Super SmackDown was uninspired and dull. Cena squashed Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan lost again, a sort of heel turn for Sin Cara, maybe? The Orton/Christian cage match was the only saving grace, followed by Mark Henry's beat down.
Even CM Punk and Triple H fell pretty flat during their contract signing, spending too much time in the ring talking around each other like characters in a Raymond Carver story--talking, but never listening. The core point to each argument is that both of them are seeking what's best for the WWE and it's fans. Despite being in opposition, both men are representing themselves as agents of change, but for the time being personal conflict is standing in the way and the two will have to settle things in the ring. But what about this concept these two are fighting for?
Change is the word of the moment right now, and the words and actions of both Triple H and CM Punk have fought to seek it. Since his takeover Triple H has taken several measures to promote a change in the product, last night's programming, the stage for this conversation, being one of many examples. A change in the product means that there was and is something wrong with the product: a fact that CM Punk opened the floodgates on in May.
Punk returned to the message he gave when he came back, that he was here to "make things fun again." His methodology for being the catalyst to that change is being viewed as reprehensible in the eyes of the executives, but interestingly enough, Punk also faces scorn from the conservative audience. Wichita was decisively anti-Punk, or at least pro-Triple H. While Punk argued that he's seeking change that 100% of the fans can get behind, Triple H received more praise saying that at least some of the people are satisfied--arguing for the status quo. H's declaration that Punk was a self-made martyr, seeking change only at his own benefit was the statement the crowd got behind, not Punk's message that he was trying to make things better for everyone. Punk identified as a fan at heart, seeking what's best for the fans, and yet he wasn't getting much from the crowd and I'm slightly perplexed by that. I think it comes down to tattoos.
The two floundered a bit though, Punk missed an opportunity in calling out Triple H for not seeking the 100% as things got personal. But Kevin Nash came out and not only did he knock Punk around, but he shoved Triple H down to the mat. Nash said nothing in the ring, refused to comment backstage and while his motivation Monday night was clearly to step in on behalf of his friend, what brought him to the ring last night?
When Nash returned to WWE, it was a field day for CM Punk, accusing Triple H of hiring his buddy, quelling change and bringing back the Kliq. But we're still not sure about the actualities of Nash's return. No answer to why he attacked Punk, Triple H said he had nothing to do with it. But what has been clear is that the relationship between Triple H and Kevin Nash hasn't been as stable as the relationship between Kevin Nash and John Laurenaitis who welcomed Nash back and signed him.
While Punk and Triple H have been championing the same cause, they've refused to listen to each other and they've made things personal. Night of Champions they'll have a match that we've all been looking forward to. But is it the battle that they should be fighting? Because I'm starting to think that their enemy is shared. That the forces protecting the structure CM Punk has fought against are also working to undermine Triple H. Somewhere, someone is very happy watching these two fight each other.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Raw 08 28 11
Triple H comes out to start things off with two big announcements to open up the show. The first of which is that we're going to be indefinitely treated to Raw Supershows featuring wrestlers from Raw and SmackDown and the second was that CM Punk and Kevin Nash are [or atleast WERE] going to square off at Night Of Champions. The opening segment wasn't great. Nash still seems to have a hard time keeping up, but he did get in Triple H's face about Punk's comments about Stephanie, asking "what kind of man are you?" He also dropped the bomb that John Laurenitis has signed him to a "lucrative contract."
Based on tonight's show the idea of combining the two lineups was a stroke of genius, case in point being the night's first match between Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton. The Raw roster was starting to feel a little stale and thin and it worked nicely to have a few Raw vs. SD matches to add some spontaneity to the night. Orton and Ziggler worked really well together, the crowd was hot and I really thought DZ was gonna pull it off after a superkick, but Orton bested him.
Cena comes out to address the Del Rio situation but is interrupted by Mark Henry whose definitely over with the Raw crowd. I love Mark Henry's demeanor, even while he's scarier than shit, he's got these deep pensive eyes that command. There's fury when he's enraged, but when he approaches the ring he's eerily calm. Christian and Sheamus enter into the foray and we have ourselves a development. After a commercial break Laurenitis is in back with Charles Robinson standing him like Grover Dill in A Christmas Story. As Triple H enters Laurenitis tells him that he set up a tag team match for the main event between Cena/Sheamus and Henry/Christian. Triple H immediately tells Laurenitis that he already set up that match and to remember whose running the show. (Just for future references: referee Charles Robinson.)
Immediately after this we're told, for the first time of the night, that Miz and CM Punk are gonna have a match. Normally this sort of match would be mentioned at the beginning of the show, with another plug somewhere in between, but they just did it. I love this loose feel, the idea that they're not just going to phone in episodes and expect us to swallow it. Miz comes down with a microphone giving him time to cut a quick promo while not wasting time. Punk and Miz worked pretty well together and I enjoyed the match, even with an awkwardly timed commercial break. Just as Punk's about to gain the edge and possibly the pin, R-Truth comes out and after Punk holds his own for a bit Nash comes out and delivers a Jackknife.
More Swagger/Ziggle/Vicki drama as Ziggler costs The All American American a match against the real Sin Cara.
