wrestling / Columns

Truths And Lies 02.18.14: WWE/TNA Week In Review

February 18, 2014 | Posted by Justin Watry

*I ramble on about nothing*

Well, my CM Punk columns from the past two weeks sure have caused a stir. Not only did they produce my most read/clicked on articles in nearly two years, I have now gained over 40 new Twitter followers since his departure. On top of that, three different websites have asked me to write columns for them in the past week alone. I thought all the readers had enough of me already?

Moving on, we are now just one week away from the WWE Network launch! This is going to be a huge week for the industry. WWE really has to sell people on a 24/7 wrestling “channel” through over the top outlets. The diehards jumping for joy over this will NOT be enough to make this a financial success. Oh yeah, there is also Elimination Chamber. Before we get to the social media plugs, I want to (again) thank Ari Berenstein for last week. Much respect sir.

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Comments

Note: I will happily respond to comments, as long as they do not have insults or cuss words. Sadly, most still do not grasp the very simple concept months later. Here are some of the best from last week!

Bleh: Psych is being ‘cancelled’ in a sense that it’s ending after 8 seasons with a farewell episode followed by a one hour Psych after show. It’s an amicable end, unlike the other two shows, since James Roday had hinted previously that this show will be it’s last.

In other words, Psych is being ‘cancelled’ in the same sense as ‘Lost’ and ‘Breaking Bad’ was cancelled (I am not putting Psych on that pedestal). Not the way ‘the Michael Fox Show’ or ‘Sean Saves the World’ was cancelled.

Fair enough. You are right. My point stands though about TNA Impact Wrestling and Spike TV.

Jake St-Pierre: But my name IS Jake St-Pierre…but I’m on the internet…

QUIT CONFUSING ME JUSTIN

Hahaha, real names are the coolest. We are cool. Only the cool kids use their real names online. You are not cool unless you do. You know what else is cool?

Lonestarr022: i can see Kane attacking Christian, taking him out right before the match, and then replacing him with himself.

That is a fair guess. I would go back to 2010 when Shawn Michaels came up from under the Chamber floor to cost The Undertaker the World Title match…only have it be Triple H that costs Daniel Bryan the title. Just an idea. Kane works too.

Card Subject To Change: “Thus, Mark Henry was a solid pick. What, expecting Rob Van Dam or something? Huh, must have been one of those lovely online reports. Hook, line, and sinker every time.”

Henry was advertised for RAW over the past week.

Yep, that is why Henry was a solid pick. Unlike Daniel Bryan who was NEVER advertised or even teased a Rumble entry.

Unright Khan: Man, I wish this Justin Watry guy would let us know his feelings about Punk quitting.

Hahaha. See folks, now THIS is a great sarcastic comment. No curse words. Nothing offensive. Perfectly acceptable. Love it.

Roto Rooter: “Is The Wyatts vs. The Shield worth the $50 price tag?” The answer has to be yes, because if you say no and don’t pay for it, then you can’t have an opinion.

No, only if you illegally stream the PPV. If you do not want to buy a WWE PPV, that is your choice. Watch some TV on Sunday. Go to the movie theater. Hang out at the bar for a couple hours. Whatever. Nobody has to buy every single WWE PPV. That is ridiculous thinking. However, when you translate that into “okay, now I can just steal it instead,” you lose your right to an opinion.

“1. Daniel Bryan vs. Kane does need to happen, just not at WrestleMania XXX. – This is where things get tricky. With the story being told, it is obvious we will get a Daniel Bryan vs. Kane match. That is fine. However, if CM Punk comes back to battle Triple H, that could mean Bryan vs. Kane…at WrestleMania XXX. No thank you. As much as I think Punk will come back at some point, this is where I want him to stay OUT of the picture. Let Bryan do his thing. Punk went home. I know who I want to see get a big WM match/payday against Triple H. Here is a guess: It is the guy who actually shows up.”

I COMPLETELY AGREED WITH JUSTIN WATRY ON THIS POINT. (hangs head in shame) lol

No shame. It is okay. If folks actually took the time and effort to read the words in my columns, they would probably agree more often. Notice I did not even bother discussing CM Punk in my Raw review last week. He quit; I have moved on and would rather cheer/boo the stars who show up. If he wants to come crawling back, great! If not, I will happily support the wrestlers who are there day in and day out.

