So, for most of you, last night's episode of WWE NXT was a bit of a shocker. Due to statements by Michael Tarver and Daniel Bryan, both were eliminated this week when asked last week, "Who do you think should be eliminated next week?" They had both answered that they should be eliminated. It was later stated that the decision came directly from WWE Management and that if they don't have the drive to stay in the competition, they should be eliminated. All of this is pure storyline, of course (I believe that all of these contestants already have contracts with the WWE and NXT is just a different way of introducing new talent).
I could care less about Tarver, who, to his credit, did develop a great heel character in the later episodes. The story here is Daniel Bryan. Bryan was later interviewed by Matt Striker where he said (paraphrased, of course):
"Daniel Bryan's never wrestled in the independent scene. If you YouTube Daniel Bryan, all you see is WWE stuff. He could bring Batista to the limit but couldn't beat a rookie. As far as I'm concerned, Daniel Bryan's done in the WWE. But I do know this guy, Bryan Danielson. He could kick a person's head in, was considered one of the best technical wrestlers in the world, and held championships in Japan, Mexico, and Europe."
This seems to be a very well contrived and well timed scheme to have Bryan Danielson show up on Raw's 3 hour commercial free night next week. Why do I say this? Well, if you had watched last week's Raw, The Miz called out Bret Hart to face him for the US Title on next week's Raw. If you're even in the least bit in the know, you'd know that Bret Hart, even though he performed at WM 26, suffered from a stroke and is unable to truly perform in a match. What does this have to do with Bryan Danielson? Well, it was not a secret that Bryan had an issue with the Miz. It was also not a secret that he was an indy scene monster. My theory is that Bryan Danielson shows up as Bret Hart's proxy for his match against The Miz.
This satisfies four things:
1) Bryan Danielson finally gets to display what he's truly made of.
2) BD vs The Miz would finally satisfy the fans' need to see BD finally beat The Miz's ass and get that title.
3) BD truly gets his shot in the pros for paying the most dues out of anyone in NXT (and some in the WWE, for that matter).
4) BD doesn't have to prove anything anymore in NXT since he's spent 10 years already proving it.
So we're finally going to see the "real" Brian Danielson show up, get the title, kick The Miz's ass, and show the world who he truly is.
If you don't think so, let me know!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
WWE Releases 6 Wrestlers
It was announced today that the WWE released 6 of their roster. While this isn't something new, and cutbacks are always being announced, this has been another one of those "Man, I wish they didn't get rid of them" moments. Here's my reaction:
-Mickie James - One of the few Divas on the roster that can actually wrestle and is not a product of the whole "Next WWE Diva" contests. Previously known as Alexis Laree, she was known on the indy circuit as one of those females who just had the skillset and drive to make it up the ladder rather quickly. It was previously reported on sites such as Wrestlezone.com that the WWE had issues with her weight. While this can be more a part of the rumor mill, it should hardly be a reason to get rid of someone. All they really have left now as far as legit Divas is Gail Kim, Beth Phoenix, and Nattie "Natalya" Neidhart. I, personally, think that they totally missed the ball with this one.
-Shelton Benjamin - Shelton's one of those guys that just had the skillset to make it, but didn't know how to utilize it to it's full potential. Earlier reports suggested that Shelton was liked backstage, but the WWE had growing concern in regards to his mic skills and his ability to take part in main event. While I would've liked to have seen him "work it out" and bring himself up, I'm not too upset that he's gone.
On a side note, this totally busts Jon Mart's prediction as him winning the "Money in the Bank" match at every Wrestlemania from now on. LOL!
-Kung Fu Naki - Funaki's been around for what seems to be AGES. He seemed to be a very loyal WWE wrestler, and did whatever was asked of him, but it only lead him to be a huge jobber in the company. It's quite sad to see the last of Kaientai leave the WWE.
-Jimmy Wang Yang - This is one talent that I know was underutilized. He was an awesome cruiserweight in WCW, and I was lucky enough to see his matches in NJPW and the short-lived Bape (yes, the super-exclusive clothing line) promotion. I guess you can say he's a victim of WWE's policy of toning down matches to keep them safe in the long run. Gone are the high-flying arsenal of wrestlers of his caliber. I'm such a huge fan (I even have an email response from him dating back to 2005) and I'm sad to see this guy go. On a brighter note, I bet he'd be perfect in TNA.
-Slam Master J - I really don't know too much about this guy besides his previous gimmick as Luke Gallows' keeper, so I really can't tell you how I feel about this one. All I can say is that he's been off of TV for so long that it was like waiting for a balloon to pop. You knew it was coming any second and you were just waiting for it to happen.
-Katie Lea Burchill - Katie's one of those talents that I didn't care what happened to her, so with that, I say, "blaaaaaah".
At any rate, it's sad to see anyone for that matter get let go from their job. Good luck to all of them! You know what they say: "When one door closes, another one opens."
-Mickie James - One of the few Divas on the roster that can actually wrestle and is not a product of the whole "Next WWE Diva" contests. Previously known as Alexis Laree, she was known on the indy circuit as one of those females who just had the skillset and drive to make it up the ladder rather quickly. It was previously reported on sites such as Wrestlezone.com that the WWE had issues with her weight. While this can be more a part of the rumor mill, it should hardly be a reason to get rid of someone. All they really have left now as far as legit Divas is Gail Kim, Beth Phoenix, and Nattie "Natalya" Neidhart. I, personally, think that they totally missed the ball with this one.
-Shelton Benjamin - Shelton's one of those guys that just had the skillset to make it, but didn't know how to utilize it to it's full potential. Earlier reports suggested that Shelton was liked backstage, but the WWE had growing concern in regards to his mic skills and his ability to take part in main event. While I would've liked to have seen him "work it out" and bring himself up, I'm not too upset that he's gone.
On a side note, this totally busts Jon Mart's prediction as him winning the "Money in the Bank" match at every Wrestlemania from now on. LOL!
-Kung Fu Naki - Funaki's been around for what seems to be AGES. He seemed to be a very loyal WWE wrestler, and did whatever was asked of him, but it only lead him to be a huge jobber in the company. It's quite sad to see the last of Kaientai leave the WWE.
-Jimmy Wang Yang - This is one talent that I know was underutilized. He was an awesome cruiserweight in WCW, and I was lucky enough to see his matches in NJPW and the short-lived Bape (yes, the super-exclusive clothing line) promotion. I guess you can say he's a victim of WWE's policy of toning down matches to keep them safe in the long run. Gone are the high-flying arsenal of wrestlers of his caliber. I'm such a huge fan (I even have an email response from him dating back to 2005) and I'm sad to see this guy go. On a brighter note, I bet he'd be perfect in TNA.
-Slam Master J - I really don't know too much about this guy besides his previous gimmick as Luke Gallows' keeper, so I really can't tell you how I feel about this one. All I can say is that he's been off of TV for so long that it was like waiting for a balloon to pop. You knew it was coming any second and you were just waiting for it to happen.
-Katie Lea Burchill - Katie's one of those talents that I didn't care what happened to her, so with that, I say, "blaaaaaah".
At any rate, it's sad to see anyone for that matter get let go from their job. Good luck to all of them! You know what they say: "When one door closes, another one opens."
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
NXT 4/13
Some real quick thoughts on last night's show:
- That "Talk Challenge" from last night was horrendous. 20 minutes of talking about nonsense? Yes, part of being a star is being able to talk, but to take up a third of the show by talking instead of wrestling is unacceptable!
- Is it me, or does Darren Young look like a super obnoxiously tanned John Cena?
- Mixing outdated Hip Hop slang with Cowboy slang is not the business....Skip Sheffield.
- Wade Barret's starting to be one of my favorites
- I see Darren shaving his head on his own, and not because the SES wants him to.
- Great, great backstage verbal ass-whooping by The Miz to Daniel Bryan.
- Daniel Bryan vs William Regal was a pretty good match. Just not enough to whet my appetite.
- Daniel Bryan's continuous loss record is beginning to slow down his progress. We all hear that he's this awesome technical wrestler, but we haven't been really shown him for the skillful guy he is. One of these days, they should give him a convincing win over 2 other guys in a triple threat.
- After watching Darren Young beat Luke Gallows, are we seeing a wole faction turning face and leaving Luke Gallows to revert back to the wrestling machine/idiot he was before?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Jeff Hardy Fireball'd
Jeff Hardy had a fireball "thrown" in his face by one of the guys in Beer Money, Inc. This is waaaay too crazy!
Monday, April 12, 2010
TNA Moving to 8PM
Just a quick little "drive by" blog.
So TNA's moving to 8pm instead of trying to go head to head with RAW at 9pm. Is this TNA already admitting defeat?
In a way, I think they just found that, according to DVR ratings, TNA's just not getting that "special attention" Monday nights because a lot of people are DVR'ing Impact and actually watching RAW every Monday.
