Men’s Tag Team Title Match

Over the past few months, things have been heating up with R-Truth and Judgment Day. Finn Balor and Damian Priest have been defending their tag titles against some reputable teams lately. At the same time, R-Truth has been forming a bond with DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa) and reforming his bond with The Miz. With how popular Truth has been with the crowd since his return, even before his absence due to injury, it is very plausible WWE will have him and Miz win the tag titles at WrestleMania.

US Title Ladder Match

There have famously been multi-person ladder matches at WrestleMania. Usually, the matches are for the Intercontinental Championship, but I feel there will be something else in store for the IC title. With the United States Championship, there have been many interweaving stories involving multiple wrestlers. Right now, Kevin Owens has been feuding with champion Logan Paul, Paul assisted with eliminating Randy Orton at Elimination Chamber, Randy has had an issue with AJ Styles recently, and Styles was willing to take a 30-hour flight just to make sure LA Knight did not win at Elimination Chamber. WWE could put these wrestlers in separate singles matches but I feel the spectacle would be to have all the men in a ladder match. There could be other wrestlers added to the match but a ladder match with the five wrestlers listed would make a lot of sense.   

Women’s Tag Team Title Match

The Kabuki Warriors have been having a good run with the titles since they won them at Smackdown at the end of January of this year. Even though it has been a short reign, Asuka and Kairi Sane have defended their titles twice and will be defending them for a third time at NXT Roadblock against Lyra Valkyria and Tatum Paxley. Currently, there are no front-runners to be contenders for the tag titles, but there are plenty of teams that could compete against Kabuki Warriors for those titles. I would like to see Shayna Baszler and Zoey Starks challenge for the titles. The match would be great and it could be a good way to get the tag titles off of Kabuki Warriors.

Intercontinental Title Match

This one is going to be a completely off-the-wall suggestion and I do not see it being a thing, but hear me out. What if WWE were to do a Gauntlet match for the Intercontinental Championship? With how much Gunther talks about wanting to take on the best and not shying away from any challengers, it would be an interesting idea to have a gauntlet match at WrestleMania. It would be a different match type at WrestleMania and there are enough challengers to make it fun. Currently orbiting the Intercontinental Championship are Chad Gable, Bronson Reed, Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Jey Uso. But I think there are other plans for Jey Uso. 

Uso vs Uso

WWE has always enjoyed pitting family members against each other, whether they are family on screen or in real life. Matt Hardy versus Jeff Hardy, Undertaker versus Kane, Bret Hart versus Owen Hart, over the years fans have seen family clashes, and this year seems to be no different. Jimmy Uso versus Jey Uso has been rumored for a while and many fans were not sure if they would want to see the match. Recently, Jey Uso had an Intercontinental Championship title match against Gunther on Raw but Jimmy interfered by prematurely ringing the rind bell and distracting Jey from his pinfall. This was a good way to reignite their feud and push the match towards WrestleMania this year.

To be Continued…

It is unknown how many matches will be on the card for both Night 1 and Night 2 of WrestleMania 40 this year but between the four matches already established and the five matches I have laid out, there is still room for a few more matches. With that being said, I will have a follow-up to this column with additional matches that could be added to this year’s WrestleMania. 

The post Ideas for the WWE Wrestlemania 40 PLE appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

Story

So why didn’t Charlotte and Rhea wrestle in the main event? Rhea Ripley won the Royal Rumble to earn a title match against a champion of her choosing at WrestleMania, doesn’t that mean she gets to be in the main event? Paul “Triple H” Levesque addressed this during the WrestleMania 39 press conference by saying there was more “emotion” in the Usos versus Sami and Kevin match. The tag match was more “story-driven” than the Charlotte and Rhea match and it felt more like a main event for that reason. Many fans were okay with this statement because it was true, Charlotte and Rhea did not have as much emotion and story built up as the tag match that year. But what about this year?

