Tonight TNA returns to Pay-Per-View with No Surrender and for the first time in awhile I'm finding myself more and more interested in the product as of late. I still haven't found myself tuning in every week again just yet, but I have been gradually easing myself back. Though I'm a little out of touch with some of the storylines going into the event, I have kept up enough to get the general feel for what is happening.
Eric Young vs Hernandez I'm so glad they've finally gotten Eric away from the "fun" approach he's taken for years. It's good to be able to finally be able to take his character seriously and it won't do anything but help him in the long run. He has quite a roadblock ahead of him though as Hernandez is without a doubt one of the best up and coming big men in the sport. I would have to assume that the bigger picture involves Hernandez fighting Homicide so I'll have to go with Hernandez winning this. No use in slowing his momentum prior to the payoff.
Bobby Lashley vs. Rhino No way Lashley loses his debut. Dixie Carter has more or less said that the plan is to put the World title around Lashley's waist in hopes that any MMA success he may have will be good exposure for the company. Though you have to wonder if the task of juggling two physical careers will become too much to handle.
Abyss vs. Kevin Nash As much as I'd like to see Abyss win this match, tonight simply isn't the night. With the falling out between Foley and Abyss you have to think that will provide a distraction for Abyss costing him the victory. This is more or less the final setup for what I predict will cultimate in a Monster's Ball match next month between Nash, Foley, Abyss, and possibly even Richards if they decide to stick to the four-way formula. Nash retains by hook or by crook tonight.
The Beautiful People vs. Sarita and Taylor Wilde I'm a little confused here as I was under the impression that Angelina Love was no longer under TNA contract due to Visa issues. I know that Impact is taped weeks prior but as far as I know an angle wasn't shot to explain her absence from television. So....why is TNA waiting until the 11th hour to inform their audience? Either way, The Beautiful People are winning this one regardless of Velvet Sky is teaming with, they are too over not to.
Team 3D vs. Booker T & Steiner vs. British Invasion vs. Beer Money I'm a little lost on this match too (forgive me as I said I've only been casually viewing) but I thought it was a 4 on 4. Well it's been listed as every team for themselves so I got to predict Booker T and Steiner as I don't see TNA ending the MEM's momentum just yet.
ODB vs. Cody Deaner If Deaner wins, it will be taking a huge shit on the division these women have fought so hard to build. If there is any rational thoughts in the minds of TNA's creative team, ODB wins.
Samoa Joe vs. Daniels These guys have put on some great matches in the past and hopefully this one will be no different. Unfortunately for Joe, he's in a weird position at the moment. The X division title isn't really doing anything to help him but a lose obvious wouldn't do him any favors either. The logic though seems to be to help the X Division regain some of it's lost luster so I don't see this feud ending right now. Joe wins but via some type of screwy finish.
Kurt Angle vs. Sting vs. AJ Styles vs. Matt Morgan On the surface I really want to say AJ wins the belt here but I think that's the obvious direction. TNA seems to love for the World title to change hands at Bound For Glory so Angle needs to hold on a little longer. Instead I think this will set the stage for two of our main events for BFG. Angle, I predict will defend against Morgan while Sting will fight AJ Styles in some sort of "passing of the torch" bout. With it being rumored that BFG could be Sting's last match, it makes sense that he put over AJ.
On paper the event looks solid, though I think I'm ready for the MEM to start to disband in order for my interest to be fully invested back into the product. Still should be a fun night, though I mostly predict it'll primarily be used to setup Bound for Glory.
Day 51
So AJ Styles in the new TNA champion but what does this mean? I won't even try to argue that AJ isn't deserving of the belt as is he one of the best workers in that federation. Instead my problem lies with the aftermath. As it played out Sting "allowed" AJ to pin Angle while he took out Morgan. So you have to assume that this is going to lead to the Sting/AJ match that I predicted yesterday. However this also means that Sting will be getting his 4th title show at Bound For Glory.
I know that this is meant to be a passing of the torch type of event, and I can appreciate Sting giving the rub to a guy like AJ whose is established and can benefit from such a thing but also isn't going anywhere in terms of straying away from the business; thus wasting the rub. Why does the title need to be involved though? It would seem to compromise the whole point of the bout. After all, how many times does the champion get made to look better by the challenger?
