Good show top to bottom. Say what you want about Cena, the dude is a company man and he proved it again by taking that beating he did tonight. I never expected the main event to go like that, but if Reigns is going to be the guy to knock off Lesnar, he's got a lot of work to do on his ringwork. Luckily for him, he's got a while until WrestleMania.
I thought the lumberjack match was a letdown, and was pretty impressed by the Stephanie/Brie match.
Lesnar holding the belt to Mania? I somehow doubt that. I doubt, we will see Brock til the next PPV or Christmas with his contract. Cena/Brock was a bad book for all involved minus Brock who will again make money while not really being with this company.
Steph. Christ. When exactly can this fucking Authority storyline end. I am not saying Brie Bella should end, but holy shit this is WCW at the end territory at this point.
Ambrose. Fucking Dean Ambrose is the future. Again, do they know this or not, who can tell. Reigns isn't. I feel bad for Wyatt/Jericho, this had the making of a hot feud and minus Jericho shockingly winning some matches, it really hasn't done much for Bray.
The WWE showed a lot of balls with that main event. Brock Lesnar killing people is a good way to convince me not let my Network subscription lapse. This is the first time where I was thinking wow this is awesome and the crowd wasn't chanting it.
If Brock can destroy Undertaker and Cena, how is The Authority going to control him and Paul Heyman? Do they dive that deep? Let's hope so.
Edit: I also liked Orton vs Reigns and Rusev vs Swagger. Steph vs Brie was okay, Steph ran rings around Brie in the ring.
I hated this entire show. I thought Reigns/Orton and Ambrose/Rollins were alright (although Ambrose/Rollins had about the shittiest finish they could think up for it), and everything else was just boring. Even the main event, I get the story they were trying to tell, but all we actually got was 16 suplexes. I'm glad Cole told us how many it was, because I was sure that it was about a thousand. It sure felt like a thousand. The whole match, like the whole show, was just dull, dull, dull, and about the worst possible motivation to get me to renew my subscription. In fact, if I was getting the network for the PPVs, it would have convinced me to cancel on the spot.
Have to agree with the assessment that it was a solid show top-to-bottom, with the main event being the obvious standout match. I imagine that was by design, and maybe that's why we got the underwhelming Ambrose/Rollins match that we got.
Full kudos to Stephanie for selling that shoulder right to the end. She didn't use the shoulder at all after the win, and let out a wince and an "OW" when HHH raised that arm. Great work! (Or maybe she legit tweaked it). That match was far better than I thought it would be, and Stephanie seemed to be wrestling with motivation and in-ring talent hitherto unseen.
Reigns is still a little too limited in the ring, though I thought Orton did a great job of working around the limitations and constructing a match that went long but didn't really drag. Oh, and that powerslam reversal to the first spear was a thing of beauty.
The many, many, many, many German suplexes thrown by Brock gladdened my cold heart. I'm ashamed to admit that I felt sadistic pleasure while watching that beating. Respect to Cena for doing what was needed.
BROCK SMASH!
In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws
And mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours!
Holy fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck what an amazing match. The first Cena vs. Lesnar was a spectacle, but this was like nothing I've ever seen before. Brock's all-time greatest working performance as The Brock Persona. Cena with an unprecedented sacrifice as a top babyface. That was just a masterpiece. If they'd been running with this Brock since JC/BL 1, there would've been a lot more heat for Brock/Taker. Revenge for The Nexus and any other time Cena overcame the odds. Nuff had finally been Cena. Blood Vomit Urine Repeat.
Last year's SummerSlam had the two classics as they rushed through a perfunctory undercard; this was the best undercard for a WWE PPV since I can't remember. Very much fit the SummerSlam '02 pattern of a succession of good, reasonable length matches. Inspired decision to make Reigns/Orton the cooldown buffer match instead of AJ/Paige.
Ambrose/Rollins got as much out of the jackstip as you could ever ask for. Well, except I thought when Kane sent everyone into the crowd that they were there to catch a massive balcony spot like Rollins had done in a couple recent PPV matches. Instead Rollins did almost none of his cool offense while Ambrose was a hero among heroes jumping on everything. Really cool stuff.
I'll give Romandy this, they had two or three superb spots there at the end. Cutting to the wide shot of the Roman Empire going ... moderately pleased with his landmark victory was a bigtime red alert as far as the Road to Wrestlemania. Same story as every PPV: listen to the reaction to Ambrose, listen to the reaction to Reigns, which one comes off like the guy on the cusp of greatness?
