GLITTER and SLAM Edition 5

In this edition of Glitter and Slam we'll see why Chelsea Green, aka Impact Wrestling's ‘Laurel Van Ness’, is the kind of adrenaline shot Raw needs to get its women's division back on track. We also look at this column's match of the year with The Boss and The Queen – along with how this converges with Bayley's journey going into 2017.

It is no secret that beyond Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair, Raw has not done a very good job building up the rest of its division compared to Smackdown Live. The secondary women's feuds have been uninspiring and injuries limit booking possibilities for an already thin women's roster.

Paige would have provided the best option a good rivalry outside the title chase. She is recovering from neck surgery and will be out until probably spring. Summer Rae is also sidelined with neck, back and elbow problems. Tamina is set to return but we don't know when. Emma could be the Red Show's best heel outside of Charlotte, but her return from injury is up in the air, even though she is ready to go.
Raw needs someone in the short term who can make for entertaining feuds outside the title picture en route to WrestleMania and that woman is TNA's Laurel Van Ness, who also wrestles under her better-known real name, Chelsea Green.

(The smarkiest will remember Green's turn as Daniel Bryan's kiniesiologist Megan Miller. Source: WWE.com)

Green first appeared on WWE television in 2014 as the kiniesiologist on the take Megan Miller during the Jerry Springer-saturated Brie Bella/Stephanie McMahon feud. Stephanie paid off Miller to claim on camera she had a torrid love affair with her patient, Brie's husband Daniel Bryan.

(Green made a strong showing on Tough Enough, eliminated in week 7. Source: USA Network)

Trained by Lance Storm, 2015 saw her make the final 40 for WWE's revival of Tough Enough. Green did not make the cut, but eventually landed on the show when Dianna Dahlgren quit early in the contest. The only trained pro wrestler on the show, she was cut after Paige used her judge's save to keep GiGi Piscina in the contest in week seven. Piscina and eventual winner Sara Lee were the only women left.

(Red makes green, even in Canadian dollars. Chelsea vs. Nicole Matthews in WPW. Source: Vancitybuzz.com)

In January of 2016 she was signed by TNA, debuting in a loss to Jade. She hit the road in the US, her native Canada and abroad, including two tours of Japan. During her first excursion to the Far East she broke her collarbone in India, but would return to action once again in Canada for WPW as the Girls Gone Wrestling champion. One notable bout featured her fighting through a legit cut on the side of her head against WPW heel Nicole Matthews.

She would return to Japan for another tour, the highlight of which was a solid 15 minute match against Kairi Hojo. She also teamed with Santana Garrett in the Stardom's tag team tournament.

(Suicide dive in perhaps her best match to date against Kairi Hojo. Source: Stardom Wonder Ring)

In August, she emerged prominently on TNA television under the name Laurel Van Ness while continuing to take independent bookings. Her persona became the prototypical rich mean girl and she has drawn solid heat in the Knockouts division. It is surprising to this point she hasn't landed on NXT television, as her peers Daria Beranato and Mandy Rose have. This could make a solid plot point to bring her to Raw on an interim basis to add a hot secondary feud between now and WrestleMania.

(Charisma, constantly improving ring skills and a Keebleresque silhouette stature are a compelling case for getting on WWE programming. Source: Stardom Wonder Ring)

This is the reality era, so I suggest having her debut under her real name, angry that she was snubbed for WWE programming when so many around her debuted on NXT or started training at the Performance Center. Also, her persona on TNA is too close to Charlotte, Chelsea could debut with a run-in, sporting a steel chair and a bad attitude. This could give Alicia Fox something to do other than faun over Cedric Alexander and/or a short program with Sasha Banks, although the latter may be in deep with Nia Jax until WrestleMania. Have her cut a blistering, enraged promo afterward saying she'll let her violent actions show she belongs in WWE. The feud would culminate with a match reminiscent of John Cena's 2002 debut, in which he gave Kurt Angle everything he had in a tough loss. Have her head full speed into a rocking 10-15 bout with Sasha Banks or Bayley, or the returning Emmalina.

Chelsea Green's storytelling and strikes are good and she can chain wrestle at a medium tempo as demonstrated in matches mentioned above as well as with the likes of Gail Kim in TNA. I suggest a change in finisher as her curbstomp to the back of her opponent at times looks gawky.

(Laurel Van Ness is TNA Impact Wrestling's resident mean girl. Source: Threw Minds Eye Photos)

WWE has shown they prefer to train experienced wrestlers before putting them on TV full time and this has worked to perfection with numerous women from Sasha Banks to Bayley, Paige, and current NXT stars like Peyton Royce and Billie Kay. NXT may be the milieu she is needed the most. In Asuka City, only Ember Moon is ready to give Asuka a solid match for the title as others continue to develop. Her charisma and sex appeal along with her constantly improving ring work makes her a good second contender for the NXT Women's Championship.

BOOK IT!

GLITTER & SLAM WOMEN'S MATCH OF THE YEAR: SASHA BANKS (C) vs. CHARLOTTE FLAIR VI
(source: WWE.com)

I publically declared a few weeks ago on twitter that nothing could beat Asuka vs. Mickie James. The last big show of 2016 made me a liar. 30 minutes plus overtime gave us great technical wrestling, stiff violence and more drama than their previous five encounters combined. I did not think that was possible, but they did it and set yet another new standard for the women's division. I could drone on for a few more paragraphs but feast your eyes and ears on this battle that should have headlined Roadblock: End of the Line. The ending was sublime, even if the Boss couldn't retain in the final chapter of title ping pong. The story ended with Sasha Banks screaming in agony, her nose and mouth saturated with blood as she had no choice but to tap out or possibly suffer a career-ending knee injury. Come what may their place in wrestling history is secure. Onward, time will tell if the Road to WrestleMania will be as compelling.

