Smackdown Thoughts, September 24th

Thanks to my DVR I was able to watch Raw and Smackdown this week, it’s been a busy one.  Some quick thoughts on Smackdown to start my Saturday.

I love how they are not slowing down on the animal that is Mark Henry character.  He showed us this week that he is still just as ruthless and doesn’t care about anything but hanging on to his title.  I enjoyed the opening segment on Smackdown, it wasn’t too long and dragged out and looks like I made a correct prediction for a change.  It appears that Christian will be Mark Henry’s first victim as champion. 

Sheamus continues to be on a major role and it really getting hyped by the broadcast team.  I am thinking he is a lurking shark now, just waiting.  It seems like he is continuing to be pushed until they need him in a main event slot.  Assuming Mark Henry remains champion he could be tangling with Sheamus again down the road.

Wade Barrett and Heath Slater fill some time with a match and a Barrett win.  Not much going on for Barrett lately.

Divas are up in a tag match.  Beth Phoenix and Natalya win a tag match only because Kelly Kelly is not on the team facing them.  The WWE continue to push Kelly Kelly.  I have nothing more to say about the Divas that I haven’t said the last few weeks.

Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes go at it again for the third time in recent weeks.  Orton snaps and gets disqualified but the beat down doesn’t stop after the bell.  The end result it an enraged and sinister Orton and a beaten up and bloody Rhodes.  Great matches between these two!

We are getting The Great Khali and Jinder Mahal already.  I am glad they are not hyping this up to a PPV match.  The Great Khali enters the ring to some cheers from the crowd and doesn’t have much trouble with Mahal.  He gives him a kind of mocking pin by just standing above him and laying his foot on his chest.  What, if anything, could be meaningful for both of these two next?

Dim the lights, light the candles, set the table, it’s time for ..... Sin Cara.  Tonight he is taking on Daniel Bryan.  Doesn’t matter what happens here because you just know that second Sin Cara is going to show up.  There is a bit of a twist tonight.  The second Sin Cara enters and takes out the first Sin Cara.  The second Sin Cara then takes over and wins the match.  I can’t help it; I am still being very entertained by this.

Tag Team Champs Air Boom get a victory over The Usos in a decent match.  This Air Boom team really worked out and continues to be entertaining.  They need another high profile opponent.  Problem being, is there such a thing currently in tag team wrestling?

Main event is a lumberjack match – classic – love it!  Wouldn’t it be a shocker it Christian won the match!  Haha – never going to happen.  Mark Henry eventually ends up outside the ring and the entire group of lumberjacks cannot get him back in.  The crowd are actually chanting Khali’s name at one point when he is one of the last standing after Henry’s onslaught.  Christain decides to leave but thanks to Sheamus is thrown back in to the ring, falls victim to the world’s strongest match, 1..2..3, Henry wins.

I know it plays into the Christian’s character but I didn’t like him wanting to bail out on the match.  It should all be about the title.  He could still be cowardly and try to win the match, maybe by still trying to be crafty and desperately trying to find allies. 

I liked both Smackdown and Raw this week.   If I have some time I may be back later this weekend with some more comments.  Have a good one! 

Smackdown Thoughts, September 16th

So great to see Edge again!  I am hoping he is back to stay in some capacity.  You know he is going to be interrupted, but by who?  It’s Cody Rhodes!  I am really enjoying Rhodes, this guy should have great potential to be a future main eventer.  It wasn’t that long ago Ezekiel Jackson was the Intercontinental Champion, that was so much more boring that this guy.  I loved the way this segment ended with Rhodes being surprised by Ted Dibease in the crowd, reminded me of the start of an old school WWE feud.  Hopefully this sets up the final match to be announced for Night of Champions. 

Dim the lights it’s Sin Cara for his match with Daniel Bryan.  The WWE Universe once again proves its strangeness.  Imagine if every time the Celtics took to the court they filled the arena with a green tint for the entire game.  Anyway...the match rolls on and Sin Cara is disqualified.  And yes, they are actually going with the two Sin Caras angle!  What do you think?  Will people actually go for this?  Could at least be an entertaining match when it happens, but I don’t see it going too far beyond that.  Unless there is a shocker behind one of those masks.  Who knows...I am intrigued.  This angle reminds me of something you might see in old school WWE too.  Should be fun!

