AEW Grand Slam Australia Saturday 15th February 2025 7pm AEST (Airing Sunday 2:30pm TrillerTV, 6:30pm Kayo both AEDT)

[DarkPhoenix]

Re: ring again.

Today QT has referred to it as an 18x18, but Matthews has also said "if it wasn't a shitty 16x16, allowing okada to get his foot on the ropes, I'd be champ"

Gonna be one of those mysteries going forward. The AEW tour ring of 2025, was it a 16 of 18? Find out next on Beyond the Mat

 

[Mostyn]

So, I was at the Sofitel Brisbane early this morning for a 7am (!) work event.

I'm heading down the escalator and Big Bill and his partner are coming up the other direction - and I say "great show Saturday - still not Bill!" and he smiled and gave me a thumbs up.

He was probably thinking "it's too bloody early for this" but seems like a pretty normal guy for a seven footer.

The only interesting part was three or four women stopped me at the bottom of the stairs and asked who he was, because he really stood out in a hotel foyer ...

 

[WA ROO]

The only interesting part was three or four women stopped me at the bottom of the stairs and asked who he was, because he really stood out in a hotel foyer ...

Should have said he is the new Brisbane ruckman

 

[nobbyiscool]

They were losing their minds that they weren't blasting music preshow, wouldn't shut up about it and how WWE runs things. They also droned on and on about how they think certain wrestlers regret signing with AEW, including Ospreay (who funnily enough clearly had the time of his life out there).

I must admit, listening to them complain about everything had me wishing for some music to drown them out also.

I think it was the only thing that annoyed me about the crowd were a few isolated flogs repeated attempts to start WWE chants, especially if someone did a move that someone in WWE does. It's so insulting not just to the workers, but to everyone else in the crowd who loves, or at leasts appreciates AEW for what it is. The attempt to relate all of this to WWE suggests a belief that any and all of this still only exists in a "WWE Universe", which is just so naive and stupid.

 

[Quivorir]

but seems like a pretty normal guy for a seven footer.

What exactly were you expecting?

 

[Mostyn]

What exactly were you expecting?

I have no idea - I reckon if you're that massive you maybe aren't always wired to be chill when randoms approach you?

 

[Planet14]

I have no idea - I reckon if you're that massive you maybe aren't always wired to be chill when randoms approach you?

It would be pretty weird existence, basically people turning their head everywhere you go. Could easily someone being detached and little snarky dealing with that every day.

 

[Cleavy]

Re: ring again.

Today QT has referred to it as an 18x18, but Matthews has also said "if it wasn't a shitty 16x16, allowing okada to get his foot on the ropes, I'd be champ"

Gonna be one of those mysteries going forward. The AEW tour ring of 2025, was it a 16 of 18? Find out next on Beyond the Mat

 

[fuey]

I think it was the only thing that annoyed me about the crowd were a few isolated flogs repeated attempts to start WWE chants, especially if someone did a move that someone in WWE does. It's so insulting not just to the workers, but to everyone else in the crowd who loves, or at leasts appreciates AEW for what it is. The attempt to relate all of this to WWE suggests a belief that any and all of this still only exists in a "WWE Universe", which is just so naive and stupid.

I had guys in front of me trying to start a 'We want Mami' chant during Buddy/Okada.

As you said really disrespectful.

I get you can like WWE AND AEW, but fmd, man.

I should've tried to.start a '**** the fed' chant...

 

[Cleavy]

I have no idea - I reckon if you're that massive you maybe aren't always wired to be chill when randoms approach you?

I guess you can teach that!

 

[Cleavy]

There's some show merch at https://aew-store.com/ (no chairs though)

showing as $10 shipping for me, that's decent!

 

[nobbyiscool]

Does anyone know for sure whether we're talking about the PWA ring? (kistan might even know for sure.) SdL's endorsement suggests we probably are.

To me it looked like an 18x18 ring on the night... but conversely, having watched and attended PWA shows, I always thought their ring was 16x16. (I still think the bounce had a greater impact than the size anyway.)

 

[nobbyiscool]

There's some show merch at https://aew-store.com/ (no chairs though)

showing as $10 shipping for me, that's decent!

If anyone wanted a $200 chair, then please, please let me know!

Also, no Harley tshirts is an outrage, they could've sold 4000 Feel The Wrath shirts if they'd bothered to print them!

