Friday, March 30, 2012

The Rock Vs. John Cena At Wrestlemania 28


The big match this Sunday will definitely be between The Rock and John Cena. It has gotten over a year of hype, since The Rock returned last year after years of being a big movie star. That has become the major focus of Cena's issues with Dwayne. He left. Cena says he is fighting for the guys who are more passionate about being in the WWE. And why is The Rock in the match? He just doesn't like Cena. And he wants to add to his legacy, after having already beaten Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania. Last year, they traded a few blows, but the WWE has kept the two at just promos recently, with the occasional attack on Mark Henry. Just looking at the promos, yes, they have gotten repetitive at times. It seems like no one is going anywhere. The Rock seemed dull at times, but has brought it better since then. John Cena has been his usual self-righteous self. I know a lot of fans would say Cena is beating The Rock in the promo war. Some act like this is some kind of debate between the two guys, and the fans are supposed to be the judges. This is supposed to be about entertainment, not boring debates about the same thing every week. The Rock has definitely outshined Cena. And even if this were a debate, Cena just seems bitter at times and his main issue with The Rock is not too valid. So what if The Rock left? Everyone has to leave eventually. The Rock would have either died as an active superstar, gotten a grand farewell, or left the way he did. Cena acts like the WWE is the most important thing. Fine, but part of that is letting other guys have that chance to shine and move up. Point is, even though it has gotten shaky, the build has been pretty good for this match.

So who wins? Well, Cena has already laid it down that he must win and will win. Pretty much it, right? They are going to be in The Rock's town. How bad would the reaction be if Cena did win? Besides that, I would rather Cena just put his foot in his mouth and just lose. Will they have him lose two Wrestlemania's in a row? I just find John Cena and the WWE's treatment of the guy too overbearing. I have pretty much been indifferent to Cena for years, never really having too much of a problem with the guy, but I find myself really starting to dislike this guy with this feud. Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if Cena did win here. Any swerves? Don't think that's necessary for this match. Should be clean.

Has the WWE won? Specifically, has this feud worked out to draw for Raw? Ratings have been pretty low. Compared to last year, not only are ratings very low, but I read that viewership is down. On the other hand, Raw has been the most-watched cable show again in recent weeks, and has gotten the top ratings in the demographics that count. It is a win, but not as much of a win as it could have been. Why is that? More fans watching on Youtube? I think what really makes the difference between mediocre numbers and epic numbers are those casual fans. Most casual fans are not going to bother going on Youtube to watch something on Raw they didn't feel like watching live. And even if it is fans choosing to skip Raw and watch it later, what does the WWE have to do to create the hype to get them to watch live? I mean, they did accomplish it last year. This year, as I pointed out, the feud has taken a boring twist. I really do not think John Cena can work as a good centerpiece for a company that really wants to grow. Sure, drawing in little kids now might get you fans for life, but you cannot take that for granted. You have to know when to pull the trigger to kill PG. I know a lot of people who loved the WWE when younger, but grew out of it. And that was when WWE wasn't even PG. The WWE needs to create a guy more like The Rock, not like Cena. With numbers so bad for Wrestlemania season, what happens when football comes around? The WWE can continue to combine pushing reality with aiming for that younger audience, but the mix is not working.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Team Long Vs. Team Laurinaitis Preview

When I got up on Tuesday, I expected to log onto my favorite pro wrestling message board and see a topic with over 100 posts about Christian being suspended for violating the WWE Wellness Policy. Why else would the WWE write him off the huge tag match to decide the boss of both shows? That stupid hairstyle he now has? He has been out with an injury for a while, but if he was healthy enough to take a beating at the hands of CM Punk, I don't see what the problem would have been in having him involved in a large match featuring a dozen wrestlers, not to mention mascots and GMs that will be at ringside to eat up some time. Christian could have definitely have done a little bit and taken a little bit.

Who did they replace him with? Drew McIntyre. That makes this even more awkward. They take out a former World Champion, and one of the heels to first side with John Laurinaitis, and replace him with a guy who is barely finding a place in the midcard recently? In terms of the storyline, McIntyre makes sense. He has had issues with Teddy Long. But they announced him joining the heel team only in passing. Could they maybe have done a backstage segment for it? What would that really have ruined? Two less minutes for the closing promo between The Rock and Cena, or have the overrun last a little longer? Obviously, it's not like there were a ton of other credible heels with nothing else to do for Wrestlemania on the active roster. If they had not gone with McIntyre, it probably would have been Jinder Mahal. I think we dodged the bullet on that one.

Aside from the switch with Christian and McIntyre, the final two members for both sides seems pretty strong. Miz is on the heel team. That is not shocking. He saved Laurinaitis from Santino. In a reversal of what happened there, Booker T saved Long from Mark Henry to get a spot on the face team. Wasn't expecting him at all before Raw. Nice surprise. Not a shocking surprise, but nice. Both Miz and Booker T have that credibility.

I'm not going to run through all the members of the team. I just wanted to mention the recent additions and changes. Moving on, who will win? Not only do I want John Laurinaitis to be GM of both shows, I think it is heading in that direction. Things would be pretty flat if Teddy Long were to run both shows. There is more potential with a heel GM that a lot of people despise, while a lot of other people are finding funny. Laurinaitis is fresher than Teddy Long right now. Obviously, there will be some shady happenings. The GMs arguing with the ref and fighting each other are almost guaranteed. Will there be someone betraying his team? Not necessary, but it could make things more interesting for what happens after Wrestlemania. In the end, I think it is a good idea to have just one GM. And Laurinaitis would not be a horrible choice.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

TNA's Two Overpushed Knockouts?

I read that there is a magazine out that criticizes TNA for pushing Mickie James and Gail Kim so much. They want the other Knockouts to get the spotlight. Is the criticism warranted? Is it really as simple as pushing the other women and depushing certain others?

