The Triple Threat 4.17.11: The 232nd Edition – Lockdown, Sin Cara, R-Truth, More

Topic # 1 TNA‘s Lockdown PPV is this weekend. What is your thoughts on the card?

David Martell: This card actually looks decent on paper. I feel like TNA actually put some effort into this show and overall it should be good. The Escape match has a great much of talent minus Robbie E. Yeah, it will be a spot fest but sometimes that’s not a bad thing. As long as Robbie E doesn’t win, I will be fine. Hopefully The British Invasion wins the fatal four way steal cage tag match. I like how TNA at least has tag teams. I have a feeling that Crimson and Steiner will win though. Is anyone else tired of seeing Hernandez and Morgan feuding? I feel like this has been going on forever and I just don’t care. It doesn’t matter who wins, just move on with different feuds please. Fortune vs. Immortal in lethal lockdown should be good. I think Immortal will get the win here because lets face it, they really are the weaker stable. They need something to help them out. Samoa Joe vs. The Pope is also another feud that I wish would end. I hope Joe can pull off the win here. Women should never had a match where they lose their hair, its just wrong. I cant see Mickie being bold her so I expect her to get the win. Kurt Angle vs. Jarret in a two out of three falls cage match should be awesome. I cant see Angle losing here. They should be putting on one hell of a show. I think Jarrett will get the first win and Angle the last two. Sting vs. RVD vs. Anderson for the TNA World title is something that should have happened last PPV when Jeff Hardy couldn’t go. I see nothing wrong with this match, it should be great if given time. RVD has been having a push here so I can see him taking the strap but really anyone can come out the victor. Overall, this is one of TNA’s best efforts in a long time. Should be a decent PPV.

Jacob San Antonio: TNA’s looking to upstage the WWE with its Lockdown card, and I’d say they have a good chance of pulling it off. Should the Xscape match start the show, it’s got a good chance of setting an awesome pace for the PPV. I’m expecting to see Jay Lethal and Suicide as the final two, with Lethal coming away with the win. The four way tornado tag match should be a competitive one, and while I’d normally say there’s a good chance for anyone to win it, I just can’t help but root for Scott Steiner and Crimson. The feud between Matt Morgan and Hernandez finally heads to the steel cage. This might just be the last showdown between the two, and Hernandez has gotten the upper hand against Morgan more often than not. Morgan should walk away with the victory, and hopefully it’ll be a convincing one. The Mexican American stable seems to be coming together, so perhaps Hernandez will move on past Matt Morgan. Immortal takes on Fortune in the Lethal Lockdown match, with Immortal holding the numerical advantage. Since this feud is far from over, I think Immortal will take out Fortune. The angle will continue, and Fortune will get its revenge later. Hopefully the match holds up, though. With so many steel cage matches it’s tough to say if this showdown will be worth it. Samoa Joe takes on D’Angelo Dinero, and this could be one of the better matches of the night. I’m a fan of Joe’s style, and I think it works well within the steel cage, so I expect to see a pretty violent match. Dinero will probably eek out a last minute victory. Mickie James is going to finally get the Knockout Championship, and she’ll probably take Madison Rayne’s hair with it. I’ve never been a fan of hair matches, so I’m not excited about this one. Jeff Jarrett takes on Kurt Angle yet again in what should be the last showdown in their feud. This “Ultra Male Rules” steel cage match should make things awesome. Kurt Angle will prevail, though he’ll lose the first pinfall to double J. Finally, I think Sting will retain the title in a very close match against RVD and Anderson. Anderson’s got a pretty good chance of getting the title back, too, but I think it might be too soon to take the title from Sting. Overall, the card’s stacked pretty well. If each match is even half as good as it should be, I’d say it could quickly eclipse WM28.

