Team Raw (Mickie James, Kelly Kelly, Cancie Michelle, Jillian Hall and Beth Phoenix) defeated Team SmackDown (Maria, Maryse, Victoria, Natalya and Michelle McCool) in a Survivor Series match. Beth Phoenix was the sole survivor.
Team Orton (Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, William Regal, Mark Henry and Shelton Benjamin) defeated Team Batista (Batista, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, CM Punk and Matt Hardy) in a Survivor Series match. Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes were the sole survivors.
Team HBK (Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, Cryme Tyme and The Great Khali) defeated Team JBL (JBL, Kane, MVP, The Miz and John Morrison) in a Survivor Series match. Michaels, Mysterio and Khali were the sole survivors.
John Cena defeated Chris Jericho to win the World Heavyweight title.
Edge (replacing Jeff Hardy by orders of Vickie Guerrero) defeated Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov in a Triple Threat match to win the WWE title. Jeff Hardy interfered in the match.
The Undertaker defeated The Big Show in a Casket match.
Showing posts with label raw. Show all posts
Showing posts with label raw. Show all posts
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Kowalski dead; Raw/SmackDown spoilers
Walter "Killer" Kowalski passed away Saturday at age 81 due to the effects of a heart attack. Kowalski was one of the original wrestling villains in the early days of television and went on to train several modern day stars including Triple H after retiring from the sport. Kowalski has been inducted into two professional wrestling halls of fame, including WWE's (WWF's at the time). He is survived by his children and his wife Theresa. A funeral is scheduled at Weir-MacCuish Golden Rule Funeral Home and burial service is set in St. Joseph's Church on Thursday morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Raw and SmackDown spoilers are posted below. If you want to be surprised, stop reading here.
Raw opens with a Raw vs. SmackDown 2008 promo followed by a memorial video for "Killer" Walter Kowalski.
Randy Orton comes out to open the show. Orton gets on the mic and says that he is still injured. He says that Beth Phoenix, Santino Marella, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase hurt Raw. He also says that CM Punk disgraces the World Heavyweight Championship belt and that he'd like to take the title from him once he's cleared to wrestle. CM Punk hits the ring and says that Orton is jealous of him. Orton leaves the ring. JBL then comes out and tells Punk that he is going to win the World Heavyweight Championship at Unforgiven. Kane comes out and says that Rey Mysterio won't be at Unforgiven because he's still in hell. Batista comes out and clears the ring of everyone.
Kofi Kingston beat Charlie Haas, who came out dressed as John Cena.
Team Priceless confronts Randy Orton backstage. They say Orton should give them respect. Orton asks Cody if he remembers how he smacked his dad, Dusty Rhodes. Cody says yes and receives a slap from Orton.
Backstage, Theodore Long and Mike Adamle say that they have an agreement to do an ECW Battle Royal on Raw tonight.
ECW World champion Mark Henry beats Matt Hardy, Chavo Guerrero, The Miz and Finlay in a five-man Battle Royal.
Chris Jericho signs the legal papers for his match with Shawn Michaels at Unforgiven.
Jamie Noble with Layla beats William Regal.
Candice Michelle, Mickie James and Kelly Kelly beat WWE Women's champion Beth Phoenix, Katie Lea and Jillian Hall when Candice pinned Beth Phoenix. Before the match Beth addressed Randy Orton insulting her.
WWE Intercontinental champion Santino Marella beat D-Lo Brown.
John Morrison and The Miz versus Cryme Tyme ended in a draw when Cryme Tyme was attacked before the match began by Rhodes and DiBiase, who took their Tag Team championship belts back.
Kane beat Batista, CM Punk and JBL in a four-man Battle Royal. Rey Mysterio was supposed to be in the match, but no-showed. Randy Orton did commentary during the match. After the match CM Punk throws water in Randy Orton's face and Rey Mysterio shows up and attacks Kane.
Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels did an in-ring contract signing for their match at Unforgiven. Mike Adamle announces that neither of the two are allowed to make contact during the signing or the match will be called off. They obey that rule until the contract is signed, then brawl. Lance Cade joins in the attack, but Michaels fights them both off.
Shawn Michaels legitimately suffered what is believed to be a triceps tear during the taping.
WWE SmackDown spoilers (airing this Friday)
Triple H opens SmackDown with an Unforgiven promo. Shelton Benjamin interrupts, but is himself interrupted by MVP. Brian Kendrick attacks Hunter from behind. MVP and Benjamin join in the attack until Jeff Hardy comes out for the save.
R-Truth beat Bam Neely. Killings came out through the crowd and was rapping.
The Undertaker cut a promo about Vickie Guerrero.
Shelton Benjamin beat MVP
Maryse beat Maria. Michelle McCool stares down Maryse after the match.
Brian Kendrick beat Jeff Hardy after interference from Ezekiel Jackson.
Super Crazy beat Ryan Braddock. After the match Vladimir Kozlov comes out and attacks Super Crazy. He talks about not having any competition. Big Show comes out to the ring to confront him, but Vickie Guerrero says she will not allow for the match to happen. She demands that Big Show get out of the ring and go home or he will be fined and suspended. She goes on to say that she won't let Undertaker intimidate her.
Brie Bella beat Victoria.
Triple H is confronted backstage by Jeff Hardy. Hardy says that Hunter has a big problem and that problem is him. Hunter pretends he is on the phone and hands it to Jeff, saying it's Doctor Black.
Triple H beat The Great Khali in a Lumberjack match. Jeff Hardy, MVP, Brian Kendrick and Shelton Benjamin were the lumberjacks. Triple H pedigrees the lumberjacks after the match.
Raw and SmackDown spoilers are posted below. If you want to be surprised, stop reading here.
Raw opens with a Raw vs. SmackDown 2008 promo followed by a memorial video for "Killer" Walter Kowalski.
Randy Orton comes out to open the show. Orton gets on the mic and says that he is still injured. He says that Beth Phoenix, Santino Marella, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase hurt Raw. He also says that CM Punk disgraces the World Heavyweight Championship belt and that he'd like to take the title from him once he's cleared to wrestle. CM Punk hits the ring and says that Orton is jealous of him. Orton leaves the ring. JBL then comes out and tells Punk that he is going to win the World Heavyweight Championship at Unforgiven. Kane comes out and says that Rey Mysterio won't be at Unforgiven because he's still in hell. Batista comes out and clears the ring of everyone.
Kofi Kingston beat Charlie Haas, who came out dressed as John Cena.
Team Priceless confronts Randy Orton backstage. They say Orton should give them respect. Orton asks Cody if he remembers how he smacked his dad, Dusty Rhodes. Cody says yes and receives a slap from Orton.
Backstage, Theodore Long and Mike Adamle say that they have an agreement to do an ECW Battle Royal on Raw tonight.
