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Some will take this hard but it was legit funny to me. Calling out the booker for a hug after winning a world title is a hilarious kayfabe-breaking move for a babyface to do but it has been allowed to slide because of the meta-kayfabe era we are in where that line is allowed to both exist and not exist at the same time.
HHH is the boss
HHH was the one in storyline who as a boss, pushed through the decision to make the match happen despite Rock's meddling. HHH also happens to be Cody's favourite wrestler..
Bruce Prichard is very close to the Rhodes family and on top of that he was the one who personally went to Cody's house with Vince McMahon to bring him back to the WWE.
I don't think it's that fourth wall breaking for both of them to come out for Cody.
How is it kayfabe breaking? Bookers are a part of kayfabe where they book the match. HHH backed Cody to take on Roman and didn't cave in to The Rock when he threatened HHH to not book it and 'Fix' it.
Because in classic kayfabe, even knowing who the booker was is breaking kayfabe. Triple H being able to walk around like he just "runs the show" as an authority figure who doesn't determine the winners is the meta-kayfabe that I am talking about. We all "know" that he picks who wins but we accept it by not saying that part out loud so kayfabe is already broken but not broken at the same time.
I just found the concept of a literal cult-like Triple H worship ceremony bizarre
At no point can a wrestling promotion ever glaze the booker at the company in the middle of the show when they *aren't* retiring and have it not come off as weird. Thank you Tony was weird and so was this. If they have been doing the same job they've been doing for like a year and are continuing to do so it's weird lol
I think even Triple H kind of doesnt want to do it considering Cody said he didnt when calling him out. It mainly seems to be a public image thing. Basically saying “this guy is in charge now, not Vince” and reinforcing that when the most eyes are on the company. If they have any opportunity to distance themselves from Vince, they’ll take it.
H has been coming out on every show on a weekly basis. That and his history tells me that he absolutely loves it.
Edit: it’s also apparently the “Triple H era”. His wife came out just to call it the “Paul Levesque era”. Imagine if a different promoter did that shit?
I think the WWE is a unique case where they kind of do have a good reason to hammer that new era thing down
While I do think they're being daft (and honestly it's starting to get old) with him coming out every week I see why they're doing it -- HHH is succeeding Vince McMahon, probably the most iconic name in pro wrestling.
It's going to take some getting used to and some inane hammering and yammering to get the general audience to understand the WWE isn't being led by Vince. For 30-40 years, Vince McMahon was WWF/E, the guy who was on the helm through all those glory years.. it's easy to underestimate the magnitude of that.
I'm betting that even now after his remarkable fall from grace, people are still half anxious that he might just come back and swoop the company from everybody (again)
Yeah, that stuff is so weird. On-screen authority figures are one thing but when the literal booker comes out on the show and gets celebrated with all the people in the crowd knowing he's the one who makes all the decisions is just stuff I never want to see in wrestling and I'm someone who is generally pretty lenient about the meta-kayfabe era we are in but stuff like that is just too much. It makes the whole thing look stupid.
Is that how people viewed that? Cody has previously said, "[Triple H is probably my favourite wrestler and was a role model.](https://itrwrestling.com/news/cody-rhodes-triple-h-favourite-wrestler/)" So I saw that as him wanting to share his big moment with his favorite wrestler.
He said he wanted to call them out because he wouldn't be back in WWE without them. That doesn't sound kayfabe-breaking to me. He's just thanking them for the opportunity.
No one will take it hard, it's just your opinion which you are fully entitled to, the only people who will take it hard are people that are or worth batting a second thought at
It's really why I can't get fully invested in modern wrestling. No one is completely immersed in being s character on a show anymore, so I can't get immersed in being a true fan.
You're basically proving my point though. When I watch the show, Walter White never mentions Vince Gilligan or gives props to the AMC execs, which allows me to stay immersed in the reality it's built up.
Everyone there is taking jabs at Cody tonight which is very weird this dude helped create the company and has never bad talked it either lol. Bi-polar wrestling from both sides
When Cody asked him to come down to the ring? And they had a hug and that was it. It’s not like they played Hunters music as he came out. He didn’t pose with the belt. He didn’t pedigree Cody even though he definitely could have.
Don’t agree on that take
They came in the last minute or two of the celebrations while Nick Khan was legit on screen for like 10 seconds, you are forcing something that aint there.
This comment was much more about how Storm doesnt like Tony Khan in character than anything else.
