Thursday, June 17, 2021

JOE! JOE! JOE! JOE! JOE!

            He's back!!! 

            Last week, we saw an exhausted general manager William Regal proclaim that it was time for a change. As Mr. Regal opened up this week's NXT, Karrion Kross interrupts and essentially tries to bully the GM into quitting. Then the music we've all been waiting for hits.....JOE! JOE! JOE!


            Samoa Joe enters the ring and after some back and forth negotiating, it is so declared that he will be an enforcer for the continuing general manager William Regal. Joe gets right to executing his duties and sends the usually snarling Karrion Kross back to the locker room.  


            The enforcement continues backstage where we see Joe put an unruly Adam Cole in a Coquina Clutch. 



            Next we have an answer to Kushida's open challenge for the NXT Cruiserweight championship. Trey Baxter steps up to the plate and the man has moves. Even though he taps out to Kushida's Hoverboard Lock, he will make a name for himself in wrestling. I could easily see him go up against Ricochet in the future. Until then, it will be Kyle O'Reily v. Kushida next week.

            Besides getting a definite answer to the Samoa Joe headline, I was interested in seeing how the coronation of the new Million Dollar Champion was going to go. LA Knight defeated the favored Cameron Grimes to become the new holder of the million dollar belt tasked with carrying on the legacy. No sooner was the belt on the shoulder of Knight that he makes a declaration: 

            "Now that I have everything I want, it's time to drop everything that I don't need."

            As the beat down on the Hall of Fame legend is in progress, Cameron Grimes comes to the aide of his hero. I'm still invested in the storyline even though Grimes didn't win. And kudos to Ted DiBiase for taking a bump at 67 years young.

            NXT continued the brutality with the next two matches.

            First up are the ladies. Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter take on the current tag team champs. Great ring action from all four women. At one point, Kayden had Raquel Gonzalez in a submission hold which was eventually broken. The human highlight reel that is Kacy Catanzaro  showcased her ninja warrior skills. I can't help but to always think of her American Ninja Warrior days, as well as, her impressive showing at the 30 woman Royal Rumble back in 2019. Nevertheless, Dakota Kai pins Kacy for the win. 

            The evening ends with the Grizzled Young Veterans squaring up against Timothy Thatcher and Tomasso Ciampa in a Tornado Tag Match. In a Tornado Tag Match, all 4 men are legal, there are no tags, no countouts and you can only win by pinfall or submission inside the ring. Right from the bell, there are dueling beat-downs by Ciampa and "toothless" Timothy. The ref is absolutely helpless to stop the onslaught. GYV, who drive on either bending the rules or working with no rules, turn the situation around for a beat. Then comes a second wind for an unleashed Ciampa who thrives on chaos.


            Back and forth it goes and the Veterans almost secure a victory with a pin attempt on Thatcher. However, he is saved by his partner who ultimately secures the win by submission. NXT finished the way they started - seriously intense.

            Now it is time to end today's post the same way I've been ending it since June 2, 2021...

            #BringBackBraun

            And if you don't believe me, check out today's article by Sportskeeda:

            6 recently released WWE Superstars that the company should’ve kept (sportskeeda.com)

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Monday Night Before Hell In A Cell 2021

            A couple of facts about me. I'm a cradle WWE fan. I have been a consistent member of the WWE ThunderDome for several months. I am also a member of the WWE Fan Council. I haven't had live TV or cable since 2004. I stream everything via Roku. I also have experience working on a production team. So last night, I got to watch Monday Night Raw and this upcoming Friday night's Main Event as a member of said ThunderDome. When I watched the replay via Hulu today, not only were the matches not played in the order they aired last night, but some very highly promoted matches were missing! Also, because of these editing choices, some of the color commentary didn't line up.

            When Monday night's entertainment began, I thought it was ladies night. The show opened with Alexa's playground where she informed us that Lilly is in timeout because of her actions with Shayna last week. Nia also stepped to Miss Bliss resulting in a match later in the evening. 

            Next, there was the match between Charlotte Flair and Nikki Cross. This was one of the matches that didn't air next day on Hulu. I can't tell you if this match will appear via replay on Peacock because they are still a month behind in uploading current episodes of Raw, SmackDown and NXT. This particular decision to remove Nikki and Charlotte's match from next day viewing led to some head scratching color commentary from Corey Graves and Jimmy Smith.

            Graves: "...Charlotte was humiliated again tonight..."

            Smith: "Both ladies had matches tonight..."

