Cena vs. Laurinaitis & Big Show: Who Didn't See That Coming?

photo courtesy: wwe.com

Well it has been another interesting few days in the WWE to say the least. After the events of the Over the Limit PPV on Sunday and last night on Raw, many fans are left shaking their heads wondering what the WWE is thinking with this current storyline involving John Cena and John Laurinaitis.
After last week's Raw when Laurinaitis fired the Big Show after humiliating him by having him beg on his knees for his job, most, including myself, felt that this was a set up for Big Show to appear at the PPV and interfere with the match—while turning heel because of the stipulation that anyone interfering in the match would be instantly fired.

The match then took an interesting turn. Instead of it being a serious boss/employee match like what happened numerous times with Austin/McMahon, Bischoff/Flair, and even the match between Bret Hart and Vince, the match became a comedy act.
After building up the fact that Laurinaitis was a pretty good wrestler back in the day with video clips online, Laurinaitis looked like an utter goof for the majority of the match. Cena would taunt him by dousing him with water and pouring it down the front of his track pants and dumping trash on him. This started to kill the mood in the crowd.
The match came to a total halt as he grabbed the mic and said he was going to put Laurinaitis in the STF and would let it go after a 10-count as long as Johnny didn't tap out, something he did a couple times.

Then as Johnny was able to get away from Cena after banging his arm on the announce table, he made a break for the exit. He was then brought back to the ring by the Big Show, not surprisingly.
When it seemed that Cena was going to do his Attitude Adjustment, Show hit him with the WMD punch, stunning the crowd and causing them to boo. Then in the minute it took Laurinaitis to cover Cena, the arena became deathly quiet—horrible for any match.

The match itself was “eh” at best. The commentary was actually funny listening to Jerry Lawler almost gasping for air because he was laughing too hard to commentate, with Michael Cole saying that it was already over and Laurinaitis should just get pinned.
Cena did an impersonation of Michael Cole while he made Laurinaitis act like Booker T. But other than that, the match didn't seem like a main event level match outside of the people involved.

People complained about the Wrestlemania match between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon a couple years back. The ending where the Hart family stayed loyal to Bret and beat up Vince for the entirety of the match was an obvious ending, but the main difference between these two ending matches was that fans got what they wanted from the Bret/Vince match, after nearly thirteen years and the history between both men.
People wanted to see Bret get his revenge on Vince for the Montreal Screwjob and they got that with the match at Wrestlemania. The fans didn't get that with the Cena/Laurinaitis match.

For the past couple of months the fans have been wanting to see Laurinaitis get bruised and battered—it didn't matter if he still beat Cena, fans just wanted to see him beat up and we didn't get that.
Now it's a guessing game as to how this whole thing will play out, although the WWE was able to save the angle after Johnny's mistake where he said that he had rehired Show on Saturday night (not Sunday) which would have meant Show would have been fired.
Instead it was quickly corrected to mean that the two had a verbal agreement prior to the PPV rather than an actual contract. But now we're stuck with Cena vs. Big Show at the next PPV while Laurinaitis gets away with being a tool—similar to the Jerry Lawler/Michael Cole angle from a year ago.

source: bleacherreport.com

John Cena's Loss at Over the Limit 2012 Makes Brock Lesnar Look Weak

photo courtesy: wwe.com

The WWE continues to mishandle the return of Brock Lesnar with the latest example coming at Over the Limit on Sunday night.

One month after taking a beating from Lesnar and still managing to win, John Cena was knocked out by a single WMD from the Big Show. That was enough to lay him out for an extended period of time, giving John Laurinaitis the victory and making Lesnar look weak in the process.

The former UFC champion returned to much fanfare on the night after WrestleMania, providing a major boost to the company during a period when it usually struggles as the stars of the year's biggest show like The Rock and Undertaker fade into the background.

Everything started out well as he started attacking Cena, and even drew blood during a melee on Raw. It was a return to a more physical era and the WWE Universe was loving it.

