Category: Editorials and Features

WWE Extreme Rules 2015 Preview & Predictions

The WWE Universe will get its annual dose of extreme this Sunday at Extreme Rules. Every major title is scheduled to be defended, and nearly every match on the card features some sort of stipulation. Here are my predictions for this Sunday’s pay-per-view.

Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (Tag Team Champions) vs. The New Day (Pre-Show Match)

The New Day sucks, plain and simple. They belong on the pre-show, and there’s absolutely no way they capture the titles on Sunday. Kidd and Cesaro continue their run as champions after picking up the victory. I do not think they will do so via pinfall or submission, however. I believe the New Day will be on the verge of defeat, leading to Xavier Woods interfering in the match and the New Day viciously attacking the champs. This would further solidify them as heels, while also starting a face turn for the champions by building fan sympathy.

Winners: Kidd & Cesaro by disqualification

Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper (Chicago Street Fight)

This has the potential to be one of the better matches of the night. Expect the action to sprawl all over the area in something resembling a hardcore match from the Attitude Era, with multiple weapons being utilized along the way. In the end, Ambrose will find a way to win after incapacitating his opponent with Dirty Deeds, hopefully leading to a push where he goes after the Intercontinental Championship now that it appears Daniel Bryan will be on the shelf for a while.

Winner: Dean Ambrose by pinfall

Daniel Bryan (Intercontinental Champion) vs. Bad News Barrett

Bryan is injured and will not be competing on Sunday. That’s basically a guarantee. WWE is essentially engaging in false advertising by not announcing that this match will no longer take place. Expect some sort of backstage segment during the show where Bryan is attacked to write him out of the storyline.

Winner: Match will not take place

April 25, 2015
Bray Wyatt: Where Does He Go From Here?

On July 8, 2013, The Wyatt Family made their debut on Monday Night Raw. After weeks after perfectly done vignettes, Wyatt and company finally appeared, absolutely destroying Kane in what was easily one of the best main roster debuts in recent memory.

Although fans had seen them in NXT (with Harper & Rowan even winning the NXT Tag Team Championship), there was an air of mystery when it came to the stable. Fans didn’t really know what to expect, Wyatt had a way of captivating audiences, and perhaps more than anything, it was something fresh in a company that was full of stale characters.

Within months, Wyatt was already near the top of the card, entering into a lengthy feud with Daniel Bryan that saw The Wyatt Family establish themselves as undisputed future stars in the the company. Say what you will about the Bryan/Wyatt program (especially regarding Bryan briefly joining Wyatt), but it is hard to deny that he was completely over with the fans, he put on great matches (particularly his match with Bryan at the 2014 Royal Rumble), and he felt important. In short, he was one of the only superstars in the company that fans didn’t want to miss on a weekly basis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23tVe5PiZq0

Fast-forward a year from Wyatt’s epic match with Bryan at the Royal Rumble. The Wyatt Family had recently disbanded, Wyatt himself had just finished a program with Dean Ambrose that was more about shenanigans and trying to fill a void left by an absent WWE World Heavyweight Champion than building either superstar toward something bigger, and all three members of the Wyatt Family were worse off than they were a year prior.

After a relatively uneventful performance in the 2015 Royal Rumble and sitting out Fastlane, Wyatt had a shot at redemption at on the Grandest Stage of Them All by calling out The Undertaker. Leading up to WrestleMania, fans did not see The Undertaker once. Instead, the burden of getting the match over was placed solely on the shoulders of Wyatt.

He did an admirable job, as most can barely get a program over when they have a willing participant on hand to engage with, let alone coming out on a weekly basis and cutting promos when fans know there is no chance of seeing his opponent before the pay-per-view.

It seemed as if they were setting up a “passing of the torch” type of situation. The Undertaker – the man who had relied upon mind games and the supernatural to intimate his opponents for years – was squaring off against Bray Wyatt – a man who has used similar tactics in the past. Wyatt began referring to himself as the “New Face of Fear” leading up to the event, setting up a perfect situation for Wyatt to destroy the hero of old and establish himself as the next generation’s monster heel.

That of course did not happen, and Wyatt has been basically absent from television since, aside from cutting promos where he has still been referring to himself as the “New Face of Fear,” despite the fact that he lost clean to the old face of fear just a few weeks prior.

This begs the question: Where does Wyatt go from here? His character has not really evolved at all since his debut, he lost his stable mates and is now flying solo, and he hasn’t had anything even vaguely resembling a title shot since debuting on the roster. One could argue that he is the type of character who does not need a title to make an impact, but it could also easily be argued that the aforementioned belief is bogus.

Something needs to be done to legitimize Wyatt, because right now he is completely lost in the shuffle. The company clearly has no idea what to do with him, the one chance they had to put him over as the next big heel in the company was botched to put over a 50-year-old superstar who shows up once a year to collect a paycheck, and he has been cutting essentially the same backstage promo on a weekly for several months. The company has a potential goldmine in the form of Wyatt, but they are simply sitting there with a giant thumb up their you know what while they figure out how to mine it.

How do you feel about Bray Wyatt? What needs to be done to establish him as one of the top stars in the company? Discuss the situation in the comments section.

April 16, 2015
Ranking the 7 Best Matches In WWE Extreme Rules History

The WWE Extreme Rules PPV was first introduced in 2009 and the event has a history of producing gimmicky yet very entertaining matches. Throughout the PPVs six year history, WWE superstars have gone above and beyond to deliver high-quality matches in order to entertain the millions (and millions) of fans watching around the world.

In less than three weeks, Seth Rollins will defend his newly acquired WWE World Heavyweight Championship for the first time ever against the man that beat him less than a month ago – the Viper Randy Orton. In a match that is guaranteed to steal the show, the two unbelievably talented superstars will try to one-up the impressive outing they showcased at WrestleMania.

The history/storyline between the workers involved, variety of maneuvers, overall match quality and crowd reaction are the criteria I used to help rank these matches. Of course, rankings are subjective and no matter the order, not every SEScoops fan is going to agree with the list. However, I expect and encourage all of you to keep an open mind and share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Here are the 7 Best Matches in WWE Extreme Rules History:

April 11, 2015
WrestleMania XI-XX: The Top 10 Matches From The Second Decade

With WrestleMania only a week away, we continue our survey of the best matches in the event’s history by looking at the second decade of action. This was an important and transitional decade for the company, as they started the period relying on superstars such as Bret Hart, Diesel, and Shawn Michaels at the top of the card, while ending it with guys such as Triple H, Brock Lesnar, and of course, Steve Austin.

The content of the product also changed dramatically during this time period, with it starting as a family-friendly product during the “new generation” era, and we all know what went on during the Attitude Era after the company shifted focus due to pressure from rival WCW. With that said, here are the ten best matches from this era. Matches are judged based on workrate, in-ring psychology, pre-match build, and historical significance, and a full video of the match is included with each entry.

10. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania 2000)

Despite being billed as the greatest thing since electricity, WrestleMania 2000 was basically a bust. One of the few bright spots was the two-fall triple threat match between Benoit, Angle, and Jericho. The stipulation was unique in that both the Intercontinental and European Championships were on the line, with the first fall deciding the former and the second deciding the latter. Angle would go into the match holding both titles, but would unfortunately walk out with neither. Benoit won the first fall with a diving headbutt and pinning Jericho. Jericho would win the second by delivering a Lionsault and pinning Benoit. It featured fast-paced action with a ton of near-falls, and it told a great story by having Angle lose both of his titles without being pinned or forced to submit.

9. Triple H vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania X8)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2d0qox_wwf-wrestlemania-xviii-chris-jericho-vs-hunter-hearst-helmsley_sport

This was the first time Chris Jericho had the opportunity to headline a WrestleMania, and he came into the match aligned with Stephanie McMahon as a heel. It told a great story that featured a thorough build, and eventually ended with The Game winning the Undisputed Championship after hitting the Pedigree.

8. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania XX)

These guys were three of the best technical wrestlers in the game at the time. The match was entertaining, there were multiple near-falls, and in the end, the title changed hands after Benoit forced Triple H to tap out to the Crippler Crossface. After the match, Benoit’s best friend Eddie Guerrero came to the ring and the two embraced while confetti rained down from the rafters. It’s of course a little bittersweet due to what happened years later, but it is still an emotional moment and a great match nonetheless.

7. The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania X8)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2d0qps_wwf-wrestlemania-xviii-the-rock-vs-hollywood-hogan_sport

This match seems to receive a mixed reaction from a lot of fans. In my opinion, it is one of the most entertaining and unpredictable matches in WrestleMania history, largely due to the crowd reaction. Going into the match, The Rock was the fan favorite while Hogan was booked as the heel. However, the crowd turned on Rock halfway through the match and started to cheer Hogan. The two improvised from there the match ended with Hogan once again turning face and celebrating with The People’s Champion after going down in defeat.

6. Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania XIV)

Following his match with Bret Hart at the previous WrestleMania, Austin was undoubtedly the top dog in the WWE. It wouldn’t be until this night that he would finally capture his first WWE Championship, however. This wasn’t a technical affair by any means, largely due to Michaels wrestling with a severely injured back. With that said, it was still an entertaining contest that featured great in-ring psychology and one of the best builds of any main event in WrestleMania history due to the involvement of Mike Tyson. Austin would of course go on to win the title and start his run as perhaps the most successful superstar in WWE history.

March 22, 2015
WrestleMania I-X: The Top 10 Matches From The First Decade

WrestleMania is now only a few weeks away, and to say that the build has been abysmal so far would be a bit of an understatement. Instead of criticizing the company for its incompetence, let’s relive the glory days together.

Over the course of the next week or so, we are going to be looking at the ten best matches from each decade of WrestleMania. Today we start by looking at the first ten WrestleMania events.

10. The British Bulldogs vs. The Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake) (WrestleMania II)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2cyy4p_wwf-wrestlemania-ii-the-british-bulldogs-vs-the-dream-team_sport

This took place at one of the absolute worst WrestleManias of all-time, and was one of the few (if not the only) highlights of the night. Davey Boy put in most of the work for his team, showcasing his power throughout the contest.

There were multiple near-falls in this contest, with the Bulldog attempting Perfect-Plex that registered a two-count at one point. It appeared The Dream Team had the victory at one point, but Valentine foolishly pulled the Dynamite Kid’s head from the mat, and would lose mere seconds later after having his head smashed into the turnbuckle. Overall, there weren’t a ton of memorable tag matches during the first decade of WrestleMania, but this is definitely a highlight, and one that usually doesn’t get much credit.

9. Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs. Rick Martel (WrestleMania VII)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2hsfmz_wwf-wrestlemania-vii-jake-roberts-vs-rick-martel_sport

Let me start by saying this match was pretty cheesy. We all knew the two competitors could see each other through the bags they were sporting. With that said, they employed decent in-ring psychology and told a solid story, and it was even unintentionally humorous at times. (I mean how could one not laugh at Martel delivering an elbow to the canvas after The Snake was long gone, or the two running past one another in the most obvious manner?)

Roberts finally tracked down “The Model” and picked up the win after hitting his signature DDT. Most importantly, this was one of the first gimmick matches to be featured at WrestleMania and would lay the groundwork for the next generation, which would deviate away from the traditional wrestling style that had characterized the first six WrestleManias. For that reason alone, I feel that it deserves to be included on the list.

8. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant (WrestleMania III)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1u6x5h_wwf-wrestlemania-iii-hulk-hogan-vs-andre-the-giant_sport

The action in this one was basically garbage. One of the main selling points involved fans hoping to see Hogan slam Andre for the first time, even though he and others had already done so in the past. And on top of that, it was the main event of the biggest show of the year and only lasted a little over ten minutes. Don’t get me wrong, the feud leading into the event was money, but the match itself was rather meh.

Even though the action didn’t live up to the hype, this was the most important match in the company’s history at the time, and one would be hard-pressed to find one since that had more impact. These guys worked a lengthy feud leading into the event and had millions of eyes watching a product that wasn’t even putting on pay-per-view events just a few years prior. Not only did they have millions of eyes watching at home, they also drew a record 93,173 fans to check it out on in person.

Hogan did slam Andre and followed it up with his Leg Drop for the win. The action wasn’t memorable, but without this match, there’s a good chance the WWE would never have become the global juggernaut it is today, so for that reason alone, it has to be included in a list such as this one.

7. Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage (WrestleMania VII)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2hsck9_wwf-wrestlemania-vii-randy-savage-vs-the-ultimate-warrior_sport

After Savage lost his title to Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V, he had tried on numerous occasions to win it back. Hogan passed the torch to Warrior at WrestleMania VI, and the “Macho King” set his sights on the newly crowed champ. After Warrior refused to grant him a title shot (instead granting one to Sergeant Slaughter), Savage interfered in the contest, hitting Warrior with his scepter and costing him the title.

This led to a feud between the two heading into WrestleMania VII, with Savage putting his career on the line. Sensational Sherri accompanied the “Macho King” to the ring but his former girlfriend Miss Elizabeth was also in attendance. After hitting a remarkable five flying elbows drops, Savage was still unable to diminish the power of the Warrior, eventually taking three shoulder block tackles that each sent Savage to the floor. Warrior would stand over the fallen King and pick up the victory, forcing Savage to “retire.”

Some of the most memorable action actually took place following the match, however, as Sherri attacked Savage, leading to a memorable reconciliation between Miss Elizabeth and Savage, with Savage once again becoming a fan favorite after holding the ropes for Elizabeth. Awesome match. Awesome story. Awesome Wrestlemania moment.

6. Bret Hart vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper (WrestleMania VIII)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2gs2s7_wwf-wrestlemania-viii-bret-hart-vs-roddy-piper_sport

Widely considered to be one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history, Hart and Piper battled for the Intercontinental Championship back in the days when the title was actually worth a damn.

Hart could make anyone look good, and Piper was an above average worker in his own right, so there was little chance of this contest being anything other than a stone cold classic. It really felt personal too, with stiff action that was a borderline street fight at times. The “Hit Man” bladed during the match and was covered in blood by the end of this brutal affair.

After the referee was driven into the turnbuckle and knocked out for a few minutes, Piper considered using the ring bell as a weapon, but had a change of heart and chose not to. The “Hot Rod” instead attempted to put Hart away with his signature sleeper, but Hart countered the move by propelling himself off of the turnbuckle and countering into one of the most beautiful pinning combinations fans will ever see. Piper embraced Hart and helped him to the back after the contest, earning the respect and admiration of basically everyone in attendance.

March 15, 2015
WWE’s Culture Of Abuse And Hypocrisy

As you all know by now, WWE head trainer Bill DeMott “resigned” yesterday amid allegations of abusive, homophobic, and sexist behavior. I won’t go into the specifics, as we’ve covered the situation at great length here already.

What I would like to discuss, however, is the WWE’s culture of hypocrisy. For years now, the company has been affiliated with the Be A STAR campaign – an organization whose goal is to “ensure a positive and equitable social environment for everyone regardless of age, race, religion, or sexual orientation.”

Allegations have been levied against DeMott for years, with superstars apparently being fired for speaking out against the former trainer. It wasn’t until the story went viral this past week that the company took action though. In short, the company did not give a damn about DeMott’s actions; they simply wanted to avoid bad publicity.

To think that DeMott (I’d call him a has-been, but that would imply he was ever something to begin with) held unilateral power and ruled with an iron fist in the WWE is absolutely ludicrous. The higher-ups, including people like Vince McMahon, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon, were likely well aware of these accusations for years, but they simply did not care because they have fostered an abusive and hypocritical work environment.

The situation bears striking resemblance to the Penn State sex abuse scandal a few years back. Although Jerry Sandusky was the one who was guilty of molesting children, the school’s president, athletic director, and even Joe Paterno himself turned a blind eye to the situation in order to avoid bad publicity, instead allowing it to continue with hopes that the victims would not go public with the allegations.

