Step into the Ring

Monday 23 February 2015

WRESTLEMANIA 31 AND AN AXE TO GRIND


This week, before we hopefully kick off our new fortnightly column with ‘The NXT Report’ which will be heading your way next week as long as I can access the WWE Network on my Xbox One and not spend hours bypassing the error message which greets me when I load up the app, I would like, as promised, to take a look at some comment made by Chris Jericho regarding WrestleMania 31 and how he would book the event if he was in charge. Many of you may think this is just patching over the cracks and you’d be right, because thanks to the shallow minded at Fremantle Media and Fetch.Fm who handle WWE’s media releases, it’s confirmed that Review Corner is no more apart from special one off features which will appear here sporadically. I would for a moment just like to stray away from the first intended subject this week and tell you a little about the people who are handling your WWE media material. 


So, because someone who believes they are more important than they are and their staff who clearly don’t have any idea what they’re doing and that you good people don’t deserve to know the truth about what they’re releasing, I’m forced to find something to fill the gap between now and The NXT Report. From now on, you’re going to have to read reviews in magazines and other websites which almost all slanted in favour of WWE and will almost always say that every release is brilliant when we all know different. So whilst you’re reading those biased articles that say every WWE release is excellent and when you buy them and they’re clearly trash, think of your Wrestling God, and how much money you could have saved had the feeble minded who ignored me and failed to reply because they didn’t want to believe their staff were nasty and unprofessional when I complained about the lack of professionalism from staff, not turned a blind eye to their flaws.

You see, these are people who don’t take complaints well. The man in charge who thinks that he knows what’s happening with his staff actually had the cheek to turn around to me and sever the association because I sent him an official complaint detailing that his staff were ignorant when they clearly were. It’s clear that these pathetic, small minded people don’t know what they’re doing and WWE made a mistake by choosing them to handle their media output in the UK. Maybe they should have gone with someone more professional and not someone who can’t take criticism and someone who tells you never to contact them again because they cannot handle their own staff or the truth, before childishly pointing out one spelling mistake you made in an email as if that makes the idiots better than you. I certainly know how to spell the four letter word I have in mind to describe them correctly.

It’s pathetic. To this end, I will no longer be purchasing WWE related material directly from the shelves or the muppets who produce them in the UK. I will wait to find them on Ebay or in one of the various second hand DVD shops across the country. I refuse to give these people my money when they have been so unprofessional, closed minded and want everyone to think their product is just brilliant. I would urge you to do the same. If I wanted to be convinced their products were all excellent and there was no problem with any of them, I’d read reviews of WWE material in FSM magazine.

I was wrong two years ago. The future of WWE’s releases in the UK isn’t in good hands. To be honest, you wouldn’t have gotten this with Silvervision and it’s clear now that those currently in charge couldn’t handle a proverbial piss-up in a brewery. So to hell with the lot of them and if one of them should be reading this, I apologise for the lack of pictures to follow what’s going on and suggest you revise your attitude to business and your clients who can either make or break your sales.

Now that is out of the way, let’s cast a keen eye to why we’re really here. Chris Jericho’s comments on a radio show two weeks ago sparked outrage and heated discussion amongst the internet community. Not because Chris Jericho suggested doing out of left field but because his comments included the idea of turning Daniel Bryan heel. Obviously, this wasn’t a popular suggestion with the WWE Universe who immediately revolted and lashed out at Jericho, and though I condemned the idea two weeks ago I have recently been looking online and gauging the WWE Universe’s reaction to Bryan. Instead of being staunchly behind him like they were this time last year, some fans are starting to accuse Bryan of stealing the spotlight from other stars who have worked for their push. And do you know what? I kind of have to agree with them.

Chris Jericho’s suggestion was that because Vince McMahon doesn’t class Daniel Bryan as a McMahon prototype wrestler, which Roman Reigns is, it would be a good idea to turn Daniel Bryan heel on Roman Reigns and when Reigns wins the title at WrestleMania which most seem to believe he will, have him and Bryan feud back and forth throughout 2015 for the title. It’s not a bad idea. I know that it wouldn’t work for everyone because people love Bryan and some would refuse to treat him as a heel. But there could be something to this suggestion because lets face it, with Roman Reigns riding high with some after his forthright comments on fans and what they should believe which wasn’t a wise move. Could Daniel Bryan be as popular as a heel as he is as a face? Maybe. He was a few years ago when he displayed a ‘No’ chant instead of a ‘Yes’ chant.

Of course, there’d have to be an overriding factor behind Daniel Bryan’s heel turn, though WWE have inadvertently given themselves an out here by already having him lose important matches. The Royal Rumble would have been the perfect catalyst for this to happen as would a loss at Fast Lane should it have happened. I have no idea as this blog is being written on the morning of February 22nd. Should Daniel Bryan begin to lose important matches only to see Seth Rollins cash in is briefcase and win the title over him, if that hasn’t happened already, then it would be the perfect moment for Bryan to join The Authority and take Brock Lesnar’s place. You see, Brock Lesnar is out of contract after WrestleMania and though he may have signed a new contract by the time you read this, WE are still unsure whether he will stay around or not.

Let’s face it. Why should he? Brock Lesnar has been with WWE for his second run since 2012 and has done just about everything he could do. Comprehensively defeated John Cena in payback for Extreme Rules 2012, ended The Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania, won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and sold events as he was paid to do. There is nothing else Brock Lesnar can do in WWE should he stick around and anyway, Lesnar has been keen to return to Ultimate Fight for a while now. His urge to return to the octagon has been given weight since C.M Punk took up the art form and many would pay millions to see the pair do battle in a real life fight. Right now, Brock Lesnar has to do what he believes is right for him. If he’s going to sign a new contract then he needs to make sure WWE has something for him to do otherwise it’s pointless.

