The Intellectual Failure

The October 28^th RAW will always be remembered as the night the second failed Money in the Bank cash-in occurred. There are worse fates for a RAW to have.

The evening kicked off with a John Cena promo. He'd won a world title the previous night so what else could we realistically expect? The champ talked about being inspired by JBL openly doubting him in the weeks leading up to Hell in a Cell, mentioned that he'd be wrestling on SmackDown and the European tour (which struck me as pretty strange), and said that WWE is his life. I bet Nikki Bella was thrilled to hear that. In short it was the predictable and unremarkable opening segment that everyone expected and so lulled viewers into believing they knew how things were going to play out.

As Cena’s music played and ‘The Champ’ made to leave the ring it became clear the regular approach wasn’t in use. Damien Sandow walked down to the ring, custom suede case in hand, and mocked Cena by stating "The uncrowned champ is here!" 'The Intellectual Saviour' questioned Cena's miraculous healing ability and teased cashing in his title shot before saying that he’d be waiting for another night. Seconds later he swerved us when he kicked Cena's knee and then slammed the case into the champion's bad arm multiple times.

 

Things don't look good for Cena. Don't worry, he made it out okay

 

Leaving the ring Sandow stretched Cena's arm around the ring post and yelled "Rise above this!" as he whipped him into the crowd barricade. He completed his trilogy of Cena quotes for the evening by yelling "My time is now!" before he handed over his briefcase and Justin Roberts announced the cash-in to make it official.

It was a wonderful opening segment. A large part of the success was obviously due to the surprise of it all but Sandow's existing popularity and understanding of his character shouldn't be overlooked. His mockery of Cena's phrases helped make the moment what it was. And, in fairness, Cena played his part too. While showing weakness still isn't something he's great at he did sell the attack on the arm well and made it seem like Sandow's WHC reign had arrived.

As it turned out it hadn't. But you wouldn't have known that from the pre-match interaction of champion and challenger. The two men had a very good match, making it two nights in a row for 'The CeNation Leader'. Sandow looked competitive and it came as a shock when he lost, falling to Cena's trusty AA.

 

Yep. He's still the champ

 

I'm sure some people will see the loss as a burial and Sandow being "ruined". It's anything but. He was allowed to look like he was going to beat the biggest name of the past ten years. Even with the pre-match assault that's quite the achievement: not just anybody gets to look competitive against, or dominate, Cena. That he lost isn't an issue either. It doesn't mean he'll never be a champion, it just means he's not one yet. Losing to Cena is not, in and of itself, a sign that a wrestler is being overlooked. In fact that he was given such a lengthy interaction with the company's top star in the opening spot of RAW (which can be regarded as the prime spot of WWE's hours of weekly television) is a great sign.

Survivor Series will probably see Cena defend the WHC in a rematch against Alberto Del Rio, which will keep him busy for the next month. Beyond that it’s hard to say but he’ll likely be wrestling an upper mid-card heel at the TLC pay-per-view in December. It’s entirely possible it’ll be Del Rio again. I can’t imagine Cena being the World champion once WrestleMania Season kicks off in January so it’s possible the idea is for him to spend a couple of months working with Del Rio to keep him doing something (that seems) relevant (but actually isn’t).

The future of Sandow is less clear. Keeping him floating around the Cena versus Del Rio programme isn’t impossible but it would seem peculiar. The unsuccessful Money in the Bank cash-in demonstrates that Sandow is not on the level of either man: he’d be the clear odd one out in a triple threat match.

The interaction with Cena and the loss clearly happened with a plan in mind though. WWE doesn’t book opening segments of RAW (especially ones featuring Cena) without a plan in mind. Sandow lost for a reason. It may be the rumoured face turn. Losing what most fans consider a sure thing is a humiliating experience, one which could be used as the trigger to start eliciting sympathy. Even though Sandow’s a bad guy and essentially got his just desserts when he failed to win the gold it’s the sort of scenario the modern WWE brain trust regularly engineer for face turn purposes.

What I’d like to happen is Sandow mocked by his fellow superstars for picking the worst moment to cash-in, showing that he’s not the intellectual he claims to be. That could lead to a short series between Sandow and pretty much any mid-card face, which ‘The Duke of Decency’ would win. With that out of the way he could announce his intention to bring an end to Cena’s title reign by earning a shot at the World Heavyweight championship the traditional way. This chain of events could actually see Sandow wrestle Cena at TLC, because he’d have had a break while things were wrapped up between Cena and Del Rio.

Whether Sandow would win the WHC on the second attempt is irrelevant at this point. He would be rehabilitated by a PPV win over a contemporary and be driven by his high profile loss to Cena. The negative of losing would be turned into a storyline and a tool for moving Sandow to then top. It’s a far better idea than turning someone who uses the term “unwashed masses” into a babyface.

The Aristocratic Babyface

Not two months ago (read it here) I wrote that the Alberto Del Rio persona was worn out and in need of a break. Noting that the character is a natural heel I suggested taking him off television for a couple of months to allow him to return with some fanfare in the New Year and begin a programme for WrestleMania. I also noted that making him the leader of a stable could be a nice alternative to a rest.
 
WWE decided to keep him on TV doing the same routine he'd been doing for two years. Then they randomly swerve turned him last night at their TLC pay-per-view.
 
That 'The Essence of Excellence' became a good guy by saving the Spanish announce team from the Three Man Band says a lot. Mainly that the turn, as well as Del Rio himself, were an afterthought for the show.

