The SmarK RAW Rant – 10.21.13
Live from Memphis, TN.
Your hosts are Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler & JBL
COOHHH and Steph join us to start, using their secret weapon of icky PDAs to get even more heel heat. HHH talks about respect, but Big Show interrupts complaining about how HHH treats him with DISDAIN. Steph tells him to shut up and kills his satellite feed. By the way, Big Show is now suing for unpaid money and slander, so apparently the ironclad contract that wasn’t so ironclad is once again ironclad. Or something.
Daniel Bryan v. Dean Ambrose
They trade wristlocks and Bryan throws chops and kicks in the corner, then takes him down with a hammerlock for two. Dropkick gets two. Bryan goes back to working the arm, but misses a dropkick and Dean takes over with an elbow for two. Snap suplex gets two. Bryan takes him down and goes up, but Ambrose rolls to the floor to escape and we take a break. Back with Bryan hooking Ambrose in the surfboard, but Ambrose goes to the eyes to break. Bryan goes up again and this time Ambrose brings him down with a butterfly suplex that gets two. Bryan with a backslide for two and they collide for a double KO. Bryan comes back with the corner dropkick and a top rope rana for two. Ambrose counters a DDT with a spinebuster and gets two. Bryan dumps him and follows with the suicide dive, and back in for a missile dropkick. Kicks set up the Yes Lock to finish at 17:45. Good basic back and forth match. ***1/2
CM Punk joins us to recap all the horrible things he’s going to do to Paul Heyman at the PPV.
Meanwhile, Shawn Michaels shows up in HHH’s office, pointing out that HHH and Steph have CHANGED, MAN.
Randy Orton v. Dolph Ziggler
They fight for a lockup while the fans start a surprisingly impassioned “Let’s Go Ziggler/Let’s Go Orton” chant. To the floor and Orton sends him into the railing and beats on him, which gets two. Dolph fights back on the floor, but gets sent into the post and Orton takes over again. Ziggler fights back again and gets a clothesline for two, but Orton hits the backbreaker for two. Chinlock follows, but Ziggler fights ou again and drops the elbow for two. He counters the draping DDT and hits the fameasser for two. Orton throws him with a suplex to set up the draping DDT, but Ziggler counters the RKO with a dropkick for two. Another try finishes at 7:45, however. These two always have good chemistry. ***1/4
Meanwhile, Paul Heyman doesn’t seem particularly worried about Punk, or maybe he’s REALLY coked up tonight. I feel like I can’t do this promo proper justice but it was tremendous and involved volcanoes exploding and villagers running in fear and stuff. Big E shows up off his babyface turn and wants a match with Axel.
Curtis Axel v. Big E Langston
The Heyman guys immediately jump E and the beatdown proceeds. Punk makes the save and it’s a tag match instead. They still have Teddy Long under contract and Vickie is the one making it a tag match? THAT’S HIS WHOLE JOB!
Curtis Axel & Ryback v. CM Punk & Big E Langston
Joined in progress with the faces double-teaming Axel, but Ryback takes over on Punk as JBL actually references Paul Heyman shaving Jerry Lawler’s head in 1987. Axel with the chinlock and Ryback splashes Punk for two. Punk with a small package for two, but Ryback boots him down for two. Punk comes back with a high kick and makes the hot tag to Big E. That’s a good role for him. They should team him up with R-Truth and they can be E.R. The Big Ending finishes Axel at 6:32. **
The Usos v. The Shield
So the winner here is YET ANOHER #1 contender to the tag titles. An Uso misses a charge and gets worked over by the Shield. He gets beat up for a while and we take a break. Back and Jimmy Uso is still getting beat up. Man this is thrilling. Finally it’s the hot tag off an enzuigiri, but Jimmy walks into a Reigns clothesline. Jimmy comes back with a samoan drop and superkick, but goes up and hits knee on a flying splash. Meanwhile Dean Ambrose brawls with the Rhodes at the announce table, and everyone is counted out at 15:00. And per WWE rules, since everyone is equally a loser, everyone gets a title shot. **
Main Event Contract Signing
Gosh, I love my verbal debates and contract signings. HHH continues to make friends by pointing out that if Jericho, Edge, or RVD had been the “face of the WWE” then everyone would be working for Ted Turner. Bryan challenges HHH to get in the ring to back it up, but HHH points out that Bryan isn’t a star like Undertaker or Brock Lesnar, so he wouldn’t waste his time fighting him. Shawn’s all “What happened to you, man?” HHH and Shawn have yet another confrontation while Orton and Bryan get to stand there like geeks, and then Big Show drives a semi-trailer into the arena for some reason and this apparently upsets HHH.
