http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/blog.php?10978-Sexton-Hardcastle Wrestling News and Discussion - eWrestlingNews.com Community en Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:37:55 GMT vBulletin 10 http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/blog.php?10978-Sexton-Hardcastle http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?41864-Brogue-Kick-Who-ligan Thu, 31 May 2012 23:43:58 GMT *Sheamus *I feel the need to share my thoughts and feelings regarding Sheamus, his career thus far, and his current role and future in the WWE.... Sheamus


I feel the need to share my thoughts and feelings regarding Sheamus, his career thus far, and his current role and future in the WWE.

Now I'm not a big fan of Shaemus, and never really have been, so I apologise now if my comments come over as rather negative, and welcome anyone reading this blog who is a fan of his work to let me know where I've got it wrong. Maybe I'm being too harsh, I don't know, but here I go.

Titles & History & Drew McIntyre

The World Title was put on him at the fatefull TLC in 2009, on the same night Drew McIntyre also won the Intercontinental Title. This was after less than 6 months of first officially being on WWE television and was quite shocking at the time, much like the botched finish against Cena in their tables match to win the belt. Sheamus's push has continued unabashed since this first high point while sadly for Drew his career has well and truly nosedived. For me the only high point in the The Chosen One's career since was a particularly spirited performance in the Smackdown Elimination Chamber match in the 2011 PPV of the same name, where he got a few pops and maybe even a little chant if I remember. So why has Shaemus's career flourished since and Drews gone so spectacularly backwards? I'm not going to go into the reasons behind Drew's demise as this blog is about The Celtic Warrior, I'll talk about him in another blog. But if rumours are to be believed its Sheamus's relationship with Triple H that gets him preferential treatment and a sustained push in the federation.


Toughness

He seems to have been given the green light to display his almost superhuman strength on regular occasions. Sheamus has been afforded the opportunity to kick out on one counts where others would almost be pinned if not actually pinned. He does this on multiple occasions during matches and it makes the match seem less 'believeable'. This does nothing to heighten my interest in Sheamus as a performer, but serves to bury his opponent. I remember this happening in a few matches against Christian, and it made the matches less interesting, and made me annoyed with Sheamus, and his obvious favour with the management.

He destroyed Daniel Bryan in less than 20 seconds at Wrestlemania. Fortunately Daniel Bryan has managed to overcome this setback is and on the way to becoming established as a full time main eventer, something I applaud the management for.

I think Sheamus needs to learn that you can appear tough without making your opponent look weak in professional wrestling, it just requires talent. By making your opponent look strong you actually make yourself look even stronger when you win, and Sheamus wins a lot of matches. But instead of doing this the powers that be feel the need to make him squash people, and it harms potential other main eventers of the future. Maybe he's learning to 'play the game' from non other than the Cerebral Assassain himself?

Moveset & In Ring Ability

It appears Sheamus has been allowed a rather large moveset unlike others on the roster, due to his special treatment. He's got four finishing moves (Brogue Kick, White Noise, Celtic Cross, Cloverleaf/4 Leaf Clover Submission) and gets to use numerous other power moves including the Irish Curse Backbreaker, diving shoulderblock over the top rope or from the top turnbuckle, ten stiff chest blows over the ropes, Mr Kennedys old finisher plus power slams, clothslines, superplex's and more, the list goes on........ Don't get me started on him chanting 'brogue, brogue, brogue' before his very stiff looking Brogue Kick, it is just unimaginitive and very 'me too' and confirms that to me that he's very manufactured.

I suppose he is competant enough in the ring but certainly not in my top ten of current performers. He fails to excite me and I can't remember a truly stellar match featuring him, and for a three time world champion thats just not good enough. I'm going to go as far as to say his best of three falls versus Daniel Bryan was probably the best match I can remember him ever having, either that or the wrestling masterclass showstealing Wrestlemania 28 opener........

Stiffness. Sheamus is by far the stiffest wrestler in the WWE. He gets away with some painful looking stuff in the ring, and again this leaves a bad taste in the mouth. It's almost like he does it because he can get away with it, and not get repreimanded for it. Some of his Brogue kicks look genuinely painful, as do his chest blows, and clothslines too. If I were to launch a career in the WWE he'd be the wrestler I'd wish to face least! Well, him or Cena.

Look & Character

I'll give him his dues, he does look unique, with his extremely ginger hair and beard and almost translucent pale white body. He is also extremely large and unnaturally well defined, just the look favoured by upper management. He almost seems, dare I say it, enhanced, and you tend to feel certain elements of the roster can get away with it, unlike many others including the recently suspended Randy Orton, a genuine main eventer and excellent performer. But Sheamus has got that 'main event' look, due to a combination of his size and distinctiveness, and thats to his credit.

