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http://www.cheap-heat.com/lucky-thirteen-1-faces-and-the-men-who-paint-them/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/lucky-thirteen-1-faces-and-the-men-who-paint-them/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2015 18:44:27 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Top Lists AAA Abe Schwartz Barry Windham Doink Dustin Rhodes El Rey Network Finn Balor Goldust Jeff Hardy Keiji Mutoh Knuckleball Lucha Underground Million Dollar Man New Japan Pro Wrestling NJPW NWA NXT Papa Shango Prince Devitt Sting Ted DiBiase The Boogeyman The Brooklyn Brawler The Great Muta The Stalker TNA Ultimate Warrior Umaga Vampiro WCW Willow WWE WWF http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8385 Lucky Thirteen #1 Faces and the Men Who Paint Them Written by Mark Adam Haggerty When other sites are counting down from ten, we take it a step further and present you with the Lucky Thirteen. Ladies and Gentlemen my name is Mark Haggerty and I have earned sort of a reputation for thinking like […]

Lucky Thirteen #1
Faces and the Men Who Paint Them

Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

When other sites are counting down from ten, we take it a step further and present you with the Lucky Thirteen. Ladies and Gentlemen my name is Mark Haggerty and I have earned sort of a reputation for thinking like a JACK GONE OFF HIS SPRING—that means OUTSIDE THE BOX, PEOPLE! I figured with the recent debut of "The Vigilante" Sting, we had better start the series off with a subject that is near and dear to my heart and that is FACE PAINT! Decorating yourself for battle is a tribal practice which dates back thousands of years and is still used today in the wide world of professional wrestling. The art of painting one’s face appears to be a trend falling farther by the wayside as we dig deeper into the 21st Century. But not all wrestlers still sporting a veil of liquid secrecy are relics of the 1980’s or 90’s, as you will soon find out. Let’s talk about faces, and the men who paint them.

13. Doink

I had to start my countdown somewhere and when taking into consideration the overall criteria, it seemed fitting to lead off with Doink the Clown. Doink is last because he wears clown makeup—hardly a cutting edge concept by any means, especially when he was first introduced to a national audience in the 1990s. But when all the WWF needed was a clown, it would have been very easy to phone it in and underperform on the delivery. From the white face to the green hair to the red nose and colorful wardrobe, Doink may not have been anywhere near ahead of his time, but he was an clever concept that we still talk about over twenty years later.

12. Papa Shango

Charles Wright was one of the WWE's longest tenured employees, having held a job for the better part of the 1990's and clear through the turn of the century. While Attitude Era junkies might only recall Wright's role as the conductor of the "Ho Train"—The Godfather, it's always fun to think back on the Voodoo Demon that started it all. Charles began his career with the WWF by filling various roles on TV and finally found his footing as the evil sorcerer known as Papa Shango. Shango went on to have historic encounters with The Ultimate Warrior among others, but perhaps most memorable was the ghostly white skeleton make up that turned an everyday Kama Mustafa into the spell-casting, skull-shaking Papa Shango.

11. Umaga

This list is comprised mainly of full-face make up that in some cases takes hours to apply, but I wanted to take a moment to dedicate at least one entry to the more traditional tribal patterns that prompted man to paint his face for war in the first place. It's sad to think that Umaga is no longer with us, especially when you consider he only made his WWE main roster debut in 2006. Umaga's face was made up with black ink made to resemble permanent tattoos similar to the ancestral warriors of his family. The markings were carefully documented and applied show, week by week in the same sort of style. As time went on, the evolution of the pattern was altered if ever so slightly, but for the most part, the paint that Umaga wore proudly to the ring each night was expertly redrawn each and every time.

10. The Stalker

In 1996 the WWF signed free agent and former NWA mainstay Barry Windham and rather than billing the former Horseman by name and capitalizing on any notoriety earned thereafter, WWF Creative opted to deck the decorated athlete in camo and designate him, "The Stalker." What a weird turn of events, especially when you consider the experience Barry had to share with younger talent at that point in his career during an era dubbed by Vince McMahon, "The New Generation." The Stalker wasn't as creepy as his name would let on, but he still set up shop in the woods and gave promos that began with his eyes fading ever so slowly into view. It was horrendous, but the face paint was rather nifty in that it covered Barry's entire face and made a very well-known wrestler virtually unrecognizable. There have been a lot of military themed paint jobs done in the world of wrestling, but I think the best would have to be "The Stalker" Barry Windham.

9. Abe “Knuckleball” Schwartz

If we're going to talk about impressive face paint then we can't leave "The Brooklyn Brawler" Steve Lombardi out of the conversation. Though his potential was admittedly limited, and he never had any sort of memorable moments on TV, Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz had one of the most detailed face paint jobs in the history of the business. His entire head was done up to look like—you guessed it, a baseball! Schwartz was coated in all white complete with stitches wrapping along the edges of his face. And even though most fans can't put their finger on ever seeing old "Knuckleball" wrestle, he will forever be remembered for having one of the Greatest Painted Faces in History.

8. The Great Muta

The Great Muta is one of the most legendary characters in the sport of professional wrestling, both on the shores of Japan and here in the United States of America. His tenure with the NWA and time spent wrestling WCW stars into the 2000's helped introduce Keiji Mutoh to, and kept him associated with a wider audience than would have been privy to him had he stayed in Japan. Muta was always known for alternating between colors and décor on his face. From time to time he would spell out sayings in Japanese lettering, while other times he would maintain solid colors from the top of his forehead to under his chin. Perhaps the most recognizable style of Great Muta Facepaint was his all red with black markings on the chin and cheek. Muta took paint and the use of color one step further in his arsenal, employing what is referred to as "Asian Mist"—a controversial signature maneuver that saw Muta spray a colorful haze into the eyes of his opponents.

7. Jeff Hardy/Willow

Jeff Hardy has always been a very artistic guy no matter how you feel about his particular brand of what he may refer to as art. I always really liked the way he used black light paint during his darkened entrances and then wrestled the entire match covered in this almost otherworldly florescence. In recent years however Jeff introduced a wider audience to a character he had been concocting inside his head for some time—Willow. An utterly insane entity out of some Tim Burton stop motion fantasy, Willow is equipped with a hypnotically-simple Umbrella ala the Penguin in Batman, along with a tall narrow mask and a trench coat. Because everybody needs either a vest or a trench coat. In addition to the numerous costume pieces, Willow serves to take face painting to the next level, incorporating minor details such as eyelid decoration and contact colors into an overall stunning display that isn't easily removed, even during the most death-defying moments of Full Metal Mayhem. The colors on his face blend together but barely touch as narrow lines and sharp corners are used to evoke intense emotions in a masterfully well designed bit of subconscious trickery that seems way far too complex for Jeff Hardy to have don't on purpose. But maybe I'm wrong and if that's the case, then Bravo Jeff Hardy.

6. Vampiro

Nowadays you might only know Vampiro as the white guy from Canada who talks like a Mexican guy from Mexico who sits alongside Matt Striker in the Lucha Temple each and every Wednesday night on the El Rey Network. But back in the 1990's and 2000's, Vampiro was a formidable force up and down the landscape of professional wrestling. Known primarily for his ongoing battles with fellow face painters such as Sting and The Great Muta, Vampiro sported one of the earliest precursors to what are now common three dimensional paint jobs. The colors in his pale skull makeup were shaded so that Vampiro's face truly looked like a skeleton whose head was caving in. Unlike a lot of the higher ranked wrestlers on the countdown, Vampiro never really did much to alter his look, which in the end turned out to be a positive thing for his career as well as his longevity as an athlete and entertainer.

5. The Boogeyman

He's the Boogeyman and he's coming to get you! Yes, his time in the WWE was incredibly short lived and without but a few high profile encounters with the likes of Fit Finlay and King Booker. But The Boogeyman had one of the most interesting looks in all of WWE; he resembled some of the more horrific characters we see today in Mexico and Japan, as his makeup seemed to go beyond the front of his face, wrapping around his head and entering his mouth. His tongue was painted, to add to the grotesque nature of the complete package, and to top it off—he ate worms! The visual presentation of the Boogeyman including the complex design combined with missing teeth made for one of the most fascinating face paint jobs in the history of the business.

4. Ultimate Warrior

The Ultimate Warrior will forever be remembered for the memories he helped create during his time in the WWE and within the wrestling industry as a whole. He entered the business with Steve Borden and began painting his face in order to get noticed faster. The Ultimate Warrior's paint is perhaps the most recognizable in the history of the WWF, as contrary to other talents of the time, Warrior attempted to alter his appearance between each and every show. The Warrior took time in painting the perfect designs with an enormity of different colors, which helped him stand out even more as his imposing nature inside the ring was already doing most of the work. The Ultimate Warrior will surely be missed as he was taken from his friends, family, and fans far sooner than we would have ever thought. But his iconic logo and the numerous color combinations it comes in will always help to remind us of the man known only by one name—Warrior.

3. Sting

The man who inspired this countdown started painting his face alongside The Ultimate Warrior when the two teamed during their more formative years as professional wrestlers. Sting's facepaint is perhaps some of the most iconic across the world of sports and entertainment as unlike the rock band KISS, Steve Borden has never performed without his trademark make up. Sting was billed from Venice Beach, so for the first part of his career he maintained a blonde crew cut and modeled himself after the classic California Surfer, uh—just with neon paint slathered across the upper portion of his face. By 1996, pop culture was developing an edge and Borden's character was in need of immediate updating. Luckily, Sting was able to change with the times thanks to input from a variety of creative sources within WCW including Scott Hall. Sting began dressing like Brandon Lee's character in "The Crow," wearing a long black trench coat with a black and white paint combination. Over time, Sting began to incorporate other colors into the same basic base, most notably red. When Sting became a fixture in TNA he was given more room to express his own creativity and began working with different designs, most notably one that resembled Heath Ledger's joker in the Batman film franchise. It appears Sting will keep the classic black and white during his time in the WWE, but as I'm writing this it's been nearly two months since Survivor Series and still no sign of Sting on Raw or Smackdown. Well, obviously not Smackdown.

2. Goldust

Like most sons growing up in the shadow of their famous fathers, Dustin always had trouble finding his own voice in an industry that was deaf to anyone named Rhodes other than his old man. He had a string of moderately successful midcard appearances including that of "The Natural" in the early 1990's and even appeared on WWF television alongside his father and "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. In 1995 after signing with Vince McMahon, Dustin introduced the world to a new character shrouded in gold who prayed on his victims physically as well as emotionally and psychologically. The maniacal Goldust was the brainchild of Vince McMahon but it was young Virgil Runnels III who brought the character to life. His eyes and lips were wrapped in deep shades of black while the rest of his face was coated with a thick layer of gold paint resembling the lethal dose delivered in the 1960's classic "Goldfinger." To top it off, literally and figuratively, Dustin donned a blonde wig to finalize the transformation from the son of a son of a plumber to the Hollywood Hill dweller whose bizarre antics were more than most men were willing to address. Over the course of two decades Goldust's face paint and costumery have evolved and sometimes changed drastically, like during the wildly-conceived "Artist Formerly Known as Goldust" days. When counting down the greatest paint of all time, and considering detail above all else, you'd be hard pressed to find few athletes more dedicated than Dustin Rhodes AKA Goldust.

1. Prince Devitt

If you're among the millions of viewers who've been able to catch NXT REvolution by now, you've probably been wondering if Finn Balor was going to pop up on the Countdown of Greatest Face Paint of All Time. Perhaps you figured he's too new to mainstream America to have a chance, or maybe I disqualified anyone sporting "body paint?" Rest assured my independent brothers and sisters, I didn't forget about the man who had what is now being considered the most elaborate entrance in the WWE outside of Wrestlemania—EVER! The truth is, while everyone else on our list has committed a great deal of time and effort to their own work of art upon their face and in some cases elsewhere, there are very few professional wrestlers who would undergo the intensive Hollywood-style make-up sessions required to create some of Devitt's most memorable looks. In the past Devitt has displayed as many comic book super villains as Rey Mysterio has opted to play heroes. It's truly amazing how much Fergal Devitt is willing to commit to each character for whom he pays homage, and that is why the moments he appears in paint are always special occasions. When he debuted on NXT, fans of the former Bullet Club leader were curious as to whether the WWE would allow the newly christened Finn Balor to employ a similar look, or was that a thing of the past? I ventured a guess that maybe the WWE would want to protect against lawsuits from Stan Lee or god forbid Disney! But that's when I remembered the aforementioned Mysterio who gets the go-ahead to do what he wants as long as he does his potbelly flippy moves every time he goes out. I was very happy when REvolution arrived and saw that not only would the WWE allow Balor to paint his face, but they seem genuinely supportive of him in however far he wants to take his creativity.

This list wasn't based on whose face paint is most memorable but by the intricacies therein and overall originality, which is why I feel safe to say Prince Devitt AKA Finn Balor is the best when we choose to break down Faces and the Men Who Paint Them. Thank you for joining me on this debut edition of what I'm sure is going to be a very fun series that I look forward to researching each week. If you have any suggestions on countdown topics or anything you'd like me to address elsewhere, feel free to reach out through email: markadamhaggerty@outlook.com. Remember to bookmark Cheap-Heat on your computer and in your mobile device so you don’t miss any of our countdowns, columns or coverage. Until next time, my name is Mark Haggerty and this has been Lucky Thirteen: Faces and the Men Who Paint Them.

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/results-big-japan-pro-wrestlingddt-wrestlingkaientai-dojo-tenka-toitsu-3-organizations-tag-tournament-123114-tokyo-japan/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/results-big-japan-pro-wrestlingddt-wrestlingkaientai-dojo-tenka-toitsu-3-organizations-tag-tournament-123114-tokyo-japan/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2015 02:34:06 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Indy Coverage Big Japan Pro Wrestling BJW DDT DDT Wrestling Dramatic Dream Team K-DOJO Kaientai Dojo Tenka Toitsu! 3 Organizations Tag Tournament http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8369 The following results are from a recent Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team and Kaientai Dojo live event. The event took place on December 31st, 2014 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Match Yankee Two Kenju (Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka) defeated Shuten Doji (KUDO & Yukio […]

The following results are from a recent Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team and Kaientai Dojo live event. The event took place on December 31st, 2014 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Match
Yankee Two Kenju (Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka) defeated Shuten Doji (KUDO & Yukio Sakaguchi).