 

[Nicho50]

It would be pretty weird existence, basically people turning their head everywhere you go. Could easily someone being detached and little snarky dealing with that every day.

Like someone trying to say something to you in an elevator when your minding your own business

 

[Cleavy]

If anyone wanted a $200 chair, then please, please let me know!

folding chairs are like $10 at Kmart, so the design is not worth $190.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

I'll probably pay $100 for a chair. Nice souvenir from a great event.

I was thinking of getting one but bringing it back to Melbourne as checked luggage is a bit awkward.

 

[Cleavy]

I'll probably pay $100 for a chair. Nice souvenir from a great event.

I was thinking of getting one but bringing it back to Melbourne as checked luggage is a bit awkward.

that's when you unleash your best La Parka impersonation. (granted, that's only 1 real LA Park but you get my drift)

 

[nobbyiscool]

Well, I've been back for 24 hours, and man Brisbane makes me appreciate Melbourne.

But the weirdest thing happened... I don't know if it was cos I returned from 33 degrees, 75% humidity, to Melbourne which was proper chilly (weather I love!) I don't know if it was from standing in lines and sitting in shitty seats all weekend. I don't know if it was cos I barely used any of my MC over 3 days... but within 2 hours of landing last night, my back had completely seized up.

I was speaking to a mate today... I'd blocked this from my memory due to my hatred of the joint, but he was quick to remind me that the same thing happened about 2.5 years ago when I spent 4 months in North Qld before returning to Melbourne in late Autumn.

Do I need to be one of those people that looks at moving north for the warm weather as I get older? That would suck, ****ing haaated every single thing about the weekend except the wrestling and seeing my mates. The weather, the hills, the scooters which would be a good idea in a hilly city if they had enough power to get up the hills, the dogshit public transport, the scam cabs and uber prices.

Goddamn that was a good show on Saturday though.

- I think that was exactly the kind of heel reaction that Jericho is looking for, he had proper heel heat, it wasn't go-away heat at all. I don't understand why Bill is so over... he's standing next to Bryan Keith, who is proper good and underrated, why aren't we elevating him!? Also, why does Bill stand there like a moron for the top rope walk? Pull him down you dickhead!

- I thought Robbie looked good in the match with Moriarty, and he was super over in front of an audience that was there to see everything - there were very few stragglers who didn't bother with the ROH portion of the show. I think that when it's just an undercard match though, the Pure Rules format can make it a little bit restrictive.

- Tommy Knight made me proper mark out. As I said previously though, there's no reason, when you're taping the show and can edit stuff off, to not give a local talent his entrance. This was a really fun match, there were sections of the audience who were pretty excited for Tommy, and Davis gave him a lot in a really fun, hard hitting match.

- MxM are a fun act, but I thought this match was rough, and for a guy that was supposed to be a pillar, Guevara could not be less of a guy at the moment. He's the support act to a 55yo nostalgia act. That's as bad as positioning gets!

- Athena vs Windsor wasn't much of a much, but I was pleasantly surprised by how supportive people were of Athena. People either knew her act, or they were very enthusiastic about pretending!

- I don't think I've seen a single person who shares this opinion... but I didn't think the GOATs vs the Family was the best match on the card. Sure, it was incredible. It was in the best 10 live matches I've seen (which you should absolutely consider an advertisement for our local scene)... but I guess when I'm in a live crowd, I prefer a few more storyline beats, I like the call backs that reward your attention and investment, I prefer moves to mean a little bit more so you can build around them. A lot of this, to me? It was just spots. And it's super entertaining as an athletic contest, but as a pseudo sport, as something I want to be able to suspend my disbelief around more, I like it a little slower and "more meaningful." Can't deny the crowd was white hot though, and Ospreay friggen loved it.

- Harley put on the performance of her career against Mercedes, and I don't think a "fluke win storyline" would've been out of place at all. She's legit over, not just as a home town act.

- Again, as someone who wants to suspend disbelief and buy into everything... Jay White and Adam Copeland have much, much worse friendships than Moxley does. Shafir and Yuta fly around the world to make it a predictable 4-on-2 - where were FTR? Where were the Gunns? I didn't hate the ending as much as some others; and I think a lot of people who are hating the ending are assuming that Mox is going to retain at Revolution. I guess my different take is kind of contingent on Revolution... I think the Deathriders won this because Copeland is winning at Revolution... before Christian immediately cashes in the briefcase and wins the title.

