DMJ

Just posted my full reviews of both shows on my blog. Definitely enjoyed certain matches more than most here, including the Nak/Joe match and Male Team RAW/Team SmackDown Survivors match, which, at times, kind of felt like the best possible Royal Rumble match they could put on today. It was full of insane spots (the spear to Shane), fun comedy (Owens/Jericho's list shenanigans), nostalgia (Shield reunion), and good character development/storyline advancement (Braun came out of this super strong and, though I don't really like either guy, Wyatt and Orton were both due for a chance to be seen as relevant which their victory allowed). It was not your average Survivors match - it was more akin to a MITB ladder match if anything - and I was okay with that. I certainly wasn't bored by it and am surprised that others were. As for Saturday night, anyone calling that the worst NXT special yet obviously enjoyed The End...of the Beginning and Unstoppable shows more than I did.

If Lesnar loses, it will be due to Shane-nigans, which isn't a bad way for him to lose, just disappointing to me personally cuz I really loathe these two wrestling at WM. I don't know who else I'd put up against Brock, but I'm in "anybody but Shane" camp. I'm also hoping that Goldberg can still "go" somewhat as I wouldn't mind him squashing someone at Mania in a 10 minute (total with entrances) segment. That may seem to contradict my statement above, but on a 5 hour show, Id sooner enjoy Goldberg crushing a shit-talking heel (they could almost literally run the Jericho/Goldberg feud from 20 years ago) for 10 minutes than a 45 minute Shane vanity segment like last year.

Didn't that shit already start at SummerSlam? Maybe a build towards Cena/Taker? Or The Rock confirmed for the Rumble?

I'm guessing Sid was going to be a transitional champ back to Flair sooner than later, maybe with the longterm idea of building towards Flair/Vader anyway. I'm not a Sid hater at all, but I can understand what Strummer is saying. There's all sorts of knocks against the guy that would make putting him at the top of a promotion, even at the peak of his career, a questionable decision for more than a month or two (which is kinda how his career turned out). He was always over and had a great look - but he was not a great worker, his character was always more over than his feuds (because even his best matches were just tolerable), and he didn't fit the mold as a true longterm main event guy in 90s WCW (where one was expected to be able to put on good matches) or 90s WWF (where one was expected to be a sympathetic/superhero babyface - a role Sid never fit because he was always more of a untethered tweener). Plus, Sid kind of had a knack for bad timing. Reading through his Wikipedia page, there's some unfortunate injuries at important times, a failed drug test according to Meltzer before WM8, and the softball stuff. With Sid, I think you have a guy who actually got pushed and utilized quite well, all things considered. I don't see his story as "What could've been..." the way one might for a Magnum TA.

I thought the whole match was really fun. Brawling in beginning was spirited and stiff, the commentators and crowd are obviously enthralled and loving it, loads of fun weapon spots and scenery getting destroyed - it needed 5 more minutes to really be worth seeking out, but as it is, it is just a really enjoyable viewing that reminds you how, in 98', though the nWo storyline was dying a slow death, WCW did have an intriguing undercard with over acts ready to breakout as main event players.

I don't watch EVOLVE. Is Styles supposed to be an unlikeable blowhard like Heenan and Ventura were? Their casual racism was often met by incredulity by their broadcast partners. They were presented as disrespectful, small-minded heels. JBL was cutting pretty darn racist promos in 05/06 if I recall. Ric Flair "stole a kiss" from Becky Lynch this year (in the words of Billy Madison, "That's assault, brotha"). We haven't been "denied" anything in my eyes, except maybe the bathroom break opportunities we used to get when Torrie Wilson was the most promoted female athlete on the roster. Thanks but no thanks on a return to that version of women's wrestling. There are all sorts of TV shows and movies I love because I loved them as a kid. When I watch them now, I may catch a joke or line that I don't appreciate now (homophobic jokes are rampant in so many beloved comedies of my childhood, for example) and I'm okay with that. The past was a different time and I was a different age. I can still laugh at Caddyshack even if there's all sorts of objectifying of women in it, for example. What does not tend to happen is, I see a comedy today and I say, "Man, that was pretty funny...but it sure could've used some more jokes aimed at queers." I also don't watch wrestling and say, "Corey Graves would be a better commentator if he called Kalisto a beaner more." Keep the past in the past, enjoy it for nostalgia and for what it was in its time, but move on.

Fuck Joey Styles. Glad he got fired. Hope this ends his career. No reason to feel sorry for the guy at all - he revealed himself almost 10 years ago as a guy who thinks America was better when everyone looked like him, believed in his God, and thought life began when something drips out of a dick. Sadly, things could look up for him - making jokes about sexual assault, anti-Obama tweets, xenophobic rhetoric, and anti-choice views...Trump may put him in his cabinet.

