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Axel mania


Is Curtis Axel another case of WWE just missing the boat on a potential big star (upper mid carder) ala Zack Ryder.  Why not pay off the Axelmania gimmick by making the Rusev/Cena Match a triple threat and having Axel steal the win.  He'd draw a huge pop and could brag about being Cena and ending Rusev's winning streak for a year.  Plus he's still Mr Perfect's son so there's always that as a background to make him a more serious wrestler.  I'm not saying Axel for World Champ but the crowd reactions and the clock gimmick are great.

​Man, how sad is it when people are so beaten down by the product that they're getting excited for CURTIS AXEL segments?  

Let me explain here:  Axel was initially a HHH project and he failed to get over working with the great HHH, so he's a lost cause and they gave up on him.  End of story.  Doesn't matter if you THINK he's getting over on this goofy organic Rumble storyline, he's not actually over because he no longer fits their vision of a top guy.  You can only get over by being the person they want and having great hair, or working with HHH.  That's just the rules, sorry.  ​

Comments

  1. Let me know how it goes...loved the comic but have bad vibes about that show

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  2. Theberzerker, #1 HUSS CHOMPIONMarch 10, 2015 at 8:26 AM

    It's a cute angle that's getting a reaction now, so they'll beat it into the ground every time he goes out there while still jobbing him left and right to everyone. Unless they decide to make the ARMBaR a comedy spot this year, in which case he'll...get eliminated by Big Show in a "hilarious" twist on history.
    So yeah, either or.

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  3. Very well-said, but it needs more brass ring.

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  4. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 8:28 AM

    I read an interview with Charlie Huston yesterday where he basically said, "This isn't Bendis and Oeming's Powers straight up, it has its similarities, but we made changes to make it our own."


    Bendis and Oeming seemed to be happy with it, so we'll see.

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  5. I don't get how Cena made Rusev look awful last night. Come on, now.

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  6. You never answered me on the other thread, btw - what do you think of the Rollins-is-actually-stupided-than-Noble segment from last night?

    I think it makes him look a lot weaker than my WM fantasy booking did ;)

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  7. Oh man, that would be an awesome gimmick - the "hero" who heroically comes out to heroically beat up the bad guys - AFTER another good guy has already beat them up. That has 'awesome midcard gimmick' written all over it.

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  8. I knew I was forgetting an important meaningless phrase!

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  9. Was the Axelmania idea the idea from Axel or from the writers? It seems to me, that they only push the guys where the writers have the ideas. If the wrestler are creative themselves, they decline their push, because it wasn't WWEs idea. Same with guys who had a great gimmick before.

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  10. They should've just done the idea someone shared of having Cena distract Rusev last night, and Axel would beat him for the title. Then Cena could get his rematch. You wouldn't even have to have Axel on Mania. Of course, Rusev would be losing the belt to Curtis freakin' Axel, but they did the same thing to Dibiase before Wrestlemania VII (though not for a title).

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  11. Joining mizdow as the most over guy in the wwe. Thats 2015 in a nutshell.

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  12. It's funny when WWE tries pushing a wrestler and then they don't get over. Then they give up on them around the time they start getting over. I think Drew Mcytyre

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  13. I agree. This review is almost completely snark. Some problems I had with it.

    -That Rusev and Cena segment was GREAT, and somehow Cena's smirk kills his heat? How, exactly? He was smirking because he got what he wanted, and the crowd popped when Lana said he had his title match at Wrestlemania. If you're going to have that opinion, it'd be nice if it was actually backed up with some reasoning, because I'm not following it.

    -Wyatt laughing "kills the feud dead"? Come on. That's idiotic. Wyatt is a MADMAN, who lives off mind games and psychological torture. Someone is dishing some back out to him, and he loves it. Just because the crowd isn't erupting doesn't mean it wasn't an effective segment; sometimes audiences are supposed to be stunned and moved.

    -You're really taking one line about the "big news of the night" re: New Day and running it into the ground. JBL already got on Cole for using a line like that, we don't need you harping on it more in your column.

    -"LAST MONDAY ON RAW: Paige was gonna win the Divas Championship, but lost for
    some reason." What do you mean "for some reason"? She lost to SET UP A NEW MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA. How did you not get that? She actually WON the match, because the Bellas cheated and were disqualified, and AJ made the save. That was pretty clear to anyone who actually watched. I get it, this is the internet so we have to shit on absolutely everything, but come on.

    -RE: Opinions - "which you don't actually believe in since they exist already." Um, I don't think you quite get how beliefs work.


    I don't blame people if they're not into the current show. That's fine. But when you are grasping at straws to find a way to put a snarky spin on every single segment, even the entertaining ones, you're making it hard to want to read your recaps every week. Some of us actually get some enjoyment out of the show, and don't just come here to shit on it endlessly.

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  14. I feel worse for Golddust than I do for Bryan.

