Read on for my segment-by-segment thoughts on the 6/22 Smackdown.
Big Show's promos are getting kind of repetitive. Hopefully someone uses him to elevate themselves in MITB. He doesn't need it AT ALL.
I liked Brodus looking credible against Show, and Otunga being his downfall. Maybe, MAYBE they're using Show to assist the careers of the two NXT alumni. Brodus beating Show would be pretty good for his career.
I say it every time, but Ryback's just insanely strong. I really hope he can work longer matches.
Goofy backstage segment that accomplished little if anything.
Del Rio and Christian played off of each other pretty darned well. Solid contest. Both men should be pushed as important pieces of the WWE puzzle.
I guess we're not done with Christian/Rhodes. I hope Cody doesn't get lost in the shuffle when the feud's over.
Kane vs. Bryan was pretty good. I'd like to see them get more time on PPV.
Fine Slater/Foley segment I guess.
Fine Ryder/Slater match. Glad Ryder got TV time in his home state.
Good segment with Sandow. I like when Legends are used to play off of talented current stars and "give them the rub" of working with them.
I'm really starting to like the Prime Time Players. So far, adding AW
has been a good fit for them. I don't think I'd mind if they became tag
team champs soon, and with R-Truth injured, that just might happen.
I don't know if we're supposed to feel sympathy for Epico and Primo or not, since they were heels.
That felt like a waste of a segment with Santino. Cesaro or someone could have had a match in that time. For live events, fans aren't going to be asked to pay to see Santino kiss someone. They're going to be asked to see wrestling matches.That's what WWE should be selling.
Glad we got Sheamus vs. Ziggler again. I hope we end up getting a triple threat also involving Del Rio. WWE needs some fresh meat in the main event scene and Ziggler's busting his ass off.
That's all for Smackdown. I'll be back for Raw on Monday and a news post will be up around midnight.
Man, you got caught up quick with the postings. What do you see forthcoming in relation to this Brodus/Big Show/Otunga angle here? I'm not sure where the WWE is going with it. They're seeming like they want to keep Brodus undefeated, which shows how they value him. However, he keeps getting pummeled outside of matches by Big Show.
ReplyDeleteI like this AW managerial stint with O'Neil and Young to a certain extent. It's kind of like the Vickie/Ziggler pairing. However, I hope AW doesn't cut all of the promos that O'Neil and Young are part of. They need to cultivate some of that personality they've been showing, so the dancing and teamwork-based moves every week may make it tougher to do something new every week when someone else is speaking for you. So in that sense, I like them being alone.
However, having AW as their manager, it does get them hyped up a bit. I know guys like Heyman did very well for Lesnar back last decade. It does get people who didn't watch NXT to know who O'Neil and Young are without them being too over-the-top, as well.
In all, I'm kind of neutral on it right now. I'd like to see where things end up. What are your thoughts on this AW/Young/O'Neil pairing?
I was able to watch all the non-internet shows and take notes while my computer was being fixed, and I'm not doing school or work, so I was able to focus a lot on the blog. I'd miss this a lot if I quit.
ReplyDeleteI hope they use Show to elevate Clay and Otunga into wrestlers fans want to see (more). To play with statistics: Show's 40; Clay and Otunga are 32. Based on age, Clay and Otunga are more likely to be around in 3 years (Kane's the only full-time guy who's older than 43). So, they need to use the veteran while he's there to turn Clay and Otunga into people we can start to really get behind. It takes years for someone to become a Punk, Cena, or Orton (and a lot of times it takes even a few years for someone to look like they might be able to become a top star - Sheamus and Del Rio did it quickly because they've wrestled so long outside of WWE). Orton, Cena, and Punk all had to rub shoulders or face off with credible guys before becoming credible themselves.
But that's now what you asked... I think they definitely like Otunga and might be getting behind Clay past a novelty act (not everyone gets to knock Show down, and it took Otunga's distraction to get Show to get back on offense). I see Otunga at least trying to stay aligned with Show, who could be going after the people who helped Cena (including Clay). I really hope all the guys other than Show get attention once they're not playing off of him.
AW will draw attention to them. They're still so early in their careers (comparatively speaking) that that's what they need. It also gives them a reason to fight Epico/Primo other than "which team is better" or fighting for the #1 Contendership. I like when feuds have something personal attached, and I think a lot of fans want that, too. There's more of a reason to watch their matches, which is always a good thing.
