Battleground was broadcast on Sunday 24th July, 2016.
Battleground Hits
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn: Best match of the evening by some margin, 18 minutes of entertaining wrestling. They demonstrated excellent chemistry and their fierce, believable rivalry justified the risks and bumps both men took. Dramatic elements throughout raised standards considerably, especially facial expressions in the closing stretch. They're both on RAW so this feud is far from over.
Shield triple threat: A good quality three-way that could've been saved for a larger event. Dean Ambrose retained his WWE Championship and will hopefully have a decent reign on SmackDown. To the surprise of no one, returning wellness policy violator Roman Reigns was booed heavily and also took the losing fall. He will move slightly down the RAW hierarchy now and surely has to turn heel? Rollins looks set to have a more prominent role on the red team in the upcoming months.
John Cena pins A.J. Styles: The ending to the six-man tag (including super AA finisher) sets up a possible singles rematch at SummerSlam between Cena and Styles. Before the bell, Enzo was a highlight on the mic. He benefited from being on the winning team alongside his partner big Cass. The action was decent but slightly overdependent on using move barrages to create tension. Good fun regardless.
Bayley makes her PPV debut: For once, the 'mystery partner' gimmick had a satisfying reveal. Bayley received cheers galore in the opening contest. Sasha Banks won for their team, which made sense because she is after Charlotte's title. This was only a 'one-night' deal for Bayley. Once she's done on NXT, expect her to make a statement on one of the main rosters.
Highlight reel: It was good to see Randy Orton return. He interacted with host Chris Jericho and left him lying with an RKO after some verbal jousting. Orton threw a few stingers towards future opponent Brock Lesnar regarding his recent UFC drug test failure. Their match at SummerSlam is (no-pun intended) heating up nicely.
Battleground Misses
New Day/Wyatt family six-man tag: This needed an extra five minutes because it felt a little rushed. Another bugbear, face tag-team champions should never lose without the belts being on the line. Even in this protected six-man environment the loss made New Day look weak. So-so, if removing those niggles.
United States Championship match: Rusev is a dominant champion. Zack Ryder was an unbelievable challenger to dethrone him. Ryder did a dropkick off the barricade and seemed to hurt himself more than his opponent. Mojo Rawley made the awkward post-match save and nobody cared. I really hope Mojo isn't the next challenger.
Natalya beats Becky Lynch: Decent European-Canadian technical match but nothing too fancy. It let the crowd breathe a bit after the previous epic so served its purpose well. Natalya as a veteran should put over the new blood. Becky will likely get the rub eventually in an overlong series of return bouts. I'm not thrilled with that on paper but we'll see what happens.
Intercontinental Championship match: OK in the ring but the finish was a little confusing. Bob Backlund definitely can not make Darren Young great again (was he ever great to begin with?). Miz and his wife could be more entertaining working with another pairing.
I’ll be back with another Hits and Misses shortly after SummerSlam next month.
See you then wrestling fans.
Philip.
Sunday, 31 July 2016
Friday, 27 May 2016
WWE Extreme Rules 2016: Hits and Misses.
Extreme Rules was broadcast on Sunday 22nd, May, 2016.
Spoiler alert: I have also watched the 23/05 episode of RAW. This blog may reference some of those events so please be warned if you haven’t caught up yet.
Extreme Rules Hits
The main event: Roman Reigns retained his WWE Championship against A.J. Styles in an extreme rules match that involved crowd brawling, weapons and interference galore. The result was expected but false-finishes created additional tension and drama. Styles took some hard knocks in defeat and proved why he belongs near the top of the pile. As for Reigns, WWE have evolved him into an aggressive, cocky ass-kicker who isn’t good or bad but simply ‘The Guy’. How will the crowd react when he faces a proper heel?
Seth Rollins returns: We’ll find out when Reigns faces Seth Rollins, who returned from injury to reclaim the title that he never lost in the ring. His post-match pedigree was a genuine surprise that contributed to a strong ending. Their championship bout at Money in the Bank seems too big for the occasion so expect a controversial finish.
Fatal Four Way: Miz retained his Intercontinental Championship against Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Cesaro. This looked good on paper and it certainly lived up to expectations in the ring with fast action, multi-man spots and cheating by Maryse. Owens and Zayn can continue their feud in the ladder match. Cesaro got a ‘visual tap-out’ against Miz so they can go back to that for a rematch if they wish.