The Pulse
Good to see HHH branching out from merely burying the current talent, and getting into the much more lucrative field of burying anyone he ever had a petty gripe with as well. Really, nothing on this episode even needed to exist, but the Bryan-Ambrose match was good, so there’s that.
No one knows how to BURY people like HHH.
ReplyDeletemaybe Mark Callaway? :P
ReplyDeleteWell played.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the term "burying," is it more about the intent or the result? I'd say Triple H threw Jericho, RVD and Edge under the bus last night, or that HHH insulted them for the sake of an angle. But did he really "bury" them? When Jericho comes back, or the next time Edge makes a guest appearance, are they gonna be any less over because fans are thinking, "Well, six months ago HHH said he's not really a big star"? If simply saying the words is considered "burying," isn't Bryan burying Orton/HHH every week? Just wondering...
ReplyDeleteIf I may say, with all due respect, I quite enjoyed this episode of Raw. Some solid matches, and a good hard well for the PPV. I hope my comments did not offend any of you fine gentlemen, and if so, I sincerely apologize. I wish you all a good evening, Sirs.
ReplyDeleteFair point. I suppose it's subjective in terms of the intent of the "superstar" doing the verbal "burying", but I would submit that by propping up guys like Rock, Taker and Brock over Jericho and Edge, it's more of an obvious "burial" cheap shot attempt by HHH for guys who aren't even currently working. I'm not sure how this advances the current angle. And I doubt he cares about the "result" his comments have on the "WWE Universe". "Whatevs" as Ziggler would say.
ReplyDeleteAs I've said before, with the talent they have and the amount of tv time to they have to fill, it is inexcusable not to throw 3 or 4 ***ish 10-15 minute matches on every show. Even if (when) it is surrounded entirely by crap they should be able to put enough good wrestling on a show to make it worth watching.
ReplyDeleteThis gimmick already sucks, a mere 3 comments into it.
ReplyDeleteI thought the episode was quite the place-holder. Ho, hum.
ReplyDeleteI don't like when the announcers start clamoring over how great a match is that is, in reality, quite pedestrian (e.g. Bryan v. Ambrose). Sure, they're great and CAN have an absolute classic, but this was not it, as they left SO much on the table for future, larger battles. Just call the action and let us enjoy the matches, dammit!
This is why I've always gone on about the ironclad issue. Because they didn't eliminate it as an issue initially, it now becomes an issue that is just as confusing but in a whole different way.
ReplyDeleteIt's still something that can be explained. Maybe HHH and Steph tried to browbeat Big Show to the point where he couldn't think straight, and he is only just now figuring out the rights that he has always had?
ReplyDeleteThe Heyman promo really made up for the rest of the episode. Add in Renee Young doing the interview made it segment of the year.
ReplyDeleteAgreed - Heyman was on fire there, the best promo since the Rhodes fam at Battleground.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I missed something HHH said, but why are people saying he buried Jericho, Edge etc? Because he didn't mention them?
ReplyDeleteI'M JUST LIKE THAT LAVA, I'M RED HOT.
ReplyDeleteSo, Shawn is definitely turning heel I'm Bryan I assume?
ReplyDeleteI can only hope this will lead to a Bryan/punk vs hhh/Shawn match, and a wrestlemania match with Shawn vs Bryan. And a hhh/Bryan match at the rumble
Not to mention it's already being done by someone.