New tag champs Air Boom take on McGillicutty and Otguna who are once again sporting the ominous backwards hat and a hoodie look. JR and King spend most of the match talking about how boring these two guys are, obviously showing blatant disregard to the tag teams new threads. After Kofi pins McGillicutty the two come out and take issue with Lawler, smacking his head set off and yelling the same thing over and over again. Coupla hoodlums.
Fuck the Bella Twins.
The main event is a disappointment. I don't think it did Mark Henry any good and, well, Christian is supposed to have a World Title match tomorrow and I don't know how we're supposed to expect him to beat Orton after he's pretty much squashed by Cena. BUT cut to backstage and H is watching on TV when Punk walks in. Triple H spoke to the board of directors, the match with Nash is cancelled, CM Punk will be facing Triple H. It seems like all that "what kind of man are you?" talk had an affect. Cut back to the ring and Sheamus and Cena are celebrating in the ring together, which I think fully symbolizes a face turn for the Great White Hope, and I fully support that.
It's hard to be pessimistic about any of this right now. And tomorrow night we get to do it all over again for Super SmackDown!
Based on tonight's show the idea of combining the two lineups was a stroke of genius, case in point being the night's first match between Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton. The Raw roster was starting to feel a little stale and thin and it worked nicely to have a few Raw vs. SD matches to add some spontaneity to the night. Orton and Ziggler worked really well together, the crowd was hot and I really thought DZ was gonna pull it off after a superkick, but Orton bested him.
Cena comes out to address the Del Rio situation but is interrupted by Mark Henry whose definitely over with the Raw crowd. I love Mark Henry's demeanor, even while he's scarier than shit, he's got these deep pensive eyes that command. There's fury when he's enraged, but when he approaches the ring he's eerily calm. Christian and Sheamus enter into the foray and we have ourselves a development. After a commercial break Laurenitis is in back with Charles Robinson standing him like Grover Dill in A Christmas Story. As Triple H enters Laurenitis tells him that he set up a tag team match for the main event between Cena/Sheamus and Henry/Christian. Triple H immediately tells Laurenitis that he already set up that match and to remember whose running the show. (Just for future references: referee Charles Robinson.)
Immediately after this we're told, for the first time of the night, that Miz and CM Punk are gonna have a match. Normally this sort of match would be mentioned at the beginning of the show, with another plug somewhere in between, but they just did it. I love this loose feel, the idea that they're not just going to phone in episodes and expect us to swallow it. Miz comes down with a microphone giving him time to cut a quick promo while not wasting time. Punk and Miz worked pretty well together and I enjoyed the match, even with an awkwardly timed commercial break. Just as Punk's about to gain the edge and possibly the pin, R-Truth comes out and after Punk holds his own for a bit Nash comes out and delivers a Jackknife.
More Swagger/Ziggle/Vicki drama as Ziggler costs The All American American a match against the real Sin Cara.
New tag champs Air Boom take on McGillicutty and Otguna who are once again sporting the ominous backwards hat and a hoodie look. JR and King spend most of the match talking about how boring these two guys are, obviously showing blatant disregard to the tag teams new threads. After Kofi pins McGillicutty the two come out and take issue with Lawler, smacking his head set off and yelling the same thing over and over again. Coupla hoodlums.
Fuck the Bella Twins.
The main event is a disappointment. I don't think it did Mark Henry any good and, well, Christian is supposed to have a World Title match tomorrow and I don't know how we're supposed to expect him to beat Orton after he's pretty much squashed by Cena. BUT cut to backstage and H is watching on TV when Punk walks in. Triple H spoke to the board of directors, the match with Nash is cancelled, CM Punk will be facing Triple H. It seems like all that "what kind of man are you?" talk had an affect. Cut back to the ring and Sheamus and Cena are celebrating in the ring together, which I think fully symbolizes a face turn for the Great White Hope, and I fully support that.
It's hard to be pessimistic about any of this right now. And tomorrow night we get to do it all over again for Super SmackDown!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Raw 08 22
My brain is pretty fried from a lovely summer's night spent drinking Jim Beam and Mt Dew and watching the Cubs strand 15 runners in a shut out loss to the Braves. But we did enjoy some very nice seats. And the whiskey.
Watched Raw at about midnight last night, and how can you walk away from an episode like that feeling anything other than complete satisfaction?
The wrestling ranged from good to great, story lines expanded, and the new tag champions got a HUGE pop. I'm excited at the prospect of actually pushing tag team wrestling again, I think we're going to get some fun stuff from Kofi Kingston and a push for Evan Bourne (even if my brother thinks he's boring). Last night's win probably spells the end for Otunga and McGillicutty, I don't foresee them being used much more if at all.
AND we've already got suitable number one contenders in the tag team division. The Miz/R-Truth promo would've been a 10/10 if they didn't rap at the end. Either way, stellar.
Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger is getting good. I'm still elated that they're giving these two something to do.
More questions than answers in the WWE Championship/CM Punk vs. The World angle. What we do know is that John Cena and CM Punk can give us as good a match in 10 minutes as they can in 30. These two have unbelievable chemistry. The way they're pushing Del Rio seems to suggest that his title run might be a longer one which would be nice to see considering we've had five title changes in the past month and a half. And I can't help but think there's more to his relationship with Triple H than meets the eye.
Helluvan episode. And have you heard of this Breaking Bad show? It's really neat.
