Rambles about the wonderful world of wrestling.
It’s the last of the final stops on the Road to WrestleMania, and we are in buzzword central. WWE is making sure that it is impossible for you to not realise that the big show is around the corner and they ain’t going for subtle. They will beat you round the head with that sign if they have to. Let’s dish out some stars.
Clash of Champions’ card was the dictionary definition of a brand-split PPV; full of multi-man nonsense and bad gimmicks. It had the potential to be alright, but the wrestlers would have had to work their arses off to get there. Sadly, that’s not quite what happened. Let’s dish out some stars.
It’s sad that Hell In A Cell doesn’t feel like a big deal anymore. Once upon a time, those four words were a source of giddy excitement. Now? It’s just another gimmick match. A glorified cage which has had more duds in recent years than greats. Let’s dish out those stars.
I almost can’t be arsed writing this. WWE obviously couldn’t be arsed putting much effort into Backlash so why should I bother? This PPV (are they still PPVs? What do we call them now?) was a massive waste of time, and while the crowning of Jinder Mahal will help people to forget that, it’s still true. However, I’m nothing if not a pro with a lot of time on their hands so here is eight things I observed at Backlash.
It’s mid-February and WrestleMania season is well and truly swinging. We already have one confirmed match and the next few weeks should see the card begin to be fleshed out. So, I’m going to have some fun. Before WWE ruins everything by booking a load of crap here is the show that I would have broadcast around the world on April 2nd.
I both love and hate TLC. I love it for the action it brings. I hate it for the careers it shortens. However, with SmackDown on a bit of a roll when it comes to their big shows this was much watch TV, and while the carnage was at times tough to stomach, it was also damn entertaining.
The build up to No Mercy wasn’t exactly an easy one for WWE’s blue brand. The circus that is the American presidential debate saw them move the main event into the opening slot on the card while Becky Lynch’s injury meant a late change to the Woman’s Title match. For a show which is already quite thin on the ground, SmackDown was suddenly even shorter.
Six hours. That’s how long you would have to spend in front of your TV if you wanted to watch SummerSlam from start to finish. The biggest party of the summer long outstayed it’s welcome, and WWE certainly didn’t help it.
After Raw’s rather successful reboot on Monday night, SmackDown followed suit with their first proper live show on a Tuesday. While I obviously want Raw to be great, I really want SmackDown to succeed. My wrestling education was birthed in the technical excellence of Paul Heyman’s SmackDown, and it has genuinely pained me to see the Blue Brand fall away over the years.
There is an argument to be made for Money in the Bank having replaced Survivor Series as one of WWE’s big four shows. The last few years have had important events take place at this ladder heavy spectacle and this year is no different. Perhaps unsurprisingly, spoilers do follow.
Ramblings About Wrestling 