Category: Editorials and Features

Pros And Cons: WWE Raw (1/12)

Last night’s episode of Raw was held in the Big Easy, and it’s obvious that the company knew they were going up against the CFP Championship because they seemed to be holding something back all night. Anyway, here are the pros and cons from last night’s episode of Raw.

Pros

The best thing to come out of last night’s show was the announcement that the “Macho Man” Randy Savage will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. It’s about time one of the most talented and influential superstars of all-time takes his rightful place amongst fellow legends. Some will probably complain about the choice to have Hogan induct Savage, but as someone who loved the Mega Powers as a child, I think it’s a good choice and has the potential to be a touching and heartfelt tribute to one of the company’s most iconic figures.

I wasn’t expecting a ton out of the New Day vs. Kidd/Cesaro matchup, but it turned out to be one of the better contests of the night. Kidd and Cesaro worked well together, with the Cesaro Swing into a dropkick spot being particularly impressive. It would have been nice to see Kidd and Cesaro pick up the win, but I guess it’s a minor victory just to see them on television.

The recurring promos featuring Dean Ambrose and the doctor were certainly humorous. Ambrose seems like a natural actor and really at ease on camera, so it’s nice to see him get a chance to show off his talent. The promos were entertaining and it was an original way to have Ambrose gain entry into the Royal Rumble.

Finally, it was nice to see Daniel Bryan back in the city where he captured the title at last year’s WrestleMania. The interactions between Bryan and Stephanie were on point, especially when she tried to present Bryan with her crappy workout DVD. It was finally announced that Bryan would make his return to the ring against Kane on SmackDown this Thursday. As Kane approached the ring, Bryan dove threw the ropes and took out the Devil’s Favorite Demon before celebrating with the crowd.

January 13, 2015
Legitimate Contenders In This Year’s Royal Rumble

The most exciting sixty-plus minutes of wrestling action is only a few weeks away, where bodies will assuredly be flying over the top rope, Kofi Kingston will likely avoid defeat in dramatic fashion at least once, and one superstar will walk away with a spot in the main event at WrestleMania.

However, although thirty men ostensibly have a chance to headline the biggest event of the year, even the most delusional fan realizes there are only a handful of competitors who are legitimate contenders to walk away victorious. Here are those men.

Odds-On Favorite: Roman Reigns

After his record-breaking performance last year, the Powerhouse is easily the favorite to win it all in 2015. Even though there are still questions regarding Reigns’ ability to headline a major pay-per-view such as WrestleMania, it appears the company is ready to pull the trigger on what they apparently believe to be their next big thing.

Assuming the company goes this route, they need to be careful, because the crowd could easily turn on Reigns in a situation similar to last year’s Rumble. If fans think the Pittsburgh crowd was harsh toward Batista last year, try putting Reigns over Bryan in the city whose fans at one point pelted Santa Claus with snowballs. Trust me, it won’t be pretty.

January 10, 2015
Pros And Cons: WWE Raw (1/5)

Last night’s Raw was the first of 2015 and the company started the year not with a bang but with a whimper. The show was held in Corpus Christi, TX, and it’s unclear whether the audience was drugged prior to filming, because it was probably the most silent crowd I’ve ever heard at a WWE event. Without further ado, here are the pros and cons from last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw.

Pros

The clear highlight of the night was the Ambulance Match between Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt. As always, the two worked pretty well together and delivered a few memorable spots. The ending felt just a bit sloppy, but the rest of the match more than made up for it. In all, it was good to see Wyatt come out on top, as he needed the win more than Ambrose. This program has been one of the only good things going over the past few weeks, so it’s kind of sad to see it come to an end.

Another clear highlight was the Intercontinental Championship match. It was a good way for the Authority to exact revenge against Ziggler, and the 2-out-of-3 falls swerve was decent. It’s also nice to see that the company still has confidence in Bad News Barrett, and this hopefully means that Ziggler will move into the main event picture permanently.

It was nice to see the program actually have an intro and pryo again. This is a minor complaint, but the intro-less format felt really cheap, with it simply going to a lifeless Michael Cole saying, “Welcome to Raw” while panning over the crowd. Unfortunately, the intro and pyro will probably be gone next week due to budget cuts.

Adding Seth Rollins to the main event at the Royal Rumble was brilliant. With Rollins essentially having two chances to win the title in a few weeks, it provides many booking possibilities. My interest level in the main event went from nonexistent to moderately intrigued in a matter of seconds.

Booker T on commentary was a nice change of pace. Hopefully King is well soon, but they really need to shake up the commentary team. I wouldn’t mind seeing Booker become a regular at the table again.

The Kane/Rollins vs. Ryback match was somewhat entertaining but nothing to write home about. The double Curb Stomp was at least a decent finish.

Finally, it was nice to see the company giving guys more time to cut backstage promos. Rusev, Reigns, Ambrose, Wyatt, and possibly a few superstars whom I’m forgetting all received promo time last night. Good to see the company letting the talent speak instead of filling that time with ads or plugs for the Network.

