Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is just too much that goes on every week in the world of professional wrestling. Every few days, there’s a big story that takes all the limelight and attention away from the smaller things there just isn’t enough time to dedicate to discussing.
To try to counteract that, I’ll be looking to cram in as many of these smaller talking points as I can every week in a series simply called Quick Takes, which will indulge these thoughts I have in a speedier fashion.
Some of these can be a little long-winded, while others may just be a sentence or two, if that’s all it takes. In any case, I invite you to do the same in the comments below by chiming in with your thoughts on each of these topics, as well as dropping some more talking points in there for everyone to chat it up about!
Without further ado, let’s get entry #1 started!
Why isn’t Big Show vs. Randy Orton happening at Extreme Rules?
This week on Raw, Orton challenged Big Show to a match next week on Raw, rather than at Extreme Rules. It will be an unsanctioned match, just like Orton’s fight with Christian.
I’m curious why this isn’t happening at the pay-per-view, and I could see several reasons that might explain it:
- WWE wants to pop a rating and thinks this match will be a big enough attraction to pull that off, while it would just get lost in the shuffle of the other matches on the PPV.
- They filmed this while they were doing Raw, didn’t want to change the set and figured it would be easier that way.
- This is an attempt to drag this out even longer until SummerSlam. The match on Raw won’t be an actual match and will have enough shenanigans that, since it won’t be a PPV, they think fans won’t feel too cheated and will be okay with waiting a few more weeks to see the same thing at SummerSlam, but for real this time.
- There’s something with the taping schedules that prevented them from having Orton and/or Show at the time they’ll do Extreme Rules, so next Monday would be the first time they could pull it off and are forced to do it this way, instead.
Frankly, I don’t want to see Orton/Show go on for another month just to have it at SummerSlam. I’d rather WWE just get it over with, have Orton take Show out and move on to something else.
But if this is an attempt to boost ratings, I don’t blame WWE. It’s at least marketable in some fashion, as its two established names having a gimmick match that may result in one being written off television.
Shayna Baszler Returns to Put Raw on Notice
This has to be the early setup for a match against Asuka at SummerSlam, right? If so, I’m definitely down for that. I’d much rather see Asuka vs. Baszler than for Nia Jax to get back into the title hunt, that’s for sure.
Ivar’s Cute. Angel Garza? Not So Much.
I’ll admit it, I laughed when Charly Caruso was swooning over Ivar so much that it took her attention away from Angel Garza. It was simple enough without WWE going so far over the top with it that it got a genuine chuckle out of me. That’s rare. Normally, WWE goes hamfisted with comedy and the jokes lose their value.
WWE Chronicle: Jeff Hardy
Skip it. I’d hate to be so dismissive, but if you’ve followed Jeff’s career over the years, you’ve heard this before. It would be different if it were presented in an interesting new way, but it isn’t. The documentary is essentially just slow motion clips of Hardy saying “I can’t screw this up again” and nothing more.
This was no 24: Edge or The Last Ride. The story itself may be important to tell and I’m so glad Hardy’s in a better place right now to be able to tell that, but this particular 30 minute show isn’t something you need to carve out time in your week to watch.
Hair vs Hair Match Originally Scheduled for SummerSlam?
Supposedly, WWE planned on doing a match between Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose that would have resulted in one of them losing their hair. The obvious guess is Deville would have been the loser and that would have transitioned her to some new tweaks to her character.
Frankly, I say go for it. Let’s see what happens. Try something new out, as hair vs. hair matches aren’t the norm for the women’s division in WWE. If Deville is up for it, let’s see what she can bring to the table with a new look. If it doesn’t work out well, she can just mask it in some fashion and grow it back out again, right?
The R-Truth Game Show
I went from hating the first minute or so of this to thinking that it was actually kind of fun, all the way back to thinking this can’t possibly last more than a few episodes without the joke no longer being funny.
I suggest checking it out if you’re interested. However, this isn’t some hill I’m going to die on. If you think its dumb and you don’t start liking it midway through the Alexa Bliss segment, go ahead and shut it off. You’re not going to like the rest of it at that point.
AEW Fight for the Fallen
This had none of the pizzazz that Fyter Fest had. It felt like a normal episode of Dynamite that just happened to include a title match.
That’s not to say this was awful or anything. It’s still Dynamite, which is never terrible. It just didn’t feel special to me.
I’ve seen someone get a liquid poured on them a dozen or so times. The matches were about the same as what I’d expect a normal episode to be, at this point.
I’m increasingly more and more worried that AEW can’t break this habit of bringing someone in, pushing them to the main event, having them get a title shot and then not knowing what to do with them. I hope that doesn’t happen with Brian Cage and the only game plan is to feud with Darby Allin and then “we’ll figure it out” in a way.
Vanessa Borne Called Up to Main Roster?
Supposedly, Vanessa Borne hasn’t been seen in NXT lately because she was planned to come up to the main roster by now, and just hasn’t.
Frankly, I’m surprised about that. I’ve thought Borne was overlooked in some ways, but I’ve never seen her as someone super talented in the ring and deserving of a major push. I would think Aliyah would have been more likely to make that jump, between the two.
But maybe this is the typical scenario where Vince McMahon likes to use people who weren’t successful in NXT and groom them, more so than take a successful NXT person and keep their momentum.
Think about it. Alexa Bliss did significantly more on Raw/SmackDown than in NXT. Otis is succeeding better with that. Meanwhile, someone like Samoa Joe has struggled, as has Bobby Roode.
This could be a good thing for Borne—once she actually shows up and is used, at least.
WrestleMania Not Happening in Hollywood?
In typical fashion with the way this year’s going, there may not be live events with fans in time for WrestleMania to take place in Hollywood in 2021 as scheduled.
Naturally, I hope that everything clears up by then, for a million reasons. But if it doesn’t, how much do you want to bet WWE tries to run in Tampa again, instead? With or without live fans in attendance, this could be their attempt to say they made it up to the area and then move on after that.
Fingers crossed COVID slows down enough or dies down entirely and we go back to normal in time for WrestleMania. Hell, I want this stuff to end NOW, you know?
What are your takes on these topics? Keep the discussion going in the comments below!
