Ah, that's better. Our short national nightmare* is over. I'm so happy I'll start the Raw thread.
* new DB nickname?
So that was clearly the endgame all along, considering there was dissension in the Bryatt Fam from match 1, but was it accelerated a week based on the Michigan State basketball chants? If so, many thanks to them.
Well, it didn't hurt his reaction any. Wow. That was one of the best ever, like Bret/Luger '94 "let's change the Mania plans (that we at least think are the Mania plans)." Because it's kind of setting up Batista to not get the max reaction if people are chanting "Daniel Bryan" in his first couple months as a conquering hero.
I couldn't have been happier when the show started with the match and neither team did their full entrance. I knew right away that we were in the clear. But the subtle (is it a?) detail where Kane locked the door and held the key. Does Daniel Bryan have an inside man? Because I would be almost overcome with emotion.
Daniel caused the Wyatt Family to go 0-4 in matches and drop below the New Age Outlaws in the tag contendership, so all in all a pretty successful undercover mission.
A night of nice touches in general for all the people who wondered why Punk was teaming with Gamesmen.
Batista's little friend Rey Mysterio? Not last I saw!
Orton/Cena has cycled all the way around back to their first feud and attacking Mr. Cena. I think that means we're just a few months away from Randy putting Legacy together, then again we're already skipping ahead to "Kofi upsets Orton!"
Cena/Sandow was good, again. A tornado DDT! Bless him. Orton and Cena are kind of struggling with basic Del Rio/Big E cannon fodder here a couple weeks before the new biggest match in WWE history.
I'm not gonna do the "boo hoo a heel got bullied" thing but if you're going to have Big Show knock out Zeb Colter, maybe have him cut a promo or get heat or do anything remotely heelish before he gets bumped? Seriously, what a dick.
Hey it's Emma. So is it a strict 1 in, 1 out policy for the female roster? Can't wait for people to default-shriek about MOAR BAD MODELZ.
The boss raises a question I've been contemplating for some time.
Originally posted by CRZHow would you type the Wyatt Family smash cut? Is it like "d--!" which must be short for "duuuuuuh?"
Originally posted by Me two weeks agoWell, that show was well on its way to being an amazing show to end the year, and it still is, but the ending angle with the Wyatts is baffling beyond words. I can't imagine this sticks beyond next week (or beyond the PPV, if they decide to run with it for a bit), but it does create an interesting wrinkle for the Bryan character. If he comes out the week after the breakup to address the crowd and say, "I failed, but I vow to never surrender like that again," it could actually end up being really good for him.
Ok, it took TWO weeks, but I'd imagine we're headed down this path. That really is the next logical step for the character: acknowledge a moment of weakness, promise to grow from it, connect with the fans. It's a wonderful piece of character development for D-Bry.
Originally posted by JustinShapiroBut the subtle (is it a?) detail where Kane locked the door and held the key. Does Daniel Bryan have an inside man? Because I would be almost overcome with emotion.
I like this idea! The idea that this was Kane's revenge on the Wyatts and that he secretly instigated this whole thing. It's no more diabolical than him planning revenge on his brother for 16 years (and then promptly forgetting about it), so it makes sense from a character standpoint.
The rest of this show was a whole lot of nothing. It's awfully hard to get invested in Kofi Kingston, knowing that he's either going to get completely splattered by Orton next week or that he'll simply get jobbed out to somebody else and this will go down as yet another wasted opportunity to finally push the poor guy in a meaningful way. To be honest, I'd have rather seen Big E get this win, instead of having him eat an unnecessary pinfall last Friday.
Oh, dear God, the Outlaws! It's official. We're an X-Pac cameo away from officially timewarping back to The McMahon-Helmsley Regime. Does anyone still have Tori on speed dial?
Speaking of timewarps, it's nice to see that the writing team has completely given up on trying to give Cena/Orton any sort of original slant.
Originally posted by JustinShapiroBatista's little friend Rey Mysterio? Not last I saw!
I'd be immensely entertained if next week, Batista made his return and proceeded to one-up Del Rio by completely pounding poor Rey into a fine paste. A game of one-upsmanship over who can kill Rey the most.
"Playing guitars. It's hard to sing while playing...guitars."
Kane joined the Authority the night after Daniel Bryan was finally and definitively screwed out of the title at Hell In A Cell. Kane was previously kidnapped by the Wyatts. "The Devil" made them attack DB.
In an extra wrinkle, the Wyatts want to "bring down the machine". There have been whispers of the company seeing the Wyatts as faces in the longterm ever since they debuted. They never explained what happened with Kane and the Wyatts.
There are so many things here that, if they've just lucked into them, are astonishing coincidences. But a longform story where Kane is a)Bryan's inside man and b)using the Wyatts to bring out the monster in him would be fan-f'n-tastic.