Something has been playing on my mind recently and it’s a comment that transpired two weeks ago on Raw. When Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns were in the ring with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, deciding who should get a title shot and later when Bryan and Seth Rollins JBL commented that Daniel Bryan was stripped of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship because he couldn’t and didn’t defend the title in the allocated time. Now, the allocated time for wrestlers to defend any title in WWE is 30 days depending on who is deciding the rules. However, I would now like to draw your attention to the double standard. You see, WWE castigated Daniel Bryan for not being able to defend the title in those allocated days but said nothing about Brock Lesnar not defending the gold from September to January. Madness. So, by JBL’s logic and WWE’s Brock Lesnar should have been stripped of the title like Daniel Bryan. Talk about double standards.

Before we wrap up this week’s blog, I have a few notes to inform you of. The first is some much needed funding for the wrestling tome you have heard me speak about in recent months. Whilst no release date is yet available for the book, the writer has set up a Kickstarter project to raise funds for the publicity of the book. As someone who is reviewing this book for a special Review Corner, I can attest to the quality of this book and can promise you that it’s worth funding. It would be a crying shame should a book like this not find its way into the mainstream book stores or to its core audience. I’ve been reliably informed that the funds raised will be put solely to publicity for the books, so adverts in magazines etc, and there are some wicked and rare rewards on offer for those that pledge if the total is met. The T-shirt promised should be something. If you have a spare few pounds, dollars, roubles, kroner, yen or whatever your currency is then pledge some money. Not only do you get a signed copy of the book but depending on your price range there is something for everyone. If you should wish to pledge your money then click on the second link to the left hand side of the page or go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1963701503/a-love-letter-to-the-mat-the-story-of-pro-wrestlin to do your part for a fellow reader and wrestling fan.

Next on the agenda is this month’s Q&A. You naughty, naughty people. Once again, I have received no questions to my Twitter feed except the one I got a few weeks back. Needless to say this simply isn’t good enough for an article you chose in your end of year poll. So this is what is going to happen. You have one more month. If I receive no questions by March 20th then I’ll axe the idea. I don’t waste my breath for nothing. This was meant to make your experience more enjoyable but you’re not holding up your end of the bargain. This is what I don’t understand about you good people. You’ll willingly send your questions into wrestling magazines but not to me. Why? Don’t be shy and get your questions into #Q&AWGISHERE before we lose the section forever.

Finally, one last reminder that next week’s blog will see the beginning of our NXT Report which will replace Review Corner as the regular feature. I won’t promise you the report as a matter of fact because my WWE Network is heavily unreliable on the Xbox One to the point the app won’t even open without an error message and every time I try to bypass it with the X button, it just pops up again. But I will do my best to get the report done in as much detail as possible and delivered on time. As of yet, I don’t know what form the report will take and I will change it up as we carry on. But it will be detailed and with all the usual honesty you’ve come to expect from your Wrestling God.

Onwards and upwards.


Tuesday 17 February 2015

WWE FAST LANE 2015 - BIG SHOES TO FILL




 I’m not convinced that it was such a good idea to scrap Elimination Chamber. The event was a much anticipated one on the Road to WrestleMania where fans could look forward to some action that wasn’t classed as the normal. Between Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, Elimination Chamber was a welcome release, unlike every other pay-per view event throughout the year. Now though, it’s been cast aside and replaced with what I can only see to be another run of the mill event designed solely to cash in on the ever changing image of WWE’s fan base. It was a wrong move.

However, we’re now stuck with it and after what can only be described as a lacklustre Royal Rumble event which was only notable for its thrilling triple threat WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match, WWE must produce something unforgettable and legendary in order to convince people to buy WrestleMania 31 and the WWE Network which seems to be as difficult to access as a safe with no combination. If you’re ordered the Network then you’ll know the frustrations of error messages and buffering which we don’t expect from something that is out to impress. Still, this is WWE’s chance to set up WrestleMania for the lapsed and loyal fans. One chance. But are they up to the challenge?

From the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee on February 22nd 2015, this is the inaugural WWE Fast Lane.

Number 1 Contender’s Match
Winner Faces Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31
Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan

When Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble Match, it should have been one of the highlights of the year not to mention his entire career. Despite the fact that the Royal Rumble Match was uneventful and mostly dull, it was clear by the way WWE booked the bout that it was Roman Reign’s time to shine. And as predicted, he won the thirty man over the top rope elimination spectacle and most believed he was headed to WrestleMania. But, just like last year, WWE’s plans have altered once again thanks to their lack of foresight and the reaction from the audience which all but necessitated this match take place at Fast Lane. Just like 2014 when Batista triumphed in at the Royal Rumble, fans have spoken out against he who was chosen for greatness and seem to no longer require Roman Reigns as their top draw in 2015. Once again, Daniel Bryan is the top of the tree as far as the WWE Universe is concerned.

Can WWE blame us? Of course not. You see, Daniel Bryan has been out of action for over six months when he returned to WWE in 2015. His victory over Randy Orton and Batista at WrestleMania 30 was one of the most celebrated and memorable moments in WWE history in the last twenty years. It was the culmination of everything he’d worked for and everything us fans had pushed for with our rebellious nature. Special moments like that don’t come along too often and we’re resplendent with joy when they do. Even more so when it’s of our own making. But there was a problem with Daniel Bryan leaving to recover from his neck injury and that was he never lost the title which we pushed WWE to put around his waist. Of course WWE needed someone to stand in for Bryan when he was on the sidelines but did the company really believe that we would just forget that he never lost the gold and move on? The answer to that is yes, of course they did. Because this is WWE.

