School is now over so I will be posting more frequently and I have a lot of things to say about the recent developments in the world of wrestling...
The main thing that I want to discuss is the return of Brock Lesnar. Truth be told, I never really liked him the first time around. I find it highly ironic that a guy who criticizes the company that made him a household name returns to it. I understand why he would have criticized the schedule they have to keep and all that but if they don't want to then they always have the option to do something else. It just irks me to no end but his reappearance did light a spark in the WWE universe. When he clocked John Cena in the mouth and bloodied him, it was an exciting moment for the WWE and its fans. Much like The Rock, Brock returns and has prominent spot on television. I don't agree with that at all. While it does amp up the excitement and ratings, it is unfair to the guys in the locker room who but their ass each and every week to entertain thousands of people. No one should just be able to waltz right in and get a top spot. When Brock leaves again to pursue another avenue, he will fade into the background.
Another hot topic is the feud between Chris Jericho and C.M. Punk. I think that this feud could use a little jolt coming off of Wrestlemania in Miami and what they are doing on television is not what I had in mind. I'm all for entertaining but when family members are dragged into what is happening in the stories, I don't agree with that. Even if the talent involved agreed with it and the family is okay with it, it is still something that should not be brought up on television. Even if it is a made up family member, it is in poor taste and should be something that the creative division of the company should be talking a closer look at.
It's better late than never but I would like to congratulate the Undertaker on going 20-0 at Wrestlemania this year. Every year, his match is always the highlight of the event. Fans salivate at the thought of seeing the Undertaker continue the legendary streak. There were a few times during the Hell in a Cell match that I thought he wasn't going to be able to over take Triple H but he did it. The image at the end of the match of Undertaker, Shawn, and Triple H standing together is going to be one of those classic images that stands the test of time. They are the last of a dying breed, these are guys that I grew up on and they gave me some of the best memories of my life. It was everything that a Wrestlemania match should be. Entertaining, intense, and just a well fought contest. They should all be extremely proud and the WWE should be proud of there talent for delivering such a high caliber match.
That's it for now. I'm looking forward to next week to bring you my thoughts on the world of wrestling!
Showing posts with label Wrestlemania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wrestlemania. Show all posts
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
John Cena vs. The Rock: Who Will Win?
The match-up between the leader of the Cenation and the People's Champ is one of the most anticipated matches at any Wrestlemania, maybe even more so than when Hogan faced Rocky. It is also one of the most polarizing matches in the history of the WWE, with the fans being split in half as to who they want to win. It will certainly be interesting to see how the WWE handles such an epic match-up.
Here is a quick run down of both individuals and who I think will win...
My obvious pick is John Cena. His career success and popularity has eclipsed that of The Rock and he's just a better wrestler overall. A lot of people give Cena flack for only having a certain skill-set in the ring but I see him improving and evolving with each match that comes along. He will continue to be around for the foreseeable future, not just via satellite. That is a real sore spot for myself and many wrestling fans. How can a guy that claims to be so dedicated to the business, appear so infrequently? He does do movies and all that but a lot of fans hold resentment towards him for sort of 'abandoning' the business that made him. The Rock's movies are funny and entertaining but now he is a movie star, not a wrestler. Simply put, he just isn't around enough to make a difference to the people who show up to the events and the people who are tuning in at home. John is out at house shows, live events, and has multiple charitable endeavours. He is out there busting his ass for the fans that love him and the fans that hate him.
I will say this, as I have said before, The Rock can talk on the microphone. He has a certain charisma in the ring that can't be ignored. Even when I was a kid (I'm 23 now) and he was on TV, I never really gravitated towards him the way that other kids did. I just don't find him that entertaining. Granted, he has provided the fans with some pretty memorable moments. Another thing that really bothers me about him returning is that he is stealing the spotlight from the WWE superstars that have worked hard all year to even be considered for a spot at the showcase of the immortals. He just waltzes in and gets a top spot. It is for ratings, and I get that, but it is simply just NOT fair to the others in the locker room. The match that does deserve the top spot (which should be Undertaker versus Triple H) won't get it because they are after a ratings draw, not that a Wrestlemania needs a gimmick to be highly successful.
The only conceivable way for Dwayne to win would be if they were going for a best two out of three series or something along those lines. Although, seeing as they are in his hometown, they may go for the hometown win and an induction for next year's Hall of Fame. It's really a tough thing to call, there are so many different angles that they could approach it with. A double count out, disqualification, submission win, there could be an interference, the creative machine at WWE can be unpredictable. No matter what the outcome, both individuals have provided great entertainment in the lead up to Wrestlemania, The Rock got a few good zingers in at Cena's expense but I think John has the upper hand when it ones to burning him on the microphone.