Wither way, all bets are off until after the Rumble as to where Bryan is ending up at WrestleMania.
If they let Bryan win the Rumble and give him the championship at Mania, they might very well have their new Hogan/Austin/Cena in him, their new (goat) face of the company. Please, don't screw this up, WWE!
They booked him as a whiner on NXT and he always lost. They sent him away after he choked Roberts with a tie. They had him lose at Wrestlemania in seconds. They saddled him with a silly "anger management" gimmick. They piled a "weak link" gimmick atop that. They "built" him up for the Cena title match by constantly harping on him being a short underdog. They booked Orton and others to bone him out of the title three straight times. They had be submissive to Bray Wyatt
A normal man would've had his career Miz-zed by two-or-so of those instances. This magnificent bugger keeps rising above it and gets more popular. It's amazing
Hopefully Cena paid attention to the way his pops sold the beating and didn't quickly kick out of it. Mr. Cena could teach John a thing or two about selling.
Didn't care for Cena v. Sandow - everyone knows who's winning and it's not going to make Sandow look good. I guess I just need to give up hope on Sandow.
Kofi-Orton was also a waste. I don't believe they'll ever do anything with Kofi, and in the end THE champ loses clean (although somewhat flukey). I understand the angle advancement, but still...
For whatever reason the WWE decided to let Bryan turn on these guys, it was the right move. So, do we think Punk will get even with the New Age Outlaws or not?
The Wee Baby Sheamus.Twitter: @realjoecarfley its a bit more toned down there. A bit.
Well, I can't complain about them undoing the thing I hated, so I'll call this episode a win. A couple of other notes:
1. Cena pulled out a really cool half-nelson lift into a neckbreaker in his match that no one else seemed to notice. It was a cool move.
2. On the other hand, Roman Reigns gigantic flying kick got like four replays, and totally deserved all of them.
3. People are really down on Kofi going over, but anything that gets him more exposure and tv time is alright by me.
4. And finally, WWE, please take note. You do not need to hard-sell the WWE Network. Ten thousand ads are not a good use of your tv time. I and many others would be buying it RIGHT NOW if you let us. Your stupid countdown clock is making this worse than Christmas. Just let me know when I can give you money.
If anyone missed the ending, watch it here (wwe.com). Listen to that crowd. That's insane. He ended the show with the crowd in his thrall like HE was Bray Wyatt. I told you Bryan was fine (The W).
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Mind 1: That was a fantastic TV moment and should be final proof for anyone in the company that Bryan is the most over guy by a wide, wide, margin. He was conducting the chants! He literally got the crowd to slow down and match his cadence at the end without ever looking at them!
Mind 2: Strategically, not the greatest move by Bryan. Why not wait until the Rumble to reveal the truth when you could use the Wyatts to help propel you to the title shot, instead of guaranteeing three huge dudes out to specifically eliminate you?
Mind 3: When Bryan took off the jumpsuit, I was briefly hoping he would also reveal that he had been wearing a wig and giant fake beard all along.
Mind 4: They would be insane to have anyone but Bryan win the Rumble now, because it will kill the crowd no matter who else wins it if Bryan gets eliminated. Even if it's Batsita. (Especially if it's Batista?)
Mind 5: This mind worships the Elder Snake God.
Mind 6: On the other hand, this does feel like it could be leading to Hell No vs. The Wyatts at WMXXX, which feels like the worst possible waste of Bryan. Hopefully they blow that match off at Elimination Chamber first so Bryan can wrestle in the title match. (Or: alternate reading of Amos' post: if Kane is pulling all the strings, could it lead to Kane vs. Bryan?)
Mind 7: Let's just all be glad it wasn't the "John Cena saves Daniel Bryan and parades him around the ring at Wrestlemania" moment you know they considered.
Mind 8: JBL should have been far more concerned about Bryan and the Wyatts, since he himself was once beaten into submission and forced into joining an Doomsday Wrestling Cult. He should have been trying to help free and deprogram Bryan. Maybe he's repressed those memories and will eventually recover them with the help of therapy from Dr. Shelby, who is then revealed as the REAL "Devil" behind the Wyatts (note that the goat mask the kid at Dr. Shelby's office had is most likely made by the same person who makes Rowan's masks, and that Harper and Rowan are probably former asylum inmates - Rowan is still wearing his asylum outfit and Daniel Bryan had one ready in his size becasue he was briefly sent to the asylum after AJ tricked him - who Dr. Shelby freed to aid his greatest creation, Husky Harris, who - we must assume - was also placed in Dr. Shelby's care after CM Punk broke his will in Nexus 2.0 and Randy Orton gave him amnesia via punting, which briefly led a confused, concussed, vulnerable Harris to escape from a mental health facility in the newly-created persona of "Axel Mulligan" - who, of course, wore a mask not all that unlike a cross between Kane's classic mask and his boiler helmet - before Dr. Shelby re-captured him and conditioned him to be Bray Wyatt. Also, it only makes sense that Dr. Shelby was Kane's original therapist in the asylum all those years and it was he who brainwashed the Second Kane to attack Kane right after May 19th, the secret anniversary of the date that Kane accidentally singed Dr. Shelby's hair off. Oh, and who was forced into that Second Kane role? Another former mental patient, Festus. THIS FIRE STILL BURNS.)