Divas time....AJ vs Beth Phoenix....squash as expected by Phoenix.  After the match Phoenix tells us that the fairy tale ends for all the Divas at Night of Champions.  I think she wins, but we will see how much attention she can bring to the Divas division as champ.

We got not only Edge back tonight but also Canadian and former WWE Diva Trish Stratus hanging out backstage.  Christian interrupts and he is still talking about one more shot.  What do you think?  Does he get it?  I would still love Edge to manage him!  But for now at least they still appear to be having some differences. 

We get a tag team match with Wade Barrett and Christian vs Justin Gabriel and Sheamus.  Four wrestlers in the ring and four different countries represented.  Justin Gabriel picks up the pin on Wade Barrett.  Barrett has been really floundering lately too being the jobber more times than not.  After the match we get more flirting with the idea of a Christian vs Sheamus match.  As I have said lately, looking forward to this one whenever it happens. 

The Great Khali vs. Heath Slater is up.  Sounds like another squash to me.  I am guessing maybe some interference from Jinder Mahal after.  I was wrong.  The match is barely underway and he is coming down the ramp already.  Mahal interferes causing the ref to ring the bell and a beat down ensues with Slater and Mahal double teaming Khali.  It is Khali who over powers them both.  The Smackdown crowd seem very quiet during all of this.  I am not sure how much people really care about this match between Khali and Mahal that will undoubtedly happen in the near future. 

Evan Bourne is set to take on R-Truth.  The Miz and R-Truth enter the ring to R-Truth rapping and slamming the Canadian crowd.  It’s an awesome entrance, these guys are great.  It’s a much faster match than I expect with Truth picking up the clean pin.  The Awesome Truth I guess they are calling this team.  Great stuff, should be another good Night of Champions match!

For the second time this week the main event slot is filled by microphone time, at least it’s not more of the whiny married couple (HHH and CM Punk).  We got Edge back in the ring again hosting a segment with Randy Orton and Mark Henry.  The history of both superstars is briefly traced.  Edge leaves the ring and mayhem quickly explodes and it takes a good chunk of the roster to attempt to keep them apart.  Of course it doesn’t work and Henry delivers some damage to Orton and several others.  Good final setup before the match reminding us one more time that Mark Henry is an absolute animal.   

Smackdown Thoughts, September 9th

Mark Henry starts off Smackdown.  It took 15 years but Henry finally got his character right.  I am really enjoying it but I am thinking it is not going to last once Randy Orton wins at Night of Champions, which is my prediction.

Here comes Zack Ryder to tell Henry that he and Orton are in action tonight, but not against each other.  Also they are not to put their hands on each.  Ryder is getting huge cheers from the crowds lately and seems to be getting more and more popular each week.  Ryder is sensing trouble and decides to go on the offense before Henry strikes.  It doesn’t work as he quickly becomes victim of Henry’s World’s Strongest Slam.  Ryder has carved out a loveable loser type character for himself but I wonder where he can go with this in the ring.  Woo Woo Woo!  

Here comes Ezekiel Jackson...ding ding....we got our first match.  Jackson and Henry start their match with a test of strength, classic, love it, but it doesn’t last very long.  In fact neither does the match really. It’s pretty much all Mark Henry as he continues to get over as one of the most dominating forces in the WWE leading into his title shot at the Night of Champions.  It doesn’t fair well for Jackson who has been floundering since he lost the Intercontinental  Championship, since before that really.  He is one of the WWE’s big men, but as of late is not being sold as too much of a force. 

Next up Sin Cara picks up another win over Tyson Kid.  I am watching the match and wondering what is in store for this guy (Cara).  Maybe a long term plan to have him vs Rey Mysterio.  Maybe a Sin Cara vs Sin Cara match to determine who is the “real Sin Cara”.  There have been reports of two different guys playing this character and this one now...wow...speaks English, and he’s more aggressive.  I get my answer now for the immediate future when Daniel Bryan enters the ring and challenges him to a rematch next week.  Sin Cara responds with a kick and a submission move.

Divas are up, Kelly Kelly taking on Natalya.  If Beth Phoenix and Natalya are going to save the Diva’s division I wish they would hurry up and do it.  Kelly Kelly wins...nothing really happens after....next please....

