Talking Sheet | Pro Wrestling & Wrestling News / Insider Newsletters / WWE / Observer / F4W / SheetSandwich

Sheet Sandwich editor and journalistic virtuoso Les Moore and co-host Hugh Little dig deep into the world of pro wrestling insider news sites and newsletters with an unfiltered, uncensored view on the week in news, rumors and rehash. Join them as they go in-depth for analysis on all the coverage from popular news sources like Wrestling Observer, Figure Four Weakly, Pro Wrestling Torch and more!

119 – Meltzer Quibbles with Roman Reigns Cancer Treatment | Ronda Rousey Fallout | Bruce Prichard Mystery 03/10/2019

118 - Wrestling Media Reacts to the Brie Bella Blunder | WWE Philanthropy on Raw | Over-Analyzing Then, Now, Forever 09/29/2018

117 - Is WWE Really Listening? | A Commentary on Dave Meltzer’s Mini-Autobiography in the Wrestling Observer | Episode 1 of Finding Pro Wrestling w/ Les Moore & Hugh Little 09/15/2018

116 - All In Pulls Les & Hugh Back In | The Era of WWE Alternatives | Catching Up with Indie Wrestling | Has Wrestling Media Been Co-opted? 09/08/2018

115 - Talking Wrestling Journalism with David Bixenspan | Brock Lesnar & Roman Reigns Storyline from WWE Raw | Justin Barrasso’s Report on Rey Mysterio vs John Cena at WrestleMania | WWE to Fox? 03/04/2018

114 - Will WWE Brand Split End? | Elimination Chamber Intrigue | Elgin Booking Backlash Story | Wrestling Journalism Questioned by Sam Roberts | Bixenspan’s Deadspin Response | Wade Keller’s Response | Wrestling Media Surveys Our show today covers the recent question by Sam Roberts on his podcast of whether journalism in wrestling exists. We look at David Bixenspan’s article on Deadspin regarding the topic, and WWE’s attitude toward wrestling reporters and websites, as well as Wade Keller’s response to the topic on twitter. But first, the question is now being asked whether or not WWE’s upcoming switch to dual-branded PPV shows could spell the end of the Raw and Smackdown brand split. We explore some of the responses to this question from last week by PW Torch’s Todd Martin as well as Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. The final hype for WWE’s Elimination Chamber is behind us, and the show is set for Sunday with a lot of intrigue as to the outcomes from the matches. What will Ronda Rousey do, and will it involve Stephanie McMahon? How will Roman Reigns win the Chamber Match without hurting Braun Strowman’s push, or cooling off Seth Rollins? What will happen when Asuka takes on Nia Jax? The Michael Elgin story continues to make headlines, this time after he was booked on an AAW Pro show last weekend, prompting promoter Danny Daniels to apologize and vow not to book him again. Dave Meltzer reports that there are other promotions who won’t use Elgin for fear of backlash from fans as well… so why do some still consider this a non-story, or a small-time story that only matters to a “40 fans” on Twitter? Les breaks down some of the responses to part one of the recent Sheet Sandwich wrestling media survey, as well as what you can look for in upcoming installments. Finally, Les and Hugh talk the POWER OF POSITIVITY, with a look at the week in things they loved about wrestling, or wrestling coverage. All this plus more on Talking Sheet. Les is @prowrestling Hugh is @HughLittleSheet the show is @TalkingSheetPod /episode/index/show/talkingsheet/id/6297331

