WWE SURVIVOR SERIES

Sunday, November 24th, 2013
Long Island, NY

What happened to Survivor Series?
Not that it was ever that great to begin with...but it is one of the big four...definitely the worst of the four...but it's supposed to be a big deal, right? This show may have been the worst ppv of the year. It wasn't that there were no good matches, it's just that the two matches that were good felt like Smackdown main events.
I will say this: the main event of next month's TLC, a TLC match with Orton vs. Cena for both titles, is a lot more intriguing than the last few ppv main events.
My hope? Orton unifies the belts, keeps the title 'till 'Mania and loses it to Daniel Bryan. A boy can dream, no?

CODY RHODES, GOLDDUST, REY MYSTERIO & THE USO'S vs. THE REAL AMERICANS & THE SHIELD: The match of the night! Roman Reigns won after eliminating four of his foes. It was fast-paced, felt like a TV main event. A good start to a dull show. **1/2 (out of ****)

BIG E LANGSTON vs. CURTIS AXEL: Ugh. Didn't watch.

DIVA ELIMINATION MATCH: 7 on 7. What a trainwreck! Didn't watch. I assume it was a trainwreck. I do like AJ, though, just not in the ring.

MARK HENRY vs. RYBACK: More ugh. Didn't watch.

JOHN CENA vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO: Cena won in a match nobody cared about. There were a ton of near-falls but that didn't even compel me. *

CM PUNK & DANIEL BRYAN vs. LUKE HARPER & ERIK ROWAN: Good match but nothing special. The main dude of the Wyatt family didn't even wrestle...his two brothers did. I feel bad that the two best wrestlers in the WWE are in a feud like this. **

THE BIG SHOW vs. RANDY ORTON: Awful. I figured that, since the WWE knew this would suck, they'd throw in some tables, chairs, ring-steps, anything really, to make it watchable. I believe a chair was used...but Orton won after HHH and Stephanie showed up on the stage and "distracted" The Big Show. Orton punted The Big Show in the head and won. Cena came out after and raised his title in the ring and got in Orton's face...for no real good reason. -No Stars-

WWE HELL IN A CELL

Sunday, October 27th, 2013
Orlando

I miss Halloween Havoc. But, alas, most of 'em probably sucked. Like how that "great" party you went to when you were 16 was epic and the girl you kissed was hot...but memory is a funny thing and go back in a time machine and the party was basic and the girl was just okay. All Hell in a Cell matches are fused and promoted by past memories, faded glories, and they'll never be the same, as great, as epic. So why even have them anymore?

GOLDDUST & CODY RHODES vs. THE USSO'S vs. SETH ROLLINS & ROMAN REIGNS: They did a cool maneuver where Rhodes suplexed Rollins off the top rope and onto all of the guys on the floor. Sick. Not a bad opener. ** (out of ****)

FANDANGO & SUMMER RAE vs. KHALI & NATALYA: Really?

DEAN AMBROSE vs. BIG E LANGSTON: What a feud! I skipped this and the previous match.

CM PUNK vs. RYBACK & PAUL HEYMAN "HELL IN A CELL": Punk won after elbow dropping Ryback and a table from the top rope. Heyman got up on top of the cell thanks to a crane lift...so Punk then climbed up, hit him with a cane then delivered the GTS. Why was Heyman up there? At least Punk goes to the top. *1/2

LOS MATADORES vs. SWAGGER & CESARO: Didn't watch.

ALBERTO DEL RIO vs. JOHN CENA: Well Cena gets injured, returns here and wins the title. Cena and Del Rio bore me. 1/2*

AJ LEE vs. BRIE BELLA: Didn't watch.

