This week’s
show opens with Ted DiBiase Jr coming out. Here’s a guy who needs a reboot and
it would seem that the 12 months that he’s been off television has led to them
doing precisely nothing with him. He still skips down to the ring, smiling and,
inexplicably, this babyface still walks out to a song that tells us “I come
from money”. Tony Dawson and Matt Striker put over Extreme Rules and tell us
that it’s now only a week away.
Speaking of
guys who need a reboot, next out is Michael McGillicuty. His entrance also
badly lacks in charisma. He wears a beanie hat reminiscent of Gregory Helms
circa 2006 and has a beard so that we know he’s a heel. Striker informs us of
the antithesis of these two in the ring – one from Minnesota, who is a badass
and the other, from Mississippi, is a family man. Well, at least one of those
observations is true.
Match 1 –
Ted DiBiase Jr v Michael McGillicuty
Ted DiBiase
beat Michael MCGillicuty in 4:38. Credit to Tony Dawson here who fills us in
one where DiBiase has been, noting that 2012 saw him injury-riddled with
shoulder, finger and ankle issues. (He broke his ankle on SmackDown in March of
last year and I think he went for the shoulder surgery whilst he was healing up
his ankle). For all their blandness in looks, these two are good workers and
DiBiase, particularly, is a great athlete, so the match is good from the very
start. McGillicuty gets the early dominance but DiBiase hits him with a drop
kick that Randy Orton would be proud of as he starts to make a comeback. The
crowd really seem to like DiBiase and he makes them pop when he clotheslines
McGillicuty out of the ring on the hard cam side and then suicide dives on to
him through the ropes.
McGillicuty
gets in some late offence and tries to engage the fans, shouting, “take a look
at it, huh?” after he slams DiBiase to the matt. Sadly, even with post-production
crowd sweetening, no one cares. He uses a backbreaker and gets a 2 count. Then there
is a really impressive chain of moves that starts with McGillicuty taking a
turn buckle and ends in DiBiase using a spinebuster for a 2 count. This looks great.
The finish sees McGillicuty counter the first attempt at a DiBiase’s signature but
then DiBiase catches him with the Silencer and pins him for the win. A decent
match but these two won’t get over looking, sounding or being packaged like
this.
Raw Rebound
is next. We get Cena’s promo about facing Ryback at Extreme Rules, with Vickie’s
interruption and Ryback coming out where they announce the Last Man Standing
stip. Then we’re treated to the Lesnar and Heyman office invasion video again. This
segues into an excellent Extreme Rules promo package for HHH v Lesnar in a
steel cage.
Back on
Superstars, Justin Gabriel (another superb athlete who is underused and poorly
packaged) comes to ring. His new nickname is apparently ‘the darewolf’… Jesus.
Cody Rhodes is out next and gets a good heel reaction. Here’s another guy in
need of a singles push.
Match 2 – Justin
Gabriel v Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes
pinned Justin Gabriel in 9:38. This is a tremendous bout. The match
starts with both men fairly cagey as they attempt lock-ups. Gabriel eventually
sweeps the leg and goes on the offensive with kicks and elbows. Cody and
Gabriel trade Flair chops in the corners which the crowd loves while Dawson
puts over Gabriel’s Extreme Sports lifestyle. Any time Gabriel is in a match
that goes longer than a squash, we get reminded of this. Before the break they
do a very cool spot where Gabriel charges into the corner and jumps over a
counter attempt, only for Cody to grab his legs and turn it into a pretty
stiff-sounding Alabama slam.
We get a commercial for Be A Star with Sean Coombs during this break. It
pushes the fact that online bullying is on the rise and is now one of the most
common forms of bullying that goes often goes undetected. Diddy is wearing a
T-Shirt that says ‘Invisible Bully’ on it. It’s a good advert but I still don’t
understand why a company that promotes bullying in storyline needs to do this.
After the break, Cody is in control, uses a Facebuster into a 2 count. Gabriel
uses a modified Frankensteiner from a handstand to gain some control – this was
really inventive and the match was full of little moments like this.
Unfortunately, Dawson and Striker ignore it and discuss the three way ladder
match at Extreme Rules which is probably not a three way anymore.
This next section is awesome: Gabriel lands a shining wizard and then a
roundhouse kick to get a 2 count on Rhodes. Then while Cody is getting back up,
Gabriel lands a cross body using the ropes as a spring board for another 2
count. While Rhodes is down Gabriel sets up for a moonsault but Rhodes chops
him down, Gabriel fights him off, does the moonsault but Cody rolls out the
way. Then Cody performs his own moonsault and lands it for a 2 count. Cody gets
mad that he can’t get the win, goes for a disaster kick but Gabriel counters
and power bombs him for another 2 count. With Rhodes down, Gabriel teases the
450 splash but Cody rolls out the way again; they go back and forth and Rhodes
tries the Cross Rhodes but Gabriel counters using a small package for another 2
count. Cody then blocks a kick from Gabriel, spins him round into the Cross
Rhodes and pins him. This would have been a great match if it was on Raw or
SmackDown but by Superstars standards this was a GREAT match.
The show ends with the Raw segment with Kane v Ryback followed by The
Shield’s interference and Daniel Bryan’s save.
This program showcased some excellent wrestling by mid-carders and
nearly-men who are in need of repackaging or a push. If Cesaro and Kofi can
perform on Main Event and create a buzz, then I’m positive that Rhodes and
Gabriel could do the same.
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