No Mercy… a blah PPV?
It wouldn’t surprise me at all of No Mercy turned into the most “blah” PPV the WWE puts on this year. Lacking its top star in the main event match is only the least of the WWE’s problems going into No Mercy 2007. The undercard doesn’t look that promising, either. By the time it’s all done, WWE may realize it overspent on wholesale clothing playing off the promotion of No Mercy 2007.
The biggest undercard match is Batista vs. The Great Khali in a Punjabi Prison match. While the gimmick isn’t a bad one, having it be a one-on-one affair between two stiff plodders is not great booking. Batista’s a bit too big to be perceived as an overmatched underdog against Khali, and without a more athletic, energetic participant, this one could get ugly.
CM Punk versus Big Daddy V has some David vs. Goliath potential, but the feud was hastily constructed and poorly built. Underwhleming heat will equal PPV apathy, and can only be spiced up by the potential, post-suspension return of previous champ John Morrison. Also, I’ve just never cared for, or bought into, any incarnation of Viscera. He was far more effective as comic relief on Raw.
Finlay vs. Rey Mysterio inspires apathy, as Rey-Rey has lost some heat since his return to action and Finlay is one of those superstars who I blame for the downfall and “craptacular” status of SmackDown. Not interesting, not convincing, shallow character, not fun to watch. Demote him out of the company and let him go wrestle or TNA or some other minor league promotion. How this match made it on a PPV card - any PPV card - is beyond me.
Candice Michele vs. Beth Phoenix might turn out OK, but Beth Phoenix’s “Glamazon” gimmick is simply annoying, and not in a good way. The feud, again, is poorly built and has little to no heat behind it.
Triple H versus Umaga also inspires yawns. Umaga has been overpushed and is a one-dimensional heel that lacks the depth of character for long-term appeal; he strikes me more as the next Viscera, more than the next Andre the Giant. And Triple H simply is a shadow of his former self since his return. That is he being promoted in a storyline almost identical to one used earlier this year to promote Cena is … disappointing, to say the least.
Uhhh, was there even a tag match scheduled? I vaguely recall something about a couple of rednecks versus a couple of cruiser-weights… whatever.
Hope springs eternal, but tonight’s PPV is looking dismal so far. We’ll know more in a couple hours.