Professional Wrestling (WWE, TNA, ROH, etc)

[Andrew]

However much they paid Taker to do this, it wasn't enough.

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[Lean]

He really voiced on that feature?! Wow.

Prediction time, names in bold are my picks.

NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II

• Samoa Joe (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (NXT Championship)

I'd pick Joe to strengthen his heel run or so they could have a trilogy of matches before one of them comes up.

• Asuka (c) vs. Bayley (NXT Women's Championship)

Time for Bayley to go to the main roster, preferably Smackdown because Becky is the lone horsewoman on the brand, but then again I'd also like to have Sasha-Bayley on the main roster some time in the future.

• Andrade 'Cien' Almas vs. Bobby Roode

Never a fan of Almas, picking Roode because it's his first televised debut, and because his theme is awesome.

• The Revival (c) vs. Gargano and Ciampa (NXT Tag Team Championship)

Expecting a heel turn from Ciampa because Johnny beat him in their match on CWC. A singles match between these two is Takeover material!

• No Way Jose vs. Austin Aries

I'm a bit skeptical about the feud because it's just a random thing put together, much like the Almas-Roode match. I'm picking Jose because I see the crowd party with his theme as he walks out victorious. But Aries lost the Takeover before this one, so whatever.

• Ember Moon vs. Billie Kay

I'd be surprised if in an in-ring debut of a new superstar, she gets spoiled by a heel.

WWE Summerslam 2016

• Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) vs. Randy Orton

I expect the same Brock match we've seen from the past few years, and an F-5-to-an-RKO spot.

• Finn Bálor vs. Seth Rollins (WWE Universal Championship)

Seems like the WWE is really going for it and make Bálor the champion. I expect a bigger demon entrance since they did that already on Raw (which is a shame, the demon gimmick is exclusive to PPV events), but it's understandable since their feud has not been as personal as...

• Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler (WWE World Championship)

A Ziggler win that leads to an "I told you so" and "you people never believed in me, but I did it" promo on the next Smackdown, heading to a heel turn.

• John Cena vs. AJ Styles[/b]

Cena wins anyway.

• Rusev (c) (with Lana) vs. Roman Reigns (WWE United States Championship)

Expecting Rusev to be on vacation after the loss to go Rusev matchka on Lana.

• Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte (WWE Women's Championship)

I personally think that the title change should have been done on Summerslam.

• The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) (c) vs. The Club (WWE Tag Team Championship)

Perhaps this will lead to The New Day breaking down because they can't win without Big E.

• Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Jeri-KO

Got nothing to think off story-wise but if New Day retains, I hope they feud with Owens and Jericho.

• The Miz (c) (with Maryse) vs. Apollo Crews (WWE Intercontinental Championship)

Just because Miz had the belt when he's filming.

• Cesaro vs. Sheamus (Match 1 in Best of Seven Series)

Not really invested on this one, but I see Cesaro going to Smackdown after this.

• Carmella, Becky Lynch and Naomi vs. Natalya, Eva Marie and Alexa Bliss

Just because Becky Lynch needs to win a PPV. Just want to add that they're doing an absolute great job on having Eva Marie no-show her matches, just adds to the heat she can generate.

I'm surprised that the Wikipedia entry for Summerslam listed Brock and Orton as the main event. So much for the new Universal title. It's also a shame that Sami isn't on the Summerslam card after that great Battleground match with Owens.

[[Q]]

I think nakamura will win and they move up Joe. Possibly to SD.

I still can't get myself to like cien almas

Johnny and tomaso are so over right now I think they'll take it

Ziggler turn would be an interesting move, and it would be the only way he would win

[Lean]

Almas lack charisma. I don't know but the crowd doesn't seem to care about him too, especially in his match with Bobby Roode.

Just seen Takeover, got four predicted winners correct. All title matches were awesome.

[Lean]

Let's just say that the WWE missed the opportunity in creating a better-looking title belt.

[Andrew]

An absolute garbage finish to the Orton/Lesnar match, and thus the second biggest show of the year. Tired of Lesnar. No intrigue, no originality, no creativity, no originality in his matches. Absolutely terrible.

[Lean]

A Goldberg appearance might have blown the roof off.

