http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/30/monsters-vs-aliens-is-a-dream-for-dreamworks-while-12-rounds/
Steven Mallas has an excellent article up at BloggingStocks.com discussing the latest WWE Film, 12 Rounds. While I would argue that DVD sales for WWE films have been unusually strong, all of the theatrical attempts (See No Evil, The Marine, The Condemned, Behind Enemy Lines) have failed to produce even mildly strong results at the theatrical box office. I believe there is still a market for these films as a vechicle for the talent, but I would move towards the straight-to-DVD/straight-to-Cable vehicles which might be far more lucrative in rights.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Friday, January 02, 2009
200 Fluorescent Lighttubes & Boards Death Match: Shadow WX, Ryuji Ito & Abdullah Kobayashi vs. Takashi Sasaki, Jaki Numazawa & Yuko Miyamoto
BJW, 5/23/08
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,700 Fans
200 Fluorescent Lighttubes & Boards Death Match: Shadow WX, Ryuji Ito & Abdullah Kobayashi vs. Takashi Sasaki, Jaki Numazawa & Yuko Miyamoto
Four minutes later everyone is finally in the ring and introduced. Everyone brawling bare-shirted except Shadow WX. We get some Irish whip fakes & reversals until Sasaki and Numazawa bounce off the tube-robes and deliver stereo dropkicks to Kobayashi and Ito, who in take some bulbs to the back off the ropes. Those four are down so Shadow WX & Yuko Miyamoto play chop-off in the center of the ring. Shadow grabs a HEADLOCK and runs the ropes (ignoring the bulb he busts) to deliver a shoulderblock. Yuko bumps and kips back up. Shadow goes off the ropes so Miyamoto cuts him off with a nice little dropkick. The advantage is not long as Shadow stops Yuko and clotheslines him over the ropes to the outside. WX is taking his time so he throws a lighttube out of his way and gingerly steps outside the Meanwhile, the other four have moved into the bleachers. Kobayashi drinks a fan's water. Back at the farm, Shadow grabs a half-fluorescent and starts parading Yuko around to introduce him to the area behind the bleachers. Yuko's forehead - meet Mr Lighttube. Ito and Sasaki are fighting at the top of the bleachers while Abdullah (now bleeding from both forehead and left arm) has returned ringside to brawl with Numazawa. The Black Angel rams Kobayashi's skull into one of those quintessential Japanese folding table (one foot wide, four feet long) which enrages the beast. He chucks the table back at Jaki who sidesteps the projectile, lifts a folded folding chair and rams it into Abdullah's bleeding arm. The two men both lift a Japanese Table and while holding it upside down, crack both of them on the skull simultaneously several times. Odd spot. Obviously, a battle of the heads will be coming into place this match. Ito is still being worked over by Sasaki and we get a Star Wars wipe back to the ring with Shadow WX, Miyamoto and a giant piece of wood with several lighttubes attached propped in a corner. We're moving back into tag match rules so partners are returning to their customary spots. Irish Whip reversals leads to Shadow WX feeding his back into the wooden-glass combination complete with delicious crunching noise. Miyamoto tags out to Takasahi. WX comes back up slowly with a crimson mask so Sasaki delivers the boot to the breadbasket, snapmare and collects three lighttubes for a quick trip to punishment city - he destroys the trio of tubes via indy strong kick of doom to the base of Shadow WX's spine. At this point, Jaki Numazawa, standing on the apron, visibly winces. Sasaki's dickish pin attempt is unsuccessful so he begins laying in the boots to Shadow WX. When Shadow WX begins to hulk up against the punches, Takeshi cuts him down again with some face kicks and tags out to Numazawa. He launches Shadow WX into the ropes where his back against completes some unholy communion with the lighttubes. Jaki grabs a pair of lighttubes while we discover that a fan has obtained his own lighttube. BJPW staffer runs to the bleachers to retrieve it. Numazawa plays DrumMania (copyright Konami 1999) with Shadow WX's already gushing cranium in a series of sickening blows. Shadow WX is playing deathmatch Ricky Morton face-in-peril now. Numazawa chews on the WX's brow and pronounces it Beefy. Tag out to Yuko who snaps a tube over his knee and rams in into his opponent's frons. That's a little thing we'd like to call... ouch! Unsuccessful pinfall and Yuko throws the 49-year old man into the corner, delivers a nice flying back elbow and headbutts a lighttube right into the center of Shiga's forehead. Plenty of blood (type A according to bjwfans.com) over Shadow WX's face as Takashi Sasaki enters the ring. As Shadow WX is launched off the ropes, a lighttube goes high in the air demonstrating how much collateral damage there could be to fans in a messy deathmatch like this. Takashi executes an X-pac-esque Spinning heel kick to fell the man from Niigata. Punches and kicks galore from Sasaki. Shadow WX does enjoy the posturing and rises to his feet to engage in a blow-battle which ends with Takashi's Tiger Mask spinning back kick. Tags bring in Numazawa while Yuko holds Shadow WX up in the corner. Jaki opts for executing a snap suplex onto two light tubes which mostly end up in Shadow WX's colon. Numazawa, always the perfectionist, rallies the crowd and executes the suplex again to completely bust the lighttubes. Yuko Miyamoto, the baby of the group, tags in to bodyslam Shadow WX and then drop an elbow on some lighttubes across WX's abdomen. We're about eight minutes into the tape at this point. Pinfall attempt is requisite two count. Sasaki clears Kobayashi and Ito off the apron so he can toss Shadow WX into his own corner for a back elbow and four sets of his "break-a-lighttube with-a-kick-to-the-gut" routine. The Coup de grâce? Stuffing two lighttubes down Shadow WX's shirt (only competitor wearing one) and blasting him with a front kick. THIS DOES NOT PLEASE SHADOW WX. HE RIPS OFF HIS SHIRT AND IS FIRED UP. Another blow battle ends with Sasaski's boot to the midsection but Shadow WX clotheslines Takashi after he runs the ropes for speed. Numazawa and Miyamoto jump in the ring to doubleteam Shadow WX but they miscalculate their offense allowing Shadow WX to nail a double clothesline on the pair. Ryuji Ito is finally tagged in as Shadow WX collapses in his corner. Ito's first offense is a set of dropkicks to Sasaki and Miyamoto followed by a somewhat awkward roundhouse to the back of Numazawa's skull. Ito's educated feet (Engineering Studies, Ibaraki University) work over Takashi Sasaki complete with Hogan-esque leg-drop of doom. Nice fisherman's suplex only earns him a two-count. As his wife, the ref, looks on (how impartial can she be?!), Ito culminates an exchange with Sasaki by delivering a top-rope big-back-bump-in-lots-of-shards-of-glass dropkick. Another two count. Kobayashi goes to the top rope but fails to execute his flying KARATE CHOP. Sasaki manages to block it by crossing his arms but this only angers the mighty stallion. Abdullah performs deadly throat thrusts but surprisingly gets backdropped by Sasaki in must have been a little disconcerting for the Butterbean-esque Kobayashi. Numazawa tags in, fires up the crowd, and quickly delivers a spinning back elbow to fell the man from Nagano. However, Jaki's crowd-pleasing antics aren't helpful when Kobayashi rolls out of the way of his elbow-drop to catch him in the corner and deliver a QUINTET of lightbulb-breaking headbutts to Numazawa's crown. Numazawa is tossed into the corner to receive a running manhug from the 13-year veteran. Kobayashi works him over with a series of quick blows in the corner, bodyslam and a plodding (not running - but walking with purpose) elbow drop. It's time for a Vader Bomb - which he hits. Two count. Kobayashi chooses to KARATE CHOP two lightbulbs into Numazawa but his enchanted hand betrays him as Jaki snakes into a half-nelson switched into a jaw-breaker utilizing his own skull. The two bulls decide it's time to ram horns, or in this case, heads. Both behemoths build up a head of steam, run together, and we have a double-clothesline. As they recover, Shadow WX and Yuki Miyamoto come in together. Shadow WX clothesline him in the corner, hits a nice suplex, rallies the crowd and waits for Yuki to stand up so he can clothesline him out of his boots. Two count does not end the match so Shadow WX latches on a crossface. Shadow WX grabs a handful of glass and throws them into Yuki's eyes for good measure. Nice. We're about 13.5 minutes in.
Now, how should one escape? Just press your handy-dandy "Jaki Numazawa savior Button". He'll climb in and kabong a lighttube over your opponent's skull. Shadow WX gets the crowd clapping but Miyamoto manages to execute an overhead belly-to-belly to buy enough time to tag Sasaki in. Time for giant deathmatch lighttube board of doom #2 - this instance being placed against the bottom rope so it's cranked up at about a 30 degree angle. Takashi teases the suplex but shadow WX isn't interested in going two for two through these monstrosities. The men trade waistlocks and Takashi elbows his way out so he can whip Shadow WX into the corner and deliver a running clothesline. A stunned Shadow WX almost receives a superplex but at the last moment he slips down to the mat in order to play that popular carnival game - toss the Takeshi into the board full of lighttubes. Ouch. It's Ryuji Ito's turn now. Snap-mare & indy kick of doom. Ito grabs two lighttubes but Takashi stops him from destroying them on his body. The two men are struggling over these tubes. Ito gets the upper hand with a kick down low - Takeshi takes a knee (with the tubes over his head) - and Ito drops his heel to smash those lighttubes all real nice into Takeshi's skull. Poor chap. Ito plays Lighttube collector - grabs four or five more - puts them against Takeshi's chest and kicks him to kingdom come. Poor, poor chap. In a very short span, Takashi Sasaki has been powerbombed on tubes, had them cracked over his head and broken against his chest. Still, that's only a two-count in BJPW land. Big bodyslam from Ryuji Ito followed by a surprising moonsault. Ito has been moving a little gingerly this match so I did not expect an aerial move from him at this moment. Numazawa breaks up the pinfall this time. Ito's knees have had enough so he tags in Abdullah Kobayashi. Takeshi eats a back-elbow after being whipped into the far corner. Abdullah decides to flavor that dish with two lighttubes being karate chopped into Takeshi's chest. We've all had a day like this. Takeshi gets perched up on the shoulders of Abdullah who is standing on the second rope. Falling backwards equals a big Samoan Drop. Wow – Abdullah has pointy elf shoes. What's next? A piledriver? Nope. Abdullah drops him on his belly in a fancy move whose name I don't recall. Shadow WX is in. He hurks Takeshi up for another powerbomb but Takeshi attacks the eyes. Takashi Sasaki stills get thrown in an ugly powerbomb but he recovers while shadow is clutching his face. Still, no dice for Sasaki as his suplex attempt is reversed and Shadow WX launches him over. Takeshi stops the clothesline attempt and executes a spinning back kick followed by a back brain kick and a giant kick of ouch right to Shadow WX’s thinking cap. Yuki & Jaki come in and clear their opponents off the apron. Jaki whips Shadow WX into the far corner. He runs in with a so-so clothesline. Yuki decides to grab some lighttubes and do a combination knees to the chest & tubes to the skull move which couldn’t have been fun. Top rope frankensteiner from Yuki tossing Shadow WX across the ring. Shadow WX eats a shining wizard from Jaki and then kicks out of a double pin. Jaki DVDs Shadow WX so Yuki can go to the rope and moonsault him. Oh yeah, he stuck some lighttubes in there so the chest-to-chest action busted those up. Right at the three count, Ito broke up the pin. Shadow WX definitely didn’t kick out. Ito and Jaki tussle with Jaki launching Ito over in a nice suplex. Abdullah decides it’s time to break out “fat-man drop kick” and Jaki bails. Takeshi clothesline and kicks don’t the giant. He then delivers a pair of nasty back brain kicks to Shadow WX’s head and then puts two light tubes right by Shadow’s head and delivers an immense kick shattering the tubes and spraying everyone on that side of the ring with tube-glass and tube-gas. Ito breaks up the pinfall and tosses Takeshi to the outside. So, Yuki comes in and goes after the battered Shadow WX. One bodyslam later, Yuki has the man in position. He climbs to the top rope, executes another moonsault (this time holding on the tubes) but Shadow WX moves. Yuki was able to scout this so he lands on his feet and gets in perfect position for Shadow WX to deliver a big clothesline right to the tubes. Abdullah comes in and delivers a release German suplex to Yuki which Ito follows up with a shining wizard. Yuki kicks out before the three count. Bodyslam from Ito. Flying elbowdrop from Abdullah. Lighttubes on Yuki’s chest and the Ito frogsplash of death. Takeshi & Jaki break up the pin. Abdullah chucks Jaki outside and while Ito deposes of Takeshi. Yuki is thrown against the ropes and tries a back-handspring elbow but Shadow WX isn’t playing that game anymore. He lariats Yuki back to medieval times turning him inside out. Two count so Shadow WX does a spinning sitdown powerbomb. Two count. Stalling suplex and it’s finally over. Your winners: Shadow WX, Ryuji Ito and Abdullah Kobayashi. Good match.
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,700 Fans
200 Fluorescent Lighttubes & Boards Death Match: Shadow WX, Ryuji Ito & Abdullah Kobayashi vs. Takashi Sasaki, Jaki Numazawa & Yuko Miyamoto
Four minutes later everyone is finally in the ring and introduced. Everyone brawling bare-shirted except Shadow WX. We get some Irish whip fakes & reversals until Sasaki and Numazawa bounce off the tube-robes and deliver stereo dropkicks to Kobayashi and Ito, who in take some bulbs to the back off the ropes. Those four are down so Shadow WX & Yuko Miyamoto play chop-off in the center of the ring. Shadow grabs a HEADLOCK and runs the ropes (ignoring the bulb he busts) to deliver a shoulderblock. Yuko bumps and kips back up. Shadow goes off the ropes so Miyamoto cuts him off with a nice little dropkick. The advantage is not long as Shadow stops Yuko and clotheslines him over the ropes to the outside. WX is taking his time so he throws a lighttube out of his way and gingerly steps outside the Meanwhile, the other four have moved into the bleachers. Kobayashi drinks a fan's water. Back at the farm, Shadow grabs a half-fluorescent and starts parading Yuko around to introduce him to the area behind the bleachers. Yuko's forehead - meet Mr Lighttube. Ito and Sasaki are fighting at the top of the bleachers while Abdullah (now bleeding from both forehead and left arm) has returned ringside to brawl with Numazawa. The Black Angel rams Kobayashi's skull into one of those quintessential Japanese folding table (one foot wide, four feet long) which enrages the beast. He chucks the table back at Jaki who sidesteps the projectile, lifts a folded folding chair and rams it into Abdullah's bleeding arm. The two men both lift a Japanese Table and while holding it upside down, crack both of them on the skull simultaneously several times. Odd spot. Obviously, a battle of the heads will be coming into place this match. Ito is still being worked over by Sasaki and we get a Star Wars wipe back to the ring with Shadow WX, Miyamoto and a giant piece of wood with several lighttubes attached propped in a corner. We're moving back into tag match rules so partners are returning to their customary spots. Irish Whip reversals leads to Shadow WX feeding his back into the wooden-glass combination complete with delicious crunching noise. Miyamoto tags out to Takasahi. WX comes back up slowly with a crimson mask so Sasaki delivers the boot to the breadbasket, snapmare and collects three lighttubes for a quick trip to punishment city - he destroys the trio of tubes via indy strong kick of doom to the base of Shadow WX's spine. At this point, Jaki Numazawa, standing on the apron, visibly winces. Sasaki's dickish pin attempt is unsuccessful so he begins laying in the boots to Shadow WX. When Shadow WX begins to hulk up against the punches, Takeshi cuts him down again with some face kicks and tags out to Numazawa. He launches Shadow WX into the ropes where his back against completes some unholy communion with the lighttubes. Jaki grabs a pair of lighttubes while we discover that a fan has obtained his own lighttube. BJPW staffer runs to the bleachers to retrieve it. Numazawa plays DrumMania (copyright Konami 1999) with Shadow WX's already gushing cranium in a series of sickening blows. Shadow WX is playing deathmatch Ricky Morton face-in-peril now. Numazawa chews on the WX's brow and pronounces it Beefy. Tag out to Yuko who snaps a tube over his knee and rams in into his opponent's frons. That's a little thing we'd like to call... ouch! Unsuccessful pinfall and Yuko throws the 49-year old man into the corner, delivers a nice flying back elbow and headbutts a lighttube right into the center of Shiga's forehead. Plenty of blood (type A according to bjwfans.com) over Shadow WX's face as Takashi Sasaki enters the ring. As Shadow WX is launched off the ropes, a lighttube goes high in the air demonstrating how much collateral damage there could be to fans in a messy deathmatch like this. Takashi executes an X-pac-esque Spinning heel kick to fell the man from Niigata. Punches and kicks galore from Sasaki. Shadow WX does enjoy the posturing and rises to his feet to engage in a blow-battle which ends with Takashi's Tiger Mask spinning back kick. Tags bring in Numazawa while Yuko holds Shadow WX up in the corner. Jaki opts for executing a snap suplex onto two light tubes which mostly end up in Shadow WX's colon. Numazawa, always the perfectionist, rallies the crowd and executes the suplex again to completely bust the lighttubes. Yuko Miyamoto, the baby of the group, tags in to bodyslam Shadow WX and then drop an elbow on some lighttubes across WX's abdomen. We're about eight minutes into the tape at this point. Pinfall attempt is requisite two count. Sasaki clears Kobayashi and Ito off the apron so he can toss Shadow WX into his own corner for a back elbow and four sets of his "break-a-lighttube with-a-kick-to-the-gut" routine. The Coup de grâce? Stuffing two lighttubes down Shadow WX's shirt (only competitor wearing one) and blasting him with a front kick. THIS DOES NOT PLEASE SHADOW WX. HE RIPS OFF HIS SHIRT AND IS FIRED UP. Another blow battle ends with Sasaski's boot to the midsection but Shadow WX clotheslines Takashi after he runs the ropes for speed. Numazawa and Miyamoto jump in the ring to doubleteam Shadow WX but they miscalculate their offense allowing Shadow WX to nail a double clothesline on the pair. Ryuji Ito is finally tagged in as Shadow WX collapses in his corner. Ito's first offense is a set of dropkicks to Sasaki and Miyamoto followed by a somewhat awkward roundhouse to the back of Numazawa's skull. Ito's educated feet (Engineering Studies, Ibaraki University) work over Takashi Sasaki complete with Hogan-esque leg-drop of doom. Nice fisherman's suplex only earns him a two-count. As his wife, the ref, looks on (how impartial can she be?!), Ito culminates an exchange with Sasaki by delivering a top-rope big-back-bump-in-lots-of-shards-of-glass dropkick. Another two count. Kobayashi goes to the top rope but fails to execute his flying KARATE CHOP. Sasaki manages to block it by crossing his arms but this only angers the mighty stallion. Abdullah performs deadly throat thrusts but surprisingly gets backdropped by Sasaki in must have been a little disconcerting for the Butterbean-esque Kobayashi. Numazawa tags in, fires up the crowd, and quickly delivers a spinning back elbow to fell the man from Nagano. However, Jaki's crowd-pleasing antics aren't helpful when Kobayashi rolls out of the way of his elbow-drop to catch him in the corner and deliver a QUINTET of lightbulb-breaking headbutts to Numazawa's crown. Numazawa is tossed into the corner to receive a running manhug from the 13-year veteran. Kobayashi works him over with a series of quick blows in the corner, bodyslam and a plodding (not running - but walking with purpose) elbow drop. It's time for a Vader Bomb - which he hits. Two count. Kobayashi chooses to KARATE CHOP two lightbulbs into Numazawa but his enchanted hand betrays him as Jaki snakes into a half-nelson switched into a jaw-breaker utilizing his own skull. The two bulls decide it's time to ram horns, or in this case, heads. Both behemoths build up a head of steam, run together, and we have a double-clothesline. As they recover, Shadow WX and Yuki Miyamoto come in together. Shadow WX clothesline him in the corner, hits a nice suplex, rallies the crowd and waits for Yuki to stand up so he can clothesline him out of his boots. Two count does not end the match so Shadow WX latches on a crossface. Shadow WX grabs a handful of glass and throws them into Yuki's eyes for good measure. Nice. We're about 13.5 minutes in.