WWE Raw 4/9/12 (Watch)

WWE Raw 4/9/12 (Watch)

But then things took a turn for the worse. For whatever reason, they started allowing him to spend extended periods of time on the mic—his weakest attribute. As he stumbled through the promos, fans quickly started to turn sour on him because if he's not beating somebody up, Lesnar is boring.

At Extreme Rules, Lesnar dominated for most of the match. He was in complete control, aside from a few minor Cena rallies, and it looked like he would eventually pick up the win to start building some positive momentum again.

Instead, in typical "Super Cena" fashion, Cena bounced back from all the shots and made a late comeback to pick up the victory.

Lesnar was never expected to wrestle a full schedule upon his return, so he exited the picture after that match. The lasting impact from his first run will be terrible promo segments and losing to Cena.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the creative team then has Cena lose his next marquee match to Laurinaitis. While the general manager's victory was key to storyline progression, they should have made it more convincing than one punch from Big Show.

Having Cena get knocked out in that manner after all the abuse he took from Lesnar without staying down, really hurts Lesnar's mystique.

Bring back Paul Heyman to do all of the star's talking is a step in the right direction. It will allow Lesnar to focus purely on the wrestling aspect, which should help him from a fan's perspective.

Until he starts getting better booking, however, it's hard to imagine his comeback ever getting back on track after a slow start.

source: bleacherreport.com

CM Punk's Big Win at WWE Over The Limit 2012

photo courtesy: wwe.com

CM Punk and Daniel Bryan delivered in the fashion that everyone hoped that they would.

Their Over the Limit encounter for the WWE Championship provided a lot of kicks, submission holds and injected some life into a crowd that could have previously been accused of falling asleep.

Bryan and Punk delivered in the ring in a match that lasted almost 25 minutes. In the end, CM Punk came through with a pinfall victory over Bryan in what seemed to be considered controversial fashion.

The ending was very unique to say the least.

Punk was locked in Bryan's Yes Lock, but got enough leverage to move Bryan's shoulders onto the mat. This led to Punk moving into a defensive pin situation.

Still locked into the submission hold, Punk shifted his weight for the pinfall attempt. As the referee counted to three, Punk was close to submitting to the hold. After the three count was completed, Punk began to tapout.

Bryan celebrated because he believed that he had the submission victory to win his first WWE Championship. Instead, the referee acknowledged the pinfall, which was completed prior to the submission tapout beginning.

Upon video review, it is the correct call by the referee. There isn't any real controversy involved, but a rematch between these two will be in the cards.

This type of finish has been seen previously. A pinfall and a submission both occurring at the exact same time is not exactly innovative, but is a rarity.

It also isn't too often that such a call not being too controversial is so blatantly obvious. Not only was it noticeable on the replay, but was also pretty clear upon it happening in real time.

The end of the Punk and Bryan match reminds me of a close play at first base in a baseball game. It made for a nice end to the play, the referee did his job properly, but there is still arguing that the call was ultimately wrong.

This still won't prevent Bryan from having another chance at the WWE Championship.

John Laurinaitis is still in charge of Raw and SmackDown, meaning that a match booked by the boss won't be in the favor of his rival and WWE Champion, CM Punk.

No Way Out is just a few weeks away and you can venture a decent guess that Punk and Bryan will collide there in the IZOD Center.

A steel cage match might be a little bit early, considering that steel cage matches are usually to conclude a feud. There is still an idea that, in the spirit of having No Way Out, a lumberjack match can be had.

Personally, a submission match may be a preferred avenue for this feud to go. Imagine having Punk in the Yes Lock or Bryan inside the Anaconda Vice without a rope break.

It would almost be as if they would have No Way Out of a submission hold...

source:  bleacherreport.com

WWE Over the Limit Results: 15 Things We Learned from Sunday's PPV

photo courtesy: wwe.com

The fans who tuned into Over the Limit 2012 saw an exciting pay-per-view that exceeded expectations.

