WWE Battleground

[DJM]

People talk about Austin vs Punk or Austin vs Triple H, but Austin vs Cena would be the one I'd look forward to. That's never been done.

Has there been any talk about an Austin vs. HHH match?

[twelve_grand]

Has there been any talk about an Austin vs. HHH match?

 

Yep - the plan [as reported a couple of months ago] was for WM30 to based around some sort of McMahon feud with the plan A being HHH vs Vince's rep Austin for control of the company. Which is a terrible idea for so many reasons not least that is downplays any unlikely return of Austin as a play thing of the family.

[Froggivizal_Version1.0]

Part of me thinks with a finish like that, they should have closed with Rhodes Dynasty vs. The Shield. Nothing was ever going to touch it heat wise if you're not going to have a decisive winner in the main event.

 

And on that note, ending the main event with a complete unannounced non-finish is just about passable on RAW, because it's a free show and you want to build to the next one - but if I would have paid for that, I'd have been fuming.

 

But on the plus side, Rhodes vs. Shield was wrestling done right. Cody Rhodes has the best fiery comebacks in the WWE, between this and his run in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match - he's been GLORIOUS.

[DJM]

Has there been any talk about an Austin vs. HHH match?

 

Yep - the plan [as reported a couple of months ago] was for WM30 to based around some sort of McMahon feud with the plan A being HHH vs Vince's rep Austin for control of the company. Which is a terrible idea for so many reasons not least that is downplays any unlikely return of Austin as a play thing of the family.

Fair enough. I had read about the HHH vs. Vince's rep idea but had never heard about a HHH/Austin match.

[Froggivizal_Version1.0]

One last thing - based upon tonight - what is Cesaro's WM moment going to be? Him giving the Cesaro Swing to Big Show? Him doing it to El Torito? Or him turning on The Real Americans and doing it on Colter?

 

It's becoming the new "Yes!" or "Fandangoing" thing - hopefully it'll catch on more like the former, and push Cesaro to the moon.

[FrankCastle]

It was exactly what I was expecting - filler. No idea what to do with post Summerslam storylines, so let's just whack something together.

 

Del Rio: Why? Why? Just Why? I can't like the guy - I just look for something to like about him, but his matches are just so meh, and his character is like some politically correct Million Dollar Man. I'd also like him to finish a match some other way than the bloody cross arm breaker.

 

I enjoyed Cesaro's giant swing on Khali, but again, why did he bloody well count to three? The rest of the match was again, meh. To think Cesaro was hyped up to be the next big thing, and two of the four were former World Heavyweight Champions and the other a former Intercontinental Champ. Surely it's time for Khali to pack in?

 

I like Curtis Axel, and I'm willing to give him a chance, but he'll never get anywhere in crap with R-Truth - I'd rather have seen a handicap match with him and Ryback against Punk.

 

I've never rooted for the Bella twins before, but I would rather them, and indeed any female, have the title over AJ. Is she a rebel without a cause, is she still a nutter, is she a stalker, is she a fangirl, is she still twee? I couldn't care less. She isn't much of a wrestler, and I don't think she's very good looking either, which are the two things everyone I speak to who defends her maintains she is.

 

I enjoyed the Rhodes match. It was just like a tag match of old, and credit must go to both teams for putting on such an exceptional performance. Given the Shield are relatively inexperienced compared to Goldust and Cody, they played their part well, and Goldust was crisper and sharper than I've ever seen him. That Cross Rhodes was a work of art as well. The whole storyline seems to have bought the best out of both of them. I'm convinced the Rhodes boys have a future as an effective tag team and would draw as tag champs.

 

The Wyatt/Kofi match was again ordinary, but I suppose the Wyatts are doing a good job if I want someone to come and beat them - namely Kane or Taker just to make them scared instead of their brand of "weird" supposed to be fear inducing.

