A good idea for a segment and a great one for a graphic, this was a tonal nightmare that did far more to muddy how viewers should be engaging with this story.
Jim Ross might be too much of a meme figure in this spot following the risible Kenny Omega sit-down from before All In, but he theoretically exists to provide gravitas to situations that could otherwise scan as pantomime. He was unable to do that due to the hack-y delivery of Nick and Shayna Wayne, but again, was this supposed to feel phoney or not?
Either way, Wayne came across like a diet Dominik Mysterio in a company that can't pull off that brand of heat half as well, and the violent follow-up brawl with Christian Cage, Darby Allin and Sting continued the mixed messaging. Allin should of course want some revenge on his former protégé following the events of WrestleDream, but it was impossible for this to feel serious after starting so silly, and the pairings are feeling played out too.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
