I LOVE the name Battleground as a PPV. There's so much that WWE could do with a name like that. I initially thought it'd be similar to WarGames of wCw past or Lockdown in current TNA programming. Turns out, however, it's just a name and not a gimmick PPV as I'd hoped. Based on the card, it sure seems like another generic PPV that WWE hopes to gain money from based only on their own reputation. Due only to Daniel Bryan and CM Punk in main-event matches will this PPV be a success. It wouldn't hurt WWE to try something new, though.
Dolph Ziggler vs Damien Sandow:
WHAT I LIKED:
- Having Damien Sandow come out and tease cashing in the MITB contract was pretty smart. It was a good way to test the waters and see if this crowd wanted to view Sandow become champion. Based of their response and their overall reaction to Sandow, I think not. But can you blame them? No one has any faith in Sandow anymore. Not since WWE has buried him since winning the MITB contract.
WHAT I HATED:
- I'm going to have reservations about the winner of this match, regardless of who wins. And not because I think neither superstar should lose, but because I think both of them should win. There's no doubt that Sandow could use a W on his ledger. If he's going to be Mr. Money in the Bank and call himself the 'Uncrowned Champion,' he should be able to win a match. When time comes for him to win the World Title, it's going to be patronizing to us as fans to watch him suddenly gain the ability to win matches. But as a heel, he'd be automatically resigned to lose all non-title matches anyway. Maybe that's the reason why Sandow is winless lately. None of his matches have been for his Uncrowned Championship.
REACTION:
In the end, I'm glad Dolph Ziggler won the match and not just because I called it. Frankly, Ziggler doesn't deserve to lose to such a loser like Damien Sandow. Even though Ziggler has in essence been demoted to wrestling for the United States Title, he's still putting on his best performance every night. He did just that again tonight and he deserved to win this match. He deserves more than that and maybe after RVD takes his sabbatical, he can assume the reign as the top babyface in line for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Alberto Del Rio def. Rob Van Dam, retaining the World Heavyweight Championship:
WHAT I LIKED:
- I LIKE how soon the crowd came around to this match. I knew they would. Even in a PG rated era of WWE programming - or maybe especially in a PG rated era - we still want weapons and physicality. WWE fans will always be bloodthirsty and matches like this will always get us fired up. There was a 'This Is Awesome' chant in the first 5 minutes of this match, and that was before any of the real fun began. The crowd only got more into the match as the excitement built. LOVE it!
- I was happy to see the spots involving Ricardo Rodriguez in this match. It's easy to forget that after the beatdown that Alberto Del Rio put on Ricardo, he's never gotten a chance to get his revenge. Ricardo aligned with RVD who has fought in Ricardo's stead, but I'm sure it felt good for Ricardo to get some revenge of his own on Del Rio.
WHAT I HATED:
- We might as well just get used to the World Heavyweight Championship matches being held first on the card. WWE thinks they are doing their PPVs well by having them book-ended with World Title matches and maybe some people see it that way. I don't. Until the WWE Championship match starts a PPV, they are indeed devaluing the World Heavyweight Title. - I never quite understood how in Hardcore Rules matches, you can be hit with all types of chairs and ladders and whatnot and still kickout of most pins attempts. Yet, in a singles contest when a weapon is introduced illegally and a superstar is hit just once with it, it's game over? Maybe it's a matter of preparation. In which case, shouldn't you always be prepared for anything? It's the Boy Scouts motto.
- What a cop out for them to say that Damien Sandow didn't cash-in MITB because of 'the knee injury he sustained' in his earlier match with Ziggler. I wish WWE would just admit that they made a mistake in allowing Sandow to win the MITB Ladder match. Sandow should be begging for them to continue to delay his cash-in attempt. Right now, that briefcase is the only thing keeping him relevant.
REACTION:
I'm not disappointed that Alberto Del Rio won this match. I LOVE Del Rio as World Champion. I've said plenty of times that he's a great champion and a wrestling machine. He's adaptive to any type of match he's put into and can put on quite the show regardless of his opponent. I was hoping that RVD would win this match though. He hasn't been World Champion yet and I wanted him to add that to his already impressive list of accomplishments. Yes he's leaving for a while after the match, but that's what Damien Sandow and the MITB briefcase was there for. It was actually a pretty good setup that WWE didn't take advantage of. But I'm not disappointed with the results. A lengthy World Title reign is good for Del Rio. Besides, I'm not exactly chomping at the bit for Damien Sandow to cash-in and fail.
The Real Americans def. Santino Marella & The Great Khali:
WHAT I LIKED:
- I don't know if I LIKE the Big Swing or if I just LIKE JBL and Micheal Cole's reaction to it. Either way, it makes me smile to see it. It's an old school maneuver and it fits an old school wrestler like Antonio Cesaro perfectly. I'm not sure about them making it into a finisher again, but it's a move that the WWE audience pops for. That can only work out in Cesaro's favor. He needs all the favor he can muster.