We saw a new champion crowned, the best tag match of the year, and the opening bout of a potentially amazing feud.

What did we learn from all the showdowns, scheduled and unscheduled alike?

Did we see reason for hope with the Divas and tag team divisions? What surprises and thrills will help to shape the face of WWE going forward?

1. Christian Is Back in a Big Way
Not only did Christian make a surprise return, he also left the arena with championship gold.

Hobbled by injuries, Captain Charisma has been forced to take time off, and fans have missed his special brand of intensity.

He won an impromptu battle royal, last eliminating the Miz before facing Cody Rhodes for the Intercontinental Championship.

In an exciting match, Rhodes frothed with anger and frustration, which caused him to lose the belt to Christian.

Christian was instantly inserted into a feud and asked to carry the title, putting him in an excellent spot to shine.

2. The Tag Team Division Is on the Upswing
One of the better matches of the night and the finest tag match of 2012 so far saw Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger come up just short of dethroning R-Truth and Kofi Kingston.

If WWE continues to book such matches like and include stars of this magnitude within the tag team division, fans may have to stop lamenting its demise.

Choosing R-Truth and Kofi Kingston to carry the Tag Team Championship shows a commitment to tag teaming.

What they were likely trying to do with Evan Bourne and Kingston can finally get done. Just when tag team wrestling seemed to be back, Bourne's suspension derailed their plans.

Judging by how many times Ziggler, Swagger, Truth and Kingston had Booker T saying, "Aw my goodness," we may be seeing the beginnings of a tag team renaissance.

3. Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins Will Be More Involved
While developing their chemistry on NXT, Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins have begun to develop a growing following.

With WWE's lack of depth in the tag division, Reks and Hawkins could serve as the lightning rods to inject new life into it.

They didn't get booked for a match, but the fact that they appeared on this pay-per-view, even just to tear up signs, shows WWE's interest in putting them on TV more.

Perhaps we're gearing up for a Kofi Kingston and R-Truth vs. Reks and Hawkins feud.

4. An Excellent Diva Feud Is Underway
The predatory Beth Phoenix didn't surprise anyone with how well she performed in her Divas Championship loss.

She's been the bright spot in the division for the last year, and her chemistry with Layla helped produce a quality Divas match.

Certainly, they didn't match Manami Toyota vs. Aja Kong standards, but it was a big step for WWE, as there hasn't been a Divas feud worth watching in recent memory.

Most fans thought we'd have to wait until Kharma's return to bother watching the women, but Layla and Phoenix showed otherwise.

5. Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio Would Make a Fantastic Tag Team
Solidifying what we've already seen on Raw, Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio are an ideal pairing.

Two arrogant heels adept at kicking wrestlers' heads formed a temporary alliance and showed off their chemistry once again.

It's an extremely unlikely scenario, but fans have to wonder how much the tag team division would benefit from a team composed of stars as big as Jericho and Del Rio.

If Randy Orton and Sheamus are going to be battling for the World Heavyweight Championship, and CM Punk will be busy with Daniel Bryan, maybe having Jericho go after the tag champs isn't such a crazy idea.

6.  It’s Not over Between Randy Orton and Sheamus
The friction between World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus and Randy Orton has increased exponentially in recent weeks.

The two men were most intense with each other and the Fatal 4-Way at Over the Limit did little to solve anything between them.

The action ended with Orton sneering at the camera, the bridge of his nose sliced open. That's a clear sign we’re in for an Orton-Sheamus feud.

Unless we're going to see a face vs. face battle, a turn for someone is in the works.

Will the popular Orton go bad again, or will the Celtic Warrior be the one to change sides?

7. Miz’s Career Is in Rapid Descent
Going from a WWE title reign and a WrestleMania main event to doing the Thriller dance is more than a step down—Miz's WWE career is in a free fall.

For Brodus Clay, this is the best that the Funkasaurus could hope for, providing a legit star to get himself over.

