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!

It's the Let's Watch Some Wrestling Preview for Night Two of WrestleMania!

 

Good Morning!

A little less wordy for the intro this time around, as I’m trying to knock out some other posts as well. But when I noticed the first half of this preview was already nearing 4500 words, I figured it best to split the posts, both for your sake as a reader, and so the blog has a nice little reference point for each night, in case you need a quick refresh between shows. I’ll get the Stand and Deliver preview finished by tomorrow, as well as a short Casual Friday post to talk about Dynamite and the week in general. 

As I said in other posts, I want this blog to work for both newcomers and die-hard fans. So, we’re gonna try something a little different today, using my wife’s steadfast rules for why wrestling matches happen alongside some brief summaries of the rivalries and personalities involved in the fights this weekend. The rules, of course, are as follows:

1. I don’t like you and want to fight you

2. Something was misunderstood between us and we must fight, only to figure out later that we are friends

3. “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!”

4. I WANT THAT CUMMERBUND (title)

WrestleMania Night Two: Sunday

Seth “Freakin’” Rollins © versus Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship

Who’s fighting?

We spoke a bit about Seth Rollins previously, but since this is his championship match I feel like we should dig a little deeper today. Seth has become kind of a third wheel on this WrestleMania card, which seems unfair considering he’s held the World Heavyweight Championship since its debut last year. However, it’s also kind of par for the course – after all, that championship was basically introduced because WWE didn’t want to take the title off of Roman Reigns, and they clearly didn’t want to separate the now-undisputed title either. So, we got a brand-new title and Seth has done his best to make it reputable, which he’s been largely successful at. An injury threatened to keep him out of WrestleMania, but his rehab went better than we could have hoped and he’ll be taking on Drew. 

Drew McIntyre has been a revelation of late. He’s leaned more and more into the heelish aspects of his character, but his initial turn was justifiable! He didn’t like that Jey Uso, a guy who participated in the screwing over of Drew in multiple championship matches, was being given a pass on Raw because Cody Rhodes was acting as kind of a sponsor for him. But he never apologized to Drew, and just kind of went about being a good guy – and the fans bought in! I’d be mad too, honestly.

Why are they fighting?

A few reasons. Drew won his championship during the pandemic, and has expressed a desire to win another in front of fans, a reasonable request. Drew also won the Elimination Chamber match to become the number one contender to Rollins’ championship, so it’s mostly Rule 4 we’re talking about here. But Drew and Seth have also become tangled in the Bloodline storyline, with Seth promising to help Cody, and Drew frequently accepts, or at least benefits from, Bloodline interference in his matches. We’ve also seen Drew and Paul Heyman, the Bloodline’s advocate/wise man/special counsel, chatting in weeks past.

*EDIT* I somehow, shockingly, forgot to mention that Drew's other nemesis, CM Punk, will be on commentary for this match. He's almost certainly gonna get involved, although I'm not sure how physical he can be. Maybe he's completely healed and this has all been a cunning ruse? Or maybe Punk will just talk smack about McIntyre for the whole match? Or, maybe Punk goes full Punk and spends twenty minutes just airing his grievances with current and former co-workers and workplaces -- WHO'S TO SAY?

Who’s gonna win?

I would love a Drew win, and I also can see him getting involved in the tag team main event on Night One, softening up Rollins while also doing some dirty work for Roman Reigns and The Rock. However, while I was researching this bit, I found that Drew’s last eight matches have been dark match losses against Cody Rhodes, with one Jey Uso match in early March breaking the trend. That could just mean the two aren’t involved in big rivalries that can be built at non-televised shows…or it could mean one of them won’t have a title after Sunday night, and a rivalry is warming up between the pair. Since I’m feeling the good vibes of the weekend, we’ll say Seth Rollins overcomes the odds here and defeats Drew. 

Of note here – Damian Priest still holds the Money in the Bank contract, and he might be feeling ready to strike out on his own if he and Finn Balor lose their Undisputed Tag Team Championship on Saturday. I wouldn’t rule out a cash-in on Drew OR Seth, just to add a little more excitement into the proceedings.

IYO SKY © versus Bayley for the Women’s Championship

Who’s fighting?

Bayley has recently become a de facto good guy in the grand scheme of things. She started her career as the good-est of good guys, coming out to bouncy theme music and being flanked by wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men as she headed to the ring. She turned against the fans a few years ago, and returned from injury at 2022’s SummerSlam to resume a rivalry with Bianca Belar alongside her new pals, IYO SKY and Dakota Kai, forming the stable Damage CTRL in the process. Bayley’s a solid technical wrestler, and has been involved in some of the greatest NXT matches of all time. She’s also the longest-reigning Smackdown Women’s champion, and this year became the Royal Rumble’s Iron Woman, lasting longer in that match than any other woman, ever.

