pre-thoughts TLCS what?

So, we are a week away from the ppv Tables Ladders Chairs, and this year it's listed right now on the website as TLCS...what? No, I didn't misspell something for once, TLCS, tables ladders chairs stairs. Okay not feeling the desperation at all.  Anyways, as of right now (noon:30 EST Friday Dec 5th before Smackdown airs) here's the line up as listed on the WWE website...  Ambrose vs Wyatt, Rollins vs Cena, Kane vs Ryback, Miz/Sandow vs Usos, Show vs Rowan.

Big Show vs Erick Rowan...I get it. Rowan is having his babyface moment. I just hope that means he gets to upgrade to a new outfit cause the overalls made sense when he was suppose to be the third creepy guy of the Wyatts, but if he's getting the push it looks like he will, new outfit needed.  This is a no brainer, Rowan will win this by a landslide.

Miz/Sandow vs Usos...for the tag titles. I don't know if I personally think...no I do know full well that the added storyline of Miz getting the one Usos pissed off by talking to his wife was just not needed. Stay focused on the tag titles, and maybe the realization that Sandow is a better wrestler then Miz. I see in the magick mirror that Sandow will get the pin, and then get kicked by Miz who will storm out like a spoiled brat breaking up the team, leading to their feud over who really deserves to have the titles, each trying to find a new partner to help defend their half of the tag team titles...ran out of breath on that run on sentence.

Kane vs Ryback...another 30 second match that will leave nothing accomplished. Storyline was given a small set up few episodes ago, when Ryback made fun of Kane being sent out to the food court. Okay, understood, Kane needs a feud.  They seem to be pushing Ryback for whatever reason, which means he'll get the win over Kane.

Cena vs Rollins. As much as I hate to say it, this makes sense. Lots of sense. They are the faces of the company right now for very different reasons. Cena is well Cena. And Seth Rollins is one of the best things to happen to wrestling in a long while. And they have history, Cena has been on more then a few beat downs from Rollins in the last few years. This should be a good show, going from every corner of the gambit from mat work to old fashioned cruiser weight moves to the intended tables. I just can't see Seth Rollins loosing this. Even with the idea that Roman Reigns could be making a run in/five minute beat down on Rollins; I can't see this not being Rollins to win. In fact, there's your ppv plot twist, Reigns coming in and accidentally spearing Cena into a table or powerbombing Rollins causing a dq for Cena...then we could pick up on Raw the next night with Cena vs Reigns story starting...I'm putting a lot into the idea that Roman Reigns is returning next week at this TLC ppv.

Dean Ambrose vs Bray Wyatt...again. God I really hate x-mas, hate everything about it. But one thing I'd like to get for a gift would be some barbed wire in this match. That would be spiffy. And add something interesting to the plot.  Or you could do something out of left field and go the whole match not bringing in any tables, ladders or chairs till the last few seconds, you know go acoustic with just oh I don't know, old fashioned mat wrestling. What a surprise that would be, and I think worth it. Like the new Headstones album which is acoustic. At first you don't think it will sound right but after a few minutes you realize dude, it's hotter then grilled chillies.  As I said few weeks ago about this storyline, I desperately wanted it last March, but now, it's just been too long getting to it and the novelty has so worn off. The shinny all gone. This is how I would have broken up the Shield, I would have had Ambrose become obsessed with Wyatt last Feb-March when they had them feuding at the ppv, becoming more and more distant from Rollins and Reigns. But no, creative did what they did and now this is what we have. A feud that is trying to make itself have a plot but just seems to be missing something. It has no soul.  I see Wyatt getting the win on this. I still think he's going to be the doorway for the Ascension crossing over to the main roster. 

I was going to do this as a whole different post but since I'm in here...The Shield and The Wyatts were needed to shake things up and they did it beautifully. But now, we're left with two big gaps that really need filling.  Three man teams randomly brought in -New Day, I'm pointing the finger at you- isn't the answer. Rethinking the weekly episodes format is something that needs to be done. I still think 3 hours for Raw every week is overkill. The pay-per-views run just at the 3 hour mark, and Raw usually runs 3 hours and 15 minutes, (at lest that's how it airs here) which means, the ppvs don't even feel "special". They just feel like an episode of Raw.
I miss the cruiser weight division. Let's rebuild that. Let's put some tag teams together that actually work well and make sense. Drop some of the gimmicks and let the guys just wrestle. People wonder why I was strictly a TNA fan for years, it was because at the time it was more about the things the wrestlers could do in the ring, less about the glitter. WWE needs to drop the bunny, push Cesaro and bring some major focus back to just straight up mat work. 