For Miz, it's essentially a jobber role, one which he can't be happy with.

An uninterested crowd saw Miz put up a fight before falling victim to the big man.

If WWE puts these two men in a full program together, Clay is going to use Miz as a stepping stone to wherever he's headed. And the Miz will continue to sink further into obscurity.

8. CM Punk and Daniel Bryan Is What Fans Want to See
When the WWE Championship match was announced, there were concerns about how well the Internet's two favorite sons would draw.

As uncannily talented as Daniel Bryan and CM Punk are, they haven't developed the name recognition of the Rock, Brock Lesnar or John Cena.

The figures aren't in for the Over the Limit buyrate, but the live audience made their feelings clear. No match received more electricity from the crowd than that between Punk and Bryan.

They alternated thundering chants of those two wrestlers' names before eventually exploding in a chorus of "This is awesome!"

9. The Feud of the Year Has Begun
The best match of the night was undeniable proof that WWE has the premier feud ready to go.

Without much buildup to work with, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk delivered anyway.

Punk showed that there isn't just one marvelous technical wrestling marvel and former Ring of Honor champion on the WWE roster.

Punk pulled out some new moves in his intense and engaging battle with Bryan.

The unresolved ending leaves the door open for future matches. Their similar styles and history make for an easy-to-write story.

WWE should take full advantage.

10. Ryback Is Still on a Trail of Destruction
Dispatching Hunico's buddy, Camacho, in a few short minutes, Ryback did the only thing he's done in the WWE so far: win in dominant fashion.

Eventually, WWE is going to have to find Ryback an opponent that can stagger and get more than a one-count on him, but as of now the man who receives Goldberg chants can add one more victory to his resume.

Ryback has at least moved on from bowling over skinny local talent.

Camacho isn't exactly anyone's measuring stick, so we'll likely see more of the same "Ryback smash!" routine over the next few weeks until he moves up the WWE hierarchy.

11. Eve Is Here to Stay
John Laurinaitis didn't get fired, so Eve's job is safe for now.

More importantly, Eve showed why her new role is perfect for her. A devious charm combined with her stunning looks make her segments hard to miss.

She kick-started the event with a Battle Royal and was peppered throughout the show.

As long as WWE doesn't decide to eventually have her main-event a pay-per-view in a match against John Cena, Eve can continue the excellent work she did at Over the Limit.

12. North Carolina Is Still an Awesome Crowd
Ric Flair can attest to how loud and enthusiastic a North Carolina crowd can be.

For years the state was a hotbed of wrestling, in large part due to the fans.

With WCW long gone and a new generation of fans filling the PNC Arena, WWE cameras and microphones caught undeniable proof of that wrestling fandom is alive and well in North Carolina.

The fans screamed various chants throughout the night and added to the action. There were few moments where they weren't engaged and not pushing the superstars to their best.

13. Big Show Showed Up as Expected
Any WWE superstar who interfered in the John Cena vs. John Laurinaitis match would be fired.

Big Show was fired just before the event, and a detective wasn't needed to figure out what would happen once Over the Limit came around.

Big Show brought Laurinaitis back into the ring via his massive hands. The surprise element of his return was that he didn't stomp into the ring to gain revenge, but to turn on Cena.

The shock of the odd Big Show and Laurinaitis alliance was ruined by the lack of motive, causing more confusion than entertainment.

Monday's episode of Raw should clear things up, but it won't change the underwhelming way that Over the Limit ended.

14. John Cena vs. John Laurinaitis Should Not Have Been the Main Event
After a string of enthralling matches, a glorified comedy match featuring a non-active wrestler was a letdown.

Either the World Heavyweight Championship match or the WWE Championship match would have served as perfect main events.

The pay-per-view would have ended with a fervent energy rather than the tepidness that Cena and Laurinaitis brought.

The mostly one-sided match ranged from ridiculous to boring.

