WWE Superstars TV Report – 30th May 2014

Noteworthy: Big E warms up for Payback against Rusev with a win against Superstars regular Titus O’Neil. RybAxel chalk up a win against Xavier Woods (remember him?) and R-Truth.

Big E beat Titus O’Neil with the Big Ending in 4:59

If you thought they’d given up on Big E, they’ve clearly halted any ideas for Titus O’Neil. He’s on this show pretty much every week now and normally loses, despite his huge size. Last week it was Big Show, this week it’s Big E. Big E gets the rub presumably because he’s going to tap out to Rusev on Sunday.

Titus gets the early going and shows off his strength with Big E. Huge scoop slams and back breakers show just how strong he really is. Huge forearms and a big boot send Big E to the mat and Titus gets a near fall before slapping on a rear chin lock. Lots of standing around and waiting/watching from O’Neil slow the pace of this match down – he rarely seems desperate to capitalise on his opponents being on the mat.

The crowd get behind Big E. O’Neil is really stiff with Big E here and charges at him in the corner to a rain of boos until Big E dodges a second attempt and dumps him over the top rope.

O’Neil gets back in the ring after a count of eight and meets Big E who crushes him with a clothesline and a belly-to-belly followed by the Big Splash. He pulls the straps down and hits him with the Big Ending for the win. Almost a squash here.

The Raw rebound was Daniel Bryan and Stephanie build for his ‘big announcement’ on Payback regarding the titles and a Cena v Bray music video.

RybAxel beat Xavier Woods and R-Truth with the Shellshock in 8:50

I had literally forgotten about Xavier Woods’ existence until he came out here with R-Truth. He completely stole Brodus Clay’s music, dancers and gimmick a few months ago and now both men seem right at the back of newly shuffled deck.

Woods and Axel kick things off and Woods hits Axel with a tilt-a-whirl head scissors to get Truth into the ring who then hits Axel with a smooth drop kick. Tag gets Ryback in who gets far too easily beaten up by Truth with punches and forearms; Truth goes for a wheelbarrow roll up but gets a near fall. Woods blind tags in and hits a top rope clothesline on Ryback for a one count of his own.

Byron Saxton amusingly notes that “Woods and Truth could be the sleeper tag team here in the WWE” yes, ‘sleeper’ is the right term: nobody ever sees or hears from them. A double team hip toss on Ryback gets Axel into the ring and all four men brawl. Ryback gets clotheslined over the top rope and Axel gets dumped as we go to a break.

Truth is playing babyface in peril when we return, getting beaten up by RybAxel. Axel hits a stiff drop kick, stomps and kicks Truth into the corner and chokes him out on the middle rope. Ryback tags in and they double team Truth who takes a suplex from Ryback for a near fall. We got a rear chin lock rest hold and the crowd get behind Truth.

Truth powers out and runs into an elbow and continues to get beaten down by RybAxel. Both men hit second rope double axe handles and Truth powers up, eventually getting Woods the hot tag after a heel kick to Axel. Woods runs wild on Ryback using a missile drop kick, an enzuigiri and a top rope clothesline for a near fall. The ring fills and Axel gets dumped by Truth and both men brawl outside. Woods eats a meat hook clothesline from Ryback and is finished with the Shellshock.

A decent tag team match but nothing special. Woods is OK but isn’t standout enough to make an impression on this roster.

The Raw Rebound finished this show - Evolution and Shield build for Payback this Sunday.

WWE Superstars TV Report – 23rd May 2014

Noteworthy: Big Show appears on WWE Superstars for the first time in years. Cody Rhodes loses again but appears to be getting on fine again with his brother. Even a show like Superstars is way better when in front of a hot UK crowd.

Big Show beat Titus O’Neil with the choke slam in 4:15

Big Show comes out to start off the show to a huge babyface reaction. He makes Titus O’Neil look ‘normal’ sized. Show is rumoured to be getting movie work as part of the new WWE deal with Lionsgate that was announced this week. O’Neil has been on this show consistently for the last few months – remember when he faced Darren Young on ppv?

They lock up; a huge roar from Big Show sees him sling O’Neil to the floor. A huge clothesline follows and then the entire O2 Arena hushes and makes ‘shh’ noises as Big Show chops the bejesus out of Titus O’Neil, twice. He goes for a third but O’Neil ducks out of the way and runs the ropes hitting a shoulder barge that floors Show without any trouble.

Stomps and side suplex from O’Neil give him brief offense as does a fairly loose clothesline. Then they collide in a mess of miscommunication in the middle – literally, O’Neil just ran into Big Show. Things get worse when Titus hits him with an awful DDT where Show’s head doesn’t even come close to hitting the mat, for a near fall. In an attempt to get things back on a an even keel, O’Neil slaps on a sleeper, as the crowd come to life with “let’s go big show” chants.

