Brock Lesnar, The Conquerer

If you thought breaking The Streak made Brock Lesnar the most dominant force in the WWE, well I guess literally breaking John Cena last night at Summerslam made him a mythical titan in that ring.  While the quality of the match did not even come close to the extremely high expectations we all had for it, everyone can agree you could not keep your eyes off that massacre of a match.  Apart from a couple flurries of punches and an Attitude Adjustment, Brock Lesnar beat John Cena for 15 minutes straight.  Even after getting hit with the Attitude Adjustment (John Cena's finishing move), Brock Lesnar sat up in a very similar manner to the Undertaker and laughed like the move did nothing to him.  Much like when Brock Lesnar broke The Streak, Brock Lesnar's complete dominance over John Cena was surreal to watch.  Personally, I wanted the match to be a knock-out drag-out fight with both Lesnar and Cena soaked in blood and sweat due to the ferocity of their blows, but looking back Lesnar's dominance was the right call.  With this one match, Brock Lesnar has become way more than a dominant monster; Brock Lesnar is a god among the mere mortals that step through the ropes of a wrestling ring.  Now whoever manages to beat Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, be it Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt or Cesaro, will easily be made as a bona fide main eventer in the WWE.

While Brock Lesnar is a part-timer and has been a part of two of the most polarizing matches in terms of quality and result in years, he is the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and the star of WWE television for the next four to eight months.  With the right booking and creative use of talent, Brock does not need to be on every show to build feuds, hype matches and bring prestige for to the WWE Title.  There is no problem with part-timers holding the WWE Title as long as WWE Creative does not solely use video packages and solo promos as a replacement for actual interactions between wrestlers.  Although it did take destroying the old guard in The Streak and John Cena to do so, Brock Lesnar is the first legitimate monster heel the WWE has built in well over a decade and his position as such is important to the WWE and professional wrestling's foreseeable future.

Year in Review: The Best of 2013

Been a long time since yours truly last posted here on The Silverdome.  Between school and work, it has been hard to follow, more or less, write about anything in the wonderful world of wrestling.  With 2013 coming to a close, there is not much to talk about concerning major wrestling programming (Raw, Smackdown, Impact Wrestling) as big developments stall until the new year and are replaced with an unnecessary amount of holiday shenanigans.  What a better time to reflect on the year that just past both the good and the bad.

As a whole, 2013 was a very mixed year quality-wise.  While nothing is perfect, most of the great stuff about professional wrestling in 2013 came during the first eight months of the year.  Things after September could not compare to the eight months before it, but this writer will elaborate more on this point in The Worst of 2013.  The Best of 2013 did not come from the John Cena's and Randy Orton's of professional wrestling, it came from the up-and-coming stars such as the Shield and Dolph Ziggler and the true main eventers like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan.  The Best of 2013 encompasses this writer's favourite matches, moments and angles of the year.  Enjoy the trip down memory lane and happy New Year!

Believe in the Shield
While the Shield debuted at the very end of 2012, 2013 was where this group made their impact.  There has not been a faction as dominant as the Shield in the WWE since the Attitude Era.  In all due respect to Evolution, the WWE's version of the Four Horsemen could never live up to their true potential due to injuries and a severely short reign of dominance.  During this full calendar year, the Shield has remained as one of the top of forces in the WWE even after dropping the Tag Titles to the Rhodes Brothers.  Aside from this faction's dominance, these three young guns have been putting on the most consistently strong performances of anyone on the WWE roster.  Any match the Shield is involved in can easily be considered the highlight of the night.  With or without championship gold around their waists, the Shield has the highest stock among any team or singles wrestler in WWE, which is incredibly impressive for three young wrestlers.

Dolph Ziggler Cashes In
Everybody was hoping to see Dolph Ziggler cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania to win the World Heavyweight Championship because it would have been an insane WrestleMania moment.  Leaving that moment until the next night on Raw, where a much bigger audience than WrestleMania is watching, was even better.  Pitting Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter against Alberto Del Rio in a Handicap Match, it seemed like the opportune time for the Show-off to cash in the briefcase.  Jack worked over Del Rio’s ankle before Alberto hooked in the Cross Arm Breaker to win the match.  Immediately following the Handicap Match, Ziggler would make his entrance to the cheers of the crowd and many fans sitting at home.  It was a short match that saw Dolph and Del Rio go back-and-forth.  There was one point where Del Rio hooked Ziggler in the Cross Arm Breaker that made this writer yell at the top of his lungs, “Don’t you dare tap, Dolph!”  Ziggler escaped the hold by twisting Del Rio’s injured ankle, which set up Ziggler to hit the Zig Zag for the win.  The crowd at the Izod Center exploded in cheers while this writer jumped out of his seat in pure excitement.  It was easily one of the best Money in the Bank cash-ins in WWE history.  In the span of two minutes, the emotions everybody watching this match went from excitement to frustration to ultimately happiness.  It was emotionally draining to say the least, but the best moments in professional wrestling are.  This cash-in was the defining moment of Dolph Ziggler's career and the moment many, including yours truly, believed Dolph had truly received the main event push he has deserved for so long.  Sadly, all great moments have to come to an end.

The Double Turn
A double turn is an extremely rare occurrence in professional wrestling due to the high level of difficulty to correctly pull off.  A successful double turn has a crowd immediately flip their allegiance between the two wrestlers in the match, while an unsuccessful double turn leaves everybody in a state of confusion.  The most successful double turn in wrestling history happened at WrestleMania 13 when Bret Hart would not relinquish the Sharpshooter he had locked on an unconscious Stone Cold Steve Austin.  The most successful double turn in recent memory occurred at WWE's first Payback PPV this past year in Chicago during Dolph Ziggler's first World Title defense against Alberto Del Rio.  Ziggler had been out of action with a concussion caused by a stiff kick from Jack Swagger.  Dolph was still suffering from the lingering effects of this concussion so Del Rio targeted the World Champion's head.  Throughout the match, Del Rio would relentlessly attack Ziggler with kicks to the head.  Ziggler tried to fight through Del Rio's debilitating punishment, but to no avail.  Despite Ziggler's heroic effort, the Show-off fell to the villainous assault of Alberto Del Rio.  Del Rio may have left Payback with the World Heavyweight Championship around his waist, but to the fans all around the world Dolph Ziggler was the real winner.  While Ziggler's title run was cut short, wrestling history was made on Father's Day in Chicago.

The World's Strongest Double Cross
News came the Monday following Payback that Mark Henry would be retiring from the squared-circle.  Henry’s hiatus from the ring during the Spring of 2013 to rest from injuries was sign enough that the World’s Strongest Man would hang up his boots.  Speaking of boots, Henry even placed his boots at the top of the stage during that edition of Monday Night Raw and came out in a bright pink blazer to give his retirement speech.  Henry’s speech induced tears, smiles and even chants as he had the audience wrapped around his finger.  John Cena, who Henry interrupted, came in to give Mark some time with the WWE Championship, a title that Henry has never held according to JBL’s commentary.  It would have been a sweet end for Mark Henry’s career, but the World’s Strongest Man does not go out with a whimper, the World’s Strongest Man goes out with a bang.  Mark Henry drew John Cena in for one last handshake and hit the World’s Strongest Slam instead.  Once Cena plummeted to the mat, the realization hit that Mark Henry was not retiring.  It was all a ploy to lure in the WWE Champion and what a great ploy it was.  In one fell swoop, WWE Creative built a credible threat to John Cena’s WWE Championship and made Mark Henry a devious heel that will sink to the lowest of lows to get his way.  Truly one of the highlights of an incredible summer for the WWE.