Till later,
Love Ardeth Blood.

2014 Survivor Series Love Hated

Spudguns! it's your favourite fang-girl with the results to tonight's ppv all covered in coffee stains and cherry pie filling...er um just go with it...

Pre-show:First off...Alex Riley needs to lay off the tanning. Dude...hate.
Justin Gabriel vs Fandango...I like the skeleton bottoms and gloves Gabriel was wearing... Fandango got the pin.
Really, really, really sick of the whole stunt double crap. Get over it!
The return of Wade Barrett...love it! Good to see him back.  The idea he might be the new boss is a rocking good one.
I don't know about anyone else, but watching the preshow on the WWE website, it kept freezing up on me tonight. 
Cesaro came to the ring, to monolog, and Swagger then came out. Short match, but I'm glad they decided to put a second match in the pre-show. You've got the time, use it properly. Swagger got the win.

I'm really hoping that win or loose for Seth Rollins, he trims the beard. Hot hot guy, but the lumberjack/jesus christ look is starting to wear on my nerves.  

Match #1- Tag Team fatal four way.  Usos vs Dust Busters vs Miz/Sandow vs Los Matadores.
I liked the Papa Shango comment...good times with the vodun, try some red brick powder and holy water there Sandow or call a Grimm...loved the fact the crowd went nuts for Sandow. He was a favourite of mine for a long time, until he started dressing up in stupid costumes every week, then I sort of gave up on him...Sandow got the pin, winning the tag belts for him and Miz

Match #2-women's match...made coffee checked emails didn't watch

Match #3-Dean Ambrose vs Wyatt. I'm surprised this was as early in the night as it was. I was thinking this would have been just before the main event, given how big both stars are. Ambrose was biting at one point, but got smashed a few times right off his feet. That was followed up by both men giving running clotheslines outside the ring, barely making the 9 count back in. Ambrose's version of the exorcist was funny.  The announce booth were talking about them not being normal...theyy are both normal damn it! Normal to me... There were many many near falls for both men, and a good fifteen minutes before Wyatt used the stairs turning this into a bit of a hardcore scene.  But, it was Ambrose who used a chair and got himself dq, giving Wyatt the win.
Ambrose then dragged out all the tables, ladders and chairs from the arena, prelude to a rematch next month I'm guessing...I'm disappointed there was no barbed wire damn it!

Then Rollins came on camera and what do you know, the beard was trimmed. That's it, Rollins must be peeking at my script... chapter six scene fourteen.

Match #4-Adam Rose/Bunny vs Slater/Titus  and the Bunny got the pin...hunt the bunny, kill the bunny, make stew out of the bunny... anyone else feel like listening to Once More With Feeling from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer show... bunnies it must be bunnies or maybe midgets....

And then Roman Reigns was on...sssshhh he's just standing there looking seriously serious, back in black. Did he borrow Dean Ambrose's jacket and hoodie? He gave notice that he's got about three weeks left before he's due back in ring...hum...I've said it once before elsewhere, I don't think that man is capable of having a bad hair day. I keep expecting to walk into a book store and see his photo on covers of romance novels or something...just saying...

Match #5- another women's match....bathroom break

And just as I thought a half hour ago, Ambrose vs Wyatt rematch at TLC next month.