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Match
Makoto Oishi & Shiori Asahi defeated Team Dream Futures (Takao Soma & Shigehiro Irie).

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Match
Yuji Hino & Yuji Okabayashi defeated Ryuichi Kawakami & Kazuki Hashimoto.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Match
Daisuke Sekimoto & Antonio Honda defeated Bozz Rengo (Saburo Inematsu & Ryuichi Sekine).

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Match
Heisei Yakuza Duo (Kankuro Hoshino & Masato Inaba) vs. Magatsuki (Kengo Mashimo & Tank Nagai) went to a 10 minute time limit draw.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Match
Magatsuki (Kengo Mashimo & Tank Nagai) defeated Heisei Yakuza Duo (Kankuro Hoshino & Masato Inaba).

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Hardcore Match
Ryuji Ito & Jaki Numazawa vs. Happy Motel (Konosuke Takeshita & Tetsuya Endo) went to a 10 minute time limit draw.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Hardcore Match
Ryuji Ito & Jaki Numazawa defeated Happy Motel (Konosuke Takeshita & Tetsuya Endo).

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Match
Smile Squash (HARASHIMA & Yasu Urano) defeated Brahman Brothers (Brahman Shu & Brahman Kei).

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament First Round Match
TAKA Michinoku & Greak Kojika defeated Sanshiro Takagi & Abdullah Kobayashi.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament Quarter Final Match
Yankee Two Kenju (Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka) defeated Makoto Oishi & Shiori Asahi.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament Quarter Final Match
Yuji Hino & Yuji Okabayashi defeated Daisuke Sekimoto & Antonio Honda.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament Quarter Final Match
Ryuji Ito & Jaki Numazawa defeated Magatsuki (Kengo Mashimo & Tank Nagai).

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament Quarter Final Match
TAKA Michinoku & Great Kojika vs. Smile Squash (HARASHIMA & Yasu Urano) went to a 10 minute time limit draw.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament Quarter Final Match
Smile Squash (HARASHIMA & Yasu Urano) defeated TAKA Michinoku & Great Kojika.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament Semi Final Match
Yuji Hino & Yuji Okabayashi defeated Smile Squash (HARASHIMA & Yasu Urano).

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament Semi Final Match
Yankee Two Kenju (Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka) defeated Ryuji Ito & Jaki Numazawa.

Tenka Toitsu Tag Tournament Finals
Yankee Two Kenju (Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka) defeated Yuji Hino & Yuji Okabayashi.

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-top-fourteen-wrestlers-of-2014/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-top-fourteen-wrestlers-of-2014/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2014 05:04:52 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Top Lists Adam Cole AJ Styles Brock Lesnar Charlotte Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Eric Young Finn Balor Hiroshi Tanahashi Jay Lethal John Cena Kazuchika Okada Kevin Owens Kevin Steen Kyle O'Reilly New Japan Pro Wrestling NJPW Prince Devitt Ricochet Ring of Honor ROH Roman Reigns Sami Zayn Seth Rollins Tetsuya Naito TNA WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8329 The Top Fourteen Wrestlers of 2014 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty It's December 30, 2014 and in just two days we'll be entering a year that folks back in the 1950's could only hypothesize over; it seems like all of the old science fiction films of yesteryear focused on round numbered years like 2000 and […]

The Top Fourteen Wrestlers of 2014

Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

It's December 30, 2014 and in just two days we'll be entering a year that folks back in the 1950's could only hypothesize over; it seems like all of the old science fiction films of yesteryear focused on round numbered years like 2000 and 2015. I feel as though the word "polarizing" has been tossed around quite a bit this year in regard to professional wrestling, whether the conversation is about John Cena or the brand new Lucha Underground—but can any other word truly capture the essence of what went down in Twenty-Fourteen? Friends, my name is Mark Haggerty and I am proud to present my Top Fourteen Wrestlers of 2014.

Honorable Mention
I want to give a very special honorable mention to a handful of guys and girls. Now, this isn't some throwaway category of names, these are six professional wrestlers who would have made up the Top 20, but in the interest of novelty and time, I restricted the article to 14. There is no order, but these are the top wrestlers that I didn't have a chance to go into detail on, but would like to issue a personal thank you for your efforts and congratulations on a great year. I have faith each you will make the Top 15 of 2015.

Charlotte
Sami Zayn
Prince Devitt
Kevin Steen
Tetsuya Naito
Kyle O'Reilly

14. Eric Young

I'm happy to lead off my list with "Showtime" Eric Young, who had what I would call one of the best years anyone would have ever hoped for. Not only did the former lackey of Team Canada win the TNA World Heavyweight title from a dominant corporate champion, but he did so well into his Impact tenure when many of us in the journalistic community thought Young could be nearing the end of his career. Only in his mid-thirties now, Eric Young has rejuvenated his reputation and is poised to become one of the strongest members of the TNA locker room when the company reboots in 2015. While Young may have suffered from the various comparisons drawn between he and the similarly-sized bearded World Champion from WWE–Daniel Bryan, nothing can be taken away from Young's accomplishment and his sixteen year journey to the top of the card.

13. Roman Reigns

Although the corporate powers that be have seemingly designated Roman Reigns the heir apparent to John Cena as the future face of the WWE, I'm personally not sold and I imagine the same can be said for a vast majority of lifelong wrestling fanatics. However, I can't pretend to predict what will happen and I'm intrigued by what any member of the Anoa'i Family could be capable of as the 21st Century has now kicked into full swing. Reigns had a hell of a year, not just based on his time as the defacto General leading The Shield to a number of impressive victories, but in how far he has grown from this point just 365 days ago. I think a lot of people would have initially considered Roman the break out star of the group, but 6 months removed from Seth Rollins' heel turn, we're still not sure what to expect out of Roman Reigns. While his work rate and promos might leave a lot to be desired by hardened wrestling critics, the Super Human with the Superman Punch has come an incredibly long way and appears to be getting stronger by the week. Who knows what next year has in store, and if the rumors are true, could we see Reigns topple The Beast at the Granddaddy of Them All?

12. Dolph Ziggler

He's an incredibly well-conditioned athlete who certainly could have taught Willy Loman a few things on how to sell, but what makes 2014 different from years prior? Dolph Ziggler is a former World Champion who's been on the industry radar since he broke away from The Spirit Squad and started introducing himself to people such as Jillian Hall backstage at Smackdown. But this year helped to further elevate the "Show Off" from High Spot Hot Shot to Main Event Player. The WWE strategically positioned Ziggler throughout 2014, allowing him to redefine the role of an Intercontinental Champion after several years of letting less capable talent taint the title's original luster. In November, many skeptics and fence-hoppers were swayed to the side of reason when Dolph Ziggler outlasted both his own Team Cena and the opposing Team Authority in the yearly five-on-five Survivor Series competition. Twenty-fifteen will be a critical period in Dolph Ziggler's career one way or another and it's up to him whether 2014 was his 1995 as Shawn Michaels, or his 1987 as Ricky Steamboat; both are respectable paths to take, but only one leads to the top.

11. Jay Lethal

The casual television wrestling fan might be curious as to where Black Machismo has been hiding since his unceremonious exit from TNA Impact Wrestling. But the truth is that Jay Lethal hasn't been hiding anywhere at all and has in fact been lighting up the independent scene around the country, specifically in some of the more popular promotions and more exclusively as the current, reigning and defending Ring of Honor World Television Champion since April 4th of this year. Since arriving in Ring of Honor on a full-time basis, Lethal has linked with longtime manager and full-time trainer Truth Martini, who has helped to develop Jay Lethal from a cable-comedy act into an honest professional that can be proud to call himself, "The Greatest First Generation Wrestler." Jay spent the better part of this year having match-of-the-year contending bouts with all-star talents ranging from Matt Taven to Kushida, from ACH to Matt Sydal. Lethal appears to be developing a deeper understanding as to the fundamentals of ring psychology which is already benefiting his stellar in-ring presence. Could 2015 be the year that Truth Martini leads Jay Lethal to the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Championship?

10. Hiroshi Tanahashi

Perhaps the most seasoned athlete on our countdown is the current IWGP World Heavyweight Title Holder, the recording setting 7-time Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. Tanahashi is a Japanese sensation similar to such American stars as John Cena and Triple H; he's spent a very long time atop the proverbial mountain and public opinion tends to wane as to how long it will be until NJPW decides to put him out to pasture. Unlike Cena however, Hiroshi Tanahashi has only held the prestigious New Japan heavyweight belt seven times, which as previously mentioned is a record unto itself. While the Japanese fans might not be so poised to "Riot if Tanahashi Wins," there are certainly those of us in the puroresu fan community that would have liked to see someone other than Tanahashi defeat the devilish AJ Styles. Nonetheless, his accomplishments cannot be stricken, and his presence during what was already an incredible year for New Japan make him a fitting choice to cap off the Top Ten Stars of 2014, on this Top Fourteen Countdown. Twenty-fifteen will be another defining year for the 38-year old veteran, starting with a title defense at Wrestle Kingdom 9 on January 3rd against the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, and another name further down our list—Kazuchika Okada.

9. Adam Cole

Another non-WWE talent that the casual fan has probably seen in their Facebook feed but is otherwise unfamiliar with is Adam Cole, the former ROH World Champion and self-expressed leader of "The Kingdom," in Matt Hardy's absence. Cole is a cocky kid billed from Panama City who in September of 2013 won a hotly-contested tournament to bestow the then-vacant championship upon the most deserving ROH competitor. Cole's movie star good looks and unparalleled charisma helped him garner the praise of each town he worked, but once he became the champion it was only a matter of moments before he allowed his true colors to bleed through his previously camouflaged exterior. Since first becoming champion, Cole has had a personal vendetta with 2-time ROH Champion Jay Briscoe, and their saga continued in 2014 in a series of highly-praised contests, first on April 4th at Supercard of Honor VIII. In a much sought after one-on-one situation, the villainous Adam Cole managed to defeat Jay Briscoe in a match to determine the Undisputed ROH Champion. On May 17th Cole had another successful title defense against the Legendary Lushin Thunder Liger at War of the Worlds, a cross-promotional event with NJPW. His match with Liger, while no "Match of the Year," was impressive and displayed Cole's versatility in how he managed to work with the veteran whose mystique in Japan extended far beyond the world of professional wrestling. Cole turned several heads time and time again throughout the Spring of 2014, but finally lost his championship to the questionably contentious Michael Elgin. Although failing to win his title back during 2014, Cole has maintained a strong presence on ROH TV via his involvement with The Kingdom. In fact it was through the Kingdom and their longstanding rivalry with the Briscoe's that ROH was able to work Cole back into an onscreen program with his longtime adversary Jay Briscoe. The two continued their feud, this time with Briscoe holding the title he had won from Elgin, at Final Battle 2014 in a Fight Without Honor. In the end, Jay Briscoe would retain his title, but Cole put up an offense that won't soon be forgotten nor replicated, including a superkick to Jay Briscoe who was already choking on a handful of thumbtacks. Following his losing effort at Final Battle, Cole announced that he would be undergoing surgery and would be out for the first few months of 2015. Hopefully Cole can return by The Thirteenth Anniversary Show in Las Vegas, because I will be there and I'd be extremely glad to see a healthy Adam Cole—BAY-BAY!

8. Dean Ambrose

One of the only non-world title holders on the countdown is one of the only CZW-turned-WWE Superstars—uh… Ever? Coincidence? My only point there is that while I personally don't find the brutality commonly association with Combat Zone Wrestling to be in ANY way attractive, there are bound to be a bevy of diamonds in the rough regardless of where you might go looking. Dean Ambrose in the WWE was something that no one could have planned for; The Lunatic Fringe achieved zero singles wins on pay-per-view this year, yet managed to attain the admiration of the audience by using a combination attack that resembled something to the effect of Roddy Piper mixed with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Both on the mic—and of course between the ropes. He began the year by carrying the United States Title to the ring alongside his brothers Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. During their classic battles with the Wyatt's and Evolution, Dean stood out as the unstable Loose Cannon who harkened back to Brian Pillman and provided support to the imposing Reigns once the bell sounded. It appeared, should The Shield ever disband and cease to be, Rollins would become the charismatic Intercontinental Championship babyface, Reigns would become the super-over World Champion, and Dean would be left in the dust wrestling as a "Crazy Heel" against Los Matadores on Superstars. But following the chair shot that changed everything, things took a turn for the unpredictable and Dean has since appeared to be the break out star of the group and is in some ways the second-most popular babyface in the entire company. His long-lasting rivalry with Seth Rollins that has since been shelved sure to ignite once more one day has been wonderfully portrayed and reminds me of simpler times where the good guy would chase the powerful heel, only to come up short each and every time. That's the basis for compelling professional wrestling TV and when the roles are reversed for too long, it can become cumbersome and confusing. Dean might have yet to wear a World Heavyweight Title belt, but he has provided countless main event moments on pay-per-view throughout 2014—far more than the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar. Twenty-fourteen was an incredible year for Ambrose no matter what you might think of his repetitive in-ring style and the Heath Ledger impression he does during interviews; he went from third wheel alongside Reigns and Rollins to Main Event Superstar. Could 2015 be the year we see Ambrose and Rollins take their feud to the next level as they vie for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship?

7. John Cena

I think it's almost becoming cool to like John Cena again—like some sort of hipster rebirth, the same you see with 80's memorabilia and facial hair. The criticisms to his character seem to be more so directed toward his longevity than his ability nowadays and I think that's pretty cool. I have a very dear friend down in Florida who has always been among the most fevered Cena-Haters. But when we encountered one another on Christmas Eve this year, he told me that he actually LIKED Cena. This was a great year for the 15-time champion, but has he really ever had a bad year since 2002? That's not a tongue-in-cheek Cena slam, it's just a fact. Since his �ruthlessly aggressive' answer to Kurt Angle's open challenge on Smackdown, Cena has been destined for stardom and has since climbed to heights previously undiscovered by great men such as Hulk Hogan and Bruno Sammartino. So in the interest of fairness to John Cena, it would be unethical to leave him off a list of the Top Stars of the Year. He couldn't be first, he couldn't be last—seven is good for a man who did what he does as well as ever, all while helping to elevate everybody with whom he works. When Vince McMahon says Cena is the only one able to grab the "brass ring," he's referring to more than just a willingness to achieve inside the squared circle, as that is only part of the WWE Superstar Package. "Why hasn't Dolph Ziggler become the face of the company," asked everybody always? It's because whenever John Cena tweets, it's about a pay-per-view or Breast Cancer or Make-a-Wish; whenever Dolph Ziggler tweets it's in some way negative or offensive and has to be taken down hours later. Like them or hate them, those are the politics of the WWE, and when Vince McMahon goes looking for the next star to fill those pump-up-sneakers of Cena's, he's searching for someone willing to give 100% of themselves just as Cena did, just as the Rock did, just like Austin and Hogan. All four men are at least once divorced by the way, and all but Cena have children. So—who's willing to give THAT of themselves, seven days a week, for as far into the future as anyone can imagine? If it's you, you should apply. Aside from who Cena is, and what he does for the WWE, his personal year was just as stellar as ever including a Wrestlemania victory, a WWE World Heavyweight Championship title reign, and a compelling and selfless program with "The Beast Incarnate" Brock Lesnar. Was it Cena's best year ever? No. But it was better than everybody else I'm going to place him ahead, and I'm proud to include the Doctor of Thuganomics on my Top Fourteen of 2014.

