I definitely thought NXT was the superior show for tonight even with it muted nearly the entire show. That Gargano vs. ??? match was really good.

Final scene on AEW was better than anything WWE has done in a long time. Creating multiple feuds, giving their characters motivations going forward. This is something to build on. Show overall was meh but there’s a reason to tune in next week.

JR at close to his worst was about 100x better than Cole and way better than Ranallo. JR may not be able to speak, but he at least understands what his job is. Listen to his disgust at the end of the night as Jericho arrogantly taunts Rhodes/the crowd. JR represents the viewer and the emotions they want the viewer to feel. Everything about WWE/NXT is so impersonal and disconnected. The wrestling on NXT has certainly been better tonight, but I feel less compelled to tune in next week bc they (thus far, I’m about halfway thru) haven’t given a reason to care.

Maybe I’m in the minority, but peak wrestling for me was always way more about storytelling and characters than great work rate.

I never really watched WCW back when the wars were going on. TNA was never really something that interested me. NJPW on AXS wasn't really the same as live. This was the first time I've ever really experienced bouncing between two live wrestling shows on TV and it was just really fun. I hope they both put out a good product for years and Wednesday night just becomes wrestling night.

My favorite crowd is going to be the first one to break out with a "This is marginally watchable!" chant.

I will never forgive Swagger for ruining Lucha Underground

Didn't watch the NXT show (haven't watched anything WWE in years) so can't comment on which show was better etc. etc.

I thought the AEW show was a B or B+, which was pretty good considering they were playing catch-up after the first two matches.

Cody-Sammy wasn't terrible, but Sammy — though he has some talent — is unpolished and it shows. Also, he needs a much better gimmick/catchphrase than "The Best Ever" which is just lame when you're still almost completely unknown. It reminds me of when Naito went that route in NJPW several years ago, when it was too soon and ridiculous. But at least Sammy is a heel doing it.

I know Brandon Cutler is a friend of the Bucks, and I don't doubt he does a lot of great stuff behind the scenes with Being the Elite and other stuff. But he, at least right now, is an absolutely TERRIBLE wrestler and on-screen character. All of his stuff with MJF, whether on Being the Elite or tonight, was just cringeworthy from his perspective. Aside from a brief flurry of offense and punches, where was the anger and energy? This guy has ripped on you for weeks, and for 99 percent of it you just stand there like a big dummy and take it? Yeesh. Just bad.

So after those two matches, AEW was fighting an uphill battle. And frankly, I thought they hit a solid triple after that point.

PAC and Hangman was what you'd expect it to be.

I really enjoyed the Riho-Nyla Rose match, because they actually made people care about Riho. Yeah, a lot of it was unrealistic, and I'm usually a critic of that, but still ... they made that crowd care about Riho. That's a damn achievement.

And as GeoffRas said, the final match set up a gazillion storylines and may have set up a major heel stable, which IMO would be great.

There's another upper-midcard to main event player (Hager) on the roster now, which is obviously big given the roster isn't exactly deep.

Overall, I think it was a positive night.

I really enjoyed both shows. Thought NXT was better but agree AEW ending has so much potential.

Also if there is a vote, even tho I don't post much, I'd much prefer 2 separate threads bc of spoilers

Did AEW go to a split screen for commercial breaks? I watched the re broadcast at 10 and JR kept saying they were going to a split but everytime it was a full screen commercial.

I had the same thought. I think it has to do with "referee discretion" which they mentioned a few times during the PPVs. I'm assuming it's just cover for stuff like this and for during tag matches when teams take 20 minutes to hit all their big spots without the ref sending a guy out or DQing them

I liked the AEW show quite a bit. The crowd helped a ton and obviously maintaining that type of fan reaction is going to be critical. There was still a lot of the matches doing too much and not ending in the right spots imo but I can forgive it a bit since they were trying to make a big splash here.

The best part was they didn't feature any of the goofballs on the roster like Janela/Havoc/Orange Cassidy/etc so it was a serious wrestling show without any of the ironic inside joke stuff.

My DVR didn't pick up NXT so I guess I'll catch that on the network.

Official Rankings of this weeks shows

NXT>>>AEW>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Paul Heyman's weird cuckold fetish

Thoughts on watching the first AEW match.