One of the main storylines in the WWE is the formation and transformation of Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Bayley, Iyo Sky, Asuka, and Kairi Sane). This is not a story that has been told in just a few weeks leading into WrestleMania, but it is a story that has been told since the debut of the faction at SummerSlam in 2022. Even though the break-up of Damage CTRL did not happen until the Smackdown after the Royal Rumble, it is a story that has been building since the debut of the faction. This break-up storyline takes heavily from when Batista broke away from Evolution by choosing to challenge Triple H at WrestleMania 21 instead of choosing JBL. So the story is there for Bayley and Iyo Sky to be in the main event of WrestleMania 40, right? RIGHT?

Royal Rumble Winner

Ever since the 1993 Royal Rumble, the prize for winning the Royal Rumble match has been a title match at WrestleMania, and starting in 2004, the Royal Rumble match winners could choose which title they wanted to challenge for. Occasionally, a championship was defended in the rumble match itself, but usually when the winner selects the champion they wish to challenge, that match becomes the main event of WrestleMania. In 2018, WWE established there would be a Royal Rumble match for the men’s roster and the women’s roster.

History

There have been two matches (three if Charlotte versus Ronda Rousey is counted) that have been the main event of WrestleMania that has included the Women’s Royal Rumble winner. History was made in 2019 by having women in the main event for the first time at WrestleMania 35 when Becky Lynch beat Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey for both women’s championships. The next time the women’s Royal Rumble winner was in the main event of WrestleMania was at WrestleMania 37 when Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks made history by being the first Black Women to be in the main event at WrestleMania. 

In 2022, Ronda Rousey challenged Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 38 and they were the main event of night one. Or they were until Kevin Owens and Stone Cold Steven Austin had an impromptu match to end night one of WrestleMania 38. Technically speaking, the last time women were in the main event of WrestleMania was in 2021 at WrestleMania 37. Over the past couple of years, when doing the introduction for the women’s Royal Rumble, the ring announcer would simply say, “The winner receives a title opportunity of their choosing at WrestleMania.”

Now

Even though fans wanted women in the main event of WrestleMania, it wasn’t as big of an upset because it was not established they would receive a main event match. That changed at this year’s Royal Rumble when Samantha Irvin, during the introduction, announced the winner of the Royal Rumble would not only choose which champion to face but would also be in the main event of WrestleMania 40. So once again, that means Bayley and Iyo Sky will be in the main event of one night of WrestleMania 40, right? 

Road So Far

The winners of the Royal Rumble this year were Bayley and Cody Rhodes. Both winners decided to announce who they were going to challenge during the same episode of Smackdown. Bayley, along with Damage CTRL (except for Dakota Kai), came to the ring for Bayley to make her announcement. The segment was great! Bayley chose Iyo and stated she was not dumb and knew the rest of Damage CTRL had been making fun of her for a while. Damage CTRL then tried to beat down Bayley after her announcement but Bayley turned the tide by grabbing a weapon and defending herself. A fantastic wrinkle to an already stellar story.

Later in the night, Roman Reigns cut a promo about Seth Rollins, the World Heavyweight title, and Cody Rhodes. Cody came out to the ring to interrupt Roman and make his decision. Cody cut a passionate promo about his story and how he needs to finish it by tearing Roman down, “But not at WrestleMania.” Then Cody said that he has also been seeking special counsel and brought out Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to the ring. The Rock and Roman had a staredown while Cody vanished back to the backstage area and Smackdown went off the air. That means Cody gave up his spot and now Roman and The Rock will be in the main event of one night and Bayley and Iyo will be in the main event of the other night at WrestleMania, right?  

Change of Plans

After the Smackdown where Cody announced he would not be facing Roman at WrestleMania 40, there was a massive uproar from fans for Cody to be in the match instead of The Rock. Fans went online and said, “Cody needs to finish his story” and “It’s not fair that The Rock can just come in and take Cody’s spot.” As of now, it seems like the “outrage” from the fans may have changed the plan to Cody versus Roman at WrestleMania 40. After the WrestleMania 40 Kickoff event in Las Vegas took place, two matches have been speculated to take place at WrestleMania 40, Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes versus Roman Reigns and The Rock one night and Cody versus Roman the other night. It would appear that fans will be getting exactly what they want but there is still a problem. What happens with Bayley versus Iyo?