Asylum match: Credit to WWE for trying a new gimmick that successfully enhanced Dean Ambrose’s character because the ‘lunatic fringe’ won a feud for the first time in ages. As for the asylum concept, it was basically a steel cage with weapons but the action was fun, if a little bit stop-start. Ambrose’s cage dive and Jericho’s bump into thumb tacks were top moments. Jericho effectively sold the brutality when he wrestled on RAW covered in plasters and looking like a nicotine patch addict.
Extreme Rules Misses
Women’s Submission: This women’s championship contest was spoiled by another lame ending. Ric Flair was banned from ringside so after Payback’s Montreal Screwjob, a clean finish would’ve been welcomed. Instead of Charlotte or Natalya out-wrestling the other; Dana Brooke dressed up as ‘Nature Boy’, which led to a distraction win for Charlotte. Sasha Banks or another fan favourite will hopefully dethrone her for an effective payoff at SummerSlam.
United States Championship match: Clunky and tedious but I am very happy Kalisto’s run is over because he lacks the credibility or charisma to fill the Hispanic underdog role. Rusev as champion and free from the dreadful League of Nations is where he belongs.
Tag team Championship (result): Entertaining but New Day have been champions since Summerslam last year. They ran out of opponents so fresh teams (Vaudevillians and Enzo/Cass) were promoted from NXT. Vaudevillians hit Whirling Dervish but still lost. If Enzo/Cass don’t win their eventual title shot, New Day may break the 331 day record.
Tornado Tag: Remember when faces got cheered and heels got booed? This tag match between the Uso’s and Gallows/Anderson inverted that traditional template. Decent opener, strange crowd who booed Uso’s for being (stale and) related to Roman Reigns. Modern wrestling, eh?
I’ll be back with another Hits and Misses shortly after Battleground in July.
See you then wrestling fans.
Philip.
Monday, 11 April 2016
WWE WrestleMania 2016: Hits and Misses.
Wrestling fans
around the world joined the road to WrestleMania at Royal Rumble. Next, we experienced life in the Fast Lane before hitting an unexpected Roadblock. We’ve made it through rush hour traffic jams, toll
booths and navigated mini-roundabouts all without being Over the Limit (that was a genuine pay-per-view name in 2010-2012).
Enough of the driving puns because we have reached our destination. It is time
for the showcase of the immortals, the granddaddy of them all. It is time for
WrestleMania 32!
WrestleMania XXXII was broadcast on Sunday 3rd, April, 2016.
Spoiler alert: I have also watched RAW and SmackDown following WrestleMania. This blog will reference some of those events so please be warned if you haven’t caught up yet.
WrestleMania Hits
Chris Jericho vs A.J. Styles: Their forth encounter was top quality entertainment with big moves and false finishes. I particularly enjoyed numerous counters that showed their familiarity from previous matches. The stakes were high and both men sold emotion during key dramatic moments. Styles and Jericho are now tied at 2-2 in their excellent rivalry. They may have a decider eventually but would be better apart for a while. Fortunately, this seems to be happening. Styles won a great Fatal Four way match on RAW to become #1 contender.
Ladies Triple Threat: Wonderful because it felt like a change in attitude towards women’s (not Diva’s) wrestling. NXT has a women’s championship so it was only a matter of time before WWE caught up. Production values felt lavish throughout with a new belt announcement, epic fireworks and Snoop Dog rapping during Sasha Banks’ entrance. The action in the ring was also compelling; Charlotte retained with assistance from her father. She now looks likely to face Natalya in a ‘family (Flair) vs family (Hart)’ feud. Should be fun, especially if ‘The Hitman’ makes a special appearance in Natalya’s corner.
Shane’s elbow drop off the roof during Hell in a Cell: Credit to Shane McMahon for his daredevil antics and going through the announcers table for our entertainment. I’ve always admired Shane’s dedication, even though his back catalogue has generally involved stunts, weapons, and other shortcuts. This was no exception but a well-constructed and effectively executed brawl nonetheless and one of the pleasant surprises of the night. Undertaker improves his WrestleMania record to 23-1 and will hopefully retire in a colossal showdown against a worthy opponent. Barring injury, John Cena is the obvious choice.
