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?

9/20/10 ROH

Erick Stevens & Necro Butcher vs. Jon Davis & Korey Chavis: **

Colt Cabana vs. Jay Freddie: N/A (squash)

Sara Del Rey vs. Taeler Hendrix: 3/4*

Delirious vs. Austin Aries (Cage): ***

Monday, September 20, 2010

9/20/10 RAW

Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre vs. Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov: *

John Morrison vs. Chris Jericho: **1/2

Daniel Bryan vs. Edge: *3/4

Layla vs. Melina (Unified Divas Title): 1/2*

R-Truth & Eve Torres vs. Ted DiBiase & Maryse: *

John Cena vs. Nexus (Gauntlet): **1/4
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Daniel Bryan has the same entrance theme as Sara Del Rey (Ring of Honor)! Ha! Honestly, I liked the generic theme better for DB, but whatever. Maybe it'll grow on me, like many things do.

Cena...a dropkick?!?! And he got serious height on it, too.

OK. Cena vs. Barrett at Hell in a Cell. Cena wins, Nexus is done forever. Barrett wins, Cena joins Nexus. Frankly, the proper play is for Barrett to win. A Cena heel turn would be ideal right now, as Orton is crazy over, Edge is playing the tweener role, and Jericho appears on his way out of the company. Turning Cena heel also shifts WWE into finding more babyfaces to elevate (remember, Miz -- a heel -- is also on the verge of main event status). Also, when HHH eventually does return (it is inevitable), HHH has stated he would like to be a heel.

This means people like John Morrison (stuck in midcard purgatory) and Daniel Bryan would benefit greatly. Morrison's bearded look and his Parkour will work just fine. Bryan has the U.S. Title, a great feud with Miz still going, and the fans behind him. A good time for WWE on that front.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

9/19/10 Night of Champions

Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston (IC Title; if Ziggler gets DQ'd or counted out, Kingston wins IC Title): Good opener. Very lively crowd, good moves, aggression, and near falls. To me, the right man won here. ***

The Big Show vs. CM Punk: So Punk comes out to a huge hometown pop and of course, cuts an awesome promo to get heel heat. Punk had some good moves in, but basically got nuked at the end. Ugh. *1/4

Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz (U.S. Title): This is the match I was looking forward to the most, based on the seven months of back story these two have built up. Excellent match. Lots of close near falls. Riley interfering was predictable. Extremely strong match that made both men a star. Vintage Cole going ballistic saying it was a fluke DB win. Great stuff. The only question now: does this feud continue, or does Miz move on? I would think the former -- at least for a little while longer. ***3/4

Michelle McCool vs. Melina (Lumberjill; Women's Title and Divas Title Unification): Honestly, I don't really know what to think about this one. Moves were hit, the Lumberjills picked on McCool, and then Layla decides to just go after Melina even after all the fallout seen on TV. Guess it was all a ruse? Sure. *

Kane vs. The Undertaker (No Holds Barred; World Heavyweight Title): Very good match. Crowd definitely into it from the start, with Taker taking a few good shots. Good job in making Kane look strong, although I thought the finish was a bit abrupt. **3/4

Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith vs. Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre vs. Mark Henry & Evan Bourne vs. Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso (Tag Team Turmoil; Tag Team Titles): OK, WTF kind of crap is this? I personally didn't understand the need to eliminate three teams in a span of five minutes. I would have rather had Hart Dynasty go against Rhodes & McIntyre and leave the others out. Having Rhodes & McIntyre beat two guys thrown together for some reason (and NOT the Hart Dynasty) is pretty much a travesty. Thank you, WWE, for again confirming that the tag team division is really insignificant. 1/4*

Randy Orton vs. John Cena vs. Sheamus vs. Chris Jericho vs. Edge vs. Wade Barrett (Elimination; WWE Title): The main event was OK. It just seemed like everything was so rushed because there were so many guys. The match stopping when Jericho was eliminated early on looked very awkward. Nexus interfering was predictable. Nice counters throughout the entire match. Cena doing a dropkick probably got the internet people buzzing. Anyway, might as well give the title to the guy that's on a major roll, right? Orton taking the title sets up well if they want to elevate Miz to the main event level. **1/2
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MVPs: Daniel Bryan and Miz...they're awesome!

Overall Rating: Overall, to me, the show was nothing spectacular. Nothing in the four-star range for me, although Bryan/Miz was very nice. The six-pack challenge still seemed too rushed, even though it got the most time. Basically, if you paid for this show, you likely got ripped off.