Now, how should one escape? Just press your handy-dandy "Jaki Numazawa savior Button". He'll climb in and kabong a lighttube over your opponent's skull. Shadow WX gets the crowd clapping but Miyamoto manages to execute an overhead belly-to-belly to buy enough time to tag Sasaki in. Time for giant deathmatch lighttube board of doom #2 - this instance being placed against the bottom rope so it's cranked up at about a 30 degree angle. Takashi teases the suplex but shadow WX isn't interested in going two for two through these monstrosities. The men trade waistlocks and Takashi elbows his way out so he can whip Shadow WX into the corner and deliver a running clothesline. A stunned Shadow WX almost receives a superplex but at the last moment he slips down to the mat in order to play that popular carnival game - toss the Takeshi into the board full of lighttubes. Ouch. It's Ryuji Ito's turn now. Snap-mare & indy kick of doom. Ito grabs two lighttubes but Takashi stops him from destroying them on his body. The two men are struggling over these tubes. Ito gets the upper hand with a kick down low - Takeshi takes a knee (with the tubes over his head) - and Ito drops his heel to smash those lighttubes all real nice into Takeshi's skull. Poor chap. Ito plays Lighttube collector - grabs four or five more - puts them against Takeshi's chest and kicks him to kingdom come. Poor, poor chap. In a very short span, Takashi Sasaki has been powerbombed on tubes, had them cracked over his head and broken against his chest. Still, that's only a two-count in BJPW land. Big bodyslam from Ryuji Ito followed by a surprising moonsault. Ito has been moving a little gingerly this match so I did not expect an aerial move from him at this moment. Numazawa breaks up the pinfall this time. Ito's knees have had enough so he tags in Abdullah Kobayashi. Takeshi eats a back-elbow after being whipped into the far corner. Abdullah decides to flavor that dish with two lighttubes being karate chopped into Takeshi's chest. We've all had a day like this. Takeshi gets perched up on the shoulders of Abdullah who is standing on the second rope. Falling backwards equals a big Samoan Drop. Wow – Abdullah has pointy elf shoes. What's next? A piledriver? Nope. Abdullah drops him on his belly in a fancy move whose name I don't recall. Shadow WX is in. He hurks Takeshi up for another powerbomb but Takeshi attacks the eyes. Takashi Sasaki stills get thrown in an ugly powerbomb but he recovers while shadow is clutching his face. Still, no dice for Sasaki as his suplex attempt is reversed and Shadow WX launches him over. Takeshi stops the clothesline attempt and executes a spinning back kick followed by a back brain kick and a giant kick of ouch right to Shadow WX’s thinking cap. Yuki & Jaki come in and clear their opponents off the apron. Jaki whips Shadow WX into the far corner. He runs in with a so-so clothesline. Yuki decides to grab some lighttubes and do a combination knees to the chest & tubes to the skull move which couldn’t have been fun. Top rope frankensteiner from Yuki tossing Shadow WX across the ring. Shadow WX eats a shining wizard from Jaki and then kicks out of a double pin. Jaki DVDs Shadow WX so Yuki can go to the rope and moonsault him. Oh yeah, he stuck some lighttubes in there so the chest-to-chest action busted those up. Right at the three count, Ito broke up the pin. Shadow WX definitely didn’t kick out. Ito and Jaki tussle with Jaki launching Ito over in a nice suplex. Abdullah decides it’s time to break out “fat-man drop kick” and Jaki bails. Takeshi clothesline and kicks don’t the giant. He then delivers a pair of nasty back brain kicks to Shadow WX’s head and then puts two light tubes right by Shadow’s head and delivers an immense kick shattering the tubes and spraying everyone on that side of the ring with tube-glass and tube-gas. Ito breaks up the pinfall and tosses Takeshi to the outside. So, Yuki comes in and goes after the battered Shadow WX. One bodyslam later, Yuki has the man in position. He climbs to the top rope, executes another moonsault (this time holding on the tubes) but Shadow WX moves. Yuki was able to scout this so he lands on his feet and gets in perfect position for Shadow WX to deliver a big clothesline right to the tubes. Abdullah comes in and delivers a release German suplex to Yuki which Ito follows up with a shining wizard. Yuki kicks out before the three count. Bodyslam from Ito. Flying elbowdrop from Abdullah. Lighttubes on Yuki’s chest and the Ito frogsplash of death. Takeshi & Jaki break up the pin. Abdullah chucks Jaki outside and while Ito deposes of Takeshi. Yuki is thrown against the ropes and tries a back-handspring elbow but Shadow WX isn’t playing that game anymore. He lariats Yuki back to medieval times turning him inside out. Two count so Shadow WX does a spinning sitdown powerbomb. Two count. Stalling suplex and it’s finally over. Your winners: Shadow WX, Ryuji Ito and Abdullah Kobayashi. Good match.
Monday, December 29, 2008
IWW: Interview with Colin Delaney (part one)
IWW interviews Colin Delaney (part one)
Indeed Wrestling Weekly, the program with quite a misleading title, has finally returned to air the first part of our interview with former WWE Superstar and current CHIKARA performer - COLIN DELANEY~!
In part one - we talk about growing up, memories of Upstate NY wrestling, breaking in and starting his tag team with Jimmy Olsen, the epic DELANEY CLAN matches, working ROH ringcrew and more. Colin only had a little while so we stuck to mostly pre-WWE talk. The abrupt end of this conversion was because my puppy unplugged my microphone before I signed off. How professional! Anyhow, we'll be back with Colin later this week and will continue the conversation with a focus on his WWE run.
If you have questions for Colin, you can pm me, email the show (indeedwrestling@gmail.com) or post them as a response to this thread.
Hope you enjoy it! If not, well, at least it was free.
Indeed Wrestling Weekly, the program with quite a misleading title, has finally returned to air the first part of our interview with former WWE Superstar and current CHIKARA performer - COLIN DELANEY~!
In part one - we talk about growing up, memories of Upstate NY wrestling, breaking in and starting his tag team with Jimmy Olsen, the epic DELANEY CLAN matches, working ROH ringcrew and more. Colin only had a little while so we stuck to mostly pre-WWE talk. The abrupt end of this conversion was because my puppy unplugged my microphone before I signed off. How professional! Anyhow, we'll be back with Colin later this week and will continue the conversation with a focus on his WWE run.
If you have questions for Colin, you can pm me, email the show (indeedwrestling@gmail.com) or post them as a response to this thread.
Hope you enjoy it! If not, well, at least it was free.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
9/7/08 - WWE Supershow in Rochester, NY
WWE "Super Show" House Show in Rochester, NY by Ray Rhodes
Friday Night (September 7th) I attended the WWE House Show at the Blue Cross Arena in sunny Rochester, NY. Despite being hailed as a "Super Show" that would feature all the best stars from all three brands, I figured that just meant a Raw live event with Mark Henry on the card. I wasn't that far off.
Tony Chimmel started us off by introducing our special host for the night, Eve, somewhere in the audience that the spotlight couldn't quite find. She upgraded a family to front row after asking the trivia question, "What city did Wrestlemania 24 hail from?" Many of us always joke that the WWE thinks we need constant rewinds and replays because we don't have a long enough attention span or good enough memory. Looks like they're right because I had already forgotten. It's Orlando, of course. Tony also let us know that WE the people could determine the stipulation between Matt Hardy and Mark Henry (score!) in the ECW Championship match: 2 out of 3 Falls, No DQ, or Falls Count Anywhere by joining the digital age and texting our choice. Let me first point out that it's no trick of the TV, the masses really do love Matt Hardy. And *blush*, I do too.
The opening bout featured Chavo Guerrero (w/Bam Neely) against the spastic high-flier Evan Bourne. Not to be confused with Matt Bourne, aka Doink the Clown (which would be awesome). Of course, we all know Evan Bourne used to be Matt Sydal before ECW gave him his requisite awful WWE name (see also: Ryan Braddock, Ricky Ortiz, Gavin Spears, Braden Walker).
Ways to know you're at a WWE House Show: No Pyro, A Diva Host somewhere in the crowd, and Chavo stalls and works the audience for 10 minutes. Pop Quiz later. To be honest, I've had a hard time getting into Chavo if he's not fighting Rey and to me, Evan Bourne is just Cody Rhodes with a higher vertical leap. The two wrestled for a bit before Evan hits the first of at least 35 dropkicks we would see in the night. Bam Neely looks on. Eventually, Bourne hits the sweet Shooting Star from the top to finish Chavo and take the crowd pleasing win.
Next, Beth Phoenix and Santino Marella put their titles on the line against Kofi Kingston and (I hope it's Mickie James, I hope it's Mickie James, I hope it's Mickie James), D'OH, Kelly Kelly. Despite the hot chaps, Kelly Kelly looked more green than a sea sick sailor and was baffled several times. Which was okay because Santino seemed baffled at much of Kofi's movements as well. The crowd didn't seem to mind too much though, but Santino and Beth were able to defend their belts successfully. Santino had a pretty good opening promo about only needing 62 more weeks to break the I-C record.
When you think "Super Show" I know you're thinking "Primo Colon". If so, you'd be happy when Willian Regal came out to fight the brother of Carlito himself. They decided to tell a story by working some arms and well, that's about it. Most of the match took place on the mat and not in an interesting way, either. Primo spent much of the match getting worked over, but not in a cool "Regal Stretchin' Him" or "Regal Knee Striking" kind of way but more of an "Arm Lock" kind of way. Eventually, Primo would make a comeback--in the form of 4 consecutive dropkicks. And that's it. He slapped on a backslide, took the upset and the crowd rejoiced. Sort of.
The radio spots during the week in Rochester were advertising Jeffy Hardy against Carlito against Shelton Benjamin in a Three Way Dance for the US Title. Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. Jeff Hardy was a no show but R-Truth was in the house to get rowdy. If he wasn't introduced as Carlito and didn't come out to his music, I wouldn't have believed it was him with his new make over. This was an elimination type match and after R-Truth's recent vignettes and Shelton Benjamin's old vignettes (I brought a gun to school once. The end), we figured this match was a "Who had the hardest childhood to overcome match". It wasn't Carlito as he was eliminated first. Poor guy. R-Truth and Benjamin battled it out for a good chunk of time and I wish I could tell you they put on a classic. If you've been alert at all in the last few years you already know that Benjamin cannot have a decent match with someone who isn't a main eventer. It all falls apart. No exception here. Truth and Benjamin were lost a few times including an Ax Kick that Wasn't Really an Ax Kick and a couple Ducking Mystery Clotheslines spots. Finally, Shelton retains.
Intermission came and went, as they usually do.
Up next we had the World Tag Team Champs, Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase take on Cryme Tyme. First they had a few things to say, mostly about being Priceless or whatever. Yawn. Match was alright and Cody hits his awful DDT for the win.
Everyone loves Matt Hardy and it showed. Mark Henry is a large, large man. The match, picked by texting, was the No DQ match. And here I thought the 2 out of 3 Falls would win. Huh. The two had an energetic fight with Henry looking as good as he ever probably has or will again. After several near falls for Hardy he eventually falls to the World's Strongest Slam. Good match. Special Note: Henry managed to take a "Big Show Bump" of taking a Bulldog by bumping on his back. Tremendous.
Main Event City: Kane, The Great Khali, and MVP took on Big Show, Rey and HHH. The place went nuts for Kane, Rey and HHH, of course, with Rey probably getting the nod. Match featured several SHOW DOWNS and Crotch Chops. Good work by all six, I must say, in a fun match which, of course, saw the faces go over and the place go home happy. The two main events seemed to be enough to make everyone forget about the uh, forgettable first half and the lack of Jeff Hardy, Batista, Jericho, Punk, UT, Cena, etc. To be fair, I think Hardy was the only one of that bunch that was actually advertised on local promos (Cena was too before getting hurt, I think, but that's understandable).
Overall it was a decent time but really could have used some quality talkers. Aside from Santino, no one really worked the crowd verbally, which is a shame because that's half the fun of it.
Ray Rhodes, probably more critical than I should be.
Friday Night (September 7th) I attended the WWE House Show at the Blue Cross Arena in sunny Rochester, NY. Despite being hailed as a "Super Show" that would feature all the best stars from all three brands, I figured that just meant a Raw live event with Mark Henry on the card. I wasn't that far off.
Tony Chimmel started us off by introducing our special host for the night, Eve, somewhere in the audience that the spotlight couldn't quite find. She upgraded a family to front row after asking the trivia question, "What city did Wrestlemania 24 hail from?" Many of us always joke that the WWE thinks we need constant rewinds and replays because we don't have a long enough attention span or good enough memory. Looks like they're right because I had already forgotten. It's Orlando, of course. Tony also let us know that WE the people could determine the stipulation between Matt Hardy and Mark Henry (score!) in the ECW Championship match: 2 out of 3 Falls, No DQ, or Falls Count Anywhere by joining the digital age and texting our choice. Let me first point out that it's no trick of the TV, the masses really do love Matt Hardy. And *blush*, I do too.
The opening bout featured Chavo Guerrero (w/Bam Neely) against the spastic high-flier Evan Bourne. Not to be confused with Matt Bourne, aka Doink the Clown (which would be awesome). Of course, we all know Evan Bourne used to be Matt Sydal before ECW gave him his requisite awful WWE name (see also: Ryan Braddock, Ricky Ortiz, Gavin Spears, Braden Walker).
Ways to know you're at a WWE House Show: No Pyro, A Diva Host somewhere in the crowd, and Chavo stalls and works the audience for 10 minutes. Pop Quiz later. To be honest, I've had a hard time getting into Chavo if he's not fighting Rey and to me, Evan Bourne is just Cody Rhodes with a higher vertical leap. The two wrestled for a bit before Evan hits the first of at least 35 dropkicks we would see in the night. Bam Neely looks on. Eventually, Bourne hits the sweet Shooting Star from the top to finish Chavo and take the crowd pleasing win.
Next, Beth Phoenix and Santino Marella put their titles on the line against Kofi Kingston and (I hope it's Mickie James, I hope it's Mickie James, I hope it's Mickie James), D'OH, Kelly Kelly. Despite the hot chaps, Kelly Kelly looked more green than a sea sick sailor and was baffled several times. Which was okay because Santino seemed baffled at much of Kofi's movements as well. The crowd didn't seem to mind too much though, but Santino and Beth were able to defend their belts successfully. Santino had a pretty good opening promo about only needing 62 more weeks to break the I-C record.
When you think "Super Show" I know you're thinking "Primo Colon". If so, you'd be happy when Willian Regal came out to fight the brother of Carlito himself. They decided to tell a story by working some arms and well, that's about it. Most of the match took place on the mat and not in an interesting way, either. Primo spent much of the match getting worked over, but not in a cool "Regal Stretchin' Him" or "Regal Knee Striking" kind of way but more of an "Arm Lock" kind of way. Eventually, Primo would make a comeback--in the form of 4 consecutive dropkicks. And that's it. He slapped on a backslide, took the upset and the crowd rejoiced. Sort of.
The radio spots during the week in Rochester were advertising Jeffy Hardy against Carlito against Shelton Benjamin in a Three Way Dance for the US Title. Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. Jeff Hardy was a no show but R-Truth was in the house to get rowdy. If he wasn't introduced as Carlito and didn't come out to his music, I wouldn't have believed it was him with his new make over. This was an elimination type match and after R-Truth's recent vignettes and Shelton Benjamin's old vignettes (I brought a gun to school once. The end), we figured this match was a "Who had the hardest childhood to overcome match". It wasn't Carlito as he was eliminated first. Poor guy. R-Truth and Benjamin battled it out for a good chunk of time and I wish I could tell you they put on a classic. If you've been alert at all in the last few years you already know that Benjamin cannot have a decent match with someone who isn't a main eventer. It all falls apart. No exception here. Truth and Benjamin were lost a few times including an Ax Kick that Wasn't Really an Ax Kick and a couple Ducking Mystery Clotheslines spots. Finally, Shelton retains.
Intermission came and went, as they usually do.
Up next we had the World Tag Team Champs, Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase take on Cryme Tyme. First they had a few things to say, mostly about being Priceless or whatever. Yawn. Match was alright and Cody hits his awful DDT for the win.
Everyone loves Matt Hardy and it showed. Mark Henry is a large, large man. The match, picked by texting, was the No DQ match. And here I thought the 2 out of 3 Falls would win. Huh. The two had an energetic fight with Henry looking as good as he ever probably has or will again. After several near falls for Hardy he eventually falls to the World's Strongest Slam. Good match. Special Note: Henry managed to take a "Big Show Bump" of taking a Bulldog by bumping on his back. Tremendous.
Main Event City: Kane, The Great Khali, and MVP took on Big Show, Rey and HHH. The place went nuts for Kane, Rey and HHH, of course, with Rey probably getting the nod. Match featured several SHOW DOWNS and Crotch Chops. Good work by all six, I must say, in a fun match which, of course, saw the faces go over and the place go home happy. The two main events seemed to be enough to make everyone forget about the uh, forgettable first half and the lack of Jeff Hardy, Batista, Jericho, Punk, UT, Cena, etc. To be fair, I think Hardy was the only one of that bunch that was actually advertised on local promos (Cena was too before getting hurt, I think, but that's understandable).
Overall it was a decent time but really could have used some quality talkers. Aside from Santino, no one really worked the crowd verbally, which is a shame because that's half the fun of it.
Ray Rhodes, probably more critical than I should be.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Night of Champions Review by Ray Rhodes
Night of Champions Review, Thoughts, and Comments
by Ray Rhodes
After the RAW Draft and the following Supplemental draft the entire WWE was shaken, not just stirred as in previous drafts. The skeptical viewer (see: the entire IWW staff) would see this as a shameless gimmick to force people to pay attention and to order the Night of Champions PPV to see where the title belts would wind up. And, it seems, a giant swerve to the Internet Community. Jim Ross to Smackdown!? Take that, Good Ole JR! Rey Mysterio to RAW? Where what will the Hispanic audience do? HHH to Smackdown!? They said it would never happen! DH Smith to Fridays? But he was going to be Ted Dibiase's partner! The Swerves! The Intrigue!
Yet, not only was it a shameless gimmick, it was also a great way to freshen up the stale feuds for which I am entirely grateful for. So thank you, WWE, for sending Umaga to Smackdown. Funaki needs his face caved in by Umaga's ass right quick.
Tonight was the Night of Champions and for me, the gimmick worked. I am a huge mark for the title belts and title matches a just the thought of a night where all the belts would be on the line sends shivers down my spine. But since the rising cost of gas has forced Zip Whittle to cut my pay, I haven't been nearly as enthusiastic about dropping 40 bones for a PPV. Any hesitation, however, went away after the draft. Bring on Night of Champions!
With Finlay and Hornswaggle officially moving to ECW, I knew the tag titles could go either way on the hot opener. The Fighting Irish against Miz and Morrison in a worth while match would rest squarely on the ability of the four to manage hard hitting wrestling, tag psychology and comedy. Which they did and then some. Miz and Morrison are fast becoming the best tag team of the last few years (sorry, Carlito and Chris Masters) and Finlay and the sprite put up as much fight as they should without Miz and Morrison losing too much credibility. WWE went the right way here and had the Chick Magnet and the Emperor of Abs go over here.
Speaking of tag teams, the Draft sent Deuce over to RAW. They've done similar things in Drafts of Yesteryear just before they fire someone useless. Sorry, Deuce, we hardly knew ya.
Matt Hardy had to defend his US Title against someone other than MVP. And the world rejoiced. Sadly, though, that challenger would be Chavo Guerrero, who can't seem to have a good match unless it's with Rey Mysterio and 7 years ago. The two worked a decent match, to be fair, and Matt Hardy picks up the win after reversing the last suplex in the Three Amigos and hitting the Twist of Fate.
** Ray Rhodes Nice Touch Moment of the Match**
When Matt Hardy hit the Twist of Fate out of the suplexes, Chavo's bodyguard was taunting the crowd and didn't see the reversal. So when Matt went for the cover and got the three count, Neely was caught off guard and it didn't give him a chance to try and interfere. If he had been watching, it would have looked silly for him to just stand there, especially since he's a heel. So, nice touch.
The Internet World had been a buzz for weeks. Who would be Diabase's partner? Was it DH Smith? No! He went to Smackdown! Was it Teddy Hart? Yeah, right. Was it Cody Rhodes in a move that makes no sense, even to the most toothless of rednecks? Of course! In a swerve that make no legal sense, even in professional wrestling, Cody Rhodes turned on Hardcore Holly and was announced his own mystery opponent. When Dibiase pinned Holly, Rhodes lost the titles with Holly and won them with Dibiase at the same time. To make matters worse, Dibiase has the worst theme music in the last 12 years as well as the worst finisher. Million Dollar Dream into some sort of Russian Leg Sweep? Apparently money can't buy you happiness, good theme music or a decent finisher. But it can buy you an awful storyline. If Ted Dibiase Sr. was dead, he's be rolling in his grave.
Somebody in the WWE woke up and had a good idea. Use Jericho to his ability. And his ability is to be a great heel and to have incredible matches, not brawling with JBL and wrestling once a month.
Now that he's in a great feud with HBK, something had to be done with the IC Title. And that something was recent draft acquisition, Kofi Kingston. In a very strong back and forth match, Jericho did what Jericho does and Kofi showed glimpses of living up to his potential despite a few rough patches. Throw in HBK, a superkick on Lance Cade and a surprise upset and you've got some intriguing TV for the next few Raws. I admit it, I'm hooked.
Pigs began to fly and Hell was frozen over because tonight was the night Mark Henry became a World Champion. It's been a long 12 or so years of multiple let downs, painful matches, and a dozen injuries but Mark Henry has done it! Night of Champions brought us Kane, Big Show and Henry in a match of Sloths. It actually started decent until Kane got roughed up on the apron after getting dumped from the ring which left Show and Henry in the ring longer than should be allowed by law. Eventually, Henry gets the win after massive amounts of bodies crashing around. Mark Henry is a happy man tonight, but the world weeps.
Mickie James defended her Women's Championship against Katie Lea Burchill in a match that would, in my mind, make or break Katie Lea. On a side note, I was digging the Burchill v Kennedy angle but they abruptly ended it and sent Kennedy to Smackdown. Jerks. The two women had a pretty good women's match truth be told and it was an actual match, with barely a hair biel, hair pull, or hair based offense at all. Thank you. Mickie picks up the win but I hope they continue to feud for another month or so.
I originally thought whichever World Title match went on last would be the big title change of the night. So when Edge v Batista was in the Viscera Spot, my hope of Batista taking the title to RAW fell apart. After weeks of getting screwed over, it seemed like the perfect point for Batista's revenge. Sadly, Edge retains but after Batista picks up Vickie and hurls her onto La Famiglia, I'd say it was worth it.
So, logically, HHH was losing to Cena, right?
I guess not.
After hyping the match as a match that would give us a moment we would never forget, it was a typical Cena/HHH match. It almost seemed too robotical and cookie-cuttered and at no point did it reach the point of intensity it should have. Even the false finishes were predictable and with HHH winning it just seemed like a cheat. Sure, it wasn't what was expected but sometimes what is expected is what's needed. Raw needs a champion and for that not to be resolved at Night of Champions just seems like a dirty trick. Like sending Matt Striker to RAW. Sorry, Matt, you're probably not going to have a job anymore.
The best part of the night, perhaps, for comedy anyway, was when Batista and Cena were talking backstage, CM Punk came up and made sure we remembered he had the Money in the Bank Briefcase. Just the thought of Punk againt Cena or Batista made me have a fit of laughter. The day Punk beats either of them is the day Carlito beats HHH. Stranger things have happened, however, Mark Henry is a World Champion after all.
Final Word: The PPV started off good but a baffling and stupid tag team match and no title change in either of the main events brings a possible A grade to a strong B.
by Ray Rhodes
After the RAW Draft and the following Supplemental draft the entire WWE was shaken, not just stirred as in previous drafts. The skeptical viewer (see: the entire IWW staff) would see this as a shameless gimmick to force people to pay attention and to order the Night of Champions PPV to see where the title belts would wind up. And, it seems, a giant swerve to the Internet Community. Jim Ross to Smackdown!? Take that, Good Ole JR! Rey Mysterio to RAW? Where what will the Hispanic audience do? HHH to Smackdown!? They said it would never happen! DH Smith to Fridays? But he was going to be Ted Dibiase's partner! The Swerves! The Intrigue!
