Bad Blood in our past, and some bloody movies in our future!

Bad Blood definitely cruised on the overwhelming success of its opening and closing matches. The CM Punk/Drew McIntyre feud that has only built in intensity since this year’s Royal Rumble has been incredible -- even more so when you factor in that Punk wasn’t really available for months after his injury at the hands of McIntyre. But they used that real life setback as a great way for Drew to lean into his heel character, attacking a rarely-present Punker until his return to the active roster. Say what you will about the whole “friendship bracelet” angle, that thing paid off in spades when Drew busted out the velvet bag many of us recognize as the holder of tacks from past hardcore matches. The audience’s surprise as McIntyre revealed a sack full of the beads that made up Punk’s bracelet was great.

And the blood! Dear God, these two didn’t need to go as hard as they did, but Punk knows how to get the most out of his broken body, and these days that means ultraviolence to both himself and his opponent. Drew didn’t back down either, earning 18 stitches in his scalp after the match. YIKES.

I really don’t have much to say about the middle portion of the show. Nia Jax retained after another teased cash-in from Tiffany Stratton, but she mostly dominated Bayley while also reminding Tiffy that she won’t succeed in using her Money in the Bank contract unless Nia is either incapacitated or dead. Finn Balor and Damien Priest had a decent match with the expected Judgment Day interference, but it’s been far too long for this rivalry and I’m hoping both of these guys move on to other dance partners. A segment featuring Gunther, Triple H, and Bill Goldberg revealed that the next Sweet Saudi Money show will feature champ-versus-champ matches for gigantic, gaudy, ugly belts that will likely not get referenced after that show passes, but that’s sportswashing for ya. 

Liv Morgan retained her championship with even more shenanigans, this time featuring a returning Raquel Rodriguez -- now a heel and apparently Liv’s muscle. I’m sure we’ll learn a little more about this when Raw starts in about fifteen minutes, but I really wanted to get this little bit written so I can start on a preview for WrestleDream tomorrow, once I get a chance to catch up on AEW Collision.

The violence of the Hell in a Cell fight that opened the show was matched by the spectacle of the main event, with Roman Reigns and a full orchestra teaming up with a college band and Cody Rhodes to take on the Nu Bloodline, represented by Solo Sikoa and Jakob Fatu. The match itself was good, but the post-match was even better, as we saw the return of Jimmy Uso. Jimmy has already shown that he remains loyal to Roman, and when the OG Bloodline returned to the ring to clear out the new guys as they attacked Cody, we got another return to close out the show. The Rock’s music hit, and he strolled out with his questionably-relevant Ali title belt over his shoulder. All kinds of questions can now be asked, and fantasy booking engines are in overdrive plotting everything from Survivor Series all the way to WrestleMania in Las Vegas. 

What’s the Rock’s whole deal? What does he want with Cody and Roman? Is he the true tribal chief, guiding Solo while he’s been on movie sets? WHO’S TO SAY? I’m looking forward to getting some answers, along with somebody addressing whatever happened between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens after the show:

Sure, it came off as a little cheesy, with Cody pantoming his emotions bigger than a mime in clown college. But it was also a unique way to have Owens turn on his friend, and I applaud the timing and scouting it must have taken to make sure fans were on hand to spread this story development via social media. 

And now for something completely different: A festival first timer’s guide!

So for the past five years, my lovely wife and I have attended the Telluride Horror show. It’s a fantastic little festival of murder and mayhem that takes place in the lovely little box canyon known as Telluride, in southern Colorado. The drive down from here takes around six hours, and some construction is making this year’s travel a bit longer but hopefully last perilous -- last year’s detour put us into a freak snowstorm that made us incredibly grateful for both my wife’s driving skills and our decision to put new tires on our Jeep Renegade days prior to the trip. 

We’re taking a friend with us for this trip, the first time we’ve ever done so. She had some questions, and it occurred to me that maybe folks who have never been to a movie festival might want to know what they’re in for if it’s their first festival, regardless of genre. So, in the interest of both public knowledge and “content” I’ve assembled her questions, along with some FAQs from the Telluride Horror Show site itself, and attempted to answer them as honestly and helpfully as I could.

Are the theaters usually packed?

They’re rarely not. There are three venues, with the one playing most of the movies we plan on seeing being the largest. The Palm is right at the entrance to town, based in the local high school. The Sheridan Opera House is closer to the heart of town, and feels like the small town theaters I grew up going to, like the old Lake Theater in Oak Park, IL or the Music Box in Chicago. That one tends to fill up quickly. The third venue was the Nugget, but it’s under construction and has been replaced with another theater in the high school, dubbed “The Blob.” So it’s TBA for that one.

Is it first come, first seated?