Watched Raw at about midnight last night, and how can you walk away from an episode like that feeling anything other than complete satisfaction?
The wrestling ranged from good to great, story lines expanded, and the new tag champions got a HUGE pop. I'm excited at the prospect of actually pushing tag team wrestling again, I think we're going to get some fun stuff from Kofi Kingston and a push for Evan Bourne (even if my brother thinks he's boring). Last night's win probably spells the end for Otunga and McGillicutty, I don't foresee them being used much more if at all.
AND we've already got suitable number one contenders in the tag team division. The Miz/R-Truth promo would've been a 10/10 if they didn't rap at the end. Either way, stellar.
Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger is getting good. I'm still elated that they're giving these two something to do.
More questions than answers in the WWE Championship/CM Punk vs. The World angle. What we do know is that John Cena and CM Punk can give us as good a match in 10 minutes as they can in 30. These two have unbelievable chemistry. The way they're pushing Del Rio seems to suggest that his title run might be a longer one which would be nice to see considering we've had five title changes in the past month and a half. And I can't help but think there's more to his relationship with Triple H than meets the eye.
Helluvan episode. And have you heard of this Breaking Bad show? It's really neat.
Friday, August 19, 2011
CM Punk, Rites of Spring
Drove down to Normal from Chicago last night. Didn't get in til late, but was lucky enough to spend some time with one of my favorite wrestling nuts, having just had good conversations a few hours earlier with one of my other favorite wrestling nuts. There is something beautiful about cutting off the rest of the world in a discussion about the subtleties of art. Especially when shitty beer is involved. This point was brought to my attention, and I mulled over last night while driving back, and even more so while re-watching the end of Summer Slam and Punk/Nash from Raw.
Chris Jericho on the radio show Between The Ropes:
His thoughts on the CM Punk angle hit on several interesting points worth considering as this feud, more than anything is forcing WWE to become increasingly self-analytical. One of the beauties of professional wrestling super-fandom is the joy that comes from being a part of infinite number of in-jokes that the rest of the world is either unaware of or trying to forget. A reference to Papa Shango when The Godfather is brought up is a +1. The Hacksaw Jim Duggan twitter is an excellent example of this. The super-fan is very aware of wrestling's history and we revel at the opportunity of bringing it up when the powers at be would rather have it removed from existence.
When we think of the Undetaker's Wrestlemania streak, we're asked to conjure up images of battles with Shawn Michaels, Kane, Batista. Giant Gonzalez and King Kong Bundy are lightly touched upon if at all. And most of these references are in the name of self-deprecation.
When CM Punk performed the "Blue Blood Bow" in front of Triple H it was a direct slap in the face to every achievement Triple H performed as The Game. The physical transformation, the titles, the legacy. The years he spent in working to erase that early history which only sat in the memories of the subset of vocal lifers who remembered Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The guy who wrestled in a hog pen match, the guy who lost his first Wrestlemania match to The Ultimate Warrior in under a minute. Knowing the significance of that gesture, I was in awe at the audacity of CM Punk, and also appreciative of Paul Levesque's humility in allowing it. That bow may still be the best part of this angle so far.
Jericho notes that this awareness is only possessed by a certain section of the crowd, arguing on behalf of those not in the know, specifically in the case of Vinny Vegas, err, Kevin Nash. I'm not sure if I agree with this criticism. It's not uncommon for announcers to use historical significance as a means of putting someone over. It came with the introduction of Jerry Lawler and has come to countless Special Guest Referees, General Managers, and Commissioners. "Don't know who Sgt. Slaughter is? Take our word for it, he's important." Jericho will rely on the same tools whenever he chooses to return, obviously not as heavily as Nash, but like The Rock, you'll have to remember or be told that he was once important. When Nash came out, if you didn't know who he was, the reverence held for him by Jim Ross was enough to sell him. His bit with Punk certainly worked to his benefit, perhaps his own words provided all we really need to know--he "changed the business."
The return of Nash and the current state of WWE has all of us in the dignified circle creaming ourselves with Attitude-era nostalgia. The addition of Nash has certainly helped in fueling this. It's a very special time to be a wrestling fan. The problem with this nostalgia, however, in our glorification of wrestling's history, is our demand for a full-on return to the past. In order for things to be properly put into place Punk must take on the establishment. Cena must turn heel (Cena's response to this demand has been flawless: "Yawn..stop looking at this bizz in black and white. I am not a 'heel' or a 'face', I am me. I find it comical that u truly believe ... That archaic ideology still exists. Today, wwe fans cheer for who they please, which is why I love this company. I should mail u a pair..Of my shorts, because your stuck in 1993."). The vocal subset of super-fans, the impossible to please, are wetting their lips at the thought of being sold the same stories sold in 1998. I don't think we expect CM Punk to shower Triple H will beer, or Pepsi, but many have been calling for the same archetype.
Wrestling has returned to a safe TV-PG format, the same as it was when Diesel was WWF Champion. When Triple H was Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Then the nWo came. Austin and D-X. The demands of the fans are that we do this again with different guys and while I'll admit myself that I would love for this to happen, progress can not be achieved through repetition of the past. If wrestling is truly going to enter into a new chapter of historical significance, it must do so by continuing to push boundaries. The parallels between right now and the beginning of the Attitude-era are many, but a return to the Attitude-era will be just that, a return. The alternative, is something that's never been done before. The business is looking at itself in the mirror for the first time in years, and acknowledging aspects it would have once chosen to hide.
