By Jon Mezzera, Torch Specialist

SUPERSTARS HITS

Smackdown Rebound: I should have mentioned this in my Hits & Misses for Raw as I have criticized WWE many times in the past for not doing more to promote Smackdown on Raw. However, I suppose I was just in a really negative mood so I over looked the fact that Raw featured this video package on Drew McIntyre beating down Matt Hardy and subsequently being suspended, striped of the Intercontinental Title, and fired. It deserved a Hit on Raw, and maybe on NXT too (I was in a very negative mood after that show too). So, I will make up for it now by saying it was a nice breath of fresh air to see Smackdown promoted like this.

Archer & Hawkins: I was never a big fan of the Major Brothers, or the team of Zack Ryder and Kurt Hawkins. But, I have become a fan of Ryder's work, first on ECW and now on Raw and hope WWE gives him more of a push in the months to come. Therefore, I am willing to give Hawkins a second chance as well. Vance Archer has never impressed me that much either, although he has potential for sure. I like the team partly just because it seems like WWE is starting to get behind tag teams (at least a bit). The new team debuted with a squash over two local jobbers which is how a squash match is supposed to work (as opposed to another squash match discussed later). I also liked after the match when they got a little mic time and explained their situation. It was interesting that they've been given 30 day contracts to make an impact and I'm curious to see where WWE goes with that notion over the next month.

Ziggler vs. Masters: I seldom give Hits to matches involving Chris Masters, but I am now. This was a good, but far from great match. It was one of the longest singles matches that I can remember Masters competing in. He delivered pretty well. Dolph Ziggler did too. The announcers did a nice job of analyzing the match and talking about how this was the Sleeper vs. the Masterlock. The match went back and forth nicely and in the end the right man won. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of the Zig-Zag or the Sleeper, so I don't like seeing either of Ziggler's finishing moves.

SUPERSTARS MISSES

Kozlov Squash: I don't mind squash matches in general, but at some point the fans have seen enough squashes by a particular wrestler that it doesn't mean anything any more. Vladimir Kozlov definitely falls into that category. We've seen Kozlov squash jobbers so many times over the last few years on Smackdown, ECW and Raw that it doesn't have the same impact as it once did. Does anyone think that WWE is going to get behind Kozlov in any significant way? What are they building him up for in this squash? A team with Santino Marella? What's the point? In six months they will likely find a reason to move him to Smackdown and we will see another round of squashes.

Jon Mezzera is PWTorch.com's WWE Hits & Misses Specialist, providing his point of view for Raw, Smackdown, NXT, and Superstars each week. Email him at jmezz-torch@sbcglobal.net.

For another view from the original Hitlist author, compare Jason Powell's views to mine by visiting prowrestling.NET's "Hitlist" section here.

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