Top 4 of FCW 4/8/12

FCW comes back and it could not have been a moment too soon. Two weeks without it, and having missed the part where Rollins won the championship from Kruger, yeah, I’m miffed! But it was back!

4. Regal and JR on commentary

I’ve often complained about Chris Russo on commentary, so when he leaves the booth so that during the 15 minute championship (which took 20 minutes on this particular night) JR can take over, I’m positively ecstatic. JR is not my favorite commentator, though he’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, and when given an option of so many others, I would choose him before most. Working in tandem with Regal just made this a winning pair. The downside to the commentating here, JR kept pronouncing it “Cesar” and not “Cesaro” until Regal oh-so-subtly corrected him.

3. Seth Rollins Promo

First, since the last two weeks were missing, this was an excellent chance for those who do not read up on spoilers on a regular basis to learn that Seth Rollins is the new champion! The audience also learned he has a high ankle sprain. The championship is starting to seem like a curse. Gain the title, and an injury. This promo, though, seems to prove Rollins is here to stay.

2. Antonio Cesaro vs. Richie Steamboat

I haven’t really been impressed with Cesaro despite improvements every week. The improvements were slow and it does not help when a million people are talking to you about how incredible someone is. Hype often can ruin someone for you. Tonight Cesaro refreshed my feelings on him and turned me into a believer! Steamboat paled in comparison, which is sad because I keep wanting Steamboat to succeed. However this was Cesaro’s time to shine and everything that he lacked before went up a few notches. Did not keep him from still not quite getting that title. This time.

1. Kenneth Cameron vs. Byron Saxton

I admit my biased towards Ascension willingly. After Scott Stanford, Derrick Bateman, and Tyler Reks, Ascension might be the next great thing for me. (I have weird taste) This match was cut short and I should be pouting about it because it never really was a full match, but Conor O’Brian returns and when the lights go out Cameron and O’Brian pull Saxton out and the match is no contest. Is Saxton going to become a part of Ascension? PLEASE?!

FCW 11/13/11

FCW continues to be the show to watch. Faces tap out to submissions, the matches dominate the show, but you are never left out with story that carries on from week to week. There are still some downsides to FCW, Briley Pierce continues to manage to be the least interesting man on the show and Matt Martlaro as a commentator makes my ears want to bleed. Luckily this week Byron Saxton returned to put on a good show on commentating. Byron Saxton has the voice and the ability.

4. Husky Harris vs. Leo Kruger vs. Richie Steamboat

This matches end was predictable in that you knew who was going to win. Despite that the three of them actually put on a good show. If you read this regularly you know that I am not a fan of Husky Harris. This week’s episode was by far my favorite performance from him I’ve seen since his debut on NXT (since I did not see his debut on FCW). Harris finally lived up to what the commentators are always saying about him and it was good to see. It did not win me over completely, I’m still not a fan, but I can say he helped make this match an incredible showing. Leo Kruger and Richie Steamboat are incredible in the ring as well. Steamboat still seems awkward on the microphone but all of that can be forgotten while he’s moving in the ring while Kruger is ace all around.

3. Seth Rollins vs. Damien Sandow

This rematch so Rollins can regain his Jack Brisco 15 Minute Championship was so well timed I’m not sure if one of the bigger shows could have pulled it off. Rollins is attacked before ever getting into the ring by Antonio Cesaro and Rollins still goes into the ring and fights with a sore ankle. Rollins sells. Wonderfully. Rollins wins the first pinfall, Sandow the second with a submission. There are three seconds left on the clock, Rollins has Sandow down, 3, 2, Wu… The question becomes did the three count happen before or after the bell for the challenge to end? Once it comes to that it’s obvious how the story is going to end but it’s still an exciting moment as you hold your breath to figure out if Rollins regained his title or if Sandow retained. At the end of this Cesaro takes a mic and tells Rollins he is after him and once he finishes with him he’s gone. Foreshadowing for when Cesaro will be brought up to the main roster?

