Dave

@Devil-Dick Willie NXT UK may be worth a watch if you can spare an hour a week. I watched last week's and it feels very reminiscent of NXT from a couple of years ago.

I imagine they'll be better too. Its no coincidence that the teams who use the data most efficiently in The Premier League are three of the best teams in the league (Liverpool, Man City and Leicester). After Brighton's impressive first season somebody sanctioned some mad signings for a lot of money that's been a large cause of their recent stagnation (Izquieredo, Bernardo, Locadia, Jahankabash, Andone etc). Brentford's track record suggests the same thing will not happen with them.

I imagine if Brentford cross the line this season they'll be similar to Brighton. In terms of ability/performances, Brighton were one of the best three teams in the division in 2015/16 but didn't gain promotion. That extra season in The Championship allowed them to prepare better for The Premiership. They felt like a Premiership team on gameweek one of the 2017/18 season without actually ever being one before. You can see similarities in terms of infrastructure between Brighton then and Brentford now.

Either way thank god he did as that was some dead episode up until that point. What are they doing with Rusev.

For once, I think you're being too kind with your criticisms. Negatives for me are .... - Charlotte Flair... She needs to start selling to people. The first match ended when she got hit with a pair of brass knuckles and had a women the size of Nia Jax land on her. She just got me up, said to Asuka: "Yeah that's on me", and then walks off. Doesn't hold her face, or her chest, or anything. Then later on when it's the last three in the Royal Rumble and both Belair and Ripley start teaming up on her she starts acting like she's some sort of crappy reincarnation of Hulk Hogan not selling anything. I don't know who told her to do that but she looked like an absolute pleb. - Asuka... Since Charlotte Flair has returned Asuka has gone from being the best thing on Raw during the pandemic to people thinking she needs a win. She's meant to be the Women's Champion and they've done absolutely nothing with her for the last six weeks. You'd think the right thing to do would be for her to go over Charlotte but you just know they wont do that. - The Bayley Elimination... I literally didn't see it. Had no idea she had been eliminated. Thought she was going to emerge at the end and throw Bianca over the top rope. But no, the camera just didn't pick it up. Pretty piss poor to not have a spot where everybody feigns injury whilst Bayley gets thrown over like they have done with everybody since the Royal Rumble started. - Alexa Bliss... What was the point? They should have had everybody eliminate her, not just quickly thrown over after making a couple of screens go black. - The ending to Roman Reigns / Kevin Owens... A pretty brutal match that was a good watch ruined by Paul's chubby hands. Surely they would have practised that several times during rehearsal? Absolutely embarrassing. - Ricochet being in the Royal Rumble ... He lost a qualifier! I know there hands are tied at times with Covid but they've got Booker T backstage looking like a better version of GI Bro than he did as GI Bro in WCW. Just have come out for five minutes. - "The Messiah" Seth Rollins ... Dude still has the same theme tune as Bailey. - Edge ... Joins the ever growing list of decrepit fossils who can't let this generation have their moment. One Royal Rumble, worst WM match on the card, a heavily edited PPV match, and suddenly he's super human enough to last 29 other men. What does that say about everybody whose wrestled for the past ten years. Kurt Angle did an interview recently where he said he felt WWE should have given him another title run, and that's the terrible culture that WWE have created for themselves by consistently giving the big Wrestle Mania spots to these has beens that do nothing all year round to get the big spots. Recently the likes of Goldberg, The Undertaker and D-von Dudley have spoken out about the attitude of today's wrestlers but honestly who can blame them with the culture WWE have developed. There must be nothing more depressing than being somebody that joined a major promotion after 1999. I really liked Christian in his prime but I shudder at the thought of him beating any of today's talent. On the plus side... Goldberg match went as well as it could have, Billie Kay is brilliant, Bianca Belair's win was a great moment, Rhea Ripley is going to be used a lot better on the main roster, I don't mind them trying to get Lacey Evans over even if it's by Ric Flair old man sex, Carmella can hold her own against the best, Carlito needs to sign a contract and change his name to Swolito, Damien Priest looks to be getting pushed on the main roster, Omos has to do very little to be entertaining and the Daniel Bryan/Matt Riddle wrestling was great to watch. We were pretty spoiled with good PPV's in 2020. I'd give this one a 6/10. I think the 14, 15 and 16 Royal Rumbles were worse than this but this was definitely a big step backwards in contrast to previous years.

That ending. Really? They'll never learn.

I think The Rock's return would be on IF there would be a large crowd at WrestleMania. I imagine Rock/Roman will be the main event for next year now if his move schedule suits it.

