WWE has begun taping two SmackDown broadcasts on various Tuesday nights instead of the usual one. This is being done as part of WWE's plan to cut $20 million in expenses from their budget, according to the Wrestling Observer newsletter. That double-taping trend will continue at least until WrestleMania, after which time WWE will evaluate the situation again. ECW shows will continue to be taped on Monday nights along with the live Raw show until February. Eliminating one taping saves WWE almost $700,000 in production expenses. Bruce "Brother Love" Prichard and two developmental talents were released earlier this week due to budget cuts, and more firings are expected. WWE has also cut down on its usage of pyrotechnics to save money, and the referee schedules have been reduced.
Shawn Michaels has pitched the idea of wrestling The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25. Michaels is expected to retire at WrestleMania 26.
More information has been released about the upcoming video game Legends Of WrestleMania. The roster features a total of 40 wrestlers and managers including Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, Jerry Lawler, The Undertaker, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Mr. Perfect and Ted Dibiase Sr. Yokozuna and The Ultimate Warrior have been rumored as appearing in the game, but that has not yet been confirmed by a reliable source. The cover art for the game also features images of Steve Austin, The Rock, Bobby Heenan and Jimmy Hart. Jimmy Hart is expected to be cut from the roster due to his involvement with CCW. He was already pulled from the non-virtual WrestleMania tour. The game is scheduled for a March, 2009 release.
Showing posts with label Bret Hart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bret Hart. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Firings, midgets, and news!
Current WWE house show listings suggest that CM Punk may hold his World title for some time, and that at least one major Raw star could soon be turning heel.
A Raw brand house show at the Wildwoods Convention Centers Ocean in Wildwood, New Jersey on Aug. 8th lists CM Punk versus Kane in a World Heavyweight Championship match. On Aug. 23rd at Madison Square Garden, CM Punk is listed as defending the World title against Batista. Kane will also be challenging Kofi Kingston for the Intercontinental championship at that same show. In Paris, France on Sept. 27th, CM Punk versus Chris Jericho is listed as the World title match.
Keep in mind that cards are always subject to changes in wrestling.
WWE.com confirmed the release of Trevor Murdoch earlier today.
The RAW overrun this week did a 4.12 quarter hour rating, suggesting that putting the title on CM Punk increased ratings.
Speaking of CM Punk, his former wrestling home Ring Of Honor is attempting to cash in on their old roster member's recent WWE success. They released the following press release concerning a special on CM Punk DVDs.
CM Punk's Legacy Of Honor
Thursday, July 03, 2008
FIND OUT HOW TO WATCH A FREE CM PUNK VS. HOMICIDE MATCH AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE.
New WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk set the wrestling world on fire with his stunning victories over Edge and JBL on Monday Night Raw. WWE fans might have been surprised, but Ring Of Honor's faithful saw Punk's greatness before everyone else. Now we are giving you an affordable opportunity to witness it all for yourself.
CM Punk was one of the forefathers of ROH. He was one of the pillars that set the standard in ROH with memorable matches, promos and happenings. Now we want all the new Punk fans to witness Punk at his best in ROH. You can't call yourself a CM Punk fan until you've seen his work in ROH.
We have chosen some special DVDs that all CM Punk fans must see. We know money is tight so now these DVDs are on sale for only $12 each at www.ROHwrestling.com for a very limited time. Not affordable enough? You can also save an additional 15-20% on your entire order at ROHwrestling.com. Check the main page of www.ROHwrestling.com for details. Here are the Punk DVDs that you need to see for yourself to know the true CM Punk. Check out these titles for under $12 each for a very limited time:
First of all, If you want a very personal look at CM Punk check out "Straight Shootin' With CM Punk & Samoa Joe" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=200&id=1220) as these two friends talk about life on the road, their careers and much, much more.
"World Title Classic" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=161&id=285): ROH was a struggling company at its lowest point. CM Punk stepped forward and put the promotion on his back as he challenged now TNA World Champion and then ROH World Champion Samoa Joe for the ROH Title. The result was a classic that made everyone remember that ROH does pro wrestling best."