Yet, not only was it a shameless gimmick, it was also a great way to freshen up the stale feuds for which I am entirely grateful for. So thank you, WWE, for sending Umaga to Smackdown. Funaki needs his face caved in by Umaga's ass right quick.
Tonight was the Night of Champions and for me, the gimmick worked. I am a huge mark for the title belts and title matches a just the thought of a night where all the belts would be on the line sends shivers down my spine. But since the rising cost of gas has forced Zip Whittle to cut my pay, I haven't been nearly as enthusiastic about dropping 40 bones for a PPV. Any hesitation, however, went away after the draft. Bring on Night of Champions!
With Finlay and Hornswaggle officially moving to ECW, I knew the tag titles could go either way on the hot opener. The Fighting Irish against Miz and Morrison in a worth while match would rest squarely on the ability of the four to manage hard hitting wrestling, tag psychology and comedy. Which they did and then some. Miz and Morrison are fast becoming the best tag team of the last few years (sorry, Carlito and Chris Masters) and Finlay and the sprite put up as much fight as they should without Miz and Morrison losing too much credibility. WWE went the right way here and had the Chick Magnet and the Emperor of Abs go over here.
Speaking of tag teams, the Draft sent Deuce over to RAW. They've done similar things in Drafts of Yesteryear just before they fire someone useless. Sorry, Deuce, we hardly knew ya.
Matt Hardy had to defend his US Title against someone other than MVP. And the world rejoiced. Sadly, though, that challenger would be Chavo Guerrero, who can't seem to have a good match unless it's with Rey Mysterio and 7 years ago. The two worked a decent match, to be fair, and Matt Hardy picks up the win after reversing the last suplex in the Three Amigos and hitting the Twist of Fate.
** Ray Rhodes Nice Touch Moment of the Match**
When Matt Hardy hit the Twist of Fate out of the suplexes, Chavo's bodyguard was taunting the crowd and didn't see the reversal. So when Matt went for the cover and got the three count, Neely was caught off guard and it didn't give him a chance to try and interfere. If he had been watching, it would have looked silly for him to just stand there, especially since he's a heel. So, nice touch.
The Internet World had been a buzz for weeks. Who would be Diabase's partner? Was it DH Smith? No! He went to Smackdown! Was it Teddy Hart? Yeah, right. Was it Cody Rhodes in a move that makes no sense, even to the most toothless of rednecks? Of course! In a swerve that make no legal sense, even in professional wrestling, Cody Rhodes turned on Hardcore Holly and was announced his own mystery opponent. When Dibiase pinned Holly, Rhodes lost the titles with Holly and won them with Dibiase at the same time. To make matters worse, Dibiase has the worst theme music in the last 12 years as well as the worst finisher. Million Dollar Dream into some sort of Russian Leg Sweep? Apparently money can't buy you happiness, good theme music or a decent finisher. But it can buy you an awful storyline. If Ted Dibiase Sr. was dead, he's be rolling in his grave.
Somebody in the WWE woke up and had a good idea. Use Jericho to his ability. And his ability is to be a great heel and to have incredible matches, not brawling with JBL and wrestling once a month.
Now that he's in a great feud with HBK, something had to be done with the IC Title. And that something was recent draft acquisition, Kofi Kingston. In a very strong back and forth match, Jericho did what Jericho does and Kofi showed glimpses of living up to his potential despite a few rough patches. Throw in HBK, a superkick on Lance Cade and a surprise upset and you've got some intriguing TV for the next few Raws. I admit it, I'm hooked.
Pigs began to fly and Hell was frozen over because tonight was the night Mark Henry became a World Champion. It's been a long 12 or so years of multiple let downs, painful matches, and a dozen injuries but Mark Henry has done it! Night of Champions brought us Kane, Big Show and Henry in a match of Sloths. It actually started decent until Kane got roughed up on the apron after getting dumped from the ring which left Show and Henry in the ring longer than should be allowed by law. Eventually, Henry gets the win after massive amounts of bodies crashing around. Mark Henry is a happy man tonight, but the world weeps.
Mickie James defended her Women's Championship against Katie Lea Burchill in a match that would, in my mind, make or break Katie Lea. On a side note, I was digging the Burchill v Kennedy angle but they abruptly ended it and sent Kennedy to Smackdown. Jerks. The two women had a pretty good women's match truth be told and it was an actual match, with barely a hair biel, hair pull, or hair based offense at all. Thank you. Mickie picks up the win but I hope they continue to feud for another month or so.
I originally thought whichever World Title match went on last would be the big title change of the night. So when Edge v Batista was in the Viscera Spot, my hope of Batista taking the title to RAW fell apart. After weeks of getting screwed over, it seemed like the perfect point for Batista's revenge. Sadly, Edge retains but after Batista picks up Vickie and hurls her onto La Famiglia, I'd say it was worth it.
So, logically, HHH was losing to Cena, right?
I guess not.
After hyping the match as a match that would give us a moment we would never forget, it was a typical Cena/HHH match. It almost seemed too robotical and cookie-cuttered and at no point did it reach the point of intensity it should have. Even the false finishes were predictable and with HHH winning it just seemed like a cheat. Sure, it wasn't what was expected but sometimes what is expected is what's needed. Raw needs a champion and for that not to be resolved at Night of Champions just seems like a dirty trick. Like sending Matt Striker to RAW. Sorry, Matt, you're probably not going to have a job anymore.
The best part of the night, perhaps, for comedy anyway, was when Batista and Cena were talking backstage, CM Punk came up and made sure we remembered he had the Money in the Bank Briefcase. Just the thought of Punk againt Cena or Batista made me have a fit of laughter. The day Punk beats either of them is the day Carlito beats HHH. Stranger things have happened, however, Mark Henry is a World Champion after all.
Final Word: The PPV started off good but a baffling and stupid tag team match and no title change in either of the main events brings a possible A grade to a strong B.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Future Presidents appears on RAW; King of the Ring returns!
Political theatre jumped in the squared circle on Monday night as all three major Presidential Candidates appeared on RAW in taped speeches laced with wrestling catchphrases. Also on this special three-hour episode, WWE held a one-night King of the Ring tournament crowning the first champion since King Booker’s 2006 win. (Prior to that, the tournament had been retired since June 2002 when Brock Lesnar defeated RVD in the finals. Trivia note: only five of the sixteen men in that 2002 tournament – Edge, Hardcore Holly, William Regal, Val Venis and Chris Jericho – are still working for WWE now.)
WWE did not announce the participants for this tournament in advance. The news that the Presidential Candidates had each taped a message for the show was also late-breaking. No doubt, with a very close primary in Pennsylvania, any efforts to target young voters (Obama appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Monday as well), were being pursued aggressively. The overnight ratings for the show were not released yet but are expected to be higher than normal for the last two hours.
The timing for a one night, three-hour RAW directly preceding Sunday’s Backlash PPV is interesting. Typically, these specials are directives from USA. A seven-match one-night tournament like King of the Ring is an excellent way to fill the time but on a go-home show directly prior to a PPV, is it dilutive to selling Backlash? PPV storylines were woven into the tournament as well as promos for the RAW main event. However, the tri-focus of KOTR, promoting the upcoming pay-per-view and the messages by Obama, Clinton and McCain gave the show a very odd feeling.
First round was Chris Jericho (Intercontinental Champion, RAW) and Montel Vontavious Porter (US Champion, Smackdown). This pairing is especially interesting because Jericho honed his skills as one of the last modern wrestlers to really tour the world (Europe, Mexico, Japan, North America) prior to joining WWE. MVP joined the professional wrestling community much later in his life, but has shown a veracious ability to learn and improve ever since Kane literally lit a fire under his ass during their inferno match. Both have expressed a deep appreciation for Japanese strong-style wrestling. With these expectations, the match was okay but not incredible. Surprisingly, MVP submitted to the Walls of Jericho after Y2J escaped from the Play of the Day. Considering that Jericho is the referee for the Batista/HBK match and MVP has a singles match with Matt Hardy, I would have thought MVP would continue. However, seeing the rest of the matches, the decision must have been made that face-face matches would play better than heel-heel matches.
Next match was “Never say Die” Matt Hardy and “Mr. Money in the Bank” CM Punk. Considering MVP’s loss, it seemed evident that Hardy would be doing the job. Another match that would play very well in front of a ROH audience, Punk was able to get the pinfall after Hardy escaped from the G2S (KENTA’s Go 2 Sleep).
Fit Finlay and Great Khali had a short match ending in a disqualification. Khali was killing Finlay and destroying his leg by wrapping it around the ringpost. Eventually, Big Show appeared and the two had a short confrontation. I was surprised they had Khali giving Big Show the Tree-Slam on Smackdown last week. Personally, the allure of these two giants fighting one another (in my mind because Big Show had to take Khali’s place in the awful Punjabi Prison Match several years ago) is only special if we can’t see them taking bumps on free TV.
Finlay and son Hornswoggle were leaving when William Regal came out and it was announced that the diminutive former bastard son of Vince McMahon had been entered into the King of the Ring tournament. Regal made quick work of Hornswaggle by applying the Regal Stretch and immediately garnering a submission victory.
CM Punk defeated Chris Jericho in the KOTR semi-final match in the best match of the evening. These two men met just three weeks prior on Monday Night RAW during the build-up to the Money in the Bank Ladder match at Wrestlemania. In that encounter, Jericho landed the Code Breaker to defeat CM Punk in an excellent match. On Monday night, CM Punk avenged that loss when he managed to nail the G2S for the win. With a tournament which has the possibility to create new stars, CM Punk seemed like the right person to get some additional momentum. However, since he already holds the “Money in the Bank” title shot, it’s questionable whether he really would have needed to win this tournament as well.
William Regal and Fit Finlay had their usual face-bustingly violent affair. It was terrific to see them working over each other with their brutal strikes. Eventually, Regal managed to destroy Finlay with a devastating combination of senton-punches-knee lift and Regal stretch for another submission victory. Because of Finlay’s knee injury from the Khali match, I was surprised this one went as long as it did.
The finals for the 2008 King of the Ring tournament was William Regal versus CM Punk. Again, in another promotion, given sufficient time, this could be one of the finest matches of the year. On RAW, this was merely a good, albeit too short, final for a one-night tournament. In the end, Regal matched to apply the Regal Stretch for a third consecutive submission triumph.
A tournament such as King of the Ring offers an opportunity to make new stars. One of the main problems with the WWE Brand Expansion is that with the multiplying number of belts, it becomes harder and harder to establish anyone but the very top tier of the company: Triple H, Randy Orton, John Cena, Undertaker, Batista, Shawn Michaels and Edge. When you remove these players from a major tournament, you are only left with faux-main event contenders (JBL), Tag Champions (Hardcore Holly), Intermediate Belts (US Champion MVP & Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho) and ECW “Superstars” (Kane & Chavo Guerrero). The Fit Finlays of the roster are people whose sole job is really to be a credible opponent without really being a major contender. Wasting a slot on Hornswaggle, especially without a storyline about Regal being a conniving GM stacking the tournament in his own favor, is a real shame. Instead, elevating a young star such as Lance Cade or re-establishing a potential powerhouse such as Umaga would have had far more impact. William Regal’s transition to King of the WWE will hopefully be a productive adventure. He definitely has the skills and background. The real question is – who will he defend his royal title against?
WWE did not announce the participants for this tournament in advance. The news that the Presidential Candidates had each taped a message for the show was also late-breaking. No doubt, with a very close primary in Pennsylvania, any efforts to target young voters (Obama appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Monday as well), were being pursued aggressively. The overnight ratings for the show were not released yet but are expected to be higher than normal for the last two hours.
The timing for a one night, three-hour RAW directly preceding Sunday’s Backlash PPV is interesting. Typically, these specials are directives from USA. A seven-match one-night tournament like King of the Ring is an excellent way to fill the time but on a go-home show directly prior to a PPV, is it dilutive to selling Backlash? PPV storylines were woven into the tournament as well as promos for the RAW main event. However, the tri-focus of KOTR, promoting the upcoming pay-per-view and the messages by Obama, Clinton and McCain gave the show a very odd feeling.
First round was Chris Jericho (Intercontinental Champion, RAW) and Montel Vontavious Porter (US Champion, Smackdown). This pairing is especially interesting because Jericho honed his skills as one of the last modern wrestlers to really tour the world (Europe, Mexico, Japan, North America) prior to joining WWE. MVP joined the professional wrestling community much later in his life, but has shown a veracious ability to learn and improve ever since Kane literally lit a fire under his ass during their inferno match. Both have expressed a deep appreciation for Japanese strong-style wrestling. With these expectations, the match was okay but not incredible. Surprisingly, MVP submitted to the Walls of Jericho after Y2J escaped from the Play of the Day. Considering that Jericho is the referee for the Batista/HBK match and MVP has a singles match with Matt Hardy, I would have thought MVP would continue. However, seeing the rest of the matches, the decision must have been made that face-face matches would play better than heel-heel matches.
Next match was “Never say Die” Matt Hardy and “Mr. Money in the Bank” CM Punk. Considering MVP’s loss, it seemed evident that Hardy would be doing the job. Another match that would play very well in front of a ROH audience, Punk was able to get the pinfall after Hardy escaped from the G2S (KENTA’s Go 2 Sleep).
Fit Finlay and Great Khali had a short match ending in a disqualification. Khali was killing Finlay and destroying his leg by wrapping it around the ringpost. Eventually, Big Show appeared and the two had a short confrontation. I was surprised they had Khali giving Big Show the Tree-Slam on Smackdown last week. Personally, the allure of these two giants fighting one another (in my mind because Big Show had to take Khali’s place in the awful Punjabi Prison Match several years ago) is only special if we can’t see them taking bumps on free TV.
Finlay and son Hornswoggle were leaving when William Regal came out and it was announced that the diminutive former bastard son of Vince McMahon had been entered into the King of the Ring tournament. Regal made quick work of Hornswaggle by applying the Regal Stretch and immediately garnering a submission victory.
CM Punk defeated Chris Jericho in the KOTR semi-final match in the best match of the evening. These two men met just three weeks prior on Monday Night RAW during the build-up to the Money in the Bank Ladder match at Wrestlemania. In that encounter, Jericho landed the Code Breaker to defeat CM Punk in an excellent match. On Monday night, CM Punk avenged that loss when he managed to nail the G2S for the win. With a tournament which has the possibility to create new stars, CM Punk seemed like the right person to get some additional momentum. However, since he already holds the “Money in the Bank” title shot, it’s questionable whether he really would have needed to win this tournament as well.
William Regal and Fit Finlay had their usual face-bustingly violent affair. It was terrific to see them working over each other with their brutal strikes. Eventually, Regal managed to destroy Finlay with a devastating combination of senton-punches-knee lift and Regal stretch for another submission victory. Because of Finlay’s knee injury from the Khali match, I was surprised this one went as long as it did.
The finals for the 2008 King of the Ring tournament was William Regal versus CM Punk. Again, in another promotion, given sufficient time, this could be one of the finest matches of the year. On RAW, this was merely a good, albeit too short, final for a one-night tournament. In the end, Regal matched to apply the Regal Stretch for a third consecutive submission triumph.
A tournament such as King of the Ring offers an opportunity to make new stars. One of the main problems with the WWE Brand Expansion is that with the multiplying number of belts, it becomes harder and harder to establish anyone but the very top tier of the company: Triple H, Randy Orton, John Cena, Undertaker, Batista, Shawn Michaels and Edge. When you remove these players from a major tournament, you are only left with faux-main event contenders (JBL), Tag Champions (Hardcore Holly), Intermediate Belts (US Champion MVP & Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho) and ECW “Superstars” (Kane & Chavo Guerrero). The Fit Finlays of the roster are people whose sole job is really to be a credible opponent without really being a major contender. Wasting a slot on Hornswaggle, especially without a storyline about Regal being a conniving GM stacking the tournament in his own favor, is a real shame. Instead, elevating a young star such as Lance Cade or re-establishing a potential powerhouse such as Umaga would have had far more impact. William Regal’s transition to King of the WWE will hopefully be a productive adventure. He definitely has the skills and background. The real question is – who will he defend his royal title against?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Wrestlemania in Orlando - Ric Flair retires!!
JBL defeated Fit Finlay in a “Belfast Brawl” match. (An interesting choice for hot opener because it’s always tough to follow a weapons melee as the first broadcast match of the night. However, there wasn’t a lot of other choices except perhaps Umaga vs Batista or Bunnymania.) Finlay was accompanied by his returning “son”, Hornswaggle (a.k.a. the Little Bastard), who didn’t really play much of a role in the match. Finlay tried to bring the violence including kicking out the vintage Benoit/Finlay moment of diving to the outside to see the hijo answered with a nasty weapon shot. JBL’s table spot was interesting because he seemed uncertain whether he wanted to take a flip bump or not, so he ended up going shoulder/head first. Ouch. JBL ends up winning with the clothesline from hell.
Money in the Bank with Seven Men: MVP, John Morrison, Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, Chris Jericho, CM Punk and Mr Kennedy. There was no strong contender going into this match following the suspension of number eight man Jeff Hardy due to a drug test violation. As with all Money in the Bank matches, Shelton Benjamin worked hard and a spectacle ensued. Some creative spots with interlocking the ladders brought the nice innovation factor. Matt Hardy made a surprise return to knock MVP away from the briefcase which was a pleasant continuation of their feud. In the end, CM Punk won the match. However, his future is very uncertain – a title shot at ECW One Night Stand, perhaps?
Batista versus Umaga had a solid match with the Samoan Bulldozer working over the Fujian grandfather’s back. In the end, Batista narrowly managed to execute a powerbomb on the giant monster and won the “Battle for Brand Supremacy”. This did not have a big-match feeling about it, nor did feel like it was a meaningful encounter between the two brands. Umaga is probably moving off RAW in the coming weeks.
Kane won the ECW Championship (his second “world” title reign) by chokeslamming and pinning Chavo Guerrero in less than ten seconds. Kane has been on every Wrestlemania since 1998. We’ll see if his reign as ECW champion will be a ratings failure like Morrison’s.
Ric Flair lost his career-threatening match against Shawn Michaels and retired. HBK showed a lot of emotional throughout the match and put his body on line with a Asai moonsault into the announcer table that looked like it busted his ribs and a flip from the top rope to the floor that looked brutal. Arena was emotional with Flair’s last match and that sentiment will no doubt grow tonight as RAW is built around his farewell.
Bunnymania Lumberjack Match did not have Torrie Wilson as a nameless Diva on the outside. Beth Phoenix & Melina defeated Maria and her partner Ashely (filling in for a re-injured Candice Michelle). Not much to say about this match except that Snoop Dogg was given a ridiculous giant throne to watch it at ringside and later hit Santino and kissed Maria. What a great ad for his parenting reality show!
Triple H, John Cena and Randy Orton had a very well-laid out title match where the heel championship was able to retain. Crowd was vociferously booing Cena during this match as expected. Triple H was very popular but did not wear his Halloween costume. This fued will continue!
Floyd “Money” Mayweather defeated Big Show by Knock-out after Paul Wight fought an army of handlers, took several chairshots and was punched in the head by a world champ boxer while wearing brass knuckles. This match was laid out very well and the crowd was very excited to see the natural heel get hit. This may have been the best celebrity pro-wrestling match yet executed.
In the main event of the evening, Edge lost the World Heavyweight Title to The Undertaker by submission. The story of this match was the Undertaker’s 16-0 Wrestlemania streak which remains intact. Many observers pegged this match as the best on the card following a quiet beginning. Undertaker has been working hard to get the Gogoplata submission over and on Sunday, the crowd popped huge so it was a success. As usual, the show ended with a face winning a major championship.
Pre-WM IWW show: http://dl01.blastpodcast.com/indeedwrestling/15285_1206591194.mp3
Money in the Bank with Seven Men: MVP, John Morrison, Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, Chris Jericho, CM Punk and Mr Kennedy. There was no strong contender going into this match following the suspension of number eight man Jeff Hardy due to a drug test violation. As with all Money in the Bank matches, Shelton Benjamin worked hard and a spectacle ensued. Some creative spots with interlocking the ladders brought the nice innovation factor. Matt Hardy made a surprise return to knock MVP away from the briefcase which was a pleasant continuation of their feud. In the end, CM Punk won the match. However, his future is very uncertain – a title shot at ECW One Night Stand, perhaps?
Batista versus Umaga had a solid match with the Samoan Bulldozer working over the Fujian grandfather’s back. In the end, Batista narrowly managed to execute a powerbomb on the giant monster and won the “Battle for Brand Supremacy”. This did not have a big-match feeling about it, nor did feel like it was a meaningful encounter between the two brands. Umaga is probably moving off RAW in the coming weeks.
Kane won the ECW Championship (his second “world” title reign) by chokeslamming and pinning Chavo Guerrero in less than ten seconds. Kane has been on every Wrestlemania since 1998. We’ll see if his reign as ECW champion will be a ratings failure like Morrison’s.
Ric Flair lost his career-threatening match against Shawn Michaels and retired. HBK showed a lot of emotional throughout the match and put his body on line with a Asai moonsault into the announcer table that looked like it busted his ribs and a flip from the top rope to the floor that looked brutal. Arena was emotional with Flair’s last match and that sentiment will no doubt grow tonight as RAW is built around his farewell.
Bunnymania Lumberjack Match did not have Torrie Wilson as a nameless Diva on the outside. Beth Phoenix & Melina defeated Maria and her partner Ashely (filling in for a re-injured Candice Michelle). Not much to say about this match except that Snoop Dogg was given a ridiculous giant throne to watch it at ringside and later hit Santino and kissed Maria. What a great ad for his parenting reality show!
Triple H, John Cena and Randy Orton had a very well-laid out title match where the heel championship was able to retain. Crowd was vociferously booing Cena during this match as expected. Triple H was very popular but did not wear his Halloween costume. This fued will continue!
Floyd “Money” Mayweather defeated Big Show by Knock-out after Paul Wight fought an army of handlers, took several chairshots and was punched in the head by a world champ boxer while wearing brass knuckles. This match was laid out very well and the crowd was very excited to see the natural heel get hit. This may have been the best celebrity pro-wrestling match yet executed.
