WWE News from the 1/26 Observer

[Enigma 0]

It was reported this past week that UPN has renewed Smackdown, believed to be for more than one additional season to the current contract. The actual story is that the renewal took place months ago, but with every television contract, there are options in place. UPN basically has exercised its option for several more seasons for the contract already in existance.

 

The 2/7 show at the Saitama Super Arena is expected to sellout according to those in Japan. This is Steve Austin's first tour of Japan since he became Stone Cold. He had worked several times for New Japan Pro Wrestling during his WCW days including the now famous NWA Title Match with Masahiro Chono where he gave Chono a tombstone piledriver very similar to the one he got from Owen Hart, and started Chono on a career filled with similar neck problems as Austin. The 2/5 show at Osaka Jo Hall is also doing very well, but the 2/6 show in Hiroshima is said to be slow, and that's only a 6,000-seat arena. The Saitama show is already the most successful show the company has ever done in Japan and will end up being among the most successful, in terms of the live gate, in the history of the company.

 

Every major Japanese promotion, including K-1, Pride, All Japan, New Japan, and NOAH within the past two months has made some sort of a bid to get WWE talent for major shows in 2004. The company philosophy right now is to do one RAW and one Smackdown tour per year in Japan, and the feeling is that anything more than that would dilute the product. There is no interest in sending talent to work for Japanese promotions. Most have approached the idea of paying big money to bring in top stars to lose to native stars, which WWE isn't interested in. NOAH is attempting to get Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle for the Tokyo Dome show in August, but there is no interest. Pride wants a WWE representative in its Grand Prix tournament this year, Angle or Lesnar being the preferable choice. While nobody has released any figures, the guess would be Pride is willing to pay huge money because they know it would take that to get stars of that level to participate in shoot matches. But there is no way that is going to happen.

 

The scheduled card for Smackdown's No Way Out PPV on 2/15 at the San Francisco Cow Palace, at least as of this weekend, is Brock Lesnar vs. Eddie Guerrero for the WWE Title, Big Show vs. John Cena for the U.S. Title, and Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero for the Cruiserweight Title. That was advertised locally and is the current booking direction. Given the huge success that show has been the past two years (2002 with Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, & Kevin Nash as the nWo's return and 2003 with Hogan vs. The Rock II and Steve Austin's return), I think we can all safely say this year will not continue that streak. One thing about the early part of the year, everyone both internally and externally who has talked about Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Cena needing a chance at the top, well, they look to be getting it.

 

Kurt Angle has been training in the ring with the guys at the tapings and has told people he's feeling fine. He had been cleared to return a few weeks ago, but the company wanted to be cautious with him. Angle was on a radio show with Mark Madden this past week saying he doesn't think his career can survive another neck operation. He said he won't be taking anymore chair shots to the head and said he would be slowing down his matches. Madden asked Angle about the 2004 Olympics, and Angle said if he competed he'd get his ass kicked. He said he started to train for it, but between knee, shoulder, and neck problems, there was no way.

 

There is a lot of talk about a Cruiserweight Battle Royal at Mania. This may wind up being a pinfall Battle Royal as opposed to an over-the-top-rope Battle Royal since a cruiserweight match of this type should involve flying over the top rope for offensive moves. At this point it's supposed to involve ten men, which include Rey Mysterio, Chavo Guerrero, Nunzio, Billy Kidman, Tajiri, Akio, and Jamie Noble. There was talk of having Dean Malenko come out of retirement for this match, but it's not looking too likely.

 

Paul Heyman is now a bigger part of the creative staff once again, but his duties are largely house show presentation. Jim Ross, Heyman, and John Laurinaitis are doing the house show booking with the idea of throwing in curves and interviews at the show to give it more of a television show feel.

