2013 brought us some great games and even a new generation! There were reboots, sequels, and new IPs but which were the top of the year? What was the Game of the Year? This won't be as long as the WWE post but expect a lengthly read. Oh, and SPOILERS FOR SOME OF THE TOP GAMES OF 2013 AHEAD! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!
If there are spelling errors, I apologize. I tried to get this out as soon as possible and didn't check over my work. Just go with it...
Top Gaming News of 2013
3. Grand Theft Auto V smashes records, Activision is butt hurt - I could have NEVER guessed that GTA V would have smashed the records like that did. GTA V made over $800 in the first day AND 1 BILLION in the 1st three days! That......is insane. That basically means everybody and their Grandmom played GTA this year! Now that's all good but apparently, Activision wasn't too pleased by this, rendering this quote about the success of GTA V;
"Congratulations to the team at Rockstar for their success. We look forward to getting the record back before the next GTA title."
Really? Are you serious? COD Ghosts obviously didn't past the mark but that was blamed because of the impending releases of XBO and PS4. Then, after they released, Activision had the NERVE to say that Ghosts was the top selling PS4 game yet. IT HAS BEEN OUT FOR A WHOLE FREAKING MONTH! What kind of record is THAT? Anyway, it seems Activison only prides itself on its records and not on the fact that it has been releasing the same old rehashed shooter every year. Make some new IPs Activision! Start taking chances! And would it kill you to NOT release a COD game EVERY year? It really kills the overall name of the name you're making. Just saying...
2. Super Smash Bros Wii U/3DS - The Blue Bomber is coming - Mega Man being announced for Smash Bros was a dream for many Nintendo fans for due reason. Mega Man got his start on the NES way back when and once Sonic, who was a rival to Nintendo and Mario was in a Smash Bros game, gamers clamored for an appearance by Capcom's blue star. It's going to be a reality now! With Mega Man added in the game, we now have Mega Man, Sonic and Mario in the same game for the 1st time ever. Three of gaming's biggest icons in one game. Now, only if we could get Pac-Man in this game, we would be SET!
1. JRPGs Live! - Persona 5, Tales of Zestiria, Kingdom Hearts 3, and Final Fantasy XV ALL announced - JRPGs are a dying genre. Gone are the days of the 90s where there were a vast amount of cliché RPGs available for each console. If we're lucky, we guaranteed maybe 2 a year. This year, it seems like they are making a small, but not unnoticed comeback. At E3, Square Enix announced that the previous announced Final Fantasy Versus XIII would now be the next entry into the long running series, coming to next generation consoles eventually. Minutes after that, the equally long waited numbered sequel to Kingdom Hearts was announced for next gen consoles as well. Both of those game were confirmation that the genre will continue onto the next generation. If you know anything about Square though, those games won't be out for awhile but that's good because there are two other major RPG series still to release titles on this generation.
Just recently, it was FINALLY announced that Persona 5 was coming out and we got a release window; Winter 2014. Now, this is only in Japan right now but the SMT series has been one of the most successful JRPGs series in the west so a release over here is inevitable. The Tales series has been the most consistent JRPG of the 360/PS3 console generation. They've released Vesperia, Graces, and Xillia ALL on this generation, and for us Americans, Xillia 2 and the Symphonia Chronicles are coming next year. They by all right should be moving on to PS4 and XBO but that didn't happen as the new Tales, Tales of Zestiria, will be releasing for the PS3. This was already confirmed for a worldwide release as well. When I see this many JRPGs in development, I can't help but think the genre is still very much alive and well. I can't wait to get my hands on all of these great adventures.
Greatest Moments in Gaming/2013
5. DmC - Capcom's Inside Joke - DmC is my favorite in the series. I'm not one of the fanboys who was upset by the simple change of hair color of the protagonist but apparently it affect'[ed it enough because it didn't meet its sales expectations. That's ashame. Thanks to this, we may not see Ninja Theory make a sequel. Regardless of that, the game has a little play on that whole debate in the 1st chapter in the game. Basically, a white wig floats onto his head and he looks in a mirror and says, "Not in a million years." It was a nice but not very subtle way to joke about a stupid debate that doesn't make sense anyway.
4. Grand Theft Auto V - Paleto Bay Score - GTA 5 had some amazing moments and it was hard to just put one on my list. Though the last two were amazingly epic, the small town heist was easily my favorite. I just liked the feeling of mowing down all of the opposition with the awesome power suit. ......that's all. It's always awesome being an unstoppable force.
3. The Last of Us - Ellie's Section - I wasn't really looking forward to playing with Ellie when they presented it but it turned out to be one of the finest moments in the already spectacular experience. It kind of felt like a separate game. She even had a nice little boss battle within it, something that wasn't present in the whole game. It had a satisfying conclusion as well, with Ellie completely obliterating David. It wasn't pretty for David but it showed more character development for Ellie, which was one of TLOU strongest points.
2. Saints Row IV - Saints of Rage - I didn't see this coming one bit. Streets of Rage is one of my favorite games and I wasn't expecting to ever see a homage to the series. When I played through this, I couldn't help to just smile. It was just great to see. SR4 was full of moments that made any fan of any medium happy but this one was the one for me. Thank you Gat!
1. Bioshock Infinite - The last half hour - I never finished the original Bioshock but I knew how it ended. I didn't allow that to happen again. I'm glad I didn't. After the last bullet fired, you're treated to a long explanation of everything in the game. How awesome is it when you transported straight to Rapture? It was the start of the mind blowing...ness. Elizabeth is Booker's daughter, Booker is Zachary Cole Comstock from a different timeline, it was all just amazing to see come together. I liked the line from Elizabeth when you're walking by the various lighthouses, "There's always a lighthouse. There's always a man. There's always a city." It's then when you realize what the title of the game really means; there are an infinite amount of universes. It's something that's so subtle that it blows your mind when you realize what's it referring to. Infinite's mind blowing ending is my moment of the year.
Games I Want Most in 2014
This list doesn't feature games that have been announced with no release windows given, like KH3, FFXV, Tales, Zelda Wii U, and such.
10. Yaiba Ninja Gaiden Z - Ninja Gaiden is one of my favorite hack-n-slash series. They are challenging and feature a ton of weapons. And also gore! Yaiba looks a bit more cheesy than its earleir counterparts but I hope that's all. Hopefully, the gameplay is just as solid as the others and just as hard.
9. Hyrule Warriors - One of the bigger surprises of the year, a collaboration between Tecmo Koei and Nintendo to put Link and the Zelda universe in a Dynasty Warriors gameplay experience. It sounds simple and I hope that it's not only as deep as the DW games but also features the trademarks of the Zelda series, such as puzzles and dungeon crawling. Hey, crazy collaborations work. Right Kingdom Hearts?
8. Bravely Default - The 3DS has been THE system for RPGs so it's no surprise that another great entry is coming to the Nintendo console. I don't know too much about the game but it has been compared to early entry Final Fantasy games, so it must have something going for it. I like going into playing games blind. It makes me appreciate that much more, which you'll see pretty soon.
7. Professor Layton VS Ace Attorney - The two greatest series introduced on the Nintendo DS come together for a truly amazing mash up. Combining the puzzle solving elements of Professor Layton with the court room antics of Ace Attorney is genius! I just hope it pans out as well as I think. Dual Destinies was a great return for Phoenix Wright and I hope that this crossover will live up to the expectations.
6. Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 - The long awaited sequel will finally release in February! I loved the original LOS though many said it was just a God of War clone. Was it original? No. Was it fun? Yes. And Alucard is going to be in it! And it's set in modern times! This is going to be a great game early in the year.
5. Tales of Xillia 2 - TOX was a great Tales game. Not my favorite, but this an enjoyable experience so I'm obviously looking forward to the sequel. This is a first, but it looks like the main character can equip various weapons and not just swords like many JRPG protagonist usually do. I'm also hoping for a casino and battles with former Tales characters in the coliseum in the game.
