Each week, we break down the world of professional wrestling and examine two of the polar opposite ends of the spectrum: one thing that was by far the worst thing (Cheap Heat) and the best thing (Cheap Pop) to happen over the past 7 days in sports entertainment. So, what went down this week that we loved and hated about the business?
CHEAP POP OF THE WEEK:
GIRL POWER
Have you noticed a trend as of late? The Monday Night Raw after PPV events sometimes eclipses the event itself. This may be due to there being more surprise or possibly due to the anticipation of the aftermath, but whatever they key is, this week's edition was no exception.
There were many stand out moments I could highlight, but I am going to have to give this week's slot to the Divas. We saw the continuing feud between principal WWE owner Stephanie McMahon and The Bella Twins hit new heights. There was something about the way Stephanie McMahon conducted herself that made her look every inch Mr. McMahon's daughter. It is her walk, her voice, and her eyes. She shows off her ruthless aggression in slapping a non-WWE employee and the sheer defiance she exhibited to the arresting officers. It was brilliant, and the crowd was eating up every moment of it.
There are rumors this will lead to a match between a reinstated Brie and Stephanie McMahon at SummerSlam, and I sincerely hope this is the case. Stephanie has not been a true in-ring competitor for some time (bar a gunge pool match against Vickie), but in 2000/2001 she was actually fairly active in a handful of matches, some of which (particularly the ones against Trish) were actually entertaining to watch. No Way Out 2001 springs to mind as an example of that.
It is rare for the women of WWE to have a Raw built around them like this, but with the right crafting, talent and execution, clearly it can make for very pleasing results.
Let's hope Sneaky Pete and Fat Tony can get her out of jail in time for next week's Raw, as I can't wait to see what happens next.
CHEAP HEAT OF THE WEEK:
GETTING A RAW DEAL
WWE is not something that ordinary mainstream papers report upon, unless of course, as Wade Barret might say, they have some baaaaaaaaad news. This week, there has been a perfect example of this with the Rusev/Russian plane incident. For those unaware, during one of her regular anti-American rants, Rusev's Russian handler accused Americans of blaming Russia for current events. Soon after, newspapers and websites that ordinarily have nothing to do with WWE, began accusing WWE of exploiting the tragedies of the MH17 plane crash for story purposes.
The comment "current events" is very generic and could be used to many scenarios and situations. Russia has been in the headlines for a several weeks with an assortment of ongoing political rumblings, and WWE has been running this story for a few months now.
When I heard about the MH17 crash, aside from thinking how tragic it was, I did actually think about how this could lead to Rusev storyline being pulled as a result. Obviously, this has not happened, nor do I agree WWE should have to. Timing-wise, perhaps it was a faux pas for Lana to say it, but was this an intentional slur or a sleazy tactic by WWE? I disagree that it was.
Sadly, the damage is done for WWE in the eyes of some non wrestling fans. Many will take it as black that WWE did this on purpose and will think badly of them for it. It is a shame, as WWE is really not to blame here. The MH17 crash is terribly sad and the focus of non wrestling journals needs to be on the events surrounding it, not looking for a smoke where there is no fire.
So there you have it, my two choices for the week. What do YOU think are the Cheap Pop and Cheap Heat this week in professional wrestling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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