Bound For Blory 2013 preview

Somebody in TNA has finally taken notice of the fans. Free of the constraints of Hulk Hogan's contract AJ Styles is at last getting the opportunity he deserves to headline a pay-per-view for the world title, and to step up and be ‘The Man’. It’s what they’ve needed to do all along!

I'm being facetious of course. Styles has had chances to be the megastar TNA has always needed many times before. This latest shove, modelled on WWE's use of CM Punk in 2011, is simply the latest in a long line of attempts to turn Styles into something special. It won't work. I know this because it's never worked before and AJ has not changed significantly since the last time. If he had it in him to be that guy he'd have done it by now.

Yet a Styles push is something fans constantly call for. Make Impact the AJ Styles show, give him the championship and let him show his wrestling ability and the ratings will pour in, or so the logic goes. I won't argue that having Styles in a more prominent spot than he's typically been in for the last two years, and wrestling lengthy matches, would be the best use of him but it's not enough to save TNA. Styles has been used as well as a company like TNA can use him at various times in the past. It didn't make TNA into a global juggernaut or worthwhile number two wrestling promotion then. It won't do so now.

Pitting Styles against lead bad guy Bully Ray should result in a very good match. Styles' strength, as noted, is wrestling longer than average and exciting matches. Ray has been enjoying one of the best periods of his career over the last few months, easily the greatest portion of his career as far as his singles endeavours go. I don't doubt they'll produce a worthwhile match, but it won't be the sort of thing that encourages fresh eyes to TNA. Ultimately that's what TNA should be striving for with every show they put on, especially PPVs.

I can see one of two things happening with this match. Either Bischoff and co will continue to ape the Summer of Punk II plot and have AJ win the title while supposedly working without a contract or Dixie will further cement her ill-advised heel turn by costing the fans' golden boy a victory. The second option is almost as unappealing as the first but that it wouldn't be such a blatant rip off of a relatively recent opposition plot, and that it wouldn't result in 'The Phenomenal One' getting his umpteenth, inevitably doomed chance to prove he's 'The Man', makes me think it would be preferable.

I hope Bully Ray wins because he, in a roundabout and stunted way, stands for a fresher approach than AJ Styles does¹. Bully is also a more rounded performer than Styles thanks to his strength with promos, which makes me think he deserves the championship and the top spot that comes with it more.

Why has this been allowed to happen?

The problem of how TNA stars are perceived is not one exclusively linked to AJ Styles. Nobody in the company is seen as a genuinely big star. Even people who have been big names elsewhere, such as Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Jeff Hardy, lose lustre and credibility in TNA. There are dozens of reasons for this, a relatively minor one being how TNA handles its world title. Specifically I'm talking about former world champions going back to hold mid-card singles titles. The tag team championships are different because they can contribute to storylines in interesting ways and, more importantly, don't feel like a step backwards. The logic should be that once a wrestler has won the world title no other singles championship can satisfy them². At the moment it feels like TNA is in danger of making their world title look like a secondary title.

I bring this up because four of the five men in the Ultimate X match are former world champions. How is a world title meant to look important when pretty much everyone on the roster gets a turn to hold it? As with the main event I'm sure the match will be good, although there's a chance this one could get a little too spot heavy. A gimmick match becoming too reliant on big spots? Well, yes. If incredible, death-defying leaps are being rolled out at the three minute mark how is an audience meant to care (and react) when spots just as ludicrous are appearing twelve minutes into the match? Pacing is the key, and some of the guys in this match have had trouble in that area in the past.

The participants, for the record, are Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, Chris Sabin, and Kenny King, with the latter being the one never to have held a world title. Reasons could be found for all of them to win. Hardy would be winning a title he's never held before³. 'A Double' and Joe would be getting something to do. Kenny King would be solidifying himself as a mid-card stalwart (which is even more meaningless in TNA than it is in WWE). Sabin would be getting something to brag and boast about, enhancing his wearisome heel act.

I'd like to see King win. I don't think it's going to happen. I suspect Sabin will leave with the gold.

In order to combat the slenderness of their roster TNA have granted considerable time to two of their middle card matches: Sting v Magnus and Kurt Angle v Bobby Roode. It was the smart thing to do. In theory it should create interesting matches with understandable reasons to be taking place. That’s what a show like this needs.

In practice it’s not worked out quite as well as could have been hoped. Acting is not the strength of either Magnus or Sting, which is unfortunate as they’re teammates breaking up which has meant their reasons for clashing have been entirely verbal (as opposed to the more conventional random run-ins and beatdowns). Their exchanges have been awkward and have frequently made me cringe.

That said it’s nice that TNA appears to be planning on doing something worthwhile with ‘The Mag Daddy’. He’s got the look, size and promo ability that are rare in wrestling these days, and he’s also one of the few people that has managed to continually shrug of any nonsense thrown his way by the writing team. Used right he could be someone that helps TNA grow. A split from and feud with the Main Event Mafia would be a good starting point, and it looks like that may be what we’re getting.

I’d like to say TNA will do the smart thing and put Magnus over clean. I can’t see that happening. I think he’ll win via underhanded tactics to further demonstrate that he’s making a turn. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sting simply won clean. That would sum up the company’s approach to preparing fresh storylines and building new stars perfectly.