First, you have Mickie James. Obviously, it would be stupid to criticize TNA for pushing her too hard now. She has not won a 1-on-1 match on Impact since January. She has not gotten any real storyline since then to keep her fresh. The feud she had prior to that ended up being meant to put over Gail Kim the most. How about the time between her debut and her second title reign ending? Did she deserve the push? TNA just acquired a popular worker for their KO division. Obviously, they are going to put focus on her. You have to try to take good advantage of what people are talking about before it goes stale. As I have said many times, I think TNA dropped the ball with her storylines and feud development. Nevertheless, consider something else. Were other women left in the dark during the time Mickie was getting her push. No. Winter and Angelina Love had a storyline going on. Velvet Sky and Sarita had a minor feud going on. In fact, there was a PPV just a year ago where the KO action did not feature Mickie James at all. At Victory Road, it was Angelina Love and Winter vs. Rosita and Sarita. I know most people want to forget that PPV. Still, there is much I can say before, during, and after Mickie's push to show that TNA has passed the ball around and was still finding things for other women to do.

And Gail Kim? This woman pretty much stuck her middle finger into the WWE's face and chose to go back to TNA. I'm not going to criticize her for that. I like that she stood up for herself. People can say she was unprofessional, but there was a lot worse that she could have done. Back to my point, did anyone really think that TNA would not push this woman when she returned? Not only did she take a hard shot at the WWE, but she was pretty much the woman credited for starting up the KO division. And after the years she spent not being pushed by the WWE, or only being pushed as filler or in a wasted romance angle, what kind of stupid idiot would deny that she does have a good push coming? She has only been back around five months. People already want to see the push end? You should also keep in mind that ODB has had a good storyline going on for her recently, and is holding a title. Velvet Sky is frequently getting wins and minor attention too.

Let me talk about Velvet Sky for a moment. Heading into Bound For Glory last year, she had slightly more focus on her than any of the other wrestlers involved in that title match. It wasn't surprising that she won the title. Her moment in the sun, including build for the win, the win itself, and the aftermath, did not last long, but TNA did give it to her. They could have kept the belt on Winter and have Gail Kim return as a face to beat her. They could have given the title back to Mickie James, who would then drop it to Gail Kim. Did Velvet deserve a better amount of focus on her? In a way, she was kind of like a transitional centerpiece. My point, if TNA had pushed her well, there would still be a ton of fans criticizing TNA for that. There are a lot of people who do not believe she is good enough in the ring to deserve big pushes as a wrestler. Even if TNA were to pass the ball around more often, is it guaranteed that the fans they want to please will like who is getting the push?

Judging by what I read about the headline of the article, it is like the magazine just looked at who has been booked at PPVs the most since October 2010 and made the conclusion that two certain women are pushed too much. That pays no attention to other storylines going on in the division. As I pointed out with the push Velvet got, it does not pay attention to who really has the attention going into a PPV match, or who is being used to put over who. It does not pay attention to who is actually connecting with the fans or is being owed a major push.

What it all boils down to is, how long should a centerpiece be pushed? A centerpiece is the person you want the division or show to revolve around. TNA is a lot better at revolving centerpieces than the WWE usually is. TNA was not wrong in pushing Mickie James. I think they wasted a lot of time and could have given Winter a better reign, but Mickie James is over and a good worker, so she deserved her time. Focus was on her for about a year, with a minor break here and there, before Velvet Sky's brief focus in the title picture. Gail Kim has had focus for about 5 months. When you want to connect the fans to someone you want to be a draw, you have to spend some time developing them, which includes the chase to the title, then you have to give them a good few months with the title, and then you have to ease them out of the push, if and when you are developing a new centerpiece. If this magazine thinks shooting the title and the same style of push will make everyone mega over, that would be wrong. Of course, what they might argue is that everyone deserves a fair chance to see what they could do. You can never know how well a woman can handle the centerpiece push until they get it. Believe it or not, I disagree. Why? TNA is not only good with revolving centerpieces, if that is really a good thing, it is good with minor storylines. The WWE would end them abruptly or have the women involved not do anything too interesting to even have a chance to connect with the crowd. TNA should be paying attention to how women in lesser storylines and feuds are doing in connecting with fans. If you were deciding who to give a push to from a pool of women only involved in minor things, would you choose a woman who is connecting well with the fans or a woman whom most of the fans are indifferent to? Forcing someone who is not getting the job done down the throats of fans could be painful. I'm not saying you fire women like that. Continue to use them in minor storylines or as jobbers. Minor storylines are not bad. They can either help you develop yourself or stay fresh when someone else is getting a push. I wish TNA would give Mickie James one. In the end, you can't just rotate who you give major pushes to without paying attention to who and what your fans want to see. If you have something you know works, you cannot do something stupid to mess it up.

There is one last point I want to make. About Mickie James in the WWE. I have been thinking about some recent comments I've gotten on my blog and a recent conversation I had with a guy on Youtube. I don't think people really understand my main point about Mickie's career in the WWE. Yes, she was overlooked. Yes, the WWE was not pushing her in a way for her to be as entertaining as possible, which would have benefited her, the fans, and the company. But the WWE was purposely doing this. She was never there to get over. She was there to be used, like so many other women before her. And Mickie James overcame it. At a time when the women the WWE wanted to succeed could not get it done, Mickie James was maintaining the overness those other women were supposed to have. In my mind, this is an accomplishment. She achieved first-rate overness while being used as a type of worker that never makes it. I'm not simply crying about Mickie being mistreated. I want to see the diva division end so that female wrestlers can get the treatment they deserve, because it is possible for them to connect with the fans just as good as those the WWE would rather push ahead of them. Mickie James proved that.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Kane's Slight Momentum Shift

On Raw tonight, Kane and Randy Orton were on opposite sides of a tag match. In the finish, Kane sent Orton into the steel post, then finished off Sheamus for Daniel Bryan to get the cheap win.

Technically, Kane now has the momentum on his side heading into his match with Randy Orton. My only complaint with this feud has been that Orton has looked too strong. It just seemed like a match the WWE would have given Orton, so giving him too much momentum just seemed awkward. It seems momentum has now shifted when it would count the most. But that's it? I mean, they could have made things worse. They could have had Orton jump back up and RKO Kane, Daniel Bryan, AJ, Michael Cole, and Jinder Mahal. I should be glad they did have Kane look good tonight. Having Kane send Orton into the post on the way to the heels winning the match just seems so simple.

To me, even though an Orton win seems likely, I still feel this is a feud for Kane to win. I hope they do decide to continue the feud beyond Wrestlemania. Let both guys have at least one big win over the other. If it doesn't happen, where does that really leave Kane's monster revival? He already seems much weaker than he was when he first returned, but I can picture him becoming even more pathetic in the coming months. I think they can come up with a good way to keep his character strong and fresh.