112 - Ronda Rousey WrestleMania Plans and WWE Schedule | Dave Meltzer on Rousey’s Success Potential | Scherer Calls Nikki Bella “Honey” | Coachman & Borash Signings | Rollins Blocks Alvarez | Shepard Promotes Checkbook Journalism Les Moore looks back at the week in wrestling news coverage, from a HUGE weekend from WWE with NXT Takeover and the Royal Rumble, to the signings of Ronda Rousey, Jonathan Coachman and Jeremy Borash, to a special commentary on integrity in wrestling journalism, and how one reporter this week seemingly announced his intention to engage in checkbook journalism. We look at Dave Meltzer’s analysis of Ronda Rousey in WWE, and how he believes she should be used. Mike Johnson from PWInsider took umbrage with WWE and Rousey’s use of the term “full time,” and believes it is insulting to actual full time WWE wrestlers. PWInsider’s Dave Scherer took an inappropriate and insulting shot at Nikki Bella for “dating well” getting her position in WWE, and went on to call her “honey” in one of the more disgusting examples of wrestling “analysis” this year. We examine the coverage of WWE’s signing of Jonathan Coachman and Jeremy Borash, and reactions to how they’ll be utilized in the company, and what it means. A coverage JOUST of John Cena’s Raw segment looks at how silly it is in storyline for John Cena to be worried about his spot at WrestleMania. We look at the match ratings for the Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade Cien Almas match from NXT Takeover, which was just the 6th WWE match of all time to be rated 5-stars by Dave Meltzer. Seth Rollins blocked Bryan Alvarez on twitter, presumably over the Wrestling Observer reporting that he was working on an injured back. Bryan Alvarez responded. Ryan Satin took the week off, which raised eyebrows and attracted harsh criticism from his detractors this week. Changes are brewing in wrestling coverage, and Fightful.com is adding staff. Finally, a special commentary on ethics, integrity and honesty in pro wrestling journalism, as well as the waste of time it is keeping score on scoops. Recent news breaker and potential rising star Brad Shepard made a major faux pas this week when he advertised his intentions to engage in checkbook journalism, a shady and arguably unethical reporting tactic that seems to run contrary to earlier tweets he made this week on the importance of integrity in wrestling journalism. Les Moore responds. All this and more on this week’s Talking Sheet! Les is @prowrestling Hugh is @HughLittleSheet the show is @TalkingSheetPod /episode/index/show/talkingsheet/id/6220933

111 - Final Royal Rumble Coverage | Complete Look at Enzo Amore Story | Coverage Hits and Misses from Meltzer, Satin, Sean Ross Sapp & More | Vince McMahon’s XFL Announcement | Raw 25 Coverage Jousts & More Les and Hugh are back to major wrestling news coverage for the week. We look at the final coverage ahead of Sunday’s Royal Rumble event on the WWE Network, including the bizarre inflation of coverage surrounding Daniel Bryan’s odds for appearing and winning, and the continued negative reaction Stephanie McMahon gets every time she’s involved in anything relating to the WWE product. The Enzo Amore situation is looked at in detail, including a look at how wrestling coverage often blurs the lines between editorializing and reporting, which isn’t always the best for certain types of stories. Sean Ross Sapp wins the week for his adept handling of the story’s nuances, and covering all the bases, find out who missed the mark by the most. Vince McMahon announced the XFL on Thursday, January 25th, the exact day first reported publicly by Brad Shepard. We look at how the story unfolded over the past month and a half, as well as encourage more detailed scrutiny of the new enterprise, similar to Brandon Howard’s stellar article on Fightful this week. David Bixenspan’s article for Deadspin this week examining WWE’s track record of cheating its fans is looked at, as well. Lastly, The Raw 25th Anniversary show gets two coverage jousts looking at both the Undertaker segment, as well as the Chris Jericho appearance on the show. Joust clips from: Wrestling Observer Radio PW Torch Fightful.com POSTWrestling.com All this PLUS, video is now available for subscription at f4wonline.com, and Hugh continues his foray back into the world of professional wrestling, including discovering his favorite podcast from PWPonderings.com. Les is @prowrestling Hugh is @HughLittleSheet the show is @TalkingSheetPod /episode/index/show/talkingsheet/id/6194198

109 - Wrestling Coverage is Problematic | Bruce Mitchell Delivers Where Mike Johnson Fails on CWF Mid-Atlantic, Brad Stutts Story | Questionable Journalistic Integrity from Meltzer, Satin on Elgin 01/13/2018

107 - Year End Pro Wrestling Coverage Awards | 2017 Sheetys Nominees: Dave Meltzer, Wade Keller, Fightful.com, Voices of Wrestling the Lapsed Fan & more 12/30/2017

106 - WrestleMania Road Diary | WWE Female Audience | Balor Returns, Shinsuke Debuts | Meltzer, Mitchell & Johnson on WWE Superstar Shakeup | JBL & WWE Tolerance of Bullies 04/08/2017

105 - Paige Sex Tapes Leaked | Dave Meltzer on Mauro Ranallo | Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 2018 | Wade Keller & WWE Narrative Structure | Kassius Ohno Looks Fat 03/18/2017

