Sunday 19 May 2013

WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Preview




Extreme Rules takes place this evening at the Scotrrade Center in St Louis. After an entertaining Wrestlemania (which I'll publish the review for next week), how will Extreme Rules go? Let's look at the card.

The Pre-Show match will be between The Miz and Cody Rhodes. This could be a good match and it's a tough one to call. I'm going for The Miz to win here.
Predicted Winner: The Miz

Randy Orton will face The Big Show in an Extreme Rules match. I can see this being quite brutal yet probably not very entertaining. I'm going for Randy Orton to win here.
Predicted Winner: Randy Orton

Chris Jericho will take on Fandango in a match that I would normally look forward to if it wasn't for that stupid fucking dance off they had last Monday. Anyway, Fandango won their last match so I think that Jericho will win here and possibly continue the feud.
Predicted Winner: Chris Jericho

Sheamus will face Mark Henry in a strap match, in which the rules are that you have to touch each turnbuckle in succession to win the match. This has the ability to be an entertaining match and it's a tough one to call. I'm going to take a slight punt and go for Mark Henry to win.
Predicted Winner: Mark Henry

The Tag Team Championships are on the line in a Tornado Tag Match as Team Hell No are challenged by Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns from The Shield. I strongly feel that Hell No title reign is going to end here. The Shield have been looking very strong, only losing their matches by disqualification. I'll think you will be looking at new Tag Team Champions after this match. If you don't, I will be very surprised.
Predicted Winners: The Shield

"So, what's happened to Dean Ambrose?" I hear you say. Well, he is challenging Kofi Kingston for the United States Championship. I was a bit pissed off when Kofi won the Championship from Antonio Cesaro. However, the general feeling is he is a transitional Champion and Ambrose will get the win here. While I think that it's great for Ambrose, I'm worried that this might lead to the break up of The Shield, which would be crazy as they have so much momentum right now. Anyway, Dean Ambrose for the win here.
Predicted Winner: Dean Ambrose

Brock Lesnar will take on Triple H in a steel cage match. I feel that Lesnar has to win this match here. I know that I said that when he faced Cena last year but it would look worse if he loses to a part-time wrestler such as Triple H. Therefore, Lesnar to win here.
Predicted Winner: Brock Lesnar

Due to Jack Swagger practically kicking Dolph Ziggler's head on Smackdown a couple of weeks ago giving Ziggler a concussion, the World Heavyweight Championship will not be defended tonight. Therefore, it will be an "I Quit" match between Jack Swagger and Alberto Del Rio for the right to be the Number 1 contender. This could be a good match and with Zeb Coulter and Ricardo "Virgil" Rodriguez in the mix, my shenanigans sense is tingling. I'm going for Del Rio to win here and lose to Dolph when he recovers from his concussion.
Predicted Winner: Dolph Ziggler

The main event is for the WWE Championship as Ryback challenges John Cena. This should be an interesting match. With Cena's injury and him being stupid enough to continue to wrestle on it, there is the possibility of him losing under questionable circumstances. I feel that it is more likely that it's a situation where you have Cena overcoming the odds for the billionth time, which will probably in Ryback having a failed push. Even though I'm interested in seeing Ryback as WWE Champion, I can't see it happening. Therefore, Cena to win here.
Predicted Winner: John Cena

I'm yet to publish my Wrestlemania review. When I do, I'll write up the review for this as well and it should all be done within the next fortnight. Until then, hope you enjoy the show.

TNA Lockdown 2013 Review

TNA Lockdown took place on Sunday 10th March at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Genesis wasn't a bad event, so how Lockdown do? Let's take a look.

