Im back. Did anyone miss me? Cody Mcgarrol here to give you the low down on what I thought about this weeks round of shows. Big apologies for the delay in posting my review. Been dealing with some work issues and the ownership of two cats. We both want Oliver and nobody wants Twist. Story of my life, especially when I ask for more. Regardless, what a week it has been in WZCW. Some exciting matches, new developments, and a whole lot of action. Im sure everyone is already geared up for this weeks shows, which are a lot closer than I realized when posting this. I was planning on doing a full review; matches, segments, the whole nine yards, but with my time this week very limited, I decided to try a different format. Everybody is a critic of wrestling. The audience has such a diverse opinion on the product that its damn near impossible to put on a show that everyone loves. This week I present to you Like/Dislike, which is pretty self explanatory. To the people running the show, I will say that this round had more likes that dislikes, but heres just some of the things I thought about WZCW this week.
Thanks for reading and sorry again about the delay. Comments and feedback would be greatly appreciated. If this a format you would like to see continued please let me know. As a great guy once said "Ah, videogames, what a waste of money. Now to go online and bid one thousand dollars for a set of Itchy and Scratchy corn-cob holders. Terrific, terrific experience." -Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons.
Like: Titus vs Chris K.O. feud
I dont think Im alone in saying this, but I have loved almost everything about this feud between these two. Although it technically began in 2012, it has carried on so well, without ever feeling over done, and is hands down the feud of the year for 2013 thus far. Titus is an icon in WZCW and has provided K.O. with a feud that could finally cement his place in the main event. It is also the first real feud Titus has had since Baez almost two years ago, which is just unacceptable for a man of his talent. Both men had amazing matches on Meltdown. K.O. got a big win over one of the hottest wrestlers in WZCW (more on that later) and Titus showed no signs of rust in the main event verse Drake Callahan. K.O. blew off Titus challenge last week, but came back this week and, in true heel fashion, attack Titus when he was down and accepted the challenge, but not without upping the ante and challenging him to an I Quit match. I didnt think there could be anything to get me more excited about the match, but they were able to do just that. Is match of the year next?
Dislike: The EurAsian Title
I said it in my preview and Ill say it again, the feud between K.O. and Titus does not need the EurAsian Title. There is enough personal beef between the two that it doesnt need a title to fight over. The title is secondary right now. Almost nonexistent in my mind as this match approaches. Very happy to see K.O. finally win a title, but this couldve been done after Kingdom Come. Now what happens if he beats Titus? As it seems to be the case in WZCW, if you hold a middle card title you stay in the middle card, just ask Rush and Sam Smith. The winner should be battling the World Heavyweight champion after Kingdom Come, not fighting Mason Westhoff or Matt Tastic. The real loser in all of this though is Triple X. Without the King for a Day match at Kingdom Come to fall back on, where will Triple Xs place be on the card. He is still the future in WZCW and needs a place on the card (I know a particular Australian who would riot if Triple X does not make the card). I have my fingers crossed that the two will meet up again before Kingdom Come and Titus costs K.O. the title this time, though Im not holding my breath for that to happen.
I dont think Im alone in saying this, but I have loved almost everything about this feud between these two. Although it technically began in 2012, it has carried on so well, without ever feeling over done, and is hands down the feud of the year for 2013 thus far. Titus is an icon in WZCW and has provided K.O. with a feud that could finally cement his place in the main event. It is also the first real feud Titus has had since Baez almost two years ago, which is just unacceptable for a man of his talent. Both men had amazing matches on Meltdown. K.O. got a big win over one of the hottest wrestlers in WZCW (more on that later) and Titus showed no signs of rust in the main event verse Drake Callahan. K.O. blew off Titus challenge last week, but came back this week and, in true heel fashion, attack Titus when he was down and accepted the challenge, but not without upping the ante and challenging him to an I Quit match. I didnt think there could be anything to get me more excited about the match, but they were able to do just that. Is match of the year next?
Dislike: The EurAsian Title
I said it in my preview and Ill say it again, the feud between K.O. and Titus does not need the EurAsian Title. There is enough personal beef between the two that it doesnt need a title to fight over. The title is secondary right now. Almost nonexistent in my mind as this match approaches. Very happy to see K.O. finally win a title, but this couldve been done after Kingdom Come. Now what happens if he beats Titus? As it seems to be the case in WZCW, if you hold a middle card title you stay in the middle card, just ask Rush and Sam Smith. The winner should be battling the World Heavyweight champion after Kingdom Come, not fighting Mason Westhoff or Matt Tastic. The real loser in all of this though is Triple X. Without the King for a Day match at Kingdom Come to fall back on, where will Triple Xs place be on the card. He is still the future in WZCW and needs a place on the card (I know a particular Australian who would riot if Triple X does not make the card). I have my fingers crossed that the two will meet up again before Kingdom Come and Titus costs K.O. the title this time, though Im not holding my breath for that to happen.
