Raw from JHawk's Beak

[JHawk 0]

Raw from JHawk's Beak(5/24/2004)

 

Yep yep.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

To answer your question, Triple H had instructed Batista to go check on Ric.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

For two guys who hate each other, I'm still not sure why.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Good report.

 

I think you rated the Evo. Vs. Shelton/Jericho tag match a tad too highly, as it was very slow at parts, the commercial hurt it, the number of "Walls" attempts was a little silly, we had a Trish "music-in", and such.

 

Very good effort by Orton in the match, and Jericho and Shelton were ON. Batista, who had been looking pretty sharp lately, was kinda off his game. About ** 1/2 from me. (Commercial Break Scale)

[Guest Choken One]

For two guys who hate each other, I'm still not sure why.

HHH cost Shawn the title...

Shawn cost HHH the title shot...

 

That's the recent reasoning.

 

 

It dates back to the Spring of 1998. Shawn left HHH after months of making him be his servant/bitch. HHH grew an ego and became the best...Shawn couldn't accept it...HHH decided he would put Shawn in his place and punish him for treating him like a bitch in DX....but Shawn managed to upset the world and WON that Unsanctioned Street Fight. So, HHH...not one to be trumped...took Shawn out of commision.

 

Shawn returned...and took the thing that meant more to him in the world...The RAW Title. Then Shawn professed his love for HHH or something in a dumpster...they had a shitty low drawing main event and the whole thing was forgotten until 12/29/03. HHH was taken to the limit and Shawn proved he could still take him...then they couldn't settle the score at Rumble...their hatred cost HHH the title at WMXX...and they couldn't work together to get the title off Benoit at Backlash...

 

Then...HHH didn't like that shawn got the title shot first...so he screwed Benoit...wanting to be the one who took the title away...Shawn...wasn't happy about that...screwed HHH out of getting that chance to get the title back...

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Shawn has, with some breaks / splinter feuds, been feuding with Triple H since April 2003.

 

April 2003 - HBK starts wrestling with HHH on TV again to set up the Nash/HHH feud, the have a 6 man tag at Backlash with HHH and HBK on seperate teams.

 

May/June - HHH/Nash has also created HBK/Flair. Evolution member Randy Orton helps Flair win, getting the ball rolling on their feud after SummerSlam

 

August - HBK is in the elimination chamber for HHH's title.

 

September - HBK is fighting with HHH's stablemate Randy Orton.

 

November - HBK plays a major role in the Survivor Series match to eliminate Austin from the company, which Evolution member Randy Orton wins by pinning HBK with help from Batista, which leads to...

 

December - HBK feuds with Evolution member / HHH stablemate Batista. HBK wins the match at Armageddon and is awarded a title match 2 weeks later on Raw. The no contest leads to another no contest in January, which leads to 2 triple threats, which neither man wins, which leads to them screwing over each other in their quest for the title, which leads to INTENSE HATRED~! hitting the boiling point on May 24, 2004, causing Eric Bischoff to book a Hell in a Cell match to settle the score FOREVER, or until the company feels they can feud again.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

You know "they seceretly love one another, so the sight of eachother reminds them of their repressed homosexual urges - so the only way to stop this insecurity is to kill the other guy... or have sex and get it over with... which is what they've basically been doing for the past 2 years... just in the ring... "

 

It's a lot easier than "HHH still can't get over being DX's bitch-boy, blah blah blah blah blah"... cause really... you'd think there would be other things in life that anger him more.

 

...and I thought HHH kicked out Shawn because he "dropped the ball".

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Who really cares? This feud was ready to die in January, now it's just getting comical with them refusing to end it. Hopefully this is it, if it goes beyond Bad Blood then it's getting to be a problem.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Just wondering...what are the chances of either SHawn or HHH getting a major injury that keep him out of action for a good, long while?

 

And who would be the more likely to get one?

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Triple H would be far more likely considering how much of a mess his legs were during his title run last year.

[Guest Choken One]

Shawn. He is STILL nursing that ACL strain.

 

HHH has reactivated his training reigmine for his upcoming roles and is putting an emphasis on dropping muscle mass.

 

I hope it's HHH...only because he's out making movies anywys, so they already have things planned without him...Shawn going out loses a big name for raw.

