Dolph Ziggler's Time is Now

by Alex Archer

"What can't I sell?"

With injuries and suspensions sidelining damn near half of the SmackDown roster, the WWE has been forced into finally giving Dolph Ziggler his chance to shine.

When Alberto Del Rio suffered a concussion at the hands of the Punjabi Nightmare (I only use this moniker because his wrestling truly is something nightmares are made of), Ziggler was able to edge out a victory over three former World Heavyweight Champions to earn himself a title match at No Way Out.  While the Show Off came up short at the pay-per-view, his matches over the last few weeks, coupled with the positive crowd reaction he's been getting, should be enough to convince the WWE brass that he belongs in the main event picture.

Dropping Sheamus on his head at No Way Out

Since dropping the US Title after an impressive 182 day reign back in December, Ziggler has been used mainly for his ability to sell every move like he was shot point blank with a shotgun.  Although this is certainly one of his strong points, the WWE really hasn't allowed him to reach his full potential, because, let's be honest, Ziggler can flat out go.

The #HEEL and the #COUGAR

Though it took a slew of injuries and suspensions to get him into the spotlight, Ziggler is making the best of it.  He was a human highlight reel during all of his tag matches with Jack Swagger, he lit up AJ on the mic on Raw last week, and his match with Sheamus at No Way Out was one of the best on the card.  Pair that with the possibility of a renewed romance with Vickie Guerrero, and we could very well be entering the Era of the Show Off.

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WWE No Way Out Results and Afterthoughts

w/ Alex Archer, Violet Buttle, & Mike Bradford John Cena defeats Big Show in a Steel Cage Match

Alex: The era of People Power seems to be over, but the era of Super Cena winning every match lives on!  Such a boring, slow paced match.  I almost didn't make it through this whole thing.

Violet: So boring. I am interested to see what happens with Laurinaitis tonight, but other than that, I don't care.

Mike: This match was slow moving and didn't really entertain me. I found myself hoping for the match to just end. We all know Johnny will be back, so seeing him fired isn't at all shocking for jaded fans. Kids are probably stoked, though. Above all, I hope Show moves on to feud with Brodus.  That has more potential than anything he was doing with Cena.

CM Punk defeats Daniel Bryan and Kane to retain the WWE Championship

Alex: This match exceeded my expectations.  All of the pre-match AJ segments were great and really had me questioning her motives.  All three guys were great in the ring.  Even Kane, who I very rarely care about, was able to keep my attention.  My only complaint here is that AJ wasn't out at ringside from the start.  Like Over the Limit last month, I was just unable to buy into any of the near falls because I knew she would be making an appearance.  Her smile back at Punk as Kane carried her out, however, was extremely well done.

Violet: Kane did much better here than I expected, and I’m actually appreciative of the role he’s played in this storyline. The wrestling here was good, but the real star of this match was AJ. That look on her face as Kane carried her away was perfect. I am constantly impressed by how much better her acting gets week after week. She’s probably the WWE star having the most fun right now. The only thing I didn’t like here was the GTS that Bryan took at the end of the match and didn’t return from.

Mike: Obviously I'm not huge on Kane. That being said, he didn't slow down this match as much as I thought he would. Everyone looked good in the match, and it should have been the main event. It is, after all, the flagship championship in the company. The AJ story keeps getting more interesting, and I love it.

Sheamus defeats Dolph Ziggler to retain the World Heavyweight Championship

Alex: I didn't expect Ziggler to go over, but I was really hoping they wouldn't have him take a White Noise and a Brogue Kick to finish the match.  I'm completely over Sheamus as a babyface.  He has decent matches, but the finishes are so stale.  Not as stale as his babyface promos, but stale nonetheless. 

Violet: My favorite part of this so-so match was the beginning. I actually believed Sheamus would win this match in the same exact fashion he won at WrestleMania, and I was pleasantly surprised when Ziggler was able to outwit the big buffoon. The ending here was pretty anti-climatic. I was hoping for something more exciting than another Brogue Kick.