I wouldn't be surprised if they sget Reigns involved in some sort of "special guest" match - maybe team him with The Rock, maybe team him with Rousey (if they can get her), maybe they even have Goldberg wrestle again - something "big" but I don't see them doing Reigns/Lesnar over Lesnar/Shane, I don't think a Shield 3-way is on the horizon, and I don't even buy Reigns turning heel to face Rollins. I guess they could run Reigns/Owens if Owens manages to hold onto the title for awhile, but that certainly doesn't scream "main event" on a card that will include bigger names.

I don't see how Kalisto doesn't win and reset the division. Plus, the division will benefit from being presented more like it was on the Network, with Mauro and Bryan involved and more familiar talents, like a Kalisto, holding the title while lesser known talents like Perkins and Cedric fighting to upset him. I'm a Kendrick fan, but he wasn't the guy to build the division around any more than Perkins was. Also, the argument that RAW "needed" the cruisers to fill their 3-hour runtime makes sense in a world where the WWE wasn't putting on 3-hour shows, of varying levels of quality, for a number of years prior to the invention of the division. The cruiser division, as it was introduced, wasn't adding anything but filler to the show - and you can do the same by just adding other forms of filler (more Curtis Axel, more Bo Dallas, more squash matches). Moving them to SD will help the Blue Brand more than it will hurt the RAW brand.

So, I just watched this for the first time and expected an absolute shitshow, a match that just falls apart instantly between two guys who dislike eachother so much, they can't even stay professional for long enough to have a match. Now, this is a below average match for sure - Triple H's unnecessary blading comes off as trying too hard, the layout of having the babyface dominate most of the match is questionable, Steiner's thong being as visible as Lita's is a tough image to deal with, and the finish is obviously angered the crowd - but, for years, I'd heard that this was one of the worst title matches ever and I just wasn't offended by it as much as I should've been. Poppa Pump botches an under hook powerbomb at one point but his suplexes (and he throws like a dozen of em) are all well-executed. The striking isn't much to write home about it from either guy, but it's not like they're egregious. Ric Flair's constant involvement is a plus to me and the post-match makes a rematch a desirable and common sense next step to the feud. As the second act of their feud, it's a serviceable 15 minutes. Is the hate on this match based more on the hate of the two workers involved or did I just blink and miss what gave this match such a bad reputation? I'm gonna give it 2 stars on my blog and I know title matches should be better than that...but let's be honest, many aren't and few have a reputation as bad as this one.

If they're smart, they will darken arena more and maybe allow fans to come down and fill empty seats because having your new show full of guys that many are unfamiliar with wrestling in front of a crowd clearing out of the arena is not gonna be a good look.

I have main event at 4 but a definite top 10 WWE match of the year. Rest of the card was garbage mostly. Rollins/Owens was one where if you hate current WWE style, it was everything one could hate but if you like this type of stuff, it could be seen as good. I'm in the middle of those camps but wouldn't put it past 3.5 stars. Gallows and Anderson have more in common with Men on a Mission than New Day in that I can't think of a MoaM match I would want to rewatch and I can't think of a Gallows and Anderson match I want to watch either. Rusev/Reigns was a solid streetfight that would've worked on any other card in any other position, but the cell was a wholly unnecessary backdrop, the card already featured 2 cell matches too many, and as an opener, methodical brawling isn't quite as good as a kickoff as gimmicky ladder match or cruiser action or fast paced tag match.

Ooof. Bad idea. That crowd is gonna be deader than SummerSlam's.

Just watched this for the first time.Pretty awful stuff. Someone posted, I think in the GWE forum, that Hall is a guy that's been in some good (even great) matches but never a match where you say, "That was great because of Scott Hall." This is a bad match that is only semi-decent because of Hall, though. He's over and his prat falls and selling are fun. I might have mentioned it on here or just in my blog but Dusty in the nWo was such a shit idea. Not just because he was WCWs biggest cheerleader. Not just because the nWo already had valet/manager types in Bischoff, Liz, and Vincent. But because Dusty Rhodes in 1998 was not cool. Hall and Nash were hip - they wore their bandanas like Tupac and winked at the camera and called Zybysko a dinosaur and it was that attitude that may them appeal to 14 year olds. Dusty was not cool to any 14 year old in 1998. They let Dad hang out at the high school beer bash with Hogan and it was funny because Dad/Hogan went over the top with his new gimmick, but the fat, lisping Grandpa wearing Wranglers made no sense. What did they kayfabe gain from having him around? Bischoff was the nerd they let in because he had power. Vincent they let hang around because he was the bagman. Ted DiBiase was the money. Nick Patrick could help them cheat. What could Dusty do for them except help them beat Zybysko? Just so stupid to me.

Not worth being on the list, but as long as we're veering off into other guys that had really good matches with Rey, I'd put Cody Rhodes up there. Its the only match from WM27 I think I'd ever want to rewatch, though, I'll admit to not watching anything from that show since it happened.