The smile of a babyface

 
Performers should switch from good to bad and vice versa based on reactions from the crowd. Very occasionally there's call to turn someone based on how long they've been in a particular role. The Miz was recently switched for a combination of both reasons. He'd been a heel for most his six year stay on the roster and fans were eager to cheer him. That was a switch that made sense.
 
ADR was not in the same position. Fans were not yearning to cheer him and there were plenty of people he could have been pitted against without altering his character. He just needed a break for a while to break up the monotony.
 
Handled right I'm sure Del Rio can be valuable in his new role. He played a tecnico (Mexican babyface) for much of his pre-WWE career and was said to be reluctant to go bad when first signing with WWE.
 
His biggest task is likely to be winning over WWE's fans. They've been conditioned to boo him since he first showed up. Xenophobic aristocrats are not natural good guys. Nor are people with their own personal ring announcers. ADR's going to have his work cut out for him in his new role. There's only so much character tweaking that can be done.

TLC 2012 preview

For the record I don't think there's any way Ryback would have left TLC as WWE champion had the original advertised main event taken place. Punk versus Rock is the match that will headline Royal Rumble. If WWE decision makers wanted to have 'The Great One' battle 'Big Hungry' then they could have put the belt on him at either Hell in a Cell or Survivor Series. They wouldn't have left it until December to swap the gold.
 
The new main event is thankfully a lot less predictable. Will WWE have Ryback suffer a third straight supershow job or will new act The Shield suffer defeat in their debut outing? Whatever happens a heavily pushed act is going to have to take a loss.
 
What makes this match interesting is that it will be fought under Tables, Ladders and Chairs rules despite there being nothing to hang above the ring. Nothing logical anyway. Perhaps WWE will have a really big chair or a solid gold table dangling from the rafters. Unless that happens we're stuck with the peculiar formula of having a TLC decided by pinfall or submission.
 
I think The Shield will win this. While that will be another loss for 'The Human Wrecking Ball' he doesn't necessarily have to be the one losing for his team. Rollins or Ambrose can pin Bryan to protect Ryback as much as possible. The hungry one can be rebuilt with a strong showing, or perhaps even a victory, at the Royal Rumble.

There are seventeen bodies buried in that rubble

 
The rest of the card seems pretty average by current standards. That's fitting considering current standards are best described as pretty average.
 
WWE's two mid-card championships will be defended in matches that should help to provide some solid wrestling action. Wade Barrett will challenge Intercontinental champion Kofi Kingston and R-Truth will get a second pay-per-view crack at Antonio Cesaro's United States gold.
 
The IC title match could be won by either man. 'The Wildcat' retaining seems a little likelier as he's lost a fair number of non-title outings since winning the belt for the fourth time. If Barrett's to get a second reign it could just as easily happen on television or at the Rumble. The feud feels like it still has mileage left in so a Barrett victory can be held off for a bit longer.
 
The US title seems safe with Cesaro. WWE seem to be giving him a long reign to help distinguish him from the pack and restore something resembling prestige to the title. What would be the point in R-Truth winning? We've already seen WWE have no intention of pushing him of making the title mean anything. Things are best left as they are here. 'The Swiss Superman' is my pick to win.

WWE’s most entertaining tag team, the Rhodes Scholars, will put their number one contendership on the line in a tables match. A mildly interesting note here is that this will be Sandow’s first gimmick pay-per-view match. That’s a sign that WWE view him as an asset. They should. He’s great.

I’d rather see the Scholars challenge for the tag team titles than Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara but there are long standing rumours that the masked men will be facing one another at WrestleMania. If that’s to happen WWE are going to need to get the ball rolling on the descent of the partnership fairly soon. It would be more impactful if that started happening in a championship match than a number one contenders match. Reluctantly I’ll pick Mysterio and Mr Cara to win.

Sheamus and Big Show will once again do battle for the World Heavyweight championship. After a clean win for Show at HIAC and a dodgy finish, including a post-match chair-fuelled beating, at Survivor Series the two are finally getting to face off in a gimmick match. Big Show's so limited that I'm surprised it's taken this long to come about.
 
The two will battle in a chairs match because of the aforementioned chair assault. An interesting note is that Big Show captured the WHC from Mark Henry in a chair collision at last year's TLC... then lost the belt to Daniel Bryan in a surprise Money in the Bank cash-in bonus. Expect the announcers to mention that. A lot.
 
How often in WWE does someone lose a title to someone they're feuding with and then regain it a few weeks or months later? It's rare. I don't remember it happening since Christian and Randy Orton's excellent 2011 series. As Sheamus lost the title to 'The Giant' two months ago the odds seem against him becoming a two time champion at TLC. Nevertheless I'm going to predict 'Great White' will overcome 'The World's Largest Athlete' and leave as the new champ because, realistically, who else is there for Show to face?
 
What will be interesting is whether or not Dolph Ziggler cashes in his Money in the Bank briefcase. He's due to defend it in a ladder match with John Cena but if the Sheamus v Big Show match were to go on first 'The Show Off' could cash-in and become champion (or lose, I suppose) before his scheduled clash for the case. Looking at WWE's long term booking it's very possible they'll want the secondary world title around Cena's waist heading into WrestleMania XXIX for a match with Undertaker, Brock Lesnar or The Rock. This would be an enjoyable, fairly surprising way of bringing that about. It would play up Ziggler's misfortune with short world title reigns too, turning it into a plot point to be picked up later.
 
