Yesterday, beloved WWE wrestler John Cena took to Twitter and tweeted the following…
STARTING Monday Night July 23 @USA_NETWORK WILL BE ADDING A 3RD HOUR TO @WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW – PERMANENTLY. #3hourRaw
It seems more people are against this than in favor of it. I think it certainly can be a tremendous thing for WWE if everything is done right. If they fuck up and do what WCW did, then it’s obviously not going to work. The two greatest things about Raw going three hours is it will be good for up and coming talent, and storylines can develop better with the extra hour. I give my thoughts in full below.
- Good to feature up and coming talent
As we’re reading and discussing the announcement online, it could be a good thing for us especially that Raw will be going 3 hours. We should get to see more of the up and coming stars. Talent like R-Truth, The Miz, Zack Ryder, The USO’s, Kofi Kingston, and the best god damn jobber in the business Dolph Ziggler. We will hopefully see them wrestle more, talk more and watch them develop into big stars. That’s what we want as wrestling fans, seeing young stars rise to main event level. After all, they are the stars who will carry the company for years to come. I think if WWE were more patient with building their stars, we would be watching a better product.
- Storylines can develop better
With an extra hour of Monday Night Raw, stories have more time to develop. WWE have a Pay-Per-View every month, with roughly five hours of Raw programming excluding the commercials. Now they will have around eight hours of Raw programming before going into a Pay-Per-View. With more time, you’re more eager to watch the match it has all been building up for. Look at it like this, Rock vs. Cena with a years build would be a lot better than three months build. Just using that as an example, may not be the best one though. Or imagine how Brock and Cena would of been if they spaced out all those promos/interviews/flashbacks at us. They could open the show with one and end with the two or just one of them at the end. You have the best part of two hours to work with and focus on the other talent. For some reason, I have no interest in any of the matches at Over The Limit apart from CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan. That is because the stories have not caught my interest. With better build and more time, that extra hour could make the difference in me buying it instead of not.
Below is what our followers on Twitter thought of Raw going three hours!
@bakerthepatrick – PROS: Could have longer matches, showcase guys better. CONS: Just get loads more filler so #Raw will still be shite.
@el_swiftelero – WWE barely has enough to keep 2 hrs entertaining. No idea what they’re gonna do to make 3 hrs every wk. More @CMPunk time?
@21Maxwell – Positive, if it allows more time for the under card and their character development.
@Mental_EMP It’s risky. It can work, although it probably won’t.
@tajealthea – I think the 3 hour #Raw show will be AWESOME
@NatLovesCena – I think its gonna be interesting in terms of quality and ratings wondering how they gonna manage to keep that up
@TremainesAngelx – AMAZING! I hope this means more wrestling, great angles and a better chance for the midcarders to perform.
@mistyreneepeet – I think it would be awesome.
@JX2001 – Well the upside is that half the show won’t be wasted on promos anymore
@JayeshGASatsfan – It’s a good idea to see an extra hour of Raw but i’m not sure if it will work or not
@scottlufc19 – pro chance to showcase more talent, con more john cena
@JakeRobbins9 – I reckon it will be great for storylines but there might be more filler matches
@Tembo4Real – Theres never enuff wrestling so hell yeah! gimme more! lol
@helenrobinson82 – Awesome, but Tuesday’s just got a whole lot tougher!
@J712v2 – It worked well for WCW…. Just look at what I tweeted for my thoughts ~sarcasm~
@WhataManeuver – I think at the moment there struggling to fill 2hours with an entertaining story, so I would bring up some more FCW stars.
@DAZTOM91 – I think the #3HourRaw could potentially be a bad idea. No doubt they will just fill the extra hour with crap. Hope not.
Please let me know your thoughts chatters, drop me a line on Twitter @RayTheRambler and check out my website http://wrestlingrambles.com/ Thanks for reading now take care and make sure you continue to check WrestleChat.Net as the BEST source for wrestling news!
The last place you would think that controversial comments could land someone in trouble would be with the WWE. From story lines involving necrophilia to someone giving birth to a ham to mocking someones prostate surgery, we as fans have seen it all. There really hasn’t been any boundaries the WWE wouldn’t go knocking on in the name of garnering viewers and ratings. But over the last few years, we have seen a shift in the way the WWE does business. In this PG era the WWE is in, can having someone a champion who speaks his mind be bad for business.
Maybe this slow change started with their battles against the World Wildlife Fund. The WWE saw that they would have a horrible public relations nightmare if they really wanted to hang onto the name of the WWF. Quietly, Vince gave away the name and the WWE was born out of the rubble. Over the last 10 years, WWE has gone from the attitude era to the PG era. The tone of the show has been toned down. No longer do we see Hot Lesbian Action on TV, instead, we get to see a love triangle between a midget, a diva, and a vegan. WWE has become family friendly just like Las Vegas and Hooter’s some may argue.
Enter C.M. Punk. On the surface, he seems like the perfect guy to be the face of your company. His look gives off the feel of edgy, modern day fan with the tattoos and piercings. His message is resembling of Hulk Hogan from the 80′s. Instead of saying your prayers, training and taking vitamins, we get no drugs and no alcohol. Punk is almost the perfect blend of Austin and Hogan. The only problem is that C.M. Punk likes to talk. He tweets about everything that comes to mind which is refreshing from a fan’s perspective but can become a minefield for a company trying to garner main stream love and affection and also who’s one time President and CEO is running for Senate.
Linda McMahon is running for senate again in Connecticut. When your running for Senate as a republican, the last thing you need is for the face of your husband’s company to come out with a stance that is opposite of yours. C.M.Punk recently tweeted about North Carolina’s recent ban on same-sex marriage which was almost completely funded by the Republican and Tea Party movements. Those are the same people who are helping McMahon raise money for her campaign. One thing you learn in wrestling is whoever has the most money tends to win these battles. As much as we all love the C.M. Punk “pipe bombs”, could this one cost him the title at Sunday’s PPV Over The Limit?
If history reminds us of anything it’s that Vince McMahon has a history of reminding wrestlers who is in charge. If you step out of line, bad things happen career wise. It may not be a permanent thing, but think of it as the brush back pitch in baseball. Just a little high heat to remind you to be careful. Could we see Vince deliver some backstage chin music this Sunday? It wouldn’t shock me to see Daniel Bryan walk out of Over The Limit as the new WWE Champion. Vince may love Punk’s honesty, as you can see from the fallout from his shoot promo. Everyone Punk talked about in that promo; I.E. Paul Heyman and Brock Lesner, have now become parts of the WWE again. We have seen guys like Punk get elevated in his demands for more wrestling. But now it’s time for Vince to remind Punk who runs the show. Come Sunday, I believe the pipe bomb explodes and you hear YES,YES,YES as Bryan captures the Gold.
