After Edge’s surprise return Sunday at the Survivor Series pay-per-view threw the WWE title picture into chaos, WWE cleared things up last night on Smackdown with an entertaining show-long angle.

The result is that fans are going to get the most compelling of the various title match scenarios at the Armageddon pay-per-view on Dec. 14: a triple threat between WWE champion Edge, Triple H and Jeff Hardy. Vladimir Kozlov is the odd man out.

With Triple H, Hardy and Kozlov all in line to challenge Edge coming out of the Survivor Series, Smackdown general manager Vickie Guerrero set up a beat the clock format between the three. Hardy and Triple H won their respective matches in the exact same time (12 minutes, 13 seconds), while Kozlov failed beat the winning mark. It was unclear last night what the dead heat meant as far as determining a challenger, but the triple threat match was announced later on wwe.com.

Beat the clocks are effective at creating drama, and this one also provided a way to keep Kozlov out of the title match that made sense and did not bury him. It was absolutely the right call.

Kozlov plays his no-nonsense, monster heel character well, but the fact is that fans just aren’t that into him as a main-eventer. I give WWE credit for realizing that it wasn’t working and doing something about it.

Unlike Kozlov, Edge, Triple H and Hardy are all super over. A feud between the three of them is much more intriguing than a one-on-one program between Triple H and Kozlov, which appeared to be the original plan.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

I enjoyed all three beat the clock matches. It was no surprise that Hardy-The Brian Kendrick and Triple H-Shelton Benjamin were good, and Matt Hardy carried Kozlov to a better-than-expected match. My one problem with the booking is that Benjamin was down for more than 30 seconds before the referee – who was temporarily incapacitated after taking a bump – made the three count. I understand that WWE was going for a dramatic finish (time was running out on Triple H to equal or beat Jeff Hardy’s mark), but surely there was a better way. …

It’s great to see Edge back on TV after his hiatus – and it’s even better seeing Edge and Vickie together again – but I was hoping in his promo that he’d tell us a little more about where he’s been all this time and what his state of mind is. And just how is hell this time of year, anyway? …
Do we really need to see the DX commercial on every show? Even though the spot wasn’t “live,” it still seemed odd for Triple H to be making wisecracks when he was intense and angry in his other segments. ...

I don’t think John Morrison and The Miz’s attempts at humor have ever even made me crack a smile, but they had me rolling with their teasing of Festus. …

I think Michelle McCool is going to be a pretty good heel. Her turn is just about complete. ...

Maryse was the star of the six-woman tag match. She showed a lot of aggression and really seems to have embraced her inner heel.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 2:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (24)
        

After watching Impact last night, I’m starting to wonder if TNA’s creative team is just making things up as it goes along.

At first, TNA’s big feud between the Main Event Mafia and the TNA Originals seemed to be your basic old guard vs. new kids scenario. The veteran superstars in the MEM had all been world champions in either WWE or WCW, and the young guys in the Originals all made their names in TNA.

On last night’s show, however, former WWE stars Team 3-D and Rhino, who are all between the ages of 33 and 37, became members of the Originals (now known as The Frontline).

While none of them fits the criteria for being in the group, at least Rhino, who is seeking revenge after being attacked by the MEM last week, has a good story line reason for joining. So why did Team 3-D align themselves with The Frontline? It beats me, but apparently it has something to do with ECW.

Rhino, Brother Ray and Brother Devon kept comparing the feud with the MEM to the “war” they fought as part of ECW. I’m not sure that’s the smartest analogy to make, unless the goal is to have Impact airing on WWE 24/7 within five years.

The real reason the three veterans were inserted in the group is pretty obvious: to provide some much-needed star power and credibility. Of course, in doing so, it defeats the original intent of the story line, which was to elevate the young TNA guys by having them stand toe-to-toe with the big boys.

It also seems to indicate a loss of confidence in A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe as the leaders of the faction. It reminds me of when WWE did the invasion story line in 2001, but quickly gave up on the invading group. The “outsiders” ended up being led by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and other WWE stars, which killed the angle.

On last night’s show, Styles and Joe were completely overshadowed by Rhino and Team 3-D. At one point, Brother Ray came right out and said to Styles and Joe that he knows what it’s like to be “down here” when you’re trying to get “up there,” as he raised his hand from below his waist to above his head. Translation: Even though Styles and Joe have both been TNA world champion and headlined TNA pay-per-views, they never made it in WWE like Rhino and Team 3-D did, so they haven’t really accomplished anything in the business.

Matt Morgan and Abyss are better choices than Rhino and Team 3-D to join The Frontline. Morgan has shown star potential, and with his impressive size, he wouldn’t look overmatched standing across from the MEM.

With Morgan, TNA could do one of those “Which side will he choose?” story lines that it does so often. The MEM could say that they think Morgan is the one young guy who has what it takes to run with them. Morgan, however, would reject the offer, saying that the only reason MEM wants him on its side is to avoid having to face him, and that he was held down by guys like the MEM when he was in WWE and he’s not going to let it happen again.

Abyss, on the other hand, is an original TNA character and the fans view him as a legitimate threat to beat anyone on the roster. A Frontline consisting of Morgan, Abyss, Styles, Joe and Jay Lethal (who is in the group but should have a more prominent role) would be formidable without having to deviate from the original premise of the story line.

Other thoughts on last night’ show:

Team 3-D, especially Brother Ray, did a good job on the mic throughout the show, even though it would have made more sense for them to go with The MEM. Weren’t Team 3-D and Kurt Angle running buddies in the story line not all that long ago? …

When it appeared that Team 3-D was joining The MEM, the group was referred to as now being The Magnificent Seven. That was actually the name of a short-lived heel faction during the last months of WCW. Can anyone name all the members? I’ll list them below (no peeking). …

There was a new Frontline logo and entrance video before Rhino even proposed the new name to the TNA Originals. I guess he was confident that they would like it. Either that or it was a continuity error. …

Styles’ sit-down interview with Mike Tenay in which he discussed his dysfunctional family came off as cheesy. …

A strong hint of the inevitable babyface turn for Sting (not that he ever really turned heel) occurred after the Styles interview, as Sting expressed second thoughts about his judgment of Styles. Kevin Nash, by the way, was great in this segment in his role as the devil on Sting’s shoulder.

The whole idea of Sting being conflicted doesn’t make sense to me. He doesn’t participate in The MEM’s beat-downs, but he’s OK with hitting people over the head with a baseball bat. And he’s upset with the young guys because he feels they are disrespectful, but he has no problem associating with a band of thieves. …

It appears as if Alex Shelley, who ended up wearing the turkey costume last night, might be facing Mick Foley in a one-on-one match at some point. Needless to say, that would do wonders for the career of Shelley, who is looking more like a star every week. …

TNA did a good job of making Morgan look like a monster in his triple-threat match by having him perform power moves on Sheik Abdul Bashir and Jimmy Rave simultaneously. Speaking of Rave, he seems to still be a heel, while Christy Hemme has turned babyface. I thought perhaps Hemme was no longer part of The Rock and Rave Infection, but she still comes out to their entrance music and video. I suppose the larger question is whether Hemme is more annoying as a face or as a heel. Too close to call. …

Hemme said she has been training with Styles for three months in an effort to improve her ring skills. That’s probably a true story, but it doesn’t fit the story line, because Hemme was a heel until last month. …

Has Raisha Saed ever won a match? I get it that her role is to put over whatever babyface is feuding with Awesome Kong, but I can’t help thinking that TNA could make better use of the talent of Saed (a.k.a Cheerleader Melissa). …

I’m curious as to what TNA has planned for “Sarah Palin’s” supposed appearance with The Beautiful People on next week’s show. …

The Magnificent Seven members were: Ric Flair, Scott Steiner, Rick Steiner, Jeff Jarrett, Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell and Road Warrior Animal.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
        

Thanksgiving for me during my teens and early 20s was more about dropkicks than drumsticks. Back then, there was always a major wrestling event on Thanksgiving night.

Unfortunately, that tradition ended nearly 20 years ago. Thanksgiving episodes of Smackdown (before the show moved to Friday nights three years ago) and TNA Impact just aren’t the same.

Some classic matches took place on Turkey Day in the 1980s. Three of them occurred on the same night at Jim Crockett Promotions’ inaugural Starrcade in 1983, which was shown on closed-circuit television. Before WrestleMania came along in 1985, Starrcade was the closest thing to a Super Bowl of wrestling.

In the main event, Ric Flair won the NWA world heavyweight title for the second time by defeating Harley Race, as the belt changed hands for the first time in a steel cage. Also on that card in Greensboro, N.C., Roddy Piper defeated Greg Valentine in a dog collar match, and Rick Steamboat and Jay Youngblood defeated Jack and Jerry Brisco for the NWA world tag team title.

Prior to the days of closed circuit and pay-per-view broadcasts, Georgia Championship Wrestling held a big tag team tournament on Thanksgiving night at The Omni from 1979 to 1983. I was always envious of the fans in Atlanta who were able to go to those shows after finishing off their pumpkin pie, while I had to wait to find out who won until Saturday, when Gordon Solie would announce it on the TBS show.

In 1981, when there was cooperation between promoters from different territories, the WWF (which was run by Vince McMahon Sr.) sent its tag team champions, Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito, to Atlanta to compete in the tournament. Fuji and Saito made it to the finals, where they were defeated by Georgia fan favorites Bob and Brad Armstrong. Something tells me that wouldn’t have happened if the current WWE chairman had been in charge.

Starrcade took the concept of a major wrestling show on Thanksgiving to another level through 1987. It was moved to December thereafter because WWE forced cable companies to make a choice between Starrcade and the Survivor Series on Thanksgiving night, and the cable industry went with the more mainstream WWE.

My favorite Starrcade match was the Magnum T.A.-Tully Blanchard “I quit” match in 1985. It remains was one of the most intense matches I have ever seen. There is no doubt in my mind that Magnum would have eventually been NWA champion had he not had his career ended in 1986 due to suffering serious injuries in an auto accident.

The main event of that ’85 show was a grudge match between NWA world champion Flair and Dusty Rhodes, who was out for revenge after suffering a “broken leg” at the hands of Flair and the Andersons. I was convinced that Rhodes was going to win the belt – back when winning the belt was still a big deal – and he seemingly did. Fans at The Omni went home that night believing that Rhodes was the champion. However, it was later revealed on television that the decision had been reversed.

The 1986 Starrcade was dubbed “The Night of the Skywalkers,” as The Road Warriors faced The Midnight Express in a scaffold match. Midnight Express manager Jim Cornette took a bump off the scaffold and legitimately blew out his knee.

