Making the Intercontinental Championship Awesome

Making the Intercontinental championship mean something doesn’t seem to be a priority for the WWE creative department at the moment. It should be though. When booked well the IC title can help to elevate talent and spark exciting feuds.

I’ve written many times before that the title has been neglected for a long time. It hasn’t been a concern for the company for the better part of a decade. If that were to change they could find it useful for helping to highlight the new talent that will be heading to the main roster over the next few years.

The current champion is The Miz. While I’ve never really liked former world champions holding mid-card belts in any promotion he’s a good fit for the role. His status as a former top dog will help to make the title mean more and he’s good enough in the ring to be able to work good matches with the majority of the roster.

‘The Awesome One’ will defend the belt against three men at Night of Champions. All are featured performers who routinely appear on RAW and SmackDown. Don’t let that fool you into thinking that WWE treats the championship and its holder well. They don’t. A storyline was devised for the IC champ because the company wants it defended at NOC.

If the title is going to prove useful in the future then a good idea for the writing team would be to draw up a list of men currently on the main roster who could work enjoyable feuds with ‘The Awesome One’ for Intercontinental gold. Personally I’d go for Christian, Alex Riley, Zack Ryder and Justin Gabriel.

As the man Miz beat for the belt ‘Captain Charisma’ is a natural choice for a feud. It seems that he’s been brushed off quickly as a challenger but that could easily be reversed with a single segment of TV, establishing that Christian wants to earn a rematch for the title.

 

Can this man make this belt mean something?

 

Alex Riley strikes me as a boring, uncharismatic worker, but WWE audiences tend to disagree with me. Watch any televised A-Ry match of your choice and the chances are that he’ll get a good pop when he enters. Fans seem to like him and he has a natural storyline with The Miz waiting for him because of their previous mentor-student relationship. He’d be a good choice for a month-long feud.

Justin Gabriel is a very good worker who tends to receive good reactions from crowds. It shouldn’t be too taxing for the writing team to construct a feud between him and The Miz. The starting point could be as simple as Gabriel pinning the champion in a tag match. That would earn Gabriel a title match which Miz could win via cheating to spark a series of rematches.

 

Something similar could be booked with Zack Ryder, although that would be easier to write as ‘Long Island Iced Z’ is already a popular guy and knows how to enhance a feud via the internet.

The point is to pick four guys and have a storyline and feud ready for each of them. Miz could then blast through them one by one, each programme lasting at least a month and going on longer depending on how well it’s received. Four opponents should take Miz through to the Royal Rumble at least.

When the third feud begins plans should be made for a fifth involving a name from NXT. Making that decision a while in advance allows time for the competitor to be written off of NXT and prepared for a spot on the main roster.

My choice would be Seth Rollins. He’s a naturally likeable guy and easily ready for calling up. It could just as easily be Big E Langston, Richie Steamboat or any other babyface wrestler in developmental.

The night after his feud-winning clash with rival number four (on pay-per-view, natch) Miz could be booked to cut a promo on RAW bragging about how nobody can defeat him for the Intercontinental championship. An open challenge to the locker room would be issued, answered by the NXT call-up, who would shockingly defeat Miz in a competitive match.

Miz would have elevated the title with a lengthy reign defending against a variety of opponents. Fans should by this point care about the belt as more than just an object. The NXT call-up would receive a memorable debut by not only defeating an established star but winning a championship and ending a long reign too.

Miz would be freed up to head back to the top of the card and challenge for the world title again and the newcomer could follow the same pattern as The Miz, only with heel opponents instead of faces. The belt would mean more and could be used to help progression. Wouldn’t that be… awesome?

Night of Champions preview

Last December CM Punk successfully defended the WWE championship against The Miz and Alberto Del Rio in a triple threat Tables, Ladders and Chairs match in the main event of WWE's TLC pay-per-view. Despite that being nine months ago he has not headlined a supercard since.
 
That's likely to change this Sunday. At Night of Champions Punk will defend the WWE title against John Cena in Cena's hometown. That scenario should be enough to ensure Punk gets to go on last for the first time in 2012.
 
While I don't think we're going to see the title change hands I do think 'The CeNation Leader' is Punk's biggest challenge for a while. I don't think I've felt there's a chance someone could topple 'The Voice of the Voiceless' for the gold since he was feuding with Chris Jericho in the spring.
 
It's easy to imagine WWE wanting the title on Cena so that he can face The Rock at the Royal Rumble. It would be a huge match and free 'The Great One' up for a bout with Brock Lesnar or Undertaker at WrestleMania XXIX. That said I think a match between Punk and The Rock is more likely, saving the Cena v Rock rematch for 'Mania.

Could they have made him look any more angelic?

 
I expect Punk to retain via shady tactics. Some sort of cheat finish would make it clear that Punk will do anything to retain the belt, further establishing as WWE's new lead villain.
 
I think Randy Orton v Dolph Ziggler will grab the match of the night accolade. They're two of WWE's best wrestlers and rarely enter duff performances.
 
I'm going to predict a win for 'The Show Off'. He's been credited with sending Chris Jericho packing from WWE but that win occurred on RAW: Ziggler lost at SummerSlam. The man with the briefcase needs a victory on a pay-per-view and I think Night of Champions will see him get it.
 
If 'The Viper' happens to get the win then I suspect it could signal a cash-in from Dolph later in the evening. Orton having a PPV win over the newly crowned champion would setup a series of title matches between the two. That would get the new champ's reign off to a good start.
 