Big Show seems to just get bored with pretending to fall asleep and all of a sudden stands up and flings O’Neil off him. He then no-sells the sleeper, hits a choke slam and pins him for the win. A nothing match but the London crowd were entertained.

The Raw rebound was a Cena and Wyatt Payback music video, Steph’s great promo and Shield and Evolution build.

Jack Swagger (w/ Zeb Colter) beat Cody Rhodes (w/ Goldust) with the Patriot Lock in 8:12.

Swagger comes out to “we the people!” chants. Like so many on the WWE roster, he gets a reaction from the crowd that would suggest that he’s a babyface. It’s a level of disconnect and disengagement that fans in the UK will see as ironic but also as part of their ‘right’ to chant what they like. Pavlovian or not, it always raises a smile when these hot crowds start to get behind the mid-card nobodies.

Cody and Goldust seem to be on the same page again and as he kicks things off with a flying forearm, a big cheer erupts from the crowd. He gets the early going with a face buster and a one count. He locks on an arm bar which is reversed until Rhodes uses a hip toss out of the corner and goes for two quick covers.

It’s interesting watching these two work. Here’s Jack Swagger, just turned 32, who turned up at the WWE with so much promise and potential and was given the world early on. He can’t talk, works too stiff and, after ruining his chances of a second title run, now looks out of shape and, to be frank, bloated. Cody, on the other hand, is lithe and athletic and came with so much promise too. He would seem to be a good bet, at 28, to go on to greater things. However, his size and his boyish good looks will probably limit his chances at ever really making it as a true heel in the 2010s.

This match takes a bit of a nose dive and in the middle gets really tedious. Swagger looks blown up and starts going back to rest holds more often. Cody breaks the boredom with 10 punches on top rope, followed by a running knee. They both go down for a count until they get up and collide. Goldust and Zeb have a confrontation outside while Cody drop kicks Swagger outside through the ropes. He climbs up and hits a top rope flying forearm to the outside as we crash to the break.

Swagger’s in control after the break and the crowd are losing interest. We go to another rest hold until the match is resuscitated by a Disaster Kick from Cody. He then hits a springboard missile drop kick for a near fall. Swagger goes for the Patriot Lock but is countered. Rhodes hits his Moonsault for a near fall and then stomps his foot a la Shawn Michaels, as if ‘tuning up the band’ before his Disaster Kick. Swagger ducks and slaps on the Patriot Lock again and this time Rhodes taps.

As we end the show, there’s no dissension between Goldust and Cody.

Raw Rebound showed Cena v Luke Harper from Monday.

WWE Superstars TV Report – 16th May 2014

Noteworthy: After seeing the tag champs and the Divas champ on this show last week, Superstars becomes just another show again. Sin Cara is now in cahoots with Los Matadores and El Torito.

Kofi Kingston beat Titus O’Neil with the Trouble in Paradise in 4:47

It seems to be that these two are ever destined for lower mid card mediocrity. This is the third meeting in nearly as many weeks between these two on Superstars. The matches are OK but there’s no real heat here. You could probably predict the layout for this kind of match.

Titus gets the early going, and floors Kofi with a big boot to the mat and then picks him up onto his shoulder and falls to the mat by way of a back breaker. When Kofi gets up he’s treated to a club/clothesline to the back of the head. O’Neil gets a couple of near falls and the crowd start up the Kofi chants.

I’ve said before that I’m still not sure that O’Neil is completely sure of how to pace out a match yet and here is another example. He wanders around too often trying to get heat, garnering little. Kofi gets to his feet and dodges O’Neil’s charge and this allows him to match his comeback.

Kofi hits a sweet drop kick, transitions into a school boy but only gets a near fall. Then off the ropes he hits a cross body for another near fall. A springboard clothesline is followed by the Boom Drop. As usual, the first attempt at Trouble in Paradise doesn’t work. Here he’s caught by Titus who smashes him down onto his thigh for a backbreaker. Kofi kicks out, crawls to the corner, blocks O’Neil’s charge with his knees and then hits Trouble in Paradise for the win. As you’d expect from these two.

The Raw rebound was primarily about Bryan’s announcement of neck surgery and to a lesser extent about Cena and Bray continuing their feud.

Bo Dallas is coming to Raw on Monday.

Legend’s House advert.

Sin Cara (w/ Los Matadores & El Torito) beat Drew McIntyre (w/ Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal & Hornswoggle) in  7:58 with the senton.

This match was supposed to be another way of furthering the feud between El Torito and Hornswoggle. Early Sin Cara pace and lucha style are a little incongruous for Drew but he’s a good foil for Sin Cara here.

McIntyre goes for German but it is countered by Sin Cara who turns it into a crossbody and covers him to get an early near fall. Drew, angry, gets up and hits him with a back breaker for a near fall of his own. Then he rains down on Sin Cara with punches and forearms to the head. Sin Cara the blocks a charge to corner and from the second rope plants Drew in a swinging DDT.