The show felt cluttered with how the title matches going first and having the Orton-Lesnar match last. The match with no reason to begin with. The US title match which never even happened. The tag title match not having a finish, it's bad. NXT Takeover is still better.

Cena-Styles, Charlotte-Sasha, and Bálor-Rollins are the biggest takeaways from the event.

Sasha may have been injured legit, and was reportedly pulled out of live events for the next 32 days. Meaning she's not part of the live event here on September 9.

[bigh0rt]

I'm really tired of Lesnar. He does nothing for me, and it looks like he works like a dick for the sake of it. Not to sell, not to put himself or his opponent over; but really just to be a dick. There's some photos of that gash on Orton's head, that's entirely unnecessary, and something that doesn't happen when professionals are working. Get rid of him. There's bigger draws on the roster already, and more to come.

[Andrew]

There seems to be conflicting reports - or at least speculation - as to whether it was all a work, a work that turned into a shoot and then back into a work, or whatever. Either way, it was a bad ending for so many reasons. While many of us criticise the PG approach, if that ending was completely planned, it ended up looking like a bad botch. On top of that, the match continued the tired booking of having Lesnar do a bunch of German suplexes, completely beat up his opponent, and win handily. He should look strong, not completely unbeatable.

He doesn't care about the business and perfecting the craft. He doesn't sell well. Dean Ambrose revealed on Stone Cold's podcast that Lesnar had no interest in making their Wrestlemania match better, and any suggestions were met by laziness and indifference. He's a dangerous worker. There is no intrigue in his matches, because you know how they're going to go down. There's no variation in them, so once you've seen one, you've seen them all. Anyone who goes up against him is buried to some degree. I'm well and truly over him as well. I don't actually mind part-time talent because they can be an attraction, but his booking has been handled so terribly, and it's doing the product no favours. I wouldn't miss him at all.

[Andrew]

And some terrible news regarding Finn Balor:

[Lean]

Damn it.

Yet when Miz was off-screen to shoot a movie, they'd keep the title on him.

I agree with your opinions with Lesnar. Actually, I felt asleep during his match and just tried to keep myself awake for any swerve or surprise apprearance. Lesnar matches are repetitive and are stale.

[Andrew]

Depends on the injury. He dislocated his shoulder on that power bomb into the crowd barrier, and may have torn his labrum. They're expecting extended time off and possible surgery, so on top of being a major belt (admittedly one with no history), it's a bit different from the situation with Miz.

[Lean]

Oh yes it is. My point was having Miz booked to take the belt off Ryder a day after Ryder winning it was pointless when Miz just went off to film something and take the belt with him.

Shame that Bálor will be out six months. I'm hoping that he gets cleared earlier so he can make it to the Royal Rumble.

Now that Sasha's out too, I can't think of any other face woman to take on Charlotte. I hope now that Bayley comes up.

[Andrew]

Definitely, that was bad booking for its own reasons. Slap in the face of a hard worker in Ryder.

[Andrew]

Brock Lesnar and Chris Jericho involved in altercation at WWE SummerSlam

Wrestling newsletter f4wonline.com has reported Jericho, the man known as the Ayatollah of Rock n’ Rolla, was standing in the marshalling area behind the walk-out stage of the Barclays Centre in New York to check on the condition of Orton immediately after his fight with Lesnar finished.

Citing multiple sources, the newsletter reported Jericho asked WWE producer Michael Hayes if the fight had been arranged for Orton to receive such a bloody beating.

When the producer refused to answer him, Jericho said: “That’s bulls***”.

At the exact moment Jericho was announcing his discontent at the finish of the fight, Lesnar walked into the staging area and heard Jericho’s comment.

Believing it to be an attack on him personally, Lesnar responded by telling Jericho to “shut up”. Another version of the fight claims Lesnar also called Jericho a “pussy”.

The pair then stepped up into each other’s faces and launched into a heated screaming match that involved them locking foreheads before Lesnar shoved Jericho away.

A conflicting report claimed Jericho pushed Lesnar into a wall where they continued to wrestle.

Lesnar proceeded to taunt Jericho to “punch him or kiss him” before they were separated by WWE legend Triple H, Paul Levesque.