What are your thoughts?
So TNA's moving to 8pm instead of trying to go head to head with RAW at 9pm. Is this TNA already admitting defeat?
In a way, I think they just found that, according to DVR ratings, TNA's just not getting that "special attention" Monday nights because a lot of people are DVR'ing Impact and actually watching RAW every Monday.
What are your thoughts?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
4/5 TNA Review From a "Legit" Website
I thought this was a very concise review of last night's TNA Impact. I caught some of the action and just felt that it was all too "thrown together".
Please check out James Caldwell's review from PWTorch.com:
James Caldwell's Report via PWTorch.com
Please check out James Caldwell's review from PWTorch.com:
James Caldwell's Report via PWTorch.com
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
ESPN's Coverage of Wrestlemania 26
I know I may not be a writing superstar, and probably half as entertaining, but I came across this great article on ESPN.com covering Wrestlemania 26. Check it out!
ESPN.com - Wrestlemania 26
ESPN.com - Wrestlemania 26
Thank you, Shawn.
I found this article pretty damn good and figured you, the die-hard fans, would like to check it out.
Credit goes to Jamie Patton via Wrestlezone.com
Detailed Look At Some Interesting HBK Stats And History
By Jamie Patton
Wrestlemania 26 closed with Shawn Michaels standing at the top of the ramp for the last time as a performer.
Shawn did not end his career with as many title reigns as some of the other great Superstars such as Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Triple H, the Undertaker, or Stone Cold Steve Austin. However Shawn’s legacy will not be based on his title reigns. It will be based on the hundreds of superior performances he gave while entertaining us for 25 years.
It is hard to dispute that the Heartbreak Kid is the greatest performer to have ever set food in a wrestling ring. The stats do not lie. Here is a list of Shawn’s Match of the Year Awards:
From Pro Wresting Illustrated (as chosen by readers):
1993: vs. Marty Jannetty on Monday Night Raw
1994: vs. Razor Ramon in a ladder match at Wrestlemania X
1995: vs. Diesel at Wrestlemania XI
1996: vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man Match at Wrestlemania XII
2004: vs. Chris Beniot and Triple H at Wrestlemania XX
2005: vs. Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania 21
2006: vs. Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred match at Wrestlemania 22
2007: vs. John Cena on Raw
2008: vs. Ric Flair at Wrestlemania XXIV
2009: vs. The Undertaker at Wrestlemania XXV
(and you can pencil him in for 2010 for his performance against the Undertaker at Wrestlemania 26)
From this list we can see that he had excellent matches with a few competitors that are not known for good performances. Diesel, Vince McMahon, and John Cena have never been considered great performers, however Shawn Michaels was able to carry them to such a level that they were able to share in this award with him.
Also, Shawn spent approximately 16 years total as a singles competitor. Of those 16 years Shawn won this award 10 times. Not only did he win this award often, but during most years he took 2nd place, 3rd place, or both.
One of his many nicknames is Mr. Wrestlemania and for good reason. As a singles competitor Shawn competed in 14 Wrestlemanias. Eight of those performances won him Match of the Year. In the years that his Wrestlemania performance was not honored with this award he still had undoubtedly the best match including his performances against Steve Austin at Wrestlemania XIV, vs. Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania XIX, and vs. John Cena at Wrestlemania 23. His match with the Undertaker from Wrestlemania 26 will most likely take this award as well.
(Matches not mentioned include Wrestlemania VIII vs. Tito Santana and Wrestlemania IX vs. Tatanka. Also, he “lost his smile” shortly before Wrestlemania 13 and did not compete that year.)
In addition to his many match of the year honors, he is credited for revolutionizing both the Ladder Match and Iron Man Match. While he did not compete in the first of either type of match, he did set the standard. His Iron Man Match with Bret Hart still stands among most wrestling fans as the best match ever using that stipulation.
He also competed in the first Hell in a Cell and Elimination Chamber, again helping set the standard for both stipulations.
During the 90s he was a controversy magnet and participated in 2 of the most infamous moments in wrestling history. Shawn, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Triple H, collectively known as the Kliq, appeared at the end of a Madison Square Garden show in 1996 and broke kayfabe in what has become known as the “Curtain Call.” Of course he was also a key figure in the “Montreal Screw Job” in 1996.
In 1998 Shawn was injured in his Casket Match at the Royal Rumble. Against doctors orders he competed at Wrestlemania XIV, passing the title to Stone Cold Steve Austin and officially igniting the Attitude Era that he helped start.
After the injury Shawn, believing his career was over, took a 4 year hiatus from wrestling. After turning his life over to the Lord Jesus Christ he returned to wrestling in 2002. We did not know if he could perform at the level he did 4 years prior, but after a series of excellent matches against Triple H he left no doubt. The Heartbreak Kid was back and continued to leave his mark etched in annals of professional wrestling.
Truly Shawn had few peers inside the squared circle. Other great performers such as Ric Flair and Chris Jericho have credited him as being the best performer of all time. The fan voted Match of the Year honors speak volumes as to how he is revered by wrestling fans.
On a personal note, Shawn was not just an incredible performer. He was also an inspirational man. He set a good example as a Christian, never failing to kneel in prayer and give thanks to the Lord before every match. In his book Heartbreak and Triumph, the Shawn Michaels Story he recounted the day that he accepted Jesus as his Savior. Upon reading those words I was inspired to do the same. On June 8 2006 I knelt down and uttered a prayer very similar to the one Shawn recounts in his book. I was saved that day and have never looked back.
I would just like to say thank you to Shawn. Thank you for the memories. Thank you for the thousands of hours of incredible entertainment. Thank you for helping save me. I’ll miss you.
Credit goes to Jamie Patton via Wrestlezone.com
Detailed Look At Some Interesting HBK Stats And History
By Jamie Patton
Wrestlemania 26 closed with Shawn Michaels standing at the top of the ramp for the last time as a performer.
Shawn did not end his career with as many title reigns as some of the other great Superstars such as Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Triple H, the Undertaker, or Stone Cold Steve Austin. However Shawn’s legacy will not be based on his title reigns. It will be based on the hundreds of superior performances he gave while entertaining us for 25 years.
It is hard to dispute that the Heartbreak Kid is the greatest performer to have ever set food in a wrestling ring. The stats do not lie. Here is a list of Shawn’s Match of the Year Awards:
From Pro Wresting Illustrated (as chosen by readers):
1993: vs. Marty Jannetty on Monday Night Raw
1994: vs. Razor Ramon in a ladder match at Wrestlemania X
1995: vs. Diesel at Wrestlemania XI
1996: vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man Match at Wrestlemania XII
2004: vs. Chris Beniot and Triple H at Wrestlemania XX
2005: vs. Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania 21
2006: vs. Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred match at Wrestlemania 22
2007: vs. John Cena on Raw
2008: vs. Ric Flair at Wrestlemania XXIV
2009: vs. The Undertaker at Wrestlemania XXV
(and you can pencil him in for 2010 for his performance against the Undertaker at Wrestlemania 26)
From this list we can see that he had excellent matches with a few competitors that are not known for good performances. Diesel, Vince McMahon, and John Cena have never been considered great performers, however Shawn Michaels was able to carry them to such a level that they were able to share in this award with him.
Also, Shawn spent approximately 16 years total as a singles competitor. Of those 16 years Shawn won this award 10 times. Not only did he win this award often, but during most years he took 2nd place, 3rd place, or both.
One of his many nicknames is Mr. Wrestlemania and for good reason. As a singles competitor Shawn competed in 14 Wrestlemanias. Eight of those performances won him Match of the Year. In the years that his Wrestlemania performance was not honored with this award he still had undoubtedly the best match including his performances against Steve Austin at Wrestlemania XIV, vs. Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania XIX, and vs. John Cena at Wrestlemania 23. His match with the Undertaker from Wrestlemania 26 will most likely take this award as well.
(Matches not mentioned include Wrestlemania VIII vs. Tito Santana and Wrestlemania IX vs. Tatanka. Also, he “lost his smile” shortly before Wrestlemania 13 and did not compete that year.)
In addition to his many match of the year honors, he is credited for revolutionizing both the Ladder Match and Iron Man Match. While he did not compete in the first of either type of match, he did set the standard. His Iron Man Match with Bret Hart still stands among most wrestling fans as the best match ever using that stipulation.
He also competed in the first Hell in a Cell and Elimination Chamber, again helping set the standard for both stipulations.
During the 90s he was a controversy magnet and participated in 2 of the most infamous moments in wrestling history. Shawn, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Triple H, collectively known as the Kliq, appeared at the end of a Madison Square Garden show in 1996 and broke kayfabe in what has become known as the “Curtain Call.” Of course he was also a key figure in the “Montreal Screw Job” in 1996.
