Fro

WWE overall was better, but late 2000 WCW was probably better than late 2005 WWE. And the few months of 2001 that WCW survived were pretty fun, especially since AJ Styles came in and they finally signed Christopher Daniels. Essentially they finally started building up new talent in that last Russo run and some of the Power Plant guys were finally starting to get good by the time the company folded.

Tanahashi isn't well known at all in the States, or even close, but apparently New Japan offered him for the PPV. Sounds like he'll be able to have a pretty good match with Styles.

I think the security guard acted like an ass, but Orton was just heeling it up after the guy was taunting him. It'd be different if Orton actually took the first shot at the guy.

I think Daniels is better now, since Angle is broken down from his peak. A lot of the problem with Angle is the booking and writing has taken away his edge, not to mention he's stuck wrestling Cena. Re: Royal Rumble 2003... remember, they didn't just get the crowd to give them a standing ovation, Steiner/HHH had KILLED THE CROWD beforehand and they were completely dead. And not only that, crowds kept giving Benoit standing ovations after the match off the strength of that match for the next month. He was ridiclously over compared to where he was before that match from then on.

They do a tent show circuit around the Northeast regularly, or used to at least (said "tents" holding thousands of people). I remember one of the Boogeyman's first house shows was outdoors (in Missouri, I think) and they had to cancel it after the firs t couple matches due to the thunderstorm. The big reason they don't do a lot of outdoors shows is 1) inclimate weather (rain/heat/cold), 2) makes all the expensive lighting rigs, etc they lug around useless.

Dave Meltzer just said it sounds like this story is BS on his radio show.

He's not a hoss and he's not roided to the gills. Also, I don't think he had found his niche beyond just being "Benoit-Lite" until Heyman took over OVW.

You're right... Albright did beat him in the first match, but Punk didn't shake his hand. Cage really wasn't doing much of anything. There's no shortage of guys they can plug in there to team with Cappotelli and even the odds up. For whatever reason, the traditional OVW crowd has always loved guys like Boogeyman who destroy everyone and no-sell. Leviathan was probably the most over guy in the history of OVW and he didn't use many more moves than Boogeyman knows.

Yep, playing to wrestlers' strengths and getting the most out of what you have to work with.

