Hunter's Torn Quad

Master's issues were apparently more psychological than drug related. Probably to do with him realising he'd have to lose the only thing that gave him his job. And Orton patterning himself after Rick Rude would explain his affinity for momentum-killing chinlocks.

They used to in WWE, but after Madusa dumped her title belt in the bin on a live Nitro, they got paranoid about it happening again and so the belt stays with someone else, usually a road agent, in between events. They can still get lost from time to time, though.

Kurt Angle. And he's not going to heal. Kurt pushes himself far too hard for the condition he is in, and WWE knows what condition he is in, but they continue to encourage his behavior by not taking a firm stand with him. Kurt is either going to die in the ring or have his career ended during a match.

They thought he looked/was too old.

Block A has: Jushin Liger, Satoshi Kojima, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Giant Bernard and Manabu Nakanishi Block B has: Yuji Nagata, Naofumi Yamamoto, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Makabe and Koji Kanemoto I think the semi's will be Tanahashi beating Kojima and Tenzan beating Nagata to set up Tanahashi beating Tenzan so he can avenge his loss in the 2004 finals. Liger and Yamamoto seem destined to be the respective jobbers of their groups, though one or both might get an upset win, with Yamamoto's being probably over Makabe or Kanemoto and Liger's possibly being over Nakanishi.

G1 Semi-Finals Satoshi Kojima defeated Koji Kanemoto 15 minutes, 41 seconds with a lariat. Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Giant Bernard in 11 minutes, 13 seconds with the Anaconda Vice. G1 Climax Final Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Satoshi Kojima in 27 minutes, 36 seconds with the 'Original TTD' to win the tournament. Tenzan winning makes no sense. With Kojima beating Tanahashi, would it not have made sense to put Kojima over so that Tanahashi could avenge his loss against Kojima and look even stronger when he did so? Why is Tenzan even in the finals? Tanahashi was meant to be this bright light to lead New Japan out of the darkness, and he doesn't even get to the semi's let alone the finals? The booking was terrible and it's hard to continue to care about New Japan when they make such a mess of something that should have been so simple.