In the main event of the evening, Edge lost the World Heavyweight Title to The Undertaker by submission. The story of this match was the Undertaker’s 16-0 Wrestlemania streak which remains intact. Many observers pegged this match as the best on the card following a quiet beginning. Undertaker has been working hard to get the Gogoplata submission over and on Sunday, the crowd popped huge so it was a success. As usual, the show ended with a face winning a major championship.
Pre-WM IWW show: http://dl01.blastpodcast.com/indeedwrestling/15285_1206591194.mp3
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
New IWW show: THE CONDEMNED~!
IWW: The Condemned Review w/ Foywonder!
Another great show with B-movie guru FOYWONDER. We talk about WWE's latest: THE CONDEMNED; Roddy Piper's hits & misses; Jesse's failed buddy cop/wrestling TV show (honestly!) and much more. Also, we have a TRIVIA CONTEST for prizes. Great show!
Another great show with B-movie guru FOYWONDER. We talk about WWE's latest: THE CONDEMNED; Roddy Piper's hits & misses; Jesse's failed buddy cop/wrestling TV show (honestly!) and much more. Also, we have a TRIVIA CONTEST for prizes. Great show!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
SANTINO~!, Hogan/Lawler OFF & TNA Lockdown PPV
This week WWE gave something back to their European fans by taping their flagship shows overseas. (And why not? As it stands, this current continental excursion is set to be the highest grossing tour in the history of the company!) RAW & Smackdown were taped this week in Italy. England will host next week.
One of the biggest surprises this past week was moving the Intercontinental Title from Umaga to a brand new character as the opener on RAW. Santino Marella, born Anthony Corelli, has been training at OVW for at least two years. In Kentucky, his character was Boris Alexiev, a faux-MMA superstar that was pushed during Paul Heyman’s time in charge of developmental. Ironically, the reason that Heyman was booking OVW instead of Jim Cornette was incidentally due to Corelli. Back in July 2005, Cornette blew his lid after Corelli, a plant in the front row, reacted poorly and laughed at Boogeyman’s debut in OVW. Cornette, notorious for his short temper, actually began slapping Corelli repeatedly in the face when he returned backstage. In the end, when word filtered back to the office, Jim Cornette lost his job with WWE, and eventually moved on to TNA. Corelli’s new moniker is thought to be a tribute to longtime WWF employee Gorilla Monsoon, real name Robert Otto Marella. The entire scenario was literally a last minute brainstorm by Vince McMahon who basically called Alexiev, and told him to get to Milan by the next day. Reportedly, Boris was in line for an ECW/Taz push by Dusty Rhodes, but that idea is now out of the window.
Some other updates:
• Jerry Lawler vs Hulk Hogan in Memphis has been cancelled. However, the event will continue with Hogan vs Paul Wight. WWE really pressured Lawler to not do this event and in the end, they won.
• Rene Dupree is in rehab. Bob Holly is getting elbow surgery. Kane needs knee surgery. Booker T got knee surgery. Ashley needs work on her leg that she broke last year.
• TNA Lockdown PPV Results from outside St. Louis, Missouri
-Chris Sabin won an Escape the Cage match (against Chris Sabin, Shark Boy, Alex Shelley, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt)
-Robert Roode defeated Petey Williams
-Gail Kim beat Jackie Moore
-Senshi (Low Ki) rolled up Austin Starr (Austin Aries) for the pin.
-Former Tag Partners STORM conquered HARRIS in a BLINDFOLD match that was not good.
-Christopher Daniels overcame Jerry Lynn clean.
-TEAM 3-D won something like their 20th Tag Title from L.A.X. in an electrified cage match that was seen as very hokey by the crowd.
-STING beat Abyss in the Wargames match. The rest of the main eventers were in there too.
• Great list of Wrestling Events throughout the country.
One of the biggest surprises this past week was moving the Intercontinental Title from Umaga to a brand new character as the opener on RAW. Santino Marella, born Anthony Corelli, has been training at OVW for at least two years. In Kentucky, his character was Boris Alexiev, a faux-MMA superstar that was pushed during Paul Heyman’s time in charge of developmental. Ironically, the reason that Heyman was booking OVW instead of Jim Cornette was incidentally due to Corelli. Back in July 2005, Cornette blew his lid after Corelli, a plant in the front row, reacted poorly and laughed at Boogeyman’s debut in OVW. Cornette, notorious for his short temper, actually began slapping Corelli repeatedly in the face when he returned backstage. In the end, when word filtered back to the office, Jim Cornette lost his job with WWE, and eventually moved on to TNA. Corelli’s new moniker is thought to be a tribute to longtime WWF employee Gorilla Monsoon, real name Robert Otto Marella. The entire scenario was literally a last minute brainstorm by Vince McMahon who basically called Alexiev, and told him to get to Milan by the next day. Reportedly, Boris was in line for an ECW/Taz push by Dusty Rhodes, but that idea is now out of the window.
Some other updates:
• Jerry Lawler vs Hulk Hogan in Memphis has been cancelled. However, the event will continue with Hogan vs Paul Wight. WWE really pressured Lawler to not do this event and in the end, they won.
• Rene Dupree is in rehab. Bob Holly is getting elbow surgery. Kane needs knee surgery. Booker T got knee surgery. Ashley needs work on her leg that she broke last year.
• TNA Lockdown PPV Results from outside St. Louis, Missouri
-Chris Sabin won an Escape the Cage match (against Chris Sabin, Shark Boy, Alex Shelley, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt)
-Robert Roode defeated Petey Williams
-Gail Kim beat Jackie Moore
-Senshi (Low Ki) rolled up Austin Starr (Austin Aries) for the pin.
-Former Tag Partners STORM conquered HARRIS in a BLINDFOLD match that was not good.
-Christopher Daniels overcame Jerry Lynn clean.
-TEAM 3-D won something like their 20th Tag Title from L.A.X. in an electrified cage match that was seen as very hokey by the crowd.
-STING beat Abyss in the Wargames match. The rest of the main eventers were in there too.
• Great list of Wrestling Events throughout the country.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Alternatives to WWE
As life is wont to do, the weeks following the granddaddy-of-them-all Wrestlemania, are usually marked with a downturn in interest. This decline will generally stabilize over the Summer, with a small upward swing typically around Summerslam. When Football returns in the Fall, usually that picks off a lot of wrestling fans until around the Royal Rumble.
So, what causes this diminished attention? Is it because WWE typically rehashes their Wrestlemania main events? In this case, Backlash will feature Lashley versus Umaga (this time in a handicap match with Vince & Shane McMahon), The Undertaker versus Dave “the Animal” Batista (again for the Smackdown championship) and John Cena versus Shawn Michaels versus Randy Orton versus Edge (at least a slight variation on the HBK/Cena WM match). Internally, the view is that “branded” PPV, that is Pay-Per-Views where only superstars from a single brand (RAW/Smackdown!/ECW), aren’t sufficiently strong in the domestic market. December’s ECW PPV had less than 100,000 buys worldwide and registered one of the lowest gross domestic buys in North America of the past decade. So, that’s why on this next PPV all three major championships will be defended.
However, if you’re not interested in this retread, what else is out there for you?
Of course, there is TNA: Total Non-stop Action. They used to be known as NWA TNA, but the NWA moniker is being phased out. They’re going back to a NWA Heavyweight Champion touring the indies, and TNA isn’t going to be sending Christian Cage or Sting out to Elbow, West Virginia to perform in a barn. This weekend is Lockdown, the PPV with ALL cage matches. (I believe this was originally Dusty Rhodes idea .) They’re on the road for this event in St. Charles, Missouri so I expect a very rowdy crowd.
The Line-up courtesy of Brian Alvarez:
* Christian & A.J. Styles & Scott Steiner & Abyss & Tyson Tomko vs. Kurt Angle & Samoa Joe & Rhino & Sting & Jeff Jarrett in a War Games match where the guy who gets the pin wins a title shot at the next PPV.
* Latin American Exchange (LAX- Homicide & Hernadez) vs. Team 3D (The Dudleyz) for the NWA Tag Titles in an ELECTRIFIED cage match
* Austin Starr (Austin Aries) vs. Senshi (Low-ki) with Bob Backlund as the referee
* Jerry Lynn vs. Christopher Daniels
* Gail Kim vs. Jackie Moore (Jacqueline)
* Chris Sabin vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Jay Lethal vs. Alex Shelley vs. Shark Boy in an Xscape the Cage match
* Petey Williams vs. Robert Roode (formerly Team Canada’s Bobby Roode)
* Chris Harris vs. James Storm in a blindfold match (former tag partners)
* Bashams (Christy Hemme's new team) vs. VKM (Voo Doo Kin Mafia – basically, the New Age Outlaws – Road Dogg/BG James & Billy Gunn/Kip James)
The PPV will probably be solid. There is some variety and extra stipulations where they can keep the matches varied so the crowd won’t be too burned out. Expect the D-Von & Bubba (Team 3D) to win the so they can add the NWA Tag Titles to their vast lineage. Still, the PPV is under the radar of most fans. I don’t expect anything above the normal 30k PPV buys that TNA always gets.
You could go down to Memphis, TN. Hulk Hogan and Jerry Lawler are putting together something that would qualify as one of the most noteworthy independent wrestling shows in a long time. (As Dave Meltzer has emphasized, there have also been numerous lucha libre shows throughout the United States geared towards Hispanic audiences which have drawn huge crowds.) Set for April 27, Hulk Hogan versus Jerry Lawler is billed as the “PMG Clash of the Legends” and booked for the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis. Former WCW/WWE/ECW superchamp Big Show will be coming out of his “retirement” to wrestle under his real name of Paul Wight. Plenty of 80s legends, especially Hogan’s buddies will be on hand: Greg Valentine, Brutus Beefcake, Jimmy Valiant, Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson, Koko B. Ware, The Barbarian, Jim Cornette, Abdullah the Butcher and Jerry Lawler’s son Grandmaster Sexay (Brian Christopher). The arena seats about 19,000 and Hogan is very clever. Hulk won’t wrestle in half-empty arena, especially since this is seen largely as a major play by Hogan to prove to WWE that he’s still relevant. (If anyone is planning on going to show, PLEASE send us an email.)
If you’re an adult (above 18) and interested in a very “alternative” wrestling product, you could consider Carmen Electra’s NWWL. That stands for the Naked Women’s Wrestling League. This isn’t porn stars rolling around in oil or chicken wing grease. It is still professional wrestling, except all the women wrestle nude. While the earliest tapings featured some pretty cornball storylines and questionable wrestling, to their credit, the owners of NWWL have really invested heavily in their product and production values. They have a substantially large training gym in Toronto where Ron Hutchinson, a professional wrestling trainer who’s taught a host of accomplished performers (including Trish Stratus, Edge and Christian), works with the women. Also, they’ve brought in independent talent such as April Hunter and Melissa Coates. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to NWWL Writer & Producer Dan Brown on several occasions, and I must admit that while creating a sexy product is always the goal of NWWL, they’re also very serious about writing & producing a real professional wrestling show. The latest taping of NWWL: Naked Revolution, begun airing on Monday on InDemand. It was taped last year in Canada. If you’re at all curious, please listen to the hour interview with Dan & April which was conducted on Monday. It was a very funny, interesting and enjoyable time!
Lastly, there is plenty of excellent independent wrestling out there. Ring of Honor, the winner of Wrestling Observer’s “Best Booker” award, is touring Minnesota & Chicago at the end of the month. NWA Upstate in Rochester, NY just held an excellent card last week including a Wargames cage match pitting Brodie Lee’s Team vs Jimmy Olsen’s Team. Pro Wrestling Guerilla (PWG) will be having another superstar event in West Hills, CA on May 19. Portage, Indiana will host the rising Fight Sports Midwest with Human Tornado, Low Ki, Tiger Mask IV and Marty Jannetty. There is plenty of excellent professional wrestling across the entire United States and Canada almost every weekend. We urge you to check it out!
So, don’t forget – if WWE has you down, there’s plenty of other great professional wrestling out there! And that’s not even touching on all the Mixed Marital Arts goodness that awaits you as well…
So, what causes this diminished attention? Is it because WWE typically rehashes their Wrestlemania main events? In this case, Backlash will feature Lashley versus Umaga (this time in a handicap match with Vince & Shane McMahon), The Undertaker versus Dave “the Animal” Batista (again for the Smackdown championship) and John Cena versus Shawn Michaels versus Randy Orton versus Edge (at least a slight variation on the HBK/Cena WM match). Internally, the view is that “branded” PPV, that is Pay-Per-Views where only superstars from a single brand (RAW/Smackdown!/ECW), aren’t sufficiently strong in the domestic market. December’s ECW PPV had less than 100,000 buys worldwide and registered one of the lowest gross domestic buys in North America of the past decade. So, that’s why on this next PPV all three major championships will be defended.
However, if you’re not interested in this retread, what else is out there for you?
Of course, there is TNA: Total Non-stop Action. They used to be known as NWA TNA, but the NWA moniker is being phased out. They’re going back to a NWA Heavyweight Champion touring the indies, and TNA isn’t going to be sending Christian Cage or Sting out to Elbow, West Virginia to perform in a barn. This weekend is Lockdown, the PPV with ALL cage matches. (I believe this was originally Dusty Rhodes idea .) They’re on the road for this event in St. Charles, Missouri so I expect a very rowdy crowd.
The Line-up courtesy of Brian Alvarez:
* Christian & A.J. Styles & Scott Steiner & Abyss & Tyson Tomko vs. Kurt Angle & Samoa Joe & Rhino & Sting & Jeff Jarrett in a War Games match where the guy who gets the pin wins a title shot at the next PPV.
* Latin American Exchange (LAX- Homicide & Hernadez) vs. Team 3D (The Dudleyz) for the NWA Tag Titles in an ELECTRIFIED cage match
* Austin Starr (Austin Aries) vs. Senshi (Low-ki) with Bob Backlund as the referee
* Jerry Lynn vs. Christopher Daniels
* Gail Kim vs. Jackie Moore (Jacqueline)
* Chris Sabin vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Jay Lethal vs. Alex Shelley vs. Shark Boy in an Xscape the Cage match
* Petey Williams vs. Robert Roode (formerly Team Canada’s Bobby Roode)
* Chris Harris vs. James Storm in a blindfold match (former tag partners)
* Bashams (Christy Hemme's new team) vs. VKM (Voo Doo Kin Mafia – basically, the New Age Outlaws – Road Dogg/BG James & Billy Gunn/Kip James)
The PPV will probably be solid. There is some variety and extra stipulations where they can keep the matches varied so the crowd won’t be too burned out. Expect the D-Von & Bubba (Team 3D) to win the so they can add the NWA Tag Titles to their vast lineage. Still, the PPV is under the radar of most fans. I don’t expect anything above the normal 30k PPV buys that TNA always gets.
You could go down to Memphis, TN. Hulk Hogan and Jerry Lawler are putting together something that would qualify as one of the most noteworthy independent wrestling shows in a long time. (As Dave Meltzer has emphasized, there have also been numerous lucha libre shows throughout the United States geared towards Hispanic audiences which have drawn huge crowds.) Set for April 27, Hulk Hogan versus Jerry Lawler is billed as the “PMG Clash of the Legends” and booked for the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis. Former WCW/WWE/ECW superchamp Big Show will be coming out of his “retirement” to wrestle under his real name of Paul Wight. Plenty of 80s legends, especially Hogan’s buddies will be on hand: Greg Valentine, Brutus Beefcake, Jimmy Valiant, Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson, Koko B. Ware, The Barbarian, Jim Cornette, Abdullah the Butcher and Jerry Lawler’s son Grandmaster Sexay (Brian Christopher). The arena seats about 19,000 and Hogan is very clever. Hulk won’t wrestle in half-empty arena, especially since this is seen largely as a major play by Hogan to prove to WWE that he’s still relevant. (If anyone is planning on going to show, PLEASE send us an email.)
If you’re an adult (above 18) and interested in a very “alternative” wrestling product, you could consider Carmen Electra’s NWWL. That stands for the Naked Women’s Wrestling League. This isn’t porn stars rolling around in oil or chicken wing grease. It is still professional wrestling, except all the women wrestle nude. While the earliest tapings featured some pretty cornball storylines and questionable wrestling, to their credit, the owners of NWWL have really invested heavily in their product and production values. They have a substantially large training gym in Toronto where Ron Hutchinson, a professional wrestling trainer who’s taught a host of accomplished performers (including Trish Stratus, Edge and Christian), works with the women. Also, they’ve brought in independent talent such as April Hunter and Melissa Coates. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to NWWL Writer & Producer Dan Brown on several occasions, and I must admit that while creating a sexy product is always the goal of NWWL, they’re also very serious about writing & producing a real professional wrestling show. The latest taping of NWWL: Naked Revolution, begun airing on Monday on InDemand. It was taped last year in Canada. If you’re at all curious, please listen to the hour interview with Dan & April which was conducted on Monday. It was a very funny, interesting and enjoyable time!
Lastly, there is plenty of excellent independent wrestling out there. Ring of Honor, the winner of Wrestling Observer’s “Best Booker” award, is touring Minnesota & Chicago at the end of the month. NWA Upstate in Rochester, NY just held an excellent card last week including a Wargames cage match pitting Brodie Lee’s Team vs Jimmy Olsen’s Team. Pro Wrestling Guerilla (PWG) will be having another superstar event in West Hills, CA on May 19. Portage, Indiana will host the rising Fight Sports Midwest with Human Tornado, Low Ki, Tiger Mask IV and Marty Jannetty. There is plenty of excellent professional wrestling across the entire United States and Canada almost every weekend. We urge you to check it out!
So, don’t forget – if WWE has you down, there’s plenty of other great professional wrestling out there! And that’s not even touching on all the Mixed Marital Arts goodness that awaits you as well…
Monday, April 02, 2007
IWW reviews Wrestlemania 23
Wow. That was a very solid PPV! There weren't many surprises: what you expected to deliver, really did; what you expected to stink, did just that. I want to thank everyone who commented on the recent WMpredictions pieces! (We always love to hear from readers and we're interested in what you have to say.)
This year's Wrestlemania drew a reported 80,103 fans to Ford Field in Detroit. If that number is legitimate, that would easily be the largest pro-wrestling event ever held in North America. Toronto is in third place with 67k fans to see Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania VI in 1990 and 68k fans packing the Skydome for "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan vs The Rock at Wrestlemania X8 in 2002. WWF's claim of 93,173 for WM3 at the Silverdome isn't real. The real number for Wrestlemania in 1987 was closer to 78k. WM23 isn't even the record for Vince as they drew 82,000 to Wimbley Stadium in London, England for Summerslam 1992 for Bret Hart vs Davey Boy Smith. Any way you slice it, this year's Wrestlemania is a record for North American pro-wrestling gate, North American pro-wrestling attendance and highest Wrestlemania attendance. Next year's Wrestlemania will be at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando which will probably hold somewhere between 65 and 75 thousand people. It probably won't surpass this year's attendance, but it will be another huge event with tons of people and an enormous live gate!
On the Indeed Wrestling Weekly staff, LadyA showed her dominance by predicting seven of the eight matches correctly (only faltering on the ECW tag). Everyone else predicted either four or five matches of the matches correctly. On the whole, there wasn't much in the way of unexpected events. However, in pro-wrestling, predictability can be a really great thing: fans like to be able to see where a story is going and they like to be excited about that path. In the late 90s, Vince Russo & WCW Nitro Crash TV really pushed the envelope when it came to giving surprises and SWERVING the audience. Shocking people might increase television ratings, but it rarely plays well for viewers who have paid serious money to watch Pay-Per-Views. When it comes to the really big events - it's best not to do something dangerous. (Look at WCW Starcade 1997 with Sting vs Hogan for an example of how not just giving the fans what they wanted - a clean pinfall/submission - ruined a perfect angle.)After Aretha Franklin, her choir ("CROWN IT") and the military vignettes, we had Wrestlemania PYRO~! Then it was time for the first match.
1. MONEY IN THE BANK Jeff Hardy/Booker T/Fit Finlay/CM Punk/Mr. Ken Kennedy/Matt Hardy/Randy Orton/Edge)
Going into this match, the leading contenders were Edge, Orton and Kennedy. Edge, suffering from a torn bursa sac in his jaw, hasn't been wrestling much on television lately. In the end, a massive legdrop from Jeff Hardy through a ladder (the MASSIVE HGH LADDER OF DOOM) suspended between the ring and the guardrail (or MANSHIELD as TC Watts calls it) removed Edge and Jeff Hardy from this match. Fit Finlay really stepped up his game and set the tone for the evening: large men unexpectedly doing moves off the top rope: Air Finlay! This match really had it all - Hornswaggle's mini-ladder (stiff shot to CM Punk's head from Edge), Matt Hardy taking a nasty suplex on the ladder (again from Edge), Ken Kennedy missing a senton and landing neck-first on a ladder, Jeff Hardy giving a huge senton on Kennedy, Orton hitting an RKO off the ladder on CM Punk, Ken Kennedy delivering a rolling Samoan Drop to Finlay's midget from off the ladder, Fit Finlay executing a painful looking Celtic Cross on Matt Hardy across a ladder and much more! They laid out this match very well with people pairing up to fight on the ladder (with strong strikes and quick movements, this flowed a lot better than some other ladder matches) along with giving each wrestler their moment to shine (such as Edge's 6 spears, Booker T cleaning house, Randy Orton delivering multiple RKOs). In the end, it came down to the two newest WWE superstars: CM Punk and Ken Kennedy. While both were on the ladder, CM Punk hit a Maui thay kick to knock off Ken Kennedy. Kennedy retailated by throwing a ladder at CM Punk's face and climbing to victory. As Ray Rhodes & Zip Whittle predicted, the "golden boy" of Smackdown is now the 2007 Money in the Bank champion.
WINNER: KEN KENNEDY (19 minutes 10 seconds)
(RAW) The Great Khali VS (Smackdown!) Kane
Ultimately, this felt like a strange TV match somehow transported to our Wrestlemania screen. The encounter was less than six minutes long and still exposed how dreadfully poor Khali is at selling. We did get some old-school wrestling action with a trapeze muscle hold! Kane brought in his hook/scythe and we eventually got a serious low blow (with a chain) by Kane. This lead to the big moment where Kane bodyslammed Khali. It was a nice visual. (I wonder if in twenty years, people will remember this match as fondly as Andre/Hogan. Well, with the exception being that the crowd was at least vocal during that Wrestlemania match.) However, Khali could not be put down. He hit his hanging neck tree slam (chokebomb?) and won clean. No Mark Henry run-in. No DQ for using a Chain. They continue to build Great Khali. I assume he'll be fed either to John Cena or Bobby Lashley in the next four months.
