The Official WWE / NXT Discussion Thread *May Contain Spoilers*

[Nathers7]

That's the 5th PPV in a row Cena has main evented without even being involved in the title picture . I don't know one person who was looking forward to Cena - Show more than the WWE title match so why don't they just put it in the main event? Everyone knew Cena was going over, the WWE title finish was up in the air due to the situation with AJ.

 

Sheamus - Ziggler and Christian - Rhodes were good matches I thought but again the finishes were pretty obvious. Good to see them bringing up the Tag Team division again, all of those teams seem to have chemistry.

 

Ryback squashing jobbers again, his segments are turning into comedy skits now. Needs to move on to bigger fish.

 

You know it wouldn't surprise me if Cena's match at Summerslam was the main event, Triple H - Lesnar was just before it and Punk and the WWE title are reduced to the midcard.

[milamber]

Sheamus v Ziggler - Fantastic opening match that booked both guys strong. 2 solid workers but I didn't expect it to be that good. Booker did a good job

putting Ziggler over.

 

Rhodes v Christian - Decent match made better by the 2 guys trying to outsmart each other throughout. Again both guys were booked strong.

 

Epico/Primo v Gabriel/Kidd v Prime Time Players v Usos - Good exposure for the tag division. Nice twist with AW. Tyson Kidd is underrated.

 

Hunico v Sin Cara - Finally someone makes Sin Cara look fallible by dominating him. Sin Cara was still a bit sloppy, though. Hunico has really grown on me.

 

Kane v Bryan v Punk - Not as technical with Tweener Kane in the mix but it freshened up the feud. Non-stop action from start to finish. Didn't expect

Punk to retain. Who gets a title shot next -- Big Show? Rhodes? Lesnar? Rock?

 

Show v Cena - Started off weak but the last 10 minutes were pretty riveting for a cage match, given the wrestlers involved.

 

Decent PPV that was weak on paper but turned out okay thanks to above average scripting (by WWE standards) in the important matches. And the filler matches were fairly entertaining. About as good as could be expected. Let's hope they up the ante at MITB & SummerSlam.

[djthefunkchris]

I don't care about Cena main eventing at all. He's head and shoulders above the rest of the roster in popularity. 'Til someone comes close on a consistent basis, meaning not just one or two months in a row, but consistently month after month, it makes sense to me. He doesn't even have to have a real opponent for this to happen.

 

Titles are just focal points/props for telling the story of the characters AND helping them get over. Cena hasn't needed the title for a few years now, but other's can be helped by it, so that is good the way they are doing it right now. Cena has been out of the loop for a while, which I pointed out not that long ago. He has a total different reality to attend to, that doesn't involve the titles.

 

Far as the show was concerned, I heard there was no interest in the divas match (although they said it was pretty good), and the Santino thing backfired (people chanting "Boring").

 

I heard the crowd was horrible, but the PPV was actually good overall. Outside of those two match's, the whole thing was really good... and the Diva match could have possibly been uninteresting because people are bored with that story (needs to move on).

 

Outside of all that, the PPV according to every sight I read a review of it on, said it was a good PPV, just a horrible crowd.

 

I wasn't able to catch it, unfortunately.. but I'm glad since I hate it when the crowd isn't hot.

[Nathers7]

I don't care about Cena main eventing at all. He's head and shoulders above the rest of the roster in popularity. 'Til someone comes close on a consistent basis, meaning not just one or two months in a row, but consistently month after month, it makes sense to me. He doesn't even have to have a real opponent for this to happen.

 

The crowd was hot during the WWE title and World Heavyweight title matches, they seemed bored as hell during the Cena - Big Show match. Maybe that's where the reports of the bad crowd came from. Ziggler and Bryan got bigger pops than anything that happened in the main event.

 

I don't mind Cena main eventing as long as it's a match people care about (Rock and Lesnar for example) but Laurenitis and Big Show ?

[Wallbanger]

I don't mind Cena main eventing as long as it's a match people care about (Rock and Lesnar for example) but Laurenitis and Big Show ?

 

For good or ill, it was necessary to end/evolve the Laurenitis storyline (which NEEDED ending).

[Wallbanger]

Oh, and for the record, AJ sells crazy better than anyone I've ever seen. I DON'T "dig crazy chicks" but lordy lordy lordy do I dig AJ...

[Rone Rivendale]

If someone had given me the choice at the end of NXT 3 who would end up with a better career, Kaitlyn or AJ, I would have laughed my ass off and said Kaitlyn of course. And I would have been dead wrong.

