Commentary, Storylines and Gimmicks/Superstars Rated

[NotoriousWWE]

It seems to me that WWE currently has one of the most biggest storylines in the works with this big walkout angle. So I thought it would be interesting to review different aspects of WWE today.

Commentary

Currently the announce team on RAW consists of Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole whilst on SmackDown there's Cole, Booker T and Josh Matthews. Of course we all know JR was kayfabe fired this past RAW but I'm sure he'll be back.

Comparing Raw's announce team with SmackDown's is very interesting as we have two completely different styles except from Cole's overdone heel commentary (I was a big fan until WWE went overboard with it). Anyway I for one love Booker T's poor commentary. Its one of 3 reasons I decide to tune in to SmackDown each Friday Night despite reading Spoilers. His constant sayings such as "Right here", "Tonight!", "That's my boy" and everybody's favourite "Shucky Ducky Quack Quack!" Just so funny to listen to and I love his excuse of having to go to the toilet as his reason for being part of the walkout. Matthews as the guys from CSR have mentioned at times is too quiet when something serious goes down and seems like he's whispering and his tone is very unusual. He feels timid and then there's Cole who just uses his selfish asshole persona to put himself at the top of everything. Lawler however is still loyal on that Raw table each week taking the profession seriously and NEVER changing his views and opinions something I like.

Booker T: 8/10
Josh Matthews: 6/10
Michael Cole: 5/10
Jerry Lawler: 8/10


Storylines


Rhodes/Orton

I like this. This shows that WWE arn't just going to use Orton as SmackDown's answer to John Cena. They want him to help put guys over and for Rhodes to go over Orton would be a massive stepping stone in his career almost definitely putting him in the main event picture. Its a storyline that stems from Jealousy and its almost what WWE wanted to do at Mania 26 but with DiBiase as the guy Orton puts over. Rhodes is looking amazing in this and I can't wait for a probable match at Vengeance which will really be something different than what we usually see Orton doing.

Storyline rating: 7.5/10


Ryder/Ziggler

This is predicting that WWE go for Ryder and not Mason Ryan as Ziggler's next challenger. I love the way you can tell Ziggler is legitimately all for Ryder to challenge for his title even taking to Ryder's YouTube video's to hype a match between the two. Ryder really does deserve it but I still think he has a lot to learn. Maybe he loses at Vengeance but then defeats Ziggler on a Raw episode or at Survivor Series. Ziggler meanwhile should be in the main event scene, he's a former 5 minute World Champion. He has the mic skills and its time for him to be elevated to the next level.

Storyline Rating: 7/10


Sheamus/Christian

I don't know why WWE still think this feud is still interesting. I love both competitors but I see no way how or why this rivalry is taking place. What did Christian do cost Sheamus the IC title? For me that's a good thing as Sheamus is a main eventer. I just don't see why this feud is taking place but they are capable of putting on great matches as seen at Hell in a Cell. Sheamus to go over at Vengeance and to challenge Henry at Survivor Series and win the World Title.

Storyline Rating: 5/10


Sin Cara vs Sin Cara (negro)

I had great expectations for this when it first begun but now they have turned it into a kids cartoon show. I hate the annoying noises added to Negro Sin Cara's theme. Its just all a little too cheesy for my liking and I would have preferred an actual manager for a Cara that needed more charisma and mic skills. For those wondering or people debating, the Original Sin Cara is so much more talented. We'll see where this goes by Vengeance maybe its paving the way for the finally heel Rey Mysterio I've been waiting to see.

Storyline Rating: 3/10


Beth Phoenix/Kelly Kelly

For the last time Vince, Eve is so much more talented than Kelly Kelly. I don't care if Kelly Kelly ranked in Maxim 100. I do not care I want an actual Divas Match I care about. I dislike this apparent more aggressive Kelly Kelly because in the back of my head I just picture her grinding on a pole doing her Extreme Expose stuff. Phoenix and Natalya apparently want to save the Divas division, is it worth it?

