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WWE Payback - 5/17/2015

We start with our usual sizzle reel as the announcer promises us PAYBACK!!!

We are LIVE(!!!) from Baltimore, Maryland for WWE Payback!!!
JBL, Cole and King are the guys in the booth as Booker is off manning the WWE News Desk of Doom tonight. Marcelo Rodriguez and Carlos Cabrera are the guys at the Spanish Desk.

MATCH #1: Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler
Sheamus slaps Ziggler pre-match. Bell rings and Ziggler is all over him. He sends Ziggler out of the ring, beats on him outside, then sends him back in, hitting a Cross Body for two. Sheamus tries White Noise but Ziggler hits a nice Sunset Flip, getting two. A couple of counters and Ziggler gets elbowed in the knee. Ziggler rolls out of the ring, favoring his right knee. When he gets back on the mat, Sheamus suplexes him back in. Sheamus applies a headlock as Cole and King debate whether or not they should say the word, "ass". Ziggler fights out and Sheamus hits the Irish Curse Backbreaker. Sheamus stomps at Ziggler, then charges at him but misses and hits the ringpost. Ziggler starts hitting punches and forearms, then knocks him down with a Flying Press. Ziggler hits a dropkick followed by punches in the corner. Sheamus tries a side suplex but Ziggler counters with a DDT for two. Ziggler beats on Sheamus in the corner...then pulls an ass cheek out of his shorts and makes Sheamus kiss it. Sheamus leaves the ring, drinks some water, then gets back in. Now that we've gotten THAT out of the way, Ziggler jumps at him when he re-enters the ring but Sheamus drops his neck on the ropes. He misses a Brogue and Ziggler hits the Fame-Asser, NEARLY getting the fall. He punches Sheamus in the corner but Sheamus counters with a Sitting Powerbomb, nearly getting the fall. Sheamus hits a powerslam and he gets two again. White Noise by Sheamus followed by The Cloverleaf -- but Ziggler gets to the ropes. Sheamus breaks the hold at four. Sheamus taunts Ziggler but Ziggler headbutts him and hits a Superkick for two. Ziggler is cut open BADLY. Sheamus hits the Brogue to finish it and we're done at 12:23.
WINNER: Sheamus via Brogue Kick
RATING: ***1/4. Really good start. Both guys looked excellent here. Glad that we're past the "Kiss Me Arse" stuff...we can only hope, at least.

Kane is backstage on his cellphone. Rollins and J&J show up. Rollins wants to put all the animosity behind them. The two compare all the back-and-forth they've been through in the past four weeks. Kane says that he doesn't know what will happen in regards to Rollins' match. But, if Kane gets involved, Rollins will know. Rollins threatens Kane and puts J&J in Kane's way. Kane laughs at them and all guys walk off.

New Day shows up. Xavier tells people that they can do anything if they just BO-LIE, uh, THINK POSITIVE!!! (DANIELLE: So...they're Bo Dallas...but they're better heels, they're black and there's three of them. Got it.) There are Baltimore Oriole players at ringside and New Day berates them for never having won a World Series -- which they could do if they THINK POSITIVE.

MATCH #2: The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Big E) (champs) (w/ Xavier Woods) vs. Cesaro & Tyson Kidd (challengers) (w/ Natalya) in a 2-out-3 Falls Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship

FIRST FALL
Kidd and Kofi start out. Kidd applies a headlock and Cesaro tags himself in, hitting an elbow on Kofi. E enters and gets powerslammed by Cesaro in an impressive start. Cesaro runs at E and E press slams him. He chokes Cesaro, then gets pulled off by the ref. Woods hits a cheap shot from outside. Kofi gets involved but Cesaro slams them both and stomps both their chests. Cesaro puts Kofi up for a Delayed Suplex. Kidd tags in, knocking Kofi to the mat. E is knocked outside. Cesaro hits the Spin. Kidd dropkicks him and Cesaro/Kidd take the first fall at 2:52.
WINNERS: Cesaro & Kidd

SECOND FALL
There's a skirmish involving Woods and Natalya and Kidd kicks Woods outside. Kidd tries to dive at E who catches him and puts to the mat. Back in the ring, E and Kofi stomp at Kidd. Kofi hits a dropkick. E has Kidd in a bearhug, then drops him to the mat and hits a Warrior Splash. Cesaro stops the pin. E hits a Spear on Cesaro, then gets back in and tags Kofi. Two count. Kofi climbs the top rope but Kidd dropkicks him on the way down. Kidd counters nearly everything E and Kofi throw at him until Kidd ends up on E's shoulders. They hit a horrible-looking 11th Hour as E drops Kidd before Kofi can actually get to him. They win the 2nd fall at 7:41.
WINNERS: The New Day

FINAL FALL
No let up as E rushes at Kidd. Kidd hits a Drop Toehold and E falls into the turnbuckle. Cesaro makes his way back in and he gets the hot tag. He hits five straight uppercuts, then tosses Kofi into E. Cesaro tries an Underarm Hook Powerbomb but E escapes it. Cesaro hits a quick uppercut on Kofi and NEARLY gets the fall. Cesaro and Kidd hit the Decaptitator and NEARLY get the fall as the crowd is WAY into this. Kidd goes for a Sharpshooter, locking it in. Cesaro runs over and sends E into the announce table, then gets back to his corner. Kofi escapes the Sharpshooter. Cesaro and Kidd do the Double Team Uppercut but E saves the pin. It's chaos in the ring. Cesaro gets dinged -- and Woods suddenly runs in and hides his face, getting the small package pin as the New Day retains at 12:44.
WINNERS AND STILL CHAMPIONS: The New Day
RATING: ****. Great match here. Great heel finish. I've always liked the old "twin magic" thing.

Ryback is with Byron Saxton. He's ready for Wyatt -- and that match is next. 

MATCH #3: Bray Wyatt vs. Ryback
This match ends with Bo helping Bray or GTFO. Ryback is all over Wyatt in the corner, shoulder-ramming him, then hitting a quick spear. He knocks Wyatt down with a shoulderblock and gets a one count. Wyatt breaks out of an armbar only to end up in a Press by Ryback. Wyatt rolls out of the ring and Ryback follows. Short brawl outside. Back inside, Ryback puts Wyatt in the corner but Wyatt comes back with a flying lariat. Wyatt hits a slightly painful looking snapmare and puts on a headlock. Ryback comes back with a Powerslam and gets two. He rushes Wyatt but hits the ringpost. Wyatt hits a nice DDT on the edge of the ring mat and Ryback falls outside. Wyatt jumps and hits a Reverse Senton from the mat to the floor, knocking the wind out of Ryback. The ref counts and Ryback barely gets back into the ring on time. Wyatt attacks immediately, then hits a Running Clothesline in the corner. For some reason, Wyatt thinks it's time to celebrate on the second turnbuckle and Ryback grabs him and powerbombs him. Wyatt ends up outside and Ryback runs at him for a Meat Hook only to eat a clothesline from Wyatt. Two count back in the ring. Wyatt hits a Suplex Throw, tossing Ryback across the ring. Ryback hits a clothesline, then a Spinebuster. Two count. Wyatt puts Ryback in the corner and holds him there, then sets Ryback up on the top rope. Wyatt goes for the Superplex but Ryback headbutts out of it and hits a NICE splash and nearly gets the pin. Ryback looks hurt. Wyatt goes for Sister Abigail but Ryback breaks it and goes for a Shellshock. Wyatt holds the ropes and tears the top turnbuckle off like a candy wrapper. He knocks Ryback into it, hits Sister Abigail and this match is done around 10:55.
WINNER: Bray Wyatt via Sister Abigail
RATING: **1/2. A bit stalled and clunky. Bray finally got a much-needed win...but this feud really doesn't mean a lot beyond Wyatt just fucking with Ryback and Ryback trying to fend him off.

