Friday, December 31, 2010

12/31/10 Smackdown

The Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes: 3/4*

Trent Barreta vs. Drew McIntyre: *1/4

Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Kane & Alberto Del Rio: **3/4

Natalya & Beth Phoenix vs. Michelle McCool & Layla: **1/2

Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger (IC Title): ***3/4
_________________

Happy New Year everyone!

12/30/10 Superstars

Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso vs. Yoshi Tatsu & Darren Young: *3/4

William Regal vs. David Hart Smith: **3/4

Tyler Reks vs. Chris Masters: **3/4

12/27/10 ROH

ROH Best of 2010, included:

Eddie Edwards vs. Davey Richards (TV Title Tournament Finals)
El Generico vs. Austin Aries (Cage)
Briscoes vs. Young Bucks
Kings of Wrestling vs. Briscoes (Briscoe's supposed last shot at tag team titles)
Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana (Anything Goes TLC-like match)
More Steen/Generico
Davey Richards says he's staying with ROH (still one of the best sit-down interviews I've seen in a very long time)
Christopher Daniels video package
Davey Richards vs. Tyler Black (Black's last ROH match)

Thursday, December 30, 2010

12/30/10 Impact

Robert Roode vs. Chris Sabin: **1/2

Rob Van Dam vs. Robbie E.: N/A (squash)

Sarita vs. Velvet Sky (Strap): 3/4*

AJ Styles & Rob Terry vs. Douglas Williams & Magnus: *1/2

Matt Morgan & Brother Devon vs. Mr. Anderson & Brother Ray: *1/4

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

12/28/10 NXT

Dolph Ziggler vs. Johnny Curtis: *

Conor O'Brian vs. Derrick Bateman: *1/4

Byron Saxton vs. Ted DiBiase: 3/4*
______________

Here are the official NXT rookie's records as of 12/28/10:
Conor O'Brian: 2-0
Byron Saxton: 2-1
Brodus Clay: 1-1
Jacob Novak: 1-1
Johnny Curtis: 1-2
Derrick Bateman: 0-3
______________

Challenge Wins:
Johnny Curtis: 5 (Obstacle Course (2), Power of the Punch (2), Talent Show)
Derrick Bateman: 3 (Wheelbarrow (2), Hot Seat Trivia)
Byron Saxton: 1 (Karaoke)
Jacob Novak: 1 (Capture the Flag)
Brodus Clay: 0
Conor O'Brian: 0

NOTE: One rookie will be going home next week.
______________

Power of the Punch Challenge (2 points; 3 if break record):
Curtis won 2 points, score was 814. Thought Clay would punch harder than that.
______________

Talent Show Challenge (1 point):
I think I lost brain cells watching this whole debacle. Curtis, for whatever reason, won with his ribbon twirling and dancing gig. I woulda voted for Brodus -- and not because Michael Cole was involved. Clay eventually destroyed everyone in the ring, which is awesome.

12/27/10 RAW

Santino Marella vs. Ted DiBiase: DUD

John Morrison vs. Alex Riley: *1/4

Mark Henry vs. Tyson Kidd: 12*

Jerry Lawler vs. The Miz: *1/2

Melina & Alicia Fox vs. Eve Torres & Gail Kim: 1/2*

Daniel Bryan vs. Zack Ryder: 1/2*

Randy Orton vs. Sheamus: ***1/4

Friday, December 24, 2010

12/20/10 ROH

Holiday Gauntlet Match: **1/2

12/23/10 Impact

Kazarian vs. Max Buck vs. Jeremy Buck vs. Robbie E.: *1/4

Angelina Love & Winter vs. Madison Rayne & Tara (Knockouts Tag Team Titles): 1/2*

Douglas Williams vs. AJ Styles (TV Title): ***3/4

Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Matt Morgan, & Rob Van Dam vs. James Storm, Robert Roode, Jeff Hardy, & Abyss: **

12/23/10 Superstars

David Hart Smith vs. Zack Ryder: **1/4

Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso vs. Yoshi Tatsu & Darren Young: *3/4

Beth Phoenix & Kelly Kelly vs. Michelle McCool & Layla: **1/2

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

12/22/10 Tribute to the Troops

(Extended version)

15-Man Over-the-Top-Rope Battle Royal: *3/4

Kofi Kingston & The Big Show vs. Jack Swagger & Dolph Ziggler: *1/4 (rated on 12/18)

R-Truth vs. Ted DiBiase: *

Natalya, Kelly Kelly, Nikki Bella, & Brie Bella vs. Michelle McCool, Layla, Alicia Fox, & Melina: *1/4

John Cena, Randy Orton, & Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz, Wade Barrett, & Alberto Del Rio: **1/4 (rated on 12/18)
_________________

Visiting relatives for the holidays, not sure if I'll have time to do ratings over the holidays.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

12/21/10 Smackdown (Live)

Randy Orton vs. The Miz: **3/4

Santino Marella vs.Chavo Guerrero: *

Drew McIntyre vs. Kaval: N/A (squash)

Rey Mysterio & Kofi Kingston vs. Alberto Del Rio & Jack Swagger: **3/4

John Cena vs. Dolph Ziggler & Vickie Guerrero: ***

12/21/10 NXT

Jacob Novak vs. Johnny Curtis: *1/2

Chris Masters, Byron Saxton, & Natalya vs. Ted DiBiase, Brodus Clay, & Maryse: **
______________

Here are the official NXT rookie's records as of 12/21/10:
Conor O'Brian: 1-0
Brodus Clay: 1-1
Byron Saxton: 1-1
Jacob Novak: 1-1
Johnny Curtis: 1-1
Derrick Bateman: 0-2
______________

Challenge Wins:
Derrick Bateman: 3 (Wheelbarrow (2), Hot Seat Trivia)
Johnny Curtis: 2 (Obstacle Course (2))
Byron Saxton: 1 (Karaoke)
Jacob Novak: 1 (Capture the Flag)
Brodus Clay: 0
Conor O'Brian: 0
______________

Wheelbarrow Challenge (2 points):
More controversy on the clock, although what else is new? That clock has been screwy for all four seasons of NXT.
______________

Hot Seat Trivia (1 point):
Bateman won. Sure. Next!

Monday, December 20, 2010

12/20/10 RAW

Melina vs. Alicia Fox vs. Eve Torres: *

Daniel Bryan vs. William Regal: *3/4

Santino Marella & Tamina vs. Ted DiBiase& Maryse: *

John Cena vs. Dolph Ziggler: ***1/4

Randy Orton, John Morrison, & Jerry Lawler vs. The Miz, Sheamus, & Alex Riley: ***

Sunday, December 19, 2010

12/18/10 Final Battle

Rhett Titus & Kenny King vs. Adam Cole & Kyle O'Reilly: And that, my friends, is how you start a PPV. What a great start. Crowd was going absolutely bonkers for the spotfest. I loved it...a lot. ***3/4

Colt Cabana vs. T.J. Perkins: Great mat wrestling. The two have wonderful chemistry, but I'm just not a big fan of Cabana's laid-back, having-fun style...I prefer the more intense stuff. **

Sara Del Rey & Serena Deeb vs. Daizee Haze & Awesome Kong: Now THIS is a treat. Serena returning to the ring (growing her hair out again), along with Awesome Kong. It's too bad women's matches can't always be like this. Tons of action, a few false finishes. Gotta love it. **3/4

Eddie Edwards vs. Sonjay Dutt: Another great match here filled with hard hitting and impact moves. I was wondering where Sonjay had disappeared to. ***1/4

Homicide vs. Christopher Daniels: What can I say...yet another solid match. These two veterans can definitely go. Despite the seemingly dirty finish, I enjoyed the action. ***

Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe, & Mike Briscoe vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Chris Hero, & Shane Hagadorn: Excellent stuff. Very fun to watch. The right mix of comedy and intensity. Seeing Papa Mike do wrestling moves was pretty cool -- and he was super over with the crowd. ***3/4

Roderick Strong vs. Davey Richards (World Title): What an unreal title match -- and this was not even the main event! This one really put Strong over as a credible world champion. Richards had to have at least a concussion after this one. Damn. Davey is one tough SOB. The chase continues for Richards, but it will be that much sweeter when he actually does win the title. ****1/2

El Generico vs. Kevin Steen (Unsanctioned; Mask vs. Career): And this, my friends, is how you tell a story. An appropriately bloody war to end their one-year feud. Simply put, it was a Fight Without Honor that truly was not for the weak heart. This is not just the match of the night, but perhaps the match of the year. ****3/4
_________________

MVPs: Generico/Steen lived up to the hype. Enough said.

Overall Rating: Another incredible PPV from ROH. Ever since I was introduced to this a few years back, I've wondered if the product could get better. I think this PPV answered that question. Outstanding stuff, and a must-see for a wrestling fan. ****1/4

12/19/10 TLC

Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger (Ladder; IC Title): There were some good ladder spots,but I felt like they were not given nearly enough time. And of course, this ladder match was real tame; no real huge spots. The end was not bad because the controversy will keep the title chase going for Kingston and Swagger. **1/2

Natalya & Beth Phoenix vs. Michelle McCool & Layla (Tables): Pretty good, I'd say. Double Sharpshooter spot was unique. Pretty sure the table was supposed to break when LayCool both fell on the pink table, but I'm actually glad it didn't. Natalya doing the splash at the end to win it was a fitting end. **

Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater (Tag Team Titles): Just your basic tag match with a DQ ending. Eh. *

John Morrison vs. Sheamus (Ladder): Good history and storyline buildup between the two. Many great spots, especially the Morrison corkscrew from the top of the ladder. WWE rightfully gave these two a bunch of time. Because of that, the crowd was able to get into it a lot more at times. Sick ladder spot, and it definitely was Morrison's biggest win (so far) of his career. ****

The Miz vs. Randy Orton (Tables; WWE Title): I really am starting to dislike these types of dirty finishes for Miz to retain his title. I know it would be great to see Miz vs. Morrison again, but at least make Miz look stronger instead of a weak champion escaping to fight another day. Nice crowd reaction for this match at least. **1/2

Edge vs. Kane vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio (TLC; World Heavyweight Title): Excellent match. Great carnage in this one. To me, this was better than the Morrison ladder match due to more sick spots (i.e., Del Rio's fall from the ladder through the table), a wider radius of chaos (they brawled to the stage), and more action (easier with more people). Great job all around. ****

John Cena vs. Wade Barrett (Chairs): The predictable way to finish this one off. Cena takes out the leader. Nice to see the AA on six chairs, but the bigger question now is what happens to Nexus. Does Barrett go off on his own while the rest of Nexus stays together? **3/4
_________________

MVPs: Edge wins another World Title, but special mention must go to John Morrison for his big win tonight against Sheamus. Perhaps this will be the win that allows Morrison to break through the glass ceiling?