Be sure to check out the “Still Real To Us” Show here on Wrestlechat.net and follow me on twitter @captainomg. Until next time, it’s been Obvious.
0Posted by Vidal Guelen on May 12, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Looks like WWE Champion, CM Punk, may have dropped a “pipe bomb” on the wrong subject. As previously reported, CM Punk sent out several tweets on his opinion on the “amendment 1″ same sex topic that was occuring in North Carolina. It seems as though a website picked up the topic and had a few words to say about CM Punk supporting the topic. You can view the entire article by clicking below: breibart.com
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@vidalNOsassoon
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Well, I’m slowly going down a road I didn’t want to take as a wrestling blogger. I’m becoming a Top 5 guy. I don’t want to be a Top 5 guy because it’s a bit overplayed. But, it’s been awhile since my first post here, which was, of course, a Top 5. I’ve been racking my brain trying to think of what to write, so I tapped out to the headache, and I’m giving you all another Top 5. Sick of reading the words Top 5 yet?
Anyway, this is a Top 5 for talent in TNA that I can’t believe WWE doesn’t have their hands on. This will be a list of TNA talent who has not, to my knowledge, ever been a part of WWE at any point in time, such as Kurt Angle or Matt Morgan. This list will not include the likes of James Storm, Samoa Joe, TNA Champion Bobby Roode, or even the man everyone wants to see wrestle the Undertaker, Sting. This list will include talent who look good in TNA and could step right in and shine in WWE.
5. Eric Young
Now, this pick is a personal pick for me. I scoured the TNA talent roster on their website, and finding a Top 5 for this blog wasn’t that easy. So Eric Young is number 5. I’m a big fan of EY’s current work. His comedy is off the charts funny, and it’s that comedic ability that would make him a nice fit for WWE and their penchant for campy comedy. I know WWE already has someone who fills this role in Santino Marella. But, this is why this pick is personal for me, I tweeted awhile ago that I would love to see a Santino vs. EY match at least once. Maybe a Santino and EY tag team? Either way, a pairing of Santino and EY would be interesting as long as it isn’t overdone.
4. Hernandez
Hernandez possesses all the tools to be a legit WWE superstar. Of course if he was a WWE worker right now, the perfect place for Hernandez to be, would be with Hunico and Camacho. Hernandez could offer the silent muscle for that tandem and would give the tandem another tool to get them recognition. Hernandez could provide sneaky ways for a tag team of Hunico and Camacho to acquire wins until Hernandez could move on to singles action or become a partner for one of those two as the other ascends into a singles career. A player like Henandez could do wonders for guys who are ready, but aren’t there yet.
3. Gunner
I’m not a student of what Gunner did before TNA. But fans of Phill Shatter have very good things to say about his work. Gunner has been stuck in some bad situations in TNA, for example, being the one to springboard Garrett Bischoff. But it’s being in these roles that makes Gunner stand out. No matter the situation, Gunner shines. He has the look and he can talk. If given the right situation, you have a star on your hands. I don’t have a place in WWE that Gunner would currently fit and help a storyline. But who wouldn’t want Gunner vs. Cody Rhodes or Dolph Ziggler.
2. Crimson
When Crimson first broke into TNA, he was the Paul Revere to the Main Event Mafia that never returned. In that role, Crimson turned heads with his mic work ability. In the current times of sports entertainment, finding a guy the size of Crimson that can cut a good promo, is not easy. When I first saw Crimson in full gear step into the ring, I asked the question, how did WWE miss this guy? Then I watched him wrestle. While his wrestling ability is a shade of green, he is no where near the shade of green the some of the talent occupying WWE roster spots are. Here’s where I will get you to scratch your head. A situation in WWE I would put Crimson in? We need a successor to the Undertaker. Now before you say there can never be another Undertaker, I’m not saying that Crimson should take that gimmick over. But, imagine if Crimson became the first Druid to remove the hood and help an aging Undertaker soften up prospective Wrestlemania opponents. Maybe Crimson could make it a little bit easier for fans of the Deadman who are not looking forward to his eventual Hall of Fame career ending and dealing with life without the Undertaker.
1. Magnus
Something about Magnus stands out. When he debuted in TNA, he commanded attention with his look and ability in the ring. He is resourceful. He can shine in tag team wrestling regardless of his teammate. Seriously, who thought Samoa Joe and Magnus would’ve worked and eventually become champions. In Ring Ka King, Magnus’ singles ability shined and earned him their championship. But, the one thing that made me take interest in Magnus was the promo he cut while TNA filmed Impact in England. The passion he showed on the mic received rave reviews and good attention from the right people. Although he is stuck in limbo currently in TNA, I feel his time is coming. If its not, TNA drops another ball. Again, I don’t have a current WWE situation where Magnus could be plugged in right now. But, if anyone could get Mason Ryan over, it might be Magnus. I hate to saddle Magnus or anyone else with their fellow countrymen, but that’s what WWE does. Honestly Magnus is good enough that I’d like to see him start at the top, maybe in a program with Sheamus. Also, Magnus vs. Antonio Cesaro is rocketing up my dream match list. (Hmm, maybe another Top 5 list? See, I’m going down that road.)
This is where I would put my honorable mentions. But there isn’t any. I know what your asking right now, what about Abyss? Well, Abyss is no doubt a ready for WWE player. But, Abyss could not be a WWE character. Chris Parks would not be allowed to take Abyss to the WWE. So would Chris Parks be able to succeed in WWE without the Abyss gimmick? He probably could, but with the current influx of new big men on the WWE roster who have recently debuted and are struggling to get over, sadly, I would put Abyss in their catagory. And ladies, if your reading this, I didn’t put the Knockouts on this list because frankly TNA is a better place for female wrestlers to show their talent. Believe it or not.
Agree or disagree? Find me at Twitter.com/thejimijames
0Posted by Ian Elimeliah on May 9, 2012 at 11:27 pm
Friday, May 4th 2012 was the debut show for FEDERATED Wrestling. Not only was this FEDERATED’s debut show but also the television taping for their first show episodes that will air on www.americanprimetimetv.com this coming June.
This new federation exhibited some great wrestling starring the talent of today and tomorrow. They showcased some of todays talent with former ROH tag team The Dark City Fight Club, The Round Eye Samurai Bobby Fish, Pat Buck, Steven Walters and future superstars such as the cocky couple of Joey Ace w/ Lady Diamond Dee, VsK, The Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz and the ever dangerous Jack Gallow.
The Protector of Professional Wrestling Jack Gallow def. The Five Starr Studd Joey Ace w/ Lady Diamond Dee via submission
-Despite all of Joey Ace’s distracting tactics and the interference of Lady Diamond Dee, these two combatants had a great match. Joey Ace showed off his high flying skills as well as how vicious he can be by slamming Gallow into everything and anything outside of the ring not to mention Lady Diamond Dee getting a few shots in herself but Jack Gallow got the best of Joey Ace by locking Ace in a double wrist lock that could have potentially put Ace on the shelf for a while if Gallow didn’t release the hold. Joey Ace was NOT happy with the result of this hard fought match.
