The Triple Threat 6.26.11: The 239th Edition – CM PUnk’s WWE Status, TNA Releasing Desmond Wolfe, More

David Martell: It is really hard to believe that CM Punk is actually leaving since they are putting this into a storyline but, we really don’t know for sure. Personally I don’t remember there ever being a storyline with a guy leaving right after a title shot. It does make things interesting since there is nothing to lose for CM Punk. I think it would be great for storyline purposes for him to actually win the title and take a leave of absence. That would leave the WWE with only one World Title and it would make things a lot more interesting. If CM Punk is indeed leaving the WWE, it really is a sad time for wrestling. He has to be the best talker there is currently active and one of the better in ring performers. Lets just hope he is only taking some time off and will eventually be back in a WWE in no time at all.

Jacob San Antonio: I truly believed Punk was going to take some time off up until this past week. Despite being the top heel of the company for the past couple of months, Punk hasn’t really seen any sort of success come out of his efforts. It made perfect sense that he’d just get burned out after a while of that, so when the rumor about Punk’s contract expiring came about I didn’t really blame him. As it is, this most recent development and the timing of it all has me think that Punk’s getting his hands on the WWE Title. Punk’s plan to leave the company with the WWE Title, and a recent tweet made by him all reek of an angle done in the same fashion back in Ring of Honor wrestling. I think it’d be one of the bigger shockers of the year if Punk actually won the title from Cena, so I’m banking on that. As if that weren’t enough, I expect to see someone tease a cash in that night at MitB, and maybe even cash it in the next day on Raw. Either way, I think this angle is a nifty way of addressing some of the bigger issues in the WWE. First, Punk feels misused in the WWE and a title run might just change his mind. Second, if a MitB winner does cash in and steal the title from Punk it allows for (hopefully) a new face to come in and try their hand in the Raw main event. Thirdly, it’d give John Cena a chance to take some time off if the angle allows for it. I don’t know what kind of condition Cena’s in lately, but he needs to make absolutely certain he’s in tip top shape for a year. He can’t risk any injuries before WM28, and if giving Punk the title gives him a chance to rest up, I’m all for it. In any case, there are a ton of elements that make me think Punk’s sticking around.

Zach Brown:
If CM Punk truly is leaving WWE, this is hugely disappointing. But at the same time, it is clearly made into a storyline. So either Punk isn’t leaving at all, or WWE is letting him go out the way he wants to go out; with people still caring about him. If WWE knew Punk was planning to leave the company, they could have done what they have done so many times with other talent: simply keeping them off of TV and not letting anything turn into a storyline. But if he really is leaving, they might be letting him go out the way that Jericho, Batista, Jeff Hardy and other big name talent have left the company. Hopefully, if Punk is leaving, he is only leaving for a short time, and will come back later in the year. A lot of times, that is something that wrestlers do just to take time off and come back super hot when they do return to WWE. Whenever they do return, they are sure to be in the main event pretty much immediately. If that is Punk’s strategy, more power to him. But honestly, I don’t want him to be off TV for any length of time. I honestly hope he wins the WWE title and resigns his contract. Cena is doing nothing with the title, and these past few months of WWE TV have been pretty bad to be honest. Something needs to change. Cena does not need that title all the way until Wrestlemania. Let someone else hold the title and make the product interesting again. But hey, with two Money in the Bank ladder matches, and CM Punk’s possible final match in WWE for a while, this card is shaping up to be a must buy.

Topic # 2 What are your thoughts on Big Zeke winning the Intercontinental Title?

David Martell: I have no clue why they want to put the Intercontinental title on Zeke. He has a good look I guess but lets face it, he isn’t over and he isn’t very good in the ring. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how hard you try to push someone, that person still won’t get over. Wade Barrett was a much better option and I felt like he could of made the Intercontinental title look like a legitimate title once again. Instead we are going to get this terrible feud that will probably end up lasting forever and no one is going to care. Enjoy the title while you can Zeke, but I doubt you will be seeing any bigger gold in the near future.

