RavishingRickRudo

From Insidefighting... Bad Ass Breakdown: UFC 53 - 6/3/2005 by Phil Baroni Prefer Full Page Format? Click Here Live from Japan after his Pride debut, the "New York Bad Ass" Phil Baroni breaks down the televised portion of UFC 53 for the fans in what has become one of InsideFighting's most popular features, the Bad Ass Breakdown. Andrei Arlovski vs. Justin Eilers UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship Eilers comes into this fight with nothing to lose, and that’s a good way to approach a fight. He’s expected to get knocked out because he got knocked out in his last fight against Paul Buentello. Eilers is a big, strong, athletic kid. He’s got an excellent right hand, and Arlovski has a suspect chin. That is the big question in the fight. Can Arlovski take a big punch? So, I think this is a good move for Eilers. Coming off a loss, he can be the heavyweight champion of the world if he lands a big right hand. We know he has the power to do it because he knocked out Mike Kyle pretty easily. Eilers needs to come out aggressively and push the pace – that’s his only chance at winning. He needs to either land the right hand or put Arlovski on his back and drop some elbows. Arlovski is quicker, more skilled and the better on the feet. He will pick Eilers apart if he hangs back and fights cautiously. So Eilers has to make it a brawl – put his chin down and come forward punching. All the pressure is on Arlovski. He is the champ, so he needs to come in and take care of business, get this guy out of there quickly because Eilers is dangerous. He can do that by firing the right hand – either a straight right hand or a right uppercut – and put him to bed. How good is the champ's chin? On the ground, I give Arlovski the edge. Although I haven’t seen Eilers that much on the ground, Arlovski tapped out Aaron Brink with a nice arm bar and showed good composure with a submission against Sylvia. After dropping Tim, Arlovski was savvy enough to recognize the submission and take it rather than just jumping on him and throwing punches, which is the natural instinct. That showed great cage awareness. Arlovski is the rightful favorite in the fight because he brings a lot more to the ring. Joey Oddessa has the guy as a -325 favorite. I hate betting big favorites in the UFC. I love Arlovski to win. But as a betting man, I’d put $200 on Eilers at +250 and hope for the best. Hey, maybe he’s onto something by preparing with Jeremy Horn instead of Pat Miletich for this fight. Who knows? It’s worth a shot. Evan Tanner vs. Rich Franklin UFC Middleweight Championship This is going to be a great fight. Evan Tanner is a lot stronger at 185 pounds than 205 pounds. I can’t say the same thing for Rich Franklin, who looked somewhat weaker against Jorge Rivera. Also, this isn’t the same Tanner that Franklin faced at UFC 42. He is a lot more confident. He doesn’t see himself as a gatekeeper anymore. He sees himself as the champion that he is. Tanner showed a tremendous amount of heart in his two fights against me and his fight against Terrell – David had him in trouble for a minute. He has improved his standup slowly but surely. However, I wouldn’t stand and trade with Franklin because he’s still much better on the feet. But Tanner should be able to hang enough to get the clinch and take Franklin down. On the ground, Tanner is a lot better than people give him credit for. He is excellent on the bottom – a really good triangle to arm bar series. He choked out Robbie Lawler and arm barred Homer Moore, who is a really tough guy to submit. So, Tanner is an excellent finisher, but so is Franklin. Tanner has the edge in experience and in big fight experience, although Franklin easily won a big fight against Ken Shamrock. And I give the edge in chin to Tanner because Franklin got knocked out cold in Japan. So, if get into an exchange, it might be Rich Franklin who goes to sleep. Will Tanner feel the wrath of Franklin's standup (shown stopping Ken Shamrock) like he did at UFC 42? Granted, Franklin is the more skilled striker and has more tools on the feet. He has a really sneaky left high kick, and I can see that ending the fight. He is also very good in the clinch. I actually give him the striking edge in the clinch because he mixes it up more – Tanner has better knees, but Franklin is better with his hands and elbows. But the biggest factor in this fight is Tanner’s wrestling. Tanner is a much, much better wrestler. He can take Franklin down whenever he wants, which is what he should do. It’s no big secret that Franklin’s wrestling is his biggest weakness. Franklin’s guard is a good defensive guard, but Tanner is a nasty finisher from the top. So Rich doesn’t want to be on his back in this fight. Honestly, at first blush, I thought this was an easy win for Franklin. But when you really break down the match up, it’s a lot closer than the results of their first fight would indicate. And Tanner’s wrestling edge allows him to decide where the fight will unfold, which is HUGE. If he doesn’t want to stand, he doesn’t have to. And that will decide the fight. The odds should be a pick’em. But fans love Franklin