We get a teaser spot for Money in the Bank.

We get the Cena/Rusev match reel...

MATCH #4: Rusev (challenger) (w/ Lana) vs. John Cena (champion) in an "I Quit" Match for the WWE United States Championship
Crowd is rabid as hell. Rusev has a mic. He says that half the people in the arena already hate him. He tells Cena to tell him he quits and spare them the pain. Cena finally attacks him around the 2 minute mark but Rusev sends him across the ring, kicks him in the ribs and clotheslines him. The crowd chants for Lana, so Rusev gets her a chair and tells her to sit down? That'll help. Back in the ring, Cena misses an elbow in the corner and Rusev kicks, punches and headbutts him. Cena won't quit when the ref gets in his face with a mic, so Rusev continues to kick at him, then hits a dropkick. Kick. Do You Quit? No. Kick. Do you quit? No. Rusev hits a Spinning Heel Kick as the crowd chants for Lana. Rusev goes out to yell at her. Rusev knees him in the chest, then elbows him in the head. He tells Lana to hand him the Russian flag and Rusev waves it. He gives the flag back and it's Moves 1 through 3. 5KS hits but an AA fails. Cena flies at Rusev who catches him and hits a Fallaway Slam. Cena rolls outside but won't quit when the ref asks. Rusev tosses him into the stairs. Do You Want to Quit? No. Do You Want to Quit? No.

Rusev is pissed and tosses Cena into the ring, then grabs the steel steps, placing them in the corner.  Ref asks about quitting again. Nope. Toss into the stairs. Quit? Nope. Another stairs shot. Quit? Nope. Rusev goes for a move but Cena counters it and backdrops Rusev. Another stair shot. Quit? No. Finally, Cena hits an AA. Rusev langs on the steps. Ref gets in his face. Rusev doesn't quit and rolls out of the ring. Cena throws the ring steps at him but Rusev moves. They fight outside as Cena sends Rusev into the ringpost. Rusev won't quit. Cena sends him through the timekeeper's pit. Rusev won't quit. Cena rolls some sort of storage container over to Rusev and Rusev just kicks him in the face. John won't quit and the fight goes into the crowd. Cena goes for an AA but Rusev breaks it and hits a weak Alabama Slam that won't even break the table he sends Cena into. Cena gets up and hits an AA, then sets up a table. Cena grabs a TV Monitor and slams Rusev in the back with it. Rusev won't quit and Cena just continues to whack him with it. Rusev hides under the table. Cena retrieves him but Rusev counters and hits the Alabama Slam into the table. Cena won't quit. Rusev fucks around with the pyro cables, then tries his high kick. Cena counters and tosses Rusev into the pyro beds and fireworks go off, much to Cena's dismay.

Lana can't believe it and rushes to Rusev. The ref asks if he wants to quit. He won't. Cena goes off into the side and grabs a metal crowd gate from 1987. The ref asks Rusev if he wants to quit. Nope. So Cena whacks him with the crowd gate. He sets the crowd gate up against the ring. Cena tries an AA but Rusev counters with a suplex. Cena won't quit. Rusev tosses Cena into the ring and sets up for the big kick, hitting it. Accolade by Rusev. Cena tries to break it but can't. Cena falls unconscious. Rusev thinks he's won but the ref tells Rusev that's not how it works. Rusev's pissed and he tears the top buckle pad off, then disconnects the top rope. He revives Cena with a bottle of water and misses the rope shot. Cena hits the STF, using the ring rope. Rusev says a bunch of shit in Bulgarian. Lana runs in and just ends this shit at an overlong 28:02 by saying Rusev quits.
WINNER: John Cena
RATING: * for some very slight entertainment value. This was like a Michael Bay movie: no expenses spared, tons of repetitive action, explosions...and still extremely shitty. And the match ends because Rusev can't speak English all of the sudden.

Renee Young and the WWE News Desk of Doom tell us how great that match was.

The New Day celebrates with champagne glasses full of milk. Byron says that there's breaking news about Elimination Chamber: The New Day will defend the titles inside the first ever Elimination Chamber tag team match. The New Day says that isn't fair and that nothing like that has happened. Byron: "Well...I guess it's...A NEW DAY." Oh, man, and he DOESN'T put on the CSI sunglasses. Opportunity was missed there.

MATCH #5: The Bella Twins (Nikki& Brie Bella) vs. Naomi & Tamina
Nikki dropkicks Naomi after an initial assault by Naomi. Tag to Brie and the two hit a nice falling faceslam. Brie hits the Running Brie Mode and the fight spills outside. Brie puts her right back in. The ref pushes Naomi and Tamina kicks Brie's head off. Naomi stretches Brie while standing on Brie's hair. Tamina gets into the ring and attacks Nikki, then kicks Brie in the stomach. Tag to Naomi who hits a neckbreaker for a one-count. Brie finally hits a hot tag after countering a move from Naomi. Nikki hits an Alabama Slam but Tamina saves the pin. Nikki kicks her out of the ring. Naomi rolls up Nikki for two. Tamina distracts Nikki. Nikki swings at her and misses like a National League pitcher taking an at-bat. Naomi hits the Rear View but Nikki kicks out at two. Slight chaos in and out of the ring but Naomi knocks Nikki off the top buckle to end this at 6:13.
WINNERS: Naomi & Tamina
RATING: 1/2 a *. Your usual Monday Night RAW Divas Match. Tamina is god-awful. Naomi was the only one that looked like she gave a damn.

We get a look at WWE's new pile of dogshit show, "Swerved", which is, essentially, "Punk'd" with WWE stars.

Lana sits in a chair backstage as Rusev paces back and forth. He tells Lana to get out of the room, then picks up her chair and throws it into the wall.

Cole recaps the whole Daniel Bryan quitting saga.

AT ELIMINATION CHAMBER: a match to determine the new IC Champion.

MATCH #6: King Barrett vs. Neville
Neville rolls Barrett up after a corner attack. Barrett rolls out of the ring. Neville tries an air attack but Wade is too hip to this and kicks Neville in the stomach. Back in the ring, Barrett puts Neville on the top buckle and pounds on his back. Kick to the stomach and a two count. Headlock by Barrett. Neville escapes and botches a Springboard move off the rope. Barrett kicks him and stomps him. Barrett boots Neville outside. Once he gets back in, it's a headlock by Barrett. Neville counters a suplex and finally starts up the offense. He kicks at Barrett and hits a lariat. Standing Shooting Star Press gets two. He goes for the Red Arrow but Barrett attacks him and kicks him in the stomach. He goes for a Bullhammer but misses. Neville runs at Barrett and gets caught in the Winds of Change. Neville hits a beautiful arm drag pin for two. Enzuguri by Neville and it's Red Arrow time. Barrett rolls out of the ring. Neville hits a Flipping Suicide Dive. Barrett wants to get back in the ring...but just quits. He just walks off and it's a pointless countout at 7:08.
WINNER: Neville via countout
RATING: **. This match just seemed like it never truly got started with a shit finish. There's no velocity and nothing on the line here...so what's with the countout?

Post-match, Barrett attacks Neville, then tries to whack him with the scepter. Neville ducks the shot, knocks him down and hits the Red Arrow.

Another look at a bunch of people trying out for Tough Enough.

Rollins and J&J walk backstage. Kane finds Rollins and tells Rollins "good luck".