It is, kinda. Three day passholders are seated first, and there’s almost always a long line for any film. So there’s lots of waiting in line, which makes for nice conversation and a brief, intense rush into the theater. But in five years we’ve never not had seats, and the folks near the doors keep track of how many people are going in. 

Where do you typically sit?

If it’s up to us, we tend to sit in the one row with lots of spare leg room if we’re in the Sheridan Opera House, and near the edges of the middle area in the Palm so we can hop out for drinks or bathroom breaks without disturbing others. This is more of a personal preference thing though, and sometimes you just gotta sit wherever there’s a seat.

Do people applaud after the movie?

Yes! Most often, someone is in attendance who had a hand in bringing that film to life -- a producer, director, or actor. The movies are usually introduced by a host, and they will mention if those folks are there and if there will be a Q&A segment after the movie. But regardless, I think most movies get a round of applause just to show they were appreciated.

Can I bring a reusable water bottle to fill?

As far as I know, water is okay to bring into the venues. There’s nothing in the Official FAQ about it, and we’ve never had an issue bringing in our fancy officially branded Horror Show metal bottles.

What if the movie is too scary?

That’s a fair question! Some people’s lines are different from others, and we all have movies we’ve considered “too much” even if we’ve sat through them. Hell, one of the biggest arguments in wrestling recently was whether the AEW match between “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland was too bloody and violent, and nobody even got disemboweled in that one!

The answer is, if the movie is too scary, you don’t have to watch it! There’s no shame in leaving a movie for any reason. There’s a ton of other stuff to watch and do while you’re down there. If you give it a chance, and it’s not for you, you can hang with the delightful people in the lobby while you wait for your pals (especially the Vinegar Syndrome folks at the Palm -- they’re always really pleasant and friendly, and down to talk movies) or just head back to your room! We’ve seen plenty of people leave -- actually, our first experience watching ANY film at Telluride featured a guy who loudly protested that there weren’t any kills fifteen minutes into a movie and stormed out. So, you know, don’t be that guy and you’ll be fine.

Have you ever left a movie because it was terrible?

Nope -- neither in regular movie-going or at the Telluride Horror Show. It could be a combination of poor judgment and believing that walking out meant wasted money and time. Or it could be that I like even bad movies, and can appreciate little things. At worst, it’s certainly something to talk about on the way home. 

But Telluride is special because it’s so well curated. I’ve never seen a movie -- or even just a short film -- I didn’t enjoy, and most of the movies I’ve seen I’ve absolutely loved. Almost all are worth a rewatch at home, and I recommend a lot of our past Telluride views to anyone who asks.

Do you attend any Q&As?

Yes and no. We typically go for the movies, primarily, and so pass on things like chats with filmmakers and authors. But, we’ll almost always stay for post-movie chats with people if we don’t need to sprint to another venue to make a movie in time. I think it’s great that people go to Telluride with different agendas, and the festival caters to all different types of horror fans. I know some folks who only go to see a few films, and spend time hiking and enjoying the town of Telluride on its own merits. We might even end up doing some local dining and shopping this year, since it looks like we may have overbooked our stay and there’s not a welcome movie this year.

Are there kids?

Not in any official capacity. Most folks know what they’re in for, and don’t bring babies or little ones to the movies. There are exceptions, though! We once had a little girl of maybe 8 who was a big horror fan, and her mom seemed to be the one tagging along more than the kid. Parents know their kids, and some kids are smart enough to understand what they’re watching. My mom worked in a local video store, and as a result my sisters and I were exposed to horror movies at a younger age than most. We turned out okay.

And that’s it!

I hope I’ve answered any questions you might have had. I'll take some notes and write movie reviews when we get back next week! If you’ve got any more questions, feel free to reach out on Bluesky @elosopequeno.bsky.social or in the comments on this very blog! I’m looking forward to Telluride, but I’ve also got a couple things to knock out before we head down in a couple days. I’m hoping to have a preview for AEW WrestleDream publish on Friday, even though I’ll be missing that show for the Horror Show. These things happen. I’ll do my best to avoid spoilers, and then I’ll either catch up when I’m home or just give in and read a review after I’m back home. 

Thank you so much for reading. If you liked what you saw, consider telling your friends, mentioning Let’s Watch Some Wrestling on social media, or even buying me a hot cup of coffee using the Ko-Fi button. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next time, dear reader. Until then, Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!

A little AEW ALL IN recap, some ALL OUT build, and predictions for WWE Bash in Berlin and NXT No Mercy!

 

Good Morning!

It’s been another week here in the old blog mines, with the SlashGear gig assigning me a list ranking brands of framing nailers. A framing nailer, if you’re unaware, is a nail gun that shoots big, full size nails into studs for framing houses, although it can also be used to affix subfloors or roofing. Maybe not the most exciting thing in the world, but it beats using a hammer and nails, doesn't it?

