Thanks for the Fish

Hade Vansen is a cruiserweight is the likely reason why this gimmick and angle was dropped. McMahon isn't going to build up a cruiserweight as a legit challenge to Taker. Truth be told I didn't like the promo - it was too theatrical in delivery, and wasn't hot on Thorn and Black Pain in the angle either so I'm okay with Vince nixing the angle. Of course the promo should have never aired and it has to suck for the three developmentals who were told of the plans and their call-ups. Undertaker is set to feud with the returning Umaga - but that might be held off until after WM25 assuming HBK gets his way so Vansen and crew didn't have to jump right into a feud with Undertaker. I still think it comes down to Vansen being >225lbs and > 6ft tall.

Carnival freak fits in McMahon's circus BY JIM VARSALLONE [email protected] http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/other/story/800342.html

The wwe crminially neglects it's midcard titles. Regal has made it his mission to raise the stature of the IC title, but that will mean little if there isn't booker juice behind it. Benjamin is the posterchild for the wwe needing on-screen managers. Imagine him with Heenan, Hart, Cornette - he's be a main eventer. Carlito/Primo needed a win in their one-sided feud with Kendrick and Zeke, but Carlito is just so damn unmotivated right now. I know the wwe keeps him around because of target demographics, but I don't think he is worth the trouble or the spot. "The Puerto Rican Nightmare" Eric Escobar has been in developmentals for years now and would kill for a spot and the writers never seem to have anything for him. I think McCool will make a much better heel - it's tough to be a face from the get-go. It's easier to get fans to hate you first, and once they care about you enough to hate you it's easier than to turn face and get them to like you. Problem being that there is no face character to center the division around - Enter Gail Kim. I've come to the conclusion that the writers don't have any ideas for MVP anymore, so they just keep his groundhog day losing.

Batista has had some decent enough matches, however he was getting pretty played out as a character and the time off-screen could serve him (and the wwe) well. There wasn't really a money feud waiting for him and he was getting pissed off that the company would never put the title on him (which could have been partly because of no fresh feud possibilities). They should have had Mike Knox take him out. Orton didn't need the heat/rub, and it would have set up Batista/Knox is 6 mos time while giving Knox a killer push right now giving him instant uppercard credibility.

Raw was fun basically from top to bottom. The opening segment with Santino and Cena set the tone and gave the show a storyline that played right into the ME. Kane vs HBK was a throw-away but it's always interesting to see the crowd reax to HBK in Canada. HBK gave a bit back going for the crossface during the match. The winner was never in question, though it only furthers the silliness of Kelly being scared of Kane. Heck she could probably kick his ass these days given Kanes' booking. Manu vs Kofi was a good little match. Manu is actually solid in the ring, but as I've probably mentioned ad nasuem now, he just doesn't fit in with the Legacy Boys. Wwe should break him away and make him their Samoa Joe. I really liked how it was explained why HBK is not simply asking HHH for help. It was a necessary explanation that the wwe usually neglects. Is HBK using JBL? Does he have something up his sleeve? Divas Tag Match was solid, if unspectacular. I'm a mark for the Code Red finisher. Regal was really putting over the IC title, as he said he would in interviews recently. He really wants to elevate it. If Layla is "Two a Penny" I have a shiny penny with her name on it. JBL vs Mysterio was kinda just there, but the ending was creative so I can't complain. Ref sorta botched the finish though, but it was minor enough. Liked how they explained Knox' absence. It's the little things... Behind Enemy Lines : Colombia looks like shite. Jericho vs Punk was really good. Punk's kicks are sloppy at times, but he'll learn the hard way if he stiffs Regal in their upcoming feud. I figured Punk was going to tap to the crab, but when Punk was setting up the springboard clothesline I thought it would be neat to be caught with the code breaker, and then it happened, and executed really well. Superfan gets a name - Rosa Mendez. I figured Trish was coming, but it was still really fun. She didn't seem to have any ring rust on her. Cena saved Christmas.

The ref blew the JBL/HBK slap finish as he was calling for the bell before the slap... Ref is fired!

I know folks are thinking Trish, but Gail Kim is also from Toronto. However that might be a let down after teasing Trish. Was Mickie really hurt, or were they just writing out all other Diva face options? Melina looked a little too "concerned" at the end, making me think that she might accompany Mickie to the hospital or something. Then Kelly Kelly is somehow taken out, leaving Cena without any Diva tag option...

I hope Manu losing is a storyline to write him out of the group. He's actually pretty good in the ring, but he just doesn't fit. Kick him out and let him become a Samoan badass (Samoa Joe Rip-off if they're really high on him). Bring back Dibiase and add Joe Hennig to Legacy making it Orton, Dibiase, Rhodes and Hennig.

Code Red

I can't understand how you can be so wrong about Kizarny and yet so right about Katie Lea. Katie is a top five worker amongst the Divas - maybe as high as three.

There is another Dibiase in developmental, Joe Hennig is there as well. Harry Smith though he's heading to SD! and TJ Wilson is basically a Hart as well. Taylor Rotunda and Dakota Darsow both just recently signed developmental deals. Jesse is Terry Gordy's son, then there's Goldust, Primo and Carlito, Chavo Guerrero, and of course Hornswoggle.

Santino is great. It's all the little things he does. His laugh at the end did it this week. Was Cena ripping off Olbermann with his "Shame on you SIR" bit?

