This card is really empty, I wouldn't be surprised to see a tag match created and maybe a Women's title match, but these Chambers really have to last if they're going to fill their usual timeslot.
Drew McIntyre © VS Kane for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Drew isn't losing the title, the question is - does he retain via DQ or by pinfall? I'm calling DQ shenanigans and a Drew McIntyre win.
Gail Kim VS Maryse for the WWE Divas Championship
Maryse would be the fan favourite, but I think WWE might pull out a shock and name Gail Kim the new champion, and she would deserve it considering her recent outings, finally getting used to that WWE-sized ring.
Smackdown Elimination Chamber for the World Heavyweight Championship
I think from the offset we can rule out R-Truth and John Morrison, neither of them are ready/have been built up for the big win. I think Rey and CM Punk are showing signs of their match at 'Mania. So the last two options and Jericho and Undertaker, and since I'm almost certain Jericho will be facing Edge at the big one and Undertaker will be taking on HBK, I would like to say that Jericho will be walking out with the title in this one, part of me is also holding out for HBK to enter, but I'm going to stick to my guns.
RAW Elimination Chamber for the WWE Championship
Randy is destined for a Legacy confrontation at WrestleMania, so I don't think we're going to see him nor Ted get the win since it wouldn't help their feud. Kofi's recent performance almost certainly has him out of the running, which leaves Triple H, Cena and Sheamus. I think we're going to see Cena/Sheamus one last time as the final two, likely thanks to Sheamus messing up Triple H's chances somehow, and I don't think we can make Sheamus look like Cena's jobber tonight, so I'm calling Sheamus as the winner to set up a brawlfest at WrestleMania between Triple H and he.
Sunday 21 February 2010
Play-by-Play Week #2
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WWE RAW: 08/02/2010
A lot of people called this a filler RAW, I'm not so sure I totally agree, but looking back, it wasn't a particularly fantastic show...
The Good
● SHEAMUS! This was the single most important moment of the entire show and I believe has built into two moments we're about to see. By decimating arguably RAW's biggest two names in John Cena and Triple H, Sheamus has finally been established as a wrecking crew. Not only that, but I feel we're down to our final (for now) Cena/Sheamus confrontation in the Elimination Chamber, as well as planting the explosives for a big Triple H/Sheamus match for the title at WrestleMania, which is a brawl I would love to see.
● Batista/Cena, this is the build their first match should've received, Batista is totally on form as a heel and Cena is at his arguable best since early 2007, this could be the biggest face/heel confrontation on a WrestleMania card in quite some time if they keep up the low boil and just let it explode at 'Mania.
● Ladies and gentlemen, The Viper is loose and it looks like we're finally getting Randy the face, which could potentially be absolutely massive, the moment he hit that RKO, I literally jumped out my seat and cheered, I can not wait to see what this could potentially bring, just so long as they don't make Randy buddy-buddy with anyone, this could be brilliant to watch.
The Bad
● Where the hell was Shawn Michaels? After last week I didn't even catch a mention of him, we got more coverage on Smackdown with a passing comment than we did all RAW.
● The Bret Hart segment, everybody messed up, Cena's timing, the effects crew, the cameraman, it just didn't work at all and I can't see the point in it except to say that Bret can't wrestle at WrestleMania.
● Jerry Springer, originally I was going to put this in the "Okay" section, but man, this segment (whilst nothing particularly offensive) could've been so much more. Imagine Jericho appearing as the jilted ex of Big Show (now with Miz), imagine HBK pouring his heart out and destroying the set, heck, I even would've given for them to reveal in Kelly Kelly's ultrasound that the baby was the hand that Mae Young didn't give birth to!
The Uh... Okay
● I'm going to ruin any credibility I have here, but Antonio Inoki, I know who he is, I know all he's achieved (and I know he's worthy of Hall of Fame status), but it just doesn't mean much to me personally coming on the tails of Ted DiBiase.
● DiBiase and Kofi, I don't know what's happened to Kofi in 2010, but he's gone from absolute megastar to Carlito-esque going through the motions, Ted did a good job, but I'm a little disappointed that the Man-A-From-Ghana is not delivering right now considering his epic with Randy Orton.
● MVP and Mark Henry beating Miz & Big Show - served no real purpose since there's no match yet booked for Elimination Chamber (a card that's going to struggle to fill two hours from what I can see), I'm hoping that these guys are going to develop into a multi-team match at WrestleMania for the Tag Titles as a replacement for Money In The Bank.
● Bret Hart, on a rare moment in the last two months, Bret's speech did nothing for me, though the fact a Hart was left in hospital and we were to get reports felt horrible, and not in the right way.
WWE Presents... ECW on Scyfy: 09/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 11/02/2010)
This wasn't what it should have been, this should have involved nods to the ECW of old and new, it should've featured a goodbye video package and it should've been given a proper burial... but what it did do in its last match is delivered the TRUE spirit of ECW.
The Good
● What do I mean by the "True" spirit? I mean it established a man - Zeke. Christian did his usual fantastic job of putting a man over and Zeke now looks like a force to be reckoned with since he's not only grabbed a title, but he's the LAST champion.
● Three men came out of this looking like the stars they're going to be, Zeke and Christian of course... and Zack Ryder - woo woo woo... you know it.
● The Abraham Washington Show. How is it that on potentially the last ever segment of this, it was actually entertaining? Not to mention Kozlov and Shelton is a team I'd like to see. Here's to hoping we see Abe as a mouthpiece for someone, because he draws heat fantastically - heck, if they ever turn Shelton again, he'd be the absolute perfect match for a mouth to match the in-ring talent.
The Bad
● The lack of nod to ECW's history, pure and simple, felt like a total waste.
The Uh... Okay
● The CATFIIIIIIIGHT, it was good to see, and we all understood it, but would it have killed them to have one of the announcers call it in true fashion?
● The NXT stuff, I kind of hoped we'd get to meet the wrestlers in person in just a brief "about me" segment, but it's no big thing.
The Good
● Gail Kim/Katie Lea was good, how Katie has yet to win a title is baffling though - and where's Paul?
● The tag match was entertaining, but I can't help but think it's time Primo turned heel and joined his brother and Chavo and Evan teamed up in a sort of veteran/rookie (in comparison) tag team that would benefit both.
The Bad
● --
The Uh... Okay
● Mysterio/Knox served no purpose but to show that Rey's had a match before the Chamber like most other wrestlers.
The Good
● Jericho delivers, as you'd expect, that Codebreaker moment to one-up Undertaker has me excited, if HBK doesn't face Undertaker, I'm praying it's going to be Jericho, these two could deliver potentially a match greater than last years HBK/'Taker match if given a chance. In fact, that entire last match was probably the best show ender WWE's put on in quite some time.
● Crofetta's (or as I should now call them again - The Dudebusters) were on fine form against Cryme Tyme. I'm hoping this is going to lead to Smackdown having an actual tag division whilst RAW has thrown together teams, could make for a different dynamic and benefit Smackdowns superior wrestling and RAW's superior entertainment.
