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Wrestling’s 4Rs 8.16.13: WWE Raw and ROH TV Reviewed
How the 4Rs of wRestling Work!
Here is a quick explanation of the 4R’s. The column will run TWO times a week. We will group our feelings on the shows in various categories: The Right, the wRong and the Ridiculous. The Right is stuff that worked very well: a great promo, a great match and so on. PuRgatoRy is a section between the right and wrong. It shows equal traits from both sides that cannot be ignored and need discussed. It is not a bad place per say, as things can get remedied or go the wrong way the very next week. The wRong is what it sounds like: bad matches, bad or boring promos and so on. The Ridiculous is stuff that had no right on TV: Stupid angles and so on. And there is always a possibility of a 5th R, which is as bad as they come. This column is supposed to be analytical, and at the right time very critical of the shows, it was the whole reason it was created. This is not a “mark” column, nor a “smark” column, our goal is to analyze the show from many different fronts, reward the good and call out the bad. We will not apologize for our opinions, they are as they are, whether positive or negative.
Let’s rock…
By: Jack Stevenson
Raw 08.05.13:
QUICK MATCH RESULTS:
THE RIGHT:
Randy Orton vs. Damian Sandow: This was a perfectly fine match and I have little more to say about it than that.
Mind Games: Maybe it’s everyone else’s enthusiasm rubbing off on me, but I’m starting to warm to this Kane-Wyatt feud. I’m kind of intrigued to see what will happen in the Ring of Fire match, and I’m beginning to accept that this rivalry might have been necessary to establish the Wyatt character. I quite liked Kane seeming to get one over on the Wyatt’s, and I liked Wyatt just laughing off his disappearance even more; it’s weird to see someone just not show any fear of Kane at all. Not at all bad, this.
IT’S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: I know it’s hard to admit. I love Daniel Bryan as much as the next man, if not more. I think he’s the best wrestler in the world, and I want him to shine so brightly every time he steps in the ring. But… guys, we have to own up to this: John Cena absolutely outshone Bryan in their final confrontation before Summerslam. I’m no Cena-hater, but I was taken aback by how brilliant his promo was, especially since it started in the usual fashion: “PEOPLE BOO ME I’M USED TO IT LOYALTY WWE UNIVERSE THE CHAMP IS HERE!” But then it started to become something different, something that packed quite the emotional punch, to the point where I became totally engrossed, hanging off every word. Bryan, for his part, was fine, but he’s not been doing himself justice in recent promos, which always start off with him speaking calmly and then his voice gets steadily angrier and louder till he’s BELLOWING THE SENTENCE, AND THE FINAL WORD IS ALWAYS “WRESTLING!” And this was no different- it’s doing the job, but it’s nothing special. Still, the segment was bloody great, easily the most worthwhile MizTV ever (though that’s not saying much.)
Lesnar Gets Punk’d: Oh this was so wonderful. I have such a hard-on for this feud. I see people complaining about how this telegraphed the result of the Summerslam match and I just want to slap them as if they’d insulted my girlfriend because this was just so good. The performances were amazing as usual; Heyman was his typical snide, slimy self, Lesnar was as imposing as ever, and then Punk came out and started battering Brock with a camera and the crowd went banana and the look on Heyman’s face was perfect. Maybe this means Brock wins at Summerslam, but the match is going to be amazing and the pop when Punk gets his hands on Heyman will blow the roof off the place, and come 2014 everyone will look back and agree this was the feud of the year.
puRgatoRy:
Wade Barrett vs. Daniel Bryan: I’m puzzled by this. I mean, it doesn’t make lots of sense for Bryan to lose to Barrett one week before the biggest match of his career, even by an obvious fast-count, but it doesn’t harm him particularly and we’re still clearly in the formative stages of whatever angle this is, so let’s see where it goes. Even if it will likely end in another tired “fan-favorite vs. crooked authority figure” feud that very few people will be interested in.
Battle Royal: This was dull mostly but then had a terrific finishing sequence, so into purgatory it goes. The Ryback-Henry confrontation was fun and then Van Dam’s out-of-nowhere spinning wheel kick to knock out the former Skip Sheffield was a great moment. Van Dam should be a decent opponent for Ambrose considering the form he’s in at the moment. Yay!
THE WRONG:
The Great Khali & Natalya vs. Big E. Langston & AJ: What the fuck was this? The final Raw before the Ziggler/Kaitlyn vs. Langston/AJ match at Summerslam, Kaitler are nowhere to be found, and the rule-breakers are losing to Natalya and the Great Khali for some reason? Even without the weird, broken finish, this was weird, broken booking, even though the main feud itself is utterly tedious. Strange times.
The In-Laws: OH NO TRIPLE H AND VINCE MCMAHON ARE AT ODDS WHAT WILL THIS MEAN, PROBABLY NOTHING AT ALL BUT STILL! This will drag on for months and infect numerous matches (starting with Cena-Bryan) and nothing substantial will happen as a result of it. Boooo.
THE RIDICULOUS:
NOTHING
Show Rating: 6.5 As a reminder, I will be going by the 411 scale… 0 – 0.9: Torture |
By: Shawn S. Lealos
ROH Television 08.10.13:
QUICK RESULTS:
The Main Event – Wow, this match was just fantastic. I am sure there are some people who will complain about things like Elgin and Ciampa no-selling Davey Richards, but it made sense as far as the story of the match went. As it was, six of the best wrestlers in Ring of Honor turned in one hell of a match – the entire reasoning being that Ring of Honor can now concentrate on pure wrestling matches again without having to worry about SCUM getting in the way. This match, from start to finish, was full of impressive moves and spots, and having Michael Elgin, the No. 1 contender to the world title, beating Davey Richards cleanly was the right move. Great match, and giving it half of the show’s running time really made the show worth watching despite the other two matches being lackluster.
Silas Young – It was just a promo, but I refuse to quit telling you that Silas Young is a modern day Dirty Dick Slater. The guy is great, even on the mic.
Bob Evans vs. Mike Bennett – This match wasn’t very good, but it served its purpose. Last time we saw these men, Bennett turned on Bob Evans, and it seems Maria is the one pulling the strings. The match was a positive move when it came to Bennett finally breaking his last tie to Bob. Evans actually got some nice offense, but nothing that hurt Bennett at all. It ended with Bennett getting the easy win before hitting Cheeseburger with a piledriver after the match. Then, Bennett signed a long-term deal with ROH to stay with the company. It did its job, which is why it isn’t a wrong despite the match being under whelming.
MsChif vs. Bonesaw Brooks – You know, MsChif is one of the best female wrestlers in the world, and her matches over the last few months in Ring of Honor have been less than great. I don’t understand why these MsChif matches aren’t working, but she needs to pick things up or Women of Honor won’t live much longer.
NOTHING
The main event was just spectacular and really made this episode feel better than it should have. The other two matches weren’t worth much, but that main event is worth seeking out. SHOW RATING: 7.0 |
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