When it comes to any art form, awareness and respect of historical precedents is imperative. History itself though, is subjective, and for the first time in memory, WWE has chosen to use history in a way that is self-analytical and at times self-deprecating. It's important to remember though, that while history can be used as a tool for story lines, we are not gaining anything from asking for it to be repeated.
While some may not represent the subtle implications of Kevin Nash's return, what's important is that he's being represented in a way we've never seen before which affords us the opportunity to see him go through a storyline that we thought we'd never see.
Chris Jericho on the radio show Between The Ropes:
"...I'm sure guys like you and me thought that [Punk and Nash/HHH] but your average person doesn't have a clue about stuff like that. They just know that Punk is doing something he's not supposed to be doing and saying something he's never said before. That's also why I don't think the Nash thing worked out so well this because they went too inside."My initial reaction, especially within the context of the conversation, was to point out the self-serving aspects of this thought process. Jericho will inevitably be making a return to wrestling at his convenience and it's in his best interest to remain connected in some way to the wrestling world. Being critical of story lines is a way for him to remain relevant while he pursues his other endeavors and he fits this roles very well. He's opinionated and he's got one of the better creative minds in the history of the business.When Orton first beat Christian on SmackDown for the World Heavyweight Title there was a tremendous uproar from fans who thought this was a terrible move, a return to a norm that nobody was interested in. Jericho on the other hand was critical of the reactionary protests, bluntly tweeting "ever consider this to be part of a bigger story?" Of course that story would become one of this year's top feuds. Jericho's criticism while intrinsically motivated to some extent, is astute, he sees the further possibilities of an angle, he's a guy we know to have a sincere adoration for the sport.
His thoughts on the CM Punk angle hit on several interesting points worth considering as this feud, more than anything is forcing WWE to become increasingly self-analytical. One of the beauties of professional wrestling super-fandom is the joy that comes from being a part of infinite number of in-jokes that the rest of the world is either unaware of or trying to forget. A reference to Papa Shango when The Godfather is brought up is a +1. The Hacksaw Jim Duggan twitter is an excellent example of this. The super-fan is very aware of wrestling's history and we revel at the opportunity of bringing it up when the powers at be would rather have it removed from existence.
When we think of the Undetaker's Wrestlemania streak, we're asked to conjure up images of battles with Shawn Michaels, Kane, Batista. Giant Gonzalez and King Kong Bundy are lightly touched upon if at all. And most of these references are in the name of self-deprecation.
When CM Punk performed the "Blue Blood Bow" in front of Triple H it was a direct slap in the face to every achievement Triple H performed as The Game. The physical transformation, the titles, the legacy. The years he spent in working to erase that early history which only sat in the memories of the subset of vocal lifers who remembered Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The guy who wrestled in a hog pen match, the guy who lost his first Wrestlemania match to The Ultimate Warrior in under a minute. Knowing the significance of that gesture, I was in awe at the audacity of CM Punk, and also appreciative of Paul Levesque's humility in allowing it. That bow may still be the best part of this angle so far.
Jericho notes that this awareness is only possessed by a certain section of the crowd, arguing on behalf of those not in the know, specifically in the case of Vinny Vegas, err, Kevin Nash. I'm not sure if I agree with this criticism. It's not uncommon for announcers to use historical significance as a means of putting someone over. It came with the introduction of Jerry Lawler and has come to countless Special Guest Referees, General Managers, and Commissioners. "Don't know who Sgt. Slaughter is? Take our word for it, he's important." Jericho will rely on the same tools whenever he chooses to return, obviously not as heavily as Nash, but like The Rock, you'll have to remember or be told that he was once important. When Nash came out, if you didn't know who he was, the reverence held for him by Jim Ross was enough to sell him. His bit with Punk certainly worked to his benefit, perhaps his own words provided all we really need to know--he "changed the business."
The return of Nash and the current state of WWE has all of us in the dignified circle creaming ourselves with Attitude-era nostalgia. The addition of Nash has certainly helped in fueling this. It's a very special time to be a wrestling fan. The problem with this nostalgia, however, in our glorification of wrestling's history, is our demand for a full-on return to the past. In order for things to be properly put into place Punk must take on the establishment. Cena must turn heel (Cena's response to this demand has been flawless: "Yawn..stop looking at this bizz in black and white. I am not a 'heel' or a 'face', I am me. I find it comical that u truly believe ... That archaic ideology still exists. Today, wwe fans cheer for who they please, which is why I love this company. I should mail u a pair..Of my shorts, because your stuck in 1993."). The vocal subset of super-fans, the impossible to please, are wetting their lips at the thought of being sold the same stories sold in 1998. I don't think we expect CM Punk to shower Triple H will beer, or Pepsi, but many have been calling for the same archetype.
Wrestling has returned to a safe TV-PG format, the same as it was when Diesel was WWF Champion. When Triple H was Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Then the nWo came. Austin and D-X. The demands of the fans are that we do this again with different guys and while I'll admit myself that I would love for this to happen, progress can not be achieved through repetition of the past. If wrestling is truly going to enter into a new chapter of historical significance, it must do so by continuing to push boundaries. The parallels between right now and the beginning of the Attitude-era are many, but a return to the Attitude-era will be just that, a return. The alternative, is something that's never been done before. The business is looking at itself in the mirror for the first time in years, and acknowledging aspects it would have once chosen to hide.
