Summerslam 2011

So, thoughts on Summerslam then?



Haven't seen the show, but from reading the reports.



As a whole, the show reads like a complete non-event until the final two matches. Even though I like Cee Lo Green, having someone sing two full songs in the middle of a show really kills the crowd momentum, and I'm not convinced it got one additonal buy for the show. It also meant that feuds which should have got a PPV match were either put on as dark matches (Riley/Dolph) or else shunted onto Smackdown (Cody/Jackson).



The Christian/Orton match sounds decent and the correct blow-off for the feud.



As for Cena/Punk/Nash/Del Rio



Its disappointing perhaps that Cena didn't lose the match to Punk clean, but then in terms of the storyline it does make perfect sense for it to be done that way. Cena has (yet another) legitimate claim to the title, HHH hasn't totally tipped his hat on whether he's favouring Punk or Cena, it allows Punk to pursue other avenues without Del Rio not having an opponent, and it adds another angle to tonight's RAW.



As far as Punk goes, he now comes out of the show looking better than ever. He defeated Cena again (of course he'll ignore the foot on the ropes) and then the "WWE management machine" screws him again - because of course Punk will assume Nash was working with his old buddy HHH. HHH and Punk can then go into a feud and use it to throw all sorts of talent at Punk. Or Nash can be revealed as the mystery RAW GM and then he and Punk (two great promo artists) can have fantastic slanging matches on the stick.



So a good outcome from a weak PPV I think.

Enjoyed the show up 'til the ending. Possibilities stemming from that outcome aside, it was a terrible way to send the fans home in my opinion. Hated it.

Really??

I gotta disagree on that. I thought that ending was FANTASTIC and the best genius possible thing they could have done for everyone.

Punk technically gets the win, gets over, and doesn't need the belt to get over. Del Rio did need to get over and be made from it, so he gets the belt. And Cena stays where he is.

That way, the guy who needed the win got the win going over Cena. The belt not being needed to get Punk over any more than he already is goes to Del Rio who needed that, and Cena puts in a strong showing and stays where he is.

Plus, at the same time, including a surprise appearance by Nash, as the icing on the cake. That bit alone was a great surprise. (Also, I would be lying if I said it wasn't also cool for the WWE '12 game, since now he's relevant, one day after being revealed in the game. ehe.)

Not to mention a perfect conclusive ending to Cena vs Punk, for Punk to transition to an Austin/McMahon fued with Triple H, Del Rio to have a run and fued with Mysterio, and surely Cena finds somewhere else to go from here. Cena being Cena is often good enough. He could honestly stand around, repeat his catch phrases and make money.

Even if Cena's foot was on the ropes, I think people tend to thinkthat pinfalls speak louder than technicalities, anyway. And I think it was only done just to not make Cena look like a total butt-monkey to his fans. And knowing Cena's character, he most likely wouldn't whine about getting a foot up, i'm sure.

Hence everyone looks good and has a good thing going forward in all three separate directions. I like that Punk got the win, but in all honesty, he really didn't need the belt to be over anymore than Cena did, imo. A case of two faces (of which I consider Punk to be at this point) and a heel that got the belt neither of them needed (as over as they both are), while the two faces settled their story and are made for new ones.

I, myself, thought it was perfect booking where it's an ending to the current stories, makes new ones at the same time, and puts everyone in a good future spot where no one came off badly. Everyone in that match got their own personal victory somewhere in it and sets up so many ways for so many things to happen from here. A three way directional split towards a future that hopefully all take off well for Raw.

That is, assuming that this is what they do. Create three new directions from here. Or else, then I will say that this was a squandered setup.

If on Raw, somehow they start putting Del Rio, Punk, Trips, Nash, and Cena all in one big storyline together tonight, I will take back every positive thing I just said.

Did you actually watch the same show as I did, Mike, or did you just read the results? Because this was dreadful and stank of WWE setting things back they way they wanted to, with Del Rio winning the belt as he was meant to originally.

See, I was fine with the ending of the match to begin with. Setting Cena up as having a legitimate gripe for losing the title while booking Punk strong in the title position everybody wanted him in? That's fine. Having Kevin Nash, an aged worker who's abilities have always been limited, coming out there and squashing him? No. No thank you.

Then having Del Rio come out and cash in all-too-predictably, setting up an obvious Cena vs Punk main event for the next PPV, was the crowning moment of cringeworthy. Punk gets demoted to working against a guy who can't work instead of being in the top spot he deserves, and we go back to the status quo. Gotta love WWE programming.

Well, admittedly I didn't see the actual match. However, I'm not prepared to write off what's happening with Punk just yet. A feud with Nash would suck, but a feud with "WWE Management", Austin style, and Nash playing one of the figureheads of that WWE Management machine in a non-wrestling role, I think could be excellent.



