WWE Over the Limit thoughts
The Miz vowed on Raw this past Monday that he had come up with a way of defeating WWE champion John Cena in an I Quit Match at Sunday night’s Over the Limit pay-per-view that had never been done before. He also guaranteed that he would be declared the new champion.
Miz made good on both of his promises – yet he still walked out of Over the Limit a beaten man and without the championship belt.
Since anything goes in an I Quit match, Miz’s master plan was to have Alex Riley join him in the bout and basically turn it into a handicap match.
Miz and Riley double-teamed Cena for well over 20 minutes, battering him with a chair, kendo stick, leather belt, ring steps and television equipment, but Cena refused to give up.
Ultimately, the heel duo tried to recreate the finish to the famous Rock-Mankind I Quit Match from 1999, as Riley played a recording of Cena saying “I quit” into the microphone. The referee called for the bell and Miz was declared the new WWE champion.
But no so fast. Riley – being the bumbling henchman that he is – had dropped the recording device (his cell phone) on the floor, and the referee discovered it, listened to it and ordered the match re-started.
Given new life, it took Cena less than two minutes to take out Riley, put Miz in the STF and make him say “I quit.”
In the other world title match, world heavyweight champion Randy Orton turned back Christian’s challenge in one of the best matches of the year.
Also on the show, Michael Cole did indeed finally get his comeuppance, as he was humiliated by Jerry Lawler in a Kiss My Foot Match that included cameos by Bret Hart and Jim Ross.
Overall, this was a serviceable show. Orton-Christian is worth going out of your way to see, and WWE finally delivered the payoff to the Cole-Lawler feud. As for the Cena-Miz match, I found it compelling, although it was probably not everyone’s cup of tea (the Super Cena detractors hated it for sure). The rest of the card was nothing special.
Here is a match-by-match look at the show:
WWE champion John Cena defeated The Miz (with Alex Riley) in an I Quit Match (24:48): It’s hard to even categorize this as a match since it was basically a two-on-one assault that went on for over 20 minutes. After Cena hit the Attitude Adjustment on Miz in the first few minutes, Riley smashed Cena in the head with the briefcase. He proceeded to hit Cena with it several more times, and the brutal beatdown was underway. Cena endured multiple kendo stick shots to the chest and stomach and one to the head and 17 lashes with a leather belt, but he wouldn’t quit. He also took the Skull-Crushing Finale on a chair and was blasted with a TV monitor, microphone and the ring steps. As the match was going on, I kept waiting for Cena to find an opening, take out and Riley and make his comeback, but it never happened. Around the 20-minute mark, Miz began taunting a young Cena fan in the front row, telling him that he had better ask his hero to quit unless he wants to see him suffer even more pain. The kid refused to give up on Cena. Smart kid.
At 22:30, Cena was trapped in the exposed barricade, and Miz nailed him with a chair shot that may have been to the head (it was difficult to tell from the camera angle). At that point, Riley played the recording of Cena saying “I quit” into the microphone, and Miz was announced as the winner at 23:07. After the referee realized what had happened and re-started the match, Riley went to hit Cena with the title belt, but Cena ducked and Riley hit Miz instead. Cena then delivered the Attitude Adjustment to Riley through the announce table. Cena took off his leather belt and began whipping Miz, who unsuccessfully tried to escape up the ramp. Cena then locked on the STF on the ramp and Miz wasted no time in screaming “I quit.” The re-start went just 1:41. I never expected Miz to win this match, but I was surprised – and disappointed – that he was made to look so weak. Not only could he not get the job done in a handicap match, but after being on the offensive for so long, he quit almost immediately.
World heavyweight champion Randy Orton defeated Christian (16:50): There were dueling chants at the beginning of the match, but as the bout went on, the crowd was hotter for Christian. After Christian landed a flying headbutt off the top rope for a near fall at the 8:30 mark, a “Christian” chant broke out. A couple minutes later, when Christian made it to the ropes to force a break while Orton had him in a reverse Boston Crab, the crowd chanted “Let’s go Christian!” While Christian was on the second rope at 11:50, he head-faked Orton into setting up for an RKO and then hit a sunset flip for a two count. That was a nice play off the finish to their match on Smackdown when Orton won the title. To show that Orton also had Christian well-scouted, he blocked Christian’s attempt at a pendulum kick and turned it into a draping DDT for a near fall. At 13:45, Christian pushed out of an RKO attempt and set up for a spear. As he charged at Orton, however, Orton caught him with a perfectly timed snap powerslam for a near fall.