Originally posted by JustinShapiro I'm not gonna do the "boo hoo a heel got bullied" thing but if you're going to have Big Show knock out Zeb Colter, maybe have him cut a promo or get heat or do anything remotely heelish before he gets bumped? Seriously, what a dick.
And definitely don't do it after he had a nervous breakdown for having to punch out Dusty. And Double Definitely (that's a real phrase, wiki it), don't do it the same night you want heat on Orton for hitting John Senior.
Originally posted by El NastioI keep on thinking about how they have that glass case with the mask in it. Only a matter of time before that breaks.
And leaps off the pedastal onto the face of Brad Maddox, who becomes the Devil's New Favorite Demon!
Most underrated work of the night: Cesaro's look of concern after Zeb got knocked out and Rollins' look of concern right into the commercial break when Punk took Reigns down outside the ring. Reigns is the breakout star and Ambrose is going to be amazing when they have him really let loose, but Rollins is selling the angle better than anybody else.
I don't know how anyone could be of the mindset that Zeb Coulter didn't do anything to deserve the punch from Big Show when he's pretty much been going on and on with his racist rants for how many months now? It's not really the same thing as being forced to punch Dusty Rhodes, who pretty much was appearing for the first time in many years.
Originally posted by Dr UnlikelyMind 6: On the other hand, this does feel like it could be leading to Hell No vs. The Wyatts at WMXXX, which feels like the worst possible waste of Bryan. Hopefully they blow that match off at Elimination Chamber first so Bryan can wrestle in the title match. (Or: alternate reading of Amos' post: if Kane is pulling all the strings, could it lead to Kane vs. Bryan?)
I am a huge sucker for emotional best-buds tag team reunion booking, so I would probably be okay with Hell No Vs. The Wyatts. I realise I am in the extreme minority on that one, however.
Originally posted by Dr UnlikelyMind 8: JBL should have been far more concerned about Bryan and the Wyatts, since he himself was once beaten into submission and forced into joining an Doomsday Wrestling Cult. He should have been trying to help free and deprogram Bryan. Maybe he's repressed those memories and will eventually recover them with the help of therapy from Dr. Shelby, who is then revealed as the REAL "Devil" behind the Wyatts (note that the goat mask the kid at Dr. Shelby's office had is most likely made by the same person who makes Rowan's masks, and that Harper and Rowan are probably former asylum inmates - Rowan is still wearing his asylum outfit and Daniel Bryan had one ready in his size becasue he was briefly sent to the asylum after AJ tricked him - who Dr. Shelby freed to aid his greatest creation, Husky Harris, who - we must assume - was also placed in Dr. Shelby's care after CM Punk broke his will in Nexus 2.0 and Randy Orton gave him amnesia via punting, which briefly led a confused, concussed, vulnerable Harris to escape from a mental health facility in the newly-created persona of "Axel Mulligan" - who, of course, wore a mask not all that unlike a cross between Kane's classic mask and his boiler helmet - before Dr. Shelby re-captured him and conditioned him to be Bray Wyatt. Also, it only makes sense that Dr. Shelby was Kane's original therapist in the asylum all those years and it was he who brainwashed the Second Kane to attack Kane right after May 19th, the secret anniversary of the date that Kane accidentally singed Dr. Shelby's hair off. Oh, and who was forced into that Second Kane role? Another former mental patient, Festus. THIS FIRE STILL BURNS.)
Elementary! Only one question: where does Wade Barrett's druid long con fit into all of this?
