1. Heyman wins the debate! No doubt! Cesaro just looked on in amusement. Perfect!
2. That being said, Coulter is a good talker, and he's done wonders for
both Swagger and Cesaro. This feud should be good for both of them.
3. Every time Swagger hits a Swagger bomb, I have this wild urge to break out in a chorus of the Runaways.
4. Excellent match. Matches like this are why Swagger is worth the trouble, why Cesaro deserves this push.
5. Classic Shield with a 3-on-1 attack on Swagger. This babyface turn and feud with the Authority/Evolution is compelling stuff.
6. Nice vignette for Paige.
7. Just how bad is this Natalya/Tamina match? Tamina doesn't belong on
the main roster, much less as #1 contender for the Divas title. Not even
Natty can make her look good.
8. Looked like some creative editing on that final kick from Tamina. Usually they'd show that from the side.
9. Poor Drew McIntyre. The rest of 3MB amounts to nothing, but he had real potential. Talk about broken dreams...
10. I foresee a Brad Maddox beatdown. Bye bye, Brad.
11. Curtis Axel may have ring skills, but he has the charisma of a corroded penny.
12. Is it just me, or does Ryback's singlet make him look naked and tattooed?
13. Jey Uso got squashed. Way to make the Tag Team Champs look soft.
14. Does Axelback have a future in Evolution? I'd hate to see it, but
this unwarranted push has to mean something. And Ryback never got his
revenge on the Shield for costing him the WWE title last October.
15. I don't Bolieve.
16. Bray Wyatt...wow. Now *that* is charisma in spades.
17. Harper and Rowan look better with every match they get under their belts.
18. I don't like the Goldust/Cody issues, but it wasn't
unexpected...though I expected this before WMXXX. I think Goldy is on
borrowed time.
19. Whoomp! There it is! Poor Brad.
20. Triple powerbomb off the stage? Wow. Fandango won't be dancing for a while.
21. Is Adam rose done yet?
22. They ahowed the Kane/Daniel Bryan segment from RAW again. You have
to appreciate Kane's casual brutality. The Undertaker always seems
premeditated. Kane seems to do the first evil thing that comes to mind.
23. 11-on-3 becomes 5-on-3. That's better than even odds for the Shield.
Excellent systematic destruction of half the locker room.
Good show overall, except for Tamina. If she beats Paige at Extreme Rules, I will be disgusted.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Paul Heyman is a brilliant pro wrestling mind. Period.
I'll admit it: As a wrestling fan, I've always hated Paul Heyman.I guess I've always been more than a bit of a mark. I've liked the faces and hated the heels the way I was supposed to. I guess that's part of why I've been able to suspend my disbelief for so long, to be a highly educated man who can watch and enjoy professional wrestling without shame.
The more I watch wrestling, the more I read the behind-the-scenes news, the more I research the business for a possible forthcoming novel, the more I enjoy the work Paul Heyman does. His microphone work--promos, commentary, whatever--is among the best the pro wrestling business has ever seen. He knows the business inside and out, and he's one of the greatest minds in the business. Watching his promos after Wrestlemania XXX, both for Brock Lesnar and for Cesaro, has been entertaining and enlightening. In one promo, all he said was, "My client, Brock Lesnar, conquered the streak!" He repeated that fifteen, twenty times. And the heat grew and grew and grew from the crowd. He didn't have to say anything else. That was enough. Brilliant stuff. And I find myself liking him more and more.
Recently he appeared on two episodes of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's podcasts--Austin does a family-friendly podcast and an "unleashed" podcast--and Heyman was just brilliant. If you want to learn a bit more about the business, you could do worse than listen to Paul Heyman and Steve Austin sitting down in front of a microphone. Here's a link to download the family-friendly first interview, and here's a link to download the "unleashed" second interview. Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
RAW 4/21/14 (Hulu edition)
1. Congratulations on your wedding, Daniel and Brie. Condolences on the
death of your father. Thanks for coming to work anyway at such a sad
time.
2. And they got him out of the way quickly. Wow. The Big Red Monster is back with a hellish vengeance. Three tombstone piledrivers outside of the ring? Welcome back, Kane! (Really, Kane was the right guy to get him off the show for the night. He's been "knocking people out" carefully and safely for years.)
3. Yeah, your admonitions to Kane and your calls for applause for Bryan look real sincere, Stephanie, especially when you're holding the belts.
4. My predictions: Bad News Barrett defeats Sheamus; Cesaro over RVD...unless they want to further the feud with Swagger. But it's good to see Barrett getting in-ring time again.
5. Excellent match between Sheamus and Bad News. This is what's been missing with BNB not in the ring. Barrett advances with a clean pinfall victory!
6. Will Jackman jack Ziggler again next week? Or will he give the Showoff a push?
7. Cena v. Wyatt Family member(s)? How bloodthirsty is the WWE Universe? Whatever. Bray can talk all day! He's got the whole crowd in his hands.
8. Yackety-yack. Ho hum. Evolution needs a young buck. I hope that's not why they're bringing Bo Dallas to the main roster. (Oh, and how did Motorhead make money before Triple H came to WWE?)
9. Ambrose called Orton a creampuff! This is most certainly true. And funny!
10. Rollins looking to drive a wedge between the members of Evolution.
11. Reigns still needs some work on the mic if he wants to be the top dog.
12. Hunter needs Chloroseptic. And ten other guys to do his fighting for him apparently.
13. Adam Rose...and ratings fell.
14. RVD v. Cesaro was a good match until the interference. Oh well. I thought Cesaro would be a good Intercontinental Champion, but I guess it will be Barrett. And Cesaro can destroy Swagger and Coulter. Cesaro Swing on Swagger! (Can't decide if I like Cesaro's new music yet.)
15. PAIGE!!! v. Aksana? Again. *sigh* Probably Aksana's best match, and that's only because Paige did everything she could to make that a decent match. Aksana threw the worst powerbomb ever.
