My 2016 Wrestling Overview

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Grievous 3D

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So...its my first year back watching wrestling full time since the unmasking of Kane
all the way back in 2003 and I have to admit...its been a lot of fun. The overall
quality of wrestling has improved immensely in the years I've been away and the
ladies are now actual wrestlers...not just models acting like strippers...which is
just fantastic.

There have been many highlights and low-lights for me this year and I thought I'd
take the time to give you my personal overview of 2016.

So...let's kick it off with...

~My Top 10 Favorite Wrestling Matches of 2016~
1). TLC: Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch ~ SmackDown Women's Championship Tables Match:

While I'm the first to admit their first encounter on SmackDown Live in Glasgow was
a much better match...this fight had the result I wanted. Alexa Bliss has been a
revelation for SmackDown since being drafted during the brand split and she has
shown improvement with every week that has gone by. Her feud with Becky Lynch was
no doubt booked in her favor with Alexa throwing insults and dishing out beatings
at every opportunity and her surprise win at TLC capped off a remarkable rise to
the top in just 4 months since her main roster debut.
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2). RAW July 25th: Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks ~ RAW Women's Championship Match:
Without a doubt this was the feud of the year for me... but if I had to pick a match
out of all of them...it would be the night after Battleground encounter these 2 ladies
had on RAW. It was an amazing match with some great spots and an emotional win for Sasha.
I know Hell in A Cell and the IronWoman matches were landmark moments in Women's
wrestling and I know Charlotte dominated Sasha at Summerslam...but in my opinion...
this was the best battle these ladies had this year.

3). Survivor Series: Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar:
You know how you have an idea in your head of how you'd like to see a match booked...
And how it would never, ever happen. Well...for me it did. It was the best 1 minute
and 26 seconds of wrestling I have ever seen. Thanks again WWE.

4). NXT TakeOver Dallas: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn:
So yeah...everyone knows how amazing this match was...and if you haven't seen it...I
suggest you watch it ASAP. An amazing performance by both men and a wonderful NXT send
off for Sami Zayn. Fight Forever indeed.

5). Wrestlemania 32: Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks ~ Women's Championship Match:
Well...Wrestlemania 32 was a pretty poor show in my opinion...but there was one match
that really did live up the Wrestlemania hype and that was the Women's Triple Threat match.
All 3 women brought the "Diva Era" to an end with a thrilling match with incredible spots
and some amazing technical wrestling. It would have been higher on my list had a certain
Hall of Famer not ruined the finish...but overall this was an amazing moment in the history
of women's wrestling.
charlotte_wrestlemaniajpg_c59b7ed75df8bad9.jpg

6). Backlash: Six-Pack Elimination Challenge for the new SmackDown Women's Championship:
Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch vs. Carmella vs. Naomi vs. Natalya vs. Nikki Bella:
Let's take 6 beautiful and athletic female wrestlers and have them all fight each other
till only one is left standing. That sounds like a great idea to me and it really was a
fun match to watch. Kudos to Becky Lynch for winning (even if her title reign was somewhat
disappointing) and Kudos to SmackDown for staging a direct sequel the next week in which
Alexa Bliss would score the victory to become the Number 1 contender.

7). Battleground: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn:
Sami Zayn again pops up on this list...and this time he gets the win. This truly was an
epic match with brutal action and great storytelling...but it has since been cheapened
with Owens & Zayn fighting at least twice on RAW since this classic encounter. I can't
really say anything more...so I won't.

8). NXT TakeOver Dallas: Asuka vs. Bayley ~ NXT Women's Championship Match:
This match was almost painful to watch...because as much as you might adore Bayley...
No one was going to stop Asuka from ascending to the top of the NXT Women's division.
Watching Bayley pass out in the Asuka lock actually made me cringe...and I'm sure many
in crowd had mixed feeling about what they had just witnessed. Asuka still to the day
of me posting this list is undefeated and I cannot wait to see her elevated to the main
roster.

9). NXT TakeOver Toronto: Asuka vs. Mickie James ~ NXT Women's Championship Match:
This match makes my list simply because its a taste of what is to come in 2017. A clash
of the past and the future as the legendary Mickie James returned after a 6 year absence
to take on the undefeated Empress of Tomorrow. It was a solid match and it would lead to
Mickie James signing a new 3 year WWE contract.

