WWE Raw: The SummerSlam Go-Home
August 18, 2015 6:13 AM - Season 23, Episode 51 - Subscribe
The granduncle of them all is here, with an expanded running time, a big name guest host, and huuuge matches (Donald Trump not included).
SummerSlam returns to the Big Apple for the first time since 2007 after spending six straight years in Los Angeles. Special Guest Host Jon Stewart takes his first post-Daily Show gig to introduce us to the new four-hour edition of what is putatively the second-biggest show of the year.
The Card:
Brrrock Lllesnar vs. the Undertaker: This is the Dead Man's first non-WrestleMania PPV match since Kane buried him alive at Bragging Rights in October 2010 (yes, that was during the Brand Extension days) and his first SummerSlam match since 2008. The Beast is looking to avenge the Undertaker's interference in his world title match at Battleground and re-establish himself as the invincible conqueror of the Streak.
Seth Rollins vs. John Cena: World Heavyweight and United States championships on the line, meaning that WWE is finally going back to one secondary title or we're going to have a shmozz ending that prolongs this feud through Survivor Series. Either way, look for these two to step up their games in the not-main-event slot.
Ryback vs. Big Show vs. Miz: Ryback was an interesting choice to hang the Intercontinental strap on after Daniel Bryan vacated it. And then he got a staph infection and we were treated to months of the Miz trying to get a three-way feud over more or less by himself. We can hope this is the blowoff match and someone under seven feet goes on to re-establish the Intercontinental title as the exciting secondary title it used to be.
Stephen "Arrow" Amell and Neville vs. Stardust and King Barrett: This year's celebrity appearance brings legit WWE fan Amell into the ring with plenty of help to put on a passable match. Look for Neville to play Ricky Morton and Amell to look just good enough.
The Prime Time Players vs. Los Matadores vs. the Lucha Dragons vs. the New Day: Tag Team Championship spotfest match that will serve largely to show how depleted the tag team scene is nowadays and how big a flop the Ascension was that they can't even get into this thing.
Whoo. That's a pretty good PPV lineup, isn't it. Oh, wait. We're only halfway through.
Randy Orton vs. Sheamus: Sheamus has been struck by the Money in the Bank curse, where he turns into a moron and loses constantly (with assistance from the dumbest ref in WWE history on a recent Raw, covering up an Orton botch). This is a classic Well, We Have To Put Them On The Card Somewhere match, with Sheamus marking time until his cash-in and Orton just generally marking time.
Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper: Hey, remember when this would have been like a semi-main event match a year or two ago? It's not. The Roman Empire has fallen, the Eater of Worlds has become the Eater of the Midcard, and WWE once again has no idea what the hell to do with Dean Ambrose.
Team Bella vs. Team B.A.D. vs.The Submission Sorority Team PCB: The triple threat elimination trios match that's been pretty much locked in for the last six weeks finally arrives. We can only hope that this gets more than ten minutes, and that we get more than one storyline on the other side of this match.
Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro: The Smark Match of the Night. If this is the kickoff match, look for some fast-paced ultraviolence. If it's anywhere else, look for some fast-paced ultraviolence. Either way, one of these guys is getting buried afterward.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev: Word on the street is that the Lana push is dead, and somehow that's the most compelling thing I can think of about this match, which should be a pretty damn good Hoss vs. Seller clash of styles.
SummerSlam returns to the Big Apple for the first time since 2007 after spending six straight years in Los Angeles. Special Guest Host Jon Stewart takes his first post-Daily Show gig to introduce us to the new four-hour edition of what is putatively the second-biggest show of the year.
The Card:
Brrrock Lllesnar vs. the Undertaker: This is the Dead Man's first non-WrestleMania PPV match since Kane buried him alive at Bragging Rights in October 2010 (yes, that was during the Brand Extension days) and his first SummerSlam match since 2008. The Beast is looking to avenge the Undertaker's interference in his world title match at Battleground and re-establish himself as the invincible conqueror of the Streak.
