bastard Carvajal na Bastard Vasquez na Bastard Valverde na Bastard The whole coaching staff na Bastards Perez na the biggest bastard with that stupid glasses wey him dey always wear. Bunch of bastards😤 |
| TV/Movies › Re: What Movie Are You Watching Now? by pu7pl3(m): 1:05pm On Mar 01, 2023 |
Kaycee7:Van damme 1 Like |
| TV/Movies › Re: Purpl3's WWE (and Pro-wrestling in general) Discussion And Banter House by pu7pl3(op): 11:51am On Mar 01, 2023 |
samistry:It's worse I'm feeling myself go into depression |
| TV/Movies › Re: Purpl3's WWE (and Pro-wrestling in general) Discussion And Banter House by pu7pl3(op): 11:52am On Feb 28, 2023 |
I couldn't concentrate and calm down to make any review on RAW abeg. This country just dey annoy the fvck out of me. |
| TV/Movies › Re: What Movie Are You Watching Now? by pu7pl3(m): 2:22pm On Feb 26, 2023 |
majesticguy:Make I go laugh for Netflix make tension no kee me |
| TV/Movies › Re: What Movie Are You Watching Now? by pu7pl3(m): 11:01am On Feb 26, 2023 |
majesticguy:What kind of stitches? Comedic stitches or Horrific stitches? |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 8:27pm On Feb 25, 2023 |
Thank God for Alvaro Be like all our attackers been drink desperados before the match |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 7:32pm On Feb 25, 2023 |
Una never Vote finish? Match done start since oh |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 4:58pm On Feb 25, 2023 |
FergieRaww:No natural ball winner in that midfield just press resistance and line breakers...I hope it'll be sufficient. |
| TV/Movies › Re: What Series Are You Watching Now? Part 2 by pu7pl3(m): 1:54pm On Feb 25, 2023 |
Episode 5 of Last of Us🔥🔥🔥 Gut wrenching, Emotional and Action packed too |
| TV/Movies › Re: Purpl3's WWE (and Pro-wrestling in general) Discussion And Banter House by pu7pl3(op): 8:12am On Feb 25, 2023 |
WWE SMACKDOWN REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS Jimmy Uso spent the majority of Friday Night SmackDown this week agonizing over his brother Jey and how things have changed, first at the Royal Rumble and then again in Montreal at Elimination Chamber. Paul Heyman delivered a message from Roman Reigns that Jimmy needed to deal with it before next week, or he’ll deal with it himself. He cut an impassioned promo talking about being there for his brother, always, no matter what, just like he needs Jey to be there for him now. But Jey wasn’t there. Instead, Sami Zayn showed up. He told Jimmy how much all of this has hurt, that he felt like they were brothers too and when Jimmy took him down with no hesitation at Royal Rumble it really hurt him. Jimmy seemed conflicted but then quickly made clear where he stands. “You so damn selfish!” It was Sami who had the chair, and Sami who made the choice, and Sami who tore everything apart. It was going just fine without him and then he came along and everything changed. Zayn, of course, made the same appeal to Jimmy that he made to Jey. And then Jey showed up in the arena, walking in through the crowd, and Jimmy used the distraction to launch an attack on Sami. Zayn got the better of the ensuing confrontation — in part because Jimmy was looking to Jey — putting him down with a Helluva Kick. Jey simply stood in the crowd and watched all this happen. Sami was run off by Solo Sikoa, but what we ended up with here were more questions. Jey is undecided. It’s an impossible position to be in, having to choose between two people he loves, but it’s clear a choice must be made and he’s running out of time to make it. Soon, that choice will be made for him. This story isn’t over, not yet by a long shot, and I’m still right at the edge of my seat for all of it. For the first time since the match became official, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and her challenger at WrestleMania 39, Royal Rumble winner Rhea Ripley, came face-to-face. That was the plan, at least. And then the one and only Dominik Mysterio hit the scene to have a back-and-forth. It was incredible. Dom held his own verbally sparring with Flair, allowing Charlotte to get in some nice shots about the much thicker Latino heat she has at home — accent, of course — and Dom to bring their fathers into it. They’ve both had to make the most of themselves under that shadow. Putting the two opposite each other in this way worked wonders to showcase just how well Charlotte has actually