All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

[Big Boss Man]

[Big Boss Man]

[Big Boss Man]

[Big Boss Man]

I enjoyed the Kenny doc. I think it only scratched the surface though about finding out about him as a person. But he's said he's shy etc so it's understandable if he wants to keep his private life private. Something I'd be intrigued about is how he went about the Okada match (the 7 star one) and if he planned it to be as great a match it was or did it just evolve that way.

Kenny seems a great dude who's taking all this in stride where he's one of, if not, in the top 5 wrestlers right now. When someone is great at what they do but humble about it that I think makes them come across much more likeable. In theory he could be super arrogant and thumb his nose at the fans but he's the complete opposite.

I do think in WWE he could have cemented his place as an all time great as historians will use that "well he never went to WWE, or main eventer Mania etc" in their argument but I think it's important to take into account he's had the highest star rating match which actually broke Daves match rating system, was highly successful in Japan and was highly touted by WWE too but chose AEW instead.

I do think he has unfinished business in Japan and if AEW somehow work out an agreement, I'd definitely like to see the Golden Lovers reunited and a BC vs Elite feud. Plus another go around with Okada, another IWGP title reign and tag title reign with Kota.

If it was the All Japan of old, I'd like to see Kenny win the Triple Crown too as that has a lot of prestige and was held by some all time Puroresu greats.

So yea, I recommend checking out the doc, but again I'd like to have found out more about the real person but maybe being more of a closed book so to speak is part of his appeal. In a way he's reminiscent of the Pop music stars of the past like a MJ, Prince etc where they had a mystique around them and came across as real superstars.

I think had he joined WWE they'd have been foolish not to realise what they have potential wise. They could have built up the mystique further and turned him into a legitimate star. I think in all fields of entertainment across the board there's a real lack of a legitimate megastar. I think Kenny Omega could definitely fill that void in the wrestling realm. His uniqueness along with the self-effacing type persona he has makes him an anamoly in an industry where majority of the talent are huge marks for themselves.

If anything, I think Kenny has more of an artistic type mindset where he's using wrestling to tell his own stories. I believe he's said that he taps into emotions which pays dividends as they do elicit genuine emotion from the audience. I would say Shinsuke Nakamura has a similar mindset but WWE don't get it which is why he hasn't broke out to be a bigger star either. Maybe Kenny knew that which is why didn't sign with them.

With AEW, I think they'll need to give Kenny the ball and he will run with it everytime. But he needs the right opponent(s) to go up against otherwise its like having a great painter but giving them inferior art materials to create with.

Ideally New Japan is the best "canvas" for him, because wrestling is taken more seriously there and there's much more thought put into the matches. It comes across as more prestigious too and if you excel at your craft there then you'll be rewarded. I would like to see AEW follow that similar type prestige that New Japan has where it's really the best product out there and to give Kenny the platform to perform at the very highest level.

[Bandit]

I do think in WWE he could have cemented his place as an all time great as historians will use that "well he never went to WWE, or main eventer Mania etc" in their argument but I think it's important to take into account he's had the highest star rating match which actually broke Daves match rating system, was highly successful in Japan and was highly touted by WWE too but chose AEW instead.

Only WWE marks care about that. Historians and hardcore fans don't care where your body of work is at as long as it's good. Why is Wrestlemania more important than headlining Wrestle Kingdom at the Tokyo Dome twice? Is Roman Reigns better because he's headlined several Wrestlemanias?

[Big Boss Man]

Yea thats a really good point, but for some, WWE is like the pinnacle of pro-wrestling and you have to go there to be seen among the all-time greats, in their opinions. Its actually an equally good or better accomplishment to go into main eventing WK twice like you say as a main eventer & its probably one of the highest honors they can bestow upon you if you're a gaijin. Kenny said in the doc and interviews there's still a lot of stock put into kayfabe in Japan and once he joined the BC and was a heel he couldn't even travel or be seen with Kota since that would have broken kayfabe. But WWE fans use that main event Mania logic etc. in their argument over whether Kenny Omega will be seen as an all time great. For me, his legacy is already solid, no one (apart from Kenny/Okada) will probably even reach that 7 star level of match again. That alone puts him into the WON HOF, first ballot. But my point being is as WWE is The Show so to speak, you have their version of pro-wrestling as the be all and and all. Whereas in actuality, right now, to most fans it's actually New Japan which is the pinnacle of pro-wrestling.

