The Wrestling Thread

[NesimLE]

Actually wasn't surprised by the Swagger win. The pro US, anti-immigrant faces the Mexican Heavyweight champion...probably what they were building towards in the first place.

As for Del Rio looking weak against Show, I find it difficult to think anyone looks weak when they get a victory via submission. It's not like Show was destroying him throughout the match and he won with a quick roll-up...so yeah. Personally, I was legit surprised that Show actually tapped out (although I did think it would end via submission when Del Rio went for the Cross Armbreaker so early in the match.)

Overall, definitely though it was an enjoyable show (although I'm always disappointed when D. Bryan doesn't win his matches...hopefully he'll go over Kane in their likely Wrestlemania match-up.)

[Gamerforlife]

Del Rio got a submission victory only after hitting Show in the head with a foreign object introduced into the match by Ricardo, which the ref didn't see.

They book Del Rio like a heel, and it makes him look weak and I think it makes crowds still not know if they should cheer for him. It just doesn't make sense at all the way the WWE is using him. Also, the exaggerated way he panders to Mexican fans is offensive and insulting. I was interested and hopeful about Del Rio's face turn, but it's turning out to be as bad as his heel run. Thumbs down from me. He'll be down in the midcard sometime later this year. This champion run is going nowhere.

Love how he botched the first kick attempt too when trying to knock that thing into Show's head

Speaking of which, that damn announce table! It didn't give an inch when CM Punk Rock Bottomed The Rock through it. Can I just say how awesome it was though to see a guy try to use his opponent's finisher and ACTUALLY SUCCEED. Did hell freeze over!?

[retrosportsgamer]

Good show - perhaps my favorite part was Cena throwing a temper tantrum after Ryback didn't kick out of the spear at the end. I'm pretty sure Ambrose had his leg too to prevent the break up but no camera angle caught that. If I were Ryback (and this were kayfabe), i'd be legit pissed at Cena - which could be an interesting story. The Shield continue to be great and getting to see Ambrose in a real match was awesome. They were kicking the shit out of Cena and it seemed at one point Cena was pissed at Rollins after a sloppy drop kick to the face. I'm surprised no one got hurt in this one, especially towards the end. It was all over the place (and Ryback nearly killed Ambrose in the corner when he threw him into Rollins).

We all knew the Swagger/Del Rio thing would eventually happen but I was surprised they pulled the trigger now. Swagger has so little heat with this new gimmick and I can't say I'll be tuning into Smackdown for his 15 minute racist promos any time soon. I mean, this match is destined to kickoff Wrestlemania and as much as I like plucky Del Rio (and Swagger to an extent), this really diminishes the WHC on a big platform like WM. What do they do with Orton from here? Does he work his way into the title match and make it a triple threat. I'm guessing he continues his never ending feud with Mark Henry, which is "ok" but come on - 7 weeks more of those two? Henry was AWESOME in the chamber. Took three finishers to knock him out and then he got to come back and destroy everyone. Just awesome.

Rock/Punk II - these guys like working with each other and man did Punk come out looking good here. I *hate* false finishes where the heel is screwed out of a win by a ref bump. That is a babyface spot. I also hate DQ/countout stips on the babyface. I get that Vince will cash in his favor with Heyman by having Brock fight HHH again but that stip added late was dumb and not necessary for this battle. After jobbing to the People's Elbow (anyone else notice how Punk didn't sell the elbow again? I love it), it was nice to see him kick out of two finishers before the end.

I didn't like the LMS ending from the Rumble but had no issue with Del Rio overcoming the gigantic monster with a well-timed kick to the head with the bucket. i'm guess his whiff will be edited out of the DVD. Plus, that (or the kick right after it) didn't get a pin or anything. Del Rio continued to work the arm and Show put over his submission big time. I was shocked. Show's heel work has been great - first getting to build himself up by continually beating Sheamus, and then using that heat to put over a babyface Del Rio.

[the King]

So what are the odds set at that tonight Punk uses the term "streak" to describe his title reign and the lights going out?

[TheSegaSaturnGuy]

I am very glad that Swagger came back. He is one of my favorites as far as actual wrestling goes. The only thing I dont like is this manager he has. Given that he will probaby help Swagger get back over with the Universe, I just think he brings anything special to Swagger. Although if Swagger gets back over then the manager is doing what he was supposed to do.

[Gamerforlife]

Henry was AWESOME in the chamber. Took three finishers to knock him out and then he got to come back and destroy everyone. Just awesome.

I love how nobody could get any offense in on Henry unless someone was helping him. The double backdrop they did on Henry looked wicked. Henry legitimately looked like the baddest MFer in that match, like the other guys weren't even in his league. A kick from Swagger, a code breaker from Jericho, and an RKO from Orton. It took all of that to bring the big man down. I loved the moments before Henry first got out of the chamber and into the match too. The look on his face just said, "Let me out of this damn thing so I can start killing people, cause THAT'S WHAT I DO!!!!"

Rock/Punk II - these guys like working with each other and man did Punk come out looking good here. I *hate* false finishes where the heel is screwed out of a win by a ref bump. That is a babyface spot. I also hate DQ/countout stips on the babyface. I get that Vince will cash in his favor with Heyman by having Brock fight HHH again but that stip added late was dumb and not necessary for this battle. After jobbing to the People's Elbow (anyone else notice how Punk didn't sell the elbow again? I love it), it was nice to see him kick out of two finishers before the end.

Their first match didn't feel pay per view caliber. This one did. They each got their finishers in on each other and kicked out of them. This was the clash of titans that their first match wasn't. I marked out for Punk hitting him with the Rock Bottom, even though that stupid table didn't give way.

Show's heel work has been great - first getting to build himself up by continually beating Sheamus, and then using that heat to put over a babyface Del Rio.

I agree. There are a lot of Show haters out there. I think he is a valuable asset to the company. I listed to an interview with him yesterday. He speaks of his co-workers with respect and he cares more about getting over a good story line than wins and losses. He was high on The Shield, Dolph Ziggler, and Bo Dallas. A lot of people in the WWE are into this Bo Dallas guy. I don't really know why. It seems like they think he'll appeal to young girls who are into Twilight. Is he the new Jeff Hardy pretty boy of the WWE? Show also spoke highly of Arn Anderson and thought he should have gotten into the Hall of Fame by himself, instead of as part of the Horsemen.

The Shield continue to be great and getting to see Ambrose in a real match was awesome.

There are two things I love about the Shield. The fact that they are better as a team than practically anyone the WWE right now, and the fact that the announcers are doing such a damn good job of making viewers aware of that. If you look at the psychology of that match. Cena's team just had no tag team cohesion. It was three alpha males wanting to win a match. The Shield was three guys working together towards one goal and not caring who won. Those guys were all over Cena like a swarm of bees and hit some nice tag team moves on him too. retrosportsgamer is not kidding when he says they kicked Cena's ass.

[Gamerforlife]

It seems a little sad that they gotta use the race card to get Swagger over as a heel and Del Rio over as a face. It's also a little sad that BOTH of these guys need their little sidekicks to get them over. I'm not too impressed by Swagger's return thus far(so much wasted potential in this guy). This Zeb guy is busting his ass to make people give a shit about Swagger, and Ricardo is a better babyface than Del Rio.

I'll admit though, I am somewhat curious to see where WWE takes this feud and storyline. It's the edgiest thing we've seen from them in a while

[TheRev]

Albertoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
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DEL RIoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
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[retrosportsgamer]

Not big on the Shield being in another tag match tonight but its time to have them wrestle on free tv I guess.

[the King]

Whoever finally told Orton he couldn't grow a beard needs to have a chat with Punk.