WWE fantasy booking towards the new year

 WWE's product has been peaking my interest recently by turning out some intriguing story lines, developing the future talent and putting on quality shows.  Unfortunately, I am the type of fan that isn't going to leave the product; I have lived through way worse in wrestling and will probably live through it again.  However, WWE has progressively lost viewership in the millions since the boom period 15 years ago (holy cow 15 years ago?) and the ratings have seemed to plateau to about 4 million per week.  That number is half of what it was during the attitude era and the Monday night wars.  Which means WWE needs to figure out how to do something to rekindle the fire for over 4 million jaded wrestling fans in order to create another wrestling boom time.  The first question one has to ask is, can wrestling create another boom time and can it be done without direct competition?  If you believe it can, what needs to happen to bring the pseudo-casual fans back to sports entertainment?

I, for one, believe wrestling can have another boom period and I think it can happen now.  I believe there are enough key players on the wwe roster and being developed on the roster to appeal to everything wrestling needs catch fire.  I believe that this boom period and take place without any major competition to the wwe reign over sports entertainment.  WCW and Monday Nitro played a huge role in lighting the fuse for the wrestling explosion with the creation of the nWo.  However, wwe maintained its popularity when wcw was taken over by wwe for a period of time.  I also believe that this boom period can take place with the current product the way it is being presented currently; meaning the "pg style" that raw is being delivered.  Everyone loved the attitude era but i don't believe it was because of the blood and guts style of wrestling, profane language or racy stories; those things may have not hurt but they were not the catalyst of the rise in popularity.  WWE struck gold by pushing a blue collar tough guy giving his boss the treatment every blue collar guy wishes he could, fresh hip characters, compelling story and athletic wrestling matches.  Steve Austin led the way of a roster that included The Rock, Undertaker, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Mick Foley, Kurt Angle, Hardy's, Dudley's, Edge, Christian, Eddy Guerrero, and a myriad of secondary talent that made up a very talented roster of talent.  All the while, The McMahon family played super villains and were able to turn the wrestling world upside down.

 So, what needs to happen now to relight that fuse?  Can the wwe recreate an atmosphere that didn't allow its universe of fans to miss an episode of Raw?  I believe that they can, but it is going to take some risks being taken to build that one defining moment that will get current fans talking and catch the eye of the fans that have left the wrestling world.  Below is my fantasy booking, I do not expect it to happen, that may be some direction that would bring fans interest to wrestling back.

 I fully expect Brock Lesnar to beat John Cena at night of champions, not like the manner he did at SummerSlam, but I still think Lesnar will win.  I think that after Cena loses to Lesnar for a second straight time he should be off television for awhile, do a little soul searching before he makes another return.  I also believe that this is the last pay per view that Lesnar will be on for a few months because wwe believes that the Hell in a Cell match can sell the next show and a title match is not necessary.  So let's say at Hell in a Cell the main event resembles something like Seth Rollins and Randy Orton versus Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns in a Hell in a Cell match.  It is an extreme battle that Reigns and Ambrose begin to get the advantage in and this leads to the Authority and Kane coming down to the ring and inserting themselves into the match.  Kane, Orton and Rollins begin to get the advantage and they eliminate Ambrose from the match leaving a three on one situation with Reigns.  As all three men have him cornered John Cena's music would hit and Cena triumphantly returns to help Reigns out and take out the bad guys.  Cena and Reigns stand in the middle of the ring, back to back, challenging the Authority to attack.  At which point Triple H would stand up on the apron and give his famous thumbs down motion and John Cena would turn around and lay out Roman Reigns with an attitude adjustment. 

 Cue the jaws dropping and the authority would pounce on Roman Reigns leaving him laying while Triple H stands tall raising the hands of Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Kane and John Cena!  No one would believe that wwe was finally going to turn Cena bad and that moment would create a "wrestling moment" that would have the wrestling world a buzz.  This would also create another gauntlet of wrestlers Roman Reigns would have to go through before getting to his new target of John Cena, allowing Reigns to hone his skills before he gets to the biggest stage of them all, wrestlemania.  Cena could go on Raw and deliver a promo about how he wrestled for the people and they all turned on him now he is wrestling for himself and for the money.  He could be arm in arm with his girlfriend Nikki Bella who is already with the Authority. 
 He essentially would become Hollywood Hogan and could revitalize his career as a heel and he would become the top heel immediately.  Dean Ambrose would still have his feud with Seth Rollins going that could lead them into the royal rumble and while he doesn't have to team with Roman Reigns they would have common enemies.  I think after Ambrose has finished with Rollins he could set his sights on The Authority as a whole because he is so anti establishment and the rivalry he has with the Authority might look very similar to an Austin versus McMahon feud with Ambrose ultimately going after Triple H, who would hold him down because of his instability and non-corporate attitude.  Triple H would clearly not think Dean Ambrose is best for business. 