MAH GIRL Stephanie McMahon adding "entertaining non-wrestler match" to her increasing embodiment of Full Vince -- I'm talking prime working Vince who tore it up with Shane and Hogan, not the one who sadly couldn't carry Bret. It was Stephanie vs. Trish all over again. Tragic turn by Corporate Nikki, soon to become The Demon Nikki.
AJ/Paige will hopefully get even more time at Night of Women's Championship Match, but they did great. Paige has picked up steam in a hurry. Awesome finish, pleasant surprise that WWE will do a proper chase since they really like to thwart heels (see Usos/Wyatts). If only Taryn Terrell could come teach the divas how to work.
If the title change in AJ/Paige was a pleasant surprise, Dolph getting to win was just plain lovely. It was only, um, five scant years ago that Dolph first got on the map with a hot IC SummerSlam opener with Rey Mysterio. And after that half-decade journey, here we find him, getting to not have to job to the Miz. Cesaro losing to RVD balances out the sadness/why? scale, although that was a good match too.
Jericho/Bray was much improved -- Chris seemed to have studied the tape of Wyatt/Bryan Rumble for more than just the finish. For next month's match, he'd better lionsault the spiderwalk though.
Rusev's best match to ... boot. His selling was so good that his compromised aura made Jack Swagger's hopeful spots into the efforts of an actual patriotic hero. What a battle.
Hogan not only plugged the price of the Network we were already watching for that already agreed upon price, but he didn't bring out JoJo to sing the anthem. GTFO
This really is such an interesting corner that The E has put themselves into, because tonight made it so apparent that Brock Lesnar is, by far, galaxies above anybody else on the roster. And because The E has spent the past couple of years neutering anyone and everyone in the midcard, there is literally no viable opponent for Master of the Universe Brock Lesnar. You got the big money match from Cena, but you can't just put Brock up against a "not quite ready" Reigns or even a freshly-turned Orton, because there's absolutely no comparison between them. There's literally Brock Lesnar and Everybody Else, which in an odd sort of happenstance, really makes his part-time deal work in the company's favor, doesn't it? I mean, have we reached a situation where the company is literally hinging on Daniel Bryan making a successful comeback? Because that's going to be the absolute greatest David/Goliath wrestling story ever told.
But I digress, the match it self was just astonishing with everyone playing their parts perfectly. It was just so amazing to see that after such a long match, Brock simply gets up and laughs it all, daring Cena to charge him. And when Cena stupidly charged at him, Brock just POUNDED HIM INTO SILLY PUTTY WITH HIS BARE FISTS! It was such an incredible sight, just because it's so different from what we normally get from anything out of this company. Bonus points for Brock basically laughing off the shitty STF and dismissing it as the awful hold it is before PUNCHING CENA INTO OOZE SOME MORE!
There's Brock Lesnar. And then there's Everybody Else. The disparity between the two couldn't be any greater right now.
"Playing guitars. It's hard to sing while playing...guitars."
So, for the last couple of years, people have complained that the back and forth booking of Brock made him 'just another guy' and robbed him of his special aura. Now they've entirely rehabilitated him in two matches by doing the impossible (breaking the Streak and squashing Cena like a bug) and...some people are still complaining, because Brock is now too special and nobody seems like a viable contender. Sometimes, WWE really is damned if they do, damned if they don't.
I think the plan is pretty obviously to set up Brock to hold the title until WM where he can be dethroned by Roman Reigns to finally put him over the top. And I'm honestly okay with that as the plan and think it could even work.
If Daniel Bryan doesn't come back.
Because if Daniel Bryan comes back and doesn't win the Rumble and/or get the title match for the belt he never actually lost, then Roman will get the full Batista treatment. Maybe worse, since he doesn't even have the cushion of Batista's previous success, so it could actually sink him entirely.
To me, other than Roman, there are three options to take the belt from Brock:
Daniel Bryan - Already mentioned, ultimate underdog, but has already shown that he can beat all of Evolution by himself in one night.
Dean Ambrose - The currently rising hero of the people, takes and sells a beating like nobody's business, psycho enough to spit in Brock's face and not be afraid of him.
