Choke's WWE Raw rant & Smackdown Preview 12/2/2013 - 12/6/2013
Posted by: choke Dec 5, 2013 | 1611 views | 5 comments
RAW Recap
Thought it was an okay edition of RAW. At least it felt like the overall stories were PROGRESSSING, something which had been sorely missed the last few months. We got most of the TLC matches wrapped up in a period of 3 hours, without them leaving them all up in the air until the final week beforehand. I like that. We got reintroductions to Barrett and Hunico Sin Cara, getting a surprise victory over Del Rio. Ryback and Axel established themselves as (probably temporary) threats to the tag titles reign of the Rhodes Bros. Then they advanced some more minor stuff like the Kofi/Miz feud and Brodus hinting at a heel turn. I dunno, I like progress. Now that's not to say I like what they've set up for TLC, not in the least. Not a fan of the two 3 on 1 matches. Either you have the teams of 3 win like they should, but then what do you gain? Or you have Bryan and/or Punk win, which makes those "badass" heels look weak. I hope they have something up their sleeves on those....
Smackdown Predictions
Let's take a look at Smackdown, which on paper looks to be better than what we've been given the last few months (because Progress!). As always the spoiler free look comes from www.prowrestling.net
1. Big E Langston vs Fandango (non-title): See this is the type of match the IC or US belt holder should have. Another mid-carder like Fandango who might hope to challenge for the belt at some point. Langston should get the win, and maybe we get Sandow as guest commentator with an attack or staredown after?
2. Cody Rhodes and Goldust vs Ryback and Curtis Axel (non-title). I've been down on Axel for a while, but maybe it's WWE to blame for how awful his IC champ run was. Anyway I sort of like this tag team of him and Ryback, and with the Dust/Ryback match on Main Event and now this, it seems like maybe this is the direction they're going for the tag title match at TLC since Shield and the Wyatts are preoccupied with Punk/Bryan? I like Ryback and Axel to get an "upset" win, setting up a match for the belts at TLC.
3. Dean Ambrose vs CM Punk (non-title): This card is better than Survivor Series! Hopefully they get their chance to actually wrestler for a while instead of Reigns/Rollins interfering 2 minutes in. That's how it's gotta end right? 3 on 1 like it'll be at TLC?
4. Tamina Snuka vs Natalya: Okay whoever scripted these matches, keep him on! This match MAKES SENSE, something which the last 3 months of divas action hasn't. Natalya is clearly the #1 contender to AJ, so putting her against AJs henchwoman just makes perfect sense 2 weeks before the PPV. Progress! Hope! Natalya needs the win to make the PPV match seem credible.
5. Rey Mysterio and Big Show vs the Real Americans: Not sure what this is or means exactly, but if they do go Rhodes vs Axel/Ryback at TLC, then this is a way to occupy the Real Americans for a bit. ARE WE GOING TO SEE A CESARO BIG SWING ON BIG SHOW? That is the key question here. I'd think we see Rey and Big Show get the victory, and hopefully without Los Matadores interfering?
6. Randy Orton vs Daniel Bryan (non-title): Guys, I'm actually excited about this episode?! Look at this lineup! So sure we'll probably get the Wyatts interfering and causing Bryan to lose, or giving him a DQ win, but I dare you to go find a better Smackdown card from this season, hell maybe from this year?
Rising/Falling
Rising:
1. Sin Cara: If he loses that match on RAW, trust me, he wouldn't be mentioned. But getting a win on Del Rio like that? You've got to think they're going to try to go somewhere with this character soon. Whether it's the OG Mistico or the Hunico version or whoever else they put the mask on (Ziggler??! jk). Of course he could just disappear again, but I think they'll do this Del Rio/Sin Cara feud for the next few weeks
2. Curtis Axel/Ryback: I know, I had Axel on my falling list for so long, then even declared it "over" a few weeks back. Well I'm RYTE BACK on the Axel train after the start of what seems to be a feud against the Rhodes kids. Can I even be so crazy to suggest that RybaXel have a shot at winning the tags?!?! Okay that might be overboard, but it wouldn't be the craziest thing in the world, right?
3. Brodus Clay: Talk about wasted potential, and Brodus Clay has to be brought up. This guy was such a monstrous heel before coming back as the dancing fool the WWE rolled with for the last couple years (right? it's felt that long at least). Well the story seems to be shifting to him turning heel again, and if the WWE plays this right (please, please play this right) he could be a huge dark horse going into next season. For this season I think he could be worth a grab still, as you get the feeling he's close to destroying any and every mid card tag team soon.
4. Wade Barrett: Well, he's back! I don't like his potential this season since there's only a few weeks left, but it's possible he'll get into some feud or in-ring action before TLC...... prob not though.
Falling:
1. Brie Bella/Nikki Bella/Funkadactyls/Any face Diva that's not Natalya: Still probably worth holding onto Brie and/or Nikki as they'll still get a match here or there, but right now it looks like it's full steam ahead to just stick with Nattie and AJ at TLC. Without a PPV match, the rest of the Divas might be dead weight right now
2. Alberto Del Rio: Obviously still worth holding at the moment until we know where they're going with him and Sin Cara, but the guy just went from going against Cena for the World Title 2 weeks ago to LOSING TO HUNICO ON RAW. How mad must he have been when they told him that backstage?
3. Dolph Ziggler: Talk about going from the top of the ladder to the bottom. Now he cant even win #1 contender's matches for the mid card belts! Not even worth holding right now IMO.