Extreme Rules Outlook – Seems Somewhat Bland

This year’s One Night Stand, which has been preposterously renamed to “Extreme Rules,” seems to feature a bunch of matches with extra stipulations under the cover of an “Extreme” labeling (although nothing was worse than renaming John Cena’s “FU” to the “Attitude Adjustment”).

The matches include WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. Batista in a steel cage, Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho in a no holds barred match, World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. Jeff Hardy in a ladder match, Miss Wrestlemania Santina Marella vs. Vickie Guererro in a hog pen match, John Cena vs. Big Show in a submission match, CM Punk vs. Umaga in a Samoan strap match, and ECW Champion Christian vs. Jack Swagger, vs. Tommy Dreamer in a triple threat hardcore rules match.

Of all these matches, only no holds barred and the hardcore triple threat are truly extreme. I think in honor of Tommy Dreamer the latter ought to be the main event of the night. I doubt it will be though. I also am not too happy with the send-off for Dreamer being a triple threat. Let the guy go toe-to-toe with one man for his final bout. If you want to create real drama, have it be against another good guy… Christian (like Ric Flair’s final match against Shawn Michaels).

If you want to get old ECW fans interested (because I doubt they’ll truly ever be won over), don’t cop out of going over the edge with a bunch of rare matchup stipulations being held under an old ECW card. Oh well.

Make things Interesting – Have CM Punk Lose after Cashing in Money in The Bank

Looks like the Pepsi logo tattoo laden CM Punk, aka Money in the Punk, is so eager to live up to his name one more year by becoming champion like a punk. Last year, Punk capitalized on Batista’s beat down of Edge on the opening segment of an episode of Monday Night RAW the night after a Pay-Per-View which saw Edge cheat like a mother heffer just to beat him. At the time, World Heavyweight Champion Edge was “incapacitated.” Then out came the biggest Punk of all… CM Punk, cashing his Money In The Bank, administering a GTS, and scoring the pin fall to become one of the lightest Heavyweight Champions in recent WWE history. What a crock, and what a punk.

 

This past Friday on Smackdown, CM Punk was looking to cash in his briefcase again. The night’s matchup card already had Punk facing Edge in an exhibition contest in the main event. Punk then made a stipulation where if he won the match, he was going to instantly cash in his Money In The Bank, hit a GTS, and then pin that punk (not himself). However, shortly after CM Punk got Edge to go to sleep, Umaga came in and pummeled him before the referee cold ring the bell to start the match.

 

Here’s the thing. I don’t mind it too often when wrestlers slime their way into title opportunities and reigns. In fact, I think it’s quite hilarious. However, when the man being dubbed the Straight Edge Superstar keeps doing it, I just don’t see how it helps his reputation. CM Punk is a pretty big fan favorite, but when he keeps weaseling his way into titles like this, I feel his character loses respect. Because of this, I hope that when he finally does cash in his opportunity that he screws it up. I hope whoever he attempts to pin counters his GTS with their own finisher, and lays him out cold for a quick pin. And no matter what anyone thinks, that probably will happen eventually to one of the Money In The Bank winners just to keep things unpredictable. I just hope it happens to CM Punk.

New Champ Randy Orton Defends WWE Championship against Batista at Judgment Day

After Dave Batista practically cost Triple H his WEE Championship at Backlash on April 26th when he nearly got his team disqualified by raising a chair and prompting Triple H to stop him, Batista now gets a chance to face off against Mr. Randy Orton . Perhaps causing this chain of events was the best thing that could have happened to Batista, as it earned him a Number One Contender’s match against the Big Show on the most recent Monday Night RAW which he won (thanks to John Cena). Now Batista has an instant opportunity to regain the belt he so to loses once again… but will he? Probably not.

 

It is much too early for Orton to lose his title, and I feel that a few month stretch of supremacy is in store for him. Orton’s character has been built up too highly for him to enter into a transitional phase. Truth be told, I think this saga ends with one last match against Triple H somewhere down the road.

 

All in all, it should be a decent match. I don’t think these two guys have duked it out too many times and perhaps never. Expect to see many thunderous counter moves and an appearance by team Legacy (Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase).