As Vince McMahon and his family found out at the Royal Rumble, they were once again wrong in their assertion that Roman Reigns was to replace Daniel Bryan in 2015 because anyone who watched the event and saw the surprising reaction Reigns got when Daniel Bryan was eliminated will be able to attest to that. I was shocked when Roman Reigns was jeered out of the building at Royal Rumble. It was at that moment I realised  Roman Reigns was only a babyface for as long as he steered clear of Daniel Bryan. The moment Reigns met ‘The Yes Man’ or attempted to overtake him, there was always going to be trouble. Which is why WWE have devised this match and it could go one of two ways.

The first way is that WWE have booked this bout solely to do what they could not in 2014 and try to prove to us, in their own pathetic little way that Daniel Bryan isn’t WWE World Heavyweight Champion material. Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be the first time that they’ve attempted to change our minds on someone we’ve backed all the way. Look at how Dolph Ziggler has been treated over the past few years because we’ve voiced our opinion that he should be further up the card. That has lead to WWE rebelling against its audience and booking Ziggler to fail in almost every situation he’s been put in. I’d hate to think it, but this could be the situation we find ourselves in with Daniel Bryan in 2015.

I have no doubt this will be a stunning bout and if Roman Reigns is going to go over Daniel Bryan here then it would go some way to backing up his claim to being ready for a main event spot at WrestleMania. However, if Daniel Bryan carries this bout then fans will further rebel against Reigns and there’s always what will be a stark reality that when Reigns enters WrestleMania he will once again be booed out of the stadium and fans will cheer for Lesnar. This will and could happen even if Reigns contests a gripping bout with Bryan and only just comes away with a victory. WWE cannot stop this and so this is what should be done before Roman Reigns’ career is tainted by the audience. It’s a simple process and it involves Roman Reigns turning heel. WWE won’t do it, but if they don’t then Reigns and his victory at WrestleMania will be tarnished. As will his resultant reign as champion which will be met with revile for months after WrestleMania.

I think it’s clear that WWE cannot afford that to happen to Roman Reigns and so I believe that this bout has been set up, with its stipulations, to create a triple threat or Elimination Chamber match for WrestleMania which would suit Roman Reigns better than having to ride the tidal wave of jeers he’d get for defeating Daniel Bryan. I can’t say for sure, but with the winner advancing to WrestleMania, it would be best all around if Brock Lesnar was to run in at the conclusion of the bout and wreck both men thus causing a double disqualification. That would mean both men would advance and should WWE be planning an Elimination Chamber Match then it could involve a mass brawl involving John Cena, Rusev, The Rock and or Seth Rollins.

I know that Roman Reigns has earned his title shot at WrestleMania, he has waited patiently but sometimes that isn’t how things work out. Sometimes, fans really do have the final say because after all, if we don’t want to see someone as the main star then we won’t pay to see them. WWE may find that out the hard way and if that happens then it’s a possibility that live attendance and the WWE Network will suffer also. The best course of action right now isn’t the one WWE will want to take but it may be the one they have to bit their lip and put up with. Allow Daniel Bryan to triumph at WrestleMania and then have the reign that he was supposed to have in 2014. Once fans have gotten this out of their system, WWE will be able to have him drop the title to Roman Reigns in late 2015 and everyone will be happy.

At Fast Lane, it’s vital that WWE don’t push their fan base too far. What they can’t have now is fans take umbrage against the promotion, unsubscribe and fail to pull in an outstanding buy rate for WrestleMania. We all know that business and money is the most important thing for WWE, so now is the time that they really do what is best for business.

Winners Prediction: Draw

Rusev vs John Cena

If I’m not mistaken, then I was correct about this match all along. Last year, I said that Rusev was being built to battle John Cena and here we are. Months later with my prediction come true. Now, don’t get me wrong, maybe this isn’t the correct course of action for WWE to take right now because Rusev has had a few shaky months and really needed something more solid before taking on John Cena. He was eliminated at Survivor Series and then tossed in the Royal Rumble by Roman Reigns like he was nothing. That isn’t how Rusev deserved to be treated by WWE after being solid in the ring for almost a whole year. However, WWE obviously believe that Rusev is in a place to accommodate John Cena’s flaws and I kind of have to agree with them. At least, Rusev will be able to come out of this looking better than he goes in. He has the skills to ride the John Cena train and not be devaluated by its outcome.

I think we all know where this is going by now. WWE line them up and John Cena knocks them down. It’s the way it’s worked in WWE for a long while as we saw with Bray Wyatt last year. But something has to change. Something has to give at some point and WWE can’t keep willingly ruining new talent just to further enhance someone who doesn’t need the exposure in the first place. So until I’m proved wrong, I’m going to believe that things will be different this time around and that Rusev will be the man to receive the majority of the spotlight here. John Cena doesn’t have to be willing, he never is, but what matters is that WWE are adamant on having Rusev defeat John Cena here and push him to the next level.

First thing’s first though. No one is going to believe that Rusev is a major player with the United States Championship draped over his shoulder. That title is a career killer and everyone knows it. The first thing WWE should have done by the time you read this, or at least by the time Rusev and Cena clash again at WrestleMania is have him drop the title. I don’t care how he does it or in whatever hokey circumstances, but the important thing is that he does so and quickly. No one is going to be seen as a main event star with that gold around their waist. The second thing WWE need to do is remember what’s at stake here. With Bray Wyatt in 2014 the company failed to do that and the result was months of wasted opportunity as Wyatt was taken back to almost square one. Remembering where they’re going and not where they’ve been will be a major factor in Rusev’s development during this feud.

