Setting the Record Straight: Asuka Was NOT given the Championship!

 A few weeks ago, news broke that WWE Women's Champion at the time, Becky Lynch, became pregnant. It wasn't confirmed until the night after the Money In the Bank Pay-Per-View but many people kind of figured that was the case. The two simultaneous "Money In the Bank" Ladder Matches had been taped weeks before due to the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic. The rest of the card happened live at the show. Even though many knew the Ladder Matches were previously taped, the winners were kept secret and the show still presented the matches as live. Asuka ended up winning the match for the women. As we all know, the winner of Money In the Bank can cash in a shot at the Championship at any time for up to a year. The next night on Raw, Asuka was the Women's Champion, but she didn't cash in.

   An emotional Becky Lynch stood in the ring opening the show. In front of her was the Money In the Bank briefcase that Asuka had won the previous night. She then invited Asuka to the ring. Becky opened up Asuka's case, revealing the Women's Championship inside. Becky informed Asuka that she could no longer fight and be Champion. Becky said that what Asuka won wasn't Money In the Bank, but it was actually the Women's Championship. As Asuka celebrated being the new Champion, Becky continued on with her speech. Becky said that as happy as Asuka was, Becky herself was probably happier. Becky then said to Asuka; "you go be a warrior, and I'm gonna be a mother." In an instant, Asuka and everyone else learned that Becky was indeed pregnant. Asuka, while thrilled to be Champion, embraced Becky in an emotional moment and celebrated the pregnancy.

   The opening two paragraphs of context were necessary for what I'm about to say. Becky's pregnancy aside, which is a whole other topic I don't want to get into, fans discussed what they thought of this angle. I saw many complain that Asuka was pretty much given the Title, and as of late had number one contender Nia Jax say the same. I can see where people got that from, as she was technically presented with the Championship. However, there's something everyone is forgetting! Becky herself said that by winning the Ladder Match, Asuka became the new Women's Champion! She wasn't given the Title; she earned it! Some will likely come out and say that because the match was taped weeks before and that neither the pregnancy, nor the vacating of the Title, were mentioned until Raw the night after the show. However, to the general audience, the Ladder Match was presented as having happened at the PPV. 

   There's a fair point that WWE retconned the situation, but in my opinion, Asuka was not given anything! I understand that to many fans, it appeared as if Becky was just vacating and handing Asuka the Championship right then and there. Hell, Becky even physically handed the Title belt to Asuka, and I'll admit that. However, the Championship had already been vacated before the Money In the Bank Ladder Match, it's just that neither Asuka, nor the audience, knew that until Raw. Perhaps WWE could have mentioned this earlier, or had Becky tape a segment making the announcement before the PPV, but I think they wanted to give Becky a nice moment on Raw. Apparently, Becky's pregnancy announcement was new information to a lot of her peers on the roster, with very few knowing beforehand. 

   I can see why people disliked seeing Asuka becoming the Champion this way, but to me, it was established that she did actually win and earn the Title at Money In the Bank! Therefore, I don't look at it as Asuka being given the Championship. I think the main problem people have with this is that while Becky got a nice and deserved moment, it kind of undermined and overshadowed what Asuka had accomplished. That's a fair point, and perhaps fans would have looked at this situation differently if WWE or Becky made this announcement before the PPV. But again, I look at it as Asuka had won the Championship and was not given it. Unfortunately, WWE is not using my explanation, which is understandable, as they are trying to present Nia Jax as the antagonist. However, it does feed the fans' notions that she was handed a Championship. What's interesting to me, though, is that Nia stated that Asuka was only the Champion because Becky was pregnant. However, the moment she said that, I thought to myself; well, that could have been Nia had she won the match, and she certainly wouldn't have been complaining then. 

   Just so I'm not working myself into a shoot here, I understand that's the point, as Nia is the heel and this is intended to get heat for her Championship match with Asuka coming up in a few weeks at Backlash. Even though I'm not looking at Asuka being given anything, the heat for this upcoming match is the whole reason why WWE and Becky made this announcement the way they did. However, I don't think a lot of people realize or understand that, which is why I wanted to point out my perspective. While yes, the Championship belt was physically handed over, it was actually symbolism of the passing of the torch, rather than something Asuka had not earned. In retort to Nia's claims, however, it would be nice if Asuka, or someone in general, would use the "she earned it" narrative and explain why. That's just my point of view, as it would help continuity wise, as well as give Asuka credibility as Champion.  

   Therefore, the basis of this blog is Asuka and not Becky Lynch. Whether Becky will come back or not remains to be seen, but this needs to be established as Asuka's time. In a way, it makes Charlotte defeating Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women's Championship work a lot better, as it gives Asuka the focus of the women's division on Raw. Unfortunately, as I say this, Charlotte is now overexposed, appearing on all three brands, and ruining the entire point of a brand split. But that's neither here nor there! In fact, it gives me an idea for a future blog. No matter how this all turned out, I was thrilled with Asuka winning the match over any of the other women. She really hasn't been the main focus of a women's division since her time in NXT in my opinion. In the past few years, it was either all about Charlotte, or as of the last year and a half, all about Becky, which was well deserved and long overdue. 