6. Daniel Bryan

I feel like I might get some negative backlash for listing Daniel Bryan so high on my Top Fourteen of 2014, but just as I did with John Cena and any other number of questionable entries, I have my reasons to include a man that spent a large part of this year on the injured list. Bryan has followed in CM Punk's footsteps and proven that ROH talents can be integrated amongst the WWE Universe without losing their independent appeal and still make sense within a broader context. It's taken Bryan a few years to find his true voice and connect with the people, but now that he has it's taken on a life that nobody could have predicted. He's 5'8, he's got a lumberjack beard, he's got free fair-use music and a simple catchphrase yet he is still perhaps the most organically over Superstar the WWE has ever seen. Daniel Bryan's year was inspirational on several levels; of course his double victories at Wrestlemania 30 in New Orleans made for a plethora of still images and sound bites that will be used until the end of time, and even his role alongside his wife in her battle with the Billion Dollar Princess served to keep him in the limelight all while nursing what could have been a career ending injury. Perhaps most inspirational of all was Daniel's special relationship with a terminally-ill 8-year-old boy named Connor, nicknamed "The Crusher." Connor was himself a miraculous little boy who entered anyone's heart that even saw him on YouTube, but no one seemed to connect with Connor the Crusher like Daniel Bryan. On the very last episode of Monday Night Raw of 2014, on the third-to-last segment of an already explosive evening of television, Daniel Bryan faked out a saddened crowd chanting, "No! No! No!" at the very idea of Bryan retiring. Instead, Daniel Bryan revealed that he would in fact be returning to action and that his doctors cleared him for competition. Will he be entering the 2015 Royal Rumble? Yes! Yes! Yes! Could Wrestlemania 31 feature a showdown between David and Goliath as Daniel Bryan goes head to head with Brock Lesnar? Anything can happen, but let's get to Philadelphia and the Royal Rumble before we start speculating on �Mania.

5. Ricochet

First and foremost, this entry contains a spoiler that you're probably already hip to if you're a fan of my writing, as I've already written about it here at Cheap-Heat. If not, there's bound to be an enormity of head-scratching going on as to who the heck Ricochet even is, and why he's been chosen as the #5 Wrestler of 2014. Well for those of us here in Southern California, we know Ricochet as the high flying, risk-taking, adrenaline junkie that has helped to put Pro Wrestling Guerrilla on the map. His year here has been without question another phenomenal showcase of experienced innovation, especially during this year's Battle of Los Angles—already being called the Best BOLA Ever. He's been a mainstay around the world in small indie promotions as well as more mainstream companies such as Dragon-Gate, Evolve, and Chikara. But 2014 was probably the biggest year in young Trevor "Ricochet" Mann's professional life and with good reason. Ricochet traveled to Japan compete in the NJPW classic, "The Best of the Super Juniors"—an annual tradition dating back to 1988 featuring the greatest light heavyweight wrestling talents from across the globe. After being faced with certain failure in 2013, Ricochet fought his way to second place on his block and finished first in the overall competition—becoming the youngest wrestler in history to win the tournament. In September it was reported that Trevor Mann had signed with a mysterious new televised promotion produced by reality-whiz Mark Burnett set to debut on Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network. Introduced under a mask and managed by former NWO member Konnan, Mann was now known as Prince Puma, and burst onto the "Lucha Underground" program like a wildfire engulfing the imaginations of each and every audience member. Lucha Underground proved to be a hit among both casual fans and professional critics alike, so much so that I write a weekly review every Thursday entitled, "Viva La Lucha Libre!" And here's where the spoiler comes in: The Championship Match has already been announced so everybody in TV Land knows that much by now. But following the bells and whistles of number-one-contender matches, Ricochet AKA Prince Puma will be crowned the First Ever Lucha Underground World Heavyweight Champion. The match will air in 2015, however it was taped in 2014, so I'm inclined to include it in what was already an incredible year for a talented young man who's still considered "just an Indie Guy."

4. Seth Rollins

When I look at Seth Rollins, there is no doubt in my mind that I am looking at the future of the WWE and professional wrestling as an industry. He is perhaps the most well rounded wrestler/superstar you could hope to find as each of his skills are so keenly developed at such a young age. There is of course room to grow as I hear the constant bickering that his promos go on a little too long, but that's the position he's playing with the ball he's been thrown. Colby Lopez AKA Seth Rollins formerly Tyler Black is only 28 years old, meaning he's still incredibly coachable and is still waiting to enter the prime of his career. So when he slips up on a sentence, I'm inclined to forgive, because nobody's been able to incite the sort of earned-animosity from the audience that Seth Rollins does in a very long time. Twenty-fourteen was probably the best year in the career of Colby Lopez, but that's just something I'm assuming because I don't personally know the guy. But considering how far he's come in such a short amount of time, I think it's safe to say that professionally speaking, he won't be forgetting 2014 for a very long time. Of course, the year began strongly for Seth Rollins, as strong as The Shield itself of which Rollins played it's "Architect." Not really sure what that means—perhaps it's an allusion to him being the "brains" of the operation, which admittedly, doesn't sound as cool as "architect." The Shield as a whole was on fire for the first half of the year earning hard fought victories against top level teams in high rated matches. Before the unthinkable event that nobody saw coming, the WWE Universe speculated that Ambrose might be the one to turn, but who would have ever guessed it'd be Seth Rollins? Since aligning himself with Triple H and the Authority, Rollins has won the coveted Money in the Bank Briefcase which more often than not leads its holder to World Heavyweight glory. He has also main evented several pay-per-views, even against his former Shield brother Dean Ambrose in a Hell in a Cell match. Rollins has been established as the Number One Heel in the WWE, perhaps second only to a scarcely seen WWE World Heavyweight Champion. After using Edge's life-threatening ailment to put The Authority back in power, one can only assume that 2015 will be an even more fruitful year for Seth Rollins.

3. Kazuchika Okada

If you don't follow NJPW, then I am here to tell you that the time to start is now. Wrestle Kingdom 9 is this Sunday and it's going to be the first ever New Japan event broadcast through all major America pay-per-view providers. And it's going to be in English featuring Jim Ross and Matt Striker providing commentary, so if you're at all interested this is the show to check out. The man whom I feel is the third best wrestler in the world right now will be challenging for the title that he held during the first half of this year, what is perhaps the most prestigious championship in all of professional wrestling—the IWGP World Heavyweight Title Belt. Kazuchika Okada is among the youngest names on our list; at only 27 years old, the 10-year veteran had an amazing year beginning with his 7th successful title defense at Wrestle Kingdom 8 at the Tokyo Dome. Okada held the title until May 3rd when he was finally vanquished by The Bullet Club's newest member, AJ Styles. Okada's impressive thirteen month title reign had come to a screeching halt, but rather than wallow in defeat, Okada continued fighting and innovating his arsenal. In mid-summer, Okada was just one of dozens of world-class workers entered into the 2014 G1 Climax—a 2-to-3 week round robin tournament dating back to 1974. The entire tournament was praised by critics and fans for the number of "Match of the Year" qualifying contests featured. In the end, only one man could walk away the winner, and it had to be the fallen champion, "The Rainmaker" himself—Kazuchika Okada. Since losing his title and proving himself at G1, Okada's demeanor has transitioned from pompous arrogance to that of a man fixated on restoring his honor. Only time will tell what 2015 holds for Kazuchika Okada, but if he can conquer Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 9, the year could turn out even better than 2014.

2. AJ Styles

When I started to put this list together and compile the Final Fourteen that would be the Top 14 of 2014, I had about 20-30 names that I had to narrow down even further. Once I got to the very best of the best, I was inclined to place AJ Styles at the top, and in some respects, he really was the Best Wrestler of 2014. He left a company that he had helped build and was with since 2002 for unknown territory, despite the risk involved in starting over in his late 30's. AJ of course knew that any indie promotion would have him and he could count on continuous work whenever he wanted it, but he probably never expected to hit it "Stan Hansen-Big" after starting in New Japan. The "Lariat" Stan Hansen was of course an American from Texas who was regarded as a wrestling demi-god by the people of Japan and is still revered today as a highly respected member of the Japanese community. Non-Japanese talents have been applying their craft in Japan in great numbers ever since the 1970's when diplomatic promotors like Mr. Baba and Antonio Inoki made it easy for outsiders AKA "Gaijin" to find work in the Land of the Rising Sun. So it was a no brainer when Styles decided to make a go in New Japan, and debuted alongside an already established faction of shameless self-promoting fellow Gaijin known as The Bullet Club, now led by "The Machine Gun" Karl Anderson. AJ was immediately well received by the Japanese fans and they took to him how he was intended, as the highly skilled American whom they admired but wanted to see lose due to his shameful lack of honor. AJ Styles was the first man able to dethrone the thirteen month champion Kazuchika Okada and reigned over New Japan with his own sort of sordid disdain for his competition and more often-than-not the fans. AJ had an impressive showing during the G1 Climax where he failed to surpass the more veteran contenders, but still managed to hold his IWGP Championship Title for the better part of the autumn. AJ was finally defeated after only a few successful title defenses by now-7-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. Although AJ's title reign was short lived, it speaks volumes as to his current value within the industry. AJ Styles was the Number Two Wrestler of the Year, not only because he was a Gaijin that captured the most elegant and perhaps most prestigious championship in all of professional wrestling, but due to his complex and extensive work rate in various smaller promotions throughout the country and abroad, in addition to his constant ability to evolve and do what's right for him and his family. Okay, well maybe that last part doesn't necessarily add to the resume of a great wrestler, but it helps to create a good man and that's pretty good too. I see more positive things on the horizon for AJ Styles as a new year is upon us, perhaps in a more prominent singles role away from The Villainous Bullet Club.

1. Brock Lesnar

Talk about controversial, am I really ranking a guy who only wrestled four matches all year NUMBER ONE? One of which he lost by disqualification? You're damn right I am. First of all, let's talk about what's obvious and right in front of us. Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 30 in New Orleans. That is a sentence that nobody ever thought they'd read, no matter whose name you start it with or what city you end it with. It doesn't matter if the decision was wrong or right, Brock Lesnar did something that Triple H, Shawn Michaels, CM Punk, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash, and a dozen more had attempted and failed to do since 1991. Fast forward a few months to where Brock Lesnar is challenging John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Summerslam in front of a sold-out Staples Center where yours truly was standing just 40 feet from the ring. The build up to the main event was unlike anything we'd seen outside of a Wrestlemania match in some time, and the battle lines were drawn not only between Brock and Cena but between fans of Sports Entertainment and fans of Professional Wrestling. It was anybody's game as far as we could tell. It could go either way—right? Then the bell sounded and Brock Lesnar proceeded to decimate one of the most decorated WWE Superstars in the History of the company. He capitalized on Cena using an onslaught of heinous German Suplexes, a move commonly associated with the infamous Chris Benoit, and known to cause irreparable damage to the neck and vertebrae. After a series of F5's and as little offense as one might expect out of Barry Horowitz against Sir Isaac Yankem, we had a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion whose win over Cena was at the very bottom of his already stacked list of accomplishments. His DQ loss to Cena and irrelevant victory over the Big Show notwithstanding, Brock Lesnar has done more for the WWE this year than any wrestler aside from John Cena in recent memory. And before you begin naming popular main eventers, I'm not talking about dudes that draw money, I'm referring to the sort of talent that has the ability to help adjust the aim of the entire promotion as a whole. John Cena was instrumental in helping to draw kids and parents to a product that was formerly too crude for anyone under seventeen. Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin were strong leaders amid an entire locker room of "attitudes" waiting to be unleashed. Brock Lesnar has had a lasting effect in a variety of small ways that will, and in some cases already have begun to, change the course of WWE programming for the next few years. His limited appearances alone have had a positive influence on several facets of the product, not the least of which being his own character's increased mystique and marketability. Back before the age of monthly pay-per-views and weekly title defenses, the WWWF Championship was a strap of leather only contested for on rare occasions, when the atmosphere was considered just right for such an honor. Then WCW came along and starting having World Title matches every Monday night on cable television and the entire genre changed—world titles as a whole lost their value. Lesnar's light workload means the title belt itself is rarely ever seen, making the few times it is on television a very special occasion. The lack of WWE Title matches on Raw means that the Intercontinental and United States Champions have a chance to shine, and since the focus has shifted off of the WWE title, Superstars such as Ziggler and Rusev have both had plenty of opportunities to main event Raw and Smackdown. If anyone else on the roster was in possession of the championship right now, the focus of all 7 hours of new WWE programming each week would be on that belt and who wants it. Instead the WWE has been afforded some breathing room to help build new stars and meaningful long term programs. If John Cena was the champion, he'd defend against Rollins and Ambrose and Wyatt and Rusev and nobody would have their own time to develop outside of the main event and alongside established talents that don't need the rub. Brock Lesnar's absence has left room for Wyatt to grow stranger, it's allowed Ziggler to take the spotlight in a more meaningful way, and it's been without question beneficial to each member of The Shield. So in addition to the incredibly impressive victories he's had between January and right now, and his status as the current, reigning, defending and insanely dominant WWE World Champion, Brock Lesnar is helping to raise the bar as to how good one has to be to wear the WWE Title. Pound for pound, skill for skill, booked as he was, and providing what he does for the industry and WWE, I am confident that Brock Lesnar was the Number One Wrestler of 2014.