I'm not too sure we'll be seeing a MITB cash-in though. I think WWE may keep the case around for a bit longer and continue preparing Ziggler for his big win. That would be a wise move. The longer they spend readying 'The Heel' for the top the better his chances of succeeding.
 
On the subject of the World Heavyweight championship, the current champion Sheamus (whose surname was revealed to be Lipschitz on RAW) will defend the title against Alberto Del Rio at Night of Champions. Yep, those two are wrestling on a pay-per-view again.
 
That they've been feuding since April and have yet to have anything better than a satisfactory bout apparently doesn't bother anybody involved in the writing process. Apparently we're meant to view ADR as a threat to the title even though he has proven he can't win it. I wrote this for my SummerSlam preview but I'll say it again here: I really hope this marks the end of the ADR v Sheamus rivalry. Both men are in desperate need of fresh opponents.
 
One match that could prove interesting is Antonio Cesaro's US title defence. A battle royal has been announced as the match for the YouTube preview show, with the winner advancing to the main card to challenge 'The Swiss Superman'.
 
I expect the battle royal will be made up of people who are not already scheduled for the pay-per-view. Possible names that spring to mind are Tyson Kidd and Alex Riley. Kidd was given a tremendously brief mini push around Money in the Bank which fans responded to very positively. Giving him more to do would be a good decision and having him earn his way onto a show with a battle royal win would be a good way to kick off another low key shove. Meanwhile A-Ry always gets a surprisingly good reaction and could be plucked from obscurity for a random PPV appearance.
 
Whoever he faces I expect Cesaro to retain. Switching the US belt won't help any other act but keeping it on Cesaro should help him to continue his slow rise through the ranks.
 
Another mid-card outing will be Layla v Kaitlyn, notable for being the latter's first shot at the butterfly belt. If they're given long enough I think the two could produce something enjoyable, but then I write that about most Divas matches on PPV and they never receive ample time. This match will be booked between more important, high profile outings to ensure the audience doesn't become burnt out.
 
The recent booking of Eve may indicate she'll be involved in some way, though I have no idea on specifics. Perhaps Kaitlyn will win and Eve will have the decision reversed (she's assistant to a GM so she can probably do that). Whatever Eve ends up doing on the show I expect her to appear during this bout. I don't think Kaitlyn will leave as champion, which is a shame because I think she's got more potential to be a star than Layla.
 
Daniel Bryan and Kane were opponents at SummerSlam. A month later they're getting the tried and tested "odd couple tag team" treatment. While this may seem a bit of a waste at first the match has the potential to be one of the highlights of the event.
 
Daniel Bryan clashing with Kofi Kingston should keep fans of good wrestling happy. The prospect of Little Jimmy being used to antagonise 'Goatface' with "Yes!" chants could prove a laugh. Kane's interactions with Bryan have been a highlight of RAW over the last month and it will be interesting to see how much he and Bryan bicker during the match. Surely we'll at least get a shoving contest mid-match?
 
Perhaps the most important thing about Kofi and Truth defending against Bryan and Kane is that it spared us another challenge from the Prime Time Players. Giving that unit a rest is the right move.
 
Night of Champions feels like the right time to crown new tag champs. Kofi and Truth still have fresh challengers to face but WWE seems uninterested in making use of units like the Usos, Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd, and the Ascension. I had assumed it would be the PTPs' night but that clearly won't happen. I predict a win for Daniel Bryan and Kane (or is that Kane and Daniel Bryan?) instead. Perhaps the Players will interfere to keep them towards the top of the doubles ranks.
 
Finally there's a rumoured four-way clash for the Intercontinental championship. The Miz will apparently defend against Cody Rhodes, Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio. The main factors for the bout will be the recent partnership between the masked grapplers and the burgeoning rivalry between the heels.

With Mysterio, Rhodes and Miz all in the same match it’s safe to assume that the quality will be high. Sin Cara’s fondness for botching should be kept in check and it could actually turn out to be the most memorable outing of his WWE run so far. I think Cara or Mysterio winning the IC title is likely. Their upcoming partnership and-or feud would be spiced up with the Intercontinental title involved.

I’ll pick Mysterio to win. Havign Sin Cara gradually turn heel because he’s jealous of Mysterio’s success would be a simple and effective storyline.
 
Night of Champions does not feel like a must see show. Its top two bouts have been seen many times before and there's nothing new, such as a guest referee or gimmick stipulation, being presented in relation to either here (aside from the Brogue Kick ban but that's boring and won't change the match much). That the mid-card titles were both last minute additions and the tag title bout is being used to further a comedy rivalry tells you all you need to know about how shallow the mid-card scene in WWE is.
 
Lack of freshness aside I'm hopeful that NOC will prove memorable. There are plenty of opportunities for good performances and highlights. It's just an uninspiring card in the grand scheme of things.
 
Predictions summary:
CM Punk to defeat John Cena
Sheamus to defeat Alberto Del Rio
Dolph Ziggler to defeat Randy Orton
Daniel Bryan and Kane to defeat Kofi Kingston and R-Truth
Rey Mysterio to defeat The Miz, Cody Rhodes and Sin Cara
Antonio Cesaro to retain the United States championship
Layla to defeat Kaitlyn

Bare Knuckle Barrett

On the August 6^th episode of RAW WWE debuted a video hyping the imminent return of Wade Barrett. Getting on for a month later we have yet to see the master of the Barrett Barrage return to our screens.

