Road to Royal Rumble 2014

(9 year anniversary of this blog; for those who have been here awhile, thanks for putting up with me; I'll keep going if you will.  Hell, even if you won't.)

Survivor Series 2013 was here.

Royal Rumble 2014 is headed to you from Pittsburgh.

The main event segment the night after Survivor Series is the announcement of Danielson’s opponent at the Rumble in the aftermath of the draw from the night before.  Throughout the night, without comment from the announce, we see clips from the two previous Montreal matches (Survivor Series ’97, Wrestlemania Silver) when we head to commercial breaks. 

At the end of the night, all 3 members of the championship committee (the three losers, not coincidentally, from the first Montreal match 16 years previous) pop up on the video wall as four men come to the ring and the main event gets announced.

WWF Title: Montreal Match: Bryan Danielson v. Brock Lesnar v. Jack Swagger v. CM Punk

A reminder of the rules, it’s a one fall tornado submission match – winner gets the belt, loser leaves town.

The heaviness of the stakes is illustrated by Bret on the video wall – this isn’t some bullshit stip – when Bret lost, he left and it was effectively the end of his WWF career.  5 years ago Jeff Hardy lost – and he’s not here anymore.  One of the four men in the ring will not be here after the Rumble. (Incidentally, Owen and Matt were the winners, so that's not a great deal either.  Montreal Curse.)

The build looks to tell the story of each guy – Danielson’s at the height of his career, two time WWF champ, and at the most jeopardy here, he’s in a rivalry with both Lesnar and Punk, and you have to believe he’s an enormous scalp for any of the opponents – “the one who cost Danielson his WWF career” is an appellation that is in the first line of a Hall of Fame intro.  For his part, Danielson’s focused on Punk – it’s time to rid GDI of Punk the same way he did Low Ki.  He keeps his belt, he eliminates Punk, and he goes to WM 30 as the best wrestler in the world.

Lesnar and Swagger both have Heyman, and he sets up their strategy, let Danielson and Punk beat the hell out of each other, then beat whichever submits first.  Doesn’t matter which of them wins the belt – as long as they work together, a Paul Heyman Guy is champ and one of our biggest rivals leaves.  

It’s a huge opportunity, a gift.  When talking just to Lesnar, Heyman says of course he’s going to win, he gets his belt back, Swagger’s young, his time will come, he’ll be great to watch Lesnar’s back at WM 30.  When talking to Swagger, Heyman says his time has now, he was the star of Underground, and when he wins the title, Lesnar can watch his back at WM 30. 

Punk says it’s the biggest night of his life, he hates Danielson and feels he has something to prove against Lesnar (note, real world Punk in his recent Cabana podcast talked about concussions, and that’s an element of Punk coming out of that Lesnar match, please recall) he gets one to submit, wins his 4^th WWF Title, then beats the other one at WM 30. 

Each man gets a tuneup match on a Fight Night.  A pick your own opponent match.  Danielson beats Sydal.  Swagger beats McIntyre.  Lesnar doesn’t know anyone, so Heyman picks Harper in a No DQ match that’s more competitive than Brock expects, Harper just goes right after him, his brawling style clearly rattling Brock, and the other Wyatts swarm on Lesnar, giving it a 3 on 1 feel (Bray watches) for a few minutes.  Swagger is needed to aid Brock in dispatching Cena and Virgil and Brock eventually regroups and goes over strong.  Heyman says Brock needed this kind of tuneup and needed to learn to trust Swagger when he was under assault.  Heyman is euphoric about this match.  

Brock less so. 

Punk loses to Claudio. 

Claudio goes over everyone he faces as The Hey Movement builds (the giant swing is now called Hey Fever), none as important as this clean win over Punk – Punk is shocked postmatch, having to hear the “Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey” chants directed at him as the show ends.

Montreal Match – probably enough to carry the Rumble.  But there’s more.

IC Title: Triple Threat Match: Dean Ambrose v. Nick Nemeth v. Sheamus

Tags: The Shield (Black/Langston) v. The Wyatt Family (Cena/Virgil)

The Usos v. Fandango Curtis/Ryback/Rowan

Bray Wyatt v. Damien Sandow

The night after Survivor Series, The Shield cuts a “we’re going to the Rumble to be the first tag team in twenty years to hold the title for a year” promo – Young Money just fell short, Division One just fell short – but once The Shield wins at the Rumble, they’ll go to 30 champions for a year.

We cut to the back to see the Usos – Jimmy and Jey ask Reigns if it’s time – he says hell yeah it’s time – and they walk to the ring. 

But they don’t make it – the Wyatts “we’re here” hits and they appear in the aisle to cut the Usos off.  

That’s a full brawl in the aisle, leaving the Shield to momentarily relax – until they’re attacked from behind by three returning men – Nemeth, Sheamus, and Kidd.

That allows a mix and match of four groups in this build, largely to have the kind of workrate matches real world WWE got out of their tag mix at the time. The only matchup to avoid is Usos v. Shield.

We wind up with the Wyatts getting the tag title shot – Cena and Virgil the opponents.  Harper wanted the shot but Bray says he is too valuable in Bray’s corner against Sandow.  At this point, the announce isn’t saying who Virgil is, but he stopped hiding the offense in the match against Defiance, and now it’s more of a “we know who this man is, but we don’t know for sure, so we don’t want to speculate”. 

There’s no rift with the Shield, even though it’s a big match, Ambrose has the IC to defend and just can’t be in the tag title defense – but by now Langston has proven himself as the power man in the trio (Black’s the cross fit monkey with the most seasoning of the group as an ROH Champ, he views himself as the best wrestler in the world, Ambrose is half psychotic with a twinkle in his eye, in the Piper/Pillman line of heels).  Keep in mind WWF tag matches are relaxed rules, so there has to be concern that the rest of the Wyatts will make an impact.

The Usos take the secondary role at the Rumble, but if they beat the Underground group of Curtis/Ryback/Rowan then they get the Shield at 30, whether they are holding the titles or not. 

Speaking of Underground, both Nemeth and (way back at the beginning of 2013) Kidd were taken out by The Shield, they come back with Sheamus who was swerved by Langston back at 29.  So it’s a revenge oriented group – Sheamus and Nemeth both have yet to get rematches after losing their IC belts, so they both get the shot at the Rumble (one fall to that finish, just like the main event). 

It seems like the deck is stacked against Ambrose, but the Sheamus/Nemeth dynamic has changed a little bit.

Nemeth, as you know, is now a babyface – and as 2013 has unfolded, the rest of Underground as essentially gone with him.  But Sheamus has been gone for most of that, and when he left, he was a heel and remains a heel.  Nemeth and Sheamus (and Barrett) was the cornerstone of the Underground alliance, Nemeth was the clear top guy flanked by the other two.  Nemeth won the WWF Title and the Triple Crown, and already prone to cockiness – now he’s a cocky babyface, which adds to the degree his sort of “look at me” pretty boy demeanor might grate on a no nonsense brawler like Sheamus. 

Their competing philosophies are seen in the rest of Underground (so, guys like Curtis/Ryback/Rowan start wrestling like heels, while Sandow, who effectively replaced Sheamus as Nemeth’s guy this year, remains a face).  It isn’t full on warfare or anything, but it clear there’s a difference of opinion that, we wonder, might play out at the Rumble.

The Wyatt/Sandow match is the run off from the mixing and matching among all four of these groups, Sandow is getting moved back to the pack with the return of Sheamus, and Bray notices and makes it a feature of what is a very limited program. 

Fight For Your Right Matches:

Rey Mysterio v. Dos Caras, Jr.

Claudio Castagnoli v. Leviathan Dave Batista

Ka$h Kingston v. Truth Killings

Winners go to 30, losers do not. 

The Mysterio match is about Vickie Guerrero – Rey says he’s watched Dos Caras treat her terribly for a year, and Eddy Guerrero’s widow deserves better.

