I've found myself watching less and less pro wrestling over the last 2 to 3 years. The WWE product just got really stale for me. While I haven't been watching much pro wrestling, I often find myself listening to Busted Open in my car and they've been hyping up all these new shows so I decided to give them a shot.

Smackdown I should have known if you allow a big network to get their hands on a wrestling program that they'd screw it up in a big way. It's pretty much the same stale WWE product with an even worse presentation and an atrocious intro. They can trot out Vince McMahon, the Rock and whatever other huge stars they want but I have no interest in watching this beyond the first episode I watched. In truth, I'll probably catch some bits and pieces simply because I'm a super hardcore UFC fan and a casual boxing fan but in terms of watching an entire show, no chance.

AEW: Dynamite This is all pretty new to me as I haven't veered away from WWE in a couple decades but I really like what I've seen so far. The product seems more adult oriented and more raw (pardon the pun) than what WWE produces. It kinda reminds me of pro wrestling in the late 90s back when WWF, WCW, and ECW had some great shows. I actually loved when MJF turned face. Reminded me of back in the day when everything wasn't so black and white, good or bad, heel or face. Stone Cold was acting like a heel but was a huge face. NWO was a heel stable but had tons of fans. DX and the Rock also blurred those lines too. Hopefully, that's the case with MJF, and not like WWE where former heels like Seth Rollins and the Miz suddenly turn into the sweetest most adorable caring guys on the planet.

NWA Powerrr Loved this. Brought me back to the mid 80s when I first got into pro wrestling. The best thing about this for me is that it's only an hour a week. There is not much of a commitment to stay up with it. If you miss a few episodes, you can catch right back up. Miss a few episodes of WWE Raw and you might as well just fuggetaboutit. I love what I've heard from Billy Corgan. That dude sounds a lot smarter than your average pro wrestling owner. I didn't know any of the wrestlers..except I looked at one and asked "Is that Damien Sandow" but yeah all these guys are new to me but even so I'm tuning into this every week.

NXT I can't review this as I have no plans to watch it. I'm sure NXT's product is infinitely better than WWE's other programming but if I'm not interested in watching WWE why would I want to watch it's minor league feeder system?

Doesn't the first part of your question answer the question?

Didn't like that opening AEW tag match. Over to NXT.

I have no idea what that SCU finisher was supposed to be, but it wasn't that.

Certainly wasn't near the Bucks/PP opener last week.

Dvorak No. 9 is epic. Glad someone decided to use this as a wrestling entrance.

No. That was tremendous. This bored me.

I'm pretty sure I just watched the first full-blown primetime enhancement match in two decades. I like it!

They definitely built Ryback with a whole series of local jobbers with no music, etc.

The short-lived James Ellsworth thing came from him being a local jobber who went viral through the sheer ridiculousness of his look.

Beth Phoenix just shouted out Brad Paisley.

wat

That was my first look at Io Shirai.

I like her.

This women's title match is, um, not good.

OK it's gotten pretty good now.

One thing I like a fair amount about AEW to date is that finishers are not the only moves ending matches. Several matches have ended with quick counters or otherwise unexpected moves.

I'm hoping for a Rhea/Io/Bianca 3-way for #1 contender.

Also I really dug the women’s title match. Love how Dr. Britt Baker is a shoot dentist and incorporates it into her gimmick.

Marko Stunt needs squashed like a bug.

Never made the connection that Jungle Boy Jack is Luke Perry’s late son (and half-nephew of Krusty the Klown)

When a wrestler executes a great spot that you like, the correct response is not to CHANT THE INITIALS OF THE ****ING BRAND. It's to chant for the wrestler who executed the spot.

I'm willing to offer tutoring at a low rate.

This Lee/Dijakovic match has been solid, but I'm turning it off for the night if I see another kickout like their last one.

That ship has sailed, I'm afraid. Just like finisher kickouts (although I wish the more egregious ones would go away).

Did this practice first come into vogue in mid/late ‘90s ECW? Seems to be the first place I recall...

What incredibly stupid writing on NXT. In kayfabe there's no way Strong is dumb enough to not understand the actual result of his actions. Switching back to AEW now.

I asked my friend, a hardcore Colts fan, if he would stand up and chant "Fight Forever" during a back-and-forth 4th quarter in Lucas Oil. He of course admitted that he wouldn't. It's terrible that people can't just embrace a default of rooting for their preferred wrestler to win.