Survivor Series is the next PPV on the WWE schedule. A few years ago this PPV was in danger of being taken off the PPV schedule and replaced with something else. It is a shame that the higher ups in the WWE don't see this as a big 4 PPV anymore. Maybe if the WWE actually tried pushing their mid card and gave them some depth than they could build more multi-man matches and they could actually be a big deal. But that is just a problem with the WWE as a whole.
Now the WWE treats this PPV as one of its least important on the card. The only reason last year felt different was because of The Rock. You could say that Money in the Bank is now a Big 4 PPV, bigger than the Survivor Series. But I always enjoyed the Traditional Survivor Series matches. I think they can be a lot of fun if booked properly. The one or two that they have had the past couple of years have usually been good. With the added emphasis on the tag team division, there should be no reason to take away or not get behind the traditional Survivor Series match. If the roster had any depth, it could be a fun spectacle to watch.
Showing posts with label Survivor Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Survivor Series. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
The WWE RAW Truth Review for 11/5/12
RAW is from England tonight. What does that mean? We are bound to get a bunch of corny English people jokes and some piped in crowd noise. Enjoy!
After recapping the happenings from last Monday, The Miz questioned why a team leader would walk out like Punk did. Miz quit the Survivor Series team.
They Aren't Worth Billions Anymore
Six Man Tag. PTPs and Antonio Cesaro vs Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara and R-Truth. Cesaro wanted no part of R-Truth and tagged in Darren Young. Truth hit a bodyslam and tagged in Rey. Rey hit a leg drop. Young tagged in Titus but the faces took turns working him over. Back from commercial, Truth hit a high kick on Young and tagged in Sin Cara. Sin Cara hit a hurricarrana then an armdrag. Cara tagged in Rey and he hurricarranaed Young into the ropes. Cesaro tagged himself in and hit a backbreaker on Rey. O'Neil came in and hit multiple backbreakers on Rey. After the heels worked on Rey some more, Rey made the hot tag to R-Truth. Truth hit a suplex/neckbreaker combo on Cesaro. The faces cleared the ring. Sin Cara hit a hurricarrana on Cesaro, Rey hit a 619 and R-Truth hit the lie detector for the win.
After recapping the happenings from last Monday, The Miz questioned why a team leader would walk out like Punk did. Miz quit the Survivor Series team.
They Aren't Worth Billions Anymore
Six Man Tag. PTPs and Antonio Cesaro vs Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara and R-Truth. Cesaro wanted no part of R-Truth and tagged in Darren Young. Truth hit a bodyslam and tagged in Rey. Rey hit a leg drop. Young tagged in Titus but the faces took turns working him over. Back from commercial, Truth hit a high kick on Young and tagged in Sin Cara. Sin Cara hit a hurricarrana then an armdrag. Cara tagged in Rey and he hurricarranaed Young into the ropes. Cesaro tagged himself in and hit a backbreaker on Rey. O'Neil came in and hit multiple backbreakers on Rey. After the heels worked on Rey some more, Rey made the hot tag to R-Truth. Truth hit a suplex/neckbreaker combo on Cesaro. The faces cleared the ring. Sin Cara hit a hurricarrana on Cesaro, Rey hit a 619 and R-Truth hit the lie detector for the win.
Monday, May 14, 2012
The WWE in 2012 So Far
I normally like to break down the WWE into three different parts of the year. The first part is January-April. That's the Wrestlemania build period and then the leftover month has rematches at Extreme Rules. May-August starts with the early summer lull that gets better when Money in the Bank comes around and the build to SummerSlam begins. After August you get the September-December period, where the WWE has to compete with football and try to keep their fans interest leading into the new year and Wrestlemania time. Since we've come to the end of the first trimester of the WWE year, then I think it is only right to look back and evaluate what has been right and wrong, and what lies ahead for the WWE in 2012.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The Top 10 Survivor Series Moments of All Time
In less than two weeks time, the WWE will present us with the 25th annual Survivor Series. This is not the 25th anniversary of Survivor Series, no matter what the WWE says.
I was going to put together a top 25 list of the best matches and moments in Survivor Series history, but my availability is really limited so I decided to narrow it down to the Top 10 moments in Survivor Series history. Even when going through a list of all the past Survivor Series, it is really tough to come up with a Top 25 list. Sure there were some good elimination matches, but they really don't stand out as good moments. This PPV always seemed to be more about the matches rather than moments. But that is not to say there haven't been some memorable moments at this PPV. I think this PPV in less than two weeks will be fun. Having The Rock on helps that out a lot. I like the idea of having at least two 5-on-5 elimination matches at this PPV. I wish they had a deeper roster so there could be more, but the WWE feels that those matches don't sell the PPV. But they normally result in some good wrestling, which is all we can ask for as wrestling fans.
With all of this being said, lets gets into this Top 10 list.
10. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of the Gobbledy Gooker
-Hey, I didn't say these were all good memories. The WWF was hyping this "mystery egg" that was seen on WWF TV for weeks. Many people speculated on what it could be. Most people thought whatever was in the egg was something big because of all the hype it had been receiving. Well, Survivor Series came, and we got a giant turkey that became known as the Gobbledy Gooker. It was Hector Guerrero dressed in the costume. The Gooker never appeared on WWF TV again, so nobody knew if it ever had any further plans. The Gooker was booed out of the building. It is known in folk lore and WWE legend as one of the worst ideas ever. But it is still fun to talk about.
9. Survivor Series 1991: The Undertaker Defeats Hulk Hogan To Win The WWF Championship
-For anybody who doesn't know, Hulk Hogan rarely if ever lost in the 1980s and 1990s in the WWF. The only times he ever lost was to Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 6. Hogan lost to Andre the Giant on the debut episode of "The Main Event," but that was with the help of a "crooked referee." The Undertaker was an unstoppable force in the WWF at the time. He was going through babyface undercard wrestlers with ease. He soundly defeated Jimmy Snuka at Wrestlemania 7. At Survivor Series, exactly one year after his debut, he challenged Hulk Hogan for the WWF Title. Although it came with the help of Ric Flair, Undertaker defeated Hogan to win the WWF Title. The crowd was stunned. There lied their hero in the middle of the ring having just been beaten for the WWF Title. Undertaker lost the Title six days later, but it was still quite shocking at the time to see Hogan lose.
8. Survivor Series 1994: Diesel Turns Face
-This turned out to be a pretty big deal in the long run, as it began the launch of the single's career of Kevin Nash. Nash, at the time known as Diesel, had been the bodyguard for Shawn Michaels for almost a year at this point. He started wrestling over the summer, and even captured the Intercontinental Championship. Fans started to get behind him because he looked cool and pretty much dominated all of his opponents. Nash's Jack Knife Powerbomb was one of the best finishers around at the time. Diesel had been growing tired of Shawn Michaels's antics for a bit, and he finally snapped at Survivor Series. He slowly stalked down Shawn Michaels before Michaels eventually left the arena. Less than two weeks later, Diesel won the WWF Championship from Bob Backlund. Diesel held onto that Title for over a year. He defended it successfully against the likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Sid and Mabel before losing it to Hart in late 1995. This was an important event because as I said, it marked the beginning of Kevin Nash's successful singles run, which garnered him a huge contract from WCW and allowed the nWo angle to begin.
7. Survivor Series 1996: The Debut of The Rock
-Who would have thought that this young guy full of energy would go on to become one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time. Of course he didn't debut as The Rock. In his initial match, he was simply known as Rocky Maivia, and his nickname was "The Blue Chipper." He was the sole survivor of his 4-on-4 elimination match. He eliminated Crush with a crossbody and Goldust with a shoulder breaker. In the growing months fans became sick of his clean cut good guy persona, so he turned heel and joined the Nation of Domination. You knew the WWE saw something in him with the amount of hype he received from Vince McMahon and Jim Ross, but they probably didn't see The Rock taking the path he did.
6. Survivor Series 1998: Deadly Games Tournament for the WWF Title, Rock/Mankind Double Turn
-I may have this high, but I really liked the booking of this show. The Deadly Games Tournament was a unique concept that was similar to the Wrestlemania 4 Tournament. But this time, the fan favorite didn't walk out with the Title. Well, I guess The Rock was the fan favorite heading into the show. The Rock was becoming a target of Vince McMahon, similar to that of Steve Austin. But it all appeared to be an elaborate set up by Vince, Shane McMahon, and The Rock as a way to get the WWF Title on The Rock. All along it appeared Vince backed Mankind, but Mankind was not the clean-cut, corporate Champion McMahon wanted. But Vince saw that in The Rock, and that's why he screwed Mankind out of the WWE Title. Sure I was only 11 when this happened, but I didn't see the double turn coming. And I don't think most fans did either. It was good booking.
5. Survivor Series 2001: The End of The Invasion
-Just because I have this so high doesn't mean that I liked the Invasion angle. It was badly botched it isn't funny. Instead of bringing in the high priced WCW veterans, Vince McMahon brought in a bunch of mid-carders from WCW, had them align with ECW, and be lead by Steve Austin, the WWE's top star at the time. It made no sense. But Survivor Series 2001 brought an end to this abomination of an angle in what was a pretty good 5-on-5 elimination match. I consider this an important event in WWE history for a couple reasons. The obvious being that it ended the Invasion angle. But it also lead to the brand split with RAW and Smackdown, it lead to the creation of the Undisputed Championship, and it lead to Ric Flair coming to the WWE. The Invasion could have been done so much better, but this event was one of the better things that resulted from it.