 

I still believe HHH walks out Bad Blood the winner of the feud...Shawn turns and thus sets up the Edge/HBK SummerSlam program (in Canada of course)...

 

Shawn HAS to turn heel...The face character has NOTHING left after Bad Blood.

[AndrewTS 0]

I'm happy to give you feedback, since you're recapping a show I actually watch (poor kingpk...).

 

I felt guilty for the thankless, unrewarding, and no doubt irritating and time-consuming recaps you'd do for Smackdown. I don't think anyone would miss them and you'd have some freed up time if you just said the hell with them. It's a job I'd only wish on my worst enemy.

 

People are giving Keith a hard time. All he really seemed to mean was that if Smackdown doesn't turn out to be worth watching in the next X weeks, he's through recapping it. He doesn't really think that anyone in WWE would see or care either way, and it seems like another silly reason to bash the guy. People seem so concerned about distancing themselves from him, since his mindset seems to be the "typical smark," and people want to avoid being lumped in with him. So rather than just ignoring him and not taking his opinions as anything more than opinions, they bash him, call him FATLOL2004 and so on. Whatever.

 

"I tried to enjoy this one, I really did, but this is simply a shell of the former greatness of Ric Flair. Absolutely no psychology to speak of, and then Flair of all people fails to remember to kick out on time. Of course, blame Chioda for that as well, as he had to have been taught to finish the three count regardless. And with this show being live, there's no way to edit that one."

 

Hey, at least Ric didn't look completely falling-on-his-ass drunk like he was a month or so ago for a couple weeks. Although I appreciate him having an on-air role, I get annoyed with WWE building up a match for him, acting like it would be a big career boost to beat him, when it doesn't really mean shit.

 

Although Edge looked better than he did in his match with Orton, at least. I want to see him working really well, although I still have no interest in his current push.

 

Will this IC title quest lead into an HHH match? Regardless, I think it kind of cheapens the tag titles, since they're little more than a ring accessory which aren't really necessary because the feud with Evolution has been well established and didn't need to involve the same guy going after a title when he already holds a tag title.

 

"Live from Rockford, Illinois, sayeth Good Ol' JR and The King. And earlier today, Mr. McAsshole (surrounded by a bevy of beauties) announced the first-ever $250,000 Raw Diva Search. And the fans of Raw will choose the winner a la American Idol."

 

Yeah, just what the hell Raw needs, a fucking Torrie of its own.

 

Vince mentioned "classy," but I doubt he's looking for anything of the sort, or he added some extra letters.

 

"Todd Grisham stands in front of Lita's dressing room, leading to clips of Lita answering 'yes' to Kane last week. But what was the question? Grisham tries to find out, but Matt Hardy v.1.0 has been worried about Lita since he's heard nothing. She still loves him -- how sweet...and they kiss. But she'd rather show him how much she loves him. She enters her locker room to grab her bags, and we conveniently have a camera in the locker room to see Kane enter from behind. She thought he said it was over, and he says 'It's all over.' She leaves all distraught, then out of the building with Matt's arm around her..."

 

Anyone know where this is going? Why is Kane still pissing around with Lita and Matt with a title match coming up? This seems to be leading to dragging Benoit and the title down to the midcard. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt for now as far as the ending, but Crash TV, Lita's acting, and the further wasting of Matt makes me very pissed off and apathetic. It's the worst angle on Raw right now, from what I've seen.

 

"and after all that, we still don't know what the question was...and why it can be "over" a week later. Could it be that WWE couldn't think of anything either and decided to drop this a la "What is on Baby Doll's photos", but tried to do a shitty explanation anyway?"

 

They had time to fill? You know, time they couldn't use to further build up the World Title match with Benoit and Kane actually interacting?

 

I guess the reasoning is that Kane will be more of a heel squashing people fans care about than jobbers like Spike and Helms, but it isn't working for me. Ask a mark how it's working for them.

 

"Triple H and Batista await Shawn Michaels, and a car backs into the parking lot. Batista and Triple H attack...Steven Richards? But isn't the Heat taping over? ::rimshot::"

 

You're right! How can it be he's just arriving?! Was he actually booked in a match on Raw? I must know!