Seth Rollins vs. John Cena: World Heavyweight and United States championships on the line, meaning that WWE is finally going back to one secondary title or we're going to have a shmozz ending that prolongs this feud through Survivor Series. Either way, look for these two to step up their games in the not-main-event slot.
Ryback vs. Big Show vs. Miz: Ryback was an interesting choice to hang the Intercontinental strap on after Daniel Bryan vacated it. And then he got a staph infection and we were treated to months of the Miz trying to get a three-way feud over more or less by himself. We can hope this is the blowoff match and someone under seven feet goes on to re-establish the Intercontinental title as the exciting secondary title it used to be.
Stephen "Arrow" Amell and Neville vs. Stardust and King Barrett: This year's celebrity appearance brings legit WWE fan Amell into the ring with plenty of help to put on a passable match. Look for Neville to play Ricky Morton and Amell to look just good enough.
The Prime Time Players vs. Los Matadores vs. the Lucha Dragons vs. the New Day: Tag Team Championship spotfest match that will serve largely to show how depleted the tag team scene is nowadays and how big a flop the Ascension was that they can't even get into this thing.
Whoo. That's a pretty good PPV lineup, isn't it. Oh, wait. We're only halfway through.
Randy Orton vs. Sheamus: Sheamus has been struck by the Money in the Bank curse, where he turns into a moron and loses constantly (with assistance from the dumbest ref in WWE history on a recent Raw, covering up an Orton botch). This is a classic Well, We Have To Put Them On The Card Somewhere match, with Sheamus marking time until his cash-in and Orton just generally marking time.
Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper: Hey, remember when this would have been like a semi-main event match a year or two ago? It's not. The Roman Empire has fallen, the Eater of Worlds has become the Eater of the Midcard, and WWE once again has no idea what the hell to do with Dean Ambrose.
Team Bella vs. Team B.A.D. vs.
Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro: The Smark Match of the Night. If this is the kickoff match, look for some fast-paced ultraviolence. If it's anywhere else, look for some fast-paced ultraviolence. Either way, one of these guys is getting buried afterward.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev: Word on the street is that the Lana push is dead, and somehow that's the most compelling thing I can think of about this match, which should be a pretty damn good Hoss vs. Seller clash of styles.
Etrigan, your card recaps are wonderful.
I really don't know what to hope for or what I even really want coming out of SummerSlam. I don't want Cena to simultaneously hold two belts, and I don't think a "Cena win #16 to tie Flair" followed immediately by a Sheamus successful cash in would be appropriate at all, so I guess my hope is DQ or Rollins win followed by Sheamus win. I guess.
(Acknowledging that the belt isn't even on the line) I originally thought they were going to let Nikki hold the Diva's title till she broke AJ's record so they never had to mention AJ again, but now I think they're mentioning how long she's held it and how close she is to the record every 3 minutes when Nikki's on screen to try and give some weight to a title reign that everyone had basically forgotten about until 3 weeks ago or whenever this Revolution started. So all I can say is I'm surprised this is a giant cluster of a tag match rather than a Diva's championship match, but oh well.
posted by jermsplan at 1:03 PM on August 19, 2015
I really don't know what to hope for or what I even really want coming out of SummerSlam. I don't want Cena to simultaneously hold two belts, and I don't think a "Cena win #16 to tie Flair" followed immediately by a Sheamus successful cash in would be appropriate at all, so I guess my hope is DQ or Rollins win followed by Sheamus win. I guess.
(Acknowledging that the belt isn't even on the line) I originally thought they were going to let Nikki hold the Diva's title till she broke AJ's record so they never had to mention AJ again, but now I think they're mentioning how long she's held it and how close she is to the record every 3 minutes when Nikki's on screen to try and give some weight to a title reign that everyone had basically forgotten about until 3 weeks ago or whenever this Revolution started. So all I can say is I'm surprised this is a giant cluster of a tag match rather than a Diva's championship match, but oh well.
posted by jermsplan at 1:03 PM on August 19, 2015
Can you believe all these young kids working back to back PPV nights?! Ridiculous.