In 1998 Shawn was injured in his Casket Match at the Royal Rumble. Against doctors orders he competed at Wrestlemania XIV, passing the title to Stone Cold Steve Austin and officially igniting the Attitude Era that he helped start.
After the injury Shawn, believing his career was over, took a 4 year hiatus from wrestling. After turning his life over to the Lord Jesus Christ he returned to wrestling in 2002. We did not know if he could perform at the level he did 4 years prior, but after a series of excellent matches against Triple H he left no doubt. The Heartbreak Kid was back and continued to leave his mark etched in annals of professional wrestling.
Truly Shawn had few peers inside the squared circle. Other great performers such as Ric Flair and Chris Jericho have credited him as being the best performer of all time. The fan voted Match of the Year honors speak volumes as to how he is revered by wrestling fans.
On a personal note, Shawn was not just an incredible performer. He was also an inspirational man. He set a good example as a Christian, never failing to kneel in prayer and give thanks to the Lord before every match. In his book Heartbreak and Triumph, the Shawn Michaels Story he recounted the day that he accepted Jesus as his Savior. Upon reading those words I was inspired to do the same. On June 8 2006 I knelt down and uttered a prayer very similar to the one Shawn recounts in his book. I was saved that day and have never looked back.
I would just like to say thank you to Shawn. Thank you for the memories. Thank you for the thousands of hours of incredible entertainment. Thank you for helping save me. I’ll miss you.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Wrestlemania 26 Fail Moment of the Night
Did anyone else laugh when Kofi Kingston was only able to let out one "BUCK" because his pyro only shot out once on the first "BUCK"?
I know I did.
I know I did.
Japanese "Strong Style" Wrestling
This is a quick "Twitter-like" post. Japanese wrestling is so much better than American wrestling. Precise, fast-paced, intricate. At the same time, they tell stories like the slow American style. On top of that, they've really capitalized on the "Strong Style" - stiff kicks, punches, power moves. Nothing like it. It's exciting, fresh, and no-nonsense.
I'll write more about this later.
I'll write more about this later.
Wrestlemania 26 Thoughts
Unified Tag-Team Titles:
-Big Show & The Miz (c) vs. R-Truth & John Morrison
My prediction - ShowMiz
Winner - ShowMiz
This opened the show and had some ok moments. It was a probably as good as a Raw main event. It didn't do anything to keep me interested, so I went and made homemade burgers.
Triple-Threat Match:
-Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Ted DiBiase Jr.
My Prediction - Ted DiBiase, Jr.
Winner - Randy Orton
This match wasn't enough to name it the show-stealer, but it was a well arranged program for the group. It dawned on me that all 3 participants have fathers that are all in the hall of fame. At any rate, you can tell that genetics played a big part in the performance of this match. Even though it was a triple threat match, DiBiase and Rhodes teamed up for most of the match. This was a great effort by Legacy.
Money In The Bank Ladder Match:
-Kofi Kingston vs. MVP vs. Evan Bourne vs. Jack Swagger vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Matt Hardy vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kane vs. Christian
My prediction - Christian
Winner - Jack Swagger
Ok, so I was partially right in prediction as I predicted that if Christian didn't make it, Jack Swagger, Shelton Benjamin, or Kofi Kingston was going to make it. Some guys just didn't have any reason to be in this match (*ahem*matthardykane*ahem*). Some dope spots in this match: Evan Bourne doing the shooting star press off the ladder onto someone. Kofi Kingston using the broken ladder as stilts. Dolph Ziggler getting choke slammed onto the ladder. Kofi Kingston getting power bombed off the top rope onto a ladder. Christian countering a Twist of Fate off the ladder.
Triple H vs. Sheamus
My prediction - Triple H
Winner - Sheamus
I think Triple H had to make up a match just so he can be part of the big show. I didn't care who won this one. Sheamus needs to hook up with Triple H's tanning guy.
CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio
My prediction - CM Punk
Winner - Rey Mysterio
Guess we're not going to see a long-term program with these guys. I think we could've seen another huge thing with these two if they went with what I predicted. Spot of the match: Rey runs to the ropes, where Luke is waiting. He dodges Luke, dodges CM Punk, drop toe hold on Punk, who head butts Luke in the gut. 619, top rope splash, it's over.
No Holds Barred:
-Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon
My prediction - Bret Hart
Winner - Bret Hart
We all know where this was going. My only gripe with this match was that it had the potential to be as huge as Undertaker/HBK, but it ended up being 5 minutes of beating Vince's ass with a chair. After the 10th chair shot, I started feeling bad for Vince. He just kept taking it and I swear he looked like he wanted to cry.
World Title:
-Chris Jericho (c) vs. Edge
My prediction: Edge
Winner: Chris Jericho
eh....I spent more time on my laptop following what was going on Twitter and FB than what was happening on TV. Don't get me wrong. What I did catch was good, but I just wasn't interested in this match. Post match was where it got interesting. Long story short, Edge speared Jericho from on top of the announcer's table down to the floor and through a barricade.
10-Diva Tag Match:
-Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly & Eve Torres vs. Vickie Guerrero, Michelle McCool, Layla, Maryse & Alicia Fox
No prediction made
Winner - Vickie Guerrero and the heels
Wow, there was a hell of a lot of DDT's in one form or another. I spent this match watching the hot ones like Maryse, Kelly Kelly, Layla El, and Gail Kim.
WWE Title:
-Batista (c) vs. John Cena
My prediction: John Cena
Winner: John Cena
Good match, but it didn't scream "Wrestlemania" to me.
Streak vs. Career:
-The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
My prediction: Shawn Michaels
Winner: Undertaker
So much for my prediction. This match was pretty darn close to the last one. Lot's of finisher kick outs, great selling, and emotional moments. One thing that stood out to me is HBK kicking out of the choke slam first and kicked out of the accompanying Tombstone Piledriver. How crazy is that? You know that just was done out of pure emotion. Craziest spot of the match has to be HBK doing a moonsault on Taker onto the announcer's table.
Overall show thoughts:
WWE just doesn't have that emotional build up like they used to. I think I spent more time taking mental breaks than actually getting into the matches, with the exception of the Legacy match, Money in the Bank, and HBK/Taker. I thought the quality of the matches was awesome, along with the quality of the performers. I think they could've also used a bit more "swerve" than they did. Come to think of it, the only real swerve we had tonight was the Hart Lumberjacks. Either way, even if the overall quality wasn't as good as last year's, you know it was still a great show because this is THE show to be on and everyone was stepping up their game to be on it in whatever capacity. Which brings me to my question of the night: With all of these TNA people believing in their product, you know they know wish they were going to be at Wrestlemania. Do you think TNA will ever have an event greater than Wrestlemania?
-Big Show & The Miz (c) vs. R-Truth & John Morrison
My prediction - ShowMiz
Winner - ShowMiz
This opened the show and had some ok moments. It was a probably as good as a Raw main event. It didn't do anything to keep me interested, so I went and made homemade burgers.
Triple-Threat Match:
-Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Ted DiBiase Jr.
My Prediction - Ted DiBiase, Jr.
Winner - Randy Orton
This match wasn't enough to name it the show-stealer, but it was a well arranged program for the group. It dawned on me that all 3 participants have fathers that are all in the hall of fame. At any rate, you can tell that genetics played a big part in the performance of this match. Even though it was a triple threat match, DiBiase and Rhodes teamed up for most of the match. This was a great effort by Legacy.
Money In The Bank Ladder Match:
-Kofi Kingston vs. MVP vs. Evan Bourne vs. Jack Swagger vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Matt Hardy vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kane vs. Christian
My prediction - Christian
Winner - Jack Swagger
Ok, so I was partially right in prediction as I predicted that if Christian didn't make it, Jack Swagger, Shelton Benjamin, or Kofi Kingston was going to make it. Some guys just didn't have any reason to be in this match (*ahem*matthardykane*ahem*). Some dope spots in this match: Evan Bourne doing the shooting star press off the ladder onto someone. Kofi Kingston using the broken ladder as stilts. Dolph Ziggler getting choke slammed onto the ladder. Kofi Kingston getting power bombed off the top rope onto a ladder. Christian countering a Twist of Fate off the ladder.
Triple H vs. Sheamus
My prediction - Triple H
Winner - Sheamus
I think Triple H had to make up a match just so he can be part of the big show. I didn't care who won this one. Sheamus needs to hook up with Triple H's tanning guy.
CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio
My prediction - CM Punk
Winner - Rey Mysterio
Guess we're not going to see a long-term program with these guys. I think we could've seen another huge thing with these two if they went with what I predicted. Spot of the match: Rey runs to the ropes, where Luke is waiting. He dodges Luke, dodges CM Punk, drop toe hold on Punk, who head butts Luke in the gut. 619, top rope splash, it's over.
