A couple of weeks ago I gave you my opinion of the matches that had then been announced for Wrestlemania 25. Now I want to give my predictions as to who I think will walk about victorious. Knowing WWE's politics will likely reign supreme this Sunday, there will be two winners given for each match: who I think WILL win, and who I think SHOULD win.
With tonight's Smackdown! as WWE's last chance to entice it's audience to shell out $49.95 for Wrestlemania 25, it'll be interesting to see if any new developments come to light.
This is the card according to WWE.com as of 6:00 p.m., starting from the bottom:
3-ON-1 HANDICAP TAG TEAM ELIMINATION MATCH
Chris Jericho vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, & Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
WWE.com describes this as an "elimination-style match" that "permits The Legends to tag in and out". Jericho has done a great job promoting this match and being arguably the best bad guy WWE has right now. This match tends to fly under the radar in the shadows of matches like The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels, as well as the World Heavyweight and WWE Championship matches that have been given substantially greater television time to promote. I will be honest that, with all due respect to Piper, Snuka, and Steamboat, my expectations for this match are not high.
Of the Legendary Trio, Steamboat seems to be in the best condition, and looks like he could go with anyone on the roster. That, combined with Jericho's uncanny ability to deliver in the most unlikely and uncertain of circumstances gives me hope for this match from a performance standpoint.
I'm not sure what Mickey Rourke's involvement in this feud will do for buyrates or storyline. It was widely publicized that Rourke would not be appearing at Wrestlemania 25, and while WWE.com recently posted a notice confirming Rourke's appearance, it hasn't sparked the media buzz that other celebrity appearances have in the past, such as with Donald Trump, Mike Tyson, or Floyd Mayweather. This may have much to do with Rourke's unexpected loss at the Oscars, but I tend to put much of the blame on failed attempts by WWE to properly market this match...which strikes me as odd, since I doubt Rourke will be paying for his own ticket.
Also, expect some interference from "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who has remained conspicuous by his absence thus far.
WHO WILL WIN: The WWE Legends: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, & Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
WWE will put the nails in Chris Jericho's coffin by allowing The Legends to gain a victory here, if for no other reason than out of respect to the men who put Wrestlemania on the map. For Vince, this is little more than a nostalgia match. This will also give Rourke a chance to get revenge on Jericho for talking smack about him for the past two months.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho has been going strong the past few months, but this angle hasn't quite garnered the response many of his other feuds have. Jericho needs to get back his momentum and re-insert himself into the main-event spotlight, and this is a great way to do that. Unfortunately, it leaves little room for Rourke's retribution.
25-DIVA BATTLE ROYAL
A non-title 25-Diva over-the-top-rope battle royal to determine the first-ever Ms. Wrestlemania. The match will feature divas from the past and present, so it's impossible to tell who will appear and who will sit this one out. Santino Marella has been trying to insert himself into this match, which I have no doubt, will pay off.
WHO WILL WIN: Santino Marella
WWE loves the comedy of it's spectacle, and this is the perfect opportunity. What could be more historical than Santino becoming the first-ever Ms. Wrestlemania? It will certainly be a "Wrestlemania Moment"...unfortunately, most of us will forget about it, for one reason or another.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Mae Young
Mae Young may not be the best-looking diva on the roster, but she's an icon of WWE's women's division, and will bring a sense of legitimacy to an otherwise meaningless accolade.
MONEY-IN-THE-BANK LADDER MATCH
CONTRACT FOR WORLD TITLE MATCH ANY TIME IN THE NEXT YEAR
C.M. Punk vs. Mark Henry vs. Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Christian vs. Kofi Kingston vs. United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter vs. Finlay w/ Hornswoggle
You all know the drill: 8 men battle it out for a briefcase that contains a contract granting the bearer a World Championship match at any time of their choosing over the next 12 months.
There's some promising talent here. In particular I look forward to Benjamin, MVP, Kofi Kingston, and Christian's performance. Why Mark Henry has been inserted into this match will forever puzzle me. Finlay is a hard worker, but I just don't see him as a Wrestlemania caliber talent. Hornswoggle will no doubt get involved, but I'm not sure how many people are paying to see that particular segment.
The MITB matches always manage to shock us, but this year I'm much more interested in the outcome of the match and how it alters the landscape of WWE over the coming year. There's been a lot of talk about C.M. Punk potentially becoming the first man to win a second MITB briefcase. On the flip side, there's plenty of fresh talent the WWE could push through their glass ceiling.
WHO WILL WIN: C.M. Punk
It's a little more than a coincidence that Michael Cole brings up Punk's previous victory in this match during every one of Punk's appearances. He also manages to sneak in a tidbit about no man ever winning this match more than once. This could be WWE's attempt to compensate for not pushing Punk harder in his first title run, but it will likely yield a similar result.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Christian
Christian's return to WWE has helped inject ECW with a new, more exciting edge. People still remember him, but he has a fresh feel thanks to his 4-year run with TNA. Fans who remember him want to tune in because they know what he can do, and new fans are being introduced to his exciting style and irresistible charisma. This is the perfect time to put ECW back on the map by giving Christian the Money-in-the-Bank briefcase and promoting him as world-championship material. For Christian, of course, this is long overdue.
"The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker
This is a perfect example of how a feud should be built, not just for Wrestlemania 25, but for any pay-off match. I admit to be skeptical as to the value of this match, but can honestly say I am more excited for this match than any other match on the card. The outcome will be academic, but the match itself will be unforgettable. That is perhaps one of the few guarantees WWE has this year.
HBK's undeniable charisma and The Undertaker's sheer intensity have made this the "cannot miss" match of the year. These two have faced off several times in the past, but there has never been as much at stake. Not only is The Undertaker's legendary undefeated streak on the line, as with every Wrestlemania, but Shawn Michaels' seeming immunity to The Undertaker's wrath (he has never been beaten by "The Deadman") is also on the line. This will be the match everyone will be talking about Monday morning.
WHO WILL WIN: The Undertaker
WHO SHOULD WIN: The Undertaker
The Undertaker has few things left to accomplish in his career. Beating Shawn Michaels, while perhaps coming a few years too late, will be a final feather in "The Phenom's" trademark black hat. It also doesn't make sense for HBK to be the one to end The Undertaker's streak as that honor, if ever bestowed, should be saved for a young buck who needs the rub to get to the next level. I would prefer of course, that the streak is never broken as it is one of the last real legacies left in professional wrestling.
TAG TEAM LUMBERJACK MATCH
TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP UNIFICATION MATCH
World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrisson vs. WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo
I applaud WWE's decision to unify their tag team titles, and hope that this trend carries through to the Women's titles and World titles as well. The excess of championships in WWE has rendered them meaningless to fans. Unifying a few of them (keeping the ECW title separate) would really place more emphasis on title matches and regenerate interest in otherwise monotonous feuds.
This should be an entertaining match-up. Four extremely talented young
men who can wrestle an exciting, fast-paced match and keep the fans
guessing as to what will happen next. It's nice to see the tag team
division properly represented at the biggest show of the year. WWE's
neglect of the tag team division is one of fans' biggest criticisms,
although the art of tag team wrestling hasn't been properly
demonstrated or promoted in years.
WHO WILL WIN: The Miz & John Morrisson
WHO SHOULD WIN: The Miz & John Morrisson
These two are clearly the favored team, with more charisma and a more unified style. They are also the type of guys that you want to see get beat by other tag teams, and that's exactly what WWE will want from the rest of the division after unifying their titles.
EXTREME RULES MATCH
Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy
This is my second most-anticipated match of the night. These two both know what it's like to perform at a main-event level. They are both veterans and have given us countless moments that will be forever etched in our minds. They are both capable of incredible performances, and knowing each other so well should provide us with one of the most fluid, fast, and exciting matches of the night. This is where Wrestlemania will get extreme. A potential show-stealer, this is an exciting feud that has helped keep both men in the spotlight after losing their respective world championships.
WHO WILL WIN: Jeff Hardy
WWE has misused Jeff so many times: from his countless losses to Triple H, to losing the WWE Championship just a few short months before Wrestlemania 25, Jeff's popularity has soared even while his track record in the ring has suffered. WWE is well aware of Jeff's value to the company, and will make sure to keep him in the spotlight...albeit without the help of a championship.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Matt Hardy
It's no secret that Matt's popularity hasn't caught up to his brother's meteoric rise. A victory here could legitimize Matt for fans who still consider him to be simply "the the other Hardy". If Jeff ever did regain a world championship, a feud between these two brothers could become one of the greatest rivalries in history.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Rey Mysterio vs. Intercontinental Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield
I can't honestly say I'm all that excited to see JBL involved here, much less as Intercontinental Champion. Bradshaw's tenure as a top-tier talent in WWE has long been over. His best feuds were against John Cena, but the nature of WWE's programming doesn't cater to Bradshaw's blunt, outspoken, and extemely opinionated disposition. But I suppose if JBL is going to appear, it may as well be against Rey Mysterio, who should keep the match exciting, especially for young fans.
WHO WILL WIN: John "Bradshaw" Layfield
A favorite in the offices of Titan Tower, Bradshaw will carry the Intercontinental title until he is upset by a young superstar like Kofi Kingston, or perhaps even Christian.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Rey Mysterio
As an infinitely more popular and more exciting superstar, Rey is the kind of wrestler who can carry this title without making himself look like little more than a place holder until a more worthy superstar comes along.
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. The Big Show vs. John Cena
I've said before that Big Show's involvement here is little more than a tribute to Andre the Giant's epic confrontation with Hulk Hogan from Wrestlemania III. The real feud here is between Edge and John Cena. Unfortunately, that's a feud that was milked to death over two years ago. To it's credit, WWE has done it's best to keep Big Show relevant in this rivalry, almost to a point where Cena feels like a third wheel. There's enough personality in this feud to keep the fans interested and the match exciting. This is a big-name match that features two of the most popular superstars on the roster. Fans will want to see who wins...I'm just not sure they're willing to pay $50 to find out.
WHO WILL WIN: John Cena
Again, this match is academic. If Wrestlemania 21 - 23 are any indication, John Cena will win. Still the most popular superstar on the roster, Cena has remained the face of WWE for almost half a decade now. More young fans (14 and under) are watching the product than ever before, and keeping their hero on top is simply smart marketing for WWE. For the rest of us, it will be the same old song and dance.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Edge
Edge is a much more colorful champion as he will do anything to win. It will also compel fans to pay money to see him get beat. Also, Cena is much more entertaining and a much more believable underdog when he is chasing the title.
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
Triple H vs. Randy Orton
I understand the mentality behind how this feud has been promoted. It has done wonders for Randy Orton, who has convinced the world he really is a psociopath. For Triple H, it has me very confused. One moment he can fend off all of Legacy, the next he is being handcuffed to the ropes and forced to watch as his wife is abused. We are all supposed to feel sorry for him, but the truth is, he will inexplicably beat down everyone in the locker room with a snap of his finger. The abuse of his family allows all of us to overlook the fact that he is main-eventing yet another Wrestlemania, mainly because of who he is married to. But I guess we can't criticize that while his wife is getting beat up.
WHO WILL WIN: Do I have to say it? (Triple H)
A McMahon by proxy, this is a no-brainer.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Randy Orton
Randy Orton needs this win...and not just a "hit-the-RKO-out-of-nowhere" win. He needs a decisive "beat-Triple H-within-an-inch-of-his-life" win. Randy Orton needs the rub Triple H was never willing to give him so that he can carry the torch for WWE in the coming years as Triple H (gasp) fades into the background. Triple H will never again need any kind of gold, much less a world title. Randy Orton needs a legitimate win if we are going to believe in him. Plus, he just makes such a good villain.
We'll see how right I am on Monday, but these are my predictions for now. I can't say I get the "biggest PPV ever" feeling from this show, but it certainly feels like a bigger event than almost all the shows that have preceeded it. What's disappointing is that after 25 years, the WWE formula remains largely the same. There just doesn't seem to be the promise of growth and change surrounding this event. I can only hope I am horribly wrong.
See you after Wrestlemania!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Here it Comes: Wrestlemania 25
Many people have pointed out that the hype for Wrestlemania 25 is somewhat lacking in the "must see" department. The "Superbowl of Professional Wrestling" has been losing ground when it comes to fan interest. Sure, we all want to see the outcomes of this spectacle...but how many of us have to see it?
