BEARcast - WrestleCast 02/25/2015

BEARcast - WrestleCast 2015-02-25 with Fred "The Oracle"

Fred’s back and it is time to talk rasslin’.  In this week’s WrestleCast we discuss everything from the past two weeks including the results of FastLane and what to watch for as we get closer to WrestleMania.


Please check us out at www.worldofbear.com and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-bear/id828777439?mt=2 and don't forget to Subscribe!  Also, don't forget to spread the word to friends, family and fans.

Thanks,
WK
@wkbear on Twitter or email the show at WorldOfBearBC@gmail.com to send in ideas and comments.
Contact Fred on Twitter @FreddyD15

R.I.P. Undertaker

With FastLane this weekend and all the hints that Bray Wyatt has been dropping, I fully expect to see the return of one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, The Undertaker.  He’s a legend.  He’s an Icon.  He’s a tentpole character of the WWE.  He’s on the Mount Rushmore of wrestling.  

It is time for The Undertaker to go away.  

Here are the last six WrestleMania matches the Undertaker has been in:

2009 - Shawn Michaels (W-pinfall)

2010 - Shawn Michaels (W-pinfall)

2011 - HHH (W-submission)

2012 - HHH (W-pinfall)

2013 - CM Punk (W-pinfall)

2014 - Brock Lesnar (L-pinfall) 

All of these matches were five-star but the last one was special, not because of the wrestling but because of the result.  The 2014 loss to Brock Lesnar was the breaker of his never-to-be-repeated WrestleMania win streak and left him at 21-1.  As is tradition in wrestling, he went out on his back and put over the next generation of performer.  This is how I want to remember The Undertaker.  

A few months ago, my WrestleCast (www.worldofbear.com) podcast partner Fred, started reporting rumors and theories that The Undertaker was going to indeed return and most likely feud with the next “dark anti-hero” Bray Wyatt.  The idea was nice but the last time I saw Taker was as he limped backstage after being demolished by Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30.  He literally was taken to the hospital because of injuries he’d suffered in that match.  Now, a year later he was going to return?  For what?  Why?  To whose benefit?

The hardest thing for anyone to know is when to step down.  Be it an actor, an athlete, a titan of industry or the guy working a 9-to-5 for the past 40 years.  Of course there are factors such as health and wealth which will dictate what decisions one will make.  I assume The Undertaker is financially secure.  Keep in mind he WALKS into the Hall of Fame, instantly receives a generous WWE Legend’s contract and still gets royalties from Undertaker merchandise (for god’s sake one of the best known monster trucks is named after him).  I think he’s set as far as money, although if his financial decisions are on par with the decision to tattoo his now ex-wife’s name across his throat… maybe he needs the money?

Regardless, it is the right time for The Undertaker to officially retire.  Sure he can wear the costume and have an awesome entrance but once he makes it to the ring, takes off the coat and the hat, all that’s left is an old man.  What will losing to Bray Wyatt do for either of them?  Nothing.  If he beats Bray Wyatt, he’ll hurt Bray’s push.  Is the WWE going to start a new streak for The Undertaker?  Can they drag “The Deadman’s” corpse out one more year in 2016 to fight an only slightly less rigor mortis’d Sting?       

The WWE’s case for keeping him around and active would be that if even for one night a year, The Undertaker vs (fill in the blank) is an attraction.  But the WWE doesn’t need to sell one night PPV’s anymore.  They need to sell storylines.  Sure, there may be a pop for people to purchase the WWE network in March to get WrestleMania but the WWE’s model should / is changing to long form storytelling that doesn’t need to culminate at the PPV.  This is a longer and much different conversation but by this time next year, if the WWE is still booking their storylines to culminate at a random Sunday each month, their network will be failing.  Maybe WrestleMania will be the last bastion of singular event shows each year, which is fine.  I love a big event that pays off.  I would also love to see five good feuds which built up to a defining match that resulted in a 30 - 60 minute special each night of a “special event week.”  Take FastLane’s card for instance.  There are five matches listed on WWE.com.  Instead of a one night event, spread FastLane out all week on the Network.  Once completed, you could still put the matches into a television showcase and air it on Sunday.  Again, this is a longer topic but to the point regarding The Undertaker, his value as a spectacle is diminishing.  If he can’t help build up a story and is ineffective in-ring, then why is he there?

