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Welcome back to the Excellence in Column Writing as I'm here to deliver the WWE in Madison Square Garden review from the WWE Network special. THIS is what I was looking for in order to entice me to (a) become a WWE Network subscriber and (b) to remain a WWE Network subscriber. I always enjoy the trolls in the Comments section and other feedback avenues trying to claim that I "flip flopped" on the WWE Network. Go re-read my June 14th, 2015 Column. The main reason I obtained the WWE Network was because it was FREE during June and I wanted to watch BOTH the NBA Finals and WWE Money in the Bank 2015. I watched MITB on the iPhone and the Cavs/Warriors game on the television... And what did I say in the column that day? "If I'm sick of it, I can just ditch it. If I like it, I can keep it and maybe help provide me with a wrestling fix outside of what the USA Network tries to air." Aside from inhaling all of the documentaries on the WWE Network, I've really enjoyed the WWE Event specials (Japan and today in MSG) and I really liked the NXT Takeover Brooklyn events. The main thing I enjoy about WWE Network is watching ACTUAL WRESTLING. It's the last place where you see actual in-ring matches. WWE Monday Night RAW is a total dumpster fire to watch for 3 hours but lacks solid athletic competition between wrestlers. Keeping the WWE Network is further cemented by my recent ditching of Cable TV. Thus, the WWE Network is more appealing... There wasn't any flip flopping... It's a matter of trying out a product for FREE and then being handed bonus prizes to remain as a customer. In previous columns, I called for the WWE to do more to make the WWE Network special... They read my mind as I became a subscriber... But I'm more of a proud subscriber with Brock Lesnar around. WWE signing Lesnar for THREE MORE YEARS was quite a way to entice me to eventually subscribe. Had Lesnar left after Wrestlemania 31 and Roman Reigns became WWE Champion, there would be NO WWE Network subscription... In fact, there probably wouldn't be Mr. Tito. Lesnar's signing has reinvigorated me as a wrestling fan when I didn't have hope for the WWE before Wrestlemania 31. That's why I boycotted the WWE Network for so long. No flip flopping when the WWE delivers with MORE Brock Lesnar and boosting the WWE Network exclusives. Go re-read my columns to see what I said. I said that the WWE was subpar heading into Wrestlemania 31 and would lose me as a fan if things didn't change. They re-signed Lesnar, ditched the Reigns WWE Title push, and boosted the exclusives on WWE Network. They justified exactly what I said about being a WWE consumer and the WWE Network. So here I am... Reviewing a WWE Network exclusive show... Better yet for you, the readers, I can review each and every WWE/NXT special events. So don't complain... You're getting more FREE content and if you really hate my columns, you're getting more opportunities to troll me in the Comments section. Saying I flip flopped... Please. I'm one of the most consistent wrestling fans out there with a backbone of steel when it comes to opinions. Onto the review. WWE at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - WWE NETWORK EXCLUSIVE EVENT UFC 192 is also occurring tonight but on Pay Per View. Makes me wonder if UFC President will consider this as "shots fired" by the WWE or not. It's not like this MSG event is airing on broadcast or Cable TV, but it could still potentially divide fans who want to see both. UFC remains quite dependent on Pay Per View money and if buys take a statistically significant hit, I wouldn't doubt that a future WWE event will see a FREE UFC event appear on FOX Sports 1 or even the main FOX channel. We'll see... I enjoy the stripped down show look compared to the LIGHTS EVERYWHERE look of RAW these days... "Less is more". Opening match was a TAG TEAM match between Randy Orton/Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus/Rusev. Perfectly acceptable match-up for this kind of show... Overall, no complaints with the match aside from a lack of pure tag wrestling from two inexperienced teams together. I thought the ending of the match was very good with Ziggler superkicking Sheamus into an RKO. It is funny to me how much, historically, the Money in the Bank briefcase holder loses BEFORE they cash in the title shot. Afterward, YET ANOTHER character change on the horizon for Sheamus as Rusev berated him for getting pinned and Sheamus fought back. Hopefully, this comes with a cosmetic change of Sheamus fixing his hair and removing the braids from his beard. He truly does look stupid. [ *** ] Backstage, Kane on crutches... Lame with this dual personality stuff. Maybe if this was the Kane of 10 years ago but the guy can't move like he used to. Next up was Stardust vs. Neville. Some nice athleticism shown but not much psychology. Can either of you sell pain or fatigue? Because it was spot after spot, the match really felt fast. Neville gets the win as I wonder what either guy has to offer for the WWE long-term unless a Cruiserweight Division is formed or something. [ * 1/2 ] It's easy to notice that Renee Young is fond of Paul Heyman as a professional... She always seems excited to interview him. I would suggest that the Big Show/Boston Celtics analogy was a good one, but historically, that NBA "feud" has been very one-sided. It's so sad to see how bad the Knicks have become lately. Up next was the ladies... Team Bella vs. Team PCB. OUCH at the "WE WANT SASHA" chants breaking out. Hey, why not? Those New York area fans were