Nick’s Pay-Per-Review: WWE Bragging Rights 2010:
The video package airs and WWE Bragging Rights is officially underway. Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler welcome us to the show. Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett is previewed. The trophy is shown. Matt Striker checks in on commentary. Undertaker vs. Kane is hyped up as the Buried Alive set is shown.
Vickie Guerrero comes out. Guerrero says Dolph Ziggler could be dating any woman, and he chooses to be with her. With that said, Ziggler makes his way out.
Non-Title:
-Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler (w/ Vickie Guerrero)
The ring ropes for the PPV tonight are half blue and half red, obviously for the Raw and Smackdown teams/colors. There’s also a red and blue side to each side of the stage. Ziggler-Bryan is now officially in progress. Daniel dominates early but Ziggler exits the ring to recover. Moments later, Ziggler is firmly in control of the match and already attempting nearfalls. Ziggler is slowing things down now, all-the-while remaining in complete control of the action. In a big spot, Bryan tries for a running dropkick on Ziggler in the corner of the ring, but misses and falls hard for his efforts. Ziggler hits a superkick for a nearfall. Bryan tries a back suplex on Ziggler off the top-rope, but while in mid-air, Ziggler reverses into a cross body. That was cool. Pace is picking up in this non-title PPV opening contest. Ziggler pins Bryan but Bryan had his foot on the bottom rope, which the caused the referee to wave off the pinfall. Bryan secures the LeBelle Lock and Ziggler taps. Vickie Guerrero and Ziggler argue with the referee after the match.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Nick’s Note: This match, while technically excellent, and probably one of the best wrestled WWE PPV matches of the year, unfortunately set the theme for the evening. This was a match that had virtually no setup nor backstory heading into it, so aside from the wrestling aspect of it there was nothing there for the audience to connect with. The same will be said for the Tag Team Title Match, and to much of an extent the Raw vs Smackdown match, which I’ll address later in the review.
I’m sure at some point in the future, when the roster draft next takes place, Daniel Bryan will end up over on Smackdown and/or Dolph Ziggler will end up over at Raw, so if the two ever end up on the same roster here’s to hoping WWE will remember this match, as a rematch down the line with the addition of an actual story line to go with it could be a lot of fun.
Backstage: Team Raw Talks Things Out
Backstage we see Team Raw talking things over for later tonight. Sheamus and C.M. Punk seem none-too-interested in what The Miz has to say. Santino Marella asks repeated questions about snacks. As the team takes off, Alex Riley says Miz needs to get things together. Miz says things are where they should be and chaos created opportunity.
Nick’s Note: What is the point of the team captains? What do they do? What seperates them from the rest of the group? If WWE isn’t going to establish a reason why someone is a team captain, then why even have one? Following my review, I’m going to outline how I would establish team captains and give more relevance to the Raw vs Smackdown bout.
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Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
