WWE Clash of the Champions

[Jmare007]

Now I want a best of 7 between Rusev and Roman.

 

I hope Rusev doesn't get lost in the shuffle like the did the first time he lost that belt. I guess he's gonna get a rematch but after that they better come up with something worth a damn for him.

[WingedEagle]

Rusev vs. Reigns

 

Match was fine, but really just fine for the most part. I wanted a bigger, louder more explosive Cesaro vs. Sheamus and got a solid Raw match. Very curious to see where they go with Roman Reigns, US Champion, but they did seem to get him a babyface pop for the win. Progress?

[Matt D]

 

Women's match was absurd. Charlotte was the heel in that situation. Moreover, she was going over. And on top of that, she had Dana out there. They had her no sell all sorts of things, like the Bayley to Belly, or recover super quickly from a long Bank Statement with no ill effects. They had her outwrestle Bayley and Sasha in almost every 2 on 1 situation. It wasn't miscommunication from the faces or Dana interfering (She interfered what, twice in the whole match?) It was the heel outwrestling the babyfaces against the odds. It was brutal and blatant. Just totally backwards. Dana should have been evening the odds at every point or Bayley and Sasha should have been tripping over each other as they realized that they wanted to win. Etc. Instead it was Charlotte just being a superior wrestler than the other two, even the two combined. I was gawking every other minute in that match when they had Charlotte look way too strong.

 

What's the opposite of a Political Hit?

Yuck.

 

Well, we know what the opposite of "meaningful thought" is.

[El Dragon]

I've kinda hit that point of knowing Roman is really good, but still never really being particularly excited for his matches because the booking is just so ham fisted that it just makes me roll my eyes when he "overcomes the odds". I think that was a good match, but it still more or less left me cold on seeing Roman in higher profile stuff.

 

Meanwhile, Smackdown has made me give a huge shit about the Miz and Dolph Ziggler. Maybe it's just presentation for me. I don't know.

[Strummer]

Rusev/Reigns will probably be a Cell match next month. Along with Sheamus/Cesaro

[El Dragon]

This is certainly Kevin Owens best trash talking performance on the main show.

[WingedEagle]

This match would absolutely do record low ratings if it were on TV. Why tease us with focusing on the leg if you refuse to work it at all? Just hoping it doesn't go too long past 11. Really, really disappointing match thus far.

[Fando]

what is this match?

[El Dragon]

Everytime Owens goes for the god damned Package Whatever, only for it to be the lame drop, I roll my eyes. If you aren't gonna do the move, don't fucking hint at the setup, christ.

 

Also, Lana gets thrown out in the match before, yet Jericho is still allowed in this match? Are the bookers retarded?

[WingedEagle]

That wasn't good. I'll take one more night of babyface Jericho, but my god was that long and lifeless.

[Matt D]

I would have loved to be in the meeting with Owens when they laid that out for him.

[hammerva]

So Kevin Owens is basically Randy Orton during the Authority era where the champion is the least important guy in the story.

[El Dragon]

Reigns vs. Rusev: Ref throws out Lana for getting involved, as an established manager, instead of calling for a DQ, so Roman can look super impressive and beat Rusev clean twice, cause Roman has to look fucking amazing.

 

Rollins vs. Owens: Ref doesn't throw out Jericho who just randomly runs out, even after he clearly was distracting the opponent, then gets taken out and stays dead forever because we really need Rollins to be sympathetic even though he's still an annoying whiny dick.

 

The booking is just so ham fisted that it kills any and all interest i have in this show.

[Jmare007]

So Kevin Owens is basically Randy Orton during the Authority era where the champion is the least important guy in the story.

 

Or Rollins during the Authority era.

[Matt D]

 

So Kevin Owens is basically Randy Orton during the Authority era where the champion is the least important guy in the story.

 

Or Rollins during the Authority era.

 

Just without a babyface challenger.