Wrestlemania 28 Diva Feud's Minor Development

Before I talk about the Wrestlemania diva feud, let me just briefly mention what happened to the previous woman to feud with Beth Phoenix. Remember Tamina? She was given a bunch of wins, most at the expense of Natalya, made to look like a major face for a few weeks, got a PPV title shot, was booked to lose, and has not been doing anything important since. This is not surprising at all.

Had the WWE not set up a tag match to allow a celebrity to get involved at Wrestlemania, there probably would have been not as much Beth Phoenix around this time, either. Even then, you have not seen good development for this feud last week. Last week, it was just a recap of when the four women involved in this match got together. A lot of it is just WWE.com segments. Could you imagine if the WWE just hyped Cena/Rock with online segments? Funny thing is, even though the two men have been having exchanges on social media, that still gets mentioned on TV with hype. This diva feud is definitely getting the short end of the stick in comparison to all the other Wrestlemania feuds. This is the last week. How will the WWE develop Kelly Kelly, Eve, Beth Phoenix, and Maria Menounos to make this feud seem like something more? I'm not even going to try guessing on it.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Otunga's Rise To The Top

Less than a year ago, David Otunga was a part of a heel tag team that was going nowhere and being used poorly. They held the tag titles, but they were not really being pushed. That should sound very familiar. Epico and Primo aren't exactly being pushed well right now. But that comparison is not my point right now.

Look at Otunga now. He is the top henchman for John Laurinaitis, he has some kind of gimmick going for him, and he is going to captain a team at Wrestlemania that consists of several former World Champions. He is getting major rubs here. He is being allowed to look very impressive. Am I saying a World title reign is coming his way this year? No. But I have to give the WWE credit for good development. If anyone is going to take the U.S. title off Santino, just looking at the current roster and storylines, it should be Otunga. Now, am I saying Otunga is flawless? A lot of people might still criticize Otunga's ring work. They might say is is limited and not too great. Does it even matter? As long as he is not a danger to himself or his opponent, or so sloppy that he brings down the quality of the match or makes the other guy look bad too often, just let it go. He seems solid enough to deserve this push. Besides, being at the side of Laurinaitis so often is a good excuse not to push him in the ring too often. He can get developed just through promos and backstage segments. It is almost like he is getting periphery treatment. I am not a fan of the guy, and I don't really see myself becoming a fan, but the WWE seems to be doing a good job here.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Daniel Bryan And AJ: Smackdown's Top Couple


The storyline between AJ Lee and Daniel Bryan started with just some backstage segments. Even after Daniel Bryan won the World's Heavyweight Championship, AJ would not be joining him at ringside on a regular basis. You probably remember that one memorable time she did, and Big Show ran her over. More recently, however, she has been coming out more with him. More interestingly, he is coming out for her matches on Smackdown. Now this storyline really has developed to mean something more for AJ.

When I talk about periphery divas or divas getting something to do on the periphery, I am talking about diva angles that do not get the major attention, which is usually reserved for the centerpiece, or whom the WWE wants to be their top diva. There does not seem to be any centerpiece in place right now, but that is another issue. AJ is getting a periphery storyline. This romance angle is not a major diva angle. It certainly does not revolve around title matters. It revolves around what is going on in the side of the diva division, in the men's world. This is similar to what the WWE did with Lita. Will AJ be a periphery diva? That is to say, will she be one of those women who spend the bulk of her career getting good development more on the outskirts of major diva matters? That remains to be seen. Judging by how horrible the diva division is going, they might as well try pushing her as centerpiece. AJ doesn't exactly look like a true female wrestler anyway. I don't believe she had much of a legacy before signing with the WWE. From the start of the diva division, the centerpieces have always been glamorous women with no real wrestling ability at the time of coming to the WWE. They were eye candy. That was why they were there. This is the kind of woman the WWE would build to be the best, and at the expense of credible women's wrestlers, or credible jobbers. AJ Lee does not exactly look like a credible jobber. She has not exactly gotten the chance to be used as one either. However, she does have both Eve and Kelly Kelly in the mix, as well.

Where will this storyline between AJ and Bryan go? Obviously, Daniel Bryan does not really need AJ to help him look like a great heel. This guy gets people to hate him by just repeating one word over and over again. Seriously? One word? Just repeating one word can get you over? It's that easy? Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! No, not really. Daniel Bryan knows how to play an obnoxious heel. Most importantly, it is connecting with the fans. AJ is not necessary, but she is benefiting from this main-event angle she is getting. Will it end with her turning heel and joining Bryan fully? It would be a nice swerve, but it probably will not happen. Most likely, she will finally stand up for herself against her jerk of a boyfriend. Think back to Trish Stratus in 2001. The WWE had her stand up against Vince McMahon and Stephanie McMahon, the bosses. What happens with AJ, should she do something similar, will not be as epic, but it will do her good in connecting with the fans. And then it comes down to what happens next. More periphery treatment? Push her as centerpiece? Lost in the shuffle?

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Kane's Cheap Win, Orton's Promo

A few days ago, I talked about what I did not like in the Wrestlemania feud between Randy Orton and Kane. It was the fact that Kane did not have much momentum on his side. I think what happened on Raw this week better shows what I am talking about.

First, Kane took on Big Show. The match quality was not super, but that was not the point of this match. Big Show actually looked like he was going to win the match against monster Kane, until Cody Rhodes interfered in the end. That set up Kane getting the win. Cheap win. Of course, this match was really more about Big Show and Cody Rhodes, not Kane and Orton. That is why Kane split from the scene soon after winning. Cody Rhodes then destroyed Big Show, adding more fuel to that feud. Kane was mainly just supporting cast in this segment.

Later on in the show, the feud between Kane and Randy Orton got a little more proper development. Randy Orton did an interview. He hyped the storyline reason for this feud. That was pretty much it, but I am just getting this vibe that Orton is the guy to beat in this feud. He basically put over that he was the one that broke Kane down, psychologically, and led to him bringing back the mask, turning heel, and trying to be a monster again. Orton still feels above Kane. I was expecting Kane to try to attack him, come on the screen to offer a response, or at least fire off the pyro to send Orton a message. Nothing.