done for herself. Ripley only hit the scene when Charlotte was about to put the boots to Dom. They had a brief staredown before he pulled her away. I like the idea — keep them a bit distant, and make us want to see them confront each other more and more as we go along. Dom really helped make that work here. The Firefly Fun House returned and it didn’t look like we’re used to. I don’t know what the hell to think of any of that. At the very least, it does indeed appear as though Wyatt vs. Bobby Lashley is looking like the play at WrestleMania 39. All the rest -Madcap Moss may have teased a heel turn with Emma after TV last week but he started this week’s show teaming up with Braun Strowman & Ricochet in a six-man tag team match against Imperium. He ended up taking the fall for the team, so it’s worth keeping an eye on how he reacts to that. Meanwhile, Drew McIntyre walked out about halfway through and watched the match, seemingly making it obvious he plans to go after GUNTHER and the Intercontinental championship. The Viking Raiders hit the scene to interfere before anything could get kicked off in that direction, but they started the tease for it here. There’s plenty of time to flesh that out between now and WrestleMania 39. -I will never stop laughing at Dominik Mysterio having gotten himself over the way he has, doing the bit about how hard his time in prison was. It just works for the character so very, very well and Rhea Ripley, who doesn’t even need it, benefits from being there with him because she’s the real muscle. The whole thing is beautiful. -After spending some time down in NXT putting over its tag team division, The New Day are back on the main roster. They showed up here to interrupt LA Knight talking about making his moment at WrestleMania 39, and some bickering led to a match pitting Knight against Kofi Kingston. They were given a surprising amount of time — two commercial breaks! — and Kingston won via pinfall. -Shayna Baszler had a match with Natalya and they had her enter to Ronda Rousey’s music. I’m not sure what that says, if anything. Earlier in the night, they had Nattie pleading with WWE medical to let her wrestle and she was cleared to do so but they still recommended against it. Tegan Nox was there to say she would provide backup as needed. It wasn’t much of a match, with Nattie getting distracted by Rousey and quickly submitted just after. The attempted post-match beatdown was thwarted by Nox. Rousey’s response to this was “who is this? You’re done next week, Skittles. You’re gonna be tasting the rainbow next Friday!” I’ll let that speak for itself. -How does everyone feel about the full Karrion Kross entrance? I go back-and-forth on it but I definitely think it should be a PLE thing and never on TV. Meanwhile, Kross got a win back on Rey Mysterio thanks to Dom interfering and stopping him from hitting the 6-1-9. After the match, Dom pushed his dad around and demanded Rey “be a man, hit me.” Rey finally got in his face and cocked back his fist — but he couldn’t do it. The fans chanted for it. And still he couldn’t. This whole story has been fantastic and they’re going to blow the roof off when dear old dad finally decides to teach his son a lesson he so badly needs. This show was largely about setting things up for later. Still a strong effort from the blue brand |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 4:32pm On Feb 24, 2023 |
FergieRaww:Chai Rodrygo is out 1 Like |
| TV/Movies › Re: Purpl3's WWE (and Pro-wrestling in general) Discussion And Banter House by pu7pl3(op): 10:35am On Feb 23, 2023 |
WWE NXT REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS To What End? That’s the question I keep asking myself when it comes to Shawn Michaels and Grayson Waller. After Bron Breakker narrowly defeated Jinder Mahal in an okay match designed to heat up Bron before Stand & Deliver, Carmelo Hayes made his way to the NXT Crow’s Nest with what looked like a microphone in hand. Before he uttered even a syllable, a tv interface showed up on screen, like on an Amazon Fire Stick or a Smart TV, and selected the Peacock app. From there it went to the WWE Network, then Stand & Deliver, then cut back to a feed of Waller in the production area. Now, setting aside the fact that all of that didn’t really look like the way any television production handles itself in 2023, I like Waller pulling a Shawn move. Grayon’s whole thing is