loved hated WM 2015

Spudguns! Time for my ppv commentary...

Pre-show: I always hate more then I love lately. The last few times, I've found myself at the last few minutes still undecided if I'm getting the ppvs.
Anyways, so I went to the website at 5pm for the preshow, which at two hours was going to be a drag, only to find out that if you do not have the network, you don't get the second hour. What the hell?
So no Tag Team Fatal Fourway or the Andre the Giant Battle Royal for those of us who got the ppv on tv and refuse to sign up for the network and pay $12 Canadian a month for one or two shows we want to see.  So the first hour those of us without the network got, was just recapping everything.
Preshow hated it!   And I do have to say yes, all us straight women really do hate each other. That's the only interesting thing that I heard on that pre-show first hour.

I've been a fan of wrestling since I was 5 years old. There was a few years in my twenties (1994-1998) when I didn't watch wrestling. Mostly, because I was just not watching much tv. And on the rare occasions when I did flip on the tv and watch wrestling, it was the Canadian independent shows being carried on CBC. Those were good. I miss that kind of wrestling programs. 
What I would love to see on an episode of Smackdown or Raw, is a stripped down show.  One of the best shows WWE did was few years ago when half the company were unable to get to the show because of being stuck at an airport. There was no music, no pyro, you saw a few matches that would never have otherwise happened just because that's who was in the building.  I don't know man, maybe I'm just showing my age but, I actually remember a time when "surprise run ins" were just that. No video intro or music or pyro announcing who was going to run in and give a beat down or help against one. They would literally just run in. Shocking the audience.   On a night like this, I just couldn't help but wonder...Is it just me, or is it time to get back to basics? 
 
Match #1- Ladder match for the Intercontinental title.  Daniel Bryan vs Wade Barrett vs Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler vs Luke Harper vs R-Truth vs Star Dust. 
Ambrose was power bombed out of the ring into a folded ladder splitting the back of his skull open, within the first 10 minutes, leaving the match open for Ziggler and Bryan.  Bryan won.  
Well, that was sucky. Totally disappointing, as this was the only match I got the ppv for and it was over in under 20minutes.

Match #2- Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins.   Rollins had a nasty landing after having a crazy clothesline from Orton. Rollins then suicide dive on Orton sending them both flying into the announce booth.
Rollins saved the ppv in my mind; my second favourite werewolf.  The moonsault that caused him to fly backward into the booth was psycho amazing.  You would think by now, with all the high moves guys are doing lately, they would give a bit more space between the ring and the announce booth/ringside   Orton got the win.

I'm going to give a suggestion and lets see if it will come true.  Seth Rollins is going to star in the next Crow movie. after seeing that corkscrew and the running step thing he did on Orton's neck. Freal me!  Wouldn't that totally rock though? Seth Rollins as the Crow, I'd pay to see that more then once.

Match #3- There was some strange drum solo for Sting, really pointless.  Sting vs Triple H. Bathroom break.
Come out of the toilet to see the match still hasn't started, and Triple H is dressed like a cartoon character...okay then.  I've made it no secret that I'm NOT a fan of either men, but being that I was a massive WCW/TNA girl, I was hoping for Sting.
What the hell is with all the old goats? Bloody hell...yeah I hate everyone.  Triple H won.  crap!

Okay, so really feeling my age, some band I've never heard of played. And freal, I'm so damn sick of this theme song already. Hope I never have to hear it again. Which, to be honest every ppv theme makes me want to vomit after the second time I am forced to hear it repeatedly on every commercial for the ppvs.

Match #4- women's match. Coffee break.

Match#5-Cena vs Rusev for the United States title.  Cena won. Shocker for ya.

Rock came out to blah blah blah, must have a new movie to promote.

