Cena Injured

Cena suffered an injury at a recent house show against Wade Barrett. Yes, in terms of kayfabe, Barrett is out of the picture for the moment. In reality, he is fodder for Cena at house shows. Seemed like the fodder injured the face of the company.

The same week that the Nexus angle looked to be reborn once more, Cena, the main face of the story, gets injured. Not sure how long he will be out, but the fact that he is injured may mean that plans will have to be changed for at least a while. Even if Cena goes Superman and shows up on Raw to cut promos and stuff like that, he will not be able to compete with a serious leg injury.

The good news out of all this? Maybe Randy Orton will finally be treated as a face main-eventer worthy of having the main event spot on Raw. Maybe John Morrison can win the WWE title so there is another face built on Raw. Cena injured and Orton has tasted injury himself in 2010. You cannot count on those two forever. What am I saying? What does Smackdown have? Undertaker is injured. Edge has made a career out of being injured. What is the WWE going to do? Bring in Awesome Kong to be the new face main-eventer before Morrison? Then there is the good news in regards to the Nexus angle itself. This one is a stretch. What does Punk do now? There are no free face main-eventers to take Cena's spot in this angle. Orton still seems to be on Miz's path. Should Triple H return, wouldn't Sheamus be his first feud? That means, if Cena is out of the picture and WWE still wants to further the Nexus angle properly without messing with the WWE title scene, a midcard face will have to be used. R-Truth? Daniel Bryan? Both have been slightly involved in this Nexus angle. Bryan was a part of the group, but has not feuded with them that much since his return. R-Truth has had a few promos supporting Cena against Nexus. Whatever happens, Nexus needs a steady target. Would be interesting if it was Barrett himself.

Nexus + Punk

This "surprise" was pretty much what a lot of people probably expected after Punk attacked Cena and the remains of Nexus were not properly resolved. Nevertheless, the way it was executed was still well done. Otunga directs traffic during the beating on Cena. Punk comes out and slowly reveals he is with Nexus.

I do have a problem with this though. No, not that Nexus attacked Punk on their first night and all that. But wasn't this done before? Nexus, with at least 7 guys, ran wild on Raw. The entire Raw roster, or at least most of it, stood up to them. Cena vanquished them. Now five of those guys are coming back and with CM Punk? CM Punk is supposed to add so much to the group? I know he is a former World Champion, but the odds are still against Nexus if WWE chooses to go by that route. Then again, how could I forget! Punk has a chair with him! That makes all the difference in the world.

But I am glad the Nexus angle is continuing a bit longer. Easy way to sell more Nexus merchandise? The controversy also makes things more interesting again. Can't wait for Cena to overcome NeoNexus too. Sarcasm.

Kaval's Christmas Gift From The WWE

Kaval has been released. Just like that. Win NXT, job in almost every match, and get released two days before Christmas. Vintage success story for pro wrestlers who make themselves prior to WWE?

I was never really a Kaval fan. I don't care that much if he is released. However, I would be one of the first to say he is a solid worker. He has his fans. He can put on a great match. Then again, the WWE can just whip out the formula for a show-stealer match and Sheamus and Ryder could steal the show. WWE just insults too many real wrestlers.

Then again, it would be interesting to see if this thing makes Kaval a legend in the same way Daniel Bryan's release made him a folk hero. If the fans start chanting and the WWE rehires Kaval in a few months, it was a well-played work. In any case, if the future would only hold Kaval acting like a nerd in front of Kelly Kelly and putting on great matches, wouldn't it be better if Kaval was somewhere else where he could put on great matches and have his character respected?

The Good News? Barrett Was In A Main Event

At TLC, the final match on the card was John Cena facing Wade Barrett. The match ended with the typical "epic" and "controversial" finish the WWE pulls out to add to Cena's image. Cena won. Nexus finished. For now?

Wade Barrett got to once again be in a PPV main event. For someone like me, who likes seeing new stars built up well, this should be good? Problem is, I also like PPVs to end with title matches, unless a non-title match features opponents who can carry a main event at any event without a title having to be in the equation and can come close to stealing the show, if not actually doing so. HBK vs. Taker and HBK vs. Flair are examples of what I mean. But Wade Barrett taking on John Cena? If the WWE wanted to make this the Raw main event, fine. But at a TLC PPV, where there was a TLC match for a World title, how can you feature a Chair match featuring one former World Champion and a guy who is still a rookie? Smackdown's main event had 3 men who have held World titles more than once. It featured a title change. It featured Smackdown's top active face, Edge, winning. Just like a TLC match for the tag titles got the top spot last year, the TLC match, which was even for a greater prize, should have ended the show. Developing a feud over months is not the same as developing it well. I have been complaining a lot recently about how the Nexus angle was going downhill again. Having it end like it is a big deal at TLC did not grab me.

In any case, CM Punk may be able to make things interesting now. Wade Barrett is not done yet either.