Unfortunately for Jericho fans, the word is tonight was Jericho's last night with WWE. Frankly, I'm sad to see him leave (again). Entertaining on the mic, putting on great matches, and having great feuds (Rey, HBK, etc.). An absolute treat to watch in the ring. The show must go on, however, and it looks like now, Miz could be the man to fill that main event slot void. **

Friday, September 17, 2010

9/17/10 Smackdown

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

Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger: ***1/4

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

CM Punk vs. Christian: **1/4

9/16/10 Superstars

Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso: *1/2

The Great Khali vs. Primo: DUD

MVP vs. Luke Gallows: *3/4

Thursday, September 16, 2010

9/16/10 Impact

Kevin Nash vs. Samoa Joe: N/A

Jay Lethal vs. Douglas Williams (X-Division Title): *3/4

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

Brian Kendrick vs. Matt Morgan: 1/4*

Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy: ***3/4

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

9/13/10 ROH

Christopher Daniels vs. Rhett Titus: **

Christian Able & Josh Raymond vs. Ricky Reyes & Aiden Chambers: *

Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards vs. Super Smash Brothers (Player Uno & Player Dos): ***1/2

Austin Aries vs. Delirious (Lumberjack): *3/4

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

9/14/10 NXT

Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn vs. Primo & AJ: 1/2*

Jamie vs. Aksana: DUD
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Here are the official NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 9/14/10:
Jamie: 1-0
Kaitlyn: 1-0
Naomi: 1-0
A.J.: 1-1
Maxine: 0-1
Aksana: 0-2
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Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 9/14/10:
Naomi: 2 (Dancing, Capture the Flag)
Jamie: 1 (Joke)
Kaitlyn: 1 (Obstacle Course)
A.J.: 0
Aksana: 0
Maxine: 0
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Joke Challenge Notes:
Pathetic and a complete waste of time. I thought this was cruel and unusual punishment to the viewers. If I rated this segment on my star rating scale, it would be at least negative four stars. As for Michael Cole gonging Matt Striker and all the rookie divas, that was one of the few times I'll actually agree with Cole. This whole segment was an epic fail.
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Obstacle Course Challenge Notes:
Vickie Guerrero should not run that obstacle course -- but in all honesty likely would fare better than Khali. Again, this was just junk. Kaitlyn winning felt more rigged than anything else in this competition. Bravo to Cole for walking out.

9/10/10 Enter the Dragon 2010

CIMA vs. Johnny Gargano: Nice opening match. These two have quite the chemistry. CIMA hit a flurry of signature moves at the end. ***

Chuck Taylor vs. Adam Cole vs. Arik Cannon vs. Ricochet: Holy crap. This was an amazing surprise. I've never heard of these four in my life, but I do now. Incredible spotfest. Taylor basically won via not dying. And I have no clue how Ricochet was not paralyzed on the final move. He had to at least have a concussion after that. That match was awesome. ****

Naruki Doi vs. Drake Younger: Apparently Younger was a fill-in for Dragon Kid, who suffered an injury in Japan prior to this taping. It was a good match, but Doi basically carried most of the big spots. Not a bad showing for Younger. **1/4

Rich Swann vs. Scott Reed: Entertaining, but really just a semi-squash that went real fast, so it's not fair to rate. After the match, Brodie Lee basically nuked everyone anyway. N/A

Masato Yoshino, Mike Quackenbush, Jigsaw, & Hallowicked vs. Yamato, Gran Akuma, Tozawa, & Jon Moxley (Elimination): A lot of fast-paced action. So hard to keep up with, but very entertaining stuff. Think of it as a toned-down spotfest (at least compared to the mega-spotfest from the second match) with a good storyline. The double submission eliminations at the end was pretty cool. ***1/2

BxB Hulk vs. Masaaki Mochizuki (Open the Freedom Gate Title): As a note, BxB Hulk had lost a hair vs. hair match against Shingo in Japan a week and a half earlier, hence the near-shaved head. Nice job working on Hulk's knee -- although that was pretty much forgotten for the second half of the match. It was basically a lot of kicks and signature moves the rest of the way. The finish seemed a bit weak, but overall a very solid match. ***1/2
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MVPs: Taylor, Cole, Cannon, and Ricochet, those four guys I had never seen before. To me, they stole the show.

