Wrestling Thread 7: FTR Baldhausen • Page 984

Really hope he gets the relief he seeks and resurfaces down the road. I met him back in February at a Prestige event and he couldn’t have been any nicer. Dude was super over and had the entire crowd losing their shit. AEW really dropped the ball with him and HOB especially following the Cody feud.

 

It almost sounds like he’s saying AEW didn’t live up to their promises and that someone within is leaking this info? Or am I just in internet drama mode

 

I kinda read it that way too. But to the first part: i am not sure. He talks about the last 2 years. But he showd up in AEW only starting in July 2021.

 

Yeah could’ve been the WWE stuff

 

He also mentioned a lot of personal turmoil and physical health stuff.

Dude truly deserves all the best things in life, total class act in this difficult business. Also in the top 1% talent wise, imo.

 

Part of me wonders if thats about the vignettes he was doing for WWE right before his release...he was basically promised a push and then released. Seems more likely than AEW, where aside from a TNT title run or tag title run, I cant imagine what they would have promised that he didnt get (especially with the injury complications)

That's a hell of a lot to go through, and during a pandemic where both he and his wife had their careers massively fucked with. Hopefully he's back in AEW when he feels right again; and it becomes a thing that gets normalized where people take the Cesaro/Gargano/etc few months off just to get healthy/sane.

 

The ROH focused shows end up being my favorite. Wish they would go all-in on it instead of just throwing guys I’ve never heard of like Josh Woods into a main event with no context.

if I didn’t already have peacock I wouldn’t watch the PPVs, and even then the only reason I saw Clash was because it was on during the middle of the day.

 

Agreed. I don't think it's worth anyone's time to try and parse the words and predict who (professionally) let him down most. It's clear the past few years have burnt him out physically and emotionally - and I can't help but think he'd have landed here needing time off irrespective of where he'd been working the past year.

As for the specific comments about people reporting his mental health, I took that as less about who might be leaking it, but him likely being mad that anyone is reporting unsubstantiated rumours about his personal life and mental health at all.

 

Metzler basically said on WOR today that Malakai is likely leaving for WWE. The question mark is how long he has to wait before jumping.

 

Hope he immediately feuds with Cody

 

would not mind Black going back to WWE at all honestly

 

Black vs Gargano and Black/Richochet vs War Raiders are 2 of my favorite Takeover era matches. Dude was great under Triple H's direction

 

I know AEW has a stacked roster but to have Miro and malaki and have neither have a good run with a belt is fucking wild.

 

If he goes back they better give him his original theme and take out the goddamn sound effects

 

That is a very cool idea and great utilization of the War Games concept.

 

LFG

 

I’ve been very resistant to the whole “WWE good now” thing since Hunter took over but dammit am I ever a sucker for War Games..lol

 

Mark it here. On September 19, 2022, WCW won.

 

I think Tommy End will come back to AEW. Not sure if HHH would be down with Prestige and other indies he’s been doing with AEW. I think dude just needs a break, and he’ll come back to elevate the House of Black when Miro has the belt, and has obliterated all of the HOB. Would be an amazing way to return and get Malakai in the title scene finally.

 

Hey, Miro had an awesome TNT title run (IMO).

 

I abhor that Sammy took it off of him.

but yes. His custom belt was dope too:

Miro's title reign ended at 141 days. Since beating Darby Allin for the title in May 2021 he successfully defended the gold against Dante Martin, Lance Archer, Evil Uno, Brian Pillman Jr., Lee Johnson, Del Sol and Kingston.

He’s got to be in line for an AEW title run.

 

I don't know whether Black's evaluation of how he's booked revolves around holding belts. More than anything it seems he craves creative freedom and a strong platform to present it. I don't doubt he got the former from Tony, whether he feels he got the latter is probably the question. If he were to go back to WWE in the future, it may have as much to do with working with his wife again rather than them being apart from one another so much.