There is however one vital thing WWE must do with this feud that they haven’t done with any so far. That’s take John Cena to one side and demand that he play ball. WWE haven’t done this with John Cena in any circumstance except SummerSlam and it’s about time they did so again but with a new star opposing the Cenation leader. WWE must explain to Cena that this isn’t about him anymore and that it’s about the good of the company and its future. John Cena must go into this feud realising that he’s previously done wrong and with the mindset to put things right. It’s the only way Rusev will shine, because if this doesn’t happen then John Cena will do here what he’s done with everyone so far. And that’s disrespectfully ruin their careers in the belief that he’s the only one who deserves one. Like I said, something has to change sooner or later. Why can’t this be it?

I don’t believe that WWE want or are willing to throw everything they’ve done with Rusev in the trash. That can only be good news. Maybe this time WWE will follow through and have Rusev be one of the only men that John Cena hasn’t or will never beat. If that is the plan then there’s only way WWE can go about booking this and it follows a similar path as SummerSlam. John Cena must be mostly dominated before passing out in The Accolade. WWE will never permit him to tap out so this is the only way to maintain the move and its reputation. Especially if they want to hype a gripping match for WrestleMania. Should John Cena break out of the move like its nothing then it will diminish Rusev and his image going forward into 2015. That simply cannot be allowed to continue.

Whilst we’re on the subject of Rusev’s image in 2015, the Royal Rumble Match did nothing to help him in his quest to withstand John Cena. The bout was slow and boring, one of the worst in many years but Rusev could have made a difference especially had WWE allowed him to shine by eliminating a host of stars. Instead of that, Rusev seemed like just another face when it could and should have been so different. Had WWE allowed him to be the monster, then fans would have believed that he was the favourite making Roman Reigns seem even more indomitable when he finally eliminated Rusev. But instead of that, Roman Reigns easily speared Rusev and tossed him like he was nothing. This only served to diminish Rusev and now WWE are looking to John Cena to make up for that.

WWE’s plan for Rusev wasn’t clear until the Royal Rumble Fallout. For those who saw it on WWE.Com and WWE Network shouldn’t have been surprised that he and Cena came face to face, but more than that I was still a little confused about Rusev’s role heading into WrestleMania. The Royal Rumble ending could have meant several different things and still could. When you combine that with The Rock and Rusev’s 2014 face off on Raw, then it’s a possibility that WWE will have Rusev defeat John Cena at Fast Lane and then have him battle The Rock at WrestleMania. ‘The Great One’ hasn’t come back for nothing and it’s likely he will compete at WrestleMania in what could be his final ever match. But then considering the fan reaction to Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble, there may be another sequence of events on the cards.

The Elimination Chamber has been removed for a reason. WWE wouldn’t willingly ditch such an attraction on a whim when they know that it’s such a huge draw each year. The possibility lingers that Vince McMahon will see the fans reaction to Roman Reigns and like last year be forced to change plans. Though Roman Reigns will win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31, it doesn’t mean that he has to be the only challenger in the bout. An Elimination Chamber match which pits Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns vs John Cena vs Rusev vs The Rock vs Daniel Bryan could be momentous at WrestleMania and would be something to draw in the buy rate numbers.

Right now, though WWE are settled on their own plans, everything could still change. Rusev vs John Cena could be the first of many events to alter the landscape of WWE as we know it, especially if John Cena were to turn heel or WWE pulled the trigger and allowed Rusev to defeat John Cena clean in the middle of the ring.

Winners Prediction: Rusev

Triple H Will Call out Sting

And so it begins. When Sting made his WWE debut at the 2014 Survivor Series and targeted Triple H and The Authority, it was always going to come to this. Only the most naïve wrestling fan would have failed to miss the signs that at some point down the line Triple H and Sting would come to blows. And this is the beginning of what should be a tremendous WrestleMania match. Why else do you think WWE have waited so long to make Sting’s debut count? Any sooner and the novelty would have worn off as WWE failed to string out his appearances. So far, Sting’s appearances have been monumental to WWE and got fans talking but it was vital that the company used him sparingly. Otherwise his appearances would become the normal and WWE would have no leverage left to tempt fans to WrestleMania.

The fact that Sting’s presence has been announced before Fast Lane means that WWE are relying on yet another legend to sell a pay-per view event but why? Consider this. Those people who haven’t subscribed to the WWE Network may be persuaded to fork out big bucks to see the event with the promise of Sting, but those of us who do have the Network don’t need any persuading. We pay money for a Network which hosts many hours of programming, so why would miss out on one of the major perks of being a subscriber? Nonetheless, WWE are attempting to lay the foundations for things to come down the road and this is just one of many.

I think its clear what the plan is here and how it will pan out at Fast Lane. Triple H will call out Sting with the sole purpose of challenging ‘The Stinger’ to a match at WrestleMania before Sting drops him with the Scorpion Death Drop or Triple H and The Authority beat down Sting forcing him to accept Triple H’s challenge. Either way, by the time Fast Lane is finished, Triple H vs Sting will be set for WrestleMania. But why I hear you scream. Well the answer is simple. This was meant to be Sting vs The Undertaker that WWE were pushing, but at this present moment of writing, no one seems to know The Undertaker’s future plans including Mark Calloway.