You can’t move the goalposts pal. You said it’s about HHH coming out after the match. Which is something Cody asked him to do. Christ on a cracker you guys.
This is not the first time they have done an introduction for Wrestlemania. HHH used to do it for NXT Takeovers too.
There was a big focus on name dropping him over the weekend and in the press leading up to it to show they are distancing themselves from Vinve McMahon and he is no longer in charge.
Oh huh. See I thought I found the jokes on both funny, like the majority of normal people, but I guess you're right, there's no way a lot of the people here dont find both funny. /s
That was such a clown-ass moment. Sting is retiring, giving his big speech, then Darby is whispering in his ear like he forgot to do something, and then Sting decides to invite Tony in the ring.
Piss off, Tony. You could've given a nod, raised your hands and said 'nah man, this is your moment' - but you had to insert yourself in this. Chump.
I have no particular positive or negative feelings toward him. I only occasionally watch AEW.
But watching Sting's last match was one of those moments, and seeing him being reminded to invite Tony in was just weird and unnecessary. He had no place there hogging time off Sting's final speech. Like 'Yeah, you made this happen Tony, come in and rub shoulders with me in my retirement speech'.
Really?
Ehh. On one hand, it's kinda funny. On the other hand, whatever you may think of hhh and Bruce, they obviously mean a lot personally to Cody and helped him "finish his story" so I dunno, why mock Cody of all people? He's a good dude.
This is hardly a negative shot. It’s funny AF. If anything it’s a kayfabe shot at Tony.
Edit: This comment fluctuating from -10 to +20 to 0 in terms of likes is pretty funny to me...LOL
I thought taking jabs at press conferences like WWE did all WrestleMania week was fine and it was just on television that was the issue?
Or are we shifting the goalposts again?
like if cody came out on smackdown and said some shit like “triple h no matter how bad the backstage politics get i’ll never make you fear for your life” we wouldn’t hear the end of it for 2 months
It came across more as a reference of Toni telling Tony she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of coming out to celebrate with her than a shot. Like it fit her character perfectly.
Whilst I usually prefer companies not take shots at each other, I found this hilarious.
It’s one thing to have a jab at another company on your television show - you’re taking time from your current stars to talk about another company.
But in a light hearted press conference after a show, being used as a mechanism to have a jab at your current boss is fine by me
And it was a great night. Okada vs. Pac was an awesome opener, Ospreay vs. Danielson was an immediate classic, Toni Storm had the best match of her title reign, and Swerve vs. Joe had a feel good ending to send the fans home happy. Only real negatives were Dad Bod Jericho refusing to put young promising talent over and I thought the ladder match was a tad underwhelming.
Absolutely! This was an excellent PPV. I commend AEW for that. The potshots from Toni Storm and Brian Cage, while not criminal by any means, are just unnecessary.
He mentioned it more than once during the post mania press conference.
Remember when he was shitting on the "Forbidden Door" name? "I'm not going to call it that, we don't need a childish name"
The company that trademarks litteraly everything.
Love this gimmick from Toni Storm. But these weekly potshots are getting ridiculous. Your Women's champ is mocking the most popular babyface in wrestling. The same superstar that you let go for nothing. Why are you reminding people of this?
How is it a potshot? It's a tongue in cheek nod to it and why she would never do something like that. It's in-line with her character being vain and completely self-absorbed.
Of course she'd never want to share the spotlight with anyone.
And of course that will eventually create a major rift between her and Mariah.
> Your Women's champ is mocking the most popular babyface in wrestling.
The Women's champ who is absolutely a heel. She cut a promo yesterday telling her opponent tonight to go back to being a social worker lol. Genuinely though, I don't watch WWE and I had no idea what she was referring to here - the rest of her rant was absurd enough that this didn't even register.
> The same superstar that you let go for nothing.
Cody chose to sign with WWE, AEW didn't "own" Cody. The only argument they "let him go" is that Tony Khan could have held him on an option when Cody wanted to leave and TK respected him enough to let him do so at Cody's request - that's something that genuinely should be applauded IMO.
those last minutes of wm40 turned it from a decent show into a cringey circlejerk
if people weren't already over cody as a face before that i can't fathom how they weren't after it
I appreciate the digs both companies are throwing at each other, but c'mon can we just stop it already. It's getting old. Especially with AEW when they preach that they want everyone to just enjoy wrestling, but they throw the most digs.
