The Silverdome Match of the Week: Here to Show the World

At least you did not have to wait too long for another Silverdome Match of the Week.  It was a pretty good week for the WWE.  Survivor Series was much better than a lot of people expected.  Now I have to get it on DVD once it is released.  The big news coming out of New York City was not the anti-climactic ending to the show involving The Rock and Cena.  It was CM Punk winning the WWE Championship in what was said to be an amazing match.  It is sad to see Alberto Del Rio lose the title yet again, but hopefully this title change will end the hot potato that the WWE has been playing with the WWE Title.  This week also saw some excellent wrestling on Raw, Smackdown and ROH.  Davey Richards vs. Kyle O’Reilly from ROH and both Sheamus & Zack Ryder vs. Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger and Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett vs. Cody Rhodes from Smackdown were all matches you should go out and watch from this past week.  In the end, Dolph Ziggler vs. CM Punk from this past Monday Night Raw takes home the Silverdome Match of the Week.

CM Punk was looking to face-off against Alberto Del Rio this past Monday, but John Laurinaitus had other plans for the Voice of the Voiceless.  The Interim General Manager of Raw and VP of Talent Relations put Punk in a Champion vs. Champion match against U.S. Champion Dolph Ziggler.  The match started with a lock-up between the two superstars.  Not long after that lock-up, Punk and Ziggler start trading a flurry on holds trying to get the advantage on one another.  Punk got the early advantage after Ziggler tried to catch a breather outside the ring.  That advantage did not last long as Dolph hit a neckbreaker followed by a pin attempt, which Punk kicked out of immediately.  Ziggler started working Punk over with some impactful stomps to the midsection.  Punk tried to regain the advantage, but Ziggler dropped the Straight-Edge Champion with a knee straight to the gut for a 2 count.  Punk tried to mount another comeback, but the Zig Zag Man thwarted Punk yet again allowing him to lock in a crossface on Punk.  CM Punk eventually would fight out of the crossface and send Ziggler into the turnbuckle.  Before going for his signature knee and bulldog combo in the corner, Vickie tried to distract Punk.  Ziggler would try to take the advantage, but Punk would just whip him into the other turnbuckle.  Punk would try to go for his high knee in the corner, but Ziggler would move out of the way sending the Voice of the Voiceless crashing to the floor outside of the ring.  Before taking the advantage over his downed opponent, Dolph would go onto do a handstand in the middle of the ring.  After being worn down with a headlock, CM Punk would finally make his comeback with a few right hands to Ziggler.  Then the two superstars started trading fists in the middle of the ring.  Punk would get the better of that exchange with a series of kicks, a leg lariat and a neckbreaker, which gave only the Chicago Made Punk a two count.  Thinking he could end it, Punk would go for the GTS, but Ziggler reversed it into a Sleeper Hold.  Punk would fight out of the Sleeper Hold.  Dolph then tried to roll-up Punk with his feet on the ropes, but the ref caught him.  As Ziggler argued with the ref, Punk tried to do the same thing to Ziggler, but he was caught as well.  Ziggler would go for the Sleeper Hold yet again, but Punk would shake off the agile Ziggler, sending him into the corner.  Punk would then hit his signature high knee and bulldog combo for another 2 count.  With Dolph down, Punk would go to the top rope for a big elbow drop, but Ziggler would roll out of the way.  Punk chased after United States Champion, allowing Dolph to strike with a thunderous dropkick straight to Punk’s face for a 2 count of his own.  Punk would take down Ziggler yet again allowing him to hit his elbow drop from the top rope this time.  Signaling for the time to put Ziggler to sleep, Punk tried for the GTS again, but Ziggler would reverse it into another close 2 count.  With Punk dazed, Ziggler tried for the Famouser, but the Straight-Edge Champion would reverse it into a devastating powerbomb, which set up Punk to finally hit the GTS for the win.  For the first time these two faced off one-on-one, this match was everything us wrestling fans hoped for and more.  It really felt like a match worthy of being on PPV and was the highlight on an okay Raw.

This past week might have had some great matches, but this coming week might have even more.  This week on Raw, we will see CM Punk face-off with Alberto Del Rio for the WWE Championship and on a special edition of Smackdown airing next Tuesday, Daniel Bryan challenging Mark Henry for the World Heavyweight Championship in a Steel Cage Match.  It should be one exciting week for the World of Wrestling as we get ready for the final PPVs of 2011.

