WWE Battleground

[JCM]

How about Joe as the third member of team Wyatt? That would be one bad ass group there.

[Greggulator]

I also thought the woman's match was perfectly fine. It had all of your problems for your basic WWE three-way match. That is such an improvement. Replace Sasha and Charlotte with Cameron and Natalya and imagine what the hell it would look like. The "big spots" they had on the floor were impressive for a WWE Diva's match. Again, that's not saying a ton but they really tried.

I thought the difference in talent between Charlotte and Sasha compared to Brie was really obvious. Brie doing the Daniel Bryan kicks was so bad. I mean, I'm not expecting her to lay into them or anything. But at the very least, looking around the crowd and doing a "YES!" chant to get them to realize what you're about to do would have been pretty great. Maybe the crowd would have booed it, but that's fine to -- at least get them to react. The non-NXT girls don't really do those sorts of things.

It's fine to not be a workhorse but at least throw in the fun. Sasha was doing The Fargo Strut and Charlotte was tossing out woos and did a fired up pop-up and Paige/Becky were doing some really fun apron work. I don't know if the crowd missed any of it but Nixxi/Alicia should have been doing some trash talk or stooging type of work. The whole thing is "We have the numbers advantage." They should have tried to use the numbers advantage to test to see if these new stables are up for the challenge and have it fail.

 

The Sasha/Charlotte segments were fine/to good. They laid in their stuff. The Bank Statement looked all sorts of hurty. The Figure 8 was completely nuts.

 

However, I love B.A.D. Naomi is throwing some heat with her promos. She has the right type of confidence and attitude. Sasha's great in it, too. And I friggin' love Tamina just lurking in the background flexing her jacket. heir whole prison meat deal with JoJo is great.

[ChrisM]

How much longer is Daniel Bryan out? Could he possibly have a match with Cena at SS?

[stro]

How much longer is Daniel Bryan out? Could he possibly have a match with Cena at SS?

He's done. He says he's coming back, but he's not. He will never wrestle in a WWE ring again and I'll stand by that. He's never going to get cleared. There is a good chance he'll leave and end up like Kurt Angle, though. Just not in a WWE ring.

 

I thought, weirdly, that Charlotte was the weak link of the Divas match. She looked oddly stiff and nervous through out the whole thing. Brie was great, especially considering she's barely been wrestling in the last 10 months. But Sasha was just on a different level. I think a legit argument can be made that Sasha Banks is the best wrestler in WWE, male or female. At least as long as Sami Zayn is out. Sasha GETS IT. So much more than anyone else on the main or NXT roster. It's incredible. And she's only 23. I can absolutely see women main eventing a PPV with her in it.

[Dolfan in NYC]

The Divas match felt like Sasha and Charlotte had to go at 2/3 speed just to allow Brie to keep up.  

[Go2Sleep]

I know no one wants to see this match and I don't blame everyone for coming up with anything else, but it's been brewing for months and makes perfect sense storyline wise: Rollins vs. Kane for the title.

 

I was surprised how little I liked this show given how good the card looked going in.

 

Orton/Sheamus felt mailed in and was way too long. Were it not for Sandow, I think Sheamus would feel like the most worthless MITB holder ever.

 

The tag titles were easily the best match on the show. It's amazing what a little match structure can do.

 

Bray/Roman was ok at times, but puzzling at others. The blood feud match opening with headlock exchanges was terrible. Some of the stuff at the end got decent, like Bray taking that clothesline counter that Sheamus did a couple weeks back. Harper's back which is something positive I guess. Bray has a knack for winning and losing all the wrong matches.

 

The women's match was ok. I know Brie is getting shit on here, but Charlotte and Sasha didn't exactly turn in their finest work here either. They both didn't look comfortable with the triple threat setting and were doing counter spots to moves they hadn't established. Charlotte popping up and nailing Sasha after the mocking strut only works if Sasha gets the slow walk-up slap over the main show audiences first. They hit their big spots well enough and got good reactions which is the most important thing, and Charlotte went over strong. The crowds seem ready and willing to be patient for something special, so hopefully they get some opportunities that are more conducive to their skillsets. They also need to establish Sasha as the leader of her group (play her damn music) instead of Naomi.

