The Min Report – A look at the week just gone…
This week I’ve watched both Raw and SD before penning some notes. To be honest I’m not sure it’s gonna work and think it’s better to get thoughts on Raw out there earlier and then Smackdown (if I care enough later in the week). But hey you don’t know unless you try. What I’m learning here is that unless you’re a play by play writer (I’m not – you’ve already watched it, it would be a waste of all our time to just repeat what happened minute by minute), structure is kinda pointless – if there’s comment to make I’ll do it…probably.
Anyway, this weeks Raw kinda trundled along for me, but weirdly I’m kinda excited about stuff again now. Hey, I’m old skool, I like the slow burn. Potentially lots of great things in the pipeline as long as it builds well. For me it’s times like this that it’s a shame we have to have so many PPV’s as somewhere a rush pay off is undoubtedly gonna be added. But let’s wait and see eh? *baits breath, crosses fingers*
Smackdown has gotten some mixed feedback it seems but again for me I really enjoyed it. Yes there were no real backstage, or out of the ring elements…but I didn’t miss it. Consequently the edit seemed kinda strange sure, but for me it was good just to see WRESTLING, and to see stars building stories IN THE RING. That’s been too lost for me for some time. A great mic worker is fine, but SD this week shows that it’s not essential to keep a build going. Some stories need it, some don’t. I’m more excited about the fatal 4-way now because nothing has been over talked of yet – even the commentators have been relatively quiet about what’s been happening. They’re drip feeding their thoughts and I think the show is stronger for it. All my scenario expectation is purely though what I’ve seen in ACTION, and that’s great for me. If Over The Limit had been last night, I’d have been happy to watch it and happy with any outcome. Quite frankly I don’t care who wins the title at OTL – all the 4 talents are performing well and seem to be developing great chemistry together. I’m gradually seeing a strange upping of the game in the ring over the past couple of weeks that we rarely see so soon post-Mania. Simm likes this.
General thoughts…
CM Punks opening promo on Raw
A GREAT promo from Punk on Raw. Let’s not forget Laurinaitis’ input here though – by his standards this was pretty good. He’s built up a decent amount of irritable heel heat and is a worthy antagonist for the faces to the rub against now. But I digress…Punks promo here was immense. He put over Brock, Cena, and Tensai is one promo here. Anyone can remember a script sure, but when it comes with the conviction that Punk delivers, and obviously from the mouth of someone who is respected as a WRESTLER, its great for business. The Japan link was well used here too. I liked this a lot. Nice to see WWE not hiding to quote Punk ‘revisitionist history’ here and allowing us to know, that they know, that we know where stars have been and come from. Good stuff all round. Very refreshing.
My love/hate relationship with Eve
No, she can’t act. Yes, the role she’s playing is stupid. But damn that woman gets hotter and hotter every week, and the addition of the specs only continues to ruin my pants. Anyone else think that she looked so much better like this in the corner of a Ziggler or a Cody though?
The Paul White debacle
We’ve just come away from a mini-story about the WWE rulebook, yet every time I see Big Show, I’m reminded that his finisher is a closed fist. Love the consistency here WWE. Or do we assume that any match Big Show is in, is actually no DQ? Staying with Show, why did he not make an effort to get Cody back in the ring on Raw? He knows the rules. I never understand this booking where challengers are ‘happy’ to allow champs to walk out, and just stand there to take the count out win. Well done doofus, you just wasted your rematch. This angle with Show and JL is silly too – anyone else had enough of ‘you’ll be fired’ storylines? Side note here for SD – Daniel Bryan was fucking immense in this short match. His facial expressions and timing are worth triple whatever his contract is.
But he’s not all bad…
Jokes aside about kids opinions on wrestling etc, take a look at the face of the (I presume cancer patient) kid who gets Big Shows’ beanie on Raw. Awesome. If that doesn’t keep you coming back to work with a smile I dont know what will. Yes they contradict themselves with the BA Star stuff etc (Punks opening promo a prime example actually), and yes there’s more than a small element of social responsibility promotion for the shareholders here, but you gotta love WWE for this. Top stuff.
ZigSwag and Trufi Kingston at OTL
Ziggler v Kofi on Raw – nice match, good chemistry. And likewise with Truth v Swagger this week. I understand that that they are working the tag feud between them but let’s just see them in tag comp against up and coming tags instead (and have the challengers/champs) at commentary or something. Otherwsie we never get to see the TEAM looking really strong as a unit. It goes back to what I said last week about squashing jobbers – gives them experience on TV, keeps the big stars looking strong, and raises questions about what might happen when big stars finally go up against big stars.
