Go2Sleep
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Posts posted by Go2Sleep
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So, I totally checked out during all of Batista's rise to national prominence. Yes, literally all of it. What is he going to bring to the table that the current WWE needs or wants? Fill a brother in...
At his peak, Batista was a very charismatic big guy who was consistently over and could have good matches with the right opponents. He was a decent man-of-few-words promo as a face and showed some spark as a cocky douchebag heel. His underrated talent was having strong matches with lower ranked opponents. He also fell somewhere between Mark Henry and Rey Mysterio on the injury prone scale.
As for what he brings he now, I have no clue outside of some potential mainstream exposure with his movie. There's already younger/better guys all over the roster.
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I swear at the time, I thought that Punk was just trolling him given how over the top his reactions were.
Ok, first of all, there's nothing about this video that isn't awesome. Punk's Killswitch Engage theme (even though CoP is better, I forgot how much I liked this one), Burke and Cor Von looking like future stars, the pounce which RVD ate like a champ, the Punk/Cor Von/Burke trio looking badass combined with the visual of the super lame mid-90s-esque Matt Striker and Kevin Thorn jumping up and down like they were copy and pasted into a generic SvR create-an-angle set piece... Good stuff.
Back on topic, if there's 4 words that make the decision to unify the belts look like the dumbest course of action imaginable, it's "Batista guaranteed title run." Maybe they can weasel out of it by giving him the US belt. If WWE hasn't realized that giving Batista a face push at the expense of Bryan won't go very well, they're even dumber than I thought.
Also, I don't want to see Batista very much. He had a great career and I enjoyed large chunks of it, but at no point since 2010 have I thought "You know, I'd really like to see Batista again." There is no possible program with him that would excite me now. Well, I take that last part back... I was so desperately hoping that no one interesting would be wasted on a Batista program that I was ecstatic when Del Rio called him out.
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If you're wondering just how awesome that ending was, remember that after 6 pages only one person has mentioned Roman Reigns doing the Marufuji apron dropkick from the floor (and executing it better than Marufuji).
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Sheamus is one of the many writing staff victims. He's a really good wrestler who usually gets good live reactions but for whatever reason, the writers decided to write away from his stregnths and into his weaknesses. He should've been booked like face Batista, not face Chris Jericho.
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A Russo special odd pairing/random gimmick combo that pays off:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9fhv7_doug-williams-vs-cody-deaner-with-o_shortfilms?search_algo=2
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Kofi also had the great ME match with Cesaro and was a solid rotational guy in Shield 6-mans during the spring. The Hell No/Kofi/Shield match I saw live in Kansas City was one of the best Shield formula tags of the year.
Yeah, he's painfully boring 90% of the time, but he's still good for a couple fun matches a year. A poor man's Del Rio, really.
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I'm currently watching 1999 Raws and there is some vicious chair shots to the head. Do you think WWE will edit those out?I doubt it. In the FAQ, it said archived content will not all be PG.
I recently re-watched a lot of the attitude era as well, and the amount of chair shots to the head was jarring, but there was a lot less blading than I expected. Guess that wasn't a main event staple until 2002 or so.
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That's a good resource list.
Edit: Apparently Cena/Sandow was the night after HIAC, not Survivor Series, leading to me looking for the wrong date. Good, complete list.
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I wouldn't have counted FCW or OVW in years past, so no.