Mike: A great match to open with but not the best choice. It seems like the WHC has been opening a lot of shows lately. Luckily, Sheamus has been able to have good matches with whoever he's been in the ring with. Ziggler showed why he deserved to be in that match. Look for him to be involved with Money in the Bank.

Christian defeats Cody Rhodes to retain the Intercontinental Championship

Alex: Christian and Cody put on a pretty good match, but for some reason I found my mind wandering.  Their mic work together is great, but the in-ring stuff last night just wasn't clicking for me.  I'm not sure if this is the end of their feud, but if it isn't, I hope they find some way to make it seem fresh.

Violet: This match had a pretty slow start, but the action and the crowd definitely picked up at the end. I don’t mind Christian retaining, but I really miss him as a heel. He’s kind of boring now.

Mike: Started off slow, but eventually got going. These guys work very well together, and, hopefully, they continue feuding during the summer. Seeing Cody regain the title at Summerslam wouldn't disappoint me. A solid feud for the title would certainly help make it mean something again.

Santino defeats Ricardo Rodriguez in a Tuxedo Match

Alex: What a waste of time.  What a waste of the US Title.  What a waste all around.

Violet: This segment was every bit as awful as I expected to be.  Please, please, someone take that title off Santino!
Mike: Not much to say about this that hasn't already been said. The only part that entertained me was when Santino yelled "This is my only Tuxedo!" Yes, that part made actually made me chuckle. After that, I was bored.

Sin Cara defeats Hunico w/Camacho

Alex: Did we somehow travel back in time for this match?  They need to either find someone else that Sin Cara can work with, or they need to ditch him and give Hunico a real story.  Sin Cara's spots are fun to watch, but Hunico is clearly the better wrestler of the two (in terms of WWE style wrestling).

Violet: Okay. I’d like to see Sin Cara in a feud now.

Mike: These guys have a history that WWE could explore and use as a story, but instead they'll just use crazy lighting and only a few lucha moves. Why was this on PPV?

Layla defeats Beth Phoenix to retain the WWE Divas Championship

Alex: The live crowd (and my living room crowd) couldn't care less about Layla.  Seeing her dance around the ring with Beth's headband on during a title match was just ridiculous.  Can someone blow her knee out again, please?

Violet: As always, I’m disappointed to see a pretty girl beat a legitimate female wrestler. Not that Layla is bad, she just isn’t at Phoenix’s level. And the crowd couldn’t care less about her.  Initially, I was a supporter of Layla after her return, but that weird impression/dance/joke thing at the beginning of the match really turned me against her. Isn’t the Divas division enough of a joke? Just wrestle, ladies.

Mike: We've seen that Layla can have a match, so why make her look so stupid? Bring back Kharma so she can fight Beth at Summerslam, please.

Prime Time Playas won a Fatal Four Way tag match to become the Number One Contenders

Alex: This was one of the best matches of the night.  There was a ton of action, and it was great to see the WWE giving not only the tag division so much pay-per-view time, but also spotlight the young stars involved.  All four teams could have great futures in the WWE if they actually give them the time to flesh out the characters and create stories for them.  The AW swerve at the end is a perfect example of that.

Violet: I was wondering when the A.W. storyline would continue. I was beginning to think the WWE was hoping we’d forget about it (Anonymous GM-style).  The pay-off was worth the wait, and I’m interested to see if a feud between Primo/Epico and The Prime Time Playas does anything useful for the tag division. And it was good to see Justin Gabriel back! Him and Kidd could be a real fun team.

Mike: All of the teams had time to shine, which was great. This was actually the match of the night for me. There has been a lot of talk that the tag team division had been failing so it was great to see WWE making an effort to right the ship. AW helps provide a storyline in a division that desperately needs one.

Ryback defeats two jobbers

Alex: Ryback yelling "Feed me three!" is the only intriguing thing that's happened with this character since his debut.  Feed. Him. A program! (no, beating up multiple jobbers twice a week is not a program)

Violet: Enough already!

Mike: Stop chanting Goldberg. I agree that he doesn't need to be on PPV without a story, but he's more impressive than Goldberg ever was. I hope he faces three guys either tonight or Friday.