 

"Unlike the opening match, we tried to establish some sort of psychology by working on The Hurricane's leg, but as usual, it has no actual bearing on the finish. And would somebody explain to me the point of the hot tag in a short match? The face-in-peril isn't even breathing heavily yet, and we're supposed to be in tune for the big comeback. Credit the crowd for being into it though."

 

Good eye spotting that, as I was fixing a sandwich at the time. The crowd enjoyed it? Well, bully for them, but also why would they bother with psychology in a short match anyway? Just slug it out, do some spots, end the match, get out of there.

 

"It almost seems counterproductive to Orton's push to have Jericho essentially punk him out on the mic, but the idea is to get Orton riled up enough that he accepts Benjamin's challenge. Don't be surprised to see Benjamin pick up the pin here."

 

I wonder why Jericho would even care. Because he's a face? His whole personality changed because he's a "good guy" now? Lame. Face Jericho is totally ball-less and annoying. Didn't WWE ever learn that Piper's Pit-style segments hosted by faces suck? It's not like it's a weekly thing either, so why'd they do it?

 

Okay, it set up a good match, so it's kinda forgiven, but little things like that annoy me.

 

"And Trish at the booth is sucking the energy out of this match. Batista with the keylock as Trish sounds like Ben Stein on the Wonder Years. Batista turns the hold into a hammerlock. Jericho chops out of it, and for the love of God stop making Trish talk!"

 

It's the odd weakness of Slutty Heel Trish 2004. However, she was a lot better back in 2001, so what the hell happened?

 

"Some excellent arm work by the two members of Evolution on this one, but then Batista started working on the wrong arm. And then the arm work means nothing since Jericho's arm didn't get involved in the finish. But Benjamin getting the pin is the right direction to go, as now Orton can't claim that Benjamin isn't worthy of the shot. Good stuff overall. But could somebody explain to me why we're still working on the Jericho-Trish feud at this point? And people think Dutch Mantel has problem letting a feud die! We had a cage match two weeks ago. If the cage wasn't the blowoff, what's the point? How is Jericho still a problem for Trish when Jericho hasn't so much as mentioned Trish in two weeks?"

 

If the arm work leads to something, such as certain moves being neutralized, a submission taking far longer to escape, etc, it doesn't matter if it factors into the finish. It should have some point in the match, though. Jericho did go for the springboard dropkick and tagged out to Benjamin shortly after, so that's at least in there subtlely.

 

I guess no Edge-Orton PPV match, but Benjamin-Orton would probably be a lot better based on the match two weeks ago that Edge and Orton had.

 

I'd imagine the Christian/Jericho thing isn't over because a) Christian was legit injured and they decided to use it to keep the program going and lead it into the PPV or b) they want to do Jericho/Tomko and are building it up for the PPV. However, shouldn't they have Jericho buzzsaw through the bodyguard first, and then Christian?

 

...

 

Oh right, HOSS BAH GAWD, right? Gotcha. Tomko/Jericho is the MONEY match, or maybe they're hoping Tomko will manage not to kill Jericho and get a few lessons on how to wrestle out of the deal.

 

"And here comes Kane to the ring. He apparently envies Chris Benoit for being World Heavyweight Champion, for living a life of normalcy, and for living out his dreams. Kane lives in nightmares. "My world is shattered and burned. I live in darkness and shadows." But that will change at Bad Blood on June 13, because Kane wants the title. And he always gets what he wants. Including Lita's body? He doesn't say."

 

And it turns out to be a bet with Christian for one Canadian dollar--oh, different storyline. Well, at least it wasn't mentioned in that segment like it was that big of a deal, but "bend over for me and I won't kill your boyfriend" seems to be implied but not exactly the sort of thing you want to explicitly explain on-air, is it?

 

"COMMERCIAL BREAK

 

Let's give them credit for getting across exactly how much Triple H and Shawn Michaels hate each other at this stage of their careers, as they're not even letting the fact they're in the GM's office stop them tonight. Good stuff there. Unfortunately, they're already completely half-assing the World Title Match at Bad Blood, as while that was a decent promo by Kane, they've focused more on Kane and Lita than on the title, thus making the title the third most important thing on the show. Isn't the title supposed to be treated as more important than anything else?"

 

More important than HHH? He's ABOVE the title, damnit! He's the man who draws the $ and the ratings!