The second match of the night was supposed to be a first round match in the TV Title tournament between The Dark City Fight Clubs Jon Davis and The Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz E.C. Negro but Negro’s tag partner K.C. Blade got himself involved in the match after E.C. began to have problems over powering Jon Davis. Luckily the other half of the DCFC Kory Chavis came in to save Jon Davis. Because of the havoc, the match was thrown out eliminating both E.C. Negro and Jon Davis from the TV tourney.
Davis asked the crowd if they wanted a tag match and after the crowds response FEDERATED management had the bell rung and the impromptu tag match began.
The Dark City Fight Club def. The Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz via pin fall
-A great back and forth between the two teams. Some dirty double teaming by DRS but the DCFC got control of the match. After E.C. Negro failed to hit Jon Davis with one of the DRS’ Tag Team Champions of the Universe championship belts (Note: these belts are not recognized by FEDERATED) and instead hit his partner K.C. Blade, Jon Davis delivered the 3 Seconds Around the World power bomb on E.C. Negro for the win.
VsK def. Steven Walters via pin fall
-The match started out with a handshake showing respect between the two competitors. Some great back and forth action. The fight did spill out of the ring were Walters started getting more aggressive trying to soften up VsK’s arm. Again after a great move for move battle and after missing the Super kick on a couple of occasions, VsK finally connected with it putting Steven Walters down for the three count.
The Main Event
First round TV Title tournament match
Pat Buck def. Bobby Fish via pin fall
-This was a solid mat based wrestling match. Bobby Fish fired up the crowd the whole match and both showed their extensive mat I.Q.’s. Bobby Fish seemed to have control as the match went on but Pat Buck showed he was just waiting for his spot and rolled up a shocked Bobby Fish for the win.
Final Thought: for an unknown, debuting wrestling fed, FEDERATED Wrestling showed they have the talent to succeed. FEDERATED just needs to make sure that they keep rolling out solid young talent and quality veterans to make their fed work. I had a ton of fun watching the show and I strongly recommend watching FEDERATED Wrestling’s debut show on www.americanprimetimetv.com. This is a solid start for the young federation which I think will be a force to be reckoned with very soon.
0Posted by Jamie McCarthy on May 9, 2012 at 3:56 pm
5/7 Raw
Laryngitis comes out and talks about match at OTL. CM Punk comes out and tells Laryngitis that he is a loser and a toolbox.
Laryngitis sets up Punk vs. Tensai for later in the show.
Laryngitis bores me to tears, but at least it set up a match for later in the night.
Laryngitis texting and walking. He walks into Big Show, yells at him, and walks away. Show mocks him. Eve is behind Show.
Show mocking the voice was pretty hysterical and we know Eve will deal with it later.
Match #1 IC Championship
Cody Rhodes vs. The Big Show
Show wins via count-out. Show tells Cody to not take the cowards way out as he leaves to go to the dressing room. Eve comes out and demands an apology.
Show apologizes; we go to commercial.
I’m not really sure what this sets up, but I guess we will see.
Out come the tag champs-
Match #2- Kofi Kingston vs. Dolph Ziggler
AW consulting with Primo/Epico
Dolph wins with Zig-Zag
I could watch these guys wrestle all the time. Athletic match that I wish had more time. Ziggler winning obviously diminishes the tag belts, but if WWE doesn’t care why should we?
Michael Cole in ring – Cena live via satellite
Quote of the night – “I’m so scared that Laryngitis is so bad that he will hurt himself before I do” – John Cena
Some times the funniest things are also the most truthful.
Match #3- Natalya and Maxine in the ring Beth Phoenix on commentary
Out comes Layla and Kelly Kelly.
Layla pins Maxine in about a minute and a half. At least we get Layla versus Beth Phoenix at OTL.
Match #4- Alberto Del Rio and Chris Jericho vs. Randy Orton and Sheamus
Sheamus Brogue Kicks Orton. Jericho with the code breaker and cover.
Good back-and-forth match that was given time.
Orton with an RKO to Sheamus. Wow, nobody saw that one coming.
In Laryngitis’s office. Big brawl erupts from the four men in the last match. Emphasis is being put on the title as it should. Fatal four way for OTL is announced. I love that the emphasis is being put on the World Championship. More people that care about the title makes it more important.
Match #5- Brodus Clay vs. The Miz
I was shocked when a Clay match lasted longer than the dancing routine. Clay wins with the big splash. I really hope the Miz gets a push at some point in the near future.
Brock Lesnar’s music hits.
OMG Paul Heyman is heading to the ring.
Paul Heyman reads a statement from Brock stating Brock quits WWE.
Paul Heyman is just an awesome mouthpiece. The crowd crapping on Heyman was just absolutely awful. Had this been in Philadelphia, the place would’ve exploded and the entire front row would be bowing to Heyman.
Match #6- Daniel Bryan and Lord Tensai vs. CM punk in a non-title handicap match
Lord Tensai pins CM punk after applying the claw.
I liked the setup of this match as it gets Tensai over as a monster and CM punk was not made to look weak as it was a handicap match.
RANDOM THOUGHTS/RHETORICAL QUESTIONS
Is it a little hypocritical to push the B.A Star alliance and having your WWE champion call somebody a loser who has no friends?
Laryngitis will have to watch himself if a no texting and walking law is ever approved.
Did anybody else think Eve make a good dominatrix when she was ripping into the Big Show?
How pissed off was Paul Heyman that he couldn’t do that return in Philadelphia? Or any city with a pulse for that matter?
Thanks for reading. Feel free to follow me on Twitter and post in the comments.
”When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves.”
Anthony J D’Angelo once said that and, that’s exactly what WWE did by bringing back Paul Heyman. What was the problem you’re probably asking? The problem was Brock Lesnar’s acting/talking skills. Without the top class editing, Brock Lesnar was never good at talking on the mic. It’s much easier to make an interview better than talking live. Therefore by bringing back Paul Heyman; it fixed the problem.
Paul Heyman is obviously a tremendous talker. Like the way he said Brock Lesnar on RAW last Monday, you just felt the emotion he put into that. It’s the same feeling when The Rock, Punk, Austin are all talking, raw emotion. When you’re listening to Heyman and others I have mentioned, you want to listen to them and you want them to continue to talk. You’re bought into what they have to say. They’re interesting.
As fans of WWE in particular, you’re really a fan of their storytelling. I’m not saying you don’t like the wrestling matches, I’m just saying if you want to watch just wrestling, then ROH or some other top Indy show is the show for you. That’s why Heyman is the perfect as a role of a representative/manger role to Brock Lesnar.