January 6, 2015
The Time Is Now To Embrace Attitude

The WWE is always harping on about the Attitude Era. If they’re not plugging their “critically acclaimed” Monday Night War series, they are gloating about past successes while subtly bashing a long-dead company. However, despite the company’s love of the Attitude Era, there’s a considerable lack of attitude anywhere within the company.

When the company first announced the WWE Network, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to cash in on nostalgic fans eager to relive the glory days. After all, those kids that grew up in the 90s watching Austin and the Rock were now adults with college degrees and full-time jobs, so it seemed like a no brainer to try to reel in old fans that departed over the past decade.

Cena is still the top guy in the company, but at age 37, it’s obvious his days are numbered.

During the lead-up to the Network launch, it was promised that every pay-per-view and episode of Raw would be available within a few months of launch. Nearly a year later, the Attitude Era is practically nonexistent. Sure, the pay-per-views are all there, but the most controversial and memorable moments of that era typically occurred on Raw.

By even the most conservative estimates, the Attitude Era started in 1997 (some would say it started at the 1996 King of the Ring, but I won’t go back that far). As of today, there are 20 episodes in total from the years 1997 through 2001, including the episode where Vince McMahon purchased WCW, which essentially marked the end of the era. A lot of the most controversial and memorable moments are also conveniently missing, such as Brian Pillman pulling a gun on Austin, the infamous Bret screwed Bret promo, and Bret Hart’s profanity-laced tirade in March of 1997.

In contrast, there are 45 episodes from 1993 alone, and it’s not like the company is uploading the episodes in order because they also uploaded the entire year of 2012 and random episodes from various years. It undoubtedly takes time to convert old episodes of Raw into a format that is suitable for widescreen televisions, but it seems like there is really no rush to upload the content.

Instead of creating the same episode of Monday Night War 20 times, they should instead show the stories that inspired the mind-numbingly boring series. While uploading the content, the company should also take a moment to revisit the past, because there are a lot of similarities between today’s product and the era that immediately preceded the Attitude Era, which I refer to as the In Your House Era.

January 5, 2015
10 Superstars & Divas Ready To Strike Gold In 2015

For better or worse, it’s a new year. Everyone starts with a fresh slate, New Year’s resolutions are in effect, and generally speaking, people try to better themselves for the first week of the year before giving up the futile expedition.

Things are no different in the WWE, as every superstar will be trying to reach the next level in 2015. Here are ten superstars who will strike gold in 2015 by capturing a title that was previously unattainable.

10. Charlotte

Although her debut on the main roster was less than memorable, Charlotte has the potential to revolutionize the Divas division. As seen in NXT, the daughter of the Nature Boy can easily put on entertaining 15+ minute matches any night of the week. It’s now up to the WWE to let the talented women of NXT show what they can do on a regular basis. Charlotte will help to legitimize the Divas division a bit in 2015 by capturing the Divas Championship.

9. Sasha Banks

Charlotte and Sasha Banks put on one of the best Divas matches in the history of WWE a few weeks back at R Evolution. It appears “The Boss” is next in line for the throne in the NXT Women’s division, meaning she will capture the title after Charlotte leaves NXT in 2015.

January 3, 2015
The Return Of The Authority: Best For Business?

Where I’m from, local residents occasionally use the phrase “lazy man’s load.” If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it involves straining oneself by carrying multiple bags of groceries from the car in order to save a trip. Based on last night’s episode of Raw, I’m starting to wonder if WWE creative lives in my neighborhood.

As most know by now, the Authority is back in power in the WWE. We all knew they would be back in some shape or form, but most (myself included) did not expect them to be back so soon. So, was bringing the Authority back best for business?

The company appears to be laying the groundwork for a Triple H/Sting match at WrestleMania.

It is hard to deny that Raw has been directionless over the past few weeks. One week we had Daniel Bryan making matches, next fans were subjected to a stupid podium that decided to show up for a week or two, and finally we had Hogan dressed as Santa Claus calling the shots. In short, the shows were all over the place, and for the most part, just plain bad.

That isn’t a knock on the superstars, as they did everything they could to make the shows entertaining. Instead, it’s a knock on creative because they are unable to adapt from their comfort zone. For the past year, nearly every major storyline has focused on the Authority, and it seemed that creative was lost without their tried-and-true conflict creative device.

With that said, I suppose it is necessary to bring the Authority back into power to set up a potential match between Sting and Triple H at WrestleMania. It definitely appears that Sting’s first match in the WWE will be against the Game, so it makes more sense to have Sting deal the final blow to the Authority than to have Triple H request a match to exact revenge even though he’s no longer in power.

December 30, 2014
Ranking Every 2014 Pay-Per-View (Part 2/2)

As promised, here are the top pay-per-view events from 2014.

8. NXT Takeover

This event started off sluggish but certainly ended with a string of entertaining matches. In particular, the match between Tyler Breeze and Sami Zayn featured solid in-ring work and highlighted why both of these guys could succeed if given the opportunity.

The real treat during this pay-per-view, however, was the final two matches of the evening. The match between Charlotte and Natalya for the vacant NXT Women’s Championship was probably the most technically sound women’s match I’ve ever seen, and the main event between Neville and Tyson Kidd was the perfect way to end the show. In my opinion, this was the event that made fans realize NXT is more than simply a developmental league for the main roster.

