Bloody hell did I pick a hell of a time to finally get knocked on my ass by COVID. Two and half years successfully avoiding the bugger, then I catch it right in time for the largest landscape shift in my professional wrestling fandom.
Flat out on my bed, completely unable to concentrate, as the wrestling world around me completely changed. The very week Vince McMahon retired from WWE, NJPW’s G1 Climax motored away and Brock Lesnar tipped up the God damn ring with a tractor.
The last time I wrote a column we were driving mediocre hype for a SummerSlam with little investment or character fulfilment. Amid a string of further allegations against McMahon as I foresaw a WWE that continued to show little possibility of change. In spite of everything, I pessimistically expected the status quo to remain exactly the same.
Well I couldn’t have been any more wrong!
I get my wits back and suddenly WWE’s competent again? I’m a British bloke that writes on the internet, what am I meant to moan about now? Which company are certain commenters going to call me shill for when I’m praising everything? This isn’t how it’s meant to work.
Monday Night RAW
August 1st 2022
Triple H’s Trifecta of Trios and Triple Threats
A new month a new day for a Vince McMahon-less WWE. Triple H making his mark in a show set to make a statement like a RAW after WrestleMania. A week laying the groundwork for the drive ahead, with roadworks in full effect as the excitement of change fills the air.
There’s a sense of a WWE on the mend. A tighter focus, a more connected world, signs of character continuity showing their way in. Very quickly names got moments to shine in new lights: Montez Ford, Chad Gable and Tomasso Ciampa all getting bright showcases. Not forgetting Io Shirai getting immediately thrown to the Sky in a match against the RAW Women’s Champion.
RAW isn’t all of a sudden an example of pure excellence in an immediate turn around, but incremental changes can already be felt in the execution. No more is a superstar walking out before an ad break, to then return to a video package, an angle confrontation and backstage interview before their match begins 15 minutes later.
There are still plenty of recaps, Kevin Dunne quick cuts and DQ finishes, however there is now a resemblance of logic behind it all. We’re not getting disqualifications to simply keep a repetitious rivalry going, but to instead move things forward as characters are somewhere else from where they started because of it.
Including the simple concept of a TV title match main eventing to aid some prestige. Rather than the world we were used to where mid-card bouts became so to justify their existence with something on the line.
Nothing crazy, but a small note that we’ve moved on from that world of excellent wresters having exciting matches amongst question mark booking breaking my investment in the characters. There were motivations galore on this show: from Bayley’s group of control, to the babyfaces fighting back, to Montez Ford’s desire to shine like he knows he can.
The best part? So much of it was told with action rather than words, With any of the latter backed up with a dose of the former: Edge flat out telling us his motivations and then carrying them out to end the show, Bayley and friends talking about taking control before we see them attempt exactly that.
We didn’t just have characters speaking in motivations and boy does that make one hell of a difference. Especially in such a physical entertainment medium.
A Monday night with signs of change and small positives across the board. That creates a lot of good will, under Vince it was always a list of -1s detracting from every show. Those small details line up and build over the course of the show. So far Triple H has shown under his creative they’ll be paid attention to.
Friday Night SmackDown
August 5th 2022
The NXT Main Roster Returns Continue!
SmackDown also felt the pull of the Triple H creative reigns. The immediately stronger showcase on wrestling following through to Friday night, storylines and angles with a tighter tie to the action itself. Vince’s world increasingly felt disconnected from the in-ring competition as if it was secondary, however the more focused emphasis is already clear under Triple H.
Like RAW, the show may not have been anything crazy exceptional, but it was solid in what it set out to be. Clash At The Castle the next destination with the hype sights set, a night all about moving on from SummerSlam and taking aim at Cardiff.
Roman Reigns gloating in the main event segment amongst a Bloodine decorated in gold. All set up for the Drew McIntyre interruption, to completely swerve with our second returning released NXT name.
Karrion Kross out of nowhere in a full surprise! No messing about with outdated, 80s Mad Max gimp-adjacent heel monster tropes. Triple H more than game for testing out the NXT Champion presentation in the main event storyline of SmackDown.
The character I was so certain would kill in front of the main roster crowd, only for the man in charge to geek the man out into obscurity in record time. Rare for Vince he for some unknown reason refused to pair Kross with his gorgeous blonde manager, ditching all the character notes in the process and only carrying over the hour glass into the odd promo. The visual significance of every character note was completely lost… and then he was booked to immediately loose to Jeff Hardy.
And we were told to “wait it out.” Nah, we’d seen that story too many times and now we’ve got Triple H proving to us why we were exactly right. Kross’ main roster failing was no fault of his own and we’re somewhat fortunate enough to now be able to see what could have been.
Under Triple H we get that alternate universe, not just with Kross but with Dakota Kai and Io Shirai too. Nevermind all the other NXT names Vince completely fumbled, there’s a whole list of exciting prospects now salivating at the chance of competent presentation.
Speaking of competency, the Women’s Tag Tournament promised months ago under the previous regime is finally being delivered by the new one. It doesn’t confirm a return for the previous champions (it’s more than Vince that owe those women a stern apology), but the audience finally gets a promise fulfilled.
Also If you’re going to have any wrestler in the, “Argh, my balls!” role, Baron Corbin is one of the best lads for it.
AEW Dynamite
August 3rd 2022
The Undisputed Elite Split!
