Swagtourage

I've always felt Jack Swagger would benefit from a comedy entourage. He's a big, serious wrestler with the right look but instead of presenting him as a serious dominating force WWE don't seem to be able to stop themselves from turning him into a figure of fun. He was presented as something of a clown upon his initial call-up to ECW and, barring a brief run as Serious Swagger, he's had a twinge of comedy to him ever since. Look no further than the Swagger Soaring Eagle and his "dad" joining him on TV to see what I mean.

There's also this promo, split in two here and here. A perfect example of Swagger being presented as a joke.     

I'm not complaining. I like Swagger being presented this way. It could be a tool for success rather than a hindrance if it were fully embraced by the writing team. It’s not at the moment, sadly. All it is is yet another example of WWE being unwilling to experiment and follow through on their ideas.

Swagger's 'Real American' act would stand a greater chance of being accepted (and would be far more palatable) if he and Colter were easier to laugh at. Increasing the number of seconds and hangers-on he has would be a good direction for him. Give him an old fashioned entourage!

Colter's already in place as a windbag, narrow-minded racist of a manager. A guy could be installed to proudly wave a flag as Swagger walks to the ring during his matches. He wouldn't need to say anything, just waving the flag would be enough. Swagger could return to doing a couple of press ups in the aisle before the match and a coach could be installed to shout encouragement or clap as Swagger does what most able bodied people are capable of.

Look at this and tell me he's not a comedy performer

Maybe the Soaring Eagle could be brought back by Colter. A symbol of a once great and powerful nation that he and Swagger are going to return to glory (by winning wrestling matches, dammit!). Maybe a cheerleader could be placed at ringside. Is there any greater symbol of America than the humble cheerleader? No. Of course not.

In the case of the flag waver and the cheerleader it would be a good way to utilise NXT wrestlers who aren't going to make it to the main roster otherwise. Mike Dalton immediately springs to mind. He doesn’t strike me as someone who’s ever going to get beyond Main Event and Saturday Morning Slam level on his own merit.

Meanwhile Summer Rae would make a pretty good cheerleader. I’m going on looks there, because that’s what would be most important to a gimmick cheerleader. Whether she can do any cheers or nor not isn’t important. If Dolph Ziggler and Mike Mondo can learn how then she can too.

It could even provide a new use for established acts. David Otunga could be used as Swagger's legal adviser (a role I like for Otunga as it allows him to interfere in matches and take bumps without hassling us with watching him wrestle). Guys like Derrick Bateman and Michael McGillicutty could be added to form a Team USA type stable. Colter would make as good a mouthpiece for them as he does for Swagger and they'd make excellent bump fodder.

Basically Swagger's gimmick should be that he's a serious competitor who continually surrounds himself with foolishness. The beauty of putting the focus on Swagger is that it would make him just as much a part of the comedy as everyone else involved: the joke being that he chooses to spend more time hiring seconds than on prepping for matches. The entourage being a regular thing would also allow for periodic changes. That would help keep the concept, and 'The All American American' fresh.

 

Let’s face it: this idea is no worse than making him a racist, is it?

NXTweet 13.02.13

So the WWE developmental league now has better tag team champions than the main roster does. I can’t be the only person this doesn’t make sense to? I mean it’s nice that WWE wants to prepare some double acts to be called up at some point in the future but shouldn’t they also be concerning themselves with the ones they already have?

 

The current WWE tag champs are Kane and Daniel Bryan. They’re an odd couple unit whose limited shelf life expired months ago. They remain the champions because there are no realistic alternatives. The Rhodes Scholars were senselessly split a couple of weeks ago, although if the Elimination Chamber pre-show match is anything to go by that decision may since have been reversed.

The Prime Time Players remain intact but if they were to become champions who would oppose them? It’s difficult to imagine anyone getting excited about a tag title feud involving Jimmy and Jay Uso, isn’t it?

My point here is that if the work being done creating tag teams for NXT is to prove beneficial in the long run then some more makeshift units need to be lashed together for the short term. Get some singles guys doing nothing into the tag ranks and let them hold the fort until Adrian Neville, Oliver Grey and the Wyatt Family are deemed ready for the big time.

Let’s overlook the bleak long term future of the tag teams on NXT. I thought the tournament final was a very good match. The four men were given plenty of time to construct something worthwhile and tell a story. They fell down a little on the narrative side of things but the action was enough to carry them through.

 

The new champs

 

The most disappointing thing about the match was the early ejection of Bray Wyatt. Not only is he the group’s namesake and manager, he’s also its biggest star and the man who will go farthest in WWE. He should have been at ringside to keep the crowd involved. If he had to be thrown out then it could at least have been held off until the closing moments.

