Doctor's Orders: Vengeance Might Be Mine (spoiler alert)
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What to do? What to do? Vengeance is this Sunday and I’m torn as to whether or not to go catch it at the bar. On the one hand, I’m not overly excited about it. On the other, the card looks pretty good. I’ve been going back and forth with it. There’s not a match that I feel is must see. There’s not a match that I feel will be bad, either. It certainly isn’t worth spending $45 on. I’d say if you’re flirting with actually purchasing the event, then you should save your money for Rock’s return next month. The bottom line is that the WWE has done a good job this month with making you want to see the next episode of TV, but they haven’t done a great job of building the PPV. The main-events sell the PPV. Usually, it’s the main-events from Raw. The red team’s main-events are Cena vs. Alberto and Punk/Trips vs. Awesome Truth. Those seem like TV main-events. I don’t doubt that they will be quality matches, but they don’t feel like PPV main-events right now, a few days before the event.
My interest is drawn more strongly toward what some of the newer guys are doing in the mid-card. Cody Rhodes is a guy that I predicted earlier in the year would face Orton in the main-event at Wrestlemania. It would appear that I was wrong about that, but Rhodes is performing at a very high level and this match against Orton is his biggest shot to date that can prove he’s worthy of one day being a main-event star. Orton has been on quite a roll, in ring, this year. If they get the chance to steal the show, then look for this match to be what everyone is talking about at night’s end. If anything, that will be the biggest selling point of Vengeance for me. Orton vs. Rhodes getting 15-minutes to work an upper mid-card match on the PPV goes a long way toward me justifying spending my time. Cody has done a nice job with his increased air-time in recent weeks on the flagship show. I want to see this guy take that next step.
I also want to see the Christian vs. Sheamus re-match. I think these two have very quietly been doing a great job of building a meaningful rivalry that people want to see new chapters written for. Both are quite over and showing that Smackdown continues to trump Raw in effectively creating secondary storylines that matter. Raw seems to focus much of its attention on one rivalry at a time. When CM Punk was on fire, they concentrated all creative attention on Punk and everyone not involved with Punk took a backseat. When Triple H and the COO/power struggle came to the forefront, then everyone got sucked into it, rendering championship matches seemingly less important. Smackdown does a nice job with balance. The Raw Supershow format has allowed feuds involving SD stars to get a little bit of extra exposure on Monday, while doing the bulk of their hype on Fridays. However, SD has for quite awhile been the premiere quality show, all-around. Right now, we’ve got a nice story going between Mark Henry and Big Show. The World’s Largest Athlete returning to SD was very well done two weeks ago. They did more to hype their title match in one night than Alberto and Cena did in three weeks worth of Raw. Meanwhile, you’ve also got the Orton-Rhodes and Christian-Sheamus feuds.
Christian and Sheamus had a good match at Hell in a Cell, but they can do better and I hope that they get to do better at Vengeance. I don’t expect a classic out of them, but I do feel that they can have a strong mid-card MOTY candidate if given the same amount of time as earlier in the month but with a little more inspiration from both the wrestlers and the crowd in San Antonio (HIAC crowd was kind of meh). This is a match that, if I decide to watch this event, I will be most disappointed if it does not deliver a stronger effort than 3 weeks ago. The other guy I’m curious to see is Dolph Ziggler. I don’t expect he’ll get much of a chance to steal the show, but I do suspect that he’ll damn sure try. He doesn’t get many chances for one-on-one matches on PPV, yet, but when he does get the chance, he makes the most of it. He’s fast becoming one of the main reasons to watch Monday Night Raw. The confidence he’s building will be key if they give him a shot at the top again. I hope he can make the most of whatever chance is given to him and stay at the top. I think he’s got future HOF written all over him if he can, say, reach that spot that Edge occupied for so many years. He’s worked hard and he’s been around for a long time. Unlike John Morrison, he’s improved his entire game. Dolph might quite possibly be the most underrated all-around talent in the WWE right now. How he works against Zack Ryder is another reason to watch Vengeance.
The Divas have gone back to being uninteresting, as far as I’m concerned. I want to hear more from Beth and Nattie on the microphone. I want to see their characters get further developed. I get what they stand for, but cycling in random babyface model over and over again is just another boring formula for that division. What made the Divas of Doom so interesting in the first place was that they were changing things up. Now, it’s time to evolve again.
Speaking of evolving…that’s what this storyline involving Johnny Ace and Triple H needs to do in a hurry. I’m all for the plot twist. I did not think Raw two weeks ago was the apocalyptic “F” that most people did. I certainly didn’t find it “Rawful.” Rather, I thought it was a logical progression of things. But let’s make no bones about it…Johnny Ace is friekin’ boring. He and Morrison suffer from the same inability to change their tone of voice, making it impossible for them exhibit emotion in a way that works on television. I can stand Ace being involved in this plot for a little bit longer, but there’s a reason the Executive VP of Talent Relations never made it as a superstar and has had to rely on backstage jobs to fulfill his career in wrestling. Move on quickly, or risk losing much of the momentum built in the last few months. Triple H and CM Punk teaming up makes sense. I get it. However, they need to have a great match on Sunday against Awesome Truth. Truth and Miz need that match to be really good, too. It needs to be that Legacy vs. DX kind of tag match that elevates all involved. I’m not sure that’s what we’ll get, but I think that’s what they’ll need.
The only match on this card that doesn’t pass the eye test is Henry vs. Show. I really have liked their feud over the last couple of weeks. In fact, I think it’s the most bankable feud going into the PPV. Unfortunately, I watched MITB and was excited to see their match and it stunk. It served its purpose of getting Henry over further, but it was not aesthetically pleasing. So, let’s just say that Show and Henry have their work cut out for them. If I watch this PPV, then I will be intrigued to see how they work together now that Show is rested. That and the fact that the match should be booked a little more evenly should help this bout tremendously.
The other world title match should actually be quite good. I thought Cena and Del Rio worked very well together at Night of Champions. People don’t give Del Rio nearly enough credit for his in-ring work. The same could be said of Cena. Last Man Standing is Cena’s money gimmick. Trips and Taker had Hell in a Cell. Edge had the ladder match. Foley had the hardcore, street fight style bout. LMS belongs to Cena. The consistent excellence that he’s put forth in that gimmick has been a factor in the legacy he’s built. If you look at the LMS matches he’s had with Edge, Batista, and Umaga, he’s always brought it. I’ll be very curious to see how the booking goes for this one. Del Rio winning would be huge for his career, even if it were via nefarious means. I’m unsure if that’s the direction they’re going in or not. I would have assumed they’d have kept the title on him in September, but I was wrong. Then, I would’ve assumed Cena would’ve won earlier this month, but I was wrong. I haven’t been right about anything involving Del Rio all year, in fact. So, my gut told me earlier in the week that the run in Mexico being over would mark the end of Del Rio’s reign. Thus, I’ll go with the opposite result and say that he finds a way to retain.
Survivor Series is supposedly going to be booked to feature some sort of match involving the major company control plot on Raw. I would imagine that Cena and Rock would be lined up on Triple H’s side of things, somehow. Perhaps a good way to go for that would be for Ace to threaten to cancel the Rock vs. Cena match. There was a rumor a while back that some higher up didn’t think it was a good idea to have that match. If that’s the case, then 1) that person should be kicked in the rear and 2) they should capitalize on such a heat-drawing statement and say it was Ace who suggested it. That way, Cena and Rock have a greater reason to team at Survivor Series and be in Triple H’s corner (or however it works). In that scenario, I think it best that Cena be distanced from the title, but they seem to be doing everything opposite of how I think it should go, as it pertains to Cena, these days.
Predictions
-Del Rio retains over Cena thanks to Miz and Truth or others
-Henry retains
-Punk and Trips win
-Orton wins
-Christian wins
-Dolph retains
-Beth retains
That’s way too many heels winning, so I don’t guess my predictions will come through, but that’s what makes the most sense to me.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Do you think Rock vs. Cena should be for the WWE Championship or no? Why or why not?
Doctor's Orders: CM Punk Falls; New #1 in LOP Wrestler Rankings
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Hello, readers. Before we get to the second September LOP Wrestler Rankings analysis, I wanted to let you know that I’m starting to get the hang of this social networking thing and wish to extend to you the invite to follow me on Twitter @DrCMV1 or befriend me on Facebook (Chad Matthews). I’m always up for some wrasstlin’ discussion whenever time permits, so drop me a line. Also, as a reminder, the new poll opens after the conclusion of Hell in a Cell and will stay open until one week from Monday (the 10th @ 11:59PM is the deadline).
The Top 4
1 – Mark Henry (previous rank #5) – Who’d have ever thought that the internet fans would vote Mark Henry #1? I guess it’s a testament to both what he has been doing and how the WWE has been booking him that he’s reached this point. I have sung his praises many times in recent weeks and I think he’s performed better in the last four months than his entire career combined. He’s having good matches on PPV, which is an utter shock considering the drivel he’s produced in the past. It’s not quite as improbable as, say, the Great Khali suddenly improving, but it’s not too far off. Honestly, happy to see it. The guy has been around for so long that if he didn’t figure it out like he did in the summer, then his entire career could’ve been looked at as a stunning disappointment and a colossal waste of money. Most of his career is still a large pile of potato peelings, but I commend him for his improvements and wish him a great title reign.
2 – John Cena (previous rank #3) – My eyes must be deceiving me if the net has voted Henry #1 and Cena #2. Cena’s the champ, but he’s also been on a roll in the ring since the middle of the summer. He did quite well against Alberto at N.O.C. and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Isn’t the in-ring stuff what the IWC cares most about? Cena has a better overall match resume than just about everyone that has ever stepped in a WWE ring (yeah, he does). I ranked him #1 this go around, personally, and he did receive a solid percentage of first place votes.
3 – CM Punk (previous rank #1) – When we showed the rankings a couple of weeks ago and people provided snide comments in reply to Punk being #1 (as if it were a foregone conclusion), I thought it was funny. I thought it was funnier when the Punk fans didn’t vote for their guy and Mark Henry and John Cena jumped him in the rankings. Just as with politics of the government variety, if you want your guy to be #1, then you have to vote for him. You can’t just assume that people are going to overwhelmingly make your favorite candidate “the man.” Punk received just 3 first place votes after receiving almost 30 first place votes two weeks ago.
4 – Randy Orton (previous rank #2) – The combination of losing the World title and not challenging for match of the night at the recent PPV seem to be the undoing of Orton’s play for the top spot in the rankings. He’s dropped two spots and he could continue to fall with a lot of strong competition right behind him from a cast of younger or fresher stars.
The Next 4
5 – Alberto Del Rio (previous rank #4) – A lot of TV time have kept ADR relevant and in the top 5, but the loss of the title just four weeks after winning it knocks Del Rio down one spot and, like Orton, he’ll have to step up his game to avoid falling down the ladder quickly. With the title, Del Rio is virtually guaranteed to stay in the top 5, but without it, he is missing something. He hasn’t shown the ability that top spot wannabes Miz, Truth, Ziggler, and Rhodes have…
6 – Cody Rhodes (previous rank #8) – There is, perhaps, no more creative character in the WWE right now than the son of the son of a plumber. He is channeling some inner rage into some of the better character work of the year and has been one of the greatest beneficiaries of the increased exposure provided by the Raw Supershow featuring SD talent. His win over Orton prior to N.O.C., combined with being featured more heavily on the top show have contributed to his knocking on the top 5’s door.