ECW World champion Mark Henry beats Matt Hardy, Chavo Guerrero, The Miz and Finlay in a five-man Battle Royal.
Chris Jericho signs the legal papers for his match with Shawn Michaels at Unforgiven.
Jamie Noble with Layla beats William Regal.
Candice Michelle, Mickie James and Kelly Kelly beat WWE Women's champion Beth Phoenix, Katie Lea and Jillian Hall when Candice pinned Beth Phoenix. Before the match Beth addressed Randy Orton insulting her.
WWE Intercontinental champion Santino Marella beat D-Lo Brown.
John Morrison and The Miz versus Cryme Tyme ended in a draw when Cryme Tyme was attacked before the match began by Rhodes and DiBiase, who took their Tag Team championship belts back.
Kane beat Batista, CM Punk and JBL in a four-man Battle Royal. Rey Mysterio was supposed to be in the match, but no-showed. Randy Orton did commentary during the match. After the match CM Punk throws water in Randy Orton's face and Rey Mysterio shows up and attacks Kane.
Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels did an in-ring contract signing for their match at Unforgiven. Mike Adamle announces that neither of the two are allowed to make contact during the signing or the match will be called off. They obey that rule until the contract is signed, then brawl. Lance Cade joins in the attack, but Michaels fights them both off.
Shawn Michaels legitimately suffered what is believed to be a triceps tear during the taping.
WWE SmackDown spoilers (airing this Friday)
Triple H opens SmackDown with an Unforgiven promo. Shelton Benjamin interrupts, but is himself interrupted by MVP. Brian Kendrick attacks Hunter from behind. MVP and Benjamin join in the attack until Jeff Hardy comes out for the save.
R-Truth beat Bam Neely. Killings came out through the crowd and was rapping.
The Undertaker cut a promo about Vickie Guerrero.
Shelton Benjamin beat MVP
Maryse beat Maria. Michelle McCool stares down Maryse after the match.
Brian Kendrick beat Jeff Hardy after interference from Ezekiel Jackson.
Super Crazy beat Ryan Braddock. After the match Vladimir Kozlov comes out and attacks Super Crazy. He talks about not having any competition. Big Show comes out to the ring to confront him, but Vickie Guerrero says she will not allow for the match to happen. She demands that Big Show get out of the ring and go home or he will be fined and suspended. She goes on to say that she won't let Undertaker intimidate her.
Brie Bella beat Victoria.
Triple H is confronted backstage by Jeff Hardy. Hardy says that Hunter has a big problem and that problem is him. Hunter pretends he is on the phone and hands it to Jeff, saying it's Doctor Black.
Triple H beat The Great Khali in a Lumberjack match. Jeff Hardy, MVP, Brian Kendrick and Shelton Benjamin were the lumberjacks. Triple H pedigrees the lumberjacks after the match.
Friday, August 8, 2008
WWE releases more talent
World Wrestling Entertainment has confirmed the releases of several wrestlers. Shannon Moore, referee Nick Patrick, Nunzio, Domino, James Curtis, Big Daddy V and Braden Walker were all released from their contracts. Additionally, Mick Foley has confirmed that he will most likely not be renewing his contract after it expires on Sept. 1st. More WWE releases are expected to be announced shortly.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Warrior in hot water (again), and ROH expanding
The Ultimate Warrior's New York autograph signing, which drew about 130 people this past Sunday, angered World Wrestling Entertainment.
Raw brand road agent Bruno Lauer, better known to wrestling fans as Harvey Wippleman, arrived at the signing's venue without notice and hung up a WWE cease and desist letter for everyone in line to read. To summarize the papers: Warrior and WWE have no connection to each other, and the Warrior was supposedly just using the attention and name of the WWE brand to attract fans into his signing. The papers also made mention of the Intercontinental title belt, which the Warrior's Web site advertised he would be posing with. The letter said the title was intellectual property of WWE's, therefore the Warrior could not pose or even market himself posing with it.
ROHmedia.com is reporting that Ring of Honor is going to be making "major roster changes" in the near future. Graduates of the ROH wrestling School will be showing up soon, in addition to the roster gaining more full-time talent. Specifically, Roh is working on booking Kota Ibushi for upcoming shows.
Raw brand road agent Bruno Lauer, better known to wrestling fans as Harvey Wippleman, arrived at the signing's venue without notice and hung up a WWE cease and desist letter for everyone in line to read. To summarize the papers: Warrior and WWE have no connection to each other, and the Warrior was supposedly just using the attention and name of the WWE brand to attract fans into his signing. The papers also made mention of the Intercontinental title belt, which the Warrior's Web site advertised he would be posing with. The letter said the title was intellectual property of WWE's, therefore the Warrior could not pose or even market himself posing with it.
ROHmedia.com is reporting that Ring of Honor is going to be making "major roster changes" in the near future. Graduates of the ROH wrestling School will be showing up soon, in addition to the roster gaining more full-time talent. Specifically, Roh is working on booking Kota Ibushi for upcoming shows.
Monday, July 21, 2008
PPV results and news
Here are the short results for the WWE Great American Bash pay-per-view.
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder won a Fatal Four Way Match against John Morrison and The Miz, Finlay and Hornswoggle and Jesse and Festus to win the WWE Tag Team Championships.
Shelton Benjamin won the United States championship against Matt Hardy.
Mark Henry beat Tommy Dreamer to retain the ECW title when Colin Delaney turned on Dreamer.
Chris Jericho beat Shawn Michaels when the referee deemed Michaels physically unable to continue wrestling.
Michelle McCool beat Natalya to win the Divas championship. More on this later.
CM Punk and Dave Batista wrestled to a double disqualification when Kane interfered. CM Punk retained the World title.
JBL beat John Cena in a Parking Lot match.
Triple H beat Edge to retain the WWE championship.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Bob Holly was sent home due to an undisclosed incident recently that may have also put his job in jeopardy with WWE. There are also unconfirmed online reports that personal issues may be the cause.
Rey Mysterio and WWE are still unable to come to terms on a new contract. Despite what some may consider to be a "promotion" to the Raw brand recently, Mysterio feels he is being underpaid in comparison to other top performers in the company. He is reportedly seeking significantly more money than WWE officials are willing to pay.
Dakota Darsow, the son of former WWF and WCW wrestler Barry Darsow, is getting a one-week tryout in Florida Championship Wrestling.
William Regal's suspension came to an end this past Friday, so he should be reappearing on TV soon.
Mickie James posted a blog entry on WWE Fan Nation talking about MySpace imposters, John Cena, Trish Stratus, and a same-sex kiss! To read the entry, go here:
http://fans.wwe.com/mickiejames/blog/2008/07/20/my_first_blog
Randy Orton is ranked number one in this year's Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500, which ranks the top 500 wrestlers in the world.