Brodus Clay defeats David Otunga

Alex: I won't lie to you, I didn't bother watching this.  The result was obvious, why waste my time?

Violet: Father’s Day took precedence over this match. From what I read, I didn’t miss anything important.

Mike: Nothing to write home about here. A count out finish? Really? This match did nothing for either of the guys in it.

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WWE No Way Out Predictions

w/ Alex Archer, Violet Buttle, & Mike Bradford

CM Punk (c) vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Kane for the WWE Championship

Alex: The WWE has done a good job of making this match seem like it could go in any direction.  I could definitely see CM Punk retaining here, but I'm going to predict that AJ turns on CM Punk and helps Daniel Bryan win the title.  I know the "Punk digs crazy chicks" angle is over, but AJ turning big time heel with Bryan would be a great pay-per-view moment. It would also set up a longer program for Bryan and Punk, who have been putting on stellar matches since the feud began.

Violet: Of all the matches on the card, this is pretty much the only one that truly interests me. I'm as excited for the wrestling as I am for the storytelling, which is rare. I predict Punk retains, but I wouldn't be totally surprised if Bryan steals the title. Either way, I expect the feud between these two to continue without Kane. However, as opposed as I was initially to Kane getting involved in this story, him and AJ have each helped make this feud more entertaining.

Mike: I'm done with Kane.  Punk vs. Bryan for the the 2nd time on PPV would've been enough for me. WWE has done a fantastic job developing AJ's character to the point where she is the most interesting person in the WWE right now. I absolutely love that I have no idea what role, if any, that she'll play in the finish of this one. I can't predict a winner.

Sheamus (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler for the World Heavyweight Championship

Alex: I'd love to see Ziggler go over, but I don't think the timing is right.  He's been slapped into this position due to other wrestlers getting injured and/or suspended.  They had started moving forward with Ziggler's "I'm better than this" storyline, regarding Vicki and Swagger, so there's no need to go off course here.  He and Sheamus can put on a good match with Sheamus going over, and because of the way Ziggler has been booked over the past few months, he won't lose anything by taking the loss.  Sheamus goes over, and hopefully in a few months time, Ziggler's push will get him back in the title picture.

Violet:Of course, Sheamus retains here. I do hope, however, that they use the momentum Ziggler has been building to keep him in or near the title picture. He deserves way more than weekly tag match losses.

Mike: It took suspensions and injuries, but Dolph Ziggler is getting a title shot in a main event. Even if Sheamus retains (and I think he will) the Show Off will do what he does better than anyone else night in and night out. I think this will be the match of the night, but only because Kane is in the WWE title match.

John Cena vs. Big Show in a Steel Cage Match

Alex: I'm predicting that Big Show goes over here.  Hunter just recently took over the actual role of handling the talent relations, presumably so that Big Johnny could focus on his on-air role.  This leads me to believe that we're going to see the era of People Power continue.  Big Show wins, Cena takes some time off, and hopefully comes back fresh.

Violet: Solely based on the fact that Laurinaitis is no longer the Executive VP of Talent Relations in real life, I predict Show wins and Laurinaitis remains an on-air personality.

Mike: Show wins, Cena still keeps his job because of a loophole. Vince screws Cena?

Christian (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Intercontinental Championship

Alex: I'd love to see this feud continue on after No Way Out, and I'm hoping the WWE wants the same thing, so I'm going to put my money on Cody Rhodes edging out a victory (probably a cheap one).  These guys work well in the ring together, and are even better on the mic, so there's really no reason to have this feud end just yet.  If Christian goes over, I hope they find some way to keep these two paired up.

Violet: I wish this match was given more attention prior to the PPV, because it has a lot going for it. I predict Christian retains, but Rhodes keeps chasing the title he helped return prestige to.

Mike: Just as it was last month, this match will be great. Christian is going to help Cody shine. Hopefully, Christian retains and this feud can actually go on and get some TV time and culminate at Summerslam.

