forameus

That's...quite something. For anyone not caring about being spoiled for Rampage, quote below

Away from Dynamite, anyone got their All In tickets yet? I missed the pre-sale on Monday but got in on the Ticketmaster one. Had a few re-rolls for tickets as seems like all the 100 level tickets went pretty quickly. Went up to the next price bracket and got block 209, so in one of the corners. Also interesting that they seem to have completely changed the setup from last year with the stage taking up one end rather than being at halfway. Be nice to actually see the entranceway this year, if it isn't blocked by whatever canopy they chuck up over the ring.

I do find the mentions a little bit wee-guy, and it does always seem to be in one direction. I don't think WWE don't mention them because they don't care, quite the opposite in fact, but the silence seems a bit more dignified than "this company wasted this guy". Aye, Joe has carved out a great wee niche and didn't deserve the treatment he got, but WWE are about to make a huge amount of money from someone AEW couldn't control, and I expect there are a lot of wrestlers currently residing in AEW that WWE could just go and tempt over at will. AEW have an often great product, and a terrific alternative (or addition to, for a lot of people) to WWE. Just get on with making your product the best it can be. It also might show some of the tribalists who will defend either side to the death that they should reign it in a wee bit and realise that having both of them is fucking great for wrestling. Anyway, Dynamite was...alright I suppose. I assume FITE had issues during the MJF promo, everything blacked out just before the tag team challenge, so not entirely sure what went on. I assume he's facing two goons next week? Assume they'll unmask and it'll be Taven and Bennet or something, and Adam Cole will be like whaaaaaaaat, making it obvious that it's him behind it all. Ric Flair remains a really questionable hire. Sting looks like he's visibly cringing whenever the auld duffer gets to speak. I get him coming in around the actual retirement match, but to have him as Sting's mascot when there's a decent chance he'll either die or get into hot water before March is certainly a decision. It's like they saw that Darby Allin would be away and pencilled in a replacement pal. Who's a creepy boy with a questionable past? Gie Ric a call!

I haven't seen the promo, but sounds like it was pretty underwhelming. Headline on Bleacher Report suggested it was one of Punk's typical amazing promos, but their actual write-up seems to echo what others are saying. I expect a "short leash" is massively underselling what he's under with WWE, as is their right. But you have to imagine that if he is being told he can't cut the kind of promos he's known for, then what's the point in bringing him back? I expect things'll change once he actually gets into a proper feud. If it is with Rollins, I expect we'll get to see what he's really made of, but if they think that a weak, hypocritical ra-ra speech is the way to go, then who knows? I'd be fairly sure he won't blow anything up in WWE. With AEW he was basically enabled in being the terrible b*****d he ended up being with Khan just being unable - or unwilling - to instill any kind of discipline. If you're in that environment, where's the incentive to behave? At WWE, any discontent will likely get quashed way earlier, and I expect they've covered themselves legally with the contract anyway. You're right about the last bit though. As long as they don't completely f**k it up, he'll probably end his career in relative comfort with both parties having made a significant amount of money.

It's generally accepted that the Bucks reached out to Punk when AEW was being formed and made it clear they wanted him. He got the hump immediately, something about them not doing it in "the right way". Punk has been almost solely responsible for everything that happened, and if anyone's as equally to blame, it's Tony Khan for basically doing nothing while everyone acted like children. My pet hate is the shouts for the camera they'll do as they hit moves. Not sure what it is about it, as MJF also likes to do similar, but for him it's more about extra selling of whatever's happening, rather than try-harding and being smart. But fully admit that most people likely still think they're brilliant, and it's likely me in a minority group being a grumpy shit.

I just couldn't really see Ospreay ever going to WWE. He's one of the best in the world, but I can't see them just accepting Ospreay the way he is. If you round off those edges to make him WWE-worthy, does he retain the same allure? AEW he's already worked with, he can basically step straight in without changing, he's almost certainly going to figure heavily at Wembley in August - possibly even main event - and he's allowed to drift over to Japan if need be.

Which is why they'd be much better just accepting he's at least straddling heel and face or just let him be a heel. I think AEW went far too long having him as this super face, particularly with all the shit that was going on behind the scenes. Everyone knows what happened in AEW, and outside of Chicago he's likely to get mixed reactions. Have Rollins continue as a face, and have the two of them absolutely go off on each other in the run-up. Just so much material there. The Shield was Punk's idea, Mox has already dismantled him verbally, Rollins has called him a cancer, Jack Perry almost certainly going to be referred to. If HHH can sit behind the scenes and make absolutely sure he is kept on a leash, both sides are going to make a lot of money, and Punk can disappear off into retirement eventually having not completely self-destructed. Or it all goes to shit in weeks. It'll be fun seeing which.

