<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">SURPRISE! <a href="https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FightOwensFight</a> has found a tag team partner for his match against <a href="https://twitter.com/WWERomanReigns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WWERomanReigns</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SamiZayn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SamiZayn</a> for the DEC. 30th episode of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SmackDown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SmackDown</a>....<br><br>and his name is <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnCena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JohnCena</a>! �� <a href="https://t.co/sYclbnE5cW">pic.twitter.com/sYclbnE5cW</a></p>&mdash; WWE (@WWE) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1603948295600087043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That’s a fucking huge match.

Thought something like that might happen in India.

Moxley ear shit is gross

There's no reason for that to be a hardcore match in the first place...they aren't even feuding

Mox has not been good since 2016.

Brock was right.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr">………… <a href="https://t.co/YG0cPK2HVL">pic.twitter.com/YG0cPK2HVL</a></p>&mdash; Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) <a href="https://twitter.com/WrestleOps/status/1603943977073475585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

@ Nerfect

He agreed to have Sammy bite his ear ring off in a throwaway match on Rampage

Adonis realizing they are fired again at the end there.

Oh great. I’m glad wrestling is cool again now.

Has Triple H had a single hit with ANYONE he’s brought back since he’s been in charge? Seems like misses across the entire board.

I would say Bray

He’s made the product more logical. There’s some good stuff happening. Some of it was probably already in the works. The best changes have been people who have had gimmick tweaks.

Triple H is not good at picking the team.

I would say Braun Strowman sort of has 'just another guy' syndrome now, the same thing that plagues Bryan Danielson in AEW

It created some buzz, but that feels like it’s died down. Feels like LA Knight is outperforming him.

Braun is “over” with crowds. But you can’t use him as a top guy. Something about him already feels played out.

Yeah, I truly do NOT miss the cringe comedy at all and things like having Tozawa stop dressing like a ninja and dress like a wrestler again I appreciate and we no longer have that person comes out, commercial break, backstage interview, video recap, another backstage interview, back to person in the ring whose been waiting for their opponent for 15 mins schtick

LA Knight is the most successful callup, alongside Solo Sikoa, easily, during this time period.

I do wish the Bray story would move a little quicker.

Bloodline stuff is A++

A lot of other stuff is boring...but again I prefer that boring to the Vince-isms I mentioned above

I forgot about Solo Sikoa coming up. That was a good call. Santos Escobar hasn’t seemed bad.

Bray stopped being cool again the instant he started feuding with LA Knight. Was like "oh yeah, he's just another rassler"

I just hate the whole fucking thing. He’s awful. He hasn’t done anything good since the team with Orton, but that turned into some HORRENDOUS shit.

Ricochet vs Gunther was fantastic.

So happy the IC and US titles are getting proper respect again. Hell yeah.

LOL man he should stick to the lost treasures show. That is why he was only Swerve's heavy, dude should not be this involved in the matches.

Kross has been far better this time around, and had a solid fued with Drew.

Also Dakota Kai has accomplishments.

Bray's return lead up was great, but it has already been over 2 months since he actually came back and literally nothing has developed or progressed.

Technically Triple H brought back LA Knight and Elias, do those count?

H has learned nothing from superior booker and saviour of wrestling Tony Khan. It’s a case of too much/too many, too soon.

I think there’s been maybe one or two shows since the takeover that hasn’t had a debut/return. They could find themselves back where they started pre-talent purge. That said, I think we’re in a phase of getting the “pieces in place” and we won’t see much in terms of payoff until next year.

The Bray stuff is goofy, always has been.

I know why Dustin doesnt get more TV time in AEW but when he busted out "Dallas Destroyer" on Rampage I marked a bit.

Dude just keeps pulling out good shit the older he gets.

I wish he had Jarretts spot tbh :/

Right, we can’t go one full calendar year without Cena wrestling. 🙄 Kind of makes me think Sami accidentally nails Reigns with a Helluva Kick while “aiming for” K.O., which in turn leads to A.) Sami being expelled from the Bloodline, which could play into tensions between him and them leading up to and beyond the Royal Rumble match, and B.) The start of the fracturing of the Bloodline, leading to a very messy breakup.

Just have the Fiend, at least what he did made some sense. Bray Wyatt beating up a camera while Bo Dallas wears a melted wax mask and tophat is just not doing it for me.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qs1QTdmnArU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The best part (besides the human impossibility of diving out over the rope and ending up back in the ring) is this dude clowning Top Dolla sounds like the late Patrice O'Neal.

"SINGLEHANDEDLY JUST RUINED HHH'S CREATIVE RUN!!"