Main Event...Team Cena : Cena/Ryback/Big Show/Ziggler/Erick Rowan  vs Team Authority : Seth Rollins/Rusev/Luke Harper/Mark Henry/Kane. 
Mark Henry was the first eliminated in the first 30 seconds. Making it 5 on 4
Oddly, Rollins took a lot of punishment during the beginning of this match. I thought they would keep him on the side till the very end.
Ryback was the second to be eliminated.  This made it 4 on 4.
Anyone bother to notice that other then Rusev, everyone else in this match has been beat by Seth Rollins...just pointing out...
Rusev was the third to be eliminated by a count out. This makes it 4 on 3.  I found the santa claus and clown in the first row to be disturbing....I don't like either...
Erick Rowan was fourth eliminated.  This made it 3 on 3.  er...um...Big Show turned on Cena...
Cena was fifth to be eliminated...This made it 2 on 3...er officially.  But Show walked away. Leaving it down to 1 on 3.  Cena being eliminated, I didn't see that coming.
So this leaves Dolph Ziggler the only one left on Cena's Team. We're down to Kane/Rollins/Harper on Team Authority.
Kane was sixth to be eliminated. This made it 1 on 2.  And Harper suicide dive through the ropes at lightening speed...cool.
Harper was seventh to be eliminated. Making it 1 on 1.  Rollins vs Ziggler...I wanted that! Actually, I want anything that puts Rollins in the spotlight.  And Seth Rollins was more then planted hard into the mat, how is that boy alive? I swear he's got magick powers to live through some of the hits he takes.
Triple H pulled the ref out just as Ziggler was about to get the win...then Mercury and Noble gave Ziggler the five minute beat down, only he fought out of it.  Triple H took out the second ref...Ziggler should have won twice in the span of a minute and a half.  And just as a third ref was called out by Triple H,  Sting came out.  Blah, so not a fan of his...which if you've read my TNA posts over the years, you'd know that. I always preferred Vampiro... Well, at lest Sting will be an improvement over some of the other that have been kicking around...
Ziggler got the win with the help of Sting...shocker for ya eh?


Okay, so I had hoped - in my last post- that it would come down in the end to Rollins vs Ziggler, and glad to see the creative team thought that was a smashing idea.  I'm guessing this means that Sting is now the authority...could be an interesting move, to see who might get a push and who might get snuffed off the tv? Question, do they teach how to scream yourself horse in wrestling school?

Okay, that about covers it on my end.
Till next time, love Ardeth Blood.

Pre-thoughts Survivor Series 2014

For anyone who forgot over the years what I look like...

Okay, so this is ppv weekend. And normally, I try to get this set of postings done much earlier then this, but I wasn't sure I was going to give up the thought patterns this time around.
Survivor Series, has always been the ppv favourite of mine, but after last year, I'm just slugging along.
And I have to admit, I'm in an area that you have to order the ppv and shell out nearly $60 Canadian for it. (no, the Network is not available where I live and honestly, from the line up of shows I'm not missing a thing. Except for NXT which no longer airs in Canada. I miss that.)

I'm a traditional-ish person. So Survivor Series traditional matches are always fun to watch. At this point in time (Thursday Nov 20th 2014 10am EST) we've got  a Tag Team Fatal 4-Way with Dust Busters, Miz/Sandow, Usos and Los Matadores.  Team Cena vs Team Authority, and Ambrose vs Wyatt.

The Fatal 4-Way... this will come down to Star Dust vs Sandow. Why do I think that? Well, it's just the craziest thing we could end up seeing. A current fan favourite in Sandow and Star Dust is just always able to deliver a sound match. And lets not forget that they were once a team. It will be interesting to see how they deal with their new alter egos when left alone. 
I know everyone expects it to come down to Usos vs Dust Busters, but that just won't be as much fun to watch.
I see Sandow getting the victory lap here. 

Team Cena vs Team Authority... I guess the big question here is, who will actually make it to the ppv on Cena's side, and not turn on him?  With Seth Rollins, Kane, Rusev, Mark Henry and Luke Harper on the Authority's side, and currently, Dolph Ziggler, Big Show, Erick Rowan and Ryback on Cena's side, this is a jumbled mess.  Which is exactly what a real Survivor Series traditional match should look like.  Guys you'd never think to toss together, being added to a team. The last few years things have gotten so generic, so predictable that it was beyond boring.  This is not boring.
Now, on paper, you would expect to see the final two being Rollins and Cena. Makes sense right? I don't think it will play that way. I see it being down to Ziggler and Rollins. And I'm saying that because that would be an awesome one on one match.
I also don't see someone in this line up making it down the ramp to begin with. Big Show or Ryback will be removed somehow just as the match begins. Either Show will be given the five minute beat down by Henry and Rusev taking him out, or Ryback will turn on the team just bailing.
What do I think will happen then?  Either Orton or Roman Reigns will magically appear.  Orton makes sense given he was sent out by a few curb stomps the other week, and well Reigns returning speaks for itself. (if he's medically able yet. I might be giving his healing abilities too much too soon in real life)
Which of course, would change the last two to Rollins vs Orton OR Rollins vs Reigns. Now, that would be a spiffy one on one match. When Reigns does return, the world will go crazy for that match up.
I see Rollins being the top dog no matter what. 

