Henry's World

I challenge you to think of a snappier title. In this post, I try out something new, as I run through all 16 pay-per-views(or special events) produced by the WWE this year, from worst to best(note: this does not include NXT TakeOver shows). I've included my initial score with each event, although that had absolutely no impact in the making of this list. Enjoy! 16. Battleground(My Score: 2/10) Was there ever any doubt? I hated watching this show live, more than I hated watching anything from the company all year. The only, and I mean the only, saving grace of this show was another in the line of classic New Day-Uso matches, but that's it. AJ Styles and Kevin Owens had a well below average match with a botched finish, we all learned just how bad flag matches could be and we finally got the return of The Great Khali that no one was asking for. Terrible. 15. Summerslam(My Score: 4/10) While I didn't think this show was quite as bad as the previous year's Sum...

After 15 long weeks and almost 4 months, it all comes down to one game between the Ridiculous Rascals and Tug of War to crown the 2017 Dog League champion. (Reminder: the Dog League is a custom fantasy football league run on NFL.com) Third Place Game: (4) Tailwaggerz vs (3) Leaping Girl Tailwaggerz It was a narrow loss for the Tailwaggerz in the first round of the playoffs, as they came only 7 points away making the unlikely trip to the championship game. In the final game of the season, they will keep things simple, making one line-up change, bringing Alex Smith in for Tom Brady.  Week 16 Starting Line-Up QB Alex Smith RB Le'Veon Bell RB Jordan Howard WR Mike Evans WR Michael Thomas TE Zach Ertz RB Kenyan Drake K Wil Lutz DEF Baltimore Ravens Leaping Girl A rather decisive loss ended Leaping Girl's chances at a championship, as she now will look for revenge from last season, where she lost to Tailwaggerz in the third place game. Robert Woods was bro...

It's a big opportunity tonight on SmackDown Live for four women, as Alexa Bliss and Bayley take on Charlotte and Nia Jax in our main event. The winners of that match will face off next week in singles action, with an Undisputed Women's Championship match at Halloween Havoc on the line. Plus, Tye Dillinger looks for revenge, The Usos face Enzo and Big Cass and John Cena calls out Bray Wyatt! Universe Mode SmackDown Live October 17th, 2017 Location: St. Louis, MI Enzo and Big Cass vs The Usos Jimmy and Jey Uso seemed intent on going after Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens and the tag team championships, but would have to get through Enzo and Big Cass first. The Usos were quite impressive, working well as a unit, saving each other and delivering double team moves. But they just didn't have an answer for Big Cass, as the seven footer turned the tide of the match again and again. In the end, it was simply too much, and Amore was able to capitalize, hitting the Eat Def...

A show that featured only one traditional one on one match(and that one included managerial interference) and only six matches overall, Clash of Champions just felt completely pointless. Yes, there was some fun to be had, but it stands as one of the most easily skippable events of the year. Clash of Champions 2016 Score: 6/10 - There are some positives to take away from the current state of SmackDown, but it's pretty clear the show is in a rut right now. The list of truly over wrestlers on the roster gets shorter and shorter each week, and a lot of their stories just aren't connecting with the crowd. It's been a long time since a blue brand pay-per-view was must-watch, and based on tonight, that's probably going to continue.  - SmackDown has a habit of opening with the best match of the night, and although it was close, I felt the US Title match took top honors. Corbin, Roode and Ziggler worked surprisingly well together, and the crowd ate it ...

It's fair to say that SmackDown has not been the same show since the Superstar Shake-Up, and I honestly don't know what can be done to get the blue brand back going again. It has its moments, and the talent is there, but with a month until the Rumble, things don't look too promising. Pre-Show- Zack Ryder vs Mojo Rawley I've long been alone in my love of the Hype Bros, and even though it was upsetting to see them split, I did have high hopes for the future. I'll be damned if they're not doing their best to get me to not care about this match, and you know what, it worked! Breezango vs The Bludgeon Brothers Harper and Rowan's new gimmick has not been expanded at all just yet, beyond large dudes carrying hammers and destroying jobbers. This match could help get them over, as Breeze and Fandango are established as a team, but after literal months of build-up on the Fashion Files, I was hoping for a little more than a throw-away addition to the card...