Even though I am glad WWE seems to be listening to the fans, it is disheartening to think that once again the winner of the Women’s Royal Rumble match will be overlooked and not receive a main event match at WrestleMania. Especially when it was announced beforehand that the winners of both Royal Rumble matches would be in main event matches at WrestleMania 40. I try not to be a stickler for “kayfabe” reasonings when it comes to wrestling, but this year it just makes even more sense for Bayley and Iyo to be in the main event. Did one of the participants in the match win the Royal Rumble? Yes, there is. Is there a captivating story? Absolutely! On top of that, Bayley is the only member of the Four Horsewomen to not be in the main event of a WrestleMania and she deserves that accomplishment.

What can fans do?

The Cody situation has proven that if enough fans want something bad enough, there is a way to get it done. This is where my criticism is going to come out. Cody Rhodes, the son of Dusty Rhodes and the most popular babyface in all of wrestling, will be fine. There is absolutely no need for fans to make hashtags and have such an outcry for someone who has been pinned all of ONE TIME since re-joining WWE at WrestleMania 38.

Wrestling fans could rally behind the very real-life situation of Janel Grant (Justice for Janel Grant and other victims by the way), the treatment of minorities in wrestling, and the lack of awareness of how women are treated in wrestling. But even if we are to keep it to a “fun and light-hearted” reason to band together, there are better things to come together for than Cody Rhodes needs to main-event WrestleMania AGAIN. 

Talk about it

If wrestling fans were to pay half as much attention to the women’s division as they do a “battle of the Nepo-babies”, then maybe JUST MAYBE there would start to be some actual change in wrestling. No, I am not saying that Bayley and Iyo being in the main event of WrestleMania will completely change the foundation of professional wrestling, but it has to start somewhere. One of the biggest fan support hashtags happened years ago with #GiveDivasAChance.

This led to the women’s division in WWE having a revolution and the women’s roster began to get opportunities to show off what they could do in the ring. Fans have made an effort to place Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania at any cost, which includes the issuing of death threats to other wrestlers. Even if that includes Cody and Seth facing off against Rock and Roman in the main event night one and Cody and Roman can be in the main event night two. 

Spread the word

Show the same support and outcry for Bayley and Iyo. There is no reason and no excuse why they should not be in a main event match at WrestleMania 40. They are in a high-profile story, Bayley won the Royal Rumble, and if you are wondering about viewership, guess what? Over the past year, the women’s division has had the highest-rated segments and matches on wrestling television. The only “story” The Rock has “ruined” since coming back has been the one of Bayley and Iyo being in the main event at WrestleMania. So wrestling fans that are active on social media, I propose this, do the same thing you did with Cody (minus the trash behavior like death threats). Make your voices heard and spread the word with #BayleyVsIYOmainevent , #MainEventBayley , and help Bayley out by using  #ParamoreForMania .

The post Bayley and Iyo Sky should main event at WWE WrestleMania 40 appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

Non-News Topics

I want to hear suggestions that are not being covered by everyone. When news items come out, the writers here at NoDQ supply their opinions and I do not want to rehash what has already been said. I know that it can become overwhelming to our readers to read multiple articles about the same subject. I would like to change that.

Lesser talked about subjects

Is there something that has happened in wrestling that may not being covered as much as other things? Has there been a match or segment you want my opinion on? I would like to talk about things that our fans feel is being overlooked. With all the real world news going on, it is always good to have something to read as a palette cleanser. 

Something you want covered

The biggest reason for this is to figure out what you want covered. I want to share opinions on things you want to read about. The biggest and most important thing is our readers. If there is a way to connect better with our readers, I would like to try that. 

Thank you all in advanced for your suggestions. I look forward to seeing your suggestions and trying my best to cover as much as I can. I hope this ends up being a fun and exciting way to connect with everyone.

