Hawk 34

I thought the comparison between Elimination Chamber and the oft-desired return of War Games was spot on. Nothing can duplicate the quality that those matches produced before they became sterilized. Independent promotions and TNA have attempted to duplicate it but ultimately failed. WWE was wise to create a unique gimmick of its own here and it works for the most part. Like most things in life, especially in the professional wrestling business, it has flaws. I’d like to offer my brief review/opinions on each match and then answer the supplied questions. Let’s start off at the beginning, when this concept was unclear. It was essential to have a good combination of talent to properly execute such a strange concept and they succeeded with Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Jericho, RVD, Booker T and Kane. This had the difficult task of replacing the always popular survivor series match up but the spectacle and novelty of it made up for its absence. Shawn going over was a good and memorable moment, so it helped begin the legacy of the Elimination Chamber. As good as that legacy was built by Shawn’s victory; it was nearly destroyed in full by the horrible booking of the Summer Slam 2003 version. Goldberg marching through the ring and dominating was the right idea. Triple H taking him out despite a very noticeable and affecting injury with very little effort was a near disaster. This effectively killed Goldberg in WWE, which was probably the intended direction but if that was the case, it didn’t need to be done in the EC. However, this wasn’t the worst example and we’ll return to it. The quality and importance of the Elimination Chamber was revived with the NYR event that some people inaccurately believe was won by Batista. Believe it or not, Triple H actually won that in a sneaky and downright brilliant tactic to gain a notch on his march to 16 without losing the title at all. The lone negative of this match was that Benoit and Edge, the impetus for the match were swiftly eliminated. The in-ring stuff was top-notch at this point for this concept match. The following event which took a year later was the least suspenseful and star loaded to that point. It involved Carlito and Chris Masters and not only that, they were the runner-ups. This entire spectacle is noteworthy for one reason and that was Edge ushering in another WWE gimmick creation, the MITB contract, to figuratively “steal” the title from John Cena. This has become a staple of Edge’s career. The absolute worst EC match from involved talent, booking, match quality and importance is the EXTREME edition of it. All the barbed-wired bats, chairs, crowbars and tables couldn’t save this atrocity. The supposedly planned set-up from Paul Heyman for this match could have been something special but in a classic misfire from Vince McMahon, they went a total different way. There was not one redeemable moment in this match aside from the tease of RVD-CM Punk, which has yet to occur and probably never will. After a considerable hiatus, the EC returned,not with just one match but two. The change was that a title wasn’t on the line but rather a shot at the title. Something that was considered controversial in some parts as it’s believed that it takes away from the value of the Royal Rumble victory. Each match was separated by brands and the first match of the night was the one with a rough cast. The match didn’t do much aside from a thoroughly satisfying finish from Batista and Undertaker who continued to show good chemistry with each other. The rest of the match, aside from the short moments with MVP and Undertaker, was largely forgettable. The follow-up and main event of that card was for the Raw brand. This had more intrigue as the winner was still debatable in the minds of some viewers between HHH and Jeff Hardy. Naturally, the finish saw those two at the end. This was a much better EC match across the board and one of the better ones yet. Triple H won his 3rd EC chamber and can now effectively claim this as his match. 1. What was your favorite EC match? I would be hesitant to claim this as the “best” but I do believe my favorite edition of this match was the original. Maybe it’s the aforementioned memorable moment of Shawn's victory or the novelty of being the first match that still resonates over the others. 2. What was your favorite spot from an EC match? I enjoyed a good deal of the acrobatics that RVD displayed despite the limited range but ironically, it was the least acrobatic spot that stood out. The frog splash onto HHH in the inaugural match was, like Dandy claimed, gruesome. An honorable mention goes to Umaga and his double Samoan Drop at the most recent event as well as the UT/Batista tombstone reversal finish. 3. What spot have you thought of that would be great in the EC? I don’t know if I’m creative enough to conjure up something original but I would like to see someone hang like Spider-Man onto the top/side of the chain fence for an extended period of time as a measure of defense/escape but that’s been done to a certain extent. 4. Should this match be done less often, more often, or as is? I’m fine with it as an annual event at this point although the initial matches were based off feuds that spawned six people that could only end with that gimmick but if it allows a smaller show to have a marketable gimmick like the Rumble or Cyber Sunday, then by all means, make it an annual occurrence. I don’t believe it should be done at No Way Out, however. I think it’d be a good bookend to the Rumble as the final event of the PPV year at Armageddon, another event that often goes under the radar by fans since it’s sandwiched between Series and Rumble. 5. Should the match be reserved for title matches/contender matches? I think it’s probably more suited for a title shot purpose right now, especially if it leads to a title shot at the Rumble.

