On a weekly basis, PWTorch staffers James Caldwell and Greg Parks have a Lounge-style chat reviewing the week in TV wrestling and looking ahead to what's next for key storylines, matches, and future events. An occasional "Seinfeld" or "The Office" reference is also mixed in for good measure.

James Caldwell: This is PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell joined by PWTorch columnist Greg Parks on a Thursday evening to chat about some TV wrestling. Greg, let's start off with Monday's Raw and the official set-up for Cena vs. Punk: The Re-match at Summerslam. What was your impression of the set-up and each of the two major promos book-ending the show involving Cena, Punk, and Triple H?

Greg Parks: Lots to sink your teeth into the past few weeks on Raw. I don't even know where to begin. Rushed? Yes. Worth it? Check back when the Summerslam buyrate comes in. As a fan, I would've preferred a slow burn, but understand WWE wanting to get everything they can out of Punk while he's the hot commodity. One thing we haven't discussed is if Punk has any kind of creative control in his contract (which I believe at one point he was asking for). If he does, I have a lot more faith in this storyline than I would've had it been left up to the WWE writing team, which hasn't always shown faith in Punk. Seems clear they're setting up Punk vs. Triple H for down the line - I've heard WrestleMania, but WWE couldn't hold off on Cena vs. Punk for even a month, so I don't know that they'd be able to hold off Punk vs. Triple H 'til April 1, but I suppose it could be a rematch of some sort.

Caldwell: Right now, I believe the biggest issue is Triple H, as a non-wrestler right now, has become the central star of the show. The material Punk had to work with was pretty weak, Cena was booked like a weak champion practically bowing at Hunter's feet, and Hunter cut the legs out from under both of them in the show-closing promo before Punk looked like "just another guy" doing the belt pose routine with Cena. The whole thing came across like a giant mess and a waste of TV time since it was clear last week they were setting up a (very, very, very rushed) unification match at Summerslam. WWE has been all over the place and I'm pretty sure they could have done just as well (if not better) at Summerslam with Cena-Rey and saved Cena-Punk to cash in at a later time without screwing it up with the quick return by Punk. ... As for Hunter-Punk, I think that's the match people are more interested in right now, which makes me think WWE will rush that match rather than save it for Mania.

Parks: I wasn't as negative on the championship (not belt, James. Get it right!) thing at the end as others have been. I think that's the least of WWE's worries after Raw. I do agree that having Triple H as the central figure on Raw at this point just doesn't feel right. I've never been a big Hunter fan, so seeing him get a ton of TV time again (and get talked about in every segment by the announcers) doesn't exactly thrill me. But I'll give Corporate Hunter some time to grow on me before I completely dismiss it. I do agree that Cena vs. Rey at Summerslam, if built right, could've been a solid enough program. Only problem might be that WWE was afraid that Cena would get booed even more against a strong face like Rey, after some segment of the fans were practically given permission to boo Cena during Punk's promos. And speaking of Punk, he seems to be playing a bit of a 'tweener, catering to the fans this past week a bit more than I expected.

Caldwell: I wonder how long the affinity toward Punk in this program will last - his return was rushed, I thought his promo content was weak, and the character was presented as a fraud who went against his principles. Sure, the vocal male audience will just cheer him no matter what because he's Punk and he "stood up to WWE" no matter how he's presented upon returning, but I don't see this adding more steam unless Hunter actually sells for Punk in some capacity. Hunter no-selling the weak material and acting above both Cena and Punk did nothing for anyone. Regarding COO Hunter, do you think he'll start to show more heel tendencies (e.g. telling Cena not to call him Hunter) as he slowly becomes the very person he fired (McMahon) or do you think he'll play it more down-the-middle/favoring the faces (e.g. telling Cena to go ahead and punch Ace for him)?

Parks: My assumption is he'll start to go heel. I don't really see the purpose of having him there if he's going to play a down-the-middle, Teddy Long-like character. The anonymous GM could've continued that. Speaking of which...are we ever going to get a resolution on that one?

Caldwell: I imagine there will be some sort of resolution after Summerslam. I don't think they want to distract from the central story of Cena-Punk-Hunter right now, but after Summerslam, when they have some free time to address that, I think they'll wrap it up. Otherwise, my goodness, what a waste of time and energy. Looking at a possible Hunter-Punk match, what do you think WWE can do to create a reason for Hunter to actually get in the ring? Assuming Punk used his best material on Raw and Hunter no-sold it, what else can Punk do to get Hunter in a match/fight? And, what could Hunter prove in a match with Punk - that he's the better wrestler? Or, just a fight for the sake of a fight?