(Nia Jax shortly before making the hobbled Banks fly. Source:WWE.com)

I don't know if WWE deserves credit for the symbolism in Sasha Banks' appearance on Raw, but it was evident. Since the brand split, Raw has used Banks and Charlotte Flair as a crutch while they figure out what to do with everyone else. A shockingly humbled Boss tearfully said to the crowd that she didn't feel like a Boss anymore and that she lost to the better woman. After calling for Charlotte to come down to the ring to congratulate her, out comes Nia Jax, who proceeded to call the former champ a broken little girl and kick the crutch out from under her. The first real secondary women's feud on Raw began as Jax threw her across the ring and tossed the crutch away. There are strong hints of a character driven arc for Sasha en route to WrestleMania and if WWE does not screw it up The Boss may be able to lift up the rest of the division as Charlotte feuds with Bayley.

(A cavalier Bayley states her case for a title match with her third win over Charlotte. Source: WWE.com)

Later in the show Charlotte came out to gloat and out came a confident Bayley who challenged the four-time champion to a non-title match. I know I'm not an insider who has booked pro wrestling for decades or anything, but maybe if you want an underdog to sneak a win over the champ – for the third time no less – she should pay the price for it. Reminding the world that Bayley has the chops in the ring is good, but afterward, instead of Bayley all smiles going up the ramp, Charlotte making her pay with a face plant on steel would have set a more compelling tone for 2017. Bayley is poised to be the top female baby face in the women's division, but booking must show she earned it in a trial by fire.

The next edition of Glitter and Slam will unveil the 2016 WWE Woman of the Year as well as assessments of the company's female talent. So in the meantime, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and the happiest New Year to everyone.

Follow me on Twitter @weskozalla #wrestlementary #glitterandslam.

Dave's Battle Axe: THE A-LISTER

Ever since the brand split happened in the WWE this year, the general consensus has been that Raw has been more conservative and has lagged behind Smackdown’s 'fun factor.’ I would argue though that the driving forces behind the successes each side has had comes from 2 veterans. On the Raw side, Chris Jericho is doing some of the best character stuff in his career and despite being on a month-to-month contract is delivering the goods inside and outside the ring, with or without Kevin Owens. It wouldn’t surprise me if after this amazing run, he hangs up his boots and moves on. Nothing like going out on top after all.

Over on Team Blue, there can be no doubt that it is The Miz who has provided the entertainment value as the brand’s top heel. Mike ‘The Miz’ Mizanin has been a lot of things in his constant time in the limelight since 2001, evolving from brash reality show maven to world champion and beyond.





Thru longevity, career ebbs and hutzpah, The Miz is in a career renaissance in 2016

unlike anything he’s ever had before. After a brief stint as a baby face in the company after Money In the Bank 2012 (admittedly, my zealous cheering for him at that event probably emboldened him to make that poor choice), the arrogant Miz of old returned in 2014, the year the A-Lister was born.

By turning his straight-to-video success with “The Marine” movie series that he took over from John Cena and Ted DiBiase, Jr. into a head-swelling belief that he is in the same pool as Brad Pitt, The Miz became hissable again. With his new partner, Damien Mizdow in tow, the hissing became a shtick that everyone loved.

And that’s really the key to what makes The Miz great, his ability to play off people and help put them and in turn, himself, over as something the fans either hate or love. From John Morrison to The Big Show to now, his lovely wife and new valet Maryse, The Miz is always better with someone around to play off of. In the case of Smackdown Live lately, he’s had his pick of the litter.

His genuinely prickly relationship with Smackdown GM Daniel Bryan has led to an epic feud with Dolph Ziggler of all people. Wasn’t it just last year that these two were reduced to having a pumpkin match for laughs? Well times and fortunes have changed dramatically since then as these two have elevated this feud to a level rarely seen in WWE anymore.

By bringing real prestige back to the Intercontinental Title for the sixth time in his career, The Miz is riding a wave in 2016 that I bet few people would’ve expected. Can he keep it going and continue to make the ‘B Show’ must-see TV? Or is he a loss away from calling his agent to push for ‘Santa’s Little Helper 2: The Reckoning?’ Either way, 2017 will surely be a big year for Cleveland’s Original World Champion.

Just remember, NO AUTOGRAPHS, PLEASE!

Glitter & Slam Edition 4

In this edition, The Boss and The Queen steal the show once again and we look at what's going on with the Smackdown women going into TLC.

This edition of Flair/Banks had no business being better than Hell in a Cell. It had no business happening now as the fifth consecutive title bout between the alpha females of the Raw brand. It had no business topping everything these women have done before. The reality is that this match was the best fight they've had since Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair first locked horns in NXT.

(The Queen retained via double count out, before GM Foley decided they should main event Raw for the second time later that night. Source: WWE.com)

Prior to Monday night's big showdown, Sasha Banks seemed on unsure footing in her promos as a baby face unable to show her trademark swagger balanced with giving back the love that WWE crowds have given her. That balance was finally attained starting with social media video bytes of her arrival and up through shushing Bayley when the latter talked about the heat between her and Charlotte after Survivor Series. It was all about the Boss and on the other side it was all about the Queen – in her hometown no less.

The initial bout was solid and ended with a double count out as fisticuffs spilled outside the ring. Charlotte radiated her customary glee as it was clear her plan worked, but Mick Foley came out and decreed the best women's rivalry in WWE this year, and perhaps ever, was going to end with a real finish to main event Raw.

(Props for their use of props: Banks and Flair got mega miles out of one kendo stick. Source: Sky Sports)

We were treated to same high intensity and memorable storytelling this feud had given us since their first title bout on the July 25th Raw. The major difference that made this better than Hell In A Cell, or the technically spotty match at Summerslam, was the polish and timing have never been better between them. It was all the more fitting that the match finally end with the most painful-looking Bank Statement ever around a hand railing amidst an electric crowd.