At 15:30, Orton had Christian set up for the punt to the head, but he began to have second thoughts. After hesitating, Orton ultimately decided to go for it, but Christian nailed him with a spear for a fantastic near fall. Christian was super frustrated that he couldn’t finish off Orton. The finish saw Christian counter another RKO attempt by maneuvering Orton into position for the Killswitch. Orton countered by flipping Christian over and finally hitting the RKO for the win. While many in the crowd clearly wanted Christian to win, there still was a good pop for Orton getting the victory. Orton helped Christian get to his feet after the match, but Christian pushed him away and began to leave the ring. Orton invited him back in the ring for a handshake, and after thinking about it for a few seconds, Christian shook Orton’s hand. This was simply a great match with two talented veterans who know how to tell a story in the ring. My guess is that Christian’s frustration over his inability to regain the title will eventually result in him snapping and turning heel, but it’s clear that right now the fans are into him as the lovable underdog.
Jerry Lawler defeated Michael Cole in a Kiss My Foot Match (3:02): Cole came out still dressed in his street clothes and walking with a limp. He read a note from his doctor that said he would be unable to compete because of his athlete’s foot. The referee ripped up the note, however, and the match was on. Lawler immediately went on the attack. Cole gained a brief advantage when he suckered Lawler and rammed him into the ring steps, but Lawler recovered quickly and threw Cole into the Cole Mine, destroying it in the process. He then put Cole back into the ring and hit a fist drop off the second rope for the victory. Then the real fun began.
Lawler called out Eve Torres, who hit a moonsault on Cole as retribution for all his insulting remarks about the Divas. Next out was Jim Ross, who squirted barbecue sauce all over Cole. Before Lawler could force Cole to kiss his foot, though, Cole exited the ring and said he wouldn’t do it. As Cole stood on the ramp, I was expecting Jack Swagger to come out and prevent him from leaving. Instead, Bret Hart’s music hit. “The Hit Man” threw Cole into the ring and put him in The Sharpshooter. While Cole was trapped in the move, Lawler stuck his bare foot in Cole’s mouth. The match and the post-match angle were exactly what they should have been (although it would have been nice for Swagger to get a rub, but I’m guessing WWE just doesn’t want to turn him babyface at this point). It will be interesting to see what happens next with Cole. There is a lot of speculation that he will be revealed shortly as the anonymous Raw general manager.
R-Truth defeated Rey Mysterio (8:11): This opened the show and it was pretty good. R-Truth cut an entertaining promo before the match in which he complained about not having a parking spot when he arrived at the arena. The finishing sequence was well done, as R-Truth went for his finisher, but Mysterio countered with a huracanrana that put R-Truth into position for the 619. R-Truth rolled out of the ring before Mysterio could hit the move, however, and when Mysterio went for a kick, R-Truth yanked him out of the ring and crotched him onto the banner on the apron. R-Truth then threw Mysterio back in the ring and hit his finisher for the clean win. After the match, R-Truth smashed Mysterio over the head with a water bottle. R-Truth got a good heel reaction before, during and after the match.
WWE tag team champions The Big Show and Kane defeated CM Punk and Mason Ryan (9:05): With all the Internet speculation about Punk’s contract situation, everything he does is under a microscope, so read into this what you will: he and Ryan lost, but it was Ryan who did the job. After Kane clotheslined Punk over the top rope and onto the floor, he and Big Show hit a double chokeslam on Ryan for the victory. Ryan is green but he didn’t look bad in this match. On a side note, Punk – in an obvious tribute to the late Randy “Macho Man” Savage – went for a flying elbow off the top rope and imitated Savage’s mannerisms before doing so. The crowd reacted to it, but the announcers either didn’t get what he was doing or just chose not to acknowledge it.
Ezekiel Jackson defeated WWE Intercontinental champion Wade Barrett by disqualification (7:26): After several minutes of back-and-forth action, Jackson body-slammed Barrett five consecutive times and then put him in the Torture Rack. Barrett’s fellow Corre members Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater then hit the ring and assaulted Jackson, causing Barrett to be disqualified. Jackson fought them off at first before eventually succumbing to the three-on-one attack. The match was OK.
WWE Divas champion Brie Bella defeated Kelly Kelly (4:01): In the biggest surprise of the night, Kharma did not make an appearance during this match. After Brie and Nikki Bella switched places behind the referee’s back, Nikki hit a sit-out facebuster on Kelly Kelly for the win. Kharma not getting involved was disappointing.