4. Super Smash Bros Wii U - Nintendo's fighter is always fun with friends. Ever since the 1st game, I've bought the Nintendo system specifically for Smash Bros. The tradition continues. With the current technology the Wii U has, this could be the best Smash Bros yet. Plus, Mega Man is in it!
3. Dark Souls II - My GOTY in 2011 was Dark Souls because it made me feel like a gamer again by never giving up even when I wanted to most. I expect DS2 to be more of the same. I eagerly await to travel back to hell in DS2.
2. X - Xenoblade is the best JRPG of the 7th generation. Hands down, unless Persona 5 hits one out of the park. Anyway, my expectations for X are insanely high. Xenoblade was an amazing experience that crushed the competition with its break of RPGs traditions. If X can follow suit and have an amazing story and addictive battle system, X could be the game hardcore Wii U gamers are looking for.
1. Persona 5 - A 2014 release for the states is probably unlikely but Atlus has surprised me before! Persona 4 is easily one of my favorite PS2 games of all time. It did so many things right, from the addictive mix of socialization to its difficult battles, it had it all. I'm really just waiting to see what it will look like, especially since we haven't seen a Persona title on PS3 yet. I'm just super amped to see what kind of game we'll get. Here's hoping for an early look at the game next year.
Gaming News I Want to Hear in 2014
3. Surprise titles - Hyrule Warriors was such a great announcement because it was unexpected. There were no rumors about it at all. Persona 5 and Tales of Zestiria were fantastic announcements, but inevitable. I don't want to take anything away from them but I would like to see more unexpected titles come out. How about something new from Ninja Theory? WayForward? A company I haven't heard of? Something!
2. More titles for XBO/PS4/Wii U - The reason why I've been so hesitant to take the step to the next generation is because of the lack of games. It's like a endless feast of games right now. There are barely anything out that make the consoles worth owning. 2014 needs to see the release of fresh games for all 3 of the consoles. And games that aren't on past generation consoles. Once those games come out in large numbers, I'll make the official jump.
1. New Zelda on Wii U - Wii U has been out for a year now. We have a 3D Mario but no other Nintendo mainstay series have made it just yet. With confirmation that the Wii U Zelda WILL be revealed at E3 2014, the show just became even more must see. What will it look like? Will it retain the same rules as past Zelda games or will it follow in the non-linear path of A Link Between Worlds? No matter what approach it takes, we'll definitely see the first look at Link's next console adventure in June.
Game of the Year
5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds - Zelda games always have a special place in my heart. I try to play every entry in the series and I'm glad I played this one. ALBW is a fine addition to the highly regarded series. Many of the previous Zeldas had you go through the games 8-12 dungeons in order, picking up items you needed for your journey along the way. This game does away with that. You can now rent or buy your items from the character Rovio. That's the only way to get the game's traditional items, such as the bow, boomerang and bombs. There are also upgrades available but you can only apply those after buying the items. This system for the Zelda series is very innovative. It's the step in the right direction. Zelda games are always great don't get me wrong, but they're linear as heck. I remember when I was done playing Skyward Sword I just felt glad that it was over. The gameplay is classic Zelda and it's in the same world as A Link to The Past so if you've played that game, you'll see some familiar places. Death Mountain is still in original position as is your house. The dungeons are very well done in this game as well. Challenging but never to the point of being unfair or impossible to traverse. There are some boss rehashes from LTTP but it's few and doesn't outshine the other amazing bosses in the game, particularly the lass boss. If you're a fan of Zelda, there is no reason to not play this now. The only thing is your time will be pretty short as I managed to finish the game in 13 hours flat. And that's the only downside. Once you start getting into the great dungeons and classic gameplay, you're facing Yuga-Ganon. I think this is the step to future Zelda games. Let the players explore the world more and complete the game how they want to. The Wii U Zelda needs to take pointers from this game. There is no going backwards now that ALBW has established this new formula.
4. Tomb Raider - Tomb Raider is a great adventure into the origins of Lara Croft. This reboot strays away from the series a bit and takes notes from other great series, such as Uncharted and Resident Evil 4-6 by making gunplay and gore the vital parts to focus on. In the first hour of the game, you play as a survivor, trying to adapt to what has happened. After you get your first gun, survivor Lara is gone and she becomes a complete bad ass. It's kind of crazy how fast they jump from survivor to hardcore killer but it doesn't really affect the game's overall greatness. The exploration is nice and it's fun to use Lara's tool effectively, like the pick ax, rope and bow and arrow. The upgrade system is very rewarding and you feel like you have different equipment once you implement those upgrades. The game is straight BRUTAL as you'll be mauling enemies and getting mauled by them and various things in the environment. When playing this, let Lara die a couple times, just to see what I'm talking about. The way they make her die on countless occasions are graphic and remind me of Dead Space at times. The gunplay is simple, yet effective and if you've played any third person cover shooter, you'll be fine. The story does take some supernatural twists near the end but that's Tomb Raider style. This game is a success because it takes notes from other series and incorporate them so well to make them feel fresh and amazing. Reboots are usually hit or miss but this was a definite hit.
3. Grand Theft Auto 5 - GTA5 was the most anticipated game of any generation. EVER. It lived up to the expectations of everyone. Everything here is what GTA has been known for but the way it's done here is amazing. Los Santos FEELS like a living breathing world. The city just grips you every time you go into the world. What really stands out for me are the three contrast main characters, Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. Michael feels like Tommy Vercetti after Vice City is over. Franklin embodies everything about GTA San Andreas. Trevor is the rampaging psychopath inside all GTA main characters. And they all just CLICK together. Some of the best moments in the game come between interactions between them. Another thing I like is the fact that dialogue can be different during missions. Ever fail a mission and hate listening to the same thing over and over again? Not in GTA 5. There is now different dialogue so when you fail a mission, you might here things go down a different way. It's a very small thing to add but much appreciated regardless. Shooting and driving, two of the main problems for me behind GTA4, are great. The special abilities the characters have help out in a pinch and even the supporting characters are fun. Lamar almost upstages the main characters. The only glaring issue for me and it's on a personal level, is the way that it ended. I took the save everyone route and read the other endings where you kill Michael or Trevor. I didn't like any of them. For me, when I finish game, it's all about the how the game makes me feel afterwards. When I beat Dark Souls, I felt a great deal of accomplishment. When I beat this, I felt cheated. There was such a buildup in the story that killing all their enemies without repercussion felt unrealistic. It felt like a cheap way out. Death was inevitable but I just didn't like the way it all went down. The ending is my only flaw with this game as it is a true masterpiece of this era and pushed the consoles to their respective limitations. GTA5 is basically the swan song for the AAA titles as they begin the transition over to next gen but Rockstar went out in style.
2. The Last of Us - No game has caused me to feel reason emotion since Persona 4, and that took 25-30 hours. The Last of Us thrust you into this world and made me feel for Joel within minutes. Never been done. When his daughter was killed, my heart sank. I knew she wasn't real but at that moment, I felt raw emotion for a video game character. The Last of Us is an amazing achievement in video games. The gameplay is great, it never ever feels like Naughty Dog's previous series Uncharted ever. The environments are post apocalyptic but in their own way feel beautiful and distinct. The game is fantastic to play and amazing to progress through but the key element that make TLOU #2 on my list is the story and the fantastic character development of the main characters Joel and Ellie. Joel gets wrapped into escorting Ellie across the US for this group called the Fireflies so he can get his weapons back. Along the way, he finds out she may be the cure to saving the world, which is overrun by disgusting mutated creature. Joel and Ellie, who are at first cold and distant toward another, begin to really connect and to me at least, Joel begins to look at Ellie as the daughter he lost. The ending is pretty good as well. Once Joel gets Ellie to the Fireflies, he finds out she has to die to save the human race. Joel, not content with that, breaks her out, killing all that stand in his way and lies to Ellie about it. It's such a tragic ending and it once again makes you feel for Joel. I could go on and on about how the gameplay is but it's really the emotion provoking story and characters that keep you coming back for more in this game. TLOU is an accomplishment just because of the story and character alone. It proves that a game can be an emotional roller coaster ride and still have a complex and satisfying end. A sequel to this game shouldn't be done. The ambiguous ending is perfect for the game. In a year where endings in game disappointed me, TLOU stood high and mighty over all. All but one of course...