Santino vs. Ricardo Rodriguez in a Tuxedo Match

Alex: As much as I like Ricardo Rodriguez, this is just stupid.  I'm assuming we'll get a Ryback squash match on this pay-per-view, so that coupled with this comedy match just makes me feel like I'm paying for a 3 hour episode of Raw with a good main event.  Santino obviously wins, and I spend this time replenishing my snack bowl and using the bathroom.

Violet: This is the match that the US Champion is in? Really? Santino needs to drop the title and the sooner the better. Obviously, Santino wins and Rodriguez looks like a fool.

Mike: I love Santino and Ricardo, I really do. I honestly have no problem with this match being on one of the secondary PPVs. However, if these are the feuds that Santino is going to be involved with, then he shouldn't be in a tuxedo match. Santino wins.

Layla (c) vs. Beth Phoenix for the WWE Divas Championship

Alex: It doesn't make sense to take the title off of Beth to just put it right back on her.  As always, I'll have my fingers crossed for Kharma's return.

Violet: Layla wins via roll-up. That's the only way chicks beat Beth. I can only hope that they at least give these two some time to have a decent match, because they're both fully capable of it.

Mike: No build up, why should fans care? Why bother bringing Layla out on Smackdown to call a match that lasted a minute. The commentary team didn't even finish their question, and the match was over. I'll just predict the same thing as the last few PPVs, Beth wins and Kharma returns.

Brodus Clay vs. David Otunga

Alex: I'm over Brodus Clay, and I'm over Otunga getting beat up all the time.  I'm glad this is on the pre-show and not on the main card, but I don't think this will do much to convince anyone watching the pre-show to buy the pay-per-view if they weren't planning on it already.  Here's to hoping that after this match, they have something in mind in the way of a hook.

Violet:I'd love to see Otunga and Clay in actual feuds, but instead I get this. Clay will win.

Mike: Brodus wins and hopefully goes on to feud with Big Show when Cena is done with him. The man REALLY needs a feud.

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TNA Slammiversary Results and Afterthoughts

w/ Alex Archer, Violet Buttle, & Mike Bradford Bobby Roode defeats Sting to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Alex: What a terrible way to end a great pay-per-view.  After all the talk of TNA taking steps forward and leading the way in professional wrestling, they revert right back to a very "guitar-esque" main event finish.  This main event displayed two of the main reasons people have been down on TNA for the last 6 or 7 years: a 53 year old wrestling for their top belt, and something being broken over the babyfaces head so the heel could score the win.  After kissing Sting's ass all night, TNA didn't need to protect him with a cheap finish, and Bobby Roode desperately needed a clean, decisive victory here.

Violet: This match was sort of boring.  Referees should think twice before making the count on broken glass. Also,  I don’t know why TNA feels the need to put Sting over as much as they do.

Mike: It could've been worse. Sting is 53 and should have done a better job selling some sort of injury after the Scorpion Death Drop off the stage. He essentially took the same bump as Roode, and Roode acted dead. C'mon Sting, you know better that that.

Kurt Angle & AJ Styles defeat Christopher Daniels & Kazarian for the TNA Tag Team Championships

Alex: I was expecting this match to end with some kind of Dixie Carter drama, but was very pleasantly surprised to see a long, clean match with no flukey finish.  All four guys worked their asses off, and in my mind, beat out Joe and Aries for match of the night, and that's saying something.  The decision to put the belts on Angle and Styles seems odd, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and see where this goes and how it plays into the AJ / Dixie storyline.

Violet: I was very surprised to see Daniels and Kazarian drop the titles here. It was a smart choice, however, to have Angle pick up the win. This allows the feud between Styles and Daniels/ Kazarian to continue without any of the men pinning each other.

Mike: My favorite spot of the night was AJ taking out Daniels at the end of the match. I thought this match was fantastic, even if the story did not progress.

Mr. Anderson defeats RVD and Jeff Hardy in a Number One Contender Match

Alex: After seeing these three guys face each other in a ton of random matches over the last few months, I have to admit that I was not excited for this match at all.  Once they got going, though, I was hooked from bell to bell.  I'm ok with Anderson getting the win as long as Roode defeats him clean on Thursday to wash the taste of the beer bottle finish out of fans' mouths. 