Jacob San Antonio: I’ll admit that I fully supported this decision at first. I thought that putting a midcard belt on Jackson was a good way to test the waters and see how well he could run with the gold. However, I’m already starting to have doubts. I remember Jackson’s days in the tail end of ECW, and it seems rather telling now that his best matches were ones that involved veterans like William Regal and Christian. I don’t think Zeke is as green as say, Alex Riley or the Corre, but his matches so far leave a lot to be desired. He’s never really gotten a chance to use the mic either, so there’s no telling how good/bad his promo skills are. Ezekiel just wasn’t ready for a belt yet, I don’t think. I can’t shake the feeling that he might still need to be carried in his future matches, and that bothers me. I suppose it’s just a matter of faith at this point. Zeke already has the belt, all I can hope for is for him to improve as the weeks roll by. Crazier things have happened in the WWE.

Zach Brown: Well, Ahmed Johnson finally got over. Seriously though, Wade and Big Zeke have been stinking up the IC Title scene. What has been the point of their feud? It’s pretty awful, and everyone knows that Wade is typically great in the ring. I think the fault lies with Ezekiel Jackson. The guy has a good look, no doubt. But he’s honestly too huge, not agile enough, and just squashes mostly everyone. Who can honestly have good chemistry with a guy like this? Mix that with mic skills that are less than impressive, and it really has me scratching my head as to why this guy is Intercontinental Champion. After maybe two months of him being champion, I think WWE will realize that this guy is not that popular, and really needs to be carried in his matches. Hopefully WWE realizes this sooner rather than later because I don’t want to see too many awful title defenses with Big Zeke.

Topic # 3 What are your thoughts on Dolph Ziggler winning the US Title?

David Martell: I think it is great that Dolph Ziggler has the US Title but please for the love of god let him feud with someone else. Dolph and Kofi have good matches together but we have seen that match so many different times that it lost its value. Both men need different people to feud with. Different people need to be in the title picture. Watching the same old thing for the past year is not helping anyone out. How about let Dolph feud with Evan Bourne. I think that is something people would want to see and we know they would have good matches together. It seems like they are trying to build up Bourne anyways so it only makes sense. You can have Kofi feud with Zack Ryder. Why? Because this guy deserves TV time. We already know that Ryder can go so why not let him have a small feud with Kofi. Kofi gets a fresh opponent and we are all happy. Logical, but probably won’t happen.

Jacob San Antonio: I sometimes wonder where the WWE learned to juggle as well as it does. I could have sworn I had seen this exact same turn of events on Smackdown, but with a different belt–oh wait, that’s right. That’s exactly what happened. I don’t see why the WWE feels the need to put a midcard belt back on Dolph Ziggler. I myself am a rather big fan of Ziggler, but giving him another belt instead of an actual angle just doesn’t really do much for me. He’s spent a long enough time with Vickie Guerrero, and I think he’s capable of running on his own. He’s also had more matches against Kofi Kingston than I can count. At this point I feel like the WWE is just avoiding the bigger issue: Ziggler and Kingston have a place on the WWE roster, but where does the WWE want them? I make no claims that Ziggler is main event ready, or that he could carry a brand, or any insane claims like that. All I’m asking for is a bigger role for Ziggler to fill every Monday. He’s a competent wrestler who’s got enough experience that he should be able to carry himself in deeper waters. Instead of juggling belts around, I’d rather the WWE actually try something with him.

Zach Brown: This is where the US Title needs to be. Kofi Kingston has held too many midcard titles. It is time for Dolph to have some solid runs with these titles. DolphZiggler has really been coming into his own these last few months. He is getting better and better in the ring, and fans are really starting to respond to him in my opinion. I really like the ZigZag, and I’m glad that Dolph is working to get something like the Sleeper Hold over as a serious way to end a match. He has a lot of potential, and I hope he has the title for some time. That being said, I don’t want him to feud with Kofi Kingston anymore. Their match this past week on Raw was very good, but sadly, I found myself not interested in the match because I had seen them have a match a million times over. They need to throw someone new in there. Hopefully Zack Ryder? Dolph is a fan of his, so maybe he can suggest that Zack get pushed to feud for that belt. I would like to see Dolph and Zack have a feud; I think it would be hilarious. But all in all, I’m happy to see Dolph hold the US Title. And can I just say that I am glad Dolph went back to being blond. The dark hair could have been fine for anyone else, but Dolph made his blonde hair his trademark. That’s what people used to identify him. And he looked a little too much like Evan Bourne with the dark hair. Blonde is the way to go for Ziggler.