Kane makes his way down to the ring first. He'll be at ringside because THIS MATCH NEEDS KANE.

MATCH #7: Randy Orton (challenger) vs. Dean Ambrose (challenger) vs. Roman Reigns (challenger) vs. Seth Rollins (champion) (w/ Jamie Noble & Joey Mercury) in a Fatal 4-Way for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Ambrose, Reigns and Orton go outside to take out J&J Security. Rollins tries to leapo at Orton but gets hit in the face. They fight outside. Reigns dives at everyone he sees, then hammers on Rollins in the ring. Reigns runs at Rollins bur Rollins trips him. Ambrose attacks and gets two. Orton saves the pin and goes after Ambrose. Ambrose punches back and hits a bulldog. Orton hits a backbreaker for two. Reigns gets in and hits an uppercut on Orton. He tosses Orton out of the ring. Rollins comes in and he's all over Reigns with a punch to the back of the head and stomps away. Rollins tries a clothesline but runs into Ambrose. Ambrose tosses Rollins into Reigns and Reigns hits a clothesline. Ambrose and Reigns work together on Rollins with punches to Rollins' head. Ambrose hits a short-arm clothesline. Reigns and Ambrose start planning. Reigns goes for the Superman Punch but Kane pulls him out of the ring. Ambrose attacks him but Kane beats him up and tosses him into the ring. Orton tries to get involved but J&J jump him and Kane joins the mudhole stomp.

Rollins hits a knee to Ambrose's stomach and gets two. Rollins hits a Springboard Knee to Ambrose's head. Two count. Kane removes his shirt as shit's about to get real. Rollins hits the Buckle Bomb and Superkick but Ambrose kicks out at two. Rollins goes for another Buckle Bomb but Ambrose fights out. Ambrose kicks Rollins. Rollins kicks back. Rebound Clothesline by Ambrose. J&J jump Ambrose. Ambrose knocks them down but Kane comes in and hits a Chokeslam. Two count. Orton attacks Kane. Reigns hits Kane with a Missile Dropkick. Orton clothesline Reigns and it's Orton and Rollins. Orton tries a powerslam but manages a suplex instead. Orton tries to follow up but Rollins nails him and climbs the top buckle. Orton attacks him and tries the Superplex, hitting it. NEAR fall. Orton clotheslines Rollins outside and tears apart the announce table. Ambrose gets in on the fist fight. So does Reigns. Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins all look at one another and...AND TRIPLE POWERBOMB Orton through the table! Rollins puts his arms around them! The Shield is BACK...Rollins puts his fist out for the Shield Salute...Reigns and Ambrose both stare at him...and attack him. They strip the Spanish table and drop Rollins on it. They powerbomb Kane on top of Rollins but the table won't break. Crowd chants "ONE MORE TIME" and Reigns and Ambrose oblige, this time, with the table breaking.

Reigns looks at Ambrose and says, "There's not much left to do...wanna dance?" Ambrose nods. They get into the ring, trading shots. Reigns misses a clothesline. Ambrose hits a press but Reigns grabs him and hits a Driver for two. Superman Punch by Reigns gets two. Reigns goes for the Spear but it's a close fall as Rollins runs in to save the pin. Rollins rolls out of the ring. Security attacks. Reigns just tosses them around and goes after Rollins. It's chaose with Ambrose hitting Rollins with Dirty Deeds after Reigns hits a Spear on Rollins. Ambrose pins but Kane saves it, pulling Ambrose outside. Reigns attacks but Kane hits him with the steel stairs. Orton nails Kane and gets in the ring. Orton goes for the Vintage Orton DDT but Security pulls Rollins out. Orton RKO's both Security guys and hits a HUGE Powerslam in Stride on Rollins as he flies at Orton off the top rope. Orton hits Vintage Orton on Rollins and signals for an RKO but Kane gets in the ring to eat an RKO. Rollins gets up, wraps Orton in a weak, shitty Pedigree and hits it to retain at 21:00.
WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: Seth Rollins via Pedigree
RATING: ****. Abrupt ending and rampant overbooking knock a star off the match, but good match overall that should satisfy everyone -- including those of us who wanted a Shield moment.

Triple H comes out to congratulate Rollins as we go off the air.

OVERALL: ***1/2 show for me. Started out incredibly well, then hit a HUGE lull in the middle, only to be capped off by a great main event. I look forward to RAW and the build-up to Elimination Chamber.

Er, that's it...

Comments

  1. kbwrestlingreviewsMay 17, 2015 at 9:11 PM

    I really liked Cena vs. Rusev actually as it was meant to be a big brawl and the final showdown. I can live with Rusev not being able to speak English as he was in so much pain and trying to hang on.

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  2. The Cena/Rusev match was 28 MINUTES??? Holy shit!

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  3. "And the match ends because Rusev can't speak English all of the sudden."



    He was speaking Bulgarian all through out the match. I don't think he was actually quitting at that moment.

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  4. Yeah, I gotta edit that. I knew it was Bulgarian after I wrote it.

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  5. He was doing an impression of Sammy Sosa at the congressional steroid hearings.

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  6. For spectacle, it was fine. 30 minutes, however? And hearing the ref say the same thing after each and every move? The match just got repetitive and boring.

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  7. I thought you were very generous on the Wyatt/Ryback match. They looked winded after about five minutes and it was very basic moves they were doing.

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  8. It was a little better than I expected. As I said, I agree. It was clunky due to two guys who really can't go long.

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  9. It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN!

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  10. Or Fez with the Canadian border patrol.

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  11. For me it was just unorganized to me. I thought the Neville/Barrett match, for what he had, was better than Ryback and Bray. They didn't have good chemistry if you ask me.

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  12. Honestly, I thought both matches had potential but just kinda fizzled.

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  13. Water is blue, grass is green, and Matt Perri still is the worst writer on this blog.

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  14. The ref asking a million times really hurt it for me, but I otherwise enjoyed it.

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  15. So... you liked the review and agreed with his ratings?

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  16. Eh...don't bother jawing with him.

    The Pink Panties Provided forums gets off on this. Besides, it's just Shanon and this is the same, old, boring one-trick-pony trolling we've come to expect.

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  17. This was the most common type of WWE PPV these days: really good, but don't forsee any desire to ever rewatch it.

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  18. kbwrestlingreviewsMay 17, 2015 at 9:29 PM

    I never got that feeling. I knew they were building to something with Lana but I didn't get bored on the match like I do with most of these.

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  19. Yeah, same here. Good PPV but I wouldn't watch it again.

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  20. In Tommy Hall Land, what letter grade would you give it, out of curiosity?

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  21. Yep. The usual B PPV. Few good matches, few bad, nothing of note happens and is entirely forgettable

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  22. If I ever rewatch this, I'll watch the three good matches and maybe the Neville match just because and skip the rest.

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  23. R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.May 17, 2015 at 9:39 PM

    This is going to be one of those "hidden treasure" shows in a few years.

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  24. "Nobody EVER talks about that show in '15!"

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  25. kbwrestlingreviewsMay 17, 2015 at 9:41 PM

    I gave it an A actually.

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  26. Do you have your write-up on your blog? Would love to read it. :)

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  27. R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.May 17, 2015 at 9:47 PM

    What's funny is that Payback last year is the exact same principle. It's like we forgot that awesome SHIELD/Evolution match happened.

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  28. I was thinking of that match tonight. I still think it was a great one.

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  29. So apparently Ryback broke a rib on that senton from Wyatt. Huge props to him for finishing the match and even doing the frog splash with the injury.