Sin Cara defeated Chavo Guerrero (7:21): This match – which was clearly designed to be a showcase for Cara, as I can’t believe anyone thought Guerrero would win – wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t nearly as good as I thought it would be. Cara pulled off some impressive moves, but there seemed to be some miscommunication at one point, and the finish was botched. Cara appeared to be going for either a tilt-a-whirl huracanrana or his La Mistica finisher, but whatever it was supposed to be, it wasn’t executed properly and looked bad. They should have called an audible and come up with a Plan B, but Cara stuck to the script and pinned Guerrero despite the obvious botch. During the post-match video highlights, several of Cara’s high spots were replayed, but the finish was not.
Comments
I think that the reason that The Miz quit was that he realized he was in a hopeless situation: the ref was against him (I believe that it was the same ref that caught Miz using the belt in the Cena/Miz title match on Raw), Riley was now out of commission, Cena was angry, and he was trapped on the stage with nowhere to go.
I will admit that it did make Miz look weak, but it did fit his cowardly heel persona. I do feel like it wasn't as bad as people are making it out to be.
Posted by: Abusoru | May 23, 2011 2:32 PM
Cara better watch out, or improve his communication at least, as it seems that he botches a move every other week. I like him, and I'm sure he'll shine in the WWE, but it really hasn't been the strongest of starts for him. Also, was it just me or did Sin Cara genuinely seemed ticked off at himself after the match? Though being he just botched the finish in his first PPV I wouldn't blame him.
Posted by: Nick Jolley | May 23, 2011 2:36 PM
The "I Quit" match was a joke....Cena gets his a** handed to him for 20 minutes, then 2 minutes of whipping Miz, then the STF for the win?? Even in Hogan's day, garbage like that never happened, and it shouldn't happen at all. Cena is just horrible and it keeps getting worse every second he continues to be champion....
The Orton-Christian match was better than I thought it would be and I hope there's a heel turn for Captain Charisma soon.
What's the deal with bathing the ring in Sin Cara's colors for his match? It's annoying; reminds me of Kane's first match against Mankind when everything was red.
Posted by: Horseman420 | May 23, 2011 2:52 PM
I felt bad for Sin Cara, i mean, there were several noticeable botches throughout the match, but overall it was enjoyable, Cara shaking his head dissaprovingly at the end, even he knew he'd slipped up.
Maybe it was too early for Sin Cara to debut at a PPV?
First PPV nerves and all that? WWE are expecting too much too soon out of Cara?
Whatever the reason, Sin Cara will recover and get stronger.
Posted by: Mark | May 23, 2011 3:01 PM
Christian and Orton put on an awesome match. And Orton didn't do a split jump after he won. I'm glad they had Orton go for the punt kick, I was afraid they were going to turn him into too nice of a guy. I didn't like the Miz Cena match. It made Miz look too weak. It made him look like he doesn't even deserve to be champion. From the moment the divas match started I was waiting eagerly for Kharma, very disappointed when it didn't happen. Interesting on Cole being anonymous GM. I originally thought it was him, but after so much time... I simply stopped caring who it was. Maybe Cole can call Lawler's dentist from when he lost his I quit match to Brett. Oh yeah, I forgot he got burned in a fire the started working with his "brother"
Posted by: Duane | May 23, 2011 3:05 PM
How was the Sin Cara finished botched? It looked fine to me. Anyways, while I was thrilled with the outcome of the Cena vs. Miz matchup, I was hoping that Zack Ryder would come in on Cena's behalf and take Riley out of the equation so it would be a 1 on 1 match instead of a handicap, plus it would've looked more realistic and given Ryder a big rub, but whatever, at least Cena won. Also, for the feud between Christian and Orton, someone needs to turn heel, while the match was great, the buildup had an awkward feel and was definitly not a reason I ordered the PPV. I pretty much ordered it for the Cena vs. Miz and Lawler vs. Cole matches, but nevertheless I enjoyed Orton vs. Christian. I think Orton should turn heel, his character is much better suited for a heel role and Christian is much better suited for a face role, and it could really make the rivalry so much better. Overall it was worth the 45 bucks.
Posted by: Eli Arbaiza | May 23, 2011 3:28 PM
I am really surprised they didnt have the Raw GM make an announcement the first ruling would stand and Miz was indeed the new champion. Then have Cena come out tonight and challenge for the belt and win it. It would help increase the ratings because everyone would want to tune in to see how Cena responded
Posted by: Brian | May 23, 2011 3:31 PM
This was a PPV of two matches: the Christian - Orton match was everything the main event should have been and more (and it should have been the main event). Two skilled performers telling a great story, especially with their facial expressions, without the need for gimmicks or stipulations that muddy the waters.
