I just have to start off by saying that the opening video for Memorial Day was very well done (as they always are).
Technical difficulties plagued the first segment of Monday Night Raw, sadly I didn't hear anything that was said. R-Truth was out so I'm assuming that he was spouting all kinds of crazy (that was confirmed when they did a replay of that segment later on in the broadcast). Cena came out and the two exchanged words and then the Raw General Manager chimed in announcing the main event for the night. Jumping ahead a little bit here, I found this main event boring. I have no idea what R-Truth was getting at but it was not entertaining by any means and that finish was a joke. It does set up a possible feud with the two, being former friends and all, but I just don't see it panning out in the long run. If it does, I expect top-notch work from Cena and a weird, disjointed performance from Truth. Capitol Punishment is right around the corner so this may be the way they want to go for the pay-per-view. Possibly a title match or a tag team match of some kind involving the two on opposite teams.
There were only five matches on the show and none of them were spectacular but they were mildly entertaining. Kofi was defeated by Dolph Ziggler, Kelly Kelly and Eve defeated the Bella Twins, CM Punk defeated Rey Mysterio, Evan Bourne beat Jack Swagger, and Cena was defeated by R-Truth. Usually I'm shouting at the television and getting really excited over a match but I'd just like to think that it was an off week. Bret Hart is a tough act to follow and with the pay-per-view coming up there will be a good build to the story lines and rivalries.
I am disappointed that Kharma will be out for a year or so, but happy to hear that she is pregnant. It was just a mild let down after being excited to have a woman who can actually fight in the women's division. As for the Bella Twins coming out, are you trying to be the new Laycool? They can't fight, they cheat, and they're bullies. They should be promoting an atmosphere where women can feel beautiful and strong, not ripping on each other and putting each other down. Angle or not, it's not acceptable.
Is it just me or is Alberto Del Rio becoming annoying? I don't know if it's his ring announcer, his stupid cars, his entrance, or his introduction when he talks on the microphone. It's probably a combination of all of the above. I do think that having him feud with the Big Show/Kane is an interesting way to go and will be highly entertaining. The WWE Universe is hoping that Show returns soon and shuts Del Rio up. But you already know that...
Also, Alex Riley seems to be coming into his own more. I always thought that he would be great as a singles competitor. Glad to see that he broke away from The Miz and he is developing his own character. I predict big things from him in the near future. Perhaps a match with his former mentor at the next pay-per-view?
Monday, May 30, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
In Memory Of.
With the recent passing of 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, I felt as though it was time to share my thoughts about the deaths in professional wrestling. It isn't a secret that many wrestlers meet an early demise, with not too may of them living past an average age of 45. Lives and careers are cut short due to a variety of reasons, some self-inflicted and some just terrible accidents. A business loses a talent and the fans lose someone that they have looked up to for many years. When a wrestler dies, people come out of the woodwork with theories and reasons as to why it happened. No death is ever just that. There is always some kind of controversy surrounding it. It really makes me angry when people just assume a circumstance in a wrestler's death, it doesn't make them any less important than any other professional athlete that passes away.
The number one conclusion that people jump to is that it was steroids that contributed to the death of an individual. A myriad of evidence exists to support the fact that wrestlers lived lives of excess and no boundaries, I think this was more prevalent during the 'Rock 'n Wrestling' era (not saying that it did not exist at any other time). The fact of the matter is that the WWE does in fact provide very well for any talent signed to its roster, past or present. Their health and wellness policy is one of the most comprehensive ones I've ever seen for their field of work, there is no room for squeaking by or slipping through the cracks. Talent must submit to drug testing several times a year, penalties are handed down if ANYBODY is found in violation of this policy, and they provide rehab for anyone who needs it, among many other things. You can view the policy in full by clicking here.