Not that Lesnar isn’t interesting, like his physical presence he has is just scary! None the less, there’s no way he could further proceed in a storyline and not talk. That’s where Heyman comes in.
Picture this: You’re watching RAW, two months away from WrestleMania 29, Brock is looking for an opponent, a big one at that. Heyman is the one who announces this, in his voice he’ll say something like, ”After eight months of destruction, there is nobody in the WWE worthy of facing Brock Lesnar.” Heyman looks around with that cocky/arrogant smile for a few seconds, the lights go out…..DONG! Undertaker appears. Then it would all evolve like. Apologies if I went off my point there, I was just trying to elaborate how good a storyline can be with Heyman’s talking skills.
It will also be interesting how Laurinaitis and Heyman will interact with each other. Laurinaitis signed Lesnar and you can argue it’s his fault Brock didn’t get the contract perks he was promised, I would love to see Heyman criticize Laurinaitis about that. Wouldn’t you?
I’m super excited Heyman is back with WWE and is working with Lesnar. WWE just got more interesting!
Let me know what you think about this column, leave a comment below and drop me a line if you’re on Twitter to @RayTheRambler. Check out my website http://wrestlingrambles.com/ where I prefer to discuss wrestling (Most convenient for me) and keep checking WrestleChat.net, why? Because it’s where it’s at!
I’ll leave you with his return just in case you were in another planet or something:
0Posted by Brett Clendaniel on May 8, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Ring of Honor have finally announced where the fans unable to attend the upcoming iPPV Border Wars from Toronto, Canada on May 12th can order the show from and that is direct off their very own site http://ROHwrestling.com – Some are complaining even now it has been confirmed where it can be ordered that it took ‘too long’ but I don’t feel that way at all, I just hope, I really do that all goes well with this stream after the disaster that was Showdown in The Sun.
Now onto the show itself, the main event is set to be ROH World champion Davey Richards vs. Kevin Steen. This match has been built up for a while now with Steen berating both Richards & ROH executive producer Jim Cornette. Work or not, Steen has made some valid points one being when ROH had an iPPV in 2011 Richards was over in Japan and as Steen pointed out the world champion should of been on the show and who could argue?
To continue reading, CLICK HERE to continue to our partner Wrestling’s Last Hope.
JERICHO-LLABORATION: CHRIS JERICHO’S CURRENT RUN IS NOT A FAILURE
By Justin Henry
There are some rumbling across the net, declaring that Chris Jericho’s current WWE run is a massive failure.
Certainly, if you look at this four-month stretch with the highest of expectations, it certainly would qualify as one. In December, when those spectral vignettes of the prep-school children began airing on Raw, many quickly connected them with rumors of Jericho’s return. Together, Jericho’s comeback, mixed with the vignettes, the final one which concluded with, “THE END BEGINS”, seemed to indicate grandiose plans of destruction on behalf of Y2J.
And so hopes were quite high. After all, Jericho seemed to have a Midas touch as a performer. As a “Paragon of Virtue” or “Y2J” or “Highlight of the Night” or “The Best….in the WORLD”, Chris Jericho adapted a variety of character alterations. He was brilliant both physically and verbally in each role.
On January 2, when Jericho returned, complete with vibrant light-up jacket, many were perplexed by his actions. Instead of offering some sort of doom-saying speech, or wreaking havoc on a specific target with a violent attack, Jericho did nothing. For four straight weeks, Jericho non-verbally toyed with the crowd with aping, out-of-character pantomimes. It wasn’t until the fourth week, at the end of another kooky demonstration, that he finally spoke, promising “the end of the world” at the forthcoming Royal Rumble.
To the fans, this is exactly what they were hoping for. Jericho was merely toying with the world, many thought. He was going to do something at the Royal Rumble that everyone would be talking about.
And talk, the fans would. But it would be about Jericho’s words falling rather short.
It was Sheamus who stood tall at the end of the thirty-man gauntlet, having pump kicked Jericho off the apron in the climax. Immediately, many fans would seethe in public forums, about how Jericho should have won, given the foreshadowing of his vague threat.
But Jericho still would find passage to WrestleMania, if not in the traditional, win-the-Rumble-and-point-at-the-logo, way. After losing out on the WWE Championship inside February’s Elimination Chamber, albeit on a technicality (he was never actually eliminated), Jericho would win a battle royal on Raw the next night to earn a showdown with Punk at the grand spectacle.
By this point, Jericho’s persona, which began with the quirky videos and nonverbal tomfooleries, had shifted first toward accusations of theft (claiming those on Raw had lifted elements of his previous personas), and, most recently, attacking CM Punk’s family for their history of deviance.
None of it ended up mattering, as Punk silenced Jericho, first with a submission victory at WrestleMania, followed by a thrashing in a Chicago street fight four weeks later.
So, in order, here’s a summary of Jericho’s four month run in the main events: return, say nothing for four weeks, finally promise an apocalyptic event, fail to win the Rumble, fail to become WWE Champion at three straight PPVs, end up losing a big feud without a salvageable point.
Seems like the fans that call Jericho’s run a failure have a point, do they not?
The day after Extreme Rules, a few websites reported that Jericho had responded to a tweet from one such fan. The viewer in question stated, verbatim, “Another loss? At this rate ur gonna be the next squash for Brodus or Skip”
Jericho’s retort? “”Ugh. U dont understand anything about wrestling..RT”
It’s a common retort that a wrestler or promoter will make when fans make even valid criticisms about the business, such as a storyline twist or character that seems counterproductive. The fan clearly felt Jericho’s loss-filled run, which didn’t yield a single victory that truly mattered, or even anything close to his end-of-the-world proclamation, was worth the “fail” label.
But I feel it’s Jericho that makes the stronger point.
Chris Jericho is 41 years old. He’s a six-time former World Champion that has headlined more PPVs than most “indy darlings” could ever hope to. He’s had runs with The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and numerous other WWE icons over the last thirteen years.
And that’s exactly why I’m glad his run went the way that it did.
Jericho spent three years in WCW attempting to make heads or tails of just what the company strategy was. The main events were loaded with greedy sloths that offered little passageway to an irritable, yet wholly capable, midcard. The writing was generally weak and disorganized. If Jericho didn’t often have free reign over his own promos and actions, he may have completely lost his passion for the business.
Jericho can sympathize with a Kofi Kingston or a Dolph Ziggler. Both are genuinely gifted performers with natural energy and charisma that just can’t seem to break through. He can also feel the pain of a Tyson Kidd or Justin Gabriel, who constantly get lost in the shuffle when they have the skills to be something more.
Jericho knows the main event scene can be a rigid structure with locked doors. He’s been on the outside looking in, and vice versa, for much of his career. He knows he has the talent to launch new stars into the stratosphere, and that’s what he’s done during this run.