Match #6-Bray Wyatt vs Undertaker.
Zombie Scarecrow Hillbillies. A bunch of hillbilly scarecrows that he anointed that became zombies, followed him to the ring. Wyatt I mean. Zombie Scarecrow Hillbillies...zombie scarecrow hillbillies...
Undertaker won.  boo! You know Bray, maybe if you didn't play with the zombie scarecrow hillbillies you would have had time to think of a better attack...

Main Event- Roman Reigns vs Brock for the heavyweight title.  My werewolf better win damn it! Reigns was hurting, yet he was laughing...did he get his brains rattled so badly he was delirious?  At one point Reigns got suplexed right out of the ring. I stopped counting after the fourth suplex, but he took way too many.  Reigns managed to get it turned around for a moment, but Brock got the upper hand again.
Then Seth Rollins tried to cash in his case. Seth Rollins pinned Roman Reigns, and got the title. NICE! Lest one of my werewolves won!

So that's my thoughts on this month's ppv. I remember a time when WrestleMania meant something because it was the only ppv for the year. moving on...
I am still waiting for the Shield to get back together. I won't be happy with anything WWE does till that happens.  
I can't be the only one who feels that the pay-per-views have lost their groove?

Love Ardeth Blood

March 11th 2015

As we head into the big yearly ppv known as Wrestlemaina, I have thoughts.
I know this is a bit early in the month, given we still have two weeks and who knows what matches will be listed, I'll probably come back in before the ppv and give a full "pre-thoughts" but, at the moment I want to talk about the ladder match.

The big ladder match for the Intercontinental Title, which as of this posting, contains Wade Barrett, Dean Ambrose, Star Dust, Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth, and Luke Harper.

I have to keep asking myself, why I shell out $50 -$60 bucks every month for what is usually only one match I actually care about? The short answer is "sir I have an addiction". 

I love the fact the Intercontinental belt is being spotlighted. I don't think it really has in a few years, and this is a fabulous way of doing so. I love that some of the guys added to the mix are a few you wouldn't expect to see given the current storylines. R-Truth has brought a sense of comedy to the otherwise dry-rub storyline that could have made it pointless. The play on words with R-Truth having the sack for "potatoes" after the past week and a half of Cole calling the plot a "game of hot potato" was brilliant.
The fact Luke Harper has done his role in perfect silence, adds a touch of urgency to the idea that this title does play a major role in the ladder - no pun intended- to getting to the heavyweight belt.
And of course, Dean Ambrose kicking it all off with his demanding that the history and respect of the title be brought up to begin with, shows that this title does MEAN something to the business; and is not just a filler spot.

So who do I think will come out ahead on this and who do I want to come out the winner?  These are two separate plotlines.
I think  it's going to end up around the waist of Dolph Ziggler. The second he was added to the chess board, my mind was locked in. It makes sense given he's been heavyweight champion before and this would elevate him to the running of number one contender after Seth Rollins cashes in. A Rollins-Ziggler feud makes so much sense for the coming year.
This would also open up a great chance to have Dean Ambrose and Luke Harper butt heads in a feud for a few months. Or Ambrose vs Star Dust.

What I want to see is Dean Ambrose come away the winner. I think if they put the Intercontinental title around that werewolf's waist, it's going to stay there for awhile. Have him beat his own title record and hold it for even two days longer then he held the U.S. title last year.  That would be a storyline, could Ambrose out Ambrose himself?  Think of all the ways that creative could throw at him to keep the title and beat his own record? The feuds he could be allowed to have with some of the mid-card guys who we rarely see, or even a title vs title match against whomever has the heavyweight belt by fall. Bring more of a pure wrestling history lesson to his storyline with each match he defends the title.

Okay my Spudguns! That's my thoughts right now on the IC Title, and I'll be back in time for the ppv.
Love Ardeth Blood

What I loved/hated Fastlane 2015

Spudguns!  Can you believe it's ppv night again...already...so soon?  Yes? No? Sure cause you just watched it too? Righty-ho then, this is what I have to say about it all.

