The Triple Threat 11.13.11: The 257th Edition – Turning Point, Christian, Daniel Bryan, More

Topic # 1 TNA‘s Turning Point PPV is this Sunday. What are your thoughts on the card?

David Martell: This does not look like a good PPV. With the recent bad booking it really doesn’t surprise me though. First off we have Mexican America and Sarita vs. Ink Inc. and Toxxin. I don’t really know too much about this Toxxin girl but I have a feeling she might end up giving the edge to Ink Inc. The tag division has really fallen off in TNA but I hope Ink Inc. can get the win and maybe shake things up a bit. We have Velvet Sky vs. Gail Kim for the TNA Knockouts championship. It would be sad to see Sky lose the title after she finally won it but with TNA booking and a recently returned Gail Kim, I can see Kim already winning the title from her. We got RVD vs. Christopher Daniels in a no DQ match. This could be match of the night if done right. I think RVD will pull it off here. Crimson vs. Matt Morgan should be decent. I have never been a fan of either one of these guys and find both of them a bit overrated. I think Crimson will keep his undefeated streak intact. Mr. Anderson and Abyss vs. Bully Ray and Scott Steiner will probably be the worst match on the card. None of these guys are particularly great wrestlers to be honest. Bully Ray has shown that he can be good when he has to be but I doubt he can cover for everyone. I think Anderson and Abyss will get the win here. Eric Young vs. Robbie E for the TV title will also probably be awful. When will they stop pushing Robbie E? This guy is a half ass Zack Ryder and is an awful wrestler. I hope Eric Young keeps his title although it is the most useless title in wrestling right now. Austin Aries vs. Jesse Sorensen vs. Kid Kash for the X Division title should be decent enough. I cant see Aries losing the title just yet since he honestly doesn’t have great competition right now. Jeff Hardy vs. Jeff Jarrett in a Challenge Match should be good. I like the booking of Jeff so far and as long as he’s clean I don’t mind him moving back up the ranks in TNA. Jeff Hardy should get the win here and this will probably be one of the better matches of the night. Last we have Bobby Roode vs. AJ Styles for the TNA World Title. I don’t really understand how Styles got thrown into this thing but he could give us a good match. The booking around this world title has been some of the worst in recent memory. Roode losing to Angle. Storm beating Angle in a three minute match. Roode turning heel and beating Storm. Just awful booking. If they built this up right, we could be having a face Roode vs. a face Storm for the TNA World Title that would eventually lead to a heel turn by Roode. It would have made for a better storyline and something more long term. Instead Styles gets thrown into the mix. I think Roode will keep the title here and eventually get his match with Storm. Overall, this PPV isn’t one I would recommend for anyone.

Jacob San Antonio: Let’s just start with Jeff Hardy vs Jeff Jarrett. Hardy needs to win this one, and it needs to be one of the best
matches of the night. This match should be Hardy’s in ring apology to the fans. I’ve said some stuff about Jeff these past few months, but if he’s willing to try and turn things around for himself then I’m willing to give him a shot. Should Jarrett win, then we’ll just to wait until the next PPV before Hardy’s redemption. That said, the right move is to let Hardy come roaring out of the gates. It’s what the fans want to see, and it’s what the fans deserve to see. Velvet Sky takes on Gail Kim, defending her TNA Knockouts Title, and I don’t think Gail Kim will win this one. I definitely see the title in her future, but it might be moving too much too fast to have her win the title right now. Mexican America defend their TNA tag belt from Ink Inc, and I’m having a hard time choosing a winner on this one. I’m thinking Mexican America will retain this week, but the match will be a close one. Ink Inc. will have yet another chance later, but for now they won’t quite finish the job. Crimson takes on Matt Morgan in a singles match, and I think the result doesn’t really matter in this one. This match should further an angle, but I’m going to go ahead and say Matt Morgan wins by DQ. RVD and Christopher Daniels throw down in a No DQ match, one which we should see RVD prevail in. A match with no rules will generally favor the guy from ECW, so barring a run in from someone RVD should take this match in brutal fashion. Austin Aries tries to keep his X-Division belt in a triple threat against Kid Kash and Jesse Sorensen, a match in which he should retain. Aries has a good thing going for him, and until a definitive rival appears for him I’m just not sold on him losing his belt quite yet. No offense to Kid Kash or Sorensen, I just don’t think it’s
their day. Anderson and Abyss take on Scott Steiner and Bully Ray, and I’m just going to go ahead and admit that I’m rooting for Steiner. I’m always going to root for Steiner, regardless of how little sense it ends up making. Pardon my markdom. Eric Young will most likely lose his TV Title to Robbie E at Turning Point. Young’s already broken the record for longest reign, and I don’t expect to see his goofy hijinks go any place interesting. While someone out there is still laughing, just end the reign and give Robbie E an opportunity. Finally, Bobby Roode and AJ Styles compete for Roode’s TNA Heavyweight Championship. AJ is gonna lose this match, but he’s going to try and make Roode look like a million bucks. TNA is still in recovery mode, and an amazing defense right here will shut up people like me about Roode’s legitimacy as champion. Sorry everybody, it’s my fault Styles has to lose. Overall, I’m not opposed to the majority of this PPV. I think it lacks the potential of some of the past couple, but those same PPVs with potential did not live up their hype. As cheesy as it sounds, I think this PPV might just be a turning point for TNA. I might be a bit too optimistic here, but I’m really pulling for a solid show. It’s capable of happening, and it’s definitely needed in TNA right now.