NXT Takeover Card:
NXT Championship (Ladder Match)
-Kevin Owens vs Finn Balor
NXT Tag Team Title Match
-The Vaudevillians vs Blake and Murphy
NXT Women’s Title Match
-Bayley vs Sasha Banks
-Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs Tyler Breeze
-Samoa Joe vs Baron Corbin
-Bull Dempsey vs Elias Samson
-Apollo Crews vs Tye Dillinger
(Crews’ NXT Televised Debut)
-Eva Marie vs Carmella
-Enzo Amore, Big Cass & Hype Bros (Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley) vs Jason Jordan, Chad Gable, Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson
-Charlotte vs Becky Lynch vs Emma vs Dana Brooke
posted by jermsplan at 1:04 PM on August 19, 2015
NXT Takeover Card:
NXT Championship (Ladder Match)
-Kevin Owens vs Finn Balor
NXT Tag Team Title Match
-The Vaudevillians vs Blake and Murphy
NXT Women’s Title Match
-Bayley vs Sasha Banks
-Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs Tyler Breeze
-Samoa Joe vs Baron Corbin
-Bull Dempsey vs Elias Samson
-Apollo Crews vs Tye Dillinger
(Crews’ NXT Televised Debut)
-Eva Marie vs Carmella
-Enzo Amore, Big Cass & Hype Bros (Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley) vs Jason Jordan, Chad Gable, Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson
-Charlotte vs Becky Lynch vs Emma vs Dana Brooke
posted by jermsplan at 1:04 PM on August 19, 2015
And it's legitimately Finn Balor / Prince Devitt / Fergal Devitt's first ever ladder match, too. I'm actually a little afraid that he's going to overextend himself.
posted by Etrigan at 3:27 PM on August 19, 2015
posted by Etrigan at 3:27 PM on August 19, 2015
When are they going to pull the trigger on Enzo and/or Big Cass's promotions? They've done everything they can in NXT, and lord knows the main-roster tag team division needs the help.
posted by Etrigan at 6:38 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by Etrigan at 6:38 AM on August 20, 2015
I've been feeling like the Vaudevillians are going to win the NXT Tag Titles, maybe Blake/Murphy/Bliss are on their way up and they don't want to push too many teams up at once? The WWE tag scene could use a heel team since The Ascension didn't pan out. Enzo/Cass basically have to be faces.
posted by jermsplan at 8:16 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by jermsplan at 8:16 AM on August 20, 2015
Stephen Amell in a WWE match? I'm not sure what to think of that one.
posted by Telpethoron at 3:01 PM on August 22, 2015
posted by Telpethoron at 3:01 PM on August 22, 2015
My Summerslam thoughts: [spoilers ahoy!]
Orton/Sheamus: zzzzzzzzzzzz
Tag Team Title 4-way: Los Matadores seemed to botch a lot, and I'm not the biggest fan of matches with too many people in them. That said, this was fun and the right team won. Also, New Day celebrating gives me life. I love New Day so much (and I regularly marvel at how they took a shit idea and turned it into gold).
Rusev/Ziggler: Ugggggghhhhh. When I first started watching wrestling like a year and a half ago, I thought Ziggler was great. His over the top selling made me laugh, and I dug his 80s/90s cheesy look. It kinda fit what I imagined wrestling to be. But I HATE him in this story. Hate. I own one of his t-shirts and don't even want to wear it anymore. And the sad part is the story is ruining Rusev and Lana too. Just kill this all with fire and start over with something else, please.
Barrett&Stardust/Neville&Amell: This was better than a celebrity match probably has any right to be. Amell handled himself well and I love Barrett and Stardust as a team and hope they stick together. Neville seemed super nervous and awkward in the pre-match interview with Cole, though, which makes me worry about him in WWE. He's got so much stacked against him with his size, and if he can't be cool and connect with the audience in interviews/promos he'll be in trouble.
