WWE Battleground 2014

[The Man Known as Dan]

Didn't see the show yet. But this is a set-up PPV. Remember the outrage people had about Daniel Bryan at Elimination Chamber? Go back and read that thread and the reactions to that are HILARIOUS and pretty much the same as this. SummerSlam is the big show that really matters. This one largely sets that up.

But Elimination Chamber was a legit great show. This was a terrible show in spite of having a really great match on it.

[Greggulator]

 

Didn't see the show yet. But this is a set-up PPV. Remember the outrage people had about Daniel Bryan at Elimination Chamber? Go back and read that thread and the reactions to that are HILARIOUS and pretty much the same as this. SummerSlam is the big show that really matters. This one largely sets that up.

But Elimination Chamber was a legit great show. This was a terrible show in spite of having a really great match on it.

 

 

Yeah, that's my point. EC friggin' ruled -- and sounds like it was worlds better than last night's show -- and everyone but pretty much me and one or two other people hated the show because of the end of the EC match. Then the payoff was an all-time great WrestleMania.

[Victator]

 

I legit think I became a bull who saw red at some point during this show. Like, I'm becoming a pessimistic bastard constantly about this company when I used to agree with Greg all the time. How can this company have fucked so much up in so little time?

Because the only reason they were getting anything right was that the crowd was forcing them to acknowledge what they wanted. You and Gregg were just giving them the benefit of the doubt, or saying "who cares WHY they got it right so long as they got it right?" The answer is: Because the people who got it wrong in the first place are still running the show.

 

Of course that guy immediately broke his neck and put all the booking plans in chaos. So maybe they should have ignored them all along. 

[Patrick B.]

Well, yeah.  That guy was just a B+ player and couldn't cut it as a main-event guy.

[Matt D]

I did have to hit refresh a bunch of times last night but that cleared things up quickly. It was offputting on so many levels to get frozen when Dolph was upside down on the apron with Sheamus and come back to see Miz celebrating though.

[Valcourt]

I was at the show live and I really enjoyed it. However, I tend to enjoy all the live shows I go too. 

Crowd was really behind the Wyatts in the tag match. Don't know if it came across of screen but when the Uso's went up for the splash the crowd boo'd pretty heavy. The enterance for the Wyatts (and Bray) is pretty awesome in person now that the crowd does the cell phone thing. WWE encourages it of course by making the screen above the ring (at least at the Forum) just lights.

 

Paige and AJ had a match. Crows wasn't too hot for it and it seemed clunky. 

 

Battle Royal was fun (my opinion, I love me some battle royals) but i'm over the Kofi figures out ways to get back in the ring spots. From my seats I could see the Miz on the ground the whole time so his ending wasn't a shock. I was glad to see Dolph be the last dude. Barrett coming out was a nice touch.

 

Reigns is over! Cena was pretty over with the fans at the show but every time it was Cena / Reigns it sounded like Reigns was getting the heat.

 

LIVE SHOW NOTES: When did they show dean come out of the car? We didn't get shown that at the show.

 

My parking pass is the same lot where the workers park. I stayed this time to try and get photos with some of the guys but I only managed one with Adam Rose, who sadly was NOT leaving in his new Bus. He was super nice. I'd post the pic but it's HUGE and I don't know internets.

 

My buddys kid got a photo with STARDUST, who looks JUST like Cody Rhodes. When my friend asked Cody to get a photo with his kid Paige was walking by and said, "WHAT ABOUT ME?" He has a photo with her now.

 

I missed Cesaro (he took a photo with a fan but then got in his car), and I walked towards Zebb but he was on his phone (Dutch uses a flip phone) and I also didn't want to bother him. The night was then over for me when I missed Renne Young and Dean Ambrose. Bummer. But, for the Meth whore fantasy of Dean in this thread, looks like he goes home with Renne...

 

Also saw Charlotte Flair driving with another girl. 

 

I know this wasn't a major event changing PPV but it was still wicked fun when you're there live. Crowd really wants to see AMbrose destroy people. I like that HHH is so heavily involved with Seth and Dean.

[JohnnyJ]

No steaming issues on my Roku last night. I liked the ppv more than most but I've been skipping the main events for some time. What I enjoy about the post-mania main events is it takes all of the people I'm sick of watching out of the other matches.

 

The Wyatt family is beginning to feel like Straight Edge Society 2.0. You have to give these guys some teeth. They can't just lose every month. To me the reactions Harper/Rowan get are similar to Zigglers. People are appreciating the work despite the poor booking.

 

Jericho should not be taking down a Bray Wyatt level player with a single codebreaker. It doesn't look devastating enough.

 

I liked Swagger v. Rusev but only because of the crowd. Each time those two are in the ring it makes me feel like a kid watching Rocky.  