Wetty Bite: I won a local radio show competition for a ticket to RAW on Monday. Loved it. Sadly, as I didn’t pay for it, my opinion doesn’t count.

The issue is ILLEGALLY (stealing) viewing content. You LEGALLY won a contest for a ticket to Raw and loved it. No problem at all there. Just read last week’s comment section. I love the different way fans can justify theft in their own minds – never ceases to amaze me. Glory to be behind a computer screen under an anonymous persona and steal! Also, I must admit it took me awhile to understand your user name, and you got a chuckle out of me. Kudos.

Ace Rimmer: I have a feeling he wrote that email to himself. “Steven” Does not exsist.

I do not know about exsist, but Steven does exist. Unsure about “Ace Rimmer” being real though. If you email me just like Steven did, I will happily reply.

Truths: TNA Impact Wrestling (2/13/14)

If anybody cared about the episode, please feel free to discuss in the comment section.

Note: My commitment to covering this show ended last month. However, I will watch from time to time. For those curious, I will be tuning in for the pre-Lockdown episode…or post-Lockdown episode. Maybe!

Truths: WWE Smackdown (2/14/14)

1. The Shield win another six man tag team match. – Ah, it is nice to have wrestling shows start with an actual wrestling match once in a blue moon. The best part of this entire thing was NOT the fact that The Shield won. It was that Sheamus accidentally kicked Christian. Finally, there is some kind of tension with these guys! So far, it has just been a bunch of single’s match against Randy Orton. While he is the WWE World Champion and that should be the focus, the guys who will not be winning at the pay-per-view (like Sheamus and Christian) need something to do. Disappointing there was nothing from The Wyatts though.

2. Jack Swagger makes a great #1 contender for the IC Championship. – Of the bunch, he was the right opponent to wrestle Big E at Elimination Chamber for the gold. Mark Henry? Just does not do it for me as a face. Rey Mysterio? Always hurt and best in a “veteran” role going forward. Kofi Kingston? Never a big fan. Most importantly, Swagger is a heel while Big E is a face. Nice matchup. With so little on the actual PPV card, give these two guys 20 minutes. No doubt, it would deliver.

3. I have no idea what is in store for Titus O’Neil or Darren Young going forward. – Okay, they have a match. Assume it goes 5-10 minutes and is decent. Then what? Who wins? Does WWE go full board with Titus or give Darren a chance to shine on his own? Fine, do a match…maybe two. Then what? I wish both luck, but this may not end well.

4. The best “wrestling” show on TV these days is Smackdown. – Not even close. Raw has that extra hour, but there is so much other filler thrown in there. Smackdown is straight to the point and in-ring action galore. With three straight weeks of over 3 million viewers, it seems people are enjoying that style right now. Promos generally do outdraw matches, but that does not mean you just forget about the matches. The opening six person tag got 12 minutes. Jack Swagger winning the fatal four way was over eight minutes. The eight person tag got almost 12 minutes. Then there was two quick matches and a 13 minute main event. Folks, a two hour WRESTLING show can feature WRESTLING and draw viewers. Shocking, I know.

5. Cesaro had the biggest night of his career. – Backstage promo. Good hype throughout from the commentators. Interview with WWE World Champion Randy Orton. All topped off with a CLEAN victory for Cesaro against Mr. RKO! The live crowd (which looked like a sell out) loved every minute of it. Zeb Colter and his crew had a wonderful evening. Props to Randy Orton, Cesaro, and the commentators for making this seem like a major event. Everything about this main event came off ‘big time.’ Nobody can tell the future, but I hope this is launch pad for Cesaro’s future.

Lie: Bad News Barrett is fun to watch. – Even at just one minute, this thing needs to go somewhere. It is a shame Barrett’s character was so hilarious on the JBL and Cole Show, yet has been a drag on television.