1. Bioshock Infinite - I bought Bioshock Infinite for 13 bucks on GameFly 7 months after it came out. I never completed Bioshock 1 or even played 2 but I decided, after hearing everything about the game, to give it a chance. It surprised me. It surprised me because I was going into the game, expecting to get Bioshock 1 but what I got was a completely original experience. While the characters or story didn't make me feel emotion, like TLOU did, it had one of the greatest conclusions in all video games but I'm getting ahead of myself. The gameplay is phenomenal. The Skyhook is such a great tool in the game. The Vigors were fun to use on enemies. One of Infinite's strong points as was the original's, was the city of Columbia. The crazy city in the sky. The tyrant, Zachary Hale Comstock, is a worthy antagonist is his own rights and make for an awesome villain to hate. The story of Infinite is the best part of the game though and it really starts to pick up once Elizabeth starts to open rifts into different times and universes. This is where the Infinite parts comes in. Who would have thought that the Infinite title tie in so nicely with the story. The mind numbing ending is the most satisfying ending I've ever experienced in a video game. Once you get to Rapture, the game takes you on a crazy journey that you won't soon forget. The fact that Elizabeth is Booker's daughter and not know it, the fact that there are plenty Bookers trying to stop Comstock, and the fact that Booker is in fact Comstock all come together nicely in the last 30 minutes. They throw so much information at you, you become so overwhelmed, but in a good way. The decision to make this my Game of the Year over the other two big blockbuster, GTA5 and TLOU, was difficult but my choice was made clear when I was looking up story explanations a week AFTER I beat the game. The game's ending affected me so much to continue to look into it way after the story ended. It's the lasting appeal the game had over me that makes me love it so much and why, though I wasn't even looking forward to this game in the first place, made my Game of the Year decision so easy.
WOW! Both of my entertainment needs 2013 lists are done! I'm going to fully enjoy this vacation now! Happy New Year everyone and God bless!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
2013 in WWE
Welcome to my very condensed version of the Best of WWE in 2013! Usually, these are my BIG GRAND posts, but this year, I'm going to keep it simple, since I didn't even finish my 2012 one from last year. 2013 was another good year in WWE. There were returns, meteoric rises, and the two World Titles were of course unified together. What were some of my favorite moments? What was the best match of the year? Who stood out from the roster? Let's delve into it in this long post!
Biggest Disappointments
3. Ziggler/Bryan pushed then de-pushed - Both Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan won World Championships this year in spectacular fashion; Ziggler cashed in his MITB to a HUGE crowd reaction and Daniel Bryan defeated Super Cena cleanly to win the WWE Title. These were both fantastic moments from this past year but unfortunately, they didn't last long. Ziggler was quickly injured after winning the strap and lost the title while turning face only after two months of holding the title. Bryan defeated both Cena and Orton at back-to-back PPVs while winning the WWE Championship, but both titles reigns were less than 24 hours. After that, Bryan lost in his battle against The Authority and was placed in a program with the Wyatts. Ziggler, on the other hand, hasn't had direction since his World Title loss. It's really ashame because both of these guys are superbly talented and deserve to be and STAY in the top spots but aren't because of their size, not their talent. Bryan looks to be starting to gain stream again but time will tell if that's just to start with his rumored program with HBK or because they realize they need to capitalize on his popularity now. Ziggler is still without direction though, but we can only hope that something gives in creative that puts Ziggler back in the main events like he deserves.
2. Cena/Rock main event AGAIN!/Rock wins WWE Title, not even on Raw/Punk's reign ends - Once The Rock announced that he would be receiving a WWE Title shot at the Royal Rumble, speculation of a Cena/Rock rematch began. When it was confirmed that Punk would be defending against Rock, it looked like the rematch wouldn't happen at the Rumble, but again at Wrestlemania. Once Cena won the Rumble, it was all but confirmed that Rock would be taking the belt off Punk, which is of course what happened. We ALL knew the rematch was inevitable as long as The Rock stayed on good terms with WWE, but to see it happen was a little underwhelming. Don't believe? Re-watch the main event from Mania again. The crowd was pretty much taken out of it. I would've much preferred a Triple Threat with Punk/Cena/Rock but Punk had a fantastic match with Taker so I can't complain. While it was a great match, it didn't have the same energy as the first match. Rock and Hogan had a rematch, but it was on a smaller PPV, to build to Wrestlemania. Why couldn't they have just done that?
1. Titles unified on B PPV/Death of World Title - Randy Orton VS John Cena for both World Titles was one of the main events that I thought could end Wrestlemania XXX, simply due to the star power and the amazing build to the match. What we got instead was a rushed 3 week feud which led to a horribly boring ending, though it had steam the last Raw going into it. Why was this pushed up? The only real explanation I have is that WWE has battle main events in store for us. MUCH BETTER than Orton/Cena but only time will tell. The 2nd point is the death of the secondary World Title. The World Heavyweight Championship was like the starter World Title. Many guys held that championship first before going onto bigger and greater things, INCLUDING the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton. I hope down the line that WWE will split the titles again because it's going to be hard for guys like Ambrose, Rollings, or even a hopefully soon to be coming in Prince Devitt to succeed.
Best Things WWE Did in 2013
3. Tag Division - For the past couple of years, the tag division keeps growing and growing. Honestly, I remember when I could count all the tag teams in WWE on one hand but now, there seems to be a huge number of them. You have The Brotherhood, The Usos, The Prime Time Players, The Real Americans, Woods and Truth, Ryback and Axel, Harper and Rowan; the list goes on. It's really the most open division right now. And there are still more tag teams to be made in the future. Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards could come up and wrestle as a tag. The Ascenscion from NXT could make their debut, the options are infinite. What about guys who aren't doing anything wity a lot of potential, like Tyson Kidd, Fandango, Wade Barrett? This division is very exciting and will definitely be something to watch in 2014.
2. Year of the American Dragon - There was no other superstar as hot as Daniel Bryan in 2013. His Yes chants were heard all throughtout the year and even derailed a segment on Raw a couple weeks ago. He was in the tag team title match at Wrestlemania and fought for the WWE Title at SummerSlam. The kid just kept rising higher and higher and it's hard not to see why. His in-ring ability is top notch, he's exciting to watch and he's good on the mic. His promo with Cena where he called him a parody was probably his best work. He was also the guy to end The Shield's undefeated streak in 3-on-3 matches. He beat WWE golden boys John Cena AND Randy Orton in back-to-back PPVs and won the Superstar of the Year award as well. Unfortunately, creative wasn't always behind him, especially at the end of the year, but the fans won't stop chanting Yes at every arena. Daniel Bryan's popularity is insane and WWE needs to capitalize on it more in 2014.
1. Young Talent Rejuvenated - The youth really shined this year didn't they? The Shield DESTROYED everyone who came in their path. They defeated the Super Team of John Cena, Ryback, and Sheamus BEFORE Cena had a match with The Rock at Wrestlemania. Are you kidding me? If that doesn't show that the youth is coming through, I don't know what will. The Shield weren't the only youth to succeed as guys like Fandango had some spotlight for a bit, Swagger and Cesaro resurged by forming a team together, Michael...excuse me Curtis Axel was repackaged abd won the IC Title within a month of coming back, The Wyatts terrorized the WWE locker room and Big E Langston looks to be the next big man face of the company. With 2014 looming, will more youth come through? There are PLENTY of NXT guys just waiting to get called up and join the main roster. Adrian Neville maybe? Sami Zayn? Solomon Crowe? Who's going to be the next guy to get a break-out?