The post To NoDQ visitors: What do you want to talk about? appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

For many people, the phrase “wrestling is my escape from the real world” is used often. I have my personal opinion about that but if this applies to you then okay. Wrestling can be a great option for escapism and something that can help bond complete strangers. Some of the most enjoyable times I have had in my life have been sitting in a bar, eating some wings, and watching pay-per-views with my friends. It is fun and exciting. But this escape can also cloud people’s judgment.

When a woman, whose life has been completely and utterly destroyed by a vile human being, is willing to publicly go into detail about the heinous and atrocious things that happened to her and people use that as “fuel for tribalism.” This situation has nothing to do about AEW versus WWE. It has nothing to do with ratings or people’s creative plans. This is a matter of a woman, a human being, who has been through unspeakable hells over the past few years and it has NOTHING to do with “your favorite promotion.”

This piece has been a reminder that there are things in the world that are more important than wrestling. I understand we, as fans, get passionate about wrestling. Hell, I write opinion articles about wrestling because I am a passionate fan. But when it comes to stuff like this, it is better for all of us to support those affected and not target each other over tribalistic posts.

The post Some things are more important than wrestling appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

Fan Perception

  Fans have been saying that for Cody to finish his story, he needs to beat Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 40. Cody needs to be in the main event of Wrestlemania 40 and the show needs to go off the air with him holding the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship above his head as the confetti rains down. Sure, that all sounds great, but that is not the story. The story doesn’t have to end at Wrestlemania, it does not have to end with Roman Reigns, and it does not have to happen in Philly. Everyone is concerned with the reintroduction of The Rock, Cody will not be able to face Roman at Wrestlemania 40 for the title. Fans feel that it will be Roman versus The Rock at Wrestlemania for the title. 

In the build-up to Wrestlemania 39, Sami Zayn faced Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber. Before that match took place, Cody told Sami that regardless of who went to Wrestlemania as the champion, he would still face them for the title. If Sami had won the title at Elimination Chamber, Cody would still have gone on to face him for the title at Wrestlemania. If that match had taken place and Cody won, Cody would have finished his story because he would have won the WWE Title. This story has never been about Cody beating Roman. The story has always been about winning the WWE Title because his father never won it. 

Roman Chapter

Roman is the current champion, so Cody’s focus would be on him. If anyone else were to be champion, Cody would shift his focus to them. It is not a matter of “Cody has to beat Roman for the title,” it is “Cody has to beat anyone for the title.” Whether the champion is Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, or even Karrion Kross, Cody’s story “finishes” when he wins the WWE Championship. Even if Cody were to beat Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship, it would not be the ending to his story. It would be a cathartic moment for Cody, I’m sure, but it would not be finishing his story.

Dethroning Roman Reigns for the title is a completely different story. Anyone can dethrone Roman and become a new top star. There is a story within the Bloodline of who is the rightful Tribal Chief. Roman has a claim to being the Tribal Chief because he is the champion and “providing” for the rest of the family. Regardless of who Roman loses the championship to, he will still try to claim he is the Tribal Chief. Once Roman loses the WWE Championship, someone like Solo Sikoa or Jey Uso could challenge Roman to a match to determine the true Tribal Chief. No need for the WWE Championship to be involved, just members of the Anoa’i family battling it out for the spot at the head of the table.

What I Think

I think Cody losing at Wrestlemania 39 was the right call. The thing I would have changed would have been Cody challenging Roman and winning at either Summerslam or in a match at Madison Square Garden. Cody finishing his story at MSG would have been a full-circle moment for finishing the story. With the talks of Roman versus The Rock, that match could take place at the Elimination Chamber event and Roman could still win. This would make Roman an even larger-than-life persona so Cody beating him would increase Cody’s stock. But if The Rock beats Roman for the WWE Championship, Cody would still be able to finish his story against The Rock because it is about the title and not the wrestler. Cody will finish his story by becoming WWE Champion, who he will win it off of is irrelevant. 