Violet: This match was fast-paced and much more fun than I expected it to be. I don’t think Anderson’s match against Roode on Thursday will be nearly as entertaining.

Mike: In my opinion, everyone in this match outdid themselves. The match was full of action and it certainly didn't disappoint.

Miss Tessmacher defeats Gail Kim for the TNA Knockouts Championship

Alex: I'm fine with TNA putting the Knockouts gold on a homegrown talent, but I don't think this was the time to do it.  Gail Kim was on a record-setting title run, and they end it with little to no storyline or buildup.  The match itself wasn't bad, but the story/build was nonexistent.

Violet: What a disappointing and anti-climatic way to take the title off the dominate Kim. Dumb.

Mike: I know I'm in the minority here, but the title needed to change hands to shake thinks up again. Good thing they specified that Brooke is now Miss, otherwise I would've though Brooke Hogan was in the match.

Joseph Park defeats Bully Ray

Alex: I was worried that the "Abyss under the ring" trick was where they were going with this storyline, and sadly, I was right.  The build to this match was great, but the match itself was slow and boring, and the finish was just stupid.  I'm less than excited for the return of Abyss.  Such a boring, stale character.

Violet: This was by far the worst match of the night. Worse than the Garret Bischoff match. Of all the ways TNA could have gone with this story they decided to have a decoy Abyss appear from under the ring and help a desperate Park win. Terrible. Poor Bully Ray.

Mike: I think Joseph Park wrestling like he didn't know what he was doing was well done, but I can't say I'm surprised Abyss's stunt double made an appearance.

Austin Aries defeats Samoa Joe to retain the TNA X Division Championship

Alex: This was a great way to kick off the pay-per-view.  The action was fast paced, the moves were hard hitting, and both guys really worked hard to open the show the right way.  It's only a matter of time before Aries sheds the X Division Title and makes a run at the TNA Heavyweight Championship.

Violet: These two started off the show with a fast-paced, exciting match. After it was over, I thought for sure that this would easily be the match of the night. Even though several other put on stellar performances, I’m sticking by my initial reaction. Even though I’m pleased to see Aries moving toward main event status, I’m bummed that the other X-Division guys seem to be getting neglected in the process.

Mike: Great way to open the PPV. The way Aries is being shown, it looks like he's in line for a World Title shot in the very near future. Joe's string of submissions was awesome as always.

James Storm defeats Crimson

Alex: A nice return for Storm and a very convincing beat down on Crimson.  I'm sure Crimson will play up that he wasn't prepared on Impact this week, which is exactly what his cocky heel character should do.  Storm looked energized in his return and the crowd ate it up.  I don't know if I would say I'm looking forward to his renewed feud with Bobby Roode (whenever they get back to it), but I'm expecting it to be more exciting this time around.

Violet: I was expecting James Storm to accept Crimson’s open challenge, and I was expecting Storm to win. I wasn’t expecting Storm to win with the ease that he did. Why build up Crimson’s undefeated streak just to have Storm destroy him?

Mike: The crowd wanted Goldberg, it was painfully clear. I didn't think Crimson would lose with no story involved, but Storm was a great pick to end the streak. Who could've predicted that him leaving beer behind would have an effect on the main event. Let that be a lesson to you, NEVER leave a beer behind.

Devon & Garrett Bischoff defeat Robbie E. & Robbie T.

Alex: If they're going to use Garrett, then the midcard is the place to do it.  With that said, he still looked like a fish out of water when he was in the ring.  His moves aren't crisp, his charisma is nonexistent, and his look is beyond generic.  The Robbie's need to get away from this dumb feud around the TV Title.  TNA needs to get the belt off Devon as soon as possible.  All of the excitement over the announcement of the TV Title being defended every week has totally worn off during this never ending feud.

Violet: Is the feud between Devon and Robbie E finally over? I certainly hope so. Every time I see Garrett Bischoff I am amazed by how absolutely petrified he looks in the ring. I would assume Madison Rayne is crushing on Garrett, because a goofy, romantic storyline will give Garrett something to do beside wrestle for a bit. But, honestly, he isn’t very good at talking either, so I don’t expect this Madison Rayne nonsense to be watchable.

