Should Shawn Michaels Wrestle Again?

   In professional wrestling, retirements hardly stay intact.  I can't remember how many times Terry Funk has retired.  Mick Foley has come back to wrestle every once in a while.  The Undertaker is practically retired, wrestling less than a handful of times a year.  There are some wrestlers that never truly retired, even if they've been out of the limelight for quite some time.  You'll find them at independent wrestling promotions throughout the world.  My point is, retirement hardly ever sticks when it comes to wrestling.

   For the last eight years, Shawn Michaels has stuck to his promise and has thus far stayed retired.  In that time, there have been constant rumors about him lacing up the boots one more time.  Also, many fans have been clamoring for it, shouting "one more match" at the Heartbreak Kid.  The latest set of rumors, which could actually be more, are that he will be wrestling at next year's WrestleMania, if not as soon as WWE's second show in Saudi Arabia on November 2nd.  When Shawn Michaels appeared on Raw weeks ago to promote the last match ever between the Undertaker and Triple H in Australia on October 6th, he certainly teased another match, specifically when the Undertaker joined him in the ring.  Michaels mentioned that he stayed retired out of respect for his promise and to the fans but more importantly, out of respect for the Undertaker himself.  

   I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be excited about Shawn Michaels wrestling one more time.  Rumors state he may wrestle several matches.  But to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if he should or if I even want him to.  I'll take you back to the night Ric Flair retired, incidentally at the hands of Shawn Michaels himself at WrestleMania XXIV ten years ago.  Flair had an emotional goodbye between being inducted into the Hall of Fame the night before, his match at WrestleMania, and his incredible send off the next night on Raw.  He couldn't have asked for a better retirement than what he received.  We all thought for sure that Flair would stay retired.  Two years later, he showed up in TNA and within months, what did he do?  He wrestled!  He pretty much spit on the emotional sendoff WWE gave him.  While Michaels didn't chastise Flair for this, he did say that he wanted to be the one guy that actually retired.  That's where my opinion comes from.

   Not unlike Flair, Michaels got similar treatment on Raw the night after his career ending loss at the hands of the Undertaker.  So far, Michaels has been the one guy that stayed retired and I respect him for it.  He went out at the top of his game and while he can probably still go, I want to remember him the way he was.  Stone Cold Steve Austin went out in his prime as well, though his career ending injury was a lot more severe than Michaels.  Even so, for years after, fans wanted Austin to wrestle one more time.  Even if his neck would have allowed it, I wouldn't have wanted him to. Shawn Michaels is a legend and there is nothing that will take that away.  I'll respect him no matter what he decides but I'd honestly prefer him not to wrestle again.  It's okay that we didn't get some dream matches.

   Here's the thing!  If they are in fact leading up to yet another match between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, it deserves to happen at WrestleMania.  I sincerely hope, if it does happen, that it does not occur in Saudi Arabia in November, especially if it's his one and only match out of retirement.  Instead of being the referee for the Undertaker/Triple H match, he will be in Triple H's corner.  Not to be outdone, the Undertaker will have his brother Kane in his corner.  With that being said, it leads many to believe that somewhere along the line, if Michaels has multiple matches, we may see Degeneration X vs. the Brothers of Destruction.  Of course, should Michaels participate in a few matches, I hope it's more than just the Undertaker.  I'm sure there would be a line out the door of superstars wanting to wrestle Shawn Michaels.  The list would likely consist of AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, Johnny Gargano, or any number of wrestlers.

   Please don't let my previous paragraph seem like I'm contradicting myself.  I mentioned all that out of the possibility of him wrestling again.  I still stand that he should leave his legacy be.  If he does not wrestle again, I feel like I can predict the outcome of the Undertaker/Triple H match.  I'm not talking about the winner, but rather the aftermath.  If Shawn does not wrestle, I can see the four men raise each other's arms out of respect and take a bow, similar to the way Shawn, Triple H, and the Undertaker did after the "End of An Era" match at WrestleMania XXVIII.   Just as I won't be angry if he does wrestle again, I hope at the very least people won't be angry if he doesn't.  Whatever happens, it's his decision at the end of the day.  I'd just like to point out that just because things seem like he might wrestle again, doesn't guarantee that he will.

