Opinion
Ronda Rousey’s WWE Run Cooling Off On The Road To WrestleMania 34?
Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle’s match with The Authority at WrestleMania 34 is one of the biggest bouts WWE has booked in quite some time. Not only is Angle getting back in the ring with The Game of course, but Rousey is finally making her WWE ring debut.
It has all the markings of an instant classic. Stephanie McMahon is along for the ride, which means anything can happen. Rousey’s involvement means mainstream media coverage for the company. Angle and Hunter will surely deliver some great moments. Fans are ready for this one.
But has this match already cooled off beyond what it should have? Ronda Rousey was supposedly set to appear on every Monday Night Raw between her debut and Mania on April 8. But her last appearance on Raw was on March 19 in a non-televised segment with Dana Brooke.
That segment was cringe worthy at best. It’s not that Rousey has not put in the work to compete. It’s not that she won’t be able to do her part at WrestleMania. But her recent absence from TV is more than curious. Why would the company choose to leave her off of Raw when Mania is right around the corner?
It could be that WWE wants to limit her visibility on the road to WrestleMania. The more fans see her, they more they may tune out mentally. Her time on TV must count; it must mean something. The match is on and the wheels are moving. Why should she appear on Raw again right now?
The fact is Ronda Rousey wants this. She wants to be a full time WWE Superstar. But that must mean more than just occasionally showing up and running through overly rehearsed spots. She was a beast in the Octagon and fans want that from her now.
What would be the harm in Rousey working a quick exhibition match against a lower tier talent on Raw? It’s a move the company uses for others and it’s all in an effort to get someone over. Why shouldn’t the same be done for Rousey? WWE obviously wants her Mania shot to be important, which is why she’s being kept out of the ring for now. But is that a mistake?
She has had moments of looking good when it comes to her promo work. She was believably sincere when she first appeared on Monday Night Raw and she’s been humble since then. But how long will that be enough for the WWE audience that can be highly critical of outsiders? Will the time come when Rousey either needs to fully embrace this new life or perhaps just let it go?
It may not be time to hit the panic button on Rousey’s career just yet. She still has time. It’s understandable that she doesn’t look like a pro wresting veteran on the mic; she’s not one. This is new to her and no amount of time spent in UFC could prepare her for the weekly grind of WWE TV.
With any luck she will grow accustomed to her new role. But if she’s not there to learn, it’s questionable booking to say the least. Ronda Rousey should be okay in the long run. But what about the rest of the talent in her debut match at WrestleMania?
Kurt Angle is not the same man he once was in the ring. That’s not to say he can’t get the job done between the ropes, but he has lost a step. Has he lost too many steps to be truly effective on April 8? This is not a street fight. He can’t show up dressed in tactical gear like The Shield and bash his way to a win.
Angle must deliver in this match. He surely feels the pressure to be on his game and his fans want him to be on his game. They believe in him and it’s because of that belief that they still support him to this point. Will he physically be able to go on April 8? Or will he be a shadow of his former self?
Triple H is The Game despite who he’s working. His repertoire was never explosive and he has always remained grounded in his matches. His methodical style continues to serve him well, especially now. Like Angle, Hunter is perhaps not the performer he once was. But time has not slowed him down all that much.
The real x-factor here is Stephanie. Unlike the other three participants in this match, she is not a pro wrestler. She will know her spots and she will hopefully be on time for them. But in terms of what she will physically bring to the match, fans are perhaps not expecting much.
This match is flawed primarily because it just doesn’t seem like a WrestleMania main event in 2018. The stars are right and the storyline is logical. But the process felt rushed and somewhat forced. Angle is around five years too late for the match and the same could be said of Triple H.
Ronda Rousey is in because she’s Ronda Rousey. Stephanie McMahon probably shouldn’t have been thrown in at all. WWE is going with what seems like the best storyline for everyone and it’s hard to argue with their logic.
But that does not mean it was the best idea. It also doesn’t mean the match will work. As always, it falls to WWE when it comes to booking this one the right way. For Ronda Rousey’s sake, this match should be a hit. If not, then it may not matter if she shows up again or not.
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Opinion
Chris King: Is Brock Lesnar Truly Retired?
Brock Lesnar retired at WWE WrestleMania 42, right? Are we totally sure? Chris King asks…
Brock Lesnar retired at WWE WrestleMania 42, right? Are we totally sure? Chris King asks…
At WrestleMania 42, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ Brock Lesnar took off his boots and gloves following his loss to Oba Femi. Lesnar has done it all inside of his twenty-four-year career in professional wrestling. He’s a ten-time WWE Champion and former UFC Heavyweight Champion, and he’s one who ended The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania.
While Lesnar was in the ring, he was visibly overwhelmed with emotion and crying while he thanked the fans in his own way. The Beast even threw up an x to signal to Paul Heyman, his longtime friend and advocate, that this was not scripted and was real. There had been rumors that Lesnar and Oba were supposed to have a series of matches before everything went down at Mania.
‘The Career Killer’ Gunther was doing Heyman’s bidding as he faced Seth Rollins for a favor. For a while now since Gunther retired Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles, the rumor has been Gunther was set to retire Lesnar in his hometown at this year’s SummerSlam event. There’s been no confirmation if Lesnar is truly retired, but on this week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown, we saw Heyman talking with General Manager Nick Aldis. Later that night following Rhodes’ match against the debuting Ricky Saints, Gunther choked out the WWE Champion. Could this be the favor from Heyman?
I know in the world of professional wrestling we live by the mantra of “never say never,” but what if Lesnar is actually retired and this was WWE’s way of shutting down those rumors about Gunther and Lesnar? What if Gunther’s next program is chasing after the WWE title, and where is Randy Orton at in all of these plans? There are so many questions that need to be answered, hopefully soon!
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Opinion
Chris King: Defend The Intercontinental Championship At Backlash!
With WWE Backlash upon us, Chris King wants to see Penta defend the Intercontinental Championship in Tampa!
With WWE Backlash upon us, Chris King wants to see Penta defend the Intercontinental Championship in Tampa!
This year’s annual Backlash showcase is only a few days away, and while there are many big matches announced, one that definitely should be isn’t on the card. In my opinion, outside of Roman Reigns/Jacob Fatu and Seth Rollins/Bron Breakker, the Intercontinental Championship scene has been stellar over the last month.
Penta has been an excellent champion, especially after his triumphant title defense in a ladder match against JeVon Evans, Rusev, Dragon Lee, and the Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 42. Their ladder match at Mania was one of the best that WWE has produced in a while.
The momentum never stopped, as on the post-Mania episode of Monday Night Raw, ‘All Ego’ Ethan Page made his debut and was quickly inserted into the Intercontinental title scene. Page had a fantastic showing against his longtime NXT rival Evans and picked up a big win in his debut match thanks to an assist from Rusev.
All Ego immediately joined forces with ‘The Bulgarian Brute’ Rusev, who was also vying for the Intercontinental Title in his own right. On this week’s episode of Raw, Page and Rusev defeated Evans and Penta. All Ego pinned the champion, making a huge statement and putting him one step closer to getting a title shot. For the past few weeks I’ve been anxiously waiting to see if WWE was going to add this incredible fatal four-way match for the Intercontinental Championship, but it hasn’t happened yet.
As much as the WWE Universe enjoys witnessing great matches on free television, I truly believe all four superstars deserve the chance to showcase their talents on the PLE. While Penta has done a terrific job as the intercontinental champion, it’s time for a fresh face to hold the prestigious title. Page would make a great braggadocious heel that would help elevate the Intercontinental Championship to new heights!
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