No Holds Barred:
-Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon
My prediction - Bret Hart
Winner - Bret Hart
We all know where this was going. My only gripe with this match was that it had the potential to be as huge as Undertaker/HBK, but it ended up being 5 minutes of beating Vince's ass with a chair. After the 10th chair shot, I started feeling bad for Vince. He just kept taking it and I swear he looked like he wanted to cry.
World Title:
-Chris Jericho (c) vs. Edge
My prediction: Edge
Winner: Chris Jericho
eh....I spent more time on my laptop following what was going on Twitter and FB than what was happening on TV. Don't get me wrong. What I did catch was good, but I just wasn't interested in this match. Post match was where it got interesting. Long story short, Edge speared Jericho from on top of the announcer's table down to the floor and through a barricade.
10-Diva Tag Match:
-Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly & Eve Torres vs. Vickie Guerrero, Michelle McCool, Layla, Maryse & Alicia Fox
No prediction made
Winner - Vickie Guerrero and the heels
Wow, there was a hell of a lot of DDT's in one form or another. I spent this match watching the hot ones like Maryse, Kelly Kelly, Layla El, and Gail Kim.
WWE Title:
-Batista (c) vs. John Cena
My prediction: John Cena
Winner: John Cena
Good match, but it didn't scream "Wrestlemania" to me.
Streak vs. Career:
-The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
My prediction: Shawn Michaels
Winner: Undertaker
So much for my prediction. This match was pretty darn close to the last one. Lot's of finisher kick outs, great selling, and emotional moments. One thing that stood out to me is HBK kicking out of the choke slam first and kicked out of the accompanying Tombstone Piledriver. How crazy is that? You know that just was done out of pure emotion. Craziest spot of the match has to be HBK doing a moonsault on Taker onto the announcer's table.
Overall show thoughts:
WWE just doesn't have that emotional build up like they used to. I think I spent more time taking mental breaks than actually getting into the matches, with the exception of the Legacy match, Money in the Bank, and HBK/Taker. I thought the quality of the matches was awesome, along with the quality of the performers. I think they could've also used a bit more "swerve" than they did. Come to think of it, the only real swerve we had tonight was the Hart Lumberjacks. Either way, even if the overall quality wasn't as good as last year's, you know it was still a great show because this is THE show to be on and everyone was stepping up their game to be on it in whatever capacity. Which brings me to my question of the night: With all of these TNA people believing in their product, you know they know wish they were going to be at Wrestlemania. Do you think TNA will ever have an event greater than Wrestlemania?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Quoted in Wrestlezone yet again!!
I think I should be a contributing writer for this site, what do you think?
Chris Jericho recap on Wrestlezone
Chris Jericho recap on Wrestlezone
Wrestlemania 26 Predictions
WWE Championship Match
-Batista (c) vs. John Cena
The buildup for this match was OK. They’re doing their part to build that tension between the two, but for me they haven’t done anything serious to sway it in someone’s favor. Politically speaking, we’re probably going to see Cena take it this year. The guy’s a monster face and unless they plan on building a long-term feud with these two, we’ll probably see Cena get the nod. Politics aside, I’d like to see Batista keep the belt and establish himself as a monster heel, minus the heel shenanigans (winning by DQ, changing match stipulations, etc.) and winning his matches legitimately and in true "Animal" fashion.
WINNER – John Cena
World Heavyweight Championship Match
-Chris Jericho (c) vs. Edge
This one’s a no-brainer. We’re going to see Edge crowned the new champ. Edge returned as a huge babyface and he’s gotten the people behind him in no time at all. Jericho won the title at The Royal Rumble with little to no build up at all, which leads me to believe that they needed a transitional champion. The crowd’s already behind Edge with the whole “SPEAR! SPEAR! SPEAR!” chant.
On a side note, I’ve always enjoyed this side of Edge. He’s so much more entertaining this way.
WINNER - Edge
Streak vs Career No Count Out, No DQ Match
-The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
This, my friends, is THE match everyone’s looking forward to. The build up for this match has been so great and intelligently planned that I’m not even sure how the WWE plans on swinging this. There are arguments going back and forth that people are tired of the streak because they’ve built it up so much over the years that it’s just a given and there’s less attachment by the fans. The other side of the argument is that HBK has been named “Mr. Wrestlemania” because he made each of his Wrestlemania matches into memorable ones. You just can’t write that into the “script”.
With that said, I think the WWE’s going to finally put the streak to rest. 17 years is no walk in the park, so ‘Taker’s already made his mark with that. There’s been talk that HBK’s truly going to retire after WM and he’s going to concentrate on resting and working on outside projects. Plus, it doesn’t make sense for HBK to lose twice in a row and to leave on a low note.
WINNER - HBK
Money In The Bank Ladder Match
-Participants: MVP, Christian, Evan Bourne, Kane, Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin, Jack Swagger, Matt Hardy, Drew McIntyre, and Kofi Kingston
Since it first came out in 2005, this match in particular has almost become as standard fare as ‘Taker’s streak. This year, we have some pretty good participants. Since there are a lot of participants, I’ll make this as brief as possible.
The losers:
MVP – The WWE hasn’t really done anything with this guy lately and unless he steps his game up, he’ll be the king of the mid-card.
Evan Bourne – I’m ashamed to put him on this end of the list, because this guy’s such an awesome talent. Unfortunately, he’s been so underutilized; you don’t have any emotional investment in him winning this. As much as I want this guy to win this, the only thing he’ll be doing is setting up the bigger spots of the match.
Matt Hardy – The guy’s on his last legs, unfortunately. He just isn’t the same Matt from 5 years ago.
Kane – He seems to be using his time lately putting other people over. This will be just another chance for him to put newer talent over. On top of that, he’s been in a semi-feud with Drew McIntyre for the IC title.
Drew McIntyre – The guy’s already got the Intercontinental title and he has Kane gunning for him. On the other side of the coin, he can also go on to be a dual champion.
The winners:
Christian – Since he came back from TNA, this guy’s been on a great run (ECW champ, NXT mentor). He has the look, charisma, and the work ethic to really move up. This might be his time.
Shelton Benjamin – In all of the MITB matches he’s participated in, he’s always delivered the best spots. This guy has done so much in these matches that he deserves it this time around. The only thing going against him is that he’s so-so on the mic.
Jack Swagger – One of the “new breed” of wrestlers that’s just asking to be brought up. A former ECW champ, he has proven himself in the ring.
Kofi Kingston – Kofi’s gotten a taste of the limelight with his past feud with Randy Orton. Unfortunately, we didn’t see this come to fruition and he moved back into the mid-card. Now he has a chance to rekindle that flame and make his mark permanent.
My choice for WINNER - Christian
Singles Match
-Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon
This match is 13 years in the making. We all know the die-hard fans have been waiting to see this. We all know that Bret’s going to win this one because, well, he just has to. ‘Nuff said.
WINNER – Bret Hart
Singles Match
-Triple H vs. Sheamus
Eh, I’m not interested in this match. Since the word on the streets is Triple H and Sheamus are boys backstage, I think they’re going to put on a great match, with Trips putting Sheamus over.
WINNER - Sheamus
Unified Tag Team Championship Match
-Big Show and The Miz (c's) vs. John Morrison and R-Truth
Another match I’m not too emotionally invested in. Morrison and Truth are a good tag team with skills, but they just reek of a tag team slapped together. I just don't see any long term potential with Truth and Morrison.
WINNER - ShowMiz
Triple Threat Match
-Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Cody Rhodes
I really like how the WWE took their time with this one. I like all the participants and this one could quite possibly be a sleeper hit of the night. With the entire goings on with this program, Orton became an inadvertent face at some point, with DiBiase as the spoon-fed face. Orton’s the one with the most experience, but instinct tells me that DiBiase’s going to walk out the winner with this one.
WINNER – Ted Dibiase
Singles Match: If Mysterio loses, he must join the Straight Edge Society
-Rey Mysterio vs CM Punk
If there’s anything Smackdown does well, it’s the way they play with the fans’ emotions to get them involved in a match. This one’s no exception. I’ve been to a recent house show and to say that CM Punk’s Straight Edge Society is hated is an understatement. There was so much deris being thrown into the ring, I thought it was WCW all over again. And to include Rey’s family in the build was a great touch. Rey’s just as straight edge as CM Punk is, but in his own special way. Both are proven talents in the WWE and outside in their previous endeavors. This proves to be another classic match and possible sleeper of the night.
The only drawback I see with this is the fact that this seems to be a rehash of Rey’s old storyline in WCW with Eddie Guerrero and the LWO when Eddie challenged him to a match. If Rey lost, he had to join the LWO. However, we could see this as a good way to bring the Straight Edge to the face side and if Rey ends up losing, could end up being the new leader of the SES.
My choice is based upon what the long-term potential of this match could be instead of the quick win and the end of the storyline. This sets up Rey and Punk for a more compelling and long-term program that has the potential to be a real great focus for Friday nights. With that said, I see Punk winning and Rey joining the SES.