Overall Rating: This was a big step down from the previous DGUSA PPVs, and certainly nowhere near their grand debut one year ago. However, the matches were still fairly good and held my interest. This PPV appeared more geared toward introducing the U.S. to some future DGUSA stars, although we obviously saw a bunch of the usual roster. The ratings may have taken a slight hit depending on crowd reaction, false finishes (or lack thereof), and/or lack of continuity in selling injuries. ***

9/11/10 Glory by Honor IX

Kenny King vs. Jay Briscoe: Very solid opener. As expected, Titus came out to get involved in the match. Crowd definitely loved the acrobatics of both Kenny and Jay. I wish the match got more time. **3/4

Mark Briscoe vs. Rhett Titus: I liked the transition from the first match to this one. Loved Mark's version of Whisper in the Wind. Nice back-and-forth action. I also liked that they went back to basic wrestling near the end. Good to have each team pick up one singles win. **1/2

Necro Butcher & Erick Stevens vs. Grizzly Redwood & Ballz Mahoney: Funny how Ballz was just in TNA a few weeks ago as "Kahoneys" -- and now he's Ballz again. Yeah, way to go, WWE, for not letting Mahoney use his ECW name all this time. Anyway, decent match between these two. The feud is there, and it gives a nice push to the Embassy. **

Colt Cabana & El Generico vs. Kevin Steen & Steve Corino (Double Chain): Ha, Bobby Cruz (ring announcer) cautioned that this would be a bloody war and the crowd (including myself) cheered. No surprise that Generico wanted to be chained to Steen. Only a matter of time before we saw blood -- and we saw a bunch of it. Nice use of the chain. Stream cut off the finish, but from what I read, it was very good and takes the Steenerico feud to a whole new level. ***3/4

Eddie Edwards vs. Shawn Daivari (TV Title): Good match. Edwards looked very strong in this one. Didn't really believe at any point that Daivari would pull out a win. **

Christopher Daniels vs. Austin Aries: Very good match here, although I expected way more from these two. Solid win for Daniels; he needed the win more, in my opinion. Nice finish. ***1/2

Claudio Castagnoli & Chris Hero vs. Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas: Shelton has black hair again! Excellent match between these two. The only reason I didn't give it four or more: it was quite slow at times. The finish was awesome, as predicted, but I felt it just needed more. ***3/4

Roderick Strong vs. Tyler Black (No DQ; World Title): You know, this match really was both good and bad. It was good for the storyline, the false finishes, the ref bump (kudos to Todd Sinclair), and the symbolism with Tyler Black jumping to WWE (look at how he played the controversial John Cena-like role in this match). However, it was still disappointing because the match, when looked at a whole, was quite basic. Gutbusters, superkicks, chops, and finishing moves. Really, now? I've seen more action in some of John Cena's matches.

After the match was over, I couldn't help but think that this would be the place where Roderick and Tyler completed their double turn (Roderick going face and Tyler going heel). However, with Homicide returning, seemingly to face Strong next, I'm not so sure about that. ***1/4
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MVPs: Roderick Strong finally wins the World Title -- and Homicide is likely next.

Overall Rating: Overall, this was a fairly consistent PPV. No match was really bad, but there were no real matches that left me truly stunned out of my mind (in contrast, Death Before Dishonor's last two matches blew me away).

The Steen/Corino vs. Cabana/Generico match was my MOTN not just for the blood, but for its nonstop action and great storytelling. Benjamin/Haas still showed they are the World's Greatest Tag Team with their performance tonight.

It was a good PPV, but Death Before Dishonor was WAY better than this, so I felt a little ripped off here. ***1/4

Monday, September 13, 2010

9/13/10 RAW

Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz (Submission): 3/4*

Edge vs. Evan Bourne (Bodyslam Challenge): DUD

Mark Henry vs. Edge (Bodyslam Challenge): DUD

R-Truth & Eve Torres vs. Ted DiBiase & Maryse (Song & Dance): N/A

Sheamus vs. John Morrison (Falls Count Anywhere): **1/4

Chris Jericho vs. Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith (Cage): *1/2

Goldust vs. William Regal (Trading Places): N/A

Randy Orton vs. John Cena (Tables): **3/4
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Good storyline progression in the Miz/DB storyline this week. If past storylines are any indication, Miz will likely cheat to win on Sunday, but there is still an outside chance for DB to pull out a big win. That LeBell Lock is getting over very nicely as a finisher.

Looks like they debuted R-Truth's new music tonight. I like it.

Jericho's segment was awesome -- especially when he kept on telling Cole to shut up and read the GM's emails. And then demanding to know the GM's email address afterward...that was entertaining.