So my list is of course going to be controversial as any countdown is going to be. I remember I read "The Top Ten Christmas Movies of All Time" this year and it didn't mention "Christmas Vacation" anywhere, so I threw a bit of a tantrum. You probably agree with some of what I had to say and in the cases where you may have not, I'm glad we can have differing opinions because that's what makes wrestling so exciting. It's a guttural experience every time that can illicit any number of emotions from any sort of different people. I stand by my list, and invite you to join me next week for my "Top Fifteen to Watch in 2015." Until then, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty, wishing and yours a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw/#comments Tue, 30 Dec 2014 23:38:55 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Bad News Barrett BNB Bunny Cesaro CM Punk Colt Cabana Daniel Bryan DDP Diamond Dallas Page Dolph Ziggler Goldust HHH Jey Uso Jimmy Uso John Cena Miz MizDow Naomi RAW Royal Rumble Ryback Seth Rollins Skip Sheffield Stephanie McMahon Talk is Jericho The Authority Trinity Triple H Tyson Kidd Usos Vince McMahon WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8371 Highlight of the Night The Top Moments from Raw Written by Mark Adam Haggerty I feel like a middle aged couple searching for the spark in my marriage, because Ladies and Gentlemen, I am BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS! What better way to segue away from a week off into another years' worth of […]

Highlight of the Night
The Top Moments from Raw
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

I feel like a middle aged couple searching for the spark in my marriage, because Ladies and Gentlemen, I am BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS! What better way to segue away from a week off into another years' worth of work than with a slightly bawdy joke? I hope everyone has enjoyed their Christmas or Hanukkah or whatever they might be celebrating and is geared up for an amazing 2015! I had the opportunity to visit with family in New Jersey for the first time in nearly three years; it's sad to say goodbye, but I'm more than exciting to get back to my regular writing routine. So how about we all start talking about this week's episode of Monday Night Raw? I might catch some flak for saying so, but I considered this to be one of the best episodes of Raw all year. And I'm delighted to help you decide what's worth watching with my Highlight of the Night: The Top Five Moments from WWE's flagship program.

5. "It's Me! It's Me! It's BNB!"

I've been waiting for Bad News Barrett to come back to TV for some time now as it's appeared he's been cleared to compete for a few months at least. But anticipation is the name of the game and when Wade finally made his return tonight, it was met with much surprise and immediate fanfare. But let's not ignore the rest of the build, as the entire segment was as well-constructed as anything else we saw on Raw. Let's rewind for a moment or two to where we are met with the man with one name who once went by Antonio. In recent weeks Cesaro has formed a powerful alliance with the equally impressive Tyson Kidd and Natalya, so when he was seated CM Punk-style in the corner of the ring, I figured he was just waiting for Goldust or somebody to fill time between some already exciting moments on the final episode of 2014. But then he started dropping what I'll shamelessly call a pipe-bomb and my attitude shifted immediately. He discussed how he should have had a break-out year due to where he started and his impressive victory at Wrestlemania 30 in New Orleans, as well as how the WWE claims he doesn't connect with the WWE Universe. But rather than pointing the finger at anyone backstage, or even turning the focus on himself, Cesaro blamed the WWE Universe itself. The Swiss Superman used his own shoot grievance with Vince McMahon and the WWE Creative Team as ammunition to sling back at the fans who "never wanted him to succeed." Toward the end of his heated promo, he exclaimed that nobody can do what he does when he steps between, "those four ropes." He immediately caught the flub, and joked, "Four sides. It has four sides." Although it was a humorous incident that had the potential to draw some fans away from the importance of the overall occasion, I'm inclined to forgive Cesaro, as it was obviously a loss in translation that he expertly attempted to cover. I think everybody really enjoyed the verbiage Bad News led with, borrowing from Diamond Dallas Page by saying, "It's me, it's me, it's BNB!" The match itself was perfectly paced and didn't appear to aggravate Barrett's recovery, all while displaying both men on a level where they could both be proud.

4. Uso Crazy!

If you'd have told me that there was a title change on Raw and I had to guess I'd probably say, "Oh Dolph Ziggler lost the IC belt again? Shocking." But this turn of events involving some double team maneuvering and two faced tactics caught me off guard, as I was sure I was right all along about Naomi. Earlier in the show, the television audience was privy to Naomi AKA Trinity giving The Miz a great big hug as thanks for the part he played in getting her noticed in the music industry. Or something? To be honest, I tune out around this exact same time every single week. But the point is, Naomi and The Miz appeared to be on good terms with one another which made me think this Wrestlemania season could be sort of sour for The Usos. What better way to build a long term feud than to feature a man's wife alongside his enemy? And then the inevitable Miz and Mizdow blow off could take place in San Francisco. But when the bell sounded and the dust cleared, The Uso's had captured the ugliest belts in all of professional wrestling and Naomi was still standing by her man. I have to say I was just as pleased with this outcome for one very simple reason: I'm tired of the Miz and Mizdow shenanigans. I know everybody loves it, believe me! I know! But at what point does the mimicry get to be too much and borderline on Bunny Suits and "Partying all the Time?" Damian Sandow is de-evolving faster than Toad did in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," and I'm afraid that if he continues falling down whenever The Miz gets hurt, he'll have very few options as far as future roles of any merit. In other words, he is now and will forever be the New Santino Marella. So—I was happy the belts were taken by a far more deserving duo who tend to get a lot of heat from the internet, but as far as I'm concerned are the best tag team on the WWE's main roster. Hopefully now we might begin to see the makings of Mizdow's revolt from the Hollywood A-Lister which could lead to a very entertaining bout for Wrestlemania 31 at Levi's Stadium.

3. The Ryback Promo

I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of Ryan Reeves' insanely personal accounting of his past and previous experiences. This was of course coming off the heels of Ryback's appearance on Chris Jericho's podcast, where he spoke on many of the same issues. When I was back in Jersey I had a friend who was recommending the Ryback episode of "Talk is Jericho" to everyone because of how much it made him like "The Big Guy" as a person. Well, I guess the WWE Creative Team thought the same thing, because as soon as he began talking about ringing the bell in Las Vegas for the WWF, I knew they were running with something special. This promo happened so far down the card that it was originally my number one moment of the night. Regardless of where it's placed on my list, this 5-7 minute speech and video package is worth a watch, especially when you're given the chance to see not only a young Skip Sheffield, but Ryan Reeves' first venture into the WWE in 2004 as a contestant on "Tough Enough." I'm not sure if Ryback is going to beat "The Pride of the Russian Federation" on his first attempt, but I'd put money on Ryback being the man that finally defeats Rusev and brings the United States Title back to America. I honestly think that if he can stay healthy and not get hurt, 2015 will be a landmark year for Ryback in the WWE.

2. "I'm still going to kill him."

First off, Rollins calls Cena, "John" a lot. Way more than anyone else, ever. Okay—I think there's bound to be some debate over whether the final segment of Raw was any good or not. I had someone tell me that Raw was, "Perfect up until the end." But I disagree. I think Rollins has a tendency to go on a little too long when he's given the microphone. But you have to place some of the blame on John Cena for employing perhaps the wrong amount of poise at inappropriate times. I understand that Cena is probably a far better actor than most of the rest of the roster, but there's a time and a place for dramatic pauses and it's not in the waning seconds of a 3 hour and fifteen minute show. I actually thought Rollins was spot on with everything he did and I was particularly surprised with some of the words he was allowed to get away with. As previously mentioned, this entire episode was eye-opening and seemed to mark the dawning of a new creative direction for the WWE Main Roster. It seems that the overt silliness is starting to take a back-seat to personal plotlines and callbacks to previously establishment stories. Seth Rollins stood over a legitimately injured man and threated, not to end his career, but to end his life. Seth's final words before being thwarted by Cena were, "I'm still going to kill him." Wow! Maybe that's too much for some, but it's just the right amount for me. I've been tentatively excited about Seth Rollins all year; I've really enjoyed him and I've been giving him 80% of my attention when he deserves all I've got. I can't say that I'm all too happy about the return of The Authority, as I figure it's just a bit too soon to bring them back. Especially right after Christmas? Can it be any more obvious that Stephanie and Hunter really just wanted a vacation? I personally would have held off until after The Royal Rumble, if I was going to reinstate The Authority at all. I think the WWE needs some breathing room without a totalitarian general manager or executive parading around on TV acting as the ultimate bad guy. But they're back and there's nothing we can do. I'll agree with my friend, that everything on Raw was perfect until the VERY end when the decision was made and, "The King of Kings" music hit, but to say that this segment with Seth and Cena was anything other than thrilling is to sell both individuals short.

1. Will Daniel Bryan be in the 2015 Royal Rumble?

Yes! Yes! Yes! I had a feeling that Daniel Bryan wasn't going to be retiring as it might appear in bad taste to tease good news when a man's career is actually on the line. I'm very excited to hear that Bryan will be returning to action at The Royal Rumble in Philadelphia, but I can't help but wonder how much of his return is based on medical clearance and how much is his own determination to wrestle regardless of the risks. Since Punk's interview with Colt Cabana, there's been speculation that certain members of Creative and even the medical staff in WWE doesn't take every injury as seriously as they perhaps should. Could it be possible that Bryan just wanted to return, found an obscure doctor who agreed to clear him, and the WWE was willing to look the other way? Worse things have happened and the last I heard, it wasn't looking like Bryan would return at all, let alone any time soon. But even more miraculous things have happened; I was at The Royal Rumble at Madison Square Garden in 2008 when the Number 30 entry was none other than John Cena, returning several months before anyone expected him back. And that was seven years ago. So I guess Bryan's return to the ring isn't so far outside the realm of possibilities that I need dwell on "maybe" and "what if" scenarios. I've spoken with a variety of people recently who feared Bryan might not be as well received when he finally made his return, a notion that I dismissed and I'm glad I did because the fans seem to love Bryan more than ever. I tend to get emotional during wrestling a lot, and when the crowd chanted, "No! No! No!" at the very thought of Daniel hanging it up, I too thought for a moment, "Is this it? Is he retiring?" Thank the Good Wrestling Lord that was not the case. I personally know a few people who decided then and there that they're buying tickets to Wrestlemania. Who knows who will win the rumble or who will be champion come spring time. But the mere mention of Bryan versus Lesnar is enough to put asses in all seventy five thousand seats at Levi Stadium.

Sometimes when I watch an episode of Monday Night Raw that I find especially entertaining, I'll then listen to the Voices of Wrestling or read the Wrestling Observer and realize that I was looking at the program through rose-colored glasses. I really hope that isn't the case this week because I really thought the entire WWE did a great job in producing a watchable three hours of wrestling that I didn't want to end. Granted, the promo-to-workrate ratio was a bit skewed, but the few matches that were squeezed into an otherwise dramatic evening of events were memorable and might directly impact the path of certain Superstars heading into The Royal Rumble. Rumor has it that we can expect even more thrilling programming as the calendar turns to 2015, but that remains to be seen. I hope you didn't miss me too much as I've been gone for a week, but for those of you who even noticed my absence, I appreciate your loyalty and I'm excited to bring you even more articles as the New Year draws closer. Until next time, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you to bookmark Cheap-Heat.com to keep up with everything I've got going on. Happy New Year everybody!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown-12162014/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown-12162014/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2014 14:19:41 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8157 It’s beginning to look a lot like the holiday season as the WWE has taken over the USA Network once again with a variety of programming all week long. That is why I’m able to bring you my SmackDown review on a Tuesday rather than a Friday! I’ve always held hope that a live SmackDown […]

It’s beginning to look a lot like the holiday season as the WWE has taken over the USA Network once again with a variety of programming all week long. That is why I’m able to bring you my SmackDown review on a Tuesday rather than a Friday! I’ve always held hope that a live SmackDown would Benefit the overall program and I am pleased to report that I was right. The WWE took advantage of the live presence by incorporating a championship match with a provocative main event and a full card lacking severely in monologues and sketches. This was proof of what the WWE roster is capable of when confined to a mere two hours of wrestling with very little emphasis on the entertainment aspect. As always I am here each and every week to tell you what’s COOKIN’ and What Doesn’t Matter from this week’s episode of Friday, nay—TUESDAY Night Smackdown.

Roman Reigns versus Fandango
First of all, someone told me last week that I left a match off of my rundown. For which I apologize, but I will say that if I went as far as to leave an entire match off of my review, it was probably pretty forgettable. Right? Anyway… I mentioned in my weekly Monday Night Raw review, “The Highlight of the Night” that I thought Fandango was the perfect return opponent for a Roman Reigns on the rise. Particularly because it affords Reigns the opportunity to work with a semi-established heel for a short period of time before entering into the faceless Royal Rumble match. As far as their match was concerned, there isn’t much between the ropes on WWE television that gets me excited nowadays. That’s just a plain and simple fact, and I wish it wasn’t so. I like quite a bit of what Roman Reigns does as far as his regular repertoire of maneuvers, but I hope he can develop a more synchronous style as he prepares to become the backbone of the next generation. I think Fandango is destined to be apart of the low-to-mid card realm for the forseeable future, if not for the rest of his WWE career. But that’s not to say he can’t make the most of the hand he’s been dealt. I hope that the WWE doesn’t continue booking this same match until the Royal Rumble, as I would rather see Reigns move through a series of diabolical opponents. This could be an opportunity to help build lower level heels such as Titus O’Neil and Tyson Kidd as they prepare for their own place in the WWE of tomorrow.

Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt talk again
More talking. Just a whole bunch of talking. It’s all about talking with these two! What does this storyline have in common with boring black and white movies from the 50s? Talking—so much talking! Okay, enough jokes. I am in agreement with most wrestling reviewers that Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt suffered greatly at TLC by headlining a card that had already displayed most every WWE gimmick match anyone could have asked for. By the time they pulled out the TABLES, the Cleveland crowd was coming off the contest between Cena and Rollins; when it was time for LADDERS the audience had already seen Ziggler and Harper steal the show; and Chairs? Well nobody gives a damn about chairs, but if you do you already saw them swung in the most unsavory of styles by Kane and Ryback. That being said, this program needed to continue, as the hero Dean Ambrose is still without a singles pay per view victory… This year! So what are they to do? They talk! Because that’s what these two performers do best. I don’t have much else to say about the matter, quite frankly. I’ve been admittedly enchanted by their program since its inception, but even I’m beginning to lose interest in what’s becoming a phantom shell of what it once had the potential to be.

