REVIEW CORNER: JOHN CENA'S GREATEST RIVALRIES DVD AND BLU-RAY

 

A – Excellent

B – Good

C – Mediocre

D – Avoid 

Release Date: October 20th 2014

Available From: www.wwedvd.co.uk

Price:

DVD £ 19.99

Blu-ray £ 22.99

(Prices from www.wwedvd.co.uk: high street prices will vary)

Format Reviewed: DVD (3 Discs)

(Also Available on Blu-ray (2 Discs)

What It’s About:

A compilation of matches which illustrate John Cena’s greatest rivalries. With two matches per rivalry as well as a brand new sit down interview with John Cena himself in which he discusses the included rivalries as well as his feelings on his career, the Blu-ray release also includes an extra rivalry against C.M Punk.

Strengths:

‘Book of Knowledge’ focuses on John Cena’s little known 2003 rivalry with the late, great Eddie Guerrero. Humble and serious, John Cena is admirable as he credits Eddie for his very early success telling everyone who will listen what a great teacher Guerrero was and how much skill he possessed, which we all know is true. John Cena seems genuinely choked when talking about how lucky he was in 2003 to be lined up against star names who were willing to pass on their knowledge upon young stars. It’s a laughable moment when Cena comes out with his belief that he was and to a certain degree still is a sponge that soaks up stuff from his opponents but let’s be honest, what did he really learn? By current evidence, the answer to that is nothing. This however can be overlooked and it’s a fine segment.

John Cena vs Eddie Guerrero (Smackdown, April 3rd 2003) is a very commendable opener to the release and though John Cena isn’t on his finest form here and his offense and selling are still mostly horrible, Eddie Guerrero carries a young Cena to an entertaining bout. Filled with reversals, John Cena looks far more serious than he’s ever done since defeating JBL at WrestleMania XXI and rocketing to stardom. Yes, his heel expressions are a scream but he seems more willing to sell an opponent’s moves which are linked very well. The end of the bout is held up by Cena’s hesitation to execute the move he used to call the ‘F.U’ but the rest is wholesome stuff.

‘Chicken Soup’ is the second segment to explore John Cena and Eddie Guerrero’s rivalry and backstage relationship and it’s another interesting story from a John Cena who is on form in this release. Instead of his kayfabe memories coming to light, it’s as if someone has taken off the shackles and allowed him to roam free. Candidly, John Cena tells of the respect he and Eddie Guerrero had for each other and what a tough taskmaster ‘Latino Heat’ was both criticizing him and helping him understand the business. The tale of how Eddie Guerrero compared his wrestling style to chicken soup will raise a few smiles.

John Cena vs Eddie Guerrero (Smackdown, September 11th 2003) is their much forgotten about Parking Lot Brawl which deserve a place on this release thanks to its execution. Beginning with a sensationally funny and scathing rap by the man himself, the bout generates into a wholly tense and memorable war in which both men post each other through car windshields and bonnets. Weapons include a lawn mover and shovel whilst John Cena’s suplex on Guerrero onto the roof of a car is divine. The match ending frog splash from the roof of one car to the bonnet of another is sensational. You must see this match if you want to know just what John Cena is capable of as a heel and without the pressure of his Cenation riding on his shoulders.

‘Honed My Craft’ can be seen as a laughable segment as John Cena credits his time in Ohio Valley Wrestling for his ability now, but in actual fact if you take it for it is then its both informative and at times gripping. Compiled with footage of John Cena as Prototype in the development league along with stars like Batista, Shelton Benjamin, Brock Lesnar and a very young Randy Orton, John Cena relays to us the motto OVW was based on and that’s you didn’t just want to make it there but also climb to the top of WWE. Comparing his time there to a marine call back class you get the idea just how tough it was for everyone in that league but all became stars on different levels. John Cena is spot on when he says that there hasn’t been a crop of talent like that for many years.

Prototype vs Leviathan (Ohio Valley Wrestling, February 23rd 2002) may not be the most gripping bout ever put onto a WWE release but you’ll be taken aback by how tight and proficient it is. Batista isn’t all that and his offence is weak but John Cena’s selling is amazingly efficient and if he was to return to this level then the problem would be one step further to being sorted out. The match is historically interesting and though it features a messy ending, John Cena’s hair has to be seen to be believed.

‘Special Individual’ takes a look at John Cena’s lively feud with Shawn Michaels which churned out many memorable bouts, one of which is included on this release. When talking about his time with Shawn Michaels, John Cena looks like he enjoys reminiscing on a time when he was forced to work harder than maybe he ever has in the ring. Let’s face it, had he not bothered then Shawn Michaels would have showed him up and maybe history would have been different. Rightly, Cena states that Shawn Michaels was born for this business and looks disappointed when talking about people saying that he didn’t work hard during this phase. He’s right, John Cena worked his balls off and it produced some amazing results. We get a peek into Shawn Michaels’ thought process on matches when Cena says that he wanted to make every match look great. Raising a smile, Cena describes his time with Michaels as a night off every time they wrestled. He seems geninually pleased that he was a small footnote in Shawn Michaels’ career.

John Cena vs Shawn Michaels (Raw, April 23rd 2007) is their epic forty minute stunner which if you haven’t seen already then you owe it to yourself to do so. Hell, even if you have seen this match, then settle down with a nice drink and some snacks and enjoy it over again. It could well be John Cena’s greatest ever encounter. Packed from beginning to end with top class reversals and near falls galore, this bout builds to an unforgettable crescendo and even more impressive this isn’t just a one man show, if anyone, John Cena is the star of this show. Simply tremendous.

John Cena vs Shawn Michaels (Raw, March 10th 2008) is an entertaining enough romp which tries so hard to live up to previous expectations but falls somewhat short thanks to the allocated time. There are enough counter and reversals to keep this entertaining but John Cena doesn’t work nearly as hard as he did one year previous. Shawn Michaels throws himself around the ring to make Cena look good and the bout pinnacles with several excellent chain reversals which include a Sweet Chin Music into an STF into a Figure Four which John Cena neglects to sell. The bout ends in a terrible disqualification.

‘Gifted’ explores John Cena’s attitude towards Randy Orton and their multi-year rivalry. Correctly, John Cena states that Randy Orton is a gifted individual and one of the smoothest performers in the ring that he’s ever seen. A startling revelation, Cena describes Randy Orton as his generation’s Shawn Michaels which is high praise indeed. Speaking more on Orton’s ability, John Cena describes Randy Orton as gliding when he performs and amiably states that he doesn’t. It’s great stuff.

John Cena vs Randy Orton (SummerSlam, August 26th 2007) is a flowing back and forth, solid pay-per view main event which is like watching two different men as they’re so much younger. Both in the early stage of their careers, they’re crisp and on the whole this is very, very proficient. You can see John Cena really trying here and although their 2009 SummerSlam bout or their 2009 Hell in a Cell match would have been a better inclusion you won’t be disappointed by what’s on display here.

‘Brought Out the Best’ takes a close look at how Randy Orton and John Cena brought out the best in each other as the title of the segment suggests. Concentrating mostly on their later rivalry as opposed to their earlier feud, John Cena opines that opinion and no one can do anything but agree. Granted, the pair had some stinkers in later 2013 and early 2014 but overall they were good for each other. Though an obvious thing to say, John Cena puts froth his opinion that their rivalry made people choose and he’s right. Their 2009 rivalry was the first time Randy Orton actually looked like a main event player for me and the first time I actually got behind him as a star. Without that feud many people may not have seen Randy Orton as a legit star despite being champion several times before. On fire, John Cena once again correctly states that Randy Orton is so polarizing; fans could cheer him even though he was a heel. This is brilliant stuff from John Cena who hasn’t been this honest in any other release.

‘Hard-Nosed’ exploits the real JBL and not so much his dire feud with John Cena in 2005 which lead to Cena’s first WWE Championship reign. Touching on the fact that JBL was a hard nosed, tough character who took no prisoners and worked you hard to make sure you belonged in the ring, this isn’t the real JBL as in the man which regularly ridiculed talent and made their lives hell, nor is it the JBL who purposely beat The Blue Meanie senseless at One Night Stand 2005 because he was drunk and wanted to legitimately injure an ECW star because he didn’t see them as genuine talent, but it gets some way to the core of the man and that’s a first on a WWE release. Though it’s hard to believe, John Cena says that JBL welcomed a loss at WrestleMania 21 because he wanted to show the world what John Cena could do.

