WWE Monday Night Raw 8/27/2012 The Bradley Center Milwaukee, WI Jerry Lawler calls out CM Punk
This segment did a lot to help build the story of "The bitter champion" that we've been witnessing over the last month. Much like Bret Hart in 1997, Punk feels he has been disrespected, and he will stop at nothing to FORCE his peers to acknowledge his greatness.
Punk talking to Jerry Lawler like he was nothing but a jobber showed how big of a chip he has on his shoulder. Good stuff that had reason behind it.
Ryback vs Jack Swagger
Typical squash. Ryback needs to slow down a bit in the ring. At one point he almost dropped Swagger right on top of his head. I know I wouldn't want to be in the ring with the big pink-eyed klutz.
Finish: A Fisherman's Buster finishes off 'The All American American'.
I dig Layla. She has improved a ton in the ring, and pulled out some really cool moves in this match. My only complaint about the match was having to look at Vicky Guerrero standing on the ring steps the entire time. That is a sure fire way to kill a boner.
Finish: Layla kicks Natalya in the back of the head to get the win.
Winner: Layla
Vicky Guerrero demands to replace AJ Lee as the Raw GM
My ears were bleeding by the time AJ skipped her crazy ass down to the ring. And it felt good to see her slap the shit out of Guerrero. That being said, shouldn't AJ be fired for attacking a talent under contract to Raw?
Anger Management with Daniel Bryan: Part 1
I giggled my way through this entire segment. Daniel Bryan is great in this role, but I also hope he will one day dial back the comedy and become a serious competitor again. Until then, I'm enjoying his character.
Jerry Lawler makes his decision
I think we all knew last week, and even more so from the top of the show, That we were going to get a match between the two tonight, Also it's kind of obvious what will go down later tonight, and it will involve a certain invisible broccoli colored grappler. John Cena vs The Miz
It was really weird seeing Cena come out to the ring, not only for an undercard match, but one that had zero hype.
The match itself was good, and that's all I have to say about it.
Finish: Attitude Adjustment on The Miz to earn Cena the victory.
Winner: John Cena
Anger Management with Daniel Bryan...and Kane: Part 2
I knew in the first skit when the therapist mentioned that they were waiting on one more person, that it would be Kane. Predictable, but I'll wait and see how this plays out tonight before I judge it as a whole.
Heath Slater vs Santino
At this point I poured myself a stiff drink. What the fuck is going on with Santino's Cobra puppet and Aksana? I actually feel bad for Heath Slater for being forced to be apart of this shit. It's bad enough that these shows are 3 fucking hours, but when I also have to sit through insufferable crap like that, I am forced to booze it up.
Hello my name is Jeremy, and WWE turned me into an alcoholic.
Finish: The Cobra sees Aksana walking out onto the stage and becomes transfixed. Slater tries to take advantage, but The Cobra manages to strike anyway.
Winner: Santino Brodus Clay & Sin Cara vs Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes
I've usually like it when WWE takes two feuds and puts them together for one night only. And being that I enjoy both of these programs you would think that I would love this, right? Not the case. This match was rushed and did nothing to further either storyline. Cant win 'em all.
Finish: Cody takes a headbutt and a big splash. FATALITY!!
Winners: Brodus Clay & Sin Cara
Anger Management with Daniel Bryan and Kane: Part 3
This was the best thing I have ever seen...EVER!!!
Kane going through his entire history the way he did had me literally laughing out loud. Awesome stuff. WWE I almost forgive you for the Cobra bullshit from earlier...almost.
Daniel Bryan vs R-Truth
As a match this was nothing to remember. But as a continuation of the Anger Management storyline, it was awesome. Bryan coming out and acting as if he had some kind of breakthrough was great. By the time he finally snapped and went into the "No No No" routine, I was grinning from ear to ear. Bryan's act is so over with the crowd that I can't help but feel proud of the guy. Nobody ever thought that WWE would give him a real shot, but they were wrong. He has become an invaluable member of the roster, and is truly the future of the company in many ways.
Finish: Bryan was too busy verbally dueling with the fans to notice that he was being counted out.
Winner: R-Truth
Triple H's major announcement
I had a hard time paying attention to this, and soaking it all in. I know that this wont be the last time we see Hunter on TV, and I know that Summerslam wasn't the last time we were going to see him compete. I hate retirement storylines for that very reason. So why should I care?
Plus he never actually said that he was retiring. I give it until Survivor Series before we see 'The Game' back in the ring, probably against Brock Lesnar.
Dolph Ziggler & Alberto Del Rio vs Sheamus & Randy Orton
I loved how Ziggler taunted Chris Jericho before the match. I still say they're setting up a return storyline for when Fozzy's tour ends. Sure, It would have been better if Dolph had taken out Y2J and put him on the shelf, but either way the story is building.
The match was pretty much what you would expect. Hard hitting, and plenty of bumps from Ziggler.
Finish: Ricardo tosses in the MITB briefcase to Ziggler. Orton is able to stop him from using it, which leads to a huge Brogue Kick to the face of The Show Off.
Winners: Sheamus & Randy Orton
Zack Ryder vs David Otunga
Kane joins the commentary booth.
Zack did a great job in this match, and he would have to with a shitty opponent like David Otunga.
Finish: Zack Ryder uses the Rough Ryder on Otunga to pick up the win. I bet that's not the only time that's happened to Otunga.
Winner: Zack Ryder
Post Match: Kane enters the ring and grabs Ryder by the throat. He then decides against choke slamming him, and instead takes out Otunga.
At least Ryder didn't get buried yet again. That's progress, right?
AJ names John Cena as Punk's opponent for the PPV
Well Duh!!! Didn't see that one coming.
The Raw Active voting decided that tonight's main event will be inside of a Steel Cage.
