NXTweet 23.09.15

As episodes of NXT go this was a strange one. It was very heavy of backstage promos and catch-up videos. They've become more common in NXT since it was stretched from forty-five minutes-ish to an hour each week but this is the most we've had in a while. The show was also light on matches. There were only three on offer: Eva Marie v Carmella, Breeze v Dempsey, and a tag title rematch from Takeover: Brooklyn. Of those only the Vaudevillains and BAMF produced anything worthwhile. The other two bouts were both underwhelming, although they did at least serve a purpose in continuing Eva's push, keeping 'Prince Pretty' strong, and giving Dempsey and Carmella some air time.

Future NXT women's champion? My money's on yes.

The main thing this episode is likely to be remembered for is the debut of Kana and her name change to Asuka. Her contract signing ceremony was interrupted by Dana Brooke and Emma. After taking a pop at the new girl they instructed her to leave. Breaking from WWE babyface tradition Asuka did, pausing briefly at the top of the entrance ramp to glance back at NXT's resident mean girls.

This was odd booking for a company that generally doesn't have its good guys back down from a fight under any circumstances. Presumably it will lead to Asuka "finding herself" and possibly a tag partner for a match against Brooke and-or Emma at Takeover: Respect where she'll get her first WW win before she's built up as a challenger for Bayley or Eva Marie in a few months time. At least I hope that's what they go with because this sort of booking, while fine in isolation, will do Asuka no favours if it's the long term plan.

Intro

Tweet 1: Early morning NXT watch go!

Tweet 2: Immediate shill for Takeover. Excellent work, Rich.

Eva Marie v Carmella

Tweet 3: 'Red Queen' Eva Marie? Does that mean she's a communist?

Tweet 4: Does Eva having red queen written on blue gear have a hidden meaning?
Tweet 5: Carmella. *puts ear plugs in*
Tweet 6: Carmella being a female Enzo is not cool.
Tweet 7: Running knee Nakamura would be proud of from Eva there...

Such power in that right knee.

Tweet 8: Eva has said "How you doin'?" more times than Carmella. Create your own shtick and use it, luv. It'll pay off.
Tweet 9: WWE teasing a story where a referee has a crush on Eva Marie in 2015. My word.
Tweet 10: Big Match Eva wins again!
Tweet 11: HAHA! SHE WON BY COUNT OUT, MAGGLE!

Bull Dempsey v Tyler Breeze

Tweet 12: Dempsey v Breeze. If Adam Rose doesn't appear I'll riot.

Tweet 13: Bull Dempsey, the love child of Bam Bam Bigelow and The Taz.
Tweet 14: Lol at some girl screaming during Breeze's entrance.
Tweet 15:  Shades of Kamala from big, bad Bull there. #whataworker

Breeze doing some big bumps to make an undeserving Bull look good.

Tweet 16: This match is a chore. I blame Bull.
Tweet 17: I preferred Bull when he was an ineffective bad ass who couldn't live up to being Taz: The Next Generation.

Recap of NXT's Texas tour

Tweet 18: Texas tour recap, Maggle.

Tweet 19: I remember Finn Bálor. He's that lad who used to wrestle on NXT's weekly show.
Tweet 20: For some reason I'm surprised that Dana Brooke is getting house show title matches. I assumed Trips would save that for a Takeover.

Kana becomes Asuka, signs a WWE developmental contract, and gets scared off by Dana Brooke and Emma

Tweet 21: Regal introduces Kana. Konor from The Ascension comes out. It's awkward.

Tweet 22: Like a Graeme Harper episode of Doctor Who, Asuka is full of pace and energy.
Tweet 23: Emma and Dana Brooke. #feelings

Putting this here for #ratings.

Tweet 24: Tag match at Takeover? Alundra Blayze as Asuka's tag partner.
Tweet 25: So Asuka actually left? Weird.

Tyler Breeze walks along a corridor, Apollo Crews blocks his path

Tweet 26: Apollo Crews openly bullying Tyler Breeze there. Someone needs to smarten that kid up to Being A Star.

Hype Bros promo

Tweet 27: Mojo Rawley cosplaying as Ash Ketchum here for whatever reason.

Tweet 28: Dash and Dawson are my picks to win this tournament. Feels like Tripper's way of building up a team.

NXT tag team championship: The Vaudevillains (c) v BAMF

Tweet 29: I wish Jim Ross was still around so he could call a BAMF entrance. "Look at this pair of yahoos! These two young punks!"

Tweet 30: RIP JR's WWE commentary career.
Tweet 31: Saddest part of Ross's WWE career is that it didn't just end. It died slowly over years, via SmackDown, part time work and Todd Grisham.
Tweet 32: Saddened to see Alexa Bliss leave ringside.

Aiden English casually suplexing two men there.

Tweet 33: Nice to see Blake and Murphy still can't remember who's who and have retained the names on gear gimmick.
Tweet 34: 'Bigtime' Buddy Murphy still looks like a short, young 'Mean' Mark Callous.
Tweet 35: Kicks. Innovative offence apparently.
Tweet 36: "That's it, we're gonna have new tag champs!" - Corey Graves, letting us know the Vaudevillains would retain
Tweet 37: Good match that. I'd have to rewatch both but it was possibly better than their Brooklyn one.

Big Cass and Enzo and Samoa Joe and Finn Bálor promos

Tweet 38: Why end on a match when you could end on promo?

Tweet 39: Enzo and Cass reckon they're beating Joseph Samoa and Finn(lay) Bálor. I don't like their chances tbh.
Tweet 40: Dusty Rhodes was Finn Bálor's mentor. Apparently.
Tweet 41: There's nothing subtle about the Joe v Finn tease.
Tweet 42: Good show. Good hustle.

The Global Announce Team

A few weeks ago Jeff Jarrett announced that his e-fed would be airing New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom 9 on pay-per-view in the US and Canada. It was a significant announcement followed up by instructions for people to stay tuned for news. 'Double J' has to promise news instead of providing it because he doesn't have a promotion of his own and is reliant on New Japan making decisions before he can release information. It’s a less than ideal way to run a business.

But a week ago Jarrett struck a deal that will see Jim Ross provide English language play-by-play commentary for the show, something he was able to tell the world himself. It was presented as big news when announced on November 11. And it is.

Slobberknocker! Sauce it! Bah GOD! Stone Cold! Stone Cold! Stone Cold!!

As the voice of WWE when it was at its hottest Ross is a known quantity to many lapsed and casual fans, a market Jarrett is probably interested in attracting. He's also an experienced wrestling commentator, with a solid knowledge of moves, an understanding of how to convey a match's story to an audience, and an unparalleled level of passion¹. He was the best choice to lead an English language broadcast and, considering his promotion's completely hypothetical status at the moment, Jarrett was lucky to get him.