because he’s exciting, athletic and is getting a big push from the UFC. The bet on this fight is that it doesn’t go the distance – that is definitely the bet. Based on Oddessa’s odds, I’m definitely taking putting big money on the underdog. I’m definitely taking the champ, without a question. I’d put $500 on Tanner. He’s outmatched in every fight on paper, but he finds a way to win. Karo Parisyan vs. Matt Serra Welterweight Bout I think jiu-jitsu is better for MMA than judo. Granted, judo is more versatile with takedowns and submissions, but jiu-jitsu is more submission oriented and is better for fights that spend a lot of time on the ground. However, I don’t like Serra moving up in weight. I don’t think he ever had submission in a major fight when he fought at 170 pounds. Parisyan, though, really doesn’t finish fights on the big stage, either. It would be nice to see one of them finish the fight on Saturday. Karo’s judo game is more aggressive and better suited for MMA than sport judo guys like you find in Japan. Gokor and Judo Gene LeBell really train guys for fighting. So where a lot of judo guys get easy takedowns and then get tapped on the ground because they aren’t that experienced spending a lot of time on the ground, Parisyan is experienced. He is very comfortable on the ground, so Serra will have a ton of trouble submitting him. I like Karo, and I like him by knockout Also, when you’re getting thrown on your head, you lose your orientation so you lose position and end up getting your guard passed on the takedown. Serra has to be very careful of that because Parisyan will throw him. He has to be very careful about Parisyan passing on impact. It’s a super tough fight to call. But I give the edge to Parisyan. He has the better chin, without question. Parisyan is the harder puncher, but he’s very wild. Has Serra really been working hard on his standup like he claims? I don’t know. Parisyan has the strength advantage because he’s a big 170-pound guy. I really like Parisyan in the fight, and I actually like him by knockout. Parisyan is a -170 favorite, so I’d throw $200 on him. Nick Diaz vs. Koji Oishi Welterweight Bout Nick Diaz keeps himself busy with grappling matches and he just had a pro boxing match. I like that. The best way to prepare for competition is to compete regularly – it doesn’t have to be MMA, any competition working on a facet of your game is good. Diaz is a very well-rounded fighter, and he is young and loves to fight. I like that attitude. Oishi is another in a long line of Japanese fighters who comes from an MMA background, not a boxer or wrestler who transitioned, but a guy who started his training in MMA. That makes him a jack of all trades, master of none. He’s tough in every aspect, but Diaz is just better in every area. I love Diaz in this fight, and I like him to stop his opponent by submission or knockout. But the odds are killing me. -325 is a lot of chalk to lay on anyone. This is a big opportunity for Koji to make a name for himself. So, I’d lay $100 on the underdog and hope for the best once again. Forrest Griffin vs. Bill Mahood Light Heavyweight Bout Griffin is good at light heavyweight. Is he the real deal? I don’t know. When I watched his fight against Stephan Bonnar live at the arena, I thought Bonnar won. I haven’t watched the tape. I thought Bonnar hurt him more, although it was a great fight. But I have to watch it again. I have a feeling Griffin will come out and look to brawl once again. That is what Bill Mahood wants because he loves to bang on the feet. The question I have, though, is whether Griffin really has any power in his strikes. Did he ever really hurt Bonnar? I’m not sure. If not, can he hurt Mahood? Cote did. We’ll have to see. It will be an easy night if Griffin takes Mahood down Look, there is no doubt that Griffin is ultra tough. The guy has a big, big heart. He is a very game fighter. And this is a good chance for him to start cashing in on his fame from “The Ultimate Fighter.” But I think this fight is a lot closer than most think. Honestly, I think the whole fight comes down to a mental game. But did Forrest’s celebrity go to his head? If so, he’s in trouble. Did his fame go to his head? If so, he loses. But I don’t know Forrest as a person, so I can’t say. On paper, he should win easy. However, Mahood is super hungry. He thought he blew his UFC chance when he got knocked out by Cote. Now, he gets a second chance. That is precisely the situation that I faced in my last fight. It was super motivating because I’m not anybody’s stepping stone. I think Bill Mahood will react the same way. I like that, so my money is on the underdog once again - $75 on Mahood. By the way, the fans want to see another standup war. But a fighter only has so many of those wars in the tank. If Griffin wants to be a star, he’s going to come out and bomb with Mahood. But if he’s smart and if he has trainers who care about it, he won’t. He needs to save the miles on the engine for a bigger fish. If Griffin comes out looking to take Mahood down and submit him, then I think he wins easy. But he seems like a crazy kid, so I think he’s coming out to brawl.