I was unable to watch the first four Starrcades, but I was obsessed with finding out who won, so I would call the local papers in North Carolina and/or Georgia to get the results. I did watch Starrcade ’87 on closed circuit at the Baltimore Arena. Flair regained the NWA title from Ronnie Garvin that night to become a five-time champion. I could have watched Flair and Garvin wrestle each other every night. Their matches were always intense and physical, as they used to chop the heck out of each other.

WWE came up with the Survivor Series in 1987 to go head to head with Starrcade, and it cornered the wrestling pay-per-view market on Thanksgiving from 1988 to 1990 before moving the event to another night. The Survivor Series consisted entirely of team elimination matches during the event’s early years, and it had the star-studded roster to pull it off.

The 1990 Survivor Series had two memorable debuts – but for vastly different reasons. The Undertaker, who, oddly enough, was billed as Cain The Undertaker, was the mystery member of “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase’s team. With his ghoulish look and mauling style, Undertaker instantly got over as a monster heel.

Also making his first appearance was The Gobbledygooker. For weeks, WWE showed a gigantic egg on television and announced that it would hatch at the Survivor Series. Like many fans, I believed a big-name wrestler defecting from the NWA was going to pop out, but instead it was a guy (Hector Guerrero) in a turkey costume.

And speaking of guys in a turkey costume, that Thanksgiving tradition has been renewed by TNA, which will feature its second annual Turkey Bowl tonight on Impact. For the uninitiated, it’s a tournament in which the winner gets a check and the loser is forced to wear a turkey suit.

It ain’t exactly Flair versus Race, is it?

Posted by Kevin Eck at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
        

I enjoyed last night’s episode of ECW. In fact, I have been enjoying ECW for a while now. For those of you who gave up on WWE's "C" show at some point, you might want to consider giving it another look.

After the program debuted on the Sci Fi Channel in June 2006, it seemed as if the decision makers in WWE couldn’t make up their minds as to what exactly it wanted ECW to be. Finally, ECW appears to have a clear mission statement, and it is a sound one. WWE primarily is using the show as a bridge between developmental and a spot on either Raw or Smackdown.

Guys such as Jack Swagger, Evan Bourne, Ricky Ortiz and recent addition D.J. Gabriel get the opportunity to hone their acts on ECW until WWE feels they are ready for bigger things.

It’s fun to watch guys on their way up, and the show’s basic approach, focus on in-ring action and one-hour format make it a nice change of pace from Raw, Smackdown and TNA Impact. Another good thing about ECW is Matt Striker, who has quickly established himself as the best color commentator in the business.

ECW also makes good use of some WWE veterans.

At first, I thought it was a bad move for Matt Hardy to be sent to ECW, but I have changed my opinion. Let’s face it: WWE has never viewed Hardy as a main-eventer. So rather than languishing in the upper mid-card on Raw or Smackdown, Hardy is better served being a big fish in a small pond. As someone who the fans respect and like, Hardy is the perfect choice to be ECW champion. He gives the title credibility and has demonstrated that he can have good matches with a variety of opponents.

Mark Henry would be just one of several big guys on the other shows, but on ECW he is the big guy. Finlay, despite being 50, can still go in the ring, and any young wrestler who works with him will learn a lot. Plus, a victory over Finlay will help elevate up-and-comers. John Morrison and The Miz (that’s right, I said it) also are valuable members of the roster, although it’s just a matter of time until they officially are part of Raw or Smackdown.

I’d like to see some other wrestlers who are somewhat lost in the shuffle on the “big two” come to ECW. I’m talking about guys such as The Brian Kendrick (a title program with Hardy and a feud with Bourne would be tremendous), Hurricane Helms, Jimmy Wang Yang, Charlie Haas, D-Lo Brown and Paul Burchill (yes, he’s still with the company).

As an aside, I find the duo of Gabriel and Alicia Fox (who was last seen as the wedding planner on Smackdown) to be quite entertaining. Their exaggerated dance moves had me laughing out loud last night.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

John Cena’s first appearance on Raw since Aug. 18 spiked the rating for last night’s show. According to pwinsider.com, Raw did a 3.3 rating (3.2 in the first hour and 3.4 in the second, which featured Cena), which is up from last week’s 2.9.

How much Cena was responsible for the increase is a matter of conjecture, as curiosity about the Survivor Series pay-per-view on Sunday (which Cena headlined) likely played a role. The indisputable fact, however, is that the last time Cena returned after several months off television — on Jan. 28 — the rating went from 3.5 the week before to 3.9.

Love him or hate him, Cena is clearly WWE’s biggest star.

The rating for last night’s show was the highest for Raw since Cena’s last appearance on the program. During the 13 weeks that Cena was out after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk in August, Raw averaged a 2.95 rating, although some of that can be attributed to the expected drop-off during NFL season.

Now that the initial buzz over Cena’s return is over, the challenge for WWE will be to maintain the audience numbers and possibly build on them. It likely has a good chance of doing well next week, as the Monday Night Football game is between the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, both of whom are 4-7.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 9:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

One night after a rather ordinary pay-per-view, WWE put together a very entertaining episode of Raw.

The best thing about the show was the verbal-turned-physical confrontation between new world heavyweight champion John Cena and former champ Chris Jericho that closed the program. I actually enjoyed it more than their match at Survivor Series Sunday night.

This was a much more serious and intense Cena than we’re used to seeing. No lame “poopy” jokes here. When the war of words turned physical, Cena showed a lot of fire and delivered quite a beating to Jericho.

Cena was clearly the star of the segment and the crowd was enthusiastically behind him, but Jericho also played his role well, as he always does. His facial expressions were really good and he did a great job of selling the beat-down.

Hopefully, this is a new direction for Cena’s character. I’ve said before that the WWE creative team wasn’t doing him any favors with some of the silly material it came up with for him. I’m not saying that Cena’s character needs to be totally devoid of humor, but he needs to pick his spots and maintain a bit of an edge.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

The war between those wacky McMahon kids is officially on, as Stephanie slapped Shane during a nasty verbal exchange to get the show off to a compelling start. Apparently, this story line is playing off their real life power struggle. Casting Shane as the babyface and Stephanie as the heel is the right way to go, as Shane has always come across on TV as the more likable of the two. I find both of them entertaining and I’m looking forward to seeing where this leads. I’m guessing that it will be revealed at some point that Stephanie was the one behind that set crashing on Vince McMahon last June. The only drawback to a feud between the McMahon siblings is that there have been so many McMahon family feuds over the years that people might be numb to it. …

I liked the triple threat match between Jericho, Randy Orton and Batista to determine Cena’s challenger at the Armageddon pay-per-view on Dec. 14. It wasn’t a surprise that Jericho won, as all indications are that Batista and Orton will meet at Armageddon. At one point during the match you could hear Orton calling a spot. I’m surprised that doesn’t happen more often. …

It was a night of returns, as Mr. Kennedy, Melina and Goldust all resurfaced. Kennedy, who is not yet medically cleared to wrestle, was involved in a weird segment in which fans were asked which WWE star was most like Barack Obama. Who came up with that?

Melina made an impressive return to the ring after suffering a broken heel last June. During a six-woman tag match last night, she pulled off a move similar to – although not as spectacular as – Petey Williams’ Canadian Destroyer. Her surprise return was spoiled when her name appeared on the video screen during Candice Michelle’s entrance, which Jerry Lawler pointed out.

All I can say about Goldust is that it’s definitely a better gimmick for Dustin Rhodes than Black Reign. ...

So Triple H was so distraught about being screwed out of the WWE title on Sunday that he was up for pimping DX merchandise and clowning around with Shawn Michaels and Kelly Kelly. That’s exactly what the Triple H character wouldn’t do. Isn’t he supposed to be obsessed with being champion?

And why has Triple H been flirting with Kelly Kelly and Eve? Hasn’t WWE pretty much acknowledged on camera that he and Stephanie are married? Apparently, they are back to being divorced in the story line, even though every wrestling fan knows they are married in real life. During the opening segment, Shane McMahon made a remark about Stephanie looking for another superstar to sleep with and trying to get a new husband to help her run the show. …

Michaels covering his eyes with the WWE videogame when Double K “disrobed” was pretty funny. …

Michaels and Rey Mysterio had another good tag match with John Morrison and The Miz. Morrison pounded on Michaels after the match, which I hope leads to a program between the two at some point. As I have said before, a feud with Michaels, if done properly, would establish Morrison as a legitimate singles star. …

When JBL attacked Morrison instead of Michaels, I figured it was payback for Morrison losing the deciding fall in the elimination match at Survivor Series, but apparently it isn’t that simple. JBL said he made an offer of some sort to Michaels earlier in the day. I’m curious as to what this is all about. ...

With the History of the Intercontinental Championship DVD being released today, WWE began a tournament to determine the No. 1 contender for the title. Pat Patterson, the first Intercontinental champion, came out to do commentary on one of the matches, which brought back memories of when Patterson and Vince McMahon were an announcing team in the early ’80s. Patterson’s quirky phrases and inability to put an “s” at the end of words was classic. He would say things like, “Jimmy Snuka is going absolutely banana!” When referring to some of the greatest IC champs last night, he brought up “Shawn Michael.” …

Current IC champion William Regal noted that Patterson became the first champion by winning a tournament in Rio de Janeiro in 1977. Actually, it was in 1979, and you won’t find any clips on YouTube of that historic event. That’s because it never happened.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 3:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (23)
        

I’ve received a number of e-mails and comments from people who were critical of WWE for creating a story line for last night’s Survivor Series pay-per-view that played off Jeff Hardy’s real-life personal issues and made it seem as if his well-being was in jeopardy.

Yesterday, WWE reported on its Web site that Hardy, who has twice been suspended for violating WWE’s drug policy and is one failed test away from termination, was found unconscious in the stairwell of his Boston hotel at approximately 3 a.m. and rushed to a local emergency room. The story was presented as if it was legitimate news, and based on Hardy’s history, the logical assumption was that his condition was drug-related.

What rubbed some people the wrong way is that there have been too many instances in recent years of wrestlers with a history of substance abuse problems being found dead in their hotel rooms, including Eddie Guerrero and Brian Pillman. Defenders of the story line contend that real life issues – even death – have been used as fodder for wrestling story lines for decades and this is just business usual.

Anyone familiar with this blog knows that I am not shy about expressing my opinion, but I don’t feel strongly either way about this one.

