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?
Showing posts with label Michael Cole. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Cole. Show all posts
Monday, May 30, 2011
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.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Wrestlemania XXVII - The Short Version.
I always like to take a few days to think about what I really want to say about the biggest night in sports entertainment, this year was a doozy. I thought that the event was really well put together, there were some moments that stood out a great deal and some that fell a little flat for me. Overall, the pay-per-view was fantastic. Wrestlemania is always a huge deal in my house, usually involving good friends, great food, and ice cold drinks.
The highlight of the event was the match involving Triple H and the Undertaker. I could not have been more impressed with a match if I tried. Everything about this was perfect. When HHH tombstoned the Undertaker and he kicked out, everyone went insane, probably the most shocking moment of the night. What a well put together program, with an incredible match build up, and a truly great ending. I had a feeling that McMahon would not let the Undertaker lose his streak, I guarantee that he will retire undefeated at Wrestlemania. This match truly showed the athleticism of both individuals, their dedication to the business and their fans, and their mutual respect for one another. Every match at a pay-per-view should be crafted like this. Their match will go down in wrestling history as one of the greats.
Another shocker was Snooki, it was great that she was able to do something more than just get the pin. Even though she got some boo's, she did incredibly well for being an untrained performer. I was also disappointed that the Rock didn't get more involved in the show. Being a bit skeptical of a guest host for Wrestlemania, I thought he would end up doing more than coming out twice and a few backstage skits.
The Daniel Bryan and Sheamus match being moved to a dark match was also a huge let down. Daniel Bryan is an amazing in-ring performer and would have shined in his very first Wrestlemania match. I'm not too sure why it was bumped but I'm positive that the WWE team had reason for doing so. I almost cried when Jerry Lawler lost to Michael Cole, I have been waiting for WEEKS for him to beat on Cole. I was so glad the Jerry got his moment in the sun but I felt that by not letting him win, they tarnished his moment. Perhaps they are building up the feud so that Lawler can finally do what every fan has wanted him to do for a while. Boggles the mind as to why he didn't win on Sunday but hopefully he gets his hands on him soon. Maybe a Jim Ross/Jerry Lawler vs. Cole /Swagger match?
Now onto the main event, John Cena vs. The Miz. Let me start off by saying that I found this match a little lackluster. There seemed to be something missing throughout the entire match, I thought that there would be a little more going on. In some alternate wrestling universe, John Cena would have won, the match would have been restarted for whatever reason, and then the Miz should have won. Or vice versa, Miz could have cheated, match restarts, and then Cena gets the win. It would have been a lot more entertaining than what happened on Sunday night. I did enjoy his entrance this year (I always look forward to seeing his ring entrance every year), as well as his new gear. The Miz also had a good promo video heading into the match, with a less amazing entrance. Hopefully there is some sort of rematch and they step it up a little bit. Their 'Mania bought was ok, but not the caliber of match worthy of the main event spot.
The Monday Night Raw after Wrestlemania was also a pretty solid broadcast in my opinion. It was good to see Jim Ross back out there, it was just like old times and was a little nostalgia for those longing for quality commentating. Cole of course came out, running his mouth, and bad talking two of the greatest voices in the business. I was praying that Ross would get his hands on Michael Cole but I guess good things come to those who wait. There were a few matches but it was mostly a recap of the previous night. My favorite moment was Triple H's speech regarding his match with the Undertaker. Say whatever you want about the WWE but there are no greater performers than the superstars of the WWE. Their match will go down as a classic in the history books, I can;t wait for a possible rematch but it will be hard to top their battle at WMXXVII.
The WWE Universe also saw a first last night, the main event for Wrestlemania XXVIII was already set. The Rock versus John Cena, in a match reminiscent of The Rock and Hulk Hogan. I was shocked to hear that they were planning a main event a year away but I think it could work. Someone has to turn heel, or there has to be a cool down in the fued then a build up at the perfect time. It will be interesting to see how they keep interest for an entire year until they get to Miami. In my opinion, no one does it better than the WWE creative team. I have faith that they will deliver a top notch program leading up to one of the most anticipated matches of all time.
The highlight of the event was the match involving Triple H and the Undertaker. I could not have been more impressed with a match if I tried. Everything about this was perfect. When HHH tombstoned the Undertaker and he kicked out, everyone went insane, probably the most shocking moment of the night. What a well put together program, with an incredible match build up, and a truly great ending. I had a feeling that McMahon would not let the Undertaker lose his streak, I guarantee that he will retire undefeated at Wrestlemania. This match truly showed the athleticism of both individuals, their dedication to the business and their fans, and their mutual respect for one another. Every match at a pay-per-view should be crafted like this. Their match will go down in wrestling history as one of the greats.
Another shocker was Snooki, it was great that she was able to do something more than just get the pin. Even though she got some boo's, she did incredibly well for being an untrained performer. I was also disappointed that the Rock didn't get more involved in the show. Being a bit skeptical of a guest host for Wrestlemania, I thought he would end up doing more than coming out twice and a few backstage skits.
The Daniel Bryan and Sheamus match being moved to a dark match was also a huge let down. Daniel Bryan is an amazing in-ring performer and would have shined in his very first Wrestlemania match. I'm not too sure why it was bumped but I'm positive that the WWE team had reason for doing so. I almost cried when Jerry Lawler lost to Michael Cole, I have been waiting for WEEKS for him to beat on Cole. I was so glad the Jerry got his moment in the sun but I felt that by not letting him win, they tarnished his moment. Perhaps they are building up the feud so that Lawler can finally do what every fan has wanted him to do for a while. Boggles the mind as to why he didn't win on Sunday but hopefully he gets his hands on him soon. Maybe a Jim Ross/Jerry Lawler vs. Cole /Swagger match?
Now onto the main event, John Cena vs. The Miz. Let me start off by saying that I found this match a little lackluster. There seemed to be something missing throughout the entire match, I thought that there would be a little more going on. In some alternate wrestling universe, John Cena would have won, the match would have been restarted for whatever reason, and then the Miz should have won. Or vice versa, Miz could have cheated, match restarts, and then Cena gets the win. It would have been a lot more entertaining than what happened on Sunday night. I did enjoy his entrance this year (I always look forward to seeing his ring entrance every year), as well as his new gear. The Miz also had a good promo video heading into the match, with a less amazing entrance. Hopefully there is some sort of rematch and they step it up a little bit. Their 'Mania bought was ok, but not the caliber of match worthy of the main event spot.
The Monday Night Raw after Wrestlemania was also a pretty solid broadcast in my opinion. It was good to see Jim Ross back out there, it was just like old times and was a little nostalgia for those longing for quality commentating. Cole of course came out, running his mouth, and bad talking two of the greatest voices in the business. I was praying that Ross would get his hands on Michael Cole but I guess good things come to those who wait. There were a few matches but it was mostly a recap of the previous night. My favorite moment was Triple H's speech regarding his match with the Undertaker. Say whatever you want about the WWE but there are no greater performers than the superstars of the WWE. Their match will go down as a classic in the history books, I can;t wait for a possible rematch but it will be hard to top their battle at WMXXVII.
The WWE Universe also saw a first last night, the main event for Wrestlemania XXVIII was already set. The Rock versus John Cena, in a match reminiscent of The Rock and Hulk Hogan. I was shocked to hear that they were planning a main event a year away but I think it could work. Someone has to turn heel, or there has to be a cool down in the fued then a build up at the perfect time. It will be interesting to see how they keep interest for an entire year until they get to Miami. In my opinion, no one does it better than the WWE creative team. I have faith that they will deliver a top notch program leading up to one of the most anticipated matches of all time.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Finishing the Journey to Wrestlemania.
This Monday was the final Raw before the biggest sports entertainment event of the year, the show of shows, the showcase of the immortals, Wrestlemania. It was some of the superstars last chances to build their matches, make their cases, and have the last word concerning their match ups. All in all, it was a pretty solid broadcast, there wasn't much in-ring time as it was all about building up the hype for the big event on Sunday.
The show opened with CM Punk sitting in the middle of the ring, in his hometown of Chicago. He basically just talked about Randy Orton and how he has taken out almost every member of the new Nexus. I really enjoy CM Punk, both in-ring and on the mic, he has a lot of talent and will go quite far in the business. The crowd totally ate him right up. Randy came out with his knee heavily taped and proceeded down to the ring, they tussled and Orton failed to deliver an RKO. The crowd was obviously behind Punk, but this was a great way to kick off Monday Night Raw. CM Punk is a great wrestler but it will be interesting to see how he fares without his minions around, just him and Randy in the ring.
