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http://www.cheap-heat.com/hunchamania-wrestlemania-31/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/hunchamania-wrestlemania-31/#comments Sun, 29 Mar 2015 17:04:15 +0000 Gary Mastriano Blogs Other Blogs AJ Lee Bad News Barrett Bella Twins BNB Bray Wyatt Brie Bella Brock Lesnar Cesaro Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler HHH John Cena Lana Los Matadores Luke Harper Nikki Bella Paige R-Truth Randy Orton Roman Reigns Rusev Seth Rollins Stardust Sting The New Day Triple H Tyson Kidd Undertaker Usos Wrestlemania WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10783 HUNCHAMANIA: WRESTLEMANIA 31 Guys…. Guys… GUYS! It's Mania Eve! The second best Eve of the year (although it seriously challenges Christmas and John McMclane). There is a feeling of joy in the air, of hope, of dreams. My head is spinning with thoughts of the promising matches we will see in 24 hours. No matter […]

HUNCHAMANIA: WRESTLEMANIA 31

Guys…. Guys… GUYS! It's Mania Eve! The second best Eve of the year (although it seriously challenges Christmas and John McMclane). There is a feeling of joy in the air, of hope, of dreams. My head is spinning with thoughts of the promising matches we will see in 24 hours. No matter how much we may lament the card beforehand, when the time is upon, you can't help but be excited. This is the best time to be a wrestling fan. And while all eyes of the wrestling world are set upon California, here in New Jersey I am preparing for my Mania party. The Pin the Tail on the Cena has been hung, and the food WWE balloons are being inflated.

WrestleMania this year is shaping up to have tons of memorable moments. The great thing about this card is how hard it is to predict the winners of each match. Aside from the Sting-HHH match I have had an incredibly difficult time figuring who was going to win each match. Kudos to the much maligned WWE booking team for actually setting up an intriguing show, with implications that could be felt in the WWE for years to come. SO…LET'S GET TO THE PREDICTIONS!!! (Seriously though… I have a pin the tail on John Cena).

4 way tag team match for the WWE Tag Team Titles- Kidd/Cesaro (champs) vs Usos vs Matadors vs New Day
I refuse to acknowledge that this a pre-show match. With the advent of the WWE Network there really is no difference between the main show and the preshow. They should just advertise WrestleMania as a 6 hour event. These 4 teams, particularly the Usos and Kidd/Cesaro, have worked hard over the past year to build up the tag team division. The tag titles deserve to be highlighted, and being on the preshow may be the best possible way to showcase them. I assume they will be given more time than if they were actually on the main card. I have heard rumors that New Day may win to bring back the Freebird rule to the tag titles. While that would be really cool, I don't see it happening quite yet. I think Kidd/Cesaro have a long run with the tag titles coming, so I suspect that they retain.

Andre the Giant Battle Royal
As of me writing this the announced participants are: The Miz, Curtis Axel, Ryback, Fandango, Adam Rose, Zack Ryder, Jack Swagger, Titus O’Neil, Darren Young, Big Show, Kane, Erick Rowan, Damien Mizdow, Sin Cara, Goldust, Heath Slater, Mark Henry, Konnor, Viktor, and Hideo Itami. Barring a surprise entrance, that's 20 total participants. After the way Cesaro was handled after his win last year, it is really difficult to determine who will/should win. In theory the winner should go on to have a solid upper mid card run, at the very least. So I will assume that the outcome will lead to big things for whoever wins. So who can benefit the most from a victory? Really the choice for me comes down to 3 guys: The Miz, Ryback, and Curtis Axel. The Miz is always teetering on the edge of the main event, and I really like to think he can break through the main event scene at any time. Once he splits with Mizdow (which will FINALLY be cemented in this match) there is little direction for The Miz. The main event scene could always use another snarky heel. Speaking of guys that are on the edge of the main event- Ryback has always flirted with superstardom. Every time he seems to be on the brink of breaking through, the booking takes a weird turn. He is way over with the crowd. He has the look of a top star. He has had moments where he cut potential career defining promos. Time is short on him to finally break through to the main event, so why not now? As for Curtis Axel, he is the long shot, but sentimental favorite. Axel has been one of the most over performers on the roster since turning his Rumble misfortune into a gimmick. A win for Axel could be the push he needs to get back into the midcard scene. With that being said- I think Ryback takes the win.

Ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship- Bad News Barrett (champion) vs Daniel Bryan vs R-Truth vs Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler vs Stardust vs Luke Harper
I have tried to stay positive about this match. I really have. All signs point to this being a great match. But…man is there a bad vibe surrounding this one. WWE was telling a great IC story with Dean Ambrose and Bad News Barrett, which would have paid off perfectly at WrestleMania. WWE was telling a great story with Goldust and Stardust, which would have paid off perfectly at WrestleMania. WWE was telling a great story with Daniel Bryan that would have…oh wait…they weren't telling any story with Daniel Bryan. At all. He was just kind of around, being the most popular guy on the roster. Now I have no problem with a midcarder being the most over guy, but Daniel Bryan is not a midcarder. I also have no problem with Daniel Bryan NOT being in the main event. But WWE had literally NOTHING planned for him. Like they forgot about him and just used him. Even up until a few weeks ago he wasn't even confirmed for this match. It was like they were waiting for something/someone else to come around to feud with him. Was Sheamus not available? I guess we will never know. Also everything I just said, switch Bryan out with Ziggler.

As for the match itself, the participants themselves will make this a great match I'm sure. Everyone in this match (even R Truth) can produce a great match, so I expect the work rate to be there. I have no doubt this will be a fun bout. I don't see Harper, Stardust, Truth, or Ziggler walking away with the IC title. Ambrose has a legit claim to it and he would elevate the belt for sure. I have heard that the title may be put on Bryan so he can help elevate the title. I am choosing to ignore that theory. Therefore I think it will be Barrett walking away with his title intact. He hasn't actually been in possession of his title during the hot potato storyline in the past few months, so I assume he will ultimately retain.

Seth Rollins vs Randy Orton
I have really enjoyed the build towards this match. Orton's return and subsequent slow burn turn on Rollins was a fresh new build towards this grudge match. This is my pick for show stealer of the night. Orton can always put on a great match when he is motivated, and Rollins has proven in the past year that he will steal every show for the next decade. A loss for Rollins doesn't hurt his character in the slightest. Rollins will continue to be the main focus of WWE programming for the foreseeable future. Orton is hot as a face right now, and an inevitable match with Lesnar is on the horizon. Orton gets the victory here, but this is not the last we see of Mr. Rollins tonight…

The Bella Twins vs AJ Lee and Paige
With all the uproar online about 2 matches being moved to the "pre-show", I have been looking on the bright side. The fact that there are only 7 matches on the main card means that each match will hopefully get a decent amount of time. The recent #givedivasachance movement has seemed to catch on, with longer TV matches in the past few weeks. These ladies are the 4 top performers in the Divas division and certainly can put together a great match if the time is give. The Bellas will continue to be the focus of the Divas division, with AJ and Paige chasing the title until Charlotte makes her main roster debut. Therefore the Bellas pick up the win here, and continue their Diva dominance.

US Title Match- John Cena vs Rusev (champ)
Man this is a hard match to predict. On one hand you John Cena- who is defending America against the big bad evil foreigner. A Cena victory would be a victory for America. On the other hand you have Rusev- who is the latest superstar to have the "winning streak monster" push. Rusev has had a phenomenal rise to this position. Wrestling Cena at his first WrestleMania is a pretty big deal, whether he wins or not. Looking ahead at the remainder of 2015 and beyond, it would seem that Rusev would need the win more. Cena will always be at the top of the card. He selectively puts people over when the time is right. Does Rusev deserve that rub? I think so. I have seen people stating that Cena will carry the US Title back to prominence. And while it would be radical to see Cena in the mid card, I just don't think it'll happen. Rusev gets the win with some kind of shenanigans in another potential show stealer.

Bray Wyatt vs the Undertaker
I have said it before, but I have no problem saying it again. I do NOT want to ever see the Undertaker wrestler…. Ever. Again. Ever. To quote a great man (Hunter Hearst Helmsley) �All you have is the streak. When it dies. You die.' And I completely believe it. The Undertaker has nothing to prove anymore. It is time to move on from the Undertaker era of WrestleMania. Hopefully that is what we will get this year. Wyatt is clearly going to be filling the creepy scary guy for the foreseeable future, so why not use this match as a passing of the torch? At the same time can you see the Undertaker losing two years in a row? I for cannot. I think he wins this year, setting up the rematch/retirement next year.

Sting vs Triple H
One of my first Cheap Heat articles was dissecting why Sting HAD to fight Triple Hat WrestleMania this year. It is really the only match Sting could've had this year. WWE has done a stellar job building towards this epic confrontation. Sting has been treated with nothing but respect by the WWE. I don't think the ending of this match is up for any debate- Sting wins his first WWE match.

WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match- Brock Lesnar (champion) vs Roman Reigns
Good job WWE. Seriously, you turned a match that I was dreading last summer when the rumors arose, into a legitimately intriguing matchup. Lesnar vs Reigns is probably the most interesting WrestleMania main event we have had in over a decade. Prior to this week, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Brock would be dropping the title to the Samoan Superman this Sunday…but then WWE conveniently announces Brock Lesnar has resigned with the company. Congrats WWE, you pulled a fast one on us by making us wonder if Brock was staying. I always thought he was staying, in fact I think the past few weeks of speculation was drawn up by WWE to gain interest in their main event. The WWE is nothing if not their own biggest promoters, and Vince and Co know how to gather extreme interest in their product. Prior to this week, this seemed like a cookie cutter passing of the torch moment, but now with the announcement that Lesnar is staying for an additional 3 years, it's not outside the realm of possibility that he walks out of Mania with the championship. We can all seem to agree that Reigns is fine to be the next face of the company, but he is clearly not ready for that position. Maybe a loss to Lesnar gains additional fan support, and makes the eventual Reigns win even more. WWE is not known to take risks at WresleMania, especially with their potential main eventers, but this seems to be a great time for them to take that risk. Don't give Reigns the title WWE. Not yet. Lesnar wins in after an extremely hard fought and valiant effort by Reigns. HOWEVER…. I do not think Lesnar or Reigns walk out with the WWE Championship… I predict the Money in the Bank contract is cashed in at WrestleMania for the first time ever, and Seth Rollins ends the night with the WWE title around his waist.