John Cena vs JBL (WrestleMania 21, April 3rd 2005) isn’t anything to look at as far as actual wrestling goes, but as it’s the beginning of the John Cena phenomenon we know today then it deserves its inclusion on this release. Both men do endeavour to at least put on a show on the grandest stage of them all but it never quite comes off, whilst JBL who did a commendable job as caretaker champion looks tired and jaded having helped carry the company for the best part of one year. The reaction to John Cena’s victory is amazing, considering how much it would sour in the coming years.

‘Heavily-Calloused’ is John Cena’s second take on John Bradshaw Layfield, and whilst most is not memorable in any way, John Cena does make a valid point that WWE need to listen to. Who knows, maybe now it’s come from their top star they may. Will all seriousness, John Cena looks at the camera and relays to the watching public that everyone has their own style and not everyone can wrestle the same. If everyone did then nothing would be entertaining because everything would be cookie cutter and machine produced. John Cena says that he loves the fact everyone has a different style and no way is wrong. That is of course unless WWE don’t like the way you wrestle, then you’re very unlikely to get a shot at stardom.

John Cena vs Chris Jericho (Raw, August 22nd 2005) can’t match the pair’s SummerSlam main event the night previous but does hold up as a decent offering all by itself. Fought under ‘Loser Gets Fired’ rules, it’s obvious who is going to succeed here but that doesn’t stop it being an enjoyable romp through an era when both men were still entertaining. Once again, John Cena’s selling of his injured leg is dismal and his muscle mass is much reduced so make of that what you will. Eric Bischoff’s interaction with John Cena is excellent stuff and the sight of Chris Jericho being dragged away by security at the finale is an amusing one.

‘Gave Me a Chance’ looks at John Cena’s relationship with Chris Jericho. Going into details, John Cena states that he owes all of the early success he had to Y2J as other people in the locker room were against Cena’s rise to the top, citing that he was no good. This segment takes a light hearted turn when John Cena openly admits that with his lack of wrestling talent; he proved to everyone that he was no good in a wonderful moment sending himself up. He’s once again humble when he admits that he’s very thankful to Chris Jericho for that first chance.

‘Old Shoe’ is Cena’s take on his excellent and rewarding rivalry with Edge which is one of the most informative sections on the entire release. “There aren’t enough good things for me to say about Edge” spouts Cena to begin a heartfelt segment which turns to how Edge wasn’t meant to receive his chance because he wasn’t what Vince McMahon was looking for. More about Edge than John Cena, Cenation’s leader tells us that Edge took advantage of a crack in the door and it became something legendary. “It was cool to see him prove his worth of where he believed he should be”, says Cena before explaining the segment title of ‘Old Shoe’ by saying that he and Edge were so comfortable with each other that no matter how long they were apart, it was like putting on an old shoe.

John Cena vs Edge (Raw, October 2nd 2006) is a pay-per view main event calibre steel cage contest which builds into a thrill ride and uses its surroundings to perfection. John Cena’s bulldog from the top rope will get the blood pumping coursing through your veins, whilst the tension is almost too much to bear as the bout comes towards its thrilling, if predictable conclusion. The escape attempts are gripping as both men gel well together. It’s an excellent effort by both stars.

‘Who Am I?’ is the second segment focussing on John Cena’s feud with Adam Copeland and begins with John Cena’s admirable admission that he doesn’t want to be considered the best of his group if that group aren’t given a chance to show what they were also the best. It’s a very nice sentiment that would be even better if John Cena backed this up in the ring and began to lose to some of the new stars clean in the ring, like he did Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam 2013. Turning the attention to his own character, John Cena comes forth with the belief that he would like to give everyone the opportunity because who is he to decide who is the right person? He’s right on the ball by opining Edge tried to capture one moment and it turned into years of magic.

John Cena vs Edge (Backlash, April 26th 2009) is a stunning Last Man Standing war which brings out the best in both men. Lively, tense and wholly involving, Edge and John Cena put on one hell of a show using their surroundings and weapons to complete perfection. Edge portrays his heel character to perfection whilst John Cena actually looks like he’s fighting a losing battle. The Attitude Adjustment into the crowd is a moment of unforgettable magic as is the bouts conclusion which sees Big Show storm the stage and throw John Cena through a searchlight. Its one match you must see, even if by this time you have grown weary of John Cena matches.

‘Measuring Stick’ finally begins John Cena’s long affiliation with Triple H and their thoroughly gripping feud which yielded so many excellent matches. Explaining his belief that battling Triple H is a right of passage for any new talent, John Cena says that you have to fight Triple H to be indoctrinated into the WWE locker room. Cena seems relieved that he didn’t fade away after battling Triple H like so many others did before him. It ends, predictably with John Cena telling us that Triple H is the measuring stick.

John Cena vs Triple H (WrestleMania 22, April 2nd 2006) is another stunning display of what John Cena could do when he had the will and inclination to put on a show. Against Triple H, John Cena was made a star on a regular basis because Triple H knew how to carry him and cover his flaws. If John Cena fans are looking a moment in time to say this is when John Cena matured into a main event player then this is the moment. It’s crisp, gripping and John Cena does deserve his plaudits for a well executed bout which like his bouts with Shawn Michaels, isn’t just a one man show.

John Cena vs Triple H (Raw, October 22nd 2009) tries hard to match what the pair did at WrestleMania 22 but doesn’t quite get there. That’s not to say it doesn’t warrant an inclusion or a view because it does. Though its three years later in both men’s careers and John Cena is taking it all for granted which makes him not really try, Triple H threatens to leave him behind if he doesn’t up his game. It’s a slower brawl but the near falls and heated though the bout follows suit of so many on this release and that’s we’ve seen it before and more entertainingly in the first encounter.

‘Global Phenomenon’ is the final segment on the release which is worth any kind of real value and focuses on The Rock and John Cena’s feud which managed to span nearly three years and most probably hasn’t finished yet. Continuing to speak candidly, John Cena says that The Rock is awesome and that his name resonates past everything and is even bigger than WWE. I wouldn’t normally agree with John Cena because no wrestler is bigger than the company, but Hollywood has put The Rock ahead of the company that made him. Kindly, John Cena opines that The Rock is one of the greatest ever and along with names such as Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, The Undertaker, Sting, Ricky Steamboat and other, it’s hard to argue that point. It’s a very complimentary segment by a man who looks thankful and grateful for his success, though the admission that he fought Rock at his physical best is an oversight. Rock was physically stunning at WrestleMania’s 28 and 29 but he wasn’t ring ready.

The release’s main programme link point is maybe the best of any WWE release in at least ten years. Forming an old pixilated video game, player one being John Cena is chosen from his different years and different appearances according to the rival the release focuses on next. If it’s Edge from 2006 then John Cena is chosen in his 2006 attire and so on. On the left of the screen are faces of rivals from the release and upon their time they are picked as opponent. It’s a brilliant way to link matches and rivals and WWE should be credited for its ingenuity here.

Weaknesses:

Instead of being short and sweet, the release’s introduction is lengthily and unnecessary. Attempting to explain what a rivalry is, which is pointless seeing this release will only sell to wrestling fans who already know this stuff. The voice over guy’s lines ridiculous. In an attempt to clarify what a rivalry is he says it’s, “Simply a feeling, a wanting, anticipating, yearning, a clamouring for the next encounter when one more match is never enough. Intangibles are immeasurable and are the essence of these embroiled battles. The one constant, it must feature two men who have the same passion to be the best. But there is only room for one man to be the emperor of his realm. When that man is legitimately challenged, the universe can feel the power struggle as the intrigue and tensions mount and the battle ends by revealing a shift in power or the king holding court. Rivalries are the epicentre of the universe.” Wouldn’t it have been better to simplify it by saying it’s about two men with one common hatred for each other?

‘Different Dynamic’ touches upon the John Cena vs Batista feud which began in development territory Ohio Valley Wrestling. John Cena mentions that when the pair fought again in their 2010 feud it was excellent because the pair had been kept apart for so long. What John Cena fails to realize is that their 2010 feud was as good as the pits. Their matches yielded no reward and were chores to get through. Cena seems to want to make us believe that two men from different brands fighting was a novelty when it had been happening for years. It’s a desperate attempt to make something which was dire seem exciting. John Cena is a beacon of honesty throughout this release, it would have been noble of him to say what everyone was thinking and that was that no matter how hard WWE pushed Batista he was never going to be the star John Cena had became.

