Elimination Chamber and Why the WWE Hates You

Elimination Chamber was doomed to catch heat after the Royal Rumble. The Royal Rumble was a cluster of short sided ideas and just multiple backhands from corporate to the fans. Batista is back and catching heat for being a face and that is entirely the WWE's fault. They should have turned Batista heel the day after the Royal Rumble but then Wrestlemania would be a heel vs heel main event which is never good. With that being said, Elimination Chamber was their chance to rectify their mistake. Of course they didn't. In fact they made it worse. Orton is still champion and Batista is still going to the main event at Wrestlemania. I don't know what Vince McMahon is thinking, maybe that we will come around and see things his way, but Wrestlemania is going to have a main event that is booed from beginning to end. Probably sprinkled with some "Yes" and "Cm Punk" chants. When that happens will the WWE finally take notice? It's hard to bounce back afterwards. Especially because its most likely a lock that Batista will win. Are we expected to cheer for Boo-Tista's victory? Enough said.

That being said, Elimination Chamber was actually a decent PPV that was hindered by the fan reactions. Going in they knew what matches they wanted to see and were surprised by very little. The opening match was a big surprise as Big E (the artist formerly known as Langston) successfully defended his Intercontinental title against Jack Swagger. This match was a solid opener and actually had some impressive spots. I was mostly bummed that we had an Intercontinental title match at all because I'm ready to unify that belt with the US title already. With the unification of the WWE and World Heavyweight titles I don't know what the US and Intercontinental title are supposed  to mean anymore. This should have been their time to unify them but it was a lost opportunity. 

Speaking of lost opportunity, the Usos had a decent match against the New Age Outlaws, who are only exciting during their entrance, but the match just had an extremely dull ending with a roll-up pin for another NAO victory. The Usos have been a great tag team and have a lot going for them and I was hoping to see them take the titles instead of a bunch of old timers who's day is long past. The Usos will have their time I'm sure, it just should have been this PPV. Titus O'Niel and Darren Young was a match the fans clearly didn't care about, but these two are another example of underrated talent. Breaking up the Prime Time Players was a terrible idea, one because the WWE is lacking on good tag teams, and two because I don't feel that these two are ready to identify as their own wrestler yet. These two are very talented together and no one seems to see it. Hopefully as singles wrestlers they will be able to make themselves stand out.

And now the match that should probably be the real main event at Wrestlemania, the Wyatt Family dominated The Shield in a match that started slow and then exploded into a show stealer. We are clearly seeing the split of The Shield coming up, and there is a lot of push behind Roman Reigns as the stand out member of the group. I'll be sad to see them split because the Shield never lived up to the hounds of justice gimmick that they debuted as, but they are a dominate force for sure. The popularity of The Wyatt family and The Shield is so strong that the stare down before the match got "This is awesome" chants. Let it be known that this match alone is worth watching the PPV for.

So was there any doubt that Orton wouldn't win the chamber match? Was there any doubt that there would be interference? I'll admit I knew the Wyatt interference was coming to set up Cena vs Bray at Wrestlemania but Kane getting involved was a little too much, but even with the interference this match was awesome! Last year's chamber match was a complete dud, mostly because it was just a number one contenders match, but this year we had solid contestants who gave it their all and each had great moments. It's kind of sad that Christian is kind of taking a back seat now days but I was happy to see him get an elimination and he had some of my favorite moments in the match. Overall this was a match worth watching and a solid PPV that I would watch again, which is more than I can say for more recent Elimination Chamber shows.

So now we can see the path to Wrestlemania 30 and it's a pretty dark road. I don't care how many Hulk Hogan or Undertakers' you have there will be no way to counteract the reaction of the fans. They know what they want (and Hogan's time in TNA shows that it's not him anymore) and while the rest of the Wrestlemania card might turn out amazing, that main event is going to have people turning off the show or booing the entire time. One thing that seems strange to me is that no one is even talking about the post Wrestlemania plans, almost as if it's all coming down to this one show. Daniel Bryan will probably win the title before the year is over, that's almost a given, but the fans want it at Wrestlemania and the WWE has shown how stubborn they really are to their own plans. There's one other thing that no one is thinking about, Batista is probably going to win the title. How are people going to react to that? Honestly I'd rather see Orton win to go on and face another opponent opponent that's not John Cena or Batista. If it's not Daniel Bryan it's time to give out a push to someone else like Cesaro who has more than proved himself in the last few months.

So what do you think of Elimination Chamber and going into Wrestlemania 30? Sound off in the comments and as always you can find me on Twitter @advent_crash.