Overall Rating: I thought it was a very good show. Virtually all the matches were solid -- including the Divas match. I assume WWE threw in the tag title match at the last minute because Santino on the show = win. That tag match was a downer as far as match quality goes.

One gripe: why wasn't Punk on the broadcast team all night? He shoulda replaced Lawler. But hey, at least he got air time for the main event. Anyway, a fine show overall. ***1/4

Saturday, December 18, 2010

12/18/10 Tribute to the Troops

Kofi Kingston & The Big Show vs. Jack Swagger & Dolph Ziggler: *1/4

John Cena, Randy Orton, & Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz, Wade Barrett, & Alberto Del Rio: **1/4

Friday, December 17, 2010

12/17/10 Smackdown

Kofi Kingston & Kaval vs. Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger: **1/4

Cody Rhodes vs. Chris Masters: DUD

The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio: ***

Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Chavo Guerrero & Tyler Reks: *1/2

Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz & Alberto Del Rio: **

Thursday, December 16, 2010

12/16/10 Superstars

JTG vs. Curt Hawkins: *1/2

Zack Ryder vs. Darren Young: **

Drew McIntyre vs. Yoshi Tatsu: *3/4

12/16/10 Impact

Jay Lethal vs. Robbie E. (X-Division Title): **1/4

Eric Young & Orlando Jordan vs. Max Buck & Jeremy Buck: 1/2*

Madison Rayne & Tara vs. Mickie James & Miss Tessmacher: DUD

Brother Ray vs. Amazing Red: N/A (squash)

Rob Van Dam vs. Rob Terry: *

Jeff Hardy & Kazarian vs. Matt Morgan & Mr. Anderson: *1/4

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

12/13/10 ROH

Daizee Haze vs. Taeler Hendrix: 1/2*

Kevin Steen vs. Korey Chavis: *1/4

Roderick Strong vs. Austin Aries: ***3/4
_________________

Different entrance music for Aries...interesting.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

12/14/10 NXT

Ted DiBiase & Brodus Clay vs. Chris Masters & Byron Saxton: *1/2

Alberto Del Rio vs. Derrick Bateman: 3/4*
______________

Here are the official NXT rookie's records as of 12/14/10:
Brodus Clay: 1-0
Conor O'Brian: 1-0
Johnny Curtis: 1-0
Byron Saxton: 0-1
Jacob Novak: 0-1
Derrick Bateman: 0-2
______________

Challenge Wins:
Johnny Curtis: 2 (Obstacle Course - 2 pts)
Byron Saxton: 1 (Karaoke)
Jacob Novak: 1 (Capture the Flag)
Brodus Clay: 0
Conor O'Brian: 0
Derrick Bateman: 0
______________

Karaoke Challenge:
Byron Saxton won probably because he was on key for at least a little while. Bateman got a cheap pop. Other than that, just horrid. I'll give props to Brodus -- although I would have been more amused had he sung a Divas theme like Kelly Kelly or LayCool.
______________

Obstacle Course:
Controversy abound. Brodus Clay still rules. Johnny Curtis takes advantage of a second try and wins TWO immunity points. Was he scripted to win? Who knows.

Monday, December 13, 2010

12/13/10 RAW (Slammys)

The Big Show vs. Wade Barrett: 1/2*

Daniel Bryan & Kofi Kingston vs. Ted DiBiase & Dolph Ziggler: *1/4

Cody Rhodes vs. Mark Henry: *

The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio: *3/4

John Morrison vs. Sheamus: N/A

Divas Battle Royal: 1/2*

Edge vs. Jack Swagger: **

Randy Orton vs. Alex Riley & David Arquette: *1/2

John Cena vs. David Otunga: 1/2*
_________________

David Arquette started the show off. WWE fails just for putting him on the show. "Shocker of the Year" Slammy went to Nexus' debut. Predictable there.

Kelly Kelly and Tyson Kidd presented the "Despicable Me" Slammy. PUNK WINS! I marked out for that. And I liked the tease to a particular WWE superstar in the back that wronged him. If it turns out to be Daniel Bryan, I'd mark out again.

Santino and Kozlov presented the "Guest Star Shining Moment of the Year" to Pee Wee Herman. Good pick. It was entertaining -- at least for people who have watched Pee Wee over the years.

Jerry Lawler and Vickie Guerrero presented the "Holy $!&* Move of the Year." Cena wins. I wanted Orton to win that one, oh well.

Arquette presented the "WWE Fan Reaction of the Year" to Angry Miz Girl. That was seriously the best reaction ever. And of course, Miz comes out. Awesome.

Edge and Christian presented the "Oh Snap Meltdown of the Year" to...Edge. Woohoo. Vintage Edge meltdown!

JTG and William Regal present the "Knucklehead Moment of the Year." I didn't know JTG was still employed. Oh, that's why...he messed up. Mae Young beat up Laycool, not the other way around. But whatever, Mae Young is cool.

Michelle McCool won the 2010 Diva of the Year in winning the Divas Battle Royal. Good choice.

The Big Show presented the "WWE Moment of the Year" to Taker/HBK. Awesome.

Michael Cole presented the "And I Quote Line of the Year." That was the best video package of the night. Cole wins. Fail. CM Punk shoulda won. Or Chris Jericho. Or even HHH. Or Santino. Or Mae Young. Anyone but Cole.

Teddy Long presented the WWE Superstar of the Year to John Cena. Of course Cena won. The fans voted.

Friday, December 10, 2010

12/10/10 Smackdown

Jack Swagger vs. Kaval: *1/4

Hornswoggle vs. Swagger Soaring Eagle: N/A (I refuse to rate this because it was really for comedy effect, but I will admit some parts were entertaining)

Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston (IC Title): **3/4

Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Chavo Guerrero & Drew McIntyre: *

Natalya vs. Layla: 1/2*

Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Kane & Alberto Del Rio: **

12/9/10 Superstars

Tyler Reks vs. JTG: *1/4

Trent Barreta vs. Curt Hawkins: **3/4

Ezekiel Jackson vs. Zack Ryder: *

Eve Torres vs. Alicia Fox: **1/4

Thursday, December 9, 2010

12/9/10 Impact

Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal vs. Brother Ray & "Brother Devon" (fake Devon): *1/4

Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Gunner & Murphy: *1/4

Angelina Love & Velvet Sky vs. Sarita & Daffney: 1/2*

Douglas Williams vs. Abyss (TV Title): *1/2

Mickie James vs. Tara (Cage): ***
_________________

Why are the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Titles even existing anymore? They really don't have enough Knockouts to vie for the belts.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

12/6/10 ROH

Eddie Edwards vs. Colt Cabana (TV Title): ***

El Generico vs. Bobby Shields: N/A (squash)

Davey Richards vs. Erick Stevens: ***1/2

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

12/7/10 NXT (Season 4)

Johnny Curtis vs. Jacob Novak: *1/4

Alberto Del Rio & Conor O'Brian vs. Daniel Bryan & Derrick Bateman: **1/2
______________

Here are the official NXT rookie's records as of 12/7/10:
Conor O'Brian: 1-0
Johnny Curtis: 1-0
Brodus Clay: 0-0
Byron Saxton: 0-0
Derrick Bateman: 0-1
Jacob Novak: 0-1
______________

Introductions:
Curtis was bad. Brodus was pretty good. Saxton didn't impress. Jacob Novak was also decent. Bateman was OK. O'Brian was weird, and I'm glad Alberto was on him.
______________

Challenge Wins:
Jacob Novak: 1 (Capture the Flag)
Brodus Clay: 0
Byron Saxton: 0
Conor O'Brian: 0
Derrick Bateman: 0
Johnny Curtis: 0
______________

Capture the Flag Challenge:
Novak won, very close. Saxton sucks already for being both a klutz and taking his time.

Monday, December 6, 2010

12/6/10 RAW

Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. Ted DiBiase & Maryse: *

Tyson Kidd vs. David Hart Smith: *

Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel vs. Mark Henry & Yoshi Tatsu vs. Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso (Elimination; Tag Team Titles): *3/4

Natalya vs. Melina: 3/4*

Randy Orton vs. Alex Riley: *1/4

Sunday, December 5, 2010

12/5/10 Final Resolution

James Storm & Robert Roode vs. Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal: A good opener to start. Nice moves from both teams. **1/2

Tara vs. Mickie James (Falls Count Anywhere): Excellent buildup for this match. Very nice, physical action. This gets a better rating from me than their last PPV match because this one played off its gimmick match well. I wish spraying the fire extinguisher was not the end of things; it was going quite well. **1/4

Robbie E. vs. Jay Lethal (X-Division Title): I was amused that Cookie was put inside the shark cage by Shark Boy. But hell, what in the world happened to Lethal? I liked his Black Machismo gimmick, but since dropping that, he's been just another wrestler to me in terms of character. Picked up a few wins. And I hate Taz doing the "Oh! Oh! Oh!" thing when Robbie is doing the fist pumps. **

Rob Van Dam vs. Rhino (First Blood): Nice physical match. Each man took it to the other and a fitting ending with the Van Terminator. **3/4

Douglas Williams vs. AJ Styles (TV Title): Real awesome match. These two really gave it their all out there. Chaos Theory on the outside was a great spot. Even more surprised with the finish...Williams beating Styles with the Styles Clash. ***1/2

Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Max Buck & Jeremy Buck (Full Metal Mayhem; Tag Team Titles): Match of the night for sure. Chaos everywhere. Major spotfest. Lots of fun everywhere. Basically, the Guns won via not dying. Awesome. ****1/4

Abyss vs. D'Angelo Dinero (Casket): I honestly had no idea how to rate this. It wasn't bad, but I think after Full Metal Mayhem, not as many people cared. I sure as heck didn't care much for it. *1/2

Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Jarrett (Submission): Decent, although I wish Gunner and Murphy didn't get involved before and during the match. Nice use of submission moves. Jarrett winning was important to establish his new MMA persona -- and to set up a feud with Kurt Angle. **

Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Morgan (No DQ; World Title): I wasn't a big fan of this last match. Signature moves were hit, there was a back story between Hardy and Anderson (special ref), and Anderson played his role well. However, it lacked a big-match feel, and Bischoff's involvement with the ref was just one more in a line of "let's make sure the heel keeps the belt" attempts. *3/4
_________________

MVPs: Guns and Generation Me, easily. They tore the house down.