(The Queen left it all on the floor once again, this time with an astounding moonsault off the announce table. Source: WWE.com)

I was surprised Charlotte did not retain moving forward, given the title Ping-Pong that has been a feature of this rivalry since July. In most cases, match-by-match title changes are counterproductive, but this pair have been presented as two sides of the same coin and on any given night we know either one could be counting ceiling lights for three seconds at the end.

(Accolades from the Nature Boy capped perhaps the greatest women's rivalry in WWE history. Source: Sky Sports)

I mentioned in previous articles various booking challenges after Hell In A Cell that could best be met by a heel champion. A lengthy reign of terror for the Queen culminating in a WrestleMania showdown with her polar opposite Bayley, seemed like the clear path.

With Paige and Summer Rae out with injuries, the women's roster is thin and hard pressed to offer good matchups for a baby face champion. Nia Jax got to finally show some real power moves in the fun, if sloppy, Survivor Series match but the pressure is on to be the antagonist Sasha Banks needs as WWE looks to keep her and Charlotte separate.

Whatever the future holds, including the tantalizing possibility Banks turns on Bayley at some point, the bar for all women in WWE has been set very high leading into Smackdown Live's upcoming TLC pay-per-view.

(Five Feet of Fury strikes again. Source: WWE.com)

We finally got an official stipulation for Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss-tables. That is after Bliss fought off a top rope Bexplex and made the champ kiss particle board. Ol' Five Feet of Fury is the most improved worker in the women's division since her call-up from NXT and has been the catalyst for Lynch to find balance between her likeability and vocal intensity. The champion has been the blue brand's resident ring general in the women's division and her work with Bliss has been smash mouth fun since the feud's inception. This will continue into a great match in which I predict Lynch goes over in a hard fought victory.

(Princess Mella didn't moonwalk, nor mince any words on this week's Smackdown. Source: WWE.com)

The other women's bout breaks new ground for veteran and ingénue alike as the Nikki Bella/Carmella feud looks to reach its apex in a no-DQ match. The self-proclaimed Princess Mella has relentlessly gone after Nikki ever since she arrived and hasn't let up even after the reality star beat the Princess of Staten Island at No Mercy. Nikki Bella has stepped up her game, able to make her antagonist look credible as she hones her skills.

Prior to returning from neck surgery, Bella was usually the one who needed the more experienced hand as her opponent to maximize her talents. So far, this has made for a credible secondary feud among the women on the blue show. The high bar set by the aforementioned Banks/Flair feud indicates we're going to see some fun violence, if not a great match per se, out of Carmella and Nikki.

(Nikki can't wait for TLC. Source: WWE.com)

My prediction, in light of Nikki Bella standing tall at the end of their go-home segment, is Carmella notches her first pay-per-view victory.

In coming weeks, I will evaluate the women of WWE programming and where I think they're heading into 2017 as well as analyze what they're giving us as 2016 winds down.

As always, follow me on Twitter. @WesKozalla, #GlitterAndSlam, #Wrestlementary.

Survivor Series Fall Out - RAW 11/21 & SD LIVE 11/22

Survivor Series Fall Out

Thanksgiving can really mess up one’s week, can’t it? Mine only gets more hectic. With my ‘real work,’ work during Thanksgiving week skyrockets. I watched RAW on time, but only finished SD LIVE last night (Sunday).

That is why I am posting my commentary as a double bill Survivor Series Fallout.
There wasn’t much in the way of Fall Out to be truthful. The stories coming out of Survivor Series are basically the same ones going in. Seth Rollins hunting for the Universal Title, Dean Ambrose hunting for the World Title, Ellsworth doing whatever and Goldberg . . . sigh.

RAW COMMENTARY

Well, last week I wrote that I could write it is RAW!!! And write about how good the show was. This week, we went back to Really Average Wrestling. That is what last week’s show was, really average. We started out in 1998 with Goldberg and slowly made our way to 2016.

The last hour saved it from being a disaster of a show. The triple threat cruiserweight match was excellent. The main event stole the show, almost. Rollins and KO tore the house down in a No DQ match, with Jericho banned from ringside.

KO would win the match after Jericho interfered coming through the fans wearing a Luchador mask. This lead to a KO powerbomb and win. Seth once again failed, and the Best Friends reigned supreme.

They take away from this RAW were:

• Rich Swan will now face Kendrick for the Title on Tuesday, 11/29 on 205 Live, after winning the triple threat match.

Tonight’s RAW 11/28 will feature TWO Title Matches.

• The first will be New Day versus Gallows and Anderson (Same story heading into Survivor Series).
• The second will feature Charlotte versus Sasha Banks (Same story before Survivor Series)
• The final takeaway (and the least) is Goldberg’s announcement that he will be in the Royal Rumble. Apparently Goldberg now has a longer TV and PPV deal with the WWE. Goodie.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Oh Good. Goldberg is sticking around. This is perfect for moving forward, creating new talent and giving opportunities to people that haven’t had any. Yeah NEW Era!

RATING: 4

SD LIVE 

Smackdown was better than RAW, but not by much. It might be the weakest SD Live since the split.

It followed a similar path that RAW did in the fact that nothing new coming out of Survivor Series happened. Except for Tag Team Turmoil, nothing storyline wise changed.

Okay, one big take away, Ellesworth now has a WWE Contract! Yes, he won it (and a future title shot) by beating AJ in a ladder match in the main event in which Dean Ambrose interfered. (That never happened before (third time)).
Baron Corbin and Kalisto continued their feud when Kalisto attacked Corbin during a match (same as before Survivor Series).

Dolph and Miz will battle once more at the upcoming TLC for the IC title (same as before Survivor Series).

Redundant, isn’t it?