Sin Cara then goes through a lovely set – a cross body, a tilt-a-whirl headscissors, and a back elbow – for a two count. As he gets up, he is distracted and Drew as able to gain some time and smashes him with a drop kick and both men go down.

The focus now shifts to the ‘comedy’ outside between Torito and Hornswoggle. They chase each other and go under the ring. As El Torito is going under, Heath Slater grabs his leg but is pulled under. They all do the same and one-by-one get sucked under. Maybe it’s Magneto? Then one-by-one they’re all spat out the other side. El Torito and Hornswoggle are nowhere to be seen.  Finally a triumphant Hornswoggle appears only to realise that he hasn’t got his pants on. Hornswoggle runs off in his boxers; El Torito holds the trousers aloft. There’s a slapstick fall up the ramp for good measure. This all took way too long.

Just as luck would have it, as the skit ends, the action in ring is ready to continue! Sin Cara gets up and kicks Drew to the head, hits the senton for the win. Why 3MB didn’t interfere is beyond me. A nothing match; pure house show comedy for the fans waiting for Raw to start.

They aired adverts for the WrestleMania XXX DVD/Blu-Ray and Total Divas on E!

Raw Rebound showed more of The Shield & Evolution feud from Monday.

WWE Superstars TV Report – 9th May 2014

Noteworthy: The tag team champions and the Divas champion were both in action; they’ve revamped the opening titles to include more of the new additions to the active roster like Rusev and Adam Rose; The Usos look fairly meagre against 3.5MB; Paige is tremendous.

The Usos beat 3.5MB (Jinder Mahal & Drew McIntyre w/ Hornswoggle & Heath Slater) in 8:47 when Jimmy Uso hit the Samoan Splash on McIntyre.

Well, they took their sweet time on this one and really made The Usos look like pretty feeble champions given how long they took to see off these jokers.

Drew and Jimmy kick things off after Drew got hold of the Usos merch t-shirts and blew his nose on it. What a dastardly heel. Drew and Jinder are both looking pretty cut these days, hell even Hornswoggle is trying his best to look in better shape - although Jinder is wearing taping and bandage on his left shoulder and we’re not told why.

Quick tags see The Usos double team Jinder as they hit stereo elbow drops, kip up and threaten to suicide dive over the ropes on to the remainder of 3.5MB but stop at the ropes. Hornswoggle is left realising that this buddies essentially ran off to let him deal with the dive, had it happened. We crash to the break.

McIntyre is in control of Jimmy out of the commercials. Drew and Jinder use a series of quick tags to work over Jimmy and it becomes a stomp, kick and chin lock-athon. Heath was a great cheerleader before, now they have two. I really don’t know why but I guess it gives Hornswoggle something to do other than sitting backstage picking up his pay cheque.

They tease the hot tag plenty of times and just isolate Jimmy in the corner with plenty of near falls. Out of nowhere Jimmy finally gets some breathing room with a stiff sounding heel kick. He crawls across and gives Jey the hot tag. Jey runs wild, Mahal comes in to break up a pin but gets thrown out. Hornswoggle pisses off Jimmy enough who goes to superkick him but Hornswoggle runs head-first into Slater's crotch. All comedy/farce/chaos. In the ring, McIntyre eats a superkick and Jimmy finishes him with the Samoan Splash for the win.

The Raw rebound becomes a Raw and Main Event rebound this week. We’re shown Bray Wyatt’s promo from Raw and Cena’s response on Main Event. Then we get Sheamus’ triumph in the Battle Royale for the US Championship.

They show a Paige promo video about her rise to the top.

Legend’s House video – what a dull show that’s turned out to be!

Paige beat Alicia Fox with the Scorpion Crosslock in a non title match in 3:43.

Paige is really getting over it would seem. The Mid-Atlantic accent is annoying to this Englishman but she’s a good promo already and she’s 21. It’s nuts.

Paige gets the early heat on Fox. She stomps on her at the ropes and gets a series of near falls. This is how you put over a champion; The Usos were made to look like plucky flukes earlier. Fox tries to fight into the ring from the apron, but takes knee lifts to the face for her efforts. Paige is tough and kind of has a heelish offense in her move set at times. Fox takes such an onslaught that she tries to bail up the ramp. It's all a devious trap of course and Paige gets whipped into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Fox then rolls Paige back into the ring and gives her sample of her own brand of heel offense.

Fox uses a modified surfboard on Paige and then puts her in a chin lock. Chants and rhythmic clapping from the crowd get her back up, briefly, but Fox plants her to the mat with a scoop slam. She goes for another but Paige uses a schoolgirl for a near fall. Drop kick and a trio of clotheslines sees Fox go to the ropes; Paige pulls her off and puts her in the Scorpion Crosslock for the win.

The aired an advert for WrestleMania XXX on DVD/Blu-Ray

Raw Rebound showed the end of The Shield v The Wyatts from Monday with Evolution’s post match beat down.