 

Cena/Owens was exactly the same match they had last month and this feud is getting some serious diminishing returns. The first match was the only one that had anything resembling structure or good pacing. For a board where Davey Richards' no-selling your-move-my-move style is a running joke, it's crazy to see these matches get so much praise. Owens work in NXT compared to this is night and day.

 

The main event was exactly what it needed to be... for 5 minutes. Those 5 minutes were awesome and probably could make a good case for best match on the show (again character work and match structure, who knew?), though a far cry from the MOTYC I was hoping for. The way Brock sold Seth's early offense like you or I would sell a fly hovering around our plate at a picnic was perfect. The laughing and begging him to jump at him, and the sprint when he tried to run away were great spots. I was really digging it until the non-finish of course. Taker/Brock 2 does nothing for me. Their first match was Brock's worst in his second WWE run, save for the truly special finish which obviously can't be repeated. If he was just gonna come down and kick Brock in the nuts, he should've been Booger Red anyway. Rollins just disappearing during the whole thing was so stupid. Have him collect the cheap pin so he can brag about how he conquered the beast before someone interrupts him and he shits his pants again for god's sake.

[Big Fresh]

I sadly see the logic on WWE booking Owens to lose last night. In their minds, why would your US and (maybe) your second most prestigious champion at the moment be challenging for a lesser title next month in Brooklyn? I can see Vince going: "Dammit, that's the developmental title. It might as well be the ECW or Hardcore Title!"

With that said. I thought last night was fun if you did not put a lot of thought into it. PTP/New Day was easily the match of the night, as they worked the tag formula perfectly with D-Young even making for a compelling Face in Peril.

I thought Cena/Owens was the worst match of the night, honestly. The finish doesn't bother me as much as it does everyone else. I expected it. The match just had no flow, story, or even reasoning outside of "this is the greatest hits of our other two matches." Maybe, this ends with Cesaro challenging for the title tonight and winning his rubber match with Cena.

It's not a rubber match if Cena won the first 2.

[Dewar]

Cesaro won the first one by DQ, didn't he?

[The Man Known as Dan]

 

I sadly see the logic on WWE booking Owens to lose last night. In their minds, why would your US and (maybe) your second most prestigious champion at the moment be challenging for a lesser title next month in Brooklyn? I can see Vince going: "Dammit, that's the developmental title. It might as well be the ECW or Hardcore Title!"

With that said. I thought last night was fun if you did not put a lot of thought into it. PTP/New Day was easily the match of the night, as they worked the tag formula perfectly with D-Young even making for a compelling Face in Peril.

I thought Cena/Owens was the worst match of the night, honestly. The finish doesn't bother me as much as it does everyone else. I expected it. The match just had no flow, story, or even reasoning outside of "this is the greatest hits of our other two matches." Maybe, this ends with Cesaro challenging for the title tonight and winning his rubber match with Cena.

It's not a rubber match if Cena won the first 2.

 

 

Cesaro won the first match via DQ when Owens interfered when Cesaro had Cena down in the Sharpshooter.

[Big Fresh]

DQs are for jobbers!!!!

[ChrisM]

Cesaro is the X Factor, here. If I'm betting, I say he walks away from SummerSlam as US champ.

[stro]

The Divas match felt like Sasha and Charlotte had to go at 2/3 speed just to allow Brie to keep up.  

I disagree completely. I thought Brie looked excellent and actually far more calm and smooth than Charlotte.

 

I know no one wants to see this match and I don't blame everyone for coming up with anything else, but it's been brewing for months and makes perfect sense storyline wise: Rollins vs. Kane for the title.