I think that this will be Lawler's first Cage Match in WWE. So that's cool, but The King will most likely die tonight.
This was a pretty damn good match for what it was. Punk was a total prick, and Lawler played the sympathetic babyface perfectly. And there was a bit of blood!!
Finish: Punk made Lawler tap out to The Anaconda Vice to score the win.
Winner: CM Punk
Post Match: Punk chains the door shut and continues beating on Lawler until John Cena runs in for the save and has the cage raised. Punk takes off as Cena tends to Jerry Lawler to end the show.
When did you decide you wanted a career in Wrestling?
I believe a part of me always wanted a career in wrestling from a young kid. It was one of those things that just sort of happened though. Right place right time. Haven't looked back since.
Did you watch wrestling as a kid? And if so, who were your favorites growing up?
I've watched wrestling my entire life. Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Bobby Heenan and Shawn Michaels were my favorites.
Was your family supportive of your chosen career?
As supportive as they could be I guess. I don't think any parent dreams of their kid doing this. But I think deep down they knew I was going to do what I wanted and no one would stop me.
Larry Dallas on 50 Cent's "The Money and The Power"
You were on a reality show with 50 Cent. What was it like working with him? And stories from when you were filming?
50 was an awesome guy. Someone I really grew to admire. He had such a strong team of advisers it really showed me what it takes to be successful. No real funny stories although Aubrey O'Day and I had some funny moments off camera.
You are currently on a tour of Japan. What has it been like working there?
Japan was an unbelievable and life changing experience. Best three month period of my life.
The Scene
You manage The Scene in EVOLVE and Dragon Gate USA. Tell us a little about what makes them special.
I think we are different than any other group out there. We all have great looks and together we all mesh really well as a unit. I think our chemistry is what makes us special. What is your favorite moment thus far working as a manager?
Kobe World for Dragon Gate. 10,000 fans managing Tozawa vs. CIMA.
What are the positives and negatives about working in the business?
I get to see the world and have formed some real great friendships. I will take those with me wherever I go in life. The major negative is the impact on relationships outside the business. Hard life/struggle for people to understand.
Wrestling as a whole is down right now. What do you think needs to change to help it grow to where it was in the 80's or late 90's?
If I had that answer I would be doing it myself!
Who is Larry Dallas?
Just a guy who's loving every minute of his life. Love me or hate me, i wouldn't change a thing.
Dallas was recently ranked #468 in the PWI 500
Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
I see myself being successful at whatever I'm doing.
Any upcoming shows you would like to plug?
EVOLVE 17 in Vorhees, NJ September 8th live on i-PPV on WWNLive.com!
How can people get in touch with you?
@LarryCDallas on twitter. www.facebook.com/LarryCDallas
I'm doing things a little differently for this weeks review. Instead of going over the entire show, I counted down what I thought were the top five segments. I might just continue to use this format, so let me know what you think. After all I write it for you guys.
5. Brodus Clay vs Damien Sandow
I am really getting into Damien Sandow's character. The guy is a not only a pretty good wrestler, but he is a unique personality in a sea of cookie cutter grapplers.
On the flip side is Brodus Clay. I loved Clay when he first debuted The Funkasaurus character. However, WWE just never did anything with him. Before his feud with Sandow began, I had pretty much written the guy off.
The match was short, but succeeded in furthering the storyline. Sandow pulls the tights to pick up a cheap win. Clay then attacks after the match and gets a little revenge by hitting the big splash on Sandow.
I say continue this for a few more weeks, and blow it off at Night of Champions.
4. Brock the Conqueror
After losing to Cena at Extreme Rules, Brock Lesnar was made to look like an afterthought. WWE portrayed him as a mere stepping stone to help Cena save face after losing to The Rock at Wrestlemania. And so I guess they felt they had to have Triple H do the same for Lesnar, which is good. Brock has his heat back, but this on and off setup they have with Lesnar is ridiculous. It's hard to get behind someone who might not be there for months on end.
This entire segment was to show the world that Brock Lesnar laid waste to 'The King of Kings', and in doing so he redeemed himself in the eyes of the world. It's too bad that later in the show Lesnar Touted that he is leaving the WWE. I assume that maybe he will go away until Survivor Series, where he will have a rematch with Triple H.
And we all know how that one will end... 3. Shawn Michaels pours his heart out
No one knows better than Shawn Michaels what it's like to have your career end at the hands of another wrestler. It's happened to him twice, one time for real, the other through a storyline.
While we all know that Triple H isn't going to retire yet, it's a safe bet that his time in the ring in winding down. The match at Wrestlemania 28 against The Undertaker, really was ''The End of an Era''. While both men hadn't wrestled full time since 2009, the Hell in a Cell match was a way of telling the world that their individual runs were coming to an end.
I believe that Shawn's words tonight were not only aimed at Hunter, but also The Undertaker and anyone who has ever stepped into the ring.
2. Dolph Ziggler vs Chris Jericho
Earlier in the night, AJ set up this match, with the rules being that if Ziggler lost then he loses the Money in the Bank contract. But if Jericho loses, he is done with WWE.
This wasn't nearly as good as their match at Summerslam. In fact, it was pretty sloppy at times. I never thought that I would say that about a match involving either guy. But it was still better than most of the stuff on this episode.
The ending was never really in doubt. It's no secret that Jericho is embarking on a tour with his band Fozzy, and would be taking another hiatus from wrestling. So he puts over Ziggler on the way out. The way it's supposed to be done.
I had two problems with this. One, they are already in the middle of a retirement storyline with Triple H. So the way they went about this was overkill. And secondly, After the match while Ziggler was showing off like only he can do, Y2J grabs the MITB briefcase and nails Dolph with it. Afterwards he lays him out with The Codebreaker, and walks up the ramp for possibly the last time.
If I had booked this segment, There would have been no retirement stipulation. I would have just had Ziggler DESTROY Jericho after the match. That way Jericho could leave, and he would have a built in storyline for his return. Makes sense, huh? Maybe that's the problem.
1. CM Punk picks his opponent for Night of Champions
We all know by now that Punk choose John Cena to be the number 1 contender for his WWE Title. But that's not why I put this in the number one spot. It got the top spot because of the excellent back and forth between the two men, and because it furthered Punk's heel turn.
Punk has gone from proclaiming himself to be 'The Best in the World', to demanding that everyone else tells HIM how great he is. It reminds me how he used his straightedge lifestyle in the past. When he was a face, it was a way to show that he was a role model. But once he turned heel, he used as a way to show the world how he is better than them because of it. That's what I love about Punk. He's really never changed. He has ALWAYS been CM Punk.
Cena made some good points, but started to lose me when he said that "Punk has been Champion for 274 days, but all anyone remembers is Punk blowing Vince a kiss and leaving town". That's a crock of shit. I don't know about anyone else, but I remember him for being the guy who has gone out to the ring for the last nine months and stolen the show night in and night out. And not only that, he has done more to return some form of prestige to the WWE Title than anyone in the last decade. Prestige that was lost in large part during Cena's time with the belt.
After Cena leaves, Punk takes out his frustration by kicking Jerry Lawler in the back of the head to end the show.
So Punk continues his turn, and in doing so we have something to look forward to in the weeks to come. I'm certainly intrigued.
You all have the unique pleasure of reading my first ever review! Decided to wait for a larger PPV to make my debut, but unfortunately Summerslam did not live up to the hype. At least in my eyes. I know some will disagree, and I invite you to sound off in the comments below!
PRESHOW: SANTINO MARELLA VS ANTONIO CESARO: UNITED STATES TITLE
I start off my first review with an epic fail. I missed the preshow, as I always seem to do, and can’t judge the match on its merits. I can however, judge it on its booking. I’m a lot more forgiving of Santino that others seem to be, I have to admit. I view him as a modern day Dusty Rhodes, in the sense that he’s doing everything he’s got with the gimmick he’s been given. That being said, I also lean towards the camp that doesn’t want to see a comedy gimmicked character holding what should be a belt that signifies a stepping stone towards one of the world titles. I mean, c’mon. Can you see Santino as a World Champ? Not without a drastic repackaging of his character and a long healthy push to cement him as actually being a viable contender. I haven’t seen much of Cesaro, but I like his gimmick and I think it gives him a lot to work with. I’ll definitely be paying more attention, and I think putting the title on him was the right move, even if it was punishment for Santino for being vocally upset about the state of the ‘E backstage.
CHRIS JERICHO VS DOLPH ZIGGLER
One of the only matches I really enjoyed of the entire night. These two never fail to deliver, and putting them in a match together was definitely a “No duh” for the WWE brass. Jericho seems to be on his way out for another extended break last night, which makes the finish all the more confusing. Jericho has been doing the job for guys who don’t need it since he returned at the beginning of this year. So why have a guy you should be building up, who holds an MITB briefcase, do the job ESPECIALLY via submission? If Jericho was sticking around this wouldn’t have been so bad, but it’s likely we won’t be seeing him again for a while, so his win is essentially for naught. Dolph could have used the rub and gone onto another high profile feud, and instead he just lost to the guy who loses to everyone without a chance for redemption. Hopefully Jericho has one more appearance on Raw tonight and this can be remedied.
MATCH RATING: 7 out of 10 Bealer Boners
DANIEL BRYAN VS KANE
I guess this actually makes three matches on the card I enjoyed, not two, but I still have mixed feelings on this one. D Bry has been ON FIRE lately, regardless of his irrelevant win/loss record as of late. No one has manipulated the crowd quite like Bryan has recently, with the exception of Jericho when he first returned and trolled the hell out of everyone. Whether it’s YES YES YES or NO NO NO, EVERYONE in the arena is on their feet and yelling. When his music hits, on his way to the ring, while he’s caving in someone’s chest with those brutal kicks, to the end of the match, win, lose, or draw, the crowd is captivated the entire time. I’m just waiting for him to turn the “NO”s into “MAYBE”s. Hey, a girl can dream. And while I wouldn’t classify Kane anywhere near the top of my favorites list, I gotta give the guy his due. He gets crapped on as “Just another big guy”, but I feel that he doesn’t get nearly enough credit. He’s always been above average in the ring, especially considering his size. I think he’s a great fit for Bryan, and I’d like to see them take it further. Their match was nothing special, but it was solid. Minus the finish. It would have made more sense for Bryan to lose the match and subsequently his shit, keeping in theme with his “anger management” issues and the whole “NO!” thing, but that’s not what even bothers me. After what seemed like the beginning of a great ending sequence, each guy countering the other, us fans just SALIVATING seeing who it would be to finally nail a clean finisher or submission….aaaaaaaaaand we get a roll up. WTF? That’s more akin to a finish for a Raw match, not a PPV people paid to see. I already have enough issues with roll up finishes, but for it to happen on a PPV as a sour ending to a great match is quite disappointing. I guess that leaves the feud open for more, but still. And that was only the beginning of the wacky finishes we’d see for the rest of the night.
MATCH RATING: 6 out of 10 Bealer Boners. Minus one boner for shitty finish.
REY MYSTERIO VS THE MIZ FOR THE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Not a bad match by any means, but kind of a snoozer. I’m not the biggest Mysterio fan, for a multitude of reasons, but mostly because he’s essentially Latino John Cena. The odds are always stacked against him and his matches generally consist of him getting his ass kicked until the end when he SOMEHOW pulls it off. I like the Miz, but he’s kind of grown stale over the last year and seems to have lost his motivation and just kind of dials it in nowadays. We all saw the winner of this one a mile away. With belt reigns now being a lot longer than they’ve been in recent years, and Rey just coming back from suspension/injury, there was no way Miz was dropping that belt after having just won it.
