It's here. It's finally here. WrestleMania Weekend! The stage is being set, the superstars are in Orlando, and fans anxiously await the biggest show of the year. This year's Mania has the chance to be one of the best, in my opinion. There's a greater emphasis on wrestling and I think a lot of fans will go home happy.
With that, its time to make my predictions for the big show (pun intended)...
I make my WrestleMania predictions the night before every year's broadcast, when all the final TV shows have aired and you can really sit back and think about who has the most momentum, who looks like the underdog and who is likely to be walking out of the big show (pun very much intended) as winners and losers.
And if my predictions are correct, we're in for one Hell of a show tomorrow night....
1. 24-Man Battle Royal, Winner faces ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero: I think this will be entertaining, and I'm glad to see an over-the-top-rope spectacle return to the biggest show of the year. Makes me think of WrestleMania 2 when Andre won. I could see a couple swerves happen with this one. I read in an autograph session report that fans were told Hardcore Holly was injured, so that opens up a spot. Whether or not he actually IS hurt is beside the point. If there is a vacant spot, maybe Matt Hardy will return and take it, even though he fits best in the Money In The Bank Ladder match. Hell, maybe even Rob Van Dam will return and win it. If the WWE has an opportunity to please fans with a surprising return, they better take it. As for a winner? Well, if Hardy or Van Dam don't return and win it, then I think I'm gonna go with Kane. His character has been really stale for the longest time and he deserves the Mania exposure. WINNER: Kane
2. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. Kane: If Kane wins, then I'm not too sure if he'll be pushed further into winning the ECW Title. But I don't see Chavo winning cleanly, or even at all. OK, I'll call a messy finish. WINNER: Kane by DQ or count-out, Chavo retains
3. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Chris Jericho vs. Carlito vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP: This one is hard to call. I could see a surprise return in this one too. Seven is a mismatched number for this match, and we all know its only that much because Jeff Hardy was suspended. Maybe brother Matt or RVD once again will return in THIS match. But if it really comes down to these 7, then I'm leaning towards either Jericho or MVP to take it. I think it'll be close and I'm sure we're gonna be witness to some major crash-and-burn moments, but I'm gonna go with Y2J. His return went flat after Armageddon and he hasn't had much momentum until recently winning the IC Title from Hardy. WINNER: Chris Jericho
4. The Big Show vs. Floyd Mayweather: It may be getting the most promotion, but its the one I care the least about. Yes, I even care more about the Playboy BS more than this publicity stunt. At least with that we're looking at hot chicks. This is gonna be a meticulously choreographed farce, but its done its job of promoting the hell out of WrestleMania, which is what Vince always wanted anyway. Floyd is gonna be protected like Show's life depends on it, so its not gonna be very long. And as for this supposed "swerve" we're gonna see? No idea what its gonna be, but Mayweather's winning this one. He wouldn't have signed up for it if he wasn't guaranteed the win. WINNER: Floyd Mayweather
5. Belfast Brawl, Finlay vs. JBL: Won't be a match-of-the-year candidate by any means, but it'll be brutal and hard-hitting. I'm glad the whole Hornswoggle angle didn't lead to Vince himself fighting at Mania. Going with a singles match between these two was a better idea. No doubt Vince is gonna interfere, and probably little Horny himself. And is it just me, but does anyone see a heel turn by the little guy, causing Finlay to lose? I dunno, I just see something happening with this one that most wouldn't expect. Either that or it'll be all sunshine and Lucky Charms for the two Irishmen. WINNER: Finlay
6. BunnyMania tag team match, Maria/Ashley vs. Melina/Beth Phoenix: Mostly see this one being about comedy, with Snoop Dogg and Santino probably getting into some sort of scuffle. Your average women's match, and I see Melina/Phoenix winning, most likely setting up a Title program with Maria and Beth. WINNERS: Melina & Beth Phoenix
7. Smackdown vs. RAW, Batista (S) vs. Umaga (R): I've personally wanted to see these two go at it for a long time, and WrestleMania is the perfect stage for it to happen. It'll be physical, that's for sure. Probably a good back-and-forth match with a lot of power moves, and I see Batista taking the win. Though if they wanna keep Umaga's character in good standing, it should take 2-3 Batista Bombs to put him away. That or a spinebuster off the top rope or something. WINNER: Batista
8. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels: Really looking forward to this. Flair has his detractors, but if there's anyone that can make him look as good as he was 15-20 years ago, its Shawn Michaels. The guy can make a match with a dildo look good. Hell, he made Hogan look half-ass entertaining, and Flair is/was 10 times the wrestler he ever was. It's definitely gonna be a great story in the ring. It'll be all about respect at first, then a few counter moves, then the emotions will run high and it'll be on. I hope this gets the time it deserves, because I'd like to see it go about 25 minutes, if not 30. I went back and watched the match they had at Bad Blood 2003, and was pleased. Anybody else remember the match Michaels had with him when he was still a Rocker? Didn't think that was so bad, either. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this went on last. As for a winner, about 99% of the earth thinks Flair is going down. I'm not entirely convinced, but then again one has to think about the forced retirement angle. If I gotta choose, then....WINNER: Shawn Michaels