Tag Team Turmoil was the high point, with American Alpha earning a title shot against Beauty and the Man Beast at TLC. At least that is good.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
RAW Like.

RATING: 5

Survivor Series 2016

I’m going to get straight down to it.

Survivor Series was not good.

Yes, there were some good moments, but overall it was not good. Barely Average at best.

I’ve heard people say this show was unpredictable . . . really? Only if you have never watched a wrestling show before.



The woman’s match was sloppy, Baron Corbin’s interference in the cruiserweight match ruined a great match (even if it made storyline sense), and Goldberg versus Lesnar is officially the worse major PPV Main event of all time. Oh, and who didn’t see Mayrse cheating to help The Miz retain?

The Tag Team Survivor Series match, Miz versus Sami Zayn and the RAW v SD Live Men’s Survivor Series match are the only things worth watching on this show. Even then, the Men’s match had too many things going on. Dean Ambrose breaking down and attacking AJ Styles twice, (even after being eliminated) and working with Rollings and Reigns, Luke Harper’s interference to make sure Wyatt and Orton won.

Then there is the main event, or as former Wrestlementary writer Chris Rose called it “Dog Shit.”

Dog Shit is the nicest thing that main event can be called. All the build up to a 2:21 squash match. Spear. Spear. Jackhammer. Goldberg wins.

All the WWE did was spit on all the fans and their own roster. This is Worst for Business. No one on the roster can beat Brock Lesnar, Orton and Cena are squashed by him. But a 50 year old, hasn’t performed in 12 years, injured Goldberg can walk through him.

This match made the entire roster look weak and bad. It make Lesnar look pathetic. Goldberg even admitted in an interview last week that his body is telling him not to do this. Well, he should have listened.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
I was so pissed last night, I considering quitting watching the WWE. I’ve calmed down now. I want to see how RAW can salvage this shit.

RATING: 4

GLITTER and SLAM Vol. 3

In this edition of Glitter And Slam we're going to look at the lost art of the non-finish, and how the women's rosters of Raw and Smackdown Live have been set up for the first-ever women's Survivor's Series match.

(A burning desire to get the crowds excited has resulted in Lynch becoming the best true baby face in the women's division-- and Bliss attaining new heights as the sociopathic rival. Source: WWE.com)

On the November 8 edition of Smackdown Live, Lynch vs. Bliss was considered the main event, and booking showed serious resources behind building them up. The Lass kicker continued to build up--even after medical issues kept her out of No Mercy--as a happy-go-lucky fighting champion. Instead of making Bliss take the cowardly route, she demonstrated no shame in mixing it up and wanting to hurt the champ physically and mentally before ultimate victory. That's why the very end of their match is a head scratcher.

(A flavorless finish dampened what was otherwise a solid bout that was Bliss' best in-ring work to date. Source: WWE.com)

Bliss tapped out to the Disarmer but her foot was on the rope. For over 20 years WWE has trended toward making sure nearly every big match has a definitive finish, whether clean or not. It's obvious that they are looking forward to Lynch/Bliss #3 at TLC, and the prospect of them making the most of the show's namesake props. Booking this match with a weird ending was actually a good idea, but they took the lazy route. A non-finish, whether by double count-out or disqualification, when done correctly can floor an audience.

(A violent double-count-out or DQ would have best served the smash mouth story between champ and challenger. Source: WWE.com)

Lynch and Bliss could have thrown down outside the ring, oblivious to the ref's count. Bliss could have gained the upper hand and loomed over the downtrodden champ, furious that the prize eluded her, but secure in her knowledge she demonstrated superiority. Another good non-finish could have involved Bliss snapping and grabbing a kendo stick, chair or other foreign object from under the ring and her standing tall after a vulgar display of power, leading to a DQ.

You'll notice either alternative involves the heel showing dominance. Having Bliss get screwed by poor officiating isn't a good way to facilitate a wrestler building negative heat. Bliss has become the top female heel on Smackdown, but she is still building her legacy. This hardly means the feud can't be repaired or that post-Survivor Series we won't get a good build, but the current booking route doesn't help either woman cement their standing. Time will tell if WWE is willing to think outside its own box as they did with the women's Hell in a Cell match. In light of this speed bump, we have seen that Team Blue has showcased all their women better than Raw to this point.

(Naomi isn't even booked in a feud, but she gets frequent opportunities to show her appeal and athleticism. Source:WWE.com)

If you didn't see it before, it's obvious after this week in WWE television that every woman on Smackdown Live has been given a chance to shine in some way. Natalya lost a match to Nikki Bella for the captaincy of Team Smackdown Live, but even she has been shoehorned in to get some face time.
The team coach angle is rather silly but Natalya has gotten a solid rub making visible friends with Carmella, plus she's gotten the opportunity to wrestle solid matches most of the year.

The Staten Island Princess has been locked into a somewhat pointless feud at this point with Nikki Bella. Beyond the storyline, WWE wants to keep Bella, a reality show star, on TV as much as possible. They smartly took the opportunity to give a rub to new talent as well with this rivalry--even if it is meandering.

(WWE is making sure they leech as much off Nikki Bella's aura as possible--but not at the expense of new talents in need of guidance such as Carmella. Source: WWE.com)

Finally, the best example Smackdown Live has in keeping all the women as interesting as time will allow is Naomi. She has no feud and is pretty much just Happy Girl in Neon, but showcasing her as the brand's resident airborne talent plants a crucial seed with the audience. Every time the black lights come on and Naomi dances to the ring, WWE wants you to know you're about to see something cool. The only woman out of the loop right now is Eva Marie, who recently finished filming the movie "Inconceivable" after serving a 30-day wellness violation suspension. Even she will come back to a solid booking niche that may make the most out of her heat and negligible ring skills.