The first match was between Zema Ion, Christian York and Kenny King in a triple threat match for the X-Division Championship. The match begins with King hitting York with a cheap shot then Ion doing the same to King. As seems to be the norm with X-Division  matches, there was a lot of high-flying offense. Highlights include Ion doing a corkscrew splash to his opponents on the outside; York doing a top rope legdrop to King who was hanging off the middle rope; Ion doing a Tornado DDT on York; King doing a springboard legdrop to Ion on the ramp; and a move where York powerbombing King, who did a fallaway slam to Ion at the same time. The end comes when King reverses an attempt at a DDT by York into the Royal Flush to get the win and retain the Championship. I really enjoyed this match as there was a few times when they all did moves to each other at the same time. This match is undoubtedly the best X-Division match that I seen since Austin Aries left the division and I hope they can continue in that vein.
Winner: Kenny King

The next match is between Joseph Park (brother of Chris? You know, Abyss?) and Joey Ryan. Ryan goes on the mic to slag off Park before the bell rings. Park responds by saying how great San Antonio is and Ryan hits him with a cheap shot to start the match. Ryan uses his experience to get the advantage he attempts to crossbody Parks. Unfortunately, he just bounces off him. Ryan asserts his dominance for most of the match before Parks makes a comeback when he gives Ryan a wedgie. The end comes when Ryan attempts a sunset flip. Unfortunately, it backfires wildly when Parks is too heavy to flip over and Parks just sits on him, similar to a Banzai Drop, to get the win. If you were looking forward to a technical classic, don't watch this match. It was an enjoyable. fun match with a funny ending. If you want to have a little chuckle, watch this match.
Winner: Joseph Park

The Knockouts Championship is on the line as Velvet Sky is challenged by Gail Kim. The match starts with a few pin attempts by both ladies. Sky attempts a In Yo' Face on the outside but Kim pushes her into the ring post to get the advantage in the match. Kim during the match is arguing with the referee Taryn Terrell, due to their recent disagreements. Sky has a brief comeback and she grabs Kim's leg. Kim grabs Terrell to keep her balance and hit the Eat Defeat to get a 2 count. Kim doesn't take that well and starts arguing with Terrell and pushing her and then she slaps her. Kim dares Terrell to disqualify her but instead Terrell completely loses her shit and fucks Kim up. Sky takes advantage and hits the In Yo' Face to get the win. It was an ok match with dramatic consequences for Terrell. She gets attacked by Kim later on in the night; and Knockouts Executive Brooke Hogan fires her as a referee and reinstates her as an active wrestler, continuing the feud with Kim. This could be an interesting storyline but I feel that it needs to have the Knockouts Championship in the storyline as well.
Winner: Velvet Sky

Next is the match between Robbie T and Robbie E (oh, God!)  Robbie E attempts to hug it out and Robbie T doesn't take well and throws him off. Robbie E tries to do some wrestling moves but Robbie T very easily deals with them and hits Robbie E with big power moves. Robbie E takes advantage of Robbie T's missed moves to use his speed against him. However, it doesn't last long as Robbie T gets the win after hitting a fireman's carry into a spinebuster. The match wasn't anything special as it just seemed to show how strong Robbie T is.
Winner: Robbie T

The Tag Team Championships are on the line as Bobby Roode and Austin Aries defend their titles against Bad Influence and Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez. Chavo and Hernandez are dominant to start with. Chavo tries to do the Three Amigos on each of his opponents before Roode stops it and Bad Influence wear down Chavo. Roode tags himself and continues the assault on Chavo. Chavo and Roode hit each other with a clothesline. Aries get tagged in and throws Chavo out of the ring. Aries and Roode and Bad Influence get into it, and this gives Chavo the chance to tag in Hernandez. The match goes back and forth and the end comes when Chavo hits a frogsplash on Daniels. However, Roode tags himself in when Chavo jumps off the turnbuckle. The referee tells Chavo that he is not the legal man; Aries throws him out of the ring and Roode pins Daniels to win the match. I really enjoyed this match and it gives hope for the tag team division.
Winners: Bobby Roode and Austin Aries

