The Put up’s Joseph Staszewski brings you all over the world of professional wrestling each Tuesday in his weekly column, the Put up Match Angle.
We're lastly going to see one of the best model of Ronda Rousey in WWE, and it’s lengthy overdue.
Followers have lengthy complained about Rousey’s babyface promos. They will really feel uncomfortable, unemotional, over-scripted and like she is simply going by means of the motions. There have been requires her to get a supervisor or mouthpiece as a result of the segments had been so uninspiring and did not hold the viewers invested in her as a babyface after she acquired by means of an even bigger heel in Charlotte Aptitude.
Humorous how nobody has been saying that the previous few weeks as Rousey’s heel flip is progressing.
What we noticed final Friday on SmackDown was Rousey as she must be, as she desires to be and as she is most snug. Isn’t that all the time the important thing to getting one of the best out of any performer? The “Baddest Lady on the Planet” desires to behave like simply that and be extra heelish. She mentioned so on Daniel Cormier’s “The DC Examine-In” podcast final month when she talked about Vince McMahon nixing plans for her to return as a heel after she was cheered when she gained the Royal Rumble.
“I like being a bitch!” Rousey mentioned. “It’s my outlet for bitchery!”
She definitely acquired to let it out on Friday.
Rousey, who's “suspended” after her assault on a referee following a controversial loss to SmackDown girls’s champion Liv Morgan at SummerSlam, entered by means of the gang as a result of she technically isn’t purported to be there. She dumped double the amount of cash she was “fined” in storyline on the desk set for Morgan and buddy Shayna Baszler’s contract signing. It was a boss transfer, a present of energy to say, “I’m higher than and richer than all of you right here.” She ought to really feel that method in any case she has achieved in her judo and MMA profession. There was a confidence and perception in her promo that has been lacking previously as she is going to seemingly get much more freedom with Triple H now operating artistic.
“Let’s be trustworthy, it’s not gonna be the final time,” Rousey mentioned. “What can I say, being the baddest will get costly, however I can afford it.”
Rousey, who was cheered in the course of the early portion of the section, ought to carry that angle together with her from right here on out. It felt much like what we noticed — however much less visually dramatic — late in her MMA profession as she grew to become extra of a polarizing determine as her profitable streak and fame grew. It was compelling and bought plenty of pay-per-views. WWE can solely hope it can have the same impact right here.
She even doubled down on Instagram by writing, “Use that money properly @WWE — Possibly it will probably assist with these ‘finances cuts.’ Carry again extra asses for me to kick.”
Probably the most intriguing portion of the entire thing on SmackDown occurred after Rousey left the ring and refused, after teasing it, to place a WWE safety member into an armbar. She was confronted by Baszler, who chided her for her actions and informed her you don’t do this right here, and in case you comply with the principles, you finally get what you need. Rousey then proceeded to inform Baszler, “you was once a killer,” earlier than her buddy went on to proceed her assaults on Morgan’s arm.
Rousey’s easy line units up the entire story across the three heading into Baszler’s match with Morgan at Conflict on the Fortress in Cardiff on Sept. 3. Is that this model of Baszler sufficient to win the title, or will she want to hitch Rousey and develop into the “killer” she was once in NXT to make it occur? Or will she proceed to resent Rousey’s try to vary her and finally feud together with her finest buddy earlier than lastly changing into the “killer” to both beat her or be part of alongside her? I’d lean extra towards the previous, particularly with Rousey and Baszler teaming towards Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez over the weekend at two WWE reside occasions.
WWE remains to be finally making an attempt to get to Rousey vs. Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles. If all continues to go to plan, we'll see Lynch’s finest self as “The Man” and Rousey because the cocky badass she’s all the time needed to and wanted to be in WWE.
Proof is within the promos
In the event you needed any extra proof we're in a unique period of WWE, all you needed to do was take heed to the promo from Kevin Owens and Drew McIntyre on “Monday Night time Uncooked.” It felt unscripted, reality-based and passionate whereas every achieved what they wanted to earlier than hyping their unannounced match.
Owens referenced it being 5 years since he held a title in WWE, that he missed the outdated prize fighter Kevin Owens earlier than quoting Owen Hart’s “Sufficient is sufficient, and it’s time for a change.” He then made his intensions clear that he’s gunning for whoever leaves Conflict on the Fortress the undisputed champion — both McIntyre or Roman Reigns.
Then McIntyre, who earlier admitted he’s working by means of an actual again damage, mentioned he felt disrespect by Owens and unleashed what felt like actual frustration. He was rolling off his profession accomplishments since returning to WWE, earlier than making it very clear we aren’t in Vince McMahon’s WWE anymore.
“I don’t care in case you’re a prize fighter, a sports activities entertainer or celebrity,” McIntyre mentioned. “We’re wrestlers in a wrestling ring. Let’s simply freaking wrestle.”
It was the “I-can’t-believe-he-just-said-that” from probably the greatest promos on Uncooked in a very long time. I can see the “Let’s simply freaking wrestle” T-shirts now.