 

"It's the end of an era, as Victoria has new music so she can dance. And while I like the dancing, I already miss the theme song. If I wanted to listen to techno, I'd hit a club. It fits the change from crazy Victoria to fun-loving Victoria though."

 

Face Victoria is so fucking annoying I don't care that she's still hot. Shoulding she be hanging out with a skinny breakdancing wigger and a fatass Samoan? The psycho stuff seemed really forced at times, but this is pathetic. Trish had more pride as a face.

 

"It's not that the match was bad, but it was so anticlimactic that it didn't really mean anything. Victoria has gained an edge in the war with Gail and Molly, but quite honestly, it hurts the momentum Gail Kim had been building over the past few weeks. You'd think they're building toward a Kim-Victoria match at Bad Blood, but why not let Kim keep the edge leading up to it?"

 

It seems more like Kim/Molly vs. Victoria, so I expect Kim to be dishing out some Gold-Club style sucky-sucky soon again, but there's absolutely nothing here we haven't seen before (and enough of the un-wigging, Victoria. At least Hogan did it to Kurt once, but how many damn times do you have to do it for a cheap pop?), so I can't get excited either way.

 

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but why would Bischoff care if Eugene gets a fair shake or not when he's supposed to be preoccupied with the Triple H-Shawn Michaels situation? You mean he's been panicking for half an hour, but then he can suddenly remember he wants to screw Eugene over? Or is Nitro acting on his own thinking that's what Bischoff would want to do? Or am I thinking too logically since this is WWE we're talking about? I'm leaning toward the latter."

 

Probably the plans were made in advance by Bisch, and Nitro is just acting on orders given before the HBK/HHH situation exploded.

 

"This is essentially the status quo we've seen with the Eugene story, as just when it seems like the odds are officially stacked against Eugene, he finds a new friend, this time in the form of the World Heavyweight Champion. While the match was nothing special at all, it was certainly an entertaining way to kill seven minutes or so, and I'm still amazed they got this thing over so fast."

 

Benoit was an odd choice, and it's too bad that they did nothing to acknowledge the upcoming Kane match. Kane chokeslamming Eugene would have been some massive heel heat, although that could end up with him inserted into 3 feuds at once, unfortunately.

 

"And the one angle that was built the entire show hits the obvious payoff, and while I think these two men were on this show way too much tonight, this did an excellent job of establishing exactly how much these two men hate each other."

 

Agreed, because at least the HiaC warrants the buildup to a end of show announcement. However, for this match to really mean something, we'd have to forget that that HHH has about 2 to 3 wins for every 1 that Michaels got over him. Besides, the way they've built it up, I find it hard to believe that the feud could ever blow off entirely without a retirement match. If HBK loses, he's such a stubborn bitch he'll expect ANOTHER match despite getting his ass kicked in the last 5 or so. If HHH loses, he's not going to be happy until he's had the last laugh and gotten it back.

 

"Overall, this wasn't as good a Raw as we've seen the last few weeks. Sure, the HBK-HHH stuff was top notch and was built over the entire show, but outside of the tag team match that bridged the two hours together, you didn't get nearly the awesome in-ring action we've seen over the past few weeks. Add that to the fact that outside of a two-minute promo we didn't build to the World Title PPV match at all, and it equals a good but unspectacular show. But hey, if you're a Shawn Michaels or Triple H fan, this was your show. "

 

If it's what it takes to keep the fire under HHH's ass, I can somewhat live with it, but give the spotlight to the freakin' champ a bit more, damnit.

 

I didn't see last weeks Raw, but I enjoyed this one far more than the disappointing Raw from two weeks ago. While it wasn't terrible, it was a letdown from the buildup that was given to that.

 

Still beats the ass off of Smackdown without batting an eye, though. Quit reminding us that show is still on while we're trying to enjoy Raw, though, WWE, or start making it good.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I just don't like the fact that they spent THE WHOLE SHOW getting over this "they hate each other!" "it cannot be contained!" and not say why they hate each other in the first place.

[Guest Choken One]

I just don't like the fact that they spent THE WHOLE SHOW getting over this "they hate each other!" "it cannot be contained!" and not say why they hate each other in the first place.

ummm...They did show HHH costing Shawn the title and Shawn costing HHH the title shot...