It is listed on the 'Corporate' section of the WWE website that only five wrestlers have died while under contract with the company. One accident, one suicide, and three from heart disease. I personally think that, in the deaths related to drugs/alcohol, that an individual is responsible for their own actions. These aren't children that are being dealt with, it's grown people. If you are an adult and can't realize that drugs are bad, then you've got more problems than you think. Although the health and wellness policy was only introduced in 2006, there is more than enough support from the company to get its past and present talent the help that it needs. Whether you take it or not, that's your choice.
As for the accidental deaths, they are simply that, accidents. In the case of Owen Hart, it's not like Vince set out to kill him. It was an unfortunate series of events that led to that tragedy. No blame can be placed on anyone for that, and I admire the company for taking responsibility and stepping up to assist Martha, Oje, and Athena. I do feel sorry that they have to deal with Martha Hart, but that's another story for another article. The Chris Benoit situation is a completely different can of worms. That was completely shocking and very disturbing. He had the brain of an Alzheimer's patient and he just snapped. I'm not excusing what he did by any means, but he obviously was not well.
No matter what the circumstances, the wrestler that passes away leaves a lasting stamp on the business and the fans that they left behind. I'd like to share my thoughts on two wrestling deaths that left a huge impact on me:
Chris Benoit:
His death has to be one of the most controversial in all of professional wrestling. I was crushed when I got the text message that something happened. I froze. On my way to work that day, I grabbed whatever newspapers I could and watched every newscast after work. I simply refused to believe that one of my all-time favorites was dead, along with his family. I cried through the whole episode of Monday Night Raw dedicated to his life and career. When the details emerged I didn't know what to think. I get so emotional talking about him simply because he meant so much to me. One of the all time greats, it is just too bad that he had such a tragic end to what would have been a Hall of Fame worthy career. How do you react to something like this? There is no right or wrong way.
That being said, I still greatly admire his wrestling career, I do not condone what happened at all. I still enjoy watching his matches and seeing him go toe to toe with the biggest and baddest in the business.
Owen Hart:
I was sitting in my living room in my Bret Hart t-shirt when it happened. I wasn't too sure what was going on. Then they showed Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler at the announce table. Jerry, looking away and Jim Ross, pale as a ghost. It was unfathomable to me at the time to hear 'Owen Hart has died.'. I watched the rest of 'Over the Edge' in silence. The greatest tragedy ever happened on that night and I still have the pay-per-view on VHS and have it poked away. The thought of seeing Jim Ross announce that a member of my favorite wrestling family has passed away actually makes me sick to my stomach. I cried for a week straight, the tribute episode of Monday Night Raw for Owen was the biggest outpouring of love I have ever seen. It is still hard for me to deal with someone I grew up watching on television just dying like that. I will always think of Owen as a man of integrity and honesty, loving to have fun and caring about everyone around him. He is proof that you didn't have to be the biggest or baddest to be successful in the ring, you just have to have 'Hart'. Rest in peace Owen. We miss you.
The number one conclusion that people jump to is that it was steroids that contributed to the death of an individual. A myriad of evidence exists to support the fact that wrestlers lived lives of excess and no boundaries, I think this was more prevalent during the 'Rock 'n Wrestling' era (not saying that it did not exist at any other time). The fact of the matter is that the WWE does in fact provide very well for any talent signed to its roster, past or present. Their health and wellness policy is one of the most comprehensive ones I've ever seen for their field of work, there is no room for squeaking by or slipping through the cracks. Talent must submit to drug testing several times a year, penalties are handed down if ANYBODY is found in violation of this policy, and they provide rehab for anyone who needs it, among many other things. You can view the policy in full by clicking here.
It is listed on the 'Corporate' section of the WWE website that only five wrestlers have died while under contract with the company. One accident, one suicide, and three from heart disease. I personally think that, in the deaths related to drugs/alcohol, that an individual is responsible for their own actions. These aren't children that are being dealt with, it's grown people. If you are an adult and can't realize that drugs are bad, then you've got more problems than you think. Although the health and wellness policy was only introduced in 2006, there is more than enough support from the company to get its past and present talent the help that it needs. Whether you take it or not, that's your choice.
