JoeDirt

Taker liked to mention that "Armageddon is here" when they beat people up though.

Wow, Red Roostermania running wild. Even using the Scorpion Deathlock. Cool find. Had they done KOTR tournaments at house shows prior to this?

Hell I could see them hyping it all the way to Summerslam. Nation's capital (so it makes sense with a Hogan/Hassan feud and for a "retirement" match for Hogan), gives Hogan time to get into shape for it, and plenty of time to hype it to get a big buyrate. Definitely don't do an impromptu return match with Hogan at Mania, that just doesn't make sense.

How was Bigelow brought in? It seems to me like he'd be an easy heel choice, so I was surprised going back to watch WM4 when I saw he was a babyface. After WM4, when did he leave and where did he go?

Russo. Its just the kind of cocky BS he would say. You are correct. This was in TNA, talking to Dusty Rhodes about Dustin Rhodes and making him Goldust. "You know what they say... all is fair in love and sports entertainment!" "You know what I like? When children look forward to christmas morning, then they wake up and there's no presents under the tree...that's what I like." "I'll tell you one thing...Pete Rose is betting on ME." "Yeah, and save those tears for somebody who gives a damn. Boy, she's gonna make a terrific mother."

Nash. Nobody has gotten "I make chicken salad out of chicken shit" yet.

Kane. Well he probably said it, but it wasn't who I was thinking of. Not that that helps any. "And the guys down there that aren't dinosaurs are my friends, and they are going to beat the HELL out of you one day" "It's brother versus uncle!" "I hate Chinese food... I hate the fact that you put too much MSG in my food and ten minutes later I'm still hungry... I hate the fact that you put too much starch in my shirt... and I hate the fact that you've taken over all of the convient stores and I can't get a fresh sandwich... Don't you understand? I HATE YOU!" And an easy one: "Ladders could care less about a person's anatomy!" You guys were correct with the guesses of HBK (post Survivor Series 97), Corino (berating Tajiri) and JR (during the Hardy/Taker ladder match). That leaves "It's brother versus uncle!"

I also thought maybe a Dibiase/Roberts final since Roberts went on to feud with Andre anyways.

Yeah, and apparently is gimmick is that he's a "Futuristic Caveman"...I think.

Kane. Well he probably said it, but it wasn't who I was thinking of. Not that that helps any. "And the guys down there that aren't dinosaurs are my friends, and they are going to beat the HELL out of you one day" "It's brother versus uncle!" "I hate Chinese food... I hate the fact that you put too much MSG in my food and ten minutes later I'm still hungry... I hate the fact that you put too much starch in my shirt... and I hate the fact that you've taken over all of the convient stores and I can't get a fresh sandwich... Don't you understand? I HATE YOU!" And an easy one: "Ladders could care less about a person's anatomy!"

I found a recent post on the WC board by Meltzer where he says that Dibiase was indeed originally booked to win this tournament, and it was changed to Savage like rumor had it. The original plan was to set up for Hogan vs. Dibiase at Wrestlemania 5. He says he knew this change happened when they changed the original brackets they had announced on Superstars. I'm wondering what those original brackets were, and if the original booking had happened, who would have faced Dibiase in the finals of the tournament? It obviously wouldn't have been Savage (who would have won the IC title instead) or Hogan (same double DQ with Andre, I'd assume), so would it have been somebody like Steamboat or Bam Bam Bigelow? And does anybody know what the first brackets they announced were?

This belongs on Jay Leno's "We found this on Ebay" segment. Funny stuff.

Since there's no Heat thread, I'll add this here.... Val carrying Snitsky to a decent match is amazing. Val pulls out good matches from SO many guys...hell, he had really good matches with TEST! The guy works well with almost anybody. It's too bad he's just jobber fodder.

I predict: Batista Cena HBK Edge Christy Eddie Then the other matches: Big Show/Akebono: I see something happening like the Bashams coming out and the two big guys beating them up to save face. Don't know who will win the sumo part, but it wouldn't make much sense just to have Big Show lose and then that be it. Orton/Taker: Two booking choices: One, Orton wins and Taker destroys him after the match, setting him up for surgery. Two, Taker wins in a brutal match, letting Orton go for his shoulder surgery. I'm 50-50 on this, but I'll go with Taker in a coin flip. Piper's Pit: Hassan, Hogan, sleepers, stunners. Should be fun.

When was the decision made to go with HBK vs. Razor in a ladder match at Summerslam 1995 made? Wasn't the original match plan HBK vs. Sid for the IC title? Were there ever any plans of putting the IC title on Sid?

I don't think the average pro wrestling fan cares about wrestling as much as they do entertainment. Though you think Wrestlemania would be where all the hardcore wrestling marks would show up, especially with an ironman match between two smark darlings.

I saw that RAW not too long ago. Not a good show, but for the time HHH vs. Edge wasn't a bad little RAW match, and the crowd was CRAZY for Austin vs. Rock. At that point was an Austin vs. Rock match at Mania already set in stone?

I say bring in back in 2006. Keep the PPV schedule as is now, just put KOTR where the ECW PPV is this year. I really don't see how one more joint-brand PPV could hurt, especially one with history like King of the Ring. Arguments like "well, it's been bad in the past" simply don't work for me. Why not bring in back in June 2006? Just do a final four on the PPV, leaving room for plenty of other matches to draw buys. Also, doing a tournament on TV makes for easy booking and tying together of angles. Seems like a good idea to me.

It's really crazy how varied the opinion on this match is. There aren't many matches which have so many completely different viewpoints.

So they must have had SOME plans for Hogan as a heel post-Mania that got changed... Maybe still HHH vs. Hogan?

Wow, great writeup guys. I haven't had a chance to get any PWG shows since Secret of the Ooze. Which are the top shows since then to pick up?

Anyone know some more long term plans for the nWo before Hogan got over huge at Mania and they turned him face?

And I mean live, in-person, not just online stuff. I'm going to start playing no limit hold 'em every week with 5-6 friends and I was wondering if there are any good sites out there (other than www.poker1.com, which I already found) that if good tips for beginners as far as betting, tells, etc. I don't need anything to help me beat pros...just some friends who are novices.

Who won the last match?

What led to Vince bringing in Hall, Nash, and Hogan in 2002? Panic at slipping ratings?