TNA Impact Wrestling Review - February 27th, 2014
Although most people were watching WWE's NXT Arrival tonight, I don't have the WWE Network, so I stuck with what I usually watch on Thursday nights, TNA Impact.
The show starts off with a great confrontation/contract signing between Samoa Joe and Magnus. MVP held this contract signing and kept control of it for the most part. This was a really good segment with exceptional mic work from both Joe and Magnus. Good way to start the show.
1) The Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) vs. Bad Influence (Kazarian & Chris Daniels) vs. The Bro Mans
Well, here we have a triple threat tag team match with two awesome teams (Bad Influence & Wolves) and those Bro Mans guys. The Wolves & Bad Influence did most of the work here and it was very fun to watch. It went about 10 minutes or so and was filled with good action. The Bro Mans get the cheap victory. Meh. Enjoyable match, but I would have preferred to have Bad Influence win and get on Roode's team. The Bro Mans just don't do much for me.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
WWE Raw Review - February 24th, 2014
WWE Raw Review - February 24th, 2014
Hulk Hogan opens the show with a bang. He says a few words and announces that he's hosting WrestleMania 30. Short, but sweet segment. Good way to start the show and get the crowd fired up.
1) Batista vs. Alberto Del Rio
To be completely honest, this was better than their match last night at Elimination Chamber. It flowed much better. This still wasn't that great of a match though. The crowd was completely behind Alberto Del Rio mainly because they hate Batista so much. Orton comes out and distracts Batista allowing Del Rio to pick up the victory.
Match rating - 5/10
2) Big E vs. Cesaro
Wonderful match here between two young outstanding atheletes. Big E had a great match with Swagger last night and did the same here with Swagger's partner, Cesaro. It was a very physical back and forth contest. It went around 15 minutes and was quite enjoyable. The ending is the only thing that kinda ruined it for me because I don't like when matches this great end in a DQ, but it made sense storyline wise so I'll let it side. Really good match.
Hulk Hogan opens the show with a bang. He says a few words and announces that he's hosting WrestleMania 30. Short, but sweet segment. Good way to start the show and get the crowd fired up.
1) Batista vs. Alberto Del Rio
To be completely honest, this was better than their match last night at Elimination Chamber. It flowed much better. This still wasn't that great of a match though. The crowd was completely behind Alberto Del Rio mainly because they hate Batista so much. Orton comes out and distracts Batista allowing Del Rio to pick up the victory.
Match rating - 5/10
2) Big E vs. Cesaro
Wonderful match here between two young outstanding atheletes. Big E had a great match with Swagger last night and did the same here with Swagger's partner, Cesaro. It was a very physical back and forth contest. It went around 15 minutes and was quite enjoyable. The ending is the only thing that kinda ruined it for me because I don't like when matches this great end in a DQ, but it made sense storyline wise so I'll let it side. Really good match.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Why Daniel Bryan Will Win the Elimination Chamber Tonight
When I posted my predictions for Elimination Chamber yesterday, many people were skeptical about my choosing of Daniel Bryan to win the Chamber match. Hell, I was even skeptical to pick him, but I honestly think it will happen. I'm writing this column to clarify why I picked him to win. There are several things that played into my choice.
First off, The Royal Rumble PPV last month was a disaster. After the opening match, the crowd hijacked the show with chants for Bryan and turned on fan favorites like John Cena, Rey Mysterio and Batista. You know what happened, so there's no need for me to go into a discussion about it all over again. My point is, WWE can't afford to have that happen again and unless Bryan wins, I see no way around the fans being extremely disgruntled once again.
It's pretty obvious John Cena won't win because he's rumored to be headed towards a feud with The Wyatt Family, so I expect them to interfere in the match. That eliminates him. Christian.. well, it's pretty obvious he won't win because WWE even contemplated having him taken out of the Chamber match altogether. Sheamus hasn't been positioned to get a victory this Sunday whatsoever either. That leaves three men, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, and Cesaro.
Cesaro is a wildcard in this match up. I think he very well could give the performance of the night here. I highly doubt that WWE would give him the title though and I don't blame them. Don't get me wrong, I'm a massive fan and supporter of Cesaro, but this Sunday isn't the right time for him to be crowned champion. Especially since we're going into WrestleMania 30. That's just not a time to experiment with putting a new guy on top.
That leaves Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan. I think they will be the final two in the match and I don't see any way around Daniel Bryan winning. If Orton wins clean, it would kill Bryan's momentum going into WrestleMania which is something that I don't think WWE wants to do. That means, if Orton is going to win, it would have to be by some sort of interference.
There's no way that WWE could have Daniel Bryan get screwed out of the title because of interference again. It's happened WAY too many times. If Kane or Triple H interferes in this match, we will see a repeat of what happened at the Royal Rumble. The crowd will riot.
Now more than ever, WWE doesn't want the fans to be disgusted with the product. The WWE Network is launching tomorrow along with one of the biggest Raw's ever as Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar and possibly Shawn Michaels will be appearing. Now is not the time for WWE to pull some sort of shenanigans that put the most popular guy in the company at the bottom of the todum pole yet again
WWE wants the crowd to be happy and ecstatic with the product so they will purchase the WWE Network and tune into Raw tomorrow night. What better time to finally crown Daniel Bryan champion then tonight? The fans will get what they have wanted for nearly 6 months now and they will likely be more inclined to buy the WWE Network.
The official Road to WrestleMania really kicks off tonight as the stage will begin to be set for the biggest show of the year. Does WWE really want to be scrambling around trying to deal with an aggravated audience like they were after the Royal Rumble? Do they want more legends like Mick Foley calling out the company for not giving fans what they want at such a crucial time in the company's history? No. They don't. That's why tonight at the Elimination Chamber, I believe Daniel Bryan will FINALLY become WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Agree? Disagree? Tweet me your thoughts and predictions @StylesClashx on Twitter!
First off, The Royal Rumble PPV last month was a disaster. After the opening match, the crowd hijacked the show with chants for Bryan and turned on fan favorites like John Cena, Rey Mysterio and Batista. You know what happened, so there's no need for me to go into a discussion about it all over again. My point is, WWE can't afford to have that happen again and unless Bryan wins, I see no way around the fans being extremely disgruntled once again.
It's pretty obvious John Cena won't win because he's rumored to be headed towards a feud with The Wyatt Family, so I expect them to interfere in the match. That eliminates him. Christian.. well, it's pretty obvious he won't win because WWE even contemplated having him taken out of the Chamber match altogether. Sheamus hasn't been positioned to get a victory this Sunday whatsoever either. That leaves three men, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, and Cesaro.
Cesaro is a wildcard in this match up. I think he very well could give the performance of the night here. I highly doubt that WWE would give him the title though and I don't blame them. Don't get me wrong, I'm a massive fan and supporter of Cesaro, but this Sunday isn't the right time for him to be crowned champion. Especially since we're going into WrestleMania 30. That's just not a time to experiment with putting a new guy on top.
That leaves Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan. I think they will be the final two in the match and I don't see any way around Daniel Bryan winning. If Orton wins clean, it would kill Bryan's momentum going into WrestleMania which is something that I don't think WWE wants to do. That means, if Orton is going to win, it would have to be by some sort of interference.
There's no way that WWE could have Daniel Bryan get screwed out of the title because of interference again. It's happened WAY too many times. If Kane or Triple H interferes in this match, we will see a repeat of what happened at the Royal Rumble. The crowd will riot.
Now more than ever, WWE doesn't want the fans to be disgusted with the product. The WWE Network is launching tomorrow along with one of the biggest Raw's ever as Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar and possibly Shawn Michaels will be appearing. Now is not the time for WWE to pull some sort of shenanigans that put the most popular guy in the company at the bottom of the todum pole yet again
WWE wants the crowd to be happy and ecstatic with the product so they will purchase the WWE Network and tune into Raw tomorrow night. What better time to finally crown Daniel Bryan champion then tonight? The fans will get what they have wanted for nearly 6 months now and they will likely be more inclined to buy the WWE Network.