9. WWE Championship match, Triple Threat rules, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena: This is likely the one to go on last, since Vince is obsessed with keeping Raw in the limelight. Doesn't matter that Edge and Taker's feud dates back to last May, its all about Raw. Smackdown hasn't main-evented Mania since 2003, but NOPE! Doesn't matter! But I digress. Despite the presence of John Cena, I'm looking forward to this a lot. We're definitely gonna see all 3 finishers, maybe multiple times. Blood, a broken announce table, most definitely. I'm interested to see who the Orlando crowd cheers for. Everyone seems to think we're definitely in store for a Title change, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the crowd cheering for Orton as he'll be seen as the underdog nobody expects to win. Honestly? I wouldn't be shocked if Orton walked out still WWE Champion. In fact, I'd be supportive of it. Cena and HHH don't need the Title in the picture to have a good feud. But yet I also see HHH having a good chance at winning. He hasn't held a World Championship since Mania 21. And yes, I know he won the WWE Title at No Mercy, but I personally don't count it because he only had it for about an hour. I'm talking long-term, people. As for Cena? Lord, I hope he doesn't win, because he JUST DOESN'T DESERVE IT!!! I'm so sick of Vince shoving him down the throats of fans. He's NO STONE COLD, VINNIE MAC! So just stop it already! WINNER: Triple H
10. World Heavyweight Title match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker: The match I'm the most excited for. And good God, if they place this match in the 4th or 5th spot, I am just going to snap. They made that mistake with last year's Batista/Taker match, and it was the one many said saved the show. At least let it go on SECOND last. I'm really anticipating the story this one should tell. Two Mania streaks on the line between two of my all-time favorites. I see a lengthy feeling-out process and Edge is likely gonna stall for awhile. Hey, that's what being a heel is about, isn't it? Making the fans wait for a showdown? I hope the Edgeheads are kept out of this one because I just wanna see these two go at it without any interference. I also wanna see it go at least 20 minutes. As for a winner, I see another Title reign for the Deadman. As much as I love Edge, I just don't see him being the one to end Taker's winning streak at WrestleMania. Also, Taker's injury last May put a damper on the long-term reign that was in store for him, so I'm thinking this is to make up for that. Don't see the Edge/Taker program ending with this one, though. Probably a rematch or two at Backlash and Judgment Day. Either way, we're in for a hell of a match. WINNER: The Undertaker
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Short Week, Long Weekend
It's Wednesday afternoon and the crew and I are feverishly producing this week's issue. Its our annual Ag Week paper and its 28 pages. Of course, what happens when we're trying to compile a newspaper that's bigger than the average issue? It falls on a short work week. Friday is Good Friday, so tomorrow is doubling for Friday and today is doubling for tomorrow. But things are really falling into place and its gonna be a great issue.
Of course, you know what this certain holiday means if you're from around these parts. The Shrimp Feed. The decades-old, time-honoured tradition that takes place every Thursday night before Good Friday and the Easter long weekend. The Conquest Merchants throw the bash in order to give thanks to fans, well-wishers, and.........well......just to party. And its highly-anticipated every year. So if you're in the Conquest area and feel like some shrimp, steak and a cold one (or ten), stop in and have a good time. There's gonna be music from Rory Jones (#22 on the Merchants) and the non-stop, small-town hospitality you can only find in a place like Conquest. (Well, I guess you could throw some other towns in there, but you get where I'm going with this...)
Should be a good time. I'm told there's even a "skit" to go along with the award presentations. I'll be armed with my video camera to capture all the action, as well as any other shenanigans that some people may get into.
But that's tomorrow night. As for tonight, I'm headed to a wind energy showcase and development conference in Beechy. I'm sure it'll be a trip down memory lane, because I'll be taking the old route that my family used to take when we ran the mail from 2001-2004. Just hope I remember it. :P
So with that, I bid you good day. And if I don't post again before the long weekend takes effect, hope everyone has a gooder and enjoy all the extra sleep.
Keep 'em laughin',
- Derek
Of course, you know what this certain holiday means if you're from around these parts. The Shrimp Feed. The decades-old, time-honoured tradition that takes place every Thursday night before Good Friday and the Easter long weekend. The Conquest Merchants throw the bash in order to give thanks to fans, well-wishers, and.........well......just to party. And its highly-anticipated every year. So if you're in the Conquest area and feel like some shrimp, steak and a cold one (or ten), stop in and have a good time. There's gonna be music from Rory Jones (#22 on the Merchants) and the non-stop, small-town hospitality you can only find in a place like Conquest. (Well, I guess you could throw some other towns in there, but you get where I'm going with this...)
Should be a good time. I'm told there's even a "skit" to go along with the award presentations. I'll be armed with my video camera to capture all the action, as well as any other shenanigans that some people may get into.
But that's tomorrow night. As for tonight, I'm headed to a wind energy showcase and development conference in Beechy. I'm sure it'll be a trip down memory lane, because I'll be taking the old route that my family used to take when we ran the mail from 2001-2004. Just hope I remember it. :P
So with that, I bid you good day. And if I don't post again before the long weekend takes effect, hope everyone has a gooder and enjoy all the extra sleep.