But 'Good Old JR' is not flawless. Even at his late 90s-slash-early 00s peak he was prone to frequent minor mistakes. This usually took the form of confusing names of guys he was less familiar with who kind of but not really looked alike. Hardly the worst thing in the world but it presents an obvious problem for WK9. NJPW's roster is almost entirely new to Ross, and a lot of the guys he's already familiar with will be using different names.

Obviously there's ample time for Ross to familiarise himself with the roster. And being a professional I'm sure he will. While he's in prep mode it may be a good idea for someone to warn him about the flagrant anti-psychology that plagues Young Bucks matches. Better than him finding out on the air.

The other issue with JR is that he does his best work when being needled by an antagonistic colour commentator². His work alongside Paul Heyman in 2001 and Jerry Lawler in the years before (but not really after) that was so good because both Lawler and Heyman knew how to interact with Ross's on-air personality to get the best out of him. They knew to prick his ego every so often and provide him with anti-babyface material to get riled about. Basically, they knew how to be very good heel commentators and Ross knew how to be a very good babyface one.

It's not that JR's commentary will be bad without a good heel colour commentator with him but it’s likely he'll be better with one. Thinking of suggestions for the role is pretty much a waste of time because there's no defined Global Force roster in existence to draw names from. The only realistic suggestion to make is Jarrett. He's been established as a heel within New Japan storylines and would be easy enough to accept in the role for an English language audience. I've never heard him on commentary but Ross could coach him and help him prepare. Plus he's already going to be in Tokyo for the show and it would cut down on costs. I’m sure that’s a factor for an imaginary company like Global Force.

Whether they go for Jarrett or a more left field but probably better choice like Colt Cabana or Chris Hero (I would be astounded if they got CM Punk³) I hope the pairing gets adequate time to prepare. If English language commentary is to become a thing⁴ for NJPW (and less importantly if GFW is to succeed) Wrestle Kingdom 9 needs to be a success in North America. And rightly or wrongly a lot of that is on the shoulders of Jim Ross.

***

¹ I’m particularly looking forward to him shouting “Okada! Okada! Okada!!”

² Ideally with that colour commentator being fed digs by Vince McMahon over a headset, not that that's an option here⁵.

³ Though he'd be ideal, obviously. He knows the product and Ross and has a fair amount of commentary experience. Plus he's a big enough name to generate some US interest in the pay-per-view, New Japan, and GFW. But it won’t happen.

⁴ I hope English language commentary catches on because the lack of it is the biggest barrier for plenty of people (including myself) following New Japan more closely.

⁵ Although if Vince were to ever to get involved with production of a rival promotion's commentary I'm sure it would be solely to take shots at Jim Ross.

Black Hat, Bad Guy

The play-by-play commentator is an important figure in wrestling. When done properly the role is filled by someone who not only has an extensive knowledge of wrestling moves, holds and tropes but also someone how knows how to help tell the story the wrestlers in any given match are telling, understands how to get over characters and significant plot points that will be relevant at a later date, and someone who can lead a broadcast. It’s not an easy job because there are so many aspects to it, so it’s no wonder that there are very few really good play-by-play guys out there.

At this point I’ll note that Michael Cole describes himself, and is described by WWE and his colleagues Jerry Lawler and John Bradshaw Layfield, as a broadcast analyst. The reason for this is so that Cole has a get out clause whenever he’s accused of not being as good as other lead announcers. Basically he has a different job. And yes, WWE cares about giving key employees ways to get out of niggling arguments.

Michael Cole isn’t my point though. I just thought his job title was something worth mentioning. Due to the nature of the role play-by-play announcers have almost always been faces. It’s tough to have a heel perform many of the explanatory functions of the play-by-play gig because their prime function when wearing a headset is to be antagonistic. A villain explaining why fans are (or should be) rooting for a babyface simply doesn’t work within the confines of wrestling logic. There’s also the fact that play-by-play guys are essentially the narrators of wrestling shows. Having someone you can’t properly empathise with as the person explaining things to your audience really doesn’t work.

With all this said I’d like to remind you of something. In 1996 the WWF turned Jim Ross heel. He cut a worked shoot promo in which he described himself as the best play-by-play man in the business, buried the decision to put him in a toga, and knocked Vince McMahon for firing him in February ’94, shortly after he’d suffered his first bout of Bell’s Palsy.

Jim Ross is not a heel.

Yes, likeable, cuddly old JR was turned heel by talking about things which most people could fully empathise with. He was one of the best commentators in the business at that point (I’d argue Joey Styles was the best but I’m sure many would disagree in favour of Ross). The decision to put him (and other WWF personalities) in togas at WrestleMania IX was a bad one. And Vince taking the decision to fire him after he’d been struck with an illness was a low move even by shady wrestling promoter standards.

Ross was turned heel to introduce the short-lived replacements for Razor Ramon and Diesel. The reason they were around is a whole other story. Basically the WWF was being petty and trying to bury the opposition at the same time and it backfired. JR was selected for the role because of his role as head of talent relations (apparently) but it would have made far more sense to use a more experienced on-screen character like Jerry Lawler or Jim Cornette.  Ross hadn’t been linked to either of the originals on-screen and said nothing in his promo that explained his actions.

It was a dumb move turning a popular, talented face announcer heel. And they did it twice!

In early 1999, when he returned after time off with another bout of Bell’s Palsy (he’d been rehired after his firing), JR was reintroduced to TV as a petty, spiteful man unable to handle the fact that Michael Cole had replaced him at the announce booth. His answer to the problem was to have his own desk constructed in front of the regular desk, complete with his initials in place of the WWF logo. He called a single match while taking cheap shots at Cole before his table was (partially) destroyed and deemed inoperable.

In actuality it was pretty funny. JR referred to Cole as “the boy” and was so ill-suited to the antagonist role that he ventured into so-bad-it’s-good territory. On top of that he had ‘Doctor Death’ Steve Williams with him as a bodyguard. That was made all the funnier by the fact that Williams by this point hated his former pal Ross, blaming him for the embarrassing loss he’d suffered in the Brawl For All tournament ¹ the previous year which had obliterated the tough guy aura he’d cultivated with years of working stiff in Japan.

But as funny as it was it was a completely stupid decision. Ross was clearly not cut out to play such a character either in 1996 or in 1999. And really, that’s all I had to say here. My work is done. I simply wanted to remind people that Jim Ross heel turns were things that happened and they were as ludicrous and painfully bad as you’d expect.

***

¹ You may be unaware of Brawl For All. If so, count yourself lucky. All you need to know here is that it was a tournament featuring WWF wrestlers wearing boxing gloves in real fights which were broadcast on RAW. It failed to create any new stars and inflected a multitude of injuries on the roster. Everyone involved thinks it was a daft idea and, going on available evidence, it’s hard to understand how it happened in the first place.

New Japan Goes Forth

Is 2014 the year New Japan are going to crack the west? The reason I ask this is because they are, as a company, doing various things that seem designed to help them gain acceptance in a part of the globe that equates big time wrestling to WWE.