When it comes to any art form, awareness and respect of historical precedents is imperative. History itself though, is subjective, and for the first time in memory, WWE has chosen to use history in a way that is self-analytical and at times self-deprecating. It's important to remember though, that while history can be used as a tool for story lines, we are not gaining anything from asking for it to be repeated.
While some may not represent the subtle implications of Kevin Nash's return, what's important is that he's being represented in a way we've never seen before which affords us the opportunity to see him go through a storyline that we thought we'd never see.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Raw 08 15 - "I like Waffle House"
Triple H comes out and seems to be lying through his teeth when he says he doesn't know why Nash attacked CM Punk. I think he's really fitting into his role as COO. He's calm and methodical, much less of the obvious prick that McMahon came to embody.
Del Rio seems to have no involvement with Kevin Nash, destiny just worked that way. Not a terrible interview but a little long.
Morrison and R-Truth (again) in a falls count anywhere match, which is somewhat entertaining, though anticlimactic once again even with Morrison getting the victory. I know that they're pissed at Morrison right now but I would have really been behind this feud if it were allowed to follow through properly. I'm not sure what Morrison's status in the company is but I'm a fan of his work, especially since he dropped the furry boots.
Someone give The Miz an opponent.
Beth Phoenix comes out at the end of Kelly Kelly and Eve's win over the Bella Twins which is a good thing. I'm always impressed with her.
Oh shit, Kevin Nash is here and he's saying Triple H texted him to take out whoever won the title match. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Nash get visibly annoyed by the "what?" from the crowd. Punk comes out for what was the best segment of the night. Punk doesn't hold back on the insults taking shots at Nash's reputation for being a pain in the ass backstage, a shitty booker, and a guy whose career is all but finished. Nash tries to hold his own, but he's definitely not as quick witted as Punk. Either way the two have a really good back and forth. I really enjoyed direction here, with Nash in the picture the nWo angle and more importantly the Kliq are now brought into the foray. CM Punk is here to shake things up and with Nash, the new corporate enemy may not be business heads as it was in the Attitude Era, but the wrestlers of the past generation who view a guy like Punk as a threat.
John Laurenitis and Kevin Nash speak privately backstage, the only reason I point this out is because Laurenitis suggests the two go "somewhere more private" and the crowd doesn't let the phrase go untouched.
Jack Swagger and Alex Riley have a match but importantly Dolph Ziggler and Vicki Guerrero are behind the desk for the match in what was a very entertaining bit. The two bickered while Lawler and Cole kept making jokes. Cole at one point is laughing too hard to respond, even when he's trying to be Vicki's line of defense. After the match Swagger talks to Vicki about possibly becoming his manager which will definitely lead to a conflict, maybe for Night of Champions. I think that this has tremendous potential. Swagger and Ziggler are two great talents who haven't had much to do, even with Ziggler holding the US Title. I'm very excited to see where this goes.
Another good interaction between Stephanie McMahon and CM Punk, this time with Steph getting the last word in.
Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne team up to face Otunga & McGillicutty in a non-title match. Not sure if Kingston and Bourne have teamed up before but their partnership was pretty natural. Ross and Lawler spent most of the match pointing out the lackluster tag team division. Lawler called the team "bland" (he's right) and Ross said that Kingston and Bourne could bring some excitement to the divison (he's right). Tag team wrestling has only existed in WWE out of obligation lately and it's starting to show. Hopefully there's a shakeup.
Del Rio and Rey Mysterio for the WWE Championship isn't half bad. Nothing too spectacular but these are two solid workers so it's still good match with Del Rio getting a clean pin. I would like to see Del Rio hold a long title run and a clean victory over Mysterio is a good start for that. After the match Del Rio beats up on Mysterio a bit and Cena comes out for the save. He talks about Del Rio stealing the title and not earning it (CM Punk, in his bit with Nash said that he wasn't pissed at Del Rio).
I thought they did a really good job picking up the pieces from Summer Slam and working the set-up for Night of Champions which is still five weeks away. I like that we have separated into Del Rio vs. Cena and Punk vs. Triple H et al. The latter of these two seems to have a good amount of depth and it may take several weeks to unfold.
Del Rio seems to have no involvement with Kevin Nash, destiny just worked that way. Not a terrible interview but a little long.
Morrison and R-Truth (again) in a falls count anywhere match, which is somewhat entertaining, though anticlimactic once again even with Morrison getting the victory. I know that they're pissed at Morrison right now but I would have really been behind this feud if it were allowed to follow through properly. I'm not sure what Morrison's status in the company is but I'm a fan of his work, especially since he dropped the furry boots.
Someone give The Miz an opponent.
Beth Phoenix comes out at the end of Kelly Kelly and Eve's win over the Bella Twins which is a good thing. I'm always impressed with her.