    Here's a guy who has come in, utterly reinvigorated himself, put in the best performances in-ring of his entire life (imo) and been a consummate pro.

    He's been in a reasonably sensible feud with his brother, with the eventual goal of a potential singles match at WM for them to allow him to (a) get to have the brother v brother match they've both always wanted and (b) possibly retire on a high (even if he goes out on his back).

    Instead, they just forget that's happening and throw his brother into the midcard madness of the IC match, and Goldie's been completely ignored since.

    At least Bryan got his WM moment last year, even if it was bittersweet.

    #DustinDeservesBetter!

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  15. LOL I get it because you're acting like the company. Funny!

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  16. I think the negativity would go over better if he actually offered some analysis rather than just saying, "Bray Wyatt killed the feud dead by laughing!" Why did that particular thing kill the feud? What didn't work about that segment? What could've improved it? Without that, the column is basically like the commentators at a Browns game going, "well they suck" for 3 hours without giving any insights.

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  17. 8 days later is much different You can recover from a beating in 8 days. I'm not saying it was great booking, but it's a HUGE difference than if he'd done it the night after.

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  18. it also helps your demeanor if you don't come here where people just bitch ad nauseam during the live threads, even when the show is perfectly fine.

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  19. So, Reigns lost to Rollins last week and then this week beats Rollins with the help of Orton distracting him. Yeah...

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  20. Axlmania is just sad and to suggest that Axl be added to Cena/Russev (and win!?!?!) is beyond ridiculous.

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  21. Is Cena supposed to be afraid of Rusev? What the fuck do people want from this feud? I don't get it. He didn't make Rusev tap out in a match. I had no problem with the way that segment unfolded last night.

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  22. I've got a fever....and the only prescription...is more brass ring.

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  23. I honestly thought that Reigns video package last night was well done, and I thought he was fine in the main event match. He's growing on me a little bit. I don't think he'll be the EPIC FAIL that everyone wants or expects him to be just because he's WWE's chosen one and not Daniel Bryan. I think their match will actually be a decent brawl, and I'm looking forward to it.

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  24. To be fair, having Rusev pass out in the STF - which I can't remember having that effect on anyone else, no matter how long they've been in it, did make him look a bit of a chump in some ways.

    The rest of the build has been fine, but I didn't like that at all.

    Hell, I'm sure the Miz has lasted longer in the STF without losing consciousness!

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  25. Moyes. I blame him for this!

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  26. Maybe they should have a baby and then put that baby to work on the Raw Report.

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  27. I wouldn't have a problem with that if Rusev wasn't undefeated. Him losing his first match, at least by pin or submission, weeks before WM would be an anticlimactic way to end something that has been building for a year. I guess that won't matter, though, when Cena - someone who can be put in a main event title scene at the snap of Vince's fingers - ends Rusev's reign of never being pinned or submitted.

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  28. To WWE's credit, they made the kid's dream come true on a number of occasions. But they're not saying "Look at how great we are," they are honoring him for the way he affected them, which is how it should be. I was basically weeping by the end of that video last night, especially when the crowd gave it a standing ovation and were chanting his name, and then they showed his father holding his little brother taking it all in from the front row. That really got me.

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  29. I think the most telling thing about success in WWE is that even with five hours of weekly TV (more if you count the secondary programs), they still don't have time to do much of anything with AxelMania.

    About 80% of WWE's television is focused on the same ten or so people, two of whom don't even wrestle (Hunter and Stephanie). The other forty or so guys have to fight for the remaining 20%

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  30. I wouldn't be surprised if that's who gets the award in future years, but for a first induction, can't do much better than Connor.

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  31. ....I'm starting to wonder if they are resigning Brock and are going to go all in. Reigns isn't working out so F it lets try and "shock the world" again and have him squash Reigns.

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  32. Staring into the abyss from fourth spot. Could be worse, let's face it.

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  33. I thought he was actually great in the opening segment. The way he just skipped over Mercury was hilarious. I'll agree that sometimes he has that "memorized" quality, but I didn't feel it last night.

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  34. legit question: was there anything positive from this show?

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  35. He will be fighting the bunny on the pregame show.

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  36. I would say Heyman shoot style promo with Brock, really good stuff

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  37. So, is Sheamus ever coming back? I sort of still expect Daniel Bryan to finally announce himself in the IC ladder match then Sheamo comes back all "No you don't, fella! Hur di hur, so you are! Pot O'Gold!"

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  38. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 8:44 AM

    Lesnar is supposedly scheduled for the Raw after Mania. Beat Reigns at Mania, lose the belt the next night.

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  39. I wonder what it's like watching the Mr. Olympia Finals with Vince:
    "That's my next World Champion!"
    "No, THAT'S my next World Champion."
    "RIGHT THERE, MY NEXT WORLD CHAMPION!"

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  40. Maybe Scott can let you post a column here for some dough in the meantime?

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  41. He is just one in a long line of Wrestlemania competitors who don't need to actually show up on any of the shows.

