Blog Archives
WWE Elimination Chamber 2017 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Back in the Pay-Per-View fold after a year’s absence, the infamous Elimination Chamber was all a part of the blue brand’s WrestleMania build.
With Royal Rumble winner Randy Orton in the wings for a Title shot, six of the best would battle it out to see who he’d face, a few in the first Chamber match of their careers.
On a night where a few undercard talents had their moment, other bouts got lost in the shuffle, but as always, SmackDown delivered when it counted.
Notes In Observance – WWE Raw 2/6/17: Wild Samoans
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 2/6/17)
Wild Samoans
– One week after Samoa Joe’s riveting debut that involved a sideline beatdown of Seth Rollins, it was probably no secret that the angle would be the focus to open the show. It’s funny how the Rollins-Triple H storyline mulls along through the months, but with big happenings, it heats up. At this time, Rollins was likely to miss WrestleMania, which actually put more heat on Joe and rather than ignore that, they used it to their advantage. The opening video delved into all that, with sleek editing that actually brought meaning to Trips’ promo on Rollins last week and set up the moment well for Joe to attack. We’ll guess Joe will be branded as “The Destroyer” from hereon out. The key as always is the followup.
WWE Survivor Series 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
If WWE in 2016 has taught us anything, it’s that content outweighs logic.
After an hour and 51 minute pre-show came a three hour and 26-minute Pay-Per-View for a total of five hours and 27 minutes of air time.
Nothing screamed “filler” like interbranded 10-man elimination tag matches, with little consequences. Three of them, to be exact.
It’s like watching the World Series between two teams you don’t like. There’s no emotional investment besides the ones who’re directly involved.
Luckily, the best build ironically went to Goldberg-Brock Lesnar, the personification of the overhyped “Fantasy Warfare Just Got Real” catchphrase.
In this case, some things should stay fantasy.
WWE Hell In A Cell 2016 Reaction
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
With yet another Pay-Per-View in the bag, we were left underwhelmed and disappointed by Raw’s Hell In A Cell.
In a show that boasted three main events, three HIAC bouts and the first time a women’s match took place in the structure and main-evented a PPV, there was history made.
In the end though, nobody would rank these HIAC matches among the greatest.
The show ranged from terrible to great, dependent on where you looked.
Luckily, there was some change in directions as some belts changed hands.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown Live 10/25/16: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em…
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 10/25/16)
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em…
– The opening video built up the main event of Dean Ambrose-WWE World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles with the catch that if Ambrose won, he’d be #1 Contender for the World Title. They also glossed over James Ellsworth’s two wins over Styles with Ambrose’s help and how it’d all factor into things. It was another cool instance where a bout came from a “Talking Smack” segment. Only SD Live hypes their own post-show. None of that happens on Raw, but we guess three hours is enough to suffer through for most.
WWE No Mercy 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
In an unprecedented period where we had five pro wrestling pay-per-views between Sept. 11 and Oct. 11 between WWE, Ring Of Honor and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, we were exhausted by Oct. 9 when No Mercy rolled around.
Luckily, if you look at that nice poster to the side, SmackDown Live had been headlined by the excellent heel duo of WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz/Maryse as he was engaged in a “Title Vs. Career” feud with Dolph Ziggler.
That feud would become synonymous with this show for reasons we’ll explore below.
It also helped that we had a Triple-Threat main event for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship between Champion AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose and John Cena that actually opened the show for a change.
Cool on the surface, but that brought us to the problem – one disorganized card.
WWE Clash Of Champions 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
After SmackDown set the standard for brand-exlcusive Pay-Per-Views with Backlash, it was time for Raw (the supposed “A-Show”) to deliver.
Unfortunately, a three-hour show marred by overbooking and convoluted logic has only proven that Raw has been dreadful.
If anybody needs an example of what an “eh” show will deliver, look at Clash Of Champions.
On paper, things looked salvageable, but like we thought, Raw’s flaws overtook what would’ve been great and turned it into what could’ve been.
WWE Backlash 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Like it or not, WWE’s new 19-a-year Pay-Per-View schedule is upon us.
While six-hour marathons like SummerSlam don’t make it sound delightful, the idea that we could get shows like Backlash gives us hope.
You knew the draft truly set in when we got the first-ever SmackDown Live-Exclusive PPV on Sep. 11.
With some things promised like the crownings of the inaugural WWE SmackDown Women’s and WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions and a few shiners like the WWE Intercontinental Championship match between Champion The Miz and Dolph Ziggler and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Champion Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles, we had much to look forward to.
WWE SummerSlam 2016 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Within the “New Era” has been an attempt by WWE to showcase new talent on the precipice of an ever-growing content generator known as the WWE Network, where fans can not only tune in to live Pay-Per-Views (seven of more which were announced to be added to the already-stacked yearly 12 to make an absurd 19) but go back and watch almost everything WWE has ever produced.
That said, sometimes more new content isn’t necessarily the best scenario.
If you count the two-hour pre-show, SummerSlam clocked in and six hours and three minutes with 13 matches.
On a stacked Supercard, only a third of it was deemed excellent. The rest of it couldn’t have been more filler if we tried.
SummerSlam was the personification of having too much of a good thing and not knowing how to properly utilize it.
The RSN Wrestling Podcast – TNA
Photo courtesy of Facebook.
*An RSN Wrestling Podcast Exclusive*
Check out the latest episode of The RSN Wrestling Podcast, as PWO’s own Nick, “The Mastermind” Sal and “Big Guy” Rich take the time out to discuss all things TNA, from the early Asylum days to the many faction warfares in its heyday to that time Impact competed against WWE Raw on Mondays in 2010.
The Knockouts, Dixie Carter, The Miracle, Ethan Carter III, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, you name it, it’s spoken of!
Watch Below:
