Impact Review

Tonight's Bound For Glory Series matches were Must Win matches for the competitors. The winners will be included in the Finals Match at No Surrender.

Opener
The Aces & Eights opened up the show by giving their thoughts on last week's main event result. Mr. Anderson said D Von knew the risk. Bully Ray responds by saying D Von was a disappointment. He said he never needed D Von, and he doesn't need the Aces & Eights. He said all he needs is Tito Ortiz. He then gives Tito his own Aces & Eights jacket which was formally D Von's jacket.  Mr. Anderson  tells Bully Ray in a rage that the club needs to vote. Bully replies by saying he doesn't care because he is the president of the club. He then left the ring.
I loved this segment. It is starting to look like the end of Aces & Eights. As it crumbles Mr. Anderson seems to be getting pushed. I think Mr. Anderson is great, and would love to see him as the champion down the line.

Kazarian vs Jeff Hardy
Heading into this match I was looking forward to one thing, and that was Jeff Hardy creating unique and awesome spots. He successfully made my wish. Hardy hit Kazarian with a huricanrana and sent him out of the ring. He followed that spectacular move with a cross body suicide dive. Kazarian was still able to stay alive in the match by performing sly reversals. It wasn't enough. Hardy finished off Kazarian with a twist of fate and swanton bomb from the top rope.
This match was a success for me. Hardy did his thing, and Kazarian looked smart.

Gail Kim vs ODB 2 out of 3 Falls
This match was for the #1 contender's spot for Mickie James' Knockout's Championship. This rivalry started a few weeks ago when ODB returned to wrestling after a short time as a referee  to face Gail Kim, they both lost by count-out. During this match ODB looked strong performing strong moves like a delayed suplex. Kim counters ODB's strong moves with smart wrestling, attacking her bad knee the whole match. This led Gail Kim to the first points with a cloverleaf and sharpshooter combination submission. ODB was able to get the second win with a rollup. At the end Gail Kim tapped out to ODB's variation of the sharpshooter.
This match is just proof that the Knockouts Division is so much better than the Divas Division. They have performed a good match on free television. I was rooting for ODB, but honestly, it didn't matter who won. Either one of them could go on to have a good match with Mickie. I'm looking forward to the title match, but I also hope this rivalry isn't finished yet.

Austin Aries Interview
Austin Aries was being interviewed backstage where he said he doesn't want to be part of any group, he wants to reach Bound For Glory on his own. Christopher Daniels interfered to talk trash on Aries. During the  trash talking Daniels said he was going to hit Aries' face so hard it would be flatter than Miley Cyrus' ass. That was a good one, Daniels. Aries came back saying he was going to be him so hard hair will start to grow back on his bold head. This was one of the highlight segments of the night.

MEM & AJ Styles Segment
The segment started with Rampage Jackson promoting his match with Tito Ortiz, which I hate, and proving to everyone he has no mic ability. Then, Samoa Joe took the mic and made Rampage look really bad. The Main Evvent Mafia was thanking AJ Styles for risking his career in the battle against Aces & 8s. they invited him out, but when AJ finally came to the ring he asked the Mafia to leave so he can talk alone. AJ explained why he had changed. He said he was tired of being the guy to carry the company. After Dixie would mess AJ would have to save TNA. AJ said it got to the point that he was hoping Dixie would fire him or he would quit, but AJ stayed for his family.AJ finished off by saying that recently he realized he actually liked being the guy to carry the company. Then, Bobby Roode came out.
This segment was great! As CM Punk would say, AJ planted a pipebomb! I started wattching TNA seriously when AJ was finishing up his rivalry with Bad Influence, and AJ seems so much better than then. I might be wrong there.

Bobby Roode vs AJ Styles
This match had some good spots. Once, AJ hopped over the ropes to the ramp and backflipped off onto Bobby Roode. He followed that up with a backbreaker after rolling Roode into the ring. Later on AJ hit a line of punches. It looked cool. AJ hit a lion sault, a pele. This guy was going off! Toward the end, AJ went for a springboard leap, but Bobby Roode reversed it into a labell lock. AJ got the pin on Bobby after reversing a fisherman suplex into a rollup.
This was a solid match. I wish Bobby would have done more because that match was all about AJ.

Christopher Daniels vs Austin Aries
This match was full of charisma. Both opponents showing off, and taunting. That wasn't all the match had to offer, though. Daniels stopped Aries from hitting a suicide dive by kicking him in the head as he neared the ropes. Austin reversed a backbreaker and ran for a clothesline at the same time as Daniels, laying them both out. Austin Aries hit a move that I was unfamiliar of called the pendulum elbow. It was pretty much an elbow drop with some showing off, or speed. Aries then set on fire hitting a suicide dive, which was reversed earlier. Daniels then reversed a top rope move, and followed the reversal up with a powerbomb. Then, Daniels hit a cross rhodes! The match ended with Aries' finisher, the brainbuster.
Let me just say I love that brainbuster, it looks killer. this match was spectacular. I loved everything about it. I want to see main events like this every week. TNA has been doing great as of late with their main events.

Hulk Hogan & Bully Ray Segment
Hulk Hogan came out and got a major pop. He celebrated the fans' reaction, and talked about BFG stats. Before Hogan could continue Bully Ray came out. Hogan announces that while he was gone from television he finished the divorce papers between Bully and Brooke Hogan. He also mentioned that Brooke moved on, which summed up her inclusion in any stories. Bully responds by saying he never cared about Brooke, and that he used her like he used Hulk, Sting, and the fans. Bully also says he has everything he needs, and that he is on cruise control until Bound For Glory. Hogan turns off Bully's cruise control by announcing that in two weeks Bully will have to face one other Aces & 8's member for the World Heavyweight Championship. Then, he announces a title rematch against Sting. Sting's music plays, and he runs in the ring to have a short and ugly looking brawl with Bully, and not in a good way.
I surprisingly liked the segment. I never was interested in the Brooke and Bully fiasco, but they put closure to it. Hopefully, that is in the past. I'm not too sure if Sting can really go any more, so I can't say much on the match next. I hope that Hogan continues to push Bully's buttons until he loses the title, but whatever happens Hulk Hogan should not become World Heavyweight Champion.

Final Thoughts
I think this show was spot on. A lot of good matches, and build up on rivalries. A great main event. I will give this episode a 4.5/5.

Impact Wrestling Preview

Heading into Thursday night I am excited with what TNA has been doing. It's been making progress by ironically taking some steps back to bring the fans what we loved about TNA before while keeping what we love now. I think in the long run, this strategy will lead them to becoming real competition for the WWE as long as they focus on the fans and not the fame. Here are some of the things I'm looking forward to tonight.

Manik and The X Division
TNA is bringing back awesome to the X Division. After getting rid of that awful "three wrestlers per title match" rule Manik defended his title in a great match with Sonjay Dutt. I love Manik's backstage segments where he has the mask off. It reminds me of a super hero movie or a comic book where we only know his real identity, although everyone knows his identity. Is that right T.J.? I hope the X Divison steals the show tonight like it did last week.

Joseph Park Will Continue being Awesome
I couldn't explain to you why I like Joseph Park, or why he's being put over, but I can tell you I like it. I think his small beef with Jay Bradley can be made into an entertaining mid-card rivalry. Honestly, that isn't necessary. Joseph Park can pretty much beat any heel TNA wants him to, and I'll be cool with it.

Bobby Roode and Bad Influence Will Look for Revenge on Austin Aries
After Aries cost Christopher Daniels the match last week at Hardcore Justice he told the world it was just a response to Bobby's question which was an invite to join his stable. I'm pretty sure they weren't to happy with Aries' actions. They want to get back at him, but this storyline has just started up, so I think Aries will have the upper hand by the closing of tonight's show. How ever the rivalry grows tonight I'm sure it'll be good.

