The Triple Threat 3.21.10: The 181st Edition: JR at WrestleMania, Destination X, Batista, More

Posted by David Martell on 03.21.2010

This week we talk about TNA's Destination X, JR not commentating at Wrestlemania, if it was a good idea to move Impact to Mondays, if the MITB winner should cash it in at Wrestlemania, and what match we think should end Wrestlemania. Batista is our Superstar Highlight. Please Enjoy!



Topic # 1 TNA's Destination X PPV is this Sunday. What are your thoughts on the card?

David Martell: Well this PPV seems to be pretty stacked, just because of the number of matches of course. This PPV seems pretty much hit or miss with the potential quality of each match. Kevin Nash and Eric Young vs. "The Band" should be completely awful. Seriously, who wants to see this match. I almost wish that all four of these guys would lose and none of them have contracts. "The Band" will win and have shiny new TNA contracts. Boy are we lucky. The TNA Global Title match between Rob Terry and Brutus Magnus should be an ok match but nothing worth watching. I have a feeling Big Robtista will win it here. Tara vs. Daffney for the Knockouts title should be pretty damn good for a women's match. That is if it is given enough time which is highly unlikely with the amount of matches on the card. I personally hope Daffney gets the win here. It is sad that Doug Williams, a good wrestler, has to waste his time with Shannon Moore. Doug Williams will keep his X Division title because seriously, who thinks Shannon Moore would actually win here, really. hasn't this guy had enough chances already? I think Beer Money will capture the tag straps here which is a good thing. I never really cared for Mogan and Hernandez as a tag team. Both of those men can have a singles run and be just fine. The ladder match to get an X Division Title shot should be fantastic. You cant really go wrong with Daniels, Red, Kendrick and Kaz. Should be the match of the night and I would like to see Daniels get the win here. A Doug Williams vs. Daniels match down the road sounds pretty sweet. MCMG vs. Generation Me in an Ultimate X match for a shot at the tag straps should be a good bout. Ultimate X matches are fun and unique to TNA so that's something. I see Generation Me getting the win here because I feel that TNA doesn't care about the Guns any more. Last, but not least, we have AJ Styles vs. Abyss for the TNA World Title. I don't know, I just never really cared for Abyss. He is a decent big guy but he has a stolen gimmick that I just don't care about. I don't buy him as ever being a World Champion. I did when he had a mouth piece and was an actual monster but now he is just a Mankind wannabe. Styles will win. Overall, this PPV is not a buy in my eyes. Just nothing too good here except for a ladder match and an Ultimate X match. Everything else is just lackluster.

Jacob San Antonio: Somehow this PPV snuck up on me. I'm still not entirely sure who I want to win what, but I'll run and gun this one. I figure I'll catch flack some way or another, might as well have fun doing it. Generation Me vs Motor City's going to be a fun match. Looking forward to see Generation Me coming out on top, though the match won't be an easy one. Maybe this win will send a sign to the winners of the TNA Tag Championship match. On that note, I think with their recent heel turn Beer Money will win the titles and accomplish their goal of grabbing management's attention. I think Doug Williams will retain his X Division title against Shannon Moore, leaving more time to expand their feud a bit. I don't even know if I should bother, but I guess I'll just mention that Scott Hall and Syxx-Pac will probably win their TNA contracts. Looking forward to Angle vs Ken Anderson, not entirely sure who will come out on top. Either way, I'm thinking it'll be a solid match up. AJ Styles vs Abyss for the TNA Heavyweight title could go either way, but I'm not sure how I'll feel once I see the result. Abyss could certainly win this, but I'm not entirely sure where he'll go with the win. Styles is in a similar situation. Win or lose, I'm more concerned about where his character will go from there. I'll pull a name out of a hat for the ladder match. I'm going with Amazing Red. There isn't a wrestler in the match that wouldn't benefit from the win, but I'm hoping to see Red come back and win his title back. Daffney will probably win the title from Tara, though the match will probably be pretty rough on both competitors. Finally, I'm hoping for Rob Terry to retain his Global Title. His recent face turn against the British Invasion allows for the opportunity to a long reign, and hopefully TNA won't switch the title's owners around too much.