4. Survivor Series 1996: Steve Austin/Bret Hart
-Survivor Series 1996 was a pretty good PPV when you look back at it. The debut of The Rock, Undertaker/Mankind, and Shawn Michaels carried Sid to one of the best matches of his career. The show also saw the first match in what became almost a year long feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart. Austin had been calling out Hart for months while Hart had been away from TV. Hart returned in October and the two fought at Survivor Series in what was a very good match. These two's classic encounter at Wrestlemania 13 is considered one of the greatest matches ever, and rightfully so, but this match is no slouch either. It continued to propel Steve Austin into stardom, which showed as some fans in Madison Square Garden began cheering Austin. You can really make an argument either way as to what was Bret Hart's best feud, Steve Austin or Bret Hart.
3. Survivor Series 2002: Shawn Michaels Wins the World Heavyweight Title in the First Ever Elimination Chamber Match
-I'm glad that this year's Survivor Series is at Madison Square Garden, because as you can tell from this list, good things happen at Survivor Series at MSG. In 2002, Eric Bischoff debuted the ominous Elimination Chamber. Triple H defended the World Title in the Chamber against Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels. Michaels had just returned from a four year absence due to a back injury. He defeated Triple H in an excellent match at SummerSlam. In the Elimination Chamber, HBK was the ultimate underdog who the crowd was firmly behind. Many fans were upset that Triple H was just handed the World Title by Eric Bischoff, so they were anxious to see him lose it. The reaction Michaels got after winning the match was great. You could tell Michaels was greatful for the opportunity and thankful for the fans reactions. The match continued HBK's comeback and showed he still had it.
2. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of The Undertaker
-Back in the 1990s, the WWF was all about the character. Look at Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, and Ted DiBiase. When The Undertaker walked down the aisle to the ring, fans were in awe of his presence. Here was this dark, ominous looking man walking towards the ring. No emotion, no expression on his face whatsoever. Sure he fit in at the time, but I doubt many people thought that The Undertaker character would have the impact it did on the WWE. Twenty years later and The Undertaker's legacy speaks for itself. He's undefeated at Wrestlemania. He's won the WWE and World Title multiple times. The mere presence of him in the ring captivates fans. The entrance is one of the best ever. I doubt many people saw this coming in 1990, but The Undertaker became a Legacy of his own in the WWE.
1. Survivor Series 1997: The Montreal Screwjob
-Come on, did you really think anything else would top this list? It's the most controversial, real life event to ever happen in the history of the WWE. If you are reading this, then you probably know the story. In 1997, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels hated each other, on screen and off. Hart was on his way to WCW, but he was still WWF Champion at the time. Hart didn't want to lose the Title to Michaels in Montreal or Canada. A big DQ finish was planned, then Hart would either forefit the Title the next night on RAW or lose it at some point in the next few weeks to Michaels. Well, Vince McMahon didn't want that or risk having Hart show up on Nitro with the WWF Championship Belt. So McMahon, Michaels, Triple H and a few others came up with the screwjob finish. The result caused outrage among WWF wrestlers and fans, with many more questions than answers.
Many people have different opinions on the matter. Mine has always been the same. Who cares where you lose the Title. Canadian fans weren't going to think anything less of Bret Hart if he lost the Title in Montreal. And just handing over the Title the next night on RAW devalues the Title in my eyes. Having that Title doesn't mean anything to Bret? Then why should anyone else want it? Hart needed to do what was best for the WWF, but instead he did what was best for himself. I always defend Vince McMahon's actions to this day, and nothing will ever change that.
So what are your thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Will there be a Top 10 Moment at this year's Survivor Series? Feel free to share your thoughts.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
I was going to put together a top 25 list of the best matches and moments in Survivor Series history, but my availability is really limited so I decided to narrow it down to the Top 10 moments in Survivor Series history. Even when going through a list of all the past Survivor Series, it is really tough to come up with a Top 25 list. Sure there were some good elimination matches, but they really don't stand out as good moments. This PPV always seemed to be more about the matches rather than moments. But that is not to say there haven't been some memorable moments at this PPV. I think this PPV in less than two weeks will be fun. Having The Rock on helps that out a lot. I like the idea of having at least two 5-on-5 elimination matches at this PPV. I wish they had a deeper roster so there could be more, but the WWE feels that those matches don't sell the PPV. But they normally result in some good wrestling, which is all we can ask for as wrestling fans.
With all of this being said, lets gets into this Top 10 list.
10. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of the Gobbledy Gooker
-Hey, I didn't say these were all good memories. The WWF was hyping this "mystery egg" that was seen on WWF TV for weeks. Many people speculated on what it could be. Most people thought whatever was in the egg was something big because of all the hype it had been receiving. Well, Survivor Series came, and we got a giant turkey that became known as the Gobbledy Gooker. It was Hector Guerrero dressed in the costume. The Gooker never appeared on WWF TV again, so nobody knew if it ever had any further plans. The Gooker was booed out of the building. It is known in folk lore and WWE legend as one of the worst ideas ever. But it is still fun to talk about.
9. Survivor Series 1991: The Undertaker Defeats Hulk Hogan To Win The WWF Championship
-For anybody who doesn't know, Hulk Hogan rarely if ever lost in the 1980s and 1990s in the WWF. The only times he ever lost was to Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 6. Hogan lost to Andre the Giant on the debut episode of "The Main Event," but that was with the help of a "crooked referee." The Undertaker was an unstoppable force in the WWF at the time. He was going through babyface undercard wrestlers with ease. He soundly defeated Jimmy Snuka at Wrestlemania 7. At Survivor Series, exactly one year after his debut, he challenged Hulk Hogan for the WWF Title. Although it came with the help of Ric Flair, Undertaker defeated Hogan to win the WWF Title. The crowd was stunned. There lied their hero in the middle of the ring having just been beaten for the WWF Title. Undertaker lost the Title six days later, but it was still quite shocking at the time to see Hogan lose.
8. Survivor Series 1994: Diesel Turns Face
-This turned out to be a pretty big deal in the long run, as it began the launch of the single's career of Kevin Nash. Nash, at the time known as Diesel, had been the bodyguard for Shawn Michaels for almost a year at this point. He started wrestling over the summer, and even captured the Intercontinental Championship. Fans started to get behind him because he looked cool and pretty much dominated all of his opponents. Nash's Jack Knife Powerbomb was one of the best finishers around at the time. Diesel had been growing tired of Shawn Michaels's antics for a bit, and he finally snapped at Survivor Series. He slowly stalked down Shawn Michaels before Michaels eventually left the arena. Less than two weeks later, Diesel won the WWF Championship from Bob Backlund. Diesel held onto that Title for over a year. He defended it successfully against the likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Sid and Mabel before losing it to Hart in late 1995. This was an important event because as I said, it marked the beginning of Kevin Nash's successful singles run, which garnered him a huge contract from WCW and allowed the nWo angle to begin.
7. Survivor Series 1996: The Debut of The Rock
-Who would have thought that this young guy full of energy would go on to become one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time. Of course he didn't debut as The Rock. In his initial match, he was simply known as Rocky Maivia, and his nickname was "The Blue Chipper." He was the sole survivor of his 4-on-4 elimination match. He eliminated Crush with a crossbody and Goldust with a shoulder breaker. In the growing months fans became sick of his clean cut good guy persona, so he turned heel and joined the Nation of Domination. You knew the WWE saw something in him with the amount of hype he received from Vince McMahon and Jim Ross, but they probably didn't see The Rock taking the path he did.
6. Survivor Series 1998: Deadly Games Tournament for the WWF Title, Rock/Mankind Double Turn
-I may have this high, but I really liked the booking of this show. The Deadly Games Tournament was a unique concept that was similar to the Wrestlemania 4 Tournament. But this time, the fan favorite didn't walk out with the Title. Well, I guess The Rock was the fan favorite heading into the show. The Rock was becoming a target of Vince McMahon, similar to that of Steve Austin. But it all appeared to be an elaborate set up by Vince, Shane McMahon, and The Rock as a way to get the WWF Title on The Rock. All along it appeared Vince backed Mankind, but Mankind was not the clean-cut, corporate Champion McMahon wanted. But Vince saw that in The Rock, and that's why he screwed Mankind out of the WWE Title. Sure I was only 11 when this happened, but I didn't see the double turn coming. And I don't think most fans did either. It was good booking.
5. Survivor Series 2001: The End of The Invasion
-Just because I have this so high doesn't mean that I liked the Invasion angle. It was badly botched it isn't funny. Instead of bringing in the high priced WCW veterans, Vince McMahon brought in a bunch of mid-carders from WCW, had them align with ECW, and be lead by Steve Austin, the WWE's top star at the time. It made no sense. But Survivor Series 2001 brought an end to this abomination of an angle in what was a pretty good 5-on-5 elimination match. I consider this an important event in WWE history for a couple reasons. The obvious being that it ended the Invasion angle. But it also lead to the brand split with RAW and Smackdown, it lead to the creation of the Undisputed Championship, and it lead to Ric Flair coming to the WWE. The Invasion could have been done so much better, but this event was one of the better things that resulted from it.