Will Gail Kim get a Shot at the Knockouts Championship?
After beating ODB last week in a good match Gail Kim should be headed into the title scene. Did she ever leave? It doesn't matter. There's no doubt that Gail Kim and Mickie James can go. I wouldn't mind seeing these two fight again. As for ODB I'd love to see her go for the title. Actually, I'd rather see her than Gail. At the end of the day these two Knockouts can both put on good matches so I'm cool with either of them going for the gold.

The Phenomenal One Returns
After a short "No One" gimmick AJ Styles returned to the "Phenomenal One" gimmick that so many people loved. Although the "No One" gimmick didn't live up to its' full potential I think it was a smart move to bring AJ back to normal. TNA needs a top face. They tried giving Chris Sabin that role, but it didn't work. So, they went with what they knew. I think this is great news for AJ. AJ joined MEM in a battle with Aces & Eights, and pinned Devon, sending him packing his bags. Now, AJ has a target on his back, and the company's top heel and his brothers are aiming at it. I expect that this rivalry will start to form tonight, and I think it's going to be a good one. The top heel vs the top face? It doesn't get much better than this. I see this rivalry reaching Bound For Glory which is when AJ Styles gets to have a title match again.

Questions: Raw 8/26/2013

This week I thought I'd try something new. This episode was perfect for me to ask some questions about Raw's roster, and where story lines might be headed. So I decided to write them out, and express why I'm asking them in a new segment simply called Questions!

Who Can CM Punk Face Next in his Paul Heyman Rivalry?
With Brock Lesnar gone after a match of the year contender CM Punk has strengthened his rivalry with Heyman's second client, Curtis Axel. While the two have done fine together, I don't see how this benefits Curtis. He is the Intercontinental Champion, yet he'll be going two months without a title match in a few weeks. Heyman should be focused on supporting his client. His client shouldn't be supporting him, or at least to the extent that the IC title would be better around Wade Barrett's waste about now. He needs to exit this rivalry as soon as possible, but in order to do that someone must take his place. Is it time for Heyman to introduce a new client? If so, i would love for it to be someone in NXT like Kassius Ohno or Adrian Neville.

Why Does Rob Van Dam have a World Heavyweight Championship Match if Cody Rhodes is #1 Contender?
Rob Van Dam pinned World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio to win a shot at his title at Night of Champions. I think it will be a good match and I am excited to see it. I just can't seem to understand how this victory allows him to jump in front of Cody Rhodes, who earned the #1 contender spot by multiple victories, and getting the crowd behind him. I don't get it, but hopefully this leads to a cash-in from Damien Sandow. I think Sandow winning can extend his rivalry with Cody Rhodes.

What Were The Bella Twins & Eva Marie doing?
AJ Lee came out to shot a promo after a diva's match between Natalya and Brie Bella. She spoke on the divas in Total Divas using the show because they have no wrestling talent. During her promo the Bella Twins and pretty much their triplet Eva Marie were saying obnoxious things that couldn't be made out. The whole time The Funkadactyls and Natalya were in the ring not saying anything so people can hear what AJ had to say. I don't know why The Bella Twins and their triplet Eva Marie were doing this, but it was annoying, stupid, and should never happen again.

Why can't Orton have Nice Things?
On last night's Raw, Daniel Bryan vandalized WWE Champion Randy Orton's new Cadillac Escalade, spray painting "YES!" on his car multiple times. This was a pretty cool segment. It reminded me of when Kofi Kingston destroyed Orton's racecar in 2010. I think it's hilarious that this has happened to him twice, and I think it should happen to him again.

What Will Los Matadores bring to the Tag Team Division?
During their promo on Raw, I finally noticed that they are indeed Epico & Primo. These guys can wrestle and have a passion for the tag team division specifically. I think these guys are going to bring a lot to the tag team division, and might even win the titles short after their debut.

Raw Preview: 8/26/2013

Tonight's Raw is going to be very interesting. With John Cena gone for 4-6 months people are wondering if Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton can carry the company. Friday night they proved just that by giving the WWE Universe a very entertaining episode of Smackdown. They built up excitement for their rematch with an opening segment, and a main event. Daniel faced Wade Barrett in a steel cage match. I lied that Bryan made Barrett looked like competition instead of a jobber. At the end Bryan won, and Randy attacked him, hitting an RKO to close the show. Barrett looked good in this main event, which brings me to my first thoughts on Raw.

What Does WWE Have Planned For Wade Barrett?
Right now I am clueless of what's going on with the Bare Knuckle Brawler. A few months ago he was a terribly booked Intercontinental Champion. Now, he's a boss' pet who jobs. This guy came into the WWE a main eventer. This may be the time where he pays his dues. I think that his three terrible title runs were dues paid. It's time to do something with him, and the WWE has an opportunity to bring him into the "above mid-card" stage. I think Barrett should become part of a Corporate stable. This may give him an opportunity to have a WWE Championship match with Daniel Bryan if Bryan wins the title down the line. Heading into Raw it's hard to tell what Barrett will do next. I expect him to continue jobbing.

Darren Young Will Lead Prime Time Players To A Tag Team Titles Match
Since Darren Young has come out of the closet he has been getting a push, and pushing his tag team partner Titus O'Neal with him. As I said before, I'd rather see Titus as the main guy, but after saying the "f" word on live television that probably won't happen. The problem is Darren Young isn't that good. He's has no mic skills, and not as good in the ring as Titus. I don't think Darren should be the main guy in the team, but the WWE will do anything for attention. I expect the Prime Time Players to continue their rivalry with The Real Americans on Raw while Big Show and Mark Henry build up for a title match against The Shield. I think The Real Americans have a chance to get some real heat in this rivalry if Zeb could hint that he is against homosexuality like he did hint he was racist. I'm not sure if WWE will give an idea like that a thumbs up, and if they did people will hate The Real Americans.

Curtis Axel vs CM Punk
Curtis axel just came off a big victory over Cody Rhodes on Smackdown. After the match he challenged CM Punk to a match on Raw. Punk responded on twitter stating "Challenge accepted" later that night. I expect Axel to win the match via distraction by Paul Heyman like portrayed in his match with Rhodes, but Punk did say he would not let Heyman distract him again. Either way I know it will be a fun match.

Rob Van Dam & Ricardo Rodriguez Will Continue To Rival With Alberto Del Rio
Although I still don't understand why RVD represents the Hispanic community I think it's cool to see him have a mouth piece by his side. I think Ricardo and Van Dam will continue to have the upper hand heading into this week by possibly pulling a prank or making a joke at him. Del Rio will get mad and say something that nobody cares about, and RVD will challenge a match for the title. Del Rio will say no. This rivalry will lead to a title match anyway. Whoever wins that match will probably not have the World Heavyweight championship for long. Cody Rhodes is currently the #1 contender, and has not been placed in a rivalry with Del Rio yet which makes me wonder that Damien Sandow will cash in soon since he is in a rivalry with Rhodes.

Daniel Bryan Will Stand Strong At The End of This Raw
I think Bryan's going to hurt someone tonight. I don't think it'll be Randy Orton or any of the McMahons. After beating one of Vince's guys, Wade Barrett I think Daniel will take out another one of their dogs. Maybe "hounds" is a better word. There are a couple things we could see. We could see Bryan fight one of the members of The Shield or all of them like Ziggler and The Big Show did last week. If he does face one member, I want to see him face Dean Ambrose. These two haven't fought yet in WWE, and I'd love to see them fight. If this is the case I think Dean will win, but in a dirty way. Orton may interfere, or maybe The Shield, or maybe both! I think this is worthy of being a main event.