For the past five years, The Undertaker’s value has been in “The Streak” and now there is no streak.  The WWE needs to move on and focus it’s efforts into building Bray Wyatt into the next Undertaker and not be buried by the burden of wrestling against The Undertaker.  On their respective Stone Cold Steve Austin podcast appearances, HHH and Mr. McMahon both said that many of the younger wrestlers needed to find their voice and show greater initiative.  It’s very hard to do that when you’ve still got characters like Kane, Big Show and The Undertaker filling up valuable slots on RAW and PPV’s.  

One of the unspoken secrets to the WWE’s success during the Monday Night Wars was that most of the older talent went to WCW.  This cleared the way and forced the WWE to push their younger stable into the spotlight.  Stone Cold, The Rock, Mankind and even HHH were thrown into the main event with the likes of The Undertaker, HBK and Bret Hart because they WWE needed new stars to compete with WCW’s hired guns (such as Hogan, Hall, Nash, etc.).  If you look back to the Attitude Era, you’ll find just as many wrestlers that didn’t take off as the ones that found success.  The difference then is that the WWE was forced to test these guys and luckily they found some diamonds.  You can’t tell me that in the field of Wyatt, Ziggler, Bryan, Barrett, Rusev, Ambrose, Rollins, Reigns, Miz, Sandow, Cody Rhodes, Kofi, Big E, Cesaro, Sheamus, etc. and countless NXT potential, there aren’t a few mega-superstars to be found?  Someone has to step up to the Cena / Lesnar / RKO level in the next few years or the WWE, and their aging stars, will look like a scene from The Walking Dead.  I’ve seen flashes of greatness from their current roster and NXT-ers.  The next generation of Superstar is out there.

Sadly, the future doesn’t involve The Undertaker as an active character.  Learn from The Patriot’s coach Bill Belichick; it’s better to cut or trade a player a year too soon than a year too late.  As shocking as it was when The Undertaker lost at WM30 and as upset as all the fans were, WM31 isn’t going to be any less special because the “The Streak” isn’t a part of it.  

And fear not, Mark Calaway is not actually dead.  He’s living a better life than you and I somewhere in Texas.  

Until next time…

WK

@wkbear

For more, check out the BEARcast - WrestleCast :

www.worldofbear.com

http://www.bearssportstalk.blogspot.com 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-bear/id828777439?mt=2

BEARcast - WrestleCast 02/18/2015 All Stars

BEARcast - WrestleCast 2015-02-18 with WrestleCast All Stars

With Fred out of town, the only way to fill the void is to bring in the WrestleCast All Stars!  I’m joined by Dustin, Kevin and Ethan this week.  We review RAW, preview FastLane, WrestleMania and we get into TV, Black History, torturing our significant others, wrestling movie ideas and much more.  All the highlights. 

Please check us out at www.worldofbear.com and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-bear/id828777439?mt=2 and don't forget to Subscribe!  Also, don't forget to spread the word to friends, family and fans.

Thanks,
WK
@wkbear on Twitter or email the show at WorldOfBearBC@gmail.com to send in ideas and comments.
Contact Fred on Twitter @FreddyD15

BEARcast - ShowCast 2/17/2015

BEARcast - ShowCast with Larry T

The return of BearCast favorite, Larry T.!  If you like Dodgers superfan pre-season talk, TV, Movies and how to do Valentine’s Day with four kids, you’ll love today’s show! Enjoy.  

Please check us out at www.worldofbear.com and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-bear/id828777439?mt=2 and don't forget to Subscribe!  Also, don't forget to spread the word to friends, family and fans.

Thanks,
WK
@wkbear on Twitter or email the show at WorldOfBearBC@gmail.com to send in ideas and comments.

Seth Rollins and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Coming at you from Ohio State University, where the first hour and fifteen minutes put me to sleep and I missed all the good stuff that happened during the second half of RAW.  When I woke up the next morning, I found there was a better show taking place on the internet than on the USA Network the night before.  That show being the real life drama of Seth Rollins.