"Death Before Dishonor II: Part 1" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1752):
CM Punk & Colt Cabana put the ROH Tag Team Titles on the line against Jay & Mark Briscoe in a 2/3 Falls Match in the main event. Why is this one significant? Not only does it spotlight Punk as one half of the ROH Tag Champs, but Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat called it the best tag match he has ever seen live. Compliments don't get any bigger than that.
"Joe vs. Punk II" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=807):
The first Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk battle for the World Title was so great that a rematch had to be signed. This one was given five stars by The Wrestling Observer Newsletter and has gone down in history. The match was so good that Mick Foley watched the entire thing from the crowd and called it one of the best bouts he's ever seen. This is can't miss for all Punk and Joe fans.
"Death Before Dishonor III" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1352):
If you only get one DVD off this list make it this one. It was supposed to be CM Punk's final night in ROH before signing with WWE. Instead, it turned into one of the most surprising situations anywhere in wrestling this decade. This special 2 DVD set was designed to be an ode to Punk with highlights of his entire stay in ROH and a great World Title Match against then Champion Austin Aries. It doesn't get more essential than this double DVD set.
"Redemption" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1450):
No one knows what is going to happen next as CM Punk's ROH World Title reign continues. Punk is faced with three of his toughest enemies when he puts the World Title on the line vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels vs. James Gibson in an epic Elimination Four Way. The end of an era starts here.
"Punk: The Final Chapter" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
CM Punk finally says goodbye to ROH on this emotional farewell show. You'll see exactly how much ROH means to Punk and Punk means to ROH as the tears flow when CM Punk battles long time friend Colt Cabana in a 2/3 Falls Match.
If you are looking for a CM Punk compilation DVD then look no further. You can now get four "Best Of" DVDs at www.ROHwrestling.com focused on CM Punk as part of this special, limited time $12 sale. Don't forget, you can also save 15-20% on your entire order so these DVDs are actually less than $12 each. Check out these titles:
"Best Of CM Punk - Better Than You" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
A young, brash, cocky CM Punk is highlighted on this DVD as he first makes his name in ROH. This DVD focuses on his legendary feud against Raven and also features matches vs. Homicide, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, BJ Whitmer and others.
"Best Of Second City Saints - Chicago's Elite" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=947):
CM Punk joined forces with Colt Cabana and Ace Steel to be one of ROH's greatest factions ever. This compilation focuses on tag team wars against a wide variety of opponents.
"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 2 - Straightedge" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1101):
CM Punk's star continues to rise on this DVD. You'll see Punk's memorable feud against the legendary Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and more as he battles Raven inside a Steel Cage, AJ Styles, Bryan Danielson, Doug Williams, Steve Corino and others.
"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 3 - The Legacy Continues" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1906):
Punk has now taken his spot on top of ROH and you'll see how important he is with highlights of his matches vs. Samoa Joe and much more including his bloody feud against Jimmy Rave.
This is only a small sampling of what Punk accomplished in ROH. Ring Of Honor will always have a special place in CM Punk's heart and career. Punk's importance to ROH is immeasurable. Now the world is finding out about CM Punk. In order to truly understand who CM Punk is and what he's done you need to witness this stuff from Ring Of Honor. Don't hesitate because these DVDs will only be $12 each (plus save an additional 15-20%) at www.ROHwrestling.com for a limited time.
NOTE: You can check out a CM Punk vs. TNA Tag Team Champion Homicide match for free at www.ROHvideos.com and on Youtube at:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Mu6-zuIRM
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYBeQ2XQM-8
-ROHwrestling.com
A strange situation involving Bret Hart took place at the 2008 induction ceremony for the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame in Waterloo, IA. Hart was present to induct his late father, Stu, into the Hall. During his speech Hart began a rant against Greg Oliver, a reporter who during an afternoon ceremony earlier that day had received the James Melby Award for wrestling journalism. Hart eventually gave an ultimatum that he would leave the ceremony if Oliver didn't. When Oliver didn't budge, Hart kept his word and left the scene to a standing ovation from the crowd. Hart has had issues with Oliver dating back five years when Oliver released his book The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians. He ranked Bret Hart number fourteen in a list of the greatest Canadian wrestlers of all-time.