John Cena vs Batista (Extreme Rules 2010, April 25th 2010) is their Last Man Standing match which isn’t a patch on their Over the Limit brawl and also features a terrible ending where John Cena taped Batista’s feet to the ring post. It’s not original, it’s not fun and it takes an age to get going. By the time it does it’s too late to interest viewers. John Cena’s selling is hideous, when he’s been leathered by objects he simply shakes them off and gets back up. It kills Batista’s heel aura and does nothing for either man.

‘Learned So Much’ is the second piece which is meant to look at John Cena’s rivalry with Shawn Michaels. Instead of taking a look at what both men did when pitted against each other its a self adoring piece in which Cena heaps praise on himself by stating that working with Shawn Michaels as HBK’s career was coming to an end, he likes to think that it was a highlight for Michaels and that it brought him to work each day. Even if it did, which it couldn’t have had knowing you’d have to work extra hard to cover all those floors, there’s no good reason to say this. Stay humble; it worked throughout the rest of the release. It’s this kind of bragging which made people hate him in the first place.

John Cena vs Randy Orton (Raw, February 14th 2014) does build into a semi-decent contest but takes an age to get there. It’s like going to London via Scotland or for our American readers, L.A via New York. There’s so much stalling for nearly ten or so minutes that it zaps all interest either man may build. Neither makes a special effort to go out of their way to put on an unforgettable show and though several later reversals are entertaining and the near falls can be described as tense, this is just a television bout made more baffling by John Cena’s victory when Randy Orton was WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

John Cena vs JBL (Raw, June 9th 2008) is completely hideous from beginning to end. Neither man has the capability to carry a match on their own and require an opponent of greater quality to do anything of note. What makes matters worse is that JBL stands no chance of besting John Cena and everyone knows it, making this a mere squash match to fill television time. The action is meaningless and there’s no flow to be had. Anything that resembles flow is eradicated by stalling, whilst Triple H makes sure he’s once again centre of attention by providing commentary for this match which was set up to advance John Cena vs Triple H at Night of Champions.

‘Talk You Into a Building’ looks at John Cena’s rivalry with Chris Jericho which was great to begin with and then descended into madness once Jericho returned. Instead of taking a look at the feud, John Cena does give Chris Jericho plaudits for helping make his career and provides a little piece of history by providing the information that Chris Jericho was his first ever pay-per view opponent, but the rest is formulaic stuff and not even interesting at that. In the interest of fairness, with two interview segments per rivalry, John Cena was running dry on interesting things to say about each.

John Cena vs Chris Jericho (Survivor Series, November 23rd 2008) is a complete let-down whilst promising so much and delivering so little. Neither man does anything to stand out in a crowd and neither look like they’re bothered or interested. This could pass for a television bout instead of a pay-per view main event which is never a good sign and is a slog through a predictable routine which will thrill no one. Both men had better bouts which could have been included, such as their Vengeance 2005 triple threat match with Christian and their SummerSlam 2005 main event which was a dazzler.

‘Advice’ shines the spotlight firmly on John Cena’s thrilling rivalry with Triple H and everything ‘The Game’ did to help John Cena when he was shunted to the top of the card and clearly wasn’t ready for it. Once again, Cena talks about being a sponge and learning as much as possible from Triple H. The problem with this, as it was the last seven hundred times he said it is that we can clearly see by today’s John Cena that he learnt nothing despite his claims that he did. Had he learnt something from the men who worked with then surely his in ring presentation would be ten times better than it is. From beginning to end, this segment sounds completely like Cena is brown nosing his boss. One question does come from this segment and that is if it is true and John Cena stuck so close to Triple H then why hasn’t Triple H forced him to learn more by now when it would be in the best interests of the company?

‘The Rock and John Cena Q and A’ (Raw, March 25th 2013) isn’t the fun or lively segment many would envisage it to be. Instead of comedy which comes few and far between and courtesy of The Rock, we get a Hall of Fame panel asking each man questions which they answer to the boredom of the audience. The Rock’s story about being homeless and penniless is a true one and John Cena is stern and serious, though his belief that he’s better than The Rock was is misguided. It’s a dull segment which never seems to end and the final Rock Bottom is taken badly by John Cena. This is one segment best forgotten.

‘Sequel’ is a nonsensical piece in which John Cena tries to make us believe that during his feud with The Rock, The Rock was the favoured party. Everyone knows that is baloney. John Cena is never the underdog in any situation and that was the same with The Rock. Ludicrously, Cena compares the two to Apollo Creed and Rocky Balboa and although that may be correct, let’s not forget Rocky Balboa was favoured to win every fight. He also has the cheek to call their match ‘unbelievable’, which it wasn’t.

John Cena vs The Rock (WrestleMania 29, April 7th 2013) isn’t the main event calibre match it was meant to be. Though better than the previous year, this is a slog with a little better action. It can’t be classed as a triumph and when John Cena injures The Rock by mistakenly launching too early it’s a rookie moment which Cena should never have completed. John Cena takes the Rock Bottom better than he ever has but it’s still clunky and with The Rock past his best it should have been ‘Once in a Lifetime’ instead of twice in two years.

‘Behind the Scenes of WWE2K15’ is the only DVD extra on the release (also included on Blu-ray) and it’s a poor inclusion. Two minutes of footage of how they made this year’s game isn’t enough to help people understand the hard work which goes into these games and WWE should have made this thirty minutes long with footage of John Cena being scanned for the game along with other wrestlers. Instead of that or even a look inside how the game is digitally created, we get a John Cena photo shoot followed by some spiel by the man himself about how great the game is. Despite the ten seconds of footage which sees Cesaro and Adrian Neville in CGI suits modelling moves for the game, it’s a complete promo job to remind people when the game is released.

DVD and Blu-ray Special Feature:

Behind the Scenes of WWE2K15

Blu-ray Exclusive Extras:

Underlying Passion

Raw – November 23rd 2009

John Cena vs C.M Punk

Trying to Do My Job

Raw – February 25th 2013

John Cena vs C.M Punk

Conclusion:

‘John Cena’s Greatest Rivalries’ surprised your Wrestling God greatly. Expecting another trawl through John Cena’s lively if samey career, exploring a cheesy and fake character who expels the same morals on every release we’re presented with a funny, charming and lively John Cena who presents each match with either a small story or thoughts on his upcoming opponent or rivalry. This is a different John Cena to the one his haters are used to seeing but it’s a welcome change from what we get on Raw, Smackdown and pay-per view. Humble, amusing and thought provoking, if this John Cena was present each week then the majority of the WWE Universe would change their minds about him within weeks.

As with ‘The Best of Sting’, WWE have done a great job of sourcing matches and material which haven’t been widely released to the public before and though a handful are taken from random pay-per view events the majority are still of high quality to the point no one would have complained had WWE included a few more bouts from each rivalry. One of the only gripes that I have with this match selection is that it’s almost random and taken from various rivalries John Cena had with wrestlers. For example, one match could be from 2005 and another will be from 2009 making fans who don’t know these particular feuds believe the storyline carried over many years instead of several months.

The new sit down interview with John Cena is mostly a joy to watch. As mentioned, Cena is funny, charming and comes across as a man who you’d genuinely like to be friends with. A million miles away from his smug and self assured character who we see on television each week and it’s a welcome addition. Talking on each feud, relaying storied before each match airs, John Cena is a joy and apart from one or two dull parts it’s a must see as he tells stories of Eddie Guerrero, Randy Orton and constantly talks about how much better all his opponents were. There’s even a point where he freely admits what a poor talent he is. These are strong admissions from a man who could be seen to be riding his luck.

With all the good that’s on display here, there is the customary bad as well. Thankfully, it doesn’t come from the release lay out or John Cena’s involvement which is the best thing about this release. Instead, the problem comes with some of the matches. Because there are two matches per feud with nothing to link them, once you’ve seen one bout with a particular wrestler then you’ve seen them all. Both matches for each rivalry follow almost the same exact course without deviation. Apart from one pay-per view match followed by one television match, everything seems samey when you have two television matches one after the other. A backstory for each would have been welcome also.