Zach Brown: Honestly, I think Turning Point looks like a mixed bag. Some matches look decent, but a good amount are kind of throwaway matches or are unpredictable in terms of quality. First, Jeff Hardy vs. Jeff Jarrett should be a decent outing. I can’t really imagine this match being bad, and I expect Hardy to win here as he starts his road to redemption after screwing up at Victory Road. Velvet Sky vs. Gail Kim should be a very solid Knockouts match. Gail Kim is proving that she deserves a top spot in women’s wrestling, and I think she will deliver here. Velvet will retain though. Mexican America vs. Ink Inc is going to be middling at best I think. I hate when the Tag straps are on the line when there is ever a mixed tag situation such as this. It never makes sense to me. It would be cool to see Ink Inc win at some point, though not here. I would want to see them win the straps in a normal tag match. Crimson vs. Matt Morgan is really unpredictable in terms of quality. Matt Morgan hardly ever delivers these days, and Crimson is still too green to be able to carry him. I predict Crimson to win, but I doubt it will be fun to watch. RVD vs. Christopher Daniels in a No DQ match should be the sleeper hit of the night. I think RVD will win, but I’d love to see Christopher Daniels get the nod. Austin Aries vs. Jesse Sorenson and Kid Kash could be a decently entertaining X-Division match. I just hope Aries retains because I don’t think Kid Kash or Sorenson are ready for that title. Robbie E vs. Eric Young is something that I am definitely not predicting to be good. Young will have to work to make it even decent. I think Young is dropping the title to Robbie because of all Jersey Shore stuff going on with Ronnie. The tag match with Anderson and Abyss vs. Bully Ray and Steiner just seems like a throwaway match to me. It just seems like these four guys have nothing to do with anything important that is going on, so let’s stick them in this tag team match. Who cares? I think it will be two stars at best and I think Steiner and Bully Ray will win the match. And finally, Bobby Roode vs. AJ Styles. I honestly have no idea what to expect from this match. I think James Storm will make some sort of appearance, but Roode should retain, especially since AJ is going into the match injured. But I don’t expect great things out of this match. Overall, Turning Point has a few matches that will steal the show, but the overall card is mediocre at best. Bound For Glory was a great show except for Roode not winning at the end, and I don’t think this effort is the best way to continue that trend of quality.

Topic # 2 Christan suffered some kind of ankle injury on the European Tour. What could this mean for the WWE?

David Martell: This is bad news for everyone. If this injury is worse than a sprain, Christian could be out for awhile. They would have to replace him in the Survivor Series match and be with out one of their key stars on Smackdown. I guess they could replace him with Ziggler if they wanted to. Christian is a work horse and I honestly believe he gives the best matches in the WWE right now. With out the guy that can make everyone look good, there is a problem. Christian is a one of a kind superstar. Hopefully it is just a sprain and he can return in no time. After all, I think he deserves a rest. He also deserves one more match!

Jacob San Antonio: Sometimes you gotta keep your eye on the silver lining. From what most of the reports are saying, Christian’s dealing with a sprain instead of a break. That’s always fantastic news. It’s hard to say if he’ll be in the Survivor Series match, but even if he is I don’t expect to see him for very long. Should he show up for Survivor Series, even if he does get taken out early, I’ll be pretty relieved. Ankle sprains can take anywhere from one to three weeks to heal, give or take crutches or one of those specialty braces. If he can be in any match, I’ll take it as a sign that he’s going to work it out and the sprain isn’t too severe. Still, you got to be careful with those things. As an idiot who managed to seriously injure both of his ankles in a span of six months, I know how easily it can be to re-agitate a healing injury. Even so, a sprain is far better news to hear than a break. I’ve really been digging Christian’s heel run and alliance with Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes, and it’d be a real shame to lose a third of that team.

