http://www.cheap-heat.com WWE, TNA, ROH, NJPW - Blogs, Reviews, Top Lists, Indy News & Results Sun, 18 Oct 2015 05:06:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3.1

http://www.cheap-heat.com/educated-guess-wwe-elimination-chamber/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/educated-guess-wwe-elimination-chamber/#comments Wed, 27 May 2015 22:52:11 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Reviews Adrian Neville Bad News Barrett Big E Bo Dallas Cesaro Chamber Darren Young Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler El Torito Elimination Elimination Chamber IC Title John Cena Kane Kevin Owens Kofi Kingston Los Matadores Lucha Dragons Naomi Natayla Nikki Bella NXT Title Paige Primetime Players R-Truth RAW Rusev Ryback Seth Rollins Sheamus Smackdown Stephanie McMahon Tag Team Wrestling The Ascension The Authority The New Day Titus O'Neil Triple H Tyson Kidd US Title WWE WWE Intercontinental Championship WWE Network WWE Tag Team Championship WWE World Heavyweight Championship Xavier Woods http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12019 Wait—wasn't I just here two weeks ago? Yeah, I could have sworn I've already done an "Educated Guess" for the month of May? Oh that's right! The WWE has gifted us with THREE Network Specials [AKA Pay-Per-Views] over the course of a six-week span. This weekend is the Elimination Chamber, which is the first-ever full-length […]

Wait—wasn't I just here two weeks ago? Yeah, I could have sworn I've already done an "Educated Guess" for the month of May? Oh that's right! The WWE has gifted us with THREE Network Specials [AKA Pay-Per-Views] over the course of a six-week span. This weekend is the Elimination Chamber, which is the first-ever full-length main roster event exclusive to the WWE Network. King of the Ring was only an hour long, and aside from the quarterly NXT specials, we don't get much in the way of LIVE in-ring action that isn't also available through your local cable providers. The �Chamber will go off the air a mere hour before the "Free Month of May" concludes, and will feature the first ever tag team Elimination Chamber match as well as the main roster debut of Kevin Owens. It can be assumed that WWE is planning something to keep the cheapskates hooked through June, but what ever could it be? My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I refuse to make predictions. Instead I collect all the knowledge I can acquire and present you with my monthly—or weekly at this point—"Educated Guess."

Adrian Neville vs. Bo Dallas
Is there any doubt as to what might be the opening bout on the card? I think not. The only question is whether or not the WWE is going to drop the ball on Adrian Neville, by affording Bo Dallas a victory. I can see both sides of the coin, but choose to argue in favor of "The Man That Gravity Forgot." Adrian lost the King of the Ring tournament in the finals and failed to defeat John Cena for the United States Championship two weeks later on Raw. If Adrian Neville is to become a player on the WWE main roster, he needs to be handled with care until more athletes of his ilk arrive, otherwise he could be just another seat filler, a la Kaval or Evan Bourne.
Educated Guess: Adrian Neville

Triple Threat Match for the WWE Divas Championship
Nikki Bella (c) vs. Naomi vs. Paige
For the first time in many months, I've halfway curious about the WWE Diva's championship. The women down in NXT have done a fine job of stealing the spotlight in recent months, but that's no slight against the current crop of women on the main roster. Nikki Bella has been improving by leaps and bounds as of late, and so has Naomi, who has been a top performer since she was first given the chance to prove herself. Those two WWE Divas will go head-to-head-to-head in a triple threat match with the former NXT Women's Champion Paige. The three-way dance formula is perfect if the idea is to strip Nikki of the title without hurting her credibility on the cusp of a possible NXT invasion. But I don't think it's time for Nikki to lose the title. Say what you will about the Bella's, but they've maintained their grip on the purple butterfly belt since the summer. Why build such an impressive streak if you're going to drop the title to Paige, a former Diva's champion, or Naomi, who quite frankly, isn't in the same league as Paige or the incoming crop of talent. I think it'd be smart to leave the title around Nikki's waist until someone like Charlotte or Sasha Banks is promoted to the main roster. I think Nikki should be the symbolic end of the "Diva Era," and affixing the strap to someone like Naomi would be pointless.
Educated Guess: Nikki Bella

John Cena vs. Kevin Owens
I wasn't really sold on an Elimination Chamber event in the smack-dab center of the Spring until this match was announced on Raw two weeks ago. Granted, that might have been the same night the event was announced. It doesn't matter! This is a true dream match that fantasy bookers and wrestling nerds across the world have been discussing since Kevin Owens became a force to be reckoned with in both Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. The way in which Owens' has dealt with the United States champion over the past two weeks has been utterly remarkable, and I really can't wait to see how this match unfolds. Up until now, most of Owens' opponents have been smaller than him, save for NXT announcer Alex Riley. This will be Kevin Owens' greatest challenge since debuting for the WWE, without a doubt. I don't think there will be a winner, and if there is, he'll have his hand raised as a result of a disqualification. I think one of two things will happen; Kevin might lose the will to compete all together. As he's said time and again, he fights for a prize, but the US Title isn't his prize. Kevin Owens might lose interest in fighting John Cena, and could introduce a steel chair to the match, the same as he's done with Sami Zayn. On the other hand, Kevin Owens has quite a few enemies in the WWE. Think about this for a second: in addition to John Cena, Kevin Owens is currently feuding with Sami Zayn, Finn Balor [by proxy of the NXT title], Samoa Joe, and potentially even William Regal. There is no shortage of angry individuals who might interrupt this match, and I for one am hoping to see Samoa Joe.
Educated Guess: No Contest

Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship
The New Day (c) vs. Kidd and Cesaro vs. Los Matadores vs. Lucha Dragons vs. Prime Time Players vs. The Ascension
It's the first-ever Tag Team Elimination Chamber Match! Well, outside of a video game that is. We wondered how this match would happen and whether we would get three, four, five, or six teams. We got six! Which means four teams will be crammed into those Plexiglas pods, as they wait for their number to be called. I think the inclusion of Los Matadores, the Lucha Dragons, and the Ascension was a mere formality. I expect a few high spots from each team, especially the Lucha Dragons, but when it comes right down to it, this is a three-team program. The Primetime Players are becoming a very interesting part of what's already been a breakout success between the New Day and the "Best Team Ever." I expect this to come down to the two warring teams, and I strongly believe we'll see Kidd and Cesaro walk away as new-two-time tag team champion.
Educated Guess: Kidd and Cesaro

Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Sheamus vs. Ryback vs. Rusev vs. R Truth vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. King Barrett
I have to say—I really don't care. I know it sounds callous; the intercontinental championship is being featured in an Elimination Chamber match, and I should be excited. The WWE is finally treating its longtime number two title with the same respect that NJPW gives its belt by the same name. But when it really comes down to it, I don't care about three of the combatants, and I don't want to see the other three with the intercontinental championship. Dolph Ziggler could retire tomorrow for all I care, I really don't enjoy his work. I'm sure his program with Rusev and Lana will take center stage as far as the "Show Off" is concerned, so as much as I might like to see Rusev with the white IC belt, I'm assuming they'll continue their feud without any kind of gold involved. Then there's King Barrett and Sheamus, whom I enjoy very much, but I don't want them to be Intercontinental Champion! I want Sheamus in the main event, and I think King Barrett's monarchy is the perfect foil to John Cena's US title reign. Then there's the Big Guy—don't care about the Big Guy. I also assume, since we don't see Bray Wyatt anywhere on the card, that we might get a surprise run in from the "Eater of Worlds," which would in turn eliminate Ryback. So who's left? Who haven't I mentioned? Oh yeah! R Truth—whose gimmick is that he's a rapper who's afraid of Spiders. Okay—here's why that's funny to me. About ten years ago there was an underground rapper who made headlines when he smoked PCP and proceeded to "eat his girlfriends breasts off of her body." In addition, he claimed to have seen and felt spiders all over his arms and legs during the experience. So maybe R Truth's gimmick is that he's on PCP.
Educated Guess: Sheamus

WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose is without a doubt a future WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Without question! I don't think however, that Dean Ambrose is winning his first world title on an impromptu �Network special that was only booked so as to trick dumb cheapskates into signing up passed the "Free Month of May." That being said, I expect this to be the match of the night if Kevin Owens and John Cena fail to deliver. Although they will. And who cares? Cena and Owens are newly-christened enemies who are sure to have a match that ends under precarious circumstances. Dean and Seth have a longstanding rivalry stemming from an ultimate betrayal suffered more than one year ago. I'm sure Seth is going to "cheat to win," as was the mantra of the late great Eddie Guerrero, but that doesn't mean the preceding 20-minutes or so won't be an enjoyable thrill-ride. These guys always deliver, and if you don't agree, then watch some of their previous pay-per-view battles available on the WWE Network. Oh but if you watch Hell in a Cell, turn it off before the ghost shows up. No question who's winning, but I look forward to the journey from beginning to end nonetheless.
Educated Guess: Seth Rollins

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/highlight-of-the-night-top-moments-from-raw-52515/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/highlight-of-the-night-top-moments-from-raw-52515/#comments Wed, 27 May 2015 21:20:37 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Reviews Cesaro Elimination Chamber John Cena Kevin Owens Monday Night RAW Naomi Nikki Bella NXT Paige The New Day Tyson Kidd wrestling WWE WWE Network http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12002 How's it going wrestling fans? This week's episode of Monday Night Raw was slightly disappointing in comparison to the previous three weeks, but that's not to say it wasn't a decent few hours of "Sports Entertainment." This served as the "Go-Home Show" for this Sunday's Elimination Chamber, exclusively available on the WWE Network. While there […]

How's it going wrestling fans? This week's episode of Monday Night Raw was slightly disappointing in comparison to the previous three weeks, but that's not to say it wasn't a decent few hours of "Sports Entertainment." This served as the "Go-Home Show" for this Sunday's Elimination Chamber, exclusively available on the WWE Network. While there were a few high spots in terms of in-ring action, this was in many ways a "throw-back" to Attitude Era tropes, including but not limited to absurd costumery and inordinate vehicles. I can't do the ridiculousness of Raw justice by summing it up in a mere paragraph, so let's cut to the chase and get down to the Top Five Moments of Raw!

