Quick News
Paul London is finally Free! Palumbo released, as well.
A lot of people are surprised Palumbo was ever resigned or did so well. I’m surprised he’s ever let go. He’s not a top guy, but he’s a big guy, with a good look who tries really hard. There’s always a place for that.
London is, though you’d never know it, one of the best wrestlers in the WWE. He was great in ROH and supposedly took amazing initiative in WWE to further better himself using the veterans and can really go as a top guy. For whatever reason, he was instructed to reign in his style beyond recognition, but for those who know what to look for, during the tag title run with he and Kendrick, he was absolutely great. Hopefully this isn’t a motivation issue and he busts his ass in the indies and becomes a top guy in Japan. The skill is surely there.
WWE releases Elijah Burke, Kenny Dykstra and Lena Yada.
Burke and Dykstra are both young and athletic enough to hook on in Japan. Once there, their skills will improve with their work ethic and I could see each becoming fixtures for a long while. Yada is a surfer and can simply go back to that.
Super Crazy quit.
Apparently he got sick of having no real push. It’s a shame, the Super….Crazy line could have gotten over in the midcard with any kind of push.
Christian Cage supposedly plans to return to the WWE.
Considering Edge and Jericho, his former partners, are top guys, while Matt and Jeff, former rivals, are also on top, there’s a wealth of options for Christian.
2 more guys who might be brought in: Low Ki and Goldust.
Rey Mysterio wants to work with Ki, while Goldust got so many votes for Cyber Sunday. I can’t imagine Ki’s stiffness or attitude playing in WWE, but stranger things have happened. Goldust’s act always works and his in ring shortcomings can be covered in WWE’s three minute TV matches.
Wrestling the Issue
Randy Orton is the next big thing in wrestling. I can’t believe I just typed that, but it’s too fitting and obvious. His current character is building in a heel manner the same way Rock and Steve Austin did before they became so beloved they were forced to turn them face and give them the ball. Even if he doesn’t end up at that level, he’s going to be a real top draw for a long time, if the WWE don’t blow it.
Orton’s character has become truly three dimensional and fully relatable, even in a merely wish fulfillment manner. He’s smarmy enough to con the boss into thinking he’s still hurt and get that same boss fired, but tough enough that hurt or not, he’ll get in the face of anyone, whether it be a top face or a top heel. His character isn’t compromising. He’s presented as so arrogant as to be cocksure, but becomes enviable in that he backs that up, standing up against the likes of JBL, Chris Jericho and Ted Dibiase, as well as the more obvious candidates like Batista and CM Punk. Never flinching, he’s capable of beating them all cleanly in the middle of the ring, but also more than happy to outsmart them, making them look foolish as he cheats and laughs his way to a win.
People react to that kind of character. He’ll be booed at first, but it’ll be because fans know that’s how they’re supposed to react. When presented with two heels, Orton will continually be the one that’s cheered by the fans. At any opportunity, like last week on Raw where he punted Dibiase, when he hits a heel, the crowd will attempt to turn him face. Over time, should the character be unaltered, these face reactions will come against other major faces until they are too much to ignore and a star is born.
Supporting this sudden change is Orton’s in ring demeanor. He has previously been almost exclusively a cocky, yet cowardly heel. Currently, that’s changed to a more Triple H style. Always a slow worker, Orton, however seems to be learning that by speeding things up, a la Triple H in 2000 and building everything around cool moves, he can keep the crowd far more alive for his matches. Since, due to his persona, the crowd wants to be more active only helps support this. The RKO, an “out of nowhere†move is very effective for the character Orton has become, in and out of the ring. We already know the Diamond Cutter can get an inferior worker over when properly pushed. Added to that is the killer punt that injures people. That a simple kick so devastates these athletes and gives Randy a kill finish truly puts him over the top of the current crop.
As the soon-to-be leader of a heel stable, Randy is ready to take over Raw as the top heel on the brand. With his persona, the crowd will be beginning to turn him face. Due to sheer coolness factor over everyone else, added up with improved ring-work and smartly planned finishers, Randy Orton will be the top ratings and buy-rate draw of the WWE.
The Smarkish Raw Ranty Short Review Thing for Raw, 11/10/08
Raw is (not) Live from merry old England!
Batista opens Raw, looking prepped for a match. Even on taped Raw he doesn’t pose in time with his fireworks. He invokes his rematch clause, but Stephanie McMahon blocks it because Jericho has to face Cena at Survivor Series. Stephanie will finish some of the longer running Raw feuds. Kane vs. Rey, No DQ and Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels in a Last Man Standing
Randy Orton comes out to a great pop to talk to Batista. He says Batista must wait in line. He’s always been more successful than Batista, from back in the Evolution days. Batista is all “nuh uh, I rock yo house!†Orton’s all “Bitch bring it!†So, they have a number one contenders match later tonight.