A case could be made that blurring real life and story line in this manner is bad taste, but if you really feel that way, you probably shouldn’t be a wrestling fan. The business is what it is. I have always said that I draw the line at death, but I don’t think the idea here was to directly play off anyone’s death. It was nowhere near as offensive as past story lines in which heels spoke disrespectfully of the dead to draw heat.

Wrestling companies do take a risk when pushing the envelope with these types of story lines. In addition to alienating fans, there is always the possibility that a real-life tragedy can happen at any time.

For example, when WWE did the “Who blew up Mr. McMahon story line” and acted as if Vince was dead (I still can’t believe there was anyone couldn’t see that WWE was winking at us), former WWE talent Sherri Martel died shortly thereafter. Then, in the absolute worst case of bad timing, Chris Benoit killed himself and his wife and son on the day that Raw was going to conduct a memorial service for McMahon.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 7:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (59)
        

Last night’s Survivor Series pay-per-view featured a major plot twist and both world titles changing hands. As far as in-ring action and big-fight atmosphere, however, the show fell short of the high standards WWE has set for its pay-per-views – especially one of the “big four.”

The show’s “Oh my God!” moment was provided by Edge, who made his unannounced return and ended up winning the WWE title. Edge, in his first appearance since losing a Hell in a Cell match to The Undertaker at SummerSlam in August, took the “injured” Jeff Hardy’s spot in the triple threat match with WWE champion Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov.

There also is a new world heavyweight champion, as John Cena, making his much-hyped return since undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk three months ago, won the title from Chris Jericho.

The rest of the card – The Undertaker-Big Show casket match and the three Survivor Series elimination matches – was OK, but nothing really stood out.

Here’s a match-by-match look at last night’s show:

John Cena defeated Chris Jericho to win the world heavyweight title: Cena got a positive reaction, but not the thunderous ovation I expected after the big buildup for his return in his hometown. Both guys worked hard, but the Cena-Jericho match that I saw live at SummerSlam in Washington in 2005 had way more heat than this. The story of this match was that Cena was a bit timid and conscious of his surgically repaired neck early, but his confidence increased as the match went on. He did appear to have some legitimate ring rust.

Jericho focused his attack on Cena’s neck and was on offense much of the way – which was the giveaway that Cena was going over. At approximately the 21-minute mark, Cena won clean with the FU, which elicited a good but not great pop. Now that Cena is again the champ, I wonder if the big gold belt will be getting Cena-ized. By the way, I loved Cena’s new T-shirt, which had his “Hustle Loyalty, Respect” catch phrase designed in the style of the old American Wrestling Association logo.

Edge (subbing for Jeff Hardy) defeated Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov to win the WWE title: The crowd stopped caring about this match the instant it was announced that it was going to be a one-on-one match due to Hardy being unable to perform. Triple H and Kozlov were doing a lot of mat wrestling and rest holds, which elicited chants of “boring” and “we want Hardy.” Mercifully, Smackdown general manager Vickie Guerrero announced at approximately the 13-minute mark that “he” was here and it would be a triple threat after all. Instead of Hardy, however, out came a bug-eyed, scruffy Edge, who appeared to be going for the Mike Knox look.

Edge hit the ring and speared Triple H. Hardy, in street clothes, then ran out. He went to hit Edge with a chair, but Edge ducked and Hardy nailed Triple H. Hardy also smashed Kozlov with a chair. Edge then speared Hardy and pinned the fallen Triple H to win the title. Smackdown instantly became a lot more interesting. Going forward, Triple H and Hardy will both want a piece of Edge (who presumably will be revealed as the person who attacked Hardy at the hotel), as well as each other. Plus, Edge and Guerrero appear to be back together. As for Kozlov, the fans just aren’t into him enough to warrant continuing his big push.

The Undertaker defeated The Big Show in a casket match: This was nowhere near as good as their previous two pay-per-view encounters, as it came off more like a match you would see on free TV. I’ve never been a big fan of casket matches, so I really wasn’t expecting all that much.

Team Orton defeated Team Batista: William Regal must have made someone mad, because he was pinned by CM Punk in a matter of seconds after the match began. The next four eliminations were all babyfaces, leaving Batista at a four-on-one disadvantage. He took out Mark Henry and Shelton Benjamin before falling victim to an RKO by Randy Orton. So Orton and Cody Rhodes, who argued with each other in the locker room before the match, were the survivors. The match served a purpose as far as advancing Orton’s angles with Batista and the Rhodes/Ted DiBiase Jr./Manu faction.

Team HBK defeated Team JBL: Shockingly, MVP scored the first pin of the night (on JTG of Cryme Tyme). He then walked right into a chop by The Great Khali. Thanks for coming. The finish saw Shawn Michaels take out John Morrison with Sweet Chin Music. Rey Mysterio and The Great Khali also survived, and the three of them celebrating together was quite a sight. Khali kept raising his partners’ hands and it looked as if he was about to yank Mysterio’s arm out of its socket. I’m surprised JBL didn’t catch a fall on Michaels in this match to further their program.

Raw divas defeated Smackdown divas: This was sloppy and rushed, as there were nine falls in nine minutes. Surprisingly, Michelle McCool was the third woman eliminated, and Mickie James was taken out next, which the crowd did not like. To no one’s surprise, Victoria was the first one eliminated. Beth Phoenix emerged as the sole survivor after finishing off Maryse.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (38)
        

I got home a little while ago after watching the Ravens rout the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium and just read the report on wwe.com regarding Jeff Hardy's status for tonight's Survivor Series pay-per-view.

For those who might have missed it, Hardy was found in the stairwell of his Boston hotel at approximately 3 a.m. and rushed to a local emergency room, according to the Web site. He was listed as questionable for tonight's show, where he is scheduled to face WWE champion Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov in a triple threat match.

It's difficult sometimes to know what is and isn't a work on wwe.com, as the Web site often blurs the line between "legitimate news" and "story line news." I strongly suspect this is an angle playing off some of Hardy's well-publicized real life incidents.

Strengthening the case for this being an angle is the fact that wrestling Web sites are reporting that Edge is in Boston for the show. I'm guessing that Edge will interfere in Hardy's match tonight (presumably costing him the title) and that it will be revealed that Edge attacked Hardy at his hotel, thus setting up a program between the two.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 6:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
        

Predictions for tonight’s WWE pay-per-view:

World heavyweight champion Chris Jericho vs. John Cena: The big buildup for Cena’s return seems to suggest a title change, especially with the event being held in Boston. But, as Jericho says, not every story has a happy ending. I think there’s more money in holding off Cena’s inevitable title win until later. Jericho will find a way to escape with his belt, perhaps due to outside interference from Randy Orton

WWE champion Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Vladimir Kozlov: Before Hardy was added to the match, I was convinced that Kozlov was winning the title. Now, I’m not so sure. Either Hardy’s late inclusion is a swerve, or WWE just may have soured on Kozlov getting a title run. I’m leaning toward the latter and going with Hardy to finally win the big one.

The Big Show vs. The Undertaker in a casket match: The Undertaker claims another soul.

Batista, CM Punk, Matt Hardy, Kofi Kingston and R-Truth vs. Randy Orton, Mark Henry, Shelton Benjamin, William Regal and Cody Rhodes: My guess is that it will come down to Batista against Orton and Rhodes, with Batista pinning Rhodes after Orton abandons him.

Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, The Great Khali and Cryme Tyme vs. JBL, Kane, MVP, John Morrison and The Miz: JBL’s team need to win to heat up his feud with Michaels. I envision Michaels facing a three-on-one situation, rallying to eliminate two guys, and then being hit with JBL’s Clothesline from Hell out of nowhere to take the loss.

Raw Divas (Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Kelly Kelly, Candice Michelle and Jillian Hall) vs. Smackdown Divas (Michelle McCool, Maria, Maryse, Victoria and Natalya): The Raw team prevails thanks to dissension between Maria and McCool. Phoenix survives, and perhaps James, too.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

Jeff Hardy’s extreme face paint grabbed people’s attention last week on Smackdown. Last night’s show, however, was more of a paint-by-the-numbers episode.

It wasn’t bad, but I’m not convinced that the go-home show for tomorrow’s Survivor Series pay-per-view was strong enough to sway people who were on the fence about buying it.

The big – although not unexpected – news was that Hardy pinned WWE champion Triple H in a non-title match, thus making tomorrow’s WWE title match a triple threat between Triple H, Hardy and Vladimir Kozlov. While the Hardy-Triple H match was decent, it had nowhere near the energy and heat of their previous encounters. In fact, after Hardy’s exciting win over The Undertaker last week, it came off as anticlimactic.

That Hardy beat Triple H with a rollup (a finish that often makes the victory seem like a fluke) instead of his finisher didn’t help, nor did the fact that the match was not slotted in the main event position. Plus, Hardy’s face paint made him look like a raccoon. Somebody should tell him to go back to last week’s Sting/Vampiro/King Diamond/Joker look and stick with it.

I can’t really criticize the booking, though, because if/when Hardy does “win the big one,” it needs to be decisive and dramatic. A win of that nature last night would lessen the impact of that moment.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

The closing segment, which featured The Undertaker giving The Big Show his “last rites” before their casket match, didn’t do much for me. I’ve enjoyed the Undertaker-Big Show feud, but I think the novelty of casket matches have worn off. …

Triple H’s “DX-style” promo prior to his match with Hardy seemed really out of place. Minutes away from facing his most persistent challenger in a match that affected his title defense at Survivor Series, Tripe H was pre-occupied with Eve’s cleavage. I suppose WWE was trying to convey the idea that Triple H was underestimating Hardy since he has beaten him in their past three meetings. …

The tag match that pitted Matt Hardy and R-Truth against Shelton Benjamin and Mark Henry was OK, but not as good as one would expect with these four. …

Maria chatting away while Festus just stood there with his usual glazed-over look was funny, especially when she told him that he was a really good listener. As absurd as Festus’ gimmick is, he has connected with the crowd, as evidenced by the heated reaction every time the heels attack him while he is in his defenseless state. …

After MVP lost again – this time to a no-name jobber – Hurricane Helms said that he was running out of things to say. Me, too.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

At the moment, the Main Event Mafia-TNA Originals feud is about as compelling as the longstanding basketball rivalry between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals.

Watching Impact last night, it occurred to me that a victory by a TNA Original over a MEM member would be a bigger upset than if the winless Detroit Lions knocked off the unbeaten Tennessee Titans on Thanksgiving.

