Post by The Biff on Sept 8, 2014 15:43:49 GMT -5
This article will be appearing later today at Inglourious Fiction, but I figured it was worth posting it here for critiques and any insight y'all might have for me in terms of writing these preview pieces. I appreciate all the insight given on my first crack at writing a wrestling-themed article over the weekend.
With the NFL season now officially underway, the competition provided by Monday Night Football on ESPN will ironically provide wrestling fans with exciting programming tonight, as the WWE seeks to counteract the exodus of football fans with a jam-packed card on the season premiere of WWE Raw. The continuing buildup to the upcoming WWE Special Night of Champions will continue from Baltimore this evening with a series of major Summerslam rematches, and a continuing look at the ongoing Bella family saga with special guest Jerry Springer—yes, that Jerry Springer—in what should be an interesting three hours of programming tonight. If you need your wrestling fix, then step right up, because we have what you need right here.
Cena vs. Lesnar, Part Deux
The main cornerstone for tonight's programming will undoubtedly be the continuing build-up for John Cena's quest to unseat Brock Lesnar and claim his sixteenth world championship, not to mention some comeuppance for the mauling he received at Summerslam back in August. With his storyline fixated on a path to redemption, one is almost certain to see Cena in action this evening in some capacity as the stage is set for the World Heavyweight Championship bout on September 21st in Nashville. Whether or not the Authority plays a role in the shenanigans surrounding Cena's rematch tonight remains to be seen; last week's broadcast seemed to indicate the possibility of additional challengers being added to the mix, though developments thereafter seemed to suggest that Cena will indeed be getting a straight-up rematch with the new champion on the upcoming Special.
Regardless, one can certainly expect Paul Heyman's presence to be felt tonight, if not directly tied into Cena's segments. Heyman's appearances over the past few weeks have become some of the few bright spots in what has otherwise been rather disappointing shows. It remains to be seen whether Heyman and Cena will begin to interact more closely as things progress towards Night of Champions, and whether the Authority will continue to muddle with things as the countdown continues. One should take special note of Seth Rollins, whose Money in the Bank briefcase looms large over the direction of the championship picture moving forward. With Brock Lesnar scheduled to work on a pro-rated basis moving forward, the decision on whether to keep the company's top belt on the 'Beast Incarnate' will heavily affect Creative's decision making moving forward.
Dean Ambrose, Wired in Baltimore?
Another question that we may see answered tonight is the (storyline) whereabouts of one Dean Ambrose, who has been out of commission for the past several weeks after the attack perpetrated by Seth Rollins and Kane with the cinder blocks. Ambrose, who in actuality has been filming a movie for WWE Studios over his absence, has been rumored as a potential participant at Night of Champions in a possible tag match with former Shield partner Roman Reigns against the aforementioned Rollins and Randy Orton. For their part, Reigns and Orton will have a rematch from their uneventful encounter at Summerslam tonight, which may further sow the seeds of a possible tag team collision in Nashville on the upcoming Special. With the WWE poised to pull out all the stops to offset the potential loss of viewership to the football doubleheader, bringing back one of their hottest (and most unpredictable) faces makes sense.
As the Bella Twins Turn, Now Featuring the Best Talk Show Host 1998 Can Buy!
As exciting as the Ambrose-Rollins rivalry has been for the company over the summer, one could almost see the exact antithesis of that program in the ongoing feud between Nikki and Brie Bella, which continues tonight with special guest Jerry Springer, who will be mediating a showdown of sorts in the ring. If you have followed the the company's continuing interest in this angle on social media sites like Facebook, then you are certain to note the vast backlash that these two have received. The insipid angle, largely tied into a need to promote drama for the upcoming season of Total Divas on the E! Network will probably be a continuing fixture for the foreseeable future, despite all bounds of sanity dictating a hasty end to this uninteresting twist. The addition of the irreverent Jerry Springer should add to the glorious trainwreck feel of a storyline that the company wants to push as a serious issue, but don't expect a miracle from the talk show host.
