C.S.

It's back on the WWE.com calendar now.

I should really stop posting late at night... I was exaggerating, but basically my point is this: We've seen a rise in so-called "workrate matches" (think current Seth, Dolph, Adam Cole, and those types) that are terribly worked IMO and feature bland vanilla geeks with zero personality who are impossible to get behind and invest in. I can see Seth rising above that, but he'd be the exception. Give me a rough around the edges, messy, not at all technical match like Foley/Taker HIAC (or Hansen/Vader) any day of the week because that had actual heart, told a good story, and featured characters that mattered. What is Seth's character? Dolph's? "I steal the show. Every. Single. Night. No one else can do what I do in that ring!" STFU, Dolph, you obnoxious geek!

The Foley 20 Years of Hell special was pretty good. WWE really could learn from how stand-up shows are presented these days though. The Foley venue looked like a cheap, low-rent, subpar version of ECW while the stuff you see on Netflix or wherever have production values that are the equivalent of today's RAW. I watched the Hell in a Cell match after, and it still holds up. A technical masterpiece? Hardly. But from a storytelling standpoint, it blows away anything Seth Rollins, Dolph Ziggler, and the like have ever been able to accomplish at any point in their careers. "THIS IS AWESOME!" and ROH are the worst things ever to happen to wrestling.

A lot of people in NXT are "Triple H guys" though. That can only take someone so far. Not everyone can be on top. Who has been Cena's friend besides Zack Ryder? Nikki Bella seems to have done well being "Cena's friend." (She worked hard too, don't get me wrong, but her association with Cena didn't exactly get her "burned and buried.")

No, I know what you said, but I've seen the "next Shawn Michaels" talking point a lot.

God no. All of this stuff about him being "the next Shawn Michaels" is pure delusional lunacy. Even if you're not a Shawn fan (and many here are not), Cole doesn't have a fraction of the charisma or in-ring skill.

I'm sincerely glad one of us did. I honestly don't even know why I watch anymore. I hate the style, the tropes, the bland "athletic" wrestlers without characters and their "this is awesome" matches that ultimately mean nothing (Rollins, Ziggler, etc.), the brand split, the devaluation of titles, and I could go on and on and ON, so I better stop. I do like NXT (PPVs, at least) and have enjoyed the little of NJPW I've dabbled in, but even NJPW and ROH feel like amateur hour a lot of the time (modern-day ROH hasn't impressed me at all).

If by "banged hard," you mean we all got fucked by that drizzling pile of shit, I agree.

Anyone notice the Connor's Cure logo on the back neck area of Roman's vest?

Haha. I guess now is not the time to admit I also find Naomi incredibly attractive? Hell, while I'm at it, let's add Becky Lynch and Stephanie McMahon to that list. Did Paige have work done on her lips?

My apologies, Mr. Aldis.

Look at Mickie! Nick Aldis is a very lucky man.

Joe is terrible and has been for years. We still see brief sparks from him (his last match with AJ was awesome), but he's a sluggish sloth 99% of the time.

This match is proof that Smackdown is and always will be a second-class citizen. It warrants the Cell far more than Roman-Strowman, so of course that match gets it instead. Plus, has a Smackdown World Title match ever closed the show when the worthless, useless, Raw Universal title was also being defended?

Terrible match - sorry, you know it's true - but I'm glad Becky won.

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Weird finish, and why on earth would the ref hesitate to count the pin? Not a great match, but definitely a few memorable moments.

Orton's bizarre, exaggerated facials make John Tatum look subtle.

*Winces*

I guess I'm just sick of the WWE formula BS of pulling ladders and tables from under the ring. It's no longer special - if it ever was.

This match is a dreadful bore so far.

I like the red cell.

Same here. Just pure fun.

Fun pre-show match. Wish Rusev Day had won, but that team/alliance doesn't seem long for the world.

So fucking stupid to interrupt one match with...an ad for another match.