YOU LIE! WHY MUST YOU LIE?! Shane's role in this is still being decided. He has been an enemy of the KO6 for some time and knew they were a threat, while Vince was too confident that he could keep power. Vince never knew the exact relationship and motivation of the 6, but like most, he knew there was "something" going on with some particular wrestlers (Taker was a shock). But when you have those wrestlers, and others, say stuff like "Everything goes through Vince, he makes the call", you get caught up in it and believe the hype and think you can't be manipulated. Shane, on the other hand, saw what was happening and tried to stop it by buying WCW and trying to take control of the WWE. The guy is a part of the angle already, it just depends on how much of a part he is. Ultimately, this is about empowering the new guard of professional wrestling to take over the old guard, so that wrestling can have a brighter future. Actually, I think I *just* figured out what Shane will be doing. Thanks. Trust me, it won't be McMahon vs. McMahon.

What makes this show really great is that I've seen the pilot now about 6 or 7 times, and I desperately want to see it again JUST so I can revist the characters and see where they were when they first landed. It was a different show back then.

Also. 1. Bret's anger was directed mainly at Vince for letting it happen. Bret felt betrayed that 15 years of work meant nothing. Bret saw the writing on the wall with the Kings, so the betrayal wouldn't be as deep. 2. Who'd believe him?

I know early April was busy for Dana White, but he could have -you know- tried to plan ahead for June a lil better because this show has got nothing but neglect from the UFC, even though the card itself is bound to produce some good-great matches. I don't think I've seen a company lose that much momentum. Hey, two popular Ultimate Fighter contestants are debuting, didja know?! Unless you follow the UFC hardcore, you probably didn't... and so a lot of the audience the UFC gained from TUF don't. Good move Zuffa~! Anywho, my Grandfolk are comin over from PEI on Saturday, so it's up-in-the-air whether or not I'll be seeing this on PPV. I really want to, cause there are some potential blow out matches on this card that could make it a sleeper PPV of the year, but they're old and my grandmother thinks the Simpsons is controversial so I can't imagine her reaction to the UFC. (Hey, if you live in the GTA, I'll go 50/50 and bring dip!) Official Fight Card Interim Heavweight Championship Andrei Arlovski vs. Justin Eilers Middleweight Championship Evan Tanner vs. Rich Franklin Welterweight Bouts Matt Serra vs. Karo Parisyan Nick Diaz vs. Koji Oishi Middleweight Bouts David Louiseau vs. Charles McCarthy Nathan Quarry vs. Shonie Carter Light Heavyweight Bout Forrest Griffin vs. Bill Mahood Heavyweight Bout Paul Buentello vs. Kevin Jordan

Their ultimate agenda is to be on TV and be famous. Money is a secondary issue. It's about ego, it's about staying on top. It goes back to why HHH has to try and keep his spot, even though his is "in the family" now. It goes back to why Ric Flair is still taking backdrops in his 50's. The Kings saw/see Batista and Cena as threats because the more popular they get, the more airtime they get, and the less air time the KO6 get. Without TV time, what are they? Bradshaw and HHH already tried to get the titles off the two and failed, they don't want to take a step back anymore so they pushed ahead and said "now is the time". In other words... yes, you are exactly up until the last point. Money isn't so much of an issue - well, it probably is with Bradshaw, but most if it is ego.

I throw people off bridges so I can steal their (better) ideas and claim them for my own.

I will say this - the end will probably be what you think it will be, but what gets the story there won't.

Taker meaning to injure HBK wouldn't actually be mentioned on TV, the way I wrote the history piece was to explain the group to smarks and not the regular viewing audience. The implication would still be there, though, and it's a potential avenue to go into in the future. Things may work out that way, where HBK "discovers" that Taker intentionally went into their RR98 match looking to injure him, and that causes a rift in the group. Will it? I dunno, I'm not that far ahead. But then again, I never planned on Stephanie becoming CEO -cause I fuckin can't stand her in any capacity- but it just worked out that way. Bradshaw talking to the WWE investors, it wasn't planned, but it worked out that way - the Stephanie thing flowed from that because she was the only person that I could think of that could legitimately assume the role of CEO and be "bad"; plus there's the connection with HHH (and even Taker). Kayfabe is a delicate thing, and this definitely steps on and over the line in a lot of instances. Taker and HHH really do have a lot of control, HBK had a lot of control and probably still does, Angle is working his way around the political field, Bradshaw is a key figure backstage, and Flair -once upon a time- had lots of control as well. Backstage clout is not a kayfabe thing, it's a shoot, but the thing is - you can still see the effects of it on TV. HHH getting that much TV time, that he always gets the title, ain't because he's the best actor or the best wrestler. I don't know how many fans are in-tune with that sort of thing, but I don't think the concept is foreign to many. However, the pretense of wins and losses and that competitive aspect in wrestling is still there. It's not "Michaels got Vince to book him to win", it's "HHH/Michaels got Vince to go in on the screw job", or "Flair dropped the title to Hart", "Hart/Luger agreed to the double win at RR", wins and losses are still decided in the ring, not backstage. HHH/HBK are buddies in real life, they positioned themselves in a year-long blood feud because it would gain them the most exposure, they beat the crap out of each other on TV because it was best for both of them. Shane McMahon will be used later-on. I don't like Stephanie either. But her role is that of a CEO, and you don't see the CEO on TV all the time. That's why I tried to get her to put the focus on the group rather than on herself. "It's their time". She won't be featured as a regular player on the shows and only will come in when needed. Angle was a tough one, and he is a bit of a wildcard in the group. He hasn't been around as long as the rest of them, he is the newest member in the group, and really his interests may not be with the group, but rather are more towards self-preservation. And the KO6's interests in him may not be too genuine either. He could be a possible weak link... (thanks for bringing that up, I think you just added another layer to the story )

Wonderfalls is on the long list of DVDs that I have to get. Tim didn't create the show, but he was brought in by Fox to totally overhaul it. It was originally supposed to be about a female FBI agent sent into a high school. The only thing that remained after Minear got through with it, I believe, was the actress who played the FBI agent.