That is not to say or insinuate that DeMott molested children, but he is like Sandusky in that he is the face of the problem, but he does not encompass the problem itself. Instead, it is those who wield actual power within the company who need to be held accountable. Simply letting someone go – likely with a “golden parachute” severance package – does not excuse the bogus investigation and the cover-up that occurred in the first place.

A few things are clear following this situation: 1. The WWE knew of the allegations for years and chose to do absolutely nothing (sorry, there was an unfruitful “investigation”), 2. Anyone who spoke out against DeMott was essentially submitting their resignation letter, and 3. Bill DeMott would still have a job today had major media outlets not picked up this story.

And finally, to anyone who has defended DeMott’s actions by saying something to the effect of, “This generation is too soft” or “Things were done differently back in his day,” all I can really say is that I’m sorry, but you’re delusional. Defending DeMott’s abusive behavior and attempting to justify it with the aforementioned excuses is akin to saying it’s still acceptable to lynch black people because your parents and grandparents did so in the 1950s. The cycle of ignorance needs to be broken somewhere, and I’m glad to see that someone finally stood up to this bully.

The campaign should not end here either. Bill DeMott walking out the door does not mean the culture he epitomizes will be accompanying him. The WWE should not be off the hook for ignoring this situation for years and conducting a phony investigation. One can only hope that more victims speak out about their experiences with the company and those who wield real power are held accountable. DeMott wrestled under the name Hugh Morrus for many years in WCW. Unfortunately, there’s nothing amusing about this situation or the WWE’s abusive, hypocritical culture.

March 7, 2015
2015 WWE Fastlane Preview And Predictions

The Road to WrestleMania will become a lot clearer after Sunday’s pay-per-view. Fastlane is available for free to all new WWE Network customers, and even those who previously cancelled their account and re-subscribed, so there’s really no reason to miss out on the action. Here is how I expect the event to play out.

Goldust vs. Stardust

Man, they really should have saved this one for WrestleMania, but I guess there is only room on the card for one tag team breakup storyline, and it looks like that’s going to be Miz and Mizdow. Expect these guys to put on one hell of a match, as they have been lobbying for it for what seems like years. After a solid ten-minute contest with a number of near-falls, Stardust will pick up the win with Cross Rhodes.

Result: Stardust via pinfall

Rusev (United States Champion) vs. John Cena

These guys have done a pretty good of building up this match over the past few weeks, and it genuinely seems like Cena is interested in winning the United States Championship, which is always a plus. It’s almost guaranteed that this feud is going to continue into WrestleMania, so I expect Rusev to pick up the win, but certainly not clean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHA5g_T227k

Lana will become involved at some point, possibly distracting Cena long enough for Rusev to pounce and pick up the win via the deadliest finisher in all of wrestling (the distraction roll-up), or by using the title as a weapon to knock out Cena while the Ravishing Russian distracts the referee. This will set up a rematch at WrestleMania where Cena will most likely go over.

Result: Rusev via pinfall

Nikki Bella (Divas Champion) vs. Paige

Paige is the most popular diva in the entire company by far right now. They are going to want her to capture the title at WrestleMania. Nikki wins with help from her sister before dropping the title to Paige next month.

Result: Nikki Bella via pinfall

February 21, 2015
5 WWE Feuds For Samoa Joe We Want To See

Earlier this week, Samoa Joe took to Twitter to deliver a shocking announcement. After nearly ten years as one of the pillars of TNA, Joe announced he would be parting ways with the company, effective immediately. Much like an RKO, the announcement came from out of nowhere.

Since the announcement, there has been speculation that Joe could try his luck with the WWE, as former superstars such as Steve Austin and Mick Foley have publicly stated they believe the company should sign him. However, what role would Samoa Joe play if he and the WWE reach an agreement? Here are five worthwhile feuds for Samoa Joe if the two sides can reach an agreement.

5. Finn Balor

If Samoa Joe does sign with the WWE, he will have to do his best Drake impersonation and start from the bottom, with NXT being the starting point. Finn Balor is currently the number one contender for the NXT Championship, and should be in NXT for at least the rest of the year. With Joe’s agile, submission-based style, and Balor’s high-flying, strong style, the two could mesh well together and provide a nice juxtaposition of styles in an entertaining program.

February 20, 2015
WWE RAW Pros And Cons (2/16/15)

As the entire northeast freezes under a mountain of snow, the WWE decided to dip down to Orlando in an attempt to heat things up heading into Sunday’s Fastlane pay-per-view. The show featured eight matches, as well as appearances from Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes. Without further ado, here are the pros and cons from this week’s episode of Raw.

Pros

Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler was pure gold. Before the match, the two engaged in a hilarious back and forth, with Rollins laying down some burnsauce by telling Ziggler: “I know you fancy yourself a comedian but the only thing funny about you is that joke you call a career.” It was also hilarious to hear Ziggler question whether J&J getting him the wrong chocolates ruined his Valentine’s Day. Something tells me his Valentine’s Day was ruined for other reasons… As for the match, it was fast paced, full of spots, and exactly what you’d expect from two of the best workers in the business. Other than the J&J interference and non-finish, this was pretty much perfect on every level. I suspect a match between these two will be added to Fastlane after Smackdown. Here’s to hoping they give these guys 15 minutes and let them tear the house down. Highlight of the night by far.

I enjoyed the Dusty Rhodes backstage segments. The match between the New Day and Gold and Stardust was also nice, as it served as a nice juxtaposition between the brawling opening contest between Ambrose and Harper. Following the match, Stardust attacked his brother and called Dusty a “polka-dotted freak of a father.” I’ll admit, they’ve dragged this out forever and I wasn’t too excited at first, but I’m now getting into it.

Roman Reigns was the man last night. He sounded like a completely different person during his backstage interview before his match with Kane. His calm, confident, and collected demeanor is a stark contrast from the nervous guy we saw out there a few weeks ago talking about beanstalks while stumbing over every other word. His match with Kane was actually decent too, with Reigns winning via countout after hitting a big Spear. Daniel Bryan was on commentary during the match, with he and Reigns playing off of one another very well. It was also humorous to hear Michael Cole state: “Daniel Bryan is trying to steal Roman Reigns’ thunder. Roman Reigns just beat Kane, guys!” That means about as much as beating the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015.

For a comedy segment, the Paige bit was actually hilarious. The outfit was funny, it actually served some sort of purpose in furthering her feud with Nikki Bella, the fans seemed to be enjoying it, and the match with Summer Rae was good for the time they were given.

The Dean Ambrose “weekend update” promo, where the Lunatic Fringe was parked at a desk looking like a shady used car dealer, was also entertaining. His match with Luke Harper featuring some nice, brawling action and was a good opening contest. JBL’s “we’ve got an air psycho” line had me cracking up, and his plot to force Barrett to sign the contract for Sunday was perfect. Nobody in the midcard deserves the IC Title more than Ambrose, and it looks like he’s going to find a way to capture the gold on Sunday.

Bray Wyatt’s promos are starting to become a bit repetitive, but I still enjoyed his work this week. He once again attacked the Undertaker, stating: “You’re an empty shell, and any fear that I once of you has turned into nothing more than putrid, hateful pity.” I can’t wait to see this program.

February 17, 2015
Should Raw Be Cut Back To Two Hours?

As we all know, Raw is tonight. By show of hands, how many people are planning to bail before the end of the program? If this question were posed to last week’s viewing audience, over 250,000 hands would be in the air right now. That number represents the number of viewers who tuned in for the first hour but were long gone by hour three, and that’s not even counting the 600,000 viewers from the previous week who called in sick and didn’t show up at all.

Since Raw 1000, the program has been a three-hour fixture on Monday night, even though the company has done little with the additional hour in most cases. In all, the numbers show that it’s time to turn back the clock to Raw 999 and cut back to two hours.

Emma vs. Summer Rae in a dance-off? No thanks!

