A Broken Tease

The Hardys lost to Sheamus & Cesaro at the PPV last Sunday. On Raw, they did a promo where they teased returning to that TNA gimmick a lot of smarks love so much. And yet, it seems like the WWE might still not own the rights to use the gimmick to make all that money they would off the merchandise. Nevertheless, there are a few points I want to bring up based on this.

First, this is a good example of how losing a match, and even a feud, does not have to be a burial. If that loss serves a storyline purpose and branches off to something else that fans can get excited over, that is a good thing.

However, I hope the WWE didn't book things the way they did solely to tease the "Broken" gimmick. I have pointed out before that there are no good, fresh face teams to feud with heel Tag Team Champions on Raw right now. The Hardys feuding against The Revival for the tag titles would just have been good booking to give a young, new tag team a good rub. I feel like the WWE just buried the tag division last year by pushing New Day too much with the tag titles. They would have done fine without the tag titles. This time, it would be a case of a gimmick being pushed as a priority over the tag titles. For the sake of putting the attention on The Hardys and the potential gimmick change, the WWE books the tag division in a way that just isn't best. More excitement is still on The Hardys than over whatever is going on with the tag titles. Can't we share the spotlight better? Is it fair that these guys that were relevant over a decade ago are priorities like this in the tag division?

Another issue is the reaction from the live audience that the promo got on Raw. I pointed out on a message board that a lot of the audience just didn't care. Some fans thought I was crazy. Didn't I see the fans doing the "Delete" gesture? Didn't I hear the chants? Yeah, I saw it and I heard it. As I said, a lot of the audience didn't care.

It reminds me of when Samoa Joe debuted a couple months ago on the main roster. One guy on the message board I mentioned made a topic laughing at Samoa Joe not getting a reaction. Other people came in to talk like he got a great reaction. What was the truth? Did Samoa Joe get a reaction? Yes. Was it a great reaction? No.

It is like a lot of fans today only know two responses when it comes to crowd reactions today. You are either getting no reaction or you are getting a great reaction. That is just a dumb way to look at things. Some people will get a great reaction. Some will get a mellow reaction. Some will get no reaction. It might be different every week for the same wrestler. You cannot judge overness based on one reaction to one moment or even one night. You got to understand how much of the audience is reacting.

What was the truth about The Hardy segment? Did they get a reaction? Yes? Was it a great reaction? No. The fan reactions were mellow and did not last that long. The entire audience was definitely not reacting.

Someone I was talking to on that message board actually posted a Youtube clip to show them getting a reaction. Yeah, and it only confirmed for me that the reaction was not great. But the reason I mention this is that I read some of the comments and one that stood out to me was that someone said something along the lines of that 500 TNA fans could give a better reaction than an arena full of fans. And that is exactly my point. The reaction was there, but it was not great.

And why would you expect a great reaction? This was a gimmick from TNA, a company that was nowhere close to the WWE's numbers last year. Yes, The Hardys helped TNA's numbers with this gimmick, but Impact Wrestling wasn't averaging even half a million viewers. A lot of the WWE's audience does not care. If they cared, they would have watched TNA.

Do I believe The Hardys can eventually get epic-level reactions? Yes, if they continue to tease the gimmick, the fad will catch on and grow. And this is without being in smark-heavy arenas. Fans just love fads and things to play along with. This can definitely grow. But let's not overrate how popular this thing is now. It has potential, but the entire WWE audience is not hot for it, and it definitely will not draw much more viewers.

Previewing The Great Balls Of Fire 2017 Midcard Matches

Neville defends the Cruiserweight Championship against Akira Tozawa. If Austin Aries couldn't win the title in a million tries, Neville might as well retain here.

Cass takes on Enzo. This was an elaborate storyline. That is a good thing. But they broke up one of the best face teams they had on Raw. That is a bad thing. Cass should be winning this feud, but how long will the feud last? Will the WWE take this to Summerslam? I will say Cass wins this Sunday.