WINNER: The Great Khali (5 minutes 31 seconds)
At this point, we had classic Wrestlemania Comedy with a bevy of cameos. Cryme Tyme & Eugene (looking quite Ox Baker-like) ran into the Extreme Expose, Moolah & Mae Young, REV. SLICK~!, Dusty Rhodes, Jimmy Hart, Mean Gene, IRS, Jerry Briscoe and RICKY F'N STEAMBOAT and lastly, FAROOQ (DAMN!). They had a dance party. It was a beautiful thing. "FAROOQ... FAROOQ... FAROOQ IS ON FIRE!"
US Championship: Chris Benoit (c) vs Montel Vontavious Porter
MVP has improved a lot, especially since Kane burned his ass. He's been in the WWE for less than a year and it starting to show a lot of potential for becoming a serious wrestler. The announcers (JBL/Cole) did a good job really building up Chris Benoit in this match as an incredible technical wrestler (Bret Hart & Eddy Guerrero are the "only guys able to go toe-for-toe"). Thus, when MVP was able to hold his own with Benoit, it really meant something. This was easily MVP's best match of his career (and it's no coincidence he was in there with Benoit) and I really thought they were going to put the Florida native over the Canadian for the US Title. However, in the end Chris Benoit pinned MVP clean using the diving headbutt! Either way, it was a fun match and a lot better than I expected. Ray Rhodes was right to predict that they two would click in a great way. I'm still not sure where they're going with Benoit down the line, whether he's going to stay on Smackdown or whether he might move to RAW. I expect this feud between Chris & MVP won't be over for awhile.
WINNER: CHRIS BENOIT (9 minutes 19 seconds)
We had a segment with Boogeyman, Donald Trump and former Miss USA 2006 Tara Connor. Wacky, worm-related comedy abounds. Trump was completely nonplussed by Boogeyman. Tara ran off. Trump claimed there were "almost 100,000 people" there and he couldn't get a sandwich. All I can say is that Vince McMahon is amazing - he's such a heel that he can turn Donald Trump, hardly a likeable guy, into a babyface.
The 2007 Hall of Fame was introduced: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Nick Bockwinkel, Mr. Fuji, The Wild Samoans (who did an awesome crazy pose), The Sheik (represented by his wife) and Mr. Perfect (represented by his mother and his father - Larry "the Ax" Hennig). I really wish that they would broadcast the HOF ceremony on PPV for $10-$20. They could sell a decent number and lots of older fans would be interested in tuning in!
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (SMACKDOWN! TITLE)
THE UNDERTAKER VS DAVE "THE ANIMAL" BATISTA (C)
One thing you're always guaranteed at Wrestlemania is a great Undertaker Entrance. (Always gives 20-25 indy workers the chance to throw on a black robe and walk around with fire!) My wife wondered why the druids chanted in Latin, but we all know that it's because it sounds cool. Big Dave seemed very focused. Maybe he'd read the AT&T Poll results: 82% of the voters thought he was going to lose. Both men went at it hard & heavy from the start trading strikes. The fans were audibly booing Batista and cheering Undertaker. (It was clear that Cena would be in for a ride later tonight.) Undertaker really had his working boots on tonight and was willing to pretty much kill himself in order to get over the match. He took a flip bump over the stairs on the outside, executed a picture perfect, terrifying no-hands over-the-top rope PLANCHA OF DOOM to Batista on the outside, herked Batista off the turnbuckle and planted him for a Last Ride and took a powerslam through the ECW announcer table. Batista went to the top rope and surprised us with a flying shoulderblock and had a great near fall after almost paralyzing Taker with his Batista Bomb (a jack-knife powerbomb that was so brutal that I really believed Undertaker's streak was over). However, in the end, Undertaker recovered and hit his Tombstone Piledriver to a massive ovation. This was very good; a lot of people have been calling it a highlight even above the Cena/HBK match.
WINNER AND NEW CHAMPION: THE UNDERTAKER (15 minutes 47 seconds)
Vince McMahon met with Stephanie McMahon to do a "WACKY VINCE PROMO". This one included BABY CAM and ended with the line, "She took a trump" when VKM smelled poop. It was silly but Vince can pull off a lot of stuff that would kill a mere mortal. I really was expecting Vince to get peed on in this segment.
ECW NEW BREED VS ECW ORIGINALS
(Elijah Burke/Matt Striker/Kevin Thorn/Marcus Cor Von) vs (Sandman/RVD/Dreamer/Sabu)
Ric Flair works the undercard with Carlito (against Shane Helms & Chavo Guerrero Jr.) so we can have Tommy Dreamer on Wrestlemania. At last. Anyways, at least everyone worked quickly and the audience seemed into it. The ECW Originals came in through the crowd while the New Breed made their entrance normally (with Burke looking a bit like Dee Jay from Street Fighter II). ECW fill-all, Scott Armstrong, was your referee! Sabu started the match and connected with his wacky springboard office. He tagged out to Sandman who actually executed a HYUGE legdrop across the ropes. Dreamer & Sandman did some goofy gobstopper elbows and eventually the ALPHA MALE got in the ring. Apparently, RVD was the only wrestler of this bunch who had ever been at Wrestlemania before. (Dreamer wasn’t in any hardcore battles?) The vampire came in to deliver some GOTHIC rear-chinlocks. Matt Striker knows how to take a great monkey flip! At one point, Sabu shot over the ropes and tried to kill Monty Brown. He was promptly dropped right on his head. Ouch. Anyhow, in the end ROB VAN DAM got the win with a big frogsplash. A bit of a surprising result; perhaps RVD isn’t leaving the company after all! The New Breed can’t beat the original ECW Geeks. It was a nice feel-good moment just like DJ Terry predicted.
WINNER: ECW ORIGINALS (6:26)
BATTLE OF THE BILLIONARIES: BOBBY LASHLEY VS UMAGA
Everyone got their own entrance in this match – even the barbershop platform. (No doubt it was powered by Wrestlemania 3 ring cart technology!) Vince came in with his super powerwalk. Umaga and Armando Estrada (remember him?) showed up. He still has the IC Title, by the way! Donald Trump (show with Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe all in the crowd) saunters in with money dropping from the ceiling. Bobby Lashley, ECW World Championship and Army Sergeant, makes his way to the ring. Stone Cold Steve Austin arrives, ready to raise hell. They ate up a significant amount of time with just getting everyone down to the ring. Eventually, the match started at Umaga & Lashley traded some flying shoulderblocks (again, as the memo encouraged all the 300-pounders). Both Umaga and Lashley also did death-defying flip bumps from the ring on to the floor which could not have felt good at all. Austin made his presence known when he hooked Umaga’s eye (just like he said he would) when Jamal wouldn’t break. So, Shane McMahon showed up and distracted Steve Austin so Umaga could hit him with the Samoan Spike. Then, in the evening low point, Bobby Lashley had to sell Shane’s comical strikes (instead, of just EATING HIM) so Shane McMahon could do his “coast-to-coast” dropkick into a trash can. (This move, a take-off of RVD’s Van Terminator, was shown in the Wrestlemania clips at the start of the show. Foreshadowing!) With Austin still out, Shane tears off his shirt to reveal he’s now a referee. Umaga does a HUGE splash and nearly flattens Bobby. He pins Lashley and it’s 1…2… AUSTIN PULLS OUT SHANE. At this moment, Trump turns to the camera and nonchalantly says, “What’s going on here.” Hilarity. Then, in a surprising spot Trump runs over and clothesline McMahon and starts delivering wacky worked punches. Umaga misses a Samoan Spike on Austin, gets a stunner, Lashley spears him and 1-2-3 it’s over! Shane McMahon receives a patented Austin combo as Vince tries to sneak away. Lashley retrieves him, throws him over his shoulder and ties him to the Sweeney Todd Barber Chair (as my wife coined it). Surprisingly, Donald Trump actually participates in the shaving of Vincent Kennedy McMahon. They even break out the cream and blades to really turn McMahon bald. VKM does his hilarious facials and tries to push himself over in the chair. Out of nowhere, Steve Austin suddenly stunners Donald Trump. What can you say about a match like this? Part debacle, part spectacle, absurd and fun. Hopefully, all the added press around this match added a hundred thousand buys. Will Vince be on RAW tonight with a wig?
WINNER: BOBBY LASHLEY (so Vince McMahon got his head shaved)
We get some footage from the Lumberjack Tag Team Match with Flair/Carlito vs Helms/Chavo that was held on the preshow to give all the guys some kind of payday. Here they were mostly trying to stall so they could clean up the ring.
WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH: ASHLEY VS MELINA – RING SURROUNDED BY LUMBERJILLS
Mickie James, Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle, Maria, Kelly Kelly, Brooke Adams, Krystal, Victoria, Jillian Hall, Michelle McCool and the reappearing TRINITY came down followed by Playboy cover girl Ashely and Melina (without Johnny Nitro). They two didn’t have long to wrestle and didn’t ONCE leave the ring. They started with the obligatory hair-related offense and moved into the now-obligatory Stacy Kiebler leg chokes. Melina busted out a giant swing which was fun and Ashley did the headsissors & monkey flips proving any dope is capable. She missed an awful elbow drop. In the end, Melina won with a simple bridge. All the girls than got into a big fight. JBL ranted about “LUMBERJILL PANDEMONIUM.” I can’t fault the whole setup too much; they were in there for a simple purpose – to play a buffer between big matches. I’m glad they’re keeping on the title on Melina since Ashley is pretty hopeless as an actual wrestler.
WINNER: MELINA (3 minutes 14 seconds)
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP (RAW TITLE)
JOHN CENA (C) vs SHAWN MICHAELS
59% of the AT&T voters had Cena retaining. 41% chose HBK. Obviously, the outcome for this match wasn't as crystal clear as UT/Batista. JR kept claiming that Shawn hasn't held this title for nine years. What about his Elimination Chamber win?, I thought. Ray Rhodes set me straight: technically, that was for the World Heavyweight Championship which used to be on RAW until Batista & Cena swapped places. Cena's entrance this year lacked gangsters. Instead, it was a Ford Mustang shooting through the streets of Detroit ala Fast and the Furious. HBK was really heeling it up as a cocky bastard. Still, the crowd popped huge for Cena's arrival, booed his wrestling and cheered him whenever he seemed to be close to hitting his finisher(s): FU & STFU. We'd had very little blood (Fit got busted open during the opening match) so that was an element in this match. Shawn always steps it up when it comes to the big matches. Tonight he hit some nice enerzgis, an ASAI MOONSAULT and a very nice piledriver on Cena on top of the steps. The match had a number of great sequences highlighted by Cena trying to hit the FU and HBK countering with things such as a DDT and a sunset flip. Eventually, Cena switches gears and starts going for his submission hold but HBK is able to secure an inside cradle for a near fall. With both men bloody, Cena eventually secures an STFU but HBK manages to crawl to the ropes. Referee Jack Doan (the second ref in the match after the first one ate a Superkick from Shawn) rips Cena off Shawn and while he's admonishing him, HBK nails a sweet chin music on Cena. However, Cena does kickout and after a double down, Cena manages to secure the STFU for the victory. Ray Rhodes pointed out that's 3 of the last 4 Wrestlemanias where the main event had ended in a tap-out.
WINNER: JOHN CENA (28 minutes 21 seconds)
All in all? It was a great event. Both big title matches really delivered and the Battle of the Billionaires was everything is promised to be. The Money in the Bank match helped cemented rising star status for Ken Kennedy and the ECW tag match had a wonderful feel-good finish. MVP/Benoit had a surprising and exciting match with the Canadian Crippler coming out on top and both Great Khali & Melina helped balance all the face wins with some heel flavor. This will be a great event on DVD.
BEST MATCH?
Zip Whittle - Cena/HBK : The Asai Moonsault was terrific. The story was basic and riveting. Even after 3.5 hours of wrestling, this match seemed fresh and exciting.
Ray Rhodes - Batista/UT: These big men really stepped it up and Undertaker proved why he's such a legend. He hasn't looked this good in ages!
What did you think? Leave us a comment and email us at indeedwrestling@gmail.com
This year's Wrestlemania drew a reported 80,103 fans to Ford Field in Detroit. If that number is legitimate, that would easily be the largest pro-wrestling event ever held in North America. Toronto is in third place with 67k fans to see Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania VI in 1990 and 68k fans packing the Skydome for "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan vs The Rock at Wrestlemania X8 in 2002. WWF's claim of 93,173 for WM3 at the Silverdome isn't real. The real number for Wrestlemania in 1987 was closer to 78k. WM23 isn't even the record for Vince as they drew 82,000 to Wimbley Stadium in London, England for Summerslam 1992 for Bret Hart vs Davey Boy Smith. Any way you slice it, this year's Wrestlemania is a record for North American pro-wrestling gate, North American pro-wrestling attendance and highest Wrestlemania attendance. Next year's Wrestlemania will be at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando which will probably hold somewhere between 65 and 75 thousand people. It probably won't surpass this year's attendance, but it will be another huge event with tons of people and an enormous live gate!
On the Indeed Wrestling Weekly staff, LadyA showed her dominance by predicting seven of the eight matches correctly (only faltering on the ECW tag). Everyone else predicted either four or five matches of the matches correctly. On the whole, there wasn't much in the way of unexpected events. However, in pro-wrestling, predictability can be a really great thing: fans like to be able to see where a story is going and they like to be excited about that path. In the late 90s, Vince Russo & WCW Nitro Crash TV really pushed the envelope when it came to giving surprises and SWERVING the audience. Shocking people might increase television ratings, but it rarely plays well for viewers who have paid serious money to watch Pay-Per-Views. When it comes to the really big events - it's best not to do something dangerous. (Look at WCW Starcade 1997 with Sting vs Hogan for an example of how not just giving the fans what they wanted - a clean pinfall/submission - ruined a perfect angle.)After Aretha Franklin, her choir ("CROWN IT") and the military vignettes, we had Wrestlemania PYRO~! Then it was time for the first match.
1. MONEY IN THE BANK Jeff Hardy/Booker T/Fit Finlay/CM Punk/Mr. Ken Kennedy/Matt Hardy/Randy Orton/Edge)
Going into this match, the leading contenders were Edge, Orton and Kennedy. Edge, suffering from a torn bursa sac in his jaw, hasn't been wrestling much on television lately. In the end, a massive legdrop from Jeff Hardy through a ladder (the MASSIVE HGH LADDER OF DOOM) suspended between the ring and the guardrail (or MANSHIELD as TC Watts calls it) removed Edge and Jeff Hardy from this match. Fit Finlay really stepped up his game and set the tone for the evening: large men unexpectedly doing moves off the top rope: Air Finlay! This match really had it all - Hornswaggle's mini-ladder (stiff shot to CM Punk's head from Edge), Matt Hardy taking a nasty suplex on the ladder (again from Edge), Ken Kennedy missing a senton and landing neck-first on a ladder, Jeff Hardy giving a huge senton on Kennedy, Orton hitting an RKO off the ladder on CM Punk, Ken Kennedy delivering a rolling Samoan Drop to Finlay's midget from off the ladder, Fit Finlay executing a painful looking Celtic Cross on Matt Hardy across a ladder and much more! They laid out this match very well with people pairing up to fight on the ladder (with strong strikes and quick movements, this flowed a lot better than some other ladder matches) along with giving each wrestler their moment to shine (such as Edge's 6 spears, Booker T cleaning house, Randy Orton delivering multiple RKOs). In the end, it came down to the two newest WWE superstars: CM Punk and Ken Kennedy. While both were on the ladder, CM Punk hit a Maui thay kick to knock off Ken Kennedy. Kennedy retailated by throwing a ladder at CM Punk's face and climbing to victory. As Ray Rhodes & Zip Whittle predicted, the "golden boy" of Smackdown is now the 2007 Money in the Bank champion.
WINNER: KEN KENNEDY (19 minutes 10 seconds)
(RAW) The Great Khali VS (Smackdown!) Kane
Ultimately, this felt like a strange TV match somehow transported to our Wrestlemania screen. The encounter was less than six minutes long and still exposed how dreadfully poor Khali is at selling. We did get some old-school wrestling action with a trapeze muscle hold! Kane brought in his hook/scythe and we eventually got a serious low blow (with a chain) by Kane. This lead to the big moment where Kane bodyslammed Khali. It was a nice visual. (I wonder if in twenty years, people will remember this match as fondly as Andre/Hogan. Well, with the exception being that the crowd was at least vocal during that Wrestlemania match.) However, Khali could not be put down. He hit his hanging neck tree slam (chokebomb?) and won clean. No Mark Henry run-in. No DQ for using a Chain. They continue to build Great Khali. I assume he'll be fed either to John Cena or Bobby Lashley in the next four months.
WINNER: The Great Khali (5 minutes 31 seconds)
At this point, we had classic Wrestlemania Comedy with a bevy of cameos. Cryme Tyme & Eugene (looking quite Ox Baker-like) ran into the Extreme Expose, Moolah & Mae Young, REV. SLICK~!, Dusty Rhodes, Jimmy Hart, Mean Gene, IRS, Jerry Briscoe and RICKY F'N STEAMBOAT and lastly, FAROOQ (DAMN!). They had a dance party. It was a beautiful thing. "FAROOQ... FAROOQ... FAROOQ IS ON FIRE!"
US Championship: Chris Benoit (c) vs Montel Vontavious Porter
MVP has improved a lot, especially since Kane burned his ass. He's been in the WWE for less than a year and it starting to show a lot of potential for becoming a serious wrestler. The announcers (JBL/Cole) did a good job really building up Chris Benoit in this match as an incredible technical wrestler (Bret Hart & Eddy Guerrero are the "only guys able to go toe-for-toe"). Thus, when MVP was able to hold his own with Benoit, it really meant something. This was easily MVP's best match of his career (and it's no coincidence he was in there with Benoit) and I really thought they were going to put the Florida native over the Canadian for the US Title. However, in the end Chris Benoit pinned MVP clean using the diving headbutt! Either way, it was a fun match and a lot better than I expected. Ray Rhodes was right to predict that they two would click in a great way. I'm still not sure where they're going with Benoit down the line, whether he's going to stay on Smackdown or whether he might move to RAW. I expect this feud between Chris & MVP won't be over for awhile.
WINNER: CHRIS BENOIT (9 minutes 19 seconds)
We had a segment with Boogeyman, Donald Trump and former Miss USA 2006 Tara Connor. Wacky, worm-related comedy abounds. Trump was completely nonplussed by Boogeyman. Tara ran off. Trump claimed there were "almost 100,000 people" there and he couldn't get a sandwich. All I can say is that Vince McMahon is amazing - he's such a heel that he can turn Donald Trump, hardly a likeable guy, into a babyface.
The 2007 Hall of Fame was introduced: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Nick Bockwinkel, Mr. Fuji, The Wild Samoans (who did an awesome crazy pose), The Sheik (represented by his wife) and Mr. Perfect (represented by his mother and his father - Larry "the Ax" Hennig). I really wish that they would broadcast the HOF ceremony on PPV for $10-$20. They could sell a decent number and lots of older fans would be interested in tuning in!
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (SMACKDOWN! TITLE)
THE UNDERTAKER VS DAVE "THE ANIMAL" BATISTA (C)
One thing you're always guaranteed at Wrestlemania is a great Undertaker Entrance. (Always gives 20-25 indy workers the chance to throw on a black robe and walk around with fire!) My wife wondered why the druids chanted in Latin, but we all know that it's because it sounds cool. Big Dave seemed very focused. Maybe he'd read the AT&T Poll results: 82% of the voters thought he was going to lose. Both men went at it hard & heavy from the start trading strikes. The fans were audibly booing Batista and cheering Undertaker. (It was clear that Cena would be in for a ride later tonight.) Undertaker really had his working boots on tonight and was willing to pretty much kill himself in order to get over the match. He took a flip bump over the stairs on the outside, executed a picture perfect, terrifying no-hands over-the-top rope PLANCHA OF DOOM to Batista on the outside, herked Batista off the turnbuckle and planted him for a Last Ride and took a powerslam through the ECW announcer table. Batista went to the top rope and surprised us with a flying shoulderblock and had a great near fall after almost paralyzing Taker with his Batista Bomb (a jack-knife powerbomb that was so brutal that I really believed Undertaker's streak was over). However, in the end, Undertaker recovered and hit his Tombstone Piledriver to a massive ovation. This was very good; a lot of people have been calling it a highlight even above the Cena/HBK match.
WINNER AND NEW CHAMPION: THE UNDERTAKER (15 minutes 47 seconds)
Vince McMahon met with Stephanie McMahon to do a "WACKY VINCE PROMO". This one included BABY CAM and ended with the line, "She took a trump" when VKM smelled poop. It was silly but Vince can pull off a lot of stuff that would kill a mere mortal. I really was expecting Vince to get peed on in this segment.
ECW NEW BREED VS ECW ORIGINALS
(Elijah Burke/Matt Striker/Kevin Thorn/Marcus Cor Von) vs (Sandman/RVD/Dreamer/Sabu)
Ric Flair works the undercard with Carlito (against Shane Helms & Chavo Guerrero Jr.) so we can have Tommy Dreamer on Wrestlemania. At last. Anyways, at least everyone worked quickly and the audience seemed into it. The ECW Originals came in through the crowd while the New Breed made their entrance normally (with Burke looking a bit like Dee Jay from Street Fighter II). ECW fill-all, Scott Armstrong, was your referee! Sabu started the match and connected with his wacky springboard office. He tagged out to Sandman who actually executed a HYUGE legdrop across the ropes. Dreamer & Sandman did some goofy gobstopper elbows and eventually the ALPHA MALE got in the ring. Apparently, RVD was the only wrestler of this bunch who had ever been at Wrestlemania before. (Dreamer wasn’t in any hardcore battles?) The vampire came in to deliver some GOTHIC rear-chinlocks. Matt Striker knows how to take a great monkey flip! At one point, Sabu shot over the ropes and tried to kill Monty Brown. He was promptly dropped right on his head. Ouch. Anyhow, in the end ROB VAN DAM got the win with a big frogsplash. A bit of a surprising result; perhaps RVD isn’t leaving the company after all! The New Breed can’t beat the original ECW Geeks. It was a nice feel-good moment just like DJ Terry predicted.