Oh shit, Kevin Nash is here and he's saying Triple H texted him to take out whoever won the title match. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Nash get visibly annoyed by the "what?" from the crowd. Punk comes out for what was the best segment of the night. Punk doesn't hold back on the insults taking shots at Nash's reputation for being a pain in the ass backstage, a shitty booker, and a guy whose career is all but finished. Nash tries to hold his own, but he's definitely not as quick witted as Punk. Either way the two have a really good back and forth. I really enjoyed direction here, with Nash in the picture the nWo angle and more importantly the Kliq are now brought into the foray. CM Punk is here to shake things up and with Nash, the new corporate enemy may not be business heads as it was in the Attitude Era, but the wrestlers of the past generation who view a guy like Punk as a threat.
John Laurenitis and Kevin Nash speak privately backstage, the only reason I point this out is because Laurenitis suggests the two go "somewhere more private" and the crowd doesn't let the phrase go untouched.
Jack Swagger and Alex Riley have a match but importantly Dolph Ziggler and Vicki Guerrero are behind the desk for the match in what was a very entertaining bit. The two bickered while Lawler and Cole kept making jokes. Cole at one point is laughing too hard to respond, even when he's trying to be Vicki's line of defense. After the match Swagger talks to Vicki about possibly becoming his manager which will definitely lead to a conflict, maybe for Night of Champions. I think that this has tremendous potential. Swagger and Ziggler are two great talents who haven't had much to do, even with Ziggler holding the US Title. I'm very excited to see where this goes.
Another good interaction between Stephanie McMahon and CM Punk, this time with Steph getting the last word in.
Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne team up to face Otunga & McGillicutty in a non-title match. Not sure if Kingston and Bourne have teamed up before but their partnership was pretty natural. Ross and Lawler spent most of the match pointing out the lackluster tag team division. Lawler called the team "bland" (he's right) and Ross said that Kingston and Bourne could bring some excitement to the divison (he's right). Tag team wrestling has only existed in WWE out of obligation lately and it's starting to show. Hopefully there's a shakeup.
Del Rio and Rey Mysterio for the WWE Championship isn't half bad. Nothing too spectacular but these are two solid workers so it's still good match with Del Rio getting a clean pin. I would like to see Del Rio hold a long title run and a clean victory over Mysterio is a good start for that. After the match Del Rio beats up on Mysterio a bit and Cena comes out for the save. He talks about Del Rio stealing the title and not earning it (CM Punk, in his bit with Nash said that he wasn't pissed at Del Rio).
I thought they did a really good job picking up the pieces from Summer Slam and working the set-up for Night of Champions which is still five weeks away. I like that we have separated into Del Rio vs. Cena and Punk vs. Triple H et al. The latter of these two seems to have a good amount of depth and it may take several weeks to unfold.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Summer Slam 2011
Second only to WrestleMania, WWE's Summer Slam pay per view was last night. I didn't get a chance to watch until this morning and it was...well...I'm still not sure.
-The six-man tag match to start the event off was entertaining, even if it was pretty unnecessary. It seemed to paint the picture of WWE's crowded roster. Miz, R-Truth, Mysterio, and Del Rio have been in the title picture over the past few months and I would have preferred to put two of them into a feud rather than a gimmick. I think that pay per views can exist without Kofi Kingston or Rey Mysterio and its telling that there was no US or Intercontinental title match even with Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes both receiving a lot of heat lately. I would love to see Miz or anyone of these guys (save Kofi) involved in a feud for the mid-card title. I would have liked to see John Morrison vs. R-Truth here rather than last weeks anticlimactic match on Raw (backstage drama aside). All that being said the match was entertaining.
-Was very surprised/impressed with Mark Henry and I thought this match was handled well with Sheamus being counted out. I like the idea of him sort of making a slow face turn. The spot where Henry slammed Sheamus through the barrier did make me jump up.
-Beth Phoenix and Kelly Kelly were actually allowed to have a wrestling match. Phoenix is a force in the ring and her power was accentuated as was Kelly's own ability. You wouldn't know that from the announcing which was focused on Jerry Lawler's hard-on, but either way, it was refreshing to see an actual match in a feud that wasn't focused on the two calling each other skanky or ugly or anorexic.
-Daniel Bryan and Wade Barrett had the match everyone was hoping they would get to see. When I got back into wrestling in January (I'd been away a while) I was not a fan of Barrett. I thought the Corre was terribly boring and one-dimensional and his reign as IC champion was forgettable (though that was really a shortcoming of WWE), but after watching last year's Summer Slam I was really sold on him. I think he's due for push, as being the Intercontinental champion is meaningless in WWE right now. He's got it and his victory of Bryan hopefully results in something. That being said, since Daniel Bryan won Money In The Bank, he continues to be in the spot of putting people over. Bryan has been receiving more exposure, but with Michael Cole consistently putting him down as a "nerd" it's hard to build anything for him, especially if he's losing all the time. My patience is wearing thin with the Cole character and the team of Booker T and Lawler doesn't help make up for his shortcomings as an announcer. Booker, while being a big supporter of Bryan, is repetitive and hardly informative and Lawler, as a face isn't very interesting. I think that this announce team is oftentimes detrimental. Jim Ross should be doing the play-by-play while Cole's character should be pushed to third wheel. With Ross announcing, you're given a perspective of Bryan that is not only unbiased but focused on the tremendous talent of Daniel Bryan.
