Pulse Wrestling Recap: WWE Tough Enough, 05.23.2011 (Stone Cold and The Rock!)

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As always, we start out with a look back. Remember what happened last week? Well Christina was the last woman standing and AJ frustrated all of the trainers. Martin busted his ankle and a doctor forced him out of the competition. Christina also hurt her ankle last week, and the trainers blamed AJ for the injury.

We start out this week with Trish waiting for Christina to return. Christina gets back and tells us that it was just a strain so unlike Martin, she can continue.  AJ tells the camera that he feels bad about the whole think and quickly apologizes to Christina for his being too close to the turnbuckle and his part in her injury. Christina says not to worry about it. She tells the camera that she doesn’t blame AJ saying that they were both just too close. AJ promises that whatever help Christina needs, he will help her.

Back in the daily training ring, Christina is icing her ankle as Stone Cold walks in the ring. Stone Cold says that this week Christina may get a bit of a break because we’re going to learn about charisma. His examples of good charisma include Hogan, the Rock and Billy Graham.

Bill tells the potentials that they now have permission to perform. AJ tells the camera that with Martin gone and Christina out temporarily, there is a vacant spot at the top and that this could be the chance for his big break (no pun intended.) However, in his matchup with Luke a double drop toehold happens causing AJ to get another tongue lashing from Bill. Jeremiah is next and though he is told to relax, he doesn’t take the advice to heart and Stone cold tells him to remember not to rush saying that the number one mistake that green guys do is rush. Andy and Luke are next. Watching the match, Bill says that Andy and Luke hit the sweet spot in the ring, putting together charisma, focus, technique and courage for the first time. It ends in a group hug with Bill. After the matches Bill tells the potentials that this was a good day.

Back from commercial, its time for the “life Lesson,” where we find the contestants on the street with a Double Decker bus pulling up. On the bus is Bill who says that charisma can’t be taught but every WWE superstar has it. That is why millions watch the superstars every week. For another example of someone who is watched by millions every week, we meet the star of Psych, James Roday who introduces himself by grabbing one of Bills “ginormous pectorals”

In order to find out how much charisma each of the potentials have they will each give a ten minute bus tour for the walk of fame in Hollywood. First up is AJ who says that public speaking was his forte in college. According to Bill, AJ had the facts down, but was not able to keep his audience entertained. Next is Luke, who encourages everyone to say “hey-oh” whenever he insulted Bill, who he called Uncle Bill for the tour. None of the tourists joined in with Luke but stuck with it for the whole time. James said that Luke at least picked a theme, and Bill compared him to a captain going down with the ship. Christina was up next who said, “To my right, we have…buildings” James finally asks her what else do we have, and she pointed out a passing McDonalds.  Bill’s assessment of the tour was that Christiana has no people skills saying, “Once you get past the smile, there’s a lot of dead air.”

Finally its Andy, who gets a fact wrong saying that Jesse Ventura is the only governor with a star on the walk of fame, forgetting Arnold. Bill takes the chance to correct him from his seat. Bill tells the camera he thinks,  “Its almost like Andy is not comfortable speaking to people.” He had a problem facing away from the audience. Jeremiah starts off making a joke about his accent. Jeremiah commanded the tour bus from the minute he got on the bus. Bill tells James “I didn’t learn a damn thing about Hollywood, but he kept me entertained. “After the Tour James said that everyone had some nice moments but told Jeremiah that his tour was most memorable saying that he took a risk and it worked for him.

Back from commercial were back in the training Ring and Stone Cold introducing The Rock to the group. We get a quick highlight reel of the Rock before he starts to talk to the group. No wait, unlike other guest wrestlers, he doesn’t just lecture but instead gets into the ring with each of the potentials. With each bout, the contestant in the ring tells the camera that getting a chance to be in the ring with the rock is a dream come true. Christiana tells the camera that she is now even more bummed out, not getting a change to lock up with the Rock. This is an opportunity that she probably won’t get again. After having locked up with everyone, The Rock tells everyone that in general, they need to be looser.

Skills challenge this week; everyone gets a chance to promo against Bill. Rock chooses to stick around and watch the skills challenge. Before we start, Stone Cold takes some time to say how much he loves promos, calling them a war of words.Jeremiah is up first and spouts out some Twinkie jokes at bills expense and ending with a “Roger That” catchphrase. After the promo Bill says that he’s comfortable, and Rock adds that he does a lot of thinking during the promo.Luke is up who says that Bill thinks he’s the king of the jungle, but this Sunday is going to be Student vs. teacher and a new king of the jungle will be crowned. Luke calls himself a wolf ready to end the lion. After the promos Bill says to the trainers that wolves don’t beat lions.Christina is next who says that this is a make or break for her since she has been sitting out this week. Christina’s promo was filled with here saying that she was going to do her best in the ring, though she was more soft spoken and passive that the other contestants so far. Rock says that Christina needed to bring it, but instead she was timid and nervous. Bill says that she’s a good girl but it’s a tough week.