Keep 'em laughin',
- Derek
Friday, March 14, 2008
WrestleMania Finalized & The Week Is Done
Its Friday afternoon and the work week is less than two hours away from being done. The team and I have produced and uploaded one Hell of a paper this week, if I do say so myself. With that, I thought it was time to hit the old blog and share some thoughts on the weekend, the WWE and WrestleMania.
So lets start with Mania. Seems that with each post I write, the WWE creative team reveals a new match or two. But now, after weeks of storyline development and exposure, the card for WrestleMania 24 is completely finalized. The only thing left unknown at the time of this writing is who will be taking the 8th spot in the Money In The Bank Ladder match. That vacant spot was already filled by Jeff Hardy, but as you've read in my last entry, he's been suspended for 60 days for violating the WWE Wellness Policy. I have my vote on who'll take that spot and you'll see it below.
Once again, here is the card for WrestleMania 24, updated and (hopefully) finalized:
1. World Heavyweight Championship match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
2. WWE Championship match, Triple Threat rules, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
3. Special Attraction match, The Big Show vs. Floyd "Money" Mayweather
4. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
5. Smackdown vs. Raw match, Batista (S) vs. Umaga (R)
6. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Chris Jericho vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. CM Punk vs. MVP vs. John Morrison vs. 1 more wrestler to be announced
7. Bunnymania Lumberjack match, Candice Michelle & Maria vs. Beth Phoenix & Melina
8. Belfast Brawl match, Finlay vs. JBL
9. 24-Man Battle Royal, Winner faces ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero immediately afterward
10. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. Battle Royal winner
So there you go. That is the card for this year's extravaganza. I gotta say, this has a chance to be one of the best Manias in the last few years. I felt that Mania 23 had the wrong main event, which hurt its overall grading in my opinion, and that Mania 22 underdelivered in many aspects. People can debate, argue and blog all they want about how WrestleMania will "suck", "fail" and "be ruined cuz of John Cena's lack of ability", but there's no denying that the WWE is looking to put the "wrestle" back into the show. As for the addition of a Battle Royal, how can you go wrong with that? The earliest editions of WrestleMania featured them, and it always brought fans to their feet. I like the reward of the winner facing Chavo Guerrero for the ECW Title. It may come off as an excuse to have the ECW Title featured on the card, but at least its being done in a creative way, as opposed to just some random one-on-one match. And though many die-hard loyalists look at the WWE's version of ECW as a glorified farm league, I'm personally glad that they're giving the brand, and its World Title, the opportunity to perform at the biggest show of them all, even though I myself don't watch ECW.
The other thing I was going to touch on was the last participant for the MITB Ladder match. In my last entry, I left a cliffhanger of sorts by indicating that Rob Van Dam should return and fight the match. However, due to the events of ECW and tonight's (taped) Smackdown, the 6th and 7th wrestlers now in it are CM Punk and John Morrison. Good choices, because this is obviously a crash-n-burn match that will have a number of spectacular moves on display, and Punk and Morrison are young, athletic and deserve the exposure. On the other hand, I had originally thought that Punk would face off against ECW Champion Guerrero, while Morrison would be featured in a WWE Tag Team Titles match with his partner, The Miz. The spots would then be filled by Matt Hardy and Kane. But now that Jeff Hardy is suspended, and there's only one spot left remaining, I'm pretty sure that it'll still go to Matt Hardy because he's ready to return and it'd be a good opportunity to reignite the feud he had with MVP, which would spill into the MITB match and lead to a singles match at the Backlash PPV for the United States Title. Yeah, I'd love it if RVD returned, and so would millions of other fans, but it won't be at WrestleMania.
Anyway, since it IS Friday, I'm not too sure what to do with this weekend. Well, I know what I'm doing tonight, just not sure about Saturday and Sunday.
At my lunch break, I rented two movies that I've been wanting to see for a long while. "Hitman" and "Into The Wild". I've heard mediocre things about "Hitman", which is an action flick that was adapted from the video game series, but I'll judge for myself. The problem that most people have about movie criticizing is that they refuse to understand the specific genre that a movie is aiming to live up to. General comments like "That movie SUCKED!", "What a waste of time!", and "It wasn't what I thought it was" drive me nuts. Whenever I watch a movie, I'm not expecting to be satisfied all the time. I'll watch it, turn the TV off (or leave the theater), and make my own judgment on it. The only difference is, I back up what I say and I'll always give you reasons as to why I found it either uninteresting, boring, or "sucky". Do I expect to like "Hitman"? Yes. I'm a fan of the game franchise and I was genuinely interested when I saw previews and trailers for the film. But time will tell.
As for "Into The Wild", this is one that I've been dying to see for months. Its directed by Sean Penn, and is the true story of a young man named Christopher McCandless (spelling?), who made a choice to explore the Alaskan wilderness and live there. The entire soundtrack is by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, so right there I'm hooked. I've heard a lot of good things about the film, and a friend of mine said that he almost cried in the end. Wow. That's good enough for me. I'm not afraid of watching a film that may induce tears. Hell, I nearly welled up in the final scenes of "Man On Fire" with Denzel Washington. I can't wait.