DANIEL BRYAN vs. RANDY ORTON "HELL IN A CELL": Shawn Michaels was the ref...so of course he super kicks Bryan and Orton wins. I give up. *

TNA BOUND FOR GLORY

Sunday, October 20th, 2013
From San Diego




KAZARIAN & CHRISTOPHER DANIELS vs. HERNANDEZ & CHAVO GUERRERO/ CHRISTOPHER DANIELS & KAZARIAN vs. ERIC YOUNG & JOSEPH PARK/ JESSE GODDERZ & ROBBIE E vs. ERIC YOUNG & JOSEPH PARK: So this was a gauntlet match on the pre-show. It was mediocre. The problem was that Daniels and Kazarian, two of TNA's best, were relegated to the pre-show (they did show up during the ppv only to be destroyed by Abyss). ** (out of ****)

MANIK vs. SOMOA JOE vs. JEFF HARDY vs. CHRIS SABIN vs. AUSTIN ARIES "ULTIMATE X": Super disappointing. They used a ladder but no big spots for anyone. Sabin pushed his girl, Velvet Sky, into the ring to distract Hardy while Sabin snagged the title. Really a waste since Aries, Joe, and Hardy didn't have singles matches on the company's biggest show. *1/2

JAMES STORM & GUNNER vs. JESSE GODDERZ & ROBBIE E: The Jersey Shore guys won the tag titles here even though the Jersey Shore TV show hasn't been on for a few years. Does TNA realize this? I guess they'll be putting together a Breaking Bad style tag team in a few years. I'll be honest; I didn't watch this.

ODB vs. GAIL KIM vs. BROOKE: Kind of sad that this might have been the match of the night. And it wasn't that good. Some thick black chick named L'ed Tapa showed up at the end and power-bombed Brooke and kicked ODB and this led to Kim winning. **1/2

BOBBY ROODE vs.
KURT ANGLE: Before this, Angle told the crowd he was turning down his Hall of Fame initiation because he didn't deserve it...yet. Then this slow, semi-okay match happened. We got an Angle moonsault. And typical boring Roode. *1/2

EC3 vs. NORV FERNUM: EC3 is some new fish that, story-line wise, is Dixie Carter's nephew. So he beat up his hand-picked, 100 pound weakling nobody. Yeah. -No Stars-

MAGNUS vs. STING: I admit: the first and last match on this card were good on paper. This match? Not. Who came up with this? Bound For Glory is supposed to be TNA's Wrestlemania. Jesus. Magnus won. I didn't watch.

AJ STYLES vs. BULLY RAY: So this was just okay...but we did get a really sick springboard 450 that AJ did off the top rope and through a ringside table. Bully moved and AJ landed hard and I thought he was either a) dead or b) paralyzed. He continued. Knucks showed up and Garrett Bischoff brought a hammer, Dixie threatened Hebner not to let AJ win (apparently there's a Dixie/AJ storyline that is so preposterous I haven't bothered to pay attention to it), and Bully exposed the wooden ring mat floor. AJ won. He went into the crowd and they put him on their shoulders. Cool ending. But TNA is dismal these days. **1/2

WWE BATTLEGROUND

Sunday, October 7th, 2013
Pittsburgh, PA

 
DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. DAMIAN SANDOW: This was on the pre-show.
And to think...Ziggler was the champ in the Spring. I guess it doesn't say much
either about Sandow, the MITB winner. Ziggler was high energy in a pointless
match. *1/2 (out of ****) 

ALBERTO DEL RIO vs. RVD: Good opener. This was a "hardcore" match...but
it probably should've just been a ladder match as that's pretty much the only weapon
they used. RVD did a frog splash off of the apron onto a ladder draped on Del Rio.
RVD also did a split-legged moon sault off the ropes onto a ladder on Del Rio. RVD
is so old, right? But compared to broken guys like Sabu he's still very exciting. Nice
to see a watchable Del Rio match. It's been like forever. ***

                                                                                                                                                       





THE GREAT KHALI & SANTINO MARELLA vs. ANTONIO CESARO & JACK SWAGGER:
This was announced the day of because after writing the show they came up short on time. I suppose not everyone can be awesome and a star...every show needs it's B-side, filler stuff. Not that I watched this.

CURTIS AXEL vs. R-TRUTH: I didn't watch this.

AJ LEE vs. BRIE BELLA: Nor this.

SETH ROLLINS & ROMAN REIGNS vs. GOLDDUST & CODY RHODES: This has to be the first "big" match that Cody has ever been in, right? And the crowd loves him now...for no real reason.
If the Rhodes' won then they got their jobs back. They won. Good match, but, realistically, this should've been a RAW main event. **1/2

BRAY WYATT vs. KOFI KINGSTON: I like the Wyatt's entrance...but that's it. Perhaps they should enter, walk right past the ring and leave. I mean, nobody wants to see them wrestle anyway. I didn't watch this match. We're seeing a trend.