The video provided no clue as to when Barrett would return (beyond “soon”) but got a hint that he may receive a gimmick overhaul when he reappears. The former Nexus leader was shown with a beard and (possibly) slightly shorter hair bare knuckle boxing in what was purportedly a warehouse.

The bare knuckle gimmick is one that has been mentioned many times before but has never been the central focus of the character. If it is to become a more integral part of Barrett’s act then it could help to set him apart from his peers. The guy wrestles well and is one of the best talkers on the roster, but beyond that he’s just a guy in trunks. Becoming the man who likes to knock out his opponents could be just what Barrett needs to help him clinch that long-elusive main event spot.

The return vignettes have been running for near enough a month. While it was normal for WWE to hype a return for a month or two a decade ago the standard practice now is to spend only two or three weeks reintroducing someone who’s been absent form injury, if they’re lucky enough to get the treatment at all.

Barrett returned to action on WWE’s recent tour of Japan and has competed at US house shows since. He’s ready from a physical point of view and audiences have been prepped to expect him at any time. So what’s the plan?

I think WWE will have something big lined up for Barrett when he resurfaces. He is regarded as a man with headline potential and considering how stagnant WWE’s current main event scene is I imagine the writers will be keen to install him in a prominent position to freshen things up and get him accepted as a bigger star than he was before he left TV.

 

Barrett would be a good addition to WWE's stale main event picture

 

I think Barrett would work very well as an opponent for Sheamus. Not only would a Sheamus v Barrett feud finally put an end to the tedium of ‘The Celtic Warrior’s’ run with Alberto Del Rio but it would allow Barrett to move up the ranks and start getting established at the top. If the Irishman is to be his first opponent upon return then a run-in at Night of Champions seems likely.

One scenario that could prove interesting is having Sheamus retain the strap against Alberto Del Rio before getting duffed up afterwards by the returning Barrett. Dolph Ziggler could then come out, cash-in his briefcase and leave as the new World Heavyweight champion.

That would get Barrett some heat and set up a clear reason for his feud with Sheamus. It would also create an argument for a title match between Barrett and Ziggler (‘The Show Off’ benefitted from Barrett’s efforts) in addition to the defences already waiting for him against Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, and previous champ Sheamus. You can never have too many challengers for a world title.

Whatever the plan is for Barrett I hope his return happens soon. WWE is in desperate need of some fresh names higher on the card and he would be a perfect fit.

The Heel Turn That Wasn't

RAW 1000 ended with CM Punk giving The Rock a GTS. It was viewed as the WWE champion turning heel. It’s true that Punk’s demeanour and promos have been decidedly more villainous since he attacked ‘The Great One’ on July 23^rd but does that make him a heel?

No. Not yet at least.

The GTS to The Rock was designed as a starting point, not a definitive signal that Punk is now a completely different character who must be booed by fans. Getting to that point will take time. The man has been pushed as the promotion’s number two babyface for over a year. Fans will not just turn on him for that one act.

Some people will support ‘The Straight Edge Superstar’ more because of his assault on ‘The People’s Champion’. The sentiment behind the assault doesn’t contradict Punk’s character. Nor does it contradict the fact that he speaks his mind, which is what helped him gain support in the first place. What will encourage the majority of fans to jeer instead of cheer is his new habit of demanding respect and using shady tactics in his matches.

It’s impossible to say when Punk’s turn will be finalised and he will be considered a bad guy. Whenever it occurs he will undoubtedly be the new lead heel. There’s not really much competition for that spot anyway (Brock Lesnar’s part time, Daniel Bryan hears as many cheers as boos, and everyone else is either a mid-carder or a glorified mid-carder) but Punk’s push, status and lengthy title reign would help him to supplant even the most dominant of heels.

 

This man is on a collision course with The Rock

 

I expect the champion’s clash with John Cena at Night of Champions will see him go farther down the path to the dark side. Cheating to beat the hometown hero would get a lot of heat and portray Punk as a poor sport, especially if the announce team were bright enough to remind us that Cena played fair in Punk’s hometown at Money in the Bank 2011.

If I had to guess I would say that Punk will be a full on heel champion by the time of Survivor Series. By that point he will be two months away from a clash with The Rock and will need to start being built up as an unstoppable villain in order to convince people that he can beat ‘The Great One’ at the Royal Rumble.

It’s an interesting character development and one that benefits the Chicago native. It allows him to stay fresh and relevant and opens him up to new feuds and situations. It’s also something new for the wrestling business and its fans. We’re used to things taking place in a very short period of time. It’s nice to see a turn booked with some clear forethought applied to it.

RAW 1000 was a signal. Get ready for the heel turn. It’s coming.

Preparing a Heel

Judging by what happened at the conclusion of Friday’s SmackDown it would appear that a Ziggler versus Orton feud is in the works. This is just about the best thing that could happen to ‘The Show Off’. 

Orton is one of the best in WWE at helping others advance. He seems happy to lose cleanly to anybody, no matter their place in the company pecking order, and knows how to beat people without making them look inferior to him. This is the sort of opponent Ziggler needs if he is to establish himself as WWE’s newest headline star.