I’m guessing the idea with this story line is that the young babyfaces keep losing battles before eventually winning the war. As I have said before, however, will the fans still care when the faces finally prevail?

It’s gotten so bad that the young guys can’t even win in the commercials. I hadn’t paid much attention before, but last night I realized that A.J. Styles jobs to Kurt Angle in the spot for the TNA videogame.

Here’s a brief recap of the latest chapter in this not-so-storied rivalry:

• The show began with the MEM conducting a symbolic burial of Christian Cage’s career in TNA. Rhino then came out to confront them, but was quickly beaten down, bloodied and thrown into a casket. Not one TNA Original came out to make the save, thus completing a literal burial.

• The MEM (not including Sting) attacked Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles after the latter’s victory over The Motor City Machine Guns. Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed came out to help, but they also were quickly laid out. It probably would have made more sense if Lethal and Creed had brought chairs with them, but I guess they’re dumb as well as inept. In the midst of the carnage, Don West said, “This is really hard to watch.” Amen, brother.

• Eric Young’s victory over Sheik Abdul Bashir for the X Division title last week was overturned, so he was given a shot at Booker T.’s TNA Legends title. Booker, of course, proceeded to kick out of Young’s finisher and pin him.

• Angle and Kevin Nash defeated Matt Morgan and Abyss thanks to interference by Beer Money. That makes sense on the surface, but perhaps a better finish would have been Team 3-D thwarting Beer Money’s interference, thus allowing Morgan and Abyss to gain the victory. No TNA Originals were buried here, but it was yet another one in the win column for the bad guys.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

TNA sure is making it seem as if Cage really has left the company for WWE. He may have, but the way TNA loves to swerve everyone (including people in their own company sometimes), I won’t believe it until I see him on a WWE program. …

Oh no, the Feast or Fired briefcases gimmick is coming back. That’s one Thanksgiving tradition that should have gone the way of The Gobbledygooker. For those who don’t remember, it’s like Deal or No Deal except a lot more confusing and a lot less entertaining. Wrestlers compete for briefcases that have contracts in them for title shots, although one case has a termination notice. Why would anyone try to grab a briefcase that could result in them getting fired, you ask? Exactly. …

Speaking of stipulations that don’t make a lot of sense, it was announced that if the TNA Originals defeat the MEM in the eight-man tag main event at the Final Resolution pay-per-view on Dec. 7, Styles becomes the world champion. Why Styles and not Samoa Joe? Has Joe ever received a rematch since getting screwed out of the title? …

What exactly does the TNA Legends title represent? Why would anyone want to win a title that Booker just made up? More importantly, why is the Legends title belt bigger and more impressive-looking than the TNA world title belt? …

The Joe/Styles-MCMG match was good, but it could have been better with some more time. The most interesting aspect of the MEM-TNA Originals feud has been the character development of Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. …

Rhino’s “Spirit of ’76” promo in the TNA Originals’ locker room was, uh, spirited, but it was so clichéd that it was hard to take seriously. He talked about being in a wrestling war before and brought up ECW. Is Rhino aware of how that one turned out? …

The first installment of ODB’s talk show was like a Scott Steiner promo – it was so bad that it was good. Did I actually hear Sharmell say “I’ll cut you” to ODB? …

As far as annoying female babyfaces go, Christy Hemme is TNA’s version of Michelle McCool. …

Hermie’s Hotseat? There are no words.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
        

Normally, I don’t pay much attention to banner ads on wrestling Web sites, but I came across one recently that made me do a double take. The ad, which featured a photo of Ric Flair stylin’ in a blue sequined robe, promoted his appearance at a Dec. 6 event in Charlotte, N.C. At first glance, it didn’t seem any different than all the other ads out there hyping Flair’s various tour stops.

I noticed, however, that this one was also promoting a match: The Flairs vs. The Nasty Boys w/Jimmy Hart. I immediately jumped to the conclusion that Ric was coming out of retirement to team with his son Reid, who is just about ready to make his pro wrestling debut.

But then I wondered why I hadn’t seen this huge news reported anywhere.

I quickly learned that Ric will indeed be part of the Flairs team that night, but it will be as a manger to his two sons, Reid and David (formerly of WCW), who will be tag team partners.

I was relieved to see that Ric is staying retired – at least for now anyway. With all due respect, I don’t want to see him wrestle again, regardless of whether it’s on an independent show in Charlotte, an arena show in Japan or even at WrestleMania. His induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, last match at WrestleMania XXIV against Shawn Michaels and farewell ceremony on Raw put an emotional exclamation point on one of the greatest careers in wrestling history. All of that would be lessened if he ever wrestled again.

While Ric’s career had a perfect ending, this is a perfect beginning for Reid’s career. I can’t think of a more fitting debut for the 20-year-old Reid than teaming up with his half-brother and being managed by his father in Charlotte.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

Chief Jay Strongbow’s cameo last night on Raw brought back a lot of memories. Please indulge me for a moment as I reminisce about The Chief, who was one of the top babyfaces in the WWWF when I was a young boy.

Strongbow, who portrayed a Native American but is actually an Italian-American named Joe Scarpa, wasn’t the most athletic-looking guy, but when he went into his war dance, he was unstoppable. Years before Hulk Hogan did his “hulking up” comeback spot, Strongbow’s fancy footwork and series of kneelifts would send the crowd into a frenzy.

Strongbow was involved in some of the WWWF's most heated programs in the mid-to-late 1970s. Every so often, a heel would viciously attack him on TV (when such angles on WWWF’s syndicated show didn’t happen all that often), and then Strongbow would seek revenge at the arena shows.

One of the first wrestling angles I recall seeing was around 1973 or ’74, when Capt. Lou Albano clobbered Strongbow with a cast and busted him open. Albano had been wearing the cast on his arm for weeks, claiming that Strongbow had jumped him in the locker room and broken his arm. It was then revealed that Albano made the whole thing up and was just waiting for the right opportunity to use the cast on Strongbow.

He also had memorable feuds with Greg Valentine, who broke Strongbow’s leg after refusing to release the figure-four leglock; and Ken Patera, who broke the neck of Strongbow's tag team partner, Billy White Wolf.

My favorite Strongbow angle, however, was when tag team partner Spiros Arion turned on him, ripped apart his headdress and shoved some of the feathers into The Chief's mouth. I’ll never forget the dramatic scene of a battered, teary-eyed Strongbow picking the feathers up off the mat in the aftermath.

Ah, those were the days.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 8:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)
        

I have to give WWE credit for trying something different to open Raw last night, as Stephanie McMahon provided a public forum for members of the WWE roster to ask her questions.

Stephanie – who pulls off the businesswoman look quite well in my humble opinion – basically blew off every question, regardless of whether it was asked by a heel or a babyface. She was good at playing a subtle heel, and it was refreshing to see an authority figure on Raw who is so smooth on the mic after all those weeks of the stumbling, bumbling Mike Adamle.

Santino Marella stole the segment by performing a hilarious rap about wanting a rematch with William Regal for the Intercontinental title. He had several people in the ring cracking up, even babyfaces. Marella was doing his rhyming thing because a rapper named Akon (referred to as Acorn by Marella) was in the audience. This probably will make me come off as extremely unhip, but I have to admit that I had no idea who this guy was, and until the announcers said otherwise, I thought his name really was Acorn.

Predictably, the segment ended with a pull-apart, as Shawn Michaels went after JBL.

I was a little disappointed that the wrestlers didn’t take full advantage of the rare opportunity to ask Stephanie questions. Here are five things I would have asked:

1. When your husband rinses after brushing his teeth, does he spit the water into the sink or up in the air?

2. Why do you think Randy Savage has yet to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame?

3. As head of the creative writing team, which decision do you regret more, green-lighting the Kane/Katie Vick story line or not hiring Kevin Eck when he interviewed with you in 2001. What do you mean, “Kevin who?”

4. Is it true that when you were a little girl and wanted to stay up past your bedtime, your father got in your face, snarled and yelled, “You’re tired!”

5. When you see your father exposing his buttocks in the ring and forcing grown men to literally kiss his butt, which of the following best describes your reaction: A) that’s embarrassing; B) that’s demeaning; C) that’s disgusting; D) that’s my daddy!

I probably just killed any chance of doing a Q&A with Steph.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

The Randy Orton-CM Punk lumberjack main event was decent, although I am surprised that this feud is being played out on Raw rather than on pay-per-view. You would think Orton costing Punk the world heavyweight title would make for a heated program. Punk cut a very good promo before the match, and Orton has been awesome on the mic as of late. …

Speaking of nice work on the stick, Chris Jericho cut a good promo about his world heavyweight title defense against John Cena Sunday at the Survivor Series pay-per-view. Cena is making his big return just in case you might have missed it. ...

I liked the Michaels/Rey Mysterio versus John Morrison/The Miz tag team match, especially the finishing sequence. Morrison and Miz going over was the right call going into the elimination match at Survivor Series, but Miz getting a fall on Michaels still is hard for me to take. …

I thought WWE should have made a bigger deal out of the fact that two stars as big as Michaels and Mysterio were teaming for the first time. That backstage vignette – which included Michaels doing his “sarcastic DX voice” and an appearance by Dolph Ziggler – was more strange than entertaining. …

The Batista-Manu match wasn’t bad. I’m surprised that it wasn’t acknowledged in commentary that Batista was trained by the Wild Samoans. Or perhaps it was and I missed it. …

It’s encouraging that WWE seems to realize it has something special in Evan Bourne. His first appearance on TV since suffering torn ligaments in his ankle was preceded by a highlight package on him. It looks as if his first program when he returns will be against Mike Knox, who, like Bourne, has the potential to make an impact. …

I couldn’t believe the announcers said, “What an upset!” when Kelly Kelly defeated Victoria. Maybe it was at one time, but Victoria hasn’t won a match in forever, and Double K has scored two wins over Beth Phoenix recently. …

I like the fact that the women’s elimination at Survivor Series is brand versus brand rather than faces versus heels. It should be more interesting that way. …

The Matt Hardy-William Regal match was short and disappointing, but it was understandable considering Hardy was working on an injured knee. He said on his myspace page that he hyper-extended the surgically repaired knee while on the recent European tour, and also was diagnosed with a slightly torn posterior cruciate ligament and stretched ligaments in the back of the knee. …

It was nice to see WWE Hall of Famer Chief Jay Strongbow make an appearance, although the crowd didn’t seem to know who he was. Then again, his prime was about 30 years ago….

Am I the only one who was hoping someone would cut Cryme Tyme’s mic during the “Money, money, yeah, yeah” bit that seemed as if it was never going to end?