You could have heard different by the time you read this but The Undertaker is nowhere to be seen. I’m assuming that those in power have some idea of what The Undertaker will do before WrestleMania and if he doesn’t compete this year then it’s almost a certainty that he will contest his retirement contest at WrestleMania 32 against either Sting or Brock Lesnar. After all, The Undertaker needs revenge against the man who broke his streak. However, The Undertaker’s health is shaky at best. His physical condition continues to deteriorate and some question whether he should return to the ring. My answer to that is yes. He should. It’ll look like he’s running away of he doesn’t, but maybe it’s best The Undertaker gives himself an extra year’s rest before coming back one final time. Anyone who saw the excellent WWE Network Original about behind the scenes of WrestleMania 30 will know that he was carried off in an ambulance after battling Brock Lesnar.

With The Undertaker waiting in the wings, Sting has been given a boost in what will be his first WWE match. Triple H is probably the best possible opponent he could have hoped for considering his age and in the knowledge that he only has to put in one excellent performance every so often, we should see the best of Sting coming out of this bout. Triple H will no doubt be on top form as will the audience if both men put on a modern classic despite the fact the odds are against it. Fast Lane will begin something truly historic for Sting in what has to be his final run in professional wrestling, presumably culminating in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship to complete his collection.

WWE Divas Championship Match
(c) Nikki Bella vs Paige

I feel so sorry for Paige. Looking back on all the good work her and A.J Lee did in 2014, none of that is apparent in early 2015. WWE’s divas division has been taken in a different direction than it needed to go and once again, WWE have diverted it away from pure wrestling and turned it in the direction of reality television for the sole purpose of promoting Total Divas which both competitors are now apart of. Regardless of whether you believe Paige belongs in Total Divas or not, and for those who care, she doesn’t. I’ve never seen someone more out of their depth or awkward in an artificial scenario and that includes John Cena, Paige has a massive future in WWE but it doesn’t involve Nikki or Brie Bella.

Let’s just take a look at The Bella Twins for a moment. There’s no doubt that Nikki and Brie are beautiful women. But does that really qualify them for the current spot they possess in WWE? Of course it doesn’t. A lot of people have watched Total Divas by now and for those who have will notice that Brie Bella seems the more approachable one thanks to her marriage to Daniel Bryan whilst Nikki comes across as a devious and selfish bitch who WWE cannot take to heart. This isn’t what WWE should be doing with a reality show. It borders on entertaining at times but is wholly inconsistent. For example, in an episode entitled ‘Rumble Road’, Brie Bella admits on camera that she quit her job in the storyline only to take care of Daniel Bryan. Then in a scene which shortly follows, Nikki Bella is playing her on screen character in real life. It’s maddening.

Believe it or not, I have been giving The Bella Twins situations and futures a lot of thought lately when it came time to write this up. I’ve been asked by friends and fans who have no idea of my Wrestling God identity why WWE even employs them and where they could possibly go. And the answer is always the same. I don’t mean to sound repetitive but both women are employed by WWE for two reasons only. The first is their connections to Daniel Bryan and John Cena. The second is for their looks. Brie and Nikki Bella have ridden the luck train about as far as it can take them and getting by on their looks is no longer an option. It’s obvious to everyone who tunes in to WWE that there are better female wrestlers on the roster now and that The Bella Twins are being outshone. I’ve even heard the opinion that they no longer belong in WWE or inside a wrestling ring. On what I saw at the Royal Rumble and in months previous, I have to agree.

So what is their future in WWE? Well that’s the million dollar question because I don’t have an answer. If Total Divas is to be believed and please do take anything and everything on that show with a pinch of salt, because millionaire Daniel Bryan pleads near poverty on the programme when his bank account is bulging with more money than he could possibly spend, then both Brie and Nikki Bella want babies with differing reactions from their partners. Now, I don’t know the Bella’s. I could be completely wrong about them and Nikki Bella in reality could be the nice one and Brie Bella could be the bitch. Or they could both be nice or nasty in equal measure. But could you really see someone as selfish as Nikki Bella portrays to be with a child? Let alone John Cena, who likes to horde his money; be responsible for anyone else but himself. Maybe this is the best course of action for The Bella Twins. There is nothing WWE could do with them now that would make the audience warm to the pair and whilst the Divas Championship is in their camp, it’s only going to serve to diminish it.

I think everyone is agreed that Paige is the future of WWE’s female division but to show that, she needs an opponent who can really bring out the best in her. Without a foe of equal talent, Paige can get complacent in the ring as we’ve seen on different occasions over the last year. We’re not seeing the best of Paige and we should be. Which is why the next course of action is required if WWE want to salvage anything from a division which is once again failing when it had the tools to thrive. Nikki Bella has run her course as champion so Paige must defeat her at Fast Lane and take the title into WrestleMania 31. Putting aside the inferior divas in WWE, the company should book a champion vs champion bout which would pit Paige vs Charlotte assuming Charlotte has or at least can take back the NXT Women’s Championship before March. An influx of new female talent who can wrestle and are given the time in the ring to do so in the ring would light up 2015 and it all being with Paige.

Fast Lane has the opportunity to make a difference in the WWE calendar where mostly every other event fails to do so. If Paige can walk away with the title around her waist then there is a future for the divas division and we can at last turn the page on a new era for WWE’s female performers.

Winners Prediction: Paige

WWE Tag Team Championship Match
(c) The Usos vs Cesaro and Tyson Kidd

This was always expected. I mean, to be honest, The Usos have no more challengers in the tag team division who can put on a thrilling match with two men who have, to be fair, have contested memorable if samey bouts over the last few years. Don’t get me wrong, The Usos have been the highlight of WWE’s tag team division over the last few years but their matches have a samey flavour to them and always go the same way unless they have more than one team to deal with in the same match. They start slow, build to a pacy beginning before ending on a high full of ariel spots and breathtaking moves. As good as The Usos are, I think sometimes they could vary their game and have a bout which is all out from the beginning. Tiring as it may be for them, it would set them apart from the standard WWE team and make the audience appreciate them more.