he’s doing everything Shawn did back in the day, good or bad, and believes Shawn’s actions are hypocritical at best and insidious at worst. But Grayson, a man who received two title matches in the span of a few weeks, also believes Shawn has it out for him. It’s not Shawn’s fault Grayson didn’t know the rules of his cage match with Bron at Vengeance Day, and it’s definitely not Shawn’s fault that Grayson stormed his office during a “media scrum” and acted like a child. L Yes, Grayson is a heel so blaming someone else is always the move, but when put in that light, his issues look more like he’s whining rather than doing what a good heel should, which is present an argument that rings true even if we kick and scream while admitting they have a point But all that aside. All my issues with the plot points aside, I just don’t get what beefing with Shawn Michaels in 2023 does for anyone. Nor do I get the endgame. Shawn already chucked his retirement aside once but that was five years ago and he has regrets. To say nothing of the fact the man is three years shy of 60. Maybe this is me showing my incredulousness at the idea of my favorite wrestler of all-time coming back again when he left things so perfectly the first time. But it’s also me knowing how beefing with authority figures normally works, and I don’t see that here. Llb When Steve Austin beefed with Gorilla Monsoon, he did things that clearly went against WWF’s rulebook. So, Monsoon threw him out the building several times and suspended him, even if the fans hated it. When Austin tangled with the dirty old McMahon, well, yeah that was magic. But Vince used his goons as canon fodder and when that failed, he got into the ring himself. They built up heat between McMahon and Austin, then turned that release valve at the right moments. The world watched an employee fight his evil boss and win. An evil boss who tried screwing him out of his just rewards on numerous occasions and flexed his power without hesitation. Even to a lesser extent, “Authority Era’ Triple H often loosened the tie and threw off the blazer when his employees came at him, plus he also had goons on standby. But how does this thing end with Grayson? He won’t hold the show hostage again since he made he made his demands clear. Once he gets Shawn on the Grayson Waller Effect at Roadblock, then what? Shawn doesn’t have an army at his disposal and Tyler Bate already stepped up, fought, and won on Shawn’s behalf. I know Stand & Deliver is a big deal and hey, maybe the bright L.A. lights entice Shawn for one more match. But not only do I not see that right now, I don’t want it either Waller gains nothing defeating a 57-year-old Shawn Michaels who last wrestled before any of us new Covid-19 was a thing. Shawn defeating Grayson is an awful idea as well. I hope I’m wrong and there’s some larger plan here that satisfies and elevates. Especially since NXT seemingly can’t help but tease or put every...roadblock...they can between us and Bron vs. Melo. And this week, that includes Grayson cutting the feed and taking over before NXT’s biggest titans verbally clashed. Extracurriculars Trick Willy! Geno and I are big Trick Willy fans. We loved the fact Williams got this spot against Ilya Dragunov this week even though we knew the outcome. What impressed me most in this battle, at least as it relates to Trick, is he looked like a serious threat to Dragunov. He came out saying he’s more than talk and while his mouth wrote the check, his skills cashed in at the bank. Which feels like a dated saying since writing checks seems like a History Channel relic. Eitherl, Trick looked great in defeat, which was the main goal here outside of more prep for Dragunov vs. JD McDonagh. With JD ringside, Trick held his own against Dragunov in a pretty physical contest. Whatever happens with Carmelo Hayes post-WrestleMania, I hope Trick remains a part of the plans. Remaining in those plans means knowing he’s more than just the funny guy behind the guy, and this match shows that’s a big possibility.P9 This led to a later segment where Melo and Tyler Bate gave Trick props for his showing, while also hinting at something between Melo and Bate on Melo’s journey to the big belt, which comes to fruition next week. That should be very dope.