The in ring competition saw Edge and Christian face Alberta Del Rio and Brodus Clay, Kane/Big Show/Santino/Kozlov face the Corre, Lawler faced Jack Swagger, and Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus go against Daniel Bryan and John Morrison. First, I always enjoy when Edge and Christian are together, they are extremely charismatic and entertaining. This is the type of tag team that the WWE needs to see more of, they are great competitors but also engage the crowd. The tag team division could be, once again, built up to its glory. Hopefully the two get paired together on a consistent basis. As for Del Rio, it is dicey to say that he will win the championship in his first ever Wrestlemania. I don't like when WWE rookies are given the push too soon, they need time to develop as personalities and performers. But who knows? He may shock us all and take the title this Sunday but I don;t think Edge will let that belt go so easy.
Yet another match was added to the Wrestlemania XXVII card, Kane/Big Show/Santino/Kozlov against the Corre. I don;t expect an epic battle from this match but it should provide some pretty good entertainment value, it is also nice to see Wade Barrett coming into his own more. I think he is a fantastic talent that should not be wasted. There was more build to the gimmick match of the event, not to downplay the talent of those involved but in a match featuring Snooki, 'gimmick' is the only word to use. Dolph Ziggler and his partner Sheamus took on Daniel Bryan and John Morrison. I am continually impressed by both Bryan and Morrison in every conceivable way. My Dad mentioned that Bryan just reeks of Stampede Wrestling, he is so old school it is ridiculous. Very technical, which you don;t really get a lot these days, probably one of the best technical wrestlers ever. I'd put him right up there with both Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko. Morrison, being a high flyer and a risk taker, is a great foil for Daniel Bryan. Perhaps future tag team champions?
Another thing that I noticed during the show was that both Jerry Lawler and Josh Matthews seemed to be ignoring Michael Cole (which I loved!). Josh Matthews shows promise as a color commentator, meshing well with the King's announcing style, then you have Michael Cole. Seriously, get this guy off TV, at least after Jerry beats the holy hell right out of him. Lawler faced Swagger, was making a comeback in the match and Cole gets in the way. I wish Lawler would have smoked him with that chair. Every dog gets his day and Michael Cole's day is Sunday. I personally can;t wait to see him get what he deserves, and I'm sure the WWE Universe can;t wait either.
The two video packages were for Sin Cara and Undertaker/HHH. Word has it that Sin Cara is making his television debut on the Monday Night Raw after Wrestlemania, many were hoping for a debut at the big show. WWE could be pulling our leg for all we know. One thing is for sure though, this talent will be impressive. The Undertaker/HHH promo was impressive, the two individuals have done a really great job of putting this program together. As the last of the real legends in the locker room, their expertise will make this match one of the best, if not the best, in 'Mania history.
When Taker and Triple H had their final confrontation on Raw, the mere presence of these two individuals garnered a HUGE reaction from the crowd. What got an even bigger reaction was the presence of HBK, I had no idea he was appearing and jumped right off the couch when his music started. Shawn basically gave a rundown of what each guy has going for them heading into their No Holds Barred match. Then he does the unexpected, calls out Hunter as to why he thinks that he can beat the Undertaker when he couldn't on two occasions. There is discussion from both Triple H and the Undertaker about respect, and how Hunter looked up to the Undertaker as a source of inspiration as to how a true wrestler works. More than likely fueling those retirement rumors we keep hearing, Triple H says that he and Shawn made a pact. I am paraphrasing here but it basically was that if either individual could not perform up to their personal standards, then it was up to the other guy to say that it was time to hang up the boots. Apparently, Hunter thinks it is the Taker's time to hang it up and go on with life.
Not likely.
You can really see the mutual respect between the three of these guys in the ring. Then it happens, Shawn goes to super kick Undertaker, Triple H steps in and says that Shawn knows why he will beat him at Wrestlemania. By this point, I'm getting ready to lose my mind, thinking that the announcement that everyone speculated will come out. Instead, Shawn quietly steps out of the ring, mouths an 'I'm sorry.', and heads up the ramp. It's tough to say whether or not the Heartbreak Kid will be involved in the match at the pay-per-view. He will be on hand for the Hall of Fame, as he is being inducted, but has he really hung up the boots for good? Only time will tell.
Now for the moment that everyone has been waiting for, the long awaited confrontation between the Rock, John Cena, and the Miz. I'm not generally impressed with the Rock but he did get a great shot in at Cena, calling him a 'homeless power ranger'. Cena was entertaining as always, and the two banter back and forth. The the Miz comes out to ruin it all. He blabbers on about how Rocky is afraid to get beat by the Miz because he's just a movie star now and so on. Then the crowd gets what they want, Riley and Miz start beating on him and then he fights back and getting probably one of the loudest pops of the night. Then, in a startling turn, Cena delivers his signature Attitude Adjustment to Rocky, laying him flat out in the ring. Many are speculation that this is the beginning of a heel turn for John Cena, I beg to differ. I think that it is simply him just proving that he is bigger, better, and badder than Dwayne Johnson. Cena is showing his dedication to his fans and the business, where as Rocky could only appear twice before his hosting gig. I don't think that Cena will turn heel but perhaps his little gesture will guarantee the Rock;s involvement in his match this Sunday.
I would also like to send out a huge congratulations to the Legion of Doom for being the final inductees into the Hall of Fame for 2011. I cannot think of a more deserving duo, it is just so sad that Hawk will not be here to enjoy the honor or see the impact that the Road Warriors left on the wrestling business. I had an inkling that they would be in this year, if not, then next year. When I heard the rumbling, raspy voices of Animal and Hawk, I lost my damn mind. I jumped up off the couch and almost threw my notebook across the room. I am so glad that they are being recognized for their contribution to the sports entertainment industry. I look forward to seeing them and Paul Ellering being inducted this year, they truly deserve this honor.
It is also worth noting that Chris Jericho is continuing to do well on 'Dancing With The Stars`. He scored a 23/30 for his quickstep last night, bringing his combined score to 42/60 for both week one and two of the competition. Keep those votes coming in to keep Jericho on the show!
The show opened with CM Punk sitting in the middle of the ring, in his hometown of Chicago. He basically just talked about Randy Orton and how he has taken out almost every member of the new Nexus. I really enjoy CM Punk, both in-ring and on the mic, he has a lot of talent and will go quite far in the business. The crowd totally ate him right up. Randy came out with his knee heavily taped and proceeded down to the ring, they tussled and Orton failed to deliver an RKO. The crowd was obviously behind Punk, but this was a great way to kick off Monday Night Raw. CM Punk is a great wrestler but it will be interesting to see how he fares without his minions around, just him and Randy in the ring.
The in ring competition saw Edge and Christian face Alberta Del Rio and Brodus Clay, Kane/Big Show/Santino/Kozlov face the Corre, Lawler faced Jack Swagger, and Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus go against Daniel Bryan and John Morrison. First, I always enjoy when Edge and Christian are together, they are extremely charismatic and entertaining. This is the type of tag team that the WWE needs to see more of, they are great competitors but also engage the crowd. The tag team division could be, once again, built up to its glory. Hopefully the two get paired together on a consistent basis. As for Del Rio, it is dicey to say that he will win the championship in his first ever Wrestlemania. I don't like when WWE rookies are given the push too soon, they need time to develop as personalities and performers. But who knows? He may shock us all and take the title this Sunday but I don;t think Edge will let that belt go so easy.
Yet another match was added to the Wrestlemania XXVII card, Kane/Big Show/Santino/Kozlov against the Corre. I don;t expect an epic battle from this match but it should provide some pretty good entertainment value, it is also nice to see Wade Barrett coming into his own more. I think he is a fantastic talent that should not be wasted. There was more build to the gimmick match of the event, not to downplay the talent of those involved but in a match featuring Snooki, 'gimmick' is the only word to use. Dolph Ziggler and his partner Sheamus took on Daniel Bryan and John Morrison. I am continually impressed by both Bryan and Morrison in every conceivable way. My Dad mentioned that Bryan just reeks of Stampede Wrestling, he is so old school it is ridiculous. Very technical, which you don;t really get a lot these days, probably one of the best technical wrestlers ever. I'd put him right up there with both Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko. Morrison, being a high flyer and a risk taker, is a great foil for Daniel Bryan. Perhaps future tag team champions?
