CWC Finale

Before I get to the actual Finale of the CWC, I’d be remiss if I didn’t make a few comments on the CWC as a whole.

The CWC has proven something to the highest degree that NXT has shown us: The WWE can produce straight up wrestling shows and can showcase exceptional talent.
It also proves that a great wrestling program can be put together with limited promos and little to no ‘Entertainment Value.’ The Entertainment was the in-ring action.

This is how a wrestling show should be. Focus on Wrestling.

Now, my thoughts on the CWC FINALE

The CWC was a two-hour live special that only had four matches. Let me repeat that: Four Matches. When was the last time the WWE ever produced a two hour event with only four matches? Probably during the Saturday Night Main Event Days, and few of those would rival this.

We opened the show with video packages covering the entire CWC and the four semi-finalists, then we went straight to the action: both semi-final matches right out of the gate.

Zack Sabre, Jr versus Gran Metalik – a really good match in which Metalik almost matched Sabre in mat skills as he pulled out a number of submissions. Sabre stayed to his strength, wore Metalik down with punishing holds and out wrestled him.

In the end Metalik would win with his Metalik Driver.

T.J. Perkins versus Ibushi was the next semi-final. This was a fast paced, hard-hitting affair that saw both guys pull out all the stops.

Perkins shocked the World by making Ibushi tap. Many around the world felt that not only would Ibushi win, but that this tournament was designed to introduce Ibushi to the WWE.

Game changer here.

Next up we had a nice change of pace: DIY versus Noam Dar and Cedric Alexander. This was a nice addition to the event. A really good tag team match that saw DIY win, kept the crowd hot, used the cruiserweights in a positive way and give Metalik and Perkins time to catch their breath.

And they needed that.

TJP and Metalik put on one hell of an emotionally charged, rollercoaster of a match.

They pulled out everything they possible could to make this match feel special and really show that this was the tournament final, and that the two best were here.

But only one could win: T.J. Perkins.

With this win, Perkins became the first ever CWC Tournament Winner – but received something else as well. The rumors were true. Hunter presented Perkins with a sweet looking title belt. Not only is he the Tournament Winner, but the New Cruiserweight Champion as well!

TJP did a great job through-out the tournament. He was not my pick to win, nor one of my early favorites. I picked Cedric Alexander, Kendrick and Gallaher. Perkins is top notch though, and when we came to the Semi-Finals, I went for him.

Perkins is a long time indie guy, Suicide and Manic for TNA and a great talent. Now he’s a champ in the WWE. Way to Go.

CWC FINALE RATING: 10

Over All CWC Final thoughts:
The best event the WWE has produced since the ‘80’s. This was wrestling. More Please.

CWC Match of the Tournament: Brian Kendrick versus Tony Neese

CWC Best Performer of the Tournament: Brian Kendrick

CWC Best Moment: Brian Kendrick and Daniel Bryan

RATING: 10

RAW 300 – September 12, 2016

Welcome to MONDAY NIGHT RAW, where we make sure you ain’t UP ALL NIGHT.
To be perfectly honest, the only thing I can really say in truth about last night’s RAW is this: MONDAY NIGHT RAW aired on the USA Network, from 8P.M. – 11:20P.M. Arizona Time.

‘Nuff said.

No, wait, there is something else: RAW, you are boring. I’m bored. You are boring me!

That is how I felt all night long.

Were there some good things? Yes. Enzo’s loss to Primo.

The return of Rusev and the fallout of said return. The Highlight Reel. Sheamus and Cesaro. Kevin Owens.

And the women. The women received ample time on this show, the whole first hour was dedicated to Charlotte, Dana, Sasha and Bayley, which was awesome. It would have been even better if one of those woman wasn’t Dana Brooke. Why was she there? Why was she in a match with Bayley and Sasha?

Bayley and Sasha tear the house down every time, with Dana involved all that does is tear the match down and bring tears to fans eyes. This would have been so much more special if it had been Bayley and Sasha one-on-one with the winner facing Charlotte at Clash of Champions.

Everything else on this show was boring. It bored me. It felt like half the show was missing.