Dean Ambrose looks tough in defeat: Brock Lesnar took his underdog opponent to ‘suplex city’, used multiple weapons and finished with an F5. Mick Foley’s barbed wire bat made an appearance but wasn’t used; this felt like an anticlimactic waste of pre-match hype. Ambrose had some comeback moments but this was all about ‘the beast’ looking strong for a greater battle, possibly at SummerSlam. After SmackDown, it looks like Ambrose faces Jericho next. Hopefully he gets a desperately needed win after four major losses this year.
Zach Ryder wins the Intercontinental Championship: The multi-man ladder opener generated decent excitement but was less dangerous than previous years. If you weren’t aware of betting odds the outcome was a genuine surprise. Ryder had a ‘WrestleMania moment’ and celebrated with his father. This ended up being a one-night reign. The Miz won the championship on RAW and subsequent rematch on SmackDown. Meanwhile, Kevin Owens doesn’t look weak from losing against the odds. His feud with Sami Zayn is now on another level and will probably be the highlight of WWE in the upcoming months.
WrestleMania Misses
The main event: Roman Reigns vs HHH was underwhelming and did not receive a response worthy of the occasion. Roman won the championship twice before this victory and got screwed over by the authority repeatedly to the point where fans no longer cared. WWE only have themselves to blame for his lukewarm coronation. Heel HHH got a special, ego-boosting entrance; no fuss was made of face Reigns who was passionately booed by the Dallas crowd.
The match itself was slow, methodical and just plain boring. Only a spear through the barricade and spear on Stephanie McMahon lifted the audience temporarily. HHH’s trusty sledgehammer made an appearance for nostalgia purposes. It was ducked and Reigns hit a spear to mercifully conclude the tedious storyline. Judging by RAW and SmackDown, Roman is slowly morphing into a cocky heel; a welcome and long overdue development.
New Day vs League of Nations: Not terrible but another snoozer with no drama before the finish. Both entrances were disappointing; League of Nations wore non-matching outfits and New Day had cereal box props instead of riding to the ring on unicorns. League of Nations booted out King Barrett after their unsuccessful tag-team championship opportunity on RAW. They urgently need to break up permanently. New Day still need fresh challengers, recently called-up NXT teams would be a good start.
Battle Royal: NXT’s Baron Corbin was a worthy winner because he has heel potential and followed up on his debut by battling Ziggler on RAW. Everything else about the Battle Royal was mediocre. Big Show and Shaquille O’ Neil had a random face-off but the lack of credible winners really hurt the atmosphere.
Legends overload: Stone Cold, HBK, Mick Foley and Rock turned up. John Cena also made a brief return. It is unlikely these interactions will lead to a meaningful grudge match down the road to put over the younger talent. League of Nations, New Day and the Wyatt Family all looked expendable and had their star power severely weakened at WrestleMania.
Please Note: I’ll be skipping coverage of Payback but will be back with another Hits and Misses shortly after Extreme Rules in May.
See you then wrestling fans.
Philip.
WrestleMania XXXII was broadcast on Sunday 3rd, April, 2016.
Spoiler alert: I have also watched RAW and SmackDown following WrestleMania. This blog will reference some of those events so please be warned if you haven’t caught up yet.
WrestleMania Hits
Chris Jericho vs A.J. Styles: Their forth encounter was top quality entertainment with big moves and false finishes. I particularly enjoyed numerous counters that showed their familiarity from previous matches. The stakes were high and both men sold emotion during key dramatic moments. Styles and Jericho are now tied at 2-2 in their excellent rivalry. They may have a decider eventually but would be better apart for a while. Fortunately, this seems to be happening. Styles won a great Fatal Four way match on RAW to become #1 contender.
Ladies Triple Threat: Wonderful because it felt like a change in attitude towards women’s (not Diva’s) wrestling. NXT has a women’s championship so it was only a matter of time before WWE caught up. Production values felt lavish throughout with a new belt announcement, epic fireworks and Snoop Dog rapping during Sasha Banks’ entrance. The action in the ring was also compelling; Charlotte retained with assistance from her father. She now looks likely to face Natalya in a ‘family (Flair) vs family (Hart)’ feud. Should be fun, especially if ‘The Hitman’ makes a special appearance in Natalya’s corner.