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  30. But its ok that Wyatt injured him but I can't imagine the backlash if Ryback broke Wyatts rib.

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  31. I saw that. He couldn't even pin Wyatt after the splash. He just laid on his side and draped an arm over him. Ouch.

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  32. Thats almost every show in WWE history. Thats why the "classic shit" isn't being watched. most people dont rewatch wrestling ppv's.

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  33. The archive sounds good in theory but it's just too much of a time sink

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  34. I'm watching that match now. It's actually a much better match on second viewing.
    And yeah, Ryback put on a hell of a performance in spite of the broken rib.

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  35. I tried to decipher what Rusev was shouting in Bulgarian with my weak Russian skills, and I'm fairly confident he repeatedly said he doesn't quit and he will win and such. Not that it matters.

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  36. Really for me its backwards I would rather have the TV shows up so that I can follow the builds than have the payoffs without any real clear idea of the build or the universe surrounding the matches at any given time.

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  37. He sounded exactly like Tajiri's voiceover in the ECW Hardcore Revolution game.

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  38. "Yep Mode" Abeyance Brown ©May 17, 2015 at 10:03 PM

    It was one of the rare occurrences where HHH put over and entire group.

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  39. I wouldn't say he's the worst. I actually don't know if there are any bad writers on here. Some are a bit too snarky especially with some of the WCW reviews but all in all everyone here is pretty decent compared to others places.

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  40. "Yep Mode" Abeyance Brown ©May 17, 2015 at 10:04 PM

    Way to single out Gary and Hall man.

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  41. I don't know who Gary is I don't think. Hall is fine I don't agree with a lot of his opinons but he does seek out positives in most of the shows. On a side note can you single someone out if there is more than one?>

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  42. It also helps that the TV shows are way less time consuming than the old PPVs. You can get through a 45 minute TV show without fast forwarding anything but with PPVs, the people that do watch those would just want to watch the Hogan/Andre/Savage matches and skip the rest.

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  43. So in wwe's world, saying you don't quit means you really do and being passed out and completely incapacitated means the match must continue.

    Rusev would have been better off going to sleep.

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  44. The whole stipulation was crummy. A Last Man Standing Match would have been better.

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  45. Because there's precident with one as opposed to the other you goon.

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  46. kbwrestlingreviewsMay 17, 2015 at 10:12 PM

    Posted about two minutes after the show ended.

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  47. How can you forget Caliber?

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  48. "Yep Mode" Abeyance Brown ©May 17, 2015 at 10:12 PM

    :mind explodes:

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  49. "Yep Mode" Abeyance Brown ©May 17, 2015 at 10:15 PM

    https://youtu.be/OmzUF102S5w
    Gotta admit, that triple power bomb was a cool moment. Nice little interaction between everybody.

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  50. Loved the aftermatch:

    "So...we're cool now, right guys? Right, guys? Right...? Ri...right...? Please...?"
    And Ambrose just laughing along until they eventually turned on him.

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  51. Matt is completely correct about Cena/Rusev - terrible on almost every level. No flow, inconsistent nonsense with Cena passing out but not losing, 'pyro' missing Rusev by a mile, a finish that was telegraphed from the moment the stip was announced to fit a storyline that doesn't make any type of consistent sense with the characters involved....yikes. Atrocious.

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  52. http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m991f7IJfj1qb6ydzo5_250.gif

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  53. Tag match was match of the night for me. New Day is one of my favorite things in wwe right now.

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  54. The show was fine, but again, WWE has nothing going for it.


    Authority shit still going full force.
    Kane still a major player.
    Rollins will fight one out of these three again.
    Blah blah blah.


    They have no vision.


    Obviously the long term program is Brock vs. Seth for Summerslam, but they could have breathed some life into their product by throwing a wrench in here.


    I would have had Roman & Randy each cost each other the match, and Dean still a pin.


    Ambrose goes into RAW the champion. The fallout is Kane is fired from his stupid corporate job and as far as being a competitor goes, he's booked in the Main Event tomorrow night against Ambrose in a Career vs. Title match.


    Ambrose wins, bye bye Kane for a while.


    Ambrose/Rollins return match signed for Elimination Chamber. Rollins gets a visual pinfall on Ambrose, but the ref's not in position. Ambrose comes back and retains.


    Four more RAWs of Ambrose as the champ with Rollins chasing.


    Push it to MITB. Final blow off match, Rollins wins the belt back, back on track for Lesnar.

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  55. How can anyone defend that match? First off, the way that Lana as a character has done a complete 180 is insane - she goes from 'Crush Rusev!' and having almost total control of the guy to posing for the crowd that she cut promos on for months. But because Vince NEEDS to push her now, we have to rush the face turn out of nowhere. I don't have a problem with keeping Rusev strong by having Lana throw in the towel on his behalf - in fact, had they done that angle while keeping the characters consistent, you have a legitimate and organic reason that they might break up, once he gets angry that she quit on his behalf, and THEN you can do the Lana face turn. But that actually makes sense. Second off, since when does passing out in a submission match not end the match? They show and reference Bret/Austin ALL THE TIME, both on DVD and the network! Again, if you want Rusev to get a visual 'pinfall' to retain some heat, do a regular match, not a stip that ensures that visual wins can't occur. Third, asking every five goddamned seconds if one of them quit totally ruined any flow the match could have had - they were asking in the beginning after every move! Fourth, that 'pyro' that went off on Rusev was nowhere NEAR him, obvious from the way he landed. Fifth, fuck this match. Sixth, they completely ripped off Cena/Umaga as an ending, and even that made less sense because that match was a last man standing match, so passing out/incapacitation made sense, and it would have here if that would have ended the match like it was supposed to do! Seventh, FUCK THAT MATCH.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Rorschach's JournalMay 17, 2015 at 10:29 PM

    So that's another star out with injury, and we haven't even HAD the stupid -dangerous Elimination Chamber matches yet. Good God, at this rate, they'll have a skeleton crew working SummerSlam.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Rorschach's JournalMay 17, 2015 at 10:30 PM

    Just ignore the shit out of him. He's trolling at a sub-Dougie level.

    ReplyDelete
  58. I didn't read the review. Not as any disrespect to Matt, but because I want to remain SPOILER FREE for the time being until I watch the show.


    So how was the show?

    ReplyDelete
  59. Totally agree, man. That's why I rated it like I did. It was big, long, clunky and slow. Nothing about it was all that memorable. The one against Wyatt last year was far better.

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  60. That Cena/Rusev finish was way worse than any TV explosion or hologram ending could ever think of being.

    Not only was it blatantly stupid, but it ignored history and shit on one of the most famous endings to a match ever, but it also contradicted itself not even five minutes later. That shit was epically bad.

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  61. Wasn't bad, wasn't good. Typical B-level show with about three standout matches.

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  62. Yeah, I don't always agree with your ratings, but you were right on here. That shit was completely ridiculous and insulting to a wrestling fan with even half a brain.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Whoa, Heyman is going to be on Austin's podcast on the WWE Network?

    ReplyDelete
  64. Worth a watch, main event delivers.

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  65. Rorschach's JournalMay 17, 2015 at 10:33 PM

    You just put more thought into the booking than WWE has in about three years.

    ReplyDelete
  66. What's with all the anti-smark gimmicks popping up on the blog lately? There's been at least 20 of those in the last month.

    ReplyDelete
  67. It's all good, Rick. I'm glad you agree. When I watched it, I said, "This is shit. I cannot be insane."

    I went to the Blog and even THEY were shitting on it. There's a minority who really loved it but this just didn't do it for me.

