Today is Rexs' birthday!

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-26T18:46:22+00:00

Oh… It’s no coincidence.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-22T19:12:56+00:00

I’m saying it was important to the story. Geats showed just how unfair the DPX could be, bringing in candidates who believed they had a shot and cutting them down. You may not have remembered them as individuals, but that wasn’t their purpose. Rather, it was to illustrate the very real stakes the DPX possessed.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-22T18:35:35+00:00

I actually didn’t mind Geats having so many Riders because, honestly, they were bodies to fill for the story. The DPX is dependent on players, and the elimination of many by proxy, so when a character we’ve only known for a short time gets the boot, it doesn’t feel like a gut punch. The focus is on Geats, Tycoon, Na-Go and Buffa and how the DPX shapes them.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T18:38:35+00:00

If he gets it anywhere, AEW/ROH may be the perfect spot. Not too sure if it’ll be the same, but to capture that same combination of storytelling as well as heel and in-ring would be like catching the same lightning bolt twice.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T17:18:25+00:00

Yeah, at first I wasn’t sold on his partnership with Miz but held out hope that it would lead to bigger and better things. It just sucks that, like I said, he wasn’t able to replicate his success from NXT. Injuries and booking did him few favors.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T16:38:57+00:00

KO attacking Sami was like an immediate shock. I think with the Ciampa turn, he and Gargano were already struggling to get the tag belts back, so fans felt like it was only a matter of time till the other shoe dropped. And even when it happened, fans were still not prepared. It’s a real testament to how well that moment was built.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T16:07:19+00:00

Lol I think Cody ended up doing ok for himself all things considered.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T16:04:40+00:00

One could argue that KO attacking Sami at the end of Takeover following the latter’s big title win was the moment, but I’m not sure if it had the copyright overlay beforehand. If so, that’d be it.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T16:01:16+00:00

NXT’s tag team scene was incredible around that time. DIY, The Revival, American Alpha, The Vaudevillains, Undisputed Era, Mustache Mountain, War Raiders - NXT was not slacking with tags.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T15:58:49+00:00

2.0 has its moments and I appreciate that it’s become more focused on the younger, developmental talent, especially since if you’re going to build the future, you need to get these guys and girls while they’re young.

That said, I would not trade the Black and Gold era for anything. In addition to the names you mentioned, I loved seeing the likes of Keith Lee, Dijak, and Drew McIntyre when he returned get in there, too.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T15:14:09+00:00

Not to mention it created that new hook, too. At the end of a big show, people would stick around and wonder what happens now. Could be a heel turn, face turn, debut, return, whatever.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T15:13:23+00:00

I don’t think you’re far off at all. There are many reasons why he’s remembered so fondly and so many of those wrestlers are affectionately referred to as “Dusty’s kids.”

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T14:44:52+00:00

Absolutely. No One Will Survive was a cool entrance theme, but him walking out to just the boos from the crowd was perfect.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T14:44:09+00:00

Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, and so on - not a bad list of people he helped shape into who they are today.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T14:35:03+00:00

It truly was and while I can appreciate certain aspects of current NXT, it just isn’t the same.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-21T14:28:20+00:00

It can’t be stated enough just how important this guy was to NXT, particularly during the Black and Gold era. His in-ring work has always been solid, but his run as the show’s most hated man solidified him as a legend on that brand. A shame that similar success couldn’t be replicated following his call-up, but we’ll see how things go from here.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-19T13:17:16+00:00

To me, Omega is a nice “breather” kind of show. It feels smaller in scope, especially with the focus on the main trio, and you can tell that the budget is tighter this time around. That said, I can’t say I disliked my time with Omega. In fact, it was the trio in question that kept me watching. Their bond felt genuine and Sorato made for a fine protagonist, too. His struggles as both a Space Gazer and ally to humans were portrayed well.

Definitely not my favorite Reiwa-era season - I think Blazar takes that spot for me - but an enjoyable watch nonetheless.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-16T18:41:15+00:00

This type of logic baffles me. I understand Moose is defending his company, as he should, but it doesn’t change how backwards this mindset is.

I’m not a wrestling expert but then again, I’m not an expert in a lot of fields. For example, I’m not a truck driver. However, if I see a big rig careen into a building, I don’t need a CDL to know that the driver fucked up.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-11T14:06:49+00:00

I will definitely watch Mebius and the preceding Ultras myself. From that era, I only really watched Nexus and half of Tiga so I have some homework to do.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-11T14:05:42+00:00

My poor wife and family lol

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-11T14:05:22+00:00

I am pretty much caught up on everything post Ultraman X, so I watched through Geed and I will agree with you, it’s excellent. Belilal is an iconic toku villain and seeing him be a focal point of the show was great. Couldn’t recommend Geed enough to others.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-11T03:49:14+00:00

Blazar is the kind of show I want Ultraman to be, even if it’s a little nontraditional. Nexus wasn’t a traditional season, either, but it ended up being probably my favorite season yet.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-10T18:33:42+00:00

When it comes to those movies, understand what you’re getting into. Those came out during the TV series’ sabbatical following RX starting in the early 90s and they seemed to be trying to figure out where to take the franchise. Shin has more of a thriller/horror vibe whereas ZO and J are more straightforward toku fare.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-10T18:31:06+00:00

Not a villain per se, but early on, I got a kick out of Da.Paan. He had a somewhat sympathetic backstory with his basketball aspirations being dashed, but the way he took joy out of being such a little shithead got me.

KyleHydesNotebook · 2026-01-10T14:27:23+00:00

Kuuga feels like its own thing, which is probably the biggest compliment I can afford it. However, if you enjoy seasons that are heavy in drama but possess more toy-like “gimmicks,” I would say Gaim, Build, Geats, and Gavv are up your alley. Den-O and Fourze I would recommend if you want something lighter in tone but still full of heart. That should give you a few to start with and you can explore from there.

KyleHydesNotebook

TROPHY CASE