4. Survivor Series 1996: Steve Austin/Bret Hart
-Survivor Series 1996 was a pretty good PPV when you look back at it. The debut of The Rock, Undertaker/Mankind, and Shawn Michaels carried Sid to one of the best matches of his career. The show also saw the first match in what became almost a year long feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart. Austin had been calling out Hart for months while Hart had been away from TV. Hart returned in October and the two fought at Survivor Series in what was a very good match. These two's classic encounter at Wrestlemania 13 is considered one of the greatest matches ever, and rightfully so, but this match is no slouch either. It continued to propel Steve Austin into stardom, which showed as some fans in Madison Square Garden began cheering Austin. You can really make an argument either way as to what was Bret Hart's best feud, Steve Austin or Bret Hart.
3. Survivor Series 2002: Shawn Michaels Wins the World Heavyweight Title in the First Ever Elimination Chamber Match
-I'm glad that this year's Survivor Series is at Madison Square Garden, because as you can tell from this list, good things happen at Survivor Series at MSG. In 2002, Eric Bischoff debuted the ominous Elimination Chamber. Triple H defended the World Title in the Chamber against Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels. Michaels had just returned from a four year absence due to a back injury. He defeated Triple H in an excellent match at SummerSlam. In the Elimination Chamber, HBK was the ultimate underdog who the crowd was firmly behind. Many fans were upset that Triple H was just handed the World Title by Eric Bischoff, so they were anxious to see him lose it. The reaction Michaels got after winning the match was great. You could tell Michaels was greatful for the opportunity and thankful for the fans reactions. The match continued HBK's comeback and showed he still had it.
2. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of The Undertaker
-Back in the 1990s, the WWF was all about the character. Look at Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, and Ted DiBiase. When The Undertaker walked down the aisle to the ring, fans were in awe of his presence. Here was this dark, ominous looking man walking towards the ring. No emotion, no expression on his face whatsoever. Sure he fit in at the time, but I doubt many people thought that The Undertaker character would have the impact it did on the WWE. Twenty years later and The Undertaker's legacy speaks for itself. He's undefeated at Wrestlemania. He's won the WWE and World Title multiple times. The mere presence of him in the ring captivates fans. The entrance is one of the best ever. I doubt many people saw this coming in 1990, but The Undertaker became a Legacy of his own in the WWE.
1. Survivor Series 1997: The Montreal Screwjob
-Come on, did you really think anything else would top this list? It's the most controversial, real life event to ever happen in the history of the WWE. If you are reading this, then you probably know the story. In 1997, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels hated each other, on screen and off. Hart was on his way to WCW, but he was still WWF Champion at the time. Hart didn't want to lose the Title to Michaels in Montreal or Canada. A big DQ finish was planned, then Hart would either forefit the Title the next night on RAW or lose it at some point in the next few weeks to Michaels. Well, Vince McMahon didn't want that or risk having Hart show up on Nitro with the WWF Championship Belt. So McMahon, Michaels, Triple H and a few others came up with the screwjob finish. The result caused outrage among WWF wrestlers and fans, with many more questions than answers.
Many people have different opinions on the matter. Mine has always been the same. Who cares where you lose the Title. Canadian fans weren't going to think anything less of Bret Hart if he lost the Title in Montreal. And just handing over the Title the next night on RAW devalues the Title in my eyes. Having that Title doesn't mean anything to Bret? Then why should anyone else want it? Hart needed to do what was best for the WWF, but instead he did what was best for himself. I always defend Vince McMahon's actions to this day, and nothing will ever change that.
So what are your thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Will there be a Top 10 Moment at this year's Survivor Series? Feel free to share your thoughts.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
RAW Thoughts for 10/31/2011
An UNHOLY Alliance Is Formed
Rock started the show. He said Cena and him represent a generation. Rock said last week Cena asked him from the heart to be his partner at Survivor Series. Rock gave Cena his answer from the heart, "Hell no." Rock said Cena wanted Team Fruit Loop to team with Team Bring It, and that wasn't going to happen. Rock then mentioned all of his Twitter followers who wanted to see Rock team with Cena. Rock said he also despises Miz and Truth, and Rock will do it for the people. He will team with Cena at Survivor Series. Rock said he will show Cena and all of his fans just what Rock is capable of at Wrestlemania next year. Basic Rock stuff. Nothing new, but Rock delivered in typical Rock fashion. Survey Says: 3.5/5
Ricardo Can Never Catch A Break
It's C.M. Punk vs Mark Henry. If Punk wins he get a WWE Title shot. Punk hit a couple kicks, then a springboard clothesline and Macho Man elbow for two. ADR and Ricardo came to ringside. Del Rio ordered Ricardo to attack Henry, which he did, causing a DQ win for Henry. No Title shot for Punk. After the match Punk attacked both, and threw Ricardo in the ring where he ate a World's Strongest Slam. Neither Punk or Henry was getting pinned, so a relatively smart finish to continue leader. Survey Says: 2.5/5
Justin Roberts introduced The Muppets. Miss Piggy said she was the Original Diva. Vickie and Jack Swagger interrupted. Vickie hated sharing the stage with livestock. Swagger ripped on Kermit. Miss Piggy called him Frankenstein. Kermit told Swagger they didn't want any trouble with him or his mother. Haha. Vickie freaked out as Santino's music hit. Santino said him and Swagger, and Dolph Ziggler and Zack Ryder had a match later. Kelly Kelly then walked out and gave Kermit a kiss, which angered Miss Piggy. That was fun. I always loved the Muppets.
Eve won a Divas costume Battle Royal.
Backstage Beaker had a new energy drink to give to Santino. Christian interrupted. Christian dumped out the drink which horrified Beaker. He said "Better luck next time nerd." Sheamus came in and asked if there was a problem. Christian walked away. Sheamus told Beaker he wouldn't make the Family Reunion this year, but to give Aunt Theresa his best. Sheamus then spiked Beaker's hair. Funny stuff. The one interaction I wanted to happen happened, and they even joked about them being related. Great!
Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes defeated Air Boom. Could action for the brief time they had. Barrett's Resurrection continues. We can only hope it leads to something. Maybe a Tag Title shot for Rhodes and Barrett in the future. Christian came out and attacked Air Boom after the match, but Sheamus made the save. Looks like a potential Survivor Series match. Sheamus/Air Boom/Zack Ryder/Santino vs Christian/Wade Barrett/Cody Rhodes/Dolph Ziggler/Jack Swagger.
Statler and Waldorf were shown. Waldorf said we've gone from the Stone Cold to someone born in the Stone Age.
Backstage, C.M. Punk asked John Laurinaitis what he was going to do about what happened in his match earlier. Laurinaitis said Punk will get his WWE Title Shot, so long as Alberto del Rio agrees to give him one.
A Brodus Clay promo aired. He re-debuts next week.
Way To Protect Your WWE Champion
I had a write up planned for this match, but then Big Show pinned Del Rio and it just pissed me off. The match was nothing to write home about, but having Show go over ADR clean is just ridiculous. Alberto del Rio is the WWE CHAMPION. I'm so sick of all this stuff about having to protect the Big Show because he has such a mystique. Guess what? He doesn't. I don't even know why he is around on a full time basis anymore. Sure he's a great company guy and great for PR, but it is no reason to put him over the WWE CHAMPION. It kills any momentum Del Rio built, and it is just ridiculous to see it happen. What a waste. Survey Says: 1/5
Afterwards C.M. Punk came out. He told ADR he was going to put him in the Anaconda Vice until ADR agreed to give him a WWE Title match at Survivor Series. ADR finally agreed after a few seconds in the hold.
GONZO and Fozzie were backstage. They talked about how big some of the wrestlers are. Gonzo said he could be a WWE Champion. Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, and Vickie walked in. They pulled Gonzo's arms out and wrapped them around his head. Fozzie said he's happy for his short stubby arms.
Santino was up next against Jack Swagger. Santino won when Beaker gave him the special Muppets drink, which he spit in Swagger's face and then rolled him up for the win. Animal was the time keeper. Only watchable because of the Muppets.
Zack Ryder Only Wins Non-Title Matches! Woo Woo Woo!
Next was Ryder vs Ziggler. Ryder took Ziggler out with some arm drags. Ryder hit a missile drop kick on Ziggler than took him to the outside as we headed to the break. Back from break, Ziggler had Ryder in an arm lock. Ziggler hit an elbow drop. He went for a neckbreaker, but Ryder countered with a catapult into the ring post. Ryder worked over Ziggler with some punches, then a knee to Ziggler in the corner. Ryder hit a knee to the face for 3, but the referee missed Ziggler's foot under the rope. Match continues. Ryder chased Ziggler outside. Vicke grabbed Ryder's leg so Dolph connected with a kick. He went for the Zig Zag but Ryder held onto the rope. Ryder hit the Rough Ryder for the win. OK stuff. Survey Says: 2.5/5
They recapped the Nash/HHH on-goings from last week. HHH is still out 5 weeks. Apparently John Laurinaitis re-signed Kevin Nash, and he will be at RAW next week.
Michael Cole said Jim Ross didn't show up because of some stupid disease. Waldorf said the only thing worse than listening to Michael Cole talk is nothing.
Backstage Miss Piggy was rubbing John Morrison's abs. Miss Piggy asked him to dinner. He said he couldn't but he knew a friend who would. Enter Hornswoggle. Hornswoggle showed Miss Piggy his tattoo of her then gave her a kiss. She punched him in the gut. Kermit asked if Hornswoggle was ok. He left. Kermit said "And I thought our show was weird." Ha. Cody came in and but a bag on Kermit's head.
