Rambles about the wonderful world of wrestling.
NXT TakeOver: The End has proven to be many things, but despite rumours it does not seem to signal the end of NXT. For one thing, they have a TV taping tomorrow so that would be a massive waste of time. What it definitely was, is yet another great wrestling show for WWE’s supposed developmental territory.
NXT TakeOver: The End has set some people all a tither. With the brand split now confirmed rumours have been swirling that The End might be more literal than we thought. While I can claim no insider knowledge, I think it’s safe to say that idea is mental. WWE’s developmental system is one of the most entertaining wrestling shows on the go and getting rid of it would rank in the top three dumb Vinnie Mac ideas. Which considering he once tried to take on the NFL is impressive. Whatever is due to happen in the months following The End, it is tough to see this being anything but another brilliant NXT show.
Extreme Rules went off the air with Seth Rollins standing tall over his former brother, Roman Reigns. It raised a simple question, would WWE steer into the cheers that Rollins was receiving or would they try and turn against the current and continue with the sham that is Roman Reigns’ face run? The answer to that question was given loud and clear on Raw. Rollins – for the time being – is bad to the bone.
WWE are doing a good job of keeping interest in the generally barren months after WrestleMania. The self-proclaimed ‘New Era’ may be a little bit less fresh than it first appeared but it is still change. However, none of that matters if when the big shows come about they fall flat, so let’s see whether Extreme Rules kept up the game.
A mere handful of weeks after WWE Payback we are back with the next PPV/whatever it is you call a show that is mainly watched via the Network. Special show? Who knows. Either way, there is a sense of deja vu about this. In many ways, this is just a rehash of what we got at Payback and even as someone who enjoyed that show, it all feels a bit lazy.
In recent months, I have been lax. Whereas in years gone by I have been a regular viewer of ROH, I have quite frankly just not had the time. It’s meant that I am woefully behind on the product and apart from occasionally reading show reports online, don’t quite know where they are at this point in 2016. However, this morning (because once again, UK time zones, etc. ) I caught up with ROH Global Wars, their latest partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling.
WWE has spent the last few weeks promoting the so-called ‘New Era’. This era has been characterised by an influx of new talent all of whom are – to put it simply – rather good. In some ways, it is a brilliant time to be a wrestling fan. When you have AJ Styles, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens being staples of WWE TV then you know that something is going right. However, underneath that surface sheen, it appears that this new era isn’t that different from the last one. In fact, it’s pretty much the same.
Continue reading “The New Era Looks Suspiciously Like The Old”
WWE’s build up to Payback has been surprisingly enjoyable and on paper, this show had the potential to be one of the best WWE shows of the year. So did it deliver on the night?
It says a lot about WWE’s build up to WrestleMania that the normally pointless Payback already feels like a much better show. With the introduction of Shane McMahon and a load of new talent, suddenly WWE seem to be on a bit of a role, and it’s hard to see this show failing. Not only do we have established like Cesaro back in the fold but exciting new feuds featuring Sami Zayn and Baron Corbin. WWE might just be headed in the right direction.
Since WrestleMania, I have started doing something I haven’t done in years. I have been tuning into Raw on a weekly basis. As I write I have last night’s Raw on the TV (I live in the UK so watching it live would still be insane) and I am to a certain extent, enjoying it. Now don’t get me wrong, there are still problems. For one thing, it is far too long, and I am thankful that by recording it I can fast forward through both adverts and the tedious parts. But, something is working on WWE TV right now, and a whole lot of that is down to the decision to throw Shane McMahon into an authority position.
Ramblings About Wrestling 