Welcome to Canton’s Corner. This week I’ll be doing the polls that we usually do, I’ll skip writing about Raw because I already covered it and I don’t have much more to add about the Lesnar return. I’m excited about it. I want to see what’s next. Later in this column you’ll see some likes and dislikes from Smackdown, answering 21 questions in the Twitter section, posting a random video and bringing it home with Melo Out. TNA? Nope. Let’s roll.
Last Week’s Poll Results
The last poll question was: Who do you personally like more: The Rock or John Cena? The results after 2,800+ votes:
The Rock — 55.99%
John Cena — 17.2%
I’m ready for the match to be over so we can move on to other things. — 13.95%
I like them both equally — 10.46%
I dislike both of them — 2.4%
I set that poll up about three weeks ago and haven’t done one since. I guess that 14% of you are glad that we’re moving on now.
This Week’s Poll Question: Is it a good thing that Brock Lesnar is back in WWE?
Brock Lesnar is back. Some like it. Others do not. Is it a good thing that he’s back “home” in WWE?
Is it a good thing that Brock Lesnar is back in WWE?
I voted yes. Absolutely. I’m excited about what’s to come. I’ll write more about it in the future, but for now I’ll leave it at that.
I have some “likes” and “dislikes” from Smackdown this week.
LIKE – Daniel Bryan dumps AJ
I think it goes without saying that I’m a huge fan of Daniel Bryan. I’m not shocked by anything he does because I know how good of a performer he is dating back to his Ring of Honor, but I am still surprised that WWE is pushing him the way they are. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good kind of surprise. His promo this week was that of a classic heel blaming his innocent girlfriend AJ for the loss and then kicking her to the curb by looking her in the eyes to tell her that he doesn’t need her anymore. The run with AJ was a lot of fun. However, I think for him to grow even more as a performer he’ll need to do it on his own and he’s full capable of doing that. While I’m disappointed that Bryan lost the World Title, he did have a good run with it (certainly better than what Christian had) and there is plenty of reason to think he’ll get another push to that level.
I was also happy that the Orlando crowd was chanting “YES” although not as often as the Miami crowd on Monday. I think that’s largely due to the fact that a lot of the WrestleMania (and post WM Raw) crowd are “smart” fans that made the trek to see both shows. It will be interesting to see what Monday’s crowd in Washington, Tuesday’s crowd in Hampton for the live Smackdown and the crowds in London, England the week after are going to do when it comes to these “YES” chants. Are they a temporary thing or will they last? Obviously, though, WWE isn’t a huge fan of idea which brings me to the next point.
DISLIKE – WWE silences the crowd during Bryan’s promo
As happy as I was that the “YES” chants continued on Smackdown, I’m disappointed that WWE obviously tried to mute some of them as well. You could tell that they wanted to muzzle the crowd at times because the crowd appeared to be making a lot of noise, yet when you watched the show it wasn’t as loud as what we got on Monday. It’s almost as if WWE is saying “we didn’t tell you to chant that” and as a result they choose to alter what we hear. It’s what they always do. I guess the concern is that it would turn him babyface if the fans kept chanting this for him. He’s obviously great as a heel and should stay in that role, but if the fans want something bad enough then it’s up to creative to make it work.
At least WWE was smart enough to release a new Daniel Bryan “YES! YES! YES!” t-shirt that is available on wweshop.com already. There isn’t much creativity to the shirt, but hopefully it’s a good seller.
LIKE – Randy Orton over Kane in a No DQ Match
Randy got his win back after losing at WrestleMania, which basically made Kane’s win pointless. Either that or this is the second match in this feud that people don’t really care about, which would lead to another match at Extreme Rules in a few weeks. I’m not sure if that’s where they’re headed. The reason this got a “like” is because they really worked hard to put on a good match that I’d rate at three stars out of five. I’m ready for it to be over, though. Orton needs a new opponent. You know who else needs a feud? Dolph Ziggler. I’d love to see a Ziggler/Orton feud. I’ll keep writing about it until it happens.
