WWE Vengeance: Turning a Cold Dish to a Hot Item

"The ashes were trampled into the Earth, and the blood became as snow. Who knows what they came for... weapons of steel, or murder? It was never known, for their leader rode to the south, while the children went north with the Vanir. No one would ever know that my lord's people had lived at all. His was a tale of sorrow." - The Wizard

Conan the Barbarian is probably one of the most underrated films in the history of cinema.  A good storyline, pleasantly surprising acting, great musical score and great action began the storied career of Arnold Schwarzenegger and continued to show why James Earl Jones is among the best actors to ever grace the screen.

Its premise is fairly simple.  It's a tale as old as time itself.  Vengeance. While a child, Conan's village and family were destroyed by the forces of the Cult of Set, led by Thulsa Doom.  Growing into a powerful warrior, he eventually gains his revenge upon Doom.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines Vengeance as "Punishment inflicted for an injury or offense."  That said, there are plenty of Superstars in the WWE who have a beef with someone else in one form or another.  Part of the best stories the WWE has ever told have involved that idea in some form.

The WWE is falling into a bit of a slump, with both Summerslam and Hell in a Cell buyrates suffering from a downward trend.  More or less, the WWE has turned into a cold dish with a core aspect of their business model and are in desperate need to turn the situation around.  Vengeance could do that.  

However, a little groundwork needs to be done first before laying out the matches.  What's gone wrong and right for the WWE as of late?  What has connected and what has not? 

The Emotion of Vengeance

"Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom... so grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!" - Conan the Barbarian

I tend to believe one of the best forms of storytelling is when it draws on our emotions.  When fans become emotional invested in a product, they have a personal reason to see that story through to the end.  The best, and most recent example I can cite is the Money in the Bank PPV build.

When Punk announced he was leaving the WWE when his contract expired, it piqued the interest of the IWC and WWE fans in general.  Culminating with some brilliant promo work, well thought out segments, and capitalizing on the great chemistry of CM Punk and John Cena, the hype for the main event was at a level not seen in years.

The storyline culminated in a tremendous pay-per-view ending, arguably the best the WWE had put together in years where the babyface of the feud, Punk, defeated Cena in the ring and Del Rio's attempt to cash in his newly won Money in the Bank contract screwed his "evil" boss. He left through the crowd as a triumphant victor.

How was the WWE rewarded for their efforts?  A nice buy-rate increase and some great buzz going forward.  The PPV also featured two matches that traditionally draw intrigue and had some hype as well.  Overall, it was a well done hype cycle for the WWE.

Fast forward and the next PPV, Summerslam, fell flat.  The WWE got away from their basic premise of the previous PPV and came down to rehashing the same story without the emotional investment of Money in the Bank.  They were rewarded with a decrease of 50,000 buys from the previous year for that PPV.  Hell in a Cell fell victim to the same fate, with a reported 20 percent decrease from this year's Night of Champions PPV.

What the issue came down to was simple emotional investment.  Money in the Bank sold strong because we wanted to see the culmination of the storyline, we had a reason to cheer for the victory of Punk and be satisfied with forking over $45 to see it.   There was vindication there and we "marked" like little kids watching Hogan bodyslam Andre the Giant

Summerslam did not have that same emotional pull.  The PPV was a surprisingly good one, with great matches from Orton, Christian, Punk and Cena.  Overall, well worth the money if you like good matches in the ring.  But it never connected with the casual fan who could care less about a title unification, seeing Cee Lo Green dance with some Divas and Christian probably losing the belt.

Living Up to the Emotion

"For us, there is no spring. Just the wind that smells fresh before the storm." - Conan the Barbarian

Overall, a PPV named Vengeance should evoke a feeling of revenge, plain and simple.  When we are wronged, we want to see the person who committed the transgression pay for what they did.  It's a simple idea of justice, really, and one that is innate in every human being whom has ever lived.  Whether in a heated debate, a physical altercation, or slighted by someone or something, the emotional result is just as valid.

That said, there is plenty of ammunition for the WWE to expend with their PPV build this time around, and the groundwork for Survivor Series begins.  They have multiple established feuds to draw upon, and one that should begin shortly.  Ideally, with the heel heavy booking of Hell in a Cell, you need a few more babyface wins to act as a counter balance.  Overall, you need to start at the bottom.

Beth Phoenix (c) vs. Natalya

"[The] Purging is at last at hand. Day of Doom is here. All that is evil, all their allies; your parents, your leaders, those who would call themselves your judges; those who have lied and corrupted the Earth, they shall all be cleansed." - Thulsa Doom

This might seem an odd choice, but there are three things that come into play.  The first is the Divas are in a holding pattern until Kharma returns.  The second is the weak booking that, up until the past few months, has plagued the Divas Division seems to be returning.  Last is the Kelly Kelly/Phoenix feud needs a hiatus or, in my opinion, needs to end.

Natalya could challenge Kelly Kelly for the No. 1 contender's spot and win via submission.  This would add some intrigue into the dominant duo and we would get to find out who is really the better of the two.  A face turn is not needed for this to work, simply because it could be a one-time deal.  If the feud were extended, then Natalya is in a prime position for a face turn.

Fans of the "Divas of Doom" know the type of work they could do, and a match like this would give a sorely needed boost to the in ring and out of ring product.  The start to redemption for the gals begins here.  More or less, they have been booked as if on a crusade to eliminate the "Barbies" of the Divas division.  Maybe it's time they show the girls how it's really done!

Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. Zack Ryder

"What daring! What outrageousness! What insolence! What arrogance!... I salute you." - King Osric

These two have been going back and forth as of late, and going so far as Ziggler hijacking the Long Island Iced Z's YouTube show.  As it is, Ryder is a wonderful underdog babyface, and they've laid the necessary groundwork for the feud to happen.