That's not my only problem though. I'm glad that AJ is on top of the mountain but unfortunately for him he's nothing more than a transitional champion. I wish I was wrong but it simply isn't to be. For starters, last night wasn't the end of the Main Event Mafia, it simply stalled their momentum. Of course you can argue that perhaps AJ will be the man whom finally takes the Mafia down. Maybe he is, but that would go against my next point.
Bobby Lashley wasn't brought in to not be the main face in the company. To revert once again to what I wrote yesterday, they've said that they want him to be a MMA champion and TNA champion at the same time. Do you think this build up for Lashley is leading to a face vs face showdown with AJ? Of course not. Lashley is in for a monster push in which he'll destroy the Main Event Mafia.
What's the point of destroying a group that doesn't hold the main title though? That's why Angle will ultimately get the belt back before facing off with Lashley. It may not be an immediate change but you better believe it'll be sooner rather than later. So where does that leave AJ when Angle and Lashley are facing off? I'd imagine sitting on the sidelines waiting for his next shot.
So when the critics ask "does AJ deserve the title?" Perhaps we should answer back "does AJ deserve to not have the title."
Day 52
I wanted to do it so bad but I just couldn't. I sat and dealt with as much bullshit as I possibly could but everybody has his breaking point (convenient). There is often a fine line between outlandish and self-indulgent. That line was pissed all over last night. It simply wasn't worth it to me last night and after a little over a hour of agonizing "entertainment" I decided that I had enough.
I wanted Raw to be good, I really did but as much as I tried to enjoy it I found myself making fun of it. The opening segment was just simply terrible television and the show never really corrected it's course after that. None of the matches truly stood out and by the time we got to the contract signing and announcing of the "main event" I just had no interest to continue.
Why should I set through a Cedric the Entertainer vs Chavo Guerrero bout just to see a six man that I'm not that interested in? While I shouldn't discredit the match since I didn't watch it I just didn't feel that having to sit through anymore of that show was worth it. Even if the bout could somehow redeem the show I just couldn't be bothered to give it a shot.
I did flip back with a little over ten minutes left in the show but the main event hadn't even started, so knowing that it wouldn't be given a decent amount of time also aided in my decision to abandon the broadcast totally. The guest host experiment has become consistently inconsistent, leaving you with a very underwhelmed feeling more times than not. That's just simply something you shouldn't feel from what should be the WWE's biggest show, but it is at the very least every other week how I'm left feeling. Don't think I'm alone in my thoughts, because as much of a "glass half full" guy as I try to be I just can't endorse this type of entertainment.
I stand firm with my statements previously that it seems that the only hosts that don't fail are the ones with ties to wrestling, though there have been a couple of exceptions. Though I may be starting to sound like a broken record at this point we wrestling fans only want one thing; a wrestling show that contains more wrestling than entertainment. Is it more crazy to ask such a thing or to actually expect it? I'm not sure I can even answer that anymore.
Day 53
So Quinton Jackson has decided to call it a day, at least for the time being. It really is a shame too because he was one of those guys who people paid to see. Not just because he was a great fighter but because he was a character. While being a great fighter is always the first and foremost most important piece to being a popular star, you really have to have that certain "it" factor that makes people want to watch you.
For some, they are simply cocky or funny and people watch to see if they can back it up in the octagon. For others, their attitude is so abrasive that people tune in in hopes of seeing said fighter get put on his ass. Then there are those who simply are such genuinely good people you can't help but watch.
Quinton was a rare instance that seemed to bring all of those traits out amongst the audience. It was because of this that it was next to impossible not to be hyped anytime one of his bouts were upcoming. While there were people who were upset at the way in which he destroyed Liddell, there was no doubting his ability. The same can be said when he unified the UFC and Pride Lightweight titles.
I'd go as far as to say that he was one of my favorite fighters to watch at this point in the game. He was also involved with a real life feud with Rashad Evans and picked to coach across from him on the newest season of the Ultimate Fighter. However, that's when issues that had been building up for a couple of years finally reached their boiling point.