The Problem If Cm Punk Returns

So RAW came to Chicago, and there was some buzz (there always is) that Punk was supposed to come back. Well RAW ended, Punk didn't come back, and guess what he probably won't for more than a year. Fact is fact, Wrestlemania was Punk's goal, his desire. He has said many times that headlining Wrestlemania was the last thing he needed to achieve, and this year was just the last straw. For three years running we have had part time wrestlers stepping into the picture and taking the Wrestlemania main event spot. Guys who had their day and decided to come back for a short stint. Granted Batista is signed for two years but it's the same story. He just walked in and got the main event spot. It robs the younger, more deserving, talent their chance to shine and I can't fault anyone for being fed up with it. Punk held the championship for over a year and didn't even headline a lot of the PPVs in favor of part time wrestlers returning. He more than most had a reason to be fed up, and he left. 

So it's been a big mixed bag of feelings regarding the Punk situation. Part of me (as a Chicago area resident) throws my fist in the air and screams YES! Wrong wrestler I know. I love that Punk did what no one else really does. He saw his position in the company, evaluated his future, and said see ya. He knew the WWE just didn't care enough about him the way they should, they haven't been listening to their fans, and Punk saw no reason to stick around. I say good for him for standing up for himself. Now another part of me feels betrayed. I'm a fan. Punk is a very talented wrestler and it goes beyond home town love. He walked out on the company that belittled him but he also walked out on his fans. Yeah it's really unfortunate that I can't see my favorite wrestler every week. Should I be mad that he walked out? Sure. Should I be happy that he stood up for himself? Sure. Its a double edged sword no matter how you look at it. Now a lot of people don't want Punk back, most people do, among those that do is Vince McMahon who is smart enough to see the financial pull that Punk brings in. He was the number two seller of merchandise and the number one heel. Obviously Vince doesn't want to let that go. Well with RAW in Chicago it was the perfect time for Punk and Vince to have a meeting and work things out. Well it sounds like there was some kind of offer and Punk turned it down. My guess is for Punk it was Wrestlemania main event or bust. 

So chances are we won't see Punk until at least next year, maybe around Royal Rumble time. If I could sidetrack for a  second, my dream scenario is that the number 30 entrant to the Rumble wins and starts celebrating but the bell never rings. Suddenly another timer kicks on and Punk is a 31st entry. Then these two fresh wrestlers have a full match where Punk wins, winning his first Rumble and moving onto Wrestlemania. That would be an amazing Rumble wether you love or hate Punk, and dare I say best for business. Now we have some issues. Punk coming back is what we all want but it's not that easy. The guy turned his back and walked out while under contract. Some people backstage sympathize with him but there are plenty who were happy to see him go. It was no secret that Punk honestly felt he was the best and had a chip on his shoulder, it's the nature of the business he's a part of to show confidence. So let's say he does come back and gets the Wrestlemania main event. Most likely scenario it becomes a three way match that he loses. Fair enough. He forces his way into the main event through his antics, we can't expect him to win. The WWE has their clearly strict and laid out plan and that never included having Punk in the main event. They want Orton vs Batista and are in now way showing any desire to change it, though I'm unsure why. It really feels like they don't watch their own programming. I picture Vince McMahon leaning back in a chair in a dark room locking his fingers saying outloud "You'll all see at Mania." But I think he's going to be very surprised when his heel vs heel match is booed and torn apart. What a great way to end your biggest show of the year.

So would Punk being entered into that match fix it? Absolutely. The fans have shown that they want Cm Punk. We hear the chants. Naturally Daniel Bryan is the real go to for the crowd right now but Punk in the main event would solve so many problems for the PPV, but I'm guessing a lot of people in the back may have a problem with that. There are a lot of younger guys that deserve a main event shot just as much as Punk does. If he was handed the main event because of his temper tantrum it would probably cause a lot of bitterness among the talent. 

The real issue with the Punk situation is the crowd. Of course I want Punk back, and of course I love the chants for support, but the WWE didn't make him leave. He made his choice and did it on his own. Now you could argue that their decisions made him to leave, but honestly it really falls on Punk. Punk wants to be the number one guy but do we really believe that he would want to do the talk shows, and live events the way someone like Cena does? I highly doubt it. Now I love the support and fandom for Punk, but the chants are pretty disrespectful. As much as I love Punk, I love wrestling as a whole more. Now there are plenty of good matches and great wrestlers are performing to Cm Punk chants and not getting the recognition they deserve. Now I fully support Cm Punk chants when the authority is present, but when the Wyatt's and Shield are putting on one hell of a match, why would you want to rob their recognition? I don't get it. 

