Cena Overcomes Cole And Tensai

John Cena sure made up for not being in a televised match on last week's Raw. This week, he defeated both Tensai and Michael Cole. When they announced that Michael Cole would be facing Cena, you could almost feel it would be one of those crappy Raws. If you are a fan of comedy, you might have thought the main event was great.

CM Punk was once again left out of the main event for the sake of Cena. When this happened for Cena/Rock, you could understand. For Cena/Lesnar, you could let it go. For Cena/Laurinaitis, you can even allow it, since Cena was feuding against the GM. Last week, Big Show's "match" against Brodus Clay trumped WWE title matters. That is where things, speaking for myself, really started to get stretched. But the show closing with Cena vs. Michael Cole? Above Kane vs. CM Punk, which was a match hyped as having to have a winner? I know Cena is centerpiece, but they really need to give it a break. That was just too much of a waste of time. And they decided to not even use Big Show, which makes up for not using Cena during the program last week. But for the sake of just allowing Cena to humiliate Cole? Stupid.

Of course, looking at what happened before Cena beat Michael Cole, Cena avenged his loss to Tensai. Not shocking at all. Even if Tensai had not dropped down in the ladder for the sake of Big Show, he still would have ended up losing to Cena. Cena officially looks like the hero that toppled Tensai, handing him his first official loss. Did he need it? As I said before, it would have been stupid to waste it on Brodus Clay, or anyone lower than that. Cena and Punk were the only two real options on Raw to beat Tensai first. Tensai did return later to try to cost Cena the match, but it didn't work. It doesn't really matter. Tensai's downfall will still continue. I think he will be extremely lucky just to win a midcard title from here.

Raw's Halloween Muppet Mess

You can usually expect things to get a little convoluted around Survivor Series. They have to start combining feuds to promote those tag matches coming up at the PPV. That is one thing. Looking over what happened on Raw last night, things seemed like an even more unexpected mess, and without even bringing in the Muppets.

First, Raw started off with The Rock answering John Cena's invitation to team with him at Survivor Series. He danced around it a while, then accepted. That is not surprising at all. In fact, given that it was already advertised that he would be wrestling at the event, you could just say it was all just useless ceremony to make it official for those who might not have seen it coming. Besides, you get to see The Rock live on Raw! Via satellite, of course.

They have a battle royal to find another challenger for Beth Phoenix. Eve wins. Again? They showed signs of building up Alicia Fox, but they go with Eve again? Nothing against Eve, but how about giving Smackdown's diva roster more shots at the title to make the feuds fresh? It is all just filler anyway. Once again, unless the WWE has lost confidence in Kelly Kelly or someone is turning heel, they are just building Beth's credibility and momentum up still.

Ryder or Ryan? Zack or Mason? Woo Woo Woo or Batista clone? Zack Ryder picked up another win against Dolph Ziggler, the US Champion. If they are planning to give him the title, fine. My problem is all this flip flopping. It is getting really annoying now. They could have developed a really good feud with either one of these faces, but they have created this mess. Who do they want the average fans to connect with? Zack Ryder is already over. He gained that overness on his own through his web show, which is why the WWE has not been very good on pushing him. They didn't want him over. Is this going to be one of those situations where the WWE bends to the desire of the vocal fans?

That brings me to the last point I want to make. The Michael Cole Challenge. It was postponed. Jim Ross commented that he was in Atlanta, where Raw was held last night, but was not used. Didn't seem like there was too much time for that elaborate segment anyway. Nevertheless, they still had Cole humiliate Jim Ross a little more to add heat to the feud. Cole has never been one who has had trouble getting a reaction, same goes for Jim Ross. Both are relative equals in how the WWE uses them. One is not being used to simply make the other look good. Still, all this bullying of Jim Ross is really getting old now. Not just in terms of the storylines, but just tossing him around when and where you want him in general. But let me get back to my main point. The WWE bending to the desire of vocal fans once again? They fired Jim Ross in kayfabe, then brought him back the next week. The reason being given is that fans hated what happened to Jim Ross. And now Jim Ross is being given a push? Do they really think that this is a good feud to push? I know Michael Cole got some high ratings earlier in the year against Lawler, but they are trying it with JR now? Let's see how this one plays out.