Man that's a lot of intrigue going into this year's WrestleMania. So many match outcomes are up in the air, and WWE is really firing on all cylinders right now. To paraphrase Max Landis "when it's good, it's fucking incredible." I cannot help but agree. The wrestling world is in for a night of great storytelling all around. Buckle up gang!

http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-5/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-5/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2015 23:54:34 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Reviews Reviews Top Lists Alundra Blayze Andre the Giant Axelmania Bad News Barrett Batista BNB Booker T Bray Wyatt British Bulldogs Brock Lesnar Bushwhackers CM Punk Curtis Axel Daily Show Daniel Bryan Dolph Ziggler Hart Foundation HHH J&J Security John Cena Jon Stewert Lana Luke Harper Macho Man Madusa NWA R-Truth Randy Orton RAW Rey Mysterio Rikishi Roman Reigns Rusev Seth Rollins Smackdown Stephanie McMahon Sting Strike Force Superstars TNA Triple H Undertaker Wade Barrett WCW Wrestlemania WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10176 The Highlight of the Night The Top Moments from Raw Written by Mark Adam Haggerty Wrestlemania is only four weeks away, and tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from my home—the GARDEN STATE of New Jersey! Of course now I live on the West Coast and was in Las Vegas for Ring of Honor […]

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

Wrestlemania is only four weeks away, and tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from my home—the GARDEN STATE of New Jersey! Of course now I live on the West Coast and was in Las Vegas for Ring of Honor when all of my friends were heading to the Prudential Center, but I dare say this was the best episode of Raw since the start of the New Year. I'm certainly apprehensive about the upcoming "Grand Daddy of Them All," but if the next three weeks follow tonight's lead, I think we'll be in good shape by the time the "Road to Wrestlemania" ends right here in California. New Jersey has always been a hotbed for independent wrestling, and I think this episode was staggered in a way so that it appealed to the die-hard fans in Newark. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty, with you as always to deliver my "Highlight of the Night"—The Top Moments from Raw. Let's get started with a very special HONORABLE MENTION …

Honorable Mention
Aside from the "Macho Man" Randy Savage, this year's Hall of Fame class leaves quite a bit to be desired. Arnold Schwarzenegger is being advertised based on his one-night appearance on Smackdown in 1999, rather than his close relationship with Superstar Billy Graham and other WWWF Superstars during the 1970s and �80s. The Bushwhackers will always hold a special place in my heart, but can't compare to the British Bulldogs, Strike Force, the Hart Foundation or any number of other teams from that era, who are not in the Hall. Rikishi most certainly deserves the honor, and I'm happy his sons have been tasked with inducted him, but is Rikishi really a big enough name to be the second biggest induction of the year? Tonight the WWE announced another name for this year's class of 2015—a woman who not only belongs in the Hall of Fame, but probably should have gone in long before Trish Stratus and Lita. Of course I'm talking about Madusa AKA Alundra Blayze. I honestly thought that she was blacklisted by the WWE, but I guess that's not the case. Congratulations to the former 3-time WWF Women's champion—I can't wait to see who inducts her in Santa Clara.

5. Bray's Burning Casket
Cheap-Heat's Gary Mastriano is a very talented wrestling journalist, who also happens to be one of my oldest friends—but Gary and I are divided as to how this year's Undertaker storyline is set to play out. When Bray Wyatt appeared in the Undertaker's casket at Fastlane, I received a text from Gary that read: "So am I supposed to be excited by the Undertaker?" Meanwhile, I'm marking out just as much as my first name might suggest. I think this could be a really cool program, however I can certainly understand why Gary has his reservations. The Undertaker has had consistent contests at every Wrestlemania from 23 with Batista, up until 29 against CM Punk. Unfortunately, the "Dead Man's" last outing was such a disappointment that hundreds upon thousands of self-proclaimed "Creatures of the Night" are now turning on the idea of "one more match." Regardless of whether you're excited to see the "Phenom" square off against the "Eater of Worlds," Wyatt has been highly impressive since starting down this path, especially tonight when he set fire to the casket he constructed in honor of the Undertaker. Might we get some sort of stipulation, such as a Casket Match? Will we see the Undertaker before Wrestlemania, or will he save his return for Levi Stadium? Bray's character is so much more defined than the rest of the roster, which could come easier for Superstars playing specific roles, such as a backwoods cult leader in a rocking chair. I'm excited to see how the next three weeks of Raw will go now that Bray Wyatt has already torched one of the Undertaker's signature symbols, and look forward to their meeting on March 29th.

4. The IC Title Belt
Various historians will suggest that the Intercontinental Championship is the most prestigious singles title in the WWE, and while that might have been true once-upon-a-time, the current state of the belt is questionable at best . I remember a six-year period lasting from 2003 until 2008, where the IC championship wasn't defended at Wrestlemania. That's ridiculous—especially when research uncovers an eleven-year streak of defenses broken only by the "Hollywood Backlot Brawl" at Wrestlemania 12. I think it was probably the influx of WCW championships, such as the Cruiserweight and U.S. titles, that watered down the IC belt. When the roster was split, I imagine pushing the Intercontinental Champion as a main eventer might have been the better route to take, rather than introducing a SECOND world championship. All that being said, I think we COULD be on the verge of a new era for the white leather IC belt. Just because the title wasn't defended at one third of all Wrestlemanias, doesn't mean there haven't been an enormity of stellar champions since, including Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, and even Dolph Ziggler. The shenanigans revolving around the "stolen" title belt aside, the opening matchup between Ambrose and Barrett did more than just offer a comedic outlet for R Truth, it introduced each of the key players going forward. I think everyone involved, including the former NWA world champion R Truth, has a good shot at becoming the next champion. I don't want Ambrose to win, as I feel both he and Barrett are the kind of unestablished talent that's tainted the title, especially as Wade has held the belt what—FOUR times, already? Dolph Ziggler and Luke Harper are both incredibly talented workers, either of whom I would be happy to see walk out of Santa Clara holding the championship title high. But truth be told, as much as I love Ron Killings, there's no plausible finish that doesn't include Daniel Bryan wearing the belt, leading 70,000 fans in a "Yes" chant. If the WWE plans to build the U.S. championship with John Cena, then who better to bring back a level of dignity to another historic title belt than Daniel Bryan? I also imagine the WWE isn't interested in another mutiny should Bryan fail to win a big match, particularly at Wrestlemania 31. The intercontinental championship might be a consolation prize for now, but I predict exponential growth for the title and its future holders, mainly due to the countless number of NXT stars set to break through to the main roster.

3. Axelmania!
I pick a lot of my moments based on what they represent, or what they might lead to later on—but this was truly a must-see moment that I dare say isn't going to lead anywhere. John Cena came out and addressed the Newark audience, talking about how he wants to wrestle Rusev at �Mania, but will instead enter his name in the "Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal." This doesn't sit well with Stephanie McMahon for SOME reason—did Cena say anything disrespectful? I understood the idea of Stephanie taking offense to Cena throwing around a name like Andre, but he didn't do it in a blasphemous way. He simply stated that he would be entering the �Battle Royal. The back and forth between the fourth-generation McMahon and the fifteen time world champion was outstanding; I love it when Stephanie gets on her moral high horse in situations like this, suggesting that Cena can't just announce he's in a match—"since when do Superstars book their own matches?" This continued until the BIGGEST pop of the night; as Cena argued with Stephanie, the music hit and Curtis Axel appeared, wearing a Hulkamania-style t-shirt with "Axel" replacing "Hulk." What really moved me about this segment was a combination of how over Curtis Axel was, and how great he came across on the microphone. He's clearly been rehearsing in the mirror, as he didn't slip or stumble, and made every word count in making the overture to challenge John Cena at Wrestlemania. Personally, I would really like to see that match—not more than Cena vs. Rusev II, but I think there's true potential in an Axel/Cena squabble, especially if John Cena can capture the U.S. championship. Axel was in the zone, as he mimicked Hulk Hogan's mannerisms PERFECTLY . But John Cena wasn't done talking just because he was set to compete. In a calm and cool tone, Cena warned Curtis that he should really get out of the ring, because if the match starts, he "will not walk out." The match was a squash, but the story of the segment was the shirt-ripping and pandering by Axel. I'll admit that I've been down on this guy since he split from Paul Heyman, but given his extraordinary pedigree, I think we've just now started to see what the "Axe Man" is capable of.

2. Triple H Fires Booker T
While the showdown between Triple H and Sting is sure to be the biggest match at �Mania, I'm not 100% confident in the way that WWE is structuring their rivalry. For one thing, WCW closed FOURTEEN years ago—why is this program based on WWF's feud with World Championship Wrestling? I think there's a story to be told based on what Booker suggested in the ring with Hunter; perhaps the reason Sting never signed has more to do with the political atmosphere in the WWE, rather than his desire to continue on with the NWA. There's been a lot of rumors in the past about Hunter and his "friends" burying talent before they have a chance to get over, so there's certainly a chance Triple H didn't want Steve Borden stealing his spotlight in 2001. With Rey Mysterio now gone, Booker T is the last vestige of WCW, outside of the U.S. championship, so it makes all the sense in the world for him to get involved in a WCW storyline. I thought Triple H's promo was really good, and it helped fill in the gaps between 2001 and the upcoming match at �Mania. I wasn't sure what to expect when Triple H "fired" Booker T. Obviously he wasn't really fired, this isn't TNA—people aren't terminated on television when they least expect it. But I didn't think he was going to invite Book' back to the announce desk so soon. I thought for sure he would have let the �Universe believe that he fired Booker T, only to have him return the following week. But I guess it worked as a part of what Triple H was trying to convey, and that is the greatest extent of his power in the WWE. I hope to hear from Sting before the match, perhaps he'll have some incite as to how the past fourteen years have been for him as an outsider looking in. I think it's safe to say Sting will go over at Wrestlemania, he'll probably hang around the roster for a year, wrestle Undertaker in Dallas, and go into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2016.

1. "The Daily Show" starring Seth Rollins
It's funny how celebrity involvement works in professional wrestling; oftentimes outside personalities get booed off the stage, as was the case with Kathie Lee and Hoda during their Susan G. Komen cross-promotional appearance. But sometimes a guest clicks in a way that even the most ardent internet fans are impressed, and that's what we had tonight with the Daily Show's Jon Stewart. I was confused as to how a TV show from a Viacom network might interact with Universal properties, but was pleasantly surprised when I heard the official Daily Show theme, and saw a pretty convincing mock-set. Seth was pretty entertaining, and made me laugh on occasion with his routine jabs at Jon Stewart's success as a film director. I respect Jon Stewart because he's obviously a wrestling fan. Both he and his pal Adam Sandler can be seen at multiple events on either side of the country. When Jon listed some of the most influential names in history, such as Bruno, Hogan, and Austin, he clearly knew what he was talking about, which made me trust what he had to say relating to Seth's position at Wrestlemania. Leave it to a comedian to get to the point—"What has the Authority done for Seth Rollins?" As Jon said, it's not Seth in the main event at Wrestlemania, it's not Seth challenging for the world title, and no matter what, it won't be Seth who reigns supreme in California. I really liked the brutal honesty from Stewart, playing Devil's advocate, even suggesting that Seth Rollins might be too good for the Authority. I especially enjoyed Stewart's repartee with J&J Security—I imagine the "Katzenjammer Kids" reference went well over the head of the WWE Universe. In the end, Jon Stewart walked the line of sensibility to perfection; he didn't engage in an official match such as Seth Green, but he also didn't half-ass his appearance as did Al Sharpton. He came to Monday Night Raw with a purpose, and that was to use his enormous celebrity to enhance the developing program between Randy Orton and Seth Rollins. He wasn't there to push a book, or a movie, or even his upcoming comedy special that was mentioned in passing after his appearance. Following the low-blow to Rollins, Jon Stewart ran up the ramp swinging his jacket in victory. When he got to the back, he gave the best interview of the night, frantically inquiring whether or not he was safe backstage. Jon Stewart proved tonight that he is more than just a celebrity, he is a member of the WWE Universe, and for one night , he was a SUPERSTAR!