Friday, September 10, 2010

9/10/10 Smackdown

Jack Swagger vs. MVP: *3/4

Alberto Del Rio vs. Matt Hardy: **3/4

Drew McIntyre vs. Kaval: *1/2

Kofi Kingston & Chris Masters vs. Dolph Ziggler & Chavo Guerrero: *

The Undertaker vs. CM Punk: ***1/4

9/9/10 Superstars

R-Truth vs. William Regal: *1/4

Goldust & Gail Kim vs. Primo & Jillian: *3/4

Curt Hawkins & Vance Archer vs. Trent Barreta & Caylen Croft: *1/2

The Big Show vs. Luke Gallows: N/A (squash)

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

9/7/10 NXT (Season 3)

Kelly Kelly & Naomi vs. Alicia Fox & Maxine: 3/4*

Primo & A.J. vs. Goldust & Aksana: -*1/2 (I'd rather watch paint dry)
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Here are the official NXT Rookie Divas' records as of 9/7/10:
A.J.: 1-0
Naomi: 1-0
Jamie: 0-0
Kaitlyn: 0-0
Aksana: 0-1
Maxine: 0-1

NOTE: Kaitlyn is Vickie Guerrero's new rookie diva after Aloisia was "fired". And already she is being billed as a klutz. Sucks to be her.

NOTE: It looks like A.J. is the Diva that Michael Cole will be picking on all season...after all, he must single one person out. A.J. seems to be somewhat of an Internet darling -- at least compared to the other rookies. And of course, she's the smallest of the rookies, so Cole stays consistent on that front as well (see Daniel Bryan and Kaval from past seasons; they were also the smallest rookies in their respective seasons).
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Rookie Diva Challenge Wins as of 9/7/10:
Naomi: 2 (Dancing, Capture the Flag)
A.J.: 0
Aksana: 0
Jamie: 0
Kaitlyn: 0
Maxine: 0
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Diva Introductions:
Kaitlyn: Second time worse than the first time; both were awful. F
Aksana: At least she speaks better English than Kozlov. D
Maxine: I liked this one...at least she has a gimmick. C+
A.J.: Yawn. D-
Jamie: Sounded too canned a speech. D+
Naomi: Attitude and fight. Not bad. C
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Dancing Challenge Notes:
Michael Cole dressed like an idiot for this and danced worse than he dressed.
I envied Tony Chimel.
Josh Matthews was horrible.
Naomi won pretty much by default. Good stuff that my body could never do.
I booed loud when Striker wanted a fan reaction for Michael Cole. I laughed at Cole and Josh taking shots at Chimel and at each other.

First elimination in four weeks. The Rookie Diva with the most challenges won will be immune from elimination.
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Capture the Flag Challenge Notes:
Yeah, you know this is a Divas competition when we have two challenges on one show.

No surprise that Naomi won again. She's clearly the most athletic of the Rookie Divas, and definitely the frontrunner to win. She's got a great look and already got the backing of a lot of fans, so I wouldn't be surprised to see her on the roster regardless of what happens.

Booking Daniel Bryan/Miz

Of course, pretty much all of this will likely not occur. But it's interesting to see how something made up compares or contrasts to the real-life WWE product. And with that, it's time for Fantasy Booking!
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Prologue: Frankly, this feud has been intriguing to me since Daniel Bryan (DB) was announced to be Miz's rookie on NXT Season 1. The tension was clear from the beginning, with the series premiere ofNXT kicking off with Miz telling DB to go out to the ring to Miz's theme music to entertain the fans. Of course, DB does a poor job, so Miz comes out to ridicule DB. The main event that night was frankly one of the best matches in NXT history (not really saying much, since it's spanned only a few months): DB vs. Chris Jericho. While Jericho came out on top, it really made DB look great.

Unfortunately it was pretty much the lone bright spot for DB on NXT. He lost all his NXT matches (officially 0-10), looked weak in the challenges, and ultimately got booted off NXT because "WWE management" decided to punish him and Michael Tarver for wanting themselves off the show.

But of course, DB played a significant role on NXT Season 1 even after elimination. He got into verbal and physical altercations with Miz and Michael Cole -- allowing DB to show a side of himself previously unknown to WWE viewers. DB finally had an attitude to go with his great in-ring abilities, and, with the help of his internet followers from ROH and other independent promotions, gained even more followers.

The beginning of Nexus, where all eight NXT Season 1 rookies formed a union to attack everyone at ringside, was arguably one of the greatest RAW moments of the post-Attitude era. Unfortunately, DB apparently didn't get the memo about "no spitting and no choking people with ties" and was released from the company shortly thereafter.

At the time, many people -- myself included -- felt this was a work. Why would WWE release their biggest draw (no argument here) from NXT Season 1, especially when it would be clear DB would have had a prominent role as the main wrestler for the group? Surely Vince McMahon could have merely suspended DB, fined him, etc., but they went the extra mile to release him?

As an aside, WWE, especially lately, has had a run of inconsistent management decisions. They released DB for the reasons just stated above. But Tiffany apparently got arrested for a domestic dispute with husband Drew McIntyre, and she's only been suspended. And then Serena got released for not living her Straight Edge Society persona even outside of the ring. Huh?