Putting aside the reason of why this exists in the first place, apart to ram John Cena down everyone’s throats and cash on further on his popularity with the children and women ‘John Cena’s Greatest Rivalries’ does an excellent job of hiding John Cena’s flaws. Every rivalry chosen for inclusion on this release features John Cena against opponents who are far greater in talent than he, which means there’s nothing featured here of Cena having to carry opponents. This makes for a much better release because there’s rarely anything to bemoan when it comes to Cena’s aptitude for having the world on his shoulders. It also explains why his rivalry against Big Show isn’t included.

On that subject, there are some glaring omissions to this release. John Cena’s rivalry with Big Show isn’t on here even though it can be described amongst his greatest though the bouts were regularly terrible. Also, his excellent feud against C.M Punk is only included on the Blu-ray extras even though it should have replaced the repugnant JBL feud which Cena contested to make this even more a ‘must buy’. Feuds against Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker in his earlier years even though Undertaker is on the game style menu as well as matches against Edge at Unforgiven 2006 and Randy Orton at Hell in a Cell 2009 are also missing.

At the end of the day ‘John Cena’s Greatest Rivalries’ is by far WWE’s best release on the man in question. All the others have been lacking the authenticity of the real John Cena and nowhere near enough about his wrestling career. This makes up for all of those awful attempts to capture what Cena really feels about this business. It’ll please non-Cena fans and Cena die hard fans alike. It’s a brilliant release which exceeds expectations and on this occasion even though it’s not completely perfect, WWE deserve an ‘A’ for effort.

Rating: A

Next Time in Review Corner: WWE SummerSlam 2014 DVD and Blu-ray

Onwards and upwards...

HELL IN A CELL 2014 - BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW?

When one of the most memorable match types in wrestling history was given its own pay-per view event, it became the standard-bearer for events with one common theme running through them. Elimination Chamber, Money in the Bank and others followed. All different matches but without their own event until Hell a Cell showed that it could be done. When people spoke out against the event citing that it would be overkill, having two Hell in a Cell Matches on the same card, WWE representatives ignored its public and went ahead with the plan anyway.

Nearly seven years after its inception, Hell in a Cell is a staple of WWE pay-per view calendar and even after events have been axed and their names changed because they haven’t flown, October’s event stands above the rest boasting some of the most memorable matches in the past decade. With the promise of redemption against Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar WWE World Heavyweight Championship defence against a brand new challenger, 2014’s offering looks to be one of the best yet.

On October 26th 2014 from the American Airlines Centre in Dallas, Texas this is WWE Hell in a Cell 2014.

Hell in a Cell Match

Seth Rollins vs Dean Ambrose

It all looked so good for Seth Rollins when he nailed Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns with a steel chair and joined forces with Triple H. He won Money in the Bank and was entered into a gripping feud with Dean Ambrose which yielded several rewarding results. It seemed like he had the world at his feet. That however was before he met John Cena and things began to crumble around his feet.

Now, for those of you who think that I’m once again on the Cena bashing bang wagon then you can hang on and listen to what I have to say. John Cena is the figurehead of WWE and therefore it is his job to make stars who can be placed in a position to eventually surpass him. Yet, over the last few months John Cena has constantly embarrassed Seth Rollins making him look like a jobber. As Triple H’s right hand man and apparent future WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins should have been given preferential treatment to Bray Wyatt and other John Cena has just run through without any though. He should have been placed in a position which made sure no matter what happened, he always looked a star.

John Cena’s treatment of him has been shoddy, even the biggest John Cena fan can’t deny that. If they do then it makes me wonder why they’re a wrestling fan. Because even they can’t believe its okay to ruin future stars because it only harms the future of the company. The course action which should have been taken was to protect Seth Rollins by making him look unbeatable. When Seth Rollins was battling Dean Ambrose, he looked like a star because Dean Ambrose gave him a certain percentage of the spotlight. Had WWE booked Seth Rollins to constantly outwit John Cena and get the upper hand on him then Hell in a Cell wouldn’t have been a foregone conclusion.

If John Cena does indeed defeat Dean Ambrose to reach this second Hell in a Cell Match then most will expect him to do away with Seth Rollins without any real effort and why wouldn’t they? It’s what’s happened up to this point. What WWE don’t realise is that more than anyone else, this could have benefitted John Cena who stands to have two excellent matches in one night. Seth Rollins vs John Cena is the feud which many expect to carry Rollins through into 2015. But it has to be correct. Seth Rollins cannot constantly go over John Cena by fluke or with help. He needs to do so clean and believably otherwise who is going to believe he’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship material?

Ideally, Seth Rollins will come out of Hell in a Cell with an unbeatable aura. He’ll captain a team at Survivor Series which defeats one lead by John Cena or Dean Ambrose and then he’ll overcome John Cena at TLC before cashing in and defeating Brock Lesnar for the title. Yes, John Cena will have to have a shot at the Royal Rumble but that can be dealt with when we come to it. Right now, the preservation of Seth Rollins has to be number one priority. John Cena faces losing nothing by looking at the lights here should he advance and therefore I think it’s time he willingly refuses to win for the good of the company which made him a star.

Fans want something new and if you’ve been keeping an eye on WWE.Com lately then you’ll know Dean Ambrose has overtaken Roman Reigns in the popularity stakes. I never saw it coming, I’ll be honest. This time last year, when The Shield were a cohesive unit and Roman Reigns was the most popular member, it appeared as if Dean Ambrose would be the last of the trio to get a break. This was heightened when Seth Rollins turned heel on his compatriots and Roman Reigns was positioned as a main event player. I truly believed that Dean Ambrose would be shunted back into the United States Championship division and left to rot. No one can blame me. WWE aren’t renound for making three stars at once but now Reigns has gone onto the injured list, Dean Ambrose has come into his own.

I have heard the question asked of why Dean Ambrose is so popular, after all he beat John Cena and everyone else in a poll of who the public wanted to challenge Brock Lesnar for the gold. I believe the answer to why Dean Ambrose is this popular only months after The Shield split and let’s not forget his hideous United States Championship reign which could have sunk his career completely, is because he’s different. And that’s the key. Whilst John Cena keeps the promotion ticking over and Brock Lesnar is a welcome relief on top, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins for that matter are a different flavour. We’ve had enough of powerhouses getting the pushes even when they don’t deserve it and I believe that the mentality of fans is reverting back to 1992 when the smaller man was far more popular than someone like Hulk Hogan.

Dean Ambrose could be you, or me, or the guy we pass on the street. That is what is so attractive about him. He’s an ordinary man. His body isn’t toned to god-like proportions but he’s grafted for his success when many haven’t and hasn’t like CM Punk hasn’t conformed to Vince McMahon’s idea of a wrestler. Dean Ambrose is wild, refreshing and it seems even WWE have caught onto the craze. Recently on WWE.Com there was an article about what Raw would look like in 2019. The wrestler formerly known as Kenta was Intercontinental Champion, John Cena was its general manager and Dean Ambrose was the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Whilst we don’t want to wait that long for him to claim the gold, it’s got to be a good sign. I truly believe that when Seth Rollins cashes in his Money in the Bank contract he’ll go on to face Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania. As far as I’m concerned, Roman Reigns will have to wait for his shot. Dean Ambrose has been on fire since Reigns was shelved and has earned a WrestleMania main event. Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins at WrestleMania for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship won’t just cement both men as stars but also help WWE get over their commitment to a new generation.

There are countless opportunities for WWE to take with Dean Ambrose as WWE World Heavyweight Champion. A little more hype and push and who knows, he could be an alternative to John Cena who would finally be able to turn heel. Losing to John Cena at Hell in a Cell could be the break Dean Ambrose has waited for. As long as WWE are committed to his future and don’t put him second to everyone else including Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns then even a loss could make Ambrose a star. This is it my minions, the new generation is on its way to the top.

Winners Prediction: Dean Ambrose

Hell in a Cell Match

John Cena vs Randy Orton

If you listen really carefully and I mean turn down every sound in your house and listen with everything in your being, you can hear the sound of WWE scraping the bottom of the barrel. I mean come on people; it was only at the conclusion of 2013 that John Cena and Randy Orton began their last feud and concluded it at Royal Rumble much to everyone’s relief. Unlike their previous coming togethers, the pair’s 2013 / 2014 rivalry was dull and nothing special. Both men were jeered at the January spectacle because fans had seen it all before and realized that what they were seeing was a result of WWE having nothing else to offer. Quite simply, John Cena and Randy Orton have done everything they can to make a feud interesting.