Christian/Orton: Week 6 - The Cole Effect

If you had your doubts about whether the WWE wanted Christian to get the boos a typical heel is supposed to get, seeing Michael Cole standing in the ring with him for his promo on Smackdown should have made you think otherwise. Even though Cole got humiliated a few weeks ago by Jerry Lawler, Cole is still a heel. He is a heel that can get heat from just simply existing. Having Christian do his promo with Cole was a simple, effective way to further his heel character. I also like that Christian has not completely turned into a serious, dry heel. He still has some cockiness and charisma to him. Remember what happened to Swagger after he won the World title last year? Complete change to his character. I was worried the WWE might have Christian follow a similar path, since it is obvious Christian the heel must get booed in the feud against Orton the face. Instead of that, they bring in Cole. It would be interesting if they bring Cole in even more. Just so he can get an RKO?

Later in the night, Christian attacked Orton again. Heel tactic. It was to be expected. More importantly, Christian will get another shot at Randy Orton's title. Even though Sheamus was still slightly in the picture, or majorly in some sense for this past Smackdown, he is still just a supporting character in the greater feud between Christian and Orton. I kind of feel bad for the other guy that was involved in this, Mark Henry. It seems he has already fallen out. But what else was there really for him to do? This thing is really between Christian and Orton.

Am I entertained? Aside from the little bit of Michael Cole, this storyline still lacks some kick to it. If you are going to screw Christian out of a proper first World title run for the sake of a larger storyline, shouldn't it be better than just a heel turn storyline? I keep hearing about poor Smackdown ticket sales and I see Smackdown ratings have not touched 2.0 for a while now. Is this storyline really drawing interest? I am not going to make the mistake of pretending the undercard doesn't matter. Yes, they have Sin Cara for the Mexican audience. They have Wade Barrett feuding with Zeke. They have AJ doing nothing too outstanding for Smackdown's diva division. Just looking over what I just listed, I can see why Smackdown is at the level it is at right now. Fact is, Christian/Orton doesn't seem to be helping matters enough to overcome the rest of the mediocrity. I do not feel I am the only one not entertained and drawn to this. They are spreading the segments with these two all across the show. If the storyline was really a huge draw, that would be smart move. It would keep people tuned in or coming back to see how things develop. But this is still the best they can do? They have a good strategy to promote the storyline, but the storyline does not seem to be drawing as well as it should be. Then again, maybe they like Smackdown not having 2.0 with Randy Orton as centerpiece?

Swagger Finally Free Of Stupidity?

Swagger was featured twice on Raw tonight. The first was during Michael Cole's segment with Jerry Lawler. Cole put his foot in his mouth and it seems to be the end of his partnership with Jack Swagger. That is a good thing.

Later on, in the main event, Jack Swagger was the one who took on John Cena. Even better than breaking away from Cole. He dominated Cena, like so many others who have gone on to lose in the end, and did look impressive.

Unless the WWE pulls some kind of swerve at puts Swagger right back with Cole for the PPV, which I doubt and am hopeful will not happen, Jack Swagger can finally start being credible again. He has been going downhill in terms of pushes go since Undertaker got injured last year and the WWE cooked up that Kane storyline, which resulted in Kane winning the title. He never really got over, so nothing was lost in that respect too much. And he still has credibility that speaks for itself. He is a great worker and has two title reigns in his past. Forgot the ECW title reign? I am hoping they do not turn him completely serious like they did last year. Still allow him to show some charisma. That will help him. Just don't make him a joke. Keep him near the main event. He can be the next Angle.

Will Eve Ever Really Succeed?