Answer A Cage With A Table

The idea going around now is that the diva tables match at TLC is a response to TNA's cage match that featured Mickie James and Tara. Considering that tables were already represented at the event, and last year's TLC proved that not every match has to have a gimmick at this event, there is probably some actual bite to this report. Honestly, I was expecting WWE to try to find some answer to that match of the night from TNA last week on Raw this week. Instead of putting in a diva match with heart and emotion to it on Raw, looks like they are saving it for a PPV. Fine. Two things I want to talk about.

First, it took Mickie James proving what she is about in TNA to push the WWE to try better with their own divas? Wow, you can actually read some kind of respect in that. Almost. Whatever gets the job started gets the job started, but I am not saying the job is done. Wait for TLC. The divas have to get it done.

Second, the WWE should be ashamed of itself. You had Mickie James and Tara (Victoria), have Gail Kim now, and I can list other women. This is your wake up call now? Mickie James was the most over diva you had. Even before she jumped off a cage, which she honestly did not even need to do to be over, she was that over in the slop you call a diva division. Even before she debuted in the WWE, she proved in the indies that she is willing to push herself and try to entertain. The WWE did more to bury this woman over the years than to actually build her and push her for her own sake. Now they think their divas can compete with her and the TNA Knockouts? Has the WWE forgotten how futile their attempts of breaking her overness while she was still there were? As I said before, those four women have to get the job done at TLC. Even then, by my count, Mickie James has been proving herself through her redemption in TNA for weeks now. Divas have some catching up to do.

One last topic. How goes that hunt to replace Mickie James? Almost 8 months later, I do not see any proper replacement set up. AJ Lee? Layla? Beth Phoenix? Natalya? Let me explain something. In terms of position, ANYONE and EVERYONE is replaceable. In terms of quality and getting the job done a certain way, not everyone is as replaceable. Big deal about WWE trying to replace Mickie James since they got rid of her! They had tried several times to push other women, whether those meant to be centerpieces or new tools to put over the centerpieces, to replace Mickie while she was even still there. Never got the job done. There can be a disaster here in New York City. Mayor Bloomberg and other politicians can be killed or kidnapped. A committee can name me new mayor. Boom, Bloomberg is replaced by me. In terms of position, replaced. In terms of quality, poor replacement. I would suck. I would not try to suck, but I just would. I do not have the experience or skills for this job. That is the same thing you have going on with the WWE's idea that they can replace Mickie James. In terms of position, it is the easiest thing in the world. In terms of someone actually accomplishing what Mickie James did, not so easy. Of course, this diva will have the WWE on her side to make the fans forget Mickie. That would be like the committee that made me mayor guiding me every step of the way. Difference is, after all the storylines, booking, hype, and everything else the WWE gives, it is really the diva herself who will need to bring it to take Mickie's spot. Until then, and even possibly after, you have a lame, joke women's division. How hard is it to replace that?

And I Quote...

Honestly, the most entertaining thing for me from WWE Raw is not even the action in the ring or promos and drama backstage. No, it is not CM Punk's supposedly awesome commentary. It is Michael Cole.

For months now, Cole has been showing more bite in his commentary for certain individuals. He's a Miz fanboy. No problems with that. Now business has really picked up. He has already gotten a little physical, but more will surely come. Remember Coach? I think Michael Cole has potential to be even better. He can also help Miz look a bit better. That is what Riley is there for anyway. Miz sure isn't their for Riley's main benefit. Riley is definitely expendable. But Cole can be used with Miz and eventually be given a GM role. It could hardly be worse than the computer.

How Far Will Nexus Fall?

This angle with Nexus has had many ups and downs since it started many months ago. When it started, it had that shock value and mystery to it. When they had Team WWE, Cena, Bret Hart, and Daniel Bryan just push the group to life support, things were not looking good. It regained some potential when Cena was forced to join the group. Since then, it is downhill again.

Cena is a renegade who is just mowing down Nexus with his WWE pals? Just get to the point fast. Cena will be "rehired" sooner or later. They could have built it up better.

And what about the tag titles? Nexus had them. They traded it among each other on one occasion. They could have been a small team, especially when considering there are no strong, long-term teams, whether heel or face, in the whole WWE that has more credibility to them. They should have lost those titles to a pair of top players. That would have at least made the tag division look stronger a bit.

MVP Is Gone

MVP asked to be released and he got it. Just as in the case of Matt Hardy, I do not blame the guy. Instance after instance recently, I am noticing how the WWE does not show proper appreciation to certain wrestlers. Whether they get over by their own merits or a heavy hand from the WWE, a lot of popular talent, or talent with the potential to be very over, is simply misused. Superstars lacking either strong wrestling ability, great charisma, or some other attribute that makes giving them a monster push painful are better used.

What happens in the WWE now? Smackdown can find a new midcard face jobber / someone with credibility to put over the lacking wrestlers I was just talking about. I hope it does give WWE a headache, although I doubt it will. They deserve it.