The Men of Many Faces

Sin Cara is gone. Long live Sin Cara.

 

The original Sin Cara, Luis Urive, is unlikely to return to WWE. It's completely unsurprising. When he debuted for the company in 2011 the hope was that he would become the next major masked star for the WWE Merch Machine to get behind (something still needed because Rey Mysterio's body is knackered). In the two and a half years he's been with the company Urive has become synonymous with lengthy injury layoffs and botches. It's the botches for which he'll be most remembered but it's the injuries which did the greatest harm to his WWE career.

 

Urive struggled with the WWE system and a large part of that was due to him never being around long enough to form a lasting connection with fans. There were other reasons obviously: his lack of familiarity with the US (particularly the WWE) style and inability to speak English being two obvious ones. Had he avoided injury he'd have been wrestling more, which would have improved his understanding of the style and exposed him to more English.

 

It became obvious a while ago that he'd leave WWE when his contract expires. That's set to happen early next year, unless an early deal has been reached that’s yet to be acknowledged. The loss of him as a performer is not great, for the reasons given above. The loss of the Sin Cara character, on the other hand, would be a loss. Which is probably why WWE have decided to keep it going.

 

Urive last appeared for WWE on the August 19^th RAW. He wrestled Alberto Del Rio and had the match called off when he dislocated a finger performing a suicide dive (which understandably infuriated ADR). Sin Cara returned to action on the December 2^nd RAW where he again wrestled Del Rio, this time picking up the surprising victory. The difference was that in December it was not Urive under the mask. It was Jorge Arias, more frequently known as Hunico.

 

This was not without precedent, as most will already know. When Urive was suspended in 2011 for violating the Wellness Policy™ he was replaced on TV by Arias. That led to a feud between the two, with Urive working as the original Sin Cara Azul and Arias switching to a black outfit and LOST-inspired entrance music to become Sin Cara Negro. Arias lost a mask versus mask match (receiving the standard announcer comments of how ugly he was when the mask came off, natch) and became Hunico. He's played that character in an enhancement role since.

 

I'm as sure as I can be that this is the man formerly known as Hunico

The December 2^nd RAW made it pretty clear that Urive’s not coming back. While Arias had portrayed the character before he's gotten a prominent shoulder tattoo since last doing so. Unless WWE restarts the Cara v Cara feud or Urive gets identical ink (neither of which is likely, obvs) that prohibits a return of the original. And frankly it's not a loss. Urive had proven himself unreliable and unwilling to improve. Arias may not be as fantastic at running fast or performing flips but he can connect with crowds better and is less prone to injuring himself. The important thing for WWE is keeping the mask on TV. They've ploughed a lot of time into promoting it over the last couple of years and as long as kids keep buying the merch (which they are) there's a point to having the character on TV. It's good for Arias too. He deserves a higher spot than tagging with Camacho on NXT.

 

I expect Urive will head back to CMLL when he's officially done with WWE. That's where he came to prominence, wrestling as the Mistico (ironically Arias had been working outside of CMLL under the same before Urive was given the name). In his absence a new man (real identity unknown: classic Mexico) has worked under the Mistico name. A Mistico v Mistico programme in CMLL would be perfectly natural. And it would be a fitting follow-up to Urive’s confusing time in WWE.

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 25

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 25 by Dave Hatton on Mixcloud

Cesaro deserved a World Heavyweight title match more than Orton

I had planned to change my habits and start writing substantial entries for the podcast posts, but it's failed to happen. In this episode we discuss Sin Cara leaving WWE and I originally planned to accompany this podcast on a bit of writing on that. But it became lengthy enough to stand on its own, so it will. Tomorrow.

The other main topics discussed are the TLC pay-per-view and Davey Richards' current career direction. I'll (obviously) be posting about TLC nearer the time while I've already posted something about Davey Richards (read that here). As interesting as the possibility of Richards ending his time on the indies in Dragon Gate and-or EVOLVE is one piece of writing and one mention on a podcast is enough.

All of which has resulted in another workmanlike, conversational piece of writing where I have very little to say but feel compelled to say something because, well, there needs to be some writing addressing what's discussed in the podcast. I'm a creature of habit.

Middle of the Road

Over the last couple of months WWE have made a noticeable effort to do something with non-main event performers. Daniel Bryan and Kane have been placed together as Team Hell No and are currently on top of the most interesting WWE tag team division in years. The Divas have enjoyed a competent storyline which, in a roundabout way, has illustrated how much the Divas title means to the performers involved.

This is very much a positive thing. Not only has it given viewers more reasons to tune in but it’s also given performers something constructive to do. When that happens there’s more chance of them getting over.

Unfortunately the mid-card singles scene has remained pretty much untouched. If the promotion is serious about wanting to create new stars then this is an area they are going to have to improve.

Main events should be populated by the most over stars. That’s logical. While a handful of men can get over enough thanks to a strong push, such as Ryback, Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio, others have to take a slower path and earn their way up the card by continually putting in solid performances and building a rapport with fans. Dolph Ziggler is a perfect example of this.

The trouble WWE has at the moment is that their main event bracket is so thin they have gotten into the habit of rushing guys to the top. They plug a gap at the top only for another to appear as one of their established stars leaves, goes part-time, or hits the injured list. That then means another guy is fast-tracked. It’s a vicious circle. The mid-card has become neglected and as such there is nowhere for those not blessed with a sustained push from the office to get themselves over.

Zack Ryder is a man who has been let down by the lack of a proper mid-card. This time last year ‘Long Island Iced Z’ was beginning to look like he could become a meaningful part of the company’s future. He teamed with WWE champion CM Punk and World Heavyweight champion Daniel Bryan in a six man tag match on the December 19^th RAW. Not just anybody gets put into that spot.