Christian comes out.  Christian is one of my favourites and it’s time for him to get another good feud going.  I think we have it starting with Sheamus, another of my favourites, as he interrupts Christian’s remarks.  I made the comment a couple of weeks ago that these guys could be good for each other right now and it looks like I am getting my wish.  Sheamus and Wade Barret lock up for their match but Christian interferes and an attempted beat down ensues but Sheamus overpowers.  A match between the Celtic Warrior and Christian is a certainty.  I am looking forward to this one!  It should be a very entertaining match, or series of matches if this turns into something long term.

It’s Air Boom!  You know the name is hokey, they even appear a little hokey themselves, but I like them.  They are a good tag team, but will the reign last past the match at Night of Champions against The Miz and R-Truth?  My prediction on that and the rest of the card to follow.   Tonight they face The Great Khali and Jinder Mahal.  These two have been headed for a certain split the last few weeks and it looks like it might be official.  A slap in the face from Khali after they lose the match and he walks away.  Not much of an official split, I would have expected a bit more of a physical assault from the monster Khali.  A feud between these two doesn’t interest me a lot, but who knows, maybe it will lead to better things for Khali who has been very boring lately.

The main event is next.  Wow...no HHH...no CM Punk....I thought with the new supershows we may get them yet again tonight.  Smart move to leave them off tonight.  It’s great stuff, but a bit too much as of late. 

Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton fill the main event slot in a decent match.  I am loving Cody Rhodes and am thinking that down the road there could be big things from him.  After Orton picks up the win Mark Henry comes in the physicality begins.  Henry comes out on top of this one and ends up looking down on Orton, spares him from breaking his legs telling him it’s only the title his interested in.  I would like to see him have a shot with it.    

Overall, I found both Raw and Smackdown to be not too compelling this week.  It’s getting to that point where it’s time for the next PPV now.  One more week to go.  We still have a couple more matches to be added so there maybe a few more developments next week.

Coming up later this week I hope to post some thoughts on the DVD OMG:  The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History, which I watched recently. 

Cheers!

Super Smackdown Live Thoughts

It’s Super Smackdown live from Wichita and it opens with John Cena calling out Alberta Del Rio, but he’s a no show.  Wade Barrett who refused to wrestle a meaningless opponent last week demands a match with Cena tonight.  Wade Barrett comes out and begins to diss Cena and it almost sounds like the crowd are about to get behind him.  A few moments later Cena makes reference to the fans and he’s getting the bigger (although still mixed) pop.

I liked the fact that the opening segment of this show did not drag on too long before we got a match.  However...wow!  That was quick, I expected more from this one.  Did John Cena even break a sweat?  I thought this might be one to put Wade Barrett over with Cena still winning, similar to what we seen last night on Raw with Randy Orton and Dolf Ziggler.  The Raw match was a fantastic opening match, this one, not so much.

Daniel Bryan and Sin Cara are up next.  Call me old school, but I would like to see the play by play guys actually call the match a little more.  I digress.....this match is decent, better than the opening bout.  What I like about this match is I am actually watching and really wondering who will win.  They seem to be pushing Sin Cara and Daniel Bryan is on a losing streak.  In the end it’s yet another loss for Daniel Bryan.  How many in a row is that now?  The kick in the face after the hand shake at the end of the match surprised me.  So I guess Sin Cara is a heel now?  Is this setting up a rivalry between these two?  Interesting.  I am suspecting a few more matches on TV maybe, but can’t see this turning into much more. 

Tag team champs Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne, or I mean Air Boom (kind of hokey isn’t it?) give a back stage interview.  I like these guys as a team and like watching them in the ring but weren’t their words just a bit too nice? 

You know I was pouring up nice glass of wine (if you’re interested) about one third of the way through the show and I am thinking, this all seems a bit too obvious.  No way Christian wins tonight, Mark Henry and Randy Orton has to be the match at Night of Champions.  And although that is what I want to see too I think it would be nice to see some sort of surprise happen here, although I don’t think it will. 

Back to the show.  Teddy Long’s “girlfriend” was there for a special ring announcer for the Diva’s match (yawn).  They missed their chance on this one a few weeks ago.