MATCH RATING: 5 out of 10 Bealer Boners. PLUS one for Mysterio coming out dressed as Batrat.
Backstage Punk repeats the same complaints he’s been making for weeks, irritating GMAJ (pronounced GEEMAHJ.) into angrily staring into a wall as if she just caught Berg sniffing her panties again. Waste of airtime, and nothing new. Bitches be crazy.
ALBERTO DEL RIO VS SHEAMUS FOR THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Another uneventful match giving us the same thing we’ve been seeing for months. My opinion of ADR drops by the day, as the guy never does anything memorable. Sheamus is a pretty well rounded Superstar and champion, but really brings nothing special to the table. A solid, if forgettable, match with yet another WTF finish seeing Del Rio get his foot on the ropes but still getting counted down for the three. It doesn’t bother me at all that Sheamus knocked his foot off despite being a babyface, but that we get another finish that makes little sense. This is Summerslam. It’s supposed to be one of the big four PPVs of the year. I understand that you have to keep the audience invested by keeping feuds going, but at one of your marquee events of the year you should at least attempt to provide the fans with some closure in at least a few matches. You can only dangle that carrot in our faces for so long before we don’t care anymore *cough*Cenaheelturnthatwillneverhappen*cough*.
MATCH RATING: 5 out of 10 Bealer Boners. (To be clear, 5 out of 10 is not a “Failing” grade as it would be in school. By my standard, 5 is the median and thus the average.)
TROUBLE IN LITTLE JIMMY’S PARADISE VS PRIMETIME PLAYERS
Another snoozer that would have been better fit for the curtain jerker on Raw than the lead in for a WWE championship match. Titus O Neill actually kind of impressed me during this match, despite being greener than goose shit. Darren “NegaCena” Young can go back to developmental and wipe down the mats for all I care though. After what seemed like a good build up to get the titles off of two random midcarders thrown together, we watch the rookies do the job. I wonder if their at one time seemingly inevitable tag title reign is in jeopardy over the AW situation. I hope not, as I like to see new guys given a chance to grow. It’s all about opportunity, hopefully these guys didn’t just lose theirs.
MATCH RATING: 4 out of 10 Bealer Boners JOHN CENA VS BIG SHOW VS CM PUNK FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
Ah, now here we go! The best match on the card, and the only one that probably kept paying customers from feeling completely shafted. Not only was the one of the only three good matches of the night, it really was the only one that lived up to the standard of what a PPV match should be. AND PUNK DIDN’T EVEN CARRY THE WHOLE MATCH! In fact, in my eyes, the success of this match lies almost completely on the Big Show. Sure, the entire match was booked around him dominating and getting teamed up on (and eventually being to both tap and get pinned) but he NAILED it. This is how Show should be all the time. DOMINANT. It would help if he actually got a win every now and then, but that’s beside the point. We got a great double submission spot with Cena slapping on the STF after Punk had already locked on the MOTHERFUCKING KOJI CLUTCH (I mark for that move every time) for the second time in the match! Two Kojis in one match? TAKE MY MONEY WWE! Show taps, and confusion ensues over who got the win. AJ skips her cute little ass down to the ring and does the right thing by restarting the match, saving us yet another BS finish, or worse. I don’t know about you guys, but after seeing Cena attempt the AA on Show three times over the last few weeks, I saw the finish of him finally nailing it but Punk stealing the win from a mile away. Which is fine. It fits the story that’s been told, and just because it’s predictable doesn’t automatically make it bad. I can predict that I’m going to blow a load into Staples’ mouth, doesn’t make it any less satisfying.
MATCH RATING: 8.5 Bealer Boners
HHH VS BROCK LESNAR
Ugh. I had high hopes for this one, and it really didn’t live up. Like so many of HHH’s matches over the last couple years, this was a slow plodding affair. Hunter seems to be in need of more and more rest time during his matches as he ages, and it’s getting more noticeable. Brock wasn’t nearly as aggressive as he was in his match against Cena during Extreme Rules a few months back, which perhaps lends some credibility to the rumors that Brock and Cena don’t get along backstage. At first I thought we might get a repeat of that match, with Brock dominating almost the entire match only to job out at the end, and instead we got a finish reminiscent of Taker/HHH at WM 27. H nails the Pedigree, only to get pulled into a submission as he goes to pick up the scraps. Ho hum, seen it before. The one highlight of the match was that they played into Brock’s real life intestinal issues with HHH targeting his midsection in the second half of the match. I really enjoyed the “chink in the armor” aspect after Brock was launched into the corner of the announcer’s table. The match was horrible or unwatchable, but it in no way lived up to the months of (poorly executed) hype. Definitely not deserving of the main event slot.
Match Rating: 6 out of 10 Bealer Boners.
Overall, none of the matches themselves were completely horrendous. But looking at the PPV as a whole it was a complete clusterfuck of wonky booking decisions and poorly conceptualized finishes. Here’s to hoping Survivor Series nails the quality level of what we should expect from one of WWE’s big four PPVs. What makes this extra disappointing is that WWE has been on a pretty good roll with their PPVs for the majority of this year. Can you say C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!!?
Overall PPV Rating: 5 out of 10 Bealer Boners. Only rocking the half chub on this one folks.
My earliest memories come from the age of five, so I started young.