But I digress. Since last we spoke, ALL IN happened, along with Dynamite, which served to move us along to next weekend’s ALL OUT show. I still don’t love the way they have these shows set up with just two weeks between -- especially since AEW still charges $50 per show for these things -- but at least they did a better job of setting up storylines that were able to develop in London and cleanly segue into matches for the upcoming Chicago show.

We’ve also got WWE and NXT shows this weekend, with Bash at Berlin and NXT No Mercy coming up on Saturday afternoon (for us here in the states) and Sunday night from right here in Denver, respectively. I remain on the fence about attending the NXT show…on the one hand, NXT rarely travels, and even rarelier shows up here in Colorado. On the other hand, NXT is my soap opera, my telenovela. As such, it’s not something I really want to spend money on. I like supporting AEW, but NXT is basically developmental, and it’s not like the Fed needs my money. I guess we’ll see how much tickets cost and go from there, assuming I don’t end up doing anything else Sunday night.

SO let’s get into it! I was thinking a little post-ALL IN recap, with some Dynamite notes built in to start. Then we’ll get to previews for both weekend shows, since the cards aren’t super big. There’s also a six movie marathon that starts tonight and rolls into Saturday, which might mean I, a 44-year-old, might try to just stay awake for that whole thing AND the Berlin show. And then I will pass away afterward, gently going into that good … afternoon.

ALL IN fallout, and ALL OUT build

ALL IN was incredible, full stop. I have watched most of that show back three times after enjoying it live last week, and there’s a non-zero chance I’ll put it on again while I try to take a lil’ pre-game nap this afternoon. Zero Hour was a nice way to get a lot of people on the card, featuring a ten man tag team match, a SIXTEEN man tag team match, and the announced battle between Tomohiro Ishii & Willow Nightingale against Kris Statlander & Stokely Hathaway. Stoke hitting a spinebuster on Ishii was probably a top-ten life achievement for him, and all four participants seemed to have a lot of fun with this showcase. I’d guessed the baddies would win, but the good guys prevailed, and we’ll be getting a Chicago Street Fight (I love that wrestling always gives you a location for your street fight) between Willow and Stat at ALL OUT. 

The show itself had a couple all-timers in Toni Storm vs Mariah May, and Bryan Danielson vs Swerve Strickland, albeit for very different reasons. The match for the Women’s Championship was the best storyline AEW has ever produced for that division, and arguably the best, period. It had a good build and an interesting twist, and the moment Mariah attacked Toni to set this rivalry into overdrive, I was fully sold. Sure, Mariah has had some weak promos when she’s out there on her own (the one this week included) but she’s getting more comfortable and I only see her improving. I don’t know that she’s got a match for ALL OUT yet, but there’s still another Dynamite, along with a couple Collisions, so we’ll see.

Danielson and Swerve told a hell of a story in the ring. Swerve’s confidence was well earned, and he absolutely embodies a proud, deserving champion. Danielson as the desperate warrior, a man who made a promise he has all but admitted isn’t what he wants, managed to keep his career alive while also winning his first AEW World Championship. Swerve’s bravado and intelligence in that match, working Bryan’s weaknesses while also telling the crowd that HE is the best man in that ring right now, really came through in his swagger, and that moment when Danielson pulled motivation from his family while he was eating kicks to the chest was perfect. As was the follow up, when Danielson had a comeback culminating in a vicious Busaiku knee that Swerve simply brushed off in a move so calculated and dismissive that I said, “Welp, he’s fucked.”

So those two matches were the high points for me, but nearly every other match was really good and entertaining, and full of great moments. Nigel McGuinness returning, Ricochet debuting, and Christian Cage winning that Gauntlet match made it feel as important as a Royal Rumble -- although I didn’t love that they used the Luchasaurus graphic for Killswitch only for him to…not turn on Cage. PAC getting his Wembley moment and winning the Trios Championship alongside Castignoli and Yuta felt like a nice “thank you” to the man who gravity forgot. The Tag Team match had some fun spots even though I wasn’t super invested in the outcome, and the TNT championship Coffin match felt like it ended kinda abruptly but featured a Sting appearance post-match, so it’s hard to complain. And Ospreay/MJF hit all the right notes, and also reintroduced Daniel Garcia to AEW.

The only low points, for me, were the Jericho/HOOK match, which was fine but didn’t end a feud that just feels super stale, and the TBS Championship match. That one had a lot going against it. I’m a fan of both women to some degree, but the placement of this one on the card, just after the exciting Ospreay/MJF battle, didn’t do it any favors. The crowd was a little gassed, and it was later in the night. The buildup featured A LOT of Mercedes on the mic, which I really don’t think does her any good…she’s just not good at it. And it’s not like she’s getting better. I feel like somebody got her onto that Mandalorian show and folks just decided she must be a good actress for Disney to want her. But she’s just awkward, and that was evidenced on the “celebration” that happened on Dynamite, too. 