   It's going to be interesting seeing where Asuka's reign goes. Beyond Nia Jax, Raw also has other formidable opponents for her, such as Shayna Baszler and Bianca Belair, and someone who I would like to see get pushed towards the top, Ruby Riot. There's also the possible call-ups of Rhea Ripley, Io Shirai, or other NXT standouts, as well as a possible feud down the road with her former Tag Team Championship partner Kairi Sane. At the end of the day, I'm happy to see Asuka with the spotlight that she worked so hard to attain.

The Legacy of Owen Hart Lives On

Today is a very tough day for me and I'm sure it is for many fans of professional wrestling. Exactly 21 years ago was a truly dark day when the world lost Owen Hart. It hits a little closer to home for me as Owen was and still is my favorite wrestler of all time. He was known as a loving family man that joked with his peers and always made people smile. Even though I never met him, I feel like I knew him. In fact, I once stood just feet away from him at the old Nassau Coliseum when my father took me in November of 1995. As I look back at that card, several wrestlers are no longer here, and it saddens me even further.

On this fateful day, Owen was to descend from the Kemper Arena roof in Kansas City, MO, and into the ring as his former masked persona, The Blue Blazer. Owen reluctantly went with the stunt that tragically ended his life. The harness and clasp malfunctioned in mid-air, releasing Owen, who feel about 80 feet down to the ring. Some people claim to remember hearing Owen say to move out of the way, showing how selfless a human being he was. The live crowd saw this but thought it wasn't real and didn't fully understand what had just happened. The audience at home at this time were viewing a pre-taped promo Owen did as The Blue Blazer for his upcoming match. Medical personnel and wrestlers alike tended to Owen, including Jerry Lawler, who was ringside with Jim Ross doing commentary.

Though nothing was announced on television beyond the fall, as Ross pleaded to the audience that this was indeed not part of the show, Lawler returned to commentary, stoic and pale as a ghost, and said it didn't look good. Owen was rushed to the back, motionless, and went to the hospital. The show went on with minimal updates on the situation until Ross received word over the headset. He had the unfortunate duty to tell the wrestling world that Owen Hart had passed away. I remember where I was that night and cried. As I'm writing this, a chill has come over me and my arms are nothing but goosebumps. I remember it like it was yesterday and not a day goes by that I don't think of Owen in some way. Vince McMahon made the tough and questionable decision to keep the show going after the tragedy. That could be entirely different blog so I won't get into that.

The reason I am writing this is that on Tuesday, Vice's Darkside of the Ring did an episode on the death of Owen Hart. Among the heart broken were his family, namely his older brother Bret Hart. Unfortunately, Owen left his wife Martha a widow and his children without a father. Since then, Martha has brought lawsuits to the WWF at the time, and refuses to let them use his likeness or induct him into their Hall of Fame. It was a tragic and unnecessary accident. Owen didn't even want to do it but he didn't right out refuse, which shows how much of a company man he was. Now, Martha has every right to be angry, as well as her children. I can't begin to understand how they felt and still feel to this day. To me, he was a wrestler, and my favorite at that, but I didn't know him personally. He may have been my hero but he was a father and a husband to them.

Martha Hart continues her hatred for everything involved with WWE, including owner Vince McMahon. Hart finds the company at fault and it's hard not to feel that way. She and her children had a lot to say on Tuesday's episode. Unfortunately, her hatred split the family, as she and Bret, among others, have not spoken to one another for a long time, nor do they get along. In fact, Bret had said he hasn't even seen his niece and nephew since they were kids. Bret, as sad is he was, and as angry he has been with McMahon and the WWE many times over, still wants Owen to be recognized. Martha does not want her late husband's name to be involved in anything where WWE can make a profit, understandably so.

I cannot and will not judge her for this decision. However, she refuses to believe WWE's sincerity and sentiment. I can, however, offer my opinion. Owen is more than deserving of being in the WWE's Hall of Fame; there is no doubt. He is part of the pro wrestling Hall of Fame, which is not associated with WWE, but celebrates professional wrestlers in general. From my perspective, even more so than WWE, his fans would like to see him inducted, as does some of his family. I think it would mean the world to Bret to be able to induct Owen. Beyond the amazing matches they had with and against one another, they were brothers. I can't imagine losing my brother so I can't begin to comprehend what Bret is still going through.

I believe WWE will respect Martha's wishes but it is unfortunate for Owen's fans that they can't celebrate his legacy in that way. I for one would love to see it. I've followed Owen from the beginning of his career to the moment his life was tragically cut short. In 1988, the Blue Blazer came onto the scene. He was fast and athletic, but there was something familiar about the masked man. Even at 8 years old at the time, I knew a lot about wrestling and it wasn't long before I figured out it was Owen Hart under the mask. Many were familiar with the famous Hart wrestling family, as his brother Bret was with the WWF at the time. Their father Stu, the Hart's tough patriarch, trained many wrestlers, specifically his children, to wrestle and he sold his Calgary Stampede promotion to Vince McMahon.