CM PUNK vs. RYBACK: Not good. Very boring. Punk won after low-blowing Ryback. I'm sick of this Heyman/Punk feud. *

DANIEL BRYAN vs. RANDY ORTON: So Bryan wins the title at Summerslam...then Orton cashes in his MITB contract and HHH turns heel and Bryan loses. Last month at NOC, Bryan wins the title but is stripped the next night on RAW when HHH says the ref counted too fast to 3. So in this match, NOBODY WINS. Nobody loses, either. Bryan has Orton in the Yes Lock when The Big Show comes down, knocks out the ref. The Big Show then KO's Bryan and Orton and the ppv goes off the air.
WTF? Yes, a $55 ppv with NO ENDING. Who's the genius that came up with that? This was, perhaps, the worst ending to a ppv ever. And the match up until the horrendous ending wasn't even that good. *1/2

WWE NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS

Sunday, September 15th, 2013
From Detroit


CURTIS AXEL vs. KOFI KINGSTON: An un-announced IC title match. HHH announced it at the top of the show. Well...the end had some near falls. Not really ppv calibur stuff. & this ppv sucked. *1/2 (out of ****)

A.J. LEE vs. BRIE BELLA VS. NATALYA VS. NAOMI: Um...yeah. AJ got a tattoo of the date in June she won the women's title. On her neck. What? She's really crazy? She is cute. But I didn't watch this.

ALBERTO DEL RIO vs. ROB VAN DAM: RVD did a Van Terminator post match after he lost because Del Rio wouldn't release his arm lock so the ref called a DQ. So RVD won but didn't get the title. Not a good match at all. And a terrible finish. This makes Christian look like a God because he's perhaps the only one ever to get a half decent match out of dull Del Rio. *1/2

FANDANGO vs. THE MIZ: Yeah. Not good. At all. Fandango isn't bad but The Miz is just awful. 1/2*


C.M. PUNK vs. CURTIS AXEL & PAUL HEYMAN: Punk beat Axel then beat up Heyman (it was a handicap match) then Ryback came out and speared Punk through a table and Heyman won (it was also no DQ). I remember last year Heyman hired The Shield to take out Ryback multiple times so why would Ryback be a Heyman guy? Kind of lame. **


DEAN AMBROSE vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER: Remember Ziggler had the title in April? Yeah. He's losing to Ambrose for the coveted U.S. title now. What the hell did he do to get in the doghouse? Get a concussion? 1/2*

SETH ROLLINS & ROMAN REIGNS vs. TITUS O'NEIL & DARREN YOUNG: Didn't watch this. Oh well.

DANIEL BRYAN vs. RANDY ORTON: Not that good. Bryan won with a flying knee and the ref, Scott Armstrong, did a fast count for no reason. Nobody bothered to mention that it was a fast count. Orton didn't even complain. On RAW, the ref was fired and Bryan was stripped of the title. So Bryan is a 3 time champ. His first time losing the title was in 19 seconds or something at Wrestlemania to Sheamus. The second time was in about that time at Summerslam. Now he's stripped a night later. Does the WWE not like their best star? **

 

WWE SUMMERSLAM

Sunday, August 18th, 2013
From Los Angeles


DEAN AMBROSE vs. RVD: This was on the hour long preview show. Typical...although RVD is usually more exciting. The Shield has grown stale my friend. *1/2 (out of ****)

KANE vs. BRAY WYATT "RING OF FIRE MATCH": Unfortunately, the old stipulation from those crazy 90's where you had to set your opponent on fire to win this match was excised. I vaguely recall Kane having is boot on fire in one match and his arm in another. The flames looked cool. Terrible match, though. They couldn't really do anything like climb the ropes. Wyatt's gang put a blanket over the flames, climbed in, then beat up Kane. *

CODY RHODES vs. DAMIAN SANDOW: I admit. I didn't watch this. I can see Sandow being forced to use his MITB contract to face Daniel Bryan for the title at Night of Champions by the McMahons and losing.

CHRISTIAN vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO: Christian had one more match against Orton for the title on RAW this week and it was great. Sadly, he doesn't mesh with Del Rio. Not his fault. No one does. *1/2

BRIE BELLA vs. NATALYA: Didn't watch this match.