Things went bad for Ryder when he was chosen to work as cannon fodder for Kane during ‘The Big Red Monster’s’ programme with John Cena. Obliterated on a weekly basis ‘The Internet Champion’ soon found his fan base shrinking.

Had there been a functioning mid-card in place, populated by performers fans had been given a reason to care about, meaningful championships, and matches that received a decent amount of time, then Ryder could have been quickly rehabilitated. His senseless multiple jobs to ‘The Devil’s Favourite Demon’ and harmful presentation as Cena’s li’l buddy could have been erased within a month and Ryder could have gotten back on track.

 

It’s not inconceivable to think that by now Ryder could have been in a high mid-card spot, featured in a purposeful match on RAW every week, had he been treated better at the start of the year. That hasn’t happened because WWE doesn’t have the tools to help talent of his level out.

On the bright side there are signs that WWE is going to get serious about this area of their programming again. Antonio Cesaro has had some relatively lengthy title defences since winning the United States championship. Let’s not forget that he received a surprisingly rowdy response when he lifted the gold from Santino during the SummerSlam pre-show. That showed that fans will still take an interest in performers outside of the headline zone, if they are presented in the right fashion.

Kofi Kingston’s Intercontinental title victory over The Miz last month was also indicative of a renewed interest in the mid-card. Over the years ‘The Boom Squad General’ has proven to be WWE’s performer of choice when they need a babyface to fill a role outside of the main event.

 

Is he happy or in pain? I know I can't tell...

 

During the summer of last year he was placed into a tag team alongside Evan Bourne. The idea was that the two would spearhead a revival of WWE’s tag team scene, working against teams such as Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger (unofficially known as All American Perfection) and Awesome Truth. That was followed by this year’s stint alongside R-Truth, and there are numerous examples of him being tossed the Intercontinental or US title throughout his five years on the main roster.

Kingston as Intercontinental champ is a good move. He can have the mid-card division built around him, and there are plenty of opponents waiting, such as Wade Barrett, Jack Swagger, Tensai, Hunico, and the Three Man Band. If time is invested into giving Kofi matches and storylines that fans can believe in then the mid-card (and the IC belt too, for that matter) could be revived quickly.

Triple H, Edge, and The Rock all earned their way to the top of WWE by making themselves stand out in the mid-card to earn a promotion. Plucking successful guys from the lower ranks and hoisting them up the ranks used to be something the federation excelled at. With a little work that can be the case again.

NXTweet 29.08.12

Seth Rollins is the new NXT champion! What a shock!

Well, no, not really. Rollins’ title victory was recorded on July 26^th, meaning that the result was not a surprise when the tournament final aired. Knowing the outcome of the Mahal v Rollins clash did not detract from its quality though. The two men constructed an evenly paced main event with several tidy spots and enjoyable near falls.

It’s been common knowledge that Rollins is the NXT champ for over a month. What I’m interested in is how the writers will follow up on his victory. A good job was done of establishing the importance of the new strap by the commentary team and the wrestlers, but it can only become truly meaningful if Rollins is booked to defend it often and in exciting matches.

Next week’s show should give us a good indication of what’s in store for Rollins and the belt. I hope it’s positive.

 

Derrick Bateman doesn't look impressed

 

The title tournament may have been the focus of this week’s episode but it wasn’t all that happened. Big E Langston was given his second squash victory. It was decent enough for what it was.

A feud between the Usos and the Ascension was progressed when O’Brian and Cameron jumped Jimmy and Jey during their lights out entrance. A one-sided beating was topped off with Total Elimination to one of Rikishi’s boys. It was nothing ground-breaking but it didn’t need to be: it created a reason for the two teams to clash at some point in the future

Once again proved to be a well-rounded show. Now it has a figurehead in the form of Rollins I’ll be interested to see if the format changes. I hope it doesn’t. It’s great as it is.

Intro

Tweet 1: NXTweet.

Tweet 2: Tyson Kidd is on the opening of the show. Doesn't bode well for his career...

Hunico and Camacho v Jason Jordan and Mike Dalton

Tweet 3: Jason Jordan and Mike Dalton are going to wrestle since the first time since that upset they got a few weeks ago.

Tweet 4: I expect they'll get another win.
Tweet 5: Hunico... No bike in sight. Poor.
Tweet 6: Right then... who's Dalton and who's Jordan?
Tweet 7: You know what Hunico likes to do? Hunico likes to party.
Tweet 8: Hunico, a cruiserweight, just performed a one arm powerbomb. Ridiculous, you say?
Tweet 9: Few things in wrestling irk me more than people being booked as though they're in a different weight class.
Tweet 10: Big Show will perform a Swanton on RAW.
Tweet 11: The heels won by cheating. Presumably there will be a deciding third match soon. I expect the faces will win that.

The Usos call out The Ascension

Tweet 12: The Usos need new ring gear.

Tweet 13: The Ascension: NXT's most confusing gimmick.
Tweet 14: Kronus never needed the ropes for Total Elimination. #justsaying
Tweet 15: Who will leave the NXT Arena as champion, Byron? Seth Rollins. #tapedelay

Big E Langston v Chase Donovan

Tweet 16: He's a big fella... #BigELangston

Tweet 17: Chalking up his hands. That's to show the power gimmick you know?
Tweet 18: Langston seems stiff...
Tweet 19: He has a weird finisher. It's like a cutter but to the torso rather than the neck.
Tweet 20: He should use the Dominator as a finisher. It should be named the Big E Bomb.
Tweet 21: The roster is on the stage. Apparently they want a look at the belt. Why?! It's so ugly!

Briley Pierce interviews Big E Langston

Tweet 22: Briley Pierce looks familiar... #Dolphsbrother

Tweet 23: No words from Langston. Just grunting and heavy breathing. #doeshistalkinginthering

NXT Championship – Seth Rollins v Jinder Mahal

Tweet 24: I can't see the ring announcer... Is it Fink? It sounded like The Fink!