ReplyDeleteJust look at the user name "anti-smark" without the "k".
ReplyDelete"HHH continues to make friends by pointing out that if Jericho, Edge, or RVD had been the “face of the WWE” then everyone would be working for Ted Turner."
ReplyDeleteIf this is how he phrased it in the promo, then it shows that the Triple H character is getting power crazy, because by the time those guys rose to prominence in the company to the point where they could have been the "face of the company", WCW was long dead.
Hell, RVD didn't come to the WWE until after WCW, if you don't count the few Raw appearances in 1997.
He said that WWE would have gone out of business if they were on top, in his promo
ReplyDeleteIt's a throwaway line that is either brilliant or asinine. It can't be both. If it gets paid off, it's brilliant, if he just dropped it to add some color to his promo, it's asinine. Don't bury the talent that works for you if it isn't for storyline purposes.
ReplyDeleteNo, he actually mentioned them. And buried them.
ReplyDeleteNo chance in hell.
ReplyDeleteOkay yeah just saw for myself, basically called them all B+ players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQD24h9AZEs
ReplyDeleteShawn is retired and happy that way. And why do people keep assuming Punk I'd definitely getting involved? All signs point towards Show, not Punk.
ReplyDeleteBREAKING: Heel upsets wrestling fans when he insults their favorite wrestlers.
ReplyDeleteIm strictly playing devils advocate here but who did HHH really bury? A retired Edge? RVD, whose pretty washed up at this point? Jericho who was jobbing to Fandango last time we saw him? In his mind, he probably thought mentioning Bryan with these guys was giving him some kind of rub.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry guys, John is back next week.
ReplyDeleteJohn Cenas secret rehab trick: he mixes leprechaun skin and unicorn jizz into his protein shakes. That or HGH, not sure which one.
ReplyDeleteIt's way past time for people to stop obsessing over the details of a fictional contract.
ReplyDeleteHe had backstage beef with Jericho and in 2002-03 pretty much buried RVD and Booker.
ReplyDeleteI personally hope HHH and HBK don't wrestle again and they finally make new stars.
ReplyDeleteI should have been clearer. I meant how his comments last night buried them?
ReplyDeleteI think he did it to work the smarks. And it's obviously working. I don't know whether that's good or bad, but I think that's what he's doing. This entire angle with Bryan ans HHH has been about working smart fans.
ReplyDeleteFair enough
ReplyDeleteIm pretty sure its the same dude.
ReplyDeleteI say with all due espect, your trolling needs work.
ReplyDeleteThe main event made you forget who is even feuding. HHH/Bryan? HHH/HBK? Orton/HBK?
ReplyDeleteI agree. It seemed to be that little jab he knew would get the smarks talking. I didnt think it was a necessary comment for the point of the promo but I wasnt hugely outraged by it either.
ReplyDeleteThats what I said. The final segment REALLY made me want to see HHH vs Bryan. Unfortunately theyre sellling me Orton vs Bryan.
ReplyDeleteI don't get that logic. It's ALL fictional. Why care about anything, then?
ReplyDeleteWho/what did it really hurt, though? If we're talking short term, Edge is retired and Jericho/RVD will still get huge reactions whenever they come back. If we're talking long term, Edge is in the Hall of Fame and Jericho/RVD will be inducted when they retire. So if HHH didn't hurt anyone's short-term popularity or their long-term legacy with one line in one promo, what exactly is the "burial"?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely better than Yokozuna.
ReplyDeleteWait, it's not Big Show vs the trailer producers of America?
ReplyDeleteI maintain my preference for '99 Nitro...
ReplyDeleteI would honestly be slightly excited for Hell in the Cell if in fact they were actually having Hell in the Cell. If they don't want wrestlers getting color, don't have cage matches. Bryan and Orton need a bloody, wild, brawling all over the Cell match to really sell this angle and pay thing thing off. Heck in the Cell will do neither of those things.