5. The 10-on-3 Handicap Match
I am a 28-year old bachelor that lives alone in Southern California, so I'm forced to cook for myself quite a bit. I find that when I stick to what works—the recipe, in most cases—the finished product is generally favorable. But when I start tossing in additional ingredients, like basil or cumin or red wine, there's a level of uncertainty as to how things will turn out. The New Day and Kidd and Cesaro have proven to be a functioning combination that produces no fewer than three stars whenever they're interchangeably involved with each other. Last week there were a few added elements, namely the Lucha Dragons, the Prime Time Players, Los Matadores, and the Ascension. While last week's roll of the dice amounted to a winning hand, this week's 10-on-3 tag match, involving the aforementioned combatants, came up drastically short. You see where my food metaphor comes in now? My biggest qualm with the concept was Kane making the match; why would a heel authority figure punish the cheating bad guys by forcing them to face five tag teams at once? The match itself was just as lazy and even less legible in terms of trying to read the wrestlers' reactions. Although this was a comically tragic turn for teams such as the current and former tag team champions, it was a huge opportunity for less visible teams like the Ascension and the Lucha Dragons.

4. Rusev Attempts to Make-up with Lana
I'm not going to say the same thing everyone else has said since Payback last Sunday, but for the record, I'm not happy with the recent turn of events involving the Ravishing Russian, the Bulgarian Brute, and the former Spirit Squad member Dolph Ziggler. That being said, what's done is done, and there's no turning back—only moving forward. And who knows? I'm still of the opinion that this could be a massive swerve to guarantee Rusev the Intercontinental championship this Sunday at the Elimination Chamber. Rusev came down to the ring tonight with the Bulgarian flag, rather than the red, white, and blue—go figure—of the Russian banner. He asked Lana to come back to him, and the beautiful blonde Florida-native-turned-Iron Curtain citizen agreed to give him one last chance. That is until Rusev demanded she apologize and admit that she was wrong for "throwing in the towel" during his "I Quit" match with John Cena. Lana's demeanor immediately changed. She informed the �Brute that she was no longer his, and that she is NO MAN's property. With that, she stormed away from the ring, leaving Rusev to scream after her. She retreated to the loving arms of Dolph Ziggler, who claims to know she's working him, but also says he doesn't care. I don't blame him. Getting down with Lana is well worth the inevitable ass-kicking he's sure to receive.

3. Seth Rollins & Kane vs. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose
Monday Night Raw opened this week with Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and the Authority, at odds once more. Ambrose was informed that he will get his title match at the Elimination Chamber, but he needs to sign his contract before the end of the night. Stephanie said that she likes to see the "Shield Boys" reunite, and made the opening match a tag team contest between the frivolously friendly Lunatic Fringe and Super Samoan, and the Authority's dream team comprised of the world champion and the "Big Red Machine." I liked this match for what it was. Kane is best utilized in multiple-man matches where he can serve as "back-up" and play more of a background character to the principle components. Seth and Dean looked great as always, as neither man is ever off his game in front of a live audience. Roman Reigns has been making true progress in recent weeks; he proved his worth to the world when he challenged Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania, and has since turned a number of heads thanks to groundbreaking performances at subsequent live events.

2. Entourage Invades Monday Night Raw
I was a fan of "Entourage" on HBO. Truth be told, there aren't a lot of programs on HBO that I'm not fond of. "The Wire," "Six Feet Under," "The Sopranos," and "Game of Thrones" are among my favorite shows ever. And if you haven't seen "Silicon Valley," it's a 30-minute comedy about the tech-boom in the Bay Area, and it's hilarious. I'm never excited about Raw guest hosts or musical appearances, and I wasn't really hyped for this either. But I liked the way that WWE Creative integrated the characters of Vincent Chase, E, Turtle and Johnny Drama into the storyline. Especially Johnny Drama. When John Cena issued his weekly "US Open Challenge," the boys from the Hollywood Hills appeared to answer the call. Cena told them that the challenge is open to anyone, and wondered which of them was planning to "Come Get Some." They laughed, and instead introduced a Long Island native—I guess I should mention that this was the final WWE show at the famed Nassau Coliseum—by the name of ZACK RYDER! Of course "Long Island Ice Z" would come up short, in a way that nobody has since before Sami Zayn one month ago, but the match was pretty damn good nonetheless. This was perhaps Zack's best match on Raw in about—okay let's not fool ourselves, this was Zack's best match on Raw. Period. Things got interesting when Kevin Dillon AKA Johnny Drama entered the ring on behalf of his pal Zack Ryder, but was immediately run off by the United States Champion.

1. Dean Ambrose as WWE's Finest
The finale for this week was utterly ridiculous. Absolutely ABSURD! But then again, so was "Stone Cold" driving a beer truck. Or filling a Corvette with cement. Or holding Vince McMahon hostage with a FUCKING GUN! Dean Ambrose was told that he must sign his WWE Championship contract before the end of Raw, or he would lose his title match at the Elimination Chamber. As an added precaution, the Authority set Dean Ambrose up for arrest after he was shoved by J&J Security into a cameraman. All hope appeared lost as the Authority made their way to ringside to revel in the recent moral victory over Dean Ambrose. Roman Reigns appeared, and was ultimately assaulted by the combined forces of the Authority. That's when shit got CRAZY! Dean Ambrose was back in the building, wearing a Policeman's jacket and hat, and driving a "Paddy Wagon." Are they called "Paddy Wagons" because of all the Irish criminals that they'd carry around? Anyway—Ambrose arrived just in time to save his brother Roman Reigns from the attack, and even managed to sign his name on the dotted line. Dean Ambrose will be in Corpus Christi this Sunday, and he will battle Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/educated-guess-payback-2015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/educated-guess-payback-2015/#comments Wed, 13 May 2015 20:55:50 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Adrian Neville Axelmania Bad News Barrett Bray Wyatt Cesaro Curtis Axel Damian Sandow Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Elimination Chamber Hulk Hogan John Cena King of the Ring Lana Macho Man Macho Mandow Money in the Bank Neville Payback Professional Wrestling Randy Orton Roman Reigns Rusev Ryback Seth Rollins Sheamus The Ascension The New Day Tyson Kidd World Wrestling Entertainment Wrestlemania WWE WWE Network WWE Payback http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=11717 It feels as though I was just writing a predication piece for "Extreme Rules," and yet here we are again for another WWE Network Special. And if that's not crazy enough, take a look at this schedule: this weekend is PAYBACK, followed two weeks later by ELIMINATION CHAMBER, and MONEY IN THE BANK exactly two […]

It feels as though I was just writing a predication piece for "Extreme Rules," and yet here we are again for another WWE Network Special . And if that's not crazy enough, take a look at this schedule: this weekend is PAYBACK , followed two weeks later by ELIMINATION CHAMBER , and MONEY IN THE BANK exactly two weeks after that! We've got THREE pay-per-views set within six weeks of one another, and unfortunately, Payback is the least intriguing of the lot. The �Chamber will feature the first-ever tag team elimination match inside the "Devil's Playground," while MITB will crown the next heir apparent to the WWE title. But Payback?

I like to write my predictions by mid-week and the WWE is still adding to the event as of this posting. Just now I got word that Bray Wyatt will be taking on Ryback, bringing the total number of matches on the card to SEVEN. There's certainly the chance that we might see a Diva's match of some kind, perhaps a tag team bout between the Bella's and Naomi and Tamina. As for the matches that have officially been announced…

The Payback Kick-Off
Macho Mandow & Axelmania vs. The Ascension
The Kick-Off matches have been particularly exciting in recent months; the tag team title match and battle royal at Wrestlemania, King Barrett versus Neville at Extreme Rules—this tag team contest will open the show and will set the precedent for what's to come. I don't know what to make of the "Macho Mandow and Axelmania" shtick. I really enjoyed Curtis Axel's delusional tirades about "never being eliminated from the Royal Rumble," and I've at least chuckled at his subsequent attempts at making "Axelmania Run Wild." I think Curtis Axel is doing a fine job, and I hope that when this program has run its course, he's able to rebound to a more reasonable place on the roster. When Damian Sandow ceased to be the Miz's stunt-double, I think we all hoped to see a more serious side of the former "Savior of the Masses." But instead we're getting the same masquerading hijinks that Sandow APOLOGIZED FOR just two weeks ago on Raw. So my initial qualm with Sandow is what an absolute joke he is becoming, and I can only hope that Curtis Axel isn't affected in the long term. My second nagging gripe with this gimmick is the Macho Man impression in general. Look—Jay Lethal already did this shit. And he did it while the dude was still alive. And he did a far better job than Damian Sandow. Everyone can do a Macho Man impression, why not pick one of Hogan's other partners? I would have much preferred to see Damian the Barber Beefcake. I pray to the wrestling gods—Vince McMahon Sr., Jim Barnett, Jim Crockett, etc—that this is a one-time deal, and that the "Minor Powers," as David Otunga named them, never "explode." I think the ship has absolutely set sail for Konnor and Viktor, and given my hopeless optimism for the future of the WWE, I'm inclined to give my prediction to Macho Mandow and Axelmania. I hope they beat the Ascension, they "Hulk Up" and pose down for a few minutes, and then go their separate ways forever. Is that what's going to happen? Of course not. These guys will be together until Wrestlemania 35.
Educated Guess: Macho Mandow & Axel Mania

King Barrett vs. Adrian Neville
This Sunday we'll be doing our monthly pay-per-view recap show at the "B+ Players Podcast." Last month I gave Barrett and Neville's Kick Off show performance a star rating of three and three quarters. Their match two nights later at the King of the Ring earned a solid four. These two Englishmen are in no way strangers to one another, after mixing it up for the better part of the last month. I'm interested to see what they can accomplish now that their feud has legs to stand on, and is being promoted to the main card of a pay-per-view. I've got to stop calling them that. It's a "WWE Network Special," and not only that—it's FREE again this month! What the fuck man? I've been paying ten bucks a month for 15 months—that's $150 invested in a product that you continue to give away to CASUAL FANS for free on a monthly mother fucking basis. Back to the match. Adrian Neville—because I refuse to call him "Neville"—has been gifted two nicknames since debuting with the WWE. Not only is he being billed as "The Man that Gravity Forgot," but he's also being called "The New Sensation." I can't remember this much hype going into an individual debut since we found out that his name is Finlay—"AND HE LOVES TO FIGHT!" Neville has had some awesome matches in recent weeks with former WWE world champions such as Sheamus and even John Cena. I don't think there's any ceiling set for how successful this guy could potentially be, but I think it's safe to assume defeat is on the agenda for young Adrian Neville this Sunday. Wade Barrett has made the transition from "Bad News" to "King" almost seamlessly, and it's hard to predict a loss for someone just over two weeks removed from winning the King of the Ring.
Educated Guess: King Barrett

Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus
It's a pretty good sign that the show will be good when the match I'm least looking forward to is a one-on-one bout between Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus. I've really been loving the new "Celtic Warrior" dynamic since Sheamus returned to the WWE. He shocked the world when he manhandled Daniel Bryan just days after his intercontinental title win at Wrestlemania, and went on to make life for Dolph Ziggler a living nightmare. Last month was the infamous "Kiss Me Arse" match, where Sheamus refused to live up to his own stipulation, instead forcing Dolph to kiss HIS arse. Two nights later, live on the WWE Network, Dolph Ziggler delivered a receipt in the form of a punishing assault that left the 2-time WWE Champion spewing DNA from his forehead. Their feud hasn't quieted down in any way, and has only served to elevate Dolph Ziggler and further intensify Sheamus. I'm quick to pick Sheamus as the victor in this unpredictable contest, but start to slow my roll after running down the rest of the card. This would appear to be a "Heel-Heavy" night, wherein most matches will end with "Bad Guys" reigning supreme. If there's to be any babyface victory during the event, I would probably have to pick Dolph Ziggler. That being said, we DO have another "WWE Network Special" in two weeks—and another in one month. Maybe we WILL see a night where only evil can prevail?
Educated Guess: Sheamus

WWE Tag Team Championship – 2/3 Falls Match
Kidd & Cesaro vs. The New Day (c)
Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that this will be the match of the night? These teams have produced some of the absolute best matches the WWE has seen—IN YEARS! That's not hyperbole, that's reality. I have trouble investing myself in WWE Superstars because their in-ring ability is oftentimes inhibited by the parameters placed on them by producers. You might see a stellar performance on Raw, and then an embarrassing display on Smackdown, simply because individuals weren't allotted the same time, or "freedom," that they were on the previous show. My point is that these five men could be the exception to the rule, having faced each other in any number of combinations during an assortment of various matches. They appeared during the Kick Off for the Royal Rumble and blew the tag team title match later in the show out of the water; they opened Wrestlemania 31 during another Kick Off appearance as two-fourths of a multi-team championship match; and last month they stole the show in a bona fied 4-Star Match. They've been a consummate part of Raw and Smackdown, and continue to put on "Match of the Night" performances, despite however long or short the encounter might be. I'm completely confident that they'll deliver, especially in this 2-out-of-3 falls match, and will be incredibly surprised if the action falls short. Tune in to our special Payback Reaction Show exclusively at Cheap-Heat where podcaster and sports analyst Dario Rivera has requested to review this particular match.
Educated Guess: The New Day

Ryback vs. Bray Wyatt
The most recent match added to the card is the bizarre brawl bound to take place when Bray Wyatt comes face-to-face with Ryback. Wyatt has been issuing an ominous challenge since losing to the Undertaker at Wrestlemania, but nobody seemed to know to whom he was speaking. I suggested that it could be Roman Reigns, given the clues in Bray's weekly monologue, and was slightly disappointed to discover instead—that it was Ryback. Nothing against the talent and charisma of Ryan Reeves, I just don't see him as a player on the same level as Bray Wyatt. Ryback challenged for the WWE title back when CM PUNK was the champion, and has since played more of an enforcer role in the upper-mid card. Bray Wyatt however, has squared off with both the Undertaker and John Cena at Wrestlemania, and appears to be a far more visible face across the entirety of WWE programming. I also think Bray Wyatt desperately needs a win, and I don't believe it should be at the detriment of ANOTHER WWE Superstar, who ALSO can't afford to keep losing. I think it's a foregone conclusion that Bray Wyatt will walk out with his hand held high, and I'll take it a step further: Rowan and Harper will appear to help the "Eater of Worlds" defeat the "Big Guy." The Wyatt Family will return.
Educated Guess: Bray Wyatt

WWE United States Championship – "I Quit" Mach
John Cena (c) vs. Rusev
This will be the FOURTH TIME IN A ROW that John Cena has gone to war with Rusev, which could quite possibly be a record for WWE in terms of booking. John Cena is currently 2-1 over the "Bulgarian Brute" and "Pride of the Russian Federation." The big story going into this match is Lana; "WHOSE SIDE IS (S)HE ON?!" Remember that? ANOTHER Bobby Heenan reference. Word going around the internet is that Lana will soon lose her Russian accent, and become the "Female Face" of the WWE. While that's certainly possible, I don't think it's time—and I don't think the WWE thinks it's time either. My Educated Guess for this match is a bit more detailed, so please indulge me for a moment: Lana will slip with the American accent during the Kick Off, making us all wonder what's going to happen. She'll continue to smile John Cena's way, and he'll keep making comments to Rusev and the audience about how popular she is. This is all—wait for it—A SWERVE! John Cena won't quit, not because he's in pain and can't continue! Rusev will be out of options, and will grab Lana as though she is his hostage. He'll trap her in the Accolade, while Cena is—for some reason, handcuffs maybe—unable to stop him. Cena will have no choice but to say "I Quit" to save the woman he thinks is starting to see the light of day. Unfortunately, as Admiral Ackbar would say: "IT'S A TRAP!" Do you think Admiral Ackbar will be in Star Wars Episode 7? How long do Mon Calamari live? I think John Cena is dropping his United States strap to the former champion, and I think Lana will reveal herself to be a "Double Agent." That will give her a reason to drop the Russian accent on Raw, while maintaining her evil character for the time being. In fact, it could generate even more heat; a blonde haired, blue eyed American supermodel siding with the SOVIET UNION? I know that's not what they're called anymore. It's all about alliteration with me. That will also put their series at 2 wins a piece, creating all the more reason for a fifth and final battle at either Elimination Chamber or Money in the Bank.
Educated Guess: Rusev

WWE World Heavyweight Championship – Fatal Four-way
Dean Ambrose vs. Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins (c) vs. Roman Reigns
Who cares? With so much going on in the undercard, I couldn't care less about how Seth Rollins retains his title. There's no question as to who is walking away the winner, but how is it going to go down? Actually, that's just as predictable. Let's see what we're working with here: Seth Rollins is definitely winning, right? Okay, that's settled. And Dean Ambrose is only in this match to catch the pinfall, right? Nice, now we're cooking with gas! So the question now pertains to how Randy Orton and Roman Reigns will make their presence felt. I GOT IT! Dean and Randy are wrestling in the ring while everyone else is off somewhere waiting for their cue. Roman appears and attempts to Spear Randy Orton, but hits his former Shield brother instead. After Roman pops up from the impact, he's met with an RKO—OUT OF NOWHERE—from Randy Orton, who immediately goes for the pin, but is robbed by Seth Rollins, who only wins matches when he steals the victory. Which is totally okay with me, it's just mildly predictable at this point. It wasn't right to say who cares, because I do care about this match. But given the fact that Seth Rollins has been given the ball for the foreseeable future, and Dean Ambrose has never been in such a high profile position, it's easy to narrow the field down to declare a winner. Seth Rollins is winning, which means Kane is FIRED!
Educated Guess: Seth Rollins

I said earlier that this show is the least intriguing event of the three we'll be getting in the next six weeks. While that's true, it certainly seems as though this card has what it takes to deliver. I still expect a Diva's match of some kind to be announced, in which case I'll edit this entry. Maybe. Probably not. Remember to check out the "B+ Players Podcast: Payback Reactions" featuring our musical guests Milan Martin and Dave Sloyan, as well as "The Wrestling Broad" Brianne Marie. We're hitting the air immediately after the show ends, and will be featured exclusively at Cheap-Heat.com. Until next time my name is Mark Adam Haggerty, you can follow me in social media on Twitter @TapeTraderz and on Facebook at "The B+ Players."

http://www.cheap-heat.com/strange-and-stimulating-superstars-32-random-wwe-facts/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/strange-and-stimulating-superstars-32-random-wwe-facts/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2015 04:45:48 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Adam Rose Aiden English Bad New Barrett Big Cass Bram Byron Saxton Cameron Carmella Charlotte Christian Christian Cage Cody Rhodes Colin Cassady Corey Graves Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Erick Rowan Hunico Jerry Lawler John Cone Kane Kevin Owens Mark Henry Maryse Michael Cole NXT Paige Renee Young Sasha Banks Sheamus Sin Cara Summer Rae The Miz The Undertaker TNA Tyson Kidd Wade Barrett William Regal WWE Zeb Coulter http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10853 Strange and Stimulating Superstars 32 Random WWE Facts Written by Mark Adam Haggerty I'm always compiling countdowns and lists of data for my work here at Cheap-Heat, as well as my podcast "The B+ Players." But there are a lot of random bits of information regarding the current WWE roster that don't seem to fit […]

Strange and Stimulating Superstars
32 Random WWE Facts
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

I'm always compiling countdowns and lists of data for my work here at Cheap-Heat, as well as my podcast "The B+ Players." But there are a lot of random bits of information regarding the current WWE roster that don't seem to fit anywhere in particular. Some are sad, others are funny—but most are just downright surprising. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and these are "Strange and Stimulating Superstars: 32 Random WWE Facts."

Christian
"Christian Cage" is a combination of the names Christian Bale and Nicholas Cage.

Sheamus
When Sheamus was a boy,В he sang in the Palestrina Choir in Ireland until the age of 13 and upon graduating from college worked as an IT technician.В

The Undertaker
The Undertaker has appeared in more video games than any other wrestler—EVER. More than Hulk Hogan, the Rock or even “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. And that includes games outside of the WWE Universe.

Summer Rae
Before she became a WWE Diva, Summer Rae was the captain and cornerback for the Chicago Bliss Lingerie football team.

Renee Young
After high school Renee Young began training in improvisational comedy, and moved to Los Angeles at 19 years old to pursue her dream of becoming an actress.

Adam Rose
Adam Rose's theme song was used by the NHL's Ottawa Senators as part of their goal horn during the 2014-2015 season.