Mike: I feel so bad for Garrett Bischoff. National TV is his developmental, and the crowd is completely impatient with him. This wouldn't happen with anyone with a different last name. That being said, this match served it's purpose and didn't drag on. However there was no closure to the Madison Rayne story, and that's disappointing.

Hernandez defeats Kid Kash

Alex: I was surprised that Hernandez got the victory, and even more impressed by that dive over the top.  This match was short and to the point, and both guys looked good.  It didn't need to be on the pay-per-view, but I'm not upset that it was.

Violet: This match was short and pleasant.

Mike: Both guys brought it. I guess I just assumed they would kind of sleep walk through the match since there was no storyline involved. I enjoyed it.

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TNA Slammiversary Predictions

w/ Alex Archer, Violet Buttle, & Mike Bradford
Bobby Roode (c) vs. Sting for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Alex: Two weeks of Impact Live, two submission victories for Sting over Bobby Roode.  This has to mean Roode walks with the belt tonight, right?  I believe it does, but with TNA, who the hell knows.  With the amount of talent TNA has in the locker room right now, there is no justification for having a washed up 53 year old win their World Title.  Again, this is TNA, so bad booking decisions kind of come with the territory.

Violet: Not only is Sting much older than the other TNA wrestlers, but he looks SO much older than the other wrestlers. He simply wouldn't be a believable champion. However, with the way Roode has been booked, he really isn't a believable champion either. Hopefully, TNA does the right thing here and keeps the belt on Roode.

Mike: Sting is 53 years old. It would be an absolute mistake for a 53 year old man to be champion, no matter who it is.

Christopher Daniels & Kazarian (c) vs. Kurt Angle & AJ Styles for the TNA Tag Team Championships

Alex: Unfortunately, I don't see this match ending clean.  The finish is going to come off of some kind of Dixie/AJ related drama.  Maybe Serge comes to ringside?  The wrestling is going to be awesome, but I think the finish is going to leave a lot of fans bummed out.  Daniels and Kaz are keeping the titles.

Violet: Why is this match happening? Why hasn't Dixie Carter fired Daniels and Kazarian? This match will be less about the tag titles and more about the alleged affair between Carter and Styles, but I expect Daniels and Kazarian to retain.

Mike: AJ will be too distracted during the match to concentrate. Kaz and Daniels will exploit the Dixie situation (which is being done wonderfully, I might add) and retain. Angle is in this match only because they needed to put Angle in a match.

RVD vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Mr. Anderson in a Number One Contender Match

Alex: With Sting taking up the title shot on this show, there was basically nothing else to do with any of these guys, so why not throw them into a number one contenders match for the thousandth time?  This will probably be a decent match, but I' not excited for the outcome.  I don't think any of them have a chance at winning the title on Thursday.

Violet: I really wish TNA would rely more on feuds for their title matches instead of Number One Contender matches. With that being said, I don't really care who wins this match, because they aren't going to win the title Thursday on Impact.

Mike: Anderson is the only one without a title shot recently. Hopefully whoever wins will lose to Roode on Thursday. TNA needs originals on the top of their card.

Gail Kim (c) vs. Miss Tessmacher for the TNA Knockouts Championship

Alex: I was very disappointed when Tessmacher won that four-way match to get the title shot, and my feelings haven't changed.  I just have absolutely no interest in her character (or lack there of). I think Gail retains here.

Violet: I will always want Gail Kim to win, because she is almost always better than her opponents. Tessmacher is certainly no exception, and I will certainly be disappointed if she's the woman to end Kim's impressive reign.

Mike: It will be longer than five minutes, and there will be wrestling holds. If there's one thing TNA does better than WWE it's women's wrestling. I want Brooke to win, but Gail has been built up too much to lose in a match with little to no story behind it.

Bully Ray vs. Joseph Park

Alex: Other than Bully Ray being incredible the last few weeks, this angle is already stale and boring.  Hopefully this marks the end of Joseph Park.  Although, that would mean we get Abyss back, and I think I'd rather set my face on fire than have the Abyss character back in full force.  I'm predicting Abyss takes Park's spot and beats Bully Ray, and I won't be happy about it.

