Category: Editorials and Features

Brock Lesnar: Who’s Next?

As everyone knows by now, the Beast and the (former) Champ will once again square off in less than two weeks at Night of Champions. This contest will be John Cena’s championship rematch and figures to be the last time the two competitors will square off.

Since losing his title last month at SummerSlam, John Cena has been running through the roster, destroying everyone in his path while being booked as a threat to Lesnar. Along the way, he wiped out the entire Wyatt Family, took out Seth Rollins, and has vowed to kick Lesnar’s ass during their next meeting.

John Cena will hope to exact a bit of revenge in two weeks at Night of Champions.

It seems apparent that Cena will not be reunited with his precious championship belt. Instead, he is being booked very strong in an attempt to make things believable, but he could be hurting other members of the roster during the build (Bray Wyatt, in particular). It makes little sense to have Cena run through one of your top guys (especially one who was building momentum) like he’s a nobody when there are plenty of other guys that could have done the job.

Nonetheless, the build in this case is not as important as the aftermath. The consensus seems to be that Cena will not regain his title in a few weeks at Night of Champions. This leaves fans with one question: Who is next for Brock Lesnar?

The Beast Incarnate has expanded his deal to allow for the company to book its champion for more dates, but it remains to be seen who his next opponent will be. It’s likely that Lesnar will hold the title until WrestleMania to generate interest before passing it on to the next generation, leaving many pay-per-views between now and March.

September 8, 2014
10 Most Influential Superstars in WWE History (Part 2/2)

As promised, here is the second half of the list.

5. Goldust

Many fans incorrectly identify the rise of Stone Cold Steve Austin as the beginning of the Attitude Era – the most profitable period in WWE history. However, there was someone who came along and changed the game long before Austin would cut his Austin 3:16 promo on Jake Roberts. That person was the man known simply as Goldust.

The son of the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Runnels had shifted back and forth between the WWE and rival WCW during the early 90s before ultimately signing with the WWE in 1995 as Goldust. The character was sexually suggestive, frequently engaged in behavior that was considered homoerotic, and was unlike anything the WWE Universe had ever seen.

Goldust was a pioneer in pushing the WWE away from the traditional face/heel booking that the company had relied upon for years in favor of a product that was appealing to adults and featured morally ambiguous characters. Had the product not shifted back to a PG rating, Goldust would be even higher on this list, but as it stands, he is still one of the most important superstars in company history.

September 5, 2014
10 Most Influential Superstars in WWE History (Part 1/2)

Many superstars have come and gone in the WWE. Some left a lasting impact that will be remembered for years to come (think Hulk Hogan), while others were forgotten almost as quickly as they arrived (someone like Duke “The Dumpster” Droese would feel right at home in this category).

In order to be considered influential, certain standards must be met. Most importantly, the superstar must have made a lasting impact on the history of the WWE, which involves more than simply competing in entertaining matches.

Instead, any superstar on the list will have made a significant impact on the business, whether that be changing the way athletes compete, engaging in storylines that had a drastic influence on the history of the company, or working to pave the way for future generations of superstars.

While different superstars were influential for contrasting reasons, the fact remains that each made significant contributions and altered the course of WWE history. For this reason, all ten superstars on the list should be commended for their work, because each one ultimately helped to establish the WWE as the premiere sports entertainment company in the world.

Without further ado, here are the ten most influential superstars in WWE history.

September 4, 2014
WWE Raw Reaction (9/1/2014): Highlights, Lowlights & Random Thoughts

Last night’s episode of Raw took place in Des Moines, Iowa and featured a total of eight matches. The WWE Universe was given a massive six-man tag team main event as we saw John Cena, Roman Reigns and Chris Jericho take on the Authority’s Randy Orton, Kane and Seth Rollins.

WWE went all out and were clearly invested in the Bella Twins storyline – and after missing last week’s episode of Raw, the always perfect Stephanie McMahon was back in the mix and of course, she added more fuel to the Bella Twins fire.

Right off the bat I’d like to say that last night’s episode of Raw was fairly better than week’s – so with that being said, here are my overall highs, lows and random thoughts on the 9/1/2014 edition of Monday Night Raw:

BEST MATCH: At least once every other week, fans come to expect one or two top notch, high-caliber matches to be featured on Raw. Unfortunately, WWE has failed to deliver and has resorted to squash matches in order to fill up the three-hour time slot. Anyways, I’d have to give the best match of the night award to the six-man tag main event. I don’t know if it was just me or my TV, but the Iowa crowd didn’t seem to be into any of the matches aside from the main event…

WORST MATCH: The six-on-six Total Divas match was by far the worst match of the night. How on earth are these ladies supposed to promote their hit reality show on Raw when they are given one minute to “perform” in the ring? Everyone who tunes into Raw and Total Divas watches because of the intense wrestling and flawless storytelling. Am I right?

BEST PROMO: Once again, Paul Heyman cut the best promo of the night. It’s ridiculous how consistent and entertaining Paul E. is on the microphone. At this point, the man can do no wrong – and he surely knows how to promote his client, Broooooock Lesnar!

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: There weren’t any shocking moments on Raw aside from the bunny in Adam Rose’s Rose Bud posse attacking Heath Slater, but come on, that’s not headline news. I would have to say that the Most Shocking Moment was Stephanie McMahon grabbing the Divas Title away from AJ and then proceeding to have a stare-down with the newlywed. Is this a potential tease that Stephanie wants that Divas Title around her waist one again?