There are a number of reasons this makes sense. Most importantly, this roster is as thin as a two-dollar blanket right now. Take last week’s show, for instance. The company bookended the show with the nearly identical matches – neither of which was particularly memorable. By the end of the first hour, the crowd had already seen every participant in the main event compete in a match (aside from J&J, but they interfered in the Rollins/Ryback match). And please don’t get me started on how many times we’ve seen the Usos battle Miz and Mizdow over the past few months.

It would be a massive understatement to say that the shows have lacked direction in recent months too. I went back and watched a few episodes of Raw from 2012, right before Raw was permanently extended to three hours. Mind you, this was during the dreadful John Cena/Kane “embrace the hate” program, and even those shows featured more direction than the current product.

If the past is any indication, expect to see The Authority opening tonight’s episode of Raw.

By putting less stress on the writers and limiting exposure, they were able to establish a conflict (Kane attempting to terrorize Zack Ryder/John Cena), provide a climax near the middle of the show (Cena kissing Eve while Ryder hilariously looked on), and finally a resolution in the form of a catastrophe (Kane launching Ryder off of the stage).

They were able to build around this central storyline by sprinkling in five matches and a few entertaining segments that highlighted other members of the roster, ultimately creating a neat two hours of wrestling (or sports entertainment, whichever term you prefer). In recent weeks, the program has been an absolute mess, with the typical structure usually as follows:

The Authority starts the program by cutting the same boring 20-minute promo they cut every week and setting up a main event involving Kane and/or Big Show. Next is a match that they say will start after the break, usually trying to invoke some sense of suspense as to which superstars will be involved, but the roster is so thin that we know it will be Seth Rollins or an over-the-hill Authority goon competing against either Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Ryback or Roman Reigns – usually ending in a non-finish. We next get a sagging middle with “comedy” matches and backstage segments that rarely go anywhere. Paul Heyman is sent out somewhere near the middle to try to save the crowd. A few more filler matches typically come next, and finally a tag match to end the show, which also usually ends in a non-finish. Eat. Sleep. Lose A Quarter Million Viewers. Repeat.

Even with the help of Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar, Raw lost over a quarter of a million viewers by the end of last week’s program.

The overexposure is killing everyone involved in the process, including talent, announcers, and even the fans, hence the reason they aren’t sticking around for the full three hours. I get that the company is trying to appease shareholders, and increased ad revenue is one of the easiest ways to do so, but in the end, they are doing long-term damage in exchange for short-term ad revenue.

This is also not to say that a wrestling promotion can’t put on an entertaining three-hour program. It is simply stating that this wrestling promotion has proven they are incapable of doing so. There are a lot of problems with the current product, from hotshotting anything that is remotely popular to underutilizing some of the company’s best talent to even dragging out storylines fans are disinterested in. However, the biggest problem with Raw, and perhaps the company as a whole, can be summed up in one word: overexposure.

How would you feel about Raw going back to two hours? Do you think it would improve the product? Voice your opinion in the comments section.

February 16, 2015
NXT TakeOver: Rival Reaction: The Future Is Now

Last night, NXT held their fifth special event, entitled Rival. It was a night of change, as two titles changed hands and a new number one contender was crowned.

The jewel of the night was easily the main event, where fans saw Kevin Owens destroy his former friend Sami Zayn and snatch away the NXT Championship almost as quickly as he won it. The match started off well, with Owens initially playing the cowardly heel, leading to an impressive spot where Zayn leaped over the referee and top rope in order to take out Owens.

In all, the match was booked perfectly. There was some great in-ring psychology between the two, as Zayn injured his head at one point in the contest after performing a moonsault to the floor. While being checked out by the medical staff, Owens capitalized, hitting multiple powerbombs before the referee was forced to stop the contest. In the end, the juxtaposition of Owens laughing and celebrating his victory while Zayn lay motionless was the perfect way to pass the title to Owens while furthering the “broken friendship” storyline.

The other title change involved Sasha Banks finally capturing the NXT Womens Championship from Charlotte in a fatal four-way match. Anyone who’s seen Charlotte and Sasha compete over the past few months knew this wouldn’t disappoint and it certainly didn’t, as each competitor had some time to shine.

One of the more impressive moments was Charlotte performing a diving crossbody to take out all three of her opponents. Overall, it was nice to see Sasha pick up the victory, and ultimately the title, by pinning the champ in the middle of the ring.

February 12, 2015
Why Doesn’t WWE Place Importance On Intercontinental & United States Titles?

When I was a kid, I had a trampoline. My friends and I were all huge pro wrestling fans and long before the explosion of “backyard trampoline wrestling federations,” we would watch the matches together, go out on the trampoline and try and reenact what we saw on television.

Of course if you’re this enthused about professional wrestling as a youngster, you’re going to take your trampoline matches seriously and treat them as if they were part of a legitimate organization — for kids. Were we looking to become millionaires or television stars? Of course not. Did we fantasize and treat it like we were right in the middle of a WWE ring on a WWE Superstars or Saturday Night’s Main Event broadcast?

We sure did.

So the next logical step, seeing is how we were taking this so seriously was to purchase replica WWE Championship belts so that when we won “the big matches,” we could crown ourselves the champion.

What was the first replica belt we bought? Well, obviously it was the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, right?

Wrong.

This was during the early-1990s and mid-1990s, when if you were a kid, the best wrestlers and your favorite wrestlers were generally the guys who held the WWE Intercontinental Championship. We thought the belt itself looked cooler than the “Eagle” championship that the main champions wore and we — even as kids — recognized that guys like Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect and Shawn Michaels were much better wrestlers than Diesel or Yokozuna.

Fast-forward to today.

I can’t recall a time when the secondary titles in WWE have meant less. If you’re an Intercontinental Champion or United States Champion in WWE these days, you basically aren’t a champion at all. I can’t even count how many times a pay-per-view would come and go without an I-C or U.S. title match even taking place on the card. If they were on the card, they certainly didn’t come off as anything important or relevant.

With Brock Lesnar as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and with the main title in WWE being unified, meaning there’s only one “main” champion these days, and due to the fact that Lesnar has such a limited schedule in WWE, why doesn’t WWE take this opportunity to try and make their secondary titles mean more?

WWE Superstars need to cut promos and make the I-C and U.S. titles seem like a goal that is really worth achieving. They need to act like those titles are the be-all, end-all, if for no other reason than the fact that they are the only consistently active titles in the company right now.

There has been a lot of talk about unifying the I-C and U.S. titles and while I have always been in favor of that idea, I’m not so sure if that should be happening anytime soon. While unifying the I-C and U.S. titles would, in theory, make the one secondary title seem stronger, it would also take away even more from WWE live events having title matches.

Right now, the I-C and U.S. titles are the only men’s singles championships that are on the line at non-televised events. For that matter, they’re the only titles that are defended on television. Hell, they’re the only two men’s singles titles that are defended on pay-per-views more often than not.

WWE needs to raise the value of their secondary championships and make those I-C and U.S. titles mean as much as humanly possible. The good part is, when Lesnar does eventually drop the title and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship becomes active again, the I-C and U.S. titles, if they play their cards right, will at that point mean more and all of a sudden you have three titles of value, something WWE hasn’t had in years.

Basically, it won’t seem odd for a big-name Superstar to explain how important it is to win the I-C title at that point, whereas if Roman Reigns or John Cena said in a promo today, “I won’t sleep until I get the WWE United States Championship around my waist!” you would probably look at them like they have four heads. Although with Cena’s current program against U.S. Champion Rusev, we might actually hear a version of that, if WWE decides to make the title an important part of their feud, which of course is doubtful.

Regardless, WWE needs to work on getting these secondary championships to regain the luster that they had when I was a little kid jumping on a trampoline and pretending like my dreams just came true because I won a match and got to hold the — PRESTIGIOUS — WWE Intercontinental Championship high over my head.

What are your thoughts on WWE’s secondary singles titles? Leave your feedback in the “Comments” section below. You can also follow me on social media for continued news and views at Facebook.com/MattBooneWZR and/or on Twitter @MBoone420.

February 11, 2015
WWE RAW Pros And Cons (2/9/15)

The Road to WrestleMania took a brief detour last night, stopping at THE Ohio State University for Raw. Sting finally answered Triple H’s challenge, and the show was bookended by a pair of nearly identical matches. Without further ado, here are the pros and cons from last night’s episode of Raw.