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My final list:
1. Punk vs. Lesnar (Summer Slam)
2. Del Rio vs. Ziggler (Payback)
3. Del Rio vs. Show - LMS (SD 1-11)
4. Bryan vs. Rollins (Raw 6-10)
5. Bryan vs. Cena (Summer Slam)
6. Bryan/Usos vs. Shield (SD 9-20)
7. Punk vs. Taker (Wrestlemania)
8. Hell No/Kofi vs. Shield (Raw 5-20)
9. Cena/Sheamus/Ryback vs. Shield (Elimination Chamber)
10. Bryan vs. Orton - No DQ (Raw 6-24)
11. Del Rio vs. Christian (Summer Slam)
12. Punk vs. Cena (Raw 2-25)
13. Usos vs. Rollins/Reigns (Money in the Bank, pre-show)
14. Cena vs. Sandow (Raw 11-18)
15. Orton vs. Christian (Raw 8-26)
16. Cody/Dustin vs. Rollins/Reigns (Battleground)
17. Bryan vs. Orton (Raw 12-16)
18. Bryan vs. Swagger/Cesaro/Ryback - Gauntlet (Raw 7-22)
19. Bryan vs. Harper/Rowan/Bray - Gauntlet (Raw 12-30)
20. Cesaro vs. Kofi (Main Event 5-1)
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Some questions:
1. Does anyone really think Bryan joining/teasing to join the Wyatts is actually more damaging to him than losing decisively to the authority at HIAC or having a two-minute title reign at Summer Slam?
2. Given that Bryan already has jobbed decisively to the authority, how would you realistically go about keeping him relevant without him being in the title picture?
3. Is it out of the realm of possibility for Bryan to take over the Wyatt cult and challenge Taker at Mania?
4.Unrelated, but who wouldn't be down for Brock/Cena 2 at Mania?
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I don't know if I've ever been the only one with a glowingly positive review in a Raw thread, but man, I really loved this show.
Punk putting over the Shield really hard after beating them 1 on 3 a couple weeks ago was kind of silly, but it set up an alright match with Rollins, some quality ringside work by Ambrose and Reigns, and an audible "Roman Reigns" chant. Definitely a net positive segment.
Again, I'm one of the few who likes Cena/Orton matches, so I was perfectly happy to hear them getting another one at the Rumble. The TLC match was underwhelming, but that's not really a good gimmick for them at this stage of their careers. I think the regular match will be better, and while I like the announcement, I was fine with those two getting the week off. Really made the show feel fresh.
Every single Brock Lesnar segment since his return that does not also feature HHH has been awesome, and this was no exception. I guess HHH was there for the intro, but he got out of the way quick. Heyman's promo was decent, then Brock actually got some mic time. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Brock isn't the smoothest speaker, but he's the most believable promo in the company. When he says shit like "The line starts here. Behind me." you believe it. Then Mark Henry came out and it got even better. For a part timer, Brock always earns his paychecks, and he took a nasty bump on to the concrete that he definitely didn't have to but it made the segment so much better. Gave Henry a pop spot that looked good, and made Brock look even tougher when he got back up and speared Henry. Then there was the splat-tastic F5 on the floor (props to Henry for taking that), but what really sold it was those high-pitched primal screams. Like I said, believable.
Then there was a lot of stuff with Daniel Bryan. First, he had a great match with Luke Harper, and it can't be said enough: Luke Harper fucking rules. Those strikes were on point, and that double chop is just perfect for him. I mean he's got a killer big boot, killer punch, killer lariat, and now that? He's the brawler of the future, but just in case you need some more moves, he busts out an avalanche powerbomb and a half nelson suplex and doesn't even look that out of character. He just grabs a guy however he can and throws him. Bryan was also great attacking the leg and working with speed based offense. Rowan match was whatever, but Rowan still kind of sucks in anything over 5 minutes. Bryan did what he could and got us to the show closing angle.
Now I hope I don't have a reputation of being a "wait and see" WWE writer apologist, because I've been very critical of WWE writing for the last several years, especially in regards to their incompetence with closing out a big angle or being able to capitalize on potential star talent. So when I say "I'm very interested in how this plays out," you know it's from the heart. First of all, to anyone saying this is the nail in the coffin for Bryan, would please shut... the hell... up? Bryan's ace hopes were dead the second HHH pedigreed him at Summer Slam, and the casket was defecated in and padlocked when Michaels kicked him at HIAC. The worst is already over for Bryan. If anything, this is a potential re-birth and a change of pace that could lead to another chance for a strong singles push. Second, anyone saying the angle sucked is delusional and blinded by misguided rage. Bryan uttering "you're right" was one of the most legitimately surprising WWE moments in a long time, and I guarantee nobody saw it coming. The Wyatts using physical torture to break Bryan and finally get him mentally weak enough to be brainwashed into their cult was very well executed. The crowd trying to bring him back was a bit drawn out, but it was definitely the intended reaction. The end graphic was the first in a long time that surprised me, as I had lost track of time being captivated by this angle. It was a very well-written and well-executed segment that was both shocking and emotionally compelling. There's a lot of good places this could go: a full on Bryan heel run, Bryan/Bray as tag champs with all the great potential challengers there, killer 6/8-man combos, Bryan going for a long con and destroying the Wyatts from within, Bryan seeing the light, a singles match with Bray at Mania, Bryan taking over the cult and being a dominant heel... Who knows?