The Hardys get a rematch for the tag titles against Sheamus & Cesaro. This time, it will be a 30-minute Ironman Match. The WWE has really forced this rivalry by extending it like they have and including so many gimmick matches. Have to kill time. Not too many tag teams, especially if the WWE keeps killing them off. Are we really supposed to eventually buy into Titus & Apollo as contenders for the tag titles? Rhyno & Heath Slater are not that interesting anymore. If the heels retain here, what do they move on to? If the faces regain the titles, after retaining against Sheamus & Cesaro to end the feud, they can move on to The Revival. Those guys look terrible right now. That is why I believe The Hardys should be getting the titles back, even though the idea of these two getting so many title runs in just a few months back leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Dean Ambrose gets his rematch for the Intercontinental Championship against Miz. Why does Miz get so many title reigns? Contrary to what fans might chant, no, he does not deserve it. This is his third run with the Intercontinental Championship in the last year. Dean Ambrose doesn't exactly need the title back. And since the WWE has invested a lot in The Miz recently, he is probably keeping the title.

Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt in an overrated feud. They probably would have gotten a better story out of Balor/Wyatt. Seth Rollins will win this feud against Bray Wyatt. Bray is just a jobber to the stars. The question is whether this will be an extended feud or just a 1-PPV thing. If it is extended, they might give Bray Wyatt the win here to give him momentum. If it is a short feud, Rollins wins and Bray can move on to Finn Balor. I will say Rollins wins.

The End Of Enzo & Cass?

The WWE likes to have Enzo get beaten up. And there is a bit of a mystery over this one. There is a good chance the attacker might be revealed to be Big Cass, Enzo's own partner. That will spell the end of that team.

I will give the WWE some credit for creating a storyline like this. Keeps the fans guessing and trying to figure out who did it. Problem is, the WWE did this same kind of thing just a few months ago. Someone attacked Nikki Bella. Was it Carmella? Was it Natalya? Was it Mickie James? We all know how that turned out. I know there are not an infinite number of storyline ideas out there, and I am not saying the WWE can never redo storylines, but it does seem too early to redo a "Whodunnit?" storyline like this.

Onto the bigger issue, breaking up this team. The WWE can definitely go in another direction, but the heel turn for Cass and end of the team is a strong possibility. I am against this direction for a variety of reasons.

First, it is pretty sad that this team never won the tag titles. They are a popular team that had momentum at times. If it wasn't for New Day last year, they should have gotten the titles back then. If it wasn't for The Hardys this year, they should have gotten the tag titles at Wrestlemania. If they break up, there is always a chance they come back together down the road and get the tag titles, but that is no guarantee.

Second, how will they work out as singles wrestlers in the midcard? Enzo is not a great in-ring performer. Cass is not really that charismatic. Cass will probably thrive better between the two of them. But the midcard is terrible these days. You cannot say there is no one to push in the midcard. The WWE just does not push a lot of these guys right. Main-eventers continue to dominate the midcard title scene. That doesn't help. Miz just won back the Intercontinental Championship. Guys that could be solid midcarders get treated poorly, which hurts their chances to develop. How about that match between Apollo Crews and Kalisto just getting tossed on the preshow last night? I see a lot of fans just rolling their eyes at these guys. Most of the blame should go to the WWE. How far will Cass go in this environment? And what will become of Enzo?

Lastly, the tag division just needs them. There are no good face teams on Raw to build for the future. The Hardys, who are old and could very well split themselves in the near future for solo pushes, just lost the tag titles to Sheamus & Cesaro. Was that a good idea? If the heel team holds onto the tag titles in the rematch against The Hardys, who is left for them to feud with? Goldust & R-Truth, who were a jobber team, have broken up. Enzo & Cass might be breaking up. The only other true face team on Raw is Rhyno & Heath Slater, and Slater has lost that magic he had last year. There are no good options. If the WWE does not give the titles back to The Hardys, I can only imagine a Shield reunion and Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins getting the titles. Once again, that would be main-eventers being pushed in a scene where they do not need to be pushed.

Let the attackers be The Revival. Seems boring, but it is a safe choice that can save a lot of trouble. I would also give the tag titles back to The Hardys so they can eventually drop it to The Revival. Sheamus & Cesaro holding the tag titles is just unnecessary. I don't like the idea of The Hardys getting another title run, but it just seems awkward for Sheamus & Cesaro to hold the tag titles right now. A face team should be holding them. And if that is not going to be Enzo & Cass, what other options do you have?

