NXT's new logo is back to black and gold, and NXT 2.0 is dead. Easy to change a logo, hard to change the actual product. We'll see what comes of it. I've watched NXT 2.0 a bit, and while it wasn't bad, Raw and Smackdown along are 5 hours. Dunno if I could devote more than that in a week to wrestling, and that goes even more for people who watch AEW or another promotion already. 

Probably pointless to post here anymore, but I got tickets to go see Extreme Rules. Pretty excited since it has been I'm pretty sure over a decade since I've been to a live event. Hoping all the White Rabbit stuff is leading to Bray Debuting there.

Just to try to get something going here, what events have you been to? Best and worst?

For me, the best was probably Wrestlemania 10. Just because I was young and it was new to me. And it had two classic matches, although I may have cried when Owen won against Bret. I also went to 20, which was a great show, but is soured a bit by the fact that Eddie is gone and Benoit... well.

Worst event was easily an episode of Smackdown in 1999. I remember very little of the show, except that was the night when Droz was paralyzed after a botched powerbomb. Don't think the match was ever aired, but it was very clear that it wasn't any kind of a work, and we didn't even know if he was alive of not. It obviously wasn't a very fun night. The crowd was so dead by the end that in the main event (I think the rock vs val venis) the rock had to be given a mic during the match to get the crowd into it. He did a little promo while choking Val in the corner with his boot. Only thing I remember besides the injury.

My best was a random house show (Honestly, since it's not canon most times and they are usually just dicking around, they can have a lot more fun with fewer restraints.) 

My worst was Wrestlemania X-8. I was on floor level, to the front of the entrance ramp with my then-girlfriend. Couldn't see shit, and for all the love the Rock-Hogan match got I hated it. Still to this day think it's one of the worst wrestlemania matches I've ever seen (I had already heard about all the dumb shit Hogan pulled backstage so I just had no interest in the match despite loving The Rock.) 

You can actually see my girlfriend reach out to touch Jeff Hardy when he's going down the ramp on the DVD. Sadly, given the way they film it, that was the only time in the entire show where the camera showed our side of the ramp so I didn't get any extra love. 

I should go back and watch the show, I just remember not liking that event at all, which was weird because 17 and 19 were two of the BEST wrestlemanias ever. You'd figure, given my circumstances, that 17, 18, and 19 would have been a PERFECT streak for me. But no. Wasn't a fan. Then again I've always been an introvert. Not the most, uh, into large crowds. 

I might try another live show but knowing wrestling fans (which are still comprised of a large number of rednecks), I'd probably have someone try to take my mask off or something. Not prepared to go out in public while Covid is still lingering even if I do have the shots. 

I've never actually seen Rock Hogan. My friend who I'd watched most wrestling events with (had an illegal box) had moved, and I either didn't have the money or didn't want to spend it. I don't think I actively disliked Hogan, but I definitely wasn't a fan. And I really wasn't a big Rock fan either. I sort of want to go back and watch it just out of curiosity, but at this point I actively dislike Hogan, and I don't think it's the kind of match that would work if you weren't into the participants. I'm sure it was not a work rate classic.

I think the amount of rednecks in the crowd will depend on where you go. In Philly I don't expect anyone would hassle me if I chose to wear a mask. But of course, do what you're comfortable with.

I was skeptical when people insisted that Vince was the only problem and WWE would be much better without him, but yeah. That seems to have been in the case. First time since probably since the lead up to Mania 30 that I've actually made seeing Raw and Smackdown a priority. Still early to say, but so far it has been a massive improvement.

Idk what's going on with that. This morning, I watched the first half of Smackdown, and then when I sat down for lunch I tried to put on the second half, and it was gone. Had to watch the rest on some sketchy site. But they still had last week's episode and the most recent Raw. Peacock has it, but it's like a month behind.

Hopefully it stays on Hulu, or is available on some other service. I'm rarely able to watch Smackdown live. Raw I'm usually home for, but three hours is a fucking long show, and I usually watch like half and watch the rest on my way to work if I go in, or while I'm having lunch or on a treadmill on Tuesday. 

But, the show's been good. The only question is if HHH is actually going to build stars. I think Vince had trust issues, and never 100% got behind anyone until he 100% felt they weren't going to go somewhere else down the line. The only people WWE has truly got behind over the past decade were Reigns, Rollins, and maybe Daniel Bryan (they seemed ready to go all in till he had to retire). And Becky and Bianca on the women's side. Gonna be interesting to see if HHH keeps that as the norm, or if he's going to really push new people at the top. Based on what I've seen, I'm hopeful, but won't be 100% sure until Reigns title Reign ends and it's not by someone like Brock, Goldberg, the Rock, or Rollins.

When I watched wrestling females I had a crush on Molly Holly blonde pigtails.

She is reportedly an incredibly kind person.

Antonio Inoki, Japan’s alltime most popular wrestler and founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling, has passed away at 79.

Extreme Rules was a really fun show to go to live. It was clearly a B show in WWE's eyes, but I knew that going in. Pretty much all of the matches were at least good, and the variety of match types made them feel unique. The match between the Brutes and Imperium was excellent, and the Edge Balor match started off slow but was great over the top cheesy goodness by the end.

The only real disappointment for me was the fight pit match. The rim on top of the pit was not transparent, so from our angle, the top half of the ring was kind of blocked, and most of the match had to be watched on the monitors which kind of defeats the purpose. If the crowd seemed kind of out of it, that may be part of the reason why. Morgan vs Rousey was fine for what it was, but the booking of Morgan overall has been terrible.

The main thing people wanted to see was Wyatt, and we got Wyatt. Super fun to be part of a moment like that, specially the way they did it. Definitely the worst case of the WWE dropping the ball with a talent over the last decade or so, so let's hope that HHH does a better job than Vinnie.