Pre-show: Are they that desperate for a storyline for Seth Rollins that they are doing the talk show...really?
Stop giving Ryback a microphone...bored now.

Liked the toque Dean Ambrose wore in his promo... liked the serious note on the topic of the championship too...

I would still like to see the pre-show hosted just by Paul Heyman and Corey Graves, when you give me that then I'll start to be a bit happier with the wasted half hour. They took way too god-damned long getting to the Paul Heyman segment. Pre-shows should be either filled with matches or totally hosted by Heyman.
That a bruise on Miz's ear or just a really heavy amount of tanner?
I feel this pre-show was once again mishandled. A full hour and 50 minutes of recap when there could have been at lest a half hour match. 

Match #1-Dolph Ziggler/Erick Rowan/Ryback vs Big Show/Kane/Seth Rollins.  When will we get to see Seth Rollins in singles matches? Like serious no one else hanging around ringside singles matches? If they are setting up to have him take the heavyweight title within the year, he's got to show that he can survive without a group gimmick. The crowd stated to chant for Ziggler while Rowan was in the ring. I will always continued to be amazed by how different every city's crowds are with who they cheer for.
Rollins had an amazing neck-breaker on Rowan from the top turnbuckle. Sitting here right now, I'm saying I would love to see Seth Rollins one on one with Tyson Kidd in a 2 out of 3 falls match. I think that would be the kind of match to have people remembering how great matches used to be. Just them, everyone else banned from ringside.
Kane got the pin giving their team the win.
Randy Orton made his big return after the match to save Ziggler  from their five minute beat down. This is the next storyline for Rollins...I'll buy that for a Toonie. 

Match #2- Gold Dust vs Star Dust in a family feud match.  Gold Dust got the win with a roll up.

Match #3- Usos vs Kidd/Cesaro for the Tag Team Titles. The Usos used a wicked move that was half Samoan drop into the gates.  
Kidd got the pin getting the tag titles. 

Triple H vs Sting...so this wasn't a match as much as a waste of my time. I have admitted before, that the "attitude era" was a snore for me. I didn't care when it was happening, and I care even less to hear about it now.  And Sting pointed to the WM sign...great ruin that for me already... well, at lest that match will be more interesting than dragging the Undertaker out of the dirt again...

Match #4- women's match...I didn't watch, took a bathroom break.

Match #5-Dean Ambrose vs Wade Barrett for the Intercontinental  title. As I predicted earlier in the week on the last post, someone wore black- actually they both did, elbow drops happened, and...the ref threw the match DQing Ambrose. That blows. I didn't predict that.
And Dean Ambrose took the title with him anyways...interesting. Sadly, the rest of my predictions didn't happen, there was no blood, no chairs/tables/barbed wire, Ambrose did not cut a fabulous promo or shove a plate of fish and chips into Barrett's face. Damn! Next week maybe... Bit disappointed on the shortness of this match, it rang in just under the 15 from intros to end, but it looks like the big move for WM.
If they go with a decent length match next time, say 30 minutes or longer, and hopefully making it a "throw back classic style" to drive the point Ambrose has been trying to make about the history of the title; this could be main event-ish.

Then Bray Wyatt pulled one over on the crowd. Cool. But seriously, can't we find someone else for Wyatt to battle next? Someone fun? Interesting even?

Match#6-  Cena vs Rusev for the United States title.  I didn't really pay attention to this one either. I made a coffee and checked emails.
Rusev got the win by submission. Keeping the title. Huh, didn't bet on that one.

Main Event-Daniel Bryan vs Roman Reigns for the #1 Contenders spot at WM.  Bryan was going for his surfboard on Reigns, but Reigns tossed him off...looked impressive. Reigns pulled out a few new moves, maybe he read my post from last week?  Reigns got the win on his spear!

This ppv was a bit of a let down. The Seth Rollins match was too much like everything we've seen him do lately on Smackdown and Raw, The Dean Ambrose match was too short, and The Roman Reigns match was about the only one that was thought out and made sense for the storylines.