Vickie gets to be the star of the build – she does her shrill character to mock Rey, and we need to see her as a Miss Elizabeth like woman bullied by a wrestler.  Dos Caras is, as you’d expect, put off by Mysterio trying to get between him and Vickie, he’s edgy, angry in this build, some of that is taken out on Vickie whenever it appears she’s entertaining Mysterio’s claims that she needs to get away from him. 

Claudio’s already been discussed.  “Hey….Hey….Hey….Hey, Hey, Hey, HeyHeyHey”  Batista’s back from Hollywood, he’s got the pink shirt and the sunglasses, he says he doesn’t really know who Claudio is, but he’ll beat him at the Rumble, then go to Mania, maybe win the legends match, hell, maybe win the IC like his good friend Dwayne and take it back to LA for 9 months. 

The other match is part of a build for a specific Mania 4 way; and the other 3 matches take place in the build.

Yoshi Tatsu d. Matt Sydal

Primo Colon d. Epico Colon

Tyson Kidd d. Justin Gabriel

Note the cutthroat nature of these matchups – it’s brother vs. brother (not unlike the top two matches on the Rumble card; it’s Royal Rumble Fratricide) that demonstrates the importance of WM 30 – and these should all be “they’ll do anything to get on the card” matches.

One left, it’s old tag partners from Young Money, Kingston and Killings for a spot in the Mania 4 way. 

Last match:

No DQ: PAUL v. Miz

We find out that there isn’t going to be a spot for the Clique at 30, the first time since Shawn’s first Mania (5) that there won’t be a Clique match – a quarter century of Clique, ended.

In the build are taped pieces from Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, Kevin Nash discussing their favorite Clique memories at Mania.  Miz is pissed at HHH-M, what good is having friends in high places if they can’t even get on the card.  And Hunter’s trying to negotiate with Shawn – as it’s the decision of the championship committee that gets us here.  We get one video wall appearance from Shawn in the build where he has to actually appear for cross talk with Hunter – Hunter has already tried threatening, but we find out that the championship committee has the final say (we understand that it’s what keeps them with WWF as opposed to heading somewhere else) and contractually can’t be overruled by the McMahons. 

Hunter’s able to negotiate a match at the Rumble, if Miz can beat PAUL in a No DQ match, then the Clique gets a spot. 

Here’s the card.

WWF Title: Montreal Match: Bryan Danielson v. Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) v. Jack Swagger (w/Heyman and Bellas) v. CM Punk

IC Title: Triple Threat Match: Dean Ambrose v. Nick Nemeth v. Sheamus

Tags: The Shield (Black/Langston) v. The Wyatt Family (Cena/Virgil w/Harper)

Fight For Your Right Matches:

Rey Mysterio v. Dos Caras, Jr. (w/Vickie and Ricardo)

Claudio Castagnoli v. Leviathan Dave Batista

Ka$h Kingston v. Truth Killings

Bray Wyatt (w/Harper) v. Damien Sandow

No DQ: PAUL v. Miz

The Usos v. Fandango Curtis/Ryback/Rowan

Not a bad deal.

I’m back in January with the show, then February and March with the build to 30.  

Survivor Series 2013

The build is here.

Survivor Series comes to you from Boston. 

Joey and Regal is your announce team.

(Dark: Sydal/Tatsu d. Pac/Generico)

The show opens with Austin’s glass breaking, he comes to the ring, Michaels and Bret appear on the video wall.  This is the championship committee, they don’t appear on television, both because a little goes a long way with authority figures and because their real world deals don’t support more than the slightest number of appearances.  Any TVs they do are “live” via satellite that can all be taped the same day for the run of several months.  Bret will do one tomorrow for RAW.

Michaels appeared to open Summer Slam, Bret will open the Rumble. 

Austin’s here to tell us about “fight for your right to 30” because the underlying idea of the championship committee is they’re a little grumpy about life being too easy for the current wrestlers (they don’t beat us over the head with it, but if you’re going to have babyface authority figures they need to present some type of obstacle, and because retired athletes always play the “back in my day” card) and Austin’s the only one who can get away with the thirty year old Beastie Boys reference. 

At the Rumble (and before) will be play in matches to get a spot at WM 30, the biggest show, of course, in wrestling history (quick note, there is no way we’re giving it away for free on the Network, no way in the world) and therefore it shouldn’t be easy to get a spot.

The loser of tonight’s IC match will have to fight for his right to 30.  The loser of Swagger/Claudio will have to fight for his right to 30.  Two former champions return to fight for their right – former IC Champ Matt Sydal, former tag champ The Leviathan Dave Batista.  Win or lose tonight – Dos Caras, Jr. will fight for his right to 30 – and will do so by taking on a Triple Crown Winner who volunteered, volunteered to earn his spot – Rey Mysterio, Jr.

Rey’s been gone for months, his target return was 30 – but he makes a surprise appearance now, just coming out to the top of the ramp to wave.  Tomorrow on RAW he starts calling out Dos Caras with the desire to expose who Caras is to Vickie. 

That ends the segment.  More “fight for your right” matches to come. 

1.       Wyatt Family (Harper/Virgil w/Bray) d. Defiance (Orton/Cody w/Bernard)

-There are two reveals coming in this match; important for every Wyatt match is we tell the story that Bray controls the rest of the family.  Here, Bernard gets involved more than Bray does, surprising the announce because there are “relaxed rules” in WWF tags and this seems like an obvious spot – but he stays on the rocking chair, Harper and Virgil (in masks always) look to Bray, but he keeps rocking.

The spot that gets delayed is Cody vs. Virgil – and pretty quickly Cody gets freaked out, something’s not quite right, he’s particularly bothered by Virgil, enough that after a particularly telling spot (a move that’s a signature from someone who maybe Cody knows) he bails out on the side of the ring with Bray – who leaps from the chair to take him out, then tosses him back to the ring for the easy pin from Virgil.

Bernard hits the ring and the brawl is on – John Cena, last seen carried off by the Wyatts runs down for what would seemingly be a save, but he is motioned to stop by Bray – who then hands Cena a mask, Cena puts it on, enters the ring, and joins the Wyatt Family in beating down Defiance (including, of course, his old partner, Orton, with whom he’s had virtually no interaction over the years). 3 masked Wyatts led by Bray stand tall over Defiance. 

2.       Dos Caras, Jr. (w/Vickie and Ricardo) d. Joe Hennig

Caras is in a foul mood after finding he is stuck in a play in match against Mysterio at the Rumble, he takes that out on Curt Hennig’s kid, for whom creative doesn’t have much after this match.  Caras as asshole to Vickie is secondary story of the match, so we can ready for the next program.

3.       Usos (Jimmy/Jey) d. Ryback/Rowan

4.       Roman Reigns Uso d. Miz

Uso time; they wound up in the middle of the Clique v. Underground feud that spun of from Nemeth/Christian, they clean up the effluvia here.  Jimmy and Jey go over Ryback and the debuting Rowan; Miz is in full chickenshit mode and shows that Reigns is still green – but his athleticism is too much, and he goes over with the Superman punch.  The three Usos hit their dance when its all over.

5.       Jack Swagger (w/Heyman and Bellas) d. Claudio Castagnoli

The “Hey Movement” continues to grow – Claudio points at Swagger “hey” points at Heyman “hey” – points at himself “hey” – hits his uppercuts “hey” “hey “hey” – does his giant swing “heyyyyyyy….heyyyyyyyy……heyyyyyy”.  This is a complete screwjob, the Bellas do the ref distraction, Heyman hands Swagger a foreign object – it’s a full on, no question screwjob.

Claudio is able to shrug that off postmatch and get the hey chant going again.  Hard to  bother Claudio. 