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (25)
        

Once touted as “The Next Big Thing” in pro wrestling, Brock Lesnar is now the big thing in mixed martial arts.

I just finished watching the highlights on ESPN of Lesnar’s convincing victory over Randy Couture at last night’s UFC pay-per-view. All I can say is that Lesnar is the real genetic freak. Admittedly, I don’t know a lot about MMA, but I know enough to be impressed by Lesnar pummeling a UFC legend to win the heavyweight title in just his fourth fight.

With the victory, Lesnar, to my knowledge, became the only man to be both a world champion in a major wrestling organization and a UFC champion. Former UFC champs Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn both held the NWA title during a period when that championship had little prestige. Even more impressive is that Lesnar also was an NCAA wrestling champion.

Perhaps the fact that Lesnar made his name in WWE before reaching the top in UFC will earn some respect for pro wrestling and pro wrestlers from the segment of MMA fans who belittle the business and question the athletic ability and toughness of pro wrestlers.

What I admire about Lesnar is that he has tried to educate those fans about what pro wrestling really is, even though he did not think highly of it before he signed with WWE. (To watch a video of Lesnar talking about pro wrestling, click here).

It’s been quite a journey for Lesnar over the past four and a half years. His final match with WWE in 2004, against Bill Goldberg at WrestleMania XX, was a fiasco. The sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden lustily booed both Lesnar and Goldberg, as it was public knowledge that both were leaving WWE after the match.

After Lesnar made a failed attempt at an NFL career, he returned to pro wrestling, this time in Japan. He also engaged in a legal battle with WWE, as the company contended that Lesnar’s no-compete clause prevented him from working for any other pro wrestling or MMA organization.

I always believed it was inevitable that Lesnar would end up back with WWE, and, sure enough, he and the company entered into negotiations at one point. However, the talks broke down and a settlement eventually was reached that allowed Lesnar to work elsewhere.

He entered MMA competition last year, winning his first fight for the K-1 promotion. Lesnar then lost in his UFC debut last February. Nine months later, he is the UFC heavyweight champion.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (21)
        

Last week on Smackdown, Jeff Hardy acted like someone who had gone over the edge. On last night’s show, he also looked the part. Hardy broke out the greasepaint to literally put a new face on his character.

It’s amazing how much makeup can enhance a performer’s presence. Hardy has dabbled in paint before, but never to this extreme (pun intended).

In the opening segment, Hardy looked like a cross between Sting (the wrestler) and King Diamond (the satanic falsetto rocker). With the extreme (there’s that word again) close-up and spooky lighting, Hardy made The Undertaker and his coffin look as threatening as an episode of The Munsters by comparison.

I’m really enjoying Hardy’s transformation into a face-painted outcast with a psychotic side. It reminds me a lot of Sting’s metamorphosis from a colorful surfer dude into a dark, mute vigilante in the late ’90s.

It’s always risky to mess with the persona of someone as over as Hardy, but his character needed to evolve after his repeated failed attempts to win the WWE title. Because the “new” Hardy has no allies, it also adds a needed sense of unpredictability to Smackdown.

Case in point: The contract signing between Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov looked like every other segment of this kind – and then Hardy came out of nowhere to hit a flying clothesline on Kozlov that put him through the table. Then, for good measure, Hardy ripped up the contract and threw the pieces into Triple H’s face. Good stuff.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

The Hardy-Undertaker extreme rules match made for a wild and entertaining main event. Hardy going over after interference from The Big Show was predictable, but the finish was done in a way that made Hardy’s big win look legitimate and not like a fluke. ...

Not to be outdone by his brother, Matt Hardy also turned in an impressive performance. His victory over Shelton Benjamin was almost as good of a match as his win over Finlay on ECW Tuesday. Matt gets my vote for WWE’s MVP of the week. …

Speaking of MVP, don’t even get me started. As I have said before, if the losing streak gimmick is going to eventually lead to a big push for MVP, that’s fine, but can we please get to it already before the guy is so far buried that he can never recover? This story line is infuriating, not entertaining. MVP jobbing to Funaki (I’m not even going to refer to him by his ridiculous gimmick name) is an insult to the fans. And using MVP as fodder for a Great Khali comedy segment is even more of a travesty. …

By the way, the Khali Kiss Kam segments have officially run their course. If there is one next week, I’m hitting fast-forward. …

I was disappointed with the WWE divas title match between Michelle McCool and Maria. It was basically just a quick squash. Hopefully, there is more to the angle than that. McCool needs to turn heel. …

On a positive note, Vickie Guerrero said “Excuse me!” seven times last night, which I believe is a record. Yes, I did count them, and yes, I popped for every one.

I’m still waiting for WWE to put out a Vickie T-shirt. The holiday season is approaching fast, you know. Here’s how I envision the design: On the front is a shot of Vickie scowling and pointing her finger in the air, with a speech bubble above her head that says “Excuse me!” On the back, in big letters, it says: “I SAID EXCUSE ME!!!” If a shirt like that surfaces on wweshop.com, I expect royalties. …

The Brian Kendrick and Carlito had a good match. Kendrick is always fun to watch, and Carlito once again showed how good he can be when he is motivated.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)
        

“One thing I want to make clear is that this is a blog solely about professional wrestling. … I am neither a fan nor a knowledgeable observer of MMA.”

The above quote is an excerpt from the debut entry of Ring Posts back in May of last year. A year and a half later, my feelings about Mixed Martial Arts haven’t changed all that much. It would be foolish, however, to deny MMA’s significant presence in the realm of professional wrestling.

For example, often there are issues of The Wrestling Observer in which a more appropriate title would be The MMA Observer because of the abundance of MMA content. Dave Meltzer, the writer and publisher of The Wrestling Observer, has perhaps become the leading authority on MMA just as he has on pro wrestling.

A growing number of wrestling Web sites are also covering MMA. In fact, just yesterday I received an e-mail from the Web master for marylandwrestling.com inviting me to take part in a new feature on the site – predicting the winners of UFC pay-per-views, beginning with tomorrow night’s UFC 91.

Speaking of which, the main event on that show is former WWE champion Brock Lesnar against Randy Couture. Lesnar and fellow ex-WWE superstar Bobby Lashley – who is scheduled to make his MMA debut next month – are the most recent examples of pro wrestlers who have ventured into MMA. Over the past 10 years, there also have been a number of fighters who have gone into wrestling.

I have never once considered checking out a UFC pay-per-view, but I have to admit that Lesnar-Couture has piqued my interest. Even someone as out of the MMA loop as I am knows who Couture is, and I am curious to see Lesnar compete in a legitimate fight against a strong opponent. I’m probably not going to watch the show, but I am at least thinking about it.

Believing Lesnar will lure wrestling fans like me is the reason UFC president Dana White told ESPN that UFC 91 will be the most successful event in the history of the sport.

“We think we're going to do 1.2 million buys on this fight,” he said. “It's a big fight. … [With] the WWE cross-over for this fight, a lot of WWE fans are going to tune in to see if their former wrestling champion can win in a real fight. Vince McMahon might even buy this fight.”

McMahon probably won’t buy it, but some of his wrestlers, such as The Undertaker and JBL, are big MMA fans and frequent spectators at the major events. Undertaker, along with guys such as CM Punk, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe and others, have incorporated aspects of MMA into their style.

I like the idea of some MMA-type realism in worked matches, but I wouldn’t advocate doing full-blown worked shoot-style matches, such as the ones that were popular at one time in Japan, on a regular basis. I never want pro wrestling to drift too far away from what it truly is – a unique form of entertainment that combines athleticism and showmanship.

It’s those elements that have made me a wrestling fan for 35 years. A UFC bout involving Lesnar might catch my attention, but, for me, the real fights in MMA will just never measure up to the scripted ones in pro wrestling.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)
        

The rumors surrounding Christian Cage’s future have been swirling for weeks. With his contract expiring soon, the question is whether he will re-sign with TNA or return to WWE, where he has a ready-made angle with former tag-team partner and real-life friend Edge.

TNA acknowledged the speculation last night on Impact. Saying that Cage needed to be dealt with for thinking about leaving TNA for WWE, the Main Event Mafia destroyed him in a four-on-one attack (Sting, the “babyface heel” was not involved in the segment).

Either this is TNA’s way of writing Cage out of the show or else it’s a swerve to make fans think he is leaving. There are various wrestling Web sites reporting the latter story to be the case, while others claim it’s the former.

If he stays, Cage would become the top babyface on the show, possibly assuming the role of leader of the TNA Originals, who are desperately in need of a charismatic guy who can cut good promos.

Unless WWE is offering significantly more money than TNA, I’m guessing that Cage is staying put. In TNA, he is clearly one of the top-tier guys. In WWE, he would likely get a big push at first, especially if he’s involved in a story line with Edge. But with so many big-names stars on WWE’s roster, Cage probably would end up back in a mid-card role before long.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

This was an entertaining episode. In addition to the well-done Cage-MEM angle, there were three title matches. The best was the TNA tag-team title match between Beer Money and the team of Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles. Sting’s TNA world title defense against Jay Lethal also was good.

However, Eric Young’s win over Sheik Abdul Bashir for the X Division championship suffered from bad booking. Shane Sewell did his psycho ref routine (which I love, by the way) and physically assaulted Bashir, who then became easy prey for Young. The way it went down made Young look like a fluke champion, especially because Bashir had the match won, but Sewell refused to make the three count because he thought Bashir delivered a low blow (he did, but Sewell didn’t see it).

Here’s a better scenario: Young hits his finisher, and Sewell makes the three count despite Bashir getting his foot on the rope at the last second. Bashir shoves Sewell after the match, and then Sewell goes nuts on Bashir. Young comes off as a more credible champion, Bashir can legitimately claim that Sewell is biased, and Sewell gets to do his thing. …

Speaking of Young, now that he is no longer playing a doofus, TNA needs to change the shot of him blinking his eyes in a goofy manner that it shows when promoting his matches. …

The Motor City Machine Guns appear to be finally getting a real push. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin play the young, cocky know-it-alls well. Shelley was especially good on the mic last night, and his facials when being scolded by Mick Foley were excellent. …

I’m surprised TNA didn’t promote The Beautiful People/Sarah Palin angle more throughout the show. …

Instead of joining the MEM’s backstage beat-down of Petey Williams in progress, I wish TNA would have shown Williams talking to Steiner before the attack. Also, the pool of blood that was next to Williams was kind of silly considering that it was obvious that he didn’t have a scratch on him. …

I liked the “Rough Cuts” segment on LAX. This first one focused on Hernandez, who definitely has potential to be a singles star. I would hate to see LAX broken up, though. Hernandez and Homicide are perhaps the best tag team in wrestling. …

An ODB talk show? Sounds like fun to me. By the way, what was up with her hair? …

The TNA Originals really need a better name. What about something like The Foundation? …

James Storm’s beer-oriented props are hilarious. I’m not sure if he’ll ever be able to top the beer cooler scooter.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 5:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
        

Here is an interview I conducted with Maryland independent wrestlers Ryan McBride and Zachary Shane last Sunday at the Eastern Wrestling Alliance show In Parkville. Both have been nominated for Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Rookie of the Year award.