Parks: Could be a debate over who's the better wrestler; I imagine this taking place after Punk's run with Cena is over. He may want to go up the food chain from Cena and take on Triple H once Cena (finally) turns his attention to Alberto Del Rio. It could be that Punk still has a problem with WWE management, since originally, Punk didn't have a problem with Cena himself, just what he stood for. And he couldn't very well fight Vince...but he can fight Hunter. He gets tired of Hunter favoring (in his mind) Cena, so he tries to cut the beast off at the head by going after Triple H.

Caldwell: Speaking of McMahon, he continues to be the dark cloud hanging over the show. The opening video package on Raw heavily featured McMahon and he continues to be mentioned - do you think he eventually re-surfaces and/or possibly reveals himself as GM or forces the anonymous GM to re-hire him, setting up a power struggle between Hunter, McMahon, and the GM? Oh geez, this is turning into a nightmare of a potential scenario. In any event, do you see McMahon returning in the near future and, if so, how?

Parks: Near future? Depends how near we're talking. I certainly don't think we've seen the last of McMahon, and if he does return, that means we've got two power-struggles-for-the-company storylines going on in the top two companies, with Sting still trying to wrest control of Impact Wrestling away from Immortal and back to Dixie Carter. What did we do to deserve this, James?

Caldwell: I'm not sure, but I'll get Encyclopedia Brown on it right away! I think non-wrestler power struggles and who's controlling what is so played out in wrestling (and has been for years), but it's just became an acceptable mechanism for wrestling storytelling. With some correlation to that, only a handful of legitimate stars have been made in the last ten years because so much of the meaningful, central focus goes to non-wrestlers or former stars who have become non-wrestlers and need to justify being written onto TV each week (I'm thinking of TNA). But, that's another topic. Ultimately, Greg, I don't see Hunter being alone in the authority figure position on WWE TV for very long. I feel like WWE rushed into this and they'll rush into something else, unless they move on to Hunter-Punk in a match, which will delay the inevitable return of McMahon. ... Greg, any early prediction for Cena-Punk at Summerslam or do you need to see next week's final hype?

Parks: Yeah, I'll wait to see next week's hype first. But I'll say this: If Cena goes over, I think WWE will have thrown away the goodwill they earned by turning Punk into the anti-establishment character. Regardless of how it happens, people will truly see that moment as a return to the "status quo" and will bemoan the fact that "nothing changes." I can see Punk going over via nefarious means to keep the story going, but then again, it's hard to see Cena losing two months in a row in any fashion.

Caldwell: It's been thrown-together so quickly that I can't make a call yet on the outcome based on the TV hype. I'm going to take a page from your playbook and say that I'll wait until next week to make a prediction. But, you're right that it would seem like a return to status quo if Cena wins. It makes me think that if Cena wins, they set up some sort of deal where Hunter costs Punk the match, so they try to get the heat on Hunter, the character, rather than the company itself for the booking. Execution may vary. At the end of the day, it's like Bruce Mitchell wrote in his Memo in the Newsletter last month: the "appearance" of change is upon viewers. Greg, anything else on the Cena-Punk-Hunter front worth discussing?

Parks: After this and the Livecast, I'm all Cena-Punk-Hunter'd out.

Caldwell: Very good. The rest of Raw came across like filler, but there were some developments worth talking about. Beth Phoenix (finally) turned heel to take Kharma's spot as the top villain to Kelly Kelly, Riley and Ziggler started a feud, and Miz and R-Truth continued the "conspiracy" deal just below the surface of Cena-Punk-Hunter. What's your take on those items and how they were presented?

Parks: Beth's turn seemed to come out of nowhere, but is necessary if they want her to take on Kelly Kelly, and it's good for Kelly too for fans to think she's in peril against the stronger Beth. Riley finally gets the test the waters against someone who is NOT Miz, so it's like taking the floaties off him and letting him swim on his own. I don't know that Miz and R-Truth will have any long-term future, but I could see Miz picking up on Truth's "conspiracy" deal to get himself back into the main event.