● Punk and Gallows going over Morrison and Truth, Morrison is clearly out of the Chamber at this point and we all know who's going to replace him, but the point is the Straight Edge Society looked strong, and Rey's failed revenge just throws fuel on the fire of what should be a very cool feud.
● The Hart Dynasty beating Team Khardy and Maria (should that be Khardia now?) and the post-match segment with Team Laycool was very entertaining. Laycool are like a less awesome Beautiful People and their insults to Hardy and his return fire made me laugh.
● Zeke is coming to Smackdown, and believe me, this right here? It's domination. I hope he'll be thrown into the US title mix sooner rather than later.
The Bad
● Vickie and Mickie, I repeat from last week, why is this happening?
The Uh... Okay
● Kane and Dolph Ziggler, again Dolph suffers from "lack of storylineitis" and has to lose to Kane, I love The Big Red Machine, but he didn't need this win, it could've just as easily been Mike Knox or someone who could take the loss without looking like even more of a bitch than they have done.
The Good
● Pope starts off the show, just as he should and cuts a great promo, then he enjoys some fantastic interaction with Ric Flair. As old as the "Dick Flair" nickname is, it's delivered with great humour from Dinero and is a lot of fun, this feud could be something to behold when we get AJ and The Pope back in the ring together again.
● Daffney is fantastic, as usual, seeing her wail on Tara makes me think they aren't done with Tara's angle of being a "Diva" turned "Knockout", and if that means a hardcore brawl with Daffney I have no issues with that.
● Orlando Jordan and Samoa Joe had a great match, and oddly enough, I feel that the right man won, OJ has put in some great performances since being in TNA and I'm sure this is just building to a feud or angle for Samoa Joe. The finish was a very cool counter (something we've seen a lot of this last fortnight) and it didn't make anyone look weak.
● Abyss, if they're turning him into a main event player again, they're going about it right, and though the segment with Hogan was awful, I genuinely thought that the concept delivered.
● The return of Kaz was a triumph, as a guy who doesn't see the big deal in Kazarian, he really impressed me, better match than I've ever seen him as Suicide and better than most of his previous stuff. Him and Doug Williams should gel fantastically.
● Jeff Jarrett was on fine form with Abyss, I'm enjoying his slow moving storyline and lack of spotlight, it allows him to perform under minimal scrutiny and he really delivers.
● Eric Bischoff and Hogan, all night both were on fire, Eric's "naughty boy" face when Hogan caught him trying to unmask Abyss is a facial expression that will stick in my head forever, as was Hogans "dad is here and he's not impressed" look.
● Big Rob's clothesline, I said it on Twitter, I'll say it again, looked deep and harmful, cool turn and I hope it develops him a little.
● The Band finally got me interested, but I can thank Nash for that. Say what you might about Kevin, the man can deliver a promo.
The Bad
● The fact they're still doing the ringbell thing whenever there's any form of beatdown. Annoying.
● TNA wussing out on Orlando Jordan's bisexual kisses, I don't blame TNA for taking it out, but if you're not going to deliver it, don't record it in the first place.
● Generation Me. Oh man, TNA wrestlers are going on my hitlist for my most hated of all things in a wrestling match - pointless flips and high spots. Their flip was stupid and added nothing to that dropkick. Unless it looks like it would deliver momentum to a move DO NOT do it, it endanger you, your fellow wrestlers and looks pathetic.
The Uh... Okay
● Mick's makeover, I get that it was to stop Mick interfering with Abyss, but I really kind of hoped we'd get some humorous segments from it.
● Kurt Angle delivered a heartfelt promo and then Kennedy ruined it, it wasn't be being a heel, he just removed any heat from the segment somehow, I can't even explain it.
A lot of people called this a filler RAW, I'm not so sure I totally agree, but looking back, it wasn't a particularly fantastic show...
The Good
● SHEAMUS! This was the single most important moment of the entire show and I believe has built into two moments we're about to see. By decimating arguably RAW's biggest two names in John Cena and Triple H, Sheamus has finally been established as a wrecking crew. Not only that, but I feel we're down to our final (for now) Cena/Sheamus confrontation in the Elimination Chamber, as well as planting the explosives for a big Triple H/Sheamus match for the title at WrestleMania, which is a brawl I would love to see.
● Batista/Cena, this is the build their first match should've received, Batista is totally on form as a heel and Cena is at his arguable best since early 2007, this could be the biggest face/heel confrontation on a WrestleMania card in quite some time if they keep up the low boil and just let it explode at 'Mania.
● Ladies and gentlemen, The Viper is loose and it looks like we're finally getting Randy the face, which could potentially be absolutely massive, the moment he hit that RKO, I literally jumped out my seat and cheered, I can not wait to see what this could potentially bring, just so long as they don't make Randy buddy-buddy with anyone, this could be brilliant to watch.
The Bad
● Where the hell was Shawn Michaels? After last week I didn't even catch a mention of him, we got more coverage on Smackdown with a passing comment than we did all RAW.
● The Bret Hart segment, everybody messed up, Cena's timing, the effects crew, the cameraman, it just didn't work at all and I can't see the point in it except to say that Bret can't wrestle at WrestleMania.
● Jerry Springer, originally I was going to put this in the "Okay" section, but man, this segment (whilst nothing particularly offensive) could've been so much more. Imagine Jericho appearing as the jilted ex of Big Show (now with Miz), imagine HBK pouring his heart out and destroying the set, heck, I even would've given for them to reveal in Kelly Kelly's ultrasound that the baby was the hand that Mae Young didn't give birth to!
The Uh... Okay
● I'm going to ruin any credibility I have here, but Antonio Inoki, I know who he is, I know all he's achieved (and I know he's worthy of Hall of Fame status), but it just doesn't mean much to me personally coming on the tails of Ted DiBiase.
● DiBiase and Kofi, I don't know what's happened to Kofi in 2010, but he's gone from absolute megastar to Carlito-esque going through the motions, Ted did a good job, but I'm a little disappointed that the Man-A-From-Ghana is not delivering right now considering his epic with Randy Orton.
● MVP and Mark Henry beating Miz & Big Show - served no real purpose since there's no match yet booked for Elimination Chamber (a card that's going to struggle to fill two hours from what I can see), I'm hoping that these guys are going to develop into a multi-team match at WrestleMania for the Tag Titles as a replacement for Money In The Bank.
● Bret Hart, on a rare moment in the last two months, Bret's speech did nothing for me, though the fact a Hart was left in hospital and we were to get reports felt horrible, and not in the right way.
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WWE Presents... ECW on Scyfy: 09/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 11/02/2010)
This wasn't what it should have been, this should have involved nods to the ECW of old and new, it should've featured a goodbye video package and it should've been given a proper burial... but what it did do in its last match is delivered the TRUE spirit of ECW.
The Good
● What do I mean by the "True" spirit? I mean it established a man - Zeke. Christian did his usual fantastic job of putting a man over and Zeke now looks like a force to be reckoned with since he's not only grabbed a title, but he's the LAST champion.
● Three men came out of this looking like the stars they're going to be, Zeke and Christian of course... and Zack Ryder - woo woo woo... you know it.