If you’re a wrestler and you make it onto sites like wwtdd.com and deadspin.com and TMZ.com then you know you’ve got problems.  

Ok, quick recap, Seth Rollins has been cheating on his fiancé with an NXT side-piece.  Said side-piece had a nude photo taken of her and was posted on Rollins’s Instagram account.  

SIDE NOTE, this also meant that the same nude picture found its way onto the WWE website because of course anything posted by one of their wrestlers on social media gets automatically uploaded to their computer feed.  

A nude pic of an NXT-er?  That’s just a happy accident.  The shit hit the fan when Rollins’s fiancé saw the nude pic, got a little upset and started blasting nude pics of Seth Rollins and some intimate love sonnets Rollins wrote to his, what I like to now call, “developmental territory” on Twitter and Facebook.  This is why the only social media I use is LinkedIn.  You never hear of any salacious hacks of someone’s LinkedIn account.  Of course you never hear of anyone getting a job from their LinkedIn account either.  But I digress…

This is all fun for us to joke about but there’s a real opportunity here for the WWE and Seth Rollins.  “Any press is good press.”  No one knows that better than the WWE.  What better way to distract the fans from the snooze-fest that is Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan (we’ll get to that in a second) than to build off some scandalous press for your main heel?

Here’s what the WWE should do.  We all know the adage of, “The coverup is worse than the crime.”  In that vein Seth Rollins and the WWE should start pumping out this story:

Seth Rollins is the ultimate heel.  Not only did he “sell out” but he cheats on his fiancé and is just a despicable person.  HE CANNOT BE TRUSTED!!!  In or out of the ring.  Rollins should say, “Yeah, I did it.  So what?!  I’m the chosen one.  From Hogan to Flair to HBK, all the top guys live life to the fullest, unlike all you losers sitting around watching us from the couch.  When I come to town, hide your wives and daughters!”  

Regardless, I’m guessing Valentine’s Day won’t be the happiest time of year for Mr. Rollins.    

One last item before we get to the Power Rankings.  For the past month, everyone’s favorite punching bag has been Roman Reigns.  The majority of complaints have been that Daniel Bryan didn’t get the win and subsequent “push” from the Royal Rumble.  To all those that are crying for Daniel Bryan all I have to say is; Did you watch Monday’s RAW?  

Neither wrestler is particularly ready to snatch the WHC from Brock Lesnar’s grip.  Granted, the WWE isn’t helping the situation by force-feeding us a steady diet of Big Show and Kane as the main obstacles that are supposed to put over the Bryan / Reigns duo.  But at this point, does it really matter?  On this week’s podcast, Fred helps me talk through a few scenarios that would help get either Bryan or Reigns over as plausible winners at WM31.  

Please listen and subscribe to the BEARcast - WrestleCast.  This week is a great episode that will make up for the lackluster RAW.  Fred came by for a LIVE recording and those are always the best.  you can find us at www.worldofbear.com / http://www.bearssportstalk.blogspot.com / and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-bear/id828777439?mt=2

If you’re looking for a well done, slow simmer to a possible epic match, look no further than the work that the WWE is doing with Bray Wyatt.  They’ve been building him up with solid wins, in great matches, against worthy opponents over the past few months.  Fred has been pushing the idea of a Wyatt / Undertaker match at WM31 but I didn’t truly see it until this week.  All the wins and all the odd promos towards an unknown enemy now seem to be directed straight toward The Dead Man.  It’s still hard to imaging that Undertaker would come back just to loose at WM31 in order to put Bray Wyatt over, but it’s just as hard to believe he’d come back for one last match, win (to be 21 and 1, and 1 again?) and not stick to tradition by giving back to the business and “going out on his back.”  The execution isn’t clear but the fact that everything is set for a big Undertaker reveal at FastLane seems to be… dead on!  (sorry, I had to do it) 

   

So with that, let’s get to the rankings as of this week’s RAW on 2/09/2015...