Baker was just returning from a serious back injury, and being thrust into one of the most important matches for the AEW women maybe wasn’t the best idea. To say nothing of the fact that she was put into the ring with a woman that was in the ring when Paige/Saraya suffered a career-threatening back injury, although that’s just part of wrestling and I’m not putting any blame on anybody. 

In short, the chemistry wasn’t there, the timing was wrong, the participants both had shortcomings exposed, and the match -- the part of the rivalry that could have saved the whole thing -- failed to deliver. Cagematch, that bastion of reserved, thoughtful criticism, seems to have trouble placing the blame too, with as many Mone supporters claiming she carried Britt as there were fans of the dentist blaming her performance on ring rust and lingering injury.

BUT! That’s one little dark spot on a bright sunshiney day of a show. For our loose record-keeping, I went 6/10 for the night, and that makes us 64/84 for the year, bringing our correct predictions to a tidy 76.19%. As we move on, we’ve already got some stuff brewing with Jon Moxley apparently starting a new faction, and Hangman Adam Page (who did nothing wrong) is set to face Swerve Strickland in a steel cage match. 

Jack Perry accepted an open challenge from Bryan Danielson, giving us a match the internet seems really pissed off about but I’m open to enjoying. AEW has been gifted a really hateable bad guy in Perry, and he’s going to hear it from those Chicago fans. MJF versus Garcia and Ospreay versus PAC were also announced via promos and some violence, meaning we’ve already got a solid five-match card with the aforementioned Nightingale/Statlander street fight. I’m really glad Triller had that two-pack deal to save me a little money, because I’m loving how this show was booked and look forward to another five matches or so getting added between now and next week.

WWE Bash in Berlin Predictions!

Speaking of five matches, that’s like the whole Berlin card! WWE keeps chugging along, with some stuff like the Wyatt Sicks holding my attention. I don’t keep up with SmackDown religiously, mostly watching a fast-forwarded version on Saturday morning or catching a Simon Miller recap on YouTube if there’s a PPV that day. With the big scary movie marathon coming up tonight, and with my sweet Cinnabon son Konosuke Takeshita appearing on Rampage, the Fed is definitely coming in third this evening. But that’s not to say I’m not interested in the Bash. Three of those matches are for championships, and while I’m pretty confident in my picks I wouldn’t be mad at some surprises. So let’s get to it before its too late!

Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley versus Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan in a Mixed Tag Team Match

This one seems like a gimme for the baddies. Priest and Ripley are super over, and their Terror Twins thing has made WWE fans believe in platonic relationships (that last part may not be true). Liv and Dom are showing some great chemistry as the trashy couple that broke the Judgment Day, and it’s still too soon for those scumbags to get their comeuppance. 

Finn Balor, JD McDonaugh, and Carlito will be around to mess with the good guys, and since WWE good guys tend to have no friends (Cody being the exception) Ripley and Priest will end up on the losing end of this one. The chase will continue, and with the next premium live event going by the name Bad Blood it seems like Rhea/Liv and Priest/Balor will end up on that card.

CM Punk versus Drew McIntyre in a Strap Match

This feud has been fantastic, with Drew and Punk matching each other in petty hate for months. I will admit that the whole friendship bracelet thing has been leaned on a bit heavily, as the pure disdain these two have for each other should be enough to carry a feud. But WWE loves a McGuffin, and so we’re stuck with a brutal strap match based off a little string with some beads on it. 

Punk is smart enough to know his limitations, and gimmick matches are a great way to cover them up. His dog collar match with MJF at AEW Revolution 2022 was one of the best of both men’s careers, and happened to be the only time I’ve attended both an AEW PPV and a CM Punk match live, so it set a high bar for your beloved writer pal. This match should be as brutal as WWE will allow, and both guys are gonna look like they walked through hell afterward. Punk should pick up the win to even the records and lead the pair into a Hell in a Cell match, or something equally vicious, at Bad Blood.

Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn © versus Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship

This one might be the toughest call of the night, which seems counterintuitive considering that WWE has all but told us that the Unholy Union is the weakest tag team when compared to their challengers. I still feel like the eventual endgame of the Bianca - Jade team up is a breakup and match at WrestleMania, but we’ve got a ways to go to build that. I loved Bianca’s heel work in NXT, but Jade can play the gorgeous, statuesque villain too. Regardless, they’re good guys now, and while it’s never too soon to start planting seeds, I don’t think they need the titles to sew that field. (That’s a lot of farming metaphors.) 

Blair Davenport has also been floating around the spooky ladies, and we know how HHH loves a group with one consistent trait (see: LWO, Legado del Fantasma, the Pride, Bianca & Jade) and the European-ness of those three is enough to unite them in his eyes. I’ll say the witches wetain -- er, retain -- and we see who gets screwed by, and in turn feuds with, Davenport.

