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Well, it's been a long time since I wrote something from lovely Asia, and I've been juggling with a few ideas that I wanted to share with you for the past week. At first my plan was to write this before No Way Out, but as usually with me wanting to make predictions, my fear of looking like an idiot beat my desire to seem like a know it all. But, just for the record, other then the Cena-Orton match, I got every important match correctly.
I'm going to start by going a few weeks back to the Royal Rumble – I'm one of those people who feel the WWE missed on capitalizing on Jeff Hardy's popularity in a big way. I'm also one of the people who think that the WWE should have put the world title on Jericho, but hey – at least there I know I'm in a minority. And I have to say, as much as I love Y2J, his return, in terms of crowd response, could not be more underwhelming. I think I will call it "the curse of the ugly-ass vest". Really, what in the blue hell was he thinking when he chose to wear THAT upon his return?
But I digress. My point is, when I thought that the two options for mania were either Orton or Hardy to face Trippers – I thought Hardy was the better choice – because it's a fresher story, it's something that will have the crowd more emotionally involved, and because he, like pretty much all of you and even me, has one big advantage over Randelle Orton – he does not suck.
Cena's return threw that out the window. People tend to confuse disliking Cena's WWE character and not respecting him as a performer. That is why most people do not write here and I do – Cena is an AMAZING performer. I think he stayed the only main event player in the WWE for so long because he always delivers and his matches were almost always the best of every night. I still remember watching him and Edge wrestling a singles TLC match that had me gasping for air for 30 minutes.
But I think that I just inadvertently touched one of the biggest problems when it comes to the WWE product – the quality of it is not decided by how good the in-ring action is. Far from it.
Wrestling is NOT a sport, NOT a competition, and it's also not a TV Drama. It's a different thing that combines both. I know most of you know that already, but I'm saying it because some dum dums in the WWE creative obviously don't. For a wrestling fan to enjoy a wrestling match he needs to be emotionally involved to the point where although he understands that his cheering doesn't matter at all to the outcome of what he sees, he still cheers because he is so caught up in the moment that he forgets it.
Cena is not believable. It's as simple as that. Not John Cena – the man – John Cena, the character. When Cena was a heel he had some time where he was believable. That's why he was turned face. Then – they tried to market him as a new Hulk Hogan, with a little bit of the Rock – too. No sell. Remember, folks, we're all longing for the days of the Rock, but out of his last 3 WWE stints – he was booed out of the building in two of them – just like Cena, and for the same reason – they tried to market him in a way that never made him popular. In his last face stints he was pretty much back to his Rocky Maivia character – just with catchphrases.
Again, I digress. My point is that while I thought if Cena is ready for action he should be incorporated into the main event (and my logic was that he would take the title of Orton at No Way Out and save us the "pleasure" of watching Orton in another Mania main event) at mania, after reconsidering, I said to myself "Really? Do you REALLY want to see Cena VS Triple H again? Cause, hey, that kinda sucked the first time". My answer, btw, was no. I didn't figure I was actually asking myself a rhetorical question. Stupid me.
Anyway, hey, if it was me, I would put Hardy and Trippers at the main event of the RAW side of things. Even if Trippers isn't my favorite wrestler in the world I accept the fact that right now he deserves to be the man carrying the company (I just wish he would do it as a heel), and it doesn't matter who he's going to face (my guess? Triple threat match with douche bag Orton and Superwigger Cena) – he will become world champion. I just think that him VS Hardy would have told a much better story, plus, Hunter wants to turn heel. Who is it better to turn him heel against than Jeff Hardy?
I'll quickly touch the rest of the shaping up Mania card – Taker VS Edge should be an awesome match even if the outcome is as obvious as the RAW main event outcome – those are just two guys who always deliver.
Flair will have his retirement match and from the little snippets I've seen – his chemistry with Kennedy is golden. I know Flair wants HBK to do the honors but Michaels doesn't need the rub. Kennedy does.
Money In The Bank 2008? I say – Jeff Hardy wins, and then – get ready, because at SummerSlam 2008 you will see the second ever TLC singles match. Jeff Hardy Vs Edge. I don't know if this is a prediction or wishful thinking. Y2J will beat JBL (I heard their matches were really good and I'm not surprised, Jericho might be a high flyer but the guy can mesh well with anyone), but probably lose to him again a few weeks later, sending JBL to fight with the new champion Triple h.
Hopefully Matt Hardy and MVP will get to have their blow off match (which should see Matt win and then have Matt & Jeff celebrate a-la – and don't hate me for saying this, the two winners of the WM20 main events. You know, one of them is that guy who's name should not be mentioned again).
It looks like an entertaining night, but that's all it is – one entertaining night. Until the WWE learns to write story lines that captivate us for the long run and make sense (like Chucky and Jamie Noble. Every time I read what happened with them on Smackdown I crack up. It's so easy having a good storyline when you actually plan it ahead) and that involve compelling characters – they will only have "one nighters" but stay with abysmal ratings on the day to day basis.
So that's it for me, I'm going to get ready for a Thai style Full Moon Party on the beach at Koh Phangan. Hope you're all enjoying your winter…Suckaaaaaassss :)
Complaints, ideas, suggestions and sexual propositions – syxx_ok@hotmail.com
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