As for the accidental deaths, they are simply that, accidents. In the case of Owen Hart, it's not like Vince set out to kill him. It was an unfortunate series of events that led to that tragedy. No blame can be placed on anyone for that, and I admire the company for taking responsibility and stepping up to assist Martha, Oje, and Athena. I do feel sorry that they have to deal with Martha Hart, but that's another story for another article. The Chris Benoit situation is a completely different can of worms. That was completely shocking and very disturbing. He had the brain of an Alzheimer's patient and he just snapped. I'm not excusing what he did by any means, but he obviously was not well.
No matter what the circumstances, the wrestler that passes away leaves a lasting stamp on the business and the fans that they left behind. I'd like to share my thoughts on two wrestling deaths that left a huge impact on me:
Chris Benoit:
His death has to be one of the most controversial in all of professional wrestling. I was crushed when I got the text message that something happened. I froze. On my way to work that day, I grabbed whatever newspapers I could and watched every newscast after work. I simply refused to believe that one of my all-time favorites was dead, along with his family. I cried through the whole episode of Monday Night Raw dedicated to his life and career. When the details emerged I didn't know what to think. I get so emotional talking about him simply because he meant so much to me. One of the all time greats, it is just too bad that he had such a tragic end to what would have been a Hall of Fame worthy career. How do you react to something like this? There is no right or wrong way.
That being said, I still greatly admire his wrestling career, I do not condone what happened at all. I still enjoy watching his matches and seeing him go toe to toe with the biggest and baddest in the business.
Owen Hart:
I was sitting in my living room in my Bret Hart t-shirt when it happened. I wasn't too sure what was going on. Then they showed Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler at the announce table. Jerry, looking away and Jim Ross, pale as a ghost. It was unfathomable to me at the time to hear 'Owen Hart has died.'. I watched the rest of 'Over the Edge' in silence. The greatest tragedy ever happened on that night and I still have the pay-per-view on VHS and have it poked away. The thought of seeing Jim Ross announce that a member of my favorite wrestling family has passed away actually makes me sick to my stomach. I cried for a week straight, the tribute episode of Monday Night Raw for Owen was the biggest outpouring of love I have ever seen. It is still hard for me to deal with someone I grew up watching on television just dying like that. I will always think of Owen as a man of integrity and honesty, loving to have fun and caring about everyone around him. He is proof that you didn't have to be the biggest or baddest to be successful in the ring, you just have to have 'Hart'. Rest in peace Owen. We miss you.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
And the Stipulation is....
This week's episode of Monday Night Raw opened with a confrontation between Alberto Del Rio, The Miz, Rey Mysterio, and R-Truth. They were all vying for a chance at the #1 contender spot. The Raw General Manager chimed in saying that there would be a triple threat match that would see Del Rio, Mysterio, and the Miz compete for the chance to face John Cena at Over the Limit. R-Truth was left out and of course lost his mind. He just seems awkward in whatever they put him in. I don't know if it is just that they don't know what to do with him or if they actually think that this is a good angle. He needs to have something more to do than attack John Morrison, insult his fans, and blabber on about random things.
On a side note, will the person behind the Raw General Manager ever be revealed? That's something I always talk about with my Mom and Dad. We all have our theories about who it could be and why. It will be fun to find out who it is, if they even reveal it at all.
