Opinion
Greg DeMarco’s Chairshot Power Rankings: Week Ending 7/12/2020
Greg DeMarco is back with your Power Rankings for the week–a week with two very big championship matches! Who had the best week?
Greg DeMarco is back with your Power Rankings for the week–a week with two very big championship matches! Who had the best week?
Each week, I bring you my Power Rankings in Top 5 form. What can you measure with a “Power Ranking?” The answer is simple: power. Power here is defined as momentum, who got the big wins, and who is on an upward trajectory after this week. Each week is different, as the landscape of professional wrestling (and sports entertainment) can change in an instant. Thus, the weekly rankings will change with it.
NXT and New Japan featured two HUGE title changes. How will those impact the rankings?
Greg DeMarco’s Power Rankings: Week Ending 7/12/2020
5. Santos Escobar
It’s time to start looking more closely at the NXT Cruiserweight Champion, Santos Escobar. He’s well on this way to becoming the most important Cruiserweight Champion in this era of WWE, and is elevating that championship to a level where it can be considered a main event title on NXT.
This week? Well all he did was emerge victorious in a six-man tag team match along with Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza, then he beats the ultra talented Oney Lorcan on 205 Live. You heard that right, the NXT Cruiserweight Champion is actually active on 205 Live! He delivers a victory over a game-but-injured Lorcan, and continues his ascent up the ranks of WWE.
4. Asuka
She’s the Raw Women’s Champion, and she’s coming off of a week where she impacted Raw AND NXT, where she helped thwart Bayley’s interference so Io Shirai can get her win over Sasha Banks. How does she follow that up this week?
She goes one-on-one with Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley on Raw, and she wins that! This time there was an assist from Kairi Sane, but that was made necessary due to the aforementioned Banks interfering on this one. Success in WWE is largely about waiting out the booking cycle, and then delivering when your number is called. Asuka’s number was called this spring/summer, and she is indeed delivering!
3. Adam Page & Kenny Omega
The AEW Tag Team Champions are criticized for “not being a true tag team.” But I am not 100% sure that’s a problem for them. They are putting their differences aside and accomplishing a ton together, becoming an established team and continuing to retain their titles. They successfully defended those belts two weeks in a row (both nights of Fyter Fest), this time beating Private Party in a match I personally expected the underdogs to win to provide the feel good moment for AEW.
They are winning, retaining, and moving forward. Their success can’t be ignored. 166 days and counting as champions, and I can see it staying that way through at least the end of the summer.
2. Keith Lee
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee became a double champion this week, beating Adam Cole on Wednesday night at Great American Bash Night 2, winning the NXT Championship. And as I shared on Sunday, even the biggest Adam Cole fan boy in the world (me) thinks it was the best idea possible.
Keith Lee winning the NXT Championship would have been enough to be #1 in most weeks. Just because he’s not #1 doesn’t mean it’s not a career highlight level of accomplishment. Keith Lee deserves all the praise, all the flowers, and all the love. He truly is limitless, and hopefully this isn’t the peak. I don’t think it is.
1. EVIL
For EVIL, this may have been the best week of his entire career! And it gave him the credentials to surpass Keith Lee (who likely hasn’t peaked) and take #1 this week. In all truthfulness, I could have played the “tie” card this week, but where’s the fun in that? Have a take, Greg!
So what did EVIL do this week? Well let’s take a look:
- Defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the New Japan Cup. That’s not something that happens every week, so it’s a big deal.
- Jumped from Los Ingobernables de Japon to Bullet Club. So he went from one of the most popular factions of all time…to another. And he did so in the biggest way possible. What’s that? Well, here it’s Bullet Point #3!
- Beat his former leader Tetsuya Naito to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.
Yep, like Keith Lee, he became a double champion this week. However, EVIL did so winning what many would call the most prestigious championship in the world. Even if you feel (like me) that WWE is the top of the business by sheer size and reach alone, that still makes New Japan #2. Regardless, EVIL now has a legitimate claim to be considered along the Top 5 wrestlers in the world today.
Who would you put in your Power Rankings? Sound off on Twitter @ChairshotGreg using the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Nefarious Means
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)
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Opinion
Chris King: The Wyatt Sicks’ Wasted Potential By WWE
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
It’s that time of the year again, folks; it’s unfortunate and downright awful that so many WWE superstars got released today. I’m not going to list all of them, but I am going to talk about one of my favorite factions,
The Wyatt Sicks. Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Erik Rowan, and Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy) were something special. After Bo’s brother Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing, WWE felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled. Wyatt was one of the most creative and brilliant characters, and Bo would be taking over his brother’s concept and bringing it to life. In 2024, at the end of an incredible documentary highlighting Wyatt’s career and struggles, Bo appeared on the screen portrayed as Uncle Howdy. The last time Uncle Howdy was seen on-screen was at the 2023 Royal Rumble, where Wyatt defeated LA Knight in a Pitch Black Match. Howdy jumped off a structure onto Knight.