6.       Tags: The Shield (Black/Langston) d. KTFO (Henry/PAUL)

7.       IC: Dean Ambrose d. Ka$h Kingston

The Shield wins both of these match, unsurprisingly – the tag match goes pretty quickly, Kingston gets a couple of death defying spots in before going down.  All three members of the Shield hit their pose postmatch – it’s interrupted by the Usos, who come down halfway, Reigns telling the other two “not yet, we wait” – and that confrontation is again postponed.

8.       WWF Title: Bryan Danielson draw CM Punk

No finish in the main event of what is largely a one match show.  I would have bundled Survivor Series with the Rumble for purchase this year for this reason, this show’s designed to be a little disappointing and that show ain’t. 

Recall, at the beginning of Summer Slam, Bret announced a 30 minute time limit for all matches going forward?  That gets teased occasionally, whenever we’ve gotten to 20 minutes, the Fink has said “ten minute time limit remaining” – but hasn’t been used until here. 

Punk opens this match by offering a smirking handshake, a ROH reference, Danielson accepts it and then they immediately start throwing punches.  They do the best brawling style of match they can do – when the time limit expires, both men look for “5 more minutes” but a decision to grant that never comes – as Lesnar and Swagger come to the ring and kill them both dead.

It’s Lesnar’s first appearance since dropping the belt at Summer Slam, so that gets the expected pop – and they destroy Danielson/Punk, which gets the reaction it gets. 

Show ends with Swagger grabbing the belt, holding it over his head while posing with The Bellas as Lesnar looks on. 

Back next month with the build for Rumble 2014 – your main event (revealed tomorrow on RAW) is probably not a surprise, Montreal Match 3, a four way tornado submission match where the winner becomes the champ and the loser leaves town.

Danielson v. Punk v. Lesnar v. Swagger

TNA Slammiversary 2014

Lockdown is here.

TNA World Title: James Storm d. Austin Aries

X Title: Samoa Joe d. Davey Richards

Tags: Sanada/Extreme Tiger (w/Muta) d. Bubba/Lashley

Jeff Hardy d. Eddie Edwards

Ken Kennedy d. Eric Young

Crazzy Steve d. Ion

Kenny King/TJ Perkins d. EC3/Magnus

EC3/Magnus d. Von Erichs

From the bottom, the two young teams are feuding - Magnus and EC3 have to win their way into the match against King and Perkins - they do, but to whom they lose.  Steve beats Ion.  

Kennedy represents Future Endeavors, he goes over Young.

Also from FE is Jeff Hardy, he has a 50/50 match with Edwards of the Wolves, when a man wearing Jeff's Blood Dragon mask runs in from the front row, hits a twist of fate on Edwards, and Jeff gets the pin.  He unmasks as Matt -Matt and Jeff have been feuding for years, both in WWF and TNA, but now, upon the unmasking, Matt and Jeff embrace, and the Hardys are once again united.

Sanada and Extreme Tiger, of Team Muta, keep the belts over the FE team of Bubba and Lashley when Sanada pins Lashley.  

Joe regains the X title for the Horsemen, beating Richards in what should be the workrate match.

And the Horsemen continue their big night, Storm becomes the 20th TNA World Champion with a win over Aries.

I will do Bound for Glory, with the expected main event of Storm against TNA's first ever World Champion, Low Ki.  If it's the last show, that's how we'll promote it.  

I'm back in November with Survivor Series 2013

Road to Survivor Series 2013

Summer Slam was here.

This is the first post since my brother Joe died; our relationship was largely based on wrestling, I was 11-12 when I started watching in ’82-83, he a half dozen years younger, so I was able to keep from him that it was worked for the first couple of years.  He eventually lapsed as a fan when I went away to school until I showed him the two important matches from Westlemania X. We went through the late 90s together, watching almost every “Attitude era” Raw-Nitro-Thunder-ECW weekly show together and, on a regular basis for over a decade, we’d meet up to watch whatever the current hot independent or puroresu matches were.  Tommy Dreamer bled on us at an ECW show; we got kicked out of a WWF show; we met Bam Bam Bigelow together and Joe’s who I called when I found out about Eddy and then Benoit. 

He got out (I assume I never will) right before the Punk promo a couple of years ago and I don’t even know if he knew about Danielson going over at 30.  I could have called him. I didn’t. 

I started this story ten years ago, life happens. Death too, miserably. 

Back to the show.  Survivor Series 2013 is coming in November from Boston

WWF Title: Bryan Danielson v. CM Punk

Jack Swagger (w/Heyman and Bellas) v. Claudio Castagnoli

The main event of RAW the night after Summer Slam is Punk’s appearing on the Heyman Hustle.  Paul (still wearing the neckbrace, still with Swagger as bodyguard, Swagger’s given Van Dam’s ponytail to the Bellas as a talisman, there's no Brock in this build at all, so both Bellas are now glued to Swagger) doesn’t stay in the ring, he introduces Punk, they stare at each other momentarily, Paul smiles, shakes his head, hands the mic over and exits. 

I stabbed Bryan Danielson with a fork last night.  I don’t like Bryan Danielson, but it’s not Bryan Danielson I’m at war with.

7 years ago I won the WWF Championship at Survivor Series and threw down the belt.  I did it for every independent wrestler who never fit the mold for this promotion, I did it to drive a stake through the heart of corporate wrestling.  There are people in very powerful positions in the World Wrestling Federation who never forgave me for that. 

And one of those people might become the next President of the United States.

There has been a covert war against CM Punk in this company for 7 years.  When I was WWF Champion for the third time, the entire developmental system was sent to take my belt – I became the only man ever to be forced to defend the WWF Title twice in the same night – and since then I have never had a title shot. 

The two most hated men by the management of this company, men who napalmed their bridges on the way out of here, Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar, not only came back – they came back together.  They came back because they agreed to go after CM Punk.

And when Brock Lesnar couldn’t beat me on his own, Mr. WWF Ricky Steamboat, who somehow had become the leader of the independent wrestling group that I started, threw in a towel that ended the match.

I’m not at war with Bryan Danielson.  I’m at war with the WWF.  But at Wrestlemania 30, it’s Bryan Danielson who I’ll beat, whose title I’ll take, who I’ll leave in a pool of his own blood.

(Punk pulls out the fork)

Even if I have to stab Linda McMahon in the head to do it.

Punk drops mic – show goes to black, that ends the episode.

A week and a half later, Punk pulls a Scott Hall during a match on Fight Night, hits the ring during a match, dismisses the participants – and cuts a promo on Danielson  - Danielson’s a corporate puppet, WWF had to pacify the independent fans who would have wanted Punk to get title shots, Danielson’s a dupe, a useful idiot, a fraud. And at Wrestlemania 30 – he’s going to get exposed by the real best wrestler in the world.

At that point, the Kings of Wrestling hit the ring.

Hero tells Punk that he’s the fraud, just like he’s been saying for years.  And finally everyone sees it.

And then Hero says if Punk really wants to wrestle the best in the world – it’s not Danielson he’d have to face.

Punk scoffs at the idea that Hero thinks he’s the best wrestler in the world.  Hero says it’s not me

…and then points to Claudio..

It’s him.

Claudio responds by pointing back at Hero and saying “Hey.”

And a catchphrase is born/revived.  Claudio will point at the points in matches where it makes sense to point, and yell “hey” – and eventually, so will the crowd.  Claudio points “hey”.

The “Hey Movement” of 2013-14 is born.  Something good happens, "hey" - something bad "hey" - as Claudio hits his uppercuts "hey, hey, hey, hey" does the giant swing "heyyyyyyyyy" "heyyyyyyy"

Hey Movement.  

We build to a Fight Night match between Punk and Hero; it’s Hero’s farewell in the territory, Punk submits him, refuses to give up the hold, and breaks the same arm that Lesnar broke.  Claudio at ringside leaps to the ring to check on Hero – eventually stopping to stare at Punk, who is celebrating in the middle of the ring – Claudio points at Punk “hey” – but as he takes one step toward him, 

Danielson, in street clothes, makes his first appearance since Summer Slam, hitting the ring to tackle Punk.

