Impact
Wrestling
Date: May 1, 2014
Location: Impact Zone,
Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Mike
Tenay, Taz
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
Sacrifice was this past
Sunday and not a lot has changed. Given the card though, that's not
really a big surprise. The next PPV is in June which sounds far
better than having it May when TNA won't be ready for another show.
Other than that there really isn't anything set up as Young is still
champion and beat Magnus clean, meaning he needs a new challenger.
Let's get to it.
We open with Bully Ray
spray painting something on a table.
Eric Young talks about
how real it is that he's still champion and goes into MVP's office.
The boss congratulates him on his win and says Eric can prove his
worth every week. That's cool with Eric so here are Gunner, Mr.
Anderson and Bobby Roode. They'll draw cards from a deck. The lower
two cards will face off and the winner faces the high card, with the
winner of that getting a World Title shot. Anderson and Gunner tie
while Roode gets an ace, meaning it's Anderson vs. Gunner first and
the winner faces Roode for the title shot. This is all tonight
apparently.
Here's Magnus with
something to say. He isn't cool with not being in the World Title
competition tonight and demands that MVP come out here and explain
that decision. Instead he gets Abyss through the crowd. The brawl
is on and Abyss lays Magnus out with a chokeslam. He pulls out a
chair as the fans want Janice. They get what they want but Magnus
bails. The announcers play up the idea that Abyss may not have a
contract, despite him getting a World Title shot two weeks ago.
Here's Ray with a table
and holding his ribs. He holds the table up and it says DIXIE. Ray
says he might not be as big and fat as he used to be but he can
promise one thing: if he sees Dixie in this building tonight, she's
going through that table.
Dixie arrives and has
nothing to say.
In the back Spud tried
to hide Dixie but she's not afraid.
Mr.
Anderson vs. Gunner
Winner faces Roode
later tonight for a title shot. Feeling out process to start as they
trade some headlocks. Gunner's advantage doesn't last long as
Anderson shoves him off and puts on a headlock of his own. A
hammerlock doesn't work all that well for Mr. either so he hooks
another headlock. Gunner catches a charging Anderson in a fall away
slam but James Storm interferes because the feud isn't over yet.
Storm gets knocked to the floor before accidentally kicking Anderson
in the back of the head, allowing Gunner to hit an F5 for the pin at
3:47.
Rating:
C-. This was a lot of stalling
before the finish, but hopefully this transitions to Anderson vs.
Storm, because Gunner vs. Storm has been dead and buried for well
over a month. I also like that they making the transition naturally
instead of just shoving it down our throats because the script calls
for it.
Magnus
comes in to see someone who
looks like former NXT talent Kenneth Cameron. Back from a break and
that's who it seems to be, though he's going by Bram here. They seem
to know each other and Bram wants Magnus to get back to his roots. A
fight nearly breaks out but Bram says he's here for Magnus' own good.
Ethan
Carter III is in the ring and says he's facing Kurt Angle in the ring
next week. Fans: “WHERE'S YOUR BOYFRIEND???” Tonight Ethan is
going to have an exhibition with Rockstar Spud. They grapple around
for a bit with Ethan of course getting the better of it. Ethan tells
Spud to assume the position so Spud gets on all fours. Carter:
“That's a little too much position.” This brings out Angle who
says that was stupid. Next week Carter will be facing a new Kurt
Angle. It's one that's out for blood and revenge because Carter has
ticked him off. Next week, the undefeated streak ends.
We
see Rebel and Knux's segment from Sunday, saying they'll be here with
two of their friends named The Freak and Crazy Steve next week.
Bobby
Roode vs. Gunner
Winner
faces Young tonight for the World Title. Roode takes him down into
the corner and stomps away to start but Gunner fights back with power
and a backdrop for two. Roode sends him out to the floor and
into the steps as he takes over. Back in and Gunner charges into an
elbow in the corner and we hit a double arm crank.
A
dropkick to the ribs puts Gunner down again but he comes back with ax
handles to the chest. Gunner hits a running knee to the chest and
loads up the F5, only to be raked in the eyes. Roode's O'Connor Roll
is blocked and Gunner grabs a DDT for two. The Roode Bomb is
countered and Gunner hits a slingshot suplex, only to walk into the
Roode Bomb for the pin at 6:00.