The Rise of the American Dragon
After the phenomenal year that Daniel Bryan had in 2012, there was no doubt that the American Dragon would be a bona-fide main eventer someday.  Bryan may not have the unrealistic build that WWE executives love, but he has something even more important-- the unanimous support of the WWE Universe.  Ever since Daniel Bryan turned face as a part of Team Hell No, the fans have flocked to him.  Just listen to the huge pop Bryan gets when he explodes into his signature offensive flurry of kicks and running clotheslines.  Just like in 2012, Daniel Bryan was the most popular superstar in 2013, even winning Superstar of the Year.  Despite being held down by Triple H and WWE Creative, Daniel Bryan won the WWE Championship not once but twice.  2013 was no doubt Daniel Bryan's year.  Bryan consistently put on quality matches no matter his position on the card, made major improvements in his promo delivery and continually received the loudest reactions of anyone on the WWE roster.  While WWE tirelessly tries to push big muscular men such as John Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar and Batista, Daniel Bryan showed this past year that small athletic men are just as or even more entertaining to watch than the stereotypical muscular body that dominates professional wrestling.

CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar
Sitting in a theatre of thirty people, this writer laid witness to the Match of the Year, the Best vs. the Beast, CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar.  The build for this match was nuclear from the very moment Brock Lesnar hit the F5 on CM Punk on the Raw following Payback.  In all honesty, I was ready to pay money to watch these two duke it out from that very moment.  As time moved closer to their meeting at Summerslam, this feud just kept on getting better and better.  The verbal duels between Punk and Heyman and the physical brawls between Punk and Lesnar were both sights to behold, but those appetizers could not hold a candle to the main course.  From the opening bell to the finishing splat of Punk's head being F5ed onto a steel chair, Punk vs. Lesnar was both physically and mentally exhausting.  Even though the major difference in size between Punk and Lesnar, the match was incredibly even.  The match could have gone either way as both men hit each other with their most devastating moves.  One of the most intense moments in the entire match came when Punk finally struck Lesnar with the GTS.  I vividly remember everyone in the theatre erupting from their seats once Punk hit the move, counting along with the referee's count and simultaneously crying out in shock when Lesnar kicked out.  CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar was the first match since CM Punk vs. John Cena from Money in the Bank 2011 to get this writer so passionately engrossed in the action happening in the ring.  For that reason, CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar is the Match of 2013.

The Brothers Rhodes
Fall was not so kind to the WWE.  The high that the hot summer months brought slowly but surely dwindled under a slew of missed opportunities.  While the fall was a long slog, there was one thing that made the slog bearable.  That thing was the formation of a tag team between the Rhodes Brothers, Cody Rhodes and Goldust.  The sons of the great Dusty Rhodes first joined forces to fight the Authority for their jobs after Triple H wrongly fired Cody Rhodes for losing a match to Randy Orton.  This feud led to an emotionally charged tag team match against the Shield at Battleground.  With the jobs of the entire Rhodes Family on the line, Cody and Goldust with some help from their father defeated the Hounds of Justice to regain their jobs in the WWE.  The good fortunes of Cody and Goldust did not end at Battleground as the brothers would defeat the Shield for the WWE Tag Team Titles in an incredible tag team main event a week later on Raw.  As Tag Team Champions, Cody Rhodes and Goldust have rejuvenated the WWE's Tag Team Division.  While other divisions in the WWE left a lot to be desired during the last half of 2013, the Tag Team Division was stealing the show.  Be it Raw, Smackdown or the monthly PPV, the tag team matches have consistently been the best part of WWE programming.  Speaking of rejuvenation, this Tag Team Title push has rejuvenated the careers of both Cody Rhodes and Goldust.  Cody has been stuck in the lower mid card limbo since losing the Intercontinental Championship back in 2012.  This push has highly improved Cody's status in the eyes of the WWE Universe and WWE Creative.  On the other hand, this push has given Goldust one final chance to prove to the wrestling world how great a wrestler he is.  Over the past five months, Goldust has made the best of this opportunity and has been the most impressive veteran wrestler on the WWE roster.  As we move into 2014, it will be interesting to see if the spike in quality brought on by the Rhodes Brothers will continue.

Straight to Hell... in a Cell: Preview of WWE Hell in a Cell 2013

Ever since Triple H pedigreed Daniel Bryan and handed Randy Orton the WWE Championship at Summerslam, we were firmly placed upon this road straight to Hell in a Cell.  The journey has had its peaks and valleys, but it has all led to this one climactic match-- Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton in Hell in a Cell.  The result of this one match will heavily influence the Authority storyline from this point forward as well as the directions for Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, Big Show and Triple H leading to WrestleMania XXX.

Considering how Battleground felt less like a PPV and more like an episode of Raw, the storylines surrounding Hell in a Cell have been cooking for well over a month now.  Even though there are only five matches announced for this show, Hell in a Cell hits all the major feuds taking place in the WWE right now.  Creative will definitely add a match and/or segment to pad out time for the PPV and create buffers between big matches as it is very rare to see a five match card from WWE nowadays.  Personally, I cannot fully articulate my feelings about this PPV.  I am cautiously optimistic as Hell in a Cell feels like the climax of many ongoing storylines.  At the same time due to this PPV being such a pivot point in all these feuds, this writer is worried that WWE in their infinite wisdom will find a way to screw it up.  It is a very interesting predicament as in actuality Hell in a Cell can either make or break the rest of the year for WWE. 

Cody Rhodes & Goldust (c) vs. The Shield vs. The Usos in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match for WWE Tag Team Championship

The trials and tribulations of the Rhodes Family has been the most enthralling program in WWE today.  WWE has legitimately made the audience care so much for Cody and Goldust that they were able to take the tag titles from the Shield, something this writer did not think we would see for a long while.  While this writer does not want to get hopes up for the resurrection of WWE's Tag Team division, putting the Rhodes Brothers as the champions of this division seems to have given the tag team division a much needed shot of adrenaline.  Quality tag team matches have been main eventing Raw for the last two weeks and there are a good number of heel tag teams to challenge for the titles (The Shield, Wyatt Family and Real Americans to name a few).  If there is more variety needed, WWE can easily bring a few tag teams up from NXT to fill the void such as Kidd & Gabriel and the Ascension.  This Triple Threat Tag Team Match can be the first step in putting the spotlight firmly on tag teams once again as it could easily steal the show.  WWE needs to figure out fast that this push cannot be sporadic.  It has to be a major focus of WWE programming going forward in order for this push to truly work.

Prediction:  Cody Rhodes & Goldust retain

AJ Lee (c) vs. Brie Bella for the Diva's Championship

No matter how hard WWE tries the Bellas will not magically garner support when there has been no official face turn on WWE programming whatsoever.  Other than comfort Daniel Bryan after beatings, they have done nothing to categorize them as face.  Handing the Diva's Title over to Brie will not automatically correct the crowd's view of the Bellas either.  Just get us out of this lame program and move AJ and the Diva's Title onto something worthwhile.

Prediction:  AJ Lee retains

CM Punk vs. Ryback & Paul Heyman in a Hell in a Cell Match

While this writer does love both CM Punk and Paul Heyman, this feud has gone on long enough.  One can only go so long seeing Punk almost get his hands on Heyman just to be cut off by Curtis Axel or Ryback at the last minute.  At first, it was entertaining; now it is boring.  It is time for Punk to get his revenge on Heyman and move onto the WWE Championship.  Considering this is a handicap match taking place in the confines of Hell in a Cell, do not expect a spectacular wrestling showcase.  This match will be a brutal manhandling of both Ryback and Heyman and nothing more.

Prediction:  CM Punk wins

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

When John Cena announced he needed to take time off for surgery, nobody expected him back before Royal Rumble.  Correction, nobody wanted him back before Royal Rumble.  It is not very often that wrestling fans get a reprieve from John Cena's endlessly tiresome antics that when it does happen, we cherish it.  John Cena may be able to compete, but just two months after leaving for surgery seems too soon to risk possible re-injury of WWE's top star.  While Raw ratings might be down, there is no need for WWE to bring back John Cena to be an unnecessary addition to storylines already in motion.  Also the incredible lack of hype for the announcement of Cena's return makes this entire situation seem very shortsighted on WWE's end.  Placing Alberto Del Rio in the middle of this return is just a waste for the World Heavyweight Champion, which should be taking on actual contenders instead of being fed to the wolves.  Maybe Cena's pairing with Del Rio at Hell in a Cell will introduce a new storyline about Cena returning to action too soon as his elbow has not properly healed yet.  One can dream.