Worst Match: Adam Rose vs. Camacho

Best Match: Charlotte vs. Natalya

7. Payback

There was some worry heading into this one, largely due to the absence of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The event would carry on just fine without the title, however. It started off strong with a bruising contest between Sheamus and Cesaro.

From there, the Last Man Standing match was entertaining, even if it would have been nice to see Wyatt pick up the victory. With that said, this pay-per-view is all about the main event. It was an awesome 30-minute affair that featured memorable spots, brutal action, and a decisive Shield victory. This was also important because it would set up Seth Rollins’ heel turn the next night on Raw.

Worst Match: Bo Dallas vs. Kofi Kingston

Best Match: The Shield vs. Evolution

December 23, 2014
Ranking Every 2014 Pay-Per-View (Part 1/2)

2014 is coming to a close. Aside from two episodes of Raw that most likely be forgettable, fans have seen everything the WWE has to offer this year. Here is a look back at all 16 pay-per-views (including NXT), with each event ranked and summarized.

16. Battleground

This event took place during July, and boy was it a hot mess. The opening contest between the Usos and Wyatt Family was money, but it was downhill from there, as fans were subjected to one dud contest after another.

The biggest mistakes involved advertising a Rollins/Ambrose match that didn’t take place, and using the same predictable ending sequence during the main event. Overall, this was completely forgettable and easily the worst pay-per-view of the year.

Worst Match: Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt

Best Match: The Usos vs. The Wyatt Family

15. TLC

The final pay-per-view of the year was certainly not the best the company has to offer. Overall, this event suffered from a thin roster and overcomplicated booking. Like many pay-per-view events, it started off strong before derailing.

Ziggler and Harper stole the show during the opening contest. However, lame gimmicks (Stairs/Chairs Matches) and cheesy endings (Wyatt/Ambrose, Cena/Rollins) really held this event back and prevented it from being a success.

Worst Match: Ryback vs. Kane

Best Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper

December 22, 2014
WWE NXT Report Card (12/18)

The future of the WWE went to school last night, and I’m here to grade their performance. 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.

While this is supposed to act as a weekly report and recap for NXT, more importantly, it’s a place for you, the SEScoops readers, to discuss this week’s episode, dole out your own grades, and discuss the future of the product. Without further ado, here is this week’s NXT Report Card.

Adrian Neville/Kevin Owens Opening Promo

This was a pretty good way to start the show and the crowd really seemed to be into it. Neville did his best to make amends with the fans and put over Sami Zayn, saying things like, “We went to war” and “The better man won.”

Neville isn’t the strongest promo man in the game, but he did his best, even if he can be a bit redundant at times. Owens, on the other hand, cut an intense and articulate promo that seemed to have the crowd on the edge of their seats. Overall, it was a good way to start the show and set up the main event between Neville and Owens.

Grade: B+

Bayley vs. Becky Lynch

This one started off a bit sluggish, with most of the early action consisting of Bayley throwing punches and not utilizing many wrestling moves. The action picked up toward the end, however, with the ending sequence being particularly impressive. The counter into Lynch’s finisher was fresh and it worked well with the in-ring psychology due to Bayley’s injured knee.

Grade: B-

December 19, 2014
Top Ten NXT Superstars That Could Succeed On Main WWE Roster

Sometimes things work out. Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins.

Other times, things don’t. Adam Rose, Bo Dallas, Fandango.

After last week’s NXT Takeover: R Evolution special, which fans are still raving about a week later, it became crystal clear to me that WWE is developing a number of future Superstars that have the potential to lead the company into the next generation.

Today, we are going to look at ten current performers/acts in the NXT system that I feel have the best shot at achieving success on the main WWE roster. With that being said, lets jump right into the list at number ten….

#10. The Lucha Dragons

The Lucha Dragons — Kalisto and Sin Cara, two talents that as individuals could flourish, but as a unit, make up one of the best tag-teams in WWE’s developmental system. Their ring work is solid and entertaining. Crowd pleasing. The gimmick is another story, but unfortunately, with WWE being in the middle of their PG-era, gimmicks and characters such as these two are unavoidable.

With that being said, they are what they are, and that’s a great tag-team combination. They’re the Los Matadores, only better. That’s not a knock against them, despite the fact it could be seen as one. If they remain under their current gimmick, it’s pretty much a given that they’ll never reach past mid-card, comedy-team status, but like I said, we’re going to have that one way or the other. Since that’s the case, it might as well be two guys who are as talented as these two.

I think it’s a given that these two guys will eventually make it to the main roster, and equally as predictable is the way in which they’ll be used. They’ll be two guys in a tag-team division on the main WWE roster that isn’t worth much, but for whatever it is worth, these two guys have the potential to be among the top teams in the company. While that’s not saying much, it’s saying something, and in this day and age, you pretty much have to take what you can get if you’re an aspiring wrestler.

