Post by MikeGrim on Oct 27, 2008 22:28:39 GMT -5
The Spot Fest
WWE Cyber Sunday- 10/26/08
by: Michael C. Grimaldi
Cyber Sunday was a mixed bag of some good and some...eh. I didn't see anything terrible, but nothing blew me away either. Let's get to The Spot Fest, which chronicles the good, the bad and the just kinda there as described as "High Spots," "Botched Spots" and "Rest Holds."
High Spots:
Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne (ECW Championship Match)- The results of the voting had Hardy's 3 potential opponents finishing this way: Mark Henry 6%, Finlay 25% and Bourne 69%, so Bourne got his first WWE PPV spot in, what for ECW, is top match. Personally, I was thrilled that it was Bourne, not Finlay, because I think Bourne could use the test...and he passed. The match didn't have a lot of heat being that Hardy is very over, but Bourne, while a babyface, isn't well known enough to the vast WWE audience (I won't say the "U" word). Bourne's lack of exposure to most of audience limited the roles the two could play and thus the heat certainly wasn't there. Overall though, the two seemed to work well and Bourne had a good showing. As impressive as his shooting star press is, one of the most impressive things he does, something that he didn't show in ROH because he wasn't always as out sized as he is in WWE, are his roll ups and the leverage he uses on them. I think if he's going to become a major star, WWE need to exploit them. ROH did a good job in 2006 playing up Bryan Danielson's "flash pin" victories and pounding home the fact, even though it sounds sexually insulting, "Bryan Danielson has the best small package in the business." Bad for Bryan on the dating circuit, good for selling cradles as legit false finishes. Bourne will need that, because unless he ko's someone with a kick or his the shooting star press, most people won't buy into a legit pin fall attempt 5 minutes in if it's a traditional lateral press. Have him beat guys who are bigger using his unique ability to create leverage on pin falls that no one else can, and hammer the idea that just because he's 180 pounds, with the right leverage, he can hold anyone shoulders down for 3 seconds. Matt Striker could do a great job explaining it, because people know he's smart and will buy into it. As for the match itself, it was good and in the end Hardy keeps his fighting champion status and Bourne gets a small rub. While I don't expect a rematch, if there were some build to one, they could have a very good match.
Big Show vs. Undertaker (Last Man Standing Match)- I'm not much of a fan of the Last Man Standing/Texas Death Match gimmick, because the finish is always a tad anti-climactic. I think the "I quit" match would have been better, even Vickie Guerrero thought so and said it won. The results for the matches were as follows: Knock Out Match 9%, I Quit Match 42% and Last Man Standing Match 49%. So with my general dislike for the concept of the match, it still was pretty good. Show has redefined his work to a more punching based style that came out of his WM XXIV match with Floyd Mayweather and it has helped him a lot. Taker throws hands pretty well too and some of the punch exchanges were really good. I predicted two weeks ago that these stips would allow Taker to bring back the "banned" triangle choke/gogoplata, and that part I was dead on about. Granted he doesn't lock it in fully by grabbing his top foot, but with his knees, I don't know if he could if he wanted to; that said, it's an effective finisher to add to the list of moves Taker is known for. The Chokeslam on the table had the effect of looking good without putting anyone at a big risk. I still hate to see matches like this without blood, but I guess that ship has sailed...Good match, I may have liked last shows match between the two better though.
Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy (WWE Championship Match)- The voting surprised me, but not the result. The final results to see who would face Triple H were: Vladimir Kozlov 5%, Kozlov/Hardy 38% and Jeff Hardy 57%; I thought the Triple Threat might get more votes. What that tells me are two things. 1) People aren't crazy about seeing Kozlov in a big match and 2) the idea of the multi-person match gives people more for their money is a total farce. Take notes TNA. I didn't see a whole lot different from last month's match, though there was no major crash and burn by Hardy (unless you consider the RVD spot where Hardy go shoved off the top to the floor into the barricade). Hardy has had 3 major title matches on PPV and each time the anticipation for the victory has waned a bit. Hardy needs a new direction and maybe, even a Royal Rumble win, to really get that "Hardy can win it" feel back. Overall just a good solid wrestling match. The finish of Hardy trying a second Swanton right after hitting the first is an interesting way to go and it would be interesting if they followed up on the decision to question Hardy's "confidence." With Cena back at Survivor Series to hopefully sell buys, I could see Kozlov either getting a shot there and the match being below the top two spots, or I could see a HHH/Hardy manned team vs. a Kozlov manned team...or maybe just Kozlov. Who knows.