(It was more evident even in the brief scuffle, that all six women on Smackdown have been given crucial face time, while Raw is the Queen/Boss show. Source: WWE.com)

On the Raw side, you have the top female face in Sasha Banks and the top heel in Charlotte. As mentioned in my previous article reviewing Hell in a Cell, the booking options are slim, in part due to injury, but also in tunnel vision booking.

Emma is poised to return soon with a makeover, possibly as another baby face. Bayley's path to ascension is clear but cashing in on her headband sales with championship gold should wait until WrestleMania season. After Survivor Series, Sasha Banks has a rematch and, should it happen, it will be the fifth straight title match involving her and Charlotte. Dana Brooke is still the female Virgil, and too green to break away from the champion's side. Brooke at least has benefitted from the creative team making the most of her strengths while hiding her weaknesses.

Nia Jax is simply the Large Angry Woman. Jax has made strides in the ring, but she's not at a point she can take maximum advantage of her size and strength. The only thing she's done is beat on the most neglected woman on Team Red, Alicia Fox.

(Whether Lynch retains or not, Smackdown Live is laying a more solid foundation for future title feuds than their Monday night counterparts. Source: WWE Network)

Fox can go, there is no doubt about that. She has always been a bit of a sidekick, siding with the Bellas during the initial Divas Revolution, and then in Team B.A.D. Now, there has been little effort in showcasing her until the recent Survivor Series buildup.

This doesn't mean the development of the Team Blue ladies has been perfect. There's no good reason for Nikki Bella to be team captain instead of the champ Lynch. Natalya's quoting one hit wonders and corny whistle thing doesn't stack up as her finest hour.

I already mentioned the flat finish to the November 8 title match and the lack of foresight in perpetuating Nikki Bella's feud with Carmella. Even in light of this we were treated to six already-distinct personalities on Talking Smack after the show. WWE wants you to get to know these women better.

This opens the door for more engaging title and personal feuds going forward.

In the next installment of Glitter and Slam I will look at what TLC has in store as well as how Raw will proceed around injuries and booking pitfalls after Survivor Series.

Oh, and follow me on Twitter! @WesKozalla #GlitterandSlam #Wrestlementary

SD LIVE’S! 900th EPISODE AND SURVIVOR SERIES GO HOME SHOW

SD LIVE’S! 900th EPISODE AND SURVIVOR SERIES GO HOME SHOW

Smackdown aired their 900th Episode Tuesday, which also served at the brand’s Survivor Series Go Home Show. It was a very good edition of SD LIVE, better than the last two weeks. However, for the 900th episode celebration, I felt it fell a little flat at the end.

Here’s the deal, the energy was through the roof, the matches were good, the set up for Survivor Series really good.

We started the show HOT with a major moment changed the scope of one match at Survivor Series. That is, IF the Miz decides to honor Ziggler’s open challenge and face Sami Zayn and not find some way out. Yes, the Miz is the new IC Champion.


The best part of the show was the Nikki Bella versus Carmella match, which exploded when Charlotte showed up in the stands. Team RAW invaded (after Nikki attacked Charlotte) and Team Smackdown responded, united and rebuked Team RAW.

Carmella even saved Nikki from a beat down!

It’s Edge! Time for the Undertaker on the Cutting Edge! With the Survivor Series team.

This is where it fell flat for me. Edge did next to nothing, and all the Undertaker did was cut a promo. They should have split this up, rather than have both on the same segment. Edge was overshadowed.

Unless Undertaker was announced for the SD Team, no go. He put over Shane, then told the team they better win. Why? Because if they lose they’ll pay dearly . . . to the Dead Man.

Yes, the big takeaway from Smackdown Live is that the Undertaker is back ‘digging holes and taken souls.’

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Good Show. Solid Go Home broadcast. Nice celebration with three major moments. Still, fell a little flat, Edge was barely used.

RATING: 7.5

MONDAY NIGHT RAW - SURVIVOR SERIES GO HOME SHOW

Finally I can write it like this MONDAY NIGHT RAW!!!

That is how it should be referred to: capital letters, bold, and exciting. Except for the last few months it’s been this: monday night really average wrestling.

But this past Monday it returned to MONDAY NIGHT RAW!!! This was the best RAW of the year, the best RAW since the Brand Split and the Best Go Home Show.

In truth, this was Go Home Show part 2, as it continued from last week.

Last week all the teams were split apart and forced to face each other, this week they were paired up and proved they can work together.







The Big Items to take away this week:

• SURVIVIOR SERIES is being made a big deal by the WWE, and it should be. This event is one of the big Four, original PPVs. It should be a big deal.

• Dolph Ziggler is putting up the IC Title. RAW is putting up the entire Cruiserweight Division? Kendrick versus Kalisto isn’t just for Kendrick’s title, if Kalitso wins, the Cruiserweights cruise onto SD Live, hasta la vista RAW!

• Lesnar versus Goldberg is the odd match out and should not be on the card.
  
  
  
  Every other match on this card has meaning to it, and all are RAW versus SD Live. Except this. This match should have been held off to the Rumble, or even WrestleMania. It can’t be though, ‘Fantasy Warfare,’ remember? This match has nothing to do with a rematch, it’s all about selling WWE2K17.

The only low point for me on RAW was the Lesnar/Goldberg face off. It did nothing. It didn’t add to the intrigue, it didn’t make one want to see the match. It was Heyman being Heyman, Goldberg interrupting and threatening him and Brock looking uninterested. Yawn.

The Main Event segment worked wonders. Initially Steph and Foley staring down Shane and Bryan, and evolved into both teams going at it and showing unity!








FINAL THOUGHTS:
SURVIVOR SERIES MAY ACTUALLY MEAN SOMETHING!

RATING: 8

SD LIVE - 11-8

The massive push for Survivor Series that started on RAW, continued on SD LIVE.
Fortunately SD LIVE this week was better than RAW, and better than last week’s SD LIVE.