Topic # 4 How do you feel about TNA releasing Desmond Wolfe?

David Martell: I honestly don’t blame TNA. It turns out that the WWE was smart after all when they turned Wolfe down after getting his physical. The guy is just injury prone. He went to TNA, got a fantastic push and got injured. It is tough having guys like that. Don’t get me wrong, Wolfe is a great talent, but maybe his body is just not meant for wrestling. I hope he can work out his kinks and come back to wrestling in some form, whether it be back in TNA, the WWE or returning to the Indys. When he’s in good health, he is a damn good wrestler but when he’s not, it is truly unfortunate.

Jacob San Antonio: Man, this really stings. Wolfe was a talented wrestler with a lot of potential in TNA. After being sidelined with an injury for a long time, he finally comes back and it’s too little, too late. For TNA, it’s a “damned if you, damned if you don’t” situation. The guy’s got the chops to be somebody in the company. He’s no slouch in the ring, and he knows how to get the crowd going. But when you’re gone for as long as he was, and you’re not around for any of the angles and storylines in any capacity, the crowd forgets you. You can be the most talented wrestler in the company and that doesn’t magically make you relevant. Could TNA have written Wolfe back into the big picture somehow? Absolutely. Does TNA really need another presence in the big angles right now? That’s debatable, and I think that’s one of the reasons we’re seeing him get released. There were some rumors I had read around the internet about him possibly having hepatitis, and that being a big factor in whether or not he’d return. As I have no way of confirming such things, all I can really say is that if it were true it wouldn’t help matters any. TNA doesn’t shy away from blood, and a guy with hep really doesn’t have a place there.

Zach Brown: Well, this isn’t like most releases from wrestling companies because Desmond Wolfe aka Nigel McGuinness has some sort of health issue that is keeping him from wrestling. Some people are speculating that it’s some sort of blood disorder such as Hepatitis C. That’s really unfortunate if that is the case. TNA had good intentions when Wolfe first started for them. An immediate program with Kurt Angle was exciting. But that soon faded, and TNA then had very little him. It looked promising when he seemed like he was about to join Fortune. But then that never ended up happening. And London Brawling was a great idea but ultimately short lived. I wish TNA had better utilized Desmond Wolfe back when they still could have. Even before he was kept off TV for his health condition, I remember feeling pretty frustrated about how TNA was using Desmond. Now, I’m not totally sure what is next for Desmond Wolfe. Does he wait to get completely healthy? Or try to get into a company like ROH? I have no idea, but I hope I get to see Nigel on TV sometime in the near future.

Topic # 5 WWE has announced that there were voting problems during Raw this past week. What are your thoughts on the voting error and Power to the People as a whole?

David Martell: The Diva’s division is a complete joke right now. With Kong being off due to pregnancy, we really have nothing to watch here. I am happy Kelly Kelly won her first title but honestly, it doesn’t mean much. If I were the WWE, I would be building up Beth Phoenix. Give her the treatment that they were going to give Kong. Let her run though everyone and win the title. This could set up a perfect return for Kong and we can finally get the women’s match that we all want to see. That would be the smart thing to do but we all know that is not going to happen. So for now, congrats Kelly Kelly, maybe some how you can do something good with the title.

Jacob San Antonio: Are we supposed to be shocked that the WWE isn’t tech-savvy? Honestly, I got a good laugh out of Mason Ryan coming out against Evan Bourne. Planned or not, it was a refreshing change of pace for the both of them. Ryan’s still pretty green, but getting a chance to face someone like Bourne is just more experience for him in the long run. Let’s be fair, too: given that nobody really expected Ryan to be Bourne’s opponent, the match wasn’t that bad. As far as on the fly matches go, it went pretty well. I don’t know if I’d really clamor for more matches between the two, but there wasn’t much to be embarrassed about by the time the match was over. While the voting problems didn’t really bother me, I’m far more shocked to see the WWE actually go through with the results. In that regard, I actually respect the WWE’s allowing of Ryan to go out there. They could have just as easily changed the results, or found some roundabout way of pushing the match they wanted to happen. It’s sad that I think they’d do that, but I really doubt I’m the only one who thinks the same.