#9. Tyler Breeze

Much like The Lucha Dragons, I feel that Tyler Breeze is an extremely talented worker, but is unfortunately stuck in a lame-duck gimmick. On social media, I’ve read a lot of comments that makes it seem like fans are actually believers of the Tyler Breeze gimmick in the sense that it could actually go somewhere on the main roster.

I am not one of those believers.

I’m of the opinion that if Breeze jumps to the main roster and is used with the same exact character that he has now, it’s one that has a ceiling that comes with it. This type of character can only go so far. Think of talents like Fandango and Adam Rose and how they are positioned on the main roster, and you’ve got my opinion of how Breeze would be used in this type of role.

If they were to change his gimmick, he certainly has the potential to go further than this type of character would allow. He’s got the talent in the ring, he has a unique charisma about him and he’s got a great look. His promo work is decent, nothing to ride home about in my opinion, but he’s got enough tools to work with that if he was given a different type of character, it would be interesting to see how far he could take it. Maybe if they started a character-change in NXT and let it grow a bit, that would be the route to take in terms of preparing him for a call up to the big leagues.

Whether or not that ever happens is another subject entirely.

December 18, 2014
2014 Fourth Quarter Matches of the Year
2014 is quickly coming to an end. With only two weeks left in the year, fans have seen basically everything the WWE has to offer in 2014, for better or worse. In particular, the fourth quarter of 2014 was filled with exciting action, unexpected debuts, and a noticeable lack of WWE World Heavyweight Championship matches.

With all four quarters essentially “in the books” at this point, we want you to familiarize yourself with our picks from all four quarters. Next week, we are going to create a poll where you can vote on your pick for 2014 Match Of The Year.
With that said, here are the top five matches of the fourth quarter of 2014, complete with highlights where possible.
December 17, 2014
Pros and Cons: TLC 2014

TLC came and went last night, leaving behind a trail of broken tables, dented chairs, and fried television monitors. There were plenty of highlights last night, but the company certainly took a few missteps as well. Overall, here are the pros and cons from last night’s TLC pay-per-view.

Pros

The show got off to a hot start last night with the ladder match. Ziggler and Harper really gave everything they had, as both were men were bruised and bloodied by the end of the contest. There were a number of memorable spots (especially when Harper catapulted Ziggler into the ropes with the ladder), and overall, it ranked up there with some of the best ladder matches in company history. Amazing way to start the show, and unfortunately for WWE, the rest of the show paled in comparison.

Ambrose and Wyatt also put on an amazing show. This was about as brutal as it gets during the PG era, with Ambrose leaping from the top of a ladder to drive Wyatt through a table on multiple occasions. It was also nice to see the company have the confidence to let these guys close the show, although the ending was less than desirable (more on that later).

As expected, Damien Mizdow was over big time with the crowd, with the fans even booing Miz in his hometown of Cleveland in favor of Sandow. I couldn’t help but crack up when Mizdow started emulating the half crab on the apron. The guy has major star potential, and he and the Miz play perfectly off of one another.

Although the booking was atrocious, Rollins proved why he is a future star during his match with John Cena. Join me in the “Cons” section to read more about this one.

Finally, I thought it was a decent decision to have Nikki Bella retain the title, and honestly, it was far from being the worst match of the night. It seems like the company has being playing hot potato with the Divas Championship since AJ Lee’s long title reign ended so it’s nice to see the title stay around someone’s waist for more than a month.

December 15, 2014
TLC 2014 Preview and Predictions

The final pay-per-view of 2014 is only a few hours away, and there should be enough tables, ladders, and chairs to fill a large dining hall. (I’m not entirely sure that I’ve seen a ladder in a college dining hall, but whatever.) The card will feature a total of nine matches, including a main event featuring Seth Rollins and John Cena. With that said, here are my predictions for this Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view.

The New Day vs. Gold and Stardust

The New Day hasn’t done much since returning from a brief hiatus, as they’ve been largely relegated to SmackDown and other programs that aren’t worth watching. However, they’ve looked impressive the few times they’ve been on Raw and all three are above average workers. The New Day has more to gain from a win here, so I’m expecting Big E finish off Stardust after hitting the Big Ending.

Winners: The New Day by pinfall

Ryback vs. Kane (Chairs Match)

Each December, fans can usually look forward to a Chairs Match at TLC. It’s like receiving a Christmas gift you didn’t request or care to receive. You put a smile on your face, do your best to enjoy it, but nine times out of ten, it ends in disappointment. This year’s edition should be no different. Nobody would want to see these guys square off in a singles contest, and throwing a few chairs into the mix will do little to save it. Ryback will win after a “brutal” match where the two exchange chair shots to the back for ten minutes.

Winner: Ryback by pinfall

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

This contest should be an entertaining way to fill ten to fifteen minutes of the midcard. Mizdow is perhaps the hottest thing in WWE right now, so I expect he and the Miz to go over. However, it likely won’t be without some dissension. Overall, this should be an entertaining contest with a lot of back and forth action. If booked correctly, it should advance the tension between Miz and Mizdow, hopefully leading to a payoff at WrestleMania.