Angle versus Roode hasn’t been mishandled. Announcing Angle’s return for the biggest show of the year makes sense: it helps it to feel like a worthwhile event and may possibly encourage a few more people to tune in. The trouble with it lies in the fact that we’ve seen the two men clash many times over the last several years. It was at BFG two years ago that Roode’s headline elevation started with an unsuccessful challenge against Angle. They won’t have a bad match, but it will be very hard for them to have a fresh one.

As far as a winner goes it would make sense for it to be Angle. A loss wouldn’t harm Roode while a win for Angle would reintroduce him in the right way and provide the crowd with something to cheer for. I think it helps if big shows (and Bound For Glory is the biggest in TNA Land, remember) can provide more face wins than heel wins whenever possible.

Elsewhere on the card ODB defends the once prestigious but now mostly forgotten Knockouts championship in a three-way match against Brooke (Tessmacher, not Hogan) and Gail Kim. Again I find myself thinking that the match should be fine but I’ll be surprised if it amounts to much more. I will say that it’s a shame Taryn Terrell’s not involved in the product at the moment (she’s pregnant) because she was looking very promising as a wrestler.

The final match will see tag champs Gunner and James Storm defend against the winners of a gauntlet match. Involved in that are Eric Young and Joseph Park, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez, Bad Influence, and The BroMans. Of those four Bad Influence are my preferred unit but we’ve seen a lot of them over the last year. Robbie E and Jesse Godderz are a promising tandem that TNA management were smart to pair up. They deserve to make it to the pay-per-view and wrestle for the titles. Whoever goes through I’m not going to predict a title change, but anything could happen in a company as haphazard and desperate as TNA.

The last thing to mention is potential returns and debuts. Mr Anderson, Mickie James and Hulk Hogan have all left TNA recently. In each case it’s been due to contract negotiations. In theory any or all of them could show up at Bound For Glory. In practice Hogan and James are unlikely to appear.

James seems content to pursue her musical career for the time being. There seems to be interest in her in that regard so she clearly doesn’t need TNA. ‘The Hulkster’ could return if he got a similarly cushy deal to the one he’s had over the last few years: limited dates in exchange for creative influence and what we should assume is a considerable chunk of cash. But I think he’ll see if WWE has interest in using him at WrestleMania XXX before he commits to TNA. Which they might.

Anderson strikes me as someone who will return to TNA. It’s hard for me to imagine him trailing around the US indy scene and WWE appear to have no interest in him. In TNA he’d be guaranteed an upper mid-card spot at least, plus a regular paycheque. He was written off TV as part of a rivalry with Bully Ray, which would make his reappearance during the main event natural.

The last man to mention is potential debutant Ethan Carter III. Formerly NXT’s Derrick Bateman the real life Michael Hutter has signed with TNA as part of rumoured influx of new talent. The character has apparently been inspired by a football player called Robert Griffin III. He goes by RG3 and Ethan will go by EC3. It doesn’t sound the most thrilling of ideas, but introducing the character at a pay-per-view would provide it as good a start as possible.

Bound For Glory's problem is that it just doesn't feel like a must-see event. It's a card filled with the same faces we've been seeing for years. There are no matches that have the aura that they can't be missed. It's allegedly the company's biggest and best show of the year but it has unfortunately rolled around at a time when TNA are simply incapable of living up to the hype that entails.

Predictions summary:

Bully Ray to defeat AJ Styles
Chris Sabin to win Ultimate X
Magnus to defeat Sting
Kurt Angle to defeat Bobby Roode
ODB to defeat Gail Kim and Brooke
James Storm and Gunner to retain the tag team championship

***

¹ Which is a fairly depressing thought.

² I've written this before but it bears repeating every once in a while.

³ This seems to be becoming increasingly important in wrestling. It's an excuse to put guys into feuds. It's linked to the former world champs winning mid-card titles problem, the "I've never won that belt before" shtick being the excuse to get the wrestler in question competing for a title clearly below their station.

The NXT Declutter

Yesterday WWE announced the release of seven talents from developmental contracts. These mass releases come as something of a surprise considering recent news that WWE are keen on signing more wrestlers to developmental deals once their new Florida training facility opens over the summer. I’d assumed there would be no releases with an NXT roster expansion planned. Clearly I was wrong.

Those released were, in no particular order, Briley Pierce, Derrick Bateman, Sakamoto, Percy Watson, and Brandon Traven, along with Divas Audrey Marie and Anya. Here are my thoughts on them…

Briley Pierce is the name that immediately jumps off of that list, being the younger brother of World Heavyweight champion Dolph Ziggler. I’ve seen him wrestle only one match and he didn’t blow me away but his work as a backstage interviewer has always been solid. He could have made it to the main roster in that position. Perhaps that offer was made and he turned it down in favour of sticking with the wrestling. If so good for him for sticking to his goal.

 

Going...

 

Like his brother Pierce has a good look. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him crop up in Japan and on the US indy scene over the next year or two before making a WWE return. Whether that’s as an interviewer or a wrestler is impossible to tell, but I’m sure he’ll be back with the company at some point. He’s too good for them not to utilise.

Sakamoto is another notable name released. He worked on the main roster last year as a manservant to Tensai (now… sigh… Sweet T). He didn’t really get to do very much in the role beyond take the occasional beating from his master. When he got bumped down to developmental it seemed like his release was on its way. Turns out it was but the guy hung on longer than I thought he would.