“He remains incensed about ranking only 14th in wrestling historian Greg Oliver’s book...Fair enough. The book is wildly Ontario-centric and Oliver even ranks Sky Low Low above Bret...Bret acknowledges this obsessive, angry side of his personality, but he’s trying to change,” wrote Heath McCoy about Bret Hart in her book Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. McCoy was also part of a panel writing a book about Chris Benoit along with Greg Oliver.
TNA will be sending A.J. Styles, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley and either Curry Man or Johnny Devine to the 7/25 Arena Mexico show as part of the exchange that had CMLL wrestlers working the World X Cup. All TNA stars will only be working one date.
On July 1st, Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea appeared on the radio show Bubba the Love Sponge to discuss his ex-wife Linda, and getting pulled over by police a few weeks back on suspicion of an injunction violation. Nobody has currently found any evidence that an injunction exists, despite contrary claims from Linda Bollea. "The Hulkster" said that his daughter Brooke called him on the phone after finding Linda's new lover living at the house, and also driving one of Terry Bollea's Harley Davidson motorcycles, which he said was currently uninsured.
Scott Hall no-showed a wrestling show in Panama.
In an interview with the Poughkeepsie Journal, former WWE writer Chris Bell said he thought Vince McMahon has been responsible in trying to get wrestlers away from heavy drug use. Keep in mind the question was specifically asked of the period following the death of Eddy Guerrero. Bell brought up that Randy Orton and Chris Masters both had their names linked in a drug investigation, but that only one was fired from the company while the other was promoted to the World title level at essentially the same time. Bell then defended McMahon for "always being under the microscope" of the mainstream media, and blamed drug problems in wrestling on poor personal responsibility. He said every major sports organization should have a single doctor responsible for all prescriptions on the road, which WWE has just started doing. Bell closed the interview by suggesting Vickie Guerrero should have a job backstage with WWE, rather than an on-camera role.
The Fight Network is talking about doing a wrestling comedy show tentatively titled "Citizen Pain." Rumors circulating would have Al Snow starring as a wrestling booker and owner of a regional territory (his character would be modeled after Jerry Lawler). Rich Landrum, who announced wrestling in the 70s and early 80s for Crockett Promotions before Tony Schiavone was hired, is rumored to play the TV wrestling announcer role.
Robin Williams attended the Lucha Va Voom show on June 29th in San Francisco that drew an advanced sellout of 1,100 fans. The show also had Dana Gould (Produced of “The Simpsons”) as in-house announcer. Mexican exoticos Pimpinela Escarlata and Cassandro were the stars of the show, which featured music, strippers and a midget wrestler called Lil Chicken doing an 18-foot balcony dive.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! I'll see you all next update.
A Raw brand house show at the Wildwoods Convention Centers Ocean in Wildwood, New Jersey on Aug. 8th lists CM Punk versus Kane in a World Heavyweight Championship match. On Aug. 23rd at Madison Square Garden, CM Punk is listed as defending the World title against Batista. Kane will also be challenging Kofi Kingston for the Intercontinental championship at that same show. In Paris, France on Sept. 27th, CM Punk versus Chris Jericho is listed as the World title match.
Keep in mind that cards are always subject to changes in wrestling.
WWE.com confirmed the release of Trevor Murdoch earlier today.
The RAW overrun this week did a 4.12 quarter hour rating, suggesting that putting the title on CM Punk increased ratings.
Speaking of CM Punk, his former wrestling home Ring Of Honor is attempting to cash in on their old roster member's recent WWE success. They released the following press release concerning a special on CM Punk DVDs.
CM Punk's Legacy Of Honor
Thursday, July 03, 2008
FIND OUT HOW TO WATCH A FREE CM PUNK VS. HOMICIDE MATCH AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE.
New WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk set the wrestling world on fire with his stunning victories over Edge and JBL on Monday Night Raw. WWE fans might have been surprised, but Ring Of Honor's faithful saw Punk's greatness before everyone else. Now we are giving you an affordable opportunity to witness it all for yourself.