Here's what I want going forward as a fan:
ReplyDeleteShow and Otunga vs. Cena's friends. Show and Otunga are put together by the interim GMs against various teams involving Riley, Santino, Ryder, Clay, Kofi, whoever else who's been aligned with Cena (maybe even some of his workout buddies from that one video package). The good guys give it their all against Show, and the announcers put over that they're "houses of fire" and that kind of thing (they're motivated to make their mark in the post-Laurinaitis era and they resent Show's big-money contract). Otunga mostly "picks his spots" and avoids getting pegged by the faces so it's kind of 2-on-1. Show eventually gets the KO Punch and Otunga gets the pin. The goal is to make it look like Otunga only wins because of Show. Not because he isn't good, but because he's a weasel and the goal is to get the fans to want to see him get clobbered. The faces get closer each week until one week, Clay or Kofi get an earned surprise win on Show. Show vows that they won't get lucky again, but they win MITB over him. They Show and the winner feud over the MITB briefcase. Whoever it is keeps it. I think Kofi's more ready since he's been on the roster longer and has been close to the main event before. I guess Otunga can feud with them once the Show feud runs its course, or he can turn face and take on Show but I think he works better as a heel.
For the PTP, we get reasons to care about Primo and Epico as good guys. AW charged them a lot of money to be their manager, made them work out too hard and called them pathetic, that kind of thing. We get singles matches between the two sides (with outside shenanigans) leading to a tag match. PTP win, and IF they stay solid and get over, they take the titles from Kofi and Truth so Kofi can move up the card (if they give him MITB). If Clay wins MITB in the other scenario, we get a 3-way feud for the titles for a while. And some day down the line (when there's reason to, like they "need" to turn face like Show needed to turn heel because he'd gone as far as he could as a face), maybe AW gets megalomaniacal and tries to take all the credit for them being champs. PTP drop him and he aligns with Hawkins and Reks or whoever else needs to be elevated. Maybe the Usos if they're stuck as faces.
What do you think?
Those are some good predictions there. I definitely think the Otunga/Show heel coalition could happen and probably will happen. There always needs to be and usually is some kind of tandem or one-competitor that is the "muscle" behind one of the administrators. I think Show being the "muscle" and Otunga being the "brains" definitely makes sense. I also think it's good for both of them in terms of getting that "hateability" factor. I really think it was good for Big Show to finally branch out, like you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThere are a good amount of storylines that could be made with the tag team division now, so I guess in some light the AW combination with O'Neil and Young makes sense. I can see how it would get those two noticed, but eventually the team will have to cut the promos and find some way to step outside of the box themselves.
With guys like Ziggler and Swagger, it seemed like Vickie being their manager made sense at the beginning, but it really got old and stale after a few months or so. It's kind of a tradeoff in my opinion, but we'll see how it amounts.
I think the pure hateability Vickie brought to the table kind of put Ziggler and Swagger in an uncomfortable place, as they both are/were kind of "mild" heels and aren't as charismatic and outgoing as Vickie. I guess I don't know as much about AW to really draw any conclusions yet, so I should give it time. He is a good talker and promoter from what I've seen, however.
I also agree that Otunga would work better as a heel. I think that lawyer personality really works for boos rather than cheers, because of how natural he is in a mainly hateable role. It's hard to imagine a lawyer gimmick being passed on as a good guy.
That being said, Otunga was considered one of the main contenders for the U.S. Title. However, it seems he's drifting a bit more away from that now and is kind of in the "main roster, but loses to high-card guys" role. Do you think his short matches and kind of mediocre performances in main events and other matches has cost him that U.S. Title chance recently?
I mean, you can tell the WWE likes him, but there needs to be some level of good in-ring skill to go along with that "natural" personality and gimmick. I've seen him pull out WAY more moves than just elbow drops and shoulder drops in House Show matches, so I'm just curious as to why he or WWE isn't allowing those added moves show in his televised matches. Being a fan of his, it does get a little tiring watching him pose instead of pull out some of his moves I've seen him do before.
I'm fine with AW staying with them (and doing the talking) for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, they can brush up on their mic skills for when it gets stale just hearing AW talk. I don't think there's any need for them to talk on their own yet.
ReplyDeleteI think (but don't know) that they put Ziggler, Swagger, and Vickie all together because they weren't really doing anything else. I liked both Swagger and Ziggler as main eventers, but am fine with them getting some more experience in the midcard before getting another opportunity there. After his showings against Punk and Sheamus, I wouldn't mind Ziggler winning MITB. Is he top titleholder material yet? No, but I think he could be in a year.
AW (as Abraham Washington) was a weekly staple on the ECW brand. He had his own talk show where he's insult his guests and the crowd. He got the kind of reaction Laurinaitis and Vickie get where he was kind of on TV so much that people supposedly booed that they had to see him again. He's been a commentator and GM in FCW. He's wrestled, too, but I guess that didn't go over as well.
