The Wrestlemania 2016 Intercontinental Championship Match

Sami Zayn debuted not too long ago on the main roster and continued his rivalry with Kevin Owens, the Intercontinental Champion. It seemed you had a Wrestlemania match right there. A title was on the line. These two had a history together. Don't forget both are good in the ring. The WWE does not seem to be content with just that. They have tossed in a few more bodies. And a ladder. Kevin Owens must defend against Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Zack Ryder, Sin Cara, The Miz, and Stardust in a ladder match.

I do not like this. They have just tossed in a bunch of random bodies. Even though the personal feud between Owens and Zayn can continue after Wrestlemania, the WWE is ruining a chance to have the rivalry lead to a big match at Wrestlemania on its own. A lot of these guys could have been shoved into the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal. If the WWE wasn't happy with that, the United States Championship match could have been made into the multi-challenger midcard title match. A yearly multi-man Intercontinental Championship ladder match at Wrestlemania does not need to become a tradition. Moreover, I would question if you need this gimmick match this year at all. There is a Hell in a Cell match on the card. Ladders might come into play there, as well as chairs, tables, steel steps, kendo sticks, fire, and whatever else.

Zack Ryder is relevant again on the main roster. Are they serious? Or is he just an extra body? If they wanted to push him, they could just put him in the battle royal. Have him cut a promo on Raw about turning his career around by winning it. Whether they book him to win or not, he would still look relevant heading into Wrestlemania. I would say he would be more likely to win that battle royal than win the Intercontinental Championship.

Dolph Ziggler is also in this match. I was just talking about him yesterday. He was involved in this storyline about Stephanie McMahon trying to make life miserable for him. He goes from failing to defeat Triple H on Raw last week to earn any Wrestlemania match he wanted to ending up in a Wrestlemania title match this week. The WWE dropped the ball here. They could have gone somewhere with this storyline, even if the payoff didn't happen at Wrestlemania. Ziggler could have overcome Stephanie's obstacles and put himself in a match at Wrestlemania. I mentioned two unlikely possibilities yesterday, but there were still other ones that were possible. Or how about he didn't overcome the obstacles? No Ziggler for Wrestlemania? No, he would still get involved. He could interfere to help Shane win. He could interfere to screw Triple H. Or how about he turns heel and aligns with The Authority by screwing Shane or helping Triple H win? That would definitely be part of a huge push for him. As it stands right now, even though he is in a title match, this seems more mediocre than what potentially could have been with the storyline he had going.

I am not saying every match at Wrestlemania needs to be a singles match. The battle royal is fine. New Day vs. League of Nations is a good feud. Considering neither Sasha nor Becky looked more deserving than the other, both going after Charlotte for the title is an obvious choice. I even suggested Tag Team Turmoil to feature all these tag teams they have right now. But I do not feel this multi-man ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship was a good move. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn could have been good enough. If they want a ladder match so much, make that feud lead to a ladder match at Wrestlemania. Those two are no strangers to ladders.

What Has Become Of The Tag Revival?

It was obvious that the revival of the tag division would only last for so long. I think you should still give the WWE some credit for keeping it going as long as they have. Recently, it seems like that revival has really slipped away.

Kane and Daniel Bryan are obviously still the top team. Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow are still alive. Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio are not reliable right now. The Shield have more going on than just making the tag division look good. Other than these teams, just about every other team consists of lower-midcarders. Go back a few weeks to that 4-way match to find which team would face Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio at TLC. The Prime Time Players, The Usos, Primo and Epico, and Rhodes Scholars went at it. It was obvious who would win that match. The other three teams all had better interest on them when the tag revival first started. They are also lower-midcarders that frequently have gotten lost in the shuffle since then and used as jobbers to the bigger teams.

These teams and a few others still do get featured now and then, but a lot of it is just filler. No real feuds and angles involved. They just go at it in filler matches. It's worth about as much as filler singles matches. Would you be content with more diva matches if it was just filler? Imagine the WWE running two diva matches every show. One would involve either the centerpiece or a top periphery diva to further the top diva feud or storyline. The other would involve credible jobbers or eye-candy periphery divas in a filler match. These women would still get an opportunity to perform, but they are not getting the proper treatment to become as over as those centerpieces and top periphery divas would get and there is no guarantee that these same lowly opportunities would be there next week. No improvement in the diva division, even though they are featuring more matches. That is how I view the current state of the tag division. Yeah, more teams are getting featured, but a lot of it is filler or using the lower-midcard teams to put over the teams they want to be the stars.