Rating:
C-. The time hurt it here but
more than that it's a waste of a story. This could have been the
second week of a competition to set up Young's challenger but this is
TNA so we have to do everything at a million miles an hour while
making sure Dixie Carter gets to be on TV every week. It's rather
annoying but it's the way things work here.
The Beautiful People
get a letter saying their clothes are inappropriate. Angelina's
solution: put on evening gowns and strip them off.
Here's Dixie with
security to set up the table with her name on it in the ring. She
brags about putting Ray through a table and injuring his ribs in the
process. Ray needs to be afraid of Dixie, but here's the Bully to
disagree. The fans want to see her go through a table and Ray likes
the idea as well. He tells security to get out of his way because
they all want to see her go through a table. They actually listen,
only leaving three guards for Dixie. Ray charges the ring and throws
them all off before loading up the powerbomb. This brings out MVP,
who says both of them are suspended from the Impact Zone for this.
Ok then.
Willow
vs. James Storm
Storm hammers away to
start but Willow escapes the Eye of the Storm and hits a few
dropkicks to take over. A mule kick sends Storm into the corner and
a cartwheel into a right hand to the jaw drops him down. There's the
slingshot dropkick followed by a Twisting Stunner to send Storm
outside. Willow slides through the ropes and drops an elbow to the
ribs in a nice move. Storm is stood up next to the barricade for
Poetry in Motion off the steps. Willow gets a chair but misses a
running Fameasser onto the steps with it to put him down on the
floor. Storm pulls out the beer bottle and shoves the referee for
the DQ at 4:03.
Rating:
D+. This was setting up stuff
for the future it seems, which is fine given that they're coming off
of a PPV. Still though, it's not the most interesting stuff in the
world. Willow is only so interesting after they keep shouting that
it's Jeff Hardy week after week, but it's better than the same guy
every week.
Post
match Willow hits Storm with the umbrella and stalks him up the ramp,
right into a Mic Check from Anderson.
The
Bro Mans and Zema blame MVP for losing their titles so he uts them in
a six man tag against the Wolves and a surprise partner. The three
of them leave and Ray comes in to yell at MVP. He says he gave MVP
the job at Lockdown but MVP shouts him down and suggests that Ray do
something outside of the arena.
Eric
Young says there's history between him and Roode, but he knows Roode
better than anyone.
Zema
Ion/Bro Mans vs. Wolves/Sanada
It's
a brawl to start with the Wolves LAUNCHING Ion over the top onto the
Bro Mans. They howl, setting up a double suicide dive followed by a
plancha from Sanada to take out Zema. Back inside and Robbie's chops
have no effect on anyone as he's left all alone. Jesse and Ion get
back up to take Eddie down as the heels get their first advantage.
Edwards nips back up though and enziguris Ion down.
The
Bro Mans are sent to the floor again and it's hot tag to Richards to
clean house. Ion is thrown into the air for a kick to the ribs as
Tenay announces Bro Mans vs. Wolves for the titles next week in a
ladder match. The Bro Mans come back in to break up a cover but it's
a tag off to Sanada as Ion is left alone 3-1. All three good guys go
up top, setting up the stomp from Edwards, a moonsault from Sanada
and another stomp from Richards for the pin at 3:39.
Rating:
C. Now THAT was a squash. I'm
not sure what it sets up for the future as Ion got destroyed and
Richards beat up the Bro Mans on his own, but at least it was
entertaining at the moment. To be fair though, I don't think TNA
knows how to think more than a week in advance anyway so it's not
right to criticize them for it.
Here are the Beautiful
People in evening gowns with Angelina saying they're going to take it
all off. They start but stop almost immediately because the people
don't deserve it. This brings out Gail Kim who says they're making a
mockery of the division. She's going to make sure the Beautiful
People get stripped and the attack is on. Velvet bails and Angelina
escapes a few seconds later. Gail gets the belt as Madison Rayne and
Brittany sneak up and rip the gowns off the Beautiful People.