Pros

The highlight of the night was easily Dolph Ziggler vs. Bray Wyatt. These guys have competed over the past two weeks, and have exhibited amazing chemistry on both occasions. There were a number of impressive spots in this one, including Wyatt delivering a brutal blow to Ziggler’s midsection and a devastating clothesline outside the ring that eventually set up Sister Abilgail for the win. Wyatt later cut another promo, presumably directed toward the Dead Man.

Triple H calling out Sting was a close second. The video package, which featured Sting’s makeup being transposed onto Triple H’s face, was both eerie and entertaining. The only downside to this was the absolutely dreadful Sting doppelganger they sent into the ring. With that said, I absolutely can’t wait to see what these guys have planned for Fastlane.

The Usos squared off with Tyson Kidd and Cesaro. Kidd and Cesaro put in some decent heel work by crashing the dinner party on SmackDown, and it’s certainly nice to see them getting some television time.

Rusev continues to improve on a weekly basis, in my opinion. I loved his promo, where he made claims such as, “You don’t want me. I am a hero.” His brawl with Cena was also entertaining and helped further their feud heading into Fastlane.

The opening promo was also entertaining, but nothing to really write home about. Reigns seems to be more confident on the mic each week, despite a minor flub. It was also nice to see Bryan on the mic, taking a humorous shot at Triple H for his involvement in the Katie Vick storyline.

It’s nice to see Axel getting more time on the mic. His promo was humorous, even if he was quickly dispelled after being hit with Dirty Deeds. Barrett’s new BNZ segment could also be entertaining, but I’m not totally sure how much shelf life it has.

Finally, the main event helped further the tension between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. The match was nothing incredible, by any means, but there were a few memorable moments, including Dolph Ziggler getting involved at the end. Roman’s spear to Bryan was also the perfect way to end the show. It seems like the next step in Roman’s evolution will be to turn him heel and possibly pair him with Heyman following WrestleMania.

February 10, 2015
25 Non-WWE Matches Every Wrestling Fan Should See
We’re all familiar with the WWE. It’s the most profitable and prevalent wrestling organization in the world, and the primary focus of our coverage here at SEScoops. However, what about the rest of the wrestling world?

I decided to compile a list of 25 non-WWE wrestling matches that every fan should see. In order to qualify, each match had to meet three conditions:
- An organization other than the WWE put on the match.
- The full-length match is available on YouTube.
- The match is something every wrestling fan should see.
The matches are listed at random and not ranked. The intention here isn’t to inspire debate regarding where a match should be placed on the list, but simply to provide fans with the opportunity to catch up on some classic matches they may have missed over the past few years. Already seen every match on the list? Relive your favorite moments again. Never seen a single one of the matches? You’ve got hours of material at your disposal, so sit back and enjoy.

25. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xy7KkH7NdY

24. Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan) vs. Jushin Thunder Liger (Ring of Honor Weekend of Thunder 2004)

23. Prince Devitt (Finn Balor) vs. Davey Richards (NJPW Circuit 2010 New Japan Alive)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXyAM9-9gHc

22. Ricochet vs. Kyle O’Reilly (IPW 10^th Annual Super Junior Heavyweight Tournament)

21. The American Wolves vs. The Briscoe Brothers (Indypendence Day 2008)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FchH61FbWAo
February 7, 2015
Lucha Underground Review and Analysis (Episode 13): El Patron Debuts

Lucha Underground: Episode 13
Airdate: February 4, 2015
Report by Rudy Cabrera

Lucha Underground opens with a video package recalling the events of past weeks including a recap of Mundo’s issues with Cueto, Puma’s title win, Fong’s debut, and Cage’s mad assault. The show begins with Mariachi El Bronx playing to a ruckus Boyle Heights crowd obviously ready for some Lucha.

Son of Havoc is mid-ring with Ivellise, who is tired of reading derogatory Tweets about her boyfriend on social media. She says if you have a problem with him, you’ve got a problem with her – the baddest b**** in the building. Good promo, Ivellise is super talented and skilled on the microphone. She has a great look and comes off natural and unrehearsed. Angelico makes his entrance and one can’t help but feel the aura of confidence this young man exhibits, more than likely stemming from the fact he was trained initially by Booker T then Ultimo Dragon, Black Terry, and Negro Navarro. He also worked in Ultimo Dragon’s Toryumon Mexico promotion and IWRG before coming to AAA. This is going to be a great match.

Son of Havoc vs. Angelico

Striker says that South Africa brought wrestling the Simpson Brothers and Colonel DeBeers and now it has given us Angelico. They exchange some matwork and the result is a beautiful display of chain wrestling. Angelico kicks him down, then hits a sequence of kicks before hitting a flying knee that reminds Vampiro of a UFC fighter. He hits another amazing flying knee on Havoc as he is against the turnbucle and what follows is one of the most unique counters I’ve seen: Angelico attempts a hurricanrana but Havoc turns it into an inverted sit down powerbomb. The crowd is hot for these two. Angelico regains control and eats a somersault senton dive to the floor. Havoc comes back with a backbreaker and gets 2. Angelico goes for a superplex, but Havoc counters and goes for a shooting star press and misses but lands on his feet! Incredible. Angelico sets him up for a crucifix powerbomb and it’s countered into a hurricarana. Counter after counter, this match is exactly what the people came to see. The finish was entertaining as Havoc tried going for a school boy but Angelico kicked him away and into Ivelisse, knocking her off the apron. Angelico then rolled him up for the win. They’re teasing some dissension between Son of Havoc and Ivelisse based on the idea that he never wins and Ivelisse is frustrated with being linked to a loser. It will be interesting to see where things go from here.

WINNER: Angelico at 6:32

Backstage Dario Cueto welcomes Johnny Mundo back. He says he hasn’t seen him since Aztec Warfare and he’s glad they had time to cool off. Mundo, who looks and acts like a legit superstar of the silver screen, agrees and says it’s time for action. Cueto goes on to say that when Johnny Mundo is around they get five star main events so he makes Mundo vs. Cage the main event of the evening. Cueto was at his sleazy best here, trying to set up Mundo so he can get dismembered by Cage. Mundo puts on his glasses and walks out like a boss.

One of the things I truly enjoy about this show is the emphasis the writers place on long term character development. A few weeks back, Mundo punched Cueto’s lights out and ever since then Mundo is the one character that seems to make Cueto nervous whenever he’s around. We see continuation, which is extremely important, evidenced by the fact Cueto is always trying to come up with some underhanded scheme to destroy the guy. This is honestly the best produced wrestling show on the market today.

We return to the Temple and Famous B is introduced mid-ring, leading to Pentagon Jr. coming down. We get a very well made personality profile video for Pentagon Jr right before the match, where he talks about his origins, respecting his predecessors and having no fear, all while beating up a room full of movie villain looking bad guys. Again, character development. He says he represents the purest form of ancient hand-to-hand combat and he’s about to show us why.

Pentagon Jr. vs. Famous B

Famous B dives in for a calf kick which misses and Pentagon quickly capitalizes by punting him right on the head. Let me just say punting is dangerous and not even Randy Orton himself could have executed it more perfectly or safely. Pentagon corners him and asks for silence – gets it, and scores with a loud chest chop. Famous B does a sweet flying armdrag off the second rope, but eats a sick looking superkick. Pentagon sets him up for a running package piledriver that Famous B sells to perfection. Kudos to Famous B for making the move look devastating. Body language is everything in wrestling. Pentagon Jr. locks an armbar and makes Famous B give up for a win via submission. He refuses to break the hold and snaps the arm back, as commentary sells that he may have broken B’s arm. And NO Vampiro, that was not a kimura. Pentagon then proceeds to cut a promo where he once again emphasizes his motto “Zero Fear”.