Does WWE own the name Rhodes? Why is Cody just Cody?

Based on the entrances, the Face/Heel dynamic was really weird. Why was the package presented as "Plucky underdog HAS to beat the brash, cocky veteran" only to have Cody be face and Sammy be heel?

Cody's tights/weight belt combo looked ****ing ridiculous

Also bad sign when your first match has multiple finisher kickouts.

Why does Jericho look like a great big fat guy?

Yeah, at least half of the commercial breaks were split screen. I did laugh at how hard JR was trying to hammer that point home to keep viewers though.

Did anyone else have DVR issues with NXT? I set my DVR to always record 5 minutes past every show to be safe (used to run it 20 minutes for RAW but don't have to anymore) and my DVR cut off at 10:05. The Tag match was still going on. Confused I went back and checked my TV guide and it said NXT was 8-10:15pm.

I'm almost positive the guide said 8-10 when I first recorded it. Will have to go see the finish on the network.

His wife is billed as Brandi Rhodes, so they can't own the last name.

I was very confused by the heel/face dynamic also. I wasn't following AEW super close before this TNT debut but from some video promos linked on here plus the brother feud they did with Goldust, I was very confident Cody was a heel in AEW. They must have turned him recently? Maybe at the end of his match with his brother?

Fairly certain Cody doesn't use the Rhodes name because he wants to show that he can do well without it.

I've never known what to think of Cody in AEW wrt face/heel dynamics.

re: Dar0's post: I'd go AEW > NXT >>>>>>>>> RAW

AEW had the better movement for stories but NXT had the better wrestling so there was one for each type of fan. I'm tempted to put them as equal tbh. RAW wasn't good this week and left a sour taste with Lana/Rusev/Lashley as the final segment.

WWE apparently requested an extension, won't be a regular thing but yes it did change to 8-10:15 (apparently AEW had some stuff on after too?)

I thought NXT was miles better, I was pretty dissapointed by AEW tbh. Yes they are setting up some fueds and stories, that is very good, the people in them though. Are you really excited for Swagger when we get past ironically liking him.

This is what I heard. He can use it, doesn't want to.

I'm sure people used to say that WWE owned Cody Rhodes name which is why he was always billed as Cody and Brandy Rhodes.

The face/heel stuff in AEW has bothered me consistently too. They've made comments indicating that they don't really believe in it, but it has led to a lot of weird wishy-washy stuff. I think Brandi has face/heel turned like 12 times already. Some of the characters don't feel very consistent.

Then there's MJF, who is so much "guy being a heel" that he doesn't feel like a real person (idk if this makes sense) but also has been aligned with Cody who was presented as the top babyface on the show seemingly. It's very weird.

Honestly, maybe this is my women's wrestling bias, but I thought the two NXT women's matches were the best on either show.

They're a new promotion that has to build up stars and I'm interested to see what develops. I'm giving Swagger a chance to be big. Given his size (6'5") and his credentials as a legit fighter, he's an imposing threat to anyone on the AEW roster. If he's booked well, he can be a star in AEW.

My hot take: Swagger's a better grab than CM Punk. He's 3 years younger, he's athletic, huge, and has potential. Punk's 40, not athletic, is tiny with little ring presence, and was lazy/sloppy the last year he was in WWE which was 5-6 years ago. All Punk has going for him at this point is his name, history, and overrated mic skills.

NXT was miles better than AEW, imo it wasnt even close. AEW did get a little better after the first two matches but NXT was still a superior show.

I dont think Cody can use the name Cody Rhodes. Ive seen other promotions bill him with his wife as cody and brandi Rhodes. Why would they use his wifes last name but not his own?

He could go by Cody Runnels but that last name isnt recognizable to casual viewers.

I don't think anyone could watch Riddle/Cole and think anything AEW produced came close to that.

Brandi Rhodes was on Jericho's podcast recently and if I remember correctly wwe owns Cody Rhodes bc it was on TV and trademarked, but she never was on tv as BR. It was never trademarked so that's why when they get booked it's technically "Cody" and "Brandi Rhodes" to get around any trademark infringement

Ratings are unofficially in: AEW beat NXT with a .7 compared to NXT's .5.

WWE before ratings came out and this is a quote:
Vince is scurred.

Ultimately the ratings from last night don't matter. Next week will be more important.