TNA
World Title: Eric Young vs. Bobby Roode
Roode gets a jobber
entrance. Feeling out process to start with Young grabbing an
armdrag into an armbar. A dropkick staggers Roode and we take our
last break. Back with Roode sending him over the top and out to the
floor before a whip sends him into the steps. Roode throws him back
in and puts on a seated full nelson. Eric fights back up and takes
out a cameraman by mistake before nailing a belly to belly.
Roode bails to the
floor and gets taken down by a suicide dive. Back in and Bobby grabs
a quick spinebuster for two before the piledriver gets the same for
Young. The Roode Bomb gets two as well and they slug it out with the
champion taking over. Roode nails an enziguri but can't hit a Roode
Bomb out of the corner. Instead Eric shoves him to the mat and hits
the top rope elbow for the pin at 13:23.
Rating:
C. Eric getting clean wins over
former world champions is a good idea for him with the emphasis on
the word clean. I was sick of seeing those title matches with seven
or eight people running in and it's so nice to see a decent wrestling
match to close out the show for the title. Not a great match and it
should have been given more build, but this worked well enough.
Ray
is in the back and says he's going to Nashville.
Overall
Rating: C-. The show set up
some interesting stuff for the future, but at the same time all of
the old problems were present. First and foremost, TNA feels the
need to go through everything they can as fast as they can without
letting their stories grow. The Roode vs. Young match could have
been interesting but instead they decided to set it up with two
matches and do the title match in the span of two hours. How is that
supposed to draw an audience when the thing is over by the time they
hear about it?
Ray
vs. Dixie doesn't do anything for me as I can't imagine we'll ever
see the payoff of Dixie going through a table, unless they pull a
surprise in New York. The rest of the feuds weren't bad, but I have
a bad feeling they're just setting up another set of three month
feuds that go on WAY too long and wear out their welcome. TNA needs
to find a neutral pace and stick with it because this is getting old
fast.
Results
Gunner b. Mr. Anderson
– F5
Bobby Roode b. Gunner –
Roode Bomb
Willow b. James Storm
via DQ when Storm shoved the referee
Wolves/Sanada b. Bro
Mans/Zema Ion – Top rope double stomp to Ion
Eric Young b. Bobby
Roode – Top rope elbow
Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6
Which one is that
ReplyDeleteThe correct term for that card is "rumored". I'm not saying what happened at Mania was the plan all along but I sure as hell don't believe that card was the set in stone plan either.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but he also got a pretty good push, too.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPs5eOQbtLs
PK SUBBAN!!!!
ReplyDeleteMaking it even more absurd that they didn't bring up their history in this feud, let alone have a proper blowoff for their first run. Makes zero sense.
ReplyDeleteI think that really polished him as a character; Kane's a great talker who has pretty much been on every shade of the face/heel spectrum and I'm sure Bryan picked up a lot working with him.
ReplyDeletewat
ReplyDeleteSo did Dixie go through the table or not?
ReplyDeleteVoted for Valentine, though Muraco may be fun as well.
ReplyDeleteShe didn't.
ReplyDeleteFuck him
ReplyDeleteIf Santana talks about Dick Murdoch showing him his KKK Membership card, then I want that one.
ReplyDeleteSo who physically stopped Bully? MVP? If he got "suspended" why not just do it anyway?
ReplyDeleteMaybe if they'd drawn a few more squiggles on his face...
ReplyDeleteNo one. MVP yelling at them to get out of the ring stopped him. I should have made that more clear.
ReplyDeleteYou're on the ball there and your outlook is what, I think, the vast majority agrees with. I believe that Bryan should be protected, as he and Cena always produce in the big stages, as has been seen. I didn't enjoy his angle that reminded me of Zack Ryder, and WWE should have been mindful of not creating something so eerily similar.
ReplyDeleteOn that note, they may need to retire the "Kane pops up through the ring like Freddy Krueger" bit. After what that storyline did to Ryder's career, it has a certain stigma to it.
It's definitely a banner of a higher caliber...