Cody Rhodes © versus Kevin Owens for the Undisputed WWE Championship

How is it undisputed when there are two WWE championship matches on this card? 

But enough pedantry. Cody basically had to beg Owens to accept this match, but recent weeks of Bloodline fights have seen KO team up with Rhodes as often as he’s stared him down. Owens has also run down the fact that he turns on just about everybody, and he has nearly whacked Cody with a chair on a few occasions. So while I don’t think a heel turn is coming, Owens and Rhodes should still put on a decent match, with Owens turning up the heat as time goes on and Rhodes responding in kind. Some kind of Bloodline interference seems inevitable, but Rhodes isn’t losing the title here or anything. I’m more interested in seeing if the two remain pals afterward, maybe after fighting off some Samoans post-match.

Gunther © versus Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

I cannot imagine WWE would let the “hometown” hero (Gunther is as hometown to Berlin as Drew McIntyre was to Wales) lose his only-just-won championship IN Germany. But champions need challengers, and Randy has proven to be a worthy adversary before. The promo battles between Orton and Gunther have been a lot of fun, too. I imagine Gunther wins and Randy just moves on to Cody Rhodes, maybe popping up on next week’s SmackDown acting like Cody is just handing out title shots to his pals and he’s due. The match promises to be a good one, and I don’t think we’ll see much in the way of interference from Ludwig Kaiser. Just a clean win after some brutal chops from our champion, Gunther.

…and NXT No Mercy Predictions, too!

Wes Lee versus Zach Wentz

I’m honestly a little surprised this whole TNA/NXT crossover has gone as well as it has. Sure, NXT seems to be getting the better half of the draw, but it’s still a fascinating thing to see WWE even try to cooperate with, well, anyone. 

So far the Wes Lee heel turn is going well, although I always feel like guys with flashy flippy move sets have trouble being EVIL. Turning on your best friends that you haven’t worked with in years helps move that hate forward, though, and so we end up here. Wes Lee will pick up the win in what promises to be a pretty fun match, one that has the potential to steal the show. 

Ridge Holland and Andre Chase © versus Nathan Frazier and Axiom for the NXT Tag Team Championship

The story of Chase U rumbles on, as the venerable number one institution of learning based in wrestling promotion faces off in a rematch against the former champs. Axiom and Frazier have shown some displeasure with each other as they look into singles championships, and I think that discord will lead to Chase U retaining its belts while the flippy guys continue to argue.

Kelani Jordan © versus Wendy Choo for the NXT Women’s North American Championship

The Women’s North American Championship is still too new to be passed off just yet, and it really doesn’t need to go to spooky Wendy Choo. Sleepy Choo was a cute gimmick, but Sleep Paralysis Demon Choo is just kinda … man, I hate to say dumb because that’s exactly why I like NXT. I just don’t get what’s happening. Is she a demon? Possessed? Did Fred Kreuger get into her dreams? WHO’S TO SAY? 

Whatever the reason, Jordan won’t be dropping the belt here. She and Sol Ruca put on a helluva match recently, but Choo doesn’t have the same gymnastics background as those two. Jordan has proven to be a good matchup with plenty of other women, though, so we’ll see what the champ can get out of the Jack Skellington-faced nap enthusiast. 

Oba Femi © versus Tony D’Angelo for the NXT Men’s North American Championship

The Don of NXT and head of America’s favorite mafioso wrestling good guy family (godDAMMIT I love pro wrestling) takes on the very large, very intimidating Oba Femi in what should be a good fight. Oba Femi has been incredible as champ, showing off a good skill set for such a new performer, and I feel like Tony D gets better with every match too. I really liked Oba Femi showing up at the Family restaurant, too -- made him look like a fighting champ that wasn’t gonna back down to the wrestling mob. 

They’re both at a point where neither guy would look bad with a loss, but I think Oba Femi will retain. I’m gonna want one of them BIG MEATY MEN SLAPPIN MEAT matches for him to drop the title, and Tony D doesn’t tip the scales.

Roxanne Perez © versus Jaida Parker for the NXT Women’s Championship

No, I don’t think Roxanne will be losing here. HOWEVER, as a developmental show, it’s important to reward people who have shown development and growth, and I think Parker fits the bill as a challenger. Her mic work is good, and her in-ring style shows she understands that while the gymnasts can stick with the flippy stuff, this former soccer star should lean into her character’s streetwise background with a more grounded approach to wrestling. Also, she legit did what she said she’d do and slapped the taste outta Roxanne’s mouth on last week’s NXT:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BROp-2d9RSo

DAMMMMMN SON! So, yeah, Roxanne will come away with the title, but Jaida should put up a good fight and hopefully come away looking like she was a legit challenger.