Another thing that I noticed during the show was that both Jerry Lawler and Josh Matthews seemed to be ignoring Michael Cole (which I loved!). Josh Matthews shows promise as a color commentator, meshing well with the King's announcing style, then you have Michael Cole. Seriously, get this guy off TV, at least after Jerry beats the holy hell right out of him. Lawler faced Swagger, was making a comeback in the match and Cole gets in the way. I wish Lawler would have smoked him with that chair. Every dog gets his day and Michael Cole's day is Sunday. I personally can;t wait to see him get what he deserves, and I'm sure the WWE Universe can;t wait either.
The two video packages were for Sin Cara and Undertaker/HHH. Word has it that Sin Cara is making his television debut on the Monday Night Raw after Wrestlemania, many were hoping for a debut at the big show. WWE could be pulling our leg for all we know. One thing is for sure though, this talent will be impressive. The Undertaker/HHH promo was impressive, the two individuals have done a really great job of putting this program together. As the last of the real legends in the locker room, their expertise will make this match one of the best, if not the best, in 'Mania history.
When Taker and Triple H had their final confrontation on Raw, the mere presence of these two individuals garnered a HUGE reaction from the crowd. What got an even bigger reaction was the presence of HBK, I had no idea he was appearing and jumped right off the couch when his music started. Shawn basically gave a rundown of what each guy has going for them heading into their No Holds Barred match. Then he does the unexpected, calls out Hunter as to why he thinks that he can beat the Undertaker when he couldn't on two occasions. There is discussion from both Triple H and the Undertaker about respect, and how Hunter looked up to the Undertaker as a source of inspiration as to how a true wrestler works. More than likely fueling those retirement rumors we keep hearing, Triple H says that he and Shawn made a pact. I am paraphrasing here but it basically was that if either individual could not perform up to their personal standards, then it was up to the other guy to say that it was time to hang up the boots. Apparently, Hunter thinks it is the Taker's time to hang it up and go on with life.
Not likely.
You can really see the mutual respect between the three of these guys in the ring. Then it happens, Shawn goes to super kick Undertaker, Triple H steps in and says that Shawn knows why he will beat him at Wrestlemania. By this point, I'm getting ready to lose my mind, thinking that the announcement that everyone speculated will come out. Instead, Shawn quietly steps out of the ring, mouths an 'I'm sorry.', and heads up the ramp. It's tough to say whether or not the Heartbreak Kid will be involved in the match at the pay-per-view. He will be on hand for the Hall of Fame, as he is being inducted, but has he really hung up the boots for good? Only time will tell.
Now for the moment that everyone has been waiting for, the long awaited confrontation between the Rock, John Cena, and the Miz. I'm not generally impressed with the Rock but he did get a great shot in at Cena, calling him a 'homeless power ranger'. Cena was entertaining as always, and the two banter back and forth. The the Miz comes out to ruin it all. He blabbers on about how Rocky is afraid to get beat by the Miz because he's just a movie star now and so on. Then the crowd gets what they want, Riley and Miz start beating on him and then he fights back and getting probably one of the loudest pops of the night. Then, in a startling turn, Cena delivers his signature Attitude Adjustment to Rocky, laying him flat out in the ring. Many are speculation that this is the beginning of a heel turn for John Cena, I beg to differ. I think that it is simply him just proving that he is bigger, better, and badder than Dwayne Johnson. Cena is showing his dedication to his fans and the business, where as Rocky could only appear twice before his hosting gig. I don't think that Cena will turn heel but perhaps his little gesture will guarantee the Rock;s involvement in his match this Sunday.
I would also like to send out a huge congratulations to the Legion of Doom for being the final inductees into the Hall of Fame for 2011. I cannot think of a more deserving duo, it is just so sad that Hawk will not be here to enjoy the honor or see the impact that the Road Warriors left on the wrestling business. I had an inkling that they would be in this year, if not, then next year. When I heard the rumbling, raspy voices of Animal and Hawk, I lost my damn mind. I jumped up off the couch and almost threw my notebook across the room. I am so glad that they are being recognized for their contribution to the sports entertainment industry. I look forward to seeing them and Paul Ellering being inducted this year, they truly deserve this honor.
It is also worth noting that Chris Jericho is continuing to do well on 'Dancing With The Stars`. He scored a 23/30 for his quickstep last night, bringing his combined score to 42/60 for both week one and two of the competition. Keep those votes coming in to keep Jericho on the show!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Monday Night Raw & Then Some- Two Weeks Away From Wrestlemania.
It's only two weeks until Wrestlemania, and Monday Night Raw is getting better than ever.
Triple H came out to open the show, speaking briefly about his upcoming match with the Undertaker, he put it perfectly when he said it would be the defining moment in both of their distinguished careers. This match has got to be the single most exciting bout ever, the Undertaker could either lose his undefeated streak or continue with the greatest legacy in sports entertainment. During Triple H's in-ring promo, Ted DiBiase Jr. comes out and blabs about how he has become an afterthought. One, no one honestly cares what he has to say, and two, there is no real explanation as to why he is challenging him. I personally think that since Legacy broke up, DiBiase has become a sort of joke within the company. I haven't seen him really do anything of any substance for a while. He of course gets beaten to a pulp by Hunter and then that's the end of that segment.
The first match of the broadcast is Evan Bourne versus Sheamus, who I can't stand, as I have stated in numerous posts. It was a pretty quick match with a somewhat predictable outcome, seeing as Bourne beat Sheamus last time and Sheamus has just won the United States title belt. Daniel Bryan comes out and invokes his rematch clause and challenges the human block of cream cheese at Wrestlemania XXVII. Hopefully the WWE officials give these two time to shine, it will be a refreshing addition to an already amazing card. The matches were pretty solid, Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel retained their tag titles against Santino Marella and Vladamir Kozlov, Eve retained her title against Maryse, and the inter gender-handicapped-tag team match was inspired. As much as I don't like Vickie Gurerro, it is a good build for the Wrestlemania confrontation. Not much wrestling time on the broadcast but it was quality.
My big issue with this week was, once again, Michael Cole. I do realize that they want us all to not stop talking about him, generating even more buzz for the most annoying person every to be handed a microphone. He should NOT be interrupting a match to flap his lips. I'm not a huge fan of women's wrestling right now but they deserve the same adulation and respect that the men get while competing in the ring. I would also like to personally congratulate Eve Torres for slapping Cole, as so many members of the WWE universe have wanted to do for the past several weeks. Once again, he is attempting (and very poorly) to humiliate Jerry Lawler. I don't know who signed off on this monstrosity but he once again goes for Jerry's deceased parents. It might be bringing in the ratings but it crosses the boundaries of good taste, there's a fine line in building hype for a match and just taking it a step too far. It doesn't take a genius to see what side of that line this falls on. Once again, Jerry gets attacked by both Swagger and Cole. Like no one saw that coming, the fans can't wait for him to get his comeuppance in two weeks at Wrestlemania.
Can I also ask what the hell was with his portrayal of Jim Ross? Not even chuckle worthy, just plain stupid.
We once again saw another promo video for Sin Cara. He looks like a worthy adversary and I, for one, am glad that the WWE is starting to bring in some high flyer's. It will be interesting to see what brand he will be on once he makes his official debut with the company. Speaking of video promos, the one hyping the Taker/Triple H bout was extremely well done. It was very interesting to see the career highlights of both individuals and to hear what their fellow colleagues/adversaries/friends had to say about each person and how they think the match is going to go. Something tells me that everyone in the arena and at home is going to be glued to the television for this one.