Overall Rating: It was a decent PPV. Solid matches on the first third and awesome matches in the second set of three matches. However, the final three matches left something to be desired. I would have wanted Mickie to win here, but there's no harm in waiting a little while longer for Mickie's Knockouts Title shot. ***

Friday, December 3, 2010

12/3/10 Smackdown

Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre vs. MVP & Kaval: **1/4

Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger: ***1/2

Cody Rhodes vs. Chris Masters: *1/4

Layla vs. Rosa Mendes: 1/2*

Edge vs. Kane: **3/4
_________________

This unfortunately was MVP's last televised match before requesting his release. I wish him well.

12/2/10 Impact

Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal vs. Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. James Storm & Robert Roode vs. Max Buck & Jeremy Buck: **

Douglas Williams vs. Kazarian: **

Sarita vs. Madison Rayne vs. Angelina Love: 1/2*

Matt Morgan vs. Rhino: *

D'Angelo Dinero & Samoa Joe vs. Abyss & Jeff Jarrett: *3/4
_________________

I do like Mickie's TNA "Hardcore Country" theme. Her feud with Tara is very physical, which I like. Looking forward to what happens next.

12/2/10 Superstars

Tyler Reks vs. Trent Barreta: **1/2

William Regal vs. Darren Young: *1/4

David Hart Smith vs. Tyson Kidd: ***
_________________

Loved the ending to the DH Smith/Kidd match. Very similar to how Bulldog won the IC title against Bret Hart at Wembley Stadium at SummerSlam 1992.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

11/30/10 NXT (Season 3 Finale)

Brie Bella, Nikki Bella, & A.J. vs. Alicia Fox, Aksana, & Maxine: 1/2*

Kaitlyn vs. Naomi: *
______________

Here are the final official NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 11/30/10:
A.J.: 7-2
Naomi: 5-4
Kaitlyn: 3-4
Jamie: 2-0
Aksana: 2-6
Maxine: 1-5
______________

Diva Face-Off Notes:
Kaitlyn's promo failed. Naomi didn't impress me, either.
______________

Elimination Notes:
Kaitlyn wins Season 3! Woohoo! We'll see Naomi on WWE soon anyway.
______________

Season 4 Pros and Rookies (there's another season?!):
Pro: R-Truth --> Rookie: Johnny Curtis
Pro: Chris Masters --> Rookie: Byron Saxton
Pro: Ted DiBiase --> Rookie: Brodus Clay
Pro: Dolph Ziggler --> Rookie: Jacob Novak
Pro: Daniel Bryan(?!) --> Rookie: Derrick Bateman
Pro: Alberto Del Rio(?!) --> Rookie: Conor O'Brian

Yeah, that's the same Byron Saxton that did commentary a few months back for WWE. He was better than that Stanford guy right now.

Glad to see they even brought Jamie back for the finale, even though she was released after being eliminated.

Oh, and one last thing from watching the WWE Title match last night...Miz's ring attire and Daniel Bryan's ring attire are pretty similar.

Speaking of Daniel Bryan and Alberto Del Rio, they are NXT pros now?! Double win! Obviously, Daniel Bryan is the first NXT rookie alum to become an NXT pro (might be the only alum to do so if Season 4 is the last season). It means more screen time for them! I shall watch Season 4 just see how they do with their rookies.

Monday, November 29, 2010

11/29/10 RAW (KOTR)

Alberto Del Rio vs. Daniel Bryan: **1/2

John Morrison vs. Cody Rhodes: *1/2

Ezekiel Jackson vs. Drew McIntyre: DUD

Sheamus vs. Kofi Kingston: *1/2

Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel vs. Yoshi Tatsu & Mark Henry: 3/4*

John Morrison vs. Alberto Del Rio: *1/4

Natalya, Melina, & Gail Kim vs. Maryse, Alicia Fox, & Tamina: 1/2*

Sheamus vs. John Morrison: ***

The Miz vs. Jerry Lawler (Tables, Ladders, & Chairs; WWE Title): **1/4
_________________

Line of the night: "Looks like he's dressed for court." -- CM Punk poking fun at Alex Riley (dressed in a suit) and his DUI when Riley was building up Miz's win at the beginning of the show

I wish they would have put the KOTR "title" on someone like Del Rio or Morrison. Sheamus already being a 2-time WWE champion, it doesn't add as much to his rep than it would a midcarder. Sheamus really only got the KOTR for his eventual clash with a returning HHH, likely early next year.

Oh, and one more thing: CM Punk also wins for sporting a Colt Cabana shirt on RAW.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

11/22/10 ROH

Colt Cabana vs. Erick Stevens: **1/2

Sara Del Rey vs. Daizee Haze: **1/4

Davey Richards vs. Shawn Daivari: ***1/4
_________________

I have not done ROH ratings for the last few weeks because I have not been able to view them. I don't get HDNet and would have to rely on the internet to view this program. In all likelihood, this might not continue, but we'll see.

Friday, November 26, 2010

11/26/10 Smackdown

Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger: **3/4

Alberto Del Rio vs. The Big Show: *1/4

Drew McIntyre vs. MVP: *1/2

Michelle McCool vs. Kelly Kelly: 1/2*

Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio: **1/4

11/25/10 Superstars

Curt Hawkins vs. Trent Barreta: **3/4

Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Zack Ryder & Primo: **

Mark Henry vs. Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso: *1/4

Thursday, November 25, 2010

11/25/10 Impact

Tommy Dreamer vs. Rhino (Street Fight): *3/4

Sarita vs. Madison Rayne: *1/4

Jeff Jarrett vs. Jesse Neal (MMA): *

AJ Styles, Kazarian, James Storm, & Robert Roode vs. Matt Morgan, Douglas Williams, Samoa Joe, & D'Angelo Dinero (Elimination): **3/4

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

11/23/10 NXT

Kaitlyn vs. Nikki Bella: 1/2*

A.J. vs. Naomi: **1/4 (best NXT Season 3 match and right up there with the best in NXT history)
______________

Here are the official remaining NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 11/23/10:
A.J.: 6-2
Naomi: 5-3
Kaitlyn: 2-4
______________

Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 11/23/10:
A.J.: 1 (WWE Trivia)
Kaitlyn: 1 (Last Sumo Standing)
Naomi: 0

NOTE: Standings reset, but doesn't matter. No immunity tonight for anyone.
______________

WWE NXT Trivia Challenge Notes:
A.J. knows her trivia...another win.
______________

Last Sumo Standing Challenge Notes:
I was on the phone with my dad during this one, so I pulled a Michael Cole here. Apparently Kaitlyn won. Sure...next!
______________

Elimination Notes:
A.J. eliminated. I'm a bit shocked by this, especially because she seemed to have the WWE Universe's backing. At least she goes out with the best record in NXT Season 3 (6-2) and a whole lot of challenge wins. Should be an interesting finale...and of course, not many will care. Funny how Cole and Josh Mathews actually started to care a little at the end of the show.

A.J. will definitely have a spot on the roster in due time, that's for sure.

Monday, November 22, 2010

11/22/10 RAW

Sheamus vs. R-Truth: **1/4

Ezekiel Jackson vs. Alex Riley: N/A (squash)

Daniel Bryan vs. Ted DiBiase: *

Natalya vs. Alicia Fox: 1/2*

John Morrison vs. Tyson Kidd: *1/4

Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett (WWE Title): *1/2

The Miz vs. Randy Orton (WWE Title): *
_________________

Many thoughts from tonight's show:

(1) R-Truth seems to have gone back to his "What's Up" theme. I like it better than the "Crunk" one anyway.

(2) CM Punk on the announce team = win

(3) Tyson Kidd went from Hart tag team to a guy with generic heel music. Oop.