Zach Brown: Well I think it goes without saying that TNA needs to play catch up on this PPV. They need to win back fans and let everyone know why they are the alternative if you don’t want to watch WWE, and not just because they are the only other game in town. And for the most part, this PPV looks somewhat decent on paper, storylines aside. First of all, the X-Division Xscape match should be a fun gimmicky spot fest to start off the show. Difficult to predict who will win the match, but I’m just going with someone random and saying Amazing Red. The Tag Tornado match looks like another spot-fest, and like the previous match, it’s a good way to get everyone one the show. I doubt it will tell much of a story, but will be entertaining nonetheless. I’m expecting Steiner and Crimson to pick up the win. And while it may sound mean to say and I like both guys, I really expect Matt Morgan vs. Hernandez to stink up the show. They are both good wrestlers, but for some reason, their styles do not work well against one another, and TNA has for some reason never seen this. I expect Hernandez to win in order to put over the new Mexican America stable. Immortal vs. Fortune in the Lethal Lockdown match should be great and will probably steal the show. I have no desire to see Ric Flair wrestle though. I expect Fortune to win in order to put over the recently returned Christopher Daniels. Samoa Joe vs. D’AngeloDinero…has anyone cared about this match? I’ve always felt like these two men are guys that are great in the main event, but TNA has no good plans for them right now, so they’re just having a pointless feud between themselves. But hey, the match will be decent like the majority of their other encounters. I’ll be pulling for Pope to win, only because I’d like to see him move up the ladder sooner than Samoa Joe. For Madison Rayne vs. Mickie James, I expect Mickie James to finally win the title because I don’t expect TNA to shave her head whatsoever. Jarrett vs. Angle should be another match that really steals the show. I expect Kurt Angle to win and for this match to be the blow off for the entire storyline. And finally, Sting vs. RVD vs. Mr. Anderson…like I said, they have a lot of live up to. I hope they tear the house down, I just don’t look at this match and immediately think it’s going to be 4 stars. I expect Sting to retain since he just won the title and has not gotten to defend it legitimately on PPV. As for the card as a whole, I think Lockdown will be decent. As long as TNA doesn’t do any Immortal run-ins and/or screwy finishes and concentrates on putting on the best show that they can, it should deliver. There really are very few missteps in the card, and it should be a decent show.

Topic # 2 What are your thoughts and how do you feel about Edge‘s sudden retirement?

David Martell: This was a shocker. I have heard rumors in the past that Edge has been wanting to retire but I didn’t realize how bad his condition really was. The fact that he feels numbness in his arms is just scary. I will be honest, I have never been the biggest Edge fan but I can’t deny the many memories he has given me over the years. It really is crazy to see someone like Edge retire. I watched this guys whole career in the WWE and now he’s gone. He is definitely worthy of a hall of fame induction. He had a great career, won more titles than anyone, and was a part of one of the greatest tag teams of all time. Simply put; thank you Edge.

Jacob San Antonio: Such a sudden turn of events, and I’m still not sure if I’m over the shock. I remember seeing Edge for the first time way back in the days of Gangrel and the Brood, and while an interesting angle I never thought he’d go anywhere special in the WWE. As Christian and Edge started amazing the world with their unforgettable matches against the Hardyz and the Dudleys, my opinion improved. I still didn’t think he’d go on to be a multiple time world champion, but Edge still impressed. Here we are now, and there’s just no way to explain how I feel about this. Edge has silenced most of his critics over the years, and at his age I still thought he’d have plenty of time to wow the world every year. It’s a real shame that this is how his wrestling career meets his end. I don’t think he’s done with the WWE by a long shot, but it has to hurt knowing that he just can’t perform in the ring anymore.

Zach Brown: This was a huge shock. When Edge gave his retirement speech on Raw, I was half expecting him to stop his speech halfway through, and start cutting a heel promo on the crowd and calling them stupid for believing him. Or I expected someone to come out right after he said he was retiring, and starting a storyline with him. I just could not believe that Edge was retiring so abruptly. I feel like retirements typically have a certain pattern in the wrestling world. Wrestlers typically like to let the crowd know when their last match is. They have storylines leading up to their last match, make it seem like they are going to lose their career if they lose the match, and then go out on their back. But in Edge’s case, we saw his last match in WWE at Wrestlemania 27, and none of us even knew it. I guess in a sense, it has its perks to do it that way. You get to go out when you are at the peak of your career. You get to have your last match when none of the fans know that it will be your last one. But it really sucks that Edge has to retire due to medical reasons. It must be scary to be wrestling and to be losing feeling in your arms. I don’t blame Edge at all for retiring at the age he is. He’ll probably get to live a much longer life than most wrestlers, and he doesn’t end up in a wheelchair. I’ve had a lot of fun watching Edge’s career, and he’s had one of the most excellent careers in WWE history. Future Hall of Famer, no doubt. And screw Hulk Hogan for the comments he made. What a douche.

Topic # 3 R-Truth is now a part of the WWE Title match at Extreme Rules. How do you feel about this?