Orton’s programme with Wade Barrett earlier in the year helped the Mancunian get that little bit closer to the top, and his feud with Cody Rhodes last autumn made it seem as though the former ‘Dashing One’ was going somewhere too. Meanwhile Friday’s SmackDown saw him lose clean via submission to Alberto Del Rio and he famously lost the World Heavyweight championship clean to Mark Henry (yes, that Mark Henry) last October. ‘The Viper’ isn’t afraid of going under.

Dolph Ziggler has just finished a very short programme with Chris Jericho. While he was booked to lose at SummerSlam he did manage to pick up a win over ‘Y2J’ on RAW that has seen the rock star “fired” (in reality he’s on tour with Fozzy). Moving straight into a rivalry with another established star will help to lend credibility to ‘The Heel’ and keep him firmly at the top of the card.

That’s a good move. Instead of simply putting the belt onto him and expecting him to be accepted as a new main eventer Ziggler is being promoted as a main eventer before winning the gold.  Fans will view Ziggler as a headliner by the time he becomes champion, not a glorified mid-carder who got lucky with a briefcase. Very few people are elevated in this fashion by WWE these days. It should be done more often.

Of course it doesn’t hurt that Ziggler has developed an on-and-off rivalry with World Heavyweight champion Sheamus over the last several months. Challenging ‘Great White’ for the gold at No Way Out and on SmackDown has helped to present Ziggler as a headline star.

 

Dolph should really take better care of that briefcase

 

Working with Orton doesn’t just provide Ziggler with the opportunity to pick up wins, it helps him to appear as a top guy. Only established names or people WWE want to become established names get to work with Orton on pay-per-view. This feud will keep Ziggler around the top of the card and further advance his burgeoning headline career.

A match between the two at Night of Champions is a possibility. ‘The Apex Predator’ is set to leave WWE television after that show to film a movie for WWE Studios. ‘The Heel’ could be used as a way of writing Orton off of TV as he was with ‘Y2J’.

If Ziggler were to lose to Orton and then become World Heavyweight champion during his absence then the two would have a reason to be rematched against one another. This is already the case for Chris Jericho. Giving Ziggler feuds with big names like those at the start of his title reign would give him a good chance of having a memorable run.

That said a match between Ziggler and Orton at Night of Champions is by no means definite. Recent booking of the former Evolution member could indicate that he will be added to the Sheamus v Del Rio match on the show. Ziggler would then be left to cash-in, or at least tease a cash-in. Either scenario would work: ‘The Show Off’ could be used to get rid of Orton at the show whether he wrestles him or not and they could continue their feud upon Orton’s return.

In an ideal world I’d like to see him wait until December or early next year to cash in the briefcase but the fact that he’s tried using it several times in the last month makes me think WWE are keen to get the belt onto Ziggler sooner than that. He seems the likeliest candidate to take the belt from Sheamus. If someone else happens to beat ‘The Celtic Warrior’ then their immediate loss to Ziggler seems a safe bet (and that would give Ziggler yet another person to clash with).

It’s encouraging that WWE seem to be taking a longer approach than usual with promoting Dolph Ziggler. There’s less immediate gratification but a greater chance that ‘The Show Off’ will stick at the top when he finally wins a world title.

Highway to Hell (in a Cell)

WWE need to reconsider their approach to pay-per-views. While there was nothing wrong with the amount of time between SummerSlam (held on August 14^th) and Night of Champions (held on September 18^th) there is something very wrong with the amount of time until WWE’s next PPV extravaganza. Hell in a Cell will be held exactly two weeks after Night of Champions on October 2^nd. Two weeks is never going to be sufficient time to construct a worthwhile card. Three weeks is barely enough (and coincidentally that’s the amount of time WWE has allocated to promote Vengeance, the show after HIAC).

The smart thing to do would have been to cancel Hell in a Cell altogether. Shows based around gimmicks place unnecessary hindrances on the promotion’s booking and take away from the natural pacing of feuds. As feud pacing has been a problem for several years now you’d think WWE would want to avoid constricting themselves further. Had Hell in a Cell been dropped there would have been another five week gap between shows, which could have been used to build a meaningful event as opposed to the two shoddy ones we’re likely to see in reality.

That said WWE have been in smart in immediately announcing its two main event matches for the show: John Cena v CM Punk v Alberto Del Rio for the WWE championship and (deep breath) World Heavyweight champion Mark Henry defending the title against Randy Orton. Both will be Hell in a Cell matches.

The Hell in a Cell used to be WWE’s premier gimmick bout. It still is, but it’s fallen on hard times: being a prop wheeled out to fulfil the requirements of an annual show rather than the only way to settle a grudge between two bitter rivals has lessened the Cell’s aura, and it’s tougher to have an impactful bout without the shortcuts of blood and weapon shots.

The Cell used to be built to gradually. At first glance neither match announced for the October 2^nd show warrants the gimmick, but that’s not the case. The CM Punk v John Cena feud has technically been going since the June 27^th RAW (when Punk cut his infamous promo). They’ve wrestled on pay-per-view twice during the feud, taking a month off to face different guys at Night of Champions. That’s a nice approach to feuds that we don’t get to see enough. Del Rio involved himself in the feud at SummerSlam when he beat Punk the title, meaning he has faced both of his Hell in a Cell opponents on pay-per-view. It’s a natural three-way match, which is rare, and one that’s been constructed over the course of months, not weeks.

