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...
- 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???
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!”
- 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.
- 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)
- 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?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.”
- 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?
- 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.
- 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.
- Curtis Axel – I have no time for fools.
- Level 2 of suck: Ryback and Erick Rowan – Is Ryback there so that we’re distracted from Erick Rowan’s repurposed Kiaentai music?
- 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
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