Obviously, still a few chances left to really develop this feud better. I do not think it is as poorly developed as some feuds. Both guys here are former World Champions, there is a good storyline present, and there is potential for people not to be absolutely bored with this. But if Kane really ends up losing the feud at this point, he will look pretty pathetic. That is no problem for Kane, but a storyline that is developed well has a better chance to interest fans. Depending on how you build the momentum, you can get a lot of fans wanting to see a certain outcome happen. Does the WWE really want Kane to win at Wrestlemania? Right now, and this is coming from an Orton fan, I would rather see Kane win over Orton. Can Kane get his vengeance against the man who made him human? To me, that is what this feud seems to be about so far.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Thoughts On Big Show Vs. Cody Rhodes At Wrestlemania


The Intercontinental Championship match is probably the one match on the Wrestlemania card I haven't really said anything about. Big Show will go after Cody Rhodes for the title. A lot of people may not even care too much about this match. If any match is going to get bumped off the card this year, it might as well be this. Nevertheless, this is a feud I like. It is a midcard feud. It is a midcard with with a storyline and is getting developed every week with promos and matches. It doesn't need to be pushed as hard as Triple H vs. The Undertaker or John Cena vs. The Rock. I don't really see all the issues I had with the three matches I talked about last time. This is a personal feud and momentum is being built up well. Cody Rhodes is getting more credibility from working with a guy like Big Show and his heel character is getting to shine. If nothing else, Big Show might win the one title still active in the promotion that he is eligible to hold that he has never yet won. I also like that the storyline relates to Wrestlemania itself. It is about Big Show's poor history at the big event. That makes it more than just a typical midcard feud. It gives it some worth for this time of year. I wish the WWE had feuds like this more often.

A little mention on Raw's ratings last week. Ratings were slightly up, but the thing to really take note of is that last Monday's Raw was the most watched cable television program on that night. That has not always been the case in recent months. Also, the second hour gained more viewers from the first. If you read reports about ratings and viewership, you might often see Raw lose viewers as the show goes to the second hour. It looks the The Rock brought it enough last week. The ratings numbers may still look bad, but being #1 on the night and having a lot of viewers is still what you need to be impressed with.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Wrestlemania's Bottom Three

There are some big feuds being developed for Wrestlemania. That is to be expected. This is the time of year for big hype from the WWE. I want to talk right now about how the WWE has recently been developing the 3 feuds that I don't like that much. Those will be Sheamus/Bryan, Orton/Kane, and the diva match.

First, you have the Royal Rumble winner, Sheamus, taking on the World's Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Bryan. If you have read what I have been saying about this feud since Sheamus earned the shot, you might think I am pessimistic about everything. No matter what the WWE does, I seem negative. It all comes down to a matter of expectations. When I see the WWE will not live up to my expectations, I modify my expectations. Sometimes, that means lowering them. Other times, it means hoping the WWE will do something else possibly even better than my original expectations. Instead of repeating everything I have felt about this title feud from the start, let me go back to the point where Orton returned from injury. Since I realized that the WWE was not going to develop a good feud between just Sheamus and Bryan, I started to like the idea of Orton getting in there. Then I see Kane enter the picture to feud with Orton. I'll get to that feud in a minute. Back to the Smackdown World title feud, how has it developed between those two men recently? They have inserted AJ a little more into what is going on, but other than that, no strong development. Even that development does not raise the bar of this match to what you would expect for someone who won the Rumble. Bryan's relationship with AJ is probably more interesting at the moment than the title feud. And even that romance angle can use more focus, but it will probably be getting that in time. Aside from so many wins and momentum, Sheamus is almost left out here.

The storyline reason for Kane feuding with Orton will be revealed on Smackdown this week. It makes sense and sounds good. He is still playing mind games with Orton, but his character has been diminished since Cena, which isn't shocking. My main problem is that they have been having Orton look way too strong too soon in this feud. The way things are going, they might as well have Kane win this feud. But I would think this match, which is on Orton's birthday, will go to him. Meaning, Orton will win it. They need to give Kane some major momentum in the coming weeks. They did it for Jericho/Punk, so I am sure they will step in with something here.

And then you have the diva match. I talked about lack of good storyline development and hype in the Smackdown title feud. Momentum is my issue in Kane/Orton. I don't even know where to start with this diva match. A storyline was being developed between Eve and Kelly Kelly. This was a personal storyline. It was really between just these two women. If anyone else really had a business in the match that should have happened between these two at Wrestlemania, it would be Zack Ryder, a guy. If they wanted to insert another guy to make it a tag match, that would make sense. But a match between just the two women would have been fine. The storyline was heading there. The only thing that was missing was the proper hype to build it. And they didn't build it. It is going to be Beth Phoenix and Eve vs. Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos. Not to be rude, but I don't give a damn about Maria Menounos. What do these two extra women have to do with Eve's heel turn and initial issues developing with Kelly Kelly? The WWE have thrown them in there now, that's for sure. And with so little time left to now develop this tag feud, you are going to have to do a rush job to hype it more properly and build up the momentum, if you want to make it good. What am I even talking about? This is a celebrity match. This is a diva match. Why would the WWE even bother building it right? To them, the glamor will draw. Luckily, I'm sure the feud between Eve and Kelly will be developed better after Wrestlemania. The WWE needs to do something interesting with their women. Last time I checked, this Maria you will be seeing a lot of in the coming weeks is not one of their women.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Mickie & Kelly: Almost Going Somewhere

I have been wanting to talk about Mickie James and TNA's recent use of her for a while now. The main theme there was going to be inconsistency. This week, I see WWE being inconsistent with Kelly Kelly. I will be talking about both.

The last time I devoted some time to what was currently going on with Mickie James, I was talking about a potential heel turn. In what was booked as a face vs. face match involving Velvet Sky and Mickie James, Mickie played the heel role. In a battle royal later on, there was friction teased between Mickie James and ODB. I could have easily have pictured TNA heading in the direction where Mickie James was slowly developing issues with the other Knockouts, like feeling disrespected by them, and would slowly turn heel that way. Recently, Mickie James seems to be a regular face again, teaming with Velvet Sky. She has won some matches recently, but no good character focus on her.

