Slickster

JBL tells HBK that if he helps him win the title, he will pay him all the money he owes him TONIGHT...and that he will give him a spot in the Rumble.

Melina wins in an upset.

Women's Title is up.

THAT is how you sell a ringpost shot.

For the record, the youngest ECW Champion ever was Mikey Whipwreck (just under 22 years old).

Big WrestleMania 25 sign opposite the ramp.

Swagger and Hardy are really taking it to each other here.

Swagger's theme is performed by AGE Against the Machine. Seriously.

"A true champion WEARS his title!"

Anybody from the Syracuse, NY area watching the Rumble tonight or know where it's showing? I've tried to find a sports bar where it's playing but to no avail.

JR said the phrase "Motor City Madmen." It's so surreal to think that in 2001 a trash can shot and a kendo stick spot were done every week in the first 30 seconds of a Hardcore Title match and meant nothing. Now, they're devastating moves that can put a man out.

Everyone knows WWE is scripted. If UFC worked with them, then everyone would question whether UFC is a work or not. Remember how people thought the XFL would be worked?

As of now, ECW only has 4 entrants in the Rumble match whereas they had 7 entrants in 2007 and 2008.

Yeah, the song was written by Jim Johnston expressly for WWE's use. He's the most prolific songwriter this side of Wesley Willis.

Doesn't explain why you cover up his recognizable face and make him work a faux martial arts style. They could have easily just called him Samson and given him the exact same gimmick. The way they did it you could have had George South go out there under a mask as Super Invader. Why pay for a recognizable face, only to cover it up and change his style completely?

WWE is the #1 wrestling promotion on the planet. Unlike 1997, they don't need to cross-promote with an indy fed to win a Monday night quarter-hour. There's WWE, then there's everything else. WWE doesn't need to dirty its hands with indy wrestling. The ECW revival was close enough (bringing in the non-glamorous likes of Sabu, Balls Mahoney, The Sandman, etc.).

The remaining 13 (in my opinion) Raw: Chris Jericho (to be reinstated this Monday) William Regal Sim Snuka Mike Knox SmackDown: The Great Khali MVP Primo Ezekiel Jackson ECW: Mark Henry Finlay Tommy Dreamer Plus two random Legend entrants.

Exactly. If WWE spends their money and time building up a character (creating a gimmick, selling merchandise, and giving you TV time), it would be downright stupid of them to let you leave the company and be able to use their work to make money for yourself. Or, even worse, you could jump to a rival promotion and work under a name and gimmick WWE created. I would personally expect the name to be spelled Kiwol so it's not too much of a stretch from his existing gimmick name. I could see Ki agreeing to that rather than getting a THIRD completely different gimmick name.

Kane debuted a month after Goldberg did, though.

"The show was to end with a stunt where DDP and Jarrett were fighting on a scaffold or ladder. The idea was Arquette would hit Jarrett with a guitar and he'd take a bump through a gimmicked part of the stage. The only problem was that Asya accidentally stepped into the gimmicked part after she was eliminated, so everyone could see it. Then Arquette also stepped into it and actually fell in. So DDP and Jarrett had to improvise. DDP took the bump. " c/o The Wrestling Observer, DDTDigest.com

If his contract expires June 6th....that's the day BEFORE One Night Stand.

WTF. That story makes no sense at all. I'd assume Legend was ribbing the students or something, because it would make no sense to name a guy you intend to push 'Mary.'

I think elevating Dreamer is a good idea simply because there are few faces in ECW. Matt Hardy, Finlay....Ricky Ortiz...DJ Gabriel...? Dreamer always gets the nostalgia pop and he knows how to work, so you might as well have him win a few matches. Personally, I think this title switch will set up a rematch at the Rumble PPV with Swagger winning cleanly.

Batista was a job guy as Deacon Batista, but he was moved to Raw with some hype vignettes and won all his early matches as squashes. Then he got Ric Flair in his corner before Evolution was formally founded.