I can see a lawyer working as a face: Say Show injured JR or Hornswoggle and a lawyer defended him.
I see teaming with Show as higher than the U.S. Title: Show faced John Cena while the U.S. Title was defended in a Tuxedo match against a manager.
Otunga doesn't get to decide how long his matches are. Management/Creative do that. Same for most everyone else. They have to get so many segments into 2 hours, and some segments/matches are deemed more important than others.
Creative or Management want to do something different with him than challenge for the U.S. Title. That's basically it. They generally don't care how "good" of a match you can put on in a critically-acclaimed sense as long as you're not hurting anyone. They want people who "tell stories" and get reactions. Most fans are the same way. There's a reason the show with a lot of straight-up wrestling matches (Superstars) is just on WWE.com and the show with talking and storylines is still on TV.
Live events have more time to showcase moves (and are kind of a place for people to test things out and grow as competitors). Different people are in charge there. Maybe the people who write/run Raw only think he's ready for 3 minutes of poses, but the agent/producer in charge of the house show thought he was ready for a full-on wrestling match.
Long story short: I think Management/Creative just wants him to get booed right now more than be known for having "good" matches. If they think he can handle more and is worth that much TV time, they'll try him out in a bigger role. It's like acting. The directors might only trust him with a few lines right now instead of a major part.
I think (in my opinion, anyway) with Otunga's lawyer "gimmick", being a bad guy is easily the best route. I think with the hateability of lawyers and with how good Otunga is in his role, I find it a little hard to work if he appears to be a good guy (it certainly doesn't hurt being Jennifer Hudson's fiancee lol). It would kind of refute the whole perception of lawyers in how sneaky and underhanded they are. I think it's an option in the future, but I'm skeptical of if it would work with him already having as much heat, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little impartial to Management determining the match lengths, though. I mean, to put someone in main events and to put stock in them, there needs to be more in-ring showing than just a few elbow drops and shoulder take-downs. I like the posing as part of his gimmick, but it's getting a little old seeing him pose when fans are expecting in-ring competition.
I think either putting Otunga in like two minutes longer of matches or just doing some of his moves he's done at House Shows would really be his benefit, and Management's as well. It wouldn't be taking up too much time or too much of a risk for Otunga to do a powerslam, bodyslam or even a neckbreaker every match or so. I guess I'm just not a fan of how they adjudicate their match times and moves, overall.
If Management's purpose in Otunga is for him to get heat, I think Management's already done very well. I mean, aligning him with Laurinaitus, the lawyer gimmick and just his pure hateability with Hudson being his wife all accomplishes that. I think proving more in the ring SHOULD create a greater chance for Otunga to be credible and for Management to see more potential in him. Then again, we both know Management's tendency to have A.D.D. lol.
Option in the future for him to be a good guy**
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't turn Otunga face either. I was just saying that there could be a "good guy" lawyer character. It doesn't make as much sense, but I think it could be done (just maybe not with Otunga).
ReplyDeleteSometimes matches/segments later in the show get cut short because something else goes long. It's got to be tough to format the whole show with no do-overs.
Otunga will need to be able to do longer matches on TV if he's to become a main eventer, but I think that's still months if not years down the line (he'd have to break into a tier with veterans like Cena, Orton, Kane, Show, Punk, Sheamus, Jericho, and Del Rio). It might be a while before something "opens up" for him to get there, no matter how much he improves in and out of the ring.
Either way, I think longer matches would help him move up the card IF he can keep the crowd's interest as a heel for that long. I think fans are probably more likely to latch onto someone who's been on TV longer and has more experience, and that works against him. Management is also more likely to give TV time to people who have done good work for longer.
That makes some sense. My questions to Management then would be 1) Why put Otunga in main events if they don't think he's ready yet and 2) Why is Wade Barrett so far ahead of Otunga in terms of being in main events and having 10-minute matches in those events with being on the roster the same amount of time as Otunga? Barrett doesn't have any added intangible or gimmick that Otunga has. The in-ring talent would basically be the only reason, so why not have Otunga prove more of his moveset during matches?
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective, why not just put Otunga in mid-card matches with guys like Santino if he's just going to be booked to lose main events and if he's not going to be pushed into main-event status? It also makes it seem obvious that he will lose those main event matches.
I guess I'm just really critical of the WWE's decisions and why they make them (maybe TOO critical). I know they tend to make really odd, ill-fated and untimely decisions. Hopefully I'm not too "out there" with those thoughts.