-Even though they have yet to produce a disappointing match, my interest in Christian and Randy Orton has been waning. When Edge came out and called Christian a "whiny bitch" Orton's victory was already cemented, and my brother and I put on our Statler and Waldorf faces, waiting to pounce on any lousy spots. We were eating our words by the end of another impressive effort. All prejudices aside (I'm not an Orton fan) this has been one of the year's best feuds and its a testament to the ability of these two that they have been able to give us four (five?) excellent matches. I would say that this has to be the last, as Mark Henry has set himself up as the likely candidate for number one contender, and hopefully Christian is utilized.
-It was with great reservation that I came into John Cena vs. CM Punk. I think this feud has come to represent so much in wrestling today, and for me, more than anything we see the speculative nature of wrestling today. The Masked Man referred to it brilliantly as wrestling's "areality". The internet has become an open forum for what should be done with a wrestler or an angle and consequently what they did wrong. The question of "what are they going to do?" has transformed into "how are they gonna fuck this one up?" I try to stay away from speculation (or at least scornful speculation--as everyone who has an idea or an opinion seems to believe any direction that differs from their own is the wrong direction), but when an angle such as this exists, it's hard not to participate. I was at Money In The Bank in Chicago, I got goosebumps. my voice went hoarse, I felt like I was a part of something special that night. When CM Punk showed up two weeks later I sat back and said "ok, let's see what happens." By the time we reached Summer Slam I felt like a lot of people had jumped ship on this angle and were already saying it was ruined. I wouldn't go that far, but I wouldn't say I was pleased when this match was announced so quickly. Even with Triple H as the special guest referee.
Punk and Cena took their time in the ring much like MITB. There were holds and reversals. It was well-paced and diligent (wrestling!) and worked very well following its chaotic predecessor. The crowd was hot as both men traded the advantage with Triple H calling the match straight down the middle. I was surprised to see the crowd was pretty in favor of Punk, given the location I thought it would be a Cena crowd, and I think Cena worked the part very well. In the past few weeks Cena has worn a tired expression that, despite my support of Punk, I can't help but empathize with. For all the "Cena sucks" and "You can't wrestle chants" John Cena has really rolled with the punches through all this and I feel he deserves a lot of credit.
The match reached a boiling point as Punk hit a suicide dive, not only taking out Cena but also knocking his head against the barrier. As Triple H reached 9 in his count, he went to the outside and threw both wrestlers back into the ring. Everyone was expecting The Game to play a part in the outcome of this match, and though he did, it wasn't in the way we seemed to be expecting. As the two regained their equilibriums they traded big moves, including a flying elbow from Punk which garnered a "Randy Savage" chant. Punk hit a second Go To Sleep and went for the pin. Cena put his foot on the bottom rope and Triple H counted 3 and the match was over. I, like most of the crowd at the Staples Center, was waiting for the inevitable call that the match had to go on, but nothing came of it. Cena gave his usual argument with the referee, the one that ends in respectful resign as Punk celebrated to a crowd that was mostly watching Cena and Triple H. Cena leaves and despite denying a handshake Punk allows Triple H to raise his hand. Out of nowhere Kevin Nash enters the ring, gives Punk a Jacknife and then out comes Alberto Del Rio to cash in the Money In The Bank briefcase and pin Punk to become the new champion.
I have to say, with plenty of time to let this one sit, I think the WWE really blew their load on this. They avoided the obvious turn of having Triple H screw Punk [for a moment there, after he offered his hand, I thought we were going to see Punk make a heel turn and announce that he was in cahoots with Triple H all along] but nothing was made of the fact that Cena got screwed here. The appearance of Nash was a definite surprise and sort of awesome, but why, when you have so much going with Cena and Punk bring in Del Rio? Raw should be interesting tonight, part of me thinks there are so many pieces to pick up that this story line is becoming a convoluted mess. But another part is pretty excited for the possibilities.
-The six-man tag match to start the event off was entertaining, even if it was pretty unnecessary. It seemed to paint the picture of WWE's crowded roster. Miz, R-Truth, Mysterio, and Del Rio have been in the title picture over the past few months and I would have preferred to put two of them into a feud rather than a gimmick. I think that pay per views can exist without Kofi Kingston or Rey Mysterio and its telling that there was no US or Intercontinental title match even with Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes both receiving a lot of heat lately. I would love to see Miz or anyone of these guys (save Kofi) involved in a feud for the mid-card title. I would have liked to see John Morrison vs. R-Truth here rather than last weeks anticlimactic match on Raw (backstage drama aside). All that being said the match was entertaining.
-Was very surprised/impressed with Mark Henry and I thought this match was handled well with Sheamus being counted out. I like the idea of him sort of making a slow face turn. The spot where Henry slammed Sheamus through the barrier did make me jump up.
-Beth Phoenix and Kelly Kelly were actually allowed to have a wrestling match. Phoenix is a force in the ring and her power was accentuated as was Kelly's own ability. You wouldn't know that from the announcing which was focused on Jerry Lawler's hard-on, but either way, it was refreshing to see an actual match in a feud that wasn't focused on the two calling each other skanky or ugly or anorexic.