2. Aksana

Aksana is in a tag team match with Caylee Turner against Cameron Lynn and the FCW Divas Champion Audrey Marie. Aksana is the current Queen of FCW, which seems like a more fun title for women since she walks around with a crown on her head. This entire match shocks me because Cameron Lynn does not come out wearing the thick blonde wig or acting like a general idiot. It’s a quick realization she is a pretty lady and has good moves. But this match is a showcase of Queen against Divas Champ and the Queen proves that she’s worthy. Aksana is brutal in the ring while still looking like a sensual being. She has a dark Goth look that works well for her and between these four women they show what a divas match could or should be. The reason Aksana is really the only one who gets the mention instead of the whole group is she outshone them all. This match was an Aksana showcase as it well should have been. She’s beautiful and good. She is no longer the blonde woman hoping to win NXT with Goldust’s help.

1. Ascension

No one who reads my blogs will be surprised I chose Ascension. I am slightly obsessed with this group, and for good reason. Ascension starts off this particular FCW with a threeway match of the male members of Ascension (Conor O’Brian, Tito Colon, and Kenneth Cameron) versus Mike Dalton, Jason Jordan, and Colin Cassady. From the moment they enter Ascension is a dessert for the senses. They are well choreographed and have the look down perfectly. While they fight their sad opponents Raquel Diaz stands to the side, once again with a mic hidden under her hair so you can hear the way she commands these three men. When Raquel tells them, “NOW!” they do what needs to be done that instance. Her maniacal laughter and delight at watching her men destroy their opponents adds to the general ill at ease feeling that is meant to be felt when Ascension steps out.

FCW 11/6/11

This week was heavy on the matches and light on the Ascension (as in not even a promo!). With five matches and the ability to stand out amongst the crowd I am glad to announce I can return the top four reason to watch for FCW this week.

4. Byron Saxton

Byron Saxton was the commentator for the evening as William Regal was preparing for his match against Dean Ambrose. At first I inwardly groaned because this is the man who leads Naomi and Cameron Lynn around and these two women are the most obnoxious thing I’ve seen on FCW. They might beat out divas I dislike in the WWE for annoyance they are that bad. Byron had commentating down solid and when Matt Matlaro stopped to take a breath what Saxton interjected was always succinctly put. Even if it was just him saying to Regal, “You’re evil! You’re evil!” It may sound like a childish taunt and still it somehow worked on Saxton. A certain someone pointed out to me that Saxton was the opposite of Regal on the mic. While Regal is a face announcer with heel tendencies Saxton is the heel announcer who has the excitement of a face. This described the feeling perfectly.

3. Brad Maddox

Brad Maddox was set to fight Percy Watson and Titus O’Neil and needed a partner. As Briley Pierce sat idly by with his microphone and dressed in his suit Maddox called him out and told him he would be the partner. Honestly, the match itself was uninteresting as I tend to get a glazed over look when Watson and O’Neil are anywhere close by and Maddox and Pierce have yet to really impress me in the ring. However, Maddox’s taunts of Pierce telling him he didn’t have time to change and that he was serious about him being his partner were fun. Maddox does have the personality he just is not quite there with the talent. Yet.

2. Dean Ambrose

This man has taken crazy to a new level. In an era when crazy is growing on us he mixes Orton, Rhodes, and guest from an asylum perfectly. He twitches, he snorts, and he generally looks like he’s enjoying himself with a crazed smile, even as he is being destroyed by his opponent. I am not quite sure what it is that he is still lacking but watching him it is something. Perhaps I think he could take this character even further. Of course having Ambrose at number two can lead me right into number one.

1. William Regal

This man is charismatic. That in itself shines every time he steps in the ring. The FCW fans are always lively but when Regal stepped out the chants were the most audible part of the night. Regal is up to his usual tricks in this match when he has Ambrose in a corner and is facing the ref while kicking Ambrose. Regal does not stop there. He actually slips Ambrose’s arm into the turnbuckle and tightens it around his arm. The ref has to help Ambrose escape, all the while Regal stands back and watches with his usual, “What?” look. If this was on of the WWE shows they would have disqualified Regal and had no ending to this match, however FCW is all about finishing as many matches as they can. Which only leads Ambrose to even more abuse by Regal so that Regal can win this main event. Regal is a brilliant man in and out of the ring and it’s good to see him used.

