NoDQ.com > Columns > On The Mat, with Matt Henry (This and That) Posted by Matt Henry on 05/11/2008 at 09:07 PM
Hello everyone, welcome to another edition of On The Mat with Matt Henry. I don't really have one main subject to talk about today, so I thought I would give some thoughts on a few different things. Let's get to it!
Vladamir Kozlov... Why in the name of the good Lord is this guy on the main roster? We have heard his name tossed around for a couple years. WWE would have plans to call him up to one of the 3 brands and give him a push, but they would inevitably fall through. Now that I have seen this guy I know why. Is it just me, or is charisma no longer the most important trait a wrestling character can posses? Vladamir Kozlov has about as much charisma as a turnip! Better yet, heres and idea... Give him Mike Adamle as a manager/mouth piece. That smells like money to me!
Kozlov has had a few squash matches on Smackdown against local job squad talent. The matches are short and boring. He comes to the ring with no pyro, no music, and most importantly no charisma. This guy and his gimmick are not ever going to get over. We are in an age of flash and flare and a big ox like Russian grunting like an oaf and making ugly faces into the camera, just ain't gonna cut it. If WWE wanted Kozlov to be a success he should have been given a gimmick to work with, or at least some damn entrance music! One word sums up Vladamir Kozlov, and that word is BORING!!!
Now onto some happier news. My personal hero Mick Foley as the new color commentator on Friday Night Smackdown! Now that is something I can get behind. Foley is and always has been magic on the microphone. I'm happy to see him back on TV every week, and I think he's doing an excellent job on the other side of the announce table. He and Micheal Cole are developing a nice chemistry together that will only improve with time. Foley brings that juvenile fun humor, yet at the same time takes the matches seriously. Almost everybody loves Mick Foley, and it's great to have him back. Welcome home Mick, and keep up the great work.
As I predicted in my last column, the HBK/Batista feud has ended to make way for HBK vs. Y2J part 2. This will be a hell of a match, and hopefully a hell of a series of matches. Not quite sure who will play the face and who will work as the heel? It seems likely that Y2J will embrace the heel role, as I think the fans will find it very difficult to boo Shawn. However stranger things have happened in "Vinnieland". It's possible that HBK could throw the curve ball and admit to faking his knee injury to win the match. The problem with that is, what's so wrong with that? Is wrestling not a business? Is it not the main goal to win at all costs? Ya, wrestling is all just a show, but doing what ever it takes to get to the top doesn't automatically make you a bad guy.
As with any match these 2 are involved in, the good guy and the bad guy don't matter. Hell, the storyline doesn't even matter. We just want to see the 5 star classic that both men are more than capable of putting on. Jericho hasn't really found his niche since his comeback, but working with Shawn is a sure fire way to find that niche. Bottom line, give these guys 25 minutes on PPV and they will tear the house down.
I don't remember if I touched on this before, but in case I haven't I will do so briefly now. I'm a big fan of Cryme Tyme and marked out like a kid again when they made their return a few weeks ago. I heard that music and it felt like I was 10 years old again watching Hogan Vs. Savage. I really felt like they got a raw deal when thy were released, and had a huge amount of potential to really put some heat into the tag team scene. As I see it Shad and JTG are the hottest tag team in WWE and possibly in the whole business right now. They have fun out there and the people can see that. That my friends is how you get over in he wrestling business. Go out there, do your job, but most importantly, have fun with it! If you aren't having fun no one is going to pay to see you. Cryme Tyme looks like thery are really enjoying their jobs and that alone makes them fun to watch.
Well everyone, I guess that is all I have for you this time around. I hope you enjoyed the read and you all stop back again next time, and go "On The Mat", with me, Matt Henry. Thank you for reading, and take care of each other.
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