Ethan Page © versus Joe Hendry for the NXT Championship, with Trick Williams as Special Guest Referee

This one is interesting. On the one hand, I really like this whole matchup: Page is barely an NXT guy at this point, and Hendry coming in representing TNA against him seems questionable. On the other hand, Ava went and added NXT lifer and former champ Trick Williams as guest ref, meaning the most legit contender for the NXT Championship is really the guy in the stripes. 

Hendry has made a name for himself with TNA and on the independent scene, so it’s not a surprise that WWE has latched onto him as a challenger. However, there’s a TNA pay-per-view looming. One might think WWE would say there’s no way one of its championships can appear on another brand, much less loan the belt to talent from that brand. BUT it’s Hendry, who may or may not be signing with NXT/WWE soon, so maybe it’s in everybody’s best interests to let Hendry look awesome here, possibly after getting attacked on tonight’s TNA Emergence show. It’s unlikely, but also possible, and since that’s more fun than an expected win, I’m going with that outcome. Hendry wins due in no small part to some Williams interference, then drops the title to Trick soon in the match he promised Williams. Page can then swoop right back in if they want to keep him hot.

There, everybody ends up happy and TNA gets a nice bit of acknowledgement. 

Closing Up Shop

…in which I say goodbye for now

And that’s it! If you have questions, concerns, or comments, drop 'em in the comments section below! And follow me on Twitter (X), Facebook, BlueSky and/or Instagram using the links on the right. Have fun this long Labor Day weekend, whatever you end up doing!

Thank you so much for reading. If you liked what you saw, consider telling your friends, mentioning Let’s Watch Some Wrestling on social media, or even buying me a hot cup of coffee using the Ko-Fi button. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next time, dear reader. Until then, Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!

King and Queen of the Ring predictions, and the King of Kings of the Ring final results!

 

Good Morning!

Busy weekend ahead of us. I’ll be doing a preview for AEW’s Double or Nothing on Saturday or Sunday, depending on whether I try to push it to see if any more matches are added to that already bloated card on Collision. But today is for King and Queen of the Ring, a show I might not be watching because a) my wife is a better person than me and objects to those Saudi Blood Money shows, and b) we might have a Dungeons and Dragons game going at the same time. 

But that’s the future! For now, we’ve got a show to preview and an in-house tournament to finish!

We haven’t really done the recap thing recently, because I’ve kinda had other things going on in life. Yard stuff, house stuff, you know. But I love this thing we’ve built, and I’m not abandoning it or anything. Just adjusting for life. So rather than the “every Friday, no matter what” setup, we’ll be keeping it casual and posting whenever I want to get something out of my head, or off my chest. I’ll post on the usual socials when something new goes up.

 PPV previews are still gonna happen, though, because I really like guessing the outcomes of matches. So, we’ll use this weekend's previews as kind of a short recap of the storylines that got us to where we are now, i.e. violence. 

I’d like to talk about the King and Queen of the Ring show, and WWE’s relationship with the Saudi government in general. I’ve heard a lot about why they shouldn’t be doing them, why the relationship is based on blood money, and why the Fed is awful (as a business) and why I shouldn’t watch. I even got called out for it on social media. I don’t like these shows at all. 

I learned the term “sportswashing” because of Crown Jewel. It’s a term for, basically, holding big sporting events to distract, or whitewash, the numerous human rights violations that exist to this day in the region. Saudi’s current government, funded by an unlimited amount of oil money, has been actively using soccer, golf, F1 racing, and more in kind of a “look over here - not over there” move.

Stephanie McMahon, back when she was a member of the WWE board, made a big deal out of the WWE using its platform to make change. And they have made some progress – women have participated in these Jeddah shows, albeit fully covered up. Relations have improved enough between Saudi Arabia and Syria that Sami Zayn, himself a person of Syrian descent, has agreed to appear on the more recent PLEs from there.

The thing is, nothing is getting solved right away. For the WWE, that means they can justify taking those giant paychecks and running shows and having a museum of sorts in Jeddah, because they feel like they’re doing enough in the region to enact change. Before this weekend’s show, the photo I used as a header was taken at a conference that included women athletes in Saudi Arabia alongside WWE superstars. However, treatment of women in the region have barely improved, to say nothing of the local government’s opinion of queer folks. To put it bluntly, it’s not enough. 

WWE is doing a little to make a change in a region that’s obviously opposed to it, and it’s going to take more than some pretend fights to address hundreds of years of history. It puts fans, especially the perpetually online fans who are aware of the conditions, in a rough spot. Do we boycott the shows? That was easier when they were big, glorified house shows – now WWE has title matches, King of the Ring, and storyline developments taking place on these shows. However, one could just as easily find the results online, or wait until Raw to be caught up on the event by WWE itself. Do we boycott the fed itself? It’s not like the entire company has a clear conscience. It’s currently embroiled in a sexual assault and trafficking lawsuit that allegedly involves former WWE owner Vince McMahon and employees John Laurinitis and Brock Lesnar. And while those three people aren’t currently with the company, it seems unlikely that no one who has been there since these events (allegedly) took place didn’t know anything.