I'm still not sure what kind of main event to expect out of Brock Lesnar, an unpredictable world champion with no contract in place after �Mania, and Roman Reigns, who has yet to connect with the WWE Universe. I'm quite impressed with the WWE's effort in building up the undercard in such a dynamic way. About three months ago I started writing an article about John Cena as IC champion, and how a Superstar of his magnitude could positively influence the title. I ended up scrapping the idea however, as Cena is now challenging for the U.S. belt and Daniel Bryan is in the intercontinental hunt. I'll be the first to admit that the WWE's current landscape is littered with potholes and pitfalls, but it reminds me of that old saying—about breaking eggs to make an omelet? I think I'll leave you with that. Until next week this has been Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you to keep checking out Cheap-Heat and to follow me on Facebook by LIKING "Mark Haggerty's Pro Wrestling."

http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown-3/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown-3/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:33:33 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Other Reviews Reviews Adam Rose Alicia Fox Bad News Barrett BNB Cesaro Curtis Axel Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Fandango Goldust J&J Security Miz MizDow Paige RAW Roman Reigns Rosa Mendes Royal Rumble Ryback Seth Rollins Smackdown Stardust Survivor Series Tyson Kidd Wrestlemania WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9571 What’s Cookin & What Doesn’t Matter Your Weekly Smackdown Breakdown Written by Mark Adam Haggerty Two weeks removed from the Royal Rumble and gaining tread on the Road to Wrestlemania, the WWE is back with another 2-hour broadcast courtesy of the "Thursday Night Delight" known simply as Smackdown. "Blue Raw" is fast becoming the show […]

What’s Cookin & What Doesn’t Matter
Your Weekly Smackdown Breakdown
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

Two weeks removed from the Royal Rumble and gaining tread on the Road to Wrestlemania, the WWE is back with another 2-hour broadcast courtesy of the "Thursday Night Delight" known simply as Smackdown. "Blue Raw" is fast becoming the show to satisfy wrestling fans as it is comprised almost completely of in-ring excitement as opposed to the scripted TV we're privy to each and every Monday. This week's show was another welcome change as it depicted professional wrestlers wrestling instead of working on their comedy act for Showtime at the Apollo. But with the good comes the bad and that's why I'm here each week to help steer you away from the unwatchable; my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and this is "What's Cookin' and What Doesn't Matter: Your Weekly Smackdown Breakdown."

The show is off to a sizzling start when the Miz and his personal assistant Mizdow make their way to the ring for this week's installment of Miz TV. Tonight's edition will feature the two men who will head into Fastlane eager to be named number one contender to Brock Lesnar's WWE World Heavyweight title—Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. Before his guests arrive, the Miz must first put his former stunt-double in his place, but it's not long before Roman Reigns enters and teaches the Miz a similar lesson by Superman Punching the A-lister off of his own show. Bryan stood-by smiling, however it wouldn't be long until the comradery turned to talk of the title. As the two babyfaces set to square off right then-and-there on Smackdown, Seth Rollins and the Authority emerged through the curtain to once again play the greater evil in the WWE. Seth acted on behalf of the Triple and Stephanie by making plans for later in the evening, including a three-on-one handicap match pitting Daniel Bryan against Rollins and J&J Security. While I still groan at the idea of opening each and every main roster show with drawn-out dialogue, I must marvel at how well-paced the opening segment of Smackdown is compared to Raw, allowing time for SEVEN matches. A COOKIN' segment especially the initial interplay involving the Miz.

The idea of pairing Dolph Ziggler with Ryback strikes me as a curious decision perhaps brought on by a lack of creative direction for either character. Both men are established as upper-mid card entities and after the Survivor Series and subsequent firings, it would behoove the WWE not to promote these Superstars. Although working as a part of a tag team leaves little room for creative expression, the recent alliance between Cesaro and Kidd could mean the WWE is attempting to resurrect a seemingly dead division. We could very well see Dolph Ziggler and Ryback battling Cesaro and Tyson Kidd at this year's Wrestlemania in Santa Clara—what a phenomenal tag team contest that would be! As for tonight's brawl with the Rhodes Brothers, the real story coming out of Smackdown is the continued crisis on �Team Dust.' Monday night Cody snapped at his brother for calling him by his name rather than "Stardust," and tonight Cody left Goldust to be slaughtered by the brute force of Ryback. Could this be another Wrestlemania match in the making; will we finally see Cody Rhodes and his big brother Dustin duke it out at the Granddaddy of Them All? Some might say that the potential rivalry has passed its prime, but I beg to differ and hope to see the combustion of the Rhodes boys at Wrestlemania 31. While this match was nothing to brag about, it did further the story between Cody and Goldust, and introduced fans to the combined forces of Dolph Ziggler and Ryback, so I'm inclined to say it was COOKIN!

Curtis Axel is back with the same �axe' to grind about the Royal Rumble and the way he was treated this past Monday night on Raw. He stormed the ring, demanding his title shot at Wrestlemania, pointing to the �Mania logo like an utter bafoon, until the chainsaw-like chord ripped through the arena and the music of the Lunatic Fringe began to play. Dean Ambrose entered a packed house looking to make a name for himself in terms of the intercontinental title picture. Dean made short work of Axel, and was ultimately met by Bad News Barrett transmitting live from the BNZ studios across the enormous Titantron. Their feud, although mere days old by this point, is heating up and it'll only be a matter of time until Dean Ambrose is challenging Bad News for the coveted white championship belt. Although we got a glimpse at the potential BNZ gimmick and a view as to what this program is all about, I wasn't really feeling anything outside of the comedy courtesy of Curtis Axel. I have to say this segment didn't matter.

Two matches down and a third set to begin before the one-hour mark—this Smackdown is moving forward at full speed. Inside the squared circle is the rechristened, darker Fandango who's dancing alongside his newest squeeze, Rosa Mendez. The music hit and the one group of people on the planet that know it's party time ALL THE TIME made their way to ringside. Once upon the apron however, the unparalleled Adam Rose began to second guess whether or not he should trust his entourage to catch him during their routine trust fall. He finally gave in and his worries were justifiable when the entire group plummeted to the ground. Rose was livid and attacked the closest members of the Party Posse, singling out the human hotdog before finally heading into his match with Fandango. The darker side of both individuals seems to work to their credit and this was an enjoyable contest that saw Fandango get the better of an understandably distracted Adam Rose. I love Adam Rose, so by default, this match and the hijinks therein were 100% COOKIN!

This past Monday I spoke as to why the Miz is a perfect person for someone like Damien Sandow to work with in order to achieve the greatest possible success. The Miz is a Triple Crown Champion having held the three most prestigious belts in WWE history in addition to the alternate world tag titles, the United States championship, as well as the Money in the Bank briefcase. It would be hard to find a Superstar as decorated as the Miz currently working on the main WWE roster, and if Sandow were to work with someone such as John Cena or the Big Show, he'd most certainly be squashed inside of a month. But the Miz is a perfectly malleable worker who is capable of elevating his opponents through his own selfless dedication. His match this evening with Roman Reigns was maybe Reigns' best singles contest outside of his match with Randy Orton at Summerslam. It also made sense that both men would care to engage in battle after the events of Miz TV earlier in the evening. The WWE gets ridiculed for constantly beginning programs and letting them die without warning, and this was a prime example of tying up loose ends and using ones assets to their advantage. This was my match of the night with special consideration going to the Miz who doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves, but with plenty of positives out of Roman Reigns as well. If the Samoan with the Superman Punch can continue to have contests like these between now and Wrestlemania, we might be privy to a compelling showdown at Levi's Stadium. COOKIN' without a doubt!

I'm generally much higher on Rusev and his performance both in the ring and on the mic, but I thought his match with Rowan was borderline boring. It was exciting enough with all of the powerful high spots both big men are known for, but it never hooked me the same way some of the other matches this evening did. I also don't find Rowan terribly interesting as a babyface character, I think it's akin to when Mankind stopped being hardcore and starting hanging out with clowns. This was a miss-able match, one that Rusev most certainly won as he gets set to walk into Memphis to take on John Cena at Fastlane—it doesn't matter.

After the WWE decided to paint Paige brown on Raw, she's back in action against Alicia Fox once more, this time without any outlandish outside interference. I really enjoy Paige and even Alicia Fox to a degree, but the young �Brit' makes me especially excited for what may be ahead in the WWE's Diva Division. Charlotte recently gave an interview in which she said she'd like to headline a pay-per-view one day; could that be in the cards for the women as the main roster product continues to evolve, and might Paige be daring enough to take on the daughter of Ric Flair on such a grand stage? While that remains to be seen, what does not is the rest of this match which goes in favor of Paige who is now burning on all cylinders preparing to challenge Nikki Bella for the Diva's championship in just two weeks at Fastlane. For fans of female wrestling this might not have been your favorite altercation, but in the wacky world of sports entertainment, I thought this exhibition between Paige and Alicia Fox was pretty good—COOKIN' in fact!

What began as an exciting night of innovative and progressive wrestling, ended with the same contrived brand of predictable handicap booking we've come to expect from the biggest name in the industry. I've learned to take the good with the bad when it comes to WWE, and although the main event was flooded by a deluge of unnecessary set-ups and high spots, I can take solace in the fact that Daniel Bryan was victorious. He fought the odds and battled Seth Rollins, Jamie Noble, and Joey Mercury to a comically precedented victory, only to fall at the hands of Kane. The biggest takeaways from the main event were the uncanny physical attributes and charisma of Mercury and Noble who could very well join the active roster tomorrow and be in line for a mid-card singles run. This match would have been better positioned on Raw, because after the one-on-one between Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins that closed the show Monday, I was in no mood for this overly booked Hollywood-writer bout—I wanted a wrestling match! I suppose it was worth watching until the end as the finale of Raw and Smackdown tend to lead directly into the next episode, but for all intents and purposes, you could have very well stopped watching Smackdown after Reigns wrestled the Miz. That means it doesn't matter!

Nothing groundbreaking on the SyFy Network, but a much more enjoyable ride than the likes of which we've been stuck on since around Survivor Series. The WWE appears to be working programs from the inside in a way that takes advantage of the dying days of Kayfabe. What may lie ahead for Daniel Bryan, for Roman Reigns, and what might we expect going into a highly volatile situation with the King of Kings and the Sting of Stings ? The WWE is picking up where they left off with compelling storytelling and robust personalities; let's hope for the best as we continue along the bumpy street heading into Santa Clara, California. Until next time my name is Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you to keep it here at Cheap-Heat for all the latest and greatest columns, countdowns and coverage spanning the world of professional wrestling.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/smackchat-january-29th-2015-smackdown-is-war/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/smackchat-january-29th-2015-smackdown-is-war/#comments Fri, 30 Jan 2015 04:53:36 +0000 Gary Mastriano Blogs Other Blogs Other Reviews Reviews Arnold Schwarzenegger Bad News Barrett Bella Twins Big Show BNB Cesaro Cody Rhodes Daniel Bryan Dust Brothers Goldust Hall of Fame HBK HHH HOF John Cena Kane Michael Cole Paige Paul Heyman RAW Renee Young Roman Reigns Royal Rumble Rusev Smackdown Stardust The Ascension Triple H Undertaker Wade Barrett WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9372 Smackchat: January 29th 2015 Smackdown is War So I don't remember anticipating Smackdown this eagerly in a loooooooooong time. Coming out of an extremely controversial Royal Rumble. I do not want to spend much time on the outcome, because it is what it is what it is and I have moved on from it. I […]

Smackchat: January 29th 2015
Smackdown is War

So I don't remember anticipating Smackdown this eagerly in a loooooooooong time. Coming out of an extremely controversial Royal Rumble. I do not want to spend much time on the outcome, because it is what it is what it is and I have moved on from it. I think Triple H summed up everyone's feeling when he said…."Man that triple threat was one of the best matches I have ever seen in my life." I have heard so many people say this over the past few days. Because as badly as that Rumble match was booked, the WWE delivered this amazing match, and almost everything is forgiven. At the end of the day that's all we want- amazing matches telling amazing stories with hard working passionate guys who have earned their spot.