2. Who were your favorite wrestlers when you began watching?
Growing up in the northeast, I was a WWF guy. I only became aware of NWA wrestling being forced to watch it at my grandparents house each weekend when we would visit. But I was a little Hulkamaniac back in the day. Macho Man was a favorite of mine as well, as were teams like Demolition and the Hart Foundation. So many colorful characters.
3. Do you have a favorite match of all time?
Hands down, the 1992 Royal Rumble. But if I had to pick a singles match, Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels from WrestleMania 25.
4. Do you have a favorite moment?
I still get goosebumps watching Steve Austin driving that Zamboni into the Joe Louis Arena. The crowd was just so damn electric. But really, it's impossible to choose just one. There's been so many.
5. What is your favorite 'Era'?
You tend to romanticize about your childhood, so I'm quite fond of the late 80's/early 90's WWF, with 1992 standing out to me in particular. That was a great year. Of course, I also enjoyed the Monday Night Wars. If I had to choose, I'd go with those earlier years though. It was just a simpler time with larger than life characters, Zubaz pants and Vince McMahon pastel suits.
6. You host 'The Sound Off' every week. What made you decide to create your own wrestling podcast?
I was sitting on the bus to work one day and it was just an idea that I had. I wanted to help create some original content for my friend's wrestling news site. I still remember the day I pitched the idea to him, it was on 9/11. Two months later, we launched the show. This November marks the show's five year anniversary.
7. Do you have a favorite Sound Off episode? If so, which one?
My favorite Sound Off has yet to be created. The best is yet to come. But I *am* partial to Episode 212 from WrestleMania in Miami. That was a lot of fun.
8. Where do you see the business heading in the next decade?
Probably up and down. That seems to be the pattern over the years. Wrestling will always be around in some way, shape or form. It's not going away.
The Solomonster with Daniel Bryan.
9. If you could book a match between two stars living or dead, who would it be? And why?
CM Punk and Brian Pillman, pre-car accident while he was still in the prime of his Loose Cannon gimmick. Just think of the promos alone! Any two guys can have a great wrestling match, but it takes real talent to *talk* people into the arenas.
10. Anything you would like to plug?
The "Solomonster Sounds Off" runs weekly on SEScoops.com, usually on Sundays. You can also subscribe for free in iTunes and win a lollipop. Follow along with my inane ramblings on Twitter @solomonster. There's a link for Facebook up there as well. I don't do Myspace nor do I have any intention of Touting, so don't ask me.
Ringside at WrestleMania 28.
I would like to thank The Solomonster for his time, and agreeing to the interview. It's always really cool to be able to connect with people through a mutual love of wrestling. If you've never listened to 'The Solomonster Sounds Off', I must ask, what are you doing with your life? But it's OK, you can correct this terrible mistake by heading over to iTunes, and get yourself caught up on the podcast. I've listened to every episode that is available online, and they are always entertaining.
Be sure to check back next week for my Q&A with Larry Dallas. Many of you know him as the manager of The Scene in Dragon Gate USA and EVOLVE. He recently returned from a tour of Japan, so expect some insight on his experiences there. Until then, keep it Kayfabe.
We start right out of the gate with a non-title match between Punk and Big Show, and it barely got underway before it was over.
Finish: Daniel Bryan comes out acting like the crazy bastard he is. He then gets in the ring and applies The No Lock on Punk causing a DQ. The Big Show then joins in on the attack until John Cena runs down and makes the save.
Winner: CM Punk
Post Match: AJ skips down to the ring and makes a huge tag team main event pitting John Cena and CM Punk against The Big Show and Daniel Bryan. Ryback vs JTG
I guess bitching and moaning works, as JTG gets a match on Raw. They even mention his negative remarks about the company on Twitter. I'm guessing the talent meeting went well, or they're waiting until after Linda McMahon's campaign to fire him and anyone else who has voiced their opinions as of late.
But even getting squashed by Ryback is progress. Right?
Finish: Ryback got fed.
Winner: Ryback
HBK backstage with Roddy Piper
Piper acts like a fool as Shawn Michaels receives a phone call. Apparently Triple H is having travel issues and might not make it to the show.
Are they finally going to go ahead with having Lesnar destroy HBK? This will get heat back on the Lesnar/Triple H feud, and more importantly give Lesnar back his credibility as a monster. I mean lets face it, WWE has done nothing but devalue Brock since he returned earlier this year. So it is in their best interest to build the guy back up before the Pay Per View. And hopefully they wont job him out to Hunter this Sunday, even though I think we all know that's exactly what will happen.
Heath Slater vs R-Truth
Short and pointless match. And that's all I have to say about it.
Finish: Clothesline to Slater, followed by a Flatliner and Truth covers for the win.
Winner: R-Truth
Post Match: The Primetime Players come out and beat down Truth.
Without AW, this team will go nowhere. They were given a mouthpiece for a reason. Neither guy is good on the mic, and I don't see them getting over now that AW has been fired by WWE. I predict Trouble in Little Jimmy's Paradise will retain the Titles on Sunday.
Sin Cara vs Tensai
Sin Cara was pretty impressive in this match. Maybe that's because it was so damn short that he didn't have the opportunity to botch any moves.
Tensai continues his losing streak, and here we all thought that when he was losing to Tyson Kidd, it was because Kidd was getting a push. And now it's pretty obvious that it was just the beginning of a losing streak storyline for Tensai, which is pretty bogus.
Finish: Sin Cara hits a Tornado DDT to pick up the win.
Winner: Sin Cara
Post Match: Tensai beats up his follower yet again. Are we supposed to be caring about this? If so, you fail WWE.
The Piper's Pit with Chris Jericho
The fans got to vote on Piper's guest tonight in what was clearly a setup. I mean nobody was going to vote for The Miz, and so that left both Chris Jericho and Dolph Ziggler, who are feuding. So it makes sense to have Jericho come out, and then get interrupted by Ziggler or vice versa. And that is exactly what happened.