So do I want Punk back? Absolutely, but I think he should wait until next year. Things need time to cool down. Let his contract expire and come back next January with a contract garunteed for Wrestlemania. The only answer for this year is to put Daniel Bryan in the main event, otherwise Wrestlemania is going to get ripped apart. So what are your thoughts on Punk not coming back in Chicago and the prospect of his future? Sound off in the comments and as always you can find me on Twitter @advent_crash.

The Newest and Improved TNA

TNA is in a state of change. Again. For more times than we have been able to count, TNA has been in a state of change. I've never quite been sure what they have been trying to change into, like what is their ultimate goal, but TNA has always had the potential to just be a great alternative wrestling show. I have always felt that 2011 was the best year for TNA. Their roster was the best at the time, their wrestling was incredible (and to be fair still can be), and they had a decent story going on with Sting versus Immortal. Even 2012 wasn't bad with Jeff Hardy, Austin Aries, and Bobby Roode really holding things down. 2013 was a complete disaster! I've never seen a company take such a huge dip in quality and lose a good chunk of their roster. It seems like anyone who had a good idea was fired and we were left with not even the B team, but the F team making all of the decisions. They ruined AJ Styles but managed to turn Bully Ray into one of the greatest singles stars in their company but totally ruined what could have been an amazing stable in the Aces & Eights. If at all possible, we just need to forget 2013 as quickly as possible!

Well now 2014 didn't have the best start with AJ Styles gone and Sting's contract up, but in the last month TNA has been quickly picking up. So lets get the negative out of the way. TNA is losing money and we all know it. Their Pay Per View model, in my opinion, is a complete mess. I can't imagine they are gaining any money with their taped specialty Pay Per View episodes that don't tie into the story lines at all, even though it gives us interesting show options. So I watched the #OldSchool PPV and that was a show with some great matches, but the production was terrible! TNA really needs to invest in a production manager because a better looking show could go a long way, and this is one of their biggest flaws right now. When they had the Impact Zone everything had a nice look to it. I look back at those episodes and like what I see, but episodes recently just look like the were barfed out by a sick camera. Fix the look of your show!

So contracts are going to expire. It's bound to happen. Sting, AJ, and Kurt Angle are probably the three biggest names in the company and two are gone, and with Angle's contract ending this year the chances are they aren't going to be able to afford to renew. So Angle will be gone later this year but TNA doesn't need to rely on these talents to survive. Their recent strategy of signing younger and cheaper talent is actually working out pretty well. The roster is full of young wrestlers that are amazing like Zema Ion, and Kenny King (who has been absent for a while and hopefully not let go) but Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards were great gets for  the company. Ring of Honor is a company full of eager talent and if TNA winds up with any of them on their own roster it can only be a good thing. My only fear is that we may lose Christopher Daniels and Kazarian when their contracts are up. Hopefully TNA can bring in more money before then. Tommy Dreamer is also back in the company to an unknown extent which seems to mostly be in the back stage but having Dreamer involved in any way is always a good thing. The cross promotion with his House of Hardcore was genius and TNA is actually doing really good promotional crossover work this year and that can only be good for business. If promotions could work together more often then the wrestling business could become something special.

Now let me just say that I believe in MVP. This Dixieland story angle was killing TNA and fast. I was happy to see Magnus improve as much as he has and become a world champion, but Dixie being an onscreen villain was a horrible idea. That is until MVP and The Wolves stepped in. The Wolves are amazing wrestlers and MVP was always under appreciated in WWE and having these three work together has been a highly entertaining angle and they couldn't have chosen a better time to introduce it. With TNA over in Manchester, where TNA is loved pretty highly, they are getting great tapings with high energy crowds that love wrestling and it makes their show look that much better. I wouldn't mind if they taped over in the UK for an entire year just to make their show look that much better by performing for crowds that love them. Bored US crowds can do a lot to ruin a show and that's why they need to find the perfect Impact Zone and just stick there for a while to save some money and make their show look good.

So word is that there has been a lot of bonding between the TNA roster on their UK tour due to Samoa Joe giving a pretty heartfelt speech. Good! This is a roster that is extremely talented but for a long time it has felt like everyone has their own agenda. Now that they are on the same page it has really shown through on the show and everyone has kicked it into high gear. I can only hope that they can keep this momentum going. Samoa Joe is now one of the top tier veterans of the company next to guys like Christopher Daniels and word is that Joe and MVP are kind of leading a charge in the locker room and it certainly seems to be working. The last couple episodes of Impact have been legitimately great and if TNA can keep their act on track then they could get back to the success that they once had.