Huh? If you are a next day streamer, then you only saw Charlotte when she interrupted the match between Asuka and Rhea Ripley. You missed Charlotte's match where she entered the ring with her signature peacock feathers and her getting counted out which secured another victory for Nikki Cross. 

            Another match that was only shown live was the highly promoted return of Eva Marie. She was suppose to have a match against Naomi. Did you notice that I used the word "was"? Eva came down the ramp with someone I initially thought was the Blue Meanie's sister. Turns out, it was Piper Niven. Piper is known for her stint on NXT UK. I don't follow NXT UK so I was a little lost and the announce desk acting puzzled didn't help the situation. Anyway, Piper fought Naomi instead and picked up the win for Eva. Besides coming to the ring with Eva, there is chatter about her being called Doudrop. Hey WWE creative....please don't. Course correct and have her next tv appearance be as Piper Niven. 


            I also only saw the match between Jeff Hardy and John Morrison live. Jeff won but his celebration was interrupted by Cedric Alexander. Cedric issued a half ass apology and a challenge. A "retirement match" happened right then and there. If the veteran Hardy lost, then he would have to retire. Guess who's not retiring! Mr. Alexander is his own worst enemy and should never be allowed to be in possession of a live mic.

            Continuing with the ladies, there was some jaw jacking between Nattie and Tamina against Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke. The Barbie dolls didn't like the champ's practice session interrupting their photoshoot. Needless to say, they learned good and quick that the second generation champs are "statement makers, bone breakers and truth tellers".

            Alexa and Nia had their match. Besides remembering their friendship turned storyline from years ago, a question immediately came to mind: Will Reggie ever play with the big boys? 

            He was first introduced to us as Carmella's valet who had an eye for Sasha then he became involved with Nia and Shayna's storyline. Tonight, he seemed to be under Alexa's spell. The man isn't having much luck with the ladies. 

             I personally don't like the current evil evolution of Miss Bliss but she is getting over. Mind games and ring psychology have a place in sports entertainment and it's a fine line. The New Day and Randy Orton both have it in spades. 

            The New Day squared up against RK-Bro. The odd couple teaming of Matt Riddle and Randy Orton has built chemistry but eventually Randy will get tired of being saddled with Matt and gift him a very special RKO leading him to go back to singles competition.

            Drew McIntyre vs. AJ Styles was the last match of the evening. There is somewhat of a power disparity between these two competitors. AJ's agility helped him earn some frequent flyer miles. He also got in some impressive combination strikes. Styles is no stranger to going up against guys bigger than him. Remember the Bone Yard match against the Undertaker? 

            McIntyre has this fan's heart. I love watching him in action. All the while the match was in progress, the executive lounge was fully occupied at the top of the ramp. Lashley threatens to interrupt the match but his plans are thwarted by the Viking Raiders. What started as a one on one main event quickly turned into a 6 man tag match. Bobby, AJ and Omos versus Drew, Ivar and Erik was a powerful match with omens. 

                At one point, Ivar and Omos had at it. Being in a tag team doesn't prevent a competitor from entering into a singles match. I would love to see Ivar v. Omos. The second omen was Drew pinning Lashley for the win. McIntyre will hold the gold up high this Sunday.


            As I said at the beginning, I saw the taping of this upcoming Friday night's Main Event. Stop reading now if you want to be surprised.

            The first match was Mace and T-Bar v. Lucha House Party. David and Goliath matches are always nail biting to watch. Despite rope intelligence and speed advantage of the Lucha House Party, the dangerous duo of  Mace and T-Bar pick up the win.

            The second match between Ricochet and Drew Gulak highlighted different in ring styles. Ricochet is a high flyer while Gulak is known for his submission ground game. However, Ricochet showed his intelligence by taking a page from his opponent's playbook. He gets Drew trapped in a submission move and scores a W. Mr. Gulak showed much love and respect in his loss and shook Ricochet's hand before exiting the ring. 

            Speaking of exits...#BringBackBraun

Monday, June 14, 2021

NXT In Your House Results

            Let's get right to the results of last night's WWE pay-per-view event.

            The evening nostalgia started with the 6 man, winner take all, tag match. Fast paced mat action with both teams demonstrating innovation.  Lee, Carter and Reed came in with a strategy that worked to perfection. Santos avoided Reed as much as he could and at one point it was raining men. All competitors showed off their high flying skills in front of the announce team. Santos grabs a championship belt only to be blasted through a barricade compliments of Bronson. In the end, a tsunami from Reed is how he and MSK retain their titles.