Cena v Ziggler is a tough match to predict. I think it will be one of 'The CeNation Leader's' most enjoyable outings in a while and it will largely be thanks to some big, impressive bumps from 'The Sole Survivor'. If Ziggler heads in as World champ I think Cena will beat him to set up a title feud for WrestleMania. If it's for the briefcase I think AJ will scamper down to ringside, get involved in an altercation with Dolph, Vickie Guerrero or both and take a bump of some sort, distracting the valiant, lantern-jawed Super Cena and allowing Ziggler to steal a win.
 
As I think it's slightly more likely this match will be for the case than for the title I'm going to predict a Ziggler win. I want to see him continue his run as 'Mr Money in the Bank'. There's some genuine mystery as to when he'll cash-in.
 
There are likely to be more matches added to the card. Alberto Del Rio is currently without an opponent. He’ll probably be used. The Divas will likely get some air time to furnish us with a disappointing match too. They’ve got a number one contenders battle royal on the YouTube pre-show. A title match on the PPV would make sense.
 
TLC has the potential to be a memorable event thanks to the debut of The Shield and the possibility of a Ziggler cash-in. It will also be interesting to see what CM Punk gets up to. He will be on commentary for the main event match and it's said he wanted to wrestle but is being held him off the card as a precaution. They don't want to jeopardise their Rumble main event. I think it's the right decision. Punk could interfere in a match though, or provide commentary. It's a show that really needs an appearance from him considering his next big programme.
 
Predictions summary:
The Shield to defeat Ryback and Team Hell No
Sheamus to defeat Big Show for the World Heavyweight championship
Dolph Ziggler to defeat John Cena

Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara to defeat The Rhodes Scholars
Kofi Kingston to defeat Wade Barrett
Antonio Cesaro to defeat R-Truth

Tables, Ladders and Change

Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose, the group collectively known as The Shield, are certainly being given every chance to impress. They made their WWE television debuts by blasting Ryback, the most heavily pushed new act WWE has seen in 2012, through a table on pay-per-view. They did it again on the following evening’s RAW. They've been booked strongly against Kane and Daniel Bryan. The former has been one of the company's most reliable acts for years while the latter is one of the most popular men on the roster, despite the writers not knowing what to do with him.
 
Topping this is the fact that the three men have been selected to make their in-ring debut on pay-per-view against the good guys mentioned above. That's a high profile position. It's come about because of a minor knee injury suffered by CM Punk. The WWE champion was scheduled to defend the belt against Ryback in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match on the show. He will now spend it on the sidelines so that he's healthy for his showdown with The Rock at Royal Rumble in January.
 
The situation puts me in mind of last year's TLC event. At the 2011 instalment WWE deliberately omitted John Cena from the card as part of a storyline that allowed Zack Ryder to challenge for, and capture, the United States championship after months of chasing.
 
That show also featured CM Punk defending his title against The Miz and Alberto Del Rio and Daniel Bryan cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase to defeat Big Show for the World Heavyweight title. Neither man was as big a star at that point as they are now. While 'Long Island Iced Z's' push may have faltered Punk and Bryan benefited greatly from a show without Cena. WWE used TLC to solidify their pushes and allow them more time in the spotlight. 
 

Night off at TLC. Bonus!

The radical change to this year’s main event provides the members of The Shield with the same opportunity. They are not only replacing Punk’s advertised match, they are competing on a show that will not feature him. As he’s one of WWE’s biggest stars this is a perfect chance for all three newcomers to establish themselves.
 
There’s talk of The Shield’s six man outing headlining TLC. I’m not sure we’ll see that. I can imagine WWE being happy to put Ryback and Kane in the final spot but I’m less sure they have that level of confidence in Daniel Bryan and the NXT three. Expect a tables stipulation to be added to this match, because of Ambrose and co’s hardware-related attacks on ‘Big Hungry’ since they first appeared, and for the bout to get the semi-final spot on the show.

John Cena v Dolph Ziggler strikes me as a far more likely main event. 'The Show Off' has been rising steadily up the card all year and his current rivalry with Cena is one of the most established on the roster. Couple with that the fact that 'The CeNation Leader' is WWE's top star and that the match is for a Money in the Bank briefcase and I think that would be a far more logical choice of headline bout.

On the subject of Ziggler and Cena: it’s possible the two won’t clash for the MITB contract. Ziggler, as the sneaky heel, could cash-in his case before the ladder contest. If he he to defeat the winner of the Sheamus v Big Show collision (which I expect to be on a little over halfway through the broadcast) bad guy logic would state that he wouldn’t have to defend his contract against Cena. Of course that could prompt a Vinnie Mac appearance (when did he last show up on PPV?) to announce that Ziggler will put his WHC on the line in place of the briefcase.

Of course another possibility is that Cena will win and reach some sort of agreement with Vince that he can cash-in the briefcase for a WWE championship match (it’s currently only valid for a World Heavyweight title bout). I don’t like it but it looks as though Cena is still very much a part of the world title picture (or should that be pictures?). Perhaps the unification idea I posted a month or so ago is still a possibility.

Back to The Shield. Wherever they appear on the card I think Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins have a perfect opportunity to solidify their spot on the card at TLC. It's encouraging to see WWE making the most of a bad situation and trying to use the show as a way of showcasing newcomers. With WrestleMania Season just a month away the timing couldn't be better. If things go right for them they could find themselves a part of a major storyline at WWE's peak time of year.

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.

The Newest Main Event Star

The World Heavyweight title picture received a shakeup at Sunday's TLC pay-per-view. First, Big Show made light work (if such a thing is possible) of 'The World's Strongest Man' Mark Henry and pinned him to become the new World Heavyweight champion. Show's celebration was cut short by a chair shot from the former champion, which brought out 'Mr Money in the Bank' Daniel Bryan to cash-in briefcase. Seconds later there was another new World Heavyweight champion crowned.
 