I’m glad if Bo Dallas comes back, but not as this.

Send Bray to NXT and let him play a former champion looking to help guide the minds of young wrestlers. You can have the implication there that he’s recruiting for a new Wyatt Family. He can feud with Joe Gacy out the gate and go after him because he knows what he’s up to. Hell, bring in Bo to help out his brother and try and even the odds.

I know they are hyping up Cena having a match every year for the last 20 years, but Undertaker had to have done that too right? I can't think of any time he was out an entire year.

Oh no...just when I thought this night couldn’t get worse... ugh...

Ronda Drowsy is done

Big Match Char back where she belongs, with gold around her waist

Strowman will be a good warmup for Gunther/Brock at WM

Cena really looking like Father Time 2022.

THE QUEEN IS BACK!

I can’t believe Cena hasn’t done the hair surgery yet. What has he been doing with his free time lately

More importantly I can’t believe Hollywood hasn’t told Cena he has to do the hair surgery yet

Cena doesn’t need to win but he will because LOLCENAWINS

Preparing himself for his role as Droopy innthe upcoming biopic? 🤷

Maybe he’s emulating his hero: Droford.

Ahh, right, can’t make it too obvious or suspicious, just let K.O. get the pin to set up him and Roman for Royal Rumble ... 🥱

You know how people turn against Charlotte for this perception of being “too protected” and “constantly in the title picture”…

I’m fine with Charlotte in the title picture. I’d be fine if they did something else with her too, but it’s fine.

She should be.

My only issue has been all the hot potatoe title changes they did early on to pad her accomplishments closer to her father. Unnecessary.

She’s one of the very best but there’s been this fan backlash largely because of the very thing you mention. She has 6 months off and comes back and immediately has the belt back. I could see that fuelling the section of the audience that think that way about her.

Anyone who gets consistently pushed is going to get shat on. The fans that don’t like her think she’s in control of her own booking. They’re marks.

You also gotta remember that at some point management took that insufferable piece of shit Ronda Rousey aside and said hey Charlotte’s coming back and you’re going to job out on free tv and lose your title you piece of shit.

So there’s a lot of positives in the situation.

Memphis crowd breaking out multiple “whoop that trick” chants during Charlotte and Sonya promo. Absolutely love it.

Horny

Ricochet's old theme was so much better

Bryan Danielson's hard ass kicks to the chest make me more nervous since that Bills player almost died via blow to the chest!

Ready for Jeff Jarrett to land in some thumbtacks

This group has really grown on me with the addition of Jarrett... has gone from one of the worst parts of AEW to being an entertaining heel group

Fun ass match again... that`s what wrestling is all about!!!!

Yeah Jarrett has been excellent so far

Sky Blue is very NXT 2.0

Prob was Jade Cargill's best match so far

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AndStill?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AndStill</a>!!! <br>TBS Champion <a href="https://twitter.com/Jade_Cargill?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jade_Cargill</a> retains the title after a competitive match against <a href="https://twitter.com/Skyebyee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@skyebyee</a> and remains undefeated at 48-0!<br>It's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEWBOTB5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AEWBOTB5</a> LIVE on TNT! <a href="https://t.co/s2J3gTvVTl">pic.twitter.com/s2J3gTvVTl</a></p>&mdash; All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) <a href="https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1611582758114959360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Cool finish

Watching tonight to see the Tribal Chief deliver his State of The Bloodline address.

New Day/Rey and Judgement Day did a segment for Nascar at the track. Rey and Dom argued, then had a race. It was terrible.

But again, I think Dom sucks. So I'm a bit biased.

Does it count as bias if you're right though?

Nah, probably not

Kinda wish imperium won the tag tournament but I wouldn't want them to lose to the Usos rn so I guess it's fine

Was that the blowoff to the feud?

They probably could have just taken some time to see if Dominik got halfway decent and let Rey just rest his body for a couple years before turning Dominik once people actually cared. Maybe have a father vs. son match people could be emotionally invested in. I DUNNO.

Having Rhea tell Dom’s story for him has made this feud so much better. Now that Rhea is off to be the star she should be, Dom doesn’t have much of a crutch to lean on

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SAMI IS MY TRIBAL CHIEF

SAMI USO SAMI USO

Sami vs Roman at EC confirmed

Sami Roman in Montreal is the biggest match they’ve built in decades

Sami Roman in Montreal about to make Cena Punk in Chicago and RVD Cena in NYC look like AEW Dark episodes

Or maybe Velocity

Montreal screwjob part deux incoming.

they may get the nascar drivers to help out at wrestlemania, i can see that for star power

i think this was more of a test for Rhea than it was for Dom, and while I am not sure she is to the level of being able to get a fantastic match out of a broom, sure as hell made that lump more interesting then he had every right to be. My only fear is that at some point we are going to see a Dom on a pole match

That reaction for Sami. Excellent. Elimination Chamber is going to be a superb B-level event. You’d expect this is where Jey comes back so interesting to see what happens on SmackDown next week. That’s part of how you judge a long term story.