David Martell: Honestly, I would have picked anyone over R-Truth to be in this match. John Morrison has a past with the Miz. Dolph Ziggler is a former world champion. Randy Orton is one of the most over guys in the business. Why did they pick R Truth? I feel like I haven’t even seen the guy in weeks. Just a weird move I think. With that said, he could still bring something to the match. At least we are not just getting another match between Cena and The Miz. R Truth now gives them someone to pin.

Jacob San Antonio: A great opportunity for R-Truth, at Morrison’s expense. R-Truth didn’t really get his moment at Wrestlemania this year, and couple that with Morrison’s backstage shenanigans and Truth is getting a chance to shine during the main event. R-Truth isn’t that young, and he’s running out of time to really make a lasting impact on the WWE. Regardless of how this chance came about, Truth needs to take advantage. I haven’t the slightest idea how well his style will work with both Miz’s and John Cena’s, but it’s going to be up to him to make it work. This is probably the best chance he’s had to really turn heads in the WWE. I for one hope he really wows the crowds.

Zach Brown: Well…all I can say is…it’s time to get buck. Seriously though, R-Truth? For real? Pretty Ricky? I just have never been a fan of R-Truth ever since he joined WWE. To me, he just seems like a one move wonder…he hits the Lie Detector, and that’s about all he has. And the Lie Detector is a complete joke of a move anyway. But hey, this is R-Truth’s first championship match. Maybe he will prove me wrong and show everyone why he belongs in the main event. Maybe he will pull out all the stops. Highly doubtful though, because I’ve been watching Truth for most of his wrestling career, and I have never been all that impressed. It’s sad to say, but truth is, R-Truth is probably only in this match to take the pinfall. And that’s what’s up.

Topic # 4 What are your thoughts on Sin Cara‘s in ring debut?

David Martell: I thought he had a great match with Primo. Yeah, he both the finish but they redid the move and it was fantastic. Sin Cara really brings something new to the table and the moves he was pulling off looked near impossible. He is exciting and his fan base is only going to get bigger the more matches he has. When he did a back flip of Primo’s chest, I was marking out. He really makes Rey Mysterio look like shit. It is good to see some lucha in the WWE because it has been gone for a long time. I do wonder if he will ever get someone to talk for him. Just pointing at people isn’t always going to work for him but the problem is, who would be able to be his mouth piece? As of right now, I look forward to seeing more of his matches and I can’t wait till he has his first real feud.

Jacob San Antonio: Man, I’d hate to be in Sin Cara’s shoes. There’s so much hype surrounding him, the WWE is putting on some intense pressure, and the first thing he does is botch a trampoline jump because he’s not used to it. I don’t blame Sin Cara for his getting off to a rocky start; presenting him as anything other than a fantastic luchador is a mistake on the WWE’s part. Take away the trampolines, take away the awkward setups. Let Sin Cara do what he does best, and just let him wrestle. People have mentioned tons of time how worried the WWE is about Sin Cara and his ability to wrestle with the WWE’s style. On the contrary, I think Sin Cara’s opponents need to rethink how they work with him. The WWE’s insisting on showcasing Sin Cara ASAP; they need to meet his style halfway. I think Sin Cara will do just fine in the WWE if given the proper chance. The question, though, is how long the WWE is willing to give him the proper chance.

Zach Brown: Apparently, Sin Cara’s match on Raw wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I was more than impressed. Primo was a good opponent for Sin Cara; a high flyer who has impressive moves of himself, but hasn’t been setting the world on fire as of late. Primo did a good job of holding his own while letting Sin Cara show off the moves that make him so popular. I especially went nuts when Sin Cara jumped on top of Primo’s chest as Primo stayed standing in the middle of the ring while Sin Cara then back-flipped off of him. That was incredibly impressive. Sin Cara has incredible athleticism, and he makes it looks so freaking easy. I am dying to see what kind of chemistry he has with the rest of the WWE roster. Can you imagine how epic a feud with Rey Mysterio would be? With Alberto Del Rio? Someone else who is not Mexican? I imagine that Sin Cara will be stealing the show on Raw week after week. The only question I have is, will he start talking at some point or will he get a mouthpiece? Personally, I hope he starts learning English and cutting promos in due time. But for now, I am totally on the Sin Cara bandwagon.

Topic # 5 Brie Bella won the Diva‘s Title this past week on RAW. Your thoughts?

David Martell: Eh, what can I say, at least they are doing something with the Bellas. It is not like Eve was having a great run with the title anyways. I don’t even know why the title is on RAW anyways since the better divas are on Smackdown. Maybe they are just holding the belt until Awesome Kong comes in to demolish them. Right now it is a pointless title and the holder of it doesn’t matter. Not until the WWE starts caring about the women’s division, I will start caring. Kong will be a great addition now lets just hope they give us the women’s dream match of Kong and Beth Phoenix. Otherwise, good job to Brie.