In 2007 when the pair clashed in their first rivalry, it was a novelty because both men were up and coming stars. They hadn’t yet discovered the peak of their talent and had something fresh to offer an audience who believed they had seen it all before in the Attitude Era. It worked then and it worked to a degree in 2009 when audiences had already had enough of John Cena and made Randy Orton a mega star by cheering him over John Cena in their pairing. The majority of their bouts in 2009 were either good or decent with occasions such as SummerSlam, Hell in a Cell and Breaking Point being particularly fine but took a drastic down turn when the pair met again last year.

There was nothing novel or interesting about their feud when it came time to crown the so called first ever WWE World Heavyweight Champion and it make me wonder if WWE are so hard up that they actually have ran out of ideas. Because anyone with a half a brain can see that both men needed something new as we look towards 2015. Which is why WWE should have either kept proceedings as they were with John Cena battling Dean Ambrose, who he could have had a great match with because to John Cena Dean Ambrose poses no threat to his spot on the card, with the winner facing Seth Rollins later in the show inside a second Hell in a Cell Match. Either that, or have John Cena battle Seth Rollins whilst Dean Ambrose took on Randy Orton.

Having gone through this all before, I’m at a loss as to where to start so let’s go straight to the top and begin with John Cena. I was surprised by the outcome of Night of Champions. In fact I was shocked. I really did expect John Cena to leave WWE World Heavyweight Champion by hook or by crook, the later we know wouldn’t have happened. Everyone knows that the WWE Network is on the verge of failing. Its numbers still haven’t improved greatly and unless they do WWE are on course for a massive loss by Christmas 2014. I mean so big that they’re going to have to cull even more talent and whilst it’s their fault, let’s be honest, a network dedicated purely to wrestling was always going to be tricky to sell even to wrestling fans as The Wrestling Channel in the UK proved when it went out of business and that had a variety of different wrestling available from different promotions, no one can really fault them for being adventurous.

As I stated last month, WWE don’t have the money to keep paying Brock Lesnar to appear as WWE World Heavyweight Champion which explains why he’s absent from Raw most weeks and why The Rock returned to fill his space. Which begs the question, why are WWE keeping the title on him? And the answer is that they really don’t have anyone else to take over. As much as they like to think fans want John Cena as champion, most need something fresh to stimulate them. After all, the whole John Cena vs Brock Lesnar situation was purely created to attract more subscribers to the network. So what now?

It’s hard to know what to say about John Cena. Is he good for the company? Yes of course he is. He ships millions of dollars worth of merchandise every year and without his revenue it’s unthinkable as to where WWE would be by now especially with the losses being incurred by the WWE Network. You may choose not to believe me when I say this, but I really do want to like John Cena. I just can’t do it right now though. Is it his smugness? No, that can be overlooked if other parts of his game are improved. Is it the fact that he’s always pushed above everyone else regardless of the damage done to their image? No, because likewise that could be overlooked. After all, Hulk Hogan was in this position nearly thirty years ago and look where that put wrestling. What stops me liking John Cena is that he preaches all this stuff about loving professional wrestling and then makes no effort whatsoever to improve his game.

If you think I’m wrong then that’s your opinion, we’re all entitled to one. But just look at the evidence and we’ll use other wrestlers who were in his position to get this across. John Cena is WWE’s figurehead regardless of whomever WWE want you to believe it is. It makes no difference whether Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins or anyone else is carrying the main title; John Cena is always going to be the company’s main star until the day he retires. When a non wrestling fan picks up a WWE product or switches on a WWE show it’s likely John Cena will either be the first face they see or the lasting impression they receive. Just take WWE2K15 for example. Cena’s mug is plastered over the front. Surely, as the main man who receives more money than anyone else around him for what he does, John Cena would want people to think the best of him even if he says he doesn’t care what others think.

A non wrestling fan could pick apart John Cena’s performance in minutes, let alone a wrestling stalwart. If John Cena had the company’s best interests at heart then why wouldn’t he up his game, voluntarily take six months off and go back to learn what he’s doing wrong? Six months of hard, intense training would make him one of the greatest wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots. Not to mention it could also draw more subscribers to the WWE Network. People watch wrestling to see good in ring action. You can argue this point all you like, but that isn’t what John Cena does. There is a difference between a great showman and a great wrestler. Would all this matter if John Cena was heel? Probably not! Fans could boo him without others questioning why. But he’s not and has no intention of turning, which means he must do something to make others see him in a different light. The person he’s hurting is the industry and it could be so easily avoided.

What’s even more worrying than the fact he’s plainly refused to do this on television, is that John Cena, Triple H and Vince McMahon know how bad John Cena is. Every one of the, have admitted it on camera. Hell, even Vince McMahon himself has said that if John Cena wasn’t such a draw he’d have been fired years ago. John Cena isn’t in denial about his wrestling ability, so the only other logical solution to this is that he clearly doesn’t care. If you know you’re horrendous at something you want to be good at then you practice. An actor doesn’t find out he’s crap and then continue going with no success. It’s the same in every other industry. And if John Cena won’t do this for his fans then Triple H should make him.

John Cena could be so good. Hell, even Hulk Hogan had a well worked routine which carried him through the hard times and it looked better than Cena’s does. And for those of you who know how much I hate Hulk Hogan will know how much that pains me to admit it. WWE needs John Cena, that is simple and maybe the most obvious thing anyone will ever say. But even more, they need a John Cena people can get behind. They need a John Cena who can wrestle and children need a hero who works hard to get better. If a hero comes out and says that he knows he’s rubbish but won’t do anything about it then what type of image does that send to children?

What can you say about Randy Orton that hasn’t already been said? The third generation superstar has done literally everything in WWE and I’m finding it hard to imagine what else there is left for him. He’s been WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, Tag Team Champion, Intercontinental Champion and WWE World Heavyweight Champion. What else can there be for him to accomplish? He’s won the Royal Rumble match, headlined WrestleMania several times and been part of at least one of the most memorable groups of all time. Randy Orton has literally filled his boots and now needs a brand new challenge.

We’ve been through his lack of effort when carrying the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the beginning of the year but recently, even without a title around his waist or draped over his shoulder I’ve found Randy Orton’s recent performances lacking in ingenuity or charm. Usually, there’s something about him that makes your eyes glue to the screen but as of October 2014 that’s disappeared. If we’re being honest then Randy Orton looks tired and almost as if he no longer wants to step into the ring every week. If that is true then who could blame him? WWE haven’t exactly given him the greatest material recently and with Roman Reigns out of the picture, he’s struggling for inspiration.

So what can WWE do to make Randy Orton the spectacle he once was? I’ve opined this before but a possibility would be giving him six months away from the ring. WWE now have more main event potential talent than they have in the last five years so they could afford to lose him for a predetermined amount of time as long as he came back better and more enthusiastic than he currently is now. A fresh Randy Orton could be just what he needs to revitalize his career now its stalled so hideously, either that or WWE must find some way to get his head back in the game and that usually comes with a fresh feud against an up and coming talent.

WWE have taken Randy Orton down this route in the past few months with Roman Reigns but he didn’t come out of that too well with the majority of WWE management and backstage staff giving him immense heat about not building Reigns the way WWE wanted him to be built and just filling their bouts with mediocre submission holds which could have had an adverse effect on Roman Reigns career. When that as all sorted with an entertaining grappled at SummerSlam and both went their own way with Reigns heading to the injury list, Randy Orton seemed lost and that’s how he arrived at his destination at Hell in a Cell.

If WWE don’t have anything exciting or respectable to do with a wrestler then surely it would be much better to leave him out altogether than risk damaging him anymore than they have already done. If Randy Orton loses to John Cena at Hell in a Cell then he’s going to take a further career dip, but if he wins then John Cena will want revenge, which means this feud will carry over to Survivor Series and possibly TLC where it began in 2013. No one wants that, we want Randy Orton at his best because that is what fans are used to. With stars like Adrian Neville and Sami Zayne on the up, then Randy Orton would be a perfect opponent for them. I for one would pay to see Neville vs Orton at WrestleMania.