 

Brian "Spanky" Kendrick came to work on 1/13 and asked for his release. As noted the past few weeks, he'd been concerned about the possibility of being fired, and after checking around, apparently felt it wouldn't be for the worst. He's already gotten his job back with Zero-One, starting on 1/31, which is also including working the Zero-One sponsored indie shows in the Northeast the next week. Kendrick had been offered a multi-year contract with Zero-One and was very close to signing at the time WWE made its offer to him. The company was very amicable about letting him go, and many sympathized with his position, realizing he and the cruiserweights in general are underutilized right now. He's already contacted TNA and it's almost a sure thing he'll be working there between Japan tours. They like him, but because Zero-One will be his priority, he'll be on a similar schedule as Low-Ki so he won't be pushed as the focus of the X Division. He may not be able to start there immediately as he has a 90-day no-compete clause, and no-compete in WWE's eyes of late has only meant TNA, but he's working on getting cleared for TNA sooner.

 

The plan is still The Rock & Mick Foley vs. Randy Orton & a partner, possibly Batista, for Mania.

 

The Rock donated $10,000 this past week for 30,000 pounds of rice, spam, corned beef, cooking oil, and other food for the island of Samoa which will be arriving next week, after the island was hit with a cyclone. Rock was contacted by his grandmother, former Hawaii wrestling promoter Lia Maivia, who now lives in a village in Samoa, saying the people in her area need food and he immediately wrote out a check to a supermarket in Kailua, Hawaii, to send food.

 

Regarding Mick Foley, the feeling among those who know the story and where it's going is that nobody in wrestling would be able to do this story without burying themselves but Foley. As mentioned before, this is a story Foley brought to Vince, and most if not all of the layout and the timing is his. One of the key parts of the story is to make Randy Orton a star, which the company needs, and really, Foley & The Rock need as well, because if people don't see Orton as a top guy, their return at Mania won't mean as much. The Orton/Foley vignettes on television have been tremendous.

 

After the show in Green Bay, Steve Austin stayed out for nearly one hour doing a post-match party with three curtain calls. He asked all the Packers at ringside to come in, and then called out Pat Patterson for his 63rd birthday. Most of the locker room came out while Patterson did his favorite deal at the karaoke bars and sang "My Way." Patterson jumped on Lillian Garcia and apparently he can get away with it. Austin drove Patterson to the back in his ATV, but then came back out and poured beer on Garcia for an impromptu wet t-shirt contest.

 

Eric Bischoff missed RAW last week because his mother is very ill.

 

Shawn Michaels was originally booked for RAW last week, but was allowed to go home because with HHH out (working on Blade: Trinity), they had nothing for him.

 

After the Carolina Panthers' win over the Philadelphia Eagles on 1/18 to get into the Super Bowl, defensive tackle Brenston Buckner was quoted in the Greensboro News and Record saying, "Whether you like it or not, learn to love it, because in the NFC, it's the best thing going today."

 

Because The Rock had mentioned in the past that he loves Dunkin Donuts, the company wanted to name a donut after him. There was a news item that said he considered it at first but then decided against it.

 

At the Smackdown taping last week in Minneapolis, Lenny Lane got a tryout dark match with Paul London. Crowd was very into the match with loud chants for Lenny, since he's from the area and had years of exposure in WCW.

 

It's a sure thing that Chris Benoit is staying on the RAW side for good. In Japan, it looks like he's wrestling Batista on 2/5 in Hiroshima, HHH on 2/6 in Osaka, and Kane on 2/7 at the Saitama Super Arena. It would seem likely that whether this takes place at Mania or not, that RAW's Backlash PPV would be headlined by HHH vs. Benoit, since it's being held in Edmonton. One would think they would book Benoit to win in that city, but it really means nothing if it's just like the Goldberg deal where the belt is loaned out so HHH can compile his own Flair-like record.

 

As of current plans, Edge is supposed to return shortly after Wrestlemania, so it looks like he's not making his March goal to appear on the big show. As of right now, he's planned for the Smackdown roster, but that could change. Edge has recovered well from his neck surgery and will be ready by early-March, so he could be on the show. The last feeling was that bringing him back at that point would get lost in the Mania hype for people like Mick Foley, The Rock, and The Undertaker coming back and they want his return to be a big deal.

 

Randy Orton needed six stitches to close the cut in the Rob Van Dam match at the 1/12 RAW. He was knocked out briefly in the match. RVD was all over him, apparently not realizing it. Most of this took place during the commerical break, which is why the match slowed down when they came back.