    ReplyDelete
  68. There's one below who already gave up after one comment. Name is "Suplexcity".

    ReplyDelete
  69. First two matches and the main are worth watching, and you can watch Neville do some cool shit in his match if you want. The rest is skipable.

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  70. He bitched himself apparently.

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  71. He was really in quite the mood at that point in his career, wasn't he? Putting over Bryan at Mania, putting over the Shield in multiple matches, I half wondered if Vince's man-love for Roman Reigns had infected him at that point as well.

    ReplyDelete
  72. In the words of Wesley Snipes in BLADE:

    "Some motherfuckers are always tryin' to ice skate uphill..."

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  73. Ambrose even holding the belt for a couple of weeks before Seth got it back in the Chamber would have been fine if they wanted to go that route. Would have still shaken up the Kane/Authority/Rollins stuff, and they would easily have been able to transition the belt back to him.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Theberzerker, #1 HUSS CHOMPIONMay 17, 2015 at 10:45 PM

    Yup. And I liked the match up until that point too. But that finish was just fucking dumb as hell.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Cena and Rusev did for "I Quit" matches what Shawn and HHH did for Hell in a Cell matches. Review was spot on.

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  76. The stuff with Lana quitting for Rusev is fine. I hate that around a month ago, Lana went from trolling Americans and hating their culture, to suddenly smiling for the crowd and the #WeWantLana stuff. She changed for no reason, never explained. It's WWE writing, I expect it, but it still sucks.

    ReplyDelete
  77. It's WWE giving fans what they want at the most inopportune moments.

    ReplyDelete
  78. You know what would improve that situation? Have the remaining skeleton crew fill those spots and work double and triple duty while Zack Ryder, David Otunga and Brad Maddox still sit on the sidelines!

    ReplyDelete
  79. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 17, 2015 at 10:50 PM

    Heel gets visual pin? Hotshot title to Ambrose? Don't see how that makes matters better. Rollins finding ways to keep the title to build to lesnar is the way to go

    ReplyDelete
  80. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 17, 2015 at 10:54 PM

    Kane getting "fired" anyways would be good heel stuff from authority. But that means Kane has to return at some point. I agree his involvement has been way overdone, and I don't even dislike him or the character. But man, put luke Harper in that role and let him run with it. Haven't seen a ton of Brodie (Brody) Lee, so I'm not sure about his mic work, and Kane has been decent on the stick lately but that role should be on a younger guy who needs it

    ReplyDelete
  81. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 17, 2015 at 10:55 PM

    Yeah that's awesome... A) good news the Austin podcast is back and obviously having heyman on will be gold. B) good that whatever issues Austin and wwe were having seem to have been ironed out

    ReplyDelete
  82. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 17, 2015 at 10:58 PM

    Loved the new day ending. Woods has been doing great lately. Love that he put his jacket back on for the celebration.

    Ziggler got busted up. That was nasty. And led to a cool finish. One last gasp with the super kick.

    Didn't like the i quit ending. Would it have been to hard to just have lana throw the towel in? There is precedent for that at least.

    Didn't watch divas match or Wyatt vs ryback.

    Main event was fun.

    ReplyDelete
  83. I rematch old wrestling PPVs, but those are historic and have characters I care about.

    ReplyDelete
  84. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 17, 2015 at 11:02 PM

    Not a good Pedigree from Seth.

    ReplyDelete
  85. So that's the name of Bray's female cousin!

    ReplyDelete
  86. Yeah, that was arbitrary and weird. Thought Orton would kick out.

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  87. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 17, 2015 at 11:07 PM

    If Rollins is going to use it he should sit out almost like a x-factor. I think nova used to do that in ECW. Would be the pedigree with a twist.

    ReplyDelete
  88. I've never read a Caliber review in my life. The only things I know about Caliber is the emails Scott posted and his fat buff video regret watching.

    ReplyDelete
  89. Or maybe its just as simple as "we like this guy so we'll make excuses if he hurts people or does something wrong" and "we don't like this guy so if he hurts people or does something wrong we'll rail on it for days calling for him to be banished from the business". Just call it like it is thats all I'm saying. You like one guy and you don't like the other guy so there is a double standard in place. But I'm a goon and you're replying to a goon so what do we know.

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  90. The main event had a lot of good stuff, but wasn't 4 stars. The Kane stuff was all apparently pointless and everything ended too abruptly. About to be expected for a minor PPV.

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  91. If this was Pawn Stars, I'd start the ratings negotiations here. How low would you go?

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  92. *** for me. The first 8 minutes or so dragged, fun middle with the Shield stuff, and then turned into an overbooked mess. Good overall, but whatever.

    ReplyDelete
  93. I don't get Barrett's booking, either push him or don't. Why give him titles and gimmicks if you're just going to have him lose in meaningless matches? He could've cheated to beat Neville, to turn this match into a feud, instead Wade got counted-out and ate Neville's finish.

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  94. You can say that for the entire midcard

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  95. Put me in the same boat as you enjoying cena/rusev yeah a couple of the spots were over the top, but it was still brutal.

    ReplyDelete
  96. Sean Shannon?! He/she is around?

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  97. It just bugs me since they always showcase these things for Wade and immediately job him out, also this has been Barretts entire career since Nexus debuted.

    ReplyDelete
  98. I'm surprised it still bugs you since like you said its been going on the last five years and on top of that its been going on to everyone in the mid card longer than that. I would have figured you would have accepted it or moved on by now...

    ReplyDelete
  99. I disagree completely. HHH and Shawn put on a hell of a match depsite what Scott told everyone here to think on the subject ten years ago. It wasn't the all time classic that Taker/Shawn was but its still better than most.

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  100. Again why do you think they were having issues when Austin said they weren't having issues? So Dave says they're having issues so we believe the guy with second hand information but when Austin a guy that most people recognize has fuck you money and tells it like it is says there is no problem people don't believe him? Its very confusing. Also Heyman is just going to lie, and bullshit and tell the same stories about how he would do things differently or how ECW almost didn't go out of business or whatever else. He like Hogan for smarks. Constantly lying, creating new versions of old stories, etc.

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  101. If you would have told me two months ago that the New Day would be the most entertaining part of the product and produce the best matches on two consecutive PPVs, I'd shout at you like the keyboard warrior I am. These guys are on FIRE right now.

    ReplyDelete
  102. "Rollins gets the visual pin but the ref doesn't see it and Ambrose comes back and retains". Thats not a finish for a face going over or a finish for a heel losing. Don't people complain all the time about hotshotting titles just to drum up interest in something? If the plan is Rollins vs. Brock it means a lot less if Rollins lost the title for 6 to 8 weeks which would be half the time since Wrestlemania by the time Summerslam comes around. Rollins should maintain the championship but he shouldn't be beating Ambrose, Orton and Reigns all in one night. Thats literally every main event babyface in the company right now.

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  103. I've never heard a Harper/Lee promo that was any good. Also the guy can fly and he can hit moves on smaller people but I still don't think peak Harper is as good as peak Kane was. I enjoyed Harper way more as a tag team with Rowen than as a singles star.

    ReplyDelete
  104. I just said that same thing exactly glad to know I'm not the only one. Heels don't get visual pins. Ambrose shouldn't hold the title until they're ready to give him a long term title reign. Rollins shouldn't lose the title until ATLEAST Summerslam and I'd even be ok with him holding until HITC.

    ReplyDelete
  105. The problem wtih that is its still hotshotting. Why put the title on Ambrose for a month? When did the internet turn into Vince Russo? Rollins shouldn't lose the title until they have decided who beats him. (spoiler alert it shouldn't be Brock). I don't get why we would want Brock to win the title at Summerslam and then hold it hostage all winter again.