WINNER: ECW ORIGINALS (6:26)
BATTLE OF THE BILLIONARIES: BOBBY LASHLEY VS UMAGA
Everyone got their own entrance in this match – even the barbershop platform. (No doubt it was powered by Wrestlemania 3 ring cart technology!) Vince came in with his super powerwalk. Umaga and Armando Estrada (remember him?) showed up. He still has the IC Title, by the way! Donald Trump (show with Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe all in the crowd) saunters in with money dropping from the ceiling. Bobby Lashley, ECW World Championship and Army Sergeant, makes his way to the ring. Stone Cold Steve Austin arrives, ready to raise hell. They ate up a significant amount of time with just getting everyone down to the ring. Eventually, the match started at Umaga & Lashley traded some flying shoulderblocks (again, as the memo encouraged all the 300-pounders). Both Umaga and Lashley also did death-defying flip bumps from the ring on to the floor which could not have felt good at all. Austin made his presence known when he hooked Umaga’s eye (just like he said he would) when Jamal wouldn’t break. So, Shane McMahon showed up and distracted Steve Austin so Umaga could hit him with the Samoan Spike. Then, in the evening low point, Bobby Lashley had to sell Shane’s comical strikes (instead, of just EATING HIM) so Shane McMahon could do his “coast-to-coast” dropkick into a trash can. (This move, a take-off of RVD’s Van Terminator, was shown in the Wrestlemania clips at the start of the show. Foreshadowing!) With Austin still out, Shane tears off his shirt to reveal he’s now a referee. Umaga does a HUGE splash and nearly flattens Bobby. He pins Lashley and it’s 1…2… AUSTIN PULLS OUT SHANE. At this moment, Trump turns to the camera and nonchalantly says, “What’s going on here.” Hilarity. Then, in a surprising spot Trump runs over and clothesline McMahon and starts delivering wacky worked punches. Umaga misses a Samoan Spike on Austin, gets a stunner, Lashley spears him and 1-2-3 it’s over! Shane McMahon receives a patented Austin combo as Vince tries to sneak away. Lashley retrieves him, throws him over his shoulder and ties him to the Sweeney Todd Barber Chair (as my wife coined it). Surprisingly, Donald Trump actually participates in the shaving of Vincent Kennedy McMahon. They even break out the cream and blades to really turn McMahon bald. VKM does his hilarious facials and tries to push himself over in the chair. Out of nowhere, Steve Austin suddenly stunners Donald Trump. What can you say about a match like this? Part debacle, part spectacle, absurd and fun. Hopefully, all the added press around this match added a hundred thousand buys. Will Vince be on RAW tonight with a wig?
WINNER: BOBBY LASHLEY (so Vince McMahon got his head shaved)
We get some footage from the Lumberjack Tag Team Match with Flair/Carlito vs Helms/Chavo that was held on the preshow to give all the guys some kind of payday. Here they were mostly trying to stall so they could clean up the ring.
WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH: ASHLEY VS MELINA – RING SURROUNDED BY LUMBERJILLS
Mickie James, Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle, Maria, Kelly Kelly, Brooke Adams, Krystal, Victoria, Jillian Hall, Michelle McCool and the reappearing TRINITY came down followed by Playboy cover girl Ashely and Melina (without Johnny Nitro). They two didn’t have long to wrestle and didn’t ONCE leave the ring. They started with the obligatory hair-related offense and moved into the now-obligatory Stacy Kiebler leg chokes. Melina busted out a giant swing which was fun and Ashley did the headsissors & monkey flips proving any dope is capable. She missed an awful elbow drop. In the end, Melina won with a simple bridge. All the girls than got into a big fight. JBL ranted about “LUMBERJILL PANDEMONIUM.” I can’t fault the whole setup too much; they were in there for a simple purpose – to play a buffer between big matches. I’m glad they’re keeping on the title on Melina since Ashley is pretty hopeless as an actual wrestler.
WINNER: MELINA (3 minutes 14 seconds)
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP (RAW TITLE)
JOHN CENA (C) vs SHAWN MICHAELS
59% of the AT&T voters had Cena retaining. 41% chose HBK. Obviously, the outcome for this match wasn't as crystal clear as UT/Batista. JR kept claiming that Shawn hasn't held this title for nine years. What about his Elimination Chamber win?, I thought. Ray Rhodes set me straight: technically, that was for the World Heavyweight Championship which used to be on RAW until Batista & Cena swapped places. Cena's entrance this year lacked gangsters. Instead, it was a Ford Mustang shooting through the streets of Detroit ala Fast and the Furious. HBK was really heeling it up as a cocky bastard. Still, the crowd popped huge for Cena's arrival, booed his wrestling and cheered him whenever he seemed to be close to hitting his finisher(s): FU & STFU. We'd had very little blood (Fit got busted open during the opening match) so that was an element in this match. Shawn always steps it up when it comes to the big matches. Tonight he hit some nice enerzgis, an ASAI MOONSAULT and a very nice piledriver on Cena on top of the steps. The match had a number of great sequences highlighted by Cena trying to hit the FU and HBK countering with things such as a DDT and a sunset flip. Eventually, Cena switches gears and starts going for his submission hold but HBK is able to secure an inside cradle for a near fall. With both men bloody, Cena eventually secures an STFU but HBK manages to crawl to the ropes. Referee Jack Doan (the second ref in the match after the first one ate a Superkick from Shawn) rips Cena off Shawn and while he's admonishing him, HBK nails a sweet chin music on Cena. However, Cena does kickout and after a double down, Cena manages to secure the STFU for the victory. Ray Rhodes pointed out that's 3 of the last 4 Wrestlemanias where the main event had ended in a tap-out.
WINNER: JOHN CENA (28 minutes 21 seconds)
All in all? It was a great event. Both big title matches really delivered and the Battle of the Billionaires was everything is promised to be. The Money in the Bank match helped cemented rising star status for Ken Kennedy and the ECW tag match had a wonderful feel-good finish. MVP/Benoit had a surprising and exciting match with the Canadian Crippler coming out on top and both Great Khali & Melina helped balance all the face wins with some heel flavor. This will be a great event on DVD.
BEST MATCH?
Zip Whittle - Cena/HBK : The Asai Moonsault was terrific. The story was basic and riveting. Even after 3.5 hours of wrestling, this match seemed fresh and exciting.
Ray Rhodes - Batista/UT: These big men really stepped it up and Undertaker proved why he's such a legend. He hasn't looked this good in ages!
What did you think? Leave us a comment and email us at indeedwrestling@gmail.com
Friday, March 30, 2007
IWW Staff predicts WM23!
I’ve been polling the Indeed Wrestling Weekly staff about Wrestlemania 23. We’re only a few days away from the big event and results are intriguing. There’s eight announced matches headlined by two Face vs Face brand Title encounters and a “Battle of the Billionaires” Hair stipulation featuring RAW’s top Heel and the babyface ECW champion. Of these three top matches, the former two still have a huge split in who is projected to win while the latter is beyond a foregone conclusion. However, WWE should be lauded for raising the stakes high enough not only to garner significant interest from casual fans but excitement from longtime fans too.
They’ve got four hours. Let’s run down the card and the latest predictions!
BATTLE OF THE BILLIONAIRES! UMAGA VS BOBBY LASHLEY
VKM’S HAIR VS TRUMP’S HAIR
While many people complained about how boring specific matches would be (in particular, the plodding Undertaker/Batista and Kane/Khali match-ups drew a number of derisive remarks), not a single person complained about the prominent Lashley/Umaga battle. I believe that everyone is eagerly awaiting the insane facials from Vince McMahon when he loses, along with the huge pops as Steve Austin delivers stunners left and right. Will Eugene be running down to help man the clippers? Will we see VKM in a wig next week ala Kurt Angle? It should be a fun spectacle.
WINNER: BOBBY LASHLEY (11-0 in IWW polling)
ASHLEY VS MELINA © for the WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP in a LUMBERJILL MATCH
This doesn’t promise to bring the house down in a technical classic. Fit Finlay and Dean Malenko have worked wonders in the past bringing out some surprisingly entertaining women’s matches in the past years. However, this one doesn’t promise to even live up to last year’s great Mickie James/Trish Stratus matchup. The pressure is reported to be on Melina to have a good match as the company sees her as a top act, but also as someone of an arrogant and possibly dangerous (Mickie James’ just got hurt again at a recent show) talent. Ashley is riding the wave of Playboy publicity but isn’t very good in the ring. Do you move an already meaningless title just so the babyface wins? Or do you keep the title on a rising act (which is now cemented as a singles act since Joey Mercury was fired) and line up new challengers such as a returning Beth Phoenix? IWW voters were also closely split 5-5. However, TC Watts weighted in at the last moment and agreed with my vote to call this one for the heel. In a year, I think Melina will still be around while Ashley will be gone or in TNA.
WINNER: MELINA (6-5 in IWW polling)
KANE VS GREAT KHALI
Originally, I had assumed this would have some kind of stipulation added to it. Not necessarily “amateur wrestling” rules, but perhaps making it a chain?, cage?, scythe?, something match. But, as of the time I’m writing this, it’s still an ordinary wrestling match. Kane has a lousy Wrestlemania Record (4-5) with his sole singles victory being a DQ win over HHH at WM15. Great Khali was moved to RAW from ECW to become a heel contender. Rumors have a returning Mark Henry feuding with Kane in coming months. What does it all mean? IWW Voters weren’t sure either:
5 votes for KANE victory
3 votes for KHALI victory
2 voters for KANE VIA DQ (i.e. Mark Henry attacks Kane and Khali is disqualified)
1 vote for KHALI VIA DQ (i.e. Kane takes out his hook and Kane is disqualified)
What do we know? As IWW Navy correspondent, Empire JH put it – “This match may even take place in slower motion than Hogan vs. Andre from 20 years ago.” Maybe that’s the real reason it’s on WM!
WINNER: KANE (7-4 in IWW polling)
ECW NEW BREED (Burke, Striker, Brown, Thorn) VS ORIGINALS (Sabu, RVD, Sandman, Dreamer)
The story of this match really is what’s happening with Rob Van Dam. As Kip Corona put it, “if RVD is planning on not resigning and will be leaving the WWE, it’ll be the New Breed. Otherwise, the Originals will win.” I laid out my thinking in this column a few months ago. I think we’re at point where the New Breed needs to win in order to really be worth something. Otherwise, they’re basically less than Tommy Dreamer on the totem pole, and can you really be any less than that? (See also, Balls Mahoney.) On the flipside, some (like IWW’s DJ Terry) have argued that giving the ECW Originals a victory at Wrestlemania would be seen by the audience as “a great feel-good moment”. Perhaps Mick Foley will get involved and help out the old-timers. Still, voting was close and...
WINNER: ECW NEW BREED (6-4 in IWW polling)
CHRIS BENOIT © VS MVP for the US CHAMPIONSHIP
It appears that Ray Rhodes & I are truly in the minority on this one in believing that Montel Vontavious Porter will take the title away from Chris Benoit. Reportedly, the two have been having long, excellent matches (not quite a rarity when you’re working with Benoit!) on house shows leading up to the PPV. While there have been rumors about moving Benoit to RAW in the next few months, it appears most IWW voters don’t think this will be the moment he’ll lose his title.
WINNER: CHRIS BENOIT (7-3 in IWW polling)
MONEY IN THE BANK MATCH
Edge, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Fit Finlay, CM Punk, Ken Kennedy and Booker T
This is another match with very interesting ramifications. The WWE has done an excellent job making the MITB contract into a very important thing on par with the role that the Intercontinental Title used to hold over a decade ago. IWW voters had a wide array of comments concerning this match ranging from bemoaning the lack of Shelton Benjamin, Ric Flair & Carlito to questioning whether the Edge vs Randy Orton dynamic might overshadow the match. They expanded the match to include two more competitors than last year. Whether that will be a good idea remains to be seen! As Biff from Tampa put it, “8 men? This could really be a cluster…. (mess)”.
Fit Finlay: a Smackdown star that is respected by all but not really seen as singles main event material
Randy Orton: a RAW star that has been the chosen one (in particularly, HHH wants Batista & Orton to be his legacy in creating stars) that may have been hurt by the recent drug allegations.
Jeff Hardy: has proven himself a capable performer since returning from TNA but questionable whether he’ll ever rise above the IC title.
Matt Hardy: a relentless popular performer on the Smackdown brand with some important creative people aligned against him becoming a headliner.
CM Punk: the “internet darling” who is rising in popularity; may be too soon though!
Ken Kennedy: the “golden boy” who has already feuded with top stars like Undertaker.
Booker T: the former champion who is already reduced to a role where most people forget him and wonder why he’s even in the match!
Edge: currently working through an injury, he’s been a lead heel on RAW and carried WWE’s top feud in 2006.
The favorites are EDGE (5 votes) & Mr. Kennedy (4 votes) with CM Punk, Matt Hardy, Fit Finlay and Randy Orton receiving stray mentions. I’m once again over-ruled with my personal vote: Mr. Kennedy. Edge already has had a run at the top and is well-established as heel. But perhaps the tailor-made feud with Randy Orton that will no doubt be heavily featured on the next few PPVs will include his new MITB win.
WINNER: Edge (5 votes in IWW Polling)
THE UNDERTAKER VS DAVE “THE ANIMAL” BATISTA © for the SMACKDOWN BRAND CHAMPIONSHIP (World Heavyweight Championship)
Undertaker is 14-0 at Wrestlemania having defeating Snuka, Roberts, Gonzalez, Bundy, Diesel, Sid, Kane, Bossman, HHH, Flair, A-Train, Big Show, Orton & Mark Henry. Batista is actually also undefeated (2-0) with a win over Triple H and the Evolution tag match against the Rock & Sock Connection at Wrestlemania 20. Originally, there was heavy internet gossip circulating that Batista had been the chosen one to end the Undertaker’s win streak, about the only record in Professional Wrestling that seems to matter anymore. Recent post-WM house show ads have even advertised Champion Batista vs Challenger Ken Kennedy. However, internally, the tide seems to have definitely changed. Batista’s aloof nature hasn’t won him many friends. While Smackdown creative members Michael Hayes & Dusty Rhodes (now with ECW) lobbied Vince hard for Batista to regain the championship when he returned (they didn’t support comedy heel Booker T as the top draw), it’s difficult to argue that Batista needs to keep the title against a legend like the Undertaker. Also, Batista notoriously injury-prone nature doesn’t make him a safe headliner.
All in all, IWW voters all seem equally impressed by Undertaker’s credentials. Only two voters even ventured that Batista would leave Detroit with the title (and Ray Rhodes felt that would be possible only via Disqualification!) Popular sentiment among Indeed Wrestling Weekly staff is clear.
WINNER: Undertaker (10-1, though with the outside possibility that Batista retains the title via DQ)
JOHN CENA © VS SHAWN MICHAELS for the RAW BRAND CHAMPIONSHIP (WWE Championship)
The Heartbreak Kid always brings his A-game to Wrestlemania. His matches with Razor Ramon (ladder; WM10), Bret Hart (Iron Man; WM12), Triple H & Benoit (WM 20) and Kurt Angle (WM 21) are legendary. Win or lose, this has the potential of being the best match on the card. (Money in the Bank is the other major contender.)
John Cena continues to ride a wave of enormous popularity. He really proved himself with excellent feuds against Umaga & Edge in recent months, and has been a model employee. Backstage, he’s reported spend his time closely with the boss (Vince) and as Emperor JH put it, “If they want him to be the next Rock, he’ll keep the title.” Personally, the only way I see Cena is losing is if they decide to give Shawn Michaels one more run just as a thank-you for his years of service. Triple H isn’t scheduled to return until Summerslam and so that feud seems a long way off. Additionally, if HBK were to win that would mean both titles changing hands at Wrestlemania. This year, I don’t see it happening.
WINNER: Cena (8-3 in IWW Polling)
Additionally, I asked everyone what that thought would be the last match. It’s not going to be Hair vs Hair. Kip Corona had an interesting (though unlikely) scenario where Edge cashes in his MITB title and goes right for the MITB shot that evening and goes right for the RAW Title Most people suggested “John Cena/Shawn Michaels” which I’m inclined to agree. Four voters thought it was possible that Undertaker/Batista went last, but only if Undertaker was clearly winning the title. Again, I must quote the good Emperor JH: “What will be the last match? Cena vs HBK. Even if Taker vs Batista happens to be last, I'll probably fall asleep during it, so Cena/HBK will be the last match I remember!” Well put.
Where are the tag matches? Hmmm.. let's hope for some last minute additions!
Thanks to all the IWW Staff: Ray Rhodes, Biff Cheddarhead, Geddy Lee, Zip Whittle, DJ Terry, TC Watts, Kip Corona, KGBeast, Emperor JH, WJ and LadyA!
Be sure to email your thoughts on Wrestlemania to INDEEDWRESTLING@GMAIL.COM
Also, be sure to the listen to the latest Indeed Wrestling Weekly Podcast! 44 minutes talking the final days before Wrestlemania, looking at new WWE DVDs, TNA's mini-tour, where is Rob Conway?, Mr Fuji & other HOF notes, ZUFFA BUYS PRIDE, Hogan is nuts, Batista is a jackass and MARK HENRY HAS RETURNED. A really fun show!
They’ve got four hours. Let’s run down the card and the latest predictions!
BATTLE OF THE BILLIONAIRES! UMAGA VS BOBBY LASHLEY
VKM’S HAIR VS TRUMP’S HAIR
While many people complained about how boring specific matches would be (in particular, the plodding Undertaker/Batista and Kane/Khali match-ups drew a number of derisive remarks), not a single person complained about the prominent Lashley/Umaga battle. I believe that everyone is eagerly awaiting the insane facials from Vince McMahon when he loses, along with the huge pops as Steve Austin delivers stunners left and right. Will Eugene be running down to help man the clippers? Will we see VKM in a wig next week ala Kurt Angle? It should be a fun spectacle.
WINNER: BOBBY LASHLEY (11-0 in IWW polling)
ASHLEY VS MELINA © for the WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP in a LUMBERJILL MATCH
This doesn’t promise to bring the house down in a technical classic. Fit Finlay and Dean Malenko have worked wonders in the past bringing out some surprisingly entertaining women’s matches in the past years. However, this one doesn’t promise to even live up to last year’s great Mickie James/Trish Stratus matchup. The pressure is reported to be on Melina to have a good match as the company sees her as a top act, but also as someone of an arrogant and possibly dangerous (Mickie James’ just got hurt again at a recent show) talent. Ashley is riding the wave of Playboy publicity but isn’t very good in the ring. Do you move an already meaningless title just so the babyface wins? Or do you keep the title on a rising act (which is now cemented as a singles act since Joey Mercury was fired) and line up new challengers such as a returning Beth Phoenix? IWW voters were also closely split 5-5. However, TC Watts weighted in at the last moment and agreed with my vote to call this one for the heel. In a year, I think Melina will still be around while Ashley will be gone or in TNA.
WINNER: MELINA (6-5 in IWW polling)
KANE VS GREAT KHALI
Originally, I had assumed this would have some kind of stipulation added to it. Not necessarily “amateur wrestling” rules, but perhaps making it a chain?, cage?, scythe?, something match. But, as of the time I’m writing this, it’s still an ordinary wrestling match. Kane has a lousy Wrestlemania Record (4-5) with his sole singles victory being a DQ win over HHH at WM15. Great Khali was moved to RAW from ECW to become a heel contender. Rumors have a returning Mark Henry feuding with Kane in coming months. What does it all mean? IWW Voters weren’t sure either:
5 votes for KANE victory
3 votes for KHALI victory
2 voters for KANE VIA DQ (i.e. Mark Henry attacks Kane and Khali is disqualified)
1 vote for KHALI VIA DQ (i.e. Kane takes out his hook and Kane is disqualified)
What do we know? As IWW Navy correspondent, Empire JH put it – “This match may even take place in slower motion than Hogan vs. Andre from 20 years ago.” Maybe that’s the real reason it’s on WM!
WINNER: KANE (7-4 in IWW polling)
ECW NEW BREED (Burke, Striker, Brown, Thorn) VS ORIGINALS (Sabu, RVD, Sandman, Dreamer)
The story of this match really is what’s happening with Rob Van Dam. As Kip Corona put it, “if RVD is planning on not resigning and will be leaving the WWE, it’ll be the New Breed. Otherwise, the Originals will win.” I laid out my thinking in this column a few months ago. I think we’re at point where the New Breed needs to win in order to really be worth something. Otherwise, they’re basically less than Tommy Dreamer on the totem pole, and can you really be any less than that? (See also, Balls Mahoney.) On the flipside, some (like IWW’s DJ Terry) have argued that giving the ECW Originals a victory at Wrestlemania would be seen by the audience as “a great feel-good moment”. Perhaps Mick Foley will get involved and help out the old-timers. Still, voting was close and...
WINNER: ECW NEW BREED (6-4 in IWW polling)
CHRIS BENOIT © VS MVP for the US CHAMPIONSHIP
It appears that Ray Rhodes & I are truly in the minority on this one in believing that Montel Vontavious Porter will take the title away from Chris Benoit. Reportedly, the two have been having long, excellent matches (not quite a rarity when you’re working with Benoit!) on house shows leading up to the PPV. While there have been rumors about moving Benoit to RAW in the next few months, it appears most IWW voters don’t think this will be the moment he’ll lose his title.
WINNER: CHRIS BENOIT (7-3 in IWW polling)
MONEY IN THE BANK MATCH
Edge, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Fit Finlay, CM Punk, Ken Kennedy and Booker T
This is another match with very interesting ramifications. The WWE has done an excellent job making the MITB contract into a very important thing on par with the role that the Intercontinental Title used to hold over a decade ago. IWW voters had a wide array of comments concerning this match ranging from bemoaning the lack of Shelton Benjamin, Ric Flair & Carlito to questioning whether the Edge vs Randy Orton dynamic might overshadow the match. They expanded the match to include two more competitors than last year. Whether that will be a good idea remains to be seen! As Biff from Tampa put it, “8 men? This could really be a cluster…. (mess)”.