 

Steve Madison wrote this about a talk he got from Shawn Michaels at the 12/15 show: " 'WWE used to be a place where guys worked their whole careers to get to. And when they got there, they knew they earned it. Now, guys start their careers in WWE and don't know what it's like on the indies. They take it for granted what they have and that is our problem here. Cut their necks off and they all look the same: Bodybuilders, not wrestlers. Few guys can work. Steve, you honestly think Flair needs to be wrestling at 53? Yes, he does, because these young kids don't have a clue. We need at least a few guys who can tell a story!' And then he turned to me and said, 'Keep working in Japan and keep up the work on the independents. When you get here, you'll stay here and realize you've earned it.' "

 

At the Smackdown tapings, there was a kid with a sign that said "Vince = Steroids." Of course it was quickly confiscated. Lots of signs confiscated at RAW this week as well.

 

Reid Fliehr, Ric's 15-year-old son, who is a high school freshman wrestling varsity against almost all juniors and seniors, is ranked No. 12 in North Carolina in the 191-pound weight class with a 23-9 record. This past weekend he was competing in Tulsa at the nationals for the 15-and-under age group, which is considered possibly the toughest tournament in the country.

 

Garrison Cade's name has been mentioned along with Rene Dupree as those who the company believes will be stars down the line.

 

While no decision has been made, odds for Jeff Hardy coming back have warmed up of late. If he does, and it's not a done deal, it is being discussed for Smackdown to add star power to the cruiserweight division.

 

The Danville, IL News-Gazette had a story this week about referee Jack Doan. Doan started driving a ring truck in 1991 and helping set up the shows before hired to referee in 1992, and has been with the company most of the time. He took a year off because he had a family and wanted to be home more, but said he missed the rush of the show more than the money and went back. Now 32, he said his goal is to referee until he is 50 years old, and then try to get into coaching football.

 

WWE Originals opened in the UK at No. 11 on the charts for this past week. The U.S. first week won't come out until after press time, but industry sources said based on preliminary sales, it looks like the first week would do between 50,000-to-60,000 units. That is considered very strong for this time of the year (a weak time for the music industry), and early reports, and this was said on RAW, that it would debut at No. 3. The review in Rolling Stone was brutal, saying you'd think something like that would be comedy, except it's not funny, "and shockingly, much of it seems to be intended seriously." It said it could end up being the worst album of 2004.

 

The Olympic sports book has gambling on who will replace Lisa Guerrero on Monday Night Football. One of the women listed as a longshot was Stephanie Levesque.

 

WWE is allowing Billy Kidman and Charlie Haas to appear on 1/24 at the ECWA show in Wilmington, DE, to be inducted into that promotion's Hall of Fame.

 

There was only one Smackdown house show this past week because the weekend events in Minot, ND, and Grand Forks, ND, got off to bad advances and were canceled. It is now company policy that if it appears a house show will be a money loser, that it gets canceled and, if possible (and it wasn't this time), they try and book a new city.

 

Maven was back on the road this weekend, but was injured in his first match back in Des Moines. He beat Matt Hardy, but in the process of hitting a flying body press for the finish, his arm landed badly and he suffered an elbow injury, believed to be a radial head fracture of the elbow. He underwent surgery on 1/20, and looks to be out 6-8 weeks.

 

The upcoming Stone Cold DVD looks to be a tape of the UPN special, with additions of the 6/27/93, Steve Austin & Brian Pillman vs. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson 2-out-of-3 falls match for the WCW Tag Titles from WCW Clash 23 (which was Flair's first televised WCW match since returning from the WWF), some ECW promos and a 11/18/95 ECW match against Mikey Whipwreck, as well as the 12/18/95 debut match of The Ringmaster managed by Ted Dibiase against jobber Scott Taylor, better known today as Scotty 2 Hotty.

 

Test has been working with an abscess in his mouth.

 

The paid attendance for the 1/5 RAW tapings in Memphis was about 5,000 and for the 1/6 Smackdown tapings in Huntsville it was about 3,100. The 1/19 RAW show in Oshawa drew 3,600, the 1/11 Smackdown show in Cadillac, MI, drew 1,600, and the 1/11 RAW show in St. Johns, Newfoundland drew 2,100 (that is scary because Eastern Canada, because they go so infrequently and don't get much in the way of major league entertainment, has always been huge for WWE). This past weekend, the 1/16 RAW show in Des Moines drew 3,400. 1/17 RAW show in Madison drew 2,400. 1/18 RAW show in Milwaukee drew 3,500. 1/19 Smackdown show in Duluth drew 1,400. The 1/19 RAW tapings in Green Bay did nearly a full house while 1/20 Smackdown tapings in Minneapolis did about 6,500.

