Wow, no Smackdown! thread and it's the next day already? I'll post my thoughts I guess, then.
HHH wants to punish Damien Sandow by having him do a (clean) job to the Shield. At least he's on TV again. After the match, the Shield pretend they're still heels and give Sandow a big triple-beatdown, but since they're doing it to a heel, the crowd loves it! Afterwards Ambrose headbangs to their music.
The tag match between the Rhodes Bros and the Real Americans seemed mostly there to continue the "Americans' Big Break-up" angle. Interesting end to the match where Cody was denied the desperation tag, preventing Goldust from coming in all 'house of fire' style, and managed to work out a finish on his own. That broke the usual script of 'face in peril, can he make the tag--yes he does! Here comes (partner's name) like a HOUSE OF FIRE!'
Bray Wyatt (aka the wrestling Charles Manson) had a match against Kofi, though the fact that they didn't announce beforehand who he was even facing left the match not at all in doubt. If Kofi wasn't already a perpetual jobber at this point. They did have a decent match at least, but the announcers totally failed to put Kofi over, spending the whole time talking about Cena and even comparing Kofi unfavorably to the 'Great One' (Cena WISHES he could work a match as well as Kofi).
Bad News Barret has to have the largest podium in all of sports-entertainment
I half paid attention during the Divas match. One of the Bellas (the one with the big boobs) is #1 contender apparently. If it's not Emma, I'm not interested.
Alberto del Rio jobbed to Mr Show Off. It was one hell of a match, I especially liked Ziggler's MASSIVE dropkick to a descending Del Rio. He got major air on it and looked pretty stiff. Ziggler with the Zig Zag and that's all the wrote. Ziggler in a program with a good worker? Sure beats jobbing to the stars.
Main event was Kane vs the Big Show. The Shield have been looking like they'll stay together and just turn face, since they refuse Kane's orders to intervene in his match (not that he needed the help at that point in the match) and let the Big Corporate Machine get chokeslammed.
I messed up the date ... that's what I get for doing this half-asleep and a little high Tried to delete the post but it didn't work. Ah well.
It airs on the 13th outside the US so I think you're g... oh. Well. Our dating system is inexact.
I'm delighted they're fitting in this Shield babyface run before they split. It would've been cooler if they'd done the official rejection of the Authority in a higher stakes scenario than a Smackdown match between Kane and Big Show, but their dissent has been a treat.
A strange thing has happened with Dolph Ziggler ever since the Batista match. He started winning matches again. Must've been one hell of a pep talk from Aaron Paul. I am pulling for him to win the battle royal, which is turning into not that much of a demotion to be in since they're putting real names into it and not just the leftovers. It's like half-MITB, half-dark match. In lieu of some kind of Shield vs. Kane, Harper, and Rowan hodgepodge, I'd be fine with the Shield being in the battle royal and going down to the final 3. Then you get their match without giving away the match yet.
Cesaro and Swagger doing the Bret and Bad News split in the BR also would've been fine, but as of this episode I guess they were positioned back with the tag teams. If they have to do the Usos vs. Outlaws in some form, I would definitely prefer to see them joined by the Rhodes and Americans.
Originally posted by Blind_Guardian(Cena WISHES he could work a match as well as Kofi).
"Cena can't work" is still something people believe? Just off the top of my head & fairly recently, Cena/Lesnar, Cena/Bryan, Cena/Cesaro, and multiple Cena/Punk matches would argue otherwise, as would numerous other good/great matches over the course of his career.
The segments with the Shield were great. Dean refusing to do the first bump because he wanted more carnage..then doing the bump and sorta headbanging to their theme (with Reigns commenting on it) was the highlight of the night. Decent night of action, nothing spectacular but solid. I did notice that for once the commentators weren't complete tools with AJ there (and she didn't have to kill them for it) though it was funny when she ignored the 'total divas' question, only for Cole to repeat it and her mentioning how she skillfully worked around answering it the first time.
Originally posted by JustinShapiroI'm delighted they're fitting in this Shield babyface run before they split. It would've been cooler if they'd done the official rejection of the Authority in a higher stakes scenario than a Smackdown match between Kane and Big Show, but their dissent has been a treat.
This whole thing has mostly been playing out on Smackdown for some reason, but it's all been great. I'm surprised there was no Smackdown thread two weeks ago when they did the SHIELD summit, which has been one of the best things they've done this whole WrestleMania season. Rollins making his case while Reigns looked conflicted and Dean Ambrose stood around making Dean Ambrose faces, until they finally all came together as a unit was spectacular, and now we're getting the face run, like you said. (By the way, I never realized how much I wanted a SHIELD face run until it became a possibility. These guys are surprisingly fun to cheer.)
As for what to do with them at WM, fighting Kane+2 seems the most likely. I hadn't considered Harper and Rowan, but there are a lot worse options. Personally, I was thinking they either do a call-up for the Ascension (whose gimmick seems tailor-made for hanging around with Kane) or a repackaging of some midcard guys. The Miz, maybe?
The rumor is they are going to move Ascension up to have them face Shield at Mania.
