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Welcome to the Silverdome. A place where one man looks at the wonderful and intricate world of Professional Wrestling.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

The Best vs. The Beast: Preview of WWE Summerslam 2013

The Best vs. The Beast, The Champ vs. The Beard.  These are two tag lines that easily describe this year's Summerslam in a nutshell.  While Summerslam is being built as a two match show, it is understandable when WWE picks the two of the largest matches of the year to headline the second biggest PPV of the year after WrestleMania.  These two matches could single-handedly sell an entire PPV so having both on the same show is unbelievable.  So unbelievable in fact that WWE has sold Summerslam to yours truly on these two matches alone.  Personally, it is the most excited I have been for a PPV since Money in the Bank 2011 and we all know how that PPV turned out.  Looking at the card top-to-bottom, Summerslam does not seem that impressive outside of the two main events.  Hopefully the buzz surrounding both CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar and John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan will inspire WWE creative and the wrestlers to produce a Summerslam worthy of being called the second biggest PPV of the year.  We will have to tune in this Sunday to find out if WWE can pull it off.

Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Rob Van Dam for the U.S. Championship

Most times the pre-show match can be easily dismissed as a throwaway match, but not as of late.  Last month, the WWE Tag Team Championship match placed on the pre-show was said to be a great match-up.  The pre-show match for Summerslam looks to be another exciting affair.  While this writer does have reservations about placing a big draw like RVD on the pre-show, he is a great veteran wrestler to test Ambrose on such a big stage.  Given enough time, these two stars should be able to put on a very entertaining show to lend into the main attraction- Summerslam.

Prediction:  Dean Ambrose retains

Cody Rhodes vs. Damien Sandow

The logic behind this match might be a little wonky considering Damien Sandow never really betrayed Cody Rhodes.  All Sandow did was knock Rhodes off the ladder in  the Money in the Bank Ladder match, which has a free-for-all format, to win said match.  If you take a closer look at it it was not a betrayal, more like the spirit of this competition.  While the storyline might not be the best, this match should be the start of great things for both Rhodes and Sandow.  Having a singles match booked for the second biggest PPV of the year is an excellent opportunity to put the spotlight on both men and their many talents.  We will have to wait and see how things go for both superstars' singles career in the months and years to come, but this writer expects to see their A games come Sunday.

Prediction:  Damien Sandow wins

Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn vs. Big E Langston & AJ Lee

As a huge fan of Dolph Ziggler seeing such a phenomenal talent wasted in a mixed tag match is just disheartening.  Dolph's World Title run was criminally short and he barely got a chance to chase after the title before WWE decided to start this feud with Langston and AJ.  If WWE wants to get Dolph Ziggler over as a face, it is better to have him chasing Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship rather than fooling around with his ex-girlfriend, former bodyguard and the girl he made out with on NXT Season 3.  No offence to the other talent in this match; Ziggler should be in the main event, not the lower mid-card.  The expectations for this match are very low, but this writer is hoping to be surprised by the effort these four superstars give us.

Prediction:  Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn win

Kane vs. Bray Wyatt in a Ring of Fire Match

I never understood the excitement brought from the Wyatt Family vignettes.  I heard a lot of good things about the Bray Wyatt character from NXT online reports, but the vignettes were more odd than exciting.  Then Bray Wyatt and his family made their debut and my opinions on them did a full 180.  The Bray Wyatt character is just so fascinating because his character is so different from most of the cookie cutter faces and heels that permeate the WWE.  Even though the wrestling fan in me was praying for the Brothers of Destruction vs. the Shield for Summerslam, Wyatt's brief feud with Kane has served as a very enjoyable alternative.  Considering this match will be the in-ring debut of Bray Wyatt, there is a little bit of anticipation building inside as we see if Bray Wyatt can live up to the hype.

Prediction:  Bray Wyatt wins

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Christian for the World Heavyweight Championship

After reading the paragraph about the mixed tag team match, I think you know who I wanted in this match instead of Christian.  Actually this writer along with many others thought Christian would be the one challenging for the U.S. Title so to see WWE put him in the World Heavyweight Championship match came as a surprise.  It was a very nice surprise because I am a bigger peep than a Dolph Ziggler fan.  Alberto Del Rio and Christian have had many matches before this meeting and all of them have nothing short of great in my opinion.  These two have the chemistry and the history to put on a highly entertaining and exciting World Heavyweight Championship belt.  While I am a big peep, I do not see Christian walking out with the World Title around his waist at this point in time.  There is much more WWE Creative can do with Alberto Del Rio as World Heavyweight Champion at the moment than Christian can.  Although Christian would make a perfect champion for Damien Sandow to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase on.  Now that is some food for thought.