In the end, it doesn't really matter who is bigger or stronger or who knows the most wrestling moves. The true winner of this match will be who gets in there and gives the fans what they want.
Hustle. Loyalty. Respect.
Here is a quick run down of both individuals and who I think will win...
My obvious pick is John Cena. His career success and popularity has eclipsed that of The Rock and he's just a better wrestler overall. A lot of people give Cena flack for only having a certain skill-set in the ring but I see him improving and evolving with each match that comes along. He will continue to be around for the foreseeable future, not just via satellite. That is a real sore spot for myself and many wrestling fans. How can a guy that claims to be so dedicated to the business, appear so infrequently? He does do movies and all that but a lot of fans hold resentment towards him for sort of 'abandoning' the business that made him. The Rock's movies are funny and entertaining but now he is a movie star, not a wrestler. Simply put, he just isn't around enough to make a difference to the people who show up to the events and the people who are tuning in at home. John is out at house shows, live events, and has multiple charitable endeavours. He is out there busting his ass for the fans that love him and the fans that hate him.
I will say this, as I have said before, The Rock can talk on the microphone. He has a certain charisma in the ring that can't be ignored. Even when I was a kid (I'm 23 now) and he was on TV, I never really gravitated towards him the way that other kids did. I just don't find him that entertaining. Granted, he has provided the fans with some pretty memorable moments. Another thing that really bothers me about him returning is that he is stealing the spotlight from the WWE superstars that have worked hard all year to even be considered for a spot at the showcase of the immortals. He just waltzes in and gets a top spot. It is for ratings, and I get that, but it is simply just NOT fair to the others in the locker room. The match that does deserve the top spot (which should be Undertaker versus Triple H) won't get it because they are after a ratings draw, not that a Wrestlemania needs a gimmick to be highly successful.
The only conceivable way for Dwayne to win would be if they were going for a best two out of three series or something along those lines. Although, seeing as they are in his hometown, they may go for the hometown win and an induction for next year's Hall of Fame. It's really a tough thing to call, there are so many different angles that they could approach it with. A double count out, disqualification, submission win, there could be an interference, the creative machine at WWE can be unpredictable. No matter what the outcome, both individuals have provided great entertainment in the lead up to Wrestlemania, The Rock got a few good zingers in at Cena's expense but I think John has the upper hand when it ones to burning him on the microphone.
In the end, it doesn't really matter who is bigger or stronger or who knows the most wrestling moves. The true winner of this match will be who gets in there and gives the fans what they want.
Hustle. Loyalty. Respect.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Importance Of The Phenom.
He is one of the most respected men in the history of sports entertainment. He strikes fear in the hearts of his competitors and elation with the fans. When he walks down to the ring, you can feel his presence and an air of electricity.
He is the Undertaker.
As a young kid, I remember the man who rolled his eyes in the back of his head as someone who scared the crap out of me. When that music hit, the fear started. Looking back on it 23 years later, that was one thing that makes him so amazing. The Undertaker is one of those rare athletes that delivers on every performance, his whole aesthetic is one that grabs the attention of the audience. There has always been a universal appeal to him that wrestling fans just eat right up. He can come out in his classic cloak and bubble hat (as I call it), as a cult-type leader, or even as a biker; wrestling fans always see the same person. I believe that his appeal comes from his solemness and quietness, most eloquently seen when he cut the famous 'wordless promo' with Triple H to hype their Wrestlemania 27 bout. It was more than epic, it was classic Undertaker.
I have been watching wrestling for a lot of years and have seen a lot of things. One of my all-time favorite memories is seeing him take his unfortunate opponents arm and walk across that top rope. Even now, at almost 24 years old, I still get that same flutter of excitement in my stomach when I see it. It's little moments like those that stick with a fan. Another of my favorite memories is his undefeated streak at the showcase of the immortals, Wrestlemania. How many other athletes can say that they have gone 19-0 at the biggest event of their respective sports? How many can say that they have gone 19-0 at anything? It truly is a feat and is going to be one of the many pieces of his legacy.
More than great in-ring memories, he is professional wrestling. He is so important because even after twenty years in the business, he can still get out there and perform like someone half his age. The Undertaker embodies what every aspiring wrestler should want to be. He has longevity and the reason why he has that is because he is one of the most dedicated performers that professional wrestling has ever seen. He isn't like some wrestlers that go to a rival company and sandbag the place that made them, I'm pretty sure anyone with some wrestling knowledge can figure out who that would be. The Undertaker, even with his dark persona, is someone the fans feel like they can identify with on some level. That, in part with the amazing memories he gives them, is why he has survived over twenty years in the wrestling business.