The official Road to WrestleMania really kicks off tonight as the stage will begin to be set for the biggest show of the year. Does WWE really want to be scrambling around trying to deal with an aggravated audience like they were after the Royal Rumble? Do they want more legends like Mick Foley calling out the company for not giving fans what they want at such a crucial time in the company's history? No. They don't. That's why tonight at the Elimination Chamber, I believe Daniel Bryan will FINALLY become WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Agree? Disagree? Tweet me your thoughts and predictions @StylesClashx on Twitter!
Saturday, February 22, 2014
WWE Elimination Chamber 2014 Predictions & Analysis
WWE Elimination Chamber 2014 Predictions
Elimination Chamber is actually the first PPV that I've been excited about since SummerSlam last year. Hopefully this means WWE is headed back into the right direction. They built towards this PPV very well. New stars are being pushed and showcased in various matches, great stories are being told, all things in WWE are pretty great right now. I think this Sunday will be an all around awesome show. These are my predictions for what will happen.
Kickoff Show:
Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. Ryback & Curtis Axel
Since losing their Tag Team titles, Cody Rhodes & Goldust have been on a bit of a downward spiral. Sadly, I believe it continues here. WWE needs to continue building more tag teams and I think that Ryback & Axel should go over on the former tag team champs here. I think Ryback & Axel will bend the rules and escape with a victory, setting up more between the two teams and potentially leading to a four team match at WrestleMania for the Tag Titles.
Who I think will win - Ryback & Curtis Axel
Main Show:
1) Big E Langston (c) vs. Jack Swagger
I don't think there is any chance that Langston will retain his championship here. I think Swagger will win and start acting stuck up which lead to a feud between himself and Cesaro. Simple as that. Although the outcome seems predictable, I think this will be one hell of a hardhitting match up.
Who I think will win - Jack Swagger
2) Batista vs. Alberto Del Rio
This is probably the only match on the card that I'm not looking forward to on the card.
Elimination Chamber is actually the first PPV that I've been excited about since SummerSlam last year. Hopefully this means WWE is headed back into the right direction. They built towards this PPV very well. New stars are being pushed and showcased in various matches, great stories are being told, all things in WWE are pretty great right now. I think this Sunday will be an all around awesome show. These are my predictions for what will happen.
Kickoff Show:
Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. Ryback & Curtis Axel
Since losing their Tag Team titles, Cody Rhodes & Goldust have been on a bit of a downward spiral. Sadly, I believe it continues here. WWE needs to continue building more tag teams and I think that Ryback & Axel should go over on the former tag team champs here. I think Ryback & Axel will bend the rules and escape with a victory, setting up more between the two teams and potentially leading to a four team match at WrestleMania for the Tag Titles.
Who I think will win - Ryback & Curtis Axel
Main Show:
1) Big E Langston (c) vs. Jack Swagger
I don't think there is any chance that Langston will retain his championship here. I think Swagger will win and start acting stuck up which lead to a feud between himself and Cesaro. Simple as that. Although the outcome seems predictable, I think this will be one hell of a hardhitting match up.
Who I think will win - Jack Swagger
2) Batista vs. Alberto Del Rio
This is probably the only match on the card that I'm not looking forward to on the card.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Change Time in WWE - Part 2: The Future Stars
Change Time in WWE - Part 2: The New Wave of Superstars
by Ethan Lewis
I feel that the people in this list will bring a new life to WWE in the coming years and change it for the better. These men and women have the talent and ability to take WWE to new heights which it hasn't seen in years. Without further a due, let's take a look at the future stars of the WWE.
Daniel Bryan
He's undeniably the most popular wrestler on the WWE roster. Note that I called him wrestler, not a 'superstar'. Daniel Bryan brings an aspect that has been vague in WWE for awhile and that is outstanding pure wrestling. His fast paced, technical, and submission style is very fun to watch. That combined with his undeniable ability to get over with the crowd via his "Yes" chants is what makes Bryan special. As I said before, he is the most popular guy on the roster right now and did so without the help of WWE. They didn't push him to be the top guy or the most popular guy, the people annointed him as the top guy by supporting him throughout the past year. If WWE capitalizes on his current popularity, I think Bryan will be a top star in WWE for many years to come. He most definitely deserves to be. I can only imagine how many awesome matches Bryan will put on over the next several years.
Roman Reigns
The dark horse of The Shield, Roman Reigns, has made an impact on his own over the past few months by breaking numerous records. He tied the record for most eliminations in a Survivor Series match and shattered the record for most eliminations in the Royal Rumble. Although he's technically still a heel, the crowd has began supporting him by chanting his name each week. It's only a matter of time before WWE turns him face and we will begin to see the rise of Roman Reigns. His family heritage (cousin of The Rock) and impressive in ring skills almost guarantee Roman a huge career in WWE. At first, I wasn't really a fan of him, but he has began to win me over. Unlike many "big" guys, he isn't stiff and delivers every time he's in the ring. I believe that Roman could possibly be the biggest star in this new era of wrestlers. I see him having multiple World Title reigns and possibly even becoming the face of the company.
Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes has been around for awhile, but his career has really began to hit its peak as of late.
The dark horse of The Shield, Roman Reigns, has made an impact on his own over the past few months by breaking numerous records. He tied the record for most eliminations in a Survivor Series match and shattered the record for most eliminations in the Royal Rumble. Although he's technically still a heel, the crowd has began supporting him by chanting his name each week. It's only a matter of time before WWE turns him face and we will begin to see the rise of Roman Reigns. His family heritage (cousin of The Rock) and impressive in ring skills almost guarantee Roman a huge career in WWE. At first, I wasn't really a fan of him, but he has began to win me over. Unlike many "big" guys, he isn't stiff and delivers every time he's in the ring. I believe that Roman could possibly be the biggest star in this new era of wrestlers. I see him having multiple World Title reigns and possibly even becoming the face of the company.
Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes has been around for awhile, but his career has really began to hit its peak as of late.
Monday, February 17, 2014
WWE Raw Review - February 17th, 2014
WWE Raw Review - February 17th, 2014
by Ethan Lewis
The show started off with an entertaining in-ring segment involving all of the participants in the Elimination Chamber.
1) Daniel Bryan vs. Christian
Really good match to start the show. Christian seemingly turned heel by attacking Bryan before the match started and slamming him into the steel steps. Christian targeted Bryan's shoulder throughout the match by applying various submission holds targeting it. The most impressive manuever in this match was Christian's manuever off the second rope that looked similar to Jeff Jarrett's move, the stroke. Solid contest to open the show.
Match rating - 7/10
2) Daniel Bryan vs. Kane
Two Bryan matches in one night is normally a good thing, but in this case it wasn't. This was nothing more than Kane beating down Bryan until he got DQ'd.
3) Fandango vs. Santino Marella
I feel like we've seen this match way too many times. The only thing I really enjoyed here was Emma and Summer Rae. They had a confrontation on the outside of the ring where Emma swung Summer around on her shoulders. Can't wait for a feud between the two. Didn't like what seems to be the start of a romance between Emma and Santino though. Give Emma her own music that she uses in NXT and put her in a feud with Summer Rae with the winner getting a Divas Title shot. That's how I'd book it.
4) Roman Reigns vs. Mark Henry
Another quick match here with Reigns showing his strength by defeating Henry. It was mainly about furthering storylines though as this once again established Roman as the leader of the Shield. The Wyatt Family came on the screen afterwards and Bray cut an epic promo. The Family then came down to the ring for an epic faceoff with The Shield before leaving.
5) Jack Swagger vs. Kofi Kingston
These two had really good chemistry in the fatal fourway on Smackdown last week, so I expected this to be quite enjoyable. It was a solid match even though I didn't last too long. It was still a good contest.
Match rating - 6/10
6) Big E Langston vs. Drew McIntyre & Jinder Mahal
Surprisingly this wasn't a complete squash match and I actually enjoyed it. It was quite physical as Langston got his mouth busted open. There were several dangerous bumps in this match as well. Not only did Mahal & McIntyre get in some good offense, Zeb Colter talked through the whole thing taunting Big E, which was hilarious. So this segment/match was an enjoyable one that continued a solid build towards Langston vs. Swagger at Elimination Chamber.