Skip RAW this week. ReWatch Backlash and had straight to SD LIVE.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Come watch Monday Night RAW, your cure for insomnia.

RATING: 5

SD LIVE 200 - September 6, 2016

I had to take a step back and really look at SD LIVE this week. I tape the show even when I watch it live, just in case I miss anything. I gave it a second glance before writing this piece.

At first viewing, I wasn’t sure that SD LIVE kept the trend of good shows going. Then I realized just how good of a show we had.

It did an excellent job of setting up this Sunday’s PPV. The focus for most of the show was on the women (who I think show close out the PPV), with an opening segment

‘forum’ hosted by Daniel Bryan and a six-woman tag match later in the show.

The IC Title match was built up using a Miz/Crews Summerslam rematch, with Ziggler on commentary.

Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles closed the show with AJ giving Dean a receipt for last week.

The finals for the Tag Titles are set: American Alpha versus Rhyno and Heath Slater.
But all the build up to the PPV is secondary to the big story of the night.

American Alpha beat the Usos in less than a minute . . .

Then the Usos when Uso Heel on American Alpha and left them laid out after trying to break Gable’s leg. We ended the show with American Alpha questionable for BackLash.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Excellent GO HOME Show. The turn by the Usos was unexpected, but a needed move. Awesome.

RATING: 8

RAW 300 - SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2016

Now this was a Monday Night RAW.

This broadcast you can actually watch – most of it. It’s watchable. I did.

This time around I want to get the lowlights of the night out of the way first. These are the parts that you can skip, and add to your viewing pleasure. Enzo and Cass versus the Shining Stars. Darren Young versus Jinder Mihal, with Titus on Commentary, Nai Jax’s match and Braun Strowman versus Sin Cara.

Oh yeah, I can’t believe I am saying this, but skip the Laurel and Hardy (The Club)/New Day segment as well.

Yep, skip those parts and watch the rest of the show. I want to give a special mention to Foxy – is she back? Nai Jax annihilated a jobber friend of Foxy and they had a confrontation in the back over it. Is Foxy ready to roll and give Jax her first feud and challenge? Let’s hope. Foxy is far better than Jax, and Jax is floundering.

The rest of the show delivered. The bulk of it dealing with the fall out of Hunter’s action, with Hunter nowhere around to explain his actions – which is good. Let his motivations be explained by others for a while until he feels the need.

We started with Stephanie and Mick arguing, she explained why she was quiet for the last week, Mick explaining why he believes her when she says she had nothing to do with Hunter’s action. Excellent segment.

KO’s celebration got cut short, by KO himself, telling he fans they are trying to hi-jack his moment.

Then the moment is hi-jacked by Seth Rollins and the night and Night of Champions is set into motion. At Night of Champions KO will defend again Seth Rollins!

In a follow up back stage segments KO and Jericho confront Steph and Mick, leading to two excellent matches: Jericho versus Rollins and the Main Event, KO versus Zayn!

Jericho versus Rollins was the match of the night, perhaps the match of RAW period since the draft.

KO and Zayn delivered, but the really story came after the match – when Reigns finally made his appearance and Mick set up our Main Event for next week:

Reigns versus KO. If Reigns wins, Night of Champions becomes a 3-way.

One last thing, keep a lookout for Sasha Banks’ bad news.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
This was a very good RAW. The best RAW since the first Post-Draft show. Hunter helping KO win is the best things that could happen, the fallout of that gives RAW direction moving forward. Not only was RAW set up for the night, but it also set up Night of Champions and next week’s RAW.

It looks like both Jax and Strowman may finally be getting feuds – we will have to see how that goes.

RATING: 7

AWF: OVERDRIVE 2016

I’m sadden to say this, but AWF OVERDRIVE didn’t get out of first gear for most of the event. Most defiantly it was a far cry from last month’s Summer Explosion (http://wrestlementary.blogspot.com/2016/08/awf-present-summer-explosion.html).

Honestly, it was mostly an average event and (it pains me to say this) was one of the lesser shows in AWF’s stellar history.

