Thoughts On Current WWE Program?

[Hem]

Heres an overview of the current WWE programing:


Theres an elimination chamber match up to determine the new intercontinental champion since Daniel Bryan had to vacate it due to his injuries. The match basically consists of the main guys of the mid card and you know.. R - Truth. Just kidding, Sheamus, Wade, Ryback, Dolph, Truth and maybe Rusev.

So if you ask me - the build up to this match has been quite shitty. I think they should focus more on the prestige of the championship and make it be about wanting to be the next best in the WWE. Thats what the US champion is about right? The IC match should be great but it lacks a proper build up and is really just a way to get all the top mid card guys onto the PPV and make it a bit more unpredictable as to who will be champion.

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John Cena Vs. Kevin Owens is my current favorite feud in the WWE. In just two weeks we have seen the NXT champion be built up as a huge star, The US Open Challenge get some meaning and for two weeks straight, Cena has been laid out by Owens. I'm sure Cena will win his match at Elimination Chamber but the rub he'll give to Owens will be great. I see much more potential for this match and seeing as to how Owens is advertised for more events, the feud may continue. The US title should be shown more respect and should also be elevated but I guess seeing as to how this feud is meant to elevate Kevin Owens as the bad ass NXT champ, it doesn't matter.

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The Tag Team Elimination Chamber is basically just like the IC match except..theres tag teams in this one. I think this will be the spot fest match of the night and I want to see what guys like Kofi, Kalisto, Cesaro and so on pull off in the match. The build up has been poor and for some reason every tag team is getting a chance at the titles..even PTP who didn't do much previously except for cut backstage promos.. The match will be good but the feud won't.

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Rollins Vs. Ambrose - This feud is money. These people are money. The way its booked will lead to money. It is awesome to see the future of the WWE, right now. The future is here. I think this match will have so many interventions and distractions that it may mess the match up. But these men tend to make the best out of the worst situations. Remember that Lumberjack match? I'm stoked to see this and I can't wait.

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So thats the current storylines which matter. I think that makes for a decent show right? The card is stacked and every match has awesome potential. What do you guys think about the current product which is being produced? I think its fairly good and that the WWE has really stepped up its game as of late.

 

[Navi]

You've just described the Elimination Chamber and while the card for a quickly put together PPV is good, it's also kind of sad in a way. There are a lot of big names missing here, and creative doesn't seem to know what to do with them.

Big Show and Orton are on a break, but it doesn't seem to matter considering Show just finished his feud with Reigns, and Orton with Rollins. Now both of them are at loose ends. Roman Reigns really hasn't done much since Wrestlemania, and nothing in his future other than another throwaway feud with Kane.

Bray Wyatt like Reigns is supposed to be one of the company and he's done nothing as well. So until they start putting some of the bigger names in feuds I'll be more impressed.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

In some ways, Elimination Chamber is sort of a buffer between Payback and Money in the Bank. While it may lack the grandeur that we're used to considering that there aren't any big ol' mega names announced for the Elimination Chamber matches, I find it very refreshing. For years, people have wanted to see the Intercontinental Championship vied for in an EC match and it's only been within the past few months that there's been any real degree of emphasis placed on the title that constitutes enough to warrant such a match. The IC title still has quite a ways to go, but it's meant more over the past couple of months than it has in several years; at least they're moving in the right direction with the strap, we can only hope Vince doesn't veer off course.

As far as the build, again, considering how low the IC title picture has been on the totem pole, I've got no real complaints. To me, it feels like what it actually is: a bunch of mid-card guys going after a mid-card title in a match that's only ever been used for World Championships.

As for the tag team title EC match, pretty much the same thing. The tag titles picture is back to feeling exciting again; it's been sort of a roller coaster with peaks and valleys, but at least the titles have never faded into sheer irrelevance the way they had before Bryan & Kane.

Cena vs. Owens is an interesting feud, the downside of things is that it suffers from the same issue most programs face: not enough time given to really develop things to the point where it doesn't feel rushed. Still, it definitely has that "WWE guy vs. Indy darling" feel about it with Cena being someone that's the epitome of a "WWE guy" while everything about Owens' look is about as far from a "WWE guy" as it gets. Cena's a burly, muscular, clean cut, all American hero who benches 440 lbs. while Owens is a pudgy, bearded guy who looks like he'd be right at home in some dive bar busting heads. It should be a great match and it's one I'm definitely looking forward to.