 

 

 

 

Cena/Owens was exactly the same match they had last month and this feud is getting some serious diminishing returns. The first match was the only one that had anything resembling structure or good pacing. For a board where Davey Richards' no-selling your-move-my-move style is a running joke, it's crazy to see these matches get so much praise. Owens work in NXT compared to this is night and day.

 

Kane/Rollins probably should have happened either last night or on Raw at least a month ago. That angle has been drawn out so long, but it isn't a WM/Summerslam headlining kind of match. I want the match to happen and end the whole angle, because it's been super bland and boring for months. Actually, Rollins as the top heel/champ in general has been a huge let down. 

 

In regards to Cena/Owens 3, I thought this was the first match that had any kind of pacing and structure. The first match was the worst by with the indie spot fest bullshit. This one at least had a slower pace and some counters to moves to build them a little before hitting 9 finishers. The biggest issue I have with KO on the main roster is that his entire moveset is finishers, and at least 3-4 of them look more devastating than the pop up powerbomb. 

[Playa Shunna Ver 3.0]

The biggest issue I have with KO on the main roster is that his entire moveset is finishers, and at least 3-4 of them look more devastating than the pop up powerbomb. 

 

This is very true.  He drops a dude with a fisherman's buster off the second rope.   That looks much more hurty than the pop up PB.  

[Burgundy LaRue]

I know no one wants to see this match and I don't blame everyone for coming up with anything else, but it's been brewing for months and makes perfect sense storyline wise: Rollins vs. Kane for the title.

 

Thing is, they had the perfect chance to go this route with Kane winning MITB.  Watching Rollins squirm as Kane waved the briefcase over his head would have been great.  HHH could have continued playing the frustrated dad/brother role to Rollins and Kane's bratty son/grumpy uncle, trying to talk Kane into not hurting Rollins but knowing it would eventually happen.

 

They could have had Lesnar beat the snot out of Rollins as he did last night, but let Rollins win with an unseen low blow or something.  Kane slides in, pins Rollins and wins, and as Lesnar circles around Kane to get the title back, THEN have Kane call for 'backup' in Taker.

[stro]

 

The biggest issue I have with KO on the main roster is that his entire moveset is finishers, and at least 3-4 of them look more devastating than the pop up powerbomb. 

 

This is very true.  He drops a dude with a fisherman's buster off the second rope.   That looks much more hurty than the pop up PB.  

 

As does the wrist clutch neckbreaker thing, his sit out powerbombs have more impact than the pop up one (which means he shouldn't be doing another powerbomb variation at all unless he's going to be a guy who powerbombs a lot like Mike Awesome) as well. And if he ever hit the moonsault of swanton, those should probably be finshers considering he's a fat dude doing them. I feel like it would be wise for him to cut down on the CAW moveset and focus on making one or two mean a lot instead of running through 8 moves that would be finishers in any other match as his regular set. That can work on the indies when you're working a company once a month. It doesn't work when you wrestle on TV 2-3 times a week and then do a PPV at the end of the month.

[Brian Fowler]

You guys are nuts. Pop up powerbomb looks devastating as hell.

[Playa Shunna Ver 3.0]

You guys are nuts. Pop up powerbomb looks devastating as hell.

It does, but it loses it's luster a bit after 20+ minutes of pumphandle neck breakers, package powerbombs, sit out powerbombs, top rope fisherman suplexes, swantons, etc.  

[ingrsco]

Wait. So Brock - the face - is taking care of Rollins - the heel - when my grampa The Undertaker - ? - attacks?

This company is the drizzling shits.

 

I also enjoyed the fans who were cheering at Lesnar destroying Rollins turning around and cheering Undertaker destroying Lesnar.

[Playa Shunna Ver 3.0]

I bet a team of orthopedic surgeons were cheering every time the Take stood up and gave another tombstone.  He really seemed to get Brock up way easier than he did with Wyatt.