Jericho wins the vote, and after Piper rambled on and on, Dolph Ziggler crashes the party. They go back and forth until out comes The Miz to further show that this was all laid out in advance. The Miz says that he's taking over The Pit before excusing both Jericho and Piper. Instead Jericho pops Miz in the mouth and cleans house of both him and Ziggler.
Besides how blatantly they proved the voting to be a farce, I liked this. It helped to move along the Jericho/Ziggler storyline, and I am more excited to see that match then I am Hunter vs Lesnar. But WWE only has themselves to blame for that. Dolph Ziggler vs Chris Jericho vs The Miz
When we come back from break, we find out that AJ has made an impromptu Triple Threat match between the three.
This one was pretty good, and it went a long way to show how much Raw has improved in recent months. In the past we were only given one big match a week. Tonight we opened with CM Punk vs The Big Show, and now we are given a Triple Threat between three talented stars. Plus we still have the big tag team main event to come. It's obvious that the focus is now on better in-ring action, and I have no complaints about that.
Finish: Jericho hooks Miz in The Walls of Jericho, but Vicky distracts the referee. Ziggler comes in an nails The Zig Zag on Y2J to pick up the big win going into Summerslam.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Layla & Kaitlyn vs Beth Phoenix & Eve
This was actually pretty competitive for a Diva's match, and Kaitlyn was impressive.
Finish: Eve gets knocked off of the ring apron, followed be a quick roll up on Phoenix by Kaitlyn to get the win for her team.
Winners: Layla & Kaitlyn
CM Punk & John Cena vs The Big Show & Daniel Bryan
Punk's slow build to becoming a heel continues. Neither team worked really well together in this match, but surprisingly it was the team of Bryan and Big Show that was the most dysfunctional.
Finish: Punk mockingly began going through Cena's short list of moves. But when he went for the Five Knuckle Shuffle, Cena tagged himself in. Punk then decided to take his Title and walk away from the match. Cena was still able to pick up the win for his team.
Winners: CM Punk & John Cena
Post Match: Big Show goes to take out Cena, but Punk makes the save and nails Show in the head with The WWE Title. Punk then offers his hand to Cena who refuses, proving he is a giant piece of shit. Punk then walks off as Cena stares at Punk with a combination of shock and disgust.
Backstage: Josh Mathews catches up with CM Punk who says on Sunday he will teach John Cena and everyone else a lesson in respect.
Damien Sandow vs Christian
Sandow continues to impress me. The guy is good at what he does, and I honestly look forward to seeing him progress.
Finish: Brodus Clay comes out to distract Sandow but it doesn't work, and he is able to get the win over Captain Charisma
Winner: Damien Sandow
Brock Lesnar finds Shawn Michaels backstage. HBK hightails it.
If that's all that goes down between the two, I'll be pissed. It's starting to sound like I'm a HBK hater, huh? I assure you that is not the case. I just firmly believe this feud badly needs to pick up some heat. And what is the point of having Shawn on TV if he isn't going to take a beating from Brock?
The Brock Lesnar/Triple H contract signing
This will go down as the most underwhelming Contract signing in WWE history. They could have done so many things better here. First Lesnar calls out Shawn Michaels who just kind of stands around looking like he could piss himself at any second. Then Triple H's music hits, they both sign the contracts, and Lesnar leaves. THAT'S IT!!! What was the purpose in even doing an in-ring signing? I guess they felt they had to since they've done such a piss poor job of building this into a must see feud.
Afterward Triple H and Shawn talk about the match backstage. Shawn then reiterates that he will be in Hunter's corner at Summerslam before walking off into the sunset. #Wasted Opportunity
And just when I say that... IT FINALLY HAPPENS!!
Big Show is being interviewed in the back when screeching tires and a car horn loudly echo through the hallway. When the camera gets to the parking lot Paul Heyman has Shawn Michaels' car blocked. Shawn yells at Heyman to move his car, when out of nowhere Brock Lesnar strikes! He pulls Shawn out of his car, bumping the cameraman in the process and causing the picture to go out. We then hear a scuffle as the show goes to a break.
When we come back the roster is surveying the scene, but Shawn Michaels is gone. And so are Lesnar and Heyman. They show Shawn's car, and the windshield is destroyed. This reminded me of when Shawn was attacked by The Corporation in 1998. During that beating Shawn's face was driven through the windshield, and there was blood everywhere. I guess this was the PG answer to that segment.
Flashback to 1998:
Triple H shows up and demands answers.
Cut back into the arena as Brock carries HBK's beaten body to the ring. He tosses him in like a dead deer. Michaels gets to his feet only to be F-5'd by Lesnar. Brock then locks on the Kimura.
Triple H then comes down. Heyman warns Hunter that if he takes one more step, Brock will break HBK's arm. He stops, but Lesnar 'breaks' his arm anyway. Triple H chases Lesnar off as the EMT's rush to Shawn's aid. The show goes off the air with Lesnar looking at his handiwork approvingly.
This was good stuff. We will have to wait and see if it helps bring in PPV buys, but I think they could drag this out another month if they wanted. I wouldn't have said that last week, so the heat is there. Lets see where they go this Sunday. If Triple H beats him clean, this all would have been for nothing.
When did you decide you wanted to be a Pro Wrestler?
I was eight years old! That’s when I started watching wrestling, and I fell in love with it immediately! Wrestling was and has been my obsession in life from that point on. It didn’t take long at all for me to make up my mind that professional wrestling is what I wanted to do with my life.
Who were your favorites growing up?