 Survivor Series would lead to the perfect set up of Authority versus Reigns, Ambrose, and say, the Uso's in a traditional Survivor Series elimination match where after Ambrose and Rollins eliminated themselves it would come down to John Cena versus Roman Reigns as the last two men where John Cena would simply walk away, like a coward.  This would cement him as the top heel in the business and would only make the fans want to see Roman Reigns get his hands on John Cena even more.  While this is going on I would pair Brock Lesnar up against someone like Sheamus, who can afford to get the tar beat out of him and still make Lesnar look like a beast. 

The storyline going into royal rumble would be that the Authority is going to set up the match so that John Cena wins the rumble match so that he can recapture the wwe world heavyweight title at Wrestlemania with the help of the Authority, because John Cena can beat Lesnar if he is with the Authority and become the corporate champion.  Fast forward to the end of the Royal Rumble match itself; final four men could be Randy Orton, John Cena, Roman Reigns and Cesaro and Triple H finds his way to ringside.  Like every year the four men stand in separate corners as the match resets, Orton and Cena are clearly working together toward the same goal until the sheep mask appears and the lights go out.  Lights return on and the Wyatt family appears in the ring and they attack Randy Orton.  As the three Wyatts are beating on Orton; Cena, Reigns and Cesaro attack each other.  Triple H is livid at ringside because he doesn't know why the Wyatt's appeared and what is going on and he gets attacked from out of no where by Dean Ambrose.  The Wyatt's could eliminate Orton totally screwing up the plans of the Authority which gives Roman Reigns the opportunity to eliminate John Cena from the rumble.  The crowd would go nuts for the elimination and certainly think Reigns is going on to wrestlemania to win the title he is being groomed to win.  However, after a major Cena distraction Cesaro eliminates Roman Reigns and achieves the ability to challenge the champion at wrestlemania. 
Cesaro winning would get a huge reaction for two reasons, first, it would be a huge royal rumble upset and second, the crowd can easily get behind Cesaro; but most importantly, Paul Heyman would be shocked because Cesaro was a "Heyman Guy" so why would he want to challenge another "Heyman guy" for the championship.  Paul Heyman will have the ability to make Cesaro a huge babyface with his promos and Cesaro could do some spectacular power moves against someone the size of Brock Lesnar.

 The top of my Wrestlemania card would look something like this:

Brock Lesnar (champion) vs. Cesaro

Roman Reigns vs. John Cena

Dean Ambrose vs. Triple H

Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton or Wyatt Family vs. Orton, Rollins and Kane

In these four matches you would be creating a new and refreshing world heavyweight champion in Cesaro who would get a huge rub from beating the unbeatable Brock Lesnar.  Roman Reigns is made as top star of the company when he defeats the dastardly John Cena.  Dean Ambrose becomes "the peoples champion" as he challenges the head of the Authority and his boss Triple H.  The Wyatt family is officially turned good, which I believe is what wwe wants, but officially going after the Authority.  So coming out of wrestlemania you have established four major babyfaces of wwe for the foreseeable future and still maintain three top heels (i don't count Kane).  

While all these main story lines are taking place I am building the next tier ready to propel into the main events.  I would focus on the wrestling talent of a lot of these guys to help get them over.  I would turn Dolph Ziggler back to being a bad guy and utilize the return of Daniel Bryan to solidify this switch and simply have them feud over who is the best wrestler in the business.  Continue to showcase the tag team division wwe is so afraid to focus on and allow the middle of the card guys to position themselves.  Mix that in with the expected Undertaker return and a few other surprises my wrestlemania looks pretty good and really features the next wave of wwe and could build a real boom period in wrestling using the extremely talented roster of personalities they have.  My full wrestlemania card, as of now would be:

John Cena of the Authority vs. Roman Reigns

Brock Lesnar vs. Cesaro

Triple H vs. Dean Ambrose

Wyatt Family vs. The Authority

The Undertaker vs. Sting

Rusev vs. Hulk Hogan (or Kurt Angle)

Dolph Ziggler vs. Daniel Bryan

The Uso's vs. Big E and Kofi Kingston

Sheamus vs. Bad News Barrett

Rhodes Brothers vs. Big Show & Mark Henry vs. Rybaxel 

Paige vs. Natalya

some match involving nxt.