Predictions for Royal Rumble? - Sasha Banks to beat Carmella Easiest prediction of the night for obvious reasons. - Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax to beat Charlotte Flair and Asuka The WWE have relegated the tag team title to the state of nobody cares and a Charlotte / Asuka WM match would be far more appealing. Charlotte to take the L thanks to Lacey Evans and Ric Flair. - Roman Reigns to beat Kevin Owens Another that seems obvious but should be a good match. - Drew McIntyre to beat Goldberg. People shat on Raw when the weekly show was good but they had a Champion that didn't show up. I can't see the powers that he wanting a bad show with a Champion that doesn't show up. That said, I'm sure Goldberg will not want to leave looking weak. So we may get a finish where The Miz cashes in but takes the L. Then Goldberg beats The Miz and Morrison in his second match given they way they've been booked since the draft. - Bianca Belair to win the Royal Rumble. In my opinion the most difficult to predict. I just feel that it's her time given her good work on Smackdown. Her and Bayley as the last two would be ideal. Sets up a triple threat match with Sasha and Bayley at WrestleMania. - Daniel Bryan to win the Royal Rumble. The story with heel Roman Reigns makes too much sense. Especially if Daniel Bryan is considering retirement. One last big hoorah before Roman retires him. Other predictions... Sheamus to last the longest, Keith Lee as number 30, AJ/Edge to advance feud in Royal Rumble for WM.

Just the three WWE shows and AEW. I cut out ROH and Impact once AEW came along as it was too much. I've began watching Impact again since Kenny Omega arrived albeit the story seems pretty generic (Omega beats Swann at Rebellion, Moose wins the title off Omega at Slammiversary). I give NJPW's big pay per views a watch and TripleMania just so I can join in the conversations around best matches / shows. I think NJPW has the best format as it allows long term storytelling.

Not sure if its classed as a surprise at this point but I fear Oldberg winning the title if he's contracted for two matches a year before dropping it at Mania.

I dont buy in to "Everything Vince does is crap and Haitch is our saviour" blabbe that's been pumped out since the start of 2014. I get the impression Vince is just willing to take the majority of the slack for others. I think it will be quite telling when he eventually is replaced how little the production changes. Triple H didn't earn his Golden Shovel nickname for nothing. You're right about NXT's best era though. When it was reacting to RoH and similar companies as a one hour weekly pure wrestling show it was at its best. When AEW emerged and they moved the concept to putting a ceiling on them was when I stopped enjoying it as much. You now have a situation where guys like Cole, Gargano, Ciampa and Ripley have stayed too long that they've lost momentum and everybody on the roster is trying to be a bad ass as opposed to showing character.

Didn't realise they're sixteen games unbeaten. Quietly going about their business. It would be nice to see them in the Premier League even if it means having to converse with @Danny more.

NXT Takeover London a couple of years ago was very well received. I watch the NXT UK Takeovers or major shows but that's my extent unfortunately. There's too much wrestling on to prioritise it.

They did this at the start of The Attitude Era in terms of grouping people together in factions to see who stands out. It was effective then with The Rock and Triple H so I think they're hoping that somebody like Ricky Starks stands out from the pact and becomes a future main eventer.

I dont think Vince McMahon has ever been a major fan of tag team wrestling. Even when the tag divisons were stacked in 2017/2018 the WWE didn't focus on them.

Yeah, NXT's divison is nothing to shout about at the minute. The debut of MSK was a bit weird. Its a bit like how AEW's women's divison is nothing to shout about to the point where they would rather have NWA women's title matches.

Yeah. Rhea Ripley's match against Raquel Gonzalez and Kenny Omega's match against Rey Fenix were very good. WWE must be delighted with the unexpected emergence of Gonzalez whilst AEW should get doing more with Lucha Bros.

Finally got round to setting up a Powkiddy my missus got me for Christmas. Fifa 98, WWF No Mercy, 007 Goldeneye and NBA 2011 will no doubt be taking up all my spare time.

I agree. All you have to do is look at how WWE have held back on pushing Japanesse wrestlers over the years. Shinsuke Nakamura possibly the most over wrestler in NXT ever when he won the NXT title. Eighteen months later they change his theme tune so people can't sign along and then turn him in to a mid card heel mainly making others look good. You're right. Some of the most memorable moments in The Attitude Era weren't wrestling related.

Bit off course but I was reading a book on The Death of WCW and in 2000 TNT did a mass survey amongst wrestling fans across America asking them what they wanted to see more and less of. The overriding feedback was they wanted more of a focus on wrestling. No more mad angles, no more weirdness, no more unnecessary stunts, no more politics, no more pushes that don't make sense, just more wrestling. Obviously they didn't listen, Vince Russo became champion and Mike Awesome became That 70's Guy . But yes, Okada / Jay White will probably be match of the year. Set a huge standard given we've seen about four contenders already.

Don't listen to Willie. His sick Yoshi / Anime fantasies cloud his judgement.

2021 scares me.

AEW nailed there tribute this week.

Thats incredibly sad. Really feel for his close friends and family. Only 41 and came across as in very fit and healthy for a man of his size. Really hits home that none of us know whats really round the corner.