7 – The Awesome Truth (previous rank #10 and #11, individually) – Given their shared fates in recent weeks, the Miz and Truth will be considered as a tag team in these ranking for the time being, so please vote accordingly for the ease of the committee calculating the votes. They received a first place vote, but their votes dropped off afterward until a strong showing in the latter part of the top 10 earned them a great deal of 6-10th place votes. They are storyline fired, though, so what happens now will be quite interesting…
8 – Sheamus (previous rank #7) – I believe that Sheamus is on the verge of stepping up to the main-event and will soon be challenging for the top spot. Sheamus has picked up being a babyface very quickly and the crowds are behind him. He’s getting time to develop his babyface character and his matches continue to be some of the consistently best on TV. His upcoming match with Christian on PPV could boost him up a few spots before potentially being the next challenger for Mark Henry’s WHC.
The Best 4 of the Rest
9 – Triple H (previous rank – unranked) – The Game stepping back into the ring vaulted him from not ranked in the last poll to the top 10. His character has gotten a lot of TV time – more than anyone since his return a couple of months ago – but you have to do it all to be ranked. His match with CM Punk garnered match of the night honors for many at N.O.C., so we can certainly justify his inclusion. I ranked him in my top 5, as did several others (but he never reached higher than a 4th place vote). However, without a match on the horizon anytime soon, he will likely be gone in the next poll.
10 – Dolph Ziggler (previous rank #12) – The United States Champion moves into the top 10 after having received some increased time on the microphone in recent weeks to go along with his usually top notch in-ring performances in the mid-card. Ziggler is a star on the rise, in my opinion, and it will be very interesting to see how far up the list he can go. Remember, these polls are not solely based on who’s the World Champion, but rather who does the most with the time that they receive on TV and PPV both in the ring and as a character. Ziggler has been given a lot of TV time lately; nearing the level of the main-event guys.
11 – Air Boom (previous rank #13) – The Tag Team Champions join the US Champ in moving up two spots from the previous poll. It would seem that, in recent weeks, the tag team divisional push has come along a little bit and the champs have been the recipients of more exposure. Their match at N.O.C. was pretty good, as well. Can they crack the top ten in the next poll? A HIAC PPV match given more time (since there are less matches than at the previous event) could be just what the doctor ordered for them…
12 – Kelly Kelly (previous rank #15) – Kelly jumps up three spots, as she is gaining some fans in the IWC from her in-ring work against Beth Phoenix on PPV. Her match at N.O.C. was one of the better women’s matches in recent memory. Her character could still use some work, but you can tell that she’s trying hard to be a better wrestler and that’s something that is worthy of both praise and a higher spot in the LOP Wrestler Rankings.
The Last 4 In
13 – Christian (previous rank #6) – Nobody has fallen further and faster than Christian since two weeks ago. His initial ranking saw him vying for a spot in the top 5, but the voters just did not show Christian much love this go-round. His TV time has cut down since his feud with Orton ended, but not to a great degree. His not having a match on the last PPV hurt him, as that has been one of the driving forces behind his early high rankings in polls #1 and #2, respectively. He should get back on track after HIAC.
14 – Sin Cara (previous rank – unranked) – Sin Cara makes his first appearance in the polls after doubling – literally – his TV appearances in the last few weeks. Cara has not really had any storylines written for him, with the exception of his short feud with Chavo “I’m a whiny unemployed former WWE wrestler” Guerrero, up to this point in his career. So, it’s nice to see him getting an actual feud rather than just botching moves in randomly thrown together matches.
15 – Wade Barrett (previous rank #14) – Wade has not done much, as of late, so it surprised me that he managed to stay in the rankings at all. However, we know that he has potential and that it wouldn’t take much for him to vault up the polls.
16 – Jack Swagger (previous rank – unranked) – I had Swagger in my initial rankings, but he didn’t make the cut in our first poll a couple weeks ago. He’s back – barely – after having registered just enough votes to put Daniel Bryan on the outside looking in.
Voting for the next poll can be done via email, Twitter (@DrCMV1), Facebook, or by logging onto the LOP Forums and clicking the following link: http://www.lopforums.com/showthread.php/5613-LOP-s-Bi-Weekly-WWE-Wrestler-Rankings-Let-Your-Voice-Be-Heard
Doctor's Orders: Another PPV? Hell (in a Cell), I'll Watch It
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Well, by Gawd, the WWE is having another PPV already. Hell in a Cell is Sunday and the internet is up in arms about there being just two weeks since the last PPV. Call me crazy, but I think that finding a bar at which I can watch the PPVs has changed my perspective on the multiple PPVs a month thing. I used to complain about the WWE trying to cram 3 PPVs into a six week period, but now that I’m not shelling out $150 (w/ taxes and fees) for those three events, I’m finding myself caring a lot less about the issue. Quite honestly, PPV is where all the good stuff happens and where all the best matches take place, so if I can spend ten bucks on three beers and kick it with a bunch of strangers that like wrestling, then I’m all for a bunch of PPVs. I’m excited, in fact.
I’m looking forward to Sunday’s event. On paper, it’s looking good. I’ve seen a lot of stuff around the net, though, that seemingly disagrees with my sentiments. I’m reading words like stale, boring, and disappointing to describe Monday’s RAW. Perhaps I was watching a different show. I saw Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, and Christian get treated like major players. I watched Alberto Del Rio get booked like a dominant heel and the prohibitive favorite going into the PPV. That’s anything but stale, boring, or disappointing to me. In fact, I think the product in general has been more fun to follow in the last three months than in any non-Wrestlemania season in years because of all the new faces. 18 months ago, the top guys in the WWE were John Cena, Randy Orton, an active Triple H, an active Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Edge, Rey Mysterio, Batista, and Chris Jericho. Two became inactive, four retired/left, and one is out with injury, leaving just Orton and Cena remaining. CM Punk has taken an available top spot. Christian and Mark Henry have given all long-tenured veterans hope that there is a chance that they could get their day in the sun. Sheamus has become a versatile go-to guy on the outside looking in at the main-event. Then there’s the whole cast of new guys vying for what’s left and getting significant TV time. This is a good time to be invested in the product because we’re seeing the WWE transitioning and a whole new cast of characters involved in that shift.
So, I will be venturing to the bar again on Sunday to catch the PPV. I don’t think this PPV has a must-see match like the last three, but the card looks like it will continue the streak of good outings for the WWE. Sheamus vs. Christian is a sleeper, for me, because I think they’ve quietly built a match that helps elevate events like this one. They have the ability to steal the show if they’re given the chance. Does it surprise anyone else how easily Sheamus has transitioned into being a top level babyface? He has gotten over much faster than I thought he would and he’s made it look easy. Based on the early booking, I think we’ll see Sheamus get the win at HIAC. I look forward to what will hopefully be a series of matches with Christian before he heads back up to the main-event to finish up his business with Mark Henry.
Speaking of Henry, he continues to play his role as the dominant big man quite well. It begs the question: how long will he be the champion? My answer will be dependent upon how well he performs inside the Cell on Sunday. I still think he needs to have a standout main-event match to solidify his position. He did a nice job at N.O.C., but he needs to knock one out of the park. Orton is still riding a hot streak and if they can manage to evenly book this match so that Orton gets about equal offense, I think they could have the match of the night. Funny, not before four months ago would I have ever used Henry and match of the night in the same sentence. Henry is like the Rich Gannon of the WWE – here he is in the twilight of his career and he’s all of the sudden performing like a star (CMV1 note – Gannon was an NFL QB in his late thirties that suddenly decided to be good in pro-football – one of the most random “stars” in history). In my crystal ball, I don’t see Henry being a long-term answer as the champion unless the ratings stay consistently high with him as the champion. He deserves to be champion, but to champion his being champion for longer than a couple of months? Erroneous! Erroneous! The longest reign in recent memory was just over 5 months. If he makes it that long, I’d be surprised. Doctor’s Orders? They’ll get the belt on the guy that they want headlining Mania and it won’t be the World’s Strongest Man. Nevertheless, Henry retains at HIAC.
My confidence level in this PPV being good is pretty high. The WWE has had two HIAC PPVs, each of which took place just 2-3 weeks after the previous PPV, and both were pretty damn good shows. CM Punk getting added to the Alberto Del Rio vs. John Cena rematch certainly didn’t hurt, either. Punk has been on such a roll that I have a hard time imagining the WWE title HIAC not being match of the night. I just want to know how good it can be. Alberto looked awesome on RAW. That was his best overall performance to date, in terms of him hyping a PPV match that he’s involved in. People forget that this guy was essentially debuting a year ago – it takes time to get it right. He’s got all the tools, though, and is a unique heel amongst the current crop that has a lot of intangibles and is easy to dislike. Ratings may end up being his downfall, but night’s like Monday will help him get over stronger. He was the star of the last hour of the broadcast.
I’m intrigued by the result of the triple threat. Conventional wisdom suggests that, now that the belt is on Cena, he should be keeping it until the business with Rock picks back up and that’s certainly what I’m leaning toward. I think the simplest way for the WWE to go with Rock-Cena is to have Rock cost Cena the title at the Royal Rumble when the largest set of eyes will be on them. Why would Rock take away a chance to become champ again? Because it’s personal and the Rock knows well enough that Cena thinks their Mania match should be for the title. Something tells me it doesn’t matter to The Rock what Cena thinks. However, I do think that there’s a chance that Punk walks away the champion. Interest in the product was no greater over the last 6 months than it was when Punk won the belt. The jury is still out on his drawing ability, but there’s going to be some trial and error in this transition period. MITB made an extra million bucks than the year prior thanks to Punk. Summerslam was apparently down, but I find it an interesting parallel that MITB gained tens of thousands of extra viewers compared to 2010 while Summerslam lost tens of thousands of viewers compared to 2010. Could it be that the WWE simply has a fairly fixed group of PPV buyers right now and a big portion of them decided to spend their Summerslam money on the July PPV? I was one of those people. I just don’t see the need to spend a ton of coin on PPV when I can watch it live at a bar for three bucks and some beers or online the next weekend for free – that’s just simple math. I spent the money to see Punk vs. Cena in Chicago, though. I didn’t spend the money for Summerslam. Just saying – it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Punk wins the belt.