Coming into this episode of Smackdown, the first real TV produced since Royal Rumble, there are so many questions to be answered. How will the WWE Universe respond to Roman Reigns? What's next for Daniel Bryan? How will John Cena respond to Rusev? I am sure at least one of these questions will be answered.

Opening Segment
So Triple H is feuding with the weather? Hunter is in fine form tonight bringing the majority of the world up to speed on why we didn't see a live episode of Raw on Monday. He also comments on Deflategate telling us that WWE loves balls. Triple H is in 2009 era comedy mode, reminding us that no matter how evil he is he can still break the 4th wall and deliver some great one liners. Triple H's comedy act works really well when we don't see it often. He even teases a BIG announcement for Raw.

H comes right out with it and acknowledges that the fans were not happy with the outcome of the Royal Rumble. This brings out The Vest in the World to a mixed reaction. Well not really a mixed reaction, sort of like… no reaction. Not good. A chorus of boos would have been at least some reaction. Say what you want about Cena, but you can feel the electricity when he enters an arena. Always to a reaction by the way. We get preview of the next few months as Reigns goes toe to toe with someone far superior on the mic. Man Paul Heyman is gonna eat this guy alive.

Roman Reigns vs Big Show
Ok… why the hell was Roman Reigns upside down for 1/3 of this match? What the hell was that??? I have never seen Big Show, or anyone, do that upside calve lock. Ok… moving on. This was a smart move though. Roman Reigns needed to come out swinging tonight… he sort of did? I am not sure if Big Show was the best possible opponent. Roman should have went out there and put on a really great match with someone like… Cesaro or Wade Barrett. Someone that could have at least made Reigns look really credible and good. Not taking anything away from Big Show, but his slow plodding style does nothing for Reigns' explosive offense. That Superman punch is pretty over though, can't deny that.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Hall of Fame announcement-
Paige won this video package. I love Paige. I am happy Arnold is going in, although he is only loosely tied to WWE. He hit Triple H once, that's what qualifies you for the Rumble. Remember when he was on Smackdown promoting End of Days? He was rocking that cool beard. End of Days had a pretty good soundtrack.

John Cena/Rusev Segment
You want to know why John Cena is in his words The Face That Runs This Place (awesome btw!)? Because of promos like this one. HOT DAMN! Cena was on fire harkening back to his Thuganomics gimmick! Rusev started out complaining about the Rumble ending with some impressive mic skills of his own. Cena hit the ring with a head of steam and got some great verbal jabs in about pubes and boobs. If this is a preview of this feud, sign me up!!!! This one segment alone got me super excited for this match/matches. That's how your top guy is supposed to handle himself on the mic.

Renee Young is my celebrity crush. So is Paige. They should be my friends…also the Bellas….

The Ascension mid entrance promo sold me on this team for the first time since they joined the main roster. Such a simple easy way to get them over. The early 90s style promo was a perfect balance of tongue in cheek goofiness and honest intimidation. Many lolz for "Olddust".

I like that the Dust Brothers gimmick is that Stardust is now too weird even for Goldust. Cody is golden, no pun intended.

Daniel Bryan vs Kane in a Casket Match
Concessions Kane comes out first. Daniel Bryan follows to a MASSIVE pop. Michael Cole reminds us that Bryan has never been in a casket match. Thanks Cole. Bryan and Kane have pretty good chemistry, but by now I am a little tired of this match. Hopefully this is the last of their series.

The match starts off with Bryan coming out strong. His Yes Kicks connect to the joy of the Hartford crowd. Kane takes control by the time of the first commercial break and Bryan has already been wrestling longer than he was in the Rumble.

After the commercial break we get a few casket teases. It is at this time that I realize this HAS to be the first casket match ever on Smackdown. No hyperbole here- I could watch Bryan wrestle all day. I know I said it before but it seems Bryan hasn't changed his offense at all. I just hope he is 100%. Because if it turns out he came back too early, and he gets another injury, for literally no reason, that would suck. I am confident that there is solid plan for Bryan, but was it a plan that could have waited until after the Royal Rumble? We may not know yet, but fingers crossed. If he continues to deliver excellent matches like this one than I am fine with it. This was probably the 2nd best casket match of all time (HBK Taker will always be number 1). Lots of fun spots, including the multiple casket teases, the Yes Lock in the casket, and Bryan delivering the Knee Plus to Kane on the ropes. The final image of Bryan standing on the casket while the ENTIRE arena chanted Yes was a cool ending to a really great match.

Overall Smackdown produced another solid outing. Between great mic work from Cena and Triple H, fun backstage segments (yo R Truth loves magic), and the 2nd best match of the week as the main event, Smackdown was a must watch this week. A really great 2 hours of TV. The WWE had 3 days to plan this show, and it was overall very well put together. You could tell they were saving most of the big moments for Monday, including Triple H's Earth shattering announcement. The image of Bryan standing tall yet again on an episode of Smackdown once again proves my point that WWE could benefit HUGE from another brand split.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/smackchat-smackdown-highlights-12215/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/smackchat-smackdown-highlights-12215/#comments Sat, 24 Jan 2015 00:45:38 +0000 Gary Mastriano Blogs Other Blogs Bad News Barrett BNB Bryan Saxton Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Erick Rowan J&J Security Jerry Lawler John Cena Kane Lana Luke Harper Matt Striker Michael Cole nWo NXT RAW Roman Reigns Royal Rumble Rusev Ryback Seth Rollins Smackdown Wade Barrett WCW WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9201 SMACKCHAT SMACKDOWN HIGHLIGHTS 1/22/15Full disclosure here- last week's Thursday night Smackdown was the first episode of the blue brand that I have watched in years. It's not that I don't have interest in the B Show. But it is extremely hard to commit to a full two hours on a Friday night when you are […]

Daniel Bryan/Ryback/Erick Rowan/Dolph Ziggler and the Wasted Arrows heard �round the world
Seeing Daniel Bryan open Smackdown the past two weeks has made me long for another brand split. With the loaded talent roster WWE has now, not to mention potential NXT call ups, a brand split could truly be best for business. Bryan is the perfect person to head up the B show, as a so called B player. Smackdown has always been home to superior wrestling, while Raw carries the sports entertainment load. Imagine a roster headed by Bryan, with guys like Ziggler, Harper, Cesaro and eventually Neville and Zayn joining him. Just a thought for another day.

I have to say the mic work in the segment was excellent all around. Bryan is no slouch on the stick, but it was the other players who really surprised me. Ryback's promos are rooted in truth and full of passion. Rowan has a great voice, but could've benefited from a few more lines and not enough pauses (the dreaded WHATS started to leak through). And what can be said about Ziggler? The man is bringing it 110% recently. As for the "complaining on podcasts" line that you have probably heard a thing or twenty about- it was subtle but awesome. Punk has to expect that there will be a few jabs taken at him after he buried much of the roster. Ziggler truly seems grateful to be in a WWE ring much like John Cena. Since Ziggler has a history of getting into trouble behind the scenes with his words, one can only hope that the �podcast' line was his attempt to win over the head honchos instead.

Seth Rollins is my current favorite main roster superstar. He's the total package and will be a top name for the next decade. If there is any flaw in his game it's his mic work. Hanging out with Triple H and trading barbs with John Cena has shown that he is not on the same level with promos, but he will undoubtedly learn from them. I have never once noticed Kane's mic work before tonight, but I have to say it was pretty solid, if not above average. Big Show was not in boring Big Show mood and his "aww look at little Dolph" line while Kane was talking actually made me laugh.

Wade Barrett vs Dolph Ziggler
A match with a ton of potential. Both guys brought it for a solid TV match. It's great to see Ziggler back in the ring. A nice win for Ziggler to qualify for the Rumble. He is sure to be one of the favorites to win, and he is my pick for Long Man of the match. I expect a great showing from Ziggler.

I want to take a moment to mention the once big difference I have seen already between Raw and Smackdown- the announce team. A few weeks ago I rejoiced when Jerry Lawler was moved to Smackdown because I was pretty much done with his terrible commentary on Raw. HOWEVER the announcing during this match was a terrific blend of storyline advancement and actual color commentary. I cringe during Raw at times because it reminds me of the old WCW. Remember when the announce team on WCW would talk about the nWo during most of the matches, no matter who was wrestling? I feel the Raw team falls into that routine sometimes (although they aren't talking about the nWo… which would be weird). Michael Cole is underrated when he is just calling a match and not trying to sell a product or character. Lawler played the role I wish he would've played on Raw- the veteran wrestler turned announcer who can speak on his experience. And Byran Saxton is the voice of WWE's future. He really brings a freshness to the announce team that I haven't heard since Matt Striker (man do I miss Striker on commentary.)

Roman Reigns promo
I am not against Roman Reign's descent to the top of the card. I am amongst the group who feels he isn't quite there yet and could benefit from a mid card title run, but his mic skills….. ugh. I know they are much maligned, and I don't want to sound like most of the memes on the internet, but Jesus listening to this dude makes me… uncomfortable. His delivery is just so awkward and unnatural. I got more upset with his promo skills when I heard him do an out of character interview on one of those Network specials. He actually sounded like a real person! I don't know… maybe he will improve… but whatever this "cool dude" gimmick he is going for is, it's not working. His promos just lack the intensity that he brings in the ring. It's hard for me to believe that is so cool and collected than a wild man in the ring. WWE should realize promos aren't needed to get someone over. How about just making him a Goldberg style badass? Just a thought.

Ryback vs Rusev
Is this a feud? A few weeks ago it looked like it was going that way. I even thought Ryback might be the first person to defeat Rusev, which I wasn't terribly upset at. I like the Rusev gimmick and winning streak, and I think his dominance will continue after it ends. Countout finish was the way to go, ensuring Ryback will also have a good showing at the Rumble. This was another good, longer match, that makes me hope their feud can continue.

Erick Rowan vs Luke Harper
Luke Harper wins here….?? Why wouldn't you have Rowan qualify for the Rumble? He has been a part of the top storyline the past 3 months, and now he won't be in the Rumble? Very strange. I am betting he finds a way in somehow, otherwise I really don't understand his booking.

Royal Rumble by the Numbers video packages are always awesome. They get me even more excited for the event every year.
There's a show called Wizard Wars on SyFy? I have to watch that!