Zach Brown: Well, to be honest, I’m kind of shocked at any possibility of the WWE voting results being legitimate. I honestly thought that people send in their votes, WWE is glad that you vote, but then makes up their own mind as to what the match actually ends up being. I mean does WWE honestly get their wrestlers to work out three possible matches and then only go with one? Do they let these wrestlers make calls on the fly in the ring because it was just decided mere minutes ago? Was Kelly Kelly winning the vote and then winning the Divas title honestly chosen by fans? I just don’t buy it that WWE leaves all the choosing up to the fans. I think they give the fans the illusion of choice with the voting, but the reality is that they can’t let the fans be the bookers. So now they are saying that Mason Ryan was not supposed to face Evan Bourne, and that Sin Cara, the obvious choice, was supposed to face him instead. I don’t know. I still don’t buy it. But hey, now we are getting Sin Cara vs. Evan Bourne next week on Raw and that is awesome. As for the voting, I really doubt anyone cares. WWE didn’t need to come out with any information that there was a voting error. I say they just do away with the voting concept anyway. This past Raw was absolutely terrible anyway. They say they are giving the fans the power, but then we have to pick what kind of match Kane and Mark Henry have. That was one of the worst WWE segments in a long long time, and they were just stalling for time. And that is just one of the voting opportunities that no one cares to vote on anyway. If this voting is for real, the WWE is giving us absolutely awful things to vote for anyway. Do away with the concept altogether because it often leads to awful matchups, and I along with several of my friends, don’t believe it is legitimate anyway.

Our thoughts on Evan Bourne.

David Martell: Well it looks like Evan Bourne is finally getting a push again. It has always been weird with him, he gets a push and then gets job out. It is on a continuous loop. I am pretty excited that we are actually going to get to see him vs. Sin Cara this coming week on RAW. I really hope both men get to showcase their talents so we can have one hell of a match. Right now I think it would be best to get Bourne in a US Title hunt. I think he would work great with Ziggler right now and it would change up the same boring midcard title scene that we have been seeing for that past year. Bourne has a ton of talent and potential but WWE needs to continue pushing the guy instead of giving up on him when he’s getting hot. He is one of the guys to be watching right now.

Jacob San Antonio: Evan Bourne had somehow climbed to the top of the mountain, before his injury. For whatever reason, John Cena was dragging him into main event tag matches and giving him the exposure needed to become a bigger name. It honestly felt like Cena was literally pushing Bourne single handedly in those weeks. Yet things just didn’t pan out in the end, and with a long injury to keep him out of the public’s view, Evan Bourne has found himself back in the midcard. All that exposure and hard work for nothing. It’s a depressing turn of events, to be sure, but at least he’s still wrestling. I’m always excited to see Evan Bourne in the ring, no matter what kind of match he’s involved in. As bizarre as it is to say, I get as much enjoyment out of his victories as I do his defeats. His Shooting Star Press is by far one of the best I’ve ever seen, but on the other hand there’s something about the way he sells his opponent’s moves and maneuvers. In that regard, I think Bourne’s got quite a future in the WWE no matter what role they give him. He’s got the flashy offense that can wow crowds, should the WWE decide to push him. If he’s stuck in midcard hell, he will gladly sell an opponent’s moves like they’re death incarnate. He’s got the skills to excel no matter what’s asked of him, and it’s one of the biggest reasons why I follow him.

Zach Brown: Evan Bourne is great, but man I really don’t think the WWE knows what to do with him. When was Evan Bourne on the mic last? When was the last time we got any sort of glimmer of his personality? It’s disappointing that we get this no-holds barred high flying style from Evan Bourne, but we get very little of what his personality is. But Evan Bourne has had some great matches in WWE, and some awesome moments as well. Remember when Evan Bourne did his shooting star press and Orton turned it into an RKO? Not everybody liked that moment, but I don’t know how anyone could honestly be cynical about that because it was downright incredible. Evan has a great wrestling style, and I think it’s safe to say that he is underutilized in WWE. He has been in some great matches, but let the guy hold the US Title or something. He is as squeaky clean of a babyface as they come. He can be a great role model for the kiddos. Why not at least let Evan Bourne be that? Until that at least happens, I can imagine Evan just stagnating until WWE releases him one way or another. Hopefully WWE puts some stock into him and lets him have some kind of important storyline or push because I’d definitely like to see it.

That is all for this week. Fell free to comment at the bottom of the page and have a great week in wrestling. CYA!