The big thing they’ve done is announce a pair of co-promoted shows with Ring of Honor in May. Most people that watch ROH are going to at least be aware of New Japan, even if they’ve never watched a full show before. But there’s still a chance the move will open them up to fresh eyes. It will certainly put them in front of fans who wouldn’t otherwise attend a NJPW show.

More to the point even the viewers who are aware of New Japan likely won’t have watched a New Japan show and understood everything that’s happening. Co-promoting with Ring of Honor gives New Japan access to an English language commentary team who can provide backstory and context to the matches and personalities presented on a dual company event.

These shows will encourage new and established western fans to watch a New Japan show. As the biggest wrestling company in Japan by a considerable margin expanding into new areas is a major way for NJPW to make money (although by all accounts they’re doing pretty well in Japan). ROH comes as close as a US promotion can to emulating the Japanese approach to presenting wrestling, which makes them a good company to pair up with.

London, Toronto and NYC will all see Nakamura in 2014

Far less significant but still something that indicates New Japan have plans outside of their homeland is the confirmation of Shinsuke Nakamura wrestling for Revolution Pro Wrestling in June. The venue for the event, York Hall, holds around a thousand people. That’s not a huge number, especially compared to many of the buildings New Japan uses for their own shows, or compared to many other sporting events held in Britain. But it’s still a thousand more people watching a New Japan contracted performer wrestle live than would otherwise. It’s another example of New Japan getting their talent, and their own company name, into the west.

Something that could be overlooked, especially by people who regularly watch New Japan shows, is that in many ways the IWGP world champion Kazuchika Okada is a very western act. He has a big, flashy entrance, grandiose music, a manager that talks him up as the best wrestler in the world, and an arrogant, condescending character.

They’re not being framed in an American way but these are still not things typically seen in puroresu. It’s more a Magnus or Randy Orton top heel approach, albeit done far better. Obviously Okada having the title is more about his own ability and New Japan creating a fresh star to help them continue to attract fans, but it’s interesting that a less traditional champion is in place as New Japan is in a position to expand to fresh regions.

New Japan have already put on a number of excellent shows this year. Wrestle Kingdom 8, New Beginnings and their anniversary card were all enjoyable affairs. The moves the company is making to open itself and its talent up to fans outside of Japan is promising and hints at bigger things. But I don’t think it means that 2014 will be the year New Japan cracks the west.

They made a significant foray into North America in 2011 and ultimately that led to nothing. I think their cards with Ring of Honor will be more successful and will be likelier to receive follow up but they won’t help New Japan make it big. Only one thing will do that: English language commentary. Until there’s a regular commentary team in place that understand the storylines, history and roster of New Japan enough to do a good job explaining it to English language audiences New Japan cannot hope to compete with even TNA, let alone WWE. People like to understand what they’re watching after all.

I want New Japan to do well outside of Japan. I hope it does happen. New Japan don’t have to scour around for someone incredible, just someone capable with a passion and interest in helping them grow. Of course an incredible announce team involving Jim Ross would be nice but it’s not a prerequisite. Nor is it likely. Someone who can call moves and who is dedicated to learning and helping expansion is what New Japan need from a commentator. That’s what I want to see them get. Because that’s what will give them a chance to become the world’s lead wrestling promotion.

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 4

That Wrestling Podcast Episode 4 by Dave Hatton on Mixcloud

So Jim Ross is no longer affiliated with WWE. I’ve already discussed that here but there was no input from That Wrestling Podcast co-host Michael King. He wasn’t convinced we’d be able to fill an entire episode with JR talk. Find out if we did by giving this a listen!

… Okay a mild spoiler. We didn’t just discuss Jim Ross. We also discussed our thoughts on the role of commentators and the state of wrestling commentary in WWE.

The Ross Report

On Wednesday WWE announced via their website that Jim Ross is retiring, putting an end to a business relationship that started 1993 and has survived two firings (plus a number of kayfabe ones). It’s an announcement that came completely out of the blue. JR’s official exit as a television mainstay came several years ago but he’d still been very active for the company. Mostly he was involved in NXT, attending evaluation sessions and tapings and, occasionally, commentating for the league.

It’s commentary that ‘Good Old’ JR will be most remembered for. When I first started watching WWF programming in late 1998 he was the company’s lead play-by-play guy working alongside Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler on Monday Night RAW. That role was as integral to the success of the Attitude Era as anything else you care to name.

During that period alone JR enhanced an uncountable number of matches and contributed to some all-time classics. The one that immediately springs to mind is the Mankind v Undertaker v Hell in a Cell match at King of the Ring ’98. That match is incredible for the life-endangering falls Mick Foley took off and through the Cell structure. If you watch it back with a critical eye you’ll realise that very little besides that actually happens. Foley is knocked senseless after his two falls and has to be guided through a relatively basic exchange within the Cell by ‘The Phenom’. Part of the reason the bout has the reputation it does is Ross’s commentary. He helped to make Foley’s falls, in a very real way sacrifices, even more memorable and made the remainder of the match seem more animated than it was with his spirited performance from the announce booth. Ross’s impassioned plea of “Will someone stop the damn match!” is just as memorable as either of Foley’s tumbles.

There are other matches improved by JR, of course. Foley v Triple H at Royal Rumble 2000, Austin v Rock at WrestleMania X7 (and indeed ‘Manias XV and XIX), Chris Jericho v Triple H from the April 17^th RAW, Hulk Hogan v Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam ’05, the Batista v Triple H pay-per-view trilogy from 2005, Cactus Jack v Randy Orton at Backlash ’04, Shane McMahon’s hardcore title match with Steve Blackman, and even Kurt Angle’s main roster debut against Shawn Stasiak all benefited from Jim Ross’s involvement. I could go on. All were great matches to begin with, but JR’s skill calling them made them that little bit better.

What makes a good wrestling announcer is probably just as debatable as what makes a good wrestler. JR may not be everyone’s favourite commentator ever but I think anyone would be hard pushed to argue that he’s not amongst the best. He was an incredibly adept performer, just as comfortable calling a brutal TLC or Hell in a Cell match as he was contributing asides to a half hour long This Is Your Life comedy segment. When at the commentary desk JR could help to mask some of the shortcomings of less able wrestlers, an incredibly important knack for any commentator to have (it’s something Michael Cole still needs to improve), and explaining the story of a match with an air of good natured ease, arguably the chief role of a WWF and E commentator.

The more wrestling I watched the more commentators I was exposed to. Despite having a sizable commentary roster there was nobody in WCW who did such a great job as JR. It would be years before I noticed how good Ross was at his job, which is a sign in itself that he was talented. I noticed immediately how forced Tony Schiavone and his gang sounded. In ECW Joey Styles was great and for a while I was convinced he was the best wrestling commentator going. Looking back I realise that while he was good he was more technical. He could call wrestling moves and holds that JR wouldn’t have known the name of, true, but he wasn’t as gifted a storyteller as JR. Although in fairness that was slightly less a priority in ECW and Styles contributed to that product just as much as Ross did to the WWF.