Like: Hunter Kravinoff
Im really happy for Barbosa in this case (Im sure he is also very happy about this). WZCW clearly had a backup plan in place for Barbosa in the form of Celeste, but the return of Hunter Kravinoff does nothing but good for the Constantine, Barbosa and S.H.I.T, and WZCW. Natural Selection have a pulse again and Technosa have somebody to sink their teeth and claws into. Kravinoff may be a headache for management, but he is an internet darling amongst viewers and a huge draw. Kravinoff is a better partner for Constantine than The Empire and showed his worth to him in the title match, helping Constantine retain. He did just enough to allow Constantine to win without over doing it, which made Constantine look strong without making S.H.I.T look weak. The match was a perfect teaser of what will come between these four. I like the fact Barbosa wasnt there on Ascension to help his partner. It creates some tension between the two that they will have to work through. WZCW should try to keep Barbosa and Kravinoff apart as much as possible before Kingdom Come. The more they stay apart as the feud begins to bubble and boil, the bigger the payoff will be.
Dislike: Showtime
Lets clear this up first. I dont dislike Showtime, him opening Ascension, or his match with Celeste. All were great. I guess dislike isnt even the right word. What I am is, Im on the fence about his inclusion into the World Heavyweight Title match. Him being apart of it adds a whole new dynamic to the match as it will be the first time that the title will be defended in a Triple Threat match at Kingdom Come. My concern with him being in the match is regarding Drake Callahan. On Meltdown, Drake showed signs of making a face turn and I for one very much enjoyed his little moments against Holmes. Drake is still an excellent heel, but perhaps it may be time for a change of character for him. Im worried Showtimes return will bring a halt to that development. Or maybe the plan is for a double turn to occur over the next few weeks and Showtime turn heel at or after Kingdom Come and Drake becoming the new face of the company. Both men are good at either side, while Holmes is heel for life. Thats how good and natural he is at it. The other concern is how often these three have fought over the last year and what they will be able to bring thats new to the ring. I have little doubt in their abilities and even though weve seen Showtime and Drake a million times, I am looking forward to their match this week and seeing what develops from that.
Im really happy for Barbosa in this case (Im sure he is also very happy about this). WZCW clearly had a backup plan in place for Barbosa in the form of Celeste, but the return of Hunter Kravinoff does nothing but good for the Constantine, Barbosa and S.H.I.T, and WZCW. Natural Selection have a pulse again and Technosa have somebody to sink their teeth and claws into. Kravinoff may be a headache for management, but he is an internet darling amongst viewers and a huge draw. Kravinoff is a better partner for Constantine than The Empire and showed his worth to him in the title match, helping Constantine retain. He did just enough to allow Constantine to win without over doing it, which made Constantine look strong without making S.H.I.T look weak. The match was a perfect teaser of what will come between these four. I like the fact Barbosa wasnt there on Ascension to help his partner. It creates some tension between the two that they will have to work through. WZCW should try to keep Barbosa and Kravinoff apart as much as possible before Kingdom Come. The more they stay apart as the feud begins to bubble and boil, the bigger the payoff will be.
Dislike: Showtime
Lets clear this up first. I dont dislike Showtime, him opening Ascension, or his match with Celeste. All were great. I guess dislike isnt even the right word. What I am is, Im on the fence about his inclusion into the World Heavyweight Title match. Him being apart of it adds a whole new dynamic to the match as it will be the first time that the title will be defended in a Triple Threat match at Kingdom Come. My concern with him being in the match is regarding Drake Callahan. On Meltdown, Drake showed signs of making a face turn and I for one very much enjoyed his little moments against Holmes. Drake is still an excellent heel, but perhaps it may be time for a change of character for him. Im worried Showtimes return will bring a halt to that development. Or maybe the plan is for a double turn to occur over the next few weeks and Showtime turn heel at or after Kingdom Come and Drake becoming the new face of the company. Both men are good at either side, while Holmes is heel for life. Thats how good and natural he is at it. The other concern is how often these three have fought over the last year and what they will be able to bring thats new to the ring. I have little doubt in their abilities and even though weve seen Showtime and Drake a million times, I am looking forward to their match this week and seeing what develops from that.