Miz and Mizdow and Harper vs. Uso’s and Rowan
The dynamic between the Usos and Naomi is developing exactly as I predicted just a few short weeks ago. I think the best thing for the future of Naomi a.k.a. Trinity would be to declare her professional independence from her husband as she has already done with Total Divas, align herself with the Miz and begin using her real name. I don’t understand why she and Cameron a.k.a. Ariana don’t use their real names on Raw and Smackdown. It’s probably just an oversight that wasn’t taken into consideration in the years prior to Total Divas. I am getting a bit tired of seeing the Usos, which is why I think adding a little bit of drama to their storybook lifestyle could be just what’s required to revitalize their characters. Nothing negative to say about the Miz and Mizdow, and I especially enjoyed the bit between Harper and his tagteam partners when Damian Mizdow proceeded to mimic Harper rather than the Miz. Luke Harper is one of my favorite wrestlers on the WWE roster; I think he is continuing to improve in every possible way from week to week which is truly impressive given the repetitive environment in which he is expected to evolve. If this was Monday Night Raw it would have been the match of the night, and perhaps it is a contender this evening as well. All I can say is that I was overjoyed with all aspects of this, from the in-ring delivery to the entertainment which surrounded the entire situation.

Rollins versus RyBack with Rusev Run In
Not much to say about this segment except it helped to convey Rusev as a true heel rather than an unstoppable powerhouse. There is no question that Rusev is on a warpath, but it can sometimes be difficult for technically gifted and athletically inclined heels to garner true heat when they perform so elegantly. That is why it’s important to the overall development of his character for Rusev to go on these somewhat out of character rampages. I always enjoy listening to Seth Rollins in the ring, especially when he’s working alone and not as the straightman to John Cena or Dean Ambrose. His fun banter with the “stooges” harkens back to Vince McMahon’s own egotism regarding his firm grasp on the WWE; whenever McMahon was comfortable, someone would come along to shake things up. And in this case, it’s none other than the Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler who’s been on a roll recently since outlasting every other man in his match at the Survivor Series and reclaiming is precious title belt from Luke Harper just two nights earlier at TLC. I echo the sentiments of most journalists and podcasters in that I would love for wrestlers to speak from their hearts rather than a piece of paper. But in some cases, especially in the case of Dolph Ziggler, those scripts can help create compelling moments out of otherwise thin air. A very enjoyable several minutes of programming, considering it was the longest stretch on the show without any in-ring action.

Naomi versus Nikki Bella
Far more provocative than anyone could have anticipated, this match offered edge-of-your-seat excitement due primarily to the live aspect of Tuesday Night Smackdown, as well as the unpredictable nature of Naomi’s relationship with the Miz. As previously stated, I think Naomi’s character would best be developed through an unlikely alliance with The Miz and Mizdow, and what better time to work that organically into the program than when Naomi wins the title with the help of the Miz? Instead we are spoonfed another unbelievable misunderstanding storyline where apparently nobody in the ring has ever seen a wrestling match before. It’s those sort of lazy loopholes that make me angry about the WWE Creative Department, but I don’t get hung up on seemingly unimportant things such as character development and storylines. Sarcasm, of course. Everybody knows that I’m a fan of Nikki Bella despite her apparent negative reputation, and I thought this was another well constructed match considering the lack of experience from those involved. I am anxious for Nikki to drop the belt however, because as much as I enjoy her character I cannot for another moment pretend that she is of adequate ability to hold the only women’s title on the main roster.

Adam Rose versus Kane
I won’t go into much detail because I outlined my proposal pretty clearly in my Raw review, but I think it could be possible to use Kane to revitalize the Adam Rose persona. I think the illicit influence of the Big Red Machine is exactly what could be required to draw the maniacal Leo Kruger from wherever he’s been hiding. I think it will come down to a choice between turning on The Bunny or not; if he decides to spare his furry friend the pain of betrayal, we know that Adam Rose is here to stay. But I think we could see a case where Leo Kruger could find Kane’s actions appealing, something he might want to engage in himself. I am definitely digging too deep into a program between a party animal and a man who’s been designated a “Demon,” but I hope for the best for both characters and think this would be a great way to achieve a positive outcome.

Ziggler versus Seth Rollins
This was the match of the night in my opinion, as any main event should strive to be. Dolph Ziggler is coming closer to the top of the WWE as time goes by and weeks fade into months. He seems to have had trouble over the past few years jumping the hurtles between break out midcarder and true main event superstar, but his victory at the Survivor Series, along with reclaiming the Intercontinental title and his win this evening over Seth Rollins have all helped prove Dolph worthy of carrying the torch. I’ve said on several occasions that I admire the chemistry between Rollins Ziggler and it’s only a matter of time before we see them start battling it out for world heavyweight gold. Rollins has yet to work an ill nerve on me as I’m still just as excited to see him now as I was to see Tyler Black first appear in NXT. Say what you will about the WWE in relation to other so called “progressive” wrestling promotions, I’m optimistic that Ziggler and Rollins will lead a revolution in the wrestling world, along with a roster that includes Prince Devitt, Kevin Steen, El Generico, KENTA, and Pac. The future looks bright and Smackdown should be proud for featuring such a high class main event.

I happen to think that this was a very good episode of Smackdown and an adequate response to the action packed presentation by the now-rival NXT roster. After REvolution went down this past Thursday, there were rumblings regarding some Superstars and their attitude about stepping up their game in response to the developmental talent. I was hoping we might see some of that at TLC, but I suppose there isn’t much room for improv when the script is already written. This is a few weeks in a row that Smackdown has had a superior program to its Monday night counterpart, and the awesome advertisements for WWE’s return to Thursday has me hoping that “Blue Raw” could possibly revert to its previous glory, once experienced during the Ruthless Aggression Era. Folks, as I mentioned in my previous columns from this week, I am heading to my home state of New Jersey for the holidays and I’m not sure how much writing I will be doing once I get there. It’s been nearly 3 years since I’ve seen any member of my family, or any of my friends for that matter, so I assume I might be taking a week off. In the meantime I hope you stick around and continue to check out everything that Cheap-Heat has to offer, as we update our material each and every day. Until next time my name is Mark Haggerty, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, a Joyous Kwanzaa, a Reflective Ramadan, and a very Prosperous New Year.

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-12152014/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-12152014/#comments Tue, 16 Dec 2014 04:50:17 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8147 I would hope that I’ve established myself as a fair and balanced observer of all things pro wrestling. I feel as though I give the WWE the benefit of the doubt perhaps more often than the majority of my contemporaries. But after last night’s miserable TLC pay-per-view event I’m less than excited for what’s promised […]

I would hope that I’ve established myself as a fair and balanced observer of all things pro wrestling. I feel as though I give the WWE the benefit of the doubt perhaps more often than the majority of my contemporaries. But after last night’s miserable TLC pay-per-view event I’m less than excited for what’s promised to be another forgettable Monday Night Raw courtesy of a creative department that doesn’t seem to care about consistency. Before TLC went on the air, there were reports of WWE Superstars ready to upstage Thursday’s NXT REvolution, and though I didn’t think that would happen, I at least expected an above average attempt by the main roster. Oh how wrong I was! Tonight’s Raw was another dismal display of overbooking and homages to glory-hogging faux legends, most notably the ever tiring Chris Jericho. Now that you know I am in no way enthused about the current state of affairs in the WWE, let’s get down to the Top Five Moments of Raw, or more appropriately, The Five Times I wasn’t on Facebook.

5. Raw is Jericho
With a seeming underabundance of topics to discuss from this exceptionally unimpressive episode of the WWE’s FLAGSHIP program, I figure we should probably begin by discussing the guest General Manager Chris Jericho. I’m probably in the minority here, but I just couldn’t stomach this—another Chris Jericho guest spot on Raw. Sometimes my reviews tend to become tangents and that’s my prerogative, if you don’t like it, there’s a back button and in most cases a little X in the corner of your screen that will take you away from whatever it is I’m writing that you find so objectionable. Nonetheless, tangent alert: I have friends who value wrestling as much as I do, some of them even contribute to this very website. Whenever I talk to people about fantasy booking, oh let’s say next years Wrestlemania for example, they inevitably start by throwing out previously established names like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin and Kurt Angle and Bully Ray. This is no different. Chris Jericho’s repeated disappearances and reemergences on WWE television are not only becoming tired and predictable, but they are helping to reinforce the notion that today’s product must rely on the stars of yesterday, a practice which in-turn cannot afford the opportunities required to build the Superstars of Tomorrow. What “Legends” laced up at Wrestlemania III? Or Five? Or Fourteen? Having Hall of Famers waving to fans at ringside is completely different than highlighting workers ten years past their prime on a major platform. I am so blatantly sick of the mandatory talking segments that begin every episode of Raw, and I especially loathe them when they are delivered by an interchangeable character like Chris Jericho, who isn’t embedded in any of today’s storylines and adds no value to the current product. I understand the WWE’s desire to use talent that draws money, at Raw and especially at Wrestlemania—but if the company doesn’t put more of an emphasis on the current crop of talent, then Wrestlemania 40 will feature a fifty year old Rock and an eighty year old Hulk Hogan. So the only reason I’m listing the opening monologue from Chris Jericho and his subsequent interplay with Heyman and Rollins is because there wasn’t much else from the show to report. The point of giving you five distinct moments each week is to provide a snapshot of the most important story elements from each episode. I might not have liked anything having to do with this, but the rest of the Internet seems to of loved it. Plus it helped to develop a self-contained plotline involving Chris Jericho that made him tolerable, and even added to a memorable and far more favorable moment later in the evening.

4. Kane versus… Leo Kruger??
Talk about going against the grain with my opinion. I picked this specific event for a variety of reasons but mostly because of what I think could prove to be a defining program in the development of Adam Rose. First of all, I must mention of the indie stars at ringside that comprised a fraction of The Rosebuds this evening, most notably Jimmy Jacobs, current wrestler for Rinf of Honor as well as plenty of other promotions, some based right here in my backyard of Southern California. So Rosebuds aside—The Big Red Machine, Kane has been in a stagnant spot for what seems to be an eternity. Even when you go back before his corporate makeover, Kane’s most memorable moments have been as part of a tag team tandem or as a second-tier world title holder. I’ve never been the biggest Kane fan, but I think back to his battles with The Undertaker and Steve Austin; this is a character with depth that has not been explored to his fullest in a very long time. It appears as though Kane has been pushed out from underneath the umbrella of the Authority, at least for the moment, and I’m optomistic that the apparent makings of a program with Rose can help to humanize Kane once again. More on that in a moment. Adam Rose on the other hand, but much the same as Kane, has become the victim of lazy booking practices and uninspired storytelling. Procrastination is second nature to most writers, and once an idea hits big, it can sometimes be hard to follow up. I understand that Creative has been pleased with the Exotic Express and the beings which inhabit it, but more needs to be done aside from sending him to the ring with an entourage. That is why I’m optimistic about placing Rose in the hands of the 20 year veteran, Glenn Jacobs. Fans have been waiting patiently for Adam Rose to turn on his albino ally, the wrestling rabbit, and the unstable influence of the Demon Kane could be the catalyst needed to draw Leo Kruger back out of the goofy Adam Rose. I am hopeful that after a few more weeks of catastrophic encounters, Kane may convince Rose drop the party people and align with him. Leo Kruger and Kane might be your tag team champions by this time come April. A boy can dream, can he not? I’m not one of those smarks who rallies for Kane’s resignation, because I think there are still benefits to be had from his wealth of knowledge and experience. Let’s see if I’m right.

3. Roman’s Reign
I’ve been unabashedly critical of Roman Reigns since the WWE began it’s nonstop crusade in building him as the next face of the company. I don’t think he has the talent, I don’t think he has the drive, and I don’t think he has the look, quite frankly, to fill the shoes of John Cena, the Rock, or even Shawn Michaels. But his return to action was exciting and energetic enough to make even me stand and take notice—even if I was only in my living room. I thought he looked good, as if he spent time developing the definition in his arms so as to avoid the doughy Samoan-look he’s destined to inherit. Believe it or not, I thought Fandango is the perfect person for Reigns to return against and defeat; Fandango is an established performer who has the support of the hard-core fans, while maintaining the disdain of the everyday wrestling marks. I’m not exactly sure why Roman Reigns has taken it upon himself to avenge Chris Jericho’s Slammy theft. I’m also not sure why the First Ever Undisputed and nine time Intercontinental champion gives a rat’s ass about a Slammy award, but that’s not the point. If Reigns reemerged and challenged anyone else, Rollins or Wyatt for example, the program would be fast-tracked and thrown away by the time Royal Rumble rolled around. Pairing Reigns with a heel that needs additional heat after his own absence such as Fandango is the perfect route to take in order to make the biggest mark in a small amount of time.

2. The Beast Incarnate & The Jew in JiuJitsu
As soon as Paul Heyman uttered the words, “Jew in jujitsu” I knew we had a top-five moment of the night. While the ongoing repartee between Heyman and Jericho was vastly more entertaining than their previous encounter just an hour and a half earlier, what created the most buzz on this occasion was the appearance of the world heavyweight champion. I’ve been torn about how to feel regarding the part-time schedule of Brock Lesnar. Part of me wants to see the championship defended on a more regular basis, but then another side of me says it makes sense for the world title to be featured as a special attraction. It also seems that the Intercontinental championship has had a chance to gain momentum since Lesnar captured the heavyweight title, as has the U.S. Belt. I remember back when I first began my weekly love affair with Monday Night Raw. It was 1995 and Bret Hart was the “Most Defending Champion in World Wrestling Federation History.” Everyone got a championship match! And I mean everyone; the 1-2-3 Kid, Bob “Spark Plug” Holly, even Salvator Sincere! While it helped Hart to stand out as a fearless Champion, it did little to elevate the title. What did it say about the most pretegious belt in the company when Brakkus was challenging for the god damn world heavyweight championship? So in that regard, it’s refreshing to see the world heavyweight championship displayed in such an elegant fashion. I was expecting Brock earlier in the evening when Heyman had first engaged Y2J, but given the way in which he made his appearance later on, I’m pleased with the decision to hold off. I didn’t know if Jericho was actually going to have a match with Paul Heyman or what, especially with the erratic build up used to promote the WWE App. I’m not sure if it’s a joke or not, but whats with asking the WWE Universe to vote on matches and then giving them three of the same options. I guess in this case it made sense because all three spelled the same fate for Heyman. But this isn’t the first time they’ve done that sort of thing, and I feel like if they’re going to insult their audience, at least have the courtesy to do it in a more subtle way. Raw seems less like a wrestling show, and more like the world’s most extravagant 3-hour infomercial for a mobile app. As much as I loathe the constant hellos and goodbyes by Chris Jericho, I couldn’t help but wonder if this impromptu altercation could possibly lead to a match between the Beast and the Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla. There is a fair amount of time between now and The Royal Rumble, and Brock is scheduled for several television appearances. What better way to promote Raw and the WWE Network in 2015 than to feature the former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar on cable television, wrestling one of today’s most well-known pop culture icons and performers, Chris Jericho? The WWE loves to feature it’s veterans, and this seems like a money situation.