A Bradshaw/Taker relationship already exists backstage, and has existed for quite some time. There are elements that are shootish in this storyline and that is one of them. I thought the "like any good investment" part kinda summed it up, with him playing a lesser role in front of the camera. There usually always is one unlikely guy in the trio - with Taker/Flair/Hart, it was Hart. With Hart/Taker/Michaels, it was Michaels. Taker/HHH/Michaels it was Taker, so Taker had to change that and brought in Bradshaw. And yes, it was mainly because of Bradshaws push last year. That had to be explained, somehow. Plus, Bradshaw is such a good character for this sorta thing.

It took me a second to realize what MGS2 meant. I assume there is a shadow conspiracy in it. That part is definitely influenced by something, but it's not a video game.

Sorry. I'm a playa hata. *Hands B-Rizzle a 40*

Sooo good. All 3 guys made me lauf.

It's a lot of things, but its not that. See, The New Bloods had Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner in it... 10 year vets... they were inherently flawed.

Christian should just call Cena out continually, like Cena did Brock. Keep up the "You're a Poseur!" stuff. Cena ignores it and does his thing, but Christian takes it too far.

Dude, the center of the fucking earth is a pretty big deal. What if they opened up something when they reached it which effected the island?

YOU ARE SHITTING ME! I thought that was programmed for mid season next year. FUCK YEAH! Tim Minear is the show runner and David Fury is also a part of it. FUCK YEAH!!

If there are other things to buy (coughPRIDE20cough), don't get PRIDE 18. It's not really historically significant, unless you want a set up for Vovchanchyn vs. Alistair Overeem. SPOILERS I think the lumps on Otsukas head after Wanderlei gets done with him, and Takayamas head bouncing against against Semmy are pretty good reasons to get it. I can't recall Ninjas fight or Horns' though. Jacksons fight is disappointing. PRIDE 19 was better also.