I Know What John Cena Did Last Summer
Main event time. Cena got the better of Miz early. Miz locked in a chin lock, then hit is corner clothesline. Miz locked in a sleeper hold. Cena back dropped Miz out of the hold. Traditional Cena offense. Miz countered an Attitude Adjustment into a reverse DDT. Miz went for a kick but missed. Cena went for the STF but Miz got out and hit his backbreaker/neckbreaker combo. Miz went for a Skull Crushing Finale, but Cena countered with a clothesline. Miz went for a superplex but Cena fought out. Cena hit his top rope leg drop for two. Miz countered another AA attempt with a DDT. Miz charged at Cena but Cena tossed him over the top and into the barricade. Someone in a Scream mask attacked Cena. Back in the ring, Cena locked in the STF and Miz tapped giving Cena the win. The masked guy came in after, but Cena AA'd him. Of course it was R-Truth. OK Match, happy ending for the fans and viewers. But Cena just took care of both his opponents at Survivor Series single-handily. Why does he need The Rock? Survey Says: 2/5
OVERALL
This was a blah RAW made better by the Muppets. Some decent wrestling, but all of the Muppets stuff was good to great, especially Statler and Waldorf as well as the Sheamus/Beaker interaction. The Rock was typical Rock. He was good but didn't bring anything new to the table. But there were also two booking decisions I hated on the show. One was Alberto del Rio losing clean to the Big Show. Stupid. I already ranted about that. The other was Cena taking out Miz and R-Truth. That essentially amde Miz and Truth look second fiddle to Cena, and of course nothing compared to The Rock. WWE has a lot of work to do to make Miz and Truth look like threats in time for the PPV. I'm giving this RAW a 5, mostly for The Muppets and the decent in ring action for the night.
NFL Review tomorrow.
And remember kids, the Muppets are everyone's friends. But don't mistake Gonzo for HHH, because Gonzo would never sleep with the boss's daughter.
Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka
Rock started the show. He said Cena and him represent a generation. Rock said last week Cena asked him from the heart to be his partner at Survivor Series. Rock gave Cena his answer from the heart, "Hell no." Rock said Cena wanted Team Fruit Loop to team with Team Bring It, and that wasn't going to happen. Rock then mentioned all of his Twitter followers who wanted to see Rock team with Cena. Rock said he also despises Miz and Truth, and Rock will do it for the people. He will team with Cena at Survivor Series. Rock said he will show Cena and all of his fans just what Rock is capable of at Wrestlemania next year. Basic Rock stuff. Nothing new, but Rock delivered in typical Rock fashion. Survey Says: 3.5/5
Ricardo Can Never Catch A Break
It's C.M. Punk vs Mark Henry. If Punk wins he get a WWE Title shot. Punk hit a couple kicks, then a springboard clothesline and Macho Man elbow for two. ADR and Ricardo came to ringside. Del Rio ordered Ricardo to attack Henry, which he did, causing a DQ win for Henry. No Title shot for Punk. After the match Punk attacked both, and threw Ricardo in the ring where he ate a World's Strongest Slam. Neither Punk or Henry was getting pinned, so a relatively smart finish to continue leader. Survey Says: 2.5/5
Justin Roberts introduced The Muppets. Miss Piggy said she was the Original Diva. Vickie and Jack Swagger interrupted. Vickie hated sharing the stage with livestock. Swagger ripped on Kermit. Miss Piggy called him Frankenstein. Kermit told Swagger they didn't want any trouble with him or his mother. Haha. Vickie freaked out as Santino's music hit. Santino said him and Swagger, and Dolph Ziggler and Zack Ryder had a match later. Kelly Kelly then walked out and gave Kermit a kiss, which angered Miss Piggy. That was fun. I always loved the Muppets.
Eve won a Divas costume Battle Royal.
Backstage Beaker had a new energy drink to give to Santino. Christian interrupted. Christian dumped out the drink which horrified Beaker. He said "Better luck next time nerd." Sheamus came in and asked if there was a problem. Christian walked away. Sheamus told Beaker he wouldn't make the Family Reunion this year, but to give Aunt Theresa his best. Sheamus then spiked Beaker's hair. Funny stuff. The one interaction I wanted to happen happened, and they even joked about them being related. Great!
Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes defeated Air Boom. Could action for the brief time they had. Barrett's Resurrection continues. We can only hope it leads to something. Maybe a Tag Title shot for Rhodes and Barrett in the future. Christian came out and attacked Air Boom after the match, but Sheamus made the save. Looks like a potential Survivor Series match. Sheamus/Air Boom/Zack Ryder/Santino vs Christian/Wade Barrett/Cody Rhodes/Dolph Ziggler/Jack Swagger.
Statler and Waldorf were shown. Waldorf said we've gone from the Stone Cold to someone born in the Stone Age.
Backstage, C.M. Punk asked John Laurinaitis what he was going to do about what happened in his match earlier. Laurinaitis said Punk will get his WWE Title Shot, so long as Alberto del Rio agrees to give him one.
A Brodus Clay promo aired. He re-debuts next week.
Way To Protect Your WWE Champion
I had a write up planned for this match, but then Big Show pinned Del Rio and it just pissed me off. The match was nothing to write home about, but having Show go over ADR clean is just ridiculous. Alberto del Rio is the WWE CHAMPION. I'm so sick of all this stuff about having to protect the Big Show because he has such a mystique. Guess what? He doesn't. I don't even know why he is around on a full time basis anymore. Sure he's a great company guy and great for PR, but it is no reason to put him over the WWE CHAMPION. It kills any momentum Del Rio built, and it is just ridiculous to see it happen. What a waste. Survey Says: 1/5
Afterwards C.M. Punk came out. He told ADR he was going to put him in the Anaconda Vice until ADR agreed to give him a WWE Title match at Survivor Series. ADR finally agreed after a few seconds in the hold.
GONZO and Fozzie were backstage. They talked about how big some of the wrestlers are. Gonzo said he could be a WWE Champion. Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, and Vickie walked in. They pulled Gonzo's arms out and wrapped them around his head. Fozzie said he's happy for his short stubby arms.
Santino was up next against Jack Swagger. Santino won when Beaker gave him the special Muppets drink, which he spit in Swagger's face and then rolled him up for the win. Animal was the time keeper. Only watchable because of the Muppets.
Zack Ryder Only Wins Non-Title Matches! Woo Woo Woo!
Next was Ryder vs Ziggler. Ryder took Ziggler out with some arm drags. Ryder hit a missile drop kick on Ziggler than took him to the outside as we headed to the break. Back from break, Ziggler had Ryder in an arm lock. Ziggler hit an elbow drop. He went for a neckbreaker, but Ryder countered with a catapult into the ring post. Ryder worked over Ziggler with some punches, then a knee to Ziggler in the corner. Ryder hit a knee to the face for 3, but the referee missed Ziggler's foot under the rope. Match continues. Ryder chased Ziggler outside. Vicke grabbed Ryder's leg so Dolph connected with a kick. He went for the Zig Zag but Ryder held onto the rope. Ryder hit the Rough Ryder for the win. OK stuff. Survey Says: 2.5/5
They recapped the Nash/HHH on-goings from last week. HHH is still out 5 weeks. Apparently John Laurinaitis re-signed Kevin Nash, and he will be at RAW next week.
Michael Cole said Jim Ross didn't show up because of some stupid disease. Waldorf said the only thing worse than listening to Michael Cole talk is nothing.
Backstage Miss Piggy was rubbing John Morrison's abs. Miss Piggy asked him to dinner. He said he couldn't but he knew a friend who would. Enter Hornswoggle. Hornswoggle showed Miss Piggy his tattoo of her then gave her a kiss. She punched him in the gut. Kermit asked if Hornswoggle was ok. He left. Kermit said "And I thought our show was weird." Ha. Cody came in and but a bag on Kermit's head.
I Know What John Cena Did Last Summer
Main event time. Cena got the better of Miz early. Miz locked in a chin lock, then hit is corner clothesline. Miz locked in a sleeper hold. Cena back dropped Miz out of the hold. Traditional Cena offense. Miz countered an Attitude Adjustment into a reverse DDT. Miz went for a kick but missed. Cena went for the STF but Miz got out and hit his backbreaker/neckbreaker combo. Miz went for a Skull Crushing Finale, but Cena countered with a clothesline. Miz went for a superplex but Cena fought out. Cena hit his top rope leg drop for two. Miz countered another AA attempt with a DDT. Miz charged at Cena but Cena tossed him over the top and into the barricade. Someone in a Scream mask attacked Cena. Back in the ring, Cena locked in the STF and Miz tapped giving Cena the win. The masked guy came in after, but Cena AA'd him. Of course it was R-Truth. OK Match, happy ending for the fans and viewers. But Cena just took care of both his opponents at Survivor Series single-handily. Why does he need The Rock? Survey Says: 2/5
OVERALL
This was a blah RAW made better by the Muppets. Some decent wrestling, but all of the Muppets stuff was good to great, especially Statler and Waldorf as well as the Sheamus/Beaker interaction. The Rock was typical Rock. He was good but didn't bring anything new to the table. But there were also two booking decisions I hated on the show. One was Alberto del Rio losing clean to the Big Show. Stupid. I already ranted about that. The other was Cena taking out Miz and R-Truth. That essentially amde Miz and Truth look second fiddle to Cena, and of course nothing compared to The Rock. WWE has a lot of work to do to make Miz and Truth look like threats in time for the PPV. I'm giving this RAW a 5, mostly for The Muppets and the decent in ring action for the night.