Right now, I’m looking at what the future holds for The Usos and their current face persona. It’s something different I’ll give you that, but seeing as how WWE is full of popular and memorable heels at the moment and that seems to be the way to go, I wonder if it would be a good idea for WWE to turn The Usos heel and make them a badass team who has the supporters backing. I mean let’s be honest; there are very few heels today who aren’t popular. Kevin Owens over in NXT is thriving on his mean attitude whilst the likes of Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar may as well be faces for the amount of audience backing they receive as heels. It seems to be the way to go for WWE in 2015. Because let’s face it, how much further can Jimmy and Jey go as faces when there’s a lack of serious heel opponents on WWE’s roster?

For anyone who saw the Royal Rumble Kickoff Match, it would have been clear that Cesaro and Tyson Kidd, though meant to be heels were widely cheered by the capacity crowd even though The New Day were meant to be fan favourites. This just proves my point. You can’t count on the fans to go one way or another and therefore its best WWE take a risk on status now and again and allow the audience to decide which side of the fence they sit. There’s no guarantee that if WWE keep The Usos as faces, the fans won’t turn on them as they have other so called good guys. And like I’ve said before, The Usos could be major heels if WWE treat them correctly along the way. Jimmy and Jey have had phenomenal success as WWE Tag Team Champions as faces, if WWE were to turn them heel and give them a slightly darker edge then maybe they could break through that glass ceiling.

However, one course of action I do not condone is splitting the pair up which I believe has crossed WWE’s minds more than once. Jimmy and Jey would not succeed or thrive in singles competition because of their size. WWE management would lose interest in them as singles wrestlers in mere weeks. No good can come of splitting the twins so WWE must keep them together. For regular readers of this blog, you will have heard me in past express my opinion that WWE could make a new Headshrinker or new Wild Samoans of The Usos and whilst they would do a sterling job as always I have revised this opinion. The last thing WWE needs now is to wind back the clock when the future is the focus of their product.

Tyson Kidd and Cesaro have surprised me as a tag team. They shouldn’t work. Both men possess two different styles of wrestling which shouldn’t melt together but do. And I have been gripped by the majority of their matches thus far as a team. Their bout against The New Day on the Royal Rumble kickoff was the second best match on the entire Rumble card and together they may have a future. Since signing up to the WWE Network, I have been viewing a lot of their original content including the constantly excellent Stone Cold Steve Austin podcast. If you’ haven’t seen these yet then you owe it to yourself to watch them. They break kayfabe and test Vince McMahon and Triple H to their breaking point. Those of you who have viewed this excellent programme, then you’ll have heard Vince McMahon bring up the subject of Cesaro.

I was surprised when Vince McMahon brought up Cesaro as a subject when Steve Austin quizzed him about why wrestlers aren’t getting over. I mean, it’s not every day that McMahon admits his failings but he deserves credit for doing so here. Admitting that he doesn’t know what to do with Cesaro, Vince seemed humbled when he told the world that Cesaro had everything needed to succeed but was missing one vital component which even McMahon didn’t know what it was. I’m not so sure about this, however. You see, if Cesaro was missing a component to take him to the main event and WWE World Heavyweight Championship then fans wouldn’t back him and he wouldn’t be able to put on the spectacles that he has in the past. I feel that Vince is making excuses just so he doesn’t have to push Cesaro because WWE are worried that we’ll take to Cesaro as we have Daniel Bryan.

You may think this is a poor excuse but it’s something WWE really don’t want to happen. Do they need main event stars? Of course they do, the wheel has to keep revolving, but WWE have already had one smash hit indi star come in and take the main event by storm, I’m convinced they don’t want another indi star proving them wrong. You see, it’s been apparent for years that WWE have a problem with indi wrestlers making it big in WWE, that was why the company constantly put down Daniel Bryan in his quest for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. They hoped we’d agree and turn on Bryan so they could push Batista as Champion at WrestleMania 30. But that isn’t how we saw it and thus history was made. There is a market for Cesaro and even thought I don’t think it’s in a tag team with Tyson Kidd, this is a positive step forward.

What can one say about Tyson Kidd? He’s such a talented performer and deserves to be higher up the card than he currently sits, but his height and weight won’t permit him to go any further than a curtain jerker and that’s a shame. If you’ve been watching Total Divas, then you’ll know that Tyson and Natalya have been having their difficulties with their marriage. How legitimate that is, is still open for negotiation, however it does pose the question of why feature Tyson heavily in the programme if you’re not going to give him a push on television each week? I don’t know what would be best for Tyson Kidd right now, but here is something that could be successful if WWE implemented it.

Whilst Tyson Kidd and Cesaro will no doubt clash with The Usos again at WrestleMania, in a fatal four way match with The Ascension and possible The New Age Outlaws, WWE should concentrate on the one brand where titles actually mean something and that’s NXT. Tyson Kidd has been appearing on NXT more and more lately and so WWE could use that as a springboard to boost Tyson up their roster. Introduce an NXT Light Heavyweight Championship which Tyson Kidd would hold and defend against the cream of the crop in NXT. Titles mean something in NXT so if Tyson Kidd is going to get over, it’s going to be there. Once he’s reigned as NXT Light Heavyweight Champion for seven months, push him on the main roster and see where he goes. It can’t hurt. Because right now, he’s languishing in a league which can do nothing for him.