[Jimmy Redman]

I absolutely loved Cesaro vs Sheamus. Everything about it, including the finish. God did they earn that. It started off slowly, but it's hard to be interesting right off the bat after six matches. I don't even care I loved Cesaro busting out a random 619. And I super enjoyed the play on the injury spot where Cesaro got backdropped but landed on the apron. Slowly they built and built, the shots got harder and harder, the bombs got bigger and bigger, until finally they were in an all out manly war. Boom, boom, boom. Cesaro goes for a crazy tope and FUCKING KILLS HIMSELF. That leads right into getting his head Brogue Kicked off but KICK. OUT! Cesaro gets his own offense flurry and finish but Sheamus also kicks out and at this point it seems like nothing is ever going to stop either of them. They just keep going, a pair of Terminators.

 

The actions spills outside and it has this air of chaos about it, like the war they're waging can't be contained by the ring. It was at this point that I felt that this was leading to something dramatic, some finish out of left field. It seemed impossible that one of those guys could just go back in and pin the other after all that. And I was right, because they ended up over there, Cesaro hits the clothesline over the top and they both spill once again. I feel like even the positioning of this was awesome for the finish they were going for - they just happened to be right near where the doctors sit. I mean, if they had done that spot on the opposite side, or in the ring, I can't imagine the doctors deciding to fly all the way over there just to check on them. They'd never interrupt the match like that. BUT because they just kind of fell into their laps, the doctors could see immediately that Sheamus got knocked the fuck out on the fence and Cesaro's arm was fucked up and they had to do something.

 

Cesaro and Sheamus were both fucking great here. Cesaro being all defiant and "I can fight with one arm!", and Sheamus stumbling and flailing like he was on fucking Neptune he was so rocked. Brilliant selling. Cesaro struggles to shake off his handlers and gets the moral victory by fighting to get back in the ring and beckon for them to fight forever, while Sheamus furiously shoves anyone touching him away and it takes about 50m of tripping over his nonexistent legs before he can stop falling down and get out of there. He truly looked like a wounded animal. He'll be DAMNED if anyone helps him, but he'll also be DAMNED if he's getting back in the ring now. A subtle difference - both men are tough as motherfuckers, but in the end, Cesaro was willing to fight on, and Sheamus was not. Your babyface and your heel.

 

It reminded me of that Punk/Henry match on Raw that ended on a countout. In 2012 a WWE Title match ending in the babyface getting counted out after being tossed over the top rope sounds ridiculous, but the match was so good and they built to the moment so well that you could totally buy it as a finish. Same thing here, a Best of 7 final ending with a double medical stoppage off a simple move to set up ANOTHER match sounds so absurd on paper, but they built to the moment so well and sold the damage so well that it actually made sense. And suddenly after 7 matches between two guys treading water, you have people begging for them to finish the match and a bunch of intrigue as to how they'll finish the series now, and what will finish it.

 

Loved it all.

 

I mean, if they're not going to push Cesaro they should just make him King of the Best of Seven and run him in a bunch of them. You could fill up the next 12 months, and think of the matches~!

Cesaro vs Sami - Best of 7!

Cesaro vs Harper - Best of 7!

Cesaro vs Rusev - Best of 7!

Cesaro vs Roman - Best of 7!

Cesaro vs Sasha - Best of 7 Neck Breaking Topes!

 

(Seriously. I was even more horrified by his bump here than Sasha's, but I wonder how many people are going to start on about Cesaro not knowing how to bump or work, how many people will begin hand-wringing and cringing through his matches, how many people start eulogising his career...I'm guessing not many, if any.)

 

Every PPV when Charlotte comes out they bring up her perfect PPV record. They should really run with this as part of her gimmick. Charlotte LOVES defending the title on PPV, have her working Foley and Steph to make sure her defenses happen on PPV, get her to beg out of or connive her way out of any booked TV defenses, and on the other hand have the babyfaces push to make her defend the belt on television, and have Foley book her in a TV match to punish her for ducking. Have the announcing play up that PPV is her home ground and it's an uphill battle for the challenger, while on TV they play it like this is the face's big chance to get at her. If this all leads to Charlotte finally losing the belt at The Biggest PPV Of Them All Wrestlemania to Bayley or whatever, fantastic.

