I haven’t written a BLOG is quite some time, between going back to college as a full time student at 40 and a few other things I haven’t really had the time, and to be completely honest neither TNA or WWE have inspired me to do much writing. That is until last night. I’m not inspired in a good way. The WWE fumbled around with the ball, but recovered it with a nice Del Rio win of the Rumble. I’ll tell you I was afraid that they were going to lose it entirely if they managed to let Santino win the Rumble. In a wrestling world that has become dominated once again by Hogan and Bishoff’s ego in one corner and Super Cena and Mega Orton in the other, the world of wrestling has fallen into a sad state. In the PG world of WWE and the R world of TNA things have become almost embarrassing. In the words of Neve Campbell from Scream, “How about some PG-13.” I think that is where the WWE needs to go. Then we can get away from Cena’s poopy jokes, Santino’s silly Cobra, and please, for the love of all that is decent, Hornswaggle.
The WWE needs a good shaking from the ankles. They need a change it’s time to let some of the cream rise to the top. It’s time to truly let the new guys shine. With Edge talking about retiring after his contract is up, everyone being force feed Super Cena, and getting tired of it. The same will happen with Orton as well over time. I’ve helped run a eWrestling Fed for a good handful of years; booking writing and all that jazz. If I had to book the Royal Rumble last night, this is how I would have done it.
I would have started the show with Edge vs Ziggler. I would have had Ziggler wrestle a good clean match, countering Edge at almost every turn, frustrating and pushing Edge further and further to the breaking point. I would have had Ziggler win the match clean, with the Elimination Chamber coming up it would be a good test run for him to see if he can “hold” the title. After the match I would have had Edge close to losing it. Vickie would enter the ring to get in Edge’s face. After a few moments of her tirade Edge would spear her. Then spear Ziggler. This of course would send the fans into cheers. Instead of leaving I would have Edge spear Ziggler once again. Then tease a leave only to return and spear Vickie a few more times until the fans are stunned. Edge would leave with Ziggler cradling Vickie calling for help from the back.
Daniel Bryan and Kim talking in the back is interrupted by the Bella’s. I would have kept this much the way it was instead I would have had Awesome Kong come out and destroy Kim. While Kim is being attended to by Daniel Bryan I would have had the Bella’s running their mouths once again. Awesome Kong would have grown tired of their mouths and attacked them as well eventually leaving everyone laid out with Daniel Bryan looking on stunned.
This would have went right into the Diva’s match. I would have kept the start of this with the Anonymous GM changing the match to a Four way Dance. Screw Eve, the fourth woman would have been Awesome Kong and she would annihilate everyone in the ring to an easy win. Afterward I would have Beth Phoenix come out and the two women fight it out toe to toe.
I didn’t think the Miz versus Orton match was that bad. Actually I would have left it a lot like the way it was. Instead at the end I would have had Miz and Riley approach Punk’s Nexus and have Riley raise his fist in salute to Punk, while he smiles and Miz looks a little confused on what to do.
Now it’s time for the Rumble. CM Punk being the first entrant in the Rumble was a good move, for my plan it fits. I even liked the Corre coming out and eventually the Nexus coming out. It teases the possibility of a feud to come. I even didn’t mind the Anon GM sending them all to the back. Just the Corre coming out was a nice little touch and a lead in for future storylines. Daniel Bryan coming out second was inspired. We get to see a nice little Bryan run of throwing people out. We get to see Punk vs Bryan, I was liking it. Here’s where I would have changed things up. Before the whole Nexus was in the ring I would let the number build a little bit. Have Booker come to the ring throw a few out leaving just him, Punk and Bryan in the ring. Kofi comes out enters the ring, runs around like a fool only for Booker to grab him by the neck and unceremoniously toss him over the top rope to the floor. With Kofi stunned on the floor I would have had Booker eliminate himself and offer a hand to Kofi. Kofi would shrug it off and start toward the back. Booker would shake his head and start walking after him. Then I would have had the Nexus members start to come out over the next handful of entrants until they started dominating. I even would have left it with Khali coming out and Mason coming out after him, but I wouldn’t let Khali eliminate any of the Nexus. When Super Cena came out I would just have the Nexus beat the stuffing out of him repeatedly as new people come out I would have them thrown right out of the ring. I would let Nexus dominate the ring as Punk taunts the crowd more and more. Eventually I would have Nexus eliminate Cena by lifting his limp body up and tossing him from the ring. As Corre members come out I would have them stay on the entrance ramp until all of them have been announced then have them march to the ring where all would be thrown out except Punk and Barrett. Triple H would make a return and brawl with Sheamus until Punk and Barrett flip them over the top rope. My final four would be Wade Barrett, CM Punk, Albert Del Rio, and Orton. The three would beat and humiliate Orton and toss him from the ring, then I would have Punk come out as the winner. By the end of the night I would have Punk be the most hated man in the WWE.
