No Chance – A 2013 Wish List

Columns, Top Story

So technically we still have one more episode of Raw left in the year (and one of Smackdown, Main Event, etc.) but more or less, as far as WWE is concerned the year 2012 is over. And while this means plenty of discussion on how the year 2012 turned out as a whole, we will have plenty of time for that in January when all that is happening is “I’m gonna win the Rumble.” Promos from people you forgot were still working for the company.  This week, instead of looking back at 2012, I want to look forward, to the upcoming year. These are the things, that if done right could really help to make 2013 a good year for the company.

When CM Punk loses: While it’s been great that for the past year CM Punk has been the only WWE champion, I don’t expect anyone to really think that this will continue for another entire year. At some point in 2013, Punk will likely be losing his title. And I’m ok with that, but what I really ask is that when that time comes, have Punk lose in a truly amazing match to a truly worthy opponent. I’m talking about the kind of match that will be a Match of the Year contender and kick of a rivalry worth tuning into every week.

Have a Summer Event: In 2010 it was the Nexus invasion that really was the driving force to get us out of the post WrestleMania slump and into SummerSlam. In 2011 it was CM Punk’s promo. And in 2012 it was…Triple H vs. Lesnar? Now in all fairness the summer of 2012 was mostly taken over by Raw 1000 and admittedly the post Mania slump was in no way as near extreme as it has been in the past years but still, the idea of having a major, theoretically company altering storyline is something that in the end helps SummerSlam feel as big and important as Mania and should really be instated next year.

Do something with Cena: I know that I am not alone in my belief that I cannot take another year of Super-Cena consistently overcoming the odds and always winning thanks purely to his can do attitude. And because I’m assuming that unless something terrible happens Cena will be on all 52 episodes of Raw next year, something needs t change. And I’m not demanding a heel turn here (though that would certainly be acceptable) but if you’re going to jam the guy into the PPV main event every month, even when he doesn’t have a title, then I’m going to need a reason to care about him again.

Don’t squander The Shield: Right now your brand new faction The Shield is really on fire. Not only did they beat Ryback (and Team Friendship) in their first PPV but also had a great looking match while doing it. But while it’s fantastic that these guys are big right now, one can’t help looking at where most of the Nexus members are now. Most of them are floating around somewhere between the mid to lower cards with seemingly no clear path back to relevance. Ryback is actually the only guy that seems to have made it from Nexus to the top, and that took several months off of TV, a name change and almost an entire new character build upon his return. Anybody with internet connection has been hearing clamoring for Dean Ambrose to debut for what seems like ages and a year from now, I don’t want to have to seek out an episode of Superstars to see Ambrose and his friends.

Fix the Brock Lesnar thing: There is a world of difference between my attitude toward Brock Lesnar the day he came back and now. I don’t know how long Lesnar will be staying with the company post Maina if at all. And I want something that justifies the excitement from the first day he came back. Current rumors have Lesnar in a rematch with Triple H before he leaves. Let me just say that this will not justify being excited about Lesnar’s return.

No Cena vs. The Rock:  Once in a Lifetime. You promised you guys.             …Ok, I actually think that these guys are perfectly capable of having a decent match and I wouldn’t mind watching them together in the ring again. What I don’t want is the exact same months of promos that we’ve gotten for the past two years leading up to WrestleMana. And as a side note to that, from now on, The Rock should only be allowed to be in feuds where he can show up and get some quality mic time. While I’m sure that the Rock will get in the ring a few times in 2013, I don’t need another one-sided feud ever again.

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.