Tweet 25: Here's Dusty. I hope he cuts a scathing promo about how it's the ugliest belt he's ever seen.
Tweet 26: It was Finkel!
Tweet 27: "I truly believe he's going to win tonight" - William Regal on Jinder Mahal
Tweet 28: "The flagbearer of individualism!" - Byron Saxton, sounding a little too much like Matt Striker
Tweet 29: I just caught a glimpse of JINDER MAHAL'S PERSPEX BOX!!
Tweet 30: Anyone else remember Finkel's comedy heel turn on Trish Stratus and Lilian Garcia?
Tweet 31: It happened at SummerSlam. I don't remember which one. I'd say at the very latest it was 2003.
Tweet 32: Mahal does not adhere to the code of honor. #heel
Tweet 33: Rollins took a big bump from the apron onto the ramp. His willingness to do that is one of the reasons he should be on the main roster.
Tweet 34: Why isn't Dusty on commentary?
Tweet 35: He's not on commentary but 'The Dream' is at ringside. He should've been billed as the ringside enforcer.
Tweet 36: "His spine is severely damaged" - William Regal
Tweet 37: Someone needs to tell JR that Rhodes is a GM, not a commissioner.
Tweet 38: How is someone jumping off a turnbuckle to the floor "defyign gravity"? Surely to defy gravity they'd have to float into the air.
Tweet 39: I love the fact that Rollins is so over as a face. It's so rare to get such a positive regular audience in wrestling.
Tweet 40: I've watched ROH's show for the last few weeks and I think the fans at Full Sail are better than those in the Du Burns Arena.
Tweet 41: That's not a reflection on the ROH product, I just think NXT has a louder, more appreciative crowd.
Tweet 42: I want a buckle bomb and I want a buckle bomb NOW.
Tweet 43: Full Nelson slam. Poor attempt at a believable near fall.
Tweet 44: Buckle bomb followed by a Black Out for thw win. Lovely stuff.
Tweet 45: Dusty gives Rollins a hug and a pat on the backside. Erm...
Tweet 46: “Rollins captures the biggest honour of his young career" - Byron Saxton, who clearly isn't a fan of Ring of Honor

NXTweet 01.08.12

I’ve wanted to do a Twitter-centric article on an episode of NXT for weeks now. What better place to start than the show on which GM Dusty Rhodes  announces a Gold Rush tournament to crown the first NXT champion?

Since receiving an image overhaul and a new format a couple of months ago NXT has proven to be WWE’s most consistent show as far as wrestling quality is concerned. Almost all of the show’s time is dedicated to what wrestling fans like most: wrestling matches. Backstage skits are practically non-existent and even interviews are rare. This is a show that WWE fans can watch to see some solid wrestling action. If you’ve watched RAW or SmackDown over the last few years you’ll know how novel that is.

As you will read below the new NXT puts me in mind of the old ROH on HDNet show. It’s not just because of the running time or the use of a smaller venue or even that some of the men appearing on NXT also appeared on HDNet. It’s because it has the same feel: two or three matches that get a good amount of time with a couple of glorified squash matches thrown in for good measure, with everyone involved wanting to put on the best show possible.

My initial reaction when I read about the crowning of an NXT champion was that WWE is already overloaded with titles. It didn’t needed another. I have since reconsidered.

It’s become clear since it was announced that an NXT belt would become reality that the show exists within its own little bubble (think of it as a distant galaxy within the vastness that is the WWE Universe if it helps). The main roster is only ever mentioned fleetingly, usually in reference to the NXT grapplers working hard to earn a spot there. Any full-fledged WWE Superstars that happen to appear on the show are ones that are treated as jobbers on RAW and SmackDown.

Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre are perfect examples. On the rare occasions they appear on Monday night’s premier sports entertainment show they can be expected to get jobbed out in a matter of seconds. On NXT they are allowed to have lengthy, competitive matches and – gasp – sometimes get to win.

Seth Rollins gave Drew McIntyre his most competitive match in months on this week's NXT

 

NXT is not a show you watch for CM Punk or Daniel Bryan. It’s certainly not a show you watch for John Cena. It’s a show you watch to see wrestling matches featuring WWE’s young talent and the guys who haven’t managed to make the impact they likely would have wanted on the main roster but can still produce exciting bouts.

As it’s unlikely anyone recognised as NXT champion will ever appear on RAW or SmackDown during their reign I don’t see what harm the belt can do. Having a championship on the show creates a central focus, makes it easier to write storylines, and makes it easier to highlight stars about to be promoted. As the title is unlikely to be acknowledged, let alone seen, on WWE’s bigger shows where’s the harm in having it?
                                                                                                                  
Judging by the two matches we saw this week the wrestlers on the show actually want to make the title mean something. That’s commendable and is a promising sign for both the future of WWE and NXT itself. Leo Kruger v Richie Steamboat, while slow in places, was a good back and forth match, while McIntyre v Rollins is easily one of the best matches to grace WWE television over the last month.

If the rest of the tournament is as good as this the belt should mean something when the finals are aired in a few weeks’ time. If that’s the case then the viewers are more likely to care about the men battling for it.

The belt’s still ugly though.

Dusty Rhodes promo

Tweet 1: NXTweet.
Tweet 2: Opening strong with a 'Dream' promo! #eefyooweel #baybee
Tweet 3: Where is Dusty's office? I like to think he's in a bunker in the middle of a desert. Maybe a desert abroad.
Tweet 4: Gold Rush tournament. Various NXT guys involved along with Jinder Mahal. No Kassius. Oh no!!
Tweet 5: See what I did there?

