Posted in: The Eternal Optimist
The Eternal Optimist Presents - "The Good, The Good & The Good" - Extreme Rules Edition
By Dave Fenichel
Jun 5, 2017 - 3:08:36 PM

Hi kids.

Welcome to the first edition of what I consider to be my “bread and butter” column. As my name implies, I’m a happy wrestling fan. I always try to see the good in what’s being done instead of attempting to pick apart every detail with a fine toothed comb.

If you’re looking for a Pay Per View review column that takes a giant dump on the product, I’m probably not for you. Mr. Tito and Super Chrisss both write fantastic columns that will scratch your itch.

On the other hand, if you enjoy positivity or want to banter with someone you vehemently disagree with, I’m your guy.

Extreme Rules was an excellent show. Here’s what I liked:

Kalisto and Apollo Crews Start the Night Off Right.

Kalisto and Crews far exceeded my expectations. This was a very good match that played to both of their strengths. They allowed Kalisto to be the high flyer that he is, and Crews was able to showcase his phenomenal athleticism. Crews has a nice repertoire of power moves that work best on a smaller man, so he was really able to shine. He has been stuck in neutral ever since he debuted on the main roster, but this was the first step in the right direction.

I’m also invested in his angle with Titus O’Neill. I think they are a perfect pairing for each other. Apollo Crews is a great wrestler who lacks the size, mic skills and natural charisma to be successful on his own. Titus can’t wrestle, but he has a tremendous look, great mic skills and is loaded with charisma. They complement each other incredibly well. I’m a little concerned that the WWE plans on blowing their storyline off into a one on one feud in the not so distant future. I think they can be a tremendous success as a long term tag team, and would like to see them stay together.

Kalisto v Crews was a match that furthered a storyline I care about and delivered a solid match to boot. I’d love to see them on the Great Balls of Fire main card next month.

I’m Finally Warming Up to Dean Ambrose.

There are two wrestlers that highlight a cataclysmic gap between their level of IWC love and my personal distain for them. Those wrestlers are Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose. Dolph is a completely lost cause. I’ll never come around on him. Dean on the other hand, is slowly growing on me.

My issue with Ambrose mainly centers around my belief that he isn’t a main event level superstar. I abhorred his run as champion and the ridiculous notion from the IWC that he should be the next Steve Austin. Nonetheless, he is slowly winning me over. I’ve been enjoying his promos since he moved to Raw, and his storyline with The Miz is excellent. Last night, they delivered the second best match of the night.

I thought the “Ambrose loses the title if he gets disqualified” stipulation was used perfectly. They didn’t overdo it as has been the issue with previous matches, but instead found smart ways to incorporate it into the flow of the match. Miz asking Maryse to slap him only for the referee to foil their plan was brilliant. I loved that they used the threat of Ambrose being disqualified as a means to set up the Miz hitting a Skull Crushing Finale for a much more decisive win than expected.

I find Ambrose and The Miz to be a storyline that I’m looking forward to more and more each week. I am eager to see their next installment.

Alexa Bliss and Bayley Deliver a 5 Star Classic.

I joke I joke…I kid I kid. Moving on!

A Star-Studded Tag Team Makes the Division Relevant.

Tag team wrestling needed a shot in the arm, and the Hardy Boys certainly provided one. They are main event level over. Ever since their surprise return at Wrestlemania 33, they have brought excitement to the tag team division that was previously lacking.

I’ve enjoyed their feud with Sheamus and Cesaro. Shesaro has benefitted tremendously from working with the Hardy Boys, and they’ve strung together a series of very solid matches. Last night’s cage match was no exception. The booking was a little hokey, but the entertainment value and crowd involvement were both there.

The feud had been very one-sided. Going into the match, I was concerned that another Hardy win would be the blow-off. Instead, we got the heels winning the titles in controversial fashion. This signals that we’ll get another couple months out of the feud. I’m on board. The storyline now shifts to the Hardy’s chasing Shesaro, and here’s to hoping that we get a TLC match between the teams at Summerslam.

The WWE Changed Their Mind, and That’s OK.

If there was one match that looked incredibly predictable on paper, it was Neville v Austin Aries. It seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Aries would finally win the Cruiserweight Championship. Neville had been champion since The Royal Rumble. He retained over Aries in spectacular fashion at Wrestlemania 33. He retained again last month via DQ in a storyline building match. With the submission match on tap, all signs pointed to an Aries victory.

Instead, Neville went over again, and he went over STRONG. I applaud the WWE for defying conventional wisdom. Neville might be the best champion the WWE currently has. He’s done more with less than any other current champion. The Cruiserweight division has been interesting because he’s the man leading the way. Aries, on the other hand, lost the momentum he had built up over the past couple of months. Instead of being excited for a potential Austin Aries title run, the fans were indifferent.

I’m glad that the WWE changed course. Neville as a dominant champion is far more interesting that moving the belt onto someone the fans were no longer behind. I look forward to see who Neville feuds with next.

Samoa Joe was the Right Call.

I loved the main event. It was easily my match of the night, and my second favorite match of the year behind Dunn v Bate from NXT Takeover: Chicago. I thought all five men were booked strongly and the action was great from bell to bell.

Samoa Joe was a somewhat surprising victor, but I’m excited. Reigns and Rollins are being saved for bigger things, Finn isn’t ready, and I’m over Bray Wyatt. Samoa Joe was the best option here by a landslide. I like that the WWE is already referring to this as a dream match. Up until now, they haven’t booked Joe like the monster he’s been his entire career. This looks like the first step to changing that.

Lesnar v Samoa Joe is a fresh match that has everyone, myself included, amped up. Joe’s no nonsense physical style is a perfect fit for a match against Brock. I fully expect Joe to get murked, but this is exactly the shot in the arm that Raw needed. For the first time in months, I’m excited to tune in tonight.

That’s a wrap. Did you like Extreme Rules as much as I did? Did you hate it and want to belittle me about my views? Sound off below!