CM Punk was one of the forefathers of ROH. He was one of the pillars that set the standard in ROH with memorable matches, promos and happenings. Now we want all the new Punk fans to witness Punk at his best in ROH. You can't call yourself a CM Punk fan until you've seen his work in ROH.
We have chosen some special DVDs that all CM Punk fans must see. We know money is tight so now these DVDs are on sale for only $12 each at www.ROHwrestling.com for a very limited time. Not affordable enough? You can also save an additional 15-20% on your entire order at ROHwrestling.com. Check the main page of www.ROHwrestling.com for details. Here are the Punk DVDs that you need to see for yourself to know the true CM Punk. Check out these titles for under $12 each for a very limited time:
First of all, If you want a very personal look at CM Punk check out "Straight Shootin' With CM Punk & Samoa Joe" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=200&id=1220) as these two friends talk about life on the road, their careers and much, much more.
"World Title Classic" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=161&id=285): ROH was a struggling company at its lowest point. CM Punk stepped forward and put the promotion on his back as he challenged now TNA World Champion and then ROH World Champion Samoa Joe for the ROH Title. The result was a classic that made everyone remember that ROH does pro wrestling best."
"Death Before Dishonor II: Part 1" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1752):
CM Punk & Colt Cabana put the ROH Tag Team Titles on the line against Jay & Mark Briscoe in a 2/3 Falls Match in the main event. Why is this one significant? Not only does it spotlight Punk as one half of the ROH Tag Champs, but Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat called it the best tag match he has ever seen live. Compliments don't get any bigger than that.
"Joe vs. Punk II" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=807):
The first Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk battle for the World Title was so great that a rematch had to be signed. This one was given five stars by The Wrestling Observer Newsletter and has gone down in history. The match was so good that Mick Foley watched the entire thing from the crowd and called it one of the best bouts he's ever seen. This is can't miss for all Punk and Joe fans.
"Death Before Dishonor III" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1352):
If you only get one DVD off this list make it this one. It was supposed to be CM Punk's final night in ROH before signing with WWE. Instead, it turned into one of the most surprising situations anywhere in wrestling this decade. This special 2 DVD set was designed to be an ode to Punk with highlights of his entire stay in ROH and a great World Title Match against then Champion Austin Aries. It doesn't get more essential than this double DVD set.
"Redemption" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1450):
No one knows what is going to happen next as CM Punk's ROH World Title reign continues. Punk is faced with three of his toughest enemies when he puts the World Title on the line vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels vs. James Gibson in an epic Elimination Four Way. The end of an era starts here.
"Punk: The Final Chapter" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
CM Punk finally says goodbye to ROH on this emotional farewell show. You'll see exactly how much ROH means to Punk and Punk means to ROH as the tears flow when CM Punk battles long time friend Colt Cabana in a 2/3 Falls Match.
If you are looking for a CM Punk compilation DVD then look no further. You can now get four "Best Of" DVDs at www.ROHwrestling.com focused on CM Punk as part of this special, limited time $12 sale. Don't forget, you can also save 15-20% on your entire order so these DVDs are actually less than $12 each. Check out these titles:
"Best Of CM Punk - Better Than You" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
A young, brash, cocky CM Punk is highlighted on this DVD as he first makes his name in ROH. This DVD focuses on his legendary feud against Raven and also features matches vs. Homicide, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, BJ Whitmer and others.
"Best Of Second City Saints - Chicago's Elite" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=947):
CM Punk joined forces with Colt Cabana and Ace Steel to be one of ROH's greatest factions ever. This compilation focuses on tag team wars against a wide variety of opponents.
"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 2 - Straightedge" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1101):
CM Punk's star continues to rise on this DVD. You'll see Punk's memorable feud against the legendary Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and more as he battles Raven inside a Steel Cage, AJ Styles, Bryan Danielson, Doug Williams, Steve Corino and others.
"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 3 - The Legacy Continues" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1906):
Punk has now taken his spot on top of ROH and you'll see how important he is with highlights of his matches vs. Samoa Joe and much more including his bloody feud against Jimmy Rave.