Storyline Rating: 4/10


AirBoom/Ziggler and Swagger

So basically WWE have it that Ziggler is in two feuds? I don't know but I do think this storyline has a lot of intrigue in it. AirBoom's in-ring ability is amazing but their mic skills and charisma are a little poor. On the other hand you have two blonde vain young men managed by a Cougar which actually sounds like a legitimate Tag Team.... Which it is. I love this pairing although I know its likely to implode and one of the duo will turn on the other. Vickie doesn't even need to speak that's how much heat she gets. Swagger is looking good paired with Ziggler because he's really stealing the show as of late. This story is losing pace though due to the heel duo being involved in the Walkout angle/storyline.

Storyline Rating: 7/10


Henry/Big Show

I was hoping that the guy who'd return and be the first vengeful Hall of Pain member would be Kane. Kane can actually put on good matches against larger guys whilst Big Show is larger than Henry so work that out. I get its story and it actually is great because it makes sense, just not looking forward to seeing the two against each other. I feel that at Vengeance a Heel Kane will return and attack his former tag team partner for turning him into a 'joke'. I'd take masked Kane any-day but hope that another masked Kane wouldn't turn up so we don't get another Cara/Cara. But this storyline actually really makes sense and is interesting because Big Show actually has good acting talent.

Storyline Rating: 8/10


Cena/Del Rio

The WWE Championship rivalry always involving Cena. So what was the point in Del Rio winning the title at Summerslam, losing it at Night of Champions and then winning it back at Hell in a Cell? Is it just so that Cena nears Flair's title record and Chavo no longer watches WWE? I don't know but this story doesn't make sense. One, if anyone wants vengeance against Del Rio its Punk because Del Rio cashed in on Punk. 2, Cena should be going after HHH for making him lose the WWE Title mistakenly. Cena and Del Rio have had hardly any build-up or exchange of words since Hell in a Cell so this is extremely hard to follow but i'm positive the outcome will be Del Rio retaining but then again its Cena who's challenging so im likely wrong. No build whatsoever really doesnt help.

Storyline Rating: 4/10


AwesomeTruth/HHH and Punk

Now here's a storyline that makes sense for all the WRONG reasons. HHH should be hating Punk right now but no they are apparent buddies but it all makes sense. Punk stood up for HHH and was against the walkout. Both have reasons to be against AwesomeTruth and to tag up against the duo who have ran with the story tremendously well. Miz seems more like the leader of the tag team whilst R-Truth is the backup. Its good though because we know its just part of something bigger. And this stemmed from Miz and Truth pushing referee's. Good build-up aswell except I hope Johnny Ace begins to manage and side with AwesomeTruth alot as we go towards Vengeance.

Storyline Rating: 8.5/10 (Im a little bit of a Miz and Punk mark)


The Walkout

This has shocked not just the WWE but in my opinion Professional Wrestling as a whole. The list of events is long but I'll try and summarize it quickly.

- Punk threats to leave WWE with the WWE Title due to his contract expiring and does so but re-signs after Cena wins another WWE Title

-HHH replaces McMahon as C.O.O of the company

- Punk beats Cena but is then attacked by Kevin Nash after HHH refs a match between the two at Summerslam

- Del Rio cashes in on a downed Punk

- HHH announces Raw Supershow where every Smackdown and raw superstar is eligible to appear on Raw every week

- Things spiral out of control when Nash attacks once again after being fired by HHH for constantly attacking Punk. Miz and Truth are fired too for attacking refs and competitors

- Johnny Ace suggests to HHH to have a Vote of Confidence which ends in chaos as every superstar apart from Cena,Punk,Orton,Big Show and Sheamus who don't turn out, walkout with no confidence

- Vince McMahon returns to announce that Johnny Ace will replace HHH as the Interim GM of Raw

-Johnny Ace fires JR

What's the next big event to take place? Vengeance. Where is this story going? I have no clue and that is why it is so interesting and great. The two biggest parts of the story are HHH taking over and the walkout. Another big part is yet to come and I believe we will soon see something bigger than all this take place. I won't make predictions because I look silly saying things that seem impossible. I think the storyline though is connected to the fact Punk is not wanted as WWE Champion. I think he's the main superstar in this with outside forces such as Vince and Johnny Ace not wanting him as Champion. I hope it leads to the match everyone wants to see at mania, Punk vs Stone Cold. Doubt it though, I would take Jericho/Punk though.