WINNER – CM Punk
Well, what do you think? Agree with me? Disagree with me? Please let me know!
-Batista (c) vs. John Cena
The buildup for this match was OK. They’re doing their part to build that tension between the two, but for me they haven’t done anything serious to sway it in someone’s favor. Politically speaking, we’re probably going to see Cena take it this year. The guy’s a monster face and unless they plan on building a long-term feud with these two, we’ll probably see Cena get the nod. Politics aside, I’d like to see Batista keep the belt and establish himself as a monster heel, minus the heel shenanigans (winning by DQ, changing match stipulations, etc.) and winning his matches legitimately and in true "Animal" fashion.
WINNER – John Cena
World Heavyweight Championship Match
-Chris Jericho (c) vs. Edge
This one’s a no-brainer. We’re going to see Edge crowned the new champ. Edge returned as a huge babyface and he’s gotten the people behind him in no time at all. Jericho won the title at The Royal Rumble with little to no build up at all, which leads me to believe that they needed a transitional champion. The crowd’s already behind Edge with the whole “SPEAR! SPEAR! SPEAR!” chant.
On a side note, I’ve always enjoyed this side of Edge. He’s so much more entertaining this way.
WINNER - Edge
Streak vs Career No Count Out, No DQ Match
-The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
This, my friends, is THE match everyone’s looking forward to. The build up for this match has been so great and intelligently planned that I’m not even sure how the WWE plans on swinging this. There are arguments going back and forth that people are tired of the streak because they’ve built it up so much over the years that it’s just a given and there’s less attachment by the fans. The other side of the argument is that HBK has been named “Mr. Wrestlemania” because he made each of his Wrestlemania matches into memorable ones. You just can’t write that into the “script”.
With that said, I think the WWE’s going to finally put the streak to rest. 17 years is no walk in the park, so ‘Taker’s already made his mark with that. There’s been talk that HBK’s truly going to retire after WM and he’s going to concentrate on resting and working on outside projects. Plus, it doesn’t make sense for HBK to lose twice in a row and to leave on a low note.
WINNER - HBK
Money In The Bank Ladder Match
-Participants: MVP, Christian, Evan Bourne, Kane, Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin, Jack Swagger, Matt Hardy, Drew McIntyre, and Kofi Kingston
Since it first came out in 2005, this match in particular has almost become as standard fare as ‘Taker’s streak. This year, we have some pretty good participants. Since there are a lot of participants, I’ll make this as brief as possible.
The losers:
MVP – The WWE hasn’t really done anything with this guy lately and unless he steps his game up, he’ll be the king of the mid-card.
Evan Bourne – I’m ashamed to put him on this end of the list, because this guy’s such an awesome talent. Unfortunately, he’s been so underutilized; you don’t have any emotional investment in him winning this. As much as I want this guy to win this, the only thing he’ll be doing is setting up the bigger spots of the match.
Matt Hardy – The guy’s on his last legs, unfortunately. He just isn’t the same Matt from 5 years ago.
Kane – He seems to be using his time lately putting other people over. This will be just another chance for him to put newer talent over. On top of that, he’s been in a semi-feud with Drew McIntyre for the IC title.
Drew McIntyre – The guy’s already got the Intercontinental title and he has Kane gunning for him. On the other side of the coin, he can also go on to be a dual champion.
The winners:
Christian – Since he came back from TNA, this guy’s been on a great run (ECW champ, NXT mentor). He has the look, charisma, and the work ethic to really move up. This might be his time.
Shelton Benjamin – In all of the MITB matches he’s participated in, he’s always delivered the best spots. This guy has done so much in these matches that he deserves it this time around. The only thing going against him is that he’s so-so on the mic.
Jack Swagger – One of the “new breed” of wrestlers that’s just asking to be brought up. A former ECW champ, he has proven himself in the ring.
Kofi Kingston – Kofi’s gotten a taste of the limelight with his past feud with Randy Orton. Unfortunately, we didn’t see this come to fruition and he moved back into the mid-card. Now he has a chance to rekindle that flame and make his mark permanent.
My choice for WINNER - Christian
Singles Match
-Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon
This match is 13 years in the making. We all know the die-hard fans have been waiting to see this. We all know that Bret’s going to win this one because, well, he just has to. ‘Nuff said.
WINNER – Bret Hart
Singles Match
-Triple H vs. Sheamus
Eh, I’m not interested in this match. Since the word on the streets is Triple H and Sheamus are boys backstage, I think they’re going to put on a great match, with Trips putting Sheamus over.
WINNER - Sheamus
Unified Tag Team Championship Match
-Big Show and The Miz (c's) vs. John Morrison and R-Truth
Another match I’m not too emotionally invested in. Morrison and Truth are a good tag team with skills, but they just reek of a tag team slapped together. I just don't see any long term potential with Truth and Morrison.
WINNER - ShowMiz
Triple Threat Match
-Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Cody Rhodes
I really like how the WWE took their time with this one. I like all the participants and this one could quite possibly be a sleeper hit of the night. With the entire goings on with this program, Orton became an inadvertent face at some point, with DiBiase as the spoon-fed face. Orton’s the one with the most experience, but instinct tells me that DiBiase’s going to walk out the winner with this one.
WINNER – Ted Dibiase
Singles Match: If Mysterio loses, he must join the Straight Edge Society
-Rey Mysterio vs CM Punk
If there’s anything Smackdown does well, it’s the way they play with the fans’ emotions to get them involved in a match. This one’s no exception. I’ve been to a recent house show and to say that CM Punk’s Straight Edge Society is hated is an understatement. There was so much deris being thrown into the ring, I thought it was WCW all over again. And to include Rey’s family in the build was a great touch. Rey’s just as straight edge as CM Punk is, but in his own special way. Both are proven talents in the WWE and outside in their previous endeavors. This proves to be another classic match and possible sleeper of the night.
The only drawback I see with this is the fact that this seems to be a rehash of Rey’s old storyline in WCW with Eddie Guerrero and the LWO when Eddie challenged him to a match. If Rey lost, he had to join the LWO. However, we could see this as a good way to bring the Straight Edge to the face side and if Rey ends up losing, could end up being the new leader of the SES.
My choice is based upon what the long-term potential of this match could be instead of the quick win and the end of the storyline. This sets up Rey and Punk for a more compelling and long-term program that has the potential to be a real great focus for Friday nights. With that said, I see Punk winning and Rey joining the SES.
WINNER – CM Punk
Well, what do you think? Agree with me? Disagree with me? Please let me know!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
I got quoted on Wrestlezone.com!!!
So I sent a quick news tidbit to Wrestlezone.com, a site I've been following for the past 10 years (wow, has it been that long?). I noted that Marlon Wayans was at last night's Smackdown taping. Check it out!!
http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/article/celebrity-actor-marlon-wayans-at-last-nights-sd-taping-98357
http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/article/celebrity-actor-marlon-wayans-at-last-nights-sd-taping-98357
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
NXT 3/16 Thoughts
Kinda sleepy, so this will be short.
Matt Hardy/Justin Gabriel vs CM Punk/Darren Young
Great dynamic with Hardy/Gabriel, and equally as much with Punk/Young. I like what they're doing with Punk/Young. Young's the WWE's answer to Jersey Shore while Punk has his Straight Edge Society. Luke Gallows with the post-match beat down....on Young? I think what's gonna happen is that Young's either going to go buck wild on CM Punk and the SES, or he's going to eventually JOIN the SES and go straight. Nice swerve there, guys!
Daniel Bryan vs The Great Khali
Thought this was gonna be a squash match, but DB actually brought it and drew this match out. We all knew he wasn't going to last, though. Nice set of strong style stiff kicks from DB. At one point, he had Khali down...not an easy task from someone as small as DB. Since The Miz wasn't there, Big Show came in, choke slammed DB, and walked out. I was kind of hoping Khali would step in and solidify his mark as a face by stopping Big Show.
Heath Slater vs Michael Tarver
Heath Slater with the win. blah.
Wade Barrett vs Skip Sheffield
Good back and forth. Not sure how the Regal/Sheffield pairing will do. Sheffield has the look though. Wade Barrett with the win.
I don't know if I like how Michael Cole's personality changes just for this show. He's a heel announcer for this show, and for Raw, he's the straight man.
Ok show this week. Didn't give me any "wow" moments.
Matt Hardy/Justin Gabriel vs CM Punk/Darren Young
Great dynamic with Hardy/Gabriel, and equally as much with Punk/Young. I like what they're doing with Punk/Young. Young's the WWE's answer to Jersey Shore while Punk has his Straight Edge Society. Luke Gallows with the post-match beat down....on Young? I think what's gonna happen is that Young's either going to go buck wild on CM Punk and the SES, or he's going to eventually JOIN the SES and go straight. Nice swerve there, guys!
