Long Overdue

My classes have ended, my semester is over, and a blog of mine is long, long overdue. I have started many projects here at the blog that have gone unfinished, and for that I apologize. What I hope to accomplish, in what is near a month until I have to go back to school is keep it updated.

The reason for my lack of blogging, also has a lot to do with a lack of inspiration since WWE’s product has been somewhat stale of late, however after watching TLC this past Sunday, and seeing Daniel Bryan win the World Heavyweight Championship, CM Punk retain his championship despite being handcuffed twice, and Zack Ryder finally getting his shot, and having what was a pretty decent match with Dolph Ziggler, all during a PPV free of John Cena, I am once again inspired.

I watched RAW this past night, and witnessed something I could have never imagined, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan- Brian Danielson, standing in a WWE ring, as the two top champions in WWE. Not to mention Zack Ryder, an internet star, not just any internet star-the internet champion, as the United States Champion, it was pretty surreal.

CM Punk and Daniel Bryan as the WWE Champion, and World Heavyweight Champion, respectively, brings me back to a time where Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit; or as WWE refers to him “          “ ; reigned as champions.

Some of the highlights over the past couple of weeks, for me, have been the building of Dolph Ziggler, and giving him a chance to shine, week after week he has the best match, and makes whoever he is working with look as if they are the best in the world. Not only is that, but the build of his character is fun to watch.

My favorite part of Z! TLIS every week is his hacking of the show, and I find myself hating the shows, he does not hack. His character has become one of the best heels going, and I wish he could cut the type of promos he cuts on Z!TLIS on TV. #HEEL

 I am a different type of Smark, I look for someone who can wrestle, cut a promo, and has a good character, heel or face. Heel characters often are better, but if a wrestler can wrestle but can’t cut a promo, I don’t really care about them, hence why I don’t like Del Rio, and why I love Ryder, because to me the art of wrestling lies in being able to accomplish both.

Another thing I’ve liked is Mark Henry’s build up, and persona, and feud with the Big Show. The Booker T/Cody Rhodes angle seems very forced, and I don’t see Booker T just loosing, but the only possible reason for this angle should be to put over Rhodes? Right?

I like how they are finally using Zack Ryder, and it seems like they are ready to push him to the moon, but strangely I felt like the best outcome of Ryder winning the US Title, is Ziggler now being able to challenge for the WWE Championship. Ziggler/Punk would to me, provide a better feud than Punk/Miz or Punk/Del Rio, and obviously better matches. It brought me back to Bret Hart dropping the Intercontinental Title to Davey Boy, and it being more of Hart’s moment, than Davey Boy’s.

So many stars are catching fire, so quickly that I feel it’s time to start a third brand. Imagine a third brand, with its own World Championship, and secondary championship, and a spot for low/mid carders to get over. Right now with RAW Supershow, the spots some of those types of talents would have gotten, are going to put over SmackDown storylines, and maybe, just maybe with a third brand, we could find everyone’s long lost cousin, Brodus Clay.

Speaking of lost cousins, I feel like right now, creative has nothing for John Cena, until WrestleMania. (I may have just won a Slammy for Worst Segway of the Year). So they decide to have Kane hand him his ass, which I like, although their attempt to build Kane as a super heel by beating the crap out of John Cena, might end up making him the biggest face going….

If you’ve read my blog, or know anything about wrestling fans, you know that me as a wrestling fan hates TNA. However, I have been surprised of late of how TNA is finally progressing-knock on Hacksaw’s 2x4-with some of their storylines. TNA’s problem, just like WCW’s, was the lack of ability to build new stars, however TNA has turned arguably their most over act, Beer Money, into a very over baby face in James Storm, and a hated heel in Robert Roode. Then having the sense to not feud them immediately, having Storm get, hopefully, put over by Kurt Angle, and Roode make himself with AJ Styles.

I for one loved the finish of the Iron Man match; it made Roode look like the biggest jackass in TNA, and pissed everyone off, which was perfect. When Roode and Storm are done being put over, they will finally have their big feud, which should be a huge draw for TNA if done correctly, and Beer Money, could end up with no Jannetty.

So this brief recap of recent events brings me to what I witnessed Monday, with one of the most awesome moments since Money in the Bank, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk and Zack Ryder holding prominent WWE Championships. Even more awesome than RAW was the night previous. I can’t recall marking out hard, multiple times in a night, and I marked out hard a lot during TLC.

I marked out for Vickie being thrown out at ringside, number one because I called it, and number two because I knew that they don’t do the manager being thrown out spot unless the heel is going to lose. Then I marked out again for the Rough Ryder, and again when the ref counted to three.

I had already marked out, a lot, so one could imagine how hard I marked out when Daniel Bryan’s music hit. Then I marked out again when the bell rang, and it became official, and then once again when the ref counted the three. I was marking hard because I had a feeling that would happen; I was hoping for a Bryan heel turn, with Bryan almost turning on the man that was trying to help him, in the big show, but no one could hate on Bryan for what he did, even the simplest of marks.  

I thought I had marked out enough of one night, but I was wrong. I didn’t quite mark out during the Triple H/Nash match, but I did enjoy the spot toward the end of the match where Nash tries to hold up the Kliq sign, and Triple H gives him the DX Crotch Chop. I didn’t understand what the deal was with Cody Rhodes and Booker T, they were having the match, then they weren’t, then they were, it made no sense, like they were building for a match, when they already had one?