There is really no hope to expect a better tag division revival. You really just have to hope that the WWE keeps together these big teams and possibly makes some new ones, which would then replace the ones that end up splitting. No offense, but if the WWE ever puts the titles on The Usos, or any other lower-midcard team, the revival will be even more dead than it is now. They will not treat them properly.

How Much Longer For Mysterio?

Whether it is injuries, suspensions, or other issues, you really don't see as much of Rey Mysterio in recent years than you might like. Going by how popular he is and the fact that he can still work well in the ring, the WWE must also not be liking the lack of 619.

How much longer does Rey have before he should retire? One more strike with drugs would send him away, but that is not something to predict. Even though this is a worker that the WWE should be trying to push and develop storylines for, the fact that he can no longer be a true regular would make them think twice about developing  anything too long-term for him. How many times has a wrestler in the middle of a big push gotten injured or suspended? It causes a lot of reshuffling. Recent months are filled with examples of what I mean. Should Rey work a limited schedule, like The Undertaker? Maybe not as limited as that, but the WWE should start only planning short, but still relevant, feuds for him sporadically. It's better than having more elaborate feuds ruined. Rey Mysterio is pretty much done as a regular full-time worker.

It would have been nice to see Rey and Sin Cara win the tag titles. It might still happen sometime down the road. You also have a lot of fans who want to see those two go at it at Wrestlemania. The WWE still might try that in a few months, but I don't think the build would be as good as it would have been if both Rey and Sin Cara didn't have issues. Sin Cara seems to already be following the path of Rey, and his career hasn't even gone to far in the WWE yet. He's another topic. Aside from the tag titles, I don't see a need to force another World title on Rey for a "thank you" run. Would be nice, and Rey definitely has the credibility to be a contender at any time, but I'm not a fan of tossing a title to every popular worker who is about to retire. It's not necessary. Save it to make it mean more in those special circumstances. I'm not going to say too much more about what the WWE should do with Rey before he does retire, including who his final feud should potentially be against. Point is, being semi-retired isn't the same as a full retirement. I just feel now is the time to just accept Rey as semi-retired.

And with that, Merry Christmas.

The Highs And Lows Of The Tag Division

With the finals in the tournament to find new #1 contenders for the tag titles postponed, that gives me extra time to talk about who I think should win. Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara vs. Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow. Since the current Tag Team Champions are being booked as faces at the moment, it would make sense for the heel team to face them. That would be Rhodes and Sandow.

How about a triple threat? Have both teams challenge Kane and Daniel Bryan. Can you really imagine Rey Mysterio being left off the card? Assume that his illness is not a factor at all. The WWE would definitely like to use him. At the same time, having just Mysterio and Sin Cara face Kane and Daniel Bryan may be awkward. Both teams would be faces. Besides, Rhodes Scholars would have their momentum killed if they just lose like that. What happens after? Do they still stay a team? Interfere in the tag title match? Even if Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio don't win the tournament, I can have an easier time believing they will still team together through the fact that they have this angle where Rey is Sin Cara's mentor. There are a lot of possibilities there. Even if Sin Cara goes back to getting solo feuds, they can still have Mysterio get involved very easily. Getting back to the topic, I still feel both teams should get the title shot. Both have momentum and are made up of guys the WWE cares about pushing. It would be tough to pick one over the other, potentially leaving the other out in the cold. If I had to choose just one team to win this, let it be the heels. Not only would it make sense, but the face team can still survive.

The tag division focus has mainly been on upper-midcarders and midcarders currently. However, there are some lower-midcarders who have been getting more time because of recent events in the tag division. That is always a good thing.

Zack Ryder got over on his own a year ago. Trying to get him a legitimate push must have been like getting a tooth yanked out of your mouth for the WWE. They obviously did not want to do it. When they finally gave him a midcard title, the reign was crap. Beyond that, they used Ryder to put over Cena's character. Once he did that, they phased him back down. Now, he is teaming with Santino Marella. It may not be too much, but at least I see him getting featured more. They have a gimmick going. It is better than being completely lost in the shuffle.

Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre, and Jinder Mahal. Jinder Mahal? Really? I never thought I would live to see the day. Before this boy band was created, none of these guys were being pushed too well. Heath Slater had an angle going where he was jobbing to legends for months, then continued to be used as a jobber after that. Jinder Mahal was last relevant when the WWE used him to put over Ryback in a minor feud. Drew McIntyre has been even less relevant than that. Combined and given this gimmick, these three are actually being used well. I know what you are thinking, these guys have a stable going, not a real tag team. True, but is it hard to imagine that they will be involved in tag matters? I consider them a part of the recent interest being put in the tag division. Good for them. Yes, even Jinder Mahal.