Shane’s elbow drop off the roof during Hell in a Cell: Credit to Shane McMahon for his daredevil antics and going through the announcers table for our entertainment. I’ve always admired Shane’s dedication, even though his back catalogue has generally involved stunts, weapons, and other shortcuts. This was no exception but a well-constructed and effectively executed brawl nonetheless and one of the pleasant surprises of the night. Undertaker improves his WrestleMania record to 23-1 and will hopefully retire in a colossal showdown against a worthy opponent. Barring injury, John Cena is the obvious choice.
Dean Ambrose looks tough in defeat: Brock Lesnar took his underdog opponent to ‘suplex city’, used multiple weapons and finished with an F5. Mick Foley’s barbed wire bat made an appearance but wasn’t used; this felt like an anticlimactic waste of pre-match hype. Ambrose had some comeback moments but this was all about ‘the beast’ looking strong for a greater battle, possibly at SummerSlam. After SmackDown, it looks like Ambrose faces Jericho next. Hopefully he gets a desperately needed win after four major losses this year.
Zach Ryder wins the Intercontinental Championship: The multi-man ladder opener generated decent excitement but was less dangerous than previous years. If you weren’t aware of betting odds the outcome was a genuine surprise. Ryder had a ‘WrestleMania moment’ and celebrated with his father. This ended up being a one-night reign. The Miz won the championship on RAW and subsequent rematch on SmackDown. Meanwhile, Kevin Owens doesn’t look weak from losing against the odds. His feud with Sami Zayn is now on another level and will probably be the highlight of WWE in the upcoming months.
WrestleMania Misses
The main event: Roman Reigns vs HHH was underwhelming and did not receive a response worthy of the occasion. Roman won the championship twice before this victory and got screwed over by the authority repeatedly to the point where fans no longer cared. WWE only have themselves to blame for his lukewarm coronation. Heel HHH got a special, ego-boosting entrance; no fuss was made of face Reigns who was passionately booed by the Dallas crowd.
The match itself was slow, methodical and just plain boring. Only a spear through the barricade and spear on Stephanie McMahon lifted the audience temporarily. HHH’s trusty sledgehammer made an appearance for nostalgia purposes. It was ducked and Reigns hit a spear to mercifully conclude the tedious storyline. Judging by RAW and SmackDown, Roman is slowly morphing into a cocky heel; a welcome and long overdue development.
New Day vs League of Nations: Not terrible but another snoozer with no drama before the finish. Both entrances were disappointing; League of Nations wore non-matching outfits and New Day had cereal box props instead of riding to the ring on unicorns. League of Nations booted out King Barrett after their unsuccessful tag-team championship opportunity on RAW. They urgently need to break up permanently. New Day still need fresh challengers, recently called-up NXT teams would be a good start.
Battle Royal: NXT’s Baron Corbin was a worthy winner because he has heel potential and followed up on his debut by battling Ziggler on RAW. Everything else about the Battle Royal was mediocre. Big Show and Shaquille O’ Neil had a random face-off but the lack of credible winners really hurt the atmosphere.
Legends overload: Stone Cold, HBK, Mick Foley and Rock turned up. John Cena also made a brief return. It is unlikely these interactions will lead to a meaningful grudge match down the road to put over the younger talent. League of Nations, New Day and the Wyatt Family all looked expendable and had their star power severely weakened at WrestleMania.
Please Note: I’ll be skipping coverage of Payback but will be back with another Hits and Misses shortly after Extreme Rules in May.
See you then wrestling fans.
Philip.
Saturday, 27 February 2016
WWE Fast Lane 2016: Hits and Misses.
Fast Lane was
broadcast on Sunday 21, February, 2016.
Fast Lane Hits
Triple threat main event: Roman Reigns vs HHH is the Wrestlemania main event and I’m not sure how to react. This will likely be the climax of their storyline that began at Survivor Series. If RAW was any indication, expect WWE to throw the kitchen sink at getting Reigns over, regardless of potential fan backlash. This 3-way also set up Ambrose vs Lesnar so it is hard to complain when new blood mixes with veterans.