Match rating - 6/10
7) John Cena vs. Cesaro
I've been wanting to see this match for quite some time. It certainly lived up to and even exceeded my expectations for it. Cena and Cesaro tore the house down in a match that went atleast 20 minutes. If you missed this match, it's something you need to see because it is incredible. Uppercuts galore, some awesome counters and Cesaro finally got to swing Cena! Best match of the year in WWE so far for me. Simply awesome.
Match rating - 9/10
8) The Wyatt Family vs. Los Matadores & Sin Cara
This was a pleasantly surprising match. It kept a good pace and had some cool spots. I actually somewhat enjoyed this one, even though I didn't expect to. The new Sin Cara (Hunico) is very talented and he had a good exchange with Harper here. Fun match.
Match rating - 7/10
9) Billy Gunn vs. Jimmy Uso
Quick match that was mainly made to advance storylines. Good stuff with Jey and Road Dogg on commentary. Usos go flying after the match.
10) Randy Orton vs. Sheamus
Sheamus and Orton had alot to live up to with this match as Cesaro and Cena put on a classic earlier in the night. I must say, Sheamus and Orton put on a solid match up. It wasn't as good as Cena vs. Cesaro, but it was still one hell of a match. The best spot was seeing Orton suplex Sheamus through the announce table. You could tell these guys were working hard to put on a match just as good or better than Cena and Cesaro's bout. They weren't able to do so, but they still put on a solid contest.
Match rating - 7.5/10
The Sheamus/Orton match never ended as The Shield attacked them. Then all hell broke loose as Cena, Bryan, Cesaro, and Christian ran down. Then The Wyatt Family hit the ring and we had a huge brawl to close the show.
Overall thoughts: Tonight's episode of Raw had some awesome moments, but it also had some very dull ones. Cesaro vs Cena was an amazing match, Sheamus vs. Orton was really good and so was Bryan vs. Christian. The rest of the matches range from bland and boring to just regular TV matches. As far as storyline development goes, WWE is doing a phenomenal job at the moment. I'm actually excited for the Elimination Chamber PPV! Solid go-home show that did it's job of making people want to buy Elimination Chamber. The Cesaro/Cena match was a HUGE plus. Check it out if you missed it, along with the main event and ending.
by Ethan Lewis
The show started off with an entertaining in-ring segment involving all of the participants in the Elimination Chamber.
1) Daniel Bryan vs. Christian
Really good match to start the show. Christian seemingly turned heel by attacking Bryan before the match started and slamming him into the steel steps. Christian targeted Bryan's shoulder throughout the match by applying various submission holds targeting it. The most impressive manuever in this match was Christian's manuever off the second rope that looked similar to Jeff Jarrett's move, the stroke. Solid contest to open the show.
Match rating - 7/10
2) Daniel Bryan vs. Kane
Two Bryan matches in one night is normally a good thing, but in this case it wasn't. This was nothing more than Kane beating down Bryan until he got DQ'd.
3) Fandango vs. Santino Marella
I feel like we've seen this match way too many times. The only thing I really enjoyed here was Emma and Summer Rae. They had a confrontation on the outside of the ring where Emma swung Summer around on her shoulders. Can't wait for a feud between the two. Didn't like what seems to be the start of a romance between Emma and Santino though. Give Emma her own music that she uses in NXT and put her in a feud with Summer Rae with the winner getting a Divas Title shot. That's how I'd book it.
4) Roman Reigns vs. Mark Henry
Another quick match here with Reigns showing his strength by defeating Henry. It was mainly about furthering storylines though as this once again established Roman as the leader of the Shield. The Wyatt Family came on the screen afterwards and Bray cut an epic promo. The Family then came down to the ring for an epic faceoff with The Shield before leaving.
5) Jack Swagger vs. Kofi Kingston
These two had really good chemistry in the fatal fourway on Smackdown last week, so I expected this to be quite enjoyable. It was a solid match even though I didn't last too long. It was still a good contest.
Match rating - 6/10
6) Big E Langston vs. Drew McIntyre & Jinder Mahal
Surprisingly this wasn't a complete squash match and I actually enjoyed it. It was quite physical as Langston got his mouth busted open. There were several dangerous bumps in this match as well. Not only did Mahal & McIntyre get in some good offense, Zeb Colter talked through the whole thing taunting Big E, which was hilarious. So this segment/match was an enjoyable one that continued a solid build towards Langston vs. Swagger at Elimination Chamber.
Match rating - 6/10
7) John Cena vs. Cesaro
I've been wanting to see this match for quite some time. It certainly lived up to and even exceeded my expectations for it. Cena and Cesaro tore the house down in a match that went atleast 20 minutes. If you missed this match, it's something you need to see because it is incredible. Uppercuts galore, some awesome counters and Cesaro finally got to swing Cena! Best match of the year in WWE so far for me. Simply awesome.
Match rating - 9/10
8) The Wyatt Family vs. Los Matadores & Sin Cara
This was a pleasantly surprising match. It kept a good pace and had some cool spots. I actually somewhat enjoyed this one, even though I didn't expect to. The new Sin Cara (Hunico) is very talented and he had a good exchange with Harper here. Fun match.
Match rating - 7/10
9) Billy Gunn vs. Jimmy Uso
Quick match that was mainly made to advance storylines. Good stuff with Jey and Road Dogg on commentary. Usos go flying after the match.
10) Randy Orton vs. Sheamus
Sheamus and Orton had alot to live up to with this match as Cesaro and Cena put on a classic earlier in the night. I must say, Sheamus and Orton put on a solid match up. It wasn't as good as Cena vs. Cesaro, but it was still one hell of a match. The best spot was seeing Orton suplex Sheamus through the announce table. You could tell these guys were working hard to put on a match just as good or better than Cena and Cesaro's bout. They weren't able to do so, but they still put on a solid contest.
Match rating - 7.5/10
The Sheamus/Orton match never ended as The Shield attacked them. Then all hell broke loose as Cena, Bryan, Cesaro, and Christian ran down. Then The Wyatt Family hit the ring and we had a huge brawl to close the show.
Overall thoughts: Tonight's episode of Raw had some awesome moments, but it also had some very dull ones. Cesaro vs Cena was an amazing match, Sheamus vs. Orton was really good and so was Bryan vs. Christian. The rest of the matches range from bland and boring to just regular TV matches. As far as storyline development goes, WWE is doing a phenomenal job at the moment. I'm actually excited for the Elimination Chamber PPV! Solid go-home show that did it's job of making people want to buy Elimination Chamber. The Cesaro/Cena match was a HUGE plus. Check it out if you missed it, along with the main event and ending.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
ROH TV Review - February 15th 2014 & PWX TV Recap - Lethal vs. Alexander
ROH TV Review - February 15th, 2014
by Ethan Lewis
1) Michael Bennett (w/ Maria Kanellis) vs. The Romantic Touch (Rhett Titus)
Decent opening match, but nothing special. It was fun little bout to open the show, but what I enjoyed more than the match was the promo that Maria cut before hand. It really came across as a shock to me, because in WWE she played a ditzy character, but here she showed that she has alot of talent. Great opening promo from Maria as well as Michael Bennett. The match was nothing more than average though.
Match rating - 5/10
2) The Briscoes vs. Matt Hardy & Adam Cole vs. Chris Hero & Michael Elgin
I was really looking forward to this match up, especially since they gave them around 20 minutes. The elimination stipulation added interest as well. On top of that, Nigel McGuinness added to the stipulation that whoever pins or submits Adam Cole will get a title shot. It starts off pretty slow, but eventually picked up. Mark Briscoe gets the hot tag and goes after Matt Hardy. Hero then tags himself in, but Mark continues kicking ass as he is delivers an elbow drop off the apron onto Hardy.
by Ethan Lewis
1) Michael Bennett (w/ Maria Kanellis) vs. The Romantic Touch (Rhett Titus)
Decent opening match, but nothing special. It was fun little bout to open the show, but what I enjoyed more than the match was the promo that Maria cut before hand. It really came across as a shock to me, because in WWE she played a ditzy character, but here she showed that she has alot of talent. Great opening promo from Maria as well as Michael Bennett. The match was nothing more than average though.