The biggest issue I have with Wrestlemania's card right now is that it lacks the "freshness" most of it's predecessors promised. Every Wrestlemania has presented us with new match-ups and usually helps to propel a new star through WWE's proverbial "glass ceiling". For those who don't know what that means, it means that someone who is usually mid-card, say C.M. Punk, might be used at Wrestlemania to establish that person as a main-event player. This person would now be considered "world championship material" and begin competing in bigger matches against bigger stars.
Unfortunately, the current matches announced for Wrestlemania 25 are rather redundant, as we have seen most of them before. Let's take a look, shall we?
Here is the current card for Wrestlemania 25 according to WWE.com:
25-DIVA BATTLE ROYAL
Now I know what you're thinking: WWE doesn't have 25 divas! That's okay. Because WWE promises to bring Divas from the past back to grace us with their in-ring prowess against today's sexiest women on television. If you don't think Mae Young will show up and win, you're obviously a very new, or very naive fan.
And what will these women be comnpeting for?
Is it a shot at the women's title of their choice (Raw's Women's Championship or Smackdown's Divas Championship)?
Is it for a #1 Contender's spot to compete for either of these titles?
No.
The winner will be crowned the first-ever "Miss Wrestlemania".
Yep.
Miss Wrestlemania.
Whoever thought up this great idea should be shot. Rather than putting your actual championships on the line, you give us this. How is this going to affect the coming year? How will this make the women's division in WWE more intriguing? And more importantly, why should I spend $50 to see who gets to wear the tierra?
I don't know who WWE plans on bringing in. Debra has already confirmed she will NOT be participating. Who else is still around that is worth showcasing? Tori? Teri Reynolds? Perhaps Torrie Wilson and/or Stacy Keibler will show up and give us a nice surprise. Perhaps even Lita or Trish Stratus. Unfortunately, this match has no long-term significance, as none of the aforementioned women would be around for long. They have all moved on from wrestling, and unless Trish plans on making a surprise comeback to the ring, this affects of this match will be short-lived at best. This angle will be done by Backlash.
MONEY-IN-THE-BANK LADDER MATCH
This match arguably holds the most intrigue as the winner will receive and garunteed contract for a World Championship match at any time during the next 12 months following his victory. Now, historically, this match has always spelled success for the winner, with the exception of Mr. Kennedy who was injured and unable to cash in his briefcase. Other winners: Edge, C.M. Punk, and Rob Van Dam, all were successful in overthrowing the respective champions of the time and capturing the gold when they cashed in their briefcase.
My biggest issue with this match is that almost half of these competitors are former World Champions.
C.M. Punk, Mark Henry, and Kane are all former champions, and while I would love to see Punk or even Kane get a second chance at success, I question the logic of putting them in this match. Yes, they will put on a good ladder match, but the liklihood of them winning is slim to none. Why Mark Henry is in the match is beyond me, as his athleticism, while impressive, is nowhere near the caliber of Punk, or many of the other competitors.
The other competitors announced for this match are:
Christian, United States Champion Shelton Benjamin, MVP, Finlay, and Kofi Kingston.
These men make more sense when it comes to the Money-in-the-Bank aspect of the ladder match. Christian has competed for the World title, and while he had a successful run in TNA, he has never been a world champion in WWE. Benjamin and MVP are so athletically gifted, but Benjamin lacks the charisma to be World Champion. Finlay is just not a believable champion, and Kofi Kingston, while a tremendous athlete, has not been properly developed to the point where one can confidently put the title around his waist.
If I had my say, I would let Kingston win and then push him hard for the next three or four months, letting him win the title at Summerslam. More realistically, I see MVP winning this match. He is gaining a lot of popularity on Smackdown and has the skills and charisma to be a great heel champion. Knowing WWE, they will keep him face, which will spell doom for his title reign.
SHAWN MICHAELS VS. THE UNDERTAKER
This match is on the fence with a lot of people.
THE GOOD: Two of the greatest men in professional wrestling history will make for what will be, in my opinion, the best match of the night. Both these men have huge followings, and fans are interested to see who will walk out the winner. Shawn Michaels going back to his cocky, over-the-top brashness is a great way to get fans excited about this match. Undertaker's undefeated streak speaks for itself, and fans are always interested to see who is going to end it. The fact that this match is taking place in Texas, the home-state of both these men, makes it all the more exciting.
THE BAD: This match has come perhaps 11 years too late. Wrestlemania usually sees The Undertaker against an opponent he has never faced before. This year, it's against an opponent he hasn't faced...well...since 1998. The point is, there is nothing fresh about this match. 'Taker and HBK have fought in almost every match conceivable including the casket match that irritated Shawn's back and the first-ever Hell-in-a-Cell.
I'm gonna take a chance right now and tell you that I KNOW Shawn Michaels will not win this match. If Undertaker is EVER defeated at Wrestlemania, it should be against a young, up-and-coming superstar who needs the rub to get over with the fans, not a veteran who already has more than enough credentials to get into the Hall of Fame. I would much rather have seen The Undertaker face Vladimir Kozlov, simply because it would mean that ONE of these competitors would face their first defeat. Still, to watch two hall of fame-bound veterans put on a great match will be exciting. But is it worth $50?
JEFF HARDY VS. MATT HARDY
This match should be exciting. Both these men have a fast-paced wrestling style and know each other so well, this could very well end up being a show-stealing performance.
Unfortunately we've this match before, too. Think back a few years and you will remember a terrible angle in which we were to believe that Jeff was jealous of his brother's relationship with Lita. This love triangle caused a rift in Team Extreme that saw the two brothers clashing on several occasions. Eventually the Hardys disappeared from TV only to return several months later unified once more as a cohesive unit with no explanation as to how the ship stopped sinking.
Granted, this angle is much more fully developed, and has worked well, thus far. On any other PPV, I may not have minded this match as much. But I would much rather have seen Jeff in the main event and competing for his WWE Championship than feuding with his brother with no title involved. A championship feud between these two would be tremendous. Right now it seems to fall a little flat on the heels of Jeff's meteoric success over the past few months.
Again, what does this mean for WWE in the coming year, and is it worth $50?
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
JOHN CENA VS. EDGE VS. BIG SHOW
My biggest problem with this match is that each of these men are former champions. We all know Cena will win, which will make it look like just about every other Wrestlemania. Having the Big Show in this match, to me, is little more than a tribute to Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III. This match poses nothing new for 2009, which makes it little more than a formality rather than a piece of "history".
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
TRIPLE H VS. RANDY ORTON
This feud has been beat to death. There is nothing new or fresh about it. Triple H is cutting the same promos against Randy Orton now than he was in 2007, and 2005 before that. The only difference is Randy Orton looks a lot smarter now than he did then. Randy has become a great heel, and I hope that Wrestlemania proves to be his reward for his hard work. Unfortunately, the family feud involved here almost garauntees a Triple H victory. That's fresh, right?
Right. Is Triple H retaining his 13th WORLD TITLE ONE MORE TIME, or Randy Orton beating Triple H ONE MORE TIME, worth $50?
I hope WWE rolls out the X-Factor in the coming weeks: the one thing that is going to make every fan want to buy this PPV. Buyrates are already down for WWE's events, and they're not doing themselves any favors here. This isn't just any show. This the SHOW of SHOWS for WWE. It should showcase the best of their product. They need to cut themselves loose for one night and allow their fans to experience the full extent of their product's potential. That is what we want to see. That is worth $50.
The biggest issue I have with Wrestlemania's card right now is that it lacks the "freshness" most of it's predecessors promised. Every Wrestlemania has presented us with new match-ups and usually helps to propel a new star through WWE's proverbial "glass ceiling". For those who don't know what that means, it means that someone who is usually mid-card, say C.M. Punk, might be used at Wrestlemania to establish that person as a main-event player. This person would now be considered "world championship material" and begin competing in bigger matches against bigger stars.
Unfortunately, the current matches announced for Wrestlemania 25 are rather redundant, as we have seen most of them before. Let's take a look, shall we?
Here is the current card for Wrestlemania 25 according to WWE.com:
25-DIVA BATTLE ROYAL
Now I know what you're thinking: WWE doesn't have 25 divas! That's okay. Because WWE promises to bring Divas from the past back to grace us with their in-ring prowess against today's sexiest women on television. If you don't think Mae Young will show up and win, you're obviously a very new, or very naive fan.
And what will these women be comnpeting for?
Is it a shot at the women's title of their choice (Raw's Women's Championship or Smackdown's Divas Championship)?
Is it for a #1 Contender's spot to compete for either of these titles?
No.
The winner will be crowned the first-ever "Miss Wrestlemania".
Yep.
Miss Wrestlemania.
Whoever thought up this great idea should be shot. Rather than putting your actual championships on the line, you give us this. How is this going to affect the coming year? How will this make the women's division in WWE more intriguing? And more importantly, why should I spend $50 to see who gets to wear the tierra?
I don't know who WWE plans on bringing in. Debra has already confirmed she will NOT be participating. Who else is still around that is worth showcasing? Tori? Teri Reynolds? Perhaps Torrie Wilson and/or Stacy Keibler will show up and give us a nice surprise. Perhaps even Lita or Trish Stratus. Unfortunately, this match has no long-term significance, as none of the aforementioned women would be around for long. They have all moved on from wrestling, and unless Trish plans on making a surprise comeback to the ring, this affects of this match will be short-lived at best. This angle will be done by Backlash.
MONEY-IN-THE-BANK LADDER MATCH
This match arguably holds the most intrigue as the winner will receive and garunteed contract for a World Championship match at any time during the next 12 months following his victory. Now, historically, this match has always spelled success for the winner, with the exception of Mr. Kennedy who was injured and unable to cash in his briefcase. Other winners: Edge, C.M. Punk, and Rob Van Dam, all were successful in overthrowing the respective champions of the time and capturing the gold when they cashed in their briefcase.
My biggest issue with this match is that almost half of these competitors are former World Champions.
C.M. Punk, Mark Henry, and Kane are all former champions, and while I would love to see Punk or even Kane get a second chance at success, I question the logic of putting them in this match. Yes, they will put on a good ladder match, but the liklihood of them winning is slim to none. Why Mark Henry is in the match is beyond me, as his athleticism, while impressive, is nowhere near the caliber of Punk, or many of the other competitors.
The other competitors announced for this match are:
Christian, United States Champion Shelton Benjamin, MVP, Finlay, and Kofi Kingston.
These men make more sense when it comes to the Money-in-the-Bank aspect of the ladder match. Christian has competed for the World title, and while he had a successful run in TNA, he has never been a world champion in WWE. Benjamin and MVP are so athletically gifted, but Benjamin lacks the charisma to be World Champion. Finlay is just not a believable champion, and Kofi Kingston, while a tremendous athlete, has not been properly developed to the point where one can confidently put the title around his waist.
If I had my say, I would let Kingston win and then push him hard for the next three or four months, letting him win the title at Summerslam. More realistically, I see MVP winning this match. He is gaining a lot of popularity on Smackdown and has the skills and charisma to be a great heel champion. Knowing WWE, they will keep him face, which will spell doom for his title reign.
SHAWN MICHAELS VS. THE UNDERTAKER
This match is on the fence with a lot of people.
THE GOOD: Two of the greatest men in professional wrestling history will make for what will be, in my opinion, the best match of the night. Both these men have huge followings, and fans are interested to see who will walk out the winner. Shawn Michaels going back to his cocky, over-the-top brashness is a great way to get fans excited about this match. Undertaker's undefeated streak speaks for itself, and fans are always interested to see who is going to end it. The fact that this match is taking place in Texas, the home-state of both these men, makes it all the more exciting.
THE BAD: This match has come perhaps 11 years too late. Wrestlemania usually sees The Undertaker against an opponent he has never faced before. This year, it's against an opponent he hasn't faced...well...since 1998. The point is, there is nothing fresh about this match. 'Taker and HBK have fought in almost every match conceivable including the casket match that irritated Shawn's back and the first-ever Hell-in-a-Cell.