16. I hope they give Paige a match against Natalya soon. Tamina in a title match is a joke.
17. Cena v. the whole Wyatt Clan? That's gonna hurt. Thank you, WWE Universe.
18. Good match--again the Wyatts bring out Cena's best. And the singing is just creepy.
Not on hulu:
1. Drew McIntyre jobs to...el Torito? Talk about broken dreams. *sigh*
2. No Usos v. the Rhodes Brothers. So much for the tag division.
3. No Emma over Layla. Again the #EMMAlution is deferred.
4. No RVD interview/Cesaro and Heyman interruption.
5. No Rusev v. Sin Hunico or Sin Tyson Kidd. Oh well.
Baltimore crowd was just sad. Again. Just like they were for Old School RAW. But I enjoyed the show very much.
2. And they got him out of the way quickly. Wow. The Big Red Monster is back with a hellish vengeance. Three tombstone piledrivers outside of the ring? Welcome back, Kane! (Really, Kane was the right guy to get him off the show for the night. He's been "knocking people out" carefully and safely for years.)
3. Yeah, your admonitions to Kane and your calls for applause for Bryan look real sincere, Stephanie, especially when you're holding the belts.
4. My predictions: Bad News Barrett defeats Sheamus; Cesaro over RVD...unless they want to further the feud with Swagger. But it's good to see Barrett getting in-ring time again.
5. Excellent match between Sheamus and Bad News. This is what's been missing with BNB not in the ring. Barrett advances with a clean pinfall victory!
6. Will Jackman jack Ziggler again next week? Or will he give the Showoff a push?
7. Cena v. Wyatt Family member(s)? How bloodthirsty is the WWE Universe? Whatever. Bray can talk all day! He's got the whole crowd in his hands.
8. Yackety-yack. Ho hum. Evolution needs a young buck. I hope that's not why they're bringing Bo Dallas to the main roster. (Oh, and how did Motorhead make money before Triple H came to WWE?)
9. Ambrose called Orton a creampuff! This is most certainly true. And funny!
10. Rollins looking to drive a wedge between the members of Evolution.
11. Reigns still needs some work on the mic if he wants to be the top dog.
12. Hunter needs Chloroseptic. And ten other guys to do his fighting for him apparently.
13. Adam Rose...and ratings fell.
14. RVD v. Cesaro was a good match until the interference. Oh well. I thought Cesaro would be a good Intercontinental Champion, but I guess it will be Barrett. And Cesaro can destroy Swagger and Coulter. Cesaro Swing on Swagger! (Can't decide if I like Cesaro's new music yet.)
15. PAIGE!!! v. Aksana? Again. *sigh* Probably Aksana's best match, and that's only because Paige did everything she could to make that a decent match. Aksana threw the worst powerbomb ever.
16. I hope they give Paige a match against Natalya soon. Tamina in a title match is a joke.
17. Cena v. the whole Wyatt Clan? That's gonna hurt. Thank you, WWE Universe.
18. Good match--again the Wyatts bring out Cena's best. And the singing is just creepy.
Not on hulu:
1. Drew McIntyre jobs to...el Torito? Talk about broken dreams. *sigh*
2. No Usos v. the Rhodes Brothers. So much for the tag division.
3. No Emma over Layla. Again the #EMMAlution is deferred.
4. No RVD interview/Cesaro and Heyman interruption.
5. No Rusev v. Sin Hunico or Sin Tyson Kidd. Oh well.
Baltimore crowd was just sad. Again. Just like they were for Old School RAW. But I enjoyed the show very much.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
SmackDown 4/18/14
1. Hey, Evolution: the 2000s want their clique back. Back then you
wouldn't have needed 11 guys to soften up your opponents for you.
2. So Sheamus is going to put Batista over for the sake of Evolution? *sigh* Well, maybe it will be a good match anyway.
3. AdR v. Big E? I think we've seen this before. At least we didn't have to listen to del Rio talk.
4. Pretty good match. Weird ending. Right call on the DQ, but the ref should have called for the bell immediately instead of doing his little dance.
5. Yes, Paul, we know Lesnar beat Taker. Talk about an easy way to get heat. And he didn't even have to lie to do it. I think I'm growing to like him.
6. Paige!!! Great to see her with the belt. Aksana is not a wrestler. She's a fitness model. Paige is a wrestler.
7. So...are they trying to make Paige look too inexperienced to hold the belt? People keep beating her up, and then Paige wins after a moment of offense. Let her look like the real talent she is.
8. Renee Young...if the WWE lets her get away to ESPN, they'll miss her. So will we.
9. Torito v. Hornswoggle? I know Torito was actually a wrestler in Mexico, but I've never seen evidence that Hornswoggle could. Hornswoggle actually looks like the Miz.
10. That was a better match than I expected. I thought it would be the joke it usually is when Hornswoggle is involved, but he was doing real moves. I don't think I'd like a steady diet of that, but it wasn't bad.
11. Bad News is back on the podium tonight. What a shame. He seems to be making the best of a bad gimmick.
12. Is Lana charismatic enough to be Rusev's mouthpiece? Is his move set enough to be a silent wrestler? Too early to tell, but they both have the look. He reminds me of Ryback, and we know how that has turned out. Maybe Lana will make the difference. Anyone else having flashbacks to Rocky IV?
13. I'm glad they showed the Ultimate Warrior tribute from RAW again.
14. I know Layla danced for the Miami Heat, but Summer Rae seems like a better dancer. That being said, I'd rather not have either of them.
15. And how many times do we have to see Santino v. Fandango? I think Emma v. Layla would be a better match. Still like the Emma/Santino interplay though.
16. Just say NO to Adam Rose.
17. Another better match than I expected. Sheamus and Batista gave me all I could have wanted from them, even though Batista won.
Better show than last week's episode. I know every show can't be a home run; this was a solid double.