The post Let’s talk “Cody’s Story” heading into WWE Wrestlemania 40 appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

One of the biggest accomplishments many WWE superstars strive to obtain is being in the main event of Wrestlemania. Though some wrestlers feel that any match can be considered the main event, many feel the main event is the night’s last match. For years, there was only one main event for Wrestlemania, but over the past three years, Wrestlemania has become a two-night spectacle. It would be fair to say that with the addition of an extra night, there are now two main events for Wrestlemania each year. Now there are more opportunities for someone to mainevent a Wrestlemania. Fans have seen this as a chance for WWE to have a women’s match main event one night and a men’s match main event the other night. 

But what happens when a storyline becomes hot and “deserves” to main event Wrestlemania? Last year, fans were hoping Charlotte Flair versus Rhea Ripley would have been the main event for night one. Rhea won the Royal Rumble and Charlotte was the women’s champion at the time so it made sense. But then the storyline with the Uso’s and Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens picked up and it became undeniable that the feud should main event. This decision upset a lot of fans because it felt as if the women had the rug pulled out from underneath them, especially considering that Rhea and Charlotte had one of the best matches of the weekend. Now it seems WWE may be heading in the same direction as last year.

Speculation

For months, fans and wrestling analysts have speculated that Becky Lynch would be facing off against the unstoppable Rhea Ripley. There were teases earlier in the year and then Becky has been kept away from the title scene, seemingly to hold off a build for Wrestlemania. Now enter CM Punk. One of the grievances Punk has been vocal about over the years has been the fact he has never been in the main event match of Wrestlemania. Punk has had high-profile matches, one of them being his match against Undertaker at Wrestlemania 29, but he has never been a part of the last match of the night. Punk has confronted Seth Rollins so it seems like a match between the two is being set up and a match that big would likely take place at Wrestlemania. 

On the other side, WWE still has Cody Rhodes needing to “finish his story” by dethroning Roman Reigns. Rhodes versus Reigns is a massive marquee match one year in the making. Following his loss at Wrestlemania 39, Rhodes has been hellbent on getting back to Roman and the title. So it is safe to assume Cody versus Roman will main event one of the nights at Wrestlemania 40. Even though this match can happen anytime and anywhere, the likelihood of it happening at Wrestlemania is high.

Opinion

I like the idea of having a women’s match main event one night and a men’s match main event the other night. It isn’t about “forcing” a women’s match as a main event. There is a simple way to get there organically. The winners of the Royal Rumble are guaranteed a Wrestlemania main event title match. For years, it has been the case that the winner of the Royal Rumble would face the champion at Wrestlemania in the main event match. Now there are two Royal Rumble matches, the men’s match and the women’s match, and there are two nights of Wrestlemania so it would make sense.

There are a lot of matches that take place at Wrestlemania that have sufficient stories going into Mania that are not the main events. There are also plenty of titles on the Wrestlemania cards that do not main event either.  So a surefire way to main event Wrestlemania should be to win the Royal Rumble. 

Conclusion

WWE is in a particularly exciting position right now because there are many options for Wrestlemania’s main events. Roman Reigns having the run he has had deserves to main event. Seth Rollins being the workhorse of Raw and carrying the World Heavyweight Title with prestige deserves to main event. Rhea Ripley has been on a complete tear this year and has been presented as a megastar so she deserves a main event spot. Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens, Jey Uso, Bayley, and Iyo Sky, all of these wrestlers have had a stellar year and could easily be in the main event match of Wrestlemania. Ultimately the decision is up to Triple H and the rest of WWE’s creative team. My suggestion would simply be, if you win the Rumble, you main event Wrestlemania.   

The post What should Main Event WWE Wrestlemania 40 in Philadelphia? appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

I can summarize what he said in a few sentences. Punk told the world he was home. He also mentioned that he was in WWE because of the fans. Then he mentioned his wife AJ Lee, which got a lot of applause. Punk spoke about the love and admiration backstage with all the wrestlers and how he was welcomed with open arms. It was a very cookie-cutter return promo that most wrestlers would cut when they return. But why has there been so much backlash online about it? Why are there so many people talking down about this return promo? I may have some idea.