IYO SKY is a high-flying performer, earning her the nickname “Genius of the Sky.” To be honest, it worked a little better when she went as Io Shirai back in NXT. Regardless, she’s an amazing in-ring talent, and WWE has been letting her show a little more personality by cutting promos in her native Japanese, and putting subtitles over them. I may not know what she’s saying, but you can feel the emotion when she says it, you know? 

Why are they fighting?

The rare 1-3-4 combo for this one! We spoke about Damage CTRL before, and it plays heavily in this match. Bayley and IYO have been frenemies since IYO won Money in the Bank last year by handcuffing Bayley to Becky Lynch. IYO used that case to win her Women’s Championship at SummerSlam, and Becky continued to support her stablemate despite the tension. Once Asuka and Kairi Sane joined Damage CTRL, Becky seemed to be the odd woman out, and when Becky revealed that she’d learned enough Japanese to know when her friends were talking smack about her, she decided to use her Royal Rumble victory to challenge IYO for her title.

Who’s gonna win?

Bayley deserves a big win on a big stage, and while IYO has been a good champ, it seems like a good time for a change. Am I predicting too many good guys to win? Probably. But I’m an optimist and a simple man, and I like when good overcomes bad at WrestleMania. And Bayley will have to overcome a lot to win this match – even though the other members of Damage CTRL have their own match on Saturday, they will likely show up in support of their champ for this fight.

The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Montez Ford, and Angelo Dawkins) versus The Final Testament (Carrion Cross, Akam, and Rezar) in a Six-Man Philadelphia Street Fight

Who’s fighting?

Bobby Lashley is a mountain of a man, the kind of guy one thinks of when they think of a pro wrestler from the 90s. Just a big ol’ slab of beef. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins, collectively known as the Street Profits, are the tried-and-true combination of a bigger guy (Dawkins) and a charismatic flippy guy (Ford). Ford’s no little guy, though – a former Marine standing 6’1”, the Chicago native is lean and jacked, and has one of the highest leaps in wrestling. They’ll be accompanied by B-Fab, a young lady formerly of the faction Hit Row before they disbanded.

Carrion Cross leads The Final Testament, and he’s an intense guy with a deep love for his equally intense wife, Scarlett. He’s not Lashley big, but he’s a big dude nonetheless, and he’s got kind of a hardcore/heavy metal vibe going on. His buddies, Akam and Rezar, are giants – no-nonsense beasts who let their actions speak for them as they toss their victims around the ring. They are not, as my wife often mentions, the turtle and wolf from Ninja Turtles 2; they’re a tag team called the Authors of Pain. They’re managed by legendary manager Paul Ellering, who also works as a mouthpiece for the guys when Cross isn’t around. 

Why are they fighting?

They just don’t like each other – rule 1 all the way. I honestly don’t have a lot to add to that – the groups have been involved with each other for a few months, and they’re going to continue that rivalry at the biggest show on the calendar.

Who’s gonna win?

I guess we’ll have the bad guys – The Final Testament – pick up the win here, since we’ve been so good-guy heavy in our picks. There’s no real rhyme or reason for a match like this to have a clear winner, as they’ll probably continue fighting beyond Sunday, so look for some shenanigans to cost the good guys the fight.

Logan Paul © versus Kevin Owens versus Randy Orton in a Triple Threat Match for the United States Championship

Who’s fighting?

If this were the kind of organization that employed a bunch of diverse talents, I’d have somebody younger try to explain to both you and me why Logan Paul is so popular. As it stands, it’s an unpaid one-man operation, so I’ll try my best. He’s a YouTube guy who has made some really questionable life choices, but he also seems to have kinda moved away from that as he’s gotten a little older. What matters to us, the wrestling fans, is that he’s a natural in the ring. He’s tall and lanky, but has a really good grasp on the in-ring stuff, flying around and playing the heel role perfectly. He’s also our United States champ, having won the belt by using some brass knuckles on Rey Mysterio. 

Kevin Owens is a blue-collar everyman, a Canadian veteran of the ring, and one of the most likable people in wrestling. He and longtime friend, partner, and rival Sami Zayn won the Undisputed Tag Team Championships at last year’s ‘Mania, and he’s been a singles champ multiple times over. Lately, he’s been kind of an audience surrogate, calling out the tropes of pro wrestling while getting very close to breaking the fourth wall.

Randy Orton is a wrestler’s wrestler, tall, tanned, and jacked. Orton is a third-generation superstar, and has been in WWE for over twenty years, and in that time he’s established his finisher, the RKO, as one of the best in all of wrestling. He’s always been kind of a “tweener,” ready to turn on his friends at the drop of a hat.

Why are they fighting?

Rule 4 is the obvious pick here – Logan has a belt, neither Randy nor Kevin like him, and they want to relieve him of that responsibility. Orton and Owens have also been pretty buddy-buddy of late. Logan has repeatedly screwed Owens over, using the brass knuckles he deployed to win his US Championship to retain it as well.