● The Abraham Washington Show. How is it that on potentially the last ever segment of this, it was actually entertaining? Not to mention Kozlov and Shelton is a team I'd like to see. Here's to hoping we see Abe as a mouthpiece for someone, because he draws heat fantastically - heck, if they ever turn Shelton again, he'd be the absolute perfect match for a mouth to match the in-ring talent.
The Bad
● The lack of nod to ECW's history, pure and simple, felt like a total waste.
The Uh... Okay
● The CATFIIIIIIIGHT, it was good to see, and we all understood it, but would it have killed them to have one of the announcers call it in true fashion?
● The NXT stuff, I kind of hoped we'd get to meet the wrestlers in person in just a brief "about me" segment, but it's no big thing.
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WWE Superstars: 11/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 12/02/2010)
I'll make this brief since Superstars is my "don't pay attention" show.
The Good
● Gail Kim/Katie Lea was good, how Katie has yet to win a title is baffling though - and where's Paul?
● The tag match was entertaining, but I can't help but think it's time Primo turned heel and joined his brother and Chavo and Evan teamed up in a sort of veteran/rookie (in comparison) tag team that would benefit both.
The Bad
● --
The Uh... Okay
● Mysterio/Knox served no purpose but to show that Rey's had a match before the Chamber like most other wrestlers.
----------------
Great show all-round, only one out of place moment and the rest really built me up for Elimination Chamber.WWE Smackdown: 12/02/2010
The Good
● Jericho delivers, as you'd expect, that Codebreaker moment to one-up Undertaker has me excited, if HBK doesn't face Undertaker, I'm praying it's going to be Jericho, these two could deliver potentially a match greater than last years HBK/'Taker match if given a chance. In fact, that entire last match was probably the best show ender WWE's put on in quite some time.
● Crofetta's (or as I should now call them again - The Dudebusters) were on fine form against Cryme Tyme. I'm hoping this is going to lead to Smackdown having an actual tag division whilst RAW has thrown together teams, could make for a different dynamic and benefit Smackdowns superior wrestling and RAW's superior entertainment.
● Punk and Gallows going over Morrison and Truth, Morrison is clearly out of the Chamber at this point and we all know who's going to replace him, but the point is the Straight Edge Society looked strong, and Rey's failed revenge just throws fuel on the fire of what should be a very cool feud.
● The Hart Dynasty beating Team Khardy and Maria (should that be Khardia now?) and the post-match segment with Team Laycool was very entertaining. Laycool are like a less awesome Beautiful People and their insults to Hardy and his return fire made me laugh.
● Zeke is coming to Smackdown, and believe me, this right here? It's domination. I hope he'll be thrown into the US title mix sooner rather than later.
The Bad
● Vickie and Mickie, I repeat from last week, why is this happening?
The Uh... Okay
● Kane and Dolph Ziggler, again Dolph suffers from "lack of storylineitis" and has to lose to Kane, I love The Big Red Machine, but he didn't need this win, it could've just as easily been Mike Knox or someone who could take the loss without looking like even more of a bitch than they have done.
----------------
TNA Impact: 11/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 13/02/2010)
TNA Impact: 11/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 13/02/2010)
Coming off of a strong PPV, TNA have a lot to offer now in terms of where stories are going, and they delivered the goods.
The Good
● Pope starts off the show, just as he should and cuts a great promo, then he enjoys some fantastic interaction with Ric Flair. As old as the "Dick Flair" nickname is, it's delivered with great humour from Dinero and is a lot of fun, this feud could be something to behold when we get AJ and The Pope back in the ring together again.
● Daffney is fantastic, as usual, seeing her wail on Tara makes me think they aren't done with Tara's angle of being a "Diva" turned "Knockout", and if that means a hardcore brawl with Daffney I have no issues with that.
● Orlando Jordan and Samoa Joe had a great match, and oddly enough, I feel that the right man won, OJ has put in some great performances since being in TNA and I'm sure this is just building to a feud or angle for Samoa Joe. The finish was a very cool counter (something we've seen a lot of this last fortnight) and it didn't make anyone look weak.
● Abyss, if they're turning him into a main event player again, they're going about it right, and though the segment with Hogan was awful, I genuinely thought that the concept delivered.
● The return of Kaz was a triumph, as a guy who doesn't see the big deal in Kazarian, he really impressed me, better match than I've ever seen him as Suicide and better than most of his previous stuff. Him and Doug Williams should gel fantastically.
● Jeff Jarrett was on fine form with Abyss, I'm enjoying his slow moving storyline and lack of spotlight, it allows him to perform under minimal scrutiny and he really delivers.
● Eric Bischoff and Hogan, all night both were on fire, Eric's "naughty boy" face when Hogan caught him trying to unmask Abyss is a facial expression that will stick in my head forever, as was Hogans "dad is here and he's not impressed" look.
● Big Rob's clothesline, I said it on Twitter, I'll say it again, looked deep and harmful, cool turn and I hope it develops him a little.
● The Band finally got me interested, but I can thank Nash for that. Say what you might about Kevin, the man can deliver a promo.
The Bad
● The fact they're still doing the ringbell thing whenever there's any form of beatdown. Annoying.
● TNA wussing out on Orlando Jordan's bisexual kisses, I don't blame TNA for taking it out, but if you're not going to deliver it, don't record it in the first place.
● Generation Me. Oh man, TNA wrestlers are going on my hitlist for my most hated of all things in a wrestling match - pointless flips and high spots. Their flip was stupid and added nothing to that dropkick. Unless it looks like it would deliver momentum to a move DO NOT do it, it endanger you, your fellow wrestlers and looks pathetic.
The Uh... Okay
● Mick's makeover, I get that it was to stop Mick interfering with Abyss, but I really kind of hoped we'd get some humorous segments from it.
● Kurt Angle delivered a heartfelt promo and then Kennedy ruined it, it wasn't be being a heel, he just removed any heat from the segment somehow, I can't even explain it.
Colour Commentary: The Birth of the NXT Generation
We're going to cut it a little simple this week in Colour Commentary since it's been a busy week personally, simply we're going to look at the first of Generation NXT, the rookies who will be taking up WWE's new show and their associated WWE Pro's.
Michael Tarver and Carlito
I feel rather bad for Mr Tarver, he's got the look, from what I've seen his got the skill, but he's been put with probably the worst possible person I ever could've considered for a teacher - I'm sure everyone had one, the teacher who just phoned it in? Yeah, that's Carlito when he's in the ring for himself, so I dread how he's going to be with his pupil. From what I gather these guys are meant to be help train the rookies both on screen and behind them, so whilst it might create some great on-screen tension, I can't imagine Tarver learning anything from Carlito except how to slack off.
Skip Sheffield andMVP William Regal
Let the rumour mill roll as to why MVP's out, but as far as Sheffield goes, he couldn't ask for a better pro, why Regal wasn't involved in the first place I don't know (he and Finlay would be PERFECT for this, and imagine the rivalry between the two) but Skip best be a glad of this, because quite frankly he looks like a man going through a mid-life crisis who wants to be a wrestler - here's to hoping he performs better than he looks.