And then we have. . . The Passion of John Cena. The Miz could have drove over Cena with a Sherman tank and he'd still say "No" in that same monotone voice when asked if he wanted to quit. Cena, as Booker T so eloquently put it, has done brilliantly for one "with limited skills and abilities". The same can be said of The Miz. But for me, they just can't have a decent match with each other. Neither one is good enough to help the other overcome their obvious in-ring limitations. It's time for these two to separate and enter into new feuds. A Cena - Punk feud would be ideal. . .
Speaking of Punk, I loved his tributes to Macho Man. Dig It!
Posted by: Barry | May 23, 2011 3:36 PM
During the Jackson beatdown I was sure Skip Sheffield was gonna return and make the save. I haven't entirely given up on The Corre, they just need to be matched against the correct opposition, such as an alliance of Jackson, Sheffield and Daniel Bryan.
Smackdown writing has been terrible for a while now. Full credit to Christian and Orton for making the best of it and putting on some awesome matches.
Some new main event feuds for Capitol Punishment please. Orton vs Rhodes (w/ DiBiase) and Cena vs Ziggler would do nicely.
Posted by: Starbjuck | May 23, 2011 3:58 PM
Hi kev,
When will WWE stop making cena look like a superman.I mean Miz never had a chance of winning this one and he lost under 2 mins when cena got his turn.But Last year even Batista(who is a better wrestler and much powerful than cena anyday) cried out "I quit" like a girl when Cena did not even get close to saying it.I mean i don't undstand WWE's strategy.They keep on crowning the same people cena or orton the world champion a Gazallion times.I mean like they say "too much is too bad".They really need to freshen up the Major titles.
Thanks. - Syed Habib Fawaz(India)
Posted by: Syed Habib Fawaz | May 23, 2011 4:07 PM
Hello Kevin. I would appreciate your advice. My 6 and 5 yo are hooked on wwe. We watched the pay per view and was looking at getting tickets for the wwe raw Bmore show in June. I notice the night before there is a big ppv event in DC. will that cause most of the stars not to come to baltimore the next day? I havent seen a schedule for either event
RESPONSE FROM KE: Raw in Baltimore is a three-hour show so it will likely have stars from both Raw and Smackdown
Posted by: stevet | May 23, 2011 4:43 PM
Same Old Crap. It's like every Cena match is booked with the absolute belief that "THIS will be the match that gets every fan in the world in his corner!". I guess Cena's next feud will be with Cancer or AIDS, since physical human heels just don't seem to be doing the trick and Bin laden is dead now.
Posted by: MechanicalBull | May 23, 2011 6:21 PM
Have to say I haven't been blown away with Sin Cara thus far, his offence looks very powder puff. I know the luchador style is to work light and have minimal contact but I struggle to buy into Cara as any kind of major threat outside of a cruiserweight division at the moment. The silly lighting is grating on me as well.
Posted by: G | May 23, 2011 7:02 PM
Miz was made to look like a total chump. He and Riley absolutely destroyed SuperCena for 95% of the match, but after being recharged by our yellow sun, SuperCena annihilated Miz in under a minute. The booking here is just mind boggling. I expected SuperCena to win, but not at the expense of throwing Miz's credibility into the Phantom Zone (ok, no more Superman jokes, I swear).
Posted by: loco | May 23, 2011 7:13 PM
I'm not in the Cena fan club, but I'm not one of his rabid detractors either - I liked the entire matchup up to the last 2 mins, but that was the worst possible finish. I knew Miz was not going to win, but that was extremely bad.
Note to Vince McMhaon: Kids will survive and even thrive if Cena loses an I Quit match and Super Human comebacks stopped being compelling about the time of Wrestlemania 7. We don't mind the babyface winning, but we want our heels to look strong in defeat.
Thankfully the Orton / Chritian Match was a masterpiece.
Posted by: rob | May 23, 2011 9:09 PM
If you were just tunning into the end of the Lawler/Cole match, after King got the victory, you'd swear you were watching a snuff film.
A creepy guy in a black leather coat and dark sunglasses has another guy with his pants half ripped off in a leg lock while another guy jams his foot in his mouth. And what was that all over his face. Did the fat guy wearing the cowboy hat or the extremly hot chick defecate on him? I have to look long and hard on the intrnet for stuff like that.