ReplyDeleteI voted for the rock. I'm a big fan of Tito but I feel like his shoot would be pretty boring.
ReplyDeleteWith Bad Influence seemingly gone, are there any other tag teams in TNA to face the Wolves? Maybe Knux's guys?
ReplyDelete"The Beautiful People
ReplyDeleteget a letter saying their clothes are inappropriate."
...which they then revealed that they had written themselved
gotta love when wrestlers are aware they're being filmed, except when they're not
the bromans are doing a great job in their role of the comic relief doofi. they were going on about how the 3-on2- match wasn't fair, and when mvp pointed out that they had the advantage, the bromans without missing a beat went on about how all the numbers confused them
ReplyDeleteit would be awesome if it was crazy steve from the old 'drake and josh' show
ReplyDelete'First and foremost, TNA feels the
ReplyDeleteneed to go through everything they can as fast as they can without
letting their stories grow.'
hey, no one knows how much longer they'll have stories to tell!
#everythingisfine
nah, but i did like tonight's ep. i think they do a good job of building week to week, in terms of letting you know some of what's coming down the line
i dunno, they're building up knux at least to be a face. i guess they could do a face/face feud, but yeah, it sucks that there are no real tag teams
ReplyDeleteIf it happens at another PPV, keep that in mind.
ReplyDeletefuck, you nailed it
ReplyDeleteI think it's confirmed that this EY run is a direct rip off of the Bryan current Bryan run. I haven't seen Impact yet but is this Knux family angle a poor man's Wyatt Family rip-off? Sounds like it. If so, this is getting pretty sad. Like zero effort "we're closing down anyway" sad.
ReplyDeleteAngle, Bully, and Hardy need to bounce back home to WWE.
Nah, the Knux thing seems like a more-serious version of The Oddities.
ReplyDeleteDid Zema Ion ever cash in his X-Division title shot briefcase? And did EC3 ever cash in his tag team title shot briefcase?
ReplyDeleteThey could do something with EC3 and Spud as a team, but it would just seem like a placeholder for EC3 when he could be in the upper card solo. There are some guys still listed on the TNA roster who could be mixed and matched into tag teams -- Kazarian, Hernandez, Manik, Bischoff, Rob Terry -- but I don't know if they're actually in the company anymore.
ReplyDeleteHe did field a win there.
ReplyDeleteI come to bury Bryan, not to praise him!
ReplyDeleteThis Kane angle has just been death. When he was the everyman fighting against the system he was in a situation the fans could rally around. Now he and his wife are the white people falling down in the scary movie. That's just going to earn ridicule.
ReplyDeleteJesus Christ, there is NO anti-smark smark brigade. There are smarks. Just because we're smarks does mean we all have the same goddamn opinion.
ReplyDeleteWhat? That's a great scenario for ANYONE. Damn people he doesn't walk on water.
ReplyDeleteWith a thinned out roster TNA doesn't have many tag teams and need to make more makeshift tag teams. If TNA thought ahead (ha) they would of given Bro Mans more credibility as a tag team, because at least then you can stretch out the feud with Wolves a little longer.
ReplyDeleteBut if TNA is smart they do have a dream tag team match right there if they go with a Wolves-Beer Money feud.
In the next two weeks you're going to see more rip off storylines.
ReplyDeleteYa know, say what you will about EY as champ, his run has already been booked 1000x better than Magnus'.
ReplyDelete"That's revisionism on the part of certain fans who always want to believe in the narrative that their favourites (Bryan, Punk, etc.) are succeeding in spite of the desires of the higher-ups. They get to enjoy the success of said favourites without giving the bookers/Vince any credit for that success."
ReplyDeleteSo, Smarky wrestling fans are just hipsters now? Except our ironic T-shirts and skinny jeans are two sizes too small...
While EY wouldn't be my first choice as champion, at this point I'd take him over Magnus.
ReplyDeleteSo TNA runs through a month's worth of angles all in 1 night, unadvertised. Sounds like "Vintage TNA"!!
