Smackdown: Trouble In Paradise

(Editor's note: The Billdozah was unhappy with his first Smackdown blog and took a few weeks to let the Smackdown blog come to him. Enjoy. In coming weeks we will hear his thoughts on TNA, ROH, and what else the world of wrestling has to offer!)

Smackdown: Trouble in Paradise
By: The Billdozah

Yesterday,
Love was such an easy game to play,
Now I need a place to hide away,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Why she Had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say.
I said,
Something wrong, now I long for yesterday.

-The Beatles

Let’s take one step back, for a moment. A few months back Smackdown had Edge, Rey Mysterio, and Jeff Hardy running wild. Hardy was at his rightful spot as the top face on the best show WWE had to offer. Mysterio had a fantastic, fantastic feud and series of matchups with Chris Jericho; they turned back the clock to their WCW days and then raised the bar. Between that and the Shawn Michaels feud it was some of Jericho’s best work ever…and I mean (slaps face!) ehhh ehhhhhhhh ehhhhhhh EVVVVVEEERRRRR!!!

From there Mysterio was helping elevate Dolph Ziggler via an intriguing Intercontinental Title feud that looked far from over. When Dolph first came it, we all know the gig, “My Name is Dolph…” yah until you are wished well in your future endeavors. I gladly sit here with foot inserted in mouth. Dolph has surprised us all. He deserves a lot of credit, but I think Rey does too.

Edge was a little complacent as the face of Smackdown, the reigning champion, the top heel, a long running feud with Jeff Hardy; Michael Hayes must have taken notice, so he teamed him up with Mr. Compelling Chris Jericho and they put the forgotten Undisputed Tag Team Titles on them. Perhaps those belts could get some rub with these two perfectionists holding them; even better, the seeds were planted with an epic feud.

Jeff Hardy sat on top of the literal and proverbial ladder after he defeated Edge in the Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship. CM Punk (and WWE management) had something else to say about Hardy’s rise to the top. They helped cement him even further as the most sympathetic babyface on the roster. Jeff always came that close to achieving his goals, and then he finally got there (again) only to see the Straight Edge Superstar take his title and create a compelling storyline.

Take note WWE. For years, WWE fans supported Jeff Hardy even though he was nowhere close to main events. Sure he stopped at Dunkin Donuts here for a cup of Joe when needed, but he wasn’t put at the top until recently. And WWE fans loved him all the more for it. Then you have the John Cena conundrum. Listen, Cena is stale as all getout and WWE probably A) has no idea he is running in circles or B) no clue how they got there. There’s always option C) they’re making money so who gives an STFU.

John Cena hasn’t been to the WWE nearly as long as Jeff Hardy. It’s my opinion he isn’t as popular as Jeff is (or wouldn’t be if J. Hardy had been given the same run on top).

Let’s take a second step back for another moment (this one moves us a little bit away from Smackdown, but it’s all relative to WWE).

WrestleMania 21
John Cena defeats JBL for the WWE Championship.

On that show, Batista main evented and defeated Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. He was on the main show and was a bigger draw than Cena. If he wasn’t more important to Vince McMahon why did Batista eliminate Cena to win the Royal Rumble that year?

We then saw the sails taken out of Batista (and to be frank there probably weren’t much legs left in the soon to be senior citizen). The Batista Bomb dropped on Smackdown and the John Cena era on Monday Night Raw began. Since that time we have had nonstop John Cena title matches every week on Raw and every month on Pay Per View. His detractors could take solace in the fact that he suffered several major injuries that knocked him out of action for several months and offered the freshness that only Triple H could offer.

Sure we all enjoyed his blood feud with JBL. Yeah we hoped he would find a way to make the Big Show submit. And oh yeah, it was great to see him have a Buried Alive feud with the Miz. What’s that? Miz was getting over?

Rest in Peace, Mike Mizanin. Not your fault.

Jeesh, I almost fell asleep reminiscing the good old days where John Cena wasn’t fighting for a world title…ugh JBL sucks.

Ok time to take two steps forward.

NEWSFLASH!

Jeff Hardy was called the next Shawn Michaels while John Cena was probably only over with a few gentlemen who saw him in bodybuilding competition. Hey Vince McMahon, stop licking your lips. What are you planning a WBF revival world tour? (Disclaimer: I think the WBF was essentially brought back when the Raw main events consisted of Cena, Trips, and Batista).

Know how long Jeff Hardy has been over with the wrestling fans? He was popular back when WWE used to be good. My friends, that was a long, long time ago. A long time ago. Sure he’s had his issues with substances and disinterest in working the WWE schedule. Guess what? More guys have as well. They just weren’t as smart as Jeff to take that step away and recuperate.

So WWE made the decision to go with a guy like John Cena at the top for all those years. Jeff Hardy came and Jeff Hardy left. And as I mentioned, the cheers only grew. If WWE would realize that fans would cheer Cena regardless of his positioning, they would probably be able to book him in a program that had some teeth to it and nothing to do with the main event. But I think they probably know that a large majority won’t care and many will actually be happy to have the guy moved down a peg. They know most people don’t care, so if they put him in the precarious position out of the spotlight, any interest he has will evaporate like a main event push for Rob Van Dam.

Here’s my last thought on Cena before I get back to Smackdown. He got pushed too hard too quickly and then WWE had no clue what to do with him. If they did how come he has had decade feeling feuds with JBL, Triple H, Randy Orton, Big Show, and Edge. Wow, can’t wait for another encounter with Batista, either. It’s too late. He’s at the top of the card and he isn’t going anywhere.

I’m just thinking that if WWE placed Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam (yah that cloud of smoke is here for a reason) in their rightful places at the top at say around WrestleMania 21, everyone wouldn’t be so sick of John Cena. And John, I’m just using you as an example. I don’t want to spend 12 years writing about how Triple H only remained at the top because both the Rock and Austin essentially bailed at the same time.

So it’s 2009 and we have a guy who I think is going to be the best heel in wrestling in CM Punk. I always dreamed of a feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin where he put down Austin for the beer drinking and cried about the love the fans had for the Texas Rattlesnake. Jeff Hardy subbing for Stone Cold? I’m cool. It was hip and fresh and served the same purpose.

It worked perfectly. Punk had an amazing several weeks playing the guy who is doing something he believes to be right and having valid reasons. Thus, when he turned heel, there was no need to look back. Just give a bad guy conviction in his voice and wait for the magic to ensue.

Even better, Jeff got chase the title. He got to go after a guy who couldn’t be more different than him. They walk, talk, and act different. The story was written for Jeff Hardy as the babyface. But besides some cheap shots, Punk is they guy the kids should look up to. That’s why this feud sold. Even Punk detractors know he’s probably right. They just want to puff the magic dragon or get drunk at a local bar. I’ll be doing the latter in mere moments, myself. But I still love the Punker. He’s in his prime, he is fresh, and WWE is lucky enough to have him to give some mileage to the guys over on Raw like Orton, Cena, Triple H, etc. etc. once he gets to dance with them and they can get out of each other’s own way. Change is good. Let’s hope it happens quicker than it took for Jeff Hardy to get his Word Title Reign.

But Smackdown is in peril. Edge is injured. Mysterio got suspended. Jeff Hardy walked away (and BREAKING News, he would have had Strike 3 via the Wellness policy anyways). Jericho’s momentum has been put on hold for about as long as his team with the Big Show continues. A Smackdown roster once rich in talent and potential sits in peril.

Well, what do we think about that? I’ll tell ya’.

To Be Continued…