 

100% CREDIT GOES TO

Dave Meltzer & The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Support them.

[humongous2002 0]

Randy Orton needed six stitches to close the cut in the Rob Van Dam match at the 1/12 RAW. He was knocked out briefly in the match. RVD was all over him, apparently not realizing it. Most of this took place during the commerical break, which is why the match slowed down when they came back.

Orton fucks up in hitting his finisher, has as much heat as a Velocity jobber and he is also to dumb to blade himself, damn, can someone remind me again why he is viewed as a future main eventer?

[Guest Ghettoman]

He didn't blade, he went into the ring post too hard, via RVD offense. Idiot.

[Damaramu 0]

RVD's sloppy.......I think we all know that......

[Guest BionicRedneck]

Orton fucks up in hitting his finisher, has as much heat as a Velocity jobber and he is also to dumb to blade himself, damn, can someone remind me again why he is viewed as a future main eventer?

 

Wow....way to make an ass out of yourself. How was he "to dumb" (yeah...he's the dumb one) to blade himself? He didn't try to blade himself, he got his head smashed into a ring post.

[Damaramu 0]

I wonder if RVD's going to start on another destruction tour where he's busting people open and we have 8,000 posts saying:

"OMG! RVD's sloppy! Fire him!"

and then we learn that one of Randy Orton's girlfriends was complaining about RVD and RVD's wife gets all cattty and fights all of Randy's girlfriends.......or something............needless to say I can't wait......

[NYU 0]

RVD's sloppy.......I think we all know that......

Orton admitted he didn't put his hands up on the ringpost spot like he should have. That's why he busted himself open.

[Guest Ghettoman]

I never discredit someone for reality, if someone doesn't get there hands up on Test's big boot, I give them more credit.

 

I like things the hardway, makes selling that much easier.

 

But of course for someone receiving a mechasuperdupermonster push, a hard spot is a total no-no, if you do it your completely unover and talentless. Like Jericho.

[NYU 0]

I never discredit someone for reality, if someone doesn't get there hands up on Test's big boot, I give them more credit.

 

I like things the hardway, makes selling that much easier.

 

But of course for someone receiving a mechasuperdupermonster push, a hard spot is a total no-no, if you do it your completely unover and talentless. Like Jericho.

Well, when it gives you a concussion and affects your capabilities for the rest of the match.....yeah, I'd say that's a no-no.

[Guest Ghettoman]

It's never a no-no. I'd rather have a guy of mine get knocked out going into a poll and can't finish a match then have him get dizzy and expose the business a couple times before they improvise a shitty ending.

 

But really, I don't run a fed for a reason, and I'm pretty sure the above is one of them.

[haVoc 0]

That's a double edge sword. It's like saying it's alright if Bob Holly beats the crap out of the guys/kids in the ring for the sake of selling better. Even though, there is a chance they could get hurt, make mistakes and expose the business.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

I never discredit someone for reality, if someone doesn't get there hands up on Test's big boot, I give them more credit.

 

I like things the hardway, makes selling that much easier.

 

But of course for someone receiving a mechasuperdupermonster push, a hard spot is a total no-no, if you do it your completely unover and talentless. Like Jericho.

Well, when it gives you a concussion and affects your capabilities for the rest of the match.....yeah, I'd say that's a no-no.

Eh, Orton looked great the rest of the bout anyway, to the point where most people on the 'Net were down on RVD for "dogging it." So your point is moot anyway.

[Guest Ghettoman]

Oh Fear Havoc I'm not saying I'd rather have someone beating the shit out of them, but in the instance with Orton, if he were knocked out, I would rather have him be carried out then go to commercial until he's ready to go again. It puts over the ring post huge...

