WWE Survivor Series 2015 PPV

This was not a good PPV. My hand hurts from angrily punching the couch. WWE kept touting that change was coming in the form of a new Champion. We certainly got a new Champion last night but only because it was telegraphed and predictable, much like the rest of the card. This was a chance to not only have a new Champion but to just do something completely new and different in the absence of Rollins, Orton, and Cena. And they went with the safest route possible.

Here are the match results:

• Roman Reigns defeated Alberto Del Rio
• Dean Ambrose defeated Kevin Owens
• Ryback, The Lucha Dragons, and The Usos defeated The New Day, Sheamus and King Barrett
• Charlotte defeated Paige
• Tyler Breeze defeated Dolph Ziggler
• The Brothers of Destruction defeated The Wyatt Family
• Roman Reigns defated Dean Ambrose
• Sheamus defeated Roman Reigns

I'll be honest, the only matches I cared about were the WHC tournament finals. Everyone knew that Reigns was going to win over Del Rio. While Owens advancing would've given a true heel vs face match, it was also obvious that Ambrose was going to advance. The main event for this whole PPV lasted under 10 minutes. 10 FREAKING MINUTES. The match ended abruptly with Reigns winning the title, which left the audience stunned and they were gearing up for Ambrose or Reigns to turn heel. Instead, Ambrose shared a touching moment with his brother and left the ring to let his brother have his moment as confetti and streamers rained on Reigns. HHH, being in best for business mode, went out to congratulate him. Reigns responded by spearing HHH. And then Sheamus runs in to cash in and brogue kicks him. Their match lasted under 40 seconds.

You know what else was infuriating? The whole tournament was essentially pointless. It was obvious that Reigns was going to win but it was also obvious that he was going to get booed too. WWE probably saw how this wasn't going to work out (again) and made the decision for Sheamus to cash in, so the fans can boo him instead. When Survivor Series went off the air, they cut back to Reigns being tearful in the ring and walking back slowly up the ramp. The arena was booing him. The fans are booing WWE's top babyface. That is a big fucking sign that Reigns has to change his character. We are seeing a repeat of Daniel Bryan's "YES" movement but they are putting Reigns in the underdog role instead of Ambrose, the true underdog in all of this mess.

Speaking of which, Ambrose was very different tonight. The backstage segments showed Ambrose being serious, even pissed, as they were nearing the main event. Hell, Ambrose didn't even change shirts and fought against Reigns with his torn tanktop. He was acting heelish, which seemed like a dead giveaway that he really did accept HHH's offer. But that whole attitude change disappeared when Ambrose fist bumped Reigns and left the ring. The last 2 weeks showed a more focused Ambrose who opted for technical moves instead of his wild brawler style. It would be a shame to see him go back to that or worse, go back to being Reigns' buddy again. 

I'm unsure if I want to watch RAW live tonight. Do I want to see The Authority and Sheamus do an opening monologue? Do I want to see Reigns come down and do another recap of what happened to him last night? I can't imagine how to even feel invested in any of the matches going forward unless they continue with Ambrose going after Owens for the IC title. The next PPV is TLC for December and it's already shaping up to have Reigns going after Sheamus for the WHC title. Nothing really changed last night, so I don't expect RAW to be any different.

Nobody wants Ambrose to turn heel?

Here we go again.

It's already known that Reigns and Ambrose would make it to the finals this Sunday. Ambrose made it clear that if it came down to just the 2 of them, even though they're brothers, it's on. To which Reigns replied, "We'll always be brothers. BELEE DAT!" Their budding friendship, where Reigns was Ambrose's cheerleader for the PPV's he headlined and vice versa for the last several months, is begging to come to an end. Basically, no one expects their match to end on friendly terms. Someone's turning heel.

And here's WWE dilemma: They need a new champion, a new top babyface, and a new top heel since John Cena and Rollins, respectively, are out. All of this pressure falls on the current top babyfaces, Reigns and Ambrose. They just can't decide who should play which role.

Reigns needs the heel turn, badly. It's the natural progression for his character who keeps overcoming the odds (ugh) and never gets close to winning the title. Joining The Authority works for him, especially since the fans are now turning against him again. He can be like The Rock and work on his character to be a full-fledged badass before becoming a a true babyface. WWE sees this as a problem (at least for them) because they don't want Reigns to be a heel and lose his fans. The older fans can't buy Reigns as a babyface when he's dressed in black tactical gear and scowls all the time. He's built and booked as a powerhouse, not as an underdog.

Speaking of underdog, the one who truly looks the part is Ambrose. He doesn't have the look of a champion but he has the tenacity and the drive to be one. He just needs to win the championship title as a babyface to vindicate his DQ win against Rollins. This is what everyone wants to see. However, if Ambrose turns heel, he would still get over with the fans (damn that charisma of his). WWE sees this as their best solution and to keep Reigns as the top babyface. The problem is that it'll completely ruin Ambrose's character as this guy who went insane after Rollins betrayed The Shield and him remaining loyal to his only brother, Reigns.