Another build featured on the broadcast this week was John Cena and the Miz (with the Rock thrown into the middle of course!). John announces that next week, on the final show before the big event, that he will come face to face with Dwayne Johnson. It will be interesting to see how the two interact while in the same ring, as opposed to exchanging extremely funny barbs back and forth. He also talks about the Miz, concerning his abilities and creativity by coming out dressed as the Rock and delivering an attack. The Miz also gets to cut his own promo in the ring, debuting the 'new' championship belt. Simply the same design with the 'W' flipped upside down. This had to be the stupidest thing I have ever seen in my entire wrestling watching life. What a bozo. What I did enjoy was when John Cena revealed that he was actually in the arena and would be paying a visit to both the Miz and Alex Riley in the ring. I was fooled because I thought he was still at home with a concussion, as it was reported that he had to undergo IMPACT testing, as per the WWE Health and Wellness Policy. Cena did take a jab at Rocky by saying that he wasn't via satellite, that he was here. That has bugged me since the Rock came back, he should have been making live appearances on a consistent basis. It was worth it to see the Miz cower while letting his protege take the beating. Will this have an effect on their match at Wrestlemania XXVII?
There are a few other points that I would like to discuss as well, mostly TNA related. What the hell is up with Jeff Hardy? I don't watch TNA at all, I do not enjoy the type of product that they produce but I do try to keep tabs on it as often as I can. I heard what happened in his last match with Sting, and can honestly say that I would be disgusted as a fan. This is not the first incident of this type with Hardy at an event, as he was almost stripped of the title at a TNA pay-per-view awhile back. All they offered fans for this debacle was 6 months of free access to their on-demand service, is Dixie Carter serious? There are clearly problems within the company as no one has yet to formally address the issues that Hardy is having, all he has gotten so far was being pulled from some upcoming events. There is clearly something wrong with him, that company, and their drug testing policy. There has been nothing that I have ever read about any health or wellness policy that TNA has, while WWE's policy and practices are available online, in full detail for anyone to view. I would like to try and find a copy of TNA's and actually review it to see how it measures up. This man is becoming such a huge liability for this company that he is going to just bring them down with him. Dixie Carter needs to smarten up, if it was my wrestling promotion, Hardy would be fired immediately. I honestly don't think that his popularity and ability to draw viewers is worth having him show up clearly unable to perform (as mentioned, this has happened on more than one occasion and i not an isolated incident.). They aren't only cheating the fans, they're cheating themselves out of having any sort of chance to be a decent wrestling promotion.
And finally, Chris Jericho made his debut on ABC's 'Dancing With the Stars' last night. I thought he did a great job on his cha cha with partner Cheryl Burke and look forward to seeing him dance as long as he's on the show. So wrestling fans, call/text/vote online to keep Chris and Cheryl on the show! All information for the show, registering to vote online, and those competing on the show can be found here.
Triple H came out to open the show, speaking briefly about his upcoming match with the Undertaker, he put it perfectly when he said it would be the defining moment in both of their distinguished careers. This match has got to be the single most exciting bout ever, the Undertaker could either lose his undefeated streak or continue with the greatest legacy in sports entertainment. During Triple H's in-ring promo, Ted DiBiase Jr. comes out and blabs about how he has become an afterthought. One, no one honestly cares what he has to say, and two, there is no real explanation as to why he is challenging him. I personally think that since Legacy broke up, DiBiase has become a sort of joke within the company. I haven't seen him really do anything of any substance for a while. He of course gets beaten to a pulp by Hunter and then that's the end of that segment.
The first match of the broadcast is Evan Bourne versus Sheamus, who I can't stand, as I have stated in numerous posts. It was a pretty quick match with a somewhat predictable outcome, seeing as Bourne beat Sheamus last time and Sheamus has just won the United States title belt. Daniel Bryan comes out and invokes his rematch clause and challenges the human block of cream cheese at Wrestlemania XXVII. Hopefully the WWE officials give these two time to shine, it will be a refreshing addition to an already amazing card. The matches were pretty solid, Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel retained their tag titles against Santino Marella and Vladamir Kozlov, Eve retained her title against Maryse, and the inter gender-handicapped-tag team match was inspired. As much as I don't like Vickie Gurerro, it is a good build for the Wrestlemania confrontation. Not much wrestling time on the broadcast but it was quality.
My big issue with this week was, once again, Michael Cole. I do realize that they want us all to not stop talking about him, generating even more buzz for the most annoying person every to be handed a microphone. He should NOT be interrupting a match to flap his lips. I'm not a huge fan of women's wrestling right now but they deserve the same adulation and respect that the men get while competing in the ring. I would also like to personally congratulate Eve Torres for slapping Cole, as so many members of the WWE universe have wanted to do for the past several weeks. Once again, he is attempting (and very poorly) to humiliate Jerry Lawler. I don't know who signed off on this monstrosity but he once again goes for Jerry's deceased parents. It might be bringing in the ratings but it crosses the boundaries of good taste, there's a fine line in building hype for a match and just taking it a step too far. It doesn't take a genius to see what side of that line this falls on. Once again, Jerry gets attacked by both Swagger and Cole. Like no one saw that coming, the fans can't wait for him to get his comeuppance in two weeks at Wrestlemania.
Can I also ask what the hell was with his portrayal of Jim Ross? Not even chuckle worthy, just plain stupid.
We once again saw another promo video for Sin Cara. He looks like a worthy adversary and I, for one, am glad that the WWE is starting to bring in some high flyer's. It will be interesting to see what brand he will be on once he makes his official debut with the company. Speaking of video promos, the one hyping the Taker/Triple H bout was extremely well done. It was very interesting to see the career highlights of both individuals and to hear what their fellow colleagues/adversaries/friends had to say about each person and how they think the match is going to go. Something tells me that everyone in the arena and at home is going to be glued to the television for this one.
Another build featured on the broadcast this week was John Cena and the Miz (with the Rock thrown into the middle of course!). John announces that next week, on the final show before the big event, that he will come face to face with Dwayne Johnson. It will be interesting to see how the two interact while in the same ring, as opposed to exchanging extremely funny barbs back and forth. He also talks about the Miz, concerning his abilities and creativity by coming out dressed as the Rock and delivering an attack. The Miz also gets to cut his own promo in the ring, debuting the 'new' championship belt. Simply the same design with the 'W' flipped upside down. This had to be the stupidest thing I have ever seen in my entire wrestling watching life. What a bozo. What I did enjoy was when John Cena revealed that he was actually in the arena and would be paying a visit to both the Miz and Alex Riley in the ring. I was fooled because I thought he was still at home with a concussion, as it was reported that he had to undergo IMPACT testing, as per the WWE Health and Wellness Policy. Cena did take a jab at Rocky by saying that he wasn't via satellite, that he was here. That has bugged me since the Rock came back, he should have been making live appearances on a consistent basis. It was worth it to see the Miz cower while letting his protege take the beating. Will this have an effect on their match at Wrestlemania XXVII?
There are a few other points that I would like to discuss as well, mostly TNA related. What the hell is up with Jeff Hardy? I don't watch TNA at all, I do not enjoy the type of product that they produce but I do try to keep tabs on it as often as I can. I heard what happened in his last match with Sting, and can honestly say that I would be disgusted as a fan. This is not the first incident of this type with Hardy at an event, as he was almost stripped of the title at a TNA pay-per-view awhile back. All they offered fans for this debacle was 6 months of free access to their on-demand service, is Dixie Carter serious? There are clearly problems within the company as no one has yet to formally address the issues that Hardy is having, all he has gotten so far was being pulled from some upcoming events. There is clearly something wrong with him, that company, and their drug testing policy. There has been nothing that I have ever read about any health or wellness policy that TNA has, while WWE's policy and practices are available online, in full detail for anyone to view. I would like to try and find a copy of TNA's and actually review it to see how it measures up. This man is becoming such a huge liability for this company that he is going to just bring them down with him. Dixie Carter needs to smarten up, if it was my wrestling promotion, Hardy would be fired immediately. I honestly don't think that his popularity and ability to draw viewers is worth having him show up clearly unable to perform (as mentioned, this has happened on more than one occasion and i not an isolated incident.). They aren't only cheating the fans, they're cheating themselves out of having any sort of chance to be a decent wrestling promotion.
And finally, Chris Jericho made his debut on ABC's 'Dancing With the Stars' last night. I thought he did a great job on his cha cha with partner Cheryl Burke and look forward to seeing him dance as long as he's on the show. So wrestling fans, call/text/vote online to keep Chris and Cheryl on the show! All information for the show, registering to vote online, and those competing on the show can be found here.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Stone Cold Does Dallas.
Before I even start to talk about the broadcast, I just want to say that the highlight of this week's Monday Night Raw was the return of Stone Cold Steve Austin. Now onto the show...