WHAT I HATED:
- This match wasn't impromptu, so cheers for that. I knew this match was occurring before I posted my preview, I just couldn't be motivated to write anything about it. It's a match for no reason. It has no repercussions or rewards. The winning team won't gain any headway in the Tag Team division because the Tag Team Champs are in a non-title match tonight and their #1 contenders are missing from the card. I expect only for there to be comedy in this match and very little wrestling.
REACTION:
It surprised me to see Antonio Cesaro & Jack Swagger pick up the win here. And that makes me sad. It shouldn't surprise me or anyone else to see the clearly better and more talented wrestlers score a victory over two jokes like Santino Marella and The Great Khali. Watching WWE, it becomes too familiar to see superstars like Santino win matches over talent like Cesaro using stupid moves like the Cobra Strike. It's only fitting to see the real talent use a move just as stupid to win a match.
Curtis Axel def. R-Truth to retain the Intercontinental Championship:
WHAT I HATED:
- I remember when Ron Killings left TNA and came back to WWE, I was excited. I thought for sure he'd be a main-eventer in WWE just like he was in TNA. And for a while, he was booked as if he'd be a major player in the future. But somewhere along the way, he became just another cog in the WWE machine. I was given some hope when he adopted the 'Little Jimmy' gimmick because he automatically garnered a WWE Title match against John Cena and then turned babyface. But that went nowhere fast. It pains me that WWE couldn't do anything with Killings because he has talent and could appeal to a certain demographic that WWE is sorely lacking.
REACTION:
That match was boring. That match was also a clean win for Curtis Axel just as I predicted it'd be. That's the best thing I can say about it. And I was taught that if you don't have anything good to say...
AJ Lee def. Brie Bella, retaining the Divas Championship:
WHAT I LIKED:
- Is it creepy that I LOVE when AJ Lee wears her hair in pigtails? Maybe it's because pigtails are generally associated with little girls. And AJ doesn't have the most voluptuous female form. Plus, she's really short. I would reckon it'd be easy to mistake her as a teenager. Alright, I have to dig myself out of this rabbit hole before I convince myself I shouldn't be attracted to her. AJ is not a teenager or a little girl and while her body may not be overdeveloped, it's damn sexy. Point is, I LIKE it when she wears her hair in pigtails. Just don't think about it.
WHAT I HATED:
- This may have been the worst match that AJ Lee has had since becoming a wrestling diva and winning the Divas Title. Color me not surprised because based on who she was facing, it was bound to happen. The Bellas are not wrestlers and it's an insult to have them in the same ring as AJ Lee or Natalya. I LIKE the Bellas as valets and spokes-models for WWE, but never as wrestlers.
REACTION:
I figured it'd be because of Tamina that AJ Lee retains her title. Why else have her there? I'm just glad WWE resisted that urge to make Brie Bella champion just to match her with Daniel Bryan. Or maybe it's because Daniel Bryan won't win the WWE Championship tonight that WWE didn't pull the trigger here. Time will tell. But for now, I'm so glad that AJ Lee didn't lose the title she has so much pride in to a Bella. When she does lose, it needs to be against someone who holds that title in as high a regard as she does.
Cody Rhodes & Goldust def. Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns:
WHAT I LIKED:
- Before this match even began, it struck me how much I LIKE that I have no idea what's going to happen here. A case could be made for either team to win and it'd be just as well if the opposite happened. Perhaps that's the reason I'm so interested in this match. In an era where everything is so predictable, it's nice to have a storyline and a match where I'm flabbergasted.
- I LOVE how well this crowd responded to Goldust in this match. He's a legend of this business, rather you like him or not. He's easy to overlook when you think about the Attitude Era, but Micheal Cole was right when he said that he played 'an important part' during that time. He wasn't a major player but back then the mid-card was actually well-developed. He was a big part of that mid-card.
WHAT I HATED:
- I didn't HATE this, but I didn't necessarily LIKE it that Dean Ambrose was held at bay by Dusty Rhodes. Ambrose is the leader of the vaunted Shield. He's the United States Champion. He's defeated superstars like Orton, Cena, Sheamus, Big Show, Ryback, etc. and just recently has had some decent matches with Dolph Ziggler. You mean to tell me one 'bionic' elbow to the head is enough to take him down? I know they have to sell the legends and their finishers, but these days it's laughable to see superstars befallen by such powerless maneuvers. They do this all the time (Hogan's legdrop is the usual guilty party) and I always shake my head. I understand it, but I don't LIKE it.
REACTION:
That ending was scripted and played off really well. The crowd was more excited then than at any other point of the PPV up 'til now. Having the other superstars and legends who work behind the scenes come out to congratulate the Rhodes Family was a good touch too. I really LIKED this match. The crowd, the energy and the performance of all superstars involved - yes, even Goldust - was a good combination. So far, this is in the running for match of the night, but I suspect it won't hold that mantle throughout the night.
Bray Wyatt def. Kofi Kingston:
WHAT I LIKED:
- I'm not sure why this match was added to the PPV, but I'm glad it was. I want to see Bray Wyatt featured in as many matches as possible. He's an immensely intriguing character and he's being overlooked in WWE right now for unknown reasons. And if you take away the 'immensely intriguing character' part of the previous sentence, the same can be said for Kofi Kingston.
