Welcome to the Weekly Report from the guys here @TheTopRope, sadly due to all of our schedules conflicting this week, we were unable to produce a podcast but we will be back this week. I would like to take this time to tell you all that over the next three weeks after this report, James will be writing some special reports on Live Events he has been to in the past. Having been to WWF/E, TNA, WCW and various Indy shows in the past, there should be some excellent write ups. Anyway our thoughts this week.
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Lee Charleton – @Leeleemu
I know everyone is maybe still buzzing after the Lesnar/Cena segment on RAW and although it seems clear they are going away from the PG Era, I cant believe how many people needed to be in the ring to “break” it up. Not only that but the amount of wrestlers feuding against one another yet helping to drag these two apart bewilders me. Anyway, going forward to Extreme Rules, Brock will be hitting it hard at the gym as he certainly looks softer then he did in his UFC run. No matter what anyone says, Brock is a big draw and maybe might pull some of the UFC audience over for the PPV.
A wrestler that reminds me of Brock is a gent over on Smackdown known as Ryback, his expressions, body language and video are similar to Brocks and he even jumps on the ring apron like Brock. I am surprised the WWE havent noted this. Furthermore, isnt this the exact same build as Lord Tensai and even Brodus Clay. I am getting fairly sick of the slack booking they give these monsters and always have done. The stars laughing in the back for Ryback is just shocking writing.
The Three Stooges just depressed me, why WWE still pull this crap again is beyond me, you have segments where they dip out of the PG Era and then they go into segments which are even worse then PG Rated stuff, its even below U Rated. The only thing on Wrestling TV which I found worse then this was most of Smackdown and the Young/ODB segment on Impact.
I used to look forward to the few weeks after Mania, you would have the wrestlers with new ring gear and slightly different gimmicks as they restart their quest for whatever goals they set but I just find the WWE have got stuck somewhere. I thought with HHH, Taker, HBK and Rocky gone, we may have an abundance of exciting television but instead we have been treated to average monster debuts and pretty poor booking. Apart from Piper/Bryan, I found all the “Legends” pop up in useless segments and the last 15 minutes of Smackdown was truly horrible. I beg that the WWE sort their storytelling out and quickly.
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James Partridge – @GoofyVillain
This week’s Raw really started off with a bang! I certainly wasn’t expecting the start with John Cena and Brock Lesnar both appearing, and really didn’t expect the brawl. That right hook from Brock, I loved it. Some say it’s down to real life problems between these two, some say it’s WWE trying to bring a touch of realism into this…I don’t care what was behind it, I just like seeing it everytime WWE show it. Having said that, the break up of it was weird, Daniel Bryan and Sheamus stood next to each other, trying to break this up, in the middle of a feud?! Crazy!
I felt the Three Stooges segments were useless, and part of the reason I dislike this guest hosting crap (only really liked a few guest hosts). I can understand pairing them with Santino Marella, but the segments just didn’t raise a laugh from me, and I don’t think many (if any!) in the audience there laughed. Oh, and how flat did it go when Hulk Hogan’s theme hit? I don’t remember hearing much of a reaction.
I’m not keen on Lord Tensai right now. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but when he’s on, I just don’t feel interested in him, his matches or anything. Although it did amuse me to see Yoshi Tatsu failed to cash the cheque that his mouth wrote on twitter.
Chris Jericho and CM Punk seem to have really kicked their feud up a notch since Wrestlemania. I’ve gotta say, that these past 2 weeks, I’ve enjoyed their feud more, than I did for the Wrestlemania build up. Not sure if it’s been announced or not, but I do expect a rematch between these two at Extreme Rules, and think it will get more time and a better match too.
Over on Smackdown, as mentioned in my comments on the review on here, I felt this was a poor show. Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing some of the stars from the past, but I just felt a few were thrown into segments for no reason at all. Jimmy Hart with Heath Slater did make sense, as did the Ortons and Rhodes families together. The rest just didn’t, it seemed like a case of getting old faces on TV.
The only other legend that made sense to me, was seeing Rowdy Roddy Piper hosting Piper’s Pit with the Daniel Bryan. I was happy when this was announced, and it didn’t let me down. It was enjoyable watching two guys I admire in the ring together, as well as seeing Bryan get one up on Piper at the end of the segment. As much as I’m a fan of the former World Heavyweight Champion, it was good to see the Hot Rod get the last laugh at the end. The only disappointment from that segment, was Michael Cole didn’t get much of a beating for my liking! 😛
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Ringsidehustle.com 
I could go for a Slater/Jimmy Hart pairing. I’m advocating for Heath Slater. What the hell is wrong with me?
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I know the feeling, I’ve said a few good things about Slater this past week…and feel weird for having done that!
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Yeah Cole should’ve gotten a more brutal beating 🙂
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I think WWE know it’s one thing I want to see and keep teasing me with it haha.
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I enjoyed the RAW opening segment with Cena/Brock….and that’s prett much it for me this week.
The storytelling, or lack there of rather, is so annoying, boring, and depressing. They do a couple main segments, which are often rehashed, and then everything else is random, filler shiz. Take this past week’s RAW: Brock/Cena, filler, filler, stupid 3 Stooges segment, filler, Punk/Jericho (which was basically the same thing from the previous week), filler, filler, filler, predictable Cena/Brock close.
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Everything that was “filler” was put on there, because some people do like those performers.
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I like a lot of performers as well, but I want them doing something meaningful and becoming stars, not just thrown on the show to fill time.
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Santino/Clay vs. Ziggler/Swagger helped Clay get better in non-squash matches. You can pick up something in every match.
Punk/Henry/Jericho did follow the same formula as the previous week, but getting that second win over Punk did make Henry feel like he deserved a title shot. Plus, we still don’t know what is going to become of Washington in this whole ordeal.
Tenshi was built up even more. He’ll move on to bigger stars after he’s become established with the casual crowd.
The Stooges I did not mind, but this wasn’t the audience for that. And Sasso did a pretty damn good Hogan impression.
While most figured Lesnar would get involved at the end, the sneak attack and low blow did help get him over as a heel.
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LOL! Oh come on you didn’t like the Stooges? I hope WWE will lay off with the guest appearances and crap unless they’re proven wrestling fans who the fans actually respect. I think David Arquette would have got a better pop.
Excited for Ryback as well. WWE can for sure clean house on some of the talent that’s been floating around. I know there’s been lots of talk about a draft but I could almost see it holding off until the network gets going. They’ll need to fill a lot of TV time so they could use anyone WWE trained and with a bit of talent.
Brock/Cena is happening so fast, and I’m happy about that. I expect Brock to actually squash him in this match. Cena will get a bit in, but nothing serious. This will just make Brock look more deadly and Cena will be able to “get revenge” on one of the summer PPVs.
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Sasso of The Stooges is actually a big wrestling fan.
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Yeah but you and I are probably the only ones who really know that. Most people don’t even know who the hell he is. He was my favorite from Mad TV especially his drunk Kenny Rogers.
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Drunk Kenny Rogers!!! Random pop culture mark out moment!
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I’ve got to admit, I didn’t have a clue who the 3 guys were (I mean, I knew about the original stooges, but not the 3 who appeared on Raw). It’s good to know one is a massive fan of wrestling, and I will admit, his Hogan impressonation was good…even if it did fall flat.
Now, Skip Sheffield/Ryback, I must admit…his NXT debut, I hated his Cornfed Meathead stuff, but loved his Nexus gimmick. I’m hoping for good things off this Ryback gimmick.
As for your idea on Brock/Cena, gotta say, I love it and hope that’s the way it goes.
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