NFL Review tomorrow.
And remember kids, the Muppets are everyone's friends. But don't mistake Gonzo for HHH, because Gonzo would never sleep with the boss's daughter.
Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka
Monday, October 24, 2011
RAW Thoughts for 10/24/2011
Nashism, Not At It's Finest?
After a recap of the happenings of Vengeance, HHH came out. No suit and tie. Jeans and a t-shirt. HHH said the business has been tough for him, but he's made some true friends in the business. He thought Kevin Nash was one of them, but money and business now seem more important to him. HHH said last night Nash tried to break his neck, but Nash really broke his heart. AWWWWW. HHH called Nash out to the ring, because he wants to take out his frustrations on him.
John Laurinaitis came out to try and calm down HHH. HHH told him to shut up and not walk through the ropes. HHH told him that he still works for him. And Laurinaitis job tonight is to find Nash, and give him the biggest contract he can. Because if he doesn't, HHH will go to his house and find Nash, and he will get arrested for what he will do to Nash. As HHH was walking to the back, Nash took a sledgehammer to the back of HHH. He shoved security that tried to stop him. HHH struggled to get up, then collapsed in the back. Eh, nothing special. Leads to Nash/HHH, which will be bad. Survey Says: 2.5/5
Back from break, they recapped the opening segment. They showed HHH being put in an ambulance. Nash stopped him, took HHH off the gurney, and hit HHH with the Sledgehammer in the face. Ouch.
Great White? Does That Make Randy Orton "The Great Orange?"
RAW's first match featured all Smackdown wrestlers. Cody Rhodes/Christian vs Randy Orton/Sheamus. Sheamus took out Christian on the outside with a shoulder tackle. But that allowed Cody to take advantage in the ring, and lock in a sleeper heading into a break. Back from break the heels were still in control. But Sheamus countered out of a Killswitch attempt by Christian and tagged in Randy Orton. Orton cleaned house. Backdrop on Christian, middle rope DDT. Cody distracted Orton, which allowed Christian to hit his corner kick. Tag to Cody. Cody worked on Orton and hit a nice dropkick before tagging Christian back in. Orton drop-kicked Christian off a high risk maneuver, then tagged in Sheamus. Eventually all four men ended up in the ring. Sheamus miss timed a Brogue Kick on Rhodes, so he made up for it with a Celtic Cross for the win. Good enough action. Still no RAW wrestlers though. Survey Says: 3/5
Backstage, Cena complained to Laurinaits about Miz/R-Truth. Cena wanted them in a match, and Ace agreed. Cena and a partner of his choosing vs Miz and R-Truth.
Dolph Ziggler beat Santino after Swagger distracted Santino. Swagger applied the ankle lock after, but Mason Ryan made the save. Nothing worth rating.
Backstage the Bellas were talking. Zack Ryder showed up, saying Laurinaitis picked him to be Cena's partner. Woo Woo Woo.
I Demand Better From My C.M. Punk Time
Alberto del Rio came out. He said he's done with John Cena, and he is moving onto a new challenger. But he said no one is good enough to beat him. C.M. Punk interrupted. He said ADR must be mistaken, because Punk beat him four weeks ago. He said it was in Grey's Sports Almanac. Punk said he never got his one-on-one rematch after Del Rio cashed in Money in the Bank on him. Punk asked ADR to put the WWE Title up against him. ADR said Punk didn't even win his match at Vengeance, so he's at the back of the line. Punk said maybe he will put ADR to sleep anyways. John Laurinaitis interrupted. He made Punk/ADR at Survivor Series, but he said Punk has to say he respects him first. Punk asked if Laurinaitis was Aretha Franklin. Punk mocked him, then went on a rant to talk about how Laurinaitis did so little in the business but got so far up the food chain. Laurinaitis didn't like it, so he told Punk he was going to take a week to decide. Punk said while he's deciding, think of this. He attempted a GTS on ADR, but Ricardo saved him. GTS to Ricardo instead. That just seemed like a segment to get those two on TV tonight. Survey Says: 2/5
Alicia Fox upset Natalya. WHYYYY?
Young Guys Getting Time? WHAT?
John Morrison vs Wade Barrett. One year ago this match would have been interesting. Now? No. Barrett threw Morrison against the barricade outside going into a commercial. Back from break, Morrison took a big boot from Barrett. Barrett worked over Morrison in the ropes, then booted him to the outside. Morrison fought back with some punches, then an elbow to the face, some clotheslines than a knee to the jaw, which got a two count. Barrett caught Morrison with a Black Hole Slam for two. Barrett went for Wasteland, but Morrison countered with a Side Russian leg sweep. Morrison missed Starship Pain. He went for a springboard kick, but Barrett couldn't catch him properly. Barrett grabbed him and hit Wasteland for the win. Fun little match. Hopefully a sign of things to come for Barrett. Survey Says: 2.5/5
Michael Cole showed some embarrassing pictures of Jim Ross. He challenged him to the "Michael Cole Challenge" next week. Cole said if he loses, Jim Ross can have his chair back, because he will quit.
The Only Man Who Can Save the WWE's Product Will Return
Zack Ryder was being interviewed, but Miz and R-Truth attacked him. Looks like a handicap match. Miz and R-Truth said Cena got what was coming to him at Vengeance. They said that it won't be over until Cena gets got, and that's the Truth. Cena got the better of Truth early, so he tagged in Miz. Miz was able to gain the upper hand on Cena. R-Truth tagged in, worked over Cena until Cena Scoop-Slammed him. Tag to Miz. Traditional Cena offense. Cena went for the Attitude Adjustment, but R-Truth hit him with the Water Bottle causing a DQ. Miz and Truth beatdown, but Laurinaitis stopped it. He said at Survivor Series, Miz and Truth will face Cena and a partner of his choosing. Cena chose The Rock. Not very suspenseful because of the promos before the match. Survey Says: 2/5
OVERALL
Not a good episode of RAW. The best part of the show was the Smackdown tag match and the Barrett win. I want to be interested in Punk/Del Rio, but that first interaction did nothing for me. The first 30 minutes was dedicated to HHH/Nash, taking me back to 2003. An HHH/Nash match will not be good, even if it is No DQ. I thought the Rock/Cena match was suppose to be a 5-on-5 elimination match, but that doesn't appear to be the case right now. Boring show that did nothing for me. Giving it a 3, just like the PPV. The Muppets should at least be entertaining next week.
And remember kids, you can't die from a broken neck, but you can die from a broken heart.
NFL Week 7 Review up tomorrow.
Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka
After a recap of the happenings of Vengeance, HHH came out. No suit and tie. Jeans and a t-shirt. HHH said the business has been tough for him, but he's made some true friends in the business. He thought Kevin Nash was one of them, but money and business now seem more important to him. HHH said last night Nash tried to break his neck, but Nash really broke his heart. AWWWWW. HHH called Nash out to the ring, because he wants to take out his frustrations on him.
John Laurinaitis came out to try and calm down HHH. HHH told him to shut up and not walk through the ropes. HHH told him that he still works for him. And Laurinaitis job tonight is to find Nash, and give him the biggest contract he can. Because if he doesn't, HHH will go to his house and find Nash, and he will get arrested for what he will do to Nash. As HHH was walking to the back, Nash took a sledgehammer to the back of HHH. He shoved security that tried to stop him. HHH struggled to get up, then collapsed in the back. Eh, nothing special. Leads to Nash/HHH, which will be bad. Survey Says: 2.5/5
Back from break, they recapped the opening segment. They showed HHH being put in an ambulance. Nash stopped him, took HHH off the gurney, and hit HHH with the Sledgehammer in the face. Ouch.
Great White? Does That Make Randy Orton "The Great Orange?"
RAW's first match featured all Smackdown wrestlers. Cody Rhodes/Christian vs Randy Orton/Sheamus. Sheamus took out Christian on the outside with a shoulder tackle. But that allowed Cody to take advantage in the ring, and lock in a sleeper heading into a break. Back from break the heels were still in control. But Sheamus countered out of a Killswitch attempt by Christian and tagged in Randy Orton. Orton cleaned house. Backdrop on Christian, middle rope DDT. Cody distracted Orton, which allowed Christian to hit his corner kick. Tag to Cody. Cody worked on Orton and hit a nice dropkick before tagging Christian back in. Orton drop-kicked Christian off a high risk maneuver, then tagged in Sheamus. Eventually all four men ended up in the ring. Sheamus miss timed a Brogue Kick on Rhodes, so he made up for it with a Celtic Cross for the win. Good enough action. Still no RAW wrestlers though. Survey Says: 3/5
Backstage, Cena complained to Laurinaits about Miz/R-Truth. Cena wanted them in a match, and Ace agreed. Cena and a partner of his choosing vs Miz and R-Truth.
Dolph Ziggler beat Santino after Swagger distracted Santino. Swagger applied the ankle lock after, but Mason Ryan made the save. Nothing worth rating.
Backstage the Bellas were talking. Zack Ryder showed up, saying Laurinaitis picked him to be Cena's partner. Woo Woo Woo.
