Ryback Hates Bullies

Shallow and pedantic analysis. It's not the same. It's more accurate to say NXT is the new WWECW, but it's not like they'd actually move the likes of Kane, or a Matt Hardy, or even a Mark Henry onto NXT fulll-time. NXT is network only, Smackdown has a TV deal. With the arguable exception of the NXT Title match on the 'Beast in the East' special, NXT matches don't feature on network specials.

Raw was and always is the go-home show. Smackdown before a PPV is like the Marvel movie comic tie ins that no one reads or knows exists. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Unless they specifically refer to it on RAW, whatever happens on Smackdown is non-canon. I thought the move to USA might change that a bit, but it does not look like it. There's actually a bunch of guys who would benefit from having their own show. We need the roster split back.

Fuckin' hell, Liverpool should have one that 5-1. Van Gaal is lucky to have got out of that one alive.

As someone unfamiliar with Maria post-WWE, damn that was a good promo and WWE are nuts for not signing those two on that basis alone. I knew they'd be Estrada jokes, but it's been over 7 years since he stopped managing Umaga and I thought the Summer Suit and Trainers suited Mike Bennett and looked less forced than the whole 'indy guy trying to look a big deal by wearing a business suit' thing. Yeah the jacket was a little cropped for my tastes, but Bobby Roode's suits were worse. Mike Bennett's clothing was very #menswear, and whilst that's a bit 2014 - it puts him years ahead of the rest of TNA (8 years in the case of Bram).

It's true; couple of kicks went different over the last week and Liverpool would be in the bottom half of the table. But as is, who knows right now? Liverpool got the result against Leicester at Anfield, and those home games against Arsenal and Man Utd look like potential 6-pointers again.

Seeing John Cena on Fallon the other night, I realised that it makes no sense for him to play a heel on TV because he's still gonna be the same nice guy John Cena outside of the show.

Even if Solomon Crowe made it in NXT, the chances of him making it on RAW were practically zero.

Perhaps, but WWE's set-up, pyro & ballyhoo is partly there as a warning to would be competitors - it's not likely to be scaled down as long as Vince is around (and I'm not sure HHH will think all that different, NXT is not afraid to throw down on entrances).

So WTF just happened here? Did Ronda try too hard to match Holm as a puncher? I don't know enough about this shit really, but it looks to me that Rousey had started to make her matches about more than her getting the victory and it cost her. I suggested 3 months ago that Correia basically did the right thing in goading her, and I feel vindicated. Next time I think Rousey will collect the arm though.

The Ascension are a frustration, because if they could put together offence worth a damn I think they could actually get over on RAW. Them vs Jordan/Gable is probably the first Ascension match I am actually looking forward to seeing.

I feel like Martin Prince tied up in the treehouse, but if they hadn't done the silly title reunification then you don't have nearly such a big problem. See also: The Daniel Bryan problem, the Roman Reigns problem.

Chelsea are still more likely to make the Champions League than Liverpool according to the bookies. Not sure about that, but it was certainly a six-pointer and Liverpool needed a good result and got it. Would be really funny if the rumblings about Rodgers becoming interim manager are true.

NXT is pretty much a full hour start to finish thesedays, as compared to the 80ish minutes for Smackdown minus ads. Knock out the promos with Teddy coming out to slow rolls and book tag matches and you're pretty close. Rumblings suggested that Smackdown will go live on Tuesdays when it moves to USA next year. I'm hoping this will mean the end of the 3 hour RAW, because going 5 hours over 2 nights every week would be crazy.

I think that tag-match is one of my favourite matches this year, though watching Emma mugging that Shazza also brought a smile to my face. I think Nia Jax's match suffered by comparison. But yeah, obviously that was probably one of the best put together hours of TV wrestling pretty much ever. I liked James Storm's promo too, simply but effective - I think he might be able to do the Last Call now that Breeze is gone, man do I never want to see that 8 second ride again.

Having the Open Challenge and doing the US Title change on PPV was lame. I understand the logic of keeping title changes on the Network, but teasing the audience with these open challenges and then paying off the angle, badly, on a special event really sucks. They really need a proper TV Title.

The ankle stretches Cena was doing before the match with Del Rio suggested to me he is pretty beat up, but to do all those finisher kick-out matches and then have ADR do Cena with one good shot is pretty nutty/.

I definitely miss Hunico the 'D' show superworker.

The draw odds for Chelsea vs Liverpool next Saturday look pretty attractive.

Daniel Bryan vs John Cena essentially pushes Rollins vs Kane down to 4th on the card. At this point, if I were Sheamus I'd almost be wondering if I could cash in on the US Title. Giving Daniel Bryan the real No. 1 Title ahead of the Rumble might actually be quite smart though. They can leave him out of the match and people will accept it if he's defending the US Title.

Yeah, the idea that she is NXT-only is just completely nuts. Asuka is money in all sorts of ways.

Yeah, that's some "A guy wrote it on a message board and I read it. I believe everything I read" dummy shit. Well it wasn't quite that, if you were paying attention. Mike Zeidler has an opinion, now mattsangerously has said he thinks he disagrees. Now the point can potentially be explored. 'Dummy shit'?

Aiden English may not love the gimmick he's in, but the singing gimmick also has the potential to get old very fast. The Vaudevillains were a natural progression of his act. He needs something new. Given all the trio love at the moment, I'd be tempted to put Gotch with Jordan and Gable. I see more in Gotch than in English right now.

Well I meant more in 2015. I'm just saying it's pretty bush-league. I'm almost not sure he really fits in on NXT. One of his biggest problems is that too many of his signature manoeuvres are also signature offence of other mainstay WWE guys. He's likely going to have to reinvent himself if he wants to have a good run in NXT, more than Joe (who just needed to be motivated, which he is) or Rhyno (who is really a JTTS anyway, though a good one).

3 hour RAW and NXT has cannibalised interest in anything not on those shows. It was an interesting, albeit clunky, match between Brie Bella and The Boss. Sasha was trying to play pure babyface here, despite some trashtalking, and it didn't feel quite right. Brie is actually a better natural heel than Nikki, but can't quite find the way to use the Daniel Bryan stuff (and indeed the BrieMode~! thing) to strengthen rather than dilute the act. If she's nicking anything off her husband, it should be 'I have 'til five referee'.

Don't outlaws usually have beards?