It's a different look for these preview posts for the Dog League this week, as we enter the playoffs. (Reminder: the Dog League is a custom fantasy football league run on NFL.com) Game 1: (1) Tug of War vs (4) Tailwaggerz Tailwaggerz It was a very nice, although ultimately useless, win for Tailwaggerz last week, as they handed Ridiculous Rascals their third loss in a row. The games don't come much bigger than this, as they square off with the peaking Tug of War in the first round of the playoffs. Heading into this week, they made two moves, adding Kenyan Drake for Adrian Peterson and the Ravens defense for the Patriots. Both will start, with Drake replacing Robby Anderson, while the returning Zach Ertz takes his starting spot back from Evan Engram. Week 15 Starting Line-Up QB Tom Brady RB Le'Veon Bell RB Jordan Howard WR Mike Evans WR Michael Thomas TE Zach Ertz RB Kenyan Drake K Wil Lutz DEF Baltimore Ravens Tug of War The defending champions o...

Welcome back to Raw, where we are two weeks away from Halloween Havoc. Tonight, Rusev goes one on one with the arrogant Curt Hawkins, Jason Jordan looks to begin his singles career, and #DIY face off with the New Day. Universe Mode Monday Night Raw October 16th, 2017 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Rusev vs Curt Hawkins The former United States Champion had been somewhat quiet since losing his championship at No Mercy, but an hour before Raw started, he stated that he would have an announcement following this match. Rusev had to get through Curt Hawkins first, and Hawkins looked ready for this opportunity, firing himself up in the corner. He probably should've just stayed there, as this was pure domination for the Bulgarian Brute, who tossed Hawkins around the ring, finishing it off with the Accolade in mere minutes. Winner: Rusev Rusev's Announcement The Super Athlete then took to the mic. At No Mercy, Shinsuke Nakamura got lucky, and he stole what rightfull...

After weeks of speculation, we have finally received some clarification of the NXT Championship situation. After Aleister Black left Brooklyn with the championship, Regal has yet to get in contact with the Dutch Destroyer. With no other options, NXT will crown a new champion at Halloween Havoc. Tonight, Adam Cole, Hideo Itami and Apollo Crews will compete in a triple threat match, with the winner to be a part of that championship match. Plus, Akira Tozawa gets a huge opportunity as he battles Cruiserweight Champion Neville. Universe Mode NXT October 11th, 2017 Location: Full Sail University Akira Tozawa vs Neville NXT's newest Cruiserweight went straight into the deep end, as Akira Tozawa tried his hand against the Cruiserweight Champion. For the most part, Akira looked quite good in this match, using his power effectively against the smaller man and scoring a near fall on his beautiful snap german suplex. But for all his heart and fighting spirit, he was in ther...

The Week 13 Review is currently unavailable. (Reminder: the Dog League is a custom fantasy football league run on NFL.com) Tailwaggerz Current Record: (4-9, 4th place) The struggles continue for Tailwaggerz, whose three game skid has seen them solidified in fourth place for the playoffs. With nothing left to lose, Tailwaggerz can decide the regular season championship this week, as if they beat Ridiculous Rascals, Tug of War wins the title. With starter Robby Anderson potentially hobbled this week, they dropped Stefon Diggs for the legendary Larry Fitzgerald. Zach Ertz is currently in the midst of concussion protocol, so he was moved to the bench for Evan Engram. Week 14 Starting Line-Up(vs Ridiculous Rascals) QB Tom Brady RB Le'Veon Bell RB Jordan Howard WR Mike Evans WR Michael Thomas TE Evan Engram WR Robby Anderson K Wil Lutz DEF New England Patriots Leaping Girl Current Record: (6-7, 3rd place) If Tailwaggerz has power in the regular season champi...