The World Heavyweight championship bout may not have as much build behind it but there’s still an appeal there. That Mark Henry beat one of WWE’s two most protected main event talents (the other, of course, being Jonathan Cena) clean on a pay-per-view was shocking. It could be argued that guys like Christian and Sheamus deserve to be World champion for more than Mark Henry (I’d argue that point, for example) but it’s largely irrelevant: ‘The Viper’ lost clean and wants to get revenge. That’s a simple reason for promoting a match and clean losses from Orton are so rare that people will be willing to pay to watch this match almost exclusively to see if Henry is permitted to go over two shows in a row.

I personally think the SmackDown match would be drastically improved by adding ‘Captain Charisma’ and ‘The Celtic Warrior’. While Orton versus Henry at NOC wasn’t appalling it was no match of the year contender either. From an entertainment standpoint a second singles match (no matter what the gimmick) between those two doesn’t appeal. Sheamus and Christian would ensure a higher quality of match.

I’m not convinced we’ll see that though. A Sheamus v Christian match is looking likely, and that should be a very good match. Another option is for a feud between Christian and Daniel Bryan based around Christian’s longing for title opportunities immediately after scheduled defences. Were Christian to challenge Bryan to a match for his Money in the Bank briefcase it would provide a sensible storyline development and produce a top notch match. This may not happen at Hell in a Cell, but bear it in mind for the weeks following the show.

The big question for Hell in a Cell right now is what role The Miz and R-Truth will play. You may well have read their “future endeavours” announcement on Tuesday morning but don’t let that fool you. It’s been done to further the angle that closed Monday Night RAW (Triple H sauntered onto the stage and told the duo they were fired).

That WWE is finally beginning to understand how to utilise things like Twitter and its own established routines (such as the future endeavours message) to its advantage in the building of angles and storylines is a very good sign. It makes suspension of disbelief easier and injects some uncertainty into a product that has become formulaic and predictable.

So what’s next for Truth and Miz? I think they’re going to perform at least one run-in. That or appear on RAW next week as if nothing happened saying they’ve been rehired by John Laurinaitis. Hopefully it will be the interference. It’s possible it will happen on next week’s RAW but I think the HIAC PPV is more likely, and the WWE title triple threat match is the most likely match to see them involved.

I stated in my Night of Champions preview that I believe Johnny Ace is trying to take the COO position and I still think that. He may have denied it on RAW when CM Punk voiced the accusation but look at the facts: Laurinaitis was the one who signed Kevin Nash to a contract; Nash stated that he had Jack-knifed Punk after his SummerSlam victory after receiving a text; Johnny Ace was shown texting during Night of Champions, moments before Nash appeared; Laurinaitis has been shown on various occasions to be fairly pally (or as pally as he’s capable of portraying) with Alberto Del Rio; and he told Triple H on his first full week in charge how Vince would want things run.

It looks as though they’re building to a reveal that Johnny Ace is part of a conspiracy to take control of WWE, using ‘Big Sexy’, Miz and Truth as henchmen. Part of his goal appears to be having the title on Alberto Del Rio (that guy that Vince told to cash-in on CM Punk back at Money in the Bank remember?). How it’s all going to come together on-screen is still a mystery, but it certainly looks as though he’s behind it all.

Although I don’t think he’s the mastermind. There’s only one character WWE would promote as being as devious and crafty as this (even though this isn’t particularly devious or crafty, but bear with me) and that’s... VINCE MCMAHON! Yeah, I’m fully expecting Laurinaitis to reveal at some point in the future that all his texts, hirings, firings and unsubtle attempts to influence WWE’s on-screen balance of power have come from Vince McMahon. It’s not the worst thing that could happen, but it would be fairly unimaginative.

For now though, we have Hell in a Cell to look forward to. Two world titles matches and a fairly good chance that the company’s lead storyline will progress significantly? Not bad with only two weeks to build a show... even if it does mean sitting through a Mark Henry world title reign.

Night of Champions preview

Do you like bright blue posters featuring bearded men holding a championship belt over their heads? If the answer to that question is yes then the WWE Night of Champions 2011 poster is just what you’ve been looking for. If, like me, you’re fairly disinterested in such posters don’t be disheartened, Night of Champions still may have something to offer you!

Yes, it’s time for WWE’s fourth annual Night of Champions pay-per-view. It’s sort of a gimmick pay-per-view, just with a more enjoyable and logical gimmick. Instead of a handful of matches on the show being fought inside the Hell in a Cell (as will happen next month at, erm, Hell in a Cell) the gimmick is simply that all of the company’s titles will be defended. WWE never really promotes the event in the right way which is a shame because I think if they got it right it could be quite meaningful.

Putting aside the show’s promotion and what it could be I think the announced card looks very strong. The most anticipated title match (I’ll get to the non-title match) is probably Alberto Del Rio’s defence of the WWE championship against John Cena. I think ADR is tremendous: he’s a polished act and a great performer. There’s just something about this match that doesn’t excite me. It comes down to how underwhelming the feud has been since starting a few weeks ago. It doesn’t help that Cena being booked as challenger in place of Punk steals a little of ‘The Straight Edge Superstar’s’ thunder.

