NXT Call Ups… What is WWE Doing Now?

This week we saw, even more, call ups from NXT on Monday Night Raw and Smackdown Live. We also saw a “classy” interference come out once again. Are we ready to cheer on these new talents or will they get pushed to the back of the shelf like some of the NXT stars from the past few years?

Welcome to the Big Time Ricochet

I try to catch NXT as often as possible but it’s not a must watch for me. Sometimes I go back the day following an event and only watch a few matches that are of interest. This guy is always one that I make sure to watch though. He has a great look, good ring presence, and his move set is on point…. That being said I’m not sure any of this new Ricochet talent is quite ready for the weekly televised shows. Guys like Nakamura, Tye Dillinger (now released) and even Asuka have been back burnered a lot since moving up to the main roster because they didn’t have the right support. I hope WWE listens when we say that we want to see more of this guy in the ring. Please give him a chance, and I don’t mean just 2 weeks to show us that he deserves to be here. Push him! Put him in matches that count but also make him earn any title before you just slap it on him. I want to see this guy in the ring with guys like Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio and even someone like Mustafa Ali. Let’s see some exciting match-ups….you don’t have to let him win all of them but give him a chance to show us what he can do with some talented superstars.

Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, and Aleister Black

All of these guys had the NXT fans behind them but will it be the same on the main roster. I have a feeling that at least one of these guys will drift back into the shadows post WrestleMania unfortunately.

Ciampa, Gargano & Black

While all of them have in-ring potential, I think it might be too soon. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Aleister Black excels because he’s fun to watch. He definitely has the look and capabilities, but I’m wondering if the WWE Universe will get behind him. It seems to me that the fans that watch NXT do it more for the wrestling and less for the storyline that becomes part of the main roster. Those are simply your more hardcore pure fans. Ciampa and Gargano are very talented and great on the mic, but I just don’t know if the fans are going to support them on the main roster.

Last… Lacey Evans

I keep hearing that Lacey Evans is going to get a big push after WrestleMania… Why? Not to sound crazy but “What about Asuka?” I feel like there are quite a few females already doing great work on the main roster who deserves a big push far more than Lacey does. I know that she’s probably a great “bad guy,” but honestly I find her a bit annoying and looking a lot too much like Charlotte. Lacey Evans I’m all about the women’s evolution, but we have so many ladies already fighting for screen time on the roster that have worked longer and harder who should get the spotlight a little first. I know that her gimmick was over pretty well in NXT and her stature is more of what Vince wants, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this is the one that gets pushed to the back of the shelf out of all of the recent talent call ups. I just don’t see a place for her in the spotlight right now.

There already seems to be so much unused talent on the current roster that I’m not quite sure where these new faces will fit in… Then again, I’m not in charge of a company that makes millions of dollars every year so really who am I to judge right.

The Royal Rumble is on the Way

Finally, we have started 2019, and the Royal Rumble is right around the corner. 30 superstars will enter the ring in the men’s and women’s matches with only one crowned the winner and given the opportunity for a title shot at Wrestlemania. The fun starts here folks and then storylines will start falling into place for the remainder of the year.

I’ll Start with the Women

2018 was a big year for making women more main event status worthy. The Man became arguably the womens division most popular WWE superstar because of her in-ring and social media antics. It feels like the blue brand might have bigger opportunities for its female talent. Becky will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in 2019 and will regain a title belt pretty soon. Asuka and Charlotte will be a speed bump in that journey, and the three will provide great matches for the fans. Hopefully, we’ll also see a reunion of the 4 Horsewomen of the WWE to take on the ladies of the same name from UFC. Let’s keep the momentum going with the women’s evolution all of the way into 2020. Will we see a tag team division also formed in the women’s division? It seems like that would be the next move to make since so much female talent has been recruited and continue to be brought into the spotlight. We also need to see Paige in a new role that gives her tv time since we can no longer watch her perform in the wrestling ring. Women need to continue to have some front and center camera time.

Now on to the Men

While I’m keeping my fingers crossed to see Roman Reigns back in action in 2019, the show must go on without him until then. Seth Rollins We should see Mr. Monday Night get a substantial push because he is in fact so good on the mic and in the ring. Finn Balor, Drew McIntyre, Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe and several others in the division need to stay at the forefront as well. While I am happy to have Daniel Bryan come back to the ring I haven’t been all that impressed by this recent change in character and hope that something clicks for him in the near future. Also, let’s see Shinsuke’s talent shine instead of the ridiculous low blow antics they have been using recently. The new Dean Ambrose dynamic is good, and I hope that they continue to build on this throughout the year. The men’s division is already loaded with so many great characters that I hope WWE doesn’t do the same old thing and get stuck only using the same guys over and over every week.

Last But not Least

The tag team division has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years and yet we continue to see the same faces again and again. Let’s have some fun with the tag team division….maybe actually let The New Day start commentating all tag team matches to build some heat between all of the tag teams. I don’t understand putting the titles on a tag team one week and having them drop it again the next, and then they disappear from view for months at a time. riott squad And finally, let’s have a women’s tag team division. The teams that we have now are great, and feelers have been put out to form more if needed. These women go out and work just as hard every day as the men do and they deserve the same opportunities. Just imagine seeing belts on the Riot Squad or the Iconics and the great matches that could come from that.

2019 could be a banner year for WWE in all divisions if they keep things headed in the wrong direction. While it’s great to see some of the “old talent” pop in now and then the current and new talent deserve a real push. If you really appreciate the WWE Universe as much as you like to make out then listen to what we are saying.

What Happened At HIAC?