I'm gonna take a chance right now and tell you that I KNOW Shawn Michaels will not win this match. If Undertaker is EVER defeated at Wrestlemania, it should be against a young, up-and-coming superstar who needs the rub to get over with the fans, not a veteran who already has more than enough credentials to get into the Hall of Fame. I would much rather have seen The Undertaker face Vladimir Kozlov, simply because it would mean that ONE of these competitors would face their first defeat. Still, to watch two hall of fame-bound veterans put on a great match will be exciting. But is it worth $50?
JEFF HARDY VS. MATT HARDY
This match should be exciting. Both these men have a fast-paced wrestling style and know each other so well, this could very well end up being a show-stealing performance.
Unfortunately we've this match before, too. Think back a few years and you will remember a terrible angle in which we were to believe that Jeff was jealous of his brother's relationship with Lita. This love triangle caused a rift in Team Extreme that saw the two brothers clashing on several occasions. Eventually the Hardys disappeared from TV only to return several months later unified once more as a cohesive unit with no explanation as to how the ship stopped sinking.
Granted, this angle is much more fully developed, and has worked well, thus far. On any other PPV, I may not have minded this match as much. But I would much rather have seen Jeff in the main event and competing for his WWE Championship than feuding with his brother with no title involved. A championship feud between these two would be tremendous. Right now it seems to fall a little flat on the heels of Jeff's meteoric success over the past few months.
Again, what does this mean for WWE in the coming year, and is it worth $50?
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
JOHN CENA VS. EDGE VS. BIG SHOW
My biggest problem with this match is that each of these men are former champions. We all know Cena will win, which will make it look like just about every other Wrestlemania. Having the Big Show in this match, to me, is little more than a tribute to Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III. This match poses nothing new for 2009, which makes it little more than a formality rather than a piece of "history".
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
TRIPLE H VS. RANDY ORTON
This feud has been beat to death. There is nothing new or fresh about it. Triple H is cutting the same promos against Randy Orton now than he was in 2007, and 2005 before that. The only difference is Randy Orton looks a lot smarter now than he did then. Randy has become a great heel, and I hope that Wrestlemania proves to be his reward for his hard work. Unfortunately, the family feud involved here almost garauntees a Triple H victory. That's fresh, right?
Right. Is Triple H retaining his 13th WORLD TITLE ONE MORE TIME, or Randy Orton beating Triple H ONE MORE TIME, worth $50?
I hope WWE rolls out the X-Factor in the coming weeks: the one thing that is going to make every fan want to buy this PPV. Buyrates are already down for WWE's events, and they're not doing themselves any favors here. This isn't just any show. This the SHOW of SHOWS for WWE. It should showcase the best of their product. They need to cut themselves loose for one night and allow their fans to experience the full extent of their product's potential. That is what we want to see. That is worth $50.
Monday, February 16, 2009
WWE No Way Out 2009
Okay, so technically I haven't watched the ENTIRE PPV yet, but I have checked for the results. Here is my opinion of the outcomes of WWE No Way Out 2009.
This is the last PPV before Wrestlemania 25: WWE's biggest PPV ever. Most likely the champions who walk out of this show with the gold, will be the ones walking in with the gold at Wrestlemania.
With that in mind:
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH
WWE Champion Edge vs. The Undertaker vs. Triple H vs. The Big Show vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Vladimir Kozlov
Edge was eliminated early, guarunteeing us a new Champion. Awesome, right? What could be better for Wrestlemania's 25th Anniversary than a brand spanking new Champion who has never main-evented WWE's biggest PPV of the year? For anyone not reading this properly, I was really hoping Jeff Hardy would regain his title and move on to main event the show as WWE Champion.
Big Show is eliminated. Kozlov is eliminated. Then Jeff is eliminated and I've lost all but the faintest interest in this match. Don't get me wrong, had it been any other match, I would've really enjoyed the final minutes between Triple H and The Deadman, but then I remembered that this is for the WWE Championship, and that the winner would most likely go into 'Mania as the Champion, and I knew instantly who would win.
To it's credit, the match was solid, with Jeff hitting a nice Swanton off the top of one of the pods. The crowd was really into it. Even after Jeff was eliminated, the entire arena was split down the center with chants for both 'Taker and The Game. But I think we all knew who would win, and sure enough, even after a TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER WHICH NO ONE KICKS OUT OF EVER, Triple H comes back and captures his 13th...YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT: 13 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. Ric Flair's legacy will die when Triple H attempts to replace it with his own.
WINNER: Triple H
MY THOUGHTS: Why?
No, honestly: why?
Triple H has main evented almost every Wrestlemania since 2001. Why couldn't he just let this one be a fresh start for the company by letting someone like Jeff Hardy carry the title in, signifying a new era in the company and a fresh start for WWE as a whole? Instead, the 25th anniversary of this spectacle will be just another chance to reminisce about every Wrestlemania for the past 8 years, which all prominently featured Triple H. I envision a Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship between The Game, Jeff Hardy, and Vladimir Kozlov, but of course, I don't expect either of the latter two to win. This is the 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania, after all: it's only fitting we uphold a "true" icon like Triple H. Thirteen title reigns is not all that impressive when your reigns are a mere 10 months apart.
I'm not sure why Triple H feels he needs this title anymore. He already gets a huge ovation from the crowd, already sells more merchandise than most of the roster (save for Cena and Hardy), and even with Jeff Hardy's mega-success on the same brand, has remained one of WWE's top 5 most popular superstars. Why does he need the WWE Championship anymore? We might as well have Hogan or maybe even The Rock come back and win it for no apparent reason. It makes just as much sense at this point, and quite frankly (it pains me to say this) would be infinitely more entertaining.
Shane McMahon vs. Randy Orton
WINNER: Randy Orton
MY THOUGHTS: I have not seen this match yet. Simply looking at the results, the only thing I can say is that I'm thrilled to see Orton get the victory. After becoming one of the most successful heels in recent years, I would've hated to see Orton get buried by another ploy by the McMahons to steal the spotlight from their talent. Orton is right where he should be: at the top. The beatdown by Shane on Raw was ridiculous and made Orton look foolish and weak. Orton has stood his ground against the likes of Triple H, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and other true SUPERstars. Why would he suddenly back down when his boss's son shows up? Hopefully Orton will be inserted into the main event for the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 25. He may be a heel, but he is the biggest heel on any brand right now, and that should be claim enough.
ECW CHAMPIONSHIP
ECW Champion Jack Swagger vs. Finlay
WINNER: Jack Swagger
MY THOUGHTS: I didn't see this match, either, but I like the direction ECW is going in, using veterans to put over fresh young talent. I still prefer Matt Hardy as Champion, but I think his feud with Jeff will give him a bigger push. Hopefully this will put Christian in the ECW Championship match at Wrestlemania.
ALL OR NOTHING MATCH
Shawn Michaels vs. John "Bradshaw" Layfield
I thought this match came off a bit anticlimactic, but in hindsight, it worked well. Shawn came out fighting after getting some inspiration from his wife at ringside (Rabecca is an astoundingly beautiful woman). His momentum was eventually stopped by JBL's offense. The match had some nice psychology to it. JBL tried to use Michaels' rage to get him disqualified, offering HBK a chair to hit him with. HBK paused a moment, then threw the chair aside, realizing a DQ would mean servitude to JBL for life.
The next stages consisted largely of HBK getting beaten down with several powerful moves from JBL, including two Clotheslines From Hell. When JBL went to confront HBK on the outside, Bradshaw was slapped by Shawn's wife, and Shawn used that to gain momentum enough to hit all his signatures, including a scoop slam, elbow drop, and a VERY Sweet Chin Music all in succession for the win: a routine that hasn't been done uninterrupted for quite some time, and was never more rewarding. Shawn left with his wife in tow, and the two celebrated their victory, and Shawn's emancipation, on the ramp before the show moved on.
WINNER: Shawn Michaels
MY THOUGHTS: There are two things that bother me about this match. The first is part of the psychology to it. Bradshaw hit TWO Clotheslines from Hell on Shawn back to back, but rather than go for the cover, threw HBK to the outside onto the floor. Why wouldn't you cover him? It's an easy win!
The second thing that bothered me about this match was that it finished rather abruptly. All of a sudden Shawn was in control, and then all at once the match was over. Shawn knows how to build anticipation in the crowd. He showed us that countless times (his street fight with Vince McMahon at Wrestlemania 22 is a great example of how he can turn any match into a showstealer). I'm not sure what the cause was for the apparent quick finish, but it was sweet nonetheless, and the crowd was behind Shawn the whole way.
I could also complain that Shawn should've lost by default when his wife interfered, but I won't. In any case, this should free Shawn up for a fresh feud at Wrestlemania, though I don't know who is on the roster worth facing that Shawn hasn't already faced.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH
World Heavyweight Champion John Cena vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kane vs. Mike Knox
Well, that's how it was billed, anyway. Unfortunately, just as Kofi Kingston was making his way down to the ring, he was attacked from behind by an angry and frustrated Edge (yes, Smackdown!'s Edge). Kingston was knocked unconcious and deemed not to wrestle. As Kofi was taken out on a stretcher, Edge forced himself into one of the pods inside the chamber. Referees did not move to stop him, and he was locked inside, officially now part of the match.
It would come down to Edge and Rey Mysterio. Cena's elimination, like that of Edge in the first Chamber match, guaranteed the fans a new Champion.
The crowd was strongly and solidly behind Rey for the entire final stage of this match. There were many near falls and pinning combinations that were some of the most exciting moments of anticipation in recent memory. Finally Edge pinned Rey to capture the victory, and, presumably, the title.
WINNER: Edge
MY THOUGHTS: This was exciting, and certainly entertaining. Edge inserting himself into the match brings up a string of questions to be answered on Raw. Is his win legitimate? Does have any real claim to the Championship? What will John Cena and the other participants have to say? What does this mean for Wrestlemania?
While this has sparked a wave of controversey in the WWE Universe, I'm a bit tired of the Edge screw jobs. While they have been creative (in that they don't all end in DQ finishes), it's almost expected now that Edge will steal the headlines depending on who he screws over next. Granted, this builds an incredibly strong heel character for Edge, and keeps him at the top of the ladder. I picture Edge going into 'Mania as the Champion. Unfortunately, there really is only one here the WWE will send in to vanquish the Ultimate Opportunist: John Cena. While I think John deserves to main event the biggest show of the year (he is still WWE's biggest superstar) I've grown weary of his 'Mania victories. The only match Cena ever lost at Wrestlemania was his loss to Randy Orton in the Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 24. Cena has defeated the likes of Big Show, JBL, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels at every Wrestlemania since 2002, all involving championship gold. It is likely that if Cena faces Edge at Wrestlemania 25, it will be to win back the World Heavyweight Championship, and frankly, I'm tired of the same old song and dance.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The popular saying in professional wrestling is that "you're only as good as your next show". It will be interesting to see what WWE does in the aftermath of this controversial PPV that saw the crowning of two new World Champions. While I am not thrilled with a couple of the finishes, I'm glad to see things happening here that are getting fans' attention.
Overall, I'd give this show a 7/10. The Shane/Orton feud reminds me a lot of the old feuds from the Attitude Era, where it wasn't about wins and losses, but deep, personal rivalries that fans could get into. The other matches were good performances all around (those which I saw), and HBK getting out from underneath JBL's thumb is a relief to almost every fan out there. However, there is a lack of representation here, particularly for the WWE and World Tag Team Championships, the Intercontinental and United States titles, and the women's division was nowhere to be found. Back on the positive side: clean finishes all around! No DQ's, no count outs, just good, clean wrestling! Major props to WWE for FINALLY giving fans what they paid to see: pay-offs!
As for my Wrestlemania predictions: I'll post those in a new blog entry following tonight's Raw.
Also, for those who haven't heard, the 2009 WWE Draft Lottery will be held Monday, April 13, 2009 on Raw. I'll be giving my picks for those moves in an upcoming entry.
Ladies and gentlemen: this is the home stretch on the Road to Wrestlemania 25!
This is the last PPV before Wrestlemania 25: WWE's biggest PPV ever. Most likely the champions who walk out of this show with the gold, will be the ones walking in with the gold at Wrestlemania.