David Otunga and R-Truth
Two ethnic gents put together as a team? There's a surprise WWE! In all seriousness, if Otunga claims to be the "Kanye West of WWE", then R-Truth should be a great match who can make him a bit more down to earth whilst still retaining his personality. Otunga could be a our next MNM with his celebrity links and he looks like he could hurt you, which never hur-... oh wait it does hurt.
Wade Barrett and Chris Jericho
Wow, did Wade Barrett get the luck of the draw or what? Wade is sure to get some real benefit from working with a showman like Jericho and the fact he "never bites his tongue" could create some great chemistry with his mentor, whether it be in the form of friction or traction.
Justin Gabriel and Matt Hardy
If he's going by Justin Gabriel, I want DJ Gabriel back. Just sayin'. But as far as potential goes, the former Justin Angel is one who should go far in WWE, he's got the skills, he's got the look (tell me there won't be some Twilight-esque slashfic in his future and I'll be showing you it - but don't call me on that, I really don't want to have to hunt that out) and he's got a trainer who's got a dedication to the business and fans.
Heath Slater and Christian
Oh man, there's two guys in these rookies that need a haircut, and Heath is one, it makes him look really odd with his red skin tone. Heath reminds me a lot of Christian in personality from the little I've seen, and considering how well Christian has done with getting over the ECW talent, Heath is in for an absolute treat.
Darren Young and CM Punk
From this point on (and once before on Twitter), I'm referring to Darren Young as "Pineapple Head", if CM Punk is going to shave anyone's hair, I pray it's his. Please Straight Edge Saviour! I can see shades of Zack Ryder in young Pineapple Head, so here's to hoping it's not just imitation, it's innovation from this young fruit from South Beach.
Daniel Bryan and The Miz
OF COURSE I saved these two for last, like there was going to be any other pairing I could leave to the main event. And do you know why that is? Because people are idiots. Pure and simple. The amount of whining I've heard about this is ridiculous. Do you know what's good about this pairing? Everything. It's got people talking. It's got built-in tension between the likely face Bryan and the heel Miz. It's got a man who knows a lot about showmanship teaching a guy who wrestles like a master but doesn't have great personality. It's got a man who is a wrestling master likely showing up a guy who's pretty average in the ring. It's got BRYAN FREAKING DANIELSON AND THE MIZ - how could this pairing be any more... wait for it... awwwweesooooommmee! If you have issues with this pairing, well done, you've finally turned into the mark that WWE wanted you to be all along, welcome to our world.
Michael Tarver and Carlito
I feel rather bad for Mr Tarver, he's got the look, from what I've seen his got the skill, but he's been put with probably the worst possible person I ever could've considered for a teacher - I'm sure everyone had one, the teacher who just phoned it in? Yeah, that's Carlito when he's in the ring for himself, so I dread how he's going to be with his pupil. From what I gather these guys are meant to be help train the rookies both on screen and behind them, so whilst it might create some great on-screen tension, I can't imagine Tarver learning anything from Carlito except how to slack off.
Skip Sheffield and
Let the rumour mill roll as to why MVP's out, but as far as Sheffield goes, he couldn't ask for a better pro, why Regal wasn't involved in the first place I don't know (he and Finlay would be PERFECT for this, and imagine the rivalry between the two) but Skip best be a glad of this, because quite frankly he looks like a man going through a mid-life crisis who wants to be a wrestler - here's to hoping he performs better than he looks.
David Otunga and R-Truth
Two ethnic gents put together as a team? There's a surprise WWE! In all seriousness, if Otunga claims to be the "Kanye West of WWE", then R-Truth should be a great match who can make him a bit more down to earth whilst still retaining his personality. Otunga could be a our next MNM with his celebrity links and he looks like he could hurt you, which never hur-... oh wait it does hurt.
Wade Barrett and Chris Jericho
Wow, did Wade Barrett get the luck of the draw or what? Wade is sure to get some real benefit from working with a showman like Jericho and the fact he "never bites his tongue" could create some great chemistry with his mentor, whether it be in the form of friction or traction.
Justin Gabriel and Matt Hardy
If he's going by Justin Gabriel, I want DJ Gabriel back. Just sayin'. But as far as potential goes, the former Justin Angel is one who should go far in WWE, he's got the skills, he's got the look (tell me there won't be some Twilight-esque slashfic in his future and I'll be showing you it - but don't call me on that, I really don't want to have to hunt that out) and he's got a trainer who's got a dedication to the business and fans.
Heath Slater and Christian
Oh man, there's two guys in these rookies that need a haircut, and Heath is one, it makes him look really odd with his red skin tone. Heath reminds me a lot of Christian in personality from the little I've seen, and considering how well Christian has done with getting over the ECW talent, Heath is in for an absolute treat.
Darren Young and CM Punk
From this point on (and once before on Twitter), I'm referring to Darren Young as "Pineapple Head", if CM Punk is going to shave anyone's hair, I pray it's his. Please Straight Edge Saviour! I can see shades of Zack Ryder in young Pineapple Head, so here's to hoping it's not just imitation, it's innovation from this young fruit from South Beach.
Daniel Bryan and The Miz
OF COURSE I saved these two for last, like there was going to be any other pairing I could leave to the main event. And do you know why that is? Because people are idiots. Pure and simple. The amount of whining I've heard about this is ridiculous. Do you know what's good about this pairing? Everything. It's got people talking. It's got built-in tension between the likely face Bryan and the heel Miz. It's got a man who knows a lot about showmanship teaching a guy who wrestles like a master but doesn't have great personality. It's got a man who is a wrestling master likely showing up a guy who's pretty average in the ring. It's got BRYAN FREAKING DANIELSON AND THE MIZ - how could this pairing be any more... wait for it... awwwweesooooommmee! If you have issues with this pairing, well done, you've finally turned into the mark that WWE wanted you to be all along, welcome to our world.
Sunday 14 February 2010
Predictions: TNA Against All Odds 2010
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Whilst writing this I noted that there's a LOT of potential feuds in the 8 Card Stud tournament, it's a concept that seems to have been lost by the lack of non-direct title tournaments these days and TNA really should capitalise on this basic concept. Also disappointed by the fact there are no Knockout matches, that handicap match from Impact seriously belonged on this card in place of the 3D/Nasty Boys match.
Team 3D VS The Nasty Boys
If Team 3D don't win, I'll weep for all humanity.
8 Card Stud Tournament: Quarterfinal
D'Angelo Dinero VS Desmond Wolfe
If we're going off momentum, Dinero has a win over AJ Styles, it doesn't get much bigger than holding a win over the World champion, I can't see TNA logically throwing away this opportunity, but logic hasn't always been their best ability. Benefit of the doubt prediction, D'Angelo Dinero.
8 Card Stud Tournament: Quarterfinal
Hernandez VS Matt Morgan
Ah the age old “tag champs clash”, personally I think Morgan would serve much better as a heel, I think he works much better in that position since he doesn't have the personality to be a face, going off that I see him being the one to turn and jealousy in this tournament victory being the reason, therefore Hernandez has to pick up the win.