The reactions in Montreal are gonna be great..... but having Cody in the wings still ruins the entire thing....

They're not gonna run Cody vs Sami at WM so you know Roman is gonna win.... then you are left with having blown off this super hot feud/story the PPV before WM and then trying to scramble to build a story/heat for a Roman/Cody feud

Have they made it clear yet if one or both titles are in the line. They could make it clear that Sami is going for just one title while Cody vs Roman is guaranteed for the other. That would at least add SOME question to the outcome.

The more I think about it, the more I’m ok with it. I’m sure Sami’s WrestleMania program is going to be setup through this (probably some Montreal screwjob) and Cody will probably come out to save him and start things with Roman.

They seem to have a plan for this. They’ll probably hit each beat pretty effectively. I think Cody should be defending his title shot in the Chamber, as opposed to it being for the US Title though.

Meltzer is reporting that Vince and Triple H don't see Sami as a WM main event guy. Of course, like most of his "reporting" that is most likely just speculation presented as facts based on current events.

I'm hoping they can somehow keep Sami's momentum alive for another year and then they can give him the "type of guy you wouldn't expect to win the title wins the title at every 10th WM" spot.

Meltzer would just be talking out his ass. Sami will have a big spot at Mania and will likely have a big one at Mania 40 next year too.

I see next year’s main event as being Roman Reigns defending against someone. If MJF comes into the WWE, I can see him and Cody having a match away from the belt. Either that or a match with Gunther. Roman vs. Sami is actually a good shout. There’s no one that seems as urgent or rewarding right now. But that can all change in a year.

Man, imagine Sami winning the 2024 Rumble, challenging Roman with so much behind them. That fucking journey.

Anyone can be a main event at WM now a days. That was proven with Kofi.

Sami can't be your Roman Reigns though where he carries the company for years.

Neither is anybody they have on their roster

Except maybe Jey Uso

Jey's ok

Currently no. There are a couple with the potential to reach that level though and Sami isn't one of them. Sami is great and is a wonderful talent though.

He doesn’t need to carry the company on his back, but I think people look past a lot of the assets he does have. There’s no reason he can’t be a long-term champion and endear himself to fans even further.

5 months maximum.

I could be in the wrong but I would not have him show up. You can have Jimmy go it alone, fail, and Ricochet and Braun win the tag titles. It furthers the storyline that Jay really has left the Bloodline.

It might be a tough sell when he returns at EC to screw Zayn over but he can say he "used that time to reevaluate everything and he's sorry for bailing on the SD title defense". They could also use it down the line as the reason to split the two up.

There was a time in NXT where I though Sami had the potential to be the "next John Cena" in regards to carrying the company and doing all the media appearances/make-a-wish/etc....

But then he got injured and came back a bit pudgier and has only been increasing in pudge since

Meltzer has gone so pro AEW that anytime something WWE is mentioned out of his mouth, I immediately dismiss what he says.

While I don't believe Sami is a main event guy, HHH and to an extent Vince, know that they have lightning in a bottle with Sami.

Meltzer thinks that Zayn won't get his WM moment. Guess what Dave? The main event moment is him winning the titles with Owens at Mania. I think there is a scenario where Zayn and Roman face each other at WM 40 if Rock is unavailable

I don’t think they can keep Sami this hot for another 14 months.

Is that really a thing?

Mania X: Bret won the title for the second time.
Mania XX: HHH vs HBK ended in a time limit draw
Mania XXX: Daniel Bryan beats Orton and Batista

I’ll give you the last one.

Probably not. But when Roman drops these titles, he's going away for awhile. Could be three months, could be 9 months.

But just imagine Reigns gets the title back at Royal Rumble next year. Zayn wins the Rumble....story completely writes itself.


But I know that that isn't possible. One can dream though.

What?

Mania XX was Benoit defeating HHH and HBK in the Triple threat...

.....:lol:

Yeah, he’s affable enough for the spot. He’s not going to be ONLY guy they promote, but I don’t see why he can’t do all the PR stuff a top guy does and win top matches at the top shows.