As well as Lashley and Khali being cleared, Super Crazy may also be cleared too. Khali's elevated enzyme count was high enough to force him out but not considered dangerous. Lashley and Crazy's counts were high enough that it was strongly considered that they had hepatitis and were not expected to be back anytime soon and so were written out. Tatanka was told on 7/25 that he was going to be suspended for 30 days. Tatanka was upset over this, vowed to fight it and managed to past a second test even though it usually takes more than a week to get results back. When Tatanka was suspended, the odds of so many wrestlers (seven) in a row all on Smackdown to fail a drugs test or have liver issues was 729 to 1. The odds of five of them being cleared within seven days was "significantly more astronomical". There was talk of discrepincies between the people doing the testing and the personal phsyicians of certain wrestlers where if the doctor writes a prescription for steroids or other applicable drugs the wrestler could fail the test but still be cleared to wrestle. Matt Hardy and Kid Kash remain suspended with little over three weeks to go before they return. Jamie Noble was not suspended and was taken off because they will reform the Pitbulls when Kash returns and they had no role for Noble until then. Dr Roger Soloway, a hepatologist and professor of medicine at the University of Texas in Galveston talked to the local paper. the Galveston News, in a story regarding the liver problems, and downplayed the early fears of Hepatitis. He said Hepatitis A was likely have been rampant in the company if one of the wrestlers contacted because of the close quarters contact they all have and it would have spread in a hurry. Dave said that while you can't make a specific call in individual cases, many times when an athlete has elevated liver enzymes it is down to steroid use. Another quote from Dr Soloway: "It's not the case with growth hormone drugs, which affect every organ in the body, but steroids are metabolized through the liver." Ryan Reeves in developmental was suspended for 30 days. Says that if wasn't for his body there is no way he would have gotten a first look in the TE tryouts and it tells to why the situation is what it is. From Dave: Trish Stratus and Lita are expected to be gone within the next two months. Trish is getting married on 9/30 and her deal expires around the same time. She has not signed a new deal and is not negotiating a new one. She is expected to take a break and there are no signs she is even thinking about coming back at anytime soon. Lita's deal expires in the next month or two and there are no talks going on for a new deal. Lita has had strong money years and as saved her money up to where she is financially very comfortable. Lita is also expected to be gone for some time, but is considered likely to return at some point after a lengty rest. Summerslam is currently; Hogan vs. Orton, Edge vs. Cena for the WWE Title where the title can change hands via DQ, Michaels and HHH vs. Vince and Shane and Undertaker vs. Khali in a Last Man Standing match. Most likely at SS will also be Batista vs. Booker for the world title, Rey vs. Chavo, Flair vs. Foley, Finlay vs. Lashley or Finlay vs. Lashley vs. Regal for the US Title and possibly Big Show vs. Sabu for the ECW Title. Also might see James vs. Stratus for the women's title plus something with the IC Title. With Stephanie out of the picture backstage, Heyman is said to have had a greater hand in writing television. This weeks TV, I presume ECW, was mostly his stuff but not so with the non-televised matches. Heyman is also said to be getting more power regarding house shows as the current handling of it has been a complete flop. He's pushing for the house shows to be longer than two hours. Heyman is also pushing for changes in ECW creative including Dreamer getting back involved and Vince is said to be considering it. There was a lot of unhappiness over the crowd at the Hammerstein Ballroom, mostly, but not solely, down to the obscene chants. Production had to turn down the crowd audio due to the obscene chants and the feeling was the crowd was smart enough to know the chants would be a problem and did them anyway, though apparently it would not have been much of an issue if they had not crapped all over Batista, who is one of their handpicked guys. Batista letting it get to him as bad as he did didn't help, and the reactions made it very likely the 12/3 PPV would be moved to Chicago. However, the crowd did help CM Punk, who had been buried by Hunter, Shawn and Arn Anderson after his first television match, that wound not airing. Heyman was high on Punk from the beginning, however, and pushed him in OVW and picked him for ECW. The match getting over big made Vince, Heyman and other very positive and it sealed the deal on Punk getting a push that some had been against. Orton did an interview in WWE Magazine regarding his being suspended for someone stooging on his smoking a joint, which Dave, correctly, called simpliflying the issue a lot. Orton's 60 day suspension after WM as far as being the straw that broke the camel's back was on 3/28 when he was openly smoking a joint inside the Kemper Arena in front of people right after the first drugs test, and it was felt he was openly flaunting it and playing it like he's such a big star he can get away with breaking the rules so openly and they showed him otherwise. However, there were a couple of incidents leading into WM and repeated fines over the last couple of years that also played into it. The "Orton Knows Best" segment was said to be the idea of Michael Hayes. Dave called the segment lame and said it went on for too long. When Justin Credible was driving away from the Hammerstein Ballroom he saw some fans and yelled "Target rules" at them because he often gets chanted at over working at Target. Some people are unhappy over Kurt Angle being brought back because they know he shouldn't be out there but he is anyway.

Reactions aside, Cena's segments on Raw spike the ratings and even pull in over a million new viewers from time to time. I'd say that means his run at the top is working. Part of the problem is that with regards to wrestling fans tend to put wrestlers in one of two categories with regards to drawing power: Hulk Hogan and Failures. That isn't an accurate way of categorizing it at all. Just because somebody isn't The Rock, doesn't mean he can't draw. You would think that people would have the common sense to realize that you don't have to draw Austin/Rock level numbers to be a success. Those two, and Hogan, drew numbers on a level that very few will ever do, and to label Cena a failiure because he can't draw what they did is absurd.