DISLIKE – Beth Phoenix Loses to Nikki Bella
To quote Booker T: WHAT DA HELL? Nikki Bella? They are trying to convince us that Beth is this dominant champion, yet she lost to Nikki because she got rammed into the turnbuckle (I swear they use that as a finish setup every week) and then a X-Factor type move. Really? That’s it? It should be pointed out too that Beth was distracted by Kelly Kelly, who basically did nothing outside the ring, yet it was enough to cause Beth to lose. Why can’t they pull the trigger on the Beth/Natalya feud? They’ve given no explanation as to why they don’t enter the ring together. It would be a very fresh story. It’s pretty simple to have Natalya accidently screw up in a tag or something like that, which would cause Beth to attack her and set up the singles feud. Instead, it’s back to Kelly vs. Beth again? Yawn.
LIKE – Ryback debuts to beat a jobber who got promo time
I saw Ryback (Skip Sheffield) during WrestleMania week. He said he’d be back on TV soon. He was right. What was especially awesome about this was that the jobber he beat, Barry Stevens, got to cut a promo before the match. When was the last time that happened? I felt like I was watching WWF Superstars from 1991. Awesome. It will be interesting to see where Ryback goes. I wonder how they can use a dominant overpowering heel type heel character when they already have a bunch of wrestlers with the same gimmick (Henry, Tensai, Lesnar?). The lack of credible babyfaces in the midcard makes it hard for any midcard heel to really get over with the fans.
DISLIKE – Teddy Long has to work for John Laurinaitis
When Teddy’s team lost at WrestleMania I was happy because I thought that meant his stale character would be off WWE TV for the foreseeable future. Nope. I was wrong. During Laurinaitis’ opening show promo, he said that Teddy had to stick around because of a trust fund that was set up for his three grandkids. The idea of a face working for a heel usually doesn’t work out. Remember those awful skits when Cena had to work for Wade Barrett of the Nexus? It wasn’t good television. I don’t care who is in charge of the shows. Focus on the wrestlers, not Teddy freakin’ Long. Thank you.
LIKE – Damien Sandow makes his debut promo
Who? He’s one of the better stars in Florida Championship Wrestling that you might remember as “Idol Stevens” from back in 2006. He got released, then he re-signed in the summer of 2010, they created this Damien Sandow character and he’s been somebody that has garnered a lot of attention. You can tell from his promo that he’ll be the kind of heel that talks down to people by using his intelligence. It’s not necessarily a new gimmick that we haven’t seen before, but if they book him right he could take off.
I really hope this is the sign of some FCW wrestlers making the jump to Raw or Smackdown sooner or later. I saw a great Seth Rollins/Dean Ambrose match at Axxess last week. Ambrose shot a youtube video angle with Mick Foley. He could be brought up soon. Rollins is the most ready of anybody in FCW. Don’t be shocked if you see a few more FCW wrestlers being called up in the coming weeks.
DISLIKE – The booking of the Sheamus/Del Rio main event
Who booked that match? It was pretty awful. I understand why they did it because there was no way for them to book Del Rio to win in a manner that actually made him look good. However, doing the Eddie Guerrero finish with the fake chair attack left a lot to be desired. I’m amazed at how much Del Rio’s stock has fallen since he was pushed as a top guy for much of 2011 and then injured his groin to start this year. It reminds me of how far The Miz has fallen too. It’s as if they get behind these guys when they’re getting a push and then as soon as they lose the title it’s a free fall to a level on the roster than where they should be.
LIKE – Sheamus attacks referee Chad Patton after his loss and WWE.com follows up on it
After he lost to Del Rio via DQ, Sheamus destroyed ref Chad Patton with a Brogue Kick that “knocked him out.” If you check out WWE.com, there’s a video with other referees talking about how they don’t like what Sheamus did and they don’t want to be in the same ring with him. I guess they’re making Sheamus into a “Stone Cold” type of face that doesn’t have any friends or respect for authority. It will be interesting to see how they follow up on it.
DISLIKE – “Good Feeling” by Flo Rida
I hope that there aren’t any more video packages featuring this song. I used to love the song two months ago. On the road to WrestleMania, though, WWE has absolutely killed it for me.
Quick Takes:
– I’m okay with the Big Show/Cody Rhodes feud continuing for one more PPV. After that, though, it’s time for Cody to move on to better things. I wouldn’t be shocked if Cody got moved to Raw in the draft if that kind of thing even matters anymore.