Winners: The Miz and Damien Mizdow by pinfall

December 13, 2014
WWE TLC 2014: 5 Potential Shockers

WWE will attempt to deliver an early Christmas present this Sunday during its annual TLC pay-per-view. It will be the last pay-per-view of 2014, and should also be the last special event before Brock Lesnar’s return to the ring. The card is set, but how will it play out? Here are 5 potential shockers for Sunday’s TLC.

5. Mizdow Turns on The Miz

It seems obvious that the Miz and his stunt double will be breaking up sooner rather than later, and for good reason, as Mizdow is perhaps the most over superstar in the WWE.

There was tension once again during Monday’s Slammy Awards after the Miz accepted his partner’s award on his behalf. Although their time together seems to be limited, I’d be shocked if the two break up on Sunday. It would make more sense to have the dissolution occur at the Royal Rumble, setting up a WrestleMania payoff that could be one of the top matches on the midcard.

December 11, 2014
WWE TLC 2014: Solid on Paper

Last night on Raw, the WWE handed out some shiny plastic hardware, and more importantly, finalized the card for this Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view. With CM Punk badmouthing WWE before signing with UFC, and Brock Lesnar sitting at home while the title collects dust, it seems like the most exciting WWE-related action these days is taking place outside of the squared circle.

With that said, TLC actually looks like a solid pay-per-view on paper, especially considering it’s another event without a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.

Ziggler has performed well in ladder matches during his career. Will the Show Off steal the show on Sunday?

In general, gimmick pay-per-views can be pretty lame. With events such as Elimination Chamber, Hell in a Cell, TLC, and Extreme Rules, the stipulations often seem forced and predictable (Money in the Bank is the only exception). However, it seems like the gimmick could be highly beneficial this time around.

This is due to the fact that most of the matchups would be forgettable without a special stipulation. Take Ryback vs. Kane for example. Nobody wants to see a washed-up Libertarian and supposed steroid user battle in a regular singles contest; that’s the same garbage fans are served up every week on Raw. However, if the two are going to beat the hell out of each other with chairs, it increases the possibility (albeit slightly) that fans will remain interested.

The same holds true for Dolph Ziggler and Luke Harper. They are two of the better workers in the company, and they’d undoubtedly put on a great show without any gimmick at all, but the ladder match stipulation gives them the opportunity to completely steal the show.

Not only will the midcard benefit from the TLC gimmick, hardcore stipulations were necessary at the top of the card to get this event over with the fans. In particular, the tables match between John Cena and Seth Rollins should be one of the highlights of the night, as Cena will attempt to remain number one contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

December 9, 2014
Ranking Every TLC Pay-Per-View

Next Sunday, the WWE will dust off the tables, ladders, chairs, and apparently stairs for its annual hardcore spectacular. This year’s event will be held in Cleveland, Ohio and will be the sixth incarnation of the pay-per-view.

This will be only the second TLC pay-per-view to not feature a WWE Championship match, as Brock Lesnar is still sitting at home collecting a paycheck. In the past, the WWE has used this event to lay the groundwork for the Road to WrestleMania while providing a sense of finality to various feuds with the hardcore element. With that said, here is a look back at the first five TLC pay-per-view events.

December 5, 2014
Now THAT Is How You Get WWE Network Subscriptions

$9.99 a month.

We’ve heard it to death, but what do we actually get for that ten bucks?

Thus far, we’ve had a couple of cool shows — The Monday Night War and WWE Rivalries series, a couple of decent shows — WWE Countdown and WrestleMania Rewind, the pay-per-view events and NXT programming, as well as access to a bunch of old crap we’ve seen — and for the most part, can still see — 1,000 times on YouTube.

It sounds like a decent amount of programming when you list it out like that, but let’s be honest, the WWE Network isn’t what it could be.

Perfect example, last night’s live broadcast of the “Steve Austin Show” podcast with special guest, WWE Chairman — Vince McMahon.

Now THAT is how you get WWE Network subscriptions.

That was one of the first true examples of “must-see” programming on the WWE Network. Going in, you couldn’t know that ahead of time, although many expected it to be compelling programming, and luckily in this case, that’s exactly what it turned out to be.

Personally speaking, I think WWE should take notice of the feedback to the show, which has been universally positive and enthusiastic in nature, and offer similar content on as a consistent basis as possible.

We hear a lot about production costs and things of that nature making it hard to churn out content on the WWE Network, but for shows like last night’s Austin-McMahon special and the recent “ECW Exposed” specials, all you need is a room, two human beings, a microphone, a camera and some lights.

That can’t be that expensive.

I’m of the opinion that WWE should make the Austin-McMahon live podcast a regular staple on the WWE Network. Once every quarter, the WWE boss man checks in with “The Texas Rattlesnake” for somewhat of a “WWE State of the Union Address” type of deal, but produced and aired in similar fashion to last night’s special.

It’s inexpensive, basic and simple, but most importantly — effective.

If you offer that up every few months when there will no doubt be a plethora of items within the “WWE Universe” world to speak of, I believe fans will come in droves to tune in and make sure they’re watching it live, especially those who watched live — or even after the fact — last night.