*Smackdown Week 5* This is a "special" episode of Smackdown. It is airing right after the raw reveal, and it is announced on RAW that this special will take place. It is entirely dedicated to the rise of The Kingdom of 6 (KO6). This story is an kayfabed explanation (using real life events) to explain how (and why) the WWE got to where it is today. It isn't in full detail, but I try to provide a lot of the visual cues. Some stuff may be left out, but it best explains the story of the KO6. Those who know some of the particulars of WWEs past may enjoy this more than others. A lot of the inside info is from what I have gathered over the years. It started in 1991 when Ric Flair entered the WWF. After dominating the NWA/JCP for nearly a decade, where he had full control over his destiny and the 4 horsemen watching his back, Flair ended up in the WWF where Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan controlled things. Flair couldn't have that, he needed leverage. So he scoured the locker room looking for allies. He found them in a dominating giant named "The Undertaker", who was set up for a title shot against Hogan, and a young prospect named Bret Hart. Hart had a family alliance in Jim Neidhart, The British Bulldog, and Owen Hart that could be exploited, so he became an potential asset for the group. In the 1920's there was a group called the "Golddust Trio". They consisted of Strangler Lewis, Toots Mondt, and Billy Sandow. They controlled the wrestling business and took a lot of the power away from the promoters and Flair had similar aspirations for his trio in the 1990's. They got the name "The 3 Kings" by those in the know. *shot of Flair helping Taker win the world title in 1991* *shot of Flair winning the world title at RR92* *shot of Hart winning the IC title at WM 8* They worked mainly in secrecy, because if anyone knew that the 3 were working together they'd be split up. Each guy was different from the other, Flair was a wild man, Hart was a straight man, and Taker -well- Taker was a dead man; so it would be hard to draw a connection between the 3. They didn't necessarily like each other, but they had an understanding between the three of them. If they were to meet in the ring, they'd go at it full-force with the knowledge that the power stayed in the group no matter who won or lost. And if the group was powerful, then the individuals in the group would be powerful. Together they came up with plans to keep the gold in their group - to keep each other in the spotlight and making money - to keep themselves in power. Each guy worked his own angle, became friends with other wrestlers and behind-the-scenes workers, and thus started a network of influence. *shows wrestlers who were in the network of influence... Piper, Perfect, Roberts, Bulldog, etc.* They were still in the growth stage when Flair saw the writing on the wall - Hogans power was dwindling, but he still had influence over McMahon. And both McMahon and Hogan did not like Flair. Flair had the title in the Summer of 92, but knew that he was going to be fired in the next few months. He wanted the trio to keep power just incase he ever returned to the WWF. *shot of Flair losing the title to Hart* Flair was gone in early 1993, but Hart still had the belt. Taker and Hart both knew they needed a new member, because 2 guys couldn't take on the entire WWF by themselves. Flair knew this too, and so he got to talking with a new WWF wrestler, and a former NWA buddy, named Lex Luger. Luger was seen by McMahon as a hot property, and a possible successor to Hogans musclebound throne. Lex, a former horsemen, agreed to become one of the 3 Kings on the good word of Flair. At WM 9 Hart lost the title to Yokozuna (who lost it on a powerplay to Hogan who lost it back to Yoko at the first KOTR - which Hart ended up winning). Luger got his shot at Yoko at Summerslam and failed. Both he and Taker took on Yoko at Survivor Series. Taker took on Yoko at the Royal Rumble and failed. However, though Taker lost that night, Luger and Hart were still in the royal rumble together. *shot of Luger and Harts feet touching the floor at the same time* It was a contingency plan just in case Taker lost that night. Hart knew he couldn't beat Yokozuna on his own, and he was hoping that McMahon would have made it a 3 way at WM if he and Luger came to a draw - instead we got Luger/Yoko and Hart/Hart, with the winner of Luger/Yoko facing Hart in the main event. Bret won the title that night and had the locker room carry him on their shoulders, the power remained with the 3 Kings. And since Owen Hart was Brets top contender and also his brother, the future for the group was looking up. Luger, however, was losing steam rapidly. Taker and Hart started to look for a potential third, incase Luger ended up jumping to WCW. They couldn't kick Luger out, they had made a promise to Flair to keep him in the group, but they needed some insurance. Around this time (post WM X) a wrestler who Hart knew well was making a name for himself. His name was Shawn Michaels. Michaels had been forming his own alliance with Diesel and Razor Ramon, but it was more for having fun than having power. HBK showed signs of being a true power player, though, in how he organized keeping the IC belt between he and Razor. Taker and Hart saw this and went to Michaels with a proposition - for him to become a hidden fourth member of the group. Michaels agreed, and with 7 wrestlers (3 official - Hart, Luger, Taker - / 4 unofficial -HBK, Nash, Hall, Owen-), the power for the group was consolidated and doubled. The 3 Kings became a Kingdom; A Kingdom of 7. Through the second half of 1994 and throughout 1995 they dominated the WWF. *shots of continuous pairings between the 6* - Diesel vs. Hart KOTR 94 - Owen vs. Ramon KOTR 94 - Owen vs. Bret SS 94 - Ramon vs. Diesel SS 94 - Ramon vs. Owen, Michaels, Diesel SSe 95 - Hart vs. Backlund SSe 95 - Backlund vs. Diesel (the next night) - Diesel vs. Hart RR95 - Shawn Michaels wins the 1995 Royal Rumble - Diesel vs. Michaels WM12 Luger was pushed to the side where he saw Michaels and his crew get pushed to the moon along with