Del Rio cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Punk at SummerSlam, but it was Cena screaming and shouting about unjust that move was the next night on RAW. It was Cena who stated that Del Rio is not a champion (I assumed he meant that metaphorically because Del Rio clearly is a champion). It’s also Cena involved in a WWE championship match for the third pay-per-view in a row despite the fact that Punk won and retained the belt on the last two supershows by beating ‘The Doctor of Thuganomics’. Cena won a number one contenders match on RAW? So what! What about the “contractually obligated” rematch all champions are supposed to receive? Punk has not been involved in a WWE championship match since losing the title to Del Rio at SummerSlam. That not only degrades the title (what does it say about a championship when a former champion isn’t fussed about his rematch?), it makes Punk look inferior to Cena.

I would have much preferred a three-way WWE title match including Punk. The Triple H match could have waited until Hell in a Cell or Survivor Series and Punk would have been portrayed as the serious competitor he’s supposed to be.

But we’ve got Cena challenging ADR alone. I don’t think it will be a bad match, but I have a feeling the two will have slightly awkward chemistry. As I said above I’m surprised at how lacklustre their feud has been so far: this feud is the reason Del Rio was moved from SmackDown to RAW in April, so it would have been fair to assume that a plan was in place for this program months ago. If it was I’ve seen no evidence of it in the past few weeks, the segments involving the two men have been the usual Cena routine. They’ve certainly not seemed like the segments of two men fighting over the top belt in the business. Maybe things will pick up between NOC and HIAC. If they don’t I suspect both men will have fresh opponents when Survivor Series rolls around.

Who’ll leave Buffalo as champion this Sunday? Despite the fact that Cena has lost clean on the last two shows I think Del Rio will retain the gold. Interference from Ricardo Rodriguez will allow Del Rio to keep hold of the gold and his heat whilst continuing the program for another month. I cannot see Cena losing clean, no matter how much it would benefit Del Rio. If that’s going to happen it will be at one of the two WWE pay-per-views in October, or Survivor Series if the two men suddenly click.

The second world title match this Sunday will see Randy Orton put his World Heavyweight championship on the line against ‘Better is Better’ Mark Henry (that’s not what WWE bills him as, it’s a reference to a line he used a few times earlier in the year – a line that should have caught on and become a regular part of his routine). Despite Henry’s claims in recent weeks that he’s been overlooked throughout his entire WWE career this is not the first time that he’s challenged for a world title. It’s not even the first time he’s challenged for a world title on pay-per-view. But it is the first time that he’s come across as a genuine threat to win the title. That either says a lot for WWE’s writing team and Henry himself or the state of the current roster, I can’t tell which.

Looks can be deceiving. No matter how well Henry’s been booked I think the plan has always been for ‘The Apex Predator’ to retain. Henry’s been established as an unstoppable monster that shows no remorse, and that seems to have made a lot of people think he’s going to beat Orton. No, he’s been built up as unstoppable to make the babyface that does stop him look stronger.

I think the match could be surprisingly good (Henry’s been on as good a form as he’s capable of for a few months now) but there’s no way anyone can convince me Henry has a chance of winning the title. Orton to win.

On the undercard there’s an enjoyable looking four-way match for the United States championship: Dolph Ziggler defends against Alex Riley, John Morrison and Jack Swagger. Ziggler and Morrison are two of my favourite WWE performers and should enjoy some entertaining exchanges in this match. Swagger has a lot of potential (and is a former World Heavyweight champion don’t forget) but seems to be in the unfortunate position of being someone the writing team don’t know how to use properly. He’s a good wrestler and should help to make this match work well.

The potential weak link of the bout is A-Ry. WWE seem to have pulled back on his push since his feud with the Miz ended and so crowds aren’t reacting to him as well as they were. On the plus side he’s been given televised wins over Ziggler to make him look like a contender going into this match and he’ll be with three very talented workers so he’s almost guaranteed a good pay-per-view match to his name.

One of the goals in this match will be to progress the Ziggler and Swagger storyline (neither of them like sharing Vickie Guerrero’s managerial services). At the moment there are two ways I can see the story going. The first is to have one of the men turn face for a full feud, with Vickie staying with whoever the heel is. The second is for the two men to become a reluctant tag team to are successful despite the fact that they don’t get along. It could be something else entirely but those strike me as the likeliest options. For the record I’d prefer the tag team option. It’s a well worn storyline but when done right it can get everyone involved over and be enjoyable to watch.

I’m pretty sure Ziggler is going to lose the belt because I can’t imagine WWE promoting so many title matches without a couple of switches. I’ve no idea who’ll walk out as the champ though. Morrison’s push has been halted (again) because of his relationship with Melina (which is over, but that won’t mean anything to WWE management) so I can’t see him winning. Riley could win but there’s nobody obvious for him to feud with, so I’ll pick Swagger to win as that seems like a logical progression.

At time of writing Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes doesn’t have an opponent announced. I’m confident he’ll defend his title though. Against who? Ted DiBiase is the most obvious candidate seeing as Cody turned on him recently. Whoever he faces I think Cody will win as it seems as though the promotion is finally grooming him for a main event spot with his “restoration of the Intercontinental title” storyline. Losing the belt so soon after winning it would accomplish nothing.

Beth Phoenix will challenge Kelly Kelly for the Divas championship for the second month in a row. There’s no way of knowing for sure but I suspect the reason Beth didn’t win the title at SummerSlam is because WWE wanted to save the win for her home town. It would make sense as the crowd is going to be behind Phoenix during the match and having her announced as the new champion should make the pop slightly bigger when she wins. Yes, I’m picking Beth Phoenix to win: Double K’s had the belt since June and it’s time for a change. I also think Kelly will work better as a babyface chasing a heel champion.