105 - Paige Sex Tapes Leaked | Dave Meltzer on Mauro Ranallo | Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 2018 | Wade Keller & WWE Narrative Structure | Kassius Ohno Looks Fat Les Moore and Sealia Bloom break down the week in wrestling news coverage, kicking things off with the unfortunate news and coverage of WWE Superstar Paige’s sex tapes leaking out, and our thoughts on how it will be covered on wrestling news sites. Dave Meltzer wrote somewhat negligently, if not irresponsibly, on Mauro Ranallo’s Smackdown no-show. Despite not having the full story on the record, and not being able to elaborate beyond flippant remarks in this week’s Wrestling Observer, Meltzer raised the issue anyway, which has led directly to endless speculation regarding where Ranallo actually was Tuesday night. Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, according to Dave Meltzer’s most recent issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, will be wrestling for the WWE Universal Title at WrestleMania in 2018. We look at the story from both the Wrestling Observer Radio podcast, as well as the article in the newsletter, and what this might mean for match outcomes on this year’s WrestleMania, and the WWE title picture going forward. Wade Keller over at PW Torch has had it with WWE’s hocus pocus storytelling on Smackdown, and wrote a feature article in this week’s newsletter on the WWE World Title program between Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton, which Keller calls “WWE at its worst.” We also discuss his PW Torch Livecast rant from Tuesday regarding the AJ Styles brawl with Shane McMahon. We look at whether WWE actually has a narrative structure anymore, and ask how appropriate it is to compare WWE to other dramatic television shows like the Walking Dead or Game of Thrones. Lastly, Kassius Ohno, who is fat, wrestled Bobby Roode this week on NXT, and Bryan Alvarez & Vincent Verhei spend their entire match review talking about how large Ohno is, and why his ring gear was unflattering. Follow the gang on twitter: Les is @prowrestling Sea is @SealiaBloom the show is @TalkingSheetPod /episode/index/show/talkingsheet/id/5181527

104 - Dave Meltzer on Golberg as WWE Champion | WrestleMania is About Moments | Daniel Bryan to Wrestle Again? | Bayley Ruined | Fightful’s Anna Bauert 03/11/2017

103 - TNA Impact Special: Bruce Prichard In, Hardys Out | Breaking Down Coverage & Analysis from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer, Wade Keller & Bruce Mitchell of PWTorch, PWInsider, Ryan Satin and more 03/04/2017

101 - The Rock Calls CM Punk, Pundits React | Dave Meltzer Responds to Les Moore | Comparing Coverage of Kevin Owens Raw Promo | Bryan Alvarez Criticizes U.K. Fitness | Interview with Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp 02/25/2017

100 - Seth Rollins Injury Fallout & Update | Meltzer, Keller, Mitchell on Portrayal of Rollins & Triple H | Samoa Joe Debut, Highlights & Hand-Wringing | Mike Johnson’s Call for CM Punk | Post-Royal Rumble Reactions | Bella Twins Respond to Sealia’s P The thrice are back for the 100th episode of the Prime edition of the show! We kick things off with some talk highlighting some of the top content of the week, and then on to the week in news. The big topic is the injury to WWE Superstar Seth Rollings, and the coverage of of the injury from all the top sources. Wade Keller hosted two days of major speculation and what-ifs regarding the Rollins injury and whether he’s out of WrestleMania. Dave Meltzer reports Rollins could be back in eight weeks, and still make Mania. We examine the coverage of, and reactions to, the portrayal of Seth Rollins in his angle with Triple H, where by all accounts Rollins has been made to look like the heel. Wade Keller and Bruce Mitchell discuss how Rollins’ characterization is disrespectful of women, while Dave Meltzer reacts to how strongly Triple H comes off as a babyface. Samoa Joe debuted on Raw, and the hype surrounding his long-awaited appearance on the main roster quickly turned to hand-wringing and questioning regarding why he’s not on Smackdown instead of Raw, and fears that he could lose his first match with Rollins, prior to the news that Rollins was injured. We breakdown the post-Royal Rumble reactions from Dave Meltzer, plus the PW Torch scorecard with analysis from Todd Martin and Sean Radican. The Bella Twins responded to Sealia Bloom’s questions regarding their Birdie Bee “Panties with a Purpose” by posting a YouTube directly addressing what their purpose is. Sealia also looks at podcasts The Last Mark Standing and Clotheslines and Headlines. Finally, Les runs down the week in paid wrestling coverage with Know Your Sheet for the week, including the latest plans for WrestleMania, Kevin Kelly out at Ring of Honor, and more! Follow the gang on twitter: Les is @prowrestling Sea is @SealiaBloom Hugh is @HughLittleSheet the show is @TalkingSheetPod /episode/index/show/talkingsheet/id/5055576

99 - Royal Rumble Coverage from Wrestling Observer, PW Torch & More | Latest WrestleMania Plans | Jousting Meltzer, Alvarez, Scherer, Keller, Mitchell & Martin on Cena/Styles | Wrestling Observer Radio’s Latest Kenny Omega Interview | Interview with the 01/28/2017