There are so many scenarios for the finals, such as Reigns winning against Ambrose and joining the Authority, or Ambrose revealing that he secretly accept HHH's offer. There's even a possibility that Owens might advance and face off against Reigns. Oh, and Sheamus might cash in his Money In The bank at some point.

The dirtsheets were hit with new rumors that the brass changed their mind about Reigns and are pushing Ambrose to be the new champ instead. Of course, WWE could've intentionally leaked this to get people interested in the PPV, just to see Reigns walking away with the title. He has a freaking video that recaps what happened in the last 7 months! One thing is certain: Reigns will be the new WWE Heavyweight Champion. All hail the Roman Empire, I guess.

"I WANT BREAKFAST FOR DINNER!": Monday Night RAW (11/16/15)

Tonight's "go home" RAW will focus on the quarterfinals for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament. This was put together last week after Seth Rollins' serious leg injury forced him to vacate the title. The remaining contenders are:

• Roman Reigns vs Cesaro
• Kevin Owens vs Neville
• Dolph Ziggler vs Dean Ambrose 
• Kalisto vs Alberto Del Rio 

Initially, it seems obvious who the final 4 winners will be: Reigns, Owens, Ambrose, and Del Rio. Two are heels that are the current US Champion and IC Champion and the other two are The Shield BFFs and the current top babyfaces of the company. Then again, a lot of people didn't expect Kalisto to make it to the finals, which in hindsight, makes sense since he would be facing against Del Rio. And Ziggler and Ambrose are both sporting injuries from their respective matches last week, which means shenanigans (in the bitter form of Tyler Breeze) will most likely happen. WWE could either put on something very predictable and by-the-numbers or do something completely unexpected, like a much needed swerve, to get people invested for the match at Survivor Series.

----------

Ok, I take that back. The final 4 really are Reigns, Owens, Ambrose, and Del Rio O_O

RAW kicked off with Taker and Kane along with the Wyatt Family trading promos. They're saving themselves and their potential lightning and fire battle this Sunday. I have to say that the buildup for this is feeling really one-sided. It looked like the Wyatt Family was set up to be this big and powerful stable until Kane and Taker escaped with their powers intact. And it's still so weird that it's going to be Taker and Kane vs 2 of Wyatt's choice as opposed to 4 vs 4.

The first tournament match was Kevin Owens vs Neville. This was hands down the most thrilling match of the night and a great way to kick off the tournament. It was full of damn impressive spots from Neville and brutal and hard hitting moves from Owens. It was an impressive showcase for the 2 former NXT champs, mostly for Neville. Owens advances and despite Neville losing, he came off looking great here.

The second tournament match was Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler, which was a technical match. Let me rephrase that; it was a technical wrestling match. It started off as methodical, both testing each other strengths with chain wrestling. Then it slowly built up to a more explosive match. The biggest takeaway from this was Ambrose's mannerisms and attitude here. He wasn't being silly and panning to the crowd, he was focused and he showed frustration whenever Ziggler would get away. Ziggler was good too and showed as much offense in the end. Ambrose reverses Ziggler's attempt at a small package into Dirty Deeds and advances to the finals. He cut a short and great promo on what he would do if he was the World Heavyweight Champion. "I make the entire WWE the Ambrose Asylum!"

The third tournament match was Roman Reigns vs Cesaro. I was expecting this to be the main event (which I'll get to in a minute). This was just a flat out brawl between them but Cesaro did a good job making Reigns look strong. This was a good match for Reigns too but it still showcased how really limited his moveset is. Both sustained a minor arm injury as the match went on and they conveniently forgot to sell it. In the end, Reigns Superman punches and spears Cesaro for the win and advances.

The last tournament match was Albert Del Rio vs Kalisto, which was a very messy and very lazy match to watch. Ever Del Rio returned, there was so much anticipation on what he could do to uphold the US title after winning it from John Cena. And so far, it's not good. Del Rio looks like he's phoning it in with this weird "Meximera" gimmick and it seems to have carried over in this match. First, he accidentally unmasked Kalisto and tried to put the mask back on. Second, he botched a backbreaker and had to redo the spot. And last, he's still using his really lame double stomp finisher.

The main event as a contract signing with Paige and Charlotte. This was another bad segment and a stark reminder how badly they've been handling this Divas Revolution in the last 4 months. Paige came off incredibly heelish while Charlotte, the Divas Champion, came off as incredibly emotional and I hate to say it, weak. They brought up her brother Reid Flair, whom Charlotte almost always cries about. And Paige said he doesn't have much fight in him. This set up a catfight of some sort, which looks no different from how Divas were fighting earlier in the year. Paige mocking Charlotte's dead brother (and ignoring her other brother, David Flair, who's very much alive) did get people talking.