– The David Otunga character is intriguing as long as he doesn’t wrestle. This week, they had him act like a coward while he won a handicap match with Mark Henry over R-Truth. It worked out well. I think Henry acting as the muscle for Laurinaitis and Otunga is a good role for him.
– I’m cautiously optimistic about next week’s “Blast from the Past” Smackdown show that will be live on Tuesday at 8pmET. They mentioned that a lot of wrestlers will be returning for it, so it should be fun for nostalgia sake. It’s a nice change of pace from what we normally get.
Aside from the awesome Daniel Bryan promo, it was mostly a forgettable edition of Smackdown.
Call it a 5 out of 10.
Random Clip of the Week
With Brock Lesnar returning to WWE, I had to share this match between Lesnar and Cena from Backlash 2003. At the time, Lesnar was the babyface WWE Champion while Cena was the heel challenger that was on the rise. It’s not a great match in terms of star ratings. I think I gave it *** out of 5 at the time, but it’s worth a watch if you’ve never seen it or if you forgot about it.
I think they’d have a better match today than they did nine years ago, so I’m looking forward to it when it happens in the near future.
People send me questions on Twitter @johnreport and I answer them.
@CM_Roberts What do you think is next for Rock in a WWE ring??
I think he’ll be out until Summerslam or Survivor Series. I’d also pick him to win the Royal Rumble.
@Spirezilla Despite losing in 18secs at WM,do you think in the long run that has worked more in favour for Bryan after watching Raw?
The crowd was hot for him before WM even started, so I think the D-Bry “revolution” was going to happen no matter what. I’m a huge fan and hope it gives him a lot of momentum.
@IAmMattWishart What are your top 3 favourite WWE returns?
Austin at Backlash 2000, Rock on Feb 14/2011 and Lesnar this past Monday. Maybe I’m forgetting old ones, but I know who I like.
@AllenOutraged Do you think that R-Truth is becoming the most underused guy in the past few weeks?
I think he’s a veteran midcarder in the right spot. Ryder is the most poorly booked face by far. Not even close.
@TestSubjectZER0 Taker/Michaels WM25 & 26 vs Taker/HHH WM27 & 28 – which series do you prefer?
The Michaels ones because I think the WM25 match is the best ever, but all four matches are classics.
@Trac3r You thoughts of Bobby Roode as the tna champion?
He’s done great from what I’ve seen, but TNA as a whole is losing my interest.
@MohammedLFCFan Any early draft prediction?
Does the draft matter? I’d move Ziggler to SD, Henry to Raw & Rhodes to Raw.
@Doesntmatter234 How soon until Daniel Bryan holds another World Championship in your opinion?
Maybe not this year because others will get their turn, but probably in 2013 again. He’s earned it.
@thesamhale Will Daniel Bryan’s push stay, or will post WM see a regression?
I’m not sure if he’ll be in the title picture for much longer. You can’t push everybody at once. I see Rhodes getting a big push.
@MickQuinn1989 Triple H vs HBK at WM29. Probably won’t happen, but would be amazing! Agree?
Yes it would. I believe HBK when he says he’s retired. Maybe I’m naive, but I think he’s honest.
@_ronarch If this YES phenomenon maintains its trajectory, how long until they turn Bryan face, and would you welcome that?
I like him as a heel so much that he should stay in that role, but if the story calls for it then he’d be fine as a face too. He’s got talent.
@THEPeterJones What do you think the mid to long term prospects are for Matt Bloom’s Lord Tensai character?
I think he’ll feud with Punk after the Jericho feud is over at Extreme Rules. After that maybe a Cena feud. Main event level push for him.
@Nuperman which match would you prefer to see at Mania Rock vs Punk or Rock vs Brock?
I’d prefer Rock vs. Punk, but think it will be Rock vs. Brock at WM29.
@Ike727 Spring cleanup time in WWE – who will go and which call-ups do you see having the best chance at becoming a star?
I don’t like forecasting firings. If you’re not used on TV you could be axed, though. For new stars, I think Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Derrick Bateman of NXT have star potential. For a woman I’d pick Maxine.
@unlimitedrange What possible feuds would you most like to see booked this year?
Give me Orton vs. Ziggler, Punk vs. Christian and Jericho vs. face Bryan. Any combo of those guys works for me.