Match rating - 5/10
2) The Briscoes vs. Matt Hardy & Adam Cole vs. Chris Hero & Michael Elgin
I was really looking forward to this match up, especially since they gave them around 20 minutes. The elimination stipulation added interest as well. On top of that, Nigel McGuinness added to the stipulation that whoever pins or submits Adam Cole will get a title shot. It starts off pretty slow, but eventually picked up. Mark Briscoe gets the hot tag and goes after Matt Hardy. Hero then tags himself in, but Mark continues kicking ass as he is delivers an elbow drop off the apron onto Hardy.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
WWE Week In Review (February 9th - February 15th)
WWE Week In Review: February 9th - February 15th
This week in WWE started off with Raw on Monday Night. The show started off very good with some quality matches including The Wyatt Family taking on The Rhodes Bros & Rey Mysterio and Sheamus & Christian taking on Swagger & Cesaro. Raw kept a good pace until around the top of the third hour when I became pretty dull and started to lag. This all changed however when Orton and Cena stepped foot in the ring and delivered a solid match up to close the show.
Also on Raw, Lita was announced as the next inductee into the Hall of Fame. I was ecstatic at this news as were most fans. Speaking of the Hall of Fame, Scott Hall has been teasing that he would be inducted this year. It would be another nice addition as this year's class is already stacked.
The past few weeks, Smackdown has undeniably been better than Raw. This week continued that tradition as the show was filled with quality matches and great storyline development. In short, it was an awesome show. It was headlined by Randy Orton vs. Antonio Cesaro. Be sure to check out my full review of the show if you missed it.
As far as match quality goes, this week has been great in that department. It was actually hard to choose only five matches for the matches of the week segment this week, so I would like to give an honorable mention to the opening match on Raw which was The Wyatt Family vs. Cody Rhodes, Goldust, & Rey Mysterio. Bray reversing the 619 into Sister Abigail is alone worth watching this match. Now onto the matches of the week:
Matches of the Week:
5) Randy Orton vs. John Cena
I actually enjoyed this match much more than I thought I would. It was a really good bout that most people overlook simply because they're tired of Cena and Orton. While I'm also tired of them, you can't deny that this was a solid contest. As far as in-ring work goes, Orton is in his prime. He's been putting on quality matches for weeks now against Bryan, Christian, and others. Really good match up.
4) Jack Swagger vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Mark Henry - #1 Cont. IC Title Match
What helped make this so good was the fact that we haven't seen a fourway match in such a long time. It was very enjoyable and fast paced. Much better than I expected. I figured Henry would slow this match down a bit, but he put in a solid effort here as well. The outcome made this all the more special for me. Fantastic fatal four way.
3) The Shield vs. Sheamus, Christian, & Daniel Bryan
Yet again, The Shield put on an outstanding six man tag packed full of action. This one really broke down near the end as we saw Bryan get the hot tag, duck a clothesline from Rollins, dive outside onto Reigns, then Rollins dives outside onto Bryan. Back in the ring the remaining guys in the match begin exchanging finishers and big moves. Great match.
2) Sheamus & Christian vs. Jack Swagger & Cesaro
Wonderful tag team match here. This match got around 15-20 minutes and I'm so glad it did because this was fantastic. Near falls, good exchanges, lots of action, and much more. Swagger & Cesaro prove once again why they are two of the best guys on the roster. Sheamus shows he's still in his prime and Christian proves that he's still got it. Awesome match.
1) Randy Orton vs. Cesaro
I was super excited for this match. I felt that this would be the match in which Cesaro finally breaks out and indeed it was. "Cesaro Section" signs filled the crowd as they chanted "We The People". Putting him with Zeb and Swagger was definitely the right move. Not only was the crowd great for this match, but Orton and Cesaro worked extremely well together. They put on a phenomenal match up to cap off a great episode of Smackdown. I was extremily happy with the outcome of this match! Cole's words say it all "CESARO PINNED THE CHAMPION! CESARO PINNED THE CHAMPION". Awesome match.
Superstar of the Week:
This week I'd like to give the Superstar of the Week award to two individuals, Cesaro & Jack Swagger. I've been a long time fan of both guys and they were involved three of the best matches this week. Not only did they put on quality matches, they also broke out in different aspects. On Raw, they put in an outstanding performance against Sheamus & Christian. On Smackdown, Jack Swagger won a Number 1 Contender's Match for the Intercontinental Championship and Cesaro beat Randy Orton! It's been a phenomenal week for the Real Americans, I hope this trend continues for the rest of 2014!
This week in WWE started off with Raw on Monday Night. The show started off very good with some quality matches including The Wyatt Family taking on The Rhodes Bros & Rey Mysterio and Sheamus & Christian taking on Swagger & Cesaro. Raw kept a good pace until around the top of the third hour when I became pretty dull and started to lag. This all changed however when Orton and Cena stepped foot in the ring and delivered a solid match up to close the show.
Also on Raw, Lita was announced as the next inductee into the Hall of Fame. I was ecstatic at this news as were most fans. Speaking of the Hall of Fame, Scott Hall has been teasing that he would be inducted this year. It would be another nice addition as this year's class is already stacked.
The past few weeks, Smackdown has undeniably been better than Raw. This week continued that tradition as the show was filled with quality matches and great storyline development. In short, it was an awesome show. It was headlined by Randy Orton vs. Antonio Cesaro. Be sure to check out my full review of the show if you missed it.
As far as match quality goes, this week has been great in that department. It was actually hard to choose only five matches for the matches of the week segment this week, so I would like to give an honorable mention to the opening match on Raw which was The Wyatt Family vs. Cody Rhodes, Goldust, & Rey Mysterio. Bray reversing the 619 into Sister Abigail is alone worth watching this match. Now onto the matches of the week:
Matches of the Week:
5) Randy Orton vs. John Cena
I actually enjoyed this match much more than I thought I would. It was a really good bout that most people overlook simply because they're tired of Cena and Orton. While I'm also tired of them, you can't deny that this was a solid contest. As far as in-ring work goes, Orton is in his prime. He's been putting on quality matches for weeks now against Bryan, Christian, and others. Really good match up.
4) Jack Swagger vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Mark Henry - #1 Cont. IC Title Match
What helped make this so good was the fact that we haven't seen a fourway match in such a long time. It was very enjoyable and fast paced. Much better than I expected. I figured Henry would slow this match down a bit, but he put in a solid effort here as well. The outcome made this all the more special for me. Fantastic fatal four way.
3) The Shield vs. Sheamus, Christian, & Daniel Bryan
Yet again, The Shield put on an outstanding six man tag packed full of action. This one really broke down near the end as we saw Bryan get the hot tag, duck a clothesline from Rollins, dive outside onto Reigns, then Rollins dives outside onto Bryan. Back in the ring the remaining guys in the match begin exchanging finishers and big moves. Great match.
2) Sheamus & Christian vs. Jack Swagger & Cesaro
Wonderful tag team match here. This match got around 15-20 minutes and I'm so glad it did because this was fantastic. Near falls, good exchanges, lots of action, and much more. Swagger & Cesaro prove once again why they are two of the best guys on the roster. Sheamus shows he's still in his prime and Christian proves that he's still got it. Awesome match.
1) Randy Orton vs. Cesaro
I was super excited for this match. I felt that this would be the match in which Cesaro finally breaks out and indeed it was. "Cesaro Section" signs filled the crowd as they chanted "We The People". Putting him with Zeb and Swagger was definitely the right move. Not only was the crowd great for this match, but Orton and Cesaro worked extremely well together. They put on a phenomenal match up to cap off a great episode of Smackdown. I was extremily happy with the outcome of this match! Cole's words say it all "CESARO PINNED THE CHAMPION! CESARO PINNED THE CHAMPION". Awesome match.
