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.

What will this Bring–Royal Rumble coming soon

So with the Royal Rumble in 2 weeks what are your thoughts on what will happen on Raw and Smackdown until then? Will we actually see Brock Lesnar active in the ring? Will we see any surprise returns? Will blood be shed? What storylines will become bigger and better or fizzle out?

The Man

Will we get to see The Man take on the whole of the Smackdown Women’s Division? As the current go to superstar in the company we need to see the belt back around the waist of Becky Lynch. While Asuka does deserve more ring time and opportunities no one can deny that The Man is red hot and everyone wants to see her as the winner at the Rumble match. Who knows maybe we’ll get to see Charlotte, Mella, and Asuka all take their frustrations out on Lynch before the big show at the end of January but I’m sure she will still come out of it looking strong. No one in the WWE right now has the straight fire that Becky possesses. Please don’t mess it up… let her keep going and continue to be the crowd favorite.

The Beast

Will we see Lesner compete in a match before the Royal Rumble? My best guess is no, but maybe WWE will decide to surprise us and make him earn the belt that is sitting around his waist. I understand that Roman Reigns is gone, but there are so many other active roster members that deserved the opportunity to wear that title. Guys that show up every week and work… I’m still not sure why Vince is so fascinated with Lesnar. Brock Lesnar In my opinion (keyword here: opinion) he is one of the most overrated wrestlers of the past ten years. He is overpaid, underworked and way overhyped. It’s time for a change and since the WWE Universe seems to want to see the Universal Champion depend the title on a regular basis put it on Braun, Drew, Seth, Dean, Finn or even Dolph for that matter. Make the champion work for the title and show some love for the fans at the same time.

The Main Events

Now let’s talk about the namesake of the upcoming pay per view. Who do you want to see have a storyline starting this week that will push them into the winners seat at the Rumble? Names like Balor, Deville, Naomi, Elias, Jeff Hardy, Nattie, Lashley and Bayley all come to mind. WWE Superstars Let’s have some of these folks feud ahead of time and build to a very dramatic ending to the best Rumbles we’ve seen in years. It’s a little late for much build but maybe opening up some old wounds and feuds could help get the fans more attentive.

For once WWE, please start giving the fans what they want. Let the superstars have some fun and show what they are truly capable of. Put the Beast to pasture and let some new blood start plowing the way into the future.

Survivors Series–and the Week After

Who watched and enjoyed Survivor Series? At our house we decided there was only one great match and the rest were a pretty big snore fest. Followed by a Raw that was okay and a very forgettable Smackdown…. Is all of this because The Man wasn’t present on Sunday or Tuesday?

The Best Match

Watching Charlotte attach Ronda Rousey was the best match of the night. Of course, we Charlotte attacks Rousey at Survivor Series knew that WWE wasn’t going to let Rousey lose in the ring this early on, but I’m not sure anyone could’ve predicted the outcome of the match. While we all wanted to see, The Man cause a ruckus in the ring with Rousey because of a broken face that didn’t happen on Sunday. The outcome of missing Becky wrestle was that Charlotte went out in style by attacking Rousey and not stopping. By far the best match of the night and the week showing us what could happen if we see the two women meet again at Wrestlemania.

Monday Night Raw

On Monday night we saw Baron Corbin throw his weight around as the place-filler GM again…WWE we aren’t stupid, find someone else who is a much better fit for this position and doesn’t play into the Authorities pocket again. We want to see guys like Finn Balor, Elias, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose fight. Elias and Finn Balor How many people want to continue to see Corbin yapping in the ring and talking about how great he is on a weekly basis? I understand you want to portray him as a bad guy but seriously let’s find a way to see more talented men wrestle. Then we go to Ronda with an open challenge, and the result is sending out the oldest female wrestler on the brand. Not that Mickey James isn’t great, but again there are more talented athletes she could be facing. When will we get to see more of Ember Moon? There is some young talent that needs to be featured. The Seth and Dean segment might have been the most exciting part of the night.

Smackdown

We start with Charlotte and the night seems to go downhill rapidly. Charlotte and Paige in the ring together is a welcome sight. We always need more Paige since she can no longer wrestle we will watch her any way we can. While Smackdown didn’t win Survivors Series, it wasn’t a prominent factor on Tuesday night which seems to be a little strange. new day thanksgiving match They did keep seem to keep Charlotte’s momentum going by having her take out both of the Iconics (always a good thing.) The rest of the night kind of drug by like Raw did with The New Day as the only other high spot of the night. I know that Randy Orton and Rey Mysterio was supposed to be a highlight while I do love watching Rey compete I am not a fan of Orton and don’t like the way he is often pushed while others take a backseat.

This week was a rather lackluster week for WWE. We heard the same thing from Rousey again, and the only build was Charlotte’s character. Dean and Seth will continue to go on far beyond TLC, and I’m okay with that. New storylines need to be built and completely flipping Daniel Bryan’s character around probably isn’t the right foot to start on. Come on WWE you pay people to write, and they can do much better than this so give them the opportunities.

Is the End Near for Jeff Hardy?

You may not know this about me, but Jeff Hardy is and always has been one of my favorite wrestlers. He has struggled with some personal demons but seems to have overcome them and moved forward. From the time that he and his brother hit the professional wrestling scene people have paid attention… Now as he is getting older how much time does he have left?

HIAC. Will it Be His Ending?

Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton Jeff and Randy Orton have feuded in the past but never inside of Hell in a Cell. Randy does seem to be taking his frustrations out on Jeff in a much more vicious way than in the past. We also know that Jeff is not afraid to go “extreme” so what will this match mean for him. Will he risk it in ways that he’s never done before or will he hold back because he knows his body may not be able to handle much more.

Wrestling without Matt

We know that Jeff and Matt have always been a team and while they have worked in the singles division several times throughout their careers it doesn’t look like we’ll see them as a team again any time soon. While there hasn’t been an official announcement it seems that Matt may be headed away from competing in the ring and doing more behind the scenes because of injuries. How long will it before Jeff faces a similar situation? He and The Hardy Boyz Matt work great in the ring together, and Jeff does well without him… but that also means that Jeff has to take more risks to be seen as “extreme.” He recently caught some grief online for not doing some of his signature moves at house shows for WWE. While I understand that will he be okay with disappointing fans by putting on his best performance?

What I want if it Matters

When the Hardy Boyz came back at WrestleMania a few years ago, I went crazy. I jumped up and down, clapping my hands and screaming in my kitchen. Maybe some of my crazy hair colors and styles have been inspired by them growing up and even now. I know that time, injuries and being a father may keep Jeff from competing forever and that it may even mean an ending for him sooner rather than later. Jeff Hardy face paint I will always be a fan and will keep my fingers crossed that he can continue for a little while longer. If not for me then for my daughter who decided in 3rd grade that she wants to be a wrestler when she grows up or for the millions of other fans who like to see the “whisper in the wind” performed in the ring on Tuesday nights.

So please Jeff if you’re listening please stick around for a little while longer while the current generation of fans and the next generation of fans get to see you and know you better.

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.