Hart and Taker. Hart passed Luger off to his brother in law, the British Bulldog where they formed the Allied Powers. Luger, however, couldn't take being put on the backburner and left for WCW soon after. Shawn Michaels became a permenant member of the 3 Kings. By RR 96, all was going smoothly. Taker and Hart were in the main event against each other for the title, and Michaels had won his second straight RR title. The Power remained in the group. The group was strong. At WM 12, Hart and Michaels main evented while Diesel and Taker were co-main eventing. However, problems were beginning to arise. Nash and Hall didn't like the fact that Hart and Taker were controlling things, and that the power belonged within the kliq. Hart and Taker knew this and saw a potential coup d'etat. They squashed it by slipping some info to WCW (through Flair) that Nash and Hall were unhappy in the WWF and that a large money counter-offer would get them to leave. They also had Flair (who they knew Nash and Hall were fans of) get in their ears about a potential power situation in WCW. The result was Hall and Nash leaving for WCW with no ill-will from either side. Another problem during this time was from within the locker room. The power of the 3 Kings had gotten obvious, as the kliq made it no secret that they had control, and Hart and Taker were starting to feel the heat. Hart decided to take some time away and let everything cool down. He would still be in the kingdom and have influence over the direction of the WWE, infact, he was hoping for more influence as he was renegotiating a contract with McMahon at the same time. The terms of the contract would guarantee him some of the same control Hogan had in WCW and would also extend beyond his wrestling career. With Hart gone, HBK was defending the belt constantly and Taker was in a high profile feud with Mankind. *shots of HBK defending against Sid, Vader, Mankind, Taker* When Hart returned, he started a feud with Steve Austin - who was starting to develop a strong following. Hart and Taker saw this, and Hart proposed molding Austin into his successor in the kingdom when he planned to retire in the coming years. HBK wanted his buddy HHH to take that spot. This caused a strong rift between the three, and since HBK's power had grown in Harts absense, no decision could be made either way. Shawn made the case that Austin didn't like it in WCW when Hogan had the power, so why would he want to be like that in the WWF? Plus, Hunter had proven himself to be a manipulator (willingly laying down for Warrior so that he could get on McMahons good side) and was fitting for the role. Both sides manipulated behind the scenes to get "their guy" a power spot on the roster. Austin ended up winning the RR in 1997 and Hunter won the IC title. HBK decided to throw a wrench in Taker and Harts plan of pushing Austin when he "lost his smile" and vacated the title. Hart had a problem with this, but Taker did not - since he ended up winning the title anyways at WM 13. Hart responded with his memorable match with Austin that made Austin a superstar. The Kings remained in power, but there was a growing rift between the 3. There was a battle between Hart and Michaels, with Taker in the middle. The two bickered and fought, and at the same time Bret was shooting a documentary. This annoyed Taker, because he thought it opened the possibility of the Kings being exposed. HHH won the King of the Ring in 1997 and he and Michaels were paired up as DX. The main event for Summerslam that year was Taker vs. Hart with Michaels as a special guest ref - Austin was positioned with Brets brother Owen and HHH was put with Mankind - who had proven to be an asset for the Kings in the past, for matches and feuds. *shot of SS 97* Though Hart had the title, he didn't like where things were going. Taker was leaning towards HHH, feeling that Austin had bad blood towards the Hart family for his "accident" at Summerslam 97 and was getting too big popularity-wise to control. Hart was also worried that McMahon might back out of the contract that guaranteed Hart a power position in the future. He, like Flair before him, saw the writing on the wall and started looking for options. Bret knew he would end up losing the power struggle to HBK, so he wanted to know what the best way out was. He came up with a solution, which ultimately ended up being drawing to a no contest in Montreal and dropping the title the next night on RAW. HHH had other plans. *shot of SSe 97* Tired of sitting on the sidelines, HHH got in HBK and Vinces ear about a screw job in Montreal. He saw that Bret was trying to keep power for himself and not the group, and that if they let Bret just drop the title they (the Kings) would look like pussies. He got his way and that night HBK beat Hart for the title, and HHH became the third member in the Kingdom. Things were looking up for HBK and HHH, but Taker saw things differently. He was the only original member of the 3 Kings remaining, and he was guaranteed to be out-voted on every issue by best-buds HBK/HHH. He had to do something, and at RR98 he did. *shot of Taker backdropping HBK on the casket* HBK, who had a long list of back injuries in the past, took a career-ending injury in his RR match with Taker. Before Michaels' last match against Steve Austin, Taker confronted him making sure HBK would "do the right thing" and drop the title to Austin and get the shift of power over with. Taker knew that Austin could not be pursuaded to join the Kings, after the SS97 incident it was clear HBK and Hunter could not be trusted and were no better than Hogan. Austin was huge, and there was no way to wrestle power from him. Taker knew that they had to wait it out and that the days of 95/96 were long gone. He and HHH still kept a high profile in 1998, they still had a lot of power, with Taker feuding with Austin and HHH leading the very popular DX. But with HBK gone, they still needed a 3rd member. Someone who they could trust, who would not get too big and ruin everything they had built for 7 years, and someone who no one would guess would be a part of a power group like