Previewing The Extreme Rules 2017 Undercard Matches

This will be the third try for Austin Aries against Neville for the Cruiserweight Championship. There are some feuds where a great chase to the title would be nice. I felt AJ Styles should have had a chase to his first WWE Championship. TNA had Mickie James take three tries to finally win her first KO title, and her hair was on the line in that match. They raised the bar and made it interesting there, although I wouldn't have waited so long in that situation. Austin Aries is not someone I feel should be chasing after the title like he has. The WWE has shot the Cruiserweight title all over the place since last year. Having Neville hold it for so long is an improvement, but he should be feuding with fresh people, if Austin Aries is not meant to get the title right now.

Who wins this submissions match? I have seen some fans scratching their heads at the cruiserweights doing submissions. Even before this match, a lot of them were busting out submissions. That is not what cruiserweights are known for. High-flying moves are what they are known for. If they are going to wrestle like a lot of other guys on the regular roster, there is nothing special about them. I hear everyone talking about 205 Live not doing well and the cruiserweights frequently getting poor reactions. If they are just normal guys that have not been properly introduced to the main audience, they are going to get poor reactions. I digress. I'll say Austin Aries finally wins the title.

The tag team titles will be defended in a match that is a little more extreme. The Hardys vs. Sheamus & Cesaro inside a steel cage. How have The Hardys been doing? Like a lot of things, they are losing some of their luster. They pretty much need the "Broken" gimmick to appease certain fans. I see fans pointing out Matt Hardy just does not look good in the ring. To them, the "Broken" gimmick at least gives an excuse for his sloppiness that some fans are critical of.

I doubt the title reign ends here for The Hardys. Sheamus and Cesaro are a team that can do fine even if they break up. They do not need another run with the tag titles. They are likely just killing time until The Revival is good to go. I will say The Hardys retain.

I had said that some matches on this card are a little lackluster if you are looking forward to "extreme" matches. For the Intercontinental Championship match, if Dean Ambrose is disqualified, he loses the title to Miz. Not too impressive. Moreover, these two were feuding on Smackdown over the title just a few months ago. They come to Raw and are still feuding for the title. Fresh matches would be nice. And it would be nice if actual midcarders might get in the picture.

Who wins? It seems like a situation where it would be easy for Miz to win. A lot of smarks loved him on Smackdown. But he has lost his luster on Raw. Is there a reason to give him back the title, again? I will say Ambrose retains.

Cesaro & Sheamus Turn Heel

The big development for the tag division this past week is Sheamus & Cesaro turning heel. That continues their feud with The Hardys.

I would say that this team has lasted long enough. It might have been time to just break them up. Problem is, injury issues ruined one heel team that recently got called up, The Revival. Just due to poor depth, the WWE probably had to do this heel turn. If nothing else, it at least refreshes these two. Sheamus & Cesaro were getting a little stale.

It is amazing when you stop and think about it. In April, you had a legendary tag team return and a promising tag team from NXT debut. The roster moves in April didn't really destroy Raw's tag division. But all it took was one injury to one member of these tag teams and the WWE is in a tough spot.

Could the WWE have done something different? Push Anderson & Gallows against The Hardys? Those two are also stale. Of course, the WWE should have pushed another face team against The Hardys. Enzo & Cass could have gotten title shots. Or they could have done multiple teams going after the tag titles moving forward. They also could have thrown together two other guys and create a new team. They definitely could have killed time until Dash Wilder returned. But I won't criticize the WWE too much for the choice they made.

Previewing The Payback 2017 Undercard Matches

Even though this Raw PPV is missing the Universal Championship, there are still a lot of big matches on it. I am going to talk about the undercard today.

Enzo & Cass will take on Anderson & Gallows. Ideally, the tag titles would have been involved in this feud, whether it was Enzo & Cass defending the titles or finally winning them here. That isn't happening. The faces should at least win this match. Throw them a bone.

