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Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

Also the fact that barb wire and crazy stunts are still novel in WWE. They use them when they are warranted, not excessively

010

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Sami is the best mic man in wrestling. No matter if it is a skit, a backstage interview, a sit down interview, or an in ring promo, I believe everything he says and he sells his story to get the audience to care

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Sami was my best on the mic last year. No matter if it is a backstage interview or skit, a sit down, or an in ring promo, I believe everything he says.

010

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

I have been ultra critical of Hangman’s character for a few years. The inconsistency is maddening. Tonight I loved the way he explained his character without attempting to excuse his behavior.

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

The program feels hot. Jey feels hot. My concern is that it has peaked too early. Building more anticipation for 9 weeks will be a challenge

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Fun angle that has become just another match. The heat is gone

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

I still think he needs to work on selling on the move. By not doing so, he forces his opponent to put him in place. Hurts the match flow

020

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

The big difference of this match compared to other similar matches is how much they got out of the big bumps. They were risky, but they made the move worth the risk

010

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

I know people are all about Fatu, but I need to give credit to Tama. He is taking the bumps and putting in the work in all of his tag matches. He is a selling, bumping and working machine.

010

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

Finish was lame. Match lacked heat. I fear Chelsea is an internet favorite who resonates less with the crowd at large. I hope she can start connecting more with the greater audience

020

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

I would like to see Pat eliminate Dom. Better yet, I want to see Dom eliminate Pat.

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

Cannot deny there was some intriguing energy when they were standing in the ring. Tonight Owens/Punk became a match I want to see

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

I didn't remember Mandy had a slogan. Does not seem it was "patent pending." Probably an attempt to get her name in the news.

020

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

HHH is my favorite wrestler of all time. Hard to argue that it is not deserved. Also, given his position, it is hard to ignore that it is controversial. For me, I am happy to see him get his flowers during an era where most fans see him as part of a solution to making WWE better.

010

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

In wrestling, there are heel promos and there are face promos. Tonight both guys cut money promos.

060

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

It was easy to predict a Gunther victory. But with that said, they had me with the two near falls towards the end. Masterful. Felt a lot like the Jey and Bron match where Jey got a surprise W

010

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Agree. Both women brought it. Loved the faster pacing. Nia is at her best when she is not trying to be safe. You can tell when she is timid. Tonight, she was not timid, but still in control.

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

I switched to peacock to fix the language

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

If the dominant heel faction builds interest in the opposing babyface beating them it is working. Right now I don’t feel that is the case.

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

About the death riders, the sad part is I enjoy all of the members (sans Wheeler) individually. This is a sad case of the whole being less than the sum of the parts. Moreover, I do not think the subject of the death riders is polarizing. I think there is a level of consensus that it is not working.

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Love the idea of the match. I am not certain the time feels right. If they are going with the match, I feel significant work needs to be done to boost Bianca back up. Her mission statement has not been set for another title reign.

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

It might not be the best idea, but it for sure is an insightful example of a leader who is fully invested and committed to the nuance of producing his talent and getting the most out of what they bring to the dance. Others could learn from this,

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

Respect your perspective, but I how perceived that she stopped to slowly pose and remove her ring attire in a sudden death gauntlet match with vulnerable competitors and than strutted to the ring with very little fan fare.

100

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

Your opinion is valid. As a viewer not familiar with her, I did not feel that way. I thought she had a good look. I did not like her lack of urgency or her in ring presentation. To me, she was "lost in the shufffle"

100

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

We will see. I guess we will check back in 3 weeks and again in 3 months and see where she is at. As someone who has seen little to none of her work, I wanted to be impressed. I was not. The phrase universally positive and online does not mean a lot.

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

Each has their own perception. I have heard the name, but have not seen much of her. She had a good look, nothing else stood out to me. The pop certainly did not transfer to me,

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

If she is going to be a repeat, I would have debuted her in a different way. The way she slowly strutted to the ring in a sudden death gauntlet showed a complete lack of urgency. Moreover, her reaction was apathetic and she did not stand out in the match. It was a failure

100

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

Saying the segment was a waste of time is a waste of time.

010

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

Should have wrapped it up 10 minutes ago. All of this has been said before to different people in a different way.

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

That doesn’t disqualify the song from being good, but it does damper the initial reaction

010

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

Not sure yet. It does not have a natural “pop” moment that signals the crowd to stand up and get excited.

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

I enjoyed tonight's Raw more than last week. Last week felt like a show for sponsors and executives. Tonight was back to presenting a show for the weekly viewer. Better pacing, more storyline developments, and a wider array of talent.

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

He is not a natural seller yet. In WWE training they emphasize selling into place for the next spot and showing your sell to the camera. This avoids your opponent moving you into place and helps television flow. It was obvious he is inexperienced with this tactic

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Much better pace this week. Last week felt like a show for sponsors and executives. Tonight is back to a show for the weekly fan

010

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Good debut. He is not a natural seller yet. More experienced Tv style wrestlers sell on the move to get into the next spot and avoid making their opponent move them into place. Helps the flow of a match and is an emphasized skill in WWE training. It can be fixed.

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Presentation was spot on. I have always thought he was overrated as a singles wrestler. He is a spot guy with a talent for mannerisms to make moments. I want to see him progress beyond that.

110

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Not sure about the new music. It is not an entrance theme that invites an immediate "pop." I believe the fans were thrilled to see him, but the reaction seemed very tame. People seemed like they did not know when to react.

100

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Save the ultra competitive 50/50 match with multiple kick outs for matches that have a sufficient story going in and stakes coming out. Maximize the effort of your talent.

131

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

The match was awesome, I just wish it meant more. An AEW trope; a match that is very good, but means very little. Both going in and coming out.

220

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Hopefully, WWE sees this as a warning. Steer clear of controversial political figures. Goodwill with fans is precious and fickle. The fan base is not consistent with the UFC fan base.

020

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

I was a hulkamaniac, but he has killed all good will with the fan base. He deserves a negative reaction. Mixing politics with entertainment is always risky. He is far from a good faith neutral celebrity at this point.

120

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Feels familiar yet fresh. Nice mix. Maybe could speed up the pacing a bit to maintain momentum.

111

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

I am thinking the smaller stage makes the wrestlers look bigger. Or maybe the Rock is just huge and larger than life

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Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

I am thinking the smaller stage makes the wrestlers look bigger. Or maybe the Rock is just huge and larger than life

000

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

Sounds good. Yes, I did not like it. Also, I don’t think it was effective and/or advantageous

100

Derrick Hubbard @derrickrhubbard.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

Yelling about a biased ref and caustically arguing with his fellow announcers did not serve the match or audience. That lacks professionalism

100