Maybe this is all a time wasting exercise. With The Rock set to return to the company yet again for his final wrestling match at WrestleMania XXXI, it’s possible that Randy Orton will be his final opponent and not Brock Lesnar who looks set for a showdown with either Seth Rollins or Dean Ambrose. As we approach the Royal Rumble look for Randy Orton’s next move because there has to be one. Otherwise what’s the point of him sticking around?

Will Randy Orton defeat John Cena at Hell in a Cell? It’s possible I suppose but not likely. With limited success at SummerSlam and Night of Champions, John Cena is due by WWE standards a pay-per view victory and my money is on it coming here after what should at least be an entertaining bout if it can live up to five years ago. Right now, with the WWE Network hanging in the balance and new stars breaking through, WWE must think about what they’re doing. These are uncertain times; everything must be done to ensure they’re enjoyable ones as well.

Winners Prediction: John Cena

WWE United States Championship Match

(c) Sheamus vs The Miz

The Miz’s treatment over the past few months has been shoddy and diabolical to say the least. I remember a time when it seemed The Miz would be WWE’s next major star and seemingly so did Vince McMahon when he gave him the WWE Championship and planted him in a feud with John Cena who at the time was seen as the man all must pass through if they were to establish a headline career and not sink back into the doldrums of professional wrestling. Many people believed The Miz had garnered the tools needed to whether the storm of John Cena but as it turned out; he was a victim of circumstance.

To this very day, some still wonder what would have happened at WrestleMania XXVII had The Rock not been brought back to host the show and hype his match with John Cena one year early by delivering the Rock Bottom to John Cena at the conclusion of his main event match with The Miz. Many people have fought John Cena and had their careers ruined but there are those exceptions who have managed to come out of with something still in tact. If not their reputation or image then certainly enough left in the fuel tank to begin rebuilding their careers after the damage was done. The Miz could have been one of these people had The Rock not been interjected into the equation, but with three men to focus on and two of them legendary stars, what chance did The Miz have?

I know you’re reading this and thinking that I’m going back a long way here, but to trace back where everything went wrong for The Miz then we have to go back that far because it began there. Leaving The Rock out of the situation then it could have been a different story. The Miz could and should have pinned John Cena clean in the middle of the ring before losing the gold to him the next month at Extreme Rules in an entertaining triple threat match which also featured John Morrison. Had The Miz lost to a willing John Cena who wasn’t afraid his spot was going to be taken then it would have been damage limitation and The Miz could have carried on in a high profile role until his next reign came about. But because of The Rock, something and someone had to be sacrificed and he was the easiest option.

After his WWE Championship reign, The Miz sunk faster than a fat woman in a swimming pool full of doughnuts and contested feuds with the diabolical Alex Riley and Kofi Kingston before departing the company to star in The Marine 3. A movie which he did such a good job in that he’s been cast as the same character in The Marine 4 which should hit your cinemas or at least your local DVD and Blu-ray retailer not long after Christmas. He returned and for a while it seemed like The Miz would reclaim his place at the top of the mountain only to be thwarted again by WWE’s management who lost all interest in him. Since then, The Miz has been on a downward spiral which looked like it would halt at Battleground.

The Miz wasn’t my first choice to win the vacant WWE Intercontinental Championship battle royal at Battleground; in fact he wasn’t even in the top ten. But it is what it is and we have to deal the hand we’re dealt. We chose to overlook the fact that someone whose star fell so far was favoured over new talent such as Cesaro or Bo Dallas and decided that we would wait and see where his most recent reign took him. After all, wrestlers have been known to fail hideously before grabbing the last remaining spotlight and making a success of it. There was no reason The Miz couldn’t do the same.

After losing the WWE Intercontinental Championship to Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam, winning it back at Night of Champions and then dropping the gold yet again in several short weeks made The Miz look like a laughing stock and certainly not someone upon whom WWE could build the future of its second most important division. So why this? As if Sheamus isn’t sinking enough without having to put up with The Miz and his career rollercoaster. I’m afraid to break this news to any Miz fans reading this but even if he does lift the United States Championship at Hell in a Cell, then so what?

We don’t care about The Miz anymore and the saddest thing is that it isn’t even his fault. WWE have ground him into the dirt so much that he may as be an enhancement talent, the next Barry Horowitz for all anyone truly cares about him. WWE need a solid talent and The Miz is taking up the space and pay packet which one could fit into. I hate to say this, when the next crop of talent culls come around then it would be the kindest thing to do to sack him and allow him to seek out employment elsewhere. Though they haven’t really got the funds to hire him, The Miz would fit well with TNA or ROH. His character and skill would be able to help carry one of those promotions. In WWE, he’s treading water and very soon he’s going to drown.

Where did it go wrong for Sheamus? He was the apple of Triple H’s eye a few years ago and then he fell from the tree and couldn’t buy a career highlight even if he’d have been a millionaire. Granted, it didn’t help that his career was interrupted by an injury which shelved him for nearly ten months but since his return at the Royal Rumble, you’d have been forgiven for thinking that Sheamus was still on the injury list. The WWE United States Champion has been an insignificant cog in the machine which wouldn’t have noticed had he not turned up for work each week. In fact he’s been so pointless that WWE could have told us he racked up a victory each week without him turning up and we’d have believed them, because in October 2014, you don’t notice Sheamus even when he’s in the ring.

I know that’s a harsh statement to say about a wrestler but its true. When was the last time you talked about a Sheamus match or a Sheamus act which truly took you back so much that you couldn’t get it out of your mind? When was the last time you look at Sheamus and thought that he was really going somewhere in this industry other than through the next floor underneath him? There’s nothing notable or spectacular about Sheamus anymore and therein lies his main problem. When he first came to WWE, he was a novelty. Someone who didn’t look like or resemble other wrestlers and someone who could throw down with the best of them once he was taught the basics of how WWE like it done.

When he defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship twice in 2009 and 2010 it was a sign of the times were changing, a new generation of stars taking over. But it didn’t quite work out like that for Sheamus who was going places when he put Triple H out of action and had a mammoth run with the World Heavyweight Championship a few years ago. The avenues open to WWE upon Sheamus’ return were plentiful but none walked because someone in the office was afraid that he may be better than other stars that existed at the time. So what did WWE do? They saddled him with a dead Championship which he couldn’t do anything with except for a few excellent bouts with Cesaro and even more infuriating they refused to turn him heel despite the Irishman hearing the jeers in almost every bout.

Fans loved Sheamus when he was a heel because of the stigma attached to Irish people. They believed he was a match for John Cena, Triple H and anyone else who stepped in the ring with him and now his face character has outstayed his welcome people are bored of him, just as much as they’re bored of The Miz. Considering both men have become as weary as the other then this bout should be an absolute cracker (insert sarcastic tone when needed), though even if it is what hope has either man got of benefitting from it?

Right now, I’m pretty sure WWE are pushing Sheamus towards the longest U.S Championship reign in history which WWE will then turn around and say was longer than Lex Luger, Ric Flair, Sting and all the other WCW greats who were much more popular than Sheamus even when they were heels. The problem being that WWE still refuse to acknowledge that their titles which have the same name as those WCW once possessed are in no way connected by history and stand alone.

I can’t predict what will happen to Sheamus next. He needs an injection of life and a heel turn badly. But unless WWE care enough to put some effort into his career then we could be here against this time next year saying the same thing about Sheamus. Either that, or WWE will make him the next casualty of the WWE Network as they look for someone substantial to cut in order to balance the money their ill-advised network has cost.

Winners Prediction: The Miz

Big Show vs Rusev

I won’t lie to you; I got my hopes up when Big Show disappeared from WWE for a decent amount of time. I really hoped that Paul Wight had come to his senses and decided to leave wrestling for another job altogether. I could sit here and pretend these reasons were for his own good but when it comes down to it, I’m just sick and tired of seeing him lug his massive frame to the ring and occupy a spot which someone from NXT or lower down the roster needs. Big Show isn’t interesting or necessary in professional wrestling anymore. He’s a dinosaur which should by now become extinct. That WWE don’t see this and continue to push Big Show in a prominent role says everything you need to know about stuck in their ways WWE are.

Let’s look at this objectively. When was the last time Big Show had a truly stunning bout which will be talked about years after he’s retired? And even if he managed to have one with Rusev, what could he possibly do next? Another stint in the main event, battling Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship which will ultimately go nowhere which at this very moment WWE are probably hard at work planning for Royal Rumble so they can work this year’s result between the pair into the storyline. I thought WWE were taking the piss last year when they booked Big Show to battle Randy Orton for the gold, but one more stupid act like that would surely turn more fans away than it’s going to garner.