I expect tonight's Raw to build up on rivalries in all the right ways.

Sami Zayn vs Antonio Cesaro NXT: Review

For all indy circuit fans this match up is not unfamiliar. Formally known as El Generico and Claudio Castagnoli, Sami Zayn and Antonio Cesaro put on one of the best performances in the WWE this year, and it was on NXT! A link to the match is below.

http://youtu.be/9CFwCFwYk1c

A 2 out of 3 Falls match was the main event of NXT's 8/21/2013 episode. These are one of those matches that speak for themselves. Those two put on an amazing performance, and I wish I could have seen it main event a PPV. Hopefully, we will one day.

Now, this episode was pre-taped a few months ago, and I heard about it heading in. That still did not prepare me for what I saw. This match, in my opinion, was better than Daniel Bryan's match with John Cena. Maybe it's because Cena's finisher looks less damaging than a drop kick. The crowd even chanted ater the bout "Match of the Year!". I'm pointing out the obvious.

What I'm wondering is why has Antonio Cesaro been given very few opportunities to showcase his talents. Over the past couple of years the WWE has been signing a lot of independent wrestlers such as Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Daniel Bryan. The gauntlet match Cesaro took part in against Daniel Bryan was incredible. The fans want more of this, and having a match like that in NXT seems like a waste. Cesaro needs to fight an opponent  like Sami Zayn or Daniel Bryan that is on the main roster. That brings me to this.

The Real Americans should go after the tag team titles. We all know that The Shield can put on a good match with pretty much anyone, but if they went against The Real Americans it'll be great. Just imagine how good it will be to see two powerful men such as Cesaro and Roman Reigns fight. I said before that Roman's getting better, and working with Cesaro will only strengthen his talent even more. The real story will be Antonio Cesaro fighting with Seth Rollins. These two will make magical matches together one on one, building up for a title match. 

Unfortunately, it is not the Real American's time yet. The Prime Time Players are getting their well earned push, although I'd rather see Titus O'Neal as the top guy of the team Darren Young's recent attention has given him a golden opportunity.

When it comes to Sami Zayn he looks prepared to head into the main roster, but just like the Real Americans do, he has to wait his turn. Adrian Neville is now a two time NXT tag team champion. He is extremely talented, and has been with the company longer. Corey Graves is Nevilles's partner, and has waited a longer time than Neville to reach the main roster. With that being said Zayn is the most over superstar NXT has to offer now that Kassius Ohno has been off of the program for a while.

We will have to wait and see what the WWE does, and if we will be seeing another five star match like this again anytime soon.

To finish off here's my grade for the match. No surprise here, 5/5. This was an excellent match, and I hope this rivalry isn't over so I can see these guys fight again.

Raw Review 8/19/2013

Although it may not look it, this episode of Raw was the biggest Raw of Daniel Bryan's career. Therefore, this was the biggest Raw for the internet fans. I've always noticed that Raw after a Pay-Per-View is always good. This Raw was no different. You want to know why this show was so good for Bryan and us fans? Well, part of the answer lies in the show opener.

John Cena Announces He Is Leaving For Surgery
John Cena opened the show by saying he was disgusted when he heard that Triple H attacked Daniel Bryan. He praised his match with Daniel Bryan, then he made the announcement. He said that he had to go and recover from his elbow injury, and the crowd exploded. They cheered for Cena's temporary departure, and I was kind of happy about it, too. John Cena is one of the hardest working wrestlers in the industry today. No doubt about it. It's rare that he misses a Raw, and the guy does house shows as well. I can't remember the last time John Cena spent more than one week off the air. Time off will be good for him. Not only is it good for him, but it's good for the WWE roster. Cena will be out for 4-6 months. This will give wrestlers the chance to fill in his shoes, and get new wrestlers on television. Wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes can finally get the chance to solidify themselves as main eventers. Best of all, Daniel Bryan has the chance to become the WWE's number one face. That leads to this.

Daniel Bryan confronts Stephanie McMahon
Before John Cena left he welcomed to the ring Daniel Bryan. Daniel Bryan came down to the ring, and shook Cena's hand, and Cena left. Before Daniel Bryan can say anyhing Stephanie McMahon's music hit. Stephanie apologized for her husband's actions, but says that Triple H did what's best for business. Daniel Bryan he expected Stephanie McMahon or Vince McMahon to do what triple H did, but not triple H. He continued by telling Stephanie that when you lay with trash you start to stink referring that Triple H acting like that because of Stephanie. She tells Bryan that he has a place in the WWE, but the WWE Championship is not it. She continues by saying he's not an "A", but a solid "B+". Bryan comes back by telling Stephanie that she's reminding him of a B word. Stephanie tells Bryan he needs to calm down, and Bryan replies by smacking the microphone out of her hand. After getting a new microphone, she calls for security to escort him out of the building. He words to Stephanie that he will be back, and walks away.

Damien Sandow vs Cody Rhodes
A rematch from Sunday night's SummerSlam started up Raw. As the match began, the commentators pointed out that another victory of the Money In The Bank holder will place Cody Rhodes as the #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. During the match Cody Rhodes sprung off the top rope and hit Sandow with a missile dropkick. Sandow prevented a top turnbuckle attack by pulling Cody Rhodes violently down to the mat. Damien continued reversing moves throughout the match, looking like an intelligent fighter. Cody hit Sandow with a top turnbuckle moonsault. At the end, Cody hit Damien with a disaster kick, and Damien rolled out the ring. As Cody went after him, Damien grabbed his head on the apron, and slammed it on the top rope. As Damien went for an attack, Cody reversed and won the match with a roll up.

This was a good match. I think it was even better than their SummerSlam performance. I don't think this rivalry is over yet not only because of the finish, but because they both have an opportunity at the WHC. I'm going to make a prediction that Damien Sandow is going to cash in the Money In The Bank briefcase before Cody has a chance at the title, allowing a triple threat match for the title between Del Rio, Cody, and Sandow. I think a match like with those three will be spectacular. I don't think Sandow is ready for the title, so I think his reign will be short. I still think that Sandow can play as a great rival for Cody in the beginning of his reign.

Funkadactyls vs AJ Lee & Layla
Nothing special happened in this match. The Funkadactyls won by a roll up, and Layla's reaction to getting pinned was pretty cool. Moving on.

Dolph Ziggler vs The Shield
Tonight was a good, yet confusing night for The Shield. They had two matches tonight and both were scheduled because their opponents had opinions on Triple H's actions at SummerSlam.

Dolph started the match against Dean Ambrose and was very careful not to get in The Shield's corner, but it was only a matter of time until it happened. Roman Reigns came in a little later, and beat the crap out of Dolph. I liked what I saw in Roman. He's slowly getting better in the ring, and I would hope so since he's tagging with great technical wrestlers. Dolph was in The Shield's corner, and they were taking turns beating him down. The whole time Ziggler is super selling, of course. At one point Ziggler began to comeback, hitting a dropkick on Roman and a fame-ass-er soon after. At the end a distraction cost him as he ran into a spear by Roman Reigns. After the match, The Shield finished Dolph off with a triple powerbomb. I can't help but wonder where WWE is going with Dolph Ziggler.
Alberto Del Rio vs Sin Cara
As the match began I couldn't help but think to myself that Sin Cara was about to job hard to the World Heavyweight Champion. I was right. Before the match could really get started Sin Cara injured himself while hitting a suicide dive. Del Rio wanted to keep on fighting even while doctors were checking out the situation. The match ended giving Alberto Del Rio a victory.