Anyway, DB is off TV for a few weeks, and then, predictably to many, was Cena's seventh man in the WWE vs. Nexus 7-on-7 elimination match at SummerSlam. In my opinion, it was a show-stealing match not just because of DB, but how they booked DB. They booked him extremely strong, having him take out a couple of Nexus members on his own. The back story with Miz was played perfectly. Heel Michael Cole fired on all cylinders, complaining vehemently that Miz should have been the seventh man. Continuity, people. That's another thing that makes me happy when watching WWE programming.

So now we get to the present. After weeks of going back and forth getting the upper hand on the other, DB challenges Miz to a U.S. Title match at Night of Champions, stating that he can beat Miz if given the opportunity. Miz accepts, and fans approve. Miz tries to attack DB, DB slaps on what he now calls the "LeBell Lock" (more on this in the next paragraph). Alex Riley comes from the crowd to attack DB. Miz misses DB with the briefcase and gets dumped over the top. Meanwhile, Riley gets caught in the LeBell Lock. Riley taps as Miz storms away from the ring.

I have dug up some info on the LeBell Lock. It's named after "Judo" Gene LeBell, a two-time national judo champion and former NWA World Champion. LeBell, also a Hollywood actor, roughed it up with the likes of Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Steven Seagal. According to LeBell, the LeBell Lock is "a neck crank where you're key locking the guy's arm so he can't roll." This is what separates his move from Chris Benoit's Crippler Crossface. When Benoit put his Crossface on Triple H to win the World Heavyweight Title for the first time, HHH tried to roll out of the maneuver, although he was still stuck in the hold. I am fascinated with submission moves, and the LeBell Lock is quite a devastating move. I think DB picked a hell of a finisher, although I would really love to see Cattle Mutilation in WWE.

So after all this, I now get to the point of this post: Fantasy Booking.
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Night of Champions PPV (9/19/10): I personally would have Miz retain here, while booking DB very strong. The match goes about 15 minutes, with several near falls and submission attempts from DB. Fans get really into the match as it becomes clear DB could really win. All of a sudden, Alex Riley comes out (from the crowd or the ramp) to distract DB and the ref. Miz grabs his MITB briefcase and plants DB with the Skull-Crushing Finale on the briefcase. Miz discards the evidence and pins DB. Cole plays the heel role all the way and celebrates as King backs DB and Striker likely stays neutral (giving both men two thumbs up). Hoping for a match around the ***3/4 range.

Next night on RAW: Miz either opens the show or gets the beginning of the second hour to gloat about his win at NoC and tells DB to go back to the minors where he belongs. Heel Cole does his thing and praises Miz through the headset, as usual, while Lawler likely just stays silent for the most part (perhaps chiming in with support for DB otherwise). DB's music plays, so King now gets a little more talkative. Miz looks up the ramp, ready to fight. DB comes through the crowd and ambushes Miz. Michael Cole's obviously pissed. Riley comes out, but DB gets him as well. Miz and Riley retreat.

Next few RAWs leading up to Hell in a Cell: More of Miz and DB trading getting the upper hand on the other. Not feeling too creative to think up many specifics, but it could involve DB and Miz feeding monstrous opponents (i.e. Mark Henry, Khali) to the other, or ridiculous stipulations (i.e., wrestle with one arm tied behind back).

Also, we could see tag matches. Can you say Miz/Riley vs. DB/Kaval? Might as well incorporate Kaval into the RAW picture because then Cole can criticize Kaval as well, right?

On one of the RAWs before Hell in a Cell, DB, perhaps with the help of the anonymous RAW GM, is granted a rematch for the U.S. Title "based off favorable reactions from the crowd and rewarding Daniel Bryan for his valiant effort...and because Miz had to cheat to win." Miz is pissed. Cole is livid. Of course, I would also have Miz getting the last laugh on the RAW before Hell in a Cell.

Hell in a Cell PPV (10/3/10): A 15 to 18-minute match. At the end, ref is knocked down accidentally for whatever reason. Riley comes down to interfere again, but DB sees what's coming and trades blows with Riley by the ropes. Miz hits a low blow on DB. The MITB briefcase is conveniently nearby.

Riley holds Bryan up against the ropes. Miz charges with the briefcase, DB moves out of the way, and Miz nails Riley. DB gets Miz in the LeBell Lock in the middle of the ring as the ref starts coming to. Cole is livid, King is excited. Fans are on the edge of their seat. Ref checks on Miz, and after about 30 seconds, Miz taps. DB is the new U.S. champion! DB celebrates in the ring as Cole fumes on air. Match around ****.