I also have to give him credit for actually becoming a genuine main eventer, someone who looks like (and currently is) a world champion, and when he hasn't got a title he's never far away from it. But does he only look like a main eventer because of the special treatment he's received? How much of his success is actually down to genuine talent and not because he and Tripper pump iron together. I'd suggest that there are a whole host of other performers who if having been given the same push as Sheamus could be doing a much better job than him in the spot as one of the top faces of the company.

My other issue with Sheamus is that he doesn't suit being a face. He just looks a little too angry and evil, qualities that make him much better suited to the heel character he used to play. His stiff wrestling style also lends him more to being a heel too. My fear is that with the full marketing machine behind him Sheamus will become an almost Cena level face, an extremely boring one at that, for years to come. You'll have noticed his name change from the Celtic Warrior to the Great White in an effort to make him more marketable. He does get a decent pop now, I wonder how well his merch sells? By the way I find his latest piece of merchandise, the Brogue Kick Hooligan T-Shirt, just a bit poor.

His promo's aren't great, and almost trying to steal the yes yes yes chant in one of them made me just cringe. Like I said before, I find him a bit unimaginitive and he's a bit dull. Definitely duller as a face. Sadly can't see him turning heel again anytime soon.

Royal Rumble

Got to be honest, it annoyed me he won the Royal Rumble this year. I'm just not a fan. Sorry to mention this. I'd have liked the Miz to have done it as unlike Sheamus his star has appeared to have fallen recently, and he now no longer resembles a genuine main eventer, and winning the rumble would've given him a boost. But they gave it to Sheamus and it was wasted on a joke of a match at Wrestlemania....

In Conclusion

Maybe a lot of my criticisms are unfair as it isn't he who makes the booking decisions, and everything he does must be green lighted otherwise he wouldn't do it. So maybe my issue is with the management who continue to push and book him in a certain way. If he wrestled a bit more like the previous resident Irish toughman Finlay, who was a great technical wrestler as well as a smashmouth specialist, and learned to cut better promo's, I may develop more interest in his character.

Whilst I respect what Sheamus has achieved in the short space of time he has been in the WWE, the overriding feeling for me is that its been handed to him rather than genuinely earned, and means I don't respect him as much as other more recent champions. Wrestlers such as CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, The Miz, hell even Mark Henry.

Undoubtedly Sheamus has a bright future in the WWE, as bright as his beard, but he's just not for me. Let's hope Barrett can get the monster push I feel he fully deserves upon his return, and hope he starts hanging around with HHH :)

Please post your opinions below, and thanks for reading my blog. ]]> Sexton Hardcastle http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?41864-Brogue-Kick-Who-ligan http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?41671-Ham-and-Eggers-Big-Men-Pushes-and-the-Squash! Sat, 12 May 2012 01:44:27 GMT I just wanted to share my thoughts on the current usage of squash matches in the WWE, and some of the big men currently receiving pushes on the... I just wanted to share my thoughts on the current usage of squash matches in the WWE, and some of the big men currently receiving pushes on the roster. Having read various blogs on these subjects recently I thought I'd offer my own opinions on my very first blog.

Being a long time fan I can remember back to the late eighties and early nineties when squash matches were what I'd mainly get to see on TV. Living in the UK we predominantly got to see established stars beating 'ham and eggers' week in, week out, affirming their status as true larger than life superstars and giving us the opportunity to see all of their signature moves. This brings me onto my first subject, Ryback.

Ryback

The artist formerly known as Skip Sheffield has honestly suprised me by not disappearing into obscurity following his injury and departure from the Nexus way back in August 2010. I always thought he showed a little something in his initial 'run' in his former guise but having seen much more talented established stars either future endeavoured or let go I didn't hold up much hope for his chances in the federation. How wrong I was. I suppose I failed to take into consideration Vinces love of the 'big men' and Ryback certainly ticks the size box, looking relatively huge compared to a large proportion of the current roster, and seems to be on the receiving end of a nice push from the powers that be.

Since his comeback he's been incredibly dominant. Week in, week out he's squashing nobodys for fun, while being scouted backstage by various low to mid carders. The fact that these ham and eggers he faces get a bit of mic time further adds to the entertainment as Ryback comes out and demolishes them with a series of inpressive power moves, putting them quickly out of their misery and saving the fans from any more drivel coming out of their 'never gonna be seen on TV again' mouths.