First I want to say that the AWF Arena was packed from door to door – literally. This was the third event in a row that there was STANDING ROOM ONLY. Which is Awesome. Fortunately, I was able to sit, if barely. It was the first AWF event in their history that I wasn’t in the front row. Which basically meant that none of the talent sat in my lap. :-( :'(

The Highlights of the Night were Aydan Colt versus XXX Lawrence Tyler, after Aydan made an open challenge.

The return of Hudson Envy, who looked freaking awesome in a hard luck loss to Mystique.

Indie Star Mike Camden also shined in his AWF debut (Arizona Debut?) against the man himself, R3, in a match with AWF Title implications. This was a hard fought, gritty match that could have gone either way until the Champ himself, Alvaric Reiner, made sure there wasn’t a winner, only to get taken out for his interference. (Triple threat at the next show?)

AWF OVERDRIVE finally went into Maximum Overdrive in an EPIC TLC Match

between Exciting Evan Daniels and Alexander Hammerstone for the AZ State Championship. This match literally had everything one might want front a TLC match: Blood, sweat, tears, torn flesh, a table splintered by a falling Hammerstone, broken ladders, bruised bodies and a metal chair literally torn asunder by Thor’s Hammer. (No really, this happened.)

In the end, Hammerstone stood tall in victory, holding high the AZ State Championship and winning a new contract, all the while defying the deluge of pop tarts meant to distract him (this makes perfect sense I am told).

FINAL THOUGHTS:
An average show with some good moments and an F@#$%*G awesome Main Event.

Rating: 6.5

Wrestlementary EOM August 2016

Wrestling fans, this was definitely a rollercoaster of an August. I will get to my thoughts in a bit, but first a few notes:

IMPACT: I am a few episodes behind on IMPACT, until I get caught up it would be disingenuous of me to give commentary. Once caught up, the commentary will begin.

NXT: The same must be said for NXT, a few broadcasts behind and I have yet to watch NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN II. Once caught up, I will comment.

I am up to speed on all Main Roster WWE events, and on the CWC. Due to issues with my cable and internet connectivity (all cleared up now) I was unable to watch RAW, SD LIVE or the CWC timely. So I didn’t comment on those last week. My thoughts on those for last week and this week are included here.

One last note, I originally planned for the monthly piece to be the last Friday of each month, after the PPV. Now I will post the EOM between the 1st and 3rd of the following month, which makes more sense with a new bi-weekly PPV schedule.
Okay, notes done, onto the commentary!

CWC

What can I say about the CWC? Seriously, what hasn’t been said? You can only praise something so much, before it simply sound disingenuous even when it isn’t. The CWC is the best thing the WWE has done in years, and for the WWE it is innovative.

I can’t wait for the Cruiserweights to shine on RAW and hope this tournament becomes a yearly staple. If you don’t have the WWE Network, the CWC IS the REASON to have it.

How the hell TJ Perkins, Tony Nese, Drew Gulack, Zack Sabre, Jr and Jack Gallaher have never been in the WWE is a joke.

If you are about being the top league and only having the best, then why aren’t the best in your league?

SUMMERSLAM!!

At best it was an above average show. For what I heard it wasn’t even the best WWE Produced show that weekend. SummerSlam had what looked to be a really good card, the show itself had great energy and a few great moments . . . but it didn’t quiet come off as good as it should have.

The first misstep was placing the Sheamus/Cesar match on the Pre-Show. Why invest in this feud and a best of seven series and bury it in the pre-show? The next misstep was Enzo. The Woman’s Title and the Cena/Styles matches were too early in the show. One of them should have closed the show.

The final misstep was Lesnar versus Orton. Why build up a match like this and have it go this way, especially if you put it on as the closer? How much more can Lesnar be built up? This was right on par with Lesnar v Cena as the worst main event I have ever seen.

The Highlights of SummerSlam? Charlotte versus Sasha for the Title was Epic. Unlike many, I wasn’t surprised that Charlotte won, in fact I picked her.

I also picked Styles over Cena in the Match of the Night.

Over all SummerSlam ranks a 6.