Is Daniel Bryan 'Best in the World' again now that he's the World Heavyweight champion?

The elevation of Bryan to the main event comes out of nowhere but that's the nature of Money in the Bank cash-ins. The aim is to create a main event star overnight, bypassing the building process that should be a regular occurrence. If WWE follows through on this title switch by booking the new champion strongly they should have a new bona fide main eventer on their hands.

I've said before that having Bryan cash in his title shot before WrestleMania, which is where he originally claimed he'd challenge for gold, would be the perfect way to turn him heel. Right now it's too early to tell whether or not that's going to happen. I think there’s a good chance it will.

A lot of people seem to think a Show heel turn is the way WWE are going to take things but I think that looks unlikely. Throughout his feud with Henry, and association with Bryan, 'The World's Largest Athlete' has been portrayed as the typical babyface: he's stood up to a bully and gotten the better of him, all while slapping hands and smiling at the cameras. It would be a big leap to suddenly turn him heel. With Bryan's size Show would essentially be taking on Henry's bully role, which we’ve already seen done. It's not impossible to imagine that happening but it’s not likely.
 
A Daniel Bryan heel turn would be far easier to pull off. In an ideal world it would be a slow process that culminates at or around the Royal Rumble. He can be accused of being a poor sportsman for cashing in on an injured opponent (that others have done this is irrelevant, mainly because everybody does it and it’s become the accepted cash-in method) and a liar for falsely stating he'd wait until WrestleMania. A slow turn in which Bryan gradually exhibits progressively more heelish tendencies would draw viewers in and provide an easy to follow storyline.
 
I think Big Show v Daniel Bryan could work well, especially if it's built up strongly and they don’t wrestle too often. Bryan is such a talented worker that he could not only work a believable match with a much larger, limited opponent but do so from the bad guy side of the face-heel divide too. It's not a feud I want to see run for months but one or two matches before WrestleMania season would be appealing.
 
The reason ‘D-Bryan’ got the belt is that Mark Henry suffered a pulled groin in his recent RAW match with John Cena and requires time off to recover. The original plan was apparently for 'The World's Strongest Man' to remain champion for several more months. That fact could work in Bryan's favour: WWE have had to alter their plans at the last minute and clearly see Bryan as someone who can step up to replace an established heel at the top of the card. It’s a vote of confidence and he’ll have time in the spotlight to show exactly what he can do.
 
Longer term what could be in store for the new champion? Should Bryan stay a babyface he'll have a good number of heel challengers. Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes are guys that have been on the rise for a while now and would be fresh faces to the World title scene. A rematch with Mark Henry would probably be in store when he's back from his injury (but if we don't mention it much maybe it won't happen). Christian would be a great opponent for ‘The American Dragon’ too, and Brodus Clay could easily be moved from RAW to work with Bryan.
 
A heel turn would provide the best matches though. Established main event hands Sheamus and Randy Orton would be potential WrestleMania opponents. Either match would be a good addition to the show. The 'Dragon's' reign could even provide Ezekiel Jackson with something to do again, though that's probably something that would need limiting to a TV feud after 'Mania.
 
The best thing WWE could do with Bryan is have him become the most arrogant, conceited man in the company and pit him against CM Punk in a title unification feud. People who have only seen his WWE work may be understandably dubious about him being able to pull such a role off, but he could do it with ease. He proved many times during his time in Ring of Honor that he makes a fantastic antagonist.
 
Punk and Bryan are two of the promotion's best all-rounders. They can work five star matches and give scintillating promos. I can easily imagine a champion versus champion program between the two kicking off with Bryan taking exception to Punk's relatively recently acquired 'Best in the World' moniker. Promos on that topic alone would be highlights of RAW and SmackDown. They could even work around the Rumble-winner-gets-a-title-shot-at-WrestleMania clause by having Punk and Bryan both agree to face the winner separately in order to prove they’re “the best.” Two title matches could be used to improve TV ratings or both take place on one night at Elimination Chamber, giving fans a great pay-per-view and a reason to watch.
 
A feud with CM Punk would be the best case scenario. That it's not very likely isn't a huge issue. With Barrett, Orton, Rhodes, Sheamus and Big Show around WWE is spoilt for choice when it comes to booking Daniel Bryan’s title reign. Even they can't mess this up.

TLC preview

It's December 2011 and WWE are promoting a pay-per-view that includes a Kevin Nash v Triple H match. That's a feud we last saw in 2003, and it didn't excite fans then.
 
Someone in WWE (probably Vince) apparently thinks it's time to give the two another run together. 'Big Sexy' is in great shape but he's also in his fifties. Triple H is in his forties and has been focusing on his backstage career for several years now. The promotion should be making a concerted effort to elevate guys in their twenties and early thirties yet it’s offering a match between these two on a pay-per-view event. At the very least guys like Nash and Triple H should be working against younger guys rather than each other, giving viewers something fresh and helping to build up guys for the future.
 
The two will clash in a ladder match with a sledgehammer suspended above the ring. The fact it’s not a straight wrestling match should make it easier to sit through as there will be more shortcuts available. It's still not likely to be pleasant viewing though. I have a feeling that ‘Big Sexy’ is going to be used as an opponent for WWE champion CM Punk early next year (possibly at the Royal Rumble) so I’m predicting he’ll get the win.