8 Card Stud Tournament: Quarterfinal
Kurt Angle VS Mr Anderson
I'm going with a Kurt Angle, but I think Anderson might get the last laugh and take Angle out.
8 Card Stud Tournament: Quarterfinal
Mick Foley VS Abyss
Methinks Abyss is turning, he and Foley have been back and forth too much and it's time to finally end it, Bischoff said no shenanigans to get out of it, so I feel the story goes Abyss gets the win and decimates Foley, probably taking him out for a while so Bischoff can gloat, if it doesn't happen tonight, it'll happen sooner or later.
8 Card Stud Tournament: Semifinal
D'Angelo Dinero VS Hernandez
Here's where my predictions go to hell, because for all I know I could be on the wrong side of two previous predictions, but I'm sticking to my guns and saying this match will go ahead with D'Angelo Dinero picking up the win and having the second hint of a split with Hernandez and Morgan when Morgan tries to interfere and messes up “by accident”.
8 Card Stud Tournament: Semifinal
Abyss VS Kurt Angle
I can't call it any other way – Kurt Angle is getting the win in this face off, beating the odds if Anderson does hurt him.
8 Card Stud Tournament: Final
D'Angelo Dinero VS Kurt Angle
The Pope holds the win over AJ, but AJ has shown to be afraid of facing Kurt without help, either way it's going to be hyped as AJ's potential downfall, but I'm going to call it with Kurt Angle. I think we're seeing a Bischoff/Hogan feud potentially develop (especially if TNA is truly in talks for a second show) and I think getting Hulk behind Kurt is the right move if Kurt is going to win this tournament.
AJ Styles © VS Samoa Joe for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship with Eric Bischoff as the special guest referee
I feel bad for saying it, but Joe isn't winning this, whilst I'd love it to happen, AJ's reign at the top has only just begun, he's going to be the heel we all want to see taken off his pedestal for a few months yet if TNA has any sense. What Bischoff's role in all this is, I don't know for sure, but as mentioned I can see a Bischoff/Hogan feud developing and if Bisch is behind the champ and Hulk is behind the challenger it makes sense. AJ Styles is picking up the win on the basis of logic and good booking.
Play-by-Play Week #1
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WWE RAW: 08/02/2010
Sure as hell chose a good RAW to open this thing with didn't I? From Bret Hart's rampage to Ted DiBiase one upping Randy Orton to new Unified Tag Team Champions and even the ECW Champion appearing on another brand.
I'm not actually doing "play-by-play" as the title suggests, in actuality I'm simplifying things, I'm putting them into categories, put simply, "The Good, The Bad, And The Uh... Okay", simple.
The Good
● As mentioned first, Bret Harts segment with Vince McMahon was of the high quality we've come to expect from these two, the "will they, won't they" back and forth on their face off is great fun to watch, and it even has the metafans guessing, is Bret healthy enough to fight? Will it end up being like The Battle of the Billionaire's in Cena and Batista's corners? Will we ever see Vince dance as majestically as he did after this segment was over?
● Cody Rhodes' win over stablemate / boss / pain in his backside, Randy Orton. Okay so it was partially down to interference, but it was still nice to see. I can see Rhodes sticking with Orton a while longer and DiBiase being the one to turn, a three way turn wouldn't work and DiBiase is clearly far more ready to strike out on his own than Rhodes is right now.
● Seeing Christian on RAW was an absolute delight, if anyone has any question over whether WWE is behind the ECW champ, I hope they were silenced to some degree, his ability to make any wrestler look like a million bucks was a great asset to the still unsteady Sheamus, and although he came out with the loss, he ended up looking strong and made his opponent look even better, than that's the end goal of almost every match.
● Seeing Miz with three belts was amazing, I only hope he can pull a Santino and become Mizina just so he can get more gold (that's a joke, for those people with just too little sense of humour).
● Carl Edwards, proving that those NASCAR guys from before were a one-off session of suck, the guy had enough personality that I wouldn't object to him returning any time.
● Shawn Michaels suckerkicks Teddy Long, HBK's desperation is bleeding through in everything he does, and whether he faces Undertaker or not, his story is going to be right up their in the story of the year candidates come year end.
● Save the best for last, Vince and John Cena, if you have ANY doubt that John Cena is the freaking man, watch this promo, I'm not going to say any more than that because it's one of those moments that speaks for itself
The Bad
● Despite Mizshow winning, I have to say I was very disappointed that the beloved Disciples of Jesus... uh Straight Edge Society didn't win the Tag Titles, it could've cemented them as potentially the most hated team in years, but there's still plenty of time for that.
● John Cena absolutely decimating Ted DiBiase - what was the point? Cena didn't need it, DiBiase sure as hell didn't need it and it could've been just as easily achieved with just being a Cena promo.
The Uh... Okay
● Gail Kim and Maryse's stuff isn't really doing anything to hype me for the match, I mean, they do it themselves by just wrestling, but these segments just feel like absolute filler. Hopefully the Divas division will pick up in time for WrestleMania instead of leaving us with another pitiful Miss WrestleMania contest.
WWE Presents... ECW on Scyfy: 09/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 11/02/2010)
Well, the penultimate ECW was less satisfying, over the last year it's gone from the best wrestling show in North America to an afterthought with some great talent, and with that in mind, we did have some good matches.
The Good
● Tiffany channelling DDP - that's not a bad thing, that's a GOOD thing.
● Yoshidust beats Crofetta, not really "good", but the right team went over and the match was good fun, I look forward to hopefully seeing Yoshi J-Popping the ever loving heck out of RAW or Smackdown crowds.
The Bad
● Zeke beats a local competitor? There's nothing I hate more than seeing a local competitor, nobody enjoys these matches and it doesn't make the guy look strong, guys like Funaki are on the roster for the very reason of being beat by the big guys, it adds that tiny bit of hope to any match seeing a name you know.
The Uh... Okay
● Shelton Benjamin and Vance Archer, I can't see either of these guys shining on RAW or Smackdown, though considering how creepy Archer is I can see him in the Straight Edge Society. As for Shelton, this match made me think it's time for him to sink or swim, the guy has no consistency, I say throw him into the United States title mix over on RAW and he can't handle it, it may be time to just call it a day on giving the guy anything resembling a push.
WWE Superstars: 11/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 12/02/2010)
I'll be honest, I dread watching Superstars each week, there's not that many significant or entertaining matches these days, it's like a slightly above Heat level show thanks to WWE's diminished jobber level. With that in mind, this will be brief
The Good
● Seeing Zack Ryder get his shot at Christian, if ECW is going down, I think we can agree that Ryder is one of the triumph stories of the brand, his massive change from being a forgettable Edge-head to having the best "Woo" since the Nature Boy has been a pleasure to watch, and I pray he doesn't get lost in the shuffle on whichever brand he goes to.