September 2, 2014
WWE Raw Report Card (9/1)

The WWE rolled through midwest tonight, as they set up shop in Des Moines, Iowa. This week’s card featured a total of eight matches, including a life changing six-man tag main event. It’s time to once again take the WWE to school, and I’ll be the one doling out the grades.

As always, matches will be graded based on usual factors such as workrate, in-ring psychology, move variety, crowd reaction, and overall impact on the storyline. Important in-ring promos will also be graded based on factors such as originality, believability, and importance. Without further ado, here is this week’s Raw report card.

Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel

Tonight’s show started with Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel, and featured a shitload of guests, including the Authority, John Cena, and Roman Reigns. There was some entertaining banter during the segment, including Triple H and Jericho hurling corny insults at one another as Jericho dissed Triple H’s pink tie, while the Game chose to attack Y2J’s scarf during a hilarious back and forth. Rollins was extremely over during the promo and got the biggest pop of the night in his home state. Cena threatening to sue the company was pretty lame, however, and held the promo back a bit. It was an overall decent segment, it set up the main event, and the crowd seemed to be into it.

Grade: B

Sheamus and Dolph Ziggler vs. Cesaro and the Miz

The first match of the night was a tag team match featuring the United States and Intercontinental Champions. The Miz showed up with his body double Damien Mizdow and a personal stylist, complete with chairs and makeup. Miz and Sandow were hilarious throughout the contest and the ending was solid. Ziggler and Cesaro also worked well together during the opening portion of the match, with Cesaro’s fall away slam into a pinning combination being one of the most impressive spots I’ve seen in a long time. Overall, it was an entertaining contest and was a good way to advance both feuds.

Grade: B+

September 1, 2014
The Monday Night War: Worth the Wait?

After much hype and anticipation, the new The Monday Night War program finally hit the WWE Network this past week. Thus far, the original pilot episode that aired a few weeks back and two new episodes are available for streaming on the Network.

After announcing the launch of the WWE Network, this program was probably the most hyped original piece of programming to hit the Network. In fact, they purposely saved it in order to entice the initial round of subscribers to stick around for another six months.

The second episode of the series was very similar to the nWo DVD that was released a few years back.

So, after all of the hype and build for the newest WWE original series, was it worth the wait? After flying through the first three episodes, unfortunately it does not seem to add much to the Monday Night War discussion.

There are a few shortcomings that are immediately apparent. Most importantly, it seems to gloss over an entire era in just under an hour. The first episode was off to a great start, with Ted Turner’s acquisition of WCW serving as an adequate launching point. It was a quality pilot for the series and it was expected that the company would take a slow, in-depth look at the era.

However, episodes two and three of the series quickly took the wind out of the sails. The nWo episode, while entertaining, provided nothing that was not already available on the nWo DVD that was released a few years back. In fact, nearly all of the commentary that was featured on the Monday Night War episode was directly lifted from that release.

The same held true for the third episode, which discussed the Attitude Era. Instead of offering a fresh perspective, it basically took the same approach as the DVD box set that was released a few years back. This episode also relied on commentary that is many years old.

My question after watching the first three episodes is simple: Where do they go from here? At the end of episode three, they were already to the end of the Attitude Era and discussed the acquisition of WCW, basically glossing over the entire feud in a little less than an hour.

August 29, 2014
WWE Raw Reaction (8/25/2014): Highlights, Lowlights & Random Thoughts

Last night’s episode of Raw took place in Anaheim, California and featured a total of ten matches. Raw started off hot with WWE Hall of Famers Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. All three men gave their thoughts on the upcoming WWE World Heavyweight Championship rematch between Brock Lesnar and John Cena at Night of Champions.

After missing last week episode due to being conquered and victimized, John Cena made his return to Raw and cut a promo. He also competed against Bray Wyatt, and then the Wyatt Family in the main event

There weren’t very many talking points after watching what went down last night, but I’ll sure try my best. So without further ado, here are my overall highs, lows and random thoughts on the 8/25/2014 edition of Monday Night Raw:

BEST MATCH: This is a very difficult category to pick considering there weren’t any outstanding matches on Raw. The main event probably received the loudest reaction, but from a wrestling standpoint, the Best Match of the night probably goes to the WWE Tag Team Title bout between the Usos and Gold & Stardust. Roman Reigns vs. Kane & Seth Rollins was the runner-up.

WORST MATCH: Kofi Kingston vs. Bo Dallas was the worst match of the night. At the start, it looked like Kofi and Bo were going to have a decent 10 minute bout, but that didn’t come to fruition. After three minutes of back and forth action, Bo clipped Kingston on the top rope, resulting in him to fall down to the mat. Bo hit his finisher and picked up the win in a forgettable match.

BEST PROMO: “The Eulogy of Dean Ambrose” was the best promo of the night. When the Shield first started, Ambrose was the mouth-piece and was comfortable on the microphone. Now that things have changed, Seth Rollins has drastically improved and finally looks like he can hold his own when it comes to speaking. Every time Rollins is on the mic he generates a lot of heat from the crowd, which means he’s doing a fantastic job of elevating himself as a top heel.

