John Laurinaitis Needs to win at WM

John Laurinaitis Needs to win at WM

When John Laurinaitis became an onscreen character, I couldn’t have been the only person that was disappointed. The guy seemed like a joke, he had a reputation for being an asshole and a kiss ass at the same time. I don’t know if that means he kisses himself or what.  

However, week by week ‘Mr Personality’ has grown on me as I’m sure he’s grown on a lot of you. John Laurinaitis has evolved on the MIc to an adequate level, where he doesn’t sound terrible, but actually comes across as quite comic. He’s the boss that we all love to hate, it’s not that he’s a horrible person, he’s just an ass and he infuriates us by being an ass, yet the place would be a lot duller without him. 

Which brings me to my next point; it looks like John Laurinaitis will lead a team against Theodore Long at WM for the control of both brands. If the WWE even contemplates letting team Long win, then somebody in creative is clearly clueless. Or they’re letting Warrior book the show. 

What the WWE has in Laurinaitis, is something they haven’t had in a very long time. A heel boss that actually works. Not since the early days of Bischoff has there been a heel GM that has worked as well as Laurinaitis does. 

The heel boss has been a staple in the WWE since MR McMahon started to strut. This isn’t a bad thing, as a heel boss is a gimmick that clearly works. Having babyfaces coming up against the powers that be and ultimately winning is a tried and tested method and one that when done well, is almost a guaranteed success.

Johnny is terrific in this role, he’s annoying yet charming and someone you would just love to get your hands on, so when the babyface actually does beat the crap out of him, it’s going to be good. 

What won’t be good is the WWE ruining this way before it can even get proper started by having Theodore Long become GM of both shows. Yes, Teddy is a long service member of the WWE and the Wrestling business as a whole and I respect him for that. However, the dude has become far too stale now. 

His character is annoying rather than welcoming and frankly it just doesn’t work. It has become that bad that there’s even a drinking game that goes along with his characters booking decisions. This is common knowledge and I’m sure the WWE plays on this fact, but it just doesn’t work. Teddy long is a boring character and if he was employed on both shows, it would only hinder the product. 

This article may be a little premature as the match hasn’t even been booked yet. But, it certainly looks that way. If the WWE had any sense whatsoever, Johnny Ace will be supreme overlord of the Wrestling world, and it will be a better place to boot. 

Until next time, enjoy the show.

Daniel Morris

Follow me @glamgrune

Email me at cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com

Santino could be a World Champion by the end of the year

Santino could be a World Champion by the end of the year

Right, I’m already going to accept my fate of being called every slur under the son and the probable cyber-beating that I will receive for this article. But, I’m going to write it anyway. Why? Because that’s the way I role Mother-farmers. 

In the midst of this Wrestlemania season, where The WWE throws it’s big stars into the mix in the desperate hope to create a positive reaction in the fans, there has been one performer that has bowled me over. Sure, I’m excited over the big matches, but not much in the booking of them has really made me stand up and go ‘wow’. One man has though. That man is our cobra donning friend, Santino Marella. 

I can already here you groan already, but just here me out. Santino has accomplished something in recent weeks that not many superstars can do in their whole career. He has managed to get them rooting for them. In the Battle Royal and Elimination Chamber, Santino was the fan favourite. He was the one that everybody wanted to win. Creating almost an unprecedented atmosphere. 

The reason for this almost epic like reaction? It’s down to character investment. The Santino story is an easy one to tell. He’s a loveable loser. Yes, he’s geeky and yes, he can sometimes be annoying. But, he’s himself and he gives whatever he does a 100%. The years of not achieving have made the crowd invest in Santino, meaning whenever he exceeds our low expectations, we want him to win. 

It’s this connection that has gained Santino the respect of the crowd. A respect that many of the baby faces in the locker room fail to get. It’s this connection that makes me believe that Santino will become a World Champion by the end of the year.

We’ve not had an underdog success story for a few years. Not since Rey Mysterio at Wrestlemania 22. I’m of the honest belief that Santino could be the next one. Since the WWE has teased Santino winning the big one several times now and he has failed each time, I would continue with the trend. 

Over the next twelve months I would have Santino face off in a few Number 1 contender matches.  Each time Santino would come pretty close to winning, but falling at the last hurdle. Each time he loses like this, the crowd will want him to win more and more. After a few months of this I would have Santino winning to become number 1 contender. The pop for that alone would be nuts. 