First, let me talk about the diva match on Raw. It was Eve vs. Layla. It was for a draft pick and McCool was out with Layla. Just talking about the match itself, it was stupid. The aftermath between Layla and McCool served the purpose of furthering their issues and did well, but I just want to talk about the match. I do not say it is stupid simply because it was short. It is what was lacking that makes me say it was stupid. It lacked a good story and development. Eve hits Layla with a move, Layla kicks out, issues between Layla and McCool follow, and Eve wins with a roll up. What does a win like that really do for Eve's character? I know people can say she won a huge draft pick for Raw and all that sweetness, but the match itself did nothing for her. I am not complaining for Layla because the aftermath was more than good for her. People love seeing a fight. There are short matches that actually make kayfabe sense and do something for the winner. Look at Christian vs. William Regal at Summerslam a few years ago. It was for the ECW Championship. Regal had Kozlov and Zeke in his corner. It lasted about 10 seconds. Christian hit one move and it was over. If you want a backstage reason for the match being so short, the WWE didn't really respect ECW that much, so why waste too much time on that when you can devote it to a Cena match? In kayfabe, the quickness of the match makes sense. The longer the match went on, the more likely Regal's friends would interfere and help Regal win the title. They never got the chance. Christian looks a little clever with the way the match turned out. He got to completely own a top heel (Regal was top heel on ECW at the time, believe it or not), and many fans usually react well to heels getting owned like that when against a very over face. Moreover, a quick, out-of-nowhere win like that has excitement to it. It's like when Orton hits his RKO out of nowhere. Back to Eve. Had she won the match after the first move she hit, it still may not have been as good. She isn't that over to begin with. If they were going to have the match drag on a few more seconds after that, they should have done better than a mild interaction between McCool and Layla, just to have Layla lose to a roll up after that. Eve was never really in trouble. Her victory was not as emphatic as Christian over Regal, Mickie over Madison, Mysterio over JBL, and the legendary series of classics between Benoit and Orlando Jordan. This diva match ended up being simply a...diva match.

I do think Eve deserves better. I see in how she performs that she really does want to be the best she can be. Yes, the WWE has screwed her over in some sense by making it clear that she is not a priority. Her treatment heading into Wrestlemania this years shows this. Thing is, I cannot put all the blame on the WWE. I see in her performances that she wants to succeed, but I also see that she is not getting the point. She is focusing on one thing and not aiming for what will make her a success, whether the WWE is on her side or what. I see her spamming finisher moves. I have seen her move between at least four since she first started getting pushed seriously in the ring on Smackdown years ago. I see her trying to supplement it with a few other unique spots here and there. What really defines her? What really defines her style in the ring? What is her true signature? What is really associated with her? People can hate Cena for having a 5-move combo he always does, but even Shawn Michaels had a combo. Whether it is because I am not paying attention or the WWE does not give Eve enough time to work in the ring, I am really not seeing what Eve represents in the ring. That brings me to the most important thing that is stopping Eve's performances from grabbing me. Emotion. Yeah, Cole does a number to bite Eve's head off for not being charismatic, but you really do not have to be charismatic to bring a good emotion or atmosphere to your matches. Look at Chris Benoit. Not charismatic. But he did bring an intensity. Some wrestlers bring a cockiness or attitude, even the faces. Pro wrestling is not about doing 50 new moves you have never used before every single week you are out there. Pro wrestling is about going out there to put on a performance that draws the fans into you. Spamming finishers is not getting it done for Eve. Relying on the WWE to hype her to get over will sure not get it done, especially with Kelly Kelly going to Raw. Again, I know Eve is trying her best, but trying your best when you go up to bat, even if you have all the training, skill, and good advice on your side, does not mean you are hitting it out of the park. Eve is showing that she can do a lot of moves, but she is not proving she can perform to connect with the fans.