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  42. If Brock goes, do they keep Heyman? He's been carrying the promo side of the main event scene for a while now.

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  43. Stranger in the AlpsMarch 10, 2015 at 8:45 AM

    The deluded Royal Rumble "winner" is hilarious to me. The Axelmania thing is kinda not. All he is doing there is copying a much bigger star. The Royal Rumble clock is a good idea.


    Unfortunately, the idea probably came from a writer and they just wanted to run with it for a few weeks as a comedy spot. Axel could get himself over with it, but we all know that it's not going anywhere. He himself is probably aware of that but is just glad for the face time.


    How can you reach for a brass ring when it's constantly being raised higher by a mysterious individual in the back?

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  44. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 8:45 AM

    Nobody gets paid here. It's volunteer work.

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  45. Not that I've watched, but it all reads as the most listless Mania build up in living memory.

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  46. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMarch 10, 2015 at 8:46 AM

    Was not cut.

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  47. Remember when Mankind got all spooked and ran away when they started lowering the Cell?

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  48. Rollins is an arrogant heel who thinks he's smarter than he actually is. If he's taken down a peg by an untrustworthy nemesis, I'm fine with that. The Shield reunion still makes no sense and I'm standing by that thought! :)

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  49. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 8:47 AM

    Top contenders to beat Lesnar on Raw the next night are Rollins, Cena, Sheamus and Orton.

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  50. Totally agree. I loved the delusional Royal Rumble winner thing. Axlmania is just dumb. Referencing something from the past (like a second-generation wrestler doing his/her father's moves) or parodying something (like Shark Boy doing Stone Cold) is one thing. But what the fuck is supposed to be appealing about Curtis Axl doing a crappy Hulk Hogan impression?

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  51. I still think he'll be the "surprise" entry in the Andre Battle Royal and will win it.

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  52. The IC match might get more than 8-9 minutes. Perhaps it will take the place previously held by the Money in the Bank match and get a solid 15+ minutes to steal the show?

    Then again ... we need to save time for the big Kane/Big Show spot in the Battle Royal.

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  53. That was also Cena's best looking STF in maybe ever, last night. Looks like he took Steve Austin's "Tighten that sumbitch up" critiques seriously for once. And for a guy who had made HIM pass out in his own submission hold, I was fine with it, because that's how wrestling booking works. Cena told him, "Don't insult my country again, or you'll face the consequences," and Rusev went out his way to do just that. And the fact that he poured water on Rusev to wake him up from passing out, only to put him BACK in the move, was fantastic.

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  54. I can't see him doing much if Lesnar is gone. They tried to put other people with him as Heyman Guys but it didn't work and i think Heyman himself didn't really like it.
    He have a personal friendship with both Punk and Brock and i don't see him doing the same amount of work for some midcard geek he had no connection with.

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  55. Don't worry, it's not like Odell Beckham, Jr. was available or anything.

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  56. Based on the build up it seems Brock is going to steamroll Reigns then get back to his more important feud with the authority. Reigns vs Orton vs Rollins or Reigns vs Team authority should be happening because he has spent all his time feuding with them and not Brock. Bray is doing his best to build a feud with basically a card board cutout. Sting wants to save a company he has never wrestled for from evil authority ...and has evidently just hit puberty as well.

    Every talented guy in the company.....and R-truth is being lumped into a ladder match for Ultimate Warriors old IC belt.

    And then there is the Rollins Orton Match which is actually the best done part at the moment. (subject to change)

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  57. Sometimes, at least for me, it's fun to criticize shitty things. I'm sure Matt isn't miserable until he reads the comments of people who clutch their pearls and fall over on their fainting couches when they read his recaps.

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  58. Isn't Axelmania closer to Adam Rose/Fandango than Mizdow (which is nowhere near a title even though it's lasted far longer/been stronger)? It's a nice little comedy gimmick, but come on: Axelmania has been presented like a joke, beginning with Ambrose "eliminating" him as soon as he started complaining. Axel was dull/showed little personality (other than winning the IC title on Father's Day or whenever it was) and didn't seem to be putting on great wrestling matches to make up for it (not that the "wins" over HHH meant anything as the McMahon promos made it clear Axel did/meant nothing).


    If Axel had been added to the 'Mania match, it would only have been so Rusev could win again without beating Cena (like the Rumble).


    This would have been like adding Too Cool to the TLC matches because people liked it when they danced.

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  59. Man, that idea that was sent to Keith is stupid as fuck.

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  60. I'd add Bryan to that just because Vince caved last year he might give up his dream and do it again.

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  61. So is miz vs mizdow not going to be a wrestlemania match? I was kinda looking forward to that.

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  62. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 8:53 AM

    I excluded Bryan for the exact same reason!

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  63. You're really dumping all over this review. Maybe you should stop giving the reviewer your hard-earned money and supporting him if you hate the review so much? At least try to find the silver lining in his review rather than snarking all over it. You're grasping at straws to put a snarky spin on every segment of the review.