Styles wins his first major feud: Styles vs Jericho III was must-see so I stopped writing notes throughout and enjoyed without distraction. The Styles Clash false-finish and subsequent submission victory added drama and their post-match handshake was an excellent endorsement. Overall, Styles looks like a bigger star than he did on his debut and if he continues to be booked strongly, gold will be round his waist very soon!
Owens vs Ziggler: This back and forth spectacle never had a dull moment. Owens is a worthy champ and these high quality matches will gradually help restore the prestige of the Intercontinental Title; similar to Cena with his United States open challenges. With any luck Owens and Styles will lock horns at the showcase of the immortals and produce a modern classic.
Six-man tag: A minor hit, slow to begin with but a strong final five minutes. The shine was firmly on Ryback as he dominated after receiving the hot tag and pinned Luke Harper with Shell Shocked. The Wyatt family didn’t attack Lesnar in the main event, as many predicted. After two big losses at Wrestlemania, Bray Wyatt needs a win to restore his credibility.
Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch: Their tag-team contest against Naomi and Tamina was a decent effort let down slightly by some blatant spot calling. The dominant, double submission finish made both ladies look equal and sets up a possible triple threat with Charlotte.
Fast Lane Misses
Charlotte vs Brie: I couldn’t get into this Divas Championship bout. Brie and her Daniel Bryan sympathy push was weak and didn’t have the desired reaction. Over-sentimental storylines can be forgiven if matches are well-executed; sadly this was very clunky so really dragged. They showed improvement in the last five minutes but this was too little, too late.
Edge and Christian: They have excellent chemistry and entertainment value. Unfortunately, we’ve seen numerous adverts on WWE programming all month for their network show. In this segment, New Day were charismatic but League of Nations totally reeked of awfulness. If they clash, New Day will hopefully retain and eventually make stars of new, worthier challengers.
Continuing drama with R-Truth and Goldust: Goldust has been pestering R-Truth to be his tag-team partner in a set of hit-and-miss skits. He inadvertently cost Truth his match against Social Outcasts member Curtis Axel. They need to have a resolution soon or fans will lose interest in the eventual payoff.
We can expect more twists and turns on the road to Wrestlemania. I'll have another hits and misses review up a few days after the big show on Sunday, April 3rd. See you then wrestling fans.
Philip
Fast Lane Hits
Triple threat main event: Roman Reigns vs HHH is the Wrestlemania main event and I’m not sure how to react. This will likely be the climax of their storyline that began at Survivor Series. If RAW was any indication, expect WWE to throw the kitchen sink at getting Reigns over, regardless of potential fan backlash. This 3-way also set up Ambrose vs Lesnar so it is hard to complain when new blood mixes with veterans.
Styles wins his first major feud: Styles vs Jericho III was must-see so I stopped writing notes throughout and enjoyed without distraction. The Styles Clash false-finish and subsequent submission victory added drama and their post-match handshake was an excellent endorsement. Overall, Styles looks like a bigger star than he did on his debut and if he continues to be booked strongly, gold will be round his waist very soon!
Owens vs Ziggler: This back and forth spectacle never had a dull moment. Owens is a worthy champ and these high quality matches will gradually help restore the prestige of the Intercontinental Title; similar to Cena with his United States open challenges. With any luck Owens and Styles will lock horns at the showcase of the immortals and produce a modern classic.
Six-man tag: A minor hit, slow to begin with but a strong final five minutes. The shine was firmly on Ryback as he dominated after receiving the hot tag and pinned Luke Harper with Shell Shocked. The Wyatt family didn’t attack Lesnar in the main event, as many predicted. After two big losses at Wrestlemania, Bray Wyatt needs a win to restore his credibility.
Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch: Their tag-team contest against Naomi and Tamina was a decent effort let down slightly by some blatant spot calling. The dominant, double submission finish made both ladies look equal and sets up a possible triple threat with Charlotte.
Fast Lane Misses
Charlotte vs Brie: I couldn’t get into this Divas Championship bout. Brie and her Daniel Bryan sympathy push was weak and didn’t have the desired reaction. Over-sentimental storylines can be forgiven if matches are well-executed; sadly this was very clunky so really dragged. They showed improvement in the last five minutes but this was too little, too late.