The agents hit the ring, it’s a full pull apart. 

On the next RAW, Danielson cuts promo, with all of GDI (including Sydal, in his return) behind him saying they’re, to a man, done with Punk.  He lost his leadership of GDI because no one liked him, he isn’t the one wearing the WWF title because he’s not as good as the guy who is, and the only reason he still has a career at all, is Ricky Steamboat saved his life in that Brock Lesnar match. 

And one other thing – Danielson says he and Punk aren’t going to spend the next 6 months talking about each other and doing run ins on each others matches.  They aren’t waiting for Wrestlemania 30 – they’re gonna meet at Survivor Series.

Claudio is the guest on a Heyman Hustle late in the build, his match with Swagger has been announced – it’s largely for Paul to attempt to get under his skin – but Claudio is just fundamentally happy, always smiling, excited for the match – just wants to say hey and wrestle.  Paul tells him Hero's gone, Claudio says he got a great severance, Paul tells him the Kings of Wrestling are dead, Claudio says they live in the hearts of fans around the world. Heyman gets frustrated, tells Swagger to prove a point and take him out now– and Claudio pretty easily takes the amateur champion down – then points at him “hey.”

Hey Movement.

The go home main is Punk v. Claudio with Danielson on commentary.  At a key point, Swagger comes down the ramp, apparently to run in, Danielson gets into the ring looking to cut him off, one assumes, but never makes it, as he inadvertently runs into Claudio, its unseen by the official who is trying to keep Swagger from the ring, and Punk rolls up Castagnoli for the win.

Claudio looks quizzically at Danielson post match and points “hey” – and then they’re both attacked by Swagger and Punk, there’s a brawl among all four as the show ends.

IC: Dean Ambrose (w/Shield) v. Ka$h Kingston (w/KTFO)

Tags: The Shield (Black/Langston) v. PAUL/Mark Henry

Kingston, you may recall, was the guy who stepped up to face Lesnar in his TV match; he got squashed but showed tremendous fighting spirit.  Here, he faces KTFO in a handicap match, he loses – but really impresses Henry and PAUL with his heart.  That leads to a 3 on 1 where he goes against The Shield (in a previous show, Ambrose and Nemeth rematched, Ambrose won, cheating to win, and a triple powerbomb knocks Nemeth out of action). 

Kingston wins this match by DQ, The Shield toys with him, but his undeniable fighting spirit gets him a comeback leading to a couple of nearfalls on Langston until finally Black/Ambrose just crash the ring for the DQ loss.  KTFO runs (I mean, as well as they can) to save – the babyfaces clearing house and setting up both matches.  They can mix and match with all 6 guys the rest of the way.

Roman Reigns Uso v. Miz

Usos v. Rowan/Ryback

We’re supposed to recognize that at some point the 3 man Usos and the 3 man Shield are gonna go, it doesn’t happen yet; the leftover from the Clique/Underground program (Nemeth and Christian are both gone) continues feuding with the Usos joining to go after both groups.  That gets us two matches, Reigns v.Miz and the debut of the latest developmental prospect, Rowan, joining Ryback to meet Jimmy and Jey. 

Dos Caras, Jr. (w/Ricardo/Vicki) v. Joe Hennig

Hennig’s the son of the former WWF champion, so he goes right after the guy who has claimed supremacy over all wrestling families. 

Defiance (Randy Orton/Cody Rhodes w/Bernard) v. Wyatt Family (Harper/Virgil w/Bray)

The Wyatts next target is Defiance.  Bray cuts promos talking about the ghosts that haunt Defiance; Bernard is haunted by the ghosts of the Japanese career he left behind, Rhodes by the family he left behind, Orton by the men he’s dropped – DiBiase and Malenko, and by the one he buried, the Juggernaut.  The objects in Defiance’s rear view mirror may appear closer than they are – or maybe they’re closer than Defiance can see.  Maybe the ghosts are all around Defiance.  

That's the show, add in an appearance by member of the Championship Committee, Steve Austin, and that's your Survivor Series 2013.  

WWF Title: Bryan Danielson v. CM Punk

IC: Dean Ambrose (w/Shield) v. Ka$h Kingston (w/KTFO)

Tags: The Shield (Black/Langston) v. PAUL/Mark Henry

Jack Swagger (w/Heyman and Bellas) v. Claudio Castagnoli

Roman Reigns Uso v. Miz

Usos v. Rowan/Ryback

Dos Caras, Jr. (w/Ricardo/Vicki) v. Joe Hennig

Defiance (Randy Orton/Cody Rhodes w/Bernard) v. Wyatt Family (Harper/Virgil w/Bray)

I'll be back in October with the next TNA show and then November with what is sure to be a bit of a letdown, Survivor Series 2013 

Summer Slam 2013

The build was here.

Summer Slam 2013 is from Los Angeles

(Dark: KOW d. Pac/Generico)

Joey/Regal is your announce team.

In the owner's box, with whatever celebrity can be gotten - US Senator Linda McMahon, looking to add to her legislative record by passing the Equal Rights Amendment; for the first time, there is real talk that perhaps she will run for President in '16.  

Also appearing - as promised, the Championship Committee - and the show opens with, via satellite - the big reveal of the three men comprising it. 

From his home in, wherever it is he's living now.  Calgary?  Tampa?  Hawaii?  - Bret Hart

From his Texas ranch - Steve Austin

And, coming to the ring - Shawn Michaels.

Michaels, along with getting himself over, hits a couple of bullet points - as promised, the Championship Committee isn't on TV much, they're old men, even if they are old men with millions of dollars and triple crowns, and wrestling should be about wrestling. In November, appearing at Survivor Series from Boston, Steve Austin. Tonight, all the matches will have a 30 minute time limit, and that will be true going forward except for special occasions.  Tomorrow on RAW - the theme for Wrestlemania 30 will be announced.  

Paul Heyman then enters.  

Heyman says everyone already knows the theme for XXX - the greatest fighter in the world, the WWF Champion, Brock Lesnar, beats whomever they put in front of him.  

"Even if - especially if - who they put in front of Brock Lesnar...is Shawn Michaels."

Just 'cause I like the chatter.  

HBK hits a vaguely threatening go home line to end the segment - and we're off.

1. Parejas Increibles: CM Punk/Christian d. Nick Nemeth/Damien Sandow

-This accomplishes a couple of things.  One, we get Punk and Christian together again, that was a dynamic I thought worked particularly well and I wanted to go back to it - even though here, Christian is a newly turned heel and Punk is a fully flourishing babyface - they both have a glint in their eye indicating that wherever they are today isn't necessarily all they are and that allows them to be useful in any spot.  

Two, Christian pins Nemeth.  Christian's story is never having won a WWF singles belt - he's maybe nearing the end of his career, and having him pin Nemeth makes him as close as he could possibly be to getting that belt.  

Three, the fall was set up by Punk hitting the Savage elbow drop and then, as opposed to pinning Nemeth, even though, recall, Nemeth took his WWF Title, he makes a quick tag to Christian who gets the fall. 

2. RVD d. Kane

3. RVD d. Damien Sandow

We have the return of Van Dam in his last stop with this longtime incarnation.  He goes over both Kane and Sandow - and then Swagger, with Heyman behind, comes down the ramp and kills him.  Suplexes him into the canvas.  Heyman comes into the ring, gives RVD the bad mouth - then pulls an electric razor out of his suit jacket and clips off Van Dam's ponytail.  

4. Bray Wyatt (w/Family) d. John Cena

Speaking of coming gimmick changes - Wyatt goes over Cena, the WWF t-shirt wearing, fluorescent light tube swinging "conscience" of the WWF - and the Family carries him from the ring postmatch.  

5. CM Punk d. Dos Caras, Jr. (w/Vickie/Ricardo)

Punk redemption tour sweeps on - he goes over Caras hard; this is a big babyface win - really designed to get as much babyface "we love Punk" reaction as possible - the finish comes on the Savage elbow, he twirls the finger beforehand and then points to the sky in an effort to wring out as much cheering as we can get.

