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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Smackchat: January 29th 2015
Smackdown is War

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-2/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-2/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2015 15:58:09 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Other Reviews Reviews APA Bad News Barrett Billy Gunn Bo Dallas Booker T Brock Lesnar Dean Ambrose Degeneration X Dolph Ziggler Erick Rowan Farooq Hulk Hogan JBL John Cena Kane Kevin Nash Konnor Magnus Michael Cole Monday Night RAW New Age Outlaws nWo NXT RAW Ric Flair Road Dogg Roman Reigns Ron Simmons Royal Rumble Ryback Scott Hall Sean Waltman Seth Rollins Shawn Michaels Sting Survivor Series The Ascension Triple H Viktor Vince McMahon Wade Barrett WCW Wrestlemania WWE WWE Network http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9106 The Highlight of the Night The Top Moments from Raw Written by Mark Adam Haggerty The stage has been set for a Legends Reunion featuring Hall of Famers and Attitude Era icons including members of both Degeneration X and the NWO. For the past three weeks the rumor in wrestling has been a potential shift […]

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

The stage has been set for a Legends Reunion featuring Hall of Famers and Attitude Era icons including members of both Degeneration X and the NWO. For the past three weeks the rumor in wrestling has been a potential shift as far as WWE booking, perhaps for the better. Going into this evening's event my expectations were considerably high given the promise of WWE World Champion Brock Lesnar as well as more than a half dozen Hall of Fame legends. Raw is live from Dallas where WWE has announced they will hold the 32nd annual Wrestlemania in 2016. I thought this broadcast was much better than week's past and even included some good wrestling matches, if you can believe that! What were the best moments of Raw? I can do you one better—I'm Mark Haggerty and this is the "Highlight of the Night."

5. Dean Ambrose versus Bad News Barrett
I'm admittedly not too keen on the overall in-ring presentation of one Dean Ambrose, but I have to say I enjoyed his confrontation with the intercontinental champion Bad News Barrett and would very much like to see more of what they might be able to do together. I thought that Dean's intensity, though utterly predictable, made for a cunning foil to Bad News Barrett's more power-based ground assault. Dean doesn't really have a style so-to-speak, although if he did I suppose it would be categorized under "brawler." That goes hand-in-hand with the smash-mouth brutality that the NXT Season One winner, Wade Barrett is known for. My biggest problem with Dean is his shallow pool of offensive capabilities which consist of the same four striking maneuvers, and that fake-out with the ropes where it's like, "Here I go. No, just kidding!" I'd like to see more from the Lunatic Fringe before the WWE decides to push him to the top as is the current problem with Roman Reigns; let the WWE learn from their mistakes with Reigns and build Ambrose in the meantime. Wrestlers learn the most when they're on the defensive and it's when thwarting an attack that a talent like Dean Ambrose really gets the chance to stretch his creative muscles. Bad News Barrett, although far from my favorite intercontinental champion of all time, does the title justice in the way that he carries it. I believe he deserves that championship and I don't feel as though he'll drop it every week the way I did with Ziggler. I'm fully confident in both his ability and the WWE as far as their interest in moving Barrett ahead. While Magnus might have been the first-ever British-born world champion, there has still never been a WWE World Champion born in the United Kingdom. Could Barrett be the first? Unless the WWE loses interest, which is unlikely considering his repositioning post-injury, I imagine next year—2016 might be the year of Wade Barrett.

4. The Legends Panel
I've made mention that I was born in the �80s and grew up a wrestling fan in the mid-1990s, so Shawn Michaels was without a doubt the legend I was most excited to see. Partly because we see Hulk Hogan almost every month at this point whether he's kissing Cena's ass or spreading the word about, "Komen-mania runnin' wild!" Ric Flair reminds me of a senile old uncle that everyone wants to see, but nobody wants to be left alone with. Then there was the man I wanted to see. The Showstopper, the icon, the main event; the man who made me fall in love with wrestling, Shawn Michaels was—dressed like he was going to war with deer. This has nothing to do with my personal feelings toward hunting, it's about protecting your character Shawn! You're the "Heartbreak Kid." You aren't breaking any hearts like that and if you are then their Tinder profile has a picture of a handgun and says, "My daddy says we ain't call no police." And those aren't the kind of girls you want to mess with. Despite digging a hole to bury his gimmick, Shawn and the rest of the Legends panel were entertaining as three of the most iconic wrestlers in history were able to become involved with one of the biggest triple threats of the year 2015. I really like the way Hulk Hogan is 100% in favor of John Cena no matter what the circumstances may be. The highlight of this altercation was the presence of the Big Show, standing face to face with three Hall of Famers, one of whom he beat for his first world championship on his first night at work in WCW. He told Shawn that he hung it up because the Big Show was coming to the WWE—so I imagine he means when he debuted in 1999, although Shawn retired from the ring in 1998. The segment served to raise my ire against the Big Show for denigrating my childhood heroes, or at least that was the WWE's intention. And to a degree it worked because when Roman Reigns appeared ready to defend the Legends, I was happy to see him and just hoped he wasn't going to blow his momentum with more nursery rhymes. I think Roman Reigns will be a Hindenburg-sized failure for the WWE if they plan to feature him in the main event at Wrestlemania 31. But if they can hold off another year, I think Wrestlemania 32 in Dallas could be the sweet-spot in the career of young Roman Reigns.