Daniel Bryan vs Kane in a No DQ Match
My DVR tells me there is still 17 minutes left in the show when this match starts, so I am hopeful for a good TV match, which is what we get. A better match than there show opener on last week's Smackdown. Bryan doesn't look like he lost a step or changed his style like was rumored. Kane is a great foil for Bryan. Their size difference between the 2 makes for some fun table and step spots. Bryan wins by taking our Kane AND J and J security. Anyone who has been upset with Bryan's booking the past 2 years needs to watch this match. He single handily took on 3 men in a DQ match and won. Sounds similar to what Cena did to end Raw. Bryan looks strong and is clearly the number 2 face in the company.

The show ends well with a ring full of superstars to hype the Royal Rumble. Ambrose and Reigns get massive pops (although I think people just really like Reigns's music). We end the show with all the top candidates for the Rumble left in the ring- Bryan, Reigns, Amrbose, Ziggler, Ryback, Kane, and Big Show. I can't wait!

Overall a pretty solid Smackdown episodes. Only 5 total matches, but each had the right amount of time and everyone except Erick Rowan looked strong going into Royal Rumble. It should be a fun show. Until next week this has been SmackChat.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown-2/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown-2/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2015 05:19:29 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Other Reviews Reviews Al Snow Bad News Barrett Bella Twins Big Show BNB Brie Bella Damien Sandow Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Erick Rowan HHH J&J Security Jamie Noble Joey Mercury John Cena Kane Lana Luke Harper Michael Cole Miz MizDow Monday Night RAW Naomi Natalya Paige RAW Roman Reigns Rosa Mendes Royal Rumble Rusev Ryback Seth Rollins Smackdown Stephanie McMahon The Authority Total Divas Triple H Wade Barrett WWE X-Pac http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9156 What’s Cookin & What Doesn’t Matter Your Weekly Smackdown Breakdown Written by Mark Adam Haggerty We are a mere three days away from the 28th annual Royal Rumble event in Philadelphia, and this week's episode of Smackdown had its share of important moments including four qualifying contests for the �Rumble match itself. Ladies and gentlemen […]

What’s Cookin & What Doesn’t Matter
Your Weekly Smackdown Breakdown
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

We are a mere three days away from the 28th annual Royal Rumble event in Philadelphia, and this week's episode of Smackdown had its share of important moments including four qualifying contests for the �Rumble match itself. Ladies and gentlemen welcome back to Cheap-Heat for this week's installment of "What's Cookin' and What Doesn't Matter." My name is Mark Adam Haggerty on hand as always to tell you what was worth wasting space in the DVR, and what you can delete without thinking twice. This week's episode of Thursday Night Smackdown was the second since WWE's B-show made its return to the original night on which it debuted in 1999. Monday Night Raw did a fine job of setting up the storyline going into the triple threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but little was done to build the 30-man battle royal that will decide the number one contender at Wrestlemania. I was happy that the WWE instead used Smackdown as a platform to advertise the �Rumble, which they did throughout the entire night. Let me stop with the longwinded introduction and allow the Superstars to speak for themselves.

Smackdown begins the same way it did last week with the arrival of the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Bryan. Bryan is once again dressed to compete although his confrontation with Kane will have to wait until later in the evening. Bryan lists an assortment of hot-button issues relating to his rivalry with the Authority, saying that he could talk about any one of them, but instead he chooses to introduce the three men John Cena saved on Monday Night Raw—Ryback, Erick Rowan, and Dolph Ziggler. All three men make their respective entrances, and all three give equally impassioned promos regarding their two weeks away from the WWE Universe. First up Ryback reiterates his tale of growing up a WWE fan, and leads the crowd in chanting "Feed me more." Chuckling, Ryback makes mention that "everybody loves the �Big Guy,'" and hands the microphone to Erick Rowan. Rowan's never been known for his command of the English language, but proceeded to execute a fine display of "wordsmanship," capped off by speaking seductively to his very own sheep mask. Might we get a bit more Al Snow out of Erick Rowan than anyone ever anticipated? Finally Dolph Ziggler has his chance to address the audience and per usual steals the show. Daniel Bryan asked what Ziggler was up to recently, allowing the Show Off to respond, "Oh you know me, ate some stuffed crust pizza, watched the Triple H and Stephanie fitness DVDs." Dolph told Bryan that he'd much rather accept whatever the Authority had to dish out, than sit at home on his couch complaining on a podcast. The party would soon come to an end at the hands of the Authority; Kane's music hit and the Big Red Machine was escorted onto the stage by Seth Rollins, J&J Security and his former championship tag team partner the Big Show. Seth begins and exchanges words with Dolph Ziggler, further illustrating the money to be made from pitting these two tenacious young talents against one another. Kane and the Big Show were next, belittling the Show Off and informing him that he would now be forced to start from the bottom, beginning with a Royal Rumble qualifying match against the man who stripped him of the intercontinental title less than one month ago. And that match is up first.

About twenty minutes into the show and the first match is already underway between the dynamic Dolph Ziggler and the unpredictable IC champion Bad News Barrett. Bad News would maintain the upper hand for the first half of the battle, laying into the former world champion with a series of brute shots, presumably in an attempt to weaken Ziggler for the "Bull Hammer." Dolph finally achieved some measure of comeuppance when he managed to turn a drop kick into a series of corner attacks, but was once again reversed out of an Irish whip putting Barrett in charge once more. A close encounter with the corner post leads Dolph to favor his right arm, which makes for the perfect target in Bad News Barrett's assault. All hope seemed lost for Dolph and his chances in the Royal Rumble, until Barrett's Bull Hammer missed, giving Ziggler a split second to perform another drop kick and hit the champion with the Zig-Zag for the victory. If there wasn't a years-worth of hype regarding Roman Reigns winning the �Rumble, I'd have Dolph Ziggler on my short list of potential victors. But unfortunately the decision has been made, and although Bryan might still be an option, the most we can hope for out of Ziggler is a star performance. Backstage, Reigns is speaking with Renee Young about the volatile situation between both he and the Big Show. He tells Renee that Big Show is a little man trapped in a Giant's body, unlike Andre the Giant who didn't need to remind anyone how big he was. I'm not sure how a promo about Andre the Giant helps put Roman over just three days away from what could be the biggest moment of his career. I was afraid the entire segment was going to go back up the beanstalk as soon as he started talking about giants, but luckily he steered clear of the nursery rhymes.

The next qualifying match features Ryback once again emerging from the locker room to a raucous reception, as he prepares to go toe to toe with the undefeated Rusev. This match is far less technical than the earlier battle between Barrett and Ziggler, but was still more entertaining than the usual strong-man-match the WWE is notorious for booking. Before the match can begin, we head backstage to where Fandango of all people is picking his number for the Royal Rumble. Once drawing what seemed to be good news, Fandango proceeded to get exceptionally �handsy' with Rosa Mendez, allowing the Lunatic Fringe Dean Ambrose to steal his thunder. Back in the ring, the match is underway and both individuals have plenty to lose should they allow their shoulders to lay flat for a three count. Not only is Ryback's spot in the �Rumble up for grabs, but Rusev's highly-praised winning streak is on the line every time he steps into the squared circle. Rusev is an incredible young talent who has an uncanny ability to stay in character no matter what the context of the contest, even yelling at Ryback in his native tongue throughout—whether that be Bulgarian or Russian is a matter for a linguistics expert. Ryback's fortitude helped him win the advantage by power slamming Rusev almost through the canvas. The fight would flood out onto the floor, where the referee's count reached higher and higher. Michael Cole shouted from ringside, warning Ryback that the count was edging closer to ten. Like something out of a video game, Ryback left Rusev in the entry way just as the official counted to nine, making it safe inside the ring by ten.

Brie Bella is set to compete with Naomi, as Paige and Natalya call the action from ringside. This match is much less about the contest between Brie and Naomi and more about the upcoming tag team match between the Bellas and Paige & Natalya. During the first moments of the match, we're given a peak at some prerecorded comments by the Bellas, who make fun of everything from Natalya's husband, to her cats, to Paige's unusually pale complexion. Paige responds by referring to herself as a "Glampire," further informing the commentators at ringside that she and Natalya aren't friends, so much as they have a common hatred for the Bella Twins. This match was a complete afterthought to building the Total Diva's storyline and the upcoming tag team match at the Royal Rumble. This was undoubtedly the low-point of a night otherwise filled with quality content. Backstage Luke Harper predicts his own fortune coming out of the Royal Rumble, "You can send anyone you want. But don't send anyone you want back ." An absolutely terrifying promo with creepy shadow effects giving way to utter darkness. Harper is getting set to square off against Erick Rowan in Rowan's Royal Rumble qualifying match. Although interesting and talented in his own regard, Erick Rowan can't compete with the agility and expertise of Luke Harper. At nearly seven feet tall, the former Brodie Lee can fly around the ring like any luchador while still crippling his opponents with a number of high intensity offensive moves. The match is good for what it is—a battle of giants. Rowan keeps in step with the more seasoned superstar, but it's only a matter of time before Erick Roman is cast out of the Royal Rumble match, at the hands of his former friend Luke Harper. Backstage once again Kane is stressing the importance of his match against Daniel Bryan, and insists on using "Seth's security." Do J&J work for Seth or the Authority? Because I have no trouble buying Noble and Mercury as employees of the WWE. I have a harder time imagining they're privately contracted by Seth Rollins. Before heading into the main event, we see Damian Mizdow backstage alongside his greatest inspiration The Miz. Mizdow apologizes for impersonating X-Pac on Monday, but thinks perhaps the crowd kind of liked it. The Miz laughs, telling Mizdow that nobody cheers for him and if it appears that they are, they're just applauding the Miz through him. Once on the way to his trailer, The Usos roll up on Mizdow and proceed to explain the finer points of the Royal Rumble and being, "every man for himself."

The main event is finally at hand to decide whether or not Daniel Bryan will be in the 2015 Royal Rumble this weekend in Philadelphia. Michael Cole describes Kane as, "One of the greatest performers in Rumble history." Uh—they why didn't he ever win the thing? Flawed reasoning; total number of eliminations means nothing when you've been competing in the match for fifteen years. This no holds barred match is off to a violent start as Kane goes to work attempting to put Daniel Bryan on the injured list once again. Kane searches under the ring for an implement of destruction and returns with a kendo stick in hand, ready to decimate Daniel Bryan. He lands a few stiff shots, but the tables are soon turned and Daniel Bryan works Kane to his knees and then alternates between vicious kicks and heinous Kendo stick shots. J&J make their presence known throughout the match however, saving Kane from defeat every time Bryan has victory within his sights. Just then we're interrupted by a commercial, which I can understand on a live show such as Raw, but this is a taped program! And what's worse, they're WWE commercials! Why are you interrupting the main event on your second biggest show to advertise the WWE Network? Back from the break and Jerry Lawler tells us what we missed, action that we can surely catch if we download the WWE app. Well, that's not exactly true King. I live in Southern California and watch TV three hours earlier than I did back in New Jersey. Raw and Smackdown air at 5 in the afternoon, and when I try to use the app, I get a message saying that the second screen isn't available in my market. It's not the same as being without the �Network for a year, but I'm starting to understand how the UK and Irish fans felt when the WWE was pushing something they physically couldn't use. The match continues around the ring where Kane struggles to mount an offensive, and is eventually caught in the "Yes Lock" in the center of the ring. Once again Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble make the save and become more entrenched in the matchup than ever before. Daniel thwarts their assault on his own, only to be sent back into the clutches of Kane once more. A series of reversals however and Daniel Bryan hits the "Devil's Favorite Demon" with an intense running knee. By this point, no former cruiserweight or tag team champion could stop Daniel Bryan from getting the pin and earning his chance at winning the Royal Rumble. As the match concluded and Bryan wandered backward up the ramp, the Big Show bashed Bryan from behind and returned him to the ring where the Authority set to stomping him down. Soon Rowan, Ryback and Ziggler appeared to help, followed by more bad guys, and more good guys—heels, faces, tecnicos, rudos, exoticos! Everybody was in the ring! Then the music hit, the theme signifying the arrival of the Lunatic Fringe. Dean Ambrose hit the ring, followed by the equally impressive entrance of Roman Reigns. Smackdown went off the air as the entire roster laid waste to one another in anticipation for this Sunday's Royal Rumble.