6. Tags: No DQ: The Shield (Ambrose/Langston with Black) d. Defiance (Rhodes/Orton with Bernard)

The announce credits The Championship Committee with continuing Foley's initiative making the tag title matches No DQ as its really made for exciting multi-man matches both inside and outside of the ring.  Ambrose gets the fall here, pinning Orton - The Shield hits their post match pose and their "we take all the turns" catchphrase.  

7. IC: Nick Nemeth d. Christian

-A heartbreaker for Christian; it may have been his last, best chance at getting a WWF singles title.  Nemeth's too young, too athletic, at the very top of his game - and he's just not going to get pinned twice in one night.  He goes over in the best back and forth match they can have.  Once it hits 20 minutes, the announce makes sure to remind us of the 30 minute time limit.  

But wait....

....The Shield make their way back to the ring.  In the build, Nemeth, who won his WWF Title in a briefcase cash in, told the Shield he'd put his belt up anytime.  

And right now - Dean Ambrose is coming to collect that promise.  After a very minimal back and forth - we do it.

8. IC: Dean Ambrose (w/Shield) d. Nick Nemeth

-It's never happened in the Wrestlemania era - but Dean Ambrose has both a singles belt and a tag belt at the same time.  

The Shield cheat here; using their 3 on 1 advantage to go over - Nemeth's combination of being a babyface (willing to take on all comers) and being really cocky leads him to wrestle for the third time the same night, and he can't pull it off.  He gets pinned by Ambrose - and the Shield, with 3 belts, are taking all the turns.

9. WWF Title: Cage: Bryan Danielson d. Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman/Swagger)

Danielson regains the WWF Title in what is probably the match of the year; Lesnar can give you a good brawl and Danielson is as good as anyone in the world at taking one.  Lesnar's killed everyone in this run, including Danielson at Mania - but locked here in the cage, somehow, someway, the Best Wrestler in the World is able to fight from underneath and pull out the bloody pinfall win.  It might be the high water mark of his Hall of Fame career.  

Swagger attempts to unlock the door and enter postmatch, but before he can get into the cage Punk races back to ringside and slams him into the now opened door.  

Punk then goes into the cage.

This is obviously a long time coming - Punk's a 3 time WWF Champion, but really moved into a secondary role in his own stable, GDI, once Danielson arrived - the resentment grew during their respective matches against Lesnar and the different ways they were treated by Steamboat and the WWF as a whole.

All of that's a day from being said by Punk, along with words like "selfish" and "insufferable."  

But for now - what matters is that glint in Punk's eye as he pauses when he enters the cage, Danielson, even though victorious, beaten up really badly in the process is going to be in no position to defend himself.

That's obvious to us - obvious to Punk, the pause allows Punk to share this moment with the fans, some of whom are probably dying for him to finally do this - others want to relish the last few seconds of babyface Punk - others still are specifically recalling Punk entering the cage after Matt/Edge to kill both of them, or Edge entering the cage to kill Maria while Punk helplessly looked on - and all recognize the circle is about to be complete -

--as Punk pulls from his streetclothes the WWF fork - used last by Matt and Edge on each other - introduced by Randy Savage against Owen - and Punk charges Danielson - stabs him repeatedly (Fork! Fork! Fork! then goes to the top rope and very clearly hits the Savage elbow drop to kill Danielson dead.

The rest of GDI charges the ring - Punk escapes the cage and stands on the announce table, letting out a primal scream as the show ends.

I'll be back in a month with the build for Survivor Series.  In October, Slamiversary as the clock nears midnight for TNA.

Then in November - Survivor Series 2013 - with the main event still a few weeks from being announced, but here's the spoiler: Bryan Danielson vs. CM Punk for the WWF Championship.  

2014 TNA Lockdown

Old School was here.

TNA World Title: Elimination Chamber: Austin Aries d. Jeff Hardy/Bobby Roode/Great Muta/Chris Sabin

X Title: Davey Richards d. Samoa Joe

Tags: Seiya Sanada/Extreme Tiger d. Bad Influence

Number One Contender: James Storm d. MVP (w/Angle)
Eddie Edwards d. Ken Kennedy (w/Bubba)
TJ Perkins (w/King) d. Yasufumi
Gunner d. Sam Shaw
Magnus/EC3 d. Bro Mans

TNA is divided into factions.

The American Wolves come into Lockdown on top; Richards/Edwards came in at the prior show, joining Aries as he regained the title.  Richards is immediately paired with Joe - think of real world Joe/Angle upon Kurt's debut.  The Wolves are tweeners.

Joe's in the Horsemen, along with Roode and, now, Storm - the Horsemen are now the babyfaces in the company (particularly so given what's about to happen here).  Storm will be in a number one contender's match.

The heels are Future Endeavors, Kurt, Jeff, and Bubba - during the build they tease a new member - and who winds up revealed is Kennedy, gone for several months with injury.  But that's a swerve, as later in that same show is the debut of MVP, who has some type of impactful run in.  He meets Storm in the number one contender's match.  MVP main evented Wrestlemania, a fact he drops whenever possible.

Bad Influence are babyfaces.

And in this build we add a new faction, Puro, it's Muta and his crew.  Sanada and Extreme Tiger get a tag title shot.

The main is the debut of the Elimination Chamber structure; it was on the booking sheet for a down card match at 30 for awhile, but I decided I'd save it and TNA gets to steal the idea.  The gimmick here is whomever is eliminated last not only leaves town - but his whole faction leaves town.

I see armed guards around the cage during the match to prevent interference.

Much discussion about who each faction will choose, Aries is the champ, so he goes in, Angle and Bubba are both injured, Angle still wants to go in and MVP gets his rhetorical power over by reasoning him down to allow Jeff to do it.  Roode's the only Horseman free, Sabin the member of BI free - Daniels is willing to give up the tag belts so he can go in, but Kazarian convinces him they can't do that, it doesn't show enough confidence in Sabin. There's enough explanation about a leaving faction forfeiting title shots or belts that we can reasonably think anyone might be the team that loses.

Okay, from the bottom up:

Magnus/EC3, cocky team, beats Bro Mans, comedy team.
Gunner, bearded babyface, beats Shaw.
Perkins, who along with Kenny King is a cocky team, beats one of Muta's guys Yasufumi.

We then get to the battles of the factions - Eddie Edwards wins his TNA PPV debut, going over Kennedy.

Storm gets the highest profile singles win of his career, beating MVP to become the number one contender - that tears it for Future Endeavors, and they leave Storm for dead postmatch.

Muta's guys take the tag titles from Daniels/Kazarian.

Richards and Joe rip it up; there's a generational battle here, this needs to be the big workrate match of the night.  Richards takes it.

So - the title match.  The dominant story is its everyone against Jeff - there are no more cross faction alliances, but Future Endeavors is the group everyone likes least (save Muta, he doesn't much care) and so Jeff is constantly at a disadvantage - but when it appears that he might be eliminated, he gets saved - because its the last fall whose team leaves town, not the first - and what everyone wants is Future Endeavors to be gone.

Throughout the match, shots of all of the factions in separate areas of the back.

Eventually, Angle says "this is bullshit" and decides to act, coming to ringside - although not breaching the perimeter of the police, getting Jeff's attention - and quickly convincing him to quit the match and be the first elimination.

Muta's second, Roode is third - and as you'd expect, because you know who leaves, Aries pins Sabin and Bad Influence is forced to leave TNA.  The Wolves, as they did at the last show, end with a massive celebration, sweeping the night - and Daniels/Kazarian/Sabin leave TNA.

Slammiversary runs when real world BFG airs (if it airs) several months from now; I'll be back in a month with Summer Slam.

Road to Summer Slam 2013

Wrestlemania 29 is here.