It would have been fine stuck in the midcard somewhere, but having it serve as the climax was as counterproductive as opening WrestleMania XXVIII with the 18-second fiasco.

15. WWE Is on Fire
For the most part, what is usually a throwaway pay-per-view turned out to be an astoundingly good show.

The Ryback and Brodus Clay matches were clearly filler—serviceable but forgettable. Aside from those, the only real failure was the disappointing main event.

Everything else on the card made fans hopeful.

A rapid-paced tag match, a good Divas battle, and two stellar world title matches served as the highlights to another pay-per-view WWE can be proud of.

2012 has given us Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, Extreme Rules and now Over the Limit, all featuring some heart-pounding matches and outstanding moments.

source: bleacherreport.com

How Big Johnny Can Pull One over on the Board of Directors at WWE Over the Limit 2012

photo courtesy: wwe.com

I'll be honest right off the bat—I hated the most recent episode of Monday Night RAW. While it had its moments, The Big Show begging for his job and being fired was uncomfortable and, let's face it, totally hyperbolic.

Watching that giant kneel in the middle of the ring and weep like a small child was embarrassing for everyone involved. The whole time I was watching, I cursed the screen and hoped it would be over soon.

Then later in the night I was forced to listen to probably the worst John Cena promo I've ever heard. He came out and acted like a fourth grader who learned firsthand what happens when you mix Pixie Stix with Mountain Dew.

As Cena rambled incoherently about Manchurian Candidates and other references that probably soared over the heads of his supporters, I cringed. Cena was not being funny, despite Michael Cole's insistence that his shtick  was hilarious.

The best he could do was pander to the Pittsburgh crowd, talking about the mighty Steel Curtain and making an awful pun only loosely related to the Pittsburgh Penguins. If you haven't watched it, don't waste your time. It was terrible.

What we learned that was of any consequence is that the match between John Laurinaitis and John Cena at Over the Limit will be a one-on-one contest free of any outside interference. Any Superstar who attempts to interfere in the match will be immediately terminated. It also stated very clearly that the only way to win the match was by pinfall or submission.

That's when it clicked in my head. Now everything makes sense.

While Big Show stood there in the ring bawling his eyes out, I begged for the horns to blare out of the speakers and for Cena to interrupt and distract Laurinaitis, saving the Big Show in the process. But of course only the main event will do for John Cena, so it didn't happen.

Watch: WWE Raw 5/14/12

Watch: WWE Raw 5/14/12

Those two seemingly unrelated angles, however, will come to a head in what is likely to be the main event at Over the Limit.

Laurinaitis is in trouble. With no Brock Lesnar around, and guys like David Otunga and Lord Tensai at risk of termination if they attempt to interfere, Big Johnny is left to his own devices against the face of the WWE.

But maybe Laurinaitis is smarter than he's given credit for. Sure, the guy can't even remember his own name half the time, but look at what he's set up for himself.

None of his usual henchmen can get involved in the match or they'll be fired. But The Big Show has already been fired. He is no longer an employee of the WWE, thanks to John Laurinaitis.

Big Show is Johnny Ace's ace in the hole.

If Big Show is serious about getting his job back, doing what he loves to do no matter what the cost, he should have no qualms about interfering in this match on Laurinaitis' behalf.

A quick chokeslam to John Cena just when victory looks certain and all of a sudden he's a gainfully employed seven foot behemoth once more. Remember, the letter from the Board of Directors said the only way to win is via pinfall or submission, effectively rendering this a no disqualification match.

Even if that's not the case and someone cries foul, Laurinaitis has a Harvard-educated legal counsel for whom such a poorly-worded mandate would be a home run. David Otunga could get that thrown out easily.

Laurinaitis pulls off the upset, keeps his job as General Manager of RAW and SmackDown, and pulls a fast one on the entire WWE Universe.