His path back to WWE doesn’t look especially rosy. The promotion seems less and less interested in Japanese stars. See their lack of an offer to the supremely talented Takeshi Morishima, their disinterest in keeping Yoshihiro Tajiri around, and a complete lack of a working relationship with any Japanese federation for proof of that. If Sakamoto’s going to make a name for himself in wrestling New Japan, All Japan or NOAH seem like his best options.

Audrey Marie seems like a particularly strange release to action considering the dire state of the women’s league. I think it’s fair to say that she hadn’t really done anything to stand out thanks to being scripted almost identically to Summer Rae. She did well with what she was given though. I’d have liked to see her given her own character and a chance to work with the main roster Divas.

I’d seen nothing of Anya but from the look of her she could have improved things too. At this point it’s hard to think of a way the Divas division could become worse.

It sounds callous but Brandon Traven seems like exactly the sort of guy who’d be part of a mass release. Looking like he does I can’t imagine him making it to the main roster. He doesn’t look like a WWE Superstar™. Outside of joining the Wyatt Family I don’t think there was any way for him to graduate from NXT.

 

... going...

Percy Watson was (and is) another guy who didn’t strike me as having the main roster look. He wrestled very mechanically and didn’t appear to have much of a personality. If he’s to return to WWE he’ll need to work on a lot.

 

The news of Derrick Bateman’s release is probably the biggest surprise after Briley Pierce. Bateman was one of the cast of NXT’s fourth season in 2010. He was impressive on the show, displaying good timing and facial expressions as well as a firm understanding of ring basics. He always seemed on the cusp of getting a regular gig on the main roster but it never quite panned out for him. He’s one of several guys in NXT that I felt deserved a call-up in the near future.

If those in charge of TNA and ROH are smart both organisations will offer Bateman contracts. I think he’d be a great benefit to both companies. Not only that but a stint in either could provide him with the seasoning he needs to hone his skills and get a second shot with WWE.

 

... gone.

 

The likelihood is that this is WWE getting rid of talent who they've deemed aren't quite ready yet as opposed to just  firing people to make savings. It's not the damning move many people seem to take it as. Bryan 'Daniel Bryan' Danielson was released from his developmental deal in 2001 and worked regularly as enhancement talent for years before he got a regular deal. It was travelling to different regions and working new styles that helped him improve to the point where WWE wanted him back.

Even CM Punk, arguably the most successful indy standout to sign with WWE over the last decade or more, was close to getting released in 2006. He was saved by Paul Heyman fighting to be allowed to use him in the revived ECW.

 
If any of those released pursue a wrestling career away from WWE they'll be doing the right thing. The key is to continue showing passion for the business and search for new places to improve. That could be Japan, Mexico, Europe, TNA, Ring of Honor, SHIMMER, EVOLVE or the dozens of smaller federations that propagate the USA. If they can go to any of these places and grow as performers there's a chance they'll make it back at some point. Let’s be honest, everyone released wants to get back to WWE.

NXTweet 13.03.13

Last week’s NXT felt sparse. This week’s show more than made up for it with matches featuring Kassius (or Kass-yus, as Tony Dawson likes to call him) and Bray Wyatt. Even Big E Langston had a match. That’s become something of a novelty since he got called up to the main roster to work as Dolph Ziggler’s enforcer.

The NXT champ worked a competitive main event against the United States champion Antonio Cesaro. That came about when ‘The Swiss Superman’ interrupted an address by World Heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio. It was a strange segment. The World champ essentially showed up to be interrupted and provide the impetus for a match featuring two men he usually has nothing to do with. It would have been more interesting to see him wrestle someone like Corey Graves or Conor O’Brian.

The Big E v Cesaro match was good. WWE has a peculiar habit of booking guys that start out winning via squash in longer and longer matches. Look at what happened with Ryback and Brodus Clay last year. I suppose it makes sense to do this on NXT: it’s supposed to be somewhere guys improve and they’ll improve far quicker if they’re given longer matches.

Ohno wrestled against Derrick Bateman. Oddly it was Daniel Bryan’s former on-screen protégé that dominated the majority of the match. Ohno, by far the man with the higher standing, got what amounted to a fluke victory after booting Bateman in the chops. The booking wasn’t bad, but it was surprising.

Following his win Ohno slapped his STF kravat hold onto Bateman. William Regal made the save. I’ve written before that a televised collision between them would be A Good Thing. If announced a week or two in advance and built up as a meaningful match it would make a very worthwhile main event.

 

Ohno channelling Thor in preparation for his upcoming showdown with William Regal

 

Bray Wyatt lost to Bo Dallas. It was a relatively uninspiring showing. Bray’s good in the ring, but he’s far more interesting as a character than as a wrestler. His opposition didn’t help. I’m not a fan of Dallas: everything from his long, stringy hair to his generic wrestling style put me off him.

Wyatt puts me in mind of Raven during his ECW heyday heading up the Flock. The Wyatt Family isn’t as impressive as that iconic and eclectic stable but Bray has many similarities with Raven. They both work a brawling style, wear street clothes for their matches, and are excellent promos. There’s a hint of the old Raven trait of being a cult leader in Bray too. I like the similarity. Raven was underappreciated everywhere outside of ECW. I’d like it if Bray could succeed in WWE with a similar gimmick.

Opening video

Tweet 1: NXTweet.

Tweet 2: Alberto Del Rio's going to appear. That'll be... well, it'll be something.

Derrick Bateman v Kassius Ohno

Tweet 3: It’s Kassius… OHNO!