Superstar most likely to win 1st World Title in 2014
3. Bray Wyatt - Some people can't be repackaged correctly. The transition from Husky Harris to Bray Wyatt has been fantastic. Not since he first joined the main roster have I remembered that he was Husky Harris and that's a good thing. His gimmick is so bizarre, so creepy, so different than anything else WWE has right now so I'm really excited to see how far he gets. Wyatt hasn't really had a breakout one-on-one match and I hope he get that with Bryan eventually because that will determine IF he gets the eventual shot at the title. Bryan will bring out the best in Wyatt. Whatever wrestling skills Wyatt has will come out. Anyway, Wyatt will probably win the WWE World Title mainly due to his intriguing gimmick and size. I can't say for sure about his wrestling ability just yet, but don't be surprised if you see the guy holding that WWE Title or titles I guess sometime next year.
2. Cody Rhodes - To be honest, they kind of missed their opportunity with Rhodes plenty of times, most recently with this whole Authority storyline. Why couldn't Cody have been in Big Show's shoes? This guy should have held the World Title already. From his great gimmicks back on Smackdown, to feuding with Mysterio, to his eventual IC Title reigns, the kid has proven himself. And he's only getting started. Rhodes has the pedigree that says he'll be champion but his in-ring skills is what backs it up. Rhodes isn't the best on the mic but he's very fun to watch in the ring and can play either a heel or a face. The only thing holding him back is his size. Had Rhodes been 3 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier, I wouldn't even be typing this entry. Rhodes will win a World Title in 2014 due to his time in the company. It has to happen soon and why not when you have plenty of momentum?
1. Roman Reigns - Surprise surprise huh? When The Shield first formed, Reigns was the last guy I thought would win a World Title first. Ambrose and Rollings were proven guys from the indies, internet darlings even. Surely they would get the nod before a green rookie right? Wrong. Reigns has been on an absolute tear lately. He's the monster of the group and went as far as basically eliminating the whole opposing team at Survivor Series. 4/5 members from the other team ain't bad at all. There's really no reason WHY Reigns won't be World Champion in 2014. He has the look, the wrestling heritage flowing through his blood and the ability. This guy could potentially have a mega break-out year. The Royal Rumble will let you know how Reigns will do for the rest of the year, trust me. Do I smell 12 eliminations from the big man? The best way to capitalize on him is to turn him face and have him win at Wrestlemania in a Triple Threat against his other Shield members unless the rumored Goldberg match actually happens. Roman Reigns will be World Champion during 2014. It's not a question of if, but WHEN.
Best Matches of the Year
3. Punk/Cena - Raw - Winner faces Rock at WM - I've said it before and I'll say it again, these two guys are incapable of having a bad match with each other. They really pulled out the kitchen sink for this one though. I think what makes matches between these two so amazing are the storylines going into them. This felt like a PPV quality build for a Raw main event. Punk claimed Cena couldn't beat him, Cena put everything on the line, winner faces Rock in the main event for the WWE Championship; it really doesn't get much better than that. Everything about this match was great. The reversals, the outlawed piledriver, and of course, the absolutely horrible hurricanrana. It was symbolic though. Cena was willing to pull out all the stops to retain his right to face for the WWE Title at Wrestlemania. It was a sight to see. Cena won and of course won the title at Mania but not without having another classic with CM Punk.
GIFSoup
2. Bryan/Cena - SummerSlam - This was easily the match I wanted to see most in WWE since last year and their meeting was really inevitable. The hottest superstar since CM Punk against the top guy in the company for the richest prize in the business. Many say John Cena can't wrestle but he damn sure puts on great matches with guys who can. Bryan showed that he belongs in the main event with this match alone. One thing I like when two big faces wrestle is that they like to interrupt each move combinations. Like when Punk kicked Cena during the Five Knuckle Shuffle? Bryan did that to Cena. It's just nice to break the norm once in awhile you know? I loved the sequence from Cena's STF to Bryan's Yes Lock. It's just the little things that make me appreciate matches like this. How about Bryan's superplex to Cena, only to keep his legs entangled on the ropes so he could deliver a flying headbutt? Everything in the match flowed well and you could just fell the chemistry between the two. Cena stopping Bryan's running corner kicks with a haymaker of a clothesline was sick. The ending of the match is probably my favorite part just due to the unexpectedness of it all. I didn't expect Bryan to introduce a new move to beat Super Cena but he did and it was just as unexpected as Bryan beating a top guy like Cena. The rush, the build, the match. This is what pro wrestling is ALL about. 2014 needs to see the rematch between these two.
GIFSoup
1. Punk/Lesnar - SummerSlam - This was an absolute war. Leave it to Punk to give Lesnar his best WWE match since Wrestlemania XIX. These guys pulled out all the stops to even upstage the main event. It was just a hard hitting fight. Though it was a No DQ match, they barely used any weapons but they STILL managed to have a fantastic match. This is how David VS Goliath matches should be in WWE. This is the quintessential example of one right here. Punk willingness to not give up, even though he's throwing everything at Lesnar is admirable and makes you root for him. Lesnar has Heyman, which makes you hate Lesnar for just being associated with him. And add the fact that Heyman keeps interrupting, it just made for a good dynamic in the match. The ending was a brutal one, like most of Lesnar's matches since he's returned. A F5 right onto a chair. And it was landed PERFECTLY. It was the perfect ending to the brutal match. WWE couldn't have done it better. They struck gold with this match. Why there hasn't been a rematch yet is beyond me but hopefully these two gladiators meet again. Not at Wrestlemania though. I think we've had enough of the same matches happening at big PPVs correct?
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BOLD Predictions for 2014
3. Big Attitude Era Star gets inducted into Hall of Fame - The 1st person who is announced for the HOF is usually the class leader. Edge and HBK come to mind of big names who deserved their HOF ballots. With Wrestlemania coming around, it's almost time to see who will be the top ballot. With this being the 30th WM, it has to be a BIG NAME. Someone the ENTIRE WWE Universe knows. While Macho Man Randy Savage and Ultimate Warrior are big names, I think a star from the Attitude Era will get the nod and man, are there still some major names left from this era. Triple H, Kane, The Rock, and Undertaker are still not in the HOF, mainly due them still wrestling on a part time basis. I think it's time to change that. I'm going to say The Undertaker FINALLY takes his rightful position in the Hall of Fame. He can't keep going forever so why not have his final match at Wrestlemania 30 WHILE getting the ultimate honor of being entered into the Hall of Fame?
What a Class this would be. Could match 2013's amazing class. Maybe...
2. Roman Reigns wins WWE World Championship - I've already sung the praises of Reigns and mentioned that he will win the World Title in 2014. I can't make that more clear than by saying it again. Roman Reigns will hold the World Championship in 2014. It doesn't get more blunt than that. With his size, look, and wrestling pedigree, it's bound to happen.
1. Wrestlemania card will feature current stars VS past stars - Wrestlemania 30 will feature the best from the past versus the best of today. Batista will return to challenge former Evolution member Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Daniel Bryan will clash with his mentor Shawn Michaels. CM Punk will continue to buck authority by facing his boss Triple H. John Cena will try and do what no man has done and end the undefeated streak of The Undertaker. If we're lucky, two massive titans of men will clash when Big E faces his father, sorry, Mark Henry. Yes, these are all very unlikely matches right now but how AMAZING of a Wrestlemania would it be to see all these matches?
What to look for in 2014
3. What acquisition will WWE acquire next? - WWE needs to acquire some talent from different companies. Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards are two potential guys coming over in 2014 but who else will join the biggest wrestling company in the world? Prince Devitt has apparently been on WWE's radar but he definitely won't show up until sometime after Mania. He's got a big match this January. Look him up when you have the chance. What about someone like Matt Morgan? Maybe even Adam Cole? Who knows? The sky's the limit.
2. Will part timers compete at other PPVs BESIDES WM? - Triple H and Undertaker are legends, no doubt, but they only wrestled at Wrestlemania this year. I understand the draw of the part timers so why not feature them on B PPVs? It would most certainly drive up the buy rates. Hopefully someone like Batista will be on the smaller PPVs as well. Triple H wrestling a couple PPVs after Wrestlemania would be best for business! And PPV buys!