Originally posted by Dr UnlikelyMind 8: JBL should have been far more concerned about Bryan and the Wyatts, since he himself was once beaten into submission and forced into joining an Doomsday Wrestling Cult. He should have been trying to help free and deprogram Bryan. Maybe he's repressed those memories and will eventually recover them with the help of therapy from Dr. Shelby, who is then revealed as the REAL "Devil" behind the Wyatts (note that the goat mask the kid at Dr. Shelby's office had is most likely made by the same person who makes Rowan's masks, and that Harper and Rowan are probably former asylum inmates - Rowan is still wearing his asylum outfit and Daniel Bryan had one ready in his size becasue he was briefly sent to the asylum after AJ tricked him - who Dr. Shelby freed to aid his greatest creation, Husky Harris, who - we must assume - was also placed in Dr. Shelby's care after CM Punk broke his will in Nexus 2.0 and Randy Orton gave him amnesia via punting, which briefly led a confused, concussed, vulnerable Harris to escape from a mental health facility in the newly-created persona of "Axel Mulligan" - who, of course, wore a mask not all that unlike a cross between Kane's classic mask and his boiler helmet - before Dr. Shelby re-captured him and conditioned him to be Bray Wyatt. Also, it only makes sense that Dr. Shelby was Kane's original therapist in the asylum all those years and it was he who brainwashed the Second Kane to attack Kane right after May 19th, the secret anniversary of the date that Kane accidentally singed Dr. Shelby's hair off. Oh, and who was forced into that Second Kane role? Another former mental patient, Festus. THIS FIRE STILL BURNS.)
Elementary! Only one question: where does Wade Barrett's druid long con fit into all of this?
That's a completely different plan all together and it's ridiculous that you think that they could possibly be connected.
Originally posted by Dr UnlikelyMind 2: Strategically, not the greatest move by Bryan. Why not wait until the Rumble to reveal the truth when you could use the Wyatts to help propel you to the title shot, instead of guaranteeing three huge dudes out to specifically eliminate you?
This was the first thing I thought of. Whoever is writing WWE right now (Vince McMahon?) didn't really plot out the trajectory of this story very well. It would have made much more sense to block it out as a month-long story that paid off at the Royal Rumble, where Bryan used the Wyatts to clear the ring, then turned on them at the end. Would have been just as massive as what we saw last night, except have more meaning.
Now, this looks like it's setting up an excuse for his tragic elimination to get more heat on the Wyatts.
The visual of the crowd following Bryan's lead at the end was amazing. I just wish it came at the end of an actually meaningful story. I didn't even notice the use of Kane in the story until last night, and considering the Wyatts' involvement and how Kane just as willingly went with the McMahons as Bryan did, he must be an inside man. That is actually pretty good, subtle storytelling, which makes me think it's a complete accident that he's where he's at.
Then again, they keep cutting away to that mask...
Originally posted by Dr UnlikelyMind 2: Strategically, not the greatest move by Bryan. Why not wait until the Rumble to reveal the truth when you could use the Wyatts to help propel you to the title shot, instead of guaranteeing three huge dudes out to specifically eliminate you?
This was the first thing I thought of. Whoever is writing WWE right now (Vince McMahon?) didn't really plot out the trajectory of this story very well. It would have made much more sense to block it out as a month-long story that paid off at the Royal Rumble, where Bryan used the Wyatts to clear the ring, then turned on them at the end.
How does Bryan by himself get rid of the three Wyatts? The distrusting Harper and Rowan would chuck him first and then eliminate themselves to guarantee Bray gets the title shot.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Originally posted by Dr UnlikelyMind 2: Strategically, not the greatest move by Bryan. Why not wait until the Rumble to reveal the truth when you could use the Wyatts to help propel you to the title shot, instead of guaranteeing three huge dudes out to specifically eliminate you?
This was the first thing I thought of. Whoever is writing WWE right now (Vince McMahon?) didn't really plot out the trajectory of this story very well. It would have made much more sense to block it out as a month-long story that paid off at the Royal Rumble, where Bryan used the Wyatts to clear the ring, then turned on them at the end.
How does Bryan by himself get rid of the three Wyatts? The distrusting Harper and Rowan would chuck him first and then eliminate themselves to guarantee Bray gets the title shot.
There would be plenty of opportunities to eventually have one/both of Rowan or Harper eliminated to leave Bryan in there with Wyatt, giving Bryan the opportunity to remove his jumpsuit (and wig and beard). Ideal one: SHIELD counteract the four-man Wyatt group for part of the Rumble before Wyatts and others eventually pick off Ambrose and Rollins. Reigns eliminates Harper and Rowan by himself only to finally get taken out by Bryan and Wyatt, at which point Bryan reveals his ruse (or Kane enters and helps Bryan before Reigns takes him out) and eliminates a stunned Wyatt.
Follow this up with a SHIELD vs. Wyatt Family feud that finishes with a six-man Elimination Chamber match that Reigns wins, which finally sparks the SHIELD break-up three way ladder match at Wrestlemania for the US title.
King last night: "If you get the WWE Network, you can watch the night I beat Curt Henning for the AWA title!"
Uh, no, not yet, King. AWA stuff won't be available yet, which is why I'm waiting. I can't wait to watch those old Blackwell, Ventura, Crusher and Mad Dog matches.