BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
The WWE is in a weird transition right now. It’s really promising and awesome to see these newer faces take over the realm of the company. Guys like Daniel Bryan, The Shield, The Wyatts, Cesaro, and others are all stepping up and taking the company over. It’s really good to see this. After losing my faith in the WWE and not caring all that much about the product I’m thrilled to see fresh and entertaining people being presented as the top stars. We all thought a few years ago was “the time”. Punk, Kofi, Dolph, and others were on top for a little while, some longer than others, but it just didn’t stick. We still got Cena, Orton, Big Show, Kane, Triple H, and other guys past their interesting points all shoved at us. Even when Punk’s lack luster title reign was going on he wasn’t REALLY “the guy”. I honestly don’t think he was ever ready for it. He’s the equivalent of a Roddy Piper, but with a stolen Japanese move set. He is a great heel, but unless he can totally bury the company and his peers he’s not a good face. His face act was good for a shock value because he’ll say “edgy” stuff, but it can only go so far before he has to water himself down or just start making everyone look bad. There’s no give and take with him. He was never one to convincingly look “weak”. Even during his “personal feud” with Jericho, he never convincingly “took” anything. It was like he smugly half-assedly sold things and would then jump up, brush off and then say some more snarky stuff before doing the same match. Plus he couldn’t throw punches. He’s missed, but to a point. Right now we have Daniel Bryan, Cesaro, The Wyatts, and The Shield who are already showcasing that they can and will be the “full package”.
But it’s still the WWE. We still have to hear the shrill voice of Stephanie McMahon, the over rated nonsense of Triple H, and John Cena is still going to be pushed as a superhero. So one day it’s looking like the future is here and the next day it’s the same old soup just reheated.
I’m HOPING Extreme Rules is new soup.
There’s a few matches, the Rusev and the Tag Title match specifically, that I just don’t care enough about to put any more thought into them outside of THIS sentence.
Bray Wyatt takes on John Cena in a cage. Cena won at WrestleMania XXX so I’m thinking this is the “receipt” for that. I’m sure Wyatt wins. Paige has to beat Tamina. She’s too new to halt her momentum now. The Shield will beat Evolution, despite me not being 100% on it. I could easily see Evolution going over and leaving the young’uns lying. I have a feeling and a hope that Triple H won’t keep wrestling and this is his last match before coming in next Mania and taking another spot. I could also see this being the time when The Shield is ruined and one of them turns and becomes part of The Evolution. As crazy as it sounds I could see Roman Reigns pulling the swerve and going heel as the new “young guy” member of The Evolution.
This leaves Daniel Bryan and Kane for the title. I am not excited about this match at all. I appreciate Kane, but him being in the main event and going for the title is not how I want Daniel Bryan’s first defense to be. This should have happened after “Team Hell Yes” broke up last year. They should have had a crazy blood lust feud to see Kane fade off into retirement or even fade into the whole “corporate Kane” character. This feels forced and too late. The stuff where Kane beat the hell out Bryan was impressive and will be enough reason for the match to mean SOMETHING, but I’m not having high expectations for this one. This way if it’s half decent, I’ll be surprised and get more out of it. We’ll see what happens. I half-think that since this IS D-Bry and the fact that Kane has and can deliver this COULD be a good match. Shit. There I go with expectations. But yeah, Daniel Bryan wins.
So how about that WWE Network? I’ve not watched one second of the network since WrestleMania and I’m doubtful I will watch much of anything between now and Extreme Rules. I’m leaning towards going back to watching the PPVs the day after before RAW and cancelling come the 6 month mark. NXT is the only show I care about and I just don’t have the time or motivation to care. Maybe if they put a Google Chrome cast application out there like any other respectable service. I’m not holding my breath. In the meantime, I’ll take these $10 PPVs and judge in a couple months when it’s that time. Right now, it’s no.
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