WINNER: Pentagon Jr at 1:53

We then see Dario Cueto in an undisclosed location looking at his key discussing the mystery woman to a growling entity. He speaks about her need for revenge and says he knows she wants the key. He says he could have given it to her but needed to protect his Temple from Matanza (slaughter). Cueto’s new goal is to prevent her from getting her hands on the key. Drago is mid-ring to start, while Aero Star enters via the crowd.

Drago vs Aerostar

Drago has been established in his feud with King Cuerno and has been impressive thus far. Aerostar wad trained by Gran Apache and Abismo Negro and has earned ther reputation of one AAA’ s best high flyers. They start with a tie-up and push off before an arm wringer. Cross chop misses and leads to an Aerostar hurricanrana. Striker talks about the move being named after Hurican Ramirez. Aerostar gets 2 off a nice looking jumping double stomp. Drago is sent to the corner but drop-toe-holds Aerostar onto the second turnbuckle. Drago gets 2 off a modified Codebreaker. A 619 on the top takes Drago to the floor while Aerostar hops up on the second rope, springboards with one foot and flies over onto Drago – that was as daring as it was exciting! Aerostar gets caught on a leapfrog and goes for a double backflip, but gets dropkicked right in the face. He goes to the floor and takes a corkscrew dive by Drago, a move which Vampiro attributes to the late Hector Garza. Aerostar gets a handspring elbow and a 2 count. Drago gets a back kick and in a thing of beauty hits a running blockbuster/DDT combo for the win. It looked like he was broken in half! Drago picks him up, checks on him and shakes his hand afterwards. Classy. I think he might have been genuinly worried that he broke his neck. Both men won in this match and that is something you rarely see today in the world of wrestling. This was a crazy highlight reel match that is well worth going out of your way to see.

WINNER: Drago at 4:14

Backstage Fenix is training and we see Catrina come up to him. She asks him why the tattoo is on his chest, if it prevents him from having nightmares. “What can scare a man that can’t die” she adds. Then she does the unthinkable and kisses him, telling him to keep it between them because if it gets out, Mil Mascaras will bury them both. I’m digging the suspense. Mundo comes down from the entrance way, and Cage follows wearing the title belt as a necklace. Ladies and gentlemen it is time for our main event.

February 6, 2015
WWE RAW Pros And Cons (2/2/15)

After being postponed last week due to snow, the good ole live, in-ring version of Raw was back last night, emanating from the Mile High City. The company was back in full force, with Triple H making a “major announcement” and a big main event between Seth Rollins and Daniel Bryan. Without further ado, here are the pros and cons from last night’s episode of Raw.

Pros

The clear highlight of the night was the main event between Seth Rollins and Daniel Bryan. Anytime you get two guys with this type of talent in the same ring, you know you’re in for a treat. They certainly didn’t disappoint either, pulling off a number of impressive spots and exhibiting impeccable chemistry. The spot of the match was probably Rollins countering Bryan’s Running Knee finisher into a Powerbomb. In the end, Bryan picked up the win and will face Roman Reigns at Fast Lane for a chance to go to WrestleMania (more on this later).

The second best part of the night was probably the segment involving Curtis Axel and Dean Ambrose. It’s sad when the first thing Axel has to say when coming out is, “Don’t change the channel.” It’s like he’s a mind reader or something. Anyway, it was hilarious to see Ambrose quickly toss Axel over the top rope before telling him he’s now eliminated. Even more exciting was that Ambrose called out Bad News Barrett. This is a program that really needs to happen, as Ambrose is the type of guy who could bring some prestige back to the Intercontinental Title after the company has played hot potato with it over the past few years.

Bray Wyatt had a big night. His match with Dolph Ziggler was incredible, and it was nice to see two guys who don’t work together much get a chance to shine. Wyatt hit a devastating Sister Abigail that Ziggler sold better than anyone to end the match. Later in the night, he cut a promo saying things like, “I am the new face of fear” and, “We cannot wait to see you again.” It looks like they are going with the rumored Wyatt/Taker program for WrestleMania and I, for one, cannot wait. If only they had gone this route last year instead of wasting the streak on a part-timer…

Rusev’s beating of Rowan and post-match promo was money. I absolutely love this guy and he played off of the Russian flag miscue perfectly. Please push this guy to the top and don’t feed him to Cena.

Jimmy Uso and Cesaro looked great together. The highlights were a Cesaro Swing into a Half Crab and a brutal uppercut to end the contest. It was nice to see Cesaro pick up a victory, but the only downside was that they are already teasing tension between Cesaro and Kidd. I’d like to see these guys stick together for a while and get a run with the titles.

Finally, the Miz/Mizdow promo was absolutely hilarious. It was nice to see the Miz berate his now former stunt double and put the wheels in motion for a breakup. Here’s to hoping for a payoff at WrestleMania.

February 3, 2015
The Power Of Cancellation: Implications Of #CancelWWENetwork

I’m a massive fan of the WWE Network. I’ve been a subscriber since day one, I truly believe it’s a great value, and do not think fans should cancel the service. However, if fans are truly dissatisfied with the current state of the WWE, there is absolutely no better way to voice displeasure with the company than by cancelling service.

Since becoming a publicly traded company, the WWE has had to deal with an entity that is even more demanding and impatient than hardcore fans: shareholders. Indeed, the company could be on top of the world one day and hit rock bottom the next. With the WWE Network, the company has essentially put all (or at least most) of its eggs in a single basket.

By offering the company’s monthly pay-per-view for only $9.99, the WWE has decimated their former pay-per-view model. Who’s going to buy those $14.99 DVDs anymore when you can see the content a week later (along with thousands of hours of additional content) for only $9.99? In short, aside from television deals for Raw and Smackdown, merchandise sales, and live shows, the WWE Network, for all intents and purposes, is now the WWE.

The WWE fans are not idiots. Following the disastrous Royal Rumble, you didn’t see #DontWatchRawTomorrow or #StopBuyingWWEMerch trending. No, instead they went right for the heart with #CancelWWENetwork. It was trending during and after Sunday’s Rumble, and I can imagine Vince McMahon thought he was hallucinating when he woke up the next morning and saw it was still a top trend.

Needless to say, the WWE went into full-on damage control mode yesterday, releasing the latest WWE Network subscriber numbers a few weeks early. It was originally announced that the company would release the latest numbers on February 12^th as part of the latest earnings report.

They clearly wanted to stop the bleeding, announcing they have surpassed one million Network subscribers. The news was well received too, as WWE stock shot up almost 20 percent on Tuesday following the announcement.

January 28, 2015
WWE Royal Rumble 2015 Reaction: Highs, Lows, Results & Random Thoughts

WWE’s 28^th edition of the Royal Rumble PPV took place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and featured a total of five matches (excluding the kickoff show). The reigning, defending WWE World Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar put his title on the line in the Triple Threat match against John Cena and Mr. Money in the Bank Seth Rollins.

The Royal Rumble match ended the show and like every year – was filled with multiple surprises. However, did these surprises hurt or improve the show? Which superstar returned to the WWE after a lengthy hiatus?

With all that being said, here are my overall highs, lows and random thoughts on the 2015 Royal Rumble PPV:

BEST MATCH: The Triple Threat WWE World Heavyweight Title match was the Best Match of the night. All three men looked incredibly strong, especially Seth Rollins. Lesnar looked beastly, Rollins was the bright light and John Cena was the glue that held everything together. Just some of the many highlights include Cena hitting foreign moves like a Pop-Up Power Bomb and a Spread Leg Scoop Suplex and Rollins soaring beautifully through the air with a devastating elbow drop to Lesnar who was sprawled out on the Spanish announce table. The match was fast-paced and entertaining from start to finish.

WORST MATCH: The Bella Twins vs. Natalya & Paige was by far the Worst Match of the night. There were multiple botches, strange and awkward maneuvers and Brie screaming Brie mode – just to name a few of the disappointing actions that took place throughout the match. Also, we didn’t even see Nikki hit her massive Rack-Attack finisher. Instead, Nikki pinned Natalya via pinfall after hitting a forearm smash.

BEST PROMO: Paul Heyman suggesting that Brock Lesnar would solve the Sting problem was the Best Promo of the night. In fact, it was the only lengthy promo of the night aside from the Rock and Roman Reigns answering questions – but that occurred after the Royal Rumble was off the air.