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

Brian "Spanky" Kendrick came to work on 1/13 and asked for his release. As noted the past few weeks, he'd been concerned about the possibility of being fired, and after checking around, apparently felt it wouldn't be for the worst. He's already gotten his job back with Zero-One, starting on 1/31, which is also including working the Zero-One sponsored indie shows in the Northeast the next week. Kendrick had been offered a multi-year contract with Zero-One and was very close to signing at the time WWE made its offer to him. The company was very amicable about letting him go, and many sympathized with his position, realizing he and the cruiserweights in general are underutilized right now. He's already contacted TNA and it's almost a sure thing he'll be working there between Japan tours. They like him, but because Zero-One will be his priority, he'll be on a similar schedule as Low-Ki so he won't be pushed as the focus of the X Division. He may not be able to start there immediately as he has a 90-day no-compete clause, and no-compete in WWE's eyes of late has only meant TNA, but he's working on getting cleared for TNA sooner.

 

And I hope this shuts up the talk about how WWE is the big dog and wrestlers shouldn't quit cause they wouldn't be able to make a decent living anywhere else or how it's their dream to work there..

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Brian "Spanky" Kendrick came to work on 1/13 and asked for his release. As noted the past few weeks, he'd been concerned about the possibility of being fired, and after checking around, apparently felt it wouldn't be for the worst. He's already gotten his job back with Zero-One, starting on 1/31, which is also including working the Zero-One sponsored indie shows in the Northeast the next week. Kendrick had been offered a multi-year contract with Zero-One and was very close to signing at the time WWE made its offer to him. The company was very amicable about letting him go, and many sympathized with his position, realizing he and the cruiserweights in general are underutilized right now. He's already contacted TNA and it's almost a sure thing he'll be working there between Japan tours. They like him, but because Zero-One will be his priority, he'll be on a similar schedule as Low-Ki so he won't be pushed as the focus of the X Division. He may not be able to start there immediately as he has a 90-day no-compete clause, and no-compete in WWE's eyes of late has only meant TNA, but he's working on getting cleared for TNA sooner.

 

And I hope this shuts up the talk about how WWE is the big dog and wrestlers shouldn't quit cause they wouldn't be able to make a decent living anywhere else or how it's their dream to work there..

To be fair, it also shows that the WWE is not some crazy facist state that will mercilessly bury a worker that leaves.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Why is RVD getting blamed in this thread for something Orton himself admitted was his own fault?

[Mole 0]

Randy Orton needed six stitches to close the cut in the Rob Van Dam match at the 1/12 RAW. He was knocked out briefly in the match. RVD was all over him, apparently not realizing it. Most of this took place during the commerical break, which is why the match slowed down when they came back.

Orton fucks up in hitting his finisher, has as much heat as a Velocity jobber and he is also to dumb to blade himself, damn, can someone remind me again why he is viewed as a future main eventer?

Ugh, as mush as I hate Orton this isn't something we can put against him.

 

I've only seen Orton mess up one or two times, not every match like Nathan Jones.

 

Remember when Jericho messed *gosh* twice in a match against Rhyno. People were bitching about him fuckin up all the time, and it only happened in one or two matches.

 

Wow, I just defended Orton.

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

Jericho had a few month stretch were he was blowing spots a year or so back when it was an issue.

[Vyce 0]

Paul Heyman is now a bigger part of the creative staff once again,

 

This makes sense. I've notcied that Rhyno hasn't been jobbing on Velocity to Orlando fucking Jones lately.

 

BTW, bps is right. Orton himself admitted the fuck-up with RVD was HIS (Orton's) fault.

[humongous2002 0]

He didn't blade, he went into the ring post too hard, via RVD offense. Idiot.

Then he (Orton) is dumber than i thought, bitch.

[Guest BionicRedneck]

He didn't blade, he went into the ring post too hard, via RVD offense. Idiot.

Then he (Orton) is dumber than i thought, bitch.

Yet, he (Orton) still looks like a genius when compared to you.

[humongous2002 0]

He didn't blade, he went into the ring post too hard, via RVD offense. Idiot.

Then he (Orton) is dumber than i thought, bitch.

Yet, he (Orton) still looks like a genius when compared to you.

Are you Ghettoho's BUTT buddy? That's why you are defending him?