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  64. Reigns sucks balls dude

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  65. Agree. Can't tell if it was dumber than yesterday's "Have Lesnar break Reigns' arm to lead to a WWE-UFC title unification match."

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  66. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 8:55 AM

    Nope, they're both in the ARMBaR

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  67. It's WrestleMEHnia this year.

    (I feel quite clever for coming up with that - no doubt it's not original and I'll look like a fool! :D)

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  68. Worst_in_the_WorldMarch 10, 2015 at 8:55 AM

    Pretty much the only thing that truly gets over in WWE anymore are comedy gimmicks that parody how bad the wrestlers are. Mizdow, Axel---- they've beaten the fanbase down to the point where they give fuck all about the "serious" angles and only get behind the stuff that makes fun of how shitty wrestling is.

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  69. Wouldn't be surprised :(

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  70. I've not seen it before, have the credit!

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  71. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 8:57 AM

    We used it last year before the Daniel Bryan stuff heated up.

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  72. I have it on good authority you are indeed the first1

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  73. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 8:58 AM

    Savior to the delusional masses.

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  74. They should have had Reigns squash a different midcarder during each hour of every March Raw. By my calculations, that would be a million midcarders by Wrestlemania.

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  75. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 8:59 AM

    YAAAAAAAAAY!

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  76. In all seriousness, don't do it. It's definitely a scam. I have a job, but I've also been looking to relocate (and find a job in the new area). I'd say at least 50% of the postings on job sites, etc, are complete scams like this. Sorry.

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  77. That's where we need JR: "WE NEED SOME MORE OFFICIALS OUT HERE!!"

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  78. My life is miserable. I prefer matt.

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  79. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 9:01 AM

    But I wanna sit in a chair facing a computer monitor tasked with managing who lives and who dies on a secret island!

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  80. how can you push the guy with no reason for him to headline job to Triple H at SummerSlam in the "real" main event?

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  81. Rip What if Wednesdays.

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  82. my favorite was the guy talking about WrestleMania 8 and made a note about Shane McMahon being one of the "officials" in the world title match like he was the first guy to notice it

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  83. I would put Cena/Rusev in with Rollins/Orton ... wow so the Cena and Orton matches have the most anticipation? Maybe they should scrap their feuds and just have them feud with each other ... one ... last ... time.

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  84. True point on the tightened up version, admittedly. It's bloody taken him long enough!

    I just think the STF has been pretty weak sauce, to all intents and purposes, up til this point, and to have the unstoppable monster pass out to it, when other, smaller, weaker wrestlers have not goes against that thing you love (;)) - prior logic.

    I get that it's the old wrasslin' staple of trading the situation - you do (x), I do (x) back to you, but I'd have honestly rather have seen Cena put the Accolade on him if they had to make him pass out. Sell the power of the move, rather than the power of Cena The Mighty, who has never really been a 'submissions' guy in the way Rusev has.

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  85. Well, at least you're consistent. Which means you've no place as a WWE booker. Sorry. ;)

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  86. Drew Mac never got over because he was Vince "chosen one" but after the first promo never appeared anywhere near the guy again and Drew ended up trading wins in the first hour of Smackdown for half a year, then declared a jobber

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  87. Have they officially announced Bryan as being part of the IC Title Ladder bullshit?

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  88. I was thinking he was a lost cause bc even heyman couldn't get him over.

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  89. the crowd is reacting to someone? Creative missed it because they were going over the third draft of Stephanie's promo

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  90. I think they booked it that way so that each has made his opponent pass out in a submission hold. That way they can book WM as a Pass Out Match.

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  91. Sure, let's accelerate Rusev's road to foreign comedy jobber as fast as possible.

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  92. Could be worse, but has not, in my lifetime, actually been worse.

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  93. He failed to get over? You mean after he beat HHH, John Cena, and CM Punk by countout and then immediately got beaten up afterwards every time? And he didn't get over? The devil you say!

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  94. Big Show's Ironclad contractMarch 10, 2015 at 9:07 AM

    " he failed to get over working with the great HHH"
    The only purpose of those matches with HHH seemed to make Axel look like a joke and then they gave him the IC title to complete the burial. I don't even like Axel but I felt sorry for the guy.
    Btw, I also think HHH is great, just watch he'll get a good match out of Sting that will completely blow Lesnar vs. Reigns and Wyatt vs. Undertaker out of the water

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  95. Fucking hell, this is an awful time to be a WWE fan.

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  96. To be fair, Andy left because he couldn't deal with the shitty product WWE was putting out. I don't actually hate what I watch. But don't give me bullshit and expect me to call it an ice cream sundae.

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  97. Thats tye the big boss man. Everyone knows that.

