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Notes from Survivor Series
--WWE absolutely LOVES Daniel Bryan. He’s been in five PPVs in his career, won all five matches, and kicked off four while main eventing the other. In fact, Daniel Bryan is the ONLY wrestler I can think of to win at his first five consecutive PPVs. Even Hulk Hogan didn’t do it – he won four in a row before drawing at WrestleMania IV. Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Kane, Steve Austin, The Rock, Big Show, Andre the Giant, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Ric Flair, Edge, John Cena, and Randy Orton didn’t do it either. If anyone can think of another wrestler that’s accomplished this feat, please let me know. WWE is doing everything they can to get him over with the crowd; it’s deserved, and it’s working. He’s getting solid reactions, and the U.S. Title is the most important it’s been since MVP’s reign in 2007-2008.
--I’m happy to see Morrison beat Sheamus. People on this board hate on Morrison, but if I were starting a wrestling company and could cherrypick the WWE roster, I’d pick Morrison ahead of Sheamus. I can’t believe I’m saying that, but it’s true. Morrison’s athletic, he’s entertaining, and I’d rather watch a Morrison match than a Sheamus match. Sheamus is solid in the ring and OK on the mic, but he’s never put on a match that’s had me riveted. When Sheamus puts on a match half as good as Morrison/Miz/Bryan from HIAC, maybe I’ll change my tune.
--I’ve argued this before, but it’s worth repeating: WWE MUST implement an international system for training and seasoning young wrestlers. I think we’re all frustrated by the clone army that’s emerged from FCW of late. Many of the greatest wrestlers of the last 20 years (Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, etc.) wrestled worldwide before arriving in WWE. Jericho himself explained that tours in Canada, SMW, Mexico, Germany, Japan, ECW, and then WCW each added a new facet to his abilities as a performer. Alberto Del Rio, Daniel Bryan and Kaval are dynamic, captivating performers in part because they’ve wrestled all over the world; they’re not perfect, but ALL are worlds better than most of the trash that FCW’s given us. If WWE wants more wrestlers like them, they would be wise to develop connections with organizations abroad and send young wrestlers around the world to perform in front of audiences that DEMAND multifaceted performers. The wrestlers will grow as entertainers and, more importantly, they’ll be more prepared for the big time.
--Dolph Ziggler is quickly becoming one of WWE’s best in-ring performers. Bring up the Spirit Squad, his stupid name, or any other puerile criticism; week in and week out, Ziggler is putting on excellent matches. Kaval is outstanding, but against Ziggler he looked the best he’s looked in WWE. Ziggler is getting more comfortable on the mic, and I’m starting to see a genuine superstar emerging. It’ll still be years before he’s on the world title level, but that’s a good thing – if only WWE had the patience to let more guys work their way up through the ranks organically rather than Swaggering them to the main event.
--Ziggler and Bryan represent a renewed investment in the midcard titles, an investment that is LONG overdue. I can’t remember the last time both the US and IC titles felt so genuinely IMPORTANT.
--Tag match…who gives a shit.
--Women’s wrestling receives much IWC hate, but it’s clear the general audience agrees. Natalya’s long-sought and much-deserved title win generated outright indifference, as did Beth Phoenix’s “big” return. If anyone can’t predict Natalya and Beth teaming against LayCool for a time before Phoenix turning against Natalya for a Wrestlemania title affair, they need a G.D. lobotomy. In any event, the match itself was short and unmemorable, but it didn’t need to be anything more; Natalya is champion, LayCool can quietly retire to matches against Kelly Kelly, and all is right with the world.
--Has Edge’s treatment of Paul Bearer seemed decidedly heel-ish? There’s nothing about the segments on Smackdown that said, “Well, OK. I should root for Edge then.” I think WWE overestimated the audience’s vitriol towards Kane. Also, “The pace of this match favors Kane” is code for “This match is boring as fuck.” Slow, boring match, exactly what I expected. I wrote 90% of these notes during that match, including all the Daniel Bryan PPV research.
--SANTINO MARELLA IS OVER AS ALL HELL. If they pushed him to the WWE Championship tomorrow, the audience would fully accept it. He is THAT over. He got the biggest pop of the night outside of John Cena. Or maybe it was Kozlov.
--The eventual Randy Orton DVD will redefine boredom.
--Here’s how dumb the WWE is: it’s a no DQ/countout match, and yet Cena is counting to 5 on rope ties and forcing breaks when he’s only there to register pinfalls/sumbissions. WWE could easily play this off by highlighting Cena’s lack of refereeing experience; instead, the announcers actually AGREE with Cena’s actions instead of referencing the stipulations. Also, if there’s another no DQ/countout match that was free of A SINGLE action that would warrant a DQ or countout, I’d love to know about it. All kayfabe notwithstanding, the idea that Wade Barrett wouldn’t immediately waffle Orton with a tire iron is silly beyond description.
--I simply CANNOT believe that WWE didn’t reference a single one of the various subplots of this match outside of Cena. No Nexus, no Otunga, no outside interference, no foreign objects, no Miz, no anonymous GM, no "bigger purpose," not even a single hint of Cena wavering, nothing. For me as a fan, this was the biggest disappointment since Bret Hart lost at WrestleMania IX. What a joke, a disaster, and a complete undermining of all the work the writers put into making this match something special. I’ll never watch it again, and I know most people will feel the same. A complete atrocity. I gave WWE too much credit. Cena didn’t have to turn heel, but of the DOZENS of options at their disposal, WWE chose the only one that was obvious and boring. Damn them. The fact that I actually considered ordering this show instead of downloading it is both a testament to the writing leading up to the show and a damnation of the final product. If you’re gonna make it a fail…….make it a fail.