1. Will WWE capitalize on Bryan's popularity? - The big thing to see is if WWE will pull the trigger on Bryan again. SummerSlam's buyrates were low and they blamed Bryan for that. I'm sorry, I guess he was wrestling HIMSELF in the main event. And his size doesn't help him either but the WWE Universe is solely behind Bryan and he's fantastic in the ring! Shouldn't that count for something? It doesn't as he only had two very short WWE Title reigns before being put in a program with The Wyatts. Bryan is the most over superstar in recent memory. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to do the right thing. PUSH BRYAN!
Superstar of the Year
DANIEL BRYAN
Was there really ever any doubt? The man had an absolute tear this year. He went from being in the tag team title match at Wrestlemania to the main event of SummerSlam. Bryan had many great matches this year from Cena to Cesaro. Put him in the ring with a broomstick and it would be great. No superstar has been as OVER as Daniel Bryan has been. It has been amazing to see him rise from NXT Rookie to WWE Champion. Nobody deserves the honor more that this man. Daniel Bryan has many great years to come in WWE and hopefully, WWE doesn't let his size distract them from his natural in-ring ability and amazing connection with the crowd.
Well, that's it. My 2013 in WWE post, condense version. Hope you enjoyed! Please continue to follow me all throughout next year and comments are ALWAYS appreciated! God Bless you all and have a safe and Happy New Year!
P.S. My 2013 in Video Gaming post in coming soon! Be sure to look for it!
Biggest Disappointments
3. Ziggler/Bryan pushed then de-pushed - Both Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan won World Championships this year in spectacular fashion; Ziggler cashed in his MITB to a HUGE crowd reaction and Daniel Bryan defeated Super Cena cleanly to win the WWE Title. These were both fantastic moments from this past year but unfortunately, they didn't last long. Ziggler was quickly injured after winning the strap and lost the title while turning face only after two months of holding the title. Bryan defeated both Cena and Orton at back-to-back PPVs while winning the WWE Championship, but both titles reigns were less than 24 hours. After that, Bryan lost in his battle against The Authority and was placed in a program with the Wyatts. Ziggler, on the other hand, hasn't had direction since his World Title loss. It's really ashame because both of these guys are superbly talented and deserve to be and STAY in the top spots but aren't because of their size, not their talent. Bryan looks to be starting to gain stream again but time will tell if that's just to start with his rumored program with HBK or because they realize they need to capitalize on his popularity now. Ziggler is still without direction though, but we can only hope that something gives in creative that puts Ziggler back in the main events like he deserves.
2. Cena/Rock main event AGAIN!/Rock wins WWE Title, not even on Raw/Punk's reign ends - Once The Rock announced that he would be receiving a WWE Title shot at the Royal Rumble, speculation of a Cena/Rock rematch began. When it was confirmed that Punk would be defending against Rock, it looked like the rematch wouldn't happen at the Rumble, but again at Wrestlemania. Once Cena won the Rumble, it was all but confirmed that Rock would be taking the belt off Punk, which is of course what happened. We ALL knew the rematch was inevitable as long as The Rock stayed on good terms with WWE, but to see it happen was a little underwhelming. Don't believe? Re-watch the main event from Mania again. The crowd was pretty much taken out of it. I would've much preferred a Triple Threat with Punk/Cena/Rock but Punk had a fantastic match with Taker so I can't complain. While it was a great match, it didn't have the same energy as the first match. Rock and Hogan had a rematch, but it was on a smaller PPV, to build to Wrestlemania. Why couldn't they have just done that?
1. Titles unified on B PPV/Death of World Title - Randy Orton VS John Cena for both World Titles was one of the main events that I thought could end Wrestlemania XXX, simply due to the star power and the amazing build to the match. What we got instead was a rushed 3 week feud which led to a horribly boring ending, though it had steam the last Raw going into it. Why was this pushed up? The only real explanation I have is that WWE has battle main events in store for us. MUCH BETTER than Orton/Cena but only time will tell. The 2nd point is the death of the secondary World Title. The World Heavyweight Championship was like the starter World Title. Many guys held that championship first before going onto bigger and greater things, INCLUDING the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton. I hope down the line that WWE will split the titles again because it's going to be hard for guys like Ambrose, Rollings, or even a hopefully soon to be coming in Prince Devitt to succeed.
Best Things WWE Did in 2013
3. Tag Division - For the past couple of years, the tag division keeps growing and growing. Honestly, I remember when I could count all the tag teams in WWE on one hand but now, there seems to be a huge number of them. You have The Brotherhood, The Usos, The Prime Time Players, The Real Americans, Woods and Truth, Ryback and Axel, Harper and Rowan; the list goes on. It's really the most open division right now. And there are still more tag teams to be made in the future. Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards could come up and wrestle as a tag. The Ascenscion from NXT could make their debut, the options are infinite. What about guys who aren't doing anything wity a lot of potential, like Tyson Kidd, Fandango, Wade Barrett? This division is very exciting and will definitely be something to watch in 2014.
2. Year of the American Dragon - There was no other superstar as hot as Daniel Bryan in 2013. His Yes chants were heard all throughtout the year and even derailed a segment on Raw a couple weeks ago. He was in the tag team title match at Wrestlemania and fought for the WWE Title at SummerSlam. The kid just kept rising higher and higher and it's hard not to see why. His in-ring ability is top notch, he's exciting to watch and he's good on the mic. His promo with Cena where he called him a parody was probably his best work. He was also the guy to end The Shield's undefeated streak in 3-on-3 matches. He beat WWE golden boys John Cena AND Randy Orton in back-to-back PPVs and won the Superstar of the Year award as well. Unfortunately, creative wasn't always behind him, especially at the end of the year, but the fans won't stop chanting Yes at every arena. Daniel Bryan's popularity is insane and WWE needs to capitalize on it more in 2014.
1. Young Talent Rejuvenated - The youth really shined this year didn't they? The Shield DESTROYED everyone who came in their path. They defeated the Super Team of John Cena, Ryback, and Sheamus BEFORE Cena had a match with The Rock at Wrestlemania. Are you kidding me? If that doesn't show that the youth is coming through, I don't know what will. The Shield weren't the only youth to succeed as guys like Fandango had some spotlight for a bit, Swagger and Cesaro resurged by forming a team together, Michael...excuse me Curtis Axel was repackaged abd won the IC Title within a month of coming back, The Wyatts terrorized the WWE locker room and Big E Langston looks to be the next big man face of the company. With 2014 looming, will more youth come through? There are PLENTY of NXT guys just waiting to get called up and join the main roster. Adrian Neville maybe? Sami Zayn? Solomon Crowe? Who's going to be the next guy to get a break-out?
Superstar most likely to win 1st World Title in 2014
3. Bray Wyatt - Some people can't be repackaged correctly. The transition from Husky Harris to Bray Wyatt has been fantastic. Not since he first joined the main roster have I remembered that he was Husky Harris and that's a good thing. His gimmick is so bizarre, so creepy, so different than anything else WWE has right now so I'm really excited to see how far he gets. Wyatt hasn't really had a breakout one-on-one match and I hope he get that with Bryan eventually because that will determine IF he gets the eventual shot at the title. Bryan will bring out the best in Wyatt. Whatever wrestling skills Wyatt has will come out. Anyway, Wyatt will probably win the WWE World Title mainly due to his intriguing gimmick and size. I can't say for sure about his wrestling ability just yet, but don't be surprised if you see the guy holding that WWE Title or titles I guess sometime next year.
2. Cody Rhodes - To be honest, they kind of missed their opportunity with Rhodes plenty of times, most recently with this whole Authority storyline. Why couldn't Cody have been in Big Show's shoes? This guy should have held the World Title already. From his great gimmicks back on Smackdown, to feuding with Mysterio, to his eventual IC Title reigns, the kid has proven himself. And he's only getting started. Rhodes has the pedigree that says he'll be champion but his in-ring skills is what backs it up. Rhodes isn't the best on the mic but he's very fun to watch in the ring and can play either a heel or a face. The only thing holding him back is his size. Had Rhodes been 3 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier, I wouldn't even be typing this entry. Rhodes will win a World Title in 2014 due to his time in the company. It has to happen soon and why not when you have plenty of momentum?