So that's the go-home show. Smack Down! is going to feature The Miz talking to the Reigns, Owens, Ambrose, and Del Rio as they had to Survivor Series. The card itself still looks a little short but knowing WWE, they're going to scramble for some last-minute additions. To be honest, the biggest match that everyone is looking forward to is not Taker and Kane vs The Wyatt Family. All eyes are on Reigns, Ambrose, and even Owens on who's going to be the Heavyweight Champion this Sunday. Who will be HHH's man?

It's going to be Reigns Ambrose Owens FUCK SHEAMUS

Survivor Series Foreshadowing?

http://vince-sheila.tumblr.com/post/133020347162/michael-cole-recently-conducted-a-sit-down

"Rebuild. Redesign. Reclaim.": Monday Night RAW (11/9/15)

Tonight's episode of Monday Night RAW is going to be very different, for both a bad and good reason. Bad because Seth Rollins' major leg injury forced him to immediately vacate the World Heavyweight Championship title. And good because the fans are going to see some major changes and something refreshingly different for the next few weeks leading to Wrestlemania. RAW is filming in the UK, so there are going to be major spoilers leaking before the show airs in its regular 8 PM PST slot on USA Network.

(Note: I'm totally spoiling myself and reading the live ongoing coverage from /r/SC, WrestlingInc, ProWrestlingNet, and PWInsider. I'm still going to watch it live, regardless of the results.)

Here are the match and First-Round Tournament results:

• Roman Reigns defeated Big Show. Roman Reigns advances! OF COURSE HE DOES.
• Kevin Owens defeated Titus O' Neil. Kevin Owens advances!
• Becky Lynch defeated Paige
• Dolph Ziggler defeated The Miz. Dolph Ziggler advances! With a minor knee injury? Shit.
• Natalya defeated Naomi
• Cesaro defeated Sheamus. Cesaro advances!
• Dean Ambrose defeated Tyler Breeze. Dean Ambrose advances! With a shoulder injury? SHIT.
• The New Day defeated The Usos and Neville

The Second-Round matches will begin next week at the go-home show of RAW:

• Roman Reigns vs Cesaro
• Kevin Owens vs Barrett or Neville (First-Round Tournament continuation on Smack Down!)
• Dolph Ziggler vs Dean Ambrose 
• Kalisto or Ryback vs Alberto Del Rio or Stardust (First-Round Tournament continuation on Smack Down!)

----------

RAW opened up with HHH presenting the World Heavyweight Championship title resting on a table as he praised Seth Rollins. While HHH went at length about how great Rollins was, Reigns shows up and enters the ring. From there, HHH's promo takes a different turn; he tells Reigns that as #1 contender, he can skip the tournament and have the title given to him if he joins The Authority. He even went as far to say that Reigns was strongly considered to be their pick before Rollins. Reigns, being the goody two-shoes he is, turns down the offer and HHH bellows, "Welcome to the back of the line!" This segment firmly established that being The Authority's champion will set you and your family for life. Either Reigns will have second thoughts and accept the offer later on or someone else (another heel) would take up on that offer.

The rest of RAW covered 5 of the 8 First-Round Tournament matches, with the last 3 continuing on Thursday Night Smack Down! As evident with the first match with Reigns and Big Show, the bracket had odd choices and pair-ups, such as Ryback vs Kalisto, Titus O' Neil vs Kevin Owens, and Tyler Breeze vs Dean Ambrose. While it was predictable who would win, it didn't take away from the quality of the matches. Well, at least for the important ones. Cesaro was victorious and incredible as usual against Sheamus (and there was a ton of "CESARO SECTION" signs :D). Owens executed a perfectly brutal looking Pop-up Powerbomb against O' Neil and got great heat from mocking England's blind worship with the Queen. And Breeze, making his in-ring Raw debut, took advantage of Ambrose's tweaked shoulder and worked on it until he was defeated by the small package. 

The main event was saved for Bray Wyatt eulogizing about taking away Taker and Kane's powers. AND THEN THEY SHOWED UP. TOGETHER. This was an unexpected surprise and a big fucking treat for the Manchester crowd. Sadly, the Wyatt family came off ridiculously weak and overwhelmed by the two. It also reminded people that practically nothing happens after you get abducted by the Wyatt Family. Another inconsistency is that The Brothers of Destruction also got their powers back, so either they got it back from Wyatt, or there are now 3 supernatural beings with the same powers.

Overall, it was another week with a great and enjoyable RAW and this week is decidedly more crucial with possible changes in the storylines leading to the go-home show and Survivor Series. Another interesting note about the above bracket is that Reigns and Ambrose are positioned directly opposite of each other. There have been heavy, HEAVY talks about turning one of them (specifically Reigns) heel to follow the storyline of Deadly Game, the PPV that centered around the vacated WWF Championship and saw The Rock turning heel against Mick Foley and aligning himself with Vince McMahon. WWE is being forced to get creative in the absence of Cena, Orton, and Rollins. This is a good direction, ratings be damned.

RAW showcased another reason not to turn Ambrose heel just yet. He's so ridiculously silly and charismatic.

Also...

DEAN LEAN AMBROSE