On a serious note I hope we get some sort of Randy Savage video tribute tonight on RAW. I was hoping for one last night but it was not to be. He at least deserved a 10 bell saluate.
Posted by: Andre the midget | May 23, 2011 10:07 PM
I was lucky enough to miss the end of the Cena-Miz match...If only disqualifications were allowed, because from what I have read disqualifying the Miz would have been better than the garbage they came up with. I was really impressed with the Miz, as he managed to take his heel role to a whole other level (if you watch it until right before the last two minutes of the match it was pretty amazing). On the whole I would say it was definitely one of the better pay-per-views I have seen as of late. I agree completely with the comments made by MechanicalBull and Loco, they are making Cena seem superhuman, it is getting hard to stomach…
Posted by: Sheena | May 23, 2011 11:57 PM
Why do people root for heels anyways? I mean, they're such jerks, like in real life it's always nice to see the nice guy beat up the one that everyone hates. Now I know it's scripted, that the heels probably aren't like that in real life, but really, the best way to watch the show is to just suspend your disbelief, mark out to the faces and pretend it's real. I just can't see how people can hate on Cena, he's amazing and doesn't cheat like the Miz or talk trash to the fans or gloat about his supposed "awesomeness".
Posted by: Eli Arbaiza | May 24, 2011 12:49 AM
The Orton/Christian match was excellent and the victory correctly went to Orton. Was also a good demonstration of how wrestling should be - skillful and athletic - rather than just watching two huge guys slugging it out. Not match of year but up there.
The Cena/Miz match was physically impressive but dull - the writers really boxed themselves in here with such a massive handicap against Cena but still I think they could have found a better way out. And agree with the first comment - suited Miz's "luck" character more than the cage match where he looked too strong.
The Tag team match was considerably better than expected. Clearly Mason Ryan is set for a breakout Batista style run - needs to learn some more ring skills first tho
And is it just me that's glad to see the end of Jerry Lawler / Michael Cole in the ring - went too long.
Posted by: njg_london | May 24, 2011 7:10 AM
I disagree completely with Sin Cara's stupid lighting arrangement...plus what is with almost every spot being botched or require a ridiculous set up.
Booker T must have taken too many shots to the head, he can't tell time
Posted by: Andy | May 24, 2011 8:35 AM
Only Chuck Norris can make John Cena quit!
Posted by: Alex | May 24, 2011 8:58 AM
Make John Cena heel.
Thats his right position.
He is so easy to hate, cause he is so fake and un-genuine.
Posted by: Stevo | May 24, 2011 11:59 AM
The WWE has become a bunch of guys (some worthy, some pushed for no reason) jockeying for an opportunity to be buried by Cena or Orton. If that's what you like; by all means, enjoy. If you find it boring and stupid like me; take your business elsewhere for a while. After this idiotic and incompetent PPV, that's what I intend to do. I'll check in again in about a year.
Posted by: SD Jones | May 24, 2011 2:49 PM
Eli, are you the "it's still real to me, dammit" guy?
But seriously, give it a rest. Go be a Cena mark somewhere else, the IWC is full of smarks who hate Cena.
Posted by: Jay | May 24, 2011 5:02 PM
Sorry but I can not agree with the opinion that Orton should have won, I also want to know why Cena gets trashed for his supposed "Super Human" traits,yet somehow Orton's lame a$$ed DDP,oops I mean RKO,is somehow magical money. I think that finish was totally ridiculous,Christian crushes Orton with much much worse,then Orton (surprise surprise) hits the RKO/DDP and Christian is a limp dead man,just stupid.Not only is that move not that tough,but the one that ended the match was particularly weak.Just answer this for me Kev,the only thing about Non-stop you seem to do is non-stop criticism of Impact Wrestling,yet WWE puts on this totally unbelievable crap with the RKO instant finish and you applaud. Why is Orton's finish so believable to you but everything else is BS? Makes no sense except for blatant favoritism,I realize this is a blog,but it is also cloaked as your supposed journalism,so tell me what gives,or exactly how much does Vince pay you on the down low?Look at all of these so-called unbelievable Orton RKO's as of late,he catches Evan Bourne into an RKO off of a flying leap,watch it lame as hell,barely even got a hold of his neck,and he did another to someone else who's name escapes me the same exact way,barely even getting his hands on him and the announcers make JR sound like a kindergarten teacher reading a story before nap time.Look some RKO's when properly performed are perhaps devastating,but not one in the last 10 matches has been more than a head touch while the taker acts as if he had his noggin knocked off.Good for them they play their role correctly but this nonsense that Randy's finisher is the second coming of the figure 4,sharp shooter,DDP,Jake the Snakes pile driver,Nash's power bomb etc etc is so damn weak it escapes me why you would not even mention how ridiculous it is,especially in this Christian match where Christian hit Orton with several moves back to back much more powerful only to instantly be made to be road kill by one weak RKO,would have been much better for Orton to skull kick him,turn heal and then we would actually have something that anyone over 12 could begin to suspend belief for during a 60 minute show. Instead we have you marking out like a schoolboy for a weak move performed weakly after being pummeled by much much stringer and better moves. To me this would have made much more sense,besides Orton is much better suited to be a hell,and the crowd is undoubtedly behind Christian now,so how is it some one like me can come up with better booking than the overpaid team of idiots that run your precious WWE?