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: Goldust and Stardust attacking the Usos and presumably turning heel was the Most Shocking Moment of the night. The Rhodes brothers were clearly frustrated that they did not win the WWE Tag Team Titles due to the Usos getting counted out, and they took out that anger by viciously attacking the babyface duo of Jimmy and Jey. I didn’t expect to see Gold and Stardust go to the dark side, but these two teams have recognizable chemistry and the program between the two sets of brothers wouldn’t feel right if both teams remained babyfaces. Also, it’s worth noting that when the Rhodes brothers attacked the Usos, the crowd seemed shocked, and after about 30 seconds of mayhem – they started to boo. I’m excited to see what happens down the road.

August 26, 2014
WWE Raw Report Card (8/25)

Campuses around the country are infested with returning college students this week. In honor of all the alcohol that will be consumed and the knowledge that will hopefully be absorbed, it’s time to take the WWE to school, and I’ll be the one doling out the grades.

Welcome to the first ever WWE Raw Report Card. Matches will be graded based on usual factors such as workrate, in-ring psychology, move variety, crowd reaction, and overall impact on the storyline. Important in-ring promos will also be graded based on factors such as originality, believability, and importance. Without further ado, here are this week’s grades.

Hall of Fame Forum

This week’s Raw started with a roundtable discussion regarding the upcoming rematch between John Cena and Brock Lesnar. First off, I never thought I’d see the day where Shawn Michaels was the worst dressed man in the ring, but his combination of cowboy hat, jacket, and Remington t-shirt didn’t do him any favors.

Overall, it was nice seeing the legends together, even if it did feel a bit scripted at times and offered little insight. One hilarious moment was when Michaels said everyone loves Cena, eliciting massive boos from the audience. Speaking of Cena, his promo was surprisingly compelling, and it was nice to see him own up to the beating he took at SummerSlam.

Grade: B-

Rusev vs. Jack Swagger

This was likely the last contest between Rusev and Swagger, and all I can say is, “Good riddance.” This match featured a lot of downtime that resulted in a poor workrate, and a lot of the match was spent outside of the ring with nothing going on.

The in-ring psychology was pretty good (Swagger sold the rib injury well) and the crowd was into it, so that raised the grade a bit, but it was ultimately a fitting ending to a rather pointless program that saw Swagger dominated at nearly every stage of the feud.

Grade: C

Rob Van Dam vs. Cesaro

This was a rather short match, but both superstars worked well together during the time they were given. One criticism is that the ending felt a bit rushed. One moment Cesaro was rolling outside of the ring to avoid the Five Star Frog Splash and only a few seconds later he was hitting the Neutralizer for the win in a sequence that felt a bit off.

The match also served its purpose by building a championship match between Cesaro and Sheamus – a program that looks like it could be entertaining with two of the company’s better workers.

Grade: C+

August 25, 2014
Cena/Lesnar II: Limited Booking Possibilities

The Conqueror brought John Cena’s title reign to a grinding halt at SummerSlam. Since then, he’s ditched the Big Gold Belt and disappeared from television. (He’s next scheduled to appear at the last Raw before Night of Champions.)

As most fans probably know by now, it has been announced that John Cena will invoke his rematch clause and once again try to slay the Beast Incarnate at Night of Champions.

Lesnar quickly ditched the Big Gold Belt after defeating Cena at SummerSlam.

At first thought, one might wonder if it’s really worth having these two compete again. After all, Cena was completely destroyed and the company seems to selectively choose which superstars receive a rematch anyway. (Where’s Randy Orton’s rematch from WrestleMania?)

The match is already set, however, so there is no use in arguing if the match should be booked, but instead how it should be booked. In my opinion, there are three ways to book the rematch between John Cena and Brock Lesnar.

The first option, which is the most likely, will see Cena once again be destroyed by Lesnar. He will walk away solidly defeated. He likely won’t give up, but he will lose the contest and that will be the end of Cena challenging for the title for a while. It will then be a depressing winter for the WWE Universe, as Lesnar will control the title and likely only appear once or twice a month.

In order to destroy the evil that is Brock Lesnar, the company will need a new hero to come save the children and their boxes of Fruity Pebbles. That man will be Roman Reigns and it will happen at WrestleMania. Lesnar will undoubtedly drop the title at WrestleMania, and it will likely be to Reigns, but the most interesting swerve would be to have Reigns win the title and Rollins cash in his briefcase to immediately steal it.

It would be the ultimate roller coaster of emotions for fans. Their hero finally defeats the evil villain, only to have the title stolen from him by the Authority. It would be the perfect way to end the pay-per-view and also a great way to build a main event feud for Reigns.

August 25, 2014
5 Questions Following Monday’s Raw (8/18)

Last night’s Raw was held in Las Vegas, Nevada and featured a total of seven matches, including another classic between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins.

Notably absent was former WWE World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, as he was recovering from injuries sustained at SummerSlam. Overall, a few questions were answered, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following this week’s episode of Raw.

5. Can Big Show/Mark Henry Generate Interest?

The so-called “World’s Largest Team” has been running through the tag team division over the past week or so. The two giants once again teamed up this week on Raw, destroying Luke Harper and Erick Rowan in a relatively short contest.

Both of these guys have been largely absent over the past few months, so it’s good to see some sort of program, but can they generate interest as a tag team? With the Usos having beaten every team on the roster, it makes sense to find new challengers and I think Show/Henry against the Usos could make for a decent program. Obviously both teams are working as faces, so the best way to go about the feud could be to turn Show and Henry heel.

4. Should Swagger Be Given More Time to Speak?

Zeb Colter was notably absent last night after taking a kick from Rusev at SummerSlam. In his absence, Jack Swagger cut a surprisingly decent promo before his match with Cesaro.