Next night on RAW (10/4/10): Miz opens the show dejected. More heel Cole on the air, saying it was a fluke win for DB. DB comes out to taunt Miz, saying he knew he could beat Miz and proved it at Hell in a Cell. Miz says he is still Mr. MITB and that is something DB will never be. DB says Miz is right, he's not Mr. MITB...he plans on winning the Royal Rumble in 2011 to earn his World Title shot, instead of relying on a briefcase.

Miz says he is entitled to a rematch. He says they are tied, 1-1 (although it's more than that with the encounters they had while DB was still a part of NXT), and the rubber match will take place at an appropriately named PPV, Bragging Rights. Whomever wins at Bragging Rights can claim bragging rights over the other. It would likely be the only match on the card that is not RAW vs. Smackdown.

NOTE: Bragging Rights could also be a PPV where other titles (other than Divas/Women's) could be unified. For purposes of this Fantasy Booking, I'm assuming that will not be the case here.

Next two RAWs: Anyway, DB continues to tell Miz and Cole that they can't say he never accomplished anything in WWE anymore, because he holds the U.S. Title. Who knows, maybe they can throw in a segment where DB has promo time, he gets Cole in the ring, and pretty much intimidates him much like what Drew McIntyre did to Teddy Long. That might get a bunch of DB marks to go nuts.

Bragging Rights PPV (10/24/10): Match again given considerable time, around 20-22 minutes. At some point, Miz will try to shock everyone by attempting to put the LeBell Lock on DB, but DB blocks it, gets out, and hits the Skull-Crushing Finale on Miz. False finish. End comes when Miz sends DB into the turnbuckle (perhaps exposed from a previous spot), goes for SCF, but DB counters into a crossface (NOT LeBell Lock). Miz attempts to fight out -- and he'll even try to roll out of it (LeBell Lock wouldn't allow the rolling to occur) -- but DB holds on. Miz agonizingly close to the ropes. Miz gets to ropes. Miz to the corner, DB misses a foot in the corner. Miz tries for the SCF again, but DB grabs the ropes as Miz tries to drop down. With Miz now flat on his face, DB drops down and clamps on the LeBell Lock. Miz struggles for a while before tapping again. DB retains; match around ****1/4 to ****1/2.

Road to Survivor Series: Miz is still fuming. Cole still calls DB a tool. Miz says Survivor Series is coming up, and while he may not have the U.S. Title, he plans to show once and for all what John Cena was missing out on when Cena took DB instead of Miz at SummerSlam. Miz challenges DB to a Survivor Series elimination match at the PPV, with Miz and DB being captains of their respective teams. Basically, I see Miz recruiting Nexus members to face DB, while DB recruits Darren Young, a few upper midcarders, and perhaps even main eventers. Miz could merely be a "coach" -- almost like his NXT role as a pro -- or be in the match itself to make it a 6-on-6 match. Continuity, people!

Since there is about a month gap between Bragging Rights and Survivor Series, I would make the match rather early and have Nexus members continually get the upper hand on DB and his team. Build Nexus strong.

And why did I not make Darren Young a surprise entrant for DB's team? Because Young, back on the 9/6/10 RAW, had already planned on getting back at Nexus for kicking him out of the group. Surprise really won't work now -- even if they dismantled Young early on, to the point where he could be doubtful for the PPV...and then show up anyway.

Survivor Series PPV (11/21/10): Teams trade eliminations, with Darren Young surprising many by eliminating a couple of Nexus members (we'll use Tarver and Slater here, just because I said so). Nexus eliminates other guys DB recruited. We'll have it down to Miz, Barrett, and Gabriel vs. DB and Darren Young. Gabriel, with help from Barrett and Miz, hits the 450 on Young. Down to 3-on-1. After a couple minutes, DB takes out Gabriel with the LeBell Lock. Barrett comes in and hits his finisher on DB.

Miz wants the tag. Barrett tags Miz in reluctantly. Miz picks up a prone DB for the SCF. DB counters out and puts on the LeBell Lock. Miz pleads to Barrett to help him, but Barrett does nothing -- still fuming from Miz wanting in the match. Miz taps...down to DB vs. Barrett.

Barrett and DB exchange moves. Eventually, DB makes a mistake, Barrett hits his finisher again, and gets the three. Barrett is the sole survivor. Match would go about 20-25 minutes and get around ***3/4 to ****.

And now, folks, what I feel is the best part begins.

11/22/10 RAW: The night after Survivor Series, DB, being the fighting champion he is, has a match with a Nexus member (we'll go with Gabriel because he has flashy moves too). After a hard-fought win, DB is obviously drained as Cole starts to at least give DB a little respect for the good matches he's had lately --but Cole still thinks DB is a tool.