   I'm curious to know the thoughts of others.  Are there people who agree with me and think Shawn Michaels is done?  Are there those that are chomping at the bit for him to wrestle again?  Perhaps some are indifferent?  I'm sure there are people that fall into each category when it comes to this topic. 

   

205 Live: Can It Be Saved and Is It Worth Saving?

   Two years ago, WWE presented on the WWE Network, a 32-man tournament featuring the best Cruiserweight wrestlers from around the world.  This came to be known as the Cruiserweight Classic.  This tournament consisted of some of the best Independent wrestlers in that weight class, such as Zack Sabre Jr. and Kota Ibushi.  We got to see the return of stars like Tajiri and The Brian Kendrick.  The tournament was presented in front of Full Sail University, the same crowd that is live for NXT.  Mauro Ranallo commentated the event with someone who had a love for Cruiserweight wrestling, the still retired at the time, Daniel Bryan.  The eventual winner was TJ Perkins, who also become WWE's new Cruiserweight Champion, reviving the Title.  The success of the Cruiserweight Classic conceived the revival of the Cruiserweight Division and a new show for the Cruiserweights to hone their craft called 205 Live, based on a weight limit of 205 lbs or below.

 Many of the wrestlers from the Cruiserweight Classic were signed to WWE deals and started appearing both on Monday Night Raw and the new show 205 Live.  TJ Perkins found himself in a feud with The Brian Kendrick, who became the new Champion.  A few months later, the charismatic Rich Swann captured the Title, and the hearts of wrestling fans around the world.  Before the end of 2016, one glaring omission from the Cruiserweight Classic tournament returned to WWE in the form of Neville.  He had been injured but felt he was overlooked, coming back with a new look and change of attitude, attacking new Champion Rich Swann and inaugural Champion TJ Perkins.  By early 2017, Neville became the new Champion and proclaimed himself to be the "King of the Cruiserweights."  So far, things were going well, as the Cruiserweights were focused on during both Raw and their own show, 205 Live.  Neville was brought back to prominence as he dominated the Cruiserweight Division.  

   Despite Neville's character revival, there was a problem in the Cruiserweight Division.  Many of these wrestlers were brought to Raw without much of a back story to their characters or wrestling ability.  After all, those who watched main stream wrestling shows like Raw may not have watched the Cruiserweight Classic.  While it was good to see the division on Raw, WWE felt it was important for them to be featuring exclusively on 205 Live.  There were some great wrestlers like Cedric Alexander, who got signed after a match on NXT TV, due to the crowd loving him.  Triple H, who was the man behind NXT and innovator of the Cruiserweight Classic, came out after Cedric's match, embraced the crowd's reaction, and signed him shortly thereafter.  After a brief run in NXT and a commentary gig on Raw, the world renowned Austin Aries made his debut in the Cruiserweight Division, leading to a feud with Neville towards WrestleMania XXXIII.  Unfortunately, to me, Aries was a step ahead of the Cruiserweight Division and was completely miscast.  He didn't even win the Cruiserweight Title!  Factoring this along with his perceived bad attitude was a recipe for disaster and he left WWE in mid-2017.  WWE really missed the boat by sticking Aries in the Cruiserweight Division in the first place.  Since his departure, he has become the Thanos of wrestling, collecting as many Championships as he could.