Could it be botched? Sure. Has the writing team let us down many times in the past? No question. Am I disappointed they failed to capitalize on their most over babyface in favor of the establishment guys like Orton, Cena, and HHH? Yes. But all that is done and over with, and it doesn't change the fact that Bryan isn't in the title picture for the time being. He can either be out of the title picture and forgotten, or he can be out of the title picture in an angle with a strong stable and couple great young guys with interesting characters that gives him an avenue back into the title picture down the road. Maybe I'm just farther along the coping process since I recognized HIAC was rock bottom for Bryan's push, but I really don't think anyone should be disappointed by this turn of events (unless it's the markish emotional disappointment you're supposed to feel). There are a lot of good places for this angle to go and Bryan has proven to make the most of everything he's gotten. And by his standards, this is actually a lot to work with. I'm very interested to see how this plays out.
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The Cena match made it really clear to me how badly miscast Rollins is as a heel. It is a testament to his ability that he's producing so many high end matches, but everything about him screams babyface except for maybe his awesomely douche-y hair. His strengths are bumping, quick counters, and flashy moves. I have no doubt he has the talent to pull off a real show-off heel gimmick like AJ Styles could in his prime, but it doesn't really fit in with the Shield's mercenary gimmick or WWE's general desire to make their heels all plodding and "methodical."
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We would have been crazy about that Usos/Wyatts match in 1999 if it was on Raw then.
First thing I thought after that match was over was how much it reminded me of the early Hardy Boys matches. Fun stuff. Rowan and Harper are a great sprint team, too, because it really helps to hide Rowan's weaknesses and Harper can hit his big moves in rapid succession.
The Shield series was really fun, and I think a big part of it was all 4 non-participants work around ringside. Ambrose and Henry never stopped selling their matches, and Reigns was tearing it up with his facial expressions and trash talk as per usual. Then the final brawl was very effective with no wasted motion and ensured no one lost any heat. The individual matches were all pretty good too. Roman looked amazing in his match against Henry. I'm fully on board with him now. His strikes were on point, he showed a great mix of speed and power, and had a videogame-esque finishing run. I think Cena/Rollins could've benefited from being a little shorter. Didn't really buy the first half with Rollins controlling Cena in a slugfest. The bomb-trading finishing run was as good of one as you'll see in that style, though. Rollins is going to be a really good upper midcard/main event babyface one day. He's everything Dolph Ziggler wants to be, but effortlessly.
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Reigns vs. Henry and Cena vs. Rollins are two pretty interesting matches. Definitely have to check those out.
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So is Del Rio hurt now, or are the writers finally admitting they have nothing for him and are just keeping him off tv? Was his last tv appearance jobbing to Sin Cara v.2?
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Kind of wish Nikki would use the burning hammer as a finish.
Because if there's one person on the WWE roster who should get a dangerous head-dropping finisher from 90's-era AJPW, it's the less talented Bella...
Reactions like this is what makes it work.
But more seriously, doing "movez" would probably help the divas stand out a lot, since I don't think anyone but AJ has had a storyline or character worth a damn in 3+ years. Yes, ok, if we need to cut through the sarcasm, we can probably leave out the burning hammers and TD91s, but surely some of them are capable of doing a shiranui or northern lights bomb or something. When you're talking about matches and wrestlers with such low expectations, one move actually can make a big difference to how they're perceived.