In the lighter side of wrestling news, WWE (or "WWF" according to the article) fans got in trouble at the Great Americzn Bash for trying to steal chairs. You can read the full article at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-liwwe0722,0,3718307.story
The person in charge of the WWE Divas (the person teaching them to wrestle the WWE style and how to handle their matters) is Michelle McCool. This is due to her relationship with The Undertaker, who has pushed for her to be in charge of the divison. The other divas don't care for McCool, particularly the ones more experienced at wrestling than herself. This is also why McCool was given the Diva title on SmackDown.
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder won a Fatal Four Way Match against John Morrison and The Miz, Finlay and Hornswoggle and Jesse and Festus to win the WWE Tag Team Championships.
Shelton Benjamin won the United States championship against Matt Hardy.
Mark Henry beat Tommy Dreamer to retain the ECW title when Colin Delaney turned on Dreamer.
Chris Jericho beat Shawn Michaels when the referee deemed Michaels physically unable to continue wrestling.
Michelle McCool beat Natalya to win the Divas championship. More on this later.
CM Punk and Dave Batista wrestled to a double disqualification when Kane interfered. CM Punk retained the World title.
JBL beat John Cena in a Parking Lot match.
Triple H beat Edge to retain the WWE championship.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Bob Holly was sent home due to an undisclosed incident recently that may have also put his job in jeopardy with WWE. There are also unconfirmed online reports that personal issues may be the cause.
Rey Mysterio and WWE are still unable to come to terms on a new contract. Despite what some may consider to be a "promotion" to the Raw brand recently, Mysterio feels he is being underpaid in comparison to other top performers in the company. He is reportedly seeking significantly more money than WWE officials are willing to pay.
Dakota Darsow, the son of former WWF and WCW wrestler Barry Darsow, is getting a one-week tryout in Florida Championship Wrestling.
William Regal's suspension came to an end this past Friday, so he should be reappearing on TV soon.
Mickie James posted a blog entry on WWE Fan Nation talking about MySpace imposters, John Cena, Trish Stratus, and a same-sex kiss! To read the entry, go here:
http://fans.wwe.com/mickiejames/blog/2008/07/20/my_first_blog
Randy Orton is ranked number one in this year's Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500, which ranks the top 500 wrestlers in the world.
In the lighter side of wrestling news, WWE (or "WWF" according to the article) fans got in trouble at the Great Americzn Bash for trying to steal chairs. You can read the full article at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-liwwe0722,0,3718307.story
The person in charge of the WWE Divas (the person teaching them to wrestle the WWE style and how to handle their matters) is Michelle McCool. This is due to her relationship with The Undertaker, who has pushed for her to be in charge of the divison. The other divas don't care for McCool, particularly the ones more experienced at wrestling than herself. This is also why McCool was given the Diva title on SmackDown.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
News
WWE's Raw brand finished a major tour of South America last week. As previously mentioned on this blog promoters in Peru were upset about the draft because they'd built all of their advertising around Triple H and Jeff Hardy before they got moved to SmackDown. As expected, WWE sent both men to Lima. There were still complaints that neither man, nor the advertised but currently injured Randy Orton, were in Chile. The biggest show of the tour drew about 28,000 in a 45,574-seat stadium. It was still the biggest crowd in the history of wrestling in South America.
In top matches: Jeff Hardy beat JBL, Shawn Michaels beat Chris Jericho, and Triple H beat John Cena. There was a moment where the fans chanted "CENA SUCKS!" non-stop for five literal minutes, which has to be some sort of record.
The tour was front page new in Lima all last week.
Trevor Murdoch was mysteriously released on July 3rd. No one seems to know why since he was purposely drafted to SmackDown on the recommendation of Michael Hayes. It was likely for disciplinary reasons, but no one seems to be commenting.
A Jim Cornette interview is included in the new Ric Flair DVD. Ricky Steamboat is nowhere to be found.
Jeff Hardy told WWE Magazine: "I made a mistake, and I paid for it. I missed Wrestlemania. That was a huge, huge punishment. I was involved in such a big match going in, and I missed it. But, I think the fans respect the fact that I've confessed to what I did wrong. Throughout my suspension, they tested me two or three times each week. No joke. The testing is very thorough, which is good. You literally have to pull your shirt up to your chest, and drop your pants. Then some guy squats next to you, so he can watch you piss".
Vince McMahon was said to be very tough on Michael Cole's announcing work during and after Raw.
CM Punk accidentally broke Gene Snitsky's nose during their match last night on Raw when he hit him with the G.T.S.
Remember to send in your questions for "The Real Deal" RD Reynolds. Yes, the RD Reynolds! Send questions to: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com
In top matches: Jeff Hardy beat JBL, Shawn Michaels beat Chris Jericho, and Triple H beat John Cena. There was a moment where the fans chanted "CENA SUCKS!" non-stop for five literal minutes, which has to be some sort of record.
The tour was front page new in Lima all last week.
Trevor Murdoch was mysteriously released on July 3rd. No one seems to know why since he was purposely drafted to SmackDown on the recommendation of Michael Hayes. It was likely for disciplinary reasons, but no one seems to be commenting.
A Jim Cornette interview is included in the new Ric Flair DVD. Ricky Steamboat is nowhere to be found.
Jeff Hardy told WWE Magazine: "I made a mistake, and I paid for it. I missed Wrestlemania. That was a huge, huge punishment. I was involved in such a big match going in, and I missed it. But, I think the fans respect the fact that I've confessed to what I did wrong. Throughout my suspension, they tested me two or three times each week. No joke. The testing is very thorough, which is good. You literally have to pull your shirt up to your chest, and drop your pants. Then some guy squats next to you, so he can watch you piss".
Vince McMahon was said to be very tough on Michael Cole's announcing work during and after Raw.
CM Punk accidentally broke Gene Snitsky's nose during their match last night on Raw when he hit him with the G.T.S.
Remember to send in your questions for "The Real Deal" RD Reynolds. Yes, the RD Reynolds! Send questions to: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com
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.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
CM Punk, Mr. Perfect, and Mike Austin.
The biggest post-Raw news item is unquestionably CM Punk's winning of the World title. If WWE's intent behind Punk wearing the big gold belt is to get fans interested in or talking about their product, mission accomplished! I personally didn't once change the channel off Raw after I saw Punk's segment, and this morning at my day job the few other wrestling fans in the building were discussing Raw for the first time in weeks and dropping Punk's name for probably the first time ever. The possibility of JBL capturing the belt the same night also kept me in suspense. At least until the familiar "deck stacked against the champion" cliche snuck its way into the program's writing and gave away the finish of the main event.