With his creepy videos and grand return, Jericho knew all eyes were on him. Those eyes watched…..a fresh face in Sheamus win the Royal Rumble at his expense. Bam, there’s one big win he gave to a youngster (and those final minutes of the Rumble with the false finishes made Sheamus look great).
Those eyes also watched him decisively get crushed by Punk, who could use a decisive war won to enhance his long reign as champion. Just months ago, Punk was a mindless pawn in the interminable Kevin Nash/Triple H dick-wagging feud. Jericho’s far too giving and understanding to see Punk as anything less than “the guy who needs to stay over”, and so he put him over.
As far as Jericho’s TV wins over Kofi, he needed to beat somebody solid to keep his heat before losing to Punk. At least in those matches, Jericho gave Kingston plenty of offense. Turns out, they were tremendous athletic showcases to boot. Some people may have crushed Kofi in 45 seconds with a Pedigree or a Jackknife, you know.
Lest we forget in 2009 and 2010, Jericho lost cleanly in an ECW Title match with Christian, as well as a one-off PPV match to Evan Bourne.
Jericho gets it. He’s a big enough star, and a well-regarded one, to where fans will take interest in his matches and segments with little prodding. But he’s had his day in the sun, and knows it’s time to give back. He loses to Sheamus, who cares? He loses to Punk, what’s it matter? He keeps his heat no matter who he loses to, because he’s talented enough and respected enough to never see a dip in his credit line.
“The end of the world as you know it,” he said. That got our attention. He’s kept that attention for four months, making the most of his chances to put over the next generation.
I don’t know about you, but I call that a success.
0Posted by Jamie McCarthy on May 2, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Segment 1: Start of the show out comes Johnny Laryngitis
Brings out Brock. HHH comes out, scrum with Brock, breaks arm
I know Brock’s deal gives him limited appearances, so they will have to get him off TV for a few weeks. Makes sense.
Out comes Eve. She announces there is a Beat The Clock Challenge to face CM Punk at Over The Limit.
Match 1: BTC The Miz vs Santino
Miz wins with the skull crushing finale in 4:18
Basic match with expected outcome. Everybody knew at some point the Miz would win.
Match 2: Triple Threat for Divas Championship. Brie Bella vs. Nikki Bella vs. Layla
Layla dropkicks Brie or Nikki into Brie or Nikki. Brie or Nikki falls to the outside and Layla rolls up Brie or Nikki. Match over in seconds. #ByeByeBellas
Match 3: BTC Chris Jericho versus the big show
Jeri-Show explodes here at umm the April 30th edition of Monday Night Raw. Ref botched the spot and took way too long with the count. The botched spot was really bad. Ref kept saying there was 1 second left, so obviously Jericho was supposed to win via countout. Quick commercial and apparently Miz is still the guy to beat.
Match 4: Brodus Clay versus JTG
Brodus in squash. Typical. I’m getting over the whole gimmick real quick.
Match 5: BTC Randy Orton vs. Jack swagger
Randy with an RKO with two seconds left. Actually enjoyed the match as it was a good fast-paced match. Swagger’s chop block to Randy’s front thigh looked absolutely sick. Apparently, sick enough that Randy made the production team do a little extra censoring work.
Match 6: Primo & Epico vs. R-Truth & Kofi for the Tag Team Championship
Good match that saw the crowning of new Tag Team Champions. I wish WWE would spend more time with this division, as it was always a favorite of mine. Maybe AW can negotiate a re-match for Primo & Epico against Boom-Truth or R-Boom (or whatever they’re going to be called).
Match 7: BTC The Great Khali vs. Kane
I see the preview for the match and I am scared. I want to cry knowing this match will probably last 4:16
Watching my television grow #ThingsMoreExcitingThanAGreatKhaliMatch
Match 8: Daniel Brian vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler
Daniel Brian wins with 1:55 left on the clock. Lawler getting a match was interesting to say the least, as everybody knew DB was getting the match at OTL. DB puts on the Yes! Lock and Lawler taps out. It seemed rushed and out of nowhere that the match was over. Oh, well CM punk versus Daniel Brian at Over The Limit!
Segment: John Cena comes out, followed by John Laryngitis. Johnny said he has Cena’s opponent for OTL and out comes Lord Tensai. Laryngitis attacks Cena from behind and orchestrates a 3 on 1 beatdown of Cena. At which point, he announces he is Cena’s opponent at OTL. Ummmmmmmm, yeaaahhh. I feel WWE should make it truly epic and turn The Great Khali heel, so Johnny and Khali can have a handicapped match against Cena. Seriously though, the lack of logic of Laryngitis wanting a match with Cena is beyond me.
RANDOM THOUGHTS/RHETORICAL QUESTIONS
I always wished The Bellas were treated better. I’d probably leave too.
How awful was that blown spot by the ref in the Jeri-Show match?
How awful was it that I can remember Jeri-Show, but the announcers can’t?
Why exactly does Laryngitis want a match against Cena?
Thanks for reading!
Please feel free to follow on Twitter and comment.
0Posted by Dumont Walker on May 1, 2012 at 5:06 pm
With WWE’s Extreme Rules in the book, and the internet in a whirlwind over Brock’s anti-climactic return to WWE television, I figured it was a perfect opportunity to write my first column for WrestleChat.net. The 2012 edition of Extreme Rules was set up to be a major moment ( a few liberties here) in wrestling history, with the returning Brock Lesnar set to run rampant over the WWE . However, I think most would agree that at least in the short term, Extreme Rules fell flat, thanks to a dud ending, and for most WWE fans, it will not go down as a memorable PPV.
Since we’re talking about making memories, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to kick off my WrestleChat.net column writing career by listing my five favorite wrestling moments.
5) Hulk Hogan Turns Heel: If you’ve watched Wrestling for more than ten years, you remember the moment Hogan walked down the aisle and joined Kevin Nash and Scott Hall in the ring, thus forming the original NWO. For the first time Hogan was not the hero, and in many ways the wrestling world would never be the same again. A big shout out has to go out to the crowd for making this event so memorable. Their reaction, and constant barrage of cups, bags, and anything else they could throw into the ring as Hogan cut his promo, was nothing short of epic in its own right.
4) The Undertaker: It’s hard for me to narrow down one moment in Takers career. From the time I first saw him when I was a kid, and he was wearing the purple gloves, to this year’s Wrestlemania. He’s simply provided too many memories for me to list. The ultimate performer in the ring, his tenure nearly spans my entire wrestling fandom and there’s only a few who can claim that.