--WWE absolutely LOVES Daniel Bryan. He’s been in five PPVs in his career, won all five matches, and kicked off four while main eventing the other. In fact, Daniel Bryan is the ONLY wrestler I can think of to win at his first five consecutive PPVs. Even Hulk Hogan didn’t do it – he won four in a row before drawing at WrestleMania IV. Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Kane, Steve Austin, The Rock, Big Show, Andre the Giant, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Ric Flair, Edge, John Cena, and Randy Orton didn’t do it either. If anyone can think of another wrestler that’s accomplished this feat, please let me know. WWE is doing everything they can to get him over with the crowd; it’s deserved, and it’s working. He’s getting solid reactions, and the U.S. Title is the most important it’s been since MVP’s reign in 2007-2008.
--I’m happy to see Morrison beat Sheamus. People on this board hate on Morrison, but if I were starting a wrestling company and could cherrypick the WWE roster, I’d pick Morrison ahead of Sheamus. I can’t believe I’m saying that, but it’s true. Morrison’s athletic, he’s entertaining, and I’d rather watch a Morrison match than a Sheamus match. Sheamus is solid in the ring and OK on the mic, but he’s never put on a match that’s had me riveted. When Sheamus puts on a match half as good as Morrison/Miz/Bryan from HIAC, maybe I’ll change my tune.
--I’ve argued this before, but it’s worth repeating: WWE MUST implement an international system for training and seasoning young wrestlers. I think we’re all frustrated by the clone army that’s emerged from FCW of late. Many of the greatest wrestlers of the last 20 years (Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, etc.) wrestled worldwide before arriving in WWE. Jericho himself explained that tours in Canada, SMW, Mexico, Germany, Japan, ECW, and then WCW each added a new facet to his abilities as a performer. Alberto Del Rio, Daniel Bryan and Kaval are dynamic, captivating performers in part because they’ve wrestled all over the world; they’re not perfect, but ALL are worlds better than most of the trash that FCW’s given us. If WWE wants more wrestlers like them, they would be wise to develop connections with organizations abroad and send young wrestlers around the world to perform in front of audiences that DEMAND multifaceted performers. The wrestlers will grow as entertainers and, more importantly, they’ll be more prepared for the big time.
--Dolph Ziggler is quickly becoming one of WWE’s best in-ring performers. Bring up the Spirit Squad, his stupid name, or any other puerile criticism; week in and week out, Ziggler is putting on excellent matches. Kaval is outstanding, but against Ziggler he looked the best he’s looked in WWE. Ziggler is getting more comfortable on the mic, and I’m starting to see a genuine superstar emerging. It’ll still be years before he’s on the world title level, but that’s a good thing – if only WWE had the patience to let more guys work their way up through the ranks organically rather than Swaggering them to the main event.
--Ziggler and Bryan represent a renewed investment in the midcard titles, an investment that is LONG overdue. I can’t remember the last time both the US and IC titles felt so genuinely IMPORTANT.
--Tag match…who gives a shit.
--Women’s wrestling receives much IWC hate, but it’s clear the general audience agrees. Natalya’s long-sought and much-deserved title win generated outright indifference, as did Beth Phoenix’s “big” return. If anyone can’t predict Natalya and Beth teaming against LayCool for a time before Phoenix turning against Natalya for a Wrestlemania title affair, they need a G.D. lobotomy. In any event, the match itself was short and unmemorable, but it didn’t need to be anything more; Natalya is champion, LayCool can quietly retire to matches against Kelly Kelly, and all is right with the world.
--Has Edge’s treatment of Paul Bearer seemed decidedly heel-ish? There’s nothing about the segments on Smackdown that said, “Well, OK. I should root for Edge then.” I think WWE overestimated the audience’s vitriol towards Kane. Also, “The pace of this match favors Kane” is code for “This match is boring as fuck.” Slow, boring match, exactly what I expected. I wrote 90% of these notes during that match, including all the Daniel Bryan PPV research.
--SANTINO MARELLA IS OVER AS ALL HELL. If they pushed him to the WWE Championship tomorrow, the audience would fully accept it. He is THAT over. He got the biggest pop of the night outside of John Cena. Or maybe it was Kozlov.
--The eventual Randy Orton DVD will redefine boredom.
--Here’s how dumb the WWE is: it’s a no DQ/countout match, and yet Cena is counting to 5 on rope ties and forcing breaks when he’s only there to register pinfalls/sumbissions. WWE could easily play this off by highlighting Cena’s lack of refereeing experience; instead, the announcers actually AGREE with Cena’s actions instead of referencing the stipulations. Also, if there’s another no DQ/countout match that was free of A SINGLE action that would warrant a DQ or countout, I’d love to know about it. All kayfabe notwithstanding, the idea that Wade Barrett wouldn’t immediately waffle Orton with a tire iron is silly beyond description.
--I simply CANNOT believe that WWE didn’t reference a single one of the various subplots of this match outside of Cena. No Nexus, no Otunga, no outside interference, no foreign objects, no Miz, no anonymous GM, no "bigger purpose," not even a single hint of Cena wavering, nothing. For me as a fan, this was the biggest disappointment since Bret Hart lost at WrestleMania IX. What a joke, a disaster, and a complete undermining of all the work the writers put into making this match something special. I’ll never watch it again, and I know most people will feel the same. A complete atrocity. I gave WWE too much credit. Cena didn’t have to turn heel, but of the DOZENS of options at their disposal, WWE chose the only one that was obvious and boring. Damn them. The fact that I actually considered ordering this show instead of downloading it is both a testament to the writing leading up to the show and a damnation of the final product. If you’re gonna make it a fail…….make it a fail.