Never Before, Never Again: Preview of WWE Survivor Series 2011

The tagline, “Never Before, Never Again” cannot be truer.  This Sunday at the 25^th annual Survivor Series PPV event in Madison Square Garden, the biggest star of the Attitude Era will join forces with the biggest star of the Modern Era for the first and last time.  John Cena and the Rock will put their differences aside (or maybe not) for one night to compete in what could be described as the most anticipated tag team match of the year.  As we are only five months away from the biggest dream match since the Rock and Hogan blew the dome off of the Skydome back at WrestleMania X8, the WWE is ramping up the build for the main event of WrestleMania 28.  So expect to see more of the Rock and Cena in the coming months.  And it will all start this Sunday, November 20^th.

It seems to be common lately for the WWE to poorly hype up their PPVs and that bad track record does not end here.  All the hype went to John Cena and the Rock teaming up that the rest of the card sadly did not get the same love.  Even with the little hype, I personally am still looking forward to Survivor Series.  Considering there are only six matches on the card, hopefully WWE gives each match enough time to put on a great show for the rabid MSG crowd and thousands watching at home.

Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. John Morrison for the U.S. Championship

I do not understand why John Morrison is even getting a U.S. title shot before Zack Ryder.  Personally I love Morrison just as much as Zack Ryder, but Morrison beat Ziggler in a non-title match once while Ryder has been doing that for a little over a month.  Ziggler and Morrison will definitely put on one great athletic bout, but this writer does not see the U.S. Champ dropping the title to Morrison this Sunday night at MSG.

Prediction:  Dolph Ziggler retains

Beth Phoenix (c) vs. Eve in a Lumberjill Match for the Diva’s Championship

The Divas of Doom seems to be growing stale fast.  Beth and Natalya need to be pushed like no one in the Diva’s division can compete with them yet they continually are undermined by the likes of Eve, Kelly Kelly and now Alicia Fox.  Hopefully at Survivor Series, the WWE can make Beth Phoenix and Natalya look like the dominant monster women that they should be and reignite the spark of this once great storyline.

Prediction:  Beth Phoenix retains

Team Barrett (Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger & Hunico) vs. Team Orton (Randy Orton, Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Mason Ryan & Sin Cara) in a Traditional Survivor Series Match

These Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team matches are the reason this writer loves watching this PPV each and every year.  They are usually fast-paced, exciting and highly entertaining bouts that seem to be the highlight of each Survivor Series PPV.  This year we see Team Orton and Team Barrett continue the tradition.  Even with the lack of hype and considering all the great talent jammed pack into this match, it should be one of the best matches on this card bar none. 

Prediction:  Team Barrett wins

Mark Henry (c) vs. Big Show for the World Heavyweight Championship

Last month at Vengeance, the titanic battle between Mark Henry and the Big Show ended in no contest when the ring to collapsed.  Hopefully on Sunday, WWE will reinforce the ring because these two giants are going to battle again.  Considering the way their match at Vengeance ended, I would have liked to see Mark Henry and the Big Show battle in a Falls Count Anywhere Match as it would have been amazing to see the carnage these behemoths would cause outside the confines of the squared circle.  Guess it is just another missed opportunity by the WWE, but we should not get hung up on what should have happened.  WWE needs to give Henry the clean win over Big Show in order to solidify the World’s Strongest Man’s position as the most dominant superstar and champion on the WWE roster.

Prediction:  Mark Henry retains

John Cena & The Rock vs. Awesome Truth

Here it is.  The tag team match that everybody is talking about.  The Rock and Cena team up for the first and last time to fight the team of the Miz and R-Truth, Awesome Truth.  This match could go one of two ways.  The first being that Cena and the Rock completely squash Awesome Truth like a pimple on prom night.  The second possibility being that either the Rock or Cena turns on one another causing Awesome Truth to get the victory.  Personally, I think the latter will happen considering how big the egos of the Rock and John Cena are and that it will provide better build for their match at WrestleMania than if they just squashed Awesome Truth.