[size=8pt][/size] OH! They changed Illya’s music and that’s a crime against nature. Why can’t we have nice things? One Root, One W Schism looked great tonight. Whether in the ring, outside of the ring, or just their presentation, I dug them. Joe Gacy’s group surrounded Tyler Bate during Bate’s promo, and talked their usual talk about their way of live vs. everyone else’s. This segued into their match with Chase U, who wanted revenge on Thea Hail’s behalf. The Dyad looked great. They wrestled a more aggressive match and came off as threats rather than...however I normally view them. The match took a turn when Ava Raine approached Thea and Andre Chase intervened. Chase left Duke Hudson all by his lonesome, and Hudson took the fall because two beats one every time. Interestingly, they’re still playing the dissension in Chase U angle. Duke yelled that Thea needs to grow up and fend for herself. And he believes Chase coddles her. I’m not sure how I feel about that if only because I have no idea where it’s going. But, look, either do the breakup or don’t because the actual story behind the potential breakup just isn’t that compelling. The Return Just when I thought Jacy Jayne’s match against Indi Hartwell put its focus squarely on making Jacy’s newest iteration put some steak behind her sizzle, Gigi Dolin returned. Gigi attacked Jacy and almost kicked off her head. Gigi looked great as the fiery face out for revenge, while Jacy leans into the cowardly heel who only shows aggression when the odds line up on her side of the ledger. M I can’t wait for the day Gigi dominates and destroys Jacy, which means mission accomplished. Pretty Deadly The tag match between Gallus and Edris Enofe & Malik Blade was sloppy in spots. Not awful but missed a few key spots. But the match also didn’t last long since two guys showed up with a cake for the tag champs. After Gallus defeated Enofe & Blade, surprise surprise, we found out Pretty Deadly sent the cake. To make a long story short, Pretty Deadly showed up and destroyed the Gallus boys. I kinda loved it because it showed a very different side of the former tag champs. They attacked Gallus with chairs, they slammed them repeatedly against steel steps, and used said steps as deadly weapons. Going against Gallus, it’s extremely important that Pretty Deadly looks like stiff competition. We know Gallus pulls no punches in the ring and stay on top thanks to the fact they don’t play. Put another way, the Gallus boys are killers. Pretty Deadly need that same energy for a compelling match rather than looking like pushovers more concerned with their hair and side plates. Jailhouse Street Fight! That’s a word salad match if I ever saw one. A couple things here, starting with Von Wagner. We need another gear with this story. Mr. Stone keeps asking for something Von clearly doesn’t comprehend. Von accepted a match with Tony D’Angelo this week, against Stone’s wishes, and the Don put him away rather quickly. Adding to Stone’s point, almost on cue, the crowd collectively told Wagner he can’t wrestle. So, yeah, they’re just as bored as Stone but I’m not sure pointing out that fact week after week does anyone any favors. Secondly, we’re finally ending Tony D vs. Dijak. Tony challenged the big man to a Jailhouse Street Fight at Roadblock. After Dijak’s Vengeance Day showing, sign me up for that. Who Did It?! Nikkita Lyons showed up this week on crutches after a successful surgery. And we still have no idea who assaulted her but we do know Tiffany Stratton doesn’t care. They teased a program between the two, which I assume means Nikkita returns ahead of schedule because who knows how NXT looks a year from now. Diamond Crumbling Speaking of who did it, Tatum Paxley still looked sus. And she looked unsure of this partnership between she and Ivy Nile. Is she Diamond Mine? Is she truly family or just extended company who stays over and doesn’t know she wore out her welcome? That lack of confidence played into their tag match with Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn, who made quick work of their competition. It wasn’t a squash but they painted a clear picture of one team on the same page while the other wasn’t even close. Alba broke Ivy’s finisher by ramming her into Tatum standing on the apron illustrated their issues very well. Hmmm We got multiple segments between Roxanne Perez and Meiko Satomura training together. I understood the point, which is Meiko showing respect to the champ and believing that a great training session helps the will as much as it helps