*Very good episode. As noted above, if you love wrestling, this show is for you. There was not very much build towards Elimination Chamber or the WWE Network, but that should be seen on Raw in grand fashion. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus is set for Raw. I think the champ wins there, but I try to never assume. How many of YOU assumed Cesaro would lose this main event? Exactly. Maybe Sheamus can win on Raw.*

Truths: WWE Raw (2/17/14)

1. Big E vs. 3MB really stalled the momentum of the show. – I really enjoyed the first 80 minutes of so of Raw. Once Zeb Colter started insulting Big E and looking at his hand for notes, everything stalled. Just not a good segment. The live crowd lost interest, as did I. Too bad. There was lots of entertaining stuff during the first half of Raw. For example…

2. The Shield/Wyatt Family staredown was just as good as last week. – Oh man, I wish WWE would have held off on having them brawl to close Raw. The past two weeks had intense staredowns. Make people PAY for the fight! While it was only a few seconds at the end of the show, there is something special about having opponents having no physicality until the pay-per-view clash. Either way, the six man tag on Sunday should be great.

3. John Cena vs. Cesaro had to end that way. – First, it is only fair to compliment both men. John Cena was his usual great self in the ring. Cesaro was right there with him the whole way. For what it counts, the fans in attendance were solid all night but especially fun here. The one and only Denver, Colorado (nice place to visit, been there before) was loud and energetic throughout this bout. That being said, you had to know where this was headed the moment the big match was announced. Cesaro looked EXCELLENT but lost. If you thought anything else was going to happen…well, I would like to welcome you to professional wrestling. It must have been your first night as a fan.

4. Randy Orton completed a nice series of matches. – Mr. RKO just wants to prove his worth as the face of the company. He may not win every single match, but as the WWE World Champion – the man is one of the best out there these days. Think about Randy Orton taking on his five Elimination Chamber opponents. Think about what he just finished up. Amazing matches. All of them were top notch. I was just about to rank them in order from best to worst but could not. All of them were memorable in their own way. All of them are worth another viewing or two. Fantasy booking is not my cup of tea, but I would love to see this every year around this time. Whoever is champion has to wrestle his five opponents before the Chamber PPV. Perfect idea in my mind.

5. I am jacked for next Monday night. – You know what? I expected a lot more build and hype from WWE concerning their network launch. The Elimination Chamber may be on Sunday, but the truth is the next day means much more. Much more! If the rumors are true and a bunch of legends are set for next week’s Raw, they missed the boat on promotion big time. I am not saying you announce EVERY wrestler coming back in advance. That ruins the surprise element, but at least mention a couple names to grab ratings/viewership. Regardless, all of us know how important February 24th will be for WWE. I am ready, and YOU can be ready as well by following my Twitter account to join me for live Raw tweeting for the first time ever.

Lie: The Daniel Bryan vs. Kane stuff should continue. – Please no. Can this finish already? Just give us the Bryan vs. Triple H setup…or whatever is coming for WrestleMania XXX. Hopefully, this happens on Sunday night. Enough with the Team Heck No members fighting.

*Solid three hours. The big matches were entertaining. A few more matches were added to the PPV card. WWE pushed their network for next week but not nearly enough as they should be. When they get far less than one million subscribers, it will be a tough pill to swallow. Very little Batista. Very little Triple H. Very little Alberto Del Rio. Probably for the best in all three cases. For the most part, I give this show a passing grade. The Chamber should be interesting.*

Ask Yourself

The next time you read an online report, ask yourself if the story actually makes sense…or is your typical gossip with no truth whatsoever. Just from the past week or so:

Summerslam 2014 to be held in L.A. – But…but…but…London! But…but…but…Madison Square Garden! But…but…but the dirt sheets said California would not get the event because of the WrestleMania 31 location. But…but…but…

Prince Devitt, Michael Elgin, and Kevin Steen possibly headed to WWE (or a tryout)? – Wait a minute. I thought WWE only signed big jacked up muscle dudes with great bodies and no longer cared about the indy wrestlers?!?!?! That is what the internet tries to tell me, despite the obvious proof of NXT saying otherwise. Huh, interesting.

Edit: One report said Devitt would more than likely go to WWE. Another report said Devitt would more than likely NOT go to WWE. Hilarious. The copy and pasters had a rough week with this rumor.