What’s not been made clear is how the sledgehammer will be involved in the match. Do you win by grabbing the hammer, smashing your opponent up as your reward for winning? Or do you grab the hammer to help you incapacitate your opponent in order to pin them? It’s probably the former, but WWE haven’t made it clear.   
 
On a more positive note we can expect another show stealing performance from Dolph Ziggler. He's been involved in match of the night contenders for the last three pay-per-views on the trot and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make it four in a row at TLC. He's one of the best antagonists WWE currently has and has great chemistry with the white hot Zack Ryder. That means the crowd should be loud throughout the match and make it feel like a big event.
 
The big question is: will this finally be 'Long Island Iced Z's' night? He’s been chasing the United States championship for several months now and I think TLC is the right time to finally give him the win. I expect Guerrero and Swagger will be thrown out after a few minutes, with the story then being that Ryder is determined to take advantage of the rare level playing field.

Both men deserve the chance to move up the card, and switching the belt is going to allow ‘The Heel’ to slot into the main event picture whilst giving Ryder the chance to prove to management he’s worth their continued attention.
 
Speaking of men that deserve to be elevated, Wade Barrett will face Randy Orton in a tables match. Does it need to be a tables match? Of course not. It's been done because of the name of the show. Barrett and 'The Viper' are talented enough to make a needless stipulation work so I think this could be a highlight of the show. Barrett deserves the win but Orton's been losing a lot lately so I think Barrett will take the loss here and get the win back in the inevitable rematch, whenever that turns out to be.
 
Adding to the list of gimmick matches is World Heavyweight champion Mark Henry defending his title in a chairs match against Big Show. This feud really needs to end soon. I thought Survivor Series would put it to rest but that didn't happen. Hopefully TLC will get the job done.
 
What I don't understand is why their program has lasted so long. Henry is finally over, for the first time in his career, as a monster heel. So why has the decision been made to pit him against the only man in the company bigger than him and why are they being portrayed as equals? If used very occasionally this approach isn't a problem but over time it diminishes the monster heel’s aura as they’re shown to be fallible on a regular basis. Had the feud been kept brief it would have had more impact and then Henry could have been moved onto programs with smaller workers that allow him to dominant more.
 
Cody Rhodes v Booker T is a match I have high hopes for. Sadly it means Booker is unlikely to be on commentary for the show (I expect a three man unit of Lawler and Cole with either JR or Josh Mathews will call the action). I may be one of the few people in the world who don’t think he’s a complete waste in the role. He's not the greatest colour commentator ever but he's not the worst either and he’s at least amusing.
 
The build-up over the last few weeks has been enjoyable and has highlighted what a nasty fella 'The Dashing One' is. I imagine Booker will spend the majority of the bout selling, probably after an offensive flurry at the bell. That will allow the two to tell the story of Booker trying to battle back and prove he still has “it”. The match has to end with Cody getting the win. Anything else would feel wrong after the storyline of the last few weeks.
 
Ultimately I think this could be leading to a Booker T retirement match at WrestleMania XXVIII. I'd like to see Booker lose a rematch to Cody in a few weeks, then say that he's going to enter and win the Royal Rumble to prove he can still go. He could be booked to last to the final four or five and be eliminated by whoever his WrestleMania opponent is going to be. Ziggler would be a good choice, but Miz, Swagger or even Rhodes could work in the role too. Cole would come into his own by antagonising his fellow commentator on a weekly basis. They could even do something interesting like having Booker say he wants to face the Undertaker and being told (by Cole, Teddy Long or Triple H, or even ‘The Dead Man’ himself) that’s he’s not in that league anymore. There’s a lot of potential there and if done right it could give Booker a really nice send-off form his active career.

The final confirmed match is a three-way tables, ladders and chairs match for the WWE title.

Champion CM Punk will defend against Alberto Del Rio and Miz. During its decade long existence the TLC match has seen some of the craziest stunts in wrestling history, usually thanks to men such as Jeff Hardy and Edge, who were willing to take some incredible risks in order to give fans lasting memories.

Will CM Punk ever see the return of his beloved WWE ice cream bars?

CM Punk’s previous TLC match (versus Jeff Hardy at SummerSlam 2009) featured far more wrestling than is the norm and as neither Del Rio or Miz are known as big bump men so I suspect  this match will revolve more around wrestling than weaponry. An alliance between ‘The Awesome One’ and ‘The Essence of Excellence’ has been teased and as they’re both heels it’ll likely happen for the early part of the match. It won’t last though. I predict a Punk victory with ‘The Voice of the Voiceless’ holding onto the gold until the Royal Rumble at least.

You’ll have noticed the words John Cena haven’t appeared so far. That’s because ‘The CeNation Commander-in-Chief’ has not been announced for a match. That’s not something that happens often. Considering the events of Monday’s RAW I’m expecting a singles match to take place between Cena and Kane. Why else would they have had Kane return to TV and assault John Cena right before a pay-per-view if not to start up a feud with him? If that match does happen I predict Kane will get the victory: Cena can afford to do the occasional job and only tends to do so for established characters like Kane. Younger men would benefit from the exposure of working with him and beating him more but it’s not something WWE seem keen on doing.

Mark Henry v Big Show and Kevin Nash v Triple H aside TLC looks like a solid show. With Royal Rumble next on the pay-per-view calendar there’s a good chance we’ll some pieces fall into place for WrestleMania season. That always makes a show interesting.

