Happy New Year!
I hope this year brings you everyone you want and that you had a wonderful time over the holiday period!
WWE got off to a solid start this year with RAW and Smackdown showing some fine examples of main event wrestling. RAW had a great start as Miz and Morrison faced each other in their Falls Count Anywhere contest for the WWE Championship. Morrison is finally starting to prove that he belongs in some bigger matches and is starting to show more potential than ever before. The spot where Morrison went through the table from the top rope was well executed and instantly made the match a fan favourite. Perhaps this is the start of WWE pushing their mid-card talent as we head towards Wrestlemania.
RAW also had a fairly good cage match between the returning Wade Barrett, Randy Orton and Sheamus. Orton seemed the likely candidate to face Miz for the WWE title as he is the face in the situation but CM Punk continues to intrigue with his dismissal of Barrett as the leader of Nexus. This was something that WWE had to throw together quite quickly due to the injury that John Cena sustained on a house show but it was put together quite well as filler until Cena returns tonight.
Smackdown followed suit with its two Interconinental Championship matches and the number one contenders match for the World Heavyweight Championship. The only loser in the whole situation seemed to be Kofi Kingston. He had a brilliant match with Dolph Ziggler and then gained the Intercontinental Championship, only for Dolph to weed his way into the number one contenders spot later that same evening.
It’s great to see Dolph finally get the chance to try for a main event. I would like to see him go for the belt against Edge at the PPV to give him some experience of being in the main event. I don’t expect him to win the title but he seems to be favoured more over Kingston. Never have I felt sorrier for someone winning the Intercontinental Championship.
Both Kingston and Ziggler are solid performers and I think WWE will be forced to make more stars and quickly as I’m sure they are concerned over the lack of possible “big” matches for the Wrestlemania card. With Undertaker being a doubt for his usual streak match we still haven’t got HHH back on TV yet. This time allows for WWE to continue pushing people like Miz, Morrison, Ziggler, Del Rio and Kingston, in order for them to seem suitable when faced with the usual main eventers in Orton, Cena, Taker and HHH.
The final match from Smackdown was a good 2 out of 3 falls contest between Del Rio and Mysterio. The ending might have been lacklustre but it fit with Del Rio’s character. I really like what they are doing with Del Rio and I think a decent rivalry with someone new going into Wrestlemania (As some people think it might be the returning Christian) would be ideal for him. There isn’t anyone on the roster that I wouldn’t fancy seeing him face.
Overall I think this past weeks wrestling was proof that shows are generally better quality when you put in some solid matches instead of stupid segments which involve a leprechaun attempting to eat a man who is dressed up as an eagle.
Granted, comedy and children need to be catered for as well, but with quality writing and acting by Santino can prove, it can both be done. Let’s hope this is a start of a good year for WWE and gives wrestling some of its credibility back.
Feel free to contact me on beansontoastuk@msn.com or get in touch through Twitter at www.twitter.com/beansontoastuk
Martyn
P.S. – as DX would say in there promos, “It’s time for the shameless plug!” If you’re interested in reading any of my other work then please check out a new magazine which has been produced which yours truly writes for. It’s called Wrestleslam and it can be purchased online, here are some details:
The first-ever issue of WrestleSlam Magazine! In this issue, take a look at The Big Show’s 2010, The Top 10 WWE Moments of 2010, Why 2010 Was a Horrible Year for WWE, Michael Cole’s Stupidest Moments, and much more!
If you would like to give any feedback from my work with the magazine then please feel free to get in touch by the same methods!
Take Care!