Daniel Bryan vs The Great Khali
Thought this was gonna be a squash match, but DB actually brought it and drew this match out. We all knew he wasn't going to last, though. Nice set of strong style stiff kicks from DB. At one point, he had Khali down...not an easy task from someone as small as DB. Since The Miz wasn't there, Big Show came in, choke slammed DB, and walked out. I was kind of hoping Khali would step in and solidify his mark as a face by stopping Big Show.
Heath Slater vs Michael Tarver
Heath Slater with the win. blah.
Wade Barrett vs Skip Sheffield
Good back and forth. Not sure how the Regal/Sheffield pairing will do. Sheffield has the look though. Wade Barrett with the win.
I don't know if I like how Michael Cole's personality changes just for this show. He's a heel announcer for this show, and for Raw, he's the straight man.
Ok show this week. Didn't give me any "wow" moments.
TNA Marks
I don't want to come off as anti-TNA (and no, I'm not a WWE mark), but after watching the past 2 weeks of TNA Impact on Monday night makes me wonder why hardcore TNA fans think they've already "taken over".
Here's what I saw on Impact that just made me scratch my head:
TNA marks are making themselves believe that this is the better product. Either that, or they're making themselves want to see something other than WWE.
Here's what I saw on Impact that just made me scratch my head:
- Abyss gets his "monsterous" power from the WWE Hall of Fame ring from Hogan.
- Pope and Eric Young giving elbows and punches respectively, without making them look even remotely believable.
- Jimmy Hart pins Brother Ray.
- Scott Hall wearing a TNA sweatshirt with "Wolfpac" written on it with a Sharpie.
- Eric Bischoff getting his head shaved yet again on National TV. And you don't think the Bischoff/Hogan era's gonna be a repeat of WCW?
- Abyss' horrible Hogan impersonation.
- Ric Flair overdid it by making himself bleed the hard way to open Impact.
- 5 minute crappy matches, with the exception of the Pope/Angle vs Wolfe/Anderson match and the X-Division guys doing their thing.
- Story is, Lacey Von Erich is finally starting her wrestling training (via her Twitter account). Finally. I thought in order to really get into wrestling, she would have to train long in advance. Wait a minute. She was in FCW for a second. Didn't she train there? No? No wonder why she was let go.
- Can Bischoff make up his mind whether or not he wants to be a heel or face? That impassioned plea with Hogan mid-way through the show was really, really overdone.
TNA marks are making themselves believe that this is the better product. Either that, or they're making themselves want to see something other than WWE.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The New Monday Night Wars
"The Monday Night Wars" - This term brings about memories of a great era in wrestling. It was the late 90's and WCW and WWE was in a deep ratings war in the world of Professional Wrestling. WCW dominated for 81 straight weeks. It was significant because it was the first time there was legitimate competition between two rival promotions, with the underdog making strides and taking the lead. It was a great period because both promotions were constantly trying to outdo each other and in the WWE's video, "The Monday Night Wars", it was thought of as a true war since folks in the WWE viewed it as WCW trying to take food out of their mouths. We all know how that went - ratings took a dive, WCW struggled with who was running the back office, and in 2001, was eventually bought out by the WWE. There was a lot of factors as to what brought the house down in WCW. It was either poor management, poor booking, greed, egos, and a multitude of other reasons. At any rate, we found that WCW ultimately ended up being an asylum run by the inmates, which lead to them being run into the ground.
It's now roughly 10 years later and we're seeing a revival of a new "war". This time it's in TNA, again lead by Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan, two of the most prominent figures during the original WCW/WWE war. This time around, however, the war seems more like a balloon fight than an all out war. This has been a fairly hot topic as of late due to the focus TNA is putting into it and WWE's questionable lack of acknowledgment of this competition.
Previously, TNA was shown on Thursday nights with no opposition (WWE has their "Superstars" show on Thursdays but a few hours earlier). Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan came in and was given quite a bit of creative control, which is basically unheard of. It can be attributed to McDonald's hiring a store manager for Bob's Hamburger joint and saying, "Listen, we need you to help us beat the competition. Tell us whatever you want. We'll follow whatever you want us to do." (By no means am I saying that Hulk and Eric are of the same caliber, but you catch my drift). In my opinion, it just seems that TNA's already off to a bad start because they already have the vibe of the old post-war, pre-WWE buyout WCW.
Let's take a look at what TNA has going for them: TNA's a bit more free with the liberties their athletes can take in the ring as opposed to WWE (WWE has cut down on the high risk maneuvers in order to ensure the safety of their performers). TNA has some great, great talent such as Kurt Angle, Mr. Kenne...er...Anderson, Frankie Kazarian, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, and as of recently, Jeff Hardy and RVD. With the unrestricted style of TNA, they have he opportunity to show what they're truly made of. If there's proof in the pudding, it's in TNA's X-Division, a division of seemingly death-defying innovative wrestlers. TNA also has rabid fans. If you're a TNA fan, it's more than likely that 80% of these same fans will snub anything the WWE will put out. Behind the scenes, they have a lighter schedule as opposed to the WWE, who's on the road 300 days out of the year.
As with all the good, comes the bad. Because of TNA's lighter schedule with good pay, TNA's been a hotbed for ex-WWE performers who were either let go or gave notice because they didn't want to handle the intense schedule anymore. This is not necessarily a good thing because with the influx of incoming talent, the original talent gets lost in the shuffle. One of the big things storyline-wise with Eric and Hulk coming in was that everyone gets a shot - it's just up to the person to bring themselves up to the top. However, on their Monday night debut, TNA decided to headline with AJ Styles (current TNA World Champ) and Ric Flair versus Hulk Hogan and Abyss. Lately, they've also featured storylines featuring old members of the NWO. So where are the X-Division stars? Again, lost in the shuffle. They also decided to replace their innovative 6-sided ring (which was actually borrowed from Mexico promotion AAA and not really a TNA original idea) with the standard 4-sided ring. TNA is trying to shock and awe us into watching their product, but in the end their product reeks of WCW.
Now let's go through WWE's good points: WWE's been known to play it safe by putting out a consistent product. You get a nice build up for debuts or major storylines, you get a focused WWE with Wrestlemania coming up, and you don't get any out of the ordinary shockers that don't make sense. As far as talent goes, not only do you have veterans such as Triple H, Undertaker, HBK, and Rey Mysterio, but you also have the "new" vets like Batista, John Cena, Randy Orton, and Shelton Benjamin. On top of that, the WWE likes to use their Legends correctly. They know that they have to prep the next generation, so they don't try and take the spotlight. You don't see the likes of Ted Dibiase, Ricky Steamboat, and Sgt Slaughter in the ring, unless it's a one time deal. With all of this talent, they also have their new NXT brand, which is a reality show-based breeding ground for rookies (if you haven't seen it yet, check it out on wwe.com) which has gotten a great outpouring of support for it's fresh idea.
As far as the WWE's weaknesses, one of the major things has got to be their celebrity host spots. Sometimes it makes sense, and the interaction works, but sometimes they have guys who come in and just don't know what's going on. At this point, the gimmick's run it's course and it's ready to move on along. They've also been known to "water down" wrestlers who have been known outside the WWE as awesome talent. They also have been known to put more energy into stronger storylines and less into others in order to create compelling TV. Behind the scenes, the WWE's travel schedule has been known to be a deal-breaker.
Ratings wise, Raw has averaged a rating between 3.4-4.0, while Impact averages around 1.0-1.3. In comparison, Impact's ratings were struggling against WWE's ECW (before they closed their doors), who also has the distinction of having one of the WWE's lowest ratings (along with Superstars).
In the end, are we looking at a new war? In my opinion, it won't be relevant until TNA gets into their "rhythm" and starts giving chances to the people who built TNA. They haven't done anything yet to make the WWE take notice and change their game plan. At this point, I'm more interested in WWE's mixture of talent new and old, their consistency in storyline development, and the overall production value. TNA has to take control of the reins a bit more before really pushing forward with their "war"(tongue in cheek intended).
It's now roughly 10 years later and we're seeing a revival of a new "war". This time it's in TNA, again lead by Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan, two of the most prominent figures during the original WCW/WWE war. This time around, however, the war seems more like a balloon fight than an all out war. This has been a fairly hot topic as of late due to the focus TNA is putting into it and WWE's questionable lack of acknowledgment of this competition.
Previously, TNA was shown on Thursday nights with no opposition (WWE has their "Superstars" show on Thursdays but a few hours earlier). Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan came in and was given quite a bit of creative control, which is basically unheard of. It can be attributed to McDonald's hiring a store manager for Bob's Hamburger joint and saying, "Listen, we need you to help us beat the competition. Tell us whatever you want. We'll follow whatever you want us to do." (By no means am I saying that Hulk and Eric are of the same caliber, but you catch my drift). In my opinion, it just seems that TNA's already off to a bad start because they already have the vibe of the old post-war, pre-WWE buyout WCW.
