Praise for the WWE *contians NOC and RAW spoilers*

Having just finished watching NOC and Raw I logged on to see what other people have been thinking and I was surprised to see the level of negativity surrounding what is happening atm, I don't think it's been bad actually I think it's been pretty good.

I'll start by getting the elephant out of the way and mention the main story that has dominated Raw over the past few months, CM Punk vs HHH, I wrote this comment a few weeks ago regarding the subject and im just going to post it again as a lot of it still stands.

While I am not conditioned to have 100% faith in WWE's ability to deliver its product to what I feel is the logical conclusion, I am happy with how this storyline is developing so far, Punk, who is usually nothing short of great tbf, has been outstanding since pre-MITB and seems to be reveling in his new outspoken rebel charcter, HHH is also playing a fascinating role, he is a man who desperatly wants to be loved by the WWE fans and be seen as a worthy sucessor to McMahon but he is torn between this new role and the old cerebral assassin who seems to be getting closer to the surface week by week as Punk continues to push his buttons, Kevin Nash while definatly not a person I am fan of, check out any of my repsponses to a worst champion/ worst/most overrated wrestler threads, he has added a vital peice to this storyline providing a central antagonist for Punk as HHH remains morally ambiguous on the sidelines, and for my part I don't agree with the opinions that any random muscle would do, Nash and HHH have a history and it creates the suspicions that HHH is not as innocent as he claims to be, is the aggro thats building between HHH and Nash all a ruse or is it something more? Punk certainally dosn't buy HHH's version of events and it's hard to see why WWE would continually turn this over if it wasn't building to a reveal, origionally I belived that it was a McMahon, most likely Vince, who sent the text and the storyline would split into a power play between Vince and HHH but I am becoming more and more convinced that HHH did send the text and credit to WWE this is probably the best option IMO as it keeps the focus firmly with Punk.

To those who say Punk is being buried I would argue that at no point in this feud so far has he been made to look weak without reason, ok he has been subject to a few beatdowns by Nash but all of these so far have been ambushes after a match (see Summerslam) or cheap shots when HHH has been trying to keep the peace, once again I don't know if this is accident on HHH's part or part of a master plan, either way when Nash as tryed to take Punk fairly, as was seen on Super Smackdown, he was in the process of receving a hiding, on the mic I don't think it's fair to say the Punk has been given anything other than total mastery over Nash, who seems to suffer a brand new putdown each week and while verbal duels with HHH have been slightly more even, HHH is the boss, no point in building an anti-athoritarion character if the athority is completly de-mascualted, that said as I have already highlighted Punk has subtly been getting under the skin of HHH, the veneer is slipping and eventually I'm thinking that Punk will force HHH to show himself for what he really is.

As far as where this story goes, I'm actually looking for HHH to go over at NoC, not cleanly obviously as if he does I will definatly be on the Punk's being buried bandwagon, but with the No DQ rules I am fully expecting Nash or another HHH associate, there is plently of wiggle room for another clique/DX memeber(s) in this story, to get involved, once again Punk will be screwed and as HHH's heel turn hopefully cements in the latter months, I belive he will, when the time is right, bow down clean to Punk, possibly at Wrestlemania.

Obviously post-NOC the outlook is a little bit different, Nash did indeed screw Punk, the execution could have been a little kinder to Punk but the point stands never the less, but the inclusion of the 'Awesome Truth' (love that name), and the deepening involvement of Johnny Ace (this isn't an attempt to be insider I cannot spell his real last name), suggest that the scenario is much more complicated that I wished it to be but never the less, I am interested and judging by the amount of comment that is passed ,both positivly and negativly admittedly, on these boards everyone here is interested as well. My new theory on what is happening is that the real conspiricy will be against HHH and it is coming from Johnny Ace who will be revealed as the anonymous RAW GM, this idea came to me during the main event at NOC when I saw the Raw GM podium is still standing there, WWE does like to treat us as idiots who don't notice the sudden dropping of storylines from time to time but Vince McMahon's attention to detail is legendary and I doubt something like setting up that podium week in week out would have gone without notice were it not for a reason, anyways I digress, I can see Johnny Ace unhappy at being displaced from his position of authority (even though he never admitted it to anyone) and it was him who recruited Nash to ruin the Summerslam main event, to create a difficult situation for HHH, and then recruit Awesome Truth, to try and have him removed as COO. This is just a theory and I am now far from certain where everything is going now but I am interested to know where it's going, I am going to tune in next week and the week after that, until I know and surly that is the point of a weekly TV show like RAW. Also just want to say I think HHH and Punk have both been phenomenal throughout this, Punk is continuing to get the platform he deserves to mesmorise on the mic, and HHH as I said in my previous comment is portraying a fanscinatingly 3D character, by wrestling's standards anyways, as he fights between being the business man and the cerebral assassin.