Santino would go into the match as a huge fan favourite, but no one deep down, would expect him to win. A true element of surprise would be achieved if Santino won and I’m sure the crowd would explode. The celebration alone would be worth the effort put in. 

He doesn’t need to have a long title run, I’d just judge it on how behind him the crowd actually are, but I would at least try it, you never know, it might just be crazy enough to work. 

Until next time, enjoy the show.

Follow me on Twitter @glamgrunge

Or email me at cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com

Daniel Morris.

Well, that didn't last long.

Well, that didn't last long.

So two weeks ago, I wrote about how the WWE have actually impressed me with their build to the HHH and Undertaker feud. Well this week I’m back to my old self. By that I obviously mean, I’m going to call the WWE on their booking decision. I’m sure there are probably a few bad decisions, but the one I’m talking about is CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the Wrestlemania match. Not only do I think it should happen, I think it needs to happen. John Cena vs. The Rock is going to be electrifying, The Undertaker vs. HHH is going to be memorable, but Jericho vs. Punk has the potential to be match of the year, if not the decade. 

However, the way the WWE have gone about booking the match annoys me. It all started back when Jericho came back; already the Internet Wrestling Community was talking about the possibility of a dream match between Jericho vs. Punk. If they started to book it then, then fair enough. But, they didn’t Jericho became the Jeric-troll and threatened to change the industry as we know it. Great.

I was excited, as I’m sure you were. However, Jericho didn’t win the 2012 Royal Rumble as many had predicted. So the industry hadn’t changed, like we were told. But instead everything stayed the same. Then the chamber was next. Jericho had turned full fledge heal and had already started a program with Punk. Brilliant. 

Surely, Jericho was going to walk into the Elimination Chamber and screw Punk for the title. I could just see it, Jericho is last to enter, but just before he does Punk is attacked. Jericho gets the cheap pin and becomes the champion. 

Alas, we didn’t get that either. Instead Jericho got kicked in the head, fell out of the chamber and became ‘concussed’. Punk won the elimination chamber and retained the belt. 

So last night on Raw there was a battle royal to see who would face Punk at Mania. Jericho, once again entered the main event as favourite. Finally, he won the battle royal. How did he win it you ask? By being very dominate? Well, no. He did eliminate The Big Show though. Did he do it impressively? Well no, Cody Rhodes helped. 

So let me get this straight. The WWE championship is your main prize. You have a hugely popular Champion and your number one challenger for the biggest show of the year taken three chances to fight the champion? Yes. 

Jericho finished second in the Rumble, got another chance, where he finished 3^rd in the chamber, then in his final chance, he managed to win. Doesn’t really make him look credible does it? Well no. 

But, let’s focus on the positives, the match is finally happening. Let’s hope that they make Jericho look credible before the two fight at ‘Mania. Even if worse comes to worse, they’ll still give us a good match. Creative can’t screw that up. Well hopefully not. 

Until next time, enjoy the show

Feel free to comment below. Email me at cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com

I didn't expact that to happen

I didn’t expect that to happen. 

This title could be misleading. You could be led to believe that I consider something the WWE has done recently to be surprising. You would be wrong. Albeit, exciting and promising, The WWE is predictable as ever. D Bry will probably fight Sheamus, Jericho will face Orton and HHH will battle against The Undertaker. 

The last one probably is as unsurprising as going round to Ultimate Warrior’s house to find him wearing a clown outfit and punching a Gorilla in the face. The WWE love booking The Undertaker in rematches now and no matter how much they’re trying to double bluff, Trips will fight the Deadman at Wrestlemania 28. 

What is surprising is that they have actually made me care about it already. Last night on Raw, HHH came down and explained why he declined The Undertaker’s challenge. He said that instead of being scared of Taker, all he felt was sorry for him. He went on to say that he didn’t want to have a rematch with Taker because he knows how far he would have to go to end it and he doesn’t want to be that guy. 

After HHH had finished an Undertaker video package aired. In this video package, The Phenom (man he has a lot of nicknames), claimed that the victory over HHH last year mean nothing, because of how it happened. He offered Trips one more shot at immortality to face him again this year. You know what. These two promos made me want to see the match again. 