 

I actually didn't mind Punk/Ryback. I enjoy matches where the smaller guy has to use his head to beat the bigger guy. Admittedly, Ryback is Lesnar-lite, but I still liked the dynamic. I did like little touches like Ryback going to Heyman for advice, and I actually don't think the big guy is that bad. You do have to wonder how much damage is being done to him at losing the same way to the same guy in the space of 12 months. I really don't see where there is for Ryback to go after being built up as Cena's nemesis then ditched barely a month after that.

 

I really thought they'd have to give Bryan the win in the main event, just so he didn't end up being screwed for the third time in the space of just over a month, but I am a hughe Big Show mark, so I wasn't too upset at the ending. I think Bryan is going to end up with the title eventually, and I'm hoping they'll do it with a tournament win.

 

I am though, pleased that Show has finally snapped, and this might lead to him just being a full on wrecking machine and bulldozing through HHH's lackeys. I know some people will shout me down but I'd actually like a Hunter v Big Show match in some form at Survivor Series...

[IANdrewDiceClay]

One last thing - based upon tonight - what is Cesaro's WM moment going to be?

If its anything like the Fandango craze, expect Cesaro to be on the panel during the pre-show.

[Killjoy_Gee]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who spotted Khali counting along to his own pin. Got a hearty chuckle from me.

 

Along with the spin, Goldust's paint, his chomp during the promo (and generally anything involving the Rhodes/Shield) I must confess I was quite impressed with Bray's backwards possessed walk - even if it did go a bit wrong.

 

I've never seen a visual quite like that in 13 years of watching wrestling... and Bray did it with such conviction, no chuckling or anything. It was eerie.

 

I'm actually quite surprised noone else has referenced it... and if they have my apologies! Been a long day

[King Pitcos]

It was a bad show for a pay-per-view. Like Ian said, it was an episode of Raw. It's very difficult for WWE to pull off anything that seems worthy of pay-per-view, mostly because they spend the TV shows doing pay-per-view length/level matches instead of building pay-per-views. Take out anything involving The Rock, Undertaker, Lesnar and Cena and what is there this year so far that's even seemed PPV-worthy? The Rhodes Family vs The Shield on Battleground, and that's solid PPV midcard stuff.

 

I've got no opinion at all on the RVD vs Del Rio match other than it passed the time well enough. Partly due to the writing and partly due to the men themselves, there's just nothing about either character or the "storyline" between them that I found compelling.

 

I reckon that finding something people react to has lit a fire under Cesaro. He's starting to get it. He was great during Zeb's speech. And he did the swing on Khali! I was underwhelmed by the Santino section of the match though.

 

Didn't watch R-Truth vs Curtis Axel because life's too short.

 

I was impressed by Brie Bella in the divas match. That was her best showing, she did well. AJ's still the dirt worst though so it was what it was.

 

Renee Young is the best interviewer in the history of the biz, fuck Mean Gene. I didn't get as into the tag match as everyone else seemed to, because the result was obvious as Goldust is the only Rhodes I've any time for. His strikes were fantastic though! This run surely won't last long before he crashes and burns again, but we can enjoy it while it lasts and I hope he gets his dream match/feud with Cody this time round. The Shield are great. Dean Ambrose has a shameful hairline for a man in his twenties, but he doesn't seem embarrassed about it.

 

Kofi vs Bray Wyatt was good, but a total Raw match.

 

CM Punk vs Ryback was rubbish. Punk's been very hit and miss in the ring since his return, and this one was a miss. Shit storyline leading into it, no momentum, and they didn't overdeliver in the ring. There's no sense in them having a match that went on that long, and the finish was crap, even if it did tie into their match last year.

 

The main event took so long to get going. It got gripping by the end, but Big Show's appearance was the highlight and the lowlight. I think this main storyline is going to fuck Bryan or Orton, ultimately. The feud hasn't put them in a position where even the loser comes out smelling like roses and full of momentum, though that could change by next month.

 

I agree with the comments about those being in the crowd....fuck paying for seats at a ppv to be treated to that ending in a WWE Title match!