Although Colter has served as Swagger’s mouthpiece for well over a year and the only words I’ve heard come out of Swagger’s mouth are “We the People,” I believe he should be given more time to speak. It would allow him to develop a non-robotic character, while also still receiving mentorship from one of the top managers in the business.

August 19, 2014
WWE SummerSlam 2014: The Death of the PG Era?

Thousands of fans stood bewildered following last night’s main event, as the WWE’s resident hero John Cena laid battered and beaten after his match with Brock Lesnar. Cena didn’t grab a microphone to offer up an excuse, nor did he attempt any sort of retaliation while both Lesnar and Heyman laughed in his face after seizing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Instead, he simply walked away with the help of officials, with the crowd booing the face of the company while serenading him on his way out the door. Last night’s event felt like a transitional pay-per-view, and not simply because every title that was contested changed hands.

Lesnar was congratulated by Triple H after simply destroying John Cena last night.

The massacre fans witnessed last night for only $9.99 was perhaps the end of the PG era. The evil villain prevailed, the kids’ hero took the beating of a lifetime, and the company seems to finally be looking toward the future instead of the past. Fans have likely noticed in recent weeks that the product has become a bit edgier. Curse words are more frequent, men have assaulted women, and the next generation of superstars has dominated the old guard.

Last night’s event reminded me a bit of the 1993 King of the Ring, during which fans witnessed the death of Hulkamania. After years as the top superstar in the company, Hogan finally met his match in the form of Yokozuna. Hogan lost the title that night (with a little help from a camera man) and didn’t make any excuses. He simply faded away and left the company a few weeks later, not returning to a WWE ring for roughly a decade. This event was followed by a transition period that saw the company stray away from guys like Hogan, Savage, and Warrior in favor of the next generation in the form of Hart, Michaels, and Diesel.

That’s not to say that John Cena is bolting from the company any time soon, because that certainly isn’t the case, but his time as the top guy in the company is likely over. Otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have put Lesnar over in such convincing fashion, as Cena barely landed any offensive maneuvers throughout the over 15-minute main event.

August 18, 2014
WWE SummerSlam 2014 Reaction: Highlights, Lowlights & Random Thoughts

WWE SummerSlam 2014 took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California and featured a total of nine matches. Dean Ambrose went one-on-one with Seth Rollins, Brie Bella scrapped with Stephanie McMahon and John Cena (c) took on Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Looking at the overall card, WWE had all the ingredients to produce a high quality event. The company had the opportunity to display one of the best PPVs of the year. Did the event live up to expectations, or disappoint?

SummerSlam was an intriguing show that was full of surprises and great matches. So without further ado, here are my overall highs, lows and random thoughts on WWE SummerSlam 2014:

BEST MATCH: John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar was amazing. Lesnar was an animal, delivering countless German Suplexes and dominating the fifteen-time WWE champion. Cena tried his best and fought with all his heart, but that wasn’t enough to stop the Beast Incarnate. When was the last time, if ever, John Cena got destroyed like that? This wasn’t even a wrestling match – it was a burial. After much consideration – the Best Match of the night award goes to Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, who tore the house down during their highly anticipated Lumberjack match. Yes, you read that right. Lumberjack match. Ambrose and Rollins stole the show with breathtaking spots and over the top stunts. Their primary goal was to inflict punishment upon one another, and they sure as hell succeeded. Dare I say this was the best Lumberjack match in WWE history.

WORST MATCH: From a pure wrestling standpoint, Stephanie McMahon vs Brie Bella was the Worst Match of the night. However, the match was entertaining and the two females involved told a great story. I thought Rusev vs. Swagger was solid, but they could have done a lot more. Those are my two picks for Worst Match of the night.

UPSET OF THE NIGHT: There were plenty of title changes, but the most surprising has to be Paige defeating AJ Lee for the Divas Title. Deep down, I think we all knew that Lesnar was going to go over Cena and that Ziggler had a good shot against the Miz. Paige getting the clean win over AJ Lee will continue this feud, and that is what’s best for business.

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: Nikki Bella betraying Brie Bella was indeed shocking, but Brock Lesnar dominating John Cena and winning the WWE World Heavyweight Title has to be the Most Shocking Moment of the night. We have never seen Cena get beat down this way, ever. I was thinking that Lesnar may have injured Cena with all of those German Suplexes. The leader of the Cenation landed awkwardly on his neck once or twice, but I’m sure we’ll hear more backstage info about Lesnar’s big win within the next couple of days.

August 17, 2014
WWE SummerSlam 2014 Preview and Predictions

The hottest event of the summer is practically hours away at this point. The card is set, the matches have been hyped, and it’s time to sit back and enjoy the show (after making a few predictions, of course). Here are my predictions for this Sunday’s pay-per-view.

AJ Lee (Divas Champion) vs. Paige

Paige has been a thorn in AJ Lee’s side since arriving on the main roster, especially since turning heel. She has had the upper hand on the champ over the past few weeks, even pushing her off of the stage on SmackDown at one point. Although Paige has been booked strong, the company realizes AJ Lee is the most marketable Diva on the roster right now. She retains after forcing Paige to tap out to the Black Widow.

Result: AJ Lee by submission

The Miz (Intercontinental Champion) vs. Dolph Ziggler

Since his return, the Miz has sort of fallen flat with the audience, especially since picking up the title at last month’s Battleground. Over the past year, it’s safe to assume Dolph Ziggler will lose any match of even moderate significance, but this could be different, as he has been booked strong and is still over with the fans.

