It’s finally happened.
The internet broke.
Shattered into a million pieces of unimaginable proportions, the phenomenon of RKOing has spread across the internet like a swarm of Insecticons seeking Energon.
This is ridiculous. There are dozens of videos, gifs, and vines out there now, with the usual time-wasting garbage of watching people crashing, falling, bumping, diving, and injuring themselves, but now with an added graphic twist of Randy Orton dashing in with an RKO, followed by his signature pose altered with a “derp-like” facial expression at the end.
I kid you not, this week’s Monday Night RAW could see a huge swing in reception for the once boring and hated Orton. Since winning both WWE and World Championships, wrestling fans have once again become tired of his routine boring shtick and have turned away whenever he appears on screen. Now, when he appears on screen, the screen of an internet video, fans are laughing at the sheer insanity of it. This whole meme may turn him face. WWE clearly embraced it and posted a few of these Vines are their website, but not before creating one of their own, featuring The Shockmaster.
Meh. Nice try WWE, but could have done better.
We have seen the internet swing the tide in favor of a number of wrestlers. The first, and most likely forgotten, was Zack Ryder who at one point became so popular WWE allowed him to become United States Champion during the same time when Daniel Bryan and CM Punk were main event world title holders as well.
What’s next? Gifs of Dean Ambrose hitting Dirty Deeds on unsuspecting skateboarders? Bo Dallas hitting the Bo-Dog on leaping losers? Brough Kicks courtesy of Sheamus or perhaps Seth Rollins cracking foolish fallers with his Curb Stomp?
Well, it’s one thing to talk about it, but another to show you what all the insanity is about. I’ve chosen TechTimes since they have a pretty nice compilation of it.
Now then, back to some sort of reality. Hell in the Cell feels like WWE is just throwing this one away. This is supposed to be a big event. It is HELL IN THE CELL after all, where careers are made and others have ended. Seriously. In the now-billed “Double Main Event” we have Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose and John Cena vs. Randy Orton in the Hell in the Cell matches. I am fine without Brock Lesnar defending the WWE Championship. However I get the bad feeling Cena/Orton will somehow be the show closer when it should be Ambrose/Rollins since this feud is what spawned this whole storyline anyway. We got nearly all the matches thrown together this past week, and while the care looks really good, I worry WWE is half-assing this one. Aside from the aforementioned main events, we also have:
Big Show vs. Alexander Rusev – Big match for both men, Rusev recently getting airtime with The Rock is a huge career booster. I expect another win for Rusev, but from some unexpected help from Mark Henry.
Miz vs. Sheamus – The feud, while serious over the United States Championship, is pure entertainment with the over-the-top performance by Miz and the equally hysterical antics of his stunt double, Damien Mizdow. I’d love to see the stuntman somehow accidentally pin and win the title, causing Miz to snap.
Nikki Bella vs. Brie Bella – This feud started off hot with the involvement of Stephanie McMahon, but since the incident with Jerry Springer, no one gives a damn.
Expected but not yet announced will likely be:
AJ Lee vs. Paige for the Divas Title, Cesaro vs. Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship, The Usos challenging The Dusts for the Tag Team Championships, and perhaps some appearances by the rejuvenated Wyatt Family, Adam Rose and The Bunny, or worse, more Diva Matches.
These matches look and sound good, but it is all up to WWE to allow these guys to put on a great show, and not hold back enough to make Cena and Orton look good.
I am confused as to why WWE is continuing this trend of giving pay-per-view matches on live television a week or two before the event. Last time we got Orton and Roman Reigns just five days before their collision last month, and last week we got a tease of Big Show vs. Rusev. Granted, not main event matches, but still wondering why. I understand it is how they build the feud for the pay-per-view, but once the match is made, then that should be it, no more free-for-TV bouts.
In any case, there is a close look on WWE this week to see if they can deliver a solid week of programming to properly hype Hell in the Cell. Don’t blow it.
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Michael Dworkis is a man of vast talent and industry. A former writer and corporate assistant of World Wrestling Entertainment, “MSD” is the Wrestling Columnist for Pop-Break, as well as contributing columns related to comics, movies, pop-culture, and of course, anything Transformers. He recently completed and obtained his Masters degree in Mental Health in Counseling, and recently became licensed to practice as an LAC by the National Board of Certified Counselors. If you need either a therapist or your wrestling fix, come to this man. Michael also is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Journalism and Mass Media, and previously managed an internet retail company. He blames Bill for having so much wrestling on the site and pleads with his superiors to create a feature on his very own Transformer Collection and to subdue Michael Bay for a serious talk. Michael is still searching for a Japanese Grand Maximus or any Japanese Generation 1 exclusives. See more of Michael at MichaelDworkis.com and follow on Twitter @Omegax80.
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