Was she really turning heel at all? As I just said, there were signs pointing to it. And if she wasn't, then what was the point of that face vs. face match? TNA rarely has just plain filler matches on Impact. Most things usually have a storyline to it. Even if it appears the two sides involved in a match have no story going on, there will most likely be a run in during or after the match from someone who is feuding with someone in the match, or at least a stare-down. If not that, there will be some kind of segment beforehand to make up some friction for why the two sides are fighting or put a story into the match. This match between Mickie and Velvet didn't really have anything. It wasn't the stepping stone for a push for Velvet. Aside from the potential heel turn, it really went nowhere. Could it have been Mickie just randomly playing the heel for the sake of making the match more interesting? I mentioned before the changes in the creative team in TNA. That must have done it. No heel turn, yet.

How do I feel about this? Inconsistency is going to hurt Mickie's potential in TNA. I have said many times that her first year back in TNA was not handled well. Her feuds were repetitive and boring. It doesn't look like they were trying to screw her, but they do not know how to take proper advantage of her. They had a chance to make her character look interesting again, but did not follow through. I really don't care too much if she ever wins the tag titles with Velvet. I would rather see her be used to her proper potential. That would do well for Impact. That would really make her shine.

As for Kelly Kelly on Raw, it looked like they were building a feud between her and Eve. There was a personal story starting there. It looked like the WWE was finally going to run with a well-built storyline that might actually benefit at least one diva they planned to be a star. And now, it looks like CelebrityMania will once again spoil diva matters heading into Wrestlemania. Kelly Kelly was not furthered in the storyline involving Ryder and Eve this week on Raw. Instead, she was on Superstars. Once again, you see inconsistency.

I haven't forgotten what happened last year. Kelly Kelly got bumped off Wrestlemania for the sake of celebrity nonsense. However, the WWE did go back to her to try to develop her as centerpiece. Kelly Kelly does have some flaws and limitations, but I would still be surprised if they have completely given up on her. Would one personal feud leading into Wrestlemania really shoot her to where she needs to be? I doubt it. Nevertheless, I am getting tired of multi-diva matches and celebrities taking the spotlight in Wrestlemania diva matters. I understand that these women deserve the big check for the big event, but for the sake of running a respectable division and making a good card that will make your workers into legitimate draws, have these women not involved in the top diva match do a lesser match or get backstage segments. Increasing quantity does not necessarily improve quality. That is to say, more is not always better. In the case of the diva division, more often than not, more women involved in something than is necessary is never better. All that being said, I really do not feel as bad for Kelly Kelly as I do for the diva division itself.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Brodus Dances His Way Back Into Our Hearts

After weeks of not being on Raw, Brodus Clay made his return. Reports were that Vince McMahon was not happy with his work in the ring. If that is the case, not too much really changed last night. Brodus Clay squashed Jinder Mahal. It could just be the obvious. The guy was not a priority during the weeks needed to build Wrestlemania feuds. They did not have a plan for him and were running low on jobbers. Keep in mind, if the WWE had devoted legitimate time to Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes on Raw in some fashion, you probably wouldn't have had Brodus Clay squashing Jinder at all.

Finally! A chance to talk about Jinder Mahal! Well, his pre-match ritual was more interesting than anything he did during the match. And with that, I've run out of things to say about Jinder Mahal.

Back to Brodus. Last time I remember talking about the guy, I was saying that the WWE needed to develop him or he will run stale or get lost in the shuffle. He definitely was lost for a while. And he hasn't really developed anything new or fresh this time. I think his dancers came out with new outfits, but does that count? He won with a splash, instead of the crossbody. But as far as the gimmick and developing him goes, he didn't get that this week. He might be a part of the tag match between Team Long and Team Laurinaitis, but there was definitely better potential than that in the weeks they wasted him. Oh well, settle for what you get. I wonder if he can make it jiggle to "Mr. Saxobeat."

Monday, March 12, 2012

Chris Jericho Hits Hard Against CM Punk

That segment they had between Chris Jericho and CM Punk after Punk beat Miz was so similar to what happened to Mickie James against Michelle McCool, I had to talk about it now. Jericho brought up the reality about why Punk does not drink. He talked about his father. It was real and it was personal. Of course, it was part of the storyline feud. CM Punk sold it by acting upset, much like Mickie James did in 2009 when McCool called her fat.

I'm glad I talked about HHH vs. Taker a few days ago, saying it was a feud between equals. This feud between Jericho and Punk is a feud between equals. Last year, I compared CM Punk to Chris Jericho, and I was not talking about their abilities or the fact that they call themselves the best. I was talking in terms of how the WWE treated them. They were both at the same level in terms of how the WWE used them, as well as both being very over and great in the ring and on the mic.

Both equals, so why have Jericho take such a hard hit at Punk? This feud already has the title on the line, as well as the hype over who the best in the world really is. Did it really need to get even more personal? Looking at the build for this feud so far, Jericho has looked the best physically, since he attacked Punk badly a while back and pinned him recently, but CM Punk has pretty much all the momentum on the mic. Jericho came back and said everyone was trying to be like him. Punk pretty much made Jericho look foolish. Jericho did not invent everything. Did they really feel they had to give back Jericho momentum in the promos? Well, they definitely did that.

I want to reiterate why I do not like what the WWE did with Mickie James against Michelle McCool. It is why they were doing it and the intensity and timing in how they were doing it. Rather than repeat everything I have ever said about it, let me just follow the path I just mentioned. Taker and HHH are equals to the WWE. Jericho and Punk are equals to the WWE. Mickie and McCool were not equals. McCool was the centerpiece and Mickie James was a credible jobber. While the four men I just mentioned are all very over with the fans, McCool, a woman they wanted over, had trouble getting a reaction. Mickie James, a woman they did not make to be as over as she was and was never treating properly, had no trouble staying connected with the fans. They were blatantly using one to benefit the other, in my analysis of the situation. They attacked her very image. Bullying in wrestling is one thing, but you have to draw the line somewhere. And doing it at a time when Meltzer was saying that Mickie James was being punished for her weight? The WWE pushed it with so much intensity, some people believed that the reports of her being punished were true.

Is what is happening with CM Punk a punishment? Obviously, it is not. I already said that this looks like a strong way to get Jericho back some strong momentum in the promo battle. It is for the storyline. Makes you wonder, taking another look at what dirtsheets said about Mickie James being made fun of back then, what if that really was a storyline as well? I mean, CM Punk did act the same kind of way after Jericho hurt him with his sharp words that Mickie James did in 2009. Of course, the difference is, as I just mentioned, what the overall goal of the WWE with the storyline is. And it all boils down to how the WWE views the workers involved. Running the same kind of storyline with CM Punk as the victim does not bury what the WWE did to Mickie James. For one thing, I don't think this will be damaging to Punk's overness at all.