The company is trying to promote the Miz’s dud of a movie that will soon be gracing dollar bins across the country, but I think they realize his title reign isn’t catching on. Dolph Ziggler will pick up the upset victory on Sunday after hitting a Zig Zag in what will likely be one of the shorter matches on the card.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler by pinfall

Jack Swagger vs. Rusev (Flag Match)

Call me crazy, but this is perhaps my most anticipated match on the card. The feud has been built very well and given adequate time to develop. Fans still aren’t entirely sure of what the rules will be for this one, but I’m assuming it’s going to involve the winning wrestler grabbing his country’s flag and waving it proudly in the center of the ring to end the contest.

This is the perfect opportunity for Swagger to go over Rusev and extend the feud a bit longer. He doesn’t have to pin the Bulgarian Brute to win so he won’t look as weak as he would if he lost via pinfall or submission. Expect the managers to also play a role in this one, and expect Swagger to walk out victorious to set up a rubber match at Night of Champions.

Winner: Jack Swagger

Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt

Much like the Rusev/Swagger feud, this program has also been given a proper build. The promo/interview the two cut last week on Raw was awesome and really hyped the match well.

Jericho won last month after hitting Wyatt with a Code Breaker. It will be even tougher for Wyatt this time around, as both Harper and Rowan are banned from ringside. This will likely be a back-and-forth contest with several near falls, with the in-ring work hopefully being a little more polished than last month’s affair. There’s no way Wyatt loses again, however, and will walk out victorious after forcing Y2J to succumb to Sister Abigail.

Winner: Bray Wyatt by pinfall

August 14, 2014
Rusev and Swagger: Getting Everyone Over

When it comes to the fifty stars and thirteen bars, no one is more proud of Old Glory than Zeb Colter. Jack Swagger’s “founding father” has transformed in recent weeks from a protectionist bigot into a proud veteran hell bent on defending his country and its freedoms.

Along the way, Swagger and Colter have battled the Russian duo of Rusev and Lana. Both groups have delivered passionate promos in recent weeks, with Lana belittling Americans for their supposed weakness, while Colter and Swagger have done everything in their power to rid the WWE of the foreign menaces.

Zeb Colter has refreshed his character during the program by turning face.

Swagger had his first chance to eliminate the Putin-praising Bulgarian last month at Battleground, but was ultimately unsuccessful after losing via countout. He will have another chance this Sunday at SummerSlam, as the two will again square off, this time in a flag match.

The program between Rusev and Swagger is the classic WWE feud between a monster foreign heel and an American savior. Programs such as this one are usually about as trite and cliché as a teenage romantic comedy, but this program has benefited both parties.

Swagger’s face turn helped add more depth to he and Colter’s characters, who were honestly becoming a bit stale prior to the program. More importantly, however, it has finally gotten Rusev and Lana over after weeks of lukewarm reactions.

During their last meeting, Swagger and Rusev worked surprisingly well together, putting on an entertaining contest that was full of impressive spots. However, those who have benefited most may in fact be the managers.

August 13, 2014
5 Questions Following Monday’s Raw (8/11)

Last night’s Raw was held in Portland, Oregon and featured a crowd packed with hipsters, a few memorable contests, and the nWo reunion that had been teased on social media all week leading into the event.

The show was the “go-home” edition of Raw and was the final build for Sunday’s SummerSlam pay-per-view. As always, a few questions were answered, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.

5. Is Corporate Kane Back Permanently?

Kane was back in his suit and tie this week on Raw, having once again handed in his mask on last week’s episode. The Demon made a match between Roman Reigns and RybAxel before departing for the locker room.

My question is simple: Does Kane have anything left in the tank with his corporate character? It seems the company doesn’t know what to do with him, as he has shifted back and forth between demon and corporate Kane over the past few months. If Kane is going to become a permanent fixture in the Authority storyline, hopefully something worthwhile comes of it, because it otherwise simply results in a convoluted storyline.

4. Where Have the Usos Been?

The Usos were absent from Raw this past week (other than the announcers issuing an open challenge on their behalf for tonight’s Main Event), and with SummerSlam only a few days away, they are also noticeably absent from the pay-per-view card. There are rumors of a fatal four-way tag team contest being put together for the pre-show, but nothing has been confirmed thus far.

With the Usos having defeated basically every tag team on the roster and holding the titles for most of the year, I think it is time for the brothers to drop the titles. Nothing against the Usos, but they have fought everyone on the roster and their run is quickly becoming stale. It appeared the titles were going to be put on the Wyatt Family a few weeks back, but the Usos prevailed. Hopefully a title change can shake up an otherwise stagnant tag team division.

August 12, 2014
WWE Raw Reaction (8/11/2014): Highlights, Lowlights & Random Thoughts

Tonight’s episode of Raw took place in Portland, Oregon and featured a total of eight matches. Paul Heyman, who cut an outstanding promo and Brock Lesnar started off the show and hyped the upcoming WWE World Heavyweight Title match at SummerSlam.

The theme for tonight’s Raw was Hulk Hogan’s birthday. There were plenty of surprise appearances and celebrity’s wishing him happy birthday, as well as countless cheesy WWE Network plugs. Also, Stephanie McMahon revealed some sort of “confession” to Brie Bella.