Zeb Coulter
In August 2012, Zeb Coulter’s 16 year old grand-daughter Amelia died in a car accident. The other driver, who had drugs in his system, was on parole, and running from the police at the time. Less than one year later, Tennessee legislators signed Amelia’s Law, which requires parolees—whose crimes were related to drugs or alcohol—to wear a monitor that would test the parolees blood every half hour. The law went into effect on July 1, 2014.

Kevin Owens
French-Canadian NXT Champion Kevin Owens credits Jim Ross’s WWE commentary for teaching him how to speak English.

Corey Graves
Cory Graves is aВ professional piercer, having trained under a friend who needed to hire a full time piercer in his tattoo shop.

Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler was involved in a romantic relationship with standup comedian and Comedy Central personality Amy Schumer.
В
Kane
Glen Jacobs, better-known as Kane, is an outspoken libertarian, and was even approached by several Tea Party organizations to run for senate in Tennessee.В

Sasha Banks
Although she’s cousins with Snoop Dogg, Sasha Banks has stated her favorite type of music is “Korean Pop.”

The Miz (and Maryse)
The Miz and Maryse were married at the One & Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas—the same resort featured in James Bonds’ Casino Royale.

Paige
Paige first entered the wrestling ring at 10 years old—training under her mother and father—and made her professional debut at just thirteen.

Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan has Vitiligo, a dermatological condition that alters the level of pigmentation in one's skin.

Sin Cara (Hunico)
Sin Cara AKA Hunico worked as a funeral director before becoming a full-time professional wrestler and even attained his embalming license in Juarez, Mexico.

Cody Rhodes
In addition to being the son of Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes is the nephew of Fred “Shockmaster” Ottman and Jerry “Nasty Boy” Sags.В

Byron Saxton
Byron Saxton was in the same Virginia kindergarten class as his former Raw Pre-show host Alex Riley.

Jerry Lawler
Jerry “The King” Lawler owns a replica Batmobile from 1960s Adam West series.

Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose dropped out of high school a year into his wrestling training.

Referee John Cone
WWE Referee John Cone owns a donut shop called “The Donut King” in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri.

Big Cass
After graduating from NYU, Colin “Big Cass” CassidyВ started a ticket brokerage company, specializing in events atВ Yankee StadiumВ andВ Madison Square Garden.

William Regal
William RegalВ was once arrested on a flight from Japan to the United States when he drunkenly urinated on a flight attendant. He claimed to be so drunk that he could not remember the incident and woke up in a cell inВ Anchorage, Alaska.

Erick Rowan
Erick Rowan’s family immigrated to Minneapolis from Norway and in 2010, Erick finished third on the first season of the Norwegian reality series “Alt for Norge.”

Bad News Barrett
Before becoming a wrestler, Bad New Barrett was a celebrated bare knuckle fighter. One night following an especially lucrative prize-fight, Barrett was stabbed with an eight-inch blade by an assailant trying to steal his money. The thief was said to have incurred serious injuries, and Barrett escaped with the cash.

Michael Cole
Before he was the “Voice of the WWE,” Michael Cole was a news reporter and was among those camped outside the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas in 1993.В

Tyson Kidd
In 1996 at the age of sixteen, Tyson Kidd wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation on a house showВ in Calgary that also includedВ Teddy HartВ andВ Harry Smith.В

Cameron
Cameron double-majored at California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor's of Arts in Marketing. Before she was signed to the WWE, she worked as a behavioral therapist for autistic children in North Hollywood.

Charlotte
Ashley Flair AKA Charlotte is married to TNA wrestler Thomas Latimer AKA Bram.

Aiden English
Aiden English became involved in professional wrestling after studying stage combat in college.

Mark Henry
Mark Henry was as one of the pallbearers for actorВ Michael Clarke Duncan’s funeral inВ September of 2012.

Carmella
NXT Diva Carmella is the daughter of former wrestler and WWE enhancement talent Paul Von Dale.

There you have it—32 inexplicable facts about the current roster of Superstars, Divas, referees, and broadcasters. Until next time this has been Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you to keep checking out Cheap-Heat, listen to my podcast "The B+ Players," and follow me via social media: @TapeTraderz on Twitter and "The B+ Players" on Facebook.

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/hunchamania-wwe-fastlane-2015-predictions/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/hunchamania-wwe-fastlane-2015-predictions/#comments Sun, 22 Feb 2015 04:04:31 +0000 Gary Mastriano Blogs Other Blogs AJ Lee Bad News Barrett Big Show Brock Lesnar Cesaro CM Punk Cody Rhodes Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Dust Brothers Elimination Chamber Erick Rowan Fastlane Goldust HHH Jey Uso Jimmy Uso John Cena John Morrison Kane Kidd Kofi Kingston Natalya Nikki Bella NXT Paige Rey Mysterio Rey Mysterio Jr. Roman Reigns Royal Rumble Rusev Ryback Santino Santino Marella Seth Rollins Stardust Steve Austin Sting Survivor Series The Brass Ring Club The Usos Triple H Tyson Kidd Wade Barrett Wrestlemania WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9903 Hunchamania: Fastlane 2015 Folks, we are on the road to WrestleMania 31, and we are driving in the fast lane (see what I did there? I'm so clever). WWE brings us this new "special event" this Sunday, and I must say- there is a lot to look forward to. The February slot in the PPV […]

Hunchamania: Fastlane 2015

Folks, we are on the road to WrestleMania 31, and we are driving in the fast lane (see what I did there? I'm so clever). WWE brings us this new "special event" this Sunday, and I must say- there is a lot to look forward to.

The February slot in the PPV cycle has always been a mixed bag. Feuds were either resolved so top stars could move on to different challengers at the Grandaddy the following month (Austin-HHH 2001), new feuds are set up to take us into Mania (Orton-Rey), or big matches occur that may even be better suited for the big event the next month (the criminally underrated and overall excellent Angle-Taker SHOULD have taken place at Mania 22….thanks a lot Batista).

In recent years we have been subject to the Elimination Chamber PPV. A great gimmick match that felt completely out of place in the pre Mania slot. Not only was the risk of injury to a top star higher in the dangerous match, but it was also a huge gimmick that often felt forced. Challengers like Santino, John Morrison, and Kofi Kingston were always given spots in the match, when we all knew they would barely even make the Mania card the next month. The first few installments of the Chamber match worked so well because there were legit contenders in every pod gunning for the world title. When the match was supplanted to the February slot it lost almost all of its luster. Sure we have seen some fun spots and pairings (the HHH-Taker final 2 comes to mind) overall I am happy to see the chamber go. Hopefully it will return to a PPV that could benefit from it where there are 6 legit contenders who have a claim to the title.

I also thought it was weird to place the chamber at the February PPV because it honestly wasn't needed. It worked well when there was 2 world titles, but the PPV never needed the rub of the gimmick match. The allure of the road to Wrestlemania is enough to sell me on the February PPV. Just use it to end some feuds and start some new angles for the next month and I am sold. That being said, this year's FastLane was looking like a legit throw away PPV at first. We knew Brock wasn't going to be wrestling, and after Royal Rumble it seemed most the top 3-4 matches were already in stone: Sting-HHH, Rusev-Cena, Brock-Reigns all looked like locks for San Francisco. However, WWE has done a pretty great job of making us question the seemingly predictable card. Now I fully believe we will get all 3 of those matches, plus most of the other rumored matches on the card, but FastLane will at least be an intriguing stop along the way, with some fascinating booking decisions I did not expect.

Intercontinental Championship Match- Bad News Barrett vs Dean Ambrose

The theme up and down this card is unpredictability. I think the IC title match, which I suspect with be the hot opener, could really go either way. Barrett has only been back from injury a month and was handed the IC title his first night back. WWE is clearly behind Barrett. The man has been IC pretty much any time he hasn't been injured in the past 2 years. It seems that they really want him to succeed, but injuries and bad luck keep getting in his way. While I am not a fan of his bad news gimmick (just seems more face leaning than heel), I cannot deny that it is over. Also over- Dean Ambrose. The man turns every goofy situation written for him into gold. I've seen people complain that Dean is getting "buried" or tossed aside. This is simply laughable. He has main evented more PPVs than Roman Reigns, and has been a focal point of WWE programming since the Shield split. Ambrose is a great talent, and loses don't really affect him or his character. Ambrose is simply about anarchy. WWE is taking the more classic approach with Ambrose and letting him get white hot in the mid to top of the card. He will be IC champ this calendar year, and possibly challenge for the world title by year's end (although I don't think he even needs to be in that spot to be effective). If the Andre battle royal takes place this year, Dean will win it. But he won't win the IC title, at least not on this night. Bad News Wade retains.

Cody �Stardust' Rhodes vs Goldust

Cheap Heat grandmaster of productivity- Mark Haggerty- and I recently did a mock draft to choose our top 10 wrestlers we want to start a company with. You'll see more on that soon, but I am going to spoil one of my draft choices here- Cody Rhodes. I have been a Cody fan dating back to the Legacy days. I knew he was the break out star of the two young guns, and he has quietly had a great mid card run. Cody has shown how incredibly versatile he can be. He can play the face, the heel, the comedy act, or the bat shit crazy Stardust character. His Dr. Doom character was my personal favorite, the one that led to his all-time best and most underrated match against Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 27. Rhodes can do it all. I have loved the Dust Brothers team, but feel that it has run its course. Every part of me hopes their blow off, and long rumored Goldust retirement match, takes place at WrestleMania. And I hope that match is Cody, not Stardust, taking on Goldust. As far as I can tell the match this Sunday will be Stardust wrestling Sunday, not Cody. Hopefully this leads to the return of Cody for Mania, and finally a major heel push after. One can dream right? Stardust has been a great fun character, and I hope he gets brought back down the line, even in a multiple personality story line at some point. But I think it's time for Cody to return. I see this match ending in NO CONTEST of some sorts, leading to Cody finally dropping the Stardust character for the blow off match next month.

Tag Team Championship- The Usos vs Tyson Kidd and Cesaro

I legit marked out last month when Kidd and Cesaro wore Brass Ring Club shirts to the ring. I am still seriously contemplating purchasing one because… c'mon… that's just cool. Kidd and Cesaro are my favorite team in a long time. Both guys seem to want to prove themselves week after week and they have really lit a fire into the tag team division. What a great booking decision pairing them together. The Usos have been tag champs for … 4 years now? Not sure, but it seems like they will always hold the belts. I don't see a future past a tag team for Jimmy and Jey, and they are way over, so I know they will stick together for a while. However, I think the time is now to reward Cesaro and Kidd with a title win, even if it's just a month long reign- BOLD PREDICTION but Kidd and Cesaro take home the gold Sunday night.