I made reference to this in yesterday’s post that as much as I love CM Punk there is just a little over exposure happening for him I think.  Tonight’s contract signing just confirmed that for me.  I was totally bored by this segment.  I understand they want to keep heat on this feud leading up to their match by it’s just endless talking going around in circles week after week.  And these guys are as crafty as anyone at pulling this off, but it’s just getting a bit much for me.  Of course it ends with Kevin Nash coming in and stirring it up, I just wish it happened sooner.  We get Nash assaulting Punk, HHH assaulting Punk then Nash with the shove on HHH.  Hmmm...maybe they’re not done here yet, a triple threat match at Night of Champions?  I don’t know, all along I was thinking it would come out that Nash and HHH are working together, but if they are trying to get me to think otherwise it’s working. 

Well it appeared there might be a split occurring between The Great Khali and Jinder Mahal a week ago but they are together tonight.  Mahal actually comes to the aid of Khali although costing him the match against Sheamus by disqualification.  The pair attempt to beat down the Celtic Warrior after the match but they come out on the losing end of that as well.  Sheamus is continuing to get a good push as a face.  What will be next for him I wonder?  I don’t see much more coming of this thing tonight with The Great Khali.  Something tells me at some point he and Mark Henry are not done with each other. 

No Alberto Del Rio again tonight.  The last time we saw him it looked like he took a nasty bump during his match with John Morrison.  I wonder if he did and if there is a week of rest here.  This is just pure speculation on my part. 

Randy Orton and Christian close the night with a good steel cage match.  These two have given us some great ones through their feud.  Just as I suspected as I was pouring my beverage earlier it ends in predictable fashion.  Enter Mark Henry after the match for the token beat down on Randy Orton.  I would love to see Henry walk away from Night of Champions with the title.  My gut right now is telling me that Orton retains.  I am looking forward to this match more than Cena and Del Rio. 

That concludes two nights of wrestling in a row. If I have time I might be back later this week with some thoughts and predictions on how I see the Night of Champions card shaping up, if not I will be posting more next week.  Enjoy the remaining days of summer everyone!!

My Mistake!!

Well somewhere along the way I got my wires crossed and made reference in an earlier post that Smackdown tonight would be coming to us live from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  That of course is incorrect information.  There will be a live Smackdown tonight, but it is not in Toronto.  There is a Smackdown scheduled for Toronto in September, but tonight it’s coming to us from Wichita, Kansas. 

What an arrogant Canadian I am – haha.  No matter where it is to, hopefully it will be a great one.  Enjoy the show, I hope to have thoughts up online tomorrow.

Smackdown Thoughts, August 26th

Good opening segment featuring special guest GM Bret Hart, Christian, Mark Henry and Sheamus.  I’m always glad to see The Himan and happy to see Christian back.  Although I have to admit that Bret seemed a little rusty on the mic.   I’m already looking forward to next week’s steel cage match vs Randy Orton.  I am thinking Edge should be in attendance and playing a role in this one.  Edge and Christian have been dissing each other as of late, but I am still predicting a reunion of sorts with Edge in a limited role.  Manager? 

I still think Randy Orton walks away with the title next week and faces Mark Henry at Night of Champions.  Although Henry did say he wants his title shot next week, which I assume means after next week’s Smackdown, I am seeing this one as a PPV title shot. 

I am starting to forget when the last time I saw Daniel Bryan win a match.  What are they eventually going to do with the Money in the Bank winner who claims he is waiting until Wrestlemania to cash in?  They will probably sit on this one for a while until at least after the next PPV or even longer.

So Wade Barrett wants something more meaningful.  Any ideas what might be next for him?  Going after Daniel Bryan’s brief case? Intercontinental championship? Is he ready to be in the World Heavyweight Championship mix?

Sin Cara and Heath Slater give us a brief match.  I always loved the high flyers but I was a little underwhelmed by this one tonight for some reason.    

I love Cody Rhodes's creepy and psychotically toned voice....just saying.  Rhodes wants to resurrect the status of the Intercontinental Championship but didn’t last week he say he wasn’t satisfied with it? 

Good match from Randy Orton and Ted Tibiase. So does the Rhodes attack on Dibiase at the end of his match with Orton mean the partnership is over?  If not you can bet than sooner or later Dibiase will say enough is enough.   How about a Night of Champions match between the two with the Intercontinental Championship on the line?  Maybe give Dibiase a shot with it?  It seems we are eventually heading towards an Orton vs. Rhodes showdown.  Perhaps this could really heat up after the next PPV.

