Aero

Wow, I didn't even realize that Rock was missing from the list. I never thought WWE would leave him out of any games, especially a Smackdown. Just a thought. Maybe a Mod should change the name of this thread to OAO Smackdown vs. Raw thread, as opposed to New IGN interview.

There are some good deals on the games, there. Rogue Squadron III for only $10... I'm there. I might pick up Simpsons Hit & Run, too. I never got the chance to play these two games.

Well, the smaller roster does suck, for missing La Resistance, Eugene, Regal, Noble, and the others... but my god does Bret Hart look amazing! And they put him in his best tights (IMO), with the pink top and black pants. Anyone else think that they should make Legend Undertaker in maybe his 1997 look this time around?

I decided to try the $1000 trivia contest at InsidePulse.com, so I don't know the answers to these two questions. Maybe some people could help... # 1 in 1980, long-time babyface/hero/rolemodel LARRY ZBYSZKO shocked, and I mean SHOCKED the W(orld)W(ide)W(restling)F(ederation) by turning Heel and SPITTING on the legacy of his mentor/friend, Bruno Sammartino! It was a DISGUSTING turn that ROCKED the fans to their very core! Yet, Larry wasn't through pissing on the fans! His heel turn was so shocking that his longtime friend/tag partner had returned from a "European tour" (ie: injury,rehab, jail, whatever...) to get in his face and say, "What is your PROBLEM, dude?" Well, Larry slapped him upside his head and kicked him around a little. Bruno came to the rescue, Larry split, Bruno helped the man up, asked if he was okay. The man grabbed the microphone and yelled, "DO ME ONE FAVOR!! TONIGHT, BREAK EVERY DAMN BONE IN HIS BODY!!!!" Within a few scant weeks, Larry Zbyszko broke Bruno's heart, the heart of the fans, and with the finality of the last nail in the coffin, the heart of the one guy who thought this was just a huge mistake and wanted to see for himself. So who was he? Who demanded that Bruno break every damn bone in Zbyszko's body? Who cemented Zbyszko as the most hated man in wrestling in 1980? Some of you might get this quick... others may have to do a little research. # 2 However, Randy Orton's not the youngest WORLD champion in general, as two people were younger than him when they won the NWA World title. For your shot at $1000, tell Widro the answers. For # 2, wasn't the Giant 22 or 23 when he won it? But that isn't NWA, so I'm guessing it doesn't count. I read somewhere else that the answers are AJ Styles and Tommy Rich.

I like the idea alot, but a heel vs. heel title match might not be the best for Wrestlemania, unless it's on Raw or another PPV. After watching Summerslam and Raw tonight, I'm all for Orton's face turn. Here's an idea I had... The rematch between Benoit and Orton goes on just as it did tonight, with Evolution distracting Benoit and basically costing him the match. Afterwards, Evolution tries to celebrate, but Orton is somewhat reluctant. No beatdown. Next week, Bischoff says at the top of the show, a number one contender at Unforgiven will be determined by the end of the show after the performances of everyone, which would include Jericho, Edge, Kane, and HHH among others. Mid-way through the show, in the office, Bischoff decides to let Orton choose his opponent, within reason for the PPV main event. HHH overhears and tries to use his influence to get the title shot. He assures him that no matter who wins, Evolution will stay together. The main event of the night is HHH vs. Benoit, with HHH winning after Flair & Batista interfere. Bischoff and Orton come out, and Bischoff says that Orton has a decision to make right then and there. He reluctantly says that he wants Benoit one more time at Unforgiven in a 2/3 Falls match because after the respect that Benoit showed him at Summerslam, Benoit deserved a clean rematch, and that he wanted to prove that Summerslam wasn't a fluke, without any interference. HHH is visibly pissed that night, but the next week, he acts normal and tells Orton that he doesn't mind, just so long as he wins. At Unforgiven, the match is 1-1 and goes about 30 minutes. Orton manages to win, cleanly, once again. Now, after the match, Evolution celebrates once again, but here they give Orton the boot.

Were The Big Event and The Wrestling Classic actually PPVs, or were they just special TV events?

I haven't been in the thread at all tonight, so I don't know what everyone else thought, but I really enjoyed the show, with only HHH-Eugene disappointing. I bored for just about the entire match, until Regal came out... that lasted about 5 seconds, though. I loved the Benoit-Orton match, and I give it about ****. Another viewing might change that more or less, though. Even Taker vs. JBL was decent. Angle-Eddie was basically what I was expecting. It wasn't bad at all, but their match at WM XX was better, IMO.