2. So Sheamus is going to put Batista over for the sake of Evolution? *sigh* Well, maybe it will be a good match anyway.
3. AdR v. Big E? I think we've seen this before. At least we didn't have to listen to del Rio talk.
4. Pretty good match. Weird ending. Right call on the DQ, but the ref should have called for the bell immediately instead of doing his little dance.
5. Yes, Paul, we know Lesnar beat Taker. Talk about an easy way to get heat. And he didn't even have to lie to do it. I think I'm growing to like him.
6. Paige!!! Great to see her with the belt. Aksana is not a wrestler. She's a fitness model. Paige is a wrestler.
7. So...are they trying to make Paige look too inexperienced to hold the belt? People keep beating her up, and then Paige wins after a moment of offense. Let her look like the real talent she is.
8. Renee Young...if the WWE lets her get away to ESPN, they'll miss her. So will we.
9. Torito v. Hornswoggle? I know Torito was actually a wrestler in Mexico, but I've never seen evidence that Hornswoggle could. Hornswoggle actually looks like the Miz.
10. That was a better match than I expected. I thought it would be the joke it usually is when Hornswoggle is involved, but he was doing real moves. I don't think I'd like a steady diet of that, but it wasn't bad.
11. Bad News is back on the podium tonight. What a shame. He seems to be making the best of a bad gimmick.
12. Is Lana charismatic enough to be Rusev's mouthpiece? Is his move set enough to be a silent wrestler? Too early to tell, but they both have the look. He reminds me of Ryback, and we know how that has turned out. Maybe Lana will make the difference. Anyone else having flashbacks to Rocky IV?
13. I'm glad they showed the Ultimate Warrior tribute from RAW again.
14. I know Layla danced for the Miami Heat, but Summer Rae seems like a better dancer. That being said, I'd rather not have either of them.
15. And how many times do we have to see Santino v. Fandango? I think Emma v. Layla would be a better match. Still like the Emma/Santino interplay though.
16. Just say NO to Adam Rose.
17. Another better match than I expected. Sheamus and Batista gave me all I could have wanted from them, even though Batista won.
Better show than last week's episode. I know every show can't be a home run; this was a solid double.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
RAW 4/14/14 (hulu edition)
1. Excellent tribute to the Ultimate Warrior to open RAW. The
ten-bell salute was beautiful. Thank you WWE. And thank you Warrior.
"The spirit of Ultimate Warrior will run FOREVER!"
2. Will the Authority strike back at the Shield? Really, Cole? The only question is whether or not Flair will be standing with the rest of Evolution when they attack the Shield.
3. Like the IC tournament idea. My prediction for winners: Cesaro, AdR, Sheamus, Barrett. This is not a tournament of mid-card talent, so the mid-card talent (Henry and Swagger, both former World Champions who are now mid-carders), RVD (the short-term guy), and Ziggler (who is not mid-card but is jobbing to everyone lately) will lose.
4. R! V! D! He and AdR had a good match some months ago. Great to see the high flyer back, even for a short stint.
5. Oops. Guess I was wrong about AdR.
6. Hunter is on his own, eh, Orton and Batista. I'll believe it when I see it.
7. Ultimate Moment: Warrior v. Honky Tonk Man, Summer Slam '88. Warrior wins the strap! (And...my Roku resets. Nice.)
8. I don't BoLieve. Ugh.
9. Paige!!! I wanted to see her ring entrance, but seeing her win the belt was fine too. Great to see her on the main roster.
10. Oh, Alicia, you don't stand a chance. Paige has more talent in her pinky toe than you've dreamed of having.
11. Love the scorpion submission. 7 days and counting. Only 289 to go to pass AJ!
12. Orton/Batista v. the Usos could be a good match if they let it be.
13. It was good while it lasted. Not surprised to see the Shield interfere. Not surprised to see Orton and Batista leaving. Builds for the return of Evolution later.
14. Ultimate Moment: Warrior v. Hogan, WMVI. Warrior wins! One of my all-time favorit matches.
15. Not cheering for Heyman right now, but they *will* cheer for Cesaro even if Bischoff were to walk out with him.
16. Cesaro needs music. Really.
17. Oh, that is an impressive man. Keep pushing him, Vince, all the way to the bank.
18. Ultimate Moment: Warrior v. Rick Rude in the cage at SummerSlam 90.
19. Sheamus v. Swagger will be a physical match. I hope Swagger can keep himself clean. He's too talented to be allowed to keep shooting himself in the foot.
20. Sheamus looked like he was having leg troubles even before the ankle lock. Still, good match. Sheamus wins.
21. The Exotic Express. *sigh* That can go away already.
22. Wyatt has the golden tongue. Creepy or not, they struck gold with this gimmick.
23. No one pokes the bear like John Cena. Not his best effort with the pics, but not his worst either. ("CM Sucks," anyone?)
24. Is the Big Red Monster coming back? Will he be independent of the Authority?
25. Good to see Barrett back in the ring. Not at the expense of Dolph Ziggler, but still...
26. Very good match. I'm still iffy about the Bad News gimmick, but he's got talent in spades.
27. Shield v. the world. Because Evolution needs them to be softened up.
28. Yeah, didn't expect the match to last long. There's the beatdown...
29. And there's Evolution. Yeah, some things are so obvious that even *I* can see them.
30. People, Daniel Bryan is on his honeymoon. He ain't gonna show up to rescue the Shield. Get over it.
Not on hulu:
1. AxelBack v. the Brothers Rhodes. Don't mind missing this, really. AxelBack needs to go.
2. Rusev v. Woods. I guess the IC Tourney is too important for them to promote their new talents.
3. No Sandow/Big Show segment. Would have been nice to see.
4. No Santino/Emma v. Fandango/Layla. Missing Emma, but I can do without Fandango abd Emma.
5. No Evil Kane promo. *sigh*
Barrett v. Ziggler was one of the best matches of the year to this point. Quality matches, and the promise of the Monster that is Kane returning makes me smile.
2. Will the Authority strike back at the Shield? Really, Cole? The only question is whether or not Flair will be standing with the rest of Evolution when they attack the Shield.
