WWE No Mercy 2017: Assessing The Potential Of All 7 Matches

3. The Miz Vs. Jason Jordan - WWE Intercontinental Title Match

The Miz Vs Jason Jordan
WWE.com

Let's try again.

WWE sidelined their rumoured SummerSlam match because Jason Jordan didn't get over as planned. That is an understatement; fans reacted to the revelation that Kurt Angle sired Jordan with utter apathy, and gradually, resentment. To WWE's credit, Jordan's recent booking promises much. His role as the measuring stick between John Cena and Roman Reigns dovetailed into that rivalry perfectly and - albeit on paper - portrayed him as a real kayfabe force. Theory and execution did not conflate, unfortunately for Jordan. He remains as cold as ice.

It's impossible to envisage this belated match accurately hitting the story beats because there's no chance Miz is getting received as a heel on the night. The best Miz matches work so well because, for 15 or so minutes, he restores the lost art of sublime heel work and orchestrates a classic crowd response, making sense of the story he tells. In the Staples Center, the dissonance will likely engulf the plot and create an unwanted secondary story. "Morbidly fascinating" is probably the accurate description here for a match better suited for Backlash than No Mercy.

It's true. It's damn true.

Maximum Star Rating Ceiling: **

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!