Prediction:  Awesome Truth wins

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship

The WWE has given Alberto Del Rio and CM Punk little to no time to build this feud, but these two excellent wrestlers have made the best of what they got.  After three long months, CM Punk finally gets his one-on-one match for the WWE Championship after Del Rio used the Money in the Bank briefcase to take it away from him.  This Sunday at Survivor Series, I honestly believe that Punk and Del Rio will blow the roof off of Madison Square Garden if they are given a good 20-30 minutes.  It would be nice to see Punk hoist the WWE Title yet again, but Del Rio needs rack up a few more title defenses before WWE decides to give the title to somebody else.

Prediction:  Alberto Del Rio retains

It has been a nice change of pace to actually have four weeks between WWE PPVs and it has certainly help Survivor Series just a little bit.  Other than the John Cena & the Rock vs. Awesome Truth match, the rest of the card has gotten little to no hype.  With only six matches on the card, it might not have hurt the PPV that much, but that is only if the WWE can take advantage and give each match the time they certainly need.

Nothing Has Changed: Quick Preview of TNA Turning Point 2011

Back in late 2005, I discovered an alternative to WWE.  It was distinctly different as it used a six-sided ring and it had a much faster, fresh style.  One of the first PPVs I got on DVD from this wrestling company was Turning Point 2004.  The main event was America’s Most Wanted vs. Triple X in Six Sides of Steel Match.  Still to this day, I consider that match one of the all-time greatest Steel Cage Matches in professional wrestling.  Fast forward seven years later and this alternative has become a shell of its former self in its relentless pursuit to be the WWE instead of just being itself.  If you have not come to this conclusion yet, this alternative was and is Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

After Bound for Glory, it was suppose to be a clean slate.  All the horrendously convoluted storylines were suppose to be wrapped up and personally I thought TNA would start improving their product.  The first Impact after Bound for Glory had only seven minutes of actual wrestling on two hour show and my hopes for change much like back in the summer were crushed.  What we left were with are storylines that get almost zero attention, another Jersey Shore star wasting our time, a feud between a referee and a former authority figure and the potential feud between Roode and Storm, which could have been their saving grace, getting completely screwed up.  I came back to TNA for this blog back in February, so I will give it the full year it deserves and will reevaluate if I should continue covering.  Right now things look bleak and I honestly do not know if they will get any better.  If you are a TNA fan, this card will look great to you.  If you are not the X Division & World Championship matches along with Daniels vs. RVD should be great unless TNA finds a way to screw them up.  Do not put it past TNA, it is always a possibility.

Mexican America (c) & Sarita vs. Ink Inc. & Toxin in a 6-Person Tag Team Match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship

Prediction:  Ink Inc. & Toxin win the TNA Tag Team Championship

Eric Young (c) vs. Robbie E for the TNA Television Championship

Prediction:  Eric Young retains

Crimson vs. Matt Morgan

Prediction:  Crimson wins

Bully Ray & Scott Steiner vs. Abyss & Mr. Anderson

Prediction:  Abyss & Mr. Anderson win

Austin Aries (c) vs. Kid Kash vs. Jesse Sorensen in a 3 Way Match for the X Division Championship

Prediction:  Austin Aries retains

Christopher Daniels vs. Rob Van Dam in a No DQ Match

Prediction:  Christopher Daniels wins

Velvet Sky (c) vs. Gail Kim for the TNA Knockout’s Championship

Prediction:  Velvet Sky retains

Jeff Jarrett vs. Jeff Hardy

Prediction:  Jeff Hardy wins

Bobby Roode (c) vs. AJ Styles for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Prediction:  Bobby Roode retains

Turning Point 2011 is like every other TNA PPV that you have watched this year.  There will be some good hidden under all the insultingly dumb finishes and horrible booking, but it will not be worth the time you invest in watching.  From 2005 to 2008, TNA had something great going for it, but now that magic seems lost.  If you can, I highly recommend going back and watch past Turning Point events such as Turning Point 2004, 2005 and/or 2009 than watch Turning Point 2011 this Sunday.

