What's Going Down . . . 2 (Part one)


TRIPLE H CONFIRMED on Main Event this week that Brock Lesnar will defend the WWE World heavyweight title against John Cena at Night Of Champions on September 21 in Nashville, Tennessee. The rematch is premature. However, WWE feels compelled to present it five weeks after the SummerSlam drubbing Cena received for five reasons which immediately spring to mind. One: Many subscriptions to the WWE Network will shortly expire following the initial six-month sign-up period. A Lesnar/Cena rematch is the strongest incentive WWE has to persuade undecided subscribers to renew. Two: Lesnar is a part-timer. The title needs to be in circulation each week on television and at the arenas. Do I believe Lesnar will lose the belt at NOC? Yes. Three: Cena requires his redemption. He received such a battering at SummerSlam that he will need to reassert himself — salvage some dignity, et cetera. Four: The event is billed as Night Of Champions. The company’s premier title has to be at stake on the card, for obvious reasons. Five: Who else does WWE have on its roster who can realistically challenge Lesnar on pay-per-view? WWE has so much talent, but so few bona fide high-card stars. This has been written endlessly . . .


SummerSlam was a highly enjoyable card. I approved of most of the results. The notable exception was Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns, in hindsight. As one reader suggested in The Mail Extra, this feud could have been enhanced and extended, had Orton won in an underhanded manner at SummerSlam. In defeat, Reigns could have been protected on the finish in so many ways: that would not have required much imagination. The decisive Reigns victory should have been saved for Night Of Champions. Elsewhere, Stephanie McMahon beat Brie Bella after Nikki had swerve-turned on her. The forthcoming battle of the Bella Mannikins is about as appealing as a plague of locusts. John Cena was savagely booed after he had dumped the title to Lesnar. Of course he was. What other reaction would Cena receive? The response to Cena will never change until the Cena character changes . . .


The firing of Alberto Del Rio (Jose Alberto Rodriguez) just over two weeks ago was covered by many non-wrestling journals. You probably know the story by now. A member of WWE staff allegedly made a racist comment about ADR in the catering room at the SmackDown taping on August 5. ADR was not present. Del Rio learned of the remark when someone relayed the information to him. Irate, ADR confronted the staffer about the comment. When this person not only refused to apologise but, according to Del Rio, smirked at him, Del Rio slapped him hard across the face. Del Rio claimed in an interview with Mexico’s Televisa channel this week that the same staffer had made a racist joke about him “seven or eight months” earlier. After ADR slapped the man at the August 5 taping, he was suspended by Vince McMahon. On August 7, Paul Triple H’ Levesque telephoned Del Rio to inform him that WWE had made the decision to fire him over the incident. This may have been for legal reasons. Del Rio is now using the name Alberto El Patron in Mexico. He said in the interview with Televisa that, under the terms of his release, he cannot wrestle in the U.S. for one year. ADR’s WWE contract was due to expire in February 2015. How can WWE prevent him from wrestling for six months after the date his contract would have expired? Is this legally enforceable? I’m not convinced . . .


TNA has been tossed a lifeline by Spike TV. The two sides have reached an agreement on a contract extension until the end of 2014. Disclosed TNA President Dixie Carter on impactwrestling.com on August 20: “IMPACT WRESTLING will remain a vital part of Spike TV’s programming on Wednesday nights, 9/8c, through the end of the year. Negotiations remain ongoing.” Impact was permanently moved to Wednesday nights in the U.S., from August 20. That TNA and Spike have come to an arrangement on a short-term extension has to be construed as a promising sign the two sides will be able to negotiate a long-term deal which will secure the promotion’s future on television next year . . .


The second biggest non-WWE news item this week concerns the departure from TNA of Bully Ray and Devon. The word is that Ray wrestled his final match for TNA last weekend after nearly nine years in the company. Yes, almost nine years have elapsed since Team 3D debuted on the first episode of iMPACT! on Spike TV on October 1, 2005 (which drew a 0.78 rating and 850,000 viewers, incidentally). Ray’s exit is a colossal blow to the company’s image — and a morale-crusher for the talent. Ray had been pushed as the company’s number one babyface: he was the wrestler who blasted the reviled Dixie Carter through a table, just last week. To the talent, meanwhile, Ray was a locker room heavyweight, who had sway with the creative team and would help performers lay-out their matches. He wore many hats. That such an important player has left so suddenly raises many questions about the company’s status. It’s logical to assume that Ray knows what’s really going on backstage in TNA. I expect a deal will be (or already has been) struck for Ray and Devon to appear at Bound For Glory in October. TNA has announced that they will be inducted into the TNA Hall Of Fame on the show, so the company needs to do everything possible to ensure it happens (assuming it hasn’t done so already). Ray and Devon have already begun accepting independent bookings. Preston City Wrestling has announced that Ray and Devon will wrestle PCW tag team champions Team Single at its Just Get In The Bloody Ring event on September 26 in Preston, Lancashire . . .


Kevin Steen has arrived in WWE developmental. I believe his prospects have recently improved. WWE is pushing Bull Dempsey, who has a Steen-like physique. Steen will get over in NXT. There is none better at working the small arena crowds. Will he be able to convince someone in power on the creative team that he deserves a main roster spot and, moreover, a push? That’s another story . . . It was disappointing to see the team of Erick Rowan and Luke Harper lose to Big Show and Mark Henry on SmackDown last week. Rowan and Harper jobbed in a rematch on Raw this past Monday. I realise the Rowan and Harper vs. Usos feud is over but, after they performed so spectacularly against Jimmy and Jey, it is disheartening to see the team reduced to this . . .


Kazuchika Okada defeated CHAOS stable-mate Shinsuke Nakamura in the final of the G1 Climax 24 tournament on August 10 before 18,000 fans at the Seibu Dome. It was an extremely rewarding main event. Okada’s Rainmaker lariat finisher looked tremendous. Underneath, Adam Cole and Michael Bennett scored a major win over Jushin Liger and Captain New Japan. I tell you, there were more close-ups of Maria Kanellis’ backside here than in half-a-dozen Beautiful People matches in TNA. There were so many amazing matches in the G1 this year. If you’re a fan, I’m sure you’ve already feasted your eyes on bouts pitting Katsuyori Shibata vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, A.J. Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki and Hirooki Goto vs. Okada. If you’re not, then no matter how gushing the recommendation is from me, you’re probably going to pass. Based on performance consistency in the G1, my question for NJPW bookers Gedo and Jado is: when is Tomoaki Honma going to receive a push? What a performer he is — and he didn’t score a single win in the G1. His match with Katsuyori Shibata was incredible. Even his bouts against Bad Luck Fale and Doc Gallows were exciting. People are ready to accept Honma as a difference-maker in NJPW. Now is the time to capitalise on his momentum. Don’t squander it, lads . . .



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