When I was young and in my first several years as a fan, I was a starry-eyed kid who loved all the classic good guys of the eighties—but Brutus Beefcake was my favorite. I can’t really say it was one or two specific things that made him my favorite over the other wrestlers; it was just the overall impression he had on me that stuck. I was into his outfits, his persona, even his ring music! As I got older and into my teens, I found myself starting to appreciate wrestlers more on a technical level, paying closer attention to their techniques and skill in the ring, how they walked, talked, etc. I became a fan of Shawn Michaels, Curt Hening, Ted DiBiase, Bret Hart…it’s hard to pick one. At that point in time I was mesmerized by so many different wrestlers and styles, I really didn’t have ONE favorite. It was all wrestling, and I loved it.
Was your family supportive of you becoming a wrestler?
My family has been incredibly supportive of me from day one. To be honest, I don’t think my parents truly believed I was ever going to BE a wrestler. They knew I WANTED to be. I had big dreams, and again I was definitely a starry-eyed kid, but I think that could be said about most children at that age. My parents knew and understood my love for wrestling more than anybody; after all, they were the ones buying the tickets to shows, tapes, posters, books, magazines, action figures and who knows what else. But I don’t think they really believed it would all end up working out, simply because many times life takes you in other directions. When I did break into the business, they were happy and excited for me, especially once I began wrestling. They come to as many shows as possible to see me in the ring. My dad also sends his friends and some family members the pictures, videos and articles about me that he finds or sees online. They’re very proud of me, which is an amazing and great feeling. I know how lucky I am!
Where did you train and what was it like?
My training was non-traditional in so many ways. I didn’t attend one school, I didn’t have a “class” that I was part of. I was trained by Shorty Smalls, who I had met at a show I attended as a fan in 1997. We kept in touch, and he learned of my love for wrestling and desire to be part of it someday. Eventually he began training me the following year, but since he wasn’t affiliated with one specific school or promotion at the time, we would train wherever possible, before shows or at schools that were somewhat local. Training was both difficult and easy for me. Not having one set location made it a bit more of a challenge than it would’ve been otherwise, because I didn’t have a set training schedule. Since we were training as frequently as we could, but also wherever we could, I couldn’t waste time with any mental or physical delays. It didn’t matter how tired I was, how stiff the ring may or may not have been, or how frustrated I may have been at myself when I couldn’t get something right. I had to be able and ready to just get in there and go. However that also helped too, because I knew that I could potentially be comfortable in so many different settings and environments, even if something was short notice. This really came into play the night of my first match, when I became booked about an hour before bell time due to a girl cancelling that afternoon. The training itself was difficult, of course, because you’re beating up your body so badly trying to learn things and doing reps over and over. I tend to pick things up somewhat quickly, but I’m human and ran into problems with some things, so I had to do my best to stay mentally tough as well, and not get too frustrated or impatient with myself. I can honestly say I think being a wrestling fan for so long helped me in training because I was already familiar with the moves, the holds, their names, what their purpose was; I wasn’t coming into training completely clueless. The fact that wrestling was my love didn’t hurt either. Knowing how long and badly I’d wanted to be part of the wrestling business helped keep me going when things did get tough.
What is it like being a female in a largely male driven profession?
It has it’s moments from time to time, when I encounter a fan who isn’t fond of women’s wrestling and hates the fact that we are on the card, or one of those rare instances when I encounter another wrestler who might have a problem with women wrestling. For the most part though, it’s all been a very positive experience for me. I was always a tomboy growing up, and I still am in many ways now. I’ve always felt comfortable around the guys, I very much consider myself to be one of the boys. Contrary to what many people might think, the male wrestlers are typically pretty protective of me and other ladies, and extremely respectful. I’ve never had a problem with anybody getting out of line or disrespecting me because I’m a female.
How long have you been competing?
I’ve been actively wrestling since July 30, 2005. The first year/year and a half I wrestled pretty infrequently, and was still primarily used and known as a manager. Once I got to the middle of 2006 or so, my wrestling bookings began gradually picking up, and by 2007 my managing days were pretty much behind me and it was almost exclusively in-ring competition from then on.
Have you gotten to meet many big names since you started? And if so, what was your impression of them?
I’ve met so many big names in wrestling since I started. My impression of each of them has actually been very positive. Each meeting is a chance to learn and grow as a wrestler. If I’m lucky, I’ll have the chance to sit down and talk to somebody who is a true veteran in this business for a few minutes, and when that happens I can’t help but pick up on SOMETHING. It could be insight as to when to use a particular move, when not to, ideas on what else could be done in certain situations—sometimes it’s not even something in-ring related. Perhaps it’s advice or thoughts on situations that happen outside of the ring, in the locker room, when dealing with bookers, promoters, other wrestlers, media, etc. If I’m really lucky, that person might even watch my match and provide feedback afterwards. That is such an honor and treat, to have a person with a finely trained eye who will dissect your match and your work in an effort to help you learn and grow. Nobody HAS to do that for anybody else, so if they are willing to use their time and share their knowledge with me, knowing that there isn’t really anything in it for them other than helping me, I’m humbled and grateful beyond words. There is ALWAYS something to learn, and who better to learn from than those people who paved the way for me.
What is your favorite match that you have competed in so far, and why?
My favorite match so far is my first one. Not because it was my best; it wasn’t even close, by any means. But simply because that was the night my dream truly became reality. That was the night I became a wrestler, rather than a wrestler in training. Hearing my name announced, seeing and hearing the fans’ reactions as I approached the ring, standing in the ring taking it in and then hearing the bell ring for the start of the match…the feelings and emotions I had that night will be unmatched forever because it was the first time I had experienced them. I was on cloud nine the entire time, and can actually remember making eye contact with specific people, hearing the things being yelled towards me during the match and just soaking in the atmosphere as a whole the entire time I was out there. It was surreal and will forever be special to me.
Who is your dream opponent?