● Jack Swagger and Santino's feud has been fun, hopefully this won't be a drag on feud like Chavo/Hornswoggle and now both men can move on to doing what they do best with other people. If there's one man I want to see take Miz's US title, it's Jack Swagger - the era of the All-American American United States of America champion will come!
The Bad
● Booking JTG vs Dolph Ziggler as the main event on a show featuring the ECW champion and a match featuring RAW's most entertaining comedy wrestler and RAW's potential best wrestler? To top it off it was an match with about as much consequence as scratching your elbow - as I said on Twitter, putting Dolph in nothing matches helps no-one, he's too talented to be doing nothing, put him in a feud or some kind of angle already!
The Uh... Okay
● --
WWE Smackdown: 12/02/2010
Smackdown is absolutely stacked with talent right now, and this showed it.
The Good
● Chris Jericho... (I held that for a minute because Chris Jericho is just outright good, you need to understand that) beat the Undertaker, and once again, we managed to get the match end without absolute clean finish. Edge's interference was perfect, Undertaker clearly showing he still doesn't trust Edge (and why should he after the battles those two have gone through) and it serves to further Edge's journey to WrestleMania and put doubts in the minds of those who thought Undertaker winning Elimination Chamber was a foregone conclusion. As an aside, as I mentioned on Twitter, Jericho VS Undertaker in a steel cage is turning into destiny, we need a clean decider as to who is the absolute best!
● Batista has really turned around since turning heel, everyone knew it was time and Big Dave is showing the world that he belongs among the bad guys. He and the writers said more by not saying anything than they ever could've by having a long winded promo, Batista has always been a man of few words as a face, why change that as a heel?
● Rey Mysterio versus CM Punk, oh man, I pray that rumoured Hair VS Mask match is true, because that match was great, between Punks offence and Rey's ability to sell, those two could put on a match of the year candidate with enough build.
● Drew McIntyre versus Kane. Can't help but love both these guys, the Scotsmans new theme suits him perfectly and I always love the secondary title chase when Kane's involved, he's the perfect stepping stone because he never loses his aura, so putting him in a match involving a man your trying to elevate who's also holding a title is a stroke of logic.
The Bad
● John Morrison almost getting injured, he confirmed he was okay on Twitter but I'm wondering if that's an elaborate piece of kayfabe - if JoMo can't compete at the Elimination Chamber, which other long haired innovator could possibly take his place I wonder...?
● First of all, no-one wants to see more degrading Team Laycool/Mickie segments, second, why the heck would VICKIE GUERRERO not defend Mickie? Every wrestler on the roster was insulting her with the exact same comments for two years. And yes, I get that it was because of the cottage cheese, but it still annoyed me.
The Uh... Okay
● "The Team I Can't Portmanteau Well" Hardy and Khali versus The Hart Dynasty served no purpose, what happened to the Dynasty's involvement with Vickie Guerrero a few weeks back? And why do they not have anything interesting to say about the developments with Bret Hart? Call me old fashioned, but I miss when stories followed through and plot points weren't ignored.
TNA Impact: 11/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 13/02/2010)
Before the show I prayed for no Band, after the show, I ended up hopeful... that there'd be no more Band.
The Good
● Seeing EY again, I know he's not everyone's favourite guy, but I find him entertaining, I've never had a moment where I've found him otherwise, and the fact he's partnered up with Kevin Nash is a touch I've found to be perfect.
● Orlando Jordan VS The Pope was entertaining, these two guys have some great back and forth and Orlando really presents himself as a true superstar now, his days as JBL's lackey are well behind him, the guy has the talent that WWE gave him credit for and he never showed with them.
● Amazing Red VS Doug Williams was fun, and it was great to see Doug in a match with no British Invasion on his side, the guy has long since earned his time in the spotlight and it's great to see, I look forward to seeing his next opponent.
● MISSSSSTEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR... wait for it... Wolfe. That's right, the highlight of every Thursday (US) and Saturday (UK) night cut a promo that just shows how talented he is, he belittled his opponents without making them look weak and looked like the star he is in the process.
● AJ VS Joe looks to be a good match, the promo was interesting, highlighting that Joe did the EXACT same thing as AJ did when he joined the Main Event Mafia, this feud shows promise, I just don't get why Bischoff is now involved.
The Bad
● I'll ignore the fact the Knockouts match should've been at Against All Odds and go straight to Lacey von Erich, this woman is an absolute imbecile, she does a moonsault flip into an elbow, it doesn't look impressive (which is the point of high risk offence), it's dangerous if she mistimes it (for both herself and, if she misjudges her landing, her opponent) and everybody watching know it wouldn't do any more damage than a regular elbow. If you're going to hit an aerial elbow, do a flying elbow drop, it's tried and tested and has never been bested.
The Uh... Okay
● The Jarrett stuff is tiresome, they've gone from having him as potentially a superface to doing... uhm... well actually he's not done a whole lot and yet he's meant to be earning his way back into the company, yes it's been two weeks since he returned to the ring, but it's been two months since he returned to TNA.
● Matt Morgan won, nobody was surprised or impressed since he was facing Suicide.
● Foley's desperation is just kind of... there... maybe it's just because he's up against HBK's storyline right now, but I'm not buying it.
● The Band, uhm... yeah... where was Kevin Nash's redemption? Why DID they attack him? Are we finally rid of them? These are all questions I hoped for answers to and won't care about by the time next week rolls around.
Sure as hell chose a good RAW to open this thing with didn't I? From Bret Hart's rampage to Ted DiBiase one upping Randy Orton to new Unified Tag Team Champions and even the ECW Champion appearing on another brand.
I'm not actually doing "play-by-play" as the title suggests, in actuality I'm simplifying things, I'm putting them into categories, put simply, "The Good, The Bad, And The Uh... Okay", simple.
The Good
● As mentioned first, Bret Harts segment with Vince McMahon was of the high quality we've come to expect from these two, the "will they, won't they" back and forth on their face off is great fun to watch, and it even has the metafans guessing, is Bret healthy enough to fight? Will it end up being like The Battle of the Billionaire's in Cena and Batista's corners? Will we ever see Vince dance as majestically as he did after this segment was over?
● Cody Rhodes' win over stablemate / boss / pain in his backside, Randy Orton. Okay so it was partially down to interference, but it was still nice to see. I can see Rhodes sticking with Orton a while longer and DiBiase being the one to turn, a three way turn wouldn't work and DiBiase is clearly far more ready to strike out on his own than Rhodes is right now.
● Seeing Christian on RAW was an absolute delight, if anyone has any question over whether WWE is behind the ECW champ, I hope they were silenced to some degree, his ability to make any wrestler look like a million bucks was a great asset to the still unsteady Sheamus, and although he came out with the loss, he ended up looking strong and made his opponent look even better, than that's the end goal of almost every match.
● Seeing Miz with three belts was amazing, I only hope he can pull a Santino and become Mizina just so he can get more gold (that's a joke, for those people with just too little sense of humour).
● Carl Edwards, proving that those NASCAR guys from before were a one-off session of suck, the guy had enough personality that I wouldn't object to him returning any time.