the 3 Kings. Enter Bradshaw. Bradshaw, a Texan (like Taker), had a football background, was tough and could hold his own, had been around for years, and was trusted backstage. He also was a favourite of McMahon and Ross and continually got chances with the company. After WM 14, he alligned with Taker and HHH and got a semi-push against Kaientai and was also entered in the Brawl 4 All where he made it to the finals. He caught a lucky break when he and Faarooq teamed together to form the Acolytes, which just-so-happened to be a part of Takers newly formed Ministry of Darkness. The first half of 1999 was a very good year for the Kings. HHH was on the verge of a big heel push, Taker was involved in the main event scene with Austin and McMahon, and Bradshaw was going strong with the acolytes. They weren't as prominent as they were at their peak in 1996, but they were rebuilding. And best of all, no one was aware of their connection. *shots of Taker feuding with Austin* The second half was extremely good for them as HHH was put in a top heel spot and was involved in main event programs and won the title in August and then again in September. The group caught a break when, at Survivor Series 1999, Steve Austin -their biggest hurdle for dominance in the WWF- got hit by a car. Also, HHH had begun to form a relationship with Vince's daughter, Stephanie. *shots of HHH's rise to power* *shot of Austin getting hit by a car* 2000, however, presented a problem for the group. Taker was off of television, and 5 wrestlers became threats even greater than Austin. They were The Rock, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, The Big Show, and Kurt Angle. The Kings had worked on burying both The Big Show and Chris Jericho (Taker worked on burying Big Show, while HHH handled Jericho) *shots of Jericho facing various kliq members - roaddogg, chyna -, Big Show riding around on a casket, paired with Taker, getting pedigreed by HHH for the title* They didn't see Benoit as much of a threat, but they knew he was _a_ threat, since he didn't put up with political bullshit. *shot of HHH pinning Benoit in their first match* Angle was handled from afar, with the group taking a hands-off approach with him. *shot of Angle getting beaten by Tazz* The Rock was, by far, the biggest problem. HHH personally disliked The Rock, and Rock was being protected by those within the company (Pat Patterson). He was too big to get buried and, like Austin, they could only try to control his growth. And the only way they could control his growth was by being around him. *shots of HHH vs. Rock feud, Taker being involved in the Ironman match* However, 3 of the men they tried to get rid of earlier moved back up the ladder, and at Fully Loaded 2000 those three men had to be put down again. *shot of Taker beating Angle, HHH beating Jericho, Rock beating Benoit* In the mean time, Bradshaw became a popular performer in front of the camera with Faarooq when they created the APA, and a very feared person in the locker room as an 'enforcer'. *Shot of Bradshaw cutting a promo on Edge and Christian at Fully Loaded* The group caught a lucky bounce when Rock went to do acting. Taker knew the effects hollywood had on a popular wrestler as he saw it first hand with Hogan, and -using his locker-room leader status- encouraged Rock to continue-on in acting. Just when their luck was improving, a former enemy of theirs came back, and a threat just became bigger. *Shot of Steve Austin trying to find his attacker* *Shot of Rikishi admitting it was him.* *Shot of Austin finding out it was HHH who arranged it* *Shot of Austin beating HHH at SS00* *Shot of Angle beating Taker at SS00* Taker and HHH had to think fast, they were losing the power they had taken years to build. They both were involved in the WWF title match at Armageddon, but Angle managed to squeak through. *shot of Angle winning at Armageddon* *shot of Angle winning against HHH at Royal Rumble* *shot of Austin winning the royal rumble* *shot of Rock beating Angle at NWO* Though in the ring they were failing, outside the ring HHH had made advancements in his relationship with Stephanie and they became a couple by the start of 2001. This relationship allowed the group to regain some of its power. *shot of HHH beating Austin at NWO 01* *shot of Steph beating Trish* At WM 17, Austin and Rock - the groups two biggest barriers - were in the main event fighting for the WWF title. HHH and Taker had no one in their league to feud with, so they came up with a decision to feud with each other, so they could keep the spotlight -and therefore the power- within the group. *shots of Taker vs. HHH feud* In the meantime, they managed to get Steph to convince Vince to turn Austin heel and pair him with Hunter after Mania. They feuded against (none-other-than) Taker and Kane. *Shots of Vince pairing with Austin, Austin pairing with Hunter and the 2 man power trip and taking out Rock* *Shots of Taker/Kane vs. HHH/Austin and their respective matches* With Rock gone and HHH/Taker in the top positions in the company, power was shifting back towards the group. Bad luck managed to strike again when HHH got injured in a tag match against Jericho and Benoit. *Shot of the quad tear* Just as they were starting to rise to ultimate power, they sunk into their deepest low. Not a single one of them were in the title picture, the group had seemingly lost all power. During all this, Shane McMahon had purchased WCW and had put Vince on notice. *Shot of the final Nitro, including Ric Flairs "You can't hold us in the palm of your hand" speech* Shane knew the power the Kings wielded, even if his father doubted, and saw HHH's injury as a prime opportunity to take over the company and get rid of the 3 Kings once and for all. HHH, not knowing Shane McMahons motives, saw this as a last-chance point of attack to gain power in the WWE and urged Stephanie to get in on the battle... not knowing that Steph would end up buying ECW and alligning with her brother. Since HHH was rehabbing in Kentucky, and Steph striking out on her own, his influence was kept to a minimum. Taker and Bradshaw were left