Dean Ambrose vs Bray Wyatt... Months ago, I wanted to see this. Now, I really couldn't care less. Two of my personal favourite wrestlers right now, and it's leaving me wanting to roll my eyes. For me personally, they just took too long to get to this storyline. This would have been exciting back last spring, but now it's needing something.  Like...barbed wire I hope. Or tombstones and coffins or something really shacked up.
This could be an excellent 2/3 falls match, if they decide to go a more traditional route, which both men are more then capable of doing. Both are talented and skilled without having to lean on the extreme. But, since the extreme is where they seem to be planted in their characters; I can see this being a bloody fight. I feel Ambrose will be crimsoned by the end of the match.
Wyatt will have some sort of new back up. I'm still think when the Ascension crosses over to the main roster from NXT, they will align themselves with Wyatt. What better timing then to introduce them at a ppv.  I really want to give this to Dean Ambrose, but I just can't.
I see Wyatt hunched over Ambrose's broken bones like Raven used to over Dreamer's.

The bonus if WWE is smart, is giving us another traditional match with NXT guys, Cassady/Enzo/Breeze/Graves/Zayn  vs Adam Rose/Kidd/Bo Dallas/Neville/LeFort

And on the off chance that the Authority looses their jobs...I see Brad Maddox replacing them.

Till later Love Ardeth Blood
See you after the ppv.

Random wrestling thoughts

Dear Ardeth:  You being a self proclaimed wrestling psychic, you would of course know why Smackdown sucks dog balls lately? And who should we the fans be loving next?
Sincerely Michael Cole's evil twin 

Dear evil twin:  I have gazed into the looking glass and seen that the main reason Smackdown is blowing up chunks lately, is that they keep having an hour's worth of Raw Rewind and under an hour's worth of matches. And as far as who the next big crush should be, go with the new announce booth dude. 

Well, obviously not a real letter, I haven't gotten an Ask-Ardeth email in about four years, but I thought that it would be a good way to introduce the topic at hand, and have some fun.

Smackdown has been the superior show for the last few years, but lately, it's just fallen under the wheels man. I don't know if the whole anniversary thing has gotten the creative team sitting back taking a nap, or what the deal is, but spending half the episode every week now just replaying full matches from Raw, not a good way to keep the ratings.  Bad move.

Smackdown doesn't really have a solid "lead" right now either. I get that the roster for the main shows has dropped by half in the last few months, and all the wrestlers are doing triple the work, but the storylines are starting to show the wear and tear.

I saw what looks like a glimmer of a decent story/lead with Adam Rose this week on Smackdown (the November 7th 2014 episode)  Now, for anyone who's been reading my stuff in the last year and a half, knows that when he was doing the Leo Kruger character, didn't say much and just got the job done; I was loving every second of him. But, personally I just don't like this Adam Rose character.  I've also stated that I'm hoping it ends up being a split personality storyline and that he brings back that wild hunter side. He can start by getting rid of the bunny and the lame extras. (Oh yeah I'm the biggest lemon drop out there.)  Leo Kruger/Adam Rose is better than the gimmick he's in, and would make for a solid "lead" for Smackdown every week.

And I still don't understand why Corey Graves and Tyler Breeze haven't been bumped up to Smackdown yet?  What's the hold up?

I'm wondering if going back to the format of having separate "rosters" and "stories" for Raw and Smackdown would help for awhile? Even just till Wrestlemaina next spring?

Anyways, my Spudguns! that's my thoughts for today on the topic of Smackdown.
Love Ardeth Blood.

loved hated Hell in Cell 2014

My Spudguns! I missed saying that. Well, it's that time of the month again...pay-per-view night. That Sunday when you are allowed to sit right in front of the screen, scream at a bunch of guys as they do something stupid you want to slap them for while throwing food at the screen...okay only if it's like popcorn or something dry and crunchy that can be vacuumed up. And this would be my blog post of what happened, peppered heavily with my rude self absorbed thoughts. 