The tag titles will be defended when The Hardys face Sheamus & Cesaro. The Hardys just won the tag titles earlier this month. Is there a good reason for Sheamus & Cesaro to get another run? It might just be time for those two to split. The Hardys retain.

Moving out of the tag division, let's go to the cruiserweight division. Neville once again defends against Austin Aries. The WWE has been tossing this title all over the place since it was created last year. Austin Aries seems like someone likely to get it. Might as well happen here.

Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens is an interesting match. Not only is the United States Championship on the line, but these two will be switching brands if the title change happens. Will it? Probably not. Owens has a feud brewing with AJ Styles already. Jericho won't be here much longer. Owens wins.

Hardys Return And Win Raw's Tag Titles

Wrestlemania featured a big return. The Hardys returned and ended up winning Raw's Tag Team Championships. They successfully retained the titles on Raw last night.

Of course, I have to compare this to The Dudleys returning a few years ago. Not only did they not win the tag titles in their first night back, not only did they not win the tag titles at all, but they were made to look like pathetic jobbers. They turned heel and started to look pathetic again shortly after that. It is no wonder they no longer wished to wrestle for the company, although their leaving was amicable and Devon still works for the company.

The Hardys seemed to be featured better by the WWE in their previous runs than The Dudleys, particularly when it comes to singles pushes. Both Matt & Jeff won multiple singles titles. It is not too shocking that the WWE might treat them better than The Dudleys with their return. Nevertheless, I would not have given them the tag titles like this.

This is just really unfair to the other teams. Enzo & Cass have been on the main roster for a year now, have become a pretty popular team, but have never won the tag titles. They seem to be on the edge of greatness. They have feuded against Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens. Cass was in a match to crown a new Universal Champion when Finn Balor got injured. They teamed with John Cena to face The Club. Around there would have been a good time to give them the tag titles. They got a storyline involving Rusev and Lana not too long ago. They got title shots after that. But they have never been given the tag titles.

You can say that they just have to wait. Problem is, will they still be fresh by then? Moreover, more teams are always going to be coming in. You saw that on Raw last night. You got teams coming in from NXT, potentially other teams from the past coming back together, and don't forget teams randomly being created, like Sheamus & Cesaro. Realistically, the time may never come for Enzo & Cass. Don't forget that most teams also eventually split. That could definitely happen with Enzo & Cass without them ever getting the tag titles.

Am I a hypocrite for not saying the same thing about The Dudleys back in 2015? I don't think so. Look at what was going on in the tag division at the time. New Day was on their second run and still heels at the time. How many other good face tag teams were there that deserved a title run? Prime Time Players had just gotten a title run. I think The Usos were still dealing with injury issues at the time. Besides that, they really didn't need the tag titles back then. Lucha Dragons had not really gotten into a big groove yet. There were really no great face options. When The Dudleys came back, they had momentum and freshness on their side. They should have gotten the tag titles. They could have dropped it to The Wyatts or The League of Nations in a proper feud. Instead, they became jobbers and everything went through New Day for over a year. A lot of teams got screwed over back then.

Right now, I would say there was another face team worthy of a title run that were passed over for the sake of the returning Hardys. That would be Enzo & Cass. That is why I think this situation is different from what you had with The Dudleyz in 2015. I am not saying Matt & Jeff had to return as jobbers. Anderson & Gallows could have lost the tag titles to Enzo & Cass, lost the rematch the next night on Raw, and then The Hardys could return to confront them and start a non-title feud. The Hardys don't need the tag titles to be relevant. Bringing them back is one thing, but having them go over like this just isn't good.

Shades Of TNA's Matt Vs. Jeff Feud In WWE's New Day Vs. Wyatts Feud?

The outrageous feud between Matt and Jeff Hardy in TNA went to another level last week. There have been some fans that have compared that feud to what the WWE is doing with New Day and The Wyatts. The two major promotions often do take ideas from each other. But there is one minor difference that I want to bring up here.