 

JR cutting a promo and rocking a beard

 

This is not to say that JR was perfect. It wasn’t unknown for him to miscall moves and he would routinely get basic things wrong, such as mixing up Matt and Jeff Hardy. But when it came to getting over the story of any given match, recapping ongoing plots, covering weakness, and hyping pay-per-views, there was nobody finer .

While commentary is the role for which JR will be most remembered it’s not the only job he held in the company. From the late 90s until the middle of the “naughties” Ross was the Fed’s head of talent relations. The duties linked to this job are many but the key aspects of it were hiring, firing and re-signing wrestlers to appear on WWE’s TV shows. As great and passionate as he was on and about the commentary role it was the talent relations job that allowed Ross to make his greatest contributions to the company. He played a part in signing names such as Steve Austin, Mick Foley, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Batista, Randy Orton, CM Punk and John Cena. Considering the amount of money those men, and many others signed by JR, have made for WWE, and themselves by extension, over the years it’s hard not to see this as his greatest contribution to WWE.

That the men who succeeded Ross in both of his roles struggled to gain acceptance shows just what a great wrestling mind he was. Michael Cole was so unpopular when he first replaced JR on RAW that he ended up being turned heel. Over the last two years he’s gradually drifted back to a babyface approach and is proficient at his job, but I know of nobody who has the same affection for him that they have for JR. Part of that is perhaps the fact that the nature of the job has changed and is now as much about promoting Twitter as telling us someone’s applied an armbar.

Over in talent relations John Laurinaitis was a flop when he replaced Ross (after several years of training, it should be pointed out). The only major player he signed during his time in the role was Daniel Bryan and, by most accounts, he alienated himself from the roster. Ross benefited from being in a position to sign established grapplers like Foley, Austin and Punk, but he also signed guys who were unproven. He clearly had an eye for talent that Laurinaitis lacked.

There are plenty of rumours doing that rounds as to why JR left. They’re largely unimportant. The thing to focus on is that he’s leaving, ostensibly to spend more time with his family and work on his ever-growing range of BBQ products (sauce it!). While it’s always possible he’ll surface in WWE again sometime in the future it’s not likely to come soon, and his contributions will probably be far more sporadic if he does.

WWE isn’t going to fall apart without Jim Ross. But it will be a little worse off without his knowledge, passion and input. He’ll be missed, on screen and off.

Indy Raiders

WWE have been recruiting from the independent wrestling scene for a few years now. Well, technically speaking, they’ve been recruiting from the indies since the territories went away and the independent scene sprang up to replace them. It’s more accurate to say that WWE have refined their taste in indy stars over the last several years.

In a sense the company’s stance on indy standouts and veterans changed when they signed CM Punk. Anyone who’s watched the Best in the World DVD will know this. It’s spoken about openly there. Punk was going to be let go at one point because nobody in a position of authority knew what to do with him. He stayed employed because of Paul Heyman being desperate to use him in WWECW.

Why was he signed to begin with? There’s no obvious answer to those of us not in the know but I imagine his look, clear understanding of how to wrestle, and passion stood him in good sted. Once he’d made it to then developmental league OVW his glowing reputation hindered his progress, resulting in the near firing. Anyone who’s achieved a level of notoriety before heading to WWE is essentially a target, the perception of the road agents seeming to be that the guy will believe in their own hype and only know how to work the indy style, as opposed to the much vaunted WWE style.

Basically, nobody in WWE expected Punk to become as big as he has and he was originally signed because certain influential people in the company (most likely Heyman and Jim Ross) appreciated the potential he had. I certainly can’t imagine John Laurinaitis had the wherewithal to approach him.

Punk’s success despite WWE’s booking is probably what made them change their opinion on guys like him. If he could succeed in spite of efforts to hold him down as a mid-carder then logically there would be a chance that the guys he came up with on the indies could possess that same talent. That, I imagine, was the thought process employed by Vince McMahon, Triple H, and their cadre of advisors.

I could be reading too much into things of course. It’s true that sooner or later WWE were going to have to sign some of the top stars from the indies instead of the likes of Gunner Scott, Eric Escobar, Sylvester Terkay, and Orlando Jordan. Perhaps that point was simply reached and they decided to sign good guys, rather than average ones, as opposed to their being some big revelatory moment revolving around CM Punk.

 

This brings back happy memories for precisely no one

 

The signing of Bryan ‘Daniel Bryan’ Danielson was the first indication WWE were going to pursue peers of ‘The Second City Saint’. He’d be regarded for years as the best wrestler on the North American indy scene and so he was a natural guy to approach once the “let’s de-push indy stars” mentality was dropped.

Bryan became a star for WWE too. Okay, he’s not reached the heights of Punk and it’s possibly that he never will, but he’s done far more than anyone thought he would. That’s important. He was given a chance to do well and proved that he could. He showed that Punk wasn’t an anomaly, that guys from “the indy generation” (or should that be “the ROH generation”?) could adapt their approach and get over in The Big Leagues.

The last few years have seen WWE snatching up indy talent like they’re going out of style. Claudio Castagnoli, Chris Hero, PAC, El Generico, and Sara Del Rey have all signed up to get a new ring name and take on various roles within WWE. There’s recently been talk that Mike Bennett and Sami Callihan are on the cusp of inking developmental deals, and it was announced on May 26^th that Samuray Del Sol has signed a contract.

 

Please pair this man with Sin Cara. Thanks

 

It’s pleasing to see that WWE are routinely scouring the independents. It means they’re finally willing to admit that there are very talented wrestlers out there who don’t work for a sports entertainment organisation and that their product will be better with said wrestlers involved. It’s not the best situation for the indies to be in, but it’s been proven time and again over the last couple of decades that a new batch of talent can always be found when there’s a mass exodus for WWE.

This approach is best for everyone involved. WWE gets the best talent to display on the most watched wrestling shows in the world and the younger stars just starting out get to prove their capable of following in the footsteps of their predecessors. It’s almost like the circle of life.

Almost.

WWE: The Attitude Era (DVD Review)

You'd have thought that a DVD focusing on WWE's Attitude Era would pretty much put itself together. The company has access to a large number of the biggest stars of the time, as well as those employed by WCW, the chief opposition during the boom period. There are more than enough great moments to choose from to highlight the strengths of the time, not to mention plenty of feuds, performers, angles and events to focus on.

Despite this WWE's Attitude Era DVD (released to eyebrow-raisingly little fanfare last year) doesn't do a particularly good job. For starters the main feature is only an hour long. This is a perfectly reasonable run time and allows WWE to cover the majority (but not all) of the most important stuff to a satisfying degree. Unfortunately it's not long enough to cover everything that should have been covered in sufficient detail. Some things you'd expect to be covered heavily are glossed over or omitted altogether. Bizarrely some things you'd think wouldn't get much of a mention are granted a hefty portion of the run time.