The show opened with the Undertaker coming out to Johnny Cash's 'Ain't No Grave', which couldn't be a more fitting song for him. He cut his promo for his match with Triple H at Wrestlemania XXVII. He mentions that this is more than just a match, it`s about two legends colliding in the squared circle. It is a 100% correct statement, as I have mentioned before these two are the last veterans in the locker room. The Undertaker says that many are speculating that his streak will end this year and he brings up his last two `Mania matches, which happened to be with Shawn Michaels. They then show a really well put together video package of their matches at both Wrestlemania XXV and XXVI. A stipulation is finally revealed for the clash of the titans, a NO HOLDS BARRED MATCH! I, for one, am excited about this, stoked even. I am just wondering how this stipulation will fit into the PG mind frame of the company. My best guess is that these two will be allowed to go as far as they want because they are the ones putting their program together. As Jim Ross would say, it`s going to be a slobber knocker!
The storyline between Randy Orton and Nexus continued this week, as Orton was attacked backstage by Ryan, Punk, and Otunga. He's ambushed and dragged to the ring where he is further assaulted by the Nexus, right before his match with David Otunga. The bell rings and the bout begins, Otunga thinking that he has an advantage because Orton was attacked. Orton goes for the win, David is then barred from ringside at Punk's Wrestlemania match. It ends with Randy Orton delivering a punt to Otunga. There is only one more member of the Nexus for Orton to take on, Mason Ryan. I'm hoping that he is also barred from ringside so that it is a fair fight, called right down the middle.
I didn't know that Rick the Sign Guy would be at this broadcast but his signs were hilarious as always.
It is announced that the Miz will not appear tonight and I breathed a collective sigh of relief. I know I have mentioned this many times before, I cannot stand him. I think he's terrible. Quickly after Christian comes out on Raw and is set to face Alberto Del Rio (who is accompanied by Brodus Clay). Del Rio says that Christian must face Brodus Clay before he can step in the ring with him. It was a pretty one sided match obviously, but he is a mountain of a man. With the right move set and gimmick, he will go far. He could be a possible rival for the Big Show or any other large superstar. It will be interesting to see how the WWE uses another giant.
A few smaller notes from the broadcast include the announcement of Sunny as the newest inductee into the Hall of Fame and an advertisement for Sin Cara. I wasn't really impressed with Sunny being announced as I feel there are many more females in wrestling that did a lot more and deserve it more. However, good for her for being recognized for her contribution to the wrestling world. As for Sin Cara, I cannot wait for him. I think he will be an amazing in-ring competitor and a worthy adversary for any superstar.
Eve faced a Bella twin for the Diva's championship and retained her title. The one thing that made my blood boil was Cole interrupting this match with his stupid banter. The women deserve as much respect during their matches as the men do. It was disrespectful and completely uncalled for.
Michael Cole finally gets to run his mouth about who his pick for guest referee. Turns out he picked JBL, it was refreshing to see him after being out of the ring for so long. He was playing a heel but he does it well, JBL ripped on Texas, talked about how 'awesome' Michael Cole is, and says how impartial he'll be while calling the match. Glass shatters and the man of the hour comes out, Stone Cold. The crowd goes nuts for him and Cole cowers behind Bradshaw like a little, well, you get the idea. Austin exchanges words, delivers a stunner to JBL, pours beer on Cole and JBL, and then signs the Wrestlemania contract. This will ensure that Jerry gets the fair shot that he deserves. I can't wait to see him put on the stripes, count to three and raise Jerry's hand.
Daniel Bryan faced Sheamus, who loses by a disqualification due to an ankle injury that he suffered when he was thrown out of the ring. He proposes a match for next week, if he loses against Daniel Bryan, he quits. How will this play out? Will he simply just be written off of television for a while? Will he go to Smackdown? Only time will tell, next week will be interesting. CM Punk faces R-Truth, with Mason Ryan at ringside. It doesn't take a genius to figure out how this one went.
They aired part two of an interview with HBK, regarding his thoughts on the Triple H/Undertaker match. Basically he just discusses his friendship with Hunter and his evolution as a performer. I personally think that it would have been nice if he was either commentating on it or interviewed in person. He has a unique perspective on this match, seeing as he has worked with both individuals.
Dolph Ziggler was revealed as a the newest member of the Raw roster, Vicki announcing that it was her negotiations that brought him there. I'm kind of iffy on Ziggler, I think that he could be great but he needs to drop Vicki and that stupid sleeper hold as his finisher. It just seems like he isn't even trying. He faces John Morrison and wins the match. The twist here is that the Raw General Manager says that he hired Ziggler back, but not Vicki. The stipulation for Vicki to acquire a job on Raw is for her to defeat Trish Stratus next week. I don;t really think there is any competition here but I am looking forward to seeing Trish in the ring after such a long hiatus. The last segment of the show is John Cena addressing the Rock. I really admire John Cena, the man can cut a promo and fight. He keeps the crowd entertained, whether they love him or hate him. Cena acknowledges his haters with a smile on his face, that always makes them hate him more. The Miz then appears, runs his mouth, delivers a 'People's Elbow', and the show closes. It's interesting to see how the Rock will factor into the Miz vs. Cena match at 'Mania.
It is going to be an eventful few weeks until the event, rivalries will play out, new ones will start, and it will be one hell of a ride.
Until next week...
The show opened with the Undertaker coming out to Johnny Cash's 'Ain't No Grave', which couldn't be a more fitting song for him. He cut his promo for his match with Triple H at Wrestlemania XXVII. He mentions that this is more than just a match, it`s about two legends colliding in the squared circle. It is a 100% correct statement, as I have mentioned before these two are the last veterans in the locker room. The Undertaker says that many are speculating that his streak will end this year and he brings up his last two `Mania matches, which happened to be with Shawn Michaels. They then show a really well put together video package of their matches at both Wrestlemania XXV and XXVI. A stipulation is finally revealed for the clash of the titans, a NO HOLDS BARRED MATCH! I, for one, am excited about this, stoked even. I am just wondering how this stipulation will fit into the PG mind frame of the company. My best guess is that these two will be allowed to go as far as they want because they are the ones putting their program together. As Jim Ross would say, it`s going to be a slobber knocker!
The storyline between Randy Orton and Nexus continued this week, as Orton was attacked backstage by Ryan, Punk, and Otunga. He's ambushed and dragged to the ring where he is further assaulted by the Nexus, right before his match with David Otunga. The bell rings and the bout begins, Otunga thinking that he has an advantage because Orton was attacked. Orton goes for the win, David is then barred from ringside at Punk's Wrestlemania match. It ends with Randy Orton delivering a punt to Otunga. There is only one more member of the Nexus for Orton to take on, Mason Ryan. I'm hoping that he is also barred from ringside so that it is a fair fight, called right down the middle.
I didn't know that Rick the Sign Guy would be at this broadcast but his signs were hilarious as always.
It is announced that the Miz will not appear tonight and I breathed a collective sigh of relief. I know I have mentioned this many times before, I cannot stand him. I think he's terrible. Quickly after Christian comes out on Raw and is set to face Alberto Del Rio (who is accompanied by Brodus Clay). Del Rio says that Christian must face Brodus Clay before he can step in the ring with him. It was a pretty one sided match obviously, but he is a mountain of a man. With the right move set and gimmick, he will go far. He could be a possible rival for the Big Show or any other large superstar. It will be interesting to see how the WWE uses another giant.
A few smaller notes from the broadcast include the announcement of Sunny as the newest inductee into the Hall of Fame and an advertisement for Sin Cara. I wasn't really impressed with Sunny being announced as I feel there are many more females in wrestling that did a lot more and deserve it more. However, good for her for being recognized for her contribution to the wrestling world. As for Sin Cara, I cannot wait for him. I think he will be an amazing in-ring competitor and a worthy adversary for any superstar.
Eve faced a Bella twin for the Diva's championship and retained her title. The one thing that made my blood boil was Cole interrupting this match with his stupid banter. The women deserve as much respect during their matches as the men do. It was disrespectful and completely uncalled for.