3. Like the IC tournament idea. My prediction for winners: Cesaro, AdR, Sheamus, Barrett. This is not a tournament of mid-card talent, so the mid-card talent (Henry and Swagger, both former World Champions who are now mid-carders), RVD (the short-term guy), and Ziggler (who is not mid-card but is jobbing to everyone lately) will lose.
4. R! V! D! He and AdR had a good match some months ago. Great to see the high flyer back, even for a short stint.
5. Oops. Guess I was wrong about AdR.
6. Hunter is on his own, eh, Orton and Batista. I'll believe it when I see it.
7. Ultimate Moment: Warrior v. Honky Tonk Man, Summer Slam '88. Warrior wins the strap! (And...my Roku resets. Nice.)
8. I don't BoLieve. Ugh.
9. Paige!!! I wanted to see her ring entrance, but seeing her win the belt was fine too. Great to see her on the main roster.
10. Oh, Alicia, you don't stand a chance. Paige has more talent in her pinky toe than you've dreamed of having.
11. Love the scorpion submission. 7 days and counting. Only 289 to go to pass AJ!
12. Orton/Batista v. the Usos could be a good match if they let it be.
13. It was good while it lasted. Not surprised to see the Shield interfere. Not surprised to see Orton and Batista leaving. Builds for the return of Evolution later.
14. Ultimate Moment: Warrior v. Hogan, WMVI. Warrior wins! One of my all-time favorit matches.
15. Not cheering for Heyman right now, but they *will* cheer for Cesaro even if Bischoff were to walk out with him.
16. Cesaro needs music. Really.
17. Oh, that is an impressive man. Keep pushing him, Vince, all the way to the bank.
18. Ultimate Moment: Warrior v. Rick Rude in the cage at SummerSlam 90.
19. Sheamus v. Swagger will be a physical match. I hope Swagger can keep himself clean. He's too talented to be allowed to keep shooting himself in the foot.
20. Sheamus looked like he was having leg troubles even before the ankle lock. Still, good match. Sheamus wins.
21. The Exotic Express. *sigh* That can go away already.
22. Wyatt has the golden tongue. Creepy or not, they struck gold with this gimmick.
23. No one pokes the bear like John Cena. Not his best effort with the pics, but not his worst either. ("CM Sucks," anyone?)
24. Is the Big Red Monster coming back? Will he be independent of the Authority?
25. Good to see Barrett back in the ring. Not at the expense of Dolph Ziggler, but still...
26. Very good match. I'm still iffy about the Bad News gimmick, but he's got talent in spades.
27. Shield v. the world. Because Evolution needs them to be softened up.
28. Yeah, didn't expect the match to last long. There's the beatdown...
29. And there's Evolution. Yeah, some things are so obvious that even *I* can see them.
30. People, Daniel Bryan is on his honeymoon. He ain't gonna show up to rescue the Shield. Get over it.
Not on hulu:
1. AxelBack v. the Brothers Rhodes. Don't mind missing this, really. AxelBack needs to go.
2. Rusev v. Woods. I guess the IC Tourney is too important for them to promote their new talents.
3. No Sandow/Big Show segment. Would have been nice to see.
4. No Santino/Emma v. Fandango/Layla. Missing Emma, but I can do without Fandango abd Emma.
5. No Evil Kane promo. *sigh*
Barrett v. Ziggler was one of the best matches of the year to this point. Quality matches, and the promise of the Monster that is Kane returning makes me smile.
SmackDown 4/11/14
1. Thank you for the memories, Warrior. You indeed will live forever in the hearts, minds, and legends of the fans.
2. A regular Cena promo. I hear they had to edit out something he said about the Ultimate Warrior.
3. I think the Wyatts need to go the route of Metallica when they cut their hair short.
4. Big Show will help Cesaro look strong.
5. It's strange hearing people cheering Heyman, though. And it's strange to want to like a Paul Heyman guy.
6. Oh man. I wanted Cesaro to be a babyface. I don't think the Universe is going to give him much of a choice.
7. I like the attack from Swagger. That will be a good feud for both of them.
8. Axelback v. Los Matadores, eh? Zzzzzzz... I liked Primo and Epico better. (Did you see Carlito at the HoF induction? He looked good with facial hair, but he still needs a haircut. And was he stoned?)
9. It's me! It's me! It's DD...er, I mean RVD! I know his returns are just short-term, but he's always fun to watch. (I still love how he sells his own frog splash.)
10. It's a shame, what they've done to Sandow. He's too good for this. I hope they're tearing him down to build him back up.
11. Is Adam Rose supposed to be Russell Brand? I don't like brand, and I don't like the Rose gimmick. He was better as Leo Kruger.
12. Hulkamania runs wild on SmackDown! "Yestlemania?" Ugh.
13. Loving how Daniel Bryan is talking about being a fan of Hogan's. He's geeking in the ring! What an awesome segment!!!
14. Barrett with a quick win over Kofi. I'm glad he's back in the ring, but both of them are better than that.
15. Fandango v. Santino. Ugh. And Layla with Fandango? *sigh* not even Emma can save that.
16. Nice vignette for Paige. Can't wait to see her more often on RAW and SmackDown.
17. No action for the Shield. I was hoping for more than a canned promo. Oh well.
18. Good to see the Usos in the main event with Bryan v. the Authority Heels. They've come a long way.
19. I want the old Kane back!
20. If any of you used to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, do Randy Orton's tattooed arms remind you of Adam?
21. Good action. Double count out was disappointing, but there are worse ways to end a match.
22. And the Shield attack was exactly what I thought I was missing.
Not a blockbuster show, but I don't know that anyone expected that after WMXXX and RAW.