This interview is scheduled to air on EWA's television show this weekend. The program is broadcast on Baltimore City Comcast ch. 75 on Saturday at 11 p.m.; Harford County Comcast ch. 21 on Sunday at 10:30 p.m.; and Harford County Armstrong ch. 7 Sunday at 10:30 p.m.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 6:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Video interviews
        

I’ve received several comments and e-mails over the past few weeks from people asking me if I have read Bret Hart’s autobiography, Hitman.

The answer is no. In fact, I have treated the book the way some people treat a toothache: If I ignore it, maybe it will just go away.

My plan, however, went awry last week. I walked into the Sports department at The Baltimore Sun and found a surprise waiting for me at my desk. As you have probably already guessed, it was a copy of Hitman. The publishing company had sent a copy to the newspaper for review consideration.

Now that I can no longer pretend it doesn’t exist, I have to decide whether or not to read it.

It’s not that I think the book is without merit. Obviously, someone of Hart’s stature in the business has quite a story to tell, and I have read that Hart worked meticulously on it for years. Hitman has gotten rave reviews and some have even referred to it as the best wrestling autobiography there is (or was or ever will be).

The reason that I have avoided it is because, in all honesty, I have some negative preconceived notions about it. Hitman is 549 pages long, and I just don’t know that I want to invest a lot of time into what I presume will be a depressing, angry narrative.

While I have a tremendous amount of respect for Hart’s accomplishments in the business and his work ethic, I think he takes himself much too seriously, and since his in-ring career ended, he often comes across as bitter and petty. Those traits were on display a couple months ago when he went off on a wrestling writer while giving the induction speech for his late father at the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony.

Out of curiosity, I began flipping through the pages of Hitman. After skimming several chapters, I admit that I was intrigued. The candid tales of debauchery on the road, his thoughts on various angles and his interaction with famous wrestling figures are compelling to say the least.

But the more I read, the more the book validated my preconceived notions. While he doesn’t always portray himself in the best light, there are examples of vitriol and self-righteousness in his writing.

For example, on the next-to-last page of the book, Hart writes this about Vince McMahon: “Sadly cheaters do prosper and even become billionaires. The world’s full of them, and maybe that’s why we need heroes who don’t gage success with dollars.” It’s interesting that he labels McMahon a "cheater" even though Hart admits to being a serial cheater during his marriage.

Hart’s inability to move past his bitterness is exemplified on the book’s last page. He writes: “To me, Shawn [Michaels] will always be a phony, a liar and a hairless yellow dog. …I’ll never forgive Shawn, or Hunter [Triple H], for killing the business that so many of us gave our lives for.”

With all of that being said, however, I have come to the conclusion that an in-depth autobiography by of one of wrestling’s biggest stars is a must-read for any serious fan. So, I am going to read it. And if at any point I am turned off by what I’m reading, I will just turn the page and move on.

It would be great if someday Bret Hart could do the same.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (44)
        

Professional wrestling and politics are being linked together yet again.

We’ve already seen Jesse “The Body” Ventura elected as the governor of Minnesota a decade ago, and last April, presidential candidates Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton cut wrestling promos on Raw.

Now, Alaska governor and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has been invited by TNA to become an honorary member of The Beautiful People.

TNA has scheduled a Sarah Palin ceremony for Dec. 7 at its Final Resolution pay-per-view, according to a news release issued by the company today. TNA president Dixie Carter has offered to fly Palin and her husband to Orlando, Fla., for the event, and the company also has agreed to donate $50,000 to her favorite charity.

TNA will make the formal invitation to Palin on Impact Thursday.

Sure, this is a blatant publicity stunt, but so what? TNA desperately needs to get its name out into the mainstream, and using Palin for that purpose is certainly better for the company’s image than when it did business with NFL miscreant Adam “Pacman” Jones last year.

It seems absurd that Palin would even consider the offer to join Angelina Love, Velvet Sky and Cute Kip in The Beautiful People, but you never know. Who would have believed that Raw could land the presidential candidates?

If Palin declines, perhaps Tina Fey isn't busy on Dec. 7.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 7:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
        

Even though Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho have been in a program together since all the way back in April, watching them wrestle each other never gets old. Last night on Raw, the two superstars engaged in what is most likely their last match with each other for a while.

The last man standing match between Michaels and Jericho was a very good television main event, although it was not at the level of their epic pay-per-view encounters. The finish was obvious to anyone who has been paying attention lately – JBL’s interference cost Michaels the match – but it took nothing away from the match and was the right call.

So the book is closed on Michaels-Jericho for now, as both guys embark on new programs – Michaels with JBL, and Jericho with the soon-to-be returning John Cena. It was definitely time to move on, but I certainly wouldn’t be upset if WWE decided to revisit the feud in the future.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

WWE pulled a bait-and-switch by promising a Randy Orton vs. Batista match at the start of the show and then not delivering. You could tell that the crowd in Manchester, England wasn’t happy about it, and I’m guessing a lot of viewers at home weren’t either. There is a method to WWE’s madness, however. It would have been foolish to give away that match on free TV, so the goal was to whet the fans’ appetites for the bout and then make them pay to see it. I suppose WWE’s thinking was: The fans will be miffed, but they’ll get over it. …

It’s interesting that almost every time Randy Orton’s music starts, the crowd gives him a babyface pop. Once he starts his promo, however, the fans usually jeer him, but last night the crowd began an “RKO” chant and booed Batista. Without even wrestling one match (until last week), Orton has become the most compelling character on the show.

You have to wonder if he is turning babyface at some point. I think it would be a mistake to do it anytime soon, but it could work down the line. Orton’s babyface turn in 2004 was a failure, mostly because it was rushed, but also because the tone of his character was all wrong for him. Orton should never be a “traditional” babyface. If he maintains his cockiness and intensity and doesn’t play too much to the crowd, Orton could get over big as a face. …

I think the Cena videos have been very well done, but this one had me scratching my head. What sense does it make to have guys like Triple H and Michaels pointing out Cena’s flaws as a worker? I guess the point they were trying to convey was that he has more heart and determination than skill, but I think it’s counterproductive. I sure don’t remember anyone – especially his fellow babyfaces – saying on camera that Hulk Hogan was a lousy worker when he was on top in WWE in the 1980s and early ’90s. Plus, Cena is a much better worker than he is given credit for. …

Nice job by Jericho trying to cover for Michaels’ creative misstep on last week’s show. Michaels, who was playing his sophomoric DX character, had made a sarcastic joke about Jericho punching his wife in the face and mocking his children. Instead of just ignoring the stupid line, Jericho referenced it last night before his match against Michaels. Jericho said that Michaels has to make light of those things because that is the only way he can deal with it. …

In addition to Jericho-Michaels, two other feuds seemingly were concluded last night: Rey Mysterio-Kane and Beth Phoenix-Mickie James. Mysterio’s win over Kane in a no-disqualification match was a little sloppy but still entertaining. I’m amazed that Mysterio wasn’t injured after Kane swung him like a baseball bat into the barricade. The premise for this feud was ridiculous, but the matches were actually pretty good despite the incredible disparity in size. The Phoenix-James match, which was won by Phoenix, could have used a few more minutes. …

Santino Marella actually got a babyface pop when he was doing his promo, but he managed to turn the crowd against him. I’m surprised – and disappointed – that Marella lost the Intercontinental title to William Regal. Nothing against Regal, but Marella was highly entertaining as a comedic champion. Plus, I figured that Marella would eventually drop the title to a babyface, not a fellow heel. …

OK, somebody’s lying. Former Raw general manager Mike Adamle (that has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?) said last month that Shane McMahon always turns his phone off during Raw, but Marella claimed to be talking to Shane during last night’s show. …

I’m glad to see Mike Knox on Raw. I know some people are going to jump all over me for this one, but I think the guy has potential. He’s got size, a menacing look (since growing out his hair and beard) and an effective brawling style.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (21)
        

When the latest WWE cuts were announced today, I wasn’t surprised at the names on the list – Kenny Dykstra, Elijah Burke and Lena Yada – because all three of them have had insignificant roles of late. I am a bit surprised, however, that Dykstra and Burke ended up in this position in the first place.

Both were at one time considered to be can’t-miss prospects. Vince McMahon, in fact, even proclaimed on television that Burke was the future of ECW.

Dykstra was something of a prodigy, as he became a regular on Raw in 2006 at 19 as a member of the Spirit Squad. Dykstra was clearly regarded as the star of the group, and he received a singles push after it was disbanded. He feuded with Ric Flair and scored several victories over the “Nature Boy,” but there just seemed to be something missing with him.

He was eventually paired with Victoria, but then disappeared from TV a few months later. When he was brought back over the summer, he was placed in one humiliating position after another, and it seemed as if the writing was on the wall.

I have a feeling that Dykstra, who is still only 22, will end in WWE again at some point. If he was brought back with the right gimmick, he is athletic enough that he could make an impact.

I’m not sure what went wrong with Burke. During a time in which WWE seems to be making an effort to push more African-Americans, Burke was the forgotten man. He showed some charisma and in-ring ability when he debuted on Smackdown in 2006, and he went on to became the leader of the New Breed vs. ECW Originals feud. He had a series of pay-per-view matches with CM Punk over the ECW title, but he also did jobs for ECW mid-carders such as Balls Mahoney. Eventually, Burke’s role was diminished to the point where he didn’t have a role at all.

As for Yada, no disrespect to her, but I doubt that anyone will even notice that she’s gone.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 8:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)
        

In checking out the results of TNA’s Turning Point pay-per-view, I learned that the Ravens’ 41-13 victory over the Houston Texans wasn’t the only rout yesterday.

The Main Event Mafia went 4-for-4: TNA world champion Sting defeated A.J. Styles; Kevin Nash defeated Samoa Joe; Kurt Angle defeated Abyss; and Booker T. defeated Christian Cage.