The Silverdome Match of the Week: ROH Shines

After over a month hiatus, the Silverdome Match of the Week is back and better than ever.  Within the past month, we have had close to four PPVs (one from TNA and three from WWE), numerous title changes, good amount of news and sadly only a handful of good matches.  Many of these matches have come from the new kid on the televised wrestling show block, Ring of Honor.  At the end of September, ROH launched their new TV show with the Sinclair Broadcasting Group.  If you do not get any of the channels under the SBG banner much like yours truly, ROH airs each episode for free on their website, rohwrestling.com every Thursday.  ROH has a much different style from WWE and TNA.  ROH is more focused on the wrestling rather than the entertainment.  Not saying the storylines are bad (because some of them are better than what WWE and TNA are doing), but you will see that there is evident focus on competitive wrestling matches than storytelling.  At this point, you are probably wondering why I am talking a lot about Ring of Honor.  The reason is that winner of the first Silverdome Match of the Week in over a month is Roderick Strong vs. Kyle O’Reilly from last Saturday’s ROH show.  Roderick Strong vs. Kyle O’Reilly beat out strong competition from the All Night Express vs. the Briscoes also from ROH and Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes in a Street Fight from Smackdown.

A few weeks back, Roderick Strong fought Davey Richards for the ROH World Championship in one amazingly competitive and intense wrestling contest.  At the end of the contest, Strong ended up tapping to Davey’s ankle lock.  Strong was booked to face one of Davey Richard’s training partners and one half of the Future Shock tag team, Kyle O’Reilly.  Before the match, Roderick made it a point to say he was going to make an example of O’Reilly and get some revenge for Davey beating him a few weeks back.  The match starts with Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly shaking hands for the Code of Honor.  Immediately after the Code of Honor, the two wrestlers lock-up and begin trading holds trying to get the early advantage in the match.  Strong eventually takes control with a wristlock on O’Reilly, which Kyle reverses into a heel lock leading to crossface counter from Roderick.  O’Reilly gets to the bottom rope causing Strong to break the hold.  From there Strong and O’Reilly start trading kicks and chops.  O’Reilly takes control with a sweep of Roderick’s legs.  O’Reilly’s newfound advantage leads into a flurry for the Team Richards member as he hits a running elbow smash followed by a Northern Lights Suplex on Strong for the two count.  O’Reilly tries to keep his advantage going with a kick to Strong while in the corner.  O’Reilly sends Roderick to the opposite turnbuckle to hit another kick, but gets caught in a flapjack by Strong.  Roderick looks to be in control of the match, but O’Reilly fights back and gets a kick and an enzigiri hit on Strong after sending him into the corner.  Strong battles out of a near fall and locks Kyle in an abdominal hold.  After a few moments, O’Reilly battles out of the hold and hits a thunderous German Suplex on Strong.  Both men get up from the big move and O’Reilly attacks strong with a flurry of kicks and chops.  O’Reilly ends his flurry of strikes by hitting a hurricanrana.  O’Reilly continues his offensive flurry with a big missile dropkick after Roderick sends him to the apron, which results in another near fall for the young wrestler.  Both wrestlers start bringing out their big moves as they both try to get the win.  Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly exchange some big moves like three Butterfly Suplexes, a Swinging Sit out Powerbomb and a Double Knee Gutbuster trying to get the win.  Roderick even locks in his signature Boston Crab that he calls the Stronghold, but to no avail.  O’Reilly becomes a big nuisance for Strong as the young gun continues to fight out of his moves, even getting some very close two counts.  Eventually Roderick gets the victory with an amazing Sick Kick to O’Reilly’s face thus bringing an end to this very competitive and highly entertaining match.

Make sure to keep watching ROH.  This week’s episode will have Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team, Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas fighting the new team of Coleman and Alexander in a Proving Ground Match and the No.1 Contender for Davey Richard’s ROH World Title will be announced.  Not much has been announced for this Monday’s Raw Supershow other than it will be in Liverpool, England.  On the flip side, TNA has already announced ever match for this week’s episode of Impact Wrestling.  There will be some aftermath of Bobby Roode’s heel turn and winning of the TNA World Title, AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels, Robbie E & Robbie T vs. Eric Young & Ronnie, Gail Kim & Madison Rayne vs. Velvet Sky & Mickie James for the TNA Knouckouts Tag Titles and Jeff Jarrett, Bully Ray & Scott Steiner vs. Jeff Hardy, Mr. Anderson and a mystery partner.  Talking about TNA, I am still debating on doing a preview for Turning Point next weekend or another edition of the Silverdome Match of the Week.  Let see what you guys think so chime in the comment section below.  So until next Saturday dear readers have a wonderful week.  Cheers.