3. The Ascension versus the Attitude Era
I hear the rumors that Vince McMahon likes to bring talent in from NXT just to job them out to established midcarders on Raw and Smackdown, if only to get under the skin of Triple H. While I think those sort of games are childish even for Vince McMahon, one can't help but wonder what's happening with the Ascension now that they've finished dominating their competition down at Full Sail University. Since coming up to the main roster, the Ascension has been painted up in goofy colors with comically sizable shoulder pads and made to recite painfully cheap heel promos. Instead of allowing the talents any chance of connecting with the audience, JBL is on the mic yammering on about how they couldn't lace anyone's boots or carry anyone's bags. The announcers are burying the Ascension, even during squash matches which are important building blocks for characters in their infancy. Instead of putting over the dominance of Konnor and Viktor against John and Jimmy Doe, Booker T and Michael Cole are quick to point out the size advantage and lack of skill on the part of the competition. That brings us to this evening, and my question is this: if Vince is burying Hunter's talent, then why do Hunter's boys have shovels in their hands? I hate using the word "bury," but when you feed a team that's less than one month removed from their main roster debut to a ring full of returning Legends, that's doing a huge disservice to the careers of two moderately talented individuals. Aside from who Creative decided to sacrifice, I was really excited to see the reunion of the APA, as well as the NWO and Outlaws I guess, but I see that sort of stuff all the time. This weekend the Royal Rumble will feature a tag team contest between the New Age Outlaws and the Ascension. Could this be the comeuppance that Konnor and Viktor so desperately need, or will another set of NXT Superstars go the way of Bo Dallas?

2. Daniel Bryan versus Bray Wyatt
The first match on the card started just shy of twenty minutes into the night's events and featured the rematch from last year's Royal Rumble between Daniel Bryan and the "Eater of Worlds" Bray Wyatt. I loved this storyline and thought it meant only positive things for 2014, and perhaps it might have had Daniel Bryan not been injured so early in his title run. Maybe an earlier rematch with the title on the line would be imminent? For Halloween even? I like to romanticize Daniel Bryan although I know the WWE powers-that-be don't share that same sentiment. I like to think if Bryan wasn't injured he would have retained the title clear through the summer and would still be champion today. But where would Brock Lesnar figure in? I suppose that's a story for another time. This match began as two opposing warheads clashed for the first time since their initial storyline had yet to be settled when Wrestlemania 30 season started last year. Now just six days away from the Royal Rumble live in Philadelphia, these two entrants are pulling out all the stops in their one-on-one bout to prove not only why they deserve to win the �Rumble, but why they deserve to be champion. Bray's not a fancy technician by any means but he makes his way around the ring with the sort of grace you only learn from growing up a third-generation Superstar-in-the-making. With no maneuvers in his repertoire, Windham Rotunda is still ten steps ahead, but Bray Wyatt has a tool bag full of tricks that he makes use of at great convenience. Once the match heats up, we get the killer of all dreams in wrestling—Kane! Fortunately for us, the "Big Red Machine" has stationed himself on the outside and that is where he will stay until the end of the match. A tremendous contest featuring two top potential winners of the �Rumble. In the end it was Bray Wyatt who would walk out of Dallas with his hand held high, leaving Daniel Bryan to fend off the imposing Demon just days before their final battle before Sunday.

1. Sting on Monday Night Raw
Forget the stupid three-on-one handicap match and the bogus stipulations involved therein, this Monday's finale was all about one man, and that's the "Vigilante" Sting. As the war waged between John Cena and the Authority, with three Superstars' careers on the line, the crow once again cawed and for the first time in history, Sting was live on Monday Night Raw. First appearing on the titantron, the image alone was enough to distract Seth Rollins and his teammates, allowing John Cena the chance to achieve the pin fall. With Ziggler, Rowan, and Ryback reinstated, Sting has now cost Triple H twice in terms of controlling the WWE locker room. The COO was infuriated like never before, or at least not since shaving his head, turning over ringside furniture and climbing on the announce table to meet Sting's gaze, as he was now standing in the arena on the stage. Sting was on Raw, in the flesh alongside John Cena taunting Triple H. I imagine their encounter at Wrestlemania 31 in Santa Clara is inevitable, as Sting was saved until the Survivor Series without making a move, and then held until a week prior to the Royal Rumble before going forward. The steps taken to secure Steve Borden's legacy thus far have been unprecedented and I'm confident if Sting is on TV, he's there to start the real thing.

Of course on a night where millions of fans would have wanted the WWE to push the show until 11:15 EST, the program concluded promptly two minutes after the hour. But that's the first rule of show business, is it not? Always leave them wanting more—and I do! For the first time in months, I'm intrigued by the conclusion of Raw and excited to see where things go from here. This weekend is of course the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, available on the WWE Network as well as through your cable television providers. The after-market ticket price for the Royal Rumble has gone through the roof and is rivaled only by the yearly Wrestlemania cost. What do the citizens of Philadelphia and the surrounding tristate area know that we don't about this weekend's show? Who will defeat 29 other competitors to earn his shot at the title at Wrestlemania 31? Perhaps more importantly, who will walk out of Philadelphia in possession of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship title belt? Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I'll see you next week for another edition of "Highlight of the Night," right here at Cheap-Heat!

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

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

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

Last we left I had the following six-

STOP IT!

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

Rusev was 20:1.

Dean Ambrose was 15:1.

Randy Orton was 8:1.

Dolph Ziggler was 4:1.

Daniel Bryan was 2:1

Roman Reigns was 3:2.

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

25:1

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

12:1

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

10:1

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

8:1

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

4:1

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

2:1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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