As for the actual triple threat match, I called the Miz as the winner from the very beginning. It made the most sense. There was two weeks until the next pay per view and he was the only guy who had a long enough history with John Cena to actually make the match worth watching. It's not that Mysterio and Del Rio wouldn’t have been entertaining, it's that there wouldn't have been enough time to build up anything that people would ahve wanted to see. At the end of the program, Cena announced that he chose an 'I Quit' match. It will be interesting to see how this match goes and hopefully Cena retains. Hopefully this match will draw this feud to a close and we'll be able to see John Cena feud with someone else. To me, Miz is just annoying. I'm tired of watching him cheat each and every week. It will be interesting to see who each of them feud with after. Another interesting thing to note is that Alex Riley really seems to be coming into his own, even if he is still under a 'contract' with the Miz. I really think he could have potential as an individual competitor; he just needs to be known as more than a lap dog. Hopefully he can start to break away from the Miz, seeing as he is technically a Smackdown superstar. He did issue a challenge to Cena, which Cena won (like no one saw that coming). I'm just glad he can do something more than cheat for the Miz.
Shocker! There was actually a halfway decent women's wrestling match on Raw. Kelly Kelly and Eve took on the Bella Twins. I was actually impressed with the match, even though it was basically a vehicle to have Kharma come out again. We see her come out and absolutely demolish these Divas but when will we actually see her compete?
The other major event of the broadcast was Michael Cole 'retiring' from competition. Seriously?! Anyone who reads this knows how much disdain I have for him. I have read reports where he is just as annoying backstage, as he is on screen. I was mostly thankful for Jerry Lawler interrupting him and challenging him to just one more match. The stipulation attached was that Jerry would personally induct Michael Cole into the Hall of Fame and give him his HOF ring. I sincerely hope that the booker doesn't drop the ball on this and let Cole win. Swagger came out and attacked Lawler, which seems to be a running theme every week (and then had a match against Kofi Kingston). The highlight of the entire show was when Jerry came out and pulled Cole's tie through the hole in the 'Cole Mine' and smashed his face into the wall. That made my day. I can’t wait for Over the Limit.
I also wanted to add that I am going to start doing reviews on my blog, in addition to my weekly postings. I'll be reviewing books, movies, and anything else that has the WWE stamp on it. Any suggestions are welcome so feel free to give me ideas!
On a side note, will the person behind the Raw General Manager ever be revealed? That's something I always talk about with my Mom and Dad. We all have our theories about who it could be and why. It will be fun to find out who it is, if they even reveal it at all.
As for the actual triple threat match, I called the Miz as the winner from the very beginning. It made the most sense. There was two weeks until the next pay per view and he was the only guy who had a long enough history with John Cena to actually make the match worth watching. It's not that Mysterio and Del Rio wouldn’t have been entertaining, it's that there wouldn't have been enough time to build up anything that people would ahve wanted to see. At the end of the program, Cena announced that he chose an 'I Quit' match. It will be interesting to see how this match goes and hopefully Cena retains. Hopefully this match will draw this feud to a close and we'll be able to see John Cena feud with someone else. To me, Miz is just annoying. I'm tired of watching him cheat each and every week. It will be interesting to see who each of them feud with after. Another interesting thing to note is that Alex Riley really seems to be coming into his own, even if he is still under a 'contract' with the Miz. I really think he could have potential as an individual competitor; he just needs to be known as more than a lap dog. Hopefully he can start to break away from the Miz, seeing as he is technically a Smackdown superstar. He did issue a challenge to Cena, which Cena won (like no one saw that coming). I'm just glad he can do something more than cheat for the Miz.
Shocker! There was actually a halfway decent women's wrestling match on Raw. Kelly Kelly and Eve took on the Bella Twins. I was actually impressed with the match, even though it was basically a vehicle to have Kharma come out again. We see her come out and absolutely demolish these Divas but when will we actually see her compete?
The other major event of the broadcast was Michael Cole 'retiring' from competition. Seriously?! Anyone who reads this knows how much disdain I have for him. I have read reports where he is just as annoying backstage, as he is on screen. I was mostly thankful for Jerry Lawler interrupting him and challenging him to just one more match. The stipulation attached was that Jerry would personally induct Michael Cole into the Hall of Fame and give him his HOF ring. I sincerely hope that the booker doesn't drop the ball on this and let Cole win. Swagger came out and attacked Lawler, which seems to be a running theme every week (and then had a match against Kofi Kingston). The highlight of the entire show was when Jerry came out and pulled Cole's tie through the hole in the 'Cole Mine' and smashed his face into the wall. That made my day. I can’t wait for Over the Limit.