Just because I don't feel they are punishing Punk, that does not mean I like what they are doing. First, as I mentioned before, is it really necessary? I think there was already good hype and directions they could have gone. Second, the idea that Jericho will cause Punk to start drinking after losing the title is kind of a stretch. Punk has been World Champion many times before. He has won and lost titles. If he was going to ever start drinking because he lost a title, he would have done it already. Obviously, it is just meant to be another mind game from Jericho. CM Punk obviously agreed to have this storyline go like this, just like Mickie James obviously agreed to the bully storyline she had with McCool. But if he has no problem doing it, why should I? It's not a huge problem for me. It won't hurt Punk and will help Jericho look stronger. Still, I feel it is respectable to draw the line at some places. Was this one of those places? Maybe? Maybe not? End of the day, it doesn't make me change my view of what they did to Mickie James.

The Awesome Losing Streak

I know a lot of people are talking about how Miz has been losing a lot lately and doesn't have a spot at Wrestlemania. Tragedy? Miz being punished? The start of something good?

The first thing you should keep in mind, even though Miz got a big push last year, where did it really get him? They overrated him and had him go over Cena at Wrestlemania, but his drop back down to the upper-midcard was really not that shocking. He was mainly just a fresh heel being used to work with Cena, who can now be used in other big feuds with that credibility he now has. That is credibility, but what about overness? Miz probably ended up with about the same level as overness he had while U.S. Champion.

All that being said, what would giving him a big push right now really do for him? First of all, is there even any free opponents worthy of big push with Miz right now? Second, what would a ton of useless wins really do for him if there is no storyline on the horizon for all that momentum to properly branch into? Third, I really don't see anything too shocking with the WWE's decision to use Miz right now to put over the credibility of other workers who may have needed it more. Don't forget that the WWE actually had Miz last impressively long in the Royal Rumble. He also looked credible at Elimination Chamber.

The main thing about what they are doing, it is part of a storyline. They have mentioned Miz being left off Wrestlemania a lot. There is that potential for the losing streak to end in a big way. Even if that does not happen, this is something for the fans to talk about involving Miz. As I pointed out before, the monster push last year didn't really do too much for Miz's overness. Giving him another monster push right now, which would be hard to fit in around this time of year, might even be just as useless. Even if it is a losing streak, it is still something for Miz to stand out a little during the busy Wrestlemania season.

Let me tell you two guys who I feel are in a worse position than Miz. Both are former World Champions. Both are heels on Raw. They seem to have things in common with Miz. I am talking about Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger. In recent weeks, they have been reinserted into the tag division. After that, Ziggler has been seen in Swagger's corner for U.S. title matches. Swagger doesn't even have the title anymore. Ziggler has been demoted from his push against Punk, which is neither shocking nor a punishment. Problem is, there is no real story at all for either of these guys. Even if they head into Wrestlemania to be a part of the Laurinaitis vs. Long feud, there is no personal attention on these two. They would just be supporting players in a bigger picture. Whether you are glad about how Miz is being used right now or not, I see more real attention on him right now than certain other guys.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Three Legends, One Cell, One Streak

For the third time, Triple H will face The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, attempting to end "The Streak". The fact that they made this a Hell in a Cell match was enough to raise the bar from the previous two matches these two had at the big PPV. Many people view Taker as the master of this kind of match. Triple H was undefeated in this kind of match for a while. Who is really king of the Cell? And with Undertaker's win streak on the line? Awesome match right there. On this week's Raw, however, they added even more. And it was not overkill. Shawn Michaels is the ref. Given that he was slightly involved in the build last year, and he has history with both men, adding him is perfect. It makes the storyline more interesting too.

Besides giving WWE credit for building this match well, I want to talk about it because I frequently don't get to talk about a feud like this. I'm usually talking about the WWE using one person to put over another, then demoting somebody back down. Sometimes, I may talk about feuds like the one Jinder Mahal and Ted DiBiase kind of had a few months ago, where neither man really benefited well. Taker/HHH is not that. Both of these guys can be considered WWE royalty. Both are legendary over, treated with about the same amount of legendary respect by the company, and I don't feel one is simply being used for the benefit of the other. No matter how the match is booked to go down at Wrestlemania, both will continue to be treated well by the company. Both will be in the Hall of Fame one day, and most likely at the top of the list of inductees. This is how the WWE is able to create an epic feud that will benefit everyone involved, including, hopefully, the fans. Even if you throw Shawn Michaels into the discussion, he is at the same level as these guys. All are legends the WWE has been very supportive of. Again, no matter the outcome, no one will really get hurt. The WWE is not going to want to screw any of these guys' legacies.

Just for the sake of mentioning it, Raw this week, which featured both Shawn Michaels and The Rock, got a 3.2 rating. I'll say no more on that.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Heel Eve And Face Kelly Kelly


Heel Eve looks like she has her first face diva rival. That would be Kelly Kelly. That's right, after a few months with nothing really going on, Kelly Kelly is back in the picture. Heading into Wrestlemania, this looks like it will be the big diva feud for the event for the WWE.

The question you have to be wondering, who is really being used to put over who? After the feud ends, which woman, if either, will be depushed back into the mix. Is Kelly Kelly being used to put over Eve's new heel character? Was Eve turned heel so Kelly Kelly could have an interesting storyline to work with again? Or will both really benefit?

Should the WWE be taking advantage of the heel turn to benefit Kelly Kelly, that would mean the rest period they gave her was only meant to plan and develop a storyline that would benefit her. That is not too unusual. It would have been messy to overpush Kelly Kelly, while furthering an elaborate storyline involving Eve and still featuring Beth Phoenix, who is still holding the Diva's Championship. You could say that the WWE could have tossed the title back on either Eve or Kelly Kelly for this feud, but one of them will be holding it again soon enough. Besides, Cena didn't need the title for his feud with Nexus or recent feud with Kane. Sometimes, the WWE will invest more in non-title storylines than title storylines. I was never totally convinced that the WWE gave up on Kelly Kelly as centerpiece. Am I going to say that it was the WWE's plan all along for this to happen from the point they had her lost the title, or try to pinpoint exactly when they might have decided on doing what? Why bother?