Damn. I'm sure all the Shawn haters would be against this and I'm not even the world's biggest HBK fan, but I'd definitely loved to see that match-up. I doubt it happens, though, just cuz if Michaels wasn't coming back to fight Daniel Bryan, I'm not sure what would entice him to come back and fight AJ.

Mick's right. Based on fan response, the fans sometimes decide a woman flashing her chest in Section 137B is the main event - which is as it should be?

https://www.facebook.com/RealMickFoley/photos/a.150133228350157.28288.126269440736536/1440544925975641/?type=3 (includes picture) They'll "main event" like Lesnar/Ambrose "main evented" Wrestlemania, I reckon.

Is Paige still on Total Divas? I think she is. I'm also thinking that there's probably contractual stuff with E! that prevents her from filming another show. I only mention this because, if I was Bravo or really any other reality-centric channel, I'd be all over this shit. A reality TV show about this couple, her family, his ex-wife, their relationship with the WWE...I mean, honestly, there is not a single aspect of this story that isn't ridiculous drama.

SDL being on a hamster wheel with AJ/Ambrose and Ziggler/Miz heading into third rounds seems a bit tedious to me. Ziggler really needed to lose on Sunday (and come back at Rumble) and, playing Monday morning QB, considering the big main event at Survivor Series, you really could've run AJ/Kane with Bryan using his "pull" to make his old partner the number one contender (Ofcourse, this would go against the idea that Kane kayfabe ended Bryan's title reign in 2014, but since when does storyline continuity ever come into play with Kane?). Miz fending off midcard challengers or heading up a mixed Survivors team with Maryse and Usos against Swagger, Lynch, and Hyoe Bros would've been okay with me and could've led to some easy booking (Miz vs. Ryder, Maryse vs. Lynch, etc. aren't MOTYs but they would be fine as fun TV filler)

Same world class care they gave Punk? This whole situation is a dumpster fire. What I don't get is what the WWE has to gain by keeping/lose by releasing Paige. She's been off TV so long that her absence means nothing to the casual viewers. Last I checked, TNA, ROH, and LU were not even competition. I know she was popular once, but I'm willing to bet that between Bayley, Becky, Sasha, and even Charlotte, the Divas Revolution talent has made her irrelevant in terms of revenue anyway. Just release her and call it a friggin day. The WWE just looks petty doing this shit.

I'm not opposed to running Ziggler/Miz last, but it does seem a bit silly to open the show with the World Title match. Considering the ratings that the debate will draw and, according to Lance Storm's twitter (in another forum someone mentioned it, but i didn't check myself), Cena needing to make it somewhere on Monday morning, and the recent buzz around the Network changing into a tiered system, I actually think this is a fantastic opportunity for the WWE to really see if, promised what is likely to be the Match of the Night as your opener, more subscribers are actually gonna tune in live rather than watch later. I know I will be for the first time since Mania. (Of course, after the opener, I'll proceed to not watch the rest of the show and finish it Monday or Tuesday afternoon) I'd also add that this set-up will give Wyatt/Orton a better shot of getting a big reaction. Whenever Cena's been put in the middle of a show (like SummerSlam or the 2015 TLC&S), he's basically killed the crowd because nobody can really follow his act. Putting him on early might help because, even though I'm still guessing he'll get the biggest reaction of the show, the crowd will have more than enough time to get back into the show via Wyatt/Orton (I'm guessing that'll go on around 10:10) and Ziggler/Miz (which should go on around 10:30, right as the debate wraps up).

Anyone else hear the podcast with the blogger obsessed with Attitude Era? One of my least favorite eps, and I usually love Austin's show. I'm definitely jealous that this fan got to shoot the shit with Austin for 35 minutes, but it would sting less if he'd had any comments or questions that were actually thought provoking. His opinions weren't offensive or anything, just not interesting.

I'd agree. With Sheamus, you can look as recently as last year and say he was getting pushed above how over he was. With Miz, you have maybe the most consistent heat magnet in the company but the dude hasn't even sniffed a main event push since 2011. It's absurd that he wasn't at least put up against Ambrose during Ambrose's meh title reign this summer. Miz would have been a great opponent and would've made Ambrose seem more popular than he is, an area that was woefully exposed by how little anyone cared about Dean's SummerSlam match and how much AJ was cheered in their match last month.

I'm guessing/hoping that this will lead to Ziggler taken off TV till the Rumble. There's simply no reason for him to be around until then. Him being gone for good doesn't sound realistic, but 2 and a half months? Doable. I also plan on eventually writing a whole peice about how Ziggler has terrible luck when it comes to heel/face timing. For example, right now, AJ could really use another over babyface to feud with and there was a time when Ziggler could've been that guy...but he's not nearly as over as he once was and, based on his actions over the past year, he seemed to be inching towards a heel turn more than another hot babyface run. Of course, both RAW and SD are kind of chock full of heels right now so turning him won't help him a bit right now.