Tweet 4: This has been on my mind for a while now: what's going on with Bateman's hair. Looks like he's asked for the "Elaine from Seinfeld" look.
Tweet 5: Dawson is still saying "Kass-yus". Weird fella.
Tweet 6: Bateman was on offence for most of that. Ohno pulled out a win with a boot to the face. Booking Bateman like a job: good stuff!
Tweet 7: Regal saved Bateman from a devastating kravat. The fans gave him a token, brief, chant.

Emma v Summer Rae

Tweet 8: It's Emma. She still seems drunk. I don't understand this act at all.

Tweet 9: "If you thought she was talented with the microphone..." - Tony Dawson on Summer Rae (he tailed off and didn't finish the sentence)
Tweet 10: Regal says Summer's wrestled like a veteran in the women's division.
Tweet 11: She's been wrestling for about a month. With the division the way it is that qualifies her as a veteran.

Is that Summer Rae or Kelly Kelly? It's difficult to tell...

Tweet 12: According to Regal Summer just performed a "headmare".
Tweet 13: Spinning heel kick there. It would be more accurate to say spinning thigh kick but never mind.
Tweet 14: Paige's return was greeted with apathy. Probably because the fans forget she was supposed to be "injured".

Renee Young interviews Adrian Neville

Tweet 15: Adrian Neville promo. #Geordievision

Tweet 16: Neville looks like an imp.

Matt Striker interviews Big E Langston

Tweet 17: You know Big E Langston's a star because Matt Striker's been called in to interview him.

Tweet 18: Big E's defense against Conor O'Brian will be delicious. I hope that match features Langston licking O'Brian several times.

Bo Dallas v Bray Wyatt

Tweet 19: When Bray Wyatt is given the chance to cut promos on people that matter he'll become a star.

Tweet 20: Bo Dallas does not matter.
Tweet 21: Was Wyatt just singing a song from The Lion King?
Tweet 22: The Wyatt Family should recruit more members. Stick Justin Gabriel in and have him dress in a giraffe outfit. It'd be a refreshing change.
Tweet 23: Bo Dallas beating Bray is apparently a shock, even though he's the one who won a slot in the Rumble and beat Wade Barrett.
Tweet 24: Bray's finisher should be called the Husky DDT.

Not dissimilar to Raven

Renee Young interviews Justin Gabriel

Tweet 25: Justin Gabriel's going to tell us all about his problems with Leo Kruger. Oh good.

Tweet 26: Gabriel told us NOTHING about his problems with Kruger there. He just explained that Kruger was in the South African militia.

Alberto Del Rio promo, featuring Ricardo Rodriguez, Antonio Cesaro and Dusty Rhodes

Tweet 27: Albertooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Dellllllllllllllllllllll Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiooooooooooooooooo!!

Tweet 28: "'Viva Del Rio' they shout everywhere he goes!" - Tony Dawson, lying
Tweet 29: Nice of Del Rio to dress for the occasion.
Tweet 30: To say he's the new WHC is stretching it a bit. He won it over two months ago.
Tweet 31: Antonio Cesaro... Heeeey!!
Tweet 32: If Cesaro thinks he can beat Del Rio why not challenge him to a title match?
Tweet 33: It's 'The Dream'... baybee!

Big E Langston v Antonio Cesaro

Tweet 34: Big E Langston, walking to the ring through an explosion of powder. What a man! What a MACHINE!

Tweet 35: I'd like Dawson to say that Langston is "285 pounds of pure Big E goodness."
Tweet 36: Cesaro doesn't wear kneepads. He doesn't wear elbow pads. You're lucky he's wearing trunks!
Tweet 37: That uppercut was very European.
Tweet 38: Cesaro deadlifting Langston is the highlight of this show. His expression was priceless.
Tweet 39: E Train? Good name for a move. Ridiculous, but good.
Tweet 40: Conor O'Brian and Corey Graves do run-ins. This qualifies as chaos according to Dawson.
Tweet 41: Langston is clearly not popular with the locker room. Nobody made the save. Not even ADR.

NXTweet 22.08.12

This week’s NXT differed from the norm in several ways. Firstly there were features on what’s been happening on the main roster, specifically all the fun and frolics that were had at SummerSlam Axxess. Videos were also aired to promote the importance of becoming the first NXT champion. Featuring the likes of Daniel Bryan, Santino, Ted Dibiase and John Cena, it was as though the people who’d put it together had gone out of their way to find as disparate bunch of stars as possible.

The show was also notable for two post-match run-ins. The first occurred after Tamina Snuka had beaten Sofia Cortez. The second was Richie Steamboat saving Vader junior from a beating at the hands of Kassius Ohno. Both were done to set up feuds, and there’s nothing wrong with a simple run-in.

The trouble was that they were booked to happen one after another. NXT is usually so tightly booked that the repetition was far more noticeable than it would have been on a more haphazard, anarchic show like RAW.

The final segment of the show was given over to an in-ring interview of the two Gold Rush tournament finalists. Hosted by NXT commentator Byron Saxton is was a predictable affair. Rollins spoke about how he’s always wanted to hold a WWE championship and guaranteed that he’ll accomplish his boyhood dream on next week’s show. He had presumably been watching some Shawn Michaels tapes form 1996.

Jinder Mahal sought and received some cheap heat by comparing Rollins to the underachieving fans. There was nothing fancy about this approach, but there didn’t need to be. It’s a simple feud for a simple show. That’s not intended to sound disparaging. NXT’s appeal lies in its basic approach to presenting wrestling.

