Ryan Dilbert's 10-Count: Woken Matt Hardy Character Too One-Dimensional So Far

1. Slow to Fully Wake

The Broken Matt Hardy character on Impact Wrestling was a wonderfully weird song, a unique, experimental tune played on various instruments. WWE's "woken" version of that act has taken just a riff from it and played it on repeat.

The early stages of Hardy's run with the persona on Raw have been underwhelming. 

Take Monday night for example. After Hardy defeated Curt Hawkins, he and Bray Wyatt stared each other down before cackling at each other. That sums up WWE's take on the Hardy character well.

To this point, there has been a lot of laughing and little else.

Hardy is supposed to have awoken some being inside of him that has been around for centuries. The transformation he has experienced, though, hasn't looked like it did during the first go-round.

The Impact Wrestling version of Hardy's unhinged act featured him sparring with a kangaroo. He carved postmodern designs into his lawn. He sang, he exclaimed, he had grand premonitions. 

Aside from Hardy's chess game with a fish, WWE hasn't traveled down bizarre paths like that.

We haven't seen enough of Hardy's "woken" jargon yet, either. There have also been no added side characters, be it Hardy's young son Maxel or his gardener Senor Benjamin. Instead, the focus has been on Hardy making weird faces and laughing maniacally. 

Voices of Wrestling imagined a scenario with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon that would explain why:

To this point, WWE's version of all this feels too much like when corporate sponsors took over Wayne and Garth's self-made enterprise in Wayne's World. It doesn't have the same heart as the original. It doesn't have the same organic feel.

The good news is that it's early. The ancient spirit in control of Hardy has only been in control since December. There will be time to explore and experiment, but WWE is going to have to take more risks and branch out. This isn't something you can half-ass.

The company has the tough task of trying to create both a sequel and something of its own. The comparisons to the Impact Wrestling version won't go away. But it can't simply rehash what's already been done.

The bigger problem, for now, is a one-dimensional approach. Woken Matt Hardy is the laughing weird guy right now, which isn't anywhere near as interesting as this character could be.

2. Bliss and Braun

Alexa Bliss and Braun Strowman will team up at the Mixed Match Classic in a beauty-and-the-beast pairing. The partners couldn't be more different physically. 

Bliss is 5'1", 101 pounds, per CageMatch.net. Strowman's WWE.com profile lists him as 6'8", 385 pounds. That's a 284-pound weight difference.

You could put Bliss, Lince Dorado and Mascarita Dorada all on the same scale and Strowman would still outweigh them.

3. Throwback Video of the Week: X-Pac

On Jan. 22, WWE will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Raw.

One of the forgotten moments from the show's first year is Sean Waltman's debut. The man who would become The Kid and X-Pac first served as a doormat for Doink the Clown in March 1993:

Few watching the bout would have projected much of a future for the guy Doink manhandled. Waltman, though, carved out quite the career, becoming part of D-Generation X, winning tag team titles and reigning as European champ. 

It's enough to make one watch every enhancement talent closely, wondering if stardom is ahead for them.

4. Bills Mafia Running Wild

The tailgate scene in Jacksonville, Florida, over the weekend had a WWE flair.

Buffalo Bills fans got a bit wild ahead of their team's meeting with the Jacksonville Jaguars. You can't blame them. This was the Bills' first playoff game since 1999.

One particular fan decided to dress up in WWE-inspired garb and dive off a portable toilet. It didn't go well. Busted Coverage shared the moment on social media:

The anguish on the poor guy's face after the crash is a reminder of why WWE airs those "don't try this at home" warnings. 

5. The Most Dangerous Queen

Before she even slays her first enemy at an NXT TakeOver event, WWE is working to make Mae Young Classic finalist Shayna Baszler look like a force to be reckoned with.

In clips the company has aired on YouTube, the former MMA fighter has roughed up her peers at the WWE Performance Center. Baszler has choked out a sparring partner and outright attacked another woman.