- As I mentioned previously, I think Buddy tweaked his knee literally jumping off the turnbuckle during his entrance, and he did a really great job getting to that spot where he was pushed from the top turnbuckle to the outside so he could really start selling it. I really liked the match, but 2025 Okada aint 2015 Okada.

- My favourite match of the night was the main event, because I felt like it told a story, it fed into the overarching story that they've been telling, it rewarded your attention to their story, and it left me feeling that I could watch these 2 women fight forever, which I've only ever felt twice before in women's wrestling, one being Banks vs Bayley in NXT, the other being Jess Troy vs Delta (Zaria) in MCW. I thought that, from a storyline perspective, the finish was great, and having rewatched it with the commentary my view on that is even more solidified. I think they go to an I Quit, or maybe a 2/3 falls match now?

It was an incredible show, and it was the best crowd I've ever been a part of for any sporting or wrestling event. They loved everything and understood their role in elevating their show. They understood their role in booing Fletcher, they understood their role in supporting Harley and shitting on Mercedes, and the "rip her **** off" is an all time crowd chant.

Despite not being the biggest fan of "2025 Cope" that was a genuine, proper moment that everyone in attendance will remember forever, and I'm so pleased to have been part of it.

And while I previously mentioned some isolated flogs trying to draw all wrestling back to WWE, I'm so proud of the fact that I can't think of a single "WWE-centric" chant that took off. (Cos "woo" isn't WWE centric.) I'm also really proud of how great we looked as a crowd on tv. It was really well shot, it was beautifully lit, and you couldn't really identify the batches of empty seats that were around the place.

Last week I was saying that I was glad I was going because I didn't think they'd be back very soon... what an idiot I was. I know they've already announced their 2026 return, but it wouldn't altogether stun me if they came back later this year. That's how good this was, that's how much of a golden opportunity they've presented themselves to create a massive footprint in Australia.

If it were me? I'd still only do one show next year, and I'd announce it in Melbourne at MC Arena, so you could scale up to RL, or even go over the road (and outside) to Swan St if demand requires it. And I wouldn't be relying on the same Australians, I'd be finding the next few (who are Robbie Eagles, Adam Brooks, Lena Kross, and maybe The Parea and Jess Troy.)

Then, depending on how Melbourne goes next year, they have a much better idea of the level of support they can expect in Australia on a regular basis.

 

[nobbyiscool]

I'll probably pay $100 for a chair. Nice souvenir from a great event.

I was thinking of getting one but bringing it back to Melbourne as checked luggage is a bit awkward.

They were just doing them as checked hand luggage, it was about the easiest part of dealing with the airport yesterday!

 

[RossFC]

Sammy Guevera's vlog of Grand Slam Australia (starts at 7:15)

 

[Big Red Machine]

Completely forgot about posting in here for this, I'll try and keep it brief.

• BEC isn't any less of a hole for wrestling than it is for basketball
• The worst thing about wrestling is still wrestling fans
• AEW fumbled the merch ball hard
• Didn't notice the ring size diff at all
• Sitting directly in front of the heel tunnel, Had it's pros and cons.
• Don't know why but Big Bill is over as ****
• Getting to chant "**** Don Callis" multiple times was an amazing moment (The match also slapped but to be expected)
• Getting to chant "You Sick ****" at Mercedes for stomping on the puppet as mint (and then they edited it out of the show)
• Getting to sing Metalingus was indeed a moment i'll hold dear for ever
• I bit hard on Buddy kicking out of the Rainmaker and again on the ropebreak false finish. Him not going over was the only down moment
• Toni/Mariah - Peak Cinema. Crowd was bonkers hot. Toni asking the crowd for a lift back to the Goldy after the show ended was funnier than it should have been given the public transport line. The Shorncliff line was shit before they needed rail busses.
• All in all, Great show. I've fallen out of love with wrestling over the years so wouldn't have traveled for this but glad to have commuted for it

 

[RossFC]

• Don't know why but Big Bill is over as ****

For some reason when AEW was in Cardiff Wales 6 months ago, Big Bill was really over there too.

 

[RossFC]

 

[Cleavy]

Meltzer ratings (just because):
Ospreay/Omega vs Fletcher/Takeshita: 5 STARS
Mercedes vs Harley: 3.5
Mox/Claudio vs Cope/Switchblade: 4
Okada vs Buddy: 4
Toni vs Mariah: 4.5

 

[RossFC]