1. Bray Wyatt (1) – I just talked about it.  He’s on a hot streak and is clearly focusing his crazy promos at someone.  
   
2.  Dolph Ziggler (2) – Watching Ziggler lose to Bray in the Match of the Night and knowing that Bray could be setting up a huge story, Dolph shouldn’t feel bad.  He’s proving to be the heir apparent to HBK in-ring.  His style, his moves, his sells and just overall craftsmanship each night reminds me of HBK.  My only hope is that he lands a good feud for WM31 or if he IS stuck with the likes of Ryback and Rowan to face off against the dregs of The Authority, Ziggler can shine as he did at Survivor Series. 
3. Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman (N/A) – Thank you Paul Heyman for saving us.  By far the best promo of the night but did you expect anything less?  The bigger shock was that Brock was there.  What’s his role at FastLane?   
   
4. Damien Miz-Dow w/ Miz (8) – Who cares that he lost to Sin Cara (who should've gone straight from the ring to the Greyhound bus waiting to take him back to Florida to join his tag partner in NXT’s Rival show).  Another slow burn to a great WM31 match.  Even my girlfriend stops to check out the antics between Miz and Miz-dow.  That’s all you need to know about the level of performance that they’re putting on.
   
5. Cody-Stardust and Dustin-Goldust (13) – Another great feud.  I realize I’m probably more into this feud that most people.  I love what Cody has done with the Stardust character over the past year.  If this plays out to be Goldust’s farewell and they’re able to bring Cody Rhodes back AND put him over all in one great family storyline, I’m in 100%.  
6. Tyson Kidd w/ Natalya and Cesaro (9) – I didn’t realize Kidd had this much charisma to go along with his Hart Family wrestling training.  This is one storyline that I hate seeing the KayFabe being broken on Total Divas.  Kidd and Natalya really have something on screen together.  I don’t want to know that they’re fighting behind the curtain.  Cesaro is great but lacks a vision.  Throwing these three together seemed odd at first but it’s working.  I’d like to see them get a gimmick if they’re going to stick together as a tag team for a minute.  It doesn’t have to be super committed like The Ascension or The New Age Outlaws but something as simple as Team Hell-No (Kane and Bryan) would be enough.
   
7. The Usos w/ Naomi (10) – The perfect opponents for Kidd / Cesaro / Natalya.  Or it should be the other way around since the Usos are the Tag Champs.  Either way, a mixed tag match between all six of these great in-ring workers should be awesome.
8. Paige (15) – Not only did they have the monumental task of coming out after an hour of mind numbing programing and a dead crowd, but Paige and the Bellas were able to spark the crowd and get them fired up for the next hour which turned out to be good.  Besides being the only thing worth watching on Total Divas, Paige is also one of the best performers in the WWE.  I’m truly shocked to be saying this.
9. The Bellas (16) – You can listen to Fred and I rail against the Bellas a year ago on the WrestleCast (www.worldofbear.com) and I despise them on Total Divas, which makes what they’re accomplishing in the ring even more impressive.  It’s not Shakespeare but each of them brings to the table what the other lacks.  Together they make a really solid wrestler.  I’m actually excited for this Paige vs N-Bella matchup. 
10. Dean Ambrose (14) – His beating up on Curtis Axel isn’t important.  What’s important is this looming feud with Wade Barrett.  It’s nice to see someone make the claim that the IC strap is important and is going full-out to obtain it.
11. Curtis Axel (18) – Call me crazy.  I can’t lie.  I like this #AxelMania bullshit.  That being said, I don’t want to see this go much further.  Reigns should come out and toss him over the top rope in a squash match just to shut him up. 
12. Seth Rollins (4) – Put aside all the personal issues, he’s still a great performer.  Everyone assumes his next opponent will be RKO, who’s been mysteriously absent.  Is an RKO return at FastLane one of the twists we should expect?  Last time the WWE gave away a free PPV before a major event, we got the arrival of Sting.  
13. Daniel Bryan (3) – You could easily flip Bryan and Reigns around here.  They’re practically the same character except on is bigger and better looking while the other has a catchy phrase and is one of the best wrestlers.  We should know more regarding what’s next for both Bryan and Reigns by the end of FastLane.
    
