Every week, former WWE creative writer Kevin Eck will run down his burning thoughts from "RAW," "SmackDown Live" and the rest of the pro wrestling world.
‘RAW’ thoughts
Am I the only one who …
… thinks it’s too soon for Ronda Rousey to be in a title match?
Judging by the comments I’ve seen on social media, apparently I’m not the only one. From a storytelling standpoint, going to Rousey versus "RAW" Women’s Champion Nia Jax at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view next month is extremely rushed.
It appeared that Rousey’s first singles program was going to be with Mickie James, likely to be followed by one with Natalya. As I wrote a few weeks ago, putting Rousey in the ring with the two talented veterans, if that indeed was the plan, was a smart decision. No disrespect to Jax, but she is not exactly a ring general.
Rousey exceeded expectations in the mixed tag match at WrestleMania, but a singles contest obviously will be more challenging. Hopefully, the producers will be able to lay out a match that doesn’t expose Rousey’s inexperience and Jax’s limitations.
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… wonders why “RAW” general manager Kurt Angle is still being booked to kowtow to Stephanie McMahon?
If the “RAW” GM was a heel such as Vickie Guerrero, or even a non-wrestling babyface such as Teddy Long, I could see them being so fearful of losing their job that they swallow their pride, but this isn’t what fans want to see from Angle. The notion that Angle needs the job so badly that he’s willing to compromise his integrity just doesn’t ring true, but that’s how Vince McMahon perceives underlings in real life, so I guess it shouldn’t be that surprising.
On a side note, I still don’t understand why Stephanie didn’t fire Angle after he booked himself and Ronda Rousey against her and Triple H at WrestleMania. For that matter, I don’t know why Stephanie didn’t just overrule Angle and say that the match wasn’t going to happen.
… wondered who Kurt Angle had selected to replace Jinder Mahal in the main event before Stephanie McMahon overruled him and put Kevin Owens in the match?
The list of candidates isn’t all that impressive: Goldust, Mojo Rawley, Zack Ryder, Titus O’Neil, Apollo Crews, etc. Instead of putting an undeserving competitor in the match, it would’ve made more sense if Angle had said that the scheduled triple threat would now be a straight-up match between Bobby Lashley and Elias, and then Stephanie added Owens to the match.
… rolled my eyes when Corey Graves said Roman Reigns was getting a “typical United Kingdom reception” from the crowd?
The fans were booing him out of the building, so a more appropriate description would’ve been “a typical reception for Reigns.” It was just like two weeks ago when “RAW” was in Montreal and Graves said Reigns was getting booed because they were in “Bizarro World.”
For the good of the game, can Vince McMahon just acknowledge that a significant portion of the fanbase hates Reigns and turn him heel already?
… found The “B” Team of Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas to be somewhat entertaining?
They’re heels now but it wouldn’t surprise me if these two got over as lovable underdogs. It actually wouldn’t be the first time Axel has been one half of an entertaining tag team. I used to get a kick out of him and Damien Sandow channeling Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. And who could ever forget the charismatic combination of Axel (then known as Michael McGillicutty) and David Otunga, who were tag-team champions in 2011? OK, one out of two isn’t bad.
… thought Booker T was a lot better than usual on commentary?
I wouldn’t go so far as to say Booker was good, but his commentary wasn’t a negative like it has been in the past. He seemed to be more analytical and less clownish this time. If we could get this Booker every week, I’d rather listen to him that Jonathan Coachman, who adds nothing to the broadcast.
… was hoping that Mickie James was going to win the women’s Money in the Bank qualifying match over Alexa Bliss and Bayley?
It would’ve been a nice gesture to throw the underappreciated James a bone. By the way, am I the only one who is tired of Bliss being the focal point of the women’s division on “RAW?”
… is hoping that Alexa Bliss and Sami Zayn crossing paths on the entrance ramp leads to something?
Where have all the relationship storylines in WWE gone? I’ve always been a sucker for sports entertainment weddings.
‘SmackDown Live’ thoughts
Am I the only one who …
… thinks Big E should be the New Day member to participate in the men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match?
Kofi Kingston has already been in six MITB Ladder Matches, so having him in the match wouldn’t be anything special. Xavier Woods is a fine performer, but I don’t think anyone would believe that he could win the match. Big E, on the other hand, is definitely ready for a push as a singles wrestler.
New Day is known for comedy, but Big E has shown that he can get serious on the microphone when the situation calls for it. He also has the physical presence and in-ring skills to be a viable world title contender.
… thought the Daniel Bryan-Big Cass segment went a long way in rehabilitating Bryan after his clean loss to Rusev last week?
Bryan cut a strong promo in which he made it clear that his goal is to become WWE Champion again, and then he showed a lot of fire as he physically destroyed Cass. By the time the segment was over, Bryan’s loss to Rusev loss was forgotten.
As I wrote last week, I get that Bryan is an underdog who has to scratch and claw his way to the top, but losing clean to Rusev, who doesn’t exactly has the greatest win-loss record, shouldn’t have happened.
… thought the match between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura was their best one in WWE thus far?
I especially liked the finish, in which Nakamura feigned that Styles had low-blowed him, which distracted Styles and allowed Nakamura to beat him. It was a nice twist on all the low blows that have occurred in previous matches between these two and it made Nakamura look like a cunning heel.
… is worried that Asuka is going to do the honors for Carmella?
That would be the biggest travesty of justice since, well, since Charlotte Flair did the honors for Carmella.
… thought the writing for the backstage interview segment with AJ Styles and Renee Young was embarrassingly bad?
I felt sorry for Styles and Young having to work with such bad material. That said, even when Styles has decent material, his promos are passable at best.
… finds it silly that a double DDT doesn’t even result in a believable near fall?
When Big E kicked out well before the count of three after taking the move from Sheamus and Cesaro, the crowd didn’t seem surprised and it wasn’t played up by the announcers as a big deal. At one time, the DDT was considered the most devastating finishing move in wrestling. I get that times have changed and the DDT is no longer viewed that way, but a double DDT — especially one executed by guys the size of Sheamus and Cesaro — should be enough to keep just about anyone down for a 3-count.
Miscellaneous thought
Am I the only one who …
… thinks the John Cena-Nikki Bella breakup is a work?
Just six days before the Season 3 premiere of “Total Bellas” on May 20, Cena appeared on the “Today” show to declare that he wants former fiancee Nikki back. Two days later, Nikki and Brie Bella were on “Today” to talk about the breakup and “Total Bellas,” which, oh by the way, will chronicle the breakup.
For those who are heartbroken about Cena and Nikki, fear not. They will work it out and get married with the cameras rolling for “Total Bellas.” That’s not a prediction, that’s a spoiler.