The curious case of brock lesnar

Brock Lesnar is a special attraction in professional wrestling. He is chiseled out of granite, he is a legit bad ass and his performances have a big event feel. Lesnar came on the scene destroying guys left and right throwing around massive men with cat like quickness. His meteoric rise within the ranks of wwe was that of no other man. Brock had the ncaa championship pedigree with Goliath like strength and a George Nada kick ass attitude.
He was clearly the next big thing in professional wrestling. Until, he decided not to be. Lesnar was not suited for road life with all of its ups and downs tempting all of its "demons". So, he quit. Lesnar gave his notice going into a huge match with Bill goldberg, who was also finishing up wwe, at wrestlemania 20. Goldberg versus lesnar was the irresistable force taking on the immovable object but the crowd, knowing both men were leaving, never gave the match a chance and the epic battle that could have been became an infamous gaff at wrestlemania.

Lesnar tried football not playing since high school and was the final cut player of the Minnesota Vikings. He wrestled in Japan with limited motivation and won the iwgp title mainly because of his look and reputation but wasn't long for trips to japan. Then brock lesnar found ufc and even with a debut loss people were pretty certain this guy would find some success inside of the octagon. Lesnar decimated heath hearring, overwhelmed randy couture, destroyed frank mir and withstood Shane carwin.  Brock was chiseled out of granite could seemingly take people down controlling them at will and becoming one of ufc's most marketable stars. Unfortunately, a contest against Cain Velazquez and a very dangerous life threatening battle with diverticulitis ended his mma career. Immediately after brock announced his retirement after a loss to Alistair overeem the buzz began about a wwe return.

Lesnar made a triumphant return to wwe Monday night raw after wrestlemania 29 and has become a destroyer ever since.  He has left superstars like John cena, triple h, the Undertaker,  Roman Reigns and most recently randy Orton in a heap as lesnar stood victorious. In a typical brock lesnar match the crowd goes bananas for the spectacle that is the beast incarnate welcoming his prey to suplex city. Lesnar brings a real feel to each of his matches as was proven when he cut randy Orton wide open, hard way, with a stiff elbow shot. Lesnar, who tried his best to protect Orton left a gash in Randy's head that needed 10 staples to close up. However, the reaction I saw after the summerslam match was a need for something new from brock lesnar. It seemed like people are beginning to sour on the prototypical brock match of suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex and f5 for the win. Randy Orton is a top star representing one half of the newly separated brands and he got almost no offense what so ever and was made to look like a meager bum against raw's beast. Plus, lesnar then f5'ed the commissioner of the smackdown brand leaving raw to look far superior to the smackdown brand, which needs to appear strong. The question has to be asked is brock lesnar's shelf life coming to an end? If the answer is yes then wwe has to use lesnar's next big time challenge (wrestlemania) as a means to create a new major star. Lesnar had to be signed by wwe with the intention to build a new big time guy, lesnar has been booked starting at wrestlemania when broke the streak to build a new big time guy and a win over lesnar would certainly build a new big time guy. Everyone has a suggestion as to who should receive the big win and I am no different. Seth Rollins is an established top guy, Roman Reigns is an established top guy and with Kevin owens just winning the universal championship he will quickly become an established top guy. I believe the win should be given to someone who can gain the most; a guy who has the experience to handle the big win but is also unestablished to the wwe universe while also being believable and real so that the wwe universe will accept as a legitimate entity. Samoa joe is the best and most deserving challenger to defeat brock lesnar. A motivated joe can be credible, big enough and agile enough to match up with brock making it an epic battle. Samoa joe has the ability to handle the physicality of brock and believability to topple the conqueror. Samoa joe will step directly into the new monster role creating fresh match ups in the wwe with guys joe has already had high profile matches with on the independent and international level. Brock Lesnar does have a shelf life and I believe with his ped usage found in the ufc, the info of his special treatment being discovered as well as his act in wwe reaching a plateau the time to pull the trigger on a lesnar loss catapulting a challenger to the top of the card. Samoa joe is the guy, the time and venue is wrestlemania. The match would be a huge spectacle and the result would help change the landscape of the wwe for the future allowing samoa joe to end his career where he belongs: a top spot on the biggest professional wrestling promotion in the world; but, that's  just this mark's remarks.