Richie Steamboat v Leo Kruger

Tweet 6: That is one ugly belt.
Tweet 7: Richie Steamboat v Leo Kruger. I suspect this will be a slow match.
Tweet 8: "How fitting is it that Leo Kruger and Richie Steamboat are facing each other in this quarter final match?" asks Byron Saxton. Very, Byron.
Tweet 9: Very.
Tweet 10: Kruger using the old heel trick of running round the ring and then attacking his opponent when they roll back in.
Tweet 11: JR laughably refers to this as a strategy. Gott love 'im.
Tweet 12: Kruger would look much better with short hair. His current haircut makes him look like a WCW mid-carder.
Tweet 13: NXT, where even the refs are new.
Tweet 14: Judging by Saxton's reaction I think Kruger's finish may be a sleeper. That’s almost as bad as using the Full Nelson. #Masterpiece
Tweet 15: Does Kruger have "FUDGE" written on his trunks? Oh no, it says "KRUGER". That makes sense I suppose.
Tweet 16: Junior Dragon got a surprise win with a strange swinging DDT/back breaker. Good. He's better than Kruger.

Note the sash

Adam Mercer v Big E Langston

Tweet 17: Big E Langston. He's called that because... well, he's big.
Tweet 18: He can squat 750lbs and bench press 600lbs apparently. I assume these are impressive numbers.
Tweet 19: Regal says Langston can deadlift 700lbs. Great. Good for him. He's intelligent because he has a presence about him when he talks. Also great.
Tweet 20: The commentary team should prep more for debuting talent.
Tweet 21: "He throws sandbags around that weigh 200lbs... He plays with them" - William Regal on Big E Langston
Tweet 22: Langston has one of the worst finishing moves I've ever seen. Still, he's tall and muscular so he's probably a future world champion.
Tweet 23: McIntyre v Rollins in a "quarter final" match. Why not say first round? Or opening round?

Raquel Diaz v Audrey Marie

Tweet 24: Raquel Diaz looks familiar... #Eddiesdaughter
Tweet 25: Diaz has a really annoying voice. In fairness it's probably part of the gimmick. She's still a more interesting character than Alicia Fox.
Tweet 26: Sloppy exchanges and blown spots galore. Now the crowd are chanting "You can't wrestle!" Oh dear...
Tweet 27: Despite her inability to wrestle Diaz wins with the Gory Bomb. She's a good promo and I still think she'd be good on the main roster.

Briley Pierce backstage with Paige

Tweet 28: Briley Pierce looks familiar… #Dolphsbrother
Tweet 29: Are we meant to be excited at the prospect of a feud between Paige and Raquel? Mission: failed.

Hunico and Camacho v Jason Jordan and Mike Dalton

Tweet 30: Jason Jordan and Mike Dalton. Hey, that rhymes! They got introduced while standing in the ring. Hunico and Camacho to go over then?
Tweet 31: Hunico should come out dressed as Sin Cara Negro one week. Just for the lols.
Tweet 32: The NXT booking team should spend six months building up a Camacho v Big E Langston match. #rawpower
Tweet 33: Dalton pins Camacho?! SAYWHAAAAAT?! I'm going to stop making assumptions with NXT. It is a different beast to RAW and SmackDown.

Seth Rollins v Drew McIntyre

Tweet 34: How much time needs to be dedicated to Drew McIntyre's entrance? Not this much, surely?

Tweet 35: Rollins seems VERY excited by that NXT belt. He must have forgotten the ROH belt he used to have. That was much better looking.
Tweet 36: The NXT championship is what every wrestler on the indies wants. Davey Richards would happily trade his ROH career for an NXT title match.
Tweet 37: The reason Samoa Joe went to TNA is that he knew he wouldn't have a chance at capturing the NXT strap.
Tweet 38: In fairness I actually think NXT is the best weekly show available to wrestling fans. It reminds me of ROH on HDNet.
Tweet 39: That show was hugely underrated. Even some ROH fans seemed to dislike it. I thought it was better than what they have now.
Tweet 40: Back to McIntyre v Rollins. I have just noticed the referee is wearing what appears to be an oven glove.
Tweet 41: Is that the CHIKARA logo on McIntyre's trunks?
Tweet 42: McIntyre is leading a CHIKARA invasion! What an angle! He will soon be appearing in CHIKARA as 'Scotmask'.
Tweet 43: Actually... that appears to be a picture of a dragon. It's not a very big one though. Perhaps McIntyre made those trunks himself.
Tweet 44: Painted them up in his garage...
Tweet 45: Rollins sold that clothesline really nicely. I've not really mentioned it before now but this is a really good match.
Tweet 46: "Outstanding matchup!" - Jim Ross, overselling
Tweet 47: Redoing the finish of their match last week was a nice touch. I'm pleased Rollins went over. He should be on the main roster. Great talent.

SmackTalk 20.07.12

Compared to recent episodes this week’s SmackDown was a solid effort. We were treated to two lengthy tag team bouts, an enjoyable segment featuring over stars, and a Kane bout that was actually entertaining. You can’t say fairer than that.

There are, regrettably, a few negatives to be mentioned. The lack of Ryback after he’d handily dealt with both members of the MidCard Mafia at Money in the Bank felt like a blown opportunity. Was it really too much for WWE to book him to beat three jobbers this week? That seems the next natural step now that he’s proven he can handle combos from the main roster. Once he’s finished handling trios? Move him on to matches with mid-carders and have him squash them, then get him into a feud with a world champion.

I also thought that the Damien Sandow v Zack Ryder match was an anti-climax. A feud between those two has been teased for around a month now and while having ‘The Self-Proclaimed Intellectual Saviour of the Masses’ beat Ryder in under three minutes gets him over it doesn’t do ‘Long Island Iced Z’ any favours.