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  106. Smart move.

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  107. I promise you 99 percent of their audience doesn't think on "organic storytelling levels". I agree this would have been fine but seriously I think we can name maybe two feuds in the history of pro wrestling that you can truly, honestly, deep down feel good about yourself claim had "organic storytelling". Russev and Lana are disagreeing with each other, Lana's control over him starts to loosen, she throws in the towel, he gets pissed, face turn for Lana and Russev moves on destroying people because he's pissed he lost Lana or whatever. I don't think we need this big drawn out "organic" turn for Lana. Its pro wrestling in 1999 business was hot as ever and people turned seven times a night sometimes.

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  108. I love that the main poster on that site brags about freeloading internet off his friend since 1997, as if that's a badge of honor.


    The real life version of Clark Duke in Hot Tub Time Machine but without having 20 hot chicks appear in front of him at various points.

    ReplyDelete
  109. Man that had to be one of the worst Cena matches ever. Rusev looked rather comfortable as he was likely complimenting Cena for the massage he was getting.

    ReplyDelete
  110. Oh, there are several hypocritical things I could point out. NPP is one of the saddest sites I've ever seen. The forums are the only "current" thing about it. The main page still has months-old information. It's like a bunch of teenage boys gathering in the private room of a run-down watering hole that's seen better days.

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  111. Best turnaround since The Rock.

    ReplyDelete
  112. There are geocities pages that have been inactive for years that are updated better than that main page.
    Even Turner Classic Movies would call that main page old.

    ReplyDelete
  113. You, sir, have won the Comments Section tonight. :)

    ReplyDelete
  114. I don't know if that matters. Tons of people like crap, it's still crap. You can certainly disagree, and I won't argue that the masses will eat up all sorts of slop. But this isn't something deep on a storytelling level. It's just storytelling that actually makes sense. Lana being a total bitch one week who has Rusev completely under her thumb and next week being a cowed woman who loves the fans she ran down is just bad storytelling, period. That's not exactly Shakespeare, it's Doctor Fucking Seuss. I don't need intricate characters, all I ask for is that their actions make some kind of sense consistently.

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  115. And people turned seven times a night in TNA from 2006-2012 and look where it got them.

    ReplyDelete
  116. It did give us a great Cornette story about how they got heavily fined for blading right in front of the head of the Kentucky State Athletic Commission which easily explains why WWE hasn't had a PPV in Kentucky since then.

    ReplyDelete
  117. That did look like the most gentle massage to be seen in wrestling since Sid's kidney claw at the '89 Great American Bash.

    ReplyDelete
  118. Which means that turning and how well its done has no bearing on success. One company did it and they made historic amounts of money during the biggest boom period in history another company did it and nobody tuned in. So organic storytelling and how someone turns face or heel has no bearing on success pro or con.

    ReplyDelete
  119. I agree with you and I'm not saying that I wouldn't be down for a slow burn, long drawn out, sensible, organic as it was put storytelling. But at the same time someone else said to me when I mentioned how I enjoy the story of wrestling more than the actual matches a lot of times that if its high quality story I want why not watch Breaking Bad. So in that spirit a simple "Russev was mean to me, so fuck that dude I cost him the title" and now Russev is pissed his bitch went crazy on him so he's going to murder SOB's for six months because of it. Would make just as much sense, it would cut out months of "storytelling" and get right to the point which is people want to cheer Lana, she's smoking hot, and Vince wants her as the female face of the company. No need to over complicate it even if overcomplicating it in this regard is good storytelling.

    ReplyDelete
  120. kbwrestlingreviewsMay 18, 2015 at 12:27 AM

    The Cell match wasn't in Kentucky. That was Backlash 2006.

    ReplyDelete
  121. http://cdn.meme.am/instances/27529324.jpg

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  122. I will go ******* and $500 store credit...

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  123. Try this - Lana stays as she was, continuing to exert control over Rusev. Same match tonight, and Rusev gets caught but won't quit. Lana does the same thing, throwing in the towel on his behalf. Tomorrow night on Raw, Rusev comes out and berates her for her moment of compassion in throwing in the towel and tells her that she was weak at the worst time, and fires her. Boom. Sympathetic face turn, because she actually showed cracks in her ice queen armor and got slapped down for it, and Rusev looks like a giant dick for getting mad when she was trying to help. That's not a slow burn, but it would make sense and keep Rusev's heat as a heel for attacking a defenseless female, and allow Lana to have a face turn without drastically changing her personality. Works just fine, doesn't require months of storytelling at all, stays consistent to the character, and everyone from top to bottom 'gets it' without being condescended to like we are now. Tell me that's somehow a hard story to figure out and that it wouldn't work just as well, if not better on all levels, than just changing the character at the drop of a hat.

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  124. Just looked it up. Columbus, Ohio was the location. And come to think of it, that's another town like Louisville that used to be a very frequent stop for WWE that now hardly ever gets live events anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  125. Or Yokos shitty 10 minute nerve pinch he did to Luger at Wrestlemania X.

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  126. To be fair, a massive 600 pound guy massaging you isn't too gentle.

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  127. I'm trying to picture a sit-out Pedigree and I'm seeing something that looks pretty lucha-style, like something I'd expect from Kalisto before Seth Rollins.

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  128. Yeah but he never even looked like he was even applying pressure. He just kinda sat there.

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  129. That would still kinda hurt.

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  130. Anybody else watch the Kickoff show?

    I'm watching it now.

    R-Truth over Stardust. R-Truth is as heatless as possible...and his face schtick is both dated and bordering on offensive. Whoomp, there it STILL is. Stardust, meanwhile, is...losing to R-Truth...all while the commentary was working overtime to force his turn back to Cody Rhodes... So, I'm imagining that Cody will just show up and won't have an explanation for why he was Stardust for awhile...because "when that thing that we didn't think through but did it because it was different than what we'd just been doing that wasn't working is also not working then we'd better make things slightly different that we haven't really thought through..."

    The Ascension over The (new) Mega Powers. The Ascension were in the unfamiliar territory of not being buried on commentary because they're basically ripping off the gimmicks of older wrestlers...because that became the entire path of commentary (with Cole goading JBL into his heel role, proving yet again that he doesn't have the wit of Ventura or the weaseliness of Heenan...and ends up simply sucking the joy out of something that couldn't ever hope to be anything but a bit of silliness.) Axel had the blond mutton chops and probably just a bit of blond wig attached to his hulkamania headband...which now places him into the same uncanny valley with Macho Mandow. As a throwaway match for the lulz, this was fine...though they were burning through it really quick--with Axel hulking up immediately and The Ascension not really doing anything Road Warriors/Demolition-y. Tomorrow, on Raw, I assume the Mega Powers explode and no one will care. (In the words of Wham!, "If you're gonna do it, do it right...")

    I know. One shouldn't overthink the kickoff show matches. And yes, I recognize that there's not much point in trying to repackage R-Truth at this point. But they could have used this time to get someone over (and, despite getting wins tonight, I can't imagine that either of these matches got R-Truth or The Ascension any more over than they were...)

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  131. I dig it and I'd be just fine with that. And we're agreeing I'm not saying it wouldn't work better any number of stories that have been presented would be awesome but I was just saying nobody really cares. Most people digest whatever the storyteller tells them to. In wrestling, in CSI, whatever the writers throw at you most people just say "ok" and move on.