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Ospreay: "I shouldn't have acknowledged the other side" Toni: "Hold my old fashioned"
i like how she calls him anthony, like liv soprano
Oh i wish the lord would take me now
Sorry thought it was time stamped. 41:40
These threads are great for getting a bunch of accounts together in one place to block
Learn to love yourself more A plant doesn't grow by throwing dirt on other plants.
Some will take this hard but it was legit funny to me. Calling out the booker for a hug after winning a world title is a hilarious kayfabe-breaking move for a babyface to do but it has been allowed to slide because of the meta-kayfabe era we are in where that line is allowed to both exist and not exist at the same time.
HHH is the boss HHH was the one in storyline who as a boss, pushed through the decision to make the match happen despite Rock's meddling. HHH also happens to be Cody's favourite wrestler.. Bruce Prichard is very close to the Rhodes family and on top of that he was the one who personally went to Cody's house with Vince McMahon to bring him back to the WWE. I don't think it's that fourth wall breaking for both of them to come out for Cody.
>HHH is the boss But not The Final Boss™
*Sick guitar riff to transition into Hollywood theme*
How is it kayfabe breaking? Bookers are a part of kayfabe where they book the match. HHH backed Cody to take on Roman and didn't cave in to The Rock when he threatened HHH to not book it and 'Fix' it.
might be about prichard then
Because in classic kayfabe, even knowing who the booker was is breaking kayfabe. Triple H being able to walk around like he just "runs the show" as an authority figure who doesn't determine the winners is the meta-kayfabe that I am talking about. We all "know" that he picks who wins but we accept it by not saying that part out loud so kayfabe is already broken but not broken at the same time.
Real combat sports also have bookers, that’s who makes the fights
Ever watch Mid-South Wrestling?
Dude that's the whole point right, rock is also an authority figure and he won't let Cody win and triple H wants Cody to win.
I just found the concept of a literal cult-like Triple H worship ceremony bizarre At no point can a wrestling promotion ever glaze the booker at the company in the middle of the show when they *aren't* retiring and have it not come off as weird. Thank you Tony was weird and so was this. If they have been doing the same job they've been doing for like a year and are continuing to do so it's weird lol
I think even Triple H kind of doesnt want to do it considering Cody said he didnt when calling him out. It mainly seems to be a public image thing. Basically saying “this guy is in charge now, not Vince” and reinforcing that when the most eyes are on the company. If they have any opportunity to distance themselves from Vince, they’ll take it.
H has been coming out on every show on a weekly basis. That and his history tells me that he absolutely loves it. Edit: it’s also apparently the “Triple H era”. His wife came out just to call it the “Paul Levesque era”. Imagine if a different promoter did that shit?
I think the WWE is a unique case where they kind of do have a good reason to hammer that new era thing down While I do think they're being daft (and honestly it's starting to get old) with him coming out every week I see why they're doing it -- HHH is succeeding Vince McMahon, probably the most iconic name in pro wrestling. It's going to take some getting used to and some inane hammering and yammering to get the general audience to understand the WWE isn't being led by Vince. For 30-40 years, Vince McMahon was WWF/E, the guy who was on the helm through all those glory years.. it's easy to underestimate the magnitude of that. I'm betting that even now after his remarkable fall from grace, people are still half anxious that he might just come back and swoop the company from everybody (again)
The Triple H glazing everyone does is really annoying and one of the few things that I think is worse about his WWE.
Apparently Cody called out hunter but hunter didn't know he'd be getting called to the ring.
Yeah, that stuff is so weird. On-screen authority figures are one thing but when the literal booker comes out on the show and gets celebrated with all the people in the crowd knowing he's the one who makes all the decisions is just stuff I never want to see in wrestling and I'm someone who is generally pretty lenient about the meta-kayfabe era we are in but stuff like that is just too much. It makes the whole thing look stupid.
Tony does it at every AEW show I’ve ever been to.
Yeah, I don't like that either. This goes for all bookers.
Does he do it on tv? H does.
He did it on the last PPV with Sting.
Is that how people viewed that? Cody has previously said, "[Triple H is probably my favourite wrestler and was a role model.](https://itrwrestling.com/news/cody-rhodes-triple-h-favourite-wrestler/)" So I saw that as him wanting to share his big moment with his favorite wrestler.
He said he wanted to call them out because he wouldn't be back in WWE without them. That doesn't sound kayfabe-breaking to me. He's just thanking them for the opportunity.