So without further ado, here are my overall highs, lows and random thoughts on the SummerSlam go-home edition of Monday Night Raw:

BEST MATCH: Even though Jack Swagger vs. Cesaro was a great match, Randy Orton and Sheamus stole the show with their hard-hitting main event battle that had the crowd on their feet from start to finish. Both men worked incredibly hard and are two of the best on the current roster. I’m still waiting for a Sheamus heel turn, but I’ll enjoy my Sheamus vs. Orton matches while they last. The finish to the match was excellent as well. The Viper hit the Celtic Warrior with a mid-air RKO that was nearly flawless. The crowd popped like crazy.

WORST MATCH: AJ Lee vs. Eva Marie was the Worst Match of the night. Their bout lasted about three minutes and Eva rolled AJ up after Paige came down to the ring and provided a distraction. It wasn’t the worst match in WWE history, but it was still really bad.

UPSET OF THE NIGHT: Eva Marie pinning AJ Lee was the Upset of the Night. Eva hasn’t had a lot of singles matches on live television, but she did a good enough job listening to AJ calling spots and following directions. She didn’t do a whole lot in the match, but it takes two to tango and she did her job. Also, Heath Slater defeating Dolph Ziggler was a pleasant upset/surprise.

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: There wasn’t anything truly shocking that happened on Raw tonight, aside from Megan Miller’s acting skills. However, since I must give the award out, I’ll give it to Brie Bella being arrested. I probably should have seen the arrest coming right after Brie slapped Megan, but it was a pleasant surprise. It’s nice when WWE does something smart and something that makes sense. I fully expected Brock Lesnar to crash Hogan’s birthday party and that would have won the award if Lesnar actually got physical.

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August 12, 2014
Ambrose and Rollins: A True Head Scratcher

[Editor’s Note: This article contains a spoiler from tonight’s SmackDown taping. Please refrain from reading until after the program if you wish to avoid.]

Since the breakup of the Shield a few months back, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose have been at each other’s throats, while Roman Reigns splintered off to do his own thing without worrying too much about being stabbed in the back.

The two have engaged in a bitter program that has seen Seth Rollins win the Money in the Bank contract, Dean Ambrose emerge from a car’s trunk, and a match at Battleground that was supposed to happen but was cancelled last minute.

The advertised match at Battleground did not take place. Fans are hoping to finally see the former partners square off next Sunday.

Along the way, Ambrose has been booked as a lunatic hell bent on exacting revenge at any cost, while Rollins has acted as a corporate stooge. The two are once again scheduled to square off at SummerSlam, with the hope being that the match actually takes place this time around.

Last week on Raw, Ambrose and Rollins competed in a beat the clock challenge, with the winner having the ability to choose the stipulation for their match at SummerSlam. Ambrose eventually won after defeating Alberto Del Rio and distracting Seth Rollins during his match with Heath Slater, ultimately causing Rollins to lose the contest in a major upset.

The Lunatic Fringe unveiled his stipulation at this week’s SmackDown taping that will air tonight on SyFy. After all of the betrayal, treachery, and destruction so far in this program, one would have expected Ambrose to choose a match that would allow him to destroy Rollins in the most violent manner possible.

August 8, 2014
5 Potential SummerSlam Shockers

The dog days of summer are winding down and the biggest wrestling event of the season is just around the corner. With the card for SummerSlam essentially finalized, it’s time to look at the possibilities.

In recent years, the WWE has saved its biggest surprises for the most important pay-per-views of the year, and with SummerSlam being the last special event for the first cycle of WWE Network subscribers, the company will undoubtedly be pulling out all stops in an attempt to entice fans to renew. With that said, here are five potential SummerSlam shockers.

August 7, 2014
5 Questions Following Monday’s Raw (8/4)

Last night’s Raw was held in the supposedly great state of Texas. Fans in attendance were treated to the return of Mark Henry, as well as an entertaining contest between Dean Ambrose and Alberto Del Rio.

Although John Cena and Brock Lesnar were both notably absent on Sunday, the WWE did their best to promote the SummerSlam main event. As always, a few questions were answered on Monday, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.

5. Did Fans Witness the Burial of Cesaro?

It is no secret that the WWE has no idea what to do with Cesaro right now. Once one of the most over superstars in the company, Cesaro has been relegated to minor roles since the return of Brock Lesnar. After failing to join the Authority a few weeks back, Cesaro has been in a slump, once again losing to Dolph Ziggler in a short match on Monday.

There are rumors that Cesaro’s push is being limited because the company wants to focus on pushing Roman Reigns. It makes sense to want to promote a young superstar, but others who got over on their own should not be punished as a result. Let us hope that the company soon finds something for Cesaro instead of wasting his talent.

4. Which Stipulation Will Dean Ambrose Choose?

Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins competed in a beat the clock challenge last night, with the winner having the ability to choose the stipulation for their match at SummerSlam. Ambrose won after a long battle with Alberto Del Rio, and also assured Seth Rollins would not win his match with Heath Slater.

The Lunatic Fringe now gets to choose the stipulation at tonight’s SmackDown taping (check in tonight for spoilers if you’re too eager to wait until Friday). He will probably choose something typical like a no-holds barred match, but here’s to hoping he chooses a ladder match for the contract. Which stipulation do you think Ambrose will choose?