At the time, Owen was a lower card guy, likely wearing a mask so he wouldn't be in the shadow of Bret. Boy, was this some unintentional foreshadowing, no pun intended, as that was exactly a story that would be told years later. He wrestled for a year or so in the WWF and then back home in Canada, as well as with a few other minor promotions. In 1991, Owen returned to the company.. This time, due to his agility, he was now known as "The Rocket" Owen Hart. Just months earlier, Bret went solo and amicably split with longtime partner and brother-in-law, the late Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Together, they were known as the Hart Foundation. Neidhart formed a team with Owen and they were known as the New Foundation. Their finisher was known as the Rocket Launcher, a move where Neidhart would throw Owen onto their opponents, usually for the win. At this point, I really started to rally behind Owen. After Neidhart left, Owen formed a team with Koko B. Ware known as High Energy. However, it wasn't until 1993 that Owen's career would really take off.

It was November of that year at the Survivor Series when people really took notice of Owen Hart. He teamed with brother Bret, along with brothers Bruce and Keith against what was to be a Jerry Lawler-led team, but the King was replaced by Shawn Michaels. In the match, Owen was the only member eliminated, though the team won the match. When Bret and the others celebrated, along with their parents Stu and Helen, Owen came back out and was furious with Bret, mainly because Owen got eliminated due to being distracted by Bret's minor injury. Owen pulled Bret from the turnbuckles and and shoved his older brother, yelling at his family as the show ended. The raw emotion Owen exhibited was so believable. The brothers made amends over the Holidays and decided to challenge the Quebecers for the Tag Team Championships at the Royal Rumble. Bret lost the match for his team and then Owen did the unthinkable. He turned on his brother. This bitter feud lasted the next few years and would involve other members of the family such as Jim Neidhart and the British Bulldog.

At WrestleMania X two months later, Owen had one of his biggest moments when he defeated Bret in the opening match. However, much to Owen's chagrin later that night, Bret defeated Yokozuna for the WWF Championship in the main event. A disgruntled Owen looked on as many of the roster came out to congratulate Bret. At the King of the Ring, Jim Neidhart returned to second Bret in his Championship defense against Diesel. Jim caused a disqualification, making sure Bret retained the Title. Later that night, Neidhart helped Owen win the King of the Ring tournament. Moments after Owen's loss to Bret at SummerSlam in a cage match, Neidhart and Owen attacked other family members. The family feud intensified as 1994 progressed. By years end, Owen cost Bret the WWF Title with one of his best acting performances to date, tearing on the heart strings, no pun intended, of his family and the fans.

Owen would go on to win the Tag Team Titles with Yokozuna the next year at WrestleMania XI. He also won the Titles with the British Bulldog, who had turned on Bret by then. In early 1997, Owen and Bulldog, still Tag Team Champions at the time, were in the finals to determine the first European Champion. The Bulldog won and it led to a rematch shortly after WrestleMania XIII. At the time, Bret became hated, at least by American fans, during his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Bret couldn't stand to see the family divided anymore and he reunited with Owen and the Bulldog in a very emotional moment, even though they were the "bad guys" at the time. Owen feuded with Austin later that year and had two reigns as Intercontinental Champion. In November of that year at the Survivor Series, Bret lost his WWF Championship to Shawn Michaels in what is infamously known as the "Montreal Screwjob." Bret left the company for WCW but Owen ended up staying.

Unfortunately, instead of utilizing the tremendous talent and potential of Owen, WWE didn't book him very well. Despite a reign as European Champion, Owen was constantly humiliated by Shawn Michaels and Triple H of Degeneration X. After becoming a member of the Nation of Domination in 1998, having other various minor feuds, and a Tag Team Title run with partner Jeff Jarrett, Owen was forced to go back to his original Blue Blazer gimmick, which is what led to his untimely death months later.

Owen was one of the best wrestlers the world had ever seen, rivaling Bret's skills. Owen had a lot to give in the wrestling business. He gave it all, literally, as he ended up giving up his life. Owen was known by his peers as a great practical joker, and was one of the kindest people in the world. He loved his family dearly. Owen's life was cut short in his prime at the young the age of 34. To this day, he is missed by his family, his friends, and his fans. I'll never forget the amazing wrestler and man Owen was and certainly won't forget the day he died. Owen's legacy lives on and even though I respect his wife and children's wishes, I do hope to one day see Owen inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Rest in Peace, Owen! We love you and miss you!

The Shock About the Shockmaster - A Different Perspective

Over the course of the history of professional wrestling, there have been many things that have come and gone; the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. Many fans agree that one such idea that was considered bad for the most part, was the debut of The Shockmaster on that fateful 1993 day. It is generally regarded as one of the most "WrestleCrap" worthy moments in all of wrestling. However, what's shocking to me is the way some people perceive it.