With that in mind:
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH
WWE Champion Edge vs. The Undertaker vs. Triple H vs. The Big Show vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Vladimir Kozlov
Edge was eliminated early, guarunteeing us a new Champion. Awesome, right? What could be better for Wrestlemania's 25th Anniversary than a brand spanking new Champion who has never main-evented WWE's biggest PPV of the year? For anyone not reading this properly, I was really hoping Jeff Hardy would regain his title and move on to main event the show as WWE Champion.
Big Show is eliminated. Kozlov is eliminated. Then Jeff is eliminated and I've lost all but the faintest interest in this match. Don't get me wrong, had it been any other match, I would've really enjoyed the final minutes between Triple H and The Deadman, but then I remembered that this is for the WWE Championship, and that the winner would most likely go into 'Mania as the Champion, and I knew instantly who would win.
To it's credit, the match was solid, with Jeff hitting a nice Swanton off the top of one of the pods. The crowd was really into it. Even after Jeff was eliminated, the entire arena was split down the center with chants for both 'Taker and The Game. But I think we all knew who would win, and sure enough, even after a TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER WHICH NO ONE KICKS OUT OF EVER, Triple H comes back and captures his 13th...YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT: 13 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. Ric Flair's legacy will die when Triple H attempts to replace it with his own.
WINNER: Triple H
MY THOUGHTS: Why?
No, honestly: why?
Triple H has main evented almost every Wrestlemania since 2001. Why couldn't he just let this one be a fresh start for the company by letting someone like Jeff Hardy carry the title in, signifying a new era in the company and a fresh start for WWE as a whole? Instead, the 25th anniversary of this spectacle will be just another chance to reminisce about every Wrestlemania for the past 8 years, which all prominently featured Triple H. I envision a Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship between The Game, Jeff Hardy, and Vladimir Kozlov, but of course, I don't expect either of the latter two to win. This is the 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania, after all: it's only fitting we uphold a "true" icon like Triple H. Thirteen title reigns is not all that impressive when your reigns are a mere 10 months apart.
I'm not sure why Triple H feels he needs this title anymore. He already gets a huge ovation from the crowd, already sells more merchandise than most of the roster (save for Cena and Hardy), and even with Jeff Hardy's mega-success on the same brand, has remained one of WWE's top 5 most popular superstars. Why does he need the WWE Championship anymore? We might as well have Hogan or maybe even The Rock come back and win it for no apparent reason. It makes just as much sense at this point, and quite frankly (it pains me to say this) would be infinitely more entertaining.
Shane McMahon vs. Randy Orton
WINNER: Randy Orton
MY THOUGHTS: I have not seen this match yet. Simply looking at the results, the only thing I can say is that I'm thrilled to see Orton get the victory. After becoming one of the most successful heels in recent years, I would've hated to see Orton get buried by another ploy by the McMahons to steal the spotlight from their talent. Orton is right where he should be: at the top. The beatdown by Shane on Raw was ridiculous and made Orton look foolish and weak. Orton has stood his ground against the likes of Triple H, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and other true SUPERstars. Why would he suddenly back down when his boss's son shows up? Hopefully Orton will be inserted into the main event for the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 25. He may be a heel, but he is the biggest heel on any brand right now, and that should be claim enough.
ECW CHAMPIONSHIP
ECW Champion Jack Swagger vs. Finlay
WINNER: Jack Swagger
MY THOUGHTS: I didn't see this match, either, but I like the direction ECW is going in, using veterans to put over fresh young talent. I still prefer Matt Hardy as Champion, but I think his feud with Jeff will give him a bigger push. Hopefully this will put Christian in the ECW Championship match at Wrestlemania.
ALL OR NOTHING MATCH
Shawn Michaels vs. John "Bradshaw" Layfield
I thought this match came off a bit anticlimactic, but in hindsight, it worked well. Shawn came out fighting after getting some inspiration from his wife at ringside (Rabecca is an astoundingly beautiful woman). His momentum was eventually stopped by JBL's offense. The match had some nice psychology to it. JBL tried to use Michaels' rage to get him disqualified, offering HBK a chair to hit him with. HBK paused a moment, then threw the chair aside, realizing a DQ would mean servitude to JBL for life.
The next stages consisted largely of HBK getting beaten down with several powerful moves from JBL, including two Clotheslines From Hell. When JBL went to confront HBK on the outside, Bradshaw was slapped by Shawn's wife, and Shawn used that to gain momentum enough to hit all his signatures, including a scoop slam, elbow drop, and a VERY Sweet Chin Music all in succession for the win: a routine that hasn't been done uninterrupted for quite some time, and was never more rewarding. Shawn left with his wife in tow, and the two celebrated their victory, and Shawn's emancipation, on the ramp before the show moved on.
WINNER: Shawn Michaels
MY THOUGHTS: There are two things that bother me about this match. The first is part of the psychology to it. Bradshaw hit TWO Clotheslines from Hell on Shawn back to back, but rather than go for the cover, threw HBK to the outside onto the floor. Why wouldn't you cover him? It's an easy win!
The second thing that bothered me about this match was that it finished rather abruptly. All of a sudden Shawn was in control, and then all at once the match was over. Shawn knows how to build anticipation in the crowd. He showed us that countless times (his street fight with Vince McMahon at Wrestlemania 22 is a great example of how he can turn any match into a showstealer). I'm not sure what the cause was for the apparent quick finish, but it was sweet nonetheless, and the crowd was behind Shawn the whole way.
I could also complain that Shawn should've lost by default when his wife interfered, but I won't. In any case, this should free Shawn up for a fresh feud at Wrestlemania, though I don't know who is on the roster worth facing that Shawn hasn't already faced.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
ELIMINATION CHAMBER MATCH
World Heavyweight Champion John Cena vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kane vs. Mike Knox
Well, that's how it was billed, anyway. Unfortunately, just as Kofi Kingston was making his way down to the ring, he was attacked from behind by an angry and frustrated Edge (yes, Smackdown!'s Edge). Kingston was knocked unconcious and deemed not to wrestle. As Kofi was taken out on a stretcher, Edge forced himself into one of the pods inside the chamber. Referees did not move to stop him, and he was locked inside, officially now part of the match.
It would come down to Edge and Rey Mysterio. Cena's elimination, like that of Edge in the first Chamber match, guaranteed the fans a new Champion.
The crowd was strongly and solidly behind Rey for the entire final stage of this match. There were many near falls and pinning combinations that were some of the most exciting moments of anticipation in recent memory. Finally Edge pinned Rey to capture the victory, and, presumably, the title.
WINNER: Edge
MY THOUGHTS: This was exciting, and certainly entertaining. Edge inserting himself into the match brings up a string of questions to be answered on Raw. Is his win legitimate? Does have any real claim to the Championship? What will John Cena and the other participants have to say? What does this mean for Wrestlemania?
While this has sparked a wave of controversey in the WWE Universe, I'm a bit tired of the Edge screw jobs. While they have been creative (in that they don't all end in DQ finishes), it's almost expected now that Edge will steal the headlines depending on who he screws over next. Granted, this builds an incredibly strong heel character for Edge, and keeps him at the top of the ladder. I picture Edge going into 'Mania as the Champion. Unfortunately, there really is only one here the WWE will send in to vanquish the Ultimate Opportunist: John Cena. While I think John deserves to main event the biggest show of the year (he is still WWE's biggest superstar) I've grown weary of his 'Mania victories. The only match Cena ever lost at Wrestlemania was his loss to Randy Orton in the Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 24. Cena has defeated the likes of Big Show, JBL, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels at every Wrestlemania since 2002, all involving championship gold. It is likely that if Cena faces Edge at Wrestlemania 25, it will be to win back the World Heavyweight Championship, and frankly, I'm tired of the same old song and dance.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The popular saying in professional wrestling is that "you're only as good as your next show". It will be interesting to see what WWE does in the aftermath of this controversial PPV that saw the crowning of two new World Champions. While I am not thrilled with a couple of the finishes, I'm glad to see things happening here that are getting fans' attention.
Overall, I'd give this show a 7/10. The Shane/Orton feud reminds me a lot of the old feuds from the Attitude Era, where it wasn't about wins and losses, but deep, personal rivalries that fans could get into. The other matches were good performances all around (those which I saw), and HBK getting out from underneath JBL's thumb is a relief to almost every fan out there. However, there is a lack of representation here, particularly for the WWE and World Tag Team Championships, the Intercontinental and United States titles, and the women's division was nowhere to be found. Back on the positive side: clean finishes all around! No DQ's, no count outs, just good, clean wrestling! Major props to WWE for FINALLY giving fans what they paid to see: pay-offs!
As for my Wrestlemania predictions: I'll post those in a new blog entry following tonight's Raw.
Also, for those who haven't heard, the 2009 WWE Draft Lottery will be held Monday, April 13, 2009 on Raw. I'll be giving my picks for those moves in an upcoming entry.
Ladies and gentlemen: this is the home stretch on the Road to Wrestlemania 25!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Pick up the Pace
I could talk about a lot of things in the world of professional wrestling.
I could talk about how I actually like John Cena since his return because of better character portrayal and development.
I could talk about how great it was to finally see Jeff Hardy capture his first World Championship and take his place atop the pro wrestling mountain as WWE Champion.
I could talk about the idiotic move to strip Jeff Hardy of said title despite the fact that he gets the biggest ovation of any superstar in the WWE and sells more tickets and merchandise than the rest of the roster.
I want to talk about wrestling. Not characters, or storylines, or politics. I want to talk about straight-up, stripped down wrestling.
About a year ago I started watching Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. At the time, I was fed up with the politics that hindered the potential success of WWE's product. Men like Triple H and JBL were continuously put over Jeff Hardy and C.M. Punk who were struggling to break through the trademark glass ceiling while fans begged to seem them rise to the top of WWE's talent pool.
So I turned to TNA: the infamous upstart promotion that has gained national success using the platform provided by SpikeTV. Rabid anti-WWE fans have openly praised TNA for it's allegedly superior product. For the longest time I ignored the promises of smarter booking, more engaging storylines and characters, more intense wrestling, and an overall better product.
After almost a whole year of watching TNA, I can honestly that TNA has been an overall disappointment.
Nothing has changed in TNA. Despite signing huge names and cultivating tremendous and truly diverse talent, TNA insists on putting over the same men each and every month: coincidentally all former WWE and WCW stars. With the glaring exception of Samoa Joe's title reign, the only men to hold the TNA World Heavyweight Championship are Sting and Kurt Angle. The recent formation of the Main Event Mafia is further proof that TNA is obsessed with keeping former stars from other organizations at the forefront of their company.
The push of the well-worn out Team 3D and the return of Jeff Jarrett haven't helped boost ratings. No matter what TNA does, it has yet to peak beyond a 1.3 rating, and their marketing department has yet to help position the company into a competitive slot in the pro wrestling market where they can help grow their business.
It is hard for me to say this, but WWE has the best characters, storylines, and booking available to a nation-wide audience. I am much more excited to see a veteran like Shawn Michaels than I am to see TNA's version of Sting or Kurt Angle. Shawn has character and depth that even Kurt and the legendary Sting can't come close to matching. Men like Chris Jericho and Randy Orton know how to draw arenas full of thousands to their attention. It is difficult for TNA's heels to get fans to truly hate them and listen to what they have to say.
But as for the actual sport of professional wrestling, TNA presents the type of product most fans are looking for. It is fast-paced, logically constructed, and even some ridiculous finishes seem more engaging because the match itself was just that good.
As pointed out by Jim Forzeze of www.1wrestling.com, professional wrestling is losing fans to boxing and UFC because it presents more realistic and more intense confronations. Meanwhile, WWE continues to present the same slow-paced matches, regardless of weight-class. Even the "high-flying" Rey Mysterio wrestles a similar style to Triple H. The style of the once "extreme" Jeff Hardy is almost indistinguishable from that of Shelton Benjamin or MVP. Then there is the "new and improved" Great Khali. Perhaps the most ridiculous gimmick on television, the Khali Kiss-Cam (what were they smoking?) becomes even more nightmarish when this plodding behemoth is expected to compete with actual wrestlers. There is no diversity of style, and unless changes are made, fans will continue to seek alternate forms of entertainment.
I understand that Vince does not want to risk injury to his talent by allowing them to take unnecessary risk, but without some measure of risk there will be no reason for fans to tune in because each match will be just like the last. Even the most colorful of characters will begin to blend together when they wrestle the same matches.