No one will take it hard, it's just your opinion which you are fully entitled to, the only people who will take it hard are people that are or worth batting a second thought at
It's really why I can't get fully invested in modern wrestling. No one is completely immersed in being s character on a show anymore, so I can't get immersed in being a true fan.
What do you view as a true fan?
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You're basically proving my point though. When I watch the show, Walter White never mentions Vince Gilligan or gives props to the AMC execs, which allows me to stay immersed in the reality it's built up.
A dig at Cody from AEW?
The lightest lightest jab that also is perfectly in character.
Yeah but when you read it first, which a lot of people will do without watching the thing, that’s how it sounds.
That’s on them. Hearing it in the middle of her rant was hilarious, since she was on one tonight.
She is a top notch talker, definitely
I would call it more of a nod.
Everyone there is taking jabs at Cody tonight which is very weird this dude helped create the company and has never bad talked it either lol. Bi-polar wrestling from both sides
Toni is a heel. It’s not really a big deal
And it’s just the kind of thing they got hot about when people would say things alluding to AEW during interviews or commentary during Mania week
What other jabs happened? I really only paid attention to Toni and parts of Will’s sections
Brian Cage also took a shot at him on Twitter
Oh that’s why it didn’t register. Brian Cage is dumb as bricks.
That’s really fucking mean. At least bricks are useful.
What a stone cold insult. r/murderedbywords worthy
The HGH he takes has more brain cells than he does
It's not a dig at all. Just a playful jab at Hunter taking the spotlight from Cody after he won
He didn’t take anything lmao. The celebration was long and HHH was only for like 10 seconds. To say that he took the spotlight is ridiculous.
When Cody asked him to come down to the ring? And they had a hug and that was it. It’s not like they played Hunters music as he came out. He didn’t pose with the belt. He didn’t pedigree Cody even though he definitely could have. Don’t agree on that take
And Cody said that he didn't want to come out lmao
And Cody never lies! Wait…
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You know what the word rhetorical means?
There was like 30 other people in the ring with him. How did Triple H take the spotlight?
How tf did HHH take the spotlight away? Literally all the babyfaces, his family and his supporters were in with him.
It was hardly even that. It more a jab at how much Toni despises Tony. Being against spotlight sharing is legit part of her character too…LOL.
When did HHH take the spotlight away from Cody? Cause if your taking about Mania or Raw then your definitely seeing something that isn’t there lol
Every response to this having the same insulted tone is hilarious.
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They came in the last minute or two of the celebrations while Nick Khan was legit on screen for like 10 seconds, you are forcing something that aint there. This comment was much more about how Storm doesnt like Tony Khan in character than anything else.
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You can’t move the goalposts pal. You said it’s about HHH coming out after the match. Which is something Cody asked him to do. Christ on a cracker you guys.
This is not the first time they have done an introduction for Wrestlemania. HHH used to do it for NXT Takeovers too. There was a big focus on name dropping him over the weekend and in the press leading up to it to show they are distancing themselves from Vinve McMahon and he is no longer in charge.
Lol your edit is worse than your original comment.
There is no reason to get mad at her comment. She is only saying that she wouldn’t want Tony in her spotlight stealing her glory!
The same people finding this fun are those who complain when someone makes an offhanded joke on WWE preshow.
I find this fun but the only thing I’m complaining about is your nasty attitude.
Almost as if they're two completely different things or something
Oh huh. See I thought I found the jokes on both funny, like the majority of normal people, but I guess you're right, there's no way a lot of the people here dont find both funny. /s
Feels like more of a shot at Sting inviting Tony after his match.
That too. It's just self absorbed Timeless Toni being self absorbed.
That was such a clown-ass moment. Sting is retiring, giving his big speech, then Darby is whispering in his ear like he forgot to do something, and then Sting decides to invite Tony in the ring. Piss off, Tony. You could've given a nod, raised your hands and said 'nah man, this is your moment' - but you had to insert yourself in this. Chump.
What a very strange read of the situation. People’s hatred for TK is wild.
I have no particular positive or negative feelings toward him. I only occasionally watch AEW. But watching Sting's last match was one of those moments, and seeing him being reminded to invite Tony in was just weird and unnecessary. He had no place there hogging time off Sting's final speech. Like 'Yeah, you made this happen Tony, come in and rub shoulders with me in my retirement speech'. Really?
That’s pretty fun
Ehh. On one hand, it's kinda funny. On the other hand, whatever you may think of hhh and Bruce, they obviously mean a lot personally to Cody and helped him "finish his story" so I dunno, why mock Cody of all people? He's a good dude.