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  98. I don't think Axel is ever going to be anything special and the whole thing with him and Heyman was doomed to fail from the beginning. He's best in a comedy role as he is now, which has got him the biggest reactions of his career

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  99. Don't forget how his introductory promo ended with him slapped to the floor by HHH.

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  100. It's good exposure, though. Look at the hits

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  101. Is style of play a factor in your torpor? As a Liverpool, regardless of whether we get in the CL spots this year I am encouraged by a young, improving team playing good football.

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  102. Pretty sure what killed him was being forced to use horrible names like "Michael McGillicutty" and "Curtis Axel." Genesis of McGillicutty didn't help.

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  103. The ideas in emails aren't great. Any idea that had any confidence in itself would come down here and throw itself at the mercy of us lot and the upvote system.

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  104. This is the worst I've ever experienced as a fan. I can't even be bothered to watch ten minutes of RAW. And I survived '95 (at least we had Shawn and Bret back then).

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  105. "Yep Mode" Abeyance Brown ©March 10, 2015 at 9:13 AM

    And how he had Heyman hit Cena in the head with an iPad.

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  106. Random outlandish "never going to happen" wish for WM?

    For me: Kevin Owens enters the Battle Royal as a surprise late entry, and proceeds to win it, eliminating Sheamus last after powerbombing the life out of him to the point where he physically has to lift Sheamus' limp body over the top rope.

    Then they go on to have an unbelievably stiff feud where they just knock the absolute living hell out of one another for our entertainment with Owens eventually going over. Then Zayn debuts towards Summerslam with a grudge and Owens in his sights.

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  107. Big Show's Ironclad contractMarch 10, 2015 at 9:14 AM

    I think Scott is just tired with all the Reigns questions and so is posting dumb ideas to amuse himself.

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  108. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 9:14 AM

    Just finished the first episode of Powers on PlayStation Plus. It is definitely not Bendis and Oeming's comic book, but that in no way makes it not good. I'm glad I read a bunch of the collections so I have a bit of a background on who is who, but it's not at all needed, since they're world building right off the bat.


    It's not an origin story, it definitely dumps you right in the middle of the story, like the comic book did, which I think helps the story move along quicker. They can drop little hints as to what the deal is as they go along and let the audience catch up as needed.


    If you have read the comic, but can wipe enough of it from your mind so you can be open to a new story in a parallel Powers universe, this is was a good start to a new series.


    Ready for episode 2.

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  109. He's a better manager, imo, than he showed at Man U - but I really do think backstage politics wrecked any chance he had.

    LVG, on paper, should be a roaring success for you, but he's not lived up to his reputation whatsoever.

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  110. Perhaps Axel should have been allowed to get some wins rather than be a pincushion for a slapdash xenophobia angle where the face is a psychopath who bullies women.

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  111. Why won't they let him be great? Raw is 30 hours long. Give the guy five minutes to shine

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  112. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 9:15 AM

    But will you compare ice cream to horse manure, as Bobby "the Brain" Heenan was apt to do when Ric Flair debuted in the WWF in 1991?

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  113. Yeah, style of play. Bizzare substitutions (seriously, the first half
    was perfectly acceptable with signs of real promise going forward, so at half
    time LVG brings on Carrick and Jones? We then had no options once the game went
    against us). This awful sideways passing, we’ve completely either forgotten how
    to attack or LVG is specifically telling players not to run at defences, and
    not to shoot from distance. That’s what we do, we run at teams and score
    screamers. All we do under LVG is pass the ball sideways and hope that things
    work out, which they almost NEVER do. We average about 5 shots on goal a game
    and that’s all down to “the philosophy”. It’s awful. I’ve given up pretending
    it’s not as bad as Moyesball.

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  114. WWE should have booked a better storyline (Dusty's "we're still family" is true, but Dustin's original "I'm going to beat the stardust" out of him made more sense: why would getting a fluke roll-up - even if that wasn't the intended finish - "save" Cody?) and a much better match (that was just dreadfully dull). So, yeah, I can blame WWE for putting on a terrible match/storyline, for booking it at Fast Lane rather than saving it for 'Mania, and for also teasing this turn several times over the past year or two rather than doing it when the Dust Bros were having great tag matches (i.e. right before they lost the tag titles to the New Age Outlaws).

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  115. 21 days ago I posted that this would be the Wrestlemania card (and that you WILL like it!): Reigns/Lesnar, Cena/Rusev (rematch), Sting/HHH, Rollins/Orton, Ambrose/Barrett (gimmick rematch), Bryan/Sheamus, Tag team thing wasting Ziggler, Cesaro, etc, Women's thing, Cody/Goldust.



    Well, everything below the top four matches has been smooshed into one big clusterfuck, Cesaro will be lucky to get on the card, and poor Dustin Runnels.

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  116. "Yep Mode" Abeyance Brown ©March 10, 2015 at 9:18 AM

    Yeah, that match from last night was at least 30 seconds, you mean to tell me they didn't have enough room on the show for a 3 minute match?