14. Roman Reigns (6) – Just read Daniel Bryan’s ranking.  Swap Bryan’s earthly hipster look for Roman’s wet hair, utility vest and chiseled features and you’ve got the same info.  “Believe That!” 
15. The New Day (N/A) – They have all the potential in the world…IF THEY WOULD JUST TURN HEEL!  Oh, and it’s nice to see that by the second week of Black History Month we finally get a few black males in an actual match.  That’s called progress, boys and girls… 
    
16. HHH and Stephanie (5) – I’ll let them slide considering they were probably dealing with the HAZMAT crew needed to clean up the mess Rollins, his fiancé and his cock were making on the internet.  (fear not, WWE-fashion expert is on his game… I give her a C for Monday’s wardrobe, didn’t like it)
17. Rusev w/ Lana (12) – She’s a total smoke show.  Every week I’m amazed that they get her skirt shorter and her top tighter.  If this was still the Attitude Era, she’d definitely be done up in that Sports Illustrated / Playboy body paint where is looks like clothing, at least for a PPV.  Oh, am I supposed to care about anything else???
18. John Cena (7) – They have to reference the eye but no one seems to know what the injury actually is from?  Is it pinkeye?  Or is it his robotic endoskeleton trying to shed it’s fleshy human parts so that he can begin lead the robot revolution?  IS this the real life beginning to The Age of Ultron?  Run for your lives!  Finish reading this and download the WrestleCast, but right after that RUN!
19. Ryback (19) – Watching him flipping and flopping his Monsanto grown GMO muscles all around the ring like a deranged fish out of water bores me to no end.  Was there ever a bigger backhanded slap than when Ziggler, Rowan and Ryback came out to face The Authority’s minions than when it was Ryback’s music that led the charge?  Ziggler please.
    
20. Big Show and Kane (20) – I’ve never once said, “You know what RAW needs, more, longer Big Show and Kane segments.”  In fact it’s usually the hard opposite of that.  But for some reason we got about an hour and a half of Big Show and Kane on Monday.  Not a surprise I fell asleep through most of the show.

Honorable Mentions

NXT Rival – When not fronting as the stash house for the main roster’s road whores, the NXT is one of the best shows in wrestling.  The WWE is not overselling this.  Check it out, you’ll enjoy it.  And it’s free this month (to new subscribers)

Sheamus – Returns… eventually…

Fake Sting – Could have done without that.  I was under the assumption this “face off” was going to be at FastLane anyway.  It made no sense.

Rikishi – Congrats on making the Hall of Fame.

Side Note(s)

2nd week of Black History Month.   Nothing says BHM like seeing a man running down the isle, carrying little white children and shucking and jiving in the ring while wearing huge chains around his neck.  JYD looked like he just escaped from Candyland after Django blowed it up good.  The sad part is that everyone loves the JYD.  He’s one of the most iconic characters of the 80’s and beloved.  He’s just not the poster boy for Black History Month, or at least the image of him looking like he came off the set of 12 Years a Slave.   

Booker T was in rare form starting with the first match.  That must be what it sounds like when I’m trying to explain all the characters and plot lines to Game of Thrones.  You know that he’s speaking english and that HE understands what he’s saying, it’s just the rest of us that have no clue on what’s coming out of his mouth.  He has the inflection and tone of a wrestling announcer.  It reminds me of Ariana Grande.  I know air is passing through her vocal cords and they’re making a very pleasant sound but I can’t tell you one fucking word she’s saying.  

Until next week…

WK

@wkbear

BEARcast - WrestleCast 02/11/2015 - LIVE

BEARcast - WrestleCast 2015-02-11 with Fred "The Oracle" LIVE!

It’s always a great WrestleCast when Fred stops by for a LIVE show!  We talk about love, TV, music, wrestling and things you should not do if you want to keep your job (we’re looking at you Seth Rollins).  A great show.  Enjoy!

Please check us out at www.worldofbear.com and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-bear/id828777439?mt=2 and don't forget to Subscribe!  Also, don't forget to spread the word to friends, family and fans.