Posted by: mickfowl | May 24, 2011 5:27 PM
i wish this wasn't the blow-off of the Michael Cole/Jerry "The King" Lawler feud. here's how i woulda ended it.
Since this whole thing started w/ him suddenly cheering for the Miz and becoming his commentary cheerleader, it shoulda ended w/ him. You coulda had The Miz complain like he did last night on RAW and then Michael Cole all of a sudden interrupts him and tries to praise him and console him and stuff, and then The Miz cuts him off and totally berates him, sayin all kinds of hurtful stuff to the point where Michael Cole is on his knees. Miz says one last thing to really damage Michael Cole emotionally and then leaves the ring as Michael Cole looks on at his hero(or former hero)broken-hearted and dejected and starts cryin as the crowd chants away at him to make him feel worse.
if played out nicely, woulda made a feel-good moment for everybody watching.
Posted by: preston | May 24, 2011 5:55 PM
please don't cena he is awosome
Posted by: paul | May 25, 2011 3:22 AM
@ Eli Arbaiza
The reason, I suspect, that people want the "heels" to win sometimes has to do with the fact that wrestling at this point includes the context that it is NOT real, and there's no point pretending. What makes us suspend disbelief is very much the work of the individual wrestlers. This is "marking out".
Because of this, for a discerning fan, the real "faces" become those perfomers whom we recognize a great ability in, whether it's athletic, on the mic, or a mixture of the two--(which is always best). It is so obvious that Cens receives favoritism from the WWE front office, and he is so consistently booked beyond reasonable belief as a Superman to keep little kids buying his t-shirts and action figures--that to many fans--HE is the heel. Miz is a guy that not many folks believed had much going for him, who through hard work and improvement became an enjoyable heel---he is the one many people want to see be pushed and win--because his work playing the heel is better than Cena's playing the face. In this way, Miz almost becomes a face--even though he's playing a heel--get it?
Same goes for the Christian controversy. He is a guy who has worked hard and was willed forward by fan support. He's funny, takes risks in the ring as far as his move-set goes, and knows how to work a story in the ring. Orton's always been very good athletically--but he has a kid-driven character---and the fans did not will him forward--Vince's marketing did---and most reasonable pro wrestling fans would like to see the work of a Christian rewarded before that of an Orton, who has had front office advantages and has had his time in the sun many times.
Hopefully that explains it a bit better for you, and doesn't give you the wrong impression that some of us are cheering for bad guys. We're cheering for the best worker--who traditionally in wrestling was the person rewarded with main event exposure and acclaim. Except in Vince's world, where the guy that will sell the most merchandise to kids will----think on that for a minute. Kids are pretty vulnerable, aren't they? That's what tobacco companies got in trouble for--or what McDonald's is getting in trouble for now---not a very honorable tactic. So in that context---if Cena is a character pushed for "business reasons", because he sells merchandise for kids---then who is really the heel?
Posted by: DumbSmark | May 25, 2011 9:54 AM
@ Eli Arbaiza
How does an Undertaker fan "mark" in this situation from a few years back?
While a "heroic" JR is resisting initiation into Mr. McMahon's Society of Tuccis Worship (somewhere in Oklahoma, at that), along comes 'Taker. But 'twas not to good ol' JR's rescue that he came.
Before performing his henchman's duty for the Boss, Undertaker (or was it Mark Calloway?) points out that he'd been kissing Vince's you-know-what for quite some time by then. A "Boomerang's HOF" moment, for sure.
A reason to love him, a reason to hate him, no matter how you may have felt at the beginning, huh?
@ (Not So)DumbSmark
I don't see how Vince is any different from his old man or any other promoter who created and used their champions to produce the most "cha-ching." In Daddy's day, that meant the live gate and Bruno held the belt for a decade and a half. Nowadays, revenue streams differently. My 3-year-old grandson has a Kiddie-Meal toy that proclaims "I am the Game," though he's quicker to proclaim "I'm John Cena."