With his recent comeback to challenge Triple H to their third go at a Wrestlemania, he has reinforced his spot at the top of the company. He comes back at the most opportune moments and capitalizes on them. His matches are always the most anticipated of the entire pay-per-view and to even think about a Wrestlemania without and Undertaker match is simply unfathomable. As far as I am concerned, he makes that event every year, everyone enjoys seeing who he will face and the quality of the matches themselves is always outstanding. It was only last year but one of my favorites (who am I kidding? I love them all.) is when he faced Triple H last year in a match that saw his illustrious streak almost be broken. I get chills up my spine every single time i watch it, i count it in my top ten favorite matches ever.
Say what you want, there is no denying that he is still at the top of his game. This blogger and fan is eagerly anticipating the moment when the bell rings, he gets down on one knee, extends his hand to the sky, and the 20-0 image comes on the screen.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Road Trip to Wrestlemania.
In just a few short weeks, the WWE superstars take the first steps on the road to Wrestlemania. It is always the most exciting time of the year for a wrestling fan, it begins the build to the biggest night in sports entertainment. Wrestlemania is more than just a pay-per-view, it truly is a showcase of the immortals. Separating the good from the great, every person in the WWE works to make this even spectacular.
There is no doubt in my mind that the draw of this event is the epic confrontation between The Rock and, my favorite, John Cena. Anyone who knows me is aware that I'm not a big Rocky fan. The man can draw a crowd like no other and he can talk like the best of them but I just think his passion for the business is lacking. This can be attributed to the fact that he made several appearances via satellite instead of actually showing up to the Raw tapings prior to the last Wrestlemania. People notice things like that. If the WWE Universe meant as much to him as he said, I feel like he should have made the effort to actually show up. I'm just saying...
It was quite a gamble to have the big draw match for WMXXVIII announced a year in advance but it will pay off. This is something that is very unique to the WWE and the realm of sports entertainment. The Rock and John Cena had a good back and forth thing going for a while, teaming them together at Survivor Series was a genius move. It fueled the fire even more and helped build interest for their bout in April. What will be interesting is seeing how the feud is built heading into the event. I do think that the Cena-Kane angle could be entertaining but they need to use The Rock. He can't just come in two weeks before the pay-per0view and start teasing him or building the angle. It needs to start at Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber at the very latest. It also can't be done mostly via satellite, which was my pet peeve when they first introduced this angle. To me, if he cared he would have showed up a bit more but that's a different issue. A few of the 'call-in' appearances are fine but he needs to be there to interact with the fans and ramp things up. It's not like the ratings would be hurt, he would probably make them go through the roof.
As for what is happening with Cena right now, I think a full heel turn is a terrible idea. Cena is the superman of the WWE, the guys who always does good. It's really hard to ignore that fact. It is also really hard to ignore the people who hate John Cena. He takes it all in stride it seems, just letting it roll off his back and the money flowing into his pocket. No matter how loud they cheer that they don't like him, the ones who like him cheer louder. People like Dave Batista have to face the fact that this guy is what represents World Wrestling Entertainment. He didn't ruin the WWE, he is one of the faces that is propelling it into the global juggernaut that it is. Those 'Did You Know?' facts prove it, WWE is worldwide and growing by the moment.
The other hot topic in the WWE is CM Punk. I think that he is a genius and one of the hottest properties that the company has ever had on its roster. He is the breath of fresh air that the company needed and he is (obviously) a HUGE hit with the fans. You can tell by the reaction that they give and the constant selling out of his merchandise, I have been trying to get a 'Best In The World' t-shirt for months, to no avail. The big draw may be the Rock versus John Cena but the main event will be whatever match Punk is in, this will be another Steamboat versus Savage type of moment. He will steal the show from these two guys. His matches are always top notch and of the highest quality. He is the essence of what a true entertainer should be. Whoever he faces better keep their eyes open and watch out for the Anaconda Vise.
January 29th is the day that the path to the showcase of the immortals starts. Wrestlemania is the moment that every superstar and fan looks forward to. It is the biggest event of the entire calendar year for the WWE Universe and this fan will be sitting on the edge of her seat.
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.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Elmination Chamber and Monday Night Raw.
The Elimination Chamber and the much-anticipated 2-21-2011 mystery has come and gone. I'm a little late with my review of this one but better late than never. We'll start with the Elimination Chamber.