Thanks,
WK
@wkbear on Twitter or email the show at WorldOfBearBC@gmail.com to send in ideas and comments.
Contact Fred on Twitter @FreddyD15

BEARcast - WrestleCast 02/04/2015 - TWO PARTer

BEARcast - WrestleCast 2015-02-04 with Fred "The Oracle" - Part 1

BEARcast - WrestleCast 2015-02-04 with Fred "The Oracle" - Part 2

PART 1: This week was so wild that the BEARcast broke the internet!  Technical difficulties caused us to break the show in two parts.  We light the flame during the first half of the WrestleCast and as the Power Rankings return, we get into a full boil.  

Part 2: You can’t miss the second half of the WrestleCast.  Fred goes on one of his epic rants.  Did the Bear help push him over the edge?  I’ll leave it for you to decide.  Enjoy the RAGE!

Please check us out at www.worldofbear.com and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-bear/id828777439?mt=2 and don't forget to Subscribe!  Also, don't forget to spread the word to friends, family and fans.

Thanks,
WK
@wkbear on Twitter or email the show at WorldOfBearBC@gmail.com to send in ideas and comments.
Contact Fred on Twitter @FreddyD15

LEGACY: The Patriots have Brady / Belichick. The WWE has HHH / Vince. And the Return of the WWE Power Rankings for 2/02/2015!

Coming at you from Denver, and all I wanted to do was compare the WWE to the NFL so I could talk about the Super Bowl.  Do I try to compare the WWE to great NFL dynasties or player legacies?  Do I sneak in an “if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying” line?  Do I repeat every sports show’s debate on whether the Seattle Seahawks should have run the ball from the one yard line or thrown it?  NO!

(Side note: They should have run it on 2nd down no matter what.  Because with a time out in hand, if they failed on 2nd down, they use their timeout, then call for the passing play on 3rd down and if that failed they still could have run the ball on 4th down for the final play of the game.)

Legacies are about decisions.  The Seahawks had to make decisions from the one yard line to score a touchdown in order to build their legacy.  They were overwhelmed by the moment and made the wrong decision.  They gave away one of only 49 Super Bowl victories and the chance to become the eighth organization to ever become back-to-back champions.  THEY GAVE IT AWAY!    

The WWE faces its own decisions.  Coming up is their version of the Super Bowl, WrestleMania 31 is just eight weeks away and their “one yard line” is Roman Reigns.  How do they get Roman Reigns into the end zone?  How do they create their next Superstar and continue their legacy?

Unlike the Seahawks, the WWE has been at this legacy thing a bit longer and knew to call a timeout on Monday.  While I still believe we will see Reigns vs Lesnar for the WHC at WM31, by calling a timeout and surveying the situation, the WWE has given itself some interesting options.  

The only legitimate complaint I’ve heard this past week was that Daniel Bryan should have won the Royal Rumble instead of Roman Reigns.  As I said, I love Wyatt, Ziggler, Rollins, Ambrose, Barrett and a handful of other wrestlers but none of them are ready for the Main Event at WM31 versus Brock Lesnar.  The only two possibilities now, thankfully Cena has been booked against Rusev (which we’ll get to later), is for either Bryan or Reigns to battle Lesnar.  On Monday, the WWE addressed and solved all the complaints that fans could have.  

At FastLane, Roman Reigns will fight Daniel Bryan to see who will take on Brock Lesnar for the WHC at WM31.  The WWE can now change gears and put Bryan in the WHC match by having him run the gambit of defeating Rollins and then Reigns to set up a “David vs Goliath” match (or in a traditional cheesy WWE turn of phrase, “Daniel vs Goliath / Beast”) OR solidify Reigns’ win at the Royal Rumble by defeating Bryan in a 1-on-1 match, leaving no questions to whether he should be Lesnar’s opponent.  

For all the booing, internet complaining and #cancelWWEnetwork trolling, you know what I heard on Monday night?  Fans cheering for Roman Reigns.  Yes, there were some boos but I can’t tell if they were upset with Roman Reigns being pushed or the execution to which he won the Royal Rumble.  I suspect it’s the latter.  Even HHH admitted to poor booking on the after show Stone Cold Steve Austin podcast, which was awesome just like the one with Mr. McMahon.