I Demand Better From My C.M. Punk Time
Alberto del Rio came out. He said he's done with John Cena, and he is moving onto a new challenger. But he said no one is good enough to beat him. C.M. Punk interrupted. He said ADR must be mistaken, because Punk beat him four weeks ago. He said it was in Grey's Sports Almanac. Punk said he never got his one-on-one rematch after Del Rio cashed in Money in the Bank on him. Punk asked ADR to put the WWE Title up against him. ADR said Punk didn't even win his match at Vengeance, so he's at the back of the line. Punk said maybe he will put ADR to sleep anyways. John Laurinaitis interrupted. He made Punk/ADR at Survivor Series, but he said Punk has to say he respects him first. Punk asked if Laurinaitis was Aretha Franklin. Punk mocked him, then went on a rant to talk about how Laurinaitis did so little in the business but got so far up the food chain. Laurinaitis didn't like it, so he told Punk he was going to take a week to decide. Punk said while he's deciding, think of this. He attempted a GTS on ADR, but Ricardo saved him. GTS to Ricardo instead. That just seemed like a segment to get those two on TV tonight. Survey Says: 2/5
Alicia Fox upset Natalya. WHYYYY?
Young Guys Getting Time? WHAT?
John Morrison vs Wade Barrett. One year ago this match would have been interesting. Now? No. Barrett threw Morrison against the barricade outside going into a commercial. Back from break, Morrison took a big boot from Barrett. Barrett worked over Morrison in the ropes, then booted him to the outside. Morrison fought back with some punches, then an elbow to the face, some clotheslines than a knee to the jaw, which got a two count. Barrett caught Morrison with a Black Hole Slam for two. Barrett went for Wasteland, but Morrison countered with a Side Russian leg sweep. Morrison missed Starship Pain. He went for a springboard kick, but Barrett couldn't catch him properly. Barrett grabbed him and hit Wasteland for the win. Fun little match. Hopefully a sign of things to come for Barrett. Survey Says: 2.5/5
Michael Cole showed some embarrassing pictures of Jim Ross. He challenged him to the "Michael Cole Challenge" next week. Cole said if he loses, Jim Ross can have his chair back, because he will quit.
The Only Man Who Can Save the WWE's Product Will Return
Zack Ryder was being interviewed, but Miz and R-Truth attacked him. Looks like a handicap match. Miz and R-Truth said Cena got what was coming to him at Vengeance. They said that it won't be over until Cena gets got, and that's the Truth. Cena got the better of Truth early, so he tagged in Miz. Miz was able to gain the upper hand on Cena. R-Truth tagged in, worked over Cena until Cena Scoop-Slammed him. Tag to Miz. Traditional Cena offense. Cena went for the Attitude Adjustment, but R-Truth hit him with the Water Bottle causing a DQ. Miz and Truth beatdown, but Laurinaitis stopped it. He said at Survivor Series, Miz and Truth will face Cena and a partner of his choosing. Cena chose The Rock. Not very suspenseful because of the promos before the match. Survey Says: 2/5
OVERALL
Not a good episode of RAW. The best part of the show was the Smackdown tag match and the Barrett win. I want to be interested in Punk/Del Rio, but that first interaction did nothing for me. The first 30 minutes was dedicated to HHH/Nash, taking me back to 2003. An HHH/Nash match will not be good, even if it is No DQ. I thought the Rock/Cena match was suppose to be a 5-on-5 elimination match, but that doesn't appear to be the case right now. Boring show that did nothing for me. Giving it a 3, just like the PPV. The Muppets should at least be entertaining next week.
And remember kids, you can't die from a broken neck, but you can die from a broken heart.
NFL Week 7 Review up tomorrow.
Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka
Saturday, September 10, 2011
If I Booked the WWE This Fall
I'll tell you something. I was struggling to come up with ideas for this week's article. I had a couple things pop into my head late this week, but they would need more time and research. They weren't something I could write in a day or two. So in a way, having writer's block this week was a blessing in disguise.
So what was my idea for this week? There are four months left in the calendar year. The WWE, in my opinion, has done a great job of rebounding from an off 2009 and 2010. Especially during the summer, the WWE has churned out some great TV. The storylines for the most part have been good, and the match quality, especially on TV, has been up from the last two years. But of course, there are always certain things that you as an individual want to see. There are things that I'd like to see that probably haven't even crossed the mind of some people in the WWE. Everyone has a different opinion on every wrestler and storyline, so I figured I would give my take.
Here, for your consideration, are 10 Things I Would Do If I Booked the WWE This Fall:
1. An Extended Mark Henry World Title Reign
Two months ago, six months ago, a year ago I would have laughed at this idea. But somehow, the universes have aligned perfectly and Mark Henry has become the best thing going on Smackdown, and one of the best things the WWE has done in quite some time. It's a shame it only took the WWE ten years to figure out how to book Mark Henry. Henry has had so many face and heel turns over his career that I've lost count. I never liked Henry as a babyface. He just never appealed to me.
Henry as a heel has also been up and down. He was never booked properly or encountered an injury that stopped his push. But Henry has remained healthy all of this summer and has been booked how he should have been booked a long time ago: As an unstoppable monster. Henry has taken out Kane and Big Show, he put Sheamus through the ringside barrier, and he hasn't backed down from anyone. Henry finally has his World Title shot. For some reason, I smell a countout or DQ finish in his match with Randy Orton at Night of Champions. With another PPV in two weeks, I wouldn't expect a clean win. But at Hell in A Cell, I would expect Henry to walk out World Champion. His push has more than warranted it. Henry seems to be in the best shape of his career. As long as he can put on a decent 15 minute match he should have no problem as Champion. His matches won't be on the level of Orton/Christian, but they can still be good.
Now how long should the reign last? As long as the WWE doesn't screw it up, I would keep it going until the Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber. While I wouldn't mind Henry as World Champ, even I probably wouldn't want him main eventing Wrestlemania. I'm sure Daniel Bryan could get a decent match out of him, but Bryan/Henry doesn't exactly scream "Wrestlemania World Title Match." Plus, that would leave almost nothing for Randy Orton to do. But a properly booked Mark Henry five month title reign should be good. The wrestler who takes the Title away from him would have instant credibility.
2. Establish Daniel Bryan As A Credible Threat
Daniel Bryan is Smackdown's Mr. Money in the Bank. I was shocked to see him win the match. I had him #4 on the list of people to win that match. But what has Bryan done since then? Pretty much nothing. He had a good match with Wade Barrett at SummerSlam and lost. I would have liked to see an extended feud between those two. Have them trade jabs at each other for a few weeks, then at Night of Champions Bryan could have put his MITB Briefcase on the line. But that was a lost opportunity. Since SummerSlam Bryan has had some good matches with Alberto del Rio and Christian, but has came out on the losing end of both.
Bryan has shown that he can hang with the main eventers in the ring, but now he needs to pick up a few wins. A program with the heel Sin Cara appears on the horizon. Hopefully Bryan picks up a win there. I would explore the feud with Wade Barrett again. Even though it looks like Christian may be moving on to Sheamus, I would book a Christian/Bryan program as well. Daniel Bryan also needs to appear on the RAW SuperShow to help him get over to the entire WWE Universe. Bryan ahs already put on great matches with Dolph Ziggler. Why not give us that treat again?
There's one "Out There" idea that would take some balls for the WWE to do. First, Daniel Bryan loses the MITB briefcase to someone. Lets say Wade Barrett. Late in the year, Barrett cashes in the contract and becomes the World Champion. Bryan, hell bent on revenge, wins the Royal Rumble and faces Barrett at Wrestlemania. Now again, Daniel Bryan vs Wade Barrett doesn't scream "Wrestlemania World Title Match," but a great build could change that. But both Bryan and Barrett appear to be going nowhere, so this scenario seems highly unlikely.
3. Turn Jack Swagger Face
I brought this idea up in my Fall Fantasy Outlook. Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler apparently can't both have Vickie Guerrero as their manager. It doesn't look like they can get along. A feud between the two seems more than likely. But who to turn face? To me the answer is easy: Jack Swagger. Dolph Ziggler just doesn't have the look or appeal that a face should have. I think the WWE dropped the ball with Swagger when he was with Michael Cole this spring. Had Swagger turned on Cole, he would have gotten instant face heat. The crowd would have popped huge for Swagger putting Cole in the ankle lock.
John Cena and C.M. Punk are 1A and 1B on RAW, but somebody needs to step up and take the reigns as the next face on the card. John Morrison's time has come and gone. Alex Riley's push is on standby. Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne are now a tag team. Swagger is the next best option. If Swagger dropped the goof ball persona and got serious, the fans could become accepting of his new attitude. I would let Swagger win the U.S. Title and feud with Ziggler a bit before moving on to maybe Miz.
4. A Traditional Survivor Series PPV
This is a minor thing. I know the WWE has had trouble selling this PPV in recent years. But with the brand split apparently over for the time being, there's no reason the WWE can't mix and match there superstars to make for some compelling 4-on-4 match ups. Plus, with The Rock already advertised to appear on the show, they can take a risk on the rest of the card. Especially if The Rock doesn't appear at all on WWE TV before then. The Rock, a WWE Title Match, a World Title Match, and 4 traditional Survivor Series matches would make for a great PPV in my opinion.
