A small update today as the staff prepares for the new year. Here are the 1/2/09 and 1/9/09 SmackDown spoilers. If you want to be surprised, stop reading now and have a happy new year.
Vickie Guerrero announces that Jeff Hardy will face Edge at the Royal Rumble for the WWE Championship. Triple H comes out and makes fun of Guerrero until she lets him in the Rumble match. Hunter then says Guerrero has nude pictures on EBay.
The Great Khali and Finlay beat Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins
Eve interviews Michelle McCool. She blames Maria for her loss. Eve asks her to apologize and she refuses.
Vickie and Edge talk backstage about Vickie's nude photos. Big Show says he's seem them. Show and Edge get in an argument.
The Brian Kendrick and Ezekiel Jackson beat Jesse and Festus
Vladimir Kozlov beat Hurricane Helms
Jim Ross announces that Triple H, Big Show, Vladimir Kozlov and Shelton Benjamin are in the Royal Rumble. Benjamin comes out and says he should be announced as the winner and that no one compares to him. The Undertaker comes out and chokeslams him.
Michelle McCool apologizes to Maria and Eve. She then attacks Eve with the microphone.
Vickie Guerrero tells Triple H that he's going to compete in a Triple Jeopardy Match on next week's SmackDown: a Table match, a Handicap match and a Last Man Standing match.
Kizarny beat MVP. MVP's losing streak continues. Management is said to be soured on Kizarny already. Ken Kennedy came out after the match and cuts a promo. He makes fun of MVP and talks about Behind Enemy Lines.
Edge cuts a promo saying that Jeff Hardy is an embarrassment as WWE Champion.
WWE Champion Jeff Hardy and ECW Champion Matt Hardy beat Edge and Big Show
01/09/09 spoilers:
Triple H beat John Morrison in a Table Match. The Miz and Chavo Guerrero attacked Hunter after the match and put him through a able anyway.
The Undertaker beat Shelton Benjamin with a Tombstone.
The Bella Twins beat Victoria and Michelle McCool
Triple H beat The Miz and Chavo Guerrero in a Handicap Match
MVP's V.I.P. Lounge is up next with Ken Kennedy as the special guest. Kennedy says it's embarrassing how MVP loses every week. Kennedy says he's trying to inspire MVP to stop losing. The ring crew comes in and takes away MVP's Lounge furniture. Kennedy says that it's being repossessed. The Boogeyman comes out from under the ring and slams MVP. MVP retreats.
Carlito and Primo Colon beat The Brian Kendrick and Ezekiel Jackson to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship
The Big Show beat Triple H in a Last Man Standing Match to end the show.
Showing posts with label smackdown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smackdown. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Survivor Series results
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
smackdown spoilers
Below are spoilers for the 10/17 edition of SmackDown.
*Big Show opens SmackDown accompanied by Chavo Guerrero. He talks about Undertaker's chin and says that the Undertaker has lost his mind for interfering with his match against Triple H. Big Show then proceeds to announce the stipulations that fans will be able to vote for in his match against Undertaker at Cyber Sunday. They are:
* Last Man Standing Match
* I Quit Match
* A Knockout Match
Big Show then takes on a jobber in each of the above matches. He dominates them all effortlessly.
* Carlito & Primo Colon b. Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins
- Primo Colon got the win via pinfall following a drop kick off the top rope.
* MVP comes out and cuts a promo and talks about the longest United States Title Reign. He then talks about how he's going to do what Shelton Benjamin can't and beat R-Truth.
* R-Truth b. MVP
- R-Truth entered through the crowd. He got the win with the spinning axe kick.
* Big Show & The Great Khali are in the ring for a promo. Vickie comes out and says she wants Khali to take out Undertaker. Khali doesn't want to be a pawn. Khali and Big Show stare each other down to end the segment.
* Brian Kendrick comes out the the ring. He says due to doctor's orders he can't wrestle against Super Crazy tonight. He says that Ezekiel will wrestle in his place.
* Ezekiel Jackson b. Super Crazy in a squash match.
* Triple H comes out and talks about his upcoming match at Cyber Sunday against either Jeff Hardy, Vladimir Kozlov, or both.