Edge and Christian: They have excellent chemistry and entertainment value. Unfortunately, we’ve seen numerous adverts on WWE programming all month for their network show. In this segment, New Day were charismatic but League of Nations totally reeked of awfulness. If they clash, New Day will hopefully retain and eventually make stars of new, worthier challengers.
Continuing drama with R-Truth and Goldust: Goldust has been pestering R-Truth to be his tag-team partner in a set of hit-and-miss skits. He inadvertently cost Truth his match against Social Outcasts member Curtis Axel. They need to have a resolution soon or fans will lose interest in the eventual payoff.
We can expect more twists and turns on the road to Wrestlemania. I'll have another hits and misses review up a few days after the big show on Sunday, April 3rd. See you then wrestling fans.
Philip
Thursday, 11 February 2016
Five Guys, Leeds.
Last Friday afternoon, I went to Leeds Trinity shopping centre to buy
trousers. Afterwards, I started to feel peckish so thought about treating
myself to an early tea but didn’t want anything too fancy. Burger King,
McDonald’s and Nando’s didn’t appeal. Further down the road Five Guys was
bustling so I popped inside for a look.
The name might not be familiar because Five Guys are a relatively new addition to the UK fast food market with just 46 locations. Their original restaurant was an instant hit with the locals when it opened thirty years ago in Arlington, Virginia. Expansion inevitably followed. Covent Garden in 2013 was their first UK store and the Leeds branch arrived in 2014.
Five Guys made a good first impression. Walking in, the restaurant was clean and spacious with a retro-feel red and white colour scheme. Stacked up potatoes complimented their fresh cooking regulations. A sign on the wall about their source offered a pleasant local touch, very similar to quality fish and chip shops. Positive publicity from both sides of the Atlantic adorned the walls and I hoped my meal would live up to the hype.
The gentleman at the till was enthusiastic, patient and guided me through the various burger customisation options. His customer service touches made a big difference. In general, all employees looked cheerful and motivated; that’s what happens when businesses pay their staff more than minimum wage.
I ordered a cheeseburger (£8) and little Cajun fries (£2.75). All toppings were free so I added ketchup, relish and barbeque sauce, two types of onions, lettuce and green peppers! Apparently there are over 25,000 combinations so definitely something for everyone. The waiting time was longer than lower-end fast food outlets but you can watch your meal being prepared with real care and attention as the sound system plays a worthy mix of genres.
Sitting down onto a comfy bench, I unwrapped what turned out to be a double cheeseburger and smelt an eruption of flavoursome goodness. This creation was messy, monstrous and magnificently satisfying. Compared to other so-called ‘gourmet’ burger chains it was on a totally different level. My ‘little’ portion of fries was extremely generous and the Cajun spice topping had a brilliant kick but possibly too much for some to handle.
Overall, Five Guys is a highly recommended fast food force to be reckoned with and will likely have continued success with new branches popping up at regular intervals. The pricing on paper will undoubtedly put some off but this is a classic example of paying a bit more and getting the quality to go with it. Everyone should try a Five Guys burger at least once and if you do, I’ll bet it won’t be your last visit.
Pros: Excellent customer service, atmosphere and food. Online pre-ordering is available.
Cons: Higher price than USA. No ‘meal deals’. Not suitable for people with peanut allergies.
Five Guys
9/11 Duncan Street
Leeds
LS1 6DL
0113 245 5099
The name might not be familiar because Five Guys are a relatively new addition to the UK fast food market with just 46 locations. Their original restaurant was an instant hit with the locals when it opened thirty years ago in Arlington, Virginia. Expansion inevitably followed. Covent Garden in 2013 was their first UK store and the Leeds branch arrived in 2014.
Five Guys made a good first impression. Walking in, the restaurant was clean and spacious with a retro-feel red and white colour scheme. Stacked up potatoes complimented their fresh cooking regulations. A sign on the wall about their source offered a pleasant local touch, very similar to quality fish and chip shops. Positive publicity from both sides of the Atlantic adorned the walls and I hoped my meal would live up to the hype.
The gentleman at the till was enthusiastic, patient and guided me through the various burger customisation options. His customer service touches made a big difference. In general, all employees looked cheerful and motivated; that’s what happens when businesses pay their staff more than minimum wage.