Prediction:  Alberto Del Rio retains

Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan for the vacant WWE Championship in a Hell in a Cell Match with Shawn Michaels as the Special Guest Referee

If there is one match to watch this Sunday, it is Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan in Hell in a Cell.  The ultimate showdown between Bryan and Orton has been building for two months and it is finally time to close the curtain on this chapter in their rivalry.  Although the intensity of this feud has not built to the point that Hell in a Cell is particularly needed in this writer's opinion, the Cell adds a sense of finality to the match.  Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton are trapped in an impenetrable cage with any sort of weapon at their disposal.  If you thought their No Disqualification match from Raw a few months back was brutal, expect this Hell in a Cell match to turn the brutality up to eleven.  Two men will enter the Cell, but only one will emerge with the WWE Championship around their waist.  Do not forget that Shawn Michaels is officiating this match and has a history with both men.  The Heartbreak Kid will definitely be a factor in the finish for this match.  While Michaels trained Bryan, there is a possibility for HBK to turn on his pupil as Triple H hinted at on Monday with his comment that HBK will do what is "best for business".  Big Show may also play a factor in the result of this match for better or worse.  Nonetheless, this match has high expectations to live up to.  Hopefully, WWE can pull it off and successfully start a new chapter of the Authority storyline.

Prediction:  Randy Orton wins the WWE Championship

The Frontline of the WWE: Preview of WWE Battleground 2013

It seems that WWE never learns.  One pay-per view a month is plenty.  Adding these unnecessary PPVs in no way helps the product; in fact, it dilutes the product because you break the focus from building entertaining and engrossing storylines to promote a PPV that does not seem anywhere close to important.  Especially with Hell in a Cell set for later this month, WWE's newest PPV Battleground feels like a generic throwaway PPV.  Personally, this writer never hopes for any show to be a throwaway, but that is the nature of things.  When establishing a new PPV, WWE needs to really make a strong first impression or risk going the ways of December to Dismember, Breaking Point or Capitol Punishment.  There are some interesting storylines heading into Battleground; the one caveat being that Battleground feels more in lines with a big episode of Raw than a major PPV event as it is stuck in the middle of two pivotal PPVs (Night of Champions and Hell in a Cell).  Well the wait will not be that long to see if this new PPV sinks or swims as Battleground originates from the First Niagara Center in Buffalo this Sunday evening.

Kofi Kingston vs. Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt has not had much to do since WWE Creative wrote Kane off of TV at Summerslam.  Given the incredibly unique talent of the Wyatt Family, this writer would have thought WWE would spring at the opportunity to put together a little feud to keep them busy for the time being.  No, all viewers got were more cryptic messages and squash matches.  It seems WWE is stalling until they decide to bring Kane back into the fray.  Speaking of the Big Red Monster, this match would be an excellent opportunity to bring Kane back into his feud with Bray Wyatt in some capacity.  Be it an opponent or follower, Kane is desperately needed to give the Wyatt Family some much needed direction.

Prediction:  Bray Wyatt wins

Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. The Shield

The feud between the Corporation and the Rhodes Family has been the most entertaining television on any current WWE programming.  All starting with Triple H prematurely firing Cody Rhodes for losing a match to Randy Orton, this feud has slowly escalated over the past month to involve the entire Rhodes Family (Cody, Goldust and Dusty).  In a last ditch effort to eradicate the Rhodes threat, Triple H gave them a proposition they could not refuse-- beat The Shield and Cody and Goldust get their jobs back, lose and the entire Rhodes Family is banned from the WWE.  These huge stakes along with the great set-up make this match worth paying attention to this Sunday.  With the right intensity, environment and direction, this simple tag team match could steal the show.

Prediction:  Cody Rhodes & Goldust win

AJ Lee (c) vs. Brie Bella for the Diva's Championship

Well, it was wishful thinking that mixing the Diva's Title scene with the cast of Total Divas was just a one shot deal.  WWE is back at it again this month.  Now WWE will be cycling through the cast to individually challenge AJ.  Outside of Natalya, this writer does not see any of the other divas taking the title away from WWE's resident crazy chick.

Prediction:  AJ Lee retains

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Rob Van Dam in a Battleground Hardcore Match for the World Heavyweight Championship

With such a short period between Night of Champions and Battleground, it would not have been the best choice to build up a brand new challenger for Alberto Del Rio.  The easiest and smartest choice was to continue this decent feud with Rob Van Dam and Ricardo Rodriguez especially after the disqualification ending to their match at Night of Champions.  Given RVD's history of excellent hardcore matches and Del Rio's developing mean streak, this match should be an exciting bout to say the least.  With RVD set to be taking a break after Battleground, this writer has a feeling Rodriguez will once again be joining forces with Alberto Del Rio.

Prediction:  Alberto Del Rio retains

Curtis Axel (c) vs. R-Truth for the Intercontinental Championship

It really is hard to preview this match as there is absolutely no story or real significance for it.  R-Truth beat Curtis Axel in a non-title match on Raw so guess that win warrants him a title opportunity.  The only purpose for this match serves is being the buffer between the bigger matches on the card.  Being the buffer is just what this match is going to be as it should be an average bout at best.

Prediction:  Curtis Axel retains

CM Punk vs. Ryback

Placing Ryback into the hands of Paul Heyman was ingenious.  There was no real direction for his character other than the obligatory Ryback bullying segment that appeared on every episode of Raw and Smackdown for the past few months.  After Curtis Axel and Brock Lesnar, it was hard to think of somebody to keep CM Punk busy with Paul Heyman.  Ryback fits the bill perfectly as there is history and chemistry between the two and he has nothing else to do.  As it is only the first match between Punk and Ryback, expect the newest Paul Heyman guy to get the win in some underhanded way.  Heyman needs to keep winning in order for this feud to continue.  If Punk wins, he can finally exact his revenge against Heyman thus end of story and end of keeping Punk away for the WWE Title picture.

Prediction:  Ryback wins

Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton for the vacant WWE Championship

Speaking of the WWE Title picture, it has been an interesting three weeks.  At Night of Champions, Daniel Bryan reclaimed the WWE Championship from Randy Orton, but things were not right in the world.  When Scott Armstrong went to count the winning pinfall, he made an obviously quick count.  This fast count was used by Triple H to strip Daniel Bryan of the WWE Championship the next night on Raw.  While it was obvious Triple H orchestrated the entire fast count fiasco, you do have to applaud WWE for thinking of a neat way to extend this feud between Bryan and Orton without damaging the standing of either superstar.  The Corporation storyline has made considerable strides in making the faces look on even footing with the heels, but all paths lead to a climactic multi-man match at Survivor Series.  In order to get to that climax, there needs to be some adversity for the new leader of the locker room, Daniel Bryan.  In some way, shape or form, Randy Orton has to leave Battleground as WWE Champion to keep this major storyline on course for Survivor Series.

Prediction:  Randy Orton wins the WWE Championship

Under Corporate Rule: Preview of WWE Night of Champions 2013

The Summer was such a high point for WWE this year that the only way to go from there is down.  As much as the new Corporation angle will be a huge launching point of all storylines going forward, it has been quite a one-sided affair where interest is waning and fast.  A slow burn can lead to big dividends in the end, but Triple H and his cronies have been making the Faces look inferior for weeks on end.  Yes, you need to put the Corporation over as this insurmountable force, but four weeks straight of beatdowns and public humiliations is a little too much.  WWE Creative needs to figure out a way to make this power struggle a little less lopsided and get the Faces on even footing with the Corporation.  Seeing a small contingent of superstars led by Daniel Bryan and the Big Show putting together some kind of hit-and-run approach to combatting the Corporation would be an interesting turn of events.  Ultimately, WWE needs to put together something fast to turn around this angle because the way it is going, the only superstars being put over are Triple H and Randy Orton.