A Playground Or A Revival?

A tag-team tournament. Very nice idea. It is putting even more emphasis in the tag division. However, who is really going to benefit in the end?

You have a lot of random teams consisting of guys who became established through singles careers. By pairing them together and putting them in the tag division, that may needlessly take attention away from the more legitimate teams that have not been established properly at all. That has been my main problem with recent developments in the tag division. I have said it numerous times, but I still have to repeat myself in hopes of making it clear or clearer. The Prime Time Players still have some attention on them. They even beat down Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara a while ago. However, are they developing that heel team to be stars or put over stars? There are a ton of instances of what I am referring to. Just look at the history of the diva division. Let me pick out one example. Jazz would sometimes look dominant against Trish Stratus in some segments. Some might have thought the WWE was going in a whole new direction. But who ended up still being developed to be the greatest centerpiece the diva division has ever had? And who rejoined the ranks of credible jobbers? I would love to see the WWE follow through and give the Prime Time Players the title shot, and eventually the titles. Are the non-established tag teams going to be given proper opportunities in a division that now includes a lot of top stars? That is what will separate this division from being either a true revival or a playground for midcarders and upper-midcarders.

If you actually look at what else was going on last night on Raw, paying attention to the midcarders, there is really nothing else going on for the singles wrestlers. You had a lot of filler matches. There are no interesting storylines going on for the solo guys. I see Heath Slater getting his own stable, but that isn't a solo thing now. No interesting midcard title feuds are developing. The bulk of the midcard attention is on the tag division. Because of all that focus on it, I find it harder to believe a lower-midcard team will win the tournament. Looking at how much main-event attention Kane and Daniel Bryan are still getting, I cannot picture a lower-midcard team winning it. As of now, Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara or Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow look likely to win.

The Miz Vs. Rey Mysterio Vs. Sin Cara Vs. Cody Rhodes

This is the kind of multi-man midcard title feud I like. It kind of reminds me of what you would see a decade ago. It isn't four guys randomly getting into a feud for the title. Cody Rhodes and Sin Cara have been feuding for a while over Sin Cara's mask. Rey Mysterio also wears a mask, so that brings him into the picture. Rey Mysterio was also given a somewhat random shot at Miz's Intercontinental Championship at Summerslam. Bring Miz into the mix. Put it all together, you have a title match for Night of Champions. Could it have been developed a little better? Yes, but this is still better build for a midcard title match than I would have expected. If you look over at what is going on with the United States title, you would see no real build at all. They will find a contender and give that guy a shot. Simple. But who should win the Intercontinental title?

Rey Mysterio has held this title before. If they really can't think of anything else for him to do, they might put it on him, but I don't think they should. He doesn't need it. If the World's Heavyweight Championship was on a heel, Rey would definitely be a contender for that. But it would be annoying to put it on Rey when you realize that the current IC Champion and previous holder of the title were both former World Champions, as well. How about giving a midcard title to a true midcarder?

I have to admit, Cody Rhodes looked good holding the title on Raw. I'm not a big fan of the guy, but the belt seems to just fit him. It could be because he held it for so long. He has two reigns with it already. Does he need a third so soon? That would mean the title goes from a heel to another heel. It is not unthinkable for it to happen, but I don't see why it should.

If the title is going to change hands, I think it should go to Sin Cara. This is a guy they should want to build into a star. Rey Mysterio will not be around for decades and decades to come. Sin Cara is the guy to build to follow him. It is time to get to work on his title resume. He has never held a title in the WWE. If he does win the title, that would give his feud with Cody Rhodes more merit. I could also see them putting the title on Rhodes first, still continuing the feud between the two, and leading up to a "Title vs. Mask" match. However it goes, the title should go to Sin Cara to build him up properly.

Miz just won the title a few weeks ago. He is the incumbent. If they cannot come up with a reason to put the title on someone else, no reason to take it off of Miz. There are still other midcard faces for him to feud with. Seeing as how easily Miz got lost in the shuffle earlier in the year, you might worry about what will become of him without the title.

Out of the four men in this match, I would say either Miz or Sin Cara should win. Cody Rhodes regaining it to continue the feud with Sin Cara would also make sense. I don't see Rey Mysterio winning it. No good reason for it. If I really had to choose one, I would say Miz retains.

Chavo's 15 Nanoseconds Of Fame

I want to talk about Chavo Guerrero's recent feud with Sin Cara. Not because I found the feud very interesting, Sin Cara's issues in adapting very interesting, or really care too strongly about either of the two guys involved. I'm being honest. I want to relate it back to the things I am always saying about the diva division.