● Shawn Michaels suckerkicks Teddy Long, HBK's desperation is bleeding through in everything he does, and whether he faces Undertaker or not, his story is going to be right up their in the story of the year candidates come year end.
● Save the best for last, Vince and John Cena, if you have ANY doubt that John Cena is the freaking man, watch this promo, I'm not going to say any more than that because it's one of those moments that speaks for itself
The Bad
● Despite Mizshow winning, I have to say I was very disappointed that the beloved Disciples of Jesus... uh Straight Edge Society didn't win the Tag Titles, it could've cemented them as potentially the most hated team in years, but there's still plenty of time for that.
● John Cena absolutely decimating Ted DiBiase - what was the point? Cena didn't need it, DiBiase sure as hell didn't need it and it could've been just as easily achieved with just being a Cena promo.
The Uh... Okay
● Gail Kim and Maryse's stuff isn't really doing anything to hype me for the match, I mean, they do it themselves by just wrestling, but these segments just feel like absolute filler. Hopefully the Divas division will pick up in time for WrestleMania instead of leaving us with another pitiful Miss WrestleMania contest.
----------------
WWE Presents... ECW on Scyfy: 09/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 11/02/2010)
Well, the penultimate ECW was less satisfying, over the last year it's gone from the best wrestling show in North America to an afterthought with some great talent, and with that in mind, we did have some good matches.
The Good
● Tiffany channelling DDP - that's not a bad thing, that's a GOOD thing.
● Yoshidust beats Crofetta, not really "good", but the right team went over and the match was good fun, I look forward to hopefully seeing Yoshi J-Popping the ever loving heck out of RAW or Smackdown crowds.
The Bad
● Zeke beats a local competitor? There's nothing I hate more than seeing a local competitor, nobody enjoys these matches and it doesn't make the guy look strong, guys like Funaki are on the roster for the very reason of being beat by the big guys, it adds that tiny bit of hope to any match seeing a name you know.
The Uh... Okay
● Shelton Benjamin and Vance Archer, I can't see either of these guys shining on RAW or Smackdown, though considering how creepy Archer is I can see him in the Straight Edge Society. As for Shelton, this match made me think it's time for him to sink or swim, the guy has no consistency, I say throw him into the United States title mix over on RAW and he can't handle it, it may be time to just call it a day on giving the guy anything resembling a push.
----------------
WWE Superstars: 11/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 12/02/2010)
I'll be honest, I dread watching Superstars each week, there's not that many significant or entertaining matches these days, it's like a slightly above Heat level show thanks to WWE's diminished jobber level. With that in mind, this will be brief
The Good
● Seeing Zack Ryder get his shot at Christian, if ECW is going down, I think we can agree that Ryder is one of the triumph stories of the brand, his massive change from being a forgettable Edge-head to having the best "Woo" since the Nature Boy has been a pleasure to watch, and I pray he doesn't get lost in the shuffle on whichever brand he goes to.
● Jack Swagger and Santino's feud has been fun, hopefully this won't be a drag on feud like Chavo/Hornswoggle and now both men can move on to doing what they do best with other people. If there's one man I want to see take Miz's US title, it's Jack Swagger - the era of the All-American American United States of America champion will come!
The Bad
● Booking JTG vs Dolph Ziggler as the main event on a show featuring the ECW champion and a match featuring RAW's most entertaining comedy wrestler and RAW's potential best wrestler? To top it off it was an match with about as much consequence as scratching your elbow - as I said on Twitter, putting Dolph in nothing matches helps no-one, he's too talented to be doing nothing, put him in a feud or some kind of angle already!
The Uh... Okay
● --
----------------
WWE Smackdown: 12/02/2010
Smackdown is absolutely stacked with talent right now, and this showed it.
The Good
● Chris Jericho... (I held that for a minute because Chris Jericho is just outright good, you need to understand that) beat the Undertaker, and once again, we managed to get the match end without absolute clean finish. Edge's interference was perfect, Undertaker clearly showing he still doesn't trust Edge (and why should he after the battles those two have gone through) and it serves to further Edge's journey to WrestleMania and put doubts in the minds of those who thought Undertaker winning Elimination Chamber was a foregone conclusion. As an aside, as I mentioned on Twitter, Jericho VS Undertaker in a steel cage is turning into destiny, we need a clean decider as to who is the absolute best!
● Batista has really turned around since turning heel, everyone knew it was time and Big Dave is showing the world that he belongs among the bad guys. He and the writers said more by not saying anything than they ever could've by having a long winded promo, Batista has always been a man of few words as a face, why change that as a heel?
● Rey Mysterio versus CM Punk, oh man, I pray that rumoured Hair VS Mask match is true, because that match was great, between Punks offence and Rey's ability to sell, those two could put on a match of the year candidate with enough build.
● Drew McIntyre versus Kane. Can't help but love both these guys, the Scotsmans new theme suits him perfectly and I always love the secondary title chase when Kane's involved, he's the perfect stepping stone because he never loses his aura, so putting him in a match involving a man your trying to elevate who's also holding a title is a stroke of logic.
The Bad
● John Morrison almost getting injured, he confirmed he was okay on Twitter but I'm wondering if that's an elaborate piece of kayfabe - if JoMo can't compete at the Elimination Chamber, which other long haired innovator could possibly take his place I wonder...?
● First of all, no-one wants to see more degrading Team Laycool/Mickie segments, second, why the heck would VICKIE GUERRERO not defend Mickie? Every wrestler on the roster was insulting her with the exact same comments for two years. And yes, I get that it was because of the cottage cheese, but it still annoyed me.
The Uh... Okay
● "The Team I Can't Portmanteau Well" Hardy and Khali versus The Hart Dynasty served no purpose, what happened to the Dynasty's involvement with Vickie Guerrero a few weeks back? And why do they not have anything interesting to say about the developments with Bret Hart? Call me old fashioned, but I miss when stories followed through and plot points weren't ignored.
----------------
TNA Impact: 11/02/2010 (UK Airdate: 13/02/2010)
Before the show I prayed for no Band, after the show, I ended up hopeful... that there'd be no more Band.
The Good
● Seeing EY again, I know he's not everyone's favourite guy, but I find him entertaining, I've never had a moment where I've found him otherwise, and the fact he's partnered up with Kevin Nash is a touch I've found to be perfect.
● Orlando Jordan VS The Pope was entertaining, these two guys have some great back and forth and Orlando really presents himself as a true superstar now, his days as JBL's lackey are well behind him, the guy has the talent that WWE gave him credit for and he never showed with them.
● Amazing Red VS Doug Williams was fun, and it was great to see Doug in a match with no British Invasion on his side, the guy has long since earned his time in the spotlight and it's great to see, I look forward to seeing his next opponent.
● MISSSSSTEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR... wait for it... Wolfe. That's right, the highlight of every Thursday (US) and Saturday (UK) night cut a promo that just shows how talented he is, he belittled his opponents without making them look weak and looked like the star he is in the process.
● AJ VS Joe looks to be a good match, the promo was interesting, highlighting that Joe did the EXACT same thing as AJ did when he joined the Main Event Mafia, this feud shows promise, I just don't get why Bischoff is now involved.