You have to give Big Show credit. He’s stuck around all these years despite calls for him to leave and hasn’t budged an inch. In fact, I can’t remember the last time Big Show had a serious injury and considering his height and weight that is an achievement on its own. Big Show will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame one day and yes he has deserved it, but please will someone make him wake up and see that this is young man’s game now. Can you imagine the damage it would do if Big Show was to defeat Rusev at Hell in a Cell? I don’t believe that will happen, but WWE want us to believe so otherwise they wouldn’t have booked this match.

Rusev has gone from strength to strength over the past few months. His matches against people like Big E. and Mark Henry haven’t been as bad as people thought thanks to Rusev’s ingenuity in the ring and Lana never hurts to watch either. The main problem I have with Rusev now is that he still looks completely bored when battling wrestlers who don’t have the same amount of talent as him and it shows in the ring. I really hoped it would get better for Rusev after his sterling matches with Big E. in mid-2014. WWE have wrestlers on its roster who don’t need to win to be elevated and could have given the Bulgarian a run for his money and now for the record, Mark Henry and Big Show aren’t amongst them.

It’s quite obvious that the train of thought by pitting Rusev against bigger and supposedly more fearsome opponents is to make him, in turn, look like a dominant brute who can’t be toppled. That’s why Mark Henry and Big Show have been on the list of opponents recently, so I guess we should be thankful that WWE fired The Great Khali early this year otherwise he’d have been on the list of victims also and no one needed to see him in a wrestling ring every again. Of course, we all know why WWE are using Rusev as the pig you feed up until Christmas just to kill it for the festive season and that’s to help restore some faith in John Cena once he fails to regain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Brock Lesnar. John Cena needs a victim for WrestleMania XXXI and is eyeing up Rusev like a very appetising meal.

It’s a shame WWE are going to sacrifice Rusev to John Cena in 2015 because with a Goldberg like storyline behind him, Rusev could have gone far even if WWE don’t see him as Championship material. Rusev vs Brock Lesnar had legs as did Rusev vs The Undertaker, just imagine how much of a boost it would have given his career had he been the man to end The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak. Whilst Rusev’s career won’t be over when he loses to John Cena, it will certainly need something special to get him back on track and stop him becoming another face in the crowd. Right now, Rusev’s hook is that he’s undefeated and as of yet no one has been able to break his Accolade. When you strip that away from him, something must take its place.

People have been reading too much into Rusev’s participation with The Rock on a recent Raw episode. I’ve reads theories which range from The Rock vs Rusev at Survivor Series to The Rock coming back to WWE, turning heel on John Cena, allowing Rusev to defeat him and then challenging Cena to a third and final bout at WrestleMania 31 or 32. The truth is, when The Rock beat on Rusev it was probably nothing more than wrong place wrong time and nothing will come of it. I could be wrong and WWE certainly could have found someone else for The Rock to embarrass, but I can’t see anything happening between the pair.

So Rusev vs Big Show at Hell in a Cell isn’t going to be an excellent outing, in fact I doubt it will even capture most people’s imaginations. But it should be another feather in the cap of Rusev which takes him one step further to John Cena. I’d hate to think a promising talent and a promising career have been crafted purposely to aid someone who no longer needs a boost, but then this is WWE. It’s usually best not to think about what they have planned next.

Winners Prediction: Rusev

Loser Has to Become the Other’s Personal Slave

Nikki Bella vs Brie Bella

Is anyone really bothered about The Bella Twins anymore? Apart from being beautiful, married to Daniel Bryan and dating John Cena, what is their purpose in professional wrestling? I am aware that both women have improved on what they used to do in the ring but it’s nowhere near enough to sustain its own feud or series of matches. In fact, I would go as far as to say that this feud is a feeble attempt to hype the next season of Total Divas which for some reason has taken off in America despite being completely scripted. Does anyone even care about Nikki Bella and John Cena’s argument about having children and that she wants to freeze her eggs in case he changes his mind in the future? Or are you actually telling me that people enjoy watching what Natalya supposedly does on her weekend off?

For those who missed it, this all began when Daniel Bryan was forced to vacate the WWE World Heavyweight Championship amidst his injury and rivalry with The Authority. We all sat through Stephanie McMahon and Brie Bella’s woeful confrontations and without Daniel Bryan to fill a spot on their card, WWE need everything they could to remind fans that he was still a part of the company even though it looks doubtful that he’ll return to the ring before the onset of 2015. Brie Bella was meant to be gone from the company, many predicted that she’d fallen pregnant and could no longer put herself in harms way but that all proved to be just a theory because WWE were holding her back to fill her husband’s position on the card as she feuded with The Authority in his place.

I wasn’t completely shocked when Nikki Bella turned on her sister at SummerSlam. Looking at it objectively, the promotion needed something to occur after Brie and Stephanie had locked horns, there was no way we’d sit through that three months running. So another factor had to be inserted and since Nikki and Brie had yet to clash, the smart money was on a Bella heel turn which we’re now suffering the consequences of with this bout which states whichever sister loses, must become the other’s personal servant. A completely unoriginal stipulation which we’ve seen a thousand times before.

There really isn’t much more I can say about this bout or either woman in it. This is going to be the worst match on the card and I can say that with some degree of certainty. In the end, predictability will win out. Either Brie Bella will win this feud or it’ll drag on and on until Daniel Bryan returns and takes over from his wife who then may be able to go away, with her husband of course, and conceive their first child. Either way, this has to be taken with a pinch of salt. It’s going nowhere fast and there will be better things to do with your time rather than ponder the ins and outs of such a worthless rivalry.

Winners Prediction: Nikki Bella

WWE Tag Team Championship Match

(c) Goldust and Stardust vs The Usos

As those of you who read my upcoming Review Corner on Night of Champions 2014 will know, I don’t agree with Goldust and Stardust turning heel. Though WWE have a severe lack of heel teams on its roster, I just can’t take the Rhodes brothers seriously in their new role and WWE should have looked for a better answer than this to solve their problems. Don’t get me wrong, Stardust does exude heel qualities with his speaking in riddles and attitude but Goldust is the lovable babyface who fans want to cheer. That’s what Dustin Rhodes has been since his return to wrestling and what he should remain.

For those of you reading this old enough to remember his first days as Goldust in WWE, you’ll remember a laughable character that was pretending to be something he wasn’t and it looked kind of stupid. When Goldust first burst onto the scene he was young, full of energy but failed to translate that to his in-ring output. This gave him an aura of a man past his time who couldn’t be bothered to put the effort in to hang with the stars of his time. In fact Goldust only had good matches with wrestlers who were better than him in the likes of Razor Ramon. His bouts against people such as Ahmed Johnson were truly terrible indeed.

When Goldust returned to the WWE to team with his brother Cody Rhodes, it was a different man that stepped back through curtains. A man not bothered about holding back what he truly could do in the ring because he knew that the odds were this would be his final shot at stardom. Dusty Rhodes isn’t get any younger and at forty five years old he’s in better physical shape and wrestling condition than he’s ever been. For my money, Goldust has never been better and that includes his 1990’s stint in WCW which was hideously bad for most of its run.

Since coming home Dustin Rhodes has been at the peak of his career, pulling out moves and matches which we’d expect from newcomers such as Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns to name just three. It’s as if Goldust has been told that he’ll be receiving a push to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture and decided to impress as many people as possible. But with his new found enthusiasm, Goldust has also provided WWE with a massive problem and that’s his move set currently doesn’t favour a heel personality. It’s designed to pop a crowd and get them behind him. Instead, now the Rhodes brothers have turned heel it would be advisable for Goldust to change up his act to suit his new role.

Of course this means it could also have an adverse affect on his career and send him spiralling back to where he was in 1996. No one wants that and his efforts over the past year have warranted better treatment than this. Though can we say the same about Cody Rhodes? I’m convinced that his Stardust gimmick isn’t working. Just look at the evidence. It’s true that Cody Rhodes wasn’t going anywhere as himself and WWE missed a massive trick in not pushing him into the main event after they defeated The Shield to regain their career’s in wrestling. The possibilities were endless and included giving him a main event feud with Triple H which would have put him on the correct career path, but that didn’t happen and gradually the sibling team continued to go down hill in WWE’s eyes.