Obviously, I could go on and on about how bad it was, and I will, trust me! It's just that I feel the need to clear something up, at least from my perspective. From the way people describe it, it seems like many believe that it only failed because of what happened. I'm here to tell you that it was a failure way before it was even on television. Most know the story. The titular Shockmaster was played by Fred Ottman, formerly Tugboat and Typhoon. First of all, they had him wear jeans, a vest, and an idiotic looking silver glittered Star Wars "Storm Trooper" helmet. So, we're already off to a bad start. Then the fun ensues! 

He was supposed to crash through the wall of the set of "A Flair For the Gold," in which Ric Flair interviewed the teams that would be colliding at Fall Brawl in War Games, along with Sting introducing his special partner. However, someone decided to place a piece of wood haphazardly on the lower portion of the wall at the last minute, after successful practice runs. Ottman, through no fault of his own, couldn't see at all and tripped over the piece of wood as he crashed through the wall, falling down, as his helmet rolled off. As quick as he could, he put the helmet back on. You audibly hear some of the wrestlers laughing, as well as the British Bulldog shouting out; "he fell on flat on his arse!" But it didn't end there! Sid Vicious and Harlem Heat did their best to stay in character as The Shockmaster began to "talk." It was famously the voice of Ole Anderson tweaked a little bit to sound menacing. What proceeded from there was some of the lamest smack talking I've ever heard. This was beyond embarrassing, even for 1993 WCW standards.

So, what you're telling me is that this thing only failed because he tripped and fell and scrambled to put back on his fallen helmet? Think about that for a second! For argument sake, let's just propose the notion of "what if he didn't trip?" You're going to tell me with a straight face that this wouldn't have been dead in the water if that was the case? Let's say, he busts through the wall like planned, didn't trip or lose his helmet. What then? Would that have been a success? No matter the circumstances, the plan was still for Ole Anderson to distortedly voice the gimmick, even audibly laughing while doing it. Hell, look at the damn outfit he wore! You're telling me that his attire wasn't as much of a failure compared to falling down? This gimmick was going to suck regardless.

I recall Dusty Rhodes speaking about the incident and stated that when his young son at the time, Cody, saw what happened watching TV with friends, the little guy shouted; "that's Unlce Fred!" If that didn't register for you, Dusty and Ottman were brothers-in-law. They even acknowledged what young Cody said when Ottman later portrayed the character of Super Shockmaster, claiming to be his nephew and calling him "Uncle Fred." To this day, Cody still talks about it, remembering this wrestling blunder from his childhood, and many of ours. The very idea of this gimmick was a failure! 

If I recall, the late Dusty Rhodes himself was the one who came up with this. Dusty was a booker for a lot of his time in the wrestling business. Sorry, Dusty, I love you, but this was not one of your best! That's putting it nicely, out of respect for him. Even if Ottman didn't trip, what about this gimmick at all would have gotten over with the crowd? In what world would this be looked at as a good idea? I'm genuinely shocked that so many people seem to think that his tripping and losing his helmet was the only reason it failed! This failed before it was even conceived! Clearly, not every idea is a winner. Although, in my opinion, it's not as bad as David Arquette as WCW Champion! Sorry, Mr. Russo! Haha!

Not only that, but let's discuss the name! What kind of name is Shockmaster? What is exactly is a Shockmaster? What was his gimmick supposed to be had the accident not occurred? As if a Storm Trooper helmet was bad enough, why was it covered in silver glitter, especially so much so that the man couldn't see in front of himself? Thank God Ted Turner didn't decide to start competing with Vince McMahon at that point! There would have been no Monday Night War! The idea as a whole was a failure. I hope people can see that! That's my point! I'd love someone to argue how this would have been successful if he didn't trip and lose his helmet. Thankfully, Ottman found the humor in it after his retirement, as it is still talked about to this day. He had the sense of humor to make fun of himself, and the gimmick. He even brings out the helmet for conventions from time to time. The bottom line is, I feel like people need to agree that this was DOA no matter what!

Five Royal Rumble Winners I'd Like To See

It recently occurred to me that I haven't written a blog in nine months. With the Royal Rumble coming up, I decided to get back on the horse and write about the five wrestlers I'd like to see win the men's Royal Rumble. On Raw this past week, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar stated that he was entering himself into the Rumble. With that being said, this blog will be as if that announcement and action was never made. There would have to be an entirely different blog regarding my feelings on Brock being in the Rumble. There are in no particular order.

Also, all of these potential winners I have chosen are more suited to face Brock Lesnar for the WWE Title than against Bray Wyatt for the Universal Title. I'm not counting Roman Reigns, who is a likely winner and rumored to win and face Wyatt at WrestleMania, nor I counting an possible returning Edge or everyone's favorite cult of personality, CM Punk. These are just wrestlers who not only have momentum going in, but are also guys I'd like to see get the Main Event spot at WrestleMania.