Zach Brown: Destination X looks really hit or miss with me this year. First of all, no Desmond Wolfe, no D'Angelo Dinero, no Samoa Joe, no Sting, no Homicide. That is a huge mistake. Those people are why I watch TNA. Especially the first two. But whatever. The Ladder match with Kaz, Daniels, Red, and Kendrick will probably be the sleeper hit of the night. How can that match be bad? Should be a hot opener. Eric Young and Nash vs. Syxx Pac and Scott Hall…and in the swerve of the century, Nash backstabbing Young to get Pac and Hall TNA contracts…SHOCKING. Also, it's going to be a shit match. Tara vs. Daffney should be solid as far as Knockouts matches go. Tara should win easy here. Anderson vs. Angle could be great or it could just be ok. It all depends on how Angle carries Anderson. Morgan and Hernandez vs. Beer Money should also be a sleeper hit. Everyone in that match is solid, plain and simple. Doug Williams vs. Shannon Moore…didn't Moore used to be a TNA jobber back in the day? I've always thought Shannon Moore was horrible so I just don't get the push, especially fresh off his debut. Next up, Rob Terryble vs. Brutus Magnus. Man, I hope Brutus likes getting squashed. Generation Me vs. Motor City Machine Guns should also be a high point of the show. I can't imagine it not being very good. And finally, Abyss vs. AJ. Just…not…good. I don't know why this match is the main event. I have not enjoyed Abyss's recent run at AJ, and I know he won't win. But the match will do nothing for either man. All in all, most of TNA's X-Division guys have the ability to make the night somewhat memorable. But the booking team has really not done them any favors. If TNA is looking to pull themselves out of the 0.8 ratings funk that they are in, this night is just not going to do it for them.


Topic # 2 How do you feel about JR not commentating at this years Wrestlemania?

David Martell: Well it is kind of sad to not have him on what seems to be the biggest Wrestlemania since 17. So unfortunately we are stuck with the likes of Michael Cole. I am sure that they will continue using the three man booth here with Cole, King and Striker, which isn't too bad. Striker is definitely fun to listen to and his vast wrestling knowledge is ridiculous. He basically will probably end up the new JR. Although JR wont be commentating at Wrestlemania, I do hope that he comes back to the booth because no one can call a match quite like good ole' JR.

Jacob San Antonio: When it's 100% confirmed, I will lament. Until then, I've still got my hopes up. JR needs to come back to commentating, now more than ever. Matt Striker and Todd Grisham are working together just fine on Smackdown, but the team of King and Michael Cole just isn't working. Every Monday it's another two hours of awkward laughter and badly timed interjections. I was really hoping to see JR come back and do what he's always been good at, and allow for Cole and King to really work well on their own merits. Say what you will about Michael Cole, but he is fully capable of being an awesome commentator. Watching a single episode of NXT would prove that. Anyway, having a Wrestlemania without JR at the table isn't a complete loss, but it will seriously lack some of the magic that he's always managed to bring. My best wishes to his eventual recovery.

Zach Brown: I am very disappointed that JR won't be commentating at Wrestlemania. When it comes to commentary at Wrestlemania, I just want to hear JR and King. If Michael Cole is there too, it's not too offensive, but those two just work so well together that it makes the most sense. The man just has an iconic voice that immediately pops in my head when I think of iconic moments in wrestling history. There's really no one to blame for this happening. The man has Bell's palsy and it sucks that he had another attack. Hopefully, JR get healthy soon. Because I'd like to hear at least another two years of him at the commentary table.


Topic # 3 Do you think it was a good idea for TNA to move Impact to Monday night?

David Martell: Definitely not. TNA is not ready to go head to head with the WWE. WWE is a global juggernaut, you can just go head to head with their A show. Its like if arena football went against the NFL. Just doesn't work. Now if TNA spent some time building up their product, getting the word out, making new stars, and gaining exposure, then they might have a decent enough chance to gain some ground on the WWE. I think TNA would have been much smarter just gaining their fan base on Thursday nights. With no competition on Thursdays, any wrestling fan can just take the time to give it a try. It is just sad how Hogan is killing something that was once good. You just can't teach old dogs new tricks. TNA will probably face the same fate as WCW eventually unless they get their act together. Moving to Monday nights is just not something that is going to help the company out just yet.

Jacob San Antonio: I think moving to Mondays was the right choice, oddly enough. Sure, the initial ratings haven't been stellar. That doesn't automatically make it a bad idea, though. Having the big wrestling shows on one night makes it easier for fans to schedule around, and allows for fans of some brands to switch over to others if they find their current show lackluster. There's quality to be seen on both shows, but I sometimes get the feeling that both promotions aren't entirely sure where their fans' attention is drawn to. I think by having a little bit of competition between the WWE and TNA, the ratings break down for Monday nights will shed some light on just what fans do/don't want to see. Best case scenario, we might see both promotions show a drastic increase in quality. Everybody wins.