In the main event, I found myself marking out once again. I marked out for the Ricardo Rodriguez table spot, because I love his character, and that spot was sick. I marked out again, each time Punk escaped the handcuffs. They made CM Punk look like a straight bad ass, by escaping not once but twice. I loved the fact they put over, that usually one would need a tool to get the turnbuckle off, but Punk did it with his bare hands. And of course, I marked out when Punk grabbed the title, and he had retained. I marked out for him winning, but I marked out for what it meant. It meant that Punk will have a long run as champion, that finally John Cena is out of the WWE Championship, picture for now at least, and that times are changing in WWE, or so it seems, that wrestling matters in WWE, and that I am glad to be a fan right now, of something that has so much potential. CM Punk tweeted a picture of all of the current WWE Title holders; CM Punk as the WWE Champion, Daniel Bryan as the World Heavyweight Champion, Zack Ryder as the United States Champion, Cody Rhodes as the Intercontinental Champion, Air Boom as the Tag Team Champions, and Beth Phoenix as the Diva’s Champion; with the picture he wrote “If you can't get behind this, you will be left behind.” That statement is dead on.

I'm Back...Again

Gues who's back.

Back again....

Yes, I'm back for now, my absence was the result of an influx of other projects, and school work, but never fear I am back.

Last night, I made my triumphant return to live tweeting during Raw, and the Milk Carton plant had to cut production on the Milk Carton's with my face on it.

Also I got a mention on WWE.COM's "The Day After Raw" section, itt wasn't my best tweet of the night, but i'll take it, because any way you slice it, that's pretty cool.

Anyway, here's the link:

http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-12-19/day-after-raw

-Mark X

Secret Mark Forums

I havent blogged in awhile, or tweeted, currently I am working on a website that will have news, rumors, and other cool features. Here is one that i'm currently working on, the Sceret Mark Forums

http://excoboard.com/secretmark

FINALLY............

No the Rock has not come back, at least not yet. However, I have FINALLY found time to post the winners of the second round of #FailedGimmicks matches.

Thanks to @JHorton92 for breaking the tie, The Millionaires Club defeated the New Blood.

50% - 50%

Another Russo venture, Sports Entertainment Xtreme defeated the Natural Born Thrillers

60%

40%

I still don't understand Reno's gear.........

3 Count, who for most of the voting was leading 100% to 0% Held on and defeated Men on a Mission or M.O.M.

  

88%

Still a better gimmick than whatever the hell "DILLIGAF" is, and yes I know what it means....

12%

Big Daddy Purple...........

In a battle of the teams that began with "T's" because there is nothing else to note about them, Teckno Team 2000, with perhaps the hippest name in wrestling defeated the Truth Commision.

86%

14%

In a battle of clean vs dirty, I guess. The Goodwins defeated The Body Donnas

86%

14%

In that period of time, where SmackDown needed to fill time on Velocity, these teams were born. They couldn't even get over on Velocity. The Dicks defeated the Gymini.

75%

25%

That it for this round. Vote on the third round now!

The Problem With TNA (Part 2- Nonsensical Turn of Events)

I will be writing an on-going blog on the problem with TNA as I see it.

Here is part 2, of a however many part it takes me, series.

Paul Heyman once said, in an interview, about TNA, that if he were hired by them, he would cut everyone on the roster that was under 40, or something of the like. He said that while wrestling organization’s need legends, too many legends make the idea of having the legends, pointless.

I couldn’t agree with him more. ECW, prospered with their resident legend, Terry Funk, who unlike other legends of the time, did his job as a legend and got other people over.  While I don’t mean to say that legends should be jobbers, legends in a company like TNA, should help to get the younger guys over.

The legends in TNA or the haphazard booking of TNA seems as if they are unaware of this. Maybe if they thought;  “Oh hey we can get all these young guys over, by working them with Sting, that way when Sting retires we will still have legitimate stars” then Roode not being ‘ready’ to be “the top guy” wouldn’t be an issue.

TNA throws on TV, on a weekly basis, angles featuring two wrestlers that have already been established. ‘Can this old veteran, that was basically a mid-carder his whole career, beat this other former mid-carder? Buy the PPV to find out!’ It’s like no, I already saw that match, 10 years ago, and it was a throw away match on Raw….

Half of the fun, of watching wrestling on a regular basis is seeing the development of young wrestlers, and watching them eventually become main eventers.

In this world of weekly wrestling programming, that is a necessity. Maybe in the 80s an organization could get away with pushing the same guys all the time, because the big draw back then was the Supercards, which often were spaced out, and some fans wouldn’t even see the buildup for them, if there was any.

Today, however, you’ve got a weekly wrestling program, that while serving as a show to hype a pay per view, in some cases is almost as important as a pay per view. That’s why WWE is successful and TNA toils in the 1.0s. WWE pushes new starts, has somewhat fresh angles, and usually does the basic thing that wrestling is meant to do, entertain.

The entertainment from a wrestling angle comes usually with a bad guy, and a good guy; for those of you who live under the mark-rock, Heels and Faces; and usually the bad guy, throughout the angle is made to look like a jack ass, while the good guy comes out looking like a hero.

TNA, and Eric Bischoff’s WCW are apparently not aware of this. The typical TNA heel usually throughout an angle attempts to make themselves seem righteous, and often buries the face, in the process. Once a typical TNA face has shown that they cannot be buried, they become a Heel, often in a nonsensical turn of events.

Furthermore, it is just lazy booking to just put all of an organization’s heels into one group. It isn’t the Justin League for god sakes, its wrestling…….

To Be Continued...