So what do you think about TNA's current status? I really don't care to hear the "TNA is terrible" angle because it's not the WWE. TNA is an alternative not a replacement. Either you love all wrestling or you love WWE. We all know that. As always you can find me on Twitter @advent_crash.

Royal Rumble, Cm Punk, and Best For Business

Well now. Things have sure gotten interesting haven't they? The Royal Rumble just happened and between the creative decisions and crowd reactions it was pretty intense, though no where near as bombastic as to what happened with Cm Punk on Monday but we'll get there. So let's just cut to the chase. The Royal Rumble happened and exploded right at the beginning (ignoring that preshow blunder) after Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt tore the house down! This match was brutal, and artistic, and just all around incredible! The Yes Movement is real and its time for the WWE to acknowledge this! As you'll notice I'm using a lot of exclamation points because its hard to not talk about the last week without extreme vigor. So let's just skip over the other stuff, (it was boring) and get to the title match. Now the real travesty here is that the match was actually good. Not great but good. But this was the beginning of the hijack. I'll be the first to admit, I'm tired of Cena and Orton too (though less with Orton) and it would have been nice to see Daniel Bryan in the match but I'm starting to feel like the WWE Universe just wants Daniel Bryan in EVERY match. I mean what's gonna happen when the people get what they want and Bryan becomes champion? Does it suddenly become boring? Eventually he will have to lose and will that start the cycle over? Its a dangerous road that I don't think anyone is thinking about.

So then comes the Royal Rumble. Batista won, like we all knew he would, and Daniel Bryan was nowhere to be seen. Now I already knew Bryan wouldn't be in the Rumble, mostly because that was the word on the streets, but Rey Mysterio really got the short end of the stick when he entered at the number 30 spot. This wasn't Rey's fault. He's a talented wrestler and this is where I have my issues with the WWE Universe. I love Daniel Bryan just like everyone else and I want to see him as champion, but I'm willing to wait for that special moment to finally come. I don't need it happening tomorrow. If he's not in the Rumble I always assumed he would be in the Ellimination Chamber anyway, which he is. Wether that's because of the Rumble response or not I don't know, that's the real question, but the fact is that he's there. So Batista won the Rumble, flipped off the fans (great baby face) and the show ended. The Road to Wrestlemania has officially begun. Then a bombshell was dropped. Cm Punk walked out of Raw, telling people that he was going home. This isn't a work, this isn't part of some elaborate story, Cm Punk quit the WWE. 

So there's a lot of mixed reports out there so I'll go on record in saying that not all of this may turn out to be true, but the fact is that Cm Punk finally became frustrated enough with his position in the company and just said screw it. Now his contract was expiring in July and he has been pretty open about not planning on resigning, but friends of his have said that they would be surprised if he made it to July and they were right. Punk has been saying for a while that the only thing he has left to accomplish in his career is to headline Wrestlemania and he has earned it many times over. At Wrestlemania 28 Punk was the champion and didn't even get to headline because of The Rock and Cena. I can completely understand his frustration about "part time wrestlers." The Rock headlines two years in a row and wrestles a total of 3 matches in those two years, and Batista returns after being gone for over four years and wins the Rumble for the main event spot. The WWE (like I have mentioned before) loves to bring in the older big names, and big guys, for their main event spot and continuously shove their younger talent to the side. Skipping ahead, Triple H feels insulted by Punk walking out, now skipping back I totally understand why Punk did what he did. Why stick around when you've earned that spot multiple times and you keep getting looked over. The same is said for Daniel Bryan.

At this point the big question is what happens next? The fans are clearly irritated and demanding a better product. However do the fans really know what makes a better product? Let's face it, the Internet has made wrestling fans extremely cocky because we have access to a lot of inside information, but regardless fans know what the want to see and that does fall onto the WWE. The WWE just announced their own network and are trying to sell it to their fan base. They may think they know what's best for the story and the company, but if you want people to buy your network you need to be kissing their ass until everyone has bought in! Now a lot of people are talking about boycotting the network, they won't, but I'm sure a lot of people are feeling the same way I am. Yes I'm getting the network, but I'm less inclined to be getting it right away which is when they need the numbers. So what does everyone else think? Did you enjoy the Rumble? Were you booing your television? Will you miss Punk? Who wouldn't? Sound off in the comments, share with your friends, and as always you can find me on Twitter @advent_crash.