Chavo Guerrero recently had a push against the new Mexican phenom of the WWE, Sin Cara. I know, some people may call me crazy for calling what they did with Chavo a push. Going from 0 to 5 in 60 seconds may not be as impressive as going from 0 to 100 in the same amount of time, but at least you are still going somewhere. Even if you get sent back to 0 right after the 60 seconds, at least you still went somewhere. That cannot be denied. And that is what happened with Chavo.

Chavo was doing pretty much absolutely nothing prior to the small build and matches with Sin Cara. After he served his purpose, he is back to doing clearly nothing at all. What was his purpose? Why the push? I think that this is a very clear example in the men's division of a talent being used primarily to put over someone else. The WWE wasn't pushing Chavo against Sin Cara so Chavo could be the one getting as over as possible. That was not their aim. For months now, since he came on board, you could see and read the reports of Sin Cara not clicking with a lot of workers in the ring. Why not pair him with a WWE veteran who is more used to the style Sin Cara brings? Chavo could help him adapt a little better than someone like Kane might right now. They could have feuded Sin Cara with anyone on Smackdown for his first PPV match, but they did choose Chavo for a reason. Sin Cara has now moved on to aligning with Daniel Bryan against Rhodes and DiBiase. Those two reuniting is another issue I should talk about one day, but what about Chavo? Nothing. Even if the matches were 100% spotless and Chavo got monster over somehow from the feud, it would have still been likely that he would get this depush. He was only being pushed to serve the purpose of putting someone over. You can say he put Sin Cara over in two ways. Not only did he provide a victory for Sin Cara over a credible WWE wrestler, he also must have tried breaking in Sin Cara a little to the WWE's own style.

For months now, I have been saying that the majority of diva feuds, especially those involving a diva centerpiece and a title, revolve around a woman hired with prior wrestling ability being used to put over a woman hired for her looks whom the WWE wishes to build as awesome. Once the real wrestler (credible jobber) serves her purpose, she gets depushed. The eye-candy diva they wish to make into a star (centerpiece), on the other hand, continues to get hyped properly and get more feuds and storylines. This should be sounding at least a little like what I just pointed out about Chavo and Sin Cara. One major difference, it happens a lot more with the women than it does with the men. Of course, the WWE is not as mediocre in building the feuds for the women as they were with Chavo. The title is frequently involved. How else can the centerpiece get that title count up? Helps them to look awesome. And how would it look if Trish is losing her title cleanly to an Ashley, instead of a developed threat and credible jobber as a Mickie James? One of the things that I always point out about the men used like this is that there is always something else they can potentially do after they put someone over. In the case of Chavo, and much like the average diva feud, the WWE doesn't care about doing anything to keep the credible jobber as over as possible. I mentioned Cody Rhodes before. A few months ago, this guy feuded with Rey Mysterio. This guy beat Rey Mysterio, and at Wrestlemania. After they built him up as such a heel, they had Rey go over him. Rey Mysterio is still being pushed well over on Raw. What has Cody been doing lately? Better than Chavo. He at least has a tag feud going on. He has the opportunity, moreover, to still push his character. That will help him stay over and possibly get more over. Not so for Chavo right now. And that is what it is like for most of the women with real wrestling ability at the time of signing with the WWE. They get built up to put over someone else, do the job, then face a depush that. No diva pushed in this manner has ever been able to break through the cycle and achieve solid overness. And it is overness, that connection with the fans, that pro wrestling is supposed to be about, not the titles and wins and streaks and storylines that writers and bookers decide. Those are just means to an end. Did I say no diva has ever broken through this cycle and became a legitimate success instead of a pawn for the WWE's own desires? There was that one diva...think she's over in one of them other promotions now...I need not mention her name.

It surprises me how I have honestly never come across any other wrestling fans who have connected the dots about what the diva division is really about. Every week, I see people asking why Melina or Beth Phoenix are not being pushed. I see people acting like AJ has a chance to actually be treated better than the likes of those women I just mentioned. They believe every dirtsheet explanation for a diva depush, mistreatment, or release. I think a lot of wrestling fans can see the purpose of Chavo's push. Many might have predicted that he would get his depush even before the feud even ended. I do not think it is too hard to connect things back into the diva division like I tried to do here. I was also planning on writing a similar entry/rant for what just happened with Miz's big push. I may not now. But this is what I am going to be doing whenever I get the chance. I am going to analyze what the WWE is trying to do with their pushes with the men and tie it back to the diva division. I am going to keep doing it until I see someone finally getting it. It is going to get boring and repetitive. Yes, even more so than the lovechild of NXT and John Cena. Any regular readers I may have, that is what you're in for.