Big E

Last year, Kof-Mania ran wild, as Kofi Kingston became the WWE Champion. After what I would call a pretty decent run, he lost the Title to Brock Lesnar in less than 10 seconds. Despite that, he won the Smackdown Tag Team Titles just weeks later. With Kofi already having his moment and Xavier out on injury, what better way for Kofi to get justice than if Big E won the Title at WrestleMania from Brock? Big is a formidable opponent himself, possessing both power and agility, as well as a persona fans can get behind. It's about time Big E has his own big moment! It may not be likely, be I'd like to see it happen.

Randy Orton

2017 was an odd year for Orton to win the Rumble. He was into a feud with WWE Champion at the time, Bray Wyatt, with their encounters going from passable to just awful, killing the momentum Wyatt had built for himself. Orton is now a veteran and despite that, he has been on a role lately. His feud with AJ Styles has rekindled and Orton recently put on an Oscar worthy performance, second only to Mark Henry. Orton seems to have momentum now and the fans are with him. After all, who doesn't love an RKO out of nowhere? What works for Orton winning the Rumble is that he already has history with Brock Lesnar, stemming from their controversial SummerSlam encounter a few years ago. An RKO to Brock to end his title reign would be very well received.

Drew McIntyre

Several wrestlers have great momentum going on, which is what you want to see. Although there was no Title shot in the line, the 1989 Royal Rumble included several superstars who could have believably won. The obvious runners up at the time were Hulk Hogan and WWF Champion "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Of course, you could never count out Andre the Giant or another likely winner, "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. One guy that has been building steam lately is Drew McIntyre. After a rough couple of years after his successful NXT career, the Scottish Psychopath seems ready to claim his prize at the top of the mountain. He's credible enough to be a threat to Brock's reign. He's a guy that has been ready to shine for quite some time. It's time to prove once and for all that he truly is the "Chosen One."

Samoa Joe

If there's anyone that deserves to have a WrestleMania main event and a World Title in WWE, it's Samoa Joe. Some would say it's about time. Joe has some history with Brock, having challenged the Beast a few years ago and coming up just short. However, Joe gave Brock quite a fight. Joe is currently a fan favorite in a war against Seth Rollins and company. It's time for Joe to take that next step. While he's won World Titles in other promotions, I'd love to see him win the WWE Championship. I think Joe and more than worthy to be the opponent for Brock Lesnar.

Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens has held the Universal Title and is on a roll right now, with a Stone Cold-esque following. We haven't seen Owens in the ring with Brock Lesnar but he would sure be a formidable opponent. Who wouldn't love to see a Stunner end Brock's Championship reign? Owens is a top fan favorite right now and could very well headline WrestleMania.

The Royal Rumble is usually fairly unpredictable. There are others I have not mentioned that are rumored but probably not be well received. There have been reports about Cain Valesquez or Tyson Fury but I sincerely hope neither of those win the Rumble, nor do I even want them in the Rumble. One possibility could be Finn Balor. Though he makes his presence known on NXT these days, he has some unfinished business with Bray Wyatt. Balor was the first victim of The Fiend. However, that was just Balor the man. The Fiend has not faced The Demon and that would be quite interesting. Balor could finally reclaim the Universal Title, something he never lost to begin with. However, my five picks are the ones I'd most like to see. What are your thoughts? 

 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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Reunited And It Feels So Good

   Fans were shocked when Charlotte Flair defeated Asuka for the Smackdown Women's Championship on Smackdown last week, merely days before WrestleMania. As you can imagine, many fans voiced their displeasure. I must admit I also did, but for just a moment. I looked at the big picture and realized that Asuka's sacrifice is for t he greater good. Having Charlotte, who is already in the main event of WrestleMania for the Raw Women's Title against Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch, join the match as the Smackdown Women's Champion, adds even more to it. After my initial hatred wore off, I thought of what this could mean. Will it now be winner take all at WrestleMania? Despite my preference of Becky Lynch winning, as well as wanting to have Asuka booked much better, I think the end result, as long as the Titles are unified, is something I'd be happy with.

   Since the reintroduction of the Women's Tag Team Titles, I have mentioned, ad nauseam, that with those Titles on all shows, it is redundant to have two singles Championships in the women's division. With the addition of the Tag Team Titles and thus the need for tag teams, there aren't enough women on each show to carry two singles Championships. Unifying the Titles would fix that problem. Let's be honest; the women's division is mainly focused on the three women in the upcoming main event, and to a lesser extent, Asuka. That's only four women! 