Batista vs. Chris Jericho (WWE World Heavyweight Championship) w/ Steve Austin as special referee- The final voting showed, that my initial opinion that Michaels may have been getting as many votes or more than Austin seems to have been dead wrong. Voting was: Randy Orton 4%, Shawn Michaels 22% and Steve Austin 74%. Landslide....if it's legit. This match was a lot of smoke and mirrors, but here's the main reason it's a "high spot:" Ref bumps. "WHAT?" I hear you saying. Yes, ref bumps...or in the case, the lack thereof. Not in this match but in the entire WWE leading up to this. I don't off hand (and my short term memory sucks so...) recall the last big WWE match that had a big time ref bump, and so, when you don't do it 90% of the time, the few times that you do use it, it's effective. After the Austin bump from that point on there was the question, "Okay...so now what's next?" as opposed to, "oh great, here we go again." So when Austin bumped and Michaels came out only to get attacked by JBL (I still kind of want to see a Michaels/JBL match for some reason) and the Orton coming down and then getting the stunner...while it's old to most wrestling fans, the average WWE only viewer hasn't seen that in a while. The match itself, wasn't anything to write home about, but it was crafted well enough to be good.
Todd Grisham/Matt Striker- The more I heard them, the more I like them. Sadly I haven't done a spot fest for 2 of the last 3 ECW shows...I promise one for Wednesday. Michael Cole/Jerry Lawler is officially...to me...the C team.
Botched Spots:
Santino Marella vs. The Honky Tonk Man- I've been saying this for a few weeks now, the "Marella Magic" is gone, and this could have been the final nail in this silly run. The voting was pretty tight here: Goldust 31%, Roddy Piper 34% and Honky Tonk Man 35%. I wouldn't be half surprised if some votes got thrown out here to make this work. Didn't really matter since it didn't work. Match lasted about 1 minute and the ref DQ Santino cause Beth grabbed HTM's foot? Isn't that normally the act that the ref just reprimands someone on? I guess now we lead to the GlaMarella break-up and at the start, I didn't think I'd say so quickly that "it's about time." Maybe one day the IC title won't be a prop.
Rest Holds:
Kane vs. Rey Misterio (No Holds Barred Match)- Voting here was for match stip and was announced as: 2/3 Falls 26%, Falls Count Anywhere 35% and No Holds Barred 39%. No memorable spot here that could be replayed time and time again, and that has really been the only thing this feud has been good for. They rushed the "If Rey loses he unmasks" gimmick too late to make the last match matter and so the feud has been sort of, just there the past few weeks with those stupid tag matches with Rey/Matt Hardy vs. Kane/Mark Henry. Hopefully Kane can find someone new to torment...I still think he should concede masks are good and put his back on. His look is stale.
Cryme Tyme vs. The Miz and John Morrison- This was a vote for which tag match you would like to see...had they had an option of "D: None of these" I gladly would have shelled out 99 cents just to make that point. Final voting was: Mickie James/Jamie Noble vs. Layla/William Regal 27%, CM Punk/Kofi Kingston vs. Ted DiBiase/Cody Rhodes 35% and Cryme Tyme vs. Miz/Morrison 38%. Just look at that for a moment, 65% of the votes were to not see the tag titles defended. Does anyone have any doubts how fans have been made to feel about tag team wrestling? I'm not going to say anything more on the match other than....it was okay, but the 38% of people who voted to see a match based on two feuding internet shows shouldn't be allowed to own cell phones.
Divas Costume Contest- Wow, even the Halloween costumes are PG. Only highlight hear was Victoria doing the "Peanut Butter-Jelly time" song. And that's only a highlight to me because I know people that are quite irritated whenever that gimmick is played. Mickie James is clearly the most over Diva and should be pushed as such. Enough with the "____" has shown so much improvement crap.
US Title Match- Ooops...That wasn't doesn't belong here...this is for the stuff that was "just kinda there" and this match WASN'T THERE!
Results:
1. Rey Misterio defeated Kane in a No Holds Barred Match
2. Matt Hardy defeated Evan Bourne to retain the ECW Championship
3. Miz/Morrison defeated Shad and JTG (Cryme Tyme)
4. The Honky Tonk Man defeated Santino Marella by DQ in an IC Title Match
5. Undertaker defeated Big Show in a Last Man Standing Match
6. Triple H defeated Jeff Hardy to retain the WWE Championship
7. Batista defeated Chris Jericho (w/ Steve Austin as guest referee) to win the World Heavyweight Championship
WWE Cyber Sunday- 10/26/08
by: Michael C. Grimaldi
Cyber Sunday was a mixed bag of some good and some...eh. I didn't see anything terrible, but nothing blew me away either. Let's get to The Spot Fest, which chronicles the good, the bad and the just kinda there as described as "High Spots," "Botched Spots" and "Rest Holds."