It's a nice end to an otherwise lackluster main event. Big Show can turn heel and align himself with Laurinaitis, but he is more than capable of remaining a crowd favorite. No one would fault him for doing whatever it took to get his job back, even if it meant making a deal with the devil.

Moreover, Cena gains nothing by winning, really. He's facing a 46 year old executive who hasn't wrestled a match in years. Beyond that, Cena gains nothing by winning because he always wins. Even when it looks like all hope is lost, somehow Cena pulls out a victory. It makes me sick.

In a match he should not have had a chance in at Extreme Rules, Cena somehow pulled off the victory against Brock Lesnar. Wouldn't it be poetic if just a few short weeks later, the same fate befell him at the hands of WWE's resident authority figure?

source: bleacherreport.com

WWE over the Limit: Fatal Four-Way Ending Should Turn Orton Heel; Del Rio Face

photo courtesy: wwe.com

If Randy Orton turned heel and Alberto Del Rio turned face, it would bring out some great potential feuds going into the summer.

Last night on Monday Night Raw, John Laurinaitis announced that there will be a fatal-four way match among Del Rio, Orton, Sheamus and Chris Jericho at Over the Limit. This match was supposed to be between Del Rio and Sheamus, but instead, the WWE is going to provide their loyal fanbase a match that they really want to see.

However, only half of the work has been done. Although the WWE loves to give their fans the matches they want, it's the results that truly matter to the WWE Universe.

Many fans have been known to call both Orton and Del Rio stale as of late. Some call the Viper a "robot" or "Super Orton" because of how predictable and boring his matches have been. On the other hand, when Del Rio returned from injury, not too many people were very excited about the result.

What is the best way to maximize the potential out of both of these WWE superstars?

By having Del Rio and Orton successfully complete a double-turn.

Now, if you are new to the wrestling world and you don't understand half the things us writers or fans are saying, then you might not now what a double-turn means. A double-turn, as defined by Wikipedia is:

The rare occurrence when both the babyface and the heel switch roles during an angle or a match. An example of this is the Bret Hart/Steve Austin match at WrestleMania 13 and the Powers of Pain/Demolition at Survivor Series 1988.

Both Orton and Del Rio could easily pull off the turns. We know how successful Orton was as a heel. It actually suits him a lot more to be a heel than to be some stale face that just beats up on jobbers. On the other hand, Del Rio was a face while wrestling in Mexico. If he was able to pull off a face in Mexico, he could easily pull off a face gimmick in the WWE.

If Del Rio turned face and Orton turned heel, then both of them would be given a fresh look which would then open the doors to newer and more exciting feuds.

For starters, the Viper and the Mexican Aristocrat would feud with each other after the Over the Limit PPV. For this double-turn to be successful, Orton would have to win the match dirty over Del Rio, so it only makes sense to put the belt around Orton's waist.

The night after on Raw, Sheamus would get his re-match against Orton and lose because of an interference from Jericho. Both Sheamus and Jericho would then get into a nice feud with each other as well. Del Rio would then be given a chance at the belt because he won the battle royal that same night on Raw.

After their feud, Del Rio could then move on to face a heel like a Cody Rhodes, Daniel Bryan or if he sticks around, Jericho.

It's time to finally push the newer faces in the WWE because this bringing back former WWE superstars for a year or two will finally catch up to the company and leave all the true talent behind.

If you have Orton as a heel, he could put over some up and coming faces and also be featured in PPV's against the big time faces. Hopefully, this won't produce a Cena vs. Orton match for the 88th time, but it could produce other great feuds.

If you have Del Rio as a face, he could be put over by veteran heels and finally become the household name the WWE wanted him to be.

If the double-turn were done right with Orton and Del Rio at Over the Limit, the WWE would see a massive spike in overall crowd interest and satisfaction. However, it is very important that it is done right, because if it is not, the crowd won't buy it and the creative team would look like complete fools.