ReplyDeleteShit 2000 Nitro is better in some cases.
ReplyDeleteHHH said that to get you mad and it worked. RVD and Jericho will be back and they could get involved, and Edge is always good for a guest appearance.
ReplyDelete"Good to see HHH branching out from merely burying the current talent, and getting into the much more lucrative field of burying anyone he ever had a petty gripe with as well."
ReplyDeleteHe didn't get to Booker, or was that the dark match?
Well due to my previous 3 accounts all getting banned (totally related accounts name "A_S", "An_Sm" , and "Ant_Sma", I have clearly been doing things to offend the fine people here, so I shall now put extra emphasis on politeness in the future. But I apologize for upsetting you, if it truly believe it sucks, sir.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's just me, but I...don't really see how Triple H buried anybody with that comment. Jericho, Edge, and RVD were all extremely popular guys who clearly (with the exception of RVD, I guess) could definitely have been the top guy at the right point with great success. The comment equates Bryan (ya know, the top guy in the company that Triple H keeps insisting isn't popular enough) with three (or at least two) HoFers, and is a sort of rare occurrence of Triple H making an insult that's so dumb it just isn't cutting at all.
ReplyDeleteOf course, they missed the obvious Bryan rejoinder: pointing out that Triple H was never The Guy either, and played third fiddle at best to Austin and Rock during the Attitude Era.
I noticed a lot of people saying that about Triple H. During his "run" 2000 - 01 he was the top guy.
ReplyDeleteYou can have good cage matches without having blood. My problem is just that HIAC has lost the 'wow' factor, which is due not just to lack of blood/violence - but due to booking. HIAC should be because a feud has escalated to a point where this is the only way to solve it - not because a calendar says this is the PPV where you have it.
ReplyDeleteI am probably over-thinking it, but notice how HHH mentioned guys that are still on good terms with the WWE and have a loyal 'smart' following? As opposed to say - Scott Steiner? You can make the same arguments that HHH buried Steiner, but in that case the 'IWC' thinks Steiner deserved it.
ReplyDeleteBut as I said - I may just be overthinking it.
That's a funny way to try making money. Maybe they should focus on having finishes to their PPV main events before trying to troll their fanbase.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame they cutout the elvises. Really the highlight of the show.
ReplyDeleteIn my humble opinion sir, I must respectfully disagree on one point. While it's true that it's the "Time of the year" for Hell in A Cell, I believe that WWE has done a good job in making the 2 Cell matches the final blowoff matches. Punk has been feuding with Heyman for months and wants to finally finish him off, while Bryan/Orton had 2 inconclusive matches, and this is (likely) the final one. So unlike the last few years, I believe this one will be very good. Thank you for your time.
ReplyDeleteHell in the Cell should be a bloodbath or don't have it.
ReplyDeleteIt's also worth pointing out that the entire damn angle they're working through now is Triple H saying that Bryan isn't "good for business" even though everyone else knows that Bryan is the most over guy in the company.
ReplyDeleteThe days of slicing your forehead for cheap heat are over.
ReplyDeleteI just feel that how Big Show's contract works is such a minor issue as to not be relevant. Whether or not the angle is working or not has very little to do with a 'contract' that was part of a completely different angle a year (or however long it was) prior.
ReplyDeleteWhat is your opinion of blading Douglas?
ReplyDeleteI guess that depends on whether you're counting heels too. I think the top guy/face of the company needs to be a face.
ReplyDeleteIf you have something to say, say it without being a troll.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else have this dreadful feeling on the inside that the show just isn't that great, and carries this aura that it's going to continue being 'not great' for the foreseeable future? Because if ever there was a time to try and make new stars, this was it, and they've basically panicked and gone with the old guard once more. Even if Daniel somehow wins this Sunday, are any of us still optimistic that he'll get a proper reign before the real 'Authority' deem him unfit for the role and shoehorn Cena into the mix again?
