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

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.

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: April 14-20

As we move farther away from WrestleMania, we move closer to the WWE’s next PPV extravaganza, Extreme Rules.  The fallout from the Biggest PPV of the Year always gets settled at the event where all the rules are thrown out the window.  Programs begin to gear up for big gimmick matches that will either enthrall fans with excitement or alienate them with their absurdity.  Hopefully, WWE can put together a card that has a set of gimmick matches that fans would pay to see like Ladder and Extreme Rules matches rather than Blindfold and Tuxedo matches.  Where WrestleMania has become much more focused on the entertainment side of sports-entertainment, Extreme Rules is WWE’s chance to focus more on sports side.  Keying into what the core fan is looking for could easily make Extreme Rules one of the best PPVs of the year yet again.

Step Aside Cena, Ryback’s Time is Now

The Raw following WrestleMania 29 ended with the image of Ryback standing over a Shellshocked John Cena with WWE Title in hand.  While many fans could care less if Ryback is face or heel as long as he kicks as much butt as possible, the commentators pushed the question of why Ryback would attack John Cena.  The simple answer would be Ryback wants a shot at John Cena, but the WWE decided to go in a different direction.  The WWE decided to construct this John Cena vs. Ryback feud from past encounters between John Cena, Ryback and The Shield.  The taped promo of Ryback explaining his actions was very well done.  It got the point across that Ryback is sick and tired of being held down and is now only out for himself.  The “John Cena turned his back on Ryback” part of the argument would have been a little more effective if the WWE did more to build an actual friendship between Cena and Ryback in the months leading up to WrestleMania other than teaming up on a few occasions.  While there is some nitpicking about Ryback’s new heel persona, I personally believe it is the best direction the WWE can go with the character at this point in time because they have exhausted the options they could go with the Goldberg-lite face persona.  At least, having Ryback work as a heel gives him some more character than his one-dimensional “Feed Me More” act.  With the direction the WWE has gone with Ryback since last October, it is about time to give this behemoth from Sin City a crack at holding the WWE Championship.  Ryback has lost every PPV match he has been in since Hell in a Cell, give the guy a break and let him beat Cena for the WWE Title.  Wrestling fans have seen enough of Cena as WWE Champion so it is time for him to step aside and give a rub to a guy that could possibly be one of the next big stars in the WWE in Ryback.  Love him or hate him, all roads lead to Ryback leaving Extreme Rules as WWE Champion.  If Ryback does not beat John Cena at Extreme Rules, WWE would have buried Ryback deep into a hole that he will never recover from.

Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H, Round 3

Brock Lesnar won the first round last summer in Los Angeles.  Triple H evened up the score at one apiece at WrestleMania 29.  After making a surprise appearance this week on Raw by dismantling 3MB, Brock Lesnar and his manager Paul Heyman made the challenge to Triple H for their third and hopefully final match at Extreme Rules.  This match will not be anything goes or no holds barred like their two previous encounters; Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H III will be set inside the annals of a Steel Cage.  We still have to wait until Triple H officially accepts the match before saying anything is set in stone, but WWE would not waste an appearance by Lesnar if this match was not going to happen at Extreme Rules.  While yours truly has not been very enthusiastic about the last two matches between Brock Lesnar and Triple H, I was caught completely off-guard by this challenge that I am actually looking forward to this match.  Even if this match falls flat on its face, it is a big match that will easily get more buys for Extreme Rules than any other match on the card.  Now WWE just needs to find a way to get Team Hell No and the Undertaker vs. The Shield in some type of gimmick match on Extreme Rules if they really want to see buys for Extreme Rules skyrocket.

The Silver Report: May 6-12

Border Wars this weekend and Over the Limit this coming weekend.  It is a busy week in wrestling.  Also WrestleMania 28 finally comes out on DVD here in Canada tomorrow so there will be no Silver Report for next week.  In the place of the Silver Report will be my review of WrestleMania 28 along with a quick preview for Over the Limit.  It has been a busy week so this week’s Silver Report will be a little shorter than usual.

Don’t Cross the Boss

With John Cena not at Raw this past week, John Laurinaitus focused his attention on putting the rest of the WWE roster on notice.  The GM of both Raw and Smackdown made it clear that whoever does not respect him and also makes fun of his voice will face severe consequences.  First, Big Show made fun of Laurinaitus’ voice and was humiliated in front of the entire WWE Universe by Eve.  Next was CM Punk, who Laurinaitus booked in a Handicap Match against Lord Tensai and Daniel Bryan in the main event.  Punk fought valiantly against the No.1 Contender to the WWE Championship and Laurinaitus’ hired wrecking ball, but ultimately came up short as he fell to Tensai’s claw.  In preparing to face Cena at Over the Limit, Laurinaitus has sent a message to the entire locker room.  Don’t cross him or face the consequences.  We will just have to see what happens tonight on Raw.

Heyman is Back, Lesnar Quits

Ever since Lesnar came back to the WWE, many fans have been anticipating the return of Brock’s longtime manager, Paul Heyman.  These fans finally found out as Paul Heyman made his surprise return to WWE last week to read a statement from his client, Brock Lesnar.  To sum things up, Brock Lesnar has “quit” the WWE.  In order to keep Lesnar off of WWE programming for a while and not use up all his dates, WWE has decided to go this route with the story.  I have no doubt that is building towards Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H at Summerslam, but how we get there is up in the air.  I do believe that Paul Heyman will play an integral part as he will be Brock’s voice while Lesnar is kept off of TV and PPV.

Everybody Wants a Shot at the Great White

On this past Raw, there was a tag match with Sheamus and Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio and Chris Jericho.  It was a heated contest that saw Jericho getting the pinfall victory over the World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus.  After the match, everything broke down Laurinaitus’ office as Jericho, Orton and Del Rio all were bickering over who deserved a shot at the World Title.  Laurinaitus solved the problem by making the World Title match at Over the Limit a Fatal 4 Way.  While feeling just thrown together just for the sake of it, this Fatal 4 Way match should be excited considering the talent in the match.