 

Dean v. Seth stuff didn't bother me. How can you not love Seth ditching the security guards when you just know Dean is going to pop up from somewhere?

 

Is, "you don't kick dean ambrose out of the building/banish him from ringside" at "you don't powerbomb kidman" levels yet?

 

I skimmed the battle royal. I thought Slater eliminating Cesaro was funny/ 

 

Miz winning fits the character, but it means we have to watch more Miz. I'm trying to think of a wrestler on the main roster who I have less interest in watching? I want to say Fandango, but Fandango still has better looking offense.

[APO]

Reading this thread makes me feel like I'm the only person who got what Barrett was talking about when he used the "retiring to Florida" analogy.

[ebbie]

Errr.. Hasn't it be established that they only care for the IC when Wade Barrett wants the belt? I mean, in 2012, 2013 and 2014, the only times they did various angles to get over how much the IC is worth was when Barrett in every segment putting it over. Hell, instead of #ICTitle in the corner, it was #BNB from April to June.

 

You could argue about Cody blah blah, but I would have to dismiss that argument on the count of Cody being fucking awfully hard to watch.

[The Man Known as Dan]

Didn't see the show yet. But this is a set-up PPV. Remember the outrage people had about Daniel Bryan at Elimination Chamber? Go back and read that thread and the reactions to that are HILARIOUS and pretty much the same as this. SummerSlam is the big show that really matters. This one largely sets that up.

But Elimination Chamber was a legit great show. This was a terrible show in spite of having a really great match on it.

 

Yeah, that's my point. EC friggin' ruled -- and sounds like it was worlds better than last night's show -- and everyone but pretty much me and one or two other people hated the show because of the end of the EC match. Then the payoff was an all-time great WrestleMania.

Difference being, once more people aren't bitching about how the main went down. We hated this show before the main started. What are they building to with Wyatt losing clean as a sheet to a part timer. What are they building to by having Cesaro getting eliminated by Heath Slater? Please, justify this bullshit.

[Bustronaut]

Was watching the Battle Royal live with my wife, and beside Slater's weird little push I called the order of elimination exactly.

 

I was a little weirded out by that.

[Yo-Yo's Roomie]

I'd be fine with the brand split coming back, but we really don't need two world titles again. The second world title was a joke for a lot of the time, and I see no reason why it would be booked any better now. Yeah, we got a lot of cool stuff out of the WHC, but two world belts also meant a lot of people getting world title reigns that had no business doing so, and that has hurt the perception of what it means to be a world champion. At least with the one belt now they are rebuilding the idea that being champ means that you are the best in the business. If Bryan doesn't get injured he'd almost certainly still be champion now, and things would be a lot different. It isn't the booking of the world title that sucks, it's the elevation (or lack thereof) of the midcard.

 

Also, I wish they'd do away with the stupid trope of a guy rolling out the ring during a battle royal, hiding, and then coming back in at the end to steal the win. It's been done to death, and Sheamus and Dolph looked stupid last night for not realising that Miz was still in the match. At least play with the format a bit (like they did at Royal Rumble '11 when Santino came in at the end but failed to win). How about 2 guys hiding outside the ring, so after Miz comes in and eliminates Ziggler to 'win', someone else, say Heath Slater, comes back in to trump him?

[Dank]

 

What are they building to with Wyatt losing clean as a sheet to a part timer.

 

If Wyatt is winning the feud in the end (I assume he is), why wouldn't he lose the first match? If it's a series, who cares if he loses the first match?

[SolidGoldBomb]

Wow, What a fun show live!  Some of you people take this stuff way too seriously, just enjoy the ride.

 

Cameron and Naomi looked good in their new gear.  They both looked so much better without the matching Funkadactyls stuff, and just doing more of their own thing.  And I normally can't even stand Cameron, but her Charm School gear and heel moves are such a better fit for her character and hides her in-ring flaws.

 

The Usos/Wyatts tag match was insane, and easily stole the show.  The crowd was going nuts by the 3rd fall.  Luke Harper was definitely MVP of the night.  I was just surprised the Wyatts didn't win the belts here.  Might as well do a cage match or something at Summer Slam with them now.

 

Looks like Swagger/Rusev is definitely building to a flag match at the next PPV.  It's so good to see Big Hoss getting another push, always liked him.  I LOL at all the PC police and their righteous indignation over Lana's promos and the Putin stuff.  It's a heel talking trash at a wrestling show....and it was great!

 

I love Goldust and Stardust so much it's hard for me to express it in any discernible language

 

I was also disappointed by no actual match with Dean & Seth since that was the match I was most looking forward to, but it's good for both of them to keep building that feud up.  I love Dean's mission to ruin Seth cashing in the MITB, great great angle and those guys are so money together.  I didn't see Ambrose climbing out of the trunk either, that's freakin hilarious.  Can't wait to go back and watch this show now.