Match 1: IC Title Match: Santino Marella © w/ Beth Phoenix vs. William Regal w/ Layla
Oh yeah, it’s the HonkaPerfectMountie Meter! We’re now combining all three vs. Santino. Santino cuts his usual anti-opponent promo, now mocking England and Regal.
Regal totally squashed Santino with a knee to the temple.
Regal defeats Santino (Pin, Knee, dud)
What a shit blowoff to the Honk-a-meter. They had a working angle. What the hell was the point of that? Boo you, WWE!
Regal promises to wear the belt with the pride and dignity of an Englishman. His sucking the dick of England is great of the live crowd, but simply doesn’t need to be on television. I’d pay at least $500 cash money for Johnny Saint to randomly come out and stretch Regal out.
Kane cuts a promo on Rey. Its generic.
Match 2: Mike Knox vs. D’Lo Brown
Knox crushes D’Lo. Hope you weren’t enjoying that NOAH Tag Title push too much D’Lo. I missed the finish. Oh well.
Knox beats D’Lo (Pin, Dud)
Whatever. They did this with Snitsky. We know where it leads
Beth comforts Santino. Santino got Beth in a women’s title match with Mickie James tonight.
After a Cena hype video, we get World Champion Chris Jericho cutting a promo about defeating Cena. That was good, if long winded.
Match 3: No DQ Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Kane
Rey runs. See Rey run. Run, Rey, run. Kane eats steps on a drop toehold and he can’t keep a hold on Rey after, who uses his speed to keep Kane on the defensive into commercials.
We return to Rey taking a slow beating. He swung Rey into the guardrail in a cool spot. Kane misses a charge and falls to the floor. Rey tries to dive after him, but takes a big chop to the neck. Rey finally gets a big DDT on the floor and he has an opening. This is distinctly unexciting.
Rey gets in, hits the 619 and big splash, but Kane grabs Rey by the neck and goes for a chokeslam. Kane falls on an exposed turnbuckle and Rey flies off the top for three, hurting his knee botching whatever that should have been.
Rey defeats Kane (Pin, Flying Thing, * ½)
This… did nothing for me. Rey needs to stop being a giant killer and wrestler good smaller guys again.
Randy Orton cuts on Manu and Rhodes backstage until Cody slaps him and Manu holds him back. Looks like he’s forcing them to step their game up.
Match 4: Randy Orton vs. Batista
Orton got a bigger pop than Batista. Cody Rhodes and Manu come out. Cody says Orton can’t beat him or Batista, so Cody will take care of Batista himself.
Match 4: Cody Rhodes vs. Batista
Batisa wins in a short match with a Batista-bomb. Cody got a decent bit of offense in.
Batista defeats Cody Rhodes (Pin, Batista Bomb, *)
Well, that bait and switch sucked.
Match 5: Women’s Title Match: Beth Phoenix © vs. Mickie James
They went standard formula. Beth won.
Match 6: Last Man Standing: Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
Michaels beats the piss out of Jericho early, until diving onto Chris’s knees. Jericho tries his standard second rope dropkick off the apron, but Michaels pulls down the ropes and does a moonsault to the floor.
Michaels goes for Sweet Chin Music on the floor, but Jericho ducks and HBK tweaks his knee… and after a bit more Jericho beating, we’re into commercial.
We return to many counts and they fight on top of a car. Michaels tries for a piledriver, but is nailed with the Walls of Jericho and dumped unceremoniously off the car. Michaels gets up at 9 and a half. Jericho complains to the ref and Michaels takes him off the car in response. They fight more and do a lot more rolling around until Jericho gets a ladder.
Jericho tries to decapitate Shawn with it, but misses and gets it thrown at him. Michaels beats Jericho onto the announce table, then climbs the ladder and hits an elbow off of it, after a suck it. JBL tried to ambush Michaels, but was taken out. Jericho still had time to clobber Michaels with the belt due to that.
Michaels is up and Jericho charges into Sweet Chin Music, but JBL blasts him with a chair from behind. Michaels can’t get up and Jericho wins.
Jericho defeats Michaels (***)
That was the blowoff to the best feud in recent WWE history? The entire match was impossibly slow and there were 10-counts stopping every possibility of building tension or momentum.
Questionable booking with a weak Last Man Standing, an unnecessary title change, a bait and switch on Orton-Batista and no CM Punk. I’m a sad panda.
The Middle W
This isn’t a reference to our soon to be ex-President, but rather the Wrestling in World Wrestling Entertainment. Jim Cornette once said “Wrestling fans tune into a wrestling show to watch wrestlers wrestle.†For me, at the very least, this is certainly the case and I watch a ton of wrestling from all around the world. Each week I’ll be attempting to broaden WWE fans horizons with a review of a great match they might not have ever seen or even heard of.