There was no title involved in that crazy match Matt and Jeff had last week. This is a non-title feud. Matt did hold the TNA Championship a few months ago, but he lost it to Drew Galloway as the feud between Matt and his brother continued. I actually would have kept the title involved in the feud between Matt and Jeff. This was obviously the biggest feud they had going. I just felt that the title would make it feel even bigger. Instead, Drew got one of those title reigns that falls in the category of title reigns that make you wonder why TNA even bothered. They could have built him up more to eventually win the title down the line and get a better run than he did. But that's another issue. Point is, no title was involved in that match last week.

And look what TNA accomplished last week. They had 410,000 viewers, easily the highest number on their new network. I doubt fans were tuning in to see Lashley. They wanted to see what was going to happen with Matt and Jeff. TNA created hype with a match where no title was on the line. Control of the company was not on the line. No one's career was on the line. It is just a heated grudge feud. It is a blood feud.

Onto the WWE. People want to compare what TNA is doing to New Day vs. The Wyatts. There is an interesting storyline developing there. It is not as heated as Matt vs. Jeff, but there is a good storyline. Thing is, the tag titles are also there. Do they need to be there? You can have this storyline without the tag titles. It would be a great non-title storyline.

I have been saying for months that keeping the titles on New Day for so long was not a good move. There were a number of other teams and feuds that could have benefited from the tag titles. I think right now is pretty much the limit. The tag titles are completely unnecessary for this storyline. New Day will break the record for longest run with the tag titles, but what does it matter in the long run? The WWE could have given the titles to The Club. While AJ Styles feuded with Cena, Anderson and Gallows could be defending the tag titles against Cass & Enzo, another hot face team. It's not really about praising or rewarding Anderson and Gallows. It is about creating interesting feuds. And New Day vs. The Wyatts can be interesting without the tag titles. There are other feuds that could be more interesting with those titles involved right now.

Fans sometimes debate whether there should be more titles. Especially for the women recently, they have thought about a second title for them and even tag titles. No, they don't need it. Not only would the WWE not handle it efficiently, it is just missing the point. The point is to entertain the fans and create hype to get more people interested and interested enough to spend money to come see the stars, watch PPVs, buy merchandise, and so on. Title reigns are only a small part of it. TNA was able to generate enough hype to get over 400,000 viewers last week for a match where no title was on the line. Fans may be interested in New Day vs. The Wyatts, but don't expect it to create a ratings boost for the WWE like what TNA got last week with The Hardys. The WWE has not hyped it and built it up that big. Meanwhile, the tag titles are just being held hostage in that feud. Nothing is added. 

Minor Slammiversary 2016 Preview

TNA is having a PPV this Sunday and one of the matches I am interested in is Gail Kim vs. Maria. These two have had issues for months. I have spoken about it a few times. The match will probably be terrible, but I am interested in seeing how TNA will handle it.

Heading into the weekend, they are handling it with an injury angle. Maria is teasing a broken hand. It adds some drama to things. I still question whether someone like Maria even deserves this push. It obviously will not be a great match, with or without the injury angles and sidekicks Maria has. At a time when the WWE is hyping improvements to their women's division to make it seem more respectable, this kind of feud for TNA does not help them maintain their image of being respectable.

Nothing is on the line in this match. This is really just Gail Kim wanting to get her hands on Maria to beat her around a little. I have said before that the stakes should be raised in this match. Not only have Gail Kim beat Maria, but take away Maria's control of the KO division. Have Gail put her career on the line. Injury angles are one way to add some drama to a feud, but I don't think this feud has reached its climax.

What do I think happens this Sunday? Gail Kim will get her hands on Maria. But there will probably be some kind of shenanigans for Maria to win. That will continue the feud to a point where it can end in a bigger way.

The KO title seems like somewhat of an afterthought in all this. All the creative interest is in Gail Kim vs. Maria. Nevertheless, Jade defends against Sienna, one of Maria's sidekicks. Putting the title on Jade wasn't enough. TNA should have done a better job with her from a creative standpoint. That is what will really help her get over. This match can go either way. I would not be surprised if Sienna won the title to bring a little more credibility to Maria's group. Better than Maria winning the title herself. But I will say Jade retains here. Maria can screw Jade out of the title later on.