The opener of this pay-per-view was Alberto Del Rio vs. Kofi Kingston. I thought this was a pretty solid match and a great kick-off to the show. While not a huge Del Rio fan, I found that both competitors to be entertaining and Kofi is always amazing in the ring. Alberto Del Rio won, seems fitting due tot he fact that he will be headlining Wrestlemania this year. People are paying attention to him more and more, each victory is helping his push. It's good to see a Smackdown guy getting some attention.
As for the two chamber matches, I personally found the Smackdown match far more entertaining than the Raw one. Not to say that they both weren't good, but the Smackdown one had a certain element of unpredictability that the Raw one didn't.
For the Smackdown team, the Big Show was the suprise entrant. I find it great that he is getting opportunities like this because he has always been one of my favorite wrestlers, truly there to entertain everyone in attendance. He defiently was not there to win but to inflict pain on his competitiors, which he did. Kane seemed to fit the angry giant role as well, just out for destruction and to hurt. Drew McIntyre was like a caged animal, putting both Wade Barrett (who was on his first ever chamber match) and Rey Mysterio through a pod. The second best part of the match was when Edge and Mysterio were going back and forth at the end of the match, it was amazing to see the guys do that after taking a brutal beating inside of that massive structure. The absolute best of the match was when Christian made a surprise appearance and attacked Del Rio, I literally lost my freakin' mind. Christian is so entertaining and charismatic, he made it known that he is back and out for revenge. Along with many other fans, I am looking forward to seeing him back in the ring. As for the Raw brand match, I think it was fairly obvious that John Cena was going to win. Besides Cena winning and getting the title shot at Wrestlemania XXVII, the highlight of the match was John Morrison going all Spider Man on everyone and climbing the cage.
The biggest upset of the night was when Jerry Lawler lost to the Miz. I was cheering for Jerry the entire match and I was just speechless when he lost. Literally ran out of words, and for Michael Cole to do what he did during the match was EXTREMELY unprofessional. I don't care if it was an angle or not. Someone needs to send Vince McMahon a memo and get him removed from television.
This gross display continued onto Monday Night Raw and further disgusted me. Michael Cole took it a step too far when he brought Lawler's recently deceased mother into their little fued. My Dad and I were watching in complete shock. How could that even get through to tv? It was disgusting, despicable, and downright wrong. I sincerely hope that someone got disciplined for that one. Something like that should have never happened, on a television broadcast or otherwise.
Probably one of the biggest events in the history of the WWE happened on Monday night, both the Undertaker and Triple H returned and they cut one of the most amazing promos I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing, without uttering a single word. They cemented their match for Wrestlemania XXVII (rumored to be a Career vs. Streak match with Shawn Michaels as a guest referee) and brought back the type of excitement that has been somewhat lacking. The Undertaker was revealed as the person behind the 2-21-2011 promos (many - including myself - were hoping for Sting to come out) and made his slow walk down the ring and then BAM! Triple H's music starts and out he comes to stand toe to toe with the Phenom. I was anticipating the Undertaker returning for sure but when I heard Hunter's music I lost it. My Dad and I were freaking out and pounding on the table, the interaction between the two was simply awe-inspiring. If this was the only match at the entire pay-per-view, I would gladly pay whatever the cost just to watch it. It will be the top wrestling moment of the year, decade, pay-per-view, pretty much everything. You just don't get any better than an Undertaker match at Wrestlemania.
As for Sting, I was highly disappointed to learn today that he did resign with TNA. If he came to WWE, I personally believe that he would be an even bigger star than he was in WCW. I find TNA to be an inferior promotion, trying to hard to be as great as the WWE was during the attitude era. The attitude era is over, the PG era is taking over because, honestly, it is doing much better business. That topic is for another day and another blog posting.
The opener of this pay-per-view was Alberto Del Rio vs. Kofi Kingston. I thought this was a pretty solid match and a great kick-off to the show. While not a huge Del Rio fan, I found that both competitors to be entertaining and Kofi is always amazing in the ring. Alberto Del Rio won, seems fitting due tot he fact that he will be headlining Wrestlemania this year. People are paying attention to him more and more, each victory is helping his push. It's good to see a Smackdown guy getting some attention.
As for the two chamber matches, I personally found the Smackdown match far more entertaining than the Raw one. Not to say that they both weren't good, but the Smackdown one had a certain element of unpredictability that the Raw one didn't.