Chris Jericho's debut is a good example. While the his first appearance on RAW is included in full as an extra it's not really tackled on the main documentary. The same goes for Kurt Angle. Both men were important signings during the era and could be considered stars by the time it ended. They remain stars today, which makes them relevant to the documentary. That their involvement is downplayed feels odd.

Perhaps I'm reading too much into it. After all neither Austin nor Rock, undeniably the Attitude Era's biggest hitters, get much of a profile either. The only act to get what would anyone would consider a lengthy amount of time dedicated to it is D-Generation X. The approach is at least consistent but for the most part it could leave someone unfamiliar with the product confused as to who placed where on the pecking order.

The selection of talking heads feels limited compared to other WWE releases. Some of the contributors are strange choices. I can't imagine anyone was desperate to hear so much from Rikishi, who crops up time and again to give his opinon on practically every subject covered. His involvement should've ended after he took credit for inventing the Too Cool gimmick (a lie by the way: Taylor and Christopher were repackaged as a hip hop act months before they were united with Rikishi and their deliberately bad dancing was a part of the fun and games from the off). Ron Simmons gets a surprising amount of face time.

Better value are Road Dogg and, amazingly, Mark Henry. Roadie offers a great deal of insight, his sense of humour helping him to come across well. Henry is self-depreciating, useful when the Attitude Era provided fans with so many amusing moments at his expense. He seems genuinely touched when talking about a fan who told him they'd appreciated his work during an angle that saw him dating a transvestite. ‘The World’s Strongest Man’ comes across well.

The feature starts focusing on DX before moving on to Austin (hilariously described by the gruff and intimidating narrator as "a monsoon of good fortune") and the importance of long term stories to the era's success. Anyone who watched WWF programming at the time will be able to tell you the McMahon's appeared a lot as part of those long term stories. According to Pat Patterson that was something everyone wanted to see. Lies like that are what keep Pat employed.

They cover the Brawl for All and wisely don't try to disguise what a failure it was. JBL admits it was a stupid idea. He also reveals that it came about from an idea he submitted to management that was, it turns out, more in line with what the hardcore division became. This wasn't something JBL just decided to do, the entire roster was encouraged to submit ideas regarding what they'd like to be doing on TV. WWE should consider doing something similar with their current batch of stars.

Talk of the hardcore division naturally leads to clips of all the famous bumps and dives of Mick “I’m a hardcore legend” Foley. He's acknowledged as a great hardcore wrestler but it feels half-hearted, as though the people saying it haven't stopped to think about what the term hardcore in relation to wrestling means anymore. There's something off about Foley's spot on the DVD in general. It's as though he's being mentioned grudgingly. Perhaps he is.

Speaking of Foley he crops up as a talking head, usually contributing something either instantly forgettable or giving an example of WWF programming he didn't care for. Most of the things he finds distasteful involved the portrayal of women, although stuff involving DX and 'Sexual Chocolate' upset him too.

Road Dogg and Mark Henry happily reminisce about the more provocative clothing WWE's female talents wore back then. They also mention girls taking their tops off in the audience. I mention this mainly because Henry is hilarious on the subject. Other amusing comments are Big Show describing everyone before Sunny as looking rough and Stephanie McMahon popping up to say the girls of the Attitude Era were "sexy, fun and manipulative". It makes you wonder what sort of values she’s instilling in her daughters.

We're told that when SmackDown debuted the WWF deliberately sought a more comedic tone. It's not made clear why. In fact it wasn't clear that it was actually happening when I was watching SmackDown during the period in question.

Still, it does at least provide an excuse to play the footage of Mae Young giving birth to a hand which leads to Mark Henry announcing he wasn't completely sold on the reveal. When he asked Vince McMahon why a hand had been chosen the reply was "It's a hand!" That story is worth the price of the DVD by itself.

The documentary wraps up by blasting through some clips of 'Y2J' and Angle, devoting a surprising amount of time to Patterson, Brisco and the Mean Street Posse, and the 24/7 era of the hardcore division. I hated that gimmick at the time. I'm still not wild about it now.

Over on the extras disc things are pretty good. You get a hefty selection of matches and angles to browse through. Some merit inclusion more than others. I can't imagine anyone was desperate to see Bart Gunn legitimately KO 'Doctor Death' Steve Williams and the highlight of the Sable v Marc Mero encounter is the commentary of Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross.

Better is a four team tag title match featuring Austin, Rock, Undertaker, Mankind, Kane, and the New Age Outlaws (along with odd man out D'Lo Brown). It's not a bad effort but it's most interesting for involving so many of the major players of the time in one outing. Rock versus Mankind from Survivor Series '98, the infamous beer bath segment, and Chris Jericho v Eddie Guerrero from April 3^rd 2000 are all worth looking at again too. All the extras, good and bad, are pretty solid representations of what made the Attitude Era what it was.

Despite the assorted failures with the main feature they do manage to give viewers a taste of nostalgia for a fondly remembered wrestling era. It's also pleasing to hear acknowledgement that Attitude didn't come about purely by design: it was able to happen because the WWF was smart enough to capitalise on viewing trends with American audiences. Various contributors also admit that the Attitude Era saw numerous guys all hit their stride at the same time. It's true and it was the biggest contributing factor to the WWF's success.

The Attitude Era is far from the worst wrestling DVD out there but it does feel like something of a missed opportunity. The period from late '97 to early '01 is critically acclaimed and loved for a reason. It's also the reason WWE is still in business today. It deserved more than an hour but makes good use of what it’s given.

Creative Control

WWE has been using a team of writers to script their TV shows for over ten years now. Before that they used bookers. The difference is significant. A booker is someone who has been around the wrestling business for a substantial amount of time and understands how to apply its unique psychology to the structuring of plots designed to keep fans paying to see to guys fight. A writer is someone who understands how to structure a television show, using the medium's episodic format to keep people tuning back in every week by using characters, skits, and wrestling matches in equal measure.

The previous system comprised a collection of backstage personnel. Jims Cornette and Ross were involved in booking for a while, as were then-full time performers Shawn Michaels and Triple H. Gerry Brisco, Pat Patterson and others were involved over the years too.

The era of the writer began when WWF Magazine editor Vince Russo was inducted into the federation's creative process. Vinnie Ru has always insisted that he's a writer, not a booker, taking a great deal of pride in the title. Russo, you see, writes TV shows. He doesn't book wrestling.

Vince McMahon has been the man in charge throughout. He retained the final say when there was a booking team and he does so now with his cadre of writers. The WWF is his company. Nothing happens without his authorisation. Basically if Vince doesn't like it, it doesn't happen.

That's important to remember when advocating either approach. Whatever examples you may pluck from WWE's (or indeed the WWF's) past they have ultimately been okayed by the same man. It is all, in a sense, one man's creative vision. Both approaches have brought the company success.

