Hey, remember that article I wrote to start the day? Is that proof enough to say kayfabe still works? No? I'm just a rube? Okay. Still, WWE using the dot-com to publicize legit injuries has worked in their favor from a storytelling perspective, and it worked on more than one level. Not only were fans like me fooled as to the severity of Cena's injury, but they were able to use it to further enhance a main event feud. We've been clamoring for Cena to drop intermediary falls in appropriate circumstances in order to build up doubt for him to lose. Show, don't tell. Tonight, they did just that as The Shield continues to prove that they're the best trio active right now in American wrestling (and with Chikara thrown into disarray by Robert Newsome's Year That Isn't Happening, that's not a stretch to say!).
The main event six-man tag was the capstone on a show that was heavy on long, tense wrestling matches and short on the typical bullshit. Even the fluff segments had their intrinsic value. I didn't hate the dance-off, the tug of war between Mark Henry and Tons of Funk was legit riveting until Sheamus came out to ruin it, and of course, Cena granting wishes to those kids. All in all, Cena was probably the most valuable guy on this show, in a storyline sense, in the ring, and continually through his charity work. Nights like tonight are reminders of why the guy is the franchise.
But that's not to underscore the supporting cast either. Everyone chipped in, from opening match to main event, from Cena down to Zack Ryder. The opening match was one of the best Attitude Era schmozzes I've seen, only 15 years transposed, mainly because we don't see them all the time, but also because the principals executed their roles so well. Cody Rhodes countering the RKO into Cross Rhodes should have ended his match, but I'll take the moment. Dolph Ziggler dragged another okay match out of Kofi Kingston, while Antonio Cesaro and Alberto del Rio tore down the building with their match. All in all, it was a great old-school feeling wrestling show. A lot of matches, just enough kitsch, and the main stories were advanced.
And hey, Jerry Lawler bought pizza for the crowd. That has to be a win, right?
The main event six-man tag was the capstone on a show that was heavy on long, tense wrestling matches and short on the typical bullshit. Even the fluff segments had their intrinsic value. I didn't hate the dance-off, the tug of war between Mark Henry and Tons of Funk was legit riveting until Sheamus came out to ruin it, and of course, Cena granting wishes to those kids. All in all, Cena was probably the most valuable guy on this show, in a storyline sense, in the ring, and continually through his charity work. Nights like tonight are reminders of why the guy is the franchise.
But that's not to underscore the supporting cast either. Everyone chipped in, from opening match to main event, from Cena down to Zack Ryder. The opening match was one of the best Attitude Era schmozzes I've seen, only 15 years transposed, mainly because we don't see them all the time, but also because the principals executed their roles so well. Cody Rhodes countering the RKO into Cross Rhodes should have ended his match, but I'll take the moment. Dolph Ziggler dragged another okay match out of Kofi Kingston, while Antonio Cesaro and Alberto del Rio tore down the building with their match. All in all, it was a great old-school feeling wrestling show. A lot of matches, just enough kitsch, and the main stories were advanced.
And hey, Jerry Lawler bought pizza for the crowd. That has to be a win, right?