I finally get to talk about it… AEW’s trios titles have finally arrived! Fan requested seemingly from AEW’s beginning (and that was before the TV product set up and formulated so many stables and rivalries therein). The idea seemed such a natural fit, we finally get to see the demand come to fruition!
AEW tying The Elite drama in to the building hype for our inaugural 6-man All Out title match. Teasing a mended relationship for weeks, hinting to us that both Hangman and The Bucks are wanting to make amends. The last couple of weeks becoming increasingly less subtle and hidden behind expression, building to the explosive run out on this week’s show.
Promoted as us finally seeing the Undisputed Elite return, instead we witnessed Adam Cole and ReDragon with a plan of their own. Knowing the Bucks would be a favourite to win no matter who they paired with and immediately turning to cut them out. When out comes Hangman Adam Page!
The save to patch up a fractured friendship, the olive branch both parties desperately wanted but had no idea how to stretch out. I love that AEW can bring this kind of emotion out of me. Slowly building some teen drama as I sit on my couch hoping one of them will ask the other to the prom. This wasn’t the episode where they hugged and made out to swirling music and a panning camera set on a dolly track circle, but they did exist in the same space together.
Hangman helping Matt Jackson up before sharing a look and leaving the ring. They may be on the same page, but they’re not quite ‘there’ yet.
Our heroes and villains set for All Out. Kenny Omega may not have been able to return in time, but we’ve still got one hell of a lovely story. In pure AEW fashion taking the long route to get us invested before delivering the dream match of the Undisputed Era vs The Elite.
Another perfectly solid episode of Dynamite as the build to September continues. I’m not sky high, crazily invested like I have been in the past, but we’ve still a month to go and AEW’s known at this point to have these ‘setting up ebs’ before peaking right in time for the PPV flows.
AEW Rampage
August 5th 2022
New Names Get Their Shine
Another perfectly entertaining episode of Rampage where it’s perfectly fine if you miss it. Similar sentiments to BTE, where you don’t have to watch to follow the main show, but you will get more out of it if you do.
Offering a night of solid presentations for first time names. Starting off with Mance Warner after his Bunkhouse Stampede win at Ric Flair’s Last Match show. A promo package giving him a platform to let us know who he is before facing the AEW Champion (which was really well done, why not do this for all the new names?).
A man of similar brawling ilk to Moxley, both lads more than willing to donate their blood to the cause. A great showcase for the unsigned man and another strong win for the champion ahead of Quake At The Lake this Wednesday.
Secondly, long time TNA/Impact name Madison Rayne made her debut after signing on as a coach, quickly finding herself booked as the next unfortunate soul on Jade Cargill’s list. Looking strong as she held her own against a sneaky baddie attack, setting the woman up nicely for the champion to whoop her ass live on TBS.
Before the main event Street FIght where Josh Woods got some of that shine. Grasping a shot of glory as he damn impressively hit a German off the apron, crashing he and Keith Lee through a couple of tables. AEW has a fantastic track of giving folk their moment even in certain defeat. The champions walk out the most impressive, but Woods got his time to glisten in the wind.
Rampage continues its run of being the easiest show of the week to watch, but unfortunately for their ratings it’s also the least necessary viewing.
AEW Battle Of The Belts III
August 6th 2022
Claudio and Takeshita Put On A Classic
Battle Of The Belts continuing its annual tradition of showcasing title matches with no chance of the challengers winning . Entertaining bouts, but no part of the AEW status quo will have shifted if you end up missing out. An extra piece of championship action for your consumption if you do so desire.
That said, MY GOD was the ROH World Championship main event incredible! An absolutely outstanding clash between the Swiss Superman and Japanese phenomenon. A standing ovation from the crowd within the first opening minutes should tell you everything you need to know. An advertisement screaming to you to go out of your way and watch this match.
A truly befitting ROH main event featuring two of the most talented at their craft, The kind of showcase the company was founded on, the style of bout I was seeing when I first came across Bryan Danielson vs KENTA all those years ago. It’s fair to say Tony Khan has been nailing the feel of these ROH title matches.
Takeshita proving himself against champion Castagnoli’s control, the crowd staying on their feet for the entire closing five minutes as he scored near fall after near fall. One impressive bastard of a Death Valley Driver lifted him to hell, but the crowd were back to cheering in unison as he rotated out of the Recoil Powerbomb.
An applause worthy final flow of back n’ forth momentum in forceful fashion, hitting the peak and hitting it hard to close us out. Ending the week of wrestling on such a top note. Such a display of high quality wrestling, if that’s your thing then you’re in for such a treat.
RAW Grade – Three times the charm
SmackDown Grade – Competency returns to WWE!
AEW Dynamite Grade – Another week of solid build and All Out storytelling
AEW Rampage Grade – Great showcases of new/one-off talents
AEW Battle Of The Belts Grade – A belter of a main event at the belt of belts show.
Comment below. I’ll be here to reply and chat this weird wrestling world.
Toodles, chaps.
Contact Imp:
Twitter – Follow @TheDamnImplicat
Email – theimplicationsyt@gmail.com
Previous columns
Imp’s Week In Wrestling – From “Consenual” To “Coercion”
Imp’s Week In Wrestling – Vince McMahon: Hush Money and Creative Bankruptcy
Imp’s Week In Wrestling – The Forbidden Door Swings and Championship Wins
Imp’s Week In Wrestling – Banks & Naomi, MJF/Wardlow and “Disappointing the fans”