After a brutal, bloody war at No Mercy, John Cena remains the WWE Champion. Tonight, he calls out former champion AJ Styles for what is sure to be an explosive face to face confrontation. Plus, the blue brand crowns a new number one contender for the Intercontinental Championship, and Heath Slater looks for revenge against the Social Outcasts. Universe Mode SmackDown Live October 10th, 2017 Location: Las Vegas, NV The Social Outcasts vs Heath Slater and Rhyno Heath Slater may be the one man rock band, but he had backup going against his former allies in the form of the Man Beast, Rhyno. After tangling with Rhyno a few weeks back on SmackDown Live, Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas seemed understandably cautious. Slater was perhaps a little too eager to get his hands on his former comrades, and Axel and Dallas were able to take advantage, using the numbers game to grind Heath out. They stopped any attempts to make a tag, with Aiden English providing a man advantage. Axel got ...

I though I'd take this opportunity to let you all know of my plans for Henry's Universe Mode during December. The next pay-per-view is October's Halloween Havoc. Currently, the schedule is for three Raw, SmackDown and NXT shows before we reach the event, with a preview post very similar to No Mercy's. The plan is to get all 11 posts up this month, although that's not a guarantee, so stay tuned. With Halloween Havoc on the horizon, the big news for Raw this week coming out of No Mercy is the return of Finn Balor. With Samoa Joe taking time off to heal from his injuries, the former NXT Champion wants to be first in line for Braun Strowman and the Universal Championship, but Shane McMahon wants Balor to earn his shot. Tonight, he will go one on one with a "worthy challenger". Plus, The Revival want to get back in the title picture as they will face former champions The Hardy Boyz, and Alicia Fox and Mickie James meet in singles action. Universe Mode...

Check out the Week 12 Review here . (Reminder: the Dog League is a custom fantasy football league run on NFL.com) Tailwaggerz Current Record: (4-8, 4th place) With the loss to Leaping Girl last week, Tailwaggerz have now fallen to last place. It's massively disappointing for a side that looked like a top two team at the beginning of the year. They'll look to rebound this week, facing Tug of War. They made two waiver moves this week, dropping the Steelers defense for the Patriots, whilst adding Robby Anderson for C.J. Anderson. Those two will start, alongside Mike Evans, who replaces Lamar Miller. Week 13 Starting Line-Up(vs Tug of War) QB Tom Brady RB Le'Veon Bell RB Jordan Howard WR Mike Evans WR Michael Thomas TE Zach Ertz WR Robby Anderson K Wil Lutz DEF New England Patriots Leaping Girl Current Record: (5-7, 3rd place) Don't look now, but little Leaping Girl is on a two game winning streak and starting to move up the standings. She'...

The Week 11 Review is currently unavailable. This post will be updated when it is. (Reminder: the Dog League is a custom fantasy football league run on NFL.com) Leaping Girl Current Record: (4-7, 4th place) Coming off of a very narrow victory over Tug of War, it was just line-up changes for Leaping Girl this week. Carson Wentz came in for Drew Brees, while DeMarco Murray and T.Y. Hilton(playing each other this week) replaced Jerick McKinnon and Dez Bryant. Week 12 Starting Line-Up(vs Tailwaggerz) QB Carson Wentz RB LeSean McCoy RB DeMarco Murray WR T.Y. Hilton WR DeAndre Hopkins TE Jimmy Graham RB Alvin Kamara K Justin Tucker DEF Jacksonville Jaguars Tailwaggerz Current Record: (4-7, 3rd place) It was a huge loss last week for Tailwaggerz, as they were blown out by first place Ridiculous Rascals. They made one waiver move this week, exchanging the Cardinals defense for the Steelers' unit. Into the starting line-up came Tom Brady and Lamar Miller, repla...