Like: Saxteur vs Rush and Smith
The tag team division was once the laughing stock of WZCW. Now it is among its most anticipated attractions. A big reason for that is the team of Saboteur and Action Saxton. They have been in every title match since Redemption and have brought the right amount of humour and in ring action needed to carry the titles and the division. Perhaps maybe a little too much humour. Enter Rush and Sam Smith. They represent everything Strikeforce, The New Church, and The Bearded Gent dont. They are polished, tough wrestlers, not goofy, silly entertainers. The Tag Team champions have needed a serious feud since the Who dun it? angle misfired over the summer and Rush and Smith are the answer to that need. It is a little disappointing that they have been relegated to the tag division, even if the division is at its best. Rush and Smith should be challenging for the World Title after Kingdom Come, but for now this keeps them relevant and gives the division the main event feel it deserves. The tea party segment to start and the subsequent match were a perfect way to show this feud going from silly to serious. Rush and Smith controlled a good portion of the match and hit many big moves. The champs were able to come back strong, forcing the challengers the cause a disqualification and assert there dominance over Saxton and Saboteur after the bell. This was the right decision and put the champions in a situation they havent been in in sometime. It will be interesting to see how they retaliate this week.
Dislike: Strikeforce vs TSA
I said before I didnt like this being advertised as Strikeforces last match. Im all for them going their separate ways, but to say theyll never team up again doesnt sit well with me. This is wrestling where anything can happen, nothing is ever set in stone, and people retire and un-retire within a year. Now if this was Strikeforces last match ever, than they certainly ended it on a flat note. Oh they won, which is what you would want for your last match, but it was nothing to go write home about. The contest itself was a simple by the numbers type match. Never did they seem to be in any danger of losing. This has been WZCWs longest feud by far between Stormrage and Howard, and The Grand Mystique and Westhoff, and is really starting to drag on as we approach Kingdom Come. It seems like some battle will occur at the big PPV, and the only question there seems to be is who and how many people will be on each side. Something needs to happen in the next few weeks to really spice it up as we continue to see members of each side take turns facing each other. While Im hoping this will be the conclusion to the feud, Im also hoping that someone on one team will turn on the other and shift this feud slightly. Stormrage vs Howard over the summer?
The tag team division was once the laughing stock of WZCW. Now it is among its most anticipated attractions. A big reason for that is the team of Saboteur and Action Saxton. They have been in every title match since Redemption and have brought the right amount of humour and in ring action needed to carry the titles and the division. Perhaps maybe a little too much humour. Enter Rush and Sam Smith. They represent everything Strikeforce, The New Church, and The Bearded Gent dont. They are polished, tough wrestlers, not goofy, silly entertainers. The Tag Team champions have needed a serious feud since the Who dun it? angle misfired over the summer and Rush and Smith are the answer to that need. It is a little disappointing that they have been relegated to the tag division, even if the division is at its best. Rush and Smith should be challenging for the World Title after Kingdom Come, but for now this keeps them relevant and gives the division the main event feel it deserves. The tea party segment to start and the subsequent match were a perfect way to show this feud going from silly to serious. Rush and Smith controlled a good portion of the match and hit many big moves. The champs were able to come back strong, forcing the challengers the cause a disqualification and assert there dominance over Saxton and Saboteur after the bell. This was the right decision and put the champions in a situation they havent been in in sometime. It will be interesting to see how they retaliate this week.
Dislike: Strikeforce vs TSA
I said before I didnt like this being advertised as Strikeforces last match. Im all for them going their separate ways, but to say theyll never team up again doesnt sit well with me. This is wrestling where anything can happen, nothing is ever set in stone, and people retire and un-retire within a year. Now if this was Strikeforces last match ever, than they certainly ended it on a flat note. Oh they won, which is what you would want for your last match, but it was nothing to go write home about. The contest itself was a simple by the numbers type match. Never did they seem to be in any danger of losing. This has been WZCWs longest feud by far between Stormrage and Howard, and The Grand Mystique and Westhoff, and is really starting to drag on as we approach Kingdom Come. It seems like some battle will occur at the big PPV, and the only question there seems to be is who and how many people will be on each side. Something needs to happen in the next few weeks to really spice it up as we continue to see members of each side take turns facing each other. While Im hoping this will be the conclusion to the feud, Im also hoping that someone on one team will turn on the other and shift this feud slightly. Stormrage vs Howard over the summer?