The interview naturally descended into chaos, Jinder striking Rollins first so that the babyface could retaliate without looking unsportsmanlike. The two shouted and postured their way off the air. As an segment designed to heighten interest in the tournament finals it was very good. Yet another example of why sometimes a simple approach is the best.

Derrick Bateman v Antonio Cesaro

Tweet 1: NXTweet

Tweet 2: Did Regal just call Derrick Bateman "Dave" Bateman?
Tweet 3: Antonio Cesaro. Heeeey!! #veryEuropean
Tweet 4: They didn't acknowledge Cesaro's US title win at SummerSlam. He's not even wearing the belt. #tapedelay
Tweet 5: If you glance at Aksana and then look away quickly enough she kind of looks like Ricardo Rodriguez.
Tweet 6: I think William Regal is the only one who calls it the Gotch Style Neutralizer. Everyone else calls it a Neutralizer. Regal's great.
Tweet 7: A fan in the front row went NUTS for Cesaro's win. Probably an ROH fan...

Is that Aksana or Ricardo Rodriguez?

NXT championship video

Tweet 8: And now for a video hyping the NXT championship.

Tweet 9: Daniel Bryan, in full on face mode, believes that there are thousands of people who would like to be NXT champ.
Tweet 10: There's the obligatory Cena appearance. He doesn't even know what NXT is.
Tweet 11: It doesn't matter how much they talk up the championship, it's still a fugly belt.

Sofia Cortez v Tamina Snuka

Tweet 12: Anyway, it's time for a Divas match. The inexplicably over Sofia Cortez versus Tamina Snuka.

Tweet 13: Tamina looks like her dad. That's not a good thing.
Tweet 14: "The Samoans just love the physicality, they love to fight. They're a race of superpeople" - William Regal on Samoans
Tweet 15: "Was that not impressive or what?" - Byron Saxton with an attack on grammar
Tweet 16: Raquel Diaz looks like a cross between Beyonce, Lady Gaga and someone I can't quite put my finger on... #Eddiesdaughter
Tweet 17: That was a decent match. The prospect of a Diaz v Snuka match is less than appealing though.

How do you get heat in 2012? Use lipstick to draw an L on the head of a tepidly popular babyface

 

Jake Carter v Kassius Ohno

Tweet 18: It’s Kassius… OHNO!

Tweet 19: Jake Carter is Vader's son and still gets the "already in the ring" intro.
Tweet 20: I've assumed incorrectly regarding that intro on NXT before. I won't bet against Ohno though. He'll win. Hopefully via KO.
Tweet 21: Ohno matches always make me think of the ROH on HDNet show. Nobody agrees that this show feels the same. They're wrong. All of 'em...
Tweet 22: Ohno has borrowed Daniel Bryan's beard for the evening.
Tweet 23: Ohno won via the rolling elbow. Regal referred to it as the Dreamkiller. That's not a bad finisher name.
Tweet 24: A second post-match run-in? That's two matches in a row. Who's booking this?!

SummerSlam Axxess video

Tweet 25: Another hype video. This one for SummerSlam Axxess.

Tweet 26: Sheamus looks like like he's hiding something with that hat.
Tweet 27: Piers Morgan says he's a Lesnar fan. He's just sayign that to be cool.
Tweet 28: More from Be A Star. Naturally David Otunga is present.

Another NXT championship video

Tweet 29: More wrestlers talking about the NXT title. Cena says they need to rise to the occasion.

Tweet 30: And there's a random appearance by Ted Dibiase Jr.
Tweet 31: It's obvious from Cena's generic comments that he is unfamiliar with NXT.

Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel v Michael McGillicutty and Johnny Curtis

Tweet 32: Kidd and Gabriel were being presented as a regular team months ago but they're still getting separate ring entrances.

Tweet 33: Jim Ross calling this match is A Good Thing™.
Tweet 34: Breaking news (on a taped show): Steamboat challenges Ohno to a match! It's all kicking off!
Tweet 35: Curtis is very good. He should be on the main roster. Perhaps he could become the new tag partner of Curt Hawkins.
Tweet 36: Referee sliding along the mat like a shark there.
Tweet 37: Kidd well and truly messed that springboard up. I'm surprised the fans didn't get on him for it.
Tweet 38: Double team Blockbuster FTW! No mention of Buff Bagwell, sadly.

Briley Pierce interviews Kassius Ohno

Tweet 39: Briley Pierce looks familiar… #Dolphsbrother

Tweet 40: Kassius Ohno, throwing some elbows after his match. Fine, no... that's fine.
Tweet 41: Kassius accepts. He WILL face Richie Steamboat. I expected nothing else.

Interview segment with Jinder Mahal and Seth Rollins, hosted by Byron Saxton

Tweet 42: Byron Saxton is hosting an interview segment with Seth Rollins and Jinder Mahal about the NXT belt.

Tweet 43: I'd like JR doing it but it's nice to give someone else a chance. Byron needs to be groomed for a main roster commentary spot.
Tweet 44: Jinder Mahal is 'The Punjabi Nightmare'? I thought that was Khali.
Tweet 45: JINDER MAHAL’S PERSPEX BOX!!
Tweet 46: Just a warning: promos aren't Rollins' strong point.
Tweet 47: Will he put over the ROH title? Doubtful.
Tweet 48: Rollins has wanted a WWE belt since being a kid. #childhooddream
Tweet 49: Jinder is going for the traditional heel promo, insulting the audience and saying he deserves the belt because he’s better.
Tweet 50: Very camp body language followed by a punch to the face. Mahal can do it ALL.
Tweet 51: Show finishes with the two opponents shouting at one another, kept apart by referees. Decent build I think.