High Spots:
Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne (ECW Championship Match)- The results of the voting had Hardy's 3 potential opponents finishing this way: Mark Henry 6%, Finlay 25% and Bourne 69%, so Bourne got his first WWE PPV spot in, what for ECW, is top match. Personally, I was thrilled that it was Bourne, not Finlay, because I think Bourne could use the test...and he passed. The match didn't have a lot of heat being that Hardy is very over, but Bourne, while a babyface, isn't well known enough to the vast WWE audience (I won't say the "U" word). Bourne's lack of exposure to most of audience limited the roles the two could play and thus the heat certainly wasn't there. Overall though, the two seemed to work well and Bourne had a good showing. As impressive as his shooting star press is, one of the most impressive things he does, something that he didn't show in ROH because he wasn't always as out sized as he is in WWE, are his roll ups and the leverage he uses on them. I think if he's going to become a major star, WWE need to exploit them. ROH did a good job in 2006 playing up Bryan Danielson's "flash pin" victories and pounding home the fact, even though it sounds sexually insulting, "Bryan Danielson has the best small package in the business." Bad for Bryan on the dating circuit, good for selling cradles as legit false finishes. Bourne will need that, because unless he ko's someone with a kick or his the shooting star press, most people won't buy into a legit pin fall attempt 5 minutes in if it's a traditional lateral press. Have him beat guys who are bigger using his unique ability to create leverage on pin falls that no one else can, and hammer the idea that just because he's 180 pounds, with the right leverage, he can hold anyone shoulders down for 3 seconds. Matt Striker could do a great job explaining it, because people know he's smart and will buy into it. As for the match itself, it was good and in the end Hardy keeps his fighting champion status and Bourne gets a small rub. While I don't expect a rematch, if there were some build to one, they could have a very good match.
Big Show vs. Undertaker (Last Man Standing Match)- I'm not much of a fan of the Last Man Standing/Texas Death Match gimmick, because the finish is always a tad anti-climactic. I think the "I quit" match would have been better, even Vickie Guerrero thought so and said it won. The results for the matches were as follows: Knock Out Match 9%, I Quit Match 42% and Last Man Standing Match 49%. So with my general dislike for the concept of the match, it still was pretty good. Show has redefined his work to a more punching based style that came out of his WM XXIV match with Floyd Mayweather and it has helped him a lot. Taker throws hands pretty well too and some of the punch exchanges were really good. I predicted two weeks ago that these stips would allow Taker to bring back the "banned" triangle choke/gogoplata, and that part I was dead on about. Granted he doesn't lock it in fully by grabbing his top foot, but with his knees, I don't know if he could if he wanted to; that said, it's an effective finisher to add to the list of moves Taker is known for. The Chokeslam on the table had the effect of looking good without putting anyone at a big risk. I still hate to see matches like this without blood, but I guess that ship has sailed...Good match, I may have liked last shows match between the two better though.
Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy (WWE Championship Match)- The voting surprised me, but not the result. The final results to see who would face Triple H were: Vladimir Kozlov 5%, Kozlov/Hardy 38% and Jeff Hardy 57%; I thought the Triple Threat might get more votes. What that tells me are two things. 1) People aren't crazy about seeing Kozlov in a big match and 2) the idea of the multi-person match gives people more for their money is a total farce. Take notes TNA. I didn't see a whole lot different from last month's match, though there was no major crash and burn by Hardy (unless you consider the RVD spot where Hardy go shoved off the top to the floor into the barricade). Hardy has had 3 major title matches on PPV and each time the anticipation for the victory has waned a bit. Hardy needs a new direction and maybe, even a Royal Rumble win, to really get that "Hardy can win it" feel back. Overall just a good solid wrestling match. The finish of Hardy trying a second Swanton right after hitting the first is an interesting way to go and it would be interesting if they followed up on the decision to question Hardy's "confidence." With Cena back at Survivor Series to hopefully sell buys, I could see Kozlov either getting a shot there and the match being below the top two spots, or I could see a HHH/Hardy manned team vs. a Kozlov manned team...or maybe just Kozlov. Who knows.