If the WWE is using Kelly Kelly for the benefit of Eve, that could mean that they have decided to further her as a new centerpiece. Although Eve has held the title twice already, she was never really the centerpiece. The centerpiece is the person the WWE wants to be the main player in the division or show. When Eve won her first title, she lost it rather quickly to Alicia Fox, then got phased down for a while. When Eve won her second title, she became an afterthought around Wrestlemania time, lost it to Brie Bella in a mediocre feud, and got lost in the shuffle again. Her recent storyline has been the best she has ever had. I already compared it to what Trish Stratus got. But will the WWE follow through with it for her benefit?

What if this is for the benefit of both? The WWE is developing rivals in the diva division. They are developing two women who will be the "faces" of this era of the diva division. In other words, this is your new Trish and Lita. If that is their plan, it is weak, so far. Before Kelly Kelly came to Raw last year, there was no really strong relationship between these two women, in terms of the storyline world. They tagged up, would be out there for the other girl's matches at times, had a few segments here and there, and the relationship was casual. They didn't build up the friendship well enough. However, having them be rivals now can really add that story to their relationship. Inserting Zack Ryder will not hurt.

The situation I doubt will happen? Unless one of these two women flops in some way, you will not see both get phased out and pushed back down after this feud. Why would the WWE depush two individuals who feuded against each other? Look back at that feud between Tamina and Beth Phoenix. Where's Tamina now? Where's Beth? Someone can argue that the WWE is simply rotating things to keep it fresh, but I have two problems with that logic. First, the WWE did not invest well creatively in Beth's feud with Tamina. If the WWE really cares about making people into stars, they do more than just have them wrestle every week. Second, Tamina and Beth are the kind of women who have always been held back in the history of this division, so I can imagine them getting phased out easily, and possibly released eventually. To put it simply, rotating to keep things fresh? To me, what they just rotated out was poorly developed and involved women who the WWE does not want to make it. What just rotated in, on the other hand, has better development and includes the kind of women the WWE does want to succeed. There is an inequality here that makes the "keeping it fresh" argument fail.

Of the three real options as to where this feud between Kelly Kelly and Eve will go, I am think the WWE is trying to build both women up to be top divas. Even though Kelly Kelly was not absolutely perfect in the months before her depush, I don't think she did anything to make the WWE actually give up on her. It looks like it was just a rest they gave her to develop something else down the line. As for Eve, a lot of people could compare her to Lita, so why not build her up as the rival to the new Trish Stratus? But can the WWE get the fans to connect with it?

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Teddy Long Ran Raw For The Night

The General Managers switched shows this week, which is a continuation of the storyline feud between Teddy Long and John Laurinaitis. There was that epic segment with Santino. He beat Jack Swagger for the United States Championship. Teddy Long was among the faces out there to support Santino and celebrate with him after, while Laurinaitis was there just to try to screw Santino and Long. After the win, Long kicked Laurinaitis out of the building.

After that, nothing with Teddy Long. I know the commentators sold the idea that Long was running the whole show, but I would have liked more segments to actually sell how Long is running the show, including building up allies for his war against Laurinaitis and interacting with heels who do not like what he is doing. Time that could have gone for those kinds of segments went to The Rock, and I am not going to complain about that. That was The Rock that could entertain well. And of course, other segment time had to be devoted on Raw to Shawn Michaels, Cena, and so on. I can understand why Long did not get more time, but that does not mean I have to like it.

I'm expecting better on Smackdown. The main reason for that? Smackdown doesn't really have all the epic feuds going on for it that Raw is featuring build for. There is more time for Laurinaitis to work. On Smackdown last week, he teased putting Long's girlfriend in a match with Kane. I don't know about anyone else, but that certainly draws my interest. I know, bring in Orton for the save, but it is still an interesting thing to tease. I really have hope for a good Smackdown this week.

Back to Raw for one last point. Jack Swagger lost his title. Disappointing? It is to me. He did not do anything good with the title at all. Blame the WWE for that, not Swagger. Before him, Zack Ryder did not do anything with the title, either. What will Santino do with the title? That is up to the WWE. Right now, he seems to be just a supporting character in the feud between Laurinaitis and Long. The longer that continues, the longer you may not have a good U.S. title feud. An obvious feud you can see forming is between Santino and Otunga. That might actually be good. Am I saying that the WWE should have Santino lose it to Otunga next week? No. Nevertheless, I wouldn't be surprised if the WWE did something like that.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Strip The Gold Away

There are a few things going on in the diva division and KO division that I wanted to talk about. There was also something I have been wanting to talk about for a few weeks now. I will talk about what the WWE is doing with Eve/Kelly and what TNA is doing with Mickie James eventually. This time, I want to talk about a broader topic.

Have you ever heard wrestling fans talk about the "Golden Era" or "Golden Age" of the WWE diva division? Of course, they are talking about the years of Trish and Lita, particularly after Trish became centerpiece. I sometimes see people rate this era so highly, it annoys me. I want to talk about how I see the peak years of the diva division.

Do you know what it means for something to be gilded? It means it is covered in gold. Looks good on the outside, but does that mean there is something good on the inside? Not necessarily. You can cover Jinder Mahal in as much gold as you want, but at the end of the day, he is still Jinder Mahal.

There was a "Gilded Age" in American history. This was a time when many people became extremely wealthy. And they loved to show it off. Just looking at that, you would think that everything was wonderful and life was beautiful for everyone. It wasn't. There were tons of people who were extremely poor. During these years in American history, people say the rich got richer at the expense of the poor. People say the government was run by the wealthy. To put it simply, all those extremely wealthy people could not hide the fact that the country really was not great back then at all.