Switching to a men's feud, how about Matt and Jeff? The Hardys are feuding against each other. And it certainly has been an interesting feud. Matt Hardy has gone crazy. There have been some interesting, elaborate segments to push this feud. I would say this feud is more interesting than the title feud between Lashley and Drew Galloway, which I won't even bother talking about.

Of course, many fans are ready to induct this feud into Wrestlecrap, and it probably does belong there. Nevertheless, it is getting people talking. And Impact did see its best ratings on its new network recently. It may not be a huge jump to the numbers they had five years ago, but it is a good sign. I doubt Lashley vs. Galloway is the feud that has people interested enough to watch. TNA has to do it by creating drama. For the women, Gail Kim vs. Maria is the feud that has the most drama to it, even though the match will not be respectable. For the men, Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy has the drama to it, even though there is a lot of dumb things involved. I can't criticize them too much for some of the things they are doing here, even if I don't like some of it.

Who wins this match? This is one feud I would like to see end this Sunday. I don't know how much more wrestling fans can take. And I don't want to think what else TNA might try to keep this feud going. Jeff Hardy wins. I'll just leave it at that.  

TNA To Crown New World Champion

TNA seems to always have issues. They have issues with their network. They have issues with their event schedule. They have issues with their roster. I am not even going to get too far into the mess that has led to this situation now.

Matt Hardy won the TNA World Championship at Bound For Glory last Sunday. He then vacated it. It seems TNA did not immediately have any new taping dates to follow through with the storylines they were developing. Instead, they are just going to air matches that were taped weeks ago. But under what context? Just random filler matches? No, these matches are part of a tournament to crown a new World Champion.

I like what they are doing. You can criticize them for getting themselves in this kind of situation, but they have created a storyline out of their troubles. And it isn't like they are unethically exploiting the situation to do something many fans might be turned off of. They are running a tournament to find a new Champion.

Another thing I like, the women are also involved in this. They have their own bracket. I do not expect to ever see a woman win a World title in TNA, but the fact that they are including them in the tournament is a nice move. They could have just kept the tournament to the men's matches and have the KO matches as filler.

A few weeks ago, I gave the WWE credit for how they handled Nikki Bella breaking a record. They made an angle out of it. They made steps to at least create some suspense out of what was going on. I said TNA should have handled Taryn Terrell breaking a record a lot better. I am not someone that blindly bashes TNA. Let me turn things around now for a moment.

TNA just took what were essentially meaningless matches and gave them a meaning. Look at how the WWE has handled the diva division the last few months. Is there some kind of revolution going on? Really? Most of it has been a lot of meaningless filler matches. There will be a lot of fans interested in these matches because they care about match quality and want to see how these women do. But for a lot of other fans, however, what should interest them about these matches? Three new divas that have not gotten any proper development on the main roster? Lack of a real storyline? The WWE should have made these matches worth more. I said that before and pointed out what TNA has done in the past as a way the WWE could have made these matches worth more. And TNA is doing what I had in mind right now. Why not have some kind of points-based tournament? That is how you get these meaningless matches to actually matter.

Yes, I have to give credit to TNA here. There are times when sports teams face great adversity, both on and off the field. Commentators, analysts, and fans all bring it up. Can the team work through the circus and the drama? TNA has shot itself in the foot multiple times, but I think the company took a bad situation and have handled it in a positive way. I am not saying it will work out marvelously for them, but I like what they have set up.

Matt Hardy Is Free

Matt Hardy has finally been released by the WWE. For months now, he has been unhappy with how the WWE was treating him. He had not been seen on Smackdown in weeks. He has been vocal through his videos and Twitter account. He has been eying TNA. Want to guess where he may end up now?