3) WrestleMania IX: Yeah, I know this is routinely ranked as one of the worse WreslteMania’s of all time, and in retrospect I’d have to agree. However, for me personally, this was the first WrestleMania where I watched the entire build up, and was allowed to watch the PPV live. Before the age of cynicism in wrestle, the grandiose stage of Caesar’s Palace and the costumes were funny and entertaining. In many ways this was the moment that locked me in hook line and sinker for wrestling forever as I never missed a WrestleMania from this point on.
2) CM Punk Pipe Bomb/Money In the Bank: The “shoot” interview had the internet buzzing, for weeks, and the buildup to Money in the Bank was perfect. However, the Chicago crowd should take some credit here for taking a solid Cena/Punk match and making it into something special. One of the best crowds I’ve ever seen. Thanks to this storyline, for one summer at least, an old man was able to feel like a kid again while watching wrestling. While I was not happy with the follow up, for a brief moment, the WWE seemed to find their stride once again.
1) Sgt. Slaughter Turns his Back on the United States: This will always be one of the biggest standout moments andstorylines in my lifetime. I was in elementary school when this storyline took place, and believed everything I saw in professional wrestling. Combine that with a real life war and people I knew being shipped off to war, and you had the perfect storm for a terrified second grader. A classic good v. bad match up, with the United States standing tall, this build had ever wrestling cliché imaginable and it all seemed to work. It’s difficult to imagine a storyline like this being pulled off today, but I am glad I was able to experience it.
0Posted by Justin Henry on April 28, 2012 at 11:36 am
WEST COAST POPPED
By Justin Henry
Far be it for one to compare the affable, hard-working Rey Mysterio with the surly, bullying Dynamite Kid, but the similarities are glaring. The most notable comparison between both men would be their contributions to the “athletic” side of professional wrestling.
In Dynamite’s heyday, the first half of the 1980’s, he was a death-defying marvel who, in spite of his diminutive frame, stood out on wrestling cards populated by burly brawlers and body-in-a-needle musclemen. Granted, Dynamite had done his share of ‘shooting up’, but compared to the Hogans of the world, he was like Baryshnikov in Union Jack tights.
Mysterio is easily classified along with Dynamite. From the time he burst into ECW in 1995, up until his last active match in the summer of 2011, you can always count on Mysterio to deliver a jaw-dropping, spectacular air show inside, and outside, the squared circle. Despite being barely five and a half feet tall and looking like a child without the many masks he wears, Mysterio has dazzled two or three generations of fans during his 23 year career with flips and dives worthy of a Barnum and Bailey road show.
However, there’s a considerable downside to what Dynamite and Mysterio do to entertain. For his part, Dynamite’s back and knees eroded away with every super hero soar, and subsequent uncomfortable landing. The steroids he used to inflate his body to a presentable level wore away tendons and ligaments. The absurd amount of painkillers he imbibed to mask the pain would, by reading Tom Billington’s and Bret Hart’s testimonials, baffle a share of medics. Dynamite Kid was forced to retire by age 33, and now lives in squalor, in a wheelchair with one leg amputated, in his early fifties. He’s roughly the same age as the likes of Finlay, Bret Hart, and Arn Anderson, and has maybe 1/10th of the quality of life that they enjoy today.
Mysterio, sadly, may be headed down that same path, albeit at a later age. For the second time in under three years, Rey Mysterio was singled out after a failed Wellness test administered by World Wrestling Entertainment. It’s not clear what substance Mysterio had used to “piss black”, but it was enough to earn sixty days on top of his injury vacation. Add to that the ridicule of fans on message boards and social media, and it’s a hard pill for the San Diego flyer to swallow.
Mysterio, through his own words, has stated in WWE’s “don’t try this at home” PSAs that he’s had surgery five times in his left knee. Anyone that’s ever been inside a wrestling ring, or at least pressed their hand into the mat, can tell you that the foam beneath the canvas provides very little comfort for a human body to land on, especially when that foam is layered above reinforced wood and steel.
Rey’s career has been full of landings from considerable height; some graceful and some not-so-much. Every time he lands on his feet from a high dive, his knees feel it. Every diving headbutt will rattle his body, as will every diving legdrop to his posterior. That’s not to mention the fact that each of his opponents is bigger than him, and, since they’re usually heels, will build the heat of the match by flinging Mysterio around like a shot put.
Multiply that reality by the number of years Mysterio has spent as wrestling’s most prominent acrobat, and it’s easy to see why his body is breaking the way that it is.
So when you talk about this unknown substance that Mysterio was popped for, there’s an endless list of what it could be, but really it boils down to two categories: a chemical enhancement meant to inflate his body’s mass, as to provide a “TV-friendly” look, or some form of a painkiller. The former seemed obviously part of Mysterio’s intake since his WWE run started; as Rey was extremely svelte in WCW. By the time of his WWE debut ten years ago, Mysterio had filled out like a blowfish, albeit with sailor-rope muscles that he never seemed to have before.
And when those inflated muscles press your joints and tendons, tears become inevitable. That’s one Hell of an endless circle to live in.
The other possibility is a painkiller, which seems necessary for Mysterio to use. Jesse Ventura once told Chris Jericho, when Y2J was training to be a wrestler, “prepare to live every day in pain”. And this came from Ventura, who rarely took dramatic bumps, if ever. Compare that to Mysterio’s stuntman performances, and one can imagine the searing agony Rey’s left in day after day.
It is utterly amazing that Mysterio is 37 years old, having wrestled this style for over two decades, and can still walk. By this time in Dynamite Kid’s life, he was facing paraplegic immobility, and I think it’s a legitimate concern that Mysterio could be headed down that road.
If Mysterio retires now, would anyone blame him? He may not have the movie resume of El Santo, but it’s a reasonable claim to make that Mysterio is the most successful masked luchador of all time. He made it big in a country where ‘bigger is better’, and Hulk Hogan set the bar for what Vince McMahon seeks in a top draw. Yet, Mysterio has three World Titles to his credit, as well as a resume of incredible wrestling matches that populate DVDs, and are never boring to watch.
If he retires now, he goes out on his terms, although his body will have had its say. He can enjoy quality of life, and spend good times with his wife and kids, knowing that residuals and autograph session appearances will continue to line his considerable bank account even further.
I’d rather see Rey Mysterio happy, relatively healthy, and walking onto the stage to get his Hall of Fame plaque; not miserable, sickly, and with Dominic pushing his wheelchair out in front of his ex-peers, a la Dynamite.
Rey Mysterio is one of the greatest of all time, and it’s not asking much for his aftermath to be as cherished as his legacy.
0Posted by Ian Elimeliah on April 28, 2012 at 10:52 am
I am a huge wrestling fan and an hourly reader of WrestleChat.net. I wanted to add my two cents to a specific part of wrestling. The Nexus. I found from day one that I would be interested in how many of the original Nexus would survive. Daniel Bryan, Michael Tarver, Skip Sheffield and Darren Young all disappeared within weeks of each other due to real or fake injuries or in Daniel Bryan’s case he was fired over a neck tie…YES! a neck tie if you can believe it. The following is an update on all the ORIGINAL Nexus members.