1. The New Paul Heyman Guy
Considering we just saw Seth Rollins and John Cena mix it up the night before at TLC, and in spite of the lackluster reputation of most Monday main events, I was pleasantly surprised with the execution of this cage match. Cage matches are a hit-or-miss with me; if it’s a 10 foot high wire fence confining Tully Blanchard and Magnum TA, I am on board all day—every day. But I think we can all admit that the WWE has a habit of running quality ideas into the ground. Look at the Elimination Chamber, a fantastical concept that made for a thrilling treat when one least expected I to reappear. But feature it every year at the same time and nobody could care less. The same can be said when you drag your PG-regulation safety cage from city to city for every house show where you proceed to hang it from the ceiling which spoils any sort of reveal. I will never be among those to talk down about the 15 time world heavyweight champion John Cena. I think Cena is a role model, not only for kids but for people of all ages. When I’m stuck with a particularly puzzling problem at work, I frequently find myself asking, “What Would John Cena Do?” His initials ARE J-C… I should make some bracelets. I also think John is an underrated professional wrestler who performs the “same five moves” to perfection, and does so to tell a specific story—but that’s not to say he isn’t above evolving, which we’ve all seen him do several times before. I don’t mean to go off on a tirade about how much I love John Cena, because he is far from my favorite wrestler. But you can’t fault him for his ability or is determination to do his very best. Seth Rollins is having a tremendous year, he is one of my favorite workers on the main roster and I think 2015 could be his big year in the WWE. Back to this match: I hear a lot of criticism regarding Mercury and Noble’s constant involvement in Rollin’s affairs, but I couldn’t be happier with them. They are two of the most talented workers that the WWE has had the privilege of employing, not only in the ring but behind the scenes. I was busy with a previous engagement and didn’t have the chance to see the finale live, but a friend sent me a text message saying, “Seth Rollins is the new Paul Haman guy.” While I believe my buddy might have jumped the gun as far as any allegiances, I am tickled at the idea of Rollins taking up Heyman’s managerial services ones Lesnar’s WWE contract comes to a conclusion in the spring. I love the consistency in the booking of Brock Lesnar. It begs the question, who is behind the creative decisions to develop his program, and why are they not working with the rest of the talent? As happy as one might be about the fantastic way in which the main event storyline is unfolding, it conversely serves to highlight the lack of depth in the undercard angles.

I had low expectations for this show and with fair enough reason. I was neither disappointed nor over whelmed by what I witnessed. Perhaps it wasn’t the trainwreck I was expecting, but it did nothing to excite me going forward into 2015. With Christmas next week and New Years just a stone’s throw from the present day, I’m not sure what else we can expect out of the WWE as far as creativity for the rest of 2014. Folks, I hope everyone has a lovely rest of their. I am heading home to New Jersey next Monday and will be flying during Raw, so I cannot guarantee that I will be back with my Highlight of the Night next week. Instead I’ll probably assemble something special onboard my flight to post once I land. Regardless of when my Monday Night Review returns, be sure to check in as I’m constantly adding columns and countdowns on a daily basis.

Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a prosperous New Year.

- Mark Adam Haggerty

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/marks-wwe-tlc-predictions-and-analysis/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/marks-wwe-tlc-predictions-and-analysis/#comments Sat, 13 Dec 2014 16:48:17 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8029 The New Day vs. Gold and Stardust This might be the first preshow I’ve been excited to see since Wrestlemania XII and the finale of the Billionaire Ted sketches. While Gold and Stardust have seemingly lost their luster, The New Day seems to be just getting started and have managed to hit a chord with […]

The New Day vs. Gold and Stardust
This might be the first preshow I’ve been excited to see since Wrestlemania XII and the finale of the Billionaire Ted sketches. While Gold and Stardust have seemingly lost their luster, The New Day seems to be just getting started and have managed to hit a chord with the WWE Universe. When they first got together I think we all would have assumed that the ‘New Nation’ would be a heel faction, and though there’s certainly room for this ensemble of extraordinary talent to grow, I’m enjoying the honest rapport they’ve created with the audience. My pick is The New Day, primarily because a loss at this stage would do nothing, except reestablish my lack of faith in WWE Creative. I also think the Rhodes Brothers partnership has entered into its twilight and it could only be a matter of time until Cody Rhodes comes to his senses and sets out to defeat his brother—maybe at Mania?

Ladder Match for the IC Championship
Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper
I’m torn as to how excited I should be about this match. On the one hand you’ve got two of the most competent wrestlers working one another for what’s arguable the most prestigious championship in the WWE. Furthermore, they’re taking their fight to the skies in one of the most iconic match types in the history of professional wrestling. Regardless, I refuse to get my hopes up as I’ve learned to not make predictions based on what the competitors are capable of. If this match opens the show, then I anticipate another unimpressive throwaway contest that won’t last more than fifteen minutes. But if the WWE holds Luke Harper and Dolph Ziggler until later in the show, it could possibly exceed even the biggest Universe fan’s expectations. I am going to go out on a limb and predict Dolph Ziggler as your winner for this Intercontinental Ladder Match, allowing for a more vivid story to be told as we head into Wrestlemania season.

WWE Tag Team Championship
The Usos vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow
I’m glad that these teams are aiming for something other than the same old tag team dynamic of, “You’re the champions and we want your belts.” It seems that there’s never any sort of personal “je ne sais quoi” in tag team wrestling, especially in the WWE. I’ve been calling for a Naomi heel turn for two weeks, and while I think it could be too soon, I’m certainly not ruling it out. The Miz and Mizdow are almost definitely going to retain as Jimmy is bound to let his emotions cloud his judgment as to the task at hand. I think it would be a mistake to turn his wife this early, as there are already a number of ways the Miz and his stunt double could walk out unscathed. I think we’ll see the Uso’s lose and perhaps we’ll catch a few fleeting glances of discontent between the twins and Naomi.

Chairs Match
Ryback vs. Kane
Who cares? What a ridiculously reverse-engineered concept—a CHAIRS match. Let me guess, we won’t see any head shots or blood. How about Kevin Owens, by the way? Getting color in his very first appearance with the WWE? As soon as I saw him start to bleed, I figured he would be future endeavored immediately but apparently that’s not the case. Anyway, back to RyBack and Kane… I was really liking the goofy Director of Merchandise gimmick that Kane had for a mere two weeks. I understand the ideology in giving the new guys a “rub” from the established Superstars, but Ryan Reeves has already had main event pay-per-view matches with John Cena and CM Punk. I would therefore like to see the sufficiently-rubbed Ryback battle another, younger talent. I think he would have a stellar program with Cesaro, and what else is the Swiss Superman doing nowadays, since winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal? Tagging with Tyson Kidd. I don’t care about this match, it doesn’t mean anything, nobody will be better or worse when it’s finished. Well, maybe Kane if Dr. Chris Amman is the one treating that unsightly growth on his back. Winner? Uh… Ryback. Why not?

Stairs Match
The Big Show vs. Erick Rowan
So everything I just said about how absurd the Chairs match is, and how Ryback doesn’t need to be wasting his formidable years working Kane? That’s exactly what’s happening here, except The Big Show isn’t as awful as Glen Jacobs and Erick Rowan could probably use this rivalry to better align himself within the company. But a STAIRS match? This reminds me of Summerslam when they announced a Flag Match and nobody knew what the hell it was going to be. What is a stairs match? I hope it doesn’t even involve the ring steps and instead they have to push eachother down flights of steps in the arena. And then Rowan circumvents the rules by throwing Big Show down an elevator shaft. I guess Rowan will win whatever the match might be, but the people who concocted this concept are the same people who ultimately decide who wins and loses. So let’s not give them any benefit of the doubt; this will likely be my “walk to 711 for junk food” match.

Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match
Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt
What did I say two months ago before they even met at Survivor Series? These two competitors were destined to mix things up in a TLC match. While the vast majority of match types throughout the evening are inorganic, this rivalry has had the benefit of very careful long-term booking which helps to connect the dots from Hell in a Cell to the Survivor Series and now to TLC. I don’t think this is the end for Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt as the Royal Rumble seems to be the perfect place for two such entities to settle their differences. I think Bray is most likely going to have his hand raised at the end of this contest, due in part to the overwhelming odds that Dean Ambrose could win. After gaining the upper hand in his last set of altercations with the Eater of Worlds, I would be surprised if Ambrose managed to come out on top this Sunday. Notice how I managed to talk about a TLC match without ever referring to it as “a demotion derby?”

WWE Divas Championship
AJ Lee vs. Nikki Bella
For the first time in a very long time I am interested in what the WWE Diva’s are working on. I’m not sure if it’s the women down in NXT that get me fired up for the future of the division or if it’s the classic Good vs. Evil teleplay put on by AJ Lee and Nikki Bella. Everyone knows I dislike AJ, but I enjoy the part she plays in her dichotomy with the current Diva’s Champion. People accuse me of falling into the “Nikki Bella Trap”; they say she sleeps her way to the top and that she’s cruel to the other women she works with. I say if you believe that, then who has really fallen victim to a trap? If anything, Nikki is doing a wonderful job of establishing her character and creating a vast divide between what she and AJ both bring to the WWE. This is one of the matches I’m most looking forward to, and I’ll be interested to see what, if anything, Brie Bella will do to make herself stand out. I think Nikki Bella retains.

WWE United States Championship
Jack Swagger vs. Rusev
Another really exciting contest that I’m geared up to witness. I think the common question is, “Why is Jack Swagger being injected into a program with Rusev again?” Hey, I agree that Rusev should continue forward without looking back, but his summertime program with Swagger was perhaps his most provocative to date. Added to the anti-American escapades of the Ravishing Russian Lana, the All-American American is the perfect opponent for the United States Champion. The backstage assault on Zeb Colter was a bit overboard in regards to unbelievable booking practices, but it’s done no harm and has served to get Zeb back in the action. I think Rusev retains via some nefarious means that help to keep Jack Swagger firmly cemented as a featured player in the years to come.

Tables Match
Seth Rollins vs. John Cena
In my debut edition of “The Thirteen”, I rank the top contenders in the world of both professional wrestling and sports entertainment. Number four on my list, and one of the only performers I ranked that hasn’t held a world title this year, was Seth Rollins. Say what you will about how he’s always wet when he comes to the ring or fault him for his allegiance to Triple H both on and off camera, but Seth Rollins had one of the best years in the sport. It makes me all the more optimistic about the direction in which WWE is heading, knowing that Mr. Money in the Bank has been designated worthy of closing out the last pay-per-view of the year. And on the flipside, you can complain about John Cena all you want as well, the man never phones anything in and is fully capable of helping to deliver what might be one of the most memorable matches of 2013. It’s kind of curious who’s going to win this bout. If John Cena wins, he will go on to battle Brock Lesnar for the third time, but if Seth Rollins should defeat Cena, then he will have two world title matches in his future. I honestly have no idea what’s going to happen, but in the interest of picking a winner I am going to say Seth Rollins. After suffering a defeat at the Survivor Series, I think Rollins is poised to earn a victory this month. Although I could be completely wrong, because if Cena wins, then I believe both superstars still have their championship opportunities in tact. Right? I’m still going to go with Seth Rollins.

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-thoughts-from-12102014/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-lucha-underground-thoughts-from-12102014/#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2014 15:33:27 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8024 Rather than kicking off my weekly Lucha review with some EspaГ±ol per usual, I decided to admit something to my loyal readers around the world. Every single week when I sit down to write my review for Lucha Underground I read the name of the column and immediately sync the words with the theme to […]

Rather than kicking off my weekly Lucha review with some EspaГ±ol per usual, I decided to admit something to my loyal readers around the world. Every single week when I sit down to write my review for Lucha Underground I read the name of the column and immediately sync the words with the theme to “Love in an Elevator” by Aerosmith. So atleast once every seven days I find myself singing, “Viva La Lucha Libre, lifting me up when I’m going down!” Which suffice it to say is an accurate way to describe the shot of adrenaline that Lucha Underground has provided the wrestling industry over the past two months. Enough of the song and dance though, this was an exceptionally exciting episode and the 8th installment of Lucha Underground.

First of all, I was pleasantly surprised to see Danny Trejo sitting ringside! I believe Vampiro and Matt Striker only referred to him by his name once or twice, choosing to rely on his movie moniker, “Machete.” What a perfectly tailored celebrity appearance for this program, am I right? Lucha Underground is the tale of heroes and villains set in the United States against a backdrop of violent gangsters and a rich Mexican heritage. The inclusion of Trejo not only serves to link directly to the atmosphere inside the building, but also helps to establish Lucha Underground as a formidable player in the world of popular culture. When I first came to realize that this was going to be a three-match-show, I began having severe doubts and considered the possibility that Lucha Underground could finally put forth its first failing effort. But I’ve been wrong in the past, especially regarding this specific program, so I had no doubt I could be mistaken again.

King Cuerno continues to be one of the most intriguing characters on the show, coming to the ring each week sporting his regal headdress and emitting an aura of superiority—even when matched against someone as electrifying as Super Fly. As Matt Striker helped to point out, Super Fly has a storied legacy of his own south of the border and in Japan as well; Lucha Underground does a wonderful job of using established workers as enhancement talent. I thought this match was a bit short, but the pacing of the entire show was based around the main event ladder match. The gruesomely hideous Drago is the perfect foil to the prim and proper King Cuerno, and his mystique is exemplified when he’s hovering above the ring, perched as Striker would say, like a “Gargoyle.” I thought, as impressive as the overall match proved to be, the finish was somewhat uninspired. Still, the work-rate was incredible—nothing short of what I would expect from Lucha Underground.