5. Start the Build for Rock/Cena
Building off my last point, the build for Rock vs Cena at Wrestlemania needs to start at Survivor Series. Just the match alone will be enough to sell the PPV and sell out the arena in Miami, but the WWE needs to start hyping up the back story more. The audience needs to be reminded why these two are facing each other. No matter how the WWE tries to spin it, John Cena is going to be heavily booed anytime he's out there with The Rock. The Rock could come out and rip on every person in the audience, and the second John Cena opens his mouth the crowd will just boo him again.
At Survivor Series, the back story needs to be re-established between these two. Give them another talking segment in the ring together. Hell, don't even book John Cena in match. But I doubt that happens. But if John Cena is the WWE Champion at this point, they also need to throw out the idea of their match at Wresltmania being for the WWE Championship. I still wouldn't make that match for the WWE Title. Rock/Cena is going to be the main event, so why not give the WWE Title Match to two guys who can use it to elevate their careers. The Rock won't be around every week to build the match, so they need to re-establish the Rock/Cena back story and foreshadow an array of possibilities that can hype the match even more.
6. Bring Back Chris Jericho
This one is a bit tricky. Chris Jericho's band Fozzy has a tour set up all through November. Plus, I wouldn't want to bring Jericho back until the Wrestlemania build. But there is no reason the WWE can't get the ball rolling on a possible return. Throw out a handful of scenarios for Jericho to consider. What if he won the World Title and faced Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania. The idea of a 20 minute Chris Jericho/Daniel Bryan match is very appealing, and you know Jericho would be more than willing to put Bryan over. On RAW, there is the possibility of a great program with Alberto del Rio. There's also the possibility of a feud with C.M. Punk. The two exchange verbal insults on Twitter. I'm sure they could transition to a great program in the ring.
But if it was up to me, the guy I would bring Chris Jericho back against would be Randy Orton. It already has the back story. Orton punted Jericho in the head on RAW last year, and that is the last we saw of him. Plus, this could be the one match Randy Orton could have at Wrestlemania that doesn't involve the World Title and would be a legitimate could match. Jericho is the established veteran that the WWE has been missing for some time now. Jericho's presence on WWE TV brings star power back to either show. He would be more valuable on Smackdown, as there are many more young guys on that show that could use the rub of working with Jericho. While I wouldn't bring Jericho back until 2012, there's no reason you can't give him a call and start negotiations soon.
7. Turn HHH Heel; Form the New Corporation
The problem with the whole HHH/C.M. Punk story right now is that there is no clearly defined heel. Fans right now are suppose to choose who they want to cheer for. They haven't been told who the heel is in this situation. A lot of the story has been rushed. I'm surprised the WWE has gone ahead and book the match for Night of Champions. With two PPVs in October, you have to wonder what the WWE has in store for the rest of this program. They shouldn't rush through this story. If Nash would have been medically cleared, he obviously would have been the opponent here. I would have had Punk beat Nash. Have a rematch at Hell in A Cell with Punk winning again. Then HHH finally puts C.M. Punk in the WWE Title Match at Vengeance in a Triple Threat Match, and THEN have HHH turn heel, and have Punk/HHH at Survivor Series. That's how I would have booked this.
But alas, the WWE has decided not to do that. So therefore, HHH needs to turn heel sooner rather than later if the WWE wants to keep the story interesting. An effective stable has been lacking in the WWE for some time. Nexus was only relevant for about two months. HHH loves stables. He was in one of the better ones during the Evolution days. A new corporation lead by HHH could be interesting. With HHH as the leader and Kevin Nash as the bodyguard, you can easily build around that. And with RAW now a SuperShow, it's easier to get some Smackdown guys involved. Alberto del Rio can be the top guy as WWE Champ. I would throw Wade Barrett into the new Corporation. How about Dolph Ziggler and Vickie too. And the last piece of the puzzle: Miz. The guy doesn't really have too much going for him right now. And for some reason, I could see him turning on R-Truth. So here's your Corporation 2.0: HHH, Nash, Alberto del Rio, Wade Barrett, and Miz. A piece or two could be added along the way. But that would be my starting point.
8. End the Anonymous RAW GM Storyline
One way or another, the RAW GM storyline has to come to an end. When was the last time an e-mail was even sent? I don't think one has since before the Money in the Bank PPV. The podium has just been sitting there for no reason, probably obstructing some poor fan's view at ringside. It is stupid to just not address it at some point. If there's nothing planned, then just dump the podium and scrap it from existence. A creative way to bring the RAW GM storyline back would be to have some e-mails start popping up if HHH loses at Night of Champions. HHH loses at NOC, relinquishes COO duties, but all along he was also the RAW GM. Triple H is back on TV and the HHH/Punk feud continues. That's my suggestion.
9. Turn R-Truth Face
R-Truth has been one of the more entertaining characters in the last few months in WWE. I loved his main event run in June. Sure the match with John Cena at Capitol Punishment was disappointing, but it gave Truth a chance to shine in the spotlight. R-Truth's in ring work has also improved in the last few months. He's still not one of the best out there, but he's been better.
Now of course, how could you turn Truth face after all of this? After all, he despises all of you Little Jimmys. And there is also a giant conspiracy out there. How do you add to the conspiracy? By having your new tag team partner join it. Miz and R-Truth can become Tag Champs, but after they lose the belts, have Miz start to become frustrated with Truth. Then, Miz turns on Truth and joins the newly formed Corporation. It'd be a risk turning R-Truth face after all of this, but his gimmick is just so far out there and hilarious that I think fans would take to it if given the chance.
10. Make C.M. Punk the Focus of WWE TV
Slowly but surely, I think the WWE is starting to move towards this. With John Cena becoming more focused with The Rock as Wrestlemania approaches, someone will have to take the reigns of RAW and be focused with the actual wrestlers that are on that show. Who else would you rather have in that role than C.M. Punk? Punk has been money in recent months and can more than easily handle a permanent role at the top. If the new Corporation were to form, you can have Punk go up against all of them one by one. Then at Wrestlemania, you can have Punk take on WWE Champion Alberto del Rio. Or maybe a Punk/HHH match with more on the line this time.
Making Punk your top face also throws out the possibility of turning John Cena full on heel during the build to Wrestlemania. Turning Cena heel is thrown out constantly, but until you can have someone replace Cena's popularity and merchandise sales, then it can't be done. If Punk is given the opportunity, he could be that next top guy. Especially if he is turned into the anti-authority figure that Stone Cold Steve Austin was. I don't think this will ever happen, but now might be the best time to turn Cena heel with C.M. Punk's popularity growing by the day. If it was up to me, I would slowly transition more TV time to Punk, and let him have the opportunity to be the next guy at the top.
That's all from me this week. I will have my Week 1 Picks up later today, and my Week 1 Review as well as my RAW Review up on Tuesday.
Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka
So what was my idea for this week? There are four months left in the calendar year. The WWE, in my opinion, has done a great job of rebounding from an off 2009 and 2010. Especially during the summer, the WWE has churned out some great TV. The storylines for the most part have been good, and the match quality, especially on TV, has been up from the last two years. But of course, there are always certain things that you as an individual want to see. There are things that I'd like to see that probably haven't even crossed the mind of some people in the WWE. Everyone has a different opinion on every wrestler and storyline, so I figured I would give my take.
Here, for your consideration, are 10 Things I Would Do If I Booked the WWE This Fall:
1. An Extended Mark Henry World Title Reign
Two months ago, six months ago, a year ago I would have laughed at this idea. But somehow, the universes have aligned perfectly and Mark Henry has become the best thing going on Smackdown, and one of the best things the WWE has done in quite some time. It's a shame it only took the WWE ten years to figure out how to book Mark Henry. Henry has had so many face and heel turns over his career that I've lost count. I never liked Henry as a babyface. He just never appealed to me.
Henry as a heel has also been up and down. He was never booked properly or encountered an injury that stopped his push. But Henry has remained healthy all of this summer and has been booked how he should have been booked a long time ago: As an unstoppable monster. Henry has taken out Kane and Big Show, he put Sheamus through the ringside barrier, and he hasn't backed down from anyone. Henry finally has his World Title shot. For some reason, I smell a countout or DQ finish in his match with Randy Orton at Night of Champions. With another PPV in two weeks, I wouldn't expect a clean win. But at Hell in A Cell, I would expect Henry to walk out World Champion. His push has more than warranted it. Henry seems to be in the best shape of his career. As long as he can put on a decent 15 minute match he should have no problem as Champion. His matches won't be on the level of Orton/Christian, but they can still be good.
Now how long should the reign last? As long as the WWE doesn't screw it up, I would keep it going until the Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber. While I wouldn't mind Henry as World Champ, even I probably wouldn't want him main eventing Wrestlemania. I'm sure Daniel Bryan could get a decent match out of him, but Bryan/Henry doesn't exactly scream "Wrestlemania World Title Match." Plus, that would leave almost nothing for Randy Orton to do. But a properly booked Mark Henry five month title reign should be good. The wrestler who takes the Title away from him would have instant credibility.
2. Establish Daniel Bryan As A Credible Threat
Daniel Bryan is Smackdown's Mr. Money in the Bank. I was shocked to see him win the match. I had him #4 on the list of people to win that match. But what has Bryan done since then? Pretty much nothing. He had a good match with Wade Barrett at SummerSlam and lost. I would have liked to see an extended feud between those two. Have them trade jabs at each other for a few weeks, then at Night of Champions Bryan could have put his MITB Briefcase on the line. But that was a lost opportunity. Since SummerSlam Bryan has had some good matches with Alberto del Rio and Christian, but has came out on the losing end of both.