Ziggler needs to find relevance amongst the multitude of midcard heels and this could do it.  He needs to be arrogant, blunt and ultimately resolved to hold his title.  A feud with Ryder, playing on the basis of Ryder seeking the title while Ziggy looks to gain revenge for his two losses to Ryder and prove Zack isn't even in the same ballpark as the Perfect One.

Ryder defeating Ziggler would set up a good, long term feud between the two which may go a number of ways.  As long as they continue the back and forth over Ryder's show and on Twitter, and giving it on some spot minutes on Raw, that is enough.   If it's done right, this could be a surprisingly deep and creative storyline.

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton

"Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." - Conan the Barbarian

Rhodes, as of late, has a legitimate beef with the Viper.  After being opened up with a bell shot and defeating him twice in two weeks, they have some issues they need to hash out.  Having Orton challenge Cody for the title could work as Henry/Orton might be in blow off mode after two clean pins by the World's Strongest Man.

This is exactly the type of match to make Rhodes relevant in the world title scene, and a strong performance could go miles to making Rhodes the main event talent he is destined to be.  A feud simply playing on the events of their matches in the past month and their shared history in Legacy is a good basis, while Rhodes finding a way to overcome the Viper has some emotional investment.  Or reverse that and you still have that investment needed to create intrigue.

There has been some speculation as of late about Rhodes getting a main event push, thanks to the re-debut of the classic Intercontinental Championship and the attention that he's garnered in one form or another.  This could be the first step for the Martyred One.  The WWE lacks bona fide heels who can generate their own heat.  Rhodes is one of the few bona fide at this point.  A push to the top is close at hand.

Sin Cara Black vs. Sin Cara Blue: Mask vs. Mask

"For no one - no one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts. This you can trust." - Conan's Father

I would be lying if I said that the match at Hell in a Cell wasn't disappointing to me.  I know they can do more.  The feud is going to hit a second gear here soon, and if they were to go forward with this, a match announcement done in Mexico City might give the proper response this feud really needs.

A mask versus mask match, in Lucha Libre promotions, is called "Luchas de Apuestas" or a "match with a wager."  In most cases, it's used a blow off a particularly heated feud.  In Mexico, the mask is a soul of a character and losing it is akin to losing yourself.  Going forward, this might be the most plausible way to settle the matter.

These two have an odd common history and we haven't scraped the surface of that these two can do in the ring.  Ultimately, they are just getting started.  The ask is everything to a Lucha Libre wrestler.  In all the world, not titles, not pushes, not promos or the heat of the fans can be guaranteed.  The mask?  Yes, that they can trust.

Mark Henry (c) vs. Sheamus

"That is strength, boy! That is power! What is steel compared to the hand that wields it? Look at the strength in your body, the desire in your heart, I gave you this!" - Thulsa Doom

This feud is very simple on its face.  Both men have been tearing up everything in their path, and are 1-1 with each other.  Sheamus, ideally, is the unofficial No. 1 contender for Henry's title (make no mistake, Big Show will not win) and is receiving a massive push as a babyface.  He's done well with it thus far, and is considered part of the "Big Four," along with Punk, Cena and Orton.

Henry arguably has been a story of the year candidate with stepping up his game in a massive way.  He's made notable improvements in every facet conceivable in wrestling, and his title run to date has been met with great reviews and nice fan responses where appropriate.

Henry owes Sheamus a beating after taking a count out loss to the Celtic Warrior on Smackdown a few months ago, and should be looking to return the favor.  A match between these two will come down as a straight up brawl, with little quarter given.  Admittedly though, the two matches they've had, while not the greatest, were a lot of fun to watch.

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. CM Punk vs. John Cena vs. Triple H

"He did not care any more. Life and death, the same. Only that the crowd would be there to greet him with howls of lust and fury. He began to realize his sense of worth... he mattered. In time, his victories could not easily be counted." - The Wizard

Ultimately, there are two overriding angles on Raw.  The Conspiracy against Triple H and Punk, and the triangle feud for the WWE Title.  Del Rio and Cena got a taste of the nightmare Hunter and Punk have been dealing with at Hell In A Cell when they were assaulted, along with Punk, by Awesome Truth.

Since then, Hunter was the focal point of a "walk out" by a majority of the WWE locker room.  Del Rio seems to have found a new stroke with the mid-card heels, whom are all banded together by a common cause.  Punk and Cena are, more or less, in a holding pattern at this point, but they will both have important parts to play in the coming storm—more so for Punk, but Cena will have his say as well. 

A Fatal Four Way for the title requires very little setup given the history of the three men, which is largely unsettled, and Triple H having recent history with Punk with a longer established history with Cena. 

Ultimately, such a match could further the overriding conspiracy that is festering in the WWE right now, and could be a very fun main event.  The only thing to really establish is Triple H and Del Rio's aggravation towards one another, but given Del Rio has visibly sided with the heels against the COO, this would be easy to establish.

Of course, it allows a segue for Awesome Truth to terrorize all four of the men in one shot and continue the "outsider" push they've been on.  It's been effective thus far, and done with greater panache then when Punk left the company with the WWE title.  One bright spot of the entire angle has been establishment of both The Miz and R-Truth as a pair of massive heels the company sorely needs on the "A" show.

Properly booked, this would allow an instant segue into Survivor Series where the guerrilla war turns into open conflict for control of the WWE, where they will put everything on the line.  

Vengeance, perhaps, is a dish best served cold, but it can be the ultimate dessert.  Conan had his.  Who gets theirs later this month? 

Thank you for reading.  How about you?  How would you book Vengeance?  Feedback is always welcome.