Summer Slam is in August from Los Angeles

Let’s reset the board as we begin the new wrestling year. 

RAW is the flagship show; it’s bigger than the real world RAW – more video walls, less of a feeling like it is a contained television show and more like an event being covered.  The announcers at a big sporting event aren’t on the same team as the performers, they’re covering the performers, that’s the feel of RAW.

Pre-tapes and backstage stuff look more like TNA than WWE.  Few in ring promos, Renee Young debuts in the old Mean Gene role.  Heyman Hustle serves as the in ring talk show to drive big angles. 

Joey Styles is the voice of the WWF, he does RAW.  Paul Heyman is the analyst, he doesn’t work every week, if Lesnar is on the show, we don’t see Paul except with Lesnar. 

Smackdown is Fight Night; it’s a small show, designed to feel intimate, feel immediate.  It’s almost entirely matches, no in ring promos, no vignettes.  There can be pretape and some clip packages, but it’s a wrestling show.  There’s a greater level of violence on Fight Night (and a greater level of violence in this product overall – it’s not designed for children; hopefully  children watch it – but in the way while 8 year olds watch professional sports and adults also watch professional sports)  

Joey also does Fight Night now that JR is gone.  Steve Regal is the analyst; he remains in charge of developmental, and now that the new facility has been built he’s in Orlando every night except for Fight Night.  His managerial duties for Underground end after an angle the night after 29 that we’ll get to momentarily. 

Main Event is a one match, two at the most card, featuring matchups that aren’t in any of the main storylines.  Zach Ryder can have a year long feud with Yoshi Tatsu that never  gets on PPV, but they can have 15 minute matches on Fight Night and build to them with angles on the website (the Network once it starts) 

NXT is Underground, it’s the same idea, largely the developmental guys and guys on the main roster who came through developmental.  Periodically there’s a GDI takeover, so the guys in GDI who don’t get to work PPV can mix in. Scott Stanford is the voice for both shows. 

The back catalog on the Network, once it starts, can be used to give context to current stories.   If I’m watching online, a click during a Lesnar angle will get me to Lesnar matches from 10 years ago; if I’m watching on TV, you show a clip and voiceover that the rest of the match can be seen on the WWF Network (I don’t know why this isn’t how WWE is using their catalog).

Here’s the Summer Slam card.

WWF Championship (Steel Cage) Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) v. Bryan Danielson

Lots of space to cover between Mania and Summer Slam, it allows for multiple chapters in the build.

There’s not gonna be a Summer Slam is my favorite Summer Slam beat to hit, it’s a perennial. 

 Here, although Lesnar (who doesn’t work for WWF in storyline, he’s match by match) had a return match clause, he’d holding up the promotion.  Or rather, Paul’s holding up the promotion on Brock’s behalf – Lesnar won’t speak to anyone in the company, whenever someone tries to talk to him (like Foley, still WWF Commissioner, but not for long) Heyman intervenes, dripping with contempt:

The Champ…will not be speaking….with you.

Lesnar smirks throughout all of those interactions; he’s having a good time being champ, as evidenced by his being accompanied all summer by the Bellas.  Also in the entourage is, of course, Swagger, who is starting to loosen up – his hair growing – we see some vignettes (not unlike the Paul/Lesnar take on New York segment to build to 29) where the Paul Heyman Guys destroy clubs – Swagger drinks, the Bellas grind on the Champ – Heyman gets a little loose himself.  They’re riding high. 

Not riding high is Steamboat – within a week after Mania, his run as the face of GDI ends.  GDI meets as they have always done, in an empty arena, every man in the ring – Steamboat apologizes to Punk and says he’s stepping away.  He’s going to go on the road and scout new talent for GDI, but not appear at ringside any longer as he clearly can’t rely on his judgment.  There are protests – but Punk takes control, thanking Steamboat for all he’s done, wishing him well, says he doesn’t hold any grudges, and he gives Steamboat a hug.

Not riding high is Foley – he’s unable even to talk to Lesnar and his frustration increases – he interrupts a special Paul Heyman Guy Celebration; say a Heyman Hustle promoted for a couple of weeks that is designed to be a real excessive segment, maybe it’s a Bellas strip show where they each give Lesnar a lapdance (note, not Swagger). 

It’s interrupted by Foley – Foley says this is a wrestling show, not the Gold Club (or equivalent in whatever city we’re in). Foley demands that Lesnar stop screwing around and agree to the rematch at Summer Slam.  Lesnar whispers something to Heyman – Heyman shakes his head no, they do that a couple of times, and then finally, regretfully, Paul says that the price has just gone up – and now, what Brock wants is a night with Foley’s (unsettlingly hot) daughter Noelle.

Foley lets that soak in – and then he attacks Heyman, getting in as many shots as he can until Swagger peels him off and then hits him with as much of a move as Foley is able to take. 

That’s it for Foley, you can’t attack talent and he is removed from the position.  We’re told that he’s been replaced by a three man committee of WWF legends, they won’t be part of weekly television; they’ll be revealed at Summer Slam, two via satellite and one live in attendance.   

Not riding high is Danielson, he lost the title and now the rematch seems uncertain.  Danielson isn’t broken from the match in the way Punk clearly was from his loss to Lesnar – he’s not getting in the ring, but he seems excited, it’s all just part of what it means to be a wrestler, to live the art – now he gets to experience losing the title and trying to win it back.

There’s another Heyman Hustle, Paul says its to make up for Foley interrupting the strip show – who knows what the Bellas will do? 

This time Danielson shows up – it’s his first confrontation with Lesnar since 29, Heyman attempts to intervene and hit the new catchphrase but Lesnar stops him – Lesnar wanting to have the face to face with Danielson. 

Danielson says Brock can keep screwing around with contracts and with (nodding at Brie) the girls– but when he’s ready to face a real man, there’s one waiting for him at Summer Slam. 

Lesnar laughs, says he tapped him out once, he’ll do it again.

And then Danielson says he didn’t tap out.  Far as Danielson’s concerned, if that towel wasn’t thrown, Danielson would still be wearing the title belt right now.  And who knows (nodding at Brie again) “maybe she’d be with me.”

Lesnar freaks out.  Comes close to taking the fight – Paul has to shove his hand over Brock’s face to keep it from happening.  Heyman tells Danielson he’s pathetic – that if he wants a match – he’s got one, in two weeks, against Swagger.   

So, this opens the floodgates – except for JR immediately after it happened, no one has questioned that Punk throwing in the towel was an issue.  But that’s what Danielson is doing, and now we have tons of speculation – the wrestlers work it on twitter, the announcers all discuss it (Joey steadfastly holds that Lesnar won).  It’s a topic the rest of that RAW, then all week – then into the following RAW.

On that show – another GDI meeting – this one led by Punk, in the ring, without Steamboat (cause he’s gone) and without (noticeably) Danielson. 

Punk is heated – he says he is drawing the line right here – he points to two sides of the ring and wants every member of GDI to declare if they think he screwed Danielson out of the WWF Title or not by walking to one of the two sides.

Everyone, some with hesitation, but everyone, walks over to the side that Punk did the right thing.

Except for Chris Hero. 

Hero is second to last, and Punk gets right in his face after he makes the choice.  Punk says “do you know who I am – I am a 3 time WWF Champion, I started GDI, I would never take the WWF Title away from a GDI brother.” – Hero says “nobody knows you better than I do, that’s why I’m standing right here.”

Claudio’s last, he pauses, but Hero then nods that he should stand with everyone else. 

Hero, note, is a heel  - this has been referenced before, since he returned from his broken arm, he’s been the bad cop in the Kings of Wrestling, while Claudio has been the good cop. 

Punk counts everyone (Sydal is even there, he’s been gone forever, he’s still out, but this shows how important this meeting was, at least to everyone but Danielson) says it’s clear who GDI is standing behind.   Danielson then walks to the ring, gives it a once over, and stands next to Hero.  Punk is angered beyond words, he exits.   