In the second and final part of No Mercy, John Cena defends the WWE Championship against AJ Styles, while Samoa Joe takes on Braun Strowman. Plus, a new Undisputed Women's Champion is crowned. Presenting the Crown Before Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch squared off, we had a special presentation by former WWE Women's Champion, Trish Stratus. She unveiled the Undisputed Women's Championship(similar to the current belts, but with gold plating), before wishing both competitors luck. Becky Lynch vs Alexa Bliss- Undisputed Women's Championship Match From the start, you could clearly see that Alexa Bliss was out-matched. Becky was just a far superior technical wrestler, and when Alexa tried to exchange holds and go on the offense, Lynch had the counter for everything. As a result, Little Miss Bliss began to get aggressive. She was willing to do whatever it took to lay claim to the championship, and that included an eye rake to stop an attempt at the Dis-arm-her. Alex...

What does it take to be the best? It's a question that's been asked many times, by many people. To many, the answer is complicated; tonight, it is quite simple. Lay it all on the line, not for yourself but in pursuit of something. Settle your scores by defeating your opponent, as decisively as possible. Be ready for any opportunity that presents itself, because it might be your only chance. And above all else, show.....no......mercy. And now, Raw and SmackDown present.....................No Mercy! Universe Mode No Mercy September 24th, 2017 Location: Raleigh, NC Official No Mercy Theme Song- "No Mercy"- PVRIS The Shield(c) vs The Hardy Boyz- Raw Tag Team Championship Match For a large majority of this match, we saw a different side to Matt and Jeff Hardy. They were more calculating, operating at a slower pace is hopes of grinding out Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. The strategy proved successful enough against Ambrose, but one mistake c...

I've tried a few times, but I can't really come up with a good intro for this recap. I guess we'll just get right to it, then. Survivor Series 2015 Score: 3/10 Survivor Series 2016 Score: 7/10 - For starters, why was there any need for a five man commentary booth? NXT felt overcrowded last night with just three guys, so why was adding on two more going to help anything? Someone help me out here.  - I know a lot of fans haven't been enthused with the Shield's reunion run thus far, and I do get why. The sort of game changing nature that the group originally has been partially lost, and that's not anyone's fault. The simple fact is that these three guys are all established as singles stars in their own right, and no longer need the gear or the entrance to get over. But as much as Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose don't need the Shield as much as they once did, I'd argue that it adds a huge amount to any of their mat...

NXT has really turned a corner in recent months, a far cry from where they were just a year ago. Most Takeover shows are at least good for at least a little entertainment value, but I feel they keep missing that one crucial element to put it over the top. Although there were issues with this show, I think this is one of the strongest top to bottom cards the brand has put forth in a long time. - Remember when Kassius Ohno returning to NXT was supposed to be a big deal? I sure don't. On a brand where almost everyone has been booked well over the past few months, he stands out as one of NXT's only failures. I can't say I know a lot about Lars Sullivan, but I liked what I saw and would want to watch more, so that's a good thing.  - If you had told me that a man named the Velveteen Dream would become one of the best acts on the NXT or any roster, I would've laughed you out of the building. On this night, he displayed every aspect of the star he is sur...

Man, WWE really does love f***ing with your expectations, don't they? After last month's all out mumps related calamity right before TLC, this has been one hell of a hectic month. And you know what? I love it. The late fall, especially the closer we get to the end of the year, is one of the slowest times in the entire calendar. This card has some huge intrigue and a couple of legit dream matches, and at the end of day, that's all you can ask for. Pre-Show- Cruiserweight Championship Match- Enzo Amore vs Kalisto My sources have confirmed that this is a match on this card. Intercontinental Champion The Miz vs United States Champion Baron Corbin We're gettin' all of the good stuff out of the way early here, folks. It's all downhill from this point on. I can't imagine this is a good match, and the company themselves don't seem to really care about it, either. This is a downside to the way this card was structured. There's no real point to h...