One has to make their own call with this stuff. The more you know about a company, any company, the less you’re gonna want to use their stuff, or watch their product, or participate in what they’re doing. You can applaud efforts for change while still realizing there’s a lot of work to be done; you can also expect a company to be held accountable for the actions of the people who own it. If it’s too gross for you to give your time and money to a corporation willing to work with deviants and theocratic governments, there’s a ton of other wrestling out there  – I cover it here with AEW, and there are countless other promotions. But I’m also gonna keep writing about WWE as well.

I myself have watched the Fed since I got into wrestling over thirty years ago. It was what was on TV, and I’ve always liked the storytelling and the stars. As time has passed, and social media has allowed us to learn more about both the performers as people, I’ve only liked it more, with the exception of guys who out themselves as turds. However, you also learn a lot about the bad things companies and people do through social media too. And even if you don’t find that yourself, don’t worry – there’s no shortage of people online whose sole joy in life is pointing out why you shouldn’t like the thing you like. I’ll keep watching, and hope things change, the same way I hope Amazon, or Apple, or Boeing, or any number of other places that make things we all use will eventually be overtaken by decent folks who put people over profit. One can hope, right?

One last point, that my wife actually brought up to me. There are kids at these shows, little wrestling fans that are the age a lot of us were when pro wrestling really got its hooks in us. How cool was it to see those larger-than-life athletes in front of us? How cool must it be for those kids in Jeddah, especially those little girls in the stands, to see a Bianca Belair or Becky Lynch and think they could do that? 

Anyway, TL;DR I’m probably gonna put the show on because I have Peacock and I watch the Fed, and because covering this stuff is part of trying to make this dumb blog a real thing people really read. I understand if you don’t, and I’m happy to land on that grenade for you if you’re curious but don’t want to support what they’re doing over there in Connecticut and Saudi Arabia.

The Let’s Watch Some Wrestling King of Kings of the Ring Finals!

The LWSW King of Kings of the Ring tournament began earlier this week, with three brackets representing three stretches of Kings of the Ring. Eight participants per bracket were whittled down to one, and the winners met in a triple threat match for the coveted title of King of Kings of the Ring. I thought about a ladder match, but the guys involved seem more like grapplers and brawlers, not the high flyers you’d want in a modern day ladder battle. 

Harley Race, the original King of the Ring. Owen Hart, the King of Harts. And Brock Lesnar, the Beast Incarnate. Only one can become the One True King, The King of Kings of the Ring. Let’s get this party started!

Brock did Brock stuff early, going after both Hart and Race before Harley got wise and dipped out of the ring. Owen recovered enough to reverse a few moves, and when the action went outside Hart went for no less than three weapons – two kendo sticks and a chair. Back in the ring, Brock shattered one of those canes on Race’s forehead, opening him up for the second time in two matches. Owen saw the opportunity and went after Brock with a cane of his own, but by the time Harley was back on his feet Brock was back in control again. Owen allowed Lesnar to hit a triple powerbomb on Race before tagging the Beast with a chair and going for a pin, but Harley had enough left in him to kick out.

As is often the case in WWE 2K24 triple threat matches, the AI made some poor decisions once red started to build up on everyone’s health meters. Finishers were applied by everyone, but the third man was always right there with a chair to break up the pin that followed. And while Brock was the obvious threat, both Hart and Race spent way too much time wearing each other down.

Hart nearly lost to a cane shot while Race was outside the ring, stunned, but he somehow kicked out after 2.99. More weapons were introduced, more violence was performed, but in the end  a package piledriver stunned Owen, which Harley Race followed with a running knee to Lesnar’s face, bloodying the big guy. Somehow, the match continued, with Brock just getting mad from that blood and going after everyone with a steel chair, including the referee. 

Honestly, the CAW for Owen was nearly perfect. He was opportunistic, and smart enough to know when to get out of Brock’s way. However, that ended up costing him, as he tried to take advantage when Brock had just hit an F5 on Race. An attempted belly-to-back suplex was reversed, though, and Lesnar had enough left in him for another F5, getting Brock the win and the title.

Not the best outcome for me personally, but it was a fun match to watch! And there’s something to be said for a shady guy to win at one of the shadier events of the year, I guess. It’s not irony, but it’s something. 

So, until next year when we revamp this, we’ll move on, with lil’ Brock Lesnar as our King of Kings of the Ring. Watch out for Money in the Bank season, when I’ll somehow figure out a tournament to do the Most Money in the Bank.