Superstar of the Week:
This week I'd like to give the Superstar of the Week award to two individuals, Cesaro & Jack Swagger. I've been a long time fan of both guys and they were involved three of the best matches this week. Not only did they put on quality matches, they also broke out in different aspects. On Raw, they put in an outstanding performance against Sheamus & Christian. On Smackdown, Jack Swagger won a Number 1 Contender's Match for the Intercontinental Championship and Cesaro beat Randy Orton! It's been a phenomenal week for the Real Americans, I hope this trend continues for the rest of 2014!
Friday, February 14, 2014
WWE Smackdown Review - February 14th, 2014
WWE Smackdown Review - February 14th, 2014
by Ethan Lewis
1) The Shield vs. Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, & Christian
What better way to start the show than with a fast paced six man tag! These guys kicked the show off in phenomenal fashion with this action packed match up. Bryan got the hot tag near the end and all hell broke loose. Rollins goes for a clothesline, Bryan ducks and dives out of the ring onto Reigns. As Bryan is recovering, Rollins delivers a dive of his own to the outside onto Bryan. Back in the ring, Christian and Ambrose are going at it. We have a huge exchange of maneuvers going on near the end and Sheamus accidentally kicks Christian which costs their team the match. Great way to kick off the show!
Match rating - 8/10
2) Jack Swagger vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Mark Henry - #1 Contender's Match for the Intercontinental Championship
It's been so long since I've seen a good fourway match so this was very refreshing. Each man put in a solid effort which resulted in a fantastic match. Lots of action here with some cool counters such as Swagger catching Kofi in the midst of Trouble in Paradise and countering it into the Patriot Lock. Really good match.
by Ethan Lewis
1) The Shield vs. Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, & Christian
What better way to start the show than with a fast paced six man tag! These guys kicked the show off in phenomenal fashion with this action packed match up. Bryan got the hot tag near the end and all hell broke loose. Rollins goes for a clothesline, Bryan ducks and dives out of the ring onto Reigns. As Bryan is recovering, Rollins delivers a dive of his own to the outside onto Bryan. Back in the ring, Christian and Ambrose are going at it. We have a huge exchange of maneuvers going on near the end and Sheamus accidentally kicks Christian which costs their team the match. Great way to kick off the show!
Match rating - 8/10
2) Jack Swagger vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Mark Henry - #1 Contender's Match for the Intercontinental Championship
It's been so long since I've seen a good fourway match so this was very refreshing. Each man put in a solid effort which resulted in a fantastic match. Lots of action here with some cool counters such as Swagger catching Kofi in the midst of Trouble in Paradise and countering it into the Patriot Lock. Really good match.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
TNA Impact Review - February 13th, 2014
TNA Impact Review - February 13th, 2014
by Ethan Lewis
The show started with Dixie Carter, World Champion Magnus, EC3, and Rockstar Spud. They delivered a rather boring promo until MVP interrupted accompanied by Samoa Joe. MVP announces that the main event of Lockdown will be Samoa Joe challenging Magnus for the World Championship. This brings out Gunner who still has the briefcase that assures him a world title shot. Gunner says he's cashing it in next week. Dixie objects and announces Gunner vs. EC3 with the case on the line tonight, but MVP counters that and announces Gunner vs. EC3 with the World Title and Tag Team Title briefcases on the line in a Ladder Match next!
1) James Storm & Gunner vs. Magnus & EC3 - Ladder Match
This match was originally just EC3 vs. Gunner and it was going good, but Magnus ran to the ring and interfered. I was pissed at first because I thought it would be just another overbooking situation from TNA, but MVP came out and made it a tag match. It was pretty good, I was most impressed with EC3. He's honestly been growing on me over the past few weeks. At first I didn't like him, but he's really impressed me lately. He delivered another solid performance here. He showcased alot of great moves such as a dropkick off the turnbuckle to the outside, kicking a ladder into Gunner and delivering a frog splash onto Storm on the ladder. Good match that got the show off to a great start.
Match rating - 7/10
2) Samoa Joe, Eddie Edwards, & Davey Richards vs. Zema Ion & The Bromans
Finally we got to see the Wolves debut on TNA and just as I expected, they put on a great performance. The fast paced team work that they are known for was showcased here. Joe was a fitting choice for their partner and they worked well together. This was a very fun and entertaining six man tag!
Match rating - 7.5/10
After this match, we got an awesome exchange between Eric Young and Abyss. Abyss came out unmasked. He's Joseph Park for anyone who doesn't know. The two went back and forth in a heated promo battle that left me wondering where this storyline would go from here. You should definitely go back and watch this promo if you missed it. Good stuff once again from both guys.
3) MVP vs. Rockstar Spud
Squash match. Nothing special here. This just happened so everyone could see Spud get his ass handed to him by MVP.
4) Chris Sabin vs. Velvet Sky
And here we have one of the greatest X Divison wrestlers of all time in a "match" with a woman when he could be competing against rookie X Division competitors such as Kenny King and Manik. Bad booking of Sabin, he's a really good wrestler. This segment did accomplish establishing a new knockout on the roster as a women attacked Velvet during the "match", so atleast it wasn't a complete waste.
5) Bully Ray vs. Mr. Anderson - Casket Match
Bully Ray and Anderson have been having outstanding hardcore matchups together since 2011. They've feuded various times over the past few years and their most recent feud has been just as good as their previous ones. They always deliver and what better way to settle this long time rivarly than with a casket match? This was a smash mouth brawl filled with physicality just like these two are known for. Anderson got a bloody nose around half-way through which just showed how physical this bout was. Various weapons were used such as chairs and tables and of course the casket. Great match, best one of the night by far.
Match rating - 8.5/10
Overall thoughts: I enjoyed this week's edition of Impact. There were several good match ups and some interesting storylines that progressed very well. While there were some duds (Sabin/Sky) and a squash match (Spud/MVP), the show was for the most part very entertaining. I'd say this episode is worth checking out if you missed it to see the Ladder Match, the six man tag, the Eric Young/Abyss promo, and the Casket match. All of those are quality matches and segments. There's honestly nothing I would say to skip because even in the dud segments/matches, storylines progressed well either by matches being announced or a new star debuting. Each segment and match accomplished something. That's always a good thing. Solid episode of Impact.
by Ethan Lewis
The show started with Dixie Carter, World Champion Magnus, EC3, and Rockstar Spud. They delivered a rather boring promo until MVP interrupted accompanied by Samoa Joe. MVP announces that the main event of Lockdown will be Samoa Joe challenging Magnus for the World Championship. This brings out Gunner who still has the briefcase that assures him a world title shot. Gunner says he's cashing it in next week. Dixie objects and announces Gunner vs. EC3 with the case on the line tonight, but MVP counters that and announces Gunner vs. EC3 with the World Title and Tag Team Title briefcases on the line in a Ladder Match next!
1) James Storm & Gunner vs. Magnus & EC3 - Ladder Match
This match was originally just EC3 vs. Gunner and it was going good, but Magnus ran to the ring and interfered. I was pissed at first because I thought it would be just another overbooking situation from TNA, but MVP came out and made it a tag match. It was pretty good, I was most impressed with EC3. He's honestly been growing on me over the past few weeks. At first I didn't like him, but he's really impressed me lately. He delivered another solid performance here. He showcased alot of great moves such as a dropkick off the turnbuckle to the outside, kicking a ladder into Gunner and delivering a frog splash onto Storm on the ladder. Good match that got the show off to a great start.
Match rating - 7/10
2) Samoa Joe, Eddie Edwards, & Davey Richards vs. Zema Ion & The Bromans
Finally we got to see the Wolves debut on TNA and just as I expected, they put on a great performance. The fast paced team work that they are known for was showcased here. Joe was a fitting choice for their partner and they worked well together. This was a very fun and entertaining six man tag!
Match rating - 7.5/10
After this match, we got an awesome exchange between Eric Young and Abyss. Abyss came out unmasked. He's Joseph Park for anyone who doesn't know. The two went back and forth in a heated promo battle that left me wondering where this storyline would go from here. You should definitely go back and watch this promo if you missed it. Good stuff once again from both guys.