ReplyDeleteHornswoggle: WAIT, this isn't a drug test!"
ReplyDeleteCena: Just shut up and give me a sample..."
Hornswoggle, "Come on John, I'm TIRED. You just got one a few hours ago!"
McMahon: "You think we keep you here for COMEDY?!! That's why we have Santino..FUCK this Khali!! Milk that little bastard 'til he's dry!!!"
Hornswoggle: "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
Cena: "Do you still want me to film this and send it to Pat Patterson?"
McMahon: "Yes......and leave a copy on my desk."
It's passé. Should've ended with aids.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough instead of watching Raw I watched Edge's DVD on Netflix and he mentions "some very powerful people" being opposed to him getting his push when he did, and being pissed off that his first title reign was cut short after 2 weeks when it was working because the plan was to go with Triple H/Cena. He tries to be diplomatic about it but you know what/who he's talking about.
ReplyDeleteI think either HHH made the comments just to irritate the internet (which he doesn't care about, supposedly), or it was just a way to make a snide remark about guys who he was opposed to at one point or another.
When the bad guy says somebody sucks, it doesn't count. He's the bad guy.
ReplyDeleteBooker T seems like the kind of guy who'd call him out on it afterwards.
ReplyDeleteThe very first HIAC was an incredibly violent match of legendary proportions. I still cringe when I see some of those bumps. And unless my memory is playing me false, I don't remember a single drop of blood. At least not because they sliced themselves open with a razor blade on their forehead in some contrived manner (not many 'real' fights involve someone bleeding from their forehead of all places).
ReplyDeleteOr both!
ReplyDeleteI think the difference is that RVD, Edge and Jericho were guys who he was opposed to getting the big push, where I don't think there were any plans for Steiner to ever become a long-term WWE Main Eventer.
ReplyDeleteShawn Michaels was a bloody mess, are you joking? Also Undertaker bladed in the second one.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of the second one - I actually forgot Shawn/Taker was the first one. And I removed my post after I realized I was wrong.
ReplyDeleteSad to see they cut the R-Truth channeling Don West merchandise shilling segment, but it was just a throwaway, but to me was the second most entertaining thing of the night other than Heyman's promo and maybe the Bryan/Ambrose match.
ReplyDeleteI have an English exam tomorrow morning that I'm studying for. This comment will probably be the reason I fail said exam. Thanks for the continuous nightmares that are sure to come
ReplyDeleteeh, blading was just part of the language of pro wrestling, just part of what you have to accept to interact with the fiction.
ReplyDeleteOr he was acting like a heel
ReplyDeleteDidn't make me mad. I am downright having fun watching Raw these days :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think that's really all it was. And as I said elsewhere in the thread, you do have to remember that the angle HHH is working with Bryan right now involves Trips saying that he's not good for business despite being the most over guy on the roster and having every Raw end with the crowd maniacally chantings "YES!"
ReplyDeleteProblem is it's not going to make any money. It's just Triple H trolling the internet.
ReplyDeleteGlad to be of help.
ReplyDeleteAnd when they get involved what do you think will happen?
ReplyDeleteAgree completely. It was a train wreck but much more entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I am disappointed about Triple H's heel turn in one
ReplyDeleterespect. Since he wasn't really using it I had kind of adopted "King of
Kings" as my own theme song...you know to pump me up before a workout or
to just get psyched to get out of bed and stuff. Now that's he's using
it again I kind of feel like I have to give it back to him
But he put over Brock, Rock and Undertaker as worthy opponents, and two of them are faces.
ReplyDeleteBut hhh saying that doesn't make me mad it makes me not want to see him on my tv anymore. 12 years of the same hhh shtick is far too much
ReplyDeleteYeah, somehow the face always seem to miss the obvious rejoinder to Hunter's BS. Happened during the Punk feud in 2011, happening now over and over with Bryan, etc. "The heel is trying to make you mad" doesn't cover Hunter ALWAYS having the last word and ALWAYS making the cute quip response as the deballed face stands there unable to say anything when the answer is clear to anyone who remembers the Attitude Era.