Quinton recently had landed the role of B.A. Baracus in the new A-Team movie. Filming was supposed to last through December which is the exact month that his fight with Evans was scheduled. Jackson asked for the fight to be delayed and it was moved by a very unhappy Dana White. Long story short, Dana White more or less mocked Jackson's decision in the media and it was the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak.
Rampage ended up airing a bit of his and White's dirty laundry that had been piling up before making an announcement that he was leaving the fighting world to pursue his acting career full time. While I do truly wish Quinton the best of luck, I do have to wonder just how far his acting chops could possibly take him. That's not a knock on the guy at all, but I do know that fighters are more often than not stereotyped as being big muscled bound morons. While Quinton certainly has the personality to help him in his endeavors, you have to wonder whether or not it will truly be enough to break free of the stereotype.
At the same time, you also have to wonder if Rampage is truly ready to leave fighting behind? I have to think the answer to that is no. He may need a break to clear his head and heal his body but once someone is bit by the fighting bug it's next to impossible to walk away while you are still physically able to compete at such a high level. From a career standpoint it's hard to say what the effects of taking time off could be, but I think that in terms of longevity perhaps it's best. Not just for his fighting career, but maybe even for his strained relationship with White.
Day 54
So I'm looking at the calendar and notice that today just so happens to be Stephanie McMahon's birthday. In honor, I've decided to do a quick rundown of five of my favorite Stephanie McMahon moments.
5.) The McMahons "fire" J.R. Poor old J.R. has been fired and humiliated so many times it isn't even funny anymore. Though her return in 2005 was brief, her heel antics on this night particular created quite a memorable moment. I would put it higher on the list because of the sheer absurdness of it, but honestly Linda McMahon's horrid heel turn had more to do with this segment cracking me up than Steph's return. For a brief moment though I had flashbacks of a second McMahon-Helmsley Era.
04.) Let the Boobies Hit the Floor Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon have always had funny interactions consisting of classic name calling but in 2001 Jericho took it to a whole new level. Two factors came in to play for this moment to work: the first being Stephanie's very noticeable breast implants and the second being the Drowning Pool song "Bodies" that the WWE has used for several events in the past. On this night, after showing a before and after image of Steph; Jericho parodied the song's lyrics by saying "let the boobies hit the floor." Classic early Jericho.
03.) Father/Daughter Relationship This one is a big of a tie as I couldn't really pick one over the other. The first took place in 1999 when Stephanie debuted as a babyface coming out with her father. During this time there was a stable led by the Undertaker called the "Ministry of Darkness" and they talked about a higher power that controlled them. To get even with Vince McMahon, the higher power instructed the Undertaker to kidnap Vince McMahon's daughter and "crucify" her. As if this wasn't crazy enough, Vince McMahon was later to be revealed to be the higher power. Yep, Vince McMahon had his own daughter kidnapped and crucified.
What could possibly tie that level of craziness? How about an inner-gender "I Quit" match between father and daughter? The premise behind this feud was due to the fact that Stephanie was unhappy that her father was having an affair with Sable. Nothing says "mind your own business" like a good old fashioned ass whooping. It didn't help things that Stephanie's main ally was a one legged Zach Gowen. You simply can't make something that good up.
02.) Orton Attack Stephanie McMahon I know this is fairly new but when Orton attacked Stephanie while Triple H watched helplessly it was quite a moment. The icing on the cake? Orton sealed the beating with a kiss on the lips of Hunter's fallen bride.
01.) Steph's Run as General Manager of Smackdown While Easy E was holding things down on the red brand, Stephanie was appointed the head of Smackdown. Not only did we get a solid feud between the two shows but this time period was perhaps her best onscreen time. Hell, come to think of it her most recent run on Raw wasn't too shabby either. She has a way of coming off as an authority figure yet not taking up 30 minutes of television time a night.
Day 55
I was doing some thinking today, remember when Jillian Hall debuted? Remember the growth on her face? How about when the Boogeyman finally ate it?
That's always been the problem with the over the top characters and general character traits; you without fail paint yourself into a corner. While it may get over in the short term based on the sheer absurdness involved, it gets to the point where there is no room to grow and thus the cheers eventually turn to resentment.