This week's TV... someone needs to up the Punk/Albright match from this week as it was UNREAL good. - We open up with Johnny Jeter and Mark Henry in a locker room talking about their "handicap match" against Matt Cappotelli, Chris Cage, and "Matt's crutch" who is apparently the 3rd man in the team. Man, you know Heyman's on fire when even Mark Henry is cutting awesome serious promos that don't sound scripted. Anyway it turns out that they're in Chris Cage's "locker room" (which looks like an office and has books on the shelf but we'll ignore that). Jeter and Henry are supposed to be changing in the parking lot since OVW Owner Danny Davis is so disgusted with their actions. Jeter and Henry beg Cage to not have to change outside because it's "really cold". Cage kicks them out anyway and Henry is like "don't keep sticking your chest out at me" and saying something about Cage feeling some pain. Jeter says Cage ought to rethink being friends wth Matt Cappotelli as Matt will never give him a title shot. Can't do this justice from memory but Henry was very surpisingly awesome here - LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR, although this time the song starts from the bridge. - Your hosts are unfortunately still Dean Hill and Al Snow OVW Tag Team Champions Seth Skyfire and Chet the Jet v.s. The Spanish Announce Team of Osama Rodrigues Alejandro and Senor Roberto Dawber Dawber is all bandaged up with a neck brace, leg case, arm sling, all kinds of bandages from Boogeyman putting him through the Spanish Announce Table, enough wrap on him so that he looks like a zombie. Snow calls him the "Rob-Goblin" about 10 times during this match. The gimmick is Osama and Robbie Dawber just randomly set up a spanish table and started announcing. Osama has a box of cuban cigars, etc now and generally looks the part more than "evil arab". Anyway Boogeyman ends up appearing from under the ring for kicks and hits a huge chokeslam powerbomb on Dawber while the ref was distracted and Skyfire finishes him off with the Alabama Jam. Boogeyman was scary over. - Backstage, Aaron "The Idol" Stevens is in front of a Christmas set with a Santa Hat on. He says he's the "Mah Haraja of Menajatwa", wishes us happy holidays, etc. Beth Phoenix sits on his lap and she says she's been a good girl so Stevens gives him a long straight candy cane with two pieces of candy tied to the bottom of it so as to look like a phallac symbol. Shelley appears and says she's been a bad girl so Idol says he's going to have to give her a spanking as we zoom up away and Beth Phoenix joins in the three-way. Funnier than I made it sound. OVW TV Title Match TV Champion CM Punk versus "The Shooter" Brent Albright Basic angle here is that Albright has never been able to get the better of Punk during their feud that's been going on a couple months, and now they finally are having their 2nd match for the TV title. Punk made Brent Albright tap out for the first time in his career in the Three-Way-Dance with Ken Doane 2 weeks ago. I really can't do this justice, but I'll try to put down what I remember. They start out jockeying around for position, with Albright trying to control the arm and Punk trying to set up the Anaconda Vice and wearing down Albright with holds and kicks. Crowd is pretty hot. Albright finally gains control and goes into working on the arm which is just amazing, Dean Malenko type stuff as literally every move targets the arm. Albright gets a Northern Lights Suplex for 2. Albright goes for the Crowbar but Punk is too close to the ropes. Punk finally fights back, and ends up tossing Albright outside of the ring and hits a huge fucking tope on Albright which is one of the ones that has Punk crashing into the guard rail and knocking it back five feet or so. After some action, Punk ends up getting the Anaconda Vice on Albright back inside the ring but Albright powers out of it. Punk starts chopping Albright in every corner and the Pro-Punk fans are going nuts for this. Albright comes back and they chop the shit out of each other for about a minute and finally "LET'S GO SHOOTER/LET'S GO PUNK" chants start (we're a good 15 minutes in at this point). Punk gets an Anaconda Vice variation on Albright where he's in the ropes and has the hold locked on. After a good amount of other great work, both men go up top and Albright hits a swinging neckbreaker off the top rope on Punk which gets a loud "HOLY SHIT" chant (okay, honestly it may have been Punk hitting on Albright but it doesn't matter either way). It gets 2.999. After some more action and a break, Albright finally gets totally in control and can't decide what he has to do to put Punk away. He hits some big move that knocks down both men. Ken Doane's valet Sosay comes out and stands in Punk's corner. Snow speculates that maybe she only has interest in dating champions and perhaps she's with Punk now. Maria comes out and stands in Albright's corner. Albright is up first and Punk is still dead. Albright hits a huge, Benoit v.s. Angle-sized top rope headbutt 3/4ths of the way across the ring on Punk, but Sosay jumps on the ref and prevents the count. Maria comes in and the two have a catfiiiiiiight which the refs finally break up after a minute with the crowd chanting "LET THEM FIGHT". Punk takes advantage with a near fall as Albright goes after Sosay. The two got enough of a break to get a second wind as they trade a ton, well over 14 nearfalls in a row going back and forth Savage/Steamboat style. Albright finally grabs Punk and hits him with the biggest implant DDT I've ever seen in my life as Punk is dropped right on his head. It makes RVD's DDT sell look pussy. That gets 2.999. Crowd chants "THIS IS AWESOME!". Punk hits a huge chicken wing DDT and that almost gets 3. There's a few other big nearfalls they trade back and forth. They were really teasing that Punk was on the ropes and Albright was finally going to get the better of him here (with Albright yelling and stuff), even though Punk keeps fighting back. I think there were some submission teases thrown in there, really should have taped the match. Punk misses a top rope move and Albright slaps the Sharpshooter on him. Punk tries to make the ropes a couple times but gets dragged to the middle of the ring. Punk teases tapping out but the bell rings as the 30-minute time limit has expired. Crowd LOUDLY chants for "FIVE MORE MINUTES". Albright gets on the mic and challenges Punk to five more minutes. Punk goes to shake Albright's hand but then slaps him. The ref takes that as accepting five more minutes. Albright and Punk start going at it again and the match restarts. Albright backdrops and suplexes the shit out of Punk. Snow says Punk is telling the ref that he didn't accept Albright's challenge. He gets a couple nearfalls, and finally locks the crowbar in on Punk. Punk tries to get to the ropes but can't, and he tries to roll out but Albright ends up on top of him still and Punk taps out! Robert Brisko comes out to talk to the ref in the match and correct things as Albright celebrates thinking he may have won the title. This greatly surpassed all my expectations. I kept hoping they wouldn't screw it up and they did and kept kicking it up as needed as the match kept going. Great storyline, psychology, and two great wrestlers which had everything necessary for a very legit match of the year. The work wasn't dumbed down at all for OVW and it holds up to Punk's best ROH work. This wasn't just a great OVW match, it's probably the best one I've ever seen in the company, and furthermore better than any WWE match in 2005. It was cruising along as a potential ***** match if it would have had a great ending. And doing the "match extension" where Albright "won" made it a lot better than if it was just a time limit draw. I can't decide between rating this **** 1/2 or **** 3/4. I'm going to go with **** 3/4... it was *really* good. Some people may find **** 1/2 a more accurate rating, either way, it's a totally legit MOTYC and something you need to see. --- Back from the break, Punk says he's still the champion since he never accepted Albright's challenge. He says Albright was the better man tonight but he's not the champion. He says he'd tap out if Albright put him in the crowbar in the parking lot or if Albright came through that door because he likes his arm and he wants to keep it. He says he owns Albright and that he'll be sleeping next to the belt tonight. Albright got punked! Okay, that promo was so good I don't care that the match didn't have a clean finish. Johnny Jeter and Mark Henry v.s. Matt Cappotelli, Chris Cage, and the Crutch The refs come out and try to take the crutch away. Crowd chants "WE WANT CRUTCH". Al Snow says he supports people who want to use inanimate objects as partners. Henry and Jeter comes out and Matt absolutely destroys Henry with the crutch and knocks the big guy down after multiple shots. Cage gives Matt a stiff forearm shot from behind as he turns heel. Jeter/Cage and Henry stomp the crap out of Matt and Henry gives him a phat splash. Elijah Burke runs out to try and save Matt but the odds are too overwhelming. The Riggs Brothers come out to try and make the save but Henry Vader splashes them in the corner. Seth Skyfire and Chet the Jet comes out to a big pop and the tag champions get the better of Jeter and Cage but eat superkicks from each of them in the in. Finally, Doug Basham comes out, as even though he's a heel he's disgusted at Jeter's actions. He wails on Jeter and Cage and knocks both of them down, then goes after Mark Henry and rocks the big man. Jeter and Cage get up and deck him, and Henry big splashes Basham in the corner to ko him. Dean is like "I don't know who's left to save Cappotelli now". Crowd chants LOUDLY for Boogeyman. "IM DA BOOGEYMAN, and IM COMIN TO GETCHA" and Boogeyman's WWE music hits and he appears on the announce desk. Ah, so Heyman's using Boogeyman like he used 911... very smart. This is scarily the loudest ovation of the night by far. Henry clobbers Boogeyman with a huge fist but his head snaps back after selling it to a big pop. Jeter and Cage go after Boogeyman, but he hits them with a big double chokeslam at the same time (which looked really good) to a huge pop. Boogeyman smashed in the corner by Henry and then eats a big splash. Jeter, Cage, and Henry stand tall. Crowd chants for the Boogeyman but he stays down until the cameras turn off. If this is Heyman's last show... what a way to go out. You *NEED* to see this.