Anyone who saw the Austin-McMahon live podcast had to of enjoyed at least some, if not all of it. I’m in the latter category, as I was glued to my monitor for the entire 70 minutes.

I was so into the program, in fact, that I’m not ashamed to admit I literally popped — out-loud — when Austin was telling McMahon that they were being wrapped up off-camera, only for McMahon to inform him that he owns this Network, and it’s going to continue for another ten or 15 minutes.

Anyone who is familiar with Austin’s weekly “Steve Austin Show” podcast at PodcastOne.com is aware of the fact that ole’ “Stone Cold” has some pretty superior skills in the interviewing department.

With that being said, I think it’s safe to assume that Austin doing a similar show to that in which we witnessed with McMahon last night, with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, would be just as intriguing and entertaining.

It’s cheap, it’s simple, it’s effective.

Key word — effective.

You can cut as many “for only $9.99 a month” promos you want. You can offer as many free months as you want. You can give us access to as much old crap you have laying around that you want, but stuff like last night is what is going to up your subscription count.

To date, I’d put last night’s Austin-McMahon show right up there with the Ultimate Warrior documentary as the single most compelling program to air on the WWE Network thus far. Unlike the Warrior documentary, there’s no reason why WWE can’t do something like last night on a consistent basis.

It’s times like last night that makes “the norm” so frustrating. Every once in a while, WWE will prove that “they still got it” (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap) only to turn around the next week and go back to the “same old sh*t” (same old sh*t! same old sh*t! same old sh*t!) and make me as a fan want to chant in their face “you f*cked up! you f*cked up! you f*cked up!”

It’s not rocket science, folks. Last night proved it. You want subscribers? You want the WWE Network to be a success? Start offering content that the people dig instead of lame, B-level “junk” that you have laying around.

“If you build it, they will come.”

Last night, WWE built a foundation and laid out a blueprint on how to make use out of this “over-the-top” digital service. And the fans came (I’ll spare the attempt at spinning that last line into a sexual-related, lame-ass joke).

Ryback wants to be “fed more,” and so do the WWE fans. Give them more stuff like last night’s show, and our collective appetites will be full.

THAT, for $9.99 a month? That’s a steal, my friends. I’ll gladly open up the billfold every 30 days for that type of programming.

Unfortunately, and I hate to be a glass-is-half-empty kind of guy on this one, but I’m afraid we’ll probably go back to our “regularly scheduled (lame) program” from here on out, and have to wait quite a while before we see something as cool as the live broadcast of the “Steve Austin Show” podcast on the WWE Network again.

But hey, that’s just one man’s opinion. What do you think? We’d like to know, and you can let us know by posting your feedback in the “Comments” section below. You can also follow me on social media for more news and views at Facebook.com/MattBooneWZR, and/or on Twitter @MBoone420.

December 2, 2014
5 Predictions Following Survivor Series

Last night’s Survivor Series was full of surprises. From title changes to a devastating Scorpion Death Drop, the event pretty much had it all. However, it left many questions regarding the future of the storyline, especially now that the Authority is no longer in power. Here are five paths I believe the company will take in the coming weeks.

5. Ryback Fades to the Midcard

Let me start by saying that last night’s main event was impeccably booked. From Cena exiting early to Ziggler selling to hell out of his beating to Sting’s entertaining debut, they did pretty much everything right.

However, their one mistake was having Ryback eliminated minutes into the contest. He was the biggest story in the weeks leading up to the event, but played essentially no role in the actual match. Unfortunately for Ryback, it looks like he was simply being used as a crutch while the company waits for others to return. After Reigns, Lesnar, and Barrett return to television, the Big Guy will once again be an afterthought.

November 24, 2014
WWE Survivor Series 2014 Reaction: Highs, Lows & Random Thoughts

Survivor Series 2014 took place in St. Louis, Missouri and featured a total of eight matches (including the Kickoff Show). The WWE Tag Team Titles and the Divas Championship were on the line as well as a massive Survivor Series main event, which pitted the teams of Team Cena and Team Authority against one another.

The stipulation was set that if Team Authority lost, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon would no longer be in power. On the flip side, if Team Cena lost, everyone aside from John Cena himself would be fired from the company.

With everything on the line, did November classic live up the expectations? Here are my highs, lows and random thoughts on Survivor Series 2014:

BEST MATCH: The main event Survivor Series Elimination match between Team Cena and Team Authority was the Best Match of the night. With tremendous storytelling filled with twists and turns and athletic, entertaining action the main event surely delivered. Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt was a runner-up for Best Match of the night.

WORST MATCH: AJ Lee vs. Nikki Bella was the worst match of the night. The story, booking and overall match was a waste of time and it’s a shame to see someone as talented as AJ lose in such a disappointing way. The 4-on-4 Divas Survivor Series Elimination match was a runner up for the Worst Match of the Night.

BEST PROMO: During the opening segment, Vince McMahon, Stephanie, Triple H and John Cena all took part in an entertaining promo to hype the Survivor Series main event. All four characters did a tremendous job selling the match and the fact that Vince McMahon showed up at the building made the entire night feel more important.