These scenes have played up how much of a threat The Queen of Spades is.

They have a touch of realism to them. They add to her mystique. They make her a hated woman. This has all been smart business. 

Baszler becoming NXT's version of Ivan Drago is a welcome sight.

6. Top That, WrestleMania!

Wrestle Kingdom 12 was a magnificent wrestling show.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling's biggest event exceeded its massive hype. Variety, match quality and an all-star cast saw to that.

Minoru Suzuki vs. Hirooki Goto was a brutal, poetic bout where a proud warrior had to shave his own head. Kota Ibushi vs. Cody Rhodes showcased an intriguing contrast of styles and characters, leading to a fun contest. Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega's dream match took fans on a wild ride. 

Kazuchika Okada's IWGP World Heavyweight Championship defense against Tetsuya Naito was the latest classic on The Rainmaker's resume.

From the opener to the main event, Wrestle Kingdom whirred. The award for pay-per-view of the year already appears to be locked up. WrestleMania 34 is going to struggle to surpass that effort.

7. Not a Big Man's World

Samoa Joe officially declared himself an entrant in the Royal Rumble. He shouldn't strike too much fear, though, despite how intimidating of a predator he is. That's not because of his recent foot injury, either.

Big men simply haven't reigned at the 30-man Battle Royal. 

There have been 30 Royal Rumble matches to date and 31 winners thanks to a tie in 1994. As seen on WrestleView.com, only eight of those victors have been 275 pounds or larger. That's a .258 winning percentage. And only one guy that size (Batista) has won since 2008.

Big Show, Mark Henry and Kane have zero Rumble wins despite a total of 40 appearances between them, per CageMatch.net.

8. The A-List Orator

The Miz is back on Raw, and all is right with the world.

The former intercontinental champion ended his recent hiatus from the ring when he took the stage in Memphis on Monday. He instantly reminded fans how valuable he is as a talker, character and antagonist. 

The celebration of his return is a good time to look back at some of his best promos in addition to him going off on Daniel Bryan on Talking Smack:

• The Miz fires Damien Sandow: Raw, Feb. 2, 2015
• The Miz loses it after dropping Intercontinental Championship: Talking Smack, Jan. 3, 2017
• The Miz clashes with John Cena: SmackDown, Feb. 28, 2017 
• The Miz gloats about retaining IC title: Raw Talk following Great Balls of Fire
• The Miz blasts Cena, Roman Reigns: Raw, Aug. 21, 2017

Here's to The A-Lister getting ample airtime in the months ahead. And may his WrestleMania opponent start growing thicker skin now.

9. No-Brainer Showdown

When WWE schemes up how the first women's Royal Rumble match will go down, figuring out how The Riott Squad and Absolution will collide should be a high priority.  

A meeting between the two newly formed trios is an electric confrontation waiting to happen. The Riott Squad has done its damage on SmackDown, while Absolution roams the Raw landscape. They have yet to exist on the same plane.

Credit: WWE.com

Each faction has shown signs of being destructive forces. But neither has established itself as a top-tier unit.

The Rumble offers both a shot at making a big impact by tearing through the opposition and eventually each other.

The members of Absolution could enter the fray one right after another and proceed to toss out every foe in their path for a stretch. Paige staring down Ruby Riott is a must-book moment. Figuring out how to make some of that happen needs to be on WWE's to-do list ahead of the Battle Royal.

10. Heyman on Scurll

Marty Scurll may have lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship this past week, but he did get a quality consolation prize. He received quite the stamp of approval from an all-time great.

Paul Heyman had high praise for The Villain:

This is the man who recognized how great CM Punk would be early on, who saw potential in castoffs during his time with ECW. Heyman's eye for talent is keen. And he's spot-on here.

Scurll is a compelling figure in the pro wrestling world. He balances the best of old-school tactics with a new-era approach. He remains a performer to watch.