Let's take a look at what TNA has going for them: TNA's a bit more free with the liberties their athletes can take in the ring as opposed to WWE (WWE has cut down on the high risk maneuvers in order to ensure the safety of their performers). TNA has some great, great talent such as Kurt Angle, Mr. Kenne...er...Anderson, Frankie Kazarian, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, and as of recently, Jeff Hardy and RVD. With the unrestricted style of TNA, they have he opportunity to show what they're truly made of. If there's proof in the pudding, it's in TNA's X-Division, a division of seemingly death-defying innovative wrestlers. TNA also has rabid fans. If you're a TNA fan, it's more than likely that 80% of these same fans will snub anything the WWE will put out. Behind the scenes, they have a lighter schedule as opposed to the WWE, who's on the road 300 days out of the year.
As with all the good, comes the bad. Because of TNA's lighter schedule with good pay, TNA's been a hotbed for ex-WWE performers who were either let go or gave notice because they didn't want to handle the intense schedule anymore. This is not necessarily a good thing because with the influx of incoming talent, the original talent gets lost in the shuffle. One of the big things storyline-wise with Eric and Hulk coming in was that everyone gets a shot - it's just up to the person to bring themselves up to the top. However, on their Monday night debut, TNA decided to headline with AJ Styles (current TNA World Champ) and Ric Flair versus Hulk Hogan and Abyss. Lately, they've also featured storylines featuring old members of the NWO. So where are the X-Division stars? Again, lost in the shuffle. They also decided to replace their innovative 6-sided ring (which was actually borrowed from Mexico promotion AAA and not really a TNA original idea) with the standard 4-sided ring. TNA is trying to shock and awe us into watching their product, but in the end their product reeks of WCW.
Now let's go through WWE's good points: WWE's been known to play it safe by putting out a consistent product. You get a nice build up for debuts or major storylines, you get a focused WWE with Wrestlemania coming up, and you don't get any out of the ordinary shockers that don't make sense. As far as talent goes, not only do you have veterans such as Triple H, Undertaker, HBK, and Rey Mysterio, but you also have the "new" vets like Batista, John Cena, Randy Orton, and Shelton Benjamin. On top of that, the WWE likes to use their Legends correctly. They know that they have to prep the next generation, so they don't try and take the spotlight. You don't see the likes of Ted Dibiase, Ricky Steamboat, and Sgt Slaughter in the ring, unless it's a one time deal. With all of this talent, they also have their new NXT brand, which is a reality show-based breeding ground for rookies (if you haven't seen it yet, check it out on wwe.com) which has gotten a great outpouring of support for it's fresh idea.
As far as the WWE's weaknesses, one of the major things has got to be their celebrity host spots. Sometimes it makes sense, and the interaction works, but sometimes they have guys who come in and just don't know what's going on. At this point, the gimmick's run it's course and it's ready to move on along. They've also been known to "water down" wrestlers who have been known outside the WWE as awesome talent. They also have been known to put more energy into stronger storylines and less into others in order to create compelling TV. Behind the scenes, the WWE's travel schedule has been known to be a deal-breaker.
Ratings wise, Raw has averaged a rating between 3.4-4.0, while Impact averages around 1.0-1.3. In comparison, Impact's ratings were struggling against WWE's ECW (before they closed their doors), who also has the distinction of having one of the WWE's lowest ratings (along with Superstars).
In the end, are we looking at a new war? In my opinion, it won't be relevant until TNA gets into their "rhythm" and starts giving chances to the people who built TNA. They haven't done anything yet to make the WWE take notice and change their game plan. At this point, I'm more interested in WWE's mixture of talent new and old, their consistency in storyline development, and the overall production value. TNA has to take control of the reins a bit more before really pushing forward with their "war"(tongue in cheek intended).
TNA Impact 3/15
Nice vignette showing Sting, Hardy, RVD, Hogan, Abyss, etc. from last week.
Flair and AJ is in the ring. Flair cuts a promo on Hardy and proceeds to bleed the hard way on purpose. Wow! Blood's all in his eye too! The thing I loved about AJ Styles was that he was in a league all his own. Not sure if I like this "Flair-branded" AJ. It reminds me too much of "Lil Naitch" from WCW (if you don't know what I'm talking about, don't ask). Hardy comes in with the face paint. Something about him in TNA makes me think he's just there to pick up a paycheck.
12 minutes in...promo still going.
New promo...Bischoff is talking to Mick about making him more "corporate". Foley with a shaved head and face? Uuuuhhhhh...no.
20 minutes into the show and they're barely starting their first match. Over at WWE, they've already ended their first match. Someone had the nerve to say that WWE's full of promos and less wrestling? I think not.
First match is starting and it's 3D with Lil Runt/Spike Dudley vs the Nasty Boys and Jimmy Hart. Nice hardcore match, but the 3D through the table looked wack. 3D doesn't belong here. They need to go back to the WWE. Jimmy Hart with the pin on Brother Ray. ooooohhhh k?
Christy Hemme. Yum. Angelina Love...not so much (but her body's dope).
Anderson/Pope vs Wolfe/Mr.Anderson next. This feud is something I like since the workers in it are real workers. Angle's a legend in the ring, Wolfe (Nigel McGiness) is notorious in the indy scene. Mr.Anderson always amazed me on the mic. The guy's a great talker. Pope's good, but he still needs to grow on me. Great match, overall! That last part with Mr.Anderson with the mic over a bloody Angle was priceless.
Backstage segment with Hogan talking to Bischoff in the office. It reminds me too much of the time in WCW when they had "Creative Control", which was Russo sitting in a big leather seat with the back to the camera. These guys are on the show way too much. Out of the 2 hours, I think they were there like 70% of the time.
Angelina vs someone from the Beautiful People...and it's their honorary BP member for the day, Daffney. Ok match, but big thumbs down on Angelina for punching the ground instead of Daffney. Outside spot with Daffney slamming Ang against the side of the ramp. I'm just waiting for the wardrobe malfunction lol! Tara with the run in!! Tara/Victoria/whatever you wanna call her...is probably one of the few legit female workers in the company. She's hot to me, but that nose and mannish jaw's got to go! LOL!
Hogan/Sting confrontation in the ring. Here we go again. WCW circa '99. RVD runs in and gets his revenge from last week. Still doesn't change the fact that RVD got demolished on his debut. I think that automatically put him in the mid-card for a long time. I was really confused by that. RVD's a major name and he squashed Sting, yet they use Sting to diffuse his debut and further his spot. Hogan's about to beat Sting with the bat, but Bischoff runs in, pleading with him not to do it. Is he a face or a heel? I'm confused. I thought Brooke wasn't supposed to be an on air talent?
Hall vs Nash in a $25k to last 5 minutes with Nash. Nash gets suckered into being handcuffed and gets his ass beat. Eric Young with the save. Eric Young with the bogus looking punches to Hall in his TNA sweatshirt with "Wolfpac" written on it with a Sharpie. Seriously? What was funny was 6pac teabagging Eric Young. LMAO!
Beer Money vs Hernandez in a handicap match with Jeff Jarrett as the special ref. Beer Money's a dope tag team. They can't just wallow in the minor leagues. They need to go to the big time! Great match with Hernandez' tag partner, Matt Morgan, on commentary and not supporting his boy. Post match, Jarrett takes the ref's shirt off and beats on Beer Money. Double J's gotta stop. It's like he's dog paddling to keep his job with TNA.
Bischoff/Mick segment with the head shaving. Tables are turned and Eric gets the Mandible Claw. Eric gets his head shaved......again....on National TV. More story recycling..and not a good recycle, at that.
SoCal Val is not hot, but I love how they use JB as comedy relief. He's like a young Don Knotts (I think Mick called him that).
Great X-Division spot with Kazarian, Daniels, Red, and other folks. This is what's gonna bring TNA to the top, not washed up recycled wrestlers and storylines.
I got tired of watching after Abyss showed up with his WWE Halll of Fame ring. He was unstoppable without it. Now he's a bumbling idiot. I came back after Raw to see Abyss choke slam Flair through the ramp.
Overall, I still haven't seen anything I really liked about TNA's current product except the X-Division and the Angle/Mr.Anderson storyline. Other than that, they need to really put out a really consistent product. Keep on tryin', TNA!
Flair and AJ is in the ring. Flair cuts a promo on Hardy and proceeds to bleed the hard way on purpose. Wow! Blood's all in his eye too! The thing I loved about AJ Styles was that he was in a league all his own. Not sure if I like this "Flair-branded" AJ. It reminds me too much of "Lil Naitch" from WCW (if you don't know what I'm talking about, don't ask). Hardy comes in with the face paint. Something about him in TNA makes me think he's just there to pick up a paycheck.
12 minutes in...promo still going.