(edited by lotjx on 16.3.14 0901)
I know Cleveland is where dreams go to die. Yet, tonight Cleveland, I need you to be at your best. I need you to remember every John Elway Playoff TD that eliminated you from the Super Bowl. I need you to remember all those Jordan wins. I need to you remember Art Moddell and him taking your Super Bowl winning team that bolted to Baltimore. Keep that hate bottled up and then when HHH or Orton or Cena or Batista makes some what is best for business speech just unload on him like he was Art Moddell or Jordan or Elway. Because tonight, its all up to you and as a great man once said " I believe, Essa, I believe." This Steel City kid believes in your ability to convey your vast disappointment in everything. I believe.
I wish I lived in Cleveland so that I could answer this call. This call for heroes. This call by a hero.
Originally posted by Blind_Guardian(Cena WISHES he could work a match as well as Kofi).
"Cena can't work" is still something people believe? Just off the top of my head & fairly recently, Cena/Lesnar, Cena/Bryan, Cena/Cesaro, and multiple Cena/Punk matches would argue otherwise, as would numerous other good/great matches over the course of his career.
He's not 'Hogan in WCW'-level bad, but to paraphrase JBL, he's no Kofi. He can turn it up in high-profile matches and when he has a good opponent, but a lot of his regular RAW matches come off as boring and formulaic. Granted, he also has a slower and more forceful style than someone like Kofi, who's more fun to watch.
Anyways, I agree that we're probably gonna see Kane and two guys versus the Shield at 'Mania. I'm glad they're not breaking up yet, as sick as I got of them when they first debuted. It felt like they were a little bit TOO protected, even for monster heels. When they do split up I can see Rollins and Reigns as faces who tag team sometimes, with Ambrose turning into a comedic heel with those amazingly weird faces he makes.
Originally posted by Blind_Guardian(Cena WISHES he could work a match as well as Kofi).
"Cena can't work" is still something people believe? Just off the top of my head & fairly recently, Cena/Lesnar, Cena/Bryan, Cena/Cesaro, and multiple Cena/Punk matches would argue otherwise, as would numerous other good/great matches over the course of his career.
He's not 'Hogan in WCW'-level bad, but to paraphrase JBL, he's no Kofi. He can turn it up in high-profile matches and when he has a good opponent, but a lot of his regular RAW matches come off as boring and formulaic. Granted, he also has a slower and more forceful style than someone like Kofi, who's more fun to watch.
Anyways, I agree that we're probably gonna see Kane and two guys versus the Shield at 'Mania. I'm glad they're not breaking up yet, as sick as I got of them when they first debuted. It felt like they were a little bit TOO protected, even for monster heels. When they do split up I can see Rollins and Reigns as faces who tag team sometimes, with Ambrose turning into a comedic heel with those amazingly weird faces he makes.
I get what you're saying, but what separates Kofi from Cena is that Kofi can be that "enhancement talent" that can bump like a machine and make anyone look golden and at a moments notice can be seen as viable in a high profile match. Cena can work a crowd so well that I actively look forward to mixed crowds just because I know he'll handle them. Ultimately, they both help everyone get fed: Cena brings people to the table, Kofi dishes up serious flavor, though the associated glory with each task varies (regardless of each men's record against Randy Orton on TV of late...)
Comedic heels in the WWE rarely work unless they win. A lot. Like Kurt Angle at his height in the WWE, or Edge and Christian. Miz at times when he had the belt. Daniel Bryan when he first got the World Title and first started teaching people to shout "yes" would be the most recent example I can think of.
"Laugh and the world laughs with you. Frown and the world laughs at you." -Me.
I think Ambrose is more likely to be an over-the-top psycho heel. As a babyface, though, I think he's actually shown a lot of potential with his mouth responses to Kane.
I personally would much rather watch Cena than Kofi, but I've been in the minority on Kofi for a while (same with Ziggler, who I never saw anything worthwhile in). He's fine for big spots and athleticism, but I can't remember a single match he's had as being anything that special, while I could name a dozen Cena matches like that off the top of my head. Part of that is certainly opportunity, but Kofi's been around quite a while to have such a quietly dull resume (outside of the yearly Royal Rumble/MITB spots).
"Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien
Originally posted by GodEatGodI think Ambrose is more likely to be an over-the-top psycho heel. As a babyface, though, I think he's actually shown a lot of potential with his mouth responses to Kane.
I personally would much rather watch Cena than Kofi, but I've been in the minority on Kofi for a while (same with Ziggler, who I never saw anything worthwhile in). He's fine for big spots and athleticism, but I can't remember a single match he's had as being anything that special, while I could name a dozen Cena matches like that off the top of my head. Part of that is certainly opportunity, but Kofi's been around quite a while to have such a quietly dull resume (outside of the yearly Royal Rumble/MITB spots).
I actually love Dolph Ziggler. I meant Zack Ryder here. It was very late and, apparently, I was unable to even remember Zack Ryder's name, I dislike him so much.
"Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien
Ok, it's been a while, but I can finally catch tonight's show on time! Let's get to it! Hey, it's Walking Tall! That's the movie starring the guy main eventing some other company's PPV, right? PREVIOUSLY ON IMPACT WRESTLING!