Prediction:  Alberto Del Rio retains

John Cena (c) vs. Daniel Bryan with Triple H as Special Guest Referee for the WWE Championship

The Beard is here!  It has been a long time coming, but finally Daniel Bryan is where he belongs- the main event of the WWE.  Bryan has had some stints in the main event holding the World Heavyweight Championship or feuding with CM Punk.  Aside from those brief runs, Bryan has stayed in the mid-card for the majority of his WWE career.  Well times are changing for the American Dragon.  He has gone on a such an incredible roll these last few months, his popularity has skyrocket and he is coming into his own on the microphone.  With everything coming together for Daniel Bryan and John Cena rumoured to be taking time off for surgery, it seems like the best time to put the WWE Championship on him.  While everything would be sunshine and rainbows, there are a couple of complications to this situation.  First is the McMahon situation that seems to now engulfed the WWE Championship feud.  Triple H is now the special guest referee for the match, Vince is trying everything in his power to make sure Bryan does not leave with the title and Stephanie is trying to appease both.  It is a crazy family affair.  Next is Randy Orton and his Money in the Bank briefcase.  Orton has been teased cashing in his briefcase for weeks now.  To see Orton cash in against the winner at Summerslam will not be a surprise.  All-in-all, there are so many moving parts in this WWE Championship match that there is no doubt in this writer's mind that something big will happen.

Prediction:  Daniel Bryan wins the WWE Championship

Natalya vs. Brie Bella

WWE's newest reality show Total Divas may be a success for the company.  That success does not mean that they need to unnecessarily force matches involving the cast on their shows.  It is easy to tolerate the atrocities that the current divas division creates on Raw or Smackdown because you do not have to watch them.  It stings a bit when you are paying hard earned cash to watch these messes.  Please WWE, pull this match from Summerslam and give us Mark Henry and the Big Show vs. the Shield instead.  I promise you it will make a lot of people happy.

Prediction:  Natalya wins

CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar

If you told me a few months ago that CM Punk vs. Brock Lesner would be main eventing Summerslam, I would have laughed.  Undertaker vs. CM Punk II all the way!  In all seriousness, I never thought WWE would turn CM Punk face less than a year after turning him heel.  The jury is still out on Punk's current turn, but so far so good.  This feud between Punk and Lesnar has been one of the most exciting feuds of 2013.  Honestly, I have been ready to pay money to watch this match since the Raw after Money in the Bank.  This feud has only gotten better as the weeks have gone on.  The verbal duels between Punk and Heyman and the physical brawls between Punk and Lesnar have both been sights to behold.  The main reason Punk vs. Lesnar is so captivating is due to how unpredictable the match will be.  Aside from a slight advantage to Brock Lesnar due to WWE possibly wanting to preserve his monster persona, this match can go either way.  You can legitimately believe that either wrestler can come up on top.  A match this even does not come around too often in professional wrestling, but it is a special event when it happens.  There is no doubt in this writer's mind that CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar, The Best vs. The Beast, will be something special.

Prediction:  Brock Lesnar wins

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Plans with the Silverdome

Well it has been a busy couple of weeks between my jobs and getting things sorted out for school in September.  My busy weeks do not excuse me from not posting anything for the last two weekends and I am very sorry.  After dealing with all the craziness along with how little wrestling I now watch in a week (most weeks I only watch Raw), I never had the motivation to do a new edition of the Silver Report.  It is really sad, but my focus has changed.  It is easier for me to think up an article about video games for Silver Bit, my video game blog, than a wrestling one for Silverdome.  Due to all these factors, I have decided to cut back on the number of posts I will do for Silverdome.  Posts will now come once a month in the form of pay-per view previews.  These previews will not be the short and sweet quick previews I have done lately; these will be full-fledged previews of the entire event like I use to do.  Once and a while, I might also be able to put up a review of a PPV that I have recently watched as  I would love put up reviews on the Silverdome again.  My first review should be up in the next few weeks as my brother and I are deciding between going to watch Summerslam live in theatres or going to a live Monday Night Raw in Toronto.  Going to see Raw live would be the obvious choice for many, but Raw takes place on the first day of school for yours truly and it may be crazy trying to get down to Toronto from Waterloo at 4 o'clock in the afternoon when I get off school.  I left the decision in my brother's hands so whatever he decides will be what we do.  Now back to the topic of reviews.  Whatever event my brother and I choose to go to will be the first review you see here on the Silverdome in about two years.  I hope these changes to the Silverdome do not put a damper in your day and I hope to see you guys next week for my preview of this year's Summerslam.