As for the rest of the weekend, I may hit the city tomorrow to buy some clothes, and maybe a couple movies. One thing that I am upset about is that "There Will Be Blood" is now finished playing at the Capitol Theater. Just when I have time to finally see it, it's OVER. Dammit....
Anyway, those are said plans for the next 48 hours. Hope everyone has a gooder.
Keep 'em laughin',
Derek
So lets start with Mania. Seems that with each post I write, the WWE creative team reveals a new match or two. But now, after weeks of storyline development and exposure, the card for WrestleMania 24 is completely finalized. The only thing left unknown at the time of this writing is who will be taking the 8th spot in the Money In The Bank Ladder match. That vacant spot was already filled by Jeff Hardy, but as you've read in my last entry, he's been suspended for 60 days for violating the WWE Wellness Policy. I have my vote on who'll take that spot and you'll see it below.
Once again, here is the card for WrestleMania 24, updated and (hopefully) finalized:
1. World Heavyweight Championship match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
2. WWE Championship match, Triple Threat rules, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
3. Special Attraction match, The Big Show vs. Floyd "Money" Mayweather
4. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
5. Smackdown vs. Raw match, Batista (S) vs. Umaga (R)
6. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Chris Jericho vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. CM Punk vs. MVP vs. John Morrison vs. 1 more wrestler to be announced
7. Bunnymania Lumberjack match, Candice Michelle & Maria vs. Beth Phoenix & Melina
8. Belfast Brawl match, Finlay vs. JBL
9. 24-Man Battle Royal, Winner faces ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero immediately afterward
10. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. Battle Royal winner
So there you go. That is the card for this year's extravaganza. I gotta say, this has a chance to be one of the best Manias in the last few years. I felt that Mania 23 had the wrong main event, which hurt its overall grading in my opinion, and that Mania 22 underdelivered in many aspects. People can debate, argue and blog all they want about how WrestleMania will "suck", "fail" and "be ruined cuz of John Cena's lack of ability", but there's no denying that the WWE is looking to put the "wrestle" back into the show. As for the addition of a Battle Royal, how can you go wrong with that? The earliest editions of WrestleMania featured them, and it always brought fans to their feet. I like the reward of the winner facing Chavo Guerrero for the ECW Title. It may come off as an excuse to have the ECW Title featured on the card, but at least its being done in a creative way, as opposed to just some random one-on-one match. And though many die-hard loyalists look at the WWE's version of ECW as a glorified farm league, I'm personally glad that they're giving the brand, and its World Title, the opportunity to perform at the biggest show of them all, even though I myself don't watch ECW.
The other thing I was going to touch on was the last participant for the MITB Ladder match. In my last entry, I left a cliffhanger of sorts by indicating that Rob Van Dam should return and fight the match. However, due to the events of ECW and tonight's (taped) Smackdown, the 6th and 7th wrestlers now in it are CM Punk and John Morrison. Good choices, because this is obviously a crash-n-burn match that will have a number of spectacular moves on display, and Punk and Morrison are young, athletic and deserve the exposure. On the other hand, I had originally thought that Punk would face off against ECW Champion Guerrero, while Morrison would be featured in a WWE Tag Team Titles match with his partner, The Miz. The spots would then be filled by Matt Hardy and Kane. But now that Jeff Hardy is suspended, and there's only one spot left remaining, I'm pretty sure that it'll still go to Matt Hardy because he's ready to return and it'd be a good opportunity to reignite the feud he had with MVP, which would spill into the MITB match and lead to a singles match at the Backlash PPV for the United States Title. Yeah, I'd love it if RVD returned, and so would millions of other fans, but it won't be at WrestleMania.
Anyway, since it IS Friday, I'm not too sure what to do with this weekend. Well, I know what I'm doing tonight, just not sure about Saturday and Sunday.
At my lunch break, I rented two movies that I've been wanting to see for a long while. "Hitman" and "Into The Wild". I've heard mediocre things about "Hitman", which is an action flick that was adapted from the video game series, but I'll judge for myself. The problem that most people have about movie criticizing is that they refuse to understand the specific genre that a movie is aiming to live up to. General comments like "That movie SUCKED!", "What a waste of time!", and "It wasn't what I thought it was" drive me nuts. Whenever I watch a movie, I'm not expecting to be satisfied all the time. I'll watch it, turn the TV off (or leave the theater), and make my own judgment on it. The only difference is, I back up what I say and I'll always give you reasons as to why I found it either uninteresting, boring, or "sucky". Do I expect to like "Hitman"? Yes. I'm a fan of the game franchise and I was genuinely interested when I saw previews and trailers for the film. But time will tell.
As for "Into The Wild", this is one that I've been dying to see for months. Its directed by Sean Penn, and is the true story of a young man named Christopher McCandless (spelling?), who made a choice to explore the Alaskan wilderness and live there. The entire soundtrack is by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, so right there I'm hooked. I've heard a lot of good things about the film, and a friend of mine said that he almost cried in the end. Wow. That's good enough for me. I'm not afraid of watching a film that may induce tears. Hell, I nearly welled up in the final scenes of "Man On Fire" with Denzel Washington. I can't wait.
