Slickster

Lawler-Flair would be fun again (see their last match on RAW in January). Of course, you'd have to give them a 15:00 segment (3:00 for entrances) for them to REALLY put on a show, but a little 6:00 match would be alright as well.

I like how the feud is centered on 'can X hit this move?' I liked it with Brock-Big Show and I like it now.

I think the real test will come next Monday night in that main event against Batista. If he gets a reaction that's anything like the one he got tonight, they'd best begin seriously considering his future in regards to the draft.

Well, the first RAW after Judgment Day will be May 23 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Smackdown runs the next night in Milwaukee. May 30 RAW - Calgary, Alberta, Canada May 31 SD! - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada If they're crazy enough to do it the week BEFORE J-Day, then it will be in Omaha, Nebraska or Sioux City, Iowa.

Yeah, that will make a difference actually. Especially if Sandman does show. Course, they splashed out for 'Voodoo Chile' for Hogan, getting 'Enter Sandman' for one show might not be too much to ask. They wouldn't bother with his entrance otherwise, it just wouldn't work. It's my understanding that they could use the music for the live broadcast but would have to cut it out for the DVD (see: Dudleyz 'Bombshell' theme, Ric Flair's theme). Otherwise, ECW would have had the hell sued out of it for all the times it broadcast copyrighted music on its television shows.

Yeah, they created that page so modern fans could know a little more about the guy, nothing more. Heck, Sherri has a SmackDown! superstar page but she isn't exactly under contract either.

Way to Ruin™ Hulk Hogan™'s Decision™ for us Smarks™.

I think the smartest method would involve inserting commercials for the show ambush-style into WWE programming during May and June (think Taz vignettes before he debuted in WWE). Show old footage of the ECW stars, have Paul E run down the card with 'This Is Extreme' blaring in the background. Also, the announcers MUST no-sell these vignettes. However, if you have backstage vignettes involving wrestlers who will be there, you could have them kinda hint at it (they 'have plans that weekend' and won't be on their respective brand's house shows).

People claimed the Akebono/Big Show match was meant for publicity in the Japanese market. I'm wondering how much publicity their WM21 match actually garnered.

Indeed he was, and a good one at that.

This will be his 3rd run as US champ (beat Rick Steiner for it in 3/2001 and won a battle royal for it in 7/2004).

I had almost totally forgotten about that. GREAT moment courtesy of the Nature Boy.

For the South African version of the show, yes.

I enjoyed their NWO2002 match, myself.

The first 2 look great.

Well that would work for the Mordecai entrance...but the other two were taped segments that didn't take place in the arena, or at least not in the main area. I can only assume that someone was able to pick them up with their satellite dish, like how some people were able to post SmackDown! outtakes years ago. IIRC sometimes the frequency used for WWE's A/V got picked up on some satellite dishes. That's the only thing I can assume, unless a WWE employee leaked it themselves. And the 'inside-the-arena' cam wouldn't work, since the Mordecai entrance cut between two different cameras and had a WWE logo in the corner.

Well, Piper had his replaced back in 1997 and he was in an active wrestling role regularly until 1999.

Slightly off-topic, but SK actually made a good point in a recent TNA review. Stick 3LK, Gunn, Waltman and The Outsiders all together in one mega-group and make a mint off the merchandising. Oh, that's GOLD, I love it. So they'd basically be a DX/nWo hybrid faction?

I dunno, maybe it contradicted something that he was taught in OVW by the trainers or something. I'm thinking he was talking with someone about which way to do it (Sarge's or the trainer's) and someone took that to mean he was direspecting Sarge.

They wrestled 3 times: Heidenreich got DQd at No Way Out, Booker T got DQ'd on an episode of SmackDown!, and Booker pinned Heidenreich in a no-DQ match on SmackDown!.

I'd assume within the week you'll be able to preorder these. Also, John Cena should get a fist helmet to complete the ensemble.

Out of curioisty, how did you set this interview up? EDIT: Graham, this is a nitpick, but the 3/9/05 SmackDown! taping was at Reliant Arena, not Reliant Stadium. They're 2 buildings in the same complex, but Reliant Stadium is the 60,000-seat home of the Houston Texans football team.

Rosie released. Rosie has been released. World Wrestling Entertainment wishes him the best in his future endeavors. credit: WWE.com, in a day or two I'm sure. RVD crushed HHH's trachea and didn't get fired.