Stone Cold Steve Austin is due to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. I'm sure Austin will be making appearances on WWE TV to promote Wrestlemania and his Hall of Fame induction, and I'm sure Vince believes that Austin's appearance will bring fans of the Attitude Era flocking back to his product. The sad truth however, is that this will not be the case.
Stone Cold is a great character, and Steve Williams does an incredible job of keeping that character alive. But the fact that fans will not want to admit, is that Austin's character is tired and needs to be revamped, rather than simply revived. For the past several years, Austin has done the same song and dance: he tells a funny story, cuts a funny promo, stuns Vince McMahon, and drinks beer.
Austin's character was best when he had something to fight for. But now that Vince McMahon's character has become more of a parody of what it used to be, there is no threat to Austin, which means there is no tension. If there is no tension, why is Austin stunning McMahon? Because he's a crazy redneck? That's not what made Austin great. Austin was great because he represented the quiet unrest of the everyman; or rather, the open rebellion of the working class against the opression of their bosses. Since we know Austin is retired and will live the rest of his life sitting on a mountain of checks signed by the McMahon family, there is no plausible reason for him to be beating up the man who is ensuring his financial well-being for the rest of his life.
That is just one example of the ludicrous decisions by WWE's creative staff. Simply putting two men in the ring and telling them to fight does not make sense. Having them fight at a slow, crawling pace does not help.
The 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania is just around the corner, which should help produce some of the best storylines in recent years, but only if the creative department is given the resources and permission to explore areas that fans will want to explore with them.
In short, my plea to WWE is to take risks, both physically, and creatively. Better storylines, better-defined characters, and faster, more exciting matches will help make Wrestlemania 25 the biggest even in the history of professional wrestling.
I could talk about how I actually like John Cena since his return because of better character portrayal and development.
I could talk about how great it was to finally see Jeff Hardy capture his first World Championship and take his place atop the pro wrestling mountain as WWE Champion.
I could talk about the idiotic move to strip Jeff Hardy of said title despite the fact that he gets the biggest ovation of any superstar in the WWE and sells more tickets and merchandise than the rest of the roster.
I want to talk about wrestling. Not characters, or storylines, or politics. I want to talk about straight-up, stripped down wrestling.
About a year ago I started watching Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. At the time, I was fed up with the politics that hindered the potential success of WWE's product. Men like Triple H and JBL were continuously put over Jeff Hardy and C.M. Punk who were struggling to break through the trademark glass ceiling while fans begged to seem them rise to the top of WWE's talent pool.
So I turned to TNA: the infamous upstart promotion that has gained national success using the platform provided by SpikeTV. Rabid anti-WWE fans have openly praised TNA for it's allegedly superior product. For the longest time I ignored the promises of smarter booking, more engaging storylines and characters, more intense wrestling, and an overall better product.
After almost a whole year of watching TNA, I can honestly that TNA has been an overall disappointment.
Nothing has changed in TNA. Despite signing huge names and cultivating tremendous and truly diverse talent, TNA insists on putting over the same men each and every month: coincidentally all former WWE and WCW stars. With the glaring exception of Samoa Joe's title reign, the only men to hold the TNA World Heavyweight Championship are Sting and Kurt Angle. The recent formation of the Main Event Mafia is further proof that TNA is obsessed with keeping former stars from other organizations at the forefront of their company.
The push of the well-worn out Team 3D and the return of Jeff Jarrett haven't helped boost ratings. No matter what TNA does, it has yet to peak beyond a 1.3 rating, and their marketing department has yet to help position the company into a competitive slot in the pro wrestling market where they can help grow their business.
It is hard for me to say this, but WWE has the best characters, storylines, and booking available to a nation-wide audience. I am much more excited to see a veteran like Shawn Michaels than I am to see TNA's version of Sting or Kurt Angle. Shawn has character and depth that even Kurt and the legendary Sting can't come close to matching. Men like Chris Jericho and Randy Orton know how to draw arenas full of thousands to their attention. It is difficult for TNA's heels to get fans to truly hate them and listen to what they have to say.
But as for the actual sport of professional wrestling, TNA presents the type of product most fans are looking for. It is fast-paced, logically constructed, and even some ridiculous finishes seem more engaging because the match itself was just that good.
As pointed out by Jim Forzeze of www.1wrestling.com, professional wrestling is losing fans to boxing and UFC because it presents more realistic and more intense confronations. Meanwhile, WWE continues to present the same slow-paced matches, regardless of weight-class. Even the "high-flying" Rey Mysterio wrestles a similar style to Triple H. The style of the once "extreme" Jeff Hardy is almost indistinguishable from that of Shelton Benjamin or MVP. Then there is the "new and improved" Great Khali. Perhaps the most ridiculous gimmick on television, the Khali Kiss-Cam (what were they smoking?) becomes even more nightmarish when this plodding behemoth is expected to compete with actual wrestlers. There is no diversity of style, and unless changes are made, fans will continue to seek alternate forms of entertainment.
I understand that Vince does not want to risk injury to his talent by allowing them to take unnecessary risk, but without some measure of risk there will be no reason for fans to tune in because each match will be just like the last. Even the most colorful of characters will begin to blend together when they wrestle the same matches.
Stone Cold Steve Austin is due to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. I'm sure Austin will be making appearances on WWE TV to promote Wrestlemania and his Hall of Fame induction, and I'm sure Vince believes that Austin's appearance will bring fans of the Attitude Era flocking back to his product. The sad truth however, is that this will not be the case.
Stone Cold is a great character, and Steve Williams does an incredible job of keeping that character alive. But the fact that fans will not want to admit, is that Austin's character is tired and needs to be revamped, rather than simply revived. For the past several years, Austin has done the same song and dance: he tells a funny story, cuts a funny promo, stuns Vince McMahon, and drinks beer.
Austin's character was best when he had something to fight for. But now that Vince McMahon's character has become more of a parody of what it used to be, there is no threat to Austin, which means there is no tension. If there is no tension, why is Austin stunning McMahon? Because he's a crazy redneck? That's not what made Austin great. Austin was great because he represented the quiet unrest of the everyman; or rather, the open rebellion of the working class against the opression of their bosses. Since we know Austin is retired and will live the rest of his life sitting on a mountain of checks signed by the McMahon family, there is no plausible reason for him to be beating up the man who is ensuring his financial well-being for the rest of his life.
That is just one example of the ludicrous decisions by WWE's creative staff. Simply putting two men in the ring and telling them to fight does not make sense. Having them fight at a slow, crawling pace does not help.
The 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania is just around the corner, which should help produce some of the best storylines in recent years, but only if the creative department is given the resources and permission to explore areas that fans will want to explore with them.
In short, my plea to WWE is to take risks, both physically, and creatively. Better storylines, better-defined characters, and faster, more exciting matches will help make Wrestlemania 25 the biggest even in the history of professional wrestling.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
A Short Sweet Lesson
Okay, so I just wanted to make a quick point.
I'm a WWE fan through and through, and for all the criticizing I do of Vince and Co., I will always be a WWE fan.
I always manage to catch RAW...I may miss three or four a year. With the magic of DVR, I catch it every week no matter where I am or what I'm doing.
Also with the magic of DVR I'm able to watch TNA, which I would otherwise be unable to enjoy because I'm working both Thursdays and Saturdays: the two nights it broadcasts SpikeTV.
I don't always get around to TNA, so I have about two months of shows stocked up on my box at home. I just whipped out the July 24 edition to see Matt Morgan squash...hell, I don't even know what his name was because I wasn't paying attention to him. I was paying attention to Morgan.
TNA had been trying to get Morgan over for months. Morgan would cut some mediocre promo and then come out and squash somebody Goldberg-style, and no one cared. The crowd continued to sit on their hands for both halves of this segment.
I don't like the image Matt Morgan gives. It goes beyond being a simple "Golberg/Batista/Lashley/Lesnar" clone. In an age where professional wrestling is constantly under the microscope TNA pushes Matt Morgan with this, and I quote "Genetically jacked" superstar. That's not just a catchphrase. That's a moniker. One that never fails to air every week he's on.
Wow. Wonder what all the fuss is about when it comes to "performance enhancement in entertainment", eh?
I'm not saying Morgan is on steroids. I don't know anything about the man to make that assessment. He certainly isn't as veiny as Batista or Triple H, so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Anyway, his squashes were quick and meaningless for weeks, even months, and despite being in fairly prominent storylines, even involving Jim Cornette, it seemed Morgan was destined to flounder like so many before him. Remember: this is the same man who debuted as a stuttering powerhouse in WWE no so many years ago.
Then I watch this edition of iMPACT: July 24. Morgan comes out, no prep, no promo, not even a promotional shot before commercial. He just comes out. In about three and a half minutes he squashes this guy...again, I forget his name and it's not really important. What IS important is the fact that he got the biggest pop of the night.
The moral of the story: you can use as many "performance enhancers" as you want. You can have creative script out the best storyline, and you can rehearse the best promo ever written for the camera. But what's going to get you over is what you do IN THE RING, BELL TO BELL. Everything else simply enhances that experience. Morgan's match on this episode was not intertwined with any creative thread. There were no titles on the line, not even a title shot on the line. It was simnple wrestling. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
This should have instantly put a nail in the coffin of WWE's trademark 15-minute monologues (I'm talking to YOU, Hunter). But of course, TNA is not even on Vince's radar, so he'll just keep doing what he's doing until TNA poses some "real" threat to his company.
Oh, the irony.
I'm a WWE fan through and through, and for all the criticizing I do of Vince and Co., I will always be a WWE fan.
I always manage to catch RAW...I may miss three or four a year. With the magic of DVR, I catch it every week no matter where I am or what I'm doing.
Also with the magic of DVR I'm able to watch TNA, which I would otherwise be unable to enjoy because I'm working both Thursdays and Saturdays: the two nights it broadcasts SpikeTV.
I don't always get around to TNA, so I have about two months of shows stocked up on my box at home. I just whipped out the July 24 edition to see Matt Morgan squash...hell, I don't even know what his name was because I wasn't paying attention to him. I was paying attention to Morgan.
TNA had been trying to get Morgan over for months. Morgan would cut some mediocre promo and then come out and squash somebody Goldberg-style, and no one cared. The crowd continued to sit on their hands for both halves of this segment.
I don't like the image Matt Morgan gives. It goes beyond being a simple "Golberg/Batista/Lashley/Lesnar" clone. In an age where professional wrestling is constantly under the microscope TNA pushes Matt Morgan with this, and I quote "Genetically jacked" superstar. That's not just a catchphrase. That's a moniker. One that never fails to air every week he's on.
Wow. Wonder what all the fuss is about when it comes to "performance enhancement in entertainment", eh?
I'm not saying Morgan is on steroids. I don't know anything about the man to make that assessment. He certainly isn't as veiny as Batista or Triple H, so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Anyway, his squashes were quick and meaningless for weeks, even months, and despite being in fairly prominent storylines, even involving Jim Cornette, it seemed Morgan was destined to flounder like so many before him. Remember: this is the same man who debuted as a stuttering powerhouse in WWE no so many years ago.
Then I watch this edition of iMPACT: July 24. Morgan comes out, no prep, no promo, not even a promotional shot before commercial. He just comes out. In about three and a half minutes he squashes this guy...again, I forget his name and it's not really important. What IS important is the fact that he got the biggest pop of the night.
The moral of the story: you can use as many "performance enhancers" as you want. You can have creative script out the best storyline, and you can rehearse the best promo ever written for the camera. But what's going to get you over is what you do IN THE RING, BELL TO BELL. Everything else simply enhances that experience. Morgan's match on this episode was not intertwined with any creative thread. There were no titles on the line, not even a title shot on the line. It was simnple wrestling. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
This should have instantly put a nail in the coffin of WWE's trademark 15-minute monologues (I'm talking to YOU, Hunter). But of course, TNA is not even on Vince's radar, so he'll just keep doing what he's doing until TNA poses some "real" threat to his company.
Oh, the irony.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
A Very Reluctant RAW
It's funny how WWE seems to be contradicting themselves lately. In the midst of what is clearly a very positive "youth movement" in the company, veterans like Triple H, HBK, JBL, and Batista remain at the forefront. Even recent World Champion C.M. Punk seems to have been demoted to mid-card status once again, now stuck on the same rung as rising stars such as Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne. Nevertheless, this is a very positive direction for the company that fans are clearly supportive of.