The Problem With TNA (Part 1)

I will be writing an on-going blog on the problem with TNA as I see it. 

Here is part 1, of a however many part it takes me, series.

Last night, I got home from work, after working a fourteen hour shift, and as I sat down, I took a look at the results for TNA’s version of Wrestlemania, known as Bound For Glory. 

Headlining the show, was a match between a LEGEND, who has already proven himself to be one of the best in the world, as long as he is not drinking, or being “hacked” on his Twitter account.; and a TNA original, that went threw what I would like to refer to as a bat-shit crazy, point based tournament type of thing, known as the Bound For Glory series.

Any kind of self respecting, wrestling organization, that subjected its fans threw said, crazy ass tournament, would likely have the winner of the tournament; which was for the right to compete for the World Championship, sorry TNA Championship; win the championship, in the big payoff match.

TNA, however, it not any kind of self respecting wrestling organization. As I read the results, and subsequently thought to myself how lucky I was, that I hadn’t wasted any money, on the damn thing, I could not believe TNA had done it again. More than that though, I could not believe I was surprised about it.

I did not have to watch the PPV to realize that it was garbage, for one thing ROODE DID NOT GO OVER!

Think about this, TNA spent months, wasting time on this damn thing. Someone actually spent time, coming up with an explanation for this damn thing, and TNA somehow actually stuck to it, and kept continuity in this "tournament".  All of this valuable TV time, and in some cases PPV time, were wasted just so Angle could beat Roode, WITH HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES!

I mean come on.  Even if they wanted Angle to go over, the match should NOT have ended with that kind of a finish.

I understand, I am in the 10% that Bischoff, and TNA, and Country Carter, don’t care about, but I can basically guarantee them, that if they were to cater to the “10%” they would not lose the other 90% because good wrestling is synonymous with good TV.

I understand that I sound like some kind of whiney smark right now, but TNA is the alternative. Whether we like it or not, it’s the other show on TV.

I’ve been watching TNA since the weekly PPV days. I started watching TNA for that same reason, because they were the alternative. TNA in its early days; it’s days before the crusty veterans decided that while they were retiring in Florida, they might as well get a retirement job, for the local promotion; was carried on the backs of the X Division.  TNA took from the late WCW the few still entertaining ideas that were left.

Somewhere along the way, TNA lost its way. In came Hall and Nash, in came Booker T, in came Flair and worst of all, in came Hogan.....

To be continued......

#FailedGimmicks Tag Teams and Stables

So here at the blog, the #FailedGimmicks tournament has been ongoing. The winners for the most ridiculous bracket have been announced, which you can read here. The second bracket is all about the worst Tag Teams and Stables, so vote now! Click here to vote.

Here Are Your Winners....

So the results of the first Bracket of the #FailedGimmicks Tournament are finally here.

You can vote on the next round, right now! Just head over to the #FailedGimmicks page 

Thank You for everyone who voted. So without further ado...

The first bracket, which was dubbed 'The Most Ridiculous' gimmicks, lived up to it's name.

In match one, the One and hopefully only Kiss Demon defeated The Patriot by a vote of 81% to 19%

 

Def.

In match two, Konan's legacy in the WWE defeated The Goon by a vote of 73% to 27%

Def.

In match three, The notorious fall through the wall, Shockmaster defeated Kizarny by a vote of 75% to 25%

Def.

In match four, The Kevin Fertig Bowl, Mordecai defeated Kevin Thorn, in an upset (not really an upset, it just sounded cool to say that) With a vote of 64% to 36%

Def.

In the much anticipated Dustin Runnel's Bowl, Black Reign shocked the football world with a victory over Seven. With a vote of 67% to 33%

Def.

Last, but certainly not least. DR. Kane, took on Jeff Hardy's crowning achievement. (Well, it certainly wasn't winning the TNA Title) with a vote of 75% to 25%

Def.

#FailedGimmicks

So it's finally here, the #FailedGimmicks tournament is up, there might be some kinks with everything, but I hope it goes smooth. Shout out to everyone that used the hash tag #FailedGimmicks, as that is where I pulled most of the names for the massive 36 gimmick tournament from.

The voting for the first bracket will end Wednesday October 12th, so head over the Tournament page and vote for the worst gimmicks. You can vote as often, and as much as you want. Check it out here.

Thanks to:

@JHorton92 @hhogan4life @Annabelle2311 @SaintN9 @Theo_Sofianos @theFRANCHISE325 @treeofwoeblog

-Mark X

Now Hold Up Playa

In the past year, I'm not sure what I've watched less of, The Lifetime Network, Cinemax which I am not subscribed to, or WWE Smack Down.

Smack Down was my first foray in to wrestling, and it is a shame that rarely, if ever do I watch it.

The crazy thing about it is I can't quite put my finger on what exactly it is about Smack Down that makes me not care about it.

Is it the fact that it's on Fridays?

Is it the fact that I know what will happen three days in advance?

Is it the lackluster roster?

Is it the fact that it is blatantly the "B" show?

The truth is it is probably a mix of all of those things. Smack Down is WWE's "B" show; there is no doubt about it. There is a reason why the RAW main event on a WWE PPV, is always the last match to go on.

Take this past year’s WrestleMania, for example. Does anyone care about Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio? Or do they want to see the Miz vs. John Cena with involvement from the Rock?

Smack Down is taped on Tuesdays, for the few who didn't understand what Paul Heyman meant at One Night Stand, and who currently reside under a rock (Is that where parts unknown is?) and has always been the compliment show to RAW.

