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CALDWELL'S TAKE
CORNER CUBE MONDAY 6/30 - Night of Champions delivered opportunity, not a transcendent moment Jun 30, 2008 - 11:12:42 AM
Updated daily from the corner cubicle, Torch columnist James Caldwell's weekday blog focuses on hot topic current events and other items of interest from around wrestling.
Updated Monday, June 30, 2008
Last night's Night of Champions PPV delivered quality, fundamentally-sound wrestling throughout the show and two very strong main events to close the show. Triple H and John Cena didn't deliver the "transcendent moment" that was part of the pre-match hype, but they performed an outstanding WWE main event style title match.
Transcendent moments are difficult to come by in pro wrestling. WWE delivers 14 PPVs per year. TNA delivers 12. WWE has five hours of original programming to fill each week. TNA has two hours. Unless we're talking WrestleMania, Summerslam, or the Royal Rumble, it's difficult to have a moment on PPV that stands the test of time.
It didn't help that the pre-match hype on TV was overshadowed by the Draft and McMahon's money segments that ended with an injury angle. Hunter vs. Cena was back-seated on Raw last week and the match probably won't be discussed after tonight's TV. Hunter will be on Smackdown, while Cena will probably begin a program in some capacity with Batista on Raw.
Contrast that to the last "transcendent moment" from WWE when Michaels superkicked Flair at WrestleMania. Michaels vs. Flair was reinforced by leading into a three-month program involving Michaels, Batista, and Jericho that is still current.
Setting aside WWE over-playing the epic nature of Hunter vs. Cena on an off-month PPV, WWE created several opportunities to focus on the mid-card. There is an apparent love/hate relationship between Vince McMahon & writing crew and the mid-card & tag divisions that you never know from week-to-week whether the wrestlers below the top tier will be given quality TV time.
That will surely change tonight when the top singles champion on Raw is currently Kofi Kingston. No one would have expected that seven days ago, but here's an opportunity for WWE to incorporate Kofi into one of WWE's top programs the last two months with him working with Michaels against Jericho and Lance Cade.
The tag division has a fresh start with DiBiase, Jr. and the now-heel Cody Rhodes dominating the division. After WWE ran the Spirit Squad into the ground two years ago, they have an opportunity to learn from the booking mistakes of that young, brash, cocky heel group and develop this second-generation stable into future stars.
WWE may not have delivered the transcendent moment last night, but they created opportunity for the flagship Raw show to have a nice balance of top-heavy talent and mid-card youth. Cena, Batista, and Michaels will be carrying the top-half of the show, while Kofi, Rhodes, and DiBiase, Jr. could anchor those third and sixth-quarter hours usually reserved for throwaway action. Follow-up will be key, and WWE shouldn't let the McMahon injury angle overshadow an opportunity to build for the future.
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