Michael Cole finally gets to run his mouth about who his pick for guest referee. Turns out he picked JBL, it was refreshing to see him after being out of the ring for so long. He was playing a heel but he does it well, JBL ripped on Texas, talked about how 'awesome' Michael Cole is, and says how impartial he'll be while calling the match. Glass shatters and the man of the hour comes out, Stone Cold. The crowd goes nuts for him and Cole cowers behind Bradshaw like a little, well, you get the idea. Austin exchanges words, delivers a stunner to JBL, pours beer on Cole and JBL, and then signs the Wrestlemania contract. This will ensure that Jerry gets the fair shot that he deserves. I can't wait to see him put on the stripes, count to three and raise Jerry's hand.
Daniel Bryan faced Sheamus, who loses by a disqualification due to an ankle injury that he suffered when he was thrown out of the ring. He proposes a match for next week, if he loses against Daniel Bryan, he quits. How will this play out? Will he simply just be written off of television for a while? Will he go to Smackdown? Only time will tell, next week will be interesting. CM Punk faces R-Truth, with Mason Ryan at ringside. It doesn't take a genius to figure out how this one went.
They aired part two of an interview with HBK, regarding his thoughts on the Triple H/Undertaker match. Basically he just discusses his friendship with Hunter and his evolution as a performer. I personally think that it would have been nice if he was either commentating on it or interviewed in person. He has a unique perspective on this match, seeing as he has worked with both individuals.
Dolph Ziggler was revealed as a the newest member of the Raw roster, Vicki announcing that it was her negotiations that brought him there. I'm kind of iffy on Ziggler, I think that he could be great but he needs to drop Vicki and that stupid sleeper hold as his finisher. It just seems like he isn't even trying. He faces John Morrison and wins the match. The twist here is that the Raw General Manager says that he hired Ziggler back, but not Vicki. The stipulation for Vicki to acquire a job on Raw is for her to defeat Trish Stratus next week. I don;t really think there is any competition here but I am looking forward to seeing Trish in the ring after such a long hiatus. The last segment of the show is John Cena addressing the Rock. I really admire John Cena, the man can cut a promo and fight. He keeps the crowd entertained, whether they love him or hate him. Cena acknowledges his haters with a smile on his face, that always makes them hate him more. The Miz then appears, runs his mouth, delivers a 'People's Elbow', and the show closes. It's interesting to see how the Rock will factor into the Miz vs. Cena match at 'Mania.
It is going to be an eventful few weeks until the event, rivalries will play out, new ones will start, and it will be one hell of a ride.
Until next week...
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
One Step Closer to Wrestlemania.
This week's episode of Monday Night Raw is bringing us one step closer to the "showcase of the immortals", and here is how it all went down...
Triple H came out to kick the show off and discussed the accolades that he has achieved in his 16 or so year career. He also mentioned how the Undertaker and himself were really the only two greats left in the WWE locker room, he is absolutely right. They have the longest tenure of any wrestler employed today and it's quite sad to think about when it's time for them to retire. Both men have provided such a fantastic catalogue of matches and title wins, it's hard to imagine the WWE without either of them. As he was making his speech, Sheamus comes out and Triple H delivers a pedigree through the announce table. Glad to see that Hunter is back in fighting form.
Noticeably absent from the announce table is Michael Cole. I found this a bit weird but figured that he would be out later to address Jerry's Wrestlemania challenge. The Raw General Manager then chimes in saying that even though Sheamus was just attacked, he must still compete in his scheduled match. Evan Bourne is revealed to be his opponent and of course wins upon his return to the ring. It's kind of sad that the WWE has no more cruiser weight division, Evan is a fantastic wrestler who is being underutilized due to his size, it has nothing to do with his abilities as an entertainer. Happy to see him back and making such a strong impact.
Cole finally makes his appearance and says that he will face Lawler at Wrestlemania, only if Jerry abides by two conditions. Cole is allowed to have his trainer (who turns out to be Jack Swagger) ringside and he gets to pick the guest referee for the match. Of course Jerry says yes, then gets attacked by Cole and Swagger. The highlight of this entire exchange was when Lawler called him a "Cole-sore", I literally died of laughter. Probably the funniest moment of the entire broadcast.
Another Wrestlemania match was also confirmed that night, Randy Orton will face CM Punk at the pay-per-view but it is accompanied with a unique set of circumstances. Randy Orton will face each member of Nexus on Monday Night Raw leading up to Wrestlemania XXVII. If he wins, the Nexus member cannot be ringside for the match. If he loses, the Nexus member is allowed to be present. First up was Michael McGillicutty, who not only lost but suffered a punt to the skull. Word is that he is being written off of television for a bit, let's hope that he does not suffer the same fate as Husky Harris. McGillicutty shows a lot of promise as a WWE superstar.
There was also a brief video highlighting the recent signing of Mexican wrestler Mistico. His WWE name will be Sin Cara and I am excited to see exactly what he can do in the ring.
In the latter half of the show, the Miz comes out and blabs on about how he is the most must-see WWE champion and blah, blah, blah. He also mentions how he will defeat Cena at Wrestlemania and then go after the Rock. He seriously gets on my nerves. I know it's all an angle and what not but there has got to be an end to it. Of course Cena comes out, cracks a few jokes about the Miz and Alex Riley, presents a "doctor's note" and goes on about how the Miz has OCD. Cena then says how he should work without Riley helping him win, take pride in being the champ instead of just coasting by. He makes a very valid point, I know it is all pre-determined but I still can;t stand a cheater. John then proposes a match for the broadcast, Cena vs. Riley. If Riley wins, then Cena must admit that the Miz is the greatest champ ever. If Cena wins, Alex Riley is no longer the apprentice of the Miz. The Raw General Manager makes it a steel cage match, to ensure no outside interference. However, the Miz still interferes, throwing his phone into the ring, even after he gave his word he wouldn't interfere. In the final match of the broadcast, Cena won and Alex Riley is on his own, it will be interesting to see how this will play out next week.
In diva news, one of the Bella twins is the #1 contender for Eve's Diva's Championship. They pulled that twin magic business and ultimately won the battle royal.
The Rock cut a promo on Raw that really disappointed me. He appeared live via satellite from his home in Los Angeles. I personally think that he should have cut the promo in person, he would have had a greater connection with the crowd. He basically talked about how his foray into Hollywood paved the way for WWE to make movies and for wrestlers like John Cena to appear in those movies. Rocky did briefly tease a fight with Cena, even if that was not his intention. I'd like to see it because I think John would destroy him. The Rock is an excellent talker but not much of a wrestler, in my opinion and some of you may feel different about that.
HBK also appeared in a taped interview discussing his opinion on the Taker vs. Tiple H match at this year's Wrestlemania. He spoke about the possibility of the long fabled streak ending and how, when you face the Undertaker, you're in the ring with a legacy rather than a man. A very valid point, Taker is intimidating enough but adding the legend of an 18-0 winning streak at Wrestlemania adds to it even more. He is clearly rooting for Triple H in this match, as the two have been very close friends and partners for many years. Shawn also adds, at the end, that he doesn't know how he will feel if/when Hunter ends the streak this year.
Another note, Bob Armstrong was announced as the next inductee to the WWE Hall Of Fame for this year. It wasn't announced on the broadcast but was announced on the WWE website. His four sons will induct him on April 2nd in Atlanta. Congratulations to "Bullet" Bob Armstrong.
As the excitement of the biggest sports entertainment event of the year, rivalries will be heating up and the competition will be more fierce than ever. I am very much looking forward to April 3rd and how the events and grudges will be settled on that night.
Triple H came out to kick the show off and discussed the accolades that he has achieved in his 16 or so year career. He also mentioned how the Undertaker and himself were really the only two greats left in the WWE locker room, he is absolutely right. They have the longest tenure of any wrestler employed today and it's quite sad to think about when it's time for them to retire. Both men have provided such a fantastic catalogue of matches and title wins, it's hard to imagine the WWE without either of them. As he was making his speech, Sheamus comes out and Triple H delivers a pedigree through the announce table. Glad to see that Hunter is back in fighting form.
Noticeably absent from the announce table is Michael Cole. I found this a bit weird but figured that he would be out later to address Jerry's Wrestlemania challenge. The Raw General Manager then chimes in saying that even though Sheamus was just attacked, he must still compete in his scheduled match. Evan Bourne is revealed to be his opponent and of course wins upon his return to the ring. It's kind of sad that the WWE has no more cruiser weight division, Evan is a fantastic wrestler who is being underutilized due to his size, it has nothing to do with his abilities as an entertainer. Happy to see him back and making such a strong impact.