3) MVP vs. Rockstar Spud
Squash match. Nothing special here. This just happened so everyone could see Spud get his ass handed to him by MVP.
4) Chris Sabin vs. Velvet Sky
And here we have one of the greatest X Divison wrestlers of all time in a "match" with a woman when he could be competing against rookie X Division competitors such as Kenny King and Manik. Bad booking of Sabin, he's a really good wrestler. This segment did accomplish establishing a new knockout on the roster as a women attacked Velvet during the "match", so atleast it wasn't a complete waste.
5) Bully Ray vs. Mr. Anderson - Casket Match
Bully Ray and Anderson have been having outstanding hardcore matchups together since 2011. They've feuded various times over the past few years and their most recent feud has been just as good as their previous ones. They always deliver and what better way to settle this long time rivarly than with a casket match? This was a smash mouth brawl filled with physicality just like these two are known for. Anderson got a bloody nose around half-way through which just showed how physical this bout was. Various weapons were used such as chairs and tables and of course the casket. Great match, best one of the night by far.
Match rating - 8.5/10
Overall thoughts: I enjoyed this week's edition of Impact. There were several good match ups and some interesting storylines that progressed very well. While there were some duds (Sabin/Sky) and a squash match (Spud/MVP), the show was for the most part very entertaining. I'd say this episode is worth checking out if you missed it to see the Ladder Match, the six man tag, the Eric Young/Abyss promo, and the Casket match. All of those are quality matches and segments. There's honestly nothing I would say to skip because even in the dud segments/matches, storylines progressed well either by matches being announced or a new star debuting. Each segment and match accomplished something. That's always a good thing. Solid episode of Impact.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
ROH TV Review - February 8th, 2014
ROH TV Review - February 8th 2014
by Ethan Lewis
1) Adrenaline Rush vs. Jimmy Jacobs & BJ Whitmer
What a great opening match this was! Fast paced tag team action at its finest here as all four men delivered a quality performance. The whole match was kept at a high pace, but it all really broke down near the end as all four men were in the ring. Jacobs hit a huge spear knocking ACH off the apron allowing he and Whitmer to hit their finisher on the other member of Adrenaline Rush to get the victory. Great match and phenomenal way to start the show.
Match rating - 8/10
2) Raymond Rowe vs. Hanson - Top Prospect Tournament Finals
Last week, I saw Hanson compete and was impressed with how agile he was for a big guy. He continued to impress me this week along with his opponent, Raymond Rowe. Both guys are pretty big, but they kept a good pace in this match. They had some good exchanges and traded backdrop drivers which was awesome. It was a very physical bout that ended with Hanson getting the victory. Really good match.
Match rating - 7.5/10
3) Tommaso Ciampa vs. Jay Lethal vs. Matt Taven - ROH TV Championship Match
This was one hell of a three way match. Nonstop, fast paced action from the time the bell rang. Lethal took control after a few minutes throwing both men to the outside. He then delivered dives to each man on opposite sides of the ring. He did this atleast 3 times and it was amazing to watch. Lethal has always been fun to watch in the ring. I was impressed by Taven and Ciampa in this match as well. They are both great athletes. Ciampa showed why he deserves to be champion by putting in a outstanding performance here and retaining his championship!
Match rating - 9/10
Overall thoughts: I really enjoyed this week's episode of Ring of Honor. All of the matches were really good. The tag match was a great opener with some solid action, Rowe/Hanson was a nice physical big man battle, and the three way main event was an awesome, fast paced bout! I'd definitely recommend checking out this week's show if you missed it!
by Ethan Lewis
1) Adrenaline Rush vs. Jimmy Jacobs & BJ Whitmer
What a great opening match this was! Fast paced tag team action at its finest here as all four men delivered a quality performance. The whole match was kept at a high pace, but it all really broke down near the end as all four men were in the ring. Jacobs hit a huge spear knocking ACH off the apron allowing he and Whitmer to hit their finisher on the other member of Adrenaline Rush to get the victory. Great match and phenomenal way to start the show.
Match rating - 8/10
2) Raymond Rowe vs. Hanson - Top Prospect Tournament Finals
Last week, I saw Hanson compete and was impressed with how agile he was for a big guy. He continued to impress me this week along with his opponent, Raymond Rowe. Both guys are pretty big, but they kept a good pace in this match. They had some good exchanges and traded backdrop drivers which was awesome. It was a very physical bout that ended with Hanson getting the victory. Really good match.
Match rating - 7.5/10
3) Tommaso Ciampa vs. Jay Lethal vs. Matt Taven - ROH TV Championship Match
This was one hell of a three way match. Nonstop, fast paced action from the time the bell rang. Lethal took control after a few minutes throwing both men to the outside. He then delivered dives to each man on opposite sides of the ring. He did this atleast 3 times and it was amazing to watch. Lethal has always been fun to watch in the ring. I was impressed by Taven and Ciampa in this match as well. They are both great athletes. Ciampa showed why he deserves to be champion by putting in a outstanding performance here and retaining his championship!
Match rating - 9/10
Overall thoughts: I really enjoyed this week's episode of Ring of Honor. All of the matches were really good. The tag match was a great opener with some solid action, Rowe/Hanson was a nice physical big man battle, and the three way main event was an awesome, fast paced bout! I'd definitely recommend checking out this week's show if you missed it!
Saturday, February 8, 2014
WWE Week In Review (February 2nd - February 8th)
WWE: Week in Review (February 2nd - February 8th)
This week started off with a rather dull episode of Monday Night Raw. The opening tag match and Swagger/Christian were quite good, but the show went downhill from there. Raw did end on a good note however, as Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton had a great match to close the show.
As far as rumors and news go for this week, there were numerous details added to the current CM Punk leaving situation. Apparently Vince really wants him back and they are not going to mention Punk on TV until an agreement is reached or when his contract expires in July. Looks like Punk's not gonna exist in the world of WWE for a few months.
On Friday Night, WWE gave us an excellent episode of Smackdown filled with good matches. From the opening tag match to the main event, it was a solid show. The only dull match was the Divas match, but that's sadly become the norm so it wasn't that big of a deal. It was a great show.
On Saturday, news broke that The Undertaker would be returning to WWE on February 24th. That is the night after the Elimination Chamber PPV as well as the night that the WWE Network will be launching. It will be interesting to see what WWE does with the return of the Deadman. Plans for WrestleMania seem to be undecided as of now, so who knows what will happen.
Matches of the Week:
5) Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns vs. Dolph Ziggler & Kofi Kingston
This was the opening match on Smackdown and it was very good. It was pretty fast-paced and very fun to watch. Seth Rollins was on commentary and did a great job. Roman Reigns continues to impress me with his flying dropkick from the floor to the apron. Ziggler worked hard here as always. Kofi and Ambrose delivered as well. All around great match.
4) Sheamus vs. Ryback
I thought this match would suck, but I was completely wrong. It was a great match that kept a very good pace unlike most big man matches. Ryback went high risk and paid for it. I honestly think the guy has improved in the ring. Certainly doesn't botch as much. Sheamus also showed how agile he is to be a big guy. If these guys will deliver on this level, I wouldn't mind a feud between the two.
3) Randy Orton vs. Christian
Based off of their past matches, I expected this to be quite good and indeed it was. It wasn't as good as some bouts they've had in the past, but it wasn't certainly a quality encounter. I'd recommend checking it out if you missed it. Great match to cap off an above average episode of Smackdown.
2) Daniel Bryan vs. Antonio Cesaro
While Orton vs. Christian was the main event on Smackdown, I personally think this match between Bryan and Cesaro stole the show. It was a fantastic bout between two of the best wrestlers on the WWE roster. It wasn't the match of the year candidate that their match on Raw last year was, but it was a phenomenal contest. I highly recommend giving this a viewing if you missed it. Hell, if you missed Smackdown this week, I'd say watch it. Not a bad match on the show.
1) Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan - Raw
Although Raw was pretty dull, this match was unbelievably great. Bryan and Orton main evented three PPV's late last year and all of those matches weren't anything special, but every time they step foot in the ring on Raw, they give us an outstanding match. If you missed Raw, I'd recommend just checking this match out as it was the only thing that stood out on the whole show.
That's it for this week's WWE Week In Review. Comment or Tweet me your thoughts on the topics discussed as well as my choices for Matches of the Week!
This week started off with a rather dull episode of Monday Night Raw. The opening tag match and Swagger/Christian were quite good, but the show went downhill from there. Raw did end on a good note however, as Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton had a great match to close the show.
As far as rumors and news go for this week, there were numerous details added to the current CM Punk leaving situation. Apparently Vince really wants him back and they are not going to mention Punk on TV until an agreement is reached or when his contract expires in July. Looks like Punk's not gonna exist in the world of WWE for a few months.
On Friday Night, WWE gave us an excellent episode of Smackdown filled with good matches. From the opening tag match to the main event, it was a solid show. The only dull match was the Divas match, but that's sadly become the norm so it wasn't that big of a deal. It was a great show.
On Saturday, news broke that The Undertaker would be returning to WWE on February 24th. That is the night after the Elimination Chamber PPV as well as the night that the WWE Network will be launching. It will be interesting to see what WWE does with the return of the Deadman. Plans for WrestleMania seem to be undecided as of now, so who knows what will happen.
Matches of the Week:
5) Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns vs. Dolph Ziggler & Kofi Kingston
This was the opening match on Smackdown and it was very good. It was pretty fast-paced and very fun to watch. Seth Rollins was on commentary and did a great job. Roman Reigns continues to impress me with his flying dropkick from the floor to the apron. Ziggler worked hard here as always. Kofi and Ambrose delivered as well. All around great match.
4) Sheamus vs. Ryback
I thought this match would suck, but I was completely wrong. It was a great match that kept a very good pace unlike most big man matches. Ryback went high risk and paid for it. I honestly think the guy has improved in the ring. Certainly doesn't botch as much. Sheamus also showed how agile he is to be a big guy. If these guys will deliver on this level, I wouldn't mind a feud between the two.
3) Randy Orton vs. Christian
Based off of their past matches, I expected this to be quite good and indeed it was. It wasn't as good as some bouts they've had in the past, but it wasn't certainly a quality encounter. I'd recommend checking it out if you missed it. Great match to cap off an above average episode of Smackdown.
2) Daniel Bryan vs. Antonio Cesaro
While Orton vs. Christian was the main event on Smackdown, I personally think this match between Bryan and Cesaro stole the show. It was a fantastic bout between two of the best wrestlers on the WWE roster. It wasn't the match of the year candidate that their match on Raw last year was, but it was a phenomenal contest. I highly recommend giving this a viewing if you missed it. Hell, if you missed Smackdown this week, I'd say watch it. Not a bad match on the show.
1) Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan - Raw
Although Raw was pretty dull, this match was unbelievably great. Bryan and Orton main evented three PPV's late last year and all of those matches weren't anything special, but every time they step foot in the ring on Raw, they give us an outstanding match. If you missed Raw, I'd recommend just checking this match out as it was the only thing that stood out on the whole show.
That's it for this week's WWE Week In Review. Comment or Tweet me your thoughts on the topics discussed as well as my choices for Matches of the Week!
Sunday, February 2, 2014
ROH TV Review - February 1, 2014
Ring of Honor TV Review - February 1st, 2014
by Ethan Lewis
I was lucky enough to finally get ROH on TV in my area starting this week. What better week to finally get ROH than the night AJ Styles returns to the company? On this week's show Styles returns to face Roderick Strong. Also included is a Top Prospect tournament match between Hanson and Andrew Everett as well as a bout pitting Michael Bennett against Cedric Alexander.
1) Hanson vs. Andrew Everett - Top Prospect Tournament Semi Final Match
This was my first time seeing either man compete and I was most impressed by Everett. He has some pretty good offensive moves. He did some cool flips and dives as well. Hanson did his job well also. It was a good match to open the show. Hanson gets the win and advances to the finals in the tournament.
Match rating - 6/10
2) Michael Bennett (w/ Maria Kanellis) vs. Cedric Alexander
Going into this, I had seen Alexander compete several times, but I'd never seen Michael Bennett. As expected, Alexander impressed me once again. He has become one of my favorite Indy wrestlers as he consistently delivers good performances. Bennett also put in a good showing here and the two worked well together. Really good match.
Match rating - 7.5/10
3) AJ Styles vs. Roderick Strong
A nice video package aired earlier in the evening hyping AJ "coming back home". The crowd was super hot for AJ when he came out. As Nigel McGuinness noted on commentary, as soon as this match was announced, I knew it would be an instant classic. Styles is one of my all time favorites and Strong is one of my favorite Indy wrestlers so I was excited for this one. These guys did not disappoint. They put one hell of a match with alot of counters and near falls. One counter that stands out is AJ going up on the top rope and Strong dropkicking him off. As the crowd put it, "that was awesome". Speaking of the crowd, they were into this match big time. "This is awesome" and "this is wrestling" chants rang out throughout the match. I think I've said all that there is to say. This is an awesome match that you should check out!
Match rating - 8.75/10
Overall thoughts: This being my first time watching ROH TV, I was happy with what I saw. Each match ranged from good to great. There weren't any duds here. Hanson/Everett was a solid opener, Bennett/Alexander picked up the pace creating a great match and Styles/Strong stole the show.
Overall rating - 8/10
by Ethan Lewis
I was lucky enough to finally get ROH on TV in my area starting this week. What better week to finally get ROH than the night AJ Styles returns to the company? On this week's show Styles returns to face Roderick Strong. Also included is a Top Prospect tournament match between Hanson and Andrew Everett as well as a bout pitting Michael Bennett against Cedric Alexander.
1) Hanson vs. Andrew Everett - Top Prospect Tournament Semi Final Match
This was my first time seeing either man compete and I was most impressed by Everett. He has some pretty good offensive moves. He did some cool flips and dives as well. Hanson did his job well also. It was a good match to open the show. Hanson gets the win and advances to the finals in the tournament.
Match rating - 6/10
2) Michael Bennett (w/ Maria Kanellis) vs. Cedric Alexander
Going into this, I had seen Alexander compete several times, but I'd never seen Michael Bennett. As expected, Alexander impressed me once again. He has become one of my favorite Indy wrestlers as he consistently delivers good performances. Bennett also put in a good showing here and the two worked well together. Really good match.
Match rating - 7.5/10
3) AJ Styles vs. Roderick Strong
A nice video package aired earlier in the evening hyping AJ "coming back home". The crowd was super hot for AJ when he came out. As Nigel McGuinness noted on commentary, as soon as this match was announced, I knew it would be an instant classic. Styles is one of my all time favorites and Strong is one of my favorite Indy wrestlers so I was excited for this one. These guys did not disappoint. They put one hell of a match with alot of counters and near falls. One counter that stands out is AJ going up on the top rope and Strong dropkicking him off. As the crowd put it, "that was awesome". Speaking of the crowd, they were into this match big time. "This is awesome" and "this is wrestling" chants rang out throughout the match. I think I've said all that there is to say. This is an awesome match that you should check out!
Match rating - 8.75/10
Overall thoughts: This being my first time watching ROH TV, I was happy with what I saw. Each match ranged from good to great. There weren't any duds here. Hanson/Everett was a solid opener, Bennett/Alexander picked up the pace creating a great match and Styles/Strong stole the show.
Overall rating - 8/10
WWE: The Week in Review (January 26 - February 1, 2014)
WWE: The Week in Review (January 26 - February 1)
by Ethan Lewis
What a week it's been in WWE! From the crowd nearly rioting at the Royal Rumble to CM Punk leaving the company, it's been an action and drama filled week.