One thing that sort of irks me about Hell in a Cell is that the WWE knows that is has been one of their money gimmicks for years, but they don’t make much effort to build feuds that fit the use of that gimmick during the summer. Wade Barrett vs. John Cena last year would’ve been a great use of the Cell, but it was just a standard match. It had been building for months. Instead, Kane-Taker 38 got the Cell, as did a lukewarm feud between Sheamus and Orton. The year before was much better, which is probably why it garnered 80,000 more PPV buys. This year is like last year. Neither one of these Cell matches really fits the theme of the gimmick. Orton vs. Cena and DX vs. Legacy had stories to provide reasoning for the use of the Cell to settle their scores. Orton vs. Henry nor the triple threat really have that back story that warrants “going to hell.” The WWE knows well in advance their PPV schedule and how close it will be to September’s event. Why not build a strong rivalry that makes the Cell make more sense? They’ll make more money that way and I know that’s what they’re aiming at…
Back to the card…Beth vs. Kelly 3 is on deck and I’m more excited for this one after they had the best women’s match in at least two years (probably longer) at the N.O.C. Beth should win the title, here. I suppose Sin Cara vs. Sin Cara could get added to this card, but I’d caution them to build it up another three weeks for Vengeance. The issues are still building and we need to see a clear delineation between who is who and get that established in advance before this goes to PPV. I fear it’ll bomb if they don’t build it up a little bit more. I think maybe Jack Swagger and Dolph will team up to face Air Boom, but they could also do Dolph vs. Ryder for the US title. The wheels are in motion for either to take place, but I’d favor the latter. Dolph needs to get more chances to shine by himself. He’s too good not to. I love that he’s been getting more air time. That guy is a star in the making.
Any thoughts on Hell in a Cell that you’d like to share? Predictions? Do you even care to watch?
Doctor's Orders: The Night of Champions Report (Voting Still Open for 9/26 Poll)
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Night of Champions Report
Match 1: Air Boom defeated Awesome Truth by disqualification in 10-minutes (CMV1 rating - **1/2) (CMV1 note – I thought this was a perfectly enjoyable tag team opener, with one moment of real uncertainty that boosted the rating. If the WWE intends to revamp their tag team, I wonder if they might re-consider the tag team formula. Every WWE tag match follows a basic formula and, since the matches aren’t often given the luxury of time, I think that formula needs to be changed. Otherwise, I’m not sure any tag match will ever best the 3-star mark. These are both good tag teams. Others need to start popping up because I don’t get the feeling Truth and Miz are long-term partners. Miz will be back in the main-event before long)
Match 2: Cody Rhodes retained the IC title against Ted Dibiase in 10-minutes (CMV1 rating - **1/2) (CMV1 note – I’ve read some complaints around the net about the crowd being dead for this match. Being at a bar, I couldn’t really hear the crowd one way or the other, so that didn’t work against my rating. What I saw was a good match between two guys that know each other well. They were lacking a big babyface comeback from Ted and a big near fall to push this past the level it ultimately reached, but they did a good job and worked fluidly with each other. Some of the grappling in the first five-minutes was really nicely done. Dibiase could use a change in theme music. Or a complete overhaul in character. Or both)
Match 3: Dolph Ziggler retained the US title against Jack Swagger, John Morrison, and Alex Riley in 9-minutes (CMV1 rating - **3/4) (CMV1 note – This was the best match on the show up to this point, with the four of them keeping us guessing as to whom would emerge victorious. I thought for a second that Riley had it won with that Impaler-type DDT on Swagger. I liked the simultaneous submissions from Dolph and Jack toward the end of the match. I got the feeling that we were watching the future, as each of these four guys could be major players a little bit down the road. It’s time to move Ziggler up the card, but it’s nice to see the US title on a guy that the WWE seems motivated to elevate. That only makes the title look better in the long run)
Match 4: Mark Henry defeated Randy Orton to become World Champion at 12:30 (CMV1 rating - **3/4) (CMV1 note – These two overtook the US title match for match of the night honors up to that point. Henry worked the best match of his entire 15-year career and deserves praise for his body of work over the last 3-4 months. Orton was game and I was curious to see how he’d do against a guy Henry’s size. Orton had been on such a roll, but it was against guys that were smaller than him. He stepped up nicely and showed that he’s capable of working a main-event caliber match as a babyface against a giant. I thought the finish was a little anti-climactic. Henry still needs to prove that he can have a top level match that can get past the 3-star mark. I know that may be nitpicking with star ratings being so subjective, but my rating pretty much reflects what I’m seeing around the net. Good effort by both, but I want to see better from my World Champions. Like Kevin Nash was able to have some really strong matches against the top workers of his era, I want to see a guy like Henry do the same. I hope Henry gets a nice little run with the title and sets up a long chase for Orton to get the title back. Henry deserves the run at the top and Smackdown could use a heel running the show while the top babyface struggles to get back to the top of the mountain. If you look back at the last 10 months, it’s largely been a babyface dominating the title picture)
Match 5: Kelly Kelly retained the Diva’s title against Beth Phoenix in 7-minutes (CMV1 rating - **1/4) (CMV1 note – I really liked this match and I applaud the ladies for bringing their A-games – especially Kelly. Against a worker the caliber of Beth, Kelly is able to do some pretty impressive stuff in the ring. Dare I say that we might have our next Trish? I never thought it would be her, but if she can develop a character to go along with her obviously improved in-ring skills – which at least allow her to be carried – then she could be a game changer for that division. The Beths and Natties of the world will always be around, but they aren’t the types that the WWE has shown interest (in the past) in pushing as the faces of the division. I like this plot. I like that they are holding off and showing patience on Beth winning the title. I like that Kelly is showing them that she can go. This was the best Divas match that I’ve seen in quite some time)
Match 6: John Cena defeated Alberto Del Rio to become WWE Champion in 18-minutes (CMV1 rating - ***1/2) (CMV1 note – I thought this was the best match on the card, quite honestly. It built nicely throughout and ended with a dramatic last few minutes of good, solid wrestling action. Cena gets the win tonight amongst the top three workers in the business for Match of the Night. Del Rio deserves credit for upping his game again. I was surprised that he lost the title. I wonder if this will be the end of the Alberto Del Rio experiment for the time being? To take the title off of him so quickly - even before their tour of Mexico next month – seemed a bit hasty, but ratings have been down since he became champion and he apparently might have been the scapegoat. I like the guy, but perhaps he’s not a main-event caliber gimmick right now. With so many other strong personalities in the main-event and so many young guys knocking on the door, I’ll be curious to see where they go with ADR. A rematch seems likely and it should yield another good match. I’ll look forward to the follow-up. At the end of the day, Cena continues his roll that he’s been on since hooking up with Punk)
Match 7: Triple H defeated CM Punk in 20-minutes (CMV1 rating - ***1/2) (CMV1 note – Funny that Trips mentioned in interviews last week that he loves those 20-minutes in between the ropes. That’s about what he got exactly at N.O.C. He and Punk were having a very good, Attitude-era style brawl when all hell broke loose. Awesome Truth showing up was expected, but I expected it after maybe another five-minutes of action. Then, Nash showed up expectedly, but tried to attack Triple H. I’m curious to see where all of that is heading. Apparently, no Trips heel turn in the very near future. Fine by me. The finish was very overbooked, but the WWE rarely does that type of booking. So, I think that they can get away with it from time to time and it was fine for tonight. The match wasn’t as good as I thought it could be, but that was because of the booking more so than the wrestling. They did well not to give much away. Punk and Trips could wrestle 6 months from now and it would probably still sell; they just didn’t give much away at all. If you’re a Punk fan, you’ve got to be happy. He lost, but it took three Pedigrees and a Jackknife to put him down. He came away looking about as strong in loss as you can. The WWE is doing a tremendous job right now with keeping you wanting more. There’s a seemingly never-ending line of questions. When you think you’ve got it figured out, they keep you guessing again)
Backstage Skits and Interviews (CMV1 rating - ***) (CMV1 note – I liked that they got Sheamus and Christian on the card with a talking segment. I didn’t use to like that, but it has become a nice ploy to ensure that top guys get a chance to be involved on the PPVs. They don’t overstay their welcome and it is usually compensated for by decreasing the backstage stuff. On this show, the backstage stuff was OK, but there wasn’t an interview that really jumped out as being outstanding)
CMV1 PPV Rating System
0-1.5 stars = Demand a refund and don't take no for an answer. If it was this bad, they should pay you to watch the next two PPVs, at least. (Great American Bash 2005)
1.75-2.25 stars = A below average PPV that wasn't worth the money spent watching. (Survivor Series 2010)
2.5-2.75 stars = An average to above average event that was worth watching on that given night. (Royal Rumble 2011, Wrestlemania XXVII)
3.0-3.25 = A really good show that you'd buy on DVD and watch again (Money in the Bank 2011, Summerslam 2011)
3.5 = This is how PPV should be done (Summerslam 2002)
3.75-5.0 = You never thought a PPV could be this good...
Night of Champions 2011’s Final Score = **3/4 (CMV1 note – Well, I think that rating is quite fitting. The WWE did a nice job last night. It built from above average matches to good matches to borderline great matches and there wasn’t a bad match on the card. So, I went home happy. The WWE had hit two home-runs with their previous PPV efforts, but I thought this was more like a solid double. It still keeps them on the field, so we’ll see what Hell in a Cell can produce)
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Also, with NOC out of the way, voting will continue for the next LOP WWE Wrestler Poll until tonight at 11:59PM EST. You can leave your votes in the Facebook feedback, email us, or log onto LOP Forums and go to the link below. Use the following format for Facebook…
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Doctor's Orders: The Extreme Rules Report
I recently found a bar to watch WWE PPVs, so me and a good friend checked out Extreme Rules. We were both looking forward to the two title matches and Orton vs. Punk. Did they deliver? Did anything else? Let's do an old school CMV1 Review...