August 5, 2014
WWE Raw Reaction (8/4/2014): Highlights, Lowlights & Random Thoughts

Last night’s episode of Raw took place at the University of Texas and featured a total of ten matches. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose both competed in “Beat the Clock” challenges, where the winner will pick the stipulation for their match at SummerSlam.

With John Cena and Brock Lesnar not on the show, WWE made sure to promote the hell out of their match at SummerSlam – and rightfully so. WWE is dubbing the match the “Biggest Fight of the Summer”. Also, Brie Bella and Stephanie McMahon signed a contract for their match at SummerSlam.

Raw was a SummerSlam promotion-heavy show. It looks like WWE is going all out, trying to gain more WWE Network subscribers before August 17. So let me ask you the question now, have you signed up for the WWE Network? Without further ado, here are my highs, lows and random thoughts for the 8/4/2014 edition of Monday Night Raw:

BEST MATCH: It was a tough call, but I have to give the Best Match of the night award to Roman Reigns vs. Kane in a Last Man’s Standing match. Dean Ambrose vs. Alberto Del Rio was probably just as good and arguably better, but the big story here is how well Reigns and Kane worked with one another. We all know Del Rio and Ambrose are going to put on quality matches night in and night out, but getting a good, if not great, match out of Kane is a rarity these days. Also, Reigns’ selling was superb, but you can read more about that in the “Random Thoughts” section of the article.

WORST MATCH: Fandango vs. Diego was the Worst Match of the night. I don’t know why WWE is doing this to Fandango, the kid is a phenomenal worker and incredibly talented. Vince McMahon and/or people on the WWE Creative team have a weird sense of humor. El Torito and Hornswoggle are old news and will not help Raw get a ratings boost. It’s a shame how far the Dr. of Dance has fallen. Mark Henry vs. Damien Sandow was the second worst match of the night. It lasted about 45 seconds.

UPSET OF THE NIGHT: Without a doubt, Heath Slater defeating Seth Rollins was the biggest Upset of the Night. The Authority tried to pull a fast one on Dean Ambrose and the WWE Universe by substituting Slater for Rollins’ original opponent Rob Van Dam, but it back-fired big time. It looks like Slater could be in store for a well-deserved push, but who am I kidding?

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: I may be the only one who thought this, but I was shocked when Triple H blocked Brie Bella in the corner of the ring with a table. In the Attitude Era, the WWE Universe witnessed male-on-female violence every single week, but of course nowadays it’s forbidden. Triple H didn’t strike or injure Brie, but it was a moment that definitely caught me off guard. Also, Stephanie hitting Brie and Nikki with Pedigree’s was pretty rad.

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August 5, 2014
WWE Raw Reaction (7/28/2014): Highlights, Lowlights & Random Thoughts

Last night’s episode of Raw took place in Houston, Texas and featured a total of seven matches. Throughout the night, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and Brie Bella were the center of attention as they hyped the upcoming SummerSlam PPV.

John Cena went one-on-one with Cesaro, Roman Reigns squared off against on Kane and for the first time in WWE history Chris Jericho wrestled Seth Rollins in the main event match. Also, Jack Swagger/Zeb Colter and Rusev/Lane continued their personal rivalry.

I sincerely apologize for putting up this piece late. I lost power last night; therefore I just watched Raw and posted the article as soon as possible. So without further ado, here are my overall highs, lows and random thoughts on the 7/28/2014 episode of Monday Night Raw:

BEST MATCH: John Cena vs. Cesaro was the best match of the night. Both men worked hard and even though Cena didn’t “wrestle circles” around Cesaro as promised, he still held his own. Cesaro and Cena worked extremely well with one another. They hit big moves, reversals and both superstars looked strong from start to finish. Of course, a lot of people would have preferred Cesaro to go over, but we all knew that wasn’t going to happen. Regardless, it was an appropriate match that kicked off an interesting episode of Raw. A very close second place for match of the night was Chris Jericho vs. Seth Rollins.

WORST MATCH: There were a number of short squash matches last night, but nothing compared to the debacle that was Adam Rose vs. Damien Sandow – who dressed up as an astronaut. Sandow didn’t have a chance to execute any offense and in the blink of an eye, Rose hit the Party Foul and won. This was a complete waste of time and didn’t accomplish anything at all. It appears as if the talented Sandow has become the new “bathroom break” portion of Raw.

UPSET OF THE NIGHT: R-Truth defeating Bo Dallas and ending his undefeated streak was the Upset of the Night. I have no idea why this match was booked the way it was and quite frankly, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Bo has been fairly popular over the past month and the undefeated streak is what made him a legitimized him. It was a bad match and the decision to have R-Truth end the streak in a fluky manner is definitely a head scratcher.

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: There wasn’t anything truly groundbreaking or shocking that happened on Raw. However, I was thoroughly impressed with the Stephanie McMahon/Brie Bella main event segment and how over it was. Also, a lot of people assumed that we would see the two square off at SummerSlam, but I didn’t think it would be getting this much hype. So I guess the Most Shocking Moment of Raw was the fact that Brie Bella and Stephanie McMahon agreed to have a match at SummerSlam. Sorry fellas, I can’t think of much else aside from R-Truth defeating Bo Dallas, but that’s already in the Upset of the Night category.

July 29, 2014
5 Questions Following Monday’s Raw (7/29)

Last night’s Raw was held in Houston, TX, and a few superstars on the roster certainly had problems. In total, eight matches were held and a few matches were confirmed for SummerSlam.

With Stephanie McMahon and Brie Bella set for SummerSlam, a few questions were answered last night, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.