Violet: There are so many different storyline options they can go with for this match, and I'm not sure which they will choose. I'd like to see them go with the one that eliminates both Park brothers from TNA. However, that's probably the least likely choice.

Mike: Up until the recent Impact, I thought they were going to have Joseph snap  and admit he was an alternate personality of Chris, you know, Abyss, furthering the character and making him even more crazy. I don't think Joseph wrestles this match, I think Abyss returns.

Austin Aries vs. Samoa Joe

Alex: If they give these guys enough time, this has match of the night written all over it.  They've had some awesome battles in the past (I know I keep mentioning ROH Final Battle '04, but you really do need to watch that match), and hopefully they can deliver a few more this time around.  I think Aries is going to get the win, but as long as the feud continues, I don't care who goes over.

Violet: This the match I'm most excited about. I don't think it matters which man wins, because this feud will continue past Slammiversary.

Mike: Indy fans will eat this match up. It has potential to steal the show. I predict Aries takes it.

Crimson's Open Challenge

Alex: No Joey Ryan, no care.

Violet: It doesn't really matter who Crimson's challenger is, because he will remain undefeated.

Mike: Could Goldberg make an appearence? Could this match be Christian's spot? Would Vince allow one of his champions to do a job on the opponent's PPV? Would Dixie let a top midcard storyline be shattered by one of her opponent's champions? A lot could happen, but I imagine a non earth shattering opponent will lose to Crimson. Perhaps Joey Ryan out of left field?

Devon & Garrett Bischoff vs. Robbie E. & Robbie T.

Alex: Die Garrett Die.  That is all.

Violet: Of course Devon and Garret are going to win.

Mike: Garrett still looks like a scared kid in the ring. That being said, if Robbie E and Robbie T are having a tough time beating on Devon by themselves, why should I believe they have a shot when Garrett is in the picture?

Kid Kash vs. Hernandez

Alex: We haven't seen either of these guys in weeks, and I predict we won't see them for weeks after this match (if at all).  Yeah, there's history with these guys and TNA, but talk about throwing two guys out there for the hell of it...

Violet: Due to the fact that neither man has been on TV in weeks, it is really difficult to predict a winner for this match. At least when TNA books PPV matches seemingly out of nowhere, they are matches that will be well wrestled.

Mike: I respect the historical value of this match for the company; however, I simply don't care about this match. Kid Kash is looking JACKED though. To that end, I'll be rooting for Kash.

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Gut Check Reactions: Joey Ryan

Violet:  Clearly, the Gut Check judges made a mistake in not awarding Joey Ryan a contract. With 87% of the viewing audience on his side and an enjoyable match against X-Division Champion Austin Aries under his belt, I thought Ryan had this in the bag. However, what makes the judges’ decision here even more baffling is their reaction to Ryan’s creative “sleazy” gimmick. At times they seemed pleased with his strong and cohesive character, but it seemed as if he was punished for staying in character. I simply do not get it. 

Alex:  This has to be a work, right?  Not only was Joey Ryan money when he was given the opportunity to talk, but he tore the judges apart when he was given a "final chance" to sway them.  Taz is clearly taking on the role of "tough guy judge" now that Flair is gone, and frankly, he sucks at it.  All the talk of in character, out of character, gimmick, and all of the "insider" talk is making Gut Check hard to take seriously.  Joey Ryan didn't get the contract because he stayed in character, even when his back was against the wall.  When his future is on the line, the guy doesn't break character and stays the course.  If that isn't professionalism, then I don't understand professional wrestling as well as I thought I did.  Like we said when we named Joey Ryan "Wrestler of the Week", he is MONEY.  If this isn't a work, TNA and Gut Check are a joke.

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We'll take a look at TNA's Gut Check each month and discuss whether or not we feel the judges made the right call.