2. A regular Cena promo. I hear they had to edit out something he said about the Ultimate Warrior.
3. I think the Wyatts need to go the route of Metallica when they cut their hair short.
4. Big Show will help Cesaro look strong.
5. It's strange hearing people cheering Heyman, though. And it's strange to want to like a Paul Heyman guy.
6. Oh man. I wanted Cesaro to be a babyface. I don't think the Universe is going to give him much of a choice.
7. I like the attack from Swagger. That will be a good feud for both of them.
8. Axelback v. Los Matadores, eh? Zzzzzzz... I liked Primo and Epico better. (Did you see Carlito at the HoF induction? He looked good with facial hair, but he still needs a haircut. And was he stoned?)
9. It's me! It's me! It's DD...er, I mean RVD! I know his returns are just short-term, but he's always fun to watch. (I still love how he sells his own frog splash.)
10. It's a shame, what they've done to Sandow. He's too good for this. I hope they're tearing him down to build him back up.
11. Is Adam Rose supposed to be Russell Brand? I don't like brand, and I don't like the Rose gimmick. He was better as Leo Kruger.
12. Hulkamania runs wild on SmackDown! "Yestlemania?" Ugh.
13. Loving how Daniel Bryan is talking about being a fan of Hogan's. He's geeking in the ring! What an awesome segment!!!
14. Barrett with a quick win over Kofi. I'm glad he's back in the ring, but both of them are better than that.
15. Fandango v. Santino. Ugh. And Layla with Fandango? *sigh* not even Emma can save that.
16. Nice vignette for Paige. Can't wait to see her more often on RAW and SmackDown.
17. No action for the Shield. I was hoping for more than a canned promo. Oh well.
18. Good to see the Usos in the main event with Bryan v. the Authority Heels. They've come a long way.
19. I want the old Kane back!
20. If any of you used to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, do Randy Orton's tattooed arms remind you of Adam?
21. Good action. Double count out was disappointing, but there are worse ways to end a match.
22. And the Shield attack was exactly what I thought I was missing.
Not a blockbuster show, but I don't know that anyone expected that after WMXXX and RAW.
RAW 4/7/14 (hulu edition)
1. It's the new (goat)face of the WWE!
2. And it's the Chief Narcissist of the WWE. Baby want a weematch? What a shocker, Hunter. (Great match at WMXXX, and I won't mind seeing it again if it's allowed to happen.)
3. Batista and Orton v. the Usos? For the titles? That doesn't make a lot of sense.
4. The Wyatts v. Cena, Sheamus, and Big E. Oh, the crowd is loud for the Wyatts. I like the matchup, though I feel bad that Sheamus and Big E are caught up in Cena's mishegas.
5. Big E is a beast. Oh, that boy has a future.
6. And so do the Wyatts. Goodness! That's a tremendous performance right there. And they really are devouring the WWE Universe. FOLLOW...THE BUZZARDS!
7. Bo Dallas promo video. Meh.
8. Brock... Oh, that crowd is still stunned. #ThankYouTaker
9. I guess Paul is entitled to crow a bit.
10. Usos and Orton/Batista ends in a double countout? Was this meant to further the Orton/Batista dissatisfaction angle? Don't like the victimization of the Usos, but it did work for the storyline.
11. Promo for Adam Rose? Isn't that a little soon? Then again, he's been around a while as Kruger.
12. Ultimate Warrior!!! He looks like Ron Perlman without makeup. And that mask is just funny! Good to have you back in the fold. That was the most coherent he's ever been. Beautiful words!
13. It's Paige!!! Welcome to the WWE. I hope this isn't just a one-off appearance. (I doubt it--the night after WM is an odd time for a one-off debut.)
14. Paige-Turner! NO WAY!!! PAIGE IS THE DIVAS CHAMPION!!! She tore the stars out from AJ's sky! Yes!!! (Hope this is a feud. Those are two of the best divas since Trish/Lita.)
15. Yes, I still mark out hard when I hear "Real American" and Hulk emerges.
16. Cesaro is a Paul Heyman guy? He's getting an awful lot of pop for a Paul Heyman guy. Love the crowd humming Cesaro's music. Will he have new music next week?
17. Yesterday was apparently a very good day for the Paulrus.
18. Swagger should be broken in half for breaking that trophy.
19. Cesaro v. Swagger was a good match while it lasted. How long will the feud last?
20. Steph? Do you really expect the Shield to do the bidding of the Authority after WMXXX?
21. Apparently Kane, Orton, and Batista will.
22. But not the Shield! I guess the WM rematch won't happen. Oh well.
23. Ooh. Kane v. Reigns would be an intriguing singles match...if Kane goes back to being the monster.
24. Bryan with the flying knee! Take that, Hunter!
Not on hulu:
1. No Fandango/Summer Rae v. Santino/Emma. Sad, really. Four of their better in-ring performers. And the #EMMAlution must continue.
2. No RVD v. Sandow. Poor Damien. He deserves better.
3. No Mysterio v. Bad News Barrett. FINALLY THEY LET HIM BACK IN THE RING!!!
4. No Rusev v. Ryder. Wish I could have seen it just to see Zack again.
I am really excited about the future of the WWE. All this young talent makes the future look bright. Big E, the Wyatts, Cesaro, Paige, Emma, Bo, the Shield...NXT is doing wonders for the business.
2. And it's the Chief Narcissist of the WWE. Baby want a weematch? What a shocker, Hunter. (Great match at WMXXX, and I won't mind seeing it again if it's allowed to happen.)
3. Batista and Orton v. the Usos? For the titles? That doesn't make a lot of sense.
4. The Wyatts v. Cena, Sheamus, and Big E. Oh, the crowd is loud for the Wyatts. I like the matchup, though I feel bad that Sheamus and Big E are caught up in Cena's mishegas.
5. Big E is a beast. Oh, that boy has a future.
6. And so do the Wyatts. Goodness! That's a tremendous performance right there. And they really are devouring the WWE Universe. FOLLOW...THE BUZZARDS!
7. Bo Dallas promo video. Meh.
8. Brock... Oh, that crowd is still stunned. #ThankYouTaker
9. I guess Paul is entitled to crow a bit.
10. Usos and Orton/Batista ends in a double countout? Was this meant to further the Orton/Batista dissatisfaction angle? Don't like the victimization of the Usos, but it did work for the storyline.
11. Promo for Adam Rose? Isn't that a little soon? Then again, he's been around a while as Kruger.
12. Ultimate Warrior!!! He looks like Ron Perlman without makeup. And that mask is just funny! Good to have you back in the fold. That was the most coherent he's ever been. Beautiful words!
13. It's Paige!!! Welcome to the WWE. I hope this isn't just a one-off appearance. (I doubt it--the night after WM is an odd time for a one-off debut.)
14. Paige-Turner! NO WAY!!! PAIGE IS THE DIVAS CHAMPION!!! She tore the stars out from AJ's sky! Yes!!! (Hope this is a feud. Those are two of the best divas since Trish/Lita.)
15. Yes, I still mark out hard when I hear "Real American" and Hulk emerges.
16. Cesaro is a Paul Heyman guy? He's getting an awful lot of pop for a Paul Heyman guy. Love the crowd humming Cesaro's music. Will he have new music next week?
17. Yesterday was apparently a very good day for the Paulrus.
18. Swagger should be broken in half for breaking that trophy.
19. Cesaro v. Swagger was a good match while it lasted. How long will the feud last?
20. Steph? Do you really expect the Shield to do the bidding of the Authority after WMXXX?
21. Apparently Kane, Orton, and Batista will.
22. But not the Shield! I guess the WM rematch won't happen. Oh well.
23. Ooh. Kane v. Reigns would be an intriguing singles match...if Kane goes back to being the monster.
24. Bryan with the flying knee! Take that, Hunter!
Not on hulu:
1. No Fandango/Summer Rae v. Santino/Emma. Sad, really. Four of their better in-ring performers. And the #EMMAlution must continue.
2. No RVD v. Sandow. Poor Damien. He deserves better.
3. No Mysterio v. Bad News Barrett. FINALLY THEY LET HIM BACK IN THE RING!!!
4. No Rusev v. Ryder. Wish I could have seen it just to see Zack again.
I am really excited about the future of the WWE. All this young talent makes the future look bright. Big E, the Wyatts, Cesaro, Paige, Emma, Bo, the Shield...NXT is doing wonders for the business.
Wrestlemania XXX
Welcome to my new blog, WWENotes! As the name suggests, I watch a WWE event, and I post my notes about it. Read it, skip over it, whatever. But if you stay and read, I hope you enjoy. Anyway, here's my WMXXX notes.
1. Pre-show: excellent four-team elimination tag match for the straps. Honestly did not expect the Usos to retain, though I have no complaints.
2. Cesaro swing...on Swagger?! After an ankle lock that Zebb halted? I thought they'd split at WMXXX, but I thought Cesaro would end up a babyface. Now? I don't know. But maybe that will all be clear after the battle royal.
3. Somehow Hulk Hogan and the 75k+ who started off in New Orleans were magically transported to Detroit! Welcome to the Silverdome, brother! Oops! The crowd was kindly about it—much better than people in Detroit would have been been had the opposite mistake happened. That’s okay. At his age, it’s a miracle he remembers how to flex!
4. STONE COLD! STONE COLD! STONE COLD!!! (Yeah, I’m such a mark. Get over it.) Seeing those two in the same ring makes a man wish this had happened 15 to 20 years ago.
5. When the Rock’s music started, the hair on my arms stood on end. (That’s no small accomplishment!) That is a whole heck of a lot of star power to open the show. That’s going to be hard to live up to. I guess this means that Stone Cold and the Rock aren’t going to be coming to Cena’s rescue.
6. I’ll say this: Triple H knows how to make an entrance. I’m glad he came down to his “Game” music instead of the “King of Kings” music.
7. The geek in my can’t help but point out how cool is it that Jerry Lawler referenced Frank Frazetta when describing Hunter’s attire.
8. That is a lot of people chanting “YES! YES! YES!”
9. Stephanie, that necklace/tie/choker thing doesn’t work for you, and your outfit is just a little…street-walker for a corporate executive.
10. Hunter did a good job of putting over Daniel Bryan. He made him look very good without looking weak himself. And *that* is what’s best for business. Excellent match. And the extra-curricular activities after the bell will only make Bryan a more sympathetic character for the main event.
11. Very disappointing match from the Old Age Outlaws and Kane. No introduction from the Road Dogg. The only offense from the Corporate team was the few punches Kane threw to start the match. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t a squash. This is the worst I’ve seen the Outlaws look. Ever. I admit, the double-triple powerbomb was impressive. But that was a huge letdown.
12. Nice cameos from Duggan, Slaughter, Steamboat, the Million Dollar Man, and Ron Simmons. Quick and fun. Everybody has their price for the Million Dollar Man!
13. The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal…what a mess!
14. KOFI!!! Always impressive. It’s a shame he never ends up winning, but he always has his moment in these battle royals.
15. A lot of impressive moments, but AdR kept eliminating people I like.
16. Cesaro v. Big Show to end it? HOLY CRAP!!!!! THAT WAS AWESOME!!! CESARO BODYSLAMMED BIG SHOW OVER THE TOP ROPE!!! DAYUM!!! WOW!
17. I don’t know if this cleared anything up from earlier, but Cesaro certainly got a pop from the crowd. WE…THE PEOPLE!!!
18. What an interesting band playing the entrance theme for the Wyatts.
19. Okay, I don’t get the whole “You can destroy my legacy by beating me once” thing. Kane couldn’t turn Cena, and I don’t expect Bray to be able to either. But I expect this to be a heck of a match.
20. Wyatt reminds me a lot of Bam Bam Bigelow in his athleticism, but with more than a touch of brutality. Oh, and that spider walk is downright creepy! He’s got potential we haven’t come anywhere near touching. FOLLOW…THE BUZZARDS!!!