It’s easy to point out sup-par storytelling by the WWE creative team but we should also give them praise when they are able to quell a small but very vocal community of fans.  They took what could have been a disaster in the making and Fast-and-Furious-7-esque leap from one high-rise to another.  

Now the wrestlers and writers have to step up and sell the shit out of whichever direction they go in.  Last I looked; Reigns still isn’t The Rock, Daniel Bryan still isn’t HBK and Brock Lesnar still looks to be unbeatable.  

As always, don’t forget to check out the BEARcast - WrestleCast ( www.worldofbear.com / subscribe on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-bear/id828777439?mt=2 / http://www.bearssportstalk.blogspot.com ).  Thank you to all the new listeners lately and keep the emails, tweets and comments coming!  Thanks.

So with that, let’s get to the rankings as of this week’s RAW on 2/02/2015...

1. Bray Wyatt – There were two great matches on Monday.  Bray vs Ziggler was the better one and Bray got the clean win.  Yet again, his post match promo lost me so I got really high and tried to decipher it.  Is Fred’s prediction on the WrestleCast (www.worldofbear.com) correct and we’re about to see the return of The Undertaker as Wyatt’s opponent at WM31??? 
   
2. Dolph Ziggler – Ziggler was the other half of the match of the night.  A feud between these two makes as much sense as Michael B Jordan (black dude) and Kate Mara (white chick) playing Johnny and Sue Storm, aka the brother and sister from Fantastic Four.  And I do mean “brother” not “brutha”.  I have faith in you, Josh Trank.  Chronicle is one of the best movies in the last five years.
   
3. Daniel Bryan – He got the win over Rollins but when you think of the guy who will take down The Beast known as Brock Lesnar, do you picture a guy skipping and yes-ing his way to the ring?  He’s a great wrestler and I hope he’s in good health but the WWE must do something about his character.  His god awful casket match with Kane on last week’s SmackDown didn’t do him any favors either.  Some things can’t be unseen.  
4. Seth Rollins w/ Minions – Came out on fire against Bryan.  Unfortunately this match was a classic case of overbooking.  If not for the J&J, Big Show and Reigns interference, Rollins and Bryan could have had the match of the night.  At least now Rollins is freed up to face RKO.
5. HHH and Stephanie – As WWE-fashion expert, Steph gets a B-plus for her outfit Monday.  She once again killed it on mic.  I’m shocked she didn’t bring up her “twitter feud” with Joel McHale during the Super Bowl.  HHH killed in on the after show.  Check out the BEARcast - WrestleCast for much more on this as I’m sure Fred and I have very different opions.  (www.worldofbear.com or http://www.bearssportstalk.blogspot.com)  Also, I’m glad they made acknowledgment that if Reigns would have just said “no” he would have been locked into the main even at WM. 
   
6. Roman Reigns – Well done, dumb-dumb.  All you had to do is say NO.  For the love of God, can we please end this nonsense with the Big Show and Roman Reigns.  The WWE would be best served turning him heel over the next few months in preparation of him taking on Lesnar.  HHH’s interview with SCSA was telling.  Lesnar’s uncertain future with the WWE will dictate which direction Reigns will go in.  
7. John Cena – I just need to check…We’re cheering for Cena, right?  This one time, for the love of our country and national pride, We’re behind Cena to take down the Red Menace?  When his feud with Rusev is over, every male who’s sprouted a pube, We go right back to booing him?  I need clarification.  I don’t want to be the only one chanting “Let’s go Ce-na!” and then to look around at all you motherfuckers making fun of me.
8. Miz and Damien Miz-dow – We’ve established that I love when wrestlers treat each other like dogs being trained by Cesar Millan.  “No more Miz-dow, no more!  Stay!”  
   