The WWE has a grand opportunity of producing the first double-turn since WrestleMania 13, and if they do pull it off, not only will the crowd react positively, but the Internet Wrestling Community would go into a frenzy.

source: bleacherreport.com

John Laurinaitis' Training Proves He Will Square off with John Cena

photo courtesy: wwe.com

Just when you thought the WWE couldn’t get any crazier, Johnny Ace is fighting John Cena.

After cutting a long promo about missing time, John Cena returned to Raw Monday night only to be attacked by Lord Tensai and John Laurinaitis. It was revealed during the attack that Ace would be Cena’s opponent at Over the Limit.
Instead of giving the fans the Brock Lesnar rematch from Extreme Rules that we all want to see, the WWE has decided to swerve us and give us exactly what we don’t want.

Thank goodness for the fans that Laurinaitis is treating this more serious than The Rock did at WrestleMania.



PWInsider.com is reporting about Johnny Ace and his training prior to this match:

For those who have asked, the plan is for John Laurinaitis to wrestle John Cena at the Over the Limit PPV. This isn't an angle where Laurinaitis steps out and someone replaces him as the storyline progresses....Laurinaitis, who wrestled regularly until 2000 when All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH split into two factions, began training this week at one of the WWE warehouses in CT where a number of rings are kept. So, the plan right now, is for Laurinaitis to wrestle Cena.

While there is no doubt Johnny Ace will not be fighting alone, he needs to not look like the rust bucket he has become. As much as CM Punk is right when he says he has the charisma of a broomstick, Laurinaitis wasn’t a terrible wrestler.

This match will not be great in the ring, and the lack of a real story behind the attack makes this whole feud feel pointless. This screams placeholder feud.

The only hope now is that the expectations are so low for this battle that fans can’t help but enjoy it. With Lord Tensai being around John Cena, maybe he can get the heel rub from being the one to ultimately costs Cena the match.

Don’t worry wrestling fans; the WWE has given us Daniel Bryan vs. CM Punk to make up for it.

source: bleacherreport.com

Top 5 Reasons John Cena vs. John Laurinaitis Is Perfect Right Now

photos courtesy: wwe.com

On Monday night, the WWE Universe witnessed a very memorable ending to Raw. With John Cena waiting for his next pay-per-view opponent to be announced, Lord Tensai and Sakamoto made their way down to the ring.

While many expected that to happen, not a lot of folks expected the next move. John Laurinaitis—not Tensai—made himself Cena's next opponent.

Some fans were shocked, others confused.

Here are five reasons why this match makes perfect sense!

5. John Cena 'Haters'

WATCH: WWE Raw 2/20/12 (Full Episode)

John Cena isn't turning heel. The sooner fans realize this, the better for everybody involved. If anybody is to blame for Mr. Excitement vs. Cena, it is all the fans that chant "Cena Sucks" every week.

WWE has its top face in Cena. Despite what anybody wants to tell you, fans chanting against mean isn't going to change anything. Thus, the crowd needs to slowly get on his side again.

Who is going to cheer for Laurinaitis at Over the Limit? How many fans are going to be in his corner in three weeks?

Not many.

Almost by default, you have to root for Cena. Whether you like it or not, WWE knows what it is doing in this case.

4. Lord Tensai Build

WATCH: WWE Raw 4/16/12 (Full Episode)

We may have seen Lord Tensai vs. John Cena on Raw already, but that doesn't change much. That is likely to be a pay-per-view match somewhere down the line.

Why rush back into it at Over the Limit?

Give these two some interaction without giving away the big match. Let them go at it for a few weeks (or months), and then you can give fans the battle!

No need to see it now...

3. Mr. Excitement


Johnny Ace has done a nice job during the past year.

He isn't Vince McMahon, nor is he Triple H. However, the man plays a great heel and authority figure on top of Raw and Smackdown.

He has also been in the ring before. John used to wrestle, so I do have confidence that he will perform well.

Certainly a good showing against Cena will be nothing short of amazing!