It was designed as a compliment show, and was very effective as that before the "Brand Extension". There were even rumors that the original concept for Smack Down, was to be a Diva’s show.

Having the stigma of a "compliment show" for so long has probably hurt its credibility as its own brand. Couple that with the fact that their "World Championship" is the old WCW Belt, and the fact that the "WWE Title" is a RAW championship.

Is this why Smack Down sucks? Or does it just suck?

The spoilers are often so bland that I never feel like tuning in. Often, I don't even bother to set my DVR to record it, unless of course, Zack Ryder’s name pops up somewhere in the spoiler. By contrast, I almost always DVR Raw, and never miss it.

Some weeks, I even watch TNA, and don’t miss Smack Down. I often ask myself why. Well, for one, TNA is available on Demand. Often, I tune in, and I am not sure what week’s episode it is. TNA literally has the same thing, every single week.

TNA spoilers are usually as bland as Smack Down’s, but sometimes there is something I read in a TNA spoiler, and think to myself, “Are they serious?” This causes me to tune in, and find out, that yes sadly they were serious. Ric Flair really is facing Sting, for the right to face Hogan, and no sadly, it is not 1995.

But does me watching TNA sometimes more often than SmackDown mean that I think Smack Down is worse than TNA?

No, silly you, nothing is worse than TNA.

Now Hold Up Playa…

Or is it? What do you think?

-Mark X

-MarkX

The Birth of Markdem

It was a Thursday night, Thanksgiving actually, and as I flipped through the channels, I landed on one, one I had not seen before, one that caught my eye. I was nine years old at the time, and I knew that what I was watching was entertaining, not only was it entertaining, it was action packed as well.

I was watching the 1999 edition of Thanksgiving SmackDown, and I have been a fan ever since.

It started watching casually, then when I discovered that the same thing could be seen on Monday nights, I naturally tuned in.

Sometime later, I stumbled across a wrestling magazine at the local supermarket, but not just any magazine, it was a Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

 Inside I read all about everything that was going on in wrestling, but the most important thing I found inside was a listing of all Pro Wrestling television shows. Every week I would tune in to WCW, WWE, and ECW, I would hate the heels, and love the faces.

At Nine years old, I was a mark....


Soon, the shows weren't enough and I began reading all about wrestling on the internet, and discovered what are now known as "dirt sheets". I was an active member in the Internet Wrestling Community. I was a 10%er. I discovered a whole new love for something, I had already loved.

At Ten years old, I was a smark...

Since then I have continued to follow wrestling, read the "dirt sheets", attend Indy shows, follow WWE, and unfortunately for me, and anyone else with eyeballs, TNA.

However, through it all, I have kept it a secret. I've done this to avoid the stigma that is placed on someone who is a wrestling fan. The constant "you know its fake right" or "how can you watch that, it's all a show" are far too annoying to have to put up with.

 I like it, because it’s a show. I appreciate the showmanship, but most of all; I appreciate the athleticism coupled with the showmanship.

WWE and TNA’s current product, don’t do much to help out wrestling fan’s dealing with criticism.

However, after ordering the ROH I-PPV; Best in the World 2011, and witnessing the history C.M. Punk made on RAW, only a night later, I felt it was time.

 I felt that maybe, just maybe, wrestling could be cool again. I had to once again, share my opinions, and thoughts with that glorious 10% that Eric Bischoff hates, the Internet Wrestling Community.

So, here I am. I will vent, I will complain, I will criticize, but through it all, I am a fan, in secrecy.

-Mark X

NOC: Night of Calamity

As I sit here, during down time at school, I can’t help but think about how horrendous it was of WWE, at Night of Champions, to have HHH go over CM Punk. I should preface the rest of this blog, by mentioning that I did not order the PPV.

I did not order the PPV for a number of reasons, the fact that I was working late, and would not be able to see the first hour, I am somewhat broke at the moment, courteousy of college, but the biggest reason that I did not order the Pay Per View, and the thing that has now gotten me angry enough to rant/vent into a blog about, is the Triple H and CM Punk angle.

I stated some time ago, maybe in my last blog; I don’t remember, that Triple H beating CM Punk, even with some sort of “smog” as Bret Hart would say; would bury CM Punk.  CM Punk should be being built up to be the next Steve Austin right now. Everything was in the works for what could have been Attitude Era 2.

You have the employee, mad at the organization, and not wanting to take it anymore. You have the boss, attempting to hold down the employee, while using his power. The story is supposed to end, with the employee, getting the better of his evil boss.

I realize this is most likely not the end of the story, but it still doesn’t make sense.

Triple H err Paul Levesque can’t drop his own ego, even for once to better the company. I would really like to know, why the WWE feels like Triple H should go over Punk at all. Triple H, who hasn’t wrestled since Wrestlemania, and is now a corporate officer, defeats the company’s top guy.  

“Is this good for the company?”

Taken from the movie Office Space, “you have to ask yourself, is this good for the company.”

It seems from a fans point of view, it is not.

The problem was with the way they built up to the match. Instead of doing the logical thing and having Triple H be the heel, and punk the sort of anti-face face that Austin was. They have both be faces with Triple H, naturally trying to make himself look better than Punk. What ended up happening was, Punk becoming a sort of bully to Triple H, with Triple H needing to defend his “manhood” against him.

Once this happened, there was no choice but to make Triple H go over. He couldn’t loose. However, it should have never gotten to this point.

I will close this post, which is very much more of an angry rant, noting that I did not see the match, I have only read the details, and even with Miz and R Truth, and Nash being involved, it was a finish that should have been different.