1. Roman Reigns - Surprise surprise huh? When The Shield first formed, Reigns was the last guy I thought would win a World Title first. Ambrose and Rollings were proven guys from the indies, internet darlings even. Surely they would get the nod before a green rookie right? Wrong. Reigns has been on an absolute tear lately. He's the monster of the group and went as far as basically eliminating the whole opposing team at Survivor Series. 4/5 members from the other team ain't bad at all. There's really no reason WHY Reigns won't be World Champion in 2014. He has the look, the wrestling heritage flowing through his blood and the ability. This guy could potentially have a mega break-out year. The Royal Rumble will let you know how Reigns will do for the rest of the year, trust me. Do I smell 12 eliminations from the big man? The best way to capitalize on him is to turn him face and have him win at Wrestlemania in a Triple Threat against his other Shield members unless the rumored Goldberg match actually happens. Roman Reigns will be World Champion during 2014. It's not a question of if, but WHEN.
Best Matches of the Year
3. Punk/Cena - Raw - Winner faces Rock at WM - I've said it before and I'll say it again, these two guys are incapable of having a bad match with each other. They really pulled out the kitchen sink for this one though. I think what makes matches between these two so amazing are the storylines going into them. This felt like a PPV quality build for a Raw main event. Punk claimed Cena couldn't beat him, Cena put everything on the line, winner faces Rock in the main event for the WWE Championship; it really doesn't get much better than that. Everything about this match was great. The reversals, the outlawed piledriver, and of course, the absolutely horrible hurricanrana. It was symbolic though. Cena was willing to pull out all the stops to retain his right to face for the WWE Title at Wrestlemania. It was a sight to see. Cena won and of course won the title at Mania but not without having another classic with CM Punk.
GIFSoup
2. Bryan/Cena - SummerSlam - This was easily the match I wanted to see most in WWE since last year and their meeting was really inevitable. The hottest superstar since CM Punk against the top guy in the company for the richest prize in the business. Many say John Cena can't wrestle but he damn sure puts on great matches with guys who can. Bryan showed that he belongs in the main event with this match alone. One thing I like when two big faces wrestle is that they like to interrupt each move combinations. Like when Punk kicked Cena during the Five Knuckle Shuffle? Bryan did that to Cena. It's just nice to break the norm once in awhile you know? I loved the sequence from Cena's STF to Bryan's Yes Lock. It's just the little things that make me appreciate matches like this. How about Bryan's superplex to Cena, only to keep his legs entangled on the ropes so he could deliver a flying headbutt? Everything in the match flowed well and you could just fell the chemistry between the two. Cena stopping Bryan's running corner kicks with a haymaker of a clothesline was sick. The ending of the match is probably my favorite part just due to the unexpectedness of it all. I didn't expect Bryan to introduce a new move to beat Super Cena but he did and it was just as unexpected as Bryan beating a top guy like Cena. The rush, the build, the match. This is what pro wrestling is ALL about. 2014 needs to see the rematch between these two.
GIFSoup
1. Punk/Lesnar - SummerSlam - This was an absolute war. Leave it to Punk to give Lesnar his best WWE match since Wrestlemania XIX. These guys pulled out all the stops to even upstage the main event. It was just a hard hitting fight. Though it was a No DQ match, they barely used any weapons but they STILL managed to have a fantastic match. This is how David VS Goliath matches should be in WWE. This is the quintessential example of one right here. Punk willingness to not give up, even though he's throwing everything at Lesnar is admirable and makes you root for him. Lesnar has Heyman, which makes you hate Lesnar for just being associated with him. And add the fact that Heyman keeps interrupting, it just made for a good dynamic in the match. The ending was a brutal one, like most of Lesnar's matches since he's returned. A F5 right onto a chair. And it was landed PERFECTLY. It was the perfect ending to the brutal match. WWE couldn't have done it better. They struck gold with this match. Why there hasn't been a rematch yet is beyond me but hopefully these two gladiators meet again. Not at Wrestlemania though. I think we've had enough of the same matches happening at big PPVs correct?
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BOLD Predictions for 2014
3. Big Attitude Era Star gets inducted into Hall of Fame - The 1st person who is announced for the HOF is usually the class leader. Edge and HBK come to mind of big names who deserved their HOF ballots. With Wrestlemania coming around, it's almost time to see who will be the top ballot. With this being the 30th WM, it has to be a BIG NAME. Someone the ENTIRE WWE Universe knows. While Macho Man Randy Savage and Ultimate Warrior are big names, I think a star from the Attitude Era will get the nod and man, are there still some major names left from this era. Triple H, Kane, The Rock, and Undertaker are still not in the HOF, mainly due them still wrestling on a part time basis. I think it's time to change that. I'm going to say The Undertaker FINALLY takes his rightful position in the Hall of Fame. He can't keep going forever so why not have his final match at Wrestlemania 30 WHILE getting the ultimate honor of being entered into the Hall of Fame?
What a Class this would be. Could match 2013's amazing class. Maybe...
2. Roman Reigns wins WWE World Championship - I've already sung the praises of Reigns and mentioned that he will win the World Title in 2014. I can't make that more clear than by saying it again. Roman Reigns will hold the World Championship in 2014. It doesn't get more blunt than that. With his size, look, and wrestling pedigree, it's bound to happen.
1. Wrestlemania card will feature current stars VS past stars - Wrestlemania 30 will feature the best from the past versus the best of today. Batista will return to challenge former Evolution member Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Daniel Bryan will clash with his mentor Shawn Michaels. CM Punk will continue to buck authority by facing his boss Triple H. John Cena will try and do what no man has done and end the undefeated streak of The Undertaker. If we're lucky, two massive titans of men will clash when Big E faces his father, sorry, Mark Henry. Yes, these are all very unlikely matches right now but how AMAZING of a Wrestlemania would it be to see all these matches?
What to look for in 2014
3. What acquisition will WWE acquire next? - WWE needs to acquire some talent from different companies. Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards are two potential guys coming over in 2014 but who else will join the biggest wrestling company in the world? Prince Devitt has apparently been on WWE's radar but he definitely won't show up until sometime after Mania. He's got a big match this January. Look him up when you have the chance. What about someone like Matt Morgan? Maybe even Adam Cole? Who knows? The sky's the limit.
2. Will part timers compete at other PPVs BESIDES WM? - Triple H and Undertaker are legends, no doubt, but they only wrestled at Wrestlemania this year. I understand the draw of the part timers so why not feature them on B PPVs? It would most certainly drive up the buy rates. Hopefully someone like Batista will be on the smaller PPVs as well. Triple H wrestling a couple PPVs after Wrestlemania would be best for business! And PPV buys!
1. Will WWE capitalize on Bryan's popularity? - The big thing to see is if WWE will pull the trigger on Bryan again. SummerSlam's buyrates were low and they blamed Bryan for that. I'm sorry, I guess he was wrestling HIMSELF in the main event. And his size doesn't help him either but the WWE Universe is solely behind Bryan and he's fantastic in the ring! Shouldn't that count for something? It doesn't as he only had two very short WWE Title reigns before being put in a program with The Wyatts. Bryan is the most over superstar in recent memory. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to do the right thing. PUSH BRYAN!
Superstar of the Year
DANIEL BRYAN
Was there really ever any doubt? The man had an absolute tear this year. He went from being in the tag team title match at Wrestlemania to the main event of SummerSlam. Bryan had many great matches this year from Cena to Cesaro. Put him in the ring with a broomstick and it would be great. No superstar has been as OVER as Daniel Bryan has been. It has been amazing to see him rise from NXT Rookie to WWE Champion. Nobody deserves the honor more that this man. Daniel Bryan has many great years to come in WWE and hopefully, WWE doesn't let his size distract them from his natural in-ring ability and amazing connection with the crowd.