Bryan has shown that he can hang with the main eventers in the ring, but now he needs to pick up a few wins. A program with the heel Sin Cara appears on the horizon. Hopefully Bryan picks up a win there. I would explore the feud with Wade Barrett again. Even though it looks like Christian may be moving on to Sheamus, I would book a Christian/Bryan program as well. Daniel Bryan also needs to appear on the RAW SuperShow to help him get over to the entire WWE Universe. Bryan ahs already put on great matches with Dolph Ziggler. Why not give us that treat again?
There's one "Out There" idea that would take some balls for the WWE to do. First, Daniel Bryan loses the MITB briefcase to someone. Lets say Wade Barrett. Late in the year, Barrett cashes in the contract and becomes the World Champion. Bryan, hell bent on revenge, wins the Royal Rumble and faces Barrett at Wrestlemania. Now again, Daniel Bryan vs Wade Barrett doesn't scream "Wrestlemania World Title Match," but a great build could change that. But both Bryan and Barrett appear to be going nowhere, so this scenario seems highly unlikely.
3. Turn Jack Swagger Face
I brought this idea up in my Fall Fantasy Outlook. Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler apparently can't both have Vickie Guerrero as their manager. It doesn't look like they can get along. A feud between the two seems more than likely. But who to turn face? To me the answer is easy: Jack Swagger. Dolph Ziggler just doesn't have the look or appeal that a face should have. I think the WWE dropped the ball with Swagger when he was with Michael Cole this spring. Had Swagger turned on Cole, he would have gotten instant face heat. The crowd would have popped huge for Swagger putting Cole in the ankle lock.
John Cena and C.M. Punk are 1A and 1B on RAW, but somebody needs to step up and take the reigns as the next face on the card. John Morrison's time has come and gone. Alex Riley's push is on standby. Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne are now a tag team. Swagger is the next best option. If Swagger dropped the goof ball persona and got serious, the fans could become accepting of his new attitude. I would let Swagger win the U.S. Title and feud with Ziggler a bit before moving on to maybe Miz.
4. A Traditional Survivor Series PPV
This is a minor thing. I know the WWE has had trouble selling this PPV in recent years. But with the brand split apparently over for the time being, there's no reason the WWE can't mix and match there superstars to make for some compelling 4-on-4 match ups. Plus, with The Rock already advertised to appear on the show, they can take a risk on the rest of the card. Especially if The Rock doesn't appear at all on WWE TV before then. The Rock, a WWE Title Match, a World Title Match, and 4 traditional Survivor Series matches would make for a great PPV in my opinion.
5. Start the Build for Rock/Cena
Building off my last point, the build for Rock vs Cena at Wrestlemania needs to start at Survivor Series. Just the match alone will be enough to sell the PPV and sell out the arena in Miami, but the WWE needs to start hyping up the back story more. The audience needs to be reminded why these two are facing each other. No matter how the WWE tries to spin it, John Cena is going to be heavily booed anytime he's out there with The Rock. The Rock could come out and rip on every person in the audience, and the second John Cena opens his mouth the crowd will just boo him again.
At Survivor Series, the back story needs to be re-established between these two. Give them another talking segment in the ring together. Hell, don't even book John Cena in match. But I doubt that happens. But if John Cena is the WWE Champion at this point, they also need to throw out the idea of their match at Wresltmania being for the WWE Championship. I still wouldn't make that match for the WWE Title. Rock/Cena is going to be the main event, so why not give the WWE Title Match to two guys who can use it to elevate their careers. The Rock won't be around every week to build the match, so they need to re-establish the Rock/Cena back story and foreshadow an array of possibilities that can hype the match even more.
6. Bring Back Chris Jericho
This one is a bit tricky. Chris Jericho's band Fozzy has a tour set up all through November. Plus, I wouldn't want to bring Jericho back until the Wrestlemania build. But there is no reason the WWE can't get the ball rolling on a possible return. Throw out a handful of scenarios for Jericho to consider. What if he won the World Title and faced Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania. The idea of a 20 minute Chris Jericho/Daniel Bryan match is very appealing, and you know Jericho would be more than willing to put Bryan over. On RAW, there is the possibility of a great program with Alberto del Rio. There's also the possibility of a feud with C.M. Punk. The two exchange verbal insults on Twitter. I'm sure they could transition to a great program in the ring.
But if it was up to me, the guy I would bring Chris Jericho back against would be Randy Orton. It already has the back story. Orton punted Jericho in the head on RAW last year, and that is the last we saw of him. Plus, this could be the one match Randy Orton could have at Wrestlemania that doesn't involve the World Title and would be a legitimate could match. Jericho is the established veteran that the WWE has been missing for some time now. Jericho's presence on WWE TV brings star power back to either show. He would be more valuable on Smackdown, as there are many more young guys on that show that could use the rub of working with Jericho. While I wouldn't bring Jericho back until 2012, there's no reason you can't give him a call and start negotiations soon.
7. Turn HHH Heel; Form the New Corporation
The problem with the whole HHH/C.M. Punk story right now is that there is no clearly defined heel. Fans right now are suppose to choose who they want to cheer for. They haven't been told who the heel is in this situation. A lot of the story has been rushed. I'm surprised the WWE has gone ahead and book the match for Night of Champions. With two PPVs in October, you have to wonder what the WWE has in store for the rest of this program. They shouldn't rush through this story. If Nash would have been medically cleared, he obviously would have been the opponent here. I would have had Punk beat Nash. Have a rematch at Hell in A Cell with Punk winning again. Then HHH finally puts C.M. Punk in the WWE Title Match at Vengeance in a Triple Threat Match, and THEN have HHH turn heel, and have Punk/HHH at Survivor Series. That's how I would have booked this.
But alas, the WWE has decided not to do that. So therefore, HHH needs to turn heel sooner rather than later if the WWE wants to keep the story interesting. An effective stable has been lacking in the WWE for some time. Nexus was only relevant for about two months. HHH loves stables. He was in one of the better ones during the Evolution days. A new corporation lead by HHH could be interesting. With HHH as the leader and Kevin Nash as the bodyguard, you can easily build around that. And with RAW now a SuperShow, it's easier to get some Smackdown guys involved. Alberto del Rio can be the top guy as WWE Champ. I would throw Wade Barrett into the new Corporation. How about Dolph Ziggler and Vickie too. And the last piece of the puzzle: Miz. The guy doesn't really have too much going for him right now. And for some reason, I could see him turning on R-Truth. So here's your Corporation 2.0: HHH, Nash, Alberto del Rio, Wade Barrett, and Miz. A piece or two could be added along the way. But that would be my starting point.
8. End the Anonymous RAW GM Storyline
One way or another, the RAW GM storyline has to come to an end. When was the last time an e-mail was even sent? I don't think one has since before the Money in the Bank PPV. The podium has just been sitting there for no reason, probably obstructing some poor fan's view at ringside. It is stupid to just not address it at some point. If there's nothing planned, then just dump the podium and scrap it from existence. A creative way to bring the RAW GM storyline back would be to have some e-mails start popping up if HHH loses at Night of Champions. HHH loses at NOC, relinquishes COO duties, but all along he was also the RAW GM. Triple H is back on TV and the HHH/Punk feud continues. That's my suggestion.
9. Turn R-Truth Face
R-Truth has been one of the more entertaining characters in the last few months in WWE. I loved his main event run in June. Sure the match with John Cena at Capitol Punishment was disappointing, but it gave Truth a chance to shine in the spotlight. R-Truth's in ring work has also improved in the last few months. He's still not one of the best out there, but he's been better.
Now of course, how could you turn Truth face after all of this? After all, he despises all of you Little Jimmys. And there is also a giant conspiracy out there. How do you add to the conspiracy? By having your new tag team partner join it. Miz and R-Truth can become Tag Champs, but after they lose the belts, have Miz start to become frustrated with Truth. Then, Miz turns on Truth and joins the newly formed Corporation. It'd be a risk turning R-Truth face after all of this, but his gimmick is just so far out there and hilarious that I think fans would take to it if given the chance.
10. Make C.M. Punk the Focus of WWE TV
Slowly but surely, I think the WWE is starting to move towards this. With John Cena becoming more focused with The Rock as Wrestlemania approaches, someone will have to take the reigns of RAW and be focused with the actual wrestlers that are on that show. Who else would you rather have in that role than C.M. Punk? Punk has been money in recent months and can more than easily handle a permanent role at the top. If the new Corporation were to form, you can have Punk go up against all of them one by one. Then at Wrestlemania, you can have Punk take on WWE Champion Alberto del Rio. Or maybe a Punk/HHH match with more on the line this time.
Making Punk your top face also throws out the possibility of turning John Cena full on heel during the build to Wrestlemania. Turning Cena heel is thrown out constantly, but until you can have someone replace Cena's popularity and merchandise sales, then it can't be done. If Punk is given the opportunity, he could be that next top guy. Especially if he is turned into the anti-authority figure that Stone Cold Steve Austin was. I don't think this will ever happen, but now might be the best time to turn Cena heel with C.M. Punk's popularity growing by the day. If it was up to me, I would slowly transition more TV time to Punk, and let him have the opportunity to be the next guy at the top.
That's all from me this week. I will have my Week 1 Picks up later today, and my Week 1 Review as well as my RAW Review up on Tuesday.
Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka
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