2. WWE Universe Challenge




Unless there is some sort of huge ending, I can't see Laurinaitis vs. Cena being the last match at Over the Limit. That will likely be towards the end of the night, but it almost can't close the show.

Thus, you have to assume the main event will be CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Title.

Read that sentence again folks! Those two will be headlining a pay-per-view for the biggest wrestling company in the world. Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.

You want them in the main events? You want to see them battle for the WWE Title? You want to see some sort of epic feud between the two?

Now is your chance.

Fans all over the world must spend money on Over the Limit. They have to show WWE that these two are "draws." It is time to put your money where your mouth is.

Punk and Bryan are finally being given the huge opportunity they have been looking for after many years in this business. It is up to their fans to come through now.

No illegal streams. No piracy. No downloading something without spending a dime. That isn't supporting them in the main event. Prove to the world that these two can mean big money for the company!

The only way to do so is by paying for the event...

1. Who Else?


Honestly, what else was John Cena going to do?

You can't give away Brock Lesnar wrestling again so soon. Lord Tensai is not ready yet for a huge match near the top of a pay-per-view card.

Wade Barrett is injured. Christian is still not ready to go (apparently). Alberto Del Rio is feuding with Sheamus on Smackdown.

Dolph Ziggler is losing to Brodus Clay every week. The Miz is hit or miss and may not even be on television much longer (Marine 3). Anybody else left for Cena to face?

The only two options were taking time off or being involved in some sort of feud with Laurinaitis.

WWE has tons of great heel right now. A lot of them are impressive inside the ring and are being built up nicely. Right now, none of them are in a position to face Cena in a realistic manner.

source: bleacherreport.com

Can John Laurinaitis Put on a Better Match Than Vince McMahon against John Cena?

photo courtesy: wwe.com

On last night's Raw we had quite a bit of developments in regards to matches being made for Over the Limit. One of the more interesting developments is that John Cena will be facing John Laurinaitis.

The news came after the WWE executive used Lord Tensai to distract Cena and attack him from behind with the microphone (WATCH).

John Laurinaitis is being built up as the next Vince McMahon in terms of being the corporate heel everyone wants to see get beaten up. He is nowhere near the level of hatred people once felt for Vince, but he is doing well to carve out his own character with his whole "People Power" shtick.

With JL being set to compete in his first match on a grand scale as the corporate heel, it is logical to compare him to Vince McMahon.

Vince made an art form out of being the boss you loved to hate and there is little doubt that he was a more engaging personality than John Laurinaitis, but will Laurinaitis' background as a wrestler make him a better in-ring performer?

It has been a long time since Johnny Ace really wrestled a match, but he has a long history in the business, whereas Vince was not a wrestler before he got in the ring with Stone Cold Steve Austin.

A match between John Cena and John Laurinaitis might not sell tickets that way Vince McMahon vs. Steve Austin did, but I do think they could have a better match than Vince and Austin.

JL was a talented wrestler who had success both in the US and Japan, and he and Cena would end up putting on a much better match than anything Vince has ever done.

In-ring ability is not the only factor that contributes to a good match though. Laurinaitis will not have nearly the same level of heat that Vince has usually had heading into a match and that will definitely bring the excitement level down a bit.

Between now and OTL, John Laurinaitis will have to work really hard to be hated in order to go into this match and hold any hope of having Cena be the one getting cheered.

It is obvious that WWE wants Cena to be cheered and having him in a feud with someone who has a little crowd support as John Laurinaitis could be a good way of getting fans to cheer Cena.

I am personally a fan of John Laurinaitis. He has become more and more comfortable over recent months and it has allowed him to loosen up and have some funny and memorable moments.

I am sure there will be a lot of people who think this match would be something in which Cena would get heavily cheered given who his opponent is, but I think we may end up seeing more "People Power" shirts in the crowd than we expect when Over the Limit rolls around.

What do you think—can John Laurinaitis put on a better match than Vince McMahon?

source: bleacherreport.com