This is only a small sampling of what Punk accomplished in ROH. Ring Of Honor will always have a special place in CM Punk's heart and career. Punk's importance to ROH is immeasurable. Now the world is finding out about CM Punk. In order to truly understand who CM Punk is and what he's done you need to witness this stuff from Ring Of Honor. Don't hesitate because these DVDs will only be $12 each (plus save an additional 15-20%) at www.ROHwrestling.com for a limited time.
NOTE: You can check out a CM Punk vs. TNA Tag Team Champion Homicide match for free at www.ROHvideos.com and on Youtube at:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Mu6-zuIRM
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYBeQ2XQM-8
-ROHwrestling.com
A strange situation involving Bret Hart took place at the 2008 induction ceremony for the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame in Waterloo, IA. Hart was present to induct his late father, Stu, into the Hall. During his speech Hart began a rant against Greg Oliver, a reporter who during an afternoon ceremony earlier that day had received the James Melby Award for wrestling journalism. Hart eventually gave an ultimatum that he would leave the ceremony if Oliver didn't. When Oliver didn't budge, Hart kept his word and left the scene to a standing ovation from the crowd. Hart has had issues with Oliver dating back five years when Oliver released his book The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians. He ranked Bret Hart number fourteen in a list of the greatest Canadian wrestlers of all-time.
“He remains incensed about ranking only 14th in wrestling historian Greg Oliver’s book...Fair enough. The book is wildly Ontario-centric and Oliver even ranks Sky Low Low above Bret...Bret acknowledges this obsessive, angry side of his personality, but he’s trying to change,” wrote Heath McCoy about Bret Hart in her book Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. McCoy was also part of a panel writing a book about Chris Benoit along with Greg Oliver.
TNA will be sending A.J. Styles, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley and either Curry Man or Johnny Devine to the 7/25 Arena Mexico show as part of the exchange that had CMLL wrestlers working the World X Cup. All TNA stars will only be working one date.
On July 1st, Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea appeared on the radio show Bubba the Love Sponge to discuss his ex-wife Linda, and getting pulled over by police a few weeks back on suspicion of an injunction violation. Nobody has currently found any evidence that an injunction exists, despite contrary claims from Linda Bollea. "The Hulkster" said that his daughter Brooke called him on the phone after finding Linda's new lover living at the house, and also driving one of Terry Bollea's Harley Davidson motorcycles, which he said was currently uninsured.
Scott Hall no-showed a wrestling show in Panama.
In an interview with the Poughkeepsie Journal, former WWE writer Chris Bell said he thought Vince McMahon has been responsible in trying to get wrestlers away from heavy drug use. Keep in mind the question was specifically asked of the period following the death of Eddy Guerrero. Bell brought up that Randy Orton and Chris Masters both had their names linked in a drug investigation, but that only one was fired from the company while the other was promoted to the World title level at essentially the same time. Bell then defended McMahon for "always being under the microscope" of the mainstream media, and blamed drug problems in wrestling on poor personal responsibility. He said every major sports organization should have a single doctor responsible for all prescriptions on the road, which WWE has just started doing. Bell closed the interview by suggesting Vickie Guerrero should have a job backstage with WWE, rather than an on-camera role.
The Fight Network is talking about doing a wrestling comedy show tentatively titled "Citizen Pain." Rumors circulating would have Al Snow starring as a wrestling booker and owner of a regional territory (his character would be modeled after Jerry Lawler). Rich Landrum, who announced wrestling in the 70s and early 80s for Crockett Promotions before Tony Schiavone was hired, is rumored to play the TV wrestling announcer role.
Robin Williams attended the Lucha Va Voom show on June 29th in San Francisco that drew an advanced sellout of 1,100 fans. The show also had Dana Gould (Produced of “The Simpsons”) as in-house announcer. Mexican exoticos Pimpinela Escarlata and Cassandro were the stars of the show, which featured music, strippers and a midget wrestler called Lil Chicken doing an 18-foot balcony dive.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! I'll see you all next update.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Three-day old news, WWE's clothing line, and an addition to the blog!