Match 1: Randy Orton defeated CM Punk in a Last Man Standing Match at about the 20-minute mark (CMV1 rating - ***3/4) (CMV1 note – Very good match from these two that just fell short of the 4-star mark, in my opinion, because it was so obvious that Orton was going to win. These matches are much better if there’s some question as to the winner. The drama of the near fall is not there, so it has to rely on creativity and doubt of whom will emerge victorious. This was creative, but the doubt wasn’t there. Nevertheless, Orton and Punk worked their butts off and capped off their nice feud with a strong match. Orton heads to SD as their unquestionable top dog, while Punk sinks back to Raw with an uncertain future)
Match 2: Kofi Kingston defeated Sheamus in a Tables Match to become US Champion in about 9-minutes (CMV1 rating - **1/2) (CMV1 note – Nice work from these two and I’m thinking it would’ve been a good idea to advertise this in advance. Sheamus does a nice job of selling false finishes through a table. Just when you think he’s going to go through or make someone go through, he audibles at the last second and it really helps boost a match like this. I hope Sheamus gets to move back up the card…he’s very good)
Match 3: Michael Cole and Jack Swagger defeated Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler in a Country Whipping Match at roughly the 10-minute mark (CMV1 rating - *) (CMV1 note – It was what it was and there’s little else to write. The best thing about this feud is that it gets Jack Swagger some air-time and keeps him relevant. Cole’s act is tired because it has been overplayed. He’s a good heel, but to hear him speak so often throughout each and every show is just downright annoying at this point and I’m tired of it. It’s time for the WWE to call it quits on this feud, presumably after Over the Limit is over and King kicks his ass)
Match 4: Rey Mysterio defeated Cody Rhodes in a Falls Count Anywhere Match at 12:00 (CMV1 rating – (**3/4) (CMV1 note – I was honestly hoping that this would be better. It started off well enough with some nice brawling through the crowd and some interesting spots when they reached the refreshment area. Unfortunately, their work back in the ring was a little sloppy and it lacked the requisite big near fall to push it to the 3-star mark. It was still a good match, so don’t get me wrong. I was just hoping they’d tear the house down. Losing to Rey at ER matters little since Cody beat him at Mania, but they’ll need to follow-up with Rhodes to make sure he doesn’t slink back to being irrelevant)
Match 5: Layla defeated Michelle McCool in a No-DQ, Loser Leaves WWE Match in 6-minutes (CMV1 rating - *1/2) (CMV1 note – They worked hard and had a perfectly acceptable diva match to end Michelle’s career. I have to admit that I always found McCool to be underrated. She caught a lot of flack over the years, but much of it was undeserved. Her and Layla were the most entertaining thing in women’s wrestling since the Mickie-Trish feud. I don’t really care much for the diva division and haven’t since Trish retired)
Match 6: Christian defeated Alberto Del Rio in a Ladder Match to become World Champion in 21-minutes (CMV1 rating - ****1/4) (CMV1 note – This was an excellent match for the World title that really showcased that both Christian and Del Rio belong in the 2011 main-events. To me, this is the evolution of the ladder match. Yes, there were several really good spots, but they were teased many times prior to occurring. It was spots with an unusual touch of psychology for a match of this type. Recall that the first match of the night was so predictable in result that it took away from the match, but the opposite was the case for this match. It was fairly unpredictable as to who would win on my side of the table, so it added quite a bit to the drama. The emotion of Christian winning the title was one of those great moments in wrestling, with Edge’s tears putting a nice finishing touch on it. This was a legitimate MOTY candidate in my book)
Match 7: World Tag Team Champions Kane and Big Show defeated Wade Barrett and Ezekial Jackson (CMV1 rating - *1/2) (CMV1 note – I didn’t have a problem with this match at all, as Jackson in particular showed some fire and a lot of potential. With as smart as that guy is and with as powerful as he is, it wouldn’t shock me to see him become a major player in the main-event on Smackdown. It would seem as if a minor feud with Wade is on the horizon)
Match 8: John Cena defeated The Miz and John Morrison in a Triple Threat Steel Cage Match at around the 19-minute mark to win the WWE Championship (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note – This challenged the ladder match for MOTN honors, as this was the first cage match to feature a lot of spots off the cage in quite some time. Recent cage matches have lacked the thrilling stunts of the past, but this one brought them back to the forefront. It wasn’t surprising given that Morrison was involved and that he thrives in environments such as these. He was made to look like a big star. Miz was the one that took the brunt of his spots and it looked quite punishing if you ask me. I was very impressed with what Miz was willing to put his body through to make this match special even though he knew he wasn’t going to win. It showed him to be a team player. Cena winning makes sense in the grand scheme, but I think Miz will eventually get the title back heading into Mania next year)
Backstage Skits and Interviews (CMV1 rating - ***1/2) (CMV1 note – This was a big hit. Kharma debuting was a nice touch at the end of the women’s match. She is an intimidating presence and, now that McCool is gone, she should make for a very good change of pace as the new top heel of the division. The backstage segment with the Divas before and after the match coupled with the above made it a good night for the Divas. There were some other good segments, too, including some interviews with Miz and Cena and the continued impressive heel turn of R-Truth)
CMV1 PPV Rating System
0-1.5 stars = Demand a refund and don't take no for an answer. If it was this bad, they should pay you to watch the next two PPVs, at least. (Great American Bash 2005)
1.75-2.25 stars = A below average PPV that wasn't worth the money spent watching. (Survivor Series 2010)
2.5-2.75 stars = An average to above average event that was worth watching on that given night. (Royal Rumble 2011, Wrestlemania XXVII)
3.0-3.25 = A really good show that you'd buy on DVD and watch again (Elimination Chamber 2011, Unforgiven 2006)
3.5 = This is how PPV should be done (Summerslam 2002)
3.75-5.0 = You never thought a PPV could be this good...
Extreme Rules 2011’s Final Score = **3/4 (CMV1 note – I really enjoyed this PPV from top to bottom and the top three matches all very much delivered. If Cody vs. Rey would’ve been a little bit better, then it would’ve made this even better, but this is still going to end up a strong contender for PPV of the year. It is a rare thing these days that we see a PPV feature – almost – three matches that reached the four-star level, including a MOTY candidate. The quality of the top matches this year has been really strong as compared to last year. I honestly rated as many matches at 4-stars this year already than I did all of last year combined)
Doctor's Orders: On the Edge of Immortality - Weekend Long Rated R Superstar Commemorative
I’ll never forget the Raw 8 days removed from Wrestlemania 27. I was still coming down from my Wrestlemania high and had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that wrestling was not going to be nearly as interesting as it had been for the previous three months. I was not, however, expecting that one of my all-time favorite WWE Superstars was going to suddenly be forced into retirement. I knew of Edge’s health history and I had always wondered how long a man who’d had spinal fusion surgery in his late twenties could continue in the profession of pro-wrestling, but I did not think it would come so abruptly. I had been attendance in Atlanta when Edge successfully defended the World title. Little did I know that it would be the last match of his career. I cannot say that I was shocked that he had to retire. I suppose that is why it has taken a couple of weeks for it sink in. As the video montages of his career have been played, the more it has begun to hit home.
As a fan of 25 years, I’ve had a few favorites. Ric Flair captured my young imagination in the eighties, Ultimate Warrior colorfully took over in the early nineties, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels ascended to the top as I grew a greater appreciation for the in-ring product, and The Rock was my guy during the Attitude era. Shortly before HBK returned in 2002, Edge had a series of matches with Kurt Angle that prompted me to declare Edge my new favorite. This was before I’d ever seen the TLC matches that I’d missed during an 18-month hiatus from wrestling, by the way. I got to watch him battle back from a devastating injury and build a new character that would eventually lead him to becoming an 11-time World Champion that main-evented four Wrestlemanias. When I met my wife a few years ago and she was forced to share my WWE habit, it was Edge that most captured her suspension of disbelief. She wore an Edge t-shirt and arm bands to Wrestlemania this year. So, Edge holds a special place for me, in large part because I followed his entire run as a singles performer from King of the Ring to Intercontinental Champion to contender for the World title to WWE Champion to Royal Rumble winner and future Hall of Famer.
So, it is with all of that being said that we look back at the career of Adam Copeland for the next two days; to pay tribute to Edge in a way that a superstar of his caliber deserves. We will look back at some of the defining moments of his time in wrestling, some of his greatest matches, and the final months of his career. Please feel free to leave feedback discussing your favorite Edge moments.
A Boy With a Dream; A Man With a Ladder
My earliest memory of Edge is actually from Summerslam 1998, when he was the surprise tag team partner of Sable against Jacqueline and Marc Mero. I remember thinking of him as a guy with some potential, but it was not the kind of match that really showcased what the young man was capable of doing. He was twenty-four years old at the time, living a dream and trying to make a name for himself. Like many guys back then, Edge was a new performer somewhat lost in the shuffle during a very booming period for the business. Every now and again, though, he was given an opportunity to shine and made the most of it. The month after Summerslam that year, Edge was placed in a PPV match against fellow-Canadian Owen Hart.
Edge vs. Owen Hart (Breakdown ’98) (CMV1 rating - ***1/4) (CMV1 note – People forget how athletic Edge was, in my opinion. He really showed how much his body broke down after that neck surgery and that TLC had taken its toll. He really hung with Owen in this match, which was a very good bout to open the same PPV that Austin, Taker, and Kane had a triple threat. Owen was awesome and Edge did a good job getting the crowd behind him before Christian showed up and distracted him. One of the first matches that showed you that Edge could really end up becoming a star)
Edge became a member of the Brood with childhood friend, Christian, and Gangrel in late ’98. I don’t recall the group for their memorable matches, but they have to be remembered for their memorable blood bath entrances and their awesome theme music. To this day, the Brood’s theme is one of my all-time favorites. The Brood ended up joining the Ministry of Darkness and helped the Undertaker hang the Big Bossman at Wrestlemania XV, marking Edge’s first appearance at wrestling’s most spectacular event.
It was during the summer of 1999 that I went on a lengthy hiatus from wrestling. I was in high school at the time and other interests rose to the forefront. Unfortunately, it caused me to miss Edge’s ascension to a major player. It was one of the first things that I did once I discovered the internet wrestling community and its wealth of online resources to watch old wrestling footage. It was pretty easy to find which match put Edge on the map. It came in the finals of the Terri (Runnels) Invitational to see which young tag team would get Terri as their manager and a bag full of cash. Back then, ladder matches were not as commonplace as they are today, so you have to assume that the WWE saw something in these guys before booking the bout with that stipulation. I’m not sure, though, that they had any idea how good it would be. It would be the introduction of a third team into the fold that would lead to the most famous tag team era in modern history. The Dudleys, Hardys, Edge, and Christian series of matches was not something that I got to witness live, as mentioned, but it was the series that most frequently had my rear end out of my seat when I watched them on DVD. The Triangle ladder match, the first official TLC match, and the second and third TLC matches were some of the most incredible stunt matches I’ve ever seen. Those guys will never be the same and took years off their qualities of life entertaining us and trying to take the next step in their careers. Edge is proof positive of that.
Edge and Christian vs. The Hardys in a Ladder Match (No Mercy ’99) (CMV1 rating - ****1/2) (CMV1 note – Four young and hungry superstars went out that October and made a statement that they had arrived on the scene for good. This was the most memorable match of Edge’s young career. He started out fine, but he tapered off in ’99 until this match really put him on the map for a main-event caliber career. Interesting that he’d go on to feud with each of the other three participants in big singles programs that advanced his career. This set a new standard for ladder matches and, outside of the involvement of tables, this is arguably the greatest ladder match of all-time, spotfest or not)
Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz in a Triangle Ladder Match (Wrestlemania 2000) (CMV1 rating - ****1/2) (CMV1 note – One of the most thrilling matches I’ve ever witnessed thanks to all the crazy stunts that they performed. I just cannot describe to you the mayhem; you just have to see it. It stole the show at that year’s Wrestlemania and really elevated all six guys to positions of prominence that would last for quite awhile. It was the match that sparked the main-event careers of Jeff Hardy and Edge. Of course, it also gave birth to a classic new match type in TLC, which officially came to be a few months later at Summerslam, but which has spawned its own PPV in the modern era. It was groundbreaking in that sense and there’s nothing like the original)
Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match (Summerslam '00) (CMV1 rating - ****1/2) (CMV1 note - Billed as the first TLC match, it was really the second. The first took place at that year's Wrestlemania and it was off the charts in terms of the risks and bumps taken. This was just more of the same. The sequel was quite amazing to watch, yet again, with several cringe worthy stunts made to look fairly simple, but it wasn't as memorable since it wasn't the original)
Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz in a TLC Match (Wrestlemania X-Seven) (CMV1 rating - ****1/4) (CMV1 note – Sometimes, you have to factor in degree of difficulty to a stunt brawl like this. These 6 guys went out there and nearly topped their previous TLC efforts, which was thought to be a nearly impossible task. Had they managed to connect with all of their attempted spots, then they might very well have. Unfortunately, the degree of difficulty was extremely high and there was a rough moment during one of the attempted sequences. Edge’s Spear of a hanging by a hook Jeff Hardy from the top of a ladder was one of the most memorable spots in the history of the WWE)
The Classic Path: Tag Team Star to Intercontinental Champion
After the third TLC match, Edge and Christian began teasing a split. Edge won the King of the Ring tournament in 2001 and engaged in a feud with Lance Storm over the IC title heading into Summerslam. He won the title and immediately moved into a feud with Christian, who had by that point turned on him. Both of them were showing signs of becoming future stars at the top of the card, but this was really Edge’s first opportunity to show his skills in the singles ranks as a featured performer. He was a focal point, winning and losing the IC and US championships throughout the fall of 2001 before unifying the two titles with Test at Survivor Series – when the WWE vs. WCW feud came to an end. He lost the unified title to William Regal and began to move up the card again.