Finisher of the Year: Muscle Buster Knockout of the Year: Traci X Division Star of the Year: Samoa Joe Tag Team of the Year: Team 3-D Who To Watch in 2006: Austin Aries Memorable Moment of the Year: TNA debuts on Spike TV Match of the Year: AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe v.s. the Fallen Angel Feud Of The Year: AJ Styles and The Fallen Angel Mr. TNA MVP 2005: AJ Styles

I still think the best route to get in the WWE is to pack up and head for OVW on your own dime. A lot of guys end up getting developmental deals that way even though they're not WWE's ideal prospects due to their lack of size. May take 2-3 years down there but it seems to happen for most of them eventually, even if you get stuck with a ridiclous gimmick.

Dudleys are gone to TNA, Rhino and Sabu are in TNA, James Mitchell is in TNA, Dreamer is really hurt, Sandman is older, Heyman may be gone, Benoit may be gone, Jericho is taking a break, Spike Dudley got released, Storm is retired, Eddie is dead, Dawn Marie is fired, Tajiri is back in Japan. Stevie Richards will probably get released. Axl Rotten is off the wagon again. Lynn, Douglas, and Raven are in tight with TNA. Not a lot of guys to build the show around. RVD (if he's even still around), Foley, and Kid Kash, Rey, Nunzio/Vito, Simon Dean, and the Mexicools. I guess they could drag Al Snow and Malenko out of retirement. Add Doring/Roadkill, Justin Credible (even though he'll be pissed).

No, it's just a lot worse. And Russo, for all his faults, when he had a guy who could veto the 8 out of 10 ideas he had that were crap wrote some pretty intriguing stuff (even if the internal contunity got all screwed up). What's the last thing that you really marked out for on Raw that wasn't a good wrestling match or WWE screwing up/doing something totally awful? That's the problem.

This week's show looks really good. They're not going to try and hit HRs with the CHRISTMAS EVE and NEW YEAR'S EVE show as I doubt many people are going to be watching.

HA! That wasn't on purpose...but I will leave it. Lethal may be a good worker or whatever, but i don't really know if he can stick out, or just be another bland no-name dude. Now Homicide on the other hand....I think he's a great addition. Although I haven't seen much ROH, I've enjoyed Homicide. So what do you think they will do with him...tag? singles? X? heavy? Tag with Konnan for a while, then X... Joe is going to need fresh blood after the Daniels feud. They need to put Joe/Styles/Daniels on the shelf after another couple months or else it'll be reaching Paul Heyman levels of milking.

Awards are out... not many voters this year so the results are a bit screwy on a few things: http://rspw.org/05awards.txt

Well, the PPV is rated TV-MA, which explains why they can get away with the barbed wire match.

Da Meltz on Da Surprise: --The individual who is the big surprise who will turn around TNA (and boy is that overblown) is not at this point scheduled to appear on Sunday, but his identity will be revealed.

AJ P is 6'3", Torborg was billed at 6'7" when he was the Kiss Demon

Very solid show, only thing I didn't like was that it didn't seem like the "go-home show" for the PPV (not enough shilling), and the way they cut the James Mitchell promo to make it look like the ring was magically surrounded by barbed wire was really lame.

Shane = 35, going on 36 Steph = 29 (so it's about time to have a kid)

The graphic got changed to "The FACE OF TNA WRESTLING CHANGES FOREVER IN 2006... FIND OUT HOW THIS SUNDAY"

On the front page of TNAwrestling.com

That's odd, because I see AJ as the #1 babyface in the company, even if he isn't going for the Heavyweight belt. He also gets promoted a heckuva lot more than a Rhino or Raven, is protected quite well, beats up monsters like Abyss, Tenay and West gush all over him, he gets pyro while people like Raven/Rhino don't always, he gets put on in the last slot on the card often, etc. I also see the X-Division title as very close to the World Title.