With all that said, this year's Night of Champions is in quite an interesting predicament.  Rather than riding off the coattails of a hot Summer for the WWE, it is stuck with all the disinteresting fallout.  All the exciting stuff happened at Summerslam and sadly Night of Champions is left with the cold leftovers.  There should be good matches on this card; it is just WWE has done such a poor job in  building this PPV.  It seems all the effort went into putting over the Corporation rather than building a worthy follow-up to Summerslam.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Dean Ambrose (c) for the United States Championship

This writer has said this before and he will say it again.  If WWE wants to get Dolph Ziggler over as a face, he should be chasing Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship rather than playing around with whatever mid-card talent WWE wants to throw at him next, no offence Dean.  These two will definitely put a good match; it is just both this writer would rather see Dolph make steps forward with his character rather than taking steps back.  The WWE's focus should be about preparing Ziggler to regain the World Heavyweight Championship, so everything that does not contribute to this end goal is a waste of time.

Prediction:  Dean Ambrose retains

The Shield (c) vs. Winners of the Pre-Show Tag Team Turmoil for the WWE Tag Team Championship

Usually this writer likes to do a separate preview for the pre-show match.  Due to how it directly influences this Tag Team Championship match, it would be easier to include it all in one match preview.  Out of all the tag teams set for the Tag Team Turmoil match (Tons of Funk, the Real Americans, 3MB, the Usos and the Prime Time Players), the best candidates to challenge the Shield at Night of Champions are the Prime Time Players.  The team of Titus O'Neil and Darren Young have been on a roll since Summerslam and it is time for them to get a chance to challenge for the Tag Team Titles.  While the Prime Time Players do deserve this title shot, that does not mean they will best the Hounds of Justice for the Tag Team belts tonight.

Prediction:  The Shield retains

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Rob Van Dam for the World Heavyweight Championship

Ever since WWE paused Del Rio's feud with Dolph Ziggler, the World Heavyweight Champion has been in limbo.  Alberto has just been feuding with whatever challenger WWE decides to throw at him.  Last month, it was Christian.  Now Rob Van Dam seems to be the flavour of the month.  Mr. Monday Night has been paired with the returning Ricardo Rodriguez to give the illusion that this feud was planned from the beginning.  The nice thing about this little feud, we will get to see WWE put over Del Rio's viciousness in a good bout against RVD.  Hopefully, Alberto can stop treading water very soon and move onto a full-blown program over the title rather than these little stints.

Prediction:  Alberto Del Rio retains

AJ Lee (c) vs. Natalya vs. Naomi vs. Brie Bella in a Fatal 4 Way Match for the Divas Championship

Thought we saw the last forced injection of Total Divas into WWE PPV programming at Summerslam?  Well think again because WWE is back at it.  Now they have mixed in the one thing that most wrestling fans hoped stayed very far away- the Divas Championship.  With AJ as champion, the Divas Title seemed to be gaining some semblance of prestige with the best wrestler in the Divas division holding it.  Time to throw in the Total Divas to screw everything up.  If AJ leaves Night of Champions with her reign intact, good for her.  Sadly, this writer does not see such an outcome happening.  Rather go with the best Diva on that stupid show, Natalya, to hold the Divas Title if we have to go with one Total Diva to win this bout.

Prediction:  Natalya wins the Divas Championship

CM Punk vs. Curtis Axel & Paul Heyman in a Handicap Elimination Match

CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar last month at Summerslam was a possibly the best match of the year.  With Brock's appearances used up for the moment, WWE has decided to put in Curtis Axel in this feud as a Lesnar replacement of sorts.  The only caveat being that Axel does not have anywhere close to the star power that Lesnar has.  Good thing, WWE has positioned this match around whether or not Punk will finally be able to get his hands on Paul Heyman.  Unless Axel and Heyman win, this writer does not see the Intercontinental Champion getting out of this match some damage to his current push.

Prediction:  CM Punk wins

Randy Orton (c) vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship

At Summerslam, the WWE Championship was stolen from Daniel Bryan's grasp by Triple H and Randy Orton.  Now it is time for the Beard to get some revenge.  Well everybody thought Bryan would get some comeuppance, but the American Dragon has been put through the ringer these past four weeks.  Being put through countless beatdowns on both Raw and Smackdown with only a few real moments of actual resistance, this feud has not currently done much to get Bryan more over than he already is.  Considering this program is set to last for a while, do not expect Bryan to regain the WWE Title just yet.  If WWE wants to keep this feud going without it growing stale quick, they need to start putting over Bryan rather than Triple H and Randy Orton.

Prediction:  Randy Orton retains

The Beard is Now: Review of WWE Summerslam 2013

With all the factors leading into Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena, there was no doubt something big would happen during the main event of Summerslam.  Cena and Bryan had one excellent match which saw each wrestler trade their biggest shots and a few unique maneuvers in a clean match-up.  After twenty minutes of great wrestling, Bryan finally put Cena down with a devastating knee to the head.  The resulting explosion of cheers at the Staples Center and in the theatre yours truly was watching from was incredible.  To finally see Daniel Bryan hold the WWE Championship, even for a moment, was an unbelievable experience.  Bryan's celebration lasted a couple minutes before Randy Orton and Triple H spoiled everything.  With a pedigree to Bryan, Orton cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to steal the WWE Title from the grasp of the American Dragon.  In one fell swoop, Randy Orton and Triple H turned from beloved superheroes to corporate goons.  While Bryan's moment may have been spoiled for the return of the Corporation, this new storyline looks to set-up Bryan as a main eventer in the WWE.  With John Cena out of action and CM Punk busy with Paul Heyman, it is time for WWE to push Daniel Bryan as the ultimate underdog who can stand toe-to-toe with the insurmountable forces of the McMahon's Corporation and their hand-picked champion.

To sum up Summerslam in one word, this writer would have to say exhausting.  Yours truly walked out of the theatre after watching Summerslam exhausted both physically and mentally.  The top three matches on the card (Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio, CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar and Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena) were extremely tense and incredibly immersing.  Hands down, these three matches are well worth spending your hard earned cash on watching Summerslam.  Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio is a spectacular World Title match.  CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar is a definite Match of the Year contender.  Last but not least, Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena along with the post match theatrics is an extraordinary main event.  The rest of the card is hit or miss.  None of these matches are below average although they are quite underwhelming when compared to the top three matches.

Bray Wyatt def. Kane in a Ring of Fire Match
Rating:  5.5/10

Cody Rhodes def. Damien Sandow
Rating:  7/10

Alberto Del Rio def. Christian to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
Rating:  9/10

Natalya def. Brie Bella
Rating:  5/10

Brock Lesnar def. CM Punk
Rating:  10/10

Dolph Ziggler & Kaitlyn def. Big E Langston & AJ Lee
Rating:  6.5/10

Daniel Bryan def. John Cena to win the WWE Championship
Randy Orton def. Daniel Bryan to win the WWE Championship
Rating:  9.5/10

Top to bottom, Summerslam 2013 has varying degrees of quality.  While there was nothing absolutely horrendous on the card, it is still a three match show.  Funny thing being that those three matches are among the best matches of 2013.  The varying quality really makes this year's Summerslam hard to put a rating on.  Summerslam delivered with every big match on the card, but fell short with the undercard.  Overall, Summerslam 2013 is a very enjoyable PPV which is definitely worth watching and even owning.  WWE Summerslam 2013 just irks out an 8 out of 10.

