Okay. Last time I am gonna rave about this match.. For now.
This was the only match I got the PPV for. I was not anywhere near disappointed. I know it is too early in his career to call it his career making match, but Wade Barrett finally has that "credibility" as a main event so many people here was bitching about. The guy could send Orton packing to The WasteLand tomorrow, when the belt and wouldn't look out of place. He would in fact look more like a champion than Orton. That is how fantastic he looked in this match.
The match was FULL of things you want as a pro wrestling fan:
- The little things I've notice made me go "Wow." Cena kidney punching Wade like he really wanted to make one of them explode was great. Wade's hair is always impeccable, but not in this one. Both guys having respect for the rules of the match because so much was at stake. In the power struggles, both guys playing off the dueling chants (Cena would get weaker if they said Barrett and vice versa, Wade did as well). Cena signally that the match was still one-on-one after Nexus got taken care of. Wade's facial expressions were great. He went from confident in his first pin attempt to frustrated to completely worried. He took moments to actually think what he has do to.. But it didn't look like "oh crap, what's the next spot". Those moments actually looked like someone really trying to think of what he needs to do to put Cena away.
- I am not one of those people who complains at great lengths about the amount of movez in a match. Never have been. But how many suplexs can f'n Barrett and Cena have? Each move looked crisp and impactful because they took time to actually see the moves. Cena's top rope leg drop made its return and man, did he nail that sucker.
- The crowd completely ate this match up. They were never not responding and both guys adjusted on the fly to elevate the crowd emotion. Their epic like stand offs or whatever it is called when the two just stop and stare at each other ACTUALLY got a response.
- The drama was as much in the front row as any of those fans. Like I said, both guys carefully respected the rules of the match. Wade even yelled at the other Nexus guys, which is something he hasn't done.. Cole said since Young got the boot. I believe it. The near falls close to the end of the match really had suspense to them. Heck, people were even talking about being on their edge of their seats in the LD thread. Cena kicked out of the Wasteland, it was a good moment in the match. However, Barrett kicking out of the AA was a GREAT moment in the match. Despite what the internet thinks of it, the AA is treated as holy as Hogan's leg drop or Austin's stunner or [insert stop star's name and finisher here]. When Cena lost, little kids and women were crying and everyone was stunned. Cena hugging the little kid after the match was like perfect.
- I didn't care for the run in finish. However, after listening to someone's opinion on how if Cena would've lost clean.. There would be no reason for Cena to try to argue with the outcome (aka rematch). The finish on its face made sense.
Bottom line, I am a Wade Barrett mark in every sense of the word. BUT, this match was that fucking awesome. If you are a pro wrestling fan, you need to see this match. "Match of the Year" stuff from someone who was never put in that match environment before and someone who stupidly gets labeled as "bad wrestler".