Before this, I didn’t want to see Triple H and Undertaker again. Yes, it would be a good match, but I just didn’t care about it. Know I do. Because it makes sense. I agree with HHH’s reason for not wanting to fight The Undertaker. If you admired (no homo) someone so much and you knew that you could beat them, but you’d have to end his career. I imagine you would be pretty hesitant to except. 

However, what makes more sense is The Undertakers urge to have another match. The man prides himself on his WM record. Having that record tarnished by a victory that could have so easily not been, must hurt like hell. Something he needs to redeem. 

These emotional back stories make complete sense. Too many times has The WWE tried to explain something and not really quite done it. For example, I still quite don’t get why Kane is wanting Cena to embrace the hate? Does he want to start an evil Justice League? I’m not sure. Maybe he just wants a new chess partner. 

But what I do get is why both Triple H and The Undertaker want and don’t want a match at Wrestlemania. This has made me immediately care about something I could have previously given two rats about. Proof that good storytelling makes good TV. You should take note WWE, you can do it occasionally. 

Until next time, enjoy the show.

Daniel Morris.

Feel free to comment below.

Follow @glamgrunge, or email at cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com

The Winner is...

The Winner is...

Its Rumble week and I hope you’re excited. I am. Some may say two excited as I’m pretty sure my friends are going to ban me using the words Royal and Rumble in a sentence together. So it’s only natural that my wrestling column this week is about the good ol’ RR itself. Today I’m going to outline five possible winners of the rumble and how likely I think their chance is of winning is. So hold on to your hats and LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE...

1)      Chris Jericho

Probably a lot of people’s choice to win the Rumble, Jericho looks like he’s emerged as the favourite to win on Sunday. He’s a high profile star who’s never won a Rumble before and is rumoured to be working with Punk at Mania. The WWE likes to give their top superstars at least one Rumble win so this could be Y2J’s year.

 Likelihood of Winning: Probably the most likely of the lot.

2)      Randy Orton

If Jericho is Raw’s number one pick to win. Orton has to be Smackdown’s. The Rumble is in St. Lewis, which happens to be Mr Orton’s home town. Also, if Bryan continues with the title all the way up to WM, there is going be very few babyfaces that Bryan could face. The top babyface on Smackdown is undoubtedly Orton, so the match seems perfect.  The only thing that is getting in Orton’s way is the fact that he’s already won the Rumble. Only three guys have done it in the past so it’s not really an accolade that the WWE hands out to just anybody.

Likelihood of winning: The Most likely face to win.

3)      Kane

If the inevitable doesn’t happen and Jericho doesn’t face Punk at Mania. Then it would be a conundrum to who he will face on the grandest stage of them all. Punk has already feuded with a lot of the top babyfaces in the company. All except Kane. Kane is currently keeping Cena warm for the Rock. Once he’s done with that he’ll still be on a role and a high profile match could still be on the cards. Plus, in the ‘by the numbers’ video aired on last night’s Raw, Kane was featured heavily, leaving me to think that Kane winning could be a possibility.

Likelihood of winning: It’s not probable, it could happen though.

4)      Sheamus

There has been a lot of upper mid carders, all staking their claim for the Rumble. During the match, a lot of this will fall by the waist side; however the likely of these claims probably belongs to The Great White, Sheamus. They’ve been pushing Sheamus pretty strongly of late without giving him a proper feud. Normally not having a feud could be a bad thing, but during Rumble season this means that if he does win, they’re will be no loose ends that needs to be tied up.

Likelihood of winning: It’s a long shot, but crazier things have happened.

5)      The WHC or WWE champion

Just here me out for this one, never before have they stated that the WWE or WHC could be entered into the Rumble, but this year they have. I could be reading way too much into this, but to me this hints at either the WWE champ or the World Heavyweight Champ winning on Sunday. Plus, with a lot of high profile matches already on the cards for Mania, this might be the year where they unify the two titles.

Likelihood of winning: Not likely at all, but it could happen.

Obviously, there are more people who have a chance of winning, but they’re the five scenarios I have outlined. What do you think? Do you think I’ve left out the obvious winner. If so, let me know.

Until next time, enjoy the Rumble.

Twitter: @glamgrunge

Email: Cinemascreenandspandex@gmail.com