Well, that's it. My 2013 in WWE post, condense version. Hope you enjoyed! Please continue to follow me all throughout next year and comments are ALWAYS appreciated! God Bless you all and have a safe and Happy New Year!
P.S. My 2013 in Video Gaming post in coming soon! Be sure to look for it!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Randy Orton is the Champion!
It was a great feeling seeing Randy Orton holding both World Titles this past Sunday at TLC. With that win, Randy Orton becomes a 12 time World Champion and THE man in the company. With 6 weeks until the Royal Rumble, it's going to be interesting to see what WWE does with Orton going into Wrestlemania. It seems a Triple Threat match maybe the headline for the Rumble, which could mean we could see someone who isn't John Cena win the Rumble. If that's the case, the only viable option would be CM Punk right? Punk/Orton at Wrestlemania IS a rematch, but it would be a really great match. Main event of Wrestlemania 30? I don't think so.
So where does WWE go from here? It looks like WWE is setting up for a fantastic Triple Threat match between Bryan/Orton/Cena at the Royal Rumble. With rumors of Triple H and Punk wrestling at Mania along with HBK coming out of retirement to face Daniel Bryan, that leaves Cena and Orton without dance partners now. There are two big guys left in Undertaker and Brock Lesnar. If we're to follow what Twitter and such says, it looks like Heyman and Lesnar may be targeting WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton, which would leave John Cena to face Undertaker. There are two problems I have with these four matches.
1. All these matches include part timers. Hey, I'm not saying that the current WWE workers can't deliver, but with only three months left to sell the biggest sport entertainment PPV extravaganza of all time, they need big names. HHH, HBK, Lesnar, and Taker are all names that have main evented past Wrestlemanias and have the star caliber that people are attracted to. There are more buys likely if these names are included than the current ones unfortunately.
2. Who wins the Royal Rumble? Going by the way I set the matches up, it would have to be either Lesnar or Taker. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but honestly, who could win it? My pick from earlier this year was Daniel Bryan, but I can't see it happening now, especially if he's going to be getting a shot at the Royal Rumble. CM Punk is another likely candidate but that would probably mess up the match he has with Triple H. For the first time in awhile, I don't have a clue who is going to win the Rumble. Cena was the obvious favorite last year but it's open for anyone this year.
Obviously, these 4 main events can ONLY happen if HBK comes out of retirement and if that happens, then at least two of the four would be confirmed, but it's still TOO early for anything. Plans could change in a wink of the eye so it's all just speculation until at least 2014.
Coming by the end of the year will be by Year End posts for BOTH Video Games and Pro Wrestling! What was my Game of The Year? Did any game this year effect my overall Top 10 list? Find out in the coming weeks!
So where does WWE go from here? It looks like WWE is setting up for a fantastic Triple Threat match between Bryan/Orton/Cena at the Royal Rumble. With rumors of Triple H and Punk wrestling at Mania along with HBK coming out of retirement to face Daniel Bryan, that leaves Cena and Orton without dance partners now. There are two big guys left in Undertaker and Brock Lesnar. If we're to follow what Twitter and such says, it looks like Heyman and Lesnar may be targeting WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton, which would leave John Cena to face Undertaker. There are two problems I have with these four matches.
1. All these matches include part timers. Hey, I'm not saying that the current WWE workers can't deliver, but with only three months left to sell the biggest sport entertainment PPV extravaganza of all time, they need big names. HHH, HBK, Lesnar, and Taker are all names that have main evented past Wrestlemanias and have the star caliber that people are attracted to. There are more buys likely if these names are included than the current ones unfortunately.
2. Who wins the Royal Rumble? Going by the way I set the matches up, it would have to be either Lesnar or Taker. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but honestly, who could win it? My pick from earlier this year was Daniel Bryan, but I can't see it happening now, especially if he's going to be getting a shot at the Royal Rumble. CM Punk is another likely candidate but that would probably mess up the match he has with Triple H. For the first time in awhile, I don't have a clue who is going to win the Rumble. Cena was the obvious favorite last year but it's open for anyone this year.
Obviously, these 4 main events can ONLY happen if HBK comes out of retirement and if that happens, then at least two of the four would be confirmed, but it's still TOO early for anything. Plans could change in a wink of the eye so it's all just speculation until at least 2014.
Coming by the end of the year will be by Year End posts for BOTH Video Games and Pro Wrestling! What was my Game of The Year? Did any game this year effect my overall Top 10 list? Find out in the coming weeks!
Friday, December 13, 2013
TLC Predictions 2013
This is really a one match PPV to be honest. Yeah, we have our Internet darlings CM Punk and Daniel Bryan in separate handicap matches, but all eyes on are the main event; the Champions of Champions TLC match for BOTH the WWE and World Titles. After Raw's insanely awesome ending, one should expect a great ending to this huge match to start the road to Wrestlemania right? Right?
AJ and Big E retain their titles. AJ's reign is most in jeopardy. One of those Total Divas girls are going to dethrone her and it might happen Sunday. Big E is just going to keep building up momentum heading into Mania, hopefully he gets a big payoff. The Rhodes Brothers are suppose to defend their belts against Ryback/Axel, The Real Americans, and Big Show and Mysterio. (what?) I guess the Usos or the Prime Time Players were busy. I would like to see the Real Americans take this one so they can start the build to Rhodes/Goldust in 2014 but they haven't planted the proper seeds yet. Maybe start this Sunday with a loss. I'm going with The Real Americans.
Punk has his hands full as he faces The Shield. Daniel Bryan is in the SAME boat as he faces The Wyatts. In wrestling terms, both Bryan and Punk can't win. One's gotta lose. Or maybe in this case, both have to lose. I really don't see the point of these matches. I mean, why did they stop The Best and The Beard feud with The Wyatts? I guess they did it that to build to Punk/HHH at Mania? I'd like to see it! Anyway, I think The Shield beats Punk and The Wyatts beat Bryan. Sorry, I'm going against my own logic on this one but the odds are not in either of the guys favor, especially Bryan. He's facing three monsters in the Wyatts. The 3 man teams win.
The main event is one for the ages, which is strange that it's on a B PPV. Cena VS Orton could be one of the biggest matches in the PG Era. This match will set the tone for Wrestlemania. It should be a good match. Orton and Cena, while the IWC won't admit it, has had some good matches, sans the Unforgiven 2007 match. Their Iron Man match was their best. There should be some nice spots, maybe an RKO from the ladder but we're all looking at the ending. What will WWE do? Is Cena siding with The Authority? Is that just a red herring? Can Orton regain Triple H's confidence after hurting his wife? Just HOW will the match end? It will be interesting to see say the least, but I'm STILL going with the choice many have stated before; both Cena and Orton will switch belts; Cena wins the WWE while Orton wins the World. It just makes better sense, unless Cena turns heel and wins both Sunday. That would be awesome, but this isn't fantasy world. I'm going with the golden boys to switch titles.
Whatever happens this Sunday, it's going to be very interesting heading into Mania. What will be the show ender for Mania? Who wins the Royal Rumble? How does Sheamus, one of the golden boys, fit in in all this? Answers will come in the upcoming months!
AJ and Big E retain their titles. AJ's reign is most in jeopardy. One of those Total Divas girls are going to dethrone her and it might happen Sunday. Big E is just going to keep building up momentum heading into Mania, hopefully he gets a big payoff. The Rhodes Brothers are suppose to defend their belts against Ryback/Axel, The Real Americans, and Big Show and Mysterio. (what?) I guess the Usos or the Prime Time Players were busy. I would like to see the Real Americans take this one so they can start the build to Rhodes/Goldust in 2014 but they haven't planted the proper seeds yet. Maybe start this Sunday with a loss. I'm going with The Real Americans.
Punk has his hands full as he faces The Shield. Daniel Bryan is in the SAME boat as he faces The Wyatts. In wrestling terms, both Bryan and Punk can't win. One's gotta lose. Or maybe in this case, both have to lose. I really don't see the point of these matches. I mean, why did they stop The Best and The Beard feud with The Wyatts? I guess they did it that to build to Punk/HHH at Mania? I'd like to see it! Anyway, I think The Shield beats Punk and The Wyatts beat Bryan. Sorry, I'm going against my own logic on this one but the odds are not in either of the guys favor, especially Bryan. He's facing three monsters in the Wyatts. The 3 man teams win.