Zach Brown: If this is true, this is a real bummer. Christian has been turning in solid matches and respectable work as of late. I’ve really enjoyed his past feud with Orton, and all that constant talk of “one more match.” It was considerably adding to his character. Now he’s possibly injured, and could be ultimately derailed for now. I can only hope that Christian heals quickly, and is able to pick back up where he left off. What I want for Christian is to win the World Heavyweight Title and hold it for a period of several months. He has put in his time and worked hard to get to where he is right now. He deserves to have a solid reign as champion, and to be one of the top guys in the company. A long reign for Christian would be very entertaining. His heel reign as champion in TNA is one of the best reigns in the company’s history still to this day. Christian beating Jarrett for the championship was the beginning of a new era in TNA as well. So Christian knows how to be the face of a company and to have a very entertaining run as a champion. No more of these one and done reigns for him. He deserves a longer run, and long championship reigns are something that the WWE has been lacking in lately. I hope Christian heals up soon, and is able to re-debut down the line with a surprise return and a lot of hype behind him. The guy is an excellent wrestler and deserves the best in this business.

Topic # 3 For the past few weeks they have been teasing Daniel Bryan cashing in his MitB briefcase. How would you feel if he cashed it in at Survivor Series?

David Martell: This would be a travesty. I have really liked the idea of Bryan waiting till Mania to cash in his MitB briefcase. He would be the first person to ever do and it would elevate him to the main event with anticipation. I enjoy that they have had Bryan in the main event storyline for the past few weeks but for him to cash in and ultimately lose to Mark Henry would just be awful. I don’t mind him getting involved as long as they keep his title shot intact. This could be a great building block for Daniel Bryan if done right but I don’t want to see him lose and be shoved back to the mid card for eternity. I imagine that if he does get to hold his briefcase till Mania, he will most likely go against someone like Mark Henry or The Big Show. I actually could see him facing Big Show in the future. This could all be a plot for Show to use Bryan to help him win the title and to eventually go heel on Bryan. Of course I would rather them save that for Wrestlemania. Unfortunately I don’t get to book the WWE and I really have no idea what their plans with Bryan are.

Jacob San Antonio: I’ll put it plainly–no thanks. Bryan’s approach to Money in the Bank is a new one, and it sets the precedent for future MitB winners to be even more versatile in how they use their title shot. If anything, it goes even further in solidifying someone as a face. Heals and tweeners capitalize on a weakened champion and cash in after a match or beat down, while the faces or “noble” heels cash in for a simple title shot. It seems a bit ridiculous when you consider how often GMs and special individuals randomly just up and hand out title shots for nothing, but it means a lot more when the choice is entirely up to the MitB winner. For Bryan to cash in on Henry at Survivor Series, win or lose, would be a big misstep for the WWE. It’d be a bad move for Bryan in both the short term and long term, but it would also destroy an interesting angle that the WWE hasn’t really done before. Consider this possibility in the near future: WWE wants to push some low midcarder up to the main event, but in typical WWE fashion they have no solid idea on how to do it. Stick the briefcase on them, and let them surprise everybody by choosing a big PPV to face the champion at. Maybe not always Wrestlemania, but there’s still Summerslam, or even the Royal Rumble. It’s a great change-up to the Money in the Bank contract, and I think the WWE (and Bryan) would be foolish to waste an effective tool early. Oh, also it would probably help if Bryan won a match or two more than he has.