My dream opponent had always been Sherri Martel. She was still active as a wrestler when I started watching wrestling, and though I didn’t get to see very many of her matches, the ones I did see left an impression on me. Her entire persona, her aggressiveness and her style really struck me. I’ve actually been told by fans many times throughout the years that I remind people of her, which I consider a huge compliment, and one that I can only hope has even a fraction of truth to it. Sadly though, she is no longer with us, so I’ll never get the opportunity, but it would’ve been a great highlight for me had it ever happened!
What is the toughest and/or easiest part about being a wrestler?
It’s very tough physically to be a wrestler. Our bodies really do take a heavy amount of abuse, especially when you’re very active and wrestling frequently. Bumps and bruises are commonplace, of course, but the knees and back really take a beating as well. It can also be just as mentally tough in some ways. As a wrestler you are constantly being questioned and presented with criticism—sometimes constructively, sometimes not—from so many different entities, it can be hard to keep your drive and passion in tact. As far as easy goes, I’m sure that differs for everybody. For me I find that being a wrestler, at this point in my career, just comes easily. I am lucky enough to have a life that allows me to dedicate a large amount of time to my career, whether it be promoting the upcoming shows I’m on, doing radio or print interviews, having videos to make, emails to respond to, fans to interact with, long drives and travel to conquer. Things in life don’t always come easy, but if you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. That’s where I am right now, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Any funny/strange stories from your time in the business?
Believe it or not I actually don’t have a ton of stories! Don’t get me wrong, there has been plenty of fun and tomfoolery over the years, but I’m not good at being able to recall specific stories or events (or I just can’t share them, haha). There is, however, one that sticks with me for some reason. Several years ago I had a booking in PA, and most of the boys were spending the weekend in town. That night at the hotel one of the wrestlers, who was pretty young in the business at the time, made the awful mistake of falling asleep first and as a result woke up without his eyebrows. I was there to witness it, and of course to see him in the morning. That still makes me giggle to this day.
What do you think about the PG direction of the current WWE product?
I don’t really have a very strong opinion on it. It made sense for them to go that route when it was done, though I could also see sense is beginning to move towards and edgier product at this point in time as well. I am a fan of keeping things fresh, making continual tweaks with the hope that those tweaks will bring overall improvement in areas such as ratings and viewership, sales and marketability. But at the same time, I often abide by the old adage, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. It’s easy to play armchair quarterback when you’re not involved in the day-to-day operations of a company. If we should know anything about WWE, it’s that they will make whatever decision they make for their company, and will find a way to make things work.
The business as a whole is down right now. What do you think needs to change to help it grow to where it was in the late 90's?
The wrestling business is forever on a rollercoaster, having boom periods followed by some darker periods. I think there are several factors that affect it and come into play and if I were to mention them all this interview would be double the length it is now. In my opinion wrestling is, in many ways, one huge domino effect. The one factor I WILL mention is this; I believe a good portion of any type of change begins on the independent level. I can’t tell you how many fans I speak to at intermission who inform me that they’re attending their very first wrestling show ever. Not their first indy show—first SHOW. That is huge to me, because whatever they see that night is going to be their first impression of a live wrestling show. A good impression brings a good outcome. The fans will likely be back, they may even travel to other shows that are slightly further away or even find a company that is local to them and begin supporting the company by attending the shows on a regular basis. If they have children, they’ll likely bring their kids to the shows, who may in turn ask if their friend can come with them next time. There is a good chance they’ll go home excited and still thinking about the show and as a result, the following week they might end up sitting down to watch wrestling on TV. Maybe they’ll attend the local WWE and TNA shows when they come through town, to buy merchandise, DVDs, books, etc. However if these first-time fans have a bad first impression, what are the chances of anything positive coming from that? If we don’t leave the fans excited, happy, feeling entertained and as though they were able to put aside anything bad they might be experiencing in life and get lost in our world, something went wrong. Extra money is hard to come by these days and not many people or families have it. They will attend an independent show because the tickets are usually fairly priced, the shows are usually local to them, and maybe there is even somebody they know, or a friend of a friend wrestling on the card. However if we do not deliver the night of action that the fan is hoping to get when their ticket is purchased, that fan has been lost. If they can’t spend a little money on wrestling and enjoy themselves, why should they spend double or triple the amount of money to see another wrestling show just because it might be on TV? Why would they want to buy anything having to do with wrestling at all? It will simply feed the negativity that surrounds wrestling already, and keep the fans away.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
Continuing to chase my dream. I grew up wanting to be a wrestler on TV, and that’s my ultimate goal. I want an eight year old girl to turn on her television one day, see me, and be inspired to follow her dreams. That being said, I’m so happy just being able to wrestle, regardless of where it is, how large or small the crowd is, how far of a drive it is or how much my body might hurt. If I never do “make it” I’ve already accomplished so much more than I thought I would, that I have no regrets. I’ve had amazing experiences, met some great people, seen so many sights that I never would have if it wasn’t for wrestling. I’ve dedicated such a huge part of my life to it, and my love for it is so strong that even if I have a bad match or a bad day, I know that I’m doing what I love to do. I am extremely lucky to be a wrestler, to have the capability and opportunity to be in the ring doing what makes me happy. I know there are people out there who either never tried to follow their dream and become a wrestler, or who tried and ended up failing. There are people who were wrestlers, but have gotten injured or sadly passed away young and no longer have the chance to do what I get to do every few days. I keep those things in mind all the time, and do my best to be thankful and remember just how lucky and privileged I am every time I’m stepping into the ring. In five years I see myself continuing my journey, still wrestling, still loving it.
Any upcoming shows you would like to plug?
I have a very steady schedule for the rest of the summer and going into the fall. I invite everybody reading this to visit my website at www.KaceeCarlisle.com to check out my schedule.