I grant you that some type of change had to happen. But copying his brother? It wasn’t the answer Cody Rhodes was looking for. Ingenuity is what was called for but instead we got a cast iron copy of Goldust but one which talks in riddles to his opponents and in interviews. This is made even more maddening by the fact that since a transformation which was meant to reignite his career, Cody Rhodes hasn’t gotten any further up that that slippery ladder so it’s all been a waste of time and only succeeded for WWE on the level that it’s given them another character to flog merchandise for. What is most bizarre however is that Cody Rhodes was fine one week and whacky the next without any major reason for his personality transplant. But hey, this is WWE. The land where things don’t have to make sense.

Believe it or not, Cody Rhodes’ main event career isn’t over. I know looking at him right now it’s hard to believe this but should he turn on his brother after inevitable lose the titles back to The Usos in 2015 and come back as his old self with the excuse that his transformation was just a ruse to lure his brother into a false sense of security before he broke his heart, then Cody Rhodes could still be a massive heel and get himself in with The Authority. However we shouldn’t count on this happening as WWE believe the brothers are best suited to their current roles which saw them dethrone The Usos at Night of Champions in a bout which had a stunning finale.

For your Wrestling God, it was the wrong conclusion. Jimmy and Jey were flying high as champions and carrying the division on their backs as a result. They’d had stunning bouts with almost every team on the roster and that included Rybaxel and the now forgotten Los Matadores. Hell, the brothers even managed to pull decent contests out of 3MB who were a lost cause before forming a trio. It may have seemed like the Samoan siblings were treading water in WWE but nothing could have been further from the truth. In fact their success was only just beginning.

I believed that The Usos were on course to match Demolition’s historic reign but alas that never happened. But I wasn’t worried because as far as I was concerned when a heel turn was brought up, it should have been Jimmy and Jey. They rock as babyfaces but as heels they could go even further. WWE were wrong to turn Goldust and Stardust heel and the role should have gone to Jimmy and Jey who could have broadened their horizons with such a storyline. WWE could have used the loss of the tag titles to facilitate this and it’s almost a given that they’d have been the most popular heel team in WWE for years. All this stuff takes is a little bit of thought and you have something truly brilliant.

I can’t see what use Goldust and Stardust will be as WWE Tag Team Champions. They certainly don’t have the appeal to carry the division because everyone watching knows how quickly WWE lost interest in the pair the last time around. If this is going to be a long term situation then something interesting has to happen and it must do so fast. Because The Usos did so well and elevated the gold so much that anything less than a watertight reign and a killer storyline will once again begin to sink the doubles gold. I hope WWE know what they’re doing because otherwise what they’re basically telling us is that their storylines and the last few months have been all for nothing.

Winners Prediction: Goldust and Stardust

WWE Divas Championship Match

(c) A.J Lee vs Paige

Despite what critics have been saying about this feud, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. A.J Lee and Paige have been the shining lights of WWE’s product over the past year and the latter has only been a main roster player for six months. It just goes to show what is possible when you really back a new star and push them all the way. For those who read this blog last year then you’ll have heard me rave about what Paige was capable of down in NXT and how WWE should bring her up to the big time as a result. Well that happened the night after WrestleMania XXX and what a vote of confidence it was for the Norwich born Paige that she was called up to replace WWE’s leading female when she hadn’t even proved herself on a main stage.

Paige’s was the type of risk that WWE should be taking more of. Vince McMahon had no idea that Paige would be able to cope with the pressure put on her but he shoved her into the mix anyway and look at the result. It yielded a new era for women’s wrestling which has been very good every since. WWE have held back the lesser divas and hopefully making them retrain their in ring talents to challenge in 2015. It would appear that ever since Paige and A.J dominated the wrestling scene with their rivalry the other females have been forced to evaluate their place on WWE’s roster.

I will grant you that their rivalry has been a little samey but with a twist. Yes it evokes memories of Trish Stratus vs Mickie James in 2006 but hey, anything is welcome from what we were given and that was bare threads when WWE could be bothered to put effort into the division. Now new and better talent is emerging, WWE have been provoked to pull something better out of the bag and that is what we have. I have been impressed by both women during the duration of this feud and even though the title has changed hands more times than it should have giving off the message neither can hold onto the gold for long periods any more, it does add a question mark over the results which have been less than predictable.

I don’t want to go into too much detail about this because I have the feeling that as the best WWE have in their division; both women will clash again at Survivor Series so I want to leave something for that. As far as Hell in a Cell goes, well I wouldn’t bet against another Paige victory though I for a change I would have liked to see the pair battle inside Hell in a Cell which would have been a giant leap forward for professional wrestling and at least something drastically different to what WWE have presented in 2014.

Winners Prediction: Paige

Hell in a Cell Kickoff

Midow TV with The Miz

I don’t think I’m alone when I say that Damien Sandow’s time in WWE is numbered. Since cashing in his Money in the Bank contract against John Cena last year and losing like everyone predicted he would, Sandow has been buried so far down the roster that it’s impossible to think that he’ll ever get out of the hole he currently occupies. In fact something so drastic would have to happen for Sandow to regain his position that it’s feasibly never going to happen. For Damien Sandow to become the star that he once looked like being then John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Triple H, The Undertaker, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Cesaro, Dolph Ziggler and practically everyone who WWE would ever push ahead of Sandow and use as a substitute for the top stars would have to be injured at the same time for WWE to even consider pushing him again.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen Damien Sandow come to the ring for matches dressed as numerous characters from history. Recently however, he’s taken up the mantle of Miz stuntman which is a new low even for him. You must know when you’re career has hit the rocks when you’re forced to imitate a wrestler who is also going nowhere. But Damien Sandown still puts up with his treatment because let’s face it, what are the other options? He can’t go to WWE management and complain because he has no standing in the company and no friends in a high enough position to back him up. If Damien Sandow were to go to WWE and demand he be pushed to a higher echelon or he leaves then he’d be shown the exit door because WWE don’t need him anymore and are happy to keep him on as a talent for comedy value only.

The only other option for Damien Sandow is a career in TNA or Ring of Honor, in 2014 and with the current state of independent wrestling promotions, that isn’t an attractive option. I’ve seen how TNA treat new talent when they can afford to hire it and its not pretty viewing. Damien Sandow would have to work twice as hard for less money just to regain the aura that he lost and then there is no guarantee it will work for him because of what WWE have done to him in past year. For Damien Sandow, its better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. He’s happy to put up with such treatment because the money is fine and he doesn’t have to work extra hard to get his career back on track.

I guess in 2014, Damien Sandow is happy to carve out a niche for himself as a comedy character rather than a serious wrestler because when it comes to opportunities and a legacy, it’s better to be remembered for something rather than nothing. No wrestler wants to say that their career was a total flop and no one remembers them after all of that hard work. That’s why Damien Sandow stays with WWE and that’s why he’s happy to play whipping boy when WWE need to interject some humour into their product.

WWE Hell in a Cell 2014 promises much but I have a feeling it will deliver very little. When you look down the card, what else can the company possible do with the matches and feuds on show? John Cena vs Randy Orton, Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins, Paige vs A.J Lee, Goldust and Stardust vs The Usos, Rusev’s battle against America and The Miz’s quest for glory are all samey elements which can surely provide no more surprises.

Instead of booking Hell in a Cell as a new talent only card, WWE have played it safe once again and gone with what they know best. I would have liked to see Dolph Ziggler defend the Intercontinental Championship in a gauntlet match against the very best on the mid-card as to display his talents. Paige and A.J clash in a Hell in a Cell Match to push the boundaries and John Cena left off of the card altogether selling some beat down which Brock Lesnar could have given him the night after Night of Champions had WWE been bothered to book him to appear.

No one would have complained had this event been filled with new and undercard talent because that is exactly what we want. Instead, WWE are booking themselves into a hole once again because judging this card, no one is willingly going to subscribe to the WWE Network to see it and the same goes for Survivor Series unless WWE do something drastic. Quite literally, WWE are going to pay the devil a visit sooner rather than later. With their Network crumbling around their ears everything should be done to attract subscribers. Instead, it seems the company are hell bent on turning people away so it can then blame us when it fails.

Onwards and upwards...