He grabs the microphone and talks about how the Hispanic community needs a  hero, and that he is that hero. All of a sudden Ricardo Rodriguez comes out and tells Alberto that he is no hero. Ricardo continues by saying he's glad he goes not represent Alberto anymore, then announces he represents Rob Van Dam. Sure, he can represent the Hispanic community. RVD heads into the ring and attacks Del Rio, and sets up for the 5 Star Frog Splash, but Del Rio rolls out of the ring in retreat.

Real Americans vs Prime Time Players
I guess The Prime Time Players are faces now that Darren Young announced that he's gay.This was an above decent tag team match. Cesaro hit a gutwrench suplex on Titus O'Neil, and that move just looks amazing. The Real Americans work as a team, dominating Titus. Then, Darren Young gets a hot tag, and it looked pretty cool. He got the pin after hitting his finisher, which is a fireman's carry gutbuster.

I'm a fan of Antonio Cesaro, so I wasn't happy that the Real Americans lost, but it looks like they're giving PTP a push because of the buzz around Darren Young. I don't like this. Darren Young didn't make a big deal about it, so WWE shouldn't either. After the Money In The Bank Pay-Per-View The Real Americans looked like they were on their way to tag team #1 contenders. I was hoping to see a triple threat tag team match between Shield, Usos, and Real Americans. Now it looks like PTP vs Shield. I like the Prime Time Players, but they have to wait their turn. A rivalry with The Real Americans would've been great is The Real Americans were to have the titles with them. Imagine Zeb Colter talking about homosexuality negatively, and Darren Young defending it. I guess we have to wait and see what WWE is planning.

Ryback The Bully
Ryback goes into a locker room and tells someone in there the locker room belongs to himself. He tells the man to pick up his bag. The man does so. Ryback grabs it and throws it to the side, and tells the man to go get it. Ryback repeats this until they are in the showers. He tells the man to turn on the shower head and fill up his bag. The man says this is all he has, and Ryback smacks him. The man fills up the bag, and Ryback tells him to get out of the his locker room. I love the Bully Ryback segments. I think this gimmick is perfect for him. I'd love to see Ryback try to bully the new announcer for Smackdown, Alex Riley. I think that will be a great way for Ryback to take this out of backstage, and for Alex Riley to have a match.

Big Show vs The Shield Tornado Handicap Match
Big Show dominated The Shield for the majority of the match. There was a moment in the match when Roman Reigns went for a spear, but Big Show beat him to it, spearing Roman. Roman disappears for a while after that. Show later double suplexes Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. Roman Reigns then comes in and spears Big Show. The Shield then triple powerbomb him, and work together to pin Big Show. This match was surprisingly entertaining. I love how dominant The Shield made Big Show look even though he lost. Twitter was joking that The Shield might have another match, but some of us were hoping it were true.

CM Punk vs Curtis Axel in a Brawl
CM Punk comes out to respond to Paul Heyman. Earlier that night Paul Heyman came out to forgive CM Punk and ask Punk to reunite with him. Punk was great tonight, calling out someone in the crowd that was booing him. He told the guy he wanted to fight and if he had any ball he would come into the ring and fight Punk. He calls out Paul Heyman. Moments later Heyman comes out with Curtis Axel. Punk begins apologizing for not hurting Heyman, and taking his guard down at SummerSlam to attack Heyman.  He also apologizes that Heyman thought that losing to Lesnar was going to stop Punk from hurting Heyman. Heyman replies by saying he is sorry for what was about to happen referring to Curtis Axel going in to attack him. CM Punk is sitting in a chair in the middle of the ring waiting for Curtis Axel to near the ring.

The two begin to brawl. A lot of interesting things happened in this match, but I noticed that Punk didn't sell one of Axel's chops at all. Punk threw Axel over the barricade and then did a suicide dive over the barricade. That looked awesome. He then grabbed the bell and hit Axel with it. After dragging him in the ring, Curtis Axel was set up for a GTS. He reversed and attacked Punk's injured leg. Axel begins an assault on Punk's leg using a chair. Axel sets up the chair on CM Punk's leg, and is about to smash it when Punk moves out of the way. The brawl ended when Punk hit a GTS on Axel, using the steel steps.

R-Truth vs Bray Wyatt
This was a fast paced match, which is cool to see with Bray's size. There was one spot where Bray hit a monstrous cross body. The match ended after Bray hit his finisher, the Sister Abigail, and got the pin.

After the match there was a promo for an upcoming tag team named "Los Matadores" whose gimmick is being dressed like matadors and saying "Ole!". The first thing that comes to mind is El Generico, of course, but it is rumored that this may be Primo and Epico.

3MB vs The Usos
There wasn't much special in this match except the finish where Jimmy tagged in Jey as he went for a suicide dive, and Jey hit the superfly splash and got the pin. I love that there were two tag team matches tonight, though.

The Miz vs Wade Barrett
I think I'm one of the few people that actually like The Miz. He has a lot of charisma, and energy that is entertaining. During the match Wade Barrett hit one of his vintage moves, which is the big boot to the outside. I absolutely love this move. Its one of my favorite from Barrett. At the end Miz ended up getting the win after an interference from fandango, who hit The Miz with a diving leg drop as Miz had Barrett in the figure four lock.

Randy Orton Coronation
For the coronation, all of the WWE superstars were on the stage, and The Shield were doing security. The Shield has lost it's way. In the ring were Triple H, Vince McMahon, and Stephanie McMahon. While on the mic, Triple H pretty much said he did what was best for business. He referred to Randy Orton as an A+, and said that was what the WWE Universe deserved. He said he attacked Daniel Bryan for the fans. Then, he announces the new WWE Champion Randy Orton. Orton takes the mic and says he owes everything to Triple H and that he deserves respect. Boy, am I glad to see him as a heel again. Triple H invites Daniel Bryan to the ring, who sneaked back into the building. Bryan came out after Hunter did some convincing. As soon as he neared the ring The Shield attacked Bryan. triple H warned the wrestlers on the stage t not interfere. Bryan fought back and walked toward the ring when Roman Reigns came out of nowhere and speared DB. After a few moments of beating, Triple H called for the Hounds of Justice to let him in. Bryan slowly entered the ring, and the moment he did Orton hit Bryan with an RKO.

This was a spectacular ending. It made me hate Triple H, the McMahons, and Randy Orton. I have to give this show a 4/5. I think some matches like Barrett vs Miz, Usos vs 3MB, and Layla & AJ vs Funkadactyls could have used more time, or could have been better.

SummerSlam: Review, Highlights & Results

Last night's PPV may be WWE's best PPV of the year. The match cards were full of highly anticipated matches and almost all of them lived up to the hype. This show was filled with excitement and surprises. SummerSlam is one of those shows every wrestling fan should own on DVD.

Kickoff: Dean Ambrose vs RVD United States Championship
This was a solid opener, and set the pace for a good show. There were a few spots, which should be expected in a match with Rob Van Dam. He performed his vintage leg drop on the barricade on  Ambrose. The other Shield members Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns came out to help Ambrose, but Big Show and Mark Henry came out tto stop them. At the end, they weren't able to. After RVD landed the 5 star frog splash Reigns speared him to stop the match. The Sheild retreated as RVD celebrated his DQ victory, although he didn't gain the title.

I think this rivalry between RVD and Ambrose can be built up well. as long as they don't use these two for a free TV title match this match can make the Night of Champions card. This rivalry can bring notice to the mid-card that is desperately needed. I also believe that Big Show and Mark Henry will become the tag team champions Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns' opponents at Night of Champions, too. Hopefully they do not win because there are team like The Real Americans that I would love to see fight The Shield for the titles.