Irresistible Forces and Immovable Objects
The continued focus on Mark Henry and his developing feud with Rusev should escalate in lieu of an anticipated showdown at Night of Champions. The build has been particularly even over the past few weeks, with Henry and Rusev trading bon mots with one another. The real interesting story here may revolve around Big Show, however. Sharp-eyed (eared?) viewers last week may have picked up on a subtle clue about potential tension brewing between Henry and Show, which may or may not be the writers' way of setting up for a possible Big Show heel turn. If the rumors of Big Show preparing to enter the World Title picture are accurate, then a Show heel turn at Night of Champions may signal a potential John Cena championship victory. For the time being however, the focus tonight should remain on the Henry/Show tandem, with added emphasis on getting Rusev over as a credible challenger and not just a corny caricature of an '80s wrestling villain.
Sampling the Rest of Tonight's Fare
Tonight should be an exceptional night for in-ring action, with a particular highlight being the steel cage match between Chris Jericho and Bray Wyatt. The continuing decay of the Wyatt Family is definitely an unfortunate byproduct of Bray's feud with Cena over the spring and early summer, and the matches with Chris Jericho have been okay, if unmemorable. A steel cage match, while historically the stage for some memorable action, lacks the same gravitas that it once possessed in a bloodless, less violent PG era, and the Jericho-Wyatt feud has not exactly been on the front burner of the creative team's oven, so to speak. Various message boards have been awash with possible rumors of a new Wyatt family member being introduced in the near future, but Bray needs to have a hard-hitting, meaningful encounter with Jericho in the cage tonight to try and salvage what is quickly degrading into a goofy midcard act.
The feud between the Usos and the 'Dusts' should continue tonight in preparation for a probable Tag Team Title match at Night of Champions. Goldust and Cody 'Stardust' Rhodes have fallen quite a ways from the heat they enjoyed last October in their rivalry with the Shield, and it remains to be seen whether their current heel turn will help them recapture some of their lost momentum. Elsewhere, the announcement of a Triple Threat match for the Divas title at the upcoming Special between Paige, A.J. Lee and Nikki Bella should get some play tonight in between the Bella Twins' storyline. One should definitely expect to see Brie find her way into that Triple Threat match in some capacity, with the catalyst probably occurring tonight. Also, the budding lower card rivalry between Jack Swagger and Bo Dallas will probably continue in some capacity, and we may get a glimpse of some new NXT call-ups on the premier tonight, including the possible debut of popular tag team the Ascension.
In any event, tonight should be more exciting than the previous few weeks, as the WWE prepares to deliver some high-profile matches on a very important show for them. As always, be sure to tune in tonight at 8 PM EST to follow all the action, then check back with us tomorrow for a full recap and analysis of the night's happenings.
With the NFL season now officially underway, the competition provided by Monday Night Football on ESPN will ironically provide wrestling fans with exciting programming tonight, as the WWE seeks to counteract the exodus of football fans with a jam-packed card on the season premiere of WWE Raw. The continuing buildup to the upcoming WWE Special Night of Champions will continue from Baltimore this evening with a series of major Summerslam rematches, and a continuing look at the ongoing Bella family saga with special guest Jerry Springer—yes, that Jerry Springer—in what should be an interesting three hours of programming tonight. If you need your wrestling fix, then step right up, because we have what you need right here.
Cena vs. Lesnar, Part Deux
The main cornerstone for tonight's programming will undoubtedly be the continuing build-up for John Cena's quest to unseat Brock Lesnar and claim his sixteenth world championship, not to mention some comeuppance for the mauling he received at Summerslam back in August. With his storyline fixated on a path to redemption, one is almost certain to see Cena in action this evening in some capacity as the stage is set for the World Heavyweight Championship bout on September 21st in Nashville. Whether or not the Authority plays a role in the shenanigans surrounding Cena's rematch tonight remains to be seen; last week's broadcast seemed to indicate the possibility of additional challengers being added to the mix, though developments thereafter seemed to suggest that Cena will indeed be getting a straight-up rematch with the new champion on the upcoming Special.
Regardless, one can certainly expect Paul Heyman's presence to be felt tonight, if not directly tied into Cena's segments. Heyman's appearances over the past few weeks have become some of the few bright spots in what has otherwise been rather disappointing shows. It remains to be seen whether Heyman and Cena will begin to interact more closely as things progress towards Night of Champions, and whether the Authority will continue to muddle with things as the countdown continues. One should take special note of Seth Rollins, whose Money in the Bank briefcase looms large over the direction of the championship picture moving forward. With Brock Lesnar scheduled to work on a pro-rated basis moving forward, the decision on whether to keep the company's top belt on the 'Beast Incarnate' will heavily affect Creative's decision making moving forward.
Dean Ambrose, Wired in Baltimore?