10). TNA The Final Deletion: Broken Matt Hardy vs. Brother Nero:
It's A Dilapidated Boat!
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~5 Honorable Mentions~
RAW August 29th: Four-way Elimination Match for the Vacant Universal Championship:
Kevin Owens vs. Big Cass vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns
Clash Of Champions: Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley ~ Women's Championship Match:
Hell In A Cell: Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks ~ RAW Women's Championship Hell In A Cell Match:
SummerSlam: Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks ~ RAW Women's Championship Match:
NXT January 13th: Women’s Championship No. 1 Contender Battle Royal:

~My Top 5 Pay-Per-Views of the Year~
1). TLC
2). NXT TakeOver Dallas
3). BackLash
4). Battleground
5). Survivor Series

~My Top 10 Favorite Wrestlers of the Year~
1). Charlotte
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2). Alexa Bliss
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3). Asuka
4). Dean Ambrose
5). Sasha Banks
6). Broken Matt Hardy
7). Sami Zayn
8). Bray Wyatt
9). Becky Lynch
10). The Miz

~Top 10 Signs I'd Take To A WWE Event~
1). Asuka...Hit Me With A Hip Attack!
2). Alexa...I Want Some Twisted Bliss!
3). Cesaro For President
4). All Hail Queen Charlotte!
5). Barbecue Tonight At The Wyatt Compound
6). Nikki...We You Marry Me?
7). Eva Marie...All Botch Everything!
8). I Came To See Big E's Crotch Bulge
9). The Big Show Ate My Other Sign
10). Becky...I Bought You A New Tip Opener

~My Top 15 Highlights in Wrestling in 2016 (Outside of my Top 10 Matches)~
1). The 1st ever Women's Hell In A Cell Match and Pay-Per-View main event
2). Bray Wyatt claims his first WWE title at TLC
3). Dean Ambrose's Money In The Bank Cash-in at Money In The Bank
4). The "Hey Bayley" Chant in Glasgow on the November 7th episode of RAW
5). Every moonsault by Queen Charlotte
6). Asuka kicking Eva Marie around on the April 27th edition of NXT
hip_attack_Copy.jpg

7). Matt Hardy's "Broken Universe"
8). Eva Marie's Wardrobe Malfunction...which allowed Alexa Bliss to make her in-ring debut
9). SummerSlam: Nikki Bella's Back! And Nikki Bella's Front!
WWE-SummerSlam-2016-Nikki-Bella-returned-1021x580.jpg

10). Bayley's main roster debut at Battleground
11). Rosemary: The Demented Voice of Decay
12). Mauro Ranallo on Commentary for SmackDown Live & Pay-Per-Views
13). The adorable & bubbly TNA Knockout Allie
14). Watching any A.J Styles Match
15). Finding wweforums.net

~My Top 15 Biggest Disappointments in Wrestling in 2016~
1). The retirement of Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella
2). The crowd reaction and behavior towards the Universal Title at SummerSlam
3). The Booking of Cesaro
4). The repetitiveness of RAW
5). The Career Self-Destruction of Paige
Ca_VNq_Se_VIAE4_I4n.jpg

6). The terrible booking of Kevin Owens as Universal Champion
7). Finn Bálor being injured at SummerSlam
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8). JBL on Commentary for SmackDown Live & Pay-Per-Views
9). Neville...The Man That Creative Forgot (Until December)
10). Every CM Punk chant
11). Baron Corbin being "injured" for Survivor Series
12). The Main Events of Wrestlemania & SummerSlam
13). Becky Lynch's 1st "stalled" title reign
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14). The continued push of Roman Reigns
15). The Decline of the United States Championship

And that about does...Hopefully 2017 will be an even better year filled
with great wrestlers wrestling great matches in front of great crowds.

Be sure to leave a comment or rating and Thank you for taking the time to
read this article.
 
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Solid Snake

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Another fantastic post, someone is on a roll. :obama:
I will come back and comment when I have a bit more time. Enjoyed reading through it tho!
 
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Gman003

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Great read bud.
Definitely one of my favourites on this forum (no offense to anyone else) but we seems to share alot of the same outlooks on the company.

Thanks for doing this recap of the year and allowing me to remember more of the year. It's crazy how fast time goes. Alot of the stuff happened longer ago than I thought it did lol.

One of my favourite parts of the year is going back to the royal rumble and seeing aj styles debut. I had absolutely no clue who in the fuck he was but judging by the fan reaction, he was someone special. And man is he. He's now one of my favourites.

I'm sure a huge highlight for next year is going to also come from the rumble which will be Finn Balor returning. But that's for another time lol
 
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Grievous 3D

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Another fantastic post, someone is on a roll.
Yeah...but that's me done for a little while...
I will come back and comment when I have a bit more time. Enjoyed reading through it tho!
No worries Snake...Take your time...
Great read and flashback through the year!
Thanks Sol-Man...
Turning into an Alexa Bliss fan.
I'm not surprised...Whats not to like...