CM Punk - Obviously, this is the least likely option, given the current state of affairs, but Punk coming back, winning the Rumble and getting his win back from Brock at the biggest stage of them all would go over just fine with everybody, I think, even Daniel Bryan fans. And then you get Punk/Bryan for Summerslam.
Who knows what's coming? They laid their plans out last year at Summerslam and expected to end up with Batista standing tall at WM before the fans revolted. There's plenty of time for things to change.
(edited by GodEatGod on 18.8.14 0140) "Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien
Seth Rollins is now holding a contract for an opportunity to be brutally murdered at the time of his choosing.
Pretty great show overall. Doubly so for me since I watched almost none of the buildup and the matches still told great stories.
Man, I would LOVE it if the Brock reign lasted past Wrestlemania. Hell, let him destroy anyone and everyone until they've figured out who the chosen one is to take him down.
Maybe it's because I don't watch Raw week in and week out, but I'm really starting to love The Authority. Steph was GREAT tonight.
I need to rewatch Jericho/Wyatt, since I pretty much only saw the finish.
PS3 stream kinda sucked, but no major meltdowns. My subscription renews on 8/24, and I think this show did just enough to keep me around.
Oh, and I think I only missed the Paige/AJ match in my predictions, so, WOO!
Ladies and gentlemen, the following public service message is brought to you by your friends from D-Generation X, who would like to remind each and every one of you that if you're not down with that, we've got two words for you... Good show, good matches all around, SCHIZO as hell booking. The Nikki turning heel thing is as Russo-riffic as I said it was in the predictions thread because it's just not going to have heat, and that's even if they involve Cena. People cared about Steph/Brie because they were the fill-ins for Trips and Daniel Bryan, and there's no way they're going to be able to transfer that to a Brie/Nikki feud. I never understand why WWE will look a gift horse in the mouth (if the Bellas had beaten Steph clean and had their moment, that would've been the BIGGEST takeaway for a face on this show - yes, Dolph Ziggler fans, it's true) and punch it away for absolutely no reason.
Other decisions that sucked: Swagger losing again. Even though the match was good without any context other than that moment, when you consider the feud as a whole, that was the kind of booking they should have done for LAST month's match. The way things went then, they'd painted themselves into a corner where Swagger had to win - now what do they do with him? It's another example of WWE looking a gift horse in the mouth (Swagger being over for the first time ever) and throwing it into a fire.
Not as offensive (even though I thought the wrong person won) was the lumberjack match. Man, we all thought that it was going to be a disaster when they announced the stip, and instead they made it compelling and pretty much the show-stealer of the night. With Ambrose up in the air for the next month because of his movie, I thought it was better to give him the win and then have Rollins escalate it, but we'll see where things go from here.
And then there's the main event - a FABULOUS bit of booking in the moment (and one that will hopefully SHUT THE CENA HATERS UP FOR GOOD, because if ANYONE ever complains about the Superman routine again I'm just gonna point to this), but one (as I pointed out in the predictions thread) fraught with problems. They booked Brock so strongly (far beyond what I expected) that not only is having him drop the belts next month not an option any more, but it would cheapen things if they do split the belts as I advocated for - but eight months of RAW and house shows without a champion is as NOT feasible to the money counters as it was last week. What will they do? If nothing else, it isn't as disgustingly offensive an outcome as the fallout of LAST year's Summerslam was...
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
I will say that was the best, most entertaining lumberjack match I can remember.
The whole show as pretty good. Rusev selling like a champ was great. Main Event was almost identical to Undertaker/Lesnar at Wrestlemania, what with Lesnar just up and crushing the hell out of his opponent.
So Reigns, who does the superman punch, the spear, and the floating apron dropkick, is going to pin Brock "I don't really have to sell any of that noise since I sit up from the AA like the Undertaker" Lesnar? Get out of town with that nonsense. Reigns is cool and all, but if we're going to compare him to anything he's still just Ryback without having people chanting Goldberg at him. Lesnar, on the other hand, could legitimately break Bruno Sammartino's streak and nobody would bat an eye.
"Laugh and the world laughs with you. Frown and the world laughs at you." -Me.
Ladies and gentlemen, the following public service message is brought to you by your friends from D-Generation X, who would like to remind each and every one of you that if you're not down with that, we've got two words for you...