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler not making it to the final four of the Royal Rumble along with Bubba Ray Dudley returning to the WWE was the Most Shocking Moment of the night. I’ve been a big fan of Bubba’s work, especially the past five years in TNA where he became a legit single’s competitor. It’s great to see him return to the WWE and I’m interested to see if he and R-Truth will form a tag team or if he will finish his career as a single’s guy.The Rock helping Roman Reigns after the Royal Rumble match was great, but kind of expected thanks to the rumblings on dirt-sheets and social media.

January 25, 2015
2015 WWE Royal Rumble Preview And Predictions

Poll: Who Will Win The 2015 WWE Royal Rumble?

Tonight, fans will be treated to perhaps the most exciting sixty-plus minutes of action all year. Bodies will be flying, dreams will be shattered, and ultimately, one man will punch his ticket to WrestleMania. However, there are still many questions to be answered before we start discussing ‘Mania. Most importantly, here is how I believe this Sunday’s Royal Rumble will play out.

The New Day vs. Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Adam Rose

It’s sad to see Kidd and Cesaro once again relegated to the pre-show, but at least they are getting some airtime, I suppose. On one hand, I expect Adam Rose to find a way to screw things up and cost Kidd and Cesaro the match. With that said, the New Day got the upper hand on Raw by picking up a clean victory, so based on WWE logic, it’s Kidd and Cesaro’s turn to win.

Winners: Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Adam Rose by pinfall

The Usos (Tag Team Champions) vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow

Am I going crazy, or have we seen this matchup way too often in recent months? It seems unlikely that Miz and Mizdow would pick up the titles shortly after dropping them, especially as they continue to tease tension between the two. I think Miz once again tries to steal the show and refuses to tag Mizdow, eventually costing the team the match. This will further tension between the partners, eventually resulting in a breakup and payoff match at WrestleMania.

Winners: The Usos by pinfall

Paige and Natalya vs. The Bella Twins

This was basically slopped together so there’s not much to analyze or discuss. Either Paige or Natalya (whichever they want to challenge for the Divas Championship next month) forces Nikki to submit for the win.

Winners: Paige and Natalya by submission

January 23, 2015
Five Non-Royal Rumble Matches That Stole The Show

This time of year is always thought of as the “Road to Wrestlemania” and is supposed to be a moment in which a career is made, a legacy is increased, or a hall of fame spot is cemented. With such a grand prize at the helm, it’s no wonder the Royal Rumble is one of the most anticipated matches of the year. Between the surprise returns, the elimination teases, the underlying stories, or the sheer number of superstars in the ring at one time, there’s no denying the excitement that the January event brings with it. This Sunday will host the latest installment of the event, which is sure to thrill, as Seth Rollins joins John Cena and Brock Lesnar in a battle for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The build-up for this match thus far has been amazing, with each superstar taking turns to look as good as possible, with Lesnar being the most recent destroyer.

But the best part about the Royal Rumble is that it’s more than just a match; it’s a full-scale event, complete with it’s own card, stories, and unique twists. In fact, some of the best matches in WWE history took place at this battlefield, and a few times in history, those matches overshadowed the Rumble itself. When you’re not one of the thirty men in the match, you have to take matters into your own hands. You have to make sure that the fans don’t forget about you, and you have to make sure that you compete at a level that you may only reach once or twice a year. Just as Cena, Rollins, and Lesnar look to do this Sunday night, superstars in the past went out there to steal the show, and make sure the Rumble didn’t steal their spotlight. Let’s take a look at the top-five matches that stole the Royal Rumble.

#5. Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt, 2014.

What was otherwise a disappointing Royal Rumble was fortunate enough to see one of the best one on one match-ups in Royal Rumble history. I was lucky enough to be just five rows away from this incredible match when it happened, and even now as I look back on it, it was by far the best live match I have ever seen. Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt met after weeks and weeks of build-up, which included Bryan joining the Wyatt family for a brief period of time, as well as a series of other strange and unusual situations. Disappointingly, the overall feud itself mostly fizzled, as Wyatt was not truly portrayed as a cult leader, and Bryan was portrayed as a hero who moved too quickly through the events that unfolded. The truth was, Bryan being so over made it impossible to capitalize on him becoming a heel in the Wyatt family, so the plug was pulled prematurely, and the feud ended up changing neither man for the better or worse.

While the feud itself may have been sub-par and disappointing, Bryan and Wyatt proved that night that they had chemistry in the ring, and understood each other completely. It was a match filled with high-risk spots, high-impact moves, and false finishes, and eventually saw Wyatt taking the win. Some of the best moments included Wyatt nailing the “Sister Abigail” on the barricade, Bryan selling a Wyatt clothesline like a champion, and Bryan nailing a number of suicide dives.

#4. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels, 2004.

A lot of people look back at RAW from 2002-2004 as Triple H’s “reign of terror.” He was the 2002 Royal Rumble winner, and somewhat exclusively traded World Championships back and forth with Shawn Michaels and others between then and 2005. 2003 also saw the rise of “Evolution”, a group dedicated to keeping Triple H on top of WWE, which took over most of the Monday Night Raw storytelling up until Wrestlemania 21. Despite Michaels and Triple H being one of the best feuds of all time, this period in history is widely looked at with a negative annotation, usually referred to as “boring” or “predictable.”

However, despite the criticism, there’s no denying that Triple H and Shawn Michaels put on some of the best matches throughout the early 2000’s, and on that list is their Last Man Standing match from the 2004 Royal Rumble. It was a match that followed months of assaults, abuse, torture, injuries, and bad blood, and led to one of the best Last Man Standing matches of all time. Michaels and Triple H put each other through hell and back, and then some, and overshadowed not just the Rumble match itself, but the entire event. (Not to mention, WWE would most likely want you to forget who won that year.)

For the full build-up promo video, click here:

January 23, 2015
Looking At A Ton Of Royal Rumble Statistics & Records

The annual WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view, which features the highly entertaining Royal Rumble match itself, a match concept that was created by veteran WWE executive Pat Patterson, takes place this Sunday night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Rumble match is a unique version of a Battle Royal, where two men enter the ring, and in timed intervals, which have ranged from one minute to three minutes over the years, new competitors will enter the match. To be eliminated from the match you must be thrown over the top rope, with both feet hitting the floor. This continues until there is only one man standing. The Rumble winner then goes on to receive a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match, usually at the WrestleMania pay-per-view later in the year.

The Royal Rumble is a rare match concept in that it is one of few where rabid wrestling fans will analyze it inside and out. Statistics are a big part of the Rumble, as nearly every year since the match began, fans will look at stats such as who eliminated the most competitors, who lasted in the match the longest, who lasted the least amount of time, and so on and so forth. We saw an example of the statistics craze in a cool video package on Monday’s RAW (which you can check out by clicking here).

On the next page, we’ve compiled a number of interesting statistics related to the annual event, which since 1988 has been one of the “big four” pay-per-views in WWE. Let’s take a look at some interesting facts connected to the unique match.

January 21, 2015
One Year Ago: The 2014 WWE Royal Rumble

A lot can change over the course of a year, especially in the WWE. At last year’s Royal Rumble, Batista earned the opportunity to headline WrestleMania, going from fan favorite to Bootista in a matter of moments.

It will be Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, and a whole slew of others hoping to earn that opportunity this time around, as the card for this Sunday’s Royal Rumble appears to be officially set. Here is a look at the superstars who have taken a leap forward over the past year, as well as those who have taken a step backward.

Progression

1. The Shield

Nobody has progressed over the past year more than the three men who formerly comprised The Shield. Roman Reigns set the record for the most eliminations at last year’s Rumble, although he was never really seen as a serious threat to win it all. This time around, he’s the odds-on favorite to win the Rumble and headline WrestleMania.

Reigns eliminated his former partners at last year’s event as a means to tease tension between the former Hounds of Justice. Both of those men have moved onto better things. Seth Rollins will be challenging for the title this time around, and Ambrose is seen as one of the most credible entrants in the Royal Rumble match. Believe that.