the biceps, but I can’t say I liked the segments. They threw off the show’s pacing for me, and, like I said last week, I want more character development from Roxanne. I like everything about her but can’t get with the persona while wearing the championship. I didn’t enjoy this week’s show as much as I hoped. Grant it, they set up a lot of pieces for Roadblock and that takes time, but the show plodded from one thing to the next without any real sense of rhythm or reason. The opening contest and the first tag match got ample time and proved worthy of said time, but everything else felt weightless. Those are my thoughts, right or wrong. Just how I was feeling at the time. What are yours? |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 6:45am On Feb 22, 2023 |
Devvy4:Iseee |
| TV/Movies › Re: Purpl3's WWE (and Pro-wrestling in general) Discussion And Banter House by pu7pl3(op): 6:26am On Feb 22, 2023 |
WWE RAW REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS Championship Tribulations Going to talk about Cody Rhodes for a bit so indulge me if you will. For starters, through no fault of his own, anything between he and Roman pales when compared to Sami. But that puts Cody and everyone else in a tight jam. How do you make his angle with Roman just as if not more compelling than everything happening around them? Well, you need another gear but so far, the best we have is Cody’s whole “finish the story” thing. Which is fine for a couple weeks but given the elephant in the room, it’s not enough. To say nothing of the fact we have an entire month of storytelling left. Honestly? I’m not sure they can handle that right now. And it’s not because of anyone involved. Paul Heyman did his best, which is always pretty good, but count me underwhelmed. So much so that Cody only semi-acknowledged Heyman’s words. I like the angle Heyman took: schooling Cody on the champion’s responsibilities and how the job strains a family. Heyman using Dustin Rhodes’ reflection on how Dusty’s commitment affected their home life was a beautiful touch. While Cody sold the words through his body language and facial expressions, his words said otherwise. Even he is bored with Heyman already and wants Roman face to face. We need that because these two are practically on different planets at the moment. But even when they do meet, what’s Roman’s motivation? After dealing with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn for the past few months, and all that comes along with those two, getting involved with Cody can’t possibly hold the same weight. Sure, defending the championship is always his goal, but Roman’s character works better when there’s something personal at stake. And Roman’s matches function at such a high level in that arena as well. This is personal for Cody as it goes back to his dad and finishing his family’s story. Cody brings the fire and passion of a man who believes his family got the short end of the stick for far too long. However, with the Bloodline in disarray, Roman seems concerned with the people he believes put his family in jeopardy. And yeah, Cody isn’t on that list. I wish I had the answer. For one, that’s more commas in my bank account because I’d be working for WWE. But I also just wish I knew. A month is a long time and if the best we’re getting for 31 days is “finish the story” then I vote for the end of that chapter right now. Extracurriculars Another Enemy, Not Even a Frenemy Sami Zayn started the show overwhelmed and unsatisfied. While he didn’t defeat Roman at Elimination Chamber, burning down the Bloodline remains high on his priority list. But between all the “thank you’s” and declarations, Zayn had one person on his mind: Kevin Owens. After the Elimination Chamber, I said Sami and KO’s eventual reconciliation needs time. The way these two left things after Survivor Series, a quick fix and a handshake doesn’t suffice. KO confirmed that this week. After Sami acknowledged their tribulations, their wars, and their unforgivable actions toward each other, KO said he won’t ride on the Bloodline with Sami at his side. KO also confirmed that he saved Sami at Elimination Chamber for him, not for Sami. KO did it for his family, who watched on helplessly at the Royal Rumble, and in hopes that Sami’s family won’t suffer the same fate. KO suggested Sami hit up Jey Uso if he wants a partner for his crusade against the Bloodline. So, yeah, that’s