After we get a pep talk from Aces and Eights Vice-President D'Lo Brown, we get Wes Brisco facing Kurt Angle in a steel cage match (the rest of the matches will be in a steel cage). Brisco is the first to try to leave the cage but Angle stops with a back suplex. Brisco starts to get the momentum after Angle misses a shoulder charge and hits the ring post. Brisco wears Angle down with a head lock but Angle gets out of it and hits a missile dropkick, giving him the opportunity to recover. Angle gets back some momentum with some clotheslines, a belly to belly suplex then 5 continuous German suplexes. Angle hits an Angle slam but Brisco hits a low blow and tries to leave the cage. Angle stops him with the ankle lock but Brisco powers out of it. The end comes when Brisco accidentally clotheslines the referee Brian Hebner; Angle applies the ankle lock and Brisco taps out but there's no referee. Angle hits the Angle slam and leaves the cage. However, D-Lo Brown runs in and attacks Angle. He throws Angle back in the cage and drags Brisco out. The referee recovers, sees Brisco outside the cage and gives him the victory. It was a decent match and I quite liked the ending, although it was a bit weird because there are normally two referees (one inside and one at the cage door) and there wasn't in this case.
Winner: Wes Brisco

The penultimate match is a Lethal Lockdown match with Aces and Eights (Devon, Mike Knox, DOC, Mr Anderson and Garrett "Future of the Business" Bischoff) taking on Team TNA (Sting, Magnus, Samoa Joe, James Storm and Eric Young (?!)) The match starts with Mr Anderson and Magnus. The match goes back and forth then Mike Knox is the next to enter. Samoa Joe enters next and starts beating on Knox and Anderson. Joe and Magnus keep the momentum going until Garrett "Future of the Business" Bischoff arrives. The rest of the competitors arrive in the following order: Eric Young, Devon, James Storm, DOC and finally, Sting. Sting brings some weapons with him and Team TNA use them to destroy Aces and Eights. After a while, Aces and Eights start to make a comeback. The match goes back and forth but Team TNA get the victory after Knox gets hit with a scorpion death drop from Sting followed by a elbow drop from the top of the cage by Young. The match was pretty good but I don't really like Lethal Lockdown matches as I find the concept of it quite dumb.
Winners: Team TNA

The main event is for the TNA World Championship as Bully Ray challenges Jeff Hardy. Hardy is the first one to climb out of the cage. However, he is stopped by Ray slamming Hardy's right leg into the cage. This gives Bully the chance to get the advantage. Hardy starts to make a small comeback and Bully tries for the Bully Bomb but it's countered into the Twist of Fate. As Hardy goes for the Swanton, Wes Brisco and Garrett "Future of the Business" Bischoff climb into the cage and interfere in the match. Hardy and Bully join forces against them and throw them out of the cage door. They get back into fighting each other and Bully gets a 2 count with a top rope splash. Bully then hits a sit-down powerbomb from the top rope. Hulk Hogan and Brooke Hogan come down to the ring to watch the match and encourage Bully (great neutrality by Hogan there). The rest of Aces and Eights arrive and climb the cage. Bully hands Hardy a chain and confronts Devon. Devon pulls out a hammer and after a staredown, hands it to Bully. Bully uses the hammer to hit Hardy in the back of the head and pins him to get the win and become the new TNA World Champion, shocking Hogan and Brooke. Bully then reveals that he is the President of Aces and Eights and the show ends with the crowd throwing bottles and glasses into the ring and Aces and Eights standing tall. It was a good match and I loved the reveal of Bully being the leader. A lot of people were expecting someone like Eric Bischoff or Jeff Jarrett being the leader and that would have pissed them off. I like the whole story of Bully deceiving Hogan and manipulating him and TNA into becoming World Champion. Plus, I like Bully a lot better as a heel anyway and he throughly deserves to be World Champion.
Winner: Bully Ray

Even though it took me over two months to get my finger out and watch the show, I enjoyed it. The first few matches (except for the X-Division match) weren't anything special and I don't really like Lethal Lockdown matches. Despite that, there were some good matches in there and as we head towards Slammiversary in Boston, I'm looking forward to see where TNA go from there.