IC Title: Don't care, didn't watch.
Reigns&Ambrose/Wyatts: I can't figure out what to say about this one. I was surprised and felt bad that Reigns was booed so hard, but then he didn't do much to convince me he shouldn't have been. I want to love Ambrose (and I live with an Ambrose superfan) but I don't connect with him like I used to. His in-ring moves rarely impress. The Wyatts are just the same old Wyatts, I guess? Weird to think back to how much I loved the Wyatt family not that long ago.
Divas: UGH. I know I pin way too much emotion on women's wrestling and so I probably judge it more harshly than I should. But this was booked terribly and there was no story to tell, so the match felt just like everyone hitting their spots (except Sasha, was she injured from the night before?) Too much time in the ring for the worst workers of the bunch. Becky was pretty great at getting destroyed for most of the match and was clearly trying to compensate for her opponents' lack of skill at times. I was glad they gave her the win after the Charlotte hot tag. But sorry, just can't be excited about this when I had just watched the NXT Takeover a few hours prior.
Cesaro/Owens: I think this match was much better than the crowd let on, and I mostly enjoyed it. But here's the thing, WWE: 4 hours (plus a pre-show) is too damn long for your live crowd to maintain their enthusiasm no matter how good the wrestling. It's just exhausting. And when the live crowd isn't into it, it's hard for me at home to feel like I should care. I did appreciate the clean Owens win, but I love both these guys so it's hard to see Cesaro lose at the same time. Owens probably needed the win more so I'm ok with the result.
Rollins/Cena: What to think about this? The match itself was fantastic, and just drives home yet again that they need to LET ROLLINS WRESTLE more because goddamn he is good at it. It really felt like he was the face and Cena was the heel throughout the match. The interference was... weird. At first I expected Stewart to take out Rollins and was groaning about it. The swerve was interesting and I definitely was surprised and prefer Rollins winning to LOLCENAWINS again, but I still feel kinda weird about the celebrity interference in such a big title match. idk.
Taker/Lesnar: I should start out by saying that as a new wrestling fan, I pretty much hate the nostalgia/old man wrestlers coming in. I get that they are legends and it's historic and blah blah but I just. don't. care. So I am pretty biased against these kinds of matches. Having said that, this match was actually pretty good, if a bit brutal to watch (I worry about the old dudes). Lesnar is amazing and terrifying and I love him and cringe while watching his matches. That finish, though. I don't like it and it was weird and confusing and such a strange way to end the night. I especially don't like it because I know it happened to set up yet another old man match.
posted by misskaz at 8:02 AM on August 24, 2015
Orton/Sheamus: zzzzzzzzzzzz
Tag Team Title 4-way: Los Matadores seemed to botch a lot, and I'm not the biggest fan of matches with too many people in them. That said, this was fun and the right team won. Also, New Day celebrating gives me life. I love New Day so much (and I regularly marvel at how they took a shit idea and turned it into gold).
Rusev/Ziggler: Ugggggghhhhh. When I first started watching wrestling like a year and a half ago, I thought Ziggler was great. His over the top selling made me laugh, and I dug his 80s/90s cheesy look. It kinda fit what I imagined wrestling to be. But I HATE him in this story. Hate. I own one of his t-shirts and don't even want to wear it anymore. And the sad part is the story is ruining Rusev and Lana too. Just kill this all with fire and start over with something else, please.
Barrett&Stardust/Neville&Amell: This was better than a celebrity match probably has any right to be. Amell handled himself well and I love Barrett and Stardust as a team and hope they stick together. Neville seemed super nervous and awkward in the pre-match interview with Cole, though, which makes me worry about him in WWE. He's got so much stacked against him with his size, and if he can't be cool and connect with the audience in interviews/promos he'll be in trouble.
IC Title: Don't care, didn't watch.