Lastly, since I mentioned Michael Cole, how long until he wins the Diva's Championship? Just give it to him. I'm not even joking. A man held the Women's Championship the last time the diva division was as crappy as it is now, so I honestly would not be surprised if Michael Cole does get the Diva's Championship. He is the biggest heel in the Raw diva division. He craps on the whole division. Yes, the WWE could easily make the divas the focal point in the division, but it really is Cole who has been the most interesting steady thing related to the diva matters. He has been doing his act even before and after Trish/Snooki/Vickie matters. He has been doing it even before Awesome Kong hype. And both of these two things are not even the focal point, or what should be the focal point, of the division. I am talking about title matters. Cole is more important than the title. Fact is, Cole is merely parroting the same criticism the diva division has gotten from many fans for a long time. The division sucks. Bathroom break. Ignore it. Who cares? Just give Cole the full attention by giving him the title. It will be a comedy match, much like Santina Marella crap and a man winning the Women's title a decade ago, but it will probably lead to a nice little moment where the divas own Cole and one of them wins it back. All the Diva-Dirt fans get to put a smile on their face and celebrate, and the WWE can slowly go back to turning the division into a mediocrity until it develops a centerpiece that works out. People are already talking, so just get them talking more.

Bully Cole

Even though the WWE continues to try to make this feud between Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler more and more personal as possible, it is still enjoyable. I can talk about how it guarantees Stone Cold Steve Austin will be involved in Wrestlemania in a direct way. I can also talk about how it is putting attention on Jack Swagger. But I still just want to focus just on what is going on here between Cole and Lawler.

I have seen many bully angles or angles simply involving an annoying heel going against a serious. These storylines are built with the overall idea that the fans will want to see the bully or annoying heel get put in his place. That is what is going on here. I know there are some fans who stray from the pack and simply wants whoever in entertaining to win. Keep one thing in mind. If the serious face did not act that way to try to sell the annoying one and let them shine, that heel would not even get the spotlight as much as he could. Respect that. Another thing about this particular feud, Lawler is not crying to put over Michael Cole. Cole can get his own heat from how he handles himself. Lawler can get his own respect from his year's in the business and the character he still is. These two are both commentators. This is not about trying to really get one over at the expense of another. Remember when Kofi feuded with Orton? Kofi had more to gain from that feud than Orton did, win or lose. It was the rub that mattered. Cole can still go on to be GM or something like that, but it would not be because of the rub from Lawler. I have also seen bully feuds where an over face was used to try to get a heel the WWE wanted to look great get over. They used Mickie James to do it for McCool. They used Matt Hardy to do it for McIntyre. As I said before, this is not going on here. Cole and Lawler can both connect with the fans on their own. This feud truly is mutually beneficial for both. This feud is entertaining.

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.

A Laptop Runs Raw

Week 2 of an "Anonymous GM" running Raw. It had some promise when it was first announced. Who would it be? What would he do next? The mystery is still there, but I am getting annoyed.

I am hoping the WWE intends for this guy to be a heel. If not that, they want him viewed negatively until he is revealed. That may be why they have Michael Cole reading the messages, not Lawler. The laptop gets a podium now? Even I found that to be too much. And that stupid noise...THAT NOISE. It irritates me.

I am still hoping that Michael Cole has a greater role in something, whether it be the GM angle or Nexus. He has been near to all the things so far. He would definitely be a guy you would not suspect easily to be the mastermind of anything. I wouldn't mind.

Michael Cole Finally Getting His Push?

Do you remember Coach? He started off as just an interviewer. Most would have easily looked over him in many interactions, except maybe when The Rock was humiliating him. He turned heel. He started wrestling. He was even undefeated at PPVs for a while. He ran Raw a bit. He became a big deal. From humble beginnings.

A lot of people like to poke fun at Michael Cole. Over the past year or so, he has really been even mocking himself. He has been showing a bit more character here and there. He even turned into something of a heel for NXT. His issues with Bryan Danielson will not end that easy. Is it time for Cole to be more than just a commentator? Does he want to be? What can he do? A minor feud with Danielson? They will never have to wrestle a real match, but they can just follow the path of Bret Hart. How about Cole becomes his manager? Either he learns to respect Danielson or Danielson turns heel. The WWE just seems to really be pushing that Cole is more than a guy who calls matches now. I would expect something more to come from that.

What will happen to the Raw announce team if Cole got involved in angles? Should he stop announcing, would this not free up a spot for Jim Ross to return? I am sure Raw is where he would want to be anyway. Problem is, does the WWE want him back? Does the WWE really want to even start down this path? All speculation.