[Fando]

(Seriously. I was even more horrified by his bump here than Sasha's, but I wonder how many people are going to start on about Cesaro not knowing how to bump or work, how many people will begin hand-wringing and cringing through his matches, how many people start eulogising his career...I'm guessing not many, if any.)

 

Honestly surprised it hasn't happened sooner the way he rolls with the dive like that.

[Coffey]

Show wasn't bad but wasn't great. I would say better than average though.

 

I liked the countdown Nia Jax/Alicia Fox match.

 

I see quite a few people are over New Day & wanted a title change in the tag match but New Day still seemed over with the live crowd & I just find Gallows/Anderson boring. Match was fun.

 

Women's match left a lot to be desired for me but I figured Charlotte was going to retain. I hated the pregnant pause spot where everyone stands there & waits for the fans to clap. I think it was right after all three went for a dropkick at the same time. I think they're building to Dana/Charlotte & Sasha/Bayley was just a way to help build to that which makes me sad that they're just background fodder instead of the focal point. I find that I cringe a lot when Sasha takes big bumps.

 

Cruiserweight match was a little sloppy but I like that Kendrick stayed heel at the end & Perkins' entrance is fun. Post-match handshakes are overrated.

 

Jericho/Zayn was kinda just there. Some weird looking bumps off the DDT spots. Jericho has been one of the most entertaining performers in WWE lately from a character standpoint but I find I still don't care about his matches too much. He's found his stride again, for sure, outside the ring though. I was fine with the finish because they have to be leading to a Jericho/Owens thing, right?

 

Cesaro/Sheamus went downhill fast after the scary Suicide Dive from Cesaro. It was starting to heat-up to that point & you could tell that Cesaro was visibly frustrated at the end there. They were laying some bombs on each other. Shame as I was really looking forward to that one & feel like they had at least another five minutes if things didn't go wrong.

 

Rusev/Reigns owned. Liked it a lot. Felt very old school. MOTN for me. Rusev is far and away my favorite guy on the roster & him & Lana together are still a great act. Reigns is right up there for putting on quality matches though. That dude is a big match worker. Still not sure why the crowd continue to stay sour on him. Maybe he can turn that around in the U.S. scene instead of the World Title scene.

 

Main event was a clusterfuck, with outside interference, a ref bump & Steph coming out for... reasons. I like that they're continuing to push the Jericho/Owens friends story because it makes the Jericho win earlier make more sense. I like that we're still in the dark about what Triple H's motives were instead of getting backstage PPV vignettes of The Authority all night. They're building toward animosity within the Authority & with Mick Foley, which isn't really the story I continue to want to see around the main event & main title but we know we're not getting away from it. If Seth is a babyface now & out of The Authority, why is he still using the Pedigree? Kevin Owens is the champ going in but feels like a total afterthought. It's more about Seth being slighted by The Authority, Jericho wanting to have Owens' back & teasing tension between HHH & Steph (even when Triple H isn't there). Owens is a prop.

[goc]

Zayn vs. Jericho

 

Rarely impressed by these two and tonight was no exception. Perhaps we're getting the Jericho face turn and title match with Owens at Survivor Series in Canada, which actually sounds promising as a one-off. Zayn seems to have a few spots in every match where he goofs in a manner that screams at you how planned everything is and this was no exception. Feel like he needs to be in whatever amounts to a blood feud in WWE these days rather than relying on flippy spots that don't seem his strong suit.

Zayn has not been very impressive since he's come to the main roster and I'm baffled by why so many people still cry about him being "wasted" or "buried" like he should be a permanent fixture of the main event. I struggle to think of any really impressive TV match that Zayn has had since he's come to the main roster while a guy like Sheamus is always churning out good matches to zero fanfare outside of some people on this board. I didn't even really care for the Owens matches which everyone would probably point to as Zayn's best stuff on the main roster.