Reigns&Ambrose/Wyatts: I can't figure out what to say about this one. I was surprised and felt bad that Reigns was booed so hard, but then he didn't do much to convince me he shouldn't have been. I want to love Ambrose (and I live with an Ambrose superfan) but I don't connect with him like I used to. His in-ring moves rarely impress. The Wyatts are just the same old Wyatts, I guess? Weird to think back to how much I loved the Wyatt family not that long ago.
Divas: UGH. I know I pin way too much emotion on women's wrestling and so I probably judge it more harshly than I should. But this was booked terribly and there was no story to tell, so the match felt just like everyone hitting their spots (except Sasha, was she injured from the night before?) Too much time in the ring for the worst workers of the bunch. Becky was pretty great at getting destroyed for most of the match and was clearly trying to compensate for her opponents' lack of skill at times. I was glad they gave her the win after the Charlotte hot tag. But sorry, just can't be excited about this when I had just watched the NXT Takeover a few hours prior.
Cesaro/Owens: I think this match was much better than the crowd let on, and I mostly enjoyed it. But here's the thing, WWE: 4 hours (plus a pre-show) is too damn long for your live crowd to maintain their enthusiasm no matter how good the wrestling. It's just exhausting. And when the live crowd isn't into it, it's hard for me at home to feel like I should care. I did appreciate the clean Owens win, but I love both these guys so it's hard to see Cesaro lose at the same time. Owens probably needed the win more so I'm ok with the result.
Rollins/Cena: What to think about this? The match itself was fantastic, and just drives home yet again that they need to LET ROLLINS WRESTLE more because goddamn he is good at it. It really felt like he was the face and Cena was the heel throughout the match. The interference was... weird. At first I expected Stewart to take out Rollins and was groaning about it. The swerve was interesting and I definitely was surprised and prefer Rollins winning to LOLCENAWINS again, but I still feel kinda weird about the celebrity interference in such a big title match. idk.
Taker/Lesnar: I should start out by saying that as a new wrestling fan, I pretty much hate the nostalgia/old man wrestlers coming in. I get that they are legends and it's historic and blah blah but I just. don't. care. So I am pretty biased against these kinds of matches. Having said that, this match was actually pretty good, if a bit brutal to watch (I worry about the old dudes). Lesnar is amazing and terrifying and I love him and cringe while watching his matches. That finish, though. I don't like it and it was weird and confusing and such a strange way to end the night. I especially don't like it because I know it happened to set up yet another old man match.
posted by misskaz at 8:02 AM on August 24, 2015
Swerves, Schmozzes, Schmerves, and a Curtain Call: WWE’s ‘SummerSlam’ Marathon in Brooklyn.
Interesting article on Grantland. I appreciate the idea that the crowd was so shitty during the Divas match on Raw this week partly because they were set up for swerve after swerve all weekend. Can't say I buy it, but then I'm *really* pissed about that match and the crowd's reaction to it and the apparently intentional sabotage of the Divas "Revolution" by McMahon & co.
posted by misskaz at 5:20 PM on August 26, 2015
Interesting article on Grantland. I appreciate the idea that the crowd was so shitty during the Divas match on Raw this week partly because they were set up for swerve after swerve all weekend. Can't say I buy it, but then I'm *really* pissed about that match and the crowd's reaction to it and the apparently intentional sabotage of the Divas "Revolution" by McMahon & co.
posted by misskaz at 5:20 PM on August 26, 2015
best reason I've ever heard to come out of lurking, brian.
I keep trying to figure out what to say about the three days of wrestling, Sat-Mon. There was just such a disparity between the quality of wrestling from night to night. But SummerSlam was a hell of a show that the group I watched it with really enjoyed. And then Monday was filled with so many crazy things, the new Wyatt, the Dudleys, Sting. It's honestly unfair to compare I guess. NXT isn't development for RAW, it's a different show with a different purpose. Many times I prefer it, but I realize not everyone does. My wife and my friend's wife only know as much wrestling as they hear us talking about. But they watched SummerSlam with us and enjoyed parts of it, and were on their phones through the entirety of Cesaro/Owens, saying it was boring. WWE knows their audience is full of all kinds, and I guess they're doing a good job bringing something for everyone.