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  132. Couldn't they have done it to turn her face? Rusev gets PO'd, tries to attack her, Cena saves and then teaches her about truth, justice and the American way.

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  133. I'd repackage Sandow and Axel after that.

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  134. You dont have to disagree with EVERY comment. You can let some slide once in a while.

    ReplyDelete
  135. Hated that Sandow came out to a generic knockoff of Savage's music instead of coming out to his real music. Even Black Machismo's TNA theme sounded more like Randy's theme than the knockoff they gave Sandow.

    ReplyDelete
  136. Shhh. You'll kill his gimmick.

    ReplyDelete
  137. kbwrestlingreviewsMay 18, 2015 at 1:16 AM

    Louisville had a house show last Saturday.

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  138. Yeah, but I don't think Kentucky has had a pay-per-view since Vince wrestled God.

    ReplyDelete
  139. I mean TV/PPV wise. Those two towns used to have a TV taping seemingly every three months. Now they get virtually none.

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  140. Funny in hindsight that Vince booked himself to beat God but he laid down for the commission.

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  141. You also aren't most people.

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  142. If the WWE isn't going to use that classic footage, then just throw it onto the public domain on YouTube.

    ReplyDelete
  143. Yeah, if they're not going to use that footage, why even bother having it?
    Just sell it to somebody that will use it. What they're doing now is like paying for a hooker and not screwing her.

    ReplyDelete
  144. This show was a HUGE thumbs up for me. Good matches and great crowd makes my rating an easy decision.

    The crowd was eating up that mini shield reunion. Rollins facials when he realized it was temporary were fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
  145. Big E got thrown into the announce table by Cesaro right before the third fall of the tag team title match. As it was happening, Cole was calmly announcing it happening.

    That bugs me.

    If they'd played that right...and had more of a "Ohhh shit!" with the sound of microphones fuzzing out and general mayhem without commentary...or at least distracted "trying to get their shit back together" commentary...then, in that chaos, Xavier Woods sneaking in to get a pin, without commentary immediately and calmly pointing out that it was Woods, would have had more dramatic impact.

    The announce team should have been just as confused as the referee...and then, when they finally get the chance to take their seats and look at a replay, they (or, at least, Cole & Lawler) should have been outraged at what just happened... It makes it real and it makes it resonate. The sense that previous announce teams have been able to manufacture--that outrage, that "This is not supposed to be allowed to be!" that has always fueled wrestling fans actually caring about seeing justice eventually prevail...

    Instead, Big E flies right into them and it's hardly a blip on the radar...and Cole calmly points out that an illegal man is getting credited with the pin...and then, just as quickly, everything is forgotten because it doesn't mean anything, and the show is simply a conveyor belt to the next match.

    Again...didn't they used to be good at this?

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  146. What bugs me "this will end it" and then it obviously doesn't.

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  147. Only one star for Cena/Rusev?

    It definitely wasn't a five star affair, but man that's a low ranking.

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  148. Man, I'm definitely not with you guys on this one.

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  149. Oh I'm a convert for sure.

    Though you kind of get how it'll all end.

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  150. I thought it was four and a 1/4 myself

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  151. Oh I definitely didn't like the ending. Still thought only one * was a low ratting though.

    ReplyDelete
  152. Kind of obvious where they're going with that finish though if they're thinking what I'm thinking.

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  153. Overall a good show but man that second hour or dragged ass. I quit matches are better when the WRESTLERS are the ones holding the mic saying "DO YOU QUIT?!" It comes across as lame when they have to ask the ref to do it to me.

    They really just need to call up Charlotte because AJs departure left a gaping hole in the Diva division.

    The BNB finish was perplexing. Why would he take a loss with nothing on the line from a kayfabe standpoint?

    The crowd was way into Ambrose. Good to see that horrible Wyatt feud didn't hurt him too badly.

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  154. I agree with that rating. It was literally a bunch of laying around in between spots.

    ReplyDelete
  155. kbwrestlingreviewsMay 18, 2015 at 1:43 AM

    We haven't. That was Backlash 2006.

    ReplyDelete
  156. kbwrestlingreviewsMay 18, 2015 at 1:43 AM

    It's a bit less frequent than that in Louisville.

    ReplyDelete
  157. It definitely says something about both the WWE's viewing audience *and* Ambrose as a performer that he could repeatedly job to malfunctioning electronics for the better part of a year, but two weeks of being pushed strongly and the audience is back there with him treating him as a top guy.

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  158. Upvote for I'm Your Man

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  159. It wasn't a submission match though

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  160. I'm saying it was at least * and a 1/8th

    ReplyDelete
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  162. Eat a pallet of dicks, spammer. For $89 an hour, you should be used to that.

    ReplyDelete
  163. I liked the slam on the old school railing. The rest was bleh. But part of that is just the simple fact that this feud ran out of steam long ago.

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  164. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 18, 2015 at 2:16 AM

    Good point. Maybe it was a fluke that it was shitty. I just want the guy to have a good finish

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  165. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 18, 2015 at 2:17 AM

    Watched it late (now can't sleep), kinda skipped to the last 5 minutes of the match

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  166. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 18, 2015 at 2:20 AM

    Well I like hearing heyman talk so I'm ok with it. And, I honestly didn't believe that wwe and Austin had issues. I was just essentially saying it can put those reports to bed. If they were having issues, they seemed to work it out.

    ReplyDelete
  167. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighMay 18, 2015 at 2:23 AM

    Peak Kane was quite good. Unless Harper is getting a push in his current look, I say repackage him completely. Harper has a ton of potential and I think they like him, just hasn't found his spot on the card to be a consistent force. I'm ok with Harper and Rowan being back together but just put them back with Wyatt.

    ReplyDelete
  168. Lana.

    Obviously based on Brigitte Nielsen's character in Rocky IV. She's a cold hearted, calculating bitch who wears tight business skirts because she likes the power it gives over her. She's has chosen her champion in NXT, a beast of a man that she will lead to greatness. She's good at speaking for a character who is never going to be great on the mic. She, and some good booking, help gets Rusev over.

    ...and the Rusev loses four straight PPV matches to John Cena, all the time they're weakening the Lana character. Rather than being the one in control, she's like the girl in an abusive relationship. She's scared. She's completely subservient to Rusev. She's still dressing like Miss Hancock but she's completely lacking agency.

    The original Lana would have been disgusted by Rusev failing to claim the glory for Russia and probably would have turned on him for losing. Instead, she cares so much about the pain that Rusev is suffering that she quits for him.

    Great, she's a face now. She's a face with nothing to do and no consistent personality traits other than the ability to work a skirt.

    (...granted, she does that really well.)

    ReplyDelete
  169. Yeah I agree with that. Heyman's voice alone grinds on me. The guy has about 3 stories it seems. Why ECW went out of business, how close ECW was to staying in business, and how everyone has this business all wrong but if HE were booking he would use whatever random mainstream phenom is currently going on. I've watched every podcast of theirs but I might skip this one. I just don't know what Heyman has going on that would be interesting. The other guys are actively involved in the direction the company Heyman hangs out with Lesnar and cuts promos a couple months out of the year.

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  170. Is that like if McDonalds cooks hamburgers and nobody buys them they should give them away for free since nobody ate them? Just because you're currently not using a property doesn't mean its financially wise to give it away. Not to mention copyright issues become nearly impossible when you start putting things out in the public domain for free.

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  171. I don't disagree with every comment. Sometimes somebody says something that isn't deluded beyond all reason and I let those slide. Heck every once in a while someone says something I agree with. However I can't let heels getting visual pinfalls, and hotshotting titles slide. I'm sure you can understand why that can't slide.