Dynamic Duos

Yesterday I stated that WWE retooling their tag team division would be a good way of allowing underutilised performers the chance to get themselves over (read that here). I listed a number of wrestlers currently working on the main roster (or ready to advance to it from NXT) and would now like to go a step further and discuss some pairings.

The first team that suggests itself is Jack Swagger and Johnny Curtis. Those two would complement one another nicely. Swagger is a (mostly) reliable worker who lacks the charisma needed to establish himself in any meaningful sense. Curtis meanwhile always strikes me as being a little basic with his repertoire but very good when it comes to getting his character over (especially impressive considering how little time on TV he gets).

Pairing ‘Dirty Curty’ and ‘The All American American’ would allow them to cover each other’s weak points. It would perhaps allow them to learn from one another too. It would also give the doubles scene a classic big man-small pairing. The two could have some solid clashes with current champs Kofi Kingston and R-Truth.

Another potentially interesting tandem would be Drew McIntyre and Michael McGillicutty. The son of Mr Perfect made it to the main roster in 2010 as part of the Nexus angle but ended up being sent back to developmental in early 2011, either because the creative team were losing interest in Nexus or because it was decided he wasn’t a good enough worker (or maybe both).

McIntyre received a very strong push back in 2009. He was given the Intercontinental title (which is a fairly worthless belt these days but it was a nice gesture) and was permitted to share screen time with Vince McMahon. He was even dubbed ‘The Chosen One’ by the boss! There’s an indication that a guy’s headed to the top of ever there was one.

But the Scot didn’t progress beyond the mid-card. His push faltered then stopped completely and he has spent much of the last two years drifting aimlessly. Teaming him with McGillicutty would allow two guys of similar ability the opportunity to reinvent themselves and contribute to the company’s programming in a more meaningful fashion.

That’s two heel tandems and no babyfaces so far. How about pairing up Ezekiel Jackson and Mason Ryan? That may sound like a recipe for disaster but there’s a reason I’d suggest putting them together: both have shown signs of being able to get over as fan favourites in the past.

If you think this is exciting wait until you see him do a scoop slam!

Mason Ryan (formerly Goliath on ITV’s Gladiators revival) swerve-turned on Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero in the autumn of last year, which started a brief feud between him and ‘The Show Off’. While Ziggler carried Ryan through all of their matches it cannot be denied that fans rallied behind the Welshman.

Similarly Jackson had some solid fan support during his Intercontinental championship feud with Wade Barrett last year. During some matches he even managed to get crowds cheering his multiple scoop slams. Yes, scoop slams.

I think that putting Ryan and ‘The Personification of Domination’ together would create a team that could get over as big, powerful babyfaces. They’d need to be protected with short squash wins but if booked right they could get over as a Road Warriors-esque unit. Ryback has proven that fans will still get behind a squash artist.

Yoshi Tatsu and Derrick Bateman could be booked as plucky underdogs. Their size would allow them to appear more sympathetic than the other teams suggested here, and work a quicker, more athletic style that would help to set them apart.

JTG and Trent Barreta would be the last two guys left. They could work as either good guys or bad guys and would be another big man-small man combo to use. These two have so little going on right now that being paired up could only be an improvement for them.

Creating these five teams would require much work and wouldn’t stop them appearing in singles bouts on Superstars. They could simply have a tag partner with them at ringside when they appear on the show.

The main roster currently has only a few teams of note. Champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth are joined by Epico and Primo, the Prime Time Players, the MidCard Mafia and Hunico and Camacho. That’s not much of a division.

What I’ve proposed above would immediately double the size of the tag ranks, creating plenty of options for the booking team. They could even start using Sakamoto as a wrestler and pair him with Tensai. The Ascension are ready to be promoted from NXT too.

WWE has plenty of options when it comes to tag team wrestling. As I explained in my previous post there are plenty of reasons to start making better use of the doubles ranks. With RAW currently at three hours there’s ample time for promoting these renewed acts and giving them the chance to get over. The company has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

NXTweet 08.08.12

This week’s episode of NXT featured another pair of first round matches in the show’s title tournament. Unfortunately there was no Seth Rollins this week. There are many promising wrestlers working on NXT, but he seems to be the only one chosen to be involved in the title tournament. Everyone else chasing the gold either has main roster experience or has yet to do anything to make themselves stand out. Rollins has managed that by getting a great match from Drew McIntyre and displaying an infectious dynamism during every one of his appearance so far.

The opening bout pitted former Nexus pals Michael McGillicutty and Justin Gabriel against one another. Considering both men have worked on the main roster before I thought this match would be better. I thought it would be quicker too, as Gabriel is pushed as a high-flyer. By NXT standards it wasn’t anything special. It was still better than the average RAW or SmackDown bout though.

I thought Gabriel was the natural choice to go over as he’s the (slightly) bigger star and his win would have received a nice pop. Instead it was McGillicutty advancing. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter which of them wins, and at least this way Hennig junior can grab some more screen time.