The final title match sees WWE tag team champions Air Boom defend against R-Truth and The Miz. First of all I want to say that I think Miz and Truth are a tremendous pairing. The two characters gel nicely and both men riff off one another perfectly. Although they’ve barely worked together they are my favourite WWE tag team (until the Kings of Wrestling debut at least).

But being my favourite doubles act doesn’t automatically mean I think they’ll win. I’d like them to win, but I have a feeling part of the reason they’ve been put together is to give Kingston and Bourne an impressive win to establish them as a top team that the tag division can be constructed around. Miz and Truth are both main event level talents and beating them should establish that Air Boom are a tight unit. I could be wrong and we could see new champions but I suspect we’re going to see the champs reign at the top of the rejuvenated doubles ranks for a while yet.

And then there’s the lone non-title match of the show. Triple H versus CM Punk. No disqualification. If Triple H loses he must vacate his position as Chief Operating Officer. With just one stipulation WWE have practically ruined this match. It’s not that it gives the result away (there’s no way of knowing who will walk out of this match with the win), it just takes some of the focus off the personal issues between the two men and places them on Triple H’s on-screen authority role. That should just be a backdrop to ‘The Game’s’ character, not the focus of a pay-per-view main event.

The build to this match has been confusing. There’s not been any physical interaction between the two men save for Punk lamping Triple H over the head with a microphone at the end of Monday’s RAW. That should ensure the video package for the match looks more at the various promos the two have cut on each other rather than the more traditional approach of showing two adversaries punching and kicking one another and then hitting their finishing moves.

The match itself should be good. Both Punk and ‘The King of Kings’ are experienced workers who know how to pace a match and work in memorable spots and believable false finishes. It’s a fairly safe bet that the Spanish announce team’s table will be saved for this match too. WWE (and Triple H) will want this to be a memorable encounter.

Match quality isn’t what worries me. It’s the needless COO stipulation that does. Let’s review the facts. John Laurinaitis has gotten himself involved in match making a few times over the past month or two. That same John Laurinaitis tried to tell Triple H how Vince would want the company run when ‘The Game’ became storyline COO. He was also the man who signed Kevin Nash to his contract, and the man who was seen walking around backstage with ‘Big Sexy’. If Triple H isn’t COO who takes over? In storyline terms there’s only one option: Mr John Laurinaitis.

I suspect Nash will appear at Night of Champions. The way he was written off TV was far too ordinary considering he’d been part of the promotion’s lead storyline for a month, and he now has an interest in seeing Punk and Triple H fail. He can assault both men (it’s no DQ remember), drape one man’s arm over the other, and then leave or resume the beating, whichever he fancies.

Who will he help to win? Punk of course. That way his buddy John Laurinaitis can take over as COO and re-sign him to a new big money contract and give him the match with CM Punk that he wants.

This strikes me as frighteningly plausible and I’m fairly sure we’re going to see the Triple H v Punk match play out along these lines. I don’t think WWE can afford to have Punk lose on pay-per-view if they want to turn him into a huge star. Perhaps they don’t want him to become a big star and this is their way of sabotaging him. It’s not too hard to imagine that being true. I’m not sure it’s the case though. I think it’s more about Triple H, Vince, the writing team and Punk himself not knowing where to take the character next.

Of course there is the possibility that a Triple H heel turn will happen. That would allow him to lose and retain his COO position by saying he never put the losing his job stipulation into the match contract or something like that. It’s a bit cheap, but logical and simple enough. I don’t think it’ll happen though. If a Triple H heel turn happens it will likely be in a few months time.

On paper this looks like the third strong WWE show in a row. I don’t think it will quite manage to better Money in the Bank (the best WWE event of 2011 in my opinion) but it does stand a chance of topping SummerSlam. As long as match quality is high and there are one or two surprises Night of Champions should be one to remember. Any time there’s the chance of a Johnny Ace promo you know you’re on to a winner!

Team Game

The Triple H v CM Punk match that’s been announced for Night of Champions was not originally going to happen. It was going to be Kevin Nash (the guy who told Punk to “take a shower, hit the waits, [and] get a clue”) facing Punk, but a medical check revealed it wouldn’t be the best idea for him to work a full match. So Triple H’s in-ring encounter with Punk was brought forward.

The original plan was for Punk to beat Nash and move on to a full feud with Triple H afterwards. Their first match would have happened either at Hell in a Cell in October or Survivor Series in November. The latter probably would have been decided upon because it is traditionally the bigger show and would have felt more appropriate for the first big match between CM Punk and Triple H.

But with things being changed that’s off the cards, and a new plan has to be concocted for the next three pay-per-views. We know Triple H v CM Punk will happen at Night of Champions, and I’m expecting either a gimmicked rematch at Hell in a Cell or the Kevin Nash v CM Punk match that’s been postponed. I’m hoping for the former: Nash holds no appeal for me as a performer in 2011. Plus I think Triple H and CM Punk could have a lively no disqualification type match.

That just leaves Survivor Series, which brings me to my point. In the last several months we’ve seen Punk reference the release of Colt Cabana and Luke Gallows from their WWE contracts and the return of Kevin Nash, real life pal of Triple H, to television. Punk’s recent push has featured a lot of real life feelings, as has his dispute with ‘The Game’ and ‘Big Sexy’, and I think Survivor Series would be the perfect time to have everything culminate. By that time it will have been five months since Punk’s original shoot promo, four since Triple H became COO, and three since Nash’s surprise return. Everyone involved will need a fresh direction by then.