Zach Brown: If this is actually happening, it’s an epic mistake in my opinion. Bryan has been saying since day one that he is cashing in at Wrestlemania. He just got done giving a passionate speech on WWE’s website about how he didn’t want to cash in at Vengeance because he wants to earn his championship. He said that everyone who cashed in on a weak champion and won the title didn’t deserve it. They didn’t win anything, and he has a point when he said that. He explained why he needed to cash in at Wrestlemania, and it made perfect sense. He also made the epic statement of “real men have beards,” but that’s beside the point. So now, mere weeks later, they might be setting Bryan up to cash in at Survivor Series? I hope they are only teasing it. If they don’t let Bryan follow through and cash in at Wrestlemania, I’ll be pretty upset. If they have Bryan cash in at Survivor Series, WWE is completely telegraphing that they have zero faith in Daniel Bryan performing in a Wrestlemania title match. WWE needs to take a chance on Daniel Bryan delivering on the grandest stage of them all. His matches are very exciting to watch, and I think Bryan would tear the house down if given the chance at Wrestlemania. Plus, if Bryan cashed in now, his chances seem bleak. First of all, if he cashed in on Mark Henry, I’m not totally sure if he would win. There has to be a Money in the Bank winner that loses on their cash-in at some point. I don’t want it to be Bryan, but it’s possible if he does it on Henry. Also, with Wrestlemania on the horizon, cashing in now doesn’t give a good forecast of Bryan holding the title for long. If WWE already doesn’t have faith in Bryan in a title match at Wrestlemania, there’s no way that they’d even let him hold it till Elimination Chamber or probably even the Royal Rumble. I hope this is all just me over-thinking it in my head. Please WWE, let Bryan stay the course and use his briefcase at Wrestlemania. Having him cash in now completely undermines his character, and makes him no better than all those people he talked about who didn’t deserve to be champion. Bryan will deliver if given the chance, so please, give him that chance.

Topic # 4 What are your thoughts on the teaming up of Hunico, Epico and Primo?

David Martell: I actually am digging this team. I am glad that Primo is finally getting some real TV time since he is by far one of the most underutilized guys on the roster. There has been mention that they could end up a Free Birds style tag team which would be very interesting to see. It would definitely be a way to make the tag division more interesting and this gives us another team to add to the growing numbers of tag teams in the WWE. Have them feud with the Usos or one of the other lower tag teams out there and eventually work their way up to Air Boom. I do wish they looked a little less like LAX and more of something different. Its weird to see Hunico go from a masked wrestler to a Mexican gangster. Just doesn’t work for me really. I look forward to seeing where this team goes and I am expecting big things.

Jacob San Antonio: I see this as great exposure for Epico (call me crazy but I don’t expect him to stick around too long), and an opportunity for Hunico and Primo to retain relevance. In my opinion, it was Primo’s in ring abilities that helped get himself and Carlito over way back, so it’s great to see him get another shot to be on the big shows. Altogether I think the team will be crazy to watch in action, botches or no, since Sin Cara and them are the only luchadors the WWE has available. It also gives Sin Cara opponents to face that have dealt with the WWE style of match for far longer. I’m satisfied with Sin Cara’s level of ability so far, but I know I’m in the minority in that argument. This should work out nicely in the long run for Sin Cara, as it gives him more time and opportunities to seal down this different style of wrestling while still retaining his exciting luchador flair. It’s a win-win overall, and on pen and paper I don’t see how this arrangement could fail. That said, this is the WWE. Rarely do their good ideas on pen and paper ever see the light of day.

Zach Brown: Too bad Carlito isn’t around for this team, am I right? This is a great idea though. Primo is a great wrestler but he probably gets the least exposure out of anyone in the company. Hunico is looking good right now, but his character is a complete doppelganger of Homicide or Anarquia, so I wish he could look a little different from just your average hombre. Maybe if he had kept some sort of mask, I might be more interested. The black Sin Cara mask was very cool, so I wish that they could have kept that around somehow. As for Epico, I have no idea if he’s good or not, but he’s a Colon, so I expect good things. I am genuinely excited for this stable though. These guys need to stand out and this is a good way to do that. WWE needs more tag teams, Hunico and Primo are very good wrestlers, and I’m sure Epico isn’t far behind. I’m really interested to see where these guys go from here.

Topic # 5 There are rumors going around that Kane could return at the Royal Rumble. Your thoughts?

David Martell: I am fine with this as long as he doesn’t win and that will be highly unlikely. I do hope he returns with the mask. The reason I bring this up is because I was talking with my roommate about how WWE wanted to break a record at Wrestlemania with people wearing masks. With the new group of Hunico, Epico and Primo, this could set up an interesting six man tag for Mania. First you have Sin Cara who already has beef with Hunico. Rey Mysterio can come back and be his partner. To make things really interesting, you have Kane returning with mask as a face. It would give us a great six man tag, tons of masks, and pay days without world title matches for the likes of Kane and Rey. I think everyone wins here. That is probably the only way I will really care for a Kane return.