The label of writer is often tossed around derisively by wrestling fans. It's important to note that the success of the company's most critically acclaimed period (yep, the Attitude Era) is usually attributed to Vinces Russo and McMahon. JR left the process (because of his full time job announcing RAW and running the talent relations department), Cornette left the company, and Patterson and Brisco became agents, focusing on matches. While he wasn't the only guy involved Russo was one of the driving forces. I feel this needs pointing out simply to illustrate that not everyone who calls themselves a writer is bad for the product.

Nevertheless the current approach of hiring guys with little or no experience, knowledge or passion for wrestling to be writers is seen as the biggest problem the current WWE product has. It's not a sentiment I'm inclined to argue with. WWE has spent too long concentrating on wooing guys with film, network TV, and Hollywood experience. They know how to bring a fresh perspective to WWE, which is valuable. But it’s happening, and has happened, at the expense of a basic knowledge of what wrestling fans want. It may be marketed as sports entertainment, but WWE will always be wrestling.

Broadly speaking the trouble is that all the writers have the same set of experiences to draw on. Their backgrounds are too similar to provide any meaningful variety in the world of wrestling. Yes they have their place, but it's alongside people who understand what makes draws paying customers to wrestling. Those who know what's been successful, and why, should be working alongside those with a broader experience of television production.

Maybe CM stands for Creativity Manager

This isn't to belittle the efforts of the writing team. By all accounts they have a pretty tough travel schedule and work very long hours. On top of that their role is a constant balancing act between suggesting things that will better the product and not being so radical as to alienate them from the mercurial Mr McMahon. It can't be an easy gig.

But working under tough conditions doesn't change the fact that the current scripting system isn't working. A change is needed in this department, and the most effective option available is to get rid of some of the writers. That would allow for a more streamlined process. The guys that should go should be a mixture of newcomers who aren't grasping what makes wrestling (or sports entertainment) work and veterans who've been around long enough to have contributed all their best ideas. This doesn't have to mean sacking them. WWE's a big corporation, find somewhere else for them to slot in where their experience will be just as, if not more, valuable.

The writers should be replaced with those who know the industry. Agents, managers, commentators, GMs... whatever roles these guys currently play on TV they've all been around wrestling for long enough to have an idea of what a 2013 audience may react to. If someone doesn't work out that's fine, just remove them and give someone else a shot. It's not like WWE doesn't have enough staff for this to work.

I think it would be worthwhile allowing a select few main event guys the chance to contribute more in this area too. CM Punk, John Cena and The Rock are all said to have a degree of influence over what they do and say on TV. Why not put then in the writing team in an official capacity and see if their ideas can benefit the roster as a whole? Cena may not be a great wrestler but maybe he could turn out to be wrestling’s answer to Proust.

CM Punk: Best in the World (DVD Review)

Reviewing DVDs isn't usually something I'm terribly interested in. When you buy a wrestling DVD you largely know what you're getting. It will either be an event that's already happened with a few extras tossed in for good measure (usually taking the form of short, bland interviews and an extra match) or a biography of a star, perhaps with some matches thrown in again. There are shoot interviews, fantasy booking plans, historical accounts, and various other oddments out there but for the most part a wrestling DVD is going to fall into one of those first two camps.
 
The CM Punk: Best in the World DVD falls into the second camp. It is a look at the career of the current WWE champion from the beginning of his career until the present. I wanted to write something about it because there has been a lot of anticipation for it and it's one of the few WWE DVD releases I've bought in a long time. WWE and Punk himself have done a great job hyping the release.
 
Despite not buying many of these releases I'm aware of the usual format. A selection of WWE road agents and wrestlers talk about the star of the release, glossing over or ignoring their shortcomings and embellishing or just plain lying about their accomplishments and abilities. Some truth gets mixed in too, but not as much as you'd think. Talking head footage is spliced with match highlights, promo clips, and childhood photos along the way.
 
This DVD immediately stands out as different because it’s clear Punk has been given the creative control he was promised on the release. The interviewees are far more relevant than on your standard release with all of them being important figures in Punk's personal or professional life. Not all of them are under contract to WWE either, which is out of the ordinary. Colt Cabana and Ace Steel both pop up, as does developmental talent Kassius Ohno under his former ring name Chris Hero. All three provide insight on the young Punk's beginnings in the wrestling business.

Clips are shown of what seems like dozens of different clashes between Punk and Cabana, and highlights are shown of a particularly wild TLC tussle between Punk and Hero. It's acknowledged that the latter helped Punk and Hero gain bookings all over the country and that Punk and Cabana wrestled each other hundreds of times over a two or three year period.
 
Thought has gone into the WWE staff that are interviewed. Kofi Kingston, Bryan 'Daniel Bryan' Danielson, Joey Mercury, Michael Hayes, Zack Ryder, William Regal, and, inevitably, John Cena all crop up. As noted above the standard approach is for the star of the release to be endlessly lauded. That doesn't happen here.
 
Joey Mercury admits that when he first met Punk he didn't like him. By the end of the documentary we know the two are very close now (and that Punk was instrumental in getting Mercury rehired for the Straight Edge Society) but such candidness is rare on a WWE DVD. John Cena states that when Punk first signed he heard a lot of hype about him but he felt underwhelmed when he watched him wrestle.
 
Perhaps most interesting is Michael Hayes. He had been on the writing team the entire time Punk has been with WWE and he admits that the reason Punk spent so much time in then-satellite federation Ohio Valley Wrestling was because Paul Heyman was singing his praises. The writing team’s logic was that Heyman couldn’t be trusted and it was believed he had selected someone mediocre in an attemp to sell them as better than they were. It was believed Heyman would go to those lengths in order to display his prowess as a booker and wrestling creator. An admission of wrestling politics existing on a WWE DVD? Yes, it happened!
 
Paul Heyman's comments are a predictable highlight. His opening statement is that he was “salivating at the opportunity to work with him.” He talks about being aware of Punk's work prior to meeting him in OVW and pushing him even though the office wanted others prioritised. He acknowledges that Punk was the first guy he asked for when put in charge of the revived ECW "brand". He apparently had to fight for that, despite the RAW and SmackDown writers admitting they had no plans to use him themselves. Heyman also gives Punk high praise when he says he wanted to make him the heir of the ECW legacy.
 
It's that section of the DVD that provides the most insight into Punk behind the scenes in WWE, as well as WWE's developmental process. Hayes, Heyman and Jim Ross all acknowledge that Punk was just killing time in OVW and the belief was that he would be released from his contract as a cost cutting measure before debuting on RAW or SmackDown. That WWE had a talent like Punk in developmental and had people in positions of power considering firing him because they didn't know what to do with him shows what sort of dreadful state the system is in. Why was he signed in the first place if there was never any intention of using him?
 