ReplyDeleteWell, that may be coming in a future PPV? It seems silly to promote a future feud in the go-home show for the next PPV, but when you have PPVS that are 3 weeks apart the 'old rules' don't really apply. Let's face it - if you're going to have PPVS every month (or even more frequently) then you're going to have a lot of situations where one PPV setups another PPV.
ReplyDeleteWell, to be fair, it would have been a pretty stupid thing to actually say on the air given that a) you presumably want everyone to remember Triple H as a bad ass heel if you're going to blow this off proper, b) the whole point of this, which HBK finally got over last night, is that Triple H's whole "best for business" schtick is clearly wrong, as Bryan is the "face of WWE" everyone but Triple H and Stephanie want.
ReplyDeleteAs for Bryan's bad mic work, I kind of think that's more of a stylistic problem for him, as he's not really doing a good job with Orton either (and was suboptimal again last night, IMO).
Yea, thats what I think theyre setting up. Bryan goes over at HIAC, HHH gets fed up and does the whole "Im the only one who can beat this guy once and for all" thing with Bryan. Run HHH/Bryan through November/December.
ReplyDeletePointing out that Hunter is a egotistical jerk with delusions of grandeur would make him less of a bad ass heel? I wouldn't say that, it's clear he can still kick someone's ass if need be.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Bryan's been bad on the mic, he's carried his weight fine when not having to stand there during Hunter's latest jokefest no one can ever answer.
And AGAIN the Wyatts segment gets cut.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't see how anybody got buried either. Triple H directed an insult that no one is going to take seriously at three popular Hall of Famers in the context of an angle where he's saying the most over guy on the roster is bad for business. That seems like a perfectly decent heel promo to me, and you could even put it in Bryan's back pocket for future reference if we actually get a Bryan/HHH match.
ReplyDeleteNo...not really. People need to take a step back and see the bigger picture. Cody is more over now than ever before. Bryan is either concluding a 3 month run as the #1 tippy top guy in the company or is extending that run to a 6 month run. Either way, he's at the top right now whether you like the booking or not. The 3 Shield guys are new, have basically monopolized the main event of TV for 3 months and dollars to donuts at least 1 of those guys will have a huge run as a solo guy when the office gets tired of them as a trio act. Maybe they could have done more with Dolph or Miz and maybe the Usos were supposed to have the Rhodes boys' spot but all in all the main event of the show is 1/2 new guys because of the Shield and the face side is different main eventers than 2 years ago.
ReplyDeleteIf the office was "panicking" then Cena would be involved in the Authority angle and not in the Del Rio parallel universe or Punk would have come in to save the day vs. Bryan instead of being in the Heyman parallel universe. The main event storyline is basically standalone and relying on Bryan, Shield and HHH to do all the work and HHH has done nothing physical or wrestling related at all.
But...it was answered. HBK put it out there explicitly that at this point Triple H is clearly pissed off that Bryan has proved him wrong, and then the show ended with Bryan kneeing Orton's face in, climbing up on the big rig with Show and leading the entire arena in a YES chant, getting one up on Triple H yet again.
ReplyDeleteAs for the mic work, to each his own, I guess. I just think Bryan has a sort of cheeky, beat around the bush, coyness when it needs to be a more direct defense of himself. His "I don't care about good for business" line from before NoC (I think, might have been Battleground, but I don't think so), needed to be "the people who paid for a ticket tonight sure think I'm good for business," and last night needed much more emphasis on the fact that he keeps beating Orton, Triple H has Orton's back, after Orton got his line in about ending Bryan in the Cell. But that could just be me.
good answer
ReplyDeleteGenerally in wrestling the top guy SHOULD be a face but from when the Rock decided he liked acting more than wrestling all the way up to 05-06 (whenever Cena became the guy) HHH really was the #1 star of the promotion. Even when he lost matches he was still the focus of the show. His belt was a bigger deal than the WWE belt for a few years.