Storylines set up.
1. Vickie and Ziggler go face against a deranged Edge. Edge is better as a heel , it’s just the way it is. He’s too…….smarmy to pull off face very well. I think Vickie and Ziggler could go good as a face duo, with Vickie in charge will Teddy recuperates from his Corre beatdown. I think Excuse Me could go over good as a face chant, much like You Suck did for Kurt Angle when he went face. Besides, there were a fair amount of Ziggler chants during that match.
2. Awesome Kong vs Beth Phoenix. Kong should dominate the women’s division. A Kong/Phoenix fued could be good for the women’s division if it’s done well. Kong’s not that good on the mic, so I would bring in a manager for her, say someone who’s ashamed of the women’s division as it is. Say someone who claims to be the first Diva. That’s right, Sunny. She did have good mic skills.
3. Alex Riley and Miz to Nexus. Riley needs to learn some humility and get away from his Miz Jr. gimmick. Of course over time Miz would try and convince Riley that they should be in charge of Nexus not Punk, which would lead to Riley betraying Miz and a face turn for Miz after they assault him and over the next few weeks he starts striking back at them getting the fans on his side.
4. Rumor is that Booker is coming back as more of an announcer than a wrestler. There is also a rumor that he may manage. Who better for Booker to manage than Kofi Kingston, who needs something to get him away from the kiddie gimmick finishers. Even a small feud between the two before Booker starts to manage him could be good. Booker’s got the skill to do it, if he is himself. Not King Booka, or ghetto Booker as he became at the end of his TNA run. And let’s leave Sharmelle at home. Please.
5. Triple H and Sheamus would continue to get one up on each other all the way up until Wrestlemania for a blow off match for their fued.
6. By mauling Cena, or toying with him like a cat with a mouse Punk would quickly become the most hated man in the WWE. All the kiddies, little girls, and even some of the men would despise him for knocking their hero off his pedestal.
Because you see a long long time ago, the villains in wrestling were hated, they came out on top by any means necessary at the expense of the hero, until finally the you rooted for the hero to win. We don’t have that anymore. In a world of fast editing and video games we’ve become a short attention span society. We want it right now, we don’t want the slow build. We are at the end of an era, Wrestling will not go the way of the dodo bird, but it will get put on the endangered list, unless something changes. Something needs to be done to draw back the ones that have left and still keep the new people around.
What I liked about this year’s Royal Rumble.
1. Sheamus and MacIntyre working together. I think, if WWE wanted they could build a tag team division around these guys. But in Vince’s eyes tag team wrestling is dead. He should see MCMG’s, Beer Money, and Gen Me.
2. I liked Nexus’ run in the rumble, too bad the shot themselves in the foot and let Super Cena end it.
3. I liked the chants for Ziggler and Punk. Of course it led me to thinking Ziggler should go face, and Punk needs to be more hated.
4. I liked Bryan and Punk starting off the rumble. Personally I would have had Bryan last a bit longer.
5. I liked the chants for Diesel, although I’m sure most in attendance had no idea who the hell he was. I did find it amusing that he came out as diesel and not Kevin Nash. So I’m sure this is just a one off.
6. Michael Cole. I love his over the top cheering for the heels and his leaping up and down when Miz won was great.
7. Albert Del Rio winning the rumble. At least they let a young guy get a shot. Of course he’ll lose, but hey.
What I didn’t like about this year’s Royal Rumble.
1. No appearance by Awesome Kong. This was the perfect spot for it to happen.
2. Super Cena eliminating most of Nexus.
3. Mega Orton no selling the face first toss into the ringpost outside the ring and his flailing around like a boneless chicken so he can coil to strike.
4. Khali and Hornswaggle.
5. Santino and his damned Cobra. If they had let him win the rumble I would have never watched wrestling again.
6. Eve winning the women’s championship. Really? REALLY? They had to have handed her the title so that Kong can come take it from her. This shines the light on the WWE’s problem right now. Their big stars are all getting old; Taker, Show, Mysterio, Edge, Trips. It’s time to create new stars, but the WWE refuses to make their big stars look weak. They won’t let Cena, Orton, hell even McCool put over an up and comer.
Over the course of the night the WWE had many opportunities to create some excitement around their product and to set a course of action for the New Year, instead the focused on the kiddies smiling, and the heroes being HEROES. Instead they just fumbled the ball and sadly there is no one to stop them from picking it right back up so they can drop it again.
