Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of Reading Between the Ropes. As always before a big PPV I like to run down the card and give you a little preview of the action, as well as the odd questionable prediction thrown in to-boot.
This weekend is Judgment Day, an all Smackdown! affair which, as PPV’s go, looks about as paper thin as they come. Six matches have been set in stone at time of writing and, at least two of those six smack of a writing team scratching around for matches on a roster that looks like it’s in dire need of regeneration.
Having said that, Smackdown! hasn’t been too bad in recent weeks, and I’ve found it equally as watchable as Raw. However, the weaker roster has meant an over-reliance on the same key players leading to poor PPV offerings that have little to offer other save one decent match here and there. Those issues will be addressed in the forthcoming draft, hopefully, but for now, let’s see what Smckdown! has to offer us presently.
US Title: Orlando Jordan vs. Heidenreich
A lot of people have shown negativity to Heidenreich’s face turn, but I’m not totally against it. I don’t think it’s the worst move ever, and the idea of him trying to gain friends is quite endearing, if I’m being honest. The true mistake, however, was hiring Heidenreich to a contract in the first place. His character change isn’t worth bemoaning, it’s his place on the roster that should receive the more negative attention.
Other than a simple non-title match, I don’t see where this pairing comes from. It smacks of a lack of ideas and the old “I beat you in a non-title match so now I get a shot at the PPV” angle is one that is churned out too often nowadays at these exclusive single brand PPVs. The brand split should have allowed more time for build up in feuds. When was the last time Smackdown! guys were on a PPV? April 2nd, at Wrestlemania. So, in nearly two months the WWE decides to do sod all with these guys, apart from lump them together about a week before the PPV. It’s absolutely disgusting.
And so is the thought of this match, which will be nothing other than pathetic. Heidenreich may even get the nod here, but the safer bet is probably Orlando… just. So he’s my pick.
Tag Team Titles: MNM vs. Hardcore Holly and Charlie Haas
Once again the non-title victory angle is the single reason these two teams meet on PPV. That’s the oldest booking-on-the-fly trick in the book. It’s absolutely ridiculous. The WWE actually pay these people to write this utter crap. I will try to refrain from ranting but, as I just said, they’ve had nearly two months to work something and they’ve come up with nothing other than booking on the fly. It’s these very reasons I think the roster split should end. If it doesn’t even give us prolonged and better build up to feuds, and neither does it give new stars to shine, then it doesn’t do much good at all, does it?
This match will be another shallow affair that’s just about worth watching on Smackdown!, but nowhere near the PPV value that the WWE charges. MNM won’t lose the belts in this one and, being a fan of the team, may I take this opportunity to say, thank god and, please, come up with something better for them next time WWE.
Big Show v. Carlito
Again, another feud that could easily have been started a while back. Even with Show in the title tournament series, you could at least have a run in with Carlito occur along the way and have CCC cost him the match. The Booker T-Kurt Angle feud successfully used the tournament to springboard to a feud. And if the WWE didn’t want to do the same with this feud then take show out of the friggin’ tournament and have him solely feud with Carlito.
This is another piss-poor attempt at a PPV build-up in double the amount of time to put together a good one. Having said all that, this match could actually be fairly watchable. I’m a big fan of Carlito, and I also feel Show can be good in the right situations. This could be one of them.
However, a much better build-up would give us much more reason to want to see this. So, again, we see another match on this card which could just as well be on a weekly free show. As for the winner? I’ll go with Show by DQ. There’s being bold (not bald, like Show) for you. If Carlito is mowed down in this match, I fear for his future. He really needs the rub here and, if Show is going to win, at least give him a DQ victory and have Carlito come out smiling.
Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio
If I could pay a sixth of the PPV fee and just watch this match then I probably would. I doubt I will order Judgment Day (making it only the 2nd PPV in all my PPV ordering life that I haven’t ordered), but if I do, this will be the only reason I am persuaded to do so.
The build-up has been excellent and Eddie’s mannerisms have been riveting. I was highly critical of the idea of turning Eddie heel being as he was a popular face who has always had to turn back to the babyface role when all his previous heel turns failed on the premise that he was just too damn popular. However, I hold up my hands I say that I am shocked at the amount of heel heat he has got and, that so far, the heel turn has worked.