Like: Only one title changed hands this week
Its not uncommon to see big changes happen before a PPV like Kingdom Come to accommodate certain wrestlers and certain matches to appear of the card. At the end of the day, WZCW is a business and will want to put out the best card that will draw in the most money. Sometimes the right storyline gets thrown away to make an extra buck. In my opinion, the wrong title changed hands, but thats not to say I wanted Constantine to lose the Elite X Title either. I'm very happy he retained, but in his case his feud with S.H.I.T looks like it will continue in some form, whether he lost the title of not. Triple X should not get in the middle of K.O. verse Titus. I wouldve been very happy if both champions retained, but unlike before Lethal Lottery I like that at least one champion retained.
Dislike: No opening to start Meltdown
I feel like Im pretty much in the minority of this one. Between my friends I watch the shows with and the IWC, I seem to be about the only one who wasnt a fan of the lack of the opening. Lets clarify a few things first. I didnt hate the fact that there wasnt an opening to Meltdown. Sometimes its great to start a show off with a hot match to get the crowd excited. Its also nice to change things up a bit once in a while. The Meltdown opening has felt like an extended episode of The Show with Showtime, Holmes, and Callahan, in the last several months. The issues I had were; this was Meltdown, WZCWs Flag Ship show. I wouldve had zero problems if this were Ascension or Aftershock, but with no pyro, no video to build up of the show or matches, and no introduction by any wrestler or announcer to open the show it felt very much like a episode of "Wrestlers" that I watch on Hulu when Im really board. Second, we are fast approaching Kingdom Come, and with many question needing answers, there wasnt a lot on Meltdown that was used to build the card, with the exception of K.O. and Titus. Dont get me wrong, the segments were good, but they just didnt build much. Third, the choice of match to start the show. The tag team match was very short and didnt pull me into the show. I wouldve separated the big 3 matches on Meltdown and started the show off with the title match. That way Triple X couldve opened with some words that may couldve built up to his next feud, the crowd would've been really fired up to see a title match, and it would've split up K.O.s appearances in the night.
Its not uncommon to see big changes happen before a PPV like Kingdom Come to accommodate certain wrestlers and certain matches to appear of the card. At the end of the day, WZCW is a business and will want to put out the best card that will draw in the most money. Sometimes the right storyline gets thrown away to make an extra buck. In my opinion, the wrong title changed hands, but thats not to say I wanted Constantine to lose the Elite X Title either. I'm very happy he retained, but in his case his feud with S.H.I.T looks like it will continue in some form, whether he lost the title of not. Triple X should not get in the middle of K.O. verse Titus. I wouldve been very happy if both champions retained, but unlike before Lethal Lottery I like that at least one champion retained.
Dislike: No opening to start Meltdown
I feel like Im pretty much in the minority of this one. Between my friends I watch the shows with and the IWC, I seem to be about the only one who wasnt a fan of the lack of the opening. Lets clarify a few things first. I didnt hate the fact that there wasnt an opening to Meltdown. Sometimes its great to start a show off with a hot match to get the crowd excited. Its also nice to change things up a bit once in a while. The Meltdown opening has felt like an extended episode of The Show with Showtime, Holmes, and Callahan, in the last several months. The issues I had were; this was Meltdown, WZCWs Flag Ship show. I wouldve had zero problems if this were Ascension or Aftershock, but with no pyro, no video to build up of the show or matches, and no introduction by any wrestler or announcer to open the show it felt very much like a episode of "Wrestlers" that I watch on Hulu when Im really board. Second, we are fast approaching Kingdom Come, and with many question needing answers, there wasnt a lot on Meltdown that was used to build the card, with the exception of K.O. and Titus. Dont get me wrong, the segments were good, but they just didnt build much. Third, the choice of match to start the show. The tag team match was very short and didnt pull me into the show. I wouldve separated the big 3 matches on Meltdown and started the show off with the title match. That way Triple X couldve opened with some words that may couldve built up to his next feud, the crowd would've been really fired up to see a title match, and it would've split up K.O.s appearances in the night.
Thanks for reading and sorry again about the delay. Comments and feedback would be greatly appreciated. If this a format you would like to see continued please let me know. As a great guy once said "Ah, videogames, what a waste of money. Now to go online and bid one thousand dollars for a set of Itchy and Scratchy corn-cob holders. Terrific, terrific experience." -Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons.