This is a much stronger card then last year. Let's compare. Wrestlemania XXIII Money in the Bank Mr. Kennedy, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, Finlay, Punk, and Booker T Wrestlemania XXIV Mr. Kennedy, Jeff Hardy, Carlito, Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, MVP, Kane* and unannounced* *Purely speculation and the final spot is open for a variety of people from Punk, Kingston, Henry, Palumbo, Burke, Chavo and perhaps Matt Hardy* The Money in the Bank concept is fairly simple and easy to execute but we saw a concise difference in quality from the first and most recent editions from the one that occurred in between. Sure, it’s merely a spot fest but an exciting one to say the least. The most important element that will put this year’s edition ahead of last year is that this is an absolute coronation of sorts for Jeff Hardy, whom some people still feel was deserving of a higher spot on this years card but was a victim of poor timing. Last year didn’t offer that but it wasn’t exactly wide open. It was essentially between Edge and Kennedy. Just as this year’s version will most likely be winnable by Jeff Hardy and a dark horse in the eyes of the fans, Jericho. The idea of Kennedy chasing consecutive MITB is a good addition as well as potentially bringing back 3 of the original participants of the best MITB yet (Jericho, Benjamin and Kane). The other three are either in TNA, this year’s main event or deceased. The most important element to this match is creativity and the involvement of guys like Benjamin and Carlito will put that on display. MVP, like Orton and Booker last year will be an intriguing element since he doesn’t seem to suit this match. This isn’t to say that last year was a poor selection of talent or a lackluster event because it wasn’t. Hopefully, they will cease to do any unnecessary spots such as last year’s memorable but supremely risky spot with Jeff and Edge. As it stands, I feel that this match will be at the very least, equal to last year and quite capable of surpassing it. WMXXIII Great Khali Vs Kane WMXXIV Umaga Vs Batista This is an absolute upgrade from last year. Umaga and Batista have a good chance to put on a very fun and entertaining brawl and perhaps even a passable wrestling match. Even if these two perform to their absolute least, it’ll still better then last year’s SD/Raw spectacle offering. WMXXIII US Title: Chris Benoit Vs MVP WMXIV ECW Title: Chavo Guerrero Vs CM Punk* *Another match purely based on speculation and used for possible comparison* This is a essentially a dead heat. Each match featured a tenured veteran against a young emerging talent with an extended period of build but that’s essentially where the similarities end. MVP/Benoit was something of a disappointment considering the much better quality they produced at the end of the feud. If this match does occur, which is a reach at this point; this would be the conclusion to a relatively long running feud. (3 and ½ months is long these days) Most likely, CM Punk ends up in the MITB and Chavo doesn’t make the card at all (it’s certainly not the first time that a mid-card title holder doesn’t appear on WM). However, if it does obtain a spot, it’ll compare well with last year’s mid-card singles title match of the same nature. WMXXIII Originals Vs New Breed WMXXIV Shawn Michaels Vs Ric Flair These were the non title, non-spectacle matches of their respective cards, although one can effectively argue that Shawn/Flair and the strong probability of it being Flair’s swan song is more of a spectacle then anything else. For comparison’s sake, I’ll keep these two linked. The ECW 8 man was a filler match, Shawn-Flair will not be a filler match and perhaps it’ll be a true WM classic. WMXXIII Umaga (with McMahon) Vs Lashley (with Trump), Special Referee: Austin WMXXIV Floyd Mayweather Jr. Vs Big Show I will give the edge to last year’s event purely for that it attracted more mainstream attention then Mayweather has garnered at this point. The big negative of last year’s match is that Lashley and Umaga were secondary acts to Trump, Austin and McMahon. The match wasn’t enthralling and the post match antics dragged on for eternity and to make it all worthless, the stunner spot on Trump was horribly botched and that’s what a great majority of the nation saw of that entire feud. However, until TBS/Mayweather step it up in the mainstream attention department, it can’t measure up to last year. WMXXIII Lumber Jill Match: Ashley Vs Melina WMXIV Bunny Mania/Lumber Jill Match: Melina Vs Maria Vs Beth Vs Candice Anything that keeps Ashley out of the ring is a big plus. The involvement of Playboy at WM is now a WM staple but it’s good that they managed not to waste more time with it and found a way to integrate it into a more pleasant option. WMXXIII X WMXXIV Finlay Vs JBL There isn’t a direct comparison to be made here, so consider this a bonus if they can keep the Hornswoggle tripe to a minimum and let these guys have a great brawl where they are quite proficient. WMXXIII Shawn Michaels Vs John Cena WMXXIV John Cena Vs Triple H Vs Randy Orton The match-up probably won’t be as polished as it as last year but the booking has been slightly more expertly crafted. The heat for John Cena at WM is always a event in itself and the addition of Orton and HHH whom draw very definant reactions as well will elevate the crowd enthusiasm level to new heights. The uncertainty of the result is an advantage for the triple threat. WMXXIII Undertaker-Batista WMXXIV Edge Vs Undertaker This is a toss-up. The booking for Edge’s turn at usurping the UT has been poorly handled in comparison to Batista. Batista felt like a genuine threat. They haven’t built that, um, edge, to this particular match up. UT/Batista, out of motivation and pure chemistry put on a surprising effort that some argue was the better title match last year. Edge is more skilled then Batista by a good margin but it’s yet to be seen if these two can mesh together. I think they’ll deliver as Edge and Taker often do at this event.

He couldn't possibly consider HHH a close friend, could he? No, he is playing politics and has his head up HHH's ass.

Well, we can all see what will happen at WM, correct?