The entirety of the Diva Disaster from RAW was cut from the HULU version, so I have no idea what it actually looked like. But from online and podcasts, sounds like it was horrifying. WWE badly needs to spin off Total Divas and quit the constant cross promotion. They need to take the Bellas out of the title picture for a while. I'm praying it happens the day after Nikki breaks AJ's record, because it doesn't sound like they'll do it before that.
posted by jermsplan at 10:39 AM on August 27, 2015
I keep trying to figure out what to say about the three days of wrestling, Sat-Mon. There was just such a disparity between the quality of wrestling from night to night. But SummerSlam was a hell of a show that the group I watched it with really enjoyed. And then Monday was filled with so many crazy things, the new Wyatt, the Dudleys, Sting. It's honestly unfair to compare I guess. NXT isn't development for RAW, it's a different show with a different purpose. Many times I prefer it, but I realize not everyone does. My wife and my friend's wife only know as much wrestling as they hear us talking about. But they watched SummerSlam with us and enjoyed parts of it, and were on their phones through the entirety of Cesaro/Owens, saying it was boring. WWE knows their audience is full of all kinds, and I guess they're doing a good job bringing something for everyone.
The entirety of the Diva Disaster from RAW was cut from the HULU version, so I have no idea what it actually looked like. But from online and podcasts, sounds like it was horrifying. WWE badly needs to spin off Total Divas and quit the constant cross promotion. They need to take the Bellas out of the title picture for a while. I'm praying it happens the day after Nikki breaks AJ's record, because it doesn't sound like they'll do it before that.
posted by jermsplan at 10:39 AM on August 27, 2015
One step forward and two steps back. On RAW I was impressed to hear we'd get 3 separate womens' singles matches, that seemed like a nice way to further the Revolution. But then they will all be beat the clock, and the first one comes in around 3 minutes. So even though we get 3 matches, they only manage to squeeze 9 minutes of womens' wrestling into a 3 hour RAW. And then the second match races to conclusion in only 1:41. Then match number 3 is basically a squash of Sasha Banks that only goes 1:41 because her teammates interfere and cause nothing to happen for 20 seconds.
You're killing me, WWE!
posted by jermsplan at 7:27 AM on September 2, 2015
You're killing me, WWE!
posted by jermsplan at 7:27 AM on September 2, 2015
There's a ton of commentary out there (some of it from former WWE employees, including the criminally underemployed Lance Storm) that if they had just promoted Banks and Charlotte and Lynch and let them get over in the ring -- like they did in NXT -- we'd all be happier. Instead, we got the tell-don't-show OMIGOD DIVAS REVOLUTION LOOK IT'S A REVOLUTION NOTHING WILL EVER BE THE SAME except that it is totally the same only with more people botching less in the three minutes we give them.
Oh, and geez that NXT fatal four-way. I have never seen a more obvious botch and shitty coverup. Which is a pity, because that crossbody into the corner should be booked from this point on as a devastating finisher. Even without knowing that it basically knocked Becky Lynch the fuck out, it's a hell of a move.
posted by Etrigan at 7:39 AM on September 2, 2015
Oh, and geez that NXT fatal four-way. I have never seen a more obvious botch and shitty coverup. Which is a pity, because that crossbody into the corner should be booked from this point on as a devastating finisher. Even without knowing that it basically knocked Becky Lynch the fuck out, it's a hell of a move.
posted by Etrigan at 7:39 AM on September 2, 2015
Totally agree on the crossbody in the corner. That was such a confusing ending, but really, probably better for Emma than whatever they had planned. And that girl needs some help getting over. Getting over as a heel who doesn't give a shit and will knock you out is good for her current character.