 At least in my opinion, this is a pretty effective card and could bring fans back to a product on the verge of breaking out.  I don't expect any of this stuff to happen but I think it could work, fortunately, I believe there are many ways wwe can bring the fans back in droves, ways wwe may actual do.  But for now the fans can only wait patiently, and blog their opinions, until wwe plans the next direction of its product and where they take the fans next.  Based on the current product I think all fans should be optimistic about the future and prepare for wwe's next boom period.  That is just this marks remarks.
If you enjoy this blog please like the facebook page @ A Wrestling Mark Remarks and subscribe to the blog via email from the blog page.  Thank you very much.  Photo credits: wwe.com and tnainsider.com.

raw review / wrong guy wrong time

Another Monday night raw has come and gone and while I thought it was a decent show two things really stood out to me and neither were positive for the show.

 Raw started with a "hall of fame" panel of Ric flair, hulk hogan and Shawn Michaels where they debated if john cena could beat the beast Brock lesnar. Flair and Michaels agreed he couldn't while hogan believed in cena. The brief discussion brought a much more stoic john cena came out to ringside. Stoic in the sense that he barely waived his "never give up" towel and when he saluted the camera man he was smiling like a goofball. The promo he cut, however, was stoic and serious. The promo had to be serious after the match he had with lesnar and cena kept it short but said all the right things delivered the right way.

 The john cena promo was rebutted later in the show by a taped sit down interview from Brock lesnar and Paul heyman. This video package was excellent, not surprising, but was predominantly lesnar talking, which is surprising and lesnar was great. Brock lesnar has the presence, body language and attitude of the unbeatable bully. He has really found his stride in this part time role with heyman doing most of the talking and with wwe protecting him he is succeeding.

 The uso's are quickly becoming a great tag team and if wwe allowed the tag division to build it would guarantee at least one very entertaining match per night per show. With the uso's, rhodes', Wyatt's, rybaxel and even Los matadores the wwe has some pretty polished teams and building teams with less utilized guys like Kofi Kingston and big E could potentially turn their careers around. Tag team matches are so easy to watch and always offer entertainment value for a solid 10 minutes it seems like it would be a no brainer to put some spotlight on the tag division but wwe continues the stop/start focus on tag team wrestling. It is a shame because there is a lot of talented teams out there who seem content being successful tag teams.

 Nikki Bella proved last night that it is not necessarily Stephanie McMahon making brie Bella appear below average as an actor but it really is just brie Bella being below average. I thought Nikki Bella did pretty good in the family reconciliation segment on raw; however, I just don't care about the story or its players (aside from Stephanie), the segment was given too much time and it is way too much "wwe theatrics" for me. It will sooner rather than later have "change the channel" heat for me.

 But, that was not one of the raw disappointments for me those are as follows.  Roman reigns interrupted a good effort of cementing Seth Rollins as a top heel last night and it led to a handicap match between reigns versus Rollins and Kane. Roman reigns has already become stale to me. He does the same four moves in every match, like a lot of wrestlers use the same signature moves, but reigns doesn't do any other moves. None! I understand that he has the look, the size and he lineage but what he doesn't have is psychology or wrestling moves to fill the time he is not doing signature moves. Reigns is approaching a level where he will have to work longer matches and this is only going to expose him. I watched his match from raw and instead of being interested or excited I just got the feeling that it was another quick roman reigns match where the whole idea is to position guys for his punches, jumping foot, superman punch and spear. There was really nothing else and it was disappointing.

The worst part of raw was the main event. John cena taking on bray Wyatt with the Wyatt family. In an effort to make john cena, the most over and recognized star in the wwe, look more ferocious than ever wwe chose to have him destroy bray Wyatt. Bray Wyatt currently has the most upside of any young superstar in wwe, has gotten over with the wwe universe and is the most unique character wwe has developed since mankind or the undertaker. Wyatt is on the ascent to being a, or the, top star.  Wwe chose to have him get absolutely destroyed at the hands of john cena getting zero offense and being beaten to a pulp while the Wyatt family watches on. The demonstration, al be it short, did nothing but make bray Wyatt, a major part of their future, look like a bum. Wyatt looked weak in a way a wrestler can't afford to look weak.

But, you say, the same thing happened to john cena at summerslam? John cena is the only wrestler on the roster that could allow a defeat like that with no lasting negative effects. John cena is the established top guy in wwe and has been for the last 10 plus years, cena has made a career out of rising above and coming back with his super strength. Cena preaches never quit, don't back down and is a role model to kids; he can afford a beating like he took from lesnar and bounce back because of his spirit and it can make him stronger. Beating up cena like took place two weeks ago st summerslam gives him credibility when he comes back to fight another day.

 Bray Wyatt is a brain washing lunatic who leads his followers while getting in the heads of his victims with his words and his mind games. He has a mythical element to his character the way he can appear out if thin air. He is also just coming into his own as a potential top superstar, with a failed character already under his belt, and he still benefits from rivalries with established competitors. Beating the tar out of bray Wyatt the way he was on raw doesn't set him up for any kind of redemption and only makes him weak and vulnerable, things bray Wyatt shouldn't look like. Raw saw john cena humanize bray Wyatt when he destroyed him in a lopsided main event. Humanizing bray Wyatt is the worst thing wwe can possible do, why make the unique become regular? John cena beat up the wrong guy in the wrong time last night and it won't effect john cena in anyway. But, it will effect the guy that could potentially be the top star as a heel or a face going into the next 10 years and I don't believe bray Wyatt can afford that right now and wwe should not have done it. That is just this marks remarks.

Raw moving forward / where can everyone else go?

Tonight's Raw is stacked with big name talent and legends being featured on the program.  Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan will be taking part in a "panel discussion" regarding Brock Lesnar as champion and his rematch with John Cena at Night of Champions.  This is a unique way to utilize talent to camouflage the fact that Brock Lesnar will probably not be appearing on the show.  I, personally, don't think anything needs done to mask the fact that Lesnar will not be appearing weekly, I think it makes Brock Lesnar and the title seem more of an attraction that he is not there regularly.

 There was a time, a time where wrestling did very well, that the title nor the champion were featured every week and it only made his appearances seem more special.  Remember seeing Hulk Hogan on WWF Superstars every Saturday afternoon?  No, because he wasn't on, sure he was mentioned but rarely seen; but when he was on, most likely cutting a promo to Sean Mooney it meant something.  The same can be done for Brock Lesnar and champions moving forward.  Especially with the WWE network capable of being a vehicle to feature whomever WWE wants to there is no reason why Lesnar can't still be a major focus without being on weekly.

 I am looking forward to seeing the development of the Rollins versus Ambrose feud, from what I gather from wwe.com, Ambrose abruptly left the care of physicians and ran off after being curb stomped through cinder blocks last week.  This is an excellent way for the an unstable character to miss a few weeks, while shooting a movie, as I believe Dean Ambrose could be the type to just disappear for awhile into thin air.  I hope that Ambrose missing time to film doesn't negatively affect his momentum because he is the hottest ticket wwe has going right now and this storyline is making him and Rollins big stars that i believe everyone is taking note of.

 I expect the main event of Raw to be the return of John Cena after being destroyed by Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam,  I would assume John Cena will come back with his typical mantra of never back down and don't give up but it will have to be delivered in a different way that normal.  I feel that Lesnar's dominance of Cena gives the wwe a great opportunity to kind of reinvent Cena, or re-tool him maybe more appropriate, by going back to a much more serious and determined John Cena.  Getting pummeled the way he did can actually create a fan base that earned respect for Cena because of his toughness and if he came back as a serious and more stoic superman the universe may be less likely to give up on him again.

Per circumstance at work that I couldn't get around I missed out a "buddies get-away weekend", but did have an evening to take in an independent wrestling show.  I attended the International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) show this past weekend and came away from the performance thinking a number of things.  First, independent wrestling quality has gotten much better since the last time I took in a show; second, the workers on these independent show care so much and work so hard to put on a good show and finally, the options for really good independent wrestlers is so limited in the current wrestling landscape and that is ashame.

 The IWC Caged Fury show consisted of about nine matches and top to bottom there was not one performance that was lousy, nothing offensive to the audience; but instead a roster full of talented young men, all of different skill levels, who tried their best to really entertain the fans.  And, they succeeded!  The moves were snug and stiff but not dangerous, each match flowed together and made sense and every match told an up and down story that fans of ages could enjoy with high spots and good psychology for the most part.  There were a few guys that stood out and there a few guys that you could tell needed a little more seasoning but no one was put on a bad show and every wrestler had the ability to carry themselves in the ring.  The wrestling quality of this show was really good and was great to see that IWC is bringing in guys as well as training guys to meet a quality standard that is sometimes lost at independent shows.

 One thing that was also certain was how much the wrestlers cared about putting on a good show for the fans and for themselves. There was multiple dives to the outside, many high risk moves including during the cage matches and off the top of the cage and there was even a "car wreck" of crash through two tables where the two men certainly put their bodies on the line. The crowd was into the entire event and the presentation is not childish but is also, for the most part, child friendly. I can't imagine anyone left the show being disappointed.