The most obvious case of this was Nick Dinsmore. The guy was a pretty solid wrestler yet the WWE decided to stick him with the gimmick of being Eric Bischoff's mentally challenged nephew. The fans took to him at first because of the humorous situations he put himself in, but eventually grew tired of his repetitive actions. That was all due to the way that the character was built. In terms of promos, Dinsmore's "Eugene" character was limited by his supposed "handicap" and thus could never truly make a lasting connection with fans. Whether it's getting the fans to cheer or boo it's important to make them feel something. It may not be entirely impossible to get over without a decent set of promo skills, but you really have to be an accomplished wrestler.
Speaking of which, his moveset mainly consisted of other famous moves from past wrestlers; and thus he had no moves that were identifiable as his own. Most big name wrestlers need only to signal for their finisher and the crowd will erupt in anticipation, but what did Eugene bring to the table? He was stuck doing cheap imitations of moves that the guys before him did much better.
Can be blame Dinsmore though? I mean who could have gotten that gimmick over in the long term? No offense, but your average fan has trouble buying that a grown man with the mind of a child is supposed to be a credible threat to any title. So right out the gate any title reign could only be perceived as a fluke. There wasn't even a logical out they could use to explain "Eugene" loss of his mental retardation. What would they do, hit him over the head and his ailment is gone? I'm sure that wouldn't offend anybody. The only option would be to hit reset and debut Dinsmore with a new look and character, which if you thought it was hard getting over the first time just imagine what it'll be like the second time. Glen Jacobs was able to do it though, so there is hope.
What is my point today? Well my moment of nostalgia got me thinking of none other than Santino Marella. Obviously the characters are different but the building of the character is the same. You've created a comic relief guy whom isn't threatening in terms of in ring ability, and thus has nowhere to go but down. Instead of simply making Santino the humorous guy who still manages to somehow win matches, they've even turned his matches into complete jokes. Look no further than his match last week with Chris Masters.
It really is a shame, because it felt like they had finally found a good balance with his character during his second IC run and the various meters comparing his title reigns to past greats. They were able to create a humorous character (think early Edge and Christian) that still managed to win matches, much like I mentioned below. Now he just keeps sinking lower and lower and is desperately in danger of hitting the point of no return. It really speaks volumes when the last actually match I can remember him winning was in drag against Vickie Guerrero.
Sadly, even as entertaining as he is he seems more likely to go down as another blown opportunity.
Day 56
I get asked this question all the time, "how do you know what love is?" While I may only be 27 I've managed to be in a relationship with my current wife since I was 16. So we've been together more than 11 years and have been married for more than 8. Some would assume that our relationship is stale or we've grown tired of each other but I assure you that's not the case. I think it actually catches people off guard when they see our interactions, which is what usually prompts the above question.
It's not the easiest of questions to answer but I do so the only way I know how. To me love equals excitement. When you get to the point that you are overly excited each time you are about to be together than it's love. If the thought of not being together for a day isn't something you can imagine, than it may just be love.
Maybe that's too vague? I guess what I'm trying to say is this: if you have to question whether it's love or not chances are it's not. Is that to say it can never be? Of course not nor is it saying it never will be. I think too many people nowadays get married because it's the next logical step in their mind. They jump into marriage because they want it to work and are forced to learn the hard way that it's not meant to be. The end result becomes a relationship that is no longer salvageable.
It's almost a comfort thing for some people. They become so comfortable with certain people they don't want to end it because they don't want to adjust to a new life. They aren't ready to start a new routine, thus they'd rather stick in a relationship that no longer interests them. It's almost as if they'd rather cling to the good memories than accept that there nothing worth hanging on to.
Despite what some may believe though, passion still exists it's just often misdiagnosed so to speak. That's why I'm still here though. I actually still get excited when Raw comes on, even when it sucked the week prior. You know, I even have gone as far as to pre-schedule the day off from work when Smackdown video games come out so I can pick them up first thing in the morning. Strange I know, but we do strange things for that which we love. I even find myself writing about it on a daily basis.
So I guess you need to ask yourself: do you love wrestling or is it time to accept that it was nothing more than a fling?
As always I am the Monkey and you've just seen the world through my eyes.
Feel free to send all feedback to monkeyweasel9821@yahoo.com