So I'm back from my aforementioned journey to Texas. I've missed a lot of wrestling as a result of the trip, but I can't let this post pass without discussing WWE's 2008 draft. The short results of the draft, including after-show trades and picks, are as follows: The Raw brand gained Batista, CM Punk, Kane, the injured Rey Mysterio, Michael Cole, Kofi Kingston, Chuck Palumbo, Deuce, Jamie Noble, Layla, and Matt Striker. SmackDown got Triple H, Jim Ross, Jeff Hardy, Ken Kennedy, Umaga, Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, Brian Kendrick, Trevor Murdoch, Maria, and DH Smith. Likewise, ECW is now the home of Finlay (and presumably Hornswoggle), Matt Hardy, John Morrison, and Super Crazy.
I have several thoughts about the draft picks themselves. We'll get to them one by one, starting with ECW. First, I have to say that one part of the draft bothered me tremendously. Matches were held to determine which brand received a draft pick. I'll accept that. What I refuse to accept is ECW's almost total lack of involvement. Each match should've featured a member from all three brands, if only to give them the appearance of equality. This didn't happen. ECW got the short end of the stick and it was obvious from the start that they would. If WWE wants us to take this draft as seriously as the draft of any other major sport, they need to make us believe the playing field is even from the start. That being said, I'm happy to see Super Crazy back on the ECW brand. It adds another Original to the roster, and with none of the WWE brands currently featuring a lightweight division of some sort, ECW is likely the best home for Crazy.
DH Smith being a part of SmackDown is also rather interesting. No, seriously! His presence on the blue brand kills the rumor that he'll be revealed as the partner of Ted Dibiase Jr. at Night Of Champions. Many times, the wrestling business won't do what's predictable just because it's so predictable, even if the majority of fans know it's coming and want to see it. Many times, this logic blows up in the faces of the promoters/writers/bookers. For proof of this, see Hornswoggle being revealed as Vince McMahon's son instead of Ken Kennedy. With DH Smith out of the picture on Raw, it should be interesting to see who Ted's new partner is going to be. Only time will tell if it turns out to be a better or worse choice than the Bulldog's kid. Likewise, Carlito is now a part of SmackDown, which is where he began his WWE career. Carlito recently complained about his status in WWE, and has now been "demoted" because of it. Interestingly enough, he remains on the same brand as the man he buried, Triple H. Jeff Hardy, who also recently got in hot water with WWE management, is also now a part of the B show. For Hardy's health if not his career, I hope this serves as a wake-up call.
Does CM Punk's move to the Raw brand suggest a larger push for his character? One would think so. Deserved or not, WWE is currently in the aftermath of a steroid scandal. Considering this, a "straight-edge" smaller wrestler seems like the perfect person to feature on their lead brand. It should also be pointed out that the last time WWE rebounded from a steroid accusation, wrestling saw the rise of smaller wrestlers including Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. That worked out rather well. Furthermore, Punk's Money In The Bank title shot has yet to be cashed in. The storyline says he has between now and next year's WrestleMania to do so. How this will play out, especially with different champions switching brands in the draft, will hopefully make for fascinating TV. Kane re-joining Raw is also a good move in my opinion. He's far more associated with the red brand than with ECW. This move could be used to explain the upcoming working relationship between the Raw and ECW brands. Night Of Champions will now feature Raw versus SmackDown matches for two of the company's Heavyweight titles. How WWE writes themselves out of those corners should be fun to watch. Or just very confusing. Unfortunately, the results of the pay-per-view seem a bit more predictable now that the trades have been made.
In other news, WWE has launched an official t-shirt line similar to the Afflication brand. "WWE Top Rope" shirts will retail for about $45 USD. Normal WWE shirts sell for around $20-$30 USD. It is currently unknown whether the Top Rope shirts are of a better quality. The first two shirts in the Top Rope line are for Shawn Michaels and Triple H. They can be viewed at the links below:
http://www.wweshop.com/Product_detail.asp?cat=cat-shawnmichaels&productId=01-09882
http://www.wweshop.com/Product_detail.asp?cat=cat-tripleh&productId=01-09870
Lastly, I'm happy to announce that this blog will soon feature a female's perspective in addition to my own. A friend of mine who through the years has worked with me on various wrestling-related projects will soon be joining this blog with a regular column. We're still working out the specifics, but I assure you, her work will be worth reading.