   On Raw, we have the Tag Team Champions, Sasha Banks and Bayley. In opposition, they have the Riot Squad, Tamina and Nia Jax, and the rejoined Natalya and Beth Phoenix. That doesn't leave many women in opposition of Ronda! Hell, her two biggest enemies at the moment are Smackdown competitors! This leaves Raw's singles women's division, consisting of Ruby Riot, Alexa Bliss, Mickie James, Dana Brooke, Alicia Fox, and Ember Moon. As far as credibility goes, no one gives a crap about Dana or Alicia. As for Ruby, a veteran in Mickie, and the currently injured Ember, their booking has left a lot to be desired. 

   Over on Smackdown, challengers for the Tag Team Titles consist of the Iconics, Mandy Rose and Sonya DeVille, and the makeshift team of Naomi and Carmella. With Becky and Charlotte now more focused on Raw, former Champion Asuka was left with only Lana and Zelina Vega, neither of which are credible opponents. Before Asuka lost the Title, there was to be a fatal four-way match to determine the new number one contender and WrestleMania opponent, between Mandy, Sonya, Naomi, and Carmella. None could come close to matching up with Asuka. It's time to have only one singles Women's Championship! What better way, now that Charlotte has introduced the Smackdown Women's Title into the discussion!

   While this mainly focuses on the specifics of the Women's Title, it does apply to other Championships as well, specifically the Raw Tag Team Titles and the Smackdown Tag Team Titles, which the men of WWE are contending for. There are never enough teams, or should I say, quality teams, to make up two separate tag team divisions. This is another set of belts that could stand to do some unification as well. Let's be honest, the entire tag team division, all across the board, consists of the New Day, the Usos, and The Bar. Teams like The Revival and Authors of Pain should be up there, but their booking could have been better. The Ascension have been jokes for a long time, Heath Slater and Rhino are barely seen, The B Team is another joke, and Sanity hasn't been used at all. Gallows and Anderson are also rarely there. Then there's stupid makeshift teams like Bobby Roode and Chad Gable, along with former Champions and now enemies, The Miz and Shane McMahon. I think unifying the Tag Team Titles would be good for everyone.

   While I'm on the subject of unifying Championships, let's talk about the WWE Title and the Universal Title. In my view, the Universal Title means nothing and should not be seen as a World Title. In WWE, the WWE Title is the Title! Even when Jinder Mahal held it, it was still the most prestigious Title in the company. Sure, I would probably still complain if Brock Lesnar held the WWE Title and barely showed up, but that's a different argument. Having more than one World Champion in the same company has never and will never make sense! With that being said, I think it's time to unify those Titles as well. Less is more!

   While on the subject, something else has been brought to my attention. Not only do I believe some of these Titles should be unified, but I also think the brand split should end. I have never liked the brand split at any point it was instigated. Half the time, WWE doesn't care to enforce it and everyone ends up on all brands anyway, so it seems pointless. While I can understand what people believe to be benefits of the split, such as a superstar that wouldn't normally be getting the time of day to receive the spotlight, the fact that there is more than one of each Championship diminishes it. For instance, from 2002 when the split first started until John Cena was drafted to Raw as the WWE Champion in 2005, the "World Heavyweight Title," basically the old WCW Title, was on Raw. Throughout the reigns of this Title, it meant nothing to me because as I stated before, the WWE Title is the Title. Sure, we got a feel good moments such as Chris Benoit winning at WrestleMania Shawn Michaels' comeback, Christian finally winning the big one, and Mark Henry with his best run yet, but ultimately, it's not the real World Title to me.

   While I can agree that without the brand split, Eddie Guerrero might not have had his reign, you must remember that because of the brand split, we had Champions like Jinder Mahal, who should have been nowhere near a World Title or main event. As I stated with the addition of the Women's Tag Team Titles and their roaming nature, we're seeing superstars more and more show up and several brands. We'll also see part-time free agents like John Cena and the Undertaker appearing wherever they're needed, not sticking at all to a strict brand split. The split is not enforced and therefore, no longer serves a purpose. For all intents and purposes, Raw and Smackdown are basically the same and only NXT sticks out as its own thing. By 2010, the split was irrelevant and finally ended in 2013 when the World Titles were unified. In the Summer of 2016, the brand split was redone, with Championships being split once again. It's time to end it again and it were up to me, I'd never bring it back. On the other side, if they're going to introduce new brands like they did with NXT UK, I can see WWE becoming a new Territory system of sorts, with those brand's main Titles being seen as regional Championships, much like World Class was to the NWA. However, I think Raw and Smackdown's brand split should end, with their Titles unifying. Less is more, after all. Having more than one of the same Title, diminishes its meaning, because we don't really know who the best is. There can only be one! When there's more Titles, they feel like participation trophies and not as important as they should be perceived as.

   All of the topics are interrelated but it starts with WrestleMania's first ever all female main event between Raw Women's Champion Ronda Rousey, Smackdown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair, and Royal Rumble winner Becky Lynch. It's being presented as winner takes all, which tells me that the Titles are likely to be unified. However, the same argument I started regarding the women's division applies across the board. These are my opinions and I'm sticking to them!

