Booking Decisions as Confusing as Ever for Backlash
I wrote an article last week for Epic Carnival about how the WWE needs to keep up the momentum coming out of Mania, as it seems that right after their biggest event of the year they have a knack for dropping the ball. Well, after watching the first two shows of the week, and getting some heads-up on SmackDown, where basically right where I thought we'd be - back to some bad TV and bad booking.
Backlash, the next WWE PPV offering, is two weeks from Sunday, and the TV on Monday and Tuesday did nothing to make me want to part with the $39.99 that they are requiring for viewing. The angle to start Monday night on RAW was about as confusing as I have seen from a booking standpoint on WWE TV in quite some time. You first have GM William Regal telling us that John Bradshaw Layfield is the "most deserving #1 contender in WWE history" (why I still have no idea), and then you have two lackluster matches to get both Triple H and John Cena in the main to make it a "fatal four-way."
The only thing fatal about this match or the card in general right now appears to be the buyrate, which will be awful. You decide to keep the WWE title on Randy Orton, then out of the biggest show of the year do a poorly thrown together match with an overweight and boring JBL, and the two men that he just beat at Mania. I actually would have had no problems with a rematch of the Mania title match, but at the same time, forcing JBL in this match is about as big a head scratcher as I have seen by the bookers in quite awhile.
The other two rematches I have no real issues with, other than it's a case of "been there, done that." Edge and Taker do deserve another shot on a big stage, and here is hoping it's again the main event of the show. I think if you really push it, this is the feud that can carry the company for the spring. As far as Chavo and Kane are concerned, I don't know exactly how well these two will work together, but it will have to be better than the 8-second squash at Mania that earned Kane the title. Plus now with Chavo bringing in a "bodyguard" (a developmental wrestler they are calling "Bam Neely"), it does add more flair (no pun intended) to the match.
The fourth match on the show I have very mixed feelings about, as they are putting two very over babyfaces in a match as Shawn Michaels will take on Batista. The angle is that Batista is mad that Michaels "retired" his friend - Ric Flair. Batista even is using the famous "Shawn doesn't job to no one" line that has been bantered about in the WWE for years. It's a silly angle from the standpoint that Flair's retirement was so long in coming, no matter who he would have fought last, you knew that it was coming.
There is that bit of shoot angle involved, but really, for those that just watch the WWE for what it is, they likely are confused as to some of the phrasing of what big Dave is saying, while those that do know some of the backstage stuff that goes on are not buying for a second the "real life" feel to the angle at all. Plus from all indications, neither of these stars are going heel, meaning you'll have a 1-on-1 at the PPV and that will basically be it. Strange.
Labels: backlash 2008, batista, chavo guerrero, edge, shawn michaels, undertaker