I thought the PentagГіn Jr. vignette was a bit ill-timed considering the lack of success he’s found since debuting, not to mention the promo he gave just a few weeks ago that made him sound like a desperate heel, not a traveled shoot fighter that breaks people’s arms. I like PentagГіn, and I like that he’s been aligned with Chavo Guerrero because I think it signifies the promotions intention on building PentagГіn as a potential main eventer himself. But I would have preferred this very well constructed video have aired six or seven weeks ago.

Chavo has done nothing to garner the admiration of the Lucha Underground audience, but that hasn’t slowed their support for the legendary competitor as was made evident during his encounter with Fénix. Half of the audience chanted in favor of the “Bird of War” while the other half—including Danny Trejo, cheered for the much familiar Chavo Guerrero. While Chavo is escorted to the ring by a fellow Junior in Pentagón, Fénix is accompanied by the enchantingly-over Sexy Star. I admire Chavo and a lot of similar second-generation Mexican athletes such as El Patron, for their innate ability in adapting to a number of different styles. Just as sports entertainment has evolved in America, Mexican wrestling has changed with the times and Chavo has no problem staying in step, and in fact ahead in most cases, of the fantastic Fénix. In the end Chavo proves that experience and ingenuity can be powerful tools when employed by a man willing to lie, cheat, and steal. I think ‘Pendejo’ is the only Spanish obscenity which I’m 100% certain of the meaning, especially after hearing it within the context of Sexy Star’s declaration on Chavo after the match. It seems that Blue Demón will return to take action, following the way in which Chavo turned on him in the opening weeks of Lucha Underground.

I’m not sure what to think about the new Lucha competitor known as Cage, who’s set to make his debut at any time now. His promotional package was very well produced and I hold out hope that he could be a contender in the next round of Lucha Underground episodes. He’s obviously much different than every other member of the roster, so it’s a pleasure to see the locker room expand. I’m just not sure how he will be introduced and what will spark his initial debut. I think Cage could be the perfect competitor to end the undefeated streak of Mil Muertes should they decide to go in that direction, but I fear he will be exhibited poorly and relegated to performing on every third or fourth show. Still, Lucha Underground has done everything possible to prove me wrong about this very episode, so I’ll be happy to be incorrect yet again.

I had mixed feelings about the main event but thought the overall presentation from beginning to end was comparable to some of the more exciting matches that TNA provides. I was very much looking forward to a ladder match between Johnny Mundo and Prince Puma; I guess I misunderstood the match-making practice employed by Dario Cueto one week earlier, but I was surprised Ryck was an entrant in the contest. For what was provided and by whom, I can’t complain because I don’t think Big Ryck is the kind of competitor anyone thinks of when talking about ladder matches. I thought he did an adequate job, but I knew it was only a matter of time before the entire match denegraded into a street fight courtesy of Cisco and Cortez. So for what it was—a turn-based spot-fest, this match was rather enjoyable. I was indifferent to the outcome as nobody believes that anybody is truly competing for a hundred grand. This match was good while it lasted, but the major takeaway is the heated rivalry that has come to a head between Mundo and Cueto. I hope Lucha Underground doesn’t sully a very cool character in Dario Cueto by trying to rehash another worker versus promotor program, which only really worked once and needs not be attempted anymore. I’m still interested in what the heck that key is! I rewound the show a few times trying to hear Striker and Vampiro describe it, but couldn’t figure it out. It has some deep significance to Cueto and it’s clearly not to his office because as I pointed out before, that door never seems to be locked. A very puzzling situation indeed. Where does Puma go from here and what might his mentor Konnan have to say about his failing to win the hundred thousand dollars? Maybe he’ll come out and have to, “Speak on this!”

Another blockbuster hour of in-ring action that had a few lapses in quality but ultimately managed to pull together. What does the future hold for Lucha Underground following its most influential night of action yet? What will their schedule consist of over the holiday season and when will we finally be given a World Champion? The answers to questions such as these will be made clear in due time. Until then, I’m Mark Haggerty and I invite you to bookmark my author page on Cheap-Heat so that you never miss another column or countdown ever again.

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-roh-final-battle-2014/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-roh-final-battle-2014/#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2014 06:26:39 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8021 Back in the 90’s when I was but a white meat baby face growing up in Central New Jersey, I had to make the monthly decision as to which wrestling pay-per-view I was going to ask my parents to order. My dad was a fan of Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund, and was courteous enough […]

Back in the 90’s when I was but a white meat baby face growing up in Central New Jersey, I had to make the monthly decision as to which wrestling pay-per-view I was going to ask my parents to order. My dad was a fan of Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund, and was courteous enough to cover every WWF/E pay-per-view that aired in his house from 1996 to 2007. But every so often I was able to finagle a WCW event out of him as well. It was always alluring no matter the outcome—the spectacle of another wrestling company. Some things were different but it was all the same sport of entertainment that I had fallen in love with. These days I pay for my own pay-per-views, but the chance to catch anything other than WWE only seems to come along quarterly. TNA isn’t producing monthly events anymore, and if they do it’s been taped and running on a delay. So my long-winded point I’ve been vamping toward this whole time, is that I was excited to sit down and watch a live professional wrestling event on my TV for the first time in quite a while! As mentioned, I’m from the East Coast and have plenty of musically gifted friends that have played Terminal One in New York City. But as familiar as I was with the location, I couldn’t comprehend such a small site hosting a wrestling match, let alone an important show such as Final Battle 2014. Terminal One is less than half the size of The Hammerstein Ballroom, but the intimate atmosphere made it feel like a billion dollar stadium. Paul Heyman is famous for, among other things, being the first promoter to book Bam Bam Bigelow, and he did so at Studio 54, another small New York City music venue. In addition to reminding me of the debut of the Beast from the East, the look of this event was very reminiscent of WWF Shotgun Saturday Night in it’s very early days.

I wasn’t terribly invested in the opening contest of the night; of the four participants, the only worker I’m especially interested in is Caprice Coleman. ROH has an insanely large selection of aerial-inclined African Americans. Vince McMahon would have you believe that there’s never been a black WWE Champion because they aren’t as prevalent in the industry. Maybe there’s actually something to this WWE-racism rumor after all, because there are a lot of highly talented black wrestlers out there, and they aren’t all a part of The New Day. I’ve always had a hard time getting behind either Briscoe Brother. I have trouble discerning their “traditional” politics outside of the ring from their in-ring personas. Which is my fault I suppose, but I reserve the right to dislike anyone I choose. And while I may be able to support Jay Briscoe because he currently carries the ROH World title belt, I have no reason to endorse his brother, who’s no more than a toothless disgrace to the name Mark. I was disappointed that BJ Witmer had only come to Final Battle as a spectator, or at the very least for moral support. BJ is one of my favorite wrestlers in Ring of Honor, bar none. And as Final Battle appears to be ROH’s answer to WrestleMania or Bound for Glory, I was admittedly disappointed my favorite wrestler didn’t have the chance to apply his craft. But back to the match—I’ve never loved Jimmy Jacobs, but I don’t think I’ve ever been opposed to him either. I respect him as a 10-year veteran and appreciate his efforts regardless of where he’s working or for how many fans he’s performing. Hansen is the variable in this equation whom I know the least about and have therefore established no opinion. Just my luck, that the only wrestler in the match that I don’t care about was the one who walked away with the victory. It’s good to see Hansen actively competing on TV in singles matches when Ring of Honor could very well have shelved the War Machine member until his partner returned from suffering a motorcycle accident. I think given the unpredictable nature regarding Rowe’s rehab, Ring of Honor brass is most likely attempting to salvage Hansen’s singles career while they still can.

What can be said about Roderick Strong that hasn’t been said and repeated a thousand times before? He’s a polarizing figure that has his admirers and detractors, but very few are split on how they feel about the former Decade member. Roddy Strong is a staple in Ring of Honor, and with his classic good looks and world title pedigree, some might consider him ROH’s homegrown Randy Orton. He certainly has the same kind of cunning reputation as the Viper, especially when preying on the weak—in this case Adam Page. The triangle dynamic unfolding within The Decade is also strangely similar to the three way dichotomy that was developed over the summer by WWE between The Authority, Seth Rollins, and Randy Orton. In this scenario however, the young Adam Page is the one poised to lead the millennial roster into the next generation of wrestling. Riding alongside veteran ring generals such as BJ Whitmer, Jimmy Jacobs, and at one time Strong himself is in many ways similar to Seth Rollins being surrounded by Kane, the Big Show, Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury. I love watching Roderick Strong wrestle because of the graceful fluidity in each of his steps and even in the bumps that he takes. Page is no slouch either, despite being greener than DX glow sticks. Adam Page only needed to provide Strong a canvas with which to work. But Page was able to periodically contour the contest to his own specifications in order to match talents with the imposing former world champion. Of course in the end, the riotous antihero must concquer the despicable pawn before he may enter back into his former castle to vanquish the usurpers—BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs. For a match that was built on only a few weeks of storytelling, Strong and Page managed to tell an accurate tale that is more than likely only the first chapter in the downfall of The Decade.

Michael Elgin is to me now what Bret Hart was to the 10-year-old incarnation of me in 1996. He’s clearly a very talented wrestler with a lot to offer and average promo skills. But he’s just so damn boring! I went on a bit of a holiday earlier this year that kept me away from any and all wrestling news. When I returned, I sat on the runway waiting to get off my plane for about 25 minutes. So I decided to check my Facebook and email; I sent a few messages to family and friends; and of course I read all of the latest dirt. That’s when it happened: I read the headline of an article on Lords of Pain and let out an extremely loud, “Michael Elgin is the Champion?! Of what?!” I couldn’t believe it. I’ve always held the ROH title in the highest esteem due to the exclusivity associated with earning the right to wear the belt. To me the Ring of Honor World Championship is in many ways the most prestigious world title in America, falling short only to the IWGP Championship worldwide. So I was startled that a high midcarder such as Michael Elgin had proven himself worthy of taking up the task in leading the ROH locker room. Fast forward several months, through a summer of below average live events and Elgin is back to where he started and his championship reign is all but a faded memory. In the opposite corner stands Tommaso Ciampa, the self-proclaimed Sicilian Psychopath who seems to be having more trouble as of late with matchmaker Nigel McGuinness than any of his contemporary combatants. The concept of enigmatic brawlers settling their differences by employing their similar strengths is a capital idea to peak interest. It’s refreshing to see a hard-hitting battle of this magnitude fought between two warriors as technically sound as Tommaso Ciampa and Michael Elgin. I thought the entire contest was above average, and despite losing, Ciampa was in many ways the MVP of the match.

The Young Bucks are probably the best tag team in the United States, and could even go down as one of the greatest teams in history. Aside from their Ring of Honor appearances, the Bucks are currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling where they are active members of the heel faction known as The Bullet Club. Battling alongside the brothers Nick and Matt Jackson is one of the most charismatic and captivating competitors in the sport of professional wrestling today—ACH. Coming off the heels of his earth-shattering contest against Jay Lethal just a few short weeks ago, ACH seems to have put his TV Title loss in the rearview and is focused on the task at hand. He’s one of those talented performers who purists like to pick on and say, “He won’t be able to walk in ten years.” People said the same thing about AJ Styles and Shelton Benjamin and Jeff Hardy. In 1996, Larry Zbyszko made a comment regarding one WCW wrestler saying, “The high risks are all well and good now but this guys gonna be in a wheel chair by the time he’s 30!” That was Rey Mysterio. So I say be smart about when to employ high spots and think twice when risking your health in front of 95 fans. Aside from that, I encourage all wrestlers to put on whatever kind of match they’re comfortable with. Now as for their opponents—who the hell is The Addiction? What was wrong with their original tag team name? I assume Bad Influence had some sort of correlation with TNA, or maybe Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels were just trying something new. I’m all for a change whatever the case may be, but this seems like a step backwards in regard to creative direction. But what’s in a name if these two seasoned veterans are still at the top of their game? Cedric Alexander and ACH are in the ring together more often than Jimmy and Jey Uso. Alexander is sort of a strange worker and it’s hard for me to ever get a feel as to how he’s trying to develop his character. Since disbanding from The Decade, one would assume that the only direction to go would be toward the light. But Cedric Alexander appears to be latching onto his former villainous role a bit too tightly. Maybe that’s because he was partnered with Daniels and Kazarian, but aside from ACH, it seemed that everyone in this match was a heel. What it lacked in progressive excitement, this match compensated for with star power and a flurry of high spots that helped to bridge the gap between the matches both before and after.

My biggest question going into the grudge match between Moose and RD Evans was, “Where will Veda Scott be?” For as long as I can remember, the Evans Streak storyline has been an ensemble affair involving multiple characters and I needed to know where her allegiance would lie. I’m not yet sold on Moose, and he is perhaps my least favorite member of the Ring of Honor roster. That being said, Hathaway and Prince Nana are my favorite parts of the program, even moreso than any of the action going on between the ropes. While ROH has always been a promotion based largely on in-ring competition, this match is more in line with a classic Rasslin’ feud from the territory days. I really like RD Evans and I’ve said so on more than one occasion. As sad as I was to see the Streak end, Evans is sure to have a far more prolific career now that he’s being cast in a more traditional fashion. As far as this match, I was less than enthused with the outcome but I’m optimistic about what’s in store for Moose come TV this week.

I think many people expected the television championship match to be the highlight of the entire pay-per-view, and in some ways it was. It definitely deserved its place on the card, and I think if it was outdone by anything it would have been Fight Without Honor. Jay Lethal is like Shawn Michaels or Randy Savage in that he’s going to have a good match no matter what he’s doing. Whether it be inside a steel cage or at the top of the ladder; in front of hundreds or thousands; Jay delivers the same rock star performance day-in and day-out no matter who he’s booked with. Luckily for Final Battle buyers, Lethal wasn’t matched with just any random hand, but with a former champion himself and a former WWE Superstar in Matt Sydal. Independent wrestling is kind of easy to predict sometimes; if one worker has a dozen dates scheduled across the country and his opponent is about to go on vacation, odds are the more visible of the two will walk away champion. Ring of Honor is a little different in that they sign their wrestlers to exclusive deals that allow them to work in a variety of promotions, but prohibit them from appearing in some as well. I wasn’t sure who was going to take home the television title, but due to an enormity of dates scheduled, I would have put money on Matt Sydal. But I was wrong. In any case, it’s always interesting to see a former ROH wrestler-turned WWE Superstar return to his roots after being “future-endeavored” by the Connecticut based mega power. I caught myself asking, “Is that really Evan Bourne,” on several occasions. Of course it was, but it was like night and day the difference in work rate compared to what the former WWE tag team champion was capable of. I understand the WWE’s desire to assimilate all athletes into a similar style in the ring, but once you see Matt Sydal soar through the air in this setting, it’s enough to make you personally angry with Bill Demott and every other trainer on the WWE payroll.