Roderick Strong helped train Erick Stevens. After helping him get into the business, debuting Stevens in both FIP and ROH, Stevens was left on his own. Their first encounter was at FIP’s Battle of the Belts where they faced off against each other in the finals of a tournament for the Florida Heritage Title. This match saw both men continually working a similar style, whether it be mat wrestling, hard strikes, or back work, though Stevens used power moves and Strong used backbreakers. Eventually, Stevens showed he had surpassed his teacher, at least for one night and took the new title in a great, competitive match.
From here, both men defended their titles (Roderick as the FIP World Champion) and went their separate ways… at least until faction warfare broke out in ROH. Roderick found himself leading the No Remorse Corps, while Stevens ended up a member of the opposing Austin Aries Resilience. They had an encounter during this that was hard hitting and allowed Strong to get his win back, but the important encounter came as soon as this faction feud was over.
At the point after this feud, Erick Stevens challenged Roderick Strong for his FIP World Title at Final Battle 2007 and in a classic styled match, took the belt. Stevens them embarked on a torturous defense schedule, defeating both Austin Aries and Bryan Danielson before Strong got his rematch at FIP Redefined.
During this match, they rehashed many of their earlier sequences, but as Stevens showed his superiority, Strong showed a willingness to take cheap shots and bend the rules. Eventually, crossing the line, Strong managed to reclaim the belt in one of the top matches of the year.
Stevens rematch was set for Supercard of Honor 3, the arguably best ROH show ever, but this match was not to be a part of the proceedings. Both men eschewed their match to tear into each other. During this brawl, Strong and his minions shaved Stevens trademark Mohawk.
The big rematch final happened in a Last Man Standing match at Dangerous Intentions 2008, but was controlled by Strong in their most brutal match so far, while their PPV bout for no belt at ROH’s Respect is Earned 2 managed to take the danger to another level still.
This finally leads us to the match reviewed here, FIP Hot Summer Nights 2008, the blowoff to their huge feud in a Dog Collar Match for the FIP World Title.
FIP World Title Dog Collar Match
Roderick Strong © vs. Erick Stevens
FIP Hot Summer Nights 2008
7/19/08
They start out with Roderick immediately hitting the floor and trying to tug Stevens out after him. Stevens wins the tug of war, but Roderick won’t get in, so Stevens hits the floor to attack. Strong is tossed into the barricade… apparently he should have stayed in the ring. Stevens mixes up hard strikes with smashing Strong’s back into the side of the ring to great effect.
Stevens makes a rookie mistake, going for a charge, but being caught by the chain on his way away, giving Strong the advantage. Strong tries to choke the life out of Stevens with the chain, but Stevens fights back, knowing that would be the end. Strong is able to maintain control and goes for another choke, this time using the guard rail. Stevens yet again fights back, but a kick to the leg slows him down enough for Roderick to reclaim control. Strong gets a chair and we finally hit the ring.
Inside, he sets up the chair and puts Stevens head inside the open back of it. He then smashes the top with a second chair. Strong teases a chair shot, but wraps his fist in the chain instead. Roderick beats Stevens bloody. Strong continues to attack the cut before deciding to hang his opponent by the chain over the top rope. The beating continues.
They eventually have a tug of war around the ringpost, and Stevens, with a burst of energy, pulls Roderick into the steel ring post, evening the score a bit. Stevens gets in and, like at the start, they have a tug of war. This time Stevens pulls Strong in and delivers a beating! A TKO on the chain gets a near fall for Stevens!
Stevens goes for a Doctor Bomb, but Strong crawls through his legs and pulls the chain for a low blow to gain a moment to catch his wits. He weakened Stevens breathing to this point, so now Roderick assaults the back with a half nelson backbreaker. After that gets two, Stevens knows he can’t take much more, so they begin battling.
The battle is won by Stevens who in a flurry hits the German Suplex, lariat and Doctor Bomb, but even that combination isn’t enough to keep Strong down. Stevens tries for a super Doctor Bomb, but Strong is able to fight him off before being lariated hard down to the ring. That gets an amazingly close two.
Frustrated, Stevens takes a moment before going for another Doctor Bomb. That moment was one too many as Strong kicks him in the face and nails a gut buster. Strong hits a Gibson Driver on the chain and then Stevens manages to kick out of Roderick’s finish. Strong hits another big boot and the plan is now to pummel him into submission!
Strong tries yet another big boot, a homage to their last man standing, but is caught in two huge lariats and two huge Doctor Bombs! Stevens wins!
Erick Stevens defeats Roderick Strong (Pin, Doctor Bomb, ****)
Two hard hitting, bad men try to take each other out. Strong wanted to wear Stevens down, but when that didn’t work and he had to go right at Stevens, Erick was ready for everything in Roderick’s arsenal. Great match and see you all Friday for ROH Weekly.