The Let’s Watch Some Wrestling King and Queen of the Ring 2024 Preview

The King and Queen of the Ring Finals

Short of skipping Friday night’s Smackdown, we’re kinda stuck as to who will face Gunther and Lyra Valkyria in the King and Queen of the Ring finals. I believe Randy Orton and Nia Jax are the safe bets, and when it comes to the Saudi shows, it’s typically the bigger stars who get the matches. So, if we’re assuming those bookings are correct, I’ll go with Gunther and Nia Jax as our 2024 King and Queen of the Ring. Gunther doesn’t need a bauble, per se, and I don’t think he’ll do the whole “royal” gimmick, but he can say that he’s been a general for so long, that royalty isn’t that far fetched. 

Nia, on the other hand – I want the velvet cape, crown, scepter, awful British accent, the whole shebang. I think she’ll have a lot of fun with it, and her recent run has been some of the best work of her career. 

[Edit: the people I expected to get in, got in. Also, Bianca Belair got a preshow match added that will see her and Jade Cargill defend their tag team championships against Indi Hartwell and Candice LaRae. Which Bianca and Jade will win, unless Bianca’s bad knee – which cost her the match against Jax – comes into play again. But it seems FAR too soon for a breakup.]

Sami Zayn © versus Bronson Reed versus Chad Gable in a Triple Threat Match for the Intercontinental Championship

This story has been rolling along since before WrestleMania, when Chad Gable failed to defeat Gunther a number of times, then failed to defeat Sami Zayn for one more chance at ‘Mania. Chad turned on Sami after Zayn won the title, in an impressive visual that featured Sami and his wife hugging at ringside before Gable suplexed Zayn out of his wife’s arms. Since then, Gable has gone full heel, and Sami has been dealing with Chad, an unwilling but complicit Alpha Academy, and Bronson Reed all gunning for him and his belt. 

I think Sami retains here, because while this story has been well told, it’s also still technically Sami’s first big rivalry since he won the Intercontinental Championship. Triple H likes long reigns, and this hasn’t been long enough just yet. I do like Gable’s current heel character, although it’s a little too abusive to Maxxine, who I always feel bad for because WWE keeps putting her in the spotlight despite a lack of experience or natural talent in any facet of pro wrestling. You just know Otis is gonna snap sooner rather than later – I just don’t think it’ll be at this show.

Becky Lynch © versus Liv Morgan for the Women’s World Championship

Another match where the reign is simply too short to end this quickly. However, there’s hope for a change! Becky Lynch’s contract is up soon in real life, and she’s alluded to it more than once on TV. Liv has been a champ before, and this “Liv Morgan Revenge Tour” she’s been on since her return has given us a more vicious and calculating Morgan than we had in the past, even when she was a baddie. Her frequent background canoodling with members of the Judgment Day, her willingness to leave allies to the wolves when it doesn’t directly benefit her…these are good heel moves, and while I still think she’s kinda goofy on the mic, she’s doing great in this run.

More importantly, Becky keeps bringing up the fact that Liv has never beaten her before. She’s basically overlooking Morgan, a fact that historically ends up biting wrestlers in the ass. So, I’ll go out on a limb and say that Liv Morgan will win the title here. I can’t remember the last time a title changed hands on a Saudi show, and maybe that’s the big hook for this one, where the biggest announced stars are in the main event.

Cody Rhodes © versus Logan Paul for the WWE Universal Championship

Cody’s next defense after Wrestlemania comes on the heels of his surprisingly excellent match in France against AJ Styles. Maybe “surprisingly” is too strong a word – these are two world class talents that are a little older, but no less talented than they were in other companies. AJ and Cody proved that they can put together a hell of a banger when called upon, and that crowd definitely gave them something to feed off of. 

Logan Paul has proven time and time again that he’s naturally talented at this wrestling thing, and willing to put in the work to get even better. He’s gold on the mic as a douchey heel, and always has friends willing to put their well-being on the line in order to help Logan retain his United States Championship – kind of like how people are willing to do the same for popular YouTubers in order to get their own channels over. Meta!

Regardless of who shows up in Jeddah, Cody’s not dropping his title here. I could see Logan’s brother, Jake, or even Mike Tyson showing up – maybe both? There are almost always surprises on these Saudi shows, even if they’re mostly predictable when it comes to match outcomes. 

Closing Up Shop

…in which I say goodbye for now

And that’s it! I’ll be posting an AEW Double or Nothing preview on Saturday night or Sunday morning, and hopefully will find the time to recap both of the weekend’s big shows on Monday or Tuesday. As always, I’ll post on the usual socials when I do.

If you have questions, concerns, or comments, drop 'em in the comments section below! And follow me on Twitter (X), Facebook, BlueSky and/or Instagram using the links on the right.

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