Punk took the opportunities working alongside Paul Heyman presented to him. He attended open sessions every week where they (and anyone else in attendance) would talk about TV storylines and character development. It's interesting to note that Punk refers to this as him "helping to write the show". Later on in the doc Michael Hayes mentions that the higher up the card Punk has risen the greater amount of creative input he has sought. It's an interesting insight into both Punk and the WWE system, which is often criticised for not allowing its stars a loud enough voice.
 
Punk's time in Ring of Honor is covered well and the group deserves credit for contributing a significant amount of footage. It's clear that Punk very much enjoyed his time there and anyone who is unfamiliar with it should get a sense of how highly Punk was regarded by the group's fans.
 
The way in which Punk's first several years in WWE are presented is a strength. It’s acknowledged that Punk was not treated terribly well during his first World Heavyweight title reign, and a fair chunk of time is given over to Punk’s feud with Hardy and the Straight Edge Society gimmick. It’s fascinating to hear that the SES came about as a result of Punk being insulted that the writing team didn’t have anything planned for him after he’d dropped the World title to the Undertaker. Instead of treading water he wrote fourteen weeks’ worth of television for himself and gave it to Vince McMahon. According to Punk the angle only began going downhill after the writing team began scripting the group.
 
The documentary is not without its faults. “Punk was wrestling guys like Raven because all these older guys who were good at interviews they wanted to work with him. His interviews were so fresh, so exciting,” says Daniel Bryan. This is not entirely accurate. Raven stated in numerous interviews in 2003 (and several since) that he saw nothing in Punk when he first came across him. Punk talking about Raven sitting him down to discuss ring psychology sounds more like a disgruntled veteran trying to install old school values in a young guy than a passing of the torch.
 
Comments from John Cena are predictably stupid. Probably his most absurd statement is that Punk “built a name for himself like, I guess, the last territorial wrestler.” Cena does not qualify this remark and the interviewer naturally doesn’t push him on it.

For some reason Cena seems to think of himself as having an eye for young talent, hence his comments about not seeing anything in Punk after he'd heard him talked up so much. Cena has his strengths, chief among them knowing how to market himself. This does not qualify him as an assessor of young talent. His comments and Punk's subsequent success make me hope that Cena doesn't stick around as a road agent after he hangs up his boots (or sneakers).
 
Considering Punk had free rein when it came to match selection I find some of his choices odd. Punk v John Morrison, Punk v Mysterio and Punk v Hardy are all excellent but his ECW debut against Justin Credible and outing opposite Chris Jericho from WrestleMania XXVIII are utter clunkers (although in fairness the debut match needed to be included for its significance to Punk’s career).

Perhaps better bouts are being reserved for future releases (although shouldn't a man claiming to be "the best in the world" be producing enough scorchers over the next few years to make it necessary to cram in everything now and leave room free on later sets?). The lack of indy and ROH bouts is understandable and it's nice that we get something from Punk's stay in Ohio Valley. That was the only bout I hadn't seen before and I thought it was an enjoyable display.
 
On the whole I'd say this is one of WWE's best releases in a long time. It provides a comprehensive overview of Punk's career so far and features interviews with relevant people. His childhood friends are a particularly welcome addition as their views haven't been expressed to wrestling fans before. We find out what drives Punk, how close he was to walking before Money in the Bank 2011, and what he enjoys outside of the ring.
 
I'm still not convinced Punk is the best wrestler in the world. But he certainly has the best DVD.

The Voice of SmackDown

Friday’s SmackDown was the first episode in a long time to not feature Michael Cole on commentary. Replacing ‘The Voice of WWE’ at the announce position was former WWE champion John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield. Not only did he do a fantastic job but the dynamic between he and Josh Mathews worked far better than that that exists between Mathews and Cole.

I’m not going to bash Cole. His heel act has been toned down considerably over the last year and he’s been working as a babyface again since Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler’s heart attack last month. It’s a better way of using him. While it will take time for viewers to forget the nauseating amount of TV time Cole gobbled up during the height of his heel run in the long run I think he can be accepted as a replacement for Jim Ross.

That’s not to say he will ever be as good as Ross. Unfortunately for Cole he assumed the lead announcer duties too late to be able to prove that he can do anything but a mediocre job commentating a wrestling bout. The role he has now involved him pushing storylines, gimmicks and shilling for a variety of products WWE has chosen to associate itself with (such as Twitter and Tout).

When ‘Good Ol’ JR’ was at the desk in his late 90s prime he was pretty much left to his own devices as far as calling the action went. Occasionally he’d have to acknowledge a sponsor’s on-screen graphic but that’s about as far as it went.

 

Someone get this man a microphone, stat!

 

Even though Cole has become a lot more tolerable of late removing him from SmackDown was still the right move. It allowed Josh Mathews to do a little more with regards to commentating. He benefited from working alongside a clear heel too. He can come across as bland when working with Cole, whereas JBL brings some passion out in him.

I’d like to see this become a regular thing. Cole would benefit from working only RAW and new show Main Event (although I suspect he’ll get taken off of that when it inevitably turns into a job show): decreasing his profile lessens any lingering resentment viewers may hold towards him. It would be good for Josh Mathews too. WWE needs to get serious about preparing new commentators for their main shows and Mathews would be a perfect understudy for Cole. He needs to be allowed to develop his own style before that can happen though, which is going to be difficult while he’s paired with Cole.

Meanwhile using JBL for every SmackDown would be great for obvious reasons: he knows how to elevate talent while working as a heel commentator and he injects a good deal of knowledge into every broadcast he’s on. Having a former world champion at the announce desk doesn’t hurt credibility either.

Feed Him More

At the conclusion of the September 24^th RAW Ryback appeared backstage to stop CM Punk battering Mick Foley. A week later WWE's hungriest superstar stormed the ring after the WWE champion had ordered commentator Jim Ross backstage. Both of these encounters saw 'The Second City Saint' retreat from 'The Human Wrecking Ball'.
 
The prospect of a Ryback versus CM Punk feud or match seems to have a lot of people excited. I think it could prove enjoyable if handled right but I don't think we're going to see it happen anytime soon.
 
The former Skip Sheffield has proven to be a surprise hit since returning to WWE with a new name and (slightly new) appearance. The slow push and demolition of everyone placed in front of him has created a star that fans can believe in. His "Feed me more!" chant, shouts of "Stoopid!", stiff ring style and proven ability to win have all encouraged fans to back him. Similar acts have been seen in wrestling before but as Ryback is the only guy in WWE doing it right now it allows him to appear different.

Fans cheered Ryback over CM Punk. That's popularity that is

 
WWE aren't going to rush him into a programme with a guy of Punk's level. I believe they're just testing the waters and gauging interest. Punk will clash with John Cena at Hell in a Cell and very possibly Survivor Series. With a battle against Mick Foley rumoured for TLC in December and a showdown with 'The Great One' at the Royal Rumble in January CM Punk has a busy schedule and has no time for a proper feud with Ryback.
 