Moving on just below that is the WWE Title scene, it's a matter of choice whether you consider that something bigger is happening in the WWE than their main championship or if in these kayfabe-lite days it dosn't really matter, and I am more than satisfied with how things are going, post Over the Limit the title was contested in an all time classic and left at the centre of a controversy which some might say was overkill but it was certainally something different which WWE has been crying out for, for years. Del Rio's regin wasn't everyones cup of tea from what I read but personally I rate the guy and I think he was doing a good job carrying the belt with the classic heel combo of cowerdice and arrogance, the end of his reign came too soon for my liking but of the two men who I thought might be blamed for WWE's dramatic slump in ratings im glad it was him and not Punk. That brings me on to the guy who terminated Del Rio's reign, our WWE champion , John Cena. While I am still far from Cena's biggest fan I think the subtle change in his character during his feud with Punk has suited him well, he no longer trys to portray himself as an underdog suck up but has become far more comfertable within himself, a guy who divides opinion but know's he is one of the best, as a result he has been much improved on the mic over the past few months, he capabley held up his end when talking with great promoers like Punk and Vince, and too a lesser extent HHH, and since moving onto Del Rio he has carried a level of intensity with him, I could criticise and say he was given a bit to much of the verbals against Del Rio given he went over at NOC but I think the origional plan may have been for Del Rio to retain but like I said earlier he was sacrificed after the ratings slump of the past month.

Moving onto Smackdown and the other World Title, I am going to say something I never thought I'd say, Mark Henry has been on fire recently and I am delighted he's got a run with the belt. While not the most natural worker or talker he's taken a limited 2D character and brought it to life with intensity, menace and passion to compliment his freakish feats of strength, I do feel sorry for him though as Hell in a Cell is only two weeks away and for me, Orton has to go over. Having beat him cleanly the odds are already stacked in Henry's favour and if Orton goes in selling an injury even better. Trapped in a cage with a monster champion is just standard babyface win territory and I don't feel another Henry win does anything for either man, which is unfortunate as Henry's great work over the past few months deserves more than a fortnights reign. While we're on this subject can I just say how impressed I have been by Orton recently, his feud with Christian did wonders for him, the new agressive ring style he has been displaying since the start of the year, goodbye the Orton chinlock, coupled with just how fantastically smooth everything he does in the ring looks, Orton has quickly become one of my favorite guys to watch in the ring. He is still lacking in the charisma department some what but he is a capable talker and the fantastic range of facial expressions he has begun displaying in ring suggest there is a personality lurking there somewhere.

Further down the card there is lots that I have been enjoying:

The Awesome Truth (still love that name) have been a riot since they came together and were the undisputed highlight of Raw's mid card thought it looks like they may find themselves in the main event pretty soon. While the mid card titles seem to be little more than meaningless props nowdays I have high hopes for both champions, particuarly Rhodes who needs a couple of mid card babyfaces to feud with. Away from the banality of the Vikki Guerrero secnario Ziggler, Swagger, JoMo and A-Ri are a good little midcard quartet who I hope WWE keeps investing in with the hope to getting a couple of them promoted up the card, Ziggler and Swagger would be my votes, JoMo while entertaining can be a bit sloppy, style over substance, at times, while I don't really rate A-Ri as main event calibre. Christian has had a couple of title runs which, however brief, was an unexpected bonus in 2011 and I have always felt he worked much better as a heel. Sheamus on the other hand has impressed me in his face role, he seems to be growing in confidence all the time and is very entertaining. Lastly and perhaps contriversially I like Air Boom (hate that name) as Tag Team champs, Kingston and Bourne are both talented and likeable guys with exciting in ring styles but for me are perhaps a bit lightweight personaily wise to make it above midcard, so perhaps teaming is a good fit for them, all WWE needs to do now is give them someone to feud with.