(3) So Miz is champion. Figured it would happen sooner or later. Good for him. He's been one of the best things to happen to WWE in the last couple years. Another thing I liked: it wasn't a total squash. 411mania will have a bunch of screengrabs to use from this episode.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

11/21/10 Survivor Series

Daniel Bryan vs. Ted DiBiase (U.S. Title): Can Daniel Bryan open every show he's on? And of course, give him about 15 minutes to wow the crowd. I wish DiBiase would have tried to target Bryan's shoulder after that suicide dive to the outside. Again though, Daniel Bryan shows he can have a great match with just about anyone on the roster. ***1/4

John Morrison vs. Sheamus: Another very nice match. Morrison is able to show his acrobatic style against a larger opponent. Nice counters in this one. Looks like this feud will continue. **1/2

Dolph Ziggler vs. Kaval (Intercontinental Title): This was Kaval's longest match in the WWE, to my knowledge. They finally give him time to do his thing by letting him have his title match...and WWE books him to lose. Kaval's moves are awesome, they just need to have faith in him as much as WWE apparently now has in Daniel Bryan. I will say the last few minutes of the match had some awkward slow points. But anyway, the best thing right now, in my book, is for Kaval to turn heel. **3/4

Rey Mysterio, The Big Show, Kofi Kingston, MVP, & Chris Masters vs. Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, & Tyler Reks: It was OK, although I wish I got to see more of Del Rio in there instead of seeing him get knocked out by Big Show. Swagger played a very nice role, as did Mysterio. Great Survivor Series matches have basically gone the way of the dinosaur, though. **3/4

Natalya vs. Michelle McCool & Layla (Divas Title): And finally, Natalya gets her Divas Title reign. I was pleasantly surprised to see Beth Phoenix return (of course, looking more muscular than ever). Does this mean Laycool gets sidetracked with Beth now? The match had some physicality to it, which is nice. *

Kane vs. Edge (World Heavyweight Title): Real good for what it was. A double pin? That works to keep the feud going. With the chaos after the match, a gimmick match will eventually be in order. Last man standing? Street fight? We'll see. **1/2

Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel vs. Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (Tag Team Titles): Typical tag team match that you would see on free TV. Crowd really loves Santino, that's for sure. *1/4

Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett (WWE Title): The buildup for "Free or Fired" was done extremely well. All participants told a great story. Unfortunately, the match itself was fairly average -- a huge letdown. No swerves, no controversies. There was really even no chaos at all. Too bland for me. And trust me, Cena will be back soon anyway. See comments below for more. **
_________________

MVPs: Daniel Bryan won the best match on the card, and he wins MVP honors tonight.

Overall Rating: Yet another PPV where it needed way more. Things started promising with three solid matches. And did I mention that Daniel Bryan should open every show he's on for at least the foreseeable future? And you know what, make Bryan vs. Kaval happen eventually (if not Bryan vs. Punk).

However, the main event is what people should remember. In that sense, the last images (for now) of John Cena amongst the crowd is a vivid one indeed. But the problem is Cena was the referee in the match. Generally, the wrestlers should be remembered more than the ref (think Austin/Dude Love when Vince was the ref). I'm not a fan of when the referee is clearly more important than the two actual wrestlers -- and especially in such a match like this, with all the buildup. **1/4

Friday, November 19, 2010

11/19/10 Smackdown

MVP vs. Drew McIntyre: *1/2

Jack Swagger vs. Chris Masters: *

Dolph Ziggler vs. Kaval: *1/4

Cody Rhodes vs. Kofi Kingston: **

Michelle McCool & Layla vs. Natalya & Kelly Kelly: 1/2*

The Big Show vs. Tyler Reks: 1/4*

Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio: N/A

Survivor Series 10-Man Battle Royal (Team Mysterio and Team Del Rio): *3/4

11/18/10 Superstars

Chavo Guerrero vs. JTG: **

Curt Hawkins vs. Trent Barreta: *3/4

Yoshi Tatsu vs. Primo: *1/2

Melina & Gail Kim vs. Alicia Fox & Maryse: *3/4
_________________

CM Punk announcing = epic win

Thursday, November 18, 2010

11/18/10 Impact

Max Buck, Jeremy Buck, Robbie E., & Cookie vs. Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Jay Lethal, & Velvet Sky: **

Jeff Hardy vs. Raven: *1/4

Abyss vs. Shannon Moore (Casket): *1/2

Mickie James vs. Angelina Love: *3/4

Matt Morgan vs. Ric Flair: *

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

11/16/10 NXT

Naomi vs. Kaitlyn: *1/2

A.J. vs. Aksana: *1/4

Probably the best wrestling show on NXT Season 3. All four appear to have improved from the season premiere.
______________

Here are the official remaining NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 11/16/10:
A.J.: 5-2
Naomi: 5-2
Kaitlyn: 2-3
Aksana: 2-5
______________

Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 11/16/10:
A.J.: 2 (High School Photo; Know Your Pro)
Kaitlyn: 1 (Arm Wrestling)
Naomi: 1 (Diss the Diva)
Aksana: 0

NOTE: A.J. had the most challenge wins in this challenge cycle and was immune from elimination tonight.
______________

Know Your Pro Challenge Notes:
A.J. and Primo definitely know each other well. Surprised Vickie thought so highly of Kaitlyn's current in-ring ability.
______________

Diss the Diva Challenge Notes:
Naomi did the best, I agree. Kaitlyn was not bad. And Cole was his usual annoying self.
______________

Elimination Notes:
Aksana eliminated...not surprised. Next week is another elimination. Tough to predict who will be the next to go. If I had to pick one, it would likely be Naomi because the crowd seems to really like A.J. and Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn has the only real storyline of the season with Vickie/Dolph right now, and A.J. of course is simply the darling "nerd" of the competition that has the captivating smile. It really might all come down to who gets any sort of immunity next week to determine who stays and who goes.

Monday, November 15, 2010

11/15/10 RAW (Old School)

Dolph Ziggler vs. Mark Henry: *1/4

Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel vs. Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith: *

Ezekiel Jackson vs. Brooklyn Brawler: N/A

John Cena vs. Alex Riley: *

Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso: *1/4

Kofi Kingston vs. David Otunga: 1/2*

Wade Barrett vs. R-Truth: *3/4

Alberto Del Rio vs. Sergeant Slaughter: 1/2*

Mae Young vs. Michelle McCool & Layla (No DQ; Falls Count Anywhere): N/A

Daniel Bryan vs. Jack Swagger: **1/4
_________________

Loved the old school RAW for, well, the old school feel. The original Monday Night RAW theme, opening, set, and graphics. Good to see the WWE Legends, especially Jim Ross. Perfect for him to call the Bryan/Swagger match.

Wrestling-wise, of course, we had crap, with Bryan/Swagger being the exception.

Friday, November 12, 2010

11/12/10 Smackdown

Alberto Del Rio vs. Kofi Kingston: **1/4

Natalya vs. Layla: *1/4

David Otunga vs. Edge: *1/2

Dolph Ziggler vs. MVP (IC Title): *3/4

The Big Show vs. Kane: **

11/11/10 Superstars

Yoshi Tatsu vs. Zack Ryder: **1/2

Ezekiel Jackson vs. Primo: *

Drew McIntyre vs. Kaval: ***

Thursday, November 11, 2010

11/11/10 Impact

Robbie E. & Cookie vs. Jay Lethal & Taylor Wilde: -*

Samoa Joe vs. Gunner & Murphy: DUD

Kazarian vs. Rob Van Dam: *

AJ Styles vs. Stevie Richards (TV Title): **

Matt Morgan vs. James Storm, Robert Roode, & Douglas Williams: *3/4
_________________

Seems like Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer both liked the Tara/Mickie match from Turning Point, each giving it ***1/4. I respect their ratings, but I personally didn't like it that much.

I'm out visiting friends in Minneapolis for the weekend. Superstars and Smackdown will likely be late.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

11/9/10 NXT

A.J. vs. Nikki Bella: *

Naomi vs. Aksana: *1/2
______________

Here are the official remaining NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 11/9/10:
A.J.: 4-2
Naomi: 4-2
Kaitlyn: 2-2
Aksana: 2-4
______________

Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 11/9/10:
Kaitlyn: 1 (Arm Wrestling)
A.J.: 1 (High School Photo)
Aksana: 0
Naomi: 0

NOTE: Rookie diva with the most challenge wins by the end of next week is immune from elimination at the end of next week's show.
______________

Arm Wrestling Challenge Notes:
Aksana is much stronger than I thought; she held on a lot longer than Naomi did against Kaitlyn. A challenge tailor-made for Kaitlyn to win.
______________

High School Photo Challenge Notes:
This was actually pretty interesting. A.J. knows her photos for sure.

11/8/10 RAW

Eve Torres, Nikki Bella, & Brie Bella vs. Maryse, Alicia Fox, & Tamina: 1/2*

Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso vs. Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith: *

Goldust vs. Ted DiBiase: *1/4

John Cena vs. David Otunga: *1/2

Sheamus vs. Santino Marella: N/A

Wade Barrett, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Michael McGillicutty, & Husky Harris vs. Randy Orton, The Miz, Daniel Bryan, Mark Henry, & R-Truth: **3/4
_________________

I would seriously watch the Santino/Kozlov/Sheamus "Tea Time" segment. That was actually pretty good.

Monday, November 8, 2010

10/29/10 Bushido

Chuck Taylor vs. Arik Cannon vs. Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano: Four-way freestyle contests are pretty awesome to me, basically because it's an awesome spotfest. Loved this one just as much as previous freestyles. Virtually no downtime in the match and the crowd was loving it just as much as me. ***1/2

Homicide vs. Rich Swann: Crowd reaction was OK, but it seemed pretty basic and slow at times. Then again, it is pretty hard to follow up a match where virtually every move was impactful or crazy awesome. Swann showed some pretty good stuff here, and at least it sorta got better at the end. **1/2

Masato Yoshino vs. Austin Aries: I liked this match. Slow again at the beginning, but really picked up with some great stuff as the match went on. Not the greatest match ever, but it showcased both wrestler's talents. **3/4

Jimmy Jacobs vs. Jon Moxley (I Quit): Very nice, bloody match. Great back story to this match. Jacobs bled real badly in this one. And now I will never forget the spike to the nuts. Wow. ****

Brodie Lee & Akebono vs. Asyrian Portal: The match was horrible. The only reason it's not negative stars is because Akebono getting hypnotized and dancing was at least somewhat entertaining. DUD

Yamato & Akira Tozawa vs. CIMA & Genki Horiguchi: Excellent match there. Weird though, the crowd loved it but wasn't as vocal as previous DGUSA crowds. I guess the change of venue does matter quite a bit. Nice hard-hitting action with a bunch of false finishes. ***3/4

BxB Hulk vs. Shingo (Open the Freedom Gate Title): Another hard-hitting match with a bunch of crowd reaction. Several great false finishes. Barely the best match of the night, in my book. ****1/4
_________________

MVPs: Jacobs and Moxley. Any match with that much bleeding and a spike-to-nuts spot should automatically win MVP honors.