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Contact us on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling :
@TheAlexArcher | @VioletButtle | #FTLOW

Dean Ambrose is Going to be a Big Deal

by Mike Bradford

Watch that video and learn what so many indy wrestling fans already know: When Dean Ambrose makes WWE’s main roster, it’s going to be awesome. He may not have the exact look that Vince is known to love, but A) not many independent guys do these days and B) he can flat out wrestle. FCW is ripe with former indy stars right now, and with the rise to fame of Daniel Bryan and CM Punk, it’s time to strike while the iron’s hot. What better way to keep indy fans interested in the product than by bringing up another "internet golden boy". I know Antonio Cesaro (formerly Claudio Castagnoli) has already made an impact on Smackdown, but to me, Ambrose (formerly Jon Moxley) is on a whole other level.

My favorite thing about Ambrose is his ability to deliver a consistently awesome promo. I provided a clip, but just go to Youtube and search for either Jon Moxley or Dean Ambrose promos. The man is so convincing in making you believe that there’s something eternally wrong with him. Prior to Wrestlemania, WWE teased a program between him and Mick Foley where Ambrose was blaming Foley for making a generation of wrestling fans want to imitate his stunts. Even though they only feuded through Twitter, we still got a small preview of what Ambrose has to offer. He’s been wrestling dark matches at Raw and Smackdown events, so it’s really just a matter of time before they put mic in his hand and let him loose.

I’m not sure if anyone has ever made this comparison before, but it’s scary how much Dean Ambrose reminds me of Brian Pillman when he’s shooting a promo. The deep seeded torment, the sad stories, and the way he makes everything sound so… real. It’s a beautiful thing for jaded fans. I enjoy getting lost in the show and being reminded why I love wrestling. Ambrose is gifted in and out of the ring, and soon the WWE Universe will have the pleasure of watching his character develop.

For the benefit of everyone, here’s another promo from his time as Jon Moxley.  Enjoy.

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Contact me on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling : @Bradford_FTLOW | #FTLOW

Monthly Female Top 5

by Violet Buttle

May 2012


1.  Gail Kim: Kim successfully defended her Knockouts title only to become the longest reigning Knockouts Champion on May 20th.

2.  Layla: Layla retained her Diva’s Championship against the talented Beth Phoenix at Over Limit in what was likely the best Diva’s match of the year thus far.  Since her return at Extreme Rules in April, Layla continues to prove that she is one of the most valuable players on the Diva roster.

3.  AJ: She may not have done much wrestling in the month of May, but the evolution of her character has been interesting to watch. Currently, she adds most of the storyline intrigue to the CM Punk/ Daniel Bryan feud.

4.  Kharma: Sure, she hasn’t wrestled any matches since her appearance at the Royal Rumble, but speculation about her return is the most exciting thing currently going on in the Divas division.

5.  Beth Phoenix: Despite losing a title match to Layla at Over the Limit, Beth put on one of the best Diva’s matches with her opponent that we’ve seen in some time.  Following this disappointing loss, Phoenix scored an impressive win over Kelly Kelly and looked ready to return to dominance.

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Contact me on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling : @VioletButtle | #FTLOW

Wrestler of the Week

Monday, May 28th - Sunday, June 3rd

Joey Ryan has been trending on Twitter more than anyone on the TNA roster for the last two weeks.  87% of the fans that voted online for this weeks Gut Check wanted him to get a contract.  So what does TNA do?  They have a washed up, boring old commentator tell him he doesn't have it.  Riiiight.  Ryan was easily the most entertaining person on TNA's first Impact Live television event, but they didn't give him a contract?  If this is a work, then it better play out sooner than later.  If he truly didn't get a contract, then TNA has proven once again why it's a rinky-dink, second (or third, possibly fourth) rate promotion.  They find talent and either ignore it, or mismanage it.  Joey Ryan is money.  PERIOD.

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Let us know who you think our next Wrestler of the Week should be on Twitter. Use the hashtag #FTLOW

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Past Wrestlers of the Week:
May 21st - May  27th: Alberto Del Rio
May 14th - May 20th: CM Punk
May 7th - May 13th: Kevin Steen
April 30th - May 6th: Daniel Bryan