The Silver Report: Money in the Bank Fallout

Last week due to some unfortunate circumstances yours truly was not able to put up the Money in the Bank preview that he wanted.  This week I am back in full force to breakdown the incredible fallout for last week's pay-per view event.  From what I gathered from reports and reviews online, Money in the Bank was a good PPV.  It was not a knock out like Payback, but it had enough good matches and major developments to keep wrestling fans entertained for three hours.  Randy Orton and Damien Sandow walked away with the WWE and World Heavyweight briefcases respectively, Rob Van Dam made his triumphant return, John Cena lasted the World's Strongest Man, Alberto Del Rio scrapped a disqualification win over Dolph Ziggler and all hell broke loose in the WWE Money in the Bank Ladder match.  It was one big night for the WWE that got lots of momentum rolling towards Summerslam.  While Money in the Bank had a great number of major developments, it was last Monday's Raw that hammered home the fact that this coming Summerslam should be one to watch.  Personally, I only got the chance to watch the final hour and a half of the broadcast as I worked last Monday night, but what I watched was nothing short of phenomenal.  That hour and half went a long way in single-handedly selling Summerslam to the majority of wrestling fans, yours truly included.  If you missed last week's Raw, it is definitely worth looking for a replay of the broadcast just to experience it for yourself.

Punk vs. Lesnar, Give It To Me Now!!
Ever since Brock Lesnar hit an F5 on CM Punk, it was obvious Paul Heyman would turn on the Best in the World.  Money in the Bank was the implosion of Punk and Heyman's relationship as Heyman repeatedly smashed a ladder over Punk's head, which ended up costing the Straight-Edge Superstar his chance to win the briefcase.  With thirteen stitches in his head and hole in his heart, CM Punk marched his way down to the ring Monday night and demanded Paul Heyman to explain his actions.  What started out as a regular promo between Paul Heyman and CM Punk quickly escalated to downright personal levels.  Heyman made reference to their long standing relationship and how Punk's failures from earlier this year and his actions upon his return hurt the dastardly Heyman's feelings.  To teach CM Punk a lesson, Paul called upon Brock Lesnar to rough Punk up.  Those comments did not sit well with CM Punk as he warned Heyman that no matter who stands between them, Punk will destroy them all one by one starting with Brock Lesnar.  The verbal exchange between Punk and Heyman was bone chilling.  It has been a long time since this writer has seen this much animosity portrayed in the squared-circle and CM Punk and Paul Heyman played their parts masterfully.  This exchange could have easily sold a lot people on Summerslam, but that was not all.  With the call of "It's Clobberin' Time!", Heyman set forth the beast known as Brock Lesnar on Punk.  The ensuing brawl was incredible.  Punk and Lesnar beat the tar out of one another.  Lesnar definitely had the strength advantage as he was tossing Punk around like a rag doll, but the Straight-Edge Superstar was a tenacious fellow as he kept coming back with fists flying at Lesnar.  In the end, Lesnar would get the better of Punk thanks to a F5 onto the announce table, but this feud is not over by a long shot.  We still have four weeks until this two collide at Summerslam, but it is going to be hard to wait.  Already this feud is at a level that it could single-handedly sell Summerslam.  People want to see these two fight as it is next to impossible to tell who WWE will have go over as there is a strong case for both men.  Personally, I cannot wait to see more between Lesnar and Punk in the coming weeks.

Bryan's Chance to Capture WWE Championship Gold Is Here!!
Daniel Bryan may not of won the WWE Championship Money in the Bank briefcase last Sunday night, but he did manage to earn his way into the WWE Championship picture for Summerslam.  After weeks of dominating Raw's heavyweight division and the hearts of the WWE Universe, Daniel Bryan was given the chance to challenge for the WWE Title from the champion himself.  This past week on Raw, John Cena was given the opportunity to choose the next challenger for his WWE Championship by new Raw General Manager Brad Maddox.  Throughout the night, all the wrestlers in the locker room were making their case to be the next one in line for a shot at the WWE Championship.  Out of the entire locker room, Chris Jericho and Rob Van Dam made one of the most convincing cases with the wrestling clinic they put on right before Cena came out to do his promo.  As a side note, make time to watch Chris Jericho vs. RVD from last week's Raw as it was absolutely incredible.  After a long winded speech of John Cena teasing the audience with possible challengers, he made the announcement that he wants to fight Daniel Bryan at Summerslam.  It was an announcement that had everyone in the crowd and at home screaming "Yes" at the top of their lungs.  Daniel Bryan has been on one incredible roll this Summer and it would be amazing to see him end it out with the WWE Championship around his waist.  That moment could easily make the crowd in the Staples Center and those watching around the world completely explode in a way very reminiscent of when Punk won the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank 2011.  Hopefully WWE can make these dreams a reality once again.

WWE Money in the Bank 2013 Predictions

Saturdays do not seem to be my day.  For the last few weeks, something bad always seems to happen on Saturday for yours truly.  When I sat down to work on the preview for Money in the Bank tomorrow evening, the USB drive that I save all my blogs on started malfunctioning.  For the past few hours, I have tried anything and everything to get my USB working to no avail.  Just my luck, I have not backed up this USB in over a year.  So I am in a predicament and not in the greatest of moods.  On top of all my amazing USB problems, I just found out I cut my open earlier in the day.  Only took ten hours to notice it.  Sorry, I am not the most peachy at the moment.  What I am trying to explain is that due to my situation there will be no preview of WWE's Money in the Bank PPV.  It should be a good show so I will at least provide my predictions on the event.  Hopefully I can get all my problems sorted out by next weekend so the Silverdome can get back to normal.

Wade Barrett vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Damien Sandow vs. Antonio Cesaro vs. Fandango vs. Jack Swagger vs. Dean Ambrose in the World Heavyweight Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Prediction:  Wade Barrett wins

Curtis Axel (c) vs. The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship 
Prediction:  Curtis Axel retains

Chris Jericho vs. Ryback
Prediction:  Ryback wins

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler for the World Heavyweight Championship
Prediction:  Dolph Ziggler wins the World Heavyweight Championship

CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Christian vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus vs. Rob Van Dam in the WWE Championship Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Prediction:  Daniel Bryan wins

AJ Lee (c) vs. Kaitlyn for the Divas Championship
Prediction:  AJ Lee retains

John Cena vs. Mark Henry for the WWE Championship
Prediction:  John Cena retains

The Silver Report: June 23-30

Last Monday’s Raw was an odd one to say the least.  It started out with all cylinders rolling with a great angle this writer will get to later and an exciting tag team match.  Then Raw seemed to go up and down like a rollercoaster.  It was not consistently good or bad, just bouncing between the two extremes at a furious pace.  It did a fine job in setting up some matches for Money in the Bank, but it still was not a home run like the week before.  Just have to say that WWE has some great storylines building this early in the summer that this writer sees some great developments coming in the weeks ahead.  Some of these possible developments will be discussed in this edition of the Silver Report.  Hope you enjoy.

The Rise of the American Dragon

After the phenomenal year that Daniel Bryan had in 2012, there is no doubt that he is a bona-fide main eventer.  He might not have the unrealistic build that the WWE loves, but Daniel Bryan has something even more important- the unanimous support of the WWE Universe.  Ever since Daniel Bryan turned face as a part of Team Hell No, the fans have flocked to this guy.  Just listen to the huge pop Bryan gets when he explodes into his signature offensive flurry of kicks and a running clothesline.  It seems that some people higher up in the WWE are listening because Bryan is being seriously considered to challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship in the near future.  This Monday saw Daniel Bryan make a huge step towards eventually challenging for the WWE Title.  For the past week, Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton have been facing off in a number of matches with both men picking up the victory.  The rubber match was set to start Raw, but it did not turn out as expected as the match ended in double disqualification.  Not satisfied with a no decision, these two superstars faced off in a No Disqualification Match in order to settle the score once and for all.  Bryan and Orton put on a one incredible back-and-forth match.  Personally, this writer would have loved to see this match go just a little longer, but it still was absolutely amazing.  In the end, Daniel Bryan hooked in the No Lock with some extra leverage from a kendo stick for the win.  A well deserved win for the American Dragon as it builds tons of momentum for Money in the Bank where he will compete in the WWE Championship Money in the Bank Ladder match along with CM Punk, Kane, Randy Orton, Christian, Sheamus and Rob Van Dam.  Right now, Daniel Bryan is this writer’s favourite to win Money in the Bank.  Winning the Money in the Bank briefcase would be a great way for WWE to set up Bryan challenging for the WWE Championship.  Either through having Bryan cash the briefcase on Cena at Money in the Bank or cash it in for a match at Summerslam, all roads lead to another Money in the Bank win for the American Dragon and hopefully a run with the WWE Championship.