The main event is one for the ages, which is strange that it's on a B PPV. Cena VS Orton could be one of the biggest matches in the PG Era. This match will set the tone for Wrestlemania. It should be a good match. Orton and Cena, while the IWC won't admit it, has had some good matches, sans the Unforgiven 2007 match. Their Iron Man match was their best. There should be some nice spots, maybe an RKO from the ladder but we're all looking at the ending. What will WWE do? Is Cena siding with The Authority? Is that just a red herring? Can Orton regain Triple H's confidence after hurting his wife? Just HOW will the match end? It will be interesting to see say the least, but I'm STILL going with the choice many have stated before; both Cena and Orton will switch belts; Cena wins the WWE while Orton wins the World. It just makes better sense, unless Cena turns heel and wins both Sunday. That would be awesome, but this isn't fantasy world. I'm going with the golden boys to switch titles.
Whatever happens this Sunday, it's going to be very interesting heading into Mania. What will be the show ender for Mania? Who wins the Royal Rumble? How does Sheamus, one of the golden boys, fit in in all this? Answers will come in the upcoming months!
Monday, December 9, 2013
Death of the World Title
Remember the summer of 2004 for WWE? Chris Benoit was still champion and Randy Orton was IC Champion. Both guys on absolute tears of their respective divisions. Benoit holding the title since Mania, and Orton held his IC Title for 7 months before losing it to Edge. Orton got the opportunity of a lifetime and went to face Benoit at SummerSlam 2004. He actually got to main event over JBL and Taker in his first ever PPV main event. Randy Orton won his 1st World Title that night. CLEAN. He was the heel in the match everyone, not the point though. It only lasted 28 days but now, 9 years later, he's an 11 time champion and has the chance to hold both titles this Sunday.
What I'm trying to get at is that the World Title was like the IC Title was in the 80s. Well, all good things must come to an end. The World Heavyweight Championship, which has been around WWE since 2002, will most likely cease to continue after Sunday's mega Wrestlemania quality main event. The World Title held a very special role in WWE. It was the stepping stone for bigger and better things in WWE. Orton won that title first and went on to main event Wrestlemanias, win 10 more World Titles and become one of the top faces in the company. Punk first major championship in WWE WAS the World Title. So was Bryan's. Without that stepping stone trial title, what will happen with guys like Bray Wyatt and members of The Shield? Will WWE be scared and not even give those guys shots or will we be treated to some quality matches down the line? I think guys are more likely to win the WWE Championship if they do well with the World Title first but that luxury of trial is now gone. I feel bad for some of the stars in NXT because that means, to win a World Title, you're going to have to face the only champion there and that guy is most likely going to be a big face, like Cena/Orton/Punk/Bryan. I just don't see a guy like El Generico or Davey Richards just coming up and beating John Cena for the WWE Championship without being proven first. Maybe I'll be wrong. Maybe WWE will eventually bring back the World Title if it does go away. And I keep saying that because I think some kind of shenanigans is going down Sunday. Maybe Orton and Cena just switch titles? Cena can't hold the B World Title for much longer, especially seeing how Wrestlemania season is starting. Speaking of that...
That Raw ending was VERYYYYYYYY interesting wasn't it? Punk attacked Triple H AKA his boss, HBK retaliates and kicks Punk and then Bryan gets revenge on HBK by hitting the running knee. Did they just set up two big matches for Wrestlemania? I've been on the HBK/Bryan bandwagon since HIAC so I'm good with that and I've always felt like Punk and HHH didn't really settle their feud from 2011 so both of those matches for Mania would be awesome. Or, just a tag match would suffice for me. I just hope WWE didn't just do that for nothing. How HBK going to kick two of my favorite superstars and NOT wrestle either one? That's wrestling blasphemy!
Is Cena going to turn heel with The Authority? It seems like that's the route WWE is going but, come on, this is John Cena we're talking about here! The FACE of the WWE! Mr. Goody Goody! Super Cena! Turning Cena heel at a B PPV would be HORRIBLE. Do it at Mania, on a grand stage where EVERYONE will see. I'm not saying that it will happen, but it's very unlikely it will. We've been clamoring for the turn for years now. If Cena was to turn heel now though, I would be all good for a Cena/Taker title main event for WM 30. It would be the only main event that makes sense. The Authority side with Cena, Cena gives in, gets some shady wins at the next two PPVs. claims he's the ultimate being in WWE and gets the attention of The Undertaker and there you go! You have a main event big enough for Wrestlemania. I mean, honestly, what else can close the show? The only other thing I see is a multi man match for the belt including Cena/Orton/Punk/Bryan but I'd rather see one last Title VS Streak match. Maybe Taker wins the Rumble again? Cena did! Whatever happens, it's going to be an interesting WM season. It might be the best ever
What I'm trying to get at is that the World Title was like the IC Title was in the 80s. Well, all good things must come to an end. The World Heavyweight Championship, which has been around WWE since 2002, will most likely cease to continue after Sunday's mega Wrestlemania quality main event. The World Title held a very special role in WWE. It was the stepping stone for bigger and better things in WWE. Orton won that title first and went on to main event Wrestlemanias, win 10 more World Titles and become one of the top faces in the company. Punk first major championship in WWE WAS the World Title. So was Bryan's. Without that stepping stone trial title, what will happen with guys like Bray Wyatt and members of The Shield? Will WWE be scared and not even give those guys shots or will we be treated to some quality matches down the line? I think guys are more likely to win the WWE Championship if they do well with the World Title first but that luxury of trial is now gone. I feel bad for some of the stars in NXT because that means, to win a World Title, you're going to have to face the only champion there and that guy is most likely going to be a big face, like Cena/Orton/Punk/Bryan. I just don't see a guy like El Generico or Davey Richards just coming up and beating John Cena for the WWE Championship without being proven first. Maybe I'll be wrong. Maybe WWE will eventually bring back the World Title if it does go away. And I keep saying that because I think some kind of shenanigans is going down Sunday. Maybe Orton and Cena just switch titles? Cena can't hold the B World Title for much longer, especially seeing how Wrestlemania season is starting. Speaking of that...
That Raw ending was VERYYYYYYYY interesting wasn't it? Punk attacked Triple H AKA his boss, HBK retaliates and kicks Punk and then Bryan gets revenge on HBK by hitting the running knee. Did they just set up two big matches for Wrestlemania? I've been on the HBK/Bryan bandwagon since HIAC so I'm good with that and I've always felt like Punk and HHH didn't really settle their feud from 2011 so both of those matches for Mania would be awesome. Or, just a tag match would suffice for me. I just hope WWE didn't just do that for nothing. How HBK going to kick two of my favorite superstars and NOT wrestle either one? That's wrestling blasphemy!
Is Cena going to turn heel with The Authority? It seems like that's the route WWE is going but, come on, this is John Cena we're talking about here! The FACE of the WWE! Mr. Goody Goody! Super Cena! Turning Cena heel at a B PPV would be HORRIBLE. Do it at Mania, on a grand stage where EVERYONE will see. I'm not saying that it will happen, but it's very unlikely it will. We've been clamoring for the turn for years now. If Cena was to turn heel now though, I would be all good for a Cena/Taker title main event for WM 30. It would be the only main event that makes sense. The Authority side with Cena, Cena gives in, gets some shady wins at the next two PPVs. claims he's the ultimate being in WWE and gets the attention of The Undertaker and there you go! You have a main event big enough for Wrestlemania. I mean, honestly, what else can close the show? The only other thing I see is a multi man match for the belt including Cena/Orton/Punk/Bryan but I'd rather see one last Title VS Streak match. Maybe Taker wins the Rumble again? Cena did! Whatever happens, it's going to be an interesting WM season. It might be the best ever
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