Posted by: Boomerang41144 | May 25, 2011 2:02 PM
@DumbSmark- very well put.
Posted by: Jay | May 25, 2011 4:28 PM
@DumbSmark: I can see where ur coming from, although when I watch the show I usually try not to think about who's more skilled and simply get into the storylines, that's why I almost always cheer on the faces. A couple of exceptions include 2001 when Stone Cold Steve Austin was a heel, I cheered for him because I loved his character, and sometimes I cheer for the Bella twins just because they're really gorgeous and their "twin magic" is kinda funny. As for Cena's skills, I really consider him underrated. He's got very good mic skills, and in the ring he's put on lots of great matches:
TLC Unforgiven 2006 vs. Edge
Royal Rumble 2007 vs. Umaga
hour-long match vs. Shawn Michaels in 07
his matches with Kurt Angle during their feud
Wrestlemania 2006 vs. HHH
Those are just a few examples, I'm sure there are lots of other Cena matches that were great matches, and it takes both wrestlers performing well to make it a great match. Heck, even in his feud with The Great Khali that last man standing match was actually a decent one, which even though I do like Khali because he has a cool character, most of his matches kinda suck, so you know Cena was carrying that match. The only ones that have had good matches against The Great Khali are Cena, Edge, The Undertaker, Kane, and maybe 1 or 2 others. Basically, Cena is very good at selling his opponent and adapting to his opponents' style, that's what makes him a great in-ring performer.
Posted by: Eli Arbaiza | May 25, 2011 6:37 PM
Also, about The Miz: I really don't find his character that entertaining, while he is good on the mic, I think he needs a new gimmick, his "awesome" gimmick has gotten kinda old. Anyways, I think that probably the best heel in the business, if used properly, is CM Punk. I remember really hating him last year, now he's been buried so much it's kinda hard to really hate him. Better heels than the Miz include:
Punk
Randy Orton (when he was heel)
Mark Henry
The Great Khali (back when he was a heel)
Jack Swagger
Cody Rhodes
maybe Alberto Del Rio, although he's got more to prove
Sheamus
One more thing: I think Orton's character is simply more suited for a heel, so if I was WWE I'd make him heel again.
Posted by: Eli Arbaiza | May 25, 2011 6:42 PM
@ Boomerang41144
No arguments about Vince Sr. and big bad Bruno--(although Bruno was more of a true fan-favorite than many of Vince Jr.'s creations)---For my own part, I never really liked any of the McMahon "product" for the most part. I used to like the AWA, NWA, Stampede, etc.
At least at that point you had competition---and I would argue that many of the stars of yesteryear were pushed organically out of fan recognition--even sometimes in WWE--although of course there were always attempts by promoters to put forward the "next big thing". However, when there was plenty of competition, this was harder to do---the Von Erichs, the Road Warriors--(who are a grat example--people forget that scumbag Vince tried to copy their style and performance with Demolition---and sadly, as he always has his captive younger audience, it worked--until he was able to lure the real thing over--and fan reaction vs. Vince's corporate rip-off was not debatable--although he later went on to book the Warriors in a de-legitimizing way--as he does with all foreign creations--Vince is like the white blood cell of his own company)---Ric Flair, the Midnight Express, and many others.
When you have comeptition in wrestling and look back on those times, you find that the best characters and stories came out of that need to compete, which usually means that the owners and "old men" sometimes had to forego their own ego and "creations" and turn to what the fans react to--which are usually performers who have the ability to rise to the top who might have otherwise not been given the chance without the competition.
I always use the Chris Jericho, Benoit, Guerrero example for that. Those three are not always recognized as the final nails in WCW's coffin during the Wars. WCW at that point had started listening to the wisdom of Nash and Russo and Bischoff over that of the fans---and they had hung three guys who the fans really reacted to out to dry. Ironically, it was Vince who snatched them up and set them loose--although as soon as he "won" the war, he went back to doing the same thing.
One last thought---your exposition of your grandson's merchandise and favorite wrestler kind of makes my point. There aren't any Christian or CM Punk Burger King mugs, are there? Sure, let people say-"they're not marketable enough"--which is an inane argument---HHH and Cena are marketable BECAUSE they're on the cups--put Christian at the forefront of a marketing campaign and you'd have all the kids chanting his name and buying his crap. And is it a surprise that he likes Cena? "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect"---sounds a lot like "Say your prayers, eat your vitamins.."---He even wears primary colors--he wins matches with a limited moveset--but he's physically big and in shape....Hmmmm.