ReplyDeletePretty clearly was referring to Hunter's revisionist history about others and himself, not the "best for business" stuff.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't mention beating Orton twice already, but he did mention Orton's only still around because Hunter keeps helping and protecting him, I do remember that. Bryan could certainly improve on the mic, but he's generally hitting his marks.
No, I thought the same thing. The guys he mentioned are guys smart fans have gotten behind and are still om good terms with WWE. Hes ddefiently trolling us
ReplyDeleteHave they stopped blading as a policy? I thought CM Punk bled at MITB this year.
ReplyDeleteMeh, I don't think promos need to turn into blog comment threads. Triple H made a one-off quip that fit within the narrative of the present angle and struck me, at least, as clearly ridiculous on its own terms. Bryan doesn't really need to get sidetracked by defending a trio of Hall of Famers.
ReplyDeleteFair enough. It's a minor thing anyway, as it's not like it's killing the angle or keeping Bryan from looking good or anything. I was just saying that he could be getting stronger barbs in at Orton too, IMO, so I don't necessarily think it's only the Triple H factor at play.
No snarky analysis on the atrocious announcing last night? WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH SCOTT?
ReplyDeleteYes and if someone gets busted open hard way the trainer runs out and seals them up. I think CM Punk did an unauthorized blade job in the cage match against Lawler.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, I don't think it comes off as ridiculous when it clearly stymies the faces over and again and no one in the ring is acting like it's ridiculous. Bryan did call him "insecure" at one point, but I don't think it takes away from Hunter's badass cred for Bryan to mention how.
ReplyDeleteHHH's comments about DB not being a star and aligning him with supposed non-draws reminded me of a recent Stone Cold podcast with Lawler. King pointed out how he's long believed that if you tell the fans your opponent sucks then the best that can happen is you beat a loser, worst you lose to a loser. Also, it was pointed out that Flair worked under the same philosophy.
ReplyDeleteBut, then, what do Lawler and Flair know about getting anyone over?
Suffering from a sinus infection for the past couple of days. I'm actually well aware that the Andre rant and this one weren't up to my usual level.
ReplyDeleteThat sucks dude. Ive had one before and theyre terrible.
ReplyDeleteI just want Bryan to point out that business under HHH's Reign of Terror wasn't that great either, and that "I guess you might say... TRIPLE H... wasn't good for business."
ReplyDeleteDo you think Benoit didn't do it? Has the proof presented on the blog convinced you?
ReplyDeleteI think in HHHs mind, he thought just mentioning Bryan with those was giving him some kind of rub, along with the obvious heel heat he was going for.
ReplyDeleteLove the revisionist history in that HHH promo. WCW was bought March of 2001. At that point, Jericho was a few months away from main eventing PPVs, Edge didn't break out as a single until about a year later and RVD wasn't even there yet. So, how would everyone in the WWE be working for Ted Turner if they were "the face of the WWE"? And of course, lets not forget the obvious "pot, kettle, black" message here, as Trips was never really the face of the company at any time, no matter how much he likes to think so.
ReplyDeleteDean, was Triple H ever the "face of the WWE"?:
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/q-pGwEWQFsA
I REALLY hope they don't ever wrestle each other again.
ReplyDeleteAnd also, Ted Turner was gone from Time Warner by 2003 so how exactly would everyone be working for him? Shouldn't he have said that everyone would be working for Jerry Levin or Jeff Bewkes?
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. They should at least bring back blood capsules though, Ken Shamrock, Edge and Christian used those quite often and no one ever noticed and no one ever got a disease from them so why not use them when the occasion calls for it?
ReplyDeleteThe blood capsules are proof that there are ways to have blood in a match without resorting to stupid shit like blading.
You know the current WWE announcing has gotten terrible when MARK MADDEN is more bearable than Michael Cole.
ReplyDeleteDoes no one in wrestling realize that Scott Hudson has been available for quite awhile now? Why does he always get snubbed while Michael Cole and Taz remain gainfully employed?