Cole finally makes his appearance and says that he will face Lawler at Wrestlemania, only if Jerry abides by two conditions. Cole is allowed to have his trainer (who turns out to be Jack Swagger) ringside and he gets to pick the guest referee for the match. Of course Jerry says yes, then gets attacked by Cole and Swagger. The highlight of this entire exchange was when Lawler called him a "Cole-sore", I literally died of laughter. Probably the funniest moment of the entire broadcast.
Another Wrestlemania match was also confirmed that night, Randy Orton will face CM Punk at the pay-per-view but it is accompanied with a unique set of circumstances. Randy Orton will face each member of Nexus on Monday Night Raw leading up to Wrestlemania XXVII. If he wins, the Nexus member cannot be ringside for the match. If he loses, the Nexus member is allowed to be present. First up was Michael McGillicutty, who not only lost but suffered a punt to the skull. Word is that he is being written off of television for a bit, let's hope that he does not suffer the same fate as Husky Harris. McGillicutty shows a lot of promise as a WWE superstar.
There was also a brief video highlighting the recent signing of Mexican wrestler Mistico. His WWE name will be Sin Cara and I am excited to see exactly what he can do in the ring.
In the latter half of the show, the Miz comes out and blabs on about how he is the most must-see WWE champion and blah, blah, blah. He also mentions how he will defeat Cena at Wrestlemania and then go after the Rock. He seriously gets on my nerves. I know it's all an angle and what not but there has got to be an end to it. Of course Cena comes out, cracks a few jokes about the Miz and Alex Riley, presents a "doctor's note" and goes on about how the Miz has OCD. Cena then says how he should work without Riley helping him win, take pride in being the champ instead of just coasting by. He makes a very valid point, I know it is all pre-determined but I still can;t stand a cheater. John then proposes a match for the broadcast, Cena vs. Riley. If Riley wins, then Cena must admit that the Miz is the greatest champ ever. If Cena wins, Alex Riley is no longer the apprentice of the Miz. The Raw General Manager makes it a steel cage match, to ensure no outside interference. However, the Miz still interferes, throwing his phone into the ring, even after he gave his word he wouldn't interfere. In the final match of the broadcast, Cena won and Alex Riley is on his own, it will be interesting to see how this will play out next week.
In diva news, one of the Bella twins is the #1 contender for Eve's Diva's Championship. They pulled that twin magic business and ultimately won the battle royal.
The Rock cut a promo on Raw that really disappointed me. He appeared live via satellite from his home in Los Angeles. I personally think that he should have cut the promo in person, he would have had a greater connection with the crowd. He basically talked about how his foray into Hollywood paved the way for WWE to make movies and for wrestlers like John Cena to appear in those movies. Rocky did briefly tease a fight with Cena, even if that was not his intention. I'd like to see it because I think John would destroy him. The Rock is an excellent talker but not much of a wrestler, in my opinion and some of you may feel different about that.
HBK also appeared in a taped interview discussing his opinion on the Taker vs. Tiple H match at this year's Wrestlemania. He spoke about the possibility of the long fabled streak ending and how, when you face the Undertaker, you're in the ring with a legacy rather than a man. A very valid point, Taker is intimidating enough but adding the legend of an 18-0 winning streak at Wrestlemania adds to it even more. He is clearly rooting for Triple H in this match, as the two have been very close friends and partners for many years. Shawn also adds, at the end, that he doesn't know how he will feel if/when Hunter ends the streak this year.
Another note, Bob Armstrong was announced as the next inductee to the WWE Hall Of Fame for this year. It wasn't announced on the broadcast but was announced on the WWE website. His four sons will induct him on April 2nd in Atlanta. Congratulations to "Bullet" Bob Armstrong.
As the excitement of the biggest sports entertainment event of the year, rivalries will be heating up and the competition will be more fierce than ever. I am very much looking forward to April 3rd and how the events and grudges will be settled on that night.
Monday, January 31, 2011
There's a Reason Why Jerry is King.
This episode of Monday Night Raw opened up with the winner of the 2011 Royal Rumble, Alberto Del Rio. I'm sure I wasn't the only person left scratching their head after to Royal Rumble last night. I did think it was a pretty solid pay-per-view, for only having four matches. I was hoping for John Cena to win (as I always do) but was secretly hoping for a Smackdown superstar to win. That brand deserved it, deserved a chance to show that they can stand up to the Raw brand. I just don't know what to think about Alberto Del Rio. I don't think he is that spectacular of a wrestler, maybe I'm being too picky. He is fairly new as a superstar but maybe this is the push that he needs to elevate himself to star/main eventer status. As for title bouts, he chose to go after Edge and his World Heavyweight Title. I think that is a pretty good choice and it will be a fantastic match as it will be Del Rio's first ever Wrestlemania.
His celebration was something I rolled my eyes at but was expected. He did defeat 39 other men to win this prestigious honor. Good luck to him and hopefully his first ever Wrestlemania experience will be memorable for not only him but the fans as well.
Monday Night Raw was pretty solid as a broadcast. Santino and Kozlov fought Joe Henning (I do NOT like the name WWE has him using) and Husky Harris. I'm hoping that Kozlov and Marella will hang on to the titles for a while longer and that the WWE will start beefing up the tag team division, they have had some fantastic tag team matches and some even better tag team pairings. In the women's division, Natalya and Eve faced off against Laycool in a tag team match, and of course Laycool won. What I noticed most about this match was that Natalya had no bad blood against Eve, even though she lost the title to her the night before. She shook her hand before they started and checked on her after she got kicked in the face by Michelle McCool. True sportsmanship at its finest.
Edge faced The Miz in a champion vs. champion match which was hilariously interrupted by John Cena and a "Miz is Awful" chant. One of the funniest things I have ever seen, and of course it gave Cena a chance to get back at Miz for eliminating him from the Royal Rumble. I still think that is complete and total garbage by the way, a referee had to have seen that. That added another reason as to why I do not care for The Miz that much. In the end, Edge got the upper hand and won. Giving Michael Cole one less reason to jump up and down like a fool. This also brings me to a side note, what was with him jumping up and down like a little girl at a Justin Bieber concert? Dude has issues. I don't think it is helping his image at all. It makes him look foolish and won't help him in the popularity department.
Before we get to discussing the main event, there are a few things that were announced that are worth mentioning. Stone Cold Steve Austin will be hosting Tough Enough when it premieres on April 4th, 2011, the night after Wrestlemania XXVII. I have always enjoyed Steve Austin as a wrestler, promo cutter, and actor. He can be dead serious or have you in stitches, this gig fits him like a glove and I look forward to watching the show when it premieres. I'm not too sure what channel it will be on in Canada but hopefully it's one that I get so I can cover that as well, I'm always interested in new and developing talent. Vickie Guererro also announced that Edge will defend his title in a way that it has never been defended before, a three on two handicapped mixed gender tag team match. Dolph Ziggler and Laycool will face off against Edge and his partner Kelly Kelly. I think it is a pretty interesting premise but I'm not too sure who I would like to see win, as I like both competitors. I do hope that Kelly Kelly gives Laycool what they have coming to them!
Now onto the main event of the night, the seven man Raw Rumble match. This was an ingenious idea and whoever put this together should get a well deserved pat on the back. It plays off the high of the Royal Rumble the night before and I always enjoy the crowd counting down from ten until the next competitor comes out. The entrants and who they eliminated are listed below:
His celebration was something I rolled my eyes at but was expected. He did defeat 39 other men to win this prestigious honor. Good luck to him and hopefully his first ever Wrestlemania experience will be memorable for not only him but the fans as well.
Monday Night Raw was pretty solid as a broadcast. Santino and Kozlov fought Joe Henning (I do NOT like the name WWE has him using) and Husky Harris. I'm hoping that Kozlov and Marella will hang on to the titles for a while longer and that the WWE will start beefing up the tag team division, they have had some fantastic tag team matches and some even better tag team pairings. In the women's division, Natalya and Eve faced off against Laycool in a tag team match, and of course Laycool won. What I noticed most about this match was that Natalya had no bad blood against Eve, even though she lost the title to her the night before. She shook her hand before they started and checked on her after she got kicked in the face by Michelle McCool. True sportsmanship at its finest.