 

I've made this point before time and time again, sometimes it just takes the right gimmick/persona to bring out the best in someone. It happened with Santino when he went from bland IC champ to funniest guy in WWE. It happened with Cena when he went from bland blue chipper to rapper. It happened when Austin (in WWE, I know he was big in WCW) when he went from The Ringmaster to Stone Cold. And of course, when Rocky Miavia went from "Die Rocky Die" chants to being the People's Champion (before he became the people's sell out).

 

AJ is brilliant in this current storyline. She plays the crazy girl SO well. I hope she can take this beyond the current Bryan/Punk/Kane feud because it would be a shame if she faded into obscurity after this ends. Whoever wins the feud HAS to be the one that AJ latches onto and becomes the manager/valet of. Otherwise, it'll be back to NXT/FCW/Superstars.

[moon_lit_tears]

Oh, and for the record, AJ sells crazy better than anyone I've ever seen. I DON'T "dig crazy chicks" but lordy lordy lordy do I dig AJ...

 

Hello, have we met?

 

 

Plus...

 

Cena may have competition for popularity.

[Astil]

Hello, have we met?

 

 

Plus...

 

Cena may have competition for popularity.

 

Maybe, maybe Punk.

 

Maybe.

 

He's the only one close to his level.

[Nathers7]

For good or ill, it was necessary to end/evolve the Laurenitis storyline (which NEEDED ending).

 

Good point, I just would have preferred them to make a bigger deal out of the WWE title storyline which I think had the capability to headline the past 2 PPVs. Bryan, Punk and AJ are gold right now, AJ in particular. Don't remember the last time a diva garnered this much interest.

[moon_lit_tears]

Maybe, maybe Punk.

 

Maybe.

 

He's the only one close to his level.

 

That's who I was thinking of. I think he may be up there with Cena, I mean Cena gets a LOT of boos quite often, and a lot of the people around here can't stand him.

 

I <3 Punk with a passion. Just sayin...

 

Good point, I just would have preferred them to make a bigger deal out of the WWE title storyline which I think had the capability to headline the past 2 PPVs. Bryan, Punk and AJ are gold right now, AJ in particular. Don't remember the last time a diva garnered this much interest.

 

 

She will never EVER IMO be as good as Trish...

[Nathers7]

She will never EVER IMO be as good as Trish...

 

I never said she would.... Bear in mind Trish was around back when Divas were a big deal. I think AJ's doing a great job with her gimmick however.

[Hyde Hill]

I don't care about Cena main eventing at all. He's head and shoulders above the rest of the roster in popularity. 'Til someone comes close on a consistent basis, meaning not just one or two months in a row, but consistently month after month, it makes sense to me. He doesn't even have to have a real opponent for this to happen.

 

Titles are just focal points/props for telling the story of the characters AND helping them get over. Cena hasn't needed the title for a few years now, but other's can be helped by it, so that is good the way they are doing it right now. Cena has been out of the loop for a while, which I pointed out not that long ago. He has a total different reality to attend to, that doesn't involve the titles.

 

 

I think the point that is actually relevant behind it all is the fact that the guys holding the straps are being elevated by them less because they are not in the main event and that their feuds are given significantly less time and attention. So Cena being beyond the belts atm = fine, Cena almost completely overshadowing the world title pictures = not fine.

 

You can have these stories with Cena but put them in the semi main event, not counting filler in between, or the third match that matters on a card.

[Hyde Hill]

Good point, I just would have preferred them to make a bigger deal out of the WWE title storyline which I think had the capability to headline the past 2 PPVs. Bryan, Punk and AJ are gold right now, AJ in particular. Don't remember the last time a diva garnered this much interest.

 

Psycho Micky = WWE fans love their crazy women, Kharma for while it lasted?

 

Anyhoo from what I read it seems they had a very "smark" heavy crowd, which can be gold at times but not with this card aside from 3 matches where favs where involved.

[Teh_Showtime]

Well it was in Jersey. Also Raw tonight should have a good crowd too. Likely Ryder chants again from his backyard

[The Final Countdown]

You can have these stories with Cena but put them in the semi main event, not counting filler in between, or the third match that matters on a card.

My thoughts exactly. I had no problem with his matches with Rock and Brock headlining those PPVs, because they were clearly special matches that needed to go on last. But I don't see why his matches with Show, Johnny, Kane, etc. need to headline. I don't think it adds anything to those matches or the shows as a whole, and it makes the WWE Championship come off as a midcard belt in my eyes.

[Hyde Hill]

Or his match with Kane at the Chamber. Plus placing them lower on the card won't hurt them/Cena at all either.

[Target Practice]

Personally, the Cena headlining thing irritates me a little, but I don't order the PPV for John Cena or the order of the card, I order it for matches like Sheamus/Ziggler and Punk/Bryan/Kane (now with added AJ!). As long as WWE keep putting on matches and storylines like those, I'll keep ordering.

