The curious case of John Cena / raw review

 Last night was the "season premiere" of wwe's Monday night raw, which means nothing since the program is a year long episodic show. But, calling this episode the season premiere attempts to build a buzz since last night was the first NFL Monday night of the season, so the competition on Monday nights just got a lot stronger. So how does a wrestling juggernaut contend with football? How about a cage match featuring a top crowd pleasing babyface in Chris Jericho against the future top star and maniacal bray Wyatt? Good move wwe! How about a summerslam rematch against proven villain the viper Randy Orton versus the next big star the uber-aggressive roman reigns? Well played wwe, that will keep the audience glued to its TV. How about a contrived, poorly acted, poorly executed Bella sister segment being mediated by jerry springer? When is kick off?

 When chucking ideas at the story board whomever opted for a Bella twin springer show segment on the first raw against the NFL and two weeks away from a pay per view should fear for his job performance evaluation. But he won't, probably because wwe loves this bellas spectacle that gets worse and worse as the weeks go by, which was only created because total divas the "reality show" wanted a storyline for the newest season.

Yes, that's correct, a reality show is asking wwe to create a storyline so they can then script reality around it. And wrestling fans lived happily ever after. The worst part of this angle with the Bella sisters, and there are many bad things, is that it is going to lead to a match that at its best will be lousy.  With Nikki Bella in a three way match for the diva's championship I think we can all assume that Brie Bella will cause her a loss of some kind and this feud will continue leading to an eventual match for the ages. 
Bray Wyatt and Chris Jericho started off Raw with an entertaining cage match.  It was a well put together match that showcased the steal cage as a weapon at times and concluded with Wyatt walking out of the cage door after Y2J leaped from the top of the cage and in the process hurt his knee.  The Wyatt Family patriarch then took Jericho back into the cage delivering "sister Abagail" to further injury "the ayatollah of rock and rollah" and essentially end the feud between the two
.  I ended up liking this program between Jericho and Wyatt but I am not sure it was as good as the two highly talented performers wanted it to be, I also do not know where Bray Wyatt goes from here.  I feel that a young Bray Wyatt is one of those characters that, initially, always needs feuds to be involved in so his character can continue to evolve.

Randy Orton battled Roman Reigns in the main event of Raw and they had every Orton v Reigns match you've already seen.  This version saw Orton in trouble at the end and he summoned Kane and Seth Rollins to help him.  This featured Seth Rollins propelling himself off the top of the steal cage that was somehow lowered.  Rollins then delivered his curb stomp finisher to Reigns on a steal chair.  So, it seems that Roman Reigns will fight Seth Rollins at Night of Champions where I full expect the authority to involve themselves and Dean Ambrose to appear to throw himself into the main event mix.  Which will help to refresh this Roman Reigns feud because he continues to stall to me and maybe with the infusion of the lunatic fringe Reigns can unload some of the main stage pressure to Ambrose and Roman can continue to improve to get ready for the big match stages. 

 The best thing on Raw last night was the segment involving Paul Heyman, the advocate for Brock Lesnar, and John Cena.  Heyman invited Cena to become more ruthless and leave the fans behind in order to better himself.  Paul Heyman suggested that John Cena cannot beat Brock Lesnar until he he conquers his own demons; most notably the anti-Cena fan base that is so vocal in booing the leader of Cenation. 

Finally, Cena couldn't take anymore talk from Heyman and he delivered another emotionally charged impassioned promo on how Cena believes in himself and believes in the fans that cheer him.  His most rewarding moments are when the kids use him as a moral compass, how he inspires them to do their best, give their all and most importantly he loves the fact that when people (wounded soldiers in this example) who are down and out find motivation from John Cena's mantra of never give up.  This promo, while he did use make-a-wish kids and wounded military member to pull on the heart strings, was a very powerfully executed promo and worked to turn some of the John Cena haters into at least respecters.
John Cena will go down in history as one of the most successful wrestlers of all time.  His run on top out lasts anyone in the modern era of sports entertainment and he boasts gaudy numbers when it comes to the tangible stats that would gauge wrestling success.  His merchandise sales are huge, his headlined buy rates are big for large events, he is a money earner at the box office and most importantly he has given his life up to become the number one top babyface in all of professional wrestling.  The ladder of those attributes is the one that few before him can say they have done like John Cena has done.  In a time in pro wrestling where the workers performer a lighter schedule than 20 years previous John Cena out works everyone on the roster and has a schedule busier than most of those before him. 

Be it granting wishes for seriously ill children, visiting hospitals of wounded soldiers, being parade marshals, pregame coin tosser, bowl game predictor, talk show host guest, red carpet appear-er, charity spokesmen, or wwe brand ambassador John Cena does it and he does most of it when the other superstars are having days off.  This is the biggest reason John Cena will not turn bad.  This is the reason wwe doesn't want to turn John Cena bad.  No matter how loudly the vocal minority of fans jeer against him Cena is too much of a commodity to be anything other than a hero.  On top of his character Cena is also a pretty good wrestler in the ring.  Cena does a lot of the same stuff but that is because he does what people want to see, when needed Cena can work with most everyone and has rarely had a bad match on pay per view.   He is also willing to perform hurt and even injured when asked of him so to entertain the fans.  John Cena is wrestling's top hero for a number of reasons but there is one major reason currently.

 There is no one ready to take John Cena's spot as top guy.  Daniel Bryan couldn't sell the merchandise that Cena can.  Roman Reigns can't deliver the promo that Cena can (not does he perform as well).  Dean Ambrose is not as PG as Cena can be.  And no one is willing to give up their entire lives to be the face of the wwe the way John Cena has.  Until someone is capable of being those things and accepts the challenge of top spot and delivers John Cena isn't going anywhere.  When that spot is eventually taken from Cena, then and only then, John Cena will turn heel and probably make a fortune.  A fortune he will have earned and he probably won't have to make all of those appearances but the fans may finally stop booing him.  That is just this marks remarks.   

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