As far as the lack of bigger names, again, I'm not complaining because, in all honesty, I'm tired of hearing people bitch about Big Show and Orton, I'm sick of hearing people whine about Roman Reigns as fans or haters; I very much like the idea that the IC, Tag Team and champ vs. champ matches have had as much, or nearly as much, relevance put on them for Elimination Chamber as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match. It's an opportunity for mid-card wrestlers and tag teams to potentially shine, especially considering that they're inside the EC structure itself.

 

[Mustang Sally]

So if you ask me - the build up to this (IC title) match has been quite shitty.

That's because the applecart has been upset a couple times. The original plan....which was probably a long-term course....was to have Daniel Bryan hold the belt in order to elevate it's status. Now that he's out, the whole thing had to be rewritten, and I'm of the belief the plan was for Rusev to win, riding the momentum he achieved in his series with John Cena.

Now, those plans might be on hold because of Rusev's injury (man, was he hurting on Smackdown) and if he can't take the title, I'm thinking Dolph Ziggler will win on Sunday, which will absolutely tickle his fans....but not do much to raise the status of the IC belt. Dolph is a way station until they can get back on course.

I'm sure Cena will win his match at Elimination Chamber but the rub he'll give to Owens will be great.

I'm not sure he'll win, although with Owens' two scene-stealers with Cena, the champ needn't lose his belt to put Owens over.

Cena might very well lose the match, but not cleanly. On the other hand, Kevin Owens will be winning a lot of matches in the future...and he might never win cleanly because by nature of his character, he doesn't need to.

Look at it this way; you're a NXT champion moving up to the main roster .....and your first feud is with John Cena?

That ain't bad for starters.

 

[Greg4WWE]

I think cage matches. Chain matches. Elimination Chain matches. And to a lesser degree street fight style matches are just crap without blood. I know it's a PG type show now, but come on. Just stop having those brutal matches if you don't want to produce the blood. Getting thrown into glass, or steel chain or cage and not being busted open is just ridiculous. I do miss this aspect about wrestling though I know most fans disagree.

Programming to me these days is just so predictable. You pretty much know who is going to win every match. Matches don't seem to be able to be won unless someone hits their finisher (surprise pin falls are rare, though Dean Ambrose has had a couple against Rollins lately).. This is where I actually give Impact some credit. They do seem to have surprise champions, etc. I am not saying make Zach Ryder champion, but why not have Ambrose win the gold unexpectingly this weekend? But we already know he won't and it will likely be from interference. haha

And in a 3 hour Raw, 45 mins of it is commercials with another 40 mins of rewinds and replays.

I could go on and on but yeah. I hope i stayed on topic just seemed like the perfect topic to vent a bit on.

 

[OYDK]

Y'know considering this is not a "real" PPV, was only announced about 3 weeks ago, and is only available to Network subscribers, I'm kind of shocked at the amount of time and effort WWE has put into this. I was very surprised to find out that we would be getting a WWEWHC match, followed by TWO EC matches to decided the IC and Tag Team titles. Throw in Kevin Owens, who I've been a big fan of for quite some time, in a match with none other than John Cena and I'm completely sold regardless of the lack of "big names".

Does anybody remember the last PPV exclusive to the Network? It was a 1 hour KOTR that led to the crowning of King Barrett... and we all know how that's turned out so far. If this EC PPV is a sign of things to come for the Network, than sign me up. WWE has been doing a great job lately in marketing the WWE Netowrk, and it's about time.

 

[MartialHorror]

WWE has been better building up to EC than it has been in a long time, in my eyes. But the problem with the WWE is that while it often delivers fun matches, the majority of the storylines and booking decisions outright suck.

Wrestlemania 31 was good on its own, ignoring that the old dudes almost always went over the newer talents, but the stories leading into it blew.

EC at least has gotten me excited for some of the matches and there have been some really good segments. Admittedly I'm drifting away a little bit, as I tend to only watch RAW and Smackdown when I'm killing time. I'm actually paying more attention to NXT.