Originally posted by LexusSo Reigns, who does the superman punch, the spear, and the floating apron dropkick, is going to pin Brock "I don't really have to sell any of that noise since I sit up from the AA like the Undertaker" Lesnar? Get out of town with that nonsense. Reigns is cool and all, but if we're going to compare him to anything he's still just Ryback without having people chanting Goldberg at him. Lesnar, on the other hand, could legitimately break Bruno Sammartino's streak and nobody would bat an eye.
Which is why GodEatGod is totally right - Daniel Bryan is probably the best choice, from a wrestling standpoint, from a storyline standpoint (in both the "David vs. Goliath" sense and the "bringing the Authority feud full circle" sense), and from a pretty-much-everything-else standpoint to be the one to slay the giant. I already see Reigns heading for trouble with the fanbase in the fall, Ambrose has the potential but has a ways to go to get there, and Punk isn't coming back short of WWE making an on-camera apology to him for the way he was treated (and I'm not even sure if that would be enough).
Hopefully it doesn't take until the week after the last PPV before Wrestlemania for them to realize it this time. (Let's trust that things will go as hoped and Bryan will be ready to return for the Rumble.)
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
Well that was a wonderful show. 8 matches, 8 terrific finishes (worst one was what, Rollins/Ambrose?) that paid off what (little) buildup they've done and made me interested in where they'll go next. I did not see the pre-show and it sounds like ignorance there is bliss.
Lesnar. Wow. The main event hit all the right notes. Do they crown an interim champion while Lesnar holds the belt? Or is he going to work every Monthly Special? Or will the unthinkable and totally indefensible happen next month?
Surprised they put the IC title on Ziggler just as Miz is getting hot (hell, I'm surprised they had Mary Sue Black basically blow off Miz's whole don't-touch-my-face gimmick on Smackdown), but I say good call. The other title may be disappearing, champs make titles, people care about Ziggler, and the people who care most about him basically expect him to lose 100% of his matches so every successful defense will be a big deal for a while.
I'm annoyed they didn't reveal that the flag match was simply a normal match with an anthem at the end. That cost some of us an easy win in the prediction contest. And poor Swagger. But that was totally the right finish - they can't feud forever, and we need heels. Then again, is Rusev's next opponent Cena? And if so, gosh, isn't it a bit early for the Rusev face turn? Or will love of country conquer love of telling Cena he sucks?
I watched in a movie theatre with a pretty good cross-section of fans (barely any kiddies, but a decent number of earnest Cena fans regardless), and the reaction to Reigns' win was pretty tepid there too. It's funny to think of Orton, a onetime golden boy whose gimmick last summer was Face of WWE, as the kind of charisma-void mechanic appreciated by the smarkier precincts. And yet it sounded like half the LA crowd was cheering him out of respect at the end. Reigns did fine, but I sense storm clouds gathering. He's at 0.18 Bootista and rising.
Originally posted by Texas KellyAnd then there's the main event - a FABULOUS bit of booking in the moment (and one that will hopefully SHUT THE CENA HATERS UP FOR GOOD, because if ANYONE ever complains about the Superman routine again I'm just gonna point to this), but one (as I pointed out in the predictions thread) fraught with problems.
Agreed. If anyone complains about SuperCena again, I'm going to point to this as well, and Bryan last year, and that time Khali squashed him, that time Sheamus beat him shortly after his debut, and when Batista beat Cena at SummerSlam, and when HBK beat him on RAW, and when The Rock beat him, and when HHH beat him at Night of Champions.
I had a great time at the event. I made my WWE PPV debut tonight and am on screen during Swagger's intro chanting "U-S-A!" like I always wanted. I'll have to check it out tomorrow.
The Lumberjack Match I really enjoyed, because they actually made the Lumberjacks an integral part of the match, and broke away from the ring for a good portion of it. I was kinda hoping Ambrose would duplicate Seth Rollins' dive off the top of the entryway onto him, but it was still a great brawl. I wish Ambrose won, though.
Rollins now gets to be the first MITB briefcase holder too scared shitless to cash it in. Yeah, other heels have chickened out before, but Rollins is especially in the position of the briefcase potentially being more of a burden than an asset.
I agree with others and I don't think Stephanie needed to win that one, and the Nikki turn felt unnecessary. I thought it would have been funnier, and made even less sense, if Brie turned on Nikki and let Nikki take the fall for her.
