WWE Rumors: John Cena, Chris Jericho, SmackDown Spoilers & Wednesday's WWE News
When the history books are written on 2011, they will say that WWE tried to experiment with young bucks but when the ratings came in for their one show on top, there was a mass internal panic and Vince McMahon squashed CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Zack Ryder.
That's what makes the product so frustrating to watch. Nothing ever has time to develop, nor do new wrestlers get time to become stars, because everything is all about the now, and it takes time to make someone into a star.
But perhaps 2012 will be different. For now, we will have to look at what WWE did for the final SmackDown tapings this year and other top stories from the wacky world of professional wrestling.
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Fresh Backstage WWE Rumors 👊
Modern-Day Dream Matches 💭
Most Likely Backlash Heel/Face Turns 🎭
CHRIS JERICHO WILL REPORTEDLY BE IN MEMPHIS NEXT WEEK
In one of the least surprising reports of the year, Wrestle Zone has an exclusive update on Jericho's travel plans for the new year. He is a big fan of Tennessee, apparently, because the report says that he is going to be in Memphis, the site of next week's Raw, Jan. 1-3.
Question on Everybody's Mind: Is the lack of surprise going to make his return less dramatic?
Our Take: Who cares if everyone has figured out the videos? The important thing is that WWE gets someone back who can be a difference maker and will be around for longer than one month.
Hype Meter: 5 out of 5 Reasons That Y2J Is The Best In The World At What He Does
Few performers have been able to re-invent themselves constantly the way Jericho has, and even though his character this time around won't be exactly the same as the one that left, it will still be entertaining because he knows what fans connect with.
Deeper Dive
Where Will Chris Jericho Be On Jan. 2? (Wrestle Zone)
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WHEN IS A HEEL TURN NOT REALLY A HEEL TURN?
Fans are buzzing over the end of Raw this week, though a lot of the feedback I have seen is that it is not a good buzz. The segment with John Cena and Kane, which was supposed to be serious, came off as comical. There has been a spike in the Cena heel turn talk, but don't get your hopes up.
Question on Everybody's Mind: How can WWE not turn Cena heel after that segment?
Our Take: That's just how WWE works in 2011. I wish I could come up with something more detailed than that, but Raw goes through so many re-writes every week, and Vince McMahon changes his mind so often, that no one can keep up with everything that is going on.
Hype Meter: 5 out of 5 Fake Angles That Get Fans Excited
Even as Kane was trying, and failing, to lead the crowd in a chant of "Cena Sucks," it was clear that very few people in attendance were interested in anything that was going on.
Deeper Dive
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JOHN LAURINAITIS, EXECUTIVE VP OF TALENT RELATIONS, RAW GM....WRESTLER?
It was teased last night on Raw, but apparently there have been serious discussions of having Johnny Ace hang up his suit and step into the ring for a match sometime soon.
Question on Everybody's Mind: Is Laurinaitis a better worker than talker?
Our Take: I will state up front that I have never seen one of Laurinaitis' matches before. However, I have heard him speak, and I can't imagine anything being worse than that.
Hype Meter: 3 out of 5 Executives Wrestling
Unless WWE is going to put him in a squash match with CM Punk, which is the only thing that makes sense, I would prefer they just left him in his usual role.
Deeper Dive
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We will be discussing SmackDown spoilers in the next section, so if you don't want to know anything, skip it and move on to the bottom.
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RANDY ORTON "INJURED" AT SMACKDOWN TAPINGS
Randy Orton and Wade Barrett have had a fun feud going on for the last two months, and it continued during Tuesday's television tapings in Indianapolis. On Twitter, WWE is teasing an injury angle after Orton was thrown down a flight of stairs during a falls count anywhere match.
Question on Everybody's Mind: So Orton isn't really hurt?
Our Take: Something strikes me as a little off about this. Obviously, we will have to wait and see the show to see how the fall looks, but knowing the way WWE works, and considering that Orton is only off live events for this week, it sounds like an angle to me.
Hype Meter: 5 out of 5 Injury Angles That Better Not Be Real
Orton has been the best part of SmackDown lately. His work in the ring has gotten much better, and he has finally learned how to work a match like a face after years of being so slow and dragging his feet. WWE can't afford to have him go down right now.
Deeper Dive
SmackDown Spoilers From Indianapolis (Wrestling Observer)
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CM PUNK GETS BURIED BY MSG SECURITY
It does not bode well for CM Punk's celebrity status that he was denied entry into Madison Square Garden for the Raw house show in New York on Tuesday night. He did get in when another guard stepped in.
Funniest Tweet From A WWE Champion On A Tuesday In 2011:
Question on Everybody's Mind: Did Punk show off his awesome spinner belt?
Our Take: That probably wouldn't have worked considering how hideous that thing is. It would have been easier if he just carried around a sign that said he is a WWE superstar.
Hype Meter: 5 out of 5 Reasons For Vince McMahon To Bury Punk
Is it strange that the first thought I had reading about this is how McMahon probably feels validated for thinking that Punk's look is not that of a WWE wrestler? I would be willing to bet that he is going through all sorts of scenarios to get the title off him now.
Deeper Dive
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Check back for more on the WWE as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Wrestling Page to get your fill of the WWE. For more WWE talk, check out Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics you just can’t miss.
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