[Big Boss Man]

[Big Boss Man]

New BTE~!

[Bandit]

[Big Boss Man]

Spoiler

Announcers for AEW: Alex Marvez, Excalibur, Jim Ross

Ring announcer: Justin Roberts

Backstage interviewer: Alicia A'tout

[Bandit]

Excalibur is great. I'm probably the only one who watches PWG here, but he's a great play by play announcer. The problem is you can't have the lead announcer wearing a mask and be taken seriously at a national level (PWG is for a niche fan base who understand masks.) But to me he's the modern Joey Styles.

Marvez brings real sports credibility. And he knows his stuff because he worked for Meltzer for years. I don't think he's really needed, but he's probably a friend of the Khans.

Ross I want like he was on Raw in 1996-97 before the awful heel turn attempt. He was the best play by play man of my lifetime, but he lost it when he left WWE full time in 2009 and never got it back to be able to call a whole show. He wasn't good on WWE the times he came back and was pretty bad at times in New Japan. But as the third mic he could be good again. I think it's just when your era is finished and a new era begins nobody keeps up. We saw it with Gordon Solie, Joey Styles and Mike Tenay as well. They all hit a point where they weren't good anymore and just felt out of place. Monsoon wasn't as good as they were (he was a performer and not a PBP guy like Ross), but he also felt out of place at the end in 1994 when he announced with Jerry Lawler and didn't have anything like the chemistry he had with Jesse and Bobby.

Justin Roberts sucks IMO, but he's not going to make or break a show so I don't care. By all accounts he's an incredibly nice guy who is popular with everyone not named John Layfield, so that's why Cody wanted him in. I just don't like his voice. But I am happy for him he gets a little revenge on WWE.

I don't know anything about Alicia A'tout, but she's pretty, so why not.

Also it's awesome JR's house number is 605.

[Big Boss Man]

Jim Ross is officially part of All Elite Wrestling.

AEW announced today that Ross has signed a three-year deal with the company and "will take on the role as Senior Advisor in what is the most lucrative deal in pro wrestling commentary history."

The press release announcing the news also stated that Ross will "work closely with the senior leaders at AEW on their roadmap to shift and reinvent the wrestling landscape."

Ross will appear at AEW Double or Nothing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 25. Sports Illustrated reported that he'll be calling the show.

“Helping create a new brand with AEW is heart-pounding,” Ross told Sports Illustrated. “I can’t wait to prepare. I’ve always believed I had some gas left in the tank, and today I believe it more than ever. I can’t wait to get started with this fresh and vibrant new company. Business is about to pick up.”

March 29 was the final day of Ross' contract with WWE. He returned to WWE in 2017 but was used increasingly sparingly over the past two years.

Ross appeared on this week's Road to Double or Nothing episode, which also announced that Alex Marvez and Excalibur will be commentators for AEW. Alicia Atout, who recently departed Impact Wrestling, will be AEW's backstage correspondent. Justin Roberts will be their ring announcer.

https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestli ... ing-280746

[Big Boss Man]

Personally I would have went with Don Callis and Kevin Kelly as my announce team, but Dons part of Impact and Kevin with New Japan. Tony Schiavone would be high on my list too, same with Joey Styles, but I think they've made a good choice with Alex, Excalibur and JR.

I agree with Jim and his calling of the New Japan product not being his best, but that's not his era of expertise. I think if JR is "all in" no pun intended and he's the Jim Ross of old, he's a great pickup. I think he has a senior advisor position too so he'll no doubt be an asset backstage too.