 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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Unpopular Opinion? This Is Not Charlotte's Time

   Before I officially get started here, I just want to point out that I have nothing against Charlotte Flair. In fact, I think she's great! However, right now is simply not her time to be the focus of the women's division regarding WrestleMania. First things first, the original idea, at least before Survivor Series, was for Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair to take place at this year's WrestleMania, even with Becky Lynch's ever growing popularity. Due to Becky's injury, she chose Charlotte to fight Ronda in her place at Survivor Series. Since the match had already taken place at this point, I felt they were going to move in the direction of Becky getting the spotlight. Despite losing the Smackdown Women's Title to Asuka at TLC and failing to regain it at the Royal Rumble, Becky won the women's Rumble and chose to take on Ronda at WrestleMania. Before SummerSlam last year, I think the WrestleMania plan was Ronda vs. Charlotte and they added Becky into the equation with talks of a Triple Threat match, which is what I think we'll see. 

   After the Rumble, I figured it was all said and done. Becky Lynch has become one of the most polarizing superstars in a long time and her intense rivalry with Ronda Rousey was just about to heat up even more. As of Raw, Becky's "suspension" was back on at the behest of Mr. McMahon, stating she would be out for WrestleMania with Charlotte as her replacement. It seems they may do some kind of "Daniel Bryan" routine to get Becky back in and make it a Triple Threat. I'd also like to point out that this is not the end of the world for me, and if it's happening, no one deserves to be added more than Charlotte, especially if the match is to main event WrestleMania this year. I just feel like it wasn't necessary at this juncture.

   For one thing, Charlotte has had multiple moments of her own, such as winning the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania XXXII and ending Asuka's undefeated streak last year, among being part of many first-evers. I think she can afford to sit this one out. Not only that, she was the only credible threat left for Asuka this year and now Asuka, the Smackdown Women's Champion, is an afterthought. She's not even wrestling at tomorrow night's Elimination Chamber PPV, nor are they hinting at a possible opponent for WrestleMania. With that being said, this leads to something I've stated numerous times. They seem to only focus on one Championship, even though there are two and they claim both are equal. I understand that Asuka's match, no matter the opponent, would still be of lesser importance than Ronda vs. Becky and/or Charlotte. However, it would have been a great story for Asuka to avenge her loss to Charlotte last year at this year's WrestleMania, with it just slightly less important than Ronda/Becky. WWE can never seem to focus on more than one women's division program at a time, and when they do, it's only because there are two singles Women's Championships. With the Women's Tag Team Titles being brought back and their rotating nature, it seems redundant to have two singles Titles. Rumors state that the brand split could be coming to an end, which I would be all for. However, I'm getting slightly off topic.

   I personally wouldn't have had Becky against Asuka at the Royal Rumble, especially her tapping out. I generally dislike when wrestlers in Championship matches get into the Rumble itself. I would have gone with Charlotte getting her one on one rematch with Ronda, with possible interference from the MMA Horsewomen. However, since Becky was in the match, having her tap out, which made Asuka look good, was not the right call. She should have passed out instead, similar to the way the Shayna Baszler/Bianca Belair match at Takeover: Phoenix ended. That way, Asuka still looks dominant but Becky remains strong as well. I also found the entire way they ran Becky's storyline in the Rumble to be unnecessary, as sometimes being predictable is just fine. I would have had Becky straight up be in the Rumble to begin with, and then winning it, as opposed to taking Lana's place when Lana couldn't compete. Becky on her own was enough and we didn't have to go the underdog Daniel Bryan story, nor the anti-authority Stone Cold story. I also have a feeling that Charlotte was added so she can take the pin so Ronda doesn't have to.

   Again, I enjoy Charlotte Flair's work, but I just don't feel she needed to be added to the Ronda/Becky situation, even though she has a gripe with both women. Also, I happen to think that Becky is the better all around performer. I'm not a Becky bandwagoner! I've been with her since day one and always liked her the best out of the NXT Horsewomen. I think she's more crisp in ring than Charlotte and better on the mic, especially since SummerSlam. Charlotte's moonsaults are sloppy and she's still somewhat robotic on the mic. Charlotte and those ridiculous sandbags she calls tits can sit this one out. She'll get many more moments in the coming years, and well deserved. However, this should really be Becky's moment in the spotlight. At the end of the day, I'm totally content with Charlotte's addition but I still feel she wasn't needed. Becky's popularity, along with Ronda's star power, is more than enough for the first women's main event in WrestleMania history. Again, this is all just my opinion but it's nothing to lose sleep over.

P.S. - With all that being said, however, the way they are now presenting Charlotte in this heel form, is fantastic!

 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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NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool Review

   This was the very first Takeover for the NXT UK brand and it was a very good show. That's not to say it was perfect, but we've only just scratched the surface. The main problem NXT UK has is that WWE taped the shows way back in August and September and then decided to run two a week on Wednesdays months later, leading into Takeover. That's a lot of content to catch up on and try to get into the brand. Fans, at least American fans, need a little time to get to know these wrestlers. For instance, though WWE will tout November as the day Rhea Ripley became the first NXT UK Women's Champion, she actually won it way back in August. I will say this, though; the UK fans were rowdy and I loved it. There wasn't a silent moment throughout the entire show.  