When I first got hip to the Time Splitters I immediately found fault in their name. Time Splitters is an arcade game that suburban kids play at movie theaters while waiting for their moms to come pick them up. But the cheesy gimmick fits an otherwise still cheesy tag team that dresses like a pair of Marty McFly’s and hits the ring each night to an epic Japanese musical score. American audiences are most definitely more familiar with Alex Shelley who made a name for himself in TNA, both as a singles competitor and as one half of the Motor City Machine Guns. But his tag team partner Kushida is almost certainly the more capable of the two once the bell sounds. Kushida exudes an aura of charisma that transcends the language barrier and makes it possible for English speakers such as myself to understand his character. On any other night, the Time Splitters would probably be the favorites to win, but at Final Battle they are booked against Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish—reDragon. While I admit The Young Bucks are perhaps the best team on the planet, reDragon is my favorite. Kyle O’Reilly seems to get the majority of message boards buzzing, but for me the appeal lies with Bobby Fish. Who doesn’t like a wrestler who wears glasses? I was hopeful that this match would steal the show, based both on my expectations for the teams involved and because of my pessimism regarding the main event. I was wrong about the world title match, but I was right in that these four competitors put on a clinic that could very well have earned itself the title of match of the night. I was happy that reDragon picked up the win as I wasn’t yet ready to see them relinquish the titles they’ve worked so hard to defend, especially if it meant dropping them to a pair of outsourced New Japan workers.

I held out hope that the Fight Without Honor would be a championship caliber main event, even when commonsense kept telling me otherwise. I mentioned earlier that the Briscoes have never been my favorite team, and as entertaining as The Kingdom truly is, Adam Cole hasn’t seemed to be anything more than a placeholder between title contenders. Before dropping the belt to Michael Elgin, I was beginning to come around to Adam Cole. But the decision to strip him of the championship in favor of an obvious flop such as Elgin may have done more than put the brakes on Cole’s career, it could have blown out his engine. In the months between losing the world title and the beginning of his rekindled rivalry with Jay Briscoe, Adam Cole was one of the least entertaining aspects of ROH TV. I admittedly had to struggle to get excited for this match. Now that I’ve covered all of my pre-match prejudices, I can admit when I’m wrong. And I was very wrong. I expected Jay to exceed my expectations as he always does, and my feelings for him are of a largely personal nature. But Adam Cole stood out and impressed me beyond anything I could have imagined. From start to finish, the brutality exhibited by both competitors was breathtaking. For a period of time where chair shots to the head are deemed taboo, this match had no shortage of direct contact between steel and skull. As the bout wound down to its final moments, and Cole appeared to be on the verge of victory, the carnage kicked in to overdrive. In a moment that I had to rewind and record and post on Facebook, Adam Cole racked his brain for ideas on how to torture and ultimately eliminate Jay Briscoe. Kneeling amongst a pile of thumbtacks, Cole scooped several dozen into his fist and fed them to Briscoe—following up with a Super Kick that projected shards of metal from between the lips of the World Champion. A little heavier on the gore than I think anyone would have expected, and perhaps that’s why it worked. Of course no cosmetic injury is going to dethrone the Deleware-born and bred Jay Briscoe, who was able to reach deep down into his reserve and summon the stength to drill Cole directly into the canvas, thus successfully defending the coveted ROH World Championship.

Once the dust had settled and Final Battle 2014 drew to a close, I sat back feeling satisfied with the previous three hours and eight wrestling matches I was privileged to see. There didn’t seem to be much build going into this event, but we come to realize that ROH wrestlers are fully capable of telling a story in the ring, and therefore don’t need months of promos and overly produced vignettes. The match of the night was the Fight Without Honor for the World Title. I think that if a pay-per-view is going to be successful as a whole, the way this was, then the main event needs to be the breakout match of the show. But that’s not to say that every undercard contest wasn’t without it’s strengths as well; Final Battle 2014 did a phenomenal job of closing out a puzzling year on a positive note. If you haven’t caught it already, I implore you to spend some time and catch up on Ring of Honor as 2015 is shaping up to be quite a year. That’s it for me I’m Mark Haggerty—keep it tuned to Cheap-Heat.com for all the latest and greatest columns and countdowns.

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-1282014/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-1282014/#comments Tue, 09 Dec 2014 17:33:22 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=7934 Please excuse the absence as of late as I was busy preparing and recovering for the 2-day storm that began last Tuesday. When I’m not writing about wrestling I work for the city government, and two full days of rain means lots of precautions for a sub-sea-level city in Southern California. But rest assured Cheap-Heaters […]

Please excuse the absence as of late as I was busy preparing and recovering for the 2-day storm that began last Tuesday. When I’m not writing about wrestling I work for the city government, and two full days of rain means lots of precautions for a sub-sea-level city in Southern California. But rest assured Cheap-Heaters and Tape-Traders, I’ve returned for another edition of The Highlight of the Night, the weekly series in which I present the Top Five Must-Watch Moments of Monday Night Raw. Maybe it’s me, but I’ve been sorta sullen over the current trends in the WWE. It’s not bad, it just seems to be without direction, and falling into the same complacent habits from twenty years ago. That being said, I enjoyed certain elements of this special ‘Slammy Edition’ of Monday Night Raw, and with TLC just 6 days away, I suppose there’s no better time than now to start making an effort.

5. “John Cena is Standing in Your Way”
This episode was in no way short on provocative encounters between seemingly unconnected characters. Number Five on our list occurred early in the show, deep down in the depths of the arena, as the former Architect of the Shield crossed paths with the One Behind the One in Twenty-One and One, Paul Heyman. Should Seth Rollins defeat John Cena at TLC, then Rollins will become the number one contender for Brock Lesnar’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Even if Seth doesn’t win this Sunday, he’s still in possession of the Money in the Bank contract, granting him a championship match whenever he wants. He could be unsuccessful in his attempt at attaining the world title, only to get the upper hand by doing something underhanded and then cash in for a rematch within moments. Paul Heyman seems to be aware that Seth Rollins could potentially have a rare case of “double contendership” on his hands, and is already attempting to lay the seeds in Seth’s mind as to who the true enemy is. Not that Seth needs any more motivation to loathe John “The Wish Granter” Cena, but Paul’s statement rang true on another level and seemed to echo the sentiments of so many fans tired of the same old “I’ll brush your mouth with Colgate” routine we’ve been fed for over a decade. It’s true that John Cena, not Brock Lesnar, is standing in Seth Rollins’ way to becoming a star. Only time will tell if John Cena will attain true immortal status by helping to elevate a new generation of performers. Given his tremendous character and high level of integrity, I have no doubt that John Cena will do all he can to help Seth Rollins become first NXT graduate to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion. And who knows? This scene could serve to foreshadow the future should Brock Lesnar fail to reach an agreement as far as his contract is concerned. Paul Heyman will need a new Clydesdale to hitch his wagon to… Could that be Seth Rollins?

4. Charlotte versus Natalya II
Whether it was an exclusive treat for the Carolina crowd or a preview for what’s to come this Thursday, Charlottes’ inclusion in tonight’s episode was a surprise, and her rematch from Takeover against Natalya was a priveledge to see on cable television. I enjoy these developmental exhibitions on the main roster because they afford the casual viewer the opportunity to become aware of the younger talents before they debut. I figure that the audience tuning in to NXT each Thursday is but a small segment of the WWE Universe. I know from my own experience, while I might be watching every hour of wrestling I can possibly see every week, the majority of my friends are only catching one to two hours of a three hour show each Monday. This match was a wonderful first step in establishing Charlotte as a one of a kind competitor. She woo’d a few too many times for my taste, but that was compensated for by perfectly-timed verbal cues such as taunting Tyson Kidd as she tortured his wife. I was especially delighted by Charlotte when she responded to the referee’s declaration of the rules with, “I heard you the first time!” I wrote a few weeks back on how the men from NXT could break through and make an impact, and now the question is how do the women? First of all, I think the WWE should develop a new weekly Network show dedicated to Diva matches. Just film a few before Smackdown and Raw and fluff it up with backstage hijinx. The biggest problem with the women in the WWE isn’t their skill level, it’s the lack of consistency in the division. Maybe if the WWE had to produce a story for these characters from week to week for a stand alone broadcast, it would improve the one or two matches we see them in on Raw. Just a thought. This match was the first in-ring moment of the night that made me take notice of the show, and it spawned all sorts of fantasy booking ideas for the Diva’s Division, which NEVER happens. So I’m inclined to say this was a Top Five Moment of the Night without question.

3. That’s Just the Way It Is
Whenever something happens on Raw four weeks in a row, I can’t help but hum the old Tupac chorus: “That’s just the way it is… Things will never be the same.” It has been literally a month of closing out the WWE’s flagship show with the Survivor Series main event cast members brawling into darkness. The WWE has nearly 30 creative writers, yet every superstar seems to be speaking with the same voice. Why the hell would everyone empty out of the locker to fight one another every single week? By my estimation, some heels need to be cowards and wouldn’t necessarily jump at the opportunity to engage in a street fight. And by the same logic, not every babyface can be on hand to save his friends all the time. I gave this week’s episode of Friday Night Smackdown a rave review due to its reliance on younger talent and the conspicuous absence of main eventers like John Cena, Randy Orton, and every other wrestler the Internet has been yawning at for the past five years. Then we get John Cena versus The Big Show to close out Raw; we get the opening match from WrestleMania 11 years ago. The more appropriate note to close the show on might very well have been the interplay between Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt. But if the WWE was dedicated to delivering the main event that we received, there’s any number of ways to have differentiated this show from every other episode we’ve seen since before Thanksgiving. This is the go-home show before the last pay-per-view event of the year. Now you’re probably saying, “Mark, if you’re not gonna say anything nice about this segment, why is it number three on your Highlight of the Night?” Not everything is about whether I like or agree with something. Despite the predictability and repetitive nature of the finale, it served it’s purpose in highlighting the key players going into this Sunday’s spectacular, and further connected top-tier stars a mere month before everyone is set to do battle in the Royal Rumble. I’m willing to give the WWE the benefit of the doubt due to the three-week window between the Survivor Series and TLC. I won’t be as forgiving however, should next week’s Monday Night Raw end with another transparent attempt at getting everyone on camera.

2. Slammy Awards
Rather than discussing my favorite moments from the Slammy Presentations, I figured I would lump the entire thing together. I actually really liked it, though I question the legitimacy behind Roman Reigns walking away with Superstar of the Year. Not just because he’s terrible and every other nominee was more deserving, but because he was on hand to accept the award. There were very few personal acceptances, with Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar and the late Ultimate Warrior being the obvious absentees. You mean to tell me that a competitor who has been communicating via satellite for the past month just happened to be at a TV taping? I have no reason to think that the voting was anything but honest, however I’m skeptical regarding the Superstar of the Year category. I thought having Seth Green as host for the awards offered a hint of authenticity, despite overt attempts by everyone involved to exaggerate the significance of the Slammys. At one point during the preshow, Booker T proceeded to pontificate regarding the illustrious tradition of the Award Show and mentioned how he always watched the Slammys and wanted to be apart of them when he was younger. When was that exactly? Maybe I’m being a bit hard on the WWE, because in truth I really did enjoy the vast majority of the presenters and acceptance speeches. I even voted for a few categories myself using the WWE app thanks to that handy graphic they displayed during the show. Good thing they had that or us idiots that don’t know how to download apps wouldn’t know how to vote for Animal of the Year. The WWE gets a lot of guff for the specialty episodes of Raw, but I think they’re actually pretty cool; they break up the monotony in an admittedly stale program. While I’m probably a bit more excited when Old School Raw rolls into town, the Slammy Awards are a nice break and offer something to look forward to even during the dullest moments of Monday Night Raw. Now if they’ll just bring the King of the Ring back, I’ll be very happy.

1. Holler if You Hear Me!
If you’ve been keeping up with my thoughts on the ever evolving saga involving Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt, you know that I’ve wanted more from these two than the same old “short-sentence, quick-breathing, insanity” promos they can both cut so well. As Bray started his regular rant, this time regarding a rocking chair, I wondered if we were going to get anything beyond what we’ve seen in weeks past. The night had already been established as patterning itself after every other episode of Raw in recent memory, so I had no reason to think we’d get anything beyond the same Bray Wyatt promo we’ve all memorized over the coarse of 2014. Then I heard the ambulance siren, hence the title I bestowed upon this segment, and immediately thought Scott Steiner was in the building, or at the very least Cesaro. But it was an ambulance—an actual ambulance. Added to the already predictable nature of the night was Dean Ambrose’s injury on SmackDown that saw him stretchered out of the arena by the oh-so-visible Dr. Chris Amman. I figured we weren’t going to see the Lunatic Fringe until TLC. But when the ambulance backed in and the doors swung open, the ray of light shining from within created a vibrant silhouette that illuminated the darkened WWE Universe. The moment lost its luster for me once the focus became physical, but after vanquishing Wyatt from the squared circle, Ambrose managed to walk away with the final word as he told the diabolical Eater of Worlds that he too was a monster, and this Sunday he would eat him alive.

Lots of interesting propositions placed before us perhaps to throw us off the scent of what could be in store this Sunday at TLC… And Stairs. As opposed as I am to the concept of mechanically manufactured specialty pay per views, I’m ultimately satisfied with the booking behind most of the matches we’re set to see. I hope that the WWE can do something to stand out in the hind-most moments of a week that featured ROH Final Battle and NXT REvolution. Can the default King of Sports Entertainment close out 2014 in a climatic way, or will TLC be the start of another 12 month cycle of rear-view booking? We shall find out by this time next week. As for now, thanks for joining me for another edition of The Highlight of the Night. My name is Mark Haggerty, make sure to keep it tuned to Cheap-Heat for all of my exclusive predictions regarding TLC… And Stairs.

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