Edge vs. Lance Storm (Summerslam ’01) (CMV1 rating - ***) (CMV1 note – Not long enough to be anything special, but a really strong opener to the 2001 edition, featuring some nice catch as catch can wrestling, as JR liked to say. One great near fall at the end pushed this to the 3-star mark)
Edge vs. Christian in a Ladder Match (No Mercy ’01) (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note – I certainly wouldn’t say that it is on par with the ladder matches during the TLC era, but it showed that the two could adapt to a main-event style ladder match and still tear the house down. It was intelligently worked and they came up with some innovative ladder spots, which was a must during that time because there had been so many memorable ladder matches not far removed from it. Sure would’ve loved to have seen them wrestle in a big PPV main-event for a World title. It makes me more excited to see Christian get a crack at the World title this weekend)
Edge vs. Test (’01) (CMV1 rating - ***) (CMV1 note – I always thought that Test was underrated because of strong matches like this. He had a lot of high impact moves that made for believable false finishes. He and Edge unified the US and IC titles in this match)
Edge vs. William Regal (Royal Rumble ’02) (CMV1 rating - ***) (CMV1 note – If anyone has any gripes about Edge being a babyface, they simply need to watch him wrestle as one. I think he wrestles better as the good guy, despite his character being better as the bad guy. He even writes as much in his 2004 book. Good match)
This is a little out of chronological order, but Edge did return from injury to capture the IC title for a 5th time back in 2004. His neck surgery kept him away for over a year and he was drafted to Raw in April 2004. He was immediately positioned to be a top star, but he couldn’t seem to find his footing. Thus, he was put up against Randy Orton. I wanted to include this match because it was the bout that, to me, reminded the WWE of what he was capable of when given the chance to shine in a main-event caliber match. He hadn’t yet been given that chance since his return and I thought he delivered in spades. Soon after, he was right back in contention for the World title.
Edge vs. Randy Orton (Vengeance '04) (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note - People have allowed their judgment of both competitors to cloud their minds when it comes to this match. It's funny - if Angle and HBK start out with a methodical pace, it's to set the stage for a long match and it's no big deal. When Orton and Edge did it, it's because they both suck and it made the match boring. Nonsense I say! This was a great match that ended the great run that Orton had been having with the IC title during the post-Mania part of 2004. The last quarter of this match was on par with any of the other top matches from that year, with a flurry of excellent sequences and near falls that left you wanting more)
“Dude, I’m Going With Edge as My New Favorite Wrestler”
It was Rock vs. Hogan at Wrestlemania X-8 that truly recaptured my inner fandom for wrestling, so while I came back from my hiatus during the Invasion and got to see some great Edge moments, it was not until the draft that followed Mania in 2002 that I really started to notice just how good Edge had become. I watched the first or second Smackdown after the original draft and saw Edge take on Kurt Angle in that night’s main-event. I was highly impressed. You see, I actually watched as if they were two separate and distinct brands, Raw and Smackdown. SD became my favorite as I was really beginning to put a premium on high quality in-ring action. Edge and Angle’s match led to a return match at Backlash, which was another impressive performance. The feud continued with the classic hair vs. hair match at Judgment Day and it was shortly after that match that I called one of my best friends, a fellow wrestling fan, and told him that Edge was going to be my new favorite wrestler. I was just so impressed with the matches that he was having that I saw a future World Champion on my TV and decided to go ahead and hitch my wagon to him in advance.
His string of great matches continued well past the series with Angle. He also had some damn good matches with Chris Jericho and captured the tag titles with is childhood hero, Hulk Hogan. The tag titles would again factor prominently into his career. He and Rey Mysterio would later capture the tag straps in a phenomenal string of bouts with Los Guerreros and Kurt Angle/Chris Benoit, the best of which was an amazing match at No Mercy 2002. Speaking of Guerreros, Edge had another great series with Eddie Guerrero that year, culminating in a brilliant performance on SD in September. I thought one of the best matches that Edge had that year was actually one that almost nobody knows about since it took place at the UK-based Rebellion PPV. That night, he wrestled against Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman with the WWE Championship on the line and tore the house down! I didn’t see this match until four years after it happened, but I will never forget sitting there and thinking to myself, “That’s why I pegged Edge as my favorite that year.”
Edge vs. Kurt Angle in a Hair vs. Hair Match (Judgment Day ’02) (CMV1 rating - ****1/4) (CMV1 note – God, I loved this series of matches. This was probably the best match in the series with all of the crazy near falls. The style back then was so intense and fast-paced. Angle was the epitome of that style, but Edge could hang with him and it certainly got my attention. It was one of many matches that each of them had in 2002 that made wrestling must-see TV again for me. Angle used that year to punch his ticket to four major Mania matches in the years just after this one. Edge wrestled like he wanted to get to the main-event)
Edge vs. Kurt Angle in a Steel Cage Match (Smackdown June ’02) (CMV1 rating - ****1/4) (CMV1 note – There was a consistently high match quality from week-to-week in 2002 that I’m not sure has ever been matched in a year before. Edge and Angle were a big part of that and anyone who tries to tell me that Edge was carried to all of those great matches will be met with an icy glare from yours truly. You get to the four-star level or better more than a handful of times in a year, then you’ve earned the right to be considered one half of a great series of matches instead of the guy that got carried)
Edge and Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit (No Mercy ’02) (CMV1 rating - ****1/4) (CMV1 note – It’s not very often in the modern era that you can call a tag team match at MOTY candidate, but that’s what these four future World Champs produced in October ’02. Edge and Mysterio paired up to make a great tag team with all sorts of innovative tag maneuvers. Angle and Benoit formed the rare partnership between rivals and were great, as well. The combination, naturally, produced a memorable tag team match for the post-TLC era and helped elevate the tag titles to a position of prominence for a short while, thus keeping all four competitors near the top of the card)
Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero (Summerslam '02) (CMV1 rating - ***) (CMV1 note - A really strong effort and one of those matches that you forget about because the only truly memorable match in their series was the No-DQ bout from SD later that year. This was the kind of match that showed the potential for what they would later do)
Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero (Unforgiven ’02) (CMV1 rating - ***1/4) (CMV1 note – I thought it was on par if not slightly better than the first match in their series. Considering it was given just over ten minutes, then I think that’s quite a compliment. Edge and Eddie had a good chemistry and Edge was really working hard to move his way up the card)
Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero in a No-DQ match (Smackdown September ’02) (CMV1 rating - ****1/4) (CMV1 note – Back during the days of the SD Six, whatever of the top feuds on the blue brand didn’t get enough time to play out their finales on PPV, they’d get that time on SD. Edge and Guerrero had two very good matches on PPV, but this was a MOTY candidate and a phenomenal TV match. It is one of the best matches in the history of SD and the kind of match that had to have made people backstage look at Guerrero and Edge as future main-event players and World Champions)
Edge vs. Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman (UK Rebellion ’02) (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note – This was a match that really put the stamp on Edge being a guy that they could eventually push to the title. They put him in the main-event and had Brock Lesnar give him every move in his arsenal, but allowed Edge to come back and nearly win the WWE title in his first major championship match. It was a UK PPV, but it was still a great test for Edge and he passed with flying colors. Lesnar could’ve become a phenom in the WWE had he stuck around)
Money in the Love Triangle?
I was very disappointed when Edge got injured and was forced to miss a year recovering from neck surgery. Yet, I was very excited to see his return. I kept my eye on his possible return dates for the better part of six months, so when that vignette aired to hype his return during Wrestlemania XX, I was quite pumped up to say the least. When he came back, though, he didn’t catch fire as a returning babyface the way that I (and surely the WWE higher ups) had hoped. He spent the majority of 2004 trying to find his place on Raw. Plenty of time was spent giving him chances and there were numerous rumors that he’d get a World title shot. He ended up being the guy to take the IC title off Randy Orton so that the Legend Killer could win the World title. His only PPV defense came at Summerslam ’04, which turned out to be historically significant for reasons to be discussed later on. Despite being the babyface in his hometown, he got booed out of the building. He ended up with a minor injury that caused him to lose that title, but it was a blessing in disguise. He turned heel upon his return and took out Shawn Michaels.
In a sign of things to come, he nearly won the World title on Raw, but it turned out to be vacated due to a double finish. HBK returned soon after and ignited what was a dream feud for me. Michaels is my all-time favorite wrestler and to see him and Edge go it was just awesome. I looked at it as a huge opportunity for Edge and he delivered, in my opinion. That was the feud, to me, that got Edge’s career as a featured performer off the ground. I’ve got this way of looking at top talents. If your feud warrants a hype video nearly every time you wrestle on PPV, then you’ve made it to the top. Edge took the ball and ran with it, but it was around this time that rumors began circulating that he was having an affair with Lita, whose long-time boyfriend, Matt Hardy, had been released by that point. Chants of “You Screwed Matt” were heard long and loud throughout the country as Wrestlemania 21 approached. Edge was booked in the first-ever Money in the Bank ladder match that year and was considered a favorite to win, but the real life love triangle seemingly threatened to hurt his reputation and his chances of taking the next step in his career.