Caldwell: Do you think Miz and Truth's conspiracy thing is just to keep them relevant discussing the larger program involving Cena-Punk-Hunter since they're not in the title scene right now, or do you think it will actually lead to something bigger, such as them "breaking out some big secret" or uncovering something that would alter one of the main characters? Typical WWE would be the heels are just blowing smoke (e.g. Barrett saying there's a higher power to Nexus), but I don't know how to read this overall program right now because it seems to have a different feel to it.

Parks: I think it's just to keep them involved in the main event scene. To think it's anything more or deeper than that is giving WWE more credit than they probably deserve.

Caldwell: One day, Greg, one day WWE will actually come through and deliver on one of these things! Perhaps Miz and Truth have the combination to the safe. We shall see. On the Riley-Ziggler front, I thought it was interesting that Riley referenced Miz again in his promo. The guy is attached to Miz's hip, even in a new program. I agree with you it's great he's finally standing alone, but how about a moratorium on Miz references in Riley's promos?

Parks: It's still the only thing that makes him relevant though. If/when he is able to successfully stand on his own, hopefully he'll develop more and more of his own voice. Remember, Riley has been a heel so long, going back to developmental and on NXT, that being a babyface is probably really new to him, and he's still trying to find his footing.

Caldwell: That's true. And he seems to think he's just playing a tweener right now, based on mainstream interviews he's done, so I don't have confidence in him pulling this off just yet. He has a babyface star presence, so he needs to find that consistent voice on his own, as you said. Greg, anything else Raw-related to break down?

Parks: What do you make of Gail Kim's self-elimination and her explanation for it on Twitter? I had to watch the match again to see it as it wasn't really obvious to me, but once I knew what I was looking for, it was obvious. Who lasts longer in the company: her or Melina, who was also out quickly and has been jobbed out lately?

Caldwell: I'm not sure what to make of Gail's self-elimination yet. But, I'm leaning toward her explanation she just took the easiest route out of the match if she was instructed to be eliminated in less than a minute. Why risk injury being dumped over or through the ropes? I think if she "broke script" or "went into business for herself," we would have seen a nice little message on WWE's website wishing her well in her future endeavors by now. Was it the best way to handle the assignment? Probably not, but not fire-able, if she's to be believed. As for Melina vs. Gail, that's tough to say. I think Melina has tenure and recognition that keeps her around, so I would have to lean toward Gail. What's your take?

Parks: I feel like Melina has been on the fence for a while, and her attitude is much more well-known than Gail's. Who knows when she decides to react negatively again to all the jobbing. I'm guessing the next time will be her last, unless they really want to keep John Morrison happy.

Caldwell: Morrison is definitely another factor to consider. All right, Greg, let's discuss our favorite show that will never end, NXT: Redemption. Your thoughts on this week's episode and still no word on the next elimination?

Parks: Ugh. Yeah, I just don't get this show. It's frustrating because it could be so much more. Season one showed some promise but it was still criticized - yet I'm suddenly yearning for those days with what we're getting now. I don't get the sense that any of these guys will be stars.

Caldwell: Yeah, the show is pointless now. All of the major storylines from the first-half of the show have been wrapped up, so now it's just the Hornswoggle & Titus show. We did find out some new information about NXT and Superstars during Thursday's conference call. Do you think WWE is holding out for a new TV deal before they end the current season so that they can start fresh with a whole new season/cast on Season 6 for the TV return?

Parks: Perhaps, but I just don't see them finding a home for Superstars AND NXT in this television climate.

Caldwell: McMahon sounded very confident about this, but, I agree with you that I don't know what network would pick up the shows, especially a network within the NBC Universal family. I remain skeptical of this, but it's the only reason I can think of to explain why the current season has gone on and on without an end in sight. Anything else NXT-related this week, Greg?

Parks: Is Vladimir Kozlov the new Slam Master J?

Caldwell: I believe that's an accurate analogy. I equated his look to a combination of an MMA fighter, Floyd Mayweather at WrestleMania 24, Slam Master, and Jacob Novak post-makeover, so it's somewhere in there! I don't see the purpose other than just trying to give Kozlov something to do on a show no one is paying attention to.

Parks: Yeah, it's a long way from Kozlov's uber-heel sambo character he first debuted as, eh?

Caldwell: It sure is, but I'll take it over a 15-minute Kozlov vs. Triple H match during Hunter's Smackdown run. Speaking of Smackdown, Greg, what's your take on the state of the brand right now? I really like the Henry-Sheamus work, but I'm not quite sold on Orton-Christian. Your take on the top angles and overall brand?