Overall Rating: The show was excellent. I like the idea of stables to help with storylines. Also, stables help build new stars, which WWE and TNA are not doing well at. If the Brodie Lee/Akebono tag match never happened, the show would have been better.

One more thing: if CIMA and Yoshino can speak pretty damn good English, why can't people like Khali learn? ***3/4

Sunday, November 7, 2010

11/7/10 Turning Point

Robbie E. vs. Jay Lethal (X-Division Title): Crowd was definitely on Lethal's side. Good stuff from Lethal, while Robbie had average offense at best. Interference was predictable, and Robbie has one of the lamest finishers ever. *3/4

Mickie James vs. Tara: Looks like we have a potential good feud on our hands. This started out a match, but just turned into a brawl at the end with no clear winner. For that reason, I felt like it doesn't deserve two stars from me. However, it was good for what it was: advance the storyline. *1/2

Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Brother Ray & Brother Devon (Tag Team Titles): I loved the buildup to this match. It was perfect, because everyone knows these two teams are fantastic. Why waste time on free TV to put them in any type of "warmup" match? Just let these two go at it at the PPV. It's a lost art these days with multiple free TV shows in between PPVs. The crowd was pretty much going apeshit. A couple of nice false finishes, although I have to say, it got slightly flat at the very end with all the "confusion" on the 3-D kickout. ***3/4

Rob Van Dam vs. Tommy Dreamer: The match was not bad, but pretty slow. Crowd was in it at times, but appeared dead for others. Good counters, and Dreamer fought through that wrist injury very well. *3/4

AJ Styles, Kazarian, Douglas Williams, James Storm, & Robert Roode vs. Raven, Rhino, Stevie Richards, Brian Kendrick, & Sabu: The person that gets pinned or submits is fired from TNA. The fact that James Storm seemed concerned over Kendrick for a little while makes it appear it was a legit injury. Match was slow and pretty normal until the spotfest at the end. Sabu getting pinned was not a surprise. *1/2

Abyss vs. D'Angelo Dinero (Lumberjack): So the lumberjacks were the Pope's friends and family. Bischoff stirs more controversy with seemingly paying off Dinero's brother and the rest of the congregation. Good storytelling, average match at best. *1/2

Jeff Jarrett vs. Samoa Joe: Again, a very slow match with a dirty ending. Really, now? The crowd was pretty dead except for a couple points where Joe was on offense. I liked the rapid chops anyway. Not something I care to watch again. *1/2

Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Morgan (World Title): I like that Hardy's move is called the "Twist of Hate" now. But again, this match was horrible. Much of the match was too slow, and I felt like there were times where both appeared lost. I have no clue if the ref screwed up on the count after the Carbon Footprint, or if Hardy really was supposed to kick out and didn't because he really got hit pretty good with the boot. Nevertheless, the crowd was just not there, and that would kill virtually any match. I get that TNA probably wants to say it took three Twist of Hates to finish Morgan, but the match was just plain sloppy. *1/4
_________________

MVPs: Team 3D and the Guns. Great farewell match.

Overall Rating: In my opinion, the show was pretty bad. Aside from the Team 3D and the Guns, most everything else was forgettable or confusing as hell. The last three matches were average to below average, not what I would expect anyone to be showing on a PPV, let alone the high midcarders and main eventers.

Nice waste of three hours there, TNA. You're bleeding money by spending it on B-show or C-show actors and actresses, and also not giving the wrestling talent the time, storylines, or even health insurance coverage they desperately need. As a viewer, this was a hard show to watch. When I read about how things really work in the business, it sickens me to view the show. *1/2

Friday, November 5, 2010

11/5/10 Smackdown

Alberto Del Rio vs. Edge: **1/4

Dolph Ziggler vs. JTG: 1/2*

MVP vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre: **1/2

Vickie Guerrero vs. Kaitlyn: -*1/2

Tyler Reks vs. Chris Masters: *

Kane, Edge, The Big Show, Kofi Kingston, & Alberto Del Rio vs. David Otunga, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Michael McGillicutty, & Husky Harris: **

11/4/10 Impact

Sarita vs. Velvet Sky: *1/4

Shannon Moore, Jesse Neal, & Mickie James vs. Max Buck, Jeremy Buck, & Tara: *3/4

AJ Styles vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Rhino (TV Title): *

Kazarian vs. Douglas Williams: *1/2

Abyss vs. D'Angelo Dinero: N/A

Matt Morgan vs. Eric Bischoff: N/A

11/4/10 Superstars

Jack Swagger vs. Kaval: **1/2

Luke Gallows vs. Vance Archer: *

Gail Kim vs. Alicia Fox: *1/2

Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso vs. Mark Henry: 3/4*

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

11/2/10 NXT

Kelly Kelly vs. Alicia Fox: 1/2*
______________

Here are the official remaining NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 11/2/10:
A.J.: 3-2
Naomi: 3-2
Kaitlyn: 2-2
Aksana: 2-3
Maxine: 1-4

Oh, no rookie divas wrestled tonight. That's nothing new....
______________

Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 11/2/10:
Naomi: 3 (Power of the Punch; Who's That Body; Limbo)
A.J.: 2 (Name That Tune, Kissing)
Kaitlyn: 2 (Costume; Find the Flag)
Maxine: 1 (Halloween Candy Eating)
Aksana: 0

NOTE: Naomi won the most challenges (3) this last go-around and was immune from elimination tonight.
______________

Kissing Challenge Notes:
I'd show A.J. what I got. Otherwise, let's move on.
______________

Find the Flag Challenge Notes:
Well, that was a waste of 30 seconds. Moving on....
______________

Second Elimination:
Maxine eliminated. Not really a surprise here, either, as she basically had nothing going for her other than getting into spats with Hornswoggle. I think Aksana would be the next to go; haven't seen much from her lately.

Oh, we only have four more weeks of this? Sweet! Then we can revive Tough Enough! Is it bad that I am enjoying Josh and Cole bashing NXT on the air?

Monday, November 1, 2010

11/1/10 RAW

Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel vs. Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith: *1/4

Sheamus vs. Vladimir Kozlov: DUD

Ezekiel Jackson vs. Zack Ryder: N/A (squash)

The Big Show vs. The Miz: *1/2

Daniel Bryan vs. Ted DiBiase: *3/4

Natalya vs. Michelle McCool: *

Randy Orton & R-Truth vs. Wade Barrett & David Otunga: *1/2
__________________

Looks like Big Show lost a bunch of weight. Either that, or the black really made him look thinner.

Friday, October 29, 2010

10/29/10 Smackdown

Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler: ***

Jack Swagger vs. Kaval: *1/2

Melina, Kelly Kelly, Nikki Bella, & Brie Bella vs. Michelle McCool, Layla, Alicia Fox, & Rosa Mendes: *

The Big Show & Kofi Kingston vs. Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre: **

Edge vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio: ***3/4
__________________

Please, Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler every show for the rest of the year. Just like this all the time. Three fantastic matches in a row.

10/28/10 Superstars

Mark Henry vs. Jey Uso: 3/4*

Zack Ryder vs. Tyson Kidd: **

MVP vs. Curt Hawkins: *1/2

Tyler Reks vs. Chris Masters: *1/2

Thursday, October 28, 2010

10/28/10 Impact

Robbie E. vs. Jay Lethal (Street Fight): *1/4

Madison Rayne, Tara, & Sarita vs. Mickie James, Angelina Love, & Velvet Sky: *1/2

Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Max Buck & Jeremy Buck vs. Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal (Tag Team Titles): **1/2

AJ Styles & Douglas Williams vs. Rob Van Dam & Raven: *3/4

Jeff Jarrett vs. Matt Morgan (Chain): *

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

10/26/10 NXT

Naomi vs. Maxine: 1/2*

Brie Bella vs. A.J.: 3/4*

Goldust & Aksana vs. Ted DiBiase & Maryse: *1/4
______________

Here are the official remaining NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 10/26/10:
A.J.: 3-2
Naomi: 3-2
Kaitlyn: 2-2
Aksana: 2-3
Maxine: 1-4
______________

Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 10/26/10:
Naomi: 3 (Power of the Punch; Who's That Body; Limbo)
A.J.: 1 (Name That Tune)
Kaitlyn: 1 (Costume)
Maxine: 1 (Halloween Candy Eating)
Aksana: 0

NOTE: There is an elimination next week, and the person with the most challenge wins gets immunity.
______________

Costume Challenge Notes:
Kaitlyn was awesome. A.J. was cute. Regarding Naomi, really? The Hamburger Helper Hand?
______________

Halloween Candy Eating Challenge Notes:
Didn't care about this one...yeah.