Elsewhere on the show the feud, over prettiness, between Paige and Summer Rae continued. They had their first televised match after a brawl at the start of the show. Ironically it was not pretty. Part of the reason for that was that Paige was wrestling as though she had an injured shoulder. She’ll recover from that within a few weeks and then get her inevitable rematch victory.

Opening video

Tweet 1: NXTweet.

Tweet 2: This voiceover guy's HAS to be a rib.
Tweet 3: A-Ry tapped out to a kravat. Yeah his career's FIIIIIINE.
Tweet 4: Who will be NXT's first tag team champions? Who?! WHO?!

Axel Keegan v Mike Dalton, featuring Paige

Tweet 5: "I'm Tony Dawson!" - Tony 'I'm Tony Dawson' Dawson

Tweet 6: Impromptu run-in from Paige. Now she's on the mic, sounding like she's about to ruddy cry.
Tweet 7: I really wanted to see Mike Dalton v Axel Keegan too (are those their names?)...
Tweet 8: ISS THA DREE, BAYBEE!
Tweet 9: Is Dusty going heel? This is the turn of the decade!
Tweet 10: That all felt very ECW.

Paige backstage

Tweet 11: Doctor Sampson is "examining" the shoulder of Paige, is he? Looks inappropriate to my (admittedly untrained) eye.

Alex Riley v Corey Graves

Tweet 12: It's Alex 'Future Endeavors’ Riley!

Tweet 13: You've got to love a guy who wrestles in suspenders.
Tweet 14: If you ever watch this match look out for the inverted atomic drop reversal sequence a minute or so in. Massively sloppy.
Tweet 15: Dawson just announced the "breaking news" that Paige v Summer Rae will happen next. Wasn't that announced last week?
Tweet 16: Everything A-Ry's done in this match shows that WWE were right to take him off the main roster.
Tweet 17: The man who looks like an 80s game show host tapped out. Good. Graves is better.

If only Riley's pain were real

 

Paige backstage again

Tweet 18: Paige is still backstage with that questionable doctor. Getting her shoulder taped so she has an excuse when she loses.

Summer Rae v Paige

Tweet 19: Summer Rae, also known as Kelly Kelly 2.0.

Tweet 20: Paige should enter to the theme tune of Big Break. To play up her British roots.
Tweet 21: Paige just did the old stomping a mudhole routine. Earlier on she did a Thesz Press. Just shave your head bald and call yourself Austin, luv.
Tweet 22: While I was typing that Summer Rae won. That was pretty short. There'll be a rematch. Hopefully it'll get more time.

Tweet 23: Regal was shocked by the win.

Sasha Banks’ poetry corner

Tweet 24: Backstage Sasha Banks reads a poem aloud. That'll get her over. No wrestling fan can resist a bit of poetry.

NXT tag team championship tournament final – Adrian Neville and Oliver Grey v The Wyatt Family

Tweet 25: Byron Saxton's on ring announcing duty. He's basically the NXT version of Borash.

Tweet 26: "The whole of England will be celebrating, it's wonderful for my country" - William Regal on the possibility of Brits winning NXT tag belts
Tweet 27: Contrary to what Regal said I want to see the Wyatts win. I do know the result by the way...
Tweet 28: "The British have been underdogs for thousands of years" - William Regal
Tweet 29: I'm pretty sure both Neville and Grey are younger than me which means it's pretty unlikely they grew up idolizing the British Bulldogs.
Tweet 30: Bray's gone from ringside. This match just got a bit less interesting.
Tweet 31: What's Dusty actually doing at ringside? I mean, I know he's watching the match, but physically what is he doing?
Tweet 32: I want them to keep cutting to Dusty nodding or pursing his lips, maybe cocking his head to one side.
Tweet 33: If you've gone to the trouble of having a living melted waxwork at ringside at least show him to us.
Tweet 34: Rey Mysterio should be sent down to NXT. He doesn't need to learn how to work, he needs to learn how to show up to work.
Tweet 35: Look at Adrian Neville. Running around like a ruddy lunatic.
Tweet 36: If beards play a factor on membership then I think Daniel Bryan could be a future acquisition for the Wyatt Family.

One word: beards

Tweet 37: Neville and Grey have won. To their credit they're celebrating like it means something to them. It was an enjoyable match.
Tweet 38: Dusty's in the ring to shake and raise hands. You know you've made it when 'The Dream' wants to touch you.
Tweet 39: Well... it could just mean you're a woman.
Tweet 40: Fans cannot understand the post-match squealings of the new champs. I can barely make out what they're saying and I'm used to the accents.
Tweet 41: Where's Triple H? Does he only appear for singles champions? Selfish.
Tweet 42: The show goes off the air with the new champs standing on the stage holding their belts, which are better looking than the NXT singles belt.

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.