I think you can see where I am going with this. The diva division under Trish Stratus and Lita was not golden. It was gilded. On the outside, you had two extremely over workers. Just under them, you had eye-candy divas who can connect with the fans just by showing skin and through sex appeal, which the WWE would often help them with through the storylines and segments they gave them. If you consider Stephanie McMahon as part of the diva division, she too had success and was used well. Everything seems fine then, right? The WWE has successful workers, so why complain about the division back then? You should be thinking how the WWE is getting these women over. Stephanie and Lita got over through things they were doing in the men's world. Even though Lita spent a lot of time in the "Golden Age" injured, she spent roughly the last two years before retiring getting major storylines and rubs from top WWE male wrestlers, namely Kane and Edge. The eye-candy divas, like Stacy and Torrie, could get over just by being hot, so it isn't surprising that they too were frequently used as valets, managers, girlfriends, and so on, while sometimes getting into diva feuds with other eye-candy women. What about Trish, the woman the WWE centered the division around and built to be the greatest women's wrestler? How did they sell that idea? There is also another question you should consider. I talked about eye-candy divas, a female wrestler who got over through what she did alongside the men, and the boss's own daughter, but what about the other female wrestlers? What about those women who did not get the continuous, great treatment alongside the guys? Why didn't I talk about them yet? Well, so far, I was only talking about those women who became successful. There is a whole class of women in the division who never got major overness. Moreover, these were the women frequently used to put over Trish Stratus and bring credibility to the division. No one ever really talks about that enough. Why would they? People seem blinded by the gold. To put it another way, the division at this time had credibility and over workers. Problem is, the women who really brought wrestling credibility to the centerpiece and the division were never getting over.

Strip the gold away. You don't have to ponder what that would look like. Trish Stratus and Lita left. The WWE's top priority for years after that, as far as the diva division goes, has been to recreate a centerpiece to follow in the path of Trish Stratus. They want to take an eye-candy diva and build her up to be a great wrestler. Every attempt so far, however, has failed. Moreover, you really don't have them creating a woman like Lita. To top it all off, because the WWE has been PG and because they are now pushing eye-candy divas as wrestlers more regularly than they did in 2004, they don't have the same success that would come from eye-candy divas just pushing sex appeal. The most successful woman they had after Trish Stratus and Lita left was Mickie James, a credible jobber who made it on her own. They were never fostering her overness, and they even got rid of her. You can say that the WWE has the workers to try to run a credible, respectable women's wrestling division. You go back about a year, to before they lost both Melina and Gail Kim, and I would agree. However, as you can see by the WWE's actions, credibility is not their goal. Overness is their goal. They want to get who they want to be successful connected with the fans.

You look at the diva division you have had recently. In essence, it is the same division you had a decade ago. The only major difference is that the WWE has failed to accomplish what it did during the best years of the division. All that fancy gold covering is gone. The WWE has failed to properly cover up what lies beneath. What lies beneath? A division that revolves around trying to get the fans to buy into whichever workers the company want them to buy into. A whole class of workers who are being taken advantage of to keep things going and make the centerpiece look good, but are never allowed a fair shot at overness themselves. In the end, what lies beneath is not good business. It has failed to work out.

Just want to switch to something slightly related. I haven't given up trying to get other people understanding my diva theory yet. It isn't an easy thing to do. I just want to toss something out there, in the hopes you might get an idea of how tough it can be explaining this to someone. If you ever feel like doing it, if you ever find yourself talking to a wrestling fan on the Internet, at school, or wherever, just ask them one question. Do you think the WWE ever wanted Mickie James to be a success? That's all. Just look at how they respond. No, you don't have to tell me how they responded. And no, I'm not asking to advertise my blog. I'm certainly not asking you to start a war that might cost you a friendship or kicked off a message board. Just think about how that person responds, then think about what it would be like to try arguing this with complete strangers on the Internet, and sometimes on Twitter, Youtube, or message boards where it will not remain a 1-on-1 discussion. From what I have seen, no one else really sees the diva division in the terms I have put it. It can make someone really doubt whether he is right or not at times. Definitely daunting. I'm not asking you to lose sleep over it, but if you just want to know why I'm not rushing or having an easy time, just try asking that one question I put out. In case you are wondering what my new strategy is, since the one I tried on the Wrestlezone forums many months ago flopped, I ask the question about whether or not whomever I am talking to thinks the WWE wanted Mickie James to be a success, already assuming that the person will either say that the WWE obviously did want her to succeed or think I'm an idiot for asking, and then I will ask another question. If they wanted her to succeed, why were they always pushing her as they did the women who never succeed? From there, I branch out to what I have to say about the overall diva division. How long will it take me to flop this time?

Friday, March 2, 2012

Randy Orton Not Going After Daniel Bryan's Title Yet

On this week's Smackdown, Randy Orton does indeed return to face Daniel Bryan. However, Kane pops in at the ending to attack Randy Orton.

It looks like Wrestlemania plans are developing for Kane and Randy Orton. Not surprisingly, I do not like that. There is an immediate story and heat, or momentum and interest, in what has been going on with Daniel Bryan and Orton. In kayfabe, not only did Daniel Bryan injure Orton, but he also cost Orton a shot at the title and a chance to go to Wrestlemania as Champion. In my opinion, that is more interesting than what has been going on with Sheamus and Bryan. There is still time to make a good feud between Kane and Orton, but would it be worthy of Wrestlemania?

And where does that leave Sheamus/Bryan? Inserting Orton would have made things more interesting. Sheamus won the Royal Rumble and wants Bryan's title, while Orton wants something more than just the title, revenge. Looking at how Sheamus/Bryan was developed on Smackdown this week, it is still looking weak. They need to make this feud more personal. I don't think they know how. They have AJ out there, so she can be used to add to the story, but they do not seem to be going there, yet.

Back to Orton and Kane. It would seem the WWE has a thing for feeding Orton John Cena's leftovers, especially around Wrestlemania. What do I mean? Remember Nexus? How epic were they when they first started out? And after Cena went over Barrett's version of the group? Lost a ton of momentum. They still existed, however, with CM Punk as the leader. They then feuded with Randy Orton. Orton conquered that. What happened to the stable after? Fizzled out to non-existence. Who was Kane feuding with before he returned this week? And who does he seem to be entering a feud with now? History is repeating itself? Is this a new pattern I should be paying attention to?

Issues with Orton and Bryan are not done yet. Bryan is a top heel and Orton still appears to be centerpiece of Smackdown. Sooner or later, they will feud. Nevertheless, I would rather it be now. Would that leave Kane without anything for Wrestlemania? Where's Ryder? Even he has more reason to face Kane at Wrestlemania than Orton. They could have reworked things so Big Show faced Kane. What about Cody Rhodes? His own brother did express interest in facing him at Wrestlemania. That would be Goldust. Fact is, no one had to be left off the card if things were shifted so Orton was inserted into the Smackdown World title match. In any case, a win against Kane on April 1st might be Orton's birthday gift from the WWE.