Hunter's Torn Quad

Kurt Angle was accomplished on the ground in his amateur wrestling prime, but that was over ten years ago and things have developed so far in that time that what Kurt knew is almost prehistoric now. In 2003, when Kurt was thinking about trying out for Olympics, he practiced with some top amateur wrestlers and said himself that those guys were so far ahead of where he was that he'd need at least 18-months of training just to catch up with them. Kurt is also over a decade removed from serious competition. When you've been out of competitive action for that long a time, certain reflexes dull and it will take to get those reflexes to where you can begin to make use of the natural talent you have. And that doesn't include all the new skills Kurt would have to pick up in order to be even half competitive with an accomplished striker. If Kurt was in his physical, and mental, prime, he'd probably become a top-level MMA fighter. But as he stands now, I don't see any amount of training that would make Kurt that skilled an MMA fighter. He's just too far gone and too broken down.

If he could come back in 6 months, couldn't he make it back to Mania literally just in time? Even if he's back to full health at six months, they'd have no way to know if he'd be in shape or condition to wrestle by the time Mania comes around, and at best they'd have one Raw to hype up his in-ring return with any kind of confidence that he'd actually be able to wrestle. For all the dumb things WWE have done, they're not going to hype up Cena's in-ring return with either one week's real notice or without knowing beyond all doubt he's going to be able to wrestle. I think the earliest Cena gets back in the ring, at least for a major PPV, is Summerslam next year.

Job boy for Undertaker. Beyond that, probably kept reasonably strong in the high end of the midcard and put into the main event scene when needed. Then you have the question of what would Austin have done at Wrestlemania XIII? Referee for Shawn/Bret? With the four-way set up from how Austin 'won' the Rumble, and Bret and Undertaker already taken care of, I'd guess that Austin would have faced Vader. For the referee for Bret and Shawn, I'd have put Ken Shamrock in the spot, similar to how he was the referee for Bret/Austin.

F4W

From OVW, Johnny Jeter insults Matt Cappotelli, and Dean Hill goes nuts!!! Johnny Jeter interrupts a phone interview by Matt Cappotelli to insult him some more, and announcer Dean Hill proceeds to go crazy. What makes it so great is that Hill had never so much as raised his voice in the six or seven years he'd been part of OVW, and this was completely out of character. The whole segment, done during Heyman's time in charge, was fantastic.

I, being the cynic, tend to believe the poll is fixed to show Val in the lead so they can do a humor spot with him on TV a la SR. I don't believe for a second that SR was ever in the "lead" in the last poll and that WWE said "well, he's in the lead in our poll, so let's make a joke about it on RAW." The joke was planned ahead and the poll is fixed. It's just too easy to fix a poll and let's face it. The WWE isn't in the business of listening to it's fans. Because it's unheard of for fans to vote for the jobber just to fuck with the poll?

The KOTRs aside from 2002 didn't do too bad either. I can't remember why 2002's was so low. Because it couldn't possibly have been the fault of the main event, the tournament format was blamed for the low number that year, and it got shelved. I'd say that Hardy gets the nod to give the audience a happy ending, and make up for Cena not being there, and then Hardy drops it Orton at Cyber Sunday to get over the idea that the fans choices can have major ramifications and to build to Hunter getting the belt at WM. Third time's the charm, maybe, for Hunter versus Orton at a Wrestlemania.

Pictures of Cena's surgery

He's on Heat this week. He may have been suspended for 30 days, but not 60. Latest issue of F4W says Snitsky was suspended for failing a drug test in the last month, and that he'd be returning this week. Which he did, in a dark match at the Raw taping.

Sid versus Shawn was supposed to take place again at the Raw Thursday special, with Shawn dropping the WWF Title to Sid to set up Sid defending against The Undertaker at WM XIII. Shawn would then face Bret at WM XIII and put him over there. Shawn wasn't down with that, and 'lost his smile', forcing them to vacate the WWF Title and put it up in the fatal four-way with Bret, Austin, Vader and Undertaker. Presumably, if Shawn had done business and dropped the WWF Title to Sid when he was meant to, Bret still would have won the four-way, as he was set to face Shawn at WM XIII. No idea what Shawn would have done at the PPV with the four-way, but common sense booking says he'd have won a singles match to give him a big win heading into the WM match with Bret. Job boy for Undertaker. Beyond that, probably kept reasonably strong in the high end of the midcard and put into the main event scene when needed.

With Cena out till April or so, Shawn might be locked in as far as the Wrestlemania main event. Maybe we will get that final installment of Shawn versus Hunter.

Not exactly a warm reaction for CM Punk.

If I'm doing any kind of spectacular or crazy dive, I'd be saving it for a PPV rather than a throwaway match on TV.

If Shawn is unsure about coming back, the promise of one more run with the title might be enough to sway him. He could always agree to it in return for being allowed to retire for good once Cena is back.

They can do that leave one pod empty and everybody wondering who he is going to be and when that wrestler is suppose to come out have Jericho's music come on You could do that. Or you could do something which doesn't ruin what little point there is to an Elimination Chamber (i.e. everyone starts in there, you remain in there until you are eliminated). Could always just tint the "glass" of the pod that the mystery man is standing in... And how would you hide his identity before he gets to the ring? Mask? If they don't want the crowd chanting for Jericho the entire time before he enters the match, they'd need to do more than put a mask on him. They can do the deal of not having him come out until it's his turn. Just time an elimination right, so that the door is open when it's time for Jericho to come in. Or simply open the door for him.

Good question. No one really knows what's happened to Snitsky. No one really cares, either.

They can do that leave one pod empty and everybody wondering who he is going to be and when that wrestler is suppose to come out have Jericho's music come on You could do that. Or you could do something which doesn't ruin what little point there is to an Elimination Chamber (i.e. everyone starts in there, you remain in there until you are eliminated). Could always just tint the "glass" of the pod that the mystery man is standing in... And how would you hide his identity before he gets to the ring?

That's more listing the possibilities than 'personally predicting' what the match will be. Vince making an announcement on TV doesn't necessarily rule out a surprise; there's nothing to say Vince won't make a multi-man match for No Mercy and say that one of the entrants won't be revealed until the match begins. This is WWE, remember? It wouldn't be the first time they've blown a money match or angle.

Just to give WWE another kick in the crotch:

The SSP is a risky move. Why do such a move when a safer move would get just as big a reaction?

If that happens, then Orton RKO's Umaga to win.

I don't think either of those is likely, for a number of reasons, but if it is one of those options, it'll be Jericho, if only because it's something they've at least hyped up. Giving away HBK's return with zero build would be stupid.

I think they'll go with Mr Kennedy against Randy Orton, and put the belt on Orton. Orton is in the match because he's in line for a title shot, and Kennedy gets the nod because he'll be credited as having injured Cena, and claim that means he should be the one to face Orton.

Looks like Cena is out of Wrestlemania then.