 

 

That's reasoning right there.

[iggymcfly 0]

All they need there is a really good video package the Raw before the PPV. They can let the feud move forward naturally now, and let the whole gravity of the situation that the HIAC is supposed to resolve be clarified later on.

[AndrewTS 0]

All they need there is a really good video package the Raw before the PPV. They can let the feud move forward naturally now, and let the whole gravity of the situation that the HIAC is supposed to resolve be clarified later on.

Cue the archive footage of Foley's bump, Taker Reypedoing HBK and the resulting crimson mask, Brock slamming the steel steps onto Taker's arm, etc.

 

However, will this match be more like the "old" HIAC match of crazy bumps and high spots, or the "newer" HIAC matches of brawling? Or a meshing of the two, since I expect them to totally bust ass and go all-out on this.

 

Hopefully this won't be anything like their Armageddon 3 stages match.

[Guest Nanks]

That's one thing you can absolutely count on out of Bad Blood. The HHH v HBK video package will be wicked.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

For two guys who hate each other, I'm still not sure why.

Shawn's a Pert Plus guy and Hunter's a Head and Shoulder's guy.

[iggymcfly 0]

You know I didn't realize it until tonight, but if you look at the matches they've had against each other, it actually makes sense that they're tied and need to decide who wins the feud.

 

One-on-one: HBK wins (Summerslam 2002)

Elimination Chamber: HBK wins (Survivor Series 2002)

One-on-one: HHH wins (Armageddon 2002)

Elimination Chamber: HHH wins (Summerslam 2003)

One-on-one: Draw (Raw-December 2003)

One-on-one: Draw (Royal Rumble 2004)

Triple Threat: Benoit wins (Wrestlemania 2004)

Triple Threat: Benoit wins (Backlash 2004)

 

Despite having 8 major matches against each other in their 22 month feud together, they're actually still tied 2-2.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

More important than HHH? He's ABOVE the title, damnit! He's the man who draws the $ and the ratings!

 

It's logical sense. Kane is a weak challenger who's never drawn money whereas Micheals and HHH both have. Their feud has last for a very very long time whereas the World Title feud hasn't even been really established.

 

It's a money feud, it should get prime placement. People won't be buying the show to see Kane. They'll buy it to see what crazy shit Shawn will do.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

That's a bit of a circular argument, though. They never gave Kane and Benoit a chance to make money, but HHH/Shawn, who aren't exactly proven draws together (Armageddon anyone?) get all the time in the world. Saying "Kane and Benoit won't draw money" and not give them a chance to draw money, is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

Why did HHH and HBK cost each other their title matches?

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Very true. HHH/HBK PPV matches have typically been protected by the PPV itself. Summerslam and RR sell regardless of who's on the card. And they had Benoit in their other two PPV matches. Remember Armegeddon did a terrible buyrate and the Raw ratings didn't improve until everything else around them started to get better.

[Guest Loss]

Rudo is right. The second they became enemies, which is when HHH leveled Shawn with that *jumping* pedigree the night after Vengeance '02, the motives behind the actions really made no sense. There has sure been a lot of fighting and they've both done horrible things to each other, but why have they done these things? If their history were a movie, it would be slammed. HHH wanted Shawn to be his manager and got upset when he wanted to be portrayed as his equal. It's just dumb. Since then, they've done a lot of fighting, primarily so they can show the rest of the roster 'how to work', but I don't see Benoit and Jericho, the real two best workers on the RAW roster, acting so needlessly insecure.

 

Each would have more mileage if they'd give others as much as they give each other.

[AndrewTS 0]

That's one thing you can absolutely count on out of Bad Blood.  The HHH v HBK video package will be wicked.

That's it? I think you can count on:

 

the PPV being far more entertaining than last year's Bad Blood

the matches being far better than last year's Bad Blood

no Austin, making it yet again better than last year's Bad Blood.

 

You know I didn't realize it until tonight, but if you look at the matches they've had against each other, it actually makes sense that they're tied and need to decide who wins the feud.

 

The Elimination Chamber wasn't a one-on-one match, neither were the Triple Threats, and Armageddon technically was two HHH wins.

 

Besides, that means that HBKs wins were...two years ago. Wow, he so deserves another match. It was TWO YEARS AGO!!!