The following week is Danielson’s first match since 29, against Swagger – it’s a non finish, it looks like maybe Swagger’s going to win, as he has an advantage – but Brock, out of nowhere, enters, Heyman seems surprised – Brock pushes Swagger out of the way and hits an F5 on Danielson – then drops a contract on his body and grabs a mic – “I didn’t beat you?  I crushed you.  And at Summer Slam I’m going to do it again – in a steel cage!”

Heyman puts his head in his hands – Swagger looks hard at Lesnar – all three men walk up the aisle and as Danielson comes to he’s laughing, he’s in pain, but he’s laughing.  Joey explains – “it’s a set up, it’s a set up – The American Dragon gets his rematch!”

And as we come to understand over that next week – Danielson goaded Lesnar into taking the deal, appealing to his pride; there’s a pre-tape with just Punk and Danielson, Punk saying “you had me going there, that was pretty good” and Danielson responding “sometimes you don’t have a choice, if there was another way, I would have taken it.”

Later comes another pre-tape; with Punk, now confident that everyone is on the same page, apparently looking to let bygones be bygones with Hero – but Hero instead says “you can fool the fools – but I know who you are ”

It’s Lesnar v. Danielson again, this time in a steel cage.  Lesnar wrestles, of all things, in a pre-match tune up, squashing Kofi.  It’s designed to help Kofi – he shows heart, doesn’t go down easy – it’s like a 5 minute match where he gets in one ridiculously crazy spot, he kicks out of some nearfalls.  It’s supposed to help, even as he’s getting squashed.

The other thing is Heyman, after the attack by Foley he starts wearing a neckbrace and Swagger starts standing behind him at the announce table as his bodyguard. 

IC Championship: Nick Nemeth v. Christian

The big angle the night after 29 is the Triple Crown ceremony; that’s when the previous winner of the Hart-Guerrero Memorial Triple Crown hands the trophy over to the new winner, who will keep it until the time that another wrestler accomplishes the feat. 

And that means the return to the WWF of Edge.

Gone two years – just disappeared cold after the RAW following 27 – and now his music hits.  Edge was a heel forever, it’s been a long time since WWF fans got to cheer him – and I’d suggest there will be a sustained ovation. 

He cuts babyface promo – glad to be home, puts over Nemeth, Edge says he had to break his neck, literally, to win the Triple Crown – and the guy he’s about to introduce makes it look easy.  Edge introduces Nemeth, who enters in streetclothes with Regal and Sheamus, whose shoulder is heavily bandaged.

Nemeth cuts less cocky than normal babyface promo – the Triple Crown’s a big deal, nothing can ever take it away – Nemeth puts over Underground, says they’re his blood. 

And now Edge pivots. 

Blood is an interesting word, he says, he knows all about having a wrestling family – because Edge, even today, is in the Clique. 

The reason, Edge says, he hasn’t been around in two years is because Nemeth’s blood, Underground, ended his career.  Edge then points to Sheamus – “and that guy, your blood, walked around here for a year calling himself the Clique Killer.  My blood got spilled all over this ring, Nick.  My blood. “

Sheamus waves him off, “this isn’t the time.”

Edge doesn’t relent.  “The thing is if you’re going to call yourself the Clique Killer – you better make sure you finished the job. “

And that’s when Miz and HHH come down the aisle and into the ring.  “I’m not dead.  And these guys aren’t dead.”  Edge then gets into Nemeth’s face “And worst of all for you – he’s not dead”

Edge points up the ramp – Christian’s music hits – he runs down the ramp – Miz and HHH grab Sheamus and hurl him, shoulder first, into the turnbuckle mimicking the way Underground took out both Edge and Christian two years ago.  Ideally Edge would spear Regal – but if he can’t he can just punch him to the ropes and clothesline him out of the ring – and Christian cleans house on Nemeth, getting in multiple shots and then knocking him to the outside.  Nemeth and Regal don’t have time to regroup – they need to gather Sheamus, who was already injured – and get him to safety – Christian grabs the IC belt (not the Triple Crown trophy – that’s a prop bigger than this angle) and holds if high in the air.

That’s obviously a babyface spot for the Clique – it continues through Fight Night when Christian returns to the ring in a six man with HHH/Miz against 3 guys in Underground, none of whom are Nemeth.  Edge sticks around to manage that one so they can end with all four guys standing tall in that show too.  But as the months go on, the reason to stick Christian with clear heels Miz and HHH is that’s what it’s going to take to turn him.

What gets established is Christian’s incredibly bitter – he got thrown off of a Cell at Wrestlemania 20, and now we’re approaching Wrestlemania 30.  9 years, 9 lost years – Christian’s never won  a singles title in WWF – while a guy like Nemeth can just waltz in and in a couple of years become an immortal. 

Christian loses two more years on his career with Nemeth and Underground take him out – he comes back and its Nemeth who is getting cheered.  He’s done with the fans – he’s done playing this game. 

A bitter veteran Christian vs. the cocky hotshot babyface riding high is the storyline – they can mix together multiple times, there are lots of Underground vs. Clique matchups to do all summer long (Edge is gone after that first week, he doesn’t work here).  This serves to turn all of Underground babyface, albeit not at a high level – but they all essentially flip by virtue of being with Nemeth.  Sandow benefits the most from the absences of Sheamus and Barrett (also injured) and he demonstrates value. 

One more event for Nemeth, unrelated to this program, we’ll see that next. 

Tags:  (No DQ) Shield (Ambrose/Langston) v. Defiance

The Shield’s been a babyface act, not in its origin, Black got brainwashed, or re-educated, while forced to compete on the Tough Enough reboot to save his job, and abandoning GDI isn’t a babyface move.  But attacking Underground, particularly in the way they’ve done over the past several months is – and the triple powerbomb of the Rock doesn’t really hurt that status. 

Defiance is generally a heel act, really moving up and down the continuum depending upon the opponent; there’s no chance to get them cheered and the Shield booed in this program – but the booking will shade that way, the Shield will be scornful of the crowd adoration and Defiance will play it pretty straight. 

There are 6 guys involved here so that’s plenty of matchups all summer – including some 6 mans that will really be what this match is designed to look like, even though Black and Bernard aren’t officially in the match, but the No DQ stip sort of promises that it’s a 6 man.

Two more items – The Usos look for revenge for the attack on the Rock, Jimmy and Jey want to go get the Shield now, but Reigns says wait, wait for the right moment.  And they don’t question Reigns.  Usos feud with Team KTFO, coming off its win at Mania. 

The Shield debuted a new catchphrase at Mania “We take all the turns” – we see that play here twice, the Shield surrounds Nemeth at one point when he’s isolated, Ambrose taking the lead – why is it that Christian gets this IC shot – how about a shot for a member of the Shield. 

Nemeth says he’ll take any one of them on at any time.  Ambrose makes clear that’s a promise – Nemeth says there isn’t a man in the WWF he won’t face one on one.  Ambrose extends his hand – Nemeth shakes – the Shield triple powerbombs him and hits the catchphrase.  We take all the turns. 

Late in the build it happens to Swagger –they say they want to send a message to Lesnar, that his title isn’t safe either – they triple powebomb Swagger, which knocks him out of what was a planned Summer Slam match, say against Kofi (which, when its called off is what gets Kofi, at his own volunteering, the match with Brock) and hit the catchphrase.  We take all the turns. 

CM Punk v. Dos Caras (w/Vicki&Ricardo)

This comes fairly late in the summer, I see Renee Young backstage asking Punk, who obviously has been part of the main event storyline, who he will be facing at Summer Slam at the same time Dos Caras (who, recall, beat Punk at the Rumble and then was part of the 29 build for Punk/Jericho) is walking in the background – Punk grabs Dos Caras and throws him into a vending machine then comes back to the interview “Him, I guess.”

Straight babyface revenge match build. 