-Daniel Bryan and Wade Barrett had the match everyone was hoping they would get to see. When I got back into wrestling in January (I'd been away a while) I was not a fan of Barrett. I thought the Corre was terribly boring and one-dimensional and his reign as IC champion was forgettable (though that was really a shortcoming of WWE), but after watching last year's Summer Slam I was really sold on him. I think he's due for push, as being the Intercontinental champion is meaningless in WWE right now. He's got it and his victory of Bryan hopefully results in something. That being said, since Daniel Bryan won Money In The Bank, he continues to be in the spot of putting people over. Bryan has been receiving more exposure, but with Michael Cole consistently putting him down as a "nerd" it's hard to build anything for him, especially if he's losing all the time. My patience is wearing thin with the Cole character and the team of Booker T and Lawler doesn't help make up for his shortcomings as an announcer. Booker, while being a big supporter of Bryan, is repetitive and hardly informative and Lawler, as a face isn't very interesting. I think that this announce team is oftentimes detrimental. Jim Ross should be doing the play-by-play while Cole's character should be pushed to third wheel. With Ross announcing, you're given a perspective of Bryan that is not only unbiased but focused on the tremendous talent of Daniel Bryan.
-Even though they have yet to produce a disappointing match, my interest in Christian and Randy Orton has been waning. When Edge came out and called Christian a "whiny bitch" Orton's victory was already cemented, and my brother and I put on our Statler and Waldorf faces, waiting to pounce on any lousy spots. We were eating our words by the end of another impressive effort. All prejudices aside (I'm not an Orton fan) this has been one of the year's best feuds and its a testament to the ability of these two that they have been able to give us four (five?) excellent matches. I would say that this has to be the last, as Mark Henry has set himself up as the likely candidate for number one contender, and hopefully Christian is utilized.
-It was with great reservation that I came into John Cena vs. CM Punk. I think this feud has come to represent so much in wrestling today, and for me, more than anything we see the speculative nature of wrestling today. The Masked Man referred to it brilliantly as wrestling's "areality". The internet has become an open forum for what should be done with a wrestler or an angle and consequently what they did wrong. The question of "what are they going to do?" has transformed into "how are they gonna fuck this one up?" I try to stay away from speculation (or at least scornful speculation--as everyone who has an idea or an opinion seems to believe any direction that differs from their own is the wrong direction), but when an angle such as this exists, it's hard not to participate. I was at Money In The Bank in Chicago, I got goosebumps. my voice went hoarse, I felt like I was a part of something special that night. When CM Punk showed up two weeks later I sat back and said "ok, let's see what happens." By the time we reached Summer Slam I felt like a lot of people had jumped ship on this angle and were already saying it was ruined. I wouldn't go that far, but I wouldn't say I was pleased when this match was announced so quickly. Even with Triple H as the special guest referee.
Punk and Cena took their time in the ring much like MITB. There were holds and reversals. It was well-paced and diligent (wrestling!) and worked very well following its chaotic predecessor. The crowd was hot as both men traded the advantage with Triple H calling the match straight down the middle. I was surprised to see the crowd was pretty in favor of Punk, given the location I thought it would be a Cena crowd, and I think Cena worked the part very well. In the past few weeks Cena has worn a tired expression that, despite my support of Punk, I can't help but empathize with. For all the "Cena sucks" and "You can't wrestle chants" John Cena has really rolled with the punches through all this and I feel he deserves a lot of credit.
The match reached a boiling point as Punk hit a suicide dive, not only taking out Cena but also knocking his head against the barrier. As Triple H reached 9 in his count, he went to the outside and threw both wrestlers back into the ring. Everyone was expecting The Game to play a part in the outcome of this match, and though he did, it wasn't in the way we seemed to be expecting. As the two regained their equilibriums they traded big moves, including a flying elbow from Punk which garnered a "Randy Savage" chant. Punk hit a second Go To Sleep and went for the pin. Cena put his foot on the bottom rope and Triple H counted 3 and the match was over. I, like most of the crowd at the Staples Center, was waiting for the inevitable call that the match had to go on, but nothing came of it. Cena gave his usual argument with the referee, the one that ends in respectful resign as Punk celebrated to a crowd that was mostly watching Cena and Triple H. Cena leaves and despite denying a handshake Punk allows Triple H to raise his hand. Out of nowhere Kevin Nash enters the ring, gives Punk a Jacknife and then out comes Alberto Del Rio to cash in the Money In The Bank briefcase and pin Punk to become the new champion.
I have to say, with plenty of time to let this one sit, I think the WWE really blew their load on this. They avoided the obvious turn of having Triple H screw Punk [for a moment there, after he offered his hand, I thought we were going to see Punk make a heel turn and announce that he was in cahoots with Triple H all along] but nothing was made of the fact that Cena got screwed here. The appearance of Nash was a definite surprise and sort of awesome, but why, when you have so much going with Cena and Punk bring in Del Rio? Raw should be interesting tonight, part of me thinks there are so many pieces to pick up that this story line is becoming a convoluted mess. But another part is pretty excited for the possibilities.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
An Introduction of Sorts
Sitting at my grandfather's card table in Sarasota, Fla I have been forced to stare down the product of a summer's worth of inactivity. What was supposed to be a long weekends worth of uninterrupted writing (or at least writing-based activity) has been produced very little effort in that department, much less results. The thing about writing is that it's very easy to forget how to do it, which brings us to our current spot. Whether this is blog will serve as a way to keep in the habit of writing somewhat regularly or as a meaningless time waster is to be determined, but I'm guessing we'll be seeing a little from both corners.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)