Check out the Week 10 Review here . (Reminder: the Dog League is a custom fantasy football league run on NFL.com) Leaping Girl Current Record:(3-7, 4th place) In one of the ugliest games by any team this season, Leaping Girl was absolutely shelled in their last game, losing by over 50 to the Ridiculous Rascals. With the top teams pulling away, it seems Emma is on pace for another bottom placed finish. She did bring in Saints rookie Alvin Kamara this week, dropping Matt Prater, as Justin Tucker has returned from his bye week. Week 11 Starting Line-Up(vs Tug of War) QB Drew Brees RB LeSean McCoy RB Jerick McKinnon WR Dez Bryant WR DeAndre Hopkins TE Jimmy Graham RB Alvin Kamara K Justin Tucker DEF Jacksonville Jaguars Tailwaggerz Current Record: (4-6, 3rd place) Still within striking distance of the top two, it was a quiet week for Tailwaggerz. They brought in the Cardinals defense, cutting loose from the Panthers. They also moved Alex Smith and Z...

Hello, my name is Henry Keys. With the bright lights of Summerslam now in the rearview mirror, Henry's Universe Mode is preparing to host our next pay-per-view event, No Mercy. Let's run down the card. No Mercy 2017 Card The Shield(c) vs Hardy Boyz- Raw Tag Team Championship Match Summerslam saw the reunion of the Shield, as Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns unified once more to bring home the Raw Tag Team Championships. At No Mercy, they will defend them in a rematch against the Hardy Boyz, as Jeff and Matt look to reclaim the gold. Kenny Omega(c) vs Randy Orton- Intercontinental Championship Match The second Summerslam rematch on the card will feature Kenny Omega defending the Intercontinental Championship against Randy Orton. The Viper is one of Universe Mode's most decorated competitors, but Omega is in the form of his life. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens(c) vs The Club- SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match Former best friends turned l...

Before I begin with this review, I would like to explain my stance against politics being involved in this show. If you've read enough of my reviews, you'll see that, by and large, I have a problem with politics being dragged into South Park. My own views have little to do with this criticism, and will remain my own. I think my biggest problem is that politics, and political commentary, is always going to be very divisive. Anyone who thinks this is a recent development is either lying to themselves or doesn't have a good concept of history. South Park is and will always be one of my favorite shows; I wouldn't cover it on my blog if I wasn't a fan. Ultimately, I like to enjoy the show and bring you these reviews, without having to wade through endless wars about whether or not certain members of the government should be executed. Anyway, rant over. Let's begin. I apologize that that discussion went so long, but I did need to get that off my chest. Honestly, t...

With No Mercy now just five days away, it's the last episode of Henry's Universe Mode before the pay-per-view. The blue brand's tag team champions, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, have not being seeing eye to eye lately it's fair to say. Tonight, they face former champions the Prime Time Players. One week after joining up with the Social Outcasts for a beatdown of Heath Slater, Aiden English looks to prove his worth as he host an open challenge. Who will step up to face the Maestro of Mayhem? Plus, in the main event, it's champions vs challengers as Randy Orton and AJ Styles team up to face Kenny Omega and John Cena. Universe Mode SmackDown Live September 19th, 2017 Location: Long Island, NY Prime Time Players vs Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens The tensions between the tag team champions would continue here tonight, and would put them in trouble quite a few times against Darren Young and Titus O'Neil. With Sami taking a lot of damage, Kevin would take co...

Get the Week 9 Review here . (Reminder: the Dog League is a custom fantasy football league run on NFL.com) Leaping Girl Current Record: (3-6, 4th place) Coming off of a win over the Tailwaggerz, Leaping Girl will look to move out of last place this week, but does face a tough Ridiculous Rascals team. She only made one move this week, finally dropping her Seahawks defense to bring in Matt Prater, with Justin Tucker out on bye. She also brought Jerick McKinnon back into her line-up for DeMarco Murray. Week 10 Starting Line-Up(vs Ridiculous Rascals) QB Drew Brees RB LeSean McCoy RB Jerick McKinnon WR Dez Bryant WR DeAndre Hopkins TE Jimmy Graham WR T.Y. Hilton K Matt Prater DEF Jacksonville Jaguars Tailwaggerz Current Record: (3-6, 3rd place) In the midst of a three game losing streak, Tailwaggerz are very lucky not to have fallen into last place yet. The woes seem ready to continue this week, as they take on first place Tug of War. In terms of moves, they di...