 

            Next was Mercedes Martinez v. Xia Li. I was happy to see improvement by Mercedes since I last saw her compete against Raquel Gonzalez. Xia Li came out like a warrior. I had totally forgotten about the Mae Young Classic of 2017 until Todd Pettengill rolled the B footage. Four years ago, Li lost to Martinez. Xia's desire to redeem herself from that defeat was clearly on display last night. Li  was dominant in her performance. She was a relentless warrior against her opponent. Mercedes did get in a couple of good moves, but it wasn't enough. The rugged veteran lost to Li. 

            Continuing with the women, Ember Moon and Raquel Gonzalez squared up for a semi-predictable match. I just knew Ember was going to come out quick and hard in a frenzied manner. It was also a sure bet that the strength of Gonzalez would be fully demonstrated. Dakota Kai's repeated interference was eventually halted when Shotzi Blackheart returned to "plant" Kai as far away from the ring as possible. I said yesterday that Ember's emotions were going to be her downfall and fall she did. Raquel power bombs Moon with a single arm to retain her championship. 



            Now, for my two favorite matches.

            First, the ladder match for both the belt and legacy. It was surreal to see Ted DiBiase and the million dollar belt.  I was rooting for Grimes all the way and even picked him to win on Draft Kings. 53.41% of the fans voted for Cameron Grimes to win and 46.59% wanted LA Knight to claim the honor. 

            Cameron and Knight put their bodies through hell to give the WWE Universe a fantastic match. I am always impressed with Grimes' wrestling and striking abilities. LA Knight was equally impressive. Ladder matches are remorseless and both men deserve high admiration. In the end, it would be LA Knight winning the belt and the task of continuing the million dollar legacy. 

            The main event of the evening was the fatal five way between the NXT champ Karrion Kross, Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Pete Dunne and Johnny Gargano. All 5 five men brought their A game. It started off with the four challengers taking care of each other. Then, one by one, Kross took care of them. There were "mini" matches within the main event. Cole and O'Reilly squared off for decent amount of time. And then there was the dream match up between Karrion and Dunne. Four skilled opponents gave their all but it wasn't enough. Karrion Kross eventually gets the Kross Jacket on O'Reilly to retain the gold. 

            A great show with a cliff hanger ending. A very exhausted looking William Regal states "It's been seven years since I became GM of NXT and I've never seem so much bedlam. It's complete madness. I think it's time for a change." Now there have been rumors about Samoa Joe being brought back since his release in April 2021. Maybe Joe will be the interim or new general manager of NXT. If the chatter is true that Joe is returning, congrats WWE! You've corrected one mistake so far. #BringBackBraun

Sunday, June 13, 2021

NXT In Your House is Tonight!

             So excited for NXT In Your House tonight on Peacock. There are five matches on the card tonight. Let's look at each one individually.


            Ladies first.  I think the match between Xia Li and Mercedes Martinez is a filler match. As I've said in an earlier post, Mercedes needs more training - specifically her timing. The last time that I saw her in action was against Raquel Gonzalez. It was not an enjoyable match. Timing was off and it felt like I was watching two athletes practice in the gym. Maybe she has improved in these past couple of weeks. However, I predict the Xia Li will win the match.

            Raquel herself has a match tonight against Ember Moon. Ember's tag partner Shotzi Blackheart is out with an undisclosed injury. Moon is letting her emotions over the situation get the best of her and I predict that she will not come out the victor. This match goes to Raquel with the high probability of an assist from Dakota Kai.

            Next we have a 6 man, winner take all, tag match between MSK and Bronson Reed v. Santos Escobar and Legado Del Fantasma. On June 1, 2021, MSK squared up against Legado Del Fantasma for a breathtaking performance. The smooth, high flying choreography was flawless. Then out of nowhere, Bronson  body checks Santos into the audience barricade. Tonight's match can go either way. Both teams have what it takes to bring honor to the belts.

            The last two matches are the ones I am looking forward to the most. Before the main event of the evening,  there will be a fun match for legacy. The million dollar belt is back in a golden ladder match! This is going to be a great one. I love Cameron Grimes. He is an excellent wrestler and his character is obnoxiously entertaining. LA Knight is no one to dismiss either. I am invested in this storyline. The ladder, the return of the million dollar belt and the passing down of a legacy is everything a die hard fan like myself is looking forward to enjoying. I predict Cameron Grimes as the Million Dollar winner.