Predictions summary:

CM Punk to defeat Miz and Alberto Del Rio

Mark Henry to defeat Big Show

Kevin Nash to defeat Triple H

Randy Orton to defeat Wade Barrett

Cody Rhodes to defeat Booker T

Zack Ryder to defeat Dolph Ziggler

Kane to defeat John Cena

That RAW Recap 12.12.11

If you missed RAW you didn’t miss much. The highlight was a four-way match between Zack Ryder, Cody Rhodes, Bryan ’Daniel Bryan’ Danielson and Dolph Ziggler. They were given a very hefty amount of time for a WWE television match (particularly RAW) and filled their match with smooth action and convincing false finishes. It struck me as a great showing by four men who deserve the opportunity to carry the promotion. Hopefully they’ll get that chance in 2012.

The show was also notable for the tribute video CM Punk introduced for Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis. It’s unlikely to ever be shown on WWE programming again but it should be a hit on YouTube for years to come. Here it is for those unlucky enough to have missed it:

Probably the most important happening from RAW was the return of Kane. ‘The Big Red Machine’ made his way to the ring during the Mark Henry v John Cena wearing a wig and a strange head-encompassing mask that had a Predator feel to it. I assumed he was there to become the next opponent for Mark Henry, seeing as ‘The World’s Strongest Man’ was credited for putting him out of action. Instead it was John Cena who received a choke slam and sold his way off the air.

Kane was not a fan of the USA logo.

With Cena not scheduled for a match at TLC I think it’s a safe bet Kane will end up facing him on Sunday. Is that a match I want to see? Not especially, but on the plus side it sounds relatively fresh for two characters that have been in the promotion so long. Kane actually strikes me as someone who could drag a bearable performance for Cena.

So, as ever with RAW these days, it was a mixed bag.

Room For Improvement

When Mark Henry confronted Daniel Bryan a few weeks ago on SmackDown, because he thought he’d been “looked at funny”, it felt like the setup for a typical throwaway main event. But it wasn't. It was the first step in adding SmackDown's resident 'Mr Money in the Bank' into the tiresome Big Show v Mark Henry feud.
 
It was a move welcomed by fans. Matches between the two behemoths had been an unattractive prospect to begin with, and once they'd had their first battle there was little interest in a repeat performance. Simply put, big man versus big man matches are not as popular as they were two decades ago.

Daniel Bryan, meanwhile, had done nothing of note since winning Money in the Bank in July, vowing to take his guaranteed championship match at WrestleMania XXVIII. Involving him in the World Heavyweight title scene is a good decision for several reasons. Most obviously it ups the match quality of SmackDown's lead feud. It also makes you wonder about Show's motives: does he want to help 'D-Bryan' simply to deprive Henry of the gold or does ‘The World’s Largest Athelete’ want the smaller man to be champ because he thinks it’ll be an easier victory for him?
 
Of course the biggest reason the move works is a certain blue briefcase. Bryan having access to a title shot whenever he likes allows for some interesting twists to the feud. The SmackDown writing team (who typically produce a more balanced, logical show than their RAW counterparts) have predictably used this fact to good effect. The reaction Bryan's cash-in-that-wasn't received on last week's show was incredible. The decision to reverse the result may have been a frustrating one but it did at least happen for a reason that made sense within the context of the storyline. They couldn't do that every week (or with every MITB winner for that matter) but once in a while it works. 

Will Daniel Bryan be the man to end Mark Henry's reign as World Heavyweight champion?

That "failed" cash-in is part of what has made the story so enjoyable. Nothing about the three man program has conformed to the regular WWE approach to booking. It's refreshing and unpredictable and all the more enjoying for it.
 
Tomorrow night’s live SmackDown will be headlined by a World Heavyweight championship defence by Mark Henry against Daniel Bryan in a steel cage. Can ‘D-Bryan’ get the job done, toppling 'The World's Strongest Man' for the big gold belt? It could go either way, but I think he may just do it.It’s all too easy to imagine Henry winning only to be clobbered by Big Show immediately afterwards, allowing Bryan to successfully cash-in on the weakened champ.
 
If we don’t see a new champion crowned it won't be catastrophic. The company can still hold off on a Daniel Bryan title challenge until WrestleMania or add him to the inevitable Show v Henry clash at TLC. But a title switch tomorrow would be a great way to create a new main event star.

Angle Says...

For a while now I’ve wanted to highlight a wrestler interview. Several names sprang to mind. Flair and Hogan always provide some lunacy when interviewed. Mr Anderson has been known to bend the truth in an attempt to protect his employer’s image and phrases things in a beautifully stupid way while doing so. Even John Cena will come out with some nonsense on occasion, if it means he can protect the good ship WWE.

But one man stands above all other when it comes to putting his foot in his mouth. Kurt Angle. There are few men who started out in wrestling with as much mainstream credibility as the ’96 Olympian. Over the years he’s frittered that away with tall tales and absurd claims. Remember when he said he was going to join UFC? Maybe he was going to join an MMA group but UFC boss Dana White said it wouldn’t be his. That showed Angle up as a man detached from reality. If that wasn’t bad enough he then went on to insist (in several different interviews) that White had expressed an interest in bringing him in, but was keeping it a secret.

That’s just an example off the top of my head. There are others and you should be able to find them on Google easily, should you wish to.

I’m not going to look into an entire interview by Angle, just his response to one question. Angle appeared on the PW 24/7 radio show a few weeks back and among the questions the hosts asked him was one regarding WWE’s recent use of ‘Big Sexy’ Kevin Nash. Here’s Kurt’s response:

"I love him to death. I know why he went to WWE. He wanted the carrot. He wanted that carrot they dangled in front of his face. But has the WWE used him the right way since he came back? No. Kevin should come back to TNA where they can use him the way he should be used. WWE thinks he’s old and washed up but TNA doesn’t think that. TNA wants Kevin Nash. He is so gifted, talented, and popular. I want him back in TNA because he’s one of my best friends."