Diva's Championship- Niki Bella vs Paige

When all the controversy came out last year with CM Punk, everyone on the internet seemed to assume days were numbered for AJ Lee. Well, to their credit, WWE has treated AJ with nothing but respect. She was the top Diva last year, holding the belt on 2 different occasions, and winning Diva of the year (do you really think AJ would have won if they weren't behind her?). There seemed to be no retaliation against AJ for the actions of her husband. Anytime AJ has missed seems to be by her own accord, and any time off seems to have been granted. And I am happy WWE were the bigger man here and treated her like the star she was, as opposed to the star she's married to.

With that being said, and with the breaking news of the potentially massive lawsuit between CM Punk and Doc Amman, one has to question- when is it the right time for WWE and AJ Lee to cut ties. I think the time is now. I am a big AJ supporter, but I can only imagine it may be a hostile work environment for her no matter what the outcome of the lawsuit is. Can you imagine if AJ gets inured and Doc Amman has to work on her? I cannot see that being fun. AJ has had a great run, and is easily the top Diva since the Trish/Lita days, but her associations may lead to some uncomfortable and awkward situations. WWE has some of the best female wrestlers in the world down in NXT. Once talents like Charlotte and Bayley, and later on Sasha Banks, are brought up the main roster, we can hopefully expect the Diva's boom we have all wanted for a while. And while I would love AJ Lee to be a part of that…it seems like time has past her by.

As for the current state of active Diva's, it's not actually as bad as you think. Niki Bella has been a surprisingly impressive champion. Her in ring work has been better than it has any right to be. She described herself as the "powerhouse" of the division, and I have to agree. As for her opponent this Sunday- Paige- what can be said? I am happy to see her back at the top of the division where she belongs. Paige is a GREAT in ring talent, and I think this match could go far to elevate the division. It all comes down to time, as with most Diva's matches in this era. NXT has proven that women's wrestling is worth investing in, so why not give your main roster girls a showcase? Alas, I don't think Fastlane will be the night to do so. Niki wins with shenanigans setting up a Mania mutli-lady rematch.

Seth Rollins, Kane, and Big Show vs Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan, and Ryback

Is this match announced? Trusty old Wikipedia says it is, so let's say it is. This feud has been going on since before Survivor Series, with no end in sight. I really think we will see some sort of variation on this match at WrestleMania this year, probably without Rollins. Ziggler deserves his time to shine at the big event this year, but short of the rumored Daniel Bryan match, I just don't see any singles match happening for the Showoff. If you haven't seen the Ziggler-Rollins match from this past Monday's Raw I highly recommend it. An awesome match, and the main roster's response to the great matches happening down in NXT. Check it out. Rollins, Kane, and Big Show win here, setting up a quasi-rematch at Mania.

US Title Match- Rusev vs John Cena

How awesome would it be to have John Cena as the US Champ again? Talk about putting that title back on the map. Despite whatever the "smart" wrestling fan you are friends with is telling, John Cena has actually had a slight character change in the past few weeks. And I don't think many people are seeing the potential storylines that will come out of it. In case you missed it, Cena has slowly been turning into the grizzled veteran who will do anything to protect his spot. His promo work has been great and this feud with Rusev isn't your normal Cena feud- meaning Rusev actually has a chance to win. Even us Cena lovers can agree that John doesn't need/shouldn't get the first victory over Rusev. That seems too predictable. Even if he gets it eventually, it won't be Sunday night. Cena won't tap but I see Rusev winning via more shenanigans or a DQ finish to continue this feud. I stand by my claim from last August that we will see Cena vs Rusev at Mania, with Hogan in Cena's corner.

Sting will respond to HHH's challenge, but HHH will get the upper hand via some sort of beat down on Sting. This will set up Sting' first ever WWE match at WrestleMania 31. This is the match Sting needs and deserves. No other opponent is worthy of Sting's first match but Hunter and I expect this to be a really fun ride.

Number 1 Contender's Match- Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan

I have to give credit where credit is due- I did NOT expect that we would see Reigns vs Bryan, especially now. WWE has done a masterful job of baiting us all into this storyline. A lot has been made of Reigns not getting the response WWE wanted. But in all honestly- he has been getting solid responses from non smark crowds. The casual fan is into and behind Roman Reigns. The problem is that EVERY fan is into and behind Daniel Bryan. I cannot recall a wrestler as over as Bryan in a long long long time. And WWE is using him very wisely. Folks- Daniel Bryan will NEVER be the number one face on the roster. Yes, I want him in that role, you want him in that role, the WWE Universe wants him that role. But once you come to accept that he will never be top guy, you can enjoy Bryan even more. Bryan will fill that HBK role of top guy who will always be close to the main event, putting on clinics with just about everyone on the roster. And that IS something to be excited about.

I admit I am not the biggest Reigns fan. But he's the guy that won the Royal Rumble. I DO NOT want another tainted Royal Rumble winner. So for as much as I love Bryan, I want Reigns to win here. Let's give him a shot guys, what's the worst that can happen? Reigns has actually been getting more over working with Bryan.

As for the match itself, I expect an incredibly hot crowd. They will split 70/30 in Bryan's favor, but Bryan will work hard to make Reigns look as good as possible. This is a match designed to make Reigns look good. I expect it to be hard hitting, fast paced, and tons of fun. As for the ending I see it going one of two ways. Either Reigns gets the singles clean victory he desperately needs, or someone interferes and costs Bryan the match (Rollins?) setting up whatever Bryan does at Mania. Either way Reigns wins. No triple threat this year.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter%e2%80%a8-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown%e2%80%a8-2/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter%e2%80%a8-your-weekly-smackdown-breakdown%e2%80%a8-2/#comments Sat, 21 Feb 2015 00:30:53 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Other Reviews Reviews Bad News Barrett Becky Lynch Big E Big Show Bray Wyatt Brie Bella Brock Lesnar Cameron Cesaro Charlotte Damien Sandow Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Erick Rowan Fast Lane Fastlane HHH J&J Security Jack Swagger Jamie Noble Jerry Lawler Jey Uso Jimmy Uso Joey Mercury John Cena Kane Kofi Kingston Konnor Lucha Dragons Luke Harper Mark Henry Michael Cole Miz MizDow Natalya New Day Nikki Bella NWA NXT Paige R-Truth RAW Roman Reigns Ron Killings Royal Rumble Rusev Ryback Sasha Banks Seth Rollins Sheamus Smackdown The Ascension The Bellas The Brass Ring Club The New Day The Usos Triple H Tyson Kidd Undertaker Viktor Wade Barrett Wrestlemania WWE WWE Network Xavier Woods http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9853 What’s Cookin & What Doesn’t Matter Your Weekly Smackdown Breakdown Written by Mark Adam Haggerty It's the final episode of WWE TV until the February "free-per-view," Fastlane. If the free month of November and the Survivor Series are any indication, I think it's safe to say this show will be more like an extended infomercial for […]

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

It's the final episode of WWE TV until the February "free-per-view," Fastlane. If the free month of November and the Survivor Series are any indication, I think it's safe to say this show will be more like an extended infomercial for Wrestlemania, than a standard pay-per-view. There won't be a world title match, the number one contender bout is lacking any sort of momentum, and a talking segment featuring Triple H and Sting will more than likely main event the entire card. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it just the same as I look forward to every WWE pay-per-view. I feel like a battered spouse sometimes, the way the WWE abuses me from month to month, only to pull-out some grand gesture just before I'm ready to call it quits. But Vince McMahon knows I'll never leave—I just know that I can change him. This week's episode of Smackdown wasn't the sort of spectacle as the previous edition and its tag team gauntlet, but still much more wrestling than you'll find on Raw. When other sites are simply providing results, I provide you with insight as to what not to watch. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty, and this is "What's Cookin' & What Doesn't Matter."

Sometimes it seems as though Smackdown is booked like a "Barrel of Monkeys"; all the key components are thrown together and tossed out at random. This week's episode opens with a potential world title challenger at Wrestlemania, Daniel Bryan, as he heads into singles action against another former WWE champion, the Miz. Tonight's show features a ton of prerecorded interview segments, starting with the opening contest and the Miz backstage, explaining how he is responsible for Daniel Bryan's "Cinderella Story." The "Hollywood A-Lister" enters alongside his personal assistant and Michael Cole is quick to point out how Daniel Bryan superseded the Miz during his debut run on NXT, which is strange as that was the same year Michael Cole lived inside a glass box and feuded with Jerry Lawler. Before the match begins, the Miz must remove his sunglasses, and does so via a choreographed ritual wherein he flaps his arms as if preparing to take flight. I love it. On the apron, the Miz's personal assistant Damian Sandow stands by, repeating the gesture, but receiving twice the adulation from the live audience. The Miz, of course, takes issue with Sandow and the reaction he elicits from the crowd, so he orders the former "Intellectual Savior of the Masses" to retrieve an Egyptian cotton towel from the locker room. The match is underway and Daniel Bryan immediately seeks to teach the Miz a lesson for the way he treats "Mizdow." The bout begins with an incredible back and forth featuring everything that Daniel Bryan is known for, combined with the Miz's firm grasp on the endangered art of being a heel. The biggest problem historians such as Jim Ross and Bill Apter have with the current wrestling product as a whole, is the blurred "tweener" territory where most talents tend to reside. The Miz is similar to Triple H, Nick Bockwinkel, and Ted DiBiase, in that he cheats to win and has very few redeeming characteristics. Other "bad guys" like Seth Rollins perform inside the squared-circle with a crispness that helps win support from contrarian viewers, while the Miz is a mediocre wrestler who boasts about his impressive credentials. And impressive they are! I've mentioned before that the Miz is a "grand slam" champion, after capturing every major title the WWE has to offer. Podcasters and columnists alike prefer to run down the potential "ceiling" for a character like Sandow, but I think the sky's the limit for anyone working this close with the Miz. Of course the devilish villain fell by the end of the fall, tapping out to Daniel Bryan's "Yes Lock." Bryan is losing steam with a lot of fans around the world but I still think the "American Dragon" has what it takes to steal the show at Wrestlemania and bridge the gap between this and the next generation. A COOKIN' match given the top-tier talent involved.