I also wanted to add that I am going to start doing reviews on my blog, in addition to my weekly postings. I'll be reviewing books, movies, and anything else that has the WWE stamp on it. Any suggestions are welcome so feel free to give me ideas!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Happy Birthday to You...
Last night, the WWE superstars were pushed to their breaking point at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view that took place in Tampa. Overall, I thought the pay-per-view was decent, it had its great moments but also had some lows. First off, I'd like to discuss what I thought were the high points of the event...
Randy Orton vs. CM Punk (Last Man Standing)
I am always curious as to how 'extreme' a match like this can get with the PG rating. I thought that both Randy Orton and CM Punk did an amazing job with the time that they were given. This was one of the most entertaining matches I have seen the two involved in during their feud. The two standout moments for me were when CM Punk shoved Randy into the post with a chair around his neck and then when Orton delivered an RKO on the announce table. There wasn't any blood in the match but those moments made me cringe.
My big question is how will this feud continue or end off since both men are on different brands? Will we see more brand crossover? I think this one has the potential to be extremely entertaining and hopefully they continue with it for the foreseeable future, or at least until Summerslam.
Kofi Kingston vs. Sheamus (Tables Match for the United States Championship)
It was an add-on, a last minute match. However, I was extremely happy to cheer Kofi on when he won that belt. He seemed to be getting a push and then he got swept to the sidelines. Kofi has the potential to be a massive star in the business and I am glad he got his time to shine. Booker T mentioned his 'mean streak' throughout the match and how he may have to keep that up to be taken seriously, I sure hope he doesn't. I wouldn't want him to go in the same direction that R-Truth is heading.
Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole and Jack Swagger (Country Whipping Match - Strap Match)
The one point I have to mention is that I was out of my seat to see Ross and Lawler get their hands and take their boots to Cole.
Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio (Ladder Match for the Vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
This was the highlight of the night and should have been the main event match. I have never seen two men put on such an entertaining match in quite some time. I still maintain that Del Rio is getting a push too soon and that he isn't established enough yet to hold such a major belt. My Dad and I got into a huge discussion during the match about who would win and we both decided on Christian. Being one of the pioneers of the modern ladder match, he proved without a doubt that he is deserving of being in a main event and winning the big prize. The highlight of the match was when Edge came out, he added a special touch and an emotional end to one hell of a match. I was glued to the edge of my seat the entire time, literally jumping off the couch when he won. I'm proud as a fan to see that he finally got what he had coming to him, especially after losing the ECW title on the very last broadcast (Yes, I'm still a little bitter about that haha!).
Now to discuss the few low points of the night...
Big Show & Kane vs. Ezekiel Jackson and Wade Barrett (Lumberjack Match)
Seriously? Do I even have to say anything about this to the people who watched it? What a waste. Someone needs to start caring about tag team wrestling, or we are going to end up with more debacles like this.
Michelle McCool vs. Layla (Loser Leaves WWE Match)
I was honestly shocked at the outcome of this match but it makes perfect sense if you think about it. McCool is recently married to Undertaker and has been wrestling injured for some time. She probably wants time to heal and spend with her husband. There is no official word yet if she is actually gone from the company but time will tell.
I was also disappointed that Kharma (or Awesome Kong, as she was known in TNA) didn't get a bigger debut. She didn't need to be the star of the show but she should have had a more advertised or hyped up entrance. That being said, I think she will breathe new life into the Diva's locker room. Thank god, someone had to do it.
Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole & Jack Swagger
I feel like I had to mention this one again because I was so disappointed that they didn't win. I personally would have loved to see Cole get the snot beat out of him.