My guess is they're seeing what he'll do in an occasional main event spot.
ReplyDeleteI think Barrett has more than Otunga: He has at least 4 more years experience than Otunga, and has worked more territories. So, he has a pre-WWE background in the UK, then worked OVW and FCW before NXT. Otunga just did FCW (which he can't really be blamed for. If he signed earlier, he would have been in either OVW or DSW).
Now, since NXT: Barrett's had more experience in main events and big matches while Otunga was in the tag team division/midcard. They can trust him more because he has a track record in big matches that Otunga doesn't. He's worked more long matches than Otunga (this includes live events where there isn't as much in the way of time limits).
Also, Barrett has a more varied style than Otunga, coming to some degree from his UK background and working with Chris Jericho on NXT. He might have worked with Regal, too. Even if Otunga added some bodyslams and stuff, he wouldn't have all the tools Barrett has inside the ring. It's not just what moves you pull out, but your overall style. I think Barrett is more smooth and crisp in the ring.
Losing to a main eventer is better than just being a midcarder if you have a good showing, like Ziggler being elevated by having good long matches with Sheamus and Punk. Even in a loss, Otunga gets to up his game by working with the top star in the company. I think Cena could bring more out of him than Santino could and hopefully pass on some tips. The fact that he's working with Show and Cena means they care about him more than they would if he was stuck in the midcard.
If he really wants to curry favor with Management, he should be picking Show and Cena's brains for how to make the most of this chance. Ditto for the agents/producers (older wrestlers who help put matches together). It helped Miz and Sheamus be elevated.
Trust me, I get ticked at WWE's decisions, too. I just generally try to see where they're coming from. Sometimes it's hard, like why they're not putting up Season 6 of NXT. I was looking forward to seeing some of those guys.
I guess I'm missing on the boat as to why Otunga is booked in main events, but has no real short-term future in winning any of them when Barrett does. You bring up the point that Barrett has more in-ring experience, but he has no gimmick and I've grown a little tired of him (I personally think he's a little boring).
ReplyDeleteWith it being sports "entertainment" and more about the intangibles and "complete package" than just in-ring talent, I guess I'm confused as to why Barrett is receiving such a heaby push compared to Otunga. As the years have went by, it's less and less about in-ring talent, and more about entertainment, and that lawyer gimmick is so hateable. Guys like Rock, Cena and Austin were "okay" in the ring, but what made them was their personas (in my opinion).
I mean, Santino is no Shawn Michaels in the ring, but he's coming close to the record for time holding that U.S. Title and has been in main events, despite not being great in the ring. If it's in-ring talent that is holding Otunga back, why showcase him in main event one-minute matches with him just doing elbow drops when he has before done better and more impressive moves with him often jobbing in that main event? It just seems a little demoralizing and pointless if I was in Otunga's shoes.
That's not to say Barrett doesn't have anything going for him. He's got the good "heel" attitude and is pretty solid in the ring. I guess my beef with WWE is more about why Otunga ISN'T getting showcased more in the ring rather than why Barrett is (just using him as an example).
I agree that losing in a main event is definitely not a bad thing. My issue is that Otunga, for example, always jobs in that main event. From the viewer's standpoint, I have CONTINUOUSLY sat there and watched a main event (Otunga vs Sheamus, for example) and it's been so axiomatic and obvious how the match will end that there's no suspense with it. Even when Ziggler goes out there in the main event, it's obvious he will lose.
I'm interested to hear your insights on this. I'm honestly the WWE's worst critic when they make a bad decision, but am a fan when they make the right one lol.
Given his level of experience, it says a lot that Otunga's even in main event segments. If it wasn't for his fiancee and his promos, I don't think he'd be anywhere near where he is now. Barrett's gimmick is a British bare-knuckle fighter who's also something of a gentleman (with the rose motif and occasionally the blazer).
ReplyDeleteI think Barrett has more of the complete package. You do have to be able to "go" for longer than a few minutes to make it in the main event scene. I don't know the longest match Otunga's had (that wasn't a big 10-man tag match or something), but it probably isn't as long as some of the matches Barrett's done.
When did you start watching Rock and Austin? They didn't work a technical style (often), but the fans ate their "moves of doom" up and that counts, to me, as being strong in the ring. I even think Cena's good in the ring since so many fans are invested in what he does in there and he can work pretty long.
The U.S. Title isn't as big of a deal as it used to be. They probably just haven't come up with anything better to do with it. Santino might be "better" in the ring than Otunga given how into his stuff the crowd is.
Getting an opportunity to work with Cena and Show should be pretty big to Otunga. He could be working 10-minute matches on Superstars that the company and a lot of fans just view as filler. There are people with more experience than him who are stuck in FCW.