            Now for the main event. A fatal 5-way between the champ Karrion Kross, Kyle O'Reilly, Pete Dunne, Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole. I am pleased that Karrion is still champ and that his storyline with Finn Balor is over. He is currently the right face of the championship. He wears and defends it like a fierce gladiator. I predict Karrion will retain his gold tonight, however, his time in NXT is coming to an end. He is ready for the main roster. It was due to injury that he had to relinquish his title last year. He will remain champ a little while longer. My hope as a fan is that when he is drafted to either Raw or SmackDown during the superstar shake-up later this year, that the belt will drop to either Adam Cole or Pete Dunne. It would be epic to see Karrion Kross v. Brock Lesner or Karrion Kross v. Roman Reigns.


       Adam Cole is ready to move up to the main roster but I would give him another year in NXT. 

            Johnny Gargano is a great wrestler but I have lost interest in him since his storyline with Tomasso Ciampa ended. 

            Pete Dunne is always worth watching. While he has been a champion in the past, he has never held the NXT Championship. Don't quit before the miracle.

            One last thing.....#BringBackBraun

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Friday Night SmackDown June 11, 2021

            Roman Reigns has family problems. Problems with his own family and the Mysterio family. The show started with Jimmy Uso in the ring calling out Roman for being jealous and promising that he was going to do something. At the end of the show, Rey Mysterio calls Roman to the ring. After Rey makes his point as a father very clear, he attacks Roman with a kendo stick. Rey went to town. Shortly after a superman punch, Dominik makes his way to the ring and continues the assault on Roman. Then Roman gains the upper hand and throws Dominik out of the ring like a bag of trash. Many have Roman's name in their mouth and I am interested to see how the big dog gets humbled. 

            A lot is changing in the WWE. From releases to storylines and new looks. Some have been smart moves and improved looks while others have been epic fails. One look that I believe severely missed the mark can be seen on Otis. Clean shaven and a ponytail. No Bueno. I couldn't tell if he reminded me of Vader without the mask or a make-up free Adrian Adonis. I greatly miss the Otis of old when he was paired with Tucker. They were the polar opposite of Too Cool and the formula worked.


 

            It was during a match between Montez Ford and Chad Gable that we see Otis ambush and destroy Dawkins backstage before making his way to the ring. He then goes after Montez Ford resulting in serious injuries. According to WWE, Ford suffered a partial rib fracture and torn intercostal cartilage. Keep Tez in your prayers.

            I grew up in the 80s and I remember a lot of WWEs classic segments. One of the classic segments that I miss and which has never come close to being duplicated was Piper's Pit. Hot Rod could talk and entertain. One of the current "talk show" features is Bailey's Ding Dong, Hello!. I'm not a fan but I am so glad that I watched last night. Seth Rollins was the guest in his least offensive outfit yet. But the best part was the surprise guest. Ding Dong! It's Cesaro! He literally rips the pants off of Seth, destroys the set and javelins an artificial tree in Seth's direction as he scurries away in his undies. It was awesome!


            I said at the beginning that a lot was changing in the WWE. One of the more exciting changes for me is the storyline between Shinsuke Nakamura and Baron Corbin. Yeah, I said Baron Corbin and not King Corbin. It is time to crown a new king. Shin would be a fun sovereign for the common people. And let's not forget about his 80s hair band hype man, Rick Boogs. I love the combination but my preference would have been for creative to keep the name Average Joe - from the Old Spice commercials featured in earlier PPVs this year. What I am equally eager to see after Shin becomes King Shinsuke is Boogs against Corbin. 

            A superstar that we're going to see in action next week is Commander Azeez. I personally wish they would have called him either Babatunde or Dabba-Kato but I understand what the company is doing. We haven't seen Azeez in action since his Raw Underground days. No matter what he's called, Azeez gets his character over and he is impressive to watch. Next week, it will be Kevin Owens and Big E squaring up against Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez. If only WWE had kept Braun Strowman. Braun versus Azeez in singles competition would have been something to see. I highly recommend rewatching 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble. Azeez, then known as Babatunde was entrant number 37 only to be eliminated shortly thereafter by Braun.  #BringBackBraun

Friday, June 11, 2021

Monday Night Without Braun

            This past Monday night was the first episode since Braun Strowman was released on June 2, 2021. Still a good show but knowing that Adam Scherr is no longer on the roster is all I could think about while in the ThunderDome. 

            The show opened with a tag team, over the top rope Battle Royal. A lot of jaw-jacking by the competitors, as well as, interruptions by both Miz and Morrison and AJ and Omos before the bell. Three RKOs to start but ultimately, the Viking Raiders won the match. I literally jumped out of my chair and screamed with excitement! They have now earned a future tag team championship opportunity. I am so glad they are back.