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Great read bud.
Definitely one of my favourites on this forum (no offense to anyone else) but we seems to share a lot of the same outlooks on the company.
Thanks Gman...and they do say great minds think alike...
Thanks for doing this recap of the year and allowing me to remember more of the year. It's crazy how fast time goes. A lot of the stuff happened longer ago than I thought it did lol.
I actually forgot a few moments...like A.J's debut and the Miz cutting
his brutal promo on Daniel Bryan on Talking Smack on August 23rd.

But...I couldn't list everything...
 

Solid Snake

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The irony is most people hated the idea of seeing Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar but the fact that it ended so quickly put people in shock. I found it entertaining on a shock factor because no one saw that coming... But I think you did so you have a good idea of their plans...

:hmm:

Will the Royal Rumble be good!? WILL IT! :angry: I NEED TO KNOW!? :angry: :upset: (lol)

And I read through this again and I had actually forgotten about some of the things mentioned. One thing stuck out to me though and that was Paige basically murdering her own career. I was never a fan of hers which is maybe why I had forgotten but I haven't seen really anyone mention her since it ended... People move on quickly eh? Wrestling fans are a resilient force of nature, very open and forgiving (and forgetting) after the storm passes. Well, for most things anyways.. lol

Oh and I think Cesaro was out at the beginning of the year, right? It is a shame that they haven't been using him right since he debuted but I think he still has hope. *wipes tear from eye*
 

Grievous 3D

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The irony is most people hated the idea of seeing Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar but the fact that it ended so quickly put people in shock. I found it entertaining on a shock factor because no one saw that coming... But I think you did so you have a good idea of their plans...
I didn't see it coming...its what I wanted to happen...but I never dreamed they'd actually
book it that way. I mean...it was a vintage, old-school Goldberg squash...and while no
one saw it coming...it worked out for the best as far as long term booking goes.

Now there is extra hype for the rumble and a possible Wrestlemania match with a
fully fit and ring rust free Goldberg and a furious and focused Lesnar.
Will the Royal Rumble be good!?
Honestly...I'm sure it will be better than 2015 or 2016...
I think there is a lot of potential simply because of the
names being thrown around...and with Cena and Reigns
both wrestling title matches that night...who the hell is
going to win it? My money is on James Ellsworth.
And I read through this again and I had actually forgotten about some of the things mentioned. One thing stuck out to me though and that was Paige basically murdering her own career. I was never a fan of hers which is maybe why I had forgotten but I haven't seen really anyone mention her since it ended...
The Paige stuff hurts for me because with the brand split...and the
weaker RAW women's division...she would have had more of a chance
to shine with more TV/Match time.

Bayley would have had someone else to fight besides Dana Brooke
& Alicia Fox and I'm sure Paige vs. Nia Jax would have been entertaining.

I personally find Paige so different in appearance and personality
to the other women in the company...she really was like this foreign
wild card that could just do and say anything.

But...she was injured...and hurting...and well...the entire Del Rio "affair"
and the wellness policy stuff. Like I've said before...I don't think we'll be
seeing Paige on WWE television ever again. Its just sad really.
Oh and I think Cesaro was out at the beginning of the year, right? It is a shame that they haven't been using him right since he debuted but I think he still has hope. *wipes tear from eye*
I miss Tyson Kidd...and I'm sure Cesaro and Natalya do even more.
 
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Solid Snake

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I miss Tyson Kidd...and I'm sure Cesaro and Natalya do even more.

You may enjoy this if you haven't seen it...



It is sad what happened to him. He had a true passion for wrestling and never complained.
 

Zardnaar

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Yeah...but that's me done for a little while...

No worries Snake...Take your time...

Thanks Sol-Man...

I'm not surprised...Whats not to like...

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Thanks Gman...and they do say great minds think alike...

I actually forgot a few moments...like A.J's debut and the Miz cutting
his brutal promo on Daniel Bryan on Talking Smack on August 23rd.

But...I couldn't list everything...

She is cute but so are most of the women and its not because of her looks that I like her.

I think I am a Smackdown fan though over RAW.
 
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Zardnaar

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Well of course...Alexa is the entire package...looks, wrestling chops, mic skills, facial expressions...
She's is pure bliss...see what I did there?

I watched WWF in the mid 90's. Its back to cartoon chucky cheeseburger again.

Bliss basically having a Harley Quinn gimmick.