Fit Finlay: a Smackdown star that is respected by all but not really seen as singles main event material
Randy Orton: a RAW star that has been the chosen one (in particularly, HHH wants Batista & Orton to be his legacy in creating stars) that may have been hurt by the recent drug allegations.
Jeff Hardy: has proven himself a capable performer since returning from TNA but questionable whether he’ll ever rise above the IC title.
Matt Hardy: a relentless popular performer on the Smackdown brand with some important creative people aligned against him becoming a headliner.
CM Punk: the “internet darling” who is rising in popularity; may be too soon though!
Ken Kennedy: the “golden boy” who has already feuded with top stars like Undertaker.
Booker T: the former champion who is already reduced to a role where most people forget him and wonder why he’s even in the match!
Edge: currently working through an injury, he’s been a lead heel on RAW and carried WWE’s top feud in 2006.
The favorites are EDGE (5 votes) & Mr. Kennedy (4 votes) with CM Punk, Matt Hardy, Fit Finlay and Randy Orton receiving stray mentions. I’m once again over-ruled with my personal vote: Mr. Kennedy. Edge already has had a run at the top and is well-established as heel. But perhaps the tailor-made feud with Randy Orton that will no doubt be heavily featured on the next few PPVs will include his new MITB win.
WINNER: Edge (5 votes in IWW Polling)
THE UNDERTAKER VS DAVE “THE ANIMAL” BATISTA © for the SMACKDOWN BRAND CHAMPIONSHIP (World Heavyweight Championship)
Undertaker is 14-0 at Wrestlemania having defeating Snuka, Roberts, Gonzalez, Bundy, Diesel, Sid, Kane, Bossman, HHH, Flair, A-Train, Big Show, Orton & Mark Henry. Batista is actually also undefeated (2-0) with a win over Triple H and the Evolution tag match against the Rock & Sock Connection at Wrestlemania 20. Originally, there was heavy internet gossip circulating that Batista had been the chosen one to end the Undertaker’s win streak, about the only record in Professional Wrestling that seems to matter anymore. Recent post-WM house show ads have even advertised Champion Batista vs Challenger Ken Kennedy. However, internally, the tide seems to have definitely changed. Batista’s aloof nature hasn’t won him many friends. While Smackdown creative members Michael Hayes & Dusty Rhodes (now with ECW) lobbied Vince hard for Batista to regain the championship when he returned (they didn’t support comedy heel Booker T as the top draw), it’s difficult to argue that Batista needs to keep the title against a legend like the Undertaker. Also, Batista notoriously injury-prone nature doesn’t make him a safe headliner.
All in all, IWW voters all seem equally impressed by Undertaker’s credentials. Only two voters even ventured that Batista would leave Detroit with the title (and Ray Rhodes felt that would be possible only via Disqualification!) Popular sentiment among Indeed Wrestling Weekly staff is clear.
WINNER: Undertaker (10-1, though with the outside possibility that Batista retains the title via DQ)
JOHN CENA © VS SHAWN MICHAELS for the RAW BRAND CHAMPIONSHIP (WWE Championship)
The Heartbreak Kid always brings his A-game to Wrestlemania. His matches with Razor Ramon (ladder; WM10), Bret Hart (Iron Man; WM12), Triple H & Benoit (WM 20) and Kurt Angle (WM 21) are legendary. Win or lose, this has the potential of being the best match on the card. (Money in the Bank is the other major contender.)
John Cena continues to ride a wave of enormous popularity. He really proved himself with excellent feuds against Umaga & Edge in recent months, and has been a model employee. Backstage, he’s reported spend his time closely with the boss (Vince) and as Emperor JH put it, “If they want him to be the next Rock, he’ll keep the title.” Personally, the only way I see Cena is losing is if they decide to give Shawn Michaels one more run just as a thank-you for his years of service. Triple H isn’t scheduled to return until Summerslam and so that feud seems a long way off. Additionally, if HBK were to win that would mean both titles changing hands at Wrestlemania. This year, I don’t see it happening.
WINNER: Cena (8-3 in IWW Polling)
Additionally, I asked everyone what that thought would be the last match. It’s not going to be Hair vs Hair. Kip Corona had an interesting (though unlikely) scenario where Edge cashes in his MITB title and goes right for the MITB shot that evening and goes right for the RAW Title Most people suggested “John Cena/Shawn Michaels” which I’m inclined to agree. Four voters thought it was possible that Undertaker/Batista went last, but only if Undertaker was clearly winning the title. Again, I must quote the good Emperor JH: “What will be the last match? Cena vs HBK. Even if Taker vs Batista happens to be last, I'll probably fall asleep during it, so Cena/HBK will be the last match I remember!” Well put.
Where are the tag matches? Hmmm.. let's hope for some last minute additions!
Thanks to all the IWW Staff: Ray Rhodes, Biff Cheddarhead, Geddy Lee, Zip Whittle, DJ Terry, TC Watts, Kip Corona, KGBeast, Emperor JH, WJ and LadyA!
Be sure to email your thoughts on Wrestlemania to INDEEDWRESTLING@GMAIL.COM
Also, be sure to the listen to the latest Indeed Wrestling Weekly Podcast! 44 minutes talking the final days before Wrestlemania, looking at new WWE DVDs, TNA's mini-tour, where is Rob Conway?, Mr Fuji & other HOF notes, ZUFFA BUYS PRIDE, Hogan is nuts, Batista is a jackass and MARK HENRY HAS RETURNED. A really fun show!
Friday, March 23, 2007
The Latest Posts by IWW Staff!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
IWW TRIVIA (weeks one, two and three)
INDEED WRESTLING WEEKLY TRIVIA CHALLENGE: ANSWER THESE SIMPLE WRESTLEMANIA TRIVIA QUESTIONS AND WIN GREAT PRIZES!
WEEK ONE
WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper has a long history of performing at Wrestlemania, particularly in the early years. So. which Wrestlemania was the Hot Rod not involved?
a) Wrestlemania II
b) Wrestlemania III
c) Wrestlemania IV
d) Wrestlemania V
WEEK TWO
Wrestlemania X at Madison Square Garden had one of the all-time great matches when Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels faced off in a Ladder Match for the IC Title. Also on that card was the Japapense behemoth, Yokozuna, defending his World Wrestling Federation Championship. Legendary manager Mr Fuji was again in Yokozuna's corner that evening. What other wrestler did Mr Fuji manage that evening?
a) Papa Shango
b) Crush
c) Adam Bomb
d) Leilani Kai
WEEK THREE
The Undertaker has been a phenom in the WWE for well over a decade. He's putting his streak on the line at Wrestlemania against Dave "The Animal" Batista. Going back, who was the Undertaker's first Wrestlemania match against?
a) Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
b) Giant Gonzalez
c) Kamala
d) Jake "The Snake" Roberts
WHAT TO DO
Email IWWTRIVIA@GMAIL.COM with your answers for each week. Be sure to include your name & address so we can ship you the prizes if you're a winner!
WEEK ONE
WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper has a long history of performing at Wrestlemania, particularly in the early years. So. which Wrestlemania was the Hot Rod not involved?
a) Wrestlemania II
b) Wrestlemania III
c) Wrestlemania IV
d) Wrestlemania V
WEEK TWO
Wrestlemania X at Madison Square Garden had one of the all-time great matches when Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels faced off in a Ladder Match for the IC Title. Also on that card was the Japapense behemoth, Yokozuna, defending his World Wrestling Federation Championship. Legendary manager Mr Fuji was again in Yokozuna's corner that evening. What other wrestler did Mr Fuji manage that evening?
a) Papa Shango
b) Crush
c) Adam Bomb
d) Leilani Kai
WEEK THREE
The Undertaker has been a phenom in the WWE for well over a decade. He's putting his streak on the line at Wrestlemania against Dave "The Animal" Batista. Going back, who was the Undertaker's first Wrestlemania match against?
a) Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
b) Giant Gonzalez
c) Kamala
d) Jake "The Snake" Roberts
WHAT TO DO
Email IWWTRIVIA@GMAIL.COM with your answers for each week. Be sure to include your name & address so we can ship you the prizes if you're a winner!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
IWW Raw Blog by Ray Rhodes
IWW Raw Blog: 3/19/07
by Ray Rhodes
Tonight we are promised Wrestlemania Reversal, where Cena and Michaels will face someone from their upcoming Wrestlemania opponents Wrestlemania past. Got it? Cena will face Benoit, Michaels will face JBL.
HBK's out first and here comes JBL's limo. Bradshaw says he's wearing his $8,000 custom suit and he goes on to cut a $8,000 dollar promo on HBK. Those will wrote him off all those years ago...SLAP YOUR MAMA! It leads to the Superkick which is fun because it's not if it's going to happen—it's when. Great opener here and all the Internet Marks relax that JBL didn't wrestle and surprise them.
Edge and Orton discuss tonight's Last Change Battle Royal and it's for...Edge's Money in the Bank spot. Seriously, if I'm anyone else in the match I'm pissed that I'm getting the shaft but still expected to put my body on the line. Hmm, I wonder if Edge is going to roll out of the ring (or never get in) and wait until the end to enter the Rumble, easily winning?
Bobby Lashley becomes the third person to break the Masterlock, but the only one to do it "legally". Man, if Hacksaw couldn't do it...I didn't think anyone could. This would have been a big deal—before Masters' got suspended and buried when he came back. Good thought, though.
Eugene spills some coffee on Mr Mcmahon in the back, and if there's one thing we remember about spilling coffee, it's Kane and Jericho. Neither of these men are involved tonight, however, and I expect Eugene to be in a bad way by the end of the night.
Edge wins the Last Chance Battle Royal to the surprise of maybe one guy who's never seen wrestling, RAW, a WWE Battle Royal, or Edge before. Man, I miss Lita. Edge fakes an injury and slides in just in time to throw Flair over. I just have to say, Flair got clotheslined over the top rope and managed to stay on the apron. I was impressed. Edge is going to Wrestlemania...still!
Eugene feels the wrath of Umaga and McMahon snaps, shaving Eugene's head. Zip suggests a new Basham or perhaps the third Highlander?
The Internet was abuzz over real life heat between Candice and Melina all week. Some were adamant that since they weren't in a program, the HEAT was LEGIT. Then, they did the angle on Raw. Another odd commercial break as they return and Melina and Candice are mid-way through their Bra-and-Panties match. Which Melina wins. But don't worry! Here comes Ashley for a STARE DOWN. Khali makes his way to the ring to inflict violence but upcoming HOFer Jerry Lawler makes the save only to get consumed by Khali. The only thing left was his Obnoxious Shirt, which Khali spit out.
Jeff Hardy and Orton have a match but at this point me and my girlfriend's ferret has decided to go under the refrigerator and not come out. Jeff Hardy hits a leap frog leg drop off a ladder for some reason. Eh, look it up if you don't know. The WWE is trying to get as much mileage off Hardy before he GETS ADDICTED AGAIN. Smart business plan.
After a decent match, Cena makes Benoit tap-tap-tap. HBK and Cena have an amusing tease of their finishers before JBL announces next week, it's Cena and HBK v Undertaker and Batista. It's also McMahon v Lashley.
Final Thoughts: Decent build-up for Wrestlemania but at this point, you're either sold or you aren't. I'm just ready for the damn thing. I give it 4 Garvin Stomps on the week to weigh it on at about a B.
by Ray Rhodes
Tonight we are promised Wrestlemania Reversal, where Cena and Michaels will face someone from their upcoming Wrestlemania opponents Wrestlemania past. Got it? Cena will face Benoit, Michaels will face JBL.
HBK's out first and here comes JBL's limo. Bradshaw says he's wearing his $8,000 custom suit and he goes on to cut a $8,000 dollar promo on HBK. Those will wrote him off all those years ago...SLAP YOUR MAMA! It leads to the Superkick which is fun because it's not if it's going to happen—it's when. Great opener here and all the Internet Marks relax that JBL didn't wrestle and surprise them.
Edge and Orton discuss tonight's Last Change Battle Royal and it's for...Edge's Money in the Bank spot. Seriously, if I'm anyone else in the match I'm pissed that I'm getting the shaft but still expected to put my body on the line. Hmm, I wonder if Edge is going to roll out of the ring (or never get in) and wait until the end to enter the Rumble, easily winning?
Bobby Lashley becomes the third person to break the Masterlock, but the only one to do it "legally". Man, if Hacksaw couldn't do it...I didn't think anyone could. This would have been a big deal—before Masters' got suspended and buried when he came back. Good thought, though.
Eugene spills some coffee on Mr Mcmahon in the back, and if there's one thing we remember about spilling coffee, it's Kane and Jericho. Neither of these men are involved tonight, however, and I expect Eugene to be in a bad way by the end of the night.
Edge wins the Last Chance Battle Royal to the surprise of maybe one guy who's never seen wrestling, RAW, a WWE Battle Royal, or Edge before. Man, I miss Lita. Edge fakes an injury and slides in just in time to throw Flair over. I just have to say, Flair got clotheslined over the top rope and managed to stay on the apron. I was impressed. Edge is going to Wrestlemania...still!
Eugene feels the wrath of Umaga and McMahon snaps, shaving Eugene's head. Zip suggests a new Basham or perhaps the third Highlander?
The Internet was abuzz over real life heat between Candice and Melina all week. Some were adamant that since they weren't in a program, the HEAT was LEGIT. Then, they did the angle on Raw. Another odd commercial break as they return and Melina and Candice are mid-way through their Bra-and-Panties match. Which Melina wins. But don't worry! Here comes Ashley for a STARE DOWN. Khali makes his way to the ring to inflict violence but upcoming HOFer Jerry Lawler makes the save only to get consumed by Khali. The only thing left was his Obnoxious Shirt, which Khali spit out.
Jeff Hardy and Orton have a match but at this point me and my girlfriend's ferret has decided to go under the refrigerator and not come out. Jeff Hardy hits a leap frog leg drop off a ladder for some reason. Eh, look it up if you don't know. The WWE is trying to get as much mileage off Hardy before he GETS ADDICTED AGAIN. Smart business plan.
After a decent match, Cena makes Benoit tap-tap-tap. HBK and Cena have an amusing tease of their finishers before JBL announces next week, it's Cena and HBK v Undertaker and Batista. It's also McMahon v Lashley.
Final Thoughts: Decent build-up for Wrestlemania but at this point, you're either sold or you aren't. I'm just ready for the damn thing. I give it 4 Garvin Stomps on the week to weigh it on at about a B.
WWE plans international expansion
One of the biggest stories in the past five years broke recently when it was revealed that the WWE is considering a true global expansion. CFO for World Wrestling Entertainment, Micheal Selick, discussed their developing plans in an interview with Financial Week. The idea centers on establishing separate WWE promotions which would run full-time in distinct international markets. Each region would have their own unique storylines and televisions tapings. In short, the WWE product would go from three North American-centered brands (RAW, Smackdown, ECW) to a series of brands on different continents across the world, each producing their own content for that area of the world.
Although the plan is still in the preliminary stages, the territories that are being considered for expansion are:
1) PACIFIC REGION covering Japan, South Korea, China, Australia
2) EUROPEAN REGION covering Europe
3) HISPANIC REGION covering Puerto Rico, Mexico, South America
As it stands, the idea is to export the Smackdown brand (which has shown strong rating & attendance drawing ability in the Southwest U.S.) to become the Hispanic Region brand. WWE would continue to operate two separate touring brands, RAW & ECW, in North America (covering USA & Canada). Additionally, there was mention of adding a Russian territory expansion at a later date.
These expansions would require that each region have a sufficient production team capable of creating their own weekly television programming within each of the regions. So, each territory would need an experienced TV executive (with region-specific familiarity), along with at least one senior agent and one television writer to run the territory. Of course, wrestlers for each brand would also be required to move full-time overseas. Understandably, there are plenty of questions, doubt, confusion and uncertainty internally in WWE with the prospect of having to uproot families to move across the world.
At this moment, Shane McMahon and Selick are responsible for developing the plan. Then they will present it to the executives at WWE, most notably Vince McMahon. Allegedly, Vince is very excited and interested at this international prospect. However, considering the extreme level of precision and control that Vince likes to exercise over his television, it’s questionable whether he’d allow such decentralization of production.
While the proposal is still being drafted, there have been a few discussions with specific people. Paul Heyman, who is at home, still under WWE contract but not being utilized, has been considered for the Pacific Region. Head RAW Writer Brian Gerwitz (responsible for the Rock’s most recent impromptu appearance) has been given specific assurances by Stephanie McMahon that he will not be required to move overseas. However, beyond that, much remains to be seen. There is certainly a measured amount of apprehension among the wrestlers who know they don’t have much say in whether they will be utilized domestically or internationally in such an expansion.
Obviously, the plan will call for hiring many more people with a wrestling background. In the most recent WWE annual report, they list having over 500 employees, but that doesn’t include the wrestlers (who are labeled “independent contractors” in the filing). On each RAW & Smackdown brand, you have about 27 active wrestlers. (ECW has around 18.) Additionally, there are two announcers, about four referees, and 4-6 other people (Midgets, Managers, Commissioners, people to say “DAMN!”). With all the Diva search hirings and swimsuit models, each brand has 6-8 woman and 3-6 agents and writers. In total, there at least fifty people per brand. So, these new territories would probably call for at least 150 new hires.
There are a lot of pros and cons to implementing such an ambitious and extensive expansion plan. WWE is an internationally recognized pro-wrestling brand. They are easily the biggest pro-wrestling company in the world and a market leader. Their international tours have draw strongly and over the last three years, the reality of the situation is that strong growth and support in markets outside of North America have really kept WWE financially solid.
However, there’s a significant difference when you move from sporadic international tours (coming to Europe twice or three times a year) to becoming a permanent, weekly entity. WWE’s latest plans for overseas tours have already begun showing signs of burn-out and disinterest in places such as Mexico and Australia. Are these territories stable enough to support a weekly promotion with the production values that WWE is accustom? For instance, while CMLL & AAA might draw tens of thousands of fans to major arenas in Mexico, the ticket prices are still quite low when compared to WWE. In such a fragile economy, can a brand be implemented that will be profitable at WWE’s production scale? If wrestlers will continue to receive North American wages, can the territory earn enough money to be profitable at all? Will WWE be able to strike deals with key television networks such as Televisa and replace lucha? Will the WWE style be popular in the country or will they need to change how they perform?
Japan also has established competitors with New Japan, All-Japan and NOAH. However, Japanese pro-wrestling has lost enormous popularity to MMA promotions and these former powerhouses have nearly collapsed. WWE would be entering an expensive and difficult climate where wrestling has already been pushed to the fringes of Japanese television. Again, their latest tours of the Far East have showed many signs of not drawing to expectations.
Europe’s appetite for pro-wrestling, especially in the UK, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Spain and Italy has been exceptionally important for the WWE since the end of the boom period of the late 90s. Without a major European promotion (there are several independent companies in each country, but nothing that could be considered a legitimate competitor to WWE), less of a language barrier (English is widely understood in the EU), and a history of selling PPVs abroad, this region probably has the best shot. There are several European workers in the company (Fit Finlay, William Regal and Paul Burchill) who could work as strong lynchpins for helping establish the new brand.
The advantage of the territory system is that wrestlers can be rotated from one region to the next in order to prevent them from becoming stale. Recently, the WWE announced that for all PPVs going forth, members of all three brands (ECW/Smackdown/RAW) would be involved. While this is seen as a necessity to keeping B-level branded PPV buys strong, it will only contribute to further water down the distinctiveness of the brands and keep the same top talent consistently on the television screen. In the old territory days of wrestling, moving wrestlers around the circuit from promotion to promotion keep people fresh, but gave them experience working different styles in different types of crowds. One major criticism that veterans have for this generation of pro-wrestlers is their lack of experience working a variety of styles in front of significant crowds. In theory, a well-orchestrated system of rotation among the territories could give a vast wealth of experience and training to young wrestlers.
In the end, I believe that this expansion plan will probably be scaled back to establishing a European brand and increasing tours of the Southwest & Mexico using a more Hispanic-focused Smackdown brand. I have a lot of questions about what would happen to the developmental leagues (OVW in Kentucky & DSW in Atlanta) if these territory expansions continued (Would they send new talent overseas before bringing them on American TV?). Neither Japan nor Mexico has extensive history buying PPVs in order to really support a wrestling product. Will live attendance at events along with television rights fees be enough to support the product? Will the touring areas be too large in some case? A lot of questions remain to be seen. However, as WWE intends to compete with UFC (with their PPVs reaching over a million domestic buys, a number WWE hasn’t made in years) and PRIDE (with a faltering business that may have already been sold), they look to international markets as a source for creating new stars, new territories and new opportunities. It’ll be years before such an ambitious plan can be implemented, but it’s a very exciting idea that we’ll be following quite closely! Among industry insiders, the biggest fear is burning out or failing spectactularly in any of these international markets on a scale that would shake or destroy WWE’s reputation and confidence in global opportunities.
Although the plan is still in the preliminary stages, the territories that are being considered for expansion are:
1) PACIFIC REGION covering Japan, South Korea, China, Australia
2) EUROPEAN REGION covering Europe
3) HISPANIC REGION covering Puerto Rico, Mexico, South America
As it stands, the idea is to export the Smackdown brand (which has shown strong rating & attendance drawing ability in the Southwest U.S.) to become the Hispanic Region brand. WWE would continue to operate two separate touring brands, RAW & ECW, in North America (covering USA & Canada). Additionally, there was mention of adding a Russian territory expansion at a later date.
These expansions would require that each region have a sufficient production team capable of creating their own weekly television programming within each of the regions. So, each territory would need an experienced TV executive (with region-specific familiarity), along with at least one senior agent and one television writer to run the territory. Of course, wrestlers for each brand would also be required to move full-time overseas. Understandably, there are plenty of questions, doubt, confusion and uncertainty internally in WWE with the prospect of having to uproot families to move across the world.
At this moment, Shane McMahon and Selick are responsible for developing the plan. Then they will present it to the executives at WWE, most notably Vince McMahon. Allegedly, Vince is very excited and interested at this international prospect. However, considering the extreme level of precision and control that Vince likes to exercise over his television, it’s questionable whether he’d allow such decentralization of production.