Cornette Day is Back!

Remember Cornette Day? Where I put random bits of Jim Cornette being the man? Well here is a hilarious shoot on Vince Russo:

"A shoot from the Hart"

Source; Gerweck.net


"from John Pollock:

Teddy Hart was a recent guest on The LAW with John Pollock and Wai Ting discussing his plans for the Next Generation Stampede Wrestling promotion, which he is starting up along with Harry Smith and Jack Evans. Below are some highlights and the full interview can be heard at http://www.fightnetwork.com/news/wrestling/john-pollock-wai-ting-chat-w-teddy-hart/ or on iTunes by subscribing to ‘Live Audio Wrestling’.

How Next Generation Stampede Wrestling is different:
We have trampolines and we have skateboarders, we have all sorts of things that we want to do. I really like the X-Games, and I’m trying to get guys that are in the X-Games to transfer over into this new sport of wrestling that I’m creating. Certain things to look for in the future – you might end up getting a key instead of winning a fall, because all the falls are 2 out of 3 falls, we’ll be wrestling a Mexican Lucha Libre style on that. Instead of winning a belt or something, you might win a key which will unlock a certain weapon that you can use, which may be like a skateboard, or a trampoline, or a special pair of boots that have magnets on the bottom so you can do some things that have never been possible before. Also, the turnbuckles are robotic for the new ring that we’re designing. This may be six months away, but guys can adjust the height while they’re up there.

Ideas he would like to see in the promotion:
I’d like to see mechanically altered weapons and things like that. Chairs that change sizes, ladders that get longer, so you can be on a ladder and press a button and it gives you another three feet or five feet if you want to go higher. Higher is ratings. If you can have the fans all typing into their phone, and you want to see Ted Hart go an extra five feet in their air, everyone’s got 30 seconds to type a code into their phone. If the code is in, and I get my combination from the referee, I climb up another five feet.

Working with pets to incorporate into wrestling:
I’m training cats to come out to the ring with me, and I’m also trying to train animals to get involved in matches. I’m trying to get safety animals, like a dog, to basically pull the referee’s leg before the count of three, little things like that. Or my dog will be carrying a weapon for me, and I would get it off his neck. Potentially if I had a female manager, and she has a cat, and the cat is maybe a good way of getting couple kids out of the audience, and I lure the kids out of the audience and the kids cause a disqualification to happen so I don’t have to lose the belt, or something like that.

Transcribed by Chris Maffei"

OK, so either Ted Haet has completely lost his mind, he has taken up doing Acid, or he's messing with everyone.

This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of.

Not going to lie though, I'd probably tune in just to see what the hell it's all about.

I hope for the sake of wrestling that somebody from the Hart family stops him in the name of Stampede, before he tries to calls these X-Games meets Circus meets something that smells like Vince Russo, Stampede anything....

Or maybe he was stabbed in the head with a fork, one too many times by Homicide....

-Mark X

For a bonus....
Here is just a random promo showcasing his craziness:

Finallly The Mark...Has Come Back

Somewhat eerie is the fact that I have not written a blog since the morning of Money In The Bank. For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you know that I have kept an eye on the product, but for those of you who do not; First of all, get on that; and second of all, you should know that yes I have been keeping up with what is going on.

To be honest, I am not sure why I have not written a blog in some time, is it because I have been working Full Time? Is it because as of last week, I am back in College?

The truth is I really don't know, it could be a combination of those things. Or, it just might be, the fact that nothing I have been seeing has compelled me to write.

Where they were going with CM Punk having the Championship, and going around to different media outlets and continuing with his character, had a lot of potential. But the night they crowned a new champion, did not even mention CM Punk, it lost most of its steam.

They made the championship seem completely worthless by not only not mentioning the current champion, but having someone win the Championship; Rey Mysterio, and then having that person lose to John Cenam that very same night, then in that same night having CM Punk return prematurely.

While I marked out like crazy, just like everyone else when I heard "Cult of Personality" hit the speakers, I still knew that this angle would be not as cool as everyone had hoped it would be. However, the image of CM Punk holding the real WWE Championship, just a little bit higher than John Cena's fake WWE Championship, was quite memorable.

The CM Punk angle definitely began to lose steam with his first encounter with new "COO" Triple H. Triple H's character seems like WWE's version of Hulk Hogan's character in TNA, which by the way, does not work...

The character of the old veteran, who is now in power, that lets his cronies run wild, and also whether he be heel, or he be face; attempts to get himself over with every word that he speaks.

To make matters worse they have CM Punk up against John Cena to crown the "rightful" champion. They then speak of how Cena has a rightful claim to the championship, and put him over, and put him over, and over and over. They try to say he has more of a claim then Punk. Punk who won it in a PPV main event, Cena who won it after defeating someone half his size, after that person had already wrestled in the same night....

Then, for absoltuely no reason, Triple H decided to make himself the guest referee, a match that needed no other stipulation than champion vs. champion. Triple H being the ref, cleans to a un-clean finish, which leads to….. Wait for it....TNA's own Kevin "Big Spotlight" Nash.

Nash, straight out of the 1990's delivers, you guessed it, a Jack Knife Power bomb to Punk, and Del Rio cashes in his MITB, by simply pinning CM Punk. Virtually taking all the worth the WWE Championship had left, and shitting all over it..

The following night on Raw, Nash comes to the ring, and explains that he received a text from Triple H telling him to do it, and Triple H denies it, which takes the focus off of Punk, but onto the relationship between Triple H and Nash, two people who were not on TV, before Money In The Bank.