The ending to the Ezekiel Jackson and the Great Khali match surprised me.  Both these guys have been floundering and need something.  I was betting on The Great Khali instead it is Jackson with the win and by submission!  Although it looks like a split is in the works for Khali and manager Jinder Mahal and a match at some point.  This potential feud is already not intriguing me too much. 

Oh there was a Divas match here somewhere.  I went from being a little bit interested in the Divas division to not caring again. 

As the show is in the final stretch leading into the main event I realize we haven’t seen Bret Hart since the opening segment.  I didn’t think he would play a huge role but I thought slightly bigger than this. 

Speaking of the main event, the ending surprised me a little bit here too. Sheamus picks up the win by count out to even the score.  I guess Mark Henry wins the battle that takes place after the match.  I am now left wondering if we are heading to something bigger for a title match here.  We have Chody Rhodes eyeing Randy Orton.  We have Mark Henry owed a title shot.  I think Sheamus’s win has to count for something.  How will it all play out and will the world’s strongest man walk away as World Heavyweight Champion?  I’d like to see that title reign but I am thinking it is staying around Orton’s waste for a while. 

Overall it was a decent episode.  I would have liked to have seen a little more of Bret Hart.  More Canadian content next week.  The live Smackdown should be a good one.

Until next time...cheers!

Weekly hits (August 14th to August 20th)

Some random thoughts and quick hits on the week that was: 

Said in the tone of that guy from that beer commercial (the most interesting man in the world):  I don't always get Pay Per Views, but when I do, I get Summerslam.  It's true that due to other commitments (work and family) I am unable to order each and every PPV, but Summerslam is usually a given.  I am always on holidays, have a bit of free time on my hands and it’s always an August treat.  It seems a little late to be commenting on it now, but I thought it was solid enough.  Last two title matches were great.  I thought Mark Henry and Sheamus was decent but could have been better.  It was not without its surprises.  Not the best PPV ever, but certainly not the worst.

What's next for Christian?  He wasn't at Smackdown after he dropped the title to Randy Orton at Summerslam.  I am predicting a short break and a return with Edge as manager maybe.  He might need a little something extra to get him over now and maybe Edge could be just it.  It could be a lot of fun too.  It would be better if Edge could tag with him again, but the manager role will have to do.

What's up with The Miz?  I love The Miz.  When are they going to insert him into the title hunt again or at least a meaningful match and/or feud?

It's looking like a Mark Henry vs. Randy Orton match at Night of Champions.  Was the battle royal on Smackdown really necessary to make Henry a number one contender?  Although I do understand them doing it because if this match is not going to happen until the next PPV they have some time to fill.

What's next for Sheamus?  I like him as a face but if he and Mark Henry are done he needs a heel to tangle with.  Perhaps he and Christian could be entertaining and good for each other right now.

I’m liking the return of Kevin Nash although I was never a huge fan.  A match with CM Punk and Nash should be interesting.

I loved Alberto Del Rio's opening promo as champ on RAW.  What a classic heel he is.  I am not sure if he needed to be on Smackdown too.  His promo on that program was not as strong although he did have a great match with Daniel Bryan.

Speaking of the new champ, who will he be facing at Night of Champions, assuming he still holds the title?  Is it just going to be him and John Cena?  I am thinking this one needs more competitors for me to be interested.  Fatal fourway?  Triple Threat?

And finally for today, speaking of Cena, when is he going to turn heel and be done with it.  I know the lines of heels and faces are blurred and I think that is awesome.  But occasionally there is nothing like a good heel turn.  I am sensing the WWE universe wants this right now for Cena and how it happens could make for a classic WWE moment.  Although if you check the many excellent wrestling sites and blogs on the net there is plenty of good discussion on this topic and many opinions on if this should happen and how to handle it.  I am not sure if just mixing it up with Del Rio for the title is going be intriguing enough for me. 

OK, one more.  Who sent the text to Kevin Nash's phone?  I really don't know where the WWE is going with this one.  The obvious choice is that HHH is lying and he did it himself or his wife Stephanie sent it.  The WWE tends to like to surprise us with these kinds of things.  I am still thinking Mr. McMahon is behind it all and will emerge again at some point soon. 

Ok...I am tapping out for the day.  See you soon!