Part of me wishes they had just let the divas division on RAW sit forgotten, getting 1 match a week, maybe, while the Bellas mostly did commentary or backstage bits heavily related to Total Divas until Nikki broke AJ's record. Then have all the NXT women show up, say something about needing a revolution, and kick Team Bella to the curb.
posted by jermsplan at 2:00 PM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Part of me wishes they had just let the divas division on RAW sit forgotten, getting 1 match a week, maybe, while the Bellas mostly did commentary or backstage bits heavily related to Total Divas until Nikki broke AJ's record. Then have all the NXT women show up, say something about needing a revolution, and kick Team Bella to the curb.
posted by jermsplan at 2:00 PM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
David D. on The New Day, Sasha Banks and WWE's Black Revolution
That was one of the best columns on wrestling I've read in a damn while. Even better than Dion Beary's piece in the Atlantic on wrestling's race issues last year. (And, as always, avoid the comments like they are a verbal bubonic plague, because they are.)
posted by Etrigan at 6:00 AM on September 3, 2015
That was one of the best columns on wrestling I've read in a damn while. Even better than Dion Beary's piece in the Atlantic on wrestling's race issues last year. (And, as always, avoid the comments like they are a verbal bubonic plague, because they are.)
My only complaint is that Chad Gable took the pin, because (1) his fresh dopeness is something they should be protecting, and (2) he was the only over guy on the heel team.I watched the latest NXT this morning, and holy shit am I loving Chad Gable. And Jason Jordan is just the right amount of exasperated at how douchey his partner is.
posted by Etrigan at 6:00 AM on September 3, 2015
Christ, Orton vs Sheamus seemed like an eternity even on fast forward.
That's because we have seen literally every possible permutation of this match. They have faced each other on TV/PPV fifteen times in 2015, and that is only since June, because one or the other of them was out for half of the year, and it never means anything. No title, no contendership, no briefcase, nothing. Just "Oh, look, these two guys have no program, so let's put them out there."
posted by Etrigan at 6:20 AM on September 8, 2015
That's because we have seen literally every possible permutation of this match. They have faced each other on TV/PPV fifteen times in 2015, and that is only since June, because one or the other of them was out for half of the year, and it never means anything. No title, no contendership, no briefcase, nothing. Just "Oh, look, these two guys have no program, so let's put them out there."
posted by Etrigan at 6:20 AM on September 8, 2015
Thanks for those articles you guys linked last week, had a lot of time in the car over this past weekend and those were all really interesting reads.
The New Day is so good, I can barely handle it. The tag division in general is really great, actually. I'm even pretty happy with the place The Ascension have come to occupy. A couple of guys who take themselves entirely too seriously, but are extremely capable jobbers to all the big faces in the company. At some point I'd even appreciate a throwaway interview where we learn the two of them really are kind of crazy and genuinely believe they are some sort of road-warriors from the wasteland.
Holy Hell, did you think that Emma pinning Becky would be the biggest pinning blooper on NXT this month? Well All Red Everything has news for you: she can kick out at 3.5 and be just fine. Gotta feel for the ref there.
The WWE needs to drop the entire Ziggler/Summer/Lana thing yesterday. When you're pushing a TV PG product and have to have your sobbing woman describe how the irresistible muscled man in the shower KISSED her and she feels so guilty...how does someone in pre-production not point out how terrible it is? And that's the least offensive reason that angle sucks.
Speaking of Angle, do Jordan/Gable remind anyone else of Team Angle? Only this time Charlie Haas has the charisma of Kurt. I loved Team Angle, and am prepared to markout for Jordan/Gable hardcore. I always wanted one of the Team Angle velour tracksuits, if they bring those back I swear to God I'll buy one this time around.
posted by jermsplan at 1:10 PM on September 9, 2015
The New Day is so good, I can barely handle it. The tag division in general is really great, actually. I'm even pretty happy with the place The Ascension have come to occupy. A couple of guys who take themselves entirely too seriously, but are extremely capable jobbers to all the big faces in the company. At some point I'd even appreciate a throwaway interview where we learn the two of them really are kind of crazy and genuinely believe they are some sort of road-warriors from the wasteland.