As for the rest of the weekend, I may hit the city tomorrow to buy some clothes, and maybe a couple movies. One thing that I am upset about is that "There Will Be Blood" is now finished playing at the Capitol Theater. Just when I have time to finally see it, it's OVER. Dammit....
Anyway, those are said plans for the next 48 hours. Hope everyone has a gooder.
Keep 'em laughin',
Derek
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Hardy Suspended, 3-Hour RAW and Mania Looming
I was pretty impressed with the 3-hour Monday Night Raw last night. Lots of time to push the big matches at WrestleMania, some good in-ring promos, and a new Intercontinental Champion. Though I do think there were some missed opportunities with the show. Granted, not every Raw or Smackdown is perfect (though the 15th Anniversary Raw was pretty close) but I would've liked to see things done a little differently than they were.
Today, the big news making the rounds on the web is that Jeff Hardy has been suspended by the WWE. He violated the WWE's Wellness Policy and is being sent home for 60 days. The Policy has been the subject of much scrutiny but I think this suspension is showing people that its for real and that nobody is "protected" from it. You fail a drug test, you're suspended. I believe there's a 3 strikes rule with the Policy and this is Hardy's second violation. This is really a damn shame, because he's been on such a huge roll in the last few months and was a heavy favorite to win the Money In The Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania. So on one hand, I'm disappointed, but on the other, I'm glad to see the WWE stepping up and reinforcing their policy, regardless of how popular Jeff is and that fact that he was *this close* to becoming a solidified main eventer. The media and any other naysayers can try and come up with their own "facts" and info on the Wellness Policy, but in the long run, a lot of guys are gonna live longer and clean up their act.
So since nobody except Jeff and his co-workers knew of his impending suspension, it was a pretty big shock to see Chris Jericho beat him for the Intercontinental Championship. It was a great match with a ton of close near-falls, but nobody expected a new Champ. When Jericho hit The Codebreaker and got the win, there were a lot of dropped jaws. Not that Jericho isn't deserving of it (I for one think its a step down for Y2J), but with the roll Hardy had been on lately, nobody expected him to lose his IC Title. I just chalked it up to the WWE keeping Hardy belt-less so he could go for the big gold, the WWE Championship. But it was obviously because of his suspension. Its a shame he won't be in the ladder match at Mania, but that's the price you pay. As for Jericho holding the IC Title, I hope he defends it often with some great matches because the belt has lost some of its prestige in the last while.
As for the rest of Raw, I was pretty much satisfied. I really liked the opening promo between Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. Gotta admit, I half-expected HBK to turn and superkick Flair down, but he's most likely gonna stay a babyface and it'll be Good Guy vs. Good Guy at Mania. Still, nothing builds a great match like a little tension now and then. Michaels is heading to Smackdown this week to team up with Flair in a Steel Cage match against World Heavyweight Champion Edge and the Edge-Heads, so we might see some tempers flare (pun intended). I also liked the confrontation between Umaga and Batista. I hope this match gets more hype and exposure leading into WrestleMania, because I'm getting more and more excited for it with each week. Sure, one can look at it as a quick solution to ensure these two have a match at WrestleMania, but I think there's also a huge number of fans who've always wanted to see Batista and Umaga collide, and what better stage is there to do it? The Animal vs. The Samoan Bulldozer. Should be a gooder.
I couldn't help but feel there were a few missed opportunities here and there, though. Like with the Money In The Bank match. Why not have the last remaining wrestlers confirmed for it? Yeah, there's still 2 weeks worth of TV shows left, but it could've been fit into this special 3-hour Raw. Why not? And I was waiting for some sort of confrontation between Edge and The Undertaker. They both had singles matches last night. Where was Edge during Taker's Casket Match with Mark Henry? No interference from the World Heavyweight Champion? And where was the Phenom during the Champ's match with CM Punk? No mind games or dimming the lights? I know Raw isn't "their show", but for a main event match that's as anticipated as this, there should've been some sort of altercation between the two.
And the WrestleMania Rewind matches. How many were there? Three. Three matches out of eight. And the US Express/Shiek & Volkoff segment doesn't count, because there was no match. Wow. What a slap in the face that was. And of course HHH wasn't gonna fight John Cena, because that match is being saved for a PPV showdown, likely SummerSlam. Why spoil it with free TV? Yeah, we could've seen him fight Batista or the Undertaker, but we (once again) see him battle Kane and win. I could swear these two fought on a Rewind night before. Was it before Mania 21? 22? I'm not complaining about it, I just thought they didn't put their "best foot forward" with the concept this year. As for the rest of the night, it was pretty so-so. Cena and Michaels do the main event thing and it ends in a DQ win for HBK. The show then ended with Cena hitting the interferer, WWE Champion Randy Orton, with an FU. HHH then announced that on Raw next week, Cena and Orton will team up to face the entire Raw roster. Could be interesting. We'll see where it goes.
In short, a pretty good Raw but I would've done a few things differently. Like maybe have a contract signing between Umaga and Batista that obviously ends in chaos, have Edge and Taker interfere in each other's matches, and maybe throw in a surprise appearance by Stone Cold or something. Its a 3-hour Raw, so you need to have something special.