Or they could put on a PPV and make money from it instead. You mean 40,000 buys will be HUGE? No match in TNA can draw over 50,000, maybe 40 but not 50. TNA is in a unique position where putting their big matches on free tv(with good build up,not like Steiner vs. Christian that only had a one week notice) will help them build up their young stars better. I predict that in two months, BFG will do around 45,000 buys. Really, Samoa Joe beating JJ in a clean,hard fought match in front of millions viewers LIVE on tv would have a bigger impact than putting it on ppv for cheap change. If the rumors is true about TNA getting a live two hour special on Monday in September when WWE Raw is on delay,WHY NOT? They can do the rematch at BFG and get the same amount buys. You mean 40,000 buys will be HUGE? If it's Joe vs. Sting, which I believe it has to be because that match will mean a hell of a lot more than Joe vs. Jarrett, then I think, with the right build, it could do TNA's best buy-rate in a long time. TNA is in a unique position where putting their big matches on free tv(with good build up,not like Steiner vs. Christian that only had a one week notice) will help them build up their young stars better. In theory, putting big matches on TV to build stars is a good idea, but not at the expense of matches that need to be saved for PPV. Joe's big title win is one of those matches. Really, Samoa Joe beating JJ in a clean,hard fought match in front of millions viewers LIVE on tv would have a bigger impact than putting it on ppv for cheap change. Not anytime soon. Right now, TNA is getting a base viewership that doesn't move a whole lot. A big Joe match on TV right now won't mean a whole lot. Down the line it probably would, but not right now. If the rumors is true about TNA getting a live two hour special on Monday in September when WWE Raw is on delay,WHY NOT? They can do the rematch at BFG and get the same amount buys. Doing a big rematch so soon after the initial encounter would not get anywhere close to the buys the very first encounter got. The big buy rate off of a dream match comes from the first time it happens, not the second, because the first time it happens is when it means the most. The second time it happens doesn't mean quite as much as the first time because you've already seen the match in question. Hogan vs. Michaels got around 560,000 buys. If they had done a rematch the next month, guaranteed it wouldn't have got anywhere near that number of buys. Do that rematch now, long after the first match, and it would have a far better chance of getting a strong buy rate than if the rematch was held the next month.

Or they could put on a PPV and make money from it instead.

Tanahashi not making it to the final is a big surprise and I cannot get the logic behind this. Tanahashi was meant to help get New Japan out of the darkness from Lesnar leaving, and they treat him like this? Stuff like that makes it very hard to care about New Japan when they do something so stupid. Kanemoto going the full 30:00 with Nagata is a surprise and an unexpected push for Kanemoto. FINAL POINT STANDINGS A BLOCK - Kojima (7 pts) -- #1 seed - Giant Bernard (5 pts) -- #2 seed - Tanahashi (4 pts) - Liger (2 pts) - Nakanishi (2 pts) B BLOCK - Tenzan (8 pts) -- #1 seed - Kanemoto (5 pts) -- #2 seed - Nagata (4 pts) - Makabe (3 pts) - Yamamoto (0 pts) G-1 SEMI-FINALS - Hiroyoshi Tenzan (B Block #1) vs. Giant Bernard (A Block #2) - Satoshi Kojima (A Block #1) vs. Koji Kanemoto (B Block #2) G-1 Final Tenzan/Bernard vs. Kojima/Kanemoto Unless New Japan loss their mind in this tournament, again, then it'll be Tenzan vs. Kojima in the finals. I think they should put Kojima over so they can build up to Tanahashi avenging his tournament loss, which would begin to make up for Tanahashi not making it to the knockout stage. There must be a record level of disinterest in this years G1.

Reactions aside, Cena's segments on Raw spike the ratings and even pull in over a million new viewers from time to time. I'd say that means his run at the top is working.

Vince wanted Sid specifically to face Hogan in the main event at WM VIII. Justice had a very good deal with WCW lined up when Vince called him up, and Vince promised Sid the WM VIII main event against Hogan to get him to jump.

I think it's more than a little unfair to use WM 19 as a piece of evidence against Lesnar's ability to draw. Lesnar might have been in the official main event, but the most pushed matches of that WM were Hogan vs. Vince and Austin vs. Rock. If Lesnar vs. Angle had gotten a real WM main event style push, then you could use it as evidence against his drawing ability.

Shawn getting $1.5M a year is going to do wonders for morale.