   The popular tandem of Enzo Amore and Big Cass broke up in 2017 when Cass turned on Enzo.  Cass defeated Enzo at Great Balls of Fire in July and then the Big Show at SummerSlam the next month.  In a rematch with Enzo the next night, Cass was injured.  Now fully on his own, Enzo and his shtick were thrust into the Cruiserweight Division and 205 Live.  Although Enzo went into his Title match with Neville a fan favorite, the entertaining Enzo came out as a heel, while Neville walked out and was eventually released from his contract.  Enzo started running down the entire division with his mic work.  He took several men in, creating the "Zo Train," which gave roles to Drew Gulak, Tony Neese, Ariya Daivari, and Noam Dar.  Before the year's end, Enzo was caught up in controversy due to real life issues and was subsequently let go from WWE.  

   Some time during 2017, the Cruiserweight division was no longer featured on Raw and was strictly used on 205 Live.  This was another problem!  At least on Raw, those who didn't necessarily follow 205 Live would be caught up on story lines featuring those in the Cruiserweight Division.  As I mentioned before, the Cruiserweight audience didn't always translate to Raw's audience.  In turn, without them featuring on Raw, the Cruiserweight Division were barely known to the WWE audience as a whole, only on 205 Live.  

   Another problem with 205 Live during this time was its time slot.  While being live was a great concept, the timing was awful.  It was put directly after Talking Smack, which was Smackdown's after show.  When Talking Smack was cancelled, to the detriment of fans, 205 Live was put on directly after Smackdown.  The problem had a lot to do with the previous issue I mentioned, meaning the fans that watched Smackdown didn't necessarily watch 205 Live.  By the time 205 Live came on, many fans at the arena were tired after having watched Smackdown and were leaving.  Therefore, much of 205 Live was presented in front of half the arena's crowd.  Not only was the time slot wrong, but so was the day of the week.  

   If WWE is intent on keeping 205 Live as a show, it is imperative that the show is featured in a different time slot and a different night.  After Smackdown is not the way to go, both due to fans exiting after Smackdowm, as well as the audience translation.  With that being said, perhaps 205 Live should be presented towards an audience that might better appreciate the amazing work these men have done in the ring.  It is not fair seeing these great wrestlers come out to crickets, getting nearly zero reactions during their matches.  205 Live in front of Full Sail, much like its predecessor the Cruiserweight Classic,  would be a great transition into NXT on Wednesday night, as NXT's audience would appreciate this kind of wrestling more.  205 Live would be a great lead-in for NXT.  If not there, put it on Thursday night but at least present it in front of Full Sail.

   Vince McMahon's vision of the Cruierweight Division and 205 Live was more character driven, especially when they were presented on Raw, as evidenced by the division being overtaken by Enzo Amore.  After Enzos' release, a tournament was set up to determine a new Cruiserweight Champion, with it culminating at WrestleMania XXXIV.  During this time, 205 Live was now run by Triple H and out of McMahon's hands.  While that is definitely a good thing, 205 Live still has a long way to go and I don't think even Triple H can ultimately save it, for it might be too late.  At WrestleMania, Cedric Alexander defeated Mustafa Ali for the Championship and holds it to this day.

   In my opinion, WWE should scrap 205 Live altogether.  While being presented on Raw again would be a plus, I'd even go as far as to get rid of the Cruiserweight Championship and Cruiserweight Division as a whole.  While there are positives for wrestlers who may not even get the time of day on WWE television normally, I think it holds people back.  For instance, I think Cedric Alexander and Hideo Itami are way too talented to be hindered in the Cruiserweight Division, on a show not many watch.  I think these men and several others are better than the Cruiserweight Division and it would be unfortunate to see these wrestlers be type cast.  Itami for instance, while not translating to Raw like he was on NXT, was brought into 205 Live.  Despite his problems with injuries and WWE starting to run out of patience because of it, Itami should have remained with NXT, where he'd be featured and thriving a lot more, especially now that the brand has a mid-card Championship.