My Predictions, in my predicted match order... John Cena vs. Booker T The match is meaningless, as I assume the US Title isn't on the line in the first match of the series. Otherwise, the belt would go back and forth, and by the end, you could call both Cena and Booker T 2-3 time US champs. I think Cena will win, only because he needs the win after jobbing so many times since losing it. Prediction: John Cena Six-Man Tag The Dudleys need to win here so it can establish them as an actual threat on Smackdown. Bubba & D-Von will likely 3D Rey, and Spike will tag and pin him. Prediction: Dudleys Kane vs. Matt Hardy I'm dreading this one. I don't think Kane will job to Matt Hardy at two straight PPVs. Plus, it's more "soap opera" if Kane wins. We can watch skits of Kane & Lita shopping for their baby! Prediction: Kane IC Title Edge vs. Chris Jericho vs. Batista This one is a toss-up for me. I could say anyone winning it, but I'll say Edge, if only because he just won the belt last month and WWE seems to want longer reigns for champions. Prediction: Edge WWE Title JBL vs. Undertaker The first part of the match will be Taker destroying JBL. I can see them going through with the champion tries to get counted out, but referee decides to give challenger the belt if counted. JBL will win, no doubt in my mind, but I can't see them going through with another DQ ending after they just did that with the first match in a series of them with Eddie & JBL. Orlando will probably interfere, and Taker will be pinned by bullshit means. Prediction: JBL Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle As much as Eddie needs a win, I think Angle takes it here by cheating. Half the match will probably be serious Eddie trying to kick Kurt's ass, but the other half will probably be comedy, with Angle trying to outcheat Eddie. I could even see Eric Angle coming in as a decoy or something. In the end, I predict a ref bump, and Big Show returns and chokeslams Eddie through the announce table or something, and Angle wins. Prediction: Kurt Angle HHH vs. Eugene I can't see HHH jobbing to a retard, so I pick HHH. Eugene will get JR saying something like, "HHH won, but Eugene put up one hell of a fight!" Prediction: HHH World Heavyweight Title Chris Benoit vs. Randy Orton Everyone thinks Orton will win, but I can't see it. There's been next to no build at all. I figure at Taboo Tuesday, they'll do an Elimination Chamber more similar to Survivor Series 2002, and Orton will get the belt there. Benoit's title loss needs to be built up. I predict Benoit makes Orton tap again. Prediction: Chris Benoit

I don't like the set as much as the previous ones, but Yokozuna is a must-buy for me. Everyone else doesn't look too appealing to me except maybe Piper. I'm still waiting for Series 3 for Ministry Undertaker & DiBiase.

Anyone else get tickets? I have Section 7, Row MM.

IGN has another update with new movies. - Kane's entrance (Armageddon arena) - Undertaker's entrance (Armageddon arena) - Undertaker vs. Kane (HIAC) - Benoit vs. Orton - Benoit vs. Orton (in the aisle) IGN Then there's a 28 minute Royal Rumble video for IGN Insiders. I've watched 15 minutes of it and it's basically the same Rumble as last time except without the rapid eliminations. Each guy comes out with one special and has a yellow "Ringout" meter under his name, which acts as basically a life meter. The lower the meter, the easier you get eliminated (just like in the last game). Or when the opponent is on the apron, you can grapple him and hold it as their meter goes down (maybe by tapping?) It took 2 minutes to eliminate the first guy, RVD. Some of the guys in the match besides the main eventers that we've already seen are Booker T, Ric Flair, Bubba, D-Von, Rico, Haas, A-Train, Chuck Palumbo, Garrison Cade, Mark Jindrak, Christian, Rene Dupree, Hardcore Holly, Scotty 2 Hotty, and Edge. Entrances are all rapid in the beginning, BTW, and there is no music during entrances.

Bret Hart 1. vs. Steve Austin (WM 13) 2. vs. Owen Hart (WM X) 3. vs. Steve Austin (Survivor Series 96) 4. 10-Man Tag (Canadian Stampede) 5. vs. Mr. Perfect (Summerslam 91) I still haven't seen his match with Undertaker at One Night Only or his match with Perfect at KOTR 93, so those didn't count.

I plan on ordering it unless my cable box doesn't work. I'm really looking forward to Benoit-Orton, Angle-Eddie, the Six-Man Tag, and the IC Title match. The rest I don't care much about, but Summerslam is usually good and worth the money with only a few exceptions, like last year.