Update on Chris Jericho returning! – Ah yes. The 800 million different stories about guys coming back with absolutely nothing being said. Love those “updates.” Like…

Update on Sting going to WWE! – Getting closer.

Update on CM Punk! – Whatever. He left. He quit. He took his ball and went home. The WWE Machine will make money with or without out him. Great talent but in the wrong here. Minus the upcoming Raw in Chicago, it seems he is already forgotten about. Spoke on the wheel? Yeah, Punk was right about that.

Update on Bill Goldberg wrestling again! – No update. Great. Almost ten years after his last WWE match. In keeping with that theme, here is the next gem.

Update on Stone Cold wrestling again! – Let me get this straight. Stone Cold realized he could not wrestle anymore in 2011 when he got in the ring training during Tough Enough filming? Yet, since then there has been countless stories about him “possibly” or “maybe” coming back for a match. If the issue was dead and buried in 2011, that would make every report since then…what exactly? Garbage? Made up? False? Click bait? Precisely. It is now early 2014, and this nonsense still comes up every couple weeks with this guy. He has not competed since 2003 folks. I think it is about time we all move on. Admittedly, this story did create a great reply from Stone Cold pretty much summing up the “dirt sheets” all in one short tweet. Credit to him for that. If people do not listen to me, maybe they will take his words to heart instead?

Antonio Cesaro is now going by the name Cesaro. – Fine by me. If WWE thinks that will help, it is for the best. Rocky Maivia transitioned to The Rock. Kane The Undertaker quickly became The Undertaker. Or Hunter Hearst Helmsley to Triple H. Fit Finlay changed his in-ring name to Finlay, and there are lots of other examples with subtle name changes. My guess is most will not even notice it by next month. Cesaro is talented, and that is what counts.

Big E Langston to be called Big E? – Read above. Same thing here, if true. Taking away a last name or adding in a word or whatever means nothing. If you have talent, that is what matters most.

TNA Impact Wrestling adds a Sunday live pay-per-view to their April schedule. – Let me see here. WrestleMania XXX for $10 and every past PPV (with loads more!) on a 24/7 service OR a single thee hour TNA show for $40 in April? Yeah, good luck. Regardless of the WWE Network, TNA PPV buy rates are next to invisible anyways.

More low attendance for TNA live events. – Breaking news, right? Pictures before and during the show look dreadful. Just dreadful. Nearly every single weekend (outside of one week out of the year in the UK). It reminds me of Kyrie Irving wasting his time on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ditch that place and head to a winning team. Too much talent in TNA to be stuck there.

Recent new Saturday night episodes of COPS on Spike TV drew 1.8, 1.9, and 2 million viewers. – Yep. Hey, at least TNA occasionally beats the reruns that draw far less.

Have any more examples? Please share them below in the comment section. Until then, just remember the next time you click on an article to ask yourself first how much will be truth and how much will be fiction.

Ink Master On Spike TV Hype!

Exciting news for residents of Wisconsin: The upcoming season (starting next Tuesday) of Ink Master on Spike TV will feature a tattoo artist by the name of Melissa Monroe. Not only was she in my class/grade through middle and high school, I know friends and family who regularly get tattoos done by her. Always awesome work. Wish her well on the show!

Edit: I was actually going to attend the Smackdown tapings next week Tuesday from Milwaukee. Instead, there will be a little get together to watch the season premiere of Ink Master with Melissa. No Smackdown for me – sorry!

Live Tweeting During WWE Raw NEXT WEEK!

For the first time ever, I will be live tweeting during WWE Monday night Raw on February 24th, 2014. First time ever. Every single time Raw/Smackdown/PPV/whatever else is on television, my laptop and cell phone are off. However, all rules have an exception. Mine is for the sure to be epic Raw/WWE Network launch date! Thus, be sure to join me on Twitter for all of the festivities. If all goes well, who knows? Maybe it will be a bad experience and ruin the show for me. Maybe, just maybe I will enjoy all of nonsensical fun for three hours? We shall see. Exciting times await!

Self-Promoting Finale

Finally, here are some “ME!” plugs for all of you…

Just Google my name.

The Layfield Report Columns
Read Jay’s Ways
Read Smark Talk
Read Wrestling Rambles
Feel free to email me: [email protected]

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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