Zach Brown: TNA getting a .8 in the ratings is just flat out embarrassing. All the TNA trolls can't say anything about a rating like that. Even I didn't want them to score that low. The show is just not that good, but like I said last week, Raw isn't much better these days. The difference is, Raw just has a certain production value that Impact cannot compete with yet. In the long run, yes I think TNA's move to Mondays was too soon. WWE is a franchise that has built itself for decades. TNA can't just form in a few years and automatically expect to compete with them. They don't have enough brand awareness or quality of their show to get a sizeable enough audience to watch. WCW was able to do it because at first, they were doing things differently. They did their show live instead of taped, and WCW mostly had stars you couldn't see in WWE. The fact of the matter is, TNA is mostly comprised of stars that we have already seen the brightest points in the careers. Even Kurt Angle's star shined brightest in WWE. So what else is left to watch? The dying X Division? Do you really want to see TNA's best talent hit the glass ceiling over and over again? All in all, the .8 rating should be a wakeup call to TNA that they need to step it up. The combination of terrible storylines, lower production values, and pushing guys over the hill guys like The Nasty Boys in 2010 is not acceptable. If they want to keep putting on the show they've been doing, it's time to move back to Thursdays.


Topic # 4 What do you think the last match at Wrestlemania should be?

David Martell: Well to me there are really only two matches that could end the show. First being the obvious, Taker vs. HBK two. There match last year should of ended the show because the result it gave us was a terrible match between Orton vs. HHH that no one in the crowd was in to. Trust me, I know, I was there. If this match ended the show it would end Wrestlemania on a high note, or a low note depending how devastated you are when Taker or HBK loses. The other match that I could see possibly ending the show is John Cena vs. Batista. This is a high profile match that many non internet fans are definitely excited about. Hell, even internet fans can be excited about this one. Both these guys gained popularity at the same time and they were definitely the top two faces for the longest time. They have only had one major PPV match so technically this is a rubber match between two of the biggest stars of the last decade. Although the match wont be a classic like Taker vs. HBK, it will reach a pretty big excitement level. So as long as one of these two matches ended the show, I will be a happy camper.

Jacob San Antonio: Taker/Michaels the 2nd, hands down. Their showdown last year drained the crowd, and left very little excitement for their follow-ups to squeeze out of the audience. The Cena/Big Show/Edge triple threat managed to get a pretty sizeable reaction despite that, but ultimately both that match and the HHH/Orton main event suffered due to booking Taker/Michaels before them. If the WWE wants the audience to get the most out of the card, and enjoy each match to its fullest, there really isn't any other option but to put the best match last. I can't really say if Takers/Michaels II will match or exceed the quality of Takers/Michaels I, but the WWE should play it safe and just give them the last match of the night. I'd hate for Edge/Jericho or Cena/Batista to suffer due to following it.

Zach Brown: I think the last match at Wrestlemania will be Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker. It may seem blasphemous to not put a title match on last, but this is Taker-HBK II we're talking about. Last year, I think WWE learned the hard way that if they put on even a single match after Taker-HBK, the live audience is going to check out. Because what else is there to look forward to after a match of that quality? Being there in attendance last year, I can tell you that no one gave two shits about Orton vs. HHH. But that match would have had a bad reaction with or without following HBK-Taker. I would love to see Edge-Jericho close the show because they deserve to, or even Batista-Cena because they have all the star power. But the fact of the matter is, HBK-Taker is their money match this year, and WWE knows it. They are putting all the concentration on this match in the Wrestlemania promos, and it just makes me think that it's going to be the closer. And it better damn well deliver.

Topic # 5 Do you think that the MITB ladder match winner will cash it in at this year‘s Wrestlemania for the first time or wait till a later date?

David Martell: I actually think that the MITB briefcase will be cashed in this year, that is if everything plays out. I have a feeling that Christian will end up winning the MITB ladder match and later cash it in on Jericho or Edge, who ever ends up being the victor. Either way it makes for some interesting storylines to start the wrestling year. Christian has history with both Edge and Jericho, hell a three way feud wouldn't be so bad either. This would also catapult Christian to the main event, finally, in the WWE. That's really the only likely scenario to me. Since the WWE is having a MITB PPV later this year, then why have a MITB winner at Mania last till the PPV. Just have him cash it in at Mania. The only problem with this is that if Christian doesn't win, I don't think any of the other contestants could pull off such a stunt. We will just have to see what happens.