Punk's title win was a "too good to be true" moment for wrestling fans who have grown tired of WWE's by-the-numbers writing style. Pulling a WrestleMania IX (only in reverse considering Punk's weight and the face/heel role reversals) seemed like a move WWE would make. A slap back to reality, if you will. With WWE creative starting to think outside of the box, the big question now becomes: Where does CM Punk and WWE go from here?
That answer will likely depend heavily on the result of last night's Raw rating. Meanwhile, the top challengers for Punk's belt are logically JBL, John Cena, Batista, and former champion Edge. Edge is certain to continue his feud with The Undertaker on SmackDown at some point. Batista would have to turn heel for a match against Punk to work, according to one of the first rules of wrestling. The same goes for John Cena. However, Cena and JBL appear to once again be entering into a feud with one another. They don't need the World title to make that feud work, but it's quite possible one of them will get it by the next pay-per-view anyway. Regardless of how long his title reign lasts, hardcore CM Punk fans will surely feel the end came too soon.
A few other things have happened as a result of this move, by the way. The Raw brand once again has a Heavyweight championship, and the Money In The Bank storyline has now been concluded. At least until next year's WrestleMania when the match will more than likely take place again. Also, CM Punk is now the only man to hold the ECW, ROH and WCW/World titles.
Moving on to other wrestling news...
Here is the lineup for the upcoming two-disc Mr. Perfect DVD, courtesy of Silver Vision.
Disc 1:
Perfection
Twin City Origins
Building a Path
AWA
Mr. Perfect
Living up to His Name
Intercontinental Champion
The Prankster
Commentator
WCW
Return to the WWE
A Sudden Tragedy
Hall of Fame
The Perfect Legacy Lives On
Matches:
Curt Hennig vs. Eddie Gilbert
Madison Square Garden (21/11/82)
Curt Hennig and Scott Hall vs. Steve Regal and Jimmy Garvin
AWA Championship Wrestling (26/11/85)
Mr. Perfect Hall of Fame Induction
WWE Hall of Fame (31/03/07)
“Rap is Crap” Music Video
Vignettes:
Billiards October 1, 1988
Golf – Perfect Putt October 1, 1988
Darts October 8, 1988
Bowling October 8, 1988
Chess October 15, 1988
Basketball October 15, 1988
Ping Pong October 28, 1989
Diving November 4, 1989
Golf – Perfect Drive November 4, 1989
Horseshoes November 24, 1989
Baseball with Wade Boggs December 26, 1992
Football – Perfect Passer with Steve Jordan February 13, 1993
Basketball with Felton Spencer February 27, 1993
Hockey with Mike Modano March 13, 1993
Stories:
Curt Loved Karaoke
Disc 2:
60-Minute Time Limit AWA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel
AWA Championship Wrestling (15/11/86)
Curt Hennig vs. Terry Taylor
Commentary By: Michael Cole and Mick Foley
WrestleFest (31/07/88)
Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart
Madison Square Garden (24/04/89)
WWE Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Hulk Hogan
Madison Square Garden (15/01/90)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match with Special Referee Roddy Piper
Mr. Perfect vs. The Texas Tornado
Madison Square Garden (24/11/90)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect
SummerSlam (26/08/91)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels
SummerSlam (30/08/93)
Curt Hennig vs. Bret Hart
Uncensored (15/03/98)
The lineup is rather iffy, in my opinion. The rare AWA matches were a great inclusion, and Hennig's matches against Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels are definite classics. You also can't go wrong with the "Rap Is Crap" video or the sports vignettes. On the downside, there isn't nearly enough WCW footage. Hennig was a member of the NWO and a United States champion there, for crying out loud! WWE is also forgetting about Hennig's brief return to the company in 2002 before his death. They could at least show his final WWE match against Matt Hardy. There are also no matches involving any of Hennig's Intercontinental title wins, or any of his classic matches against Ric Flair. If you're a big enough fan of Mister Perfect's character though, you'll probably still get plenty of enjoyment out of this set.
Promoters in Peru are outraged that Triple H is no longer a part of the upcoming Raw tour, since they built all their advertising around him.
WrestleMania XXV tickets are going on sale September 20th.
WWE has apparently lost a few people in talent relations as well as corporate recently, which could explain the recent lack of communication with talent concerning the brand switches.
Vince McMahon was present at the WrestleMania press conference in Houston, but never appeared before the people because he was still selling his injury angle. A few local area papers in Houston reported that he'd been seriously injured when the scaffold fell on him on Raw.
Batista got several stitches following Raw. He went head-first into Edge. Both wrestlers were otherwise reported to be okay.
The plan to tape ECW before Raw has been pushed back to September.
Indiana wrestler "Even Colder" Mike Austin is still at large after impersonating "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at a Wal-Mart autograph signing. The WCWO promotion Mike Austin performs for claims Austin was sent to Wal-Mart to promote an upcoming indy show, but once there he began charging unsuspecting "Stone Cold" fans $10.00 USD for photos and autographs before fleeing with the fans' cash. An unidentified man acting as the imposter's manager at the signing told police the Wal-Mart knew his accomplice wasn't Steve Austin, but claims they still allowed him to sign autographs. Wal-Mart officials said they suspected something was off when "Steve Austin" showed up to the event with no security or police flanking him. They notified police once they believed the man at the signing wasn't the real deal. Ironically, a few years ago the real "Stone Cold" judged a "Steve Austin look-a-like" contest, which was won by his future doppleganger. Police are continuing to investigate the matter along with help from World Wrestling Entertainment.
SOURCES FOR THIS ENTRY: F4W newsletter
Punk's title win was a "too good to be true" moment for wrestling fans who have grown tired of WWE's by-the-numbers writing style. Pulling a WrestleMania IX (only in reverse considering Punk's weight and the face/heel role reversals) seemed like a move WWE would make. A slap back to reality, if you will. With WWE creative starting to think outside of the box, the big question now becomes: Where does CM Punk and WWE go from here?
That answer will likely depend heavily on the result of last night's Raw rating. Meanwhile, the top challengers for Punk's belt are logically JBL, John Cena, Batista, and former champion Edge. Edge is certain to continue his feud with The Undertaker on SmackDown at some point. Batista would have to turn heel for a match against Punk to work, according to one of the first rules of wrestling. The same goes for John Cena. However, Cena and JBL appear to once again be entering into a feud with one another. They don't need the World title to make that feud work, but it's quite possible one of them will get it by the next pay-per-view anyway. Regardless of how long his title reign lasts, hardcore CM Punk fans will surely feel the end came too soon.
A few other things have happened as a result of this move, by the way. The Raw brand once again has a Heavyweight championship, and the Money In The Bank storyline has now been concluded. At least until next year's WrestleMania when the match will more than likely take place again. Also, CM Punk is now the only man to hold the ECW, ROH and WCW/World titles.