Show Opener
The host of the show The Miz opened up the show by announcing some of the highlight matches for tonight, but wasn't able to go through all of them before Fandango and Summer Rae interfered to dance on the well designed stage. Fandango got a very loud "Da-Da" chant from this awesome crowd. As the show went on Fandango and his dance partner continued to interfere in The Miz's backstage interviews until The MIz socked him in the face. This will probably lead to a mid-card rivalry between the two that might even make Night of Champions' Kickoff.

Kane vs Bray Wyatt Ring of Fire Match
Let me just say that Bray Wyatt's entrance was epic! The flames were really cool too. The match... not so much It was good, but I expected more from it. At one point in the match Kane choke slammed Wyatt three times in a row, which was way too much. The commentators said Kane was punishing Bray, but I think he could have came up with some more sick ways. Luke Haper and Erick Rowan tried to come in to help Bray and even tried to give him a kendo stick, but the flames set it on fire and kept them outside. After a few attempts they finally got in the ring after covering the flames with a cloth. They attacked Kane, and Wyatt finished the job after hitting his finisher. After the match Erick Rowan and Luke Harper smashed Kane's head in between two steel steps for the second time in front of Bray Wyatt. The Wyatt Family then left while carrying an unconscious Kane away. That was creepy.

Damien Sandow vs Cody Rhodes
This was one of those matches that didn't live up to it's hype. Maybe it was because they didn't get a lot of time, or maybe it's because their rivalry isn't over yet, and they want to save some cool spots for future matches. Either way Cody Rhodes won the match, which may mean that Cody has a good chance at fighting for Damien's World Heavyweight Championship if he successfully cashes it in soon.

Alberto Del Rio vs Christian: World Heavyweight Championship
Before the match began Alberto Del Rio insisted that Lillian Garcia introduce him in Spanish. That's the way to get heat Del Rio! This match was incredible, and a lot of people were surprised. Honestly, I wasn't. I knew that although I hate the guy Del Rio is a great wrestler. So is Christian. Plus, they have fought before for the title. This match was filled with a lot of highlights, but I'm going to say the ones I remember. While Christian was on the top turnbuckle Del Rio was able to stop him jumping very high to hit an enziguri. He also went for it again later, but Christian dodged it. Later on Christian went for a springboard jump from the middle turnbuckle, but Del Rip caught him mid air and hit Christian with a back breaker. Christian set up Del Rio on the top turnbuckle and performed a hurricanrana on his opponent. Then, Del Rio stopped Christian in his tracks while he attempted a spear by drop kicking Christian. Del Rio ended up winning by submission to an arm bar. I really wanted Christian to win this match. I hate Del Rio as champion. He's boring, and he's killing that title. It's practically worthless now, and I think Christian deserves a title run.

Natalya vs Brie Bella
This match was practically a promotion for Total Divas. All of the divas from the show were there. Even Eva Marie. That didn't make me happy, but Natalya did get the win. That made me happy. Hopefully this leads to a title shot for her. I think Natalya and AJ Lee could have some good matches together.

Brock Lesnar vs CM Punk No Disqualification Match
This was arguably the best match of the night. These guys didn't just have a match. They had a brawl. As soon as the bell rang Brock Lesnar was on the attacking. Slamming his shoulder in Punk until he put Punk in the corner, and then continued slamming into him. Then, Lesnar swung CM Punk like a towel outside the ring near the announce tables. He threw him on top and behind the tables, and looked like a beast doing it. Punk was being brutalized, but never stopped fighting. At one point in the match CM Punk almost had him as he went for the GTS, but Lesnar reversed and put Punk in the kimura lock. Then, Punk reversed that into a triangle lock. Lesnar Picked up Punk while still in submission, and hit Punk with a powerbomb. Punk still held the submission. Lesnar picked him up again, but this time he backed up into the corner and performed a running powerbomb. This time Punk let go. As the match continued CM Punk jumped off the top turnbuckle to the outside where Lesnar held up a chair at the last second to damage Punk as much as Punk damaged him. Punk later used the same chair to put some more hurt on Lesnar for his elbow drop. Heyman tries to get Punk distracted, and it worked. Lesnar set Punk up for an F-5, but Punk grabbed Heyman's tie to resist Lesnar's finisher. Punk stays focused on Heyman and it costs him again. Lesnar sets up for an F-5 again, but Punk reverses mid air for a DDT. Heyman comes in to distract Punk by giving him punches to Punk's legs that had no affect on him. Punk grabbed Heyman and socked him in the face and put him in an anaconda vice that made Heyman tap in agony immediately. Lesnar got up and hit Punk with a chair to break up the submission. He continued beating on Punk with the chair until he hit the F-5 onto the chair. Lesnar won by pinfall after that.

This match was freaking awesome and everyone was wondering how John Cena and Daniel Bryan would top that.

Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn vs AJ Lee & Big E Langston
This was a transition match from one main event to the other so there really wasn't much to expect from this. Kaitlyn looked awkward around the highly charismatic Dolph Ziggler. AJ Lee super sold another spear from Kaitlyn, and some guy that took a splash from Mark Henry got some great seats in front of the announce table. At the end Kaitlyn and Ziggler got the win, Ziggler getting the pin.

Daniel Bryan vs John Cena w Special Guest Referee Triple H WWE Champiship
This was the best match of the night in my opinion, but both this match and Brock and Punk's match will be contenders for match of the year. John Cena was surprisingly very technical in this match. The match started of with some great grappling with the two making bridges. Then, this match became a fight. John Cena reversed a suplex off the steel steps. Then, Cena hit a sit-out powerbomb. This move was last seen in Cena's match with Punk back before Wrestlemania, which was one of Cena's most impressive performances. Accept this one, of course. All throughout the match Daniel Bryan attacked Cena's injured elbow, and at one point looked extremely dominant. John Cena placed an STF on Bryan, but Bryan reversed and placed Cena's own submission on him. This led to Bryan trying multiple different submissions on Cena. There was this one awesome spot where Bryan prevented Cena from performing a tp turnbuckle move by dropkicking Cena on the top turnbuckle. Cena was able to stay on, and Bryan hit a super plex. Bryan held onto the middle ropes with his legs, and he set up for a headbutt from the top ropes. Then, Cena set up for a diving leg drop and Daniel Bryan sold that better than anyone ever before. It looked deadly. Then, there was one moment where Cena slapped Bryan, which means, according to their segment on Miz TV, that your opponent is a wrestler. On the segment Bryan didn't slap saying Cena was a wrestler, but last night Bryan slapped him. Actually, that kind of turned into a slap-fest. The match ended soon after that when Bryan hit Cena with a shining wizard, and got the pin.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Not only did Daniel Bryan win the WWE Championship against John Cena, he did what so many other of Cena's opponents couldn't do, and that was win cleanly. Daniel Bryan was the WWE Champion, and everyone was excited and marking out. Then this happened.

Randy Orton vs Daniel Bryan MITB cash in for WWE Championship
Randy Orton's music hit and he came out. Orton walked down the walkway and raised his briefcase, but he just teased a cash in. He turned around and was about to walk away when Triple H, the special guest referee hit Bryan with a pedigree. Orton slid into the ring and gave Triple H the briefcase and cashed it in. Orton did not even need to attack Bryan. He just rolled him over, and got the pin. Randy Orton won the WWE Championship.

I actually loved this. When I started watching wrestling Orton was the top heel, and he was my favorite. This heel turn was great and Triple H doing what's good for business is just good old comedy. I think this will be great for the future, especially with Cena taking time off to heal his elbow. Bryan is now the top face in the company and has a corporate champion to face against in what will be an awesome rivalry.