Jacob San Antonio: I’ve been wondering where exactly he disappeared to, and if he wants to return for the Royal Rumble I’m all for it. There are very few individuals I don’t like seeing in the Rumble, given the chaotic nature of the matches, and Kane has always been an interesting participant in his powerhouse/monster mode with a fair amount of speed. To see he holds the record for most eliminations in a match isn’t surprising. He’s a big guy, moves fast, and for those exact reasons he generally gets targeted a lot. Adding Kane to the Rumble also provides the WWE with the all so important cooldown for the match. Guys like Big Show, Mark Henry and Kane usually always get themselves into a spot where three or more competitors try to take them over. This tug of war allows most of the participants a chance to cool down and prepare for the next step of the match. With Henry currently reigning as champion, there’s no guarantee he’ll even be in the Rumble. As such, Kane’s return would be good timing on his part. Those cooldown periods don’t work so well when four or more people try to eliminate an average sized guy. That just looks pathetic.

Zach Brown: Yawn. If he is returning, yes, it is the perfect time because Kane is a historic part of the Royal Rumble. Do I like Kane? No. He hasn’t been interesting in years. His Heavyweight Title reign last year did some good things for him at first, but when he started getting into that signature Kane eye-rollingly bad character, I tuned out. Things definitely were not helped when Paul Bearer got involved. Damn, that was bad. All in all, it may sound mean, but I’m kind of just waiting around for Kane to retire. I was a big fan of his when I was a kid. His ring entrance is always impressive, and that’s why I liked the guy. But once that pyro is over, I’m no longer impressed as an adult, and even less impressed when he’s on the mic. It’s not that I hate Kane because I don’t. I just think that he hasn’t been the same since he unmasked, and his best years are definitely behind him.

Our thoughts on AJ Styles.

David Martell: I really feel bad for AJ Styles. He has been in TNA since day one and had to witness everything Hogan did to a company he loves. AJ Styles, for the most part, has been a success in TNA. He has been a multiple time World Champion and is even in the World Title match at Turning Point. The problem is, he still hasn’t gotten the exposure he deserves. I have never been a huge AJ Styles fan but for a guy who has worked his ass off for a company for so long, he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. A lot of guys who have been in TNA for several years don’t get credit where credit is due. Styles has recently lashed out at Hogan for putting down the company they both work for and rightfully so. I think Styles has realized what most of us do, TNA isn’t going to go anywhere with Hogan under contract. AJ is eventually going to have to make a decision. Stick with TNA through these rough times or go else where and have a more enjoyable career.

Jacob San Antonio: TNA has a fair amount of talent in its roster, and I can’t help but feel that a chunk of it is being ignored. Obviously you can’t ignore AJ Styles, but I just don’t understand TNA’s insistence recently of throwing him into odd angles and matchups. I haven’t minded his matches, mind you, but a guy like Styles does great in the main event. Fans love him for being the face of TNA, and smarks love him because regardless of what he does he gives them something to talk about. Great matches, bad tattoos, you name it and it turns into a conversation piece. To place Styles lower in the card for months just sends me an odd message. Through thick and thin, good and bad and very bad, AJ has stuck with TNA and wowed audiences as often as he was able. It’s weird to see this loyalty almost go ignored recently, and I’m seriously tired of pointing fingers at Hogan and whining about it. Regardless of who’s at fault, TNA or my paranoia, I just haven’t felt like AJ’s been getting the respect he deserves lately. For what it’s worth, I certainly hope I’m just going crazy. It would majorly blow if TNA were purposely responsible for it. In any case, I hope his match with Roode over the TNA Championship isn’t just a one time deal.

Zach Brown: I’ve always been a big fan of AJ Styles, and I was an even bigger fan of his before 2008. You know, back when TNA was the better wrestling product. AJ Styles is by far the best part of TNA for me. He has been with TNA almost since their inception, and he is the premier example of an excellent homegrown TNA talent who became the breakout star of their company. You can’t think of TNA without thinking of AJ Styles. He is their poster boy, through and through. I don’t imagine AJ ever leaving TNA, besides some kind of awful backstage incident that could happen in the future. I have to admit, there are times where I wish I could see what it would be like if AJ were in WWE. He would probably be the number one acquisition from TNA if it were ever possible. And while I think AJ is great in the ring and good on the mic, he hasn’t had a bulletproof career. I think his time as a Ric Flair style character just did not work for him. AJ came from poverty, worked hard to get where he is, and remained humble and a class-act the entire time. That stage of his career made no sense at all. But it is what it is. AJ is constantly a shining light in TNA amidst a fog of terrible booking, keeping the younger guys down, and awful storytelling. AJ has had a great career in his own right, and I hope he has continued success in the future.

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