RAW

My first line to this piece was this ‘Wrestling fans, this was definitely a rollercoaster of an August.’ That is one-hundred percent true. The problem is RAW was continuously the thundering downward slopes of the Rollercoaster.

Did RAW have its Highlights? Sure (mostly Heath Slater appearances), but more lowlights then highs. Piss Poor show after piss poor show, talents still being under used. The biggest thing RAW had going for it was the arrival and push of Finn Balor.

Finn Balor, who quickly made his way into the title scene, and become champ at SummerSlam! This was to be the turning point for the New Era, but the curse of Rollins struck again.

We just started a New Era for RAW with the Draft, and it seemed we would have to start over again.

The post-SummerSlam RAW (8/22/2016) was another piss poor show, but that can be forgiving due to the injury to Finn Balor. No one foresaw that. Any plans they had for Balor, the Universal Title and the general direction for RAW as a whole, had to be scrapped.

What can’t be forgiven is the deliberate choice to put Big Cass into the title scene – in no way should he be there at this point.

Then there was this past RAW (8/29), which is best put this way: ¾ of Lameness, 1/8 Good, and 1/8 Epic.

Truth be told, if you haven’t watched RAW yet, here is what you do: Watch the opening segment, skip the next two hours, then watch the main event.

Unless of course you want to see the ‘When Was I Great’ debacle starring Darrin Young, Howdy Dowdy and Titus ‘I’ve Forgotten the English Language’ O’Neil. Or how about the so-bad-its-good epic tale of how Gallows and Anderson used to be Doctors, but are now in the retirement business. Here’s thinking their career retired the day they signed with the WWE.

Nope, skip all that. In fact skip the entire month of RAW and just watch the Main event of the 8/29 RAW. Why? Because it was the Highlight of the Year.

Three things happened in the last five minutes of RAW. Three things that had to happen. This is finally the turning point that was needed, the shakeup that had to happen and hopefully the beginning of the true new era.

What are those three things?

1. The Return of Hunter, in such a way that he essentially betrays Steph.
2. The beginning of a Face turn for Rollings. It’s been coming, he’s too popular, and with Finn out, they need a top face. 
3. The KO show has truly begun. 

KO is champion. Let the NEW ERA truly begin.

Don’t screw this up (dare we have hope?).

SD LIVE!

Yeah SMACKDOWN. The best wrestling show produced for the USA network and basic cable. SD LIVE has been spanking RAW and been the better show since the Draft. RAW is the thundering downward slope, SD LIVE is that rising action reaching for the top of the track . . .

And now they have added two new titles.

YEAH! SD LIVE WOMAN TITLE: A first SD LIVE Woman’s champion will be crowned in a six pack challenge at SD LIVE excusive PPV BACKLASH!

YEAH! SD LIVE TAG TITLES: Yeah. The first SD LIVE Tag Team Champions will be crowned in a tournament final to be held at BACKLASH. The tournament includes American Alpha, Usos, Heath Slater and Rhyno and of course the Head Bangers!

You know that tag team that has been tearing through the WWE Tag Team Division for . . . The dominate team no one can . . . Yeah, the Head Bangers, the lame ass ‘90’s wannabes that haven’t wrestled a match in the WWE for 15 years. (Imagine sounds of crying right now.)






The one good thing about the Brand Division is that SMACKDOWN is no longer the RAW Recap Show, and is back to being what it was once – the better of the two shows.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Except for Finn Balor’s SummerSlam moment and KO’s epic win, RAW has been SD LIVE’s bitch. To put it nicely.

Still, they really need to step up and do what they promised. So far they haven’t. The choice to put the Universal Title on Balor so soon was shocking, and shockingly short. KO was the right choice, and hopefully this is the move that will put RAW (and the WWE) on the map.

However, the return of the Head Bangers is proof of how the Brand Split is failing. Wasn’t this New Era about moving forward, pushing new talent and having a roster so big they HAD to split it? If all that is true and the Roster is that big, then why bring in the Head Bangers?

What, The Revival is lost in the ‘80’s?

THE DISH - AUGUST 2016

I told Ace Masters I wanted to hold off until the aftershocks of Summerslam died down and I was right! In this edition of The Dish, The Boss is out, Bayley is in, and after sifting through the rumor mill, some pundits ask "how much is too much?"