The emotion in this feud has been there for all to see and it has been compelling viewing. Eddie talking to a bloody Mysterio mask in the middle of his match was excellent.I also loved the brainbuster on the steps and then the brainbuster on to the chair on poor Jimmy Jacobs (GO JIMMY!).
This match should be given 30 minutes plus on a shockingly pathetic card like this is. However, you know the WWE would rather make this 25 minutes and give us a 10 minute diva parade to fill-time rather than give it to two people who are actually talented. I mean, after all, the diva parade thing hasn’t been done to death at all on PPV.
As for a winner? It has to be Eddie. He’s come out on the losing end of the stick on all the previous occasions and that very losing streak is the reason he has snapped. If this turn and mean streak doesn’t see him come out on top then I don’t know what will. Unless, of course, he gets himself DQ’d. I’ll go for an Eddie win, sneaky tactics and all, but not the sneaky fun tactics like before, the heinous sneaky tactics we’ve seen in more recent weeks.
Booker T vs. Kurt Angle
The build-up has been good in this feud. They worked the angle in to the title tournament, which is commendable. I still question the very need for that tournament as all it did was seem to kill time that could have gone in to building even stronger feuds. I mean, champions who lose their belt always seem to have rematch clauses, so why nto just use that to evoke a Cena/JBL rematch and then have no tournament and use the time used for it to give these guys even more heat going in to the PPV.
Still, Smackdown! doesn’t seem to be in the business of building up PPVs properly. Plus, with the horror-show build-ups we’ve seen down the card, this looks like it’s has a build-up that’s worth God himself parting the skies to come down and applaud. I’ll say this once and once only, Booker T’s wife couldn’t be more annoying if she were a jamster ringtone. Thank God Kurt put her in her place. Hail Kurt.
As for the match itself? Well, it should be worth a watch. Booker T goes through the motions a lot as an athlete, it seems, but you cannot blame him when he’s lumped in meaningless feuds. However, this feud has some meaning behind it, so I expect we may see a Booker T who’s on point Sunday night… ON POINT!
But will he win? Well, I’m going to go with… no. Booker T hasn’t won a high-profile match in a LONG time, and he could really use the win here. However, that doesn’t mean he’ll get it. Kurt will get the nod in what needs to be a long match that keeps us entertained as the card’s relying heavily on this one since it’s had more build-up than any other match on the card.
I Quit WWE Title Match: John Cena vs. JBL
The build-up has been phenomenal. Excellent. Brilliant. The build-up for John Cena’s CD, that is. For this match, well, it’s been pretty laborious. Cena is like a 15 year old kid at times. It makes me cringe. Yet, he’s popular, so you can’t argue with his position as champion. He sells merch.
This match will be about 4 times longer than the Wrestlemania outing. Many people hated the rush-job we saw at ‘Mania between these two. However, I’m not sure what’s worse; the WWE booking these two in a 10 minute rush-job, or giving them 40 minutes to bore us with.
Once again JBL is in a gimmick match and I refuse to believe he can cut it in a main event match without a gimmick or 10,000 run-ins and ref-bumps attached to the contest. Maybe he should join TNA and become their biggest star. He’dfeelright at home.
As for the winner? Cena has to win it, for me. I can’t quite picture either guy giving up, but Cena seems the safer bet. It’d be stupid to take the title off him and put it back on JBL. Wrestlemania becomes even more pointless if you do that. Give Cena the win and let’s pray to God the match doesn’t become as boring as I think it may.
Well, this card is pathetic. Not even the added prospect of a last minute Cruiserweight Title match between Chavo Guerrero and Paul London (which will surely take place) could bolster this card to anything above mediocre status. The aforementioned match and Eddie-Rey will be tow bright spots, and Angle-Booker could be good. However, to say the writing team have been lazy with this card is an understatement. They’ve been PATHETIC.
Two months! Two months they’ve had to buildforthis PPV. Yet the writing team sits on their arses and twiddles their their thumbs and three days before the event think “Holu shit! We need to plan for a PPV here!”, so they give us a show with a third of the matches as simply rematches from Thursday night.
So, I doubt the WWE will receive any money from this loyal fan for this pile of garbage they attempt to offer me this may.
*Sticks ROH All Star Extravanganza II in to his video player*
Aghh, much better.
Until next time,
Mitchell L. Gadd
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