Storyline Rating: 9/10


Top 10 Superstars right now and who's running with their gimmick

1. CM Punk - I am sorry but you cannot deny that this guy is the best thing going in WWE right now and he's not even WWE Champion. Taking over from Cena as the main guy I am loving every minute of it and the fact marks and normal fans are joining together in support of Punk is extraordinary. Anything he does is entertaining.

Punk's gimmick: 9.5/10


2. Dolph Ziggler - For me he is doing an amazing job and feels like a main eventer with a mid-card title. He has the looks, the style, the ability and the theme. He also has Vickie Guerrero which gives him an incredible amount of heat and help. He's gold on mic now and is actually helping Swagger from what I see. Can't wait for him to be challenging for the WWE Title. Love his change in theme aswell.

Ziggler's gimmick: 8/10


3. Mark Henry - I have a hard time forgetting his times as the happy Henry who got Mae Young pregnant and was teaming with one of my personal favorites MVP. However, Henry is doing a brilliant job with his dominant persona and is great on mic now. I feel like he should have had this gimmick all along but we know his career is coming to an end so its sad he wasn't given more time.

Henry's gimmick: 8/10


4. AwesomeTruth - Both are so different and it works. Miz is your cocky and arrogant jerk from Cleveland whilst Truth is that old school rapper heel and when combined its a match made in heaven. Miz is a former WWE Champion, US Champion and Tag Team Champion but yet he doesn't have near as much as experience as Truth. Truth's tentures in TNA and NWA brang him a ton of titles and he's even a former US Champion after being.... You named it, The Miz. Both are working so well and seem like the perfect duo for their current storyline.

Miz's gimmick: 8/10
R-Truth's gimmick: 7.5/10


5. Triple H - Still has it. Is great on mic whether being serious or funny. I love how he always fits the term 'Skinny Fat ass' into his promo's and he always has this evil look on his face. I tune in late and think he's sometimes turned heel the way he looks and is almost playing a King of kings that's simply had enough of the bullshit that he has to handle in his job. I have my money on him turning heel before the end of the year but wouldn't mind if not.

HHH's gimmick: 7/10


6. Cody Rhodes - He can pull off any gimmick given to him, and I have no clue how. Started off as Hardcore Holly's student then turned into an image of his father then turned into a vain overconfident stud and into what is for me today's best gimmick due to its uniqueness, the dark Rhodes. The fact that somehow he is able to make us forget that we all know his injury is not legit and wouldn't even be a problem anymore is beyond me. He's truly the future of the company and I think he deserves everything he's given. Mic skills blow me away.

Rhodes gimmick: 9/10


7. Alberto Del Rio - Was the rising star last year but for me turned into a little bit of a joke nearing the Summer. I got tired of him after Money in the Bank and when he won the title I was happy but not over the moon. There's something about him that he had last year and doesn't have now. When he won the Rumble I really thought he was the next big thing. For some he is, for me he isn't. His gimmick though, is very good and refreshing.

Del Rio's gimmick: 8/10


8. John Cena - As said before whether you love him or hate him he entertains you. Whether you hate him and you just can't stand his promo's that's entertaining because he's making you hate him with his cheesy dancing and comparisons. Needs a change in character for me but is still a good talent.

Cena's gimmick: 6/10


9. Daniel Bryan - As you can tell I am rating superstars that entertain me and then rating their gimmick, when Daniel Bryan is in a match, Im watching without a doubt. So talented in the ring and yes we all know he's not the greatest on the mic but when he's in that ring tearing it up, I am entertained. Wanted him to be part of this conspiracy storyline but it didn't turn out. Current Mr Mitb is on a losing streak which I hope turns him into a heel. What's with the Jewish beard though? Very random.