Parks: I thought introducing Sheamus as the guy who wants to end Henry's streak of pain was a great way to turn him babyface. I didn't think his promo was great, but still, they've been building Henry for long enough to where fans will get behind whomever challenges him. As for Orton vs. Christian, it's more of the same. It's not bad, but it's not great either. It's just kind of there, and with Sheamus and Henry just starting a feud, it looks like Orton vs. Christian is the direction for the foreseeable future.

Caldwell: I agree with that this was the perfect example of giving a character a reason to turn face. It felt organic and it made sense with Sheamus standing up to the bully because he's a tough guy. It's so simple and effective. Even that video package on Raw promoting Smackdown was perfectly done - they showed Henry destroying folks, then the video paused, and Sheamus was heard saying, "I'll fight him." Pitch-perfect. As for Orton-Christian, I still get the sense WWE (and Orton) aren't sure how Orton should be presented on a weekly basis. The character is strong, but a bit aimless. What's your prediction for the Summerslam re-match?

Parks: Christian has to retain, which will give the feud more legs (which it needs because there are no other contenders on the horizon), plus it'll make Christian look more legitimate as a champion, not to mention the belt has changed hands a bit too much lately anyway.

Caldwell: It sure seemed like they were aiming for the blow-off match at Summerslam, but I could see the program going beyond Summerslam, too. Edge is nowhere to be found in this program despite some conventional thought he might be special referee. Granted, he could be a last-second addition, but do you see Edge factoring in at all?

Parks: At this stage, it doesn't seem like it; he could be brought in to cross-promote his appearance(s) on Haven, which airs after Smackdown (helpfully noted by Cole, who told viewers to "turn to SyFy after Smackdown to catch Haven," as if the viewers won't be watching Smackdown in the first place. It was odd wording by Cole when he plugged it on Raw.

Caldwell: Oh, Cole. Yeah, that was poorly-worded. Perhaps they save Edge for a surprise appearance at Summerslam, then work him into the angle coming out of Summerslam since he'll be making multiple Haven appearances Sept. 9-23. So, it would make sense to start something at or right after Summerslam that could lead to something next month. I think he's sorely missed on the show, so it would be smart to re-incorporate him, health-permitting. Greg, anything else on Smackdown standing out lately?

Parks: Anything positive is drowned out by the incessantly awful announcing.

Caldwell: That applies to Raw, as well. I think Ross's return falls into the category of "appearance" of change, as I feel that Cole has washed out whatever benefit Ross has provided upon his return. It's a poor state of affairs at the announce position. Greg, I have not seen Impact yet, but I know you were live-Tweeting, so what was your reaction to this week's show and final sales pitch for Hardcore Justice?

Parks: They did a nice job with Sting vs. Angle and setting that up, but in previous weeks, the focus has been on Sting vs. Immortal, so this felt kind of tacked-on and haphazard. It's almost like they realized it was Sting vs. Angle at the PPV and not Sting vs. Anderson or Sting vs. Bully Ray. Plus, more dissension in Immortal and Fourtune, which is just too much.

Caldwell: I think it's part of TNA's pattern to spend three out of the first four weeks in-between PPVs focusing on the "TV aspect" Russo wants to focus on, then they spend the final week trying to focus on the PPV aspect that is presented as unimportant in the grand scheme of things. It seems like that's the case for 10, maybe 11 PPVs out of the year. The dissension is definitely rushed and not to the point where anyone is emotionally invested because (a) Immortal doesn't look anything like it used to be and (b) Anderson's character is so inconsistent that the audience has no reason to care about him one way or another.

Parks: And (c) Anderson JUST joined Immortal.

Caldwell: Yes. Definitely tack that one on there, too. Greg, anything else from Impact or TNA-related to break down?

Parks: Let's see how Hardcore Justice shakes out before we delve extensively into anything else.

Caldwell: Sounds good to me. How about a plug for Gonzo and The Greg this weekend before we wrap up?

Parks: Sure thing - this week, we'll be doing the top five personal guilty pleasures in wrestling. It can be wrestlers, angles, storylines, announcers, anything wrestling-related basically. Should be a fun one.

Caldwell: As I said on the Livecast Aftershow, Joker Sting with the Double Biceps line to Steiner on last week's Impact makes my list. On that note, Greg, I think we'll call it a night and re-visit what should be a busy week next week leading to Summerslam. Thanks, as always, for the chat!

Parks: And, thank you, James.

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