            Another superstar who is back with a new look is Jaxson Ryker. New haircut and trimmed down beard has him looking damn hot. As a fan, I am happy to see the company investing in him. What hasn't changed is his excellent ass kicking skills, just ask Elias. Jaxson's former tag partner fully felt his rage. Jaxson was absolutely relentless with Elias scrambling for a meaningful offense. However, he fled the ring, up the ramp and Jaxson secured a W as a result of a count out. Jaxson is a titan worthy of fan attention.

            The other titan that has my attention is Drew McIntyre. It was a night of contract signing but I knew this was going to be a little different. Drew usually leaves his sword at the top of the ramp but this time he brought it with him to the ring. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it would be used. Sure enough, it was dramatically used to cut the table in half. Check out the clip below.

        (13) Drew McIntyre will see Bobby Lashley inside Hell in a Cell: Raw, June 7, 2021 - YouTube

            Next it was time for Drew's best mate, Sheamus to make an appearance. Poor fella, he comes out to the ring ala Cody Rhodes. Remember in 2011 when Cody would come to the ring with a clear protective face covering. Well, Sheamus suffered a legitimate broken nose at the hands of Humberto Carrillo on May 31, 2021. I watched it live as a member of the ThumberDome. It was a vicious forearm. You could see not only the bridge of his nose go flat but blood instantly flowed. However, a week later, Sheamus sat at the announce table with black eyes and protective gear on his face to watch Humberto and Ricochet have a match. These two superstars are really good and dangerous on the ropes. At one point, Humberto sends Ricochet to the floor compliments of a Spanish Fly. Both men were counted out. High risk didn't pay off this time.


 

            Many superstars are known for their high risk moves. One such veteran is Jeff Hardy. Jeff had a match with Cedric Alexander. I love Jeff Hardy but not Cedric Alexander. Don't get me wrong, Cedric can wrestle but there is something about him that makes me uneasy. I had the same feeling with Lars Sullivan, Velveteen Dream and Alberto Del Rio. It's in his eyes. Something is hidden. As with all truths, it will be revealed in time. For now, Cedric remains his own worst enemy and Jeff picks up the win.

            From veterans to newcomers, Mansoor is someone to watch. I first became aware of Mansoor during WWE's 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He has gone on to win 2019's Super ShowDown and 2019's Crown Jewel. If you haven't seen them, or want to see them again. you can stream them both on Peacock. This past Monday, Mansoor had a match against Drew Gulak, Despite Gulak focusing heavily on Mansoor's left leg, he earned his win.

            Before I get to the women's division, let's look at Kofi's match against Matt Riddle. Both men draw from unconventional playbooks. High flyers with equally matched aggression. Randy Orton comes to the ring half way through  the match to offer support and advice, However, Matt failed to listen to his mentor and instead showed off. This was a mistake and as a result, Kofi picks up the win. 

            The women's division needs a little overhauling. There is no clear face of the women's division on Monday night. Rhea was moved up from NXT to Monday Night Raw and is the current champ. Despite being a force to be reckoned with, she doesn't seem to be defending the belt the way a champ should. There is no strong storyline of anyone coming after her title. When is Becky Lynch coming back? I would love to see Rhea and Becky go at it. I would also like to see a little more investment in Rhea Ripley.

            This past Monday, there was a tag match between the team of Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley versus Asuka and Nikki Cross. I instantly knew that Charlotte and Rhea would implode on each other. The current storyline has them severely disliking each other. Nikki Cross and Asuka on the other hand compliment each other. Nikki takes advantage of the hatred between Charlotte and Rhea to pick up the win.

            Additionally, what is going on with Alexa Bliss? I do not like this current evolution of her character. The evil and scary Miss Bliss doing a lot of talking and being creepy is not the best of use of her talent. She has definitely gotten over but I am not the type of fan who enjoys storylines that include mind games and witchcraft. However, I am happy that Shayna seems to be going solo and focusing on setting Scary Miss Bliss straight. 

            I remember WrestleMania 31 when I saw Shayna in the front row when Ronda Rousey was being highly pushed. It is joyfully interesting that Shayna is still here and Ronda left well before she announced her pregnancy. Shayna is someone that I enjoy watching and the ending of this past Monday Night Raw saw the beginnings of a storyline with Alexa and her doll Lilly coming after Shayna, Pyros up the ramp, equipment and  structures falling from the ceiling eventually led to a mind game where Lilly would appear in a mirror but not in the room itself. Shayna can't take it anymore and she breaks the mirror before everything fades to black ending in a scream of frustration.