[2GOLD 0]

Paul Heyman is now a bigger part of the creative staff once again,

 

This makes sense. I've notcied that Rhyno hasn't been jobbing on Velocity to Orlando fucking Jones lately.

 

BTW, bps is right. Orton himself admitted the fuck-up with RVD was HIS (Orton's) fault.

 

NEVER! IT WAS THE FAULT OF RVD BECAUSE RVD SUCKS!

Just saving someone time...oh, and to save additional time

RANDY ORTON SUCKS!

There, covered.

 

I'm just glad Randy is ok and not seriously hurt. I dislike him but for god sake, he admitted he screwed up and Rob carried him the whole match while he was dizzy. I may find Randy uninteresting as hell, but I don't want him really hurt.

 

About the only question I have is why is that football part about the Panthers guy in there? What the hell was the point of that?

[haVoc 0]

Jericho had a few month stretch were he was blowing spots a year or so back when it was an issue.

Then management told him to slow down in the ring and the 'Net threw a shit fit.

[Enigma 0]

About the only question I have is why is that football part about the Panthers guy in there? What the hell was the point of that?

Flair used to say that in the NWA in the 80s all the time.

[2GOLD 0]

About the only question I have is why is that football part about the Panthers guy in there? What the hell was the point of that?

Flair used to say that in the NWA in the 80s all the time.

 

Oh, so Buckner picked up the Ric Flair DVD.

Makes sense.

 

Maybe during his Super Bowl introduction he can come out wearing a sparkling robe and WOOOOO all over the place.

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

About the only question I have is why is that football part about the Panthers guy in there? What the hell was the point of that?

Flair used to say that in the NWA in the 80s all the time.

 

Oh, so Buckner picked up the Ric Flair DVD.

Makes sense.

 

Maybe during his Super Bowl introduction he can come out wearing a sparkling robe and WOOOOO all over the place.

Holding up four fingers.

[NoCalMike 0]

Paul Heyman is now a bigger part of the creative staff once again, but his duties are largely house show presentation. Jim Ross, Heyman, and John Laurinaitis are doing the house show booking with the idea of throwing in curves and interviews at the show to give it more of a television show feel.

 

Steve Madison wrote this about a talk he got from Shawn Michaels at the 12/15 show: " 'WWE used to be a place where guys worked their whole careers to get to. And when they got there, they knew they earned it. Now, guys start their careers in WWE and don't know what it's like on the indies. They take it for granted what they have and that is our problem here. Cut their necks off and they all look the same: Bodybuilders, not wrestlers. Few guys can work. Steve, you honestly think Flair needs to be wrestling at 53? Yes, he does, because these young kids don't have a clue. We need at least a few guys who can tell a story!' And then he turned to me and said, 'Keep working in Japan and keep up the work on the independents. When you get here, you'll stay here and realize you've earned it.' "

Addressing the first paragraph. Didn't Trish reportedly suggest doing just THAT at a meeting before Raw a couple of weeks ago, and she supposedly got mocked and made fun of by some of the brass?

 

As far as the Steve Madison thing. I think they have it wrong, WWE does have plenty of workers that started out as indy wrestlers and that CAN WORK, god matches. The only problem is, they don't get pushed at all, and are usually just there to make steroid-fiends look stronger. Now with Benoit/Eddie getting theirs finally, maybe things will change a bit up and down the entire card.*crosses fingers*

[Fökai 0]

Addressing the first paragraph. Didn't Trish reportedly suggest doing just THAT at a meeting before Raw a couple of weeks ago, and she supposedly got mocked and made fun of by some of the brass?

 

Don't know what that first paragraph entailed, but Trish proposed the idea of house shows continuing angles from RAW and Smackdown television shows.

[2GOLD 0]

Addressing the first paragraph. Didn't Trish reportedly suggest doing just THAT at a meeting before Raw a couple of weeks ago, and she supposedly got mocked and made fun of by some of the brass?

 

Don't know what that first paragraph entailed, but Trish proposed the idea of house shows continuing angles from RAW and Smackdown television shows.

 

*laughs*

No she didn't.

It was obviously a Jim Ross original idea.

 

Women don't THINK!