With Justin, he seems like a good guy and I think that hiring was Brandi's as she mentioned that Justin helped her out when she was first started ring announcing for WWE.

Alicia Atout (I thought her surname had a apostrophe) was a backstage announcer for Impact and she was part of All-In. She fits more in with the new, fresh product that AEW want to be I think. They could have got say Noelle Foley in that role too but I think she's involved with their Culture City partnership.

Good point about announcers seeming out of place as the years go on. Gorilla definitely seemed out of place in the Attitude Era when you associate him with the "Golden Era" of the WWF. Bobby in latter day WCW didn't really gel either but the product was tanking so no wonder he was disinterested.

But if JR comes in 100% commutes then again he could be a huge pickup because he's arguably in the top 10, even top 5 all time announcers. Jesse & Gorilla are my all time favourites though because that team worked so well and it was just like two good friends talking. I think Gorilla said Jess was nervous when he first started out but I would say they arguably are ahead of Bobby & Gorilla.

Gordon Solie had that traditional type sports announcer voice and I think if you're presenting wrestling as more so a sport his voice was great. I don't think there's no one today though who could put that across as Gordon did and making wrestling seem both legit and a big deal. Gordon Solie was arguably the best at that aspect.

[Bandit]

Tony's work schedule with calling radio sports games is an issue. He's said he doesn't want wrestling to be his only job anymore, I guess due to the WCW layoff he never wants to be put in a position again where he can suddenly be out of work. And WWE is the only promotion you can guarantee won't be going out of business any time soon. But he's only available certain days, and it just so happened one of those days was whenever MLW taped. But as soon as they changed their schedule he had to quit. And there's no way of knowing what AEW is going to be. They could be live twice a week if it's a success or they could be bundling a bunch of episodes into a few tapings like Impact and ROH if it isn't drawing ratings. He didn't want to risk it.

[Big Boss Man]

OK thanks, that makes sense if he doesn't want to commit full time to wrestling again. Good point about AEW too. I don't know who said it, or whether it's been assumed, but there was talk of an off-season. So that might be something which might effect the talent too which is why they've let them take bookings elsewhere. I actually kinda like that concept, instead of the WWE where if you don't keep up with all the shows you can quickly get out of the loop. I think AEW should follow the old big four PPV model too and put a lot of thought behind the build up to the events in terms of story dynamics, feuds etc. I have a hunch they'll announce a TV deal at DON, which is why they've put their announce team out there now.

[Bandit]

Ross says Tuesday Night Dynamite will be a weekly 2 hour live show starting in the fall but didn't name the network.

[Bandit]

[Big Boss Man]

AEW'S WEEKLY TV SHOW TO KICKOFF ON 'KEY CABLE STATION' IN OCTOBER
BY JOSH NASON | @JOSHNASON | APR 7, 2019 12:39 PM
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First discussed by Jim Ross in an interview with WFAN Radio and confirmed by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio Saturday night, details on AEW's impending TV deal are coming together and Double or Nothing might provide further clues.

Meltzer verified Ross' statement that AEW will have a live, weekly two-hour primetime show on a "key cable station" according to Meltzer beginning this October. The deal wasn't signed as of Saturday, however.

Meltzer said AEW was negotiating with two major US outlets and that an interest point for both parties was the ability to have AEW as a streaming property which includes events like Double or Nothing. He said both outlets have existing streaming services, and believes the ability to sell PPVs on it would be a key component of the deal.

Meltzer added that with Double or Nothing coming up on May 25th, it will become easier to narrow down who the TV partner is based on those streaming service options.

He also said AEW is working on an international TV deal which, when finalized, would be "pretty significant".

[Bandit]

[Big Boss Man]

New BTE~!

Spoiler

After Hunters digs at AEW at the HOF that makes me want to see the guys succeed even more now. If they do get the New Japan partnership down the line that would be a game changer.