The consensus I have been seeing online is “That Punk promo felt disingenuous.” and I can understand that sentiment. Punk has always felt like the fiery leader of the anti-establishment coalition. He has always been the “voice of the voiceless” and stood up for the little guy. So him saying that he was “home” in WWE may sound a bit hypocritical. But when Punk was in WWE almost ten years ago, he spoke about “guys like him” never getting a shot. Wrestlers who came from the independents and were not the muscle heads like Hogan and Luger never got the opportunity to be on top. Though since he left, those guys have been the ones at the top of the card.

The former Tyler Black, now Seth Rollins, is the World Heavyweight Champion. He is the top star of the Raw brand. When Punk was still in WWE before, Rollins was just one of the guys in that Shield faction. Numerous guys have been able to shine over the years Punk was gone and they all fit the mold Punk laid out. So what would he have to complain about? His whole basis before was the mistreatment of guys like him, but now they are the ones on top.

One of the first things Punk says in his promo is that he has changed. What better way to show that he has changed than by showing up and showing love to WWE? When he debuted for AEW, Punk talked down about WWE and mentioned how great it was to be in AEW. He was still seen as “the voice of the voiceless” and AEW fans were trying to find their voice. But over the past year, WWE fans have found their voice. Since Triple H has taken over in creative for WWE, there have been many changes that fans have seen for the better. No longer does Punk speak for the masses in a rebellious rage, but now he is compliant and content with how things are running in WWE. 

Earlier in the night, Seth Rollins told the crowd (who were chanting for Punk) that he did not want to talk about that “hypocrite.” Then after the Punk promo, I saw a lot of people using the word hypocrite online. It may be a stretch, but Punk and Rollins may be playing into all of this to make it more titillating for the audience when they finally come face to face. There were no catchphrases like Punk usually does. He didn’t ask you to tell him when he was telling lies. Punk only mentioned being the best in the world when he was talking about why he came back. He wants to prove that the ones who claim they are the best are not because they have not had to face him in ten years. 

I have never been a “CM Punk mark.” I have enjoyed what he does but I never really saw what made him so special to so many people. This isn’t an article meant to sound like a “Punk apologist” but I wanted to get my thoughts out. Punk can try to end his career on a better note than when he left AEW. It is like he said as Raw was going off air, he is not there to make friends, he is there to make money. What is a better way to make money than by wrestling against people who may not like him? How much money can he make in a company that people think he hates? Only time will tell.

The post Let’s talk about that CM Punk promo on WWE RAW appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

Jack Perry

Before you groan, hear me out. The last time fans saw Jack Perry in AEW, he was losing the FTW Title to Hook at All In at Wembley. His story leading up to this point was that he needed to find his more “evil side” and be more assertive. The person who kept pushing him in that direction was MJF. What better way to prove he has changed, and has found that extra edge to his character than to be the man behind the mask? Many people have said, “If it is Jack Perry, then AEW has dropped the ball.” But this would make a lot of sense. 

It seems Tony Khan has lifted Jack Perry’s suspension. If you are having trouble remembering, Perry got suspended because of a backstage altercation with CM Punk at All In. With his suspension officially over, Perry will need to find a way to get back onto AEW television. Being the new Devil could be his chance to make a bigger name for himself and become one of the top heels of the company. 

Roderick Strong

One of the most obvious choices would be Roderick Strong. Strong has been front and center during the entire return for the Devil. Even though he has been in a neck brace, he has been taking it off to perform matches, so his character is “milking” his injury for sympathy. He has been the person warning Adam Cole about Max being the Devil while knowing he is the one attacking people to frame MJF. 

Strong being the Devil could increase intrigue with him and The Kingdom in the eyes of the fans. Right now, the faction is coming off as more of a comedy act than an actual threat. He would be using this as a way to “protect” Adam Cole from the actual threat, that is MJF. Roderick Strong being the Devil would be mildly lackluster, but it would fit into the story being told so at least it would make sense. 

