Future WWE plans

[Hektik 0]

An excerpt from the 8/2 Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

 

After the first 60:00 singles match on live U.S. TV in 23 years, and the first ever to a national audience, the Summerslam show for 8/15 in Toronto has finalized its top seven matches.

 

The Raw brand top matches will be Chris Benoit vs Randy Orton for the world title, HHH vs Eugene, Chris Jericho vs Batista and Kane vs Matt Hardy. The Smackdown brand matches will be JBL vs Undertaker for the WWE title, Kurt Angle vs Eddy Guerrero and John Cena vs Booker T for the U.S. title.

 

The lond term plan is to build toward HHH vs Orton as the big match at Wrestlemania. With Orton garnering so much momentum, this seems like an easy build by putting Orton over as champion and causing dissension in the Evolution group. HHH originally wanted the match for last years Wrestlemania, but recognized it was too early for Orton, who has really come on his own as a major star in the last two months. It was too early to break up Evolution, plus some of the booking didn't go on the timetable. Last years booking plan was to have Orton win a feud with Mick Foley late last year (which ended up being delayed until Wrestlemania) and then Shawn Michaels, figuring that would get him ready for HHH.

 

Orton at this point is planned to beat Benoit for the title, with one of the ideas being tossed around being Edge goes heel and costs Benoit the title. This would lead to a natural Edge vs Benoit IC title program, while HHH continues his program with Eugene to keep him out of the World title picture. This would leave Jericho, a returning Shawn Michaels and Benoit as challengers to take up Ortons time for the fall and winter.

 

The drawback in the Benoit-Orton finish if it involves Edge, is because one would also suspect that JBL's title retention over Undertaker would be similar, in that John Heidenreich and Paul Heyman would cost Undertaker the title since Heidenreich is getting the slot originally geared for the departed Mordecai. The one thing they've learned in exposing Mordecai in booking, is to give Heidenreich a mouthpiece, and also to keep his matches very short. If they had learned that with Bill Goldberg, how many more millions would they have on hand?

[TheFranchise 0]

Are they seriously going to give it to Orton?

[JoeDirt 0]

HHH/Orton isn't very exciting, but oh well.

 

Taker/Heidenreich? That will be all time new levels of awful-terrible-horribleosity.

 

Wonder what the "long term plan" for SD is.

[JoeDirt 0]

Are they seriously going to give it to Orton?

Yes.

[razazteca 0]

Its still too early to make Orton champion.

[Guest Real F'n Show]

John Heidenreich? The guy that almost killed Stevie Richards? Getting put into the main event scene? Good thing I don't watch Smackdown.

[JoeDirt 0]

I haven't watched RAW in 2 months...what would be the reasoning behind Edge turning on Benoit and giving the title to Orton?

[JoeDirt 0]

John Heidenreich? The guy that almost killed Stevie Richards? Getting put into the main event scene? Good thing I don't watch Smackdown.

I'm glad they had such a great backup plan after Mordecai bombed...

[Guest JMA]

I sincerely hope that Taker beats JBL for the title at SummerSlam. But I also realize that Vince probably won't take the title off JBL so soon after he won it. This is one time I hope that Taker does use his backstage pull to gain a victory.

 

And when is Eddie going to get a victory over JBL? Don't tell me that a racist character is winning ANOTHER feud.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

You never know.

 

He's with Paul Heyman, and Heyman made Lesnar who he was.

 

By the way, am I the only one starting to like JBL more and more as the weeks go by? Not wrestling wise, but character wise.

 

It was too early to push him as a world champion, they should of started him out by fueding with John Cena.

 

But still, he is very over and is great on the mic.

[JoeDirt 0]

I sincerely hope that Taker beats JBL for the title at SummerSlam. But I also realize that Vince probably won't take the title off JBL so soon after he won it. This is one time I hope that Taker does use his backstage pull to gain a victory.

 

And when is Eddie going to get a victory over JBL? Don't tell me that a racist character is winning ANOTHER feud.

Sadly, I don't think Eddie is getting the title back anytime soon...

[Guest JMA]

I sincerely hope that Taker beats JBL for the title at SummerSlam. But I also realize that Vince probably won't take the title off JBL so soon after he won it. This is one time I hope that Taker does use his backstage pull to gain a victory.

 

And when is Eddie going to get a victory over JBL? Don't tell me that a racist character is winning ANOTHER feud.

Sadly, I don't think Eddie is getting the title back anytime soon...

He should still win the feud with JBL even if he doesn't win the title back. Racist characters shouldn't win feuds against the objects of their hatred.

[algrim 0]

Hopefully, Eddie will win it at No Mercy or Survivor Series, or else we can look forward to more JBL squash matches at Velocity.