Jacob San Antonio: I’d be irritated about this a lot more if the prior champion was a good one. As it is, the title is just changing from one bad champion to another. Seriously, I just can’t seem to care about this. I hate that feeling, but that’s just how it is. If the WWE really cared about how well their Divas Title was represented, they’d train their Divas better or hire women that can actually wrestle. Yeah, that’s pretty much all I have to say about this. Oooh! Here’s a fun game to play! How long do we have to wait until Brie and her sister feud over the belt! I’m thinking we’ll get a three week wait. I’m being extremely generous.

Zach Brown: Ah the Bellas…it seemed like they would forever be labeled as the hot twins that never did anything interesting in the ring. And now Brie is the Divas Champion. What an outcome. I mean I’m all for it, The Bellas are very attractive and that makes them two of the more popular divas. And at least one of them is decent in the ring. The whole twin switching out for the pinfall thing gets old, but whatever. I’m actually more surprised that they did this now and not back when Laycool split the women’s championship in half. That would have been the perfect scenario for the Bellas to share the championship. But I’ve really been waiting for them to give the ball to Gail Kim. When is it going to happen? I’d love for her to have held all the major women’s wrestling titles, which thankfully she has already held the Women’s Championship since that thing is not able to be held anymore. But as for the Bellas, I hope they make the Divas division interesting again. Eve is decent enough, but good God, no one cared when she was champion. I often forget she even had that belt until she walked out with it every time. Hopefully the Bellas stay somewhat memorable.

Our thoughts on Alex Riley.

David Martell: I think Alex Riley has a lot of potential. He is great on the mic and solid in the ring for the most part. He is in a solid position right now being the apprentice to the Miz. Yeah, he has made mistakes but the guy has it. He need to work on his in ring skill for the most time and a legit win over anyone would make it look like more of a threat. Come to think of it, has he won any matches on RAW? I do know that he never needs to hold that briefcase again. It was pointless after Miz cashed in but for some reason he continued to bring a briefcase out. Just didn’t make sense to me. Out of season two of NXT, he definitely has had the most success. Mainly I would like to see him grow in the ring.

Jacob San Antonio: Oh A-Ri, when will you actually do something? I realize you’re still really green, and I realize you’re getting tons of experience by tagging along with Miz into his big matches. Yet why are you stuck being a henchman while Percy Watson gets to work dark matches on the road? I like Alex Riley. He’s got the charisma needed to perform well, and he’s not bad in the ring. Unfortunately, he’s kinda stuck between a rock and hard place in the WWE. He’s getting work and exposure by working with the Miz, but the only exposure he gets isn’t really used to showcase his talents. He’s the disposable henchman, plain and simple. He deserves better, but taking him away from the Miz means risking any protection he has from losing his job. Alex Riley’s got a future in the WWE, I have no doubt. I’m just not sure when his future will really take off.

Zach Brown: Oh A-Ri…how interesting it is that you are the one man from NXT Season 2 that has a worthwhile place in the company. Senshi got burnt out on WWE, Husky and McGillicuttyhave walked the line between FCW and staying in Nexus, and who cares about the rest? It’s actually quite shocking to me that Alex Riley still has a job after getting a DUI shortly after hitting Raw. If I were his boss, he would have been fired the next day, no questions asked. I guess it just goes to show you that if you are decent on the mic and have a good amount of charisma, you can get farther in WWE than others with conceivably more in-ring talent than yourself. Alex Riley is a good talker, for sure. And he really is learning from the best by being partnered with The Miz. And in the meantime, Alex Riley has gotten to tango with some of the biggest WWE stars. He’s often gone head to head with John Cena, once in a steel cage. If that’s not a good place in the company, I don’t know what is. But when is he going to start showing a little more in-ring prowess? That charisma can only get him so far if he doesn’t have anything impressive to do in the ring. I’d like to see Riley get a little more experience with wrestling and act like he’s more than just The Miz’s lap dog. Hopefully Riley either starts a feud with Miz or breaks away from him sometime soon. Maybe he’ll finally open up that briefcase of his to reveal the DNA results that he and The Miz are actually brothers from another mother. That would be classic.

That is all for this week. Fell free to comment at the bottom of the page and have a great week in wrestling. CYA!