   Cedric Alexander is another example of someone who could benefit a lot more on NXT, as well as great in-ring talents such as Mustafa Ali and 205 Live's resident Luchadores.  Jack Gallagher would be better served going back to being a babyface in the persona that brought him to WWE.  He has a good enough character to maintain on major WWE television but could also be featured prominently in WWE's upcoming UK brand.  Drew Gulak, while solid in the ring, now has a character and can stay on Raw without getting too lost, where as The Brian Kendrick is an established veteran that should be featuring more on Raw and Smackdown.  Again, not only would I get rid of 205 Live, I'd get rid of the Cruiserweight Division.  Unfortunately, there would be casualties, as several Cruiserweights are just kind of bland.  I would take Jack Gallagher, Noam Dar, and Mark Andrews, and place them on the UK brand, while several others can attain glory by going to NXT.

   Sadly, despite the pool of talent, I look at 205 Live as obscurity.  For instance, I worry in general when guys like Johnny Gargano, Tomasso Ciampa, Adam Cole, and Ricochet eventually get called up to the main roster.  However, the worry intensifies when I think about the possibility of these men going to 205 Live, getting lost and eventually released.  Their talents are too good to be stuck on 205 Live.  The same thing has already happened to Cedric and Itami.  I don't want Roderick Strong, who revitalized his career by joining the Undisputed Era to be "called up," only to end up a lost boy in 205 Live.  I don't think even Rey Misterio could save 205 Live!  Ultimately, I don't see 205 Live lasting, even with the change of direction under the guise of Triple H.  

 If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments.  Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans.  Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport.  For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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Undisputedly Strong

   Something that I enjoyed watching WWE and wrestling in general doing during my childhood was long term booking.  Of course, it was easier to do back then when there were only four to five Pay-Per-Views a year.  Feuds were able to be spread out more.  For instance, Hulk Hogan's feud with Andre the Giant lasted nearly two years.  When PPV's started to appear once a month, if not more, it got harder for WWE to book long term, as fans could grow tired of a story quickly.  NXT has the luxury of long term booking and I wanted to share an idea I had involving the Undisputed Era.  What I'm about to do could be construed as rambling but I must provide context before I get to my point.

   At NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III in August of 2017, Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, and Bobby Fish made their NXT debut by attacking new NXT Champion Drew McIntyre.  Together, they become known as the Undisputed Era.  The group stood tall as the winners of War Games at the next Takeover.  Shortly after, O'Reilly and Fish, who had been Tag Team Champions together several times in other promotions, won the NXT Tag Team Titles, as Cole led the group to prominence.  They feuded with tag teams like the Authors of Pain and Sanity, while Cole got mixed up with Aleister Black.  The group then targeted perennial fan favorite Roderick Strong and ganged up on him every chance they got.  

   Takeover: New Orleans, the night before WrestleMania this year, was the pinnacle of the Undisputed Era's success, though things looked daunting for them going into the event.  Cole was chosen as one of six men to participate in a Ladder Match to determine the first NXT North American Champion.  Meanwhile, O'Reilly and Fish were to defend their Tag Team Championships in a Triple Threat Match against the Authors of Pain and the unlikely, yet cohesive team of Roderick Strong and United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne.  Things got worse when an injury forced Bobby Fish out.  NXT General Manager William Regal gave the Undisputed Era some options.  Either Adam Cole would be forced to pull double duty or the NXT Tag Team Titles would be stripped from the Undisputed Era.  Cole stepped up and decided to defend the Titles with O'Reilly, as well as trying to win the North American Title.

   While The Brian Kendrick's theme says that he's the man with the plan, I'd say that title is reserved for Adam Cole, based on what was about to happen.  The opening contest of Takeover: New Orleans was the Ladder Match for the North American Title.  Cole bested five other men to win the Championship.  However, his night was certainly not over, as he had the task of defending the Tag Team Titles alongside Kyle O'Reilly against two other teams.  In a shocking turn of events, Roderick Strong turned on his partner Pete Dunne, allowing the Undisputed Era to pick up the win and remain Tag Team Champions.  Then, in front of Cole and O'Reilly, Strong put on the UE arm band and officially joined the Undisputed Era.  Up until Cole's loss of the North American Title to Ricochet at Takeover: Brooklyn 4 last month, the group was simply unstoppable.  Even today, they remain NXT's most dominant group ever.