2. Brock Lesnar

Lesnar destroyed Big Show’s back at last year’s Rumble, walloping him with a chair about 50 times in a match that lasted two minutes. His character’s direction was unclear at the time, having engaged in various feuds in 2013 that didn’t really go anywhere, largely due to Lesnar’s limited schedule.

A few accomplishments have been added to his resume since last time around. Most importantly, he apparently broke some sort of WrestleMania undefeated streak that fans held dear to their hearts. Cena and Rollins will attempt to slay the Beast this year, as he comes in as WWE World Heavyweight Champion and undisputed top dog in the company.

January 21, 2015
Pros And Cons: WWE Raw (1/19)

Last night’s Raw was held in Dallas, TX and was the final episode before the Royal Rumble. There were plenty of surprises, and after weeks of terrible programming, perhaps the biggest shocker was that the company put on an episode of Raw that wasn’t half bad. Without further ado, here are this week’s pros and cons.

Pros

There were a few highlights to choose from, but for me, the final segment easily takes the top spot. The action during the contest was commendable, but the real excitement occurred after the match. Sting’s appearance was completely unexpected, especially an in age where nearly everything is spoiled online beforehand. The Stinger looked great (much better than he did at Survivor Series, imo) and held the pose long enough to make everyone wonder if it was a picture to distract the Authority, or whether he was really in attendance.

Fans quickly found out the answer, making a match between Triple H and Sting at WrestleMania all but official. Sting’s appearance, followed by Lesnar’s destruction of everything in sight, was an amazing way to end the show and sell Sunday’s Rumble. Speaking of Lesnar, the crowd is dying to cheer this guy. He could have a monster face run if he decides to stick around after ‘Mania.

A close second goes to the nWo reunion. The Ascension is completely laughable and unconvincing as intimating heels (Hall was straight-up laughing at them throughout the segment). I predict they will be dancing on the WWE comedy circuit within a year. With that said, it was awesome to see JBL finally take out his anger on these fools. It was hard not to mark out at the Clothesline From Hell, and it was pleasant to see actual planning and some sort of payoff for once.

The legends panel was decent, even if it’s the same three guys that are there every time a group of legends rolls into town. However, it was nice to see three Rumble winners talk about their victories, with Shawn Michaels saying, “There would be no Mr. WrestleMania without the Royal Rumble.” It was also humorous to watch Big Show bring up talking points from about two decades prior and refer to anyone as “three washed-up has-beens.”

In terms of wrestling action, the best match of the night, in my opinion, was Dean Ambrose and Bad News Barrett. These two had good chemistry and pulled off a number of impressive spots. In particular, Ambrose’s reversal of Wasteland into Dirty Deeds was an awesome way to end the match. I wouldn’t mind seeing these guys work a program for the IC Title at WrestleMania.

Finally, Sandow posing as X-Pac backstage was absolutely hilarious. This guy deserves bigger and better things. Hopefully the company comes to the same realization before it’s too late.

January 20, 2015
Five Things WWE Must Make Happen In 2015

There are a lot of words that could be used to describe WWE’s 2014 campaign, and some of them are better than others. While the 2014 year did give us some great moments, like Wrestlemania 30, or the squash of John Cena, it was also filled with moments that left us scratching our heads, and planting our faces in our hands. Understandably, not everything a major promotion like WWE does will be a success, but there’s a big difference between something failing, and something going neglected.

WWE had a number of chances to do big things last year, like pushing Cesaro to the main event, or building on the destruction of The Shield, that they simply did not capitalize on, or at least not to the level they were capable of doing. Because of this, a lot of people are afraid that WWE 2015 may suffer some of the same fates, and it very well could, if in the following year, some of the same decisions are made. If WWE wants to avoid the path of decline, and produce a gripping, fan-friendly product, than they must do the following five things:

5. WWE Must Improve Its Booking.

It was brought to my attention by Reddit’s top wrestling community, /r/SquaredCircle recently that, not counting battle royals or one on one matches, The Usos have faced the Rhodes Brothers over twenty times across the last year. To put that to scale, let’s say The Usos & The Rhodes Brothers have one tag match a week for twenty weeks. This means that, on RAW, you would see The Usos face The Rhodes Brothers from January to April / May every single week. That is almost half a year that you would see the same match over and over again. From a practical standpoint, let alone an entertainment standpoint, this is absolutely unacceptable. Putting the same four superstars in the same match over and over again is boring. Imagine if John Cena and Randy Orton fought every single week for almost half a year. Oh, wait…

You may also remember the stipulations leading up to Hell in a Cell; John Cena and Dean Ambrose had a match to determine who would get Seth Rollins, as each man felt like they had a legitimate quarrel to settle. Dean Ambrose ended up winning, and going on to Hell in a Cell to face Rollins, but the very next night on RAW, the main event was John Cena vs. Seth Rollins. Combined with the dirty finish at Hell in a Cell which set up an average-at-best feud between Ambrose and Bray Wyatt that also somehow erased that past number of months from Dean Ambrose’s head, John Cena circumventing the event and going right after Rollins the next night basically rendered all of October meaningless.

If 2015 is going to be better than 2014, one thing that must change is bookings. New match-ups and match possibilities must be created. The same seven or eight people cannot be used week in and week out for main events. Titles cannot just go back and forth, especially between two or three people. WWE must take the time and seriously commit resources to increasing the depth of their show, and the number of people invested in the main angles of the product. Otherwise, we may see yet another Gold & Stardust vs. The Usos half-year battle.

4. John Cena Must Begin Playing A Smaller Role.

When Daniel Bryan was injured last May, John Cena stepped in and replaced him in the title picture. At the time, I was upset by this because it felt like they were trying to use Bryan’s popularity to push a stale product who was already over, but in retrospect it easily made the most sense; John Cena is a reliable, proven commodity, who can not only handle singles feuds, but carry them, and with the direction WWE was heading, there was no way they could have chanced that spot with an unproven rising star like Reigns or Wyatt.

However, as of Smackdown tonight, Daniel Bryan is back in action, and barring something like a re-aggravation of his injury or bad writing decisions, his rise to the top is almost guaranteed. The truth is, there is plenty of money to still be milked from the “Ultimate Underdog Daniel Bryan” angle, and only a fool would miss a chance to milk that cow while it’s prime. What that means is that Daniel Bryan must take back his spot from John Cena. Otherwise, it won’t feel authentic, and it wouldn’t be nearly as interesting or gripping as it needs to be. If Daniel Bryan stays in the shadow, there’s no sense of urgency, or worth. He’s just another name. An over name, but just a name all the same.

January 16, 2015
WWE NXT Report Card (1/14)

The WWE’s next generation was back in class last night, meaning it’s time to grade their performances. Matches will be graded based on usual factors such as workrate, in-ring psychology, crowd involvement, and overall impact on the storyline. Important promos will also be graded based on entertainment value, believability, and originality.

Without further ado, here is this week’s NXT Report Card.

Tyson Kidd vs. Finn Balor

This week’s show kicked off in a big way, as two of the most talented athletes in NXT locked up. Balor came out firing, going for the diving double foot stomp just seconds into the match.

Kidd eventually took control and slowed the match to a methodical pace, at one point driving Balor through the barricade into about the third row. Balor eventually turned it around after hitting the move Alex Riley so eloquently described as a “floating, spinning neckbreaker of some kind.”

After delivering a kick to the head and hitting a somersault over the top rope to the floor, Balor dominated the rest of the contest (aside from a minor Kidd offensive), eventually picking up the victory after hitting a diving double foot stomp.

Result: Finn Balor wins via pinfall

Analysis: Most importantly, I think it’s awesome that Tyson’s gimmick is basically a guy who loves cats and Beats headphones. With that said, these two worked very well together. The action was fast paced for the most part, and it was nice to see Balor get the win. He definitely needed the win more, and as much as I love seeing Balor and Itami together, I’m hoping he starts his solo career in the near future.

Grade: B+

January 15, 2015