Who’s gonna win?

We’ll keep the bad guys on a streak here, and give Logan Paul the win. I hate to get backstage-y, as I don’t really keep up with the rumors and scuttlebutt, but I think WWE likes what they have in Paul – a really famous guy outside of wrestling who brings fresh eyes to the product. Paul almost always brings his friends to WrestleMania, so he’ll have an advantage against Owens and Orton in that regard, and I’d also bet on Orton growing tired of being beloved and turning on KO.

LA Knight versus AJ Styles

Who’s fighting?

We’ll start with LA Knight. He’s been described as a mixture between The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on the microphone, which is high praise for a guy who hasn’t been in WWE that long. He’s good in the ring, but his mic work is what’s really gotten him over with the fans, who just really like yelling “YEAUH” along with him – present company included. 

AJ Styles is kind of a journeyman pro wrestler – before joining the WWE at the 2016 Royal Rumble, Styles wrestled on the independent circuit as well as for WCW, NWA, TNA-Impact, and in Japan as well. He was named wrestler of the year multiple times in the 2010s, and also has the honor of being the Undertaker’s last opponent, losing to the Dead Man in a cinematic “Boneyard Match” during the pandemic-era WrestleMania 36.

Why are they fighting?

Some solid Rule 3 stuff here. AJ was going to team up with John Cena against the Bloodline earlier this year, but a backstage attack saw AJ out of that match, and LA Knight as his replacement. AJ was out for a good while, but returned at Elimination Chamber to interfere, attacking LA Knight. Knight would seek revenge ever since, attacking AJ on multiple occasions, including at Styles’ home last month. This is a blood feud thru and thru, and I’m honestly surprised it’s a straight-up singles match and not something more violent.

Who’s gonna win?

Some say WWE missed the boat on LA Knight, because he was WILDLY popular last year, but I think he’s still pretty dang over – just listen to the crowd when he’s talking on the mic. AJ is the kind of professional who doesn’t mind putting someone over, either. I think this is a good time to give Knight a big WrestleMania win, and if they want to keep this rivalry going WWE could always bring AJ Styles back together with his stable, the OC, that he kinda drifted away from after his most recent return to action.

Roman Reigns © versus Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

Who’s fighting?

You know by now! It’s Cody Rhodes, beloved superstar, haver-of-a-story, and possibly the most popular wrestler in the WWE right now (non-part-time division) fighting Roman Reigns, the Undisputed Universal Champion in both name and in legacy right now, a guy who just feels inevitable and undefeatable.

Why are they fighting?

While we could pepper in some old-fashioned disdain, this is all Rule 4. The phrase “finish the story” has kind of evolved from Cody looking to win the title that his father was never given a chance to truly hold, to Cody needing to win that title and defeat longtime rival Roman Reigns to validate his own story and his return to WWE. Cody was attacked by Bloodline guy and Reigns’ cousin Solo Sikoa to end his championship dreams last year, and Roman has gloated about it ever since. Cody’s been forced to take some side quests since then, engaging in rivalries with Brock Lesnar, the Miz, Shinsuke Nakamura, and members of the Judgment Day while also briefly teaming with Jey Uso. But after winning the Royal Rumble this year, Cody wanted his rematch, and despite The Rock inserting himself into the WrestleMania main event(s), first as a Cody replacement and then as a rival, Cody has been the majority of fans’ choice to dethrone the Tribal Chief.

Who’s gonna win?

I’ve seen a lot of theories about how this match goes down. I think it’s definitely going to be contested under Bloodline Rules, with Rock and Roman defeating Cody and Seth on Saturday. But what shenanigans will take place during the match? I’ve fantasy-booked everything from a straight-up singles match to a full-on Bloodline versus Cody-vengers lineup, with Cody calling in favors from legends like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and John Cena. 

The theory behind those two is this image from a couple of Raws past, when Rock beat the everloving hell out of Rhodes in the rain in Chicago as the images of those two loomed behind them. Cena actually makes some sense here, as he’s battled the Bloodline over the last few years. Even without bringing in Legends, the idea of all the current wrestlers who have been screwed over by Roman and his family joining together to keep the fight fair would be a really cool WrestleMania moment.

At the end of the day, I think it does all come down to Roman and Cody. There will be interference, but the last big chunk of the match will be these two, overcoming all the distractions and outside attacks and just going at each other in a match-within-a-match. And that’s when Cody will finally finish his story, hopefully putting an end to both Roman’s reign and that phrase. I swear, if I never hear about another story it’ll be too soon.

…and that’s it!

What a packed weekend we’ve got! I’ll see you next week for the usual Casual Friday and Untitled Monday blog posts, with the Monday blog featuring a recap of WrestleMania, Stand and Deliver, and also Collision if I find the time to check that out too! Hell, if I’m feeling particularly saucy I’ll try to post some thoughts on Sunday morning, even, but I can’t make any guarantees. 

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.

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!