The Nexus was one of the most interesting story lines to hit wrestling in a very long time. The Nexus debut competes with the NWO and Four Horsemen and Evolution debut’s. The issue here though The Nexus did not live up to its debut. I will not go over the politics of what may have happened behind the scenes but rather I would like to cover the where are they now factor of this topic and how I feel they may wind up in WWE’s future. I beg readers to argue any points that you disagree with or add to anything you do agree with. Become the Master of Debate!
Michael Tarver – Injured and fired. He was an intriguing character for a few minutes. He became stale fast. In my opinion, his wrestling wasn’t WWE material and again his gimmick was not exciting. As Tarver was returning back from injury he seemed like he had an interesting story line in store for him when he was seen behind specific talents but Tarver got Endeavored before anything could happen. Tarver may have needed a chance to prove he had more depth. Tarver’s now claim to fame is that he complains that Cena injured him. If you listen to Gregory Iron on Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling Podcast you may feel zero remorse. Tarver now wrestles for independent organizations. I haven’t seen him in person so I have no thoughts his future.
Darren Young – Darren was thrown out of Nexus after being a background character and at most just looking like a dark Cena. Darren Young didn’t make waves again until NXT season 2. Darren Young gets full credit for going back to square one and reinventing his look and persona. Darren Young looks and sounds sharper than ever on WWE tv. Currently DY is tagged up with one of my favorites Titus O’neil and made the Smackdown roster as Big Johnny’s new tag team of the future. Of all the throw together tag teams Titus and DY look the best. They look like their hungry for success and committed to growth. I can see Darren Young as a future thorn to an opponent.
Skip Sheffield – Skip had zero chance to get to show off what he’s all about after some bad leg injures over the last year. Skip re-debuted as Ryback. Ryback may be running through scrawny jobbers but he will be the new and better Bill Goldberg. Ryback is intense and massive. Ryback will have to go head to head with WWE’s top stars. Ryback v Mark Henry, Big Show, Khali and Cena for starters will be amazing spectacles if Ryback can expand his wrestling talent. I can see Ryback a mid card champion by Summer Slam. Anything further will be in his hands if he can evolve and grow with the Ryback character.
Heath Slater – I am very high on the Rock n’ Roller. Heath reminds me of Edge, a better Edge. I never liked Edge in the ring as a champion (maybe thats just me) but I see Heath as a much better Edge in the future. I can see Heath being the character Christian has failed to be in the WWE (and I love Christian). Heath will be stronger and more cerebral than E&C ever were. I can see a world title around his waste in about three years from now. Heath was my least like NXT/ Nexus member. Slater had zero mic skills, his look was cheesy and he didn’t look too good in the ring. I was impressed and saw Slaters future when he was battling Justin Gabriel. Heath Slater, already a former WWE tag team champion, will be a force in the WWE.
Justin Gabriel – This South African product quietly became a fan favorite on NXT. Grew a beard and had the most lethal 360 off the top ropes injuring countless talent. After Nexus took a few beatings here and there but from day one everyone can see this talented kid will be a future star. I’ll take it a step further. Justin Gabriel will be the very next John Cena. Gabriel can not help but be a fan favorite. JG’s in ring work is close to being polished. A botch here and there may happen but Justin keeps himself composed and fights on. With a little work and practice on the mic Gabriel will be the total package. I will repeat myself. Justin Gabriel will be the Face of the WWE.
David Otunga – Mr. Jennifer Hudson started out on NXT/ Nexus as an interesting under handed leach. Otunga from day one had his character down. Otunga took the second man in charge in the Nexus (in my personal opinion it seemed Skip Sheffield was going to be the second banana before his injuries). Slowly Otunga undermined then leader Wade Barrett and basically blew up the original Nexus. In doing so Otunga in the New Nexus became a tag team champion. Sadly he was a very boring tag team champion. Otunga has been featured as Big Johnny’s right hand man in recent months and Mr. Brown nose know it all. And I love it! He is a mix of Chris Nowitski and Chris Masters (Brains and Brawn). David’s arrogance has been getting sharper but his in ring skills are atrocious. His in ring skill will improve, it has to, and when it does he will be a dangerious heel. With his main stream reputation he may give the Miz a run for his money.
Wade Barrett – The Barrett barrage suffered a few set backs but Wade showed his talents the very first moment we all watched him on NXT episode one. Barrett’s in ring presence and mic skills are on par with a Chris Jericho and his in ring work is as strong as multiple time champion Sheamus.
The WWE gave Wade a bit of a lull after the Nexus with the Corre and the aftermath of the Corre. Once Wade set his sights on Randy Orton, Wade showed what is in store for his future.
{Personally I would love to see Wade put a personal hit on every former Nexus member to show his dominance that is rising in the WWE ending in him chasing former Nexus member John Cena who has been beaten up and embarrassed by the Rock and the Brock. In doing so giving Cena a beat down at the lowest point of his career.}(That’s a bonus thought / my ADD)
Daniel Bryan – From first Nexus member fired and awful on the mic to first Nexus/NXT Alumni to be crowned a World Champion and having one of the biggest catchphrases since Stone Cold Steve Austin’s “What?” chant. Daniel Bryan was already one of the best wrestlers around the world before he ever stepped foot in a WWE ring then becoming an underground wrestling fan favorite and then evolving into a complete heel fan favorite after winning a world championship. Daniel Bryan has had the most growth that I have ever seen in professional wrestling in such a short amount of time. Daniel Bryan was called the next Bret Hart before his fame and now has a chance to be a bigger influence on pure professional wrestling than any individual has ever had on the business. D-Bryan has a Stone Cold Steve Austin crowd reaction with Bret the Hitman Hart wrestling skills (Steve Austin was actually an amazing wrestler for a known brawler). Daniel Bryan’s career will be a lengthy one in the WWE because of his hard work and attitude towards the sport. I’m excited for the possibilities of Daniel Bryan attacking Cena or Chris Jericho or continuing feuds with RKO and CM Punk. Daniel Bryan can go 60 minutes and I’d pay for that. You all would!!
As you can see for most of the Original Nexus Alumni I predict bright futures. It’s a real shame that NXT’s second season didn’t produce such strong performances besides the impatient Low Ki. If Low Ki would have stuck around I think he, Punk, Bryan, Jericho and others would have had some amazing bouts but business is business and Low Ki is doing great on the Indy scene. The WWE has done a great job in bringing up fresh new talent when the fans demanded such. I feel when we fans look back at the first Nexus they will be one of the most impressive crops of talent in a very long time.