* Undertaker vs. The Great Khali
- The match ends in disqualification when Big Show comes out and choke slams Undertaker. Big Show grabs a chair and wants The Great Khali to hit the Undertaker. Khali chops the chair out of Big Show's hands and leaves the ring.
* Maria b. Victoria, Natalya, Maryse, Brie Bella in a "Las Vegas Poll Match"
- Maria got the win in a quick match. She will now get a title shot against Michelle McCool.
* Triple H vs. Undertaker is announced for next week's edition of SmackDown.
* Jesse & Festus b. Kenny Dykstra & Ryan Braddock
- Festus gets the win via pinfall on Kenny.
* Triple H comes out in street clothes to join Jim Ross and Tazz.
* Vladimir Kozlov b. Jeff Hardy
- Vladimir Kozlov corners Jeff Hardy and hits a big running power slam. Kozlov then locks an arm bar on the mat. Jeff finally gets up and hits two whisper in the winds. He goes to the top and jumps off. He misses. Kozlov regains control and wins with a headbutt.
After the match Triple H gets in the ring and taunts Kozlov with the belt. Kozlov leaves and Triple H helps Hardy. Triple H then raises Hardy's hand, kicks him, and hits a pedigree to send SmackDown off the air.
*Big Show opens SmackDown accompanied by Chavo Guerrero. He talks about Undertaker's chin and says that the Undertaker has lost his mind for interfering with his match against Triple H. Big Show then proceeds to announce the stipulations that fans will be able to vote for in his match against Undertaker at Cyber Sunday. They are:
* Last Man Standing Match
* I Quit Match
* A Knockout Match
Big Show then takes on a jobber in each of the above matches. He dominates them all effortlessly.
* Carlito & Primo Colon b. Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins
- Primo Colon got the win via pinfall following a drop kick off the top rope.
* MVP comes out and cuts a promo and talks about the longest United States Title Reign. He then talks about how he's going to do what Shelton Benjamin can't and beat R-Truth.
* R-Truth b. MVP
- R-Truth entered through the crowd. He got the win with the spinning axe kick.
* Big Show & The Great Khali are in the ring for a promo. Vickie comes out and says she wants Khali to take out Undertaker. Khali doesn't want to be a pawn. Khali and Big Show stare each other down to end the segment.
* Brian Kendrick comes out the the ring. He says due to doctor's orders he can't wrestle against Super Crazy tonight. He says that Ezekiel will wrestle in his place.
* Ezekiel Jackson b. Super Crazy in a squash match.
* Triple H comes out and talks about his upcoming match at Cyber Sunday against either Jeff Hardy, Vladimir Kozlov, or both.
* Undertaker vs. The Great Khali
- The match ends in disqualification when Big Show comes out and choke slams Undertaker. Big Show grabs a chair and wants The Great Khali to hit the Undertaker. Khali chops the chair out of Big Show's hands and leaves the ring.
* Maria b. Victoria, Natalya, Maryse, Brie Bella in a "Las Vegas Poll Match"
- Maria got the win in a quick match. She will now get a title shot against Michelle McCool.
* Triple H vs. Undertaker is announced for next week's edition of SmackDown.
* Jesse & Festus b. Kenny Dykstra & Ryan Braddock
- Festus gets the win via pinfall on Kenny.
* Triple H comes out in street clothes to join Jim Ross and Tazz.
* Vladimir Kozlov b. Jeff Hardy
- Vladimir Kozlov corners Jeff Hardy and hits a big running power slam. Kozlov then locks an arm bar on the mat. Jeff finally gets up and hits two whisper in the winds. He goes to the top and jumps off. He misses. Kozlov regains control and wins with a headbutt.