All of a sudden, Miz comes through the crowd and blindsides DB with the briefcase. He then CASHES IN his MITB briefcase to the shock of everyone. Cole, being a Miz fan, is torn on the decision, but does end up supporting it. Ref allows DB to get to his feet.

Bell rings, Miz hits the SCF on a prone DB. Miz gets the three count and is the new U.S. Champion. Cole now goes off his rocker on how genius that move was. Of course, Lawler and the fans are sick to their stomach.

11/29/10 RAW: Miz gets a segment on the show to once again say he has the last laugh on DB.

DB comes out to interrupt. And this is his promo:

"No, Miz. Daniel Bryan has won in the end. Why? For two reasons. First, at the beginning of the year, no one knew who Daniel Bryan was in WWE. But now, everyone knows Daniel Bryan. I have traveled the independent scene, made a name for myself there, and then even when starting out a lowly rookie on NXT and dealing with your crap, I still managed to break out and make a name for myself here.

But second, and most importantly, I got under your skin so badly over the last few months, you had to give up your most prized possession -- the Money in the Bank briefcase and a possible World Title shot -- to get a shot at beating me one more time. And while you did beat me -- in a cowardly manner -- the former champion ALWAYS gets a rematch. But it won't just be any rematch. It's the rematch to end this epic feud...we must settle the score once and for all. And I will exercise my rematch clause at the next PPV...Tables, Ladders, and Chairs. That's right, Miz! You and I will go at it one last time for the U.S. Title...in a Ladder Match!"

Next two RAWs: Probably a bunch of promo work. DB and Miz will likely get random opponents to face to showcase their dominance.

TLC PPV (12/19/10): This will be a war from the start. Miz comes out first and immediately goes for the U.S. Title. DB races down the aisle to stop Miz, and the war is on. I see Miz going after DB's leg, while DB might eventually try to work over Miz's arm and neck. Maybe a Skull-Crushing Finale off the ladder? I dunno. It needs to be extreme (push the boundaries of whatever WWE will allow them to do) to further illustrate the bad blood between the two.

Anyway, I would give the match anywhere from 25-30 minutes. For the finish, I'd go with Miz and DB fighting at the top. Two ladders side by side. Miz decks DB down south to send DB down the ladder. Miz climbs a rung or two and has his hands on the belt. But suddenly, DB hits a kick to Miz's leg, and then another. Miz crumples and lies on top of the ladder. DB with the LeBell Lock on the top of the ladders as the fans go insane. Miz is tapping but it doesn't matter. Miz goes unconscious. DB lets go as Miz just lies there. DB grabs the title and, while stepping on Miz, unhooks the belt and wins the U.S. Title. Hopefully a match that garners about ****1/2.
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Epilogue: After this PPV, DB will start feuding with others for the title (Alex Riley, maybe?). I hope to see DB and Kaval feud over the title, but that would mean one of them would probably go heel.

In the meantime, Miz will sulk for a week, but then be one of the first to toss his name in the hat for the 2011 Royal Rumble. I would have him as one of the favorites to win.

I know WWE is planning on unifying all the major titles, and they've already started plans to unify the Divas and Women's Titles, something I felt was long overdue. If WWE goes ahead to unify the WWE and World Titles, that might mean Taker/Cena as the main event at WM 27. This would leave Miz in a bind of sorts, but I could still have him winning the Rumble and getting a title shot after Mania.

Of course, if the WWE and World Titles are not unified, I could see Miz winning and then challenging Cena for the title. Remember when Miz first came to RAW as a singles star, fresh off the breakup with John Morrison? Yeah, all those times he would say he's 1-0...2-0...up to 5-0 against Cena? And then they buried Miz temporarily. Well, Miz can restart that feud all over again. And it will be better than the "feud" they had before.
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Goals of this fantasy booking:
(1) Book Daniel Bryan as a star. And yes, DB will be a star this way.

(2) Give Miz that defining feud to forever cement him as a main eventer and push him to the next level. Heck, he could be most improved three years in a row with my booking.

(3) Bring back prestige to the U.S. Title. Miz did a good job of bringing a little prestige to the belt, but this feud will push that prestige to astronomical heights. A Ladder Match for a secondary title? Yeah, that's right baby. Don't see that every day anymore.

(4) Show continuity in past storylines. For example, DB's past with Nexus and Miz, Miz's past with Cena, Darren Young and Nexus, etc.

NOTE: If you actually read all this, you either really love wrestling or have a lot of time on your hands...but seriously, if you did, thanks for reading.