 

Y2J and Wyatt will definitely be having another match as well.  No one got buried here.  They probably want to coordinate the Wyatts winning the tag belts with Bray destroying Jericho, so I can see that goin down at Summer Fest (Slam).

 

I love a good battle royale also, I was rooting for Bo to inspire us all intercontinentally, but we could all see Miz laying in front of the announce table so we knew he was winning it.  I like his new hollywood character a lot as well, and it's exactly what he should be doing.  But i've never hated him like so many people apparently do and I think he's excellent at being the chicken shit heel who will do anything to weasel his way out with the belt.

 

I don't remember the main event other than Cena winning, but I was pretty annihilated by that point. 

 

Nothing better than a live PPV, man so much energy and fun....that's why I never miss a WWE show.  Then.... Now.... Forever!

[Bourdain]

Too little talk about the AWESOME Rusev-Swagger programme

[Yo-Yo's Roomie]

This isn't the first battle royal Bo has been eliminated from, so I take the streak as still being alive.

[Raziel]

 

 

What are they building to with Wyatt losing clean as a sheet to a part timer.

 

If Wyatt is winning the feud in the end (I assume he is), why wouldn't he lose the first match? If it's a series, who cares if he loses the first match?

 

Because this strategy played out the same as with Cena, but we expect it from Cena.  

 

Wyatt is supposed to be on level with top guys.  But he couldn't break Cena.  He did pin the eventual World Champ that beat all of Evolution in one night clean as a sheet.  

 

Jericho hasn't worked a match in almost a year, how the hell did he beat Wyatt clean with a finisher that barely pinned anyone before his last vacation?

[Jamal]

I like the character work that Naomi and Cameron are doing. It is especially helpful to Cameron because playing bitchy, chickenshit heel helps hides her in-ring weaknesses.

 

Paige/AJ was kind of weird and the crowd is still not quite sure what to make of what's going on.

[Victator]

Too little talk about the AWESOME Rusev-Swagger programme

He could not Putin Swagger away.

[Niners Fan in CT]

 

Same people loathing this show and calling it unwatchable will be the same people who watch Summerslam next month, and RAW tomorrow night. And would have been in the same hyperbolic hysterics during every era in company history, especially the successful ones.

 

 

Is that why they are losing hundreds of millions of dollars? I'd wager that some people actually did stop giving a shit and there's more to come.

[Cristobal]

What are they building to with Wyatt losing clean as a sheet to a part timer.

 

If Wyatt is winning the feud in the end (I assume he is), why wouldn't he lose the first match? If it's a series, who cares if he loses the first match?

Because this strategy played out the same as with Cena, but we expect it from Cena.  

 

Wyatt is supposed to be on level with top guys.  But he couldn't break Cena.  He did pin the eventual World Champ that beat all of Evolution in one night clean as a sheet.  

 

Jericho hasn't worked a match in almost a year, how the hell did he beat Wyatt clean with a finisher that barely pinned anyone before his last vacation?

Clearly they want to build the Codebreaker up for KENTA*

(*Yes I know it's not his move.)

[Spontaneous]

Not like anyone is using the Go 2 Sleep anymore.

[Chaos]

Not like anyone is using the Go 2 Sleep anymore.

 

I'm sure they're still optimistic that Punk will come back sometime within the next two years.

 

Also, I think they are trying to do as little as possible to make fans chant CM Punk... except when AJ wrestles I guess.

[Greggulator]

I think the "wait and see" response many of you dismissed me about last year until I was pretty much proven right at WrestleMania is the answer.

Jericho came back to have a program with Bray. Jericho has had a lot of great return programs over time that lasted for a while, like the Punk stuff, for instance.

This is the first part -- returning veteran proves he still has it against twisted newcomer who attacked him. Now hopefully Bray counters with something along the lines of the children's choir because he had to up the ante to destroy his prey.

[w. josh]

I think the "wait and see" response many of you dismissed me about last year until I was pretty much proven right at WrestleMania is the answer.

 

 No, you weren't "pretty much proven right." Bryan said point blank on Jericho's podcast that there was no plan in place to put the belt on him. It was supposed to be an Orton push, and Bryan was supposed to be a bridge to get to Orton-Batista. If the fans hadn't hash-tagged Bootista all to hell and Punk hadn't left, Bryan wouldn't have been in the main event or won the title. Period, end of story, directly from the mouth of the guy it happened to. Just because they ended up having no choice but to finally do the right thing doesn't magically mean the "wait and see" talking point was right. It wasn't. They were doing what we were worried they were doing - misreading the situation and not putting Bryan on top. And they're misreading the Wyatt and Cesaro situations right now, not because they have a larger plan, but because they don't know how to build new stars. If one of those guys ends up winning the World title in a couple of years, it doesn't mean they're not fucking up RIGHT NOW.