There are really two big points to take away from this show:

• No one seems to give a damn about Smackdown’s Tag Team Survivor Series Team – There’s no story here at all as Breezango qualified as the last team for Survivor Series.

• Baron Corbin is out! Shane McMahon is in?!?!?

Okay. Baron walked out on AJ in the opening segment, then refused to be in the match Shane set up. Therefore he was put into a match with the returning Kalisto. A bad slip, dropkick to the knee and the Lone Wolf becomes the Lone Man Out.

Bryan’s job is to choose his replacement, so to end the show he asked “Shane McMahon, will you be the fifth member of our team.” This is freaking stupid. It smacks of an EGO on some ones part. It also leans toward the thought that the WWE have no faith in anyone else on the roster.

This is moving forward and giving new people opportunity?


Over all Smackdown was a decent show with some good matches. Breezango versus The Vaudevillians was very short, but excellent in how it was laid out. It showed both teams took this very seriously, it meant something to them.

Bliss come up short in her long awaited match, and the women’s team is in worse shambles then their RAW counterparts.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Again, better but not up to the usual SD LIVE standards. Shane McMahon in the match drags this down.

RATING: 6

RAW 300 - 11/7/2016

Welcome to Really Average Wrestling . . . I mean Monday Night RAW.

The things to take away from this broadcast are:

• They are really making a big push for Survivor Series.

• Rusev is now a jobber.

Last week he was fodder for Goldberg. This week he lost to Sami Zayn (rather easily). Now Zayn will challenge Dolph Ziggler for the IC Title at survivor Series.

• R-Truth is an idiot.

Golden Truth is not on the Survivor Series team because of R-Truth. Truth traded away their spot to Primo and Epico for a time share. Later, Golden Truth lost a match to get the spot back.

• The Tag Team Survivor Series Team may be the most stable of ALL of RAW’s team.

• Bayley is the next major contender for the Woman’s title.

The woman’s team is not getting along. Charlotte’s still calls Bayley the weak link. Only problem is, Bayley pinned Charlotte in a tag match.

• Goldberg v Lesnar is such a big deal, neither guy could be on RAW.

Video Packages. Video Packages! Yeah, RAW Production team!

This whole show had one thing going for it: Focus.

It was a focused RAW with reasons for everything that happened, which is more than can be said for the previous months. That focus was squarely on Survivor Series. This actually felt like a Go Home edition of RAW, but that is next week.

That is the really good news. The bad news that it was still an average edition of RAW.

The Highlight of the Night was the RAW debut of Noam Dar. What a feeling it had to be for this young man, debuting in his home country, in his home town and to a massive ovation – easily the biggest of the night. Yes his team lost the match, but he one-upped his tag partner Kendrick (who was pinned).

Our main event saw all five members of RAW’s Survivor Series team face-off in a fatal five way (Stroman, Reigns, Rollins, KO, Jericho) which ended with KO the winner when he ‘accidentally’ fell of Jericho for the pin.

A sort of lackluster ending to the main event, basically designed to build the coming KO/Jericho split.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
‘Can’t we all just get along?’

Or maybe just have an original thought? I mean the story for all three survivor teams is the same. No one can get along, and they are all fighting each other in matches two weeks from Survivor Series. Just lame.

RATING: 5

Lucha Unleashed: Dire Consequences

Lucha Unleashed: Dire Consequences

On Thursday I posted a brief piece on the Lucha Unleashed promotion based in Glendale, AZ. That piece was timed to go with this past Saturday’ Lucha Unleased event: DIRE CONSEQUENCES

I want to mention two things up front:

• I wrote that there are not as many hard hitting matches at Lucha as there are at AWF. On this night there were two major hard hitting matches.

• The second thing is, this was the BEST show that Lucha Unleashed has put on in its short history. Seriously, there was not a bad match on the card. Seven matches, all good or better and everyone delivered in what they needed to do.

• Dirty Doug versus EJ Sparks

This was our opening match. EJ Sparks is a highly athletic high flyer who can wrestle and fly equally well, with an entertaining in-ring persona. His style is similar to Rich Swan, Kofi Kingston, but with more Spark.

Dirty Doug, well the less said, or experienced, about Dirty is better. Let’s say his name and gimmick has little to do with dirty tactics. Think Pig Pen.

This was a true clash of styles, the athletic ability of EJ versus the brawling of Dirty. Dirty was very Anderson like, working over EJ’s left arm for most of the match. This was a good, hot opening match with lots of action and near falls. In the end, Dirty was a little too Dirty and gained the pin.

• Jax versus Lawrence Tyler (LT)

I now know who Jax is, and I mean no disrespect by that. Jax is normally part of a tag team – Mason and Jax. They have always been announced as Mason and Jax and I was really never sure which one was which. This is the first time I have seen him in a singles match.

LT is one bad ass bruiser who can go in the ring. Jax hung in there with him, pounding away on LT as much as LT did on Jax. This was a solid, massive hard hitting, slobber knocker of a fight. That ended when Lt brought a wrestling hold (a roll up) to a fight.

• Jace Battle versus Greg Romero 

Jace Battle is becoming an AZ Stalwart. Greg Romero was making his Lucha debut. Romero was rocking some sorta, cowboy boots, chaps wearing leather biker, greaser gimmick. I think. Jace is the ‘Grand Father of Strong Style’ and has a Kung Fu Fighting inspired style.

Romero is a bruiser who dominated most of the match. Battle made numerous comeback with kicks, strikes and some spectacular high flying movies for his build. Even though Romero dominated, he never quiet seemed to get going against Jace, whose fighting spirit won out the day.