Edge vs. Shawn Michaels (Royal Rumble ’05) (CMV1 rating - ***1/4) (CMV1 note – A really strong 18-minute contest that was right in the early part of Edge trying to figure out how to better work in the ring as a heel. He definitely showed flashes of the main-event star he would become and I’ve always wanted to see what these two could have done circa ’06-’08 when Edge was at his best)
Money in the Bank Ladder Match (Wrestlemania 21) (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note - While it was naturally spotty in nature, it was actually quite psychological in many ways. You will typically find it amongst the top 20 lists in Mania history that scatter the internet. I personally believe it to be the fourth best ladder match in the history of Wrestlemania, but it has obviously become a phenomenon all its own, earning its own PPV in addition to being featured on every Wrestlemania from 2005-2010)
That career-threatening reputational downgrade never came and instead only strengthened his position. He won the MITB match and later won a #1 contender tournament on Raw to face World Champion Batista. During the finals of that tournament, Lita turned on her storyline husband, Kane, joining forces with Edge to take advantage of the real life heat. I thought it was an awesome move, yet some criticized that Lita would hold Edge back. Nonsense! It only helped to better the heel character that Edge was developing. The feud with Kane turned out to be great for Edge because he wasn’t overexposed or rushed to the title like many of the other MITB winners have become. It gave him a chance to really build heat and get better as a main-event level heel. When Matt Hardy came back in the summer to get as much out of the real life drama as possible, Edge really took that last step toward superstar status. Many critics had cited Edge’s lack of fire during his promos and that look in his eye that said he wanted it. I remember there was a promo he did backstage where he basically told his side of the story and you could see that fire in his eyes. He turned the corner during that feud, during which he and Hardy had some phenomenally intense battles.
Edge vs. Kane (Vengeance ’05) (CMV1 rating - ***1/4) (CMV1 note – Edge and Kane had some really good matches in 2005 during the love triangle storyline with Kane, Lita, and Edge. Edge had improved his heel in-ring act and was showing signs of the Rated R Superstar becoming a reality. He thrived in the feud with Kane and then Matt Hardy. Vengeance in 2005 was an awesome PPV – one of the best of all-time, in my opinion. This match helped elevate it with a strong upper mid-card performance)
Edge vs. Matt Hardy (Summerslam '05) (CMV1 rating - 3/4 *) (CMV1 note – As a match, it wasn’t much. Yet, as the elevating segment that took this storyline to another level, it was quite effective. Edge surprised people by destroying Hardy and having the match stopped. It showed an intense side to Edge’s heel character that added another dimension to his eventual main-event caliber persona)
Edge vs. Matt Hardy in a Steel Cage Match (Unforgiven ’05) (CMV1 rating - ****1/4) (CMV1 note – If Angle vs. HBK had not been so good, then there would’ve been several matches in the running for the ’05 MOTY and this would’ve been one of them. They not only told a very good story with several twists and turns, but they also performed some pretty nasty cage spots – the kinds that you just don’t see much anymore with some serious bumping. I look back at 2005 and I think this match might be the most underrated match. There were some great false finishes during the climax, with the whole thing just laid out nicely)
The Rise of the Rated R Superstar
Just days into 2006, Edge was in a match with Ric Flair at New Year’s Revolution that was largely considered a throwaway. Edge suffered an injury late in 2005 that left him unable to capitalize on the aftermath of the Matt Hardy feud. His match with Flair at NYR was the opener; they wrestled for a few minutes and went to a DQ finish. A ho-hum night for Edge…until Mr. McMahon came out after the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE title and announced that Edge was cashing in his title opportunity. I was on the edge, pun intended, of my seat! I don’t curse very often in print, but I was like “Holy SHIT!” Edge cashed in and won the WWE Championship. One night later, he had a memorable “Live Sex” celebration on Raw that, little did I know, my future wife happened to watch out of sheer curiosity. The segment drew a huge rating – the biggest in a very long time on Raw. Suddenly, Edge was a huge, ratings grabbing star. The next week, he had an incredibly entertaining match with Ric Flair – in a ladder match no less – on Raw. Ratings were huge again! Go Edge, go! He ended up dropping the belt to Cena at the Royal Rumble, but the three week reign turned Edge into a mega-star and he never looked back. He was put into a big match with a returning Mick Foley for Wrestlemania that year and his Spear through a flaming table that won him that match arguably stole the show.
Edge vs. Ric Flair in a TLC Match (Raw January ’06) (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note – Make no mistake about it…this was one of the finest performances of Edge’s career. Flair had done many things during his long run in wrestling, but never a ladder match of any kind. Edge carried him to one of the best matches – of his second WWE stint, anyway. The rating for the Raw that night was the highest it had been in years, tying it with the week before and week after for some of the best Raw ratings of the modern era. It was awesome to see Edge’s first title run go so well. It seemed like it had been a long-time coming when he won the title and the people showed that they thought he belonged, thus earning him 10 more reigns)
John Cena vs. Edge (Royal Rumble ’06) (CMV1 rating - **1/2) (CMV1 note – By far the worst match in their series thanks to the way that it was booked. Edge dominated the early part of the match, then Cena came roaring back to win his title. Ho-hum)
Edge vs. Mick Foley in a Hardcore Match (Wrestlemania 22) (CMV1 rating - ***3/4) (CMV1 note - The match was hailed as a potential show stealer amidst strong competition on that night. It was definitely a well-respected performance that many said was the great match that Foley had been waiting for in his Mania career. Edge did a great job and became a mainstay in Mania main-events for several years soon after. The enduring image of Edge Spearing Foley through a flaming table is one of those iconic moments that gets immortalized through videos to this day and will continue to do so for years to come)
By the time Mania had rolled around, Edge had firmly established himself as the Rated R Superstar capable of becoming a main-event player for years to come. So, after Mania, he was immediately thrust back into the title picture and rightfully so. I love the triple threat match he had with John Cena and Triple H at Backlash that year. I ranked it in my top ten that year. I did the same for the match that he had with RVD at Vengeance. Quite frankly, I think Edge vs. RVD was one of the most underrated bouts of 2006. Yet, it turned out to be just a pit stop feud for Edge, as he re-engaged John Cena for a memorable series heading toward Summerslam and beyond. He won the WWE title for a second time on Raw in early July. The second chapter in that feud was excellent. His TLC match with Cena at Unforgiven was my 2006 co-MOTY. It was historically significant because it was in the same building in Toronto where Edge had two years prior been booed like booing was going out of style, despite him being the babyface in the match. In September 2006, he was the top heel in the WWE, but the crowd adored him and gave him such an amazing reaction during his entrance that he lost control of his emotions and began to cry before putting on the performance of his career to that point.
Edge vs. RVD (Vengeance '06) (CMV1 rating - ***3/4) (CMV1 note - This was one of my favorite matches of 2006, as I thought they really clicked in the ring. There were several really intricately worked spots throughout and this was the kind of match that RVD shined in. Edge was the perfect opponent for him, as he also thrives in gimmicks. Had this gone another 4-5 minutes, it could've been on my top 5 list for MOTY candidates that year. I thought it was THAT good)
Edge vs. John Cena (Summerslam '06) (CMV1 rating - ***1/2) (CMV1 note - really good main-event that ended up being the match of the night, easily. This was the match where they began clicking in the ring together. The last few minutes were very exciting and Edge’s dominant offense through the first ten minutes was executed well enough to keep the match from being boring. It was nice to see Edge get a meaningful win and be booked to look strong by getting out of the STFU)
Edge vs. John Cena in a TLC Match (Unforgiven ’06) (CMV1 rating - ****1/2) (CMV1 note – An absolutely amazing match that put the finishing touches on one of the better rivalries of the modern era. I voted this the 2006 Co-MOTY w/ Angle vs. Taker from February and I stand by that decision five years later. Some of the bumps that they took in that match no doubt led to Cena’s eventual neck surgery and Edge’s eventual retirement. The human body just wasn’t made to endure matches like this one, but the drama was awesome)
After Edge was out of the WWE title picture, he partnered up with Randy Orton to form Rated RKO, an awesome team created to combat Degeneration X, themselves fresh off a lengthy feud. DX and Rated RKO feuded from September throughout the remainder of 2006. The culmination of the storyline resulted in a big match at New Years Revolution, which became famous for being the second match in history where Triple H blew out his quadriceps muscle. It was an unfortunate end to the feud, but it was a great match up until that point. I think that feud deserves to be highlighted. As Wrestlemania approached in ’07, Orton and Edge split up and it seemed as if they were going to have a match at Wrestlemania. Unfortunately, Edge got injured – recurring theme throughout his career. He and Orton were shifted to the Money in the Bank ladder match to protect Edge’s face. Yet, a couple of weeks later on the same night as Cena vs. HBK (often regarded as the ’07 MOTY) from the England Raw, Orton and Edge had a very good match that could’ve really added to the Mania card’s quality.
Rated RKO vs. DX (Cyber Sunday ’06) (CMV1 rating - ***1/2) (CMV1 note – I thought these four had a really good match that evening, but I didn’t think it was great. HBK and HHH still had a while before they really got their mojo as a tag team, in my opinion. That’s not to say that they weren’t capable of having really good matches like these, but I thought that by ’09 they’d gotten to the great level. Edge and Orton were a solid team and I liked the story told during this match, especially with Orton and Trips. Edge and HBK seemed headed toward a big match down the road, but it never came to be)
Edge vs. Randy Orton (Raw April ’07) (CMV1 rating - ***1/2) (CMV1 note – This was one hell of a match for a TV match during that time period. I reviewed Raw for close to a year on LOP and saw few matches that were as good as this one. Edge and Orton worked a match that many wrestling aficionados would tell you is not easy to pull off: a heel vs. heel match. They did a nice job of getting the crowd on Orton’s side and letting Edge play the heel. I always wished these two would’ve wrestled at Mania that year)
The Ultimate Opportunist and His Ultimate Obstalce
The next big move in Edge’s career came somewhat unexpectedly. Mr. Kennedy had won the MITB ladder match and had proclaimed that he would wait until Mania 24 to cash it in. Yet, then he got injured and got into the dog house. Undertaker was injured, despite being the new World Champion, so they had to get the belt off of him so that he could have surgery. Rather than give it back to Batista, the WWE decided to go a different and more interesting route. Edge challenged and beat Kennedy for the MITB contract. Then, Edge cashed it in after Taker had a cage match with Batista and had gotten attacked by Mark Henry on Smackdown to win the World title for the first time. It turned out to be a turning point in his career because he basically became the face of the Smackdown brand for the rest of his career. Edge immediately began replacing Taker in the matches against Batista, whom Edge claimed in future interviews that he really enjoyed working with. Edge had to drop the title due to injury in the summer.
Edge vs. Batista (Vengeance ’07) (CMV1 rating - ***1/2) (CMV1 note – They did a nice job of incorporating some psychology by having Edge go after Batista’s shoulder and they built up to a very nice last several minutes. The match was restarted after Edge got himself DQ-ed, but it all worked out in the end. The near falls were legitimate and Edge did a nice job of working with Batista. This was the kind of match that showed Edge’s range. He didn’t necessarily carry guys like Bats to four-star bouts, but he could get some really strong matches out of them nonetheless)
By the time Edge came from injury, Undertaker had returned to title contention and was facing Batista again, this time in a Hell in a Cell match. Edge, dressed as a cameraman, interfered in the match and cost Taker the title. He soon revealed that he was partnered up with Smackdown General Manager Vickie Guerrero in a pairing that actually did wonders for them both. It perfectly fit with Edge’s budding Ultimate Opportunist character and put him over as a guy who would do anything to be the champion, even if it meant having a relationship with Vickie. I loved it. I thought it made a lot of sense and was a surprise smash hit. Edge won the title in a triple threat with Taker and Batista at Armageddon. The remainder of the guys that were put with Edge and Vickie (to form “La Familia”) didn’t really work out that well, in my opinion, but the group put Edge in position to main-event his first Wrestlemania. The feud with the Undertaker was the best work of Edge’s career, if you ask me. Their match at Wrestlemania was excellent and each of their return matches was excellent. I believe you can basically choose from one of the three matches listed below to name the 2008 Match of the Year. The two opponents that will define Edge’s legacy in the WWE are John Cena and Undertaker.