ReplyDeleteWell said. On a completely unrelated topic...I wonder how many newbies think this is a Devin Harris gimmick.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf7kkhom5JY
ReplyDeleteFeaturing such gems as this. It's held in high regard, and considered by many to be the greatest shoot ever.
It was probably the magical powers of music playing for an entrance. It casts a spell that causes all in-ring action to stall.
ReplyDeleteBit of a TJ, but you raise a point worth discussing (don't think it's been entirely done to death, yet) - why was Benoit shunted down the card quite so rapidly? He was shoved to an even lower point than he was at prior to his title chase, if memory serves. I gather that it might've been seen as a 'lifetime recognition award' by the higher ups, but it still strikes me as a bit odd that you have Benoit go over the guy who has nigh-on totally dominated the promotion unrelentingly for about two years and has held a world title for the vast majority of this time clean, in the main event of their largest show of the year, and then completely forget about him the day after he loses it five months later. WWE aren't known for their logic, of course, but it still strikes me as odd.
ReplyDeleteBut you can't always get what you waaaaant...
ReplyDeleteI would like to once again point out that Cena and Bryan are not "practically" brother's in law.
ReplyDeleteHey, I have no problem with it at the moment, just a little bit more build would have been nice.
ReplyDeleteEhh, there's two types of "comedy" characters - guys that use humor as another part of their game (Rock), and guys that are pushed into it because the office has no faith in them (3MB).
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone can deny that the FOUNDATION of the Kane-Bryan pairing was because of the entertainment-value that would come from these two polar opposites that couldn't get along, and in that way it was a "comedy" team, but it's not like they weren't given a serious run or a LOT of TV time.
This, exactly.
ReplyDeleteNone of us are mind-readers, but I'm pretty sure that Vince basically resisted for as long as possible until Trips and others finally convinced him otherwise. Seriously, I'm pretty sure that it was only a few weeks before "WM" (basically, the day before the "Occupy Raw" segment) that they finally gave the green-light to Bryan walking out as champion; before that, there wasn't a single hint that Bryan would be doing anything more at "WM" than facing Trips. He wasn't gunning for the title, he just wanted Trips, and then all of a sudden, they add the "Triple Threat" stipulation to the match.
I read it the other way - maybe "Nexus" didn't survive long, but Bryan remained in the match longer than the bigger stars that he was teaming with.
ReplyDeleteAnd then even after Punk left, they were basically building to Trips/Bryan with no other stipulation - the "winner gets to be in the main-event with Batista and Orton" thing was pretty last-minute.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Kazarian left with Daniels
ReplyDeleteAnd the Wyatt family is a direct rip-off of Raven's Flock, and The New Church, and pretty much everything Kevin Sullivan ever did.
ReplyDeleteI'm not defending TNA (because these stupid "too close to what's going on in the other fed" storylines are vintage TNA), but to say that this is a ripoff of the Wyatt family is to ignore how many things the Wyatt family is "ripping off".
Well everything is WWE is doing right now can be attributed to past events too, but at least WWE waits a few years before redoing the storyline whereas TNA copies everything WWE is doing from that past week.
ReplyDeleteYeah, everything is a rip off, but you'd have to concede that ripping off Raven's Flock, which was last relevant 14 years ago is different than ripping off something that is going on right now.
ReplyDeleteI guess we had the same thought at the same time...
ReplyDeleteI wasn't a huge fan of EY getting the title, but if they make him the guy that fights everyone and wins mostly clean matches, then he may have a shot of getting over.
ReplyDeleteFourteen.
ReplyDeleteI can't speak about now since I just came back to the blog, but about 2 years ago there absolutely was a group of folks, some legit, some trolls, who were vehemntly anti-smark. They derided anyone who talked of workrate or talked up favorites who might not "draw money" like the anti-smark believed. They bashed those who bashed Hogan or Warrior or other wrestlers that smarks have been less than fond of over the years. For awhile it was a big battle in almost every thread.
ReplyDeleteI never saw that until recently when my girlfriend showed me their Xmas special, which was unexpectedly awesome. Crazy Steve would be a great character. Plus, Kimbo Sice was in the Xmas movie. TNA looooove hiring MMA guys and then doing nothing with them!