Now the mystery is, who texted Nash? Was it Maggie Simpson? Will we have to wait until the beginning of next season to find out? Where will all the clues lead us? Do we need Scooby and The Gang, to help figure this out?

So, Nash and Punk get into it, and begin a feud, with Triple H always in the middle. CM Punk loses a number one contender's match for the right to face Del Rio, because of Nash, and a match is set for Night Of Champions; CM Punk vs. Kevin Nash, and that match is then un-set...

Now Triple H will take on CM Punk, and honestly I don't care. I love CM Punk, his promos, and whatever else he does is usually the best part of Raw. Triple H, doing the Hogan character just bothers me, to a point where I really don't care. Triple H, should just be made into a straight Heel. If he was, I would care more, because if Triple H wins against CM Punk, even if it has an un-clean finish, it will bury CM Punk to me.

The only good thing that could possibly come out of this, is a reformation of the nWo, one I feel would be somewhat fresh. The corporate nWo against the likes of Punk, Cena, Orton and others, would be somewhat entertaining, a lot more entertaining than Triple H running around trying to be a face....

Maybe even a return of the Nexus, and a Nexus/nWo feud, that would be interesting...

Right now, I am barely being entertained by World Wrestling ENTERTAINMENT; I will continue to watch to see if this angle has a direction, hopefully it does.

-Mark X

MITB Preview

Sorry for the delay in posts, I had a busy work week, this week, but no fear, I am back just in time for WWE Money In The Bank... (Please bare with me, as I am writing this right after working an overnight shift..)

I have not been this excited for a WWE pay per view in quite some time. In fact, I often do not even order WWE pay per views, however, this one looks like one that can not be missed. Here I will preview each match, and give my predictions...

In what I assume will be the opening match, unless they go the Wrestlemania route, and open with one of the main events, i.e. the money in the bank ladder match, it will be: Hot girl that can't wrestle number 1 vs. Hot girl that can't wrestle number 2, for the Butterfly Championship...

In what I guess, is their best attempt at a storyline, the Bellas and Kelly Kelly, have been "feuding" since Kelly, beat Brie for the diva's championship. This feud, which featured the Bella's; despite being on the commercial for the "be a star" campaign; bullying Kelly Kelly. In what will be a terrible match, I see Nikki having something to do with the finish, but Kelly retaining her title. With a post match beat down by the Bellas, with someone making the save....Randy Orton?

Big Show vs.Mark Henry should be, for a match between two guys that are not technicians by any means, be somewhat entertaining. I foresee a lot of no-selling, with Henry beating show, to further build the monster character, they are trying to do with Henry, maybe Big Show being carried out on a stretcher, again....

In the Smack Down money in the bank match, I see either Sheamus winning, or if they want to go a different route, Cody Rhodes. I would love to see, as I've said before Daniel Bryan win, but I doubt that will happen. Gabriel and Sin Cara will probably have some sick spots, that will steal the match.

Christian and Randy Orton will probably end with Christian cheating to win the title, and his own contract clause, of the bad officiating or whatever, working against him. In the end, Orton will retain his championship.

I have a feeling Zack Ryder will pop up somewhere...

In the Raw Money In The Bank match, I see The Miz, or R-Truth coming out with the briefcase, maybe some kind of scenario where, after a ref bump, Riley has the briefcase, and Miz knocks Riley out, and has it in hand when the ref comes-to, leading to The Miz winning the match, possibly setting up a match between The Miz and Riley for the briefcase. You can rest assured however, that that briefcase is gonna get got....

And in the main event, I can't really predict what will happen. I can't see Punk loosing, given everything, but I don't know how he will win, or what will happen. Maybe a Chicago screw job?

That is what makes this pay per view a must buy, the fact that the end is unpredictable, something most every other pay per view this year has lacked. I will definitely be ordering this pay per view, and I hope everyone else does as well, because it will send a message to WWE, that people like CM Punk, are who we want to see, and that the same old crap won't fly forever, or even if it will, there is more money to be had in trying new things.

I commend the WWE for as CM Punk put it, "having the balls" to do this angle. However it ends, it will be memorable, I just hope they don't blow it...

-Mark X

WWE Ice Cream Bars

A strange vibe was surrounding Raw tonight, as I watched; a vibe that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

All day, I anxiously awaited both The Home Run Derbey, and WWE Raw, knowing that I had my trusty DVR ready to record both programs, that way I didn't miss a bit of either show.

The Home Run Derby, of course, began an hour earlier than Raw, and so I watched the Derby unfold, texting updates to a friend of mine that I usually watch the Derby with every year, but this year had to work.

As much of a wrestling fan I am, I am also a big, big, baseball fan.

Anyway, as I watched the Derby, which always ends up being much more boring than I anticipate, and as I watched the clock, waiting for Raw to begin; because I had a feeling the show would start with CM Punk; something horrible happened....

My cable went out.....

On a night I needed cable more than any other, the go-home show for MITB, the Home Run Derby, my cable went out. Frantically, I scrambled to figure out why, and rectify it as soon as possible, nothing seemed to work. Finally at about a quarter after, my cable came back, but my DVR had shut off in the fracas...

I missed CM Punk's promo to begin the show, and as I tuned in, Cena was beating the New Nexus in a handicapped match. I had a feeling the show would continue to go downhill from here.