Moving on to other wrestling news...
Here is the lineup for the upcoming two-disc Mr. Perfect DVD, courtesy of Silver Vision.
Disc 1:
Perfection
Twin City Origins
Building a Path
AWA
Mr. Perfect
Living up to His Name
Intercontinental Champion
The Prankster
Commentator
WCW
Return to the WWE
A Sudden Tragedy
Hall of Fame
The Perfect Legacy Lives On
Matches:
Curt Hennig vs. Eddie Gilbert
Madison Square Garden (21/11/82)
Curt Hennig and Scott Hall vs. Steve Regal and Jimmy Garvin
AWA Championship Wrestling (26/11/85)
Mr. Perfect Hall of Fame Induction
WWE Hall of Fame (31/03/07)
“Rap is Crap” Music Video
Vignettes:
Billiards October 1, 1988
Golf – Perfect Putt October 1, 1988
Darts October 8, 1988
Bowling October 8, 1988
Chess October 15, 1988
Basketball October 15, 1988
Ping Pong October 28, 1989
Diving November 4, 1989
Golf – Perfect Drive November 4, 1989
Horseshoes November 24, 1989
Baseball with Wade Boggs December 26, 1992
Football – Perfect Passer with Steve Jordan February 13, 1993
Basketball with Felton Spencer February 27, 1993
Hockey with Mike Modano March 13, 1993
Stories:
Curt Loved Karaoke
Disc 2:
60-Minute Time Limit AWA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel
AWA Championship Wrestling (15/11/86)
Curt Hennig vs. Terry Taylor
Commentary By: Michael Cole and Mick Foley
WrestleFest (31/07/88)
Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart
Madison Square Garden (24/04/89)
WWE Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Hulk Hogan
Madison Square Garden (15/01/90)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match with Special Referee Roddy Piper
Mr. Perfect vs. The Texas Tornado
Madison Square Garden (24/11/90)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect
SummerSlam (26/08/91)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels
SummerSlam (30/08/93)
Curt Hennig vs. Bret Hart
Uncensored (15/03/98)
The lineup is rather iffy, in my opinion. The rare AWA matches were a great inclusion, and Hennig's matches against Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels are definite classics. You also can't go wrong with the "Rap Is Crap" video or the sports vignettes. On the downside, there isn't nearly enough WCW footage. Hennig was a member of the NWO and a United States champion there, for crying out loud! WWE is also forgetting about Hennig's brief return to the company in 2002 before his death. They could at least show his final WWE match against Matt Hardy. There are also no matches involving any of Hennig's Intercontinental title wins, or any of his classic matches against Ric Flair. If you're a big enough fan of Mister Perfect's character though, you'll probably still get plenty of enjoyment out of this set.
Promoters in Peru are outraged that Triple H is no longer a part of the upcoming Raw tour, since they built all their advertising around him.
WrestleMania XXV tickets are going on sale September 20th.
WWE has apparently lost a few people in talent relations as well as corporate recently, which could explain the recent lack of communication with talent concerning the brand switches.
Vince McMahon was present at the WrestleMania press conference in Houston, but never appeared before the people because he was still selling his injury angle. A few local area papers in Houston reported that he'd been seriously injured when the scaffold fell on him on Raw.
Batista got several stitches following Raw. He went head-first into Edge. Both wrestlers were otherwise reported to be okay.
The plan to tape ECW before Raw has been pushed back to September.
Indiana wrestler "Even Colder" Mike Austin is still at large after impersonating "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at a Wal-Mart autograph signing. The WCWO promotion Mike Austin performs for claims Austin was sent to Wal-Mart to promote an upcoming indy show, but once there he began charging unsuspecting "Stone Cold" fans $10.00 USD for photos and autographs before fleeing with the fans' cash. An unidentified man acting as the imposter's manager at the signing told police the Wal-Mart knew his accomplice wasn't Steve Austin, but claims they still allowed him to sign autographs. Wal-Mart officials said they suspected something was off when "Steve Austin" showed up to the event with no security or police flanking him. They notified police once they believed the man at the signing wasn't the real deal. Ironically, a few years ago the real "Stone Cold" judged a "Steve Austin look-a-like" contest, which was won by his future doppleganger. Police are continuing to investigate the matter along with help from World Wrestling Entertainment.
SOURCES FOR THIS ENTRY: F4W newsletter
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.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
News, and another interview!
Chris Jericho completed his heel turn this week on Raw, which was capped off by the return of Ric Flair. Jericho's promo was excellent as usual, although some question if he should truly be getting booked as the bad guy in this feud.
Michael Hayes is back in creative, but he is being required to do a number of different things. He was made to sit down and speak with all black WWE wrestlers, and he is no longer allowed to drink on company time.
Randy Orton's collarbone injury will keep him out of action until at least this fall. However, Rey Mysterio is expected back in early to mid-July.
I will be in Texas over the next few days, so don't expect any updates for about a week. However, before leaving, I put in a request for an interview with Kiley McLean. She's an indy wrestler best-known for playing Rosie O'Donnell on Raw. My request for an interview with Kevin Nash has gone unreturned so far.
See you all in a week!
Michael Hayes is back in creative, but he is being required to do a number of different things. He was made to sit down and speak with all black WWE wrestlers, and he is no longer allowed to drink on company time.
Randy Orton's collarbone injury will keep him out of action until at least this fall. However, Rey Mysterio is expected back in early to mid-July.
I will be in Texas over the next few days, so don't expect any updates for about a week. However, before leaving, I put in a request for an interview with Kiley McLean. She's an indy wrestler best-known for playing Rosie O'Donnell on Raw. My request for an interview with Kevin Nash has gone unreturned so far.
See you all in a week!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
WWE/ROH news and notes
This week's Raw was rated TV-PG instead of TV-14. This could signal the official beginning of WWE marketing its TV product toward children. In the early 1990's, children were also the target audience of the then-WWF. SmackDown has always been rated TV-PG, even during the adult-themed Attitude era.
Carlito is said to once again be unhappy with his role in WWE. WWE continues to employ Carlito despite his continued unhappiness, in part because the company covets wrestlers with appeal to Hispanic audiences.
The recently released book Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry alleges that Vince McMahon has had a "love affair" with the drug cocaine that may or may not have subsided. "(McMahon) liked to brag with apparent justification that 'I can snort as much of that stuff as anyone can put in front of me and never get hooked.' One WWE employee of recent years told me, "The boys and former office staff use euphemisms when they talk about Vince's 'energy." The inside joke about it is that sixty-something Vince most likely isn't that energetic over multi-day sleepness stretches without help. I've seen him so wired that his eyes looked like they were going to pop,"" the book says.