   Now that I've provided the background, I can begin.  Arguably, joining the Undisputed Era revitalized Roderick Strong's NXT career, as he went from a bland babyface to being a successful heel.  He was in the underdog role but Johnny Gargano has that character on lock right now.  Although Strong has changed direction, I still see him breaking away eventually, becoming a fan favorite once again.  However, as I said, it's going to take some long term booking.  Recently, I wrote a blog about NXT talents staying in NXT for a while, as there isn't always a plan for these superstars when they arrive on Raw or Smackdown.  This all goes hand in hand with my idea for the Undisputed Era.

   An example of long term booking in NXT is the blood feud between Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa, which leads into the one I'm about to write about.  I have this theory that Gargano will not wrestle Ciampa again until Takeover next year the night before WrestleMania.  In my story, Johnny Wrestling finally finds himself again, wins some kind of Royal Rumble in NXT, and defeats Ciampa for the Championship in the main event of Takeover, before finally ridding NXT of his former best friend turned bitter enemy at Takeover: Chicago III, two years after their breakup.  In the mean time, the Undisputed Era will go through some ups and downs.  As I mentioned earlier, Adam Cole lost the North American Title to Ricochet.  It's only a matter of time before the War Raiders defeat the Undisputed Era for the Tag Team Titles.  Along with several others, these men will battle in War Games this November.  Soon after, the Undisputed Era will be out of the Championship picture for a while, although the group will be a big part of Takeover before WrestleMania.

   At NXT Takeover in Toronto, which will replace Brooklyn as the destination for NXT the night before SummerSlam, Adam Cole will defeat NXT Champion at the time, Johnny Gargano.  Meanwhile, Bobby Fish will be back in the ring, as he teams once again with Kyle O'Reilly to win the Tag Team Titles once again.  That leaves Roderick Strong, who will win the North American Title.  This time around, the Undisputed Era will get all the gold and there will seemingly be nothing to stop them.  They'll be even more overbearing and dominant than ever before.  Honestly, I wouldn't be bothered with a woman joining the team, winning the NXT Women's Championship, gathering all the Titles around the Undisputed Era.  Last year, they teased Taynara Conti joining the team but I think someone else would fit in better.

   The second part of 2019 will look bright for the Undisputed Era.  For the remainder of the year and into 2020, the group will dominate the Championship landscape of NXT.  However, things will start to fall apart, as Roderick Stong loses the North American Title.  However, Strong will recover by winning a Royal Rumble at Takeover in January of 2020, getting himself a shot at the NXT Champion at the Takeover the night before WrestleMania XXXVI.  The problem here is that the NXT Champion will be Adam Cole.  At this point, I see something similar to Evolution dismantling due to Batista choosing to challenge Triple H at WrestleMania or scenarios in which both Lex Lugar and Sting at different times were kicked out of the Four Horsemen for wanting to challenge Ric Flair for his World Championship.  I can see Adam Cole trying to manipulate Strong into giving up his Title shot, in fear of losing it.

   Just when it looks like Strong is about to give up his Title shot to make sure everything is alright within the Undisputed Era, he turns on them and goes on to challenge Cole for the Title at Takeover the night before WrestleMania in the main event.  The fans will gather by Strong's side, as he will takeover Johnny Gargano's role as NXT's favorite underdog.  At Takeover, O'Reilly and Fish will lose the Tag Team Titles while Strong defeats Cole for the NXT Championship.  Two nights later on Raw, the three original members of the Undisputed Era will make their main roster debut, while Strong continues on NXT as the Champion, at least until his reign is complete.  By the end of 2020, Strong will make it to the main roster as well.  That's the general direction I'd like to see things go.