Going back to the Money In The Bank match, the US Champion MVP qualified for it at a house show over the weekend, so we're not going to see him defend the belt against a returning Matt Hardy. In that case then, I'm about 90% sure the remaining two spots will go to Hardy and Kane. I guess it makes sense for Matt to return in a match with 7 other guys, so he can take his time and shake off any ring rust he has without many fans noticing. I hope he's in it, anyway. Then we can finally see Hardy vs. MVP for the US Title at Backlash in April.
So now, what to do about Jeff Hardy's now-vacant spot in the ladder match? Well, there's only one man I have in mind for the job, and if the WWE is smart they'll try and get him back no matter what.
Take your thumbs, lift em high and point down at yourself in a cocky, swaggering manner.
Can anyone say ROB.........VAN..............DAM???
Keep 'em laughin',
Derek
Today, the big news making the rounds on the web is that Jeff Hardy has been suspended by the WWE. He violated the WWE's Wellness Policy and is being sent home for 60 days. The Policy has been the subject of much scrutiny but I think this suspension is showing people that its for real and that nobody is "protected" from it. You fail a drug test, you're suspended. I believe there's a 3 strikes rule with the Policy and this is Hardy's second violation. This is really a damn shame, because he's been on such a huge roll in the last few months and was a heavy favorite to win the Money In The Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania. So on one hand, I'm disappointed, but on the other, I'm glad to see the WWE stepping up and reinforcing their policy, regardless of how popular Jeff is and that fact that he was *this close* to becoming a solidified main eventer. The media and any other naysayers can try and come up with their own "facts" and info on the Wellness Policy, but in the long run, a lot of guys are gonna live longer and clean up their act.
So since nobody except Jeff and his co-workers knew of his impending suspension, it was a pretty big shock to see Chris Jericho beat him for the Intercontinental Championship. It was a great match with a ton of close near-falls, but nobody expected a new Champ. When Jericho hit The Codebreaker and got the win, there were a lot of dropped jaws. Not that Jericho isn't deserving of it (I for one think its a step down for Y2J), but with the roll Hardy had been on lately, nobody expected him to lose his IC Title. I just chalked it up to the WWE keeping Hardy belt-less so he could go for the big gold, the WWE Championship. But it was obviously because of his suspension. Its a shame he won't be in the ladder match at Mania, but that's the price you pay. As for Jericho holding the IC Title, I hope he defends it often with some great matches because the belt has lost some of its prestige in the last while.
As for the rest of Raw, I was pretty much satisfied. I really liked the opening promo between Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. Gotta admit, I half-expected HBK to turn and superkick Flair down, but he's most likely gonna stay a babyface and it'll be Good Guy vs. Good Guy at Mania. Still, nothing builds a great match like a little tension now and then. Michaels is heading to Smackdown this week to team up with Flair in a Steel Cage match against World Heavyweight Champion Edge and the Edge-Heads, so we might see some tempers flare (pun intended). I also liked the confrontation between Umaga and Batista. I hope this match gets more hype and exposure leading into WrestleMania, because I'm getting more and more excited for it with each week. Sure, one can look at it as a quick solution to ensure these two have a match at WrestleMania, but I think there's also a huge number of fans who've always wanted to see Batista and Umaga collide, and what better stage is there to do it? The Animal vs. The Samoan Bulldozer. Should be a gooder.
I couldn't help but feel there were a few missed opportunities here and there, though. Like with the Money In The Bank match. Why not have the last remaining wrestlers confirmed for it? Yeah, there's still 2 weeks worth of TV shows left, but it could've been fit into this special 3-hour Raw. Why not? And I was waiting for some sort of confrontation between Edge and The Undertaker. They both had singles matches last night. Where was Edge during Taker's Casket Match with Mark Henry? No interference from the World Heavyweight Champion? And where was the Phenom during the Champ's match with CM Punk? No mind games or dimming the lights? I know Raw isn't "their show", but for a main event match that's as anticipated as this, there should've been some sort of altercation between the two.
And the WrestleMania Rewind matches. How many were there? Three. Three matches out of eight. And the US Express/Shiek & Volkoff segment doesn't count, because there was no match. Wow. What a slap in the face that was. And of course HHH wasn't gonna fight John Cena, because that match is being saved for a PPV showdown, likely SummerSlam. Why spoil it with free TV? Yeah, we could've seen him fight Batista or the Undertaker, but we (once again) see him battle Kane and win. I could swear these two fought on a Rewind night before. Was it before Mania 21? 22? I'm not complaining about it, I just thought they didn't put their "best foot forward" with the concept this year. As for the rest of the night, it was pretty so-so. Cena and Michaels do the main event thing and it ends in a DQ win for HBK. The show then ended with Cena hitting the interferer, WWE Champion Randy Orton, with an FU. HHH then announced that on Raw next week, Cena and Orton will team up to face the entire Raw roster. Could be interesting. We'll see where it goes.
In short, a pretty good Raw but I would've done a few things differently. Like maybe have a contract signing between Umaga and Batista that obviously ends in chaos, have Edge and Taker interfere in each other's matches, and maybe throw in a surprise appearance by Stone Cold or something. Its a 3-hour Raw, so you need to have something special.