By being given time to show his dominance, demonstrate his moveset, and develop his intense 'feed me more' gimmick, Ryback gets credibility as a genuine monster in the making, and doesn't have to bury other talent in the process. I expect in the next month or so he may start competing against some of the lower level superstars on tv, but handled correctly, there's no reason why he can't go far and not neccesarily to the detriment of other talent. Having watched the the careers of Ezekial Jackson and Mason Ryan nosedive maybe its time a wrestler of this size is due a major run?

Hearing the Goldberg chant in Chicago, whilst perhaps annoying on one level, must have been taken as a huge compliment to the newcomer Ryback, and may be the early sign of a long winning streak in store for him.

Being more of a purist, who prefers a more fast paced technical style, I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I'm actually liking Ryback. Its rare for me to say this but I think they've got his booking exactly right, and thats probably helping with my interest in his character and his development. However, poor booking can lead to huge disinterest in a wrester, which leads me onto my next subject.

Brodus Clay

Having seen Snoop Doggs ex bodyguard make it through NXT to join the main roster, and seeing him involved in high pofile matches with Alberto Del Rio, I thought the future was bright for Brodus as a potential monster heel. He disappeared for a while and I genuinely looked forward to his return.

However, I did not expect the 'Funkasaurus' and to say my mouth was left open and I was speechless is no exaggeration, I found it staggering, a shockingly bad decision from whoever green lighted this awful gimmick. Admittedly his character had grown on me slightly, but is already turning very stale, as are his matches, which have never really set the arenas on fire.

Brodus has been having squash matches since his comeback. But unlike Ryback he's been demolishing established stars, and herein lies the problem. To see established stars such as the Miz, Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger get so swiftly beaten by him so early in his career doesn't do anything for me. These are all ex world champions but rather than build these matches properly they've been wasted by a having semi squash matches. Having no real build up means neither Brodus or his opponent gets any real benefit from the matches in terms of career development which seems such a waste.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm very aware of the need and importance for the WWE to develop and nurture new talent which is why I don't have a problem with a newcomer getting a serioius push, but I just think it could've been handled a lot better. Brodus also should've been a heel, and not this Godfather wannabe.

I've noticed the girls getting more camera time too. Is this because like me the cameraman is also finding Brodus's routine boring? I read on here the other day someone wrote that Brodus can't dance. So true. A shockingly bad mover, Hornswoggle danced better than him and that's saying something.

All is not lost though. This gimmick will inevitably run its course. I think he'll maybe turn heel on someone after losing the world title shot he'll inevitably get in the next 12 months. If they can manage his heel turn correctly it could be huge, and turn him into a genuine monster for years to come. I also read someone suggesting the other day him turning on a 'face' Mark Henry for stealing his proposed 'Hall/House of Pain' gimmick. This could be great and could lead to him retiring Henry, building his reputation immensley.

Brodus is still young, and if carefully managed could have a great career. Sadly, despite a huge push I don't think the same can be said for Lord Tensai, my final subject.

Lord Tensai

During his original run I always found Prince Albert/Albert/A Train a solid but unspectacular performer. Someone who had the build loved by the senior wwe management but somehow failed to connect with the wwe 'universe' and was eventually released.

I gave him huge respect for resurfacing in Japan as Giant Berhard and for doing so well, and when I heard rumours he was coming back to the wwe I was genuinely looking forward to his return.

Once again I feel the writers have blown it with this rubbish Lord Tensai gimmick. What with his green mist, ridiculous outfit and complete lack of personality I'm already just not bothered about this guy, and I still feel he doesn't connect, despite his additional experience. Again, maybe this is down to the squash based nature of his matches thus far.

Alex Riley (once a promising main eventer in the making) and Yoshi Tatsu got destroyed, and he's scored painfalls against Cena AND Punk too, although cheated his way to these high profile 3 counts.

When it comes down to it he's being built up to appear a monster but will definitely end up staring at the lights for Cena, Punk and whoever else they wish to be their top faces.

The problem is that unlike with Clay who has time on his side, and can recover from a bad gimmick, Tensai I feel has this last shot at wwe stardom. He never elevated above the mid card in his first run and I don't think he will as Tensai. At this stage in his career I feel it would be hard to reinvent himself as another character and I genuinely see him gone within two years, as boredom quickly sets in from the fans, and his monster status is seriously eroded by frequent defeats further down the line.


In Conclusion

I could have talked about lots of other wrestlers and squashers, Sheamus in particular, but I'll discuss them/him in other blogs. Not a fan of face Sheamus at all.

I've waffled a bit here, missed many points, contradicted myself at times and completely failed to conclude anything. Please feel free to comment below and let me know your thoughts. Thanks for reading. ]]> Sexton Hardcastle http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?41671-Ham-and-Eggers-Big-Men-Pushes-and-the-Squash!