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  172. Biff Kensington Has a PosseMay 18, 2015 at 3:03 AM

    Alright, seriously, for the people who are screaming 'Racism!' at the New Day/BRC match tonight vis-a-vis the finish: shut the fuck up. Xavier Woods had him cinched up in a small package with his face and head turned away from the referee. It's not like he was staring at the guy in the face and the referee was too stupid because Durr Hurr Black Peoples Look Alike Durr.


    On the subject of the New Day, I will say this: I had my doubts heading into tonight because the last time I watched the show, they were stuck in perpetual Godawful babyface mode. From the small sample tonight, that was some Grade-A heelin', and they accomplished something that, to me, is the Hallmark of good wrestling. I had to stop and ask myself, "If the show came to town, would I pay money to see these guys get their asses kicked?" That may not sound like a big deal, but considering I haven't watched wrestling in two months almost and haven't paid to go see a show live in almost eight years, that's a big compliment to them.

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  173. Biff Kensington Has a PosseMay 18, 2015 at 3:04 AM

    The gravitas that Ambrose and Reigns had during their staredowns was hugely encouraging. It felt like an important moment, which made both guys look and feel more important, especially on a throwaway show like tonight. Gives me hope that in a parallel universe where the writing hasn't gone straight to Hell, they have a chance of getting made.

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  174. I wonder when or if they ever plan on ending the damn authority storyline or doin something different with it. Hell even vince turned face a couple of times when he was ruling the company with an iron fist. I really hate to be that guy that blames triple h again (well not really) but do they have a plan at all for someone to take down the authority once and for all and end this storyline?Are they waiting for reigns to be over enough to be that guy? Do they think its such a great stable that they dont have plans for it to end? Is it just triple h and steph being the modern day nwo and being heels that bury everyone else? Tune into nitro tonite to find out

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  175. Can WWE just end authority figure storylines completely and have the authority figure only show up 1-2 times a year for an announcement or contract signing? The authority figure trope is so worn out right now. We've had the same functioning storyline and its awful spinoffs for the better part of 17 YEARS!

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  176. I agree. I liked Bo Dallas's act a little more, but New Day were the only guys on the show whose act really made me root even more for their opponents. It was great heel behavior, they cheated to win in the best of ways, and Xavier did a great job working the crowd. They aren't the "cool heel" and have that going for them. They just antagonize and are arrogant, which is a great way to draw heat.

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  177. Michael Cole.

    Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose team up to triple powerbomb Randy Orton through the annoucer's table...teasing a Shield reunion.

    Michael Cole calls this "The Shield reuniting...one time only!!!"

    ::Cornette Face::

    That's as bad as Heenan's "But whose side is he on?"

    (A few seconds later, Lawler actually asks "What do you mean 'One Time Only'?" When even the King knows you ruined something for no reason...that's pretty bad.)

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  178. Cole partly ruined that whole spot also by just screaming "SHIELD! SHIELD!" He just cannot let moments exist by themselves for a few moments. This problem dates all the way back to 1998 when he was leading commentary for the first hour of RAW. The dude is just scared of dead air.

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  179. Last one.

    John Cena.

    On this night, John Cena and Rusev were in an I Quit match. An I Quit match can only end when one opponent has been beaten so badly that they can't go on...and they must make the choice to admit that they quit, for fear of facing further punishment or injury. It is meant to be a brutal match and this was even more brutal because the two men in the match were known for their toughness and unwillingness to give up. In this I Quit match, Rusev actually made John Cena pass out...but that didn't end the match.

    After having just gone through an I Quit match, after Payback was over...during the wrap up show, John Cena comes out and delivers a pure face promo, full of smiles and promises and boasts about how he's the man and he backs it up. He's selling nothing of whatever happened on this night.

    (For that matter, Rusev didn't really look any worse for wear DURING Payback when he told Lana to get out.)

    This doesn't make either John Cena or Rusev look strong. This makes it seem to the audience that nothing that happens matters.

    Yes, #LOLCENAWINS, but being the dominant face doesn't mean being impervious to pain or indestructible. Hogan sold that he'd gone through hell to earn his victories and was loved for it. Austin bled or sold injuries and was loved for how he defiantly managed to survive despite all the odds. Etc. etc.

    Again, they used to be good at this.

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  180. Woods is amazing. I've never been impressed with him and thought he didn't have a shred of talent but he is killing that gimmick. Smart move would be to have nobody even touch him for months abd the pop for when someone does will be insane.

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  181. Getting rid of the afro and shaving the mustache did wonders for Woods look. He's like a completely different guy and the new look makes him look like less of a cartoon.

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  182. And it's not just Cena brushing aside beatings. Cole returned quickly after Brock Lesnar destroyed him and looked no worse for wear.

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  183. By all reports, that's got to be because Vince is constantly yelling at him in his earpiece.

    That, however, doesn't absolve him of his sins.

    He comes across as someone that is incapable of having a genuine emotion--or, more specifically, any organic enthusiasm--about what he's seeing. He's constantly selling...and anytime that he's not selling, he comes across as jaded and cynical.

    I don't know if there is a capable play-by-play or commentator working for either the WWE or NXT. (I like Renee Young but she definitely seems like someone who is right where they're supposed to be--as a show host...not as someone calling the action and trying to highlight the emotions of a storyline as it is supposed to be told...)

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  184. Yep. Total missed opportunity there.

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  185. Oh, the on-air talent currently sucks. Renee is not good at commentary and could still improve as a backstage interviewer. You have Cole, disengaged Lawler, awful JBL, nonsensical Byron Saxton, and fake Tom Phillips. There's just not a bone of talent in any of them. I partly disregard the Vince in headset thing because other commentators dealt with it and were still good (e.g. Jim Ross). If you Google "Fire Michael Cole" you see results dating back to at least 2009, but the WWE still thinks Cole is a great spokesperson. You just can't keep trotting a guy out there that a good chunk of your fan base does not care for.

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  186. Best part is that they said he had a "cervical fracture," you know, the same injury that killed Perro Aguayo in Mexico around that same time.

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  187. Doctor FunkopolisMay 18, 2015 at 5:09 AM

    Louisville would generally alternate a tv taping and ppv with Lexington.

    It wasnt frequent in the rotation, like you said.

    In a slightly unrelated note, I really miss the Louisville Gardens. Great place to watch a wrestling show.



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  188. I've moved on in the sense that the last Rumble is the only thing I've watched outside of YouTube clips since Punk lost the title to The Rock. Barrett is odd since he's not even built as somebody to job to main eventers, loses to his competition but keeps being featured on PPV and in angles even though he has no value at this point. Most guys get given a gimmick then are forgotten about but Wades on his 5th or 6th now, seems like a lot of effort for someone they never follow through on.

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  189. The Pedigree suits Rollins and I said a while back, when the Curb Stomp was supposedly banned, it would be a good fit for him.


    Astonished that Orton - and not Ambrose - took the pin. I hope that's lining us up for a massive Shield triple-threat blow-off.

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  190. Hey it worked for John Cena. They seriously just don't care.

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  191. I think they're gearing Orton up for a big babyface run, and that's just how they do it: losses.

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  192. Whenever anyone mentions this kind of thing, I always bring up Jericho's WWF debut. If you go back and watch it again, notice how long JR and king are just silent.


    Cole is bad about that, but Mike Tenay may be worse. As soon as something happens, he's not reacting to it; he's explaining what ti might mean in the bigger picture before it's even finished happening. He's like the Cliff Notes of wrestling commentators.

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  193. We need a Jack Tunney like figure

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