New promo...Bischoff is talking to Mick about making him more "corporate". Foley with a shaved head and face? Uuuuhhhhh...no.
20 minutes into the show and they're barely starting their first match. Over at WWE, they've already ended their first match. Someone had the nerve to say that WWE's full of promos and less wrestling? I think not.
First match is starting and it's 3D with Lil Runt/Spike Dudley vs the Nasty Boys and Jimmy Hart. Nice hardcore match, but the 3D through the table looked wack. 3D doesn't belong here. They need to go back to the WWE. Jimmy Hart with the pin on Brother Ray. ooooohhhh k?
Christy Hemme. Yum. Angelina Love...not so much (but her body's dope).
Anderson/Pope vs Wolfe/Mr.Anderson next. This feud is something I like since the workers in it are real workers. Angle's a legend in the ring, Wolfe (Nigel McGiness) is notorious in the indy scene. Mr.Anderson always amazed me on the mic. The guy's a great talker. Pope's good, but he still needs to grow on me. Great match, overall! That last part with Mr.Anderson with the mic over a bloody Angle was priceless.
Backstage segment with Hogan talking to Bischoff in the office. It reminds me too much of the time in WCW when they had "Creative Control", which was Russo sitting in a big leather seat with the back to the camera. These guys are on the show way too much. Out of the 2 hours, I think they were there like 70% of the time.
Angelina vs someone from the Beautiful People...and it's their honorary BP member for the day, Daffney. Ok match, but big thumbs down on Angelina for punching the ground instead of Daffney. Outside spot with Daffney slamming Ang against the side of the ramp. I'm just waiting for the wardrobe malfunction lol! Tara with the run in!! Tara/Victoria/whatever you wanna call her...is probably one of the few legit female workers in the company. She's hot to me, but that nose and mannish jaw's got to go! LOL!
Hogan/Sting confrontation in the ring. Here we go again. WCW circa '99. RVD runs in and gets his revenge from last week. Still doesn't change the fact that RVD got demolished on his debut. I think that automatically put him in the mid-card for a long time. I was really confused by that. RVD's a major name and he squashed Sting, yet they use Sting to diffuse his debut and further his spot. Hogan's about to beat Sting with the bat, but Bischoff runs in, pleading with him not to do it. Is he a face or a heel? I'm confused. I thought Brooke wasn't supposed to be an on air talent?
Hall vs Nash in a $25k to last 5 minutes with Nash. Nash gets suckered into being handcuffed and gets his ass beat. Eric Young with the save. Eric Young with the bogus looking punches to Hall in his TNA sweatshirt with "Wolfpac" written on it with a Sharpie. Seriously? What was funny was 6pac teabagging Eric Young. LMAO!
Beer Money vs Hernandez in a handicap match with Jeff Jarrett as the special ref. Beer Money's a dope tag team. They can't just wallow in the minor leagues. They need to go to the big time! Great match with Hernandez' tag partner, Matt Morgan, on commentary and not supporting his boy. Post match, Jarrett takes the ref's shirt off and beats on Beer Money. Double J's gotta stop. It's like he's dog paddling to keep his job with TNA.
Bischoff/Mick segment with the head shaving. Tables are turned and Eric gets the Mandible Claw. Eric gets his head shaved......again....on National TV. More story recycling..and not a good recycle, at that.
SoCal Val is not hot, but I love how they use JB as comedy relief. He's like a young Don Knotts (I think Mick called him that).
Great X-Division spot with Kazarian, Daniels, Red, and other folks. This is what's gonna bring TNA to the top, not washed up recycled wrestlers and storylines.
I got tired of watching after Abyss showed up with his WWE Halll of Fame ring. He was unstoppable without it. Now he's a bumbling idiot. I came back after Raw to see Abyss choke slam Flair through the ramp.
Overall, I still haven't seen anything I really liked about TNA's current product except the X-Division and the Angle/Mr.Anderson storyline. Other than that, they need to really put out a really consistent product. Keep on tryin', TNA!
WWE RAW 3/15 Thoughts
RAW opens with a recap of last week's gauntlet match between McMahon and Cena. Shouldn't he be dead? He took like 5 finishers!!
Stone Cold comes out and the crowd is absolutely BONKERS! He looks to be in great shape. Guess he had to be for his movie, "Damage". He does his schtick on the mic. Cena comes in as SCSA finishes and SCSA teases a stunner on Cena. I know a lot of the Cena haters would've loved to see that. Big Show comes in for the match while SCSA is walking out and SCSA gives him a real sarcastic look...classic Stone Cold again. Match itself was good, with Batista coming in to interfere. Almost got a Cena win, but Show pulled off the one hitter quitter. I don't think Cena will ever see the mid-card ever again.
Dave's lookin' a bit old.
Edge promo. I like this Edge better. He has a better cocky dynamic to him.
Next match, Evan Bourne vs Sheamus. I smell squash match............yup, I was right. Sheamus smashes Evan on the head with the mic mid-promo and demolishes him. Bell didn't even ring. Sheamus cuts a promo right after. I hate that an awesome talent like Evan gets buried like this. Sheamus' got a great work rate, but I'm still not totally sold on him.
Backstage with Stone Cold and HBK. Quick promo about Wrestlemania. SCSA thinks it's going to be 18-0. In comes Y2J to talk smack to HBK and kiss Stone Cold's ass. Nice, short backstage vignette.
Kelly Kelly vs Maryse. Yum. Double Yum.
Post match run in by a bunch of divas. Michelle McCool somewhat dominates. She's just no good. She's a worker, but she still sucks.
HBK/Undertaker vignette for Wrestlemania. Great production! I love how they put in other wrestlers' commentary to add that realism to the whole thing.
Good match between Y2J and HBK. Edge comes in post match and demolishes Y2J. I still don't like Edge's spear, though. Goldberg's will always be the best to me.
Triple H vs Orton next. Another great match. Triple H is always a great storyteller. Orton's primed to be the next of the locker room leaders. Legacy comes in and takes out both Orton and Triple H. I like their storyline because they're taking their time with it and really building it up....but a part of me thinks they're starting to stretch it out too much.
Gorgeous George is inducted in the Hall of Fame this year. I know who he is, do you?
Kofi Kingston vs Batista. Squash match #2! It's the second time in 2 days a Filipino beat someone from Ghana LOL! Sorry...I had to say it.
Contract signing...I knew Bret wasn't hurt!
Overall, a nice, solid show. Really good build up to 'Mania. Didn't have any crazy moments that made me think "WTF?" Take that, TNA!
Stone Cold comes out and the crowd is absolutely BONKERS! He looks to be in great shape. Guess he had to be for his movie, "Damage". He does his schtick on the mic. Cena comes in as SCSA finishes and SCSA teases a stunner on Cena. I know a lot of the Cena haters would've loved to see that. Big Show comes in for the match while SCSA is walking out and SCSA gives him a real sarcastic look...classic Stone Cold again. Match itself was good, with Batista coming in to interfere. Almost got a Cena win, but Show pulled off the one hitter quitter. I don't think Cena will ever see the mid-card ever again.
Dave's lookin' a bit old.
Edge promo. I like this Edge better. He has a better cocky dynamic to him.
Next match, Evan Bourne vs Sheamus. I smell squash match............yup, I was right. Sheamus smashes Evan on the head with the mic mid-promo and demolishes him. Bell didn't even ring. Sheamus cuts a promo right after. I hate that an awesome talent like Evan gets buried like this. Sheamus' got a great work rate, but I'm still not totally sold on him.
Backstage with Stone Cold and HBK. Quick promo about Wrestlemania. SCSA thinks it's going to be 18-0. In comes Y2J to talk smack to HBK and kiss Stone Cold's ass. Nice, short backstage vignette.
Kelly Kelly vs Maryse. Yum. Double Yum.
Post match run in by a bunch of divas. Michelle McCool somewhat dominates. She's just no good. She's a worker, but she still sucks.
HBK/Undertaker vignette for Wrestlemania. Great production! I love how they put in other wrestlers' commentary to add that realism to the whole thing.
Good match between Y2J and HBK. Edge comes in post match and demolishes Y2J. I still don't like Edge's spear, though. Goldberg's will always be the best to me.
Triple H vs Orton next. Another great match. Triple H is always a great storyteller. Orton's primed to be the next of the locker room leaders. Legacy comes in and takes out both Orton and Triple H. I like their storyline because they're taking their time with it and really building it up....but a part of me thinks they're starting to stretch it out too much.
Gorgeous George is inducted in the Hall of Fame this year. I know who he is, do you?
Kofi Kingston vs Batista. Squash match #2! It's the second time in 2 days a Filipino beat someone from Ghana LOL! Sorry...I had to say it.
Contract signing...I knew Bret wasn't hurt!
Overall, a nice, solid show. Really good build up to 'Mania. Didn't have any crazy moments that made me think "WTF?" Take that, TNA!
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