Definitely the same idiot who's been banned from here at least twice as "an_sm" and "ant_sma". He's not even doing an original shtick, he's just a WWE ripoff of Elvy.
ReplyDeleteBecause there's no reason to bury special attractions, if it's not for an angle. Especially considering the majority of their draws are special attractions. It makes everyone look bad unless the end game is they whoop up on you and you show ass.
ReplyDeleteLong story short, if you're going to say someone's such a loser that the company would have gone out of business with them as their main attraction, that "loser" better get the better of you.
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteTrash-talk is part of sports, I really think most "smarks" don't get that. If two football teams claim that the other team sucks, it doesn't make the audience think less of them.
I don't think it was intended to be picked apart and taken that seriously.
ReplyDeleteWas there a particular incident that led to them stopping it, or just the company generally trying to be more kid-friendly?
ReplyDeleteOnly Edge drew worth a damn out of the three of them, and the last time Edge was there he got into it verbally with HHH. Not to mention The Shield beat up Christian. Seems like canon to me. Jericho and RVd though, he's right. They never drew anything, were both unreliable aa champs and reckless.
ReplyDeleteAlso. Jericho buried every other veteran in an LAW interview. But I gauss that doesn't count.
My point is that Edge, Jericho and RVD are -- if not quite bulletproof -- at least strong enough in their legacies and reputations to not be "buried" by one Triple H promo when Triple H is playing the character of a bitter dickhead boss.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I 100 percent agree with Lawler's sentiment. If a heel is calling a face a loser and then getting beaten, then the obnoxious heel is just getting his comeuppance by being proven wrong. If a heel calls the face a loser and then proceeds to cleanly beat the face (like, say, HHH over Booker at WM19), then it buries the face completely.
ReplyDeleteThis makes bad as a HUMAN BEING!!
ReplyDeleteThat, and pissing off retards. He really gets them going.
ReplyDeleteTriple H has been known to legit bury talent and let out his real life grievances under the guise of cutting a promo. He has no love lost for Jericho, and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteLegit bury!
ReplyDeleteThen why does he keep bringing him back?
ReplyDeleteTo me burying someone is not just losing. It's how they lose. HHH buried Booker when he beat him.
ReplyDeleteGet better soon, sir.
ReplyDeleteThat's insane troll logic.
ReplyDeleteYou, sir, should seek help. ;-)
ReplyDeleteScott Steiner buried Scott Steiner. That match at the Royal Rumble was horrific. I'd rather watch Sting vs Stoned Jeff Hardy.
ReplyDeleteWasn't HHH injured or recovering from an injury going into that match? Steiner was awful as always, but that train wreck may not entirely be his fault.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I wasn't watching when the matched occurred. I've seen it via DVD rental, I believe. Trips may have been injured or recovering, but he carried that match. Steiner seemed gassed, unable to to anything but punch and suplex (same suplex many times), and camel clutch poorly. HHH had to put his arms over Steiner's legs himself.
ReplyDeleteNow, I don't know how much of this was HHH trying to pull a Ric Flair/broomstick on a PPV main event. I do know that after that, Steiner really had no place on a wrestling card, particularly anywhere near a main event.
And the really sad part is I remember how much fun he was to watch before he became a roided freak.
AMEN! While we're at it, let's eliminate the Elimination Chamber, and TLC matches as well. If we can't have chairshots to the head (TOTALLY understandable), why use a chair every week??????
ReplyDeleteI think it works done sparingly - not to the degree they got to in ECW, for example
ReplyDeleteDidn't he wrestle for a while under the name C.W. Anderson?
ReplyDeleteDead ringer
ReplyDeleteAnd if ever there was a good time to not have competition it would have been Triple H's reign of terror from 2002-2005. He wasn't the focus of the show because fans were demanding it.
ReplyDeleteIt was probably the most over Booker ever was in WWE too.
ReplyDelete