Think it's been said that talent knew, and Rollins is in full on work mode in anticipation of having a feud with Punk

The crazy fuckers did it. I'll be honest, I got spoiled on Punk returning before I started watching, but that kind of made me appreciate just how masterfully they handled it. Leak they're talking to the guy, then leak that it's done. Throw in a few hints over the weeks but ultimately (seemingly) completely pivoting away in favour of Orton. Looked like they were trying to quash any expectation, which is something they've fallen foul of in the past. Knowing he was coming back, and the way they handled Orton during the show, I just assumed you'd get him coming out as the 5th guy when the timer hit 0, ra-ra babyface pop, and off we go. Then Ripley comes out, which is a nice wrinkle, then Orton to a massive pop. Would've been easy for the crowd to turn on it all at that point, but they played it so well that they hadn't given them Punk, but gave them something almost as good to them. Orton looks brilliant, gets his moment, match ends, and then the fucking copyright card. Incredible pop for the guy. He seems like a particularly objectionable human being at times, but you can't deny what he brings to a company. Now that he's here, maybe this is the best place for him. He's not going to get nearly as much of a long leash that he got in AEW, and any discontent is probably going to get squashed before it has a chance to fester. I just hope they don't have him as a face now they've left Chicago. Let him be a dick. Have to hand it to WWE. Felt like the show was a bit meh and safe after the lunacy of Full Gear last week. But they absolutely nailed the ending. EDIT: Anyone watch the press conference afterwards? Did Punk manage not to immediately burn everything down?

If I was anyone playing Georgia, I'd be doing my absolute level best to take it to the trenches and properly shithouse them. They almost had a fucking aneurism when it rained in Glasgow, and the home game they dragged it down themselves. Reducer on K-Rat the first minute, and spend the rest of the game acting like proper dicks.

I was still seeing an outside chance that they'd worked an injury into a more serious injury, but that's clearly not the case. I didn't think he'd be back imminently in any sort of wrestling capacity outside of fantasy booking. I don't know, something about the way they presented on Dynamite suggested that they were scrambling a little about the injury, but that's got no basis really. They've got a history of not really knowing how to pivot when it comes to injuries and just forging ahead regardless. One story that seems to hold a bit of weight that I read would be the devil stuff building up to World's End and the kayfabe of MJF's contract coming to an end. Cole reveals himself, causes MJF to lose his title in Long Island, thinking he'll be leaving the company anyway now he has nothing. MJF can get a well-earned break, heal up, sell that he's really gone, and once Cole has a clearer timeline for returning, MJF can come back vowing revenge. Then you can give Joe a nice little reign, maybe even all the way to All In when he can pass it to Ospreay (as surely there's no doubt he's going to win that title at Wembley)

Not a huge fan of the long-winded league format, but that's likely just me being a basic bitch. If they can pepper in bits of storyline, fair enough. Bit disappointing that it seems like the World's End match is just Joe vs MJF. Makes sense, but I thought we'd build to all these story threads and challengers having this big multi-man match. Maybe MJF does retain after all. Starting to look like maybe Cole's injury is more serious than they thought, and now they're desperately spinning their wheels until he can return. The quick shot of the devil certainly seems like they're trying to distract from it being Cole whilst not really moving things on at all. Christian is just having the best time, isn't he? I'd love to see what happens when he gets through to the back away from the cameras, and just how nice he is to the people he's just verbally cut down. MJF can make anything work promo-wise, but his heel stuff often jumped towards the usual "your city/sports team/idol is bad" stuff. If you want someone to cut - literally - a heel promo with proper heat, Christian's on another level.

I've no idea (well, actually, I do have an idea, given it's almost certainly just down to name) why everyone seems so terrified of Italy. They're down in pot 4 for a reason, and although I'd still prefer, say, the Path C playoffs option than them, I wouldn't be averse to drawing them. They've been to as many tournaments as we have since 2018, and although the one they did go to they won, they've shat the bed getting to two World Cups. They're not to be overly feared in the way you'd fear France or similar. Anyway, using that handy wee app someone put forward, it's just mugged me right off by suggesting Italy are amongst the hardest draw (based on ELO). Think if we got that, we'd stand a decent chance of getting something from Denmark or Italy, but could also see us getting papped out with nothing. When you're hoping for a "better" nation to f**k up, not the best position to be in (especially when we're well capable of doing similar). The "hardest draw based on market value" replaces France with England (curiously with the same "value" as France). I'm not as afraid of England as some, but again it's basically a question of which England turns up. They're well capable of turning in an utterly turgid mess of a performance (their November has them up there with Belgium in the "talented but tedious" stakes), but they proved at Hampden that if they want to, they could hold us at arms length and win comfortably. Onto the draws we definitely won't get, and based on ELO, it's this one I would definitely take that. Germany are an awkward one, as they'll be at a home tournament, and surely can't be as bad as they have been, but...well they have been utter shite. Seems like the sort of perfect storm moment for them to have a real shitemare and start another reinvention that ends with them winning the 2030 World Cup. We should be able to beat Albania to secure 3rd, and Poland seem to be on the slide down while we go in the other direction. 2nd definitely not beyond us, and if all the stars align, that's probably a group we could actually win..

I see it more as them offering some kind of "dream team" made up of players that didn't make it. That seems like the sort of absolutely w**k solution that modern football would come up with. International football is already the red-headed step-child to the sort of people who have serious conversations about their fantasy team, so what better way to drum up interest than to completely piss all over everything? That and changing allegiance. Harder to get working, but wouldn't put it past them.