Till later
Love Ardeth Blood

Fastlane 2015 pre-thoughts?

"Oh NOW they post some matches! After I've blogged!"   I was editing a tarot video for a project and half of it was me jumping up and down to adjust the camera, took the still dropped it in here cause I didn't know what else to do with it...well it is my good side...

Okay so yesterday I was ready to have this chat but there was nothing to chat about, now we have a couple of title matches... Usos vs Kidd/Cesaro, Rusev vs Cena, Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan, Dean Ambrose vs Wade Barrett.

Usos vs Kidd/Cesaro for the Tag Team Titles... what do I think?  Usos have this wrapped up. Easily the Usos win. Unless, Miz sends Sandow out to arse jack someone...just saying.

Cena vs Rusev for the U.S. Title. Has Cena had this title before or will this be his first time holding it?

Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan for the #1 contenders spot at WM...huh. Fans last year were upset that Reigns didn't win the Rumble, and this year they were upset he did. I don't get that? Does that make sense to you my lovely Spudguns!  Well bloody hell, what does it matter when we all know that Seth Rollins is going to cash his case in last second on whomever...Reigns. I think Roman Reigns is going to be standing tall at Fastlane, and then either get smashed with a curbstomp or just maybe I'll finally get my wish and the Shield will start to regroup...I still believe...

Dean Ambrose vs Wade Barrett for the Intercontinental Title. What do I think on that...there will be blood from one of them, and there will be elbow drops, there will most likely be a chair or table or barbed wire. Someone will wear black and Ambrose will cut a fabulous promo before hitting Barrett with a plate of fish and chips. I'm giving this a title change and saying Ambrose gets the win.

See ya after the ppv...
love Ardeth Blood

Feb 16th 2015

This was suppose to be the Pre-Thoughts for Fastlane PPV post.  But...with only like 2 matches listed right now, there wasn't a reason to do that.

So instead, I thought I would get something off my boobs...er chest.  Ready to yell at me...great spiffy....

Why is it, when a superstar finds a great move, be it a set up move for their finisher or the finisher itself, they stop trying?  It just seems to me, that a lot of the guys these days find one or two cool things to do and that's it. They stop bothering to reinvent their style...or maybe I should say broaden their language in the ring. And you can take that metaphorically or literally, cause some of the guys get one catch phrase and never really build on that either.

And I'm going to pick on Dean Ambrose right now, because he's one of my favourites.  The running across the two announce booths, which rocked the roof off the crowd the first two times like a year ago, is old now. The second shelf hammock that springboards you into a clothesline, also on the stale side now.  I get that "trademark moves" are just that, but when they are used every single match they loose their shinny.
Bray Wyatt also one of my favourites right now, the exorcist crawl is also dead in the water. I want to see something else. Something faster, something more thought provoking. Pick a different horror film if need be.

I don't know about anyone else, but when you watch your favourites every week, you notice all the gimmicks, all the twitches, all the new and all the old. I'm not seeing a whole lot of "new" from anybody.
While I'm here unloading my thoughts on this snow covered afternoon while my coffee rapidly gets cold, and slightly speaking of mic work; when was the last time we saw...er heard Dean Ambrose take over the announce booth? It's been over a year hasn't it since he stole some headphones from the announce team?
His semi-mini feud with Barrett needs something. A bag of tacks maybe? A staple gun?  A 2 out of 3 falls? A great open mic night on Smackdown? Something.  And am I the only one who when they hear Barrett's catch phrase lately thinks of Comic Strip Presents More Bad News?  I can't be the only one who right away expects to see Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer and Peter Richardson appear in full on waterfall wigs and leather pants...

Till later
Love Ardeth Blood

Rumble Loved Hated 2015

Spudguns! Got your coffee? Right on... let's get to making weird and pointless comments about our favourite wrestlers shall we.