I think this PPV was incredible and I give it a grade of A+. Perfection.

My Thoughts On WWE2K14 "30 Years of Wrestlemania" Roster Reveal

This roster reveal was epic! If I wasn't excited about this game before (I was) then I am now! There were big names added to this years video game, and a few that were completely surprising. The live stream was a blast. It took us right into Los Angeles to witness an exciting roster reveal.

Before I get into my thoughts on the roster I just wanted to point out some cool moments not consisting the game's roster. Jerry "The King" Lawler, Jim Ross and Damien Sandow were there to do the revealing with Josh Roberts making the announcements. Damien Sandow was getting heat from the crowd by calling them ignoramuses, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Then, Damien took it to the next level by arguing with the fans that his robes was better than the revealed superstar in the game, Ric Flair's. After a couple shots at Flair's vintage "Wooo!" chant the man himself came out to confront Sandow. This segment was simply awesome. We got another look at how great Damien Sandow would've been in the WWE over a decade ago. Flair referred to Damien Sandow as an announcer. He said Damien MITB briefcase was a "wanna be" just like Damien. Then, he continued to downgrade Sandow's status by asking Jerry what Sandow's first name was. This led to a "Wooo!" vs "Silence!" chant battle between the two, which Flair won, of course. Afterward, Ric Flair fixed Damien Sandow's proclaimed "two dollar" tie, and said Sandow's suit was worth $30. Then, he showboated his Armani suit, and said his catchphrase "My shoes cost more than your house." Sandow defended himself by claiming his suit was a gift from his mother and stormed out. This segment was hilarious and entertaining, and WWE should consider bringing a segment like that to the TV screen.

Now off to the good stuff! The roster reveal. Quickly, I'm going to put the list of the newly revealed superstars in the game and a link to where you can watch the reveal.
http://youtu.be/zLoBNPxTMQ8

Newly Revealed Superstars
Big Show (Retro)
CM Punk
Sgt. Slaughter
Diesel
King Kong Bundy
Brock Lesnar
Chris Jericho (Retro)
Alberto Del Rio & Ricardo Rodriguez
"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
John Cena (Retro)
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
Triple H (Retro)
Big John Stud
Ric Flair (Retro)
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin
Kane (Retro)
Randy Orton
Undertaker (Retro)
Shawn Michaels (Retro)
Razor Ramon
Big Show
Triple H
Batista
Chris Jericho
Mick Foley
Brock Lesnar (Retro)
Bret "The Hitman" Hart
The Miz
Batista
Yokozuna
Ric Flair
and... GOLDBERG!!!

Yes.. I said it. Goldberg. Take it in. Okay.
This was the biggest surprise of the show. Goldberg has always talked trash about WWE on his twitter, and it seemed as if he wanted to do nothing with them. We were all fooled. The only question is will this lead to his return. He did say on his twitter that if he were to return to WWE he would come to fight Triple H which sounds like a possible match. He also said he would like to return as a heel. He seems to have put a lot of thought in it for someone who doesn't want to return.

Another superstar that got me excited was Batista. I love to play as this guy. I expect to see his match with Triple H at Wrestlemania 21 to be in the story mode since that match pushed him to the top, and was the main event of the show. That also reminds me that we now have all four pieces of The Evolution for the first time in a long time! I know a lot of people will be reuniting these wrestlers for their Universe!

I'm also excited to see Razor Ramon and Diesel in the game. Although Kevin Nash would have been better, at least we get to have NWO in the game, kinda.

Some things I noticed in the reveal was JR reassured that he and Jerry Lawler will be doing commentating for 30 Years of Wrestlemania Mode. He also mntioned Howard Finkel's inclusion as an announcer in the game. I noticed Randy Orton has a t-shirt in his entrance this year, and CM Punk enters with a hoodie. I noticed Ricardo Rodriguez came out for Alberto Del Rio with his signature bucket. I would love to us this bucket as a weapon! I don't think it will happen, but who know?

To see all of the revealed superstars go to http://wwe.2k.com/index.php/roster

Raw Review 8/5/2013

The show opened up with Stephanie McMahon showing the WWE Universe footage of Daniel Bryan getting a corporate makeover. he gets a hair cut, gets a suit, and eats meat. I didn't like the idea to have footage of Bryan eating meat. Being a vegan is part of Bryan's gimmick. He's the "world's toughest vegan" and he gave it up just to make his bosses happy? I think this was a bad idea, but I hope it just goes away without anyone noticing.

When the footage ended Stephanie McMahon reintroduced Daniel Bryan. Bryan came out in a suit and his hair tied up. He kind of looked like Damien Sandow.  Daniel Bryan would take a microphone and cut his best promo so far. He says he let the WWE change his look because they said this was the way they wanted their WWE Champion to look like, but he says that can't be true. He wonders why he doesn't look like a champion because of his beard, but John Cena can be a fitting champion while he wears cargo shorts and bright colored shirts. Bryan continues talking, saying that he will beat John Cena because Cena is an entertainer, but Daniel Bryan is a wrestler. Bryan finishes of his promo by saying he will make John Cena tap out. This promo was incredible. 

The self proclaimed "Smartest Wrestling Youtuber" Wyza mentioned in one of his videos (couldn't put a link because his channel is down for the moment) that the WWE rarely ever uses the term "wrestler" instead uses "entertainer" or "performer". He said that the WWE allowing Bryan to say "wrestler" proves that they are behind Daniel Bryan. I totally agree. Wyza also mentioned that the only other wrestler to use that term in recent memory is CM Punk. Punk had to earn the chance to use that term, and now he is one of the top superstars in the WWE. Daniel Bryan's promo proves that the WWE want him to be at the top, too.

As the segment continued, Vince McMahon came out to talk to Daniel Bryan. He told Bryan that the only thing left for him to do to gain McMahon's support at Summer Slam was to shave the beard. Bryan wasn't sure at first and the fans did not approve of McMahon's idea. Vince persuaded Bryan into believing that the WWE Universe did not want Bryan as champion. Bryan agreed to shave the beard. Vince called for a barber chair to be brought down to the side of the ring. Bryan sat on the chair and Vince called for Wade Barrett to cut off Bryan's facial hair. At the last moment Bryan changed his mind. He threw Barrett on the chair and began shaving the side of Barrett's beard, and then threw Barrett over the barricade. Bryan went to the top off the stage and accused McMahon of wanting Bryan to change. Then, Bryan introduced a new shirt that said "The Beard is Here" with an arrow pointing up.

Rob Van Dam vs Alberto Del Rio

Ricardo Rodriguez returned from a story line injury caused by Dolph Ziggler about a month ago. The real reason he was gone was because of a suspension. The match was pretty decent, but it was the ending that was so good. Ricardo placed his vintage bucket in between the top and middle turnbuckle so Del Rio can gain an advantage, but the plan backfired. RVD reversed an irish whip and threw Del Rio into the bucket. RVD went for a roll up and gained a victory over the World Heavyweight champion. I think it is great that RVD is getting wins. I can see him giving new superstars pushes, but for now he needs to gain some momentum after being away from the company for so long. 

After the match Ricardo tried to apologize to Del Rio for costing him the match, but Del Rio did not forgive. Instead he viciously attacked his ring announcer by super kicking him, and beating on him with his bucket. Del Rio finished the assault off by crushing Ricardo's skull between the steel steps and the steel pole.

I am hoping this leads to Ricardo going solo. Not a lot of people know that Ricardo can wrestle, and if Ricardo turns face and goes after Del Rio this could make for some good matches.

Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow Segment

Cody Rhodes stood in the middle of the ring with a package that was soaked. He revealed the package to be Damien Sandow's World Heavyweight Money In The Bank Briefcase. He dared Sandow to come out to the ring and take the briefcase. Sandow came out and demanded Cody put the briefcase down and exit the ring. Rhodes did so, but entered the ring again as soon as Sandow did. He began throwing blow after blow at Sandow until Sandow broke away and retreated without the briefcase.

Cena Delivers Promo Toward Daniel Bryan
John Cena delivered his own version of a pipe bomb in my opinion. He mentioned that Daniel Bryan's success in armories and gymnasiums means nothing in the WWE, being that the WWE is the NFL of wrestling. He also agreed with Bryan that if he were fired Cena would not perform another match because he wouldn't want to work anywhere else but the WWE.

Randy Orton came out and pretty much said it doesn't matter who wins at Summer Slam because "the champ is here" referring to his Money In The Bank Briefcase. Their conversation was cut short by The Shield's entrance music. The Shield surrounded the ring and were ready to attack when Daniel Bryan rushed out to even the numbers. Brad Maddox came out to the stage and announced a six man tag team match between The Shield and John Cena, Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan (who does he think he is, Teddy Long?).

Wyatt Family vs Tons of Funk
This was a quick match with the Wyatt Family getting the win. That' not what was so interesting. After the match Bray Wyatt told the WWE Universe that Kane, the devil's favorite demon, is nothing but an illusion. He calls himself a man of a thousand truths, and the eater of worlds. He says to follow the buzzards. Kane pops up in the titatron, and says it's hard to follow buzzards that have broken wings. Kane continues by saying he sees through Bray's cryptic words. He says Bray hurts everyone in his path, and so does he, but Kane does it for fun. He finishes off the segment by announcing an inferno match between he and Bray Wyatt, and Bray is smiling the whole time.

This is exciting! Although I wish that the WWE would have slowed down Bray's in ring debut Summer Slam is a major stage, and I think it's the perfect place for Bray to do it.

Layla vs Kaitlyn
If you don't watch Smackdown I recommend you do. It just keeps getting better and better. Friday night Layla turned heel during Kaitlyn's rematch for the Diva's title against AJ Lee. This was something I've been waiting for! Unfortunately, the crowd lastt night made me think I was the only one who cared. The crowd was silent this whole match. Layla spent a lot of time in the match running away and being sly.I thought it was unique entertaining. Layla ended up stealing the win when AJ Lee distracted Kaitlyn.

CM Punk vs Curtis Axel
Paul Heyman came out with Curtis Axel which automatically seemed like a bad idea as CM Punk chased Heyman away, but was stopped by Curtis Axel. They went back into the ring and the match began. Once Curtis gained control Heyman came back to ringside to distract Punk multiple times.The match ended when Punk finally grabbed Heyman. I don't really understand why it ended, or who won, but it ended.

Suddenly, Brock Lesnar came out, and CM Punk and Lesnar began to brawl. CM Punk kept on coming back for Lesnar, never giving him a chance to recover. Kesnar gained the upper hand, and was ready too end it with an F5 when CM Punk reversed it and knocked Lesnar down with a chair shot. Punk moved his attention to Paul Heyman and was about to hit bhim with the chair when Brock Lesnar stopped him and gave Punk a devastating F5. Lesnar finished the job with a few chair shots.

After a commercial break Renee Young interviewed Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman with Curtis Axel just standing in the back doing nothing. Heyman offered CM Punk a match next week on Raw.

Fandango vs Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston made a return after being injure by Ryback to defeat Fandango. I just think it's ashame what happened to Fandango. That victory over Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania almost feels pointless now.

The Usos vs Real Americans
The Real Americans looked like a great tag team in this match. Jack Swagger (without the beard) lifted one of the Usos during the match and Antonio Cesaro hit him with a european uppercut from his team's corner. The match ended while Swagger stole a punch while the referee wasn't looking, giving Cesaro the opportunity to hit his opponent with the neutrilizer and get the pin.

I am looking forward to seeing where this tag team goes. I have a good feeling they'll be champions down the line.

Dolph Ziggler vs Big E Langston
This match was super fast! I don't even think these guys could keep up with their own moves! The match ended when Kaitlyn came down to attack AJ Lee who was out to support Big E. AJ ran into the ring to get away from Kaitlyn, but the match continued. The cat fight distracted Dolph and Big E captialized on the moment getting the victory. Kaitlyn walked away and seemed to feel guilty.

Main Event: Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, John Cena vs The Shield
This was a good main event. Seeht Rollins and Roman Reigns pulled off some good tag team moves proving why they are the champions. The match finished when Seth Rollins pushed Daniel Bryan into Randy Orton, causing him to fall out of the ring. Daniel recovered and put his opponent into the Yes! lock. Reigns and Ambrose jumped into the ring to break up the submisson, and were disqualified.

Randy Orton came back into the ring and RKO'd Daniel Bryan. He might have blamed Bryan for being pushed out of the ring, that's undersatandable. Cena and Orton made the Shield retreat, and Randyy RKO'd John Cena. Orton stood there looking at the knocked out WWE champion, and decided to cash in his MITB briefcase, but his plans didn't go through as the Shield returned to the ring and stared Orton down. Orton walked away as The Shield picked at Cena and Bryan.

I think we might have just got our prayers answered. I think we might have just witnessed an Orton heel turn. I'm not sure, though. Only time can tell.

Final Thoughts
This was a good episode of Raw.With a possible Orton heel turn. The announcement of Bray Wyatt's in ring debut, and The Real Americans getting a push all added up to excellence. I give this episode a 5/5.

Why I Will Not Be Watching "Total Divas!"

WWE's newest reality show on the E! Network "Total Divas" tells the lives of female wrestlers. It's debut episode was last Sunday, and it got more views than Impact wrestling has in a while. The show follows some of WWE's Divas and even introduces some new faces.

Although it is a reality show, it's no Jersey Shore. In other words it's not painful to watch. It's actually entertaining. Aside from some superiority drama, and relationship controversy the show can actually interest the wrestling fans. First of all, it takes the fans behind the scenes. We get to see the Divas prepare for matches, train, and try to get themselves a little spotlight. We get to see Natalya, who is the most talented female wrestler WWE has, work extremely hard against WWE's "looks over talent" unwritten rule. We learn that the Bella Twins think of themselves as "veterans" in the wrestling industry, and we get to see untalented women join the WWE roster like Eva Marie. With all of this I've got to say that Total Divas is not a total failure (you see what I did there?). It's actually not that bad of a show. I would watch it to support Natalya. I wouldn't watch it because the Bella twins are practically the main characters and they can't wrestle for their lives. Plus, they just seem like terrible people. Same goes for Eva. 

That isn't the real reason I will not be supporting the show. The real reason has nothing to do with anyone in the show. The real reason lies in the company, the WWE. The WWE is using this show to continue to spread their entertainment part of the company, that being the "E" in "WWE". WWE wants to become a major part of the entertainment industry, no matter what kind of entertainment it may be. They have released full length movies on DVD and in theaters. First, it started with them casting wrestlers in their films such as "The Marine" and "12 Rounds", but recently they've released movie like "The Call" which starred Halle Berry (she's not a wrestler by the way).