 If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments.  Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans.  Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport.  For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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Helena Cell, The Most Dangerous Woman In Wrestling

   Here we are, getting ready for another WWE Pay-Per-View tomorrow night.  It's time for Hell In a Cell and I'm about to lay down my predictions.  Some of this is the aftermath of the events that took place at SummerSlam and beyond.  I'm not overly excited about this one but it should be decent.  I still don't like the idea of matches having this stipulation just because it's that time of year.  Hell In a Cell should be earned based on the degree of the feud.  For instance, I can't for the life of me fathom how Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton, with nothing on the line, deserves a Cell, yet a much more personal feud between AJ Styles and Samoa Joe for the WWE Championship doesn't!  I don't get it at all!  Until the addition of Mick Foley as the special guest referee, I didn't think Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman deserved the Cell either!  A change has been made to the structure of the cell which can be seen on several wrestling news sites, as the color scheme has turned to red.  I can't judge until I see it tomorrow.  With that being said, I would love to see the Steel Cage go back to the classic blue bar look WWE had during the Hulkamania days.  We're here for Hell In a Cell though, so let's get started, shall we?

(Pre-Show) Smackdown Tag Team Titles - The New Day vs. Rusev Day

   It's a shame that an actual Title match is relegated to the Pre-Show.  Then again, Shinsuke Nakamura, the US Champion, isn't even featured on this card.  In any event, after their match with the Bludgeon Brothers at SummerSlam, The New Day captured the Titles two nights later on Smackdown due to an injury sustained by Erick Rowan.  A few matches determined new number one contenders for Hell In a Cell.  In a surprising turn of events, Rusev Day won and earned an opportunity, when Aiden English finally redeemed himself to Rusev and Lana.  Although it would be fun to see Rusev and Aiden win, The New Day just won the Titles and I doubt they're losing them this fast.  In the event that Rusev and Aiden do not win, I wouldn't mind Rusev eventually going after Nakamura's US Title in a program.

Raw Tag Team Titles - Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose

   If you haven't seen anything between SummerSlam and Hell In a Cell, you'd be quite confused by this match.  The Revival worked hard to get themselves another shot at the Tag Team Titles held by the B Team.  However, just as fast, they were phased out, as Ziggler and McIntyre attacked and replaced them, winning the Tag Team Titles.  Meanwhile, they formed an alliance with Braun Strowman against the newly reformed Shield.  Even though the Titles just changed hands, I see Rollins and Ambrose winning the Titles here.  This is mostly because there's a good chance Roman Reigns will remain Universal Champion and it would be weird to see Ziggler and McIntyre with Titles while their leader Braun Strowman does not.  I also think this is the outcome because WWE wants to make sure the Shield is at the top.  The only problem I have with this match is that Rollins is the current Intercontinental Champion and now that Title will be lost within this entire debacle.

Mixed Tag Team Match - Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse

    After Maryse got involved at SummerSlam and helped her husband defeat Bryan, Brie then got involved to defend her husband and here we are.  This has been an on and off feud for years now and will intensify as the months go by, likely leading to a match at WrestleMania next year.  Since The Miz won out last month, I'm going with Bryan and Brie here, with the result being Brie pinning Maryse.  That way, The Miz doesn't lose any momentum and Bryan will be happy with a win.  Unfortunately, we have seen Brie competing on both Smackdown and Raw, as she has teamed with sister Nikki lately on Raw.  I hope we don't see Brie try any more suicide dives because she nearly broke her neck doing it recently.  Bryan and Miz have another singles match set a few weeks from now at Australia's Super Showdown with the stipulation of a future Title shot, which I see The Miz winning.  