Old Foes Are New Again
Edge had a great year in 2008, but again had to take time off toward the end of it because of injury. Yet, he won the WWE title immediately upon returning, only to drop it to Jeff Hardy at the December PPV. That ended up setting the stage for the two old rivals from the TLC era to clash for the big belt. It was nice to see the two of them going at it in the main-event considering their history. I thought Edge and Jeff had some really good matches in ’09 and that each of the PPV encounters were at the 4-star level or better. In between the first and second chapters of the Hardy-Edge main-event feud, though, Edge furthered his Ultimate Opportunist gimmick by entering the Raw Elimination Chamber after losing the World title in the SD EC and winning the World title. It set-up the renewal of one of his greatest rivals by pitting him against John Cena. Big Show was inserted into the fold, but I thought it was nice that such a good rivalry ended up getting featured in at least some way on the grandest of stages. The Edge-Cena feud meant a lot to both of their careers as they were establishing themselves as the top guys. Of course, there was the Wrestlemania 25 triple threat, but it was the one-on-one Last Man Standing match at Backlash that tore the house down. Had HBK and Taker not stolen the year at Mania, Edge vs. Cena might very well have been what replaced it as MOTY. Unfortunately, after chapter two of the Edge-Hardy feud, the Rated R Superstar got injured again (his second really serious and career threatening injury, this time to his Achilles).
Edge vs. Jeff Hardy (Royal Rumble ’09) (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note – This was somewhat of a dream match for those of us that saw them compete during the TLC days, as it was an evolution of the business. I thought they worked a great match with some dramatic near falls leading up to the semi-surprise of Matt Hardy turning on his brother and costing him the title. Jeff was so over that it played out well on screen and the crowd reacted really well to it – disbelief!)
Edge vs. John Cena vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kane vs. Chris Jericho vs. Mike Knox in an Elimination Chamber Match (No Way Out '09) (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note - Rey Mysterio, in particular, was phenomenal in this match. The last few minutes between he and Edge were nothing short of breathtaking. Seeing Cena taken out was certainly intriguing, but once he was out you pretty much knew that Edge was going to be the winner. Perhaps saving Edge vs. Cena for the end would've been better)
Edge vs. John Cena vs. Big Show (25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania) (CMV1 rating - ***1/2) (CMV1 note – Sort of an underrated match, if you ask me, in large part because of the match that came right before it. For all the knocks on the main-events of that year’s Mania, I thought it was unfair to criticize this bout, which managed to squeak out just a little bit more energy out of the crowd as they delivered a nice match)
Last Man Standing Match: Edge vs. John Cena (Backlash ’09) (CMV1 rating - ****1/4) (CMV1 note – Nearly three years after competing in Edge’s specialty TLC match, they competed in Cena’s specialty LMS match…and what a match it was. It was billed as and it felt like the end to their storied rivalry. Without question, they fought like hell to go out with a bang and I thought that they delivered in spades. Maybe not quite as good as the TLC match, but definitely a memorable final battle on PPV for them. I would rank this match right up there with Edge’s best)
Ladder Match: Edge vs. Jeff Hardy (Extreme Rules '09) (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note - The ladder match has happened so many times - and was taken to such extreme heights via the TLC format - that I'm not sure I can ever NOT compare a modern ladder match to one of those from the past. Yet, I have to give credit where it is due...Edge and Hardy told a good story with their ladder match last year. Storytelling in ladder matches now seems to be the thing rather than just a bunch of random high spots. I thought these two started that trend in '09)
Solidifying a Hall of Fame Resume
I had quietly hoped that I was right about Edge being able to come back and win the 2010 Royal Rumble. There had been very few rumors about it and most reports suggested that Edge might not be able to make it back until after Mania. Yet, I remained quietly confident that he would make a surprise return and win the thing. I thought that he and Chris Jericho deserved the chance to take their budding feud to Wrestlemania and be one of the main-events…one that I would highly anticipate. It turned out that I was right! Edge did return to win it, Jericho won the World title, and the two were set to face off at Mania. Looking back, I certainly saw the potential in Edge’s run as a babyface, but it took long after the Jericho feud was in the books for it to really catch on and pan out. They had a good match at Mania 26, but Edge sort of got lost in the shuffle for awhile until he got moved back to Smackdown and won the World title in a great 4-way TLC match in December. I was critical of Edge at the time for his horrible feud with Kane, but he really got his babyface schtick going during his feuds with Dolph Ziggler/Vickie Guerrero and Alberto Del Rio. I thought the work he did in the twilight of his career was very good. The match at the Rumble with Ziggler was top notch and his final match was a good one, as well. It may very well be his performance in the Elimination Chamber that will go down as the best of his final few months, though. Thanks in large part to his efforts, that match is a top contender for 2011 Match of the Year. Taker vs. Triple H will probably win it, but that EC match will probably get some votes…
Rumble ’10 (CMV1 rating - ***1/4) (CMV1 note – One of the shortest Rumbles in history featured a lot of rapid fire eliminations. The usual lengthy performance from a mid-card guy was wiped out in favor of several 10-minute stays here and there that, frankly, carried the majority of the match. Well, that and the storytelling of HBK as he tried desperately to win and go on to face Taker at Mania. Edge’s return was something I had hoped to see at the Rumble and was quite pleased with at the time)
Edge vs. Chris Jericho (Wrestlemania XXVI) (CMV1 rating - ***1/2) (CMV1 note – At just over 16-minutes in length, this was not given enough time to become a great match at the pace that they were working. They were on their way, but they didn’t get to the four-star mark like I’d hoped and predicted, but they did have a very good match. Jericho did a nice job of controlling the match with working over Edge’s leg and they, like in most Edge matches, were able to work in some nice false finishes and counters)
Edge vs. Kane vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Rey Mysterio in a TLC Match (TLC ’10) (CMV1 rating - ****) (CMV1 note - Another excellent match that pushes this PPV to the brink of being one of the best of the year. All four worked really hard to overcome the silly nature of the predominant storyline that this match was based around to have a kick ass match. Edge as a 10-time champ? Hard to believe)
Edge vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Big Show vs. Kane vs. Wade Barrett (Elimination Chamber ’11) (CMV1 rating - ****1/2) (CMV1 note - Here's your early front-runner for 2011 MOTY. An outstanding performance by all involved, especially Edge and Rey Mysterio. Their thrilling 8-minute string of near falls as the final two participants was excellently worked. Drew McIntyre and Wade Barrett also showed flashes of being consistent mainstays at the top in years to come. Big Show and Kane did well in their roles, too. Everyone came out of this match looking better than they did before it, but I cannot say enough about Edge and Mysterio's final sequences. Superb job!)
Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio (Wrestlemania XXVII) (CMV1 rating - ***1/4) (CMV1 note – Quietly, these guys had a good feud leading up to the event, so I wasn’t surprised that the crowd was into it. I actually thought that the placement on the card was nearly perfect because it gave the match a chance to get the reaction it deserved. In recent years, the Taker’s matches have overshadowed at least one World title match. The way that they handled it this year, I thought it worked better. Edge and ADR worked hard and built to a good climax that saw them trade submission finishers and sell them well enough to create legit false finishes. Certainly not a great match, but a damn good one to kick off the wrestling portion)
Doctor's Orders: LIVE ANALYSIS of the 2011 WWE Draft (Cena back to Raw)
Check out the first edition of the new LOP Magazine
(Dr. CMV1 morphs into the WWE’s resident draft guru)
Welcome, sports entertainment fans, to the LIVE coverage of the 2011 WWE Draft. I’m Del Kiper, Jr. and I’ll be giving you regular updates and analysis for the next few hours here on Lords of Pain dot net – the number one internet resource for the WWE Draft.
#8 Draft Pick (to Raw): John Cena - Well that was pretty much what was to be expected. Cena getting drafted back to Raw will disappoint some people, but it was a smart move and a fresh approach to the Draft. A lot was accomplished tonight and each brand got some things that they needed.
#7 Draft Pick (to Raw): Alberto Del Rio - This was, as we discussed in the preview, a good call for the WWE because they’ll get to test out ADR’s work on the flagship show and get the most out of his character. His contract isn’t that lengthy and pushing him early will create for a potentially large ego. Better to try and maximize what they can get out of him. To me, this betters the chances that Cena will be coming back to Raw since it has been rumored that Cena vs. Del Rio is penciled in as the Summerslam main-event. It also, to me, suggests that Miz may get drafted to Smackdown. Kudos to the WWE for an eventful Draft, to this point.
#6 Draft Pick (to Raw): Big Show - Does anyone flip flop back and forth more often than Show? His rate of being drafted is alarming. It’s almost as if they put three “lottery” spots in there for him since he’s so damn big. I think he fits better on a live show because he’s a good talker and a solid character.
The Big Board (As determined by previous draft trends and the current needs of each brand)
1) Randy Orton is off the board after being drafted to SD
2) The Miz – The company’s top heel needs to keep his distance from the company’s top guy, overall
3) Alberto Del Rio is off the board after being drafted to Raw
4) Sheamus – He’s pretty much done all he can do on Raw, but is the kind of character they covet
5) Jack Swagger – A talented performer with a much hated current partner in crime
6) Big Show is off the board after being drafted to Raw
7) John Morrison – He’s on the cusp of the main-event and would do best on a wrestling-oriented show
8) Kofi Kingston – Another guy on the brink of breaking into one of the vacant top spots
9) Cody Rhodes – A rising star in the heel ranks that is just the kind of character fit for the Raw brand
10) Drew McIntyre – Had a potential star-making moment at Elimination Chamber; just needs a shot
#5 Draft Pick (to Smackdown): Sin Cara - This is a smart move by the WWE to move their high flying star to a brand where he’ll get to mess up from time-to-time, but the WWE will be able to cover up for it with editing. Cara isn’t quite as crisp as I think many of us thought he’d be.
#4 Draft Pick (to Smackdown): Mark Henry - In our Draft Preview, we suggested that Henry would be drafted to Smackdown. He really doesn’t add much one way or the other, so it will simply be a change of scenery for him. He’s always got a chance to get pushed right away, though, upon being given a fresh setting. SD stars beware ?
Will Orton and Cena stay on Smackdown? - If both Orton and Cena do stay on Smackdown, which is highly unlikely, then it would leave Raw without a top babyface, so it’s almost not even worth discussing. Even if they moved Undertaker to Raw, he’s around so infrequently that it wouldn’t matter. You could put every babyface in the company on Raw and it wouldn’t matter. It may not be tonight, but somehow, some way one of them goes back to Raw. The WWE has a bevy of young, talented heels, but they don’t have that many babyface characters that you can say that about.