Let’s begin with those carrot comments. What Angle refers to as a carrot is a contract worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. There’s no way of knowing exactly how much Nash has signed for but knowing his track record of negotiating enviable deals and the fact that one of his best friends is in a position of authority in WWE it’s almost certainly in the upper reaches of six figure sums.

If a similar “carrot” was “dangled” in front of Angle he’d return to the company too. In exchange for a large amount of money Nash appears weekly on TV, with large gaps often coming between these appearances during which he gets paid to sit at home or work whatever independent shows he feels like. He works house shows infrequently. That’s a very good deal for a 52-year-old man who has not been an effective draw since 1997 and whose knees are knackered.

Angle opines that Nash should go back to TNA to be used correctly. That simply won’t happen. As I recall the way TNA intended to reintroduce ‘Big Sexy’ to television earlier this year was as part of a reformed Main Event Mafia. How would being part of a group past its best have benefited Nash, or anybody else for that matter?

Were Nash to return now he would be working for a company that is booked in part by Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan and Vince Russo. Those are the three men most often credited with running WCW out of business. That’s the promotion in which Nash lost his lustre as a performer, and on their collective watches. What makes Angle think those three men know how to book Nash now, after more than a decade of getting it wrong?

Fans may not like seeing him in such a prominent position of WWE’s flagship show but considering his limitations he’s being booked very well. I’d much rather see a young guy like Mason Ryan or Brodus Clay in the position Nash is in as it would be giving a young guy the chance to shine and establish themselves as someone the audience can believe in, but that’s another point for another time. At his age and with ability level Nash couldn’t hope to be used better at this point in his career. TNA could not offer Nash anything more.

WWE thinks Nash is old and washed up? By wrestler standards he is old. The only other currently active over-fifties of note are Hogan, Flair and Sting. When the majority of wrestlers are in their twenties and thirties a man of 52 is old.

As for washed up I’ve already said that Nash’s drawing power peaked in 1997. He isn’t washed up, but his best days are clearly behind him. The fact that WWE have gifted him a strong push and are planning a pay-per-view match for him against one of their few remaining headline talents indicates that they don’t think he’s washed up either. If they did they he wouldn’t be in the position he’s in.

“TNA doesn’t think he’s washed up,” says Angle. That’s a company that routinely overlooks its own young prospects in order to push former WWE and WCW guys. Of course they’re not going to think Nash is past it.

Is Nash gifted, talented and popular, as Angle claims? Gifted and talented are pretty much the same thing so let’s just say talented. I’d say that at times in his career Nash has shown he’s very talented. He was one of the three men that made the original nWo storyline so compelling and successful. Before that he worked enjoyable matches in the WWF with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon and Bret Hart. His opponents may generally be regarded as the better workers (and rightfully so) but there are examples of great matches out there in which Nash was not just a passenger.

His biggest talent over the years has been his ability to verbalise. His recent WWE run has indicated that that skill may be on the wane but I’m sure with a tighter focus and more input from the writing team Nash can still deliver on the mic. So Angle’s right on his first “two” counts: Nash is talented.

Popular, though? I don’t think that’s a word that can be applied to ‘Big Sexy’. Many fans hate him for a number of reasons, most notably his perceived laziness and his awful booking of World Championship Wrestling. A lot of wrestlers have stated their dislike of the man too, citing the above reasons as well as his deceitful attitude.

So Angle’s incorrect there.

Angle’s final line undermines everything else he’s said anyway. By stating that he wants Nash back in TNA because they’re close friends Angle has given up all subjectivity. He just wants his mate back so that can pal around backstage. That’s fine, but for Angle to criticise WWE’s use of Nash simply because he wants his pal backstage again is ridiculous.

There we are. That’s Kurt Angle successfully proven wrong several times over. My work here is done.

That RAW Recap 21.11.11

You’d expect Survivor Series, one of WWE’s Big Four pay-per-views, to be followed up with an energetic, memorable episode of RAW, wouldn’t you? But the WWE writing team, in their infinite wisdom, knows better. The post-Survivor Series RAW was a competent piece of work that addressed everything it needed to but went about its business in a mechanical, workmanlike manner. It was a very average show.

Starting off with new WWE champion CM Punk was a nice touch, but his segment soon deteriorated into his now usual cavalcade of inside references. Stressing the importance of winning a WWE championship at Madison Square Garden and referring to himself as a professional wrestler were nice touches but everything else was the routine he goes through every week.

Punk stated that he wants to see the back of John Laurinaitis as interim RAW General Manager. Punk’s comment could indicate that Laurinaitis is going to be removed from this on-screen position to make way for the recently returned Mick Foley. It’s a good role for Foley, allowing him to appear on the show each week and possibly wrestle the occasional match. Meanwhile Laurinaitis could still knock about as the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations.

Anyway, Punk’s comments naturally brought out the former Johnny Ace. He announced Alberto Del Rio v Zack Ryder and Punk v Dolph Ziggler for later in the evening and then informed Punk that ADR would get his rematch for the title on next week’s show. Three matches made in five minutes? That’s productivity!

Del Rio v Ryder was up first and the former WWE champion made short work of ‘Long Island Iced Z’. Ryder was over in a big way with the Pennsylvania crowd. WWE really need to keep his push going and have him face Dolph Ziggler again at TLC to solidify him as an upper mid-card guy. The goal should be to have him as a dependable member of the mid-card by WrestleMania season.

