Moany in the Bank

No this is not a Money in the Bank moan. On Friday, June 7th, the WWE is hosting its Super ShowDown all the way from…’Parts Unknown’, or as everyone else knows it, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. As WWE continue to tip toe around the country that the show is taking place in like its name was Voldermort, they’ve set the main event of this show with a match that is bigger than anything that came up at WrestleMania 35. The Undertaker, taking time out from cancelling all his non-WWE appearances (to be fair, that was the WWE), looks to grow his bank balance even further as he goes one on one for the first time in history with Goldberg. I’m a huge fan of both characters, but could this not have gone on the marquee at ‘Mania this year? The answer quite obviously is yes. But as we all know, that money from the Middle East (there’s a Pay-per-View name for you WWE, that’ll be £35,000 please), makes a man do crazy things (because the women aren’t allowed in a wrestling ring).

Lars, Lars and his lovable Jars…

Lars Sullivan. A man who suffered a very real attack of anxiety earlier on this year, and as someone who suffers from it, I know all too well how debilitating that can be. But now, bringing to light events from his early twenties, where he posted bigoted, and homophobic content on a message board, under a different name, it appears that the WWE has seen it fit to fine him $100,000. Not storyline money, but actual money. That hits hard. Now in no way am I condoning his behaviour, I condemn it 100%, as when I was a kid in chat rooms or on message board, I didn’t post anything racist or homophobic, because, shock horror… I’m neither of those things. But, it seems like in this day and age you need the time stone from the Avengers to go forward in time to see if you’re going to make it to the big time before you post anything remotely negative online. Here he is, ten years later paying for his 20-year old self sins. I agree that he should be punished, but overreaction only leads to overreaction. I hope Lars is truly sorry for what he said, and maybe the company should put that $100,000 to good use at a charity, and whilst it won’t allow Sullivan to repent his former sins, it could potentially help people in the present.

A Lighter Shade Of Wyatt

I think we can all agree that these vignettes have been a marvel. I still laugh at them now. A sock puppet who sounds like the guy spelling out ‘S-H-E-I-L-D’ during the SHEILD’s entrance music, and a ‘Sister Abigail’ type with long black hair that quite frankly makes me giggle at the mere absurdity of it. Genius. I was the first person on this site to say that the WWE had screwed up the Bray Wyatt character beyond repair. Well, I’m not only eating my words, I appear to be choking on them. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a talent reinvent themselves the way that Wyatt has these last few weeks, and the dark turn with the SlipKnot-esque mask was superb. Great great stuff here on a show that is bereft of it. Now, how long until creative manage to screw this one up and he’s tagging with Robert Roode as the ‘Glorious Buzzards’? I’ll let myself out…

And Finally…

AEW Turner-ed The Corner?

Hurray! After being ‘just a t-shirt company’ for the better part of half a year, they are now actually a wrestling promotion with a TV deal. Getting a deal with Turner is a tremendous achievement for a company with only one show in the books. I’ve pined recently for an alternative. Impact is not an alternative, it’s just not my thing.

It’s like when you get a box of Celebrations and you leave out the Bounties because, yeah they’re chocolate but everything else is better. I truly believe that these guys can create a different environment for talent to ply their craft. The next big thing for AEW is Double or Nothing, and that will hopefully be an indication on what happens next. With a TV deal for Tuesday nights towards the end of the year in the books, things are finally looking up. Wait, who’s that making high quality videos punching walls and generally looking badass? Oh, hi Jon Moxley.

https://youtu.be/aS6ETM8D9b4

Just remember kids, stay away from social media if you ever want to make it big in the wrestling business, it’s bad for you.

Photos courtesy of both WWE.com and allelitewrestling.com, and videos courtesy of WWE.com and jessy ryder YouTube channel