Production will begin immediately on Ring Of Honor's next pay-per-view "Respect Is Earned II." It will premiere on IN DEMAND, The DISH Network and TVN cable systems on August 1st and feature a triple main event. The top three matches are: Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black versus Bryan Danielson and Austin Aries, Nigel McGuinness versus Go Shiozaki and Roderick Strong versus Erick Stevens.
In other ROH news, Jerry Lynn is only scheduled for the 6/28 ROH Chicago date. Also, Lance Storm will not be wrestling at the 7/25 and/or 7/26 ROH events, but he will have a role on each show and be available for autographs. Storm has already given advice to several members of the roster after watching their pay-per-view shows. KOCH Vision will release ROH's next two DVDs "Best In The World" and "Greatest Rivalries" into retail stores everywhere on July 8th.
Former WWE writer Seth Mates wrote in his "Steel Cage" column for Newsday that WWE has been sending various news outlets a "money-themed gift basket" as a way of promoting Raw's on-going million dollar giveaway sweepstakes. The problem with this? The gift baskets contain actual money. $4.94 USD to be exact. Technically speaking, does this mean WWE has attempted to pay off members of the press? Seth Mates believes so, stating that he refunded WWE's money for ethical reasons. For the record, I haven't received one of these gift baskets, but they sure sound neat. If any other members of the media find themselves facing this ethical dilemna, I'll gladly take Vince McMahon's gift basket off your hands.
SOURCES FOR THIS ENTRY: http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/specialevent/wrestling/
Carlito is said to once again be unhappy with his role in WWE. WWE continues to employ Carlito despite his continued unhappiness, in part because the company covets wrestlers with appeal to Hispanic audiences.
The recently released book Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry alleges that Vince McMahon has had a "love affair" with the drug cocaine that may or may not have subsided. "(McMahon) liked to brag with apparent justification that 'I can snort as much of that stuff as anyone can put in front of me and never get hooked.' One WWE employee of recent years told me, "The boys and former office staff use euphemisms when they talk about Vince's 'energy." The inside joke about it is that sixty-something Vince most likely isn't that energetic over multi-day sleepness stretches without help. I've seen him so wired that his eyes looked like they were going to pop,"" the book says.
Production will begin immediately on Ring Of Honor's next pay-per-view "Respect Is Earned II." It will premiere on IN DEMAND, The DISH Network and TVN cable systems on August 1st and feature a triple main event. The top three matches are: Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black versus Bryan Danielson and Austin Aries, Nigel McGuinness versus Go Shiozaki and Roderick Strong versus Erick Stevens.
In other ROH news, Jerry Lynn is only scheduled for the 6/28 ROH Chicago date. Also, Lance Storm will not be wrestling at the 7/25 and/or 7/26 ROH events, but he will have a role on each show and be available for autographs. Storm has already given advice to several members of the roster after watching their pay-per-view shows. KOCH Vision will release ROH's next two DVDs "Best In The World" and "Greatest Rivalries" into retail stores everywhere on July 8th.
Former WWE writer Seth Mates wrote in his "Steel Cage" column for Newsday that WWE has been sending various news outlets a "money-themed gift basket" as a way of promoting Raw's on-going million dollar giveaway sweepstakes. The problem with this? The gift baskets contain actual money. $4.94 USD to be exact. Technically speaking, does this mean WWE has attempted to pay off members of the press? Seth Mates believes so, stating that he refunded WWE's money for ethical reasons. For the record, I haven't received one of these gift baskets, but they sure sound neat. If any other members of the media find themselves facing this ethical dilemna, I'll gladly take Vince McMahon's gift basket off your hands.
SOURCES FOR THIS ENTRY: http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/specialevent/wrestling/
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
What's the best lesbian angle in wrestling?
Gay characters have been a staple in pro wrestling ever since Gorgeous George and the black and white television era, but lesbians have only recently become a part of the show. For about the last twelve years the largest wrestling companies in North America have emphasized storylines and characters aimed at adult audiences. As part of that push, promoters introduced lesbians onto their unique programming. It was a no-brainer.
Today I'd like to ask my readers which lesbian-themed storyline they believe is the greatest in wrestling's history. Usually "greatest" lists can be debated all night and day, however, the wrestling business only has a few storylines of this nature to choose from. Unlike gay villains and other wrestling cliches, lesbian characters and angles remain scarce within the industry. That fact could either make the selection process easier, or just much more difficult. I've detailed each memorable same-sex angle below, along with some pros and cons to consider when putting in your two cents. If I've forgotten an angle or simply weren't aware of one, let me know about it!
THE ANGLE: Beulah and Kimona, ECW's only lesbian storyline (and also it's only bisexual one). Shane Douglas promised to drop a bombshell on his opponent, Raven, the night they faced off for the ECW championship. Raven had replaced Beulah with Kimona after Beulah left Raven for his long-time nemesis Tommy Dreamer, claiming she was pregnant with Dreamer's baby. Kimona dumped Raven soon after herself and threw her support behind Douglas for the upcoming title match. Before the match took place, Douglas announced that Beulah wasn't really pregnant, and that she'd been cheating on BOTH Raven and Tommy Dreamer the entire time. It turned out she was cheating with Kimona! The girls kissed mid-ring to prove this. Luckily, Dreamer was "hardcore" enough to handle them both. He escorted the ladies back to the locker room, and was co-managed until Kimona left ECW.
PRO: The angle was timed perfectly. It took place during the height of shows such as Jerry Springer, where similar stories could be found on daytime TV. Also, the lesbian storyline wrote out Beulah's baby in a way that didn't involve a cliche miscarriage.
CON: The angle, which pretty much went nowhere after the kiss, got ECW kicked off of some TV networks. It doesn't seem worth it, all things considered.
THE ANGLE: Trish and Mickie, WWE's lesbian stalker. Mickie James jumped the railing and made the save for Trish Stratus a few times on WWE television before introducing herself to Stratus backstage. Trish identified Mickie as the girl who continuously wrote her letters and such. Her "number one fan" as it were. The two bonded and Mickie "learned to wrestle" from Trish. Slowly but surely Mickie James became increasingly obsessed with Trish Stratus, and even jealous when Trish announced she had a boyfriend. Stratus knew James was a bit psychotic, but didn't have the heart to tell her to buzz off. Finally, after a lengthy buildup that included a Christmas kiss under the missletoe, Stratus worked up the nerve to tell off James. This allowed James to turn on Stratus heading into WrestleMania, and produced an exciting feud for the Women's title that hasn't been duplicated since.
PRO: WWE women's wrestling was given a decent storyline and a good amount of airtime, while continuing to produce excellent matches between the ropes.
CON: Mickie James had nowhere to go but down. This feud got her over with the crowd, even to the point that they were cheering her during the WrestleMania match. Unfortunately, James has since been reduced to just another Diva.