For the Smackdown team, the Big Show was the suprise entrant. I find it great that he is getting opportunities like this because he has always been one of my favorite wrestlers, truly there to entertain everyone in attendance. He defiently was not there to win but to inflict pain on his competitiors, which he did. Kane seemed to fit the angry giant role as well, just out for destruction and to hurt. Drew McIntyre was like a caged animal, putting both Wade Barrett (who was on his first ever chamber match) and Rey Mysterio through a pod. The second best part of the match was when Edge and Mysterio were going back and forth at the end of the match, it was amazing to see the guys do that after taking a brutal beating inside of that massive structure. The absolute best of the match was when Christian made a surprise appearance and attacked Del Rio, I literally lost my freakin' mind. Christian is so entertaining and charismatic, he made it known that he is back and out for revenge. Along with many other fans, I am looking forward to seeing him back in the ring. As for the Raw brand match, I think it was fairly obvious that John Cena was going to win. Besides Cena winning and getting the title shot at Wrestlemania XXVII, the highlight of the match was John Morrison going all Spider Man on everyone and climbing the cage.
The biggest upset of the night was when Jerry Lawler lost to the Miz. I was cheering for Jerry the entire match and I was just speechless when he lost. Literally ran out of words, and for Michael Cole to do what he did during the match was EXTREMELY unprofessional. I don't care if it was an angle or not. Someone needs to send Vince McMahon a memo and get him removed from television.
This gross display continued onto Monday Night Raw and further disgusted me. Michael Cole took it a step too far when he brought Lawler's recently deceased mother into their little fued. My Dad and I were watching in complete shock. How could that even get through to tv? It was disgusting, despicable, and downright wrong. I sincerely hope that someone got disciplined for that one. Something like that should have never happened, on a television broadcast or otherwise.
Probably one of the biggest events in the history of the WWE happened on Monday night, both the Undertaker and Triple H returned and they cut one of the most amazing promos I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing, without uttering a single word. They cemented their match for Wrestlemania XXVII (rumored to be a Career vs. Streak match with Shawn Michaels as a guest referee) and brought back the type of excitement that has been somewhat lacking. The Undertaker was revealed as the person behind the 2-21-2011 promos (many - including myself - were hoping for Sting to come out) and made his slow walk down the ring and then BAM! Triple H's music starts and out he comes to stand toe to toe with the Phenom. I was anticipating the Undertaker returning for sure but when I heard Hunter's music I lost it. My Dad and I were freaking out and pounding on the table, the interaction between the two was simply awe-inspiring. If this was the only match at the entire pay-per-view, I would gladly pay whatever the cost just to watch it. It will be the top wrestling moment of the year, decade, pay-per-view, pretty much everything. You just don't get any better than an Undertaker match at Wrestlemania.
As for Sting, I was highly disappointed to learn today that he did resign with TNA. If he came to WWE, I personally believe that he would be an even bigger star than he was in WCW. I find TNA to be an inferior promotion, trying to hard to be as great as the WWE was during the attitude era. The attitude era is over, the PG era is taking over because, honestly, it is doing much better business. That topic is for another day and another blog posting.
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, January 24, 2011
The Road to Wrestlemania Begins This Sunday.
I love January. It's the beginning of a new year and the beginning of the road to Wrestlemania.
The Royal Rumble has expanded this year to include and additional ten superstars, bringing the total to 40. Sometimes, when it comes to wrestling, I am all for tradition. However, I think the addition of the extra ten men will bring a little zing to the show overall and provide for some very interesting moments. Now comes the speculation of who is going to win the match and the chance to have a Wrestlemania moment. It is going to be tough to pick out a definite winner this year as there are so many great competitors. I'm going to put it out there and say that I think John Cena is going to win. There are so many factors to consider including the alliances that are involved, personal rivalries, the sheer number of opponents, and the push that some people have been getting as of late. It doesn't matter if my pick is right or wrong but it is shaping up to be one of the best Rumbles in a long time. Good luck to all involved, remember that your Wrestlemania moment is at stake.
I also have two picks for surprise entrants in this year's Rumble and they are Triple H and Chris Jericho. It probably won't happen but it would be quite the comeback for either of these men. Triple H has a movie coming out on DVD around the middle of February and Jericho has a new book, this opportunity would provide either with some great publicity. They don't even have to win the Royal Rumble. If they did, they would have sufficient time to build an angle with anybody before the biggest event of the year. Hopefully one of the two (or both!) makes an appearance this year...I'll keep holding my breath!