John Cena… A Man to Be

How in the world is John Cena on top of the RAW food chain once again? It must be a combination of his stunning charisma and persistence to be one of the main, if not the immediate, faces of the WWE. After his second injury in under a year, Cena has fought just one match and become the new World Heavyweight Champion in the WWE above other top superstars that have been attempting to build their reputations on the raw roster in recent weeks and months; Randy Orton, Dave Batista, and Chris Jericho would be the main names to call out.

 

Nonetheless, it is John Cena who remains and regains his role as… the Champ. He is what many people would agree is the new Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He’s got the same uncanny comeback ability, the crowd-pleasing mic skills and character, and of course his own version of “The People’s Elbow,” the “Five Knuckle Shuffle.” When it comes to dedicated WWE roster superstar, bordering on corporate lapdog, John Cena is that at its finest.

 

However, I really can’t call John Cena a lapdog. You can see it in his body language that the guy truly lives and breathes the WWE. Whether it be the fame that draws him, or that he wants to prove his plenty doubters wrong, he is always lingering or hovering at the top and has been since his first WWE Championship reign. I could even describe his desire to be at the top as somewhat greedy and even maniacal, as he is always the front man in pictures and even WWE pay-per view promo art where he was still injured and was not even going to be wrestling, and much less present at whatever show was being promoted.

 

But the fact of the matter is that John Cena has put his time in and he has earned the right to be where he is, even if he hasn’t had as long a tenure as his other fellow wrestlers. His goal from the outset of his trip to California after graduating college was not to become a WWE namesake. He wanted to be a body builder for crying out loud! He was then presented the opportunity by an acquaintance at a gym to join the ranks of the professional wrestling world, and then most likely and unexpectedly, he fell in love with the whole aura of the business.

 

So, with all that being said, even though it seems odd that Cena can just come out of an injury induced hiatus to instantly be at the top spot of professional wrestling once again, don’t ever take away the fact that he has worked hard and spewed his blood, sweat, and tears to be where he is right now and continue to preserve his image.

Batista set to Defend Title in Steel Cage vs. Chris Jericho in RAW’s 800th Episode

The time and the day has come for WWE’s Monday Night Raw 800^th episode. And boy have the WWE bookers created a great one in pitting Chris Jericho against Dave Batista in a Cyber Sunday rematch next Monday night. Chris Jericho invoked his rematch clause this past Monday assuming he would get to face Batista in a traditional match. However, General Manager Mike Adamle came up with another one of his “Adamle Originals” and declared that the match be staged in a steel cage and it should be a good one.

This time, Jericho won’t be playing keep-away to save his title from a clearly superior opponent in Batista. He will have to scratch and claw for it, especially in the steel cage, so expect for Jericho to launch a spirited assault on the Champion. Do not be surprised if Batista is caught off guard in the early going by whatever strategy Jericho will employ in their rematch next week.

Now, with that being said, the main title will rarely change hands on television. That is a scenario that is typically delegated to the Supercards (aka Pay-Per View). Either way, the match should, for sure, feature much excitement. The WWE should never be counted out to deliver when they are celebrating one of their benchmark achievements, and I would say that the three hour special 800^th episode of RAW should not disappoint.

WWE Cyber Sunday Chris Jericho vs. Dave Batista – Referee?

Furthermore, Chris Jericho just won his title, and this isn’t CM Punk, so I think it’s still too early for him to lose it. But, everyone knows that Jericho doesn’t have the power to pin Batista straight up or win convincingly. So what will the WWE do?

With all that being said, I can’t wait to see what Vince McMahon, Shane, Stephanie, or Mike Adamle have planned for this. I am going to predict the following. Anyone should know that Chris Jericho will retain his title. But how?

I predict that on one of the Monday Night RAW shows before the Pay-Per View that Stone Cold will get into it with Batista, prompting Austin to screw Batista over in the match.

Or…

Some kind of a crazy disqualification involving either of the three during the match. Maybe one of them bumps into Steve Austin and he gives them a Stunner? Perhaps Lance Cade gets involved? We’ll see.