I watched the rest of Raw, and it had a very strange vibe to it. Lines seemed like they were being flubbed by almost everyone, there was some sort of running gag that Vince had bad breath. They did the whole everyone in the MITB match would cut a small promo, which then turned into a match that inexplicably did not have Del Rio or Mysterio, only to end with Del Rio doing a nonsenscial run-in, beating everyone down with ladders.

The divas had another 5star match, which had the Bella's doing commentary, and then bullying Kelly Kelly after. The Big Show faced Ziggler, and McIntyre in a handicapped match, which ended with Henry attacking Big Show and a double count-out they never announced.

Finally, in the closing segment, it was time for the Punk/Vince Contract negotiation. Usually WWE segments run with impecable smoothness, and always seem to make sense, and contribute to the angle, unlike TNA segments, which are free for alls with no clear purpose, whatsoever.

Punk and Vince went back and fourth, with Punk coming off as the sort of heel, the fans love, a la Austin. Vince was coming off as the boss that was finally getting called out, and now had to answer to Punk, who was also coming off as a mega superstar that Vince couldn't afford to loose, and thus needed to keep despite his hatred for him, a la Austin again. They carried out a segment, that made Punk look unstoppable, and Vince look very uncomfortable. Punk came up with perks of his contract that were ridiculous, and hilarious , and Vince was so afraid to loose him, that he was ready to sign....

Then Derek Jeter, I mean Cena came to the ring. ....

He buried Punk, comparing him to the Rock, calling him the biggest hypocrite of all, and criticizing him for leaving the fans, the same fans that Punk had already stated he was leaving because of.....HUH?

It was as if the promo that started it all was forgotten?

This segment, had morphed into a TNA segment, it became nonsensical, confusing, and was seemingly all about making Cena look better.

Worst of all, all of the strength Punk had built up, with what he said to Vince, was squashed, when Cena comes out and says that they were both being immature....

Hulk Hogan, then came out and put over immortal, and announced Gunner Vs. Cena, in a career vs. hair match... No that didn't actually happen, but with how nonsensical it was coming off here, I wouldn't be surprised....

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, the segment ends with Punk comparing Cena and the city of Boston, to the Yankees, a dynasty. Which quite frankly, is a comparison, as a baseball fan, I have been making for awhile. But I digress, anyway Punk makes the comparison, and Cena punches him, as if to say "say what you want, but don't call me the Yankees" and Punk leaves the ring, grabs the contract from Vince, and declares that after Sunday, everyone can say goodbye to Cena, the WWE Title, and CM Punk, and rips apart the contract. 

A very awkward segment, Punk was built up huge, with his stuff with Vince, but once Cena came out, he basically forgot what Punk had been saying, put himself over for never leaving, and attempted to bury Punk.
I don't know what purpose was served with Cena doing that, maybe time will tell, or maybe they are blowing this like they blew the Nexus angle, and the Invasion angle...

-Mark X

It's Cornette Day

Every Saturday is Cornette Day here at Secret Mark, where I share one of my favorite bits of Jim Cornette awesomeness, this week, it's one of my favorite stories of his:

 

Santino should have used the Cobra......

Hey Creative, Get Creative

Typically, I find Fantasy Bookings to be too fanatical, and never really realistic. Usually they are an entertaining read, but usually they are too far-fetched. Because of these reasons, I rarely partake in fantasy bookings.

However, with everyone talking about what will happen with CM Punk, and many people putting out how they would book it, or how they feel it should be booked, I decided I might as well give it a shot.

So, here is how I would book it....

At Money In The Bank, I would have Daniel Bryan win the Smackdown Money In The Bank match, sounds crazy, because WWE would probably never do that, but keep in mind,they let Punk say what he said on Raw.

In the main event, I would have Punk win, clean, after a long back and fourth match. Following the match, Vince McMahon would come to the ring with the members of the New Nexus. As he would be about to tell Cena, that he is fired, Cena would tell Vince, that he quits, and would then leave through the crowd. Vince, would be so filled with anger and rage, that he would direct the members of the New Nexus, to beat Punk down and take the belt back, as they begin beating him down, while Vince directs them, Paul Heyman, and Brock Lesnar, would come out of the crowd, and Lesnar would give both of them F5's, and would go after Vince, until an entire hoard of WWE guys would come to the ring, at which point Lesnar, Heyman and Punk would leave through the crowd.

7/18
The following night on Raw, CM Punk, would send a video message to Raw, with him and the belt, he would rip out the center piece on the belt that has the WWE logo.

Later that night, Vince would be shown with the new nexus, telling them that it is their job to track Punk down, and get the belt back. He would also introduce Skip Sheffield as the newest member of the New Nexus. One of the members would speak up and say that he thinks they need John Cena to help, to which Vince would get angry, and say that Cena is never coming back, and that they don't need him.

The main event for tonight is announced as Alex Riley vs. Miz, with Miz challenging for the Money In The Bank briefcase, that Riley had won the night before.

During the main event, as it looks like Riley is about to win, Lesnar hits the ring, from the crowd, with Heyman, and Lesnar lays out the Miz, and Riley, as the New Nexus runs out to the ring. Lesnar, beats down all of them, and suddenly Cena runs out of the crowd, and makes the save, and Lesnar with Heyman, runs back through the crowd. Vince is being held back by the new members of the New Nexus, from attacking Cena; Vince gets a microphone and screams at Cena that he is fired, and that they don't need his help.

Cena leaves through the crowd.

7/22
During Smackdown, Daniel Bryan cuts a promo about winning the Money In The Bank, and he says that he knows exactly what to do with it. But he will keep that under wraps for now.