(High spots, stiff blows and brutal intensity permeated the Summerslam card, and the Women's Title Match was no exception. Source: WWE.com)

Many fans were shocked at the ending of the Women's Title match as Charlotte pinned Sasha Banks, ending her 18 day title reign. The bout reflected the overall energy of the 2016 Summerslam card with both women taking their game to the next level--and at times giving danger the finger.

There were times I honestly thought someone was going to get seriously hurt as stiff pugilism and seriously risky spots showed the audience what these rivals were willing to put on the line to tell their story. One awkward bump in the corner, in which Sasha appeared to fall incorrectly had me wondering if she hadn't injured her neck. Split-second moments of sloppiness like this were fixed during the in-ring narrative, but there were moments I thought Sasha got legitimately hurt.

This is my current women's division match of the year, but the scary energy throughout shook many fans, even the mighty Jim Ross who tweeted ".@MsCharlotteWWE & @SashaBanksWWE taking way too many chances IMO."

(Nagging back trouble was hindering Banks before she ever walked down the ramp at Summerslam. Source: WWE.com)

At first glance some may think this shows an underlying chauvinism, but Ross has been a staunch supporter of the current crop of women, especially Sasha Banks. If you try to see it through his eyes, he's looking at two excellent wrestlers just entering their prime, but have been working at the highest levels for a relatively short amount of time. Banks has been working around six years, starting at 18 on the independent scene. Charlotte debuted as a homegrown NXT talent in 2013.

Compare that with Seth Rollins, who debuted in 2005 and didn't become the singles star we know now until 2014. Finn Balor was building his legacy for 16 years before he came to Raw. Both men have garnered similar commentary for pushing the spectacle too hard, especially after Balor's injury forced him to give up the WWE Universal title. There is no easy answer to where the limit should be, a balance needs to be found between creating enduring memories for one's own legacy and planning for long term sustainability.

While Balor's reigned ended in 24 hours due to injury suffered in his match, Banks' fall was already planned due preexisting back trouble.

(The Boss is champ no more. Despite chronic back pain causing the title change, Banks put on the most intense match of her career. Source: Inquisitr.com)

Rumors were swirling that Sasha would join Paige and Eva Marie in 30 days of wellness policy violation limbo, when WWE indicated she was pulled from all live events for 33 days the morning following her loss.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and Heavy.com, Banks has been dealing with lower back pain much of this spring and summer and WWE made the call to put Charlotte over again to avoid the risk of exacerbating the problem. While WWE has indicated the former champion will not need surgery, it was serious enough to make this snap decision only two weeks and four days into her reign – and in light of her skyrocketing popularity.

It makes sense since Banks was pulled from television for a month and had a lighter workload prior to the buildup for her title win. She will undergo a medical evaluation in September and could be back as early as the Clash of Champions PPV.

Moving forward, the injury has been incorporated into the storyline with Charlotte, giving a chance to put some smiles back on sad faces in the wake of the Boss' enforced sabbatical. After her goodbye match with Asuka at NXT Takeover Brooklyn, Bayley made her debut on Raw.

(Charlotte is proving she may become WWE's best female heel ever as she and sidekick Dana Brooke revel in the first day of the Queen's second title reign.)

After WWE brought up virtually all the established women of the NXT roster prior to the brand split Bayley stayed behind to be the ring general for the NXT women and truly pass the torch to Asuka.

The pop was huge just like the extra-large inflatables that flanked her as she came down to the ring, hugged Mick Foley and proclaimed her desire to be champion. She then went on to take out Dana Brooke in her first match on the main roster.

(Bayley's debut was a lift for the fans when it was needed the most. Source: Foxsports.com)

Bayley on the scene makes for a smooth transition into another story for Women's Division fans to sink their teeth into. Coupled with buzz around a Smackdown women's title and the return of Nikki Bella, WWE has the tools to book some great stuff while The Boss is on the mend. The Smackdown belt – and its viability will be examined as well as who's going to step up in Asuka City in the next edition of The Dish.