I know why it’s done this way, but I’m always torn with it. No biggie – at the end of the day if it helps their chemistry come OTL then I guess I’m fine with it. I’d expect to finally see a Zig Swag break up after that and feud til MITB. Cue Mason Ryan involved with Ziggler, and Primo/Epico moving back in the tag title hunt – both under tutelage of Washington. That’s what I’d like to see anyway. Ziggler can cut it in the ring with anyone, but I’d love to see his heel persona really being built up but making him so untouchable because he’s hidden behind 2 guys.
The Miz and Chris Jericho
Are WWE so hard up nowadays that some stars are having to share costumes?
More on WWE consistency!
CM Punk this week to Big Johnny – “You’re stupid. You’re ugly. And you have no friends.” Remember kids, BA Star kids and rise above bullying!
REDUNDANT SIGN ALERT!!!
During Raw, the camera alluded to a fan during Punks entrance who held a sign stating, “CM Punk is straight edge”. Well thanks for that. On tonight’s Raw she’ll be there again folks. She’ll be bringing the following signs; “Big Show is tall”, “Tensai is bald”, and my personal favourite, ” Sheamus is ginger”.
Sheamus – The World Heavyweight…Champion?
Speaking on the ginger one, what’s happening here? Does anyone care that he’s the champ? I don’t have a problem with Sheamus – I think he’s a great worker, and had been in some great matches – he’s just kinda in limbo at the moment for me, and that’s not where a champion should be. The Daniel Bryan hangover is still evident here – WWE thought he’d be a massive face but unfortunately adults like the YES man, and kids are probably frightened of what might happen if Ronald McDonald and Annie had a lovechild. There’s nothing to hate about him particularly, but there’s nothing to like either at the moment. It’s all a bit stale. Takes a good RKO though to his credit. I’d like to see him go uber heel at OTL one way or another – opportunity is there in a fatal 4 way as it’s no DQ. Looking forward to this one as I said earlier – could go either way of the 4 and still ‘make sense’.
Even more continuity issues!
In a week where Triple H has been apparently selling his arm everywhere he goes, Cena faced Kane and defeated him in a dark match after Raw having appeared ‘via satellite’ earlier in a sling, claiming he was not medically cleared, and was having his armed ‘drained’ every day. Never has there been a better use of, “Really?” Every child in that area now thinks Cena is a lying sack of shite. Hang on, did I say this was a bad thing earlier? More of this please!
On the subject of Cena, I’m currently offering odds of 7/2 on WWE using his divorce in a storyline soon. In hindsight, I bet he wish he’d have fucked Eve and not just snogged her now. Maybe he did. I guess we’ll never know. Although this is proper funny after Rock’s pre-Mania comments now – now that IS great continuity! Maybe Rock will return next with a Magic 8 ball? Ironically Eve is often heard in the same sentence as the phrase ‘Wizard’s sleeve’ too. She shares the cloak with Kelly Kelly.
Punk v Tensai on Raw
Main event seemed a little slow to me. Ruining of the baldo-bomb didn’t help sureAppreciate that a Punk/Tensai feud is imminent. While I know Tensai needs to look strong, this is still a bit too ‘clean’ for me. Punk made a point of putting over Matt Bloom in his promo so I hope when they do face off properly, he’s allowed to show the depth we know he’s developed in Japan. It’s looking all the more likely here that Punk may not get a decent feud with Bryan…yet at least. Do I smell Bryan winning title at OTL, after interference from Tensai? Punk/Tensai feud restults from this and then we get Punk/Bryan later? Works for me. I’m happy to wait so that we get a bigger Punk/Bryan match further down the line. That said, while I think Jericho is involved in the Heavyweight title match to mainly ensure it all moulds well, I won’t be surprised if he wins the belt…he could STILL come back to wave that belt in PUNKS face remember or vice versa – I don’t think its the last of the Jericho BEST IN THE WORLD mantra just yet.
PAUL FUCKING HEYMAN!!!!!!
Did you think I’d forget this? You know I’m a Paul Heyman guy after all. And oh how I do love this guy. Such power on the mic; delivery of belief and conviction. A different crowd would have given him sooooo much a better pop – the one he deserves – but thats by the by. He still did the job. He commanded attention and respect from the crowd – allowing younger fans to go with the boos, and the ‘WHAT’s, while the older generation sat captivated as if it was the opening night of ECW. Despite the announcement, this wont be the last we see of Heyman and Lesnar of course…and I cant wait to see how this builds. Very exciting. On this note I finally got round to reading Death Clutch this week. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who needs reminding that Lesnar is all about business nowadays. What we see on screen is what he’s paid to be guys. Nothing more, nothing less.
Looking forward to Raw tonight…
Simm Minogue