The pre-show: Loved the Corey Graves factor, hated that Paul Heyman wasn't there! Would have been a million times better if it were just Graves/Heyman doing the pre-show commentary.
So Canada, we finally got the Network online. What do I have to say about it? Well, we'll have to see...at this point, you could only get the Network in Canada through selected cable companies, and my city wasn't one of them. And I've been very vocal on that. But tonight, as usual, I'm catching the ppv on tv, cause I'm just not sure the Network has anything to grab me other then the ppvs...
There was too much chit-chatter-chat on the pre-show for me. They could have easily used that first twenty minutes for a match instead of having all the talking.  That's been my biggest hate about the pre-show for the last year or so. Not fitting in as many matches as possible.
We finally got around to the pre-show match  The New Day vs Rose/Cesaro/Kidd.  I really don't care for the threesome of New Day. I loved Woods back few years ago when he was in the other company under the other name, but I'm just not caring for the gimmicks/characters his been given here.  Kidd got the pin.

Since I'm in here, I think they pulled out the storyline of the Authority returning too soon. It should have been held on ice till Wrestlemaina. I would have written it so that they arrived back during the mania ppv, and just pull the rug out from under whomever the big winner tonight is in the battle royal. Obviously, creative thinks differently then I do.

Match #1- Outlaws vs Ascension  I'm all about the Ascension. Connor got the pin, giving Ascension their first major note. Wicked...

Match #2- Tag Team titles match Miz/Sandow vs Usos.  Usos got the pin, keeping hold tight of their titles. And here we have the first real stitches in the voodoo doll as Sandow wasn't there to save Miz.

Going to go backward a moment here, and mention the opening credits for the ppv...all the close ups of the wrestlers declaring they were the one to win...yeah Ambrose's hair; anyone else just want to scream at him to get a haircut or at the very lest slick it back like he used to in Shield? Can't be the only one who thinks it's just a little too curly to be that middle length. I mean, he's looking more and more like Chris Sabin every time he's on tv...hail sabin! Dean Ambrose's hair is like a demonic creature all it's own there...
Speaking of demonic hairdos, why doesn't Bray Wyatt just walk out to a King Diamond cd? Like say "Abigail"? I'm sure he's run through about five copies by now...what? I'm not the only old metal head who remembers that cd reading this. The whole rocking chair thing in all the creepy videos...

Match#3- women's match, didn't watch wrote the above hair thing.

Having all the wrestlers pitch their place made sense but still felt like a time suck.

Match#4-Cena vs Brock vs Seth Rollins for the heavyweight title. My money is solidly on Rollins. Brock got the pin on Rollins. Damn it! So he's still the champion. Damn it!  The jump Rollins had during his one massive flying elbow bit earlier in the match, was stunning. Just breathtaking to watch. I've said it before, there isn't anyone else in the company who can pull off the moves Seth Rollins does and make them look so effortless. Rollins looked pretty done in at the end of this one, dizzy vomit worthy and shaky.

Main Event- "*" equals "surprise entry"