 The last thing that the iwc show made me think about is how limited an independent worker is for major employment anymore. It used to be that a young Indy work could work his way getting attention from wcw, wwe or even ECW and the competition between the two major promotions created a lot of opportunity for young hungry workers. Now, it is wwe or bust for a lot of guys who would jump at the chance to go to Japan to work; but the downside is you have to go to Japan, or try to catch on with ring of honor which does not mean good pay necessarily. IWC, which is probably the best Indy in the pittsburgh area, has featured wrestlers over the years like cm punk, Austin Aries, aj styles and Christian to name a few and currently boast talented men like facade, Sammy guevera, RJ city and John mcChesney who are all exciting watch and understand how to entertain the audience. I believe that is we were still in the boom wrestling period you may be able to see any of these competitors on television. It is unfortunate that now it is pretty much wwe or struggle because I feel there are many quality independent promotions that utilize very talented and hard working men and women.

 In closing, if you would be willing to see a local band at a bar, or would take in an Indy film at the local theater why not give local independent wrestling a shot? Most likely there is a promotion in your area and it is filled with hard working guys and girls who love wrestling, could use the support and will put on an entertaining show for the fans. But that is just this marks remarks.
photos courtesy:
wwe.com
iwc wrestling facebook page

Raw review / welcome to the big time seth rollins and dean ambrose

A lot of good stuff happened on Monday Night Raw last night; Brock Lesnar was decorated with some new gold and Paul Heyman delivered yet another masterful promo to celebrate the beasts winning of the WWE world heavyweight championship, Stephanie McMahon had another stellar performance as she introduced the new wrinkle in her rivalry with Brie Bella by recruited Nikki Bella into the mix, Bray Wyatt delivered another excellent speech to continue his feud with Chris Jericho and we were even treated to the inspirational Bo Dallas telling Jack Swagger all he had to do was Bo-leave.  Raw also featured some solid wrestling in singles, tag and even six man tag form and was really working up to be a very solid show.  Then the main event began.

When Seth Rollins walked down the aisle to compete against Dean Ambrose in a falls count anywhere Summerslam rematch I knew that it was going to be a really good match, however; I didn't plan on forgetting all that happened on the show previous due to the unbelievable showing these two men put on.  This was wwe, whether they planned it or not, showing the universe that two new stars have arrived and we will be watching them perform for years to come and that is okay by me.

Seth Rollins has the walk of a future champion, has the tv presence of a future champion and most importantly has the wrestling ability of a future champion.  He carries himself so well and is so athletic he reminds me of a more skilled Randy Orton, around that time that you knew Orton was going to soon be the next big time guy in wwe.  Rollins makes everything look so easy in the ring, he moves in such a cold and calculated way that you know he knows what he is doing.  He comes across like that arrogant punk that you always want to see mess something up but he never does, the jock who always makes the last shot, the nerd who always gets an A on the test; just that guy who gets under your skin because he is just too good.  That is Seth Rollins to me, the guy who always finds the upper hand and it is done in such an excellent way.  Rollins has all the tools, and the experience and all the positioning to really be pushed as a top villain the same way CM Punk, Randy Orton or even a young Tully Blanchard style heel. All of these comparisons are complimentary and if Seth Rollins can stay on the course he is currently on I see really big things in his not-so-distant future.  

 Then there is Dean Ambrose.  Dean Ambrose, as a babyface, is on fire! If you would have told me that the Shield was going to break up and the guy to come off the break the best as a good guy would be Dean Ambrose I would have given you the crooked eye.  But, Ambrose is hitting on all cylinders and has been absolutely amazing in his role.  He has connected with the audience so quickly and so deeply that the wwe universe hangs on every glance, eye brow raise and crazy look he shoots at them.  His frantic style is done so well and he just shoots at his opponent like a cannonball.  He just fights like a wild man with no precaution and while his style seems so crazy and unpredictable he seems fairly safe in his work.  Whatever direction he is being given he has found that intangible element that few wrestlers find and he is running with it.  Ambrose plays the antithesis of Seth Rollins so well; he appears to be the guy that didn't give a care what people thought of him and if you didn't like him you got a punch in the nose.  While Rollins comes across as arrogant Ambrose is brash, Rollins seems like a punk Ambrose a smart ass.  The wwe universe is behind his every move and he is taking advantage of it by making every minute that he is on television count.  I hate to do it, but he can be compared to Stone Cold Steve Austin.  I know that sounds like a lot of pressure to put on someone just hitting their stride but Ambrose has that attitude that will get him over as a top face antihero that punches the bully right in his face and is too crazy to be scared.  I really like Dean Ambrose, and I really like what he is doing right now and if wwe is not careful Roman Reigns will be chasing the championship while the crowd is loudly and riotously chanting for Dean Ambrose.