Going back to the Money In The Bank match, the US Champion MVP qualified for it at a house show over the weekend, so we're not going to see him defend the belt against a returning Matt Hardy. In that case then, I'm about 90% sure the remaining two spots will go to Hardy and Kane. I guess it makes sense for Matt to return in a match with 7 other guys, so he can take his time and shake off any ring rust he has without many fans noticing. I hope he's in it, anyway. Then we can finally see Hardy vs. MVP for the US Title at Backlash in April.
So now, what to do about Jeff Hardy's now-vacant spot in the ladder match? Well, there's only one man I have in mind for the job, and if the WWE is smart they'll try and get him back no matter what.
Take your thumbs, lift em high and point down at yourself in a cocky, swaggering manner.
Can anyone say ROB.........VAN..............DAM???
Keep 'em laughin',
Derek
Friday, March 7, 2008
WrestleMania Looking Better Every Week
As every week falls off the calendar in March, we're just that much closer to WrestleMania 24. I'm starting to get excited, and can feel the anticipation in the air. But this is nothing compared to the feeling I'll have when watching those final episodes of Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown, when all the high profile feuds will be at an all-time peak and mayhem is sure to ensue.
Right now, the number of matches that we'll see has been bumped up to 8, which is a good, round number. Manias 21 and 23 had that same amount and they were satisfying shows. Though I can see one or even two more being added. Here's the current card:
1. World Heavyweight Title match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
2. WWE Championship match, Triple Threat rules, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
3. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
4. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Jeff Hardy vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Chris Jericho vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Carlito vs. 3 more participants to be decided
5. Special Attraction match, The Big Show vs. Floyd "Money" Mayweather
6. Playboy Bunnymania, Candice Michelle & Maria vs. Beth Phoenix & Melina
7. Raw vs Smackdown match, Umaga (Raw) vs. Batista (Smackdown)
8. Finlay vs. JBL
That eighth match came as a result of the ongoing Vince McMahon/Finlay feud over Hornswoggle. As it turns out, the little leprechaun isn't McMahon's son after all, and is actually Finlay's. JBL put the boots to the little guy in a steel cage match two weeks ago on Raw and Finlay was livid. So now these two will collide, and I'm actually looking forward to it. Sometimes my love of a great display of technical wrestling takes a backseat when I want to see two guys just beat the holy Hell out of each other, and this is one of those times.
Like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if there was one or two more matches added, and I can definitely see those as being:
1. U.S. Title match, MVP (C) vs. Matt Hardy
2. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. CM Punk
I'd really like to see these matches, especially the MVP/Hardy battle. Those two had a great feud going last summer and into the fall, but Hardy ended up having a health-related emergency and has been on the shelf since. I've read house show reports that said he's returned to the road, so there you go. Let's finally see these two go at it for the title. Make it happen, WWE. As for the ECW Title match, I just think that belt needs PPV exposure. The whole "reinvention" of ECW has really missed the mark and I don't watch it, though I do keep track of what's going on. All I'm saying is that if the WWE wants ECW to be taken seriously and not looked at as the "farm league" of the WWE brands, then have the title defended at WrestleMania.
That'd bump the match number up to 10, which isn't so bad. As long as they cut down on the backstage segments and the prerequisite "Hey it's a celebrity, we better talk to them" routine, then the matches will have ample time to display a good performance. Obviously, some matches will be much longer than others, but that's just the nature of the beast.
In my view, WrestleMania 24 is really looking special. I think I'll enjoy it more than I did last year's, because I won't be so shocked to see a feature match go on before an undercard one. Its all about keeping the fans attention without going into overkill, and I understand that.
Here's what I mean by that...
Last year, there were 8 matches at WrestleMania 23. One of the main events, and the one I was most excited about, was Batista defending the World Heavyweight Title against The Undertaker. In my opinion, it should have been the match that goes on last; this was a battle that millions were anticipating, and beyond that, it was something NEVER SEEN before, which is what WrestleMania is really all about. So you can imagine my shock and anger when it was revealed as only the FOURTH match of the night! Smack dab in the middle! I was outraged and held onto my Irish stubborness that it should've been the last match of WrestleMania. It was a great match that the 80,000+ in attendance loved, and the Dead Man won the World Title, kicking his Mania winning streak to 15-0. Instead, John Cena retaining his WWE Title against Shawn Michaels was the main event, in a match that Shawn carried and the audience booed when Cena won. The main event of WrestleMania should never end with WWE's top babyface being booed, but he was. Just like he was at WrestleMania 22.
However, I'm used to it now. The match order at the last few Manias has never made any sense to me, because I judge a match and its feuding wrestlers on how much momentum and exposure they've received, as well as how the audiences react to it. Obviously, you'd want the hottest and most anticipated match to end the show, right? Well, I guess not in WWE's view.
Again, I don't agree with it but I'm used to it now. In my opinion, Edge and The Undertaker's match for the World Heavyweight Title should go on last. It would keep the fans guessing as to whether or not Edge might just be able to give the Phenom his first loss at WrestleMania. And if not, then at least there'd be a new World Champion. Frankly, I don't have a favorite in this match, because these two are my absolute favorite wrestlers and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us.
Anyway, that's my Mania rant for this week. Looking forward to Monday's Raw, because its 3 hours this week and all the brands are coming together for WrestleMania Rewind, where we'll be witness to rematches of classic Mania battles. Should be a gooder!