As that match began I tweeted that with a little care and attention the two could actually provide a worthwhile mid-card entry at this year’s SummerSlam. Having Ryder beaten so easily makes that a much harder prospect now. It made Sandow look good this week, but a similar outing on a pay-per-view would have done more for him long term.

It’s another case of WWE rushing a potentially enjoyable story.

Finally, it’s distressing, but not surprising, that Tyson Kidd has not had a meaningful appearance on the blue brand since qualifying for Money in the Bank. His entry into the ladder battle surprised and excited a lot of people. WWE seems uninterested in capitalising on this popularity and handing Kidd a proper push. Again, with a little work he could be involved in a credible mid-card match at SummerSlam.

Despite these criticisms I feel the goods outweighed the bads. The eight man tag match pitting Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Epico and Primo against Huncio, Camacho and the Prime Time Players was given enough time to actually mean something and everyone involved did themselves proud. More booking like that and WWE could have a tag team division worth talking about again.

The subsequent squash of everyone except the PTPs by the Big Show could be viewed as a negative but frankly the doubles scene means so little, and Show has been booked to dominate these men previously so many times, that it didn’t do any harm at all. I still perceive the men ‘The World’s Largest Athlete’ KO’d in exactly the same light as I did before.

Daniel Bryan and AJ entered enjoyable performances in a mildly confusing Peep Show. Christian, a babyface, came across as a bad guy during his grilling of the apparently happy couple. Bryan and AJ are both in tweener territory, meaning that they (or at least Bryan) should have been booked a little more heelishly. Christian was far too antagonistic and Bryan too sympathetic. At least Kane got a pop when he came out, I suppose.

The headline bout of Sheamus and Rey Mysterio v Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio was good until the finish. Disqualifications are rarely satisfying, and this was no exception. In fairness it was done for a reason: to keep the feud between ‘The Essence of Excellence’ and ‘Great White’ alive for SummerSlam. The post-match sequence in which an attempted Ziggler cash-in was thwarted by Mysterio was similarly designed to keep ‘The Show Off’ in the World title picture and create a reason for Mysterio to be involved in time for SummerSlam too.

Rey Mysterio is the reason Dolph Ziggler is not the World Heavyweight champion right now

Right now I’m expecting the four men to clash for the World Heavyweight championship on that show. It could be an enjoyable match, despite the already lengthy Sheamus v Del Rio feud and the fact that ADR and Mysterio have clashed many times previously.

An early prediction if that four-way does get booked: Sheamus will retain and ‘The Show Off’ will use his Money in the Bank contract to win the gold in an instant rematch. You heard it here first.

Rey Mysterio promo, featuring Alberto Del Rio, Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus

Tweet 1: SmackDown! Here we go then...

Tweet 2: Rey Mysterio opens the show. Bad booking, you say?
Tweet 3: He's wearing the outfit he wore during his return run-in on RAW. Lazy Mysterio...
Tweet 4: Mysterio v ADR at SummerSlam? Is that what we're getting? How about something fresh?!
Tweet 5: Rey's come out to say officially that he's back. Great.
Tweet 6: Del Rio, wearing a snazzy suit and scarf combo. I like the scarf gimmick and the fact that it's lasted for so long.
Tweet 7: Four-way between ADR, Sheamus, Mysterio and Ziggler would be good for SummerSlam. Or a three way without 'The Show Off'...
Tweet 8: ... with him cashing in after.
Tweet 9: Speak of the devil.
Tweet 10: Teasing a Ziggler face turn? I'm down with that.
Tweet 11: Sheamus has a lot of hip action when he walks briskly. #butch
Tweet 12: Sheamus just garbled out some words. The only thing I understood was "Pacific Ocean."
Tweet 13: Peep Show with Daniel Bryan and AJ. That should be a highlight.
Tweet 14: The predictable Sheamus and Rey v ADR and Ziggler tag match has been made. BUT WHO BY?!

Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Epico and Primo v Hunico, Camacho, and the Prime Time Players

Tweet 15: Darren Young has some moves. Hunico and Camacho don't even have an entrance...

Tweet 16: How do you tell Epico and Primo apart? They have their names written on their bibs. It's simple really.
Tweet 17: Eight man tag. When was the last time you saw one of these in WWE?
Tweet 18: So is Kofi friends with Epico and Primo now? Guess that feud they had going has been forgotten since E&P turned.
Tweet 19: The commentary team have not acknowledged Hunico's previous alliance with Epico and Primo. I'm not surprised.
Tweet 20: "The tag division getting good around here, Book" - Michael Cole on the four average or thrown together teams in the match
Tweet 21: An ad break always restores order in an unruly tag bout. Always.
Tweet 22: Camacho's getting a lot of time in this match.
Tweet 23: How do you get someone over as a powerhouse? Book them to do a spinebuster on someone smaller than them.
Tweet 24: Titus is stiffing Kofi. He looks reckless.
Tweet 25: Everyone runs into the ring. Cut to another break! That'll restore order...
Tweet 26: What was that move that Young hit as Primo (or Epico) fell off the top meant to be? Didn't connect whatever it was.

Post-match Big Show appearance

Tweet 27: Big Show's here to job out some tag teams. That's how to get your doubles division over.

Tweet 28: Show just choke slammed Hunico and Camacho together. Does that signal a face turn for them?
Tweet 29: Big Show has a microphone. He needs to cut a promo declaring himself the sole tag team champion.
Tweet 30: He said. "And? What?" My idea would have been better.

The obligatory Cena recap segment

Tweet 31: Cena's cash-in has been described by Josh as the most prestigious in history. Not doing Ziggler any favours there, is he?

Tweet 32: "What a week for John Cena!" - Josh Mathews on what happened to Cena in a 24 hour period

Damien Sandow v Zack Ryder

Tweet 33: Sandow is not a fan of Ryder.