 

It's logical sense. Kane is a weak challenger who's never drawn money whereas Micheals and HHH both have. Their feud has last for a very very long time whereas the World Title feud hasn't even been really established.

 

Rudo already countered this argument, but also keep in mind that Benoit as champ hasn't exactly been ratings death and he's been very much over. However, until WWE has the faith to book him in a feud that is the focus of a PPV and doesn't involve HHH or HBK, we don't know his real drawing power.

 

Besides, you forget that before Shane sawed off Kane's nuts with a rusty hacksaw, he was the top ratings draw on Raw.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I don't believe HHH and Shawn hate each other. They've been fighting off-and-on for 2 years and I have NEVER believed they hated each other. After all the blood they've cut out of themselves, after all the shitty punches and brawling, after all the gimmicks; I've still seen more hate coming out of a Pepsi commercial.

 

HHH needs to bring out pictures of him fucking Shawns wife and threaten to show the world her nudie pictures.

 

Or maybe ~SHOOT~ and call Shawn a fake Christian... and Shawn ~SHOOTS~ and tells HHH he's gone too far and that they wanted to have a steamboat/flair feud and go down in history together as the best rivals and friends, but he took it too far and Shawn has to reclaim his dignity.

 

... that's what Vince Russo would do.

[Papacita 0]

One-on-one: Draw (Raw-December 2003)

HHH won that match, actually.

[AndrewTS 0]

One-on-one: Draw (Raw-December 2003)

HHH won that match, actually.

Thanks, Papacita. I stand by my above assertions. HHH has a 2-3 singles win lead over HBK, and HBK hasn't beaten him in nearly two years. What does Trips have to prove here, and why is HBK such a sore loser?

[Dark Age 0]

Triple H never won the match. Both guys shoulders were down, meaning it was a draw. However, when it's a draw, the Champion keeps the belt. Bischoff screwed it up when announcing it.

[Guest Goodear]

** Rudo is right. The second they became enemies, which is when HHH leveled Shawn with that *jumping* pedigree the night after Vengeance '02, the motives behind the actions really made no sense. **

 

Its realistically been more of an in-ring feud where Triple H wants to push Shawn aside in order to get back to the World title and Michaels won't let him due to the resiliance of the character. Basically we're dealing with a guy that buries (not in a smark sense) all of his opponents to be the best and a guy that refuses to be buried. Triple H is now in a logical position of having to take time out to either kill or be killed because Michaels keeps coming back and back and back.

 

** Since then, they've done a lot of fighting, primarily so they can show the rest of the roster 'how to work', but I don't see Benoit and Jericho, the real two best workers on the RAW roster, acting so needlessly insecure. **

 

First off... bullshit. Triple H jobbing out to Shelton, giving copious amounts of offense to Tajiri, and tapping out in the middle of a Wrestlemania main event has never been so secure in his role than right now. He and Shawn have wrestled circles around Jericho the last few months with only Benoit being their better. Quite frankly, the teaching the new kids has been a pretty wide success as well as Orton, Batista, and Benjamin have gotten noticibly better in the last month at their particular roles.

 

** Each would have more mileage if they'd give others as much as they give each other. **

 

Oh you have to be kidding me. Shawn sure did sink... uhm... nobody. Yep, Shawn has pretty much been everything you could ask for since his comeback. Triple H is as freaking giving as a main eventer could be at this point and has pretty much been the MVP of the damn brand for the last two months. Come on now chief.

[Guest Loss]

HHH has shown more vulnerability. I'll agree with you there. But as long as the show continues to revolve around him, he can lay down in every match for the rest of the year and never regain the belt and it won't make even the slightest difference. When we hear more about other people than HHH, then something major has been accomplished.

 

Shawn hasn't 'sunk' anyone, but has he ever let someone put something over on him as many times as he has HHH?

 

I think RAW is much better than it was at this time last year and would argue anyone who told me different. But HHH winning the belt back, when it happens, will bring all of the good will to a halt immediately. Some people are trying to pretend that's not going to happen because things are going well right now, but a true sign of change would have HHH in the upper midcard in a match that isn't as hyped as other matches.

 

That's not because others are so much better than him necessarily; that is because he is overexposed to a point where his value is limited, even when he does the right thing, as he has all year.