As for this weekend, I'm finally seeing "Juno" tonight, and I'm dying to see what virtually everyone is talking about when it comes to this film. I then plan on renting "Into The Wild", the Sean Penn-directed drama about a man who chooses to live in the wilderness. If there's time, I might try and sneak in "American Gangster", since I bought the incredible 3-disc Collector's Edition last week in the city.
Keep it real, homies! (Man, I am white...)
Keep 'em laughin',
Derek
Right now, the number of matches that we'll see has been bumped up to 8, which is a good, round number. Manias 21 and 23 had that same amount and they were satisfying shows. Though I can see one or even two more being added. Here's the current card:
1. World Heavyweight Title match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
2. WWE Championship match, Triple Threat rules, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
3. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
4. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Jeff Hardy vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Chris Jericho vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Carlito vs. 3 more participants to be decided
5. Special Attraction match, The Big Show vs. Floyd "Money" Mayweather
6. Playboy Bunnymania, Candice Michelle & Maria vs. Beth Phoenix & Melina
7. Raw vs Smackdown match, Umaga (Raw) vs. Batista (Smackdown)
8. Finlay vs. JBL
That eighth match came as a result of the ongoing Vince McMahon/Finlay feud over Hornswoggle. As it turns out, the little leprechaun isn't McMahon's son after all, and is actually Finlay's. JBL put the boots to the little guy in a steel cage match two weeks ago on Raw and Finlay was livid. So now these two will collide, and I'm actually looking forward to it. Sometimes my love of a great display of technical wrestling takes a backseat when I want to see two guys just beat the holy Hell out of each other, and this is one of those times.
Like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if there was one or two more matches added, and I can definitely see those as being:
1. U.S. Title match, MVP (C) vs. Matt Hardy
2. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. CM Punk
I'd really like to see these matches, especially the MVP/Hardy battle. Those two had a great feud going last summer and into the fall, but Hardy ended up having a health-related emergency and has been on the shelf since. I've read house show reports that said he's returned to the road, so there you go. Let's finally see these two go at it for the title. Make it happen, WWE. As for the ECW Title match, I just think that belt needs PPV exposure. The whole "reinvention" of ECW has really missed the mark and I don't watch it, though I do keep track of what's going on. All I'm saying is that if the WWE wants ECW to be taken seriously and not looked at as the "farm league" of the WWE brands, then have the title defended at WrestleMania.
That'd bump the match number up to 10, which isn't so bad. As long as they cut down on the backstage segments and the prerequisite "Hey it's a celebrity, we better talk to them" routine, then the matches will have ample time to display a good performance. Obviously, some matches will be much longer than others, but that's just the nature of the beast.
In my view, WrestleMania 24 is really looking special. I think I'll enjoy it more than I did last year's, because I won't be so shocked to see a feature match go on before an undercard one. Its all about keeping the fans attention without going into overkill, and I understand that.
Here's what I mean by that...
Last year, there were 8 matches at WrestleMania 23. One of the main events, and the one I was most excited about, was Batista defending the World Heavyweight Title against The Undertaker. In my opinion, it should have been the match that goes on last; this was a battle that millions were anticipating, and beyond that, it was something NEVER SEEN before, which is what WrestleMania is really all about. So you can imagine my shock and anger when it was revealed as only the FOURTH match of the night! Smack dab in the middle! I was outraged and held onto my Irish stubborness that it should've been the last match of WrestleMania. It was a great match that the 80,000+ in attendance loved, and the Dead Man won the World Title, kicking his Mania winning streak to 15-0. Instead, John Cena retaining his WWE Title against Shawn Michaels was the main event, in a match that Shawn carried and the audience booed when Cena won. The main event of WrestleMania should never end with WWE's top babyface being booed, but he was. Just like he was at WrestleMania 22.
However, I'm used to it now. The match order at the last few Manias has never made any sense to me, because I judge a match and its feuding wrestlers on how much momentum and exposure they've received, as well as how the audiences react to it. Obviously, you'd want the hottest and most anticipated match to end the show, right? Well, I guess not in WWE's view.
Again, I don't agree with it but I'm used to it now. In my opinion, Edge and The Undertaker's match for the World Heavyweight Title should go on last. It would keep the fans guessing as to whether or not Edge might just be able to give the Phenom his first loss at WrestleMania. And if not, then at least there'd be a new World Champion. Frankly, I don't have a favorite in this match, because these two are my absolute favorite wrestlers and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us.
Anyway, that's my Mania rant for this week. Looking forward to Monday's Raw, because its 3 hours this week and all the brands are coming together for WrestleMania Rewind, where we'll be witness to rematches of classic Mania battles. Should be a gooder!
As for this weekend, I'm finally seeing "Juno" tonight, and I'm dying to see what virtually everyone is talking about when it comes to this film. I then plan on renting "Into The Wild", the Sean Penn-directed drama about a man who chooses to live in the wilderness. If there's time, I might try and sneak in "American Gangster", since I bought the incredible 3-disc Collector's Edition last week in the city.
Keep it real, homies! (Man, I am white...)
Keep 'em laughin',
Derek
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