The second match of the evening was Jack Swagger v Sheamus. Being a short TV match between two big men this one was nothing special. Both men got in their key spots and the fans rallied behind the popular Sheamus but it didn’t interest me. Big man matches aren’t really my cup of tea. The most noteworthy thing about the bout was that Swagger debuted a new pre-match taunt: instead of dropping down to amaze us all with his press-ups he scored a line with his foot at the top of the ramp and then stomped over it, presumably signifying that Swagger is willing to “cross the line”.

That was followed by a Kevin Nash promo. After fumbling his way through the opening sentences ‘Big Daddy Cool’ pulled himself together and told us that he’d watched Survivor Series on a monitor “in the back” (that’s one of his favourite phrases). He mentioned that it’s a special arena for him, as it is for many current and former WWE wrestlers. He referenced beating Bob Backlund (remember that guy?) for the WWF championship and the Curtain Call incident, then said it should have been him and Triple H in the main event facing Cena and The Rock. I actually agree with that and suggested it two months ago (read about that here).

Kev ended his ramble by telling us he was the last man standing from “that group” (the Clique). Triple H should be back in the next few weeks to begin the build-up to his math with ‘Big Sexy’. That’s not going to be an enjoyable experience.

After a standard promo and squash victory over Santino Marella Cody Rhodes officially began his feud with Booker T. Throughout the short bout Cole and Booker had reminded viewers of the former WCW champion’s dislike of Cody’s attitude. Following the match Cody reminded Booker he could hear everything that was said at ringside and asked Booker to repeat his feelings straight to his face. Book said his problem was with Cody’s attitude, not with him as a person. Cody, being the heel, wasn’t satisfied with this and tossed water over the commentator then left laughing.

This is a feud that’s been rumoured for a while and it should be an enjoyable one to watch. Booker T is still very popular with crowds and can still go in the ring. Cody is one of the promotion’s brightest prospects and 2011 has seen him improve a lot. Hopefully Cody will spend a few weeks calling Booker out on SmackDown before Booker finally agrees to a match at TLC. With his current role as a commentator he can’t be seen as too eager to return to the ring, and it makes Cody look stronger if he’s the one guy who can antagonise Booker into a match.

The show peaked with the CM Punk v Dolph Ziggler match. They got around fifteen minutes and made the most of it. This was one of the finest RAW matches of the year. Punk treated Ziggler as his equal and helped him look strong in defeat, meaning Ziggler was not harmed by his loss. ‘The Heel’ deserves to be featured prominently throughout WrestleMania season and wrestle a meaningful match on the Miami card. I’m going to make an early Rumble prediction and say he’ll be one of the first two entrants into the titular match.

Big Show waddled out after that to remind us all that he won his Survivor Series match by disqualification. He said his fist will be waiting for Mark Henry when he returns. Hopefully their rivalry will end at TLC. Henry works best with smaller, more talented men who can carry him to respectable outings.

We got confirmation of a Barrett v Orton singles feud during match five. Wade Barrett v Kofi Kingston was just another match until ‘The Apex Predator’ sauntered to ringside halfway through. Sitting on a chair Orton watched Barrett pick up a victory and then made to leave. Why did ‘The Viper’ feel the need to do this? We’ll never know. It did allow Barrett to taunt him after the match though, which the Mancunian took full advantage of. Orton faked going into the ring which caused Barrett to panic, but then he just walked off. Presumably they’ll come to blows on SmackDown.

The evening’s main event? John Cena talking. He gave us a helpful recap of Survivor Series as the audience chanted “Fruity Pebbles” and “Boots to asses” and then started to tell us what WrestleMania needed to be. Fortunately we were spared Cena’s vision of the future by Awesome Truth.

The general gist of this segment was to split up Miz and R-Truth as a unit. After mocking Cena for the treatment he received from the New York crowd Cena turned the two against one another. As is the case with most things involving Cena it was not convincing.

Cena told Truth that Miz thinks he’s crazy and stupid and told Miz that Truth thinks he’s pompous and arrogant. The two had heated words, Truth having believed Cena’s nonsense and Miz becoming frustrated with him. Eventually ‘The Awesome One’ shoved R-Truth and got a right hand in return. Begging off Miz managed to convince Truth that it was Cena playing mind games and the two set off up the ramp to find him backstage.

But it was a setup all along! At the top of the stage Miz spun Truth round and hit him with the Skull Crushing Finale. The final image of RAW was R-Truth being attended to by medical personnel.

I’m disappointed that Awesome Truth have been split up, but it was clear it was coming. Miz was headlining pay-per-views at the start of the year and Truth has found his niche with the schizophrenic gimmick. Using the two of them as a team is a waste in WWE’s eyes. I had hoped they could stay on as a combo until January and fall out at the Royal Rumble but that’s no longer an option.

The split raises a couple of questions. The first is who will play the face in their upcoming feud? I’d pick Miz there. He’s been a heel for several years and needs the change. His character would be refreshed by a face turn. The second question is who will Cena work with now? I’d assumed that TLC would play host to a rematch of sorts between Awesome Truth and Cena paired with a partner of his choice. That probably won’t happen, so who else is there for Cena to work with? I wouldn’t be averse to a Cena v Ziggler match on pay-per-view, but that seems unlikely.

So that was RAW. A by-the-numbers show that set up new feuds in the most generic way possible. Let’s hope they build on it successes next week in a more memorable fashion. Announcing some matches for TLC wouldn’t be a bad move either.