This post-credit scene sparked so much speculation and excitement that Wyatt’s brother would carry on his legacy and possibly debut the faction that was Wyatt’s concept. On the June 17th episode of Monday Night Raw, The Wyatt Sicks made their dramatic debut ,destroying the backstage area as well as “murdering” Chad Gable. It was such an iconic arrival for Howdy as he made his menacing walk from the back into the audience who were chanting “Holy Shit.” The Sicks and American Made (Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers) battled for months, with The Sicks being victorious. On the September 9th episode of Raw, The Sicks defeated them, with Howdy getting the win with Sister Abigail.
The following year, The Sicks would move over to Friday Night SmackDown, and it seemed like WWE had a plan in place. They would win the tag team championships from The Street Profits and start to look dominant. Now, what should have happened next is Howdy should have won the United States title. The Sicks could have held all the gold over on the blue brand, but it never happened. The Sicks entered into a never-ending feud with The MFT’s (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, JC Mateo, and Talla Tonga.) It started off exciting, and the WWE Universe was red-hot for their interactions.
After months of repetitive matches and The MFT’s stealing their lantern, the feud grew tiresome and boring. Even Tama asked Solo why they are still holding onto the lantern, as it was destroying them as a whole. Finally on the SmackDown before Mania, Tama
gave the lantern back to Howdy against Solo’s wishes. Please explain to me why both factions fought almost every single week instead of just having one final blowoff match at WrestleMania.
It should have been either a massive street fight or a falls count anywhere match on the grandest stage of them all. Instead, it turned into a meaningless week-after-week extravaganza that benefited no one. The MFTs won the rivalry, and The Sicks don’t even work for WWE anymore. This was the same criminalized creative process that Wyatt dealt with during his first run in the company.
We’ll never know how much of a dangerous force The Wyatt Sicks could have been in the WWE. For all their careers’ sake, I hope they stay far away from the company for as long as possible. Every superstar that was cut deserves better!
Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Nefarious Means
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)
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Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Opinion
Chris King: Bloodline Saga: Is This the Right Call For WWE?
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is once again World Heavyweight Champion after his dominant win over CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. On the following night on Monday Night Raw, The OG Bloodline came back together as a well-oiled machine as The Usos stood side by side with Roman. With the WWE Universe asking who would be the first to challenge “The Tribal Chief,” Jacob Fatu shocked the world by answering the call.
Fatu is running hot after his impressive win over Drew McIntyre and feels like he is ready to become the new world champion. This bloodline segment ended Raw, and it picked right back up on SmackDown with even Solo Sikoa and the MFTs involved. This is now two shows that have been centered around The Bloodline saga, and it’s made me question whether or not WWE should be retelling this story.
The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Solo Sikoa) ran WWE for over four years as Reigns’ henchmen, doing his dirty work to retain his title. Even though Roman has declared he doesn’t want Jey and Jimmy to serve him, it sure seems like WWE are spinning their wheels. Fatu could add a whole new chapter into the story, even if he’s not able to beat Roman at Backlash. “The Samoan Werewolf” could be forced to do the same thing as Jey did all those years ago and fall in line.
In my opinion, I feel like Fatu should be challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship because that’s a title I feel like he should win. I understand standing up to your blood and trying to prove you’re the best, but I don’t think this is the right move. It feels like 2022 all over again, as The Bloodline is the central focus on both shows. If Fatu doesn’t win, what happens to all his momentum he’s been building over the last two years?
Why did WWE make this the best choice for storyline purposes? Why couldn’t creative have come up with a different challenger for Roman? There are so many other superstars that could challenge The Tribal Chief, such as Rusev, Bron Breakker, Gunther, or even a returning Sheamus.
I just can’t help but question WWE’s logic here, and it kind of reminds me of all the times The Shield reunited. Could WWE be pushing the same storyline too many times here? Could the WWE Universe get tired of this rinse and repeat cycle of The Bloodline Saga?
Are we about to see all the weekly episodes solely focused on The Bloodline again? Will it be cinema… Yes. Is there still money in The Bloodline… Yes. Was it the right call? That’s to be determined!
Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Nefarious Means
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
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Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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