THE ANGLE: Dawn and Torrie, a wedding and a funeral. Dawn Marie began to make eyes at Torrie Wilson's father, Al. It turned out Al felt the same way. Torrie wasn't a fan of this at all considering the age gap, and because she knew what a heel Dawn Marie was. Eventually Dawn and Al Wilson were engaged to be married, but Marie told Torrie she'd break off the engagement if Torrie agreed to sleep with her. Torrie agreed, but Marie went ahead with the ceremony anyway because she was evil! To make matters worse, she killed Al Wison the night of the honeymoon via marathon sex. The girls brawled at Al's SmackDown funeral, and had a blowoff match on pay-per-view.
PRO: The Al Wilson angle is now infamous, earning its place in history at wrestlecrap.com. It also served a purpose for WWE at the time: Producing event-driven television. Weddings, funerals, graduations, etc. Every show has them, and WWE wanted more of them at this point in time. They managed to get TWO events out of ONE storyline. Also, just like Trish and Mickie, the angle gave women's wrestling more airtime.
CON: Everything else! Torrie Wilson was pseudo-raped. The payoff match to the storyline lacked any kind of intensity or seriousness. The angle bored many viewers along the way. Oh, and Al Wilson's lack of both acting and wrestling abilities didn't help matters.
THE ANGLE: HLA, a sexy hate crime. The SmackDown wedding ceremony of Billy and Chuck was gaining WWE a lot of positive publicity. At the time, the Raw and SmackDown brands were also feuding with one another. To counter the mainstream coverage of SmackDown's gay wedding, Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff decided to have lesbians on his program. The lesbians weren't getting married however. They were simply making out and removing one another's clothes for no apparent reason. Three Minute Warning interrupted the in-ring lovefest by attacking both girls before too much skin could get revealed.
PRO: It furthered a storyline, and continued to build Three Minute Warning as heels.
CON: Women getting beaten up for being lesbians, even by bad guys, sends a terrible message. The fact that this angle took place during a time when WWE was getting praised for gay-friendly TV makes it an even more questionable decision.
THE ANGLE: Marlena and Sable, the lesbian angle that lacked contact. The Goldust character had been "playing mind games" with male opponents since his debut in the WWF, but information about his valet Marlena was relatively unknown. When Goldust began a feud with Marc Mero, the valets became the reason for the fighting. Mero implied during an interview that Marlena sexually harrassed Sable in a parking lot. Innuendo continued to lace the promos between the two, leading to a forgettable blowoff match.
PRO: The angle developed the Marlena character, and created a nice mid-card storyline for a brief while.
CON: Possibly due to TV restrictions at the time, the two valets never actually interacted physically during the angle. All the talk of unwanted sexual advances that the viewer never got to see took away a lot of interest in the storyline.
I look forward to seeing how everyone votes, and here's hoping we have more gay angles to select from in the future.
Today I'd like to ask my readers which lesbian-themed storyline they believe is the greatest in wrestling's history. Usually "greatest" lists can be debated all night and day, however, the wrestling business only has a few storylines of this nature to choose from. Unlike gay villains and other wrestling cliches, lesbian characters and angles remain scarce within the industry. That fact could either make the selection process easier, or just much more difficult. I've detailed each memorable same-sex angle below, along with some pros and cons to consider when putting in your two cents. If I've forgotten an angle or simply weren't aware of one, let me know about it!
THE ANGLE: Beulah and Kimona, ECW's only lesbian storyline (and also it's only bisexual one). Shane Douglas promised to drop a bombshell on his opponent, Raven, the night they faced off for the ECW championship. Raven had replaced Beulah with Kimona after Beulah left Raven for his long-time nemesis Tommy Dreamer, claiming she was pregnant with Dreamer's baby. Kimona dumped Raven soon after herself and threw her support behind Douglas for the upcoming title match. Before the match took place, Douglas announced that Beulah wasn't really pregnant, and that she'd been cheating on BOTH Raven and Tommy Dreamer the entire time. It turned out she was cheating with Kimona! The girls kissed mid-ring to prove this. Luckily, Dreamer was "hardcore" enough to handle them both. He escorted the ladies back to the locker room, and was co-managed until Kimona left ECW.
PRO: The angle was timed perfectly. It took place during the height of shows such as Jerry Springer, where similar stories could be found on daytime TV. Also, the lesbian storyline wrote out Beulah's baby in a way that didn't involve a cliche miscarriage.
CON: The angle, which pretty much went nowhere after the kiss, got ECW kicked off of some TV networks. It doesn't seem worth it, all things considered.
THE ANGLE: Trish and Mickie, WWE's lesbian stalker. Mickie James jumped the railing and made the save for Trish Stratus a few times on WWE television before introducing herself to Stratus backstage. Trish identified Mickie as the girl who continuously wrote her letters and such. Her "number one fan" as it were. The two bonded and Mickie "learned to wrestle" from Trish. Slowly but surely Mickie James became increasingly obsessed with Trish Stratus, and even jealous when Trish announced she had a boyfriend. Stratus knew James was a bit psychotic, but didn't have the heart to tell her to buzz off. Finally, after a lengthy buildup that included a Christmas kiss under the missletoe, Stratus worked up the nerve to tell off James. This allowed James to turn on Stratus heading into WrestleMania, and produced an exciting feud for the Women's title that hasn't been duplicated since.
PRO: WWE women's wrestling was given a decent storyline and a good amount of airtime, while continuing to produce excellent matches between the ropes.
CON: Mickie James had nowhere to go but down. This feud got her over with the crowd, even to the point that they were cheering her during the WrestleMania match. Unfortunately, James has since been reduced to just another Diva.
THE ANGLE: Dawn and Torrie, a wedding and a funeral. Dawn Marie began to make eyes at Torrie Wilson's father, Al. It turned out Al felt the same way. Torrie wasn't a fan of this at all considering the age gap, and because she knew what a heel Dawn Marie was. Eventually Dawn and Al Wilson were engaged to be married, but Marie told Torrie she'd break off the engagement if Torrie agreed to sleep with her. Torrie agreed, but Marie went ahead with the ceremony anyway because she was evil! To make matters worse, she killed Al Wison the night of the honeymoon via marathon sex. The girls brawled at Al's SmackDown funeral, and had a blowoff match on pay-per-view.
PRO: The Al Wilson angle is now infamous, earning its place in history at wrestlecrap.com. It also served a purpose for WWE at the time: Producing event-driven television. Weddings, funerals, graduations, etc. Every show has them, and WWE wanted more of them at this point in time. They managed to get TWO events out of ONE storyline. Also, just like Trish and Mickie, the angle gave women's wrestling more airtime.