The show opened with Batista going one on one with Santino Marella. There is no denying Marella's charisma, so I wonder why he is being mowed down by the rather stiff and stale "Animal". I actually look forward to seeing the Honk-a-meter every week! I'm not sure if that's a comment on WWE's lack of creativity, or a testament to Santino's entertainment value, but either way, it gets me to tune in.
One thing I am tired of is Batista's smile. Even as Santino clearly insults "The Animal"'s brain power, Dave stands in the ring, grinning at the man he is about to squash. The man is cutting a promo and Batista is laughing at him. One thing that I agree wholeheartedly on is something Mick Foley wrote: you should ALWAYS react to your opponent's promos against you. If you laugh at the promo, you laugh at the man, which makes it harder for that man to sell tickets. I know Santino is there for comic relief, but it makes Dave look stupid, too. "Look at him laughing at himself! Ha, ha! What an idiot!" Then he goes and squashes Marella (who is STILL Intercontinental Champion) and all of a sudden we're supposed to believe Dave is some kind of bad-ass who takes pleasure in beating people up. He's not angry. He just gets off on it. Wow. That will sell tickets.
The Miz beat JTG in a one-on-one match. This was pretty entertaining. Again, a good sign of pumping fresh blood into the company. Miz has come a long way, and I will admit that he is more entertaining than I could ever have given him credit for when he started over on Smackdown! with his "Red Rooster" haircut and terrible "Reality Check" gimmick (though his finisher still bears that name...) The only flaw in this match was the finish. Morrison distracts JTG, only to be tripped up by Shad on the ring apron. Despite the clean-up by Shad, JTG REMAINS distracted long enough for Miz to pick up the win. What is the point of having your partner there breaking up distractions if you're going to be distracted anyway? Silly finish altogether, though the match was a fairly entertaining bout.
I'm not sure what WWE expects us to think of Jamie Noble. Wrestling fans don't tune in so they can root for the heartbroken redneck who can't nab the girl that's WAY out of his league. They ARE the heartbroken rednecks who can't nab the girl because she's WAY out of their league. That's what makes them angry. That's what makes them watch wrestling! They don't want to play the violin, they want vengeance, damnit! Cold, hard, remorseless vengeance. Having Jamie job to the couple of the week is not going to win him any fans or cause people to tune in. If he turned out to be some "love crusader", defeating his opponents in the name of "true love", that might help. Sure it'd be just as terrible, but it might help him get over.
Anyway, Jamie proves that he can at least have lady friends in a very platonic sense because he manages to get the lovely and talented Mickie James as his tag team partner against Paul and Katie Lea Burchill. This was a descent intergender match (which means the guys CAN wrestle the girls and vice versa). Jamie picks up a nice win that he can throw in the face of William Regal and his eye candy, Layla who are conveniently positioned at the top of the ramp to confuse everyone because they didn't even interfere in the match so why the hell are they out there and why is there no payoff at "No Mercy" for this angle? Regal is the 2008 King of the Ring, but what does that mean? He promised to take the WWE by storm with his newfound power as "King", yet he just sits there in an oversized armchair and watches his rivals gain momentum heading into some unforeseen conclusion to an angle that has already gone on way too long.
On the bright (or dark) side of things is Kane.
Yes, Kane.
This guy is great.
You see, anyone who wants to know how to properly build a monster should take a look at what Kane is doing right now. Not tomorrow, not ten years ago, right now. Kane has squashed opponents of all sizes including Rey Mysterio and Kofi Kingston. Now he gets to be in what can only be described as a buffet of destruction in an 8-man tag team match. Despite being partnered with the World Tag Team Champions, "Priceless": Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr., and their friendly neighborhood Samoan, Muna, Kane dominates this match from beginning to end.
The match is not without credit as the opposing team of Rey Mysterio, Evan Bourne, Kofi Kingston, and C.M. Punk put on an excellent showing. Evan Bourne is a huge reason to tune in to ECW on SciFi, and he proves it here with spot after spot of some of the most exciting action in YEARS. That's right, YEARS. That includes Rey Mysterio and Jeff Hardy. This young man is, if you'll pardon the pun, TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION. Kofi Kingston is another rapidly rising star that possesses a fluidity in the ring I've not seen in WWE in a long time. Great show by the youth in this match, and arguably, the most exciting of the night as the face team pulls off spot after spot to both begin and close the match.
There are a couple of downsides to this match. The first is that C.M. Punk is back down to mid-card status. That's disappointing as it's clear he's someone the fans WANT to get behind again. Despite mentions of retribution against Randy Orton, "Priceless", and Muna for costing him his World Heavyweight Championship at Unforgiven, Punk remains here where he spent most of the match getting worked over by those very men. That is the other downside. The methodical dissection of Punk went on way too long. Every member of the heel team got to work over Punk's leg at least once, which took up much of the middle segment of the match. The only part that drew heat was when Kane knocked Mysterio off the apron just as Punk looked like he was about to make a tag to escape a grip that had already held him much too long. Nevertheless, a terrific showing by Kane as he catches Kofi Kingston in the air and chokeslams him with authority to get the win. Kane has a lot of momentum riding on him now. I love that they allow the other wrestlers to be afraid even to talk to him backstage. That does a lot when it's not ridiculous.
The problem with most monsters, such as The "Great" Khali, is that they spend most of their time beating up guys a fraction of their size. Kane has beat up everyone from 190 lb. Rey Mysterio to 225 lb. Kofi Kingston, to C.M. Punk. Granted these men are all smaller than "The Big Red Machine", but not so small that we can't imagine one of them picking up a victory. This gives so much credit to Kane's character, and he is one of the few monsters besides Umaga who seem to have a very real power in the ring. I just hope the match at No Mercy doesn't blow it all to pieces.
The entire segment with Adamle was ridiculous. Orton's interruption was pointless. JBL's interruption was almost insufferable. Batista saved us all by spearing JBL, which felt a bit too de ja vu, but then spoiled it again by picking up the microphone. He walked away with that stupid grin of his. Damnit, get angry, Batista! No one wants to see a laughing contest as you beat your opponent senseless!
I'm glad to see development in the Women's division. I know Kelly Kelly is no Trish Stratus, but all these women have grown tremendously since their debut. Candice has worked especially hard to become one of the better competitors in her division, and I think she has set a great example for those who want to follow her. Beth Phoenix has made a great Women's Champion, holding the title with true dignity. Candice sends a mixed, but overall positive message. She is still eye candy, but it's clear she is no Barbie doll. She's no Awesome Kong or Lita, but she is as close to a "women's wrestler" as we'll probably see for some time.
In any case, "The Glamazon" picked up the win with help from tag team partner Jillian Hall against Kelly Kelly and Candice Michelle. Great finish by Beth Phoenix to contort herself back to her feet from a roll up while holding Kelly in a "chicken-wing" slam position. That looked truly devastating, you could hear the crowd "oh" at the impact. I look forward to seeing her defend her title Sunday against Candice. I know they will put together a good match.
The problem with Women's matches, more often than not, is their placement on the card moreso than the talent involved. The crowd began to chant "we want puppies" a third of the way in, and that had a lot to do with how the program was structured. Lita makes a terrific point of this in her book in which she talks about her first Wrestlemania (Wrestlemania X8) in which her triple threat match against Trish Stratus and Jaqueline was received with dead silence. Not because it was awful (anyone who watches the match can appreciate it), but because it was placed directly after the epic confrontation between Hulk Hogan and The Rock.
The same holds true here. You cannot expect a good reaction from impatient fans living in an ADD culture when you place the match between an all-star brawl and your main event. The crowd gets bored very quickly and I often wonder of the effect this has on the participants as far as their morale is concerned. No wonder the turnover rate for divas has skyrocketed in recent years: they're rarely given a true chance to shine.
I know I've been complaining about Batista's smile all night, but I couldn't help but laugh at the "Great Charli". This was one of the funnier segments I've seen in a while, and it even turned into a pretty entertaining, albeit short, bout. The followup by having The Great Khali confront Haas was classic, as it was clear to everyone Khali was struggling to keep from laughing along with the rest of us. This is a great example of how comedy SHOULD be used in wrestling. We got a descent match out of it, and few words needed to be spoken. Very simple, very funny. Very entertaining.
I can understand it is hard to get fans to watch new faces if they don't know anything about them. I understand that ECW is sort of a "training grounds" for future RAW and Smackdown! stars. But has it really come to this? Rather than airing some sort of promotional video, rather than educating the fans or preparing them for the arrival of a new star, the only way WWE can think to get a young man over is to have him shake hands with EVERYONE backstage?
This is a terrible concept. Whoever thought of this should be shot. I don't care if it WAS Vince McMahon. Boom. Dead.
The biggest issue with getting this talent over is the lack of territories. In the old days you got your stars from rival territories. These stars came with baggage, came with a legacy. You could talk about where they'd been, what they'd done. You may even have been lucky enough to have seen a match or two. Nowadays, WWE must fabricate resume's so that people will watch. I understand that is a difficult task, but if you've got a room full of writers at your command, it shouldn't be THAT difficult. I guarantee you this young man will be back in FCW by the end of 2008, not for his lack of talent, but for his lack of anything to work with.
Finally there is the main event: World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho and Lance Cade vs. "The Heartbreak Kid' Shawn Michaels and a partner of his choosing.
I guess I should've known who would be picked. I guess I should've seen it coming a mile away. But I try to think "outside the box". I tried to be optimistic.
This was a great opportunity to get some other young man in the action. This was a great chance to give someone a push closer to main event status. What could be more impressive than being hand-picked by HBK himself? I thought maybe Matt Hardy in anticipation for the "Night of Champions" this Friday on Smackdown! I thought maybe someone new, someone old, someone that would be pulled out of thin air and surprise everyone in the world.
Instead WWE took the safe route and reunited D-Generation X.
Now, I'm not complaining. I love DX. Even when they reunited in 2006 to shamelessly plug their merchandise on live TV, I felt like a little kid eating up some candy I hadn't tasted in a long time. But DX got stale after a while. The vignettes got less funny and more predictable. The match structre got reptitive.
Tonight I thought would be different. Tonight the roles would be reversed. You see, tonight they had to put Shawn over. Typical DX match structure dictates that Shawn will start the match strong, get beaten down, and tag in Triple H to save the day. "The Game" would burst in and squash everyone, leaving HBK just enough time to land a superkick so Trips can hit the Pedigree for the win. Insert some crotch chops in the mix, let it cool for 15 minutes, and you have yourself a good old-fashioned D-Generation X tag team match. Seriously. It doesn't matter who the opponents are. The Spirit Squad? Crotch. Kick. Game. The McMahons? Crotch. Kick. Game. Chris Jericho and Lance Cade? Crotch. Kick. You know.
Anyway, I really thought this would be different because they wouldn't let the 1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Championship limp around the ring like a wounded animal. That would make Shawn look weak and helpless and Triple H would have to come and save the day again, making it look like Shawn was nothing without his companion who, by the way, is WWE Champion.
The match starts with Shawn looking strong. Triple gets his shots in, too. DX is rolling. Triple H lets Y2J get a couple of shots in, but overall pummels the champion. This looks terrible for both RAW and for Jericho. If Y2J is the top of RAW's ladder, then how come this guy from Smackdown! can walk all over him while HBK struggles to beat him?
Then HBK comes in and starts selling like a preacher. He gets battered and busted by Jericho and Cade until he's crawling toward "The Game". Upon receiving the tag, the "Cerebrial Assassin" proceeds to anihilate anything that moves: the same guys that just beat the hell out of RAW's 1 Contender. What was Shawn struggling for anyway? These guys are obviously pushovers! Just look at the way Smackdown!'s champion mows them over.
Finally, the match ends in DQ because clean finishes are SO 1995. DX wins, of course as Jericho and Cade double-team...you guessed it: the 1 Contender, Shawn Michaels! Again, Trippy has to come in, this time with his friend, Sledge, to save Shawn's rear. Finally Shawn hits Cade with that Superkick we've heard so much about and that leads to the Pedigree that kills hopes and dreams.
Cade is prone. HBK is tired. Triple H is angry. He's always angry. I wonder what he's like at birthday parties? Probably angry when it's not his birthday.