I know that it’s been a few days since HIAC, but I just wanted to give some thoughts on the outcomes of the matches. Some things turned out the way that I expected, and other things took a swerve. There was some controversy and some drama on Sunday night that made the show flow right along.

Let’s Start with Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton

The main show started with a true HIAC match between these to superstars, and it got the night moving. First off I may have a bias opinion as a lifelong Jeff Hardy fan but the end of this match kind of sucked. Jeff and Orton both had some time to shine in the match, but randy orton & jeff hardy hiac Orton’s fascination with Hardy’s gauged ears has moved beyond disgusting. A few weeks ago he stuck his finger through the opening and pulled and then Sunday the screwdriver was just over the top. Orton has never been someone that I enjoyed watching compete, and after Sunday night he has moved even further down the list of superstars that I enjoy. Hardy was able to try to make a comeback when he beat Orton with the belt and the chair, but the ending was just crazy. Having Jeff fall from the top of the cell through a table and then having Orton make the ref count him out was not the ending this match deserved.

Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch

This match was fun to watch. Charlotte and Becky can put on a good show and prove that Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair HIAC the women’s division deserves to be pushed even more. While Charlotte is the female superstar that WWE has pushed since arriving on the main roster, it was great to see Becky move out of the shadows and become the Smackdown Women’s Champion once again. Bad Becky gets cheered by the crowd even more than she did before her change in attitude. I’m sure we will continue to see these two go back and forth for a while, but I’m okay with that since they always put on a great show.

Rollins/Ambrose vs. Ziggler/McIntyre

Another good match during HIAC was the match for the Raw Tag Team Titles. Although this match didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to it was good to watch. I’m glad Ziggler is getting a decent push on the Raw roster and McIntyre is a welcome change in the division but let’s put the belts on two guys that everyone loves to watch. Ambrose and Rollins are some seth rollins, dean ambrose, dolph zigler, drew mcintyre of the best talents in WWE, and they deserve to be wearing the belts. It seems that Ambrose was missed while he was out due to injury and “Monday Night” Rollins is on fire right now. As a former “hater” of Rollins, after he turned on The Shield, it’s hard for me to admit that he is now one of my favorites to watch. If we are going to see Reigns carry the belt for a while let’s start building the Roman Empire up. ow

I know there were other good matches on the card, but these were the ones that I enjoyed most. I can’t wait until the next PPV to see where the results of these matches lead.

What Happens Next for Becky Lynch

Becky Lynch finally snapped and may have found some footing in the women’s division on Smackdown Live. What happens next? Will WWE continue to push her or will they let the storyline drop in favor of another superstar?

Why her Push Should Continue

As a long time Becky Lynch fan I’m keeping my fingers crossed that WWE will continue her push towards the Smackdown Women’s Champion. I was there to see her crowned the first Smackdown Women’s Champion and I can honestly say she was so grateful and appreciative of the opportunity. She is an amazing in-ring performer, and her backstage scenes and improvement on the mic should keep her in the top of the division. She has great ability and is so fun to watch. Even when she decided to turn on her best friend in an effort to earn her spot at the top, she was cheered by the fans. Becky has been in the business for quite some time, and she makes matches fun to watch.

Why WWE Might Pull the Plug

For some reason WWE hasn’t always backed Becky very well. She did previously hold the title but they pulled the plug on that… So who’s to say they won’t do that again. Will they decide to back Charlotte because she has a genetic connection on her side? I’m not saying that Charlotte isn’t a great in-ring performer as well, but it seems that the WWE Universe really loves Becky and appreciate her. WWE might be overlooking some other incredible talent to stand behind Charlotte. Maybe the could continue pushing the women’s evolution by putting more of those stars on a pedestal and showcasing their abilities as well. If so, Becky should be at the top of that list.

What Will Happen With Becky

While we don’t know what the future holds for Becky, I’m hoping that the WWE showcases her persona, her abilities, and performance now and in the foreseeable future. Let’s support the hardworking women in the WWE and let them build on their crowd followings. The audience loves her and wants to back her, good or bad.

So if you’re listening WWE spread the love to Becky and some of the other women in the division. Give them the chance to shine.

Why We Watch

Is it because you started watching when you were a kid? For entertainment value or because you are a hardcore fan?

Why?

We watch wrestling for many different reasons. The WWE has put together a product that is entertaining, has storylines and I know that I’ll get a lot of criticism for this, but the Superstars are easy on the eyes. It is a multibillion-dollar industry that puts on a great live event, TV product and Pay Per Views. We watch because it’s fun and easy to follow and even if you miss a week you can catch up quite quickly. We watch because the wrestlers are great in the ring and can put on a spectacular show.

When did you start?

Some are longtime fans who started watching as kids. Some have a favor Superstar that intrigues them so they just started watching recently. Others have followed someone since they began in the indies and have now followed them to the WWE. I watched as a kid, it’s one of the only happy memories I have with my dad. Then when my much younger brother started watching I returned to being a fan as a teenager. Now as an adult I watch because my daughter is a tomboy and started talking wrestling with the boys at school and became a fan. We watch to spend time with our family and friends, to talk smack and yell at the TV when a match doesn’t go the way we want it too. We watch because it’s so entertaining.

The Future…

WWE may be the big dog of wrestling entertainment, but some of the indie promotions are finding a foothold in the industry today. They are becoming more popular, and fans are flocking to see the Superstars who could one day be the best in the business. They put on house shows that are an excellent product for a smaller price and are more available across the country and world. Will WWE ever be overtaken probably not, but will they have to work harder to stay at the top of the game…. YES. The guys who are local yocals today could become those Superstars to push the industry to the next level.

Why do you watch?