I didn't like Hogan back in the day either---and time kind of proved the whole thing out. Wrestling had its place for thirty years. Vince Jr. decided to take it prime-time, behind his action figures. It lasted until..what..1993? 1994? Then Vince's superficial act became stale--a fresh competitor came along--and all of a sudden-Vince had to make some changes.
Then he "won", although he really lost, because there was no competition anymore, and his act became as stale as before. Hogan/Cena---Doink The Clown/Hornswoggle----the problem is now that TNA is a mess run by morons with no more clue than McMahon--and there is no competitor to save us from Vince and Vince from himself. He, like any good corporate totalitarian, has destroyed all competition. There's a reason why we USED to have laws against that--although they obviously aren't enforced anymore---especially in telecommunications and finance.
@ Eli Arbaiza
I agree with you about Punk--he is a great heel-probably the best WWE has to offer and it's a shame they don't use him well.
You defend your opinions very well, and we don't need to agree----we just both need to express our points so that every available perspective is out there. Your knowledge of those characters and situations that you like is comprehensive and I enjoy reading about them.
Posted by: DumbSmark | May 26, 2011 9:28 AM
I just wanted to say that Mason Ryan's wrestling skills make John Cena look like Dean Malenko. And I thought Ezekiel Jackson was bad...
And Sin Cara's match looked botched from almost the beginning when the hurricanrana off the top rope was caught wrong and Chavo went legs first awkwardly into the barricade. I think after that, Chavo was trying to keep up with the moves, but couldn't.
I loved the R-Truth's parking lot promo.
Posted by: Jun | May 26, 2011 10:55 AM
@ (Not So)DumbSmark
Thank you for your informed response. I'm rather enjoying this dialogue and appreciate your efforts to keep it on point and civil.
Before I ramble a reaction (and since you reference the Midnight Express), may I (is it proper protocol on a forum such as this?) to recommend a piece of commentary at another cyber location -- I guess Big Brother Kevin will take appropriate action if necessary. Lance Storm offers a take/tribute on Jim Cornette at his stormwrestling.
Now...
Wasn't there always an "old-boys-network" at work in pro wrestling/'rasslin', between the governing bodies (NWA, AWA, WWWF), but also among promoters under the various umbrellas? So, while Vince decided to violate the long-held "go along to get along" tradition and go national, he had his "old boys" (like Monsoon, Albano, Ernie Roth, Tony Altimore, Arnold Skaaland) in place. Ever after, Vince would seem to have had a decided preference/favoritism to home-grown talent, as well as a tendency to demand "dues payment" (up to and including degrading ridicule at times) of others. That's a valid criticism that falls into the Because He Can category. At some point, copyright, ownership rights, and long green came into play, too.
Through his TV product, Vince is being the Johnny Carson type he aspired to become with Lord Alfred back in the '80's. Here's the logic: Some ideas can be so bad that they're funny. Any idea will be amusing to somebody. Ergo, give it a shot. Sometimes a colossally bad segment provides a great contrast and can make some other segment even more compelling. Remember when Nexus debuted and we all went "Wow"? It was at the conclusion of an otherwise pretty lousy show.
Quite an evolution from the days when the "storyline" and the reason we cared was "one of US" having a fight with "one of THEM." Or maybe none at all. I'll discuss it with the grandson as soon as he develops an appreciation for Santino or Eric Young.
One last thought, and not to be disrespectful, but wouldn't this be a good time to have the voice of Jay Lethal under contract?
Posted by: Boomerang41144 | May 28, 2011 5:39 PM
@ Boomerang 41144
Interesting perspectives. To close this column off--it would be nice to have Jay Lethal back somewhere in a nationally accessible market----I think this is one of the things that drives me towards my own perspectives. Irregardless of deifferences on what has been in wrestling as far as the motivations of the owners---the fact remains now that there is an unjust monopoly by McMahon----and competitors have a hard time getting off the ground---this leaves not a lot of room for a diversity of wrestlers and ideas.
Big WWE and little, dystopian TNA are not enough options for an entire industry. The indies are out there and they're still great in some cases, but they aren't exactly places where a worker can feed his or her family on wrestling alone. Before we get into issues of socialism vs. capitalism or some such--I'll just suggest that we probably both agree that monopolization by Vince has hurt wrestling over all.
Posted by: DumbSmark | May 30, 2011 3:57 PM