Pre-show : The Miz tv segment with Sandow just blew man. Hate
Paul Heyman's reaction to the fact shucky-ducky-quack-quack was the twitter trend, was the best part of the pre-show. 
Mark Henry vs Bo Dallas.  Henry got the pin in 30 seconds. Shocker for ya Eh?

Match #1-Cesao vs Dolph Ziggler. This is a two out of three falls match for the Intercontinental title. I loved this! If you've been reading my stuff much at all, you know that I'm always begging for 2/3 falls matches.
Ziggler got the first fall.
Ziggler got the second fall. winning and keeping his title.  Damn, Cesaro didn't get a fall at all, though he was close with about ten near falls, but he seemed to injure his arm near the beginning of the match and just didn't seem to be able to hold on to some of the moves. 

Match #2-women's...you know I never watch the women's matches...I went to make nachos...

Match #3-Usos vs Dust Busters for the Tag Team titles. I mean seriously, I speak bizarreness but even I don't understand Star Dust. I keep waiting for him to scream out moonglourious... Dust Busters got the pin, keeping their titles.

Match #4-Cena vs Orton Hell in a Cell match.  This is listed as the second of the main events, and to be honest I thought it would be the main event tonight, given it's Cena and Orton. Cena got the win after roughly 40 minutes. Of course he did.

Match #5-Sheamus vs Miz for the U.S. title. I loved that Cole and the rest of the announce booth were going on about Vodun (voodoo), just got my attention loud. Love that the crowd were cheering for Sandow and not Miz. Sheamus won with a pin, keeping the U.S. title.  Sheamus had them dancing the YMCA like puppets, dude that was cool.

Have I mentioned how much I dislike Stephanie's theme song? Seriously, you would think that someone who's character is this larger then life character, would have something a little more...now. Every time I hear her theme song I just think of a bunch of bad music videos from 1998. Almost every RnB/Rap song from like 1998/1999 had the female singer/group on dirt bikes in the desert or drag racing or something, and that's what her theme song reminds me of. I just think it's time for her to update her song. Something more intimidating the way Triple H has the Motorhead song. It fits his character. I think her character has evolved and the music should too.

Match #6- Big Show vs Rusav. Big Show managed to get him tied up like a knot but Rusav grabbed the ropes breaking the hold. Mark Henry came down to the ring and I started wondering if he was going to run in...but Rusav got the win by submission. Show tapped out.

Dean Ambrose's promo was...totally missed by me cause I started laughing when I heard the Dracula line...

Match #7- women's...coffee time for me.

Main Event-  Seth Rollins vs Dean Ambrose in the second Hell in a Cell match... I'm hoping for barbed wire, I like barbed wire it's tragic and wicked and the metal version of thorns...but Ambrose didn't pack any with the tables, chairs, sticks. as he screamed "we're all going to die tonight" then climbed the cage from the outside.  Rollins brought back up with Noble and Mercury.
From the Shield to the Authority to his back up, Rollins has been part of a trio the whole 2 years he's been a main character.
First half was on top of the cage, as Rollins climbed up after him. And the cameraman was at a view point where you could see their footshelves, just before they fell almost 20 feet down onto the announce booth. Rollins was injured, having landed wrong, while Ambrose barely moving.
Ambrose then jumped up and attacked Rollins, throwing him into the cage, locking it. The match then officially began. Damn! 
Kane ran in with a fire extinguisher spraying Ambrose.
Then the lights went out, we heard Bray Wyatt chanting, then he torn into the cage, giving Ambrose a DDT, letting Rollins score the win.

Okay...I need another coffee.
till next time  Love Ardeth Blood

Pre-thoughts Hell in Cell

We are one week away from the 2014 Hell in a Cell, and as of this posting (10:42 am EST) this is the line up... Cena vs Orton, Big Show vs Rusev, Sheamus vs Miz, and Ambrose vs Rollins.

Sheamus vs Miz. Should be one of the more entertaining matches. Will be wondering if Sandow will be used in any proper way, or if he's just going to be a bad mime through the whole thing. I say make it a handi-cap match.  Miz will win.