Winners Prediction: The Usos

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
(c) Bad News Barrett vs Dean Ambrose

Like many of you reading this, I am wondering what WWE have done to Dean Ambrose in the last few weeks since Royal Rumble. The man dubbed ‘The Lunatic Fringe’ has gone cold and had a reduced part to play on Raw, when he’s featured at all. For me, Dean Ambrose should also be in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture along with Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns and would be an ideal candidate if WWE were to book an Elimination Chamber bout for the gold on the grandest stage of them all. Let’s look at what Dean Ambrose has done over the past few months.

Firstly, Dean Ambrose was the man who stood in for Roman Reigns when The Usos’ cousin sat at home with a nasty injury. Roman Reigns was due to be booked in a feud with Seth Rollins which is now slated for post-WrestleMania, but WWE had to change their plans quickly and Dean Ambrose was there to step into the void. Was it a total success? Of course not, very few things in WWE are today but at least it was memorable. Without Dean Ambrose, WWE would have had a hard time finding something for Seth Rollins to do and it’s likely he’d have been wasted by fighting John Cena. Where would he have been then had his feud with Cena lasted months longer than we had to endure? WWE have Dean Ambrose to thank for keeping Seth Rollins in the public eye and that alone deserves at least a main event run.

Next up was Bray Wyatt. Returning from injury, Bray Wyatt needed someone hot to battle against otherwise he’d have sunk into the mid-card and been forgotten about altogether. Yet, once again Dean Ambrose was there to pick up the pieces and even tough their feud wasn’t stunning it still provided some memorable moments and pushed Bray Wyatt onto better things. So where did all that leave Dean Ambrose? Right back at square one. WWE weren’t bothered about rewarding him at the Royal Rumble despite the fact fans were more willing to accept him as the winner than Roman Reigns and heading into WrestleMania, Ambrose looks to be addled with the Intercontinental Championship which I don’t believe will help him at all.

Don’t get me wrong, the title used to be a stepping stone to bigger things and is synonymous with some of the most legendary stars in history, but can it really help Dean Ambrose? The answer is no. Simply because WWE have treated it so poorly in the past that it means nothing in the present. I would be surprised if Dean Ambrose doesn’t walk out of Fast Lane as Intercontinental Champion, but I would be even more shocked should he be able to do anything meaningful with the gold and Ambrose as we head into WrestleMania. I could be wrong on this one. Dean Ambrose could defeat Bad News Barrett and go on to be one of the most popular champions of all time, but for that to happen a lot of work is needed. Work WWE don’t have the time to dedicate to right now. If WWE are planning a battle royal or a Bad News Barrett vs Dean Ambrose match for the title at WrestleMania then they may as well write the title and Ambrose off now. Something major is needed and fast.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve said that I felt sorry for Wade Barrett. Plagued by injuries, stop / start booking and a lack of care by WWE’s booking team have seen him fall into mid-card obscurity with little hope of climbing out of it. Once seen as a future main event star and WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Barrett is no longer a priority in WWE and seemingly has no hope of advancing any further than the spot he currently occupies. That’s sad because Barrett has the skill and even the backing of the audience, but much like Dolph Ziggler, Wade Barrett is no loner seen as a legit player in WWE. So, where does that leave him?

Meaningless feuds are like cancer to wrestlers. Slowly but surely they kill off any hope of getting further up the ladder before ending your career completely when management and the audience lose interest in you. Sadly, that’s what Wade Barrett is looking at right now. WWE have no major plans for him and when he loses the title to Dean Ambrose at Fast Lane, Wade Barrett is going to be staring at an uncertain future which will most likely see him fade into the background before being made to headline Superstars. If there’s clearly no future in WWE it makes me wonder why stars stay in the company, but then it’s clear that a job with TNA is a soul destroying prospect as anyone who has seen Brodus Clay in TNA can attest to. Wrestling in TNA as a supposed monster heel, Brodus Clay looks dead inside. Un-concerned about his job and just present to make some money.

Wade Barrett doesn’t plan on going to the same way. Wade Barrett knows his worth and he knows that if he hangs on and keeps pestering WWE management then maybe something better will come along for him. Right now, it looks like a long shot but it could happen despite my fears for Wade. Wade Barrett has no intention of going to TNA or Ring of Honor and whilst New Japan Pro Wrestling would likely snap him up, a British wrestler going to Japan is a culture shock and unless Barrett makes it big over there it won’t be a profitable venture. So treading water in WWE really is the best option for Barrett right now, otherwise without a job in America he’d be forced to return home to England, where his wrestling career would surely come to an abrupt end.

Winners Prediction: Dean Ambrose

I’ve been surprised with the lackadaisical hype for Fast Lane that WWE have shown over the past few weeks. Instead of loading their card with what should have been excellent and much looked forward to matches; WWE left it until six days before the event to announce all but three matches. Not only does this give the event a shoddy look but it also makes everything and everyone on the card seem unimportant compared to Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns who this event has been built around.

I was expecting more matches for Fast Lane, especially since its replaced Elimination Chamber which was a popular event on the road to WrestleMania. I’m writing and posting this on Tuesday February 17th so there is a chance more matches will be added after Smackdown on Thursday night, however, if they’re not then WWE are missing a massive opportunity to book Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Eric Rowan in a bout to set them up for what should be a six man tag team bout at WrestleMania.

So this is the first ever WWE Fast Lane. It looks promising and by the end of the night we should have at least two WrestleMania matches set. But can it really fill the gap left by Elimination Chamber? I’m not convinced it can, but it should be interesting watching it try.