Anyway, the "King of Kings" (one of the few Biblical references in wrestling that managed to escape worldwide controversy) grabs a ladder and sets it up for Shawn...in the corner.
That's right. Shawn can't get up the ladder without climbing the trunbuckle. He then gives a mild DX chop to Jericho (because the world would hate to see a REAL Christian thrust his pelvis...) and splashes onto Cade. HBK then writhes in pain either from his ribs or his arm. Either way, as we go off the air, it's "The Game" that's standing there, staring down Jericho while Y2J's opponent for Sunday leans on the ropes for support as he recuperates from his mighty feat of gravity-defying proportions.
Way to put over your 1 Contender, guys. Way to go.
Now I remember why I liked having Triple H on Smackdown!
The thing is, we all know HBK is gonna lose on Sunday. The man is injured and can't possibly hold a championship in his condition. He'll get beat and take a few months off to recover. So there you go. Sorry, but there's the spoiler. Hey, you should thank me! I just saved you $39.95 ($49.95 if you've got HD)!
I guess I shouldn't be too hard on the product. After all, this is only slightly better than what we were watching a few weeks ago when RAW drew a 2.6 rating.
That's right. 2.6.
You'd think that would be the red flag that sent up alarms all over Connecticut. You'd think that would be the match that lit the fire under Titan Tower. You'd think Vince would listen to what the fans want and actually start GIVING it to them before they turn his product off completely.
Of course, if you're thinking that, you're clearly out of touch with WWE.
The show opened with Batista going one on one with Santino Marella. There is no denying Marella's charisma, so I wonder why he is being mowed down by the rather stiff and stale "Animal". I actually look forward to seeing the Honk-a-meter every week! I'm not sure if that's a comment on WWE's lack of creativity, or a testament to Santino's entertainment value, but either way, it gets me to tune in.
One thing I am tired of is Batista's smile. Even as Santino clearly insults "The Animal"'s brain power, Dave stands in the ring, grinning at the man he is about to squash. The man is cutting a promo and Batista is laughing at him. One thing that I agree wholeheartedly on is something Mick Foley wrote: you should ALWAYS react to your opponent's promos against you. If you laugh at the promo, you laugh at the man, which makes it harder for that man to sell tickets. I know Santino is there for comic relief, but it makes Dave look stupid, too. "Look at him laughing at himself! Ha, ha! What an idiot!" Then he goes and squashes Marella (who is STILL Intercontinental Champion) and all of a sudden we're supposed to believe Dave is some kind of bad-ass who takes pleasure in beating people up. He's not angry. He just gets off on it. Wow. That will sell tickets.
The Miz beat JTG in a one-on-one match. This was pretty entertaining. Again, a good sign of pumping fresh blood into the company. Miz has come a long way, and I will admit that he is more entertaining than I could ever have given him credit for when he started over on Smackdown! with his "Red Rooster" haircut and terrible "Reality Check" gimmick (though his finisher still bears that name...) The only flaw in this match was the finish. Morrison distracts JTG, only to be tripped up by Shad on the ring apron. Despite the clean-up by Shad, JTG REMAINS distracted long enough for Miz to pick up the win. What is the point of having your partner there breaking up distractions if you're going to be distracted anyway? Silly finish altogether, though the match was a fairly entertaining bout.
I'm not sure what WWE expects us to think of Jamie Noble. Wrestling fans don't tune in so they can root for the heartbroken redneck who can't nab the girl that's WAY out of his league. They ARE the heartbroken rednecks who can't nab the girl because she's WAY out of their league. That's what makes them angry. That's what makes them watch wrestling! They don't want to play the violin, they want vengeance, damnit! Cold, hard, remorseless vengeance. Having Jamie job to the couple of the week is not going to win him any fans or cause people to tune in. If he turned out to be some "love crusader", defeating his opponents in the name of "true love", that might help. Sure it'd be just as terrible, but it might help him get over.
Anyway, Jamie proves that he can at least have lady friends in a very platonic sense because he manages to get the lovely and talented Mickie James as his tag team partner against Paul and Katie Lea Burchill. This was a descent intergender match (which means the guys CAN wrestle the girls and vice versa). Jamie picks up a nice win that he can throw in the face of William Regal and his eye candy, Layla who are conveniently positioned at the top of the ramp to confuse everyone because they didn't even interfere in the match so why the hell are they out there and why is there no payoff at "No Mercy" for this angle? Regal is the 2008 King of the Ring, but what does that mean? He promised to take the WWE by storm with his newfound power as "King", yet he just sits there in an oversized armchair and watches his rivals gain momentum heading into some unforeseen conclusion to an angle that has already gone on way too long.
On the bright (or dark) side of things is Kane.
Yes, Kane.
This guy is great.
You see, anyone who wants to know how to properly build a monster should take a look at what Kane is doing right now. Not tomorrow, not ten years ago, right now. Kane has squashed opponents of all sizes including Rey Mysterio and Kofi Kingston. Now he gets to be in what can only be described as a buffet of destruction in an 8-man tag team match. Despite being partnered with the World Tag Team Champions, "Priceless": Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr., and their friendly neighborhood Samoan, Muna, Kane dominates this match from beginning to end.
The match is not without credit as the opposing team of Rey Mysterio, Evan Bourne, Kofi Kingston, and C.M. Punk put on an excellent showing. Evan Bourne is a huge reason to tune in to ECW on SciFi, and he proves it here with spot after spot of some of the most exciting action in YEARS. That's right, YEARS. That includes Rey Mysterio and Jeff Hardy. This young man is, if you'll pardon the pun, TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION. Kofi Kingston is another rapidly rising star that possesses a fluidity in the ring I've not seen in WWE in a long time. Great show by the youth in this match, and arguably, the most exciting of the night as the face team pulls off spot after spot to both begin and close the match.
There are a couple of downsides to this match. The first is that C.M. Punk is back down to mid-card status. That's disappointing as it's clear he's someone the fans WANT to get behind again. Despite mentions of retribution against Randy Orton, "Priceless", and Muna for costing him his World Heavyweight Championship at Unforgiven, Punk remains here where he spent most of the match getting worked over by those very men. That is the other downside. The methodical dissection of Punk went on way too long. Every member of the heel team got to work over Punk's leg at least once, which took up much of the middle segment of the match. The only part that drew heat was when Kane knocked Mysterio off the apron just as Punk looked like he was about to make a tag to escape a grip that had already held him much too long. Nevertheless, a terrific showing by Kane as he catches Kofi Kingston in the air and chokeslams him with authority to get the win. Kane has a lot of momentum riding on him now. I love that they allow the other wrestlers to be afraid even to talk to him backstage. That does a lot when it's not ridiculous.
The problem with most monsters, such as The "Great" Khali, is that they spend most of their time beating up guys a fraction of their size. Kane has beat up everyone from 190 lb. Rey Mysterio to 225 lb. Kofi Kingston, to C.M. Punk. Granted these men are all smaller than "The Big Red Machine", but not so small that we can't imagine one of them picking up a victory. This gives so much credit to Kane's character, and he is one of the few monsters besides Umaga who seem to have a very real power in the ring. I just hope the match at No Mercy doesn't blow it all to pieces.
The entire segment with Adamle was ridiculous. Orton's interruption was pointless. JBL's interruption was almost insufferable. Batista saved us all by spearing JBL, which felt a bit too de ja vu, but then spoiled it again by picking up the microphone. He walked away with that stupid grin of his. Damnit, get angry, Batista! No one wants to see a laughing contest as you beat your opponent senseless!
I'm glad to see development in the Women's division. I know Kelly Kelly is no Trish Stratus, but all these women have grown tremendously since their debut. Candice has worked especially hard to become one of the better competitors in her division, and I think she has set a great example for those who want to follow her. Beth Phoenix has made a great Women's Champion, holding the title with true dignity. Candice sends a mixed, but overall positive message. She is still eye candy, but it's clear she is no Barbie doll. She's no Awesome Kong or Lita, but she is as close to a "women's wrestler" as we'll probably see for some time.
In any case, "The Glamazon" picked up the win with help from tag team partner Jillian Hall against Kelly Kelly and Candice Michelle. Great finish by Beth Phoenix to contort herself back to her feet from a roll up while holding Kelly in a "chicken-wing" slam position. That looked truly devastating, you could hear the crowd "oh" at the impact. I look forward to seeing her defend her title Sunday against Candice. I know they will put together a good match.
The problem with Women's matches, more often than not, is their placement on the card moreso than the talent involved. The crowd began to chant "we want puppies" a third of the way in, and that had a lot to do with how the program was structured. Lita makes a terrific point of this in her book in which she talks about her first Wrestlemania (Wrestlemania X8) in which her triple threat match against Trish Stratus and Jaqueline was received with dead silence. Not because it was awful (anyone who watches the match can appreciate it), but because it was placed directly after the epic confrontation between Hulk Hogan and The Rock.
The same holds true here. You cannot expect a good reaction from impatient fans living in an ADD culture when you place the match between an all-star brawl and your main event. The crowd gets bored very quickly and I often wonder of the effect this has on the participants as far as their morale is concerned. No wonder the turnover rate for divas has skyrocketed in recent years: they're rarely given a true chance to shine.
I know I've been complaining about Batista's smile all night, but I couldn't help but laugh at the "Great Charli". This was one of the funnier segments I've seen in a while, and it even turned into a pretty entertaining, albeit short, bout. The followup by having The Great Khali confront Haas was classic, as it was clear to everyone Khali was struggling to keep from laughing along with the rest of us. This is a great example of how comedy SHOULD be used in wrestling. We got a descent match out of it, and few words needed to be spoken. Very simple, very funny. Very entertaining.
I can understand it is hard to get fans to watch new faces if they don't know anything about them. I understand that ECW is sort of a "training grounds" for future RAW and Smackdown! stars. But has it really come to this? Rather than airing some sort of promotional video, rather than educating the fans or preparing them for the arrival of a new star, the only way WWE can think to get a young man over is to have him shake hands with EVERYONE backstage?
This is a terrible concept. Whoever thought of this should be shot. I don't care if it WAS Vince McMahon. Boom. Dead.
The biggest issue with getting this talent over is the lack of territories. In the old days you got your stars from rival territories. These stars came with baggage, came with a legacy. You could talk about where they'd been, what they'd done. You may even have been lucky enough to have seen a match or two. Nowadays, WWE must fabricate resume's so that people will watch. I understand that is a difficult task, but if you've got a room full of writers at your command, it shouldn't be THAT difficult. I guarantee you this young man will be back in FCW by the end of 2008, not for his lack of talent, but for his lack of anything to work with.
Finally there is the main event: World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho and Lance Cade vs. "The Heartbreak Kid' Shawn Michaels and a partner of his choosing.
I guess I should've known who would be picked. I guess I should've seen it coming a mile away. But I try to think "outside the box". I tried to be optimistic.
This was a great opportunity to get some other young man in the action. This was a great chance to give someone a push closer to main event status. What could be more impressive than being hand-picked by HBK himself? I thought maybe Matt Hardy in anticipation for the "Night of Champions" this Friday on Smackdown! I thought maybe someone new, someone old, someone that would be pulled out of thin air and surprise everyone in the world.
Instead WWE took the safe route and reunited D-Generation X.
Now, I'm not complaining. I love DX. Even when they reunited in 2006 to shamelessly plug their merchandise on live TV, I felt like a little kid eating up some candy I hadn't tasted in a long time. But DX got stale after a while. The vignettes got less funny and more predictable. The match structre got reptitive.
Tonight I thought would be different. Tonight the roles would be reversed. You see, tonight they had to put Shawn over. Typical DX match structure dictates that Shawn will start the match strong, get beaten down, and tag in Triple H to save the day. "The Game" would burst in and squash everyone, leaving HBK just enough time to land a superkick so Trips can hit the Pedigree for the win. Insert some crotch chops in the mix, let it cool for 15 minutes, and you have yourself a good old-fashioned D-Generation X tag team match. Seriously. It doesn't matter who the opponents are. The Spirit Squad? Crotch. Kick. Game. The McMahons? Crotch. Kick. Game. Chris Jericho and Lance Cade? Crotch. Kick. You know.