What's with all this handshake shit and wrestling. Gabe Sapolsky is blogging about his stint in ECW and how the Harris Brothers almost kicked his ass because he didn't shake their hands and further tells a story about working with the Maestro (from WCW) and he'll shake your hand 10+ times a night, basically every time he sees you he shakes your hand. If you don't go up and shake somebodies hand it's disrespecting them. Is it a show of submission, symbolically kissing the ring or ass of those deemed to be above you or something? There was also a story where Benoit made his son shake everybodies hand.

According to his Wiki, Devine trained in Calgary under one of the Harts. He's too old (34) to be with DH and TJ though, maybe he could play the loose cannon Pillman role. "The Foundation" will need all the help they can get as Harry is bland as hell, and TJ can definitely work in-ring, but I don't know about his ability to make folks care about him. Devine could use his grizzly stomach scar (from when he was knifed/mugged while with TNA) to build his character around.

Too bad removing that hideous back tattoo will not be as easy...

So who's winning the matches - I assume Batista will not be allowed to fight, giving Orton a bye. Also HBK and JBL should win setting up an interesting dynamic during the match. The only match I'm undecided about is Jericho/Punk because would the wwe really have a three heels in the fatal fourway? Or does Jericho and Punk lead to a non-finish where both are eliminated? This would open the door for Batista to fill the open spot in the fourway making it Orton vs JBL vs HBK vs Batista. JBL wins when Batista and Orton are brawling on the outside and HBK is ordered to lie down for JBL. At the Royal Rumble JBL vs Cena happens before the RR main event. Cena wins, JBL takes HBK's spot in the RR. HBK gets a later spot when another entrant is unable to compete. JBL orders HBK out of the rumble as soon as he enters, but HBK says that he could help him stay in and eliminate folks if he stayed in for awhile. HBK later eliminates JBL "by accident" and goes on to win the RR.

Subtractions - Jeff Hardy (3rd Strike) Candace Michelle Charlie Haas D'Lo Brown Jillian Hall Kane(retires) Paul Burchill Sim Snuka Curt Hawkins Greg Helms Carlito Zach Ryder Gavin Spears Ricky Ortiz Boogeyman Additions - Kurt Angle Christian Trish Stratus Nigel McGuinness Call-ups - DH Smith TJ Wilson Eric Escobar (teams up with Primo, replacing Carly) Joe Hennig Mr. Yamamoto Sheamus O'Shaunessey Tyson Tarver Smackdown will be taped every second week HHH will head back to Raw HBK will head to SD! to take advantage of the new scheduling CM Punk will head to the SD! upper mid card, rescuing Scotty Goldman's wwe career from the brink. Kurt Angle will join Raw Christian will join SD! Trish will head to Raw Festus will drop the bell ringing gimmick and be pushed in the SD! mid card, with Jesse as his manager/handler. He'll hurt Maria and the lockerroom will turn on him. The New Hart Foundation will get a huge debut push, but will not connect at all with the fans and ultimately fail. TJ Wilson will shoulder the blame eventhough Harry Smith will deserve it. Miz and Morrison will be split up in the draft to give Morrison a singles push on Raw that will fizzle. Miz will not get much of a push on SD!. A heel will win MITB and lose when he cashes it in. I'm thinking Jericho for this role Randy Orton will wrestle Steve Austin at WM25 HBK will wrestle Undertaker at WM Tyson Tarver will debut as a gangbanger thug from the past of one of Benjamin, Killings or MVP. The Legacy stable will crap out. -Ted Dibiase will turn face and will be replaced by Joe Hennig -Manu will "find his Samoan roots" and team with Umaga(after Umaga's feud with Undertaker runs its course). -Cody Rhodes will feud with Goldust, Dusty will be involved. Sheamus O'Shaunessey will be paired with Hornswoggle, allowing Finlay to have one last serious run CM Punk and Scotty Goldman will hold the SD! tag titles DJ Gabriel will fail a wellness test Dolph Ziggler will fail his second wellness test

If that is the Original One Night Stand, Foley's commentary ruins it. Bastard talked through Sandmans entrance. I mean if there was ever a time for the commentators to just shut up that was it.

Ezekiel Jackson is green as grass. Carlito should be released - he doesn't want to be in the wwe, why keep him around?

Vince can't trademark Tomko since it's his real last name. Vince probably wanted to create a new character which he could trademark and Tomko didn't want to give up what which could be good money down the line, both in contract talks and with post-wwe career indie dates. Wwe has 2-3 developmentals that are near Tomko's size, so if they really had a character ready, wouldn't they just plug one of those under the mask? Hade Vansen was said to be debuting under a mask and that was flase - I wonder if it was a test more than anything and Tomko balked.

So who wants to bet there will be a tie finish again? Who is favorite to win? HHH to go on to challenge Hardy? Or will Edge get the title back by then? Who's going to face Cena at WM? Batista would be a good bet. I'd love to see HBK win the RR and then challenge Undertaker. I think it could be an epic storyline where HBK says he's had the titles before and will god willing fight for titles again, but the chance to fight The Undertaker at WM in Texas and beat him is too good to pass up. HBK vs Undertaker in the Main Event at WM - The Streak vs the Showstopper.

Any folks in the UK who watched SD! tell me if there is a Kizarny or Vansen promo/vignette?

And he's buddies with Edge. Edge should pull some strings for the guy. Also he lived with Jake Roberts for a stretch and was a willing student to Jake's wrestling lessons.

I'll guess PWI again.

I'll guess this is from pwinsider. No source was given from the site I'm stealing it from so I can't credit the source really. I'm sure somebody will be able to give credible sourcing sooner or later around here.