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: Sting making his WWE debut and helping Team Cena get the victory over Team Authority was the Most Shocking Moment of the Night. Sting is without a doubt the most popular and polarizing superstar in professional wrestling history to never show his face on WWE TV, but now, after all the rumors over the years, the historic moment finally came at Survivor Series 2014.

November 23, 2014
WWE Survivor Series — Where Legends Are Born & Moments Are Made

In 1987, WWE presented their first ever “Survivor Series” event, the first non-WrestleMania pay-per-view event, originally designed to steal viewers away from their main competition at the time, NWA’s “Starrcade,” which was the south’s version of “WrestleMania” (even though Starrcade came first) and was WWE’s attempt to throw down the gauntlet to the pay-per-view industry.

Basically put, if you were a pay-per-view provider and you decided to carry Starrcade, you would not be able to carry WrestleMania, a proven success in the pay-per-view industry.

That was the beginning.

From there, throughout the years, a number of historical events would take place at a Survivor Series event.

In no particular order, you can point to single Superstar debuts such as The Undertaker in 1990, which was also the debut of the infamous Gobbeldy Gooker. Which was the more famous of the two, well, I’ll let you decide.

1996 saw the debut of “Rocky Maivia,” to this day arguably the biggest cross-over name to ever emanate from the world of sports entertainment. At the time, while he was touted as being the first-ever third generation performer, and as “Good Ole’ JR” would say, “that’s gonna be the man, right there! That’s blue-chipper, right there!” with all of the enthusiasm the only Jim Ross could muster, oh how true those words would come to be as time went on.

One year later, the most infamous moment perhaps in all of WWE would take place. A moment that certainly began the shift in the WWE vs. WCW “Monday Night Wars” would take place, as not only did Bret Hart get “screwed” in what would become known as “The Montreal Screwjob,” but in many ways, that became the birth of the “Mr. McMahon” character, one that without he, the “Stone Cold” Steve Austin character may have never reached the heights that he would go on to achieve throughout his illustrious career.

In 1999, WWE’s first ever Olympic gold medalist, Kurt Angle, made his official in-ring pay-per-view debut, defeating Shawn Stasiak in the second match on the card.

In 2002, the Survivor Series featured another “first,” as this would be the first time that we were treated to a new gimmick match known as the “Elimination Chamber.” A man notorious among the wrestlers within the profession, just a few months ago the match concept was thrown out, large in part — according to various rumors — because of how unforgiving the structure was for those who had to actually compete inside it.

Most recently, the big “debut” of a match, concept or character took place at the November 18, 2012 edition of the WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view, which took place in Indianapolis, Indiana, as three men who would become known as “The Shield” made their official WWE main roster debut. Those three men would become known as Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose.

Just to show how important those three men are, one is involved (as a Team Captain, no less) in the main event of this year’s Survivor Series, which takes place tonight from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

That man is Seth Rollins.

Another one of the former Shield members, Dean Ambrose, is in what is being billed as arguably the legitimate co-main event of the evening, as he collides with another rising up-and-comer, Bray Wyatt.

And that leaves Roman Reigns.

Well, while he’s not officially booked on the actual card for tonight’s show, let’s just say there are a lot of rumors going around that claim we just may see him involved on the show tonight in some form or fashion after all.

Finally, that leaves two other names.

First up, the hometown boy. St. Louis’ own “The Viper” Randy Orton is rumored to make his return to WWE, after taking a brief hiatus to film a WWE Studios project, “The Condemned 2.”

Last, and absolutely not least, is “The Icon.”

While yours truly is not holding his breath and is going to take a “wait and see” approach before getting overly excited, rumors on the internet over the past few days insist that a certain Crow-painted style performer will make his very, very highly-anticipated WWE pay-per-view debut tonight at the Scottrade Center.

That’s right, folks. “The man they call Sting” is rumored to make his WWE debut, after all these years, at the same show that has produced so many memorable debuts, characters, matches and moments. If, in fact, “The Stinger” does make his WWE debut on tonight’s show, this writer has his new favorite Survivor Series moment of all-time.

We’re just hours away! Make sure to keep it locked right here at SEScoops.com for the most extensive, in-depth, live results coverage of tonight’s WWE Survivor Series 2014 pay-per-view!

Until then, leave your feedback in the “Comments” section below, and don’t forget to add me as a friend on Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBooneWZR and/or follow me on Twitter @MBoone420.

Enjoy the show, everybody!

November 23, 2014
WWE Survivor Series 2014 Preview and Predictions

Survivor Series is mere hours away at this point. This baby is totally free, so anyone paying for this pay-per-view is doing it all wrong. In total, there are five matches on the main card, including a traditional Survivor Series tag team main event. Without further ado, here are my predictions for tonight’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.

Fandango (with Rosa Mendes) vs. TBA

Although Fandango’s opponent has yet to be announced, I’d put my money on Adam Rose serving as the punching bag. The match will likely be used to further tension between Adam Rose and the Bunny, while also allowing Fandango to pick up a victory in his return to action.