#3 Draft Pick (to Smackdown): Randy Orton - Well, color me confused. The top babyface on Raw gets moved to SD. Now, the new top babyface on Raw gets drafted to Smackdown. I would imagine that it’s highly unlikely that both will remain on the blue brand. I do like that Orton got moved to Smackdown for, as mentioned in the Draft Preview, he would be a good fit for the brand. It really all comes down, now, to what happens with Cena. Orton is a much better fit for SD if Cena isn’t there, allowing him to be the unquestionable top guy on the brand to replace Edge. This has now shaken up the remainder of the Draft, as we will now simply wait to see how one of them gets back over to Raw. One thing that’s never been done before, to my knowledge, is to have one guy get drafted to a show at the start of the Draft, only to get drafted right back to the brand he started on at the end of the show. That is the way I feel that they should go, at this point. Cena goes back to Raw and Orton becomes the new top face on Smackdown.
Let’s take a gander at the Big Board and identify the top stars that I feel are the most likely to be moved tonight. Follow the Big Board all night to see who are the best and most likely to move available.
Further Analysis of Mysterio to Raw - While critical of the move, I am hopeful that the Raw team will get it right this time. Mysterio on Raw was not really something that worked the first time around, but if he is given the weekly opportunity to showcase what he brings to the table, then perhaps we’ll some new moments on Raw. Rey’s style is unique and it may force the WWE to feature a greater amount of wrestling. Interesting to note that the two flagship babyfaces that had been synonymous with their respective rosters for the last several years switched places. Cena and Mysterio have been the two pure babyfaces that really haven’t changed tunes in nearly a decade. The two biggest merchandise movers in the game have swapped shows!
#2 Draft Pick (to Raw): Rey Mysterio - A questionable pick, if you ask me. Unless the Raw brand changes its strategy toward how to approach the booking, then Rey Mysterio will fall victim to the same problem he had on Raw three years ago when he didn’t have much going on. He’s not a character that usually gets featured in talking segments, yet that is 75% of the show. Of course, it’ll be a chance for Rey to work a lighter schedule, of sorts, without those lengthy TV matches to work every week. There’s definitely some positives, as well, as he can work with the likes of The Miz at some point in a high profile feud that will only improve the new face of the WWE’s in-ring skills.
More Reaction to Cena to Smackdown - In our Draft Preview, we talked about the Miz needing to keep his distance from Cena for the health of his career moving forward; that it would be best for Miz if he didn’t have to drop the belt to Cena, as it would help boost his credibility for a future rematch. It is a feud that could have legs, long-term. Miz will become the face of the company as the top star of its top brand. If you look at the Big Board, we can basically take Miz off of it because the goal was to move him away from Cena. Now that Cena is gone, Miz should stay put. This will also allow a guy like John Morrison to ascend, as Raw will be in need of a secondary babyface next to Randy Orton.
#1 Draft Pick (to Smackdown): John Cena - The first thing that comes to mind is that somehow the WWE will reverse course on this pick later and move him back to Raw. It’s just difficult to imagine the WWE’s flagship show not featuring their top guy in the company. However, if this pick doesn’t get changed in some way, then it’s a huge step by the WWE to make Smackdown relevant again. Cena should help Smackdown’s ratings get back to consistently higher levels. Raw still has Randy Orton that they can truly build around as the top babyface and they still have the Miz as their champion. Cena makes SD must see TV just because he’s there, while Raw remains must see TV because it’s LIVE. There’s some unanswered questions that will need to be answered, but there’s no question that the 2011 Draft just started off with a BANG!
Doctor's Orders: The People's Wrestlemania
As if a 64-man fantasy tournament wasn't enough to get you in the know, I am a big fan of fantasy booking. I think it's fun to peer into the crystal ball and try our hands at predicting a card that's one year away. I'd also like to reinforce that I always have my eye on the prize. Wrestlemania is what keeps me coming back to wrestling every year as a means of escape from the really real world, so I like to think ahead toward it. It's become a bit of a tradition for me to throw together a fantasy card for the following year's Wrestlemania shortly after the current year's. One match is already announced and it should pretty much sell the event. Rock vs. Cena is the type of match that could set records if handled correctly. What else will fill out the card? The following is what I'd like to see. Let me know what you'd book...
The Rock vs. John Cena - It has already been announced and how huge is this? Ten years after one of the biggest matches in Wrestlemania history in Rock vs. Hogan, the roles will be reversed when Rock comes back as the old guard stepping back into the ring for the first time in 8 years. Cena will play the present and presumed future of the company standing against the veteran. It’s an awesome story waiting to happen. It shall be interesting to see how they go about hyping this match. If I were Rock, I’d definitely pay a visit to Summerslam to remind Cena what he has coming to him. It’s just one of those rare scenarios where the WWE realizes what they have far in advance and goes ahead and announces what they are planning on doing. I absolutely love it and it’s just the kind of thing that keeps the momentum going from Mania 27 and keeps the fan base energized to get through the next few post-Mania months.
The Undertaker vs. Triple H Rematch - The first match was billed as the “War of Wars” so you could realistically refer to this as War of Wars 2. It was a great match the first time around and it should have a rematch at some point. Whether or not there will be a rematch at Mania is up for debate, but you have to ask yourself who other than Trips and the otherwise occupied Cena could realistically challenge Taker at Mania. Orton could do it, but I’m not sure he is as big a threat as Trips. After the lasting impression that Trips left with his performance against Taker this year, the logical choice would be a rematch. The story is completely different than the one with HBK, in that Trips beat the holy hell out of Taker…HBK nearly willed a win, but it was not the same kind of story as with the Game. This rematch could either happen at Summerslam or Mania, and I would surmise that it’ll end up happening at Mania. The Streak is too big a deal now to have an up-and-comer be the 20th in 20-0.
OR
The Undertaker vs. Chris Jericho - I must admit that I have always had a hard time imagining Jericho being considered a viable threat to the Streak. However, there is a way that this match could happen and Jericho honestly be looked at as a guy who could legitimately make Taker 19-1. If Jericho were to hone a new character – one that gets the best of the top guys in the company like Randy Orton, Big Show, John Cena, or even Triple H – then he could roll into 2012 with a ton of momentum and a newfound reputation as a villain with a distinct goal in mind to beat the Deadman at Wrestlemania. Jericho has done such brilliant work in recent years that it would be fitting to see him get one more chance to steal the show at Mania. Taker would need someone of his caliber to get him through one more 4-star or better classic. It would also be a perfect complement to the main-event of Cena vs. Rock. Taker and Jericho have never wrestled one-on-one on a PPV. This is a must-see encounter.
WWE Champion The Miz vs. John Morrison (No Disqualifications) - I think the WWE realizes that they have a new guy that they can let carry the load. John Cena is still the top guy, but Miz can be counted upon to be a top star and the champion. So, I think that Miz will have a career year in 2011 and go into Mania 28 as the champion, again. I don’t think he’ll hold the title that long, although he could. I chose Morrison as a potential opponent because it’s probably getting to now or never for him. They know what they’ve got with him – a flashy performer who can do things in the ring that no one else can do. The question is whether or not they seem him as an RVD type or an HBK/Bret type that can be a legit main-event player and champion. I think Morrison stands a good chance of winning the Rumble and facing Miz since they have so much history and since Morrison has seen a steady incline in his career and only needs an opportunity to step up. It would behoove the WWE to bring the Rumble winner losing streak into play, as that would add more drama.
World Champion Alberto Del Rio vs. Randy Orton - There is a huge Latino population in Miami, from the statistics I’ve read and ADR seems destined to get the most out of this run with the WWE. He is a great character that seems to be finding his groove and really ascending quickly toward being the torch bearer on the brand for the next year. Orton seems to be the guy that will most likely take Edge’s spot as consistent World title holder or contender – a new role that had been carved out, smartly to maximize a really popular character that will be overshadowed by Cena on Raw every week. So, there’d be a natural collision course, here. Orton could be built up as a guy seeking that defining moment at Wrestlemania by winning the very title that he earned in 2004 to become youngest World Champion in history. He and ADR could have a great feud and a great match, as Orton is a great foil to the snobbish, rich man Del Rio character.
Triple H vs. CM Punk - The potential show stealer in all aspects from the build-up to the match itself at Mania, if you ask me. It’s the kind of match that could really elevate Punk to top heel status in the WWE. Triple H showed this year that he can still tear the house down and has a maturity about him that will allow him to produce a few mores of those before it’s all said and done. Punk is a hungry younger star in his prime that wants to be given the ball at the top of the card. There’s plenty of righteous material that Punk could use to get into the head of the Game. Meanwhile, the Game is the Cerebral Assassin and to have a good psychologically stimulating feud that goes a little deeper than the norm – ala Punk’s feud with Jeff Hardy and his real life issues – would be great for his legacy. I think they would be a dark horse for Match of the Night, despite the heavy competition from four other big main-events.
Rey Mysterio vs. Sin Cara - A lot of people seem to believe that Cara and Del Rio are going to be working together soon, but I think the match that sells the most foreign buys for the Mania PPV is Cara vs. Mysterio. Rey is the icon in the WWE for the lucha libre, masked Mexican wrestler. He has been a fixture in sports entertainment since the mid-90’s and is a former World Champion. Sara is the guy that most assume has the best chance of replacing Rey when he hangs up his mask. What a great honor it would be for Rey to be able to get over Cara and help him usher in a new era for the masked star. It’d be a great complimentary match much like his bout with Cody from this year or the one with Eddie Guerrero in 2005. It’d be a big opportunity for Cara, as well.
Sheamus vs. Big Show - It was a shame that the Celtic Warrior didn’t make it onto the Wrestlemania card this year. He had more than earned it with a stellar year in 2010 where he’d carried the WWE title for 5 months. So, hopefully, he’ll end up on the card in 2012. It wouldn’t seem like his chances are great to be in a marquee match given the recent downgrade he’s received in status in recent months, but a battle against a guy like Big Show would be fresh and give Show something more important to do than be in a throwaway 8-man tag match. The big guy has done a lot for the WWE since his return in 2008 and I think he deserves better.
Awesome Kong vs. Beth Phoenix - I’m hoping next year will be the year that women’s wrestling returns to a more respectable position than not even having the women’s champion on the card in 2011. Kong seems to be the type of character, whatever they call her, that could bring something to the table that hasn’t been there for awhile. Phoenix, with her size, would seemingly be the perfect opponent for her if they want to build a legitimate feud over the Diva’s title.
8-Man Tag Team Match - I have a feeling that something similar to the 8-man tag match may become the norm for getting some of the mid-card talent onto the card without a ladder. Guys like Wade Barrett, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, Drew McIntyre, Kofi Kingston, and Cody Rhodes could all be in top matches come next April for all we know, but if that’s the case then there are going to be other top guys that get pushed down into a spot like this. The WWE needs to have a place for those guys just to get them in front of the 75,000 people that will be watching.