cold. But also appropriate. They played this perfectly. Sami extended the olive branch knowing he might get smacked with said branch. KO looked nonplussed and truly emotionless as he listened to his former friend. The Jey Uso thing, while cold, acknowledges that brotherhood and reminds Sami that he has work to do if he wants any friendships in that locker room. Give it time, let it cook, and get us where we need to go. Conclusions Maybe someone realized that they went a little too far with how JBL and Baron Corbin ended their partnership. JBL buried the guy on national television and no, he didn’t go into business for himself either. This week, we got some of a Corbin reclamation project. While no one believed Corbin might defeat Sami Zayn in Ottawa 48 hours after Elimination Chamber, Corbin at least looked competitive. That’s the most important thing for him going forward. Yes, he picked this fight because he felt Sami disrespected him last week (he didn't) but again, Corbin looked competent and powerful. That’s a whole lot better than anything else he’s done for the past few months by JBL’s side. Stand by Your Woman I love Dom. Absolutely love him. Everything he and Rhea touch turns golden, and their sit-down interview with Byron Saxton showed why. Dom plays his cheerleader role perfectly, chiming in with comical tough talk every now and then with idle threats. He enhances Rhea as well, which doesn’t take a lot to do but still. Rhea quickly moved on from Beth Phoenix, although acknowledging their unfinished business, and turned her attention towards Charlotte Flair. I don’t know how WWE plays this in April, but Rhea needs that championship. She’s the hottest woman in the territory right now and is a lot more interesting than Flair. Hopefully we get these two together rather than Byron playing telephone and relaying messages. Ali! I have no clue what they’re doing with Ali. Dolph Ziggler gave him a pep talk last week and the two wrestled this week. Ali countered the Fameasser rather dopely and surprised Dolph with crucifix pin. It wasn’t a long affair, which works when it’s a surprise victory, but hopefully this puts an end to Ali’s current complaining character. While I think his arguments hold tons of weight as it relates to his career and behind the scenes machinations, those arguments come off as whining without aggressively doing something about it. Stone Cold Steve Austin turned years of frustration into something tangible that the crowd got behind in a major way. I’m not comparing Ali to Austin, but just using him as an example of someone taking their real-life frustrations and using it for character accentuation. Whether they plan on pushing Ali to the moon or not, it better serves his character if he shows more assertiveness, aggression, and anger rather than using sarcasm as his chief tool. Just my thoughts. Asuka x Crazy Nikki Cross is the perfect opponent for Asuka this week. Asuka has her date Bianca Belair but Nikki battling Nikki presents a different type of danger. Cross has no scruples or rules; she does what she does and hopes her opponents hurt as a result. So it’s no wonder that Asuka hurt her foot or shin at one point in the match when Nikki ducked a kick and Asuka connected with the ring post. While it didn’t have long-lasting effects, it did illustrate how unpaved Asuka’s rode to Bianca is for the next month. Asuka got the win but it took a lot out of her. She tried getting into Bianca’s head with some post match mind games, but she’s got Carmela on next week’s plate. So maybe, just maybe, focusing on the people in front of her rather than the person behind the WrestleMania sign might serve her better. Bianca’s the champ but seemingly Asuka has the bullseye on her back. You’ll Do Seth Rollins using Miz as a Logan Paul surrogate makes so much sense. It’s well-done storytelling through matchmaking with both men acknowledging what’s happening. Seth almost let Miz get the better of him on several occasions, proving his emotions ran hotter than New York City pavement in August. So what’s the big deal here? Well, the ending. Seth set up Miz for a Curb Stomp. Cool, match over. Right? Nah. Seth paced around the ring, listened to the crowd, and stomped Miz’s face into the mat one more time. Then, he paced the ring some more with visions of Logan dancing in his head, ignored the ref, and hit Miz with a third Curb Stomp. The ref stopped