Tweet 34: I don't understand why this segment wasn't book on last week's show when 'Long Island Iced Z' was in charge. That would've made more sense.
Tweet 35: With a bit of thought and effort this feud could be built up for SummerSlam. Both men would benefit from being on that card.
Tweet 36: It'd help WWE if they got over. Why not let them? Sandow in particular has main event potential.
Tweet 37: That SS bout won't happen now. Sandow just jobbed out Ryder in around two minutes. Good performance from Damien. Aggressive heels are good.

Peep Show, with guests AJ and Daniel Bryan

Tweet 38: Peep Show. That's right, Christian, get your meaningless belt into shot.

Tweet 39: Seeing this recap of the proposal segment has put one thought into my mind: AJ has surprisingly chubby hands.
Tweet 40: $20,000 ring? Yeah, and The Rock's shirts really used to cost $500...
Tweet 41: Bryan is hilarious in this wedding planning video! Highlight? Putting a submission hold on a teddy bear.
Tweet 42: True love? If this doesn't end with some sort of swerve turn (preferably from Bryan) I will feel cheated.
Tweet 43: Christian is coming across as a heel here.
Tweet 44: 'Captain Charisma' tells Bryan that he has a match. Bryan acts surprised yet he's wearing his wrestling gear. Hmmmm...

The Peep Show was decent, but I'd rather see Bryan and Christian in a match

Kane v Daniel Bryan

Tweet 45: Yes kicks!

Tweet 46: Have people always used that campy jump counter to the choke slam? Strikes me as something that's come up in the last few years.
Tweet 47: Kane wins via DQ after AJ chucks herself onto his back.
Tweet 48: I'm now expecting Kane to involve himself in the wedding segment on Monday. I hope we're not getting a Kane v Bryan feud.

Heath Slater v Road Warrior Animal

Tweet 49: Slater cowbell!

Tweet 50: Road Warrior Animal should team up with John Laurinaitis to form the Legion of Laurinaitis.
Tweet 51: Animal is sporting the Triple H physqiue.

What a rush? Not for Heath Slater...

Vickie Guerrero and Ricardo Rodriguez argue backstage

Tweet 52: What was the point of the bickering between Ricardo and Vickie?

Tweet 53: Wait. What? Ricardo speaks English…?

Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler v Sheamus and Rey Mysterio

Tweet 54: Albertooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Del...

Tweet 55: Vickie Guerrero ruined my tweet.
Tweet 56: Jericho looks OLD.
Tweet 57: Sheamus is out first for his team. We know who the star is here...
Tweet 58: Rey's changed his mask. Or maybe it's one to take off and give to a kid.
Tweet 59: Yeah, he gave it to a child. That's how you know someone's a babyface.
Tweet 60: "Rey Mysterio has set the standard for guys his size stepping into the business and going straight to the top" - Booker T on midgets
Tweet 61: Rey's wearing an outfit that covers his chest. Is that because he's out of shape? Shouldn't be, he's just had eleven months off.
Tweet 62: I want this match to end with either ADR or Ziggler pinning Sheamus to set something up for SummerSlam.
Tweet 63: I imagine Rey will score the pin for his team as he's just come back to TV and it's his hometown.
Tweet 64: Then again WWE don't always like booking hometown wins.
Tweet 65: "C'mon referee, watch your back" - Booker T with a meaningless piece of advice
Tweet 66: Tip for Rey and Sheamus: if you're going to do a near miss tag spot make sure you don't actually touch hands.
Tweet 67: Hot tag to Sheamus. Clean house. Win. #prediction
Tweet 68: Big bump from the apron into the announce table by Ziggler. Convincing way to write him out of the finish.
Tweet 69: Ricardo interference on Sheamus causes a disappointing disqualification finish.
Tweet 70: Officials come in to break up the post-match cross arm breaker. Where's Rey? Shouldn't he make the save to get over a triumphant hero?
Tweet 71: Ah, he saved Sheamus from a Ziggler cash-in instead. That makes him a heel in my book. Surely people would've liked to see a title change?
Tweet 72: A face against face Sheamus v Rey would be something interesting and different for SummerSlam.

SmackTalk 20.04.12

I was surprised at how quiet the crowd was on last night’s SmackDown. It was taped on Tuesday, the day after the RAW tapings I attended. The Monday night show attracted a raucous crowd that loudly chanted “Yes!” all evening. The audience the following night barely chanted it at all (even Daniel Bryan didn’t attract it as much as I’d expected) and generally seemed quieter than Monday’s bunch. I feel this is worth pointing out as it may mark the beginning of the end for the “Yes!” chant, which is a great shame.

SmackDown didn’t seem as well rounded as RAW did this week (read my review of that show here). The evening’s lengthiest bout was the six man tag main event which the audience loved but I found hard to get into. There were moments of greatness, with the spirited exchange between Sheamus and Daniel Bryan being particularly good. Overall it seemed like a match thrown together just to get the big names onto the show. Still, at least we didn’t have to watch Khali wrestle.

Daniel Bryan deserves praise for his show-opening in-ring segment. That saw him utilise the “Yes!” catchphrase brilliantly (much as Steve Austin did when he realised the “What?” chants were catching on) and give storyline ex-girlfriend AJ a dressing down. He’s become SmackDown’s MVP over the last month. It’s now impossible to imagine the programme being as enjoyable without him on it.

The other thing that stood out on this week’s show was just how many new wrestlers are now on the blue brand. Damien Sandow appeared in another talking head vignette, complete with deliciously heelish “You’re welcome” signoff, and Ryback continued his run of squashing random nobodies while some wrestlers watched on a backstage monitor talking amongst themselves.