These two men, Ambrose and Rollins, work brilliantly together and are helping each other become really big stars.  The Raw match was no different. It was really well paced for a high speed, high octane gimmick match and there was a lot of psychology through out the contest not just weapon shots for the sake of weapon shots.  Each foreign object was introduced into the match with importance and by the end Rollins and Ambrose created a unique violent dance together that really showed what could wrestling can be.  The finish saw Kane help Rollins get the advantage, and while Kane held Ambrose, Seth Rollins curb stomped Dean Ambrose over a stack of cinder blocks that broke on contact.  Seth Rollins stood tall as the victor and Ambrose lay in a heap unconscious.  You could feel the animosity for Rollins from the crowd and at the same time the anticipation for when Dean Ambrose would get his revenge.  This feud, so far, has been pretty close to perfect making both former shield members look very strong and elevating them way up the card.  This is the type of feud, that can create these types of matches, that is the real main event of a card no matter the match placement.  It is Rollins and Ambrose time to shine and they are certainly giving it all they have.  Compelling story, high work rate and charisma brings the crowds in; these guys are loaded with the ability to execute every element.  Every fan should be excited to see the ascension of Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose and happy that they will be around for a long time to come.  That is just this marks remarks.  

how to make a monster / summerslam review

Summerslam was a very good show, in fact, the only negative of the show was my wwe network feed was not very good at all. The feed didn't allow for a steady flow of the show in my living room but the event itself, from top to bottom, was thoroughly entertaining and helped build towards stories that needed progressed and brought an end to others.

 Quick results for some of the matches saw Dolph ziggler win the intercontinental championship from the miz and Paige capturing the divas title from aj.  Ziggler winning says that wwe is finally going to use him in a significant way, which is great news for the fans because Dolph is great and the ring.

Bray Wyatt gained momentum and really stepped into a new level as he defeated Chris Jericho in a very solid match. What separates this Wyatt win from others is that it was a clean win and done without any assistance from the Wyatt family. It was a well told story that played Bray's unique character and skill set against the veteran Jericho and the goal was to get bray over strong and it was a success. Wyatt was elevated and the feud in an odd way could end or continue.

Dean ambrose and Seth Rollins both helped themselves become stars last night in one of the more unique lumberjack matches I can recall and also one of the more exciting. Ambrose is well on his way to being the potential top guy and the crowd is so crazy rooting for him in a good wrestling way. To a lesser degree Rollins is getting over as a heel and is so technically sound and solid that he will be a top player for a long time to come. Rollins won the match by using the briefcase after loads of lumberjack interference, kane interference and brawl that went around the building. This is a great example of gaining from a loss as ambrose comes out stronger than he started and this feud, excitedly, will continue.

 The flag match featuring jack swagger versus rusev was good but odd. Before the match rusev had his ankle injured by swagger so rusev, the bad guy, played the vulnerable underdog and triumphantly overcame adversity to win the match. I thought this could have been a big coming out for the real american jack swagger but instead he and zeb were left laying and while I thought we would see this match once more it appears this rivalry is over.

 Roman reigns won the match that he needed to win. Seeing how the main event went the randy Orton battle with roman reigns needed to be the back and forth ups and downs match up summerslam needed. Orton controlled the match and eventually reigns made his come back and the two had several exciting spots and roman reigns got the win he needed.

Then there was the main event. WWE did the gutsiest move that I can recall since ultimate warrior pinned hulk hogan at wrestlemania 6. WWE had their number 1 top babyface, who has built his character on his heart and determination, and he was demolished. He was given almost no offense, took deveststing German suplexes and Brock lesnar was mocking and laughing at cena throughout the match. Brock lesnar became a great attraction at summerslam, he became an unbeatable juggernaut that at the end of the show you wondered who could stop him. The mauling that was given john cena did more to cement a conquerer and create a legitimate special must see draw that the wwe network needs. Summerslam was the crowning of the unstoppable unbeatable destroyer; and just think how important it will be when some one finally defeats him. The man that stops Brock lesnar will become at that moment the new face of wwe and that is why lesnar beating the streak, pounding john cena and not being overexposed on television will all be worth it for world wrestling entertainment. I couldn't be more excited to see Brock lesnar, on a part time basis, be the conquerer. Who on earth would want to face him after the beating he put on super cena at summerslam.
Now, the negatives from sunday, I don't know how well the wwe network feed was for everyone but in my living room for my summerslam party it was not the best network showing. A lot of stalls, glitches, timing errors and freezing made for a frustrating time watching the biggest show of the summer. On a night that the wwe network, which they have pushed at nauseam, needed to be awesome it struck out where we were watching. I answer the "how is the network" question with high praise, I love it and it is an innovation made for someone like me. But, last night it was the network, which is $9.99 per month, time to shine and it fell flat.