            One other thing that I greatly appreciate with Shayna is her intergender matches with Reginald. WWE has done women vs. men in the past. The one that immediately comes to mind is Chyna v. Eddie Guerrero. Then there was the tag match with Sable and Marc Mero v. Goldust and Luna Vachon. I enjoy intergender matches but they need to remain sporadic in order for them to remain a "special feature" and not the norm. 

        Before I get to my closing, I am going to drop a couple of spoilers. Friday Night Main Event is taped on Monday nights. So I saw what is going to happen tonight because I saw it as a member of the ThunderDome. Without any further ado, here are the matches and results. 

            First match is between Mustafa Ali and Angel Garza. This is the first matchup between these two superstars. Angel is the aggressor but Ali turns things around and picks up the win with a submission move.

            Next match is between Jinder Mahal and Shelton Benjamin. This was a PPV worthy match.  As a lifelong WWE fan, I have watched Shelton "grow up" and improve as an athlete. However, my favorite, the Monday Night Maharaja, won the match. 

            I am going to end today's post the way that I started -  talking about Braun. I was so upset with the asinine move to release Braun that I did something that I said I would never do. I joined Instagram and Twitter. Yes, OpinLytical is now on IG and Twitter. I am a huge fan of Adam and I am curious to see what the future holds for him. So far, he has maintained his fitness routine, severely trimmed his beard, worked on cars and has displayed a joyful and mature attitude with travel, good food and whiskey. This man will not fail. I personally do not want to see him wrestle anywhere else. Hopefully, WWE and NBC Universal will recognize their mistake and bring him back. #BringBackBraun 





             

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

2021 Releases....More Questions than Answers

             I managed to stay off my phone until 4 pm today when I went to check the headlines on Google. The very first headline was the release of Braun Strowman and others. WTF??? Braun, Aleister Black, Ruby Riot, Buddy Murphy and Santana Garrett were all released today.


            Braun is a money making titan. One of my favorite wrestlers. I am dumbfounded that he was let go. And what about all the teasing with Aleister's return. Last month, during a fatal 4-way, Black interrupts the match with a black mass kick to the head of Big E allowing Apollo Crews to retain his IC belt. 

            Earlier this year, there were a couple of other shocking releases. Samoa Joe, Daniel Bryan, The Big Show, Kalisto and Buddy Murphy were all let go.  Absolutely head-scratching. Now there are some releases, as a fan, that I fully support. Lars Sullivan, Velveteen Dream, Lana, Billie Kay, Ruby Riot, Chelsea Green and Andrade never held my interest.

            Now let me focus on the color commentators. First, it was a mistake to take Samoa Joe off the desk. Second, thank you Adnan Virk for stopping by. While I am interested in seeing how Jimmy Smith will fair, I never understood why Corey Graves hasn't been made lead commentator. He does most of the talking, he's great at calling matches and a superb interviewer.

            A lot of these changes have been attributed to budget cuts and restructuring. I can understand that but as a fan, WWE could have made better decisions. For example, I very much agree with the release of Lana despite her obvious hard work and improvement. It just wasn't enough. I can also do without Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke.

            There is a part of me that thinks WWE joining with NBC has a lot to do with the current roster decisions. Peacock, in my opinion, has far too much influence on the content that I grew up loving. It was an asinine decision to get rid of WWE Network in America and stream exclusively on Peacock. If it were not for WWE, I would have no use for their streaming services. It pains me to give my money to a company that has been re-writing wrestling history by removing content. I am the only one who can make the decision as to what I enjoy on TV. If you don't agree with the historic cultural content that played a prominent part of many fans childhood, then add a disclaimer, don't cancel the content.

            To the relevant suits at WWE: one, bring back Braun. Two, the moment this agreement with NBC Universal expires, take back your house and put it back to its original state. Even if you agree with some of the recent censoring, it should be shown in its entirety. Adding a disclaimer should satisfy the standards and practices guidelines on a paid subscription service. Furthermore, your full library still isn't available on Peacock. 

            I'm a little frustrated but will always be a cradle WWE fan. Thank you superstars for keeping the show going through a pandemic. Look forward to seeing you on the road again.


Open Letter to Jeff Hardy

               Endings are better than beginnings.               I grew up in a very dysfunctional household. My father is a gambler and my ...