[TravJ1979]

Yeah I thought Rusev/Reigns was MOTN since Cesaro/Sheamus didn't have a finish.

 

Jax/Fox was a competitive squash.

New Day v. Gallows/Anderson - Gallows/Anderson aren't over in the least. It's time for Big E to go singles again. Sprint.

Perkins/Kendrick was good, but timing was off. Kendrick is excellent.

I thought Jericho/Zayn sucked.

3 Way Women's match was really good as well.

Owens/Rollins was okay. Owens: "You'll fade to black, get it? Fade to Black? lol

[TravJ1979]

Also, I cannot stand "internet smart" fans. The ones who chant. Curse ECW for popularizing chants. Roman Reigns is good. Hating him just makes you a smark sheep.

[C.S.]

I think I'm the only one who liked the cluster KO/Rollins/Jericho booking. At least it injected some much-needed excitement in an otherwise dull card and actually provided some follow-up on Jericho's victory over Zayn.

 

Zayn-Jericho and Perkins-Kendrick never shifted out of first gear. Rusev-Reigns wasn't much better.

 

As much as I love Zayn, it pains me to agree with goc - he's brought none of the magic from NXT with him. Part of that is WWE booking him as "just another guy" randomly all over the card. There's no progress with him. One minute he's in I-C matches or grudge feuds with Owen, the next minute he's in a JTTS team with Neville.

 

Cesaro-Sheamus was a beast of a match, but Mick Foley can kiss MY arse if he thinks that was a good finish.

[goc]

As much as I love Zayn, it pains me to agree with goc - he's brought none of the magic from NXT with him. Part of that is WWE booking him as "just another guy" randomly all over the card. There's no progress with him. One minute he's in I-C matches or grudge feuds with Owen, the next minute he's in a JTTS team with Neville.

I don't hate Zayn the way I can't stand guys like Rollins and Ziggler I just don't "get" him. Nothing I've seen from him in WWE says he's anything more than "just another guy." There are plenty of guys who manage to stand out despite shitty booking either in a "this guy is a great character" way like Rusev or by always putting on a good match like Cesaro or Sheamus.

 

Sami Zayn doesn't do either and I feel like if he was "the best babyface in wrestling" the way some people hype him up as then there would actually be some evidence of it in the past 6 months or so instead of having to point way back to his NXT run.

[Ricky Jackson]

The main difference is that in NXT he was presented as a focal point, on Raw, outside of the Owens feud, he's been mostly presented as a JTTS

[Fando]

 

As much as I love Zayn, it pains me to agree with goc - he's brought none of the magic from NXT with him. Part of that is WWE booking him as "just another guy" randomly all over the card. There's no progress with him. One minute he's in I-C matches or grudge feuds with Owen, the next minute he's in a JTTS team with Neville.

I don't hate Zayn the way I can't stand guys like Rollins and Ziggler I just don't "get" him. Nothing I've seen from him in WWE says he's anything more than "just another guy." There are plenty of guys who manage to stand out despite shitty booking either in a "this guy is a great character" way like Rusev or by always putting on a good match like Cesaro or Sheamus.

 

Sami Zayn doesn't do either and I feel like if he was "the best babyface in wrestling" the way some people hype him up as then there would actually be some evidence of it in the past 6 months or so instead of having to point way back to his NXT run.

 

 

As far as getting sympathy off of his selling, I think he's really effective and better than Cesaro. He looked great in his match with Rollins about a month ago, with what a lot of people bought as a legit injury. As far as match quality it is spotty and, if not working against Owens, he's usually in multi-person matches on Raw or randomly in 4 min match with Jinder Mahala and now Jericho. Where are Cesaro and Sheamus's great matches this year against Stardust, Jericho, Curtis Axel, and Baron Corbin?