• Debuting JC Watson versus R3

JC Watson come to the ring with some epic music, received some cheers, grabbed the mic and showed some skills. At which point, he lost the cheers and generated a lot . . . cold (con) fusion. He claimed to be the rookie of the year, the greatest in the world, the hottest thing to ever come out of the AWF Academy. Those cheering for him were stealing his moment (whatever that was).

He rambled on about living the dream in-ring night in and night out, while we were at home, on our couches eating Lays potato chips. He motioned to me. I was eating a small bag of Lays original flavor at the time. I stood up, held the bag up like a title belt and started a small Lays chant.

Then music hit . . . it was R3 to the rescue! This was this shortest match of the night, but still decent. JC got in some good offense, and even had R3 off his feet a couple of times. But the Monster that is R3 overcame, hit Fatality, and doused the fire of the Hottest Wrestler going.

On a side note, I know this was JC Watson’s Lucha debut, but I don’t know anything else about the man. I know he hasn’t wrestles for the AWF (at least as JC Watson). I don’t know if he has wrestled anywhere else or if this was his pro debut.

During intermission, Dave and I talked to the ‘King of AZ’ Chris Evans and Johnny Saovi (pronounced Suave). Both are cools guys, great in ring and always fun to talk to. I told Johnny that he should squash Sanchise in their match. I said he should just low blow Sanchise when the ref isn’t looking, hit a DDT and pin him . . .

That match was up next.

• Daniel Sanchise versus Johnny Saovi

What a freaking awesome match this was. I have never been a big Sanchise guy, but he has some great moves and a lot of skill. Saovi is awesome, and it’s hard to boo him even though he’s the heel.

Defying Gravity is the best way to define and describe this match. Spectacular moves and escapes, exciting and fast paced, multiple near pins. This was a near text book perfect cruiserweight match.

Then, with the ref slightly distracted, Saovi hit a back kick low blow, a Michnoki Type Drive and put Sanchise down for the three.

Yes, Saovi won the match in almost the exact way I said during intermission! Freaking Awesome.

• Midnight Marvels versus Veterano IV/Thugnificent

The Midnight Marvels are two young, masked mysterious Marvels called Damien Drake and Spyder Warrior (true). Tonight they faced Veterano IV and Thugnificent, who were out for revenge after last month’s show.

Veterano IV and Thugnificent brought the punishment and tried to ground and pound the masked duo. The Marvels flew through the air with ease and skill. In the end the would-be super-heroes proved too much and vanquished the villainous team.

I have never been a big fan of the obvious fan boy gimmick of the Midnight Marvels, but this match was their coming out party. This is the best I have seen them, and they have an excellent dropkick into a crucifix pin finisher.

Time for our Main Event, The Lucha Unleashed Championship on the line –

• Chris Evans (c) versus Owen Travers

‘Now this IS a wrestling match,’ said one of the girls who always sit next to Dave and I. That is the best description that can be applied to this match.

While there were some spectacular highflying moves, this stayed mostly a hard hitting, ground game wrestling match. It ran the gambit of emotions, passion and desire. The harder Travers hit Evans, Evans hit back harder.

Neither man gave an inch. One stiff kick, was returned with another. A hard chop, returned with a hard punch. Nothing either man did kept the other down for three. Evans fought to retain his title. Owens wanted, maybe needed, the title.

Despite Chris’s wishes, Lucha Unleashed General Manager June Jackson came out to ring side, following him. On more than one occasion, she slide a chair into the ring – for Chris. Chris refused every time to use it.

Due to Jackson’s distraction the ref got knocked out, Chris had the match won and Jackson looked on dumbfounded at what she did. Eventually the ref stirred. Jackson slide the chair back into the ring. Chris refused it, argued with Jackson . . .

No, Travers! No! Travers wrestled with his own conscience, but as Chris turned around, he made his choice. Chair Shot. Three Count. Damn June Jackson!

WINNER AND NEW CHAMP: OWEN TRAVERS!!!

FINAL THOUGHTS:

BEST LUCHA UNLEASHED SHOW EVER.

If you disagree I’ll have Chris Evan hit you – hard!

RATING: 7.5

GLITTER & SLAM #2 - Back From HELL.

In this edition of Glitter and Slam we're going to reflect on Charlotte's and Sasha Banks' groundbreaking Hell in a Cell match and touch on the future implications.

This match was like a flawed, but favorite movie one has on the Blu–ray shelf. There may be a couple nagging plot holes, some visual flubs or special effects shots here and there that didn't quite work. Perhaps there were some narrative bumps in the road, but the action was compelling, the casting right on and the characters resonated with the viewer. The ending may have been unconventional, abrupt and not the happy resolution the audience was looking for. Despite of that, the tale sticks in the mind after the ending credits roll. That was Charlotte's victory over Sasha Banks in Hell in a Cell.

(Source: WWE.com)

In my preview I cited the lack of a compelling personal grudge to warrant Sasha's need for their rematch to go down in WWE's most violent structure. The fodder was there, but creative didn't run with it enough. The competitors made up for lost time, however as the cage lowered. Hype and pressure grew exponentially throughout the week. Not only were they the first women ever in the Devil's Playground, they also were the first women to headline a WWE main roster pay-per-view. After the traditional pomp and circumstance of their entrances, the look in their eyes as the cell lowered around them set the tone. It finally hit Sasha Banks and Charlotte what they got into. Then the challenger attacked and Sasha hit the floor before the steel links from above did.

(Source: WWE.com)

They scored points for the pre–match tussle, going into the crowd slugging out with anger worthy of the match. The back-and-forth culminated in Charlotte power bombing The Boss into the announce table the champ set up herself for dishing out some pain.

(Did Sasha leap to her feet compelled to retain her title, or was it the realization she was about to leave with the worst EMT's in the history of the profession? Source: WWE.com)

The clever beginning was almost derailed when the fake EMT's somehow managed to get cables enmeshed in a hard collar around Sasha's neck. They were already treading a thin line with putting Sasha on the stretcher, emulating Mick Foley's condition after his infamous tumble from the Cell roof in 1998.