Punk Still a Heyman Guy… For Now

One of the biggest questions following Brock Lesnar’s attack on CM Punk last week was about Paul Heyman’s involvement in the whole ordeal.  When CM Punk entered the ring last Monday, he got right to business by calling out his best friend and manager, Paul Heyman.  After a little history lesson about these two’s relationship with one another, Paul Heyman gave his answer to the Best in the World.  That answer was he had no idea that Brock Lesnar would attack CM Punk and would never do anything to jeopardize his relationship with Punk.  From those watching both in the audience and at home, it was easy to see that Mr. Heyman was lying through his teeth and CM Punk should just knock out the walrus there and then.  For sake of the angle, Punk made the perfect move by accepting Heyman’s answer at this point in time.  People want to see Punk get his hands on Heyman, but to give that gratification so soon would just be disappointing.  The moment needs to be built for a couple more weeks before WWE decides to execute on it in order to set all gears for Punk vs. Lesnar.  The more they keep holding off Punk’s beat down on Heyman, the more anticipation will build towards that moment, which will make an even bigger pop when Punk hits the GTS on Heyman.  Be patient, the implosion of CM Punk and Paul Heyman’s relationship will come.  It will just take some time.

The Silver Report: June 16-22

Whenever the WWE goes to Chicago, the results are glorious.  Payback last Sunday was full of big developments that got the ball rolling on hopefully a great summer.  The return of CM Punk (in a match that has been raved as a classic), a surprising double turn between Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio and a set of new champions crowned are some of the reasons Payback may be one of the best PPVs of 2013 so far.  As great as Payback was, the following Raw was even better.  Setting a lot of compelling storylines in motion for Money in the Bank and Summerslam and the raucous crowd made it one of the better Raws of this year.  It also gave me tons to talk about for this week’s Silver Report.  As a side note, my hopes for the summer article has been canned due to how busy things have been combined with the fact that the developments of this past week killed quite a few of those hopes I would have elaborated on in the article.

Brock Lesnar, The Head of the WWE’s Welcoming Committee

What a great way to be welcomed back to the WWE with open arms and a F5.  24 hours after returning Sunday at Payback, CM Punk tasted the force of Paul Heyman’s Beast.  One F5 has kicked off a feud that will easily main event this year’s Summerslam and captivate many this summer.  Personally, this writer would love to see a rematch between Undertaker and CM Punk set for Summerslam yet this clash between these two Paul Heyman guys is just as enticing.  There is some great material for WWE to work off of due Punk and Lesnar’s association with Mr. Heyman.  The verbal sparring matches that we could possibly see between CM Punk and Paul Heyman, considering all signs point to him turning on Punk in the near future, will be nothing short of legendary.  This feud has only just begun so there are going to be bigger developments to come very soon.  This feud can be one to make or break this summer.

World’s Strongest WWE Champion?

News hit last Monday that Mark Henry would be retiring from the squared-circle.  Henry’s recent hiatus from the ring to rest from injuries was sign enough that the World’s Strongest Man would hang up his boots.  Speaking of boots, Henry even placed his boots at the top of the stage on Monday and came out in a bright pink blazer to give his retirement speech.  Henry’s speech induced tears, smiles and even chants as he had the audience wrapped around his finger.  John Cena, who Henry interrupted, came in to give Mark some time with the WWE Champions, a title that Henry has never held according to JBL’s commentary.  It would have been a sweet end for Mark Henry’s career, but the World’s Strongest Man goes out with a whimper, the World’s Strongest Man goes out with a bang.  Mark Henry drew John Cena in for one last handshake and hit the World’s Strongest Slam instead.  Once Cena plummeted to the mat, the realization hit that Mark Henry was not retiring.  It was all a ploy to lure in the WWE Champion and what a great ploy it was.  In one fell swoop, WWE Creative built a credible threat to John Cena’s WWE Championship and made Mark Henry a devious heel that will sink to the lowest of lows to get his way.  As much as it is a given that John Cena will walk out of Money in the Bank with the WWE Championship, Cena vs. Henry should be an interesting bout nonetheless.

The Return of the Whole Dam Show

The biggest news to come out of Payback last Sunday was not CM Punk’s return or the double turn, it was the announcement of Rob Van Dam’s return at Money in the Bank.  It was an incredible surprise as there were no rumours floating around the Internet about RVD returning that this writer saw.  It has been four years since RVD has been in a WWE ring so it will be nice to see what the Whole Dam Show has to offer.  Personally, I am a huge fan of RVD and I felt his run in TNA was disappointing due to how poorly TNA used him.  Hopefully WWE Creative can think of some interesting feuds to put RVD in especially considering how many up-and-coming stars he can work with in the WWE.  Since Money in the Bank will be in Philadelphia (the former home of the original ECW), RVD should get one outstanding pop from the crowd.  This writer personally hopes RVD is put in one of the Money in the Bank Ladder matches because it would be the best match for this veteran to show off all his exciting high-flying offence.

The Silver Report: May 26-June 1

Say goodbye to the month of May and hello to June.  We are just a few weeks away from the official start of summer and the Payback PPV.  Payback in the oh so glorious wrestling city of Chicago will be the beginning of the build-up for the Biggest Event of the Summer, Summerslam.  There is a lot to hope for this coming summer as we move out of a lackluster few months.  To hype up this summer, next week’s blog will be this writer’s Top 5 Hopes for the Summer.

Clash of the Best in Chi Town

CM Punk disappeared from WWE television just over a month ago after a rather cryptic promo.  What this promo meant was anybody’s guess, but we will not have to wait much longer.  Last Monday in Calgary, Chris Jericho hosted a special edition of the Highlight Reel with Paul Heyman as the guest.  While pleasantries were exchanged at first, Jericho quickly got down to business, the whereabouts of the self-proclaimed Best in the World.  Heyman tried to redirect Jericho’s questions, but nothing would deter Y2J.  Jericho kept pushing Heyman’s buttons by saying Punk no longer deserved the Best in the World moniker and getting the Calgary crowd to chant said moniker at Mr. Heyman.  Heyman would eventually succumb to Jericho’s mind games and accept Jericho’s challenge to face CM Punk at Payback.  While it has only been a year since CM Punk and Chris Jericho feuded over the WWE Championship, it is still exciting to see these two wrestle especially considering the roles have been reversed since their last feud.  This match at Payback looks to be more of a way to bring Punk back in time for the summer rather than the start of a summer long feud.  Either way, the match should be entertaining nonetheless.  Considering that Payback takes place in Punk’s hometown, the atmosphere surrounding this match should be nothing short of electric.  This story should keep many fans interested in the weeks ahead.