Bray Wyatt (w/Family) v. John Cena

The Wyatt vignettes, recall, began after the Cena match at 29, that wasn’t an accident.  They continue and start to go after Cena – Bray says Cena is too blind to see it, the years of Wrestlemania bloodbaths covering his eyes, but he lives in his worst possible timeline.  Bray says there’s a world where John Cena isn’t a scarred up freak, but instead a movie star, a hero to children, on the cover of cereal boxes, living in a mansion and having sex with a Bella.  Cena doesn’t see it, the people don’t see it – but Bray sees it, and he can take Cena to that place.

That’s the build – it’s cult leader Wyatt offering a better life to Cena, who, obviously, rejects this notion.

Recall, there is no Rowan, it’s Harper and Virgil, both of whom are masked. 

RVD v. Kane

RVD v. Damien Sandow

Van Dam returns, after years away, on a Heyman Hustle.  Paul puts him over – ECW Champ, IC Champ, legendary ladder matches with Michaels and Mysterio, Paul references that they’ve had their ups and downs (Heyman left the company after losing a feud against Van Dam, see how the Network would be useful there? They’ve got all that old material, they want people to subscribe to the Network, but they don’t connect what they’re doing now with that back catalog – honestly, I don’t understand it) but that he isn’t one to hold a grudge and would like RVD to become the third Paul Heyman Guy.

RVD says no – no offense, but no, he’s not coming back to get involved in politics or wars or factions or any of that stuff – he just wants to hang out with his friends and put on the best show he can.  RVD says at Summer Slam, he’s asked to wrestle twice, because he’s been gone so long he wants to give the fans all he can give them (the two opponents then come up on the video wall). RVD refusing to be in a stable is a reference to his most recent TNA angle, and if you’re aware of that – that’s good product knowledge. 

Heyman says that’s cool – wishes Van Dam well, says to keep his head on a swivel at Summer Slam, Van Dam might not know about how Underground rolls, it’s harder to stand alone then it used to be

Parejas Increibles: Nick Nemeth/Damien Sandow v.CM Punk/Christian

This is a Summer Slam tradition, albeit one that comes and goes as the situation requires.  And the partners aren’t that increible – Nemeth and Punk are named captains, this is a decision explicitly made by the new Championship Committee, whose identities are still secret, but will be revealed at Summer Slam.  Nemeth, as current Triple Crown holder, gets to select as his partner anyone on the card. 

He picks Sandow – they’re Underground brothers, Sandow has stepped up in meaningful ways this summer, and Nemeth ‘s loyalty to the Underground cause is being established during this build.  He’s a prick, but he’s a prick who is loyal. 

Punk picks Christian – they tagged together in the main event of 26 and haven’t had much contact since, it’s a call back to their long program that resulted in Punk’s face turn; now, Christian is the one turning heel and their relationship, always interesting, gives some extra juice to the show.

Which – is now set.

WWF Championship (Steel Cage) Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) v. Bryan Danielson

IC Championship: Nick Nemeth v. Christian

Tags:  (No DQ) Shield (Dean Ambrose/Langston w/Tyler Black) v. Defiance (Randy Orton/Cody Rhodes w/Giant Bernard)

CM Punk v. Dos Caras (w/Vicki&Ricardo)

Bray Wyatt (w/Family) v. John Cena

RVD v. Damien Sandow

RVD v. Kane

Parejas Increibles: Nick Nemeth/Damien Sandow v.CM Punk/Christian

I’ll be back in July with the next TNA show, then August with Summer Slam 2013

A Pictorial History of the WWF Championship

Brock Lesnar became the 50th WWF Champion at Wrestlemania 29.  Here they are.

1. Buddy Rogers (April '63-May '63)

2. Bruno Sammartino (May '63-January '71)

3. Ivan Koloff (January '71-February '71)

4. Pedro Morales (February '71-December '73)

5. Stan Stasiak (December '73-December '73)

6. Bruno Sammartino (2) (December '73-April '77) 

7. Billy Graham (April '77-February '78)

8. Bob Backlund (February '78-November '79)

9. Antonio Inoki (November '79-December '79)

10. Bob Backlund (2) (December '79-December '83)

11. Iron Sheik (December '83-January '84)

12. Hulk Hogan (January '84-February '85)

13. Ricky Steamboat (February '85-Wrestlemania 2 '86)

14. Dynamite Kid (Wrestlemania 2 '86-Wrestlemania 3 '87)

15. Ricky Steamboat (2) (Wrestlemania 3 '87-Wrestlemania 4 '88)

16. Dynamite Kid (2) (Wrestlemania 4 '88 - Survivor Series '88)

17. Randy Savage (Survivor Series '88-Survivor Series '89)

18. Curt Hennig (Survivor Series '89-Summer Slam '91)

19. Davey Boy Smith (Summer Slam '91-Survivor Series '91)

20. Ric Flair (Survivor Series '91-Wrestlemania 8 '92)

21. Bret Hart (Wrestlemania 8 '92-Wrestlemania 10 '94)

22. Owen Hart (Wrestlemania 10 '94-Survivor Series '94)

23. Shawn Michaels (Survivor Series '94-Wrestlemania 11 '95)

24. Bret Hart (2) (Wrestlemania 11 '95-Wrestlemania 12 '95)

25. Shawn Michaels (2) (Wrestlemania 12 '96-Survivor Series '96)

26. Bret Hart (3) (Survivor Series '96-Wrestlemania 13 '97)

27. Steve Austin (Wrestlemania 13 '97-August '97)

28. Owen Hart (2) (Survivor Series '97-Summer Slam '98) (d. Bret Hart/Steve Austin/HBK)

29. Cactus Jack (Summer Slam '98-Royal Rumble '99)

30. Owen Hart (3) (Royal Rumble '99-Wrestlemania 15 '99)

31. Cactus Jack (2) (Wrestlemania 15 '99-Wrestlemania 16 '00)

32. Chris Benoit (Wrestlemania 16 '00-Wrestlemania 17 '01)

33. Kurt Angle (Wrestlemania 17 '01-April '03)

34. Eddy Guerrero (Summer Slam '03-Royal Rumble '04) (d. Brock Lesnar)

35. Kurt Angle (2) (Royal Rumble '04-Wrestlemania 20 '04)

36. Chris Benoit (2) (Wrestlemania 20 '04-Wrestlemania 21 '05)

37. Eddy Guerrero (2) (Wrestlemania 21 '05-Summer Slam '05)

38. Rey Mysterio (Summer Slam '05-Summer Slam '06)

39. Ric Flair (2) (Summer Slam '06-Survivor Series '06)

40. CM Punk (Survivor Series '06-November '06)

41. Booker T (Wrestlemania 23 '07 - Summer Slam '07) (d. Bobby Lashley)

42. Rey Mysterio (2) (Summer Slam '07-Royal Rumble '08)

43. Shelton Benjamin (Royal Rumble '08-Wrestlemania 24 '08)

44. CM Punk (2) Wrestlemania 24 '08-Survivor Series '08) (d. Benjamin/Johnny Nitro)

45. Chris Jericho (Survivor Series '08-Summer Slam '10)

46. Edge (Summer Slam '10-Wrestlemania 27 '11)

47. CM Punk (3) (Wrestlemania 27 '11-Wrestlemania 27 '11)

48. Nick Nemeth (Wrestlemania 27 '11-Royal Rumble '12)

49. Bryan Danielson (Royal Rumble '12-Wrestlemania 29 '13)

50. Brock Lesnar (Wrestlemania 29 '13-

10 Longest Title Reigns

1. Sammartino 7 1/2 years

2. Backlund 4 yrs

3. Sammartino 3 1/2 yrs.

4. Angle 2 yrs.

5. Bret 2 yrs.

6. Morales 22 mos.

7. Hennig 1 3/4 yrs

8. Jericho 1 3/4 yrs

9. Backlund 1 3/4 yrs.

10. Danielson 1 1/4 yrs.