The second match out-the-gate is a battle of power pitting the "Big Red Machine" against the "Big Guy." Kane and Ryback begin this slugfest with a stunning display of rapid striking variations and dominant high-impact maneuvers. The bout soon segued into a share of rest holds between superheavyweights whereby Kane managed to fight Ryback down toward the canvas. The audience started getting restless and their inaudible chants soon brought the big men to their feet. Ryback battled Kane into the ropes and hit the former world champion with a Lou Thesz press followed by an enormous splash. A big spine buster and it was almost feeding time for Ryback. The huge muscle-bound brawler lifted the "Devil's Favorite Demon" onto his shoulders and earned his victory with a brutal "Shell Shock" to the mat below. Say what you will about Kane, and despite my own reservations regarding him inside the ring, this year is Glen Jacob's 20th anniversary with the WWE. There's a lot to be said for an individual, especially a "big man," who's able to last so long. Will Ryback be around in 2030? Judging from the way he was huffing and puffing only half-way into this match, I'm willing to say no. Unless Ryan Reeves can upgrade his conditioning for matches on Smackdown, he's never going to be in the main event title picture at Wrestlemania. But maybe that's for the best. This was pretty lame, but fast enough so that Ryback was walking away with the win before the match ever got going, so I'd dare say it was COOKIN'!

The third match of the night is a non-title bout between R Truth and the WWE Intercontinental champion Bad News Barrett. Before the competitors may enter, Dean Ambrose makes his way to ringside where he'll be joining Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, and Bryon Saxton on commentary. R Truth has been seeing far more action in recent weeks than I can remember in over a year! Last week Truth went to war with Bray Wyatt, and although coming up on the losing end, showed great promise—even earning a faint "You Still Got It" chant. Tonight �Truth is up against the statuesque bare-knuckle bruiser from Britain, "Bad News" Wade Barrett. As the match begins, Dean Ambrose spouts off at ringside regarding Barrett. He says the champion is "not one of those champions that goes down to defend his title every night." I thought that was sort of a strange criticism, as BNB puts his belt on the line just as often as anyone else– far more than the world champion, Brock Lesnar. Barrett commands the pace of the match, providing a preview for Ambrose as to what awaits him come Sunday. At one point, Barrett even took the fight to the outside of the ring where he continued to assault R Truth against the very announce table where Dean Ambrose sat. Back inside the ring, the multiple-time IC champion maintained his lead over the grizzled veteran, until R Truth was able to capitalize on the younger wrestler's error. Ambrose sat with his back to Barrett throughout the match, but it was the end of the bout that Barrett became distracted by Dean at ringside, allowing for the former NWA world champion Ron Killings to roll him up, earning his first television victory in—a really long time. The match was decent enough, but the segment was highlighted by the repartee between Ambrose and the commentators. My favorite of said interactions occurred when the "Lunatic Fringe" became distracted and just had to inform Jerry Lawler how proud he was, that the "King" could pull off such stylish t-shirts. When compared with other matches over the course of the evening, this was toward the bottom of my "Must Watch" list, but absolutely COOKIN' nonetheless.

Between matches we get to see another backstage soliloquy from Bray Wyatt to an unnamed supernatural entity, most likely the Undertaker. I really like the way the WWE is building toward this encounter, but I'd like to see something different for once in regards to an Undertaker match at �Mania. It seems that every year, the "Dead Man" disappears for 11 months, only to return to confront any given Superstar for the promos they've been cutting since the �Rumble. I understand that the Undertaker is getting older and perhaps looking to work a "Brock Lesnar schedule," but we need this program to kick into the next gear by the time Fastlane is over, otherwise there's no juice and therefore it DOESN'T MATTER!

I remember when the New Day vignettes began airing, featuring a revivalist choir and spiritual jaw-jacking regarding the current state of the WWE. It really seemed like this trio would be special, but instead they've become the "Black Job Squad." I hope there's a method to at least some of the madness within the WWE, especially as it relates to Big E, Xavier, and Kofi Kingston. Perhaps they'll lose so much that they grow tired of playing by the rules and revert to the "New Nation" idea we've all speculated on for over a year. Tonight Xavier Woods and Big E Langston are set to go two-on-two against the longest-reigning NXT tag team champions in history, the Ascension. Since debuting on the main roster just two months ago, the Ascension seems to be hitting their stride and working themselves out of the awkward ditch where they were once stuck. The biggest problem with Konnor and Viktor has been their size in relation to some of the biggest stars on the WWE main roster. But the New Day is a perfect transitional team for the Ascension, a smaller-sized group of guys that can help bridge the gap between the Lucha Dragons and the Brass Ring Club. I'm always happy to see the Ascension go over as I see big things for these guys in the near future. The match ended when Konnor and Viktor were able to catch Big E, a former Intercontinental champion, with the "Fall of Man." A three-count later and the Ascension is still riding high toward the tag team titles. I really like the Ascension, despite their obvious downfalls—I'd say this match was darn-near COOKIN'!

Either Daniel Bryan or Roman Reigns will walk into Santa Clara as challenger for the WWE world heavyweight championship; Daniel Bryan will square-off against Roman Reigns this Sunday at Fastlane on the WWE Network—so why was D-Bryan in the opening contest, and why was Reigns featured at the one-hour mark? The champion isn't around, so I don't understand the ideology in not allowing at least one of these Superstars to close the show. At any rate, the next match is ROMAN REIGNS against Luke Harper. The former Intercontinental champion Harper is a strange individual between the ropes, what with his innovative style utilizing both hurricanranas and Gator-rolls. If the idea is to book Roman Reigns against every heel on the roster heading into Wrestlemania, then I'm all for it. Let him wrestle Harper, let him wrestle Barrett, let him wrestle Rusev. Roman Reigns needs further exposure inside the ring as a professional wrestler, regardless of what it takes. Time is the best thing for Roman Reigns right now, but unfortunately he's got 37 days until Wrestlemania. Luke Harper puts him through the ringer, not necessarily by beating him down, but by working at a pace to which Roman needs to adapt. Roman changed the direction of the match with a big Samoan Drop, followed by an attempted Superman Punch. The wily Harper dodged the strike, but Roman pivoted, and caught Luke Harper with a thunderous spear. Another tally-mark in the "V" column for the winner of the 2015 Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns. A decent enough match considering the improvements Reigns has made in just a few short weeks. Luke Harper was phenomenal and I see him playing a much larger villainous role once the torch is finally passed and we enter into a new generation. COOKIN', for sure!

I joke about Kane being old and worn out, but I'm never angry when Kane is on TV. Every time I hear, "Well—well it's the Big Show," I lose my mind! I don't EVER want to see this dude. I sat down last night to watch the WWE's newest DVD release, "Real Giants," featuring some of the largest athletes in wrestling history. Now, I've never been a fan of the superheavyweights, but after watching that documentary, I have a newfound respect for guys just like Paul "The Big Show" Wight. Does that mean I want to see him wrestle? No! He's slow, lumbering, predictable, old, stiff, and disjointed—and that's just his ring-work. I'm also getting sick of listening to the 400+ pound giant on the microphone, touting his own athletic ability every chance he gets. If the Big Show was as good as he says, wouldn't he always be the champion? Why isn't he involved in the world title picture now, if he's such a dominant monster? This dude is famous for breaking a ring, and nothing else. However, if the Big Show is a seven on the 1-to-10 scale of talent, Erick Rowan would be a three. And wouldn't you know it, that's who the Big Show is wrestling tonight on Smackdown! Up until now, this has been a very enjoyable two-hours of television. But this five minutes of brawling following by a two-minute squash match were completely unnecessary, as I have no desire to see Erick Rowan EVER. He's the worst—I'd seriously rather get the Big Show for another ten years, than see Erick Rowan ever win any championship title belt. The match sucked, everything about it was terrible. The worst match of the night was won by the Big Show, and I won't even waste my time telling you why it DOESN'T MATTER!

The obligatory Diva's match is up next, and once again Nikki and Brie Bella have managed to take up residency at ringside. Generally I'd gripe about the repeated guest-commentary spots, but I'm really enjoying the Bellas and what they have to say. The Diva's Division is going through an adjustment phase where a greater emphasis is being placed on ring-work like never before. While both Bellas have managed to improve their bell-to-bell presence, I'm also happy to hear them as they begin to develop defined characters. The match in the ring sees Cameron return to the main roster ring against the number one contender Paige. It's funny how Paige is the only Diva who's been wrestling every week since the start of the New Year, and while I anticipated a train wreck courtesy of Cameron, I was pleasantly surprised to discover what sort of progress she's made since returning to NXT. The Bellas are wearing oversized sunglasses with red frames, claiming that they help reduce the reflection off of Paige's pale skin. Cameron received the brunt of the torture in this bout, as any Diva wrestling Paige over the past few weeks has been a mere prop in her feud with Nikki Bella. Cameron worked economically without risking exposure, however she was successful in several offensive attempts, including a beautiful snap-DDT. Her new style seems more in tune with the current NXT environment, influenced greatly by Sasha Banks, Charlotte, and Becky Lynch, and I hope this means we'll see more from the former-Funkadactyl as time goes by. Paige of course picks up the win, making Cameron tap to her dreaded P.T.O. For the record, "Paige Tap Out" is the worst name for a finishing move since the "Attitude Adjustment."

Back from a commercial break and the Uso's are on the stage doing their tribal dance, as Jimmy is set to go one-on-one with Tyson Kidd. This Sunday Jimmy and Jey will defend the WWE world tag team championships against Tyson and his tag team partner, Cesaro. The trio known as the "Brass Ring Club" also includes Tyson's wife Natalya, standing at ringside during this highly anticipated grudge match. The bout is quickly underway, but just as soon as the action would begin, Rusev made his presence felt in a major way. The "Bulgarian Brute" arrived on the scene and dismantled both Tyson Kidd and Jimmy Uso, before turning his attention to Jimmy's brother Jey. Rusev single-handedly demolished both tag team champions despite their best efforts. A number of stiff kicks to both brothers, and Rusev stormed outside the ring where he commandeered a live mic and proceeded to rant in what I believe must have been Bulgarian. Of the dozens of foreign phrases tucked away in his slurred speech, the only two words I recognized were "John" and "Cena." This past Monday night, the Doctor of Thuganomics paid a special house-call where he was forced to sedate Rusev with a fury of rights and lefts. This evening's display of dominance was Rusev's receipt, as clearly the United States Champion isn't concerned going into this weekend's Fastlane. Will John Cena be the first man to defeat Rusev? Or will Rusev managed to destroy Cena just as he has did the Big Show, Jack Swagger, Mark Henry, Sheamus, and countless others?