If wrestlers and Creative are doing their jobs right, most fans won't care if a match outcome is obvious. Spider-Man will almost definitely beat the Lizard in the new movie, but it will still rake in tons of cash and a lot of people will like it. Ziggler in particular can show that even if he loses, he's going out swinging.
Sometimes there need to be some guys that the main eventers can beat fairly easily to show how "good"/"Strong" the top guys are.
I started watching wrestling in like 1999 (around it's "peak") when all of the kids in my grade (I was in like fourth grade) were really hyping it. I've grown to be a sustainable fan that looks past the PG rating and past all of the questionable decisions the company makes, but it is a little frustrating. I'm more of a "matter of fact" guy in terms of that I like a little bit of "hard to believe" decisions here and there, but if something is just completely not believable, it's hard for me to get behind it.
ReplyDeleteAn example is (we talked about this before) when Daniel Bryan won the World Heavyweight title two days after losing to the Intercontinental Title-holder, Cody Rhodes. Then, after winning money in the bank, he loses like four in a row to Wade Barrett and like 70 percent of his matches to even mid-level guys. Given, losing isn't a bad thing, but it kind of brings up the question of where the integrity of being a No. 1 contender or higher-card guy is. It's just hard to believe some of those decisions. Maybe that's the "little guy versus big guy" bias the company has kicking in with Bryan's case.
I know you're not as high on wins/losses, and I'm not either if it was to a higher-card guy, but some guys (Ziggler, Bryan, Henry) get taken from mid-level to upper-level with the snap of a finger, and it's irritating to watch as a fan.
In my mind, it's like the same five guys or so (Cena, Orton, Sheamus, Del Rio) have been SUSTAINABLY higher card. One year prior to now, there have been the same guys at the top of the rung with little to no changes. So many other guys who have been working hard have either been between high and mid card or are between mid and lower card. It brings up the question of where the consistency is with the decision to bring someone up to the upper card, and if they get brought back to mid card, why were they even in higher card to begin with? It just seems like it's a way to build those four sustainable higher card guys up, and it just gets old after a while. You get what I mean there?
Sorry to go off on a rant there, but you probably get what I mean there, as you're an educated fan. I like the WWE and will always be a fan, but I just wish a little context and justification with some of those decisions made more sense, you know?
With the main event being the "high point" of the shows, I just wish it wouldn't be so axiomatic and obvious all of the time. I mean, a surprise upset would be great here and there. I like tag matches, because it's not obvious who will win. When a guy like Ziggler or Otunga wrestle in the main event against a hyped guy like Sheamus or Cena, to me it's kind of a waste of money and time to watch, because I know who will win. Given, the match itself will be entertaining as you mentioned, but it's like watching a movie a second time, as you know what to expect. You get what I mean there?
ReplyDeleteI started watching in '98 and starting following things online in '04, for frame of reference.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on them not having long-term plans for guys and being wishy-washy. How they used Bryan before his MITB cash-in was baffling. But I was willing to give him a chance when he won it. Between a new guy getting a shot to run with the title and staying with the Attitude Era guys, I was ok with them giving it to someone who had lost to mid-level guys. I'm surprised Bryan's made it far at all with his size.
I distinguish between wins/losses and how high up on the card you are. Honestly, I don't really pay much attention to/care much about who wins and loses but where they're going from there. Ziggler lost to Sheamus but he's still in the World Title picture (for now, where I hope he stays close to).
And don't think I don't get frustrated about people moving up and down the card. I could go on a whole tirade about Cody Rhodes. I like him and dislike Big Show, so you can about guess how that would go. I just think that in SOME cases, they can only push so many people so some people are going to kind of fall through the cracks.
I see what you mean, but I think a year's a short timeframe. I see Sheamus and Del Rio as fresh faces compared to Show. At least Kane and Henry stepped up their games. If people work hard and stay fresh (over a period of several years - I don't consider guys who just debuted in 2009 or after stale).
I agree about feeding talented guys to established ones- I wasn't a huge Brodus fan but don't think he should have went out to a 40+ multiple-time World Champ (who got almost nothing out of ending Brodus' streak).
A lot of times people are moved up the card to "test them out" and Management sours on them for whatever reason. I usually don't use "buried" but Miz... wow.
I think sometimes they figure some fans just want to see Cena, Orton, Sheamus, etc. win so they give them that to go home happy. Personally I think they should leave the face "in peril" more often so we'll tune in next week or buy the PPV to see if he'll get his revenge. Like they ended Raw this week.