Show vs Rusev.  Short, snoozevile. I've said it before, I don't understand why they are doing this whole America vs Russia thing; yeah it worked in the 80's, but dude really now?    Big Show has this in under two minutes.

Cena vs Orton.  In a cage. So it's the looser takes all sort of thing huh?  The second we heard that they were going to put Cena and Ambrose in a match to see who would get Rollins, we knew Cena would loose and end up needing a hug. Which in this case is going to be many RKOs.  I'm giving this to Orton simply because he's been looking sluggish lately. Time to reinforce the fact he's the constant. His back up team members, will find away to interfere. Cage or no cage.

And of course, Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins.  The match everyone is both salivating for and not wanting just yet. The time has come, for Ambrose to prove he's the alpha male in that relationship...or is it?  Fans want to see these two really take a few pounds of flesh from each other, but it will be split down the middle on who people want or think will win.
Why do I say that? Well, the crowd loves Ambrose, but then what?  He gets the ever so needed win over Rollins and ends up walking into bad storylines? Same with Rollins. If he wins, he's got the briefcase to keep him in at lest one important storyline for the next few months, but after that...it will be nothing but matches against Cena for months to come. Snooze.
Honestly, things won't pick up for these two till Roman Reigns returns, and either becomes part of the title hunt or the Shield gets over their lovers spat and reform.
So what do I think will happen?   Ambrose will make puppy chow out of Rollins leaving him looking like something from a Freddy Kruger movie, which will lead to Rollins demanding a rematch. Or send Rollins out to use his case cashing in on the title because he's got something major to prove. Which I've been saying for a while now.
What I would like to see happen? Ambrose making puppy chow out of Rollins leaving him looking like something from a Freddy Kruger movie, only to have the Ascension swoop in like demonic leeches, forcing Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose to reunite. 

See you after the ppv
Love Ardeth Blood

2014 Night of Champions love hate

Right off, I have to say I hope Roman Reigns heals fully and quickly.

I have to selfishly admit that the originally scheduled match between Reigns and Seth Rollins was the only reason I had ordered this ppv; and if I had known the situation, I would have passed on Night of Champions.

Match #1- Tag Team titles... Usos vs the Dust Busters. Star Dust and Gold Dust got the win, getting the titles.

Match #2-United States title... Sheamus vs Cesaro.  My god, I was blinded and slightly freaked out when I saw that facial scruff Sheamus is trying to pass for a beard. Gross! Shave it, damn it! Sheamus got the pin and managed to keep the title.

Match #3- I.C. title  Miz/Sandow vs Ziggler/R-Truth.  I was wondering why at first glance, Jericho and Slater were coming to ringside, then I realized it wasn't them.  And just because Sandow was dressed up like some Matrix-goth-dollie, didn't mean JBL had to compare him to Bela Lugosi... Miz got the pin with a dirty tights tug and won the title.

Seth Rollins came to the ring in his gear ready to wrestle... to "we want Ambrose" chants, and just like a few months ago at the ppv, Rollins had himself declared the winner by forfeit...(think I spelled it right this time) He then issued an open challenge, and a taxi pulled up barely getting to stop as Dean Ambrose ran out and made his way to the ring.  We had a small brawl, with Ambrose first running around jumping off of the backdrop/lighting on the stage like he usually does to the announce booths, before getting handcuffed and carried away.  Two minutes of Ambrose made up for everything else.

Match #4- Henry vs Rusev.  Rusev got a submission over Henry.

Match #5-Jericho vs Orton.  Orton got the win.

Match #6- women's match, that's bathroom break time for me.

Main Event- Cena vs Brock for the title  Seth Rollins came into the ring hitting Cena with the case. He then turned to look at Brock who was knocked out. Rollins curb stomped Brock and went to hand in his case, cashing it in. But Cena beat him up some, and Brock recovered giving Cena an F5.  Cena won by dq, but Brock still has the Heavyweight championship.

Seth Rollins still has the #1 contender's case as the match never officially started on the cash in.   That I didn't see coming. I don't think Rollins vs Brock would be a good idea at all. He should wait another few weeks/months until Cena has the title then cash in.

Love Ardeth Blood