In today’s WrestleTalk News, more people are unhappy in AEW, Eric Bischoff really doesn’t
like CM Punk, is Judgment Day getting a new member, and I’ll be reviewing last night’s
episode of NXT 2.0.
Now, if you’ve been watching our weekly AEW reviews, you’ll know that despite Tony
Khan giving us piles of money every day, Oli Davis actually hates AEW, and especially Hangman
Page.
The rest of us however really like it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone
else does.
We’ve seen the MJF contract saga and apparent unhappiness reported numerous times in recent
weeks, but it seems as though Mr Friedman isn’t the only one who isn’t best pleased
with how things are run.
According to the Voices of Wrestling podcast, the backstage atmosphere is often “chaotic”,
and certain things like redundant match finishes are becoming more frustrating…Redundant
Finish, title of your WWE Pay-Per-View.
Voices of Wrestling said: “A source from the AEW locker room tells us that MJF is hardly
the only talent feeling some level of discontent, describing the backstage atmosphere as "chaotic"
with a lack of structure, and things like redundant finishes and angles to set up matches
being very frustrating.”
With AEW still a relatively new wrestling company, stories of backstage unhappiness
have been few and far between, but as more reports come out, perhaps we need to recognise
that it isn’t just WWE that struggles to keep its stars happy.
Someone else AEW is struggling to keep happy is Eric Bischoff, who has taken yet another
shot at CM Punk.
Cast your mind back exactly a week and you may well have watched me in a WrestleTalk
news video talking about how CM Punk and Eric Bischoff were squabbling on Twitter.
I can’t remember exactly what it was about, but I think Bischoff called Punk a poopy head,
and then Punk said “I know you are, but what am I?”
Unfortunately that wasn’t the end of the fight, despite Punk clearly winning, because
Bischoff seemingly can’t help himself when it comes to insulting the Straight Edge Superstar.
Speaking on the latest episode of his 83 Weeks Podcast, Bischoff claimed that when he picked
a fight with CM Punk, he wasn’t picking a fight with CM Punk, and accused Punk of
getting an “ass-rash” on social media.
I’m sure Oli will apply some ointment to that rash.
He finished his latest rant on Punk by calling him “the biggest financial flop in the history
of wrestling,” which seems pretty unfair, especially when AEW is owned by some of the
richest men in the world.
A financial flop for them is like me dropping a dollar…Actually it’s a week from payday
I really need that dollar.
I am in fact a lot like Bischoff in the sense that neither of us have access to AEW’s
financials, so neither of us are really in a position to make accusations like this.
Unlike Bischoff however, I haven’t been the President of WCW, and Vince McMahon has
never bought me…although if he’d like to, I am ok with that.
Edge’s Judgment Day faction is slowly growing in size, with both Damian Priest and Rhea
Ripley becoming evil and purple in the past few weeks.
Ringside News, who despite their weird social media behaviour have been putting out accurate
reports of late, are reporting former NXT star Harland, real name Parker Boudreaux was
planned to join the group.
While it isn’t clear why the call for him to join the faction was reversed, Dave Meltzer
did note some backstage in WWE felt Harland hadn’t progressed as well as they would
have liked, so perhaps those in power didn’t feel he was ready for a spot in WWE’s biggest
faction.
And now hot tag to myself for the NXT 2.0 Review.
Wow, I can’t wait to review my favourite show.
I wonder what Adrian Neville and Bo Dallas are up to.
We open the May 17th 2022 episode of NXT 2.0 with a lovely concise promo from Carmelo Hayes
and Trick Williams on their way to the ring saying Melo will win the North American Championship
In Your House.
Yours, in fact, your house.
A promo on the way to the ring helps to satisfy WWE’s love of opening promos and led perfectly
into a fun match.
Thumbs up so far.
Cameron Grimes and Solo Sikoa were their opponents and the North American title scene really
has benefitted from being around so many talented stars because this was a really fun time.
Trick Williams has improved in the ring and he and Carmelo have added more bits to their
act to be a pretty damn charismatic team.
Grimes got upset by a blind tag from his partner when they were solidly in control, a trope
I personally think WWE should abandon or at least cut back on, but that is more of a nitpick
as Sikoa hit Flying Solo and the Frog Splash on Melo for the win and had tense conversation
with Grimes about taking Cameron’s prized championship cumberbund.
Great stuff.
Pretty Deadly say they ruined the Creeds’ lives, Breakout Tournament participant Thea
Hail is graduating high school next week, and Tatum Paxly and her amazing ring music,
according to Tempest, took on Lash Legend in another match in the Breakout Tournament.
These are the matches that will feel like this is developmental but if you go in with
that mindset, this one was simple, short and harmless as Lash moved on to the next round
with a quick win.
Indi Hartwell is sad because the company she works for fired her best friend and her husband
but she can’t say that so she’s just sad but she decided she wasn’t going to be sad
anymore and challenged Mandy Rose for the Women’s Title.