Onwards and upwards…





Tuesday 10 February 2015

YES MEN AND OTHER STORIES



Now that Review Corner is no more, thanks to the ignorant staff at Freemantle Media and Fetch.Fm who refuse to deal with their petulant employees who seem to think they can mess people around and get away with whatever they like, I have been forced to find something to replace Review Corner which will now only appear as a special article every so often when I have something to review. The next time Review Corner will appear on this blog, for now at least, will be the review of the aforementioned wrestling tome in the next few months written by a reader of this blog. I’ve been reading the final chapters and I promise that it won’t disappoint. Until I receive a final release date for the book, I have to find something else to fill these pages with and I think I’ve found it.

On March 2nd, a new fortnightly article will begin entitled ‘NXT: The Review’. As the title implies, it will document the last fortnight of NXT beginning with the first two episodes after February 11th’s NXT Takeover event which is live on the WWE Network. So look out for that on March 2nd as we run down in detail every little detail of the episodes for that fortnight. After that, the article will appear every two weeks as stated so those who don’t get WWE Network and can’t watch NXT will get a full picture of everything going on with WWE’s future stars. That’s next month however, so this week we’re going to look at a recent decision made for WWE Fast Lane and what effect it could have on WrestleMania’s main event. Also, I would like to touch upon the subject of dangerous ground WWE are currently treading with Daniel Bryan.

Chris Jericho has been speaking this week at length about how he’d book WrestleMania 31 and his beliefs on Daniel Bryan. I won’t go into them this week as they’ll be the focus of our blog next week, but I will say this. Chris Jericho has put forth an interesting idea in which Seth Rollins chases in at Fast Lane, assuming Brock Lesnar turns up, and then Daniel Bryan battles Brock Lesnar whilst Roman Reigns defeats Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the night in question. There is weight to this idea, but then Chris Jericho mentions something which may seem good on paper but in practice would be an epic fail if WWE ever put it into action.

In the interview, Chris Jericho suggests that WWE turn Daniel Bryan heel and then allow him and Brock Lesnar to go on a run together. It’s an interesting idea which would extend Brock Lesnar’s time in WWE and stop him going back to UFC for millions of dollars, but can you really see WWE’s fans treating Daniel Bryan as a heel? That would mean getting rid of the ‘Yes’ chant which everyone is so fond of and doing something with Bryan which could damage his chances of fans loving him in the future. It’s just not a viable plot even though it would give Bryan something else to do other than try to muscle in on someone else’s glory.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad WWE are at least attempting to re-do the wrong which they booked for the Royal Rumble, but they must be careful now. Because whilst everyone loves Daniel Bryan, he’s the most popular WWE star in the last ten years, but it really is beginning to look like Bryan can no longer earn his own title match and has to push his way in to other people’s. That isn’t good for Bryan and could only serve to turn his fans against him, if they begin to believe that Bryan is an opportunist who can’t stand to watch people be pushed ahead of him. Many don’t believe this will happen thanks to Daniel Bryan’s connection with the fans which pushed him to the main event of WrestleMania XXX, but as wrestling fans we know different. Just look at what happened with The Rock when he left to do something else. Fans turned on him. It took years for them to forgive him and accept him back.

WWE cannot afford for the same to happen with Daniel Bryan. He may not have left, but we have a great sense of injustice as fans. If Bryan is seen to be taking someone else’s spotlight then there’s a chance we could turn against him. Vince McMahon may want that to prove his ridiculous point that Daniel Bryan isn’t the wrestler that people want to see, but it will certainly see a downturn in business and revenue if people stopped buying Daniel Bryan’s merchandise. He’s better than a mid-card spot and more than that, more than fans turning on Daniel Bryan they could resent WWE for doing that to him. That would be even more catastrophic for business.

In other WWE news, Randy Orton has finally returned to action and should be back on the screen by the time you read this. The man who has been away filming ‘The Condemned 2’, which will surely be another flop for WWE in the financial department, returned to action at a live event this week. So what does this mean for Randy Orton’s WrestleMania prospects? Well, it’s fair to assume that Randy Orton will be inserted into a feud against The Authority on his return to television which means he could battle Seth Rollins on the grandest stage of them all, if Rollins doesn’t cash in before then, but more likely, Randy Orton will lead a team of misfits including Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose against Triple H’s squad and align with Sting to bring down The Authority once and for all.

This won’t be an easy or short storyline and could stretch into SummerSlam or beyond, but at some point in time Triple H and Stephanie McMahon will fall and the best possible storyline to come out of this would be the re-emergence of Vince McMahon to WWE television who comes out of the woodwork to claim back his company and recruits Orton, Sting, The Rock, Reigns and Ambrose to get back what is his. If planned carefully, Randy Orton could be the main event star he once was again and WWE could have another main event player ready to go in 2015. They could even make up for the Invasion debacle of fourteen years pervious. However, if this opportunity is wasted then Randy Orton will fall further than he ever has in the past.

I’m sure you’ve heard the rumours by now, but just in case they passed you by, Jonathan Coachman has been talking about a possible return to WWE nearly a decade after he departed to become a sports news anchor. This wouldn’t be huge news normally, but considering the state of WWE’s announce team in 2015, then Coachman could be a welcome addition. He left as a heel after being inserted into a storyline with Eric Bischoff and now I assume WWE fans will welcome his return. Hell, he now has the knowledge and skill to take over from Michael Cole as lead announcer some day. I’m sure Coachman wouldn’t half as annoying if he marked out for everyone Vince McMahon told him to. Nothing at the moment is set in stone, but nothing is impossible either.

Lastly this week, I would like us all to take a moment to send our best wishes to Diamond Dallas Page, who was hospitalized with a major health issue concerning his throat. The usually healthy Diamond Dallas Page recently participated in the 2015 Royal Rumble Match, but now faces a long battle ahead of him to return to full health. I’m sure you’ll join me in wishing him a speedy and successful recovery.

Onwards and upwards.