NXT UK Tag Team Titles - Mustache Mountain vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

   I couldn't think of a better match to start the show! We already know what to expect from any match involving Mustache Mountain. Trent Seven and Tyler Bate are tremendous stars and they showed exactly why yesterday. I also must give credit to their opponents. The Grizzled Young veterans are made up of UK Championship tournament standout James Drake and 2018 UK Championship Tournament winner Zack Gibson, Liverpool's # 1. While I expected the big strong boys to win, it kind of makes more sense for Drake and Gibson to get the win. The fans will really get behind Mustache Mountain even more. The wrestling itself was outstanding and the story telling was fantastic. Tyler Bate is incredibly strong, as he was able to pull off an airplane spin with both opponents on his shoulders. I loved how Mustache Mountain's outfits were very reminiscent of the British Bulldogs. In fact, they pulled off some old school British Bulldogs double team moves as Trent Seven hit a Davey Boy Smith-like vertical suplex, while Tyler Bate came off the top rope with a head butt much like the Dynamite Kid. The best move of the night was the suicide dive into a Doomsday Device on the outside. In the end, James Drake and Zack Gibson are the very first NXT UK Tag Team Champions.

Jordan Devlin vs. Finn Balor

   That's right, you read that correctly! I said Finn Balor! The match was advertised as Jordan Devlin vs. "The Kiwi Buzzsaw" Travis Banks. However, a storyline injury made other plans. Based on how good the opening contest was and the fact that it was the first Takeover for the brand, they needed to do something to keep the momentum going. Earlier in the day, the Irish Ace attacked Banks backstage. Before the match got underway, Banks made a B line to the ring and went right after Devlin. Unfortunately, the injury was just too much for Banks and he was taken out. UK General Manager Johnny Saint and Sid Scala said they had a plan B in case Devlin tried something like this, just after Devlin referred to himself as the greatest Irish wrestler in the world. The lights went out, a cloud of smoke arose, and out walked Finn Balor himself. It was now the teacher vs. the student. This chain of events made Devlin look good in a losing fashion, gave Balor a much needed showcase, and extended the Devlin/Banks feud. Everybody is a winner in this scenario. It was a good match as well, with Balor besting his former pupil with a "Coup de Grace" for the win. 

No Disqualification Match - Dave Mastiff vs. Eddie Dennis

   When Mastiff had enough of Dennis bullying people, he confronted him. Mastiff won their first encounter and their second one ended in a no contest, leading to their No DQ match here. Mastiff is a 320 pound wrecking ball of a man. To see a man his size and so agile is amazing. He almost looks like a smaller version of Vader. Eddie Dennis, while tall, doesn't come off very imposing. He's pretty generic actually. There were some cool spots here and in the end, the Bomber did a cannonball onto Dennis through a table in the corner for the win. It was the perfect match to put in the middle for a slight down turn. 

NXT UK Women's Title - Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm

   The women's division in NXT UK is very good but these two are head and shoulders above the rest. Ripley turned completely around in character from one year to the next during the Mae Young Classic. Toni Storm has certainly taken the world by storm and the hearts of NXT UK fans. Going into this, I thought for sure Ripley would retain, as to most fans, she just won the Title in November. However, if there was one person, even above Pete Dunne that is the face of the NXT UK brand, it's Toni Storm. Last night, the 2018 Mae Young Classic winner took her star to a new level by winning the NXT UK Women's Championship. It's Toni time!

UK Championship - Pete Dunne vs. Joe Coffey

 The only thing that took away from this match, at least going in, was that there was no one on the NXT UK roster that was in the position to take the Title from the Bruiserweight. The same goes for Joe Coffey, though he put up a good fight and was still a worthy challenger. This match came to be through the feud between British Strong Style and Gallus, consisting of Joe Coffey, brother Mark Coffey, and Wolfgang. In the end, Coffey just couldn't get the job done and Pete Dunne continues his 600-plus day reign as UK Champion. You'll notice that in the first sentence in this paragraph, I mentioned that there was no one credible enough to take the Title from Pete Dunne. Until now! Just as the credits were about to roll, Dvorak's Symphony # 9 IV came on the loudspeaker and out walked WALTER! Walter is a stand out in the UK independent scene and is a monster of a man. Just as Walter made his way to the ring to confront Dunne, Coffey got to his feat to ruin the moment, only to be met with a big boot from Walter for his troubles. The night ended with a stare down between Walter and Dunne, a sight to behold.

   Between the awesome matches, surprise appearance by Finn Balor, and Walter's debut, I'd say NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool was a success. The only thing missing was Blackpool native William Regal. What a great way to start what I'm sure is to be more Takeovers from here!

 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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