I can’t say I’m surprised that all four MEM members won. It was the first pay-per-view after the group formed, so one would expect the heels to go over to build for the inevitable rematches.

It’s logical booking, but there is a problem. The TNA babyface faction, led by Joe and Styles, were portrayed as uncool and inferior heading into the show, and now they look even worse.

Assuming that all of this is leading to the MEM getting its comeuppance at some point, the question is: Will the fans already have given up on the babyfaces by then? For this to be a money angle, the fans need to believe in the babyfaces and be emotionally invested in them. Time will tell, but I have my doubts.

Before the pay-per-view, the only match I thought the MEM night not win was Nash versus Joe. I figured there might be some type of disqualification. At least Joe looked strong in defeat, but he still lost. The guy is supposed to be the top babyface in TNA, but Nash has made him look like a fool for almost a year now.

As I have said before, the Nash-Joe feud absolutely should end with Joe scoring a clean, convincing win. I’m not saying it won’t happen, but based on Nash’s track record, no one should be surprised if he manages to avoid doing the job.

Some other thoughts:

The Angle-Abyss falls-count-anywhere match reportedly stole the show. As banged up as Angle’s body is, it’s nothing short of amazing that he can still perform at such a high level. I can’t help but wonder what his quality of life will be after he’s done wrestling. …

Scott Hall, who was booked to be in the main event of last year’s Turning Point and then no-showed, actually got some screen time last night. He was sitting at ringside with the Insane Clown Posse. You can’t make this stuff up. TNA couldn’t possibly be considering doing business again with Hall, could it? Who’s next, Jake Roberts?

Posted by Kevin Eck at 5:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)
        

After suffering clean losses to WWE champion Triple H on the past two pay-per-views, Jeff Hardy had about as much momentum as The Great Khali running uphill. And with the focus on Smackdown turning to Triple H versus Kozlov, Hardy seemed to be sliding back to his former role of being the company’s most popular mid-carder.

Rather than taking his near misses at the title in stride, however, Hardy came out swinging last night on Smackdown. His frustration boiling over, Hardy wielded a chair to show that he wasn’t taking a backseat to anyone in his ongoing quest for the title. A desperate Hardy willing to use extreme measures to get what he wants adds a new layer to his character and is a logical progression of his story line.

His chair-shot hit list last night consisted of The Undertaker, Vladimir Kozlov, John Morrison and The Miz. Triple H, who was teaming with Hardy against Morrison and Miz, stared at Hardy after the attack with a look that conveyed both surprise and concern.

What makes the angle more intriguing is that Hardy went after The Undertaker as well as the heels. The way he snapped, clobbered The Undertaker and then ran away almost made it seem as if Hardy was turning heel. That would be a huge mistake, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.

It was announced that Hardy and Undertaker will be wrestling in an extreme rules match next week, and if it comes anywhere close to their ladder matches from six years ago, it should be something to see.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

The longer I watched the Kozlov-Undertaker match, the more I thought it wasn’t the greatest idea to have them wrestle each other at this point. What has made Kozlov special is that he has rarely shown vulnerability, and two weeks before his title shot against Triple H at the Survivor Series pay-per-view is not the time for him to do a significant amount of selling for an opponent.

Because of Triple H’s size, in-ring style and proven track record, it’s difficult to depict him as the underdog heading into a match, but WWE was pulling it off. Before last night, Kozlov had looked unstoppable, which is what made his upcoming match with Triple H compelling. …

R-Truth doing two clean jobs in a row to Shelton Benjamin has me scratching my head. The fans are behind R-Truth, so why cut him off at the knees? At least have Benjamin cheat to get the victory. …

The time was right to reveal that there are two Bellas. The angle of the announcers and Brie Bella’s opponents not being able to figure it out when it was so obvious had gone about as far as it could go. …

I’m actually looking forward to the Michelle McCool-Maria divas title match next week. I think McCool will be much more effective as a heel, assuming she does turn. …

Sure, the Khali Kiss Kam segments are getting a little old, but Khali’s reactions and facial expressions are hilarious. If WWE really wants to get Khali over as a babyface, however, it should have him chokeslam the incredibly annoying Ranjin Singh. …

I wonder what’s more disgusting: The Boogeyman spitting live worms in your mouth, or kissing the women in the Kiss Kam segments?

Posted by Kevin Eck at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
        

With the Main Event Mafia’s sharp custom-made suits, charisma and multitude of world title reigns, it’s no wonder that fans cheer the heel faction.

With all due respect to the TNA Originals (is that the best name the creative team could come up with?), it really is a mismatch in star power when you have Kurt Angle, Sting, Kevin Nash, Booker T. and Scott Steiner standing across from guys such as Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, Eric Young, Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed.

The lack of star power isn't the only thing that makes TNA’s babyface group seem inferior to the MEM. The creative team makes them look like uncool whiners who are easily outsmarted. Instead of the younger guys getting a rub, they are just getting rubbed out.

There were several prime examples of this last night on Impact. It began with a promo by Scott Steiner. He not only buried Joe, Styles and the rest of the young guys, but also the company. Steiner said that the only reason Joe and Styles came to TNA was because they had no other options. Translation: WWE didn’t want them. That (and some other things Steiner said about them) might be true, but is that something that really should be said about the guys who are supposed to be the company’s biggest babyfaces?

Eventually, Joe and his entourage came out to confront the MEM. Joe told Steiner, the newest member of the MEM, that his side also had a new member. Out came Christian Cage. Score one for the good guys, right? Not so fast. Cage came out and said that he was willing to lend them a hand, but he was not officially joining the group, which made Joe look silly.

Later, Styles and Sting had a verbal confrontation in which Styles whined about Sting getting everything he wanted in his contract, such as first-class flying accommodations. Memo to TNA: That is not a babyface promo. Only heels are supposed to come across as jealous and bitter.

Then, in the main event that pitted Joe against Steiner, Joe was outsmarted yet again. After taking the bait and going after Nash outside the ring, Joe was then KO’d and pinned by Steiner, who had slipped a pair of brass knuckles on his hand while Joe was distracted.

A better finish would have been for Joe to defeat Steiner, and then Nash does a run-in and he and Steiner double-team Joe. It gets heat on the heels and protects Joe. Or, if TNA didn’t want to have Steiner do a job in his first match back, it could have had Joe hit his finisher on Steiner, but Nash breaks up the pin attempt and he and Steiner take it to Joe.

I would love to know what Joe and Styles really think about the way their characters are being written.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

Aside from the fact that Steiner’s heel promo seemed more like a babyface promo, I found it entertaining. No one will ever confuse him with The Rock when it comes to his verbal skills, but he definitely has a style that is all his own. …

Steiner mentioned that the MEM members wrestled in all the big arenas, specifically mentioning Madison Square Garden. As far as I know, the only Sting who ever performed in the Garden was the one who sang “Roxanne.” …

Sting finally got some legitimate heel heat when he “crossed the line” and brought up Styles’ father and son in his promo. On the flip side, however, I noticed that Sting was the only MEM member not chuckling while Steiner ridiculed Joe and Styles…

If Matt Morgan doesn’t end up turning heel, he would be an asset to the TNA young guys faction. …

It’s weird to see Jeff Jarrett sitting behind a desk in his office as the founder of TNA. For anyone who has been watching TNA for a few years, this is a serious breach of story line continuity. When Jarrett was the top heel in the company, he always said that TNA management was trying to screw him over. So now that we know he is TNA management, I guess Jeff screwed Jeff. …

With Jarrett and Mick Foley both playing authority figures, where does that leave Jim Cornette? Here’s a thought: Cornette, feeling he was being squeezed out by Jarrett and Foley, joins up with the MEM and becomes the manager/mouthpiece for the group. The dueling promos between Cornette and Foley would be must-see TV. …

Steiner wasn’t the only heel who came off like a babyface in his promo. In a sit-down interview with Mike Tenay, Sheik Abdul Bashir spoke calmly and articulately about being an American citizen who loves his country, yet was a victim of discrimination after 9/11 because of the way he looked. I fail to see why that statement makes him a bad guy. After being badgered by Tenay, Bashir eventually lost his temper and began berating Tenay in Farsi. That prompted Tenay to yell back, “Speak English, already!” which made Tenay comes across like the Ugly American.

The segment reminded me of when Bashir (then known as Daivari) and Muhammad Hassan were in WWE talking about Americans being narrow-minded and prejudiced, and then Steve Austin – one of the most popular babyfaces of all time – confronted them and said, “I see sand people.” Of course that line got a huge pop, thus proving that everything the heels said was absolutely true. …

The Rhaka Khan heel turn makes no sense to me. It was only five weeks ago that she turned babyface. She showed some charisma as a face and the fans seemed to be getting behind her. Despite Khan’s limitations as a worker, I think a feud between her and Awesome Kong would have been good. …

Just wondering: Whatever happened to the angle of Shane Sewell as the tough-guy referee?

Posted by Kevin Eck at 6:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)
        

Here is an interview I conducted with former WWE diva Cherry last Saturday at the Maryland Championship Wrestling show in Dundalk. Be forewarned, there was a lot of backround noise and she speaks softly, so the audio isn't the greatest.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 9:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Video interviews
        

“Let me just say that it’s not completely the way that it seems right now. There’s going to be a lot more to it.”
-- Chris Jericho, in an interview with me last week, on whether he thought his world heavyweight title reign ended prematurely

When Chris Jericho made that ambiguous statement, I thought he might be hinting that he was going to regain the world title from Batista soon, maybe even in the steel cage match last night on Raw. But then I wondered if perhaps he was talking about some elaborate story line that didn’t necessarily involve him winning back the title.

It turned out to be the former – a word that no longer applies to Jericho’s world champion status after his victory over Batista last night in a match that headlined an entertaining three-hour show celebrating Raw’s 800th episode.

I didn’t really think Jericho would lose the title at the Cyber Sunday pay-per-view on Oct. 26, but when he did, I figured Batista would hold it for at least a few months. Wrong again. Looking back at how the story line has progressed, I do think the right calls were made.

Batista had been chasing the world title since losing it to Edge in December, always coming up just short when he seemed on the verge of winning. He needed to get the title back at some point, and Cyber Sunday, with Steve Austin as the special guest referee, was as good a time as any.

Jericho, however, was doing a great job as a heel champion, and it just didn’t right to take the belt off him. But now he has it back, Batista got to add another title reign to his resume and all is right with the WWE Universe.