BROCK LESNAR vs. CM PUNK: Great match. Perhaps the best Lesnar match since his return. That's not saying much because his 3 against HHH weren't very good. The key that HHH didn't realize is that you've gotta go back and forth...nobody wants to see a one sided beat down for the majority. Paul Heyman interfered and a chair and cane were used. A lot of near falls. Possibly the match of the year thus far. If Punk had won it would have been a masterpiece. The problem is...what now? These two won't have a re-match until, what, Wrestlemania? ***1/2

DOLPH ZIGGLER & KAITLYN vs. AJ & BIG E LANGSTON: Didn't watch. Ziggler sure fell off the map. He coulda been somebody. How long was his title reign this year? A day?

JOHN CENA vs. DANIEL BRYAN/ RANDY ORTON vs. DANIEL BRYAN: Good match. Bryan won with a flying knee to the head (kind of anticlimatic). HHH, the ref, gave Bryan a pedigree. Orton cashed his MITB contract in and pinned Bryan, won the title. Welcome to the new Corporation. Been done before, sure, but it worked then. Hell, they even did the special ref turning heel back then (it was Shane O'Mac). Good match though and a good show, albeit a two match show. Sets up a lot. Cena is out 4 to 6 months. Won't miss 'em. ***

WWE MONEY IN THE BANK

Sunday, July 14th, 2013, from Philly

Kind of sad. I know. My favorite WWE show just so happened to be in my town tonight and not only did I not go, I didn't even watch it live on TV. I caught a replay, which was good, since I could fast forward through the matches nobody cared about like The Miz vs. Mr. Perfect's kid and the women's title match. I'll admit as well: when the crowd started chanting, "Boring!" during the Jericho/Ryback match I also skipped until the end of it to see the finish. So it wasn't, obviously, the best card. When tickets first went on sale I did look at them and did think about buying them. Lower level were $125 at the cheapest. Ridiculous. But someone paid for them as the building was filled. Tickets never got cheaper on stubhub and craigslist and the card wasn't that great so I missed it. I haven't seen a WWE show since the infamous Royal Rumble that Benoit won. That was a decent show highlighted by a "Last Man Standing" match between HHH and Shawn Michaels (there was a pedigree through the announce table). Think it was in '05. Eight years since I've been to a WWE show. The last wrestling show I went to was an ROH show two years ago. That was good, not great. I guess I'm due. Wrestlemania in N'Awlins trip next year?


DAMIEN SANDOW vs. CODY RHODES vs. WADE BARRETT vs. DEAN AMBROSE vs. FANDANGO vs. JACK SWAGGER vs. ANTONIO CESARO "LADDER MATCH": A match with all heels. Well they won't do it again. Good match, though. Ambrose did some neat stuff; head in a ladder, swinging it around. He also skinned the cat, pulled himself up on top of a ladder carried by Cesaro and Rhodes who tossed him over the ropes from the top of the ladder (yeah, guess you had to see it). Sandow turned on Rhodes and won it. Sandow as champ? Eh, why not? He's amusing. ***

CURTIS AXEL vs. THE MIZ: Fast-forwarded this.

AJ vs. KAITLYN: Fast-forwarded this.

RYBACK vs. CHRIS JERICHO: Caught the end. Ryback won his first ppv match since last year. Not particularly good, but definitely pointless. 1/2*

ALBERTO DEL RIO vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER: Great match. Yes, a great Del Rio match. Until the end. AJ caused a DQ. Ziggler is fast and furious, all over the map and falling around like a marionette. Del Rio sucks...but the back and forth flury of near-falls was epic. ***

MARK HENRY vs. JOHN CENA: Well Cena won. There were near falls again, good, but Henry is a bore, and Cena is too plain. **

C.M. PUNK vs. DANIEL BRYAN vs. CHRISTIAN vs. SHEAMUS vs. RANDY ORTON vs. ROB VAN DAM "LADDER MATCH": Jeez. RVD and Sheamus got fucking destroyed. Sheamus fell off the top rope in the corner and through a ladder bridge. RVD did a frog splash from the top of a big dog ladder. Orton won. Paul Heyman turned on Punk. Good match. Wild crowd during this. ***