[Exslade ZX 0]

Well to all of you that complain about Orton maybe getting the title..just think that SD could possibly have Jon Heidenreich vs Taker..or even JBL! For the title..:|

[Just John 0]

I hate the long term plan for Raw. Benoit jobs the title to Orton and goes straight back to the IC division? Fuck that. If their going for that angle, Benoit should job to Orton at Survivor Series, so there's less down time between the Benoit match and the HHH feud for Orton. It's so obvious that's where they're going, there's no need to slow burn it.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

I don't think Taker would do his 'backstage pull' to beat JBL. As far as I know, Taker is good friends with Bradshaw.

 

Demoting Benoit from World Champion to IC title contender is fucking retarded, so this Edge heel turn isn't a particularly great idea. There are far too many heels on RAW as it is anyway.

 

And Jericho/Batista AGAIN? I've become a big fan of Batista as of late, but I'd rather they throw all three guys (Edge, Batista & Jericho) together in one match for the IC title.

 

UYI

[razazteca 0]

Bradshaw as Stan Hanson Jr. is still better than Randy Orton.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

And Jericho/Batista AGAIN? I've become a big fan of Batista as of late, but I'd rather they throw all three guys (Edge, Batista & Jericho) together in one match for the IC title.

 

UYI

Well, the deadline for WON info is Wednesday morning, and today (Friday), Meltz announced on the WO website it would probably be the triple threat match.

[Promoter 0]

HHH/Orton isn't very exciting, but oh well.

I'm of the same opinion. I thought the whole jumpstart of Orton getting the title at SummerSlam was to create interest to this feud. They are going to slow-burn this obvious feud to WrestleMania? Okay, why have Benoit lose now then? Survivor Series would be better to not create a lag that could make this whole thing feel like a bore. I hope I'm completely wrong here, but...

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Would just like to add that today Meltzer said on his website that it could be Edge vs. Chris Jericho vs. Batista at Summerslam, since that match is headlining house shows this week that include Benoit vs. Orton and HHH vs Eugene.

[Dangerous A 0]

Bradshaw as Stan Hanson Jr. is still better than Randy Orton.

I don't agree. I don't think Orton is good enough or ready for a title, but his matches are better than JBL's. Even with Eddy's work with him, I still can't stand JBL as champion of anything. There is still upward growth for Orton. JBL topped out years ago and is crap right now.

 

BTW, associating a great worker like Stan Hansen with pure shit like JBL is just wrong on so many levels. JBL couldn't swallow Hansen's tobacco juice, much less be compared to him on any level. Since when did Hansen ever portray a rich cowboy?

[iliketurtles 0]

Randy Orton and Bradshaw the World Champions? Is this a joke?

[Guest Quik]

I am all for Orton winning the belt.

 

I am against Benoit dropping to an IC title feud. It won't make Edge or the title look good, it'll just make Benoit look bad.

 

John Heidenreich may kill the Undertaker. Awesome.

[Dangerous A 0]

Randy Orton and Bradshaw the World Champions? Is this a joke?

A joke brought to you by Vince McMahon and his crack writing team!!

[Guest Sturgis]

So what happens if this Orton being the champ blows up in their faces?

[Guest JMA]

I don't think Taker would do his 'backstage pull' to beat JBL. As far as I know, Taker is good friends with Bradshaw.

Yeah, I've heard that as well. Taker might not have a problem jobbing to one of his friends. I do hope, for the sake of Smackdown, that he does beat JBL, though.

 

Eddie really should've beat Bradshaw at Judgement Day instead of extending this feud. A JBL/Cena feud over the US title would've made much more sense (as others have said).

[Dark Age 0]

Benoit back to the IC Title division? Bullshit.

 

Boy, they sure made Benoit a permanent main eventer, huh?

[Guest GreatOne]

Nothing wrong with a Benoit/Edge feud if say Benoit causes him to lose the I-C belt to Xian (when he comes back) or whoever. Weren't we going for a Benoit/Edge (The Mega-'Nucks EXPLODE!) program around Vengeance? Besides HHH wore the I-C belt three years ago and the world didn't explode.

 

It might be gay but let's face it, and here's another thing you can blame WWE for, who's in RAW's midcard that isn't either a comedy character, a Heat jobber, or a headliner who's been totally squashed? Val Venis, Matt Hardy, Christian, Maven? I'm surprised there's that many to pick from.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

I haven't watched RAW in 2 months...what would be the reasoning behind Edge turning on Benoit and giving the title to Orton?

They were having a ton of friction as Tag Champs, and lately they've been having Edge cheat like gangbusters to keep his title. This could be considered foreshadowing for a heel turn.

[Hektik 0]

I still think that Eddy will regain the title so he can job it to Cena at Wrestlemania. At Wrestlemania 20 the overall theme was the smark fantasy of Eddy and Benoit as world champions. The theme of WM 21 will be the golden boys era, Orton and Cena both world champions.