Here’s what I’d like to see for Survivor Series: Triple H challenging Punk (or Punk challenging Triple H) to a Survivor Series match in which they each captain their own team. ‘The King of Kings’ would naturally pick Kevin Nash as his first teammate and the other three positions could be filled by members of the Clique that can still work (Sean Waltman, basically) and current members of the WWE roster that are “favoured by management”: basically guys that Triple H (in the storyline) wants to elevate to the top of the company. It’s a good way to elevate heels such as Dolph Ziggler, The Miz or Alberto Del Rio. Shawn Michaels could be brought in to be at ringside for his best friend too, adding to the realism of the situation and encouraging those after a bit of nostalgia to buy the show.

Instead of putting together a team of guys from the WWE roster Punk would insist on bringing in the aforementioned Colt Cabana and Luke Gallows in order to provide them with the chance to prove they never should’ve been released. In an ideal world the final two men on his team would be Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero, presented as two of the best in the world who have been overlooked by WWE for years. Alternatively they could go with two other former ROH guys already under contract: Bryan Danielson and Colby ‘Tyler Black’ Lopez.

I think this match would work well because it’s so credible. It’s no secret that Triple H is friends with Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman, and seeing him tag with them would give the match the old guard versus new guard feel that the feud is beginning to take on now. Punk wouldn’t just be bringing in the friends he feels were unjustly fired, he’d be trying to create a better WWE, as he’s said he’s wanted to for months. It’s a natural extension of the groundwork that’s been laid featuring realistic, logical developments.

It would be a fantastic opportunity to draw some big money and start fresh feuds. As I mentioned, the fans nostalgic for the past would be catered for by having Waltman, Nash and Michaels involved, while indy wrestling fans would be interested in seeing the Kings of Wrestling, Cabana or the man formerly known as Tyler Black appear on a WWE pay-per-view, or Danielson and Punk on the same team. It would be a good way to begin a push for whoever filled the positions on ‘Team Game’ too. Del Rio and Miz would be perfect for the role of the company’s chosen one, and the match could be used as a starting point for a singles feud between either one of them and CM Punk. Alternatively Hero and Castagnoli could turn on Punk, setting up a Kings of Wrestling versus Cabana and Punk (I don’t think they refer to themselves as the Second City Saints in WWE, sadly) feud.

Given enough promo time in the weeks leading up to the event this match could draw a lot of buys and provide some memorable television moments along the way: Punk, Triple H, Michaels, Hero and Nash all have great verbal skills are there are various combinations that could be put together to create memorable RAW segments. There would be more than enough guys involved to do four weeks of matches to hype the Survivor Series match without using Nash, Michaels or Triple H.

Most importantly this match gives WWE various ways to start a new feud for its hottest character, CM Punk. The promotion should want to make him a central figure for next year’s WrestleMania and to do that it needs to keep him involved in meaningful feuds. The current Triple H feud is fine, and a post Survivor Series match with The Miz, Del Rio, or the Kings of Wrestling would all allow him to continue doing what he’s been doing so successfully, but against someone fresh.

I know we’re not likely to see this exact match take place at Survivor Series on November 20^th, but if WWE can go for something similar that mixes their current compelling storyline with the showcasing of younger talent then I think they’d be doing themselves a huge favour, and providing the fans with an exciting and unpredictable main event.

You heard it here first.

The Greatest Gimmick You'll Never See

We've all seen Mark Henry pushed as a world title contender before. It always ends the same way: after months of short squash matches over expendable mid-carders Henry will be carried to a bearable match by a capable headliner. The former 'Sexual Chocolate' is never a threat to win the title because he doesn't have all the skills necessary to work at the top of WWE for a sustained period. 
 
So why does WWE bother? They’ve spent the last several months preparing Henry for his upcoming feud with Randy Orton. The title won't change hands and the spot could have gone to a younger talent with brighter prospects, such as Wade Barrett, Titus O’Neil, or Mason Ryan (remember him?). They wouldn't have needed to topple 'The Viper', it would have been enough to have them in the ring with someone of Orton’s status. Building stars for the future, that’s what pushes like Henry’s should be about.
 
Henry would be better as a mid-card heel, and I've got the perfect new gimmick to give him. Dress him in a grey shark outfit, his face poking out through the mouth, and have him declare war on "landlubbers" in a series of gritty, realistic promos filmed at an abandoned dock. Top things off with the new ring name of Shark Henry and you've got one of the most enjoyable wrestling gimmicks in years. Play it straight and Henry could become a bigger star than at any other point in his fifteen years with the company.
 
The catchphrases Shark's come up with during his latest push have laid the groundwork for this change in persona. Emitting animalistic grunting noises when performing power moves is perfect for someone referring to himself as a shark! And "better is better" is great no matter who’s saying it! The marketing team are missing a trick by not plastering it on a T-shirt. Slap a picture of a shark on the other side and it could become a huge seller.
 
If you think WWE should scale down Mark Henry's role and make him Shark Henry then show your support by tweeting with the hashtag #SharkHenry whenever you watch one of his segments on WWE programming. If people ask you why you're doing it give them a link to this blog. Together we can make Shark Henry happen!