@MatthewToy Do you think even one person bought WrestleMania to see rappers and dancing?
No. I also don’t think they really took away from the show. It wasn’t that bad. I was there and crowd didn’t hate it.
@KimsanSong Who will brock face at mania you think?
The Rock. I think Lesnar walks into WM29 as WWE Champ and Rock wins the Rumble.
@Graham_Galloway Do you think RAW needs more main event feuds to increase the credibility of the show?
Yes absolutely, but it’s hard when you ignore the midcard and use Smackdown talent on the show. Nobody gets elevated.
@SophieRichard25 When do you think they’ll bring Kharma back? The divas division needs her.
I agree they need her. Not sure when or if she’ll be back.
@ProdigyENG Would you pay to see Rhodes vs Ziggler vs Bryan at Mania for the WHC?
They’re all heels and I don’t love triple threats, but if the story was right I’d be a fan of that. I enjoy all three of them.
@Seanfav1 will vinny make a triple threat at extreme rules. Knowing Chicago will be pretty much pro Bryan?
You mean Sheamus/Del Rio/Bryan? Could happen. I’d assume we’ll find out this week.
Melo Out with Steve Melo
Greetings wrestling fans. It’s been a long time but welcome to another edition to Melo Out. So Wrestlemania has now come and gone. I have read all the reviews and along with this past week’s Monday night RAW, it goes without saying that there have been many interesting events that have taken place. Most reviews have touched base on the majority of the things that were good. I want to focus first on what was the not so good. Call me negative all you want but I think for the most part I don’t think I am not alone on this one.
I thought Wrestlemania 28 was one of the better Wrestlemania’s in years. Overall, it was a very enjoyable show. That is not to say it was a perfect show by any means. The Daniel Bryan squash was total bullshit, but it looks like it may actually benefit his popularity now going forward. I like the guy and like most fans I want to see him excel and succeed because he deserves it. So I hope that bullshit booking actually works in his favor. I also could have done without the deadliest catch segment, the Heath Slater and Florida segment and his live performance along with MGK. I paid to see Wrestlemania, not the MTV music awards. I understand Wrestlemania has always been about celebrity involvement but for fuck sakes, do it right and do it with ones that people actually care to see. Otherwise it just becomes a total waste of time.
I understand the Brodus Clay segment was done a break before the main event, but as big of a Funkasaurus fan that I am, this was garbage. Again, I paid to see Wrestlemania, not chicks dressed as old ladies shaking fake asses all over the place. The last thing that really pissed me off was the Diva’s tag match. Now I know I shouldn’t care too much about what many have dubbed the bathroom break match, but I do for a number of reasons. First off, why have Eve as Beth’s tag team partner instead of Natalya when she was already involved in the very predictable team Teddy versus team Johnny match outcome? Natalya is one of the best female workers the WWE has and she deserved a spot on this card, especially since she has been such a good sport about this whole fart gimmick shit. Yes I said shit. It could be literally too if that horrible gimmick keeps up. Secondly, as ridiculously sexy as Maria Menounos is, she should not be getting a pin over Beth who is the current Diva’s champion. Beth is yet another amazing hard worker who deserved better on this card. Just my opinion on what I disliked about the show now that I have had a few more days to digest it all.
As far as the actual wrestling with the matches we got, I thought WWE delivered, especially with the Undertaker & Triple H match. It got off to a slow start but I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen so many chair shots in one match. I’ve loved it. In closing, even with all its flaws, this was a very memorable show and even though it sounds like I hated it, I didn’t. But as far as what I did hate, well now you know. What didn’t you like about Wrestlemania 28? Leave your comments. I’d love to hear from you.
Until next time, sit back, relax and Melo out, because to me, that is what wrestling is all about.
Steve “The Melo Man” Melo
Facebook: MeloOutTJR
Twitter: @MeloOutTJR
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That’s all for now. I’ll leave you with this link… TJRWrestling.com. It’s still in the development stages, but you’ll want to check it out and please bookmark it. More to come…soon.
I’ll be back on Tuesday for the Raw Deal. Have a happy Easter, Passover or whatever it is you are or are not celebrating.
John Canton – [email protected]
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Twitter @johnreport
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Visit my 10+ year column archive at the Wrestling Oratory right HERE.