to fight off the attacks of WCW and ECW. The Kingdom was seemingly destroyed. The InVasion, however, was short-lived and as soon as it was over, HHH's return was announced. Perhaps power also would return to the Kings? It did. And it was in the form of it's founding member... *shot of Ric Flair coming down to ringside and announcing his co-ownership of the WWF* With Flair back, power in the WWF immediately shifted towards the Kings, who were now a Kingdom of 4. Not even Rock and Austin could stop them. *shot of HHH winning the royal rumble* Vince McMahons back was against the wall. He saw power in his company shifting over to Flair and he had to do something fast to remedy it. *shot of Vince bringing back the NWO* Hogan, Hall, and Nash were the biggest threats the group had ever faced. Hall and Nash had turned on Flair in WCW and alligned with Hogan and formed the NWO, and Hogan had been the original cause for Flair starting the 3 Kings. Them being alligned with McMahon meant the Kings were out-gunned. Though HHH won the title at WM 18, all eyes were on Hogan/Rock. Austin went on to face Hall. The only thing Taker and Flair could do to stay in the spotlight was to face each other. *various shots of WM 18* As things were looking their darkest, a light emerged on the Kingdom. Hall was fired from the WWF and the NWO soon became irrelevant. Hulkamania was still running wild though, and Hunter had to give up the title, knowing full-well that Taker would pick up the pieces. *Shots of Backlash 02* *HHH losing to Hogan, with Taker interfering* *Taker going over Austin, with Flair as ref* Another former member returned during this time. *shot of Shawn Michaels returning* The Kingdom was getting stronger by the month. Taker had lost the title at Vengeance, so HHH and Shawn decided to keep the spotlight on themselves in a 'heated blood feud'. As all of this was going on, a wrestler by the name of Brock Lesnar was making an impact. The group knew this man could be a threat to their rise to power, so they tried to squash him... but not before he eliminated 2 of their enemies. *shots of Brock beating Hogan and Rock* *shots of Taker and HHH beating on Brock on a post-SS RAW* By the fall of 2002, the group was back in power. The WWE had split the two shows, Smackdown and Raw, up where Taker dominated Smackdown in a feud against Lesnar, and HHH dominated Raw by holding its title. Taker failed in taking down Brock, and the group was getting spread thin on both shows. They needed a new member. By the end of the year, they approached Kurt Angle for the 6th position. Impressed by Angles ability to endure, the group saw him as an asset. He agreed, on the condition that he be allowed to call up 2 guys from OVW to assist in him getting and keeping the gold. HHH's connections w. Steph allowed those two men to be called up and Kurt called them The Worlds Greatest Tag Team (or the best damned tag team period...) By RR03, the group controlled both top titles. WM 19 had 3 of the 4 top matches belong to the group. HBK defeated Jericho, HHH defeated Booker, Lesnar defeated Angle. Austin had his last match and Rock was going to go back to Hollywood after putting over Goldberg. Taker also defeated Albert/Big Show. Kevin Nash was brought in to feud with HHH, Goldberg was brought in to also try to bring down HHH; it was a last-ditch effort by a select few behind-the-scenes who knew what was coming. They failed. By Summerslam 03, the group held both belts again and were dominating the show. The rest of the year was more of the same, the only wrench in their plans was Brock Lesnar. If they could get rid of Lesnar, they'd have supreme control over the WWE. At No Way Out 04, their savior came in the form of an unlikely mexican named Eddie Guerrero. Eddie took the title from Lesnar, and the group responded by setting Kurt Angle with a title shot at Wrestlemania. However, as long as Lesnar was there, he remained a threat. An opportunity presented itself when Lesnar approached Taker with a question- the question was regarding football. Taker told Lesnar to follow his heart, which was the answer that led to Lesnar giving his notice to the company. All was going according to plan, except for 2 wrestlers who refused to go along. *Shot of Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero celebrating in-ring at WM 20 with the titles* At WM 20, Benoit defeated HHH and Michaels and Guerrero defeated Angle. Taker returned and defeated Kane. HHH wanted to personally deal with Benoit, while Guerrero was chosen to be dealt with differently. For years Bradshaw stayed behind the scenes and waited his turn. After WM 20 his turn came as the group elevated him to main event status. John Bradshaw Layfield ended up defeating Eddie Guerrero at the Great American Bash, while The Undertaker main evented against The Dudley Boyz. Power, at least on Smackdown, was returned -and kept- for the rest of 04. *Shots of Bradshaw vs. Taker* On Raw, things got difficult. Both HHH and Michaels could not take the title away from Benoit. *shots of every HHH/Benoit, HHH/Michaels match during Benoits title reign*. So they decided to sabotage his reign by feuding with each other again and upstaging him. *Shots of HIAC at Bad Blood* During this time a great threat presented itself. *Shots of Eugene* Eugene was becoming very popular, very fast and his growth had to be curved. HHH saw to that personally. *Shots of HHH vs. Eugene feud, with HHH beating Eugene at Summerslam* In his place, HHH chose Randy Orton to get rid of Benoit. HHH knew that if Randy won, he could easily get the title from him. *Shot of HHH beating Orton at Unforgiven* At the end of 2004, HHH was World Champion and JBL was WWE champion. The group dominated television time, they dominated the WWE, and no one could stop them. Rock was gone. Austin was too hurt. Hogan wrestled infrequently. They had the power, they had control, they had the titles. Until... *Shot of Wrestlemania 21* *Shot of Batista beating HHH* *Shot of Cena beating JBL* And here we stand today. HHH, Flair, Michaels on RAW. Angle, Taker, and JBL on Smackdown. *Summerslam 2005* *Post PPV Raw*