Monday, September 6, 2010

9/6/10 RAW

John Morrison vs. Chris Jericho: **3/4

Melina vs. Alicia Fox (Divas Title): 1/2*

John Cena vs. Justin Gabriel: **1/4

Edge vs. The Great Khali (No DQ; Over the Top Rope Challenge): -*

Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett: *1/4
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They finally booked the U.S. Title match that has been rumored for months: Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz at Night of Champions. If booked right, I foresee the elevation of two WWE Superstars within the next six months.

This can only mean it's Fantasy Booking time for me. My next post will detail how I would book this feud.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

9/5/10 No Surrender

Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Max Buck & Jeremy Buck (Tag Team Titles): Wolfe and Magnus were supposed to get the tag title shot, but apparently were pulled off the PPV for whatever reason. Anyway, the fans got a kickass match -- your typical spotfest. No complaints from me. Looks like a heel turn for Generation Me? If this leads to more matches between these two teams, I'm all for it. ***3/4

Douglas Williams vs. Sabu (X-Division Title): This was good, but Sabu botched a few spots. Using the chair, the table, and the title belt really showed how limited Sabu really is. It was fine for what it was. *3/4

Velvet Sky vs. Madison Rayne: Again, a lackluster match. Too much outside interference with Tara and Angelina. Basic moves don't impress me, and the crowd really didn't care, for the most part. It only scores points for the storyline progression. 1/2*

Abyss vs. Rhino (Falls Count Anywhere): I like fast starts, if you didn't know. This was pretty good chaos. Great use of weapons, and I liked the destruction of the entrance area. Solid finish to the match. **1/2

Jeff Jarrett & Samoa Joe vs. Sting & Kevin Nash: Just a basic tag match, really. Good spots from Joe, but the other three didn't impress me one bit. I liked the baseball bat use from Jarrett to help further the storyline. *1/4

AJ Styles vs. Tommy Dreamer (I Quit): Now this was a pretty brutal match. Great mix of wrestling and weaponry. Figure four around the post, kendo stick broken over the head, fork to the eye. Definitely another notch in AJ Styles' belt. ***1/2

Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy: Despite the finish, this was my match of the night. Not only did they go 20 minutes of regulation, but they warred through two five-minute overtimes with basically no gas left in the tank. Angle bled a good amount in this one. An insane number of false finishes. I personally thought the crowd was hotter for Guns/Generation Me earlier, but wow. I just wish there was no time limit on this one. A no-contest finish just made me shake my head at the end. ****1/4

Mr. Anderson vs. D'Angelo Dinero: This was good, but Angle/Hardy should really have been last. I think it's fitting that Anderson faces one or both of Angle and Hardy at Bound for Glory, since he has worked solid programs with both men. **
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MVPs: Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy show no surrender...literally. Damn.

Overall Rating: The show had three PPV-worthy matches and a couple more respectable ones. Meanwhile, the Knockouts match was a usual filler, and I don't know if I'll ever understand why Sting and Kevin Nash still continue to wrestle. Anyway, I thought it was a very nice PPV overall. ***

Also, no Impact this Thursday, September 9. Impact returns on September 16.

Friday, September 3, 2010

9/3/10 Smackdown

Christian vs. Drew McIntyre: *1/2

Michelle McCool vs. Kelly Kelly: 3/4*

Dolph Ziggler vs. Chris Masters: *

The Big Show vs. CM Punk & Luke Gallows: *1/2

Cody Rhodes vs. Matt Hardy: *1/2

9/2/10 Superstars

Ted DiBiase vs. Goldust: **1/2

Santino Marella vs. Jimmy Uso: *1/4

Kofi Kingston vs. Chavo Guerrero: **1/2

9/2/10 Impact

Madison Rayne & "Madison's Official Bodyguard" (Tara) vs. Angelina Love & Velvet Sky: 3/4*

Stevie Richards vs. Abyss: *

Sting vs. Jeff Jarrett: 1/4*

AJ Styles, Kazarian, James Storm, & Robert Roode vs. Tommy Dreamer, Rhino, Sabu, & Brian Kendrick (Elimination): **3/4

Mr. Anderson & D'Angelo Dinero vs. Kurt Angle & Jeff Hardy: *3/4

Thursday, September 2, 2010

8/30/10 ROH

Roderick Strong, Josh Raymond, & Christian Able vs. Mike Bennett, Andy Ridge, & Jay Freddie: *

Claudio Castagnoli & Chris Hero vs. Colt Cabana & El Generico: **3/4

Eddie Edwards vs. Mike Sydal: N/A

Tyler Black vs. Steve Corino: **