9. Cesaro w/ Tyson Kidd and Natalya – Unless I missed something over the past few weeks, why is this group feuding with The Uso group?  Don’t get me wrong, this is a very talent laden feud and full of good matches but what’s all the fuss about?  It feels like Cesaro, Tyson and Natalya have 10 sub-plots going on that no one knows about.  I turned on The Bachelor the other night.  There’s this farmer dude and a bunch of crazy bitches all running around.  They all know what’s happening but I’m lost as shit, yet I can’t take my eyes off it.
10. Jimmy Uso w/ other Uso and Naomi – I’m sure of two things; 1) They put on really good matches and 2) I have no idea which Uso Naomi is supposed to kiss at the end of the match.  I only know “Jimmy” fought because Michael Cole said his name.  They’re like Christian Bale in The Prestige.  (spoilers, sorry)
11. Luke Harper – He may have lost the match but he is by far the better wrestler / performer than Ryback.  Imagine that match without Harper?  Oh.My.God!  You don’t want to do you?
12. Rusev w/ Lana ( ) – Congrats, you beat Erick Rowan.  1) They did a great job improvising the flag misfire and 2) Rusev gives all us ugly dudes faith they can land a hot chick.  
13. The Dust Bros ( ) – Will the breakup of the Goldust and Stardust release such cosmic energies that the magnetic poles of Earth be reversed and send our world into a tailspin headed for the sun?  My heart breaks watching Miz and Miz-dow fight.  It shatters as I watch the Dust Bros split.  
    
14. Dean Ambrose ( ) – Thanks for dispatching with Axel.  Ambrose vs BnB should be great.  So why is he so low, well it’s because of this… “I pinned BnB which means I’m in line for a shot at the IC champ”  What ever happened to “To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man?”  It was never, “To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man in order to have a chance to beat him again at a later date.”
15. Alicia Fox vs Paige ( ) – HHH said it on the after show.  He wishes there was more time given to the Divas division which as a ton of talent.  He also said writing the third hour is really hard.  Can’t we solve some of this by giving these girls more than half a segment?
    
     
16. The Bellas – N-Bella dressed in her best Kim Kardashian T-Mobile costume.  As the heels of the Divas division, they’re not bad.  They’re better than The Ascension.  
17. Sin Cara – Got the Miz / Miz-dow bump.  Now go back down to NXT with that other dude.  They’re doing good work down there in NXT land.    
18. Curtis Axel – I have no time for fools.  
19. Level 2 of suck: Ryback and Erick Rowan – Is Ryback there so that we’re distracted from Erick Rowan’s repurposed Kiaentai music?
20. Level 1 of suck: The Ascension and Big Show –  Both get the Keep Cashing Checks tip of the cap.  Big Show has made money over the pas 20 years, he’s fine.  Ascension boys, make sure you put some of this RAW money away in a good 401k or in some low risk, high yield municipality bond funds.  In fact, I feel bad for you guys.  Call me and I’ll give you some free financial advise.   

Honorable Mentions

Stone Cold Steve Austin podcast – Just as fascination as the one with Mr. McMahon a few months ago.  SCSA might not be the best talk show host but he has the rapport and respect of HHH and Vince to get great answers out of them.  I could listen to that all day.  

Sting vs HHH (almost / soon) – Is there enough time to give this fight enough time to buildup between FastLane and WM31?  HHH all but confirmed that he’s back in wrestling shape with SCSA.  

Bubba Ray Dudley – Biggest return at Royal Rumble and now no sign of him?  WTF?

Side Note(s)

Oh good, it’s Black History month in the WWE.  Ernie Big Cat Lad is first on the rotation.  “We celebrate Black History month on the WWE Network in it’s VOD capability.”  Allow me to translate, “if you care to see some colored folks, go look them up yourself.”  They’ve got an hour long show on The Most Outrageous Ring Entrances but they couldn’t put together a tribute show of matches and clips for Black History Month?  They couldn’t even get one black wrestler on RAW for the first show of Black History Month.  Nice job WWE. It’s not like you have a new tag team full of talents black performers, oh wait.  I guess The New Day better wait until A New Month.  SMH.

Thank you to all the people who read and commented on last week’s post.  I really appreciate it and hope you’ll continue to comment and join in on the conversation.

Until next week…

WK

@wkbear