10/25/10 ROH

Necro Butcher & Erick Stevens vs. Grizzly Redwood & Andy Ridge: *1/2

Josh Raymond & Christian Able vs. Super Smash Brothers (Player Uno & Player Dos): **1/4

Claudio Castagnoli & Chris Hero vs. Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe (Tag Team Titles): ***1/4

Monday, October 25, 2010

10/25/10 RAW

Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel vs. John Cena & David Otunga (Tag Team Titles): N/A

Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler: ***1/4

Michelle McCool & Layla vs. Melina & Gail Kim: DUD

The Miz vs. R-Truth: **1/4

Santino Marella vs. Sheamus: N/A

John Cena vs. Randy Orton: ***
_________________

Talk about an up-and-down show. Bad match followed by good match all the way down the line.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

10/24/10 Bragging Rights

Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler: Excellent match. Good array of holds by Ziggler to keep Bryan grounded. Great counters. Crowd was hot for DB all night. I could watch DB kick his opponent's head in all night. This was the right match to kick off the show, and these two delivered. ***3/4

John Cena & David Otunga vs. Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre (Tag Team Titles): If anything, this match attempted to set the tone that it would be Nexus' night. Just your standard tag match here, nothing too special. *1/2

Ted DiBiase vs. Goldust: The match was average with a weird ending. Guess the feud over the Million Dollar Title continues. *1/2

Layla vs. Natalya (Divas Title): This was also average. Crowd didn't really care and the finish was dirty again. And people wonder why the women's matches aren't taken seriously anymore. *

Kane vs. The Undertaker (Buried Alive; World Heavyweight Title): Not bad, but not that great, either. I didn't even understand why Nexus was out to dismantle Taker. Either way, I dislike non-clean finishes. Again, Buried Alive matches would likely thrive more in the Attitude era. *3/4

The Big Show, Edge, Kofi Kingston, Rey Mysterio, Jack Swagger, Alberto Del Rio, & Tyler Reks vs. The Miz, CM Punk, Sheamus, John Morrison, R-Truth, Santino Marella, & Ezekiel Jackson (Elimination): Well, right off the bat, Santino and Reks were basically thrown in to do a couple moves and then get pinned later on. Not sure if Rey leaving due to injury was planned, but he at least came back later. Del Rio had his moments as well, but I wish he had more time. I liked Big Zeke in the final four. Although Miz's team lost, he earned his stripes again tonight. ***1/4

Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton (WWE Title): Well, who didn't see this one coming? Right when Barrett said he must win or Cena is fired, that instantly called for a DQ on Orton. The way it was done was quite simple: Cena able to take his frustrations out on Nexus at the right time. Cena will be able to explain his actions and at the same time be able to extract his revenge. Match was good for what it was. Good storytelling. **1/4
_________________

MVPs: Easy here. I have to give it to both Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler for their top-notch performance to open the show. Definitely near four-star material for me.

Overall Rating: I thought the PPV was good, but not spectacular. The Bragging Rights elimination match provided some nice drama at the end, but I felt some quick pins and talent I felt were "jobber fodder" (i.e. Santino) hurt the match and the rating. And why don't team members break up pins in elimination matches?! I realize there are storylines within the teams, but couldn't team members who are NOT in a feud with the person being pinned break the count? Oh right, this is WWE, we're supposed to be not paying attention to things unless brought up by the commentating crew.

Interesting to have Smackdown win again after all the free TV shows had Smackdown with the momentum (usually the supposed underdog would come back and win at the PPV). The Buried Alive match was not too appealing to me. **1/4

Friday, October 22, 2010

10/22/10 Smackdown

The Big Show, Rey Mysterio & Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz, Sheamus, & Ezekiel Jackson: *1/2

Jack Swagger vs. Santino Marella: *

Alberto Del Rio vs. John Morrison: *1/2

Edge vs. CM Punk: **1/2

Natalya & Kelly Kelly vs. Michelle McCool & Layla: 1/2*

Randy Orton vs. Kane: **

10/21/10 Impact

Robbie E. vs. Amazing Red: 1/2*

AJ Styles vs. D'Angelo Dinero (TV Title): *

James Storm & Robert Roode vs. Rob Van Dam & Sabu: *1/2

Mickie James vs. Sarita: *

Kazarian vs. Mr. Anderson (Ultimate X): *1/2

10/21/10 Superstars

Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso: *3/4

William Regal vs. Darren Young: *1/2

Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre vs. MVP & Chris Masters: **

10/18/10 ROH

Davey Richards vs. Tyler Black: ****1/2
_________________

One match, but so worth it to watch.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

10/19/10 NXT

Maxine vs. Kaitlyn: -***** (We have set an all-time new low, folks. This was far worse than Sharmell vs. Jenna Morasca.)

Brie Bella & Nikki Bella vs. Kelly Kelly & Naomi: 1/4*
______________

Here are the official remaining NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 10/19/10:
A.J.: 3-1
Kaitlyn: 2-2
Naomi: 2-2
Aksana: 1-3
Maxine: 1-3
______________

Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 10/19/10:
Naomi: 3 (Power of the Punch; Who's That Body; Limbo)
A.J.: 1 (Name That Tune)
Kaitlyn: 0
Aksana: 0
Maxine: 0
______________

Who's That Body Challenge Notes:
This was unbelievably bad. Wow.
______________

Limbo Challenge Notes:
I pulled a Michael Cole and talked with my friend on the phone during this one. Seriously. I came back and Naomi had won. Yeah, whatever.

10/18/10 RAW

Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre vs. Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith: 3/4*

Goldust vs. Zack Ryder: N/A

John Cena & Randy Orton vs. Husky Harris & Michael McGillicutty: *1/2

Natalya vs. Alicia Fox: 1/4*

RAW vs. Smackdown Battle Royal: 1/2*

Friday, October 15, 2010

10/15/10 Smackdown

Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes: **1/2

Jack Swagger vs. MVP: *

Alberto Del Rio vs. Chris Masters: *1/2

Edge vs. Dolph Ziggler: ***

Kaval vs. The Big Show: N/A

Tyler Reks vs. Kaval: N/A

Kofi Kingston vs. Drew McIntyre: *1/4

10/14/10 Superstars

Kelly Kelly vs. Layla: *

Curt Hawkins vs. Trent Barreta: *3/4

Darren Young vs. Primo: *1/2

Melina vs. Alicia Fox: *1/4

Thursday, October 14, 2010

10/14/10 Impact

Madison Rayne vs. Tara (Knockouts Title): N/A

Samoa Joe vs. Abyss: 1/2*

AJ Styles, Douglas Williams, Kazarian, James Storm, & Robert Roode vs. D'Angelo Dinero: 3/4*

Rob Van Dam vs. Mr. Anderson: *1/2
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Well, this show sucked. I think Jeff Hardy pulls off a good heel act, though.

10/11/10 ROH

Rhett Titus & Kenny King vs. Jon Davis & Korey Chavis: **

Kevin Steen vs. Steve Corino: N/A

Christopher Daniels vs. Roderick Strong: ***

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

10/12/10 NXT

Alicia Fox vs. Naomi: *3/4 (best NXT Season 3 match by far, although sloppy at the end)

A.J. vs. Aksana: 1/4*
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Here are the official remaining NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 10/12/10:
A.J.: 3-1
Naomi: 2-1
Kaitlyn: 2-1
Aksana: 1-3
Maxine: 0-3
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Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 10/12/10:
A.J.: 1 (Name That Tune)
Naomi: 1 (Power of the Punch)
Kaitlyn: 0
Aksana: 0
Maxine: 0

NOTE: Slate wiped clean this week; the diva with the most challenges won after three more weeks will gain immunity again.
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Name That Tune Challenge Notes:
And this is why I love A.J. She definitely knows her themes and blew everyone else away. I was a little sad that none of them got Legion of Doom's theme.
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Power of the Punch Challenge Notes:
Naomi won and Kaitlyn shows how much of a klutz she is. Lovely.

Monday, October 11, 2010

10/11/10 RAW

R-Truth vs. Ted DiBiase: *1/4

John Morrison vs. Tyson Kidd: *3/4

Santino Marella vs. Zack Ryder: 1/2*

Randy Orton vs. Justin Gabriel: *3/4

Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan: **

CM Punk vs. Evan Bourne: *

The Miz vs. John Cena (No DQ): **1/4

Sunday, October 10, 2010

10/10/10 Bound for Glory

Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Max Buck & Jeremy Buck (Tag Team Titles): Epic win. Enough said. ****1/4

Tara vs. Angelina Love vs. Velvet Sky vs. Madison Rayne (Knockouts Title): Honestly, I was not a fan of the booking of the match. Tara winning at least allowed for the type of match to make sense. It was basically a tag match throughout, so it was really not a true four-way match. Mickie should not be a referee. The way she positioned herself to count the pin would clearly allow her to see Tara holding Velvet's tights. Refereeing 101, people: don't do that. 1/2*

Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal vs. Orlando Jordan & Eric Young: Mike Tenay said it best...what the hell did we just watch? Absolutely confusing and atrocious. I don't care how much people like watching Eric Young be a goofball. There's the current Santino-type comedy (which can be quite funny), and then there's wrong comedy where a guy has the IQ of Eugene. This was just ridiculously wrong. -**

Jay Lethal vs. Douglas Williams (X-Division Title): Not bad here, although they definitely can do better. Good for Lethal, his push continues. And the music of Robbie E. and Cookie reminds me of DJ Gabriel and Alicia Fox. Were they getting X-Pac heat already? *3/4

Rob Van Dam vs. Abyss (Monster's Ball): A bunch of barbed wire in this one. Good, but overall, not really that great. I miss the old Monster's Ball matches. Crowd reaction was good, but not the best. **1/2

Sting, Kevin Nash, & D'Angelo Dinero vs. Jeff Jarrett & Samoa Joe: And sure, why not? Let's have another swerve! This time, Jarrett turns on Samoa Joe. I wish I had a fast-forward button for this one. *

Tommy Dreamer, Rhino, Stevie Richards, Raven, & Sabu vs. AJ Styles, Matt Morgan, James Storm, Robert Roode, & Kazarian (Cage; Lethal Lockdown): Oh come on. Why the hell is EV2.0 even still here? And on top of that, why did they WIN?! Great, the story probably continues now. *1/4

Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson (World Title): So 10/10/10 basically will be remembered for Jeff Hardy turning heel...sure. I was digging the match (some very nice spots), but the end felt like a mess. I was dozing off at times. So is Kurt Angle retired now in storylines? No, and they'll figure a way out considering it was Anderson that got pinned. ***1/4
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MVPs: The Guns and Generation Me, by default. Everything else sucked or was a letdown in some way.

Overall Rating: This was a horrid PPV. Aside from the opening tag match -- which was predictably awesome -- everything else just felt off or messy. Frankly, I will not waste any more typing here. I'm very sure WWE Bragging Rights in two weeks will be a lot better than this. **

Friday, October 8, 2010

10/8/10 Smackdown

Edge vs. Jack Swagger: **1/2

Kelly Kelly vs. Layla: 1/2*

Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre vs. Kofi Kingston & Kaval: *1/4

Dolph Ziggler vs. MVP (IC Title): **

Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio: **3/4

Thursday, October 7, 2010

10/7/10 Superstars

Chris Masters vs. Vance Archer: *1/2

William Regal vs. Darren Young: *1/4

Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso vs. Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith: **1/4
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Scott Stanford (or whatever that guy's name is that replaced Michael Cole)...sucks.