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  117. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 10, 2015 at 9:19 AM

    I'm not a wrestling recapper. Never got the feel for it, and never had any urge to do it.


    I appreciate the hell out of the product that the guys here produce regularly, but honestly, I have no drive to write and post stuff here. I'm content hanging around as a commenter when I can.

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  118. Do you think Rock/Reigns is the plan for next year at this point? We all have been trying to figure out how they get 100,000 people. Obviously Vince thinks Reigns is the future and Rock will be on the show.

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  119. Yeah, I'm not quite sure where LVG is going with all this. What formation/style does he want to play. He's fortunate he has Rooney and De Gea, because without those two it'd be far worse.

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  120. I'm at a loss regarding the way he seems to be instructing our players to play right now. I'm willing to give him another season after this, but I just don't see any signs that we're not going significantly backwards after a good run during the winter.

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  121. Probably.

    Or, as an outside bet, Rock v Brock, due to Rock getting involved and helping his cousin win at WM.

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  122. Pretend they're under threat of an attack from Putin because of Rusev and hold it in a 2000-seater gymnasium. That's the only way they'll sell out Wrestlemania next year.

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  123. I'm going because it's coming to my hometown and it's WrestleMania and I've never been.


    We covered this last week, Dougie. But, you're trolling, so it's cool.

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  124. Man, if De Gea had got injured at any point this season, we'd have lost every game he missed. We'd be way down in mid-table. There's no way he's staying in a team like this, I imagine he'll go off to Real this summer.

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  125. "Yep Mode" Abeyance Brown ©March 10, 2015 at 9:23 AM

    I'd be ok with that kayfabe logic.

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  126. I figure we get Rock in the main event, This will be the show the long rumored Austin match with...someone happens (hogan if he is able to do ....anything) hell if he manages not to die or poop himself in 3 weeks they will probably even dust off Taker for a retirement match.

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  127. So did we ever find out what the subject of the meeting was yesterday? Hard to believe after such a rousing call to arms they'd go out and put on that show.

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  128. Fat, Ugly Inner-City SweathogMarch 10, 2015 at 9:25 AM

    Thats actually pretty true. Team Hell No would fall in that category Id say

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  129. I'd think so. They've spent an awful lot of money for little, if any, progress, when most of the club's success has come from an excellent youth system.

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  130. You know, if they actually wanted to make something out of this Axel gimmick, they should let him win the Andre Battle Royale. That's killer ammunition for him to keep presenting his case to the audience.

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  131. I'd say you could sell De Gea for good money in the summer, then reinvest half of that to bring in Fraser Forster, who is a fantastic keeper and young enough to spend another decade at Man U quite happily.

    As a Celtic fan, I'd love to see him get the recognition and big move he deserves. He's got potential to be one of the absolute best.

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  132. I started to wonder if this strategy of putting Reigns in the ring with people more popular than him was really a good idea, but then I remembered that everyone is more popular than him.

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  133. Curtis Axel has horrible hair.

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  134. Nobody knows until the Daily Update comes out.


    NOBODY KNOWS!

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  135. This is all about what they have planned right now. If the Roman empire goes as we all kind of assume, I doubt he is likely to still be the champ or main eventing again in a year.

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  136. "Yep Mode" Abeyance Brown ©March 10, 2015 at 9:30 AM

    That's....not a bad idea.

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  137. Well someone start calling Brian's house(s) and wake his ass up

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  138. Undertaker didn't get over by winning at every WM until last year!

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  139. I think Andy's issue was that he took any negative comment about Raw itself as a personal attack on his review of Raw and started acting like a martyr.

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  140. I'm sticking by my original guess - they announced that payout calculations are going to change because they killed the PPV market. They want to lower everyone's expectations heading into Mania.

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  141. The Cena Smirk came across as heel-ish to me.


    I'll give you Wyatt.

    The New Day line wasn't me dumping on the line, itself. I was dumping on Cole altogether, and I pointed out that JBL criticized him for it.

    Yeah, they set up a match with a slightly tweaked angle that's already happened.

    "I believe in opinions" still sounds silly. Especially since EVERYONE HAS OPINIONS.

    Lastly, if you don't like it, great. Go some place else to get your Everything in WWE is Totally Awesome fix. I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you how great RAW was last night.

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  142. Fat, Ugly Inner-City SweathogMarch 10, 2015 at 9:31 AM

    Remember when the Fandangoing thing was over for a couple weeks in 2013? I distinctly remember several of you fucks advocating a Cena vs Fandango title match at Extreme Rules. Thats what this email reminds me of

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  143. It's for the best. So we can all stop supporting this company.

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  144. Wait, how many houses does he have?

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  145. 1200 people in the authority and no one helps rollins?

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  146. At least three

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  147. I love the idea of Owens taking the Battle Royal.

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  148. He writes for this blog - he clearly has 5 or 6.

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  149. Zack Ryder= Upper midcarder?!?!