the match, called it in Seth’s favor, and WWE’s Joker walked away with a win. But he clearly wants Paul and this match served as a nice appetizer. LITA! Let’s just keep this one simple: Becky and Lita challenged Damage CTRL for their tag team championships. When? Next week. Once again, Bayley answered for her teammates and probably got them in more trouble than they wanted. The best moments for this Ding, Dong, Hello? Bayley laughing at Becky for having no friends, Bayley telling Becky and Lita to use the door, Bayley telling them they can’t come in, and lastly, Bayley telling Lita she doesn’t work here anymore so she can’t come in the door. So, yeah, Bayley. I clearly chose the wrong headline. Snacks Shoutout to Corey Graves for the line of the night when Maxxine Dupri showed up during Chad Gable’s match with Bryson Reed: “Otis is a man easily distracted by snacks.” I mean, I get it, Otis. I completely get and feel you. Bronson Reed’s domination tour continues. While Gable gave him some go, and even lifted the big man for beautiful German Suplex, this was all about Bronson and Otis. Bronson got the W while Maxxine’s eye for Otis got bigger. Edge’s Judgment Edge vs. Judgment Day is a long feud. The more Edge said he put the group in his rearview mirror, the more we all knew the reality. Edge did the equivalent of saying he’ll be right back in a horror movie. Sure enough, Finn Balor crept ringside, proverbial knife in hand, with designs on ruining Edge’s United States championship match against Austin Theory. Before the match, Edge spoke on getting back to his original goals, with championship gold sitting at the top of the list. Again, they telegraphed the ending, but that’s not a bad thing. Well, that depends on your feelings about this feud overall and whether you want Finn vs. Edge, possibly at WrestleMania. The fact Edge came this close to defeating Austin Theory makes it sting even more for the R-Rated One. I wonder if Edge goes back to another persona or channels something different since I’m positive his anger towards Finn knows no bounds right now. Meanwhile, he and Theory wrestled an entertaining match, with both men cutting some corners for the W. As always, I appreciate the fact Edge’s matches incorporate his entire WWE history. Yeah, No As part of vengeance for Bobby Lashley, and to get in his good graces, MVP challenged Brock Lesnar to a Mania match with...Omos. Nope, don’t want it. But I look forward to whatever way they wiggle out of that one and into Brock’s actual Mania match. It’s also weird that MVP pulled that move with no pushback from Bobby, who was in the building and clearly pissed. Really weird. Raw was, as it is usually these days, a solid show. Nothing spectacular, nor was it awful. The truly out of this world great shows don’t come often. But after years of haphazardness, Raw finally does all the basics right and simply builds on those weekly. That’s my thoughts. Right or wrong, just how I felt at the time. What are your thoughts |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 11:14pm On Feb 21, 2023 |
Klopp done too collect for our hand sha... And I know that deep down he knows he'll still collect in the return leg at the Bernabeu 🤧🤧😭😭😭 1 Like |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 11:04pm On Feb 21, 2023 |
If they were releasing Rodrygo early during the last 10 mins before he left the pitch Benzema or Vinicius would have had a hattrick. He was soo open on many occasions and calling for the ball but everyone was ignoring him. Another great game from Carmavinga 🔥 1 Like |
| TV/Movies › Re: What Series Are You Watching Now? Part 2 by pu7pl3(m): 10:02pm On Feb 21, 2023 |
cuffee:Breaking Kor Fixing Ni 8 Likes |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 10:01pm On Feb 21, 2023 |
Neutral fans will be enjoying this one tho Most action packed UCL 1st half this season by far🔥🔥🤭🤭 1 Like |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: R36L Madrid - Most Successful & Greatest Champ15ns of Spain, Europe & W9rld by pu7pl3(m): 10:00pm On Feb 21, 2023 |
Rajmeista:Nacho has not done anything wrong...when he first came on he wasn't on the same pace cos the game was fast but he adapted immediately. It's Benzema that the game has left behind...our Attack is literally just Vinicius and Rodrygo with Valverde pushing forward and they are miles apart |
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