10/7/10 Impact

Angelina Love & Velvet Sky vs. Madison Rayne & Tara (Rights to Beautiful People): 1/4*

Mick Foley vs. Ric Flair (Last Man Standing): **3/4

Orlando Jordan & Eric Young vs. Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal: *

$100,000 Bound for Glory Battle Royal: *1/2

10/4/10 ROH

Eddie Edwards vs. Kenny King (TV Title): ***

Tyler Black vs. Mike Sydal: 3/4*

Davey Richards vs. El Generico: ***1/4

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

10/5/10 NXT

Aksana vs. Maxine: 1/2*

Kaitlyn vs. Vickie Guerrero: -*** (this was an abomination)
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Here are the official NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 10/5/10:
Jamie: 2-0
Naomi: 2-0
A.J.: 2-1
Kaitlyn: 2-1
Aksana: 1-2
Maxine: 0-3
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Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 10/5/10:
A.J.: 3 (Musical Chairs; Talk the Talk; Diss the Divas)
Kaitlyn: 3 (Obstacle Course; Wheelbarrow; Talent Show)
Naomi: 2 (Dancing; Capture the Flag)
Aksana: 1 (Bull Riding)
Jamie: 1 (Joke)
Maxine: 0

NOTE: Kaitlyn and A.J. tied at three challenge wins, and the WWE Universe chose Kaitlyn over A.J. to win immunity. Thus, Kaitlyn was immune from elimination tonight
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Bull Riding Challenge Notes:
This was pathetic. Aksana won because she stayed on a mechanical bull (that lost its horns) for almost 18 seconds. Next!
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Talent Show Challenge Notes:
OK, this was actually a challenge that I enjoyed. Good talents all around -- or at least good job at getting people to care. Based on talent alone, Aksana's pushups won my vote.
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Rookie Diva Elimination:
Jamie was eliminated tonight...she was gracious on the way out. Although she won a challenge and had a 2-0 record, I thought her "character" and talent were practically non-existent; thus the elimination was not too surprising. I think Aksana's talent finally showed big time tonight, which could have helped save her. Maxine was also on the brink, in my book, and I think she doesn't have much longer on the show unless she turns it around.

Monday, October 4, 2010

10/4/10 RAW

Evan Bourne & Mark Henry vs. John Cena & Michael Tarver: *

Natalya vs. Alicia Fox: N/A

Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus: N/A

Nikki Bella & Brie Bella vs. Michelle McCool & Layla: N/A (I didn't see this one, likely because I wasn't caring at this point. From what I read, it was pretty bad.)

20-Man Over-the-Top-Rope Battle Royal (to determine new #1 contender for WWE Title): **1/4

Sunday, October 3, 2010

10/3/10 Hell in a Cell

Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz vs. John Morrison (Submissions Count Anywhere; U.S. Title): I marked HUGE when DB used Cattle Mutilation on Miz. of course, Striker referred to it by name because he's the teacher. Tremendous opening match, as expected. Morrison is trying to fill the void Jeff Hardy left behind; he's doing all the crazy stuff in matches now. Lots of various submissions, and it went all over the arena. Awesome stuff. ***3/4

Randy Orton vs. Sheamus (Hell in a Cell; WWE Title): So I guess Miz is not cashing in MITB on this match because he just got nuked in the U.S. Title match. Great match here. I liked the use of the steps, chairs, and cell. In the PG era, anyway, it was physical. A few false finishes here. ***1/2

Edge vs. Jack Swagger: So this match just came about mainly from what we saw on TV the last couple weeks. Whatever the case, this was a good match. Edge's face turn is pretty much going full-force now. **1/4

Wade Barrett vs. John Cena: The evolution of John Cena continues. He seems more comfortable employing a ground-based mat wrestling game in long matches, and he continues to use the dropkick and leapfrog in matches -- getting serious height on it as well. Barrett also showed a vast array of moves in this one...he definitely has a future here. Wade Barrett, you have become a star tonight. The stunned crowd says it all: this was a captivating match that breathes new life into Nexus. See my comments at the end regarding the interference at the end. Excellent match all around that told a great story. ****

Michelle McCool vs. Natalya (Unified Divas Title): And this is what happens when you actually put two divas in the ring that can wrestle AND you give them time. Very well done here. The Sharpshooter countered into the Mad-T -- and then back to the Sharpshooter -- was very cool. It was the right outcome to further the feud. *3/4

Kane vs. The Undertaker (Hell in a Cell; World Heavyweight Title): It was physical, but the match really suffered for three reasons. First, it happened in the PG era. Honestly, HIAC matches are usually pretty junk without the blood to highlight how demonic the match really can be. Second, Undertaker's age really showed here. Both guys are already slow, but Kane working on Taker's leg just made things worse. Third, the ending was hella confusing. So Paul Bearer is back with Kane now? I just threw my hands in the air on this one and wanted to eat dinner. Anyway, it's been rumored that WWE wants a Buried Alive match between Undertaker and Kane, so we'll see how this unfolds. **1/4
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MVPs: There are several nominations here, but the one person who really impressed me was Wade Barrett. Not only did he have a career-making match against John Cena, Nexus stays alive and Cena has to be a part of a now-rejuvenated stable.

Overall Rating: This was a good PPV, although it obviously could have been better. The Hell in a Cell match was being talked about by Cole, Lawler, and Striker as being so demonic, it's only happened 21 times in WWE history. Yeah, more like 21 times since 1997. It's bad enough that the PG era has made this match too tame for me. The fact that we have a PPV devoted to this really lessens the awesomeness of the entire gimmick match, period. I really miss blood in HIAC matches.

On the positive side, the right people won their matches, in my book. Stars were created (Barrett), and stars shone (Bryan, Miz, Morrison, Cena). Heck, even the divas match was quite good. I truly am interested to see how Cena/Nexus works out now. I'm glad WWE is trying to breathe life back into this stable, as they have totally dropped the ball up to this point. I'm reading that the two guys helping Barrett win were Husky Harris and Mike McGillicutty. I think those are the right two remaining guys to take from NXT Season 2. McGillicutty impressed me at times, and Harris has the look to be an enforcer. **3/4

Friday, October 1, 2010

10/1/10 Smackdown

Dolph Ziggler vs. MVP (IC Title): N/A

Natalya, Kelly Kelly, Nikki Bella, & Brie Bella vs. Michelle McCool, Layla, Alicia Fox, & Maryse: 3/4*

Nexus vs. The Big Show: 1/4*

The Undertaker vs. CM Punk: *

Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes: 1/2*

John Cena vs. Kane (Lumberjack): *1/2

9/30/10 Superstars

Brie Bella & Nikki Bella vs.Alicia Fox & Jillian: *1/4

Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger: **3/4
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Smackdown tonight is live on SyFy!

Thursday, September 30, 2010

9/30/10 Impact

Tommy Dreamer & Rhino vs. James Storm & Robert Roode (Lumberjack): *1/4

Max Buck & Jeremy Buck vs. Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal: **

Mr. Anderson vs. Samoa Joe: *1/2

AJ Styles vs. Brian Kendrick (TV Title): *1/2

Kurt Angle vs. Abyss (Cage): **3/4

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Wednesday ramblings

Just because I feel like it (this is likely not going to be a regular thing or even a semi-regular thing), I just wanted to base my thoughts on several WWE questions/ideas floating around the internet recently. So here we go:
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(1) Your thoughts on Nexus' impact so far?
It started out great, but has been struggling to stay afloat lately. Nexus arguably had the best "debut" in WWE at least in the last several years (in quotation marks because we technically saw them in NXT first, but never united as a group like that) when they trashed the ring, beat up everyone at ringside, and some guy was released because he choked a ring announcer with a tie and spat on some former Thuganomics rapper. There are a bunch of mistakes WWE made in handling Nexus, but these three stand out the most to me as of this date:

First, Nexus should have won the 7-on-7 match at SummerSlam. Sure, I loved Daniel Bryan being the seventh man and I would leave his performance pretty much the same. However, at the end, Cena would be the last man for Team WWE, while Wade Barrett would be last for Nexus. Barrett, likely by crook, should have beaten Cena. Instead, Nexus takes a very big blow to its momentum.

Second, WWE should not have booked Nexus to lose members -- or "getting rid of the weak links." Instead of kicking Darren Young out of the group, they should have booked Young to beat down some random jobber, much like how Sheamus took care of Jamie Noble. And hell, make Young do it again the next week as well. Here, Nexus gains a more intimidating force instead of losing a weak link.

Third, WWE should have added a few more members from NXT Season 2 to the stable. Not all of them (there are some people from Season 2 that should not be on TV right now, like Lucky Cannon and Eli Cottonwood). I would have had Husky Harris join once Skip Sheffield went down with his broken leg. I would have been interested to see Percy Watson as a heel. Heck, even have Kaval join as a heel (more on this thought later). The old adage is true...there is strength in numbers, and if Nexus kept growing, WWE would have to notice. Maybe it would be too much like how the nWo used to operate, but wasn't that one of the bright spots of WCW during the mid to late 90s (aside from their Cruiserweight Division anyway)?

(2) Thoughts on turning John Cena heel?
I personally would love for WWE to pull the trigger on this one. Cena's act is totally stale right now, and I think with Randy Orton getting huge pops wherever he goes, this is the best time to do it.

When Cena had his Thuganomics rapping gimmick on Smackdown, I really liked it. It was edgy and fresh (at least to me). Cena showed he could work crowds, generate heel heat, and still be quite entertaining. However, now he's basically a new-age Hulk Hogan, becoming SuperCena every time he is down, not selling injuries from the previous night or previous week, and of course, the kids and ladies love him. The PG rating of the show doesn't help matters, either, at least with regard to his on-air character.