 The network did not ruin summerslam but it certainly hindered it and turned a great show into a pretty good show. I thought this was a major victory for the wwe and most of its main roster, I wish it was also a win for the network but it wasn't. With the major focus of wwe on TV being to subscribe to the network wwe needs to give its fan base more shows like summerslam but on a much better server network. But that is just this marks remarks.

photo credits:
wwe.com
allsports.com
wrestlingdailynews.com

SummerSlam preview / what should happen

SummerSlam is tomorrow and it features the "biggest fight of the summer" and is wwe's second biggest event of the year.  SummerSlam is traditionally the culmination of the major rivalries of the summer season beginning to rebuild into the fall and the road to Wrestlemania.  This year I think there is a different feel as many of the storylines, I believe, will continue to build off of this show and while SummerSlam will have some spectacle and finality I think many stories progress from Sunday instead of climax.   The show features 9 matches on the card and is expected to be a very good show from top to bottom.  Here is what I believe should happen as it pertains to the main matches and storylines going into the big show.  None of my comments are based on spoilers or rumors, they are simply my opinions so anything similar that happens is just me predicting correctly. 

Stephanie McMahon versus Brie Bella:
I think this match was created as a smart way to keep Daniel Bryan relevant without being on television at all during his injury recovery.  I don't believe that Daniel Bryan is ready to return anytime soon so I foresee this match being the beginning of feud more so than the ending.  In order for this to continue Stephanie McMahon has to win, probably by some kind of shenanigans, to keep Brie looking strong.  This storyline, minus the Raw ridiculousness of love triangles and arrests, has been awesome.  Stephanie McMahon clearly has the sports entertainment gene in her as she has been magnificent in her promos, reactions and even the physicality when needed.  If anything I would say she has been too good because she is really exposing Brie Bella as just plain average when it comes to carrying a program.  I expect Steph to win by cheating as a way to continue her power trip leading to another match between these two some time down the road, potentially even setting up a mixed gender tag match of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon against Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan when he is ready to return.
expectations: an entertaining mix of circus/blunders/interference that will probably be enjoyable.

Jack Swagger versus Rusev Flag Match:
In an effort to make Rusev a monster heel playing off America's xenophobia wwe accidentally have created a potential star in Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter and in this match there is a great chance to have Swagger be the conquering underdog proudly standing for the USA.  The kicker is that because of the "rules" of the match Rusev doesn't even really have to lose so he won't look bad if Swagger is allowed to wave old glory at the end of this attraction.  From what I gather, the rules of the match are capture the flag in order to win so no one gets pinned or submits.  Jack Swagger showed the wwe universe on Monday night that he has injured ribs and he is a vulnerable patriot that refuses to quit.  I firmly expect to see Rusev working over the ribs and Swagger selling pain and agony so much that even the most devout American would not be disappointed if Swagger just gave up to fight another day.  Which is exactly the time that Swagger digs down deep and gives one last effort to thwart his nemesis, the dirty Russian, and find a way to hoist old glory.  Lana, speaking for Rusev the following night on Raw, can say that Rusev crushed Swagger and the American got lucky and really loses no momentum moving forward.  But, Swagger will have the ability to raise the 50 Stars and 13 bars proudly in front of a sold out crowd chanting USA and a star could potentially be born.  This storyline has been a gift to the wwe in the way of finally finding Jack Swagger a character he can run with, I hope they allow him, and America, their moment.
expectations: Balboa vs. Drago.  An inspiring performance that ends with deafening USA chants and a solid match.

Seth Rollins versus Dean Ambrose Lumberjack Match:
In my opinion this match has show stealer potential.  Seth Rollins has become a great villain and Dean Ambrose is a great anti-hero that everyone has gotten behind.  The story is that Ambrose wants revenge and Rollins has been able to get out of dodge and avoid confrontation, but with the lumberjack stipulation there will be no where to run.  The mixture of Rollins skill and Ambrose's charisma will make this a great match and I think there will be a lot of energy and high risk.  I think, like in an lumberjack match, there will be interference that will cause Rollins to get the win.  The rivalry is far from over I believe and this will be the feud to push these guys into major players in wwe; with that said, Rollins needs to win because Ambrose is so hot right now he can afford the loss and Rollins winning continues the program.  I would like to see these guys keep going back and forth and eventually have a match that puts the money in the bank briefcase up for grabs, possibly in a ladder match which would be an amazing encounter.
expectation: Non stop cat and mouse full of action, high risk moves and intensity.  A very good match.

Roman Reigns versus Randy Orton:
This match has one purpose: make Roman Reigns look awesome!  Which, in my opinion, is easier said than done; especially by Randy Orton.  Orton is an excellent villain, he knows heel psychology and does a great job delivering it.  However, his matches are paced a certain way to play up his methodical heel ways that make him look really vicious; i don't believe that Roman Reigns will be helped by this style of wrestling.  Reigns is better suited, right now at his skill level, to be the all action very physical superhero.  He can sell some but when he is not delivering his main moves he can sometimes get lost.  It will become Orton's job to make sure that Reigns looks strong throughout the whole match, whether he is winning or losing, the crowd can't forget that Roman Reigns is a superman.  If Orton wrestles his style of match, usually very good, and tries to tell the typical story in the ring Roman Reigns inexperience and ill-preparedness for the big push will be exposed.  If this match is a fast paced high tempo spot after spot type of match Reigns will come out looking like the guy they want him to be.
expectation: wild card, could be kept relatively short and good or could fall apart.

Bray Wyatt versus Chris Jericho:
On the subject of good in ring story telling the Bray Wyatt vs Chris Jericho match could also steal the show, but in a different way than Ambrose and Rollins.  While Bray Wyatt may not do moonsaults or between rope dives he understands how to tell a good story in a wrestling ring.  He wrestles with emotion and control that lends itself to his unorthodox style so well going against one of the best in Chris Jericho will most certainly deliver.  I thought the match they had at the last pay per view was pretty good and I feel this guys are far from the peak of this storyline and expect something big to come out of their summerslam match.  I assume Bray Wyatt wins only because he lost the last match but that type of thinking doesn't always work.  I do believe this match will help continue to propel Wyatt to the top of the card and on his way to main eventing sometime soon.
expectation: a great roller coaster ride of a wrestling match, lot of near finishes and psychology that will remind you what is so very good about quality wrestling.

Brock Lesnar versus John Cena WWE Heavyweight Championship:
Brock Lesnar said on Raw that he would leave John Cena in a pool of his own urine, blood and vomit.  No one wants to see that, however, John Cena should lose this match, lose his title and get beat up in this match.  Coming off of a very "memorable" Brock Lesnar upset of The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 30 no one has more momentum than the beast Brock Lesnar and his advocate Paul Heyman.  There is a huge opportunity to give Lesnar the title, make him unstoppable and set him up for the next "top guy" to dethrone the mercenary champion; probably not until wrestlemania.  While Cena does have to appear competitive and the match needs to be good the only outcome I foresee is Lesnar not only winning but winning in a convincing manner.  If it takes 5 F5's then so be it, if Cena wants to fight until there is nothing left so be it, but if Cena retains the title then Brock Lesnar and the breaking of the streak has been the biggest waste in wwe. Putting the championship on Lesnar gives wwe 8 months to create the next big thing and the pool of talent will be wide open because the champ will not be on television all of the time, an opportunity will be created for someone to really step up and take a big time spot and Lesnar will be the guy to solidify that spot on the grandest stage of them all.  If wwe does the right thing and have the guts to put the title on a part time monster and allow the championship to not be seen all of the time.  There is a lot of potential in doing this but also a lot of uncertainty because it has not been done in a long time.  I hope they pull the trigger, the match turns into a fight and the beast incarnate Brrroockkk Lllesssnar walks out of SummerSlam with his hand raised in victory.
expectation: a fight.  a brutal, stiff brawl that allows Cena to show all the heart and determination he has while also allowing Lesnar to show he is a conqueror.  I'm hoping for a new champion that will allow down the road a new champion and the pathway for the future top guy.

The SummerSlam build has been very good this year and I have high expectations coming into the show, with the focus on the wwe network and moving forward into the future it is important that wwe creates high expectations coming out of these shows now too.  I feel that there could be a lot of good done with this show that wwe can build from but, as often is with wwe and wrestling, a lot of not so good can come as well; we will find out Sunday.  Of course, that is just this marks remarks.

photo credits:
dailywrestlingnews.com
wwe.com
allwrestlingsuperstars.com
wrestlingclique.com
wwenews.com