It's possible that WWE would use the rivalry to fill time on TV but that would be a massive waste. A programme of that magnitude would need to cover at least one pay-per-view. Should the Foley bout not happen at TLC then perhaps we'll see Punk clash with his fellow Nexus alumnus then. If not then the earliest I can imagine them clashing is Elimination Chamber.
 
The thing is that building a bout for six months would be uncharacteristic of the global entertainment company. WWE is much more inclined to book short term, unless big names like Cena, Triple H, Undertaker and Shawn Michaels are involved. Punk could, at a push, be considered on the cusp of that status. But Ryback? Defs not.

More likely for Ryback is a resumption of the rivalry with The Miz that was first hinted at on the September 17^th RAW. ‘The Awesome One’ should ensure Ryback doesn’t hear any unwanted jeers and a feud for the Intercontinental championship would allow him to be presented as a rising star without making fans resent his push.
 
The slow build WWE have been doing with Ryback has worked. They will not risk fouling that up by moving him up the card too soon. Teasing a showdown with the cowardly WWE champion is fine, but they won’t go through with it as that would either mean switching the belt or promoting a Ryback v Rock match at the Rumble. Neither of those is an option.
 
For now Ryback will have to remain content with his diet of random jabronis and low-card talent and the potential feud with Miz. His ascension to the top of the card is still a little way off but it is coming. Vince McMahon is said to see him as a potential number two babyface. With his physique and range of popular catchphrases it’s hard to disagree.

NXTweet 19.09.12

Why Rick Victor was chosen as an opponent for new NXT champion Seth Rollins I cannot say. He looks like an enhancement talent from the days of Heat and Velocity. While Rollins is clearly destined for the bright lights of the WWE roster at some point Victor is not.
 
The first man to try to make a name on the new champ should have been someone with an equally dazzling future. Associating Rollins with a guy sporting a dated look and working such an uninspiring style does him no favours at all.
 
Had Victor been made to look like a potential star by the encounter then I'd understand the decision but that wasn't the case. The match wasn't bad but it wasn't especially good either. It stank of mediocrity. Importantly it was not the sort of bout we've come to expect from Rollins. As the league's figurehead he should be moving forward with dynamic encounters every week.
 
There was some enjoyment to be found in the match. As I mentioned above it wasn't bad, and the nonsense about Victor being the last graduate of the Hart family dungeon (an accolade also given to Tyson Kidd before now) was amusing. The crowd seemed lively enough and JR was on commentary so at least there was a good atmosphere. The wrist biting gimmick was gold too.
 
The highlight of the show for me was the brief Kassius Ohno outing. His two wins, both via kravat, over a random jobber showed how good he is despite not lasting long. I can't write enough that Ohno should be KOing guys on the main roster rather than ploughing through nobodies on NXT. Still, we have his showdown with Richie Steamboat to look forward to. I expect that to be very enjoyable considering how good both men are.
 
Finally I feel I should mention Trent Barreta. He returned to action after six months recovering from injury. While I'm not one of the (seemingly many) people that think Barreta is tremendous and deserving of an upper mid-card spot I do appreciate he's sound in the ring (and wears good tights). WWE should be making use of guys with any level of popularity. That includes Barreta. It was nice to see him back and I hope he's put to good use.

Opening credits

Tweet 1: NXTweet.

Tweet 2: Someone mentioned the other day that Byron Saxton sounds like Joey Styles. I hadn't noticed before. I'm hearing it immediately now.
Tweet 3: Rollins v Rick Victor. Um... Wow?

Johnny Curtis v Trent Barreta

Tweet 4: Oh hey, Trent Barreta.

Tweet 5: The once promising Johnny Curtis there. I wish they'd used him properly on the main roster.
Tweet 6: Trent looks very skinny. I'm sure he's big compared to average guys but in WWE he's going to struggle to make an impact.

Nice to see this dude back

Tweet 7: Curtis using the AA there.
Tweet 8: Clumsy sunset flip. I didn't notice it the first time it was shown. I think that proves that replays aren't always a good thing.
Tweet 9: More wrestlers should wear tights like Barreta's.
Tweet 10: Barreta's winning move looked like a Sick Kick. Is he secretly a member of the House of Truth?
Tweet 11: Judging by that graphic Alicia Fox doesn't have a problem with fur.

Alicia Fox v Paige

Tweet 12: Why is Paige so over with the NXT crowd? #notcomplaining #justsaying

Tweet 13: I don't like this ref. He's shifty.
Tweet 14: I think Fox just botched an uppercut. At least I think it was an uppercut. I'm not sure. It was THAT bad.
Tweet 15: I wish ECW Cyber Slam '00 was online. I think Saxton's voice has made me think of that.
Tweet 16: "Alicia Fox is top notch" - William Regal

Conor O’Brian v Jimmy Uso

Tweet 17: My laptop has just started showing Game of Thrones. Oh wait... hang on. It's just The Ascension.

Tweet 18: Conor O'Brian looks like a cross between a ferret and a goblin.
Tweet 19: How can a tag team have an enforcer, Byron? A stable, sure, but not a tag team. Fool.
Tweet 20: Another win via kick to the face? This is shoddy booking.
Tweet 21: They don't do it quite as well as The Eliminators used to be I like The Ascension using Total Elimination. It's a good, believable finish.

Michael McGillicutty interrupts the pontifications of Bo Dallas

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

Tweet 23: Michael McGillicutty didn't display much conviction during that promo interruption.

Kassius Ohno v Oliver Grey

Tweet 24: It's Kassius... OHNO!!

Tweet 25: This was billed as a sparring session but it's just a regular match.
Tweet 26: Johnny Saint reference.
Tweet 27: Ohno wins by kravat. Little nod to fans of a guy named Chris Hero there...
Tweet 28: Chris H... Sorry, Kassius Ohno wins again with the kravat. And now here's valiant babyface Richie Steamboat.
Tweet 29: I'm looking forward to the inevitable Ohno v Steamboat match.

Leo Kruger vignette

Tweet 30: It sounds like Leo Kruger is doing a very bad (and very racist) Indian accent.

Tweet 31: "Tata" - Leo Kruger

Rick Victor v Seth Rollins

Tweet 32: Rick Victor looks like he belongs on Velocity.

Tweet 33: You know you're watching an NXT main event when you hear Jim Ross.
Tweet 34: Rick Victor was the last graduate of the dungeon? I thought that was Tyson Kidd.
Tweet 35: Guys will be debuting in twenty years and be claiming they've been trained in the Hart dungeon.
Tweet 36: Young boys is trending. #puroresu
Tweet 37: Rick Victor biting his own wrists there. He wants Kruger's madman gimmick.
Tweet 38: "This guy's obviously very talented or he wouldn't be on NXT" - JR, with a comment that doesn't make too much sense if you think about it
Tweet 39: Rollins loves to fight. Like Finlay.
Tweet 40: Rollins gets the predictable win with a Black Out. I'm slightly disappointed by that match. Rollins is usually far better.