Another reason why I love January is that the Hall of Fame nominations start to trickle in. The first official inductee for the 2011 Hall of Fame is Shawn Michaels. He's done thing I've loved, things I've hated, but he deserves this spot. He truly defines what it is to be an entertainer. He has had a storied career in the wrestling industry and it is truly saddening to see that some people (Insert Shane Helms here) are trying to sully that. I can't wait to hear his speech at the ceremony this year. As for other inductees, there isn't much concrete evidence as to who will be in. I do have a few predictions of my own that I'd like to share:
This Sunday is the first step on the road to the biggest sports entertainment event ever and I know we are in for one heck of a ride.
The Royal Rumble has expanded this year to include and additional ten superstars, bringing the total to 40. Sometimes, when it comes to wrestling, I am all for tradition. However, I think the addition of the extra ten men will bring a little zing to the show overall and provide for some very interesting moments. Now comes the speculation of who is going to win the match and the chance to have a Wrestlemania moment. It is going to be tough to pick out a definite winner this year as there are so many great competitors. I'm going to put it out there and say that I think John Cena is going to win. There are so many factors to consider including the alliances that are involved, personal rivalries, the sheer number of opponents, and the push that some people have been getting as of late. It doesn't matter if my pick is right or wrong but it is shaping up to be one of the best Rumbles in a long time. Good luck to all involved, remember that your Wrestlemania moment is at stake.
I also have two picks for surprise entrants in this year's Rumble and they are Triple H and Chris Jericho. It probably won't happen but it would be quite the comeback for either of these men. Triple H has a movie coming out on DVD around the middle of February and Jericho has a new book, this opportunity would provide either with some great publicity. They don't even have to win the Royal Rumble. If they did, they would have sufficient time to build an angle with anybody before the biggest event of the year. Hopefully one of the two (or both!) makes an appearance this year...I'll keep holding my breath!
Another reason why I love January is that the Hall of Fame nominations start to trickle in. The first official inductee for the 2011 Hall of Fame is Shawn Michaels. He's done thing I've loved, things I've hated, but he deserves this spot. He truly defines what it is to be an entertainer. He has had a storied career in the wrestling industry and it is truly saddening to see that some people (Insert Shane Helms here) are trying to sully that. I can't wait to hear his speech at the ceremony this year. As for other inductees, there isn't much concrete evidence as to who will be in. I do have a few predictions of my own that I'd like to share:
- Arn Anderson
- Dean Malenko
- Ron Simmons (more than likely to be inducted by JBL)
- Macho Man Randy Savage
- Lex Luger
- Ultimate Warrior
This Sunday is the first step on the road to the biggest sports entertainment event ever and I know we are in for one heck of a ride.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
My Favourites.
I am such a huge wrestling fan and thought it would be neat to share some of my favorite wrestling moments, personalities, and basically anything else with everyone else. This is all opinion of course, but it will be interesting to see what everyone has to say about mine/their favorite moments. Here I go...
Favorite Announcers:
Bret 'Hitman' Hart:
He has always been my favorite wrestler, for as long as I've been alive. The Hart name is something special in the wrestling industry, as well as to wrestling fans in Canada. He is dedicated and a consummate professional, something he no doubt learned from his father Stu and mother Helen. He was born into this business and never took the opportunities afforded to him for granted. His sportsmanlike demeanor is demonstrated when he shook the hand of the 1-2-3 Kid after an incredible match on Monday Night Raw. To me, Bret always seemed so authentic and real, not like he was playing a character and stayed as true to himself as anybody could, especially in the Attitude Era. He always seemed to have this enigmatic aura surrounding him. Some may say that he wasn't one of the best wrestler but I beg to differ. He is one of the greats, there is so much more to being a legend than your in-ring ability. Bret is truly the excellence of execution. The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.
Chris Benoit:
I love Chris Benoit, the wrestler. I do think it was a tragic ending to what would have been a Hall of Fame worthy career. I feel sorry for him, and especially Nancy and Daniel. However, this is going to be about the wrestler that he was, not what he will be remembered as. Benoit was one of the toughest guys ever to step in the ring. He could stand up to anybody that was put in his way, it didn't matter if he won or lost. In terms of technical ability, he was one of the best. Canadian wrestlers seem to have this grit to them, I personally believe that they work harder than anyone in the business. Training in the Hart Dungeon is probably a key factor in the wolverine demeanor of Chris. What he lacked in size, he made up for in ability, speed, and toughness. It is such a shame that he will be remembered as a monster because he could have been one of the greats. One of the best grapplers to ever be in the ring.