The week started off with the Royal Rumble PPV. Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt undoubtedly stole the show. After that match, the show slowly went down hill. The crowd completely trashed the Cena/Orton match with chants for Daniel Bryan. The Royal Rumble itself featured a predictable and unpopuler ending as Batista won the match. What's most notable though was the crowd reaction. The crowd heavily booed pretty much anyone who wasn't Daniel Bryan except for Roman Reigns and CM Punk. When the 30th entrant Rey Mysterio made his way to the ring, he was met with heavy boos. The winner, Batista faced even heavier boos after winning. Because of this, Batista got the chance to showcase how classy he is by flipping off fans and mocking Daniel Bryan's "Yes" chant.
Twitter exploded with disapproval of what took place at the Royal Rumble. This made for alot of interest going into Monday Night Raw. The show opened with Daniel Bryan confronting Triple H about what the fans wanted. They seemingly decided to bring the crowd's reaction into play as it was heavily mentioned in the opening promo. Overall, Monday Night Raw was very good. There were a few great matches (Kofi/Del Rio & 6 Man Main Event) as well as some outstanding segments. Be sure to check out my full review of the show if you missed it.
On Wednesday, news broke that CM Punk had left WWE. Punk reportedly walked out 30 minutes before Raw went on the air, telling Vince he was "going home". The web has been buzzing ever since about this topic. It's been said that Punk has been sick for months as well as plagued with nagging injuries. This along with built up frustration about his creative direction in the company is said to be the reason for his walk out. Is this a work? Is this real? Who knows - I personally think it's real, check out my article on the topic to see why. It can be viewed here: http://theprowrestlingtruth.blogspot.com/2014/01/thoughts-on-cm-punk-reportedly-leaving.html
Friday Night Smackdown was actually pretty good this week. It featured two qualifying matches for the Elimination Chamber pitting Antonio Cesaro against Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger against Christian. Both of those matches were great. However, the main event stole the show as Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, and Rey Mysterio took on The Shield in an action packed match up.
Surprisingly, it's been a pretty decent week as far as match quality goes for WWE. Raw and Smackdown both had atleast two great matches. Hell, Main Event even had a match I enjoyed (Usos & Langston/3MB). Now comes the time to see which matches made it onto my match of the week list. Here are the Top 5 Matches of the Week.
Matches of the Week:
5) Jack Swagger vs. Christian - Smackdown
As they have in the past, Swagger and Christian delivered an outstanding contest. The two have great chemistry together and it was showcased here. A very good back and forth match that was extremely fun to watch.
4) Daniel Bryan, Sheamus & Rey Mysterio vs. The Shield - Smackdown
Just like The Shield's six man match on Raw, this was a great encounter. It comes to no surprise though as they always produce awesome matches. Every man from both teams were hitting on all cylinders in this match. Match of the night for Smackdown this week.
3) Kofi Kingston vs. Alberto Del Rio - RAW
Say what you will about how many times we've seen this - I enjoyed it. Many people have a mental block towards Kingston and Del Rio. What I mean is, they have engrained in their brain that Kofi is a worthless midcarder and that Del Rio is boring so they ignore their matches thus they can't enjoy them. This match was great and I give alot of credit to these guys for bringing the crowd back into it.
2) Daniel Bryan, Sheamus & John Cena vs. The Shield - RAW
The Shield have become known for delivering outstanding six man tag matches and this was no exception. Solid wrestling at a good pace for the first half and complete chaos and nonstop action during the second half of the match. Everybody delivered in this match and it's definitely worth checking out if you missed it.
1) Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt - Royal Rumble
Outstanding opening match to the PPV. Honestly the only outstanding match on the card - period. The crowd was heavily into it which made it even more great. Bryan and Wyatt give me hope for the future of WWE, let's hope WWE will see the talent in both men. But back to the match, it's a hard hitting contest that I would recommend checking out if you didn't see it. Thus why it is the match of the week for this week!
That's it for this week's WWE Week In Review. Comment or Tweet me your thoughts on the topics discussed as well as my choices for Matches of the Week!
by Ethan Lewis
What a week it's been in WWE! From the crowd nearly rioting at the Royal Rumble to CM Punk leaving the company, it's been an action and drama filled week.
The week started off with the Royal Rumble PPV. Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt undoubtedly stole the show. After that match, the show slowly went down hill. The crowd completely trashed the Cena/Orton match with chants for Daniel Bryan. The Royal Rumble itself featured a predictable and unpopuler ending as Batista won the match. What's most notable though was the crowd reaction. The crowd heavily booed pretty much anyone who wasn't Daniel Bryan except for Roman Reigns and CM Punk. When the 30th entrant Rey Mysterio made his way to the ring, he was met with heavy boos. The winner, Batista faced even heavier boos after winning. Because of this, Batista got the chance to showcase how classy he is by flipping off fans and mocking Daniel Bryan's "Yes" chant.
Twitter exploded with disapproval of what took place at the Royal Rumble. This made for alot of interest going into Monday Night Raw. The show opened with Daniel Bryan confronting Triple H about what the fans wanted. They seemingly decided to bring the crowd's reaction into play as it was heavily mentioned in the opening promo. Overall, Monday Night Raw was very good. There were a few great matches (Kofi/Del Rio & 6 Man Main Event) as well as some outstanding segments. Be sure to check out my full review of the show if you missed it.
On Wednesday, news broke that CM Punk had left WWE. Punk reportedly walked out 30 minutes before Raw went on the air, telling Vince he was "going home". The web has been buzzing ever since about this topic. It's been said that Punk has been sick for months as well as plagued with nagging injuries. This along with built up frustration about his creative direction in the company is said to be the reason for his walk out. Is this a work? Is this real? Who knows - I personally think it's real, check out my article on the topic to see why. It can be viewed here: http://theprowrestlingtruth.blogspot.com/2014/01/thoughts-on-cm-punk-reportedly-leaving.html
Friday Night Smackdown was actually pretty good this week. It featured two qualifying matches for the Elimination Chamber pitting Antonio Cesaro against Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger against Christian. Both of those matches were great. However, the main event stole the show as Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, and Rey Mysterio took on The Shield in an action packed match up.
Surprisingly, it's been a pretty decent week as far as match quality goes for WWE. Raw and Smackdown both had atleast two great matches. Hell, Main Event even had a match I enjoyed (Usos & Langston/3MB). Now comes the time to see which matches made it onto my match of the week list. Here are the Top 5 Matches of the Week.
Matches of the Week:
5) Jack Swagger vs. Christian - Smackdown
As they have in the past, Swagger and Christian delivered an outstanding contest. The two have great chemistry together and it was showcased here. A very good back and forth match that was extremely fun to watch.
4) Daniel Bryan, Sheamus & Rey Mysterio vs. The Shield - Smackdown
Just like The Shield's six man match on Raw, this was a great encounter. It comes to no surprise though as they always produce awesome matches. Every man from both teams were hitting on all cylinders in this match. Match of the night for Smackdown this week.
3) Kofi Kingston vs. Alberto Del Rio - RAW
Say what you will about how many times we've seen this - I enjoyed it. Many people have a mental block towards Kingston and Del Rio. What I mean is, they have engrained in their brain that Kofi is a worthless midcarder and that Del Rio is boring so they ignore their matches thus they can't enjoy them. This match was great and I give alot of credit to these guys for bringing the crowd back into it.
2) Daniel Bryan, Sheamus & John Cena vs. The Shield - RAW
The Shield have become known for delivering outstanding six man tag matches and this was no exception. Solid wrestling at a good pace for the first half and complete chaos and nonstop action during the second half of the match. Everybody delivered in this match and it's definitely worth checking out if you missed it.
1) Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt - Royal Rumble
Outstanding opening match to the PPV. Honestly the only outstanding match on the card - period. The crowd was heavily into it which made it even more great. Bryan and Wyatt give me hope for the future of WWE, let's hope WWE will see the talent in both men. But back to the match, it's a hard hitting contest that I would recommend checking out if you didn't see it. Thus why it is the match of the week for this week!
That's it for this week's WWE Week In Review. Comment or Tweet me your thoughts on the topics discussed as well as my choices for Matches of the Week!
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