They were joined by Darren Young and Titus O’Neill, two former NXT talents. They’ve formed a heel tag team and talked about how they were going to become a top team in the company during a backstage segment. Michael Cole echoed their sentiments when they were in the ring. They will not get over as a unit. Both men are too bland and nondescript to make enough of an impact. That’s not to say they’re not a top team in the company though: merely by pairing up they have accomplished that task. Yes, the WWE tag division is that shallow.

I originally thought Titus O’Neill, if protected by the booking team and given the right opponents, could get over as a mid-level babyface. I no longer think that: he has made no progress during his lengthy stint on NXT and as such would be unlikely to improve during a sustained babyface push in which he was protected. WWE would be best off firing the pair of them.

The other new name on SmackDown was Antonio Cesaro, formerly the independent scene’s Claudio Castagnoli (and yes that is his real name!). Antonio appeared in a backstage segment with Aksana, Teddy Long and John Laurinaitis, in which he was presented as an acquaintance and possible boyfriend of Aksana. He teased Teddy Long before being invited into Laurinaitis’s office. That was the second time in as many days Laurinaitis had been behind closed doors with a female member of the roster and another guy. I will once again refrain from making a comment.

Get used to this guy. You're going to be seeing a lot of him

For those unfamiliar with Antonio Cesaro you’re in for a treat. He has the sort of physique that Vince McMahon loves but he can actually wrestle too (which is rare for guys with impressive builds). He is capable of working everything from a hard-hitting style to a comedy match so I have no doubt that he’ll excel at WWE’s preferred sports entertainment approach. He’s also fluent in several languages, which should guarantee him a decent spot whenever WWE puts a European tour together.

While RAW may have been the more entertaining show this week SmackDown did a better job of preparing WWE for the future. That’s something that should have been happening for a long time. Still, better late than never. It’s nice that WWE finally has the process underway.

Daniel Bryan promo, featuring AJ

Tweet 1: It’s SmackDown time!

Tweet 2: Mark Henry is now shown flexing on the SmackDown intro. He got blown up from that.
Tweet 3: Daniel Bryan! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Tweet 4: I'm pleased a mention of the eighteen second match drew boos.
Tweet 5: I predict Bryan will get cheered in Chicago.
Tweet 6: #Yesfest
Tweet 7: AJ gets booed. Good.
Tweet 8: "AJ. Stop. Turn around. And go away" - Daniel Bryan
Tweet 9: Bryan's giving a great heel promo. The crowd seems a little flat.
Tweet 10: I miss the days of Bryan telling Samoa Joe to eat raw fish and carry coconuts to the ring with him. That's REAL heel heat.

AJ Natalya

Tweet 11: AJ v Natalya. They're going to swerve us with a non-match here...

Tweet 12: What is that cape thing Natalya's wearing? Not very Hart-like.
Tweet 13: Don't pull AJ off of Natty, ref! She has till five!!
Tweet 14: So the storyline is that AJ is having a mental breakdown of some sort? Keeping it light...

Damien Sandow vignette

Tweet 15: Ah, Damien Sandow. This guy is a good promo.

Tweet 16: I don't know about you but I'd enjoy seeing Cena attempt one of Sandow's promos.

Brodus Clay v Hunico

Tweet 17: Hunico... and he's facing Brodus Clay! This should be spectacular...
Tweet 18: "Cameron on the left, Naomi on the right" - Josh Mathews on Brodus Clay's dancers. I wish he'd followed up with "like it matters..."
Tweet 19: I could do without the Hornswoggle appearance.
Tweet 20: Good to know Cole's been doing his "dinosaur research." How about calling a match, idiot?!
Tweet 21: Hunico officially lasted longer against Brodus Clay than Dolph Ziggler did. I'm not sure how to feel about that.
Tweet 22: They need to keep pushing Brodus in EXACTLY this fashion, alongside Hornswoggle, for three years. Then have him turn on Hornswoggle.
Tweet 23: Only with a three year build with this be worthwhile.
Tweet 24: Look, I'm a fan of Brodus Clay but how much airtime needs to go to his post-match dance routine? It's not a Joel Gertner segment...

Darren Young, Titus O’Neill and John Laurinaitis taunt Teddy Long in a corridor and Matt Striker interviews Randy Orton

Tweet 25: Nothing gets heels over like backstage taunting of Teddy Long.

Tweet 26: Titus O'Neill and Darren Young will never be over.
Tweet 27: Furthermore Young calling himself 'Mr No Days Off' is laughable: he served a drug suspension a few months ago.
Tweet 28: All Matt Striker ever seems to do on SmackDown is interview Randy Orton. Is that his gimmick? Orton's personal interviewer?
Tweet 29: Kane v Orton in a falls count anywhere match. They should've done a Boiler Room Brawl.

The Usos v Darren Young and Titus O’Neill

Tweet 30: The Usos are on SmackDown. That means WWE's making its annual attempt to make the tag division matter again.

Tweet 31: "These two are going to become prime time players here on Friday Night SmackDown, mark my words" - Cole on Young and O'Neill
Tweet 32: Mark MY words: Cole is wrong.
Tweet 33: Young and O'Neill are on SmackDown while the Kings of Wrestling are being used as singles acts. #thingsthatarewrongwithwrestling
Tweet 34: The guys from NXT get a win. Why Cole's acting as though this is impressive I can't say.

From the Vault

Tweet 35: The streak of great From the Vault matches continues with Shawn Michaels v Rey Mysterio.

Tweet 36: The down side is that we have Grisham and Striker on commentary.
Tweet 37: This is a really good match though I'm concerned it will end on an interference DQ.
Tweet 38: "That is usually the precursor to the sounds of silence: Sweet Chin Music!" Shut up, Striker.
Tweet 39: Rey springboards into Sweet Chin Music. I genuinely think Shelton Benjamin did that spot better.
Tweet 40: Batista causes a disqualification. I'd be annoyed if it hadn't been so predictable.
Tweet 41: Random Undertaker appearance to close the segment. Thankfully they cut away before Striker's gibberish became too much.