CON: Everything else! Torrie Wilson was pseudo-raped. The payoff match to the storyline lacked any kind of intensity or seriousness. The angle bored many viewers along the way. Oh, and Al Wilson's lack of both acting and wrestling abilities didn't help matters.
THE ANGLE: HLA, a sexy hate crime. The SmackDown wedding ceremony of Billy and Chuck was gaining WWE a lot of positive publicity. At the time, the Raw and SmackDown brands were also feuding with one another. To counter the mainstream coverage of SmackDown's gay wedding, Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff decided to have lesbians on his program. The lesbians weren't getting married however. They were simply making out and removing one another's clothes for no apparent reason. Three Minute Warning interrupted the in-ring lovefest by attacking both girls before too much skin could get revealed.
PRO: It furthered a storyline, and continued to build Three Minute Warning as heels.
CON: Women getting beaten up for being lesbians, even by bad guys, sends a terrible message. The fact that this angle took place during a time when WWE was getting praised for gay-friendly TV makes it an even more questionable decision.
THE ANGLE: Marlena and Sable, the lesbian angle that lacked contact. The Goldust character had been "playing mind games" with male opponents since his debut in the WWF, but information about his valet Marlena was relatively unknown. When Goldust began a feud with Marc Mero, the valets became the reason for the fighting. Mero implied during an interview that Marlena sexually harrassed Sable in a parking lot. Innuendo continued to lace the promos between the two, leading to a forgettable blowoff match.
PRO: The angle developed the Marlena character, and created a nice mid-card storyline for a brief while.
CON: Possibly due to TV restrictions at the time, the two valets never actually interacted physically during the angle. All the talk of unwanted sexual advances that the viewer never got to see took away a lot of interest in the storyline.
I look forward to seeing how everyone votes, and here's hoping we have more gay angles to select from in the future.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Raw's giveaway, PPV results & another question for my readers
Huge update today!
First of all, the Associated Press has released information concerning WWE's recently announced million dollar giveaway. I've been getting a lot of questions about it, so I thought I'd pass along the information available via this blog. As expected, there's a catch or two involved. The full AP article can be found at the following URL: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5indhctjJFAtfOVHroIOX_lG5-_GwD912264G3.
One thing that I find curious is WWE announcing they'll give out the codes at the start of each Raw episode. What would make the casual fan stick around to watch the rest of Raw after getting the code? WWE is doing this promotion to increase ratings, so logically they really shouldn't be telling you when during the broadcast the code will be given out. I suspect the only people who will enter this contest are the wrestling fans who already watch Raw now. Myself included. Hey, a man has to pay for gas, right? The giveaway begins June 9th.
Here are the short results for WWE's One Night Stand pay-per-view:
Jeff Hardy beat Umaga in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
The Big Show beat CM Punk, Tommy Dreamer, John Morrison, Bam Neely, and Chavo Guerrero in a 6 man Singapore Cane match to earn a shot at Kane's ECW championship at the Night Of Champions pay-per-view. Big Show became hurt legit during the match.
John Cena beat JBL in a First Blood match.
Beth Phoenix beat Melina in an I Quit match.
Note: At this point in the show Cena did a backstage skit with Mickie James. Cena said he enjoyed "girl on girl submissions." Cena's character has made both pro-gay and anti-gay statements in the past. I guess this one would fall on the pro side, technically. During this segment ECW's Mike Adamle suggested Cena and James were a couple, so I guess WWE is continuing on with the romance angle between them.
Batista beat Shawn Michaels in a Stretcher Match.
Triple H beat Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match. Orton may or may not have been hurt legit during the match.
Edge beat The Undertaker in a TLC match to win the vacant World title. According to the match stipulation, The Undertaker must now retire from the entire WWE.
Finally, I'd like to once again pose a question to you, my readers. Recently I've been struggling with a question: What's the best way to present this blog's content? On one hand, I want to present the content as professionally and close to journalism as possible. On the other hand, I feel like a little editorializing and personal humor interjected into the entries would add some more flavor to my blog, while also not hurting anyone. You can certainly find a ton of other so-called wrestling journalists who aren't shy about interjecting their own opinions into articles where they may not belong, but does that make it okay for me to do as well, or would I then become just as annoying as they are by stating opinions rather than strictly facts? What do YOU look for in a pro wrestling blog? E-mail me at donaldtbishop@yahoo.com or simply post a reply. I look forward to hearing from you.
First of all, the Associated Press has released information concerning WWE's recently announced million dollar giveaway. I've been getting a lot of questions about it, so I thought I'd pass along the information available via this blog. As expected, there's a catch or two involved. The full AP article can be found at the following URL: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5indhctjJFAtfOVHroIOX_lG5-_GwD912264G3.
One thing that I find curious is WWE announcing they'll give out the codes at the start of each Raw episode. What would make the casual fan stick around to watch the rest of Raw after getting the code? WWE is doing this promotion to increase ratings, so logically they really shouldn't be telling you when during the broadcast the code will be given out. I suspect the only people who will enter this contest are the wrestling fans who already watch Raw now. Myself included. Hey, a man has to pay for gas, right? The giveaway begins June 9th.
Here are the short results for WWE's One Night Stand pay-per-view:
Jeff Hardy beat Umaga in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
The Big Show beat CM Punk, Tommy Dreamer, John Morrison, Bam Neely, and Chavo Guerrero in a 6 man Singapore Cane match to earn a shot at Kane's ECW championship at the Night Of Champions pay-per-view. Big Show became hurt legit during the match.
John Cena beat JBL in a First Blood match.
Beth Phoenix beat Melina in an I Quit match.
Note: At this point in the show Cena did a backstage skit with Mickie James. Cena said he enjoyed "girl on girl submissions." Cena's character has made both pro-gay and anti-gay statements in the past. I guess this one would fall on the pro side, technically. During this segment ECW's Mike Adamle suggested Cena and James were a couple, so I guess WWE is continuing on with the romance angle between them.
Batista beat Shawn Michaels in a Stretcher Match.
Triple H beat Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match. Orton may or may not have been hurt legit during the match.
Edge beat The Undertaker in a TLC match to win the vacant World title. According to the match stipulation, The Undertaker must now retire from the entire WWE.
Finally, I'd like to once again pose a question to you, my readers. Recently I've been struggling with a question: What's the best way to present this blog's content? On one hand, I want to present the content as professionally and close to journalism as possible. On the other hand, I feel like a little editorializing and personal humor interjected into the entries would add some more flavor to my blog, while also not hurting anyone. You can certainly find a ton of other so-called wrestling journalists who aren't shy about interjecting their own opinions into articles where they may not belong, but does that make it okay for me to do as well, or would I then become just as annoying as they are by stating opinions rather than strictly facts? What do YOU look for in a pro wrestling blog? E-mail me at donaldtbishop@yahoo.com or simply post a reply. I look forward to hearing from you.
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