 #1-Miz (1st tossed by Bully Ray)
 #2- RTruth (2nd tossed by Bully Ray)
* #3-Bully Ray aka back as Bubba Ray Duddley (3rd tossed by Wyatt?)
#4- Luke Harper (4th tossed by Wyatt)
#5-Bray Wyatt (24th tossed by Kane/Show)
#6-Curtis Axel but didn't really make it to the ring because his spot was hijacked by Erick Rowan
*#7- Boogieman (5th tossed by Wyatt)
#8-Sin Cara (6th tossed by Wyatt)
#9- Zack Ryder (7th tossed by Wyatt)
 #10- Daniel Bryan (11th tossed by Wyatt)
#11- Fandango (9th tossed by Rusev)
#12-Tyson Kidd (8th tossed by Bryan)
#13-Star Dust (15th to be tossed by Reigns)
*#14-DDP (10th tossed by Rusev)
#15-Rusev (28th tossed by Reigns)
#16-Gold Dust (14th to be tossed by Reigns)
#17- Kofi Kingston (13th to be tossed by Rusev)
#18-Adam Rose (12th to be tossed by Rusev)
#19-Roman Reigns
#20-Big E(18th tossed by Rusev)
#21-Sandow (16th to be tossed by Rusev)
#22- Swagger (20th by Big Show)
#23-Ryback (19th by Kane)
#24-Kane (26th tossed by Reigns)
#25-Dean Ambrose (25th tossed by Kane/Show)
#26-Titus O'Neil (17th tossed by Reigns/Ambrose)
#27-Bad News Barrett (21st tossed by Ziggler)
#28-Cesaro (22nd by Ziggler)
#29-Big Show (27th by Reigns)
#30-Dolph Ziggler (23rd tossed by Kane/Show)


I did not see the elimination of Daniel Bryan coming, I thought he was set to win this. The crowd chanted for Bryan for pretty much the rest of the match.  And this is the part where I point out Rowan wasn't an official ticket and Axel never made it in, so that spot was technically still available.
But that didn't happen, instead the Rock showed up and helped give a distraction for Reigns to win. I'm surprised the crowd booed Roman Reigns, and chanted for Rusev. That's like backwards land or something.
I think I got everyone straight on their tossed out order and by whom. If I missed someone or got the order wrong, forgive my lacking.

Okay, that's my thoughts tonight.
Till next time
Love Ardeth Blood

Pre-thoughts Rumble 2015

It's a Monday morning, tonight's Raw is yet to air, and the website has three matches listed at this point for the ppv this coming weekend.

That's enough, good, leave it there!

You have a three hour timeslot, and that sounds about right for this particular pay-per-view.

A) The tag team titles match between Usos and Miz/Sandow.  That could be given a decent 30-45 minutes.

B) The heavyweight title match with Cena vs Brock vs Seth Rollins. This should be a solid hour. No questions asked.

C) 30 man over the top battle royal. This should take us to the last two minutes of the scheduled time. Should be the star attraction.

So what do I think about all this?   The Usos will end up keeping their titles because Sandow is finally going to break away from Miz.

Rollins, Rollins, Rollins! They more then hinted last week on the show that if he doesn't win straight up, he's going to cash in. I say keep it! Keep it for Wrestlemaina. But I think Seth Rollins is going to win straight up, and totally steal the show. The dude is like a god or something, the amount of punishment he seems to be able to take and still pull off all those cruiser weight moves out of nowhere. I don't think there is anyone else in the company (can't say business right now because we know there's a whole generation of guys who trained with him back in the independents) who can pull off the stunts he can and make it look effortless.

The main event. It's going to come down to Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. I'd love to say Reigns, but now with Bryan locked in the match...I don't think any other surprise entries, or any of the already announced ones will be able to hold out.
I'm really really really hoping that Brad Maddox finds away to sneak in even for a few minutes...

And all this leads me to say, we've been given a glimpse at the start of what I hope happens before the end of 2015; the reforming of the Shield. No, I haven't given up on the idea, specially with Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns partnering up last few weeks....against Seth Rollins. The three of them in the ring together is pure chemistry. Thunder bolts and lighting chemistry.  So my big prediction for 2015 is that once some gold is around Rollins's waist, and possibly the tag titles on Ambrose/Reigns, we will see the triad return. Black clad crows of the apocalypse come to save the souls of the common viewers...don't mind me, I was researching Celtic/Irish mythology...carry on...
Creative sneaked a few bits into one of Rollins' first promos almost a year ago; after turning that just makes me think they originally were only going to have him Triple H's sidekick for a short while, exposing a cunning plan to get gold and reveal he'd never turned on Ambrose/Reigns at all. Creative needs to go over their notes and think about that storyline.

Okay I'll be back after the ppv...