After the match Triple H gets in the ring and taunts Kozlov with the belt. Kozlov leaves and Triple H helps Hardy. Triple H then raises Hardy's hand, kicks him, and hits a pedigree to send SmackDown off the air.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
wrestling's TV schedule for the week
This week is a huge one in the pro wrestling business, particularly for WWE fans. Tonight ECW will start airing at its new 9 PM Eastern Standard start time on the Sci-Fi Network. On Thursday sports-entertainment lovers will get to choose between watching TNA Impact on Spike TV or the broadcast TV premiere of WrestleMania XXIV on MyNetwork TV. On Friday SmackDown debuts on MyNetwork TV with what is expected to be a huge show. Saturday The Condemned airs on USA Network at 6:30 PM EST. Finally, WWE presents No Mercy on pay-per-view Sunday night. God help you if you also have an indy show in your area or WWE Classics on your TVs. Those of you wrestling consumers fortunate enough to also own a TIVO, DVR, etc. should be fine, however. Not since the boom period of pro wrestling a decade ago has the business consumed so much television time at once. I love it and I'm sure the rest of you do as well.
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 22, 2008
WWE news, blog news, and SmackDown spoilers
I will be posting SmackDown spoilers at the end of this entry. Those of you who want to be surprised have been warned. Now, onto the news!
Gail Kim is officially returning to WWE. Sid Eudy (Psycho Sid, Sid Vicious, etc.) is also rumored to soon be signing a contract.
Raw brand General Manager Mike Adamle has begun pro wrestling training. It is currently unknown who his first opponent will be.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is expected to be a part of WWE's Cyber Sunday pay-per-view.
I am proud to announce that we will be speaking with TNA's SHARK BOY this Monday. It is through the continued support of our loyal fans that we are able to promote ourselves and get granted such interviews. Please continue to spread the word about our blog, and perhaps more importantly, continue to buy items that we link you to. Our good friends at Amazon have great prices, and your support will ultimately help us continue to entertain and inform you.
SMACKDOWN SPOILERS BELOW:
Vickie Guerrero apologizes to the crowd for her affair with Edge. She announces a WWE title Scramble at Unforgiven with two qualifying matches taking place tonight.
Maria defeated Natalya via disqualification after interference from Maryse.
Brian Kendrick won a ten-man Battle Royal to qualify for the WWE Title Scramble at Unforgiven.
Another R-Truth promo aired.
MVP defeated Festus via countout to qualify for the WWE title Scramble at Unforgiven.
Shelton Benjamin defeated Finlay to qualify for the WWE Title Scramble at Unforgiven.
Jeff Hardy defeated The Great Khali to qualify for the WWE Title Scramble at Unforgiven.
Triple H cuts a promo on what he thinks of his opponents at Unforgiven. Kenny Dykstra interrupts and is pedigreed.
La Familia came out and called out The Undertaker. Vickie Guerrero begged for forgiveness. The Undertaker said he came out for their souls. La Familia took out The Undertaker as Vickie left to the back. It ended with Undertaker taking them all out. He posed in the ring afterwards. The taping is believed to end with The Undertaker taking out La Familia.
Gail Kim is officially returning to WWE. Sid Eudy (Psycho Sid, Sid Vicious, etc.) is also rumored to soon be signing a contract.
Raw brand General Manager Mike Adamle has begun pro wrestling training. It is currently unknown who his first opponent will be.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is expected to be a part of WWE's Cyber Sunday pay-per-view.
I am proud to announce that we will be speaking with TNA's SHARK BOY this Monday. It is through the continued support of our loyal fans that we are able to promote ourselves and get granted such interviews. Please continue to spread the word about our blog, and perhaps more importantly, continue to buy items that we link you to. Our good friends at Amazon have great prices, and your support will ultimately help us continue to entertain and inform you.
SMACKDOWN SPOILERS BELOW:
Vickie Guerrero apologizes to the crowd for her affair with Edge. She announces a WWE title Scramble at Unforgiven with two qualifying matches taking place tonight.
Maria defeated Natalya via disqualification after interference from Maryse.
Brian Kendrick won a ten-man Battle Royal to qualify for the WWE Title Scramble at Unforgiven.
Another R-Truth promo aired.
MVP defeated Festus via countout to qualify for the WWE title Scramble at Unforgiven.
Shelton Benjamin defeated Finlay to qualify for the WWE Title Scramble at Unforgiven.
Jeff Hardy defeated The Great Khali to qualify for the WWE Title Scramble at Unforgiven.
Triple H cuts a promo on what he thinks of his opponents at Unforgiven. Kenny Dykstra interrupts and is pedigreed.