Punk Rocked
AEW president Tony Khan rolled the cube a bit by not having CM Punk relinquish his AEW world championship simply days after profitable it due to his foot damage. It definitely paid off final week. Punk’s return on Wednesday throughout “AEW Dynamite” felt huge. It has an opportunity to be an enormous shot within the arm to the corporate, and can give All Out in Chicago on Sept. 4 an unlimited primary occasion with a probable title unification match. Interim champion Jon Moxley has been on Punk’s checklist of individuals to face in AEW since he arrived, as this model of the person previously often called Dean Ambrose appears to intrigue him.
They've solely wrestled three singles matches collectively of their careers – one going all the way in which again to FCW in 2011. All that’s left now could be to see the story these two inform to get us to the match and in the event that they dip into their WWE pasts. It’s an opportunity for Punk to perhaps get a little bit extra uncooked and gritty than we’ve see since he’s joined AEW. Him coming again in a little bit greater than two months after being injured made Khan’s choice the proper one.
The ten Rely
Couldn’t be happier for Sonny Kiss, who turned heel and joined Ariya Daivari’s Belief Busters faction on the shut of “AEW Rampage” by way of a swift kick to Orange Cassidy’s nether areas. The New Jersey native has definitely paid sufficient dues on AEW’s “Darkish” applications to lastly earn some much-deserved tv time. Having this storyline originate from these exhibits and now spill into the trios championship event can also be a great way to assist promote viewership of Darkish.
Whereas I applaud NXT for making an attempt one thing with the “rounds” match with Trick Williams and Wes Lee, let’s not attempt to combine wrestling and boxing once more. The entire thing acquired a little bit complicated.
Triple H is quietly rebuilding WWE’s tag crew division with the return of Hit Row — which doesn’t fairly really feel the identical with out Swerve Strickland as its entrance man. There may be additionally the teaming of Miz and Ciampa, and Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali.
Miro’s promos on God have all the time been entertaining, however him telling Julia Hart “there is just one girl who can contact the Redeemer and you aren't her” actually cracked me up. There have been so many veiled references to his spouse, C.J. Perry, that she has to indicate up in some unspecified time in the future, doesn’t she?
Josh Alexander is quietly having a heck of a run as Affect world champion – together with a banger of a match towards Alex Shelley at Emergence final week. He’s defeated Jacob Fatu, Eric Younger, Tomohiro Ishii and Moose to call a couple of. A six-way match on Thursday will determine his opponent at Certain For Glory with Sami Callihan and Eddie Edwards being probably the most intriguing.
The sluggish lack of belief inside Diamond Mine is likely one of the finest tales of the NXT 2.0 period.
Nick Gage crashing a wrestling wedding ceremony … what might go mistaken? Effectively, Matt Cardona and Chelsea Inexperienced came upon at their vows renewal at Night time 2 of Recreation Changer Wrestling’s Homecoming in at Atlantic Metropolis on Sunday. It concerned mild tubes, cake to the face and a signature pizza cutter to the brow of Cardona, who was dressed like “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Fairly the spectacle certainly. (Hyperlink incorporates mature content material)
Mickie James tweeted final week that she feels “executed in wrestling.” Whereas I do know followers would love to present her a correct sendoff after the incredible profession she’s had and the way a lot she’s advocated for ladies’s wrestling, if that is it, we salute her for the whole lot she’s given to the enterprise.
Final week a automobile accident, this week a trash fireplace within the again and Dexter Lumis’ intentions in WWE are nonetheless not recognized. Triple H is beginning to flip WWE exhibits right into a recreation of Clue now.
Bonus: A get nicely quickly to Kris Statlander, who once more has had what regarded like promising momentum ended by a knee damage.
Wrestler of the Week
Jon Moxley, AEW, GCW
It’s been a heck of a 2022 for Moxley, and he added to it in a giant method final week. He efficiently defended each of his phrase titles, defeating Chris Jericho on Dynamite to retain the interim AEW championship, after which three days later taking down Effy in a spectacle of a match at Night time 1 of GCW Homecoming to retain that firm’s belt. Add to that he's now on his option to high-profile matches with CM Punk and Nick Gage — whose profession will likely be on the road — and it’s laborious to search out somebody who’s had a greater week.
Match to Watch
The Younger Bucks and Thriller Companion vs. Andrade El Idolo, RUSH and Dragon Lee, AEW Trios championship quarterfinal (Dynamite, Wednesday, 8 p.m., TBS)
If Matt and Nick Jackson’s thriller companion is Kenny Omega as anticipated, it is not going to solely be incredible match, however mark his return in damage after shedding the AEW title to “Hangman” Adam Web page final November at Full Gear. Omega’s return additionally kicks The Elite-Darkish Order-Hangman story into hyperdrive for All Out on Sept. 4.
Honorable point out: Bron Breakker vs. JD McDonagh, NXT championship (Tuesday, NXT Heatwave), Edge vs. Damian Priest (Monday, WWE Uncooked).
Across the Ring
- MLW’s Fightland 22 will likely be on the 2300 Area in Philadelphia on Oct. 30.
- Parker Boudreaux, previously Harland in WWE, formally signed with All Elite Wrestling final week.
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