The spot Hogan gets heat for took place the month before at the Clash. Hogan took Vader's powerbomb and popped right back up. The only problem was Hogan had agreed beforehand to sell the move and his popping up was unplanned, except by Hogan. Vader kicking out of the legdrop during the Superbrawl match was fine because it was agreed upon by all beforehand. Hogan popping right back up from the powerbomb was not. That is why Hogan got heat for it, and it was heat he deserved.

I know it seems impossible to believe today, but back then Vince really did plan that far ahead. And more than just the WM V main event was planned in advance. Vince had Warrior eyed up to take the belt from Hogan at WM VI before Hogan had even won the belt from Savage.

The Eddie Memorial Raw. And Cena pinned Orton clean in the first SNME back in March.

Jeff Hardy is seen to not care about wrestling. If wrestling fans think a wrestler doesn't care (see; Lesnar, Brock or Goldberg, Bill), then that person usually becomes the focus of insane and inane hatred, regardless of whether they are any good or could be used to make a boatload of money. Not to say Jeff is either any good or could make a boatload of money, but if fans thought he cared about wrestling there would not be this insane hatred of the guy. That said, he really shouldn't be brought back if he truly hasn't cleaned up.

For sure it won't have the same zing it could have given they've wrestled each other a few times and Cena even pinned Orton clean in one of the matches, but I think it could, given the right build up, be their best prospect for a big money match that doesn't involve bringing back Austin, Rock, Hogan or Lesnar.

I know WWE would love Cena vs. Orton, as that is their big future money match. Failing that, I can see them resorting to Cena vs. Batista, which would have the atmosphere but would suck donkey balls for quality.

Flair, Arn, Tully and Ole. The first (sort of) and the best incarnation. Tully and Ole, but more Ole, get overlooked by a lot of people. Tully gets overlooked as far as his promo ability goes because if Arn Anderson being in there, but Tully was just as good as Arn on the mic. Ole Anderson falls into the same trap; a lot of people just do not realise how great Ole is on the mic. It's understandable with Flair and Arn there, but it still sucks that Ole never seems to get the recognition he deserves. Of course, both Tully and Ole were very good in the ring as well. Mongo was the drizzling shits and was the worst 'Horsemen' ever, with Paul Roma coming a close second. Roma was a million times the worker Mongo was, though that isn't saying much, but he had less than zero credibility, and his inclusion sullied the Horseman name almost as much as Mongo's inclusion did.

POINT STANDINGS Tenzan won as expected, Kanemoto and Nakanishi's wins were only mild surprises, but Kojima beating Tanahashi is a big surprise in that you would have expected New Japan to keep Tanahashi strong seeing as he is meant to be helping New Japan springboard out of a dark period. A BLOCK - Kojima (5 pts) - Tanahashi (4 pts) - Bernard (3 pts) - Nakanishi (2 pts) - Liger (2 pts) B BLOCK - Tenzan (6 pts) - Kanemoto (4 pts) - Nagata (3 pts) - Makabe (3 pts) - Yamamoto (0 pts) The next matches are: I think Bernard will beat Liger, Tenzan will beat Kanemoto, Tenzan will beat Makabe and most likely Kojima will beat Nakanishi.

That explains why the crowds are so electric for the D-X skits and Diva Search, and all the dead heat during matches like Benjamin-Michaels on Raw last year, and Taker-Angle on Smackdown this year. Wrestling fans want wrestling, no matter what Russo, Stephanie, or the failed sitcom writers want us to believe. When was the last time WWE scored a 6 or 7 in ratings with just "wrestling" Like it or NOT....Russo's concept is what brought the bucks in and the record ratings. People want action/crazy storylines/interesting characters. They don't want a 20 MINUTE match on TV filled with rest holds. The minute a rest hold is put on or the match goes on more than 5 minutes....the remote is clicked to another channel. The biggest ratings might have been scored with Russo's crap, but the company's biggest year financially was 2000-2001, when the wrestling was probably at the best level it's ever been for the company.