Fuck the seats, the people there live probably bought tickets months ago and were paying to see their favourites walk to the ring with fireworks and music. It's the poor sods who paid $45 or whatever to watch it on telly who got the bum deal.

 

The big one if Steve Austin. He has to seriously think that if he doesn't do WrestleMania 30, he's simply never coming back. The timing is right and with all the miles on his body, you'd think once he gets past 50, he'll never do another match. Mania 30 is going to be a big one. Its the perfect event for him to return. Austin vs Cena would be huge. People talk about Austin vs Punk or Austin vs Triple H, but Austin vs Cena would be the one I'd look forward to. That's never been done.

It's mad now to think he nearly came back for a match with Coach years ago, and that they were booking him to lose.

 

Goldusts face paint was bloody glorious last night. Also, Khalis legs looked extremely skinny while in the Cesaro swing.

Aye, there's a photo of him in a sauna in the weird photos thread, and the towel doesn't cover his legs completely. They're about as thick as his fingers.

[LaGoosh]

The Great Khali is supposed to be this big scary monster but I reckon I could have him and I'm a complete pussy. I'd just punt him in the legs as hard as I could, he'd just crumple to the floor in moments. Guy can barely walk.

[Sphinx]

You're 'ard.

[Slapnut]

No he's not, he a complete pussy by his own admission.

[Devon Malcolm]

Ziggler v Sandow was absolutely pointless and not very good. Ziggler became really crap all of a sudden.

 

RVD v ADR was one that I really enjoyed. ADR always has great matches but he never has good storylines so why should anyone care about him? I do but I don't expect anyone else to. Having Ricardo interfere was stupid as well.

 

Cesaro's big swing was absolutely brilliant. Good on Khali for agreeing to it as well, the big oaf! Zeb's promo was great as well.

 

Axel v R-Truth was mediocre. I want mental R-Truth back and for someone else that's good to get Axel's great entrance and music.

 

AJ v Brie was utter shite. AJ just gets worse - she's completely overplaying the mannerisms now. Even more so than before.

 

The Rhodes' v The Shield was almost my favourite match of the year so far, just behind Undertaker v CM Punk. It was brilliantly done from start to finish - from the pre-match promo to the celebration at the end that actually made it look as though the match mattered. The match itself was superb. Goldust was brilliant, amazing to think how old he is now moving around like that. It was Cody's best performance that I've seen as well. Roman Reigns is fucking fantastic, though. What a find he's been.

 

Kofi v Wyatt was crap apart from the spider walk. That was pretty funny.

 

Punk v Ryback was the absolute pits. Ryback is fucking dreadful. Just let him do more comedy and stop putting him in matches, and get Punk out of this sodding feud.

 

Bryan v Orton was really good and the finish was shite.

 

It wasn't bad.

[FrankCastle]

Anyone else think Goldust's facepaint was channelling Darth Maul from Star Wars?

[garynysmon]

As someone who hasn't watched more than half an hour of WWE since Wrestlemania, I saw the show was on tonight and thought i'd give it a go. Coming in with a fresh perspective, I thought it was allright and might give the product a chance for a few weeks.

I really enjoyed the Rhodes/Shield match and am pleased at the reports that Goldust (Butch's mate) is being resigned to a short term deal. He can still go and was surprised to read he's only 44 now. A valuable addition to a young roster.

RVD v Alberto Del Rio was also an enjoyable gimmick match but not sure how Ricardo Rodriguez' act works without being a foil for Alberto. Both worked hard though and RVD certainly seems more motivated since I last saw him regularly in TNA.

The other positive for me was the video package for CM Punk v Ryback, which really brought viewers up to speed with what was going on. Heyman's great isn't he?

 

Another thing, is Big Show's angle a complete rehash of HBK/JBL a few years ago?

 

It must have worked though, as at 12:30am I'm still watching NXT and haven't changed the channel (Ian was right, it's good telly to be fair).