I ordered a cheeseburger (£8) and little Cajun fries (£2.75). All toppings were free so I added ketchup, relish and barbeque sauce, two types of onions, lettuce and green peppers! Apparently there are over 25,000 combinations so definitely something for everyone. The waiting time was longer than lower-end fast food outlets but you can watch your meal being prepared with real care and attention as the sound system plays a worthy mix of genres.
Sitting down onto a comfy bench, I unwrapped what turned out to be a double cheeseburger and smelt an eruption of flavoursome goodness. This creation was messy, monstrous and magnificently satisfying. Compared to other so-called ‘gourmet’ burger chains it was on a totally different level. My ‘little’ portion of fries was extremely generous and the Cajun spice topping had a brilliant kick but possibly too much for some to handle.
Overall, Five Guys is a highly recommended fast food force to be reckoned with and will likely have continued success with new branches popping up at regular intervals. The pricing on paper will undoubtedly put some off but this is a classic example of paying a bit more and getting the quality to go with it. Everyone should try a Five Guys burger at least once and if you do, I’ll bet it won’t be your last visit.
Pros: Excellent customer service, atmosphere and food. Online pre-ordering is available.
Cons: Higher price than USA. No ‘meal deals’. Not suitable for people with peanut allergies.
Five Guys
9/11 Duncan Street
Leeds
LS1 6DL
0113 245 5099
Thursday, 28 January 2016
WWE Royal Rumble 2016: Hits and Misses.
The Royal Rumble was broadcast on Sunday 24, January, 2016.
Royal Rumble Hits
HHH wins WWE Championship: ‘The Game’ was my pick and odds-on favourite to win the Royal Rumble and become 14-time champion. It was highly likely he would enter at number 30 to stack the deck even further against Roman Reigns. Predictable is not a bad adjective if the storytelling makes sense. HHH and Reigns will probably clash in the main event at Wrestlemania. If that doesn’t get Reigns over as a legitimate star, nothing will.
Last Man Standing: Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens kicked off the show in style and concluded their fierce feud. They used chairs, stairs and numerous tables before the brutal finish. Both looked tough as nails limping into the Rumble later on. Ambrose sold exhaustion believably and was a credible runner up. Owens being eliminated by Sami Zayn renews unfinished business from NXT. Excellent booking all round.
Charlotte vs Becky Lynch: Very enjoyable. They got a good amount of time and showed off smooth wrestling, created drama and Ric Flair cheated to generate extra heat. It would’ve been nice to see Becky get a short title run but she will eventually. As an added bonus, my partner predicted Sasha Banks shenanigans and she didn’t disappoint.
Wyatt Family eliminate Lesnar: Lesnar, Mark Henry, Kane and Big Show were all eliminated by the family. Braun Strowman looked green but still a welcome change from the anticlimactic Kane/Big Show section last year. Lesnar is in the #1 contenders match at Fast Lane so expect Wyatt’s interference to set up Lesnar/Wyatt or a handicap tag team match.
New Day retain tag titles: This was a fun contest with the right outcome. New Day are popular champions and their entrance promo with Francesca #2 antics had charisma to spare. New contenders need building up urgently, could we see fresh blood from NXT soon?
Royal Rumble Misses
Roman Reigns: Reigns was hounded by the crowd all night long. Other faces including Ryback, Titus and The Usos received similar treatment, not their usual reaction. However, if your major face gets booed after multiple hype videos, a League of Nations mugging and special Austin/Terry Funk-style return then you have a serious problem. Like John Cena over a decade ago, WWE will probably be stubborn and ride through the storm.
A.J. Styles debut: A.J. Styles in the ring with Reigns was surreal. He lasted over 25 minutes and the fans loved him. Unfortunately he was eliminated by Owens, who has enough going on already. If his rumble elimination had set up something more meaningful I’d have put it in the hits section.
Alberto Del Rio vs Kalisto: Decent action, my miss is for the muddled booking and hot potato title changes that devalue championships. Please, no more rematches!
Ric Flair kissing Becky Lynch: In 2016, we have a 66 year-old man forcibly kissing a 28-year old woman to give his daughter a competitive edge. Vile!
Things are heating up for Fastlane on February 21. See you then wrestling fans.
Philip.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)