ReplyDeleteI definitely have the same thought -- hence the "too close to what the other Fed is doing" line.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, we really don't know WHAT the Knux thing is right now. (I'm assuming, since it's TNA, it'll be pretty much exactly like the Wyatts, but still)
Maybe...but I'm a embark and while I'm not big on Hogan, I definitely love HHH and think he's one of the greatest ever. I think the suggestion that he isn't qualified to run the company is ridiculous (which is ironic because that opinion is held by people unqualified to decide these things.)
ReplyDeleteI don't care for hypocrisy either. Suddenly we all love Warrior? Randy Orton is a douche that can't be forgiven, but HBK is a rapist who we decided found redemption? HHH had a Reign of Terror wherein almost everyone he feuded with increased their profile and were future world champs but he's an asshole. CM Punk had a Reign of Terror that put over NO ONE except Punk but he's cool?(speaking of douchebags...)
Sorry, it doesn't make me anti smark to believe these things. And the implication that we must all share the same perspective and opinion is part of what gives wrestling fans a bad name. (And I'd take A good story over work rate any day)
And BTW, in closing, if anyone here thought that RVD or Booker were going to be credible champs if they won their died with HHH are delusional. I am a Smark. And I will not be silenced or toe the line.
There was that weird stretch right after he won the MitB where they had him do stuff like job cleanly to Sin Cara in about a 2 minute match. Other than that, he's been booked pretty strongly ever since escaping NXT.
ReplyDeleteBut pairing black wrestlers with uncoordinated white guys and teaching them to dance is MONEY ON THE TABLE!!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe he should wear polka dots.
ReplyDeleteBy "caliber," of course, I refer to both the size of their gun barrels
ReplyDeleteand the high quality of their characters... Two meanings... caliber...
it's a homonym... Forget it.
CM Punk's "Reign of Terror" wasn't producing horrible television like Triple H was.
ReplyDeleteI'll give them a bit of a pass because DB's personal life has gotten in the way of building him up for Extreme Rules ... first his marriage and then his father sadly passing. Not faulting anymore but he's basically only been on TV for, what, two RAWs since winning the title? Three? They had to hot-shot this around it. I'm kind of hoping they give them a longer run than just Extreme Rules because there is a storyline there and there isn't anyone else really for Bryan unless they move him back to Bray Wyatt or Orton/Batista.
ReplyDeleteI would buy front-row tickets if D-Bry developed a lisp and started calling Brie Sapphire. Well, maybe not Sapphire as that name was racist as hell but something like that.
ReplyDeleteZema did cash in against Aries and lost. Gunner got the tag team case somehow and gave it to Storm.
ReplyDeleteI must be missing something on why that name is racist. Sapphires are blue stones. Now, if she had been called Onyx or Chocolate Diamond or something, that would be pretty self-explanatory.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that he wasn't there is even more reason to Play on their history. In fact they could have saved three piledrivers, a stretcher angle, and DBs sadness by letting him stay home and put together a cool video package acknowledging their friendship and breakup and maybe give Kane a reason why all of a sudden they stopped being friends.
ReplyDeleteHaving your own opinion is fine. But there are about a half dozen folks on this blog that love to needle people who might have a typical smark opinion. I'm talking about those who like to go "lulz" every time they see the word "buried," or like to have different sorts of "gotcha" moments.
ReplyDeleteBasically, when I refer to the anit-smark smark brigade, I'm referring to those who: 1. Spend more time shaking their head and wagging their finger at other posters (instead of the topics), oblivious to how troll-like their arguments over semantics appear. 2. And are faithfully ignorant to the fact that they are on a wrestling blog, bashing the same audience they are a part of.
Yah I understand there is a ton of borrowing in professional wrestling, and at times straight theft. From era to era is one thing, and almost understandable to a certain degree. But TNA is straight angle-jacking WWE story lines from CURRENT day product and trying to apply them to their roster.....
