2023 Pro Wrestling Thread

I don’t mind if they have her do worked shoot interviews where she talks about her issues (again, if legit), as part of her overall profile and what she has to work through to be a WWE superstar. I just don’t like that they’re using these issues to explain her collapse and explain why she was getting stripped of the title.

It’s a fine line that should not be crossed. And if the issues are storyline-only, well, yeeesh.

 

My thinking is Rox will either retain, or Tiffany will win. Tiffany has shown great skills in the ring. Gigi is on a holding pattern for Jacy to return, and I could see Stark and Indi getting called up.

Seems clear that Schism will beat Chase U, with either Hudson or Bate being a plant. I'll be curious to finally see Ava in the ring, but I'm guessing the women's work will be pretty minimal since they're both the greenest of the bunch.

The Creeds are amazing in the ring, and I'd love to see them get the belts.

The NA match is going to be pure insanity, but I don't really have an idea on who will win.

Waller and Gargano is going to be a brawl, and I think Johnny will get his comeuppance. Even if Johnny is not the regular anymore, I can't see him get retired from NXT twice by Waller.

The main event almost seems like a lock for Carmelo. It's his time, and I think time for Bron to sink or swim on Mondays or Fridays.

 

Yeah the NXT card looks prettt amazing I wish it was on a standalone weekend, with Mania being 2 days there’s no way to enjoy it or have it get the attention itll probably deserve

 

Rumblings were that a ref was going into the WWE HOF for the first time, and it will be the late, great Tim White getting the Warrior Award. Great gesture.

 

I'm glad to see a career ref get inducted (technically, he'd be at least the second ref since Teddy Long is in the Hall of Fame), but I wish they had just done it as a regular inductee instead of the Warrior Award. Not to cheapen White, who's deserving of a Hall spot; but they've generally made the Warrior Award about people who either fought/overcame some kind of adversity or have done important charity work. It kinda feels like they wanted to recognize him without making him a regular inductee. And White is one of several refs who deserve to be inducted.

 

If anything, Tim actually fulfills the criteria Warrior had envisioned originally -- a WWE employee who did a lot behind the scenes, but may have not otherwise gotten the plaudits. That's why Sue Aitchison got it when they were in NY/NJ, or Titus O'Neill in 2021. In the grand scheme of things, Timmy's ref career was only a portion of what he did -- most notably being Andre's longtime confidant. It's like Brooklyn Brawler or Tony Chimel. who were on camera a lot, but did a lot more behind the scenes.

The people who sacrificed or overcame adversity (Shad Gaspard, Jarius -- the kid who famously roasted Miz, Jane Pauley) deserved to be honored, but it wasn't really the original thought of the award.

 

That's true, and looking at all the winners, there seems to be a mix of both longtime behind-the-scenes employees and others who they felt fit the award's description like Shad Gaspard and Joan Lunden. I think my biggest thing is that I would love to see referees get into the "formal" Hall of Fame. Technically, they don't include Warrior Award winners as part of the Hall when they list people who are in it, even though they're listed with each year's class of inductees. I think it would be better if they'd just include someone like White as a regular inductee. I mean, I know it's all a made-up award with no real criteria, but the refs are a big part of the show, and people like White, Earl Hebner, Charles Robinsons and Nick Patrick deserve to a spot alongside the wrestlers and announcers.

 

Damn, Callis was Moxleying all over the place after that segment.

 

OK, who placed money on Don Callis being the first one to show color tonight?

 

Danielson with a heel turn too. Dang.

 

Guess we're eventually building toward BCC vs. a reunited Elite w/ Page -- but where does weasely Callis come in? Does Don become BCC's mouthpiece?