So, we're all in on Brock. Can't wait to see how this all plays out over the next few months. The last time we had a champ who hardly showed up for over 6 months was Hollywood Hogan in '97, and that only worked because they had the super-hot nWo vs WCW, DDP vs Savage, and Horsemen vs Hall and Nash feuds to headline cards in Hogan's absence. WWE needs things that are white hot if Brock isn't going to be appearing on every PPV.
And if the little taste we got when Bryan got injured earlier this year is any indication, WWE is really going to have to up its game. People are going to need to be elevated big time outside of Brock in feuds that don't need belts. Let's see if they pull it off.
Ladies and gentlemen, the following public service message is brought to you by your friends from D-Generation X, who would like to remind each and every one of you that if you're not down with that, we've got two words for you...
Originally posted by SKLOKAZOIDI was kinda hoping Ambrose would duplicate Seth Rollins' dive off the top of the entryway onto him
I was waiting for that too, or at least a dive onto the lumberjacks. Was so bummed when it didn't happen, but maybe they're saving it for a rematch.
Originally posted by SKLOKAZOIDAnd if the little taste we got when Bryan got injured earlier this year is any indication, WWE is really going to have to up its game. People are going to need to be elevated big time outside of Brock in feuds that don't need belts. Let's see if they pull it off.
I have ZERO confidence in them being able to, hence my previous advocacy for a split of the belts. But stuff like Nikki turning and Swagger losing are a sign that WWE isn't content with low-hanging fruit, even if they stumble into it by accident.
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
Originally posted by Texas KellyOther decisions that sucked: Swagger losing again.
While I believe at one point I actually yelled "DO IT JACK," I think Swagger only losing to Rusev by count-out and pass-out are actually victories for him and his standing. Rusev is being saved for one of the two big fish so he's not going to lose to Swagger, but he the people was originally going to get rolled last month to set up Rusev vs. Big Show. Instead he gave him his greatest challenge and died defending this nation.
Now, will he still be that over against anyone besides Rusev, probably not, but I'm glad they ran with that program. At least he'll have the chant to fall back on as he fights for America against, uh, Rybackistan. Hey wait, maybe they shouldn't have already sacrificed Cesaro in the build-up to this match.
Originally posted by HeimsThen again, is Rusev's next opponent Cena?
I started thinking it was about time. After Lesnar beat him up last time, he was about to feud with Tensai...
Hey wait, is this the worst year of John Cena's career again? Disgraced by Lesnar, failed to get the titles back from Orton, saw his girlfriend join the Authority (see, she's mad at Brie because she has a husband), and allowed Bray Wyatt's essence to escape the cage and infect the whole world, the ramifications of which we live with to this day.
Originally posted by HeimsMary Sue Black
<3
Originally posted by SKLOKAZOIDPeople are going to need to be elevated big time outside of Brock in feuds that don't need belts. Let's see if they pull it off.
In normalsville you would think Cena almost has to go away for a month to pay off the obliteration and Heyman's warning/spoiler, but we said that last time too.
I'd like to think this is why Ziggler got his head above water again, but at the same time: Cesaro. Could be Dolph just benefited from a card with so many heel wins.
Brie had to lose for the sake of the Bella Twins. A Brie win would have made them an afterthought: Brie's role would be "valet for absent guy," and Nikki would be her sidekick, and together they'd be jobbers to Paige and AJ? They're much better off feuding with each other. I guess you could have had Brie win this time, Steph demand a rematch next month (only $9.99) and Nikki turn then. Yeah... actually, I think that would make some sense. Still, I'm content to see this as building up Steph for the inevitable showdown with AJ in a couple years.
Swagger had to lose because his ultra-patriotic babyface gimmick is a dead end. (Hooooooo!!) I think it's Zeb who's over moreso than Swagger, and anyway, take away Rusev and they're both dead in the water. Swagger's going to go beat Miz and Rollins and Orton and Wyatt and Lesnar in the name of America and we the people? Maybe Cesaro, leading to a double-turn? It's so much more natural for faces to defend the honor of America against Rusev than it is for American heels to act ridiculous to make a one-note babyface gimmick work. Of course, they could have avoided this whole conundrum by just making it an actual Flag Match and having Swagger eke out a gutsy win by making Rusev a one-legged man, but...