Batista vs. Chris Jericho (WWE World Heavyweight Championship) w/ Steve Austin as special referee- The final voting showed, that my initial opinion that Michaels may have been getting as many votes or more than Austin seems to have been dead wrong. Voting was: Randy Orton 4%, Shawn Michaels 22% and Steve Austin 74%. Landslide....if it's legit. This match was a lot of smoke and mirrors, but here's the main reason it's a "high spot:" Ref bumps. "WHAT?" I hear you saying. Yes, ref bumps...or in the case, the lack thereof. Not in this match but in the entire WWE leading up to this. I don't off hand (and my short term memory sucks so...) recall the last big WWE match that had a big time ref bump, and so, when you don't do it 90% of the time, the few times that you do use it, it's effective. After the Austin bump from that point on there was the question, "Okay...so now what's next?" as opposed to, "oh great, here we go again." So when Austin bumped and Michaels came out only to get attacked by JBL (I still kind of want to see a Michaels/JBL match for some reason) and the Orton coming down and then getting the stunner...while it's old to most wrestling fans, the average WWE only viewer hasn't seen that in a while. The match itself, wasn't anything to write home about, but it was crafted well enough to be good.
Todd Grisham/Matt Striker- The more I heard them, the more I like them. Sadly I haven't done a spot fest for 2 of the last 3 ECW shows...I promise one for Wednesday. Michael Cole/Jerry Lawler is officially...to me...the C team.
Botched Spots:
Santino Marella vs. The Honky Tonk Man- I've been saying this for a few weeks now, the "Marella Magic" is gone, and this could have been the final nail in this silly run. The voting was pretty tight here: Goldust 31%, Roddy Piper 34% and Honky Tonk Man 35%. I wouldn't be half surprised if some votes got thrown out here to make this work. Didn't really matter since it didn't work. Match lasted about 1 minute and the ref DQ Santino cause Beth grabbed HTM's foot? Isn't that normally the act that the ref just reprimands someone on? I guess now we lead to the GlaMarella break-up and at the start, I didn't think I'd say so quickly that "it's about time." Maybe one day the IC title won't be a prop.
Rest Holds:
Kane vs. Rey Misterio (No Holds Barred Match)- Voting here was for match stip and was announced as: 2/3 Falls 26%, Falls Count Anywhere 35% and No Holds Barred 39%. No memorable spot here that could be replayed time and time again, and that has really been the only thing this feud has been good for. They rushed the "If Rey loses he unmasks" gimmick too late to make the last match matter and so the feud has been sort of, just there the past few weeks with those stupid tag matches with Rey/Matt Hardy vs. Kane/Mark Henry. Hopefully Kane can find someone new to torment...I still think he should concede masks are good and put his back on. His look is stale.
Cryme Tyme vs. The Miz and John Morrison- This was a vote for which tag match you would like to see...had they had an option of "D: None of these" I gladly would have shelled out 99 cents just to make that point. Final voting was: Mickie James/Jamie Noble vs. Layla/William Regal 27%, CM Punk/Kofi Kingston vs. Ted DiBiase/Cody Rhodes 35% and Cryme Tyme vs. Miz/Morrison 38%. Just look at that for a moment, 65% of the votes were to not see the tag titles defended. Does anyone have any doubts how fans have been made to feel about tag team wrestling? I'm not going to say anything more on the match other than....it was okay, but the 38% of people who voted to see a match based on two feuding internet shows shouldn't be allowed to own cell phones.
Divas Costume Contest- Wow, even the Halloween costumes are PG. Only highlight hear was Victoria doing the "Peanut Butter-Jelly time" song. And that's only a highlight to me because I know people that are quite irritated whenever that gimmick is played. Mickie James is clearly the most over Diva and should be pushed as such. Enough with the "____" has shown so much improvement crap.
US Title Match- Ooops...That wasn't doesn't belong here...this is for the stuff that was "just kinda there" and this match WASN'T THERE!
Results:
1. Rey Misterio defeated Kane in a No Holds Barred Match
2. Matt Hardy defeated Evan Bourne to retain the ECW Championship
3. Miz/Morrison defeated Shad and JTG (Cryme Tyme)
4. The Honky Tonk Man defeated Santino Marella by DQ in an IC Title Match
5. Undertaker defeated Big Show in a Last Man Standing Match
6. Triple H defeated Jeff Hardy to retain the WWE Championship
7. Batista defeated Chris Jericho (w/ Steve Austin as guest referee) to win the World Heavyweight Championship