I watched some footage from the rapping Cena from a few years back, and loved the heat he got. Even when he was the Prototype in OVW, he was not too shabby at getting the crowd to hate him. And wasn't it a Bruebaker character or whatever he played (basically a cursing jacked-up dude) in a Youtube video? That was also kinda awesome.

The only thing that prevents the heel turn is the Cena merchandise sales. Cena moves more merchandise than any other wrestler in the company right now, and of course, Vinnie Mac is "all about the mon'ay."

This leads into the third question:

(3) Who will win at Hell in a Cell? Barrett or Cena?
This is a good question, and there are arguments for either side to win.

Barrett should win because Nexus needs two things: (1) a win to stay in existence; and (2) a big name to make them feared again. Specifically, that big name should have major drawing power, should be feared amongst all people on the WWE roster, but also command major respect. John Cena right now fits that billing perfectly. Just think: Cena forced to join Nexus would instantly provide that shock value to make Nexus relevant, confident, and on the road to thriving.

So why should Cena win? The best argument is that the Nexus merchandise sales have been atrocious, with Vince being mortified at the numbers. So of course, if something doesn't work (like the XFL), it's best to just get canned, right?

Well, sorta. Nexus isn't an experiment that was doomed to fail. WWE just mishandled how Nexus was branded. Nexus can be saved, and forcing major stars (especially major babyfaces) to join a potentially mega-heelish stable would be a way to save the group. The XFL, on the other hand, yeah Vince. Bad idea there.

(4) Thoughts on the Daniel Bryan/Miz storyline?
Arguably the feud of the year in any promotion, although I think MCMG and Beer Money have a legit argument there. DB and Miz have waged war since February, and is really Miz's ticket to main event stardom. DB, on the other hand, can use this feud to launch a great WWE career. I am still not liking DB's new music, but at least he is getting the chance to put on some real good stuff now. In a nutshell, let's hope the feud continues for a bit longer, and it's very possible it could last through the rest of the year.

(5) Thoughts on turning Kaval heel?
I just saw this one today, and I think it is best for his career if he does that. Kaval's look, to me, screams "use him as a heel." The warrior mentality, the bald head...yeah, that sounds like a heel to me. Guys like Stone Cold and Randy Orton, they gained steam by first being a heel, and over time that same attitude being used on mega-heels (instead of faces) got them huge pops.

Kaval can be of that same mold. I mean, look where he is now. The guy went to Smackdown and even lost to Chavo Guerrero. Really, now?! I personally think Kaval even needs to move away from LayCool and just branch out on his own. Kaval needs to really embrace the warrior gimmick, but take it to another level -- a heelish one -- to get noticed and to thrive.

(6) OK, can WWE do anything right now to boost ratings?
The short answer is...no. Monday Night Football will always have a stranglehold on the ratings, and even when it's not football season, MMA has taken away a large chunk of fanbase. Other promotions like TNA and ROH are still too small or not too well-known yet to give WWE a run for its money.

This means WWE, if anything at all, will probably have to provide something internally to spark interest. Namely, the storylines have to be more compelling, the entertainment has to be better, and the wrestling has to be great as well. Nexus becoming a force again could do the trick, although I do also wonder if turning Cena heel will lead to crappier ratings (answer likely is yes). Basically, there is no backfire-proof decision that can be a solution to this question right now -- at least none I can foresee.

(7) Thoughts on unifying the Women's and Divas Title and retiring the Women's Title lineage?
There is a women's/divas division to even speak of? Yeah, I say that because that's how WWE has basically treated the division the last few years. It has gone from somewhat relevant to totally irrelevant. It really is a sad sight to see. WWE says the divas are supposed to be smart, sexy, and powerful. Well, can't you find some divas who fit that bill but can also wrestle? I think so.

Look at Cheerleader Melissa. Sara Del Rey. MsChif. Yeah, they all graced SHIMMER, and could really bolster the division if WWE ever cared to sign wrestlers instead of fitness models or Amazonian women. Heck, I'm pretty sure even Naomi in NXT Season 3 has a heck of a future wrestling-wise if used right. Is Finlay training the divas? I doubt it. The guy is not even on TV anymore, so tell him to get the divas into wrestling shape and put on a decent match for a change. It only takes one real good storyline to get the ball rolling. The entertainment can be there, but WWE forgets what the second "W" in WWE stands for.

But then again, even WWE forgets what the second "W" in WWE means with the guys as well. So I guess they fail.
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That's all I can think of for now. If there are other questions/thoughts that arise, I might be back at some point to address them.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

9/28/10 NXT

No matches this week. Perhaps that's best for everyone -- although, at the same time, reviewing the major storylines of RAW and Smackdown also is not too pleasing to me.

Honestly, the best part of the show was Kaitlyn and Vickie going at it at the end.

And what?! No CM Punk?! Fail!
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Here are the official NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 9/28/10:
Jamie: 2-0
Naomi: 2-0
A.J.: 2-1
Kaitlyn: 1-1
Aksana: 0-2
Maxine: 0-2
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Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 9/28/10:
A.J.: 3 (Musical Chairs; Talk the Talk; Diss the Divas)
Kaitlyn: 2 (Obstacle Course; Wheelbarrow)
Naomi: 2 (Dancing; Capture the Flag)
Jamie: 1 (Joke)
Aksana: 0
Maxine: 0

NOTE: The rookie diva with the most challenge wins is immune from elimination next week.
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Wheelbarrow Challenge Notes:
Kaitlyn won...yay? Hornswoggle is my hero for biting Maxine and hugging A.J. a long time.
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Talk the Talk Challenge Notes:
I thought Naomi did a better job of dissing, but A.J. didn't do that badly herself -- and she has the popular vote with the fans.

9/27/10 ROH

Claudio Castagnoli & Chris Hero vs. Super Smash Brothers (Player Uno & Player Dos): **1/2

Daizee Haze vs. Rachel Summerlyn: 1/2*

Steve Corino vs. (jobber): N/A (squash)

Roderick Strong, Christian Able, & Josh Raymond vs. Christopher Daniels, Jay Briscoe, & Mark Briscoe: ***1/2

Monday, September 27, 2010

9/27/10 RAW

The Miz & Alex Riley vs. John Morrison & Daniel Bryan: *1/4

Divas Battle Royal: DUD

The Great Khali vs. Sheamus: N/A

John Cena vs. Edge: *3/4

Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater vs. Mark Henry & Evan Bourne: *

Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre vs. Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith (Tag Team Titles): 3/4*

Randy Orton vs. Chris Jericho: **3/4
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OK. I have no idea why John Morrison all of a sudden became part of this U.S. Title equation. I also have no clue why it must be a "submissions count anywhere" match. We don't need any more players in this feud, and we don't need any gimmick matches yet. DB vs. Miz in a rematch is just fine on its own. In any event, I believe DB must retain the U.S. Title on Sunday to keep any sort of credibility going. He's been embarrassed by Miz two weeks in a row, and even if DB needs to pull out a "fluke" win, as Cole calls it, let it be.

Another gripe: is WWE really thinking of breaking up the Hart Dynasty? I know it's premature based off what we saw tonight, but to break up this team is completely wrong. I cannot see DH Smith make it on his own right now as a singles star. Tyson Kidd has potential, but it is a way's away.

Friday, September 24, 2010

9/24/10 Smackdown

Kane vs. Chris Masters: *1/4

Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre vs. Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith (Tag Team Titles): *1/2

Chavo Guerrero vs. Kaval: *3/4

The Big Show vs. Curt Hawkins & Vance Archer: N/A (squash)

CM Punk vs. Luke Gallows: *

MVP vs. Dolph Ziggler (IC Title): *1/2
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So Alberto Del Rio does take credit for taking out Christian (who legitimately will be out 6 months with a torn pectoral muscle). Good for Alberto's push.

I liked the skit between Luke Gallows and CM Punk.

Kaval's new music is decent.

Paul Bearer! Epic finish to the show.

9/23/10 Superstars

Primo vs. JTG: *3/4

Goldust vs. William Regal: *1/2

Thursday, September 23, 2010

9/23/10 Impact

Rob Terry vs. Abyss: 1/2*

Chris Sabin vs. Jeremy Buck: *1/4

Taylor Wilde & Hamada vs. Velvet Sky & Lacey Von Erich (Knockouts Tag Team Titles): *1/4

Samoa Joe vs. D'Angelo Dinero: *1/2

AJ Styles vs. Sabu (Ladder): **1/4

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

9/21/10 NXT

A.J. vs. Maxine: 1/2*

Kelly Kelly, Jamie, & Naomi vs. Michelle McCool, Layla, & Kaitlyn: *
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Here are the official NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 9/21/10:
Jamie: 2-0
Naomi: 2-0
A.J.: 2-1
Kaitlyn: 1-1
Aksana: 0-2
Maxine: 0-2

NOTE: CM Punk was on the show. That was by far the BEST thing in NXT Season 3. Heck, even Cole's little promo shtick was very well done.

NOTE: Oh, and one more thing: on Aksana's bio, how much spray-on tan did she use in those competitions?! That "tan" looked hideous.
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Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 9/21/10:
A.J.: 2 (Musical Chairs, Talk the Talk)
Naomi: 2 (Dancing, Capture the Flag)
Jamie: 1 (Joke)
Kaitlyn: 1 (Obstacle Course)
Aksana: 0
Maxine: 0

NOTE: The rookie diva with the most challenge wins will be immune from elimination in two weeks' time (10/5/10).
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Musical Chairs Challenge Notes:
Yeah, whatever. Controversial indeed at the end, but if that's how musical chairs is played (first to put their butt on the seat wins), then sure, I'll agree with that. As you can see, I really didn't care to pay much attention.
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Talk the Talk Challenge Notes:
OK, if the Joke Challenge was a fail, this was beyond an epic fail. A.J. won by default, and that's not saying much. While Naomi and Jamie were both disqualified, frankly, everyone but A.J. should have gotten the boot. Thank you, WWE, for making me lose brain cells. This is time I'll never get back. Pathetic. Am I a masochist for listening to this horrid stuff?