La Familia came out and called out The Undertaker. Vickie Guerrero begged for forgiveness. The Undertaker said he came out for their souls. La Familia took out The Undertaker as Vickie left to the back. It ended with Undertaker taking them all out. He posed in the ring afterwards. The taping is believed to end with The Undertaker taking out La Familia.
Friday, August 15, 2008
More WWE releases; changes in booking.
Here is the full list of WWE's talent releases as of press time:
Ric Flair
Jonathan Coachman
Braden Walker
Shannon Moore
Nick Patrick
Domino
James Curtis
Nunzio
Big Daddy V
Chad Evans
Brad Attitude
Matt O'Neal
Stevie Richards
Wes Adams
Robbie McAllister
Rory McAllister
Cherry
Colin Delaney
WWE's booking team has changed their booking style. They are now going to be building everything around constant swerves. Also, Freddy Prinze Jr will work under Michael Hayes on Smackdown.
Ric Flair
Jonathan Coachman
Braden Walker
Shannon Moore
Nick Patrick
Domino
James Curtis
Nunzio
Big Daddy V
Chad Evans
Brad Attitude
Matt O'Neal
Stevie Richards
Wes Adams
Robbie McAllister
Rory McAllister
Cherry
Colin Delaney
WWE's booking team has changed their booking style. They are now going to be building everything around constant swerves. Also, Freddy Prinze Jr will work under Michael Hayes on Smackdown.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Heenan in bad shape; Carlito unhappy (again)
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan's health is said to be rapidly deteriorating. The WWE Hall of Famer has been in a Tampa, Florida hospital since December. One source believes Heenan will not live another month. He remains unable to speak and still in need of surgeries after being brought out of a medically-induced coma last January. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Carlito is said to once again be unhappy with WWE management. He has yet to debut on the SmackDown brand since being drafted there several weeks back.
Carlito is said to once again be unhappy with WWE management. He has yet to debut on the SmackDown brand since being drafted there several weeks back.
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.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
News
Mick Foley did not appear at the SmackDown/ECW TV taping last night. Whether he's done with WWE or just selling the injury from last week is yet to be known.
Mister Kennedy injured his shoulder on Raw this week. He's only expected to miss a few weeks of action.
Mister Kennedy injured his shoulder on Raw this week. He's only expected to miss a few weeks of action.
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
Monday, July 7, 2008
Naked Vickie, The Rock, and buying my old crap!
It's a pretty slow day for wrestling news, but I've come across a few tidbits I couldn't help but share.
There's a rather frightening rumor going around about Vickie Guerrero posing nude in an upcoming magazine layout. Reports of this are unconfirmed and also most likely untrue. The magazine mentioned was something other than Playboy, who WWE has had a good working relationship with in the past. If Guerrero were to pose for anyone it would likely be them, and even then I highly doubt it's going to happen. Then again, this is the same company who thought lots of people really wanted to see Chyna naked.
Natalya Neidhart told friends that both Vince and Stephanie McMahon requested her to change her hair color because they thought she looked too similar to Beth Phoenix. Neidhart is naturally a brunette.
Former TNA wrestler Ron "The Truth" Killings is scheduled to be called up to the SmackDown roster any week now.
Fans of The Rock may want to think twice before purchasing his new DVD. That is, if you care about old footage not being completely authentic. As usual the WWF logo is blurred out. However, this DVD also has a few other things missing. References to "WWF" are bleeped (which I know has been done on a few other DVDs since the name change, but not all of them), and during many of Rock's promos they have totally muted the announcers' talking.
In personal wrestling news, my bank account is much lower than I remember it being the last time I checked. In an attempt to make this better, I've decided to sell off some of my old wrestling merchandise. Some of the items for sale include:
A talking Diamond Dallas Page Wrestling Buddy plush doll! WWE has released a similar product featuring its stars. Now you can pit them against DDP in a WWF/E versus WCW dream match! It may need new batteries, as its been years since I've actually used the thing.
A 1990 WWF trading card of the late, great Miss Elizabeth. The card has held up well over time and lists Miss Liz as managing Hulk Hogan. Great for collectors or fans of "The First Lady Of Wrestling."
Various wrestling action figures. Some in the box, some not. Okay, most not.