After basically being booked as a fluke champion during his seven-week reign, Jericho gained credibility as last night by defeating Batista without outside interference or “The Animal” slipping on a banana peel. Jericho did use a steel ring wrenched from the top of the cage to bust open Batista (possibly hardway), but, hey, all’s fair in a steel cage match.

It was announced before the match that John Cena would be facing the champion at the Survivor Series pay-per-view on Nov. 23. Jericho versus Cena should be very good, and it will be interesting to see what Batista’s role will be moving forward.

The other big news was that Mike Adamle resigned as Raw general manager.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

It’s always fun to watch the old clips. The Rock-Hulk Hogan face-to-face confrontation was surreal when it happened in 2002 and is undoubtedly one of the most memorable WWE moments of all time.

Speaking of surreal, the clip of Shane McMahon appearing on Nitro on 2001 and announcing that he had bought WCW brought back a lot of memories. I was there that night in Panama City, Fla., trying to have some fun on what I knew was my final “business” trip as a WCW employee. Boy, was that a weird scene. WWE people had taken over the backstage area and there were WCW office workers and talent crying after the show. My understanding at the time was that WWE was going to run WCW as a separate entity and that Shane really was going to be in charge of it. Not surprisingly, everyone was kissing up to Shane that night.

Some of the clips from Raw’s early years left me with a bittersweet feeling. Bobby Heenan was such a fantastic performer, and watching him do his shtick brought a smile to his face. But then I got a little sad thinking about all the health problems he has had over the past several years. After battling throat cancer several years ago, Heenan underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries on his jaw – which had been damaged by radiation therapy – late last year and early this year. At one point, he was in a medically induced coma. For most of the year, the man with an incredible gift of gab was unable to talk, although he reportedly now is able to speak a few sentences before getting tired.

Watching The Kid (Sean Waltman)’s famous upset win over Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) in 1993 was sad for a different reason. You could see how talented both guys were, but that talent was ultimately wasted because of bad decisions in their personal lives. It is especially disturbing to see Hall in his prime juxtaposed with the haggard, bloated guy captured on YouTube embarrassing himself at the recent Iron Sheik roast.

Some of the other clips that caught my attention were the ones in which Randy Savage was doing commentary. It wasn’t that Savage said anything particularly interesting, it was just the fact that the “The Macho Man’s” familiar gravely voice was being heard on a WWE program in 2008. Given Vince McMahon’s reported disdain for him, I’m surprised the Savage snippets weren’t edited out. …

I suppose it was fitting that Adamle stumbled through his resignation promo. I wonder if this is the end of his stint as on on-air talent (poor choice of words) or merely a swerve. …

The DX stuff was hilarious. The Dirt Sheet segment – at least the ones I have seen on TV – don’t come close. It was good to see Triple H and Shawn Michaels poking fun at themselves in addition to ragging on John Morrison and The Miz. Speaking of The Miz, I didn’t think it was possible for him to be any goofier looking, but then they showed that high school photo of him. The one thing I didn’t like about DX’s promo was Michaels being sarcastic about Jericho punching his wife in the face and mocking his children. His story line with Jericho was too intense for him to be joking about it so soon. ...

The DX-Morrison/Miz match was pretty good. We all knew Triple H and Michaels were winning (as they should have), but I thought they sold adequately for Morrison and Miz. By the way, seeing Michaels and Morrison in the ring together made me think a program between them down the line could be something special. Morrison could proclaim himself to be the new showstopper to ignite the feud, which could make him a star. …

It’s always nice to see my one-time almost boss Stephanie McMahon on TV. It seems as if she’s up to no good, and that could be really good. By the way, did Vince McMahon die again? Stephanie and Shane were talking about him in the past tense. …

Who would have thunk it? The Great Khali is over as a babyface. After seeing him save Rey Mysterio, I wondered if WWE was considering put the two together as a Mutt and Jeff tag team (which is not to be confused with a Matt and Jeff tag team). …

Speaking of which, with Matt and Jeff Hardy facing The Brian Kendrick and MVP, there were four talented workers in the ring, but, unfortunately the only question concerning the outcome of the match was whether it would be Matt or Jeff pinning MVP. …

The plot continues to thicken for Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase Jr., Cody Rhodes and Manu. WWE is doing a good job of slowly building to what figures to be an alliance of the second- and third-generation stars. …

No offense to Mae Young, but the women selling for her weak offense was ridiculous. No one could suspend their disbelief that much. …

I loved Santino Marella getting in the line about not recognizing Jerry “Stupid” Lawler without his sandwich. That was a reference to Marella stealing Lawler’s “delicious Subway sandwich” on an episode of Raw in March. …

Charlie Haas has become hit or miss with his impersonations. As Bret “The Hitman” Haas, he was OK doing Bret Hart’s mannerisms, but he couldn’t do the voice at all and the crowd wasn’t into it. He also forgot to whine and complain about being screwed after his loss to Vladimir Kozlov.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 6:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (24)
        

My thoughts on last night’s special edition of Raw will be posted a little later, but first, here’s a special edition of Ring Posts in honor of today’s presidential election.

Wrestling certainly has its share of politics and strong personalities, so I thought it would be fun to take a look at 10 wrestling figures’ hypothetical run for the presidency.

MIKE ADAMLE
Campaign slogan: “This economy is Jamaican me crazy!”
Why he could win: George W. Bush has proved that it’s possible to fail in every job you’ve had and still get to the White House
Potential downfall: Not exactly Barack Obama when it comes to public speaking

JOHN CENA
Campaign slogan: “The President is here!”
Why he could win: He’s a former military hero. I know it was only a movie role, but it worked for Arnold Schwarznegger
Potential downfall: If Cena wins, there could be a riot

RIC FLAIR
Campaign slogan: “Whether you like it or you don’t like it, learn to love it, because I’m the best candidate going today! Woooo!”
Why he could win: No one would be better at putting on a suit and tie and schmoosing people at campaign fundraisers
Potential downfall: Penchant for wearing nothing but his sequined robe and socks in public

JEFF HARDY
Campaign slogan: “Take a leap of faith with me”
Why he could win: Knows how to win a popularity contest. Would win in a landslide if voting age was lowered to 13
Potential downfall: Are you serious? The guy has more skeletons in his closet than Jeffrey Dahmer. Plus, the multi-colored hair and face paint might not play well in red states

HULK HOGAN
Campaign slogan: “Train, say your prayers and vote for me, brother!”
Why he could win: The ultimate Teflon man, he has lying down to a science
Potential downfall: Wife and son would be most embarrassing presidential family members since Roger Clinton. You know it's bad when Brooke is the smart one.

VINCE MCMAHON
Campaign slogan: “My opponent has no chance in hell”
Why he could win: Knows how to win a war
Potential downfall: Takes concept of having his underlings kiss his butt too literally, as he could surpass Bill Clinton’s record for the president who dropped his pants the most

THE ROCK
Campaign slogan: “The Rock likes pie.” Nothing says Americana like apple pie. What, you mean he wasn’t talking about apple pie?
Why he could win: Would never lose a debate. When his opponent starts answering a question, Rock would cut him off by yelling, “It doesn’t matter what you think!”
Potential downfall: Made Doom

TRIPLE H
Campaign slogan: “I will be the president of presidents. And if you’re not down with that, I got two words for ya … ”
Why he could win: No one plays the political game better than “The Game”
Potential downfall: Twelve-time world champion's upbringing in Greenwich, Conn., might make him seem like a liberal elitist to middle-class humanoids

ROB VAN DAM
Campaign slogan: “With your help, I’ll smoke the competition”
Why he could win: An independent thinker, he’s much more of a maverick than John McCain
Potential downfall: Has inhaled

JESSE VENTURA
Campaign slogan: “Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat!” Oops, that one was already used by the Republicans in the 2000 election
Why he could win: Has experience as a governor
Potential downfall: Rudy Guiliani’s pathetic showing in the primaries proves that the country isn’t ready for a president who wears feather boas

Posted by Kevin Eck at 3:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
        

Two underrated former WWE performers, Stevie Richards and Cherry, will appear on tonight’s Maryland Championship Wrestling show at The New Green Room in Dundalk.

The card also features an MCW heavyweight title defense for Christian York against Ruckus, as well as MCW tag-team champions The Ghetto Mafia against The Original RBC, and MCW cruiserweight champion Josh Daniels versus Derek Frazier. Bell time is 7:30 p.m.

For more information, go to marylandwrestling.com.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 2:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

If you were busy trick or treating, attending a costume party or watching a horror movie marathon last night instead of watching Smackdown, don’t fret about missing it.

Smackdown wasn’t bad; it just wasn’t anything anyone needs to go out of their way to see. When one of the highlights of the show is a masked magician performing a standard trick in an attempt at cross-promotion, you know the episode isn’t a keeper.

The show was built around a casket match between The Undertaker and Chavo Guerrero. The dimmed lights, druids and funeral dirge were fitting for a Halloween night episode, but I have always found these elaborate Undertaker entrances to be incredibly boring. And who really wants to see Chavo in a main event?

Next week’s show sounds a lot more promising. The Undertaker faces Vladimir Kozlov, and if Kozlov wins, he gets a title shot against WWE champion Triple H at the Survivor Series pay-per-view on Nov. 23. It’s a virtual lock that Kozlov-Triple is going to happen at Survivor Series, so it seems obvious that The Big Show’s interference will cost Undertaker the match next week.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

I wish WWE would have gone all the way with the Halloween theme. They might be corny, but I have always been entertained by the Halloween episodes that show all the wrestlers at a backstage costume party. Who could ever forget Miss Elizabeth dressed as Jane? Or John Cena in his Vanilla Ice costume? …

The crowd was super-hot for the six-man tag match that pitted Rey Mysterio and The Hardys against Kane, Mark Henry and MVP. Fans always go nuts whenever Matt and Jeff Hardy team up, and Mysterio rules in San Diego. For those who didn’t watch the show, take a guess as to which one of the heels did the job. …

I’m all for The Great Khali doing his happy-go-lucky giant gimmick, but I think the Khali Kiss Kam is starting to run its course. It’s just basically the same thing every week. …

Jimmy Wang Yang versus The Brian Kendrick was good but way too short. I’d love to see these guys wrestle each other at a house show, where they would have more time. Yang is a very underrated worker, but it was a surprise to see him get the DQ win over Kendrick. …

Hurricane Helms might have some heat with Velvet Sky after he said the divas “always make me pop up.” I’m just sayin.’

Posted by Kevin Eck at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)