And did Nash really squash Punk? Remember, Punk had just been through a gruelling match. Its not like Punk was fresh?

Actually I did see it.

Honestly though, I watched it a bit late, and on Youtube (I technically cheated) after it was uploaded about an hour and a half after it ended, and hadn't read any results before hand.

But I did see the last half of the match and thought the finish was quite good, really.


I thought it was kind of funny though, that Cole seemed like he had to fumble around, and couldn't remember who Nash was. Which I laughed at, when he was looking right at the guy for about 8 seconds going "WHO IS HE?" Probably waiting to hear on the microphone from management whether to call him Kevin or Diesel. I dunno why. But that just made me laugh a bit.

And Triple H, being like "what is this i dont even". Again, seeing HHH with this obvious look of "no... you guys... don't.. .oh dear" looked a bit obvious. So I will say those two things seemed to put the timing a bit off. Somehow I think that HHH may have telegraphed this story, because if he was supposed to be upset, I think he would have looked more angry than "confused puppy dog"

To be fair, the way Nash came in and used his finisher seemed to suggest that he's back on a wrestling basis. Yay.

I'll admit that getting attacked after the match isn't a flat-out squash, but to get the glory taken away after the match when you're already tenuously grasping onto your newfound "top guy" position hurts Punk quite a bit if you ask me.

This all leaves me with a very bad taste in my mouth. What should have been about Punk and Cena turned out to be a sloppy example of WWE refusing to give the fans what they want. I'm all for twists and turns and I know why they want Del Rio on top, but for them to promote an over-the-hill talent like Nash at the expense of a worker the fans have only just started really getting behind? That bugs the hell out of me and reminds me of exactly what I hate about this business.

But honestly, on the subject of Del Rio, I think he's moving on to a feud with Mysterio rather than Cena.

The upcoming tour is a Mexico tour, from what I hear, so I think they are obviously setting up Rio vs Mysterio for the duration of that, at least, for their audience.

Especially making a big deal as they have been about "Mysterio faces the winner on Raw"

But I could be wrong, and if Cena interjects into this, I'll just sigh.

It'll be Cena. Just you watch.

By the way, I see what you mean about Nash. Yes, I do completly agree on that... Nash has always been sub-par as a wrestler.

However, a big part of me thinks that this is going to end up being more of a Punk versus Triple H thing. I could be wrong, but then again, it could be as you say and Nash could just end up being HHH's hired muscle for this.

I'd love a HHH vs Punk feud with words (seeing as they've been really going this way seemingly), but I won't enjoy it so much if it just boils down to Punk vs Nash as HHH's avatar.

Oh and if this is leading up to a new nWo of Kevin Nash, HHH, John Lauranitis, and Stephanie McMahon.....

....Fuck this company. That is all.

John Laurinaitis is the best promo guy in the company and you all know it.

Now if CM Punk joins this nWo....

then...

Wait, no that idea still sucks.


It's like Straight Edge Society + New Nexus + nWo X ran into the ground = GOD DAMMIT.

I need to stop imagining the dumbest possible scenario.

Mike, you're officially the new Vince Russo. Congrats. :p

I will say this much.

I think from this point, it may be indicated by just how much of an overpowering presence Kevin Nash is tonight on Raw.

If he's used to minimal effect, I still have hope that this is going to be fine.

If he starts coming out, the show begins with a big intro from him, and cutting a self-indulgent promo about himself, and the show starts being centered around HHH, Nash, and pals than.... *sigh*.... then, I'll agree it's a worst case scenario.


I mean, really. If Nash starts getting air-time on Raw to bloat himself up like the new deputy sheriff in town, THEN I'll agree it's the mark of sure doom, and 2001 WCW all over again.

All I'm saying is lets wait and see how RAW pans out. I think its a bit early at the moment to call it either genius or groan-inducing.

I personally loved it.

But that might be because im a Nash mark.

I know he's old, and I know he's never been the most technically sound guy in the ring, but he wasnt horrible. I mean, Hell the guy was champion for a whole year. And plus, they're paying this guy alot of money to just sit on his ass and throw parties lol. Im sure they'd use him for something.

I'm looking at it, as the end of Cena/Punk.

Beginning of HHH/Punk

I envision that Nash was in cahoots with HHH. HHH is his buddy, and he called Nash as a contingency plan in case Punk did win the title. Punk has a feud with Nash. Both great promoers, and Nash was one of the ones that invented the shoot interview. Nash on ppv again would garner some reaction from the older fans, a little nostalgia, and then Nash puts Punk over.

Just something to continue the idea of Punk/HHH feud without having them actually wrestle each other.

All to build up to that Punk vs HHH or Punk vs Austin match at Mania.