(EDIT: way to beat me to that whole paragraph, Justin)
So we now have to take Paul Heyman at his word whenever he says that Brock Lesnar is gong to do something, right? Wow. I've never seen anything like that and it was exactly what I wanted. They had so many opportunities to take the usual way out, but they pushed through that bullshit like Brock after an FU. I said out loud, to myself because i was the only one awake to watch it, "this is awesome" just before the crowd started chanting "boring". Which led to my understanding of the wwe forcing #9.99 down our throats; the Universe, by and large, is stupid and needs their collective hands held. Up to that point, I was burning with rage every time they pushed The Network and its price point. But now I get it. If the crowd can't appreciate a truly epic Cena beat down, I don't know if they can truly appreciate anything good. Highspots don't always = This Is Awe-Some. But good storytelling always does.
I'm very happy about Ziggler. But confused why they bothered to put the IC title on Miz in the first place.
Poor Cesaro. His new gimmick seems to be the guy who gets overconfident and loses to people he has no business losing to. Or they have no clue what to do with him anymore and have Orton throw feces at a wall with a giant "win" poster and a giant "lose" poster and go with whichever gets more shitstained after five minutes.
I strongly dislike Yellin' Paige. I don't know. She's good, AJ's a fantastic bump machine and made Paige look even better, but I can't get behind the Yellin'. It's probably just me though. The lesbian tendencies were just strange and I'm terrified to see what she looks like without eye makeup.
I agree that Reigns is going to get shit on eventually if he doesn't grow. I hope he succeeds to the highest level, but he's been complacent in his development and needs a run with the US Title more than Sheamus. Right now, Ambrose is the guy. The crowds are realizing it more every week and that's what will be Roman's downfall.
Stephanie McMahon, who hasn't wrestled in 10 years, looked light years better than Brie Bella, full-time wrestler and one half of the focus of Total Divas. I don't know if that says more about Stephanie's dedication or the quality of Divas.
Originally posted by LexusSo Reigns, who does the superman punch, the spear, and the floating apron dropkick, is going to pin Brock "I don't really have to sell any of that noise since I sit up from the AA like the Undertaker" Lesnar? Get out of town with that nonsense. Reigns is cool and all, but if we're going to compare him to anything he's still just Ryback without having people chanting Goldberg at him. Lesnar, on the other hand, could legitimately break Bruno Sammartino's streak and nobody would bat an eye.
Which is why GodEatGod is totally right - Daniel Bryan is probably the best choice, from a wrestling standpoint, from a storyline standpoint (in both the "David vs. Goliath" sense and the "bringing the Authority feud full circle" sense), and from a pretty-much-everything-else standpoint to be the one to slay the giant. I already see Reigns heading for trouble with the fanbase in the fall, Ambrose has the potential but has a ways to go to get there, and Punk isn't coming back short of WWE making an on-camera apology to him for the way he was treated (and I'm not even sure if that would be enough).
Hopefully it doesn't take until the week after the last PPV before Wrestlemania for them to realize it this time. (Let's trust that things will go as hoped and Bryan will be ready to return for the Rumble.)
...Wait, who from WWE has confirmed that Daniel Bryan was slated to go over huge weeks prior to WrestleMania 30?
Anyhow, I almost have to agree with the sentiment that there's Brock and there's everybody else at this point. The only figure that could come back and be a believable contender to Lesnar is Undertaker wanting revenge or good ole' Smirkin' Cena.
"Laugh and the world laughs with you. Frown and the world laughs at you." -Me.
This is the closest Vince is going to get to getting his own Mike Tyson big ticket, kill em all drawing card. The problem was mentioned earlier who is credible enough to throw at him or who do we want to watch get destroyed while believing they have an outside shot at winning?
It's a short list. Cesaro should be leading off here, but oh well I guess. Orton just got done losingva bunch and not getting out of his own way. Rusev looks strong, but not sexy. Sheamus would be good for a round or two. Bray taking a shot because he is crazy would be fun. Ambrose going at him guns blazing only to fall short should happen at some point, especially if the end game is Reigns.
Then either Reigns saves the WWE, or Cena comes back Rocky Balboa style. I can't see Bryan ever facing Brock.
Thread ahead: Impact Wrestling 8-20-14 Next thread: Good News Abt Daniel Bryan: May Return at Survivor Series Previous thread: WCW Prime: August 19, 1996
Yeah, and WWE isn't the WWF in 1995. The WWF in 1995 was a diminished company recovering from Vince McMahon's years long battle with the US government over his steroid trial and most of the top stars from the 80's defected to WCW.
Thread rated: 5.95
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