At the end of the night, only Erick Rowan was ousted from the 30-man over-the-top rope Royal Rumble match—sad yes, but it leaves the potential for a more qualified contender. Although logic might convince us Daniel Bryan or Roman Reigns might walk away from Philadelphia, ready to walk into Santa Clara in the main event, that doesn't mean the action from bell-to-bell is any less interesting and therefore I'm very excited for this weekend's pay-per-view. Thank you for your continuous readership, and I look forward to seeing you again next week with another edition of, "What's Cookin' and What Doesn't Matter."

http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-over-under-wwe-royal-rumble-2015-revisited-go-home-edition/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-over-under-wwe-royal-rumble-2015-revisited-go-home-edition/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2015 05:25:18 +0000 Scott Hayes Blogs Other Blogs Bad News Barrett Big Show BNB Bray Wyatt Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Michael Cole Randy Orton Roman Reigns Royal Rumble Rusev Wade Barrett WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9066 Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, CHILDREN of All Ages. Welcome to the "Over-Under", Cheap-Heat's resident DEGENERATE Gambling column… SO LETS? B-B-B-B-BREAK IT DOWN! (again!) Last we left I had the following six- STOP IT! These men as the top favorites to win the 2015 Royal Rumble. A quick recap: Rusev was 20:1. Dean Ambrose […]

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, CHILDREN of All Ages. Welcome to the "Over-Under", Cheap-Heat's resident DEGENERATE Gambling column… SO LETS?

B-B-B-B-BREAK IT DOWN! (again!)

Last we left I had the following six-

STOP IT!

These men as the top favorites to win the 2015 Royal Rumble. A quick recap:

Rusev was 20:1.

Dean Ambrose was 15:1.

Randy Orton was 8:1.

Dolph Ziggler was 4:1.

Daniel Bryan was 2:1

Roman Reigns was 3:2.

I look at this and I've dropped Rusev out. He's lost a little luster. Kind of drifted along the last few weeks, or so it feels to me. He'll still be a force in this, but its not a big deal for him to lose in the Rumble. He's been tossed out of matches like this before.

25:1

Here Dean… Sit on this couch. Dean's chances have decreased. Not much money coming in on the "Lunatic Fringe" and more interest being placed "elsewhere" has hurt him. How they're handling him is VERY "Ziggler – 8 months ago". They have a commodity that crowds love. Yet? They're just using him as feeder for heels they're trying to build up. Luckily it works for his character, BUT? Doesn't really work with any kind of momentum for him moving into this match and having the feel of someone they could have Main Event Wrestlemania.

12:1

Where O' Where Did Dolph GO?!?! Dolph's odds also increased. The firing angle cools things for him. Maybe that's on purpose so the crowd will be itching for him all the more? But its hard to say that the guy who is technically "fired" as I write this (during Raw). Who knows what this means for the Show Off? There is still a possible rematch with Barrett. The firing did a good job clouding his standing… or possibly cooled off the hottest face they had in the company at the time. To me this would probably be the most satisfying winner of the Rumble. I hope he's in there and in the final four. A final four of Ziggler, Reigns, Bryan, and maybe Ambrose would be amazing. All faces the Authority hate, and wouldn't want in the Main Event of Mania.

10:1

He's HERE! The ADDITION to the Update. Bray Wyatt has been on a tear since his return. Owned a feud with above mentioned Dean Ambrose. Won a match with Daniel Bryan on Raw tonight. They're clearly interested in keeping Bray hot and as high profile as possible. If they wanted to do something "SHOCKING", I could see him as an outlier for a Rumble win.

8:1

STILL RKOing outta NO WHERE! Nothing has changed here. He's still only a "RUMOR", or "potential" entrant. I still expect to see the Legend Killer at the Rumble, and I still consider him an outside favorite to win it. He'll be going after the Authority. He'll be vipering (yeah its a verb now!) anything in site. If WWE is having cold feet for my two favorites? They might got with an old standard. "Bankable star", as I imagine they'd see it.

4:1

Suffering Suckatash… Reigns Slips! Never has so much effort gone into trying to elevate someone and it slowly dragging him to the depths of at best, apathy, at worst loathing. He is an ear marked, silver stamped, rocket packed future big time player for the WWE. But? Since his return from injury, we've seen decent to down right laughable promos. (last week he stumbled over some smack talk for Big Show, and i couldn't help but think in Michael Cole's voice: "VINTAGE REIGNS!") – The content has done him no favors. There is a backlash when someone is force fed to the fans. (see: Batista. See also: 2014 Royal Rumble) I talked about how HIS time off was a detriment. That if they just shoved him up the card for the sake of shoving him up the card? It would go poorly. His potential win is the most interesting for anyone who likes the social experiment that a live wrestling audience can be… especially in a town like Philadelphia.

2:1

His odds haven't INCREASED, but he is now the front runner. The Authority has started poking their nose in his bidness… AGAIN! Kane cost him a match against Bray tonight. I'm waiting, as I now fully expect him to go in at #1 for the Rumble. He's been at full speed in two televised matches. So much so I cringe with worry. He's also still has the crowd firmly behind him. Any one of the possible matches for him at Mania coming from the Triple Threat Title match would be excellent. Plus we do have a PPV between the Rumble and Mania, so who knows what would happen there. He muscled his way into the Main Event at Mania last year, can the "Yes Man" do it again this year? We're gonna find out!

Its the most wonderful time of the year! No… not Christmas, and take down your lights you heathens! Its Royal Rumble season. The most fun Pay Per View of the year. Put a few bucks down on it with your friends, or find a bookie who takes WWE bets, and have at it!

http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown/#comments Sat, 17 Jan 2015 04:53:28 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Alicia Fox Bad News Barrett Big Show BNB Bray Wyatt Brie Bella Brock Lesnar Damien Sandow Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose HHH Hunico J&J Security Jamie Noble Jey Uso Jimmy Uso Joey Mercury John Cena Kane Matt Jackson Michael Cole Miz MizDow Money in the Bank Naomi Natalya Nick Jackson Nidia Nikki Bella Paige Paul Heyman RAW reDRagon Rikishi Roman Reigns Royal Rumble Seth Rollins Sin Cara Smackdown Sting Survivor Series SyFy The Ascension The Authority The Game The Undertaker The Usos Total Divas Triple H Usos Wade Barrett Wrestlemania WWE Young Bucks http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8930 What’s Cookin & What Doesn’t Matter Your Weekly Smackdown Breakdown Written by Mark Adam Haggerty Yes! Yes! Yes! Daniel Bryan is back in the WWE, Smackdown is back on Thursday and ladies and gentlemen I am back with another rousing installment of "What's Cookin' & What Doesn't Matter," the once-weekly breakdown of the second longest-running […]

What’s Cookin & What Doesn’t Matter
Your Weekly Smackdown Breakdown
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

Yes! Yes! Yes! Daniel Bryan is back in the WWE, Smackdown is back on Thursday and ladies and gentlemen I am back with another rousing installment of "What's Cookin' & What Doesn't Matter," the once-weekly breakdown of the second longest-running TV series in WWE history. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I'm here every week to review Friday—no, THURSDAY Night Smackdown. Despite the allure of such a landmark event, the broadcast was wrought with the same predictable booking we've come accustom to on Raw, except taped two days in advance. It wasn't all bad however, and I dare say this could be the start of something special for what's been designated the B-Show for far too long. Why do I think that? Let's talk about tonight's episode.

The show opened up with Daniel Bryan and although I haven't been a fan of the Washington-native since he ditched his independent evil-streak for the smiling "Goat" gimmick, I can't deny my excitement as one of the best in-ring performers in the world is finally getting back to work. Bryan goes on to echo the same sentiments saying how happy he is to be wearing wrestling gear instead of jeans and a flannel. I was actually looking forward to this match because the sooner it started, the sooner Kane would be in D-Bryan's rear-view—or so I assumed. Instead of the cryptic organs signifying the arrival of the "Big Red Machine," we hear Triple H's music and out comes The Game along with the Demon and the rest of The Authority. The match began without further discussion and lived up to everyone's rather low expectations. Bryan was well within view of the finish line when J&J Security stormed the squared circle, causing the match to be thrown out. It's getting almost silly the way nothing has a definitive end, but what's worse is the probability in what would follow; Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose entered the arena and stood tall alongside Bryan, leading Triple H to book a six-man tag team match later in the evening. I've always love tag team wrestling and multiple-man matches, but if I never see another six-man in the WWE it'll be too soon. Triple H just said they'd be battling The Authority without specifying the competitors, until Michael Cole informed us the match would involve Big Show, Kane, and Seth Rollins. Now—obviously it was going to be those three because we weren't going to see Hunter step into action on Smackdown. And odds are it wasn't going to be J&J Security. But in the Kayfabe world of professional wrestling, how did Michael Cole know while Triple H was still standing in the ring? I enjoyed the majority of everything before and after the match however, and I'd be willing to call this segment COOKIN' and worth a watch.

What the hell is Bray Wyatt talking about and why isn't he in the arena? I've said for some time that Creative should employ better use of the backstage segments on Smackdown because they can be shot separate from the live show and would thus remain spoiler-free. Maybe that's why parking lot brawls and super market matches have become such a popular staple of the near-sixteen year old series. That being said I don't think the audience at home or in the arena can ever get the full effect from the "Eater of Worlds" when he's speaking into a camera lens. Whenever anyone asks me how I feel about Bray Wyatt, I'm inclined to preface my argument with, "He started really strong and had a very compelling character, but…" It's not that I don't find him enjoyable, but as a solo Superstar he lacks the "Manson Family-vibe" that made him truly frightening. He's also had an incredibly dull run of recent rivalries since his program with John Cena last year at Wrestlemania. There was a rumor floating around a few months back regarding The Ascension potentially joining with Bray Wyatt, and although those plans appear to have been scrapped, I still think there's a story to be told by combing those three individuals—perhaps to take on The Undertaker at Wrestlemania? The new word has been Bray might in fact face the now 21-and-1 Phenom of the WWE, and while I imagine not many fans are clamoring for that contest when Steve Borden is on the payroll, I argue Sting's talents are better utilized elsewhere. How might Bray build himself as a threat against the Deadman when his character has been stuck in limbo since Spring of 2014? I think The Ascension might work well to even the odds against the all-powerful Undertaker. As far as this promo, it was boring and without purpose. Definitely didn't matter and not worth your time.