5. Will Orton And Reigns Disappoint?

The Viper unleashed a devastating attack on Roman Reigns last night, delivering two RKO’s and driving Reigns through the announce table. This match is all but set in stone for SummerSlam and should be one of the most anticipated contests on the card.

However, recent reports indicate that the match could be a bust. The WWE has been running this match at live shows in recent weeks and fan reviews seem to indicate that Orton and Reigns have not been working well together. Although many think this will disappoint, I think they will work things out and put on a great contest, and the build so far has actually been pretty solid.

4. Was It Time To End Bo’s Streak?

The most shocking moment of last night’s Raw was probably Bo Dallas being pinned clean by R-Truth. It seems odd that the WWE would end Bo’s undefeated streak after talking it up over the past few weeks.

I think it will be a good move in the long run though. Undefeated streaks have pretty much always been a no-win situation for bookers. They can now have Dallas lose clean on occasion without having to discuss an undefeated streak, and the loss brought out a vicious side in Bo, which could add another dimension to his character. The only problem was that it looked like Dallas could sneak his way into an Intercontinental Title match SummerSlam, but that seems to be off the table now.

July 29, 2014
How Would TNA’s Death Impact the WWE?

News broke today that Spike TV would not be renewing their television deal with TNA. The company – which is owned by Dixie Carter and currently employs Vince Russo – has had financial difficulties in the past.

In fact, it has almost become a joke to post pictures of TNA crowds on social media websites in recent weeks, as they more closely resemble the crowds one would find at a small county fair, not a touring professional wrestling promotion.

This recent TNA crowd perfectly illustrates why the company is having a hard time securing a television deal.

Although Spike TV decided not to renew TNA’s contract, the current deal still runs through October, providing the company with a few months to find a new home for Impact Wrestling. Initial reports indicate that there is little chance of that happening, however, as few cable providers will be willing to pay the company what Spike TV was paying to air TNA programming.

With their television revenue gone at the end of October and poor ticket sales not bringing in enough to keep the company afloat, Monday’s announcement was likely the death of TNA. With that said, it will be interesting to see if TNA’s departure from the world of televised wrestling will affect the WWE.

After acquiring WCW in March of 2001, the WWE held a virtual monopoly on the world of televised wrestling in the United States. That monopoly was eventually broken after Jeff Jarrett founded TNA in May of 2002. Although TNA has never provided the same level of competition that WCW brought to the table during the 1990s, it at least prevented the WWE from acting as a monopoly.

Other promotions have gained a sizable following in the United States (ROH, CZW, etc.), but TNA has been the only company the WWE had had to worry about finding on television.

July 28, 2014
Ranking Every WWE SummerSlam PPV Poster

On August 17, 2014 the 27th edition of SummerSlam will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. This past Monday it was announced that John Cena will defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Brock Lesnar in what should be a blockbuster main event.

If you recall just before last month’s WWE Money in the Bank PPV, this year’s SummerSlam poster was unintentionally “leaked” online. The poster featured John Cena and Brock Lesnar, and it caused quite a stir amongst the wrestling community. The poster was leaked before Cena won the WWE World Heavyweight Title and before Lesnar made his return to WWE, so it’s safe to say that Money in the Bank and Battleground were fairly predictable shows.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to bring back some nostalgic images and rank all 27 SummerSlam posters. Marquee match-ups, overall look and promotional value are the criteria I used to help determine the ranking of these posters. With that being said, I understand that this article is very subjective and everybody isn’t going to agree with the way these posters are ranked, but I strongly encourage all of you to have an open mind, have fun and join in on the conversation.

The posters are ranked from worst to best and the overall quality of the matches that took place at the event has not been taken into consideration. Also, these are official WWE posters and are not fan made.

Please click on page two to begin the countdown.

July 24, 2014
5 Questions Following Monday’s Raw (7/22)

This week’s Raw took place in Miami, Florida in the home of the Miami Heat. LeBron James and Flo Rida both made appearances, and Triple H crowned a new number one contender.

Overall, it was a rather exciting episode of Raw, with the build to SummerSlam officially underway. As always, a few questions were answer, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.

5. Is Poor Booking Hurting the Wyatt Family?

Bray Wyatt attacked Chris Jericho backstage at Raw last night and commandeered the Highlight Reel. Wyatt of course lost to Jericho clean at Battleground, while Luke Harper and Erick Rowan also failed to capture the Tag Team Titles once again.

A few weeks back, fans were chanting “boring” during Wyatt’s promo, leading me to wonder if poor booking is hurting he and his family. Ultimately, I think they will be fine, as they are some of the best talents in the business, but better booking could help make them appear stronger and increase their popularity. Here’s to hoping for a clean Wyatt victory at SummerSlam.

4. Has Bo Dallas Actually Won Me Over?

When Bo Dallas first appeared in the WWE, I thought his character was destined for failure. He seemed to be nothing more than a troll hell-bent on annoying anyone within a thousand-mile radius. He was once again victorious last night, extending his undefeated streak.

I must admit though, Dallas has really won me over in recent weeks. His promos have been hilarious and his in-ring work has seemingly improved on a weekly basis. I still feel that he needs a new finisher before he can be taken too seriously, but I’m sure that will come with time. I never thought I’d say this, but I believe Dallas could be one of the better midcard superstars and a run with either the US or IC title could restore some interest in the midcard championships.

July 22, 2014

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