I've already voiced my displeasure as to how the number one contenders are forced to work the undercard, but the main event was a Sports Entertainment spectacle, nonetheless. Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins met this past Monday night, but the "Show-Off" was soon thwarted by the combination of Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble. Tonight's match features a stipulation whereby J&J Security are BARRED from ringside! Dolph Ziggler is the first man to arrive, soon joined by his opponent, an exceptionally lonely-looking Seth Rollins. Since debuting on the main roster, Seth has never been on his own, whether flanked by the Shield or followed by the Authority, Rollins generally rolls pretty deep. The action gets started with the Show-Off vanquishing the dastardly Rollins to the outside, where they continue waging their war until making their way back between the ropes. A commercial break later, and suddenly Seth is in control with Dolph locked firmly in a headlock. On the outside of the ring, Kane and the Big Show fill in for the barred security team, while Ryback and Rowan are on hand to see that the odds are even. Ziggler sought to sink Seth with a DDT, but was instead repositioned into a powerbomb predicament, which he then re-countered for a sit-down powerbomb-pin of his own. Rollins kicked out, but Ziggler followed up with a Fame-asser for a near-fall. Rollins spilled to the outside where he was then in the direct trajectory of Erick Rowan and Ryback, but was immediately drawn back into the bout by Dolph. The match continued inside, with both the Authority and Dolph's friends lobbying to interject. Finally, Ziggler spring-boarded off the top, but was once again caught by Rollins for a powerbomb. This time the "Architect" was able to heave the "Show-Off" directly into the turnbuckle at full speed. He followed up with a Curb Stomp, earning the victory as he prepares for—uh, no match at Fastlane. Once the bell sounded, the "Stooges" joined the rest of the Authority, which sparked an idea in Rollins. "There's five of us," he said, "And there's three on them." The hounds began to circle their prey as the babyfaces stood back-to-back preparing for a battle. They fought them off as long as they could, but would eventually succumb to the inevitable. Despite another rousing effort on behalf of Ryback, the Authority would win the match and the day, going into Memphis this Sunday with their heads held high.

This week's episode of "Countdown" on the WWE Network featured the "Top 10 Moments from Smackdown," wherein dozens of WWE Legends and current Superstars discussed Smackdown as being the "wrestling show" for the WWE. While I'm happy to hear so many people verify what we already knew, I'm kind of irritated that a wrestling company recognizes how little wrestling there is on Raw, and chooses to do nothing about it. I guess it's a matter of "different strokes for different folks," as I know a handful of people who much prefer the campy monologues of Monday night to the 20-minutes matches on Thursday. I thought this was a fine episode overall, but failed to hit on all cylinders the way WWE ought to be during Wrestlemania season. Let's hope for the best going into the "free-per-view" on Sunday. Until next time, this has been Mark Adam Haggerty with "What's Cookin' & What Doesn't Matter."

http://www.cheap-heat.com/top-5-reasons-to-watch-wwes-nxt/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/top-5-reasons-to-watch-wwes-nxt/#comments Thu, 19 Feb 2015 23:48:06 +0000 Bill Wright Top Lists Adrian Neville AJ Lee Alexa Bliss Batista Bayley Becky Lynch Blue Pants Bray Wyatt Brie Bella Brock Lesnar Cesaro Charlotte Colin Cassady Curtis Axel Daniel Bryan ECW El Generico Enzo Amore Fast Lane FCW Finn Balor Florida Championship Wrestling GFW Global Force Wrestling Hideo Itami John Cena Kalisto KENTA Kevin Owens Kevin Steen Kidd Lucha Dragons Lucha Underground Natalya Nikki Bella NXT Ohio Valley Wrestling OVW PAC Paige Randy Orton RAW Rhino Rhyno Rusev Sami Zayn Sin Cara Smackdown Takeover The Ascension The Shield The Vaudevillains Titus O'Neil Triple H Tyson Kidd Usos WCW Wrestlemania WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9846 We have seen nXt for years as WWE switched the development program from OVW, which gave us Cena, Orton, Batista, and Brock Lesnar, to FCW. В Florida Championship Wrestling then got morphed into nXt which now comes from the Full Sail Arena. In my opinion it is the single greatest thing in wrestling today. В В Although Lucha […]

We have seen nXt for years as WWE switched the development program from OVW, which gave us Cena, Orton, Batista, and Brock Lesnar, to FCW. В Florida Championship Wrestling then got morphed into nXt which now comes from the Full Sail Arena.

In my opinion it is the single greatest thing in wrestling today. В В Although Lucha Underground and Global Force Wrestling are just a few competitors looking to change that. В For now however I must urge any wrestling fan to try the energetic next generation.

So far Rusev, The Wyatt Family, and The Shield have already changed the face of Raw, Smackdown, and even Wrestlemania.В All who have come from nXt and the funny part, nXt is even better now than it was with them!

So what follows are 5 reasons you have to watch nXt!

The Tag Team Division:

Yep Raw has had a fair chance at amazing tag team divisions. But alas they always get overlooked.В  So Usos and Ascension will have their dance for the belts and hopefully Cesaro and Kidd get a much deserved push, but the line of potential teams pulled apart continue.

No more Real Americans, no more Rybaxel, and soon no more Dust Brothers.

But at nXt Triple H is stewing some great teams.В  Take the former nXt Champs the Lucha Dragons!В  Sin Cara has his best and sometimes worst work at nXt and his partner Kalisto is the very definition of cool.

Murphy and Blake are bringing their best to hang, and the Vaudevillians bring a totally unique blend of technique and persona unlike anything WWE has done before.

Don’t forget Big Cass and Enzo who are over and also entirely unique.В  This is a tag team division that is growing and has an insane level of pure potential.

In fact if WWE 2k16 does not expand its nXt roster, I won’t even buy it in protest cause the tag team matches alone are more exciting than anything on Raw.

I mean admittedly the Usos vs The Wyatts was tremendous but with the Wyatt Family disassembled, nXt is left providing equal quality matches one a weekly basis.

The Diva Division:

I love AJ Lee, and Paige and Natalya from the WWE Divas, while the rest of sex appeal they flop nearly every time in the ring.В  I mean I am trying to exercise less criticism but every time I hear Brie Mode, I think that means Change the Channel.

Sorry D-Bry she is cute as a button but just as talented in the ring.

But what about nXt Divas… well that is money. I mean Charlotte is superior to many of her male counter parts, Natlya has stellar work there, Alex Bliss is awesome, Sasha banks is someone to love to hate but always respect, Bayley is unique and solid, and hell I even love Blue Pants… Yep dumbest song and gimmick ever and yet so dumb it is instantly endearing.

Watch Natalya vs Charlotte for the nXt Diva Championship on the WWE network and tell me that isn’t the best Diva WRESTLING match you have ever seen.

While they have a few lookers who don’t yet click in the ring, nXt Divas are the perfect mix of attractive and talented.

Oh and AJ Lee and Paige both have roots there too so if you aren’t getting the picture yet, stop wasting time on Divas and get your fill of nXt Divas today for only $9.99!

Phoenix Effect:

In ancient mythology the Phoenix was a bird of fire that would self resurrect and fly again.

Well at nXt Titus O’Neil, Tyson Kidd, and even Curtis Axel have returned to nXt to reignite their careers.

Now the man beast Rhino is back in WWE via nXt and the fans are on fire!

So how can you make the future of WWE even brighter, by adding the element of surprise when you take an underrated career like Rhino and give him the pheonix treatment to bring life back to a career.

Now not only do you have the best Diva Division, the best tag team divisions, and heart pounding action, but you never know who is gonna make their comeback?В  I F’n love nXt!

Wrestling Love:

Ok WWE is sports entertainment, you got it Vinny Mac!

But Triple H knows we love WRESTLING!В  And he means to give it to us!

For over a decade names like KENTA, El Generico, Pac, and Kevin Steen have dominated the internet as indy wrestling darlings.

Now they are Hideo Itami, Sami Zayn, Adrian Neville, Kevin Owens and they are all on nXt!

You want matches that redefine wrestling, well Raw and Smackdown have nuggets but nXt bleeds gold.

I mean look up Cesaro vs William Regal, or Cesaro vs Sami Zayne 2 out of 3 falls… or heck just Watch nXt on the WWE network just after the most recent Takeover: Rivals!

Seriously Adrian Neville and Kevin Owens had a breathtaking match, one of the beat nXt main events ever.

Sure nXt is not perfect, but it is becoming a real challenge to find flaws in the presentation, but it is damn near impossible to find a bad match on nXt.

If you love wrestling, you love nXt and if you don’t it is only because you just don’t know it yet!

Takeovers:

In WWE the main stage is Wrestlemania, then you get great shows mostly with Royal Rumble, Summerslam, and Survivor Series. В Everything else WWE does PPV wise is hit or miss.

Take Fastlane for example, I couldn’t care less about this show. В Get it free on WWE network, ok cause I wouldn’t buy it for $9.99 period.

Sting vs Triple H is the hook right, because there is no Lesnar defending.В  And who in their right mind predicts Cena as the new US champ over on Rusev? В No one, we know Sting vs Triple H is gonna be at Mania and this is just more build up.

Rusev will go one Undefeated to Mania, and so this whole PPV is Mania filler.

But would I pay the full six months up front for WWE to ensure I get the nXt Takeovers?В  As Austin once said “Hell ya!”

Everytime nXt gets to a Takeover Special it carries with it a Wrestlemania Energy every single time.В Presentation is flawless, intros are memorable, and the matches are jam packed with “watercooler” moments.

Every match matters, the job match matters, and the main events are so good you catch yourself so hyped up you watch the instant replay that comes on the WWE network when the live special goes off the air.

In closing I have been married for 12 years and if I could have an affair with nXt I would cause it is just that awesome.

So if you haven’t watched nXt yet think ECW meets WCW Nitro meets RAW and all three have a baby called nXt.В  It alone is worth WWE Network asking price, so get your free month of the network now!