[SirSmUgly]

I am consistently amazed at how dumb the smartest fans are. WWE has basically been able to turn the smarks into marks from the 70s. No other group gets as personally invested and angry when their favorites lose. Actual little kids don't get as upset when their favorites lose. But grown adults who consider themselves smart lose their god damn minds every time someone they want to win gets beat. Does't matter how they lose. If you could throw batteries through the internet, Cena would still be getting pelted right now.

 

And the beauty of it all is that John Cena has MADE KO a known and viable name in WWE. Not just to smarks and indie fans. To everyone. KO debuted on the main roster by spending 3 months beating the shit out of the biggest star of the past decade. Everyone knows him. Everyone knows him as the guy who debuted and beat John Cena.  In last night's match (which was significantly better than the previous two full on indie sprints), people now claim that KO is done and ruined forever because he tapped out. They fail to see that he looked incredibly strong by kicking out of two AAs (which has been built back up during the US Challenges) and the avalanche AA, which no one else has ever kicked out of. Then he tapped out to the top guy's top submission that has made guys like HHH, HBK, and Batista tap out at Wrestlemania, and about 300 other guys (including Rey, Bryan, Punk, Edge, JBL, Big Show, Kane, Ziggler, Rollins...basically every upper card guy besides Lashley and Taker in the past decade). 

 

In no possible way has Owens been hurt or ruined. He's been made for life. But it is amazing that this discussion has popped up literally every time some internet/indie fave loses a match over the past 10-15 years. The smartest dudes have no idea they're the biggest marks, and are actually the easiest to work. The lack of self-awareness these guys have is incredible.

 

These were many, many words to try and find a convoluted explanation for what is simply incompetent booking. 

[Go2Sleep]

Kane/Rollins probably should have happened either last night or on Raw at least a month ago. That angle has been drawn out so long, but it isn't a WM/Summerslam headlining kind of match. I want the match to happen and end the whole angle, because it's been super bland and boring for months. Actually, Rollins as the top heel/champ in general has been a huge let down. 

 

 

In regards to Cena/Owens 3, I thought this was the first match that had any kind of pacing and structure. The first match was the worst by with the indie spot fest bullshit. This one at least had a slower pace and some counters to moves to build them a little before hitting 9 finishers. The biggest issue I have with KO on the main roster is that his entire moveset is finishers, and at least 3-4 of them look more devastating than the pop up powerbomb. 

 

 

I think they can get away with Rollins/Kane as a non-ME title match on a show with Taker/Lesnar. I don't care for either part of that equation, but it seems likely.

 

I'll have to re-watch 3 obviously, but having seen the first one twice now, I disagree. It had a slower first half with a lot more control by Owens. It looked like he caught Cena off-guard, but played his side of believing that he was legitimately better very well (like yelling "you have something to prove to me" when he had Cena down). The finisher overkill in the second half fit better with Cena being desperate as well as Cena (and a good chunk of the crowd) not having any idea what Owens would throw at him next. The last two matches felt like they went straight to the finisher overkill, but everyone knew it was coming and they didn't up the stakes with any new moves.

[JonnyLaw]

IIRC, Owens never actually hit the pop-up powerbomb in the second match, so the announcers should have made a bigger deal about Cena kicking out.

[Brian Fowler]

You guys are nuts. Pop up powerbomb looks devastating as hell.

It does, but it loses it's luster a bit after 20+ minutes of pumphandle neck breakers, package powerbombs, sit out powerbombs, top rope fisherman suplexes, swantons, etc.

The only one of those that looks more painful is the fisherman superplex.

[RIPPA]

The DDTs are when Cena keeps insisting on trying to compress his vertebrae

[Clayton Jones]

I thought that was hands down the best match of the Cena/Owens trilogy. They were all spotfests with weak psychology, but I thought the high pace, the crowd and the drama of it being the rubber match made everything feel more earned and made the match play out the most entertaining of the three. I do agree that Owens' work in NXT was far superior though, this feud has brought out some of his worst indy tendencies (minus the constant joking with the crowd).