Luckily a knack for the details from Sasha, who got up at the last second before forfeiting her title due to injury, made the crowd and most viewers forget this god-awful flub as she painfully got into the ring, radiating a win-or-die attitude and the match finally began.

(Sasha Banks let the people see her agony--and her will to win as Charlotte relentlessly brought the pain. Source: WWE.com)

They used the cage, the ring posts, chairs. For every bit of fight Sasha had, Charlotte countered. Reminiscent of the Nature Boy, Charlotte shifted gears from cowardice begging for the cage to be unlocked to her trademark sadism, mercilessly attacking Sasha's lower back, twisting her around a ring post. Yet the champion valiantly fought back. Both showed no fear in using the chain link walls.

Occasionally the bumps appeared mistimed, but both sold the other's offense well. Sasha in particular got the crowd deeper into the palm of her hand, snapping like a ragdoll and arching in pain as Charlotte's explosive attacks continued. Also, in recent memory, I can't recall two wrestlers getting so much mileage out of one steel chair. The dents in it after Sasha came down on her back yet again lent the required amount of seriousness to the proceedings. Then The Boss was able to fight out of a figure eight leg lock folding the chair up and hitting Charlotte with it, before the tables came out.

(If that chair could talk, it would have said "dear god make it stop!" Source: WWE.com)

At the start, the announce table that Sasha was power bombed through from the cage wall seemed to collapse as most do in WWE's high spots outside the ring. The other two didn't break, although Charlotte sold her agony well enough getting dumped on one outside the ring. Had the attention to the little details and storytelling been not up to par this could have been highly embarrassing, but this kept the match from being as great as other contests either woman had in the past.

(Yep. Same chair. Source: WWE.com)

This is a mistake WWE will have to learn from as they didn't take into account, apparently, that these women don't weigh that much compared to their male counterparts. Taking into account that listed weights online are mostly bullshit, Charlotte probably weighs as much as some of the smallest cruiserweight men and it’s unlikely Sasha tips the scale much beyond 130 pounds. Either the wrestlers need to make sure the bumps into the tables are airborne high spots or the props themselves need to be prepared with their bodies in mind to begin with.

(Charlotte's eyes gave the impression she knew it was then or maybe never, getting the opportunistic victory. Source: WWE Network)

In the end, after The Boss's back couldn't take lifting Charlotte for a power bomb, The Queen seized the opportunity and stunned the crowd, earning her third crown hitting Natural Selection for the win. This was a bold move for WWE booking, as they have tended to go for happy, if predictable baby face resolutions to close story arcs much of this decade in World Title matches – especially in a superstar's listed hometown.

Speculation comes to mind about how much Vince McMahon trusts Sasha's back, or if the safe choice of the Flair name was the reason. If one looks a little deeper, this coda took a page from a great past rivalry.

(Ricky Steamboat took the NWA world title from Ric Flair to kick off a trilogy of matches that many--including this author--consider the best of all time. Source: Pro Wrestling Illustrated)

With the exception of the title change at Summerslam, their feud's arc mirrors that of Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat in 1989. Steamboat won the title, fought off the Nature Boy in a rematch, before losing to Flair in the last bout. This trilogy has always been considered must watch viewing for the expert storytelling, technical wrestling, personal heat, and the relentless will to win from both men. Charlotte and Sasha aren't up to this level of expertise yet, as they haven't been wrestling each other for over a decade like Steamboat and Flair had when their feud played out.

The chemistry is there and in time it is not unreasonable to expect timing and skill will catch up to their ability to spin the compelling narrative. In the end, like Ricky Steamboat, Sasha Banks was elevated to a whole new level even in defeat, and Charlotte's legacy as the grand supervillain champion continues to build. From here, as always, more challenges await the Cell's participants as well as WWE’s booking and the rest of the women's division.

(An uncharacteristic downer by WWE standards, Charlotte holding the title may be the best option for the foreseeable future. Source: WWE.com)

Since the brand split Raw has a dearth of solid heels for Sasha to go against. Paige is out after another wellness policy violation and neck surgery. Nia Jax is still exceedingly green and given the skittishness the company has over Sasha's back ailments, one wonders how safe a feud between the monster heel and Raw's top baby face could be.

Summer Rae is sidelined with back and elbow injuries and Tamina is still recovering from knee surgery.

Emma is healthy again, but her comeback appears to be a baby face run. That leaves Alicia Fox, who has not been seen, let alone built up, on Monday nights.

Dana Brooke is relevant as Charlotte's answer to Ted DiBiase's bodyguard Virgil and was brought up to the main roster before she could develop the skills to meet the bar set in WWE's women's division. She isn't ready for a major feud with Sasha, or a title shot, yet and may not be for a long time to come.

Bayley remains as the only other baby face option – and poised to become a mega–baby face – she's the alternative to Sasha down the line for a feud with the heel champion Charlotte. In fact, taking the long view, having Bayley as the one to finally bring down the sadistic Queen at WrestleMania may be the smart business move.

Reaching one summit almost always brings new challenges and they are indeed there for a thin women's roster on Raw with injuries and underdevelopment for some, but Hell in a Cell accomplished its mission. The women prove they belong there, that they can main event a smaller pay-per-view on occasion and sometimes there can be real beauty in violence.

(It is a tough way to go out for The Boss, but due to a thin roster, challengers for Raw's beloved baby face would probably make for lackluster feuds leading into WrestleMania.  Source: WWE.com)

Next time, Glitter and Slam will take a look at Survivor Series and how some of the roster issues in the wake of Hell in a Cell for both brands will affect the first ever women's Survivor Series match between Teams Raw and Smackdown Live.