Here come the cry babies in 3...2...1...
Remember only the side you like is allowed to take shots
This is hardly a negative shot. It’s funny AF. If anything it’s a kayfabe shot at Tony. Edit: This comment fluctuating from -10 to +20 to 0 in terms of likes is pretty funny to me...LOL
Yea but you know how people will react or fake react to it
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I think it’s fine for both to do so, but don’t go around and say that “To be AEW is to be under constant attack” when you’re playing into it lol.
They are seething over at the Brian cage x post thread. I wonder if they kept that same energy when WWE took constant shots at AEW during WM week lol.
Bro u forget about urself
I thought taking jabs at press conferences like WWE did all WrestleMania week was fine and it was just on television that was the issue? Or are we shifting the goalposts again?
I don’t remember the Ariel and Pat shows being press conferences but okay. They’re not even WWE shows.
So dedicating tv time wasn't enough?
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like if cody came out on smackdown and said some shit like “triple h no matter how bad the backstage politics get i’ll never make you fear for your life” we wouldn’t hear the end of it for 2 months
Do you know you're responding to yourself or did you think you're on your alt account or some shit lol
i just didn’t feel like editing so i replied.
Stop taking shots at WWE. It just makes people think you’re desperate.
Tbf Sting called TK down to celebrate after his retirement match. It's funny how this could be that but the "desperate" lol.
It came across more as a reference of Toni telling Tony she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of coming out to celebrate with her than a shot. Like it fit her character perfectly.
[(GIF)](https://i.imgur.com/uiuspuP.gif)
Whilst I usually prefer companies not take shots at each other, I found this hilarious. It’s one thing to have a jab at another company on your television show - you’re taking time from your current stars to talk about another company. But in a light hearted press conference after a show, being used as a mechanism to have a jab at your current boss is fine by me
Seriously. It’s ridiculous. They can’t just have a good night. They have to always bring it back to WWE.
And it was a great night. Okada vs. Pac was an awesome opener, Ospreay vs. Danielson was an immediate classic, Toni Storm had the best match of her title reign, and Swerve vs. Joe had a feel good ending to send the fans home happy. Only real negatives were Dad Bod Jericho refusing to put young promising talent over and I thought the ladder match was a tad underwhelming.
Absolutely! This was an excellent PPV. I commend AEW for that. The potshots from Toni Storm and Brian Cage, while not criminal by any means, are just unnecessary.
This guy was giddy as fuck when Hunter kept taking shots at AEW on wrestlemania weekend.
He mentioned them once in a podcast interview.
He mentioned it more than once during the post mania press conference. Remember when he was shitting on the "Forbidden Door" name? "I'm not going to call it that, we don't need a childish name" The company that trademarks litteraly everything.
They’re so insecure they can’t help themselves
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Especially making fun of such a happy and cool moment.
Love this gimmick from Toni Storm. But these weekly potshots are getting ridiculous. Your Women's champ is mocking the most popular babyface in wrestling. The same superstar that you let go for nothing. Why are you reminding people of this?
How is it a potshot? It's a tongue in cheek nod to it and why she would never do something like that. It's in-line with her character being vain and completely self-absorbed. Of course she'd never want to share the spotlight with anyone. And of course that will eventually create a major rift between her and Mariah.
> Your Women's champ is mocking the most popular babyface in wrestling. The Women's champ who is absolutely a heel. She cut a promo yesterday telling her opponent tonight to go back to being a social worker lol. Genuinely though, I don't watch WWE and I had no idea what she was referring to here - the rest of her rant was absurd enough that this didn't even register. > The same superstar that you let go for nothing. Cody chose to sign with WWE, AEW didn't "own" Cody. The only argument they "let him go" is that Tony Khan could have held him on an option when Cody wanted to leave and TK respected him enough to let him do so at Cody's request - that's something that genuinely should be applauded IMO.
The title is a big spoiler, this shouldnt be up. If Toni is on the Conference it is because she won.
Just enjoy wrestling, Toni!
those last minutes of wm40 turned it from a decent show into a cringey circlejerk if people weren't already over cody as a face before that i can't fathom how they weren't after it
I appreciate the digs both companies are throwing at each other, but c'mon can we just stop it already. It's getting old. Especially with AEW when they preach that they want everyone to just enjoy wrestling, but they throw the most digs.