I would just like to end this blog with one simple question: “What do you mean there was no Ascension?” Not to worry, I hear they return next week!

Top 4 Reasons to Watch FCW 10/22/11

I was only going to do my four favorite things about FCW. FCW decided to make it very hard on me. Because four almost seems like a small number. This was a show filled with names you might recognize and names you need to look into. The Fink is your ring announcer for the evening and the first person he introduces is Ricardo Rodriguez, who insists he should introduce himself. The show only goes up from there.

4. The Ascension

There are two Ascension promos during this week’s episode of FCW. Two! I get shivers as this group shows their video promos. There is no one in this group not right for the part. I could watch them every moment of FCW. I could watch a television show just based off of this group. Hell, make this group a movie. They have personality, the look, and the moves. Unfortunately we don’t get to see the moves during this particular episode of FCW, but the promos are enough to keep you wondering and hoping for the next time.

3. Erik Rowan vs. Big E Langston

Erik Rowan came out and I can’t say I was ready to take this man seriously. Tall, bald, with a bushy red beard that was verging on Knoxian territory. I cringed and wondered how this man was going to work in the ring. Out came his opponent Big E Langston who I did not have much faith in either at first glance. Another large black man with Zeke like proportions. I was ready for a slow bout. I was wrong. This was an entertaining match between two large, strong men who were moving quicker through the ring than they had any right to. Watching Rowan pick up Langston had my mouth dropping and watching Langston turn much of it around on Rowan was awing. They had the moves and I now want to see them again.

2. Ricardo Rodriguez vs. Leakee

I have only started watching FCW in the last few weeks, so despite knowing Rodriguez was on FCW I had yet to see his moves. Being the opening match I did not have a build to his match but that was not needed. Rodriguez took center stage, introduced himself, and then out came Laekee, another member of the Anoa’I family. These two had chemistry and practice and were entertaining to watch together. I would have liked to have heard more from Leakee because then I might have been more excited when he won.

1. Leo Kruger vs. Husky Harris

I am not a big fan of Husky Harris. In fact I am not a fan at all. I did not like him on NXT and I do not like him at FCW. Why, then, does he rate as the partial number one on my list? Leo. Kruger. I would have made number one Leo Kruger to begin with if the match had not been solid and kept my interest the entire time. I enjoy Leo Kruger. He speaks well, he has smarmy down, and I do so enjoy smarmy, and the title looks good on him. Leo Kruger keeping his title had me jumping in my seat. I could have watched the entire show just for him and been happy, but luckily FCW provides entertainment consistently.

Other great things about this episode that did not make my top four was Kaitlyn and Caylee Turner (Alicia Fox’s little sister). Kaitlyn continues to show improvement in the ring and that she is the dominant strong woman of FCW and is at least in the running for number two on the WWE main roster. Caylee, while looking like her sister seems to have a softer appearance but moves that could still be just as strong.

William Regal is part of the announce team of FCW and is always entertaining. As he showed with his comment about Antonio Cesaro, “About the only thing to ever come out of Switzerland with any aggression about it.”

Speaking of Antonio Cesaro, this was his first match on FCW televised. Unfortunately he did not make it into my top four, and there is a reason for it. While Mr. Antonio Cesaro (as The Fink announced him) was entertaining and seemed to be enjoying himself in the ring it was the most predictable match of the night. He went up against Mike Dalton, who I had no idea who he was, and all we could think was this was the FCW guy who loses. We were right. Still, Cesaro made a good first showing and I look forward to seeing him again.

Other appearances of the night were Briley Pierce, Richie Steamboat, Naomi, Cameron Lynn, Byron Saxton, Percy Watson, Titus O’Neil, Maxine, Aksana, and Brad Maddox. FCW