treated to greatness at NXT Takeover when Sasha wrestled Bayley before SummerSlam. The match was a standard "move the storyline" match that you'd see on Monday Night RAW. This time, Charlotte and Becky Lynch got their revenge on Paige by leaving the match and Team Bella was able to easily get the win. Some decent chemistry developing in the ring between the ladies. If we're going to continue to include the Bellas in the Divas Division, it doesn't help to let them keep working nightly with all of the NXT call-ups. [ ** 1/2 ] I really enjoyed Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho. Some nice back-and-forth between the two that was tight and fluid. What I've noticed is how good Kevin Owens looks when his opponents sell for him well and he seems to step up in matches against WWE veterans. Owens is a great worker, period, and with the WWE needing a true heel who doesn't act like he's unstoppable or inbred, Owens should be their guy. But again, he doesn't look like a bodybuilder and isn't 6'4". I liked the sneaky win by Owens here as it can potentially lead to many more matches with Chris Jericho. Owens is the kind of talent that Jericho should be used to put over. How is that Fandango put over working again? Yeah, I won that argument, internet. I expect an apology for flaming me over thinking Fandango was the next big WWE prospect. Ooops! MSG fans knew it was great, too, with a few "THIS IS AWESOME" chants. [ *** 3/4 ] Next, New Day vs. Dudley Boyz. New Day mock the Dudleys heavily on the mic before the match. I'm telling ya, New Day will morph into babyfaces at this point... They need to turn up the heel heat a bit... In other words, start winning matches with a Trombone as a foreign object. Very standard match but I LOVED the ending... Dudleys hit the 3D but the 3rd guy on the outside (Xavier Woods) attacks for a disqualification. So simple, it's ridiculous... Heels can easily retain their Titles by disqualifying themselves. Heel beatdown follows but the Dudleys, once again, avoid going through tables and Xavier Woods is on the receiving end of a 3D. Perfectly acceptable wrestling. [ *** ] I have to say that I was underwhelmed by Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar. Just felt like Lesnar wrestling an upper midcarder based on the way Lesnar quickly dispatched him. Big Show really didn't put up much of a fight. The match just seemed to be an enhancement match for Lesnar in preparation for his Hell in a Cell rematch with the Undertaker. In a way, I'm FINE with that to keep Lesnar strong, but I remain sad for how badly the WWE has booked Paul Wight (Big Show) since 1999. It's rather pathetic. For 16 years, the WWE really doesn't have much to show for the Big Show. At his size, he should have been a major superstar but the WWE never took him seriously. It was pretty much over when Austin defeated Big Show shortly after joining the WWE roster and maybe the 2002 Brock Lesnar feud was the only time WWE took him seriously. What a shame. [ ** ] Main event was Seth Rollins vs. John Cena. Remember my rant from WWE Night of Champions? WWE is getting in danger of thinning this good match-up by having Cena/Rollins wrestle repeatedly. What I also don't like is how Seth Rollins is fighting over the US Title when he's the WWE Champion. Just doesn't look good and Rollins needs help with his image as WWE Champion, badly. See those RAW ratings lately? The Cage match was good, I can't rip it... If I missed any detail, the WWE Network was freezing on me during this match and caused me to jump from the iPhone (kids were watching the main TV) to the Blu Ray player. I'm always a sucker for "escape the cage" WWE matches, although I miss the old school blue bars from the older WWF shows. The "escape" creates some nice drama that regular enclosed caged matches can't provide. That Superplex combo into another Suplex by Seth Rollins is SICK... After that move, loud "THIS IS AWESOME" chants break out. LOVED how Seth Rollins kept using the cage door as a weapon! That spot where Rollins jumped off of Cena's back at the cage door to the top of the cage and then repeatedly hit Cena with the door... Loved that! Seth Rollins eventually climbs to the top of the cage then KANE (the DEMON version) arrives. Seth has to choose between jumping on Kane (to win the match) or to attack Cena... He tries to jump off the cage to hit Cena and misses... Attitude Adjustment and John Cena retains his US Title. That's right, your WWE Champion can't win the US Title. Sigh... But DAMN GREAT match, possibly their best one-on-one encounter yet. [ ****1/4 ] Afterward, Kane enters the ring and closes the cage door to have Seth Rollins by himself. Seth almost escapes but he then gets hit with the Chokeslam and Tombstone. Afterward, Kane holds up the WWE Title. LAST WORD: I really enjoyed this event. Sure, parts of it felt like a RAW event in terms of the booking, but at least you didn't have 20 minute interview segments and commercials. Rollins/Cena and Owens/Jericho were damn good and worthy of your time as a wrestling fan or WWE Network subscriber. Many of the other matches were solid and that's all I'm asking for on a Saturday night from a WWE event. Some decent storyline advancing, too, that allows for the build up of future matches. You have to link the shows together... [ A- ] SO JUST CHILL... 'TIL THE NEXT EPISODE! Comments and feedback are welcome. Follow and Tweet me @titowrestling or login in below to post comments. © Mr. Tito and LordsofPain.net/WrestlingHeadlines.com - 1998-2015
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