Edge faced The Miz in a champion vs. champion match which was hilariously interrupted by John Cena and a "Miz is Awful" chant. One of the funniest things I have ever seen, and of course it gave Cena a chance to get back at Miz for eliminating him from the Royal Rumble. I still think that is complete and total garbage by the way, a referee had to have seen that. That added another reason as to why I do not care for The Miz that much. In the end, Edge got the upper hand and won. Giving Michael Cole one less reason to jump up and down like a fool. This also brings me to a side note, what was with him jumping up and down like a little girl at a Justin Bieber concert? Dude has issues. I don't think it is helping his image at all. It makes him look foolish and won't help him in the popularity department.
Before we get to discussing the main event, there are a few things that were announced that are worth mentioning. Stone Cold Steve Austin will be hosting Tough Enough when it premieres on April 4th, 2011, the night after Wrestlemania XXVII. I have always enjoyed Steve Austin as a wrestler, promo cutter, and actor. He can be dead serious or have you in stitches, this gig fits him like a glove and I look forward to watching the show when it premieres. I'm not too sure what channel it will be on in Canada but hopefully it's one that I get so I can cover that as well, I'm always interested in new and developing talent. Vickie Guererro also announced that Edge will defend his title in a way that it has never been defended before, a three on two handicapped mixed gender tag team match. Dolph Ziggler and Laycool will face off against Edge and his partner Kelly Kelly. I think it is a pretty interesting premise but I'm not too sure who I would like to see win, as I like both competitors. I do hope that Kelly Kelly gives Laycool what they have coming to them!
Now onto the main event of the night, the seven man Raw Rumble match. This was an ingenious idea and whoever put this together should get a well deserved pat on the back. It plays off the high of the Royal Rumble the night before and I always enjoy the crowd counting down from ten until the next competitor comes out. The entrants and who they eliminated are listed below:
- John Morrison (eliminated by Sheamus)
- Sheamus (eliminated by Jerry Lawler, with assistance from John Cena)
- John Cena (eliminated by Lawler, because Sheamus shoved Lawler into Cena)
- CM Punk (eliminated by Randy Orton)
- R-Truth (eliminated by John Cena)
- Jerry Lawler (WINNER!)
- Randy Orton (eliminated by R-Truth)
Monday, December 6, 2010
Cole, The Miz, and Monday Night Raw.
Randy Orton and Jerry Lawler have done to Michael Cole what fans have wanted to do for months.
I really, really, really do not like Michael Cole. I've always thought he was a poor announcer and should be relegated to backstage work, just so I don't have to listen to his drivel as often. He constantly is messing up, disrespecting Hall of Famers, and just annoying the hell out of everyone. I do not expect ever announcer to have the same caliber of skills as Jim Ross, Gorilla Monsoon, or Jerry Lawler. I do, however, believe that you should be able to correctly name the wrestlers and the moves they use in the ring. Hearing him say the same words over and over when he 'has received an e-mail from the Raw General Manager' is enough to make you want to rip your ears off. I know it's an angle, anything to get a rise out of fans, and it works very well. He just doesn't seem to mesh well with the other announcers on his team, maybe that will change and maybe not.
That being said, I am very glad that CM Punk is announcing, he is saying what every fan is thinking. He makes a great addition to the Monday Night Raw announce team. If we could only get Jim Ross behind the table again...
So, The Miz finally cashed in his MITB briefcase. Whoop-de-do. It was only a matter of time before this happened. It is refreshing to see someone different get the belt instead of the same rotation of top tier guys. His gimmick is entertaining, he can cut a pretty decent promo, and he has Alex Riley to use as a lap dog. His championship reign will probably be short lived, but it will be a good change of pace from what we are normally used to seeing. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out with the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania looming in the near future.
Now on to a few points about tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw...
Michael Cole came out and blah-blah-blahed. He got taken out by Randy Orton and was promptly replaced by Josh Matthews. Matthews is doing an incredible job behind the announcing desk with CM Punk and Lawler. It will be very intriguing to see if this is a somewhat permanent move or just a one night deal. Either way, he has a very promising commentating career.
Can I just say that I am so thankful that the Juan Cena character has not appeared on television (at least not yet)? I found it extremely gimmicky, stupid, weird, oddball, there are a plethora of words to describe it. I can understand their reasoning though, no Cena would cause a drop in their ratings. The Juan character is a way to work around the 'firing' of Cena while still keeping him on the television broadcasts. For the love of everything WWE, please keep that gimmick off of TV. Just keep letting John Cena have 'tickets' and taking down the Nexus one by one. This is a storyline that will come full circle probably somewhere between the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania. The interaction between both Nexus and John Cena is really interesting to watch and is one of the most interesting angles that has occurred in a LONG time, especially during the PG era. When it is all said and done, I hope there isn't just a cut and dry ending to it. Maybe Wade and Cena can battle somewhere down the line and the other members of Nexus can have their own feuds with various other superstars. Only time will tell...
On a side note, I think breaking up the Hart Dynasty was a brilliant move. I was a little apprehensive at first, really taking a liking to the tag team of Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith. I think it will be intriguing to see how these two superstars develop individually as opposed to a tag team. Hopefully they will one day get back together and tag team but for now, their rivalry will greater show off their abilities as individual performers.
And the show ends with an ultimatum. Will Wade hire Cena back? Will he take himself out of Nexus? Who knows?
I really, really, really do not like Michael Cole. I've always thought he was a poor announcer and should be relegated to backstage work, just so I don't have to listen to his drivel as often. He constantly is messing up, disrespecting Hall of Famers, and just annoying the hell out of everyone. I do not expect ever announcer to have the same caliber of skills as Jim Ross, Gorilla Monsoon, or Jerry Lawler. I do, however, believe that you should be able to correctly name the wrestlers and the moves they use in the ring. Hearing him say the same words over and over when he 'has received an e-mail from the Raw General Manager' is enough to make you want to rip your ears off. I know it's an angle, anything to get a rise out of fans, and it works very well. He just doesn't seem to mesh well with the other announcers on his team, maybe that will change and maybe not.
That being said, I am very glad that CM Punk is announcing, he is saying what every fan is thinking. He makes a great addition to the Monday Night Raw announce team. If we could only get Jim Ross behind the table again...
So, The Miz finally cashed in his MITB briefcase. Whoop-de-do. It was only a matter of time before this happened. It is refreshing to see someone different get the belt instead of the same rotation of top tier guys. His gimmick is entertaining, he can cut a pretty decent promo, and he has Alex Riley to use as a lap dog. His championship reign will probably be short lived, but it will be a good change of pace from what we are normally used to seeing. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out with the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania looming in the near future.
Now on to a few points about tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw...
Michael Cole came out and blah-blah-blahed. He got taken out by Randy Orton and was promptly replaced by Josh Matthews. Matthews is doing an incredible job behind the announcing desk with CM Punk and Lawler. It will be very intriguing to see if this is a somewhat permanent move or just a one night deal. Either way, he has a very promising commentating career.
Can I just say that I am so thankful that the Juan Cena character has not appeared on television (at least not yet)? I found it extremely gimmicky, stupid, weird, oddball, there are a plethora of words to describe it. I can understand their reasoning though, no Cena would cause a drop in their ratings. The Juan character is a way to work around the 'firing' of Cena while still keeping him on the television broadcasts. For the love of everything WWE, please keep that gimmick off of TV. Just keep letting John Cena have 'tickets' and taking down the Nexus one by one. This is a storyline that will come full circle probably somewhere between the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania. The interaction between both Nexus and John Cena is really interesting to watch and is one of the most interesting angles that has occurred in a LONG time, especially during the PG era. When it is all said and done, I hope there isn't just a cut and dry ending to it. Maybe Wade and Cena can battle somewhere down the line and the other members of Nexus can have their own feuds with various other superstars. Only time will tell...
On a side note, I think breaking up the Hart Dynasty was a brilliant move. I was a little apprehensive at first, really taking a liking to the tag team of Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith. I think it will be intriguing to see how these two superstars develop individually as opposed to a tag team. Hopefully they will one day get back together and tag team but for now, their rivalry will greater show off their abilities as individual performers.
And the show ends with an ultimatum. Will Wade hire Cena back? Will he take himself out of Nexus? Who knows?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)