- That spider walk that Bray Wyatt did was pretty creepy. Seriously, it sent a tingle down my spine.
WHAT I HATED:
- I can't believe that WWE had nothing set aside for The Wyatt Family to do besides feud with Kane. Once Kane had to leave and film a movie that no one will see (a sequel to a movie that no one saw), the Wyatts were left doing nothing but making sporadic appearances. At least WWE has made it imperative that they be featured each week on television. Hopefully this 'one by one' speak from Bray means that there is a storyline in the works for them.
REACTION:
I can't get that spider-walk out of my head, complete with Bray Wyatt's menacing grin. It's things like that that makes Bray Wyatt such a good character. Wyndham Rotunda is always looking for ways to make his character more alarming than before. It's not enough to have a provocative gimmick. Guys like that have my respect. This match was basic and predictable, but I LIKED it because Luke Harper and Erick Rowan didn't get involved. Wyatt won this match on his own and doesn't need his BIG henchmen to fight his battles. That's how a strong heel should be booked.
CM Punk def. Ryback:
WHAT I LIKED:
- It was hard to ferret out anything that I LIKED about this match. The pace was slow, the wrestling was sub-par and it was pretty boring. I guess if nothing else, I should be happy that the crowd was still into the match even though it suffered. Or maybe they were just into ragging on Ryback. Most of the match was dominated by them chanting 'Goldberg' or 'You Can't Wrestle' directed at him.
WHAT I HATED:
- If you're going to call yourself the 'Best [Wrestler] in the World', shouldn't you no longer fall victim to such petty heel tricks? When Paul Heyman picked up the microphone to proclaim himself as the same moniker, everyone in the audience and at home knew exactly what he was doing. He's was distracting Punk so that Ryback could get in a cheap shot... and it worked. Punk should know by now that you don't lose focus. After all, that's how he lost to Brock Lesnar and to Paul Heyman.
REACTION:
Really? That's how this match ends? It was pretty smart of CM Punk to take advantage of situation created by Paul Heyman and it totally fits what I was talking about in the above stanza, but that was such a weak finish. The match itself wasn't anything worthy to have Punk's name associated with it, but I was sticking through with it in hopes that it'd get better. That finish came at a point when I expected Punk to mount some offense and eventually pick up the win, but not off of the low-blow itself. Now, I'm certainly glad that this storyline will continue. Because it cannot end like that.
Randy Orton vs Daniel Bryan ends in No Contest:
WHAT I LIKED:
- I LIKE how they focused on the referee before the match began to illuminate how he must feel going into this match after the previous referee was fired for cheating. Of course, all it makes me wonder is why there's some unknown referee in this match and not a senior referee like Mike Chioda. I mean, if they really wanted to make this match seem important shouldn't they have enlisted the best and most tenured referee on the roster? Also, wouldn't it be more pertinent for the referee to try to strike the same deal that Scott Armstrong did? He gets a generous severance package and doesn't have to work. Is integrity worth more than that?
WHAT I HATED:
- I know the power outage wasn't planned since both Time Warner Cable and Sky Sports lost their connection to the event during the blackout, but wouldn't it have been awesome if WWE acted like it was. They could have took advantage of that mistake instead of having Justin Roberts standing awkwardly in the ring waiting for his prompt. All they would have had to do is have Daniel Bryan laid out in the middle of the ring when the broadcast reemerged with the members of The Shield standing around him or something to play that miscue off. The audience would have bought it as planned and it would have added an extra element to the match that Bryan was wrestling at a disadvantage. It would have made it that much more thrilling when Daniel Bryan was in a position to win.
REACTION:
No Contest. That both sucks and blows. I figured Big Show would play a part in this match, but I didn't think it'd be so horribly executed. Why would you play the entrance music of the superstar about to make a run-in? It makes no sense. The referee and Daniel Bryan has to know what Big Show has been up to in the past few months - doing the bidding of The Authority, the same Authority that doesn't want Daniel Bryan to win the WWE Championship. What could he possibly be coming down to the ring to do, I wonder? And even worse was that Big Show decided to have a change of heart exactly when it was too late. Way to pick your battles big man. And excellent timing, too.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:
"...there was a temporary power outage..." - Michael Cole
"I blame Paul Heyman." - Jerry Lawler
"I blame the government shutdown." - JBL
MATCH OF THE NIGHT:
Who could have expected that the best and most exciting match of the night would be Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs The Shield? I expected that match to be fun, but not to overshadow Punk vs Ryback or Bryan vs Orton. But both of those contests suffered from terribly scripted endings that made me forget about anything good that happened during the match.
OVERALL REACTION:
WWE has to know that ending a PPV with a No Contest is awkward. Furthermore, they have to know that they would draw the ire of all of their fans by having the WWE Championship match end with no winner. And I'm pissed off that I have to hear them use the word 'abeyance' incorrectly for the rest of the month. Since I'm sure that every other blogger and podcaster and reviewer will be down on this match and that point in particular, I won't ramble on about it. It happened. It sucked. Let's move on.
Battleground had a rather underwhelming debut. There was really only one good match of the entire night. And when that match includes Goldust, you know something went terribly, terribly wrong.
No comments:
Post a Comment