Bryan's gimmick: 5/10


10. Christian - So hard because I also rank Sheamus and Ryder but Christian is so interesting and such a badass. A veteran is an understatement he's truly a great and I love watching him in action or on mic. He seems to be the leader of the Conspiracy faction so that's good, he has something. His feud with Sheamus is random but he just is so adjustable he can fit into any rivalry. Want a different theme though!

Christian's gimmick: 8/10

Thanks for reading i'll be doing my Vengeance predictions next Friday after SmackDown.

 

[Cena's #1 In My Heart]

Good post. I skimmed through it for the most part, but it looks like you spent a lot of time in it.

Your being too generous on Michael Cole... I'd give him a 3/10... for the fact that he doesnt know how to call a fucking wrestling match. He doesn't even like wrestling... I can see it... he came in the late 90s when the business was booming, didn't he come from like MTV? Cole is an entertainment specialist... he talks about stories all night on commentary... not the matches.... Cole doesn't care about wrestling... he just cares about the WWE and it's stories.. he's not a traditional wrestling fan who likes the matches and the wrestlers. I can see this and hear this in the way he talks about the program.

I don't see why people aren't liking the Sin Cara storyline... tbh.. it's one of my favorites right now. Those guys are like mexican legends and their feuding in the WWE. It's a feud like that, that makes me think.. this truly is... WORLD WRESTLING...(entertainment). Maybe they need to do a better job of explaining the feud? But I'm interested to see how it ends up.

I'm just going to give the WWE an overall grade... and an overall grade of a C-.

Commentary is the worst it has ever been on any wrestling show in fucking history. The storylines seem to be freshening up a little bit. However, this walk out shit... how often do they expect us to be like... "OH MY GOD." This walkout storyline really hasn't worked for me because it's done so childish and so flawed. The fact that they made people walk out like JR and Booker T and then have them go back on their words and such is just stupid.

The WWE Championship has been passed around more than a dirty hooker... and has in turn made several superstars and the championship look weak. In reality... CM Punk should have won the title in July... which he did. We should have NEVER crowned a new champion the next fucking night/week. And CM Punk should have just carried the WWE Championship til Night of Champions or Hell in a Cell... maybe Survivor Series.

So if you ask me.. WWE has been doing a lot of stuff... trying to get attention... but really their just making a fucking mess of their company in the process.

 

[Alister1]

Divas: Fire all the divas except Maryse, Beth Pheonix, Natalya, Layla & Kharma. Bring back Michelle McCool. Divas like kelly, eve, the bellas, & nxt rookies are turning the divas division into a joke.

Mark Henry: Never really been a Henry fan, but this past few months he has turned me into a believer. Career defining moment: defeating Randy Orton in a clean fight to become WH Champion.

Christian: Finally getting the main event run he deserved.

Sheamus: Great in the ring, but preferred him as heel. Dislike his promos. Overall great superstar.

Dolph, Swagger, & Vickie: Love them. Dolph and Swagger are both very talented. Both former world champions even though many might not remember. The future of the company. Vickie has impressed me, she has established herself as a powerful figure in the WWE. Amazing in the microphone. Perhaps draws the biggest heat.

Santino Marella/Hornswoggle: Why are they still here? Fire them. Period.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

I really wish you had made three separate posts, because each topic you address is brilliant enough to have a full-out discussion on its own (mashed together, its too much).