Jacob San Antonio: I think we'll see the standard procedure in play for the MitB this year. While there is still another PPV down the road for the briefcase, I think the WWE really enjoys using the "MitB Winner" title to push a midcarder higher up the company. Looking back to CM Punk's two victories, he was given more time on RAW to wander around with the briefcase and cut promos and legitimize his push up to heavyweight champion. I think of the briefcase as a vote of confidence from the WWE, and they use it to expose its owner to the crowd until their inevitable championship victory. So when I see this year's group of contenders for MitB, I see wrestlers that could stand to get some extra screentime and time to get the crowd behind them. So I don't think we'll see an immediate cash in this year. There's a lot of a good that can come from waiting.

Zach Brown: I would rather have the Money in the Bank winner cash it in at Wrestlemania. No one has done that yet. Back in the day, we all remember when Mr. Kennedy started a countdown to when he was cashing in his briefcase at Wrestlemania. It was obviously short lived, but right when he said it, it was an epic feeling; especially since it was going to be building and building all year long. Whoever wins MITB this year should have that same kind of build. Because every time we see him on the Road to Wrestlemania, the audience will be thinking that he is the next champion. That does wonders for a wrestler's character. Hopefully, that person is Christian this year. And he could spend all year long to build to a Wrestlemania match with Edge! I think that would be the right choice in the long run. Cashing it in at a random opportunity used to be awesome, but now it's just expected. It's old hat. Time for a change.





Batista


Our thoughts on Batista.

David Martell: I have to say that I like Batista way better as a heel. Although he has played this role before, he has really found himself as a heel. With his cocky, unbeatable type of attitude it really seems like no one can take down the animal. I have never actually been a big fan of Batista. His work rate is usually awful and he has been in so many storylines that I haven't cared about. Now that he is a heel, he actually has a good character that is watchable and they are doing a great job with him building up his Wrestlemania match with John Cena. I hope this Batista heel business lasts awhile because as a face he is so bland. He is much better a playing a monster when he can actually be a monster.

Jacob San Antonio: Batista isn't exactly one of my top choices for wrestlers in the WWE. His matches have rarely been exciting to me, and until his recent heel turn I couldn't care less about any mic time he got. He's got talent, and he appeals to a lot of people, but he's never really managed to turn my head until recently. Honestly, a lot of it might stem from his status as eternal #1 Contender. Yeah, it's a bit of hyperbole, but this guy spends more time chasing for the title than he does actually holding the dang thing. Normally the chase lends itself well to the story of a feud, but with Batista's history I'd more often than not root for his opponent just to get him out of the way. I'll admit that this has all changed recently, since his heel turn has done wonders for his character and he's definitely getting the most out of his wrestling style. Really, with all the improvements he's made in the past year or so the only complaint I have left is that I really wish he'd grow his hair back. His arms look frightening enough with all the visible veins, I really don't want to see that on some dude's head. Anyway, Batista has got a great match ahead of him against John Cena at Wrestlemania, and I'm seriously looking forward to what looks to be the turning point for his heel character.

Zach Brown: Batista is at least more tolerable to me these days. This is mainly due to the fact that the man is a heel right now. He cut a fairly decent promo recently against John Cena about why he should be the star of the company even though John Cena does commercials and movies and whatnot. Batista looked gayer than the day is long in his leather daddy getup, but it was a decent promo nonetheless. And how about him demanding the spotlight a couple weeks back? He just screams, "Cut the music! Spotlight! Give me a spotlight! Thank you! Music!" Oh Dave, you do know you can tell the effects crew these things before your entrance, right? All kidding aside, the man knows how to be a heel, and he pulls off this persona well. When he is a face, it frustrates me to no end because he is supposed to be having good matches as a face, and he just never does. When he has those same bad matches as a heel, it's ok because he's supposed to be bad in the ring. Or…something like that. All in all, I've never been a fan of Batista's in-ring ability. But I can now at least enjoy his character, and that makes him more watchable in my eyes.


That is it for this week. Please feel free to comment at the bottom of the page and have a great week in wrestling. CYA!