Winner: Fandango by pinfall

Alicia Fox, Emma, Naomi, and Natalya vs. Paige, Cameron, Layla, and Summer Rae (Divas Elimination Match)

This will be similar to last year’s Divas elimination match in that it will be total waste of ten minutes (and if we’re really lucky, we might get to see it again on Raw tomorrow!). This could go in many directions, but my guess is that Paige’s team wins after last eliminating Natalya.

Winners: Paige, Cameron, Layla, and Summer Rae by pinfall

November 23, 2014
5 Potential Survivor Series Shockers

The stakes have been raised at this year’s Survivor Series, as the Authority will attempt to retain power, while members of Team Cena fight to retain their jobs. The card appears to be set and will feature a total of six matches, with two championships on the line.

This event has been marketed as free, so it’s unclear whether the company will play it safe and phone in the results. If they decide to surprise fans, however, here are five ways they could potentially do so.

November 21, 2014
One Year Ago: WWE Survivor Series

We are just days away from the WWE’s latest pay-per-view, Survivor Series. At last year’s event, Randy Orton defended his championship against the Big Show in a highly criticized main event. This time around, it will be John Cena risking his job in an attempt to slay the Authority.

The shelf life of a WWE superstar can be short, so it’s always important for competitors to make the most of their time in the ring, especially at pay-per-views. Here is a look at the superstars who have progressed, regressed, or remained stagnant over the past year.

Progression:

Luke Harper

Harper has made tremendous strides over the past year. He and former partner Erick Rowan were destroyed by Daniel Bryan and CM Punk at last year’s Survivor Series. He walks into this year’s event as a surprise Intercontinental Champion, and is booked into the main event with Team Authority. Harper’s stock is definitely on the rise.

Ryback

It appears the company is once again fond of Ryback. The Big Guy was basically buried in the midcard after his feud with John Cena last year, including a quick defeat at the hands of Mark Henry last year at Survivor Series. He has been the focal point of WWE television over the past few weeks, so it will be interesting to see where they go from here. One can hope that this isn’t simply a stopgap measure until guys like Reigns and Lesnar get back on television.

Honorable Mention: Ambrose/Rollins

It’s difficult to talk about progression without mentioning the former Shield brothers. These two were destroyed last year in a match whose only purpose was to get Roman Reigns over as a singles competitor. (Dean Ambrose was eliminated 2 minutes into this match and Rollins eventually stepped aside so the Spear party could commence.) What difference a year makes, however. Rollins is the leader of Team Authority and arguably the star of the main event, while Ambrose has elevated himself and will attempt to solidify the midcard on Sunday.

November 20, 2014
SEScoops’ WWE Power Rankings (Week Of 11/17)

Momentum is everything in the WWE, as even a main event superstar is only a few bad losses away from being relegated to the midcard. Inspired by pound-for-pound boxing rankings, we will track the biggest winners and losers each week in the WWE. With Survivor Series fast approaching, here are this week’s power rankings.

10. Bray Wyatt (Last Week: Not Ranked)

The Eater of Worlds picked up a win over Sin Cara on SmackDown this week. Wyatt cracks the top ten this week after an entertaining segment with Dean Ambrose, as the top continue to hype their match at Survivor Series.

9. Ryback (LW: 10)

Ryback continued his dominance this week, destroying members of the Authority to close both Raw and SmackDown. It appears the company has faith in the Big Guy once again, considering he’s been booked as an unstopped monster over the past few weeks.

November 17, 2014
Rusev: On the Rise

When Rusev first appeared in the WWE, he resembled a cookie-cutter foreign heel. From the ominous entrance featuring images of Vladimir Putin to the valet with a suspect foreign accent, Rusev met every requirement on the “Generic Foreign Heel” checklist.

Despite the lack of originality in his character, the company continued to push him to the top, booking the Bulgarian in a number of squash matches, often featuring multiple opponents. Along the way, Rusev was able to elevate his status during a feud with Jack Swagger, and eventually captured the United States Championship from Sheamus.

During Rusev’s push to win the title, the unthinkable occurred: I actually started to enjoy this generic heel’s presence. At first, it was assumed that the interest was due to a lack of build for other programs on the card. After all, the WWE title had essentially vanished, the feuds at the top of the card were becoming a bit stale, and the Rusev/Swagger program was one of the few to receive significant attention.

Rusev struck gold after defeating Sheamus a few weeks back.

However, even after the Swagger feud ended, his work continued to interest me. So what is it about Rusev that generates interest? Perhaps most importantly, he is an admirable worker for a man of his size.

It was difficult to show off during his early matches, but he has excelled in recent weeks. His matches with Swagger a few months back were solid, and although he didn’t have a ton of chemistry with either Big Show or Mark Henry, his recent feud with Sheamus proved he can hold his own in the ring.

In addition to his agility in the ring, Rusev and Lana can actually cut a decent promo. Lana is of course going to be Rusev’s mouthpiece in most instances, but I don’t see many complaining, as she is articulate, charming, and knows how to get a heel over with the audience. In fact, I’ve even enjoyed Rusev’s promos in recent weeks, as it’s somewhat humorous to see him pick up the mic and talk a little smack.

November 13, 2014