ReplyDeleteAJ Styles winning the TNA Title and leaving with it, defending it in NJPW #CMPUNK
Abyss becoming the corporate muscle-monster #KANE
And of course EY, a poor man's Bryan in every way, physically, stature, gnarly beard, underdog #DANIALBRYAN
Dixie being the bitchy bratty Authority #STEPH
I never knew it until i heard Bad News Allen talk about it. I think he said she was a Mammy character of some type. Even if it is something only old folks will remember best to steer clear of it.
ReplyDeleteSapphire actually got her start here in St. Louis. My uncle recognized her from the old Kiel Arena shows.
"Gail Kim says the Beautiful People are making a mockery of the division." To quote our favorite site-master "I love shoot comments that aren't supposed to be shoot comments."
ReplyDeleteBut if you try sometimes, well you just might find.
ReplyDeleteThat was my
ReplyDeleteemail. Thanks for posting it Scott!
The
conclusion I’ve come to is that they didn’t think of Bryan as more then
enhancement talent. They had to build him up somewhat strong so that beating
him meant something. Clearly even with the push they gave him when he resigned
they still had Cole making all those comments about him not being good enough
and being a geek and a nerd. Cole has never said one originally thought on air
in his entire career. So someone, most likely Vince, was feeding him those
lines.
The same goes for Vince coming up with the whole YES thing. Vince had no earthly idea it would become what it is today. That idea was to make to make Bryan into the
annoying heel that kept escaping with the title à la the Honky Tonk Man. In
fact Bryan and Sheamus was an almost exact rewrite of the Honky and Warrior
match from Summerslam 88 that made Warrior into a star. Finally the cocky heel
who wasn't actually good but kept escaping with the title got his comeuppance.
They were hoping the same was going to happen with Sheamus after that match. They made it a star alright. Just wasn’t the guy they were planning on.
Even after it was obvious that the fans wanted them to push Bryan as a legit guy they were hesitant. Both Summerslam and Wrestlemania it was clear he wasn’t the guy they originally wanted for the main event. Summerslam was more annoying because there was really no proper setup. At least Wrestlmania they had the whole HHH thing to play off of. If they had any real intention of having him main event Summerslam
he would have won the MITB. Instead he lost which booked them into a corner
because the fans turned on it. So they had Cena “pick” Bryan for the match.
Which is just setting Bryan up to fail and then they followed that up by bait
and switching the title from him for months.
I also don’t believe the people like David Shoemaker who claim this was some deliberate plan by HHH. I actually think the WWE jumped on this theory when the fans turned on everything at the Rumble. And people in the media like Shoemaker(who I like to read and I like his podcast but I’m 90% sure he is on the WWE payroll. He’s just way too positive about stuff to not be) gave them an out for the way Bryan was booked and the way the fans rejected the original direction of future storylines.
I know this may sound like I’m contradicting my own email but after reading all the
comments this is the theory I’ve come up with.
It's odd how they'll speed through a potentially awesome Roode-Young feud in two hours, but stretch out Dixie-vs.-Table for weeks and months.
ReplyDeleteRock breaks Hammer, but burrito covers Rock. I pick burrito.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see the lights go out, the guy shows up on the screen with a torch and says, "We're in the building." Then he walks down the aisle and sits in a Lazy Boy recliner near the ring.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, on some level it works, since Magnus was booked as a weak champion who literally couldn't beat anyone without interference, so there's no reason why EY couldn't be the one to ultimately pin him and get the belt because, well, Magnus looked like a guy anyone on the roster could beat. On the other hand, how Eric Young is now suddenly getting clean wins over a guy like Bobby Roode probably should have been a bit better thought out.
ReplyDeleteEither way I'm just glad that awful Magnus reign is over, and I can at least be entertained if they're going to have Young wrestle a bunch of solid matches as champ. It's a low bar for TNA to clear, really.
I think the last one is probably a stretch (there's only so many ways you can play an evil authority character), and I'll say this for TNA: At least they aren't ripping off the Bryan vs. The Authority storyline. It's something.
ReplyDeleteYeah well...sometimes you gotta laugh at your own clichés you know?
ReplyDeleteHey, give them some credit!!! Bobby Roode will have to start wearing shorts and neon colors to the ring before that can happen.
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