Hell In a Cell - Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton

   Directly after losing the US Title to Shinsuke Nakamura two months back at Extreme Rules, Hardy was attacked by the returning Randy Orton.  Since then, Orton has brutalized Hardy several times, in disturbing fashion.  I can't even look when Orton sticks his finger into Hardy's earlobe and pulls.  Even so, I don't think this feud needed the Cell.  It doesn't seem as personal or important as other matches on this card.  I did read that Hardy requested this match backstage because he had never participated in one before.  Since it's Jeff Hardy, we all know he's going to take some kind of insane bump.  This could be possibly be the end for Hardy's career, which is another rumor. but could be true based on his brother Matt's possible retirement as well.  I see Orton taking the victory after moving out of harm's way from a Jeff Hardy maneuver.  

Raw Women's Title - Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss

   At SummerSlam,  Ronda made short order, no pun intended, of Alexa Bliss, by quickly defeating her for the Raw Women's Championship.  This is the obligatory rematch that I see going the exact same way.  I doubt we see Alexa in the Women's Title hunt for quite some time, which I am pleased with, even though I still think Ronda didn't need it yet.  However, I've moved on and Ronda is Champion, moving on to bigger and better things.  There's a strong rumor that she will headline October's all Women PPV Evolution with Nikki Bella, which I hope to all things holy that is untrue.  Eventually, I see the big money match of Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair and it's likely to take place next year at WrestleMania.

Smackdown Women's Title - Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch

   Becky clawed her way back to the Championship picture and leapt through many hoops to finally earn her one on one match with Carmella at SummerSlam.  Charlotte returned during this time and got her way into the match, making it a Triple Threat.  Charlotte pinned Becky to win the Title.  Afterward, Becky turned on Charlotte and though it looked like a heel turn, it got Becky cheered even more.  Though WWE tried to spin the narrative to Becky as a heel by having Becky question her fans, it seems they have corrected things.  Fans have garnered around Becky and started to boo Charlotte, though they still seem adamant on Charlotte remaining babyface, even though she clearly plays a better heel.  I see this going down in the same manner as that infamous match between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin.  Charlotte will retain due to having Becky in the figure eight.  However, Becky will not tap out, she will simply pass out.  It will be somewhat of a double turn by finally cementing Becky as the super bad ass babyface that she has become while Charlotte will get booed more harshly and turn heel once again.  Though they have another match at Australia's Super Showdown, I expect Becky to finally take home the gold at Evolution.  After their feud is settled, I see Becky having a reign to hopefully reach WrestleMania, while Charlotte win's the Royal Rumble to face Ronda Rousey.

WWE Title - AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe

    Again, I question why this match is not being decided in the Cell.  Samoa Joe has taken the Tomasso Ciampa approach as a heel, and has taken his feud with AJ into one of the most personal and incredible one's I've seen in a long time.  Samoa Joe has left behind the "cool heel" persona that many heels still possess and has gone for the throat, bringing AJ's family into it.  In fact, his antics during their match at SummerSlam caused AJ to uncharacteristically get disqualified.  Joe's acts as a heel went to a whole new level when he enlightened the Smackdown crowd with his new book entitled "Night Night AJ."  This is where I see the WWE Title changing hands, as Samoa Joe will defeat AJ Styles to become the new WWE Champion.  If you were to say to me three years ago that the most compelling and important Title feuds in WWE would be between AJ and Joe, I'd have thought you were crazy.  Since this match does not have a stipulation, I'm guessing one will be added to their match at Australia's Super Showdown.  In the mean time, AJ goes night night at Hell In a Cell.

Hell In a Cell Universal Title - Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman

  Much like the Becky/Charlotte situation, things have gotten really confusing with this match's narrative, which clearly is to push Roman Reigns at all costs, not matter who it affects.  The wrestler I see losing the most from this is Braun Strowman.  Braun had become the ultimate monster babyface that fans wanted to succeed.  The Shield reunited and the refusal to turn Reigns heel has led to Braun being forced into the heel role.  What doesn't make sense is the way they went about it.  He told Roman ahead of time that he would cash in his "Money In the Bank" contract at Hell In a Cell.  Later that night, Braun turns on Roman in their tag team match and aligned himself with Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre.  Now, he has no briefcase and he's pretty much screwed if he does not defeat Roman in the Cell.  Since it has been 20 years since his infamous Hell In a Cell match with the Undertaker, Mick Foley has been added as the special referee.  Even though it might not be feasible these days, I somehow see Foley taking some kind of bump.  Reigns is walking out still Universal Champion, especially if his fellow "Hounds of Justice" Rollins and Ambrose win the Tag Team Titles.  The only hope is that acting Raw GM Baron Corbin, who Braun gave the briefcase to, does not consider this Braun's cash in.