The Axel Begins to Turn

From the Shield to Fandango, this year has already seen a good number of fresh faces debut.  The latest to join the main WWE roster is Curtis Axel, the son of “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig and the grandson of Larry “The Axe” Hennig.  With the mentorship of the one and only Paul Heyman and the supposed backing of the WWE big wigs, Curtis Axel is primed to being pushed to the main event of the WWE.  Those plans are not for certain considering WWE executives love to change their minds on a dime.  Axel has gotten a win over Triple H (funny it took a week to tell the audience the result) and John Cena in his first two weeks on Raw.  While these wins have only been by count-out and knockout (I believe), they are wins nonetheless.  It will be interesting to see how Axel will be booked in the coming months.  It is nice to give him wins over main eventers like Cena and Triple H, but Axel will need some pinfall victories if Creative wants the fans to believe Axel is a bona fide main eventer.  This writer just hopes that Creative does not get scared when it comes to pulling the trigger on taking Axel to the next level like they are currently doing with Ryback.  Only time will tell if the Curtis Axel experiment is a success or failure.  Considering the WWE is in dire need of stars, expect Axel to be pushed heavily in the weeks and possibly months ahead.

The Silver Report: May 19-25

Extreme Rules marked the end of WrestleMania season.  Now we enter the dry spell, which are the spring months, as nothing big happens during these months.  Most of the bigger angles are left for the most important season after WrestleMania season, the summer.  The seeds for these angles are usually planted in the spring.  To see these seeds come to fruition can be absolutely exciting or excruciatingly boring.  As the WWE heads toward the new Payback PPV this coming June, it will be interesting to see if the spring slump takes hold this year.  

Game Over?

When you are the COO of the WWE, the question comes up whether you should still be competing as a wrestler anymore.  Over the past year that question has come up multiple times for Triple H.  While Triple H may still be a big star, the company has moved on from the point of needing him to sell an event.  Considering that Triple H is not the most enthusiastic about giving rubs to the younger talent, there is not much reason for him to stick around in a wrestling capacity.  Look no further than this past Monday when Triple H made his way out to interrupt the reveal of Paul Heyman’s newest client, Curtis Axel (the re-branded Michael McGillicutty).  Instead of making Axel look like a million bucks, Triple H made him look like a chump in the span of three minutes.  It did set up a match later in the night between Triple H and Curtis Axel, but that match did not go any better.  Triple H did absolutely nothing to put over Axel as Creative decided to do a concussion angle with Triple H about four minutes into their match.  The match went to a supposed No Contest and everybody was left confused as Raw came an abrupt ending.  If a concussion angle was planned, the least Creative could do was put over Axel in the process.  Have Axel beat Triple H in a quick five-minute match or have the referee call for the bell after Axel beats Triple H to the point where he cannot compete any longer.  There were definitely better ways to put together this angle, but we were left with one of the worst endings in Raw history possibly due to Hunter’s ego.  After this past Monday, it might just be time for Triple H to step away from the ring and take on the Mr. McMahon role that he is currently being groomed for.

The Ryback Situation

Well, the misfortunes of Ryback continue.  WWE must be scared to pull the trigger on a Ryback WWE Championship reign because they trying to find any way possible to keep it off of him.  While Ryback did not face defeat at Extreme Rules, he did not leave Extreme Rules in better standings as the Last Man Standing Match ended in a No Contest.  WWE has hit Ryback’s glass ceiling.  The only way to get him more over as a heel now is to destroy John Cena and take the WWE Championship.  As much as Ryback still has room to improve on both the mic and in the ring, he will not be able to improve if not given the opportunity to excel.  It might seem too early to place the title on Ryback considering he debuted only a year ago, but WWE has booked this powerhouse into a corner.  The only way to get Ryback out of that corner is to give him the WWE Title and see if he can run with it.  If Ryback cannot carry the title, there are ways to take the belt off of him.  To push Ryback so heavily and do next to nothing with him in the main event scene is a complete and utter waist.  With the right direction, Ryback could be WWE’s equivalent to a Goldberg-like monster.  Even though this writer may sound like a broken record by now, it is time to stop stalling and take the Ryback experiment to the next level.  A dominating victory in the Ambulance Match against Cena at Payback will be the best time to take that next step.

The Silver Report: The Problems with Raw

Watching Raw last Monday was nothing short of boring.  The matches were mediocre at best, the promos left a lot to be desired and overall the show left a bad taste in my mouth.  Having watched WWE programming for about a decade now, I know not every show will be a home run.  I just hope that there will be at least one thing worth watching each week.  Sadly, this week I got more entertainment from reading Chris Jericho’s Undisputed:  How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps (an excellent book by the way) than from watching Raw and that is just unacceptable.  Due to being bored out of my mind, it was very easy to pick out a lot of the problems that have been plaguing Raw for the past few months.  Instead of running down the biggest developments of the past week, I thought for this week’s edition of the Silver Report that I would highlight the three biggest problems that are holding Monday Night Raw and the WWE product back from being as good as it possibly could be.  There are plenty more problems that plague this company such as backstage politics and the inability to make main event caliber talent, but these three are the most visible in the product at this point in time.

John Cena

There are a great number of polarizing opinions on John Cena.  Personally, I am past hating the Face of the WWE.  I respect Cena’s ability in the ring, but his character is becoming like a broken record.  He has done the same carefree, head in the clouds, funny guy shtick night-in and night-out for over five years now.  Cena rarely shows any concern about the opponents he faces as he just makes fun of them and belittles them.  These actions have gotten so out of control that they are starting to damage the product.  When Cena does not take his opponents seriously, the fans do not believe said opponents have a chance of beating Cena.  This mentality kills fans’ excitement towards Cena’s matches and damages how fans perceive Cena’s opponents.  There is no doubt that John Cena is the biggest draw in the WWE, but the company has done everything there is to do with Cena as face that fans including this writer want to see some drastic changes in his character, hopefully a heel turn.  While I personally will not hold my breath for a John Cena heel turn, there needs to be some sort of change to Cena’s character.  He has to get more serious because his promo work outside of his feuds with Punk and Rock is simply atrocious and his attitude towards his opponents is doing more damage to the overall product than good.

Burying the Mid-Card Champions

There was a time a few years back when the mid-card championships meant something.  A time when the United States and Intercontinental Titles were more than just props; they were stepping stones on the way to the major WWE and World Heavyweight Championships.  Oh, how drastically the times have changed.  Nowadays, winning either the United States or Intercontinental Championship seals the champion’s fate as a jobber for the upper mid-card to main event level talent for their entire title reign.  Seeing these champions lose on live television every week damages the prestige of the championships and the credibility of the champions.  Eventually, fans stop believing that the champion deserves to even hold the title or that the championship means anything.  WWE seems to be puzzled about how it seems next to impossible to create stars like The Rock or Steve Austin in this day and age.  The fact of the matter is that continually feeding their up-and-coming stars including the United States and Intercontinental Champions to the likes of Sheamus, Randy Orton, Ryback and John Cena does not allow the fans to get behind the younger talent.  They just see these younger wrestlers and champions as being incapable of competing on the same level as their upper level talent.  WWE needs to learn soon that nobody is going to get behind a champion that loses each and every week.

Three Hour Runtime

When Raw went three hours to celebrate the 1000^th episode of the WWE’s flagship program, many people thought that going three hours would severely hurt the product.  For the first month, things were fine.  Raw was very entertaining as the WWE was giving more time for matches and bigger angles.  Once summer turned to fall, the novelty of a three hour Monday Night Raw every week quickly wore off.  Raw became a marathon to watch as the WWE added more filler to the show than there was ever needed.  With three hours of Raw and close to five hours of more WWE programming on every week, the WWE has too much programming for the current roster to fill.  So a lot of times, fans are left watching the same matches on a number of shows throughout the week.  Three hour Raws use to be special, but now they are nothing more than the norm.  It is easy to see due to the three hour runtime that the quality of the show and the WWE product has dropped.  Going back to the two hour format will not immediately solve this problem; the WWE needs to find a happy medium.  A possible solution is that the WWE keeps the three hour format, but make the first hour of Raw a pre-show, exclusive to WWE.com, that builds to two hour main program on TV.  You can keep all the filler, but regulate most of it to the pre-show rather than weighing down a main program.  Personally, I believe that the WWE can take the problem with the current three hour format and make it work if and only if they just take a step back and retool it.