The WWE Tag Team Champions are set to take on The Miz and Mizdow once again but this time they're joined by Naomi and Alicia Fox on opposing sides in a mixed tag competition. When Naomi was introduced, I could have sworn Michael Cole referred to her as, The Uso's wife." I loved this match and I think it's safe to say The Usos and The Miz and Mizdow once again stole the show. The ongoing relationship between Mike Mizanin and his stunt-double Damian Sandow is continuing to enchant the live audience as well as the fans sitting at home tuning in on Syfy. If you'll recall what I wrote just a few months back, I thought this storyline had run its course by the time Survivor Series concluded, but something about both Superstars continues to compel and even endears me—to the Miz of all people! I feel as though the farther things go, the more Miz begins to consider Damian more a friend than an employee. During this match The Miz handed Damian a tag per the audience request which was almost unheard of one month ago. This time rather than the Miz blind-tagging back, Alicia Fox was the one to take advantage and proceeded to take Mizdow's opportunity to enter the match. I think the Usos are highly underrated as a team which has to do with their lack of competition on the WWE main roster. If Jimmy and Jey were given the chance to mix it up with reDragon or The Young Bucks, they'd likely lose but they'd put on a hell of a show in the process. Super SUPER SUPERKICK PARTY!! I think they're by far the most agile members of their bloodline; they're the Samoan sons of Rikishi who now nearly thirty are already showing signs of gaining weight. Yet despite having to start wrestle with t-shirts, Jimmy and Jey continue to expand their in ring repertoire and have begun to incorporate even more death-defying aerial maneuvers. Now, I would recommend they hold back on the litany of suicide dives they hit during almost every match, in the interest of saving big moves for special occasions. I think in the deepening depths of the tag team scene, there are no two stronger teams than those in this six-person intergender match. Michael Cole impressed me all night, but none more so than when he explained why Alicia Fox and Naomi were feuding—it's a Total Diva's thing. Cole has been accused of no-selling the matches and giving little context to the contests, but that little piece of information made me start to care about the drama between these two Divas. A fast paced match, but not given the time I was hoping for. Definitely worth checking out which means it was COOKIN!

Paul Heyman gave his mandatory monologue to keep the audience from forgetting the WWE Champion, but also so that Seth Rollins would have a formidable sparring partner to practice his verbal swordsmanship. I gave their repartee a rather charitable grade and the number two spot on my "Highlight of the Night" Raw review—but that's all I needed. I didn't need more of the same slow deliberate droning. I didn't need more of the same sardonic methodical musings. I didn't need more of the same sentences said exactly the same way to incite a reaction. I think Paul Heyman could be one of the greatest promos of all time but not when I heard the same thing three days earlier with greater passion and more moving pieces. Rather than listening to Seth threaten to "Curb Stomp" Paul, I was instead enamored with Jamie Noble and why he kept touching his earpiece. It's like that opening scene in "Casino Royale" where James Bond yells at the rookie agent for touching his ear when talking to 007. So of course my mind wanders and I begin to fantasize about this elaborate storyline wherein Jamie and Joey are "the secret service" to Mr. Money in the Bank, and Jamie ends up taking a bullet for Seth. And then Jamie's in a hospital bed with his blind wife Nidia by his side—and you know they don't have any of that lottery money left! So without health insurance Jamie Noble is on his death bed and tells Seth, "You have to win the title at The Royal Rumble—for me!" And then he dies, so of course Seth goes to the �Rumble and beats Brock and Cena for the belt. Meanwhile a hidden camera shows The Authority conversing with a perfectly healthy James "Jamie Noble" Gibson who faked the injury and his subsequent death. When approached about the conspiracy Triple H says, "Seth needed a fire lit under his ass. It's what was best for business." Now a conflicted world champion, Seth Rollins goes babyface and battles The Authority for the rest of 2015. I'm not sure if that's what Paul Heyman and Seth Rollins were talking about or not—probably not. Probably just my own weird fantasy booking ideas to keep me entertained as Smackdown regurgitates the cliff-notes from Raw. All jokes aside there were an array of entertaining enough of verbal jabs to-and-from both men, serving as tonight's only real fuel to the main event fire at The Royal Rumble. So I suppose it was COOKIN' and therefore worth your consideration.

Another solid match this evening was the one-on-one bout between Natalya and Nikki Bella, a non-title match featuring plenty of outside influence and a picture perfect sharpshooter to finish things in Nattie's favor. Not much else to talk about other than Brie's attempted interference which in turn could have cost her sister the victory when Neidhart was able to capitalize and lock in the move made popular by her famous uncle. I'm not sure whether this match was booked as a result of the ongoing program involving Paige, but like the dichotomy between Divas Naomi and Alicia, this relationship between Nattie and Paige seems to stem from Total Divas. Although I'm not sure if it directly relates to the Bella Twins or not. It's all very confusing how some of the Total Divas' storylines from the current season filmed several months ago coincides with the in-ring action we see on Smackdown. Natalya seems to be the workhorse Diva used to make less capable talents appear stronger. This match may have been about making the champion appear weak before a new challenger makes herself known—maybe Natalya herself will challenge for the title after her victory tonight, just as Sin Cara did following his win over the Intercontinental Champion last week. But the challenge will more likely come from Paige. An enjoyable one-on-one contest that I haphazardly recommend should you happen to hit the play button while fast-forwarding cause I dare say it was COOKIN'.

Speaking of Sin Cara it's his time to shine as he's challenging Bad News Barrett for the Intercontinental Championship. The very first thing I noticed about Sin Cara was the conspicuous lack of an NXT tag title belt around his waist. I assumed the WWE was just keen on keeping the developmental championships separate from the main story, but then I read the NXT results from Full Sail University and figured Sin Cara was without his title because— Spoiler: He already lost it. For more on that, make sure to read Cheap-Heat's bevy of in-depth spoilers and breaking news. This match was pretty rough to sit through because unlike some of my Cheap-Heat colleagues, I like Sin Cara 2.0 or whatever you want to call him that designates Hunico from Mistico. I think he's a fine entertainer who has more positive qualities than he does negative drawbacks, and his match last week was proof he can compete with any athlete regardless of size or stature. I also like Bad News Barrett, but this week fell short as Barrett squashed Sin Cara with little offense in between. I think Hunico would be a nice addition to the rapidly expanding roster of Lucha Underground talent, with or without a mask. As for his time with the WWE, Sin Cara is a main roster curtain-jerker who was lucky to get paired with Kallisto in NXT. I don't think the future is bright for the young Superstar despite his abilities, but only time will tell. Perhaps I'm wrong and 2015 is the Year of Sin Cara.

The Main Event is upon us and as the broadcast booth had to let us know, the six way altercation between heroes and villains will pit Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose against The Authority's Seth Rollins, Big Show, and Kane. One of the first things I want to point out as the combatants get set to wage war and J&J Security stands cautiously at ringside, is the presence of THREE former Ring of Honor World Champions. Tyler Black, Bryan Danielson, and James Gibson—with El Generico, Kevin Steen, Prince Devitt, and KENTA down in developmental, I don't want to hear how the WWE doesn't push outside talent. I think I've always maintained a pretty negative disposition relating to Kane, but the Big Show is a more confusing character who doesn't irk me nearly as much as "The Devil's Favorite Demon." Big Show gave a stirring backstage interview earlier in the evening with Renee Young denigrating the competition and predicting his domination in the Royal Rumble match. Although we've heard that every January for the past fifteen years, Paul Wight has never lost his ability to sell himself when he's attached to a money match. Even when it's an annual tradition that he never wins. Kane on the other hand appears less Demonic these days, and more like a guy named Glen Jacobs who's tired of playing a cartoon character when he's surrounded by real people. I'm sure when he was pitched the idea back in '97 he figured it'd be another short term gig like Isaac Yankem or The Christmas Creature. Who know he'd still be playing a supernatural fire-monster fifteen years into the new millennium.

Let's talk about this match, although there's not much to discuss because anyone who's seen one six-man tag match in the WWE has seen them all. I'll give you the bullet points: Dean Ambrose goes crazy; Seth Rollins is a weasel; Big Show and Kane catch good guys with choke slams; Roman Reigns is punching folk and making people "BELEE-DAT!" Too many people are too kind to the cousin of Dwayne Johnson but newsflash: Roman Reigns is a terrible wrestler who is never going to be as good as I need him to be. I know that the WWE isn't marketing him to wrestling fans like me, but to kids into comic books so I've already accepted his inevitable place in WWE history. But he's unbearable to watch, and his promos are something out of my worst nightmares. Seriously, when most people are suffering from real-life problems I'm instead transfixed on how over-the-moon outrageously awful Roman "Beanstalk" Reigns is. And don't tell me it's the booking and he'd be better as a powerhouse heel, because that implies the push is inevitably due down the line. Listen—John Cena might not be Ricky Steamboat, but he has more ability than people give him credit. He was light years ahead of Roman Reigns by this point in his career and I shudder to think of the day when John Cena has to abandon his post so that this joker may take command. There was a sunny patch in this otherwise "Reigny" main event, and that was the momentous return of Daniel Bryan after his forgettable confrontation with Kane earlier in the night. Having so many opponents of varying sizes gave the former American Dragon room to explore the full scope of his recovery, by implementing a host of signature maneuvers guaranteed to make an impact on both his opponents and the live audience. The action was of course nonstop throughout from start to finish, with so many visible characters in motion. But the sequence of events was predictable, and per the usual order of closing a taped show nothing of substance came from the final moments of Thursday Night Smackdown. A miss-able moment but the main event segment and a good 20-minute match regardless of my personal opinion. I suppose if this was the first match you've ever seen, or even seen in a few years, you might walk away having enjoyed yourself. But for those of us that stick it out each and every week it was more of the same thing. Following Daniel Bryan's stunning victory, Triple H reemerged to quash the celebration by announcing Daniel Bryan versus Kane—again, next week on Smackdown. It was a COOKIN' match for two reasons: 1) it was the main event and featured Daniel Bryan; 2) it was the only match on Smackdown featuring any of the three competitors in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship main event at the Royal Rumble.

