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9/6 Dot Net One Shots: The Dot Net staff give their quick thoughts from the previous week in WWE, TNA, MMA and indie wrestling

Posted in: Blogs, MUST-READ LISTING
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Sep 6, 2012 - 04:32 PM

Welcome to the Dot Net One Shots. Each week, we will present a quick "one shot" thought from each staff member about the previous week in each of the following areas: WWE, TNA and Other (MMA, Indies, etc).

WWE

Will Pruett (Twitter - @itswilltime): A major event happened on Monday Night Raw. In a magical segment between Kane and Daniel Bryan a Hug of the Year contender was produced. Go back and watch this segment if you want to see how to tell a story through hugging in the ring. If this was the TV hug they gave us, imagine if these two had the time to hug on pay-per-view. It would be brilliant.

Jake Barnett (Twitter - @barnettjake): C.M. Punk and Paul Heyman seemed to get more of a mixed reaction than one would have expected from the internet crowd. I paid pretty close attention to Twitter and various wrestling websites, and I did not see the overwhelming fangasm I thought I'd see. I think the scenario adds a new layer to the Night of Champions match for the WWE Title, and likely the Hell in a Cell PPV as well.

Mark Gessner (Twitter - @MarkGessner): I'm interested in seeing how Jack Swagger gets repackaged following his storyline time off due to frustration over his losing streak. The Wade Barrett bare knuckle brawler video (I don't know where one was this week for Raw) have given me a level of intrigue. Hopefully, Swagger will have the same level of intrigue upon his return because he has been drastically underused. Maybe a stable with Heyman if that's the route they're going with C.M. Punk.

Chris Shore (Twitter - @TheShoreSlant): I am personally very frustrated with the WWE product right now. Even the things that are good just don't feel special. CM Punk and Paul Heyman appeared to join forces on Raw and neither my Twitter nor email went nuts. It was not total apathy, but it wasn't near the reaction I would have thought. The top of the card just isn't very exciting. Combine that with the general disregard for most of the rest of the card, and I cannot remember a more flat time for WWE creatively.

TNA

Will Pruett: The curiosity around Aces and Eights continues to build. I continue to wonder if the payoff will suit the build. At this point, TNA needs this group to be a viable force, not a group of random mid-carders. While a group filled with unknowns could work (Nexus, anyone?), a group with a solid leader breaking out wild be better. I'm not down on this build, but I am worried.

Jake Barnett: The Aces and Eights are dominating TNA broadcasts, and for good reason. I think the faction has remained mysterious enough to retain fan interest, but I'm not sure how long that can continue without defining some characters and developing some more personal rivalries. The Austin Aries injury story could also be entertaining, but I hope it doesn't lead to a title loss after he just gained so much momentum when he retained last month.

Mark Gessner: The small attention to detail and logic of A.J. Styles working for a submission is his match with Samoa Joe because he needed the points is something that you appreciate in wrestling. It was a glaring smudge on Mr. Anderson's match last week that I appreciated seeing this week.

Chris Shore: There has been a little push back from some fans regarding the new "Championship Thursday" gimmick that starts tonight. I understand a lot of what people are saying, but I like the idea. It provides a clean way to start title feuds if they need to make a hard switch for some reason, and there are a number of stories that can be told from this base. I would not be in favor of them giving away first time matches for a title on free TV. There are no guarantees in wrestling, but if done right, this could be a good thing for TNA.

Other (MMA, Indies, Etc)

Will Pruett (PWG): I had the privilege of going to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla's Battle of Los Angeles night two this past weekend (detailed report still to come). It was one of the most enjoyable live wrestling experiences I can remember. Everyone on the card worked hard. There was a great balance of comedy and serious wrestling. The entire show flowed well and flew by. This DVD is an instant must purchase. If you haven't watched PWG, start now.

Jake Barnett (UFC): I've read numerous stories online that say the proposed superfight between Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre could come to fruition sooner than later. I'm extremely excited about it, as those two have both proven bulletproof, and it may be one of the last superfights left in MMA.

Mark Gessner (UFC): A week after bitching about Jon Jones bailing on a fight on short notice versus Chael Sonnen leading to the cancelation of UFC 151, a fighter needs to be commended to stepping up and taking a fight. That fighter is Frankie freaking Edgar. After Eric Koch had to pull out of his Featherweight Championship fight against Jose Aldo due to injury, Edgar agreed to drop a weight class and fight one of the consensus top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world. If anyone has a shot at dethroning Aldo, it's Frankie Edgar. I cannot wait for UFC 153 on October 13.

Chris Shore (ROH): ROH returns to Charlotte for the first time in just over a year after canceling shows that were to be held in both a North Carolina and South Carolina Sinclair affiliate city. ROH did not draw well last time in either Charlotte or Greensboro (though neither were disasters), so I am most interested to see what kind of crowd we have Saturday.

I will be there tweeting live results which Jason will transpose to the site, and I will also be trying to setup several more interviews for our Members, like the ones I just did with Mike Bennett and the ROH Champion, Kevin Steen. Become a Dot Net Member to hear all the great audio we produce each week at Prowrestling.net/amember/signup.php.

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