Alberto Del Rio v Big Show

Tweet 42: Albertooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Deeel Riiiioooooooooooooooooo!!

Tweet 43: I read earlier that Del Rio has been moved back to the SmackDown roster. That's a good move. He was always used better there.
Tweet 44: Remember when ADR and Big Show had a three-way feud with a car last summer? I wish I didn't...
Tweet 45: "Del Rio is just grinding on this boy" - Booker T with a typically peculiar comment
Tweet 46: I can't wait until Cody gets a new feud. He's wasted on Big Show.

Ryback v Danny Lerman

Tweet 47: Danny Lerman looks about twelve.

Tweet 48: RYBACK!!
Tweet 49: Ryback could very easily sodomise this boy...
Tweet 50: There have been surprisingly few "Yes!" chants so far.
Tweet 51: Ryback wins and then starts up a bizarre one man chant of "Feed... Me... More!"

Teddy Long witnesses the SmackDown debut of Antonio Cesaro

Tweet 52: Another "hilarious" Teddy Long backstage segment. Oh dear...

Tweet 53: Antonio Cesaro!! #veryEuropean #Heeeey

Daniel Bryan, Mark Henry and Cody Rhodes v Sheamus, Randy Orton and Big Show

Tweet 54: Daniel Bryan! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Tweet 55: For the second time this week Mark Henry doesn't get a televised entrance. Poor.
Tweet 56: Sheamus and Randy Orton are introduced before Great Khali. Odd.
Tweet 57: Khali can't even walk convincingly!!
Tweet 58: Cody jumps Khali and the heels pose in the ring. Handicap match? I hope so.
Tweet 59: Khali's torso looks like a burlap sack filled with walnuts.
Tweet 60: The commentary team are currently bickering about whose job it is to call what. As a result nobody is doing their job.
Tweet 61: FINALLY Mark Henry gets into the match.
Tweet 62: I'm looking forward to Orton getting a proper feud again. His current rivalry with Kane is a waste of everyone's time.
Tweet 63: Big Show and Mark Henry clash in a WWE ring AGAIN. I'm so tired of that sight.
Tweet 64: How much time is Mark Henry getting in this match? Too much, perhaps?
Tweet 65: If they're allowed to I think Bryan and Sheamus could have a GREAT match at Extreme Rules.
Tweet 66: Henry was finisher fodder tonight. He was an unstoppable monster eight months ago...
Tweet 67: Sheamus, Show and Orton pose for what seems like half an hour to take us off the air. That's what I tune in for, WWE!

How do you end a wrestling show on a high note? Having all your babyfaces pose in the ring rarely fails

Hispanic Armada

When Hunico lost his mask last October he enjoyed a brief association with Primo and Epico. The three men appeared as a unit on a handful of episodes of SmackDown before being quietly split into two sepeate acts and going their separate ways.

Hunico continued wrestling in his street clothes and was eventually paired up with Camacho (son of Haku). That Hunico has received the trusty “ringside enforcer” gimmick is a sign that WWE sees promise in him as a low- to mid-card act. They rarely give that gimmick to an act they’ve no intention of using. It’s also worth noting that Camacho is another guy who has benefitted from Hunico’s call-up to the main roster (the others, obviously, being Epico and Primo (more on that here)).

 Rosa Mendes: she's quite the manager

Epico and Primo killed some time as a generic low-card heel tag team, with Rosa Mendes brought in as their second. Thanks to a Wellness Policy violation they also lucked into a reign as WWE tag team champions. With no true doubles division in the company they’re unlikely to drop the gold for a while, which should guarantee them a TV spot for the foreseeable future.

All three men have fairly stable spots, Camacho’s received a promotion to the main roster, and Rosa Mendes has been given a role in which she can excel (wrestling was not her forte, dancing around ringside is much more up her street). So, good news all round then?

Well, sort of. While the two units are working out nicely as separate entities I think it would benefit all five performers far more if they were reunited as one single group. Forget the fact that it’s a faction based around racial stereotypes. While that’s not exactly ideal in 2012 it’s nothing new in wrestling. It would benefit five underappreciated talents and that’s what’s important.

The five would stand out far more than they do now as they would be the sole faction on WWE television. The greater number of seconds that would be at ringside (Hunico would have four people with him for singles bouts while Epico and Primo would have three during their tag outings) would help to create more heat and allow the writing team to include greater amounts of outside interference in matches. That may not sound ideal but if booked correctly it could make Primo, Epico and Hunico very effective bad guys.

If built up for a few months, to the point where the active wrestlers in the troupe were seen as genuine threats on the mid-card scene, they could even enjoy a brief feud with an established main event babyface such as CM Punk or Randy Orton. The numbers advantage would allow them to be booked competitively without the worry of having to present them as true equals (that clearly wouldn’t happen in WWE, and the goal would be to establish them as a solid mid-card unit anyway) and a fresh match such as this could spice up TV for a few weeks. It could provide a decent pay-per-view bout too.

WWE could also put together a storyline in which the gang set their sights on the United States championship. If the company were prepared to turn Jack Swagger face and give him a proper push as a singles performer (rather than the card-filler and Ziggler henchman he currently is) that’s a storyline that could provide some interesting matches. If a Hunico were booked to win the US title on an episode of RAW taped in Mexico he could be made to look like a big star. Not only that but it could make the US belt mean something again.

Is any of this likely to happen? No. If Vince McMahon and his writing team wanted the two acts together then they would be together. Despite the clear positives the situation would offer there’s obviously a reason they’re no longer affiliated on-screen.

If WWE were serious about creating an enjoyable mid-card scene they could do far worse than putting Hunico, Camacho, Rosa Mendes and the tag team champions together. Given time they could become a solid act.