No. It looks fine and people aren't too bothered by tattoos. It's a portrait of someone (likely a grandmother or close friend), so people aren't turned off by that. Besides, she's wore full sleeved shirts on half the shows this season. Also, Amanda looked good as a blonde in that intro video, she should go back to that and abandon that white/black hair she had a couple weeks ago.

Why the need for the"Kliq" comment? HHH inducting Flair wouldn't be a travesty. It's Flair's choice and HHH would be more then appropriate to do the honors.

This year's DIVA SEARCH winner.

I'll be honest, I might miss that gay bastard. So, how do you guys rank this top 12? I have this based on performance, potential and voter appeal 1. Carly 2. David C. 3. David A. 4. Michael 5. Brooke 6. Kristy Lee 7. Jason 8. Syesha 9. Amanda 10. Ramiele 11. Chikezie 12. David H.

The moral is that it's easy to beat up chicks and short guys but a different thing with someone bigger then you.

It's officially too late for Matt Hardy to return now if they want to come close to getting that back to where it was. I'd rather see MVP be in a regular match then put in a spot fest which doesn't really suit him. I'm really disappointed in the UT/Edge sell. Luckily, they still have 4 more shows (including the special Raw) to make up for it but with Edge getting involved in a pointless side angle with Flair, I'm not holding my breath.

He's better at playing along with and to the judges and the crowd. Sanjaya just had crazy hair every week.

Aside from Texas and possibly Mexico...are there any other places where a HOF ceremony could be based around guys from there? Southern California. When WWE runs WM in Los Angeles again, Mysterio will probably go in that year, so they could add a big name luchador like Mascaras.

Hogan will claim to be inducting Mae Young if someone will listen. I'm not well versed in the history of Florida Wrestling but what connections does Hogan have, if any?

Stay hello to local star, Al Snow. That's all I can give you about Lima except a burger place called Kewpee which supposedly inspired Dave Thomas to create Wendy's. You're stuck dead between Dayton and Toledo (70 miles each direction), so if you're willing to travel out a little further, you might find something there.

If it weren't for her off-stage personality and looks, I'd say Kady would be a lock to get her shipping papers. I'd say Asia'h, Ramiele, David H, and Luke will depart. I'm more confident with regards to the men and the girls are a crapshoot.

I was just referencing how they ended Balls/Kelly without an on air mention after months of build up to the date. Thus, they are just as likely to ignore Jamie/Michelle in a month when Michelle is "with" Matt Hardy or someone. Noble will still find a spot on the show as he should. I just needed to point out WWE's inability to keep on screen relationships in order.

Just like Balls is with Kelly, right?

David Cook is the best male thus far.

Fixed for truth. No. See, the problem is..people don't care about Chavo Guerrero, especially as ECW champion. The only reason he should have ever gotten the title was so that Punk could win it back. But yet again, he beats Punk and this time he does it clean, making it look like Punk has had his last chance and will have to move on. It's so boring and stupid. I swear it looked like they were building that match for Punk's victory, and then DAMMIT, Chavo won again. Although it was a good match. I really hope they blow it off with an extreme rules match or something...or if this is the end of the angle...well, it sucks. Punk is the most over guy on the roster, what's left for him on ECW? Who could possibly feud with Chavo? You mean ECW right? Because I'm sure Jeff Hardy would disagree, and a few others. Pretty sure he meant from ECW. I'd say he's #3 on the SD/ECW group behind Batista and Undertaker, so he's in good position. (Rey is out and Flair moves around too much to count) I know this is off-topic, but...I'm a girl, guys? Honestly, I didn't even see who made the comment.

Fixed for truth. No. See, the problem is..people don't care about Chavo Guerrero, especially as ECW champion. The only reason he should have ever gotten the title was so that Punk could win it back. But yet again, he beats Punk and this time he does it clean, making it look like Punk has had his last chance and will have to move on. It's so boring and stupid. I swear it looked like they were building that match for Punk's victory, and then DAMMIT, Chavo won again. Although it was a good match. I really hope they blow it off with an extreme rules match or something...or if this is the end of the angle...well, it sucks. Punk is the most over guy on the roster, what's left for him on ECW? Who could possibly feud with Chavo? You mean ECW right? Because I'm sure Jeff Hardy would disagree, and a few others. Pretty sure he meant from ECW. I'd say he's #3 on the SD/ECW group behind Batista and Undertaker, so he's in good position. (Rey is out and Flair moves around too much to count)

Fixed for truth. No. See, the problem is..people don't care about Chavo Guerrero, especially as ECW champion. The only reason he should have ever gotten the title was so that Punk could win it back. But yet again, he beats Punk and this time he does it clean, making it look like Punk has had his last chance and will have to move on. It's so boring and stupid. Punk lost clean at NWO as well. Hell, Punk lost to Morrison about 4 times before he won the title. I don't think they'll build to an extreme rules match since WM will already have a couple big brawls and they have given the tag title match that stip for next week. Chavo-Punk hasn't been enough of a blood feud to warrant it.

Kofi. I have to figure Punk's moving over to Smackdown to be a regular there.

Good match.

Each title match needs to go 20 minutes.