Ukraine in a semi-final you say? I think it'd be only fair to lay down like they should have last time. Like we did.,

"Just" offside... This is impressive and delicious levels of copium.

Petty or not, I'm not sure I dislike any international football side as much as I do Wales. This is delightful.

Bit of a mixed bag with Full Gear. I thought early on it seemed like it was missing something huge. Trios match to start off was fine, but felt more like a bit of a tribute/house show match. Are we really going to have "this is the last time Sting will wrestle in..." at every venue? Seems like it. The ladder match was fine chaos, but again didn't feel maybe quite as big as it could. Particularly disappointing was the Mox/OC match. Not sure what it was, but it felt like they were just trying to get through things, and never had the feeling like there was the bad blood in the story that had been told up to that point. Good to see them put the faith in OC, but that's about it. And as a final kick in the stones, the final line of commentary was along the lines of "it doesn't look like we've seen the end of the feud between the BCC and Best Friends." f**k off. Ospreay lifted things slightly, and I am really looking forward to seeing what they do with him at Wembley next year. Then Hangman/Swerve happened. f**k me. I'm not convinced it was particularly smart, but if you're putting together a Texas Deathmatch on one of your big shows, by f**k did they deliver. They threw absolutely everything at each other, and no-one comes out of it looking weaker. Swerve is an absolute star, and will be very interesting to see where that goes next. Bucks/Jerichomega was...fine. I still just can't take to the Bucks with the constant mugging to the camera, but it will be interesting to see where it goes from here. Then the main event...I really liked how they built a story through the show to pay off in the main event, although I would have peppered a bit more during. I can see the point of people saying the story's starting to fall apart a bit, but I think that was probably the best choice at the time. I was absolutely sure we were getting the payoff to the devil stuff and it being Cole, but they swerved that. I assumed at some point the boot comes off, and suddenly he's not injured, and he's the devil, and krrroooossh, and smaaash, and all that. But they're taking the Gargano/Ciampa route, and when he inevitably turns on MJF - presumably in his home town at New Year - it's going to be all the bigger. As for the match, MJF just keeps getting better. It takes a lot to make that length of match believable with a worked injury, and usually you get a few moments where they just forget to sell, or take you out of it, but every moment he's selling it, but never quite pushing it into bullshit territory. Massive credit to Jay White too. And fucking hell, I bit so hard on that belt-based false finish at the end my teeth fell out. Roman Reigns will always get the press as the undisputed top guy in (probably) the top company in the industry, but when you compare how the respective matches go, MJF (and the writers) are putting on something noticeably different most times, have gone through one face turn (and potentially a heel turn too), while Reigns has basically been having the same match for years now. No comparison.

Also rumours of Goldberg. Which would be...a decision. And Ziggler. Which seems like the sort of signing to expect from Tony "Major Announcement" Khan.

Initial interest in the game has waned for me, but I still don't really see anything serious bug-wise in my save. Not to say they're not there, but I'm yet to see something that really puts me off playing. It's fine at the moment, nothing revolutionary, has bugs as it always does, but otherwise OK. Although most of my time is going in working in the editor to be honest, so it's ages since I've properly played the game. Don't think I've had a serious play of it since the last update. Does seem like the reaction to this title is slightly more hysterical than usual.

Anyone new coming in would have to be an absolute superstar that could automatically improve us no questions asked in order to make it into the Euros squad. If they're still interested come the Nations League in the autumn, by all means we should be exploring every option in order to make us better. But it would be a massive slap in the face to everyone who has got us to this point to bring in someone completely new if they're just going to be a slight improvement. Och, I'm sure it's not that... *checks* Fucking hell.

Absolutely mental spot to even try too. Hobbs did well to get him up, but clearly struggling, and Wight coming down didn't look controlled or particularly comfortable. Like a roll of carpet coming down some stairs. And for what? Him being there didn't really make much sense other than to satisfy a "Hobbs big, he bigger" kind of angle. Just needless. Plus it comes inside the sort of match that AEW just steadfastly refuse to get better at covering. They need to really stop these chaotic multi-man matches until they can be confident about actually being able to show everything.

But of course, after 5 minutes Rockstar will offer a new pack that offers a flying mobility scooter with multiple missiles that everyone will buy. I'm always amazed at how Rockstar are received given how absolutely shameless they are with microtransactions and the online content.

Italy are probably the best example of names not meaning quality necessarily. We've been at as many tournaments in the past three than they have. Granted they won that one, but they're perfectly capable of being absolutely shite. If you go back further, they've been disappointing (based on the name at least) since they won the World Cup in 2006. Group Stage in 2010 and 2014, not even there in 2018 and 2022. Fared better in the Euros, but outside of 2020 (which they followed up by failing to get to 2022) they've had a couple of quarter finals and getting absolutely horsed off Spain in the final in 2012 (were they not pretty shit at that tournament too from memory?) Ultimately, the seedings largely represent where a nation should be now they've gotten away from it being easily manipulated. Any team we'll draw is going to pose a problem to us, but on the other hand, outside of a few obvious examples, there aren't any sides we should be actively fearing. This format really just needs a win to be in with a chance of the knockouts, and that's definitely not beyond us.