While the proposal is still being drafted, there have been a few discussions with specific people. Paul Heyman, who is at home, still under WWE contract but not being utilized, has been considered for the Pacific Region. Head RAW Writer Brian Gerwitz (responsible for the Rock’s most recent impromptu appearance) has been given specific assurances by Stephanie McMahon that he will not be required to move overseas. However, beyond that, much remains to be seen. There is certainly a measured amount of apprehension among the wrestlers who know they don’t have much say in whether they will be utilized domestically or internationally in such an expansion.
Obviously, the plan will call for hiring many more people with a wrestling background. In the most recent WWE annual report, they list having over 500 employees, but that doesn’t include the wrestlers (who are labeled “independent contractors” in the filing). On each RAW & Smackdown brand, you have about 27 active wrestlers. (ECW has around 18.) Additionally, there are two announcers, about four referees, and 4-6 other people (Midgets, Managers, Commissioners, people to say “DAMN!”). With all the Diva search hirings and swimsuit models, each brand has 6-8 woman and 3-6 agents and writers. In total, there at least fifty people per brand. So, these new territories would probably call for at least 150 new hires.
There are a lot of pros and cons to implementing such an ambitious and extensive expansion plan. WWE is an internationally recognized pro-wrestling brand. They are easily the biggest pro-wrestling company in the world and a market leader. Their international tours have draw strongly and over the last three years, the reality of the situation is that strong growth and support in markets outside of North America have really kept WWE financially solid.
However, there’s a significant difference when you move from sporadic international tours (coming to Europe twice or three times a year) to becoming a permanent, weekly entity. WWE’s latest plans for overseas tours have already begun showing signs of burn-out and disinterest in places such as Mexico and Australia. Are these territories stable enough to support a weekly promotion with the production values that WWE is accustom? For instance, while CMLL & AAA might draw tens of thousands of fans to major arenas in Mexico, the ticket prices are still quite low when compared to WWE. In such a fragile economy, can a brand be implemented that will be profitable at WWE’s production scale? If wrestlers will continue to receive North American wages, can the territory earn enough money to be profitable at all? Will WWE be able to strike deals with key television networks such as Televisa and replace lucha? Will the WWE style be popular in the country or will they need to change how they perform?
Japan also has established competitors with New Japan, All-Japan and NOAH. However, Japanese pro-wrestling has lost enormous popularity to MMA promotions and these former powerhouses have nearly collapsed. WWE would be entering an expensive and difficult climate where wrestling has already been pushed to the fringes of Japanese television. Again, their latest tours of the Far East have showed many signs of not drawing to expectations.
Europe’s appetite for pro-wrestling, especially in the UK, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Spain and Italy has been exceptionally important for the WWE since the end of the boom period of the late 90s. Without a major European promotion (there are several independent companies in each country, but nothing that could be considered a legitimate competitor to WWE), less of a language barrier (English is widely understood in the EU), and a history of selling PPVs abroad, this region probably has the best shot. There are several European workers in the company (Fit Finlay, William Regal and Paul Burchill) who could work as strong lynchpins for helping establish the new brand.
The advantage of the territory system is that wrestlers can be rotated from one region to the next in order to prevent them from becoming stale. Recently, the WWE announced that for all PPVs going forth, members of all three brands (ECW/Smackdown/RAW) would be involved. While this is seen as a necessity to keeping B-level branded PPV buys strong, it will only contribute to further water down the distinctiveness of the brands and keep the same top talent consistently on the television screen. In the old territory days of wrestling, moving wrestlers around the circuit from promotion to promotion keep people fresh, but gave them experience working different styles in different types of crowds. One major criticism that veterans have for this generation of pro-wrestlers is their lack of experience working a variety of styles in front of significant crowds. In theory, a well-orchestrated system of rotation among the territories could give a vast wealth of experience and training to young wrestlers.
In the end, I believe that this expansion plan will probably be scaled back to establishing a European brand and increasing tours of the Southwest & Mexico using a more Hispanic-focused Smackdown brand. I have a lot of questions about what would happen to the developmental leagues (OVW in Kentucky & DSW in Atlanta) if these territory expansions continued (Would they send new talent overseas before bringing them on American TV?). Neither Japan nor Mexico has extensive history buying PPVs in order to really support a wrestling product. Will live attendance at events along with television rights fees be enough to support the product? Will the touring areas be too large in some case? A lot of questions remain to be seen. However, as WWE intends to compete with UFC (with their PPVs reaching over a million domestic buys, a number WWE hasn’t made in years) and PRIDE (with a faltering business that may have already been sold), they look to international markets as a source for creating new stars, new territories and new opportunities. It’ll be years before such an ambitious plan can be implemented, but it’s a very exciting idea that we’ll be following quite closely! Among industry insiders, the biggest fear is burning out or failing spectactularly in any of these international markets on a scale that would shake or destroy WWE’s reputation and confidence in global opportunities.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
ZW Runs down the latest Wrestlemania Card
It might be Spring Training for Baseball, but right now is the final homestretch for wrestling fans. Wrestlemania is only a few weeks away and the card is firming up quite nicely. We’ll examine the matches and also who is NOT on the card.
THE BATTLE OF THE BILLIONAIRES
Vincent Kennedy McMahon’s HAIR vs. Donald Trump’s HAIR
SPECIAL Referee: STEVE AUSTIN
BOBBY LASHLEY (ECW CHAMPION, TRUMP rep) vs. UMAGA (VKM rep)
It’s hard to believe it’s been less than a year since Umaga (formerly Jamal of 3-minute warning) vacated the All-Japan Tag Titles and returned to the WWE. The gimmick seems to be a throwback to the Wild Samoans and may have started as somewhat of a rip-off of Samoa Joe (UMAGA: “Samoan Wrecking Machine”, Joe: “Samoan Submission Machine”), Umaga firmly planted himself in the top echelon on RAW very quickly. Second only to Edge, John Cena’s feud with Umaga was resulted in a host of fantastic matches in 2006 and a very exciting encounter at this year’s Royal Rumble. I still feel that Umaga has plenty of credibility as a vicious and dangerous heel despite his losses to Cena.
Bobby Lashley’s road to this important match has been stop & start the past 18 months. Like Umaga, Lashley is relatively new to WWE television (he debuted in September 2005). He has feuded with the top heels on Smackdown (JBL, King Booker, Fit Finlay) before moving to ECW in November 2006 to win the ECW Title from Big Show. Having already defeated Test (now released), Hardcore Holly and RVD, there isn’t anyone on ECW who really represents a very credible threat to Lashley’s ECW title at this moment though I imagine that post-WM the new top ECW heel will be Snitsky. Reportedly, Vince McMahon is actually viewing the entire ECW promotion as little more than an opportunity to make a star out of Bobby Lashley. At one point, when WWE was negotiating with K1 star Bob Sapp for ECW, there was discussion of turning Lashley heel, but momentum in that direction dissipated awhile ago.
So, you have two fresh stars – a strong babyface (Lashley, aligned with Donald Trump) and a strong heel (Umaga, aligned with Vince McMahon). They’re both large, young, formidable opponents that will gain excellent exposure by being in this important event. There are still some questions that remain:
• Is there enough motivation behind the actions? Why exactly does Lashley want to defend Trump’s hair so badly?
• Austin vs. McMahon is always the undercurrent whenever Stone Cold is around. Will that add to the dynamic of the match?
• Can these two click? Lashley has been dreadfully exposed in some matches and Umaga hasn’t done a lot of long, competitive matches with anyone.
• Will all the mainstream exposure on the B-circuit television shows equate to a bigger buyrate?
• Do people actually believe there is any chance that Trump would lose?!
WWE RAW HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
John Cena (CHAMPION) vs. Shawn Michaels
This has been the classic build for a babyface versus babyface. Cena is the hot, charismatic of the 2000s. HBK is the superstar from the 90s who has returned and been walking stars to great match. They’ve got the tag titles to build the “two guys that don’t want to get along” vibe which has always been great fun. (There was a very similar to build to the Rock/Chris Jericho feud in Fall 2001.)
Cena had a stellar year as champion in 2006 feuding with Edge & Umaga. HBK put on a clinic at the Royal Rumble with Undertaker once again demonstrating how he’s got it. I expect a very good match from these two. Michaels had a great bout with Hogan in 2005 and Cena is far more mobile and agreeable than the Hulkster has ever been! I wouldn’t at all be surprised if Micheals wins this match for another short title reign as a reward for his years of service. Then again, he’s needed time off since DX feuded with the Spirit Squad and this could finally be the big paycheck that signals his departure for a little while.
WWE SMACKDOWN HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
Batista (CHAMPION) vs. Undertaker
Batista is a ticking tricep-tearing timebomb. Undertaker is the undefeated (at Wrestlemania) undead phenom. It would be an enormous waste to end the UT’s streak this year. The crowds are still fully behind Taker and have begun turning on Big Dave whenever they are forced to choose between the babyfaces. Undertaker showed some real fire last year in his matches with Kurt Angle and this year at the Royal Rumble showdown with HBK. The age difference between the two is a lot smaller than you’d probably ever believe. I dearly, dearly, dearly hope that Undertaker walks away with the championship. Have him do a short feud with King Booker, Fit Finlay, a returning Mark Henry or even one last time with Ken Kennedy. Just don’t leave the title on Batista.
WWE WOMEN’S TITLE
Melina (CHAMPION) vs. Ashley
Melina has cosmic heat backstage over hurting Mickie James in their latest matches. Allegedly, the ultimatum is “Have a good match with Ashley or get packing”. Some say that really the pressure is the belief that Johnny Nitro & Melina have the potential for main events, but she has to prove she’s got it. Any way you want to cut it, Ashley is basically in this match just to promote her (second) Playboy appearance. Forget the fact she can’t wrestle. This will hopefully be short and less ridiculous than the Pillow Fight. Expect this to go on before a big match as a way of calming down the crowd.
MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
Randy Orton vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Fit Finlay vs. Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Booker T vs. CM Punk vs. Edge
The past two years have had significant, memorable Money in the Bank matches. This year has far more stories going into it as opposed to previous years. There is the Randy Orton vs. Edge RKO break-up dynamic. Ken Kennedy has been the WWE’s “Golden Boy” this past year being positioned in top feuds with Smackdown & ECW stars. Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy will both be in this match; will we see a better encounter than the unmemorable match-ups in prior Royal Rumbles? CM Punk is the internet darling who has been positioned as a major player in ECW. And then there is Booker T. Poor Booker T, just sort of there. In terms of having the impact that Edge or RVD made last year, I can’t see Booker T making it. I expect Ken Kennedy walks away with this one. Shame there won’t be another Ric Flair/Fit Finlay “Battle-Of-The-Men-Who-Can’t-Wear-Their-Kneepads-Correctly”. I expect this to be the second best match on the show. But no Shelton Benjamin? Alas.
ECW NEW BREED vs. ORIGINALS
Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, Sabu, RVD vs. Elijah Burke, Matt Striker, Marcos Cor Von, Kevin Thorn.
RVD sneaks onto Wrestlemania teaming with SABU, SANDMAN and TOMMY DREAMER. I don’t think I’d have believed it a year ago if you told me they’d be on Wrestlemania in 2007. ECW is full of goobers. I don’t even know who this feud is really going to elevate – Monty Brown, perhaps? The heels have to go over in this one. The faces are all over as much as they will ever be and they're old, broke down men. I don't blame CM Punk though for not joining the goofs: the vampire, teacher, jumpsuit and alpha male. SHEESH~!
GREAT KHALI vs. KANE (Some Gimmick Match)
A lot of people were really down on the Kane run-in on Monday’s RAW but I liked it. For one thing, Khali/Kane needs a gimmick. Second, fans of Kane (there are actually some, believe me) dig his horror gimmick. So, adding a ridiculous meat hook/scythe is no worse than anything TNA did on it’s last PPV or the absurdity of the Inferno matches.
WHAT ELSE?
I expect tag matches, possibly with London & Kendrick and MNM. Also, there will be new ECW tag titles in the near future (Dusty Rhodes’ idea) with several teams including FBI (Nunzio & Vito) and Cade & Murdoch fighting for them. I don’t know when they are going to institute them, but perhaps soon.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Hulk Hogan claimed his offer for WM23 was $400k. I don’t know if that’s true. I do know that WWE is irate with him, especially for the stint when he put Johnny Ace’s secretary on the radio during Bubba the Love Sponge and revealed the Hall of Fame voting they were doing. It might seem surprising to have Hogan not on the 20th anniversary of his big show, especially seeing as they are back in Michigan, but his relationship with Vince McMahon is as volatile as ever right now!
Big Show is at home, losing weight and being a 35-year old guy that doesn't have to constantly tour or take bumps. Angle wants him for TNA. Hogan wants him for any project he would pretend to start. It's unknown if he'll do anything, but it's doubtful he'd commit to any long-term deal with any company besides WWE and he's already turned down the lucrative spots he could have had at WM23 so he's clearly hurting and wants time off.
Paul Heyman is still at home. Attempts to bring him back to ECW as an authority figure (RVD/Lagana's idea) were not accepted. He's also been rejected from going to OVW to teach promos.
Rey Mysterio Jr. is in for a monster push when he returns; they already have big plans for him and his merchandise continues to sell even though he's off TV; his lone appearance on Smackdown drew a very strong number!
Chris Jericho is sending out very mixed signals. He will probably return to wrestling some day, even "fairly soon" but right now there is definitely nothing definite. Hard to say whether he’d go back to WWE or rather opt for TNA’s lightened schedule.
Comments? Questions? Be sure to contact me. You can also hear the latest Indeed Wrestling Weekly podcast to catch up on all the rest of the news & notes in wrestling today!
THE BATTLE OF THE BILLIONAIRES
Vincent Kennedy McMahon’s HAIR vs. Donald Trump’s HAIR
SPECIAL Referee: STEVE AUSTIN
BOBBY LASHLEY (ECW CHAMPION, TRUMP rep) vs. UMAGA (VKM rep)
It’s hard to believe it’s been less than a year since Umaga (formerly Jamal of 3-minute warning) vacated the All-Japan Tag Titles and returned to the WWE. The gimmick seems to be a throwback to the Wild Samoans and may have started as somewhat of a rip-off of Samoa Joe (UMAGA: “Samoan Wrecking Machine”, Joe: “Samoan Submission Machine”), Umaga firmly planted himself in the top echelon on RAW very quickly. Second only to Edge, John Cena’s feud with Umaga was resulted in a host of fantastic matches in 2006 and a very exciting encounter at this year’s Royal Rumble. I still feel that Umaga has plenty of credibility as a vicious and dangerous heel despite his losses to Cena.
Bobby Lashley’s road to this important match has been stop & start the past 18 months. Like Umaga, Lashley is relatively new to WWE television (he debuted in September 2005). He has feuded with the top heels on Smackdown (JBL, King Booker, Fit Finlay) before moving to ECW in November 2006 to win the ECW Title from Big Show. Having already defeated Test (now released), Hardcore Holly and RVD, there isn’t anyone on ECW who really represents a very credible threat to Lashley’s ECW title at this moment though I imagine that post-WM the new top ECW heel will be Snitsky. Reportedly, Vince McMahon is actually viewing the entire ECW promotion as little more than an opportunity to make a star out of Bobby Lashley. At one point, when WWE was negotiating with K1 star Bob Sapp for ECW, there was discussion of turning Lashley heel, but momentum in that direction dissipated awhile ago.
So, you have two fresh stars – a strong babyface (Lashley, aligned with Donald Trump) and a strong heel (Umaga, aligned with Vince McMahon). They’re both large, young, formidable opponents that will gain excellent exposure by being in this important event. There are still some questions that remain:
• Is there enough motivation behind the actions? Why exactly does Lashley want to defend Trump’s hair so badly?
• Austin vs. McMahon is always the undercurrent whenever Stone Cold is around. Will that add to the dynamic of the match?
• Can these two click? Lashley has been dreadfully exposed in some matches and Umaga hasn’t done a lot of long, competitive matches with anyone.
• Will all the mainstream exposure on the B-circuit television shows equate to a bigger buyrate?
• Do people actually believe there is any chance that Trump would lose?!
WWE RAW HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
John Cena (CHAMPION) vs. Shawn Michaels
This has been the classic build for a babyface versus babyface. Cena is the hot, charismatic of the 2000s. HBK is the superstar from the 90s who has returned and been walking stars to great match. They’ve got the tag titles to build the “two guys that don’t want to get along” vibe which has always been great fun. (There was a very similar to build to the Rock/Chris Jericho feud in Fall 2001.)
Cena had a stellar year as champion in 2006 feuding with Edge & Umaga. HBK put on a clinic at the Royal Rumble with Undertaker once again demonstrating how he’s got it. I expect a very good match from these two. Michaels had a great bout with Hogan in 2005 and Cena is far more mobile and agreeable than the Hulkster has ever been! I wouldn’t at all be surprised if Micheals wins this match for another short title reign as a reward for his years of service. Then again, he’s needed time off since DX feuded with the Spirit Squad and this could finally be the big paycheck that signals his departure for a little while.
WWE SMACKDOWN HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
Batista (CHAMPION) vs. Undertaker
Batista is a ticking tricep-tearing timebomb. Undertaker is the undefeated (at Wrestlemania) undead phenom. It would be an enormous waste to end the UT’s streak this year. The crowds are still fully behind Taker and have begun turning on Big Dave whenever they are forced to choose between the babyfaces. Undertaker showed some real fire last year in his matches with Kurt Angle and this year at the Royal Rumble showdown with HBK. The age difference between the two is a lot smaller than you’d probably ever believe. I dearly, dearly, dearly hope that Undertaker walks away with the championship. Have him do a short feud with King Booker, Fit Finlay, a returning Mark Henry or even one last time with Ken Kennedy. Just don’t leave the title on Batista.
WWE WOMEN’S TITLE
Melina (CHAMPION) vs. Ashley
Melina has cosmic heat backstage over hurting Mickie James in their latest matches. Allegedly, the ultimatum is “Have a good match with Ashley or get packing”. Some say that really the pressure is the belief that Johnny Nitro & Melina have the potential for main events, but she has to prove she’s got it. Any way you want to cut it, Ashley is basically in this match just to promote her (second) Playboy appearance. Forget the fact she can’t wrestle. This will hopefully be short and less ridiculous than the Pillow Fight. Expect this to go on before a big match as a way of calming down the crowd.
MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
Randy Orton vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Fit Finlay vs. Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Booker T vs. CM Punk vs. Edge
The past two years have had significant, memorable Money in the Bank matches. This year has far more stories going into it as opposed to previous years. There is the Randy Orton vs. Edge RKO break-up dynamic. Ken Kennedy has been the WWE’s “Golden Boy” this past year being positioned in top feuds with Smackdown & ECW stars. Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy will both be in this match; will we see a better encounter than the unmemorable match-ups in prior Royal Rumbles? CM Punk is the internet darling who has been positioned as a major player in ECW. And then there is Booker T. Poor Booker T, just sort of there. In terms of having the impact that Edge or RVD made last year, I can’t see Booker T making it. I expect Ken Kennedy walks away with this one. Shame there won’t be another Ric Flair/Fit Finlay “Battle-Of-The-Men-Who-Can’t-Wear-Their-Kneepads-Correctly”. I expect this to be the second best match on the show. But no Shelton Benjamin? Alas.
ECW NEW BREED vs. ORIGINALS
Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, Sabu, RVD vs. Elijah Burke, Matt Striker, Marcos Cor Von, Kevin Thorn.
RVD sneaks onto Wrestlemania teaming with SABU, SANDMAN and TOMMY DREAMER. I don’t think I’d have believed it a year ago if you told me they’d be on Wrestlemania in 2007. ECW is full of goobers. I don’t even know who this feud is really going to elevate – Monty Brown, perhaps? The heels have to go over in this one. The faces are all over as much as they will ever be and they're old, broke down men. I don't blame CM Punk though for not joining the goofs: the vampire, teacher, jumpsuit and alpha male. SHEESH~!
GREAT KHALI vs. KANE (Some Gimmick Match)
A lot of people were really down on the Kane run-in on Monday’s RAW but I liked it. For one thing, Khali/Kane needs a gimmick. Second, fans of Kane (there are actually some, believe me) dig his horror gimmick. So, adding a ridiculous meat hook/scythe is no worse than anything TNA did on it’s last PPV or the absurdity of the Inferno matches.
WHAT ELSE?
I expect tag matches, possibly with London & Kendrick and MNM. Also, there will be new ECW tag titles in the near future (Dusty Rhodes’ idea) with several teams including FBI (Nunzio & Vito) and Cade & Murdoch fighting for them. I don’t know when they are going to institute them, but perhaps soon.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Hulk Hogan claimed his offer for WM23 was $400k. I don’t know if that’s true. I do know that WWE is irate with him, especially for the stint when he put Johnny Ace’s secretary on the radio during Bubba the Love Sponge and revealed the Hall of Fame voting they were doing. It might seem surprising to have Hogan not on the 20th anniversary of his big show, especially seeing as they are back in Michigan, but his relationship with Vince McMahon is as volatile as ever right now!
Big Show is at home, losing weight and being a 35-year old guy that doesn't have to constantly tour or take bumps. Angle wants him for TNA. Hogan wants him for any project he would pretend to start. It's unknown if he'll do anything, but it's doubtful he'd commit to any long-term deal with any company besides WWE and he's already turned down the lucrative spots he could have had at WM23 so he's clearly hurting and wants time off.
Paul Heyman is still at home. Attempts to bring him back to ECW as an authority figure (RVD/Lagana's idea) were not accepted. He's also been rejected from going to OVW to teach promos.
Rey Mysterio Jr. is in for a monster push when he returns; they already have big plans for him and his merchandise continues to sell even though he's off TV; his lone appearance on Smackdown drew a very strong number!
Chris Jericho is sending out very mixed signals. He will probably return to wrestling some day, even "fairly soon" but right now there is definitely nothing definite. Hard to say whether he’d go back to WWE or rather opt for TNA’s lightened schedule.
Comments? Questions? Be sure to contact me. You can also hear the latest Indeed Wrestling Weekly podcast to catch up on all the rest of the news & notes in wrestling today!
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