Another question that we may see answered tonight is the (storyline) whereabouts of one Dean Ambrose, who has been out of commission for the past several weeks after the attack perpetrated by Seth Rollins and Kane with the cinder blocks. Ambrose, who in actuality has been filming a movie for WWE Studios over his absence, has been rumored as a potential participant at Night of Champions in a possible tag match with former Shield partner Roman Reigns against the aforementioned Rollins and Randy Orton. For their part, Reigns and Orton will have a rematch from their uneventful encounter at Summerslam tonight, which may further sow the seeds of a possible tag team collision in Nashville on the upcoming Special. With the WWE poised to pull out all the stops to offset the potential loss of viewership to the football doubleheader, bringing back one of their hottest (and most unpredictable) faces makes sense.
As the Bella Twins Turn, Now Featuring the Best Talk Show Host 1998 Can Buy!
As exciting as the Ambrose-Rollins rivalry has been for the company over the summer, one could almost see the exact antithesis of that program in the ongoing feud between Nikki and Brie Bella, which continues tonight with special guest Jerry Springer, who will be mediating a showdown of sorts in the ring. If you have followed the the company's continuing interest in this angle on social media sites like Facebook, then you are certain to note the vast backlash that these two have received. The insipid angle, largely tied into a need to promote drama for the upcoming season of Total Divas on the E! Network will probably be a continuing fixture for the foreseeable future, despite all bounds of sanity dictating a hasty end to this uninteresting twist. The addition of the irreverent Jerry Springer should add to the glorious trainwreck feel of a storyline that the company wants to push as a serious issue, but don't expect a miracle from the talk show host.
Irresistible Forces and Immovable Objects
The continued focus on Mark Henry and his developing feud with Rusev should escalate in lieu of an anticipated showdown at Night of Champions. The build has been particularly even over the past few weeks, with Henry and Rusev trading bon mots with one another. The real interesting story here may revolve around Big Show, however. Sharp-eyed (eared?) viewers last week may have picked up on a subtle clue about potential tension brewing between Henry and Show, which may or may not be the writers' way of setting up for a possible Big Show heel turn. If the rumors of Big Show preparing to enter the World Title picture are accurate, then a Show heel turn at Night of Champions may signal a potential John Cena championship victory. For the time being however, the focus tonight should remain on the Henry/Show tandem, with added emphasis on getting Rusev over as a credible challenger and not just a corny caricature of an '80s wrestling villain.
Sampling the Rest of Tonight's Fare
Tonight should be an exceptional night for in-ring action, with a particular highlight being the steel cage match between Chris Jericho and Bray Wyatt. The continuing decay of the Wyatt Family is definitely an unfortunate byproduct of Bray's feud with Cena over the spring and early summer, and the matches with Chris Jericho have been okay, if unmemorable. A steel cage match, while historically the stage for some memorable action, lacks the same gravitas that it once possessed in a bloodless, less violent PG era, and the Jericho-Wyatt feud has not exactly been on the front burner of the creative team's oven, so to speak. Various message boards have been awash with possible rumors of a new Wyatt family member being introduced in the near future, but Bray needs to have a hard-hitting, meaningful encounter with Jericho in the cage tonight to try and salvage what is quickly degrading into a goofy midcard act.
The feud between the Usos and the 'Dusts' should continue tonight in preparation for a probable Tag Team Title match at Night of Champions. Goldust and Cody 'Stardust' Rhodes have fallen quite a ways from the heat they enjoyed last October in their rivalry with the Shield, and it remains to be seen whether their current heel turn will help them recapture some of their lost momentum. Elsewhere, the announcement of a Triple Threat match for the Divas title at the upcoming Special between Paige, A.J. Lee and Nikki Bella should get some play tonight in between the Bella Twins' storyline. One should definitely expect to see Brie find her way into that Triple Threat match in some capacity, with the catalyst probably occurring tonight. Also, the budding lower card rivalry between Jack Swagger and Bo Dallas will probably continue in some capacity, and we may get a glimpse of some new NXT call-ups on the premier tonight, including the possible debut of popular tag team the Ascension.
In any event, tonight should be more exciting than the previous few weeks, as the WWE prepares to deliver some high-profile matches on a very important show for them. As always, be sure to tune in tonight at 8 PM EST to follow all the action, then check back with us tomorrow for a full recap and analysis of the night's happenings.