21. The crowd is singing ‘He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands?” Wyatt is loving it. There’s nothing like a New Orleans party!
22. Cena’s a better man than I am. It was leaping into a powerbomb that broke his neck, but he keeps doing it.
23. That was a surprisingly good match. I do hope this isn’t over. The Wyatts bring out Cena’s best performances it seems.
24. Excellent Hall of Fame class this year. Jake the Snake, Mr. T, Paul Bearer (Ohhhhhh yeeeeeeees!), Carlos Colon, Lita, Razor Ramon, and the Ultimate Warrior! I half expected him to run down to the ring and shake the ropes!
25. Undertaker has the best entrance ever. No one compares. No one even comes close. Lesnar’s response? “Ho hum.” Lesnar looks almost sad.
26. Slow match, but Taker looks especially slow. I don’t know how this will play out, but he doesn’t look that good in-ring. I don’t know if this is ring rust or what, but he’s not at his best. He might be blown up already.
27. And Lesnar is looking beat up too. Taker may not be at his best, but Lesnar’s taken a few shots. Still, he looks like he’s selling, while Taker looks…old. Snake eyes looked like the snake was slithering through molasses.
28. F5!!! It’s over—NO!
29. HELL’S GATE!!! Wow. Lesnar is a beast!
30. AGAIN! And the same escape!
31. KIMURA LOCK!!! REVERSED!!! Lesnar to the ropes.
32. Old School. NO! Another F5!! TAKER KICKS OUT!!!
33. LAST RIDE! Oh, does the Undertaker look bad.
34. TOMBSTONE!!! THERE WE GO!!! 22 and…NO!!!
35. Tombstone reversed! F5!!! NO!!!
36. The Streak...is over. 21-1. Holy... O my... What the...
37. That was *not* what I thought I would see. Ever. The crowd reactions are priceless, and I know exactly what they're thinking, because I look like a poleaxed cow too. I never thought I would see that. Dayum.
38. Was that Taker’s last match? Is the lure of Michelle going to have him staying at home permanently? I really thought he’d retire after WMXXXI and a match with Sting. Could this be it, and Undertaker and Sting go into the Hall of Fame together next year? Thinking about it, I seem to remember hearing somewhere that the Undertaker wanted Lesnar to end the streak if anyone did, but…really?
39. I couldn't understand why they waited so long in the show to hold the divas match, but I guess they figured people would need time to recover from the Undertaker loss before the main event. Nevertheless, Viva La EMMAluton!
40. AJ retains! Ha! Any result that leaves Vicki with that kind of stinkface has to be good! That black widow submission is just awesome!
41. But the match itself? I would have been happy with half the participants rather than making all of them look weak by sitting on the floor for ten minutes.
42. Taker lost? What the... They probably should have given us even more time to recover. Yikes. Not ready for the main event!
43. I’m not one for live performances, but “Voices” was better live than I expected, though I still prefer the studio version. I do wish they’d have brought Saliva in for “I Walk Alone”. Oh well.
44. No one has gone through the Spanish announce table yet. How can it be Wrestlemania?
45. Looking at the time, the match must be about half over, and the crowd is still quiet.
46. Excellent match so far. Especially the part where Hunter took a sledgehammer to the head for interfering with the crooked ref Armstrong.
47. There we go. Powerbomb and RKO simultaneously puts Orton and Bryan through the table. Ooooh, and Orton landed on a monitor. His back has nasty gashes. That’s legit right there. Wow. That had to hurt.
48. Shades of Mick Foley: Daniel Bryan fighting to get off the stretcher! There’s the crowd! The Taker hangover is gone.
49. Yes lock on Orton! Batista with the save. Yes lock on Batista! Orton with the save. Wow. Batista countering the RKO and then SPEARING Bryan. Orton RKOs Batista! Near fall. This is all coming fast and furious.
50. Orton to punt Batista. Bryan blocks with a flying knee! Batista gets rid of Bryan and then goes for the cover and Orton kicks out! Powerbomb on Orton.
51. YES LOCK ON BATISTA! ORTON IS OUT OF THE RING! BATISTA TAPS!!! BRYAN WINS!!! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!
Very good show overall. The Shield v. The Authority match was disappointing, and I still can't believe the Undertaker lost. But the main even was worth the price of admission, especially since it came with the WWE Network.
1. Pre-show: excellent four-team elimination tag match for the straps. Honestly did not expect the Usos to retain, though I have no complaints.
2. Cesaro swing...on Swagger?! After an ankle lock that Zebb halted? I thought they'd split at WMXXX, but I thought Cesaro would end up a babyface. Now? I don't know. But maybe that will all be clear after the battle royal.
3. Somehow Hulk Hogan and the 75k+ who started off in New Orleans were magically transported to Detroit! Welcome to the Silverdome, brother! Oops! The crowd was kindly about it—much better than people in Detroit would have been been had the opposite mistake happened. That’s okay. At his age, it’s a miracle he remembers how to flex!
4. STONE COLD! STONE COLD! STONE COLD!!! (Yeah, I’m such a mark. Get over it.) Seeing those two in the same ring makes a man wish this had happened 15 to 20 years ago.
5. When the Rock’s music started, the hair on my arms stood on end. (That’s no small accomplishment!) That is a whole heck of a lot of star power to open the show. That’s going to be hard to live up to. I guess this means that Stone Cold and the Rock aren’t going to be coming to Cena’s rescue.
6. I’ll say this: Triple H knows how to make an entrance. I’m glad he came down to his “Game” music instead of the “King of Kings” music.
7. The geek in my can’t help but point out how cool is it that Jerry Lawler referenced Frank Frazetta when describing Hunter’s attire.
8. That is a lot of people chanting “YES! YES! YES!”
9. Stephanie, that necklace/tie/choker thing doesn’t work for you, and your outfit is just a little…street-walker for a corporate executive.
10. Hunter did a good job of putting over Daniel Bryan. He made him look very good without looking weak himself. And *that* is what’s best for business. Excellent match. And the extra-curricular activities after the bell will only make Bryan a more sympathetic character for the main event.