Holy Hell, did you think that Emma pinning Becky would be the biggest pinning blooper on NXT this month? Well All Red Everything has news for you: she can kick out at 3.5 and be just fine. Gotta feel for the ref there.
The WWE needs to drop the entire Ziggler/Summer/Lana thing yesterday. When you're pushing a TV PG product and have to have your sobbing woman describe how the irresistible muscled man in the shower KISSED her and she feels so guilty...how does someone in pre-production not point out how terrible it is? And that's the least offensive reason that angle sucks.
Speaking of Angle, do Jordan/Gable remind anyone else of Team Angle? Only this time Charlie Haas has the charisma of Kurt. I loved Team Angle, and am prepared to markout for Jordan/Gable hardcore. I always wanted one of the Team Angle velour tracksuits, if they bring those back I swear to God I'll buy one this time around.
posted by jermsplan at 1:10 PM on September 9, 2015
The tag division in general is really great, actually.
I'm amazed at how quickly things came together. I hated the whole tag division passionately just a month or so ago, but New Day and the Dudleys have kicked it up a notch.
Well All Red Everything has news for you: she can kick out at 3.5 and be just fine.
Every rumor mill out there is saying that Eva Marie is the next NXT Women's Champion, based on her narrative of working super-hard to get better in the ring. You'd think they would actually let her get better in the ring first, but nope.
The WWE needs to drop the entire Ziggler/Summer/Lana thing yesterday.
If you'd told me six months ago that I would hate a Ziggler-Rusev program, I probably would have immediately asked "Is it all about Lana and some other woman who was never the NXT Women's Champion?" and then agreed that I would hate that.
Speaking of Angle, do Jordan/Gable remind anyone else of Team Angle?
Toootally.
posted by Etrigan at 1:30 PM on September 9, 2015
I'm amazed at how quickly things came together. I hated the whole tag division passionately just a month or so ago, but New Day and the Dudleys have kicked it up a notch.
Well All Red Everything has news for you: she can kick out at 3.5 and be just fine.
Every rumor mill out there is saying that Eva Marie is the next NXT Women's Champion, based on her narrative of working super-hard to get better in the ring. You'd think they would actually let her get better in the ring first, but nope.
The WWE needs to drop the entire Ziggler/Summer/Lana thing yesterday.
If you'd told me six months ago that I would hate a Ziggler-Rusev program, I probably would have immediately asked "Is it all about Lana and some other woman who was never the NXT Women's Champion?" and then agreed that I would hate that.
Speaking of Angle, do Jordan/Gable remind anyone else of Team Angle?
Toootally.
posted by Etrigan at 1:30 PM on September 9, 2015
couldn't agree with you more about Carmella. I was really unexcited when she went from Enzio's hairstylist to in the ring so rapidly, and didn't seem like she had a lot of experience. But damn, she is improving at lightspeed.
Corey Graves is a heel commentator like WWE hasn't had in a long time. I'm loving it on NXT, but I'm starting to think he can never be promoted to RAW in his current iteration because he can't keep it up while pushing stories or products like the guys on the big shows are required to do. Maybe someday, who knows. And for my next pipe dream, I'd like to hear 5 called moves that aren't signature moves in a single match...
posted by jermsplan at 11:10 AM on September 10, 2015
Corey Graves is a heel commentator like WWE hasn't had in a long time. I'm loving it on NXT, but I'm starting to think he can never be promoted to RAW in his current iteration because he can't keep it up while pushing stories or products like the guys on the big shows are required to do. Maybe someday, who knows. And for my next pipe dream, I'd like to hear 5 called moves that aren't signature moves in a single match...
posted by jermsplan at 11:10 AM on September 10, 2015
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posted by misskaz at 8:21 AM on August 19, 2015