Britt Baker

The first time they showed the new Devil on AEW television, they were shorter and smaller than all the other wrestlers in the segment. I initially thought, “Maybe that’s Britt Baker.” AEW has mentioned that Britt and Cole are a couple, so her actions being “for Adam Cole” wouldn’t be surprising. AEW may reveal Britt banded together a group of people who have a checkered past with MJF. 

The reasoning behind attacking Bullet Club Gold first would be because Britt could blame Jay White for the extended injury Cole sustained at the first Forbidden Door PPV. Britt has said in the past that Cole’s time recovering was strenuous in their lives because of how hard his road to recovery was. Then, Britt can have the same motivation for framing MJF that Roderick Strong would have, to isolate MJF so he can not influence Cole any longer. During their time together, Cole began to help MJF become a better person, but Cole was also “stooping down” to MJF’s level of being a scumbag. This would make Britt want to intervene in their friendship.

Devil’s Associates

There were four assailants associated with the Devil during the attacks of Bullet Club Gold and The Acclaimed with Billy Gunn. Depending on who the Devil is, the other members could be anyone. I will give seven wrestlers the four members could be. If the Devil is not Roderick Strong, then he and the other members of the Kingdom would make up three of the members. The remaining member would most likely be Wardlow. I think regardless of who the Devil is, Wardlow will be one member of the Devil’s new group.

  Other wrestlers that could be under the masks are Jack Perry, Dolph Ziggler, or it could be any combination of an invading Bullet Club group. I would prefer Britt Baker as the Devil, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, and Wardlow as the other four members. Who do you think the Devil is? Would any name disappoint you? Can you think of other names for the associates? 

The post AEW: Who is the Devil? Let’s get the speculation stirring appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

What’s Changed

In the previous article, I mentioned the lack of time and stories presented in the women’s division in multiple companies. Both women’s titles in WWE have become more special, the TBS Title in AEW has many potential competitors, and Trinity remains an attraction in TNA. Women wrestlers are becoming more captivating characters in stories, even beyond the title pictures. Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics created a fantastic graph (link here) breaking down the percentage of women’s matches on WWE, NXT, AEW, and Impact(TNA). The graph is broken down by television programs and shows the progress women’s wrestling has made recently. 

There has also been an interesting development with Joshi wrestling in North America. Sukeban, a Joshi wrestling promotion based out of New York, has hit the scene and has great reviews about it. Just recently, Sukeban announced the signing of Sareee for their promotion and have been streaming their shows via TikTok. Could this be a sign of connecting to a younger crowd? There have been numerous positive things said about Sukeban, and if you get the chance, definitely check it out. 

Perception of Women’s Wrestling

Fans are praising the success of women’s wrestling, whether it’s based on star ratings, match quality, or storylines. Over the past few WWE and NXT premium live events, a consensus has been that the women’s matches have been the fan-favorite matches of the night. Even the Halloween Havoc special NXT ran, Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria put on one of the best matches of the year. 

Outside of matches and storylines, one of the biggest talking points recently has been the different signings for the promotions. Jade Cargill officially signed with WWE on September 26, 2023, and though she has not had a match on television, she has still been making an impact through social media with just her presence. Kairi Sane recently returned to the WWE at the Crown Jewel PLE in Saudia Arabia. Another big signing recently revealed was that of Mariah May to AEW. Mariah May has been a standout in Stardom over the past few years and it will be great to see what she can do in an AEW ring. These signings have increased the interest of fans and we are all anxiously waiting to see what happens next.  

Needs Improvement 

Though there have been many fantastic changes since my previous article, there are still some things that need to change. There is no need to bang the “AEW needs more than one women’s match per show” because it has been a constant since the start of the company. WWE has also fallen into that category of “one women’s match per show” but the difference is there are fewer matches on the show. Also, WWE has been focusing more on character development and storytelling than they have been focusing on in-ring competition. But this has been a common complaint with numerous talking heads online and hopefully, we will see a change some time soon.