Mid-Week 16 - The Wrestling Observer Live Interview with Triple H | Dave Meltzer on Psycho Girls | Universal Praise for WWE U.K. Tournament | Snuka Death Coverage | Shameful Orton Article 01/19/2017

96 - Dave Meltzer’s First 6-Star Rating | Wrestling Observer & PW Torch Recaps | Turbulent Week for Pro Wrestling Sheet | Meltzer vs Satin Joust | Flair Ends MLW Podcast | Sheet List and more Join us for a look at the coverage and reactions to what has been widely described (and debated) as the greatest match in pro wrestling history, Kenny Omega vs Okada at New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom 11. We look at Dave Meltzer’s historic 6-star rating and talk about other matches he has described as being more than 5 stars. We also compare Meltzer’s praise of Kenny Omega now to what he was saying about him one year ago at this time, both in his Wrestling Observer Newsletter as well as on the Wrestling Observer Radio podcast. It’s been a turbulent week for Ryan Satin over at Pro Wrestling Sheet where three times over the past several days he was criticized for claiming “exclusives” on stories that had previously been mentioned or reported. We compare the coverage of the latest Alberto Del Rio El Patron kerfuffle between F4Wonline and Pro Wrestling Sheet. Ryan Satin also had a win with the return of Kassius Ohno to NXT after Satin was the lone reporter who made that claim when news broke that Chris Hero would be heading back to WWE. Know Your Sheet segment runs down all the coverage in the paid newsletters and sites for the week including the latest on WrestleMania, Goldberg, independent promotions, Ronda Rousey’s chances in WWE and more. It was recently announced that Ric Flair was ending his MLW podcast. We have the latest rumors and innuendo on the WWE hall of famer’s reasons, and questions as to why he hasn’t returned to WWE as a regular performer after previous reports. Finally, the Sheet List for the week looks at articles from Bruce Mitchell at PW Torch, Scarlett Harris from Paste Wrestling, Brandon Howard at Fightful.com, Joseph Currier’s first lead article as the writer of Figure 4 Weekly, and Justin Barrasso from Sports Illustrated. Follow the gang on twitter: Les is @prowrestling Sea is @SealiaBloom Hugh is @HughLittleSheet the show is @TalkingSheetPod /episode/index/show/talkingsheet/id/4971986

095 - Will Ronda Rousey go to WWE? | Top Stories from Wrestling Observer & PW Torch | Mick Foley’s Hip & Irresponsible Journalism | The WWE Monopoly? | 2017 Coverage Outlook 12/31/2016

095 - Will Ronda Rousey go to WWE? | Top Stories from Wrestling Observer & PW Torch | Mick Foley’s Hip & Irresponsible Journalism | The WWE Monopoly? | 2017 Coverage Outlook Les, Hugh & Sealia return for their final show of 2016 (or first show of 2017, depending on when you listen) to talk about the wrestling coverage and hot topics of the week. We kick things off with the Ronda Rousey loss at UFC 207 and the instant speculation as to whether or not wrestling fans can expect her in WWE now that he career is most likely over. Les runs down the top stories from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and PW Torch. We look at the story regarding Mick Foley’s needed hip surgery getting out, and why both he and Chris Hero appear to have been blindsided by Dave Meltzer reporting their stories. Kenny Omega brought up WWE’s hiring practices, which have caused some to compare their current hiring practices to the predatory talent raids of the WWF in the 80s, and WCW in the 90s. Plus, Hugh’s Views, Sealia Sees It, and Les’ Sheet List for the week. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00: 00 - 00:15:00 - Rousey to WWE? Speculation on whether she will come in now that her UFC career appears to be over following her second devastating loss. 00:15:00 - 00:55:00 - Know Your Sheet from Wrestling Observer and PW Torch for this week, including Guess the Dirt and Inspector Ringside 01:03:00 — 1:23:12 Kenny Omega on WWE Monopoly, and whether it’s predatory hiring practices. 1:23:12 - 1:40:27 Hugh’s Views & spotlight on indie wrestling scene 1:40:27 - 2:00:32 - Sealia Sees It / new subscription to Torch & Observer, reactions to Travis Bryant article on women’s wrestling attire. 2:00:32 - 2:28:32 - Sheet List & 2017 Coverage Outlook Have a Happy New Year and enjoy the show! Follow the gang on twitter: Les is @prowrestling Sea is @SealiaBloom Hugh is @HughLittleSheet the show is @TalkingSheetPod Inspector Ringside is @f4wonline (no, really… check it out) /episode/index/show/talkingsheet/id/4953831

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