The NXT belt is by no means aesthetically pleasing

The main event saw Jinder Mahal emerge victorious over Bo Dallas. Unlike McGillicutty, Mahal doesn’t need any more TV time. He went over because he’s been built up as a top heel on the show, thanks in part to his camel clutch finisher. Dallas could have done with the win but at least his loss had a reason to it.

This is why NXT is WWE’s most well-booked show: every win and loss happens for a reason and everything is followed up on. It may be basic but you know nothing is going to be left unaddressed.

Sandwiched between those two tournament matches were a Divas tag battle and CJ Parker v Kassius Ohno. The tag match went longer than most women’s outings on WWE programming and was technically sound. More could have been done to engage the fans but that’s the purpose of NXT: to help wrestlers pick these things up.

Ohno’s match was predictably enjoyable. It was a glorified squash but his charisma, move set and intensity made him seem so much more. That he was facing a Carlito lookalike didn’t hurt either.

All in all this was another fine hour (well, forty minutes on YouTube) of wrestling that should satisfy most fans. Once again it provided more satisfying action than either RAW or SmackDown. If you’ve not watched it you’re missing out.

Michael McGillicutty v Justin Gabriel

Tweet 1: NXTweet.
Tweet 2: Michael McGillicutty v Justin Gabriel in a first round NXT title tournament match. Kicking things off BIG, eh?
Tweet 3: What's going on with Gabriel's hair? Whatever it is it doesn't matter because Regal once wrestled his father.
Tweet 4: "Gabriel quicker than a hiccup here tonight" - Jim Ross, dusting off an ancient catchphrase
Tweet 5: Triple H is apparently a big fan of McGillicutty. Not sure if I believe that. If 'The Game' likes him why isn't he on RAW?
Tweet 6: Less than five minutes in and there's a break. Hmmm...
Tweet 7: We're getting a lot of rest holds here. That's usual for RAW but out of place on NXT.
Tweet 8: Gabriel's doing some fancy kicks. No spinning heel kicks though. They were big ten years ago. No one does them now.
Tweet 9: McGillicutty hitting the Perfectplex was nice. That should be his finish.
Tweet 10: Lovely top rope springboard moonsault there from 'The Werewolf of Cape Town.' #stupidwrestlingmonikers
Tweet 11: McGillicutty goes over with an anti-climactic (and sloppy) swinging neck breaker. I'd have rather seen Gabriel win.

CJ Parker v Kassius Ohno

Tweet 12: It's Kassius... OH NO!
Tweet 13: Ohno is showing a turnbuckle who's boss. Good for him.
Tweet 14: Hey, Carlito's back!
Tweet 15: ... Oh wait. It's just CJ Parker.
Tweet 16: Part of the reason I like NXT is that they acknowledge wrestlers working overseas. Doesn't happen anywhere near enough on RAW and SmackDown.
Tweet 17: Knee pads come down. That means Parker means business. Ohno's boot meant more business though...
Tweet 18: Ohno wins via rolling elbow. Good. I want him to win the NXT title at some point.

Jason Jordan and Mike Dalton backstage with Briley Pierce

Tweet 19: Recap of that tag team upset from last week there. This is nice too. An upset is actually being followed up on.
Tweet 20: Briley Pierce interviewing the upset kids. He looks familiar... #Dolphsbrother
Tweet 21: "Those guys are on SmackDown!"

Acension vignette

Tweet 22: Vignette for The Acension. The booking team knows they've already been on TV, right?
Tweet 23: NXT has so many teams WWE should consider moving the tag team titles to the show. They'd mean more there.

Caylee Turner and Kaitlyn v Paige and Tamina Snuka

Tweet 24: Tamina Snuka and Paige v Caylee Turner and Kaitlyn. I am a big Kaitlyn fan. She's tremendous.
Tweet 25: Kaitlyn's been on the roster for two years but her entrance video still features clips of her doing the robot with Striker.
Tweet 26: "You could say that Kaitlyn has walnut-crushing thighs" - William Regal
Tweet 27: Who is the face? Who is the heel? Who must I cheer?!
Tweet 28: Paige tags in and the fans start chanting her name. No idea why she's so over but it's encouraging to hear.

Hey, when you're reviewing a show WWE barely acknowledge on their website you take what photos you can get, okay?

Tweet 29: Caylee Turner is dressed like a cross between a pirate and a giraffe.
Tweet 30: That should be her gimmick: believing herself to be both a pirate and a giraffe. Main roster material.
Tweet 31: It'd be a good moniker too. 'Giraffe Pirate' Caylee Turner! It's got "Divas champion" written all over it.
Tweet 32: "Look at that!" - Byron Saxton as the two legal women in a tag match lay on the mat selling
Tweet 33: Confusing finishing sequence. Kaitlyn tugs Tamina to the outside, which is heelish, then Paige rolls up Caylee for the win.
Tweet 34: Instead of getting angry Kaitlyn helps her partner to the back, a face move. Tamina then gets into the ring and starts screaming at Kaitlyn.
Tweet 35: Tamina looks more of a heel but was clearly intended to be the face. This clearly demonstrates NXT is not the place for face v face action.

Bo Dallas and Derrick Bateman in a corridor

Tweet 36: Never mind that, let's watch Bo Dallas skipping backstage!
Tweet 37: Derrick Bateman seems to be jealous of Dallas's spot in the tournament. Is a heel turn imminent?
Tweet 38: He paused in the corridor to stare at Dallas. Yep, definitely a turn on the horizon.