The Silver Report: April 28 - May 4

Last week, I shared my Top 5 WWE Championship matches in honour of the WWE Championship’s 50^th anniversary.  This week, it is back to the regularly scheduled blogging after that little tangent.  It has been surprisingly refreshing to see WWE give more than three weeks to build a PPV.  We have had about a month of build so far for Extreme Rules with two more weeks to go.  Personally, I have not been keeping up with Smackdown for a while now, other than a match here or there, so I cannot talk about WWE programming as a whole.  Although I will say that Raw has been considerably watchable this last month and I believe it has to do with not having to cram close to six weeks of build into a mere three weeks.  Now WWE just needs to start confirming matches for Extreme Rules so they have a card to promote outside of the three matches that have already been set in stone.

A Chink in Super Cena’s Armour

After being on tour in Europe the week prior, WWE returned to North America to get on with normally scheduled television tapings and live events.  Upon returning, news broke that John Cena had injured his Achilles tendon while on tour in Europe.  Fans and critics alike feared the worse for the current WWE Champion because this type of injury can be especially dangerous, just ask Edge.  It left the plans for Raw up in the air as many speculated if John Cena would be on the show and whether the injury was severe enough to vacant the WWE Title.  Good news for Cena fans and bad news for Cena haters, John was on Raw and scheduled to team with Ryback to face off with the Shield.  Ryback would back out of the handicap match due to Cena’s injury so the match was changed to Team Hell No and John Cena vs. the Shield.  The match was great as everybody played up John Cena’s injury.  From Daniel Bryan and Kane intentionally avoiding tagging Cena in to Seth Rollins taunts towards Cena, the idea that John Cena is not even close to 100 percent was performed perfectly by everybody in the match.  Also Cena did an admirable job in selling his ankle injury, which led right into the finish with Cena’s ankle giving out to set up Roman Reigns to hit the Spear and get the pin.  While it might be difficult to let another big name take some time off, this injury serves as a perfect way to have John Cena drop the title to Ryback at Extreme Rules.  Having Ryback possibly targeting the ankle during their match or even doing an angle with Ryback “breaking” John Cena’s ankle would provide excellent set-up for Cena’s eventual return match while making Ryback looking like a bigger heel.  With John Cena out to heal for a few months, WWE could have Ryback feud with Chris Jericho, Daniel Bryan or even Kane in order to give Ryback some momentum heading into an eventual rematch with Cena.  There is a crack in the seemingly impervious armour of Super Cena and WWE has an excellent opportunity to use this rare occurrence to create a new unstoppable heel and a potential main event caliber rematch.

Three Men, Three Ladders, One Title

In the right hands, a ladder can make the highest objects reachable.  In the wrong hands, it can be one of the most inventive weapons out there.  In the hands of wrestlers, a ladder is used both the right way and the wrong way, but nevertheless it is always enjoyable.  Ladder matches are an easy way of providing tension as competitors scale ladders in order to reach a title, briefcase or any other object hanging above the ring before their opposition.  How does WWE make a Triple Threat Match between the three men fighting for the World Heavyweight Championship better; they add ladders to the mix.  Alberto Del Rio, Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger have all competed in a Ladder match or two during their time in the WWE.  Due to their experience in Ladder matches, there is no doubt that these three can put on a Ladder match that could easily steal the show at Extreme Rules.  Making this Triple Threat match a Triple Threat Ladder match was a great decision on WWE Creative’s part as it has surely raised the interest in the World Heavyweight Championship match at Extreme Rules.  Now we just need a few more gimmick matches like this one that are worthy of being on Extreme Rules and we could have a great PPV on our hands.

Top 5 WWE Championship Matches

Last week marked the 50^th anniversary of the WWE Championship.  To celebrate this monumental milestone for their premier championship, the WWE decided to put quite a few features about the WWE Championship on WWE.com.  One of the features that caught my attention was the WWE’s Top 50 WWE Championship Matches.  I skimmed through the entire list and it was just okay.  There were quite a few matches on the list such as John Cena vs. JBL from Judgment Day 2005 and John Cena vs. Batista from Over the Limit 2010 that should not have been on the list while some excellent matches such as John Cena vs. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Micheals from Taboo Tuesday 2005 and John Cena vs. Edge vs. Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels from Backlash 2007 that were omitted from the list.  From looking at that list, I was inspired to share what I consider the greatest WWE Championship matches I have ever watched.  It was hard to cut this list down to just five matches, but here are the Silverdome’s Top 5 WWE Championship Matches in honour of the WWE Championship’s 50^th anniversary.

5.  The Rock vs. Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker- Vengeance 2002

When people think of the greatest matches of all-time, they focus more on the one-on-one encounters that the multi-man matches such as Triple Threats and Fatal 4 Ways do not get their chance to shine.  Multi-man matches can be as or more thrilling than singles matches due to the addition of more competitors.  The Triple Threat Match between The Rock, Kurt Angle and the Undertaker over the WWE Undisputed Championship at Vengeance 2002 is among the greatest Triple Threat Matches of All-Time.  The insane pace of the match keeps your eyes glued to the screen and the incredible chemistry these three have keeps you smiling.  It is an incredible match that sees each competitor steal each other’s finishing moves (The Rock executing a Chokeslam and the Ankle Lock, Undertaker performing the Angle Slam and Kurt Angle hitting the Rock Bottom).

4.  CM Punk vs. John Cena- Money in the Bank 2011

Hands down, this match is one of the greatest moments in WWE history.  CM Punk walked into his hometown of Chicago with the entire crowd on his side to challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship.  In less than three hours, Punk’s contract with the WWE was set to come to an end.  The circumstances gave the Straight-Edge Superstar the chance to do the unthinkable, leave the WWE with their biggest prize in tow.  Fans around the globe wanted to see Punk walk out of the WWE with the WWE Championship and all made sure they were able to watch this match just to that moment.  Holding their breath for every near fall, pulling their hair out with every kick out and screaming at every big move hit; the emotion this championship match induced can hardly be matched.  The final jump for joy every wrestling fan in the crowd and at home did when Scott Armstrong’s hand came down for the three count was unforgettable.  CM Punk vs. John Cena from Money in the Bank 2011 is the best WWE Championship match of the Modern Era.

3.  Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart- Summerslam 1994

Bret and Owen Hart worked some of the greatest displays of technical wrestling this business has seen.  When WWE decided to put these two in a Steel Cage for one of the main events of Summerslam 1994, fans were given possibly the greatest wrestling match to take place in the confines of a Steel Cage.  Bret and Owen used the structure of the Steel Cage to the fullest.  This match is what the WWE should use as inspiration for how to put on a Steel Cage match now.

2.  John Cena vs. Edge- Unforgiven 2006

Each era in wrestling has a rivalry that defines it.  Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage in the late 80s, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart in the mid 90s, Stone Cold and The Rock in the early 2000s are only a few examples over the years.  When John Cena stepped up as the Face of the WWE, the WWE needed somebody to counter everything Cena represented.  That somebody was the Rated R Superstar Edge.  John Cena and Edge would put on some excellent matches throughout their entire rivalry, but this TLC Match from Unforgiven 2006 stands out as the best match these two ever put on and one of the best WWE Championship matches of the 2000s.

1.  Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit- Royal Rumble 2003

Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit have put on some of the most spectacular showcases of technical wrestling to grace the squared-circle.  This classis from Royal Rumble 2003 is hands down the greatest showcase that these wrestlers put on.  Countless number of holds, counters, near falls and grueling submissions kept fans in awe of their performance.  From the opening bell to the standing ovation the Boston crowd gives once the match is over, everything about this match sums up the wrestling excellence that the WWE Championship represents.