So, welcome to my first post. Been a long time since I kept a blog on anything so you'll have to excuse me if this is a little rusty.
Figured I'd start with this week's Summerslam PPV. I've watched Summerslam every year since I was 12 years old, and Summerslam 2000 was the first PPV I watched when I got back into wrestling. I'll admit, for all the hype, I was disappointed with the card this year, as it seemed like a one match show going in, the only real match I was excited for was Nexus Vs. Team WWE. Not because I thought it was going to be a workrate clinic you understand, but the storyline had me psyched. That said, I still shelled out the money to watch it, so without further ado, the results and my thoughts.
Intercontinental Championship: Dolph Ziggler (c) Vs Kofi Kingston went to a No Contest after Nexus interference
Before I begin my rant on this, I've got express admiration for Vickie Guerrero. Just typing that phrase made me throw up in my mouth a little. But she is very good at getting over the wrestlers she manages. I thought Dolph Ziggler would never get over again after they spent nearly a year burying him after he failed to win the IC Belt last year. That said, I watched the show at 9:00 AM on Monday morning with a very severe hangover, and listening to Vickie shout 'EXCUSE ME!' repeatedly nearly killed me...
I hate non-finishes on PPV with a passion. Especially on advertised matches. If I'm going to pay to see a show, I want to see decisive finishes. I suppose I could have lived with a match ending with Nexus interference if it hadn't been an advertised match and just something to fill up time on the show (and it looked like they might need it going in with only 6 advertised matches). What's worse is that before Nexus appeared to beat down Kofi, it looked like it was turning into a fine little match. I normally mark out for Nexus, but this match left a sour taste in my mouth, especially with the DQ finish later in the card...
Divas Championship: Melina defeated Alicia Fox (c) to become the NEW Divas Champion via pinfall
I'll be honest, I don't have many thoughts on this because as a rule, I'm not a fan of women's wrestling. However, the match was inoffensive enough, and the post-match angle with Team LayCool didn't suck. I feel that right now, LayCool do the 'Beautiful People' gimmick better than the Beautiful People themselves are doing in TNA. And no, I don't feel that LayCool are copying them, because let's face it, beautiful, bitchy gimmicks have been around in wrestling for years, TNA certainly weren't the first to run that angle. However, despite enjoying LayCool, I can't stand this 'splitting the belt in half' angle. Call me old school, but it seems disrespectful to a belt that already has little credibility...
The Big Show defeated The Straight Edge Society via Pinfall (Big Show pinned Luke Gallows)
I hoped I'd be wrong, but I did kinda see this coming. I don't think anyone should ever beat three guys in a handicap match. Especially when one of those guys is a former world champion (Punk). I know that the vitory came when Punk walked out on his cronies, but it still didn't seem right to me. Then again, the SES seem primed to implode any moment now, so maybe this is leading to them splitting up, because Big Show has certainly made them look like punks (no pun intended) the last several weeks.
WWE Championship: Randy Orton defeated Sheamus (c) via DQ
On hindsight, I probably should have seen this coming given Orton's 'no rematch if he loses' clause. However, as I made clear above, I despise non-finishes on PPV. I understand the need to keep both men looking strong right now, and I know there's still some mileage in Sheamus as Champion (I don't hate him quite as much as Leigh does in the ring either), but I would have liked to see a relatively clean finish to this match as Sheamus always looks weak in his title defences and needs a decisive victory to make him look like the monster he should be.
Despite the crappy finish, the match itself wasn't too bad, and Sheamus is looking better in the ring every time I see him. Orton, as always was very over with the crowd. I swear, for someone whose character hasn't really changed at all since his face turn, Orton is one of the hottest acts in wrestling right now!
World Heavyweight Championship: Kane (c) defeated Rey Mysterio via pinfall
The match itself was nothing to write home about, the real story here was the post-match angle, which I think, for the most part, everyone and their mother saw coming. Of course it was Kane! If you didn't see it coming, you might actually be blind. Kane's character throughout his whole run has been based on alternately teaming with and trying to kill his brother. Both myself and Leigh marked out for The Undertaker's return, although they kept us guessing by repeatedly opening the casket to find it empty... I was surprised to see Kane get the upper hand in his brief confrontation with The Undertaker though, but I liked the result far better than had Undertaker just destroyed Kane. At least this way, Kane looks like an absolute beast and remains the most relevant that he's been in nearly 10 years!
I've really enjoyed this story so far, not because it's been brilliantly booked (at times it hasn't) or because it's led to brilliant matches (it definitely hasn't, with the exception of Kane's victory in Money In The Bank) but because it's made Kane more interesting than he's been since his debut way back when! I like Kane, I think he has a definite spot in the company and he's one of the best company spokespeople they have. He's never complained about his place on the card (which for 6 years has pretty much been as a Jobber to the Stars), and this title run, while almost certainly simply a reward for his years with WWE, hasn't felt like one. It's made Kane a legitimate main event threat, and I'm happy enough with that for now, even if I don't particularly want to see another Kane/Undertaker feud...
Team WWE defeated Nexus (John Cena, sole survivor)
At the time I questioned the result here, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth regarding the whole PPV. However, I can't deny the match was solid enough, and the continuation of the angle on RAW leaves me with hope for Nexus as a whole. Also, I am contractually obliged to point out that me and Leigh marked out like little girls for the return of Daniel Bryan, and I am also obliged to point out that someone's gonna get their F'n head kicked in!
I didn't like Morrison and R-Truth being eliminated early, but I know that they were the lowest on the Team WWE totem pole, and at least Morrison got to eliminate someone before eating the pinfall. As always, I marked for Starship Pain, even if Leigh does think it's a ridiculous looking finisher. Bret Hart actually looked pretty good for an old man. I didn't like the DQ elimination too much as it made Bret look like a fool, but I understand they needed to get him out of the match without any physicality against him, as WWE kinda booked themselves into a corner there.
I'm really impressed with Skip Sheffield, since NXT, he's really come on in his role as the unofficial enforcer of Nexus. If it wasn't for the fact that he's JUST suffered a broken leg, I'd have predicted big things in his future...
Daniel Bryan looked really good in his return here, and The Miz coming out and causing his elimination made sense, hopefully we'll be seeing Miz Vs Bryan at Night of Champions. I hated the final result, as Wade tapping almost immediately made him look weak, and I always hate seeing Cena standing tall at the end of a PPV, but I'll admit, the fallout on Raw was done really well.
At the end of the day, I feel this was pretty much a one match PPV, and while I enjoyed Nexus vs Team WWE, I wouldn't have paid full price to watch Summerslam on my own. That's all from me, I'll try to post Raw, NXT and Smackdown thoughts in future, but work committments may get in the way.
Until next time, remember...
'Dashing' Cody Rhodes can literally hear you getting fatter!
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