Jinder Mahal v Bo Dallas

Tweet 39: Bo Dallas versus ratings magnet Jinder Mahal. This should be GOLD.
Tweet 40: JINDER MAHAL'S PERSPEX BOX!!
Tweet 41: Regal has talked about knowing various wrestler's parents during three of the four matches on this show.
Tweet 42: I appreciate he's telling the truth but less is more and all that.
Tweet 43: "I can see in the future both these men being WWE champion" - Jim Ross with an absolutely absurd statement
Tweet 44: The crowd is practically silent. Considering he has been on the main roster and got called up earlier I blame this on Jinder.
Tweet 45: Perspex Box update: it has been removed form ringside.
Tweet 46: We come back from a break to find JR halfway through explaining Dallas's wrestling heritage. Maybe save it for the audience, Jim?
Tweet 47: WWE should give Jinder Mahal the old FBI gimmick. Keep the Perspex box though.
Tweet 48: Hindu wrestlers have apparently been doing squats, "Hindu pushups" and club swinging (not club singing) for 2000 years. #classicRegal
Tweet 49: When he's given time Mahal can put together a good match. He's wasted in those two minute bouts on SmackDown.
Tweet 50: "We have seen some amazing matches in this tournament" - Jim Ross with a gross exaggeration
Tweet 51: CAMEL CLUTCH! Call it ref, it's over!!
Tweet 52: Dallas tapped out to the devastating submission hold that is the camel clutch. Smart lad. That's a career-ender.
Tweet 53: Mahal is very pleased with his win. He wants that NXT belt. The show ends with him pointing at himself while standing on the ring apron.

New Direction

NXT’s sixth season was a long time coming but it finally started airing on Wednesday 20^th June. The fifth season, dubbed Redemption, seemed at many points as though it would never end and will forever be remembered as the season in which the focus of the show changed. It started out under the old rookie-pro dynamic and finished up as pretty much another “weekend show” (in the style of Heat, Velocity and Superstars) that could easily be missed, safe in the knowledge that nothing important would be shown.

There were positive things about the programme but essentially it was not performing its core function: namely, introducing new names and faces to WWE television. A core roster of performers were used as regulars on the show, which was a good thing, but they were methodically jobbed out on the rare occasions they made an appearance on SmackDown or, even more rarely, RAW. There was no feeling that you were watching the future stars of the company at work.

The show’s relaunch has brought with it a fresh feel and a different focus focus. Debuting wrestlers are being booked to look like stars during their matches and are being introduced with the tried and tested video package formula.

Two approaches were used during last week’s show. Leo Kruger and Richie Steamboat were highlighted in videos that spliced in-ring footage from FCW with specially recorded sitdown interviews with the men in question, in which they talked about their hopes for their WWE careers and their love of wrestling. It was refreshing to see this on WWE programming, as was seeing wrestlers wearing something other than their own merchandise.

Bray Wyatt was the recipient of the second approach, a traditional vignette which introduced the man and his gimmick. We heard a promo from him and caught brief glimpses of him preaching to a small crowd along with random shots of street signs and woods. It accomplished the same thing as the sitdown interviews (introducing a new talent) but also gave us variety so there was no chance of boredom.

Truth be told any wrestling fan, no matter their feelings on WWE, would be hard pressed to be bored by NXT. The show set a frenetic pace from the start and kept it up until the end. In a show that lasted less than forty-five minutes without ads we saw an impressive seven matches. True there were several squash matches in the mix but those matches were clearly designed to introduce one new regular star that is going to be a featured performer on NXT.

Jim Ross was predictably superb on commentary. He enhanced the product with his knowledgeable comments and was clearly doing everything he could to make the wrestlers appear as stars, just as he would with the established names on RAW or SmackDown. Byron Saxton and William Regal were both enjoyable too, and worked nicely alongside the veteran play-by-play man.

Seth Rollins (formerly Tyler Black in Ring of Honor), Leo Kruger, and Richie Steamboat were treated as the stars of the episode. All three should develop into talents who can be depended upon to generate the desired reaction if they are used in this fashion every week. In time I could easily see all three appearing on RAW and SmackDown. Rollins in particular is someone I can see achieving great success in WWE, mainly because I saw how good he was during his time in ROH.

I think Seth Rollins will benefit from the NXT revamp

Elsewhere on the show we were treated to matches featuring main roster performers the Usos, Antonio Cesaro and, wait for it, Jinder Mahal (sadly there was no sign of his perspex box). While they don’t benefit from an NXT appearance as much as the newcomers do it’s nice to see WWE dedicating time to wrestlers who have yet to solidify their position in the organisation.

The Derrick Bateman v Johnny Curtis main event was a good note to finish on. Both men have been regulars on NXT for over a year and have earned the right to wrestle in the show’s headline match. While it was nothing memorable the contest they put on was enjoyable and showed that both warrant a promotion to the main roster. They’ve done all they can on show and deserve the same chance that fellow NXT veterans Darren Young and Titus O’Neil have received.

The emphasis on wrestling matches, lack of backstage silliness and plethora of fresh faces are great to see, and a promising sign that WWE is serious about using NXT as a platform for its next generation of stars to begin making names for themselves. This enjoyable approach, along with the NXT debut of Kassius Ohno (also known as Chris Hero), should be enough to convince you to give the show a try next week. You won’t regret it if you do.