The Bad
● I'll ignore the fact the Knockouts match should've been at Against All Odds and go straight to Lacey von Erich, this woman is an absolute imbecile, she does a moonsault flip into an elbow, it doesn't look impressive (which is the point of high risk offence), it's dangerous if she mistimes it (for both herself and, if she misjudges her landing, her opponent) and everybody watching know it wouldn't do any more damage than a regular elbow. If you're going to hit an aerial elbow, do a flying elbow drop, it's tried and tested and has never been bested.
The Uh... Okay
● The Jarrett stuff is tiresome, they've gone from having him as potentially a superface to doing... uhm... well actually he's not done a whole lot and yet he's meant to be earning his way back into the company, yes it's been two weeks since he returned to the ring, but it's been two months since he returned to TNA.
● Matt Morgan won, nobody was surprised or impressed since he was facing Suicide.
● Foley's desperation is just kind of... there... maybe it's just because he's up against HBK's storyline right now, but I'm not buying it.
● The Band, uhm... yeah... where was Kevin Nash's redemption? Why DID they attack him? Are we finally rid of them? These are all questions I hoped for answers to and won't care about by the time next week rolls around.
Colour Commentary: Branding
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There's been a lot of rebranding within the big two of North American wrestling so far year, for WWE it comes on the heels of a major change in their PPV schedule, for TNA it comes into a logical progression of taking their next step, but how much does it help and how much does it hinder?
We'll start with the easiest of the two – TNA. The little company that shouldn't but have done just keeps on going from strength to strength, and as apprehensive as people were about the arrival of Hogan, you can't deny the initial numbers. To say Hogan and Bischoff have overhauled TNA would be an understatement, they've done away with the iconic six sides, they've brought in many new names and they've managed to give us a much more coherent power structure on TV. For TNA this is a logical step, and whilst I personally would've kept the six sides, I think the four sides has a more epic look to it, the six sides just doesn't seem like it would feel right if it were trying to produce a card the level of a WWE event. For TNA rebranding is an absolutely essential step, and as much as certain “hardcore” fans might dislike it, it's a necessary evil for a company they claim to love and want to succeed. The only major issue I have is the fact that they're talking about being "wrestling" rather than "sports entertainment", which is all nice in concept, but isn't being practised, if you're going to make a claim you back it up, people wouldn't notice if you didn't mention it!
WWE is different, they don't need to rebrand in the interest of getting bigger, they need to do it in the interest of keeping things fresh. As much as some people might say “ECW died years ago”, ECW will never die, as sad as that makes me feel to say, and whilst ECW can be felt in every crowd chant, it can also be felt in every modern wrestler who's suffered from taking too many chair shots and worked themselves so hard that they need to take pills just to go to the toilet, but that's a rant for another day. The death of ECW is a blessing to me, it will allow WWE to try some fresh programming, people don't tune in for those three letters anymore, the name had got as much of a run as it was ever going to get, I'd much rather see a fresh show than a show that's got the name of a company from ten years ago and is not even a watered down version of a style that's died a death.
As for the Survivor Series issue, again, it's a good move, with Bragging Rights having taken its place, Survivor Series hasn't really been relevant in the last decade. As has been pointed out in numerous placed, 5-on-5 matches often top RAW (and yet rarely ever Smackdown, which is very odd), it's just the elimination concept (which is totally underused in all multiman matches in my opinion) that was protected. I welcome the change if it means one of the following:
● The revival of King of the Ring as a PPV, which I don't see happening since WWE didn't even care enough to have it free on TV last year, which is a total shame, because despite the fact it only works about 50% of the time, it can be a real elevator and makes any show truly feel different.
● The long awaited return of War Games, and anyone who's ever seen this match will tell you, it could be an absolutely amazing thing to behold, especially in modern WWE where such innovative concepts don't come up too often these days.
● The return of Lethal Lottery/Battlebowl/RAW Roullette/anything featuring randomly thrown together wrestlers, I'm a sucker for these kinds of things because they can really help spark a feud, and considering that Survivor Series was the unofficial start of the build to WrestleMania it just makes sense.
● An all tag team PPV, since we might want to keep the team concept and the WWE seems to want to start pushing the tag titles as important this last year, what better than to have a show highlighting team accomplishment, and this could even be worked into the above Lottery concepts, or still retain 5-on-5 matches like Survivor Series if required.
So all in all, I guess you could say that whilst rebranding/change is scary, there's always positives in it, if it weren't for change we'd still be seeing Hulk Hogan, Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart at the top of the card, right guys? Guys?
Sunday 7 February 2010
Colour Commentary: Mission Statement
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Let's face it, being a smark means nothing. The term is thrown around far too often to refer fans who enjoy the inside of the pro wrestling product, but it has come with a stigma industry insiders. The smarks I refer to are not a rare breed of person, they're just human, they love to bitch, and bitch they will - hell, I've been guilty of it on more than one occasion. The difference I say between a "smart mark" and a "smark" is that smart marks don't just criticise, they enjoy the product and when they don't, they will happily suggest ways of bettering it. To a degree we're all armchair bookers, creating our own fantasy of what pro wrestling is about but I think along the way, we've forgotten what it's actually about. You see, pro wrestling isn't just about championships, it isn't just about the wrestlers, it isn't even just about the money (after all, what do we, as fans, really care about how many PPV's are sold except as bragging rights for our preferred company). At the end of the day, pro wrestling is about fun, it's about sitting with friends and relatives, it's an industry that thrived on memes before the internet, its catchphrases, flashiness and competition are instant eye-catchers, and the only reason people talk it down is because it's not considered cool right now.
But over the past months I have begun to become more vocal about my love for pro wrestling and it's done some wonders, I've managed to re-initiate or bring people in who were never fans. How did I do it? I just talked about it, I didn't go on the defensive, I didn't talk certain parts down, I just talked about the events themselves and it got people enjoying the discussion enough to tune in. I've never denied my love for this form of entertainment, but I've never been explicit about discussing it either, and I think that's formed a vicious cycle to make the industry a stigma, we're worried about not being considered "cool" by liking wrestling, and as a result no-one talks about it and it remains uncool.
So I ask you, as part of our mission statement as wrestling fans, do something that you would do about any other TV show you watch, go to school, go to work, go to meet someone and just do this one thing for the entertainment you love - talk about it.
But over the past months I have begun to become more vocal about my love for pro wrestling and it's done some wonders, I've managed to re-initiate or bring people in who were never fans. How did I do it? I just talked about it, I didn't go on the defensive, I didn't talk certain parts down, I just talked about the events themselves and it got people enjoying the discussion enough to tune in. I've never denied my love for this form of entertainment, but I've never been explicit about discussing it either, and I think that's formed a vicious cycle to make the industry a stigma, we're worried about not being considered "cool" by liking wrestling, and as a result no-one talks about it and it remains uncool.
So I ask you, as part of our mission statement as wrestling fans, do something that you would do about any other TV show you watch, go to school, go to work, go to meet someone and just do this one thing for the entertainment you love - talk about it.
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