7/25
The next week on Raw, another video message from Punk would be shown, with him doing all sorts of things with the title, like a comedic montage.

Vince is shown with the New Nexus, and he is fuming mad, he says that they will continue to gain reinforcements, until the find Punk and get the title back. He introduces Brodus Clay as the newest member.

The main event is announced, as a Tag Team Title match with Otunga, and McGuilicuty, going up against Mysterio and Evan Bourne. Before the match is to begin however, Mysterio and Bourne are found laid out, and can not compete. Vince, preoccupied with everything, and seeming un-interested tells them to issue an open challenge.

In the main event, they do issue the open challenge, and say that they can beat anyone. The lights go out, and in the ring are Claudio Castagnoli, and Chris Hero, the Kings Of Wrestling. They begin the match, and the two teams go back and forth, the finish of the match sees Lesnar and Heyman again, interfere, while the ref is down, which causes The K.O.W. to win the match, and the Tag Team Titles.

The K.O.W along with Heyman, and Lesnar, leave through the crowd once again.

7/29
That week on SmackDown, Daniel Bryan would get a submission victory over Christian, with the Cattle Mutilation. He would also cut a promo, wherein he states that he is The American Dragon.

8/1
The following week on Raw, Punk would again send in a Video Message, this time stating that he would take his WWE Title, to Ring Of Honor in Chicago on August 13th.

Vince is shown with the New Nexus, angry as hell, he says that there is only one man that he can get to fix this, and he picks up his phone, as it goes to a commercial.

We come back from commercial, and the New Nexus looks curious as to who it could be, Vince tells them they will see tonight.

Later that night Vince comes down to the ring, with the New Nexus, and tells the fans that he had to do it, he said that on August 13th, he will be sending his best bet to get his title back, to Chicago, and John Cena's music hits. He cuts a promo on Vince, and tells Vince that he will do this not for him, but for the WWE fans. He vowed to get the championship back into the WWE.

The Kings Of Wrestling come out from the crowd, and start attacking Cena, and The New Nexus. Cena, fights them off, and gives them both "AA's". Lesnar jumps the guardrail, while Cena is the only one left in the ring, and the two have a stare down, before Heyman pulls Lesnar away.

 8/5
On Smackdown, Daniel Bryan wrestles Randy Orton to a draw, and the two shake hands after the match.

8/8
CM Punk, with Heyman and Lesnar, and The Kings Of Wrestling,  send in another video message, saying that it doesn't matter who the WWE sends, the CM Punk, will remain the WWE champion, and in front of his hometown crowd, he will again walk away from a WWE Title match, as the WWE Champion.

Vince, Cena, and the New Nexus are shown together, with Vince going over tactics to get the belt back, and it is obvious that he and Cena are not on the same page.

The Kings Of Wrestling, come out to the ring, and get into an argument with Jerry Lawler, Lawler tells them that they may be kings in the "Ring Of Horror" but they are certainly not kings in the WWE. They tell him to find a partner, and they'll put their tag team championships on the line.

In the Main Event, The Kings Of Wrestling, come out and await Lawler, and his partner. Lawler's partner is Alex Riley. The Kings defeat The King and Riley by DQ, when they hit King with the belt, they then continue beating The King, and Riley down, until Cena, Vince, and The New Nexus make the save.

8/12

Daniel Bryan in the opening match, beats Sheamus with a submission, he cuts a promo about how he is the best in the world, and he will take on all challengers.

Rhodes comes out and Bryan beats him with a different submission. He then gets on the mic, and challenges anyone else, Dibiase come sout, and Bryan makes him tap, with another different submission. He then walks away as medics come to check out Rhodes, and Dibiase.

Cena is shown getting ready to challenge CM Punk in Chicago. Tonight he will go up against, Christian in the Main Event.

In the Main Event, Cena gets the win with the attitude adjustment, Daniel Bryan comes out to the ring, and stares down Cena, he offers to shake Cena's hand, Cena, confused puts his hand out, to which Bryan snaps into a submission hold. and holds it with tons of officials, trying to break it up, he holds it, and holds it, with a crazy look in his eyes. Cena is heard screaming, "I think it's broke". Bryan holds on the Briefcase.

8/13 ROH from Chicago
Buzz is swirling over the events from Smackdown, as Cena suffered a broken arm as a result of Daniel Bryan, so who, if anyone will challenge for CM Punk's Championship.

Punk comes out to the ring to start the show to a huge ovation, he cuts a promo on WWE, and mentions how his mic will not get cut tonight. Cornette comes out and tells him that he will have to defend the title tonight.

In the main event, CM Punk comes out to the ring, and cuts another promo, with the title, he talks about how it's a shame Cena will not be able to compete tonight. He shoots on Vince, The Rock, everything, suddenly, Daniel Bryan comes out with a microphone. He says that he is the American Dragon BRIAN DANIELSON and he is also, Mr. Money In The Bank, and he is cashing it in, here tonight, in a Ring Of Honor Ring.

Punk and Danielson, go close to an hour, with Punk finally tapping to the Cattle Mutilation.. Punk and Danielson, shake hands after the match.

Punk then shows up on WWE tv again a few weeks later, with Heyman and Lesnar...

This while seeming far fetched, according to reports of the K.O.W. talking to WWE, and Lesnar and Heyman talking to WWE, and with Danielson in the Money In The Bank match, could all happen. Plus,Vince would make a great leader of the New Nexus, especially if he turned them on Punk. It would certainly be interesting television...


-Mark X