Total Divas is their attempt to open the door for reality shows. I can see that if the show does well the WWE may become part of a reality show that has nothing to do with wrestling in a few years. Now, you may be thinking "What's so wrong about the WWE  spreading across the entertainment scene?" Here's what's bad it. Once the WWE becomes a major player in all of entertainment, wrestling will no longer be their main priority. They will not put as much effort into their show value, and story line value. Wrestling will only be the subject that makes the WWE unique to the entertainment industry. It'll catch people's eyes, but the WWE will push those eyes to reality shows and movies (plus whatever the WWE decides to include). Wrestling in the WWE will begin to fade.

I definitely don't want this to happen, and I'm hoping it doesn't. To do my part in preventing this, I will not support the show, Total Divas. Hopefully, the WWE gets the message that nobody cares about their reality show, and stick to wrestling.

Impact! Wrestling Review 8/1/2013

Last night's episode of Impact was the first episode I have seen in a few weeks, and I was hoping it would get me interested in watching the show weekly again. It successfully did, but not without having some flaws. Impact's August 1st episode was a show that I'm glad I didn't miss.

Austin Aries kicked off the show by having a promo for the night's main event between him and AJ Styles. He was rudely cut off by Bobby Roode's entrance music. Roode talked about the bad year he has had and how he was going to turn things around. He compared his year to a nightmare after Austin Aries referred to his match with AJ Styles as a dream match.

Bobby Roode vs Hernandez
The confrontation between Austin Aries and Bobby Roode ended as Hernandez came out for his match with Roode. This was a solid opener and a solid match. During the match there was a spot when Hernandez went to the top of the walkway and ran down to jump over the top rope and knock Roode down with a shoulder block. I don't know if this is his finisher or not but it was pretty cool, and I think TNA has something unique to them with that walkway and should make more use of it. Bobby Roode ended up stealing the match by throwing chairs in the ring to distract the referee. Roode hit Hernandez over the head with a glass bottle to knock him out and get the three count. This match put Bobby on the Bound For Glory Series board with 7 points. This was an awesome ending to the match, and it got me excited for the night ahead.

 Backstage Promo
ODB was talking to Eric Young about being in a match again after a short time as a referee. Eric Young told her he couldn't be in the corner because he had "his hands full" with Joseph Park. Park showed up in the screen stretching in an awkward position. When he noticed Young's presence he stood up and mentioned that some wrestlers recommended he added a new move to his move set called "twerking". Young told him to forget about it and mentioned that he had something for Park's match. This was an entertaining and funny promo that set up the match.

Jay Bradley vs Joseph Park
Before the match between Jay Bradley and Joseph Park began, Eric Young revealed his gift as protective headgear. As the match started the headgear protected Park while Bradley slammed his head on the top turnbuckle. Bradley spent the majority of the match focused on the headgear creating a slow match. Joseph Park ended up winning by pin fall after performing a samoan drop on Jay Bradley. This earned Park 7 points boosting his BFG score to -3. I wasn't interested in this match too much. I think Joseph Parks gimmick is great, and it makes for good comedy relief, but the match was just too slow.

Champion vs Champion Match: WH Champion Chris Sabin vs X Division Champion Manik
This was the best match of the night, but it was in the mid card! I was really upset that the match was in the mid card, but it's tough to compete for the main event slot against names like AJ Styles and Austin Aries. Then again, putting Sabin and Manik in the main event would have built up Sabin not only as an important champion, but an important wrestler in the company. Anyways, the match was a spectacular technical bout that featured awesome spots like a delayed superplex from the top rope preformed by Sabin, and a cutter performed by Sabin. Sabin ended up winning the match after hitting Manik with his finishing move (I think it's called Hail Sabin). After the match Bully Ray attacked Sabin with a chain. While being distracted by a weak Manik, Chris Sabin fought back. He threw hits at Ray that seemed to get faster and faster. I didn't like how this looked, especially since Bully Ray couldn't even keep up with the hits. Sabin ended up hitting Ray with an enziguri, and Bully Ray retreated.

ODB vs Gail Kim
Must I say any more? These two delivered a good, fast paced match that ended in a double count out. The two continued fighting after the bell was rung until commercial break cut in. I'm sure there were plenty of spots in this match, but one that caught my eye was when Gail Kim was dragging ODB from outside the ring, and ODB caught Gail Kim with her legs a swung her around until she slammed Kim's face into the pole. I expect this rivalry to grow and continue. That should be fun!

Backstage Promo
Bully Ray and the Aces & Eights in in the back somewhere listening to what their President has to say. Bully Ray explains that he is not worried about the Main Event Mafia's plans to give them an offer they can't refuse. He says he's worried about Chris Sabin and the World Heavyweight Championship match at Hardcore Justice. Brooke Hogan comes in to speak to Bully Ray. Brooke Hogan tells Ray that the contract for the World Heavyweight championship match does not side Bully Ray. She says to make it fair Bully Ray must agree to a divorce.

Austin Aries vs AJ Styles
This was a great match! I enjoyed everything about it. Austin Aries' finisher, the brainbuster is always an awesome thing to see. The match ended in a unique way that I thought was cool. AJ Styles hit Austin with backflip kick that seemed to be a last burst of energy for AJ. Both lying down they both covered each other for a pin. Aries lifted his shoulder at the last moment, but AJ didn't, giving Austin Aries the win.

MEM Give Aces & Eights their offer, August 1 Warning Guy Revealed
The Main Event Mafia came out asking for the Aces & Eights when the Aces & Eights finally came out the MEM gave them their offer. They offer a 5 on 5 tag team match at Hardcore Justice with the stipulation that the person who is pinned must leave TNA forever. that lead to the Aces & Eights getting in a brawl with Main Event Mafia in the ring. The Aces & Eights quickly reunited outside tthe ring and Mr. Anderson accepted their offer. Suddenly, the lights went out and an unfamiliar song played. Out came the August 1 Warning guy and who is it? Tito Ortiz. Yes, another former MMA fighter. Why? No idea. I think this was another terrible move by TNA and this left a sour taste in my mouth that would have otherwise been a good episode of Impact. I also noticed Rampage Jackson getting angry and excited in the ring as if Tito came to TNA to rival with Rampage. I haven't seen Rampage Jackson nor Tito Ortiz wrestle, but I'd be extremely surprised if they can wrestle any better than decent. I honestly don't think they can even do that, so I hope they don't get in a rivalry together or at least not until they gain experience in the square ring.

Final Grade
This was a good episode tonight, but the August 1 Warning Guy being hyped up as much as he was just to be Tito Ortiz brought this show way down from what would have been a 5/5. I give the show at 3.5/5.

Impact! Wrestling Preview 8/1/2013

Tonight is a big night for Impact, and I am kind of excited. Now, I haven't watched Impact for a while, so I don't know much about what's going on in the stories. What I do know is that TNA made a big move by having Bully Ray, one of the best heels in the industry drop the title to Chris Sabin. Now to most this is old news, but it is still pretty big news. TNA is listening to their fans. They are trying to make their show entertaining again, but some people think they made this move too late.

There is an idea floating around that TNA is a sinking ship. I have to disagree. The only way TNA will sink is if the wrestling fan community gives up on them. As the company changes their ways for the fans the wrestling fan community has to them a chance. Some fans may not be interested because TNA has been disappointing in the recent past, but here are a few reasons why you should tune in tonight at 9 P.M.

Austin Aries vs AJ Styles

Chris Sabin vs Manik in a Champion vs Champion match

August1Warning Guy Debuts

These are three highlights that have got me pumped to see the first episode of Impact Wrestling in a long time. I mean the last time I saw Impact Wrestling was for the Full Metal Match between Jeff Hardy and Bully Ray which wasn't as good as I expected. I am seriously excited for the show tonight and I hope people tune in. 

So I leave you with this, who do you think the August1Warning guy is? http://youtu.be/v_4JA-ulmjk