Enjoy your weekend, loyal readers.
I have several thoughts about the draft picks themselves. We'll get to them one by one, starting with ECW. First, I have to say that one part of the draft bothered me tremendously. Matches were held to determine which brand received a draft pick. I'll accept that. What I refuse to accept is ECW's almost total lack of involvement. Each match should've featured a member from all three brands, if only to give them the appearance of equality. This didn't happen. ECW got the short end of the stick and it was obvious from the start that they would. If WWE wants us to take this draft as seriously as the draft of any other major sport, they need to make us believe the playing field is even from the start. That being said, I'm happy to see Super Crazy back on the ECW brand. It adds another Original to the roster, and with none of the WWE brands currently featuring a lightweight division of some sort, ECW is likely the best home for Crazy.
DH Smith being a part of SmackDown is also rather interesting. No, seriously! His presence on the blue brand kills the rumor that he'll be revealed as the partner of Ted Dibiase Jr. at Night Of Champions. Many times, the wrestling business won't do what's predictable just because it's so predictable, even if the majority of fans know it's coming and want to see it. Many times, this logic blows up in the faces of the promoters/writers/bookers. For proof of this, see Hornswoggle being revealed as Vince McMahon's son instead of Ken Kennedy. With DH Smith out of the picture on Raw, it should be interesting to see who Ted's new partner is going to be. Only time will tell if it turns out to be a better or worse choice than the Bulldog's kid. Likewise, Carlito is now a part of SmackDown, which is where he began his WWE career. Carlito recently complained about his status in WWE, and has now been "demoted" because of it. Interestingly enough, he remains on the same brand as the man he buried, Triple H. Jeff Hardy, who also recently got in hot water with WWE management, is also now a part of the B show. For Hardy's health if not his career, I hope this serves as a wake-up call.
Does CM Punk's move to the Raw brand suggest a larger push for his character? One would think so. Deserved or not, WWE is currently in the aftermath of a steroid scandal. Considering this, a "straight-edge" smaller wrestler seems like the perfect person to feature on their lead brand. It should also be pointed out that the last time WWE rebounded from a steroid accusation, wrestling saw the rise of smaller wrestlers including Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. That worked out rather well. Furthermore, Punk's Money In The Bank title shot has yet to be cashed in. The storyline says he has between now and next year's WrestleMania to do so. How this will play out, especially with different champions switching brands in the draft, will hopefully make for fascinating TV. Kane re-joining Raw is also a good move in my opinion. He's far more associated with the red brand than with ECW. This move could be used to explain the upcoming working relationship between the Raw and ECW brands. Night Of Champions will now feature Raw versus SmackDown matches for two of the company's Heavyweight titles. How WWE writes themselves out of those corners should be fun to watch. Or just very confusing. Unfortunately, the results of the pay-per-view seem a bit more predictable now that the trades have been made.
In other news, WWE has launched an official t-shirt line similar to the Afflication brand. "WWE Top Rope" shirts will retail for about $45 USD. Normal WWE shirts sell for around $20-$30 USD. It is currently unknown whether the Top Rope shirts are of a better quality. The first two shirts in the Top Rope line are for Shawn Michaels and Triple H. They can be viewed at the links below:
http://www.wweshop.com/Product_detail.asp?cat=cat-shawnmichaels&productId=01-09882
http://www.wweshop.com/Product_detail.asp?cat=cat-tripleh&productId=01-09870
Lastly, I'm happy to announce that this blog will soon feature a female's perspective in addition to my own. A friend of mine who through the years has worked with me on various wrestling-related projects will soon be joining this blog with a regular column. We're still working out the specifics, but I assure you, her work will be worth reading.
Enjoy your weekend, loyal readers.
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