Pulse Wrestling Recap: WWE Tough Enough, 05.16.2011

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We start Tough Enough as always with the recap of last week’s show where we are reminded that Ivelisse and Eric ended up getting the boot after that ropes course that they all had to go through. We’re also reminded that there are only six contestants left on the show.

We watch as AJ returns to the mansion, as the sole survivor of elimination. Everyone else looks stunned to see only one person come back. Christina mentions that she is excited to be the only girl left. Now it’s time to start knocking out guys.AJ says that the plan is to now find a little extra flair because he now thinks his “ass is lit”The next morning Christina takes some time to do Yoga with Trish. Christina confides that she is scared about the unknown and what might happen next. Trish says that she is “so proud of Christina” because she could possibly be the last one standing in the competition.

Back with the rest of the contestants is time to start daily training. Bill takes some time to make fun of Martin’s boots, telling him to sell his car for new boots. He also says that he is also proud of Christina.Stone Cold comes in and says that the theme of the week is creativity. He says that making a move your own is what can take you a long way. And he is looking to see how each contestant will put their own flair on their moves.

The group starts with the fireman’s carry.  Booker and Stone both yell at A.J. for being timid in the ring. Booker says that she is waiting for a light bulb to turn on for A.J. Bill tells Jeremiah to stop being an MMA guy, and instead focus on being a WWE guy. Jeremiah tells the camera that he needs to remember to focus his energy.

We go to a commercial but are quickly back with each of the contestants getting thrown out of the ring. Stone Cold however, in none too pleased, and he lets the contestants know by telling them that they all look like a bunch of riff raff.  After the contestants continue to do no better, Booker gets into the ring to show them how it’s done.Trish’s assessment of the daily training was that Creativity is a necessity in the business and they were “creatively being dead asses all day long.”

Then Andy punched Luke in the nose and threw him out of the ring prompting a slow motion replay as Bill gave his assessment of the event. Booker yells at Andy telling him that he wont be in the business long with things like that. Andy tells the camera that he simply got too worked up. Bill, however is none too pleased and tells Andy that he is creatively taking himself out of the competition.

Back at the mansion Andy takes some time to watch his daughter learn to walk on the computer. Andy tells the camera that watching the video was a big motivation and he decides to call his wife. He tells the camera that his wife is struggling without him but he is here (on the show) for a reason, and is in the home stretch.

Trish, in order to pick up the contestants spirits, she brings in the Bella twins, Eve and Kelly Kelly. We get a footage reel of each of the divas as Stone Cold credits their creativity as a big part of their success. The divas enter the mansion catching some of the contestants off guard (By off guard I mean that Jeremiah and some of the others were in towels when they arrived)

After the guys get dressed, all the contestants come down to have some champagne with the divas. Then, they all head out to the limo that the divas arrived in. The whole group goes the a restaurant where they enjoyed dinner and as A.J. put it “brought smiles to all of their faces” Drinks are offered but Andy refuses saying that he promised his daughter and wife that he wouldn’t indulge. Luke tells the camera that he has no plans to make promises the way that Luke did. Kelly Kelly also tells the camera that Christina has such potential and that she also is very proud of Christina to be the only girl left. The Bella Twins spend time talking to A.J. telling him to listen to what the trainers have to say.

After another commercial break, the contestants go to THQ where each of the contestants get to create their own WWE superstar for the video game All Stars. A bit of shameless plugging for the video game ensues as each of the contestants comment on how many options they have when creating a character in the video game. Then everyone takes a seat in the board room with Steve Austin to see the characters that were created. The Natural (Jeremiah) comes first then Mikayla (Christina) was next. Then the two begin match playing one another. The natural pretty thoroughly gets the KO on Mikayla. Christina defends her character saying that she tried to give her character aerobatic moves.  The next two characters to the pixilated ring are Jaxon Krash (A.J.) and Legend (Luke). Luke tells the camera that he was quite pleased with his orange and black color theme. Luke says that he learned yester day in the ring that being creative doesn’t mean being hokey, and Stone Cold nods approvingly at that statement. The final two contestants for the video game are BetterThanU (Martin) and Silent Rage (Andy) After the two play the game, Stone Cold tells Andy that he really like the Silent Rage version of himself that he created.

After THQ, the contestants go back to the training ring for some nighttime workouts with Bill and Booker. The night seems to be going well and multiple complements are handed out to multiple contestants, but A.J. ends up getting yelled at and called the weakest link of the group by Booker. Booker uses a metaphorical hourglass to express to A.J. that his time in Tough Enough could be very much nearing its end.

As the training continues, something else goes wrong, as Martin has to roll out of the ring in pain. Martin says that he heard something pop and knew that something was wrong. Martin says that he will be back in the ring in a second, but as he tries to stand with the help of a medic he finds that he can’t do it. Bill takes a look at Martin’s ankle and then tells him to put some ice on it and pay attention. Martin travels to get an X-ray, all the while, fearing that this may put him out of the competition, and hoping that his injury is merely a sprain.

The next morning at the mansion, the boys see that Martin is still missing. The five other guys, start their daily training at the gym. As they finish up, Martin returns on crutches. Martin then has to tell Stone Cold that his ankle was fractured and that the doctor is not allowing him to continue. Stone Cold tells him that you can be riding all the highs and then hit a hell of a low spot. In Stone Cold’s office Stone Cold shows Martin his collection of belts from contestants who were not tough enough. However, he thinks that Martin is tough enough so he is going to let Martin be the only contestant to put his own belt on the wall. Martin before leaving says that getting to hang his only belt up (not having it taken away) is a huge thing for him. Martin says bye to each of the trainers and contestants and tells them to love every moment before leaving the gym to a standing ovation.

Back at the gym, Stone Cold tells the camera that we are getting into the home stretch of Tough Enough. And he has said from day one that sometimes the simple things can be what ruin a career. (Case in point, Martin’s ankle.) It’s skill challenge time and Stone gives each of the contestants a chance to be creative. Contestants have two minutes to do what they want in the ring; the only stipulation is that they have to do one move off of the top rope. Christina and A.J. lock up. The match is going well with positive comments from each of the trainers, until Christina goes for her top rope move. A botched cross body results in Christina lying on the mat, unable to move.  A discussion between Booker and Bill say that the blame is on A.J. for the injury. Bill says that A.J. caused something that didn’t need to happen, so for the second time in 48 hours, a contesting who had a real chance winning the competition now might not be able to finish.

Stone Cold tells the remaining four that there is no elimination tonight. He tells the camera that there is no sense in having an elimination when it looks like another contestant just got eliminated as the show ends.

 

Joel Leonard reviews the latest movies each week for Inside Pulse. You can follow him @joelgleo on Twitter though he's not promising to ever tweet anything from there. Joel also co-hosts the Classy Ring Attire podcast and writes the No Chance column on Inside Pulse as well.