Have a better class of at least six or more wrestler that were young and up coming? Please respond with your thoughts. (Four Horsemen and Legacy is easy because they are small groups with veterans but give me an example of a group of you talented wrestlers, I dare you!)
0Posted by Blake Lovell on April 26, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Note: Throwback Thursday will be a weekly column dedicated to a past wrestling show. The choice of show is completely random, though if there is a specific show you’d like to see reviewed, email me or hit me up on Twitter. I won’t review backstage segments unless I find them particularly interesting or important. First up, King of the Ring 2002 with a main event of Triple H vs. The Undertaker.
Before we begin, here was the official bracket and results that lead to the final four of this particular King of the Ring:
First Round
X-Pac over Goldust, RVD over Eddie Guerrero, Val Venis over Christian, Chris Jericho over Edge, Test over The Hurricane, Hardcore Holly over Tajiri, Booker T over William Regal, Brock Lesnar over Bubba Ray Dudley
Quarterfinals
RVD over X-Pac, Jericho over Venis, Test over Holly, Lesnar over Booker
1. Chris Jericho vs. RVD – KOTR Semifinal Match
Keep in mind that the winner of the 2002 King of the Ring would get a WWE Title shot at Summerslam. RVD was super over at this time and was the IC champ, while Jericho was in full heel mode. This was a fantastic opening match that was back and forth. Lots of near (and I mean NEAR) falls and the crowd was on the edge of their seat throughout. There really wasn’t a dull moment due to Jericho’s heel tactics and this match flowed very well. RVD hits the Frog Splash for the pin and Jericho viciously attacked him post-match. With a first match this good, surely that boded well for the rest of the PPV, right?
2.Test vs. Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) – KOTR Semifinal Match
If you were a fan at the time, it was rather obvious who was winning this particular match. Not just because RVD won the previous match but because Lesnar was still undefeated at this point. Test was getting a nice push, but I don’t think anyone really bought that he was going to be the one that ended the streak. This was Lesnar’s rookie year and there was no doubt that this guy was going to be a future star. The match was your basic big man vs. big man encounter, with power moves dominating the match. Paul Heyman made his presence felt late in the match after Lesnar kicked out of the Big Boot, and the Next Big Thing hit the F5 to advance to make it an all-RAW KOTR final.
3. (c) The Hurricane vs. Jamie Noble (w/Nidia) – WWE Cruiserweight Title
I loved all three of these characters heading into the match. Noble and Nidia played their roles extremely well and The Hurricane was, well, just awesome with all the little nuances of his character. With that said, I expected the actual match to be more than it was given the solid buildup. They actually got over 10 minutes but it still felt like this was lacking something. The finish was anti-climactic as Noble hit the Powerbomb and Nidia threw Hurricane’s foot off the rope to allow the three count. Nidia’s post-match celebration was fun.
Guys Who Cut Awesome Promos Alert #1: Eddie Guerrero hypes up his match with Ric Flair.
4. Ric Flair vs. Eddie Guerrero
Flair looked like he had been tanning on a sunny beach for six days straight here. I remember thinking how great this match could be at the time but that potential wasn’t realized. I didn’t much care for this match and thought it was pretty underwhelming to be honest. Maybe expectations were too high going in since this wasn’t exactly Flair in his prime. These two worked well together from a wrestling standpoint but overall it came across flat. Flair got the pin after Bubba Ray Dudley ran in and gave Guerrero the Bubba Bomb while the referee was trying to send an interfering Chris Benoit backstage.
5. (c) Trish Stratus vs. Molly Holly – WWE Women’s Title
It should be noted that Trish is my favorite diva of all-time, so I enjoyed this more than most probably will. Compared to today’s WWE diva matches, this was Flair/Steamboat. Maybe this is my Trish bias coming across but I thought this was an above average women’s match. Both of these women were outstanding in the ring and that made this entertaining. Call me crazy, but I enjoyed this more than Lesnar/Test and Hurricane/Noble. Molly used the tights to score the pinfall and is your new women’s champ.
Guys Who Cut Awesome Promos Alert #2: Kurt Angle in the back wearing that goofy hairpiece and cutting a promo on Hulk Hogan. There were very few Angle promos during this time that I didn’t find entertaining.
6. Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs. Kurt Angle
Hogan had lost the WWE Title the previous month to The Undertaker at Judgment Day (Fun fact: I was in attendance and was cheering vehemently against the Hulkster) and Angle had lost his hair due to a stipulation in a match against Edge. Coming into this match, it seemed unlikely Hogan would lose a second PPV match in a row. The charisma of these two made this match intriguing, even though it wasn’t great from a wrestling standpoint. This felt similar to Flair/Eddie in that a lot of rest holds were used to help out the older stars. The finish was good as Hogan kicked out of the Angle Slam and then hulked up and delivered the Big Boot before removing the hairpiece from Angle’s head. Eventually Hogan went for the Leg Drop, but Angle caught him on the way down and put him in the Ankle Lock. After desperate attempts to break out, HULK HOGAN ACTUALLY TAPPED OUT. Shocking ending, to say the least. Entertainment value here was great.
Backstage Comedy Alert: Very entertaining segment here with Goldust dressing as The Rock and talking to Booker T. Rock came in and shenanigans ensued. His mocking of Goldust was awesome.
7. Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) vs. Rob Van Dam – KOTR Finals
They played up the Jericho attack on RVD earlier. This didn’t go long at all and came to an end rather abruptly after Lesnar caught RVD off the top rope and hit the F5 for the win. Again, Lesnar was on a roll and it was clear he was in line for the title match at Summerslam. This was the beginning of the huge push that was to come.
Backstage Segment of Importance: The new nWo (Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Big Show, and X-Pac) wished Triple H luck.
8. (c) The Undertaker vs. Triple H – WWE Undisputed Title
We were treated to Heyman on commentary, which is always a blast. That’s about where the fun would end though as this match followed in the line of the previous matches on this show. Despite looking great on the surface, it simply felt average. Triple H did suffer a legit injury late in the match which took away from it as well. The Rock came out late and chased Heyman away and got on commentary. Multiple referee bumps took place and Rock eventually interfered and accidentally hit Triple H with a chair before eventually getting in the ring and delivering a Rock Bottom to Taker. Triple H took advantage but the referee was still down, leading to a low blow and roll up from Taker that ended the match.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
You wanna talk about an underwhelming show. Jericho/RVD was the best match by far, although I still enjoyed Hogan/Angle for what it was. Lesnar/Test was the least entertaining (yes, I found Trish/Molly to be better). The main event was too long and all the ref bumps and interference didn’t do much for me. The setup seemed predictable and kind of boring.
As we all know, this was the final edition of the show and after this experience, perhaps it was the right move. If you haven’t seen this show before, don’t bother.
What do you remember about this show? For more KOTR 2002 discussion, leave a comment below or hit me up on Twitter @theblakelovell!