John Cena vs. John Morrison vs. The Miz (Triple Threat Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship)
I normally enjoy Cena's matches quite a bit. It's not that this one wasn't good, but it wasn't that great either. I felt that it was lacking a little something and that Morrison should have won instead of Cena. I had a theory, as well as my Dad, that Morrison should have won the belt and kept it for a few months. As much as I love John Cena, he should have won the title at a major PPV like Summerslam. It will be interesting to see how long he has it this time with his impending main event with Rocky set for Wrestlemania XXVIII. Also, John Morrison should have been hyped up better and added to the feud of Cena vs. Miz. Honestly, he didn't make too much sense and should have been integrated better.
----------
Monday Night Raw saw fallout from Extreme Rules and the birthday celebration of The Rock. I figured that there wouldn't be much wrestling on the broadcast as we saw appearances from Pitbull, the Miami Heat dancers, and Mya. It was fairly entertaining but I was hoping for a bit more in-ring competition.
The opening video for the show, before the opening credits even rolled really was touching considering the events of the last 24 hours. Like I have said a bazillion times before, no one does it better than the production team at WWE. Adding to that was Lillian Garcia singing the national anthem, what an amazing way to show unity at such a controversial and emotional time in the world.
Other than the birthday bash, not a whole lot happened, but I would like to say that this angle with R-Truth really is getting on my nerves. I simply don;t think he is main event material, not saying that he isn't a good wrestler. He just needs to find a gimmick that works and stick to it. I don't enjoy watching him attack John Morrison from behind and bad mouth fans. Sorry but it just doesn't work for me.
Kharma also came out again tonight and did the same bit that she did last night. I'm still not too sure what to think about her but I would like to see a program developed between her and Beth Phoenix. I think that they will make her come out and attack the other ladies for a while longer before they give her anything of real substance.
The last moment I watched the broadcast before I tuned out is the re-match between Cena and Miz. I knew Alex Riley would be there and help him cheat for the win but I still held out hope he would turn on The Miz. With Riley being drafted to Smackdown, it will be interesting to see how he develops and branches out on his own.
The 'WTF?!' moment for me tonight was when John Cena said that he had a present for Rocky and raised the WWE title. Will the main event with the two be a title match? Will it have another stipulation? Will John Cena even have the belt come April 2012? I honestly don't think I can wait almost a year to find out.
Randy Orton vs. CM Punk (Last Man Standing)
I am always curious as to how 'extreme' a match like this can get with the PG rating. I thought that both Randy Orton and CM Punk did an amazing job with the time that they were given. This was one of the most entertaining matches I have seen the two involved in during their feud. The two standout moments for me were when CM Punk shoved Randy into the post with a chair around his neck and then when Orton delivered an RKO on the announce table. There wasn't any blood in the match but those moments made me cringe.
My big question is how will this feud continue or end off since both men are on different brands? Will we see more brand crossover? I think this one has the potential to be extremely entertaining and hopefully they continue with it for the foreseeable future, or at least until Summerslam.
Kofi Kingston vs. Sheamus (Tables Match for the United States Championship)
It was an add-on, a last minute match. However, I was extremely happy to cheer Kofi on when he won that belt. He seemed to be getting a push and then he got swept to the sidelines. Kofi has the potential to be a massive star in the business and I am glad he got his time to shine. Booker T mentioned his 'mean streak' throughout the match and how he may have to keep that up to be taken seriously, I sure hope he doesn't. I wouldn't want him to go in the same direction that R-Truth is heading.
Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole and Jack Swagger (Country Whipping Match - Strap Match)
The one point I have to mention is that I was out of my seat to see Ross and Lawler get their hands and take their boots to Cole.
Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio (Ladder Match for the Vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
This was the highlight of the night and should have been the main event match. I have never seen two men put on such an entertaining match in quite some time. I still maintain that Del Rio is getting a push too soon and that he isn't established enough yet to hold such a major belt. My Dad and I got into a huge discussion during the match about who would win and we both decided on Christian. Being one of the pioneers of the modern ladder match, he proved without a doubt that he is deserving of being in a main event and winning the big prize. The highlight of the match was when Edge came out, he added a special touch and an emotional end to one hell of a match. I was glued to the edge of my seat the entire time, literally jumping off the couch when he won. I'm proud as a fan to see that he finally got what he had coming to him, especially after losing the ECW title on the very last broadcast (Yes, I'm still a little bitter about that haha!).
Now to discuss the few low points of the night...
Big Show & Kane vs. Ezekiel Jackson and Wade Barrett (Lumberjack Match)
Seriously? Do I even have to say anything about this to the people who watched it? What a waste. Someone needs to start caring about tag team wrestling, or we are going to end up with more debacles like this.
Michelle McCool vs. Layla (Loser Leaves WWE Match)
I was honestly shocked at the outcome of this match but it makes perfect sense if you think about it. McCool is recently married to Undertaker and has been wrestling injured for some time. She probably wants time to heal and spend with her husband. There is no official word yet if she is actually gone from the company but time will tell.
I was also disappointed that Kharma (or Awesome Kong, as she was known in TNA) didn't get a bigger debut. She didn't need to be the star of the show but she should have had a more advertised or hyped up entrance. That being said, I think she will breathe new life into the Diva's locker room. Thank god, someone had to do it.
Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole & Jack Swagger
I feel like I had to mention this one again because I was so disappointed that they didn't win. I personally would have loved to see Cole get the snot beat out of him.
John Cena vs. John Morrison vs. The Miz (Triple Threat Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship)
I normally enjoy Cena's matches quite a bit. It's not that this one wasn't good, but it wasn't that great either. I felt that it was lacking a little something and that Morrison should have won instead of Cena. I had a theory, as well as my Dad, that Morrison should have won the belt and kept it for a few months. As much as I love John Cena, he should have won the title at a major PPV like Summerslam. It will be interesting to see how long he has it this time with his impending main event with Rocky set for Wrestlemania XXVIII. Also, John Morrison should have been hyped up better and added to the feud of Cena vs. Miz. Honestly, he didn't make too much sense and should have been integrated better.
----------
Monday Night Raw saw fallout from Extreme Rules and the birthday celebration of The Rock. I figured that there wouldn't be much wrestling on the broadcast as we saw appearances from Pitbull, the Miami Heat dancers, and Mya. It was fairly entertaining but I was hoping for a bit more in-ring competition.
The opening video for the show, before the opening credits even rolled really was touching considering the events of the last 24 hours. Like I have said a bazillion times before, no one does it better than the production team at WWE. Adding to that was Lillian Garcia singing the national anthem, what an amazing way to show unity at such a controversial and emotional time in the world.
Other than the birthday bash, not a whole lot happened, but I would like to say that this angle with R-Truth really is getting on my nerves. I simply don;t think he is main event material, not saying that he isn't a good wrestler. He just needs to find a gimmick that works and stick to it. I don't enjoy watching him attack John Morrison from behind and bad mouth fans. Sorry but it just doesn't work for me.
Kharma also came out again tonight and did the same bit that she did last night. I'm still not too sure what to think about her but I would like to see a program developed between her and Beth Phoenix. I think that they will make her come out and attack the other ladies for a while longer before they give her anything of real substance.
The last moment I watched the broadcast before I tuned out is the re-match between Cena and Miz. I knew Alex Riley would be there and help him cheat for the win but I still held out hope he would turn on The Miz. With Riley being drafted to Smackdown, it will be interesting to see how he develops and branches out on his own.
The 'WTF?!' moment for me tonight was when John Cena said that he had a present for Rocky and raised the WWE title. Will the main event with the two be a title match? Will it have another stipulation? Will John Cena even have the belt come April 2012? I honestly don't think I can wait almost a year to find out.
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