I had made the comparison between the WWE's use of Matt Hardy to their use of Mickie James. I am not surprised that they would let Matt go, especially since he was basically wanting it. There is one difference between the situation with Mickie and Matt. Mickie James was not asking to be released or complaining to the fans about her treatment, which is remarkable if you consider the farewell angle the WWE gave her to put Michelle McCool over as a super heel. Matt Hardy got a very intricate angle to put over Drew McIntyre as a heel a few months before these issues arose. After Matt Hardy had done his job, even though he arguably won the feud, his push fizzled out. He was back in the same spot before he got the push in the first place. The WWE was using his popularity to get someone else over. I have said many times that this kind of treatment is fine, as long as you give the tool proper respect after they do their job and push them well as the draw they can arguably be. The WWE was not doing this. Because Matt Hardy was not in a closed division, like Mickie James was in, the WWE could have afforded to push him around like this for years, tossing him a midcard or tag title reign here or there when they felt like. He would never have to be in the way of John Cena, Undertaker, Triple H, or anyone else the WWE cared more about. I do not blame Matt Hardy for putting his foot down. You try to be positive and talk like you are going to make something of your career every year. What does it really get you? Unless the WWE books it, it gets you nothing.

I doubt this will end like the last time Matt was released. The WWE will not bring him back to appease fans and because they know they can push him around like I just said. I would hope the fans realize this is what Matt wants this time. Let him join his brother. Maybe the pay and the hype isn't as great down there as it is in WWE, but there is something to be said in just being able to go out there and have more freedom to really do a job you enjoy doing.

Matt Hardy Not Happy?

"Gotta state this. I'm sick & tired of being 'hurt', being misused, & not being shown the respect that I've earned-something has to change."

That bit is from Matt's Twitter. I understand where he is coming from. Back when his whole feud with Drew McIntyre, really heated up, I drew the comparison to the story between Mickie James and Michelle McCool. I do not remember whether I mentioned it in a blog, on a message board, Twitter, or just kept it in my head, but it just seemed to me like they were using Matt to get Drew McIntyre heat. I made the mistake of thinking that they would give him the Intercontinental Championship as a "reward" for the use. That did not happen. However, Matt did technically win the feud, right? He got his spot back on Smackdown and Drew was deported? If Drew did not have some real issues there, I question if the feud would have even ended like that.

What came after that feud? Matt Hardy was involved in a little thing that teased a heel turn from Christian. Now? Matt Hardy is in pretty much the same spot he was before. He's a jobber. McIntyre may not be pushed as heavily as he was before, but he is not in the same position as Matt Hardy.

I think Matt Hardy should just quit the WWE. I have seen him ask the fans whether he should stay or leave. I have seen him claim that pretty much every year would be his year. WWE keeps on screwing him over in that regard. He is more over than a lot of other guys. He has sacrificed his body a lot for the fans and to put coin in the WWE's pocket. He has shown more loyalty to the WWE than his brother, but that is a debate I do not want to get into. I am not saying they have to push him in the main event right now, but when was the last time Matt Hardy was given a meaningful push against someone that is his equal or better? When was the last time he had a feud where both he and his opponent can mutually benefit, if not have Matt elevated a bit himself? At this rate, they might as well had Matt Hardy take Beth Phoenix's place after she got injured in the Smackdown diva division. Have him put over McCool. He can probably do a better job at it than Beth. Why? He has the overness. That is why he was used against McIntyre. Now Rhodes? I don't even want to go there.

Matt Hardy had dedicated his life to entertaining the fans. If he was still allowed to be a respectable entertainer, I do not think he would complain. But his use has gone down the toilet. The WWE will continue to use him but never spit him out, like they did Mickie James. As his feud with McIntyre proved, they do not have to hand him any titles at all. They must feel they can keep him content with feud-ending victories to keep him content, even if the feuds are really doing more for the heels he is working against than himself. He will always be stuck as just a tool. The fans respect him, but the WWE's idea of respect is relative.

F4W Predictions

Diva Match: Eve is losing the title. Not only does she have the momentum going in, but did you notice that tag match on Raw? No Gail Kim needed at all for Eve to win it. That is a "gold watch" victory right there. Looks like they are ready to put the title on Maryse again and have her feud with someone. Anyone returning soon? If this is true, it is obvious Eve was used as filler. She did not really work with any other women in real title feuds. I can compare this with what happened to Mickie James and her Diva's Championship reign, in which the WWE did not build any great opponents for her and just had her pass through opponents who gained title opportunities without much more story to it, but I do not write a diva blog anymore. Prediction: Maryse wins.

U.S. Title Match: Simple. Miz just won it a few days ago. Why would he lose it so fast? It would be stupid booking. R-Truth does not need two U.S. title reigns so fast. Prediction: Miz wins.