Various wrestling and non-wrestling VHS tapes. The latest in modern technology! Come on guys. I know our technology grows too fast, but I can't be the only one who still converts VHS to DVD or some other current media, can I?
The book "I was a teenage professional wrestler."
Jesse Ventura's book "I Ain't Got Time To Bleed."
Various WWF/WWE and WCW magazines.
If interested in buying any of these items from me, or if you just want to comment privately to me concerning my blog, e-mail me at: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com.
Here's hoping for another great episode of Raw.
There's a rather frightening rumor going around about Vickie Guerrero posing nude in an upcoming magazine layout. Reports of this are unconfirmed and also most likely untrue. The magazine mentioned was something other than Playboy, who WWE has had a good working relationship with in the past. If Guerrero were to pose for anyone it would likely be them, and even then I highly doubt it's going to happen. Then again, this is the same company who thought lots of people really wanted to see Chyna naked.
Natalya Neidhart told friends that both Vince and Stephanie McMahon requested her to change her hair color because they thought she looked too similar to Beth Phoenix. Neidhart is naturally a brunette.
Former TNA wrestler Ron "The Truth" Killings is scheduled to be called up to the SmackDown roster any week now.
Fans of The Rock may want to think twice before purchasing his new DVD. That is, if you care about old footage not being completely authentic. As usual the WWF logo is blurred out. However, this DVD also has a few other things missing. References to "WWF" are bleeped (which I know has been done on a few other DVDs since the name change, but not all of them), and during many of Rock's promos they have totally muted the announcers' talking.
In personal wrestling news, my bank account is much lower than I remember it being the last time I checked. In an attempt to make this better, I've decided to sell off some of my old wrestling merchandise. Some of the items for sale include:
A talking Diamond Dallas Page Wrestling Buddy plush doll! WWE has released a similar product featuring its stars. Now you can pit them against DDP in a WWF/E versus WCW dream match! It may need new batteries, as its been years since I've actually used the thing.
A 1990 WWF trading card of the late, great Miss Elizabeth. The card has held up well over time and lists Miss Liz as managing Hulk Hogan. Great for collectors or fans of "The First Lady Of Wrestling."
Various wrestling action figures. Some in the box, some not. Okay, most not.
Various wrestling and non-wrestling VHS tapes. The latest in modern technology! Come on guys. I know our technology grows too fast, but I can't be the only one who still converts VHS to DVD or some other current media, can I?
The book "I was a teenage professional wrestler."
Jesse Ventura's book "I Ain't Got Time To Bleed."
Various WWF/WWE and WCW magazines.
If interested in buying any of these items from me, or if you just want to comment privately to me concerning my blog, e-mail me at: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com.
Here's hoping for another great episode of Raw.
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 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.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
sex scandal rocks WWE
A prowrestling.net podcast along with the upcoming book Ring Of Hell alleges that former WWE writer Dave Lagana was fired primarily because he approached Kevin Thorne at a WWE event in the bathroom and offered to perform oral sex on him. The story says that Thorne went to Mark "Undertaker" Calloway and complained and Calloway went to Vince McMahon. Lagana was fired shortly thereafter. It has also been alleged that Lagana was well-known as a pervert backstage, and that he hit on various WWE developmental talents of both sexes.
Lagana was a writer for WWE since 2002. He was once the head writer of the SmackDown brand and also wrote for the new ECW. Originally it was believed that Lagana's firing was due to him leaking storyline plans to various pro wrestling news sites. Unlike many other talents released in recent years by WWE, Lagana wasn't "wished well."
It's also interesting to note that current SmackDown writer Michael Hayes was only suspended for recently making what some consider to be racially inflammatory remarks toward Mark Henry and concerning Barack Obama.
Lagana was a writer for WWE since 2002. He was once the head writer of the SmackDown brand and also wrote for the new ECW. Originally it was believed that Lagana's firing was due to him leaking storyline plans to various pro wrestling news sites. Unlike many other talents released in recent years by WWE, Lagana wasn't "wished well."
It's also interesting to note that current SmackDown writer Michael Hayes was only suspended for recently making what some consider to be racially inflammatory remarks toward Mark Henry and concerning Barack Obama.
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