Anyways that just a run down what I'm liking about the WWE atm, there are some criticisms but I've tried to keep them to a minimum whilst remaining objective, you me not all agree with me, some of you may think I've taken leave of my senses but as all ways all thoughts, comments and debates are welcomed

Much Love

A Good post,

I agree about Mark Henry, who has really stepped up. I hope that he gets a decent title run but fear that he could lose it at Hitc. But with Henry, Christian, Sheamus,Bryan, Orton and the Sin Cara storyline i think that SD has alot going for it at the moment.

The Miz/Truth partnership is fantastic, and i know alot of people think the tag titles are below them, i think it would be an ideal platform for them. Air Boom are okay, but don't think they are the same calibre.

Agree about Del Rio, which makes his loss more disappointing. He needed the win more than Cena, and there is no reason why he couldn't have won at Noc, and then lost. I just feel by him losing WWE have knocked the credablity of his character a bit. But in the run up he handled himself well, and could be the long term heel that wwe need.

In conclusion the Punk/HHH needed the interference, and though i thought there was to much, it was the right way for the feud.

I like the idea of HHH conspiracy theory, but think it would work better if it was Steph behind it, and then you could have HHH see Punk was right, and try and get the new talent over.

This would lead to Punk still involved in a main storyline, As at the moment my worry is what to do with Punk now. As his hitc match he looks like a spare part at the moment.

But your right, while WWE is no where near perfect at the moment, it is moving in the right way.

Air born remind me of Koko B Ware & Owen Hart when they wore them suspenders and baggy trousers, high energy was it i think.

Great post Doc, it's far easier to be negative than positive, I think it was a very competant showing, most peoples big gripe was Cena won the strap yet again but when the alternative was Del Rio it was hardly a major drawback, the two midcard title matches where very entertaining and offered hope that there is better things in store regarding the IC/US Titles.

I liked the fact they gave 'Air Boom' matching outfits, I don't think they look anything like High Energy in the slightest, I do agree that neither are near a position where they could possibly be higher up the card, it's good they are together, a year together could do them and the tag division the World of good.

Mark Henry winning the WHC was a brilliant move, I worried how they'd keep him relevent if Orton pinned him, I couldn't see Orton losing at HiaC so thought this was the most likely choice, surprised he won clean, kudos to Orton, Henry was built so well though that it doesn't hurt Orton.

I enjoyed the Punk/Triple H match, bit of a Flip but I enjoyed
the chaos of it all, was it needy? Probably not but the story in general seems to be heading the way I want it to go which has me interested.

Could NoC have been better? Definitely, almost every PPV could be, it'll be years before the WWE hits another home run like 'Money In The Bank' and anything for the forseeable will unfortunately be compared to it, intentionally or not

I just say how impressed I have been by Orton recently, his feud with Christian did wonders for him, the new agressive ring style he has been displaying since the start of the year, goodbye the Orton chinlock, coupled with just how fantastically smooth everything he does in the ring looks, Orton has quickly become one of my favorite guys to watch in the ring. He is still lacking in the charisma department some what but he is a capable talker and the fantastic range of facial expressions he has begun displaying in ring suggest there is a personality lurking there somewhere.
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Its a shame the feud did absolutely nothing for Christian

Definitely don't agree, it made Christian a legitimate main eventer for 4 months and allowed him to walk into their second biggest PPV of the year as World Champion, it did plenty for him, unfortunately his role now will be to put a face or two over but what this did for Christian is simply prove that if and when needed he can be trusted to step in, he's got Jericho's role