WWE programming heading toward the Royal Rumble is starting to feel akin to the way I use to procrastinate weeks before big tests. I would have plenty of time to study, but would focus on nonsense allowing only a few mere moments to cram whatever it was I was supposed to know into my brain. The WWE has been given weeks, nay—MONTHS! Months to get things right and build provocative characters and compelling storylines and have instead cautiously waiting and gauging crowd response to Roman Reigns. The WWE needs to start developing new stars on both sides, heel and face if they hope to have anything worth watching in a matter of years. John Cena won't be around forever; what will the WWE do when Kofi Kingston is the senior-most member of the roster? Will they push him then ? Ladies and gentlemen thank you for joining me again, I hope you found the incessant inconsistencies flowing from my head interesting or at the very least insightful. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I'll see you next time, right here at Cheap-Heat!

http://www.cheap-heat.com/highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-2/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-2/#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2015 04:55:42 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Adam Rose Andre the Giant Bad News Barrett bellator Big E BNB Bray Wyatt Brock Lesnar Bunny Cesaro Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Erick Rowan HHH Hulk Hogan John Cena Kane Leo Kruger NXT Owen Hart Papa Shango RAW Rosebuds Ryback Seth Rollins Shawn Michaels Stephanie McMahon The Authority Triple H Tyson Kidd UFC Vince McMahon Wade Barrett WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8620 Highlight of the Night The Top Moments from Raw Written by Mark Adam Haggerty If the devil is in the details then I'd like to meet the sanctimonious show-runner responsible for keeping up continuity. After last week's landmark effort I was convinced the WWE had turned a creative corner, but unfortunately I was again too […]

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

If the devil is in the details then I'd like to meet the sanctimonious show-runner responsible for keeping up continuity. After last week's landmark effort I was convinced the WWE had turned a creative corner, but unfortunately I was again too quick to jump the gun. Let me first preface this week's edition of "The Highlight of the Night" by saying I had to scour tonight's card in order to find Five Moments that weren't utter disappointments. The in-ring action was scarce to say the least, however the matches we did see were ripe with staged high-spots and sensational desperation. Why would the WWE book an entire three-hour broadcast around The Authority? I fear the Creative Powers might be attempting to swerve the WWE Universe on an incredibly lofty scale—of which the size might prove too much to balance, thus alienating a large segment of long-time fans. Whatever the case may be it's my job to report on the events as they happen, and if this episode of Monday Night Raw did anything—it happened. Let's get right to it and break down The Top Five Moments that I didn't completely hate.

5. A Triple Threat Saves the Day

Ironically enough my Fifth Moment of the Night might have actually been the most important thing that happened during the entire broadcast. The second Raw hit the airways, we the viewer were privy to an enormous sea of WWE Superstars flooding the twenty-by-twenty squared circle. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder inside the ring and of course the first thing I thought was, "Oh I hope Vince McMahon is coming out to give a �Ruthless Aggression' speech." But it was the King of Kings and The Billion Dollar Princess set to regale the guys and gals with the new law of the land. I'm not so keen on segments depicting heroes and villains intermingling like average employees working in some office building. The human-resource skits in which Triple H scolds Superstars in front of one another are entirely too reminiscent of "Office Space" and makes me see the members of the main roster as human beings which can prove to be problematic to the product. People use to see Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant as Super Heroes and that's where hyperbolic terms like "Superstar" came from. Nobody ever fired Andre the Giant and made him cry; nobody ever beat up Hulk Hogan's dad; nobody ever wrangled an entire locker room of WWF athletes and lifted the curtain for the world to watch. Call me old fashioned, I just think there are ways to evolve without sacrificing key fundamentals. However though it may be dim, there is some sun peeking out from behind that cloud, in the form of Triple H announcing the WWE World Heavyweight Title match at The Royal Rumble will now be a Triple Threat—with Seth Rollins. Huge news no matter how you feel because this will be the first major opportunity for Rollins to take home the gold. And if you recall, Seth is currently in possession of the Money in the Bank briefcase meaning he could conceivably lose the match and then try for a second pin after incapacitating the winner. It's also important because it breaks up the monotony of Cena versus Lesnar which I, for one, am sick of seeing. I think Lesnar will more than likely retain when the night is at an end, but anything is possible considering The Beast Incarnate is said to already be in talks with both UFC and Bellator.

4. Party Time All the Time

During what amounted to an all-around impressive outing between Big E and Adam Rose, I couldn't help but think, "Wouldn't it be funny if I put this match on my list." I've been convinced for weeks now that Adam Rose is but a guise constructed for Leo Kruger to gain the trust of the WWE Universe. His attitude and mannerisms have been completely-Kruger and I was sincerely impressed with what he offered during this matchup with the New Day's resident Powerhouse. I wasn't actually planning to list them as a Top Moment of the Night though, are you crazy? But then something spectacular happened when two faceless Rosebuds entered the ring and proceeded to demolish Big E and The New Day on behalf of Adam Rose. Despite ongoing reports of NXT talent debuting as The Bunny, these Rosebuds were none other than Tyson Kidd and Cesaro. I don't know what this means for the two highly-skilled singles stars, and question whether it's the beginning of an alliance with Rose or rather retaliation against The New Day. If the team of Kidd and Cesaro can absorb this momentum and continue forward at a top rate of speed I have no doubts that we could be looking at the next WWE Tag Team Champions. Finally, I think it could be time for Adam Rose to ditch the rest of the Party Posse and send them back to the Exotic Express. Unless he insists upon fixing his gimmick soon, I fear it may be too late and he will forever be relegated to Santino Marella Territory.

3. The Ambulance That Looked Like Papa Shango

Okay let's put the brakes on and address the inconspicuous voodoo shaman in the room—am I the only one who thought the ambulance looked like Papa Shango? I know I'm not because there were a ton of tweets regarding the same exact Magic Eye that I seemed to be drawn to—and it wasn't a sailboat! Anyway, let's discuss this match. There was a lot of WWE-hate going into this contest as all across Twitter, smarks rang out with their collective complaint: "They're billing this as the first ambulance match but there have been ambulance matches before." Oh Internet Wrestling Community how quick you are to disregard what's right in front of you! This match was in fact billed as the, "First-ever Ambulance Match on Monday Night Raw." Now as far as that being true I have no idea, it's just been bugging me since the match was first announced. Uh—not much to say except what a waste of time and an utter detriment to both Bray Wyatt and Dean Ambrose, not just as men but as enthralling TV characters. I guess I shouldn't be surprised as we here in The �States see Raw on the USA Network, known for their �Characters' and the absurd situations in which they find themselves. I was just hoping the bogusness of Barely Legal wouldn't bleed through into something I treat like a religion. I thought they went to the ambulance a little too fast, although in a �shoot' Ambulance Match I assume the number one priority would be getting to the Ambulance so no logistical qualm with that. I refuse to believe there are any white folding tables with big red crosses painted on the top being used in the world of legitimate medicine. What the hell purpose would they serve, other than to maybe hand out vaccines but the TRUCK-LOAD? But that can't be what they're for because this was taped in The United States of Vaccinations, not Azerbaijan! So once again, I want to know what's up with these painstakingly comical pieces of furniture. Perhaps they're commonplace among the colleagues of Dr. Amman, but I think it's more likely they were spray painted white as an afterthought, and then Vince saw them and said, "Put a big red cross on �em, that'll look official." Though the match itself was overly-scripted and saturated with weaponry, the feud between Ambrose and Wyatt appears to be reaching a boiling point and I'm happy Bray walked away victorious. I assume the two will meet once more at The Royal Rumble, although to what end I cannot predict. Maybe there's a bigger match on the horizon or even some sort of spot in the �Rumble itself. I just hope Dean gets a singles win on pay-per-view in 2015.

2. Bad News for Dolph Ziggler Fans

Don't be a jerk and ask me to pick a match of the night because it would have to be a default drawing and the winner would likely be Bad News Barrett versus Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship. What is up with the IC belt nowadays, I mean does anybody give a damn about it anymore? It's been passed around more freely than an unmarked orange bottle of pills at E.D.C. and once again a new champion has been crowned "King of the Inter-continents." The WWE has become unquestionably predictable and as soon as this one-fall matchup was kicked back into gear as a two-out-of-three falls contest, I knew we'd see Bad News Barrett walk away champion. The best fall was the third as the first was rushed in an apparent effort to have Kane come down to announce the added stipulation. And the second was a squash serving only to tie the score at one victory-a-piece. WWE Superstars are such peculiar character specimens, just as I mentioned before with Bray Wyatt and Dean Ambrose. Take Bad News Barrett for example: he was a heel who went away due to injury and garnered an impressive following, he returned on Raw last week to seemingly defend the WWE Universe against Cesaro, and now he's being pushed like any brute-force bad guy doing the bidding for The Authority. It goes back to what I said initially about consistency and this company's inability to monitor its own program. I'm extremely happy for Bad News as I consider him a far more deserving champion and a more lucrative team player than Ziggler. I thought the match was well contested despite the twists that made the action nearly impossible to follow. I've said it before and I'll say it now with a little bit more conviction: the WWE needs to get rid of Glen "Kane" Jacobs as soon as they can get him on a plane to Stanford. He's outlived his usefulness and it's only a matter of time before he starts costing more money than he's bringing in. Plus there was so much Kane on this show, especially during matches such as this that should only rely on the chemistry between those involved. An earnest effort on behalf of Dolph Ziggler and the New Intercontinental Champion, but hardly worth a re-watch.

1. Let's Get to Those Consequences

The WWE never ceases to amaze me in their segmented approach to storytelling. I can't remember the last time I listed anything other than the final moments of Raw as Number One here on "The Highlight of the Night." It's consistently the most compelling piece of business on the card which isn't a good thing when there are barren pockets of airspace in every single episode of TV. However, as much as I'd like to see a contract signing or hostage negotiation placed somewhere else on the show, tonight's finale was fitting and couldn't have happened at any other time aside from the final fifteen minutes of Raw. Let's get the cringe-worthiness out of the way right now: "You're fired." Okay is everybody done shaking out the shudders? I think it's a safe bet we'll see all three Superstars by the time the Rumble gets here in less than a month. So either they're going to spin this program in a way that makes no sense, or they're going to keep three rising stars off the second-maybe-third biggest show of the year. It was far too goofy for what I'd like to see from the WWE in 2015, and made an otherwise humorous few moments feel awkward. As for "Cena Appreciation Night"—I love John Cena so in my house, every night is John Cena Appreciation Night! I've heard some rather harsh criticisms regarding Mr. Cena's acting in the waning moments of television, but I thought he was as good as ever. If you're really setting aside time to take shots at a wrestler's acting ability on Monday Night Raw, then perhaps you'd better assess what you actually enjoy about pro wrestling because your priorities seem to be a bit skewed. I loved the final seconds of Raw, and laughed like a lunatic during the initial music cue that brought hundreds of balloons down upon the WWE Universe. Just as John Cena's friends are fired, Stephanie and Triple H present the Doctor of Thuganomics with the big thumbs up and a rousing rendition of Stars and Stripes Forever—What a brilliant moment in wresting comedy that didn't need to be edited or altered. It was perfect and helped to add an exclamation point to an otherwise boring string of sentences.

When I can't come up with anything to say as relates to the matter at hand I usually cop out and share a personal anecdote. The first time I was allowed to "stay up late" and watch Monday Night Raw was the episode in which Shawn Michaels collapsed after receiving an educated kick care of "The King of Harts" Owen Hart. What a captivating way to engage an audience, especially younger viewers such as myself who were far more convinced of Kayfabe. I'm not asking the WWE to send "Stone Cold" into someone's house with a gun or to blow up another limousine, I'm simply yearning for the same unpredictability that had me hooked as a third grader in 1995. I think I sold everyone on my disdain for tonight's Raw already, so I don't see a need for any sort of snappy send-off. This episode was atrocious and I'm only hoping it was some sort of seat-filling train wreck that needn't be referenced going forward. The Royal Rumble is less than three weeks away and nothing has been announced other than a Triple Threat Title match and a few entries in the �Rumble itself. Can the WWE pick up the pace in promoting one of the Big Four Events, or will they fall flat just as they did with the Survivor Series? Ladies and gentlemen my name is Mark Adam Haggerty, join me next week to discuss what I'm hoping against hope shan't be another abysmal failure on behalf of the "Leader in Sports Entertainment."

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!