Joe Gacy adds the stupid stipulation to the In Your House match that if Brick Breaker
gets disqualified he will lose the NXT Championship.
Bron Breakker has never lost a match by disqualification.
Yes he is like madder about this situation but they played this up like he would have
to get DQed to beat Gacy’s ass but I mean I don’t think he would really have a problem
doing that within the confines of the rules.
Have you seen Bron Breakker, he’s looks like a Machoke.
But Bron agrees and we move on.
Tony D’Angelo and his goons just speak a ton of wild ass dialogue, Wes Lee is sad because
Xyon Quinn isn’t cleared to compete and says that even if he has to wait until 2030
he will face Xyon and now this will be one of those things that will get clipped out
in 2030 when Wes and Xyon wrestle on NXT 7.0.
Nathan Frazier asks to take Xyon’s place that was made for later.
The Creed Brothers and the Viking Raiders had a hoss rematch and what a hoss rematch
it was.
This little Viking Raiders run here has been a nice flashback to the days when people would
chant war instead of raid or if you were a fan of theirs as War Machine in New Japan
which I, Andy Datson, totally am.
Ivar hit a middle rope World’s Strongest Slam, there were suplexes and splashes which
sounds like a pay per view at a water park, your move Vince.
This felt like a NXT special match and then Roddy Strong tried to run interference on
behalf of the Creeds and was politely deposited outside and told his help was not appreciated
or needed and Julius turned into a kick and a double powerbomb to seal the deal.
Coulda used the help eh?
This was another great match with some solid plot advancement and enough to keep me interested
in a third go around.
Duke Hudson interrupted Bron Breakker in the parking lot to return the favour for Bron
walking through Duke’s interview earlier in the show and they set up a match for next
week.
Grayson Waller then beat Andre Chase in a pretty inoffensive match.
It was about what you expect.
Chase got to do his Chase U chant that had the fans in attendance letting you at home
that they were going to chase you so run, right now, why aren’t you running?
Chase accidentally dumped Waller onto Bodhi Hayward at ringside.
I hate when I accidentally throw someone onto my friend.
The finish was pretty cool though as Andre checked on his pupil Grayson picked his spot
and hit his rolling stunner with perfect timing.
For a six minute match I won’t remember in a week, this was pretty damn good.
Roddy Strong tells the Creeds that they’ll never beat Pretty Deadly if they don’t listen
to him and they walk off as Pretty Deadly mocked his accomplishments and set up Strong
and Damon Kemp against the champs next week.
We then had another Breakout Tournament match as Roxanne Perez beat Kiana James.
Perez continues to be one of the best performers on the whole brand, she’s experienced beyond
her years and she does a good job playing babyface in peril while still being technically
proficient and believable enough to make you a fan of hers in just one match.
Roxy hit the quick Code Rok in the corner for the win in another quick but enjoyable
match.
This tournament could probably use a little more time in these matches but if you’re
a glass filled 50 percent of the way type person, this was fun.
If they are deciding on their next NXT women’s superstar, Roxanne is making that decision
easy.
Cora Jade is proud of Roxanne but Elektra Lopez calls Roxanne an overacheiver who is
gonna lose and Jade an underacheiver who’s just as happy to lose matches as she is to
win.
Wes Lee and Nathan Frazier made the most of what they were given.
It really is a shame that WWE chose to keep Nathan Frazier hidden away on NXT UK for so
long because they’ve got something here.
He has music that actually feels like it has some soul in it, he’s getting the superstar
entrance, and he is one of the smoothest wrestlers on the show.
Not that smooth though, got a bit of fuzz on his chest.
Wesley Lee and Nathaniel exchange dives and just as this was entering match of the night
territory with Frazier missing a Phoenix Splash, Von Wagner put the boots to em.
He did press Wes Lee over the ropes onto the announce table which was impressive but I
was kinda having fun watching the match.
Maybe that’s the point, but still.
Sanga is slightly disrespectful towards Wes and Nate for being tiny people to him and
Wes ain’t having it.
They’ll wrestle next week.
What a world for Wes Lee.
One week Nathan Frazier, the next Sanga.
Finally Santos Escobar and Tony D’Angelo had the scheduled main event for the evening
and they had another match where it is clear those writing NXT don’t quite know who the
babyfaces and heels are on this show.
I mean that’s been reported out there.
After a long match that wouldn’t be my choice for most exciting NXT main event of the year,
Tony’s boys and Legado brawled at ringside, distracting the referee and allowing Santos
to load his fist and knock Tony out.
Both guys being heels could be neat but in long matches like this you kinda struggle
to know who to cheer for during comebacks and heel segments.
Joe Gacy then laughs manically into the night sky whilst on a rooftop as he promises to
beat Bron Breakker in your house that one really doesn’t sound like fun, Joe Gacy
wouldn’t be my favourite houseguest.
Overall this was a pretty exciting episode of NXT with the only real blemishes being
the short Joe Gacy segments which would be pretty easy to dismiss if it wasn’t the
world title program.
Still a good time, and a four out of five.