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  150. I think that's still less than Scherer. He better reach for that brass ring if he wants more houses than Scherer.

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  151. "Yep Mode" Abeyance Brown ©March 10, 2015 at 9:33 AM

    The blog helps.

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  152. Yeah, it was funny seeing people here calling Fangango a star because of one sarcastic crowd.

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  153. It's simple progression That worked for years and then they stopped doing sensible things

    Koko-Virgil-Doink-Godfather-Crash Holly-Others when I didn't watch-Santino-Zack Ryder-Curtis Axel

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  154. Can I bring a blurred Big Gold Belt? :D

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  155. I don't think anything actually gets over anymore. The E quashes the uprising pretty quickly to cover for Creative's failures.

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  156. My wife (God bless her) has put up with me watching this drivel for years. Finally, she started getting into it and is actually developing some knowledge about the wrestlers, storylines, and whatnot. When Curtis Axel came out, this was our exchange:

    Wife: Oh, didn't he get a good reaction a couple of weeks ago?
    Me: Yes.
    Wife: Then why are they making him look so weak?
    Me: Because Vince hates it when guys get good crowd reactions on their own. He wants the fans to cheer for the people he wants them to cheer for. That's why Roman is in the main event at Wrestlemania and Daniel Bryan isn't.
    Wife: Main events are one thing. If a guy who's doing nothing starts to get over with the fans, won't they buy his stuff? And isn't that more money for the WWE?
    Me: Yeah. But Vince doesn't care. There was a guy a couple of years ago who did that [Zack Ryder] and he got punished, too.
    Wife: That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life.

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  157. The ultimate answer to all of this is that Vince's cock ring is brass-colored.

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  158. He never post my dumb ideas. That's why I stopped reaching for the brass ring.

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  159. Just call him Mr. Perfect, Jr. and be done with it. Then the WWE still owns the rights to the name.

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  160. I don't think it's people getting beaten down, so much as seeing someone who on paper should be a bigger deal finally showing personality. Is this the winning gimmick for Curtis Axel? No, but neither was Daniel Bryan's sniveling heel character. Fans want to see Axel succeed because fans intrinsically want to root for or against people. Whether he was getting over as a face or heel, fans want to have some sort of reaction when they see Axel, not just "meh."

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  161. The most we can hope for is that he is "Screwed" out of the Battle Royal and continues the gimmick.

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  162. Tell your wife to get out of her moms basement and get off the internet complaning about stuff she knows nothing about like a 14 year old nerd !

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  163. Remember when things were done in wrestling in order to get over and therefore make money?

    Notice how things are done in wrestling now to simply fill/kill TV time?

    Pinpointing where the one transitioned into the other is Chapter One of "The Death of WWE".

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  164. Theberzerker, #1 HUSS CHOMPIONMarch 10, 2015 at 9:36 AM

    Oh, but don't you see? This time, Show can eliminate him to win! It's a flip on Hogan beating Andre way back when! STORIES!!!

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  165. Somebody needs to re-record "Ass Man" to "Axe Man" before this idea will work.

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  166. That's simple, the IPO

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  167. I wonder how long it'll take all of us to get tired of bashing the E.


    I don't have it in me right now to rant about how they destroy midcarders even though they are getting over themselves and making $$$ for the E (back to Ryder for that), and Axel was possibly on that track.

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  168. I like to swing 'em, I like to throw 'em
    I'll take down trees, if you will grow 'em
    I'm the Axe Man, WO-OOOOOH, I'm the Axe Man


    Yes this needs to happen immediately

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  169. guy should aspire to have a perfect record like his dad but exclusively bring in local jobbronis to beat...

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  170. The E will misread your lyrics and make him into Jason Voorhees, and Axel will start in "The Axe Man Cometh..."

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  171. Rusev is so clearly the heel, so the Cena smirk struck me more as, "now I will have my vengeance" and it wasn't completely out of character for Cena to act kind of like a jerk.

    I don't blame you for dumping on Cole. He certainly sucks.

    I'd rather see Bellas vs. AJ & Paige at this point than any other combination of Divas on the Mania card. It's a relatively fresh match so I'm okay with it.

    I still think you're nitpicking on the "believe in opinions" thing. Was it an awkwardly scripted line? Sure. But it didn't stand out to me until I read it again here.

    I'm not on the "everything is awesome" side of things. Certain weeks, RAW is absolutely horrible across the board. Other weeks, I find a good deal of enjoyment in the show. 2 weeks ago, I hated RAW. Last night? It was fine. I don't hate your reviews, I don't need to read something that only agrees with my opinions; I value differing opinions. I just thought some of your reasoning for disliking certain angles, or the way you insist on trying to see everything in a negative light, was off-putting in this particular review. I think you're a good writer and I'm glad you are here to recap every week.

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  172. I think the emailer meant that is what Ryder could have been if he wasn't buried.