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I really don't get how WWE can so consistently produce Raws that are 10x better than the ppv the night before.
Cena really buried Orton in that opening promo there, didn't he?
I'd love to see Henry/Langston get a big push as a team. Maybe give Big E double gold (or gold and copper in this case) to give him that extra push. I just hope they don't do the super-cliche Henry turn after a few weeks. He needs an extended face run.
I could listen to Punk and Michaels bicker on the mic all day. Both guys are just so good at working with the crowd and thinking on their feet. Heel Michaels was long overdue for a return, it's just too bad we can't see what he can do in the ring with this character.
Shield match was another fine outing by them. The Usos are totally underrated and have great chemistry with The Shield also. Loved all 6 guys trash-talking throughout the match. I don't wanna be that guy that says he's sold on someone after some totally trivial spot that really doesn't mean that much in the grand scheme of things, but Roman's "Nah, I got him, I just had to test the waters" almost made me that guy. Weird booking to have The Shield win the 6 man and lose the 3-on-1, but whatever.
Crazy hot finish to the divas match. Nice surprise there. Kind of wish Nikki would use the burning hammer as a finish.
Bryan/Orton was a great match, probably not as good as their No DQ match, but way better than their two ppv matches. I love matches where both guys actually sell fatigue and damage from the night before. The only other match I've seen where two guys pull it off better was the Punk vs. Jeff Hardy cage match on SD after their Summer Slam TLC match. You really got the feeling that both guys were running on fumes and every little move hurt that much more from the leg kicks to the elbow stomp. The use of desperation biting and head-butts was also a fine detail. The DQ finish was ok here since it protected Bryan and actually fit with the story pretty well. Orton is beat up and knows he's getting out-hustled by Bryan so he just says fuck it and leaves (then sneak attacks Cena for extra heel points).
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It's the little things that make this show.
John Cena working a "Quite Frankly" into his promo to Nikki's friends.
Random shot of Fandango oiling himself up backstage, that was slightly longer than the usual flash cut filler on this show.
The long scene with Steph sitting there playing the progressively drunker voicemails left by Nattie and both of their facial expressions as it played out was great, though.
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1. Punk vs. Lesnar (Summer Slam)
2. Del Rio vs. Ziggler (Payback)
3. Del Rio vs. Show - LMS (SD 1-11)
4. Bryan vs. Rollins (Raw 6-10)
5. Bryan vs. Cena (Summer Slam)
6. Bryan/Usos vs. Shield (SD 9-20)
7. Punk vs. Taker (Wrestlemania)
8. Hell No/Kofi vs. Shield (Raw 5-20)
9. Cena/Sheamus/Ryback vs. Shield (Elimination Chamber)
10. Bryan vs. Orton - No DQ (Raw 6-24)
11. Del Rio vs. Christian (Summer Slam)
12. Punk vs. Cena (Raw 2-25)
13. Usos vs. Rollins/Reigns (Money in the Bank, pre-show)
14. Orton vs. Christian (Raw 8-19)
15. Cody/Dustin vs. Rollins/Reigns (Battleground)
16. Bryan vs. Swagger/Cesaro/Ryback - Gauntlet (Raw 7-22)
17. Cesaro vs. Kofi (Main Event 5-1)
18. Del Rio vs. Big Show - LMS (Royal Rumble)
19. Orton vs. Big Show - Extreme Rules (Extreme Rules, the ppv)
20. Hell No/Orton vs. Shield (SD 6-14)
I was really hoping I would be able to make some serious changes to my list by the end of the year, but I don't think much would move beyond #17. I'd add Cena/Sandow for sure (probably in the 13-15 range), but maybe not anything else. The Survivor Series elimination match, Punk/Bryan vs. Harper/Rowan from Survivor Series, Shield vs. Cody/Dustin/Rey from Raw a couple weeks ago, Usos vs. Harper/Rowan from Raw last week, and the 4 way tag from TLC would be borderline candidates. None of those jump out as clearly better than the Cesaro/Bryan portion of the gauntlet match, though. I'll admit I haven't seen the big tag clusterfuck on SD several weeks back that got good reviews.