11. Very disappointing match from the Old Age Outlaws and Kane. No introduction from the Road Dogg. The only offense from the Corporate team was the few punches Kane threw to start the match. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t a squash. This is the worst I’ve seen the Outlaws look. Ever. I admit, the double-triple powerbomb was impressive. But that was a huge letdown.
12. Nice cameos from Duggan, Slaughter, Steamboat, the Million Dollar Man, and Ron Simmons. Quick and fun. Everybody has their price for the Million Dollar Man!
13. The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal…what a mess!
14. KOFI!!! Always impressive. It’s a shame he never ends up winning, but he always has his moment in these battle royals.
15. A lot of impressive moments, but AdR kept eliminating people I like.
16. Cesaro v. Big Show to end it? HOLY CRAP!!!!! THAT WAS AWESOME!!! CESARO BODYSLAMMED BIG SHOW OVER THE TOP ROPE!!! DAYUM!!! WOW!
17. I don’t know if this cleared anything up from earlier, but Cesaro certainly got a pop from the crowd. WE…THE PEOPLE!!!
18. What an interesting band playing the entrance theme for the Wyatts.
19. Okay, I don’t get the whole “You can destroy my legacy by beating me once” thing. Kane couldn’t turn Cena, and I don’t expect Bray to be able to either. But I expect this to be a heck of a match.
20. Wyatt reminds me a lot of Bam Bam Bigelow in his athleticism, but with more than a touch of brutality. Oh, and that spider walk is downright creepy! He’s got potential we haven’t come anywhere near touching. FOLLOW…THE BUZZARDS!!!
21. The crowd is singing ‘He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands?” Wyatt is loving it. There’s nothing like a New Orleans party!
22. Cena’s a better man than I am. It was leaping into a powerbomb that broke his neck, but he keeps doing it.
23. That was a surprisingly good match. I do hope this isn’t over. The Wyatts bring out Cena’s best performances it seems.
24. Excellent Hall of Fame class this year. Jake the Snake, Mr. T, Paul Bearer (Ohhhhhh yeeeeeeees!), Carlos Colon, Lita, Razor Ramon, and the Ultimate Warrior! I half expected him to run down to the ring and shake the ropes!
25. Undertaker has the best entrance ever. No one compares. No one even comes close. Lesnar’s response? “Ho hum.” Lesnar looks almost sad.
26. Slow match, but Taker looks especially slow. I don’t know how this will play out, but he doesn’t look that good in-ring. I don’t know if this is ring rust or what, but he’s not at his best. He might be blown up already.
27. And Lesnar is looking beat up too. Taker may not be at his best, but Lesnar’s taken a few shots. Still, he looks like he’s selling, while Taker looks…old. Snake eyes looked like the snake was slithering through molasses.
28. F5!!! It’s over—NO!
29. HELL’S GATE!!! Wow. Lesnar is a beast!
30. AGAIN! And the same escape!
31. KIMURA LOCK!!! REVERSED!!! Lesnar to the ropes.
32. Old School. NO! Another F5!! TAKER KICKS OUT!!!
33. LAST RIDE! Oh, does the Undertaker look bad.
34. TOMBSTONE!!! THERE WE GO!!! 22 and…NO!!!
35. Tombstone reversed! F5!!! NO!!!
36. The Streak...is over. 21-1. Holy... O my... What the...
37. That was *not* what I thought I would see. Ever. The crowd reactions are priceless, and I know exactly what they're thinking, because I look like a poleaxed cow too. I never thought I would see that. Dayum.
38. Was that Taker’s last match? Is the lure of Michelle going to have him staying at home permanently? I really thought he’d retire after WMXXXI and a match with Sting. Could this be it, and Undertaker and Sting go into the Hall of Fame together next year? Thinking about it, I seem to remember hearing somewhere that the Undertaker wanted Lesnar to end the streak if anyone did, but…really?
39. I couldn't understand why they waited so long in the show to hold the divas match, but I guess they figured people would need time to recover from the Undertaker loss before the main event. Nevertheless, Viva La EMMAluton!
40. AJ retains! Ha! Any result that leaves Vicki with that kind of stinkface has to be good! That black widow submission is just awesome!
41. But the match itself? I would have been happy with half the participants rather than making all of them look weak by sitting on the floor for ten minutes.
42. Taker lost? What the... They probably should have given us even more time to recover. Yikes. Not ready for the main event!
43. I’m not one for live performances, but “Voices” was better live than I expected, though I still prefer the studio version. I do wish they’d have brought Saliva in for “I Walk Alone”. Oh well.
44. No one has gone through the Spanish announce table yet. How can it be Wrestlemania?
45. Looking at the time, the match must be about half over, and the crowd is still quiet.
46. Excellent match so far. Especially the part where Hunter took a sledgehammer to the head for interfering with the crooked ref Armstrong.
47. There we go. Powerbomb and RKO simultaneously puts Orton and Bryan through the table. Ooooh, and Orton landed on a monitor. His back has nasty gashes. That’s legit right there. Wow. That had to hurt.
48. Shades of Mick Foley: Daniel Bryan fighting to get off the stretcher! There’s the crowd! The Taker hangover is gone.
49. Yes lock on Orton! Batista with the save. Yes lock on Batista! Orton with the save. Wow. Batista countering the RKO and then SPEARING Bryan. Orton RKOs Batista! Near fall. This is all coming fast and furious.
50. Orton to punt Batista. Bryan blocks with a flying knee! Batista gets rid of Bryan and then goes for the cover and Orton kicks out! Powerbomb on Orton.
51. YES LOCK ON BATISTA! ORTON IS OUT OF THE RING! BATISTA TAPS!!! BRYAN WINS!!! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!
Very good show overall. The Shield v. The Authority match was disappointing, and I still can't believe the Undertaker lost. But the main even was worth the price of admission, especially since it came with the WWE Network.
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