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  173. We bash because we still care. The day you stop is because they get better; or they don't and you stop caring and walk away.

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  174. I think I'm just waiting for the Raw after WM. I'll probably hate watch WM with friends.

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  175. That's like when Cena never helped any of his Survivor Series teammates and he made a snarky comment in his promo like "My teammates are getting jumped and apparently there's nothing I can do about it."


    It's a common WWE move nowadays...instead of booking to how someone would logically act, they twist logic and thought to fit the booking. It insults people's intelligence.

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  176. The midcard in this company is so atrocious right now.

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  177. C'mon, you know Vince has never heard of Jason Voorhees.

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  178. Axelmania is Fandangoing for Curtis Axel. It's fun and it's funny, but in the ring, he's still the same hiptoss/armbar/chinlock/neckbreaker Curtis Axel he's ever been. On the mic, he's still the same beginning of the moment of the start of the genesis of this not being a swimming pool, no matter how much you want it to be Curtis Axel he's always been.

    I don't hate the guy. He's a perfectly solid if not exceptional or unique worker with subpar mic skills. It's cool that people chant his hashtag and he got to experience what it's like to be over, even if it's this ironic, fraudulent kind of over. The crowd chanting your name sounds exactly the same either way. Good on him.

    They're not missing the boat, though. We can talk about how he got steamrolled by that HHH concussion storyline they dropped a week later when they couldn't decide what they wanted HHH and Vince's relationship to be, but let's be real: not a single thing he's done since has shown that he could ever carry a ball.

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  179. I want RAW to be good. I don't tune in hoping that the show sucks on toast. I am going to WM in Santa Clara and I'm excited to be going because I've never been to WM in my life. But the card is underwhelming and nearly everything leading up to it makes me cringe.

    I want it to improve and I believe that it CAN improve.

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  180. Boy she did ever pick the wrong time to get on this train.

    (The WWE train, not the married to TheConvictor train)

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  181. That's a case to be made, for sure. There's no reason for the WWE to be a publicly traded company beyond Vince wanting to be CEO of one.

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  182. He's probably heard of Jason Borees though.

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  183. True. Anyone will get a pop of some sort using Hogan's gimmick too. Patterson and Brisco's entrances were epic!

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  184. When you constantly bombard the fans with the information that it's all entertainment and not a competition, how can you expect them to give a damn about who wins and loses? Everyone's known it's not real for 50 years, but when you constantly point that fact out why would fans care. So they rally behind the goofy stuff, cause when it's not really a sport they just cheer for the ones doing something a little different.

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  185. Yup. Axelmania is Fandangoing. There's no shelf life for a gimmick that's going to be irrelevant in 3 weeks.

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  186. Let's not start this, folks. Please. I enjoy Axelmania as well, but it's a fun gimmick and not something that will make him a huge star.

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  187. Steph sent Kane and Show home and Rollins relegated the stooges to the back. Also, I don't think Triple H was in the arena...but I have no idea anymore.

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  188. I'd heard it wasn't some emergency meeting people made it out to be. It was your typical staff meeting, only in a wrestling company, where they go over general housekeeping and plans for the coming year.

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  189. Charismatic eNegro Jef VinsonMarch 10, 2015 at 9:49 AM

    Someone brought up a good point last night that he should be using moves like the double Ax handle, Ax kick and have the Ax Bomber as a finisher.

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  190. Anyone know if you can buy the Axelmania shirt at live shows? Just checked the WWE app to see if the Axelmania shirt is available to order...

    Nope.

    So... WWE went to the effort/expense to print up shirts for an angle/gimmick that they aren't bothering to make money off of?

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  191. I'm hoping you have a good experience at Mania. I actually enjoyed the build-up to Wrestlemania XXIX, and I attended that Mania. Some of the undercard matches were enjoyable enough (Shield vs. Orton/Show/Sheamus; Hell No vs. Ziggler & Big E), but aside from CM Punk vs. Undertaker, there was nothing really great on that show. I'm hoping this year is the opposite, where the build-up isn't the best, but the matches exceed expectations. Either way, I'm sure you'll have fun.

    I want things to improve too. I think most fans do. To me, improving doesn't necessarily mean "Daniel Bryan has to be World Champion again within a set time period." (and I'm not saying that's YOUR viewpoint, either, but it's one I tend to see frequently). To me, improving could be Daniel Bryan winning the IC title and making it mean something. Improving could be Lesnar and Reigns actually put on a good match, and Reigns improves on the mic and in the ring to the level where he's a solid champion. I think there are a lot of interesting stories that could be told post-Mania this year, and I'm looking forward to that possibility.

    I just see practically endless negativity week-in, week-out, and while I don't disagree with a lot of it, I just try to focus more on the parts of the show that I DO enjoy.

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  192. Ugh, the emails over the last few days have been as bad as the WWE product have been.

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  193. Vinson is on the payroll

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  194. Which thread is the fake daily thread? This or the Raw recap?

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