John Cena:
I don't think that there has ever been a superstar that divided the WWE universe as greatly as John Cena does. I love him and I don't care what anyone else says about him. Cena has mass appeal and is certainly one of the most popular WWE superstars in history. I love seeing the crowd wearing his gear because his fan base is so diverse. He has also provided us with some of the funniest moments, best Wrestlemania moments/matches, and the most tremendous feats of strength. Prime example being when he delivered an Attitude Adjustment to Edge and the Big Show....AT THE SAME TIME! John Cena seems like a regular guy with incredible strength. I do think that he could benefit from expanding his catalogue of moves, without losing his signature maneuvers. He is the current face of the company and his years of hard work have definitely secured his spot in the Hall of Fame.
The Undertaker:
Never in the entire history of the WWE, has one person been simultaneously feared and respected by everyone. Since his debut at Survivor Series in 1990, he has had a legacy like no other superstar before or after him. Undertaker has such a presence that when the lights go out and his music hits, you know that you are in for something special. His career is what legends are made of, I am speaking about his incredible streak at Wrestlemania. It is so fitting that Wrestlemania is the `showcase of the immortals`. His matches are what I (among millions of other fans) look forward to every single year. He`s called the Phenom for a reason, a nickname that this future Hall of Famer has truly earned. What more can I possibly say about one of the greatest wrestlers in history?
I truly enjoyed sharing some of my favorites with everyone. Some may agree or disagree, healthy discussion is always welcome! I hope to keep this going with new categories each time.
Favorite Announcers:
- Jim Ross
- Gorilla Monsoon
- Jerry Lawler
- Bobby Heenan
- Howard Finkel
- Paul Bearer
- Miss Elizabeth
- Bobby Heenan
- Jimmy Hart
- Sherri Martel
- Paul Ellering
- Mickey Rourke punching Chris Jericho in the ring (WM25)
- John Cena coming out as an old school gangster (WM22)
- Shawn Michaels descending from the roof to face Bret Hart (WM12)
- Shawn Michaels mouthing "I'm sorry. I love you." to Ric Flair (WM24)
- Kofi Kingston scaling a vertical ladder (WM25)
- Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels in an Iron Man Match (WM12)
- Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon in the first ever Ladder Match (WM10)
- Any Undertaker match (Do I really need to go into details? His matches are legendary.)
- Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin in a Submission Match with Ken Shamrock as the guest referee (WM13)
- Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon (WM26)
Bret 'Hitman' Hart:
He has always been my favorite wrestler, for as long as I've been alive. The Hart name is something special in the wrestling industry, as well as to wrestling fans in Canada. He is dedicated and a consummate professional, something he no doubt learned from his father Stu and mother Helen. He was born into this business and never took the opportunities afforded to him for granted. His sportsmanlike demeanor is demonstrated when he shook the hand of the 1-2-3 Kid after an incredible match on Monday Night Raw. To me, Bret always seemed so authentic and real, not like he was playing a character and stayed as true to himself as anybody could, especially in the Attitude Era. He always seemed to have this enigmatic aura surrounding him. Some may say that he wasn't one of the best wrestler but I beg to differ. He is one of the greats, there is so much more to being a legend than your in-ring ability. Bret is truly the excellence of execution. The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.
Chris Benoit:
I love Chris Benoit, the wrestler. I do think it was a tragic ending to what would have been a Hall of Fame worthy career. I feel sorry for him, and especially Nancy and Daniel. However, this is going to be about the wrestler that he was, not what he will be remembered as. Benoit was one of the toughest guys ever to step in the ring. He could stand up to anybody that was put in his way, it didn't matter if he won or lost. In terms of technical ability, he was one of the best. Canadian wrestlers seem to have this grit to them, I personally believe that they work harder than anyone in the business. Training in the Hart Dungeon is probably a key factor in the wolverine demeanor of Chris. What he lacked in size, he made up for in ability, speed, and toughness. It is such a shame that he will be remembered as a monster because he could have been one of the greats. One of the best grapplers to ever be in the ring.
John Cena:
I don't think that there has ever been a superstar that divided the WWE universe as greatly as John Cena does. I love him and I don't care what anyone else says about him. Cena has mass appeal and is certainly one of the most popular WWE superstars in history. I love seeing the crowd wearing his gear because his fan base is so diverse. He has also provided us with some of the funniest moments, best Wrestlemania moments/matches, and the most tremendous feats of strength. Prime example being when he delivered an Attitude Adjustment to Edge and the Big Show....AT THE SAME TIME! John Cena seems like a regular guy with incredible strength. I do think that he could benefit from expanding his catalogue of moves, without losing his signature maneuvers. He is the current face of the company and his years of hard work have definitely secured his spot in the Hall of Fame.