 

I really don't see any reason the WWE can't push Ziggler hard now - the 'Let's go Ziggler' chanting was so painfully obvious that someone obviously thought it necessary to make poor King embarrass himself by trying to claim it was a 'Let's go Sheamus' chant - the guy is second only to Daniel Bryan in 'heels that are ridiculously popular' stakes right now.

It even falls into place - let Punk/Kane (I'm assuming Bryan's role in the feud will be pushed to the side now - turn Miz and let him feud with Bryan) fight over AJ at MITB and maybe Summerslam. Meanwhile, have Ziggler win MITB and start building him for a feud with Punk while someone gets ready with a mop to clean up all the fangasm.

[Bull]

If people want to see Cena they will pay to see him regardless of whether he is in the opener, main event, or anywhere in between. So long as they say he will be there, I see nothing that says he has to be the main event of every show.

[Target Practice]

Yeah, but it's one of the oldest rules of putting on a show - you save the 'best' for last. A band doesn't bury their biggest single/best song in the middle of the set - they save it for the encore.

Same with a wrestling show - you don't put your biggest draw in the middle of the card, you save him for the main event. Now, say what you like about Cena, but he's still the WWE's biggest draw by a long shot - kids or not, the money's still the same, and Cena brings that money in.

 

Not saying I don't agree with everything everyone's already said - it annoys me just as much that Cena and Big Show have an outstandingly average match in the main event, and Ziggler and Sheamus jerk the curtain with one of the better matches I've seen in the past 6 months, but I can at least understand what WWE are doing.

 

To be honest, there were bigger problems with that card than the order of it - that Tuxedo match was an absolute stinker, even by 'novelty match' standards.

 

 

EDIT: Anyone know if Ziggler genuinely tweaked his knee in that match, by the way? He went down holding it after that sit-out facebuster off the top rope, and seemed to be favouring it pretty heavily during the rest of the match and afterwards. Hope he's not injured...

[Timber]

I know it's silly, but after playing TEW for so long, i look at card structure. Start with a good opener, control the crowd with ok matches, start the build up then hit the punk/kane/bryan match.

 

The way they have it with Cena/Show then the ending promo of Cena smashing Ace, that'll lower your grade every time. So an A show gets a B-. I've been ruined by Adam.

[Arrows]

I know it's silly, but after playing TEW for so long, i look at card structure. Start with a good opener, control the crowd with ok matches, start the build up then hit the punk/kane/bryan match.

 

The way they have it with Cena/Show then the ending promo of Cena smashing Ace, that'll lower your grade every time. So an A show gets a B-. I've been ruined by Adam.

 

You think Bryan/Kane/Punk would outscore Show/Cena and the ending segment? In a WWE product set up, with realistic stats where Cena's not buried stats wise and Punk/Bryan aren't given stupid high overness?

 

Not even close.

[Timber]

Ah true, it's all entertainment. Falling back on my love of old WCW when there was work rate. Hehe. WWE tweaked things so much that it's all overness and entertainment. In a perfect world they'd crash and we'd get some real wars with ROH/TNA/WWE. That's my dream. Then again i'd have Chikara become a Global company.

[Hyde Hill]

Yeah, but it's one of the oldest rules of putting on a show - you save the 'best' for last. A band doesn't bury their biggest single/best song in the middle of the set - they save it for the encore.

Same with a wrestling show - you don't put your biggest draw in the middle of the card, you save him for the main event. Now, say what you like about Cena, but he's still the WWE's biggest draw by a long shot - kids or not, the money's still the same, and Cena brings that money in.

 

Not saying I don't agree with everything everyone's already said - it annoys me just as much that Cena and Big Show have an outstandingly average match in the main event, and Ziggler and Sheamus jerk the curtain with one of the better matches I've seen in the past 6 months, but I can at least understand what WWE are doing.

 

 

Yeah but wrestling isn't the same as you can manipulate what people think is the best song and people buying a ppv for just that song will be happy anywhere you place it as long as you place it etc.

 

You need to see more matches or you really really like Ziggler fair enough. Aries vs Joe blew that out of the water and with less time imho.

 

And yup Arrows.

[Bull]

Yeah but wrestling isn't the same as you can manipulate what people think is the best song and people buying a ppv for just that song will be happy anywhere you place it as long as you place it etc.

 

You need to see more matches or you really really like Ziggler fair enough. Aries vs Joe blew that out of the water and with less time imho.

 

And yup Arrows.

 

I didn't see the Aries vs. Joe Match so I can't compare the two. I guess I need so see more matches also. But if your not comparing it to anything I thought Ziggler vs. Sheamus was a good match.