After they had been pried apart the pair continued to verbally abuse each other and ran in to fight a second time before their confrontation was shut down by WWE boss Vince McMahon.

McMahon reportedly ordered the pair to walk away and needed to remind Jericho to act like a professional.

Triple H informed the WWE head-honcho that Lesnar was responsible for starting the fight and claimed Jericho only acted to defend himself throughout the confrontation.

Maybe Vince should hold Lesnar to similar standards that he holds Jericho. As Y2J himself would put it:

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[[Q]]

Went to Vegas this weekend so I'm barely catching up... You could totally tell Lesnar match was a work, especially with him doing the same thing to Cena before. I agree Lesnar isn't fun to watch, but vince still thinks he's a draw. just like HHH thinks he's still a draw as well. What would be more interesting is if Brock had a regular match

Might have been nerves, but a ton of botches both nights. Botchamania is gonna have a field day.

Glad that AJ got the win and BEAT UP JOHN CENA

SMH Nikki is back with a new finisher so she'll feud with Becky for the Universal women's championship and unfortunately will probably get it over a more deserving becky

OK so Bret Hart was totally right. before he seemed pissed about an isolated incident but there's definitely a pattern here. I was ready for a change and this injury will give us the same old story. i don't understand how they can keep people down who have one injury and are deemed "injury-prone" and yet continue to push a guy who's legitimately injured: a 15-time champ, himself who was a long-time champ, a newly-crowned champ, and a hall-of-famer who was looking to do one more match but had his career ended instead. I don't get how they ban his one move that "looks dangerous" and continues to allow him to use a move that's injured 3 out of the 4 mentioned above.

[Andrew]

The turnbuckle (or in this case, barrier) powerbomb is definitely cause for concern. Whether it's Rollins messing up or other workers just can't protect themselves properly with it, it's putting people on the shelf. Once is bad luck, twice is very bad luck, three times or more...maybe think about dropping it from the arsenal.

[[Q]]

The worst part is that we were obviously due for a change up in programming with Finn as champ, but now we're stuck back with the same ol' programming

[Andrew]

It is a chance to push guys like Cesaro and Kevin Owens, but it remains to be seen whether they'd actually go ahead and do that.

[Lean]

I am hoping that they'd go and make Owens the champion on Raw. He deserves the spot of the top heel.

Meanwhile, Smackdown had AJ vs. Dolph, and it was an amazing match.

[deihatein]

That Miz promo, HOLY SHIT

Smackdown has been better than Raw so far.

[Lean]

I think it's because the main event changed again for Ambrose, while on Raw it's probably gonna be Rollins and Reigns again. That's why I'm hoping they go with Owens as the champion.

[[Q]]

FML

Before Finn Balor's injury, the original plan was for Balor to defend the new Universal title against Kevin Owens at the Clash of Champions PPV on September 25. At that event, the finish would have led to a Balor vs. Owens vs. Chris Jericho triple threat match at the 10/30 PPV in Boston.

- Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns were both expected to be kept out of the title picture for the next few months but due to Balor's injury, they are likely back in. For Reigns, WWE's idea was to keep him in a storyline with Rusev with the hope that this new vision would go over with the fans.

[Andrew]

Rollins in the main event isn't as bad a prospect as Reigns in the main event, but putting them both in there definitely stifles the chances of a few other workers who should be built up.

[Lean]

FML

Before Finn Balor's injury, the original plan was for Balor to defend the new Universal title against Kevin Owens at the Clash of Champions PPV on September 25. At that event, the finish would have led to a Balor vs. Owens vs. Chris Jericho triple threat match at the 10/30 PPV in Boston.

- Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns were both expected to be kept out of the title picture for the next few months but due to Balor's injury, they are likely back in. For Reigns, WWE's idea was to keep him in a storyline with Rusev with the hope that this new vision would go over with the fans.

Damn it. And it seems like they're going that route again now that Reigns is in that fatal four-way. LET'S GO OWENS!

I have a feeling that the US title match may not have gone the way it did in the PPV and the beat-up it went on to be was just a last-minute change after they learned of Balor's injury to write Rusev out and for Reigns to be in the main event picture again.

This week's CWC is goddamn awesome.

And WWE releases the Takeover version of Nakamura's theme:

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