 If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments.  Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans.  Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport.  For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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Fans Are Misinterpreting the Term "Vanilla Midget"

  During the "Kliq" and nWo days, Kevin Nash coined a term called "vanilla midget."  The meaning was someone that was boring, small, and wouldn't be able to draw.  In those days, he called guys like Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, and Rey Misterio that term.  I think we can all agree that Eddie Guerrero was certainly not a "vanilla midget," as he eventually became a draw and was just about one of the most charismatic wrestlers ever.  Chris Jericho might have even been referred to by that term but he certainly isn't one either.  It doesn't mean what people think it means!

   In the last 20 years, some fans have really misinterpreting Nash's term and it doesn't make sense when I see it used in articles, comments, or wrestling message boards.  I think people are using the term strictly for someone who is smaller than the average wrestler, while not taking into account their charisma.  I'd even argue that Rey Misterio is not a "vanilla midget" either, as he has a natural charisma about him.  Austin Aries is certainly not that, as he just exudes charisma at every turn.  I have so many examples.

   In TNA, Kevin Nash was paired with the X-Division wrestlers in an attempt to poke fun at the term.  At the same time, I believe many people, including Nash, started to understand the dynamics of the term and learned from it.  In the story, he became somewhat of a mentor that tapped into Alex Shelley's hidden charisma, as well as the X-Division wrestlers they feuded with.  Shelley started bringing a camera to the ring and called his stable "Paparazzi Productions," showing a side many fans never saw before.  Not long after, he and Chris Sabin, one of Nash's targets, became one of the greatest tag teams in TNA history, the Motor City Machine Guns.  Sonjay Dutt embraced somewhat of a "guru," gimmick, Austin Aries was able to show everyone who he really was, and Jay Lethal brought "Macho Man" Randy Savage back to the limelight by creating his "Black Machismo" character.  None of these wrestlers deserved to be called "vanilla midgets" again!

   I can somewhat understand why some people would refer to several of the Cruiserweights in WWE's 205 Live this term, as many of them, while fantastic in the ring, are both small and are a little bland.  In my opinion, some wrestlers are beyond that and are just so good, fans often disregard how small or bland they may appear.  An example of this would be Cedric Alexander, who is so phenomenal in the ring, no one pays attention to his height or perceived lack of charisma.  Drew Gulak has created a character that goes away from the term, as do Jack Gallagher and The Brian Kendrick, for instance.

   NXT is probably full of these so-called "vanilla midgets."  Many people class Adam Cole in that category for some reason.  With the following he has and the charisma and mic skills he possesses, he is anything but.  Some might use this term to describe Ricochet, who is just so good at what he does, fans around the world love and admire him.  There were people that used this term for Daniel Bryan, who completely blew that term out of the water with the draw he became.  There was a time when his merchandise was selling almost as much as John Cena's.  I've even heard people refer to CM Punk by this term, which is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!

   Does the term, which is somewhat offensive, possibly describe some wrestlers?  Perhaps!  There are a lot of Cruiserweights that are bland and boring.  There's also bigger men who are the same too, though!  For instance, I see Baron Corbin as a charisma vacuum, someone if not for his size, wouldn't get the time of day in WWE.  I also think people are being too vague with the "midget" part, as anyone who is under 6 feet tall is considered this term by some ignorant fans.  If you're going to use an offensive wrestling term like this, don't be general with it.  At least be specific; otherwise, you come off foolish.

 If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments.  Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans.  Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport.  For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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