We take a break and after the commercial, Andy is up. Andy makes a fart noise in his promo causing the Rock to crack a smile. Andy says that if he and Bill were to ever have a match then Bill’s only claim to fame would be loosing to him. Bill says that nothing in that stood out about Andy’s promo. AJ is last and refers to himself as tumbleweed in his promo. AJ says that Bill made him second-guess himself. Rather than talking about a hypothetical match, AJ references his conflict with Bill that he seems to have had on the show for the past couple weeks. Bill seems almost stunned after the promo that AJ did such a good job.

When everyone comes back, the Rock announces the winner through Promo. After referring to all of the other contestants having “candy asses” he ends on AJ telling him that he did good. AJ tells the camera, that hearing the Rock say that may have been the biggest honor of his career so far.

Back in Stone’s office, and first up they talk about AJ. Trish says good things about his promo, saying that she was done before that but now would want to see something more out of him. Bill responds with “One day doesn’t a career make.” Stone Cold agrees with Bill saying that he has been somewhat of a nightmare in the ring. Christina is up and Trish says that she is timid and quiet, like she was at the beginning of the competition. Stone cold agreed saying “she sprained her ankle, not her tongue.” They then use the word horrendous. Bill says that Luke did pretty well with the promo and being in the ring with The Rock, it helped and he has potential.

Jeremiah Bill says that Jeremiah was on during the Life lesson, however he is still unsafe in his in-ring performance, an accident waiting to happen. Andy called himself Silent-rage, and Bill says that he was only sold on the “silent” part of it. Stone mentions Andy’s family, but Trish points out, if he has all of that pushing him and cant muster anything better, then that in itself says something.

The trainers come back, and the bottom three are called, Christina, AJ and Andy. Everyone goes back to the house and the bottom three start to pack. Andy tells the camera that he and Christina are the only ones that can have potential in the WWE and he is pissed that they are both in the bottom three with the risk of being sent home.

We come back from commercial and it’s elimination time. Stone enters the ring and his first victim is Andy. He asks Andy for his background and life story. Andy calls himself. “Hardworking son of a bitch” Stone asks if his dad was hardworking then why did none of that rub of on him. Andy snaps back to Stone Cold, causing Stone to say that he’s bamboozled. Stone continues to yell and berate Andy, calling him a slacker and imitating Andy. Andy is getting flustered and upset, and Stone Cold says that it’s about time that someone pissed him off. Next Stone drops to one knee and inspects Christina’s ankle. Stone says that last time Christina was in the ring, they had a talk and she began to show improvement. Now, she has an injury but then catches a break because its charisma week. So why did she cut the worst promo of the group? Christina can’t answer so Stone Cold takes some time to yell at her for wasting an opportunity. AJ is next and has to tell Stone that he wants this worse than anything else.  And that he believes in himself and he can make the audience believe in him. He says he wants the opportunity more than Andy does. Andy interrupts but Stone Cold shuts him back up by mocking the name “silent rage” by singing it to the tune of Silent Night.

Back to AJ, Stone Cold says that AJ was as good as gone at the beginning of the week, but he then goes and cuts the best promo. It helped one day but can one good day save his as? Stone Cold asks Andy why he should send Christina home. Andy says that the wrong people are in the bottom three. He says that Christina will be a great diva, and he will be a great superstar. Stone Cold responds by calling Andy the “biggest, dumbest son of a bitch I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Stone Cold says that Christina won’t pay Andy’s bills. Andy can’t waste his time protecting Christina. Stone Cold asks again and Andy says that Christina won’t be as successful as him saying she’s not as talented.

Stone says that he has good news and bad news. The bad news is that two people are going home. The good news is one person is going to be in the top three.  The first person eliminated is Christina. She says that it’s a mistake eliminate here and Stone Cold responds, “I don’t make mistakes.” Stone Cold asks Andy if he’s shown him the best. Andy says No again and again until he is shouting. Stone Cold yells back telling to stop pussyfooting around next week cause AJ is the other contestant going home. AJ tells the camera that he’s disappointed he ended like this, but this is not the end for him. Christina tells the camera that this week was not a good week for her. She’s upset, but from here, she’s going to continue to work on her craft.

Stone Cold, as he hangs up tow more belts, says that if Christina could come out of her shell a bit then she could still have a future in the business, but for both her and AJ, it was time to go home.

 

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.