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Pretty mediocre show, as has been the norm since Summer Slam.
Punk/Shield felt as much like a ppv match as a 3 on 1 handicap match possibly could. Roman's bump over the table and Punk's subsequent targeting of the eye gave the match a special feel. Punk going over is kind of silly despite all the shenanigans, but these four did their absolute best to make it work.
Divas match was the usual forgettable affair. At least Nattie didn't win.
The IC match was also total filler, and god damn, get Big E a new finisher already.
Fatal 4-way tag got real good after Ryback and Axel were eliminated. Swagger and Cesaro both took great bumps for the KO punch, and that finishing run between Rey and Cody was hot. Easily the best match of the night.
The "bonus" matches both sucked. Why can't WWE experiment with Kofi as a heel? There are very few things less interesting than face Kofi vs. heel Miz at this point. Tons of Funk breaking up is gonna end up so bad for both guys. Brodus is gonna get the first push and flounder if not outright bomb in singles. His ceiling is IC material, but even then, Langston appears to be a much more promising prospect who should hold that belt for a while. And while it'd be fun to imagine a successful singles push for Tensai, I can't see him going more than two ppvs before he's solidly locked into the Superstars/ME circuit with his "dancing big man" gimmick.
Bryan vs. The Wyatts was fine, but really felt like a Raw match. There wasn't anything special or ppv-worthy about it. Harper was great as usual, Bray looked amazing during the finishing run, and Bryan was Bryan, but overall I felt like there was a lot less effort here than Punk/Shield.
Main event was very disappointing. Cena and Orton have had some great matches, but this was subpar. Not straight bad or anything, but really uninspired. Lots of stalling/slow ladder climbing and atrocious no-selling of big spots until the end. The finish was creative, I'll give them that, but I thought Cena had a legit broken his neck on that bump. I was so relieved to see him moving after the match. Scariest thing I've seen in the ring in a while. As a distant second to Cena surviving the finish, the other good part about this match was at least we had a clean winner. It means more Raw-main-event and ppv-opening-promo HHH unfortunately, but hey, decisive finish.
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There goes my idea for a Gizmo vs. Josey dream match.
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That last segment was awesome. If I hadn't been conditioned to expect horrible ppv finishes the last 6 months, I'd be looking forward to TLC more than I am already. Cena and Orton just work so well together. Both of their promos were way more inspired than they've been in a long time. Punk and Bryan did something relevant. The spot with Orton crying "I'm sorry" in the corner while Cena stood awkwardly next to the authority was intriguing, which I don't think is a word I've used to describe anything on WWE tv since Summer Slam. Good stuff all around.
On the down side, it looks like they are going with two separate 3 on 1 handicap matches with no other gimmicks for a ppv. The Shield teasing a break-up and the Wyatts looking to recruit Bryan don't make them anymore interesting. Punk/Ambrose and Wyatts/Usos were fun matches, though.
Cena/Rock winning MOTY should've been retroactively nominated for LOL moment.
Fantasy Booking Thread
in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
Posted
After being eliminated by Bryan in the Rumble, losing as pod-flller in the Chamber, and scoring a clean win over Alberto Del Rio in the third match at Mania to a lukewarm reaction, Batista begins to show signs of bitterness. He starts to whine more and throw tantrums after losses to higher-ranked guys, culminating in a worked shoot segment where he confronts HHH about his "guaranteed title." HHH gives in by stripping Ambrose of the US title (which he will not have defended on tv in over 6 months at that point) and handing it to Batista. Batista then resumes his spring 2010 heel character in the midcard, defeating the likes of Ziggler, Xavier Woods, and other less likable faces. This continues until Summer Slam when he puts over either Big E. Langston in a unification match or freshly-turned Roman Reigns. The US title then means something again for another couple months before it is inevitably forgotten.