Intercontinental Title Match: Kofi won the title from Drew McIntyre in a singles match. If I remember correctly, Drew already had a rematch. However, Kofi has not been booked to really work with any other midcarders. Do you see a theme here? In all the title matches I have mentioned so far, the Champions (or former Champion in R-Truth's case) have not really had the opportunity to build there reign by going against a variety of opponents, who are built well, and in well-developed feuds. The main story with Drew is really his issues with Matt Hardy. I can see Drew regain the title so he can feud with Matt over it. However, if he does not win the title, Drew will probably lose due to some Matt Hardy action. That prolongs their feud, but it is the same thing we have been seeing for weeks now. I hope the PPV match offers something more special than that. Prediction: Drew wins.


Smackdown's World Title Match: Big Show probably has the least chance of winning. The WWE would put a World title on him now? He seems to just be there to give Swagger a good rub and to add his unique size and strength to the match. Rey Mysterio? Well, he does deserve another run. Does not mean he will get it. If he does, it can lead to an interesting turn if he feuds with CM Punk again. I can see them putting the title on CM Punk at this PPV. The guy gave up his hair. You owe him. If he wins, this can also lead to a good turn in his feud with Rey. Swagger. This is the man they want to build as a main-eventer. He did not defeat Big Show at the last PPV. Letting him win now would be a safe choice. Prediction: Swagger wins.

Raw's World Title Match: I doubt Sheamus will win. The WWE has the Irish fans hooked in, so I doubt they need to give it to Sheamus again for a while. Or is he still best friends with Triple H? I can see Orton win it. The story is that he was injured, has the odds against him going into this match, but battles through to win it. Edge is the top heel in this match. He holds seniority over Sheamus. If any heel is going to win it, it may be him. Cena always wins, right? Aside from Batista, he has not really had any successful title feuds in his current reign. He does not need them, especially if you look at how he traded the belt with Orton last year, but I do not think his reign will end like this. Prediction: Cena wins.

Five matches? Not like I was planning to buy it anyway, but the number of matches is not the only thing that bothers me. I mentioned how Drew and Kofi have faced each other before, and having Matt Hardy run out is not exactly new and exciting. Miz and R-Truth have faced each other in a good match recently, but I doubt they can really pull out something more epic at the PPV. The diva match will be a diva match with a few good spots here and there, but not enough to save it. All these matches have pretty much poor build. In almost all, the story is that of a basic title feud. Even in Drew/Kofi, the one possible exception, it is still a basic title feud within the larger story between Drew and Matt. The World title matches have more build to them, but even they have been somewhat overshadowed and made dull a bit. Kane is where it is at for Smackdown. NXT is the real hype on Raw. How will these things influence the PPV? That is what interests me. I would not mind Wade Barrett walking out with Cena's title.

Matt Hardy Rises Again

Matt Hardy picked up a great win last night. Yes, it was not really against a World Champion or a guy like that. Yes, he has technically beaten Drew McIntyre before. Yes, I nothing really was on the line in the match. Point is, the win meant a lot.

This whole angle of Matt Hardy being suspended and fighting his way back in to get revenge should remind everyone of what happened to him a few years ago. That was a little more real than what is going on now, but that angle was a great push for him back then. This current angle is no different. The fans are behind Matt. No surprise. But just like a certain diva angle recently, this story is also designed to get Drew McIntyre over as a great heel. Drew has been one of those guys who gets golden silence during his entrance. However, Matt Hardy is not being personally attacked or humiliated in this storyline. His suspension, if you cannot tell, is kayfabe. Nothing is really being done to humiliate his character, but Drew is still making Matt's life hell and wants to hurt him. Matt wants to pay that back.

The only thing I want to see is where this goes from here. Matt got his win on Raw, but it cannot end there. If Drew still had the IC title, I could see him eventually dropping it to Matt. However, the WWE inserted Kofi Kingston as another victim of McIntyre's alliance with Mr. McMahon a few weeks ago, so he had a claim to the title too. I hope for a match with a hardcore gimmick or interesting stipulation for winner/loser. This feud is leading to that.