I don't understand all the hate for the 2003 Rumble finish. Just because some of the guys mentioned are hosses at the finish, the match ending automatically sucks? First of all, Brock is hardly a hoss. It's not like anyone expected anyone else except Brock to win anyway. Personally, I thought the ending was booked fine. RVD & Kane team up and eliminate A-Train. Rather than just go with the usual clothesline or backdrop elimination, Kane tricks RVD into the gorilla press elimination, leaving the Final Four of Taker, Brock, Kane, & Batista. Unless I'm missing something, I can't find anything wrong with the actual match at all except for a Tombstone that didn't look great. They played off the Brock-Taker HIAC match well by having Brock & Taker get into a staredown twice. It makes sense since this was the first time they were in contact since the Smackdown after HIAC. Taker clotheslines Batista out and tosses Kane within a minute. As Zsasz already explained, Taker is basically screwed yet again in the Rumble. The only change that I would have made would have been to keep Jericho in there until the ending.

Just about every second of the Kane/Lita/Matt baby angle. I get the feeling WWE doesn't want people to laugh. I agree with Boss Man being hung. Michael Cole's commentary is gold. "KING, IS IT SYMBOLIC!? BOSS MAN IS DEAD! (10 second silence)... Well folks, what about that Wrestlemania Rage Party last night!" Obviously those weren't Cole's exact words, but they're close.

Just about every second of the Kane/Lita/Matt baby angle. I get the feeling WWE doesn't want people to laugh. I agree with Boss Man being hung. Michael Cole's commentary is gold. "KING, IS IT SYMBOLIC!? BOSS MAN IS DEAD! (10 second silence)... Well folks, what about that Wrestlemania Rage Party last night!" Obviously those weren't Cole's exact words, but they're close.

You saw the SD with the parking lot brawl right? It looks just like it to me, ,and it will be fun simulating it again, and better then I was able to in HCTP..their parking lot..just wasn't the same. If you mean Eddie vs. Cena from last summer, than yeah, I saw it. There being one parking lot brawl doesn't warrant the need for that type of match in the game, though, especially when the parking lot is usually accessable in the backstage.

From the other videos... It looks like the main camera view during matches becomes the main camera view during real live events, with the entrance set and aisle on the left, and the announce tables on the right. That might cause problems for fighting in the aisle because the crowd can get in the way. Evolution's entrance seems weird. It seems like the roles are mixed up, with Batista playing Ric Flair, and HHH & Orton having each others taunts, particuarly when HHH hits the turnbuckles. Still, it's awesome that you can have three guys come out at once. The Parking Lot Brawl looks like the Iron Circle match from Fully Loaded 99 between Shamrock & Blackman. In the game, it looks like just a normal backstage match, and the only difference is that you Irish whip your opponent into any of the cars and you grapple them for a specialty move. Doesn't look like anything special, yet.

I don't plan on getting it for a while, but I was in a GameStop about an hour ago and the store was having a Madden party, with streamers hanging, confetti on the floor, NFL balloons, and potato chips. Then there were all the rabid football/Madden fans hanging around waiting for the shipment to arrive.

HBK-Mankind from Mind Games. The styles worked well together, though, and the result was a classic.

I would guess Bret Hart, only because his was the only one I remember seeing way back, starting with the zoom down the aisle. I'm not positive, though.

8. Raven/Saturn vs Malenko/Benoit (Horseman) - Spring Stampede 99 (15-4) 29. Team USA vs Hart Foundation - Canadian Stampede (16-3) 11. Steiners vs Bret/Owen Hart - Wrestlefest 94 (10-9) 2. Edge/Rey vs Benoit/ Angle- No Mercy (13-6)

Armageddon will probably be in Miami, as they just about always go to Florida for the December PPV. Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando got it the past two years, so Miami's due for this year. Edit: I take that back after seeing the PPV schedule thread. Good for Atlanta.

Here's a new interview from Gamespot. Most of it is the same info from IGN, but there are some new bits, including info on the improved Royal Rumbles. Still no info on online playing though.

I read somewhere that Steiner is basically gone. WWE.com took his bio off the website a month or two ago. Anyway, I don't think Benoit is even going to lose at Summerslam. In the case that he does, I'm guessing Orton will maybe have a rematch with Benoit at Unforgiven, probably with a gimmick. Then, until WM, he faces Edge and Jericho on the PPVs, and guys like Regal and Kane on Raws. So...