Just to cherry pick one part of your post, these are my Top 10 WWE Superstars (based mostly on momentum with admitted personal preference skewing the results):

1. CM Punk
2. HHH - He's going to be #1 soon based on storylines, its just a matter of time. I'm very much opposed to HHH stealing Punk's thunder, as Punk could have been a revolutionary figure in our generation, but c'est la vie when dealing with HHH.
3. John Cena - The more I've seen him, the more I enjoy his character. Yeah, he represents the kids, yeah he's not "for" my demographic. But I really am appreciating is work ethic and I must just be supporting Cena at WM.
4. Mark Henry - Angry black man character has never failed a wrestling promoter, has it? Henry has exceeded everyone's expectations, and I've enjoyed every minute of it so far, but I see his stock falling very soon. The match against Big Show could be the first crack, matches between two huge behemoths are notoriously difficult matches to watch because they're both used to working with more athletic wrestlers doing most of the work (i.e. Randy Orton putting over Henry clean twice). I hope he can carry the belt until Royal Rumble (drop to Orton in his hometown), but I have a feeling it might happen before then, mostly because Henry's lack of charisma will show through.
5. Cody Rhodes - I am absolutely enjoying his character. Nobody has done this well with a cartoonish persona in such a long time. Cody Rhodes deserves to main event, its just a shame he's hitting his stride at a time when so many other wrestlers are in the main event picture. Hoping he gets the title Spring 2012 and his character continues to evolve.
6. Miz & R-Truth - I love this pairing, they're great as heels. They should be higher but they're not getting air time (rightfully so, they're selling a bigger picture). Can't wait to see what happens with these two, I'm sure it will be fun - I just hope it doesn't become a repeat of the Nexus angle (show up, beat up everybody, leave, rinse, repeat).
7. Alberto Del Rio - I'm most upset with WWE writers for not paying more attention to Del Rio. He has star quality, but they're doing nothing with him. The destiny angle from January is still their fallback. Still. Fucking. Continuing. Del Rio is my favourite wrestler behind Punk, but I have a feeling I may lose interest in him. Also, it seems to me, the worse the Cara/Cara angle gets, the more disinterested I am in Del Rio - I think I subconsciously connect the Caras with Del Rio.
8. Dolph Ziggler - The future. He is Mr. Perfect 2.0. He is Rick Rude upgraded. He's the quintessential heel and I'm sure once he's giving the opportunity, he's going to run with it. His segments on Zach Ryder's internet show have been very entertaining and I'm sure the WWE brass picked Ziggler to put over Ryder for a reason - Ziggler can do an amazing job of it and still not lose his momentum.
9. Randy Orton - I'm getting tired of Orton. I'm glad he's out of the spotlight for a couple of months, it'll be good for Orton. WWE should make me want him - right now they're running the risk of burning his character out with some fans, like they did with Cena. I'm sure he'll be back in the main event picture by Royal Rumble, which is perfect for him to build himself, an opponent and do a few promos in between.
10. Sheamus / Christian (tie) - I like Christian more, but Sheamus has more momentum. My concern is that Christian is going to go back down to midcarder status. Orton and Sheamus are the only two main event faces on Smackdown and Christian has feuded with them back to back (no way he'll be given the title - although if Henry falters, they could put the title on Big Show, work in a Christian angle and that could work). Meanwhile, Sheamus seems to be on fire and its a matter of time before his stock rises though the roof (my guess is Spring 2012 - I'm expecting a lot post-WrestleMania).

Special Mentions: Zack Ryder (makes me feel like a kid again, everyone can get behind him), Air Boom, Jack Swagger (hoping he gets a push Summer / Fall 2012), David Otunga (I'm serious - he is the epitome of the new Reality-era of WWE. Turning him face would be a good idea once he learns how to work and when he has enough momentum)

 

[Ellye]

I agree with pretty much all of your opinions, OP.

Aside from the more obvious points:
I'm happy to see that more people share the opinions that the Del Rio vs Cena feud is extremely lackluster due to a lack of build-up, Del Rio is very talented but right now he has close to zero heat, they need to come up with a better storytelling in this feud.
And also that Sin Cara needs a spokesman urgently if anyone is to care with his feuds.

And it's good to see that many people apparently agree that Rhodes is one of, if not the, best young superstar in WWE right now. This guy is flat out fantastic. His ring-work is good enough, and his microphone and acting skills might be the best in the whole company - and he's only 26 years old.