Then go and watch nXt and you too will fall in love with Wrestling again!

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/the-over-under-wwe-nxt-takever-rival-odds/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-over-under-wwe-nxt-takever-rival-odds/#comments Sat, 07 Feb 2015 02:44:49 +0000 Scott Hayes Blogs Other Blogs Adrian Neville Baron Corbin Bayley Becky Lynch Buddy Murphy Bull Dempsey Charlotte Curtis Axel Finn Balor Kevin Owens Lucha Dragons NXT Rival Sami Zayn Sasha Banks Takeover The Vaudevillains Tyson Kidd Wesley Blake William Regal WWE WWE Network http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9522 Ladies and Degenerates- NO! Not you guys! I'm talking about GAMBLERS! Welcome to another installment of the "Over/Under" this Cheap Heat's author's attempt at bring the sports book to the squared circle. Admittedly I have no experience handicapping, and from a betting standpoint I have little… actually… err… no… I have NO experience in any […]

Ladies and Degenerates-

NO! Not you guys! I'm talking about GAMBLERS! Welcome to another installment of the "Over/Under" this Cheap Heat's author's attempt at bring the sports book to the squared circle. Admittedly I have no experience handicapping, and from a betting standpoint I have little… actually… err… no… I have NO experience in any form of sports betting. Yeah… ya know… in case someone's watching. SO?

OVER/UNDER!

Disclaimer: The Over/Under is an entertainment slash hype slash super terrific fun time article. The author does not look up any possible "Lines" for wrestling matches, and suggests you not bet on a scripted contest. Though if you're at a party and your friend has had too many adult beverages and Raw is taped and you read spoilers and want to make five bucks at said friend's expense because someone upsets Kane in a match? FEEL FREE! (Hayes fact 814: Did that a party. Gonna totally send the link to this to said buddy.)

Overview: For the last few months these two have been all up in each other's bidness. What started out as a contest to see who could mash a random sack of potatoes faster? With Baron mashing so hard that it led to Bull's jealousy. Which led to a match. Which Baron won. Which led to a second match. Which Baron won. Which led to Bull costing Baron in his #1 Contendership Match. And now? These two "Hosses" will battle it out in a NO DQ Match. Their first two contests didn't last a combined 5 minutes. Baron dominated.

Favorite: Corbin -450 He's a huge favorite. He just lost and it was Bull that cost him. Violent revenge for NXT's Lone Wolf.

Underdog: Dempsey +300 Big Dog. Only way I see this win is if they really REALLY want to try hard to swerve us.

Prop Bet of the Match:
Over/Under 7 minutes. (That's bell to bell. No entrances included, or post match shenanigans included.)

Overview: This is easily the match I'm least looking forward to. I'm probably not alone, but there isn't a ton of investment in it for me. The story falls a little flat, but lets take a look at that story. The Lucha Dragons beat the Ascension and then… well… "Meh". They have a nice move set. A decent amount of support from the crowd, but something has felt flat with their reign. They dispatched the Vaudevillains easily. Were rolling, albeit, unspectacularly. Buddy and Blake appeared to fill a need as Tag Team on the Roster. Their win/loss record drove that point home. Then? They beat the Vaudevillains. THEN? They challenged the Lucha Dragons, cuz if you beat, basically the only OTHER full time tag team that isn't the champs? Boom. Title shot. AND.. THEN?!?!

AND… NNNNNEEEEEWWWWWWWWW… NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!!!!! They shocked the world. Okay, the portion of the world who A) Follow Pro Wrestling 2) Know that there is an WWE Network iii) WATCH NXT FOURTH) or at LEAST read spoilers slash results. (I hear the results guy HERE kicks 14 kinds of ass… Just sayin'.)

Favorite: Murphy and Blake -120. A slight favorite. They just scored the upset win. I wonder if they want to bolster the Main Roster's tag ranks, and so I wonder if the Dragons are a way to add another team to the tag division. Especiallly with two teams recently having or in the process of splitting (Miz/Mizdow, and Dust Bros).

Underdog: Lucha Dragons +110. Its not a huge instance of her being an Underdog. I won't be surprised if they walk out of Rival two time tag champions. I will be interested to see how this plays out and hopefully coming out of Rival we'll see a little more shine/interest in the tag division.

Prop Bet of the Match:
Will the NXT Crowd Chant "AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE… Oi Oi Oi"! (due to Murphy's Nationality) Yes -400 No +400.

Overview: Charlotte has been dominating the Women's division. She beat Bayley. Sasha Banks on the rise, and along with Team BAE (Best At Everything, for anyone unaware) bestie, Becky Lynch took out Bayley. Then Banks set off on a series of awesome Women's title matches. The stories did a nice job staying intertwined. Banks got one more shot, Lynch ended up jumping in and attacking Charlotte. <— Insert DQ Bell Ringing here. Bayley rushes to the ring to make the save. When Bayley takes too long gazing at the title lustily. Charlotte is like "HAND OFF". Bayley hits the Bayley to Bell! Regal makes the women's title match a fatal four way. They did a tag match the next week Of COURSE, chaos ensued. I'm really looking forward to this, and we could be seeing the Women's match of the year at Rival. Favorite: Charlotte -200. She's a dominant champion. Unless they're thinking "Call Up" for her, and really she is plenty ready, though I'd be sad to see her talents leave and be shuffled off into 3 minute matches centered around the cast of Total Divas? Eventually they grow up and leave the nest.

Even Money: I'm putting both Bayley and Sasha Banks here. Both have great stories and momentum behind them. This is a great match for someone (i.e. Charlotte) to lose and not get pinned and still lose the Championship. Bayley the plucky underdog/Little Engine that Could, with the most funnest entrance in the bidness! Banks, someone who is an amazing talent. Who has improved so much its mind boggling. She's a heel who is getting a "you deserve it" vibe from the crowd in her past title matches.

Underdog: Becky Lynch +600. Easily makes the least sense. Treading water as a face and then being paired with Banks almost as added muscle. Its not Lynch's time… YET.

Prop Bet of the Match:
Who takes the Tower of Doom Spot? Bayley -300. Banks -150. There is none even money. Lynch +100. Charlotte +200.

Overview: Back when we kicked off this trip toward Rival, Commissioner Regal announced a Number One Contendership Tournament. Balor beat Curtis Axel in the first round and Hideo Itami in the second round, which was a spectacularly physical encounter and almost made my prediction that "Itami hits his FIRST GTS on Balor" come true. I STILL think the first has Balor's name written all over it. Neville beat Tyson Kidd in the first round, another fantastic match, and took down the undefeated Baron Corbin in the Semi's sing it: "He got by with a little help from the Bull". So this sets up between two well traveled world class wrestlers. Both are super popular with the crowd. Neville a former NXT Champion and Balor a future NXT Champion… that is unless the WWE doesn't come calling. This has Match of the Year Contender written all over it. Don't blink. Sit back. And bathe in the excellence this contest can, and hopefully WILL, produce.

Favorite: Finn Balor -250. Crowd is behind him. Momentum is on his side. He's been awesome, and continues to entertain. A win here would be excellent as he continues rocketing up the NXT Ranks.

Underdog: Adrian Neville +100. Won't be shocked if he wins, but he certainly doesn't need a victory. Long rumored to be one of the next in line to get the call. Makes sense to elevate Balor if that rumor is true.

Prop Bets of the Match (two main events get multiple)
Balor Paints Up: Yes -300 No +300
"This is Awesome Chants": Over/Under 3.5
Post Match Attack: None -200 Tyler Breeze -100 Hideo Itami +100.

Overview: OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG… breathe Hayes… BREATHE. Inhales… Exhales… I assumed we would see this. Didn't think it'd be THIS fast, and for the NXT Championship already. Sami Zayn had a long trip to the summit. At NXT R-Evolution he beat Adrian Neville in a fantastic match. The crowd, the story, the finish, the celebration. It was excellent. He and Owens hugged. He and Neville Hugged. This was all the feels we can feel watching this crazy form of entertainment! Then it lingered… and lingered… but they showed the closing graphic, and THEN Owens decided… "I'm happy for you, but I'm no THAT happy for you." Nasty pull down onto the ramp. Nastier power bomb onto the apron and the man who had debuted 114 minutes earlier just made a massive statement. Like he said in his hype videos. He was in NXT to fight, to better his and his family's life, AND its not lost on him that so many guys who he wrestled with and against across the globe got the call from WWE before he did. No wrestler was safe. No Friend. No CHAMPION. Sami begged for a match with Owens. Regal didn't want to reward Owens for his behavior, because it establishes a dangerous precedent. So it was to be non title… except… yeah Owens wasn't going to fight non title. The title is a PRIZE. One he wants. One that gets him more money. More prestige. More EVERYTHING. So in a contract signing the only thing that got broken TABLE LIVED! Were Regal and Zayn's wills. Zayn, in a self admitted lapse in judgement pleads with Regal to make the match, which he does, and here we are. Like the match for #1 Contendership? This could easily find itself on all kinds of Year End Lists.

Favorite: Kevin Owens -150. A slight favorite. Not many have walked into NXT/WWE and ended up where he is in such a short period of time. His THIRD TV Match will be for the NXT Championship. He's has promised to "take" the NXT Championship. Which is an interesting phrasing that has stuck in my mind since he used it.

Underdog: Sami Zayn -125. His chase was epic and super fulfilling. Imagine him losing the championship. The dejection, but also the realization that WHO will be able to stop Kevin Owens. Sami chasing is right in his wheelhouse, and really Owens winning really kicks off them going back and forth, if Zayn isn't destined for Monday and Thursdays? This could be the start of something incredibly beautiful. ESPECIALLY considering that a #1 Contender will be named as well.

Prop Bets of the Match:
Duration of first Hockey Styled Brawl #CrazyCanadians : Over/Under 14 seconds
Long Live the Streamers (Will any fans throw streamers) : No -350. Yes +200
There will be Blood: NO -200. THE HARD WAY – +100. Holy S. Holy S. Holy S. BLADE – +650.

So there you have it. Place your bets, I'm betting (see what I did there)

Takes action. No matter if you're dropping coin, or not on NXT Rival? You SHOULD be investing your time. The last show I was THIS excited for was R Evolution, and my geek out level is SKY HIGH. I'll see y'all for the Recap.