July 3, 2017

RAW Notes

1. Like where the Enzo and Cass feud is going, out of the ring at least. Like to see a push for Enzo off the mic at some point.
2. It was wishful thinking, but I would have liked to have seen Heath Slater become IC champ against Miz. The Miz/Ambrose thing is getting old. Either way, Slater’s powerslam off the top rope was the move of the night. And are we just ignoring the fact that Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel were not long ago Social Outcasts?
3. Cruiserweight division still sucks and Neville may be the worst heel of all time.
4. Hope WWE has a better idea of where this Rollins/Wyatt thing is going than I do.
5. Love the intensity between Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar, but the side-by-side interview was hard to watch.
6. To beat the dead horse, maybe writers should go back and watch classic WCW cruiserweight matches and promos. Worlds better.
7. Still a Hardy guy, but Sheamus has given life to what was quickly becoming a worn-out Cesaro character. No issues with me if they hang onto the tag title a while longer.
8. Balor/Cesaro was high-quality matchup. Both has so many ring qualities.
9. Reigns/Strowman was predictable with Reigns in the ambulance, but Roman’s spear off the stage was too legit to hate on the weekly feud.
10. Speaking of Strowman, the five feet he kicked Apollo Crews was right there with Slater’s powerslam for move of the night.

June 8, 2017

Smackdown: Philips Arena, Atlanta

April 10, 2017

@brandonspeck

Got to share a meal with family and friends at Lawler’s Hall of Fame Bar and Grille for the first time Sunday. Whole wings with JR’s Hot BBQ are delish. Service was not that great. Cool atmosphere, especially for wrestling nuts. And we did run into Jerry’s fiance, which was quite random, considering she introduced herself as Jerry’s fiance. I’ll go back.

@brandonspeck

Feb. 1, 2016

#WWETupelo never disappoints

TUPELO – WWE TV shows are great but if you’re not going to your local house shows, you’re missing out.

WWE Tupelo last night delivered. A title match with Kalisto beating Miz started it out and it was pretty strong throughout.

The following tag match was saved by Social Outcasts Bo Dallas and Adam Rose. Dallas’ Bo Train saved the day and paid us back for having to watch them wrestle The Ascension.

WWE gave a very into it crowd a Divas tag match between Sasha and Tamina and Brie and Alicia Fox and a 20-plus minute match between Dolph Ziggler and Tyler Breeze. The match did go long but was a great match.

In the main event, I agree with my pal Adam Gore that Bray Wyatt is severely underused. He maintained his scary demeanor while also leaving the match with Kane and yelling he had to stretch. On his way back to the ring, a little boy sitting front row hit him on the arm with a cotton candy stick and Wyatt acted like it took his breath.

Dancing around the ring, someone yelled, “Get in the ring and fight.”

Wyatt replied: “You see how big he is?”

Give Bray a title. Soon.

Jan. 25, 2016

GORE’S HOUSE – Outside of WrestleMania, WWE gets the most bang for its buck with Royal Rumble.

Sunday’s 2016 version had some questioning how good it could be when chairman Vince McMahon announced on Raw that Roman Reigns would have to win Royal Rumble to keep his WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

When Reigns left the match injured at the hands of The League of Nations, you knew he was coming back in because he didn’t go over the top rope.

When he came back in late, there were clear boos from the Orlando crowd. WWE has worked hard to make Reigns a popular champion. It just hasn’t worked. There are more men wearing Reigns shirts than ever but the male crowd doesn’t seem it will come around.

Fans would have lost their minds in Reigns would have done the predictable and won the Rumble. Instead, Triple H won gold for the first time since 2009.

Once again, the WWE took what looked like a wrong turn in a saga trying to convince the universe Reigns is the guy and made it awesome. This time Triple H’s return is more than a vapor. Question is: will Reigns fight Triple H for the title at WrestleMania or is the Roman Empire experiment over?

I say end it and give Reigns a US Title. Fan should be ok with that.

WHAT DO I WANT TO SEE?

Bray Wyatt winning the belt. For a guy the WWE doesn’t know what to do with, his character has become fun to watch. I’d like to see the Wyatts stop picking weekly feuds and help Bray win the title at some point.

ABOUT TIME

That Sasha Banks gets in the Divas Championship mix. I am not a closet Paige fan. I want her to get the title back. But Sasha has earned her shot. The Banks Statement is a great move and she would be a fun champ – until Paige gets back what is rightfully hers.

ROYAL RAMBLES

• The Dean Ambrose – Kevin Owens feud is fun. The Dudley tables are getting old and so are the Dudleys. Seeing these two maim one another is refreshing. And Owens dragging his leg down the ramp for Rumble was hilarious.
• Speaking of hilarious, kudos to WWE and R Truth for the comedy during the Rumble. He has been comedy gold since winning his Slammy.
• The New Day kept the tag titles. The trio is way too funny to lose those belts.
• The Ascension is awful. No one, beside Tyler Breeze, needs a character redo more than them.
• Can we please not let Kalisto lost the US belt on Raw – for the sake of all of us 5-foot-6 guys?
• Did you hear the love AJ Styles got from Orlando?
• I wouldn’t mind seeing Luke Harper with a belt. He’s a perfect mix of crazy and unintentionally hilarious.