Another change that needs to take place is the importance of women on the shows. Rhea has become a big deal on Raw but she is the only one to appear on that level that is equal to a Roman Reigns or a Seth Rollins-type main eventer. For fans to become more invested, WWE needs to focus on making the women’s division feel more like “Main Event”. Even on AEW, they have featured all the ROH champions on AEW television except for Athena. Athena is the greatest thing in the AEW umbrella, but fans wouldn’t know that if they were not watching ROH. Perhaps the addition of a second women’s match on AEW television would open some doors for Athena to showcase the exceptional work she has been doing in ROH for the AEW audience. 

Conclusion

In the five months since my original article, there have been some amazing things happening in the North American women’s wrestling scene. Personally, I’m absolutely over the moon that so many people have spoken up about the want and need for women’s wrestling to be more prevalent on television. I am not asking for another Evolution pay-per-view (though it would be fun) and I am not asking for there to be a separate show just for women. What I am asking for is for wrestling companies to see the value in their women’s talent and to treat them on the same level they treat their men.

The post Reevaluating North American Women’s Wrestling appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

Presentation

Oscar Wilde once said, “Presentation is everything!” But in wrestling, it is only a portion of everything. A wrestler’s presentation encompasses their appearance and how the company they work for decides to present them. “Superstar” Billy Graham is a wrestler that many other wrestlers took inspiration from. His look was larger than life and many wrestlers have attributed Graham as a person they revered. Aside from a larger-than-life appearance, a wrestler’s entrance can go a long way with presentation.

An example of this would be Cody Rhodes. Cody’s entrance combines a great song, Kingdom by Downstait, and over-the-top pyro. When Cody makes an entrance, fans know they are about to witness a star in action.

  In-Ring Ability

In-ring ability isn’t just about being technically savvy or dominating your opponent, in-ring ability is about being able to perform in the ring. Not all great wrestlers are technical wizards like Zack Sabre Jr. Not all top wrestlers are high-flying phenomena like Rey Mysterio Jr. Multiple styles make up the top wrestlers of all time, so it is not a cookie-cutter idea. The one thing they all have in common is the ability to maintain the audience’s attention through their in-ring work. Knowing how to captivate the crowd through their style of wrestling is what makes a good wrestler great.

Promo Skills

One surefire way to cement yourself as a top star is by having impeccable promo skills. There have been plenty of wrestlers throughout the years who lack in-ring ability but make up for it with charisma. Guys like The Miz, Road Dogg Jesse James, and LA Knight, are wrestlers who are average in the ring. Once they have a microphone in their hands, they ooze charisma. Being able to have the crowd in the palm of your hand while you speak is something special. Adding what you can do on the microphone with all the other attributes mentioned will definitively make you a superstar.

 Crowd Connection

Typically, if a wrestler has a great presentation, fantastic in-ring abilities, and is charismatic on the microphone, then connecting to the crowd will be a given. There have been instances where even the best wrestlers, like Seth Rollins, will just not connect with the crowd as you would expect. Fans either want to see themselves in the wrestler’s boots or they want to look up to the wrestler as a larger-than-life personality. Sami Zayn is an amazing example of someone who connects with a crowd. People feel what he feels, care about what he cares about, and they understand he is one of them. Being able to connect to a crowd on a personal level can help boost not only a wrestler’s “stock” but their morale when they are performing. 

My Personal Favorites

Using the criteria I have provided, I will mention some wrestlers who I think are superstars for their companies. The first obvious answer is Roman Reigns. He has had a generational run over these past three years, but it was not always like that. It took time for him to develop a connection with the crowd and to sharpen his promo skills. The next one to be mentioned is MJF. Max has always been fantastic to watch when he is on screen, but this current title run has helped him bolster a newfound connection with the audience. He is truly on the path to being one of the greats.  A younger star that has taken the world by storm is Willow Nightingale. She checks off all the boxes for what a superstar is supposed to be. And I would be remiss if I did not mention Becky Lynch. Arguably one of the greatest superstars to ever step in the ring. Her abilities, mic work, connection with fans, and presentation have truly made her a GOAT in the industry.

 Who are some stars you can think of that fit this criteria? Who are some that are on the cusp but just need a nudge in one of the categories? 

The post What Makes a Wrestling Star or Superstar? appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.