The Undertaker:
Never in the entire history of the WWE, has one person been simultaneously feared and respected by everyone. Since his debut at Survivor Series in 1990, he has had a legacy like no other superstar before or after him. Undertaker has such a presence that when the lights go out and his music hits, you know that you are in for something special. His career is what legends are made of, I am speaking about his incredible streak at Wrestlemania. It is so fitting that Wrestlemania is the `showcase of the immortals`. His matches are what I (among millions of other fans) look forward to every single year. He`s called the Phenom for a reason, a nickname that this future Hall of Famer has truly earned. What more can I possibly say about one of the greatest wrestlers in history?
I truly enjoyed sharing some of my favorites with everyone. Some may agree or disagree, healthy discussion is always welcome! I hope to keep this going with new categories each time.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The Excellence of Execution.
Tonight wrestling fans were told that Bret Hart would indeed be returning to Raw next week, I for one was beyond excited to hear that news. Bret Hart returning to the WWE on January 4th, 2010 was the single most exciting bit of news I have ever heard as a wrestling fan and a fellow Canadian. Bret Hart is so much more than a wrestler, he is a symbol and icon of Canada. Not only himself, but his father Stu, his mother Helen, all of his siblings, and extended family. He is symbolic of the sport itself, exemplifying what it is to be a true champion (An example would be when he shook the hand of the 1-2-3 Kid during an episode of Monday Night Raw). He came back to gain closure on the 'Montreal Screwjob', something that has stuck in his mind (and the mind of all Canadian fans) for the last twelve years. His return isn't a comeback, to die hard Hitman fans he never really left.
As a Canadian and a wrestling fan, when the Hitman came out with his signature leather jacket shades, and denim shorts from his Hart Foundation days, I have never been happier or prouder.
As Vince mentioned on the January 4th edition of Raw, Stu Hart will indeed be inducted into the WWE 2010 Hall of Fame. This seems like a long overdue honor but I am glad it is finally happening. This was probably one of the biggest factors for Bret returning, in addition to the Hart family DVD coming out on April 6th of this year. He came back not only for himself but for the millions of fans that love him and everything that he has done for wrestling throughout his career. His return is indeed epic and will hopefully lead to good things down the road.
One of the rumors circulating is that Bret will face Vince at Wrestlemania 26, my guess is that this has wrestling fans salivating. Will Bret beat Vinnie Mac? Will Vince deliver another devastating blow to the Hitman? Only time will tell, whatever it is I'm sure it will be a slobberknocker (As good ol' Jim Ross would say!). Althought he might not be able to wrestle like he used to due to the stroke that he suffered, he could still probably dish out one hell of a beating if its needed. I think that Vince and Bret have fantastic chemistry together in the ring, you can literally cut the tension with a knife. That being said, even though all of this 'Montreal Screwjob' busniess transpired, I feel as though these two has a mutual respect for one another.
Who knows what role he will play on Raw in the coming weeks on the road to Wrestlemania? One thing for sure, it will not be a smooth one, the Hitman is always one for giving his fans a show and keeping them entertained, no matter what capacity he is in.
To pre-order the Hart family DVD (Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology), you can go to the Amazon.com website.
As a Canadian and a wrestling fan, when the Hitman came out with his signature leather jacket shades, and denim shorts from his Hart Foundation days, I have never been happier or prouder.
As Vince mentioned on the January 4th edition of Raw, Stu Hart will indeed be inducted into the WWE 2010 Hall of Fame. This seems like a long overdue honor but I am glad it is finally happening. This was probably one of the biggest factors for Bret returning, in addition to the Hart family DVD coming out on April 6th of this year. He came back not only for himself but for the millions of fans that love him and everything that he has done for wrestling throughout his career. His return is indeed epic and will hopefully lead to good things down the road.
One of the rumors circulating is that Bret will face Vince at Wrestlemania 26, my guess is that this has wrestling fans salivating. Will Bret beat Vinnie Mac? Will Vince deliver another devastating blow to the Hitman? Only time will tell, whatever it is I'm sure it will be a slobberknocker (As good ol' Jim Ross would say!). Althought he might not be able to wrestle like he used to due to the stroke that he suffered, he could still probably dish out one hell of a beating if its needed. I think that Vince and Bret have fantastic chemistry together in the ring, you can literally cut the tension with a knife. That being said, even though all of this 'Montreal Screwjob' busniess transpired, I feel as though these two has a mutual respect for one another.
Who knows what role he will play on Raw in the coming weeks on the road to Wrestlemania? One thing for sure, it will not be a smooth one, the Hitman is always one for giving his fans a show and keeping them entertained, no matter what capacity he is in.
To pre-order the Hart family DVD (Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology), you can go to the Amazon.com website.
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