Anyway, I really thought this would be different because they wouldn't let the 1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Championship limp around the ring like a wounded animal. That would make Shawn look weak and helpless and Triple H would have to come and save the day again, making it look like Shawn was nothing without his companion who, by the way, is WWE Champion.
The match starts with Shawn looking strong. Triple gets his shots in, too. DX is rolling. Triple H lets Y2J get a couple of shots in, but overall pummels the champion. This looks terrible for both RAW and for Jericho. If Y2J is the top of RAW's ladder, then how come this guy from Smackdown! can walk all over him while HBK struggles to beat him?
Then HBK comes in and starts selling like a preacher. He gets battered and busted by Jericho and Cade until he's crawling toward "The Game". Upon receiving the tag, the "Cerebrial Assassin" proceeds to anihilate anything that moves: the same guys that just beat the hell out of RAW's 1 Contender. What was Shawn struggling for anyway? These guys are obviously pushovers! Just look at the way Smackdown!'s champion mows them over.
Finally, the match ends in DQ because clean finishes are SO 1995. DX wins, of course as Jericho and Cade double-team...you guessed it: the 1 Contender, Shawn Michaels! Again, Trippy has to come in, this time with his friend, Sledge, to save Shawn's rear. Finally Shawn hits Cade with that Superkick we've heard so much about and that leads to the Pedigree that kills hopes and dreams.
Cade is prone. HBK is tired. Triple H is angry. He's always angry. I wonder what he's like at birthday parties? Probably angry when it's not his birthday.
Anyway, the "King of Kings" (one of the few Biblical references in wrestling that managed to escape worldwide controversy) grabs a ladder and sets it up for Shawn...in the corner.
That's right. Shawn can't get up the ladder without climbing the trunbuckle. He then gives a mild DX chop to Jericho (because the world would hate to see a REAL Christian thrust his pelvis...) and splashes onto Cade. HBK then writhes in pain either from his ribs or his arm. Either way, as we go off the air, it's "The Game" that's standing there, staring down Jericho while Y2J's opponent for Sunday leans on the ropes for support as he recuperates from his mighty feat of gravity-defying proportions.
Way to put over your 1 Contender, guys. Way to go.
Now I remember why I liked having Triple H on Smackdown!
The thing is, we all know HBK is gonna lose on Sunday. The man is injured and can't possibly hold a championship in his condition. He'll get beat and take a few months off to recover. So there you go. Sorry, but there's the spoiler. Hey, you should thank me! I just saved you $39.95 ($49.95 if you've got HD)!
I guess I shouldn't be too hard on the product. After all, this is only slightly better than what we were watching a few weeks ago when RAW drew a 2.6 rating.
That's right. 2.6.
You'd think that would be the red flag that sent up alarms all over Connecticut. You'd think that would be the match that lit the fire under Titan Tower. You'd think Vince would listen to what the fans want and actually start GIVING it to them before they turn his product off completely.
Of course, if you're thinking that, you're clearly out of touch with WWE.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Unforgiven 2008
I'll make this short. I don't have a whole lot of time. I didn't see all of Unforgiven 2008. I came in for the closing matches of the WWE Championship scramble and took it from there. I later went back and watched specifically the Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho bout. Below are some quick thoughts I sent in to Bill Apter of http://www.1wrestling.com after the show. You can also access them through the site here.
From Vincent Conroy
MATCH OF THE YEAR: Y2J vs. HBK
I don't want to waste time with the other matches. This one was by far the best of the night. There were parts that were disturbing to watch and at times I had to keep reminding myself this whole angle was a work. Any creative mind in any form of wrestling should pay close attention on how to properly build a feud. Any wrestler should pay attention to how to tell a story in the ring. These two are magic together.
As I said, there were parts that were almost disturbing. I have seen a lot of original ECW stuff (the best of the hardcore matches) and this still sent chills down my spine. It wasn't particularly bloody (though plenty was shed…), it was moreso the psychology behind it: the fact that the "pure and holy" Shawn Michaels was consciously and willingly inflicting this kind of pain on Chris Jericho. HBK was favoring his left arm the whole time (Shawn is a southpaw…) but still managed to pull of yet another showstopping performance.
As for Y2J, I doubt he had to work hard to sell anything as every blow seemed more real than the last. From being suplexed on the ramp (a move that seemed to open his arm up) to being put through the announce table, to being whipped with Shawn's belt (even in the face…) this was by far the worst beating I've ever seen Jericho or any wrestler take. Jericho was blatantly whimpering in pain through the middle of the match and I wonder if the finish was changed because of the wounds he has sustained. Before tackling Jericho toward the end of the match you could see Shawn crawl up behind him and, wrapping Jericho's arm around his own throat, mouth the words "Are you okay?" To the viewer it looked like HBK was teasing Jericho, because HBK the character could care less. Deep down, though, we could see that Shawn truly was concerned for Jericho's health, as are many people at this point.
Both men told a great story. Jericho's evil expression makes your blood run cold and seeing babyface Michaels become "possessed" to the point of being a mirror for Jericho's hatred was just disturbing. Shawn was openly crying after putting Jericho through the announce table and after the match was over. He was shaking all over as Jericho writhed in what I have to believe to be very real pain. Jerry "The King" Lawler said it best when he claimed Shawn Michaels had been "possessed by the devil", because he certainly wasn't the Shawn Michaels we are used to seeing.
The average hardcore match utilizes more weapons and sheds more blood, but deep down you remember that both men signed to do it, and at least one of them is enjoying themselves. We know that HBK and Y2J signed up for this, but to think that either man is having a pleasant evening as a result is unfathomable. This is what wrestling is all about: storytelling. This is a great story that will go down as one of the greatest feuds of all time.
OTHER THOUGHTS:
Randy Orton needs to form a stable with Priceless (who finally need to call themselves "Priceless" and start selling their own T-shirts…)
Matt Hardy as ECW Champion is another reason to tune in on Tuesday nights. A very smart move.
The Divas Title was up for grabs, but no one cared because a better angle would've been Candice Michelle vs. Beth Phoenix for the Women's Championship. There are too many redundant titles running around in WWE.
Triple H retaining the WWE Title is okay considering the circumstances, but now it's time to put the strap on Jeff Hardy, who the fans CLEARLY want to see win. Nice tease by WWE, but only if it actually gets Jeff the title in the near future.
Nice to see actual plot development on a PPV, though the segment with 'Taker and Big Show ran a bit long. Why do beat-downs take so long these days?
WWE needs to increase the number of matches per PPV and shorten the length of each match. The title scrambles were deliberately 20 minutes to take up air time (that's 1/3 of the PPV right there…) but were struggling to fill it with solid action. The Divas Title match suffered from the same issue. Remember when we used to get 10 matches per PPV and each match only had to be about 15 minutes long (title matches were always longer?) That's what they need to go back to. What's the point in having 9 titles in your company if only 5 get defended regularly? No IC, Women's, WWE Tag, or United States title matches (Shelton Benjamin was in the WWE title scramble). With PPV's now $49.99 (for HD) I want more bang for my buck.
All in all I give the show a 7/10, mostly for the HBK/Y2J classic and also for finally giving Matt Hardy a world championship. Let's see if they can do the same for Jeff.
Another, late-breaking thought (though it's pretty obvious by now) is having all three title matches under the same stipulation. I thought the crowd was dead because the action was lame, but there was nothing wrong with the wrestling. It was the fact that they'd already endured two of these scrambles and now they were sitting through a third one. Rather than a develop a real feud between champion and challenger, it's much easier for creative to sit back and throw the "tournament" angle out there under a different name.
Awesome.
They did the same thing a little while back with the Elimination Chamber and what a huge flop that was. Chamber mathces used to be special but now I feel saturated with pointless, arbitrary gimmick matches and long for a good, deep-running feud. Is that really too much to ask?
I guess so.
From Vincent Conroy
MATCH OF THE YEAR: Y2J vs. HBK
I don't want to waste time with the other matches. This one was by far the best of the night. There were parts that were disturbing to watch and at times I had to keep reminding myself this whole angle was a work. Any creative mind in any form of wrestling should pay close attention on how to properly build a feud. Any wrestler should pay attention to how to tell a story in the ring. These two are magic together.
As I said, there were parts that were almost disturbing. I have seen a lot of original ECW stuff (the best of the hardcore matches) and this still sent chills down my spine. It wasn't particularly bloody (though plenty was shed…), it was moreso the psychology behind it: the fact that the "pure and holy" Shawn Michaels was consciously and willingly inflicting this kind of pain on Chris Jericho. HBK was favoring his left arm the whole time (Shawn is a southpaw…) but still managed to pull of yet another showstopping performance.
As for Y2J, I doubt he had to work hard to sell anything as every blow seemed more real than the last. From being suplexed on the ramp (a move that seemed to open his arm up) to being put through the announce table, to being whipped with Shawn's belt (even in the face…) this was by far the worst beating I've ever seen Jericho or any wrestler take. Jericho was blatantly whimpering in pain through the middle of the match and I wonder if the finish was changed because of the wounds he has sustained. Before tackling Jericho toward the end of the match you could see Shawn crawl up behind him and, wrapping Jericho's arm around his own throat, mouth the words "Are you okay?" To the viewer it looked like HBK was teasing Jericho, because HBK the character could care less. Deep down, though, we could see that Shawn truly was concerned for Jericho's health, as are many people at this point.
Both men told a great story. Jericho's evil expression makes your blood run cold and seeing babyface Michaels become "possessed" to the point of being a mirror for Jericho's hatred was just disturbing. Shawn was openly crying after putting Jericho through the announce table and after the match was over. He was shaking all over as Jericho writhed in what I have to believe to be very real pain. Jerry "The King" Lawler said it best when he claimed Shawn Michaels had been "possessed by the devil", because he certainly wasn't the Shawn Michaels we are used to seeing.
The average hardcore match utilizes more weapons and sheds more blood, but deep down you remember that both men signed to do it, and at least one of them is enjoying themselves. We know that HBK and Y2J signed up for this, but to think that either man is having a pleasant evening as a result is unfathomable. This is what wrestling is all about: storytelling. This is a great story that will go down as one of the greatest feuds of all time.
OTHER THOUGHTS:
Randy Orton needs to form a stable with Priceless (who finally need to call themselves "Priceless" and start selling their own T-shirts…)
Matt Hardy as ECW Champion is another reason to tune in on Tuesday nights. A very smart move.
The Divas Title was up for grabs, but no one cared because a better angle would've been Candice Michelle vs. Beth Phoenix for the Women's Championship. There are too many redundant titles running around in WWE.
Triple H retaining the WWE Title is okay considering the circumstances, but now it's time to put the strap on Jeff Hardy, who the fans CLEARLY want to see win. Nice tease by WWE, but only if it actually gets Jeff the title in the near future.
Nice to see actual plot development on a PPV, though the segment with 'Taker and Big Show ran a bit long. Why do beat-downs take so long these days?
WWE needs to increase the number of matches per PPV and shorten the length of each match. The title scrambles were deliberately 20 minutes to take up air time (that's 1/3 of the PPV right there…) but were struggling to fill it with solid action. The Divas Title match suffered from the same issue. Remember when we used to get 10 matches per PPV and each match only had to be about 15 minutes long (title matches were always longer?) That's what they need to go back to. What's the point in having 9 titles in your company if only 5 get defended regularly? No IC, Women's, WWE Tag, or United States title matches (Shelton Benjamin was in the WWE title scramble). With PPV's now $49.99 (for HD) I want more bang for my buck.
All in all I give the show a 7/10, mostly for the HBK/Y2J classic and also for finally giving Matt Hardy a world championship. Let's see if they can do the same for Jeff.
Another, late-breaking thought (though it's pretty obvious by now) is having all three title matches under the same stipulation. I thought the crowd was dead because the action was lame, but there was nothing wrong with the wrestling. It was the fact that they'd already endured two of these scrambles and now they were sitting through a third one. Rather than a develop a real feud between champion and challenger, it's much easier for creative to sit back and throw the "tournament" angle out there under a different name.
Awesome.
They did the same thing a little while back with the Elimination Chamber and what a huge flop that was. Chamber mathces used to be special but now I feel saturated with pointless, arbitrary gimmick matches and long for a good, deep-running feud. Is that really too much to ask?
I guess so.
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