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Summerslam preview or what should happen at Summerslam

The wwe is offering us Summerslam next weekend and the card is stacked!  It is expected to be four plus hours of pro wrestling and the matches top to bottom range from should be excellent to at least good.  Summerslam also offers the rare occasion to really elevate some big names into top guy territory with correct booking.  This eleven match card has the potential to really help the wwe landscape and the outcomes necessary to do so seem very possible.
Brock Lesnar vs Randy Orton 15 years in the making:

This is the second 15 years in the making match this year (styles v cena) but wwe is really hyping this up to be an event.  Brock Lesnar should win to stay strong for a more important opponent (see samoa joe) but Randy Orton has to give the perception in this match like he could beat the beast.  I think this match should see your typical lesnar destruction early and have orton be resilient.  Keep fighting and fighting and fighting while lesnar keeps dominating and dominating and dominating.  Everyone loves a hero that never gives up, Orton should build momentum and set Lesnar up for the punt; which would almost certainly put down the conqueror, only to have lesnar catch him with a F5 outta no where for the win.  The announcers must do a terrific job of reminding the audience that Brock Lesnar won but Orton was closer than anyone to beating the beast.  It keeps lesnar strong by winning and destroying Randy but also makes Orton look strong by standing up to Brock and holding his own.  This match should be a win for both men if done right and the announcers tell the right story.
Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor to determine the first WWE Universal champion:

Seth Rollins is the man.  He is great. Probably pound for pound the best wrestler wwe has (or styles or nakamura or... well you get it).  But, as per Raw, tonight will be the debut of Finn Balor's demon king.  He will be dawning his body paint, awesome entrance and his killer instinct.  This means that Finn Balor has to win.  Finn Balor should win.  I think wwe should have saved the debut of "the demon king" for the pay per view but the match will far overshadow the mistakes this build has made. Two guys will become superstars but this is wwe's chance to really create a new top guy in balor and him reigning triumphant will be a great stamp on the "new era" of Monday night raw.
Dean ambrose vs Dolph ziggler for the world heavyweight championship:

Dean ambrose as a champion has made hay as world champion on smackdown live. He has become legitimate and should be seen as a real top guy. Dolph ziggler has been given a second chance of his wrestling career. He went from mid card enhancement to number one contender and I believe people bought into it. I do not see ziggler winning but I see these two guys putting on a very great match. I foresee ziggler putting it all on the line and maybe losing by something that wasn't his fault pushing him to turn heel and becoming a Shawn Michaels type heel that will probably lead to a big time face turn at some point. This match has to be excellent because if Dolph isn't excellent then this storyline doesn't work. Ziggler has the most at stake for this show and I hope he succeeds but if he is just good I think he will fall back to the mid cards.

Sasha banks vs Charlotte for the women's title:
These two ladies put on an excellent television match on raw a few weeks ago. They have excellent chemistry and there was a high level of emotion during that match. I am not sure that they will be able to top their TV match but I am hoping they can at least match it with a different dynamic being that Sasha is the champion. I hope they can have Sasha win while Charlotte stays strong because these two women are the top of the line of that division. If Charlotte wins it opens the door for bayley to debut but Sasha banks is due a long title run so I believe it is her time to retain.
John cena vs aj styles:

John cena doesn't have bad matches on big shows. Summerslam is a really big show. Aj styles is the best wrestler in wwe (maybe the world). This match is going to be incredible. The crowd will be so hot for it, the story is going to be excellent and the in ring will be top notch. The most exciting part of the match is that aj styles will win. John cena is the face that's runs the place who claims the future goes through him; at summerslam he is facing the right guy to beat him. What cena represents as the flag bearer of the company who is ready to pass the torch is finally, after all the attempts and fails (some unreasonable, see bray wyatt) will face the guy who deserves to beat John cena. Aj styles will be crowned the top heel at summerslam when he beats John cena clean in the middle of the ring. Styles should have a break out calendar year starting with summerslam where he will be the top guy on smackdown and it's champion. All of this starts by beating John cena and the crowd will go wild. Oddly enough this will probably also mark the turning point where the fans stop hating John cena for no reason and respect him for what he means to pro wrestling. By him losing to styles the wwe universe will finally praise him for "doing the right thing" even though he has been a positive staple of wwe for years.

Summerslam is a stacked show with very high expectations to be a tremendous show. There should be a lot of positives that come out of this show creating a lot of momentum for wwe moving forward. The only negative of the show is bray wyatt is not featured on the show at all and I really believe the time is now to push him through the roof but I will be happy if wwe does what is needed and summerslam weekend ends with superstars made, elevated and motivated to propel wwe into the new era.

That is just this marks remarks and if you like what I have to say or you would like to tell me what you think please subscribe to this blog, like the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/amarkremarks and follow on twitter @amarkremarks thank you very much and please keep supporting.

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Ambrose becomes legitimate or good guys on smackdown?

Dean ambrose cut a promo on smackdown to start the show that cemented him as a legitimate leader of the the smackdown roster. Ambrose had a cadence to his promo and a control over the crowd that resembled that of a prime dusty rhodes. I'm not saying that ambrose is on the level of Rhodes but that he cut a big time promo on Dolph ziggler that both elevated the champion and helped set the tone for an important smackdown main event at summerslam. Ambrose built himself up as fighter who constantly look adversity in the face and ran through every road block. He mentioned how ziggler was a complainer and used the crutch of people holding him down while ambrose never made excuses always pushing forward fighting to get to the top. Ambrose made himself feel like a true champion and a deserving top star, even it is on the "b show". I was very leary of ambrose being the face of the brand being that John cena will start slowly stepping back. However, Dean ambrose on the second smackdown of the new era made himself a legitimate top star based on the way he carried himself and conveyed an aura over the crowd. 
 

Dolph ziggler was ran down by ambrose as the guy who makes excuses, gets held down, doesn't focus on winning, only tries to pander to fans and steal the show. Ziggler tried to compare himself to ambrose with little success and was thwarted at every turn by the current champion. Ziggler talked about no one believing him and proving people wrong. The problem with this exchange is that ambrose was right about everything he said, all of his points about ziggler were right on the money and Dolph has really been set up for a few years as a second rate contender. Ziggler has been used to elevate guys and has lost quite a few (a lot) matches on television. So becoming a number one contender on smackdown is out of left field and doesn't seem that he should win the title. Therefore, based on the promos and Dolph saying everyone is against him ziggler should turn heel after he loses to ambrose at summerslam. Ziggler is a better "bad guy" than "good guy", it is a more natural fit for his attitude appearance. Dolph can be a chicken shit heel with no problem, he can take the heel bumps with no problem, and should be able to be disliked with no problem. During his career he has found more success as a cocky villain then being the sympathetic hero. His style will also be helped by working as a heel because it will force him to slow down, do less moves and sell.  Changing sides could potentially resurrect his career from being just another mid card guy to being a top tier rogue.
But, if ziggler turns (which is the better option) who is left on the good guy side of smackdown? Holy smokes will that roster be thin on hero's especially if cena becomes less of the focus. You'll have dean ambrose, who is a top guy, and then... Apollo crews? Smackdown does have randy Orton who is coming back hot but he is wrestling brock lesnar at summerslam and the odds of him looking strong at the end of that match are slim. So the top faces on smackdown will be ambrose, cena (becoming part time), Orton and crews? Those house shows will be something. The villain side would become aj styles, bray wyatt, ziggler, miz, and corbin. Aj styles may be the best wrestler in the wwe and bray wyatt could still be a very special type of villain but smackdown shaking up the sides really showcases how the brand split and draft did smackdown no favors to not be the best show. 

Smackdown needs more bodies, quality fan favorites that the wwe universe can get behind. The only guy in nxt that could walk in and be a top hero, immediately,  in shinsuke nakamura. Like, right now. He has charisma to spare, he is an international superstar and a great in ring performer. He is learning English very well and has that swagger in the squared circle that transcends language. Plus, he is fresh to the brand. Every feud he would have on smackdown would be new, unique and refreshing to the wwe audience. Nakamura could be and should be the savior of the brand because he solves a lot of current problems with depth, to many die hard he is a huge name and his styles lends itself to gaining popularity quickly.
If not nakamura to smackdown  (which I don't see in the immediate future) wwe will have to rely on bringing back older stars that are already established. Rumors are always circulating about Kurt angle and bill goldberg which would be a band-aid on the problem but does not benefit the brand long term. Now, if they use the older "legends" as a feature act while they build middle guys to become stars then that is a different story but history shows that doesn't happen  consistently. Smackdown is a work in progress. Hopefully they recognize the issues of top tier talent,  especially on the face side, and remedy the problem. The shows so far have been pretty good but if they want two "a shows" they need to start building likeable stars to become top baby faces otherwise a lot of these shows will revolve around the same stuff week in and week out and really expose a weak roster. I don't have an issue with Apollo crews or even zack Ryder being considered relevant faces but wwe will have to build them to that point. Nakamura is the key, in my opinion, but success will happen over time; which could prove to be smackdown live's toughest opponent. 

That is just this marks remarks and if you like what I have to say or you would like to tell me what you think please subscribe to this blog, like the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/amarkremarks and follow on twitter @amarkremarks thank you very much and please keep supporting.

A New Era of WWE or How Wrestling Could Change

The WWE's brand split and roster drafts had come and gone, most people accepted it with little fanfare and focused on how the draft had been done before.  It flopped then and it will flop again they said.  Too many titles they said.  Not enough stars they said.  But, something crazy happened on the way to Monday Night Raw this week.  I was in attendance at the show with my best friend and his 13 year old daughter.  She, so politely, asked me what had been going on because she was more caught up with Total Diva's then the recent episodes of Raw and Smackdown.  As I looked her in the eyes I told her a lie, I told her that this will be different then previous weeks because they separated shows and now there is a Raw roster and a Smackdown roster.  I explained what a great time it was to get back into focusing on the shows because it will be all new.  I didn't believe it would be all new, I kind of expected the same Raw formula from every other week just with less guys.  But, something crazy happened on Raw this week...

 Raw was live from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the show delivered.  Big time!  WWE used this brand split as a reset point and in one night laid out major plans for the future of the brand, created a new superstar and solidified a division ready to break out.  It was as impactful a Raw as I can remember in a long time.  Raw commissioner Stephanie McMahon and GM Mick Foley announcing that two fatal four way matches would take place to determine the number one contender to the number one contender Seth Rollins to crown the first ever WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion at Summerslam.  The contestants were announced as Jericho, Cesaro, Rusev, Owens, Zayn, Sheamus, Roman Reigns and then Finn Balor and as he was announced he slid his way from the back of the crowd into the forefront of the stage and there was an eruption in the crowd.  A sensation went over the live crowd as if something special was about to take place.  Finn Balor!?! All of a sudden Raw had a feel like something new was happening.  Now Raw was going to be highlighted by Kevin Owens, Sammy Zayn, and Cesaro combined with the seasoning of Chris Jericho (who has never been better), Rusev and Sheamus.  But, Roman Reigns would clearly be the winner when it was all said and done going on to face Seth Rollins, again, at Summerslam.  Ho hum, the more things change the more they stay the same I guess.  Well, an odd thing happened on the way to the end of Raw this week; wwe did it all correct.  Finn Balor won an excellent four way to earn a spot in the nights main event taking on Roman Reigns.  Here it comes, the match where Reigns beats the new guy and takes his sit on the throne of his own empire.  But, that isn't what happened.  Raw ended with Roman Reigns, the heir apparent, getting pinned clean in the middle of the ring.  Pinned.  Clean.  In the middle.  You could hear the collective breath being taken away from the wrestling die hards and casual fans alike as they had just seen a star created in one night.  A star you could get behind, a change that you could get behind. 

Finn Balor won the main event on Raw over Roman Reigns.  This is the biggest move that WWE could have made to make the statement that they are ready for change.  The future is on its way.  Raw featured four very good wrestling matches all of which had championship ramifications and all of which delivered at a high level.  Raw also peppered in some squash matches to emphasize some of its new, and not ready for prime time, performers as well as entertaining interview segments and for the most part was a home run.  It was a very easy to watch and enjoyable three hours.  However, the Finn Balor stuff may have not even been the best action of the night.

Welcome back to women's wrestling!  Sasha Banks and Charlotte put the new crop of young, beautiful and talented women where they belonged in wrestling on Raw.  Banks and Charlotte had an emotionally charged and action packed wrestling match that solidified a division that is ready to take the next step into not being women's wrestling but just being seen as wrestling!  These two girls, who may be stand outs but are hardly the only capable wrestlers in the women's division, worked so hard while putting their bodies on the line for the sake of women's wrestling.  They were not divas or models or wearing their bras and panties; they were high quality professional wrestlers telling a story in the ring that created a roller coaster of emotion for the WWE universe.  Make no mistake, this was hot shotting a title change to create buzz for Raw's new era, but was the perfect type of hot shot because everything was made better for it.  A ton of eyeballs saw Raw give the deserved time to two women who busted their butts to put on an amazingly entertaining match.  Would the title change have meant more at Summerslam?  Maybe.  But having the women's title change hands like this on Raw may have meant more for the credibility of how WWE sees it's women performers and just how good those performers are. Sasha Banks delivered an emotional promo holding the title after the match and there was no question how much that moment meant to her.

Something awesome happened during Raw last monday.  As I stated I went with one of my best friends and his daughter.  While my friend used to be a die hard he really isn't anymore, his daughter likes wrestling but it is clearly not her life let alone one of her favorite hobbies; but she likes it.  Neither really knew who Finn Balor was, they were only slightly more familiar with Enzo and Big Cass and she is a bigger Total Diva's fan then of a divas revolution.  However, by the end of the show she gladly shouted "new...day rocks", "How you doin'?", she went bananas when Sasha Banks won the title clearly stating she was the boss and by the end of the night this 13 year old girl casual fan knew exactly when to throw her arms in the air like Finn Balor and the rest of the die hard wrestling fans.  She couldn't wait for the next show she could attend as she tried to convince her dad to take her to Summerslam in New York.
The new talent is being showcased on weekly television